Biblical Commentary:What does Psalm chapter 35 mean?
Chapter Context
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.
What does Psalm chapter 35 mean?
This is considered one of the "imprecatory psalms:" songs which request the Lord's immediate destruction of an enemy. Others include psalms 5, 10, 58, 69, 83, 109, and 140. In David's context, he was the anointed leader of a nation meant to produce the Messiah. Believers, today, are not in that same circumstance. With Christ's death accomplished, we're commanded to pray for our enemies' salvation, instead (John 18:36; Matthew 5:44–48). God will accomplish vengeance in His own time and in His own way (Romans 12:17–21).
Psalm 35 can be separated into three sections, all echoing the same basic themes. In each segment, David notes the sin and evil of his enemies, asks God to conquer them, and promises that he will ardently worship the Lord in thanks.
David begins by asking God to take up arms against his enemies, using military terminology. Some of the items mentioned would never have been used at the same time, such as a "standing shield" and a "buckler." The point is not that God will literally use weapons, but that David is asking for His help in battle. David also calls on God to thwart his enemies' efforts. This includes making their attacks rebound to their own destruction (Psalm 35:1–10).
The psalm, itself, is not explicitly tied to any event in David's life. However, he experienced persecution from both Saul (1 Samuel 19:1–2) and Absalom (2 Samuel 15:13–14). Both saw David as a rival for the people's loyalty, so one would expect that slander, lies, and other propaganda would have been part of their efforts. In this segment of the psalm, David focuses much attention on the idea of lying witnesses and false accusations. What's especially grievous is that David treated those same persons as his friends, caring for them and praying for their welfare. Now, they invent lies as part of their attacks on him (Psalm 35:11–18).
In the final stanza, David directly pleads with God to be active in defeating his enemies. He pictures his foes plotting, using secret signals, and anticipating David's utter defeat. This is a pattern of such people attacking those who are peaceful and sincere in their faith. In response, David asks for those who support him to praise God. This is in anticipation of the Lord's righteous response to these wicked assailants (Psalm 35:19–28).
