Original Meaning
The Heading (35:0)
THIS PSALM BEARS no new terms in its heading and is simply designated with the single term “to David.”3
Bridging Contexts
THE INCOMPARABILITY OF YAHWEH. The central part of Psalm 35 turns on a rhetorical question (“Who is like you?”) that the psalmist utters in response to God’s anticipated retribution against his enemies (35:10). The obvious answer is “No one!” which serves as the immediate foundation for the confidence that Yahweh is able to deliver. There is no other god like Yahweh, who can match his power or inhibit his action in the psalmist’s behalf.
As a reference to the incomparability of Yahweh, the Hebrew phrase “Who is like you?” (mi kemoka) occurs elsewhere in Scripture and in the psalms (cf. Pss. 71:19; 89:8; Isa. 44:7; Jer. 49:19; Jer. 50:44).24 In other contexts, that incomparability is expressed in a less interrogative style, with declarations such as “There is none like . . .”; “There is no god like . . .”; “No one is like . . .”; and so on. These declarations range from affirmations of Yahweh’s incomparability to other deities in a polytheistic (or at least henotheistic) environment25 to clear statements of Israel’s ultimate insight that Yahweh is the only God.26
But just what is it that sets Yahweh apart and above all others? A variety of characteristics are mentioned. Some have to do with Yahweh’s mighty deeds. He is the worker of incomparable deeds and wonders (71:19; 86:8), who is able to accomplish what he announces beforehand (Isa. 44:7). A related characteristic is Yahweh’s exalted power (Job 36:22; Ps. 89:6).
God is also set off by his essential character of righteousness (Ps. 71:19), holiness (Ex. 15:11), glory (Ex. 15:11; Ps. 113:5), and majesty (Ex. 15:11; Deut. 33:26). Yahweh is faithful (Ps. 89:8) and keeps his promise to David (1 Kings 8:23 = 2 Chron. 6:14). He helps the poor, needy, and powerless (1 Kings 8:23 = 1 Chron. 6:14; 2 Chron. 14:11; Ps. 35:10; 113:5), mercifully forgives sin, and does not remain angry forever (Mic. 7:18). In Job 36:22, Yahweh is celebrated as incomparable teacher—a probable illusion to his superior wisdom. Elsewhere it is his enthronement above all nations, and even the earth itself that sets Yahweh apart.
The psalmists and others draw great solace from their insight that Yahweh is not like the gods of the other nations, or even like human kings or sages. The venality and fickleness of the gods of Mesopotamia is well known. It is not just the matter that various gods and goddesses opposed and sought to undermine one another. The greatest difficulty lay in the fact that the individual deities were inconsistent in their dealings with humans. They could be tricked, misinformed, or emotionally manipulated so that they could swing in a moment from beneficent care to harsh punishment of their followers. All one’s careful worship and supplication could be undone in a moment’s pique.
Thus, it was great comfort for Israel to know that Yahweh is not like the gods of the nations. Not only is he superior in power and might, but he is also consistent in his essential character of holiness, justice, and mercy. But this confidence did not mean that Israel always understood how her experience of Yahweh squared with her profession of his consistent character. Job certainly felt abused and abandoned by God when his own righteousness was not publicly acknowledged. The author of Ecclesiastes also found it nearly impossible to understand how the prosperity of the wicked and poverty of the righteous could reflect the justice of a holy God. But both these authors, despite their dark and incisive critiques of the painful realities of their respective worlds, stop short of a final condemnation of God. For the narrator of Ecclesiastes, life—even with its pain and uncertainties—remains the gift of God, and wisdom is still its own reward (Eccl. 5:18–20; 8:7–10). And for Job, Yahweh remains holy God, wholly in control. Despite Job’s (and our) frequent inability to understand his way in the world, God still remains worthy of our trust even while his absolute power is unquestioned.27
It is important, nevertheless, that our psalmist couches the incomparable nature of God not only in terms of power and might but also in terms of Yahweh’s care and rescue of the poor and needy from those who overpower and rob them (35:10). In the final analysis, God’s trustworthiness is the result of his incomparable power used for the benefit of the powerless. God is so superior in all things that he has no need to use power for self-interest, but he is free to champion those who have no power at all. This is the hope Israel clings to, and this is the hope that remains for us as well.
Contemporary Significance
A DESIRE FOR PUBLIC VINDICATION. As in other psalms already commented upon,28 the desire for public vindication plays an important role in Psalm 35. The psalmist’s hope for public shame and disgrace to come upon the enemy (35:4), or even for slippery pathways to lead them ultimately to ruin (35:4–8), may make us uncomfortable when we compare Jesus’ admonition to “love your enemies.” Our difficulty may be eased somewhat if we understand that what the psalmist really desires is a public “setting things right.” He is confident that if Yahweh were to act as judge in the public forum of the city gate (where many cases were tried), the psalmist would be declared in the right while his detractors would receive their public comeuppance. In such a case, for righteousness to be declared means someone else must also be determined “guilty.” This is, then, not so much a case of wishing your enemy ill as it is a desire for righteousness and justice to prevail with all its necessary consequences.
In fact, the psalmist’s desire for vindication ultimately turns away from self-seeking altogether. More than his personal vindication, condemnation of the enemy leads to public acclamation of the righteousness of God. The point of the public discrediting of the wicked is that others will see God at work and thus proclaim: “The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant” (35:27). The psalmist will offer public testimony: “Who is like you, O LORD?” (35:10); “my tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long” (35:28). Public testimony to God’s righteousness will match and even outstrip public ridicule and public vindication (35:18, 28).29
The psalm cautions us to be clear about our motives when we seek public vindication for ourselves and even wish for the downfall of our detractors. God is not in the vengeance business. Instead, he is concerned to set things right. When we ask God for vindication, we may get more than we ask for! If God were to judge all wrong and sin in the world, he would have a few things to deal with in our own lives. Perhaps this is where Jesus’ admonition to “love your enemies” and “do good to those who abuse you” comes from. Ultimately, there is not so much separating us as we might think. We are all sinners in need of God’s gracious mercy and forgiveness. When we call down divine judgment on them, we may find ourselves in the dock as well.
Again, this is not to say we should discount the psalmist’s words altogether. There is innocent suffering that needs to be confronted and judged. We ought not to turn a blind eye on injustice or oppression, whether directed to ourselves or others. But the psalmist reminds us that what is finally at stake is not our reputations or even our well-being but God’s glory and righteousness. To pray that he will set things right is to admit our own culpability in the “unrightness” of the world around us and to cast ourselves on him—both for forgiveness and for deliverance.
Original Meaning
Plea for Divine Action and Deliverance (35:1–3)
THE PSALMIST BEGINS by requesting that Yahweh respond to the psalmist’s enemies in a style of confrontation related to their attack (legal and military): Yahweh should “contend” with those who “contend” and should “fight” with those who “fight” (35:1). The remainder of the introductory plea describes the anticipated action of Yahweh in more militaristic terms. The psalmist views Yahweh almost as a bodyguard, who in the midst of close combat in battle is called to “take up shield and buckler,”4 to “brandish spear and javelin”5 against his enemies.
