Psalms 35:19 Meaning: When You Are Hated Without a Cause
Don’t let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let those who hate me without a cause wink their eyes.
Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.
Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; Neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.
Mine enemies rejoice not over me with falsehood, Those hating me without cause wink the eye.
Let not them that are wrongfully mine enemies rejoice over me; let them not wink with the eye that hate me without cause.
Meaning in one sentence
Psalm 35:19 is David's honest prayer against enemies who gloat for no reason. It points to Christ and invites us to bring unjust pain to God.
Context
Psalm 35 is a passionate prayer of David, likely written during the years he was hunted by King Saul and slandered by courtiers who had no real reason to oppose him. David was innocent of the charges against him, yet his enemies mocked him and signaled to one another with contemptuous winks. In this verse, he asks God not to let them succeed in their gloating. It is a plea for justice, not a demand for revenge. David knows he cannot stop their whispers, so he brings the whole painful situation before the only One who sees what is true.
Key Words
The Hebrew word for wrongfully is sheqer, which means falsehood or deception. David's enemies are not his foes because of anything he did; they oppose him based on lies. The phrase without a cause comes from chinam, a word that means freely or undeservedly. It is the same term used later when Jesus says the world hated Him without a reason. And the word for wink, qarats, originally meant to pinch or press together. In the ancient world, pressing the eyelids together was a gesture of insult and malice. It is not a harmless blink. It is the kind of look that says, “I have seen your fall.” David is describing a real, painful kind of mockery. And he brings it straight to God.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have seen in this verse a cry that echoes through the ages. Many Protestant and Anglican commentators connect David's unjust suffering to Jesus, who was hated without cause exactly as the psalm describes. The Gospel of John even quotes this phrase about Christ. Catholic readers often see it as part of the larger pattern of lament where the innocent sufferer trusts God rather than taking revenge. In the Eastern Orthodox tradition, this psalm is sung during times of persecution, reminding the faithful that bringing honest pain before God is an act of faith. Both the individual cry of David and its fulfillment in Christ meet in this verse: our injustice is not hidden from God.
A common misunderstanding
Some read this verse as a prayer for God to hurt enemies, a call for vengeance. In fact, David is not asking God to harm anyone. He is asking God to stop them from rejoicing over him based on lies. It is a prayer for vindication and truth to come to light, not for personal retaliation. The focus is on God's justice, not on the psalmist's anger.
Living This Out
This week, someone might misjudge you, spread a rumor, or smile at your misfortune. Your first instinct may be to defend yourself or to rehearse arguments in your head. This verse gives you a different path. You can bring the whole ugly situation to God in a quiet moment. You can say, “Lord, they are gloating without cause. You know the truth.” Then leave it there. You do not have to prove yourself to people who have already decided. You can trust the One who sees every wink and knows every lie.
Main takeaway: When you are hated without cause, you can bring your honest pain to God, trusting He sees the lies and will one day make things right.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
David had enemies who said mean things about him for no reason. He asked God to help. When people are unfair to us, we can ask God to help too.
For ages 9, 12
David's enemies were celebrating his problems and winking at each other behind his back. That is a terrible feeling. David did not try to get revenge; he brought his complaint to God. When you are treated unfairly, you can do the same. God sees what others do not, and He cares about justice. You do not have to fight back; you can trust Him to handle it.
Questions People Ask
What does “without a cause” mean in Psalm 35:19?
It means David had given his enemies no legitimate reason to hate him. The Hebrew word is chinam, which can mean freely, gratuitously, or undeservedly. It is the same phrase Jesus used when He said the world hated Him without a cause (John 15:25). It points to an innocent person being wrongly attacked.
What does “wink with the eye” mean in this verse?
It is not a harmless blink. The Hebrew verb qarats means to press or pinch together, often the eyelids or lips. It was a gesture of contempt and malice, a way of signaling triumph or mockery toward someone else. David's enemies were openly scornful and secretive at the same time.
Does this psalm teach us to pray against our enemies?
In a way, yes, but not with hatred. David is honest about the pain his enemies cause him, and he asks God to intervene so that they do not succeed in their injustice. This is a model of lament, not a command to curse others. We can bring our real hurt to God and trust Him to bring justice in His way.
How is Psalm 35:19 fulfilled in Jesus?
Jesus was hated and rejected by many of His own people even though He had done nothing wrong. John 15:25 quotes the phrase “they hated Me without a cause” from this psalm, applying it directly to Christ. So David's experience of unjust suffering becomes a picture of what Jesus would undergo perfectly and completely.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study