Psalms 10:6 · Bible study
Psalms 10:6 Commentary: The Wicked’s Hollow Boast
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why the wicked’s claim ‘I shall not be shaken’ echoes a believer’s trust, yet springs from pride, not faith. Original language and commentary insights.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The wicked’s boast of security is a hollow inversion of faith, born from pride and blindness to God.
- Key words: “say in his heart” (inner intent), “shaken” (Niphal of môṭ), “generation” (permanence), “distress” (ra‘).
- Main debate: Whether this is a deliberate parody of the righteous man’s trust (Keil & Delitzsch) or simply a generic boast of prosperity (Barnes).
- Theological theme: The contrast between self-reliance and trust in God; the danger of prosperity without faith.
- Best use: Warning against pride and call to examine where our sense of security is anchored.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
He says to himself, “I will not be moved; from age to age I am free of distress.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
He says in his heart, “I shall not be shaken. For generations I shall have no trouble.”
KJV King James Version 1769
He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
He saith in his heart, I shall not be moved; To all generations I shall not be in adversity.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
He hath said in his heart, `I am not moved,' To generation and generation not in evil.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
He saith in his heart, I shall not be moved; from generation to generation I shall be in no adversity.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
The Lord trieth the just and the wicked: but he that loveth iniquity, hateth his own soul.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Dice en su corazón: No seré movido en ningún tiempo, ni jamás me alcanzará el infortunio.
Ele diz em seu coração: Eu nunca serei abalado; porque de geração após geração nunca sofrerei mal algum.
Il dit en son cœur: Je ne chancelle pas,
Er spricht in seinem Herzen: Ich werde nimmermehr darniederliegen; es wird für und für keine Not haben.
Hij zegt in zijn hart; Ik zal niet wankelen; want ik zal van geslacht tot geslacht in geen kwaad zijn.
Egli dice nel suo cuore: Non sarò mai smosso; d’età in età non m’accadrà male alcuno.
Mówi w sercu swem: Nie będę wzruszony od narodu do narodu; bo się nie boję złego.
Дождем прольет Он на нечестивых горящие угли, огонь и серу; и палящий ветер - их доля из чаши;
他心裡 說：我必不 動搖，世世代代 不 遭災難。
He has said in his heart, I will not be moved: through all generations I will never be in trouble.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 10:6
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree this verse exposes the wicked’s self-deception. The phrase “he says in his heart” (Barnes) indicates a settled, deliberate character, what the wicked thinks when no one else hears. The claim “I shall not be shaken” (Hebrew bal-’emmoṭ) uses the Niphal of môṭ, a verb the Psalms often reserve for the righteous who trust God (Psalm 16:8; 30:6). Here the wicked deploys the same language from pride and atheism (Calvin), believing his prosperity is permanent. Keil and Delitzsch call this “boundless carnal security”, a parody of faith. Gill sees the boast as typical of “the man of sin,” linking it to Revelation 18:7. The core consensus: the wicked’s confidence rests entirely on self, not God, making it hollow from the start.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Parody of faith: The phrase 'I shall not be shaken' deliberately echoes the righteous man's trust in Psalm 16:8 and 30:6, exposing the wicked's self-deception (Keil & Delitzsch, Cambridge Bible).
- Simple arrogance: The wicked boast of permanent prosperity without awareness of the irony; it is a generic expression of pride, not necessarily a scriptural echo (Barnes, Calvin).
What is clear: The wicked's confidence is misplaced because it rests on his own resources rather than on God, and it leads to oppression of the weak.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| "I shall not be shaken" as a parody | Commentators agree the wicked uses language that also appears in the prayers of the righteous (Psalm 16:8; 30:6). | Some (Keil & Delitzsch, Cambridge Bible) see it as a conscious parody, an act of rebellion. Others (Barnes, Calvin) treat it as a natural boast of pride, not necessarily an echo of the Psalms. |
| The identity of the wicked | All agree the wicked are oppressors who exploit the poor and feel no accountability to God. | Gill identifies them with antichrist, while most historical commentators see generic wealthy enemies. Modern readers often apply the pattern to systemic injustice. |
| The role of the heart | The wicked's speech is internal, indicating deep-seated conviction, not passing thought. | Is it self-deception (the person genuinely believes their own lie) or conscious rebellion (they know the truth but suppress it)? |
| Connection to Psalm 9 | Scholars note linguistic and thematic links between the two psalms. | Whether they were originally one acrostic (Lange) or separate compositions (Delitzsch). |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 10 continues the lament of Psalm 9, with some scholars (Lange) treating them as a single disrupted acrostic. The surrounding verses paint a picture of unchecked oppression: the wicked “hunts the weak” (v2), boasts of greed (v3), and sneers at God’s laws (v5). In ancient Israel, the heart was the center of will and reason, to “say in one’s heart” meant to form a settled conviction, often in secret (cf. Psalm 14:1). The word “shaken” (môṭ) evokes being dislodged from one’s land or status; the righteous pray they will never be shaken (Psalm 15:5), but the wicked assume it automatically. The double “generation” (dor vador) emphasizes an endless future, the wicked expect their good fortune to pass to their children unbroken. This mentality thrives when justice is slow (Ecclesiastes 8:11) and when prosperity dulls awareness of God’s scrutiny. The verse thus stands as a mirror for any society where wealth and power breed the illusion of invulnerability.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Psalm 10:6. The Masoretic Text is stable, and the two ancient translations cited (Targum, Greek) align with the Hebrew. The phrase “to generation and generation” appears as lǝdôr wādôr across all major manuscripts.
Reception History
Early Christian readers (Augustine, Expositions on the Psalms) saw this verse as revealing the impious person’s secret trust in self rather than God. During the Reformation, Calvin and Matthew Henry used it to warn against the pride that prosperity can breed. The verse also appears in antichrist speculation (Gill) due to its similarity to Revelation 18:7. In modern preaching, it is often paired with the righteous man’s confidence in Psalm 16:8 to contrast false and true security. The verse continues to serve as a mirror for any generation tempted to trust in wealth, power, or status.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The seat of false security. “He says in his heart”, the wicked’s confidence is inner, self-generated, and deliberately nurtured. It bypasses God entirely.
- The claim of permanence. “I shall not be shaken… to all generations.” The wicked uses language that belongs to faith (Psalm 16:8) but applies it to his own schemes and possessions.
- The hollow outcome. The boast is contradicted by the psalmist’s plea for God to arise (v12), and by the trajectory of Scripture: pride leads to a fall (Proverbs 16:18).
Five-point outline
- The source of the boast: the heart, not the mouth (deeper self-deception).
- The content of the boast: immunity from shaking (stability without God).
- The scope of the boast: “to generation and generation” (permanent prosperity for his line).
- The irony of the boast: it mirrors the language of the righteous (Psalm 16:8; 30:6).
- The vulnerability of the boast: it ignores God, judgment, and the fragility of life.
Illustration hooks
- A person who rests all security on a 401(k) or home equity, assuming nothing can disrupt their plans, until a market crash or health crisis.
- A public figure who boasts of a legacy that will last “for generations,” blind to how quickly power shifts.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why do the wicked seem to prosper while the righteous suffer?
- How can I know if my confidence is in God or in my own resources?
- Does this verse mean I’m wrong to feel secure in God’s promises, or is that a different kind of security?
Leading a Discussion
This verse gives us a window into the private thoughts of a person who has set God aside. As you read it, notice how the same words, “I shall not be shaken”, can express genuine faith or hollow pride. The difference is not the phrase but the object of trust.
Discussion questions
- What does the phrase “he says in his heart” tell you about the wicked person’s inner life?
- Compare this claim with the righteous man’s statement in Psalm 16:8 (“I shall not be shaken”). What is the same, and what is different?
- What specific things does the wicked trust to keep him from being shaken? (Look at v3-5 for clues.)
- How does the wicked’s boast affect his treatment of the weak (v8-10)?
- In what areas of your own life do you find it easiest to talk like the wicked, relying on money, health, or reputation?
- The psalmist prays in v12, “Arise, O Lord.” How does that prayer offer an alternative to the wicked’s self-security?
- What does this verse teach about the nature of sin? Is it more about actions or about what we say to ourselves?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Psalms 11:1 | For the Chief Musician. By David. In Yahweh, I take refuge. How can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain”? |
| Psalms 14:1 | For the Chief Musician. By David. The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt. They have done abominable deeds. There is no one who does good. |
| Psalms 15:5 | he who doesn’t lend out his money for usury, nor take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be shaken. |
| Psalms 30:6 | As for me, I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved.” |
| Ecclesiastes 8:11 | Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. |
| Isaiah 47:7 | You said, ‘I will be a princess forever,’ so that you didn’t lay these things to your heart, nor did you remember the results. |
| Isaiah 56:12 | “Come,” they say, “I will get wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow will be as today, great beyond measure.” |
| Nahum 1:10 | For entangled like thorns, and drunken as with their drink, they are consumed utterly like dry stubble. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
I shall not be moved - I have whatever I covet. I hold whatsoever I have gotten. I have money and goods to procure me every gratification.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes stresses that the wicked person’s “I shall not be moved” is not a sudden impulse but a deliberate, settled self-confidence. He notes that even good people sometimes feel this false security, though it is especially common among the godless, revealing a heart full of pride and practical atheism.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator interprets the wicked man's boastful claim not as personal arrogance about living forever, but as identifying his own future with his descendants. He expects uninterrupted prosperity for his family line, seeing himself and his offspring as a continuous unit. This ties his confidence to generational success rather than individual immortality.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes highlight the wicked person's self-deception: he reassures himself that he will never be shaken or face danger. This inner confidence is deluded, as he ignores God's judgment and his own vulnerability. The commentator draws attention to the arrogant presumption that underlies such false security.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill sees the boast as an internal thought of the wicked, who claims he will never face adversity or be moved from his prosperity. He links this directly to the antichrist figure, who arrogantly promises himself unending grandeur, only to be painfully disappointed.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch draws a sharp contrast between the believer's confidence, which rests on fellowship with God, and the wicked man's self-confidence, which is godless and sees himself as permanently secure from misfortune. This false security lets him spew cursing, deceit, and violence. Paul later uses this verse in Romans to illustrate humanity's universal corruption.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry observes that David's complaint about God standing far off actually reveals how deeply he values God's presence. Yet Henry adds a searching insight: when we accuse God of distance, we may be projecting our own unbelief, since we are the ones who stand far from Him.