The Lord Contends
One of my favorite historical people of scripture is King David. I love David because he was truly a man after God’s heart. He was humble enough to repent of his sin when he blew it, and his prayers that we find in Psalms are the cry of hearts - today, thousands of years later. I read Psalm 35 yesterday and I could relate to David’s prayer and feeling attacked by evildoers. And the cool thing is that God will always answer this prayer…
Psa 35:1 Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; Fight against those who fight against me.
Psa 35:2 Take hold of buckler and shield And rise up for my help.
Psa 35:3 Draw also the spear and the battle-axe to meet those who pursue me; Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”
Psa 35:4 Let those be ashamed and dishonored who seek my life; Let those be turned back and humiliated who devise evil against me.
Psa 35:5 Let them be like chaff before the wind, With the angel of the LORD driving {them} on.
Psa 35:6 Let their way be dark and slippery, With the angel of the LORD pursuing them.
Psa 35:7 For without cause they hid their net for me; Without cause they dug a pit for my soul.
Psa 35:8 Let destruction come upon him unawares, And let the net which he hid catch himself; Into that very destruction let him fall.
Psa 35:9 And my soul shall rejoice in the LORD; It shall exult in His salvation.
Psa 35:10 All my bones will say, “LORD, who is like You, Who delivers the afflicted from him who is too strong for him, And the afflicted and the needy from him who robs him?”
Psa 35:11 Malicious witnesses rise up; They ask me of things that I do not know.
Psa 35:12 They repay me evil for good, {To} the bereavement of my soul.
Psa 35:13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fasting, And my prayer kept returning to my bosom.
Psa 35:14 I went about as though it were my friend or brother; I bowed down mourning, as one who sorrows for a mother.
Psa 35:15 But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered themselves together; The smiters whom I did not know gathered together against me, They slandered me without ceasing.
Psa 35:16 Like godless jesters at a feast, They gnashed at me with their teeth.
Psa 35:17 Lord, how long will You look on? Rescue my soul from their ravages, My only {life} from the lions.
Psa 35:18 I will give You thanks in the great congregation; I will praise You among a mighty throng.
Psa 35:19 Do not let those who are wrongfully my enemies rejoice over me; Nor let those who hate me without cause wink maliciously.
Psa 35:20 For they do not speak peace, But they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.
Psa 35:21 They opened their mouth wide against me; They said, “Aha, aha, our eyes have seen it!”
Psa 35:22 You have seen it, O LORD, do not keep silent; O Lord, do not be far from me.
Psa 35:23 Stir up Yourself, and awake to my right And to my cause, my God and my Lord.
Psa 35:24 Judge me, O LORD my God, according to Your righteousness, And do not let them rejoice over me.
Psa 35:25 Do not let them say in their heart, “Aha, our desire!” Do not let them say, “We have swallowed him up!”
Psa 35:26 Let those be ashamed and humiliated altogether who rejoice at my distress; Let those be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves over me.
Psa 35:27 Let them shout for joy and rejoice, who favor my vindication; And let them say continually, “The LORD be magnified, Who delights in the prosperity of His servant.”
Psa 35:28 And my tongue shall declare Your righteousness {And} Your praise all day long.
