Psalms 70:2

Translation
King James Version
Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt.
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KJV (with Strong's)
Let them be ashamed H954 H8799 and confounded H2659 H8799 that seek H1245 H8764 after my soul H5315: let them be turned H5472 H8735 backward H268, and put to confusion H3637 H8735, that desire H2655 my hurt H7451.
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Complete Jewish Bible
May those who seek my life be disgraced and humiliated. May those who take pleasure in doing me harm be turned back and put to confusion.
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Berean Standard Bible
May those who seek my life be ashamed and confounded; may those who wish me harm be repelled and humiliated.
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American Standard Version
Let them be put to shame and confounded That seek after my soul: Let them be turned backward and brought to dishonor That delight in my hurt.
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World English Bible Messianic
Let them be disappointed and confounded who seek my soul. Let those who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Let them be confounded and put to shame, that seeke my soule: let them bee turned backewarde and put to rebuke, that desire mine hurt.
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Young's Literal Translation
Let them be ashamed and confounded Who are seeking my soul, Let them be turned backward and blush Who are desiring my evil.
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See also
Psalms 35:26Psalms 35:4John 18:6Psalms 71:13Psalms 109:29Isaiah 41:11Psalms 6:10
In the KJVVerse 14,974 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Psalms 70:2 is an impassioned and urgent prayer from the psalmist, pleading with God for the swift and decisive thwarting of his adversaries' malicious intentions. It is a fervent appeal for divine justice, asking that those who actively seek to harm his life and well-being be publicly disgraced, utterly confused, and forced into a humiliating retreat. This petition reflects a profound reliance on God's sovereignty to intervene on behalf of the righteous, turning the schemes of the wicked back upon themselves and thereby vindicating the psalmist's faith and trust in the Lord.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Psalm 70 is a concise and intense individual lament, characterized by its immediate and desperate cry for divine intervention. It is notably almost identical to the concluding verses of Psalm 40:13-17, suggesting it may have been adapted for specific liturgical or personal use when urgent deliverance was required. The psalm opens with a direct plea for God to "make haste" (v. 1), setting a tone of extreme urgency. Verse 2, the focus of this commentary, immediately follows this opening cry, articulating the psalmist's desire for God to bring shame and confusion upon his enemies. This imprecation is balanced by blessings invoked upon those who seek God (v. 4), before concluding with a renewed, urgent appeal for God's swift help (v. 5). The verse functions as a key component of the psalmist's petition for vindication and protection against those who actively plot his downfall.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: Attributed to David, Psalm 70 emerges from a historical and cultural milieu where individuals, particularly those in leadership or who were devout, often faced tangible threats from political rivals, personal enemies, or those opposed to God's purposes. In the ancient Near East, public shame and confusion were deeply humiliating outcomes, signifying the utter failure of one's plans and the public disgrace of the defeated party. To "seek after my soul" was not merely a metaphorical expression but often implied a literal threat to one's life, reputation, or overall well-being. The cultural understanding of divine justice dictated that God, as the supreme judge, would actively intervene in human affairs to uphold righteousness, protect the innocent, and bring retribution upon the wicked. Thus, this prayer is deeply embedded in a worldview where divine intervention was a tangible and expected response to malicious intent against the faithful.
  • Key Themes: Psalm 70:2 significantly contributes to several prominent themes found throughout the Psalter and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it underscores the theme of Divine Justice and Retribution, appealing to God's character as a righteous judge who actively opposes evil. The psalmist trusts that God will not permit wickedness to prevail but will instead cause the adversaries' schemes to backfire, as echoed in Psalm 35:4. Secondly, it highlights the theme of Protection and Deliverance, as the core request is for God's swift defense against those who "seek after my soul" and "desire my hurt," demonstrating a profound reliance on God as the ultimate refuge and defender. Thirdly, the verse speaks to the Vindication of the Righteous. When the enemies are "ashamed and confounded," it serves as a public demonstration of the psalmist's innocence and God's faithfulness, reinforcing the truth that God stands with His loyal servants. Finally, the urgent tone of the Psalm, particularly in this verse, emphasizes the theme of Immediacy of Divine Action, reflecting the psalmist's desperate need for God's swift and decisive intervention in a perilous situation. The desire for the wicked to be caught in their own traps is a recurring motif, as illustrated in Psalm 9:15.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Ashamed (Hebrew, bûwsh', H954): This primitive root signifies to pale, or by implication, to be ashamed. It also carries the meaning of being disappointed or delayed. In the context of Psalm 70:2, it denotes a deep sense of disgrace, humiliation, or the failure of one's malicious plans and expectations. The psalmist prays that his enemies would experience profound public ignominy as their schemes are exposed and utterly fail.
  • Seek (Hebrew, bâqash', H1245): A primitive root meaning to search out by any method, including in worship or prayer. By implication, it means to strive after, ask, beg, beseech, desire, or enquire. In the phrase "seek after my soul," bâqash emphasizes the deliberate, active, and persistent pursuit of harm or destruction against the psalmist's very life or being. It highlights the serious nature of the threat.
  • Soul (Hebrew, nephesh', H5315): Properly, a breathing creature, or abstractly, vitality. This word is used very widely in a literal, accommodated, or figurative sense, encompassing bodily or mental aspects. It can refer to appetite, body, breath, creature, life, mind, person, or self. Here, "my soul" refers to the psalmist's entire being, his life, his personhood, and his well-being. The enemies are not merely seeking to annoy him, but to destroy his very existence or undermine his life completely.

