Psalms

The first book of Psalms, song 35, New English Translation and King James Version

Psalm 35

New English Translation

By David.

   1 O LORD, fight those who fight with me! Attack those who attack me!
   2 Grab your small shield and large shield, and rise up to help me!
   3 Use your spear and lance against those who chase me! Assure me with these words: "I am your deliverer!"
   4 May those who seek my life be embarrassed and humiliated! May those who plan to harm me be turned back and ashamed!
   5 May they be like wind-driven chaff, as the LORD's angel attacks them!
   6 May their path be dark and slippery, as the LORD's angel chases them!
   7 I did not harm them, but they hid a net to catch me and dug a pit to trap me.
   8 Let destruction take them by surprise! Let the net they hid catch them! Let them fall into destruction!
   9 Then I will rejoice in the LORD and be happy because of his deliverance.
   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."
   11 Violent men perjure themselves, and falsely accuse me.
   12 They repay me evil for the good I have done; I am overwhelmed with sorrow.
   13 When they were sick, I wore sackcloth, and refrained from eating food. (If I am lying, may my prayers go unanswered! )
   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.
   15 But when I stumbled, they rejoiced and gathered together; they gathered together to ambush me. They tore at me without stopping to rest.
   16 When I tripped, they taunted me relentlessly, and tried to bite me.
   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!
   18 Then I will give you thanks in the great assembly; I will praise you before a large crowd of people!
   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!
   20 For they do not try to make peace with others, but plan ways to deceive those who are unsuspecting.
   21 They are ready to devour me; they say, "Aha! Aha! We've got you!"
   22 But you take notice, LORD! O LORD, do not remain far away from me!
   23 Rouse yourself, wake up and vindicate me! My God and LORD, defend my just cause!
   24 Vindicate me by your justice, O LORD my God! Do not let them gloat over me!
   25 Do not let them say to themselves, "Aha! We have what we wanted!" Do not let them say, "We have devoured him!"
   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!
   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."
   28 Then I will tell others about your justice, and praise you all day long.

King James Version

A Psalm of David.

   1 Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
   2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.
   3 Draw out also 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 devise my hurt.
   5 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.
   6 Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.
   7 For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.
   8 Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.
   9 And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
   10 All 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?
   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 spoiling of my soul.
   13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.
   14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.
   15 But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:
   16 With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
   17 Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.
   18 I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.
   19 Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.
   20 For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.
   21 Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.
   22 This thou hast seen, O LORD: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.
   23 Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.
   24 Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.
   25 Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
   26 Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.
   27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
   28 And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.