Contend with My Opponents, O LORD

David begins by asking the LORD to enter the conflict personally, taking up shield, spear, and javelin against his pursuers and assuring him of salvation. He asks that those who seek his life fall into shame, darkness, and the very ruin they prepared for him without cause, so that his own soul and even his bones may rejoice in the LORD who rescues the weak and needy from overpowering enemies.

O¹f David. ²Take up Your shield and buckler; ³Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers; ⁴May those who seek my life ⁵May they be like chaff in the wind, ⁶May their path be dark and slick, ⁷For without cause they laid their net for me; ⁸May ruin befall them by surprise; ⁹Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD ¹⁰All my bones will exclaim,

The psalm turns to the cruelty of false witnesses who repay David evil for good, leaving him desolate. He remembers how he fasted, grieved, and prayed for them when they were sick as though for a friend or brother, yet when he stumbled they gathered joyfully around him, mocked him viciously, and tore at him without ceasing, prompting his cry for the Lord to look, rescue, and receive public thanks in the assembly.

¹¹Hostile witnesses come forward; ¹²They repay me evil for good, ¹³Yet when they were ill, ¹⁴I paced about ¹⁵But when I stumbled, they assembled in glee; ¹⁶Like godless jesters at a feast, ¹⁷How long, O Lord, will You look on? ¹⁸Then I will give You thanks in the great assembly;

David asks that enemies not gloat or wink maliciously over his downfall, because they do not speak peace but devise deceit against the quiet in the land. Since the LORD has seen their open-mouthed accusations, David pleads for God not to remain silent but to awake, judge, vindicate him in righteousness, and bring shame and confusion on all who rejoice over his hurt.

¹⁹Let not my enemies gloat over me without cause, ²⁰For they do not speak peace, ²¹They gape at me and say, ²²O LORD, You have seen it; be not silent. ²³Awake and rise to my defense, ²⁴Vindicate me by Your righteousness, O LORD my God, ²⁵Let them not say in their hearts, ²⁶May those who gloat in my distress

The psalm ends by asking that those who favor David's vindication shout for joy and continually say that the LORD is great and delights in the welfare of his servant. In response, David's own tongue will proclaim God's righteousness and praise him all day long.

²⁷May those who favor my vindication ²⁸Then my tongue will proclaim Your righteousness