Psalms 21:10

Translation
King James Version
Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth, and their seed from among the children of men.
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KJV (with Strong's)
Their fruit H6529 shalt thou destroy H6 from the earth H776, and their seed H2233 from among the children H1121 of men H120.
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Complete Jewish Bible
You will destroy from the earth their descendants, rid humankind of their posterity;
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Berean Standard Bible
You will wipe their descendants from the earth, and their offspring from the sons of men.
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American Standard Version
Their fruit wilt thou destroy from the earth, And their seed from among the children of men.
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World English Bible Messianic
You will destroy their descendants from the earth, their posterity from among the children of men.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Their fruite shalt thou destroy from the earth, and their seede from the children of men.
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Young's Literal Translation
Their fruit from earth Thou destroyest, And their seed from the sons of men.
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See also
Psalms 37:281 Kings 13:34Psalms 109:13Job 20:28Job 18:16Job 18:19Isaiah 14:20
In the KJVVerse 14,202 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Psalms 21:10, a potent declaration within a psalm celebrating God's deliverance and the king's triumph, unequivocally proclaims the certain and comprehensive destruction of those who oppose the Lord and His anointed. This verse vividly illustrates the ultimate and irreversible consequences of wickedness, assuring that not only the adversaries themselves but also their legacy, influence, and future generations will be utterly eradicated from the earth, signifying a complete and decisive divine judgment.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Psalm 21 is a royal psalm, primarily an ode of thanksgiving offered by the king (traditionally David) to God for a decisive victory granted. The preceding verses Psalms 21:1-7 recount the Lord's abundant blessings, strength, and unwavering favor bestowed upon the king, emphasizing divine protection and an enduring reign. Following this celebration, verses Psalms 21:8-12 shift focus dramatically to the king's, and ultimately God's, assured victory over all enemies. Within this section, verse 10 stands as a stark pronouncement of the thoroughness of this divine judgment, detailing the complete obliteration of the wicked and their lasting influence.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: In ancient Israel, the king was God's anointed representative, and opposition to the king was often seen as opposition to God Himself. The concept of "fruit" and "seed" held profound cultural significance, representing not just immediate offspring but also one's legacy, reputation, and future generations. To destroy one's "fruit" and "seed" was the ultimate form of defeat and dishonor in the ancient Near East, signifying a complete erasure from history and memory. This verse reflects the prevailing understanding of divine justice, where the consequences of actions could extend beyond the individual to their descendants, ensuring that the influence of evil would not perpetuate. It underscores the belief that God's sovereignty extended to the complete undoing of His adversaries' power and lineage.
  • Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within the Psalms and broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it highlights Divine Justice and Judgment, underscoring God's righteous character and His unwavering commitment to upholding justice. It assures that those who set themselves against Him or His purposes will face certain and comprehensive judgment, as seen in the ultimate destruction described. Secondly, the imagery of "fruit" and "seed" emphasizes the Complete Eradication of Evil's Legacy. "Fruit" can refer to the outcomes of their actions, their achievements, or their immediate offspring, while "seed" explicitly refers to their descendants or future generations. This suggests a total obliteration of their lasting impact and lineage, ensuring that their wickedness does not propagate, echoing similar themes of generational consequences found elsewhere in scripture, such as in Isaiah 14:20. Finally, the verse powerfully conveys The Futility of Opposition to God's Sovereignty. It serves as a stark reminder that all attempts to oppose God's sovereign will are ultimately doomed to failure. No matter how strong or numerous the adversaries, their end is assured by the Almighty, reinforcing the truth that God's plans cannot be thwarted, as affirmed in Proverbs 21:30.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Fruit (Hebrew, pᵉrî, H6529): This term (H6529) refers to the literal produce of plants or the figurative outcome, result, or reward of one's actions, labor, or life. In this context, it signifies the immediate effects, achievements, or even the direct children of the wicked. Its destruction implies the undoing of all they have built or produced, signifying a nullification of their present influence and accomplishments.
  • Destroy (Hebrew, ʼâbad, H6): This primitive root (H6) means "to wander away," and by implication, "to perish" or (causatively) "to destroy." It conveys a sense of losing oneself, failing, or being utterly undone. Here, it emphasizes God's active and decisive role in causing the complete and irreversible perishing of the wicked's influence and lineage, leaving no way for them to escape or continue.
  • Seed (Hebrew, zeraʻ, H2233): This word (H2233) consistently denotes physical descendants, progeny, or future generations. Its destruction signifies the complete cutting off of the wicked's lineage, ensuring that their name, memory, and influence will not continue through their offspring. This is the ultimate form of eradication in ancient thought, preventing any future perpetuation of their wickedness or legacy.

Verse Breakdown

  • "Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth": This clause declares God's active role in annihilating the present influence and immediate legacy of the wicked. "Fruit" here encompasses the tangible results of their lives—their plans, their works, their immediate offspring, and anything they sought to establish or achieve. The phrase "from the earth" emphasizes the totality and public nature of this destruction, leaving no trace of their immediate impact or accomplishments. It signifies a complete reversal of their efforts and a nullification of their present power.
  • "and their seed from among the children of men": This parallel clause extends the judgment to future generations, ensuring that the wicked's lineage and potential for future influence are completely cut off. "Seed" specifically refers to their descendants, and its destruction "from among the children of men" means they will have no progeny to carry on their name, memory, or wicked ways. This pronouncement signifies the ultimate and irreversible end of their legacy, preventing any future resurgence of their evil and ensuring their complete eradication from human history.

Literary Devices

Psalms 21:10 employs several potent literary devices to convey the certainty and totality of divine judgment. The most prominent is Parallelism, specifically Synonymous Parallelism, where "their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth" and "their seed from among the children of men" express the same idea of complete eradication using different but related terms. This repetition intensifies the message, emphasizing that the destruction is comprehensive, affecting both the immediate output ("fruit") and the future lineage ("seed"). This pairing also functions as a form of Merism, where two complementary parts ("fruit" and "seed") represent the whole, signifying everything from immediate results to future generations, thus encompassing the entirety of the wicked's existence and influence. The language also contains elements of Hyperbole, as the complete erasure of all descendants might not be literally applied to every wicked individual but serves to underscore the absolute and decisive nature of God's judgment against the spirit of wickedness and its perpetuation. The vivid imagery evokes a sense of irreversible finality, leaving no room for the wicked or their influence to persist.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Psalms 21:10 stands as a stark testament to God's unwavering commitment to justice and His ultimate sovereignty over all creation, particularly over the forces of evil. It assures believers that divine judgment is not merely a possibility but a certain reality for those who persistently oppose God and His righteous rule. This verse reinforces the biblical truth that while the wicked may flourish for a time, their end is assured, and their efforts to establish lasting influence outside of God's will are ultimately futile. It speaks to a cosmic order where righteousness will triumph, and all that defies God will be brought to nothing, ensuring the purity and stability of His kingdom. The comprehensive nature of the destruction ("fruit" and "seed") highlights the depth of God's judgment against sin, aiming to eradicate its very root and future propagation.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

For the believer, Psalms 21:10 offers profound reassurance and a deep sense of security. In a world often marked by apparent injustice and the temporary prosperity of the wicked, this verse serves as a powerful reminder that God is ultimately in control. His justice will prevail, and those who set themselves against His righteous kingdom will face certain and complete judgment. This truth provides immense comfort and hope, strengthening faith amidst present struggles and trials, knowing that the triumph of righteousness is not merely a wish but a divine certainty. For those who might be tempted to walk in wickedness or to compromise their faith, this verse serves as a solemn and sobering warning about the severe, comprehensive, and lasting consequences of rebellion against God. It calls for urgent introspection and a decisive turning towards God's path, emphasizing the critical importance of aligning one's life with divine principles rather than pursuing fleeting evil. Ultimately, it encourages a life lived in reverence and obedience, trusting in the Lord who judges righteously and whose kingdom is eternal.

Questions for Reflection

  • How does the comprehensive nature of the judgment described in this verse (destroying "fruit" and "seed") deepen your understanding of God's justice?
  • In what ways does this psalm's message of divine triumph over evil offer comfort and hope in your current circumstances?
  • What practical steps can you take to ensure your "fruit" and "seed" (your legacy and influence) are aligned with God's righteous purposes?

FAQ

Does this verse imply that God punishes children for the sins of their parents?

Answer: While the language of "seed" being destroyed might initially suggest generational punishment, it's crucial to interpret this verse within the broader biblical context. The Old Testament also clearly states that "the son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity" (Ezekiel 18:20). Instead, the destruction of "fruit" and "seed" in Psalms 21:10 is best understood as the complete eradication of the legacy and influence of the wicked. It signifies that their name, their reputation, their wicked ways, and any potential for their evil to perpetuate through future generations will be utterly cut off. It's a statement about the finality of divine judgment against a persistent, unrepentant opposition to God, ensuring that their destructive impact on society and their rebellion against God's anointed will not continue. It speaks to the ultimate undoing of their entire enterprise, rather than a direct punishment of innocent descendants for their ancestors' specific sins.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Psalms 21:10, with its declaration of the complete destruction of the king's enemies, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ, the true and eternal King. While the psalm initially celebrates a human king's victory, it foreshadows the decisive triumph of God's Anointed One over all spiritual and physical opposition. Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, came not only to redeem humanity but also to utterly dismantle the kingdom of darkness. His death on the cross was the decisive blow against sin and death, and His resurrection was the ultimate victory over all hostile powers (Colossians 2:15). The "fruit" and "seed" of wickedness—every manifestation of evil, every oppressive system, every rebellious heart—will ultimately be destroyed by Christ. This destruction will be fully realized at His glorious return, when He will judge the living and the dead, and all His enemies will be made a footstool for His feet (Hebrews 10:13). The comprehensive judgment described in Psalms 21:10 points forward to the day when Christ will establish His eternal kingdom, where righteousness dwells, and all unrighteousness, along with its "fruit" and "seed," will be utterly purged from the earth (Revelation 19:11-16).

