Psalms 35:15 Meaning: When Others Rejoice in Your Pain
But in my adversity, they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together. The attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I didn’t know it. They tore at me, and didn’t cease.
But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:
But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: The abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; They did tear me, and ceased not:
And--in my halting they have rejoiced, And have been gathered together, Gathered against me were the smiters, And I have not known, They have rent, and they have not ceased;
But at my halting they rejoiced, and gathered together: the slanderers gathered themselves together against me, and I knew [it] not; they did tear [me], and ceased not:
Meaning in one sentence
Psalm 35:15 meaning: David describes enemies rejoicing in his adversity, gathering against him, tearing at him without ceasing. Find comfort in honest lament.
Context
Psalm 35 is a lament, a raw prayer David pours out when he is being hunted and slandered. Earlier in the chapter he pleads for God to contend with those who fight against him. Then he describes a deep hurt: when his enemies were sick, David fasted and prayed for them, treating them like family (verses 13, 14). But when David himself stumbled, when trouble came, those same people gathered together to celebrate. They did not just ignore his pain, they tore at him like wild animals and would not stop. This verse captures the lonely ache of betrayal by people you once helped.
Key Words
The word behind “adversity” is tzela, literally “stumbling” or “limping.” It paints a picture of someone who has tripped and fallen, vulnerable and exposed. And when David stumbled, they “rejoiced”, samach, a word often used for genuine gladness, but here twisted into the cruel joy of watching someone fall.
Then comes a strange term: “the abjects” or “the smiters.” The Hebrew nekhim comes from a verb meaning “to strike.” Most commentators hear slander here, people who strike with their tongues, tearing a reputation to pieces. That fits what happens next: “They tore at me.” The word qara is the same verb used for a wild beast rending its prey. David is not describing physical violence, but the shredding of his name and heart by slanderers who would not stay silent.
How Christians Read This Verse
Historic Christian readings of this verse focus on the reality of undeserved suffering. Many Protestant commentators, like Matthew Henry and the Geneva Bible, read it as David’s literal experience with Saul’s court, men who pretended loyalty but turned on him. Others, like Calvin, see David as a type of Christ, the righteous sufferer surrounded by false accusers. The Cambridge Bible notes that the “abjects” may be the lowest outcasts who joined the attack. Across traditions, the verse is consistently understood as a cry of pain from someone who has been good to others and received cruelty in return. It gives believers permission to name that kind of hurt.
A common misunderstanding
It is easy to think David is complaining about enemies he never noticed, strangers who attacked him from the shadows. Some read “I didn’t know it” as if David was unaware people disliked him. In fact, the phrase likely means he did not know the charges they brought against him (as Barnes and others explain). He was innocent of what they accused him of. Their tearing was slander, not surprise. David’s grief is not paranoia; it is real betrayal by people who had no real reason to hate him.
Living This Out
If you have ever helped someone who later celebrated your struggles, you know the sting of this verse. David gives you permission to name that pain to God. He does not pretend to be above hurt. He does not immediately forgive and move on, he brings the raw wound into his prayer. This week, if you are limping from a betrayal, consider writing out your true feelings, the way David did. And before you respond to someone’s stumble, pause. Would you want them to gather against you? Let this verse search your own heart, as it does David’s.
Main takeaway: God sees when others rejoice in your pain, and He welcomes your honest cries for deliverance.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Sometimes people laugh when we are sad. That hurts. You can tell God about it. He always listens and He cares.
For ages 9, 12
David had enemies who were happy when he was in trouble. That is a very lonely feeling. But instead of trying to get even, he told God exactly how he felt. You can do the same when someone is unkind to you, God already knows your heart, and He is always ready to hear you.
Questions People Ask
Who were the “abjects” in Psalm 35:15?
The Hebrew word is nekhim, which comes from a verb meaning “to strike.” Most scholars think it refers to slanderers or low people who struck at David with their words. Some old translations call them “smiters” because they tore at his reputation like beatings.
Why does David say “I didn’t know it” in this verse?
David was innocent of whatever his accusers charged him with. He did not know the reasons for their attacks, there were none. The phrase shows he was blindsided by their cruelty, not that he was unaware they existed.
What does “they tore at me” mean?
The Hebrew word qara is used for a wild beast ripping apart its prey. Here it is figurative: the enemies tore David apart with slander, mockery, and constant accusations. They would not stop, like animals that will not release their grip.
Is it wrong to feel hurt when enemies rejoice over our troubles?
No. David was a man after God’s own heart, and he felt the pain deeply. He brought that pain to God instead of hiding it. Your feelings are real, and God invites you to share them in prayer, just as David did.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study