Psalm 35

This article is about Psalm 35 in Hebrew (Masoretic) numbering. For Psalm 35 in Greek Septuagint or Latin Vulgate numbering, see Psalm 36.

Psalm 35
"Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me"
Other name	Psalm 34 "Iudica Domine nocentes me "
Text	attributed to King David
Language	Hebrew (original)

Psalm 35 is the 35th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me." It is titled there: The Lord the Avenger of His People. The Book of Psalms is part of the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a book of the Christian Old Testament. In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 34. In Latin, it is known by the incipit, "Iudica Domine nocentes me". It is generally attributed to King David, although some commentators attribute it to the prophet Jeremiah.

Psalm 35 is used in both Jewish and Christian liturgies. It has been set to music, in German by Heinrich Schütz and in Latin by Marc-Antoine Charpentier, among others.

Text

Hebrew

The following table shows the Hebrew text of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).

Verse	Hebrew	English translation (JPS 1917)
1	לְדָוִ֨ד ׀ רִיבָ֣ה יְ֭הֹוָה אֶת־יְרִיבַ֑י לְ֝חַ֗ם אֶת־לֹחֲמָֽי׃‎	[A Psalm] of David. Strive, O LORD, with them that strive with me; Fight against them that fight against me.
2	הַחֲזֵ֣ק מָגֵ֣ן וְצִנָּ֑ה וְ֝ק֗וּמָה בְּעֶזְרָתִֽי׃‎	Take hold of shield and buckler, And rise up to my help.
3	וְהָ֘רֵ֤ק חֲנִ֣ית וּ֭סְגֹר לִקְרַ֣את רֹדְפָ֑י אֱמֹ֥ר לְ֝נַפְשִׁ֗י יְֽשֻׁעָתֵ֥ךְ אָֽנִי׃‎	Draw out also the spear, and the battle-axe, against them that pursue me; Say unto my soul: 'I am Thy salvation.'
4	יֵבֹ֣שׁוּ וְיִכָּלְמוּ֮ מְבַקְשֵׁ֢י נַ֫פְשִׁ֥י יִסֹּ֣גוּ אָח֣וֹר וְיַחְפְּר֑וּ חֹ֝שְׁבֵ֗י רָֽעָתִֽי׃‎	Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion that seek after my soul; Let them be turned back and be abashed that devise my hurt.
5	יִֽהְי֗וּ כְּמֹ֥ץ לִפְנֵי־ר֑וּחַ וּמַלְאַ֖ךְ יְהֹוָ֣ה דּוֹחֶֽה׃‎	Let them be as chaff before the wind, The angel of the LORD thrusting them.
6	יְֽהִי־דַרְכָּ֗ם חֹ֥שֶׁךְ וַחֲלַקְלַקֹּ֑ת וּמַלְאַ֥ךְ יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה רֹדְפָֽם׃‎	Let their way be dark and slippery, The angel of the LORD pursuing them.
7	כִּֽי־חִנָּ֣ם טָֽמְנוּ־לִ֭י שַׁ֣חַת רִשְׁתָּ֑ם חִ֝נָּ֗ם חָפְר֥וּ לְנַפְשִֽׁי׃‎	For without cause have they hid for me the pit, even their net, Without cause have they digged for my soul. .
8	תְּבוֹאֵ֣הוּ שׁוֹאָה֮ לֹֽא־יֵ֫דָ֥ע וְרִשְׁתּ֣וֹ אֲשֶׁר־טָמַ֣ן תִּלְכְּד֑וֹ בְּ֝שׁוֹאָ֗ה יִפׇּל־בָּֽהּ׃‎	Let destruction come upon him unawares; And let his net that he hath hid catch himself; With destruction let him fall therein.
9	וְ֭נַפְשִׁי תָּגִ֣יל בַּיהֹוָ֑ה תָּ֝שִׂ֗ישׂ בִּישׁוּעָתֽוֹ׃‎	And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD; It shall rejoice in His salvation.
10	כׇּ֥ל־עַצְמוֹתַ֨י ׀ תֹּאמַרְנָה֮ יְהֹוָ֗ה מִ֥י כָ֫מ֥וֹךָ מַצִּ֣יל עָ֭נִי מֵחָזָ֣ק מִמֶּ֑נּוּ וְעָנִ֥י וְ֝אֶבְי֗וֹן מִגֹּֽזְלֽוֹ׃‎	All 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 the needy from him that spoileth him?'
11	יְ֭קוּמוּן עֵדֵ֣י חָמָ֑ס אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יָ֝דַ֗עְתִּי יִשְׁאָלֽוּנִי׃‎	Unrighteous witnesses rise up; They ask me of things that I know not.
12	יְשַׁלְּמ֣וּנִי רָ֭עָה תַּ֥חַת טוֹבָ֗ה שְׁכ֣וֹל לְנַפְשִֽׁי׃‎	They repay me evil for good; Bereavement is come to my soul.
