Psalm 35

International Children’s Bible

⁴ Make those who want to kill me
    be ashamed and disgraced.
Make those who plan to harm me
    turn back and run away.
⁵ Make them like chaff blown by the wind.
    Let the angel of the Lord chase them away.
⁶ Let their road be dark and slippery
    as the angel of the Lord chases them.
⁷ For no reason they spread out their net to trap me.
    For no reason they dug a pit for me.
⁸ So let ruin strike them suddenly.
    Let them be caught in their own nets.
    Let them fall into the pit and die.
⁹ Then I will rejoice in the Lord.
    I will be happy when he saves me.
¹⁰ Even my bones will say,
    “Lord, who is like you?
You save the weak from the strong.
    You save the weak and poor from robbers.”

¹¹ Men without mercy stand up to testify.
    They ask me things I do not know.
¹² They repay me with evil for the good I have done.
    They make me very sad.
¹³ Yet when they were sick, I put on rough cloth to show my sadness.
    I showed my sorrow by going without food.
But my prayers were not answered.
¹⁴     I acted as if they were my friends or brothers.
I bowed in sadness as if I were crying for my mother.
¹⁵ But when I was in trouble, they gathered and laughed.
    They gathered to attack before I knew it.
    They insulted me without stopping.
¹⁶ They made fun of me and were cruel to me.
    They ground their teeth at me in anger.

¹⁷ Lord, how long will you watch this happen?
    Save my life from their attacks.
    Save me from these people who are like lions.
¹⁸ I will praise you in the great meeting.
    I will praise you among crowds of people.
¹⁹ Do not let my enemies laugh at me.
    They hate me for no reason.
Do not let them make fun of me.
    They have no reason to hate me.
²⁰ Their words are not friendly.
    They think up lies about peace-loving people.
²¹ They speak against me.
    They say, “Aha! We saw what you did!”

²² Lord, you have been watching. Do not keep quiet.
    Lord, do not leave me alone.
²³ Wake up! Come and defend me!
    My God and Lord, fight for me!
²⁴ Lord my God, defend me with your justice.
    Don’t let them laugh at me.
²⁵ Don’t let them think, “Aha! We got what we wanted!”
    Don’t let them say, “We destroyed him.”
²⁶ Let them be ashamed and embarrassed.
    They were happy when I hurt.
Cover them with shame and disgrace.
    They thought they were better than I was.
²⁷ May my friends sing and shout for joy.
    May they always say, “Praise the greatness of the Lord.
    He loves to see his servants do well.”
²⁸ I will tell of your goodness.
    I will praise you every day.