Psalms 94 · Verse 21

Psalms 94:21

They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.
Psalms 94:21, King James Version

Psalms 94:21 in other translations

BSBThey band together against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death.
WEBThey gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.
ASVThey gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, And condemn the innocent blood.
YLTThey decree against the soul of the righteous, And innocent blood declare wicked.
DARBYThey band together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn innocent blood.
BBEThey are banded together against the soul of the upright, to give decisions against those who have done no wrong.
WebsterThey assemble themselves against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.

What does Psalms 94:21 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 21 They gather themselves together - In every thing that is evil, they are in unity. The devil, his angels, and his children, all join and draw together when they have for their object the destruction of the works of the Lord. But this was particularly the case with respect to the poor Jews among the Babylonians: they were objects of their continual hatred, and they labored for their destruction. This and the following verses have been applied to our Lord, and the treatment he met with both from his own countrymen and from the Romans. They pretended to "judge him according to the law, and framed mischief against him;" they "assembled together against the life of the righteous one," and "condemned innocent blood;" but God evidently interposed, and "brought upon them their own iniquity," according to their horrible imprecation: "His blood be upon us and upon our children!" God "cut them off in their own iniquity." All this had, in reference to him, a most literal fulfillment.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 94:12-23

That man is blessed, who, under the chastening of the Lord, is taught his will and his truths, from his holy word, and by the Holy Spirit. He should see mercy through his sufferings. There is a rest remaining for the people of God after the days of their adversity, which shall not last always. He that sends the trouble, will send the rest. The psalmist found succour and relief only in the Lord, when all earthly…

Read the full comment on Psalms 94:12-23 →

Psalms 94:21 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.

יָ֭גוֹדּוּYa.go.duthey band togetherH1413
עַל\־'al-onH5921
נֶ֣פֶשׁNe.fesh[the] life ofH5315
צַדִּ֑יקtza.Dik[the] righteousH6662
וְדָ֖םve.Damand bloodH1818
נָקִ֣יna.KiinnocentH5355
יַרְשִֽׁיעוּ\׃yar.Shi.'uthey condemn as guiltyH7561

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

Cross references for Psalms 94:21

  • Matthew 27:1

    When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:

  • Proverbs 17:15

    He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord.

  • Exodus 23:7

    Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.

  • Psalms 59:3

    For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Lord.

  • Revelation 17:6

    And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

  • Ezekiel 22:27

    Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.

  • Proverbs 1:11

    If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:

  • Ezekiel 22:12

    In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord God.

  • Acts 7:58-60

    And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

  • Matthew 27:4

    Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.

  • Psalms 2:1-3

    Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

  • James 5:6

    Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
gather.
2:1-3; 22:16; 59:3; Pr 1:11,16; Mt 27:1; Ac 4:5-7,27,28
condemn.
Ex 23:7; 1Ki 21:19; Pr 17:15; Jer 26:15; Eze 22:6,12,27
Mt 23:32-36; Ac 7:52,58-60; Jas 5:6; Re 17:6

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

Context

  • Psalms 94:20

    Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?

  • Psalms 94:21

    They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.

  • Psalms 94:22

    But the Lord is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge.

Read all of Psalms 94

Psalms 94:21 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Pónense en corros contra la vida del justo, y condenan la sangre inocente.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Ils se rassemblent contre l’âme du juste, et condamnent le sang innocent.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Sie dringen ein auf die Seele des Gerechten, und unschuldiges Blut verurteilen sie.