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Psalm 35:5
Let them be as chaff before the wind, the LORD’s angel driving them on.
3Brandish the spear and block those who pursue me. Tell my soul, “I am your salvation.”
4Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonor. Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded.
5Let them be as chaff before the wind, the LORD’s angel driving them on.
6Let their way be dark and slippery, the LORD’s angel pursuing them.
7For without cause they have hidden their net in a pit for me. Without cause they have dug a pit for my soul.
Notice
Chaff before the wind makes this plea for judgment stark: David asks God’s angel to drive away people who seek his life.
Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.
How does the image of people driven like chaff affect your response to David’s prayer?
Write on thisWhat difference does it make that David addresses God while others plot his ruin?
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Where else Scripture says this
11 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
Psalm 1:4The wicked are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.Both compare people to chaff driven by wind: Psalm 1 describes the wicked, while Psalm 35 asks God to scatter David’s enemies.
Job 21:18How often is it that they are as stubble before the wind, as chaff that the storm carries away?Both use windblown chaff to describe people swept away, though Job asks how often this happens and David prays for it.
Isaiah 29:5But the multitude of your foes will be like fine dust, and the multitude of the ruthless ones like chaff that blows away. Yes, it will be in an instant, …Both picture foes as chaff blown away, with Isaiah announcing their dispersal and David asking God to bring it about.
Psalm 83:13My God, make them like tumbleweed, like chaff before the wind.Both prayers ask God to make enemies like chaff before the wind, unable to stand their ground.
Matthew 3:12His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up …Both use chaff as an image of judgment, though the psalm asks for scattering and Matthew describes burning with unquenchable fire.
Hosea 13:3Therefore they will be like the morning mist, like the dew that passes away early, like the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the threshing floor, …Both compare people to chaff carried off by wind, portraying how little resistance they offer when swept away.
Isaiah 17:13The nations will rush like the rushing of many waters, but he will rebuke them, and they will flee far off, and will be chased like the chaff of the mountains …Both portray adversaries chased like chaff before the wind, with God’s rebuke in Isaiah and God’s angel in the psalm.
Isaiah 37:36Then the LORD’s angel went out and struck one hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the camp of the Assyrians. When men arose early in the morning, behold, …Both name the LORD’s angel acting against enemies: David asks for them to be driven away, while Isaiah records the killing of Assyrian soldiers.
Hebrews 11:28By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them.The shared thread is threatened life: Hebrews describes protection at Passover, while the psalm asks for enemies to be driven away.
Acts 12:23Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he didn’t give God the glory. Then he was eaten by worms and died.Both depict an angel acting in judgment, though the psalm is a plea and Acts reports a fatal blow.
Exodus 14:19The angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them, and stood behind them.Both describe God’s angel moving in relation to people: driving foes in the psalm and moving behind Israel in Exodus.
Where this verse fits
Injustice and anger. fear for the future.
One step
Something small to carry out of this verse
Encouragement
David asks for judgment against people plotting his death. The prayer entrusts their defeat to God; it gives no command to carry out vengeance yourself.
Now put it in your words.
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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).