Psalms 141 · Verse 6

Psalms 141:6

When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.
Psalms 141:6, King James Version

Psalms 141:6 in other translations

BSBWhen their rulers are thrown down from the cliffs, the people will listen to my words, for they are pleasant.
WEBTheir judges are thrown down by the sides of the rock. They will hear my words, for they are well spoken.
ASVTheir judges are thrown down by the sides of the rock; And they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.
YLTTheir judges have been released by the sides of a rock, And they have heard my sayings, For they have been pleasant.
DARBYWhen their judges are thrown down from the rocks, they shall hear my words, for they are sweet.
BBEWhen destruction comes to their judges by the side of the rock, they will give ear to my words, for they are sweet.
WebsterWhen their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.

What does Psalms 141:6 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 6 When their judges are overthrown in stony places - בידי סלע biyedey sela, "In the hands of the rock." Does this rock signify a strong or fortified place; and its hands the garrison which have occupied it, by whom these judges were overthrown? If we knew the occasion on which this Psalm was made, we might be the better able to understand the allusions in the text. They shall hear my words; for they are sweet - Some think there is here an allusion to David's generous treatment of Saul in the cave of En-gedi, and afterwards at the hill of Hachilah, in this verse, which might be translated: "Their judges have been dismissed in the rocky places; and have heard my words, that they were sweet." Or perhaps there may be a reference to the death of Saul and his sons, and the very disastrous defeat of the Israelites at Gilboa. If so, the seventh verse will lose its chief difficulty, Our bones are scattered at the grave's mouth; but if we take them as referring to the slaughter of the priests at Nob, then, in stead of translating לפי שאול lephi sheol, at the grave's mouth, we may translate at the command of Saul; and then the verse will point out the manner in which those servants of the Lord were massacred; Doeg cut them in pieces; hewed them down as one cleaveth wood. Some understand all this of the cruel usage of the captives in Babylon. I could add other conjectures, and contend for my own; but they are all too vague to form a just ground for decided opinion.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 141:5-10

We should be ready to welcome the rebuke of our heavenly Father, and also the reproof of our brethren. It shall not break my head, if it may but help to break my heart: we must show that we take it kindly. Those who slighted the word of God before, will be glad of it when in affliction, for that opens the ear to instruction. When the world is bitter, the word is sweet. Let us lift our prayer unto God. Let us entreat…

Read the full comment on Psalms 141:5-10 →

Psalms 141:6 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

נִשְׁמְט֣וּnish.me.Tuthey have been thrown downH8058
בִֽידֵי\־vi.dei-at [the] hands ofH3027
סֶ֭לַעSe.la'a rockH5553
שֹׁפְטֵיהֶ֑םsho.fe.tei.Hemjudges theirH8199
וְשָׁמְע֥וּve.sha.me.'Uand they will hearH8085
אֲ֝מָרַ֗י'a.ma.Raiwords myH561
כִּ֣יkiforH3588
נָעֵֽמוּ\׃na.'E.muthey are pleasantH5276

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 141:6

  • 2 Chronicles 25:12

    And other ten thousand left alive did the children of Judah carry away captive, and brought them unto the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, that they all were broken in pieces.

  • Psalms 45:2

    Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.

  • 2 Samuel 5:1-3

    Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the Lord said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel. So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the Lord: and they anointed David king over Israel.

  • 1 Samuel 31:1-8

    Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa. And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi–shua, Saul’s sons. And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers. Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. …

  • 1 Chronicles 12:38

    All these men of war, that could keep rank, came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel: and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king.

  • 2 Samuel 1:17-27

    And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son: (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.) The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen! Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. …

  • 1 Chronicles 13:2

    And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good unto you, and that it be of the Lord our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren every where, that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us:

  • 2 Samuel 2:4-6

    And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabesh–gilead were they that buried Saul. And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh–gilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the Lord, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him. And now the Lord shew kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing.

  • 2 Samuel 23:1

    Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,

  • 1 Chronicles 11:1-3

    Then all Israel gathered themselves to David unto Hebron, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. And moreover in time past, even when Saul was king, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the Lord thy God said unto thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be ruler over my people Israel. Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the Lord; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the Lord by Samuel.

  • 1 Chronicles 10:1-7

    Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa. And the Philistines followed hard after Saul, and after his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi–shua, the sons of Saul. And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him, and he was wounded of the archers. Then said Saul to his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. So Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. …

  • Luke 4:22

    And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
When their judges.
1Sa 31:1-8; 2Sa 1:17-27; 1Ch 10:1-7
they shall hear.
2Sa 2:4; 5:1-3; 1Ch 11:1-3; 12:38
for they.
45:2; 2Sa 2:5,6; 23:1; 1Ch 13:2; Lu 4:22

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 141:5

    Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.

  • Psalms 141:6

    When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.

  • Psalms 141:7

    Our bones are scattered at the grave’s mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth.

Read all of Psalms 141

Psalms 141:6 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Serán derribados en lugares peñascosos sus jueces, y oirán mis palabras, que son suaves.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Que leurs juges soient précipités des rochers, alors ils entendront mes paroles, car elles sont douces.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Sind ihre Richter die Felsen hinabgestürzt worden, so werden sie meine Worte hören, daß sie lieblich sind.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Clamavi ad te, Domine; dixi: Tu es spes mea, portio mea in terra viventium.