Psalms

Psalms 35

28 verses · Wisdom · Old Testament

1Contend, Yahweh, with those who contend with me. Fight against those who fight against me. 2Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help. 3Brandish the spear and block those who pursue me. Tell my soul, “I am your salvation.” 4Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonor. Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded. 5Let them be as chaff before the wind, Yahweh’s angel driving them on. 6Let their way be dark and slippery, Yahweh’s angel pursuing them. 7For without cause they have hidden their net in a pit for me. Without cause they have dug a pit for my soul. 8Let destruction come on him unawares. Let his net that he has hidden catch himself. Let him fall into that destruction.
9My soul shall be joyful in Yahweh. It shall rejoice in his salvation. 10All my bones shall say, “Yahweh, who is like you, who delivers the poor from him who is too strong for him; yes, the poor and the needy from him who robs him?” 11Unrighteous witnesses rise up. They ask me about things that I don’t know about. 12They reward me evil for good, to the bereaving of my soul.
13But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting. My prayer returned into my own bosom. 14I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother. I bowed down mourning, as one who mourns his mother. 15But in my adversity, they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together. The attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I didn’t know it. They tore at me, and didn’t cease. 16Like the profane mockers in feasts, they gnashed their teeth at me. 17Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my soul from their destruction, my precious life from the lions. 18I will give you thanks in the great assembly. I will praise you among many people. 19Don’t let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let those who hate me without a cause wink their eyes. 20For they don’t speak peace, but they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land. 21Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me. They said, “Aha! Aha! Our eye has seen it!” 22You have seen it, Yahweh. Don’t keep silent. Lord, don’t be far from me. 23Wake up! Rise up to defend me, my God! My Lord, contend for me! 24Vindicate me, Yahweh my God, according to your righteousness. Don’t let them gloat over me. 25Don’t let them say in their heart, “Aha! That’s the way we want it!” Don’t let them say, “We have swallowed him up!” 26Let them be disappointed and confounded together who rejoice at my calamity. Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me.
27Let those who favor my righteous cause shout for joy and be glad. Yes, let them say continually, “May Yahweh be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant!” 28My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long.

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4 commentators · 62 notes on this chapter

Matthew HenryEnglish Puritan / Nonconformist · 1708–17143

Writes as a pastor rather than a critic. Expect devotional and practical application over historical or linguistic analysis, read through a Reformed covenantal frame — and expect the Old Testament to be read forward toward Christ throughout.

Why this voice is here: The most widely read English commentary for three centuries. Included as a baseline: where Henry and a modern voice diverge, the divergence itself is usually the interesting part.

v. 1–10

In these verses we have, I. David's representation of his case to God, setting forth the restless rage and malice of his persecutors. He was God's servant, expressly appointed by him to be what he was, followed his guidance, and aimed at his glory in the way…

v. 11–16

Two very wicked things David here lays to the charge of his enemies, to make good his appeal to God against them - perjury and ingratitude. I. Perjury, Psa 35:11. When Saul would have David attainted of treason, in order to his being outlawed, perhaps he did…

v. 17–28

In these verses, as before, I. David describes the great injustice, malice, and insolence, of his persecutors, pleading this with God as a reason why he should protect him from them and appear against them. 1. They were very unrighteous; they were his enemies…

John GillParticular Baptist / High Calvinist · 1746–176328

The most exhaustive and the most doctrinally committed here. Expect high — even supralapsarian — Calvinism applied consistently, and unusually heavy use of rabbinic and Talmudic sources for Jewish context. Where a passage bears on election or the will, Gill will read it in one direction, and knowing that in advance is the point.

Why this voice is here: The strongest Calvinist reading available in the public domain, and the best on Jewish background. Read alongside Clarke, not instead of him — between them you get both sides of the argument.

v. 1

Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me,.... Meaning Saul and his courtiers; concerning whom he elsewhere desires that the Lord would judge between them, plead his cause, and deliver him; as he accordingly did, and maintained it, and the…

v. 2

Take hold of shield and buckler,.... Defensive weapons; not that the Lord stands in need of any of these to defend himself with: but the sense is, that he would be as these to David; as he was to him, and is to all his people; namely, their shield and…

v. 3

Draw out also the spear,.... An offensive weapon; expressive of the vengeance which God sometimes takes of the enemies of his people, when he bends his bow, shoots his arrows, whets his glittering sword, and his hand takes hold of judgment; and stop the way…

Keil & DelitzschGerman Lutheran, conservative-critical · 1861–187510

The technical one, and Old Testament only. Expect Hebrew grammar, textual argument, and direct engagement with nineteenth-century critical scholarship — closer to a scholarly apparatus than a devotional read. Where a modern critic claims a text is late or composite, this is where the conservative counter-argument was made.

Why this voice is here: Old Testament only, and heavy going — but the place to look when someone asserts a passage cannot mean what it appears to.

v. 1–3

The psalmist begins in a martial and anthropomorphical style such as we have not hitherto met with. On the ultima-accentuation of ריבה, vid., on Psa 3:8. Both את are signs of the accusative. This is a more natural rendering here, where the psalmist implores…

v. 4–6

Throughout the next two strophes follow terrible imprecations. According to Frst and others the relation of בּושׁ and חפר is like that of erblassen, to turn pale (cf. Isa 29:22 with Psa 34:6), and errצthen, to turn red, to blush. בושׁ has, however, no…

v. 7–8

Psa 35:7 also needs re-organising, just as in Psa 35:5. the original positions of דחה and רדפס are exchanged. שׁחת רשׁתּם would be a pit deceptively covered over with a net concealed below; but, as even some of the older critics have felt, שׁחת is without…

Jamieson, Fausset & BrownScottish Presbyterian / Reformed · 187121

The concise option. Three authors split the canon, so the voice shifts between sections. Expect brief, sober, conservative notes that resolve difficulties rather than dwelling on them — useful for orientation, thinner than Gill or Clarke where a passage is genuinely contested.

Why this voice is here: The quickest way to see what the mainstream Reformed reading of a passage is. Start here, then go to Gill or Clarke when it matters.

v. 3

fight against--literally, "devour my devourers." stop the way against--literally, "shut up" (the way), to meet or oppose, &c. I . . . thy salvation--who saves thee.

v. 4

(Compare Psa 9:17). devise my hurt--purpose for evil to me.

v. 5–6

(Compare Psa 1:4) --a terrible fate; driven by wind on a slippery path in darkness, and hotly pursued by supernatural violence (Sa2 24:16; Act 12:23).

World English Bible — Public domain