Psalms 71:13 · Bible study
Psalms 71:13 Commentary: The Cry for Divine Justice
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
A study of the psalmist's prayer for accusers to be shamed and consumed, exploring how it fits with Jesus' command to love enemies.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A prayer for God to bring shame and ruin on those who falsely accuse the psalmist.
- Key words: Bôš (be ashamed), kālâ (consume), ḥerpâ (reproach), kelimmâ (ignominy).
- Main debate: Whether imprecatory prayers are compatible with the New Testament call to love enemies.
- Theological theme: Vindication of the righteous through God's sovereign justice, leading to praise.
- Best use: A model for bringing raw, honest cries for justice to God while clinging to hope.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
May the accusers of my soul be ashamed and consumed; may those who seek my harm be covered with scorn and disgrace.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Let my accusers be disappointed and consumed. Let them be covered with disgrace and scorn who want to harm me.
KJV King James Version 1769
Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Let them be put to shameandconsumed that are adversaries to my soul; Let them be covered with reproach and dishonor that seek my hurt.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
They are ashamed, they are consumed, Who are opposing my soul, They are covered with reproach and blushing, Who are seeking my evil,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Let them be ashamed, let them be consumed, that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
He shall spare the poor and needy: and he shall save the souls of the poor.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Sean avergonzados, fallezcan los adversarios de mi alma; sean cubiertos de vergüenza y de confusión los que mi mal buscan.
Sejam envergonhados e pereçam os adversários de minha alma; cubram-se de humilhação e confusão aqueles que procuram fazer mal a mim.
Qu’ ils soient confus, anéantis, ceux qui en veulent à ma vie!
Schämen müssen sich und umkommen, die meiner Seele zuwider sind; mit Schande und Hohn müssen sie überschüttet werden, die mein Unglück suchen.
Laat hen beschaamd worden, laat hen verteerd worden, die mijn ziel tegen zijn; laat hen met smaad en schande overdekt worden, die mijn kwaad zoeken.
Sian confusi, siano consumati gli avversari dell’anima mia, sian coperti d’onta e di vituperio quelli che cercano il mio male!
Niechże będą zawstydzeni, niech zginą przeciwnicy duszy mojej; niech będą okryci zelżywością i wstydem, którzy mi szukają złego.
Будет милосерд к нищему и убогому, и души убогих спасет;
願那與我性命 為敵的，羞愧 被滅；願那謀 害我的，受辱 蒙 羞。
Let those who say evil against my soul be overcome and put to shame; let my haters be made low and have no honour.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 71:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this verse is a prayer for divine retribution against the psalmist's accusers. Matthew Henry summarizes the psalmist as asking two things: that he not be confounded, and that his enemies be. The verbs are jussive in form, expressing both a plea and a prophetic certainty. Adam Clarke calls them 'prophetic denunciations.' Keil and Delitzsch note the climactic sequence: confusion, ruin, and then ruin accompanied by reproach. The language echoes Psalms 35:4, 40:14, and 109:29, showing a consistent pattern in Davidic prayers. Calvin and others connect the setting to Absalom's revolt, where the aged king faced malicious conspiracy. Gill sees a typological reference to the destruction of antichrist. Despite the strong imprecation, commentators stress the psalmist is not taking personal vengeance but entrusting judgment to God, as the surrounding context (v. 14, 16) turns to praise and hope.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: High
Main views:
- Old Covenant ethic: The psalm reflects the Mosaic covenant framework where national and personal vindication is promised for the righteous; it is not a normative model for Christian prayer.
- Prophetic certainty: The verbs can be read as prophetic declarations (Clarke) — the psalmist foresees the outcome of God's justice, not merely wishes for it.
- Valid Christian lament: Some interpreters argue that praying imprecatory psalms is a legitimate way to bring honest anger and desire for justice to God, leaving the outcome in his hands.
