Psalms 35:2-12

2 Be a breastplate to me, and give me your help.

3 Take up your spear and keep back my attackers; say to my soul, I am your salvation.

4 Let them be overcome and put to shame who make attempts to take my soul; let those who would do me damage be turned back and made foolish.

5 Let them be like dust from the grain before the wind; let the angel of the Lord send them in flight.

6 Let their way be dark and full of danger; let them be troubled by the angel of the Lord.

7 For without cause they have put a net ready for me secretly, in which to take my soul.

8 Let destruction come on them without their knowledge; let them be taken themselves in their secret nets, falling into the same destruction.

9 And my soul will have joy in the Lord; it will be glad in his salvation.

10 All my bones will say, Lord, who is like you? The saviour of the poor man from the hands of the strong, of him who is poor and in need from him who takes his goods.

11 False witnesses got up: they put questions to me about crimes of which I had no knowledge.

12 They gave me back evil for good, troubling my soul.

Psalms 35:2-12 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.