Psalm 35:23-28

23 Rise up, and give attention to my doom; my God and my Lord, behold into my cause. (Rise up, and give me justice; my God and my Lord, please plead my case!)

24 My Lord God, deem thou me by thy rightfulness; and have they not joy on me. (My Lord God, judge thou me by thy righteousness; and do not let them have joy over me.)

25 Say they not in their hearts, Well, well, to our soul; neither say they, We shall devour him. (Let them not say in their hearts, Well, well; nor let them say, We have devoured him!)

26 Shame they, and dread they together; that joy for mine evils. Be they clothed with shame and dread; that speak evil things on me. (Let them all be ashamed, and fearful; who take joy over my suffering. Let them be clothed with shame and fear; who speak evil against me.)

27 Have they full joy, and be they glad, that will my rightfulness; and say they ever[more], The Lord be magnified, which desire the peace of his servant. (Have they full out joy, or rejoice, and be they glad, who desire my vindication; and let them say forevermore, The Lord be magnified, who delighteth in his servant's prosperity.)

28 And my tongue shall bethink thy rightfulness; all day thy praising. (And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness, or thy justice, and thy praises; all day long.)

Psalm 35:23-28 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.