Psalms 27:12

Do not hand me over to the will of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The psalmist addresses the LORD directly, pleading for protection from immediate threats by hostile opponents. This request is positioned between a petition for divine guidance on a level path and a declaration of certainty in God's future goodness.

The words — The Hebrew combination אַֽל־ (al-) and תִּ֭תְּנֵ/נִי (ti.tene/ni) literally translates to "may not you give me," forming a direct prohibition. The text explicitly notes that false witnesses (עֵֽדֵי־ שֶ֝֗קֶר) have risen up to breathe out violence against the speaker.

The thread — The plea against being handed over to enemies parallels the deliverance language in Psalms 31:8, while the specific threat of false witnesses matches the baseless charges in Psalms 35:11 and the Sanhedrin's search for false testimony against Jesus in Matthew 26:59.

Why it lands — The verse requires a reader to confront the reality of unjust legal proceedings and respond by directing petitions for safety to God rather than relying on personal defense. It demands holding the tension between present hostility and future certainty without inventing resolutions.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

אַֽל־'al-may not תִּ֭תְּנֵנִיTi.te.ne./niyou give/ me בְּנֶ֣פֶשׁbe./Ne.feshin/ [the] desire of צָרָ֑יtza.Ra/iopponents/ my כִּ֥יkifor קָֽמוּ־ka.mu-they have arisenבִ֥יv/ion <the>/ meעֵֽדֵי־'e.dei-witnesses of שֶׁ֝֗קֶרShe.kerfalsehood וִיפֵ֥חַvi./Fe.achand/ a witness of חָמָֽס׃cha.Masviolence

King James Version

Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

Cross-references

Psalms 31:8 You have not delivered me to the enemy; You have set my feet in the open.
Matthew 26:59 Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking false testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death.
Psalms 35:11 Hostile witnesses come forward; they make charges I know nothing about.
Psalms 41:11 By this I know that You delight in me, for my enemy does not triumph over me.
Psalms 35:25 Let them not say in their hearts, “Aha, just what we wanted!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up!”
Acts 6:11 Then they prompted some men to say, “We heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God.”
Exodus 20:16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Psalms 140:8 Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked; do not promote their evil plans, lest they be exalted. Selah
Acts 9:1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord. He approached the high priest
1 Samuel 22:9 But Doeg the Edomite, who had stationed himself with Saul’s servants, answered: “I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob.