Psalms 35:19–28
Lord, do not let my deceitful enemies gloat over me; awake and vindicate me, so that those who favor my cause can shout for joy while my tongue praises Your righteousness forever.
19 Don’t let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let those who hate me without a cause wink their eyes.
20 For they don’t speak peace, but they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.
21 Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me. They said, “Aha! Aha! Our eye has seen it!”
22 You have seen it, Yahweh. Don’t keep silent. Lord, don’t be far from me.
23 Wake up! Rise up to defend me, my God! My Lord, contend for me!
24 Vindicate me, Yahweh my God, according to your righteousness. Don’t let them gloat over me.
25 Don’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!”
26 Let them be disappointed and confounded together who rejoice at my calamity. Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me.
27 Let 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!”
28 My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long.
Lord, do not let my deceitful enemies gloat over me; awake and vindicate me, so that those who favor my cause can shout for joy while my tongue praises Your righteousness forever.
To conclude the psalm with a final appeal for divine justice and vindication, seeking to silence the malicious gloating of enemies and to provoke a communal celebration of God's delight in His servant.
The LORD Contends for His Servant Against Malicious Enemies
When the righteous servant is attacked without cause and repaid evil for good, faith brings the whole case before the LORD, trusting Him to contend, rescue, vindicate, and turn deliverance into public praise.