Psalm 35:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help!

NIV: Take up shield and armor; arise and come to my aid.

NASB: Take hold of buckler and shield And rise up as my help.

CSB: Take your shields—large and small— and come to my aid.

NLT: Put on your armor, and take up your shield. Prepare for battle, and come to my aid.

KJV: Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.

NKJV: Take hold of shield and buckler, And stand up for my help.

Interestingly, both items mentioned here are defensive, and would never be used at the same time. Continuing the image of the Lord as a warrior on his behalf (Psalm 35:1), David asks the Lord to symbolically take up tools of warfare. A "buckler" is from the Hebrew māgēn, referring to a small, maneuverable shield easily carried in one hand. The other term is sinnā, meaning a large "standing shield" that covers the entire body. The two are used in distinct phases of war and for different reasons. David is issuing a general plea for God to act as His warrior champion: to be his defense and strength in battle.

Isaiah 63 describes the Lord as a warrior, "marching in the greatness of his strength" in the end times (Isaiah 63:1). He treads the winepress alone and tramples His enemies in His wrath (Isaiah 63:3). He declares that the day of His vengeance was in His heart (Isaiah 63:4). In verse 6 the Lord states, "I trampled down the peoples in my anger; I made them drunk in my wrath, and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth" (Isaiah 63:6).

Although God is loving, merciful, and kind, and the Savior of those who believe on His Son, He does not tolerate sin. All who reject His offer of salvation will experience His wrath. He will defend His righteousness and judge all who oppose Him (Acts 17:31; Romans 6:23; Hebrews 9:27; Jude 1:14–15; Revelation 19:11–16; 20:10–15).

Psalm 35:1–10 is the first of three echoes in this psalm, each using the same basic themes. David asks the Lord for defense against enemies. He asks God to stand as his champion, fully armed and in opposition to David's foes. He asks the Lord to vindicate him and destroy the enemy. Each request is accompanied by praise. This segment compares to other "imprecatory psalms" written by David (Psalm 69:22–25; Psalm 109:8–15).

This is one of the "imprecatory psalms," which call on God to immediately judge or destroy His enemies. David echoes the same ideas in three phases. Each segment includes a plea for rescue, a request for God to conquer David's foes, and a promise to praise the Lord. David makes a point of noting that his enemies have no good reason for their hatred, since he was kind to them. With faith, David looks ahead, trusting he will have the opportunity to worship the Lord for His rescue and vindication.

David pleads with the Lord to destroy his enemies and vindicate him. As such, Psalm 35 is labeled an "imprecatory psalm." Other examples include psalms 5, 69, 109, and 140. This song might have been written when King Saul was seeking David's life (1 Samuel 19:1–2), or when Absalom was spreading rebellion in Israel (2 Samuel 15:13–14). David' notes three basic ideas in this psalm: vindication, defeat of enemies, and praise of God. Each is repeated in a series of three variations.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.