- Transformed through Christ: Jesus' command to love enemies reorients the prayer: Christians can pray for justice while simultaneously interceding for the enemy's repentance, trusting God's ultimate judgment.
What is clear: The psalmist does not take vengeance into his own hands but entrusts his cause to a righteous God, a stance that leads him to renewed praise (v. 14–16).
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Imprecatory language | The psalmist is praying for God's judgment, not taking personal revenge. | Some Christians see such prayers as permissible under the old covenant but superseded by Jesus' command to love enemies; others argue they express the longing for justice that remains valid when prayed with a heart that ultimately desires the enemy's repentance. |
| Identity of the enemies | They are specific opponents who seek the psalmist's harm, likely in a political or legal context. | Conservative interpreters often identify them as historical figures like Absalom and Ahithophel; others see them as archetypes of the wicked who oppose God's people in every age. |
| Use in Christian worship | The verse appears in the biblical canon and has been used in liturgy for centuries. | Some traditions avoid imprecatory psalms in public worship, while others include them as honest expressions of lament and trust in God's justice. |
| Relation to Psalm 1:1 and the way of the righteous | The psalmist consistently trusts in God and hopes, contrasting with the fate of the wicked. | Whether the destruction of enemies is a literal hope or a symbolic declaration of the triumph of God's order is debated, though most see it as both. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The psalm is widely attributed to David in his old age, likely during Absalom's rebellion (Calvin, Matthew Henry). In the ancient Near East, advanced age was a time of vulnerability. Enemies interpreted failing strength as a sign of divine abandonment, a charge the psalmist answers in v. 11. The legal term śāṭan (accuser) refers to formal adversaries in court or conspiracy, not mere personal dislike. The prayer for enemies to be 'consumed' (kālâ) and 'covered with reproach' (ḥerpâ) reflects the covenant worldview: God is the defender of the poor and needy, and he will vindicate the righteous publicly. The imprecation is couched in the language of lex talionis (the law of retaliation), but it is addressed to God, not executed by the psalmist. The surrounding verses (9, 12) describe the enemies' taunts, framing this cry as a response to persecution. Old age and physical frailty are mentioned specifically, situating the prayer in a season of life when one's dependence on God is most acute.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note one significant textual variant. The Hebrew word yikhalu ('may they be consumed') is read as yikhlemu ('may they be dishonored') in some manuscripts and the Syriac version. Keil and Delitzsch note that the LXX and Jerome support the Masoretic reading 'consumed.' The Cambridge Bible suggests the similarity of letters accounts for the confusion, and that 'consumed' fits the climactic sequence of shame and ruin. No variant affects the doctrinal meaning of the passage.
Reception History
Psalm 71:13 has been read in diverse ways across church history. In early monastic settings, imprecatory psalms were often interpreted allegorically: the enemies were demons or spiritual vices. The Reformers, particularly Calvin and Luther, insisted on a literal-historical reading tied to David's life, but saw the imprecation as an expression of zeal for God's glory. Matthew Henry (Reformed) treated the verse as a model for bringing complaints to God in prayer. In modern times, the verse has been a focal point for those wrestling with theodicy and the ethics of praying for judgment. Pacifist traditions (e.g., Anabaptist, Quaker) have often emphasized the New Testament transformation of enemies into objects of love, while other traditions maintain that the psalms give voice to the sufferer's raw desire for vindication, which God receives and redirects.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The reality of accusers. The psalmist names his opponents as adversaries who seek his harm. Their hostility is not theoretical, it is aimed at his life.
- The appeal to God's justice. Rather than taking vengeance, the psalmist brings his case to God, asking that the accusers be shamed and brought down.
- The pivot to hope. Immediately after this harsh prayer, the psalmist declares: 'But I will always hope' (v. 14). Justice does not cancel trust.
Five-point outline
- Who the accusers are, those who set themselves against the psalmist's soul.
- What the psalmist asks, shame (bôš) and consumption (kālâ).