13	וַאֲנִ֤י ׀ בַּחֲלוֹתָ֡ם לְב֬וּשִׁי שָׂ֗ק עִנֵּ֣יתִי בַצּ֣וֹם נַפְשִׁ֑י וּ֝תְפִלָּתִ֗י עַל־חֵיקִ֥י תָשֽׁוּב׃‎	But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth, I afflicted my soul with fasting; And my prayer, may it return into mine own bosom.
14	כְּרֵעַ־כְּאָ֣ח לִ֭י הִתְהַלָּ֑כְתִּי כַּאֲבֶל־אֵ֝֗ם קֹדֵ֥ר שַׁחֽוֹתִי׃‎	I went about as though it had been my friend or my brother; I bowed down mournful, as one that mourneth for his mother.
15	וּבְצַלְעִי֮ שָׂמְח֢וּ וְֽנֶ֫אֱסָ֥פוּ נֶאֶסְפ֬וּ עָלַ֣י נֵ֭כִים וְלֹ֣א יָדַ֑עְתִּי קָרְע֥וּ וְלֹא־דָֽמּוּ׃‎	But when I halt they rejoice, and gather themselves together; The abjects gather themselves together against me, and those whom I know not; They tear me, and cease not;
16	בְּ֭חַנְפֵי לַעֲגֵ֣י מָע֑וֹג חָרֹ֖ק עָלַ֣י שִׁנֵּֽימוֹ׃‎	With the profanest mockeries of backbiting They gnash at me with their teeth.
17	אֲדֹנָי֮ כַּמָּ֢ה תִ֫רְאֶ֥ה הָשִׁ֣יבָה נַ֭פְשִׁי מִשֹּׁאֵיהֶ֑ם מִ֝כְּפִירִ֗ים יְחִידָתִֽי׃‎	Lord, how long wilt Thou look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, Mine only one from the lions.
18	א֭וֹדְךָ בְּקָהָ֣ל רָ֑ב בְּעַ֖ם עָצ֣וּם אֲהַלְלֶֽךָּ׃‎	I will give Thee thanks in the great congregation; I will praise Thee among a numerous people.
19	אַֽל־יִשְׂמְחוּ־לִ֣י אֹיְבַ֣י שֶׁ֑קֶר שֹׂנְאַ֥י חִ֝נָּ֗ם יִקְרְצוּ־עָֽיִן׃‎	Let not them that are wrongfully mine enemies rejoice over me; Neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.
20	כִּ֤י לֹ֥א שָׁל֗וֹם יְדַ֫בֵּ֥רוּ וְעַ֥ל רִגְעֵי־אֶ֑רֶץ דִּבְרֵ֥י מִ֝רְמ֗וֹת יַחֲשֹׁבֽוּן׃‎	For they speak not peace; But they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.
21	וַיַּרְחִ֥יבוּ עָלַ֗י פִּ֫יהֶ֥ם אָ֭מְרוּ הֶאָ֣ח ׀ הֶאָ֑ח רָֽאֲתָ֥ה עֵינֵֽנוּ׃‎	Yea, they open their mouth wide against me; They say: 'Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.'
22	רָאִ֣יתָה יְ֭הֹוָה אַֽל־תֶּחֱרַ֑שׁ אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י אַל־תִּרְחַ֥ק מִמֶּֽנִּי׃‎	Thou hast seen, O LORD; keep not silence; O Lord, be not far from me.
23	הָעִ֣ירָה וְ֭הָקִיצָה לְמִשְׁפָּטִ֑י אֱלֹהַ֖י וַאדֹנָ֣י לְרִיבִֽי׃‎	Rouse Thee, and awake to my judgment, Even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.
24	שׇׁפְטֵ֣נִי כְ֭צִדְקְךָ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהָ֗י וְאַל־יִשְׂמְחוּ־לִֽי׃‎	Judge me, O LORD my God, according to Thy righteousness; And let them not rejoice over me.
25	אַל־יֹאמְר֣וּ בְ֭לִבָּם הֶאָ֣ח נַפְשֵׁ֑נוּ אַל־יֹ֝אמְר֗וּ בִּֽלַּעֲנֽוּהוּ׃‎	Let them not say in their heart: 'Aha, we have our desire'; Let them not say: 'We have swallowed him up.'
26	יֵ֘בֹ֤שׁוּ וְיַחְפְּר֨וּ ׀ יַחְדָּו֮ שְׂמֵחֵ֢י רָעָ֫תִ֥י יִֽלְבְּשׁוּ־בֹ֥שֶׁת וּכְלִמָּ֑ה הַֽמַּגְדִּילִ֥ים עָלָֽי׃‎	Let them be ashamed and abashed together that rejoice at my hurt; Let them be clothed with shame and confusion that magnify themselves against me. .
27	יָרֹ֣נּוּ וְיִשְׂמְחוּ֮ חֲפֵצֵ֢י צִ֫דְקִ֥י וְיֹאמְר֣וּ תָ֭מִיד יִגְדַּ֣ל יְהֹוָ֑ה הֶ֝חָפֵ֗ץ שְׁל֣וֹם עַבְדּֽוֹ׃‎	Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that delight in my righteousness; Yea, let them say continually: 'Magnified be the LORD, Who delighteth in the peace of His servant.'
28	וּ֭לְשׁוֹנִי תֶּהְגֶּ֣ה צִדְקֶ֑ךָ כׇּל־הַ֝יּ֗וֹם תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ׃‎	And my tongue shall speak of Thy righteousness, And of Thy praise all the day.

