Psalm 35 | The Battle Belongs to the Lord
Waiting for Divine Justice
What comes to mind when you hear the word “injustice”? Perhaps it's a moment when your reputation was unfairly tarnished, you were wrongfully terminated for challenging unethical practices, or you or someone you love became a victim of crime. Or maybe your heart aches for brothers and sisters in Christ enduring harsh persecution around the world. What emotions surge through you when confronted with injustice? Anger? The temptation toward revenge? A longing to see wrongdoers punished?
Psalm 35 offers raw, unfiltered language for those familiar with injustice. It is not a psalm of gentle comfort but the guttural cry of one unjustly treated, calling on God to enact judgment on his enemies.
However, this psalm is more than a personal lament over injustice; it's also a window into the injustice Christ suffered through his arrest and crucifixion. It captures David's circumstances and foreshadows Jesus' unjust suffering. In this way, Psalm 35 not only provides us with words to express our feelings in the face of injustice but also offers us a transcendent hope through Jesus, our risen Savior and King.
Verses 1-28
1 Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me! 2 Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help! 3 Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers! Say to my soul, “I am your salvation!” 4 Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life! Let them be turned back and disappointed who devise evil against me! 5 Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the Lord driving them away! 6 Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them! 7 For without cause they hid their net for me; without cause they dug a pit for my life. 8 Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it! And let the net that he hid ensnare him; let him fall into it—to his destruction! 9 Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord, exulting in his salvation. 10 All my bones shall say, “O Lord, who is like you, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, the poor and needy from him who robs him?”11 Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know. 12 They repay me evil for good; my soul is bereft. 13 But I, when they were sick—I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed on my chest. 14 I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother; as one who laments his mother, I bowed down in mourning. 15 But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered; they gathered together against me; wretches whom I did not know tore at me without ceasing; 16 like profane mockers at a feast, they gnash at me with their teeth. 17 How long, O Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their destruction, my precious life from the lions! 18 I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise you. 19 Let not those rejoice over me who are wrongfully my foes, and let not those wink the eye who hate me without cause. 20 For they do not speak peace, but against those who are quiet in the land they devise words of deceit. 21 They open wide their mouths against me; they say, “Aha, Aha! Our eyes have seen it!” 22 You have seen, O Lord; be not silent! O Lord, be not far from me! 23 Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication, for my cause, my God and my Lord! 24 Vindicate me, O Lord, my God, according to your righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me! 25 Let them not say in their hearts, “Aha, our heart's desire!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.” 26 Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether who rejoice at my calamity! Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me! 27 “Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, ‘Great is the LORD, who delights in the welfare of his servant!’ 28 Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long.”
Though David's exact circumstances aren't clear—he could be facing anything from military threats to "friendly" betrayals—he emphasizes that his enemies come against him without cause. In the past, when these same people were suffering, David had prayed and fasted on their behalf, mourning for them as he would for a friend or brother. Yet they repaid his kindness with cruelty, launching personal attacks through malicious speech, mockery, unkindness, and fraudulent schemes. They hated him without cause (vs. 15-16, 19-21) and sought to exploit his moments of vulnerability.
Despite being a skilled warrior and powerful ruler, David does not see this battle as his own. This battle belongs to the Lord. Rather than taking matters into his own hands, David rallies God to the fight. He calls on the Lord to defend his cause and frustrate their plans. And he prays for God to bring judgment on his adversaries through shame, disgrace, and dishonor.
David didn’t take it upon himself to seek retribution. Instead, he asks the Lord to defend him. He doesn’t seek vengeance; he seeks vindication (vs. 23-24). He knows that the Lord has seen his suffering and will act. But that doesn’t make it any easier. Their injustices against him continue. His patience is waning, and his emotional temperature is rising. He cries out, “How long, O Lord, will you look on? How long will you take notice of this and do nothing? Awake! Come close. Don’t let them get away with this! Say something. Vindicate me, Lord!” (paraphrase of vs. 17-26)
David is bold but not proudly or arrogantly. His boldness originates from his knowledge of his insufficiency and weakness. He knows the Lord alone can deliver him and passionately pleads for him to act. And when he does, as David believes he will, he promises to praise him publicly with his whole body (vs. 10, 18, 28).
Ultimately, David is a man of great faith. He believes God is just, righteous, and faithful to his promises. Yet, even he seeks divine assurance: “Say to my soul, ‘I am your salvation!’” He teaches us that confidence in the Lord and the desire for assurance aren’t contradictory. They are part and parcel of our faith. We can simultaneously trust God’s character and seek his comfort.
So, what does all of this mean for us?
Maybe you’ve experienced similar injustices before. Perhaps you’ve been mocked or ostracized because you adhered to Christian beliefs and practices. Maybe you lost opportunities in your career or social circles because you weren’t willing to participate in things that wouldn’t honor God or others. Perhaps you’ve been unfairly treated because of your ethnicity, gender, or background. This is not how things should be, yet it is an ever-present reality in our world.
Psalm 35 reminds us that anger about injustice is not ungodly. Anger is a legitimate response when we or others are mistreated, yet we can respond to injustice in ungodly ways. David’s bold prayer models a way to pray about injustice.
