Psalm 35 is David’s prayer asking God to defend him against enemies who attacked him without cause. David appeals to God as his judge and protector, demonstrating how believers can bring their conflicts to God rather than seeking revenge themselves.
Someone you trusted has turned against you. Maybe they’re spreading lies about you at work. Maybe a friend betrayed your confidence. Maybe family members have sided against you in a conflict you didn’t start.
David knew exactly how that feels. Psalm 35 captures one of those moments when people he had helped turned around and attacked him. His response wasn’t to plot revenge or defend himself aggressively. Instead, he did something that might surprise you—he asked God to fight for him.
This psalm is part of what scholars call the “imprecatory psalms”—prayers that ask God to act against the psalmist’s enemies. Modern readers sometimes struggle with these prayers because they sound harsh. But understanding the context and David’s heart reveals something important about bringing our real struggles to God.
The Background: Why David Wrote Psalm 35
David wrote this psalm during a time when enemies were actively working against him. We don’t know the exact situation, but the details suggest people who once stood beside him had become hostile. Verse 11 mentions “ruthless witnesses” who questioned him about things he knew nothing about. Verse 12 says they repaid his good deeds with evil.
This wasn’t paranoia. David had real enemies making real accusations. And instead of taking matters into his own hands, he brought the situation to God in prayer.
David Appeals to God as His Judge
The psalm opens with a courtroom scene: “Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me” (verse 1).
The word “contend” here is legal language. David is asking God to be his advocate, his lawyer, his defender in court. He’s not asking for the ability to destroy his enemies himself. He’s asking God to take up his case.
Verse 24 makes this even clearer: “Vindicate me in your righteousness, Lord my God; do not let them gloat over me.”
David wants vindication—a legal term meaning to be proven right, to be declared innocent. He’s confident in his own innocence, but he’s leaving the judgment to God rather than trying to prove it himself.
This matters because most of us, when we’re wrongly accused, immediately want to defend ourselves. We want everyone to know the truth right now. We want to set the record straight ourselves. David shows us a different way—bring it to God and let Him defend you.
What David Asked God to Do
David gets specific about what he wants God to do. Some of his requests sound harsh to our modern ears:
- “Take up shield and armor; arise and come to my aid” (verse 2)
- “Let those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame” (verse 4)
- “May they be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the Lord driving them away” (verse 5)
These aren’t casual prayers. David is asking God to actively oppose the people opposing him. He uses military imagery—shields, armor, weapons. He asks for his enemies to experience shame and confusion.
But notice what David doesn’t do. He doesn’t pick up weapons himself. He doesn’t organize a counterattack. He doesn’t scheme or plot. He prays and asks God to act.
The Heart Behind the Prayer
Understanding why David prays this way requires looking at verses 11-16. Here David explains what his enemies did:
“Ruthless witnesses come forward; they question me on things I know nothing about. They repay me evil for good and leave me like one bereaved. Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting… I went about mourning as though for my friend or brother. I bowed my head in grief as though weeping for my mother. But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee; assailants gathered against me without my knowledge. They slandered me without ceasing.”
David had shown these people compassion when they were sick. He had fasted and prayed for them. He mourned for them like they were family. And they responded by attacking him when he was vulnerable.
His prayer isn’t about petty revenge. It’s about crying out to God when people he loved and served have betrayed him deeply. There’s real pain here, real hurt, real injustice.
What This Psalm Teaches About Conflict
Psalm 35 gives us a framework for handling unjust attacks:
Bring your case to God first. Before you defend yourself on social media, before you fire back with accusations of your own, before you gather allies to your side—pray. Ask God to defend you.
Be honest about how you feel. David doesn’t sugarcoat his emotions. He’s hurt, angry, and wants justice. God can handle your real feelings. You don’t have to pray in polite, sanitized language when you’re genuinely wronged.
Trust God’s timing for vindication. David asks for vindication, then waits for it. Verse 28 says, “My tongue will proclaim your righteousness, your praises all day long.” He’s looking ahead to when God will prove him right, even though it hasn’t happened yet.
Remember that God sees everything. Verse 22 says, “Lord, you have seen this; do not be silent.” God isn’t absent or unaware. He sees what’s happening. He knows the truth even when others don’t.
The Difficult Question: Should We Pray Like This?
Many Christians wonder if it’s appropriate to pray the way David prayed in Psalm 35. Should we ask God to act against our enemies?
The answer requires some perspective. Under the Old Covenant, God’s people looked to Him for justice in this life. They didn’t yet have the full revelation of eternal judgment and resurrection that we have through Christ.
Jesus taught us to pray for our enemies and bless those who curse us (Matthew 5:44). He showed us a different path—one where we trust God’s ultimate judgment while extending grace in the present.
