Psalm 35:27

ESV Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, "Great is the Lord, who delights in the welfare of his servant!"

NIV May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, "The Lord be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant."

NASB May those shout for joy and rejoice, who take delight in my vindication; And may they say continually, 'The Lord be exalted, Who delights in the prosperity of His servant.'

CSB Let those who want my vindication shout for joy and be glad; let them continually say, "The Lord be exalted. He takes pleasure in his servant’s well-being."

NLT But give great joy to those who came to my defense. Let them continually say, 'Great is the Lord, who delights in blessing his servant with peace!'

KJV Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.

NKJV Let them shout for joy and be glad, Who favor my righteous cause; And let them say continually, “Let the Lord be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”

What does Psalm 35:27 mean?

Prior verses included some of David's "imprecatory prayers:" requests for God to actively, immediately judge his enemies. For the man anointed to lead God's chosen people, in an earthly nation meant to produce the Messiah, these types of prayers made a certain amount of sense. That does not mean that Christians, today, are expected to pray for their enemies' immediate destruction (John 18:36; Matthew 5:44–48). Instead, we're to note that God will enact vengeance in His own time and leave it at that (Romans 12:17–21).

After those harsh words, David's psalm ends on a positive note. David has recently asked God to prevent his enemies from celebrating his demise; in contrast, he asks the Lord to cause those who love David to "shout for joy and be glad." Not everyone in Israel opposed David; many hoped he would be vindicated. Trusting in the Lord to prove him blameless (Psalm 35:23–24), David anticipates a great swell of joy in the hearts of those who sided with him.

However, David is not asking for his allies to glory in him. He wants them to ascribe glory to God, praising Him for what His deliverance of David implies. Although the Lord appointed David to rule as king over all Israel (1 Samuel 16:13), David perceived himself as the Lord's servant. Such humility characterized the apostle Paul. In his letter to the Philippians, he identified himself and Timothy as "servants of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:1). The temptation exists today among believers to think of themselves as "important figures" in the spiritual world, or even to see God as their servant. Instead, believers should all humbly see ourselves as God's servants and endeavor to glorify Him.

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Context Summary
Psalm 35:19–28 is the last of three phases of this psalm, each expressing variations of the same basic themes. David pleads with the Lord for vindication. He prays for deliverance from his enemies, asking God to put them to shame. The psalm concludes with a call for those who support David to rejoice, and to worship God. David promises to constantly praise and honor the Lord.

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Chapter Summary
This is one of the "imprecatory psalms," which call on God to immediately judge or destroy His enemies. David echoes the same ideas in three phases. Each segment includes a plea for rescue, a request for God to conquer David's foes, and a promise to praise the Lord. David makes a point of noting that his enemies have no good reason for their hatred, since he was kind to them. With faith, David looks ahead, trusting he will have the opportunity to worship the Lord for His rescue and vindication.

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