Question 1

What does it mean when David says, "Plead my cause, O Lord"?

Accepted Answer

When David says, “Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me,” he is asking God to act like a defender in court and like a warrior in battle. People are fighting against him and accusing him, and he knows he cannot clear his name or protect himself by his own strength. So he brings the whole matter to God, asking God to take up his side, answer his attackers, and decide the case. It shows that when we are wronged, we should bring our cause to God instead of seeking revenge.

Question 2

Why does David ask God to take up shield, buckler, and spear?

Accepted Answer

David’s words about God taking hold of the shield, buckler, and spear are picture language. God does not need human weapons, but David speaks this way to show that God is actively defending him. The shield and buckler point to full protection, and the spear pictures God standing between David and those who hunt him. This helps David, and us, see God not as distant, but as a strong protector who steps in for his people when enemies are too strong and danger feels close.

Question 3

How can David pray for his enemies to be ashamed and destroyed?

Accepted Answer

The prayers for enemies to be confounded, chased, and to fall into their own nets can feel hard to read. Here David is not lashing out from personal spite. He is being hunted “without cause,” and his enemies are plotting evil against an innocent man God has chosen. He is asking God, the righteous judge, to stop their wickedness and let their own traps turn back on them. This kind of prayer hands judgment to God instead of taking it into our own hands, trusting Him to deal with evil in a just way.

Question 4

What does "say unto my soul, I am thy salvation" mean?

Accepted Answer

When David asks God to “say unto my soul, I am thy salvation,” he wants more than safety from danger. He is asking for inner assurance from God Himself. Enemies surround him, his name is being torn down, and he feels deeply troubled. So he prays that God would speak peace to his heart and remind him that God is his Savior. This shows that in trouble we need not only outward help but also God’s clear comfort inside, so we know we belong to Him and are safe in His hands.

Question 5

Why is David so hurt by false witnesses and ingratitude in this psalm?

Accepted Answer

David is not only facing open enemies, but also people he once cared for. He says that when they were sick, he wore sackcloth, fasted, and prayed for them like for a friend or a brother. Yet when trouble came to him, they rejoiced, mocked him, and joined together to tear him down. This betrayal cuts deeply because it twists his kindness into an excuse to harm him. His pain shows that God sees not just our outward trials but also the sorrow of being repaid evil for good.

Question 6

What does this passage teach about God’s care for the poor and needy?

Accepted Answer

David cries out, “Lord, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him.” He is saying that God is unique in how He defends those who cannot defend themselves. The poor and needy here are people who are weak, outmatched, and oppressed. Human help fails them, but God steps in as their rescuer. This teaches that God pays close attention to those who are trampled or overlooked and that He delights in saving them from the hands of stronger, cruel people.

Question 7

How should believers today use this psalm when facing false accusations?

Accepted Answer

When facing lies or unfair treatment, this psalm gives a pattern. Like David, we can bring our whole situation to God, tell Him the truth of what is happening, and ask Him to defend us instead of trying to fight dirty in return. We can ask God to stop evil plans, to clear our name in His time, and to give us inner assurance that He is our salvation. And we can follow David’s example of promising to thank and praise God openly when He helps, giving God, not ourselves, the credit.

Question 8

Why does David promise to praise God "in the great congregation"?

Accepted Answer

David says he will give thanks in the great congregation and praise God among many people. He expects that God will answer his prayer and rescue him, and he wants that rescue to lead to public worship, not just private relief. By praising God before others, he encourages them to trust God too. It also shows that his main goal is not simply to see his enemies fall, but to see God honored, magnified, and spoken well of by everyone who hears what God has done.

Question 9

What does this psalm show about God’s justice when the wicked plot secretly?

Accepted Answer

In this psalm, enemies hide nets and dig pits to trap David “without cause.” He prays that the very net they hid would catch them and that they would fall into the destruction they planned. This shows a pattern that appears often in Scripture: those who plot evil often end up harmed by their own schemes. God sees every hidden plan, even when the righteous feel helpless. His justice can turn secret traps back on the planners, proving that He rules over both open attacks and quiet plots.

Psalm 35:1

Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.

Contend with My Opponents, O LORD

Of David.

Contend with My Opponents, O LORD

Of David.

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Psalm 35:1

Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.

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Contend with My Opponents, O LORD

Of David.

Contend with My Opponents, O LORD

Of David.

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