Psalms 35:14

Translation
King James Version
I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.
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KJV (with Strong's)
I behaved H1980 myself as though he had been my friend H7453 or brother H251: I bowed down H7817 H8804 heavily H6937 H8802, as one that mourneth H57 for his mother H517.
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Complete Jewish Bible
I behaved as I would for my friend or my brother; I bent down in sorrow as if mourning my mother.
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Berean Standard Bible
I paced about as for my friend or brother; I was bowed down with grief, like one mourning for his mother.
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American Standard Version
I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother: I bowed down mourning, as one that bewaileth his mother.
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World English Bible Messianic
I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother. I bowed down mourning, as one who mourns his mother.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
I behaued my selfe as to my friend, or as to my brother: I humbled my selfe, mourning as one that bewaileth his mother.
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Young's Literal Translation
As if a friend, as if my brother, I walked habitually, As a mourner for a mother, Mourning I have bowed down.
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See also
Luke 19:41Luke 19:422 Samuel 1:172 Samuel 1:272 Samuel 1:112 Samuel 1:12Psalms 38:6
In the KJVVerse 14,425 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Psalm 35:14 offers a profound and poignant revelation of King David's character, showcasing his extraordinary compassion and selfless empathy for individuals who would later become his unjust adversaries. This verse serves as a powerful testament to David's past benevolence, where he treated his future enemies with the intimate care and loyalty reserved for a friend or brother, and mourned their distress with the intensity one would grieve for a mother. It starkly contrasts this deep kindness with their subsequent treacherous betrayal, underscoring the pain of unrequited goodness and forming a crucial basis for David's fervent plea for divine justice against those who repay good with evil.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Psalm 35 is a classic individual lament, a fervent prayer from David to God for deliverance and vindication against his relentless enemies. The psalm is structurally organized into three main sections (vv. 1-10, 11-18, 19-28), each typically commencing with a plea for divine intervention and concluding with a vow of praise. Verse 14 is strategically situated within the second section (vv. 11-18), where David meticulously details the unjust suffering and malicious accusations inflicted upon him by his adversaries. This verse functions as crucial evidence of David's righteous character and highlights the egregious nature of his enemies' ingratitude and moral transgression. By recounting his past acts of profound empathy and solidarity with them in their time of need, David underscores the depth of their betrayal, thereby strengthening his appeal for God to intervene on his behalf as the righteous judge. It emphasizes that his current suffering is not a consequence of his own wrongdoing but a result of unprovoked and malicious hostility, intensifying the psalm's central theme of righteous suffering and the desperate cry for divine vindication.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: In ancient Israel and the broader Near Eastern world, concepts of friendship, brotherhood, and communal solidarity were foundational pillars of societal structure and moral expectation. To treat someone "as a friend or brother" implied a bond of deep loyalty, mutual support, and profound affection, signifying a relationship built on trust and reciprocal care. The act of "bowing down heavily" (Hebrew qadar) was a widely recognized and potent public expression of profound grief, humiliation, or dejection. This posture often involved a downcast countenance, wearing dark or sordid garments, or even sitting in ashes, all signifying a state of deep sorrow or abasement. Furthermore, the loss of a mother was universally considered one of the most devastating bereavements, evoking an unparalleled depth of sorrow and emotional desolation in that culture. David's comparison, therefore, is not mere hyperbole but a culturally resonant and deeply impactful way of conveying the extreme degree of empathy and shared suffering he exhibited towards these individuals when they were in distress. This cultural background illuminates the immense moral and social transgression committed by his enemies, who repaid such extraordinary kindness with malicious betrayal, violating sacred societal norms of reciprocity and gratitude. While the specific historical identity of David's enemies is often debated (ranging from Saul's court, Absalom's conspirators, or other unnamed adversaries), the emotional and moral weight of their ingratitude remains universally understood and condemned.
  • Key Themes: Psalm 35:14 contributes significantly to several key themes woven throughout the psalm and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it powerfully illustrates the theme of Profound Compassion and Empathy, showcasing David's remarkable capacity for selfless love, even towards those who would later become his most bitter foes. His willingness to enter deeply into the suffering of others, as if it were his own, sets a high standard for righteous conduct and genuine care. Secondly, the verse implicitly, yet strongly, introduces the theme of Betrayal and Ingratitude. By juxtaposing David's past kindness with his enemies' present malice, it highlights the painful and often perplexing reality that good deeds can be repaid with evil, a recurring motif in the Scriptures, as seen in the lament of Psalm 109:4-5. This profound betrayal forms the very basis of David's lament and his fervent plea for Divine Justice. The psalm asserts that God, as the righteous judge, will ultimately vindicate the innocent and punish the wicked, a hope central to many psalms of lament, such as Psalm 7:8-9. Finally, the verse subtly foreshadows the New Testament call to Love for Enemies, a radical principle supremely exemplified by Christ Himself, as taught in Matthew 5:44.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • behaved myself (Hebrew, hâlak', H1980): This verb literally means "to walk," but in this context, it signifies one's manner of life, conduct, or consistent behavior. It suggests a sustained and deliberate pattern of interaction, implying that David's deep care was not a singular act but a characteristic way he related to these individuals over time. This highlights a genuine, ongoing commitment to their well-being, making their subsequent betrayal all the more profound.
  • bowed down heavily (Hebrew, qâdar', H6937): This word conveys a sense of being dark, gloomy, or in deep mourning, often associated with a downcast countenance or even wearing dark attire. It describes a posture or state of profound sorrow, dejection, or humility. In this verse, it emphasizes the physical manifestation of David's empathy, indicating that his shared grief was not merely internal but visibly expressed, demonstrating a full and intense participation in the distress of others.
  • mourneth (Hebrew, ʼâbêl', H57): This verb denotes the act of lamenting or mourning, typically accompanied by outward signs of grief such as weeping, lamenting, tearing clothes, or abstaining from food. It speaks to the deep emotional and often public expression of sorrow, particularly in response to death or severe calamity. When combined with "for his mother," it underscores the ultimate and most profound form of grief imaginable in that culture, emphasizing the intensity of David's shared sorrow.

