Psalm 35:11 kjv
False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.
Psalm 35:11 nkjv
Fierce witnesses rise up; They ask me things that I do not know.
Psalm 35:11 niv
Ruthless witnesses come forward; they question me on things I know nothing about.
Psalm 35:11 esv
Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know.
Psalm 35:11 nlt
Malicious witnesses testify against me.
They accuse me of crimes I know nothing about.
Psalm 35 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 23:1 | "You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man..." | Law against false reports. |
| Deut 19:16-19 | "If a malicious witness rises up against a person to accuse him of wrongdoing... " | Punishment for malicious witnesses. |
| Prov 19:5 | "A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish." | Divine judgment on false witnesses. |
| Prov 19:9 | "A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish." | Condemnation of perjury. |
| Prov 25:18 | "A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a war club..." | Destructive nature of false witness. |
| Psa 27:12 | "For false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence." | Similar theme of false accusers. |
| Psa 38:19 | "But my foes are vigorous, they are strong; and those who hate me wrongly are many." | Hating without cause. |
| Psa 69:4 | "More in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause." | Abundant, baseless hatred. |
| Job 16:8 | "You have shriveled me up... my leanness bears witness against me." | Feeling condemned despite innocence. |
| Isa 59:4 | "No one enters suit justly; no one goes to court honestly; they rely on empty pleas..." | Corruption of justice. |
| Jer 20:10 | "For I hear many whispering... 'Denounce him! Let us denounce him!'..." | Plots to falsely accuse a prophet. |
| Matt 26:59-60 | "Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus..." | False witnesses against Jesus. |
| Mk 14:56 | "For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree." | False testimony at Jesus' trial. |
| Lk 23:2 | "And they began to accuse him, saying, 'We found this man misleading our nation...'" | False political accusations against Jesus. |
| Acts 6:11-13 | "Then they secretly instigated men who said, 'We have heard him speak blasphemous words...'" | False witnesses against Stephen. |
| Acts 24:5 | "For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, an instigator of riots..." | False accusations against Paul. |
| 2 Tim 3:3 | "unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, not loving good." | Description of slanderers in last days. |
| 1 Pet 2:19-20 | "For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly." | Enduring unjust suffering. |
| 1 Jn 3:13 | "Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you." | World's hatred towards believers. |
| Rev 12:10 | "For the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night..." | Satan as the ultimate accuser. |
Psalm 35 verses
Psalm 35 11 Meaning
Psalm 35:11 describes the suffering of an innocent person facing unjust and malicious accusations in a judicial or public setting. "False witnesses rise up" signifies the emergence of individuals who deliberately provide untrue testimony. These are not merely mistaken but bear "violent" or "malicious" intent. Their objective is to interrogate and condemn the innocent with fabricated charges, asking "things that I do not know," meaning the accused is entirely ignorant of the alleged deeds, highlighting the sheer falsehood and conspiracy against them. The verse conveys the pain of being attacked with baseless claims, often by those who once shared fellowship or received kindness.
Psalm 35 11 Context
Psalm 35 is a lament and imprecatory psalm of David, expressing his distress and petition for divine deliverance from treacherous enemies. These foes are described as rising up against him, despite his prior acts of compassion and intercession for them (v. 13-14). The psalm portrays a man deeply wronged by those who "reward me evil for good" (v. 12). Verse 11 specifically highlights the legal and social aspect of this betrayal, where these enemies manifest their hatred through the perversion of justice, bringing fabricated charges against him in a formal or public setting. It is a plea for God to vindicate the righteous sufferer against the powerful and cunning oppressors who mock and revile him.
Psalm 35 11 Word Analysis
- False witnesses: Hebrew: עֵדֵי חָמָס ('edê ḥāmās)
- עֵדֵי ('edê): "witnesses." This is the plural construct form of 'ed, meaning a legal or factual witness. It highlights a context of testimony or legal proceedings.
- חָמָס (ḥāmās): "false, violent, injustice, wrong, malice, cruelty." This term is highly significant. It implies much more than simply "untrue." It conveys inherent violence, active oppression, malicious intent, and an unrighteous act. These are not merely mistaken witnesses but witnesses whose very testimony is an act of violent injustice. It signifies a perversion of justice at its core, aimed at destruction.
- rise up: Hebrew: יְקוּמוּן (yekumun)
- Meaning "they arise," "they stand up," "they assert themselves." It conveys an aggressive posture, implying the deliberate act of presenting testimony against someone, often in a formal or adversarial context like a court. It signifies their hostile initiative.
- they ask me: Hebrew: יִשְׁאָלוּנִי (yiš'aluni)
- Meaning "they question me," "they interrogate me," "they inquire of me." It describes a direct interaction, an attempt to elicit incriminating information or trap the accused through questioning. It emphasizes the active, badgering nature of the accusation.
- things that I do not know: Hebrew: אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יָדָעְתִּי ('asher lo'-yadati)
- Meaning "that which I have no knowledge of," "which I have never done," "about which I am utterly ignorant." This phrase underscores the complete falsehood of the accusations. The charges are so baseless that the accused has no connection to them whatsoever. It is pure fabrication and invention, demonstrating the innocence of the one being persecuted and the extreme malevolence of the accusers. It highlights the total disconnect between the charges and reality.
Psalm 35 11 Bonus Section
This verse resonates deeply with the experience of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah, and most perfectly, with Jesus Christ. He was brought before councils where false witnesses stood against Him, accusing Him of blasphemy and sedition—charges He knew nothing of in truth and for which His life bore no evidence. The pattern of the innocent sufferer facing malicious, baseless accusations is a recurring theme in Scripture, revealing the pervasive influence of evil in the world and the testing of the faithful. It reminds believers that such experiences, though painful, can align them with Christ's own path of suffering for righteousness' sake.
Psalm 35 11 Commentary
Psalm 35:11 starkly portrays the profound distress of one facing calculated malice under the guise of justice. The "false witnesses of violence" or "malicious witnesses" represent the epitome of unjust persecution. Their rising up implies a deliberate, active stance of opposition, entering a context where their testimony is given weight, such as a court or public forum. Their questions, leading to accusations about "things I do not know," reveal the depth of their depravity: they invent crimes or misdeeds that the innocent party has absolutely no awareness of, let alone participation in. This verse speaks to the agony of character assassination, where one's integrity is attacked through baseless slander. It is a timeless expression of suffering endured by the righteous who, in every generation, have faced lies and fabrications because of their commitment to truth or God's ways. The Psalmist's plea is therefore a cry for God's righteous judgment against those who so shamelessly twist truth and justice to harm the innocent, revealing that God is the ultimate Vindicator.