I am your salvation. In response to the psalmist’s cry, Yahweh runs through the fray, spear and shield in hand, to defend the psalmist’s life. As he does so, Yahweh’s ringing voice is heard above the din of battle, shouting “I am your salvation!” This encourages the beleaguered psalmist to hang on until deliverance arrives.
Bridging Contexts
THE INCOMPARABILITY OF YAHWEH. The central part of Psalm 35 turns on a rhetorical question (“Who is like you?”) that the psalmist utters in response to God’s anticipated retribution against his enemies (35:10). The obvious answer is “No one!” which serves as the immediate foundation for the confidence that Yahweh is able to deliver. There is no other god like Yahweh, who can match his power or inhibit his action in the psalmist’s behalf.
As a reference to the incomparability of Yahweh, the Hebrew phrase “Who is like you?” (mi kemoka) occurs elsewhere in Scripture and in the psalms (cf. Pss. 71:19; 89:8; Isa. 44:7; Jer. 49:19; Jer. 50:44).24 In other contexts, that incomparability is expressed in a less interrogative style, with declarations such as “There is none like . . .”; “There is no god like . . .”; “No one is like . . .”; and so on. These declarations range from affirmations of Yahweh’s incomparability to other deities in a polytheistic (or at least henotheistic) environment25 to clear statements of Israel’s ultimate insight that Yahweh is the only God.26
But just what is it that sets Yahweh apart and above all others? A variety of characteristics are mentioned. Some have to do with Yahweh’s mighty deeds. He is the worker of incomparable deeds and wonders (71:19; 86:8), who is able to accomplish what he announces beforehand (Isa. 44:7). A related characteristic is Yahweh’s exalted power (Job 36:22; Ps. 89:6).
God is also set off by his essential character of righteousness (Ps. 71:19), holiness (Ex. 15:11), glory (Ex. 15:11; Ps. 113:5), and majesty (Ex. 15:11; Deut. 33:26). Yahweh is faithful (Ps. 89:8) and keeps his promise to David (1 Kings 8:23 = 2 Chron. 6:14). He helps the poor, needy, and powerless (1 Kings 8:23 = 1 Chron. 6:14; 2 Chron. 14:11; Ps. 35:10; 113:5), mercifully forgives sin, and does not remain angry forever (Mic. 7:18). In Job 36:22, Yahweh is celebrated as incomparable teacher—a probable illusion to his superior wisdom. Elsewhere it is his enthronement above all nations, and even the earth itself that sets Yahweh apart.
The psalmists and others draw great solace from their insight that Yahweh is not like the gods of the other nations, or even like human kings or sages. The venality and fickleness of the gods of Mesopotamia is well known. It is not just the matter that various gods and goddesses opposed and sought to undermine one another. The greatest difficulty lay in the fact that the individual deities were inconsistent in their dealings with humans. They could be tricked, misinformed, or emotionally manipulated so that they could swing in a moment from beneficent care to harsh punishment of their followers. All one’s careful worship and supplication could be undone in a moment’s pique.
Thus, it was great comfort for Israel to know that Yahweh is not like the gods of the nations. Not only is he superior in power and might, but he is also consistent in his essential character of holiness, justice, and mercy. But this confidence did not mean that Israel always understood how her experience of Yahweh squared with her profession of his consistent character. Job certainly felt abused and abandoned by God when his own righteousness was not publicly acknowledged. The author of Ecclesiastes also found it nearly impossible to understand how the prosperity of the wicked and poverty of the righteous could reflect the justice of a holy God. But both these authors, despite their dark and incisive critiques of the painful realities of their respective worlds, stop short of a final condemnation of God. For the narrator of Ecclesiastes, life—even with its pain and uncertainties—remains the gift of God, and wisdom is still its own reward (Eccl. 5:18–20; 8:7–10). And for Job, Yahweh remains holy God, wholly in control. Despite Job’s (and our) frequent inability to understand his way in the world, God still remains worthy of our trust even while his absolute power is unquestioned.27
It is important, nevertheless, that our psalmist couches the incomparable nature of God not only in terms of power and might but also in terms of Yahweh’s care and rescue of the poor and needy from those who overpower and rob them (35:10). In the final analysis, God’s trustworthiness is the result of his incomparable power used for the benefit of the powerless. God is so superior in all things that he has no need to use power for self-interest, but he is free to champion those who have no power at all. This is the hope Israel clings to, and this is the hope that remains for us as well.
Contemporary Significance
A DESIRE FOR PUBLIC VINDICATION. As in other psalms already commented upon,28 the desire for public vindication plays an important role in Psalm 35. The psalmist’s hope for public shame and disgrace to come upon the enemy (35:4), or even for slippery pathways to lead them ultimately to ruin (35:4–8), may make us uncomfortable when we compare Jesus’ admonition to “love your enemies.” Our difficulty may be eased somewhat if we understand that what the psalmist really desires is a public “setting things right.” He is confident that if Yahweh were to act as judge in the public forum of the city gate (where many cases were tried), the psalmist would be declared in the right while his detractors would receive their public comeuppance. In such a case, for righteousness to be declared means someone else must also be determined “guilty.” This is, then, not so much a case of wishing your enemy ill as it is a desire for righteousness and justice to prevail with all its necessary consequences.
In fact, the psalmist’s desire for vindication ultimately turns away from self-seeking altogether. More than his personal vindication, condemnation of the enemy leads to public acclamation of the righteousness of God. The point of the public discrediting of the wicked is that others will see God at work and thus proclaim: “The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant” (35:27). The psalmist will offer public testimony: “Who is like you, O LORD?” (35:10); “my tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long” (35:28). Public testimony to God’s righteousness will match and even outstrip public ridicule and public vindication (35:18, 28).29
The psalm cautions us to be clear about our motives when we seek public vindication for ourselves and even wish for the downfall of our detractors. God is not in the vengeance business. Instead, he is concerned to set things right. When we ask God for vindication, we may get more than we ask for! If God were to judge all wrong and sin in the world, he would have a few things to deal with in our own lives. Perhaps this is where Jesus’ admonition to “love your enemies” and “do good to those who abuse you” comes from. Ultimately, there is not so much separating us as we might think. We are all sinners in need of God’s gracious mercy and forgiveness. When we call down divine judgment on them, we may find ourselves in the dock as well.
Again, this is not to say we should discount the psalmist’s words altogether. There is innocent suffering that needs to be confronted and judged. We ought not to turn a blind eye on injustice or oppression, whether directed to ourselves or others. But the psalmist reminds us that what is finally at stake is not our reputations or even our well-being but God’s glory and righteousness. To pray that he will set things right is to admit our own culpability in the “unrightness” of the world around us and to cast ourselves on him—both for forgiveness and for deliverance.
Original Meaning
Military Attack (35:4–8)
WITH THE ASSURANCE of Yahweh’s approach ringing in the ears, the psalmist turns to a plea for retribution on those who “seek my life [nepeš]” (35:4).6 Using a series of jussive verb forms that express the will of the speaker, the psalmist wants Yahweh to mete out appropriate punishment on those who oppose and seek to destroy the faithful narrator.
