Psalm 35 is a prayer from someone under attack, who asks God to defend them against enemies who are unjust and hostile. It is built around honest pleading, a vow to praise once rescue comes, and a steady appeal to God’s righteousness. These questions are for small groups, Sunday classes, and personal study, and they work through the chapter in three passes: what the text says, what it means, and how to live it.
Psalm 35 at a Glance
The psalm opens with David asking the LORD to fight his opponents, using the imagery of shield, spear and net. He wants his enemies shamed, scattered and caught in their own schemes, and he wants his soul assured of God’s salvation. The middle section turns to his own past conduct, describing how he prayed for these people when they were sick and how they repaid him with mockery and malice.
The final stretch returns to urgent petition and ends with a promise. David asks God to wake up and defend him, and he pictures his enemies gloating, then closes by vowing to speak of God’s righteousness and praise all day long. Groups often find it helpful to notice how the psalm moves from complaint to confidence without pretending the trouble has already gone.
Observation Questions
Use this set first, before anyone offers an interpretation. Read the relevant verses aloud, let people point to the words, and resist explaining until the group has named what is actually on the page.
Psalm 35:1
Contend, the LORD, with those who contend with me. Fight against those who fight against me.
(WEB)
This opening line sets the tone of the whole psalm by placing the conflict directly in God’s hands. Reading it first helps the group see that David’s prayer begins with an appeal rather than a plan of his own.
Psalm 35:9-10
9 My soul shall be joyful in the LORD. It shall rejoice in his salvation. 10 All my bones shall say, “The LORD, who is like you, who delivers the poor from him who is too strong for him; yes, the poor and the needy from him who robs him?”
(WEB)
These verses show the turn from distress toward joy and praise. They are a good place to pause and ask where the group has seen God’s deliverance in their own experience.
Psalm 35:13-14
13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting. My prayer returned into my own bosom. 14 I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother. I bowed down mourning, as one who mourns his mother.
(WEB)
Reading these verses reminds the group that David’s suffering is compounded by how faithfully he had treated his opponents. The passage invites reflection on how we respond to people who have not returned our care.
Psalm 35:22-23
22 You have seen it, the LORD. Don’t keep silent. Lord, don’t be far from me. 23 Wake up! Rise up to defend me, my God! My Lord, contend for me!
(WEB)
These urgent pleas capture the intensity of David’s prayer and give permission for honest, unpolished requests. Consider reading them slowly, almost as a shared prayer, so the words sink in.
Psalm 35:27-28
27 Let them shout for joy and be glad, who favor my righteous cause. Yes, let them say continually, “The LORD be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant!” 28 My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long.
(WEB)
The psalm ends with a vow of continual praise and a hope that others will rejoice with the one who is vindicated. These closing verses are a fitting way to finish the study on a note of gratitude.
Memory Verse for Psalm 35
Psalm 35:28
My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long.
(WEB)
This verse is a simple and portable vow that anyone can carry through the day. Encourage the group to repeat it together, and suggest tying it to a daily habit like morning coffee or the drive to work.
A Closing Prayer for the Group
Father, we come to you as David did, honest about the people who have hurt us and the injustice we feel. Thank you that you see what is hidden, that you know when we are wronged without cause, and that you are strong to defend the vulnerable. Teach us to bring our complaints to you plainly, to refuse the satisfaction of gloating over others, and to keep our hearts tender toward those who have hurt us. Let our mouths be full of your righteousness and your praise, today and in the days ahead. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
