Psalms 35:14-24

14 My behaviour was as if it had been my friend or my brother: I was bent low in grief like one whose mother is dead.

15 But they took pleasure in my trouble, and came together, yes, low persons came together against me without my knowledge; they never came to an end of wounding me.

16 Like men of deceit they put me to shame; the voice of their wrath was loud against me.

17 Lord, how long will you be looking on? take my soul from their destruction, my life from the lions.

18 I will give you praise in the great meeting; I will give you honour among a strong people.

19 Do not let my haters be glad over me falsely; let not those who are against me without cause make sport of me.

20 For they do not say words of peace; in their deceit they are designing evil things against the quiet ones in the land.

21 Their mouths were open wide against me, and they said, Aha, aha, our eyes have seen it.

22 You have seen this, O Lord; be not unmoved: O Lord, be not far from me.

23 Be awake, O Lord, be moved to take up my cause, my God and my Lord.

24 Be my judge, O Lord my God, in your righteousness; do not let them be glad over me.

Psalms 35:14-24 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.