Focused Passage

Psalms 35:11-18

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

11 Hostile witnesses come forward; they make charges I know nothing about.

12 They repay me evil for good, to the bereavement of my soul.

13 Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, but my prayers returned unanswered.

14 I paced about as for my friend or brother; I was bowed down with grief, like one mourning for his mother.

15 But when I stumbled, they assembled in glee; they gathered together against me. Assailants I did not know slandered me without ceasing.

16 Like godless jesters at a feast, they gnashed their teeth at me.

17 How long, O Lord, will You look on? Rescue my soul from their ravages, my precious life from these lions.

18 Then I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 11

Original words

Hostile חָמָ֑ס H2555 Noun - masculine singular witnesses עֵדֵ֣י H5707 Noun - masculine plural construct come forward יְ֭קוּמוּן H6965 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nun they make charges יִשְׁאָלֽוּנִי׃ H7592 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | first person common singular - אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative I know יָ֝דַ֗עְתִּי H3045 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular nothing {about} לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle
Verse 12

Original words

They repay me יְשַׁלְּמ֣וּנִי H7999 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | first person common singular evil רָ֭עָה H7451 Adjective - feminine singular for תַּ֥חַת H8478 Preposition good טוֹבָ֗ה H2896 Noun - feminine singular [to] the bereavement שְׁכ֣וֹל H7908 Noun - masculine singular of my soul לְנַפְשִֽׁי׃ H5315 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Verse 13

Original words

Yet וַאֲנִ֤י׀ H589 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular when they were ill בַּחֲלוֹתָ֡ם H2470 Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural I put on לְב֬וּשִׁי H3830 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular sackcloth שָׂ֗ק H8242 Noun - masculine singular I humbled עִנֵּ֣יתִי H6031 Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular myself נַפְשִׁ֑י H5315 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular with fasting בַצּ֣וֹם H6685 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular but my prayers וּ֝תְפִלָּתִ֗י H8605 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular returned תָשֽׁוּב׃ H7725 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular unanswered עַל־ H5921 Preposition . . . חֵיקִ֥י H2436 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular

BSB notes

  • Literally returned to my bosom
Verse 14

Original words

I paced about הִתְהַלָּ֑כְתִּי H1980 Verb - Hitpael - Perfect - first person common singular as for my friend כְּרֵֽעַ־ H7453 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular or brother כְּאָ֣ח H251 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular I was bowed down שַׁחֽוֹתִי׃ H7817 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular with grief קֹדֵ֥ר H6937 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular like one mourning כַּאֲבֶל־ H57 Preposition-k | Adjective - masculine singular construct [for his] mother אֵ֝֗ם H517 Noun - feminine singular
Verse 15

Original words

But when I stumbled וּבְצַלְעִי֮ H6761 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular they assembled וְֽנֶאֱ֫סָ֥פוּ H622 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural in glee שָׂמְח֪וּ H8055 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural they gathered together נֶאֶסְפ֬וּ H622 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural against me עָלַ֣י H5921 Preposition | first person common singular Assailants נֵ֭כִים H5222 Adjective - masculine plural I did not וְלֹ֣א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle know יָדַ֑עְתִּי H3045 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular slandered me קָֽרְע֥וּ H7167 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural without וְלֹא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle ceasing דָֽמּוּ׃ H1826 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Verse 16

Original words

Like godless בְּ֭חַנְפֵי H2611 Preposition-b | Adjective - masculine plural construct jesters לַעֲגֵ֣י H3934 Adjective - masculine plural construct at a feast מָע֑וֹג H4580 Noun - masculine singular they gnashed חָרֹ֖ק H2786 Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute their teeth שִׁנֵּֽימוֹ׃ H8127 Noun - cdc | third person masculine plural at me עָלַ֣י H5921 Preposition | first person common singular

BSB notes

  • Or Like a godless circle of mockers,
Verse 17

Original words

How long כַּמָּ֪ה H4100 Interrogative O Lord אֲדֹנָי֮ H136 Noun - proper - masculine singular will You look on תִּ֫רְאֶ֥ה H7200 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Rescue הָשִׁ֣יבָה H7725 Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular my soul נַ֭פְשִׁי H5315 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular from their ravages מִשֹּׁאֵיהֶ֑ם H7722 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural my precious life יְחִידָתִֽי׃ H3173 Adjective - feminine singular construct | first person common singular from these lions מִ֝כְּפִירִ֗ים H3715 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural
Verse 18

Original words

Then I will give You thanks א֭וֹדְךָ H3034 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular | second person masculine singular in the great רָ֑ב H7227 Adjective - masculine singular assembly בְּקָהָ֣ל H6951 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular I will praise You אֲהַֽלְלֶֽךָּ׃ H1984 Verb - Piel - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular | second person masculine singular among many עָצ֣וּם H6099 Adjective - masculine singular people בְּעַ֖ם H5971 Preposition-b | Noun - 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.