Psalm 35
1 Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
1 Plead thou my cause, O Lord, with | them that | strive with • me, ||
and fight | thou a•gainst | them that | fight a•gainst me. ||
2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.
2 Lay hand upon the shield and buckler, and stand | up to | help me. ||
3 Bring forth the spear, and stop the way against them that pursue me: * say unto my soul, | I am | thy sal- | vation. ||
3 Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.
4 Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.
4 Let them be confounded, and put to shame, that | seek • after my | soul; ||
let them be turned back, and brought to con- | fusion, • that im- | agine | mischief • for me. ||
5 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord chase them.
5 Let them be as the dust before the wind, * and the angel of the | Lord | scattering • them. ||
6 Let their way be dark and slippery, * and let the | angel • of the | Lord | pursue • them. ||
6 Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the Lord persecute them.
7 For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.
7 For they have privily laid their net to destroy me with- | out a | cause; ||
yea, even without a cause have they | made a | pit • for my | soul. ||
8 Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.
8 Let a sudden destruction | come up•on him | una•wares, ||
and his net that he hath laid privily catch himself; * that he may | fall in•to his | own | mischief. ||
9 And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
9 And my soul shall be | joyful • in the | Lord; ||
it shall re- | joice in | his sal- | vation. ||
10 All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?
10 All my bones shall say, * Lord, who is like unto thee, who deliverest the poor from | him that • is too | strong • for him; ||
yea, the poor, and him that is in | miser•y, from | him that | spoileth • him? ||
11 False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.
11 False witnesses did rise up: * they laid to my charge | things • that I | knew not. ||
12 They rewarded me evil for good, to the | great dis- | comfort • of my | soul. ||
12 They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.
13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.
13 Nevertheless, when they were sick, I put on sackcloth, * and humbled my | soul with | fasting; ||
and my prayer shall | turn in•to mine | own | bosom. ||
14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.
14 I behaved myself as though it had been my | friend • or my | brother; ||
I went heavily, as | one that | mourneth • for his | mother. ||
15 But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:
15 But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and | gathered them•selves to- | gether; ||
yea, the very abjects came together against me unawares, * making | mouths at | me, and | ceased not. ||
16 With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
16 With the flatterers were | busy | mockers, ||
who | gnashed up- | on me • with their | teeth. ||
17 Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.
17 Lord, how long wilt thou | look up•on | this? ||
O deliver my soul from the calamities which they bring on me, * and my | darling | from the | lions. ||
18 I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.
18 So will I give thee thanks in the | great • congre- | gation; ||
I will | praise • thee a- | mong 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.
19 O let not them that are mine enemies 3 triumph | over • me un- | godly; ||
neither let them wink with their eyes, that | hate • me with- | out a | cause. ||
20 For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.
20 And why? * their communing is | not for | peace; ||
but they imagine deceitful words against | them • that are | quiet • in the | land. ||
21 Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.
21 They gaped upon me with their | mouths, and | said, ||
Fie on thee! | fie on • thee! we | saw it • with our | eyes. ||
22 This thou hast seen, O Lord: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.
22 This thou hast | seen, O | Lord; ||
hold not thy tongue then; | go not | far from • me, O | Lord. ||
23 Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.
23 Awake, and stand up to judge my quarrel; * avenge thou my cause, my | God • and my | Lord. ||
24 Judge me, O Lord my God, according to thy | righteous•ness; and | let them • not | triumph • over me. ||
24 Judge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.
25 Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
25 Let them not say in their hearts, There! there! | so • would we | have it; ||
neither let them | say, We | have de- | voured him. ||
26 Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.
26 Let them be put to confusion and shame together, that re- | joice • at my | trouble; ||
let them be clothed with rebuke and dishonour, that | boast them- | selves a- | gainst me. ||
27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
27 Let them be glad and rejoice, that favour my | righteous | dealing; ||
yea, let them say alway, * Blessed be the Lord, who hath pleasure in the pros- | 3 perity | of his | servant. ||
28 And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.
28 And as for my tongue, it shall be | talking • of thy | righteous•ness, ||
and of thy | praise, | all the • day | long. ||
About the Pointing
The text of the Coverdale Psalter follows the 1928 American Book of Common Prayer. The pointing, suitably adapted, is taken from Charles Macpherson, Edward C. Bairstow, and Percy C. Buck, The English Psalter (Novello & Co., 1925).