Focused Passage

Psalms 35:19-28

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

19 Let not my enemies gloat over me without cause, nor those who hate me without reason wink in malice.

20 For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful schemes against those who live quietly in the land.

21 They gape at me and say, “Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen!”

22 O LORD, You have seen it; be not silent. O Lord, be not far from me.

23 Awake and rise to my defense, to my cause, my God and my Lord!

24 Vindicate me by Your righteousness, O LORD my God, and do not let them gloat over me.

25 Let them not say in their hearts, “Aha, just what we wanted!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up!”

26 May those who gloat in my distress be ashamed and confounded; may those who exalt themselves over me be clothed in shame and reproach.

27 May those who favor my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, “Exalted be the LORD who delights in His servant’s well-being.”

28 Then my tongue will proclaim Your righteousness and Your praises all day long.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 19

Original words

Let not אַֽל־ H408 Adverb my enemies אֹיְבַ֣י H341 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | first person common singular gloat יִשְׂמְחוּ־ H8055 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural over me לִ֣י Preposition | first person common singular without cause שֶׁ֑קֶר H8267 Noun - masculine singular [nor] those who hate me שֹׂנְאַ֥י H8130 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | first person common singular without reason חִ֝נָּ֗ם H2600 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural wink in malice יִקְרְצוּ־ H7169 Adverb . . . עָֽיִן׃ H5869 Noun - common singular

BSB notes

  • See John 15:25.
Verse 20

Original words

For כִּ֤י H3588 Conjunction they do not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle speak יְדַ֫בֵּ֥רוּ H1696 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural peace שָׁל֗וֹם H7965 Noun - masculine singular but they devise יַחֲשֹׁבֽוּן׃ H2803 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nun deceitful מִ֝רְמוֹת H4820 Noun - feminine plural schemes דִּבְרֵ֥י H1697 Noun - masculine plural construct against וְעַ֥ל H5921 Conjunctive waw | Preposition those who live quietly רִגְעֵי־ H7282 Adjective - masculine plural construct in the land אֶ֑רֶץ H776 Noun - feminine singular
Verse 21

Original words

They gape פִּ֫יהֶ֥ם H6310 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural . . . וַיַּרְחִ֥יבוּ H7337 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural at me עָלַ֗י H5921 Preposition | first person common singular and say אָ֭מְרוּ H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Aha הֶאָ֣ח׀ H1889 Interjection aha הֶאָ֑ח H1889 Interjection Our eyes עֵינֵֽינוּ׃ H5869 Noun - cdc | first person common plural have seen רָאֲתָ֥ה H7200 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Verse 22

Original words

O LORD יְ֭הוָה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular You have seen it רָאִ֣יתָה H7200 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular be not אַֽל־ H408 Adverb silent תֶּחֱרַ֑שׁ H2790 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular O Lord אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י H136 Noun - proper - masculine singular be not אֲל־ H408 Adverb far תִּרְחַ֥ק H7368 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular from me מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ H4480 Preposition | first person common singular
Verse 23

Original words

Awake הָעִ֣ירָה H5782 Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular and rise וְ֭הָקִיצָה H6974 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular to my defense לְמִשְׁפָּטִ֑י H4941 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular to my cause לְרִיבִֽי׃ H7379 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular my God אֱלֹהַ֖י H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular and my Lord וַֽאדֹנָ֣י H136 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 24

Original words

Vindicate me שָׁפְטֵ֣נִי H8199 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | first person common singular by Your righteousness כְ֭צִדְקְךָ H6664 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular O LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular my God אֱלֹהָ֗י H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular and do not let them וְאַל־ H408 Conjunctive waw | Adverb gloat יִשְׂמְחוּ־ H8055 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural over me לִֽי׃ Preposition | first person common singular
Verse 25

Original words

Let them not אַל־ H408 Adverb say יֹאמְר֣וּ H559 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural in their hearts בְ֭לִבָּם H3820 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural Aha הֶאָ֣ח H1889 Interjection just what we wanted נַפְשֵׁ֑נוּ H5315 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common plural Let them not אַל־ H408 Adverb say יֹ֝אמְר֗וּ H559 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural We have swallowed him up בִּֽלַּעֲנֽוּהוּ׃ H1104 Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common plural | third person masculine singular
Verse 26

Original words

May those who gloat שְׂמֵחֵ֪י H8056 Adjective - masculine plural construct in my distress רָעָ֫תִ֥י H7451 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular be ashamed יֵ֘בֹ֤שׁוּ H954 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural and confounded וְיַחְפְּר֨וּ׀ H2659 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural . . . יַחְדָּו֮ H3162 Adverb may those who exalt themselves הַֽמַּגְדִּילִ֥ים H1431 Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural over me עָלָֽי׃ H5921 Preposition | first person common singular be clothed יִֽלְבְּשׁוּ־ H3847 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural in shame בֹ֥שֶׁת H1322 Noun - feminine singular and reproach וּכְלִמָּ֑ה H3639 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 27

Original words

May those who favor חֲפֵצֵ֪י H2655 Adjective - masculine plural construct my vindication צִ֫דְקִ֥י H6664 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular shout for joy יָרֹ֣נּוּ H7442 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural and gladness וְיִשְׂמְחוּ֮ H8055 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural may they always תָ֭מִיד H8548 Adverb say וְיֹאמְר֣וּ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural Exalted be יִגְדַּ֣ל H1431 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular the LORD יְהוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular who delights הֶ֝חָפֵ֗ץ H2655 Article | Adjective - masculine singular in His servant’s עַבְדּֽוֹ׃ H5650 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular well-being שְׁל֣וֹם H7965 Noun - masculine singular construct
Verse 28

Original words

Then my tongue וּ֭לְשׁוֹנִי H3956 Conjunctive waw | Noun - common singular construct | first person common singular will proclaim תֶּהְגֶּ֣ה H1897 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular Your righteousness צִדְקֶ֑ךָ H6664 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular [and] Your praises תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ׃ H8416 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct day long הַ֝יּוֹם H3117 Article | 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.