1 Strive thou, O Jehovah, with them that strive with me: Fight thou against them that fight against me.
2 Take hold of shield and buckler, And stand up for my help.
3 Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that pursue me: Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.
4 Let them be put to shame and brought to dishonor that seek after my soul: Let them be turned back and confounded that devise my hurt.
5 Let them be as chaff before the wind, And the angel of Jehovah driving `them' on.
6 Let their way be dark and slippery, And the angel of Jehovah pursuing them.
7 For without cause have they hid for me their net `in' a pit; Without cause have they digged `a pit' for my soul.
8 Let destruction come upon him unawares; And let his net that he hath hid catch himself: With destruction let him fall therein.
9 And my soul shall be joyful in Jehovah: It shall rejoice in his salvation.
10 All my bones shall say, Jehovah, who is like unto thee, Who deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, Yea, the poor and the needy from him that robbeth him?
11 Unrighteous witnesses rise up; They ask me of things that I know not.
12 They reward me evil for good, `To' the bereaving of my soul.
13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I afflicted my soul with fasting; And my prayer returned into mine own bosom.
14 I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother: I bowed down mourning, as one that bewaileth his mother.
15 But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: The abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew `it' not; They did tear me, and ceased not:
16 Like the profane mockers in feasts, They gnashed upon me with their teeth.
17 Lord, how long wilt thou look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, My darling from the lions.
18 I will give thee thanks in the great assembly: I will praise thee among much 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.
20 For they speak not peace; But they devise deceitful words against them that are quiet in the land.
21 Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me; They said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.
22 Thou hast seen it, O Jehovah; keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.
23 Stir up thyself, and awake to the justice `due' unto me, `Even' unto my cause, my God and my Lord.
24 Judge me, O Jehovah my God, according to thy righteousness; And let them not rejoice over me.
25 Let them not say in their heart, Aha, so would we have it: Let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
26 Let them be put to shame and confounded together that rejoice at my hurt: Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor that magnify themselves against me.
27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favor my righteous cause: Yea, let them say continually, Jehovah be magnified, Who hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
28 And my tongue shall talk of thy righteousness `And' of thy praise all the day long. Psalm 36 For the Chief Musician. `A Psalm' of David the servant of Jehovah.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 35
Commentary on Psalms 35 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 35
Ps 35:1-28. The Psalmist invokes God's aid, contrasting the hypocrisy, cunning, and malice of his enemies with his integrity and generosity. The imprecations of the first part including a brief notice of their conduct, the fuller exposition of their hypocrisy and malice in the second, and the earnest prayer for deliverance from their scornful triumph in the last, are each closed (Ps 35:9, 10, 18, 27, 28) with promises of praise for the desired relief, in which his friends will unite. The historical occasion is probably 1Sa 24:1-22.
1-3. God is invoked in the character of a warrior (Ex 15:3; De 32:41).
3. fight against—literally, "devour my devourers."
stop the way against—literally, "shut up" (the way), to meet or oppose, &c.
I … thy salvation—who saves thee.
4. (Compare Ps 9:17).
devise my hurt—purpose for evil to me.
5, 6. (Compare Ps 1:4)—a terrible fate; driven by wind on a slippery path in darkness, and hotly pursued by supernatural violence (2Sa 24:16; Ac 12:23).
7, 8. net in a pit—or, "pit of their net"—or, "net-pit," as "holy hill" for "hill of holiness" (Ps 2:6); a figure from hunting (Ps 7:15). Their imprecations on impenitent rebels against God need no vindication; His justice and wrath are for such; His mercy for penitents. Compare Ps 7:16; 11:5, on the peculiar fate of the wicked here noticed.
10. All my bones—every part.
him that spoileth him—(Compare Ps 10:2).
11. False witnesses—literally, "Witnesses of injustice and cruelty" (compare Ps 11:5; 25:19).
12-14. Though they rendered evil for good, he showed a tender sympathy in their affliction.
spoiling—literally, "bereavement." The usual modes of showing grief are made, as figures, to express his sorrow.
13. prayer … bosom—may denote either the posture—the head bowed—(compare 1Ki 18:42)—or, that the prayer was in secret. Some think there is a reference to the result—the prayer would benefit him if not them.
14. behaved—literally, "went on"—denoting his habit.
heavily—or, "squalidly," his sorrowing occasioning neglect of his person. Altogether, his grief was that of one for a dearly loved relative.
15, 16. On the contrary, they rejoiced in his affliction. Halting, or, "lameness," as in Ps 38:17 for any distress.
abjects—either as cripples (compare 2Sa 4:4), contemptible; or, degraded persons, such as had been beaten (compare Job 30:1-8).
I knew it not—either the persons, or, reasons of such conduct.
tear me, and ceased not—literally, "were not silent"—showing that the tearing meant slandering.
16. mockers—who were hired to make sport at feasts (Pr 28:21).
17. darling—(Compare Ps 22:20, 21).
18. (Compare Ps 22:22).
19. enemies wrongfully—by false and slanderous imputations.
wink with the eye—an insulting gesture (Pr 6:13).
without a cause—manifests more malice than having a wrong cause.
20. deceitful matters—or, "words of deceit."
quiet in the land—the pious lovers of peace.
21. On the gesture compare Ps 22:7; and on the expressions of malicious triumph, compare Ps 10:13; 28:3.
23, 24. (Compare Ps 7:6; 26:1; 2Th 1:6). God's righteous government is the hope of the pious and terror of the wicked.
25. swallowed him up—utterly destroyed him (Ps 21:9; La 2:16).
26. clothed—covered wholly (Job 8:22).
27. favour … cause—delight in it, as vindicated by Thee.
Let the Lord, &c.—Let Him be greatly praised for His care of the just.
28. In this praise of God's equitable government (Ps 5:8) the writer promises ever to engage.