Psalms 35

¹A Psalme of Dauid. Pleade thou my cause, O Lord, with them that striue with me: fight thou against them, that fight against me.

²Lay hand vpon the shielde and buckler, and stand vp for mine helpe.

³Bring out also the speare and stop the way against them, that persecute me: say vnto my soule, I am thy saluation.

⁴Let them be confounded and put to shame, that seeke after my soule: let them be turned backe, and brought to confusion, that imagine mine hurt.

⁵Let them be as chaffe before the winde, and let the Angel of the Lord scatter them.

⁶Let their way be darke and slipperie: and let the Angel of the Lord persecute them.

⁷For without cause they haue hid the pit and their net for me: without cause haue they digged a pit for my soule.

⁸Let destruction come vpon him at vnwares, and let his net, that he hath laid priuilie, take him: let him fall into the same destruction.

⁹Then my soule shalbe ioyfull in the Lord: it shall reioyce in his saluation.

¹⁰All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like vnto thee, which deliuerest the poore from him, that is too strong for him! yea, the poore and him that is in miserie, from him that spoyleth him!

¹¹Cruell witnesses did rise vp: they asked of me things that I knewe not.

¹²They rewarded me euill for good, to haue spoyled my soule.

¹³Yet I, when they were sicke, I was clothed with a sacke: I humbled my soule with fasting: and my praier was turned vpon my bosome.

¹⁴I behaued my selfe as to my friend, or as to my brother: I humbled my selfe, mourning as one that bewaileth his mother.

¹⁵But in mine aduersitie they reioyced, and gathered them selues together: the abiects assembled themselues against me, and knewe not: they tare me and ceased not,

¹⁶With the false skoffers at bankets, gnashing their teeth against me.

¹⁷Lord, how long wilt thou beholde this? deliuer my soule from their tumult, euen my desolate soule from the lions.

¹⁸So will I giue thee thankes in a great Congregation: I will praise thee among much people.

¹⁹Let not them that are mine enemies, vniustly reioyce ouer mee, neyther let them winke with the eye, that hate mee without a cause.

²⁰For they speake not as friendes: but they imagine deceitfull woordes against the quiet of the lande.

²¹And they gaped on mee with their mouthes, saying, Aha, aha, our eye hath seene.

²²Thou hast seene it, O Lord: keepe not silence: be not farre from me, O Lord.

²³Arise and wake to my iudgement, euen to my cause, my God, and my Lord.

²⁴Iudge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousnesse, and let them not reioyce ouer mee.

²⁵Let them not say in their hearts, O our soule reioyce: neither let them say, We haue deuoured him.

²⁶Let them bee confounded, and put to shame together, that reioyce at mine hurt: let them bee clothed with confusion and shame, that lift vp themselues against me.

²⁷But let them be ioyful and glad, that loue my righteousnesse: yea, let them say alway, Let the Lord be magnified, which loueth the prosperitie of his seruant.

²⁸And my tongue shall vtter thy righteousnesse, and thy praise euery day.

Psalms 35

¹Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.

²Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.

³Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.

⁴Let 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.

⁵Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord chase them.

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

⁷For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.

⁸Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.

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

¹⁰All 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?

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

¹²They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.

¹³But 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.

¹⁴I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.

¹⁵But 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:

¹⁶With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

¹⁷Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.

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

¹⁹Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.

²⁰For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.

²¹Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.

²²This thou hast seen, O Lord: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.

²³Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.

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

²⁵Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.

²⁶Let 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.

²⁷Let 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.

²⁸And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.