Psalm 35

(This is) for David.

v1   Lord, argue with those people that are arguing with me.
Fight against those people that are fighting against me.

v2   Pick up a small shield and a big one.
Get up and give me help.

v3   Pull out a small spear and a long one.
(Use them) against the people that are running after me.
Say to me. “I will make you safe”.

v4   Some people want to kill me.
I hope that they will become ashamed.
I hope that everyone else will think that they are very bad.
Some people are planning to destroy me.
Turn them back and confuse them.

v5   Make them become like chaff in the wind.
Let the angel of the LORD send them away.

v6   Make their way dark and dangerous.
Let the angel of the LORD be unkind to them.

v7   (Do this) because they hid a trap for me.
There was no reason for it.
For no reason they dug a pit for me.

v8   Surprise him and destroy him!
Catch him in the trap that he hid! Let him die in his own pit!

v9   Then I will be pleased because of what the LORD has done.
I will be happy when the LORD has made me safe.

v10   All my bones will shout, “LORD, who is like you?
You take the poor man away from the man that is too strong for him.
You take the people that need help away from those that hurt them”.

v11   People say that they saw me do bad things.
They asked me about it, but I knew nothing.

v12   They paid me evil for the good things that I did.
I felt as if (my children) had died.

v13   When they were ill I wore clothes made from sacks.
I hurt myself by not eating food.
My prayer came back to my own breast.

v14   I cried when I walked about. I became bent because I was so sad.
I lived as though my friend or my brother or (even) my mother (was ill).

v15   But when I fell down they laughed.
They all met together. They came together against me.
I did not know the people that were attacking me.
They would not stop hurting me.

v16   They were like godless people and they mocked me more and more.
They showed their teeth (like a wild animal).

v17   LORD, how long will you watch (this)?
Take me away from the people that are destroying me.
Save the thing that I love most from the lions.

v18   I will thank you in the great meeting.
I will praise you when all the people are together.

v19   Do not let my enemies laugh at me.
They hate me, but have no reason for it.
Do not let them wink at me with their eye.

v20   They do not talk about peace.
They say false things to the people in the land that do not want trouble.

v21   They open wide their mouth against me.
They say, “Aha! Aha! Our eyes saw it!”

v22   LORD, you saw it (also).
Lord, do not remain silent. Do not stay far from me.

v23   Wake up! Get up and give me justice!
Argue (for me against them), my Lord and my God.

v24   LORD, you are righteous.
Give me justice, my God. Do not let them laugh at me.

v25   Do not let them think in their heart, “Aha! (this is) what we wanted”.
Do not let them say, “We have eaten him up!”

v26   (Do this) to them that laughed at me when I became hurt:
·  make them ashamed and confused at the same time
·  make them sorry that they said that they were greater than me
·  make them feel that they are wearing disgrace like clothes

v27   (Other) people will be very happy (when you say) that I am righteous.
They will shout out in their pleasure.
They will always say, “The LORD is great!
He loves it when his servant has peace!”

v28   My mouth will say that you are righteous.
I will praise you all day long.