Psalms 69:28 · Bible study
Psalms 69:28 Commentary: Imprecation, Justice, and the Book of Life
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Does this call for enemies to be blotted from the book of life contradict NT love? Understand imprecation, covenant, and the OT 'book of life'.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A plea for God to remove enemies from the covenant community, cutting them off from the blessings of life with his people, not a prayer for eternal damnation.
- Key words: “Blotted out” (erased from a register), “book of life” (citizenship roll of Israel, later expanded to eternal life).
- Main debate: Whether this refers to temporal judgment (most OT commentators) or eternal damnation (some later readings and parts of the Christian tradition).
- Theological theme: Divine justice exercised within the covenant; the seriousness of rejecting God and persecuting his people.
- Best use: A passage for understanding imprecatory psalms, Christ’s sufferings, and the continuity of judgment between OT and NT.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
May they be blotted out of the Book of Life and not listed with the righteous.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Let them be blotted out of the book of life, and not be written with the righteous.
KJV King James Version 1769
Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Let them be blotted out of the book of life, And not be written with the righteous.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
They are blotted out of the book of life, And with the righteous are not written.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Let them be blotted out of the book of life, and not be written with the righteous.
Translations in other languages (9 available)
Sean raídos del libro de los vivientes, y no sean escritos con los justos.
Sejam riscados dos livro da vida; e não estejam eles escritos junto com os justos.
Ajoute des iniquités à leurs iniquités,
Tilge sie aus dem Buch der Lebendigen, daß sie mit den Gerechten nicht angeschrieben werden.
Doe misdaad tot hun misdaad, en laat hen niet komen tot Uw gerechtigheid.
Sian cancellati dal libro della vita, e non siano iscritti con i giusti.
Przydajże nieprawość ku nieprawości ich, a niech nie przychodzą do sprawiedliwości twojej.
願他們從生命 冊上 被塗抹，不得 記錄 在 義人之中。
Let their names be taken from the book of the living, let them not be numbered with the upright.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators generally agree that Psalm 69:28 is a plea for retributive justice within the Old Testament covenant community, not a prayer for eternal damnation. Adam Clarke and Albert Barnes both stress the temporal context: being blotted out of the ‘book of the living’ means being cut off from life and the privileges of the covenant people, not consigned to hell. Barnes explicitly states the language ‘has no reference to the future world.’ The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges similarly observes that the figure is borrowed from civic registers and that ‘the book of life’ here is not to be understood in the full New Testament sense of eternal life. John Gill takes a stronger view, identifying this with the book of divine predestination, but he insists that the names of the elect can never be truly erased; the imprecation is that the ungodly may be exposed as never having been written in that book. Calvin anchors the passage in David’s prophetic experience of Christ, citing the many New Testament quotations. The common thread: this verse invokes God’s righteous judgment within earthly history and the covenant, leaving questions about eternal destiny for later revelation.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Temporal covenant judgment: Barnes, Clarke, Cambridge: the 'book of life' refers to the civic/religious register of Israel; being blotted out means physical death and loss of covenant privileges.
- Eternal predestination (Reformed): Gill, Calvin: the book is God's foreordination to eternal life; the imprecation is that the wicked may be shown not to belong to the elect.
- Prophetic type of judgment on Christ-rejecters: Matthew Henry, Calvin: verse applied by NT to the Jewish nation and all who oppose the gospel; the imprecation foreshadows eschatological judgment.