At first glance, David's prayer might seem to contradict Jesus' command to love our enemies and bless those who persecute us (Matthew 5:38-48). While Jesus clearly warns against personal retaliation and calls us to pray for our persecutors, this doesn't mean we can’t ask God to bring justice. In fact, such prayers for divine justice might even lead those acting unjustly toward repentance and restoration.
Our world is enamored with the powerful, but God is committed to the weak. Scripture is clear that God loves justice and acts justly (Isaiah 61:8, Luke 1-8). He will come to the aid of those who lack power and resources. The Lord will not ultimately allow those in positions of power to use, misuse, or abuse their power to the detriment of others. If we believe God is just and rights wrongs, would we not pray to that end?
This does not mean we remain passive in the face of grievous injustices like crimes against humanity. Such inaction would itself be an injustice. We can and should act while also knowing that true and final justice will not occur until Jesus returns.
Ultimately, David’s prayers remind us that the battle belongs to the Lord, and in time, he will reveal the intentions of hearts and what is hidden in darkness (1 Corinthians 4:5). It is his to avenge; he will repay (Hebrews 10:30, Romans 12:19). This truth enables us to resist retaliation and pray for those who wrong us while also asking God to execute his perfect justice, confident that he will ultimately set things right.
Psalm 35 is powerful, hope-filled truth, yet it holds so much more for us. David's experience of injustice points us toward a greater fulfillment in Christ. The parallels between verses 15-25 and Jesus' arrest and crucifixion are striking. Jesus even quoted verse 19, "They hated me without cause," when warning his disciples about coming persecution (John 15:18-25).
In Psalm 35, David’s enemies winked their eyes at one another, secretly conspiring against him. They devised deceitful words—lying and misleading others. They rejoiced at his stumbling, gathered together against him, and strangers tore at him without ceasing. And they laid traps for him, rejoicing, “Aha!” when they thought they finally had him in their grasp.
Jesus’ enemies also conspired against him and attempted to trap him. They trumped up charges against him and tried to procure false testimonies from others. They repaid him evil for good and arrested him without cause. Soldiers beat him without ceasing and mocked him mercilessly. And as he hung upon the cross, they rejoiced, saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!”
All the while, Jesus remained silent. He did not defend himself. Instead, he submitted himself to human injustice, praying, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Jesus, who knew no sin, became sin on our behalf so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). This supreme act of love transformed human injustice into divine redemption.
Jesus endured great suffering because he knew the Father would ultimately vindicate him. And through the resurrection, God did vindicate him, proving Jesus was who he said he was and setting him as Lord and King over all creation. One day, Jesus will return, bringing justice with him (Matthew 16:27). Jesus’ vindication offers us both comfort in our suffering and hope for final justice.
Because of this, when we face injustice today, we can:
Lament honestly, following David's example of raw, truthful prayer
Trust God's timing, knowing he sees and will act
Pray boldly for justice while loving our enemies
Rest in Christ's finished work, knowing he bore the ultimate injustice to secure our redemption
As we wait for Christ's return and final justice, we join with David and all believers throughout history, shouting for joy and delighting in Jesus' righteousness. In Christ, we have more than hope for justice; we have the assurance that injustice has already been defeated at the cross. While we may still face persecution and opposition, we stand firm in this truth: the one vindicated through resurrection now advocates for us, and his justice will have the final word.
Love you guys,
CC
Engage, Explore, Encounter
In what ways have you experienced injustice?
How do you typically respond when you witness or experience injustice? Anger? The temptation toward revenge? A longing to see wrongdoers punished?
How can you pray boldly for justice while loving your enemies?
When you reflect on past injustices in your life, how does the promise of Christ's return and perfect justice change how you view those experiences? What comfort do you find in knowing that every wrong will ultimately be made right?
Encountering Jesus in John | A Wholehearted Advent Study is Now Available in Paperback on Amazon!
Advent starts Sunday, December 1st—just two weeks away! I wrote this Advent study to help us celebrate God's provision in Christ while we also long for and anticipate his return.
Whether you love or loathe Christmas, whether you can't wait or can't wait for it to be over, this study will ground you in the hope-filled truth of the Scriptures. The hope of the world has come...for you!
The study is available in both PDF download and hard copies.
This self-paced study is good for individuals and groups.
It includes 12 videos and a 60-page workbook, now available in paperback on Amazon or as a PDF download here.
There are many great Advent resources (and I am glad to recommend some if you'd like)! Whether you choose to use the "Encountering Jesus in John" study or any other resources available, I hope you encounter and experience the rich hope of Christ this Advent!
And if you went through the Advent study last year, would you consider leaving a review on Amazon? You can do so here.
The Wholehearted Project is reader-supported.
If you enjoy or have benefitted from the content, would you consider supporting future content in a few ways:
Like or comment below. I love hearing from you!
Become a financial supporter through a one-time gift at Buy Me A Coffee or a recurring supporter at Liberapay.
Share this newsletter with others:
Subscribe to receive regular updates:
Want to Connect?
I love hearing from you!
You can find Chrystie Cole on Facebook and Instagram.
You can find more resources on the Wholehearted Project website.
Or send me a direct message: