Fathers

Psalms 35

Tap a verse to read the Fathers. Press and hold, then drag, to make a card.

Contend, Yahweh, 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. Brandish the spear and block those who pursue me. Tell my soul, “I am your salvation.” Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonor. Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded. Let them be as chaff before the wind, Yahweh’s angel driving them on. Let their way be dark and slippery, Yahweh’s angel pursuing them. For without cause they have hidden their net in a pit for me. Without cause they have dug a pit for my soul. Let destruction come on him unawares. Let his net that he has hidden catch himself. Let him fall into that destruction. My soul shall be joyful in Yahweh. It shall rejoice in his salvation. All my bones shall say, “Yahweh, who is like you, who delivers the poor from him who is too strong for him; yes, the poor and the needy from him who robs him?” Unrighteous witnesses rise up. They ask me about things that I don’t know about. They reward me evil for good, to the bereaving of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting. My prayer returned into my own bosom. I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother. I bowed down mourning, as one who mourns his mother. But in my adversity, they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together. The attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I didn’t know it. They tore at me, and didn’t cease. Like the profane mockers in feasts, they gnashed their teeth at me. Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my soul from their destruction, my precious life from the lions. I will give you thanks in the great assembly. I will praise you among many people. Don’t let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let those who hate me without a cause wink their eyes. For they don’t speak peace, but they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land. Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me. They said, “Aha! Aha! Our eye has seen it!” You have seen it, Yahweh. Don’t keep silent. Lord, don’t be far from me. Wake up! Rise up to defend me, my God! My Lord, contend for me! Vindicate me, Yahweh my God, according to your righteousness. Don’t let them gloat over me. Don’t let them say in their heart, “Aha! That’s the way we want it!” Don’t let them say, “We have swallowed him up!” Let them be disappointed and confounded together who rejoice at my calamity. Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me. Let those who favor my righteous cause shout for joy and be glad. Yes, let them say continually, “May Yahweh be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant!” My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long.

About · Privacy · Credits · Support VRSZ

What the Fathers say

Psalms 35:17

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

"Lord, when will You look on? Rescue My Soul from their deceits, My Darling from the lions" [Psalm 35:17]. For to us the time is slow; and in our person is this said, "When will You look on?" that is, when shall we see vengeance upon those who insult us? When shall the Judge, overcome by weariness, hear the widow? [Luke 18:3] But our Judge, not from weariness, but from love, delays our salvation; from reason, not from need; not that He could not even now succour us, but that the number of us all may be filled up even to the end. …

Exposition on Psalm 35 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

"Lord, when will you look?" Above, the Psalmist, in the person of Christ or of a just man, showed the wickedness and pertinacity of persecutors; here he invokes God against both. And first, he asks for divine assistance; second, he shows the fruit of divine assistance, at "I will confess." Regarding the first, he does two things. …

Exposition on the Psalms of David ↗