Psalms 35 — NETB

By David.

35Verse 1O Lord, fight those who fight with me!
Attack those who attack me!
^{Verse 2}Grab your small shield and large shield,
and rise up to help me!
^{Verse 3}Use your spear and lance against those who chase me!
Assure me with these words: “I am your deliverer!”
^{Verse 4}May those who seek my life be embarrassed and humiliated!
May those who plan to harm me be turned back and ashamed!
^{Verse 5}May they be like wind-driven chaff,
as the Lord’s angel attacks them!
^{Verse 6}May their path be dark and slippery,
as the Lord’s angel chases them!
^{Verse 7}I did not harm them, but they hid a net to catch me
and dug a pit to trap me.
^{Verse 8}Let destruction take them by surprise!
Let the net they hid catch them!
Let them fall into destruction!
^{Verse 9}Then I will rejoice in the Lord
and be happy because of his deliverance.
^{Verse 10}With all my strength I will say,
“O Lord, who can compare to you?
You rescue the oppressed from those who try to overpower them;
the oppressed and needy from those who try to rob them.”
^{Verse 11}Violent men perjure themselves,
and falsely accuse me.
^{Verse 12}They repay me evil for the good I have done;
I am overwhelmed with sorrow.
^{Verse 13}When they were sick, I wore sackcloth,
and refrained from eating food.
(If I am lying, may my prayers go unanswered!)
^{Verse 14}I mourned for them as I would for a friend or my brother.
I bowed down in sorrow as if I were mourning for my mother.
^{Verse 15}But when I stumbled, they rejoiced and gathered together;
they gathered together to ambush me.
They tore at me without stopping to rest.
^{Verse 16}When I tripped, they taunted me relentlessly,
and tried to bite me.
^{Verse 17}O Lord, how long are you going to just stand there and watch this?
Rescue me from their destructive attacks;
guard my life from the young lions!
^{Verse 18}Then I will give you thanks in the great assembly;
I will praise you before a large crowd of people!
^{Verse 19}Do not let those who are my enemies for no reason gloat over me!
Do not let those who hate me without cause carry out their wicked schemes!
^{Verse 20}For they do not try to make peace with others,
but plan ways to deceive those who are unsuspecting.
^{Verse 21}They are ready to devour me;
they say, “Aha! Aha! We’ve got you!”
^{Verse 22}But you take notice, Lord!
O Lord, do not remain far away from me!
^{Verse 23}Rouse yourself, wake up and vindicate me!
My God and Lord, defend my just cause!
^{Verse 24}Vindicate me by your justice, O Lord my God!
Do not let them gloat over me!
^{Verse 25}Do not let them say to themselves, “Aha! We have what we wanted!”
Do not let them say, “We have devoured him!”
^{Verse 26}May those who want to harm me be totally embarrassed and ashamed!
May those who arrogantly taunt me be covered with shame and humiliation!
^{Verse 27}May those who desire my vindication shout for joy and rejoice!
May they continually say, “May the Lord be praised, for he wants his servant to be secure.”
^{Verse 28}Then I will tell others about your justice,
and praise you all day long.