Contend with My Opponents, O LORD
Of David.
Contend with my opponents, O LORD; Psa 43:1Jer 51:36Psa 119:154Isa 49:25Pro 23:11Pro 22:23Lam 3:58Act 5:39
fight against those who fight against me.
Take up Your shield and buckler; Psa 91:4Exo 15:3Isa 42:13Deu 32:41-42Isa 13:5Psa 7:12-13
arise and come to my aid.
Draw the spear and javelin 1against my pursuers; Isa 12:2Psa 27:2Psa 51:12Psa 91:16Isa 8:9-101Sa 23:26-27Act 4:28Gen 49:18
say to my soul: “I am your salvation.”
May those who seek my life Psa 70:2-3Jer 46:5Psa 35:26Psa 38:12Psa 31:17-18Psa 129:5Psa 40:14-15Psa 71:24
be disgraced and put to shame;
may those who plan to harm me
be driven back and confounded.
May they be like chaff in the wind, Job 21:18Isa 29:5Act 12:23Exo 14:19Heb 11:28Hos 13:3Isa 17:13Isa 37:36
as the angel of the LORD drives them away.
May their path be dark and slick, Jer 23:12Psa 73:18Jer 13:16Pro 4:19
as the angel of the LORD pursues.
For without cause they laid their net for me; Jhn 15:25Psa 140:5Psa 9:15Job 18:8Psa 25:3Psa 69:4Psa 119:85Psa 7:3-5
without reason they dug a pit for my soul.
May ruin befall them by surprise; Psa 141:9-10Luk 21:34Pro 5:22Psa 9:151Th 5:3Isa 47:11Psa 57:61Sa 18:17
may the net they hid ensnare them;
may they fall into the hazard they created.
Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD Isa 61:10Luk 1:46-47Psa 48:11Psa 58:10-111Sa 2:1Gal 5:22Hab 3:18Php 3:1-3
and exult in His salvation.
All my bones will exclaim, Exo 15:11Psa 109:31Psa 140:12Psa 51:8Psa 71:19Psa 86:8Psa 18:17Psa 10:14
“Who is like You, O LORD,
who delivers the afflicted from the aggressor,
the poor and needy from the robber?”
Hostile witnesses come forward; Psa 27:12Mat 26:59-601Sa 24:9Act 6:131Sa 25:10Act 24:12-13Act 24:5-6
they make charges I know nothing about.
They repay me evil for good, Jhn 10:32Jer 18:20Psa 38:20Luk 23:21-23Pro 17:13Psa 109:3-51Sa 20:31-331Sa 19:15
to the bereavement of my soul.
Yet when they were ill, Psa 69:10-11Job 30:25Mat 5:44Isa 58:5Lev 16:31Mat 10:13Luk 10:6Rom 12:14-15
I put on sackcloth;
I humbled myself with fasting,
but my prayers returned unanswered. 2
I paced about Luk 19:41-422Sa 1:11-12Gen 24:672Sa 1:17-27Psa 38:6
as for my friend or brother;
I was bowed down with grief,
like one mourning for his mother.
But when I stumbled, they assembled in glee; Jer 20:10Mrk 14:65Mat 27:27-30Mat 27:39-44Psa 7:2Psa 71:10-111Co 13:6Act 17:5
they gathered together against me.
Assailants I did not know
slandered me without ceasing.
Like godless jesters at a feast, 3 Lam 2:16Job 16:9Psa 37:12Act 7:54Jhn 18:281Co 5:81Sa 20:24-42Isa 1:14-15
they gnashed their teeth at me.
How long, O Lord, will You look on? Hab 1:13Psa 22:20-21Psa 57:4Psa 74:9-10Psa 89:46Psa 94:3-4Psa 10:14Psa 13:1-2
Rescue my soul from their ravages,
my precious life from these lions.
Then I will give You thanks in the great assembly; Heb 2:12Psa 22:22-25Isa 25:3Psa 116:14Psa 116:18Psa 67:1-4Psa 117:1-2Psa 138:4-5
I will praise You among many people.
Let not my enemies gloat over me without cause, Jhn 15:25Psa 69:4Pro 6:13Psa 13:4Psa 38:19Pro 10:10Jhn 16:20-22Psa 109:3
nor those who hate me without reason wink in malice. 4
For they do not speak peace, Mat 26:41Pe 2:22-23Jer 11:19Act 23:15Act 25:3Dan 6:5Mat 12:19Mat 12:24
but they devise deceitful schemes
against those who live quietly in the land.
They gape at me and say, Luk 11:53-54Psa 22:13Psa 40:15Psa 70:3Psa 54:7Isa 9:12
“Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen!”
O LORD, You have seen it; be not silent. Exo 3:7Psa 10:1Psa 28:1Isa 65:6Psa 22:11Psa 38:21Psa 71:12Psa 22:19
O Lord, be not far from me.
Awake and rise to my defense, Psa 44:23Psa 7:6Psa 59:4Psa 89:26Isa 51:9Jhn 20:28Psa 142:5Psa 80:2
to my cause, my God and my Lord!
Vindicate me by Your righteousness, O LORD my God, Psa 43:1Psa 26:1Psa 7:82Th 1:6Psa 35:191Pe 2:22Job 20:5Psa 18:20-24
and do not let them gloat over me.
Let them not say in their hearts, Lam 2:16Mat 27:43Psa 124:31Co 15:542Sa 20:19Exo 15:9Job 1:5Mrk 2:6
“Aha, just what we wanted!”
Let them not say,
“We have swallowed him up!”
May those who gloat in my distress Job 8:22Psa 38:16Job 19:5Psa 132:18Isa 41:111Pe 5:5Dan 11:36Isa 65:13-15
be ashamed and confounded;
may those who exalt themselves over me
be clothed in shame and reproach.
May those who favor my vindication Jer 32:40-41Psa 149:4Psa 40:16Zep 3:17Pro 8:18Psa 70:4Psa 142:7Psa 147:11
shout for joy and gladness;
may they always say, “Exalted be the LORD
who delights in His servant’s well-being.”
Then my tongue will proclaim Your righteousness Psa 145:21Psa 71:24Psa 145:5Psa 51:14-15Psa 104:33-34Psa 34:1Psa 50:15Psa 71:15
and Your praises all day long.