Scripture quotations on this page are from the World English Bible (public domain), shown in quotation marks; all commentary is written by Scripture Trove. Source: Psalms 35 · Commentary
Psalm 35 is one of the most intense imprecatory psalms, where David calls on Yahweh to personally take on the role of a warrior, with shield, buckler, spear, and javelin, to attack those who pursue him. This psalm immediately follows two "psalms of the poor" (Psalm 34, "The eyes of Yahweh are on the righteous"), further depicting Yahweh, who watches over the righteous, as a warrior fighting for them. The entire psalm is written by someone who is unjustly opposed and repaid with evil for good. David dares to entrust all judgment to God, never drawing his own sword. In John 15:25, Jesus quotes 35:19, "They hated me without a cause," referring to himself, making David's injustice a prefigurement of Christ's suffering.
Book One of Psalms (Psalms 1–41) · First Collection of Davidic Psalms
Position of this psalm: Psalm 35 is a core member of the series of psalms of lament (sharing the same genre as Psalms 7, 9-10, 69, 109, 137). In the first collection of Davidic psalms, Psalm 34 is a wisdom psalm teaching the poor to take refuge, and Psalm 35 immediately intensifies the picture of taking refuge. Taking refuge is not just quiet waiting, but also bravely presenting one's case to the highest court. Psalm 35 and Psalm 34 also have a root word echo: 34:7, "The angel of Yahweh encamps around those who fear him," and 35:5, "Let the angel of Yahweh chase them." The same angel is a guardian to the righteous and a pursuer to the wicked.
The Warrior's Prayer (35:1–10) Calls on Yahweh to become a warrior, taking up shield, buckler, spear, and javelin, to personally fight against the persecutors.
Counter-Accusation of Slanderers (35:11–18) David presents the core of his grievance: they "repaid me evil for good," and instead of comforting him in his distress, they rejoiced.
Renewed Prayer and Vow (35:19–28) Introduces the key phrase of the entire psalm, "They hated me without a cause," again requests judgment, and vows to praise God in the great assembly.
The three-part structure of Psalm 35 presents a "prayer → counter-accusation → prayer" cycle, with each round approaching the grievance from a different angle. The first section uses military imagery (warrior, shield, spear, javelin), the second uses courtroom imagery (false witnesses, counter-accusation), and the third uses worship imagery (vow of praise in the great assembly). All three sections conclude with a promise of praise (verses 10, 18, 28). Even in the most intense lament, David consistently sets the endpoint of his prayer at "I will praise you."
When hated without cause, do not draw your own sword; bring your case to Yahweh's court. He is the warrior of the righteous and will personally handle the injustice; your job is to firmly plead your case, patiently wait, and be ready to loudly praise after deliverance.
"Contend, Yahweh, with those who contend with me. Fight against those who fight against me." (35:1) – The opening of the entire psalm. The Hebrew word riv (contend) is a legal term. David is not asking God to kill his enemies, but to plead his case.
"They hated me without a cause." (35:19) – The key phrase of the entire psalm. Jesus directly quotes this in John 15:25, making David's injustice a prefigurement of Christ's suffering.
"My tongue will talk about your righteousness and your praise all day long." (35:28) – The conclusion of the entire psalm. Even before judgment comes, injustice is cleared, and enemies are put to shame, David offers his tongue first, and praise begins before deliverance.
Psalm 35 is written for those who are hated without cause and repaid with evil for good.
If you are experiencing this today—people you have helped, prayed for, and treated as friends turn around and maliciously slander you; or people you have never wronged, for some reason you don't understand, are cold, hostile, and secretly undermine you—please know that this psalm is written for you. It is not gentle, but it is true.
Let me tell you a few specific things:
First, the pain of being hated without cause is real.
In 35:12, David uses a very strong word, "to the bereaving of my soul." This shekhol is the pain of losing a child. The pain of losing a mother. The pain of losing the dearest person.
Why use such a strong word? Because when someone you've helped turns around and hates you, that loss is a real loss—the loss of a friendship you thought existed, the loss of an affection you thought you both cherished, the loss of someone for whom you prayed all night when they were sick. This loss is worthy of a mother's grief.
If you feel this pain today, don't pretend it doesn't exist. The Bible allows you to feel this pain. David did not suppress it or "spiritualize" it away. He acknowledged before God that it was the pain of losing a child, and then brought that pain to God.
Second, you can ask God for justice, but do not draw your own sword.
This is the most important posture of Psalm 35: ask God to fight, do not fight yourself.
The imagery in 35:1-3 is very strong: shield, buckler, spear, javelin. But these weapons are all in God's hands. David never says, "I will take up a shield" or "I will take up a javelin"; he always says, "You take up."
This distinction is further developed in the New Testament. In Ephesians 6:10-18, Paul also uses "the whole armor of God," but he puts it on the believer: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the sandals of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit. New Testament believers can "put on" God's armor, but these weapons are all spiritual (truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, the Spirit), not physical weapons.
Romans 12:19 says it even more plainly, "Don't seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to wrath, for it is written, 'Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay,' says the Lord."
Entrusting judgment to God frees you. You don't have to carry the burden of revenge, plan retaliation, or let the cycle of "evil for evil" occupy your heart. You can let it go.
Third, Jesus also experienced the situation of being hated without cause.
Perhaps the deepest comfort of Psalm 35 is this: Jesus himself quoted this psalm.
In John 15:25, Jesus told his disciples, "But this happened that the word may be fulfilled which is written in their law, 'They hated me without a cause.'" Jesus quoted Psalm 35:19 and applied it to himself.
What does this mean? It means that when you are hated without cause, you are experiencing what Jesus experienced. He never did anything wrong; his entire life was love and salvation, yet people still hated him. He was ungratefully forgotten by those he healed, betrayed by one of his disciples, and rejected by his own people. He understands your situation, not just theologically, but from personal experience.
Hebrews 4:15 says, "For we don't have a high priest who can't be touched with the feeling of our infirmities." Jesus truly can sympathize. Psalm 35 is not just David's psalm; it prophetically depicts the suffering of Christ, and today it depicts your suffering in union with Christ.
Fourth, praise begins before deliverance.
The most beautiful characteristic of Psalm 35 is that David concludes with praise three times (9-10, 18, 27-28). Even before judgment comes, injustice is cleared, and enemies are put to shame, he offers his tongue first.
35:28 says, "My tongue will talk about your righteousness and your praise all day long." The verb hagah is the same root as in Psalm 1:2, "meditates day and night." The righteous, whether in prosperity or in adversity due to false accusations, constantly murmur God's righteousness and praise.
If you are in a situation of being hated without cause today, please do not wait until everything turns around to begin to praise. Start now. Softly, unceasingly: God is righteous, God is watching, God will bring justice. Let your tongue begin to praise before your circumstances change.
This is not an optimistic escape from reality; it is practical faith. When your tongue begins to speak of God's righteousness and praise, your heart will follow. The circumstances may not have changed yet, but you have already sat down before the Judge.
Finally, let me say that the intense words in Psalm 35, "Let them be put to shame," are not training in hatred, but training in release. When you speak your hatred to God, you no longer need to carry it yourself. This is the grace of the psalms of lament; they give us a legitimate outlet to hand over all our anger, pain, and injustice to God, and then turn to live our lives.
May Yahweh, who "delights in the well-being of his servant," personally set up the judge's seat in your deepest injustice today.
In verses 12-14, David describes how he previously interceded for these "enemies." Have you ever poured your heart out for someone only to be hurt by them in return? How does this psalm help you deal with the pain of "returning evil for good"?
In verse 19, "They hated me without a cause" was quoted by Jesus and applied to himself. When you consider that Jesus was also hated without cause, what comfort does this bring to your situation when you are wronged?
In verse 28, "My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long." Before you see justice, can you begin to praise with your tongue first starting today? What changes might this "praise first" approach bring to your heart?
Superscription: A Psalm of David.
The superscription of Psalm 35 is simply "A Psalm of David" (לְדָוִד, le-David), without any mention of "To the Chief Musician," a specific tune, or a historical setting. This minimalist superscription is not uncommon in the Psalms (Psalms 25, 26, 27, and 28 all follow this format).
Why is there no specific historical background? Most scholars believe Psalm 35 reflects David's situation during the period when he was pursued by Saul, specifically 1 Samuel chapters 18-26. At that time, David, who had always faithfully served the king, was seen as a thorn in Saul's side. Many factions loyal to the king (including the Benjamite faction, see "Cush the Benjamite" in Psalm 7) began spreading malicious rumors about David: "He is plotting rebellion," "He wants to usurp the throne," "He is disloyal to Saul." These were all baseless accusations. Psalm 35:11, "Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me things that I don’t know," precisely depicts this situation.
However, the superscription's omission of a specific scene is intentional; this psalm applies to every believer who is unjustly opposed and repaid with evil for good. In any era, in any situation, when people fabricate charges against you, repay good with evil, or when those you once treated kindly turn against you with hatred, this psalm serves as your prayer.
Nevertheless, the minimalist superscription also reminds us that this psalm is very intense. To ask God to take up shield and spear to attack enemies, to ask that they "fall into the pit they dug," and to ask that they "be scattered like chaff before the wind"—these are not gentle, everyday prayers. In church history, C. S. Lewis dedicated a chapter in Reflections on the Psalms to discussing "the cursing psalms." He acknowledged that modern Christians' discomfort when reading such psalms is real, but he also reminded that this intensity itself testifies to a truth: evil is real and serious, and it requires a real response.
Section Focus: The first section of the entire psalm, where David calls on Yahweh to become a warrior, taking up weapons to fight against his persecutors. This is one of the most direct warrior images in the Psalms. Please note: David does not ask for a sword or spear for himself; he prays for God to act personally. This is the core posture of a lament psalm: entrusting judgment to God and not drawing one's own sword.
35:1 "By David. Contend, Yahweh, with those who contend with me. Fight against those who fight against me."
Psalms 35:1（World English Bible）
The very first phrase of Psalm 35 is a legal term: "Contend with those who contend with me" (רִיבָה אֶת־יְרִיבַי, rivah et-yerivai). The verb רִיב (riv) originally means "to go to court, to dispute, to sue," not physical conflict; it refers to legal debate. In Hosea 4:1 and Micah 6:1-2, God's "contention" with Israel also uses the same root.
The second line, "Fight against those who fight against me" (לְחַם אֶת־לֹחֲמָי, lecham et-lochamai), uses the verb לָחַם (lacham), which indeed means "to wage war," a more intense action than the preceding riv.
This dual imagery of courtroom and battlefield is precisely the tension in Psalm 35. David's situation involves injustice (requiring a courtroom), but the enemy's attack is deadly (requiring a warrior). He prays for a God who both judges and fights.
Note that David specifies the object of "contention" from the outset: "those who contend with me," not "everyone who dislikes me." He is not asking God to destroy all evil people in the world, but to deal with this specific injustice. This specificity prevents the lament psalm from becoming generalized hatred.
35:2 "Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help."
Psalms 35:2（World English Bible）
"Shield and buckler" (מָגֵן וְצִנָּה, magen ve-tsinnah), in Hebrew, refers to two different types of shields:
Ancient infantry typically had one person carrying a small shield and another team carrying large shields; the large shields formed a wall in front, while the small shields provided mobility behind. David asks God to take up both types of shields, meaning the most complete protection. This is the same tsinnah (large shield) used in Psalm 5:12, "You surround him with favor as with a shield."
"Stand up for my help!" (וְקוּמָה בְּעֶזְרָתִי, ve-qumah be-ezrati), "stand up" again. This is a recurring prayer in the Psalms (Psalms 3:7, 7:6, 9:19, 10:12, 17:13), originating from Moses' cry each time the camp moved in Numbers 10:35, "Rise up, Yahweh!" God sitting is rest; God rising is action.
35:3 "Brandish the spear and block those who pursue me. Tell my soul, “I am your salvation.”"
Psalms 35:3（World English Bible）
"Brandish the spear" (וְהָרֵק חֲנִית, ve-harek chanit), the verb רִיק (riq, to empty, to draw out), means to "draw out" a weapon from its sheath. חֲנִית (chanit, spear, javelin) was one of the main weapons of ancient Israelite infantry, capable of being thrown or thrust. Goliath also had such a spear (1 Samuel 17:7).
"Block the way" (וּסְגֹר, u-segor, to close, to block), means to close off the path of the pursuers. This is a very specific tactical image: the persecutors are chasing from behind, and God is to block their path ahead.
But the most beautiful part of this verse is the last line: "Tell my soul, 'I am your salvation.'" (אֱמֹר לְנַפְשִׁי יְשֻׁעָתֵךְ אָנִי, emor le-nafshi yeshu'atekh ani).
A tender prayer is suddenly inserted into the warrior imagery. David not only asks for external battle but also for internal comfort. "Tell my soul," let me hear You speak. Let my heart hear You say, "I am your salvation."
