Text -- Psalms 35:23-28 (NET)

35:23 Rouse yourself, wake up and vindicate me! My God and Lord, defend my just cause! 35:24 Vindicate me by your justice, O Lord my God! Do not let them gloat over me! 35:25 Do not let them say to themselves, “Aha! We have what we wanted!” Do not let them say, “We have devoured him!” 35:26 May those who want to harm me be totally embarrassed and ashamed! May those who arrogantly taunt me be covered with shame and humiliation! 35:27 May those who desire my vindication shout for joy and rejoice! May they continually say, “May the Lord be praised, for he wants his servant to be secure.” 35:28 Then I will tell others about your justice, and praise you all day long.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Psa 35:23

¹ sn Though he is confident that the Lord is aware of his situation (see v. 22a), the psalmist compares the Lord’s inactivity to sleep and urges him to wake up.

² tn Heb “for my justice.”

³ tn Heb “for my cause.”

NET Notes: Psa 35:24

¹ tn Heb “rejoice.”

NET Notes: Psa 35:25

¹ tn Heb “in their heart[s].”

² tn Heb “Aha! Our desire!” The “desire” of the psalmist’s enemies is to triumph over him.

NET Notes: Psa 35:26

¹ tn Heb “may they be embarrassed and ashamed together, the ones who rejoice over my harm.”

² tn Heb “may they be clothed with shame and humiliation, the ones who magnify [themselves] against me.” The prefixed verbal forms in v. 26 are understood as jussives (see vv. 24b-25, where the negative particle אַל (’al) appears before the prefixed verbal forms, indicating they are jussives). The psalmist is calling down judgment on his enemies.

NET Notes: Psa 35:27

¹ tn The prefixed verbal forms in v. 27a are understood as jussives (see vv. 24b-26).

² tn The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive, “may the Lord be magnified [in praise].” Another option is to take the verb as an imperfect, “the Lord is great.”

³ tn Heb “the one who desires the peace of his servant.”

NET Notes: Psa 35:28

¹ tn Heb “and my tongue will proclaim your justice.”

² tn Heb “all the day your praise.” The verb “proclaim” is understood by ellipsis in the second line (see the previous line).