What is clear: The psalmist appeals to God's justice within the covenant community, using the metaphor of a divine register, and does not take vengeance into his own hands.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the imprecation | The psalmist is invoking God's righteous justice against enemies who persecute the innocent. | Some read it as a call for temporal punishment (death, exile), while others see it as a type of eternal judgment that finds ultimate expression in the New Testament. |
| Book of life: temporal or eternal? | The phrase originates from civic registers and OT covenant contexts. | Adam Clarke and Albert Barnes argue it refers only to earthly life and covenant privileges; John Gill and the Reformed tradition often see it as the book of divine election, though Gill adds that the elect cannot truly be blotted out. |
| Relation to New Testament love of enemies | The imprecation is directed at those who oppose God's work, not personal slights. | Some argue the psalm reflects a lower ethical stage that Jesus supersedes; others see it as a legitimate appeal to divine justice that remains consistent with Jesus' teachings when properly understood. |
| Imprecation as prophecy | Psalm 69 is quoted multiple times in the NT regarding Christ and judgment on Israel. | Matthew Henry applies the imprecation solely to the Jewish nation's rejection of Christ, while Calvin sees a broader application to all enemies of God. The text itself does not specify which historical situation. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 69 belongs to a group of lament psalms where the sufferer cries out against enemies while professing trust in God. The phrase ‘book of the living’ or ‘book of life’ draws on ancient Near Eastern practice of maintaining citizenship registers. Such lists recorded who belonged to a city or nation, granting rights and protection. Striking a name from the roll was a declaration of exclusion, often due to death or criminal conviction. In Israel, this image was applied to the covenant community. Exodus 32:32, 33 records Moses pleading that his own name be blotted out to spare the people, and God replies, ‘Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot him out of my book.’ The same metaphor appears in Isaiah 4:3 (‘everyone who is written among the living in Jerusalem’) and Ezekiel 13:9 (prophets not written in the writing of the house of Israel). Being blotted out meant forfeiting the blessings of the covenant, land, posterity, and God’s protective presence.
Psalm 69 is frequently quoted in the New Testament as prophetic of Christ (John 15:25, 2:17, Romans 15:3, etc.), and the imprecations in verses 22, 28 are applied to those who reject the Messiah. Matthew Henry interprets the entire passage as a prophecy of the judgment upon the Jewish nation. This does not reduce the psalm to mere prediction; the original setting is David’s own suffering and his appeal for God’s vindication against violent opponents. But later readers saw in his words a pattern that found its ultimate fulfillment in Christ’s passion and the subsequent rejection of those who opposed him.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Psalm 69:28. The phrase 'book of the living' in the Hebrew (sefer chayyim) appears with consistent spelling across surviving manuscripts. The KJV rendering 'book of the living' and modern translations 'book of life' reflect the same underlying Hebrew; the difference is a matter of English idiom.
Reception History
Psalm 69:28 has been read in two main streams. The early church, following New Testament usage, saw it as prophetic of Christ's suffering and the judgment on those who rejected him. Augustine applied the imprecation to heretics and persecutors of the church, understanding the book of life as the register of the predestined saved. In the Reformation, Calvin continued this line but stressed the temporal, covenantal character of the original context. Matthew Henry, in the Puritan tradition, applied the verses exclusively to the Jewish nation’s fall in AD 70. Modern interpreters, such as those in the Cambridge Bible, emphasize the Old Testament background of citizenship rolls and covenant membership, cautioning against reading the full New Testament doctrine of eternal life back into this text. The psalm has also been used in moments of persecution, as a cry for God to vindicate his people against oppressive powers.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The plea for justice: The psalmist asks God to treat enemies according to their actions, invoking the covenantal symbol of a book. This is not personal vengeance but a surrender to divine justice.
- The book of the living: In the OT, this register signifies membership in the people of God and access to the blessings of the land and life. Blotting out means cutting off from those privileges, an earthly consequence for covenant rebellion.
- The shadow of the cross: Psalm 69 is messianic. Christ quoted it, and the imprecations find their ultimate referent in the judgment that fell upon those who rejected him. This warns us of the seriousness of unbelief while showing that God’s justice and mercy meet only at the cross.
Five-point outline
- Text and context: Locate the verse within the lament and imprecation sequence (vv. 22, 28). Who are the enemies? They persecute the sufferer because of his zeal for God (v. 9).
- The book image: Trace the motif from Exodus through Psalms to Revelation. Notice the shift from earthly register to eternal book of life in the NT.
- Imprecations and ethics: How do we reconcile this prayer with Jesus’ command to love enemies? Explain the difference between personal vengeance and invoking God’s righteous judgment. David doesn’t take revenge; he calls on the Judge of all the earth.
- Christ as the sufferer: Show how NT authors apply Psalm 69 to Jesus. He was wounded for our transgressions, his zeal consumed him, and the reproaches of those who blasphemed God fell on him. This verse then becomes a warning for those who persist in opposing God’s anointed.
