Psalms 35:1-28
1 Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.
3 Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.
4 Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.
5 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.
6 Let their way be darka and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.
7 For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.
8 Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.
9 And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
10 All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?
11 Falseb witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.
12 They rewarded me evil for good to the spoilingc of my soul.
13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbledd my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.
14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.
15 But in mine adversitye they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:
16 With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
17 Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darlingf from the lions.
18 I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among muchg people.
19 Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfullyh rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.
20 For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.
21 Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.
22 This thou hast seen, O LORD: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.
23 Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.
24 Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.
25 Let them not say in their hearts, Ah,i so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
26 Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.
27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
28 And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.
Psalms 35:1. Fight against them. This is another martial ode, or war song, in which David prays for victory over the army of Saul that came to fight against him, and for confusion to those about the king who daily slandered him. Thus we also pray against enemies.
REFLECTIONS.
The argument to this psalm, as in Psalms 26., is an invocation to God against the injustice of Saul and his court, who long pursued David with the sword. Under slander and implicated wrongs he appeals to that bar where innocence will be placed in its own light, and rise more brilliantly for the imputations of wicked men.
But in case a battle could not be avoided, he asks divine aid for his little army, who through the inspiration of God, would fight for David as lions for the victory. He had confidence that the victory was not always obtained by the many and the strong.
The false witnesses that opened their mouth against David, were the men for whom he had wept, and for whom, when sick or wounded, he had put on sackcloth. Now they requite him by laying treasons to his charge that he knew not of. Oh this heart, this base heart, which dwells in man! Yea, and in illustrious men at the foot of the throne, who while David was in favour were his first religious friends. Psalms 42:4. Where can we find a parallel, but among those priests and princes who crucified the Saviour, and said, that he had made himself a king!
Tantæne animis cœlestibus iræ?
ÆNEID, 1:11.
“In heavenly minds can such resentments dwell.”
This wickedness the Lord hath seen, Psalms 35:22; these speeches the Lord hath heard. Then be consoled, those who suffer in a righteous cause: the Lord who heard and delivered David, will hear and deliver you. Be comforted, you shall yet give thanks to him in the great congregation. Shame awaits the wicked, while all that favour the cause of the righteous shall shout for joy.
The title of this psalm is inscribed to David, the servant of the Lord; a title first given to Moses. Deuteronomy 34. David in prayer, twice uses this appellation, oh Lord, truly I am thy servant, and the son of thy handmaid. Psalms 116:16; Psalms 80:16.