Psalms 35:10-20

10 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?"

11 Fierce witnesses rise up; They ask me things that I do not know.

12 They reward me evil for good, To the sorrow of my soul.

13 But 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.

14 I paced about as though he were my friend or brother; I bowed down heavily, as one who mourns for his mother.

15 But 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;

16 With ungodly mockers at feasts They gnashed at me with their teeth.

17 Lord, how long will You look on? Rescue me from their destructions, My precious life from the lions.

18 I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people.

19 Let them not rejoice over me who are wrongfully my enemies; Nor let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause.

20 For they do not speak peace, But they devise deceitful matters Against the quiet ones 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.