Psalms 71:10-11 · Bible study
Psalms 71:10-11 Commentary: Enemies' Taunt and the Psalmist's Prayer
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Examine how the enemies' conspiracy and claim of divine abandonment in Psalms 71:10-11 drive the psalmist to cry out for God's help.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The psalmist’s enemies conspire and taunt that God has abandoned him, but their accusation becomes the catalyst for his prayer for deliverance.
- Key words: “Those who watch for my soul” (שֹׁמְרֵי נַפְשִׁי), enemies who lie in wait for his life; “conspired” (נוֹעֲצוּ), took counsel together; “forsaken” (עָזַב), abandoned; “no one to rescue” (אֵין מַצִּיל), no deliverer.
- Main debate: Whether the enemies’ claim reflects a genuine historical taunt or a universal theological error; all agree it is a false assessment of the psalmist’s standing with God.
- Theological theme: The tension between circumstantial evidence of divine abandonment and the covenant reality of God’s faithful presence, even in suffering.
- Best use: Preaching or teaching on lament, the problem of evil, or how to respond when others spiritualize your pain; strengthens trust in God’s character over accusations based on appearances.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
10For my enemies speak against me, and those who lie in wait for my life conspire,
11saying, “God has forsaken him; pursue him and seize him, for there is no one to rescue him.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
10For my enemies talk about me. Those who watch for my soul conspire together,
11saying, “God has forsaken him. Pursue and take him, for no one will rescue him.”
KJV King James Version 1769
10For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,
11Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
10For mine enemies speak concerning me; And they that watch for my soul take counsel together,
11Saying, God hath forsaken him: Pursue and take him; for there is none to deliver.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
10For mine enemies have spoken against me, And those watching my soul have taken counsel together,
11Saying, `God hath forsaken him, Pursue and catch him, for there is no deliverer.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
10For mine enemies speak against me, and they that watch for my soul consult together,
11Saying, God hath forsaken him; pursue and seize him, for there is none to deliver.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
10The kings of Tharsis and the islands shall offer presents: the kings of the Arabians and of Saba shall bring gifts:
11And all kings of the earth shall adore him: all nations shall serve him.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 71:10
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this passage captures the moment when the psalmist’s enemies take his adversity as proof that God has rejected him. Barnes notes that the enemies consider it both safe and proper to attack him, since God no longer protects him. Clarke adds that they equate secular prosperity with divine favor and adversity with displeasure, a judgment the commentator insists is not God’s way. Gill observes that good men may appear to be forsaken, but are never finally or totally abandoned. Calvin, reading the psalm in light of Absalom’s rebellion, sees the enemies’ taunt as the immediate occasion for the prayer that follows in vv. 12, 13. The consensus: the enemies’ words reflect a false theology, but the psalmist refuses to accept it. Instead of despairing, he turns to God for intervention, using the very accusation of abandonment as the ground for his plea that God not be far from him.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The psalmist's enemies use his suffering to claim that God has abandoned him, and the psalmist responds by turning to God in prayer for help and vindication.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The enemies’ claim that God has forsaken the psalmist | All commentators agree that this claim is false, the psalmist is not actually abandoned by God, and the enemies misunderstand the nature of divine favor. | Some (Clarke, Barnes) emphasize that the enemies are using a prosperity theology that equates adversity with punishment, while others (Gill, Calvin) focus on the temporary nature of perceived abandonment and God’s ultimate faithfulness. |
| The historical setting of the psalm | Most identify the psalmist as David in his old age, likely during Absalom’s rebellion, based on the reference to old age (v. 9) and the conspiratorial counsel (2 Samuel 17). | A minority view (noted in some critical scholarship) sees the psalm as a later composition, possibly exilic, that adapts Davidic language; the supplied commentaries, however, overwhelmingly affirm the Davidic-Absalom setting. |
