Psalm 35

PLead thou my cause, O Lord, with them
that strive with all their might
Against me, fight with them for me
that do against me fight,
Shew thy self now in arms, the shield
and buckler take to thee,
And stand up for my help, O Lord,
and shew thy self for mee.

Draw out the sword and spear, and stop
the way of those that me
Pursue, and say unto my soul
I will thy Saviour be.
Confound them, and put them to shame,
that seek my soul to spill,
Turn them back, and confound them all
that think to work me ill.

As chaff before the whirling winds,
so let mine enemies bee,
And let the Angel of the Lord
pursue and make them flee.
Let all their way be dark, let them
in slippery places fall,
And let the Angel of the Lord
chase and destroy them all.

For without cause they hid for me
a net me to ensnare,
In pits, which they without a cause,
did for my soul prepare.
Let unawares destruction come
upon him, let the net
Ensnare his own feet, which for me
he privily had set.

Then shall my soul be joyful in
the Lord, it shall rejoyce
In his salvation, all my bones
shall say with joyful voice,
Who's like the Lord that sav'st the poor
from him that is too strong
For him, the poor and weak from him
that spoils and doth him wrong?

The Second Part.

My crafty foes against me rise,
to witnesse things untrue,
And to accuse me they devise
of things I never knew.
For good which I to them had done,
they recompence me ill,
And cruelly they practised,
and sought my soul to spill.

But as for me, when they were sick,
in sackcloth clad I mourn'd,
Fasting with humbled soul I pray'd,
my pray'r to me return'd.
To him I did behave my self
as to a friend or brother,
And heavily bowed down as one
that mourneth for his mother.

But they in mine affliction glad,
against me gathered were,
Smiters at secret meetings me
with their false tongues did teare.
With scoffing hypocrites at feasts
these men assembled be,
They mock me with their bitter jests,
they gnash their teeth on me.

But, Lord, how long wilt thou look on?
from their spoils rescue mee,
And let my soul, my darling, be
from lions kept by thee.
In the great Congregation then
will I give thanks to thee,
And where the multitudes resort,
my praise of thee shall bee.

The Third Part.

Let not them over me rejoice,
that hate me wrongfully,
Nor let my causlesse foes in joy
and scorn wink with their eye.
For they speak not of peace, but-take
deceitful plots in hand,
Against all such as harmlesse are,
and quiet in the land.

And now their mouths they open wide,
in scorn and spite at mee.
So, so, our hearts desire on him
(say they) our eye doth see.
All this, O Lord, thine eye hath seen,
no longer silent stand,
O Lord, be thou not far from me,
withhold not still thine hand.

Raise and stir up thy self, and to
my judgement, Lord, awake,
My just God, and my Lord, do not
my righteous cause forsake.
After my righteousnesse, my God,
now let me judged be,
And suffer not mine enemies
to triumph over me.

In their proud hearts let them not say,
so would we have it be,
Let them not boast, O Lord, that they
have wholly swallow'd me.
Shame and confusion come to those
that at my hurt are glad,
They that against me vaunt themselves,
with shame let them be clad.

Let them be glad and shout for joy
that favour my just way,
And let the Lord be magnified,
let them all always say.
Who in his servants prosp'rous state
takes pleasure, and my tongue
Shall of thy righteousnesse still talk,
and thy praise all day long.