But that doesn’t mean Psalm 35 has no place in Christian prayer. We can still:
- Ask God to defend us when we’re wrongly accused
- Cry out to God about injustice without taking revenge ourselves
- Trust God to make things right in His time and His way
- Pray for God’s justice while also praying for our enemies’ repentance
The difference is we pray with the knowledge that God’s ultimate justice comes at the end, and our goal is redemption, not destruction.
When God Fights Your Battles
Psalm 35 ends with David praising God in advance for the deliverance he hasn’t yet experienced: “My tongue will proclaim your righteousness, your praises all day long” (verse 28).
David trusted that God would act. He didn’t know when or how, but he knew God would defend him. That trust allowed him to keep walking forward instead of getting stuck in bitterness or revenge.
God does fight for His people. Sometimes that means He changes the situation. Sometimes it means He changes hearts—either yours or theirs. Sometimes it means He gives you strength to endure while He works behind the scenes in ways you can’t see yet.
The woman whose coworker spread lies about her didn’t see vindication immediately. But six months later, the coworker’s pattern of dishonesty became obvious to everyone, and the woman’s integrity was proven without her having to defend herself once.
The man whose business partner cheated him didn’t get his money back right away. But God provided other opportunities that proved more successful than the original partnership would have been.
God’s vindication doesn’t always look like we expect, but it comes.
What to Do While You Wait
David gives us clues throughout Psalm 35 about what to do while waiting for God to act:
Keep your integrity. Don’t become like the people who hurt you. Don’t lie about them, gossip about them, or scheme against them. Stay clean before God.
Keep praying. David prays this prayer multiple times throughout the psalm, repeating his requests. Persistent prayer isn’t nagging God—it’s staying connected to Him through the difficulty.
Keep worshiping. Even in the middle of conflict, David commits to praising God. Worship shifts your focus from your enemies to your Defender.
Keep trusting. Trust that God sees, God knows, and God will act according to His perfect wisdom and timing.
Conclusion
Psalm 35 meets you where you are when someone has turned against you unfairly. David shows you how to bring your real pain and anger to God without sinning in your response. He demonstrates what it looks like to ask God to be your defender instead of taking revenge yourself.
God hasn’t changed since David’s time. He still sees injustice. He still defends the innocent. He still makes things right. Your job isn’t to fight every battle yourself. Your job is to bring the battle to God and trust Him with the outcome.
The next time someone attacks you without cause, remember David’s prayer. Tell God what happened. Ask Him to defend you. Then watch what He does. His vindication might not come on your timeline, but it will come in His perfect way.
Psalm 35 Meaning: David’s Prayer When Enemies Attack
Psalm 35 is David’s prayer asking God to defend him against enemies who attacked him without cause. David appeals to God as his judge and protector, demonstrating how believers can bring their conflicts to God rather than seeking revenge themselves.
Someone you trusted has turned against you. Maybe they’re spreading lies about you at work. Maybe a friend betrayed your confidence. Maybe family members have sided against you in a conflict you didn’t start.
David knew exactly how that feels. Psalm 35 captures one of those moments when people he had helped turned around and attacked him. His response wasn’t to plot revenge or defend himself aggressively. Instead, he did something that might surprise you—he asked God to fight for him.
This psalm is part of what scholars call the “imprecatory psalms”—prayers that ask God to act against the psalmist’s enemies. Modern readers sometimes struggle with these prayers because they sound harsh. But understanding the context and David’s heart reveals something important about bringing our real struggles to God.
The Background: Why David Wrote Psalm 35
David wrote this psalm during a time when enemies were actively working against him. We don’t know the exact situation, but the details suggest people who once stood beside him had become hostile. Verse 11 mentions “ruthless witnesses” who questioned him about things he knew nothing about. Verse 12 says they repaid his good deeds with evil.
This wasn’t paranoia. David had real enemies making real accusations. And instead of taking matters into his own hands, he brought the situation to God in prayer.
David Appeals to God as His Judge
The psalm opens with a courtroom scene: “Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me” (verse 1).
The word “contend” here is legal language. David is asking God to be his advocate, his lawyer, his defender in court. He’s not asking for the ability to destroy his enemies himself. He’s asking God to take up his case.
Verse 24 makes this even clearer: “Vindicate me in your righteousness, Lord my God; do not let them gloat over me.”
David wants vindication—a legal term meaning to be proven right, to be declared innocent. He’s confident in his own innocence, but he’s leaving the judgment to God rather than trying to prove it himself.
This matters because most of us, when we’re wrongly accused, immediately want to defend ourselves. We want everyone to know the truth right now. We want to set the record straight ourselves. David shows us a different way—bring it to God and let Him defend you.
What David Asked God to Do
David gets specific about what he wants God to do. Some of his requests sound harsh to our modern ears:
These aren’t casual prayers. David is asking God to actively oppose the people opposing him. He uses military imagery—shields, armor, weapons. He asks for his enemies to experience shame and confusion.