King James Version

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 dark 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. False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.
12. They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.
13. 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.
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 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:
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 darling from the lions.
18. I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.
19. Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully 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, 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.

Structure

The Evangelical Heritage Version divides the psalm into an opening prayer (verses 1–3), an account of "the attacks of the wicked" against its author (verses 11–16), three petitions (verses 4–8, 17, and 19–27), and three vows (verses 9–10, 18 and 28).

Summary

Relentless enemies are seeking the psalmist's life. Their hostility is groundless, and its maliciousness is aggravated by their ingratitude. He appeals to God to do him justice and deliver him. Each of these points is illustrated by the narrative of David's persecution by Saul in the First Book of Samuel; however, it is not against Saul himself that the psalm is directed, but against the men who fomented his insane jealousy.

Uses

Judaism

• Verse 10 is part of Nishmat.

Christianity

New Testament

• In the New Testament, verse 19b, They hated me without cause, is quoted in John 15:25, where Jesus states that the words are 'fulfilled' in himself.

Book of Common Prayer

In the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer, this psalm is appointed to be read on the morning of the seventh day of the month.

Catholic Church

Beginning in 1912, Psalm 35 has become part of the Tenebrae liturgy during the Holy Week.

Historical usage

The first prayer when the American First Continental Congress met in early September 1774 was taken from Psalm 35:1.

Musical settings

Heinrich Schütz wrote a setting of a paraphrase of Psalm 35 in German, "Herr, hader mit den Hadrern mein", SWV 132, for the Becker Psalter, published first in 1628. Marc-Antoine Charpentier wrote a motet in Latin, Judica Domine nocentes me, H. 201, for two voices, two treble instruments and continuo. and François Giroust.

External links

• Pieces with text from Psalm 35: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
• Psalm 35: Free scores at the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
• Psalm 35 in Hebrew and English - Mechon-mamre
• Text of Psalm 35 according to the 1928 Psalter
• Of David. / Oppose, O LORD, those who oppose me; war upon those who make war upon me. text and footnotes, usccb.org United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
• Psalm 35:1 introduction and text, biblestudytools.com
• Psalm 35 – “Awake to My Vindication” enduringword.com
• Psalm 33 / Refrain: Give me justice, O Lord my God, according to your righteousness. Church of England
• Psalm 35 at biblegateway.com
• Hymns for Psalm 35 hymnary.org