Psalm 35

Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.

Lord, stand up for me when others challenge me; battle those who seek to harm me.

Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.

Grasp your courage and strength, and rise to be my support.

Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.

Pull out your strength and block the path of those who torment me. Whisper to my heart, "I am your rescue."

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.

May those who wish harm upon me be filled with confusion and embarrassment; may those plotting against me be stopped in their tracks and thrown into disarray.

Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.

May they be as insignificant as dust in the wind, pursued relentlessly by God's messenger.

Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.

May their path be shrouded in shadows and uncertainty, and may the divine messenger of the Lord pursue them.

For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.

They've unjustly set a trap for me, a pit they've dug to capture my spirit, all without reason.

Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.

May sudden ruin surprise him; let the trap he set ensnare him. Into that very downfall, may he tumble.

And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.

My heart will overflow with joy for the Lord, celebrating His deliverance with pure happiness.

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?

Every part of me will shout, "God, there's no one like you! You rescue the weak from the strong, and the poor from those who exploit them."

False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.

Accusers emerged, falsely blaming me for things I knew nothing about.

They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.

They repaid my kindness with cruelty, deeply wounding my spirit.

But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.

When they were ill, I wore simple clothes and starved myself in humility. My prayers, however, only echoed back to me.

I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.

I treated him as if he were my closest friend or sibling, my heart heavy with grief, as if I had lost my own mother.

But in mine adversity 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:

In my darkest times, they found joy. They united against me, even the lowest of them. Unbeknownst to me, they conspired and relentlessly tore me apart.

With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

At celebrations, fake friends ridiculed me, their cruel laughter biting like sharp teeth.

Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.

God, when will you intervene? Save me from their harm, protect my precious life from the lions.

I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.

In the midst of a vast gathering, I will express my gratitude to you. Surrounded by many, I will sing your praises.

Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.

Don't let those who unjustly oppose me celebrate my downfall; nor those who despise me without reason mock me.

For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.

They don't promote harmony, but cunningly plot against the peaceful ones.

Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.

Indeed, they mocked me openly, exclaiming, "Aha, we've seen it with our own eyes!"

This thou hast seen, O LORD: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.

You've witnessed this, Lord. Please, don't stay silent. Stay close to me, my Lord.

Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.

Awaken your spirit, rise and stand for my justice, fight for my cause, my God, my Lord.

Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.

Lord, my God, judge me based on your fairness. Don't let others find joy in my downfall.

Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.

Don't let them think, "Just as we wished!" or gloat, "We've devoured him!"

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.

May those who find joy in my pain feel embarrassment and confusion. Let those who oppose me wear their shame and dishonor like a garment.

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.

Let those who support my just cause rejoice and be happy. May they always say, "Praise the Lord who delights in the success of His servant."

And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.

My words will passionately express your fairness and sing your praises every moment of the day.