Font Size
Psalm 34-36
New American Standard Bible
Psalm 34-36
New American Standard Bible
The Lord, a Provider and the One Who Rescues Me.
A Psalm of David, when he pretended to be insane before [a]Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.
34 I will (A)bless the Lord at all times;
His (B)praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul will (C)make its boast in the Lord;
The (D)humble will hear it and rejoice.
3 (E)Exalt the Lord with me,
And let’s (F)exalt His name together.
4 I (G)sought the Lord and He answered me,
And (H)rescued me from all my fears.
5 They (I)looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces will (J)never be ashamed.
6 This wretched man cried out, and (K)the Lord heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The (L)angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him,
And rescues them.
8 (M)Taste and see that the Lord is good;
How (N)blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
9 Fear the Lord, you (O)His saints;
For to those who fear Him there is (P)no lack of anything.
10 The young lions do without and suffer hunger;
But they who seek the Lord will (Q)not lack any good thing.
11 (R)Come, you children, listen to me;
(S)I will teach you (T)the fear of the Lord.
12 (U)Who is the person who desires life
And loves length of days, that he may (V)see good?
13 Keep (W)your tongue from evil
And your lips from speaking (X)deceit.
14 (Y)Turn from evil and do good;
Seek peace and (Z)pursue it.
15 The (AA)eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous,
And His ears are toward their cry for help.
16 The (AB)face of the Lord is against evildoers,
To (AC)eliminate the memory of them from the earth.
17 The righteous (AD)cry out, and the Lord hears
And rescues them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord (AE)is near to the (AF)brokenhearted
And saves those who are [b](AG)crushed in spirit.
19 (AH)The (AI)afflictions of the righteous are many,
But the Lord (AJ)rescues him from them all.
20 He protects all his bones,
(AK)Not one of them is broken.
21 (AL)Evil will bring death to the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous will suffer for their guilt.
22 The Lord (AM)redeems the souls of His servants,
And none of those who (AN)take refuge in Him will suffer for their guilt.
Prayer for Rescue from Enemies.
A Psalm of David.
35 Contend, Lord, with those who (AO)contend with me;
Fight against those who (AP)fight against me.
2 Take hold of [c](AQ)buckler and shield
And rise up as (AR)my help.
3 Draw also the spear and [d]the battle-axe to meet those who pursue me;
Say to my soul, “I am (AS)your salvation.”
4 Let those be (AT)ashamed and dishonored who seek my [e]life;
Let those be (AU)turned back and humiliated who devise evil against me.
5 Let them be (AV)like chaff before the wind,
With the angel of the Lord driving them on.
6 Let their way be dark and (AW)slippery,
With the angel of the Lord pursuing them.
7 For (AX)they (AY)hid their net for me without cause;
Without cause they dug a pit for my soul.
8 Let (AZ)destruction come upon him when he is unaware,
And (BA)let the net which he hid catch him;
Let him fall into that very (BB)destruction.
9 So my soul shall (BC)rejoice in the Lord;
It shall (BD)rejoice in His salvation.
10 All my (BE)bones will say, “Lord, (BF)who is like You,
Who rescues the afflicted from one (BG)who is too strong for him,
And (BH)the afflicted and the poor from one who robs him?”
11 (BI)Malicious witnesses rise up;
They ask me things that I do not know.
12 They (BJ)repay me evil for good,
To the bereavement of my soul.
13 But as for me, (BK)when they were sick, my (BL)clothing was sackcloth;
I (BM)humbled my soul with fasting,
But my (BN)prayer kept returning to [f]me.
14 I went about as though it were my friend or brother;
I (BO)bowed down [g]in mourning, like one who mourns for a mother.
15 But (BP)at my [h]stumbling they rejoiced and gathered themselves together;
The [i](BQ)afflicted people whom I did not know gathered together against me,
They [j](BR)slandered me without ceasing.
16 Like godless jesters at a feast,
They (BS)gnashed at me with their teeth.
17 Lord, (BT)how long will You look on?
Rescue my soul (BU)from their ravages,
My (BV)only life from the lions.
18 I will (BW)give You thanks in the great congregation;
I will (BX)praise You among a mighty people.
19 (BY)Do not let those who are wrongfully (BZ)my enemies rejoice over me;
Nor let those (CA)who hate me for no reason [k](CB)wink maliciously.
20 For they do not speak peace,
But they devise (CC)deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.
21 They (CD)opened their mouth wide against me;
They said, “(CE)Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen it!”
22 (CF)You have seen it, Lord, (CG)do not keep silent;
Lord, (CH)do not be far from me.
23 (CI)Stir Yourself, and awake to my right
And to my cause, my God and my Lord.