This is a frequently overlooked depth of Psalm 35: even in the most vehement lament psalm, there is still the most tender longing. David wants not only to see weapons but also to hear God's voice.
35:4 "Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonor. Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded."
Psalms 35:4（World English Bible）
From this verse, for five consecutive verses (4-8), there is a series of curses in the "Let them..." form. The jussive mood in Hebrew poetry is an "imperative wish," not a forceful command, but a strong plea.
"Be disappointed and brought to dishonor" (יֵבֹשׁוּ וְיִכָּלְמוּ, yevoshu ve-yikalmu), two verbs in synonymous parallelism. בּוֹשׁ (bosh) and כָּלַם (kalam) both mean "to be ashamed." In ancient Near Eastern culture, shame was a fate more terrible than death; in a honor-shame society, being put to shame was equivalent to social death.
David is not praying for the physical destruction of his enemies, but for their schemes to be exposed and their evil to be made public. This "shame" is a sign that justice has been revealed.
35:5–6 "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."
Psalms 35:5–6（World English Bible）
"As chaff before the wind" (כְּמֹץ לִפְנֵי־רוּחַ, ke-mots lifnei-ruach), the same imagery used in Psalm 1:4, "The wicked... are like the chaff which the wind drives away." Chaff has no weight, no roots, no belonging; it scatters with a gust of wind. David prays that his persecutors become like chaff, without weight or a place to stand.
"Yahweh’s angel driving them away" (מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה דֹּחֶה, mal'akh Yahweh docheh), this is key. Psalm 34:7 says, "The angel of Yahweh encamps around those who fear him," the same mal'akh who is a guardian for the righteous and a pursuer for the wicked. These two verses in Psalm 34 and Psalm 35 form a mirror image, showing God's angel has a dual role.
"Dark and slippery" (חֹשֶׁךְ וַחֲלַקְלַקּוֹת, choshekh va-chalaqlaqqot), ancient Israelite mountain paths would become dark and slippery during the rainy season, with wet stones, moss, and steep slopes. This was a very dangerous travel situation. David prays that his persecutors walk on such a path, pursued by an angel from behind. This is an image of the principle of reaping what one sows: they want David to stumble, but they themselves end up walking on a dark, slippery path and falling.
35:7–8 "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."
Psalms 35:7–8（World English Bible）
"Without cause" (חִנָּם, chinnam), this word will reappear in 35:19 and become a key word cited by Jesus. It means "freely," "without reason," "for no cause." David emphasizes: their malice is without reason; he has not wronged them, yet they hate him.
"Hidden their net in a pit" (טָמְנוּ־לִי שַׁחַת רִשְׁתָּם, tamenu-li shachat rishtam), two methods ancient hunters used to catch wild animals: a trap net (rishtah) and a trap pit (shachat). Both are "disguised attacks," not visible on the surface until one steps into them.
"Let his net that he has hidden catch himself," this is a classic expression of the measure-for-measure principle. Similar to Psalm 7:15-16, "He has dug a pit, and has fallen into the hole which he made." The measure-for-measure theme appears repeatedly in the Psalms: Psalm 7:15 → Psalm 9:15 → Psalm 35:7-8 → Psalm 57:6 → Galatians 6:7.
35:9–10 "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?”"
Psalms 35:9–10（World English Bible）
The entire section concludes with praise. The shift from "Let them be put to shame" to "My soul shall be joyful in Yahweh" is a hallmark of lament psalms.
"All my bones shall say" (כָּל עַצְמוֹתַי תֹּאמַרְנָה, kol atsmotai tomarnah), עֶצֶם (etsem, bone). The Hebrews understood "bones" as the deepest part of a person's being, even deeper than the "heart." "All my bones shall say" signifies wholehearted praise, not just with the lips, but with the very bones.
"Who is like Yahweh" (מִי כָמוֹךָ, mi khamokha), directly echoes Exodus 15:11, Moses' praise after crossing the Red Sea: "Who is like you, Yahweh, among the gods?" David brings the victory praise of the Exodus into his personal lament; the same God who saved Israel from Pharaoh also saves him from his persecutors.
"The poor" (עָנִי, ani), the same "poor and afflicted" that appears repeatedly in Psalm 34. David positions himself as ani, not someone who relies on his own power, but someone who relies on God. This is the core posture of a lament psalm: I am powerless to fight back, but there is a God stronger than my enemies who fights for me.
Section Positioning: The second section shifts from military imagery to a courtroom scene. David presents the core of his injustice: he treated them well, but they repaid him with evil. The most profound pain in this section is not physical attack, but the distortion of human hearts; in the past, he fasted and prayed for them, but now they rejoice in his distress.
35:11 "Unrighteous witnesses rise up. They ask me about things that I don’t know about."
Psalms 35:11（World English Bible）
"Malicious witnesses" (עֵדֵי חָמָס, edei chamas), עֵד (ed, witness), חָמָס (chamas, violence, brutal oppression). Literally, "witnesses of violence."
The Hebrew chamas is not ordinary "violence"; it is the same word used in Genesis 6:11 before the Great Flood, when "the earth was filled with violence." It specifically refers to using brutal means to suppress the weak, especially using legal means to frame the innocent. "Witnesses of violence" means framing innocent people through false testimony.
This is precisely what the Ninth Commandment prohibits, Exodus 20:16, "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor." Psalm 35:11 describes one of the most serious evils prohibited by the Ten Commandments.
"They ask me about things that I don’t know about." David was completely unaware of the matters they questioned. This is a typical false accusation, assigning a crime to someone they never participated in, and then forcing them to "confess."
35:12 "They reward me evil for good, to the bereaving of my soul."
Psalms 35:12（World English Bible）
"They repay me evil for good" (יְשַׁלְּמוּנִי רָעָה תַּחַת טוֹבָה, yeshalmuni ra'ah tachat tovah). This is the core injustice of Psalm 35. The verb שָׁלַם (shalam) originally means "to repay, to compensate," not simply "to treat." It means to return something with something else. Literally: "They repay my good with evil."
The theme of "repaying evil for good" appears repeatedly in Hebrew poetry; this is the most heartbreaking evil. It is painful enough for strangers to harm you, but for those you have helped to turn around and harm you is another level of suffering. Jeremiah also used this same expression (Jeremiah 18:20, "Should evil be repaid for good?").