But notice what David doesn’t do. He doesn’t pick up weapons himself. He doesn’t organize a counterattack. He doesn’t scheme or plot. He prays and asks God to act.
The Heart Behind the Prayer
Understanding why David prays this way requires looking at verses 11-16. Here David explains what his enemies did:
“Ruthless witnesses come forward; they question me on things I know nothing about. They repay me evil for good and leave me like one bereaved. Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting… I went about mourning as though for my friend or brother. I bowed my head in grief as though weeping for my mother. But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee; assailants gathered against me without my knowledge. They slandered me without ceasing.”
David had shown these people compassion when they were sick. He had fasted and prayed for them. He mourned for them like they were family. And they responded by attacking him when he was vulnerable.
His prayer isn’t about petty revenge. It’s about crying out to God when people he loved and served have betrayed him deeply. There’s real pain here, real hurt, real injustice.
What This Psalm Teaches About Conflict
Psalm 35 gives us a framework for handling unjust attacks:
Bring your case to God first. Before you defend yourself on social media, before you fire back with accusations of your own, before you gather allies to your side—pray. Ask God to defend you.
Be honest about how you feel. David doesn’t sugarcoat his emotions. He’s hurt, angry, and wants justice. God can handle your real feelings. You don’t have to pray in polite, sanitized language when you’re genuinely wronged.
Trust God’s timing for vindication. David asks for vindication, then waits for it. Verse 28 says, “My tongue will proclaim your righteousness, your praises all day long.” He’s looking ahead to when God will prove him right, even though it hasn’t happened yet.
Remember that God sees everything. Verse 22 says, “Lord, you have seen this; do not be silent.” God isn’t absent or unaware. He sees what’s happening. He knows the truth even when others don’t.
The Difficult Question: Should We Pray Like This?
Many Christians wonder if it’s appropriate to pray the way David prayed in Psalm 35. Should we ask God to act against our enemies?
The answer requires some perspective. Under the Old Covenant, God’s people looked to Him for justice in this life. They didn’t yet have the full revelation of eternal judgment and resurrection that we have through Christ.
Jesus taught us to pray for our enemies and bless those who curse us (Matthew 5:44). He showed us a different path—one where we trust God’s ultimate judgment while extending grace in the present.
But that doesn’t mean Psalm 35 has no place in Christian prayer. We can still:
The difference is we pray with the knowledge that God’s ultimate justice comes at the end, and our goal is redemption, not destruction.
When God Fights Your Battles
Psalm 35 ends with David praising God in advance for the deliverance he hasn’t yet experienced: “My tongue will proclaim your righteousness, your praises all day long” (verse 28).
David trusted that God would act. He didn’t know when or how, but he knew God would defend him. That trust allowed him to keep walking forward instead of getting stuck in bitterness or revenge.
God does fight for His people. Sometimes that means He changes the situation. Sometimes it means He changes hearts—either yours or theirs. Sometimes it means He gives you strength to endure while He works behind the scenes in ways you can’t see yet.
The woman whose coworker spread lies about her didn’t see vindication immediately. But six months later, the coworker’s pattern of dishonesty became obvious to everyone, and the woman’s integrity was proven without her having to defend herself once.
The man whose business partner cheated him didn’t get his money back right away. But God provided other opportunities that proved more successful than the original partnership would have been.
God’s vindication doesn’t always look like we expect, but it comes.
What to Do While You Wait
David gives us clues throughout Psalm 35 about what to do while waiting for God to act:
Keep your integrity. Don’t become like the people who hurt you. Don’t lie about them, gossip about them, or scheme against them. Stay clean before God.
Keep praying. David prays this prayer multiple times throughout the psalm, repeating his requests. Persistent prayer isn’t nagging God—it’s staying connected to Him through the difficulty.
Keep worshiping. Even in the middle of conflict, David commits to praising God. Worship shifts your focus from your enemies to your Defender.
Keep trusting. Trust that God sees, God knows, and God will act according to His perfect wisdom and timing.
Conclusion
Psalm 35 meets you where you are when someone has turned against you unfairly. David shows you how to bring your real pain and anger to God without sinning in your response. He demonstrates what it looks like to ask God to be your defender instead of taking revenge yourself.
God hasn’t changed since David’s time. He still sees injustice. He still defends the innocent. He still makes things right. Your job isn’t to fight every battle yourself. Your job is to bring the battle to God and trust Him with the outcome.
The next time someone attacks you without cause, remember David’s prayer. Tell God what happened. Ask Him to defend you. Then watch what He does. His vindication might not come on your timeline, but it will come in His perfect way.
Olivia Clarke
I’m Olivia Clarke, a Bible teacher and writer passionate about helping others connect deeply with God’s Word. Through each piece I write, my heart is to encourage, equip, and remind you of the hope and truth we have in Christ.
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