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Commentary on Psalms 21 verses 7–13

The psalmist, having taught his people to look back with joy and praise on what God had done for him and them, here teaches them to look forward with faith, and hope, and prayer, upon what God would further do for them: The king rejoices in God (Psa 21:1), and therefore we will be thankful; the king trusteth in God (Psa 21:7), therefore will we be encouraged. The joy and confidence of Christ our King is the ground of all our joy and confidence.

I. They are confident of the stability of David's kingdom. Through the mercy of the Most High, and not through his own merit or strength, he shall not be moved. His prosperous state shall not be disturbed; his faith and hope in God, which are the stay of his spirit, shall not be shaken. The mercy of the Most High (the divine goodness, power, and dominion) is enough to secure our happiness, and therefore our trust in that mercy should be enough to silence all our fears. God being at Christ's right hand in his sufferings (Psa 16:8) and he being at God's right hand in his glory, we may be sure he shall not, he cannot, be moved, but continues ever.

II. They are confident of the destruction of all the impenitent implacable enemies of David's kingdom. The success with which God had blessed David's arms hitherto was an earnest of the rest which God would give him from all his enemies round about, and a type of the total overthrow of all Christ's enemies who would not have him to reign over them. Observe, 1. The description of his enemies. They are such as hate him, Psa 21:8. They hated David because God had set him apart for himself, hated Christ because they hated the light; but both were hated without any just cause, and in both God was hated, Joh 15:23, Joh 15:25. 2. The designs of his enemies (Psa 21:11): They intended evil against thee, and imagined a mischievous device; they pretended to fight against David only, but their enmity was against God himself. Those that aimed to un-king David aimed, in effect, to un-God Jehovah. What is devised and designed against religion, and against the instruments God raises up to support and advance it, is very evil and mischievous, and God takes it as devised and designed against himself and will so reckon for it. (3.) The disappointment of them: "They devise what they are not able to perform," Psa 21:11. Their malice is impotent, and they imagine a vain thing, Psa 2:1. (4.) The discovery of them (Psa 21:8): "Thy hand shall find them out. Though ever so artfully disguised by the pretences and professions of friendship, though mingled with the faithful subjects of this kingdom and hardly to be distinguished from them, though flying from justice and absconding in their close places, yet thy hand shall find them out wherever they are." There is no escaping God's avenging eye, no going out of the reach of his hand; rocks and mountains will be no better shelter at last than fig-leaves were at first. (5.) The destruction of them; it will be an utter destruction (Luk 19:27); they shall be swallowed up and devoured, Psa 21:9. Hell, the portion of all Christ's enemies, is the complete misery both of body and soul. Their fruit and their seed shall be destroyed, Psa 21:10. The enemies of God's kingdom, in every age, shall fall under the same doom, and the whole generation of them will at last be rooted out, and all opposing rule, principality, and power, shall be put down. The arrows of God's wrath shall confound them and put them to flight, being levelled at the face of them, Psa 21:12. That will be the lot of daring enemies that face God. The fire of God's wrath will consume them (Psa 21:9); they shall not only be cast into a furnace of fire (Mat 13:42), but he shall make them themselves as a fiery oven or furnace; they shall be their own tormentors; the reflections and terrors of their own consciences will be their hell. Those that might have had Christ to rule and save them, but rejected him and fought against him, shall find that even the remembrance of that will be enough to make them, to eternity, a fiery oven to themselves: it is the worm that dies not.

III. In this confidence they beg of God that he would still appear for his anointed (Psa 21:13), that he would act for him in his own strength, by the immediate operations of his power as Lord of hosts and Father of spirits, making little use of means and instruments. And, 1. Hereby he would exalt himself and glorify his own name. "We have but little strength, and are not so active for thee as we should be, which is our shame; Lord, take the work into thy own hands, do it, without us, and it will be thy glory." 2. Hereupon they would exalt him: "So will we sing, and praise thy power, the more triumphantly." The less God has of our service when a deliverance is in the working the more he must have of our praises when it is wrought without us.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 7–13. Public domain.
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Eusebius of CaesareaAD 339
COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 21:11
But the seed of the godless and the fruit of the wicked are their words, teachings and unrighteous writings, which they have disseminated through people after they are forgotten. God, being good, scatters each one and destroys them from the midst so that neither the fruit nor the seed of the wicked remains.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 21
"Their fruit shall You destroy out of the earth." Their fruit, because it is earthly, shall You destroy out of the earth. "And their seed from the sons of men" [Psalm 21:10]. And their works; or, whomsoever they have seduced, You shall not reckon among the sons of men, whom You have called into the everlasting inheritance.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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