Psalms 69:26 · Bible study
Psalms 69:26 Commentary: Guilt of Persecuting the God-Wounded
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why are enemies guilty for persecuting someone God has wounded? A study of divine affliction, human cruelty, and prophetic typology in Psalm 69:26.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Enemies are guilty for persecuting those already afflicted by God, adding cruelty to divine discipline.
- Key words: 'Wounded' / 'smitten' (God’s action); 'persecute' / 'talk to the grief' (human malice).
- Main debate: Whether the psalm is purely historical (David) or directly prophetic of Christ; both readings find support in the text and NT quotations.
- Theological theme: Divine sovereignty does not erase human responsibility, God’s hand in suffering does not justify human cruelty.
- Best use: A caution against judging the afflicted; a comfort to those who suffer both from God’s hand and human scorn; a reminder of Christ’s greater suffering.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
For they persecute the one You struck and recount the pain of those You wounded.
WEB World English Bible 2000
For they persecute him whom you have wounded. They tell of the sorrow of those whom you have hurt.
KJV King James Version 1769
For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; And they tell of the sorrow of those whom thou hast wounded.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
For they have pursued him Thou hast smitten, And recount of the pain of Thy pierced ones.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten, and they talk for the sorrow of those whom thou hast wounded.
Translations in other languages (9 available)
Porque persiguieron al que tú heriste; y cuentan del dolor de los que tú llagaste.
Porque perseguem aquele a quem tu feriste, e contam histórias da dor daqueles a quem tu machucaste.
Que leur demeure soit dévastée,
Denn sie verfolgen, den du geschlagen hast, und rühmen, daß du die Deinen übel schlagest.
Hun paleis zij verwoest; in hun tenten zij geen inwoner.
Poiché perseguitano colui che tu hai percosso, e si raccontano i dolori di quelli che tu hai feriti.
Niech będzie mieszkanie ich puste, w namiotach ich niech nikt nie mieszka.
因為，你 所 擊打的，他們就逼迫；你所擊傷的，他們戲說 他的愁苦。
Because they are cruel to him against whom your hand is turned; they make bitter the grief of him who is wounded by you.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this verse condemns the cruelty of those who exploit a person's suffering at God's hand. Barnes notes that the enemies 'add to his sorrows by their own persecutions' instead of showing compassion. The psalmist is already under divine affliction, 'wounded' or 'smitten' by God, yet his foes use this as an excuse to reproach and persecute. Calvin and Gill read the psalm as prophetic of Christ, the ultimate sufferer struck by God for sin (Isaiah 53:4, 10). Cambridge Bible draws the parallel to Job’s friends, who accused the afflicted rather than comforting him. The guilt lies not in the fact that God is the ultimate cause, but in the malicious intent of the persecutors, they 'talk to the grief' (Wesley: reproaching and triumphing) of those already wounded. Even when God’s hand is behind the trial, human agents who add to the pain with scorn and persecution stand condemned.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Davidic historical: The psalm is set in David’s lifetime; the language of enemies, reproach, and personal lament fits his experiences with Saul and Absalom (Barnes, Wesley).
- Messianic prophetic: The NT applies seven verses from this psalm to Christ; the wounding by God (cf. Isa 53:4, 10) and persecution by men point directly to Jesus (Calvin, Gill, Matthew Henry).
- Imprecatory as prophecy of judgment: Matthew Henry and others argue that the curses are not personal prayers but divine predictions of judgment on those who reject Christ, fulfilled in AD 70.
- General principle of human guilt: The verse is often applied universally: persecuting the already afflicted is always sinful, regardless of the original context. This reading prioritizes the ethical teaching over the historical or prophetic setting.
What is clear: The verse condemns those who add to the suffering of a person already wounded by God; they are guilty of cruelty, regardless of the ultimate source of that wounding.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The identity of the 'him whom thou hast smitten' | All traditions agree that the psalmist refers to a righteous sufferer who is under divine affliction. The language echoes the experience of David and prefigures the Messiah. | Historicist interpreters (e.g., Barnes) see David himself as the primary reference, while many Reformed and evangelical commentators (Calvin, Gill, Matthew Henry) read it as directly prophetic of Christ, given the NT quotations of the psalm. Both views recognize the typological connection. |
| The nature of the imprecatory request (v. 22, 28) | Christians agree that God is just and that persecutors of the innocent will face judgment. The plea for divine justice expresses a desire for God’s righteousness to prevail. | Some (Matthew Henry) interpret the imprecations as prophecies of judgment, especially against the Jewish nation for rejecting Christ. Others see them as prayers for justice that must be read in light of the cross, where Jesus prayed for forgiveness for His persecutors (Luke 23:34). |
| The guilt of the persecutors in light of God's sovereignty | All affirm that persecuting the already afflicted is sinful and contrary to God’s command to show mercy. The enemies are condemned for their malicious intent. | Some traditions emphasize that God’s sovereignty in afflicting does not reduce human guilt (a point made in Acts 2:23 about Christ’s crucifixion). Others stress that the enemies were fully responsible because they acted out of wickedness, not as agents of God. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 69 is a lament of a righteous sufferer, likely David, composed during one of his periods of persecution, either under Saul or during Absalom’s rebellion. The psalm is grouped among the 'imprecatory psalms' because of its calls for judgment on enemies (verses 22, 28). Verse 26 sits within a section where the psalmist asks God to act against those who have no mercy.
