The big picture
Psalms 35 opens in verse 1 with “Plead my cause, O LORD , with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 14 with “I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as…”, and closes in verse 28 with “And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, soul, cause, rejoice, angel. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Psalms · King James Version · 28Psalms 35:1-7
1–7: Plead my cause, O LORD , with them that strive with me: fight against…
Psalms 35:1–7 opens with “Plead my cause, O LORD , with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against…” and reaches “For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Psalms 35 develops its own movement around LORD, soul, cause, rejoice, angel, with particular weight carried by cause, LORD, soul.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Plead my cause, O LORD , with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.” Naming Plead keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Psalms 35:1-7
King James Version1Plead my cause, O LORD , with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
2Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.
3Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.
4Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.
5Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.
6Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.
7For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.
Psalms 35:8-14
8–14: Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath…
Psalms 35:8–14 opens with “Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into…” and reaches “I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Psalms 35 develops its own movement around LORD, soul, cause, rejoice, angel, with particular weight carried by soul, destruction, LORD.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction…” The line’s distinctive content terms include destruction, catch, fall. Its relationship to verses 9 shows what work it does in this passage.
Psalms 35:8-14
King James Version8Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.
9And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD : it shall rejoice in his salvation.
10All my bones shall say, LORD , who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?
11False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.
12They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.
13But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.
14I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.
Psalms 35:15-21
15–21: In mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea…
Psalms 35:15–21 opens with “But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered…” and reaches “Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Psalms 35 develops its own movement around LORD, soul, cause, rejoice, angel, with particular weight carried by gathered, abjects, adversity.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together…” The line’s distinctive content terms include gathered, abjects, adversity. Its relationship to verses 16 shows what work it does in this passage.
Psalms 35:15-21
King James Version15But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:
16With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
17Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.
18I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.
19Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.
20For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.
21Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.
Psalms 35:22-28
22–28: This thou hast seen, O LORD : keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from…
Psalms 35:22–28 opens with “This thou hast seen, O LORD : keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.” and reaches “And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Psalms 35 develops its own movement around LORD, soul, cause, rejoice, angel, with particular weight carried by LORD, cause, rejoice.
Context that brings the passage to life
“This thou hast seen, O LORD : keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.” The verse names Lord rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.
“Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.” The verse names God and Lord rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.
Psalms 35:22-28
King James Version22This thou hast seen, O LORD : keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.
23Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.
24Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.
25Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
26Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.
27Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
28And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Psalms 35:1 begins with “Plead my cause, O LORD , with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.”
Where the chapter turns
Psalms 35:13 forms a natural hinge: “But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.”
The final note
Psalms 35:28 leaves the reader with “And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, soul, cause, rejoice, angel, confusion help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What does the return to Bethel require beyond travel?
The removal of foreign gods and a renewed orientation toward the God who answered Jacob.
Which relationships are remembered at Isaac's burial?
Both sons participate, despite their long history of rivalry.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
- hath
- has
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.