"To the bereaving of my soul" (שְׁכוֹל לְנַפְשִׁי, shekhol le-nafshi), שְׁכוֹל (shekhol) is "bereavement, the pain of losing a child." This word usually describes a mother's grief at losing a child, a deepest, most irreparable loss. David uses this language to describe how he feels when repaid with evil for good, a pain like a mother losing her child.
35:13–14 "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."
Psalms 35:13–14（World English Bible）
These two verses are the most moving part of Psalm 35, as David recalls how he treated these people in the past.
"I wore sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting." This was the most solemn way of interceding for others in ancient Israel. Sackcloth (שַׂק, saq) was a coarse linen mourning garment, uncomfortable to wear and irritating to the skin, a sign of self-abasement. Fasting (צוֹם, tsom) was putting one's own needs aside and bringing the affairs of others before God.
David says, "When they were sick, I wore sackcloth, I fasted." He interceded for them to the point of suffering himself.
"My prayer returned into my own bosom" (וּתְפִלָּתִי עַל־חֵיקִי תָשׁוּב, u-tefillati al-cheiki tashuv). There are two possible interpretations for this phrase:
Regardless of the reading, the meaning is similar: David's prayers for them were the most sincere and deepest.
"As though it were my friend or my brother." When David prayed for them, he treated them as friends, as brothers, not with cold, perfunctory prayers, but with heartfelt intercession.
"As one who mourns his mother." The deepest sorrow is the loss of a mother. David's intercession for them reached the level of mourning for a mother.
All these descriptions are to set up the contrast in the next verse.
35:15–16 "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."
Psalms 35:15–16（World English Bible）
"They rejoiced" (שָׂמְחוּ, samchu), the verb שָׂמַח (samach, to rejoice, to be glad). While David fasted and prayed for them, they rejoiced. This is the extreme distortion of the human heart: they are happy when you suffer, and they suffer when you are happy.
"Like godless mockers in feasts" (חַנְפֵי לַעֲגֵי מָעוֹג, chanfei la'agei ma'og), a difficult-to-translate Hebrew phrase. מָעוֹג (ma'og) may refer to "cake" or "food at a feast," לַעַג (la'ag) is "mockery," and חָנֵף (chanef) is "profane, impious." The literal translation is probably "profane mockers at a feast."
This image brings to mind clowns at a banquet, using others' suffering as gossip and jokes. What an evil this is, they sit at the feast eating and drinking, treating David's distress as an appetizer.
"They gnashed their teeth at me" (חָרֹק עָלַי שִׁנֵּימוֹ, charoq alai shinneimo). Gnashing teeth (charoq) is a sign of furious hatred. The same word is used in Psalm 37:12, "The wicked... gnash their teeth at him."
35:17 "Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my soul from their destruction, my precious life from the lions."
Psalms 35:17（World English Bible）
"How long will you look on?" (עַד־מָתַי, ad-matai), once again this profound question mark in the Psalms. Ad-matai is a main thread running through the Psalms: Psalm 6:3 → Psalm 13:1-2 → Psalm 35:17 → Psalm 74:10 → Psalm 80:4 → Psalm 90:13 → Psalm 94:3 → Habakkuk 1:2 → Revelation 6:10.
This question mark is cited in the martyrs' prayer in Revelation 6:10, referring to the end times: "How long, O Master, holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" From Psalms to Revelation, the righteous await God's vindication.
"Young lions" (כְּפִיר, kefir). Young lions are the most dangerous; they have just gained the ability to hunt, and are the hungriest and fiercest. The same imagery is used in Psalm 17:12 and 22:13.
35:18 "I will give you thanks in the great assembly. I will praise you among many people."
Psalms 35:18（World English Bible）
The second section concludes with a promise of praise (similar to verses 9-10 and 27-28).
"Great congregation" (קָהָל רָב, qahal rav). A "great congregation" was a formal assembly of Israel in the sanctuary or during festivals. David vows that when God delivers him from all this, he will not just give thanks privately; he will publicly give thanks in the great congregation. This was the core of ancient worship: after being saved, one was to bear witness before the assembly.
Section Placement: The third and longest section of the entire psalm. David prays again, but the perspective has shifted. The first two sections primarily describe the enemies' wickedness, while this section begins to call for God to personally intervene and judge right from wrong. Most importantly, in verse 19, Jesus directly quotes "They hated me without a cause" in John 15:25, applying it to Himself, making Psalm 35 a prefiguration of Christ's suffering.
35:19 "Don’t let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let those who hate me without a cause wink their eyes."
Psalms 35:19（World English Bible）
"Without a cause" (חִנָּם, chinnam), once again. This is the same word that appeared in 35:7. They hid their net for me without cause (35:7) → those who hate me without a cause (35:19). The two instances of chinnam highlight the core of David's grievance: he had not wronged them.
"Those who hate me without a cause" (שֹׂנְאַי חִנָּם, sone'ai chinnam), verb שָׂנֵא (sane, to hate) + chinnam (without a cause). Literally, "those who hate me without a cause."
This is the most important verse in Psalm 35 because Jesus directly quotes this phrase in John 15:25, referring to Himself:
"But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated me without a cause.’" (John 15:25)
In His farewell discourse to His disciples at the Last Supper, Jesus said that the world's hatred for Him had no just reason. He had done nothing wrong, yet they hated Him. Jesus quotes Psalm 35:19 (also echoing Psalm 69:4, "Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head"), applying David's grievance in the psalm to Himself, making David's psalm of lament a prefiguration of Christ's suffering.
This gives us a new perspective when reading Psalm 35; it is not just David's psalm, but it prophetically depicts the suffering of Christ. All the "hatred without a cause" that Jesus endured on the cross was spoken a thousand years earlier through David's mouth in Psalm 35.
"Wink their eyes" (יִקְרְצוּ־עָיִן, yiqretsu-ayin), in ancient Israelite culture, winking (blinking) was a secret sign of malicious mockery, signaling to nearby accomplices, "Look, that guy is in trouble." Similar to Proverbs 6:13, "winks with his eyes, signals with his feet," it was a secret code among conspirators.
35:20 "For they don’t speak peace, but they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land."
Psalms 35:20（World English Bible）
"Peace" (שָׁלוֹם, shalom), David longs for shalom—wholeness, reconciliation, tranquility—but their words are not words of shalom.
"Those who are quiet in the land" (רִגְעֵי־אָרֶץ, rig'ei-arets), רֶגַע (rega, quiet, calm), אָרֶץ (arets, land). "Those who are quiet in the land" refers to people who do not contend with others, do not provoke, and live their days modestly. David identifies himself as such a person, not a fighter or an instigator, but one who simply wants to live quietly.