In ancient Israel, suffering was often interpreted as divine chastisement (Job 4:7, 8; John 9:2). This created a temptation for others to assume that the afflicted were especially sinful and therefore deserved no pity. The psalmist's complaint is that his enemies take this assumption further: they actively persecute and mock those whom God has already struck. The cross-references to Job 19:21, 22 and Isaiah 53:4 reveal a pattern: the Suffering Servant is 'struck by God and afflicted,' yet onlookers consider him 'plagued' and treat him with contempt. The same dynamic appears in 2 Chronicles 28:9, where a prophet rebukes Israel for exceeding God’s judgment in their treatment of Judah.
Culturally, deriding the afflicted was seen as adding sin to sin (Zechariah 1:15). The psalmist’s language reflects a worldview where God’s discipline is real but does not license human cruelty. Instead, it calls for compassion. The New Testament applies this psalm seven times to Christ, reinforcing the typology: Jesus, wounded by God for our sins, was mocked and persecuted by those who should have shown pity.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries note one significant textual variant. The Cambridge Bible observes that the LXX and Syriac versions represent a reading 'they add to the sorrow' rather than 'they tell of the sorrow.' This variant improves the parallelism: 'they add to the sorrow of those whom thou hast wounded.' The Hebrew text (Masoretic) reads 'they tell/recount' (yĕsappĕrû), but the ancient versions support a different Vorlage. This does not change the overall meaning of the verse, the enemies are still increasing the suffering, but it underscores the active hostility involved. No other manuscript variations are discussed in our sources.
Reception History
Since early times, Psalm 69 has been read as a prophecy of Christ’s passion. The New Testament quotes it seven times, applying verses 4, 9, 21, 22, 23, and 25 to Jesus and his rejection. While verse 26 is not directly quoted in the NT, the early church saw it as part of the same prophetic portrait. Matthew Henry (1710) interpreted the whole passage (vv. 22, 28) as a prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish rejection of Christ. Gill (1748) applied it to the Messiah and his followers, 'thy wounded ones', who suffer persecution for faith in Christ. Reformation commentators like Calvin and the Geneva Bible notes kept this Christological focus. In modern times, the verse is often read in the context of pastoral care: it warns against adding to the burdens of those already struck down by God. The verse has been sung in hymns of lament and used in sermons on the sin of judging the afflicted.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God wounds, but man adds pain. The verse contrasts God’s direct action (wounding, smiting) with human persecution. The enemies are not agents of divine justice; they take advantage of suffering to increase it. Even when the sufferer is under discipline, human cruelty is never justified.
- The guilt of the persecutor is real. Barnes and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown emphasize that being smitten of God does not reduce human guilt. The enemies’ sin consists of scorn, derision, and lack of pity. Job’s friends are a biblical example: they 'talked to the grief' of a man God had wounded.
- The sufferer points to Christ. Early Christian reading found in this verse a prophecy of the Messiah’s rejection. Jesus was struck by God (Isaiah 53:10) and persecuted by men. His followers who suffer for Him can also expect this double affliction, but they are not alone.
Five-point outline
- Context of the cry: Psalm 69 is a lament of one overwhelmed by trouble and surrounded by enemies without cause.
- Who is wounded? The psalmist (and ultimately Christ) is one whom God has 'smitten', a phrase pointing to divine chastening or substitutionary suffering.
- The sin of the strong: Instead of compassion, the enemies persecute. They 'talk to the grief', taunting and reproaching the afflicted.
- Divine sovereignty does not excuse human malice: God’s hand in suffering does not erase the guilt of those who add to it. As Zechariah 1:15 says, nations 'added to the calamity.'
- Hope for the afflicted: The psalm ends with praise and assurance that God hears the poor (v. 33). The wounded one is ultimately vindicated.
Illustration hooks
- A person undergoing a difficult divorce is whispered about at church as 'getting what they deserve,' rather than being supported.
- A student fails an exam, and classmates mock them for being 'stupid' instead of offering to help.
