Psalms 35

“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.

“Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.” Naming Take keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.” Naming Draw keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that…” The line’s distinctive content terms include back, confounded, confusion. Its relationship to verses 3 and 5 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.” The line’s distinctive content terms include angel, chaff, chase. Its relationship to verses 4 and 6 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.” The line’s distinctive content terms include angel, dark, LORD. Its relationship to verses 5 and 7 shows what work it does in this passage.

“For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“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.

“And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD : it shall rejoice in his salvation.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“All my bones shall say, LORD , who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.” The line’s distinctive content terms include evil, good, rewarded. Its relationship to verses 11 and 13 shows what work it does in this passage.

“But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned…” The line’s distinctive content terms include bosom, clothing, fasting. Its relationship to verses 12 and 14 shows what work it does in this passage.

“I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his…” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“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.

“With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.” The line’s distinctive content terms include feasts, gnashed, hypocritical. Its relationship to verses 15 and 17 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.” The line’s distinctive content terms include congregation, people, praise. Its relationship to verses 17 and 19 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without…” The line’s distinctive content terms include cause, enemies, hate. Its relationship to verses 18 and 20 shows what work it does in this passage.

“For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.” Naming Aha and Yea keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“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.

“Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.” Naming Judge keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.” The line’s distinctive content terms include hearts, swallowed. Its relationship to verses 24 and 26 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and…” The line’s distinctive content terms include ashamed, clothed, confusion. Its relationship to verses 25 and 27 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be…” The line’s distinctive content terms include cause, continually, favour. Its relationship to verses 26 and 28 shows what work it does in this passage.

“And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.