Discovery BoxPsalms 35:23-28
Context35:23 Rouse yourself, wake up 1 and vindicate me! 2
My God and Lord, defend my just cause! 3
35:24 Vindicate me by your justice, O Lord my God!
Do not let them gloat 4 over me!
35:25 Do not let them say to themselves, 5 “Aha! We have what we wanted!” 6
Do not let them say, “We have devoured him!”
35:26 May those who want to harm me be totally embarrassed and ashamed! 7
May those who arrogantly taunt me be covered with shame and humiliation! 8
35:27 May those who desire my vindication shout for joy and rejoice!
May they continually say, 9 “May the Lord be praised, 10 for he wants his servant to be secure.” 11
35:28 Then I will tell others about your justice, 12
and praise you all day long. 13
[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.
[35:23] 2 tn Heb “for my justice.”
[35:23] 3 tn Heb “for my cause.”
[35:25] 5 tn Heb “in their heart[s].”
[35:25] 6 tn Heb “Aha! Our desire!” The “desire” of the psalmist’s enemies is to triumph over him.
[35:26] 7 tn Heb “may they be embarrassed and ashamed together, the ones who rejoice over my harm.”
[35:26] 8 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.
[35:27] 9 tn The prefixed verbal forms in v. 27a are understood as jussives (see vv. 24b-26).
[35:27] 10 tn The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive, “may the
[35:27] 11 tn Heb “the one who desires the peace of his servant.”
[35:28] 12 tn Heb “and my tongue will proclaim your justice.”
[35:28] 13 tn Heb “all the day your praise.” The verb “proclaim” is understood by ellipsis in the second line (see the previous line).
