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Psalm 35 Bible study: Evil for good
The man who prays "Contend, LORD, with those who contend with me" (Psalm 35:1) says that when those who now "reward me evil for good" were sick, he wore sackcloth and fasted for them (Psalm 35:12-13). And his "those who hate me without a cause" (Psalm 35:19) is, in Hebrew, the same words as Psalm 69:4: words Jesus says are written (John 15:25).
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“My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long.”
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“In Psalm 35 the psalmist says that when those who repaid him evil for good were sick, he wore sackcloth and fasted.”
Is that in Psalm 35, or not? Make your call.
What's really going on
A court case, and a battle
Psalm 35 is titled "By David" (35:1). Here is what almost everyone misses: it opens and closes with a case at law. "Contend, LORD, with those who contend with me" (35:1). Contend is riv, which Brown-Driver-Briggs gives as "strive, contend" and Strong's as "to wrangle, i.e. hold a controversy" (tap contend). Those who contend with me is another word from the same root, yariv, which Brown-Driver-Briggs gives as "opponent, adversary". Near the end the psalmist asks again: "My Lord, contend for me!" (35:23). There contend is the noun riv, which Strong's gives as "a contest (personal or legal)". In between come "Unrighteous witnesses" (35:11) (tap witnesses), and a plea for a verdict: "Vindicate me, LORD my God, according to your righteousness" (35:24), where vindicate is shafat, which Brown-Driver-Briggs gives as "judge, govern". The psalm pictures a battle too: "Take hold of shield and buckler" (35:2), "Brandish the spear" (35:3). In both pictures it is the LORD the psalmist asks to act.
Honest questions
Questions people ask about Psalm 35
That was a taste
The rest of Psalm 35 is waiting in Favor
- Evil for good
- Who rejoices, and who sees
- Three times, praise
- Hated without a cause
- The same prayer in Psalms 40 and 70
- Those who contend with me, in Jeremiah and Isaiah
- 10 questions as you read
- 12 more Hebrew words
- A short check at the end
- Your notes, saved as you go
Favor reads the Bible in order, so you'll reach Psalm 35 with everything before it in view. First week free, then $10 a month per person.
The Hebrew word behind it
רִיבrivsay REEV
Brown-Driver-Briggs: "strive, contend". Strong's: "to wrangle, i.e. hold a controversy". "Contend, LORD, with those who contend with me" (35:1). The first contend is this verb, spoken to the LORD; those who contend with me is yerivai, from yariv, which Brown-Driver-Briggs gives as "opponent, adversary". Near the end the psalmist asks, "My Lord, contend for me!" (35:23), where contend is the noun riv, which Brown-Driver-Briggs gives as "strife, dispute". The Psalms have the verb five times. Three times it stands with the noun: "plead my cause" (Psalm 43:1), "Plead your own cause" (Psalm 74:22), and "Plead my cause, and redeem me!" (Psalm 119:154).
For your group
Psalm 35 Bible study questions
- 1"They reward me evil for good" (35:12). Have you ever done good to someone and had it paid back with harm? What did you do with it, and what does this psalm do with it?
- 2"When they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth" (35:13). The psalmist mourned for people who later turned on him. Who is someone hard to love that you could pray for this week?
- 3"Tell my soul, “I am your salvation.”" (35:3). If you heard that said to you this week, what would change in how you face the thing that troubles you most?
Leading a group? In Favor, everyone reads Psalm 35 during the week and answers these questions privately. Answers stay sealed until you meet, then appear together, and you can print the week's sheet.
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Questions
What is Favor?
Favor is a Bible study app that explains every chapter as you read: the Hebrew and Greek behind the words, the details most readers miss, and how each part of the Bible leads to Jesus. Read on your own, or start a Bible study with friends, family or your church.
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Your first week is free. After that it's $10 a month per person, the same for everyone, including groups and churches. There are no tiers and nothing extra to unlock.
Can I read Psalm 35 straight away?
Favor takes the Bible as one story, in order, so you'll reach Psalm 35 with everything that leads up to it in view. Start from Genesis, or meet Jesus first in the Gospels. You can read the text of any chapter in Favor's Look up whenever you like.
Do I need a group?
No. Many people read on their own. If you'd like to read with others, start a Bible study and share one link. Everyone's answers stay private until you meet.
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The World English Bible, a modern, readable translation in the public domain. God's name appears as "the LORD", as in most English Bibles.
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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Hebrew and Greek words are checked against the original-language texts and public-domain lexicons. What we believe · Favor home