Our Mighty Shield

Psalm 35

A psalm of David

Contend, O Lord, with those 

who contend with me; fight

against those who fight against me!

Take hold of shield and buckler,

and stand up for my help!

Draw out also the spear and javelin

and close up the way of those who

pursue and persecute me. Say to me, 

I am your deliverance!

Let them be put to shame and dishonor

who seek and require my life;

let them be turned back and confounded

who plan my hurt!

Let them be as chaff before the wind,

with the Angel of the Lord driving them on!

Let their way be through dark and slippery places,

with the Angel of the Lord pursuing and afflicting them.

For without cause they hid for me their net;

a pit of destruction without cause they dug for my life.

Let destruction befall my foe unawares;

let the net he hid for me catch him;

let him fall into that very destruction.

Then I shall be joyful in the Lord;

I shall rejoice in His deliverance.

All my bones shall say, Lord, who

is like You, You Who deliver the poor and

afflicted from him who is too strong for him,

yes, the poor and the needy from him who

snatches away his goods?

Malicious and unrighteous witnesses rise up;

they ask me of things I know not.

They reward me evil for good to my

personal bereavement.

But as for me, when they were sick,

my clothing was sackcloth; I afflicted myself

with fasting; and I prayed with head 

bowed on my breast.

I behaved as if grieving for my friend

or my brother; I bowed down in sorrow,

as one who bewails his mother.

But in my stumbling and limping they 

rejoiced and gathered together against me;

the smiters (slanderers and revilers)

gathered against me, and I knew them not;

they ceased not to slander and revile me.

Like profane mockers at feasts, making sport

for the price of a cake, they gnashed 

at me with their teeth.

Lord, how long will You look on without

action? Rescue my life from their destructions,

my dear and only life from the lions!

I will give You thanks in the great assembly;

I will praise You among a mighty throng.

Let not those who are wrongfully my foes

rejoice over me; neither let them wink with

one eye who hate me without cause.

For they do not speak peace, but,

they devise deceitful matters against

those who are quiet in the land.

Yes, they open their mouths wide against me;

they say, Aha! Aha! Our eyes have seen it!

You have seen this, O Lord; keep not silence!

O Lord, be not far from me!

Arouse Yourself, awake to the justice due me,

even to my cause, my God and Lord!

Judge and vindicate me, O Lord my God,

according to Your righteousness, Your rightness

and justice; and let my foes not rejoice over me!

Let them not say in their hearts, Aha, that is

what we wanted! Let him not say,

We have swallowed him up and utterly destroyed him.

Let them be put to shame, and confusion

together who rejoice at my calamity!

Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor

who magnify and exalt themselves over me!

Let those who favor my righteous cause

and have pleasure in my uprightness shout for joy

and be glad and say continually, Let the Lord be

magnified, Who takes pleasure in the

  prosperity of His servant.

And my tongue shall talk of Your righteousness,

rightness, and justice, and of my reasons for

Your praise all day long.

Thank You Dear Lord for redeeming the

lives of Your faithful servants with Your

great love and abundant mercy.

Jehovah Nissi

The Lord Our Banner