Psalms Chapter 35
These 150 prayers were used by the Hebrews to express their relationship with God. They cover the whole field of human emotions, from joy to hate, from hope to despair.
A Conservative Version
35 : 1 Strive thou, O Jehovah, with those who strive with me. Fight thou against those who fight against me.
35 : 2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help.
35 : 3 Draw out the spear also, and stop the way against those who pursue me. Say to my soul, I am thy salvation.
35 : 4 Let them be put to shame and brought to dishonor who seek after my soul. Let them be turned back and confounded who devise my hurt.
35 : 5 Let them be as chaff before the wind, and the agent of Jehovah driving them on.
35 : 6 Let their way be dark and slippery, and the agent of Jehovah pursuing them.
35 : 7 For without cause they have hid their net for me in a pit. Without cause they have dug a pit for my soul.
35 : 8 Let destruction come upon him unawares, and let his net that he has hid catch himself. Let him fall in it with destruction.
35 : 9 And my soul shall be joyful in Jehovah. It shall rejoice in his salvation.
35 : 10 All my bones shall say, Jehovah, who is like thee, who delivers a poor man from him who is too strong for him, yea, a poor and needy man from him who robs him?
35 : 11 Unrighteous witnesses rise up, they ask me of things that I know not.
35 : 12 They reward me evil for good, to the bereaving of my soul.
35 : 13 But as for me, when they were sick my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting, and my prayer returned into my own bosom.
35 : 14 I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother. I bowed down mourning, as he who bewails his mother.
35 : 15 But in my adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together. The wretches gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not. They tore me, and ceased not.
35 : 16 Like the profane mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
35 : 17 Lord, how long will thou look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.
35 : 18 I will give thee thanks in the great assembly. I will praise thee among much people.
35 : 19 Let not those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me. Neither let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause.
35 : 20 For they speak not peace, but they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.
35 : 21 Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me. They said, Aha, aha, our eye has seen it.
35 : 22 Thou have seen it, O Jehovah. Keep not silence. O Lord, be not far from me.
35 : 23 Stir up thyself, and awake to the justice to me, to my cause, my God and my Lord.
35 : 24 Judge me, O Jehovah my God, according to thy righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me.
35 : 25 Let them not say in their heart, Aha, so would we have it. Let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
35 : 26 Let them be put to shame and confounded together who rejoice at my hurt. Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me.
35 : 27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, who favor my righteous cause. Yea, let them say continually, Jehovah be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
35 : 28 And my tongue shall talk of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.