Psalms 62:3 · Bible study
Psalms 62:3 Commentary: Leaning Wall
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does David compare someone to a leaning wall? Is he describing his own weakness or the fragility of his enemies? Explore the debate.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A rhetorical challenge to enemies who violently attack the psalmist, using the image of a leaning wall to depict either the victim’s vulnerability or the attackers’ fragility.
- Key words: Assault (Hebrew hathath, a hapax legomenon meaning to break in upon); leaning wall, tottering fence (metaphors for imminent collapse).
- Main debate: Does the wall represent the psalmist under attack, or the enemies themselves as doomed to fall?
- Theological theme: Trust in God’s refuge when human strength fails, and the certainty that evil will not stand.
- Best use: Encouraging those who feel overwhelmed by sustained opposition to rest in God’s protection.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
How long will you threaten a man? Will all of you throw him down like a leaning wall or a tottering fence?
WEB World English Bible 2000
How long will you assault a man? Would all of you throw him down, like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence?
KJV King James Version 1769
How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
How long will ye set upon a man, That ye may slay him, all of you, Like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence?
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Till when do ye devise mischief against a man? Ye are destroyed all of you, As a wall inclined, a hedge that is cast down.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
How long will ye assail a man; will ye [seek], all of you, to break him down as a bowing wall or a tottering fence?
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
In a desert land, and where there is no way, and no water: so in the sanctuary have I come before thee, to see thy power and thy glory.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
¿ Hasta cuándo maquinaréis contra un hombre? Pereceréis todos vosotros, caeréis como pared acostada, como cerca ruinosa.
Até quando atacareis um homem? Todos vós sereis mortos; sereis como um parede tombada e uma cerca derrubada.
Oui, c’ est lui qui est mon rocher et mon salut;
Wie lange stellt ihr alle einem nach, daß ihr ihn erwürget- als eine hängende Wand und zerrissene Mauer?
Immers is Hij mijn Rotssteen en mijn Heil, mijn Hoog Vertrek, ik zal niet grotelijks wankelen.
Fino a quando vi avventerete sopra un uomo e cercherete tutti insieme di abbatterlo come una parete che pende, come un muricciuolo che cede?
Tylkoć on jest skałą moją i wybawieniem mojem, twierdzą moją; przeto się bardzo nie zachwieję.
чтобы видеть силу Твою и славу Твою, как я видел Тебя во святилище:
你們大家 攻擊 一人，把他毀壞，如同毀壞 歪斜的 牆、將倒的 壁，要到 幾時呢？
How long will you go on designing evil against a man? running against him as against a broken wall, which is on the point of falling?
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Psalm 62:3 depicts a scene of violent assault. The Hebrew verb התת (hathath) appears only here; Barnes and Clarke note it means 'to break in upon' or 'assault,' not merely 'imagine mischief' as the KJV suggests. The psalmist is under coordinated attack from multiple enemies. However, agreement ends at the metaphor 'like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence.' Some, like Adam Clarke and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, read the wall as describing the enemies themselves, ready to fall and destroy themselves in their fall. Others, including the Cambridge Bible and Keil & Delitzsch, argue the wall depicts the psalmist's precarious condition, battered by blows until nearly toppling. Barnes acknowledges both possibilities but leans toward the enemies as the wall, defeated by God.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Wall = the psalmist: The context of verses 1–2 and 5–7 shows the psalmist in a posture of vulnerability and trust; the enemies are the ones actively attacking, so it is natural for him to compare himself to a leaning wall (Cambridge Bible, Keil & Delitzsch).
- Wall = the enemies: The verb 'ye shall be slain' (passive reading) and the preceding line 'would all of you throw him down' suggest that the attackers themselves are like a wall about to collapse (Adam Clarke, Gill, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown).
