Psalms 35 · Verse 4

Psalms 35:4

Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.
Psalms 35:4, King James Version

Psalms 35:4 in other translations

BSBMay those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plan to harm me be driven back and confounded.
WEBLet those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonor. Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded.
ASVLet them be put to shame and brought to dishonor that seek after my soul: Let them be turned back and confounded that devise my hurt.
YLTThey are ashamed and blush, those seeking my soul, Turned backward and confounded, Those devising my evil.
DARBYLet them be put to shame and confounded that seek after my life; let them be turned backward and brought to confusion that devise my hurt:
BBELet them be overcome and put to shame who make attempts to take my soul; let those who would do me damage be turned back and made foolish.
WebsterLet them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.

What does Psalms 35:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. (Compare Psa 9:17). devise my hurt--purpose for evil to me.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 Let then be confounded - Let none of their projects or devices against me succeed. Blast all their designs. The imprecations in these verses against enemies are all legitimate. They are not against the souls or eternal welfare of those sinners, but against their schemes and plans for destroying the life of an innocent man; and the holiest Christian may offer up such prayers against his adversaries. If a man aim a blow at another with a design to take away his life, and the blow would infallibly be mortal if it took place, and the person about to be slain see that by breaking the arm of his adversary he may prevent his own death, and thus save his enemy from actual murder; it is his duty to prevent this double evil by breaking the arm of the blood-thirsty man. It is on this principle that David prays against his adversaries in the first eight verses of this Psalm.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 35:1-10

It is no new thing for the most righteous men, and the most righteous cause, to meet with enemies. This is a fruit of the old enmity in the seed of the serpent against the Seed of the woman. David in his afflictions, Christ in his sufferings, the church under persecution, and the Christian in the hour temptation, all beseech the Almighty to appear in their behalf, and to vindicate their cause. We are apt to justify…

Read the full comment on Psalms 35:1-10 →

Psalms 35:4 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.

יֵבֹ֣שׁוּye.Vo.shumay they be ashamedH954
וְיִכָּלְמוּ֮ve.yi.kal.Muand they may be humiliatedH3637
מְבַקְשֵׁ֪יme.vak.Shei[those who] seekH1245
נַ֫פְשִׁ֥יnaf.Shi<of> life myH5315
יִסֹּ֣גוּyi.So.gumay they be turned backH5472
אָח֣וֹר'a.ChorbackwardsH268
וְיַחְפְּר֑וּve.yach.pe.Ruand may they be abashedH2659
חֹ֝שְׁבֵ֗יcho.she.Vei[those who] plotH2803
רָעָתִֽי\׃ra.'a.Ti<of> harm myH7451

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

Cross references for Psalms 35:4

  • Psalms 70:2-3

    Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt. Let them be turned back for a reward of their shame that say, Aha, aha.

  • Jeremiah 46:5

    Wherefore have I seen them dismayed and turned away back? and their mighty ones are beaten down, and are fled apace, and look not back: for fear was round about, saith the Lord.

  • Psalms 35:26

    Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.

  • Psalms 38:12

    They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long.

  • Psalms 31:17-18

    Let me not be ashamed, O Lord; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave. Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.

  • Psalms 129:5

    Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion.

  • Psalms 40:14-15

    Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil. Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha.

  • Psalms 71:24

    My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.

  • John 18:6

    As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.

  • 1 Samuel 23:23

    See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.

  • Isaiah 37:29

    Because thy rage against me, and thy tumult, is come up into mine ears, therefore will I put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.

  • Ezekiel 13:19

    And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies?

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
confounded.
26; 31:17,18; 40:14,15; 70:2,3; 71:24
that.
38:12; 1Sa 23:23; 1Ki 19:10; Eze 13:19; Mt 27:1
turned.
129:5; Isa 37:29; Jer 46:5; Joh 18:6

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

Context

  • Psalms 35:3

    Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.

  • Psalms 35:4

    Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.

  • Psalms 35:5

    Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord chase them.

Read all of Psalms 35

Psalms 35:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Avergüéncense y confúndanse los que buscan mi alma: vuelvan atrás, y sean avergonzados los que mi mal intentan.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Que ceux qui cherchent ma vie soient honteux et confus; que ceux qui complotent mon malheur se retirent en arrière et soient confondus.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Laß beschämt und zu Schanden werden, die nach meinem Leben trachten; laß zurückweichen und mit Scham bedeckt werden, die Übles wider mich ersinnen!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Verba oris ejus iniquitas, et dolus; noluit intelligere ut bene ageret.