This call for retribution begins with the desire that the enemy experience the kind of complete public “disgrace” and “shame” encountered in Psalm 31.7 As we saw there, this is not simply a desire to strike out and hurt the enemy but signals the psalmist’s hope that the real world reflect the righteous order characteristic of holy Yahweh and that the inward truth of human character, normally known only to God, be made manifest in public.
The psalmist goes on to describe the anticipated retribution in terms reflective of guerilla warfare. Those who plot his ruin will “be turned back” like an unsuccessful attack (35:4). Like chaff blown by the wind,8 they will be driven away and pursued through the night down “dark and slippery” paths by the “angel of the LORD.”9
Verses 6–7 illustrate the retributive expectations of the psalmist. Punishment received is equivalent to the offense committed. Those who plotted his “ruin” (raʿah in 35:4) will themselves be overtaken by “ruin” (šoʾah in 35:8). Those who hid a net to entrap him (35:7) will be entangled themselves (35:8). Those who dug a pit for him (35:7) will fall into it instead (35:8).10
Bridging Contexts
THE INCOMPARABILITY OF YAHWEH. The central part of Psalm 35 turns on a rhetorical question (“Who is like you?”) that the psalmist utters in response to God’s anticipated retribution against his enemies (35:10). The obvious answer is “No one!” which serves as the immediate foundation for the confidence that Yahweh is able to deliver. There is no other god like Yahweh, who can match his power or inhibit his action in the psalmist’s behalf.
As a reference to the incomparability of Yahweh, the Hebrew phrase “Who is like you?” (mi kemoka) occurs elsewhere in Scripture and in the psalms (cf. Pss. 71:19; 89:8; Isa. 44:7; Jer. 49:19; Jer. 50:44).24 In other contexts, that incomparability is expressed in a less interrogative style, with declarations such as “There is none like . . .”; “There is no god like . . .”; “No one is like . . .”; and so on. These declarations range from affirmations of Yahweh’s incomparability to other deities in a polytheistic (or at least henotheistic) environment25 to clear statements of Israel’s ultimate insight that Yahweh is the only God.26
But just what is it that sets Yahweh apart and above all others? A variety of characteristics are mentioned. Some have to do with Yahweh’s mighty deeds. He is the worker of incomparable deeds and wonders (71:19; 86:8), who is able to accomplish what he announces beforehand (Isa. 44:7). A related characteristic is Yahweh’s exalted power (Job 36:22; Ps. 89:6).
God is also set off by his essential character of righteousness (Ps. 71:19), holiness (Ex. 15:11), glory (Ex. 15:11; Ps. 113:5), and majesty (Ex. 15:11; Deut. 33:26). Yahweh is faithful (Ps. 89:8) and keeps his promise to David (1 Kings 8:23 = 2 Chron. 6:14). He helps the poor, needy, and powerless (1 Kings 8:23 = 1 Chron. 6:14; 2 Chron. 14:11; Ps. 35:10; 113:5), mercifully forgives sin, and does not remain angry forever (Mic. 7:18). In Job 36:22, Yahweh is celebrated as incomparable teacher—a probable illusion to his superior wisdom. Elsewhere it is his enthronement above all nations, and even the earth itself that sets Yahweh apart.
The psalmists and others draw great solace from their insight that Yahweh is not like the gods of the other nations, or even like human kings or sages. The venality and fickleness of the gods of Mesopotamia is well known. It is not just the matter that various gods and goddesses opposed and sought to undermine one another. The greatest difficulty lay in the fact that the individual deities were inconsistent in their dealings with humans. They could be tricked, misinformed, or emotionally manipulated so that they could swing in a moment from beneficent care to harsh punishment of their followers. All one’s careful worship and supplication could be undone in a moment’s pique.
Thus, it was great comfort for Israel to know that Yahweh is not like the gods of the nations. Not only is he superior in power and might, but he is also consistent in his essential character of holiness, justice, and mercy. But this confidence did not mean that Israel always understood how her experience of Yahweh squared with her profession of his consistent character. Job certainly felt abused and abandoned by God when his own righteousness was not publicly acknowledged. The author of Ecclesiastes also found it nearly impossible to understand how the prosperity of the wicked and poverty of the righteous could reflect the justice of a holy God. But both these authors, despite their dark and incisive critiques of the painful realities of their respective worlds, stop short of a final condemnation of God. For the narrator of Ecclesiastes, life—even with its pain and uncertainties—remains the gift of God, and wisdom is still its own reward (Eccl. 5:18–20; 8:7–10). And for Job, Yahweh remains holy God, wholly in control. Despite Job’s (and our) frequent inability to understand his way in the world, God still remains worthy of our trust even while his absolute power is unquestioned.27
It is important, nevertheless, that our psalmist couches the incomparable nature of God not only in terms of power and might but also in terms of Yahweh’s care and rescue of the poor and needy from those who overpower and rob them (35:10). In the final analysis, God’s trustworthiness is the result of his incomparable power used for the benefit of the powerless. God is so superior in all things that he has no need to use power for self-interest, but he is free to champion those who have no power at all. This is the hope Israel clings to, and this is the hope that remains for us as well.
Contemporary Significance
A DESIRE FOR PUBLIC VINDICATION. As in other psalms already commented upon,28 the desire for public vindication plays an important role in Psalm 35. The psalmist’s hope for public shame and disgrace to come upon the enemy (35:4), or even for slippery pathways to lead them ultimately to ruin (35:4–8), may make us uncomfortable when we compare Jesus’ admonition to “love your enemies.” Our difficulty may be eased somewhat if we understand that what the psalmist really desires is a public “setting things right.” He is confident that if Yahweh were to act as judge in the public forum of the city gate (where many cases were tried), the psalmist would be declared in the right while his detractors would receive their public comeuppance. In such a case, for righteousness to be declared means someone else must also be determined “guilty.” This is, then, not so much a case of wishing your enemy ill as it is a desire for righteousness and justice to prevail with all its necessary consequences.
In fact, the psalmist’s desire for vindication ultimately turns away from self-seeking altogether. More than his personal vindication, condemnation of the enemy leads to public acclamation of the righteousness of God. The point of the public discrediting of the wicked is that others will see God at work and thus proclaim: “The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant” (35:27). The psalmist will offer public testimony: “Who is like you, O LORD?” (35:10); “my tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long” (35:28). Public testimony to God’s righteousness will match and even outstrip public ridicule and public vindication (35:18, 28).29
The psalm cautions us to be clear about our motives when we seek public vindication for ourselves and even wish for the downfall of our detractors. God is not in the vengeance business. Instead, he is concerned to set things right. When we ask God for vindication, we may get more than we ask for! If God were to judge all wrong and sin in the world, he would have a few things to deal with in our own lives. Perhaps this is where Jesus’ admonition to “love your enemies” and “do good to those who abuse you” comes from. Ultimately, there is not so much separating us as we might think. We are all sinners in need of God’s gracious mercy and forgiveness. When we call down divine judgment on them, we may find ourselves in the dock as well.
