Psalms 35:13

Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, but my prayers returned unanswered.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The psalmist speaks to God, recounting his mourning for enemies who repay his kindness with evil.

The words — שָׂק (sak) denotes sackcloth, and צוֹם (tzom) denotes fasting, marking the psalmist’s physical acts of humility.

The thread — The pattern of faithful mourning meeting silence appears in Psalms 69:10 and Job 30:25, while Matthew 5:44 commands love for those who persecute.

Why it lands — It requires a reader to voice honest lament to God when faithful intercession meets silence, without demanding immediate comfort.

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

וַאֲנִ֤י׀va./'a.Niand/ I בַּחֲלוֹתָ֡םba./cha.lo.Ta/mwhen/ were sick/ they לְב֬וּשִׁיle.Vu.sh/iclothing/ my שָׂ֗קSak[was] sackcloth עִנֵּ֣יתִי'i.Nei.tiI humbled בַצּ֣וֹםva./Tzomwith <the>/ fasting נַפְשִׁ֑יnaf.Sh/iself/ my וּ֝תְפִלָּתִ֗יu./te.fi.la.T/iand/ prayer/ my עַל־'al-to חֵיקִ֥יchei.K/ibosom/ my תָשֽׁוּב׃ta.Shuvit returned

King James Version

But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.

Cross-references

Psalms 69:10 I wept and fasted, but it brought me reproach.
Job 30:25 Have I not wept for those in trouble? Has my soul not grieved for the needy?
Matthew 5:44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Leviticus 16:31 It is a Sabbath of complete rest for you, that you may humble yourselves; it is a permanent statute.
Isaiah 58:5 Is this the fast I have chosen: a day for a man to deny himself, to bow his head like a reed, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast and a day acceptable to the LORD?
Matthew 10:13 If the home is worthy, let your peace rest on it, but if it is not, let your peace return to you.
Luke 10:6 If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you.
Romans 12:14 Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse.
Leviticus 16:29 This is to be a permanent statute for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month, you shall humble yourselves and not do any work—whether the native or the foreigner who resides among you—
1 Kings 21:27 When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He lay down in sackcloth and walked around meekly.