NASB

Prayer for Rescue from Enemies.
A Psalm of David.


Note: This is an imprecatory psalm in which David calls down calamity and destruction on his enemies. The imprecatory psalms express a deep longing for justice from the viewpoint of the one who is oppressed.

The psalm may have found its inspiration in or as a result of the days in which Saul pursued David with the intent to kill him.


35:1 Contend, O LORD [David sought help from the Lord], with those [see vs. 10 for a description of those who contended against David] who contend with me;

Fight against those who fight against me [David regarded these individuals as more than his own enemies, he regarded them as enemies of God and those committed to frustrating God’s purposes].

35:2 Take hold of buckler [a smaller portable shield] and shield [a larger defensive piece of armor carried by straps and worn on the arm],

And rise up for my help.

35:3 Draw [an action signaling one is ready to engage in battle] also the spear and the battle-axe to meet those [who approach carrying the same weapons] who pursue [with intent to harm] me;

Say [reassure] to my soul [anxious and fearful and in need of reassurance], “I am your salvation.”

35:4 Let those be ashamed and dishonored [as a result of God’s intervention] who seek my life [the intent of David’s enemies];

Let those be turned back and humiliated [as a result of coming face to face with God’s spears and battle-axe] who devise evil against me [the intent of David’s enemies].

35:5 Let them be like chaff [that which is rootless, fruitless, and useless,] before the wind,
With the angel of the LORD [read Ps. 103:20-21 re the role of angels; “…the angel of the Lord (cf. Ps. 34:7 and Ex. 23:20-22) is either our salvation or our doom…” (Derek Kinder)] driving them on.

35:6 Let their way be dark [disorienting] and slippery [unstable],

With the angel of the LORD pursuing them.

35:7 For without cause [the absence of cause makes the actions of the enemy feel even more sinister] they hid [with malicious intent] their net [it takes time to make a net] for me;
Without cause [“…touches the nerve of David’s pain…” (Derek Kinder); refers to the pain of injustice] they dug a pit [it takes time to dig a pit; with the intent to entrap] for my soul.

35:8 Let destruction [exactly what David’s enemies wished for him] come upon him unawares [when least expected];

And let the net which he hid catch himself [cf. the end of Haman in Esther 7:10];
Into that very destruction let him fall.

35:9 And [after the Lord’s deliverance] my soul shall rejoice [should be the natural response of those saved from the pit] in the LORD;

It shall exult [overflowing jubilation] in His salvation.

35:10 All my bones [a reference to his entire being; cf. Ps. 34:20] will say, “LORD, who is like Thee,

Who delivers the afflicted [those incapable of securing their own salvation from their foes] from him who is too strong for him,

And the afflicted and the needy [those in need of a champion] from him who robs him?”

35:11 Malicious witnesses [as in a court room] rise up;

They ask [with evil intent] me of things that I do not know.

35:12 They repay me evil for good [as with Christ who did so much good and was repaid with evil by those with evil intent],

To the bereavement of my soul [it is hard to understand why someone would repay good with evil].

35:13 But [in stark contrast] as for me [David had expressed the same attitude as the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37], when they [“…men who were not close friends but had been treated as though they were…” (Derek Kidner)] were sick, my clothing was sackcloth [David had expressed genuine concern at a time when those now pursuing him had been in a low place];

I humbled my soul with fasting [shows a profound depth of concern for the welfare of those who were in pain]; And my prayer kept returning to my bosom [“…seems more likely to mean that the prayer would return to him either unanswered or as a blessing, as in Matthew 10:13.” (Derek Kidner)].

35:14 I went about as though it were my friend or brother [even greater motivation to pray for the welfare of another];

I bowed down mourning [genuine concern], as one who sorrows for a mother.

35:15 But at my stumbling [calamity] they rejoiced [“How glad are the wicked to see a good man limp!” (CH Spurgeon) / “There cannot be a greater evidence of a wicked heart than for a man to be merry because others are in misery.” (Thomas Brooks) / cf. Prov. 17:5], and gathered themselves together;

The smiters [ruffians] whom I did not know gathered together [“How unanimous are the powers of evil…” CH Spurgeon] against me [one who stands apart from evil],
They slandered [mauled the reputation of a good man like a pack of angry dogs] me without ceasing [evil will not rest until it has destroyed the object of its hate].

35:16 Like godless jesters [those who make the godly the subject of their hateful rhetoric] at a feast,

They gnashed at me with their teeth [“…reveals the fury that motivated the mockery, a fury which Stephen was to experience at his martyrdom (Acts 7:54).” (Derek Kidner].

35:17 Lord, how long wilt Thou look on [David has made his case and awaits the Lord’s answer]?

Rescue [the most precious gift for one who is in danger] my soul from their ravages,
My only life from the lions.

35:18 I will give Thee thanks in the great congregation [cf. Ps. 107:2];

I will praise [“Most men publish their griefs; good men should proclaim their mercies.” (CH Spurgeon)] Thee among a mighty throng [cf. Ps. 22:22].

35:19 Do not let those who are wrongfully my enemies rejoice over me;

Neither let those who hate me without cause [hatred without cause is a basic response of evil towards good] wink maliciously.

35:20 For they [more than one person involved in the conspiracy] do not speak peace,

But they devise deceitful words [the Lord hates a lying tongue, wicked schemes, false witnesses (Prov. 16:16-19)] against those who are quiet in the land.

35:21 And they opened their mouth wide against me;

They said, “Aha, aha, our eyes have seen it! [“Malice has but one eye; it is blind to all virtue in its enemy.” (CH Spurgeon)]”

35:22 Thou hast seen it [we can never do anything behind God’s back; everything we do is in the sight of the Lord; David acknowledged that God had seen the injustice against him], O LORD, do not keep silent [David expected God to act upon what He had seen];

O Lord, do not be far [when we are in distress distance from God matters; distance from God will create distress; peace and security are found in the shadow of His wings; Ps. 63:7] from me [a longing for reassurance that he was not alone in the battle].

35:23 Stir up Thyself [a plea for God to take action on David’s behalf], and awake to my right,
And to my cause, my God and my Lord.

35:24 Judge me [vindicate me], O LORD my God, according to Thy [not “my”] righteousness;
And do not let them rejoice over me [cf. Prov. 24:17 / Obadiah 1:12].

35:25 Do not let them say in their heart, “Aha, our desire!”

Do not let them say, “We have swallowed him up! [this was the malicious intent of those who pursued David — to swallow him up, to destroy him]”

35:26 Let those be ashamed and humiliated [as a result of seeing that God delivered the object of their hate] altogether who rejoice at my distress;

Let those be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves over me.

35:27 Let them [an indication that others were aware of the injustice that David was experiencing and also longed for his vindication] shout for joy and rejoice, who favor my vindication;

And let them say continually, “The LORD be magnified,
Who delights in the prosperity [not the ruin; Jer. 29:11] of His servant.”

35:28 And my tongue shall declare [an expression of gratitude] Thy righteousness

And Thy praise all day long [Ps. 145:3-4].