Verse Breakdown

  • "I behaved myself as though [he had been] my friend [or] brother": David asserts that his conduct towards these individuals was characterized by the highest degree of intimacy, loyalty, and affection, akin to the profound bond shared with a close friend or a sibling. This was not merely polite acquaintance but a deep, supportive relationship where he extended genuine care and solidarity, implying an expectation of mutual support and loyalty. Their subsequent betrayal thus represents a grievous violation of these sacred relational norms.
  • "I bowed down heavily": This phrase describes David's physical response to their distress. It signifies a posture of deep sorrow and dejection, a visible manifestation of his shared grief. He did not merely offer verbal condolences but entered into their suffering with a profound, almost prostrate, empathy, demonstrating a willingness to bear their burdens as if they were his own. This act highlights the intensity and sincerity of his compassion.
  • "as one that mourneth [for his] mother": This powerful simile illustrates the unparalleled depth of David's empathy. In ancient Israelite culture, the loss of a mother was considered the most profound and devastating form of grief. By comparing his shared sorrow to such an intense bereavement, David emphasizes that his empathy for these individuals was not superficial but reached the absolute pinnacle of human compassion, reflecting a willingness to experience their pain as if it were his own most personal tragedy.

Literary Devices

Psalm 35:14 is rich in literary artistry, primarily employing Simile to convey the extraordinary depth of David's empathy and the egregious nature of his enemies' betrayal. Two distinct comparisons are used: first, David's behavior is described "as though [he had been] my friend [or] brother," vividly illustrating the intimate, loyal, and supportive nature of his past relationship with his now-adversaries. This comparison highlights the profound bond he shared, making their subsequent betrayal particularly heinous. Second, his posture of grief is likened to "one that mourneth [for his] mother," a powerful and culturally resonant Hyperbole that emphasizes the unparalleled intensity of his shared sorrow. This exaggeration serves to underscore the extreme degree of his compassion and the devastating impact of their distress on him. Furthermore, the verse implicitly employs Contrast or Juxtaposition, setting David's past acts of profound kindness and empathy against the present reality of his enemies' malicious and unprovoked hostility. This stark contrast is central to the psalm's lament, magnifying the injustice David suffers and strengthening his fervent plea for divine intervention.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Psalm 35:14 presents a profound theological challenge and offers deep insight into the nature of righteousness and human relationships. David's exemplary compassion, extended even to those who would later betray him, reflects a divine ideal of selfless love that transcends mere reciprocity and human merit. It underscores the painful reality that genuine kindness is not always met with gratitude, and that the righteous may suffer unjustly at the hands of those they have served. Theologically, this verse points to God's character as one who sees, understands, and ultimately judges such betrayal, affirming that His justice will prevail. It also subtly foreshadows the New Testament emphasis on loving one's enemies, a radical principle that finds its perfect embodiment in Christ. David's lament, therefore, becomes a cry for God to uphold moral order in a world where good is repaid with evil, reminding believers that their ultimate vindication and reward rest with the Lord alone.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Psalm 35:14 serves as a powerful mirror for believers, challenging us to examine the depth of our own capacity for empathy and kindness, especially towards those who may not reciprocate our good intentions or who may even prove hostile. David's example, though presented in the context of lamenting betrayal, reminds us of the ideal of selfless love and compassion—a principle later perfectly exemplified by Christ. It calls us to cultivate a heart that genuinely "mourns with those who mourn" (Romans 12:15), entering into the suffering of others as if it were our own, regardless of their current or future standing with us. This verse encourages us to extend kindness not for what we might receive in return, but as an overflow of a heart transformed by God's grace. While acknowledging the profound pain of betrayal and injustice, it ultimately directs us to place our trust in divine justice rather than relying on human reciprocity. It reminds us that our ultimate reward, vindication, and solace come from God alone, who sees and knows all things.