| The psalmist’s response to the taunt | All agree that the psalmist does not despair or retaliate but turns to God in prayer, making the enemies’ words the basis for his petition in vv. 12, 13. | Little debate: the response is consistently seen as a model of faith. Differences arise only in how explicitly the response is shaped by the taunt, some see a direct thematic link, others a general pattern of lament. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalms 71 is widely attributed to David in his old age, most likely during Absalom’s revolt (2 Samuel 15, 18). Calvin calls this the “general consent” of interpreters. The poet is a man who has trusted God from youth (vv. 5, 6) and is now gray-haired (v. 9), forced to flee his own son and a conspiracy of former advisors. The enemies’ taunt in v. 11, “God has forsaken him”, reflects a common ancient Near Eastern assumption: suffering and defeat signal that a deity has withdrawn protection. In the context of David’s flight, men like Ahithophel could argue that God had turned against the king (2 Samuel 17:1, 4). The cross-reference to Psalm 22:1 shows this accusation echoes the deeper cry of the righteous sufferer who feels abandoned even when he is not. The psalmist’s response is striking. He does not argue theology with his enemies. Instead, he calls on God directly: “God, don’t be far from me. My God, hurry to help me” (v. 12). In the ancient royal court, a king’s security depended on visible divine backing. The taunt was a political and theological weapon. Yet the psalmist answers the conspiracy not with retaliation but with a renewed act of faith, asking God to vindicate him. This pattern, enemy accusation followed by prayer, is a hallmark of the lament psalms and shapes how generations of believers have responded when others interpret their suffering as divine punishment.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries and lexical data note no significant textual variants for Psalms 71:10, 11. The wording is stable across the major Hebrew manuscripts. Keil and Delitzsch observe that the use of לֵאמֹר (“saying”) in v. 11 may reflect a later poetic style, but this is a stylistic observation rather than a textual variant. The verse is quoted without variation in the cross-references (e.g., Psalm 41:7, 8, 2 Samuel 17:1).
Reception History
In Christian history, Psalms 71:10, 11 has been read as a type of the suffering Messiah, whose enemies also taunted him with the claim that God had forsaken him. The Cambridge Bible notes the echo of Psalm 22:1, which Jesus quoted on the cross. Early church writers such as Augustine saw in the conspiring enemies a foreshadowing of the religious leaders who plotted against Christ. In the broader tradition of lament, this verse gave voice to believers who felt abandoned by God amid persecution or personal trials, not as a statement of fact, but as a record of the accusation they had to answer in prayer. The verse has also been used pastorally to comfort those whose suffering is misinterpreted by others as divine punishment, affirming that such accusations do not define the sufferer’s relationship with God.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The enemies conspire and speak against the psalmist (v. 10).
- Their core accusation: God has forsaken him, so no one can deliver (v. 11).
- The psalmist’s response: he prays for God not to be far and for his accusers to be shamed (vv. 12, 13).
Five-point outline
- The psalmist’s vulnerable position: old age, failing strength, surrounded by enemies (vv. 9, 10).
- The enemies’ strategy: they take counsel together and speak with one voice.
- The theological weapon: “God has forsaken him”, a claim that equates adversity with divine rejection.
- The practical conclusion the enemies draw: “Pursue and take him, for no one will rescue him.”
- The psalmist’s countermove: he turns the accusation into a prayer, asking God to be near and to act as deliverer (vv. 12, 13).
Illustration hooks
- A person experiencing a long illness hears a friend say, “Maybe God is trying to tell you something.” How do you respond when others interpret your pain as God’s displeasure?
- In a church conflict, a leader is accused of being “out of God’s will” because their ministry is struggling. The accusation feels like a spiritual verdict.
- An elderly believer whose family has drifted away feels that others see their loneliness as a sign that God has forgotten them.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If I am suffering, does that mean God has abandoned me?
- How do I know the difference between God’s discipline and a season of testing that others misinterpret?
- What do I do when people use my circumstances to deny my faith or my standing with God?
Leading a Discussion
This passage captures a moment of intense pressure: the psalmist’s enemies not only conspire against him, they claim that God has given him up. For small groups, this text invites honest conversation about how we process the accusations of others, especially when they come wrapped in spiritual language. The purpose of this discussion is not to solve every question about suffering, but to learn from the psalmist’s instinct to turn accusation into prayer.
