Bible Strands
Psalms 69:12
Those who sit at the gate mock me, and I am the song of drunkards.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The psalmist addresses God while enduring public ridicule and social ostracism. This occurs during a period of intense mourning where his sackcloth clothing marks him as a target for scorn.
The words — The Hebrew יָשִׂיחוּ (ya.Si.chu) literally means "they speak," denoting the idle chatter of elders at the city gate. The term נְגִינוֹת (ne.gi.Not) refers to "taunt songs" or "taunting melodies" composed by those who drink strong drink.
The thread — This dynamic of enemies gathering to mock appears in Psalms 35:15, where assailants slander the speaker. The same pattern of rulers assembling against the anointed figure is quoted in Acts 4:26 and fulfilled in Matthew 27:41.
Why it lands — The text establishes that faithful suffering frequently produces public contempt rather than compassion. It requires the reader to direct their plea for deliverance to God alone when human solidarity fails.
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
King James Version
They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.
Cross-references
- Psalms 35:15 But when I stumbled, they assembled in glee; they gathered together against me. Assailants I did not know slandered me without ceasing.
- Acts 4:26 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed One.’
- Matthew 27:41 In the same way, the chief priests, scribes, and elders mocked Him, saying,
- Genesis 19:1 Now the two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When Lot saw them, he got up to meet them, bowed facedown,
- Deuteronomy 16:18 You are to appoint judges and officials for your tribes in every town that the LORD your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment.
- Job 30:8 A senseless and nameless brood, they were driven off the land.
- Daniel 5:2 Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.
- Daniel 5:23 Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. The vessels from His house were brought to you, and as you drank wine from them with your nobles, wives, and concubines, you praised your gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you have failed to glorify the God who holds in His hand your very breath and all your ways.
- Matthew 27:12 And when He was accused by the chief priests and elders, He gave no answer.
- Matthew 27:20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus put to death.