Focused Passage

Psalms 35:1-10

The LORD Contends for His Servant Against Malicious Enemies

urgent plea for the LORD to contend -> imprecation against hidden traps and causeless pursuers -> promised rejoicing in salvation -> exposure of false witnesses and betrayal -> lament over mocking cruelty -> renewed cry for rescue -> appeal to the LORD's seeing and righteousness -> reversal of enemy gloating -> congregational joy and continual praise

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

Of David.

1 Contend with my opponents, O LORD; fight against those who fight against me.

2 Take up Your shield and buckler; arise and come to my aid.

3 Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers; say to my soul: “I am your salvation.”

4 May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plan to harm me be driven back and confounded.

5 May they be like chaff in the wind, as the angel of the LORD drives them away.

6 May their path be dark and slick, as the angel of the LORD pursues.

7 For without cause they laid their net for me; without reason they dug a pit for my soul.

8 May ruin befall them by surprise; may the net they hid ensnare them; may they fall into the hazard they created.

9 Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and exult in His salvation.

10 All my bones will exclaim, “Who is like You, O LORD, who delivers the afflicted from the aggressor, the poor and needy from the robber?”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

Contend רִיבָ֣ה H7378 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular with my opponents יְרִיבַ֑י H3401 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular O LORD יְ֭הוָה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . אֶת־ H854 Direct object marker fight against those לְ֝חַ֗ם H3898 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular . . . אֶת־ H854 Direct object marker who fight against me לֹֽחֲמָֽי׃ H3898 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Verse 2

Original words

Take up הַחֲזֵ֣ק H2388 Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular Your shield מָגֵ֣ן H4043 Noun - common singular and buckler וְצִנָּ֑ה H6793 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular arise and come וְ֝ק֗וּמָה H6965 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular to my aid בְּעֶזְרָתִֽי׃ H5833 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Verse 3

Original words

Draw וְהָ֘רֵ֤ק H7324 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular the spear חֲנִ֣ית H2595 Noun - feminine singular and javelin וּ֭סְגֹר H5462 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular against לִקְרַ֣את H7122 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct my pursuers רֹדְפָ֑י H7291 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | first person common singular say אֱמֹ֥ר H559 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular to my soul לְ֝נַפְשִׁ֗י H5315 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular I [am] אָֽנִי׃ H589 Pronoun - first person common singular your salvation יְֽשֻׁעָתֵ֥ךְ H3444 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Or and close the way
Verse 4

Original words

May those who seek מְבַקְשֵׁ֪י H1245 Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural construct my life נַ֫פְשִׁ֥י H5315 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular be disgraced יֵבֹ֣שׁוּ H954 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural and put to shame וְיִכָּלְמוּ֮ H3637 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural may those who plan חֹ֝שְׁבֵ֗י H2803 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct to harm me רָעָתִֽי׃ H7451 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular be driven back יִסֹּ֣גוּ H5472 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural . . . אָח֣וֹר H268 Noun - masculine singular and confounded וְיַחְפְּר֑וּ H2659 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Verse 5

Original words

May they be יִֽהְי֗וּ H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural like chaff כְּמֹ֥ץ H4671 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular in לִפְנֵי־ H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct the wind ר֑וּחַ H7307 Noun - common singular as the angel וּמַלְאַ֖ךְ H4397 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular drives them away דּוֹחֶֽה׃ H1760 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Verse 6

Original words

May their path דַרְכָּ֗ם H1870 Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine plural be יְֽהִי־ H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular dark חֹ֥שֶׁךְ H2822 Noun - masculine singular and slick וַחֲלַקְלַקּ֑וֹת H2519 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural as the angel וּמַלְאַ֥ךְ H4397 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְ֝הוָ֗ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular pursues רֹדְפָֽם׃ H7291 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Verse 7

Original words

For כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction without cause חִנָּ֣ם H2600 Adverb they laid טָֽמְנוּ־ H2934 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural their net רִשְׁתָּ֑ם H7568 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural for me לִ֭י Preposition | first person common singular without reason חִ֝נָּ֗ם H2600 Adverb they dug חָפְר֥וּ H2658 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural a pit שַׁ֣חַת H7845 Noun - feminine singular construct for my soul לְנַפְשִֽׁי׃ H5315 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Verse 8

Original words

May ruin שׁוֹאָה֮ H7722 Noun - feminine singular befall them תְּבוֹאֵ֣הוּ H935 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine singular by surprise לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle . . . יֵ֫דָ֥ע H3045 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular may the net וְרִשְׁתּ֣וֹ H7568 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular - אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative they hid טָמַ֣ן H2934 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular ensnare them תִּלְכְּד֑וֹ H3920 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine singular may they fall יִפָּל־ H5307 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular into בָּֽהּ׃ Preposition | third person feminine singular the hazard [they created] בְּ֝שׁוֹאָ֗ה H7722 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 9

Original words

Then my soul וְ֭נַפְשִׁי H5315 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular will rejoice תָּגִ֣יל H1523 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular in the LORD בַּיהוָ֑ה H3068 Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular and exult תָּ֝שִׂישׂ H7797 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular in His salvation בִּישׁוּעָתֽוֹ׃ H3444 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 10

Original words

All כָּ֥ל H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct my bones עַצְמוֹתַ֨י׀ H6106 Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common singular will exclaim תֹּאמַרְנָה֮ H559 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural Who מִ֥י H4310 Interrogative is like You כָ֫מ֥וֹךָ H3644 Preposition | second person masculine singular O LORD יְהוָ֗ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular who delivers מַצִּ֣יל H5337 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular the afflicted עָ֭נִי H6041 Adjective - masculine singular from מִמֶּ֑נּוּ H4480 Preposition | third person masculine singular the aggressor מֵחָזָ֣ק H2389 Preposition-m | Adjective - masculine singular the poor וְעָנִ֥י H6041 Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular and needy וְ֝אֶבְי֗וֹן H34 Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular from the robber מִגֹּזְלֽוֹ׃ H1497 Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.