Psalms 35
35
Rescue Me
A poetic song by King David # 35 This is the first of seven Psalms in which David cried out for vengeance upon his enemies (see Pss. 52; 58; 59; 69; 109; 137).
Part One – David, a Warrior
1O Lord, fight for me! Harass the hecklers; accuse my accusers.
Fight those who fight against me.
2-3Put on your armor, Lord; take up your shield and protect me.
Rise up, mighty God! Grab your weapons of war
and block the way of the wicked who come to fight me.
Stand for me when they stand against me!
Speak over my soul: “I am your strong Savior!” # 35:2–3 The Aramaic word used here is found thirty-three times in the Psalms and clearly means “Savior.” Although a New Testament concept, David had a deep understanding almost one thousand years before the Savior was born that God would become his Savior. The Hebrew word for “Savior,” Yasha, is very similar to the name Jesus, Yeshua.
4Humiliate those who seek my harm. Defeat them all!
Frustrate their plans to defeat me and drive them back.
Disgrace them all as they have devised their plans to disgrace me.
5Blow them away like dust in the wind,
with the angel of Almighty God driving them back!
6Make the road in front of them nothing but slippery darkness,
with the angel of Yahweh behind them, chasing them away!
7For though I did nothing wrong to them, they set a trap for me,
wanting me to fail and fall.
8Surprise them with your ambush, Lord,
and catch them in the very trap they set for me.
Let them be the ones to fail and fall into destruction!
9Then my fears will dissolve into limitless joy;
my whole being will overflow with gladness
because of your mighty deliverance.
10Everything inside of me will shout it out:
“There’s no one like you, Lord!”
For look at how you protect the weak and helpless
from the strong and heartless who oppress them.
Part Two – David, a Witness
11They are malicious men, hostile witnesses of wrong.
They rise up against me, accusers appearing out of nowhere.
12When I show them mercy, they bring me misery.
I’m forsaken and forlorn, like a motherless child.
13I even prayed over them when they were sick.
I was burdened and bowed low with fasting
and interceded for their healing,
and I didn’t stop praying.
14I grieved for them, heavyhearted,
as though they were my dearest family members
or my good friends who were sick,
nearing death, needing prayer.
15But when I was the one who tripped up and stumbled,
they came together to slander me,
rejoicing in my time of trouble, tearing me to shreds
with their lies and betrayal.
16These nameless ruffians,
mocking me like godless fools at a feast—
how they delight in throwing mud on my name.
17God, how long can you just stand there doing nothing?
Now is the time to act.
Rescue me from these brutal men,
for I am being torn to shreds by these beasts
who are out to get me.
Save me from their rage, their cruel grasp.
18Then I will praise you wherever I go.
And when everyone gathers for worship,
I will lift up your praise with a shout
in front of the largest crowd I can find!
Part Three – David, a Worshiper
19Don’t let those who fight me for no reason be victorious.
Don’t let them succeed, these heartless haters
who come against me with their gloating sneers.
20They are the ones who would never seek peace as friends,
for they are ever devising deceit against the innocent ones
who mind their own business.
21They open their mouths with ugly grins,
gloating with glee over my every fault.
“Look,” they say, “we caught him red-handed!
We saw him fall with our own eyes!”
22Yahweh, my caring God, you have been there all along.
You have seen their hypocrisy.
Yahweh, don’t let them get away with this.
Don’t walk away without doing something.
23Now is the time to awake! Rise up, Lord!
Vindicate me, my Lord and my God!
24You have every right to judge me, Lord,
according to your righteousness,
but don’t let them rejoice over me when I stumble.
25-26Let them all be ashamed of themselves,
humiliated when they rejoice over my every blunder.
Shame them, Lord, when they say, “We saw what he did.
Now we have him right where we want him.
Let’s get him while he’s down!”
Make them look ridiculous when they exalt themselves over me.
May they all be disgraced and dishonored!
27But let all my true friends shout for joy,
all those who know and love what I do for you.
Let them all say, “The Lord is great,
and he delights in the prosperity of his servant.”
28Then I won’t be able to hold it in—
everyone will hear my joyous praises all day long!
Your righteousness will be the theme of my glory-song of praise!
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Psalms 35: TPT
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Learn More About The Passion TranslationPsalms 35
35
A song of David.
1Lord, oppose those who oppose me.
Fight those who fight me.
2Pick up your shields, large and small.
Get up and help me!
3Take a spear and javelin
and fight those who are chasing me.
Tell me, “I will rescue you.”
4Some people are trying to kill me.
Disappoint them and make them ashamed.
Make them turn and run away.
They are planning to hurt me.
Defeat and embarrass them.
5Make them like chaff blown by the wind.#35:5 wind This may be a wordplay, because the Hebrew word also means “spirit.”
Let them be chased by the Lord’s angel.
6Make their road dark and slippery.
Let the Lord’s angel chase them.
7I did nothing wrong, but they tried to trap me.
For no reason at all, they dug a pit to catch me.
8So let them fall into their own traps.
Let them stumble into their own nets.
Let some unknown danger catch them.
9Then I will rejoice in the Lord.
I will be happy when he saves me.
10With my whole self I will say,
“Lord, there is no one like you.
You protect the poor from those who are stronger.
You save the poor and helpless from those who try to rob them.”
11There are witnesses#35:11 witnesses People who tell what they have seen or heard. Here, these people were probably telling lies. trying to harm me.
They ask me questions that I know nothing about.
12They pay me back evil for the good I have done.
They make me so very sad.
13When they were sick, I was sad and wore sackcloth.
I went without eating to show my sorrow.
(May my prayers for them not be answered!)
14I mourned for them as I would for a friend or a brother.
I bowed low with sadness, crying as I would for my own mother.
15But when I had troubles, they laughed at me.
They were not really friends.
I was surrounded and attacked
by people I didn’t even know.
16They made fun of me, using the worst language.
They ground their teeth to show their anger.
17My Lord, how long will you watch this happen?
Save my life from these people
who are attacking me like lions and trying to destroy me.
18I will praise you in the great assembly.
I will praise you there among the crowds.
19Don’t let my lying enemies keep on laughing at me.
They have no reason to hate me.
Surely they will be punished for their secret plans.#35:19 Surely … plans Literally, “Will the people who hate me freely wink their eyes?”
20They have no friendly words for others,
but plan ways to hurt those who want to live in peace.
21They are telling lies about me.
They say, “Aha! We know what you did!”
22Lord, surely you can see what is happening.
So don’t keep quiet.
Lord, don’t leave me.
23Wake up! Get up!
My God and my Lord, fight for me, and bring me justice.
24Lord my God, judge me with your fairness.
Don’t let those people laugh at me.
25Don’t let them think, “Aha! We got what we wanted!”
Don’t let them say, “We destroyed him!”
26Let my enemies be ashamed and embarrassed—
all those who were happy about my troubles.
Proud of themselves, they treated me as worthless.
So let them be covered with shame and disgrace.
27To those who want the best for me,
I wish them joy and happiness.
May they always say, “Praise the Lord,
who wants what is best for his servant.”
28So, Lord, I will tell people how good you are.
I will praise you all day long.
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