Again, this is not to say we should discount the psalmist’s words altogether. There is innocent suffering that needs to be confronted and judged. We ought not to turn a blind eye on injustice or oppression, whether directed to ourselves or others. But the psalmist reminds us that what is finally at stake is not our reputations or even our well-being but God’s glory and righteousness. To pray that he will set things right is to admit our own culpability in the “unrightness” of the world around us and to cast ourselves on him—both for forgiveness and for deliverance.
Original Meaning
Response and Promise of Praise (35:9–10)
THE FIRST MAJOR section of the psalm concludes with the psalmist’s personal response to the anticipated salvation of Yahweh (cf. 35:3, 9) by promising to rejoice and praise God. His nepeš (NIV “soul”), which has been under attack, will sing God’s praises, and his ʿaṣmot (NIV “whole being”; lit., “bones”) will testify to Yahweh’s saving grace. Once again we must remember that there is no intention to distinguish between the eternal, imperishable “soul” and the mortal, perishable “body” here. Unlike the Greeks, the Hebrews understood human life to be composed of a physical body animated by the divine spirit. Such an animated person was a nepeš or a nepeš ḥayyah (“living being”). At death, the animating spirit returns to God and the person embarks to the grey existence of Sheol, the abode of all the dead. So nepeš and ʿaṣmot are two different ways of looking at the same experience of being a physical human being.
The various verbs used to express the psalmist’s testimony of rejoicing and delight emphasize a visible and audible expression of joy in a public setting. By this celebration he gives testimony to the deliverance set in motion by Yahweh. That testimony is encapsulated in the exclamation preserved in 35:10: “Who is like you, O LORD?”—a rhetorical question with only a single obvious answer: “No one!” Yahweh is unique among the gods in this context because of his concern and action to rescue the poor and needy from their powerful oppressors (35:10).
Bridging Contexts
THE INCOMPARABILITY OF YAHWEH. The central part of Psalm 35 turns on a rhetorical question (“Who is like you?”) that the psalmist utters in response to God’s anticipated retribution against his enemies (35:10). The obvious answer is “No one!” which serves as the immediate foundation for the confidence that Yahweh is able to deliver. There is no other god like Yahweh, who can match his power or inhibit his action in the psalmist’s behalf.
As a reference to the incomparability of Yahweh, the Hebrew phrase “Who is like you?” (mi kemoka) occurs elsewhere in Scripture and in the psalms (cf. Pss. 71:19; 89:8; Isa. 44:7; Jer. 49:19; Jer. 50:44).24 In other contexts, that incomparability is expressed in a less interrogative style, with declarations such as “There is none like . . .”; “There is no god like . . .”; “No one is like . . .”; and so on. These declarations range from affirmations of Yahweh’s incomparability to other deities in a polytheistic (or at least henotheistic) environment25 to clear statements of Israel’s ultimate insight that Yahweh is the only God.26
But just what is it that sets Yahweh apart and above all others? A variety of characteristics are mentioned. Some have to do with Yahweh’s mighty deeds. He is the worker of incomparable deeds and wonders (71:19; 86:8), who is able to accomplish what he announces beforehand (Isa. 44:7). A related characteristic is Yahweh’s exalted power (Job 36:22; Ps. 89:6).
God is also set off by his essential character of righteousness (Ps. 71:19), holiness (Ex. 15:11), glory (Ex. 15:11; Ps. 113:5), and majesty (Ex. 15:11; Deut. 33:26). Yahweh is faithful (Ps. 89:8) and keeps his promise to David (1 Kings 8:23 = 2 Chron. 6:14). He helps the poor, needy, and powerless (1 Kings 8:23 = 1 Chron. 6:14; 2 Chron. 14:11; Ps. 35:10; 113:5), mercifully forgives sin, and does not remain angry forever (Mic. 7:18). In Job 36:22, Yahweh is celebrated as incomparable teacher—a probable illusion to his superior wisdom. Elsewhere it is his enthronement above all nations, and even the earth itself that sets Yahweh apart.
The psalmists and others draw great solace from their insight that Yahweh is not like the gods of the other nations, or even like human kings or sages. The venality and fickleness of the gods of Mesopotamia is well known. It is not just the matter that various gods and goddesses opposed and sought to undermine one another. The greatest difficulty lay in the fact that the individual deities were inconsistent in their dealings with humans. They could be tricked, misinformed, or emotionally manipulated so that they could swing in a moment from beneficent care to harsh punishment of their followers. All one’s careful worship and supplication could be undone in a moment’s pique.
Thus, it was great comfort for Israel to know that Yahweh is not like the gods of the nations. Not only is he superior in power and might, but he is also consistent in his essential character of holiness, justice, and mercy. But this confidence did not mean that Israel always understood how her experience of Yahweh squared with her profession of his consistent character. Job certainly felt abused and abandoned by God when his own righteousness was not publicly acknowledged. The author of Ecclesiastes also found it nearly impossible to understand how the prosperity of the wicked and poverty of the righteous could reflect the justice of a holy God. But both these authors, despite their dark and incisive critiques of the painful realities of their respective worlds, stop short of a final condemnation of God. For the narrator of Ecclesiastes, life—even with its pain and uncertainties—remains the gift of God, and wisdom is still its own reward (Eccl. 5:18–20; 8:7–10). And for Job, Yahweh remains holy God, wholly in control. Despite Job’s (and our) frequent inability to understand his way in the world, God still remains worthy of our trust even while his absolute power is unquestioned.27
It is important, nevertheless, that our psalmist couches the incomparable nature of God not only in terms of power and might but also in terms of Yahweh’s care and rescue of the poor and needy from those who overpower and rob them (35:10). In the final analysis, God’s trustworthiness is the result of his incomparable power used for the benefit of the powerless. God is so superior in all things that he has no need to use power for self-interest, but he is free to champion those who have no power at all. This is the hope Israel clings to, and this is the hope that remains for us as well.
Contemporary Significance
A DESIRE FOR PUBLIC VINDICATION. As in other psalms already commented upon,28 the desire for public vindication plays an important role in Psalm 35. The psalmist’s hope for public shame and disgrace to come upon the enemy (35:4), or even for slippery pathways to lead them ultimately to ruin (35:4–8), may make us uncomfortable when we compare Jesus’ admonition to “love your enemies.” Our difficulty may be eased somewhat if we understand that what the psalmist really desires is a public “setting things right.” He is confident that if Yahweh were to act as judge in the public forum of the city gate (where many cases were tried), the psalmist would be declared in the right while his detractors would receive their public comeuppance. In such a case, for righteousness to be declared means someone else must also be determined “guilty.” This is, then, not so much a case of wishing your enemy ill as it is a desire for righteousness and justice to prevail with all its necessary consequences.
In fact, the psalmist’s desire for vindication ultimately turns away from self-seeking altogether. More than his personal vindication, condemnation of the enemy leads to public acclamation of the righteousness of God. The point of the public discrediting of the wicked is that others will see God at work and thus proclaim: “The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant” (35:27). The psalmist will offer public testimony: “Who is like you, O LORD?” (35:10); “my tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long” (35:28). Public testimony to God’s righteousness will match and even outstrip public ridicule and public vindication (35:18, 28).29
The psalm cautions us to be clear about our motives when we seek public vindication for ourselves and even wish for the downfall of our detractors. God is not in the vengeance business. Instead, he is concerned to set things right. When we ask God for vindication, we may get more than we ask for! If God were to judge all wrong and sin in the world, he would have a few things to deal with in our own lives. Perhaps this is where Jesus’ admonition to “love your enemies” and “do good to those who abuse you” comes from. Ultimately, there is not so much separating us as we might think. We are all sinners in need of God’s gracious mercy and forgiveness. When we call down divine judgment on them, we may find ourselves in the dock as well.
