Psalms 35:1-17

¹“A psalm of David.” Contend, O LORD! with them that contend with me! Fight against them that fight against me!

²Take hold of shield and buckler, And stand up for my help!

³Draw forth the spear and the axe against my persecutors; Say to me, “I am thy salvation.”

⁴May they be confounded and put to shame, who seek my life; May they be turned back with disgrace, who devise my hurt!

⁵May they be like dust before the wind; May the angel of the LORD drive them!

⁶May their way be dark and slippery, And may the angel of the LORD pursue them!

⁷For without cause they have laid for me a snare; Without cause they have digged for me a pit.

⁸May unforeseen destruction come upon them! May the snare which they have laid lay hold on themselves, And may they fall into destruction!

⁹Then shall my soul rejoice in the LORD; It shall exult in his protection.

¹⁰All my bones shall say, Who, O LORD! is like thee, Who dost rescue the afflicted from the oppressor, The afflicted and destitute from the spoiler?

¹¹False witnesses have risen up; They charge me with that which has not entered my mind.

¹²They repay me evil for good; They cause bereavement to my soul.

¹³And yet I, during their sickness, clothed myself with sackcloth, And afflicted myself with fasting; And my prayer was turned to my bosom.

¹⁴I behaved myself as if he had been my friend or brother; I bowed down in sadness, as one mourning for his mother.

¹⁵But at my fall they rejoice, and gather themselves together; Revilers whom I know not assemble themselves against me; They tear me without ceasing.

¹⁶With base men who mock for their bread, They gnash at me with their teeth.

¹⁷How long, O LORD! wilt thou look on? O rescue my life from the destruction they plot for me; My precious life from these young lions!