Psalm 35 A Psalm of David.

 ¹Plead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me;

Fight against those who fight against me.

²Take hold of shield and buckler,

And stand up for my help.

³Also draw out the spear,

And stop those who pursue me.

Say to my soul,

“I am your salvation.”

⁴Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor

Who seek after my life;

Let those be turned back and brought to confusion

Who plot my hurt.

⁵Let them be like 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 pursue them.

⁷For without cause they have hidden their net for me in a pit,

Which they have dug without cause for my life.

⁸Let destruction come upon him unexpectedly,

 And let his net that he has hidden 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 You,

Delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him,

Yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?”

¹¹Fierce witnesses rise up;

They ask me things that I do not know.

¹²They reward me evil for good,

To the sorrow of my soul.

¹³But as for me, when they were sick,

My clothing was sackcloth;

I humbled myself with fasting;

And my prayer would return to my own heart.

¹⁴I paced about as though he were my friend or brother;

I bowed down heavily,

as one who mourns for his mother.

¹⁵But in my adversity they rejoiced

And gathered together;

Attackers gathered against me,

And I did not know it;

They tore at me and did not cease;

¹⁶With ungodly mockers at feasts

They gnashed at me with their teeth.

¹⁷Lord, how long will You look on?

Rescue me from their destructions,

My precious life from the lions.

¹⁸I will give You thanks in the great assembly;

I will praise You among many people.

¹⁹Let them not rejoice over me who are wrongfully my enemies;

Nor let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause.

²⁰For they do not speak peace,

 But they devise deceitful matters

Against the quiet ones in the land.

²¹They also opened their mouth wide against me,

And said, “Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen it.”

²²This You have seen, O Lord;

Do not keep silence.

O Lord, do not be far from me.

²³Stir up Yourself, and awake to my vindication,

To my cause, my God and my Lord.

²⁴Vindicate me, O Lord my God, according to Your righteousness;

And let them not rejoice over me.

²⁵Let them not say in their hearts, “Ah, so we would have it!”

Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”

²⁶Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion

Who rejoice at my hurt;

Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor

Who exalt themselves against me.

²⁷Let them shout for joy and be glad,

Who favor my righteous cause;

And let them say continually,

“Let the Lord be magnified,

Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”

²⁸And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness

And of Your praise all the day long.

Preamble: Psalm 35 is a psalm of betrayal, of being wrongly hunted and pursued by those whose only desire is for the one they have target and hate downfall and ruin. Nevertheless, it is in his being betrayed that David does not resort to the same evil tactics that were being used on him, to undermine him, instead he now turns to the Lord to be both his avenger and defender.

Vs. 1-3 ¹Plead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me;

Fight against those who fight against me.

²Take hold of shield and buckler,

And stand up for my help.

³Also draw out the spear,

And stop those who pursue me.

Say to my soul,

“I am your salvation.”

David begins with asking that the Lord be his defense, that He himself take up his cause against his false accusers, that He Himself set Himself against them, that He fight with all of those who fight with him. And in this David imagines the Lord putting on His own warrior's armor and employing His own lethal weapons to stop all those who are pursuing him, that He would stand mightily beside him as His Awesome Defender and say to him, “I am your salvation.” Now what David prayed for is what we all now have in the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Defender of our souls. There is then no enemy so fierce so as to be able to overcome Him! (John 10:28-30).

Vs. 4-6 ⁴Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor

Who seek after my life;

Let those be turned back and brought to confusion

Who plot my hurt.

⁵Let them be like 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 pursue them.

In seeking the Lord's help, David now asks that He bring down all of his pursuers, that He would put them all to an open shame, that He would bring to dishonor everyone who seeks after his life. For they have set themselves against him without a just cause, and they have all aligned themselves with the one who is in open rebellion against the Lord Himself! Therefore, though they multiply themselves and draw strength in their numbers, David prays that they all be as chaff before the wind, blown away and scattered to never be seen again. Yes, let the angel of the Lord (the pre-incarnate Christ who led ancient Israel) now chase them, just as they are relentlessly pursing him. Yes, let their way be dark and slippery as the angel of the Lord pursues them, so that they all might fall and never rise again!

