Psalms 38:20 · Bible study
Psalms 38:20 Commentary: Evil for Good, Pursuing Good
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Psalm 38:20: The psalmist is attacked for doing good. How does that reconcile with his confession of sin? Commentary and analysis.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Despite confessing sin, the psalmist calls out adversaries who repay his good deeds with evil because he pursues righteousness.
- Key words: “render evil for good” (ingratitude), “adversaries” (opponents in court or battle), “follow good” (pursue righteousness wholeheartedly).
- Main debate: How to reconcile confession of sin with claims of innocence before human attackers? (See interpretive difficulty.)
- Theological theme: The righteous suffer undeserved hostility; God distinguishes between His discipline and human malice.
- Best use: Comfort for believers facing opposition precisely because they do right, and a model for lament that does not deny personal fault.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Those who repay my good with evil attack me for pursuing the good.
WEB World English Bible 2000
They who give evil for good are also adversaries to me, because I follow what is good.
KJV King James Version 1769
They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
They also that render evil for good Are adversaries unto me, because I follow the thing that is good.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And those paying evil for good accuse me, Because of my pursuing good.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And they that render evil for good are adversaries unto me; because I pursue what is good.
Translations in other languages (9 available)
Y pagando mal por bien me son contrarios, por seguir yo lo bueno.
Assim como os que retribuem o bem com o mal, eles se opõem a mim, porque eu sigo o bem.
Et mes ennemis sont pleins de vie, pleins de force;
Und die mir Arges tun um Gutes, setzen sich wider mich, darum daß ich an dem Guten halte.
Maar mijn vijanden zijn levende, worden machtig; en die mij om valse oorzaken haten, worden groot.
Anche quelli che mi rendon male per bene sono miei avversari, perché seguo il bene.
Ale nieprzyjaciele moi weselą się, zmacniają się, i rozmnażają się ci, którzy mię nienawidzą bez przyczyny:
以惡 報善 的與我作對，因 我是追求 良善。
They give me back evil for good; they are my haters because I go after the thing which is right.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Psalm 38:20 describes adversaries who repay the psalmist’s good deeds with evil. Barnes states that those who “render evil for good” are defined by ingratitude and pleasure in persecuting their benefactor. The Cambridge Bible notes the point is “their base ingratitude” for the good he has striven to do for them. Calvin sees David presenting this as an appeal to God: knowing he deserves God’s discipline (v.18), he still insists that human hostility is not deserved, it is sheer persecution for righteousness. Gill expands “follow good” to include following a good God, the Good Shepherd, the good Spirit, and every good work, all of which drew hatred. All agree the verse separates God’s just chastening from unjust human malice.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Personal-complementary view: David confesses his own sin to God (v.18) while simultaneously protesting that human enemies repay his good with evil (v.20). No contradiction: God’s discipline and human malice can coexist.
- Representative / corporate view: Some (e.g., Hengst as cited in Lange) read the psalm as personified righteous community. The “sin” confessed is corporate failure, while “following good” is the community’s devotion to God. This lessens the tension.
What is clear: The psalmist is being attacked by people who return his good deeds with harm, and he calls on God to notice and act because his pursuit of good is the reason for their hostility.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Reconciliation of v.18 (confession of sin) and v.20 (persecution for doing good) | Christians agree the psalmist is not claiming sinlessness before God. He acknowledges his sin merits God's discipline. | Some (Calvin, Barnes) distinguish sharply between God's just chastening and humans' unjust attacks. Others see v.20 as evidence that the psalmist speaks representatively for the righteous community (Hengst, via Lange), making the ‘sin’ corporate rather than personal. |
| Meaning of “follow the good” | All agree it refers to pursuing righteousness and perhaps specific acts of kindness toward the adversaries. | Gill lists many objects of pursuit (God, Christ, Spirit, holy men, good works). Cambridge restricts it to ‘the good I have striven to do for them.’ Some (Calvin) see it as general piety; others see it as specific benefaction. |
| Christological reading | The verse has been read as a type of Christ's innocent suffering (the Arabic addition cited by Clarke). | Most Reformation-era commentators (Calvin, Geneva Bible) do not apply it directly to Christ, while some early and medieval readers did. Modern commentators often see it as a lament of a righteous individual, with typological resonance. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 38 is one of the seven penitential psalms, a category used since early Christianity for confession and healing. David, suffering severe illness (probably skin disease, v.5-7), acknowledges the sickness as divine discipline for his sin (v.3-4, 18). Yet in v.20 he insists that his human enemies are not instruments of God’s justice but ungrateful persecutors. In the ancient Near East, returning evil for good was a profound violation of the covenant of mutual loyalty (Hb. chesed). David knew this from direct experience. He had shown kindness to Saul, Jonathan, and Abigail’s household, only to be repaid with betrayal or near-murder (1 Sam 19:4-6; 25:21). The men of Keilah, whom he saved, later planned to hand him over (1 Sam 23:5,12). Such ingratitude cuts deeply, the poet can confess his sin to God without admitting that his enemies are right. Culturally, this verse functions as a legal appeal: “I have done good; they repay evil; therefore, Lord, vindicate me.” The Arabic version, cited by Clarke, adds an early Christian reading: “They have rejected me, the beloved one, as an abominable dead carcass; they have pierced my body with nails,” applying the verse to Christ’s passion. This shows how later readers saw David’s experience as a type of the righteous sufferer.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant manuscript variants for verse 20 itself. The Hebrew text is stable. Clarke mentions an addition in the Arabic version that reads: “They have rejected me, the beloved one, as an abominable dead carcass; they have pierced my body with nails.” This reading, apparently known to Ambrose and Theodoret, is not supported by the Hebrew, Greek, or Syriac versions and is generally considered a later Christian interpolation. Keil & Delitzsch discuss a proposed emendation for verse 19 (reading ḥinnām for ḥayyîm), but that does not affect verse 20.