Verse Breakdown

  • "Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul": This opening clause is a powerful, direct petition to God, expressed in the jussive mood, signifying a strong desire or command for divine action. The psalmist asks that those who actively plot to harm, destroy, or even take his life ("seek after my soul") would experience profound public disgrace and utter bewilderment. "Ashamed" implies that their schemes will be exposed and fail, leading to their humiliation, while "confounded" suggests their plans will be utterly frustrated and their minds thrown into disarray. It is a prayer for their malicious intentions to backfire spectacularly.
  • "let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt": This second clause reinforces and intensifies the plea through synonymous parallelism. "Turned backward" vividly pictures a forced retreat, a complete reversal of their aggressive advance, signifying their utter defeat and disorganization. "Put to confusion" echoes the earlier "confounded," emphasizing the mental and strategic disarray that will befall them. Those who "desire my hurt" are the same malicious adversaries, and the prayer is that their malevolent will would not only be unfulfilled but would lead to their own undoing and disorganization.

Literary Devices

Psalm 70:2 is a masterclass in Hebrew poetic expression, primarily employing Synonymous Parallelism, a hallmark of the genre. The verse's two main clauses ("Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul" and "let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt") reiterate and intensify the same core petition using different but conceptually equivalent terms. For instance, "ashamed and confounded" parallels "turned backward, and put to confusion," while "seek after my soul" parallels "desire my hurt." This repetition serves to emphasize the psalmist's urgent plea and the totality of the desired outcome for his enemies. The use of the Jussive Mood (translated as "Let them be...") conveys the psalmist's fervent and direct appeal to God, highlighting the urgency and conviction behind the prayer rather than a mere prediction. Furthermore, the phrase "turned backward" employs vivid Imagery, creating a mental picture of the enemies' forced retreat and defeat, adding to the dramatic effect of the petition. The verse also subtly uses Personification of malevolent intent, as "desire my hurt" attributes a malicious will to the adversaries, making their opposition more tangible and their defeat more satisfyingly just.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Psalm 70:2, while an imprecatory prayer, is fundamentally rooted in a robust theology of divine justice and God's active involvement in human affairs. It reflects a righteous cry for God to uphold His covenant faithfulness by defending the vulnerable and frustrating the wicked. This is not a call for personal vengeance, which the New Testament explicitly forbids, but rather an appeal to God's ultimate sovereignty and His character as the righteous judge. The psalmist trusts that God will ultimately expose and defeat evil, bringing about a just resolution that vindicates the innocent and demonstrates His power. Such prayers acknowledge that true justice belongs to God alone, and they express a desire for His kingdom to come and His will to be done, even if it means the defeat of those who oppose His purposes. They are prayers for God's righteousness to be manifested in a world often plagued by injustice.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Psalm 70:2 offers a profound and enduring model for believers facing opposition, injustice, or malicious intent in their lives. It teaches us that when confronted with those who "seek after our soul" or "desire our hurt," our first and most powerful response is to turn to God in urgent prayer. Instead of succumbing to fear, despair, or the temptation for personal retaliation, we are invited to boldly bring our distress and the actions of our adversaries before the Lord. This prayer is an act of profound trust, acknowledging God's ultimate control over all circumstances, including the plans of the wicked. It is righteous to pray that evil schemes would fail, that those who plot harm would be frustrated, and that God's justice would be manifest—not out of a desire for their eternal damnation, but for the cessation of their destructive actions, the protection of the innocent, and the ultimate vindication of God's righteous character. This aligns with the broader biblical principle that God will ultimately bring justice and reveal truth, demonstrating His unwavering commitment to His faithful ones and His sovereign rule over all things.

