Psalms 69:23 Meaning: When a Psalmist Cries for Justice
Let their eyes be darkened, so that they can’t see. Let their backs be continually bent.
Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake.
Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see; And make their loins continually to shake.
Darkened are their eyes from seeing, And their loins continually shake Thou.
Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not, and make their loins continually to shake.
Meaning in one sentence
Psalm 69:23 is one of the Bible’s hardest verses.
Context
Psalm 69 is a lament of David, written during a time when he was overwhelmed by enemies who hated him without cause. The psalm moves from deep personal suffering to desperate pleas for rescue, and finally to a series of imprecations, calls for God to bring down judgment on those who oppose him. These verses are among the most difficult in all of Scripture. Yet the psalm is quoted in the New Testament more often than almost any other, and the apostles applied these very words to explain the tragic blindness of those who rejected Jesus. Paul cites verses 22, 23 in Romans 11 to describe the hardening of Israel. So while the language is fierce, it belongs within the larger story of God’s justice and mercy unfolding through Christ.
Key Words
Two key phrases carry the weight of this verse. “Let their eyes be darkened” does not mean physical blindness. Commentators across centuries agree it points to a deeper kind of darkness: the inability to see God’s truth, to recognize the Messiah, or to understand the way of peace. It is the same judgment Isaiah pronounced: those who close their eyes to God are eventually given over to not seeing. The second phrase, “let their backs be continually bent,” is rendered in other translations as “loins continually shake.” The image is of a person crushed under a burden, unable to stand straight or find rest. Together these curses describe a life without spiritual light and without strength, a sobering picture of what happens when people persist in opposing God.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have wrestled with this verse for centuries. Some early Protestant commentators read it as a prophecy of the judgment that fell on the Jewish people after they rejected Christ, fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. Others, like Matthew Henry, stress that these are not David’s personal prayers but prophetic declarations of divine justice, and that Paul’s use of them in Romans 11 confirms this. Still other readers feel the tension deeply: how can a man after God’s own heart utter such words? Across traditions, the common thread is that these imprecations belong to God’s righteous judgment, not to our personal vendettas. They remind us that God sees every wrong and will one day set all things right.
A common misunderstanding
Main takeaway: Psalm 69:23 is a cry for God’s justice, not a model for personal revenge, and it finds its ultimate answer in the cross and final judgment of Christ.
Questions People Ask
Why does David ask God to darken the eyes of his enemies?
David is not asking for physical blindness. He is asking God to bring judgment on those who refuse to see His truth. Throughout the Bible, when people close their eyes to God, He may give them over to that spiritual blindness as a form of judgment. Paul applies this verse to Israel’s rejection of Jesus in Romans 11.
How does Paul use Psalm 69:23 in Romans 11?
Paul quotes verses 22, 23 of this psalm (along with Isaiah 29:10) to explain that God has allowed a partial hardening to come upon Israel. The blindness is not permanent; it serves a purpose in God’s plan to bring salvation to the Gentiles, and one day Israel will be saved (Romans 11:25, 27).
Does Psalm 69:23 contradict Jesus’ command to love our enemies?
No, but it creates a healthy tension. Jesus commands us to love and pray for our enemies personally. The psalmist, however, is crying out for God’s justice to prevail in the world. These are prayers that God would act righteously, not instructions for us to hate. The New Testament reaffirms that judgment belongs to God (Romans 12:19).
What does “let their backs be continually bent” mean?
Other translations say “make their loins continually to shake.” It describes a person weakened, trembling, and unable to stand upright. It can picture someone bowed down under a heavy burden or constant fear. This is the opposite of the strength and joy God promises to those who walk in His light.
Are imprecatory psalms like this one still appropriate for Christian worship?
Many Christians include them in Scripture reading but use them carefully. They remind us that God is holy and will judge evil. They are not meant to fuel personal anger but to express trust that God will one day set all wrongs right. Some believers pray these psalms in the voice of Christ, who bore the ultimate judgment for sin.
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