Questions for Reflection

  • How does David's example challenge our understanding of empathy and compassion, especially towards those who may not reciprocate or who may even become adversaries?
  • In what practical ways can we "bow down heavily" or "mourn with those who mourn" in our contemporary context, even when it is costly or inconvenient?
  • How do we reconcile the call to selfless love with the pain of betrayal, and where do we find our ultimate solace and justice when our kindness is repaid with malice?

FAQ

Who are the "enemies" David refers to in Psalm 35?

Answer: The specific identity of David's enemies in Psalm 35 is not explicitly stated, which is common in many psalms of lament. They are often described as anonymous, wicked individuals who unjustly persecute the righteous. Historically, they could refer to those in Saul's court who turned against David, or later, Absalom and his conspirators, or even general adversaries who opposed David's righteous rule. The key characteristic is that these are individuals whom David had treated with great kindness and compassion, even mourning with them in their distress, only to have that benevolence repaid with malicious betrayal and false accusations. The anonymity allows the psalm to resonate with anyone who has experienced similar unprovoked hostility and ingratitude, making its message universally applicable to the experience of righteous suffering.

What is the significance of "mourning for his mother" in ancient Israel?

Answer: In ancient Israelite culture, the loss of a mother was considered one of the most profound and devastating forms of bereavement. The mother was often the primary caregiver, nurturer, and emotional anchor of the family, and her death typically evoked the deepest and most intense sorrow. Therefore, to say that one mourned "as one that mourneth for his mother" was to express the absolute pinnacle of grief and empathy. It was a culturally understood hyperbole that conveyed an unparalleled depth of shared sorrow, signifying that David's compassion for these individuals in their time of trouble was not superficial but reached the very core of his being, as if he had suffered the most personal and grievous loss imaginable. This comparison highlights the extraordinary nature of David's empathy and, by extension, the egregious nature of his enemies' ingratitude, emphasizing the violation of deep relational bonds.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Psalm 35:14, with David's profound empathy and subsequent betrayal, finds its ultimate and perfect fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. David's experience of showing unparalleled kindness to those who became his enemies foreshadows Christ's own life, marked by perfect love and ultimate betrayal. Jesus, the true Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, perfectly embodied the selfless compassion David described. He came not to be served but to serve (Mark 10:45), treating humanity, even His betrayers, as friends and brothers. He wept over Jerusalem, mourning its impending destruction (Luke 19:41-44), a profound act of empathy for a people who largely rejected Him. His "bowing down heavily" was most acutely seen in the Garden of Gethsemane, where He agonized under the crushing weight of the world's sin, experiencing a sorrow "even to death" (Matthew 26:38-39), a grief far surpassing that of mourning for a mother. Ultimately, Jesus was betrayed by one of His own disciples (John 13:21), denied by another (Luke 22:54-62), and crucified by those for whom He prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). He is the ultimate Friend and Brother who was repaid with the deepest malice, yet through His suffering and death, He secured salvation for His enemies, transforming betrayal into the path of redemption and offering eternal life to all who believe (John 3:16).