Vs. 7-8 ⁷For without cause they have hidden their net for me in a pit,

Which they have dug without cause for my life.

⁸Let destruction come upon him unexpectedly,

And let his net that he has hidden catch himself;

Into that very destruction let him fall.

Just as they plotted David’s ruin without a just cause, so let them now fall into their own pit, and let them all be taken in their own traps, which they have laid for him. Yes, let destruction come unexpectantly upon them, especially upon the “chief architect” of David’s troubles, the one who began all of this, who first set his gaze on him, and then set himself against him, who then went on to recruit and manipulate others so as to set them all against David. So let him be caught by his own arrogance and cunning, into the very net that he has hidden for David, let him fall to his own ruin into that very same destruction!

 Vs. 9-10 ⁹And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord;

It shall rejoice in His salvation.

¹⁰All my bones shall say, “Lord, who is like You,

Delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him,

Yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?”

Even though David was daily facing their plots and schemes against him, his own joy and confidence in the Lord remained steadfast. For when one truly knows the Lord, they know that He is the God of Justice, and that His allowing such things to happen to one of His own for a time or season is only so that He may be fully justified when He fully judges, and He repays! For His justice “delayed” is never His justice diverted! For it always comes in perfect timing, and a perfect way, every time, all the time! Therefore, “All my bones shall say, “Lord, who is like You, Delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, Yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?”

In recalling the Good and Just nature of the Lord David then cannot but sing His praises. For God is the Defender of the poor and the helpless, the Lord is our Deliverer, for He delivers the poor man from him who is too strong for him. This promise runs so strongly through the Scriptures that to deny it would be heretical, therefore David takes hold of it here to bring to bear the full weight of them down on his adversaries. They then will have only one recourse, repent or face the full weight of the Lord’s wrath and justice when He arises to fulfill it!

Vs. 11-12 ¹¹Fierce witnesses rise up;

They ask me things that I do not know.

¹²They reward me evil for good,

To the sorrow of my soul.

Not only did David face opposition from outside, but also from within. People he once knew and befriended and helped have now became his chief accuser’s. In his weakness then they didn't support him, instead some became fierce accurses who were now more than willing to testify against him, so as to forward their own ambitions and fortunes. These two passages foretell the Lord’s own “trial” before the Sanhedrin counsel, the inquiry He faced before Pilate and Herod. Indeed, this passage foretells of the suffering saints in every generation who would and will be persecuted for their faith in Him. 

Vs. 13-16 ¹³But as for me, when they were sick,

My clothing was sackcloth;

I humbled myself with fasting;

And my prayer would return to my own heart.

¹⁴I paced about as though he were my friend or brother;

I bowed down heavily,

as one who mourns for his mother.

¹⁵But in my adversity they rejoiced

And gathered together;

Attackers gathered against me,

And I did not know it;

They tore at me and did not cease;

¹⁶With ungodly mockers at feasts

They gnashed at me with their teeth.

Shocked by their stunning display of cruelty towards him, David now recalls how he acted in their defense. When they were sick, he humbled himself in sackcloth with fasting and prayer for them. For he sought their welling. Indeed, not only did he pray for them, but he paced about and mourned for them as one who mourns for the passing of one’s mother (vs. 13-14). And all of this was done by him to move God to have mercy on them. However, in his adversity they rejoiced, and gathered together with those who were plotting a conspiracy against him, indeed attackers (i.e., slanders, evil and violent people were recruited by them to forward their evil plot against him) and this was all occurring behind David’s back, while he was vulnerable and utterly unaware of it all. And so, as the conspiracy grew, they gathered themselves together, a Godless company of evil men who were now mocking and slandering David amongst themselves, openly speaking of his destruction at their Godless drunken feasts, gnashing at him with their teeth, like wolves do before they kill (vs. 16). That then was their countenance and greeting towards him when David now saw them. 

Vs. 17 “Lord, how long will You look on?

Rescue me from their destructions,

My precious life from the lions.”