35:21 "Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me. They said, “Aha! Aha! Our eye has seen it!”"
Psalms 35:21（World English Bible）
"Aha! Aha!" (הֶאָח הֶאָח, he'ach he'ach), an exclamation of schadenfreude in Hebrew, repeated to indicate stronger mockery. This word also appears in Psalms 40:15 and 70:3, specifically used to describe an excited reaction to someone else's misfortune.
"Our eye has seen it!" They pretend to testify, "We saw you do it with our own eyes!" But in reality, they saw nothing. This is perjury in court.
35:22 "You have seen it, Yahweh. Don’t keep silent. Lord, don’t be far from me."
Psalms 35:22（World English Bible）
A strong contrast appears in the psalm: they say, "Our eye has seen it," but David immediately follows with, "You have seen it, Yahweh."
Human "seeing" is a lie, but God's seeing is the truth. Psalm 35:22 shares the same theme as Psalm 7:9, "God examines the hearts and minds"; all human perjury cannot escape the one who observes.
"Don’t keep silent," David asks God not to remain silent. This is a recurring plea in psalms of lament; God's "silence" sounds to the wronged like a judge on strike.
35:23–24 "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."
Psalms 35:23–24（World English Bible）
"Wake up and come to my defense!" (הָעִירָה וְהָקִיצָה, ha'irah ve-haqitsah), a synonymous parallelism of two verbs. עוּר (ur, to awaken), קוּץ (quts, to rouse). In David's eyes, God seems to be "asleep," and he asks God to wake up.
Several places in the Psalms use the imagery of "God sleeping," such as Psalm 44:23, "Why do you sleep, Lord? Wake up!" This language does not mean that God is literally asleep in a theological sense; it reflects the genuine feeling of people when they receive no response, as if God is absent.
"Judge me, Yahweh my God, according to your righteousness" (שָׁפְטֵנִי כְצִדְקְךָ, shoftei-ni khe-tsidqekha), similar to Psalm 7:8, "Judge me, Yahweh, according to my righteousness, and according to my integrity that is in me." שָׁפַט (shafat, to judge), צֶדֶק (tsedeq, righteousness).
David is not asking for mercy, but for righteous judgment, because he is innocent in this matter. This contrasts with Psalm 51, which he wrote after the Bathsheba incident ("Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness"): asking for grace in matters of guilt, and for justice in matters of innocence. David knows the difference between the two.
35:25–26 "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."
Psalms 35:25–26（World English Bible）
"We have swallowed him up!" (בִּלַּעֲנוּהוּ, billa'anuhu), verb בָּלַע (bala, to swallow). This is an image of a predator, like a lion or a wolf, swallowing its prey whole, leaving no trace. The enemies' imagined "victory" is to completely devour David.
"Disappointed and ashamed," this pair of verbs appears again (similar to 35:4). The core prayer of a psalm of lament is: let the wicked be publicly shamed, and let their wickedness be exposed.
35:27 "Let them shout for joy and be glad, who favor my righteous cause. Yes, let them say continually, “Yahweh be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant!”"
Psalms 35:27（World English Bible）
From "May the enemies be ashamed" to "May the righteous rejoice," a dual image in Hebrew poetry.
"Yahweh has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant" (יֶחְפֹּץ שְׁלוֹם עַבְדּוֹ, yechpots shalom avdo), this is the theological foundation David provides for his situation: Yahweh takes pleasure in the shalom of His servant.
Note "has pleasure" (חָפֵץ, chafets), an active delight, not a passive permission. God does not merely "allow" His servant to have shalom; He actively desires and actively brings about His servant's shalom. This is one of the core aspects of God's love in the Psalms.
35:28 "My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long."
Psalms 35:28（World English Bible）
The concluding verse of the entire psalm.
"All day long" (כָּל־הַיּוֹם, kol-ha-yom), the entire day, without ceasing.
"Talk about" (תֶּהְגֶּה, tehegeh), verb הָגָה (hagah, to meditate, to murmur). Similar to Psalm 1:2, "But his delight is in Yahweh’s law. On his law he meditates day and night," the same word is used. The original meaning of this word is "to read softly, to repeatedly murmur in one's mouth."
Psalm 35 and Psalm 1 echo each other here: the righteous meditate (hagah) on the law day and night (Psalm 1), and the righteous talk about (hagah) righteousness and praise all day long (Psalm 35).
Psalm 35 concludes with praise. Even if judgment has not yet come and the grievance has not yet been cleared, David offers his tongue first. This is the highest posture of a psalm of lament; praise begins even before deliverance.
| Paragraph | Dominant Voice | Directed Towards | Emotional Arc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verses 1-3 | Warrior's Cry | God | Urgent Plea for War |
| Verses 4-8 | Curses and Wishes | Enemies (pointing to God) | Desire for Retribution |
| Verses 9-10 | Promise of Praise | God | Anticipatory Joy |
| Verses 11-16 | Counter-accusation of Slanderers | Audience | Painful Recollection |
| Verses 17-18 | How Long? + Assembly Praise | God | Waiting + Promise |
| Verses 19-21 | Key Phrase "Hate Me Without Cause" | God | Core of the Grievance |
| Verses 22-26 | Plea for God to Awaken | God | Urgent Cry |
| Verses 27-28 | Daily Discourse of Praise | God | Elevated Calm |
The emotional arc of Psalm 35 is a winding path of "urgency, pain, waiting, urgency, calm." All three sections begin with a cry and conclude with praise. The ultimate destination of prayer is always praise, even in the most intense expressions of grievance.