Again, this is not to say we should discount the psalmist’s words altogether. There is innocent suffering that needs to be confronted and judged. We ought not to turn a blind eye on injustice or oppression, whether directed to ourselves or others. But the psalmist reminds us that what is finally at stake is not our reputations or even our well-being but God’s glory and righteousness. To pray that he will set things right is to admit our own culpability in the “unrightness” of the world around us and to cast ourselves on him—both for forgiveness and for deliverance.
Original Meaning
Legal Conflict (35:11–16)
THE PSALMIST NOW describes a situation of confrontation in a legal setting. He is opposed by “ruthless witnesses.” The term ḥamas (NIV “ruthless”) regularly connotes violence that results in bloodshed.11 What is depicted, then, is damaging false testimony in a case involving the death penalty. The accused is confused by cross-examination because the questions asked assume knowledge of which the psalmist is ignorant (35:11)—a sure sign of his innocence.
The psalmist’s distress at this legal attack is increased by the opponents’ callous disregard for his favorable treatment of them in the past. They repay his goodness with evil. The classic exemplary tale of “repaying evil for good” is found in 1 Samuel 25, where David, although living as an outlaw on the run from Saul, has treated the property of the wealthy Nabal (whose name means appropriately “fool”) with respect. When David sends men to Nabal requesting food and supplies, they are summarily dismissed. As David prepares to attack and destroy Nabal, the latter’s intelligent wife, Abigail, sends needed supplies to David (unknown to her husband) and is able to avert certain disaster. To return evil for good, then, is one of the greatest insults imaginable and is a sign of great disrespect, insolence, and rejection of one’s authority.12
They . . . leave my soul forlorn. Several alternatives have been proposed for the awkward Hebrew šekol lenapši (lit., “grief of childlessness of my soul”). Dahood suggests a Shaphel verb form from klh (“be spent, destroyed”), while Kraus and Craigie13 prefer to read śaku (“they lie in wait for,” from śkh), understanding the final lamed of šekol as dittography from the following lenapši. As there is no clear resolution, the NIV has opted for a creative rendition of the original Hebrew.
I put on sackcloth. The psalmist describes an earlier time of exemplary intercession on the behalf of the false witnesses when they were ill. Whether all the witnesses were ill at the same time, or this is metaphorical description of the psalmist’s blameless behavior, or even whether this reflects a beneficent attitude toward the accusers is uncertain. The point remains, however, that the psalmist claims to be innocent of any offense that explains the opponents’ hostile attitude.
This description allows us to observe some of the primary customs associated with intercessory prayer for illness. The psalmist puts on mourning garments (“sackcloth”), fasts as an indication of humility, offers prayer for healing, and continues to mourn for an extended period when no immediate healing is perceived (35:13–14). His sincerity is illustrated by comparison to the deep personal mourning for a friend, brother, or even one’s mother. He bows down in grief and weeping (35:14). The depth of sincere suffering that the psalmist endures in intercession for those who are not even close friends or family members heightens the sense of amazement and offense at the opponents’ baseless attacks.
When I stumbled. Like vultures gathering around a fallen animal, waiting for an opportunity of weakness, the opponents are delighted when the psalmist stumbles. There is no indication of moral failing to justify their attack—only a moment of vulnerability. The vicious character of their opposition is revealed by the nature of their actions. They are “gleeful” for the opportunity to strike (35:15); they “attack” when the victim is unaware of their presence (35:15);14 they continue their attacks “without ceasing” (35:15);15 they “maliciously mock” the psalmist (35:16);16 and they “gnash their teeth” (35:16) like threatening beasts of prey.17
Bridging Contexts
THE INCOMPARABILITY OF YAHWEH. The central part of Psalm 35 turns on a rhetorical question (“Who is like you?”) that the psalmist utters in response to God’s anticipated retribution against his enemies (35:10). The obvious answer is “No one!” which serves as the immediate foundation for the confidence that Yahweh is able to deliver. There is no other god like Yahweh, who can match his power or inhibit his action in the psalmist’s behalf.
As a reference to the incomparability of Yahweh, the Hebrew phrase “Who is like you?” (mi kemoka) occurs elsewhere in Scripture and in the psalms (cf. Pss. 71:19; 89:8; Isa. 44:7; Jer. 49:19; Jer. 50:44).24 In other contexts, that incomparability is expressed in a less interrogative style, with declarations such as “There is none like . . .”; “There is no god like . . .”; “No one is like . . .”; and so on. These declarations range from affirmations of Yahweh’s incomparability to other deities in a polytheistic (or at least henotheistic) environment25 to clear statements of Israel’s ultimate insight that Yahweh is the only God.26
But just what is it that sets Yahweh apart and above all others? A variety of characteristics are mentioned. Some have to do with Yahweh’s mighty deeds. He is the worker of incomparable deeds and wonders (71:19; 86:8), who is able to accomplish what he announces beforehand (Isa. 44:7). A related characteristic is Yahweh’s exalted power (Job 36:22; Ps. 89:6).
God is also set off by his essential character of righteousness (Ps. 71:19), holiness (Ex. 15:11), glory (Ex. 15:11; Ps. 113:5), and majesty (Ex. 15:11; Deut. 33:26). Yahweh is faithful (Ps. 89:8) and keeps his promise to David (1 Kings 8:23 = 2 Chron. 6:14). He helps the poor, needy, and powerless (1 Kings 8:23 = 1 Chron. 6:14; 2 Chron. 14:11; Ps. 35:10; 113:5), mercifully forgives sin, and does not remain angry forever (Mic. 7:18). In Job 36:22, Yahweh is celebrated as incomparable teacher—a probable illusion to his superior wisdom. Elsewhere it is his enthronement above all nations, and even the earth itself that sets Yahweh apart.
The psalmists and others draw great solace from their insight that Yahweh is not like the gods of the other nations, or even like human kings or sages. The venality and fickleness of the gods of Mesopotamia is well known. It is not just the matter that various gods and goddesses opposed and sought to undermine one another. The greatest difficulty lay in the fact that the individual deities were inconsistent in their dealings with humans. They could be tricked, misinformed, or emotionally manipulated so that they could swing in a moment from beneficent care to harsh punishment of their followers. All one’s careful worship and supplication could be undone in a moment’s pique.