What is clear: The verse addresses enemies who violently assault the psalmist, and the metaphor of the leaning wall represents something that is about to fall—either the victim under pressure or the aggressor destined to destruction.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of the rare verb | The Hebrew root <em>התת</em> (hathath) denotes violent assault or breaking in, not merely devising mischief. | Some commentators (e.g., Kimchi) still favour the traditional 'imagine mischief' based on Arabic cognates, but most modern scholars agree on 'assault.' |
| Identity of 'a man' | The man is the psalmist, likely David, under attack by multiple enemies. | Whether he represents a generic innocent person or David specifically is not critical to the meaning, though the historical context of Absalom’s rebellion supports the latter. |
| The wall metaphor: victim or enemy? | The metaphor describes something precarious and about to collapse, but the referent is ambiguous. | Adam Clarke, Gill, and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown see the wall as the enemies who will fall. The Cambridge Bible, Keil & Delitzsch, and Ellicott see it as the psalmist weakened by their blows. |
| Verb form in 'ye shall be slain' | The Hebrew consonants allow two vowel-pointings leading to different meanings. | Ben Asher (followed by western Jews) reads it passive: 'you will be slain.' Ben Naphtali (eastern Jews) reads it active: 'you will slay.' The LXX and Vulgate support the active reading. |
| Tone: lament or confidence? | The verse expresses distress but is framed by confidence in God (vv. 1, 2, 5, 7). | Some read the 'How long' as a pure cry of pain; others see it as a rhetorical question that already assumes God’s deliverance. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The psalm is attributed to David and set to Jeduthun, a chief musician in the tabernacle (1 Chronicles 9:16; 16:41) during the time of the ark's relocation to Zion. The surrounding verses (Psalm 62:1, 2, 5, 7) express quiet trust in God as a rock and fortress, suggesting David wrote this during a period of severe opposition, most likely the rebellion of Absalom (2 Samuel 15, 17). In that crisis, David fled Jerusalem while his own son and many former allies conspired to kill him.
Walls and fences in ancient Israel were built of stone or mud brick, subject to cracking from rain or seismic stress. A 'leaning wall' would be visibly unstable, propped up but ready to collapse. The phrase 'tottering fence' describes a hedge or dry-stone wall already pushed out of alignment. These images would be vivid for an agrarian audience accustomed to repairing their boundaries.
The rhetorical question 'How long?' echoes the lament tradition (Exodus 10:3; Psalm 4:2), challenging the persistence of evil. David asks not only 'when will it stop?' but 'why do you keep attacking a vulnerable man?' The irony is that, as verse 4 shows, the enemies 'bless with their mouth but curse inwardly.' Their assault is hypocritical, grounded in lies.
Textual Notes
The Hebrew text of Psalm 62:3 contains a notable variant in the traditional manuscripts. The verb rendered 'ye shall be slain' in the KJV represents the reading of Rabbi Aaron ben Asher (10th century AD, authoritative in western Jewish communities), who pointed the word as a passive Piel: tērātsēkhū. Ben Naphtali, his contemporary rival, pointed it as an active Piel: tērātsēkhū, meaning 'you will slay.' The Greek Septuagint, Latin Vulgate, and Syriac support the active form, which is adopted by the Revised Version and many modern translations. The word translated 'imagine mischief' in the KJV is also disputed; it may stem from a different root (התל, to mock) rather than התת (to assault). The manuscripts show no other significant variants.
Reception History
Early Christian interpreters, reading the psalm through a christological lens, often saw the 'man' under assault as a type of Christ (and the leaning wall as his vulnerable humanity or the church under persecution). Augustine applied the verse to the church attacked by heretics and worldly powers, trusting God as the only immovable rock. During the Reformation, commentators like Calvin emphasized the personal dimension: David’s quiet waiting on God became a model for the believer’s perseverance. The image of the leaning wall has been used in hymns and sermons as a call to humility, acknowledging our frailty so that God’s strength may hold us up. In Jewish tradition, the verse is read as a comfort during times of national oppression, with the enemies’ ultimate fall assured.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The fury of the attack. The rare word hathath suggests a violent, chaotic rush, not quiet scheming but open assault. Enemies combine against a single person.
- The vulnerability of the target. Whether the wall describes David or the enemies, the picture is of something about to collapse. Human strength gives way under pressure.
- The irony of the outcome. If the wall is the enemies, their assault collapses on them. If it is David, God upholds the falling wall. Either way, God's refuge makes the difference.
Five-point outline
- Context: David’s quiet trust (vv. 1, 2) sets the stage for the outcry.
- The charge: 'How long?' challenges the persistence of malice.
- The method: Enemies assault as a mob, using lies and flattery (v. 4).
- The metaphor: A leaning wall, weak, ready to fall, signals either the victim’s danger or the attacker’s fragility.
- The resolution: The psalmist returns to waiting on God (vv. 5, 7).
Illustration hooks
- A garden fence that has weathered many storms but leans more each year. One strong wind will bring it down. Are you that fence, or are your problems?
