What does Psalm 35:23 mean?

David calls upon the Lord to take swift action and vindicate him. David's enemies had been gloating over their presumed victory. They thought they could damage his reputation by accusing him of false crimes. But David knew he was innocent, and he trusted the Lord to clear his name (Psalm 35:19–21). Here, David calls on God, in personal terms. His perception of the Lord was not distant, but intimate. David knew the Lord saw both his enemies' wicked deeds and his own innocence. This made him confident that God would ultimately prove him correct: to "vindicate" David (Psalm 35:24).

The request for God to "awake" is not meant as a literal reference to sleep (Judges 5:12; Joel 1:5). The imagery is part of a figure of speech asking someone to move from inaction to action (Psalm 44:23; 108:2; Matthew 24:42).

A believer's prayer should always be like that of a child who is intimately connected to their father. Paul tells the Galatian believers that they received the Spirit of His Son into their hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" (Galatians 4:6). The name "Abba" reflects the simple cry of a young child, and it could be translated "Dad!" or "Daddy!" Believers can address God as their Father and believe that as a loving Father He will always hear their prayers and do what is best for them (Romans 8:15).