Thus, it was great comfort for Israel to know that Yahweh is not like the gods of the nations. Not only is he superior in power and might, but he is also consistent in his essential character of holiness, justice, and mercy. But this confidence did not mean that Israel always understood how her experience of Yahweh squared with her profession of his consistent character. Job certainly felt abused and abandoned by God when his own righteousness was not publicly acknowledged. The author of Ecclesiastes also found it nearly impossible to understand how the prosperity of the wicked and poverty of the righteous could reflect the justice of a holy God. But both these authors, despite their dark and incisive critiques of the painful realities of their respective worlds, stop short of a final condemnation of God. For the narrator of Ecclesiastes, life—even with its pain and uncertainties—remains the gift of God, and wisdom is still its own reward (Eccl. 5:18–20; 8:7–10). And for Job, Yahweh remains holy God, wholly in control. Despite Job’s (and our) frequent inability to understand his way in the world, God still remains worthy of our trust even while his absolute power is unquestioned.27
It is important, nevertheless, that our psalmist couches the incomparable nature of God not only in terms of power and might but also in terms of Yahweh’s care and rescue of the poor and needy from those who overpower and rob them (35:10). In the final analysis, God’s trustworthiness is the result of his incomparable power used for the benefit of the powerless. God is so superior in all things that he has no need to use power for self-interest, but he is free to champion those who have no power at all. This is the hope Israel clings to, and this is the hope that remains for us as well.
Contemporary Significance
A DESIRE FOR PUBLIC VINDICATION. As in other psalms already commented upon,28 the desire for public vindication plays an important role in Psalm 35. The psalmist’s hope for public shame and disgrace to come upon the enemy (35:4), or even for slippery pathways to lead them ultimately to ruin (35:4–8), may make us uncomfortable when we compare Jesus’ admonition to “love your enemies.” Our difficulty may be eased somewhat if we understand that what the psalmist really desires is a public “setting things right.” He is confident that if Yahweh were to act as judge in the public forum of the city gate (where many cases were tried), the psalmist would be declared in the right while his detractors would receive their public comeuppance. In such a case, for righteousness to be declared means someone else must also be determined “guilty.” This is, then, not so much a case of wishing your enemy ill as it is a desire for righteousness and justice to prevail with all its necessary consequences.
In fact, the psalmist’s desire for vindication ultimately turns away from self-seeking altogether. More than his personal vindication, condemnation of the enemy leads to public acclamation of the righteousness of God. The point of the public discrediting of the wicked is that others will see God at work and thus proclaim: “The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant” (35:27). The psalmist will offer public testimony: “Who is like you, O LORD?” (35:10); “my tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long” (35:28). Public testimony to God’s righteousness will match and even outstrip public ridicule and public vindication (35:18, 28).29
The psalm cautions us to be clear about our motives when we seek public vindication for ourselves and even wish for the downfall of our detractors. God is not in the vengeance business. Instead, he is concerned to set things right. When we ask God for vindication, we may get more than we ask for! If God were to judge all wrong and sin in the world, he would have a few things to deal with in our own lives. Perhaps this is where Jesus’ admonition to “love your enemies” and “do good to those who abuse you” comes from. Ultimately, there is not so much separating us as we might think. We are all sinners in need of God’s gracious mercy and forgiveness. When we call down divine judgment on them, we may find ourselves in the dock as well.
Again, this is not to say we should discount the psalmist’s words altogether. There is innocent suffering that needs to be confronted and judged. We ought not to turn a blind eye on injustice or oppression, whether directed to ourselves or others. But the psalmist reminds us that what is finally at stake is not our reputations or even our well-being but God’s glory and righteousness. To pray that he will set things right is to admit our own culpability in the “unrightness” of the world around us and to cast ourselves on him—both for forgiveness and for deliverance.
Original Meaning
Personal Plea and Promise of Praise (35:17–18)
THE DESCRIPTION OF the legal attack against the psalmist concludes with a plea for divine rescue that develops the picture of the attackers as beasts of prey introduced in 35:16. He wishes to be saved from the “ravages” of the attackers, characterized as acting like “lions” (35:17). The psalmist questions “how long” God can view the enemies’ depredations and sit still without acting.18
My precious life. This stylish and artful word (yaḥid) presents the image of a precious, only daughter, which depicts the psalmist’s life as it hangs tenuously in the balance. The word emphasizes the precious, irreplaceable character of that child. To consider the impact of this word, look at the story of Abraham’s near-sacrifice of Isaac in Genesis 22. Having just received Isaac as the fulfillment of God’s promise of a son and a down payment of descendants without number, Abraham is told to “take your son [ben], your only son [yaḥid] Isaac, whom you love,” and sacrifice him (22:2). Each term piles up, adding to the irreplaceable preciousness of the child now called into threat by God’s command. In our psalm, the psalmist calls on God to deliver his “only daughter” from the clutches of the ravaging enemy. The parallel in the preceding line makes it clear that yaḥid refers to his life (Heb. napši).
Plea leads to thanksgiving as the psalmist promises to offer the testimony of thanksgiving in the corporate setting of temple worship. The “great assembly” is the community gathered for worship. He will offer praise among God’s people made vast by their gathering together to praise their God.
Bridging Contexts
THE INCOMPARABILITY OF YAHWEH. The central part of Psalm 35 turns on a rhetorical question (“Who is like you?”) that the psalmist utters in response to God’s anticipated retribution against his enemies (35:10). The obvious answer is “No one!” which serves as the immediate foundation for the confidence that Yahweh is able to deliver. There is no other god like Yahweh, who can match his power or inhibit his action in the psalmist’s behalf.
As a reference to the incomparability of Yahweh, the Hebrew phrase “Who is like you?” (mi kemoka) occurs elsewhere in Scripture and in the psalms (cf. Pss. 71:19; 89:8; Isa. 44:7; Jer. 49:19; Jer. 50:44).24 In other contexts, that incomparability is expressed in a less interrogative style, with declarations such as “There is none like . . .”; “There is no god like . . .”; “No one is like . . .”; and so on. These declarations range from affirmations of Yahweh’s incomparability to other deities in a polytheistic (or at least henotheistic) environment25 to clear statements of Israel’s ultimate insight that Yahweh is the only God.26
But just what is it that sets Yahweh apart and above all others? A variety of characteristics are mentioned. Some have to do with Yahweh’s mighty deeds. He is the worker of incomparable deeds and wonders (71:19; 86:8), who is able to accomplish what he announces beforehand (Isa. 44:7). A related characteristic is Yahweh’s exalted power (Job 36:22; Ps. 89:6).
God is also set off by his essential character of righteousness (Ps. 71:19), holiness (Ex. 15:11), glory (Ex. 15:11; Ps. 113:5), and majesty (Ex. 15:11; Deut. 33:26). Yahweh is faithful (Ps. 89:8) and keeps his promise to David (1 Kings 8:23 = 2 Chron. 6:14). He helps the poor, needy, and powerless (1 Kings 8:23 = 1 Chron. 6:14; 2 Chron. 14:11; Ps. 35:10; 113:5), mercifully forgives sin, and does not remain angry forever (Mic. 7:18). In Job 36:22, Yahweh is celebrated as incomparable teacher—a probable illusion to his superior wisdom. Elsewhere it is his enthronement above all nations, and even the earth itself that sets Yahweh apart.
The psalmists and others draw great solace from their insight that Yahweh is not like the gods of the other nations, or even like human kings or sages. The venality and fickleness of the gods of Mesopotamia is well known. It is not just the matter that various gods and goddesses opposed and sought to undermine one another. The greatest difficulty lay in the fact that the individual deities were inconsistent in their dealings with humans. They could be tricked, misinformed, or emotionally manipulated so that they could swing in a moment from beneficent care to harsh punishment of their followers. All one’s careful worship and supplication could be undone in a moment’s pique.
