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Psalm 35
Of David.

Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me;
fight against those who fight against me.

The Lord the Avenger of His People

A Psalm of David.

Plead[a] my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me;
Fight against those who fight against me.

2

Take up shield and armor;
arise and come to my aid.

2

Take hold of shield and [b]buckler,
And stand up for my help.

3

Brandish spear and javelina
against those who pursue me.
Say to me,
“I am your salvation.”

3

Also draw out the spear,
And stop those who pursue me.
Say to my soul,
“I am your salvation.”

4

May those who seek my life
be disgraced and put to shame;
may those who plot my ruin
be turned back in dismay.

4

Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor
Who seek after my life;
Let those be turned back and brought to confusion
Who plot my hurt.

5

May they be like chaff before the wind,
with the angel of the Lord driving them away;

5

Let them be like chaff before the wind,
And let the [c]angel of the Lord chase them.

6

may their path be dark and slippery,
with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.

6

Let their way be dark and slippery,
And let the angel of the Lord pursue them.

7

Since they hid their net for me without cause
and without cause dug a pit for me,

7

For without cause they have hidden their net for me in a pit,
Which they have dug without cause for my life.

8

may ruin overtake them by surprise —
may the net they hid entangle them,
may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.

8

[d]Let destruction come upon him unexpectedly,
And let his net that he has hidden catch himself;
Into that very destruction let him fall.

9

Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord
and delight in his salvation.

9

And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord;
It shall rejoice in His salvation.

10

My whole being will exclaim,
“Who is like you, Lord?
You rescue the poor from those too strong for them,
the poor and needy from those who rob them.”

10

All my bones shall say,
“Lord, who is like You,
Delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him,
Yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?”

11

Ruthless witnesses come forward;
they question me on things I know nothing about.

11

Fierce witnesses rise up;
They ask me things that I do not know.

12

They repay me evil for good
and leave me like one bereaved.

12

They reward me evil for good,
To the sorrow of my soul.

13

Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth
and humbled myself with fasting.
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,

13

But as for me, when they were sick,
My clothing was sackcloth;
I humbled myself with fasting;
And my prayer would return to my own [e]heart.

14

I went about mourning
as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
as though weeping for my mother.

14

I paced about as though he were my friend or brother;
I bowed down [f]heavily, as one who mourns for his mother.

15

But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;
assailants gathered against me without my knowledge.
They slandered me without ceasing.

15

But in my [g]adversity they rejoiced
And gathered together;
Attackers gathered against me,
And I did not know it;
They tore at me and did not cease;

16

Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;b
they gnashed their teeth at me.

16

With ungodly mockers at feasts
They gnashed at me with their teeth.

17

How long, Lord, will you look on?
Rescue me from their ravages,
my precious life from these lions.

17

Lord, how long will You look on?
Rescue me from their destructions,
My precious life from the lions.

18

I will give you thanks in the great assembly;
among the throngs I will praise you.

18

I will give You thanks in the great assembly;
I will praise You among [h]many people.

19

Do not let those gloat over me
who are my enemies without cause;
do not let those who hate me without reason
maliciously wink the eye.

19

Let them not rejoice over me who are wrongfully my enemies;
Nor let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause.

20

They do not speak peaceably,
but devise false accusations
against those who live quietly in the land.

20

For they do not speak peace,
But they devise deceitful matters
Against the quiet ones in the land.

21

They sneer at me and say, “Aha! Aha!
With our own eyes we have seen it.”

21

They also opened their mouth wide against me,
And said, “Aha, aha!
Our eyes have seen it.”

22

Lord, you have seen this; do not be silent.
Do not be far from me, Lord.

22

This You have seen, O Lord;
Do not keep silence.
O Lord, do not be far from me.

23

Awake, and rise to my defense!
Contend for me, my God and Lord.

23

Stir up Yourself, and awake to my vindication,
To my cause, my God and my Lord.

24

Vindicate me in your righteousness, Lord my God;
do not let them gloat over me.

24

Vindicate me, O Lord my God, according to Your righteousness;
And let them not rejoice over me.

25

Do not let them think, “Aha, just what we wanted!”
or say, “We have swallowed him up.”

25

Let them not say in their hearts, “Ah, so we would have it!”
Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”

26

May all who gloat over my distress
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over me
be clothed with shame and disgrace.

26

Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion
Who rejoice at my hurt;
Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor
Who exalt themselves against me.

27

May those who delight in my vindication
shout for joy and gladness;
may they always say, “The Lord be exalted,
who delights in the well-being of his servant.”

27

Let them shout for joy and be glad,
Who favor my righteous cause;
And let them say continually,
“Let the Lord be magnified,
Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”

28

My tongue will proclaim your righteousness,
your praises all day long.

28

And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness
And of Your praise all the day long.

Parallel

New International Version

New King James Version

Psalms 35

Psalms 35