Psalm 35
Of David.
1Contend, LORD, with those
who contend with me;
Fight
against those who fight against me.
2Take up shield and armor;
Arise
and Come to my aid.
against
those who pursue me.
Say
to me,
“I AM
your Salvation.”
4May those who seek my life
be
disgraced and put to shame;
may
those who plot my ruin
be
turned back in dismay.
5May they be like chaff before the wind,
with The ANGEL of The LORD Driving them away;
6may their path be dark and slippery,
with The ANGEL of The LORD Pursuing them.
7Since they hid their net for me without cause
and
without cause dug a pit for me,
8may ruin overtake them by surprise—
may the
net they hid entangle them,
may
they fall into the pit, to their ruin.
9Then my soul will rejoice In The LORD
and
delight In His Salvation.
10My whole being will exclaim,
“WHO Is Like YOU, LORD?
YOU Rescue the poor from those too strong for them,
the
poor and needy from those who rob them.”
11Ruthless witnesses come forward;
they
question me on things I know nothing about.
12They repay me evil for good
and
leave me like one bereaved.
13Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth
and
humbled myself with fasting.
When my
prayers returned to me unanswered,
14I went about mourning
as
though for my friend or brother.
I bowed
my head in grief
as
though weeping for my mother.
15But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;
assailants
gathered against me without my knowledge.
They
slandered me without ceasing.
they
gnashed their teeth at me.
17How Long, LORD, Will YOU Look On?
Rescue
me from their ravages,
my
precious life from these lions.
among
the throngs I will praise YOU.
19Do not let those gloat over me
who are
my enemies without cause;
Do not
let those who hate me without reason
maliciously
wink the eye.
20They do not speak peaceably,
but
devise false accusations
against
those who live quietly in the land.
21They sneer at me and say, “Aha! Aha!
With
our own eyes we have seen it.”
Do Not Be Far From me, Lord.
23Awake, and rise to my defense!
Contend
for me, my GOD and LORD.
24Vindicate me in your righteousness, LORD my GOD;
Do Not Let them gloat over me.
25Do Not Let them think, “Aha, just what we wanted!”
or say,
“We have swallowed him up.”
26May all who gloat over my distress
be put
to shame and confusion;
may all
who exalt themselves over me
be
clothed with shame and disgrace.
27May those who delight in my vindication
shout
for joy and gladness;
may
they always say, “The LORD Be Exalted,
Who Delights In the well-being of HIS servant.”
28My tongue will proclaim YOUR Righteousness,
YOUR Praises
all day long.
Psalm 35
It is nothing new for the most righteous men,
and the most righteous cause, to meet with enemies. This is a fruit of the old
enmity in the seed of the serpent against the Seed of the woman.
David in his afflictions, CHRIST in HIS Sufferings, the church under persecution, and the Christian in the hour
temptation, all beseech The ALMIGHTY To Appear in their behalf, and to
vindicate their cause. David prayed to GOD to manifest HIMSELF in his trial.
If GOD, By HIS SPIRIT, Witness to our spirits
that HE Is our Salvation, we need desire no more to make us happy. If GOD Is
our Friend, no matter who is our enemy. By The SPIRIT of prophecy, David
foretells the just Judgments of GOD that would come upon His enemies for their
great wickedness. These are predictions; they look forward, and show the doom
of the enemies of CHRIST and HIS KINGDOM.