Psalm 35:1-28 (NKJV)1 Plead my cause, O LORD, with those who strive with me; Fight against those who fight against me.2 Take hold of shield and buckler, And stand up for my help.3 Also draw out the spear, And stop those who pursue me. Say to my soul, "I am your salvation."4 Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor Who seek after my life; Let those be turned back and brought to confusion Who plot my hurt.5 Let them be like chaff before the wind, And let the angel of the LORD chase them.6 Let their way be dark and slippery, And let the angel of the LORD pursue them.7 For without cause they have hidden their net for me in a pit, Which they have dug without cause for my life.8 Let destruction come upon him unexpectedly, And let his net that he has hidden catch himself; Into that very destruction let him fall.9 And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD; It shall rejoice in His salvation.10 All my bones shall say, "LORD, who is like You, Delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, Yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?"11 Fierce witnesses rise up; They ask me things that I do not know.12 They reward me evil for good, To the sorrow of my soul.13 But as for me, when they were sick, My clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting; And my prayer would return to my own heart.14 I paced about as though he were my friend or brother; I bowed down heavily, as one who mourns for his mother.15 But in my adversity they rejoiced And gathered together; Attackers gathered against me, And I did not know it; They tore at me and did not cease;16 With ungodly mockers at feasts They gnashed at me with their teeth.17 Lord, how long will You look on? Rescue me from their destructions, My precious life from the lions.18 I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people.19 Let them not rejoice over me who are wrongfully my enemies; Nor let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause.20 For they do not speak peace, But they devise deceitful matters Against the quiet ones in the land.21 They also opened their mouth wide against me, And said, "Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen it."22 This You have seen, O LORD; Do not keep silence. O Lord, do not be far from me.23 Stir up Yourself, and awake to my vindication, To my cause, my God and my Lord.24 Vindicate me, O LORD my God, according to Your righteousness; And let them not rejoice over me.25 Let them not say in their hearts, "Ah, so we would have it!" Let them not say, "We have swallowed him up."26 Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion Who rejoice at my hurt; Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor Who exalt themselves against me.27 Let them shout for joy and be glad, Who favor my righteous cause; And let them say continually, "Let the LORD be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant."28 And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness And of Your praise all the day long. (emphasis mine)
A Plea For Vengeance
This psalm of David paints picture of him being in a court of law, as the defendant, where he is pleading his case before the judge which is God. What’s interesting is that although David appears to be the defendant he consistently calls for the punishment for his opponents.
The psalm begins with an appeal for judgment on his enemies. His appeal is that they be judged on his own, not God’s terms. This is interesting because when David was faced with making deciding whether to be judged by men or God he chose God because he knew that God is merciful and man is not.
2 Samuel 24:11-14 (NKJV)11 Now when David arose in the morning, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,12 "Go and tell David, 'Thus says the LORD: "I offer you three things; choose one of them for yourself, that I may do it to you." ' "13 So Gad came to David and told him; and he said to him, "Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land? Or shall you flee three months before your enemies, while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days' plague in your land? Now consider and see what answer I should take back to Him who sent me."14 And David said to Gad, "I am in great distress. Please let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man." (emphasis mine)
He expresses his resentment by asking that his enemies be completely defeated, discredited, and caught in their own pitfalls. He ends this section at verse 10 with a vow that he will really rejoice in the Lord.
In the next section of the psalm beginning with verse 11 David now identifies his enemies as former friends that have now turned on him. They lied on and mocked him, mocked him, while he only returned good for their evil. He also ends this section at verse 18 with a vow that he will publicly praise God if God will only deliver him.
David again appeals for judgement. He first pleads that his enemies back off and stop taunting and spreading evil lies about him. Then he asks for final judgement with his enemies now getting the same treatment that they gave him. He closes this section, and the psalm with a vow of thanksgiving.
This psalm of David paints picture of him being in a court of law, as the defendant, where he is pleading his case before the judge which is God. What’s interesting is that although David appears to be the defendant he consistently calls for the punishment for his opponents.
The psalm begins with an appeal for judgment on his enemies. His appeal is that they be judged on his own, not God’s terms. This is interesting because when David was faced with making deciding whether to be judged by men or God he chose God because he knew that God is merciful and man is not.
2 Samuel 24:11-14 (NKJV)11 Now when David arose in the morning, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,12 "Go and tell David, 'Thus says the LORD: "I offer you three things; choose one of them for yourself, that I may do it to you." ' "13 So Gad came to David and told him; and he said to him, "Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land? Or shall you flee three months before your enemies, while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days' plague in your land? Now consider and see what answer I should take back to Him who sent me."14 And David said to Gad, "I am in great distress. Please let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man." (emphasis mine)
He expresses his resentment by asking that his enemies be completely defeated, discredited, and caught in their own pitfalls. He ends this section at verse 10 with a vow that he will really rejoice in the Lord.
In the next section of the psalm beginning with verse 11 David now identifies his enemies as former friends that have now turned on him. They lied on and mocked him, mocked him, while he only returned good for their evil. He also ends this section at verse 18 with a vow that he will publicly praise God if God will only deliver him.
David again appeals for judgement. He first pleads that his enemies back off and stop taunting and spreading evil lies about him. Then he asks for final judgement with his enemies now getting the same treatment that they gave him. He closes this section, and the psalm with a vow of thanksgiving.
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