Old Testament · Poetry and wisdom

Psalms chapter 35

, Yahweh, against those who fight me. against those who wage war on me.Pick up your and armor — rise up and come to my defense.Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers. Tell my , “I am your .”Let those who hunt my life be . Let those who plot my destruction retreat in shame.Let them be like , with the driving them away.Let their path be , with the angel of Yahweh pursuing them.They hid their for me , without reason they dug a pit to trap me.Let come on them by surprise — let the very net they hid catch them instead. Let them fall into their own destruction.Then my will celebrate in Yahweh, finding deep joy in his . will say, “Yahweh, who is like you? You rescue the from those too strong for them, the poor and vulnerable from those who exploit them.” stand up against me, accusing me of things I know nothing about.They pay me back evil for good — it .But when they were sick, I wore . I in prayer for them. My prayers kept returning to my own chest —as if they were my friend or my brother. I walked around , like someone mourning their own mother.But when I , they gathered in celebration. Attackers I didn’t even know assembled against me, tearing into me without stopping.Like at a feast, they at me.How long, , will you just watch? Rescue my life from their devastation, my one and only life from these .I will give you thanks in the ; among a massive crowd I will praise you.Don’t let my gloat over me. Don’t let those who hate me for no reason behind my back.They don’t speak of — they invent lies against the .They against me and say, “ We saw it with our own eyes!”You’ve seen this, . Don’t stay silent. My Lord, don’t stay far from me.! Rise to my defense! My God and my Lord, ! me by your , Yahweh my God, and don’t let them gloat over me.Don’t let them think, “Yes! This is what we wanted!” Don’t let them say, “We !”Let those who celebrate my disaster be completely humiliated and disgraced. Let those who elevate themselves over me be .But let those who want things for me shout for joy and celebrate! Let them always say, “Yahweh is great — he delights in the of .”Then my tongue will speak of your and you all day long.