- How he asks, as a prayer, not a curse enacted by his own hand.
- The outcome envisioned, being covered with reproach (ḥerpâ) and ignominy (kelimmâ).
- Why this matters, it clears the way for praise, because God has acted.
Illustration hooks
- A false accusation in the workplace. An older employee is blamed for a mistake they did not make. Colleagues spread rumors. The person feels helpless and prays, 'Lord, let the truth come out.' That cry for vindication echoes this verse.
- A parent whose child is bullied. The natural desire is for the bully to be stopped and exposed. The parent prays for justice, but also wrestles with how to pray for the bully’s good. The psalm gives language for the raw plea for justice without finalizing the enemy's condemnation.
- A church that has suffered slander. When a community is lied about, there is a corporate longing for God to defend his name. This verse can be prayed as a congregation, confessing trust in God's judgment while enduring the attack.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is it wrong to pray for bad things to happen to my enemies?
- Does this verse contradict Jesus' command to love my enemies?
- How can I pray Psalm 71:13 honestly without becoming bitter?
Leading a Discussion
This verse is one of the 'imprecatory' prayers in the Psalms, passages that ask God to bring harm on enemies. They can be unsettling. The goal of this discussion is to understand what the psalmist is doing and how Christians faithfully pray in the face of injustice today.
Discussion questions
- Read Psalm 71:13 aloud. What words stand out to you? Why?
- Look at the cross-references (Psalm 35:4, 40:14, 109:29). What patterns do you see in how the psalmist prays about enemies?
- The word 'accusers' comes from the same root as 'Satan.' How does that shape your understanding of the opponents here?
- Why do you think the psalmist includes such strong language of destruction and disgrace?
- How does this prayer compare to Jesus' teaching in Matthew 5:44 ('Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you')?
- Scholars note that the psalmist does not take vengeance himself, he brings his complaint to God. How does this change how you hear the prayer?
- Psalm 71:13 is followed by v. 14: 'But I will always hope.' How does the movement from imprecation to hope shape a Christian response to persecution or slander?
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)
| Esther 9:2 | the Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the King Ahasuerus, to lay hands on those who wanted to harm them. No one could withstand them, because the fear of them had fallen on all the people. |
| Psalms 6:10 | May all my enemies be ashamed and dismayed. They shall turn back, they shall be disgraced suddenly. |
| Psalms 35:4 | Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonor. Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded. |
| Psalms 35:26 | Let them be disappointed and confounded together who rejoice at my calamity. Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me. |
| Psalms 40:14 | Let them be disappointed and confounded together who seek after my soul to destroy it. Let them be turned backward and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt. |
| Psalms 40:15 | Let them be desolate by reason of their shame that tell me, “Aha! Aha!” |
| Psalms 71:24 | My tongue will also talk about your righteousness all day long, for they are disappointed, and they are confounded, who want to harm me. |
| Psalms 109:29 | Let my adversaries be clothed with dishonor. Let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe. |
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
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke reads the phrase as a prophetic declaration rather than a personal wish. For him, the words do not ask God to confound the enemies; they assert that God will. The imprecations are not prayers for vengeance but confident announcements of coming judgment.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes observes that the prayer in this verse is essentially the same plea found in two other psalms, with only slight changes in wording. For him the repetition shows the psalmist returning to a familiar cry for deliverance, using the same core sentiment but varying the language slightly each time.
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
The Cambridge Bible notes a textual variant where some editors prefer "dishonoured" over "consumed" because the Hebrew words differ by one letter. However, the Septuagint and Jerome support the traditional reading, which is consistent with other Psalm passages.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Let them be confounded and consumed that are against my soule: let them be couered with reproofe and confusion, that seeke mine hurt.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill identifies David's enemies with the diabolical hatred that gives Satan his name, calling them "Satans." He sees their consumption as smoke fulfilled in the antichrist, who is destroyed by Christ's coming. Their reproach is a garment they wear, not just a temporary shame.
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.