By David.
There were three different enemies who were attacking David. He wrote three funeral songs (lamentations) for his enemies, because he knew that Jehovah would protect him.
35:1 O Lord, fight those who fight with me! Attack those who attack me!
There were evil men who were fighting against David. This was a violation of the Davidic Covenant. David was Jehovah’s anointed king who will rule Israel for 1,000 years during the Millennial Kingdom. These enemies go David would receive the kind-for-kind judgment. David asked Jehovah to attack those who were attacking him.
35:2 Grab your small shield and large shield, and rise up to help me!
David asked Jehovah to grab His shields and protect David.
35:3 Use your spear and lance against those who chase me! Assure me with these words: “I am your deliverer!”
David asked Jehovah to use His spear and lance against his attackers.
35:4 May those who seek my life be embarrassed and humiliated! May those who plan to harm me be turned back and ashamed!
David asked Jehovah to embarrass and humiliate his attackers.
35:5 May they be like wind-driven chaff, as the Lord’s angel attacks them!
The Angel of the Lord was the pre-incarnate Lord Jesus Christ. David asked the Angel of the Lord to blow them away just as wind blows away chaff. The chaff is the part of wheat which is worthless to eat. It is only good for burning fires. Unbelievers are like chaff who will burn eternally in the Lake of Fire.
35:6 May their path be dark and slippery, as the Lord’s angel chases them!
David asked Jehovah to make their escape path dark and slippery so that the Angel of the Lord could chase them down.
35:7 I did not harm them, but they hid a net to catch me and dug a pit to trap me.
David had done no harm to these evil men. However, they attempted to capture David and throw him into a pit.
35:8 Let destruction take them by surprise! Let the net they hid catch them! Let them fall into destruction!
David asked that the Davidic Covenant be reversed. He wanted his enemies to be destroyed by their own net.
35:9 Then I will rejoice in the Lord and be happy because of his deliverance.
After Jehovah delivers David, then David will rejoice and be happy.
10 With all my strength I will say, “O Lord, who can compare to you? You rescue the oppressed from those who try to overpower them; the oppressed and needy from those who try to rob them.”
David will praise Jehovah for His omnipotent ability to overpower the enemy and rescue the oppressed.
35:11 Violent men perjure themselves, and falsely accuse me.
Violent men were accusing David of false charges. This was a violation of the Davidic Covenant. These men will receive a kind-for-kind judgment.
35:12 They repay me evil for the good I have done; I am overwhelmed with sorrow.
David did good things for these evil men, but they repaid him with evil.
35:13 When they were sick, I wore sackcloth, and refrained from eating food. (If I am lying, may my prayers go unanswered!)
When these evil men were sick, David prayed and fasted for them.
35:14 I mourned for them as I would for a friend or my brother. I bowed down in sorrow as if I were mourning for my mother.
David mourned for these sick men, just as though they were his own family members and friends.
35:15 But when I stumbled, they rejoiced and gathered together; they gathered together to ambush me. They tore at me without stopping to rest.
David prayed, fasted, and mourned for these evil men. When David stumbled, they rejoiced at David’s fall. They joined together and ambushed him. They tore at David with their claws unceasingly.
35:16 When I tripped, they taunted me relentlessly, and tried to bite me.
When David tripped and fell, these evil men taunted David and attempted to bite him and cause him injury.
35:17 O Lord, how long are you going to just stand there and watch this? Rescue me from their destructive attacks; guard my life from the young lions!
David asked Jehovah to quit standing around and come down from heaven and help him from being devoured by these young lions.
35:18 Then I will give you thanks in the great assembly; I will praise you before a large crowd of people!
After Jehovah saves David, then David will praise him in front of the assembly of Israel.
35:19 Do not let those who are my enemies for no reason gloat over me! Do not let those who hate me without cause carry out their wicked schemes!
David asked Jehovah to protect his life so that his enemies would not be able to gloat about defeating and killing the Lord’s anointed king.
35:20 For they do not try to make peace with others, but plan ways to deceive those who are unsuspecting.
The enemies of David were not interested in making peace. Those who live in the satanic world system are depraved and evil. It is their nature to steal, kill, and destroy. They plan on how they can kill, rape, and plunder weaker people.
Whenever a government attempts to reform a criminal, then they will fail. The criminal is totally depraved and evil, so he cannot be changed by secular humanist methods of the satanic world system.
Whenever a government attempts to make a peace treaty with another nation, then they will fail. The leaders of these other nations are totally depraved and evil. They will make treaties, but they will break them when it is to their advantage. They are going to hope that governments are foolish enough to trust their written words.
35:21 They are ready to devour me; they say, “Aha! Aha! We’ve got you!”
The enemies of David say nice things to him, but they are planning to devour him. Then, they will laugh at David for being so foolish as to have listened to them. Many modern nations without Bible doctrine make this same mistake today.
35:22 But you take notice, Lord! O Lord, do not remain far away from me!
David asked Jehovah to take notice of the motives of these evil men. He asked Jehovah to stay close to him and protect him.
35:23 Rouse yourself, wake up and vindicate me! My God and Lord, defend my just cause!
David asked Jehovah to wake up, judge David’s motives, and defend his cause.
35:24 Vindicate me by your justice, O Lord my God! Do not let them gloat over me!
David asked God once again to judge his motives and to bring justice to him. He asked Jehovah to act so that these enemies would not gloat over the defeat of David.
35:25 Do not let them say to themselves, “Aha! We have what we wanted!” Do not let them say, “We have devoured him!”
David asked Jehovah to defeat his enemies so that they would not be able to gloat to others.
35:26 May those who want to harm me be totally embarrassed and ashamed! May those who arrogantly taunt me be covered with shame and humiliation!
David asked Jehovah to embarrass and humiliate his enemies.
35:27 May those who desire my vindication shout for joy and rejoice! May they continually say, “May the Lord be praised, for he wants his servant to be secure.”
When Jehovah saves David, then his friends will shout for joy and praise Jehovah.
35:28 Then I will tell others about your justice, and praise you all day long.
After David is saved from his enemies by Jehovah, then he will tell others about Jehovah. He will praise Jehovah all day long.