Psalms 35:4

May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plan to harm me be driven back and confounded.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The psalmist petitions God to reverse the actions of pursuers who actively hunt his life and scheme against him. This request immediately follows a command to arm against those pursuers and a declaration that God is the psalmist's salvation.

The words — The text identifies the aggressors as מְבַקְשֵׁי נַפְשִׁי (me.vak.shéi naf.shí), "those who seek my life," and חֹשְׁבֵי (cho.shéi), "those who plot." It commands the verbs יֵבֹשׁוּ (yébōshû) and יִכָּלְמוּ (yikkálĕmû) to fall upon them, demanding public disgrace and humiliation.

The thread — The identical plea for shame and confusion against life-seeking enemies appears in Psalms 70:2 and reappears in Psalms 35:26 against those who gloat over the psalmist's distress. Jeremiah 46:5 records a parallel scene of terrified combatants retreating in haste.

Why it lands — The verse demands that God transform hostile intentions into public shame and forced retreat. It requires the reader to accept divine reversal as the only resolution to targeted violence.

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

יֵבֹ֣שׁוּye.Vo.shumay they be ashamed וְיִכָּלְמוּ֮ve./yi.kal.Muand/ they may be humiliated מְבַקְשֵׁ֪יme.vak.Shei[those who] seek נַ֫פְשִׁ֥יnaf.Sh/i<of> life/ my יִסֹּ֣גוּyi.So.gumay they be turned back אָח֣וֹר'a.Chorbackwards וְיַחְפְּר֑וּve./yach.pe.Ruand/ may they be abashed חֹ֝שְׁבֵ֗יcho.she.Vei[those who] plot רָעָתִֽי׃ra.'a.T/i<of> harm/ my

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.

Cross-references

Psalms 70:2 May those who seek my life be ashamed and confounded; may those who wish me harm be repelled and humiliated.
Psalms 35:26 May those who gloat in my distress be ashamed and confounded; may those who exalt themselves over me be clothed in shame and reproach.
Jeremiah 46:5 Why am I seeing this? They are terrified, they are retreating; their warriors are defeated, they flee in haste without looking back; terror is on every side!” declares the LORD.
Psalms 38:12 Those who seek my life lay snares; those who wish me harm speak destruction, plotting deceit all day long.
Psalms 31:17 O LORD, let me not be ashamed, for I have called on You. Let the wicked be put to shame; let them lie silent in Sheol.
Psalms 129:5 May all who hate Zion be turned back in shame.
Psalms 40:14 May those who seek my life be ashamed and confounded; may those who wish me harm be repelled and humiliated.
Psalms 71:24 My tongue will indeed proclaim Your righteousness all day long, for those who seek my harm are disgraced and confounded.
1 Samuel 23:23 Observe and find out all the places where he hides. Then come back to me with certainty, and I will go with you. If he is in the land, I will search him out among all the clans of Judah.”
John 18:6 When Jesus said, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.