- Hope for the righteous: Verse 29 immediately follows: ‘But I am poor and sorrowful; let your salvation, O God, protect me.’ The one who trusts in God can cry out from distress, confident that God hears the needy and builds up Zion (vv. 32, 36).
Illustration hooks
- A courtroom scene where a judge’s list of citizens determines who receives protection and benefits. Erasure from the list is the worst civic punishment, exile from all that matters.
- A family business with a partnership registry. When someone is removed, they lose not only income but standing and inheritance. The book of life is more: it is belonging to God’s household.
- The tension of a child being disciplined: a parent loves the child but must uphold consequences for destructive behavior. God’s judgment is an expression of his holy love, not arbitrary anger.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is it okay to pray against my enemies? Doesn’t Jesus say to love them?
- What does it mean to have my name written in the book of life? Can it be erased?
- How can this violent psalm be part of Scripture? It sounds contradictory to the gospel.
Leading a Discussion
Psalm 69:28 raises hard questions about justice, judgment, and the character of God. As you work through the passage together, let the biblical context guide you. The psalmist is not nursing a personal grudge; he is crying out for God to vindicate his name and uphold the covenant. Notice how quickly the tone turns from imprecation to praise (v. 30). What does that tell us about the heart of the sufferer?
Discussion questions
- Read Psalm 69:22, 28 aloud. What emotions do you experience when you hear these verses? Why might they feel uncomfortable?
- How does the metaphor of the ‘book of the living’ (Exodus 32:32, 33, Isaiah 4:3) function in the Old Testament? What does it mean to be blotted out?
- Compare this verse with Luke 10:20 and Philippians 4:3. How does the New Testament develop the image of the book of life? Is it the same concept or different?
- Albert Barnes says the language here has ‘no reference to the future world.’ Do you agree? What evidence from the psalm itself supports or challenges that reading?
- Psalm 69 is quoted in the New Testament as referring to Christ. How does seeing Christ as the ultimate sufferer shape your understanding of the imprecations?
- If someone today used Psalm 69:28 as a prayer for their personal enemies, what would need to be clarified or corrected? What biblical principles should guide our prayers toward those who oppose us?
- The psalm ends with a promise of salvation and restoration (vv. 29, 36). How does this final section reframe the earlier cries for justice? What hope does it offer for the people of God, then and now?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 32:32 | Yet now, if you will, forgive their sin—and if not, please blot me out of your book which you have written.” |
| Exodus 32:33 | Yahweh said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot him out of my book. |
| Isaiah 4:3 | It will happen that he who is left in Zion and he who remains in Jerusalem shall be called holy, even everyone who is written among the living in Jerusalem, |
| Isaiah 65:16 | so that he who blesses himself in the earth will bless himself in the God of truth; and he who swears in the earth will swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hidden from my eyes. |
| Ezekiel 13:9 | “My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and who utter lying divinations. They will not be in the council of my people, neither will they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither will they enter into the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord Yahweh.” |
| Hosea 1:9 | He said, “Call his name Lo-Ammi, for you are not my people, and I will not be yours. |
| Luke 10:20 | Nevertheless, don’t rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” |
| Philippians 4:3 | Yes, I beg you also, true partner, help these women, for they labored with me in the Good News with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. |
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
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke interprets this as a declaration of retributive justice: God cuts off the wicked from life, which they forfeit through cruelty and oppression. They have no claim to the long life God promises the righteous.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes insists this language is about earthly life, not eternal destiny. To be blotted out of the book of the living means to be cut off from life on earth, and to not be written with the righteous means to be treated as the wicked deserve, not as a statement about future salvation.
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 insists the fierce curses in this passage are the Psalmist's own words, not those of his enemies. He notes that "the book of life" here refers to the register of living citizens, not eternal life in the New Testament sense, which somewhat softens the harsh imprecation.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Let them be put out of the booke of life, neither let them be written with the righteous.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill insists the book of life here is God's unchangeable decree of election, not a record of earthly life or church membership. Those truly written can never be blotted out. So the imprecation prays that these enemies, who only appeared among the elect, would be exposed as having no real share in eternal life.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB treats the phrase "book of the living" as a metaphor: it figuratively pictures those who are saved as having their names recorded in a divine register. The image is of a heavenly roll call that only the redeemed belong to.
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.