Psalm 35:2 kjv
Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.
Psalm 35:2 nkjv
Take hold of shield and buckler, And stand up for my help.
Psalm 35:2 niv
Take up shield and armor; arise and come to my aid.
Psalm 35:2 esv
Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help!
Psalm 35:2 nlt
Put on your armor, and take up your shield.
Prepare for battle, and come to my aid.
Psalm 35 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 15:3 | "The Lord is a warrior..." | God as divine warrior. |
| Deut 3:22 | "...for the Lord your God is He who fights for you." | God actively fights for His people. |
| Josh 23:10 | "...for the Lord your God is He who fights for you, just as He promised." | God's faithfulness in fighting for His people. |
| Psa 3:3 | "But You, O Lord, are a shield about me..." | God as a protective shield. |
| Psa 7:12 | "...if a person does not repent, He will sharpen His sword..." | God's readiness for divine judgment. |
| Psa 18:2 | "The Lord is my rock...my shield and the horn of my salvation..." | God as comprehensive protector. |
| Psa 20:2 | "May He send you help from the sanctuary and sustain you from Zion!" | Prayer for divine assistance. |
| Psa 28:7 | "The Lord is my strength and my shield..." | God as source of strength and defense. |
| Psa 46:1 | "God is our refuge and strength, a very ready help in trouble." | God as accessible and prompt helper. |
| Psa 84:11 | "For the Lord God is a sun and a shield..." | God as light, source, and protector. |
| Prov 30:5 | "Every word of God proves true; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him." | God's protective nature for the trusting. |
| Isa 41:10 | "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God." | God's presence as reassurance and help. |
| Isa 42:13 | "The Lord will march forth like a warrior; He will stir up His zeal..." | God rising with fervor like a fighter. |
| Isa 59:17 | "He put on righteousness as a breastplate...and a helmet of salvation..." | God's divine armor for justice. |
| Jer 11:20 | "...O Lord of hosts, who judges righteously..." | Appeal to God as righteous judge/warrior. |
| Zech 9:14 | "...the Lord will appear over them, and His arrow will go forth..." | God's active engagement in battle for His people. |
| Rom 8:31 | "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?" | God's supreme alliance for believers. |
| Eph 6:10-17 | "...put on the full armor of God..." | Believers wear armor, reflecting God's warrior character. |
| Heb 13:6 | "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid." | Confidence in God's help. |
| Rev 19:11-16 | "And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war." | Jesus depicted as the divine warrior. |
Psalm 35 verses
Psalm 35 2 Meaning
Psalm 35:2 is a passionate prayer by David, asking God to intervene actively on his behalf. It pictures God as a divine warrior preparing for battle. David implores God to "take hold of shield and buckler," signifying comprehensive defensive armor, and to "stand up for my help," emphasizing a swift, decisive, and fully armed readiness to deliver him from his persecutors. It is a plea for immediate and tangible divine intervention, where God Himself fights the battles of His servant.
Psalm 35 2 Context
Psalm 35 is a powerful psalm of lament and imprecation from David, characterized by its intense cries for divine intervention against his adversaries. It belongs to a group of psalms where the speaker, in deep distress and experiencing unprovoked persecution, appeals directly to God for vindication and deliverance. Verses 1 and 2 lay the foundational plea, asking God not merely to watch, but to actively "contend," "fight," and, as verse 2 shows, to "take hold" of military equipment and "stand up" in defense. David consistently emphasizes his own innocence and the malice of his enemies, who return evil for good and spread false accusations. Historically, this could relate to various periods of David's life when he was unjustly pursued, such as by Saul or during Absalom's rebellion, or even more generally against his malicious detractors.
Psalm 35 2 Word analysis
- Take hold (תפוש, tāp̄ōś): This is an imperative verb, a direct command or fervent plea to God. It means to grasp firmly, seize, or lay hold of. It conveys urgency and the desired decisiveness of God's action, not merely a passive state of possession. David wants God to actively arm Himself for combat.
- of shield (מגן, māḡēn): Refers to a large, often oval or oblong, shield designed to cover and protect the entire body or a significant portion. It implies comprehensive defense and robust protection. In the Old Testament, māḡēn often symbolizes God as the ultimate protector (e.g., Psa 3:3).
- and buckler (צנה, ṣinnāh): This term also refers to a shield, typically smaller, round, and lighter than the māḡēn. It was often used by agile warriors for quicker movements and focused defense. The pairing of māḡēn and ṣinnāh creates a poetic merism, signifying all forms of defensive armor – complete and total preparedness for battle, leaving no aspect unprotected. This imagery underscores God's total readiness to fight for David.
- and stand up (וקום, wəqûm): Another imperative, urging God to rise or stand forth. It signifies action, readiness, and active presence in the conflict. It's a call for God to move from a state of observation to one of engagement, a decisive step towards intervention.
- for my help (לעזרתי, lə‘ezrāṯî): This phrase specifies the purpose of God's arming and standing. ‘Ezrāh (help/aid) is a fundamental concept in the Bible, often denoting divine assistance, especially in distress or battle. David is not seeking an abstract favor, but a specific, powerful rescue or deliverance tailored to his perilous situation.
Words-Group Analysis:
- "Take hold of shield and buckler": This vivid military imagery paints God as a Divine Warrior. It is a profound anthropomorphism, illustrating God's personal, forceful, and fully prepared involvement in David's cause. It’s a prayer for God to don His full protective and offensive gear and directly engage the enemy.
- "and stand up for my help": This phrase combines readiness with specific intent. It implies that God will not just prepare, but also step into the arena of conflict on David's behalf, actively intervening to provide rescue and deliverance. The emphasis is on active support, a divine championship of David's cause.
Psalm 35 2 Bonus section
- Polemical Significance: In the ancient Near East, various deities were often seen as indifferent or powerless against certain evils. David's appeal here, depicting God as an active, armored warrior, implicitly challenges such perceptions, asserting the unparalleled might and caring nature of Yahweh, who personally defends His people.
- Literary Device: The use of anthropomorphism (describing God with human actions like "taking hold" and "standing up") is not meant to suggest God has a physical body, but rather to communicate the intensity and tangibility of His divine intervention in a way human understanding can grasp. It illustrates God's active involvement, power, and readiness to deliver.
Psalm 35 2 Commentary
Psalm 35:2 portrays the raw earnestness of a prayer born from acute distress. David implores God not just to notice his plight but to powerfully equip Himself and actively enter the spiritual and literal battle on his side. The anthropomorphic language of God taking up "shield and buckler" and "standing up" emphasizes His absolute preparedness and immediate engagement as the Divine Warrior. It assures the psalmist that God possesses the means and the will to offer total defense and intervention. This verse reflects a profound trust in God’s active sovereignty, seeking His personal power as the ultimate rescuer. For the believer, it offers a pattern for prayer when facing overwhelming adversity: a bold appeal for God Himself to contend on our behalf, confident in His readiness and power to save.