Thus, it was great comfort for Israel to know that Yahweh is not like the gods of the nations. Not only is he superior in power and might, but he is also consistent in his essential character of holiness, justice, and mercy. But this confidence did not mean that Israel always understood how her experience of Yahweh squared with her profession of his consistent character. Job certainly felt abused and abandoned by God when his own righteousness was not publicly acknowledged. The author of Ecclesiastes also found it nearly impossible to understand how the prosperity of the wicked and poverty of the righteous could reflect the justice of a holy God. But both these authors, despite their dark and incisive critiques of the painful realities of their respective worlds, stop short of a final condemnation of God. For the narrator of Ecclesiastes, life—even with its pain and uncertainties—remains the gift of God, and wisdom is still its own reward (Eccl. 5:18–20; 8:7–10). And for Job, Yahweh remains holy God, wholly in control. Despite Job’s (and our) frequent inability to understand his way in the world, God still remains worthy of our trust even while his absolute power is unquestioned.27
It is important, nevertheless, that our psalmist couches the incomparable nature of God not only in terms of power and might but also in terms of Yahweh’s care and rescue of the poor and needy from those who overpower and rob them (35:10). In the final analysis, God’s trustworthiness is the result of his incomparable power used for the benefit of the powerless. God is so superior in all things that he has no need to use power for self-interest, but he is free to champion those who have no power at all. This is the hope Israel clings to, and this is the hope that remains for us as well.
Contemporary Significance
A DESIRE FOR PUBLIC VINDICATION. As in other psalms already commented upon,28 the desire for public vindication plays an important role in Psalm 35. The psalmist’s hope for public shame and disgrace to come upon the enemy (35:4), or even for slippery pathways to lead them ultimately to ruin (35:4–8), may make us uncomfortable when we compare Jesus’ admonition to “love your enemies.” Our difficulty may be eased somewhat if we understand that what the psalmist really desires is a public “setting things right.” He is confident that if Yahweh were to act as judge in the public forum of the city gate (where many cases were tried), the psalmist would be declared in the right while his detractors would receive their public comeuppance. In such a case, for righteousness to be declared means someone else must also be determined “guilty.” This is, then, not so much a case of wishing your enemy ill as it is a desire for righteousness and justice to prevail with all its necessary consequences.
In fact, the psalmist’s desire for vindication ultimately turns away from self-seeking altogether. More than his personal vindication, condemnation of the enemy leads to public acclamation of the righteousness of God. The point of the public discrediting of the wicked is that others will see God at work and thus proclaim: “The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant” (35:27). The psalmist will offer public testimony: “Who is like you, O LORD?” (35:10); “my tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long” (35:28). Public testimony to God’s righteousness will match and even outstrip public ridicule and public vindication (35:18, 28).29
The psalm cautions us to be clear about our motives when we seek public vindication for ourselves and even wish for the downfall of our detractors. God is not in the vengeance business. Instead, he is concerned to set things right. When we ask God for vindication, we may get more than we ask for! If God were to judge all wrong and sin in the world, he would have a few things to deal with in our own lives. Perhaps this is where Jesus’ admonition to “love your enemies” and “do good to those who abuse you” comes from. Ultimately, there is not so much separating us as we might think. We are all sinners in need of God’s gracious mercy and forgiveness. When we call down divine judgment on them, we may find ourselves in the dock as well.
Again, this is not to say we should discount the psalmist’s words altogether. There is innocent suffering that needs to be confronted and judged. We ought not to turn a blind eye on injustice or oppression, whether directed to ourselves or others. But the psalmist reminds us that what is finally at stake is not our reputations or even our well-being but God’s glory and righteousness. To pray that he will set things right is to admit our own culpability in the “unrightness” of the world around us and to cast ourselves on him—both for forgiveness and for deliverance.
Original Meaning
Let Them Not Gloat Over Me (35:19–27)
THE PSALMIST NOW enters into a series of pleas for deliverance (35:19–21), vindication (35:22–25), and retribution (35:26–27) directed toward those who rejoice (Heb. śmḥ; NIV “gloat” in 35:19, 24, 26) over the psalmist’s distress. Once again he characterizes these attacks as baseless (35:19; cf. 35:7).19 To “wink the eye” (qrṣ ʿayin) is to act and to speak duplicitously, making insinuations that impact others negatively (cf. Prov. 6:13; 10:10; 16:30).20 The psalmist’s enemies are hostile and present false testimony, claiming to be eyewitnesses (Ps. 35:20–21).
The caustic exclamation “Aha! Aha!” attributed to the false opponents, flows from a sense of having the upper hand and is, therefore, a public form of “finger pointing,” which intends to cause public shame and disgrace of the individual. This phrase is almost always placed in the mouth of enemies and detractors (cf. Job 39:25; Pss. 35:21, 25; 40:15; 70:3; Ezek. 25:3; 26:2; 36:2).21
O LORD, you have seen this. The psalmist employs a subtle wordplay in appealing to God. The false witnesses had claimed to be firsthand witnesses of his disgrace when they said “With our own eyes we have seen it” (35:21). Now the psalmist appeals to the superior vision of Yahweh: “O LORD, you have seen this.” Because Yahweh sees and knows the truth, the psalmist pleads for him to break silence and to draw near to confound the false testimony of the enemies.
The psalmist pictures Yahweh as both deciding judge and star defense witness (or perhaps defense attorney) coming to the witness box to speak in behalf of the psalmist. As Yahweh “awakes” (35:23) and “rises,”22 he will “defend” the psalmist and will “contend” (ryb [“present my law case”]) with the enemies. The narrator desires divine vindication through a public discrediting of the false testimony of the opponents.
The cry “vindicate me!” (35:24) is actually a plea for Yahweh to render judgment, declaring the appropriate course of action in the present circumstances. The psalmist is confident that he will be proved righteous or innocent of all claims and is equally sure that any cause for the enemies’ “gloating” will be destroyed (35:24). When Yahweh makes the truth known, the enemies will be unable to continue their ridicule of the psalmist (35:25), nor will they be able to accomplish what they desire (35:25).23 Their claim to have defeated and “swallowed up” the psalmist (35:25) will be nullified.
May all who gloat over my distress. The psalmist now moves into the final stretch of the psalm by turning to a plea, not for personal deliverance, but for personal vindication through the meting out of appropriate retribution on the enemy. In a series of jussives, he desires that justice be served by allowing the false witnesses to experience the public discrediting and disgrace they had planned for him. Through the use of the theme of “gloating” (śmḥ [“rejoice”]), this final thrust is linked back to the beginning of this section in 35:19 and the subsequent plea for vindication in 35:24 so that the whole section forms a unified structural element in the psalm. The plea that the false witnesses experience the “shame” and “disgrace” appropriate to their acts (35:26) further links this section back to the request expressed in 35:4.
