Psalms 35:23

: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me. 23 Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord. 24 Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me. 25 Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up. 26 Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me. 27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. 28 And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long. In these verses, as before, I. David describes the great injustice, malice, and insolence, of his persecutors, pleading this with God as a reason why he should protect him from them and appear against them. 1. They were very unrighteous; they were his enemies wrongfully, for he never gave them any provocation: They hated him without a cause; nay, for that for which they ought rather to have loved and honoured him. This is quoted, with application to Christ, and is said to be fulfilled in him. John xv. 25, They hated me without cause. 2.

35:17-28 Though the people of God are, and study to be, quiet, yet it has been common for their enemies to devise deceitful matters against them. David prays, My soul is in danger, Lord, rescue it; it belongs to thee the Father of spirits, therefore claim thine own; it is thine, save it! Lord, be not far from me, as if I were a stranger. He who exalted the once suffering Redeemer, will appear for all his people: the roaring lion shall not destroy their souls, any more than he could that of Christ, their Surety. They trust their souls in his hands, they are one with him by faith, are precious in his sight, and shall be rescued from destruction, that they may give thanks in heaven.

Stir up thyself and awake,.... Who seemed to be asleep in the apprehensions of the psalmist, and to take no notice of his distresses, and the insults of his enemies; see Psalm 44:23 ; he adds, to my judgment, even to my cause; that is, to plead it and maintain it, and avenge him of his enemies, as in Psalm 35:1; making use of his covenant interest in him as a plea for it to engage him to do it, saying, my God, and my Lord; see Psalm 22:1.

Verse 23. - Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment (camp. Psalm 80:2 ; Psalm 44:23 ; Psalm 78:65 ). The psalmists call on God to awake, not as though he were really asleep, but as a sort of stirring appeal to him to arise and manifest himself. Even unto my cause, my God and my Lord. "Awake," i.e. , "to judge my cause - to acquit me, and condemn my enemies" (camp. Psalm 9:4 ; Psalm 35:1 ; Psalm 43:1 , etc.). Psalm 35:23

Stir up thyself - Arouse thyself as if from sleep. See Psalm 44:23 . And awake to my judgment - To execute judgment for me, or to render me justice. A similar petition (almost in the same words) occurs in Psalm 7:6. See the notes at that passage. Even unto my cause - In my behalf; or, in the cause which so nearly pertains to me.

The poet takes up this malignant "now our eye sees it" and gives another turn to it. With יהוה, alternates in Psalm 35:22 , Psalm 35:23 , cf. Psalm 35:17 , אדני, the pronominal force of which is revived in the combination אלחי ואדני (vid., Psalm 16:2 ). חעיר, carrying its object within itself, signifies to stir, rouse up, and הקיץ, to break off, tear one's self away, gather one's self up from, sleep. "To my right," viz., to prove it by facts; "to my cause," to carry it on in my defence.

[Hymns] 15 But in my trouble they rejoic'd, gath'ring themselves together; Yea, abjects vile together did themselves against me gather: I knew it not; they did me tear, and quiet would not be. 16 With mocking hypocrites, at feasts they gnash'd their teeth at me. 17 How long, Lord, look'st thou on? from those destructions they intend Rescue my soul, from lions young my darling do defend. 18 I will give thanks to thee, O Lord, within th' assembly great; And where much people gather'd are thy praises forth will set. 19 Let not my wrongful enemies proudly rejoice o'er me; Nor who me hate without a cause, let them wink with the eye. 20 For peace they do not speak at all; but crafty plots prepare Against all those within the land that meek and quiet are. 21 With mouths set wide, they 'gainst me said, Ha, ha! our eye doth see. 22 Lord, thou hast seen, hold not thy peace; Lord, be not far from me. 23 Stir up thyself; wake, that thou may'st judgment to me afford, Ev'n to my cause, O thou that art my only God and Lord. 24 O Lord my God, do thou me judge after thy righteousness; And let them not their joy 'gainst me triumphantly express: 25 Nor let them say within their hearts, Ah, we would have it thus; Nor suffer them to say, that he is swallow'd up by us. 26 Sham'd and confounded be they all that at my hurt are glad; Let those against me that do boast with shame and scorn be clad.