- A Christian facing chronic illness hears 'if only you had more faith' from well-meaning friends, adding shame to physical pain.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God ever cause suffering, and if so, how do I respond to someone who is suffering under His hand?
- How do I avoid being like Job’s friends, assuming that suffering is always punishment?
- If Jesus is the ultimate 'wounded one,' what does that mean for how I treat those who are hurting?
Leading a Discussion
This verse exposes a deep human tendency: to kick people when they are down, especially when we assume their suffering is deserved. The psalmist is already reeling under God’s hand. Yet his enemies not only fail to help, they actively persecute him, 'talking to his grief.' As you discuss this passage, consider how you treat those whom life (or God) has wounded. Do you add to their pain, or do you bring comfort?
Discussion questions
- Read Psalm 69:26 in several translations. What does 'persecute him whom you have wounded' suggest about the relationship between God’s action and human action?
- How does the example of Job’s friends (Job 19:21, 22) help you understand the sin this verse describes?
- In what ways do we, as a church community, sometimes 'talk to the grief' of those already suffering? Give a real (but anonymized) example.
- The verse is part of an imprecatory psalm, a call for judgment. How should Christians approach such passages in light of Jesus’ command to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44)?
- How does this verse find its ultimate fulfillment in Christ (see Isaiah 53:4, 10)? What comfort does that bring to those who are persecuted for their faith?
- Barnes notes that the enemies 'take advantage of any expressions of impatience' to charge the sufferer with being rebellious. Have you seen this happen? How can we guard our own hearts against such judgmentalism?
- What is one practical way our small group can support someone who is under a heavy trial this week, instead of adding to their grief?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| II Chronicles 28:9 | But a prophet of Yahweh was there, whose name was Oded; and he went out to meet the army that came to Samaria, and said to them, “Behold, because Yahweh, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, he has delivered them into your hand, and you have slain them in a rage which has reached up to heaven. |
| Job 19:21 | “Have pity on me. Have pity on me, you my friends, for the hand of God has touched me. |
| Job 19:22 | Why do you persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh? |
| Psalms 109:16 | because he didn’t remember to show kindness, but persecuted the poor and needy man, the broken in heart, to kill them. |
| Isaiah 53:4 | Surely he has borne our sickness and carried our suffering; yet we considered him plagued, struck by God, and afflicted. |
| Isaiah 53:10 | Yet it pleased Yahweh to bruise him. He has caused him to suffer. When you make his soul an offering for sin, he will see his offspring. He will prolong his days and Yahweh’s pleasure will prosper in his hand. |
| Zechariah 1:15 | I am very angry with the nations that are at ease; for I was but a little displeased, but they added to the calamity.” |
| Zechariah 13:7 | “Awake, sword, against my shepherd, and against the man who is close to me,” says Yahweh of Armies. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; and I will turn my hand against the little ones. |
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
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes observes that the psalmist, already struck by God, finds no compassion from others; they only intensify his pain by treating his affliction as evidence of guilt. This mirrors how Job's friends reasoned, turning suffering into an accusation.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin reads Psalm 69 as a prophecy of Christ, not just a record of David's suffering. He points out that the New Testament quotes it at least seven times, showing that David, rejected and persecuted, was a clear type of the coming Messiah.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator argues that the fierce curses in this passage come from the psalmist himself, not from his enemies. He insists the pronouns connect directly to those who have already tormented him. These enemies piled more suffering onto someone already struck by God's own hand, like Job's friends or the Suffering Servant.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Geneva Notes points out the cruelty of the persecutors: they target those God has already struck with affliction, and they add still more sorrow to those God has wounded. The emphasis is on the excessive, cumulative nature of the suffering inflicted.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill identifies the "him" as the Messiah, smitten by God for sins and then persecuted to death by the Jews. The "wounded ones" are not punished by God but wounded for Christ's sake; the cruel talk that mocks their Redeemer adds deeply to their suffering.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB observes that the sufferer’s affliction comes from God, yet those who persecute him still bear full guilt, a point affirmed in Acts. He notes that “talk to the grief” means mockery and taunts, and that “wounded” carries the sense of being mortally struck down.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry reads these strong verses not as David's personal imprecations but as prophecies of judgment on the Jewish nation for rejecting Christ, fulfilled about forty years after His death. He points to the apostle Paul's use of the first two verses in Romans 11 to argue that the destruction of the temple and the Mosaic order was God's decisive vindication of the gospel and the setting aside of the ceremonial law.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley draws a sharp distinction between two kinds of cruelty: actual acts of barbarous violence, and the habit of reproaching others while gloating over their calamities. He treats both as evil, but notes that the verbal form is a subtler yet still grievous sin of delighting in another's suffering.