Single lesson
Psalm 35: Contend with My Opponents, O LORD
Psalms 35:1–28
Psalm 35 is a prayer-poem in which the speaker asks Yahweh for help against enemies, describes unfair treatment, and promises thanks and praise. In this lesson, children trace the speaker, the strong images, and how the prayer moves from need toward praise.
Before you teach
In this psalm, the speaker talks directly to Yahweh about people who fight, accuse, mock and rejoice over his trouble. He asks Yahweh to defend, rescue and vindicate him. The psalm also remembers the speaker’s past kindness, then ends with hope that many people will praise Yahweh’s righteousness.
Students will identify the speaker, name key images in Psalm 35, and explain how the prayer moves from calling for help to promising praise.
Welcome: Who is speaking in this psalm?
4 minBegin by explaining that Psalm 35 is a prayer spoken to Yahweh. Ask children to listen for who is talking and who is being addressed. Read verses 1 to 3 aloud and notice the repeated words “me” and “my”, plus the direct call to “Yahweh”. The speaker is asking God to act for him.
Psalms 35:1, Psalms 35:2, Psalms 35:3
Read and explain: Battle and rescue pictures
8 minRead verses 1 to 10. Point out the strong images: shield, buckler and spear show protection and defence. A net and pit picture a trap set in secret. “My soul shall be joyful in Yahweh” shows that the prayer includes hope, not only fear. The poor and needy are shown as needing rescue from someone stronger.
Psalms 35:2, Psalms 35:3, Psalms 35:7, Psalms 35:8, Psalms 35:9, Psalms 35:10
Discuss: What hurts the speaker most?
6 minRead verses 11 to 18. Help children notice that the speaker is upset by false witnesses, evil returned for good, and people rejoicing in his adversity. He says he once fasted and mourned for them like a friend or brother. Then ask how verse 18 changes the tone by promising public thanks and praise.
Psalms 35:11, Psalms 35:12, Psalms 35:13, Psalms 35:14, Psalms 35:15, Psalms 35:18
Make and respond: Illustrated prayer card
8 minChildren make a small card with two sides. On one side, they draw one image from the psalm such as a shield, net, lion, or open mouth. On the other side, they copy or paraphrase one short line of prayer or praise from the psalm. Remind them that the images come from the poem’s words.
Psalms 35:2, Psalms 35:7, Psalms 35:17, Psalms 35:21, Psalms 35:28
Closing: From complaint to praise
4 minRead verses 19 to 28. Summarise the movement of the psalm: the speaker asks enemies not to rejoice, says Yahweh has seen, asks God to defend and vindicate, then ends with joy, magnifying Yahweh, and speaking praise all day long. Finish by inviting one sentence answers about where the prayer begins and where it ends.
Psalms 35:19, Psalms 35:22, Psalms 35:23, Psalms 35:24, Psalms 35:27, Psalms 35:28
Questions to explore
What words in the opening verses show that this psalm is a prayer to Yahweh for help?
Listen for direct requests such as “Contend”, “Fight”, “Take hold”, and “Tell my soul, ‘I am your salvation’”, which show the speaker is talking to Yahweh about his trouble.
Psalms 35:1, Psalms 35:2, Psalms 35:3
Which images in the psalm picture danger, and which images picture rescue or defence?
The net, pit, lions and mocking mouths picture danger, while the shield, buckler, spear, salvation and vindication picture help from Yahweh.
Psalms 35:2, Psalms 35:3, Psalms 35:7, Psalms 35:17, Psalms 35:21, Psalms 35:24
How does the prayer change by the end of the psalm?
At first the speaker asks for defence against enemies, and by the end he speaks about joy, magnifying Yahweh, and praising God all day long.
Psalms 35:1, Psalms 35:23, Psalms 35:27, Psalms 35:28
Make, think or respond
Illustrated Prayer or Image Card
What you’ll need
- paper or card
- pencils or crayons
- marker or pen
- scissors
Try it together
- Fold or cut paper to make a small card.
- Choose one picture from the psalm, such as a shield, a net, a lion, or a speaking mouth, and draw it on the front.
- Write one short line from the psalm, or a simple paraphrase of it, on the inside or back.
- Share with a partner how your picture matches the words of the psalm.
This activity helps children notice that Psalm 35 expresses prayer through vivid images of danger, defence, rescue and praise.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, offer two or three image choices from the psalm and let them copy only one short phrase such as “I am your salvation” or “My tongue shall talk about your praise”.
- For older or more confident children, ask them to sort verses into two groups, requests and praise, then explain how both belong in the same prayer.
An optional closing prayer
You might pray: “Yahweh, thank you that this psalm teaches us to bring trouble to you. Help us notice your words carefully and learn to speak to you with honesty and praise.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Psalms 35
1 Contend, Yahweh, with those who contend with me. Fight against those who fight against me.
2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help.
3 Brandish the spear and block those who pursue me. Tell my soul, “I am your salvation.”
4 Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonor. Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded.
5 Let them be as chaff before the wind, Yahweh’s angel driving them on.
6 Let their way be dark and slippery, Yahweh’s angel pursuing them.
7 For without cause they have hidden their net in a pit for me. Without cause they have dug a pit for my soul.
8 Let destruction come on him unawares. Let his net that he has hidden catch himself. Let him fall into that destruction.
9 My soul shall be joyful in Yahweh. It shall rejoice in his salvation.
10 All my bones shall say, “Yahweh, 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?”
11 Unrighteous witnesses rise up. They ask me about things that I don’t know about.
12 They reward me evil for good, to the bereaving of my soul.
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.
15 But in my adversity, they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together. The attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I didn’t know it. They tore at me, and didn’t cease.
16 Like the profane mockers in feasts, they gnashed their teeth at me.
17 Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my soul from their destruction, my precious life from the lions.
18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly. I will praise you among many people.
19 Don’t let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let those who hate me without a cause wink their eyes.
20 For they don’t speak peace, but they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.
21 Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me. They said, “Aha! Aha! Our eye has seen it!”
22 You have seen it, Yahweh. 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!
24 Vindicate me, Yahweh my God, according to your righteousness. Don’t let them gloat over me.
25 Don’t let them say in their heart, “Aha! That’s the way we want it!” Don’t let them say, “We have swallowed him up!”
26 Let them be disappointed and confounded together who rejoice at my calamity. Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me.
27 Let those who favor my righteous cause shout for joy and be glad. Yes, let them say continually, “May Yahweh 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.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.