2.7 KiB
Psalm 35Prayer for Victory
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Oppose my opponents, Lord; fight those who fight me.
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Take your shields--large and small-- and come to my aid.
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Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers, and assure me, "I am your deliverance."
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Let those who intend to take my life be disgraced and humiliated; let those who plan to harm me be turned back and ashamed.
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Let them be like chaff in the wind, with the angel of the Lord driving them away.
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Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.
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They hid their net for me without cause; they dug a pit for me without cause.
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Let ruin come on him unexpectedly, and let the net that he hid ensnare him; let him fall into it--to his ruin.
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Then I will rejoice in the Lord; I will delight in his deliverance.
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All my bones will say, "Lord, who is like you, rescuing the poor from one too strong for him, the poor or the needy from one who robs him?"
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Malicious witnesses come forward; they question me about things I do not know.
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They repay me evil for good, making me desolate.
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Yet when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, and my prayer was genuine.
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I went about mourning as if for my friend or brother; I was bowed down with grief, like one mourning for a mother.
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But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee; they gathered against me.
Assailants I did not know tore at me and did not stop.
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With godless mockery they gnashed their teeth at me.
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Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue me from their ravages; rescue my precious life from the young lions.
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I will praise you in the great assembly; I will exalt you among many people.
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Do not let my deceitful enemies rejoice over me; do not let those who hate me without cause wink at me maliciously.
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For they do not speak in friendly ways, but contrive fraudulent schemes against those who live peacefully in the land.
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They open their mouths wide against me and say, "Aha, aha! We saw it!"
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You saw it, Lord; do not be silent. Lord, do not be far from me.
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Wake up and rise to my defense, to my cause, my God and my Lord!
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Vindicate me, Lord my God, in keeping with your righteousness, and do not let them rejoice over me.
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Do not let them say in their hearts, "Aha! Just what we wanted." Do not let them say, "We have swallowed him up!"
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Let those who rejoice at my misfortune be disgraced and humiliated; let those who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and reproach.
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Let those who want my vindication shout for joy and be glad; let them continually say, "The Lord be exalted. He takes pleasure in his servant's well-being."
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And my tongue will proclaim your righteousness, your praise all day long.