Psalms 35:1-11

1 Harass these hecklers, God, punch these bullies in the nose.

2 Grab a weapon, anything at hand; stand up for me!

3 Get ready to throw the spear, aim the javelin, at the people who are out to get me. Reassure me; let me hear you say, "I'll save you."

4 When those thugs try to knife me in the back, make them look foolish. Frustrate all those who are plotting my downfall.

5 Make them like cinders in a high wind, with God's angel working the bellows.

6 Make their road lightless and mud-slick, with God's angel on their tails.

7 Out of sheer cussedness they set a trap to catch me; for no good reason they dug a ditch to stop me.

8 Surprise them with your ambush - catch them in the very trap they set, the disaster they planned for me.

9 But let me run loose and free, celebrating God's great work,

10 Every bone in my body laughing, singing, "God, there's no one like you. You put the down-and-out on their feet and protect the unprotected from bullies!"

11 Hostile accusers appear out of nowhere, they stand up and badger me.

Psalms 35:1-11 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.