Psalm 35
Words: Brady and Tate, A New Version of the Psalms of David
1 Against all those that strive with me,
O Lord, assert my right;
With such as war unjustly wage
do thou my battles fight.
2 Thy buckler take, and bind thy shield
upon thy warlike arm;
Stand up, my God, in my defense,
and keep me safe from harm.
3 Bring forth thy spear, and stop their course,
that haste my blood to spill;
Say to my soul, "I am thy health,
and will preserve thee still."
4 Let them with shame be covered o'er,
who my destruction sought;
And such as did my harm devise
be to confusion brought.
5 Then shall they fly, dispersed like chaff
before the driving wind;
God's vengeful minister of wrath
Shall follow close behind.
6 And when through dark and slipp'ry ways
they strive his rage to shun,
His vengeful ministers of wrath
shall goad them as they run.
7 Since, unprovoked by any wrong,
they hid their treach'rous snare;
And for my harmless Soul a pit
did without cause prepare.
8 Surprised by mischiefs unforeseen,
by their own arts betrayed;
Their feet shall fall into the net
which they for me had laid.
9 Whilst my glad soul shall God's great Name
for this deliv'rance bless,
And, by his saving health secured,
its grateful joy express;
10 My very bones shall say, O Lord,
who can compare with thee,
Who sett'st the poor and helpless man
from strong oppressors free?
The Second Part.
11 False witnesses, with forged complaints,
against my truth combined;
And to my charge such things they laid
as I had ne'er designed.
12 The good which I to them had done,
with evil they repaid;
And did, by malice undeserved,
my harmless life invade.
13 But as for me, when they were sick,
I still in sackcloth mourned;
I prayed and fasted, and my prayer
to my own breast returned,
14 Had they my friends or brethren been,
I could have done no more,
Nor with more decent signs of grief
a mother's loss deplore.
15 How diff'rent did their carriage prove
in times of my distress;
When they, in crowds together met,
did savage joy express.
The rabble too, in num'rous throngs,
by their example came,
And ceased not, with reviling words,
to wound my spotless fame.
16 Scoffers, that noble tables haunt,
and earn their bread with lies,
Did gnash their teeth, and sland'ring jests
maliciously devise.
17 But, Lord, how long wilt thou look on?
On my behalf appear:
And save my guiltless soul, which they,
like rav'ning beasts, would tear.
The Third Part.
18 So I, before the list'ning world,
shall grateful thanks express;
And, where the great assembly meets,
thy name with praises bless.
19 Lord, suffer not my causeless foes,
who me unjustly hate,
With open joy, or secret signs,
to mock my sad estate.
20 For they, with hearts averse from peace,
industriously devise
Against the men of quiet minds
to forge malicious lies.
21 Nor with these private arts content,
aloud they vent their spite;
And say, "At last we found him out,
he did it in our sight,"
22 But thou, who dost both them and me
with righteous eyes survey,
Assert my innocence, O Lord,
and keep not far away.
23 Stir up thyself in my behalf;
to judgment, Lord, awake;
Thy righteous servant's cause, O God,
to thy decision take.
24 Lord, as my heart has upright been,
let me thy justice find;
Nor let my cruel foes obtain
the triumph they designed.
25 O let them not amongst themselves
in blasting language say,
"At length our wishes are complete,
at last he's made our prey.
26 Let such as in my harm rejoiced
for shame their faces hide;
And foul dishonor wait on those
that proudly me defied.
27 Whilst they with cheerful voices shout,
Who my just cause befriend;
And bless the Lord, who loves to make
success his saints attend.
28 So shall my tongue thy judgments sing,
inspired with grateful joy;
And cheerful hymns in praise of thee
shall all my days employ.
