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Psalms

A collection of songs and prayers expressing a wide range of emotions and thoughts on faith.

Chapter 35

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1 Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.

*Help me, God, against those who are against me; fight against those who want to defeat me.

2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.

*Grab your shield and small protective shield, and stand strong while I assist you.

3 Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.

*Pull out the spear and block their path, stopping those who chase me. Tell my soul, "I am your rescue."

4 Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.

*Let those who chase me be embarrassed and those planning my harm be confused and fail.

5 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.

*Let them become like scattered straw in the wind, and let God's angel pursue them.

6 Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.

*Make their path difficult and slippery; let the angel of God chase them.

7 For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.

*They have hidden their trap for me in a hole, without reason, and they dug it specifically to catch my soul.

8 Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.

*Let unexpected ruin strike him; and may the trap he hidden catch himself, causing him to fall into that same ruin.

9 And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.

*My soul will be happy because of the LORD; it will celebrate His rescue.

10 All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?

*My entire body will shout, "Lord, no one is like you! You rescue the weak from the powerful, and help the poor and helpless against their oppressors."

11 False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.

*False witnesses appeared, accusing me of things I didn't know.

12 They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.

*They paid me back bad for good, causing harm to my inner self.

13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.

*But for me, when they were ill, I wore rough cloth (sackcloth). I also didn't eat much (fasted) and prayed, but didn't get any answers.

14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.

*I acted like he was my friend or brother. I showed deep sadness, as if grieving for my mom.

15 But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:

*But when I was struggling, they were happy and came together. Even the lowly ones joined forces against me, and I didn't know about it. They attacked me relentlessly and didn't stop.

16 With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

*At parties, fake laughers mocked me and bit their lips at me.

17 Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.

*Lord, for how much longer will you watch? Save my life from their destruction, and my dear one from the dangerous lions.

18 I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.

*I'll thank you in a big group: I'll praise you in front of many people.

19 Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.

*Don't let my enemies celebrate unjustly against me, and don't let those who hate me without reason look at me with a fake smile.

20 For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.

*They don't talk about peace, instead they plan tricky things to harm those who live peacefully.

21 Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.

*Yes, they widely shouted at me, saying, "Aha, we have seen it."

22 This thou hast seen, O LORD: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.

*You have witnessed this, Lord: do not stay silent. Lord, do not be far away from me.

23 Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.

*Wake up and get involved in my case, God and Lord, as I need your help.

24 Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.

*Please judge me, God, based on what is right, and don't let others be happy at my expense.

25 Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.

*Don't let them think, "We don't want that." And don't let them say, "We defeated him."

26 Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.

*Let those who celebrate my pain feel embarrassed and confused. Those who boast about defeating me should be covered in shame and disgrace.

27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.

*Let people celebrate and be happy because I'm doing what is right. They should always say, "May the Lord be praised, who enjoys seeing his faithful person succeed."

28 And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.

*My tongue will talk about your fairness and praise throughout the whole day.

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