Psalm 35

¹ PLEAD thou my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me * and fight thou against them that fight against me.

² Lay hand upon the shield and buckler * and stand up to help me.

³ Bring forth the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me * say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.

⁴ Let them be confounded and put to shame, that seek after my soul * let them be turned back and brought to confusion, that imagine mischief for me.

⁵ Let them be as the dust before the wind * and the angel of the Lord scattering them.

⁶ Let their way be dark and slippery * and let the angel of the Lord persecute them.

⁷ For they have privily laid their net to destroy me without a cause * yea, even without a cause have they made a pit for my soul.

⁸ Let a sudden destruction come upon him unawares, and his net, that he hath laid privily, catch himself * that he may fall into his own mischief.

⁹ And, my soul, be joyful in the Lord * it shall rejoice in his salvation.

¹⁰ All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee, who deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him * yea, the poor, and him that is in misery, from him that spoileth him?

¹¹ False witnesses did rise up * they laid to my charge things that I knew not.

¹² They rewarded me evil for good * to the great discomfort of my soul.

¹³ Nevertheless, when they were sick, I put on sackcloth, and humbled my soul with fasting * and my prayer shall turn into mine own bosom.

¹⁴ I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother * I went heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.

¹⁵ But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together * yea, the very abjects came together against me unawares, making mouths at me, and ceased not.

¹⁶ With the flatterers were busy mockers * who gnashed upon me with their teeth.

¹⁷ Lord, how long wilt thou look upon this * O deliver my soul from the calamities which they bring on me, and my darling from the lions.

¹⁸ So will I give thee thanks in the great congregation * I will praise thee among much people.

¹⁹ O let not them that are mine enemies triumph over me ungodly * neither let them wink with their eyes that hate me without a cause.

²⁰ And why? their communing is not for peace; but they imagine deceitful words against them that are quiet in the land.

²¹ They gaped upon me with their mouths, and said * Fie on thee, fie on thee, we saw it with our eyes.

²² This thou hast seen, O Lord * hold not thy tongue then, go not far from me, O Lord.

²³ Awake, and stand up to judge my quarrel * avenge thou my cause, my God, and my Lord.

²⁴ Judge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousness * and let them not triumph over me.

²⁵ Let them not say in their hearts, There, there, so would we have it * neither let them say, We have devoured him.

²⁶ Let them be put to confusion and shame together, that rejoice at my trouble * let them be clothed with rebuke and dishonour, that boast themselves against me.

²⁷ Let them be glad and rejoice, that favour my righteous dealing * yea, let them say alway, Blessed be the Lord, who hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.

²⁸ And as for my tongue, it shall be talking of thy righteousness * and of thy praise all the day long.