In light of all of these things David now asks the Lord how long will He look on, how long must he endure these things, and these kinds of evil people? “Rescue me from their destructions, My precious life from the lions.” Now in regard to this question, consider, Heb. 11:1-40; Rev. 6:11 etc. since all the patriarchs and the prophets and the apostles all suffered greatly in this life for their faith.

Vs. 18 “I will give You thanks in the great assembly;

I will praise You among many people.”

Through this verse we learn that the counterbalance to confusion and despair is praise! Worshiping God when things are going wrong is then is a good measure of the depth of one’s faith. And in this David excels, just as you can now, as you experience His faithfulness through your own tribulations and trials. For faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb. 11:3). 

Vs. 19-21 ¹⁹Let them not rejoice over me who are wrongfully my enemies;

Nor let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause.

²⁰For they do not speak peace,

 But they devise deceitful matters

Against the quiet ones in the land.

²¹They also opened their mouth wide against me,

And said, “Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen it.”

David now returns to his just cause, asking that the Lord not allow these scheming liars who have conjured up all kinds of false ideas about him, who have brought to bear all kinds of baseless accusations against him, to let him fall by their plots and schemes, lest they be even more emboldened and now rejoice openly over him. Lest they open their mouths and say, ah ha our eyes have seen it, we have seen him fall! For truly those who hate us without a cause would love to see our fall. Maybe it was jealously that moved them against David? who knows, but truly they have no just grounds for their continually assailing his person and character. For all they have is their own evil thoughts and imaginations about him, about us, which they continually use to justify their evil deeds towards us, to motivate others to hunt, hound, and harass us. Indeed, their own actions clearly reveal that they do not seek peace with us, even when an olive branch is extended from us, they do not want peace, just our downfall and ruin, and this by their hand! For their exercising power and control over others is what moves motivates them. Therefore, they target the quiet ones in the land, all the ones who simply want to be left alone so we can live quietly and peaceably, these they set themselves against. For we make easy victims for them, by which they can exercise their power and control over others. Indeed, we don't have the support, or backing, or resources as they do, nor are we skillful at making alliances with those who do, as they are, therefore we are easy prey for them, like a cat playing with its prey before it kills it, so they think to do to us. For once they have set their gaze upon us, they do not stop or change until there is and end (consider King Saul).

 Vs. 22-25 ²²This You have seen, O Lord;

Do not keep silence.

O Lord, do not be far from me.

²³Stir up Yourself, and awake to my vindication,

To my cause, my God and my Lord.

²⁴Vindicate me, O Lord my God, according to Your righteousness;

And let them not rejoice over me.

²⁵Let them not say in their hearts, “Ah, so we would have it!”

Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”

Lord, You have seen all that they have done to me, please do not be silent any longer! Stir Yourself up and arise to my vindication, please defend my person and cause since I belong to You. Vindicate me then according to Your Righteousness, the righteousness that You have given me, that You have imputed to me, through which You justify me continually, because all my faith is in You, in Your Person in Your Righteousness alone! Therefore, Lord never let them rejoice over me, never let them have their evil way with me, never let them let them say in their hearts, “Ah, so we would have it!” Nor let them say, “We have swallowed him up.” For in unjustly assailing my person and reputation they are assailing Yours!

Vs. 26 “Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion

Who rejoice at my hurt;

Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor

Who exalt themselves against me.”

Therefore, bring down all their arrogance and pride through which they do these things, yes let them all be brought to confusion who rejoice at my hurt, for their confidence only comes from and grows when their evil schemes succeed. Therefore, let them all be clothed with shame and dishonor who exalt themselves against me! For they don’t fear You, therefore they do whatever they like to the ones they target and hate.

Vs. 27-28 ²⁷Let them shout for joy and be glad,

Who favor my righteous cause;

And let them say continually,

“Let the Lord be magnified,

Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”

²⁸And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness

And of Your praise all the day long.

Instead of granting them their desires, Lord let everyone shout for joy and be glad in heart who favors my righteous cause, because without cause my persecutors have set themselves against me, and they will not relent. Please then let all those who know You say that that You Lord are to be magnified, because You Lord always have pleasure in the prosperity of Your servant, in everyone who serves You. And I will speak of Your righteous and I will praise You all the day long, because You Lord are Good!

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982): Thomas Nelson.