- A football team ganging up on the smallest player. They think they can take him down easily, but he has a strong coach who will protect him.
- An old wall in a city that tourists are warned not to lean on. It looks solid but is crumbling inside.
Questions your congregation is asking
- 'How long will God let my enemies keep attacking me?'
- 'Am I the leaning wall or are my troubles the leaning wall? Does it matter which one I see myself as?'
- 'How can I trust God when I feel as unstable as a tottering fence?'
Leading a Discussion
This verse presents a metaphor that has puzzled readers for centuries: the leaning wall. The uncertainty can feel unsettling, but it invites us to ask deeper questions about vulnerability, God's protection, and the temporary nature of evil. Start by reading the whole psalm aloud, then focus on verse 3.
Discussion questions
- What words or images in verse 3 stand out to you? Why?
- The Hebrew verb for 'assault' is rare and intense. How does that affect your understanding of the enemies' actions?
- If the leaning wall represents the psalmist, what does that say about how David sees himself? Is he comfortable admitting weakness?
- If the leaning wall represents the enemies, how does that change the tone of the verse? Is it a warning or a promise?
- Psalm 62 begins with 'my soul rests in God alone' and ends with 'power belongs to God.' How does the confidence of verses 1, 2 frame the complaint of verse 3?
- What 'walls' in your own life feel like they are leaning or tottering? How does this psalm invite you to respond?
- How can a Christian community be a 'fortress' for those who feel like a falling wall?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 10:3 | Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and said to him, “This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me. |
| Exodus 16:28 | Yahweh said to Moses, “How long do you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? |
| I Samuel 26:10 | David said, “As Yahweh lives, Yahweh will strike him; or his day shall come to die, or he shall go down into battle and perish. |
| Psalms 4:2 | You sons of men, how long shall my glory be turned into dishonor? Will you love vanity and seek after falsehood? Selah. |
| Psalms 21:11 | For they intended evil against you. They plotted evil against you which cannot succeed. |
| Psalms 38:12 | They also who seek after my life lay snares. Those who seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and meditate deceits all day long. |
| Psalms 73:18 | Surely you set them in slippery places. You throw them down to destruction. |
| Psalms 73:20 | As a dream when one wakes up, so, Lord, when you awake, you will despise their fantasies. |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke focuses on the Hebrew verb behind "imagine mischief," which literally means to rush violently or assault, capturing the riotous spirit of the rebellion. He then reads the psalmist's image of a bowing wall as a warning: the rebels are about to topple onto others and will themselves be destroyed in the fall.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes argues that the Hebrew word translated "imagine mischief" actually means "to break in upon" or "assail," describing active attacks rather than mere plots. He also corrects the passive "ye shall be slain" to an active meaning: the enemies themselves will be like a bowing wall or tottering fence, their assault collapsing in failure.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible corrects a traditional mistranslation: "will ye imagine mischief" comes from an impossible Hebrew derivation. The real sense is "will you set upon" or threaten a man with violence. The next clause should be read actively — "that you may slay him" — as the Psalmist, already weakened like a tottering wall, faces their final assault.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Bible note warns the wicked that their plots against a righteous man will bring their own ruin. They will fall like a leaning wall that suddenly collapses. Their imagined mischief only seals their own destruction.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill identifies the "man" not as a generic figure but as a weak, innocent individual, specifically David himself, whose vulnerability only heightens the enemies' guilt. He insists the similes of a bowing wall and tottering fence describe the enemies' own sudden and certain destruction, not the victim's weakness.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch stress that the poet's response to enemies is not fatalistic resignation but a quiet, calm submission that actively gives everything to God. The word "nevertheless" expresses a faith that clings to established truths amid assault. The poet's soul becomes silent submission, wholly resigned to God, because God Himself is his salvation.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses the repeated Hebrew word translated "only" throughout the psalm, arguing this word is key. It insists that God alone is the soul's quiet rest, rock, and salvation. This single focus on God's exclusive sufficiency grounds both the singer's personal trust and his call for others to rely wholly on God rather than on people or possessions.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry emphasizes that waiting on God means being silent before Him—not complaining about what He does, but quietly expecting what He will do. The soul must be subject to God, with our wills melted into His, because salvation comes from Him alone.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that the speaker turns directly from addressing God to addressing his enemies. His distinctive point is that these enemies are persecuting a fellow human being, someone whom basic human compassion should move them to pity. The appeal rests on shared humanity, not on divine intervention.