Psalms 35:1
in Psalms 35Contend with my opponents, O LORD; fight against those who fight against me.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Strive thou, O Jehovah, with them that strive with me: Fight thou against them that fight against me.
KJV
Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
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This verse in Psalms 35
Commentary
12 notes on this verseThis statement, as has been noted, refers to the devil and his followers.… For when he gives the command, "pray for your enemies," this statement does not apply to people. Thus, he asks that they be condemned whom he knows by virtue of his foreknowledge …
This site's exposition
Contend with my opponents
on Psalms 35:1-3
Verse 1 asks for a legal plea and a fight in one breath, contend with my opponents and fight against those who fight against me. God is handed a soldier's kit, shield, buckler and spear. Verse 3 ends with a word for the soul, I am your salvation.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
He who conquers in war reduces the enemies to slavery: Christ has overcome the world. Hence, … all become his servants.
"Judge Thou, O Lord" (saith he), "them that hurt me, and fight Thou against them that fight against me" (ver. 1). "If God be for us, who can be against us?" And whereby doth God this for us? "Take hold" (saith he) "of arms and shield, and rise up to my help" (ver. 2). A great spectacle is it, to see God armed for thee. And what is His Shield, what are His Arms? "Lord," in another place saith the man who here also speaketh, "as with the shield of Thy good-will hast Thou compassed us." But His Arms, wherewith He may not only us defend, but also strike His enemies, if we have well profited, shall we ourselves be. For as we from Him have this, that we be armed, so is He armed from us. But He is armed from those whom He hath made, we are armed with those things which we have received from Him who made us. These our arms the Apostle in a certain place calleth, "The shield of Faith, the helmet of Salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." He hath armed us with such arms as ye have heard, arms admirable, and unconquered, insuperable and shining; spiritual truly and invisible, because we have to fight also against invisible enemies. If thou seest thine enemy, let thine arms be seen. We are armed with faith in those things which we see not, and we overthrow enemies whom we see not. ...
The Medieval Church1 voice
In the preceding Psalms, the dignity of the just has been manifested; here, however, help is implored against the persecutions of the wicked; and regarding this he does three things. First, he asks for divine help against persecuting sinners. Second, he confesses that he suffers …
The Reformation1 voice
In the first place, by appealing to God for his aid in defense of his cause, he intimates, that he has to do with wicked and maligning men. In the second place, by urging him to take up arms, he shows that he was grievously oppressed.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me,.... Meaning Saul and his courtiers; concerning whom he elsewhere desires that the Lord would judge between them, plead his cause, and deliver him; as he accordingly did, and maintained it, and the righteousness of it, 1Sa 24:12. So Christ pleaded not his own cause as man, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously; and his people leave their cause with him, who is their advocate, and is able to plead it thoroughly; and does plead it against wicked and ungodly men, who unrighteously charge them; against.
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Note, A righteous cause may, with the greatest satisfaction imaginable, he laid before a righteous God, and referred to him to give judgment upon it; for he perfectly knows the merits of it, holds the balance exactly even, and with him there is no respect of persons.
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
"Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me." Plead against those who plead against me; strive with my strivers; contend with my contenders. If they urge their suit in the law-court, Lord, meet them there, and beat them at their own weapons. Every saint of God shall have this privilege: the accuser of the brethren shall be met by the Advocate of the saints. "Fight against them that fight against me." If my adversaries try force as well as fraud, be a match for them; oppose thy strength to their strength.
"Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me." Plead against those who plead against me; strive with my strivers; contend with my contenders. If they urge their suit in the law-court, Lord, meet them there, and beat them at their own weapons. Every saint of God shall have this privilege: the accuser of the brethren shall be met by the Advocate of the saints. "Fight against them that fight against me." If my adversaries try force as well as fraud, be a match for them; oppose thy strength to their strength. Jesus does this for all his beloved—for them he is both intercessor and champion; whatever aid they need they shall receive from him, and in whatever manner they are assaulted they shall be effectually defended. Let us not fail to leave our case into the Lord's hand. Vain is the help of man, but ever effectual is the interposition of heaven. What is here asked for as a boon, may be regarded as a promise, to all the saints; in judgment they shall have a divine advocate, in warfare a divine protection.
Plead my cause, O Lord - Literally, Contend, Lord, with then that contend with me. The word is often used in a forensic or law sense.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Plead my cause, O Lord - The word “plead” means, properly, to argue in support of a claim, or against the claim of another; to urge reasons for or against; to attempt to persuade one by argument or supplication; as, to plead for the life of a criminal, that is, to urge reasons why he should be acquitted or pardoned; and then, to supplicate with earnestness in any way. The original word used here - רוב rûb - means to contend, strive, quarrel; and then, to contend before a judge, to manage or plead a cause. The idea here is, that the psalmist desires that God would undertake his cause against those who had risen up against him, as if it were managed before a tribunal, or before a judge, and God should be the advocate. The same word is used, in another form, in the other member of the sentence - “with them that strive - יריבי yârı̂ybāy - against me.” The idea is, that they were “pleading” against him, or were urging arguments, as it were, before a tribunal or a judge, why he should be condemned. They were his bitter opponents, engaged in bringing all manner of false accusations against him, and seeking his condemnation. The psalmist felt that he could not manage his own cause against them; and he, therefore, pleads with God that He would interpose, and stand up for him. Fight against them that fight against me - The same idea substantially occurs here as in the former member of the verse. It is a prayer that God would undertake his cause; that He would exert His power against those who were opposed to him.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
O Lord, strive with those who strive against me Make a quarrel with those who make quarrels with me.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| רִיבָ֣ה | rivah | contend ! | H7378 → | 67 times |
| יְ֭הוָה | yahweh | O Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | with | H854 → | 929 times |
| יְרִיבַ֑י | yerivai | opponents my | H3401 → | |
| לְ֝חַ֗ם | lecham | fight | H3898 → | 177 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | with | H854 → | 929 times |
| לֹֽחֲמָֽי׃ | lochamai | [those who] fight with me | H3898 → | 177 times |
רִיבָ֣הcontend !
rivahH7378 →67 times
יְ֭הוָהO Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶת־with
ʾet-H854 →929 times
יְרִיבַ֑יopponents my
yerivaiH3401 →
לְ֝חַ֗םfight
lechamH3898 →177 times
אֶת־with
ʾet-H854 →929 times
לֹֽחֲמָֽי׃[those who] fight with me
lochamaiH3898 →177 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 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…
it leads to
- Isaiah 54:15–17
If anyone attacks you, it is not from Me; whoever assails you will fall before you.
- Isaiah 35:4
Say to those with anxious hearts: “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance. With divine retribution He will come to save you.”
- Isaiah 41:11–12
Behold, all who rage against you will be ashamed and disgraced; those who contend with you will be reduced to nothing and will perish.
- Jeremiah 50:33–34
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “The sons of Israel are oppressed, and the sons of Judah as well. All their captors hold them fast, refusing to release them.
- Isaiah 54:13
Then all your sons will be taught by the LORD, and great will be their prosperity.
- Isaiah 54:15–17
Through
Psalms 43:1Vindicate me, O God, and plead my case against an ungodly nation; deliver me from deceitful and unjust men.
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 24:15
May 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.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 7:8
The LORD judges the peoples; vindicate me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and integrity.
- Psalms 26:1
Vindicate me, O LORD! For I have walked with integrity; I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.
- 1 Samuel 24:15
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Psalms
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 35; Cassiodorus, EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 35:1; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 2; Evagrius Ponticus, NOTES ON THE PSALMS 34[35].2; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.