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Verse(s) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contend | רִיב | riv | 35:1 | Legal dispute in court, not physical conflict |
| Fight | לָחַם | lacham | 35:1 | Actual combat |
| Large shield | צִנָּה | tsinnah | 35:2 | Rectangular shield covering the whole body |
| Small shield | מָגֵן | magen | 35:2 | Round/oval small shield |
| Rise up | קוּם | qum | 35:2 | Same as Psalm 3:7, 7:6, moving from rest to action |
| Draw out | רִיק | riq | 35:3 | To pour out a weapon from its sheath |
| Spear | חֲנִית | chanit | 35:3 | A long spear that can be thrown or thrust |
| Salvation | יְשׁוּעָה | yeshu'ah | 35:3 | Help/deliverance (origin of the name Yeshua/Jesus) |
| Ashamed | בּוֹשׁ | bosh | 35:4, 26 | A fate more terrible than death in a shame-honor society |
| Disgraced | כָּלַם | kalam | 35:4 | To be shamed/scorned |
| Chaff before the wind | מֹץ | mots | 35:5 | Same as Psalm 1:4, without weight or roots |
| Angel | מַלְאַךְ | mal'akh | 35:5-6 | Same as Psalm 34:7, protects the righteous, pursues the wicked |
| Dark and slippery | חֹשֶׁךְ וַחֲלַקְלַקּוֹת | choshekh va-chalaqlaqqot | 35:6 | The danger of mountain paths in the rainy season |
| Without cause | חִנָּם | chinnam | 35:7, 19 | Freely/without reason, a key term |
| Net | רֶשֶׁת | reshet | 35:7-8 | Camouflaged net used for hunting animals |
| Pit | שַׁחַת | shachat | 35:7 | Trap pit/pit of destruction, same as Psalm 7:15 |
| Malicious witnesses | עֵדֵי חָמָס | edei chamas | 35:11 | Violent witnesses, framing with false testimony |
| Returning evil for good | שָׁלַם רָעָה תַּחַת טוֹבָה | shalam ra'ah tachat tovah | 35:12 | To repay good with evil |
| Bereavement | שְׁכוֹל | shekhol | 35:12 | The pain of a mother losing her child |
| Sackcloth | שַׂק | saq | 35:13 | Coarse sackcloth mourning garment, a sign of self-abasement |
| Fasting | צוֹם | tsom | 35:13 | To humble oneself and intercede for others |
| Rejoice | שָׂמַח | samach | 35:15 | The enemies' reaction to David's distress, a distortion of the human heart |
| Tear | קָרַע | qara | 35:15 | Same as Psalm 7:2, a lion tearing, a fatal attack |
| Mockery | לַעַג | la'ag | 35:16 | Derision at a feast |
| Scoffers | חָנֵף | chanef | 35:16 | Spiritually corrupt people |
| Gnashing of teeth | חָרֹק שֵׁן | charoq shen | 35:16 | A sign of angry hatred |
| How long | עַד־מָתַי | ad-matai | 35:17 | A main question in Psalms, extending to Revelation 6:10 |
| Young lions | כְּפִיר | kefir | 35:17 | The most dangerous predators |
| Great congregation | קָהָל | qahal | 35:18 | Formal assembly in the sanctuary/during festivals |
| Wink the eye | קָרַץ עָיִן | qarats ayin | 35:19 | A secret signal among conspirators |
| Peace | שָׁלוֹם | shalom | 35:20 | Wholeness/reconciliation/tranquility |
| Quiet people | רִגְעֵי־אָרֶץ | rig'ei-arets | 35:20 | People who do not contend, living low-key lives |
| Aha | הֶאָח | he'ach | 35:21, 25 | An exclamation of schadenfreude |
| Awake | עוּר | ur | 35:23 | To ask God to awaken from silence |
| Arouse | קוּץ | quts | 35:23 | A synonymous parallel to "awake" |
| Judge righteously | שָׁפַט בְּצֶדֶק | shafat be-tsedeq | 35:24 | Same as Psalm 7:8, seeking justice in innocence |
| Swallowed up | בָּלַע | bala | 35:25 | A predator swallowing its prey whole |
| Delights | חָפֵץ | chafets | 35:27 | Actively pleased, not passively permitted |
| All day long | כָּל־הַיּוֹם | kol-ha-yom | 35:28 | Continuously throughout the day |
| Speak | הָגָה | hagah | 35:28 | Same as Psalm 1:2 "meditate day and night," to murmur or recite softly |
Psalm 35 is a mature form of the Imprecatory Psalm/Lament of the Falsely Accused. Its structure is a three-part cycle, with each section unfolding in an internal cycle of "petition, complaint, praise":
Section 1: The Warrior's Prayer (35:1-10)
A Petition for God to contend, rise up, take up weapons (35:1-3)
B May enemies be put to shame, pursued by angels, and reap what they sow (35:4-8)
A' Promise of praise: heart and bones will praise (35:9-10)
Section 2: Counter-accusation against the Accusers (35:11-18)
C Malicious witnesses, returning evil for good (35:11-12)
D How I interceded for them (35:13-14)
D' But how they treated me (35:15-16)
C' How long? + Promise of praise in the great congregation (35:17-18)
Section 3: Renewed Prayer and Vow (35:19-28)
E Key phrase "they hate me without cause" + Aha, aha (35:19-21)
F Petition for God to awake, judge righteously (35:22-24)
F' May they be put to shame, not allowed to say "we have swallowed him up" (35:25-26)
E' May the righteous shout for joy, speak praise all day long (35:27-28)
Each section has three sub-structures (opening petition → middle description → concluding praise), which is the most stable internal rhythm of an imprecatory psalm. The endpoint of prayer is always praise, even in the most intense accusations.
Both Psalm 7 and Psalm 35 are laments, but with significant differences:
| Dimension | Psalm 7 | Psalm 35 |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 17 verses | 28 verses |
| Main Imagery | Courtroom scene | Battlefield + Courtroom |
| Intensity | More restrained | One of the strongest curses in Psalms |
| Self-innocence | Strong self-curse oath (7:3-5) | Counter-accused with "returning evil for good" (35:12-14) |
| Key Phrase | "God examines the hearts and minds" (7:9) | "They hate me without cause" (35:19) |
| New Testament Citation | Rev 2:23 cites 7:9 | John 15:25 cites 35:19 |
Both psalms belong to the "Davidic Lament Series," sharing the same genre as Psalms 9-10, 69, 109, and 137. Psalm 35 has the highest intensity in this series.
Synonymous Parallelism:
Antithetical Parallelism:
Synthetic Parallelism (Progressive):
Psalm 35 simultaneously uses two sets of imagery:
| Courtroom Terminology | Battlefield Terminology |
|---|---|
| Contend (riv, 35:1) | Fight (lacham, 35:1) |
| Witnesses (ed, 35:11) | Shield (magen, tsinnah, 35:2) |
| Judge righteously (shafat be-tsedeq, 35:24) | Spear (chanit, 35:3) |
| Testify in the great congregation (qahal, 35:18) | Angel of Yahweh chases (mal'akh docheh, 35:5-6) |
This dual imagery of courtroom and battlefield is not chaotic; rather, it reflects the dual nature of the injustice: it is a legal accusation (requiring courtroom judgment) and a life-threatening attack (requiring a warrior's protection). God in Psalm 35 is simultaneously judge and warrior.
