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Psalm 35:11
Unrighteous witnesses rise up. They ask me about things that I don’t know about.
9My soul shall be joyful in the LORD. It shall rejoice in his salvation.
10All my bones shall say, “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?”
11Unrighteous witnesses rise up. They ask me about things that I don’t know about.
12They reward me evil for good, to the bereaving of my soul.
13But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting. My prayer returned into my own bosom.
Notice
Witnesses rise with claims David cannot even recognize, capturing the helplessness of being questioned as though you know about wrongdoing that is foreign to you.
Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.
What stands out to you about the gap between the witnesses’ claims and David’s knowledge?
Write on thisWhen have you struggled to answer an accusation because you could not recognize what was being described?
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Where else Scripture says this
12 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.
This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
Matthew 5:11“Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake.Both describe unjust speech against someone; Jesus speaks of false accusations suffered for his sake.
Psalm 27:12Don’t deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen up against me, such as breathe out cruelty.Both psalms describe hostile witnesses rising against the speaker, with Psalm 27 naming their testimony as false.
Exodus 23:1“You shall not spread a false report. Don’t join your hand with the wicked to be a malicious witness.David suffers at the hands of unrighteous witnesses; Exodus forbids joining the wicked as a malicious witness.
Deuteronomy 19:16If an unrighteous witness rises up against any man to testify against him of wrongdoing,Both passages describe an unrighteous witness rising against someone with an accusation of wrongdoing.
Matthew 26:59–60Now the chief priests, the elders, and the whole council sought false testimony against Jesus, that they might put him to death,Unjust testimony threatens David in the psalm, while the council seeks false testimony against Jesus to secure his death.
Psalm 55:3because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked. For they bring suffering on me. In anger they hold a grudge against me.Both speakers suffer under hostile people, with witnesses in Psalm 35 and an enemy’s voice in Psalm 55.
Psalm 64:6They plot injustice, saying, “We have made a perfect plan!” Surely man’s mind and heart are cunning.Both passages describe injustice carried out by hostile people, though Psalm 64 concerns plotting rather than witness testimony.
Psalm 119:69The proud have smeared a lie upon me. With my whole heart, I will keep your precepts.Both speakers face dishonest claims against them; Psalm 119 also states the speaker’s resolve to keep God’s precepts.
Matthew 26:60and they found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forwardBoth scenes feature witnesses coming forward against someone, with Matthew naming the witnesses against Jesus as false.
1 Samuel 17:28Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger burned against David, and he said, “Why have you come down? With whom have you left …Both passages feature accusations against David, though Eliab claims to know his motives rather than acting as a witness.
1 Samuel 24:9David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to men’s words, saying, ‘Behold, David seeks to harm you’?Both passages concern claims made against David; before Saul, David challenges the report that he seeks to harm him.
Acts 6:13and set up false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law.Both passages describe hostile witnesses bringing accusations, with Acts naming the witnesses against Stephen as false.
Where this verse fits
Injustice and anger. work conflict. family conflict.
One step
Something small to carry out of this verse
Encouragement
You do not need a ready answer to every accusation before turning to God. David brings his bewilderment to YHWH, whom he praises as the defender of the weak.
Now put it in your words.
Start an entry on Psalm 35:11. Write what it stirs. Psalmlog sets your words beside Scripture and gives you one next step. Your first entry is free, no account needed.
Keep goingPsalm 35 · the whole chapter with its connection mapPsalms · every chapterBuild a reading plan through Psalms
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).