Psalms 35:10-20

10 My whole being will cry out, "Who is like you, Lord? You save poor people from those who are too strong for them. You save poor and needy people from those who rob them."
11 Mean people come forward to give witness against me. They ask me things I don't know anything about.
12 They pay me back with evil, even though I was good to them. They leave me without hope.
13 But when they were sick, I put on black clothes. I made myself low by going without food. My prayers for them weren't always answered.
14 So I went around crying as if I were crying over my friend or relative. I bowed my head in sadness as if I were sobbing over my mother.
15 But when I tripped and fell, they were all very happy. Attackers gathered against me when I didn't even know it. They kept on telling lies about me.
16 They were like ungodly people. They made fun of me. They ground their teeth at me in hate.
17 Lord, how much longer will you just look on? Save me from their deadly attacks. Save the only life I have. Save me from those lions.
18 I will give you thanks in the whole community. Among all of your people I will praise you.
19 Don't let those who are my enemies without any reason laugh at me and make fun of me. Don't let those who hate me without any reason wink at me with an evil purpose.
20 They don't speak words of peace. They make up false charges against those who live quietly in the land.

Psalms 35:10-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 35

\\<<[A Psalm] of David>>\\. This psalm seems to have been written by David, when he was persecuted by Saul; and when many false charges were brought against him by his courtiers; and when he was the scorn and derision of the people; the subject of it is pretty much of the same kind with the seventh psalm, and might be written about the same time that was, and on the same occasion; and it may be applied to the church and people of God in like cases. There is a passage in it, Ps 35:19, which our Lord seems to refer to and apply to himself, Joh 15:25; and some interpret the whole of it concerning him. The Arabic version calls it a prophecy of the incarnation; though there does not appear any thing in it applicable to that.

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