In James 4:7, the James, the half brother of Jesus gives a short and succint instruction on how to stand firm in the face of trials and tribulation. “Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil and he will flee.”

Paul gives further instruction in Ephesian 6:10-18 where he talks about the armor of God and how to prepare to stand firm. All of these was preceded by David, who in Psalm 35 also references the armor of God and God’s salvation, Yeshua.

While certainly on one level David was speaking of his personal experiences through the many betrayals he experienced by those close to him, on another level it is also prophetic, foreshadowing Jesus’s betrayal by one of his closest friends. Judas’s plotting in verses 7-8, but ultimately it led to his own destruction. The unrighteous witnesses that testified against Jesus at his trial in verses 11-12. His loving care for his disciples and all those who came to him in verse 13-14, yet the crowd turned on him and jeered when he was beaten by the Romans and while he was hanging on the cross (verses 15-16.)

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Psalm 35

1 Contend, LORD, 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,
The LORD’s angel driving them on.
6 Let their way be dark and slippery,
The LORD’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 the LORD.
It shall rejoice in his salvation.
10 All 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?”
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, LORD. 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, LORD 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 them shout for joy and be glad, who favor my righteous cause.
Yes, let them say continually, “The LORD 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.

Psalm 85

1 LORD, you have been favorable to your land.
You have restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2 You have forgiven the iniquity of your people.
You have covered all their sin.
Selah.
3 You have taken away all your wrath.
You have turned from the fierceness of your anger.
4 Turn us, God of our salvation,
and cause your indignation toward us to cease.
5 Will you be angry with us forever?
Will you draw out your anger to all generations?
6 Won’t you revive us again,
that your people may rejoice in you?
7 Show us your loving kindness, LORD.
Grant us your salvation.
8 I will hear what God, the LORD, will speak,
for he will speak peace to his people, his holy ones;
but let them not turn again to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,
that glory may dwell in our land.
10 Mercy and truth meet together.
Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
11 Truth springs out of the earth.
Righteousness has looked down from heaven.
12 Yes, the LORD will give that which is good.
Our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness goes before him,
And prepares the way for his steps.

Psalm 135

1 Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD’s name!
Praise him, you servants of the LORD,
2 you who stand in the LORD’s house,
in the courts of our God’s house.
3 Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good.
Sing praises to his name, for that is pleasant.
4 For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself;
Israel for his own possession.
5 For I know that the LORD is great,
that our Lord is above all gods.
6 Whatever the LORD pleased, that he has done,
in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps;
7 who causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth;
who makes lightnings with the rain;
who brings the wind out of his treasuries;
8 Who struck the firstborn of Egypt,
both of man and animal;
9 Who sent signs and wonders into the middle of you, Egypt,
on Pharaoh, and on all his servants;
10 who struck many nations,
and killed mighty kings,
11 Sihon king of the Amorites,
Og king of Bashan,
and all the kingdoms of Canaan,
12 and gave their land for a heritage,
a heritage to Israel, his people.
13 Your name, LORD, endures forever;
your renown, LORD, throughout all generations.
14 For the LORD will judge his people,
and have compassion on his servants.

15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
the work of men’s hands.
16 They have mouths, but they can’t speak.
They have eyes, but they can’t see.
17 They have ears, but they can’t hear;
neither is there any breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them will be like them;
yes, everyone who trusts in them.
19 House of Israel, praise the LORD!
House of Aaron, praise the LORD!
20 House of Levi, praise the LORD!
You who fear the LORD, praise the LORD!
21 Blessed be the LORD from Zion,
Who dwells at Jerusalem.
Praise the LORD!

Passages from the World Messianic Bible