TRV
Translation
King James Version
Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.
Complete Jewish Bible
May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to confusion; may those who are plotting harm for me be repulsed and put to shame.
Berean Standard Bible
May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plan to harm me be driven back and confounded.
American Standard Version
Let them be put to shame and brought to dishonor that seek after my soul: Let them be turned back and confounded that devise my hurt.
World English Bible Messianic
Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonor. Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Let them be confounded and put to shame, that seeke after my soule: let them be turned backe, and brought to confusion, that imagine mine hurt.
Young's Literal Translation
They are ashamed and blush, those seeking my soul, Turned backward and confounded, Those devising my evil.
In the KJVVerse 14,415 of 31,102
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Commentary on Psalms 35 verses 1–10
1 ¶ A Psalm of David. Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.
3 Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.
4 Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.
5 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.
6 Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.
7 For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.
8 Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.
9 And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
10 All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?
In these verses we have,
I. David's representation of his case to God, setting forth the restless rage and malice of his persecutors. He was God's servant, expressly appointed by him to be what he was, followed his guidance, and aimed at his glory in the way of duty, had lived (as St. Paul speaks) in all good conscience before God unto this day; and yet there were those that strove with him, that did their utmost to oppose his advancement, and made all the interest they could against him; they fought against him (Psa 35:1), not only undermined him closely and secretly, but openly avowed their opposition to him and set themselves to do him all the mischief they could. They persecuted him with an unwearied enmity, sought after his soul (Psa 35:4), that is, his life, no less would satisfy their bloody minds; they aimed to disquiet his spirit and put that into disorder. Nor was it a sudden passion against him that they harboured, but inveterate malice: They devised his hurt, laid their heads together, and set their wits on work, not only to do him a mischief, but to find out ways and means to ruin him. They treated him, who was the greatest blessing of his country, as if he had been the curse and plague of it; they hunted him as a dangerous beast of prey; they digged a pit for him and laid a net in it, that they might have him at their mercy, Psa 35:7. They took a great deal of pains in persecuting him, for they digged a pit (Psa 7:15); and very close and crafty they were in carrying on their designs; the old serpent taught them subtlety: they hid their net from David and his friends; but in vain, for they could not hide it from God. And, lastly, he found himself an unequal match for them. His enemy, especially Saul, was too strong for him (Psa 35:10), for he had the army at his command, and assumed to himself the sole power of making laws and giving judgment, attainted and condemned whom he pleased, carried not a sceptre, but a javelin, in his hand, to cast at any man that stood in his way; such was the manner of the king, and all about him were compelled to do as he bade them, right or wrong. The king's word is a law, and every thing must be carried with a high hand; he has fields, and vineyards, and preferments, at his disposal, Sa1 22:7. but David is poor and needy, has nothing to make friends with, and therefore has none to take his part but men (as we say) of broken fortunes (Sa1 22:2); and therefore no marvel that Saul spoiled him of what little he had got and the interest he had made. If the kings of the earth set themselves against the Lord and his anointed, who can contend with them? Note, It is no new thing for the most righteous men, and the most righteous cause, to meet with many mighty and malicious enemies: Christ himself is striven with and fought against, and war is made upon the holy seed; and we are not to marvel at the matter: it is a fruit of the old enmity in the seed of the serpent against the seed of the woman.
II. His appeal to God concerning his integrity and the justice of his cause. If a fellow-subject had wronged him, he might have appealed to his prince, as St. Paul did to Caesar; but, when his prince wronged him, he appealed to his God, who is prince and Judge of the kings of the earth: Plead my cause, O Lord! Psa 35:1. Note, A righteous cause may, with the greatest satisfaction imaginable, he laid before a righteous God, and referred to him to give judgment upon it; for he perfectly knows the merits of it, holds the balance exactly even, and with him there is no respect of persons. God knew that they were, without cause, his enemies, and that they had, without cause, digged pits for him, Psa 35:7. Note, It will be a comfort to us, when men do us wrong, if our consciences can witness for us that we have never done them any. It was so to St. Paul. Act 25:10, To the Jews have I done no wrong. We are apt to justify our uneasiness at the injuries men do us by this, That we never gave them any cause to use us so; whereas this should, more than any thing, make us easy, for then we may the more confidently expect that God will plead our cause.
III. His prayer to God to manifest himself both for him and to him, in this trial. 1. For him. He prays that God would fight against his enemies, so as to disable them to hurt him, and defeat their designs against him (Psa 35:1), that he would take hold of shield and buckler, for the Lord is a man of war (Exo 15:3), and that he would stand up for his help (Psa 35:2), for he had few that would stand up for him, and, if he had ever so many, they would stand him in no stead without God. he prays that God would stop their way (Psa 35:3), that they might not overtake him when he fled from them. This prayer we may put up against our persecutors, that God would restrain them and stop their way. 2. To him: "Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation; let me have inward comfort under all these outward troubles, to support my soul which they strike at. Let God be my salvation, not only my Saviour out of my present troubles, but my everlasting bliss. Let me have that salvation not only which he is the author of, but which consists in his favour; and let me know my interest in it; let me have the comfortable assurance of it in my own breast." If God, by his Spirit, witness to our spirits that he is our salvation, we have enough, we need desire no more to make us happy; and this is a powerful support when men persecute us. If God be our friend, no matter who is our enemy.
