Psalm 35 Judica, Domine.

PLEAD thou my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me, * and fight thou against them that fight against me.

²Lay hand upon the shield and buckler, * and stand up to help me.

³Bring forth the spear, and stop the way against them that pursue me: * say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.

⁴Let them be confounded, and put to shame, that seek after my soul; * let them be turned back, and brought to confusion, that imagine mischief for me.

⁵Let them be as the dust before the wind, * and the angel of the LORD scattering them.

⁶Let their way be dark and slippery, * and let the angel of the LORD pursue them.

⁷For they have privily laid their net to destroy me without a cause; * yea, even without a cause have they made a pit for my soul.

⁸Let a sudden destruction come upon him unawares, and his net that he hath laid privily catch himself; * that he may fall into his own mischief.

⁹And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD; * it shall rejoice in his salvation.

¹⁰All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, who deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him; * yea, the poor, and him that is in misery, from him that spoileth him?

¹¹False witnesses did rise up: * they laid to my charge things that I knew not.

¹²They rewarded me evil for good, * to the great discomfort of my soul.

¹³Nevertheless, when they were sick, I put on sack-cloth, and humbled my soul with fasting; * and my prayer shall turn into mine own bosom.

¹⁴I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother; * I went heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.

¹⁵But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together; * yea, the very abjects came together against me unawares, making mouths at me, and ceased not.

¹⁶With the flatterers were busy mockers, * who gnashed upon me with their teeth.

¹⁷Lord, how long wilt thou look upon this? * O deliver my soul from the calamities which they bring on me, and my darling from the lions.

¹⁸So will I give thee thanks in the great congregation; * I will praise thee among much people.

¹⁹O let not them that are mine enemies triumph over me ungodly; * neither let them wink with their eyes, that hate me without a cause.

²⁰And why? their communing is not for peace; * but they imagine deceitful words against them that are quiet in the land.

²¹They gaped upon me with their mouths, and said, * Fie on thee! fie on thee! we saw it with our eyes.

²²This thou hast seen, O LORD; * hold not thy tongue then; go not far from me, O Lord.

²³Awake, and stand up to judge my quarrel; * avenge thou my cause, my God and my Lord.

²⁴Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; * and let them not triumph over me.

²⁵Let them not say in their hearts, There! there! so would we have it; * neither let them say, We have devoured him.

²⁶Let them be put to confusion and shame together, that rejoice at my trouble; * let them be clothed with rebuke and dishonour, that boast themselves against me.

²⁷Let them be glad and rejoice, that favour my righteous dealing; * yea, let them say alway, Blessed be the LORD, who hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.

²⁸And as for my tongue, it shall be talking of thy righteousness, * and of thy praise, all the day long.