Psalms 35:11-20
Psalms 35:11-21 The Message (MSG)
Hostile accusers appear out of nowhere, they stand up and badger me. They pay me back misery for mercy, leaving my soul empty. When they were sick, I dressed in black; instead of eating, I prayed. My prayers were like lead in my gut, like I’d lost my best friend, my brother. I paced, distraught as a motherless child, hunched and heavyhearted. But when I was down they threw a party! All the nameless misfits of the town came chanting insults about me. Like barbarians desecrating a shrine, they destroyed my reputation. GOD, how long are you going to stand there doing nothing? Save me from their brutalities; everything I’ve got is being thrown to the lions. I will give you full credit when everyone gathers for worship; When the people turn out in force I will say my Hallelujahs. Don’t let these liars, my enemies, have a party at my expense, Those who hate me for no reason, winking and rolling their eyes. No good is going to come from that crowd; They spend all their time cooking up gossip against those who mind their own business. They open their mouths in ugly grins, Mocking, “Ha-ha, ha-ha, thought you’d get away with it? We’ve caught you hands down!”
Psalms 35:11-20 King James Version (KJV)
False witnesses did rise up; They laid to my charge things that I knew not. They rewarded me evil for good To the spoiling of my soul. 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. I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother. But 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: With hypocritical mockers in feasts, They gnashed upon me with their teeth. Lord, how long wilt thou look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions. I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people. Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: Neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause. For they speak not peace: But they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.
Psalms 35:11-20 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
Malicious witnesses rise up; They ask me of things that I do not know. They repay me evil for good, To the bereavement of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fasting, And my prayer kept returning to my bosom. I went about as though it were my friend or brother; I bowed down mourning, as one who sorrows for a mother. But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered themselves together; The smiters whom I did not know gathered together against me, They slandered me without ceasing. Like godless jesters at a feast, They gnashed at me with their teeth. Lord, how long will You look on? Rescue my soul from their ravages, My only life from the lions. I will give You thanks in the great congregation; I will praise You among a mighty throng. Do not let those who are wrongfully my enemies rejoice over me; Nor let those who hate me without cause wink maliciously. For they do not speak peace, But they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.
Psalms 35:11-20 New Century Version (NCV)
Men without mercy stand up to testify. They ask me things I do not know. They repay me with evil for the good I have done, and they make me very sad. Yet when they were sick, I put on clothes of sadness and showed my sorrow by fasting. But my prayers were not answered. I acted as if they were my friends or brothers. I bowed in sadness as if I were crying for my mother. But when I was in trouble, they gathered and laughed; they gathered to attack before I knew it. They insulted me without stopping. They made fun of me and were cruel to me and ground their teeth at me in anger. Lord, how long will you watch this happen? Save my life from their attacks; save me from these people who are like lions. I will praise you in the great meeting. I will praise you among crowds of people. Do not let my enemies laugh at me; they hate me for no reason. Do not let them make fun of me; they have no cause to hate me. Their words are not friendly but are lies about peace-loving people.
Psalms 35:11-20 American Standard Version (ASV)
Unrighteous witnesses rise up; They ask me of things that I know not. They reward me evil for good, To the bereaving of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I afflicted my soul with fasting; And my prayer returned into mine own bosom. I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother: I bowed down mourning, as one that bewaileth his mother. But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: The abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; They did tear me, and ceased not: Like the profane mockers in feasts, They gnashed upon me with their teeth. Lord, how long wilt thou look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, My darling from the lions. I will give thee thanks in the great assembly: I will praise thee among much people. Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; Neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause. For they speak not peace; But they devise deceitful words against them that are quiet in the land.
Psalms 35:11-20 New International Version (NIV)
Ruthless witnesses come forward; they question me on things I know nothing about. They repay me evil for good and leave me like one bereaved. Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting. When my prayers returned to me unanswered, I went about mourning as though for my friend or brother. I bowed my head in grief as though weeping for my mother. But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee; assailants gathered against me without my knowledge. They slandered me without ceasing. Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked; they gnashed their teeth at me. How long, Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their ravages, my precious life from these lions. I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among the throngs I will praise you. Do not let those gloat over me who are my enemies without cause; do not let those who hate me without reason maliciously wink the eye. They do not speak peaceably, but devise false accusations against those who live quietly in the land.