Reception History
Psalm 38:20 has been received primarily within the tradition of the penitential psalms. Early Christian interpreters (e.g., Ambrose, Theodoret) saw in it a prophecy of Christ, betrayed and pierced despite his goodness. The Arabic addition quoted by Clarke exemplifies this Christological reading. During the Reformation, Calvin and the Geneva Bible read it as David’s personal complaint, emphasizing the distinction between deserved divine discipline and undeserved human persecution. In the broader church, the verse has been used to comfort those who suffer for righteousness’ sake, a reminder that God sees ingratitude and will vindicate his faithful. It has also been sung in hymns of lament, though no specific hymn or liturgical use is attested in the supplied sources.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Grace repaid with spite, The psalmist had shown kindness, but his enemies returned harm. Gratitude is not automatic even among those we help.
- Two kinds of suffering, David separates God’s discipline (v.18) from human persecution (v.20). We can receive the first with humility while still asking God to address the second.
- Pursuing good invites attacks, “Because I follow what is good” names the reason for opposition. Following Christ draws the same response (John 15:20).
Five-point outline
- The shock of repayment: evil for good.
- The identity of the adversaries: ungrateful recipients of blessings.
- The reason given: “because I follow what is good.”
- The tension with confession: sin before God, not sin before men.
- The cry for rescue that follows (v.21-22).
Illustration hooks
- A neighbour you help repeatedly who then spreads rumours about you.
- A work colleague who takes credit for your ideas and then speaks against you.
- The experience of being distrusted or punished in a community precisely because you took a stand for honesty or mercy.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “If I sinned, isn’t it fair that people treat me badly?”
- “How do I know when suffering is discipline and when it is simply persecution?”
- “Why does doing good sometimes make life harder?”
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits at the heart of a tension in Psalm 38: the psalmist confesses sin (v.18) yet protests that his enemies are wronging him for doing good. Small groups can explore how both can be true without contradiction.
Discussion questions
- Read Psalm 38:18-20 slowly. What words or phrases stand out to you?
- In ancient Israel, what did it mean to “render evil for good”? How does 1 Samuel 25:21 illustrate this?
- Barnes says we can be humble before God while still insisting we have not wronged people. Do you find that balance difficult? Why?
- What does “follow what is good” mean in David’s context? How might it apply in your daily life (work, family, church)?
- How does Jesus exemplify Psalm 38:20 in his own life and death? (See John 15:24-25.)
- Have you ever experienced someone repaying your kindness with harm? How did you respond?
- How does verse 20 shape the prayer that follows in verses 21-22? What does David expect God to do?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Samuel 19:4 | Jonathan spoke good of David to Saul his father, and said to him, “Don’t let the king sin against his servant, against David; because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good toward you; |
| I Samuel 19:6 | Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan; and Saul swore, “As Yahweh lives, he shall not be put to death.” |
| I Samuel 23:5 | David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their livestock, and killed them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. |
| I Samuel 23:12 | Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?” Yahweh said, “They will deliver you up.” |
| I Samuel 25:16 | They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. |
| I Samuel 25:21 | Now David had said, “Surely in vain I have kept all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained to him. He has returned me evil for good. |
| Psalms 7:4 | if I have rewarded evil to him who was at peace with me (yes, I have plundered him who without cause was my adversary), |
| Psalms 35:12 | They reward me evil for good, to the bereaving of my soul. |
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
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes a striking addition found in the Arabic version of this verse, which speaks of being rejected as a dead carcass and pierced with nails, and he suspects this was meant to refer to Christ. He observes that similar language appears in some early Greek and Latin manuscripts, but he admits he cannot trace where this reading originated.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes observes that the psalmist's enemies are people he once helped, yet they now repay him with evil. Their hostility has a deeper cause: they oppose him simply because he pursues what is good. This shows that a person can humbly accept God's discipline while still recognizing that human mistreatment is undeserved persecution.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues that David wrote this psalm as a personal and public memorial, intended to prevent himself and others from quickly forgetting the chastening hand of God. The title "to bring to remembrance" signals this deliberate purpose, not a musical cue. Human nature easily lets divine discipline slip from memory, so David fixed it in song.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Yea, and rewarding evil for good d They are adversaries unto me, for my following of good. d Not, in return for my pursuit of good in general, but, in return for the good I have striven to do for them. The point is their base ingratitude. Cp. Psa_35:12-13 , note.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note sharpens the focus to a particular kind of enemy: those who return evil for good. These are the speaker's adversaries precisely because he himself follows goodness, creating an unavoidable clash between two opposite ways of living.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill explains that the psalmist's pursuit of what is good is not vague but specific: he follows God wholeheartedly, the Shepherd who leads him, the guiding Spirit, holy examples, and every good work. It is precisely this wholehearted devotion that draws the hatred of those who repay his good with evil.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch emphasize that true repentance despairs of self but never of God. David renounces all self-help and waits on the Lord alone, yet his closing cry "my salvation" shows his faith remains alive. This is what separates David's repentance from Cain's: faith within the confession itself.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange insists this psalm describes a real individual suffering from genuine physical sickness, not a personified nation or a purely figurative illness. He emphasizes that the psalmist's enemies appear later and use his condition as a snare, while the bodily sufferings themselves are God's punishment that drive the man to confess his sin and wait solely on God.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry observes that David's enemies took advantage of his physical weakness and mental distress, using his low point as their opportunity to attack. They were not merely insulting him but actively plotting against his life, showing the cruel and calculating nature of the serpent's seed against the righteous.