Psalms 35
Psalms 35 is part of “Book I: The Genesis Book” (1–41) in the outline of Psalms.
Psalms 35 summary
David, in this psalm, appeals to the righteous Judge of heaven and earth against his enemies that hated and persecuted him. It is supposed that Saul and his party are the persons he means, for with them he had the greatest struggles. I. He complains to God of the injuries they did him; they strove with him, fought against him (Psa 35:1), persecuted him (Psa 35:3), sought his ruin (Psa 35:4, Psa 35:7), accused him falsely (Psa 35:11), abused him basely (Psa 35:15, Psa 35:16), and all his friends (Psa 35:20), and triumphed over him, (Psa 35:21, Psa 35:25, Psa 35:26).
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David, in this psalm, appeals to the righteous Judge of heaven and earth against his enemies that hated and persecuted him. It is supposed that Saul and his party are the persons he means, for with them he had the greatest struggles. I. He complains to God of the injuries they did him; they strove with him, fought against him (Psa 35:1), persecuted him (Psa 35:3), sought his ruin (Psa 35:4, Psa 35:7), accused him falsely (Psa 35:11), abused him basely (Psa 35:15, Psa 35:16), and all his friends (Psa 35:20), and triumphed over him, (Psa 35:21, Psa 35:25, Psa 35:26). II. He pleads his own innocency, that he never gave them any provocation (Psa 35:7, Psa 35:19), but, on the contrary, had studied to oblige them (Psa 35:12-14). III. He prays to God to protect and deliver him, and appear for him (Psa 35:1, Psa 35:2), to comfort him (Psa 35:3), to be nigh to him and rescue him (Psa 35:17, Psa 35:22), to plead his cause (Psa 35:23, Psa 35:24), to defeat all the designs of his enemies against him (Psa 35:3, Psa 35:4), to disappoint their expectations of his fall (Psa 35:19, Psa 35:25, Psa 35:26), and, lastly, to countenance all his friends, and encourage them (Psa 35:27), IV. He prophesies the destruction of his persecutors (Psa 35:4-6, Psa 35:8). V. He promises himself that he shall yet see better days (Psa 35:9, Psa 35:10), and promises God that he will then attend him with his praises (Psa 35:18, Psa 35:28). In singing this psalm, and praying over it, we must take heed of applying it to any little peevish quarrels and enmities of our own, and of expressing by it any uncharitable revengeful resentments of injuries done to us; for Christ has taught us to forgive our enemies and not to pray against them, but to pray for them, as he did; but, 1. We may comfort ourselves with the testimony of our consciences concerning our innocency, with reference to those that are any way injurious to us, and with hopes that God will, in his own way and time, right us, and, in the mean time, support us. 2. We ought to apply it to the public enemies of Christ and his kingdom, typified by David and his kingdom, to resent the indignities done to Christ's honour, to pray to God to plead the just and injured cause of Christianity and serious godliness, and to believe that God will, in due time, glorify his own name in the ruin of all the irreconcilable enemies of his church, that will not repent to give him glory. A psalm of David.
Source: Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Psalms 35 (GNV)
Geneva Bible 1599 (public domain)
Contend, O Lord, with Those Who Contend
1A Psalme of Dauid. Pleade thou my cause, O Lord, with them that striue with me: fight thou against them, that fight against me. 2Lay hand vpon the shielde and buckler, and stand vp for mine helpe. 3Bring out also the speare and stop the way against them, that persecute me: say vnto my soule, I am thy saluation. 4Let them be confounded and put to shame, that seeke after my soule: let them be turned backe, and brought to confusion, that imagine mine hurt. 5Let them be as chaffe before the winde, and let the Angel of the Lord scatter them. 6Let their way be darke and slipperie: and let the Angel of the Lord persecute them. 7For without cause they haue hid the pit and their net for me: without cause haue they digged a pit for my soule. 8Let destruction come vpon him at vnwares, and let his net, that he hath laid priuilie, take him: let him fall into the same destruction. 9Then my soule shalbe ioyfull in the Lord: it shall reioyce in his saluation. 10All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like vnto thee, which deliuerest the poore from him, that is too strong for him! yea, the poore and him that is in miserie, from him that spoyleth him! 11Cruell witnesses did rise vp: they asked of me things that I knewe not. 12They rewarded me euill for good, to haue spoyled my soule. 13Yet I, when they were sicke, I was clothed with a sacke: I humbled my soule with fasting: and my praier was turned vpon my bosome. 14I behaued my selfe as to my friend, or as to my brother: I humbled my selfe, mourning as one that bewaileth his mother. 15But in mine aduersitie they reioyced, and gathered them selues together: the abiects assembled themselues against me, and knewe not: they tare me and ceased not, 16With the false skoffers at bankets, gnashing their teeth against me. 17Lord, how long wilt thou beholde this? deliuer my soule from their tumult, euen my desolate soule from the lions. 18So will I giue thee thankes in a great Congregation: I will praise thee among much people. 19Let not them that are mine enemies, vniustly reioyce ouer mee, neyther let them winke with the eye, that hate mee without a cause. 20For they speake not as friendes: but they imagine deceitfull woordes against the quiet of the lande. 21And they gaped on mee with their mouthes, saying, Aha, aha, our eye hath seene. 22Thou hast seene it, O Lord: keepe not silence: be not farre from me, O Lord. 23Arise and wake to my iudgement, euen to my cause, my God, and my Lord. 24Iudge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousnesse, and let them not reioyce ouer mee. 25Let them not say in their hearts, O our soule reioyce: neither let them say, We haue deuoured him. 26Let them bee confounded, and put to shame together, that reioyce at mine hurt: let them bee clothed with confusion and shame, that lift vp themselues against me. 27But let them be ioyful and glad, that loue my righteousnesse: yea, let them say alway, Let the Lord be magnified, which loueth the prosperitie of his seruant. 28And my tongue shall vtter thy righteousnesse, and thy praise euery day.