Psalms 35:7-17

7 For no reason they hid their net in a pit. For no reason they dug the pit [to trap me].

8 Let destruction surprise them. Let the net that they hid catch them. Let them fall into their own pit and be destroyed.

9 My soul will find joy in the LORD and be joyful about his salvation.

10 All my bones will say, "O LORD, who can compare with you? You rescue the weak person from the one who is too strong for him and weak and needy people from the one who robs them."

11 Malicious people bring charges against me. They ask me things I know nothing about.

12 I am devastated because they pay me back with evil instead of good.

13 But when they were sick, I wore sackcloth. I humbled myself with fasting. When my prayer returned unanswered,

14 I walked around as if I were mourning for my friend or my brother. I was bent over as if I were mourning for my mother.

15 Yet, when I stumbled, they rejoiced and gathered together. They gathered together against me. Unknown attackers tore me apart without stopping.

16 With crude and abusive mockers, they grit their teeth at me.

17 O Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue me from their attacks. Rescue my precious life from the lions.

Psalms 35:7-17 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.