35:7 "For without cause they have hidden their net in a pit for me. Without cause they have dug a pit for my soul." 35:19 "Those who hate me without cause."
This word appears twice in Psalm 35, marking the core injustice of the entire psalm: malice without reason. The Hebrew word chinnam comes from the noun חֵן (chen, grace, free favor), and its original meaning is "freely, without cost."
Grace is "freely given," and hatred can also be "freely given." This word captures a fundamental aspect of the darkness of the human heart: hatred can arise without reason.
35:28 "My tongue shall talk (hagah) of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long."
This verb is the same word as in Psalm 1:2, "But his delight is in Yahweh’s law. On his law he meditates (hagah) day and night."
Hebrew hagah is not silent internal thought; its original meaning is "to mutter, to recite repeatedly." The righteous hagah the law (Psalm 1), and the righteous hagah righteousness and praise (Psalm 35). The direction of the tongue determines the direction of the heart.
The three sections of Psalm 35 all conclude with praise:
| Section | Conclusion |
|---|---|
| Section 1 (1-10) | "My soul shall be joyful in Yahweh... All my bones will say, 'Yahweh, who is like you?'" |
| Section 2 (11-18) | "I will give you thanks in the great congregation. I will praise you among many people." |
| Section 3 (19-28) | "My tongue shall talk of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long." |
This internal pattern of "three sections, three praises" is an advanced feature of laments. Accusation and praise always appear in pairs, never allowing accusation to be the ultimate direction of the entire psalm.
35:7-8 is another poetic expression of the measure-for-measure principle, "Let the net that they have hidden catch themselves. Let them fall into it and be caught in their own mischief." This is similar to Psalm 7:15-16, 9:15-16, 57:6, and 141:10.
The full development of this main theme in the Hebrew Bible:
The situation described in Psalm 35, where false testimony frames the innocent, was one of the most serious crimes in ancient Near Eastern law codes. Hammurabi's Code, Article 1, is about false testimony:
"If a man has accused a man and has charged him with murder, but has not proved it against him, his accuser shall be put to death."
This is the anti-false accusation principle. Ancient laws understood that a false accusation itself was a capital offense.
Deuteronomy 19:18-19 has similar provisions: "The judges shall make diligent inquiry; and behold, if the witness is a false witness, and has testified falsely against his brother, then you shall do to him as he had thought to do to his brother. So you shall put away the evil from among you."
Psalm 35:11 "Malicious witnesses rise up," David is lamenting this most serious crime. He asks God to judge according to the law, so that the principle of "doing to him as he had thought to do to his brother" may be fulfilled in them. This is the same logic as Psalm 35:7-8, "Let the net that they have hidden catch themselves."
35:12 The use of shekhol (childlessness) to describe the feeling of being repaid with evil for good is the strongest rhetoric of grief commonly used in Ancient Near Eastern literature.
Both the Babylonian Etana Epic and the Epic of Gilgamesh used words similar to shekhol to describe the deepest loss. Hebrew poetry repeatedly borrowed this rhetoric; for example, Isaiah 47:8-9 describes the destruction of Babylon using "childless and widowed," where childlessness represents the most irreparable loss.
Psalm 35 applies this rhetoric to the feeling of being repaid with evil for good, implying that the loss brought by such betrayal is the deepest loss. This is why Psalm 35 still resonates with modern readers; this pain is universal and cross-cultural.
35:13 "But as for me, when they were sick, I wore sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting", describes the most solemn way in ancient Israel to intercede for others.
Sackcloth (שַׂק, saq) was a coarse fabric woven from goat or camel hair, worn to rub against the skin and cause discomfort. This was a sign of self-abasement, lowering oneself to the humblest position.
Fasting (צוֹם, tsom) is setting aside one's need for food and drink to focus on intercession. Formal fasting in ancient Israel typically lasted "sunrise to sunset" or "sunset to sunset," 24 hours without food.
This "sackcloth and fasting" combination appears repeatedly in the Bible as the most serious form of intercession:
David's statement "I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother" means he interceded for these people who later betrayed him as if their lives were at stake. How painful it is for such deep love to be "repaid with evil."
35:19 "Winking" in Ancient Near Eastern culture was a secret signal among conspirators, indicating something to their accomplices. Similar to Proverbs 6:13, "who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, who points with his fingers" (describing the non-verbal communication of treacherous people). This was a system of secret signals within a conspiracy group.
Archaeological discoveries include clauses in ancient Assyrian and Babylonian legal documents prohibiting "signaling with the eyes in court to give false testimony," meaning that such collusion through eye signals was a real problem in ancient courts. Psalm 35:19 reflects this kind of courtroom conspiracy with eye signals, as David asks God not to let their eye signals succeed.
The word chinnam (without cause) in 35:7 + 35:19 becomes a core theological concept of Psalm 35. This main theme extends to the suffering of Christ:
| Scripture | Content |
|---|---|
| Psalm 35:7, 19 | "without cause... without cause they hate me," David's injustice |
| Psalm 69:4 | "Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head" |
| Psalm 109:3 | "They have fought against me without cause" |
| John 15:25 | Jesus quotes Psalm 35:19/69:4 and applies it to himself |
| John 18:38 Pilate | "I find no basis for a charge against him" |
| 1 Corinthians 15:3 | "that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures", He himself was without sin |
| Hebrews 4:15 | "yet without sin" |
This entire theme tells us: Christ is the greatest one "hated without cause." He never sinned, yet He endured the deepest hatred of humanity. All believers who are hated without cause are united with Christ in His suffering.
35:1-10 "Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help!", this is the core posture of a lament psalm. This theme is summarized in the New Testament in Romans chapter 12:
| Scripture | Content |
|---|---|
| Deuteronomy 32:35 | "Vengeance is mine, and recompense" |
| Psalm 35:1-10 | Asking God to become a warrior and fight |
| Psalm 94:1 | "Yahweh, you God of vengeance, you God of vengeance, shine forth!" |
| Matthew 5:38-48 | Jesus' teaching to "love your enemies" |
| Romans 12:19 | "Don’t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to wrath" |
| Romans 12:20-21 | "Therefore if your enemy is hungry, feed him... Don’t be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" |
| 2 Thessalonians 1:6-8 | "Since it is a righteous thing for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you" |
| Revelation 6:9-11 | Martyrs under the altar cry out, "How long?" |
Romans 12 is the mature New Testament application of Psalm 35, entrusting vengeance to God and overcoming evil with good oneself. These two are not contradictory; entrusting judgment is precisely the prerequisite for freely treating evil with good.
