KJV
Psalms 35
1¶ [A Psalm] of David. Plead [my cause], O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
2Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.
3Draw out also the spear, and stop [the way] against them that persecute 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 devise my hurt.
5Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase [them].
6Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.
7For without cause have they hid for me their net [in] a pit, [which] without cause they have digged for my soul.
8Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.
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, 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.
12They rewarded me evil for good [to] the spoiling of my soul.
13But 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.
14I behaved myself as though [he had been] my friend [or] brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth [for his] mother.
15But 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:
16With 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.
18I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.
19Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: [neither] let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.
20For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against [them that are] quiet in the land.
21Yea, 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.
23Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, [even] unto my cause, my God and my Lord.
24Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.
25Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
26Let 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.
27Let 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.
28And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness [and] of thy praise all the day long.
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Afflictions and Adversities: Prayer In Psalm 35:1–3, 17, 19, 22, 23, 25
Of David. Contend with my opponents, O LORD; fight against those who fight against me. / Take up Your shield and buckler; arise and come to my aid. / Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers; say to my soul: “I am your salvation.”
Angel (A Spirit): Execute Judgments Upon the Wicked Psalm 35:5, 6
May they be like chaff in the wind, as the angel of the LORD drives them away. / May their path be dark and slick, as the angel of the LORD pursues.
Angel (Holy Trinity): One of the Holy Trinity: Called Angel of the Lord Psalm 35:5, 6
May they be like chaff in the wind, as the angel of the LORD drives them away. / May their path be dark and slick, as the angel of the LORD pursues.
Angels: Execute the Judgments of God Psalm 35:5, 6
May they be like chaff in the wind, as the angel of the LORD drives them away. / May their path be dark and slick, as the angel of the LORD pursues.
Anthropomorphisms: Miscellaneous Figures Psalm 35:1–3
Of David. Contend with my opponents, O LORD; fight against those who fight against me. / Take up Your shield and buckler; arise and come to my aid. / Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers; say to my soul: “I am your salvation.”
Chaff: Figurative Psalm 35:5
May they be like chaff in the wind, as the angel of the LORD drives them away.
Character of the Wicked: Rejoicing in the Affliction of Saints Psalm 35:15
But when I stumbled, they assembled in glee; they gathered together against me. Assailants I did not know slandered me without ceasing.
Compassion and Sympathy: David Psalm 35:13, 14
Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, but my prayers returned unanswered. / I paced about as for my friend or brother; I was bowed down with grief, like one mourning for his mother.
Compassion and Sympathy: Exercise Towards: Enemies Psalm 35:13
Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, but my prayers returned unanswered.
David: King of Israel: At This Time Probably Writes Psalm 35:1
Of David. Contend with my opponents, O LORD; fight against those who fight against me.
David: King of Israel: Devoutness of Psalm 35:1
Of David. Contend with my opponents, O LORD; fight against those who fight against me.
David: King of Israel: Probably Writes Psalms Eleven at This Period of his Life Psalm 35:1
Of David. Contend with my opponents, O LORD; fight against those who fight against me.
Deceit: Devise Psalm 35:20
For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful schemes against those who live quietly in the land.
Deceit: The Wicked: Devise Psalm 35:20
For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful schemes against those who live quietly in the land.
Enemies: Be Affectionately Concerned For Psalm 35:13
Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, but my prayers returned unanswered.
Enemy: General Scriptures Concerning Psalm 35:1–28
Of David. Contend with my opponents, O LORD; fight against those who fight against me. / Take up Your shield and buckler; arise and come to my aid. / Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers; say to my soul: “I am your salvation.”
Evil for Good: General Scriptures Concerning Psalm 35:12
They repay me evil for good, to the bereavement of my soul.
Exploitation Psalm 35:10
All my bones will exclaim, “Who is like You, O LORD, who delivers the afflicted from the aggressor, the poor and needy from the robber?”
Faith: Exemplified Psalm 35:10
All my bones will exclaim, “Who is like You, O LORD, who delivers the afflicted from the aggressor, the poor and needy from the robber?”
False Teachers: False Witness Psalm 35:11
Hostile witnesses come forward; they make charges I know nothing about.
Fasting for the Humbling of the Soul Psalm 35:13
Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, but my prayers returned unanswered.
Fasting: Afflictions Psalm 35:13
Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, but my prayers returned unanswered.
Fasting: Observed on Occasions of Afflictions of Others Psalm 35:13
Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, but my prayers returned unanswered.
Fasting: Unclassified Scriptures Relating To Psalm 35:13
Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, but my prayers returned unanswered.
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Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
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Psalms 35:1-10 Verses 1-10
It is no new thing for the most righteous men, and the most righteous cause, to meet with enemies. This is a fruit of the old enmity in the seed of the serpent against the Seed of the woman. David in his afflictions, Christ in his sufferings, the church under persecution, and the Christian in the hour temptation, all beseech the Almighty to appear in their behalf, and to vindicate their cause. We are apt to justify uneasiness at the injuries men do us, by our never having given them cause to use us so ill; but this should make us easy, for then we may the more expect that God will plead our cause. David prayed to God to manifest himself in his trial. Let me have inward comfort under all outward troubles, to support my soul. If God, by his Spirit, witness to our spirits that he is our salvation, we need desire no more to make us happy. If God is our Friend, no matter who is our enemy. By the Spirit of prophecy, David foretells the just judgments of God that would come upon his enemies for their great wickedness. These are predictions, they look forward, and show the doom of the enemies of Christ and his kingdom. We must not desire or pray for the ruin of any enemies, except our lusts and the evil spirits that would compass our destruction. A traveller benighted in a bad road, is an expressive emblem of a sinner walking in the slippery and dangerous ways of temptation. But David having committed his cause to God, did not doubt of his own deliverance. The bones are the strongest parts of the body. The psalmist here proposes to serve and glorify God with all his strength. If such language may be applied to outward salvation, how much more will it apply to heavenly things in Christ Jesus!
Psalms 35:11-16 Verses 11-16
Call a man ungrateful, and you can call him no worse: this was the character of David's enemies. Herein he was a type of Christ. David shows how tenderly he had behaved towards them in afflictions. We ought to mourn for the sins of those who do not mourn for themselves. We shall not lose by the good offices we do to any, how ungrateful soever they may be. Let us learn to possess our souls in patience and meekness like David, or rather after Christ's example.
Psalms 35:17-28 Verses 17-28
Though the people of God are, and study to be, quiet, yet it has been common for their enemies to devise deceitful matters against them. David prays, My soul is in danger, Lord, rescue it; it belongs to thee the Father of spirits, therefore claim thine own; it is thine, save it! Lord, be not far from me, as if I were a stranger. He who exalted the once suffering Redeemer, will appear for all his people: the roaring lion shall not destroy their souls, any more than he could that of Christ, their Surety. They trust their souls in his hands, they are one with him by faith, are precious in his sight, and shall be rescued from destruction, that they may give thanks in heaven.