Questions for Reflection

  • How does Psalm 70:2 shape your understanding of prayer when facing opposition or injustice in your life?
  • In what ways can we pray for the thwarting of evil plans without harboring personal vengeance or ill will towards our adversaries?
  • How does trusting in God's ultimate justice and sovereignty bring peace when confronted with malicious intent from others?

FAQ

Is it wrong for a Christian to pray for their enemies to be ashamed or confounded?

Answer: While the New Testament calls believers to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them (Matthew 5:44), the imprecatory prayers in the Psalms, including Psalm 70:2, are not necessarily contradictory. These prayers are appeals to God's righteous justice, not expressions of personal vengeance. They reflect a desire for evil to be stopped, for God's honor to be vindicated, and for the protection of the innocent. In the biblical worldview, God is a just judge who actively intervenes in human affairs. Praying for the shame and confusion of adversaries is a recognition that their wicked schemes must be frustrated for God's will to prevail and for righteousness to be upheld. It is a plea for God to act as the ultimate arbiter of justice, which can sometimes involve the defeat and discrediting of those who oppose His purposes.

How does this verse relate to New Testament teachings on loving enemies?

Answer: Psalm 70:2 and New Testament teachings on loving enemies (Matthew 5:44; Romans 12:19-21) address different facets of a believer's response to evil. Loving enemies means not seeking personal revenge, actively doing good to them, and desiring their ultimate repentance and salvation. Psalm 70:2, on the other hand, is a prayer for divine justice against active, malicious harm. It acknowledges that evil must be confronted by God's power. These are not mutually exclusive concepts. We can love our enemies by desiring their good, while simultaneously praying that God would thwart their destructive plans and bring their malicious intentions to nothing, thereby protecting the innocent and upholding His righteousness. The shame and confusion prayed for in the Psalm can even serve as a means by which the wicked are brought to repentance or prevented from causing further harm, ultimately serving a redemptive purpose in God's sovereign plan.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Psalm 70:2 finds its ultimate and profound fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. He is the supremely righteous One who faced the most intense opposition, with enemies who truly "sought after His soul" and "desired His hurt," culminating in His unjust crucifixion. Yet, in God's divine and paradoxical plan, the very act intended to destroy Him—the cross—became the means by which His adversaries, both human and demonic, were "turned backward, and put to confusion." The powers of darkness, sin, and death thought they had triumphed, but through Christ's death and glorious resurrection, God "made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross" (Colossians 2:15). The ultimate scheme of evil was utterly shamed and confounded, leading not to Christ's defeat, but to His eternal victory and the salvation of all who believe. Jesus, as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, became the definitive demonstration of God's justice against sin and evil, fulfilling the psalmist's cry for vindication. Believers, united with Christ through faith, share in this triumph; though we may face opposition in this world, our ultimate vindication and victory over all spiritual adversaries are secured in Him, for He has overcome the world and promises that the gates of hell shall not prevail against His Church.