35:1-3 asks God to take up weapons; Ephesians 6:10-18 has these weapons worn by believers:
| Psalm 35 | Ephesians 6 |
|---|---|
| Great shield, small shield (35:2) | "the shield of faith" (Ephesians 6:16) |
| Spear (35:3) | "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:17) |
| Rise up to help (35:2) | "Put on the whole armor of God" (Ephesians 6:11) |
| Deliverance (35:3) | "the helmet of salvation" (Ephesians 6:17) |
Note that Paul's list contains no physical weapons; all are spiritual (truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, Spirit). This is the key transformation of Psalm 35 in the New Testament: believers can wear God's armor, but this armor is spiritual.
35:17 joins the "How long?" theme in the Psalms:
| Scripture | Content |
|---|---|
| Psalm 6:3 | "Yahweh, how long?" |
| Psalm 13:1-2 | "How long will you forget me, Yahweh?" |
| Psalm 35:17 | "Lord, how long will you look on?" |
| Psalm 74:10 | "How long, God, will the adversary reproach?" |
| Psalm 90:13 | "Relent, Yahweh! How long?" |
| Habakkuk 1:2 | "How long, Yahweh, will I cry, and you will not hear?" |
| Revelation 6:10 | "How long, Master, holy and true, will you not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" |
From Psalms to Revelation, "How long?" is the eternal prayer of the righteous waiting for God's vindication. Revelation 6:10 is the climax of this theme, the cry of the souls of martyrs under the altar. Psalm 35:17 is not just David's cry, but the cry of all saints waiting for vindication.
| Old Testament Verse | New Testament Echo | Connection Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Psalm 35:19 "They hate me without a cause" | John 15:25 "But this happened that the word may be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated me without a cause.’" | Jesus directly quotes Psalm 35:19 and applies it to himself; David's unjust suffering becomes a foreshadowing of Christ's suffering. |
| Psalm 35:1-3 "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." | Ephesians 6:10-18 "the whole armor of God" | The weapons in God's hand in Psalm 35 become the spiritual armor worn by believers in Ephesians 6. |
| Psalm 35:11 "Malicious witnesses rise up." | Matthew 26:59-60 "Now the chief priests and the whole council sought false testimony against Jesus, that they might put him to death; and they found none." | Jesus faced the same false accusations as in Psalm 35:11 during his trial before the Sanhedrin. |
| Psalm 35:12 "They reward me evil for good." | Romans 12:19-21 "Don’t seek revenge yourselves... Don’t be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." | Paul's teaching to "overcome evil with good" is a continuation of the core posture in Psalm 35. |
| Psalm 35:13 "I wore sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting." | Matthew 5:44 "But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you." | Jesus' teaching to "love your enemies" makes the intercession in Psalm 35:13 a regular practice. |
| Psalm 35:17 "Lord, how long will you look on?" | Revelation 6:10 "How long, Master, the holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" | The ad-matai of the Psalms reaches its climax with the martyrs under the altar in Revelation. |
| Psalm 35:19 "those who hate me without a cause" | 1 Corinthians 15:3 "For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures" | Christ himself was sinless, enduring hatred without a cause, which is the core of the gospel. |
| Psalm 35:28 "My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long." | 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 "pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks" | David's "talk about... all day long" becomes a constant state for believers' lives. |
Psalm 35 is one of the Psalms with the highest intensity of lament. Its position in the sequence of laments is:
Psalm 7 (Elementary lament, restrained courtroom scene)
Psalms 9-10 (United lament, structural acrostic)
Psalm 35 (Ultimate personal lament, warrior's prayer)
Psalm 69 (Messianic lament, foreshadowing Christ)
Psalm 109 (Most intense imprecation, against personal enemies)
Psalm 137 (Lament of the exiles, against collective Babylon)
Psalm 35's special position in this sequence is that it represents the mature form of personal lament:
Psalm 35 has several layers of significance for believers today:
First, it is a prayer for those who are repaid evil for good. When you are harmed by someone you have helped, this Psalm is your language.
Second, it is a foreshadowing of Christ's suffering. John 15:25 shows us that David's unjust suffering points to Christ. Every believer who is hated without cause today is united with Christ.
Third, it is training in "handing over judgment to God." The process of reading this Psalm itself is a spiritual discipline, expressing intense emotions to God instead of taking matters into one's own hands. Psalm 35 brings all anger, pain, and desire for revenge before God, then turns to praise at the end of each section. This is a healthy emotional processing.
Fourth, it is an example of "praise first." 35:28 "My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long." Before judgment arrives, the tongue begins to praise. This is the practical application of faith, allowing praise to precede circumstances.
C. S. Lewis's evaluation of the imprecatory Psalms in Reflections on the Psalms is worth remembering. He said that modern Christians' discomfort when reading such Psalms is real, but he reminded us: the very existence of imprecatory Psalms testifies to a truth that evil is real and serious, requiring a real response. A worldview that "understands" all malice as weakness is, in fact, a secondary harm to victims. Psalm 35 seriously acknowledges that some evil is simply evil and requires the intervention of a judge. This seriousness is ultimately the foundation of justice and hope.
Authoritative Commentaries
Further Reading
Chinese Resources (Welcome to add)
| Theme | Content |
|---|---|
| Entrusting Judgment to God | 35:1-10 David asks God to become a warrior; he himself does not draw a sword, which is the core posture of a lament psalm. |
| Dual Imagery of Courtroom + Battlefield | 35:1 riv (to contend in court) + lacham (to fight), God both judges and fights. |
| The Pain of Returning Evil for Good | 35:12-14 The deepest wound is not the evil of strangers, but when people you have helped turn around and hate you. |
| Hatred Without Cause | 35:7, 19 chinnam, David twice emphasizes that he did not offend them; this becomes a foreshadowing of Christ's suffering. |
| Principle of Reaping What You Sow | 35:7-8 The hidden net entangles themselves, continuing the main theme of Psalms 7:15 and 9:15. |
| How Long? | 35:17 Joins the Psalms' ad-matai main theme: the righteous wait for God to avenge them, extending to Revelation 6:10. |
| Praise Spoken All Day Long | 35:28 hagah, same root as Psalm 1:2: the righteous meditate day and night, the righteous speak all day long. |
| God Delights in His Servant's Peace | 35:27 chafets, God not only permits, but actively desires His servant to have shalom. |