Psalms 35:11-20 New King James Version (NKJV)
Fierce witnesses rise up; They ask me things that I do not know. They reward me evil for good, To the sorrow of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, My clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting; And my prayer would return to my own heart. I paced about as though he were my friend or brother; I bowed down heavily, as one who mourns for his mother. But in my adversity they rejoiced And gathered together; Attackers gathered against me, And I did not know it; They tore at me and did not cease; With ungodly mockers at feasts They gnashed at me with their teeth. Lord, how long will You look on? Rescue me from their destructions, My precious life from the lions. I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people. Let them not rejoice over me who are wrongfully my enemies; Nor let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause. For they do not speak peace, But they devise deceitful matters Against the quiet ones in the land.
Psalms 35:11-20 Amplified Bible (AMP)
Malicious witnesses rise up; They ask me of things that I do not know. They repay me evil for good, To the sorrow of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth (mourning garment); I humbled my soul with fasting, And I prayed with my head bowed on my chest. I behaved as if grieving for my friend or my brother; I bowed down in mourning, as one who sorrows for his mother. But in my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered together [against me]; The slanderers whom I did not know gathered against me; They slandered and reviled me without ceasing. Like godless jesters at a feast, They gnashed at me with their teeth [in malice]. ¶LORD, how long will You look on [without action]? Rescue my life from their destructions, My only life from the young lions. I will give You thanks in the great congregation; I will praise You among a mighty people. Do not let those who are wrongfully my enemies rejoice over me; Nor let those who hate me without cause wink their eye [maliciously]. [John 15:24, 25] For they do not speak peace, But they devise deceitful words [half-truths and lies] against those who are quiet in the land.
Psalms 35:11-20 New Living Translation (NLT)
Malicious witnesses testify against me. They accuse me of crimes I know nothing about. They repay me evil for good. I am sick with despair. Yet when they were ill, I grieved for them. I denied myself by fasting for them, but my prayers returned unanswered. I was sad, as though they were my friends or family, as if I were grieving for my own mother. But they are glad now that I am in trouble; they gleefully join together against me. I am attacked by people I don’t even know; they slander me constantly. They mock me and call me names; they snarl at me. How long, O Lord, will you look on and do nothing? Rescue me from their fierce attacks. Protect my life from these lions! Then I will thank you in front of the great assembly. I will praise you before all the people. Don’t let my treacherous enemies rejoice over my defeat. Don’t let those who hate me without cause gloat over my sorrow. They don’t talk of peace; they plot against innocent people who mind their own business.
Psalms 35:11-20 The Passion Translation (TPT)
They are malicious men, hostile witnesses of wrong. They rise up against me, accusers appearing out of nowhere. When I show them mercy, they bring me misery. I’m forsaken and forlorn, like a motherless child. I even prayed over them when they were sick. I was burdened and bowed low with fasting and interceded for their healing, and I didn’t stop praying. I grieved for them, heavyhearted, as though they were my dearest family members or my good friends who were sick, nearing death, needing prayer. But when I was the one who tripped up and stumbled, they came together to slander me, rejoicing in my time of trouble, tearing me to shreds with their lies and betrayal. These nameless ruffians, mocking me like godless fools at a feast— how they delight in throwing mud on my name. God, how long can you just stand there doing nothing? Now is the time to act. Rescue me from these brutal men, for I am being torn to shreds by these beasts who are out to get me. Save me from their rage, their cruel grasp. Then I will praise you wherever I go. And when everyone gathers for worship, I will lift up your praise with a shout in front of the largest crowd I can find! Don’t let those who fight me for no reason be victorious. Don’t let them succeed, these heartless haters who come against me with their gloating sneers. They are the ones who would never seek peace as friends, for they are ever devising deceit against the innocent ones who mind their own business.
Psalms 35:11-20 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)
Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know. They repay me evil for good; my soul is bereft. But I, when they were sick— I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed on my chest. I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother; as one who laments his mother, I bowed down in mourning. But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered; they gathered together against me; wretches whom I did not know tore at me without ceasing; like profane mockers at a feast, they gnash at me with their teeth. How long, O Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their destruction, my precious life from the lions! I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise you. Let not those rejoice over me who are wrongfully my foes, and let not those wink the eye who hate me without cause. For they do not speak peace, but against those who are quiet in the land they devise words of deceit.