Psalms 35:22-26

35:22 But you take notice, ¹  Lord!

O Lord, do not remain far away from me!

35:23 Rouse yourself, wake up ²  and vindicate me! ³ 

My God and Lord, defend my just cause! ⁴ 

35:24 Vindicate me by your justice, O Lord my God!

Do not let them gloat ⁵  over me!

35:25 Do not let them say to themselves, ⁶  “Aha! We have what we wanted!” ⁷ 

Do not let them say, “We have devoured him!”

35:26 May those who want to harm me be totally embarrassed and ashamed! ⁸ 

May those who arrogantly taunt me be covered with shame and humiliation! ⁹ 

[35:22]  ¹ tn Heb “you see, O Lord.” There is a deliberate play on words. In v. 21 the enemies say, “our eye sees,” but the psalmist is confident that the Lord “sees” as well, so he appeals to him for help (see also v. 17).

[35:23]  ² 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.

[35:23]  ³ tn Heb “for my justice.”

[35:23]  ⁴ tn Heb “for my cause.”

[35:24]  ⁵ tn Heb “rejoice.”

[35:25]  ⁶ tn Heb “in their heart[s].”

[35:25]  ⁷ tn Heb “Aha! Our desire!” The “desire” of the psalmist’s enemies is to triumph over him.

[35:26]  ⁸ tn Heb “may they be embarrassed and ashamed together, the ones who rejoice over my harm.”

[35:26]  ⁹ 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.