Psalm 35 16

Psalm 35:16 kjv

With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

Psalm 35:16 nkjv

With ungodly mockers at feasts They gnashed at me with their teeth.

Psalm 35:16 niv

Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked; they gnashed their teeth at me.

Psalm 35:16 esv

like profane mockers at a feast, they gnash at me with their teeth.

Psalm 35:16 nlt

They mock me and call me names;
they snarl at me.

Psalm 35 verses

Psalm 35 16 Meaning

Psalm 35:16 vividly describes the profound hostility and scorn directed at the Psalmist, David. His enemies are depicted as mockers, akin to profane jesters or those who revel in malicious public ridicule at festive gatherings. This comparison highlights the deliberate, joyous, and public nature of their contempt. Furthermore, their act of "gnashing with their teeth" signifies extreme rage, hatred, and a violent, predatory desire to inflict harm or utter destruction upon David, rather than just verbal abuse. It portrays a deep-seated malice and a complete lack of compassion or respect.

Psalm 35 16 Context

Psalm 35 is a powerful psalm of lament and imprecation where David cries out to God for vindication against his unjust and malicious enemies. The surrounding verses in the psalm reveal that these adversaries return evil for his good, slandering him publicly despite his previous acts of sympathy and prayer on their behalf (Ps 35:11-14). Verse 16 fits into David's description of his tormentors, highlighting the extreme depth of their contempt and aggression. It describes not just their verbal assaults but their visceral hatred and intent to harm, emphasizing the betrayal and injustice he endures. Historically, David faced numerous betrayals and persecutions, from King Saul's pursuit to Absalom's rebellion, making such enemies a recurring feature of his life. Culturally, public feasts or banquets were often settings for revelry, sometimes involving entertainers; the presence of "godless mockers" suggests a scene of unrestrained, often professional, disdain directed at the innocent. "Gnashing teeth" in the ancient Near East was a stark symbol of intense rage and destructive intent.

Psalm 35 16 Word analysis

• Like: This serves as a simile, drawing a vivid comparison to emphasize the specific, contemptuous nature of the enemies' actions.
• godless mockers: (Hebrew: חַנְפֵי לַעַג - chan'fey la'ag or לַעֲגֵי חֵרוֹף - la'age cheraph). חַנֵף (chanaph) denotes one who is profane, impious, or apostate, highlighting a spiritual depravity or hypocrisy. לַעַג (la'ag) signifies deep mockery, scorn, or derision. The combination describes those who are not merely humorous or teasing but deeply profane, scoffing at sacred things, or showing contempt with blasphemous undertones. Their mockery is malicious, perhaps even in open rebellion against God's ways.
• at feasts: (Hebrew: בְּמָאוֹגִים - b'ma'ogim). This refers to "at feasts," "banquets," or "places of dainties/delicacies." The imagery suggests these mockers are well-fed, perhaps professional entertainers or parasitic guests who derive pleasure from publicly humiliating others. The setting of indulgence underscores their depravity, reveling in their scorn while David suffers. Some interpretations suggest "mockers of cakes," further indicating professional or habitual jesters whose trade involves scurrilous mockery.
• they gnashed: (Hebrew: חָרַק - charaq). An onomatopoeic verb, mimicking the sound of teeth grinding. This signifies intense fury, rage, or malicious anger, often associated with a desire to devour or destroy. It goes beyond mere verbal assault to a physical manifestation of visceral hatred.
• at me: David is the specific target of their collective and intense hostility, emphasizing the personal nature of the attack.
• with their teeth: (Hebrew: שִׁנֵּיהֶם - shinneihêm). Teeth symbolize predatory aggression and the readiness to tear, bite, or devour. The action emphasizes their malevolent intent to harm and tear down David, highlighting the savage, beast-like quality of their animosity.
• Words-group Analysis:
  • "Like godless mockers at feasts": This phrase paints a scene of public, organized, and perhaps professional ridicule, carried out by individuals who are morally or spiritually corrupt. Their enjoyment of mockery is elevated by being performed in settings of revelry and abundance, suggesting their comfortable depravity as they persecute the righteous.
  • "they gnashed at me with their teeth": This expression describes a fierce, unrestrained display of intense hatred and fury. It conveys a deep-seated malice and a desire to utterly consume or destroy the object of their rage, reflecting an almost animalistic aggression rather than reasoned disagreement.

Psalm 35 16 Bonus section

The suffering depicted in Psalm 35 is widely considered messianic, anticipating the profound and unjust persecution endured by Jesus Christ. The "godless mockers" and the "gnashing of teeth" resonate with the crowd's disdain, the soldiers' abuse, and the religious leaders' seething animosity during Christ's passion. This verse serves as a reminder that divine justice, while not always immediate, will ultimately address such wicked delight in scorn. The "weeping and gnashing of teeth" in the New Testament often describes the torment of the condemned in eternal judgment (e.g., Matt 8:12), which can be seen as a form of divine lex talionis – the very expression of their earthly malice becomes their eternal consequence.

Psalm 35 16 Commentary

Psalm 35:16 powerfully illustrates the depth of David's suffering at the hands of those who opposed him. The "godless mockers" signify individuals not just expressing contempt but finding pleasure in derision, particularly in public and celebratory contexts. Their mockery transcends mere insult; it is a manifestation of inner depravity, potentially mocking not just David but also his faith and his God. The imagery of "gnashing with their teeth" heightens this, depicting a raw, violent hatred that desires not merely to shame, but to destroy. This verse portrays enemies consumed by malice, who exhibit an almost subhuman ferocity. This deeply felt anguish of David foreshadows the experience of the Lord Jesus Christ, who faced similar scorn and physical manifestation of hatred, notably during His trial and crucifixion where He was publicly ridiculed and reviled, even figuratively gnashed at by His accusers (cf. Acts 7:54). Believers throughout history can relate to such experiences of contempt and malice when upholding righteousness, reminding them that their suffering is not foreign to the path of the righteous, following in the footsteps of Christ and the ancient saints.