Psalms 35:5-25

⁵May they be as chaff before the wind, as the angel of Yahweh drives them away.

⁶May their way be dark and slippery, as the angel of Yahweh chases them.

⁷Without cause they set their net for me; without cause they dug a pit for my life.

⁸Let destruction overtake them by surprise. Let the net that they have set catch them. Let them fall into it, to their destruction.

⁹But I will be joyful in Yahweh and rejoice in his salvation.

¹⁰All my bones will say, “Yahweh, who is like you, who rescues the oppressed from those who are too strong for them and the poor and needy from those who try to rob them?”

¹¹Unrighteous witnesses rise up; they accuse me falsely.

¹²They repay me evil for good. I am sorrowful.

¹³But, when they were sick, I wore sackcloth; I fasted for them with my head bowed on my chest.

¹⁴I went about in grief as for my brother; I bent down in mourning as for my mother.

¹⁵But when I stumbled, they rejoiced and gathered together; they gathered together against me, and I was surprised by them. They tore at me without stopping.

¹⁶With no respect at all they mocked me; they grind their teeth at me in rage.

¹⁷Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my soul from their destructive attacks, my life from the lions.

¹⁸Then I will thank you in the great assembly; I will praise you among many people.

¹⁹Do not let my deceitful enemies rejoice over me; do not let them carry out their wicked schemes.

²⁰For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful words against those in our land who live in peace.

²¹They open their mouths wide against me; they said, “Aha, Aha, our eyes have seen it.”

²²You have seen it, Yahweh, do not be silent; Lord, do not be far from me.

²³Arouse yourself and awake to my defense; My God and my Lord, defend my cause.

²⁴Defend me, Yahweh my God, because of your righteousness; do not let them rejoice over me.

²⁵Do not let them say in their heart, “Aha, we have what we wanted.” Do not let them say, “We have devoured him.”