When Justice Feels Distant: My Journey Through Psalm 35 and a Modern Prayer
There are moments in life when injustice feels deafening — when the ones who seek to follow God are misunderstood, mistreated, or even maligned. I’ve walked through seasons like that. Seasons where I didn’t want to pray neat, safe prayers. I wanted to cry out. I wanted God to see. I wanted Him to act.
In one of those moments, I found myself drawn to Psalm 35 — David’s raw, gritty, unfiltered cry for justice. His words gave me permission to speak from my own woundedness. From that place, I crafted a modern prayer that became both a lament and a hope. I want to share that prayer with you, alongside the ancient psalm that inspired it, and walk you through how these words shaped me — and how they might shape you, too.
A Modern Prayer I Wrote, Inspired by Psalm 35
O Lord, my Defender and Advocate,
Rise up and contend with those who contend with me.
Take up Your shield and armor; come to my rescue.
Stand for those who walk in Your will,
for the ones who have been harmed not for wrongdoing,
but for obedience.
Let those who oppose You find no rest.
Let their nights be haunted with unease,
their days filled with the weight of conviction.
Stir in them restlessness, anxiety, and guilt
—not to destroy them, Lord, but to awaken them.
May the trap they set for the righteous ensnare their own hearts.
May their slander echo back with shame.
Let their confidence crumble,
their laughter hollow,
until they see the depth of their offense
and turn back to You with trembling.
You are the God of justice and mercy.
Show mercy to the repentant,
but do not let arrogance go unanswered.
Defend the humble.
Vindicate those who have walked Your path and been struck for it.
I leave judgment in Your hands,
but I cry out—restore what was taken,
and make Your righteousness known.
Amen.
Psalm 35 in Sections with My Reflections
Verses 1-3: Calling God into the Battle
Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me.
Take up shield and armor; arise and come to my aid.
Brandish spear and javelin against those who pursue me. Say to me, “I am your salvation.”
David’s cry hit home. I’ve needed God to step in—not just spiritually, but personally. I needed to know that I wasn’t alone in the fight. That line in my prayer, “Come to my rescue,” came directly from this place of desperation.
Verses 4-8: Let the Harm Recoil Back
May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame…
May ruin overtake them by surprise—may the net they hid entangle them, may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.
This was a hard section for me. It sounds so harsh — but it’s honest. I’ve seen people dig pits for others. I’ve watched deceit win. In my prayer, when I asked God to stir restlessness and guilt, it wasn’t about vengeance. It was about awakening.
Verses 9-10: The Promise to Rejoice
Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord and delight in his salvation.
I’ve had to learn to rejoice before the battle ends. To trust that God would vindicate, even if I couldn’t see how. That line — “make Your righteousness known” — is the heart cry of someone who still believes.
Verses 11-16: Betrayal and Pain
They repay me evil for good and leave me like one bereaved…
They slandered me without ceasing… they gnashed their teeth at me.
I’ve lived this. I’ve mourned for people who later turned on me. That grief ran deep, and it gave shape to the part of the prayer that says, “until they see the depth of their offense.” It’s not about shame. It’s about conviction that leads to change.
Verses 17-21: How Long, Lord?
How long, Lord, will you look on? Rescue me… Do not let those gloat over me…
I’ve whispered this question in the quiet of my heart. How long? That waiting can be crushing, and I needed to say to God — honestly — “I cry out.” Because silence doesn’t mean He isn’t working.
Verses 22-26: A Plea for Vindication
Lord, you have seen this; do not be silent… Vindicate me in your righteousness.
God sees. That truth has carried me. My prayer’s confession — “I leave judgment in Your hands” — came with struggle. But it’s also where peace began to grow.
Verses 27-28: The Endgame is Worship
May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy… My tongue will proclaim your righteousness.
Psalm 35 doesn’t end in bitterness. It ends in praise. That’s what I want, too. Even when the story isn’t tied up neatly, I want to be someone who praises anyway.
What This Psalm and Prayer Taught Me
- I Don’t Have to Censor My Pain – I learned to bring my full, broken, honest self to God.
- I Can Pray for Conviction, Not Just Consequences – I’ve seen how God can use guilt and restlessness to wake people up. I’m learning to pray for that.
- God Can Handle My Anger and Still Grow My Hope – I don’t have to pretend. But I also don’t have to stay stuck.
- Justice Isn’t Mine to Force – Letting go of control was — and still is — one of the hardest steps.
Questions I’m Still Asking:
- Can I trust God’s timing when it looks like the wrong people are winning?
- What would it mean to bless those who have hurt me while still praying for truth to come to light?
- How do I stay soft-hearted and bold at the same time?
Psalm 35 and this prayer aren’t easy texts for me — but they are honest companions. They’ve given me words when I didn’t have my own. Maybe they can do the same for you.
If you’re in a season of waiting, or hurting, or crying out for justice — I pray these words give you voice, too. God sees. He defends. And He invites us to bring our whole hearts
