Psalms 35:5-13

5 May they be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away;

6 may their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them.

7 Since they hid their net for me without cause and without cause dug a pit for me,

8 may ruin overtake them by surprise— may the net they hid entangle them, may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.

9 Then my soul will rejoice in the LORDand delight in his salvation.

10 My whole being will exclaim, “Who is like you, LORD? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them.”

11 Ruthless witnesses come forward; they question me on things I know nothing about.

12 They repay me evil for good and leave me like one bereaved.

13 Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting. When my prayers returned to me unanswered,

Psalms 35:5-13 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.

Cross References

• 1. Job 21:18; S Job 13:25; Psalms 1:4; Isaiah 29:5
• 2. Psalms 34:7
• 3. S Job 18:8
• 4. S Psalms 7:4
• 5. S Job 9:31; S Psalms 7:15; S Psalms 55:23
• 6. Isaiah 47:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:3
• 7. S Psalms 7:15; Psalms 9:15
• 8. S Psalms 2:11; S Luke 1:47
• 9. Psalms 9:14; Psalms 13:5; Psalms 27:1; Isaiah 61:10
• 10. S Exodus 9:14; S Psalms 18:31; Psalms 113:5; Exodus 15:11
• 11. Psalms 18:17
• 12. Psalms 12:5; Psalms 37:14; Psalms 74:21; Psalms 86:1; Psalms 109:16; Psalms 140:12; Isaiah 41:17
• 13. S Exodus 23:1; S Matthew 26:60; Psalms 27:12
• 14. Psalms 38:20; Psalms 109:5; Proverbs 17:13; Jeremiah 18:20; John 10:32
• 15. S 2 Samuel 3:31; 1 Kings 20:31; Psalms 30:11; Psalms 69:11
• 16. Job 30:25; Psalms 69:10; Psalms 109:24