IV. His prospect of the destruction of his enemies, which he prays for, not in malice or revenge. We find how patiently he bore Shimei's curses (so let him curse, for the Lord has bidden him); and we cannot suppose that he who was so meek in his conversation would give vent to any intemperate heat or passion in his devotion; but, by the spirit of prophecy, he foretells the just judgments of God that would come upon them for their great wickedness, their malice, cruelty, and perfidiousness, and especially the enmity to the counsels of God, the interests of religion, and that reformation which they knew David, if ever he had power in his hand, would be an instrument of. They seemed to be hardened in their sins, and to be of the number of those who have sinned unto death and are not to be prayed for, Jer 7:16; Jer 11:14; Jer 14:11; Jo1 5:16. As for Saul himself, David, it is probable, knew that God had rejected him and had forbidden Samuel to mourn for him, Sa1 16:1. And these predictions look further, and read the doom of the enemies of Christ and his kingdom, as appears by comparing Rom 11:9, Rom 11:10. David here prays, 1. Against his many enemies (Psa 35:4-6): Let them be confounded, etc. Or, as Dr. Hammond reads it, They shall be confounded, they shall be turned back. This may be taken as a prayer for their repentance, for all penitents are put to shame for their sins and turned back from them. Or, if they were not brought to repentance, David prays that they might be defeated and disappointed in their designs against him and so put to shame. Though they should in some degree prevail, yet he foresees that it would be to their own ruin at last: They shall be as chaff before the wind, so unable will wicked men be to stand before the judgments of God and so certainly will they be driven away by them, Psa 1:4. Their way shall be dark and slippery, darkness and slipperiness (so the margin reads it); the way of sinners is so, for they walk in darkness and in continual danger of falling into sin, into hell; and it will prove so at last, for their foot shall slide in due time, Deu 32:35. But this is not the worst of it. Even chaff before the wind may perhaps be stopped, and find a place of rest, and, though the way be dark and slippery, it is possible that a man may keep his footing; but it is here foretold that the angel of the Lord shall chase them (Psa 35:5) so that they shall find no rest, shall persecute them (Psa 35:6) so that they cannot possibly escape the pit of destruction. As God's angels encamp against those that fight against him. They are the ministers of his justice, as well as of his mercy. Those that make God their enemy make all the holy angels their enemies. 2. Against his one mighty enemy (Psa 35:8): Let destruction come upon him. It is probable that he means Saul, who laid snares for him and aimed at his destruction. David vowed that his hand should not be upon him; he would not be judge in his own cause. But, at the same time, he foretold that the Lord would smite him (Sa1 26:10), and here that the net he had hidden should catch himself, and into that very destruction he should fall. This was remarkably fulfilled in the ruin of Saul; for he had laid a plot to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines (Sa1 18:25), that was the net which he hid for him under pretence of doing him honour, and in that very net was he himself taken, for he fell by the hand of the Philistines when his day came to fall.
V. His prospect of his own deliverance, which, having committed his cause to God, he did not doubt of, Psa 35:9, Psa 35:10. 1. He hoped that he should have the comfort of it: "My soul shall be joyful, not in my own ease and safety, but in the Lord and in his favour, in his promise and in his salvation according to the promise." Joy in God and in his salvation is the only true, solid, satisfying joy. Those whose souls are sorrowful in the Lord, who sow in tears and sorrow after a godly sort, need not question but that in due time their souls shall be joyful in the Lord; for gladness is sown for them, and they shall at last enter into the joy of their Lord. 2. He promised that then God should have the glory of it (Psa 35:10): All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee? (1.) He will praise God with the whole man, with all that is within him, and with all the strength and vigour of his soul, intimated by his bones, which are within the body and are the strength of it. (2.) He will praise him as one of peerless and unparalleled perfection. We cannot express how great and good God is, and therefore must praise him by acknowledging him to be a non-such. Lord, who is like unto thee? No such patron of oppressed innocency, no such punisher of triumphant tyranny. The formation of our bones so wonderfully, so curiously (Ecc 11:5; Psa 139:16), the serviceableness of our bones, and the preservation of them, and especially the life which, at the resurrection, shall be breathed upon the dry bones and make them flourish as a herb, oblige every bone in our bodies, if it could speak, to say, Lord, who is like unto thee? and willingly to undergo any services or sufferings for him.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–10. Public domain.
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Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 35
And what follows? "Let them be confounded and put to shame, that seek after my soul" [Psalm 35:4]: for to this end they seek after it, to destroy it. For I would that they would seek it for good! For in another Psalm he blames this in men, that there was none who would seek after his soul: "Refuge failed me: there was none that would seek after my soul." Who is this that says, "There was none that would seek after my soul"? Is it haply He, of whom so long before it was predicted, "They pierced My Hands and My Feet, they numbered all My Bones, they stared and looked upon Me, they have parted My Garments among them, and cast lots for My Vesture"? Now all these things were done before their eyes, and there was none who would seek after His Soul....