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Commentary on Psalms 35 verses 11–16

I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points

Two very wicked things David here lays to the charge of his enemies, to make good his appeal to God against them - perjury and ingratitude.

I. Perjury, Psa 35:11. When Saul would have David attainted of treason, in order to his being outlawed, perhaps he did it with the formalities of a legal prosecution, produced witnesses who swore some treasonable words or overt acts against him, and he being not present to clear himself (or, if he was, it was all the same), Saul adjudged him a traitor. This he complains of here as the highest piece of injustice imaginable: False witnesses did rise up, who would swear anything; they laid to my charge things that I knew not, nor ever thought of. See how much the honours, estates, liberties, and lives, even of the best men, lie at the mercy of the worst, against whose false oaths innocency itself is no fence; and what reason we have to acknowledge with thankfulness the hold God has of the consciences even of bad men, to which it is owing that there is not more mischief done in that way than is. This instance of the wrong done to David was typical, and had its accomplishment in the Son of David, against whom false witnesses did arise, Mat 26:60. If we be at any time charged with what we are innocent of let us not think it strange, as though some new thing happened to us; so persecuted they the prophets, even the great prophet.

II. Ingratitude. Call a man ungrateful and you can call him no worse. This was the character of David's enemies (Psa 35:12): They rewarded me evil for good. A great deal of good service he had done to his king, witness his harp, witness Goliath's sword, witness the foreskins of the Philistines; and yet his king vowed his death, and his country was made too hot for him. This is to the spoiling of his soul; this base unkind usage robs him of his comfort, and cuts him to the heart, more than any thing else. Nay, he had deserved well not only of the public in general, but of those particular persons that were now most bitter against him. Probably it was then well known whom he meant; it may be Saul himself for one, whom he was sent for to attend upon when he was melancholy and ill, and to whom he was serviceable to drive away the evil spirit, not with his harp, but with his prayers; to others of the courtiers, it is likely, he had shown this respect, while he lived at court, who now were, of all others, most abusive to him. Herein he was a type of Christ, to whom this wicked world was very ungrateful. Joh 10:32. Many good works have I shown you from my Father; for which of those do you stone me? David here shows,

1.How tenderly, and with what a cordial affection, he had behaved towards them in their afflictions (Psa 35:13, Psa 35:14): They were sick. Note, Even the palaces and courts of princes are not exempt from the jurisdiction of death and the visitation of sickness. Now when these people were sick, (1.) David mourned for them and sympathized with them in their grief. They were not related to him; he was under no obligations to them; he would lose nothing by their death, but perhaps be a gainer by it; and yet he behaved himself as though they had been his nearest relations, purely from a principle of compassion and humanity. David was a man of war, and of a bold stout spirit, and yet was thus susceptible of the impressions of sympathy, forgot the bravery of the hero, and seemed wholly made up of love and pity; it was a rare composition of hardiness and tenderness, courage and compassion, in the same breast. Observe, He mourned as for a brother or mother, which intimates that it is our duty, and well becomes us, to lay to heart the sickness, and sorrow, and death of our near relations. Those that do not are justly stigmatized as without natural affection. (2.) He prayed for them. He discovered not only the tender affection of a man, but the pious affection of a saint. He was concerned for their precious souls, and, since he helped them with his prayers to God for mercy and grace; and the prayers of one who had so great an interest in heaven were of more value than perhaps they knew or considered. With his prayers he joined humiliation and self-affliction, both in his diet (he fasted, at least from pleasant bread) and in his dress; he clothed himself with sackcloth, thus expressing his grief, not only for their affliction, but for their sin; for this was the guise and practice of a penitent. We ought to mourn for the sins of those that do not mourn for them themselves. His fasting also put an edge upon his praying, and was an expression of the fervour of it; he was so intent in his devotions that he had no appetite to meat, nor would allow himself time for eating: "My prayer returned into my own bosom; I had the comfort of having done my duty, and of having approved myself a loving neighbour, though I could not thereby win upon them nor make them my friends." We shall not lose by the good offices we have done to any, how ungrateful soever they are; for our rejoicing will be this, the testimony of our conscience.