24 (CJ)Judge me, Lord my God, according to Your righteousness,
And (CK)do not let them rejoice over me.
25 Do not let them say in their heart, “(CL)Aha, our desire!”
Do not let them say, “We have (CM)swallowed him up!”
26 May (CN)those be ashamed and altogether humiliated who rejoice at my distress;
May those who (CO)exalt themselves over me be (CP)clothed with shame and dishonor.
27 May those (CQ)shout for joy and rejoice, who take delight in (CR)my vindication;
And (CS)may they say continually, “The Lord be exalted,
Who (CT)delights in the prosperity of His servant.”
28 And (CU)my tongue shall proclaim Your righteousness
And Your praise all day long.
Wickedness of Humanity and Goodness of God.
For the music director. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord.
36 [l]Wrongdoing speaks to the ungodly within [m]his heart;
There is (CV)no fear of God before his eyes.
2 For it (CW)flatters him in his own eyes
Concerning the discovery of his wrongful deed and the hatred of it.
3 The (CX)words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit;
He has (CY)ceased to [n]be wise and to do good.
4 He (CZ)plans wickedness on his bed;
He sets himself on a (DA)path that is not good;
He (DB)does not reject evil.
5 Your (DC)mercy, Lord, [o]extends to the heavens,
Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
6 Your (DD)righteousness is like the [p]mountains of God;
Your (DE)judgments are like the great deep.
Lord, You [q](DF)protect mankind and animals.
7 How (DG)precious is Your mercy, God!
And the sons of mankind (DH)take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
8 They (DI)drink their fill of the [r]abundance of Your house;
And You allow them to drink from the (DJ)river of Your delights.
9 For the (DK)fountain of life is with You;
In Your light we see light.
10 Prolong Your mercy to (DL)those who know You,
And Your (DM)righteousness to the upright of heart.
11 May the foot of pride not come upon me,
And may the hand of the wicked not drive me away.
12 Those who do injustice have fallen there;
They have been thrust down and (DN)cannot rise.
Footnotes
- Psalm 34 Title Possibly a title of King Achish of Gath, see 1 Sam 21:10-15
- Psalm 34:18 Or contrite
- Psalm 35:2 I.e., small shield
- Psalm 35:3 Or close up the path against those
- Psalm 35:4 Or soul
- Psalm 35:13 Lit my chest
- Psalm 35:14 Or dressed for mourning
- Psalm 35:15 Or limping
- Psalm 35:15 Or struck ones
- Psalm 35:15 Lit tore
- Psalm 35:19 Or wink the eye
- Psalm 36:1 Or Rebellion
- Psalm 36:1 Another reading is my heart
- Psalm 36:3 Or understand to do good
- Psalm 36:5 Lit is in
- Psalm 36:6 Or mighty mountains
- Psalm 36:6 Or help
- Psalm 36:8 Lit fatness
Psalm 34-36
New International Version
Psalm 34-36
New International Version
Psalm 34[a][b]
Of David. When he pretended to be insane(A) before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.
1 I will extol the Lord at all times;(B)
his praise will always be on my lips.
2 I will glory(C) in the Lord;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.(D)
3 Glorify the Lord(E) with me;
let us exalt(F) his name together.
4 I sought the Lord,(G) and he answered me;
he delivered(H) me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant;(I)
their faces are never covered with shame.(J)
6 This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.(K)
7 The angel of the Lord(L) encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers(M) them.
8 Taste and see that the Lord is good;(N)
blessed is the one who takes refuge(O) in him.
9 Fear the Lord,(P) you his holy people,
for those who fear him lack nothing.(Q)
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.(R)
11 Come, my children, listen(S) to me;
I will teach you(T) the fear of the Lord.(U)
12 Whoever of you loves life(V)
and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue(W) from evil
and your lips from telling lies.(X)
14 Turn from evil and do good;(Y)
seek peace(Z) and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord(AA) are on the righteous,(AB)
and his ears are attentive(AC) to their cry;
16 but the face of the Lord is against(AD) those who do evil,(AE)
to blot out their name(AF) from the earth.
17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears(AG) them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord is close(AH) to the brokenhearted(AI)
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
19 The righteous person may have many troubles,(AJ)
but the Lord delivers him from them all;(AK)
20 he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.(AL)
21 Evil will slay the wicked;(AM)
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord will rescue(AN) his servants;
no one who takes refuge(AO) in him will be condemned.
Psalm 35
Of David.
1 Contend,(AP) Lord, with those who contend with me;
fight(AQ) against those who fight against me.
2 Take up shield(AR) and armor;
arise(AS) and come to my aid.(AT)
3 Brandish spear(AU) and javelin[c](AV)
against those who pursue me.
