New Living Translation

Psalms • Chapter 35

1 O LORD, oppose those who oppose me.<br>Fight those who fight against me.<br> 2 Put on your armor, and take up your shield.<br>Prepare for battle, and come to my aid.<br> 3 Lift up your spear and javelin<br>against those who pursue me.<br>Let me hear you say,<br>“I will give you victory!”<br> 4 Bring shame and disgrace on those trying to kill me;<br>turn them back and humiliate those who want to harm me.<br> 5 Blow them away like chaff in the wind —<br>a wind sent by the angel of the LORD.<br> 6 Make their path dark and slippery,<br>with the angel of the LORD pursuing them.<br> 7 I did them no wrong, but they laid a trap for me.<br>I did them no wrong, but they dug a pit to catch me.<br> 8 So let sudden ruin come upon them!<br>Let them be caught in the trap they set for me!<br>Let them be destroyed in the pit they dug for me.<br> 9 Then I will rejoice in the LORD.<br>I will be glad because he rescues me.<br> 10 With every bone in my body I will praise him:<br>“LORD, who can compare with you?<br>Who else rescues the helpless from the strong?<br>Who else protects the helpless and poor from those who rob them?”<br> 11 Malicious witnesses testify against me.<br>They accuse me of crimes I know nothing about.<br> 12 They repay me evil for good.<br>I am sick with despair.<br> 13 Yet when they were ill, I grieved for them.<br>I denied myself by fasting for them,<br>but my prayers returned unanswered.<br> 14 I was sad, as though they were my friends or family,<br>as if I were grieving for my own mother.<br> 15 But they are glad now that I am in trouble;<br>they gleefully join together against me.<br>I am attacked by people I don’t even know;<br>they slander me constantly.<br> 16 They mock me and call me names;<br>they snarl at me.<br> 17 How long, O Lord, will you look on and do nothing?<br>Rescue me from their fierce attacks.<br>Protect my life from these lions!<br> 18 Then I will thank you in front of the great assembly.<br>I will praise you before all the people.<br> 19 Don’t let my treacherous enemies rejoice over my defeat.<br>Don’t let those who hate me without cause gloat over my sorrow.<br> 20 They don’t talk of peace;<br>they plot against innocent people who mind their own business.<br> 21 They shout, “Aha! Aha!<br>With our own eyes we saw him do it!”<br> 22 O LORD, you know all about this.<br>Do not stay silent.<br>Do not abandon me now, O Lord.<br> 23 Wake up! Rise to my defense!<br>Take up my case, my God (Elohim) and my Lord.<br> 24 Declare me not guilty, O LORD my God (Elohim), for you give justice.<br>Don’t let my enemies laugh about me in my troubles.<br> 25 Don’t let them say, “Look, we got what we wanted!<br>Now we will eat him alive!”<br> 26 May those who rejoice at my troubles<br>be humiliated and disgraced.<br>May those who triumph over me<br>be covered with shame and dishonor.<br> 27 But give great joy to those who came to my defense.<br>Let them continually say, “Great is the LORD,<br>who delights in blessing his servant with peace!”<br> 28 Then I will proclaim your justice,<br>and I will praise you all day long.<br>