2.How basely and insolently and with what a brutish enmity, and worse than brutish, they had behaved towards him (Psa 35:15, Psa 35:16); In my adversity they rejoiced. When he fell under the frowns of Saul, was banished the court, and persecuted as a criminal, they were pleased, were glad at his calamities, and got together in their drunken clubs to make themselves and one another merry with the disgrace of this great favourite. Well, might he call them abjects, for nothing could be more vile and sordid than to triumph in the fall of a man of such unstained honour and consummate virtue. But this was not all. (1.) They tore him, rent his good name without mercy, said all the ill they could of him and fastened upon him all the reproach their cursed wit and malice could reach to. (2.) They gnashed upon him with their teeth; they never spoke of him but with the greatest indignation imaginable, as those that would have eaten him up if they could. David was the fool in the play, and his disappointment all the table-talk of the hypocritical mockers at feasts; it was the song of the drunkards. The comedians, who may fitly be called hypocritical mockers (for which does a hypocrite signify but a stage-player?) and whose comedies, it is likely, were acted at feasts and balls, chose David for their subject, bantered and abused him, while the auditory, in token of their agreement with the plot, hummed, and gnashed upon him with their teeth. Such has often been the hard fate of the best of men. The apostles were made a spectacle to the world. David was looked upon with ill-will for no other reason than because he was caressed by the people. It is a vexation of spirit which attends even a right work that for this a man is envied of his neighbour, Ecc 4:4. And who can stand before envy? Pro 27:4.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 11–16. Public domain.
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Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 35
"As a Neighbour, as our Brother, so I pleased Him: as one mourning and sorrowful, so I humbled myself" [Psalm 35:14]. Now looks He back to His Own Body: let us now look to this. When we rejoice in prayer, when our mind is calmed, not by the world's prosperity, but by the light of Truth: (who perceives this light, knows what I say, and he sees and acknowledges what is said, "As a Neighbour, as our Brother, so I pleased Him"): even then our soul pleases God, not placed afar off, for, "In Him," says one, "we live and move and have our being," [Acts 17:28] but as a Brother, as a Neighbour, as a Friend. But if it be not such that it can so rejoice, so shine, so approach, so cleave unto Him, and sees itself far off thence, then let it do what follows, "As one mourning and sorrowful, so I humbled Myself. As our Brother, so I pleased Him," said He, drawing near; "As one mourning and sorrowful, so I humbled Myself," said He, removed and set afar off....Did not Peter draw near, when he said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God"? And yet the same man became afar off by saying, "Be it far from You, Lord; this shall not be unto You." Lastly, what said He, his Neighbour, as it were, to him drawing near? "Blessed are you, Simon, Barjona." To him afar off, as it were, and unlike, what said He? "Get behind Me, Satan." [Matthew 16:16-23] To him drawing near, "Flesh and blood," says He, "has not revealed it unto you, but My Father, which is in Heaven." His Light is shed over you, in His Light you shine. But when having become afar off, he spoke against the Lord's Passion, which should be for our Salvation, "Thou savourest not," said He, "the things that be of God, but those that be of men." One rightly placing together both of these says in a certain Psalm, "I said in my ecstasy, I am cast off from before Your Eyes." In my ecstasy, would he not have said, had he not drawn near; for ecstasy is the transporting of the mind. He poured over himself his own soul, and drew near unto God; and through some cloud and weight of the flesh being again cast down to earth, and recollecting where he had been, and seeing where he was, he said, "I am cast off from before Your Eyes." This then, "As a Neighbour, as our Brother, so I pleased Him," may He grant to be done in us; but when that is not, let even this be done, "As one mourning and sorrowful, so I humbled myself."
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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