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Psalm 35

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

Of David.
¹ Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me;
   fight against those who fight against me!
² Take hold of shield and buckler,
   and rise up to help me!
³ Draw the spear and javelin
   against my pursuers;
say to my soul,
   ‘I am your salvation.’

⁴ Let them be put to shame and dishonour
   who seek after my life.
Let them be turned back and confounded
   who devise evil against me.
⁵ Let them be like chaff before the wind,
   with the angel of the Lord driving them on.
⁶ Let their way be dark and slippery,
   with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.

⁷ For without cause they hid their net^* for me;
   without cause they dug a pit^* for my life.
⁸ Let ruin come on them unawares.
And let the net that they hid ensnare them;
   let them fall in it—to their ruin.

⁹ Then my soul shall rejoice in the Lord,
   exulting in his deliverance.
¹⁰ All my bones shall say,
   ‘O Lord, who is like you?
You deliver the weak
   from those too strong for them,
   the weak and needy from those who despoil them.’

¹¹ Malicious witnesses rise up;
   they ask me about things I do not know.
¹² They repay me evil for good;
   my soul is forlorn.
¹³ But as for me, when they were sick,
   I wore sackcloth;
   I afflicted myself with fasting.
I prayed with head bowed^* on my bosom,
¹⁴   as though I grieved for a friend or a brother;
I went about as one who laments for a mother,
   bowed down and in mourning.

¹⁵ But at my stumbling they gathered in glee,
   they gathered together against me;
ruffians whom I did not know
   tore at me without ceasing;
¹⁶ they impiously mocked more and more,^*
   gnashing at me with their teeth.

¹⁷ How long, O Lord, will you look on?
   Rescue me from their ravages,
   my life from the lions!
¹⁸ Then I will thank you in the great congregation;
   in the mighty throng I will praise you.

¹⁹ Do not let my treacherous enemies rejoice over me,
   or those who hate me without cause wink the eye.
²⁰ For they do not speak peace,
   but they conceive deceitful words
   against those who are quiet in the land.
²¹ They open wide their mouths against me;
   they say, ‘Aha, Aha,
   our eyes have seen it.’

²² You have seen, O Lord; do not be silent!
   O Lord, do not be far from me!
²³ Wake up! Bestir yourself for my defence,
   for my cause, my God and my Lord!
²⁴ Vindicate me, O Lord, my God,
   according to your righteousness,
   and do not let them rejoice over me.
²⁵ Do not let them say to themselves,
   ‘Aha, we have our heart’s desire.’
Do not let them say, ‘We have swallowed you^* up.’

²⁶ Let all those who rejoice at my calamity
   be put to shame and confusion;
let those who exalt themselves against me
   be clothed with shame and dishonour.

²⁷ Let those who desire my vindication
   shout for joy and be glad,
   and say evermore,
‘Great is the Lord,
   who delights in the welfare of his servant.’
²⁸ Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness
   and of your praise all day long.