Fathers

Psalms 35

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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.

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What the Fathers say

Psalms 35:22

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

"This Thou hast seen, O Lord; keep not silence" [Psalm 35:22]. What is, "keep not silence"? Judge Thou. For of judgment is it said in a certain place, "I have kept silence; shall I keep silence for ever?" And of the delaying of judgment it is said to the sinner, "These things hast thou done, and I kept silence;" "Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself." How keepeth He silence, who speaketh by the Prophets, who speaketh with His own mouth in the Gospel, who speaketh by the Evangelists, who speaketh by us, when we …

Exposition on Psalm 35 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

"You have seen." Above, the Psalmist set forth the root of insult, which was their malice; here he removes that root, or cause, by imploring God's judgment. Regarding which he sets forth three things. First, that the knowledge necessary for judgment has preceded. Second, he asks for the judgment, at "be not silent." Third, the effect of judgment, at "let them not say." A judge cannot justly pass sentence unless he is first informed of the facts. …

Exposition on the Psalms of David ↗