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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Psalms 35:4-8

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalms 35:4 The faithful pray that the schemes of the pursuers would fail, and that the pursuers themselves would suffer disappointment, humiliation, and destruction. It is proper for God’s people to pray this prayer since the pursuers devise evil (v. Psalms 35:4) without cause (vv. Psalms 35:7, Psalms 35:19). The prayer is not a vindictive response to personal injury but an appeal based on faith.

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See also Psalms 35:4-8 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Psalms 35:4. _LET THEN BE CONFOUNDED_] Let none of their projects or devices against me succeed. Blast all their designs. The _imprecations_ in these verses against enemies are all _legitimate...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    LET THEM BE CONFOUNDED - That is, Let them, through Thy gracious interposition in my behalf, be so entirely overcome and subdued that they shall be “ashamed” that they ever made the effort to destroy...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    Psalms 35 The Cry for Justice and Divine Help _ 1. The cry of distress (Psalms 35:1)_ 2. The contrast? (Psalms 35:11) 3. Prayer for vindication and victory ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    XXXV. PRAYER AGAINST TREACHEROUS FOES BY ONE WHO IS QUIET IN THE LAND. Psalms 35:6_ b_ should replace Psalms 35:5_ b_. Chaff driven before the wind may well suggest the image of the angel pursuing th...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Ashamed and dishonoured he they that seek my life; Turned back and confounded be they that devise my hurt. For _that seek my life_(or, _soul_) cp. 1 Samuel 20:1; &c. Let them be disappointed in thei...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Prayer for the repulse and rout of his enemies. No doubt the language might be entirely figurative, but it is more naturally explained if a literal fulfilment was at least a possibility....

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    LET THEM BE CONFOUNDED, &C.— _They shall blush and be ashamed—They shall be turned back,_ &c. We should render in the future all the following verses; which our translation puts in the optative mood,...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PSALMS 35 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE Prayers against Open and Concealed Enemies, followed by Promises of Praise. ANALYSIS Three irregular stanzas. Stanza I., Psalms 35:1-10, An Indignant Imprecatory prayer...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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._ Let them ... - repeated at the close Psalms 35:26....

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    35:4 life; (g-13) Heb. 'soul;' and so Psalms 38:12 ; &c....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    This is a prayer for the defeat and destruction of malignant enemies, whom the Psalmist has formerly befriended, and who now treat him with ungrateful cruelty. The circumstances are partly similar to...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Psalms 1:41 _GORDON CHURCHYARD_ Words in boxes are from the Bible. The notes explain some of the words with a *star by them. Tap the * before a word to show an explanation. The translated Bible tex...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    CONFOUNDED. — Comp. Psalms 35:26....

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    יֵבֹ֣שׁוּ וְ יִכָּלְמוּ֮ מְבַקְשֵׁ֪י נַ֫פְשִׁ֥י יִסֹּ֣גוּ...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Psalms 35:1 THE psalmist's life is in danger. He is the victim of ungrateful hatred. False accusations of crimes that he never dreamed of are brought against him. He professes innocence, and appeals t...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    RESCUING THE POOR AND NEEDY Psalms 35:1 This psalm dates from the Sauline persecution, or else from the disturbed condition of the kingdom in David's later years. Each of the three divisions into whi...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    There is agony in this song. The singer is sore beset with enemies. They are striving with him, fighting against him. They are plotting against him, treacherously spreading a net for his feet. He crie...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Well, to those in distress, Psalm xl. 2. Though wise enough in worldly concerns, he seemed quite ignorant when any virtuous actions were proposed. (Calmet) --- Sometimes ignorance is excusable when a...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    When the prayer is thus expressed in faith, let the opposers of Christ and his church be confounded, and ashamed, and turned back; it is in other words, they shall be so brought to ruin and confusion....

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    4._Let those who seek my soul be confounded. _David now calls upon God to take vengeance upon his enemies; and he asks not only that he would disappoint and destroy their designs, but also that he wou...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Psalms 35 is an urgent appeal for the judgment of Jehovah against relentless and insidious persecutors who seek after the soul of the righteous. Insult, craft, violence, all were used against him. The...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    LET THEM BE CONFOUNDED, AND PUT TO SHAME, THAT SEEK AFTER MY SOUL,.... This petition, and what follows, which seem to be by way of imprecation, are to be considered as prophecies of what would be, and...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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. Ver. 4. _Let them be confounded and put to shame_] Here David be...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Let them be confounded_ That is, frustrated and disappointed in their wicked designs and hopes against me. Or, _they shall be disappointed:_ for this and the following verses, to Psalms 35:9, may be...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul; let them be turned back, in abject retreat, AND BROUGHT TO CONFUSION THAT DEVISE MY HURT, planning evil against him. The heaping of wor...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    PRAYER AGAINST THE GODLESS. A psalm of David, invoking God's aid against the ungodly, contrasting the hypocrisy, cunning, and malice of the wicked with the integrity and generosity of the righteous,...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-10 It is no new thing for the most righteous men, and the most righteous cause, to meet with enemies. This is a fruit of the old enmity in the seed of the serpent against the Seed of the woman. Dav...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    CONFOUNDED, i.e. frustrated in their wicked designs and hopes against me. Concerning this, and the like, and following imprecations, which may seem strange and severe, it must be considered, 1. That t...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Psalms 35:4 shame H954 (H8799) dishonor H3637 (H8735) seek H1245 (H8764) life H5315 turned H5472 ...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    HE CALLS ON GOD BY HIS ANGEL TO DRIVE HIS ENEMIES BACK AND PUT THEM TO FLIGHT (PSALMS 35:4). Not content with the fact that YHWH will stand with him to protect him, he calls on Him to pursue his enem...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: An appeal to heaven for the confusion of enemies. CHARACTERS: God, David. CONCLUSION: The most righteous men and the most righteous causes may expect to meet with many mighty and malicious...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Psalms 35:1. _Fight against them._ This is another martial ode, or war song, in which David prays for victory over the army of Saul that came to fight against him, and for confusion to those about the...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    INTRODUCTION “This psalm, If It be as the inscription tells us a psalm of David, must have been composed either during his persecution by Saul or during the revolt of Absalom. It is usual to connect i...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION A PSALM ascribed to David by the title, and with many characteristics of his early style—abrupt, impassioned, full of lively and graphic images, and full of transitions The picture which th...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me. Take hold of shield and buckler, stand up for my help. Draw out also the spear, and stop the way agains...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Kings 19:10; 1 Samuel 23:23; Ezekiel 13:19; Isaiah 37:29; Jer

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