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Commentary on Psalms 70 verses 1–5

The title tells us that this psalm was designed to bring to remembrance; that is, to put God in remembrance of his mercy and promises (for so we are said to do when we pray to him and plead with him. Isa 43:26, Put me in remembrance) - not that the Eternal Mind needs a remembrancer, but this honour he is pleased to put upon the prayer of faith. Or, rather, to put himself and others in remembrance of former afflictions, that we may never be secure, but always in expectation of troubles, and of former devotions, that when the clouds return after the rain we may have recourse to the same means which we have formerly found effectual for fetching in comfort and relief. We may in prayer use the words we have often used before: our Saviour in his agony prayed thrice, saying the same words; so David here uses the words he had used before, yet not without some alterations, to show that he did not design to tie himself or others to them as a form. God looks at the heart, not at the words.

I. David here prays that God would make haste to relieve and succour him (Psa 70:1, Psa 70:5): I am poor and needy, in want and distress, and much at a loss within myself. Poverty and necessity are very good pleas in prayer to a God of infinite mercy, who despises not the sighing of a contrite heart, who has pronounced a blessing upon the poor in spirit, and who fills the hungry with good things. He prays, 1. That God would appear for him to deliver him from his troubles in due time. 2. That in the mean time he would come in to his aid, to help him under his troubles, that he might not sink and faint. 3. That he would do this quickly: Make haste (Psa 70:1), and again (Psa 70:5), Make haste, make no tarrying. Sometimes God seems to delay helping his own people, that he may excite such earnest desires as these. He that believes does not make haste, so as to anticipate or outrun the divine counsels, so as to force a way of escape or to take any unlawful methods of relief; but he may make haste by going forth to meet God in humble prayer that he would hasten the desired succour. "Make haste unto me, for the longing desire of my soul is towards thee; I shall perish if I be not speedily helped. I have no other to expect relief from: Thou art my help and my delivered. Thou hast engaged to be so to all that seek thee; I depend upon thee to be so to me; I have often found thee so; and thou art sufficient, all-sufficient, to be so; therefore make haste to me."

II. He prays that God would fill the faces of his enemies with shame, Psa 70:2, Psa 70:3. Observe, 1. How he describes them; they sought after his soul - his life, to destroy that - his mind, to disturb that, to draw him from God to sin and to despair. They desired his hurt, his ruin; when any calamity befel him or threatened him they said, "Aha, aha! so would we have it; we shall gain our point now, and see him ruined." Thus spiteful, thus insolent, were they. 2. What his prayer is against them: "Let them be ashamed; let them be brought to repentance, so filled with shame as that they may seek thy name (Psa 83:16); let them see their fault and folly in fighting against those whom thou dost protect, and be ashamed of their envy, Isa 26:11. However, let their designs against me be frustrated and their measures broken; let them be turned back from their malicious pursuits, and then they will be ashamed and confounded, and, like the enemies of the Jews, much cast down in their own eyes," Gen 6:16.

III. He prays that God would fill the hearts of his friends with joy (Psa 70:4), that all those who seek God and love his salvation, who desire it, delight in it, and depend upon it, may have continual matter for joy and praise and hearts for both; and then he doubts not but that he should put in for a share of the blessing he prays for; and so may we if we answer the character. 1. Let us make the service of God our great business and the favour of God our great delight and pleasure, for that is seeking him and loving his salvation. Let the pursuit of a happiness in God be our great care and the enjoyment of it our great satisfaction. A heart to love the salvation of the Lord, and to prefer it before any secular advantages whatsoever, so as cheerfully to quit all rather than hazard our salvation, is a good evidence of our interest in it and title to it. 2. Let us then be assured that, if it be not our own fault, the joy of the Lord shall fill our minds and the high praises of the Lord shall fill our mouths. Those that seek God, if they seek him early and seek him diligently, shall rejoice and be glad in him, for their seeking him is an evidence of his good-will to them and an earnest of their finding him, Psa 105:3. There is pleasure and joy even in seeking God, for it is one of the fundamental principles of religion that God is the rewarder of all those that diligently seek him. Those that love God's salvation shall say with pleasure, with constant pleasure (for praising God, if we make it our continual work, will be our continual feast), Let God be magnified, as he will be, to eternity, in the salvation of his people. All who wish well to the comfort of the saints, and to the glory of God, cannot but say a hearty amen to this prayer, that those who love God's salvation may say continually, Let God be magnified.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–5. Public domain.
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Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 70
"Let them be turned away backward and blush that think evil things to me" [Psalm 70:2]. At first there was the assault of them persecuting, now there has remained the malice of them thinking. In fact, there are in the Church distinct seasons of persecutions following one another. There was made an assault on the Church when kings were persecuting: and because kings had been foretold as to persecute and as to believe, when one had been fulfilled the other was to follow. There came to pass also that which was consequent; kings believed, peace was given to the Church, the Church began to be set in the highest place of dignity, even on this earth, even in this life: but there is not wanting the roar of persecutors, they have turned their assaults into thoughts. In these thoughts, as in a bottomless pit, the devil has been bound, he roars and breaks not forth. For it has been said concerning these times of the Church, "The sinner shall see, and shall be angry." And shall do what? That which he did at first? Drag, bind, smite? He does not this. What then? "With his teeth he shall gnash, and shall pine away." And with these men the Martyr is, as it were, angry, and yet for these men the Martyr prays. For in like manner as he has wished well to those men concerning whom he has said, "Let them be confounded and fear that seek my soul:" so also now, "Let them be turned backward, and blush, that think evil things to me." Wherefore? In order that they may not go before, but follow. For he that censures the Christian religion, and on his own system wills to live, wills as it were to go before Christ, as though He indeed had erred and had been weak and infirm, because He either willed to suffer or could suffer in the hands of the Jews; but that he is a clever man for guarding against all these things; in shunning death, even in basely lying to escape death, and slaying his soul that he may live in body, he thinks himself a man of singular and prudent measures. He goes before in censuring Christ, in a manner he outstrips Christ: let him believe in Christ, and follow Christ. For that which had been desired but now for persecutors thinking evil things, the same the Lord Himself said to Peter. Now in a certain place Peter willed to go before the Lord....A little before, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-jona, for flesh and blood has not revealed it to you, but My Father which is in Heaven:" now in a moment, "Go back behind Me, Satan." [Matthew 16:23] What is, "Go back behind Me"? Follow Me. You will to go before Me, you will to give Me counsel, it is better that thou follow My counsel: this is, "go back," go back behind Me. He is silencing one outstripping, in order that he may go backward; and He is calling him Satan, because he wills to go before the Lord. A little before, "blessed;" now, "Satan." Whence a little before, "blessed"? Because, "to you," He says, "flesh and blood has not revealed it, but My Father which is in Heaven." Whence now, "Satan"? Because "you savour not," He says, "the things which are of God, but the things which are of men." Let us then that would duly celebrate the nativities of the Martyrs, long for the imitation of the Martyrs; let us not wish to go before the Martyrs, and think ourselves to be of better understanding than they, because we shun sufferings in behalf of righteousness and faith which they shunned not. Therefore be they that think evil things, and in wantonness feed their hearts, "turned backward and blush." Let them hear from the Apostle afterwards saying, "But what fruit had ye some time in those things at which you now blush?"
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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