Psalms 35:5-15

5 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.

6 Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.

7 For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.

8 Let destruction come upon him at unawares * ; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall .

9 And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.

10 All my bones shall say , LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?

11 False witnesses did rise up ; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.

12 They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.

13 But as for me, when they were sick , my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.

14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily , as one that mourneth for his mother.

15 But in mine adversity they rejoiced , and gathered themselves together : yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:

Psalms 35:5-15 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. dark...: Heb. darkness and slipperiness
• [b]. False...: Heb. Witnesses of wrong
• [c]. spoiling: Heb. depriving
• [d]. humbled: or, afflicted
• [e]. adversity: Heb. halting