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35
A psalm of David.
1 Oppose my opponents, Lord; fight those who are fighting against me.
2 Put your armor on, and pick up your shield. Get ready, come and help me.
3 Draw your spear and your javelin, confront those who are chasing me. Tell me, “I am your salvation!”
4 Shame them! Humiliate those who are trying to kill me! Turn them back! Disgrace those who are planning to hurt me!
5 Let them be like chaff blown by the wind; let the angel of the Lord drive them away.
6 May their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord chasing them down.
7 For no reason they set a net to catch me; for no reason they dug a pit to trap me.
8 Let ruin come on them suddenly; let the net they set catch them instead; let the pit they dug trap them instead.
9 Then I will be glad in the Lord; I will be happy in his salvation.
10 Every part of me* Literally, “all of my bones.” will say, Who can compare to you, Lord? You rescue the weak from the strong; the poor and needy from robbers.
11 Hostile witnesses stood up to testify against me, accusing me of crimes I don't know anything about.
12 They pay me back with evil instead of good. I feel like giving up.† Literally, “my soul is forlorn.”
13 But when they were sick, I put on clothes of sackcloth‡ “Clothes of sackcloth”—a sign of mourning. in sympathy. I denied myself through fasting. May my prayer for them return to bless me too.§ Literally, “my prayer returned to my bosom.”
14 I was upset for them, as if they were my own friends or family; I bowed down in grief as if I was mourning my own mother.
15 But when I was in trouble, they gathered around and laughed at me. Even strangers I don't know attacked me, constantly tearing me apart.
16 Like irreligious people mocking a cripple* The Hebrew here is unclear. they mock me and call me names, gnashing their teeth at me.
17 How long, Lord, will you sit by and just watch? Save me from their vicious attacks; defend the only life I have from these lions.
18 Then I will thank you in front of the great assembly and praise you in front of all the people.
19 Don't let my enemies take pleasure in my troubles, those people who hate me and tell lies about me, gloating over me for no reason.
20 They are not looking for peace; they invent malicious and deceptive schemes against innocent peace-loving people.† Literally, “the quiet ones of the land.”
21 They open their mouths wide to make accusations against me, saying, “Look! Look! We saw it with our own eyes!”
22 But Lord, you've seen all this! Say something! Don't give up on me, Lord!
23 Wake up! Get up and defend me, my Lord and my God! Take up my case and make sure justice is done!
24 Vindicate me, my Lord and my God, because you are just and right. Don't let them gloat over me.
25 Don't let them say to themselves, “Look! We got what we wanted!” Don't let them say, “We completely destroyed him!”
26 Make them totally ashamed, all those who are happy for the trouble I'm in. Let those who are celebrating over me be covered with shame and dishonor.
27 Instead let those who are pleased I've been vindicated celebrate and shout for joy. Let them always say, “How great is the Lord! He is happy when his servants live in peace and have what they need.”‡ The word used here “shalom” is often translated as simply “peace.” However it is not simply the absence of conflict but also refers to a happy and prosperous life.
28 I will tell others about your character of truth and right, praising you all day long!

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*35:10 Literally, “all of my bones.”

†35:12 Literally, “my soul is forlorn.”

‡35:13 “Clothes of sackcloth”—a sign of mourning.

§35:13 Literally, “my prayer returned to my bosom.”

*35:16 The Hebrew here is unclear.

†35:20 Literally, “the quiet ones of the land.”

‡35:27 The word used here “shalom” is often translated as simply “peace.” However it is not simply the absence of conflict but also refers to a happy and prosperous life.

© 2018 Dr. Jonathan Gallagher