THE *BOOK OF
PSALMS.
Psalm 35 ©
David prays very fervently to God, to take his cause in hand, and to fight for him against his enemies, that he may have cause to praise and thank Him for it; he describes his enemies’ plots, falsehoods, unthankfulness and desperate malice, desiring righteous vengeance to the honor of God, his own preservation, and the joy of all the godly.
A Psalm of David.
PLEAD1my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.
2Draw out also the spear, and 3stop the way against 4them that persecute me: 5say unto my soul, I am thy 6salvation.
Leta them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my 7soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion 8that devise my hurt.
Let them be as chaffb before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.
Let their way be 9dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.
For 10without cause have they hid for me 11their net in a pit, which without cause they have 12digged for my soul.
Let 13destruction come upon 14him at 15unawares;c and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very 16destruction let him fall.
And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
17All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?
18False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that 19I knew not.
They rewarded me evil for good to 20the spoiling of my soul.
But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was 21sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer 22returned into mine own bosom.
I 23behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down 24heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.
But in mine 25adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the 26abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I 27knew it not; they did tear me, and 28ceased not:
With hypocritical 29mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my 30darling from the lions.
Id will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.
Let not them that are mine enemies 31wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them 32wink with the eye thate hate me 33without a cause.
For they speak not peace: but they devise 34deceitful matters against them that are 35quiet in the land.
Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, 36Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.
This thou hast seen, O LORD: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.
Stir up thyself, and awake 37to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.
Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy 38righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.
Let them not say in their hearts, 39Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be 40clothed with shame and dishonour that 41magnify themselves against me.
Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that 42favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the 43prosperity of his servant.
And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.