Say to me,
“I am your salvation.(AW)”
4 May those who seek my life(AX)
be disgraced(AY) and put to shame;(AZ)
may those who plot my ruin
be turned back(BA) in dismay.
5 May they be like chaff(BB) before the wind,
with the angel of the Lord(BC) driving them away;
6 may their path be dark and slippery,
with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.
7 Since they hid their net(BD) for me without cause(BE)
and without cause dug a pit(BF) for me,
8 may ruin overtake them by surprise—(BG)
may the net they hid entangle them,
may they fall into the pit,(BH) to their ruin.
9 Then my soul will rejoice(BI) in the Lord
and delight in his salvation.(BJ)
10 My whole being will exclaim,
“Who is like you,(BK) Lord?
You rescue the poor from those too strong(BL) for them,
the poor and needy(BM) from those who rob them.”
11 Ruthless witnesses(BN) come forward;
they question me on things I know nothing about.
12 They repay me evil for good(BO)
and leave me like one bereaved.
13 Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth(BP)
and humbled myself with fasting.(BQ)
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
14 I went about mourning(BR)
as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
as though weeping for my mother.
15 But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;(BS)
assailants gathered against me without my knowledge.
They slandered(BT) me without ceasing.
16 Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;[d](BU)
they gnashed their teeth(BV) at me.
17 How long,(BW) Lord, will you look on?
Rescue me from their ravages,
my precious life(BX) from these lions.(BY)
18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly;(BZ)
among the throngs(CA) I will praise you.(CB)
19 Do not let those gloat over me
who are my enemies(CC) without cause;
do not let those who hate me without reason(CD)
maliciously wink the eye.(CE)
20 They do not speak peaceably,
but devise false accusations(CF)
against those who live quietly in the land.
21 They sneer(CG) at me and say, “Aha! Aha!(CH)
With our own eyes we have seen it.”
22 Lord, you have seen(CI) this; do not be silent.
Do not be far(CJ) from me, Lord.
23 Awake,(CK) and rise(CL) to my defense!
Contend(CM) for me, my God and Lord.
24 Vindicate me in your righteousness, Lord my God;
do not let them gloat(CN) over me.
25 Do not let them think, “Aha,(CO) just what we wanted!”
or say, “We have swallowed him up.”(CP)
26 May all who gloat(CQ) over my distress(CR)
be put to shame(CS) and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over me(CT)
be clothed with shame and disgrace.
27 May those who delight in my vindication(CU)
shout for joy(CV) and gladness;
may they always say, “The Lord be exalted,
who delights(CW) in the well-being of his servant.”(CX)
Psalm 36[e]
For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord.
1 I have a message from God in my heart
concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:[f](DA)
There is no fear(DB) of God
before their eyes.(DC)
2 In their own eyes they flatter themselves
too much to detect or hate their sin.(DD)
3 The words of their mouths(DE) are wicked and deceitful;(DF)
they fail to act wisely(DG) or do good.(DH)
4 Even on their beds they plot evil;(DI)
they commit themselves to a sinful course(DJ)
and do not reject what is wrong.(DK)
5 Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness(DL) to the skies.(DM)
6 Your righteousness(DN) is like the highest mountains,(DO)
your justice like the great deep.(DP)
You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.(DQ)
7 How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!(DR)
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.(DS)
8 They feast on the abundance of your house;(DT)
you give them drink from your river(DU) of delights.(DV)
9 For with you is the fountain of life;(DW)
in your light(DX) we see light.
Footnotes
- Psalm 34:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
- Psalm 34:1 In Hebrew texts 34:1-22 is numbered 34:2-23.
- Psalm 35:3 Or and block the way
- Psalm 35:16 Septuagint; Hebrew may mean Like an ungodly circle of mockers,
- Psalm 36:1 In Hebrew texts 36:1-12 is numbered 36:2-13.
- Psalm 36:1 Or A message from God: The transgression of the wicked / resides in their hearts.
Psalm 34-36
King James Version
Psalm 34-36
King James Version
34 I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
3 O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
5 They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
8 O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
9 O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.
10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.
11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.
20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
21 Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
22 The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.
35 Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.
3 Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.
4 Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.
5 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord chase them.
6 Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the Lord persecute them.
7 For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.
8 Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.
9 And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
10 All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?
11 False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.
12 They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.
13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.
14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.
15 But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:
16 With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
17 Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.
18 I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.
19 Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.
20 For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.
21 Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.
22 This thou hast seen, O Lord: 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.
36 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
2 For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.
3 The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.
4 He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.
5 Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.
6 Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O Lord, thou preservest man and beast.
7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.
9 For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.
10 O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart.
11 Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked remove me.
12 There are the workers of iniquity fallen: they are cast down, and shall not be able to rise.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.