Discussion questions
- Read Psalms 71:9, 13. What do you notice about the psalmist’s situation in verses 10, 11? What are the enemies saying, and what do they assume about God?
- Why do you think the enemies conclude that “no one will rescue him”? What does that reveal about their view of God’s relationship to the psalmist?
- In verse 12, the psalmist prays, “God, don’t be far from me. My God, hurry to help me.” How does his prayer directly answer the enemies’ taunt in verse 11?
- Have you ever been in a situation where someone suggested that your struggles were a sign of God’s disfavor? How did that affect you emotionally and spiritually?
- The psalmist does not argue with his enemies; he argues with God. What does this teach us about where to take our deepest hurts and accusations?
- Compare the enemies’ logic (“adversity = abandonment”) with the psalmist’s logic throughout the psalm (trust from youth, many deliverances, hope). Which perspective comes more naturally to you, and why?
- How can this passage help you respond to someone who is suffering and being told by others that God has rejected them?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Samuel 19:11 | Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and to kill him in the morning. Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, “If you don’t save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.” |
| II Samuel 17:1 | Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me now choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David tonight. |
| II Samuel 17:14 | Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.” For Yahweh had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that Yahweh might bring evil on Absalom. |
| Psalms 2:2 | The kings of the earth take a stand, and the rulers take counsel together, against Yahweh, and against his Anointed, saying, |
| Psalms 10:9 | He lurks in secret as a lion in his ambush. He lies in wait to catch the helpless. He catches the helpless when he draws him in his net. |
| Psalms 31:13 | For I have heard the slander of many, terror on every side, while they conspire together against me, they plot to take away my life. |
| Psalms 37:32 | The wicked watch the righteous, and seek to kill him. |
| Psalms 37:33 | Yahweh will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). 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.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights the enemies' twisted reasoning: because they believe God has abandoned the psalmist, they consider themselves both safe and justified in attacking him. Their counsel is that with no deliverer left, persecution becomes a duty rather than a crime.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin observes that this psalm closely follows Psalm 31, which David wrote during Saul's persecution. The distinctive feature is that David adapted the earlier prayer to his later crisis by adding references to his old age, showing how faith reuses past expressions of trust for new trials.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentator focuses on the enemies' exact accusation, noting the Revised Version reads "concerning me" instead of "against me." The taunt that God has forsaken the psalmist echoes similar cries found elsewhere in the Psalms. The repeated prayers and deprecations in this section underscore the psalmist's urgency.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Psalms 71:10 For mine enemies speake of mee, and they that lay waite for my soule, take their counsell together, Psalms 71:11 Saying, God hath forsaken him: pursue and take him, for there is none to deliuer him.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that David's enemies took his desperate circumstances as proof that God had abandoned him, which gave them the confidence to pursue and seize him without fear of any deliverer. He also observes that "they that lay wait for my soul" could refer to those setting traps or, from the Targum, even to his own bodyguards plotting against him.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB observes that the psalmist's enemies do not merely attack openly but use craft and malicious taunts, and it is this specific sort of persecution that drives him to cry out for God's help. The wording links to other passages where the same desperate call for aid appears.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch observe that the poet calls himself a "wonder" in the sense of something wrenched from the normal course, drawing the astonished gaze of onlookers. They note that the grammatical construction throws emphasis onto what God is for the poet, as he prays for continued preservation in the early stages of old age.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange notes that the psalm is composed largely of repeated passages from older psalms, with slight changes. He identifies the speaker as an aged Israelite of important station, not a collective figure, and argues that the lack of historical details and linguistic features point to a later period of composition, possibly by Jeremiah.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry focuses on how David repeatedly professes his trust in God as the very basis for his prayer, not as a mere introduction. His point is that a believer may boldly plead the confidence God himself has given, because God will never put to shame a hope that he himself has raised.