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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SUMMARY
Psalm 35:4 is a fervent imprecatory prayer from David, expressing a deep plea for divine intervention against his adversaries. It captures the psalmist's profound distress and his unwavering reliance on God for vindication and protection from those who maliciously seek his life and plot his harm, appealing for their plans to be utterly frustrated and their efforts publicly shamed.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalm 35:4 employs several potent literary devices to convey David's fervent prayer. The most prominent is Parallelism, specifically Synonymous Parallelism, where the second half of the verse reiterates and intensifies the thought of the first half using different but equivalent terms. "Let them be confounded and put to shame" is paralleled by "let them be turned back and brought to confusion," both expressing a desire for the enemies' humiliation and frustration. Similarly, "that seek after my soul" is paralleled by "that devise my hurt," both describing the malicious intent of the adversaries. This repetition amplifies the psalmist's plea and emphasizes the totality of the desired outcome. The verse also functions as a strong Imprecation, a direct prayer or curse against enemies, which is a common feature in the Psalms, reflecting a raw and unfiltered expression of human emotion and a plea for divine justice. The use of strong, active verbs like "seek," "devise," "confound," and "turn back" creates a vivid and dynamic portrayal of both the enemies' aggression and the desired divine intervention.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalm 35:4, while an imprecatory prayer, offers profound theological insights into God's character and the nature of justice. It underscores the biblical truth that God is a righteous judge who sees all injustice and will ultimately bring about vindication for His suffering servants. The psalmist's appeal is not a call to personal vengeance but a surrender of his cause to the divine court, recognizing that ultimate justice belongs to the Lord. This prayer acknowledges God's sovereignty over evil and His power to frustrate the most cunning schemes of the wicked. While the New Testament calls believers to love their enemies and pray for their persecutors, the underlying principle of entrusting injustice to God remains vital. These psalms teach us to bring our raw emotions, including anger and a desire for justice, before God, trusting His perfect timing and methods for rectifying wrongs. They remind us that God is actively involved in upholding righteousness and will not allow evil to triumph indefinitely.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalm 35:4, with its raw plea for divine judgment against adversaries, can initially seem challenging for modern believers accustomed to New Testament teachings on loving enemies. However, it offers crucial lessons on how to navigate injustice and malicious opposition. This psalm teaches us to bring our deepest hurts, our sense of betrayal, and our righteous indignation directly to God. Instead of harboring bitterness or seeking personal retaliation, we are invited to entrust our cause to the only truly righteous Judge. It's a powerful reminder that God sees, God knows, and God will act. This verse encourages us to release the burden of revenge and rely on God's perfect justice to expose and frustrate the plans of evil. It cultivates a profound trust in God's sovereignty, knowing that no scheme, however cunningly devised, can ultimately succeed against His will or His children without His permission. Our prayer, then, becomes less about wishing ill upon others and more about desiring God's glory to be revealed through the triumph of His righteousness.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Are imprecatory psalms like Psalm 35:4 still relevant for Christians today, given the New Testament's command to love enemies?
Answer: Yes, imprecatory psalms remain highly relevant, though their application requires careful discernment through a Christ-centered lens. They are divinely inspired expressions of raw human emotion—anger, pain, and a profound desire for justice—that teach us to bring all our feelings, even the difficult ones, honestly before God. They are not a license for personal revenge or hatred, which the New Testament explicitly forbids (e.g., Matthew 5:44), but rather a model for prayer in the face of injustice. They remind us that ultimate vengeance belongs to God alone (Romans 12:19), and we can trust Him to act righteously in His perfect timing. For Christians, these psalms channel our desire for justice into a plea for God's kingdom to come and His will to be done, which includes the defeat of evil and the vindication of the righteous, ultimately fulfilled in Christ's triumph over sin and death.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Psalm 35:4 is a prayer for the confounding of David's earthly enemies, its deepest fulfillment is found in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus, the ultimate righteous sufferer, faced the most profound betrayal and malicious plotting, as those who "sought after His soul" and "devised His hurt" ultimately delivered Him to crucifixion, as recorded in Matthew 26:47-50. Yet, unlike David, Jesus did not call down imprecations upon His persecutors but instead prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do," as seen in Luke 23:34. However, His resurrection and ascension represent the ultimate "confounding and putting to shame" of the powers of darkness—Satan, sin, and death—who had seemingly triumphed. Through the cross, Christ disarmed principalities and powers, triumphing over them, as Colossians 2:15 declares, turning back and bringing to confusion every scheme against God's redemptive plan. He is the ultimate vindicator of all who suffer unjustly for righteousness' sake, and at His return, every enemy will be put under His feet, as affirmed in 1 Corinthians 15:25. Thus, believers, united with Christ, find their ultimate vindication and the frustration of all evil plans not in their own prayers for vengeance, but in the accomplished victory of the Lamb of God, who will one day judge all the earth in righteousness, as depicted in Revelation 19:11-16.