Psalm 35 23

Psalm 35:23 kjv

Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.

Psalm 35:23 nkjv

Stir up Yourself, and awake to my vindication, To my cause, my God and my Lord.

Psalm 35:23 niv

Awake, and rise to my defense! Contend for me, my God and Lord.

Psalm 35:23 esv

Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication, for my cause, my God and my Lord!

Psalm 35:23 nlt

Wake up! Rise to my defense!
Take up my case, my God and my Lord.

Psalm 35 verses

Psalm 35 23 Meaning

Psalm 35:23 is a fervent plea from a persecuted individual to God for immediate divine intervention and justice. It is a desperate cry for God, addressed intimately as "My God and my Lord," to rouse Himself and take action on behalf of the afflicted, engaging in their legal and personal contention against malicious adversaries. The verse expresses an earnest desire for God to publicly vindicate the psalmist and silence the false accusations.

Psalm 35 23 Context

Psalm 35 is a powerful lamentation of David, crying out to God against his unjust adversaries. It moves through a passionate plea for divine intervention, a vivid description of the enemies' malicious actions and the psalmist's suffering, and ends with a declaration of faith and praise. Throughout the psalm, David portrays himself as an innocent victim who has been falsely accused and repaid with evil for his good. This specific verse (Ps 35:23) comes in the midst of a detailed account of the enemies' treachery, intensifying the plea for God to intervene as the supreme judge. Historically, this aligns with David's experiences of persecution, particularly from Saul and later from Absalom, where he was often falsely slandered and sought by those who wished him harm, despite his loyalty and righteous conduct. The context is one of a desperate but believing soul seeking vindication from the only true source of justice.

Psalm 35 23 Word analysis

• Wake up (עוּר, 'ur):
  • Meaning: To rouse, stir, awake, excite.
  • Significance: This is an anthropomorphism, speaking of God as if He were sleeping or inactive. It conveys the psalmist's deep yearning for God's active, visible, and immediate intervention. It’s not that God truly sleeps (Ps 121:3-4), but an impassioned plea for Him to manifest His power and attention.
• Stir Yourself (קוּץ, qutz):
  • Meaning: To be roused, to awake (intransitive), or to bestir oneself.
  • Significance: Used in parallelism with "wake up," this term adds emphasis and urgency. It reinforces the desperate appeal for God to actively engage, not merely be aware, but to move decisively into action on the psalmist's behalf. It suggests a call for God to arise and defend.
• to my defense (לְמִשְׁפָּטִי, le'mishpati):
  • Meaning: "for my justice," "for my judgment," "for my right." Mishpat (מִשְׁפָּט) signifies justice, judgment, legal right, or a judicial decision.
  • Significance: The psalmist is not seeking mere rescue but a judicial resolution, a public declaration of his innocence and the vindication of his cause by God's righteous standards. It emphasizes God's role as a divine Judge who dispenses perfect justice.
• and to my cause (וְלָרִיבִי, ve'larivi):
  • Meaning: "for my contention," "for my dispute," "for my quarrel," "for my controversy." Riv (רִיב) denotes a lawsuit or contention.
  • Significance: This term complements mishpat, specifically highlighting the legal-adversarial context. The psalmist faces accusations and opposition, and he pleads for God to personally engage in this "lawsuit" on his side, acting as his advocate and champion against the false accusers.
• My God (אֱלֹהַי, Elohai):
  • Meaning: A personal form of Elohim, God. It conveys intimacy and a personal relationship ("my God").
  • Significance: This deeply personal address shows the psalmist's intimate faith and trust in God amidst suffering. It highlights a covenantal relationship where the individual belongs to God and can appeal to Him on that basis.
• and my Lord (וַאדֹנָי, va'Adonai):
  • Meaning: A specific title for God, emphasizing His sovereignty, mastery, and authority. Adonai (אֲדֹנָי) is typically pronounced when YHWH (the unutterable Name) appears, but here it's an independent title.
  • Significance: Juxtaposing "My God" and "my Lord" reveals both the personal, loving relationship (My God) and the acknowledgment of His ultimate power and authority (my Lord). This combined address elevates the plea, appealing to both God's covenant faithfulness and His omnipotent power to effect justice.

Words-group analysis:

• "Wake up, stir Yourself": This phrase reflects intense and desperate earnestness. The double imperative, using anthropomorphic language, powerfully conveys the psalmist's sense of urgency, as if God's attention is momentarily diverted, and His immediate action is desperately needed for relief. It is a bold, passionate appeal rooted in unwavering faith that God can and will intervene.
• "to my defense and to my cause": This parallel construction frames the psalmist's distress as a legal dispute. It emphasizes that the prayer is not merely for rescue but for vindication—for God to demonstrate his innocence and righteousness. It presents God as the ultimate court of appeal, the righteous Judge and Advocate for the oppressed.
• "My God and my Lord": This dual address, moving from "my God" (personal, covenantal relationship) to "my Lord" (sovereign master, supreme authority), is a deeply theological and profound invocation. It underscores the psalmist's total reliance on God, not only as a protector but as the ultimate power and rightful authority who can and will enact justice. It speaks to both the intimacy and the majesty of God.

Psalm 35 23 Bonus section

The intense language of "Wake up! Stir Yourself!" reflects an ancient Near Eastern understanding where deities were sometimes depicted as requiring arousal or being passive. However, in the biblical context, this is a figure of speech (anthropomorphism) used by the psalmist to passionately convey human desperation and the felt urgency for God's active display of power. It signifies the longing for a manifestation of God's justice, not a belief in His literal slumber. Scholars often highlight that such prayers, far from questioning God's omnipotence or vigilance, are expressions of deep faith that trusts God will intervene and that such intervention requires His immediate attention and decisive action. It’s an act of pushing into God, a tenacious, fervent prayer that expects God to act in accordance with His character of justice and righteousness.

Psalm 35 23 Commentary

Psalm 35:23 encapsulates the heartfelt cry of an innocent soul facing severe, unjust oppression. It is not merely a request for help but an impassioned demand for divine justice. The psalmist implores God, using powerful anthropomorphic language ("Wake up, stir Yourself"), not because God is ever truly asleep or unaware, but to vividly express the acute pain and urgency felt by the one suffering. This prayer reflects a deep understanding of God as the ultimate arbiter of truth and justice, the only one capable of rendering a righteous verdict in what the psalmist views as a divinely sanctioned lawsuit. By appealing to "My God and my Lord," the psalmist underscores both his intimate, covenantal relationship with the Creator and God's supreme authority and power to effect a just outcome. This verse thus embodies the trusting dependence of the believer who, despite dire circumstances, entrusts their ultimate vindication to the Lord alone, recognizing Him as the sovereign judge who always defends the cause of the righteous. It serves as an encouragement for believers facing injustice to commit their case to God, who neither slumbers nor sleeps, but is ever attentive to the cries of His people.