Internally, the repetition of “exalt” and “delight” provides unity to this segment and allows for a subtle, ironic contrast between those who “exalt themselves” (35:26) and those who exclaim “The LORD be exalted” (35:27). The psalmist makes more positive comparison between those who “delight” in his vindication (35:27) and those who declare that Yahweh “delights in the well-being of his servant” (35:27)—an obvious reference to the psalmist.
My tongue will speak of your righteousness. The psalm concludes with the hopeful psalmist promising to testify regarding Yahweh’s righteousness that has vindicated him against the false witnesses. He will proclaim praises to Yahweh “all day long.” The verse forms a fitting conclusion to Psalm 35 but also provides appropriate transition to Psalm 36, which declares the righteousness of Yahweh, who provides refuge to the righteous (36:5–9) and presides over the downfall of the wicked (36:1–4, 11–12).
Bridging Contexts
THE INCOMPARABILITY OF YAHWEH. The central part of Psalm 35 turns on a rhetorical question (“Who is like you?”) that the psalmist utters in response to God’s anticipated retribution against his enemies (35:10). The obvious answer is “No one!” which serves as the immediate foundation for the confidence that Yahweh is able to deliver. There is no other god like Yahweh, who can match his power or inhibit his action in the psalmist’s behalf.
As a reference to the incomparability of Yahweh, the Hebrew phrase “Who is like you?” (mi kemoka) occurs elsewhere in Scripture and in the psalms (cf. Pss. 71:19; 89:8; Isa. 44:7; Jer. 49:19; Jer. 50:44).24 In other contexts, that incomparability is expressed in a less interrogative style, with declarations such as “There is none like . . .”; “There is no god like . . .”; “No one is like . . .”; and so on. These declarations range from affirmations of Yahweh’s incomparability to other deities in a polytheistic (or at least henotheistic) environment25 to clear statements of Israel’s ultimate insight that Yahweh is the only God.26
But just what is it that sets Yahweh apart and above all others? A variety of characteristics are mentioned. Some have to do with Yahweh’s mighty deeds. He is the worker of incomparable deeds and wonders (71:19; 86:8), who is able to accomplish what he announces beforehand (Isa. 44:7). A related characteristic is Yahweh’s exalted power (Job 36:22; Ps. 89:6).
God is also set off by his essential character of righteousness (Ps. 71:19), holiness (Ex. 15:11), glory (Ex. 15:11; Ps. 113:5), and majesty (Ex. 15:11; Deut. 33:26). Yahweh is faithful (Ps. 89:8) and keeps his promise to David (1 Kings 8:23 = 2 Chron. 6:14). He helps the poor, needy, and powerless (1 Kings 8:23 = 1 Chron. 6:14; 2 Chron. 14:11; Ps. 35:10; 113:5), mercifully forgives sin, and does not remain angry forever (Mic. 7:18). In Job 36:22, Yahweh is celebrated as incomparable teacher—a probable illusion to his superior wisdom. Elsewhere it is his enthronement above all nations, and even the earth itself that sets Yahweh apart.
The psalmists and others draw great solace from their insight that Yahweh is not like the gods of the other nations, or even like human kings or sages. The venality and fickleness of the gods of Mesopotamia is well known. It is not just the matter that various gods and goddesses opposed and sought to undermine one another. The greatest difficulty lay in the fact that the individual deities were inconsistent in their dealings with humans. They could be tricked, misinformed, or emotionally manipulated so that they could swing in a moment from beneficent care to harsh punishment of their followers. All one’s careful worship and supplication could be undone in a moment’s pique.
Thus, it was great comfort for Israel to know that Yahweh is not like the gods of the nations. Not only is he superior in power and might, but he is also consistent in his essential character of holiness, justice, and mercy. But this confidence did not mean that Israel always understood how her experience of Yahweh squared with her profession of his consistent character. Job certainly felt abused and abandoned by God when his own righteousness was not publicly acknowledged. The author of Ecclesiastes also found it nearly impossible to understand how the prosperity of the wicked and poverty of the righteous could reflect the justice of a holy God. But both these authors, despite their dark and incisive critiques of the painful realities of their respective worlds, stop short of a final condemnation of God. For the narrator of Ecclesiastes, life—even with its pain and uncertainties—remains the gift of God, and wisdom is still its own reward (Eccl. 5:18–20; 8:7–10). And for Job, Yahweh remains holy God, wholly in control. Despite Job’s (and our) frequent inability to understand his way in the world, God still remains worthy of our trust even while his absolute power is unquestioned.27
It is important, nevertheless, that our psalmist couches the incomparable nature of God not only in terms of power and might but also in terms of Yahweh’s care and rescue of the poor and needy from those who overpower and rob them (35:10). In the final analysis, God’s trustworthiness is the result of his incomparable power used for the benefit of the powerless. God is so superior in all things that he has no need to use power for self-interest, but he is free to champion those who have no power at all. This is the hope Israel clings to, and this is the hope that remains for us as well.
Contemporary Significance
A DESIRE FOR PUBLIC VINDICATION. As in other psalms already commented upon,28 the desire for public vindication plays an important role in Psalm 35. The psalmist’s hope for public shame and disgrace to come upon the enemy (35:4), or even for slippery pathways to lead them ultimately to ruin (35:4–8), may make us uncomfortable when we compare Jesus’ admonition to “love your enemies.” Our difficulty may be eased somewhat if we understand that what the psalmist really desires is a public “setting things right.” He is confident that if Yahweh were to act as judge in the public forum of the city gate (where many cases were tried), the psalmist would be declared in the right while his detractors would receive their public comeuppance. In such a case, for righteousness to be declared means someone else must also be determined “guilty.” This is, then, not so much a case of wishing your enemy ill as it is a desire for righteousness and justice to prevail with all its necessary consequences.
In fact, the psalmist’s desire for vindication ultimately turns away from self-seeking altogether. More than his personal vindication, condemnation of the enemy leads to public acclamation of the righteousness of God. The point of the public discrediting of the wicked is that others will see God at work and thus proclaim: “The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant” (35:27). The psalmist will offer public testimony: “Who is like you, O LORD?” (35:10); “my tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long” (35:28). Public testimony to God’s righteousness will match and even outstrip public ridicule and public vindication (35:18, 28).29
The psalm cautions us to be clear about our motives when we seek public vindication for ourselves and even wish for the downfall of our detractors. God is not in the vengeance business. Instead, he is concerned to set things right. When we ask God for vindication, we may get more than we ask for! If God were to judge all wrong and sin in the world, he would have a few things to deal with in our own lives. Perhaps this is where Jesus’ admonition to “love your enemies” and “do good to those who abuse you” comes from. Ultimately, there is not so much separating us as we might think. We are all sinners in need of God’s gracious mercy and forgiveness. When we call down divine judgment on them, we may find ourselves in the dock as well.
Again, this is not to say we should discount the psalmist’s words altogether. There is innocent suffering that needs to be confronted and judged. We ought not to turn a blind eye on injustice or oppression, whether directed to ourselves or others. But the psalmist reminds us that what is finally at stake is not our reputations or even our well-being but God’s glory and righteousness. To pray that he will set things right is to admit our own culpability in the “unrightness” of the world around us and to cast ourselves on him—both for forgiveness and for deliverance.