Of David. Contend with my opponents, O LORD; fight against those who fight against me.
Parallel translations
- WEB By David. Contend, Yahweh, with those who contend with me. Fight against those who fight against me.
- KJV Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that 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, O God, and plead my case against an ungodly nation; deliver me from deceitful and unjust men.
- Jer 51:36Therefore this is what the LORD says: “Behold, I will plead your case and take vengeance on your behalf; I will dry up her sea and make her springs run dry.
- Ps 119:154Defend my cause and redeem me; revive me according to Your word.
- Isa 49:25Indeed, this is what the LORD says: “Even the captives of the mighty will be taken away, and the plunder of the tyrant will be retrieved; I will contend with those who contend with you, and I will save your children.
- Prov 23:11for their Redeemer is strong; He will take up their case against you.
- Prov 22:23for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who rob them.
- Lam 3:58You defend my cause, O Lord; You redeem my life.
- 1 Sam 24:15May the LORD be our judge and decide between you and me. May He take notice and plead my case and deliver me from your hand.”
- Acts 5:39But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God.”
- Exod 14:25He caused their chariot wheels to wobble, so that they had difficulty driving. “Let us flee from the Israelites,” said the Egyptians, “for the LORD is fighting for them against Egypt!”
- Mic 7:9Because I have sinned against Him, I must endure the rage of the LORD, until He argues my case and executes justice for me. He will bring me into the light; I will see His righteousness.
- Acts 23:9A great clamor arose, and some scribes from the party of the Pharisees got up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”
- Neh 4:20Wherever you hear the sound of the horn, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!”
- Josh 10:42And because the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel, Joshua captured all these kings and their land in one campaign.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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.