Psalm 109 29

Psalm 109:29 kjv

Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a mantle.

Psalm 109:29 nkjv

Let my accusers be clothed with shame, And let them cover themselves with their own disgrace as with a mantle.

Psalm 109:29 niv

May my accusers be clothed with disgrace and wrapped in shame as in a cloak.

Psalm 109:29 esv

May my accusers be clothed with dishonor; may they be wrapped in their own shame as in a cloak!

Psalm 109:29 nlt

May my accusers be clothed with disgrace;
may their humiliation cover them like a cloak.

Psalm 109 verses

Psalm 109 29 Meaning

Psalm 109:29 is a fervent prayer from one suffering unjustly, beseeching God to bring visible shame and public disgrace upon his adversaries. The language uses powerful metaphors of clothing and covering to convey that their humiliation should be complete, undeniable, and a reversal of any pride or power they previously exhibited, effectively turning their own malice and deceptive schemes back upon them.

Psalm 109 29 Context

Psalm 109 is a deeply emotional imprecatory psalm, understood as a prayer by David (or the psalmist) facing severe slander, betrayal, and unprovoked hatred. The bulk of the psalm (vv. 6-20) details extreme curses invoked upon a specific, grievous adversary, even extending to their family, a common expression of corporate responsibility and comprehensive judgment in the ancient Near East, reflecting the severity of the betrayal. Verses 21-25 express the psalmist's personal suffering, weakness, and desperate plea for God's merciful intervention and help due to his distress. Verses 26-28 ask God to act so that all may know it is God's hand that delivers him. Psalm 109:29 concludes the imprecations, serving as a summary curse against his adversaries: a prayer for their public humiliation, a visible and inescapable disgrace, reversing the honor they sought to gain by slandering the innocent. The historical context reflects David's many trials, particularly betrayals from close confidants (e.g., Ahithophel in 2 Samuel 15:31), making the plea for justice against treacherous enemies acutely personal and fervent. This isn't personal vindictiveness but a plea to the Righteous Judge.

Psalm 109 29 Word analysis

• Let mine adversaries:
  • יִלְבְּשׁוּ (yilibshu) - "let them be clothed" (from the root lavash, to clothe/wear). This jussive verb indicates a strong desire or command for a divine action.
  • צָרַי (tzarai) - "my adversaries," "my enemies," or "my foes." These are individuals who bring distress or hardship (from tzarar meaning to bind, be narrow). The suffix "my" emphasizes the personal nature of the suffering.
  • Significance: It's a petition for divine intervention against those actively causing great harm and affliction.
• be clothed with shame:
  • בֹשֶׁת (bosheth) - "shame," "dishonor," "disgrace," or "confusion." It refers to public humiliation, not just internal feeling.
  • The metaphor "clothed with" implies complete envelopment and definition; shame becomes their public identity, conspicuous to all. This directly opposes any garment of honor.
• and let them cover themselves:
  • וְיַעֲטוּ (veya'aṭu) - "and let them cover themselves" or "wrap themselves." This verb (from ʿaṭah) conveys putting on an outer garment, indicating thoroughness. The jussive again shows intense prayer. It suggests an unavoidable or self-evident form of shame.
• with their own confusion:
  • תַּחְפָּא (taḥpa') - "confusion," "shame," "disgrace." Derived from a root meaning to conceal or wrap, but here signifying the resulting public humiliation from exposed deceit or wickedness.
• as with a mantle:
  • כְּמְעִיל (kime'il) - "as with a mantle" or "robe." The particle כְּ (ki) means "as" or "like."
  • מְעִיל (me'il) - A prominent outer garment, a large and distinctive robe often worn by persons of standing, like priests or royalty. It signifies dignity or status.
  • Significance: The comparison to a "mantle" is powerful. It means their confusion and disgrace will be as evident, public, and defining as a person's visible status garment. Their public mark will be one of ignominy, signifying a complete reversal of their perceived social standing or self-importance.
• Words-group Analysis:
  • "Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves...": This parallelism intensifies the plea for total and inescapable public disgrace. The shift from passive "be clothed" to more active "cover themselves" perhaps hints at the self-inflicted nature of their downfall or the undeniable display of their wicked actions.
  • "...with their own confusion as with a mantle.": This potent metaphor states that their confusion, arising from their exposed schemes and moral failing, will become their new defining public identity, much like a ceremonial robe. It speaks to a justice where the evil intended for another, particularly their deceptive and slanderous words, recoils entirely upon the perpetrators for all to see.

Psalm 109 29 Bonus section

The imprecatory psalms, including Psalm 109, represent profound cries for divine justice within the covenant context between God and His people, not personal acts of vengeful malice. The psalmist places judgment entirely in God's hands, recognizing His ultimate sovereignty and righteousness as judge. This type of prayer is a recognition that there are times when human justice fails, and only divine intervention can set things right. The severity of the language reflects the grave moral offense committed by the adversaries and appeals to a God who cannot abide evil. It aligns with the biblical principle that "what a person sows, that he will also reap" (Gal 6:7) and that the plots of the wicked often backfire upon their own heads (Ps 7:15, Prov 26:27). The public shame desired for the enemies serves to vindicate the righteous psalmist and glorify God as the One who executes justice in the sight of all.

Psalm 109 29 Commentary

Psalm 109:29 concludes the profound imprecatory petitions of this psalm, articulating the psalmist's deep desire for God's righteous judgment against those who had maliciously slandered and sought to harm him. The prayer is that the very shame and disgrace his adversaries tried to inflict upon him would comprehensively envelop them instead. The imagery of being "clothed with shame" and covering themselves "as with a mantle of confusion" vividly depicts a total, inescapable, and public humiliation. This is not a concealed or internal feeling but a visible manifestation, signaling that their wicked machinations have failed utterly and resulted in their public downfall. The choice of "mantle" (me'il) further emphasizes this, as a mantle was a prominent outer garment often associated with status. Thus, their "confusion" would become their conspicuous identifying "robe," reversing their intended honor to undeniable ignominy. This verse powerfully expresses a fundamental faith in God as the ultimate and righteous Vindicator, who ensures that justice is not only done but visibly evident for all to witness.