Psalms 35:11-21

11 False^[a] witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.

12 They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling^[b] of my soul.

13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled^[c] my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.

14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.

15 But in mine adversity^[d] 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:

16 With 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^[e] from the lions.

18 I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much^[f] people.

19 Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully^[g] rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.

20 For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.

21 Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.

Psalms 35:11-21 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. False...: Heb. Witnesses of wrong
• [b]. spoiling: Heb. depriving
• [c]. humbled: or, afflicted
• [d]. adversity: Heb. halting
• [e]. darling: Heb. only one
• [f]. much: Heb. strong
• [g]. wrongfully: Heb. falsely