By David. Contend, Yahweh, with those who contend with me. Fight against those who fight against me.
Parallel translations
- KJV Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
- BSB Of David. Contend with my opponents, O LORD; fight against those who fight against me.
- NKJV Plead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me; Fight against those who fight against me.
- NASB Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me; Fight against those who fight against me.
- NLT O Lord, oppose those who oppose me. Fight those who fight against me.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David asks the Lord to contend and fight against those who oppose and attack him.
Overview
This psalm opens as a cry for divine help against unjust enemies, asking God to take up David's cause. He commits his defense to the Lord rather than to personal vengeance. Such reliance on God as defender points to Christ, who entrusted himself to the one who judges justly.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Ps 43:1Vindicate me, God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation. Oh, deliver me from deceitful and wicked men.
- Jer 51:36Therefore Yahweh says: “Behold, I will plead your cause, and take vengeance for you. I will dry up her sea, and make her fountain dry.
- Ps 119:154Plead my cause, and redeem me! Revive me according to your promise.
- Isa 49:25But Yahweh says, “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the plunder retrieved from the fierce; for I will contend with him who contends with you, and I will save your children.
- Prov 23:11for their Defender is strong. He will plead their case against you.
- Prov 22:23for Yahweh will plead their case, and plunder the life of those who plunder them.
- Lam 3:58Lord, you have pleaded the causes of my soul; you have redeemed my life.
- 1 Sam 24:15May Yahweh therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand.”
- Acts 5:39But if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow it, and you would be found even to be fighting against God!”
- Exod 14:25He took off their chariot wheels, and they drove them heavily; so that the Egyptians said, “Let’s flee from the face of Israel, for Yahweh fights for them against the Egyptians!”
- Mic 7:9I will bear the indignation of Yahweh, because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my case, and executes judgment for me. He will bring me out to the light. I will see his righteousness.
- Acts 23:9A great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ part stood up, and contended, saying, “We find no evil in this man. But if a spirit or angel has spoken to him, let’s not fight against God!”
- Neh 4:20Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally there to us. Our God will fight for us.”
- Josh 10:42Joshua took all these kings and their land at one time, because Yahweh, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 35:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.