Psalm 35 — Plea for Divine Assistance

If [enemies] persist, and, with hands red with blood, try to drag you down and kill you, remember that God is the proper judge (for he alone is righteous while that which is human is limited) and so say the words of [Psalm] 35.

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

I love the imagery here. The Navarre Bible points out that "the military language used at the start of the psalm signals the kind of divine deliverance that the psalmist seeks..."

In response to the psalmist's cry, Yahweh runs through the fray, spear and shield in hand, to defend the psalmist's life. As he does so, Yahweh's ringing voice is herd above the din of battle, shouting "I am your salvation!" This encourages the beleaguered psalmist to hang on until deliverance arrives.

Psalms Volume 1 (The NIV Application Commentary)

Isn't this the best mental picture ever? It makes me think of the Battle of the Pelennor Fields in The Lord of the Rings when they think all is lost and then Aaragorn and his soldiers show up to fight side by side, eventually winning the day. That is an image of God I need to hold more present in my difficult moments.

In classical antiquity, bucklers on medals were either used to signify public vows rendered to the gods for the safety of a prince, or that he was esteemed the defender and protector of his people: these were called votive bucklers, and were hung at altars, etc. — Wikipedia

A key point of this psalm praises God not just for his might but for his holiness.

The Incomparability of Yahweh

The central part of Psalm 35 turns on a rhetorical question ("Who is like you?") that the psalmist utters in response to God's anticipated retribution against his enemies (35:10). The obvious answer is "No one!" which serves as the immediate foundation for the confidence that Yahweh is able to deliver. There is no other god like Yahweh, who can match his power or inhibit his action in the psalmist's behalf. ...

The psalmists and others draw great solace from their insight that Yahweh is not like the gods of the other nations, or even like human kings or sages. The venality and fickleness of the gods of Mesopotamia is well known. It is not just the matter that various gods and goddesses opposed and sought to undermine one another. The greatest difficulty lay in the fact that the individual deities were inconsistent in their dealings with humans. They could be tricked, misinformed, or emotionally manipulated so that they could swing in a moment from beneficent care to harsh punishment of their followers. All one's careful worship and supplication could be undone in a moment's pique.

Thus, it was a great comfort for Israel to know that Yahweh is not like the gods of the nations. Not only is he superior in power and might, but he is also consistent in his essential character of holiness, justice, and mercy. ... In the final analysis, God's trustworthiness is the result of his incomparable power used for the benefit of the powerless. God is so superior in all things that he has no need to use power for self-interest, but he is free to champion those who have no power at all.

Psalms Volume 1 (The NIV Application Commentary)

An index of psalm posts is here.