Psalm 50 20

Psalm 50:20 kjv

Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother's son.

Psalm 50:20 nkjv

You sit and speak against your brother; You slander your own mother's son.

Psalm 50:20 niv

You sit and testify against your brother and slander your own mother's son.

Psalm 50:20 esv

You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother's son.

Psalm 50:20 nlt

You sit around and slander your brother ?
your own mother's son.

Psalm 50 verses

Psalm 50 20 Meaning

Psalm 50:20 serves as a powerful divine indictment, exposing the deep hypocrisy of individuals who maintain an outward appearance of religiosity while habitually engaging in destructive slander and betrayal against their closest kin and fellow members of God's covenant community. It reveals the profound inconsistency between their words and their actions, specifically condemning the malicious targeting of the most intimate familial relationships. This verse underscores that true fidelity to God encompasses righteous ethical conduct towards one's neighbor, especially within the sacred bonds of family and fellowship.

Psalm 50 20 Context

Psalm 50 presents a dramatic divine court scene, known as a "rîb" or covenant lawsuit, where God acts as both Judge and accuser of His covenant people, Israel. The Psalm begins with God summoning heaven and earth to witness (v. 1-6) and then addresses His "saints" or "devout ones" (v. 5) who have made a covenant with Him through sacrifice. God first rebukes those who misunderstand true worship, correcting their empty ritualism by clarifying He desires genuine gratitude and obedience more than physical sacrifices (v. 7-15).

From verse 16 onwards, the Psalm turns its stern attention to "the wicked." These individuals outwardly profess knowledge of God's law (v. 16) but flagrantly disregard it in their actual conduct. They are accused of theft, adultery (v. 18), embracing deceit, and finding kinship with scoffing (v. 19). Verse 20, specifically, zeroes in on the deeply reprehensible act of slandering one's own "brother" and even "mother's son." This highlights a profound betrayal of covenant and familial bonds within the very community God established. Such behavior, despite any outward show of piety, reveals a heart far removed from God's character and His ethical demands, emphasizing that true righteousness extends to one's conduct toward others.

Psalm 50 20 Word analysis

• You sit: Hebrew: yāšaḇ (ישׁב). This verb denotes more than mere physical posture; it implies a settled state, a dwelling, or a habitual mode of action. In this context, it suggests that the slanderer is not engaging in an impulsive act but a deliberate, settled, and perhaps even calm and calculated practice of speaking ill. It points to a deep-seated inclination or a chosen way of life.
• and speak against: Hebrew: wətiḏabbēr bā'āḥîkā (וּתְדַבֵּר בְּאָחִיךָ). Dabbar (דּבר) means "to speak." The preposition b- (בְּ) ("in" or "against") coupled with "speak" here conveys the act of speaking maliciously about or against someone. It describes active verbal assault, such as plotting, accusing, backbiting, or maligning, which directly damages the reputation and standing of the "brother." It signifies a form of verbal betrayal.
• your brother: Hebrew: ’āḥ (אָח). This term refers to a literal sibling, but more broadly, to a kinsman, a fellow Israelite, or a close neighbor within the covenant community. Its use here underscores the betrayal's severity: it's not a stranger being maligned, but someone within one's own sphere of kinship or fellowship, where loyalty and mutual support are expected. It speaks to the breaking of communal bonds.
• you slander: Hebrew: titēn dôfî (תִּתֵּן דֹּפִי). This phrase literally means "you give a blemish," "you put a fault," or "you bring disgrace." Dôfî (דֹּפִי) refers to a moral or physical blemish, defect, or reproach. To "give dôfî" is to defame, to accuse falsely, or to cast a shadow of dishonor upon someone's character or reputation through malicious speech, thus causing them shame or ignominy. It is a potent word for character assassination.
• your own mother's son: Hebrew: ben ’immeḵā (בֶּן אִמֶּךָ). This is a highly intimate and emotionally resonant term for a brother. While "brother" itself implies close relationship, adding "mother's son" intensifies the bond, signifying a full-blooded sibling, one who shared the same womb and upbringing. This emphatic phrasing highlights the extreme wickedness and unnaturalness of the act: slandering someone bound by such sacred and deep familial ties is the height of perfidy and violates the most fundamental principles of natural affection and loyalty.

Words-group analysis:

• "You sit and speak against": This conveys a sense of premeditation, deliberation, and persistent engagement. It implies that the act of slander is not a sudden mistake or an emotional outburst but a calm, settled, and habitual practice. The slanderer deliberately assumes a posture for, and engages in, harmful speech.
• "your brother... your own mother's son": This parallel structure progressively emphasizes the profound intimacy and sacredness of the relationship being violated. The second phrase, "mother's son," heightens the sense of horror and unnaturalness, indicating a betrayal so deep that it attacks the most fundamental unit of society and kinship—the family—and one's closest, most intrinsic bond. This makes the transgression particularly heinous in God's sight.

Psalm 50 20 Bonus section

• The accusations in Psalm 50:18-20 — associating with thieves, partaking with adulterers, embracing deceit, and slandering kin — collectively represent profound transgressions against the second table of the Ten Commandments, which governs human-to-human relationships. This emphasis showcases God's perspective: righteous conduct toward one's neighbor is inseparable from true worship and obedience, contrasting with any mistaken belief that ritual offerings alone suffice.
• This verse is part of God's "courtroom" scene where divine silence (as mentioned in verse 21, "These things you have done, and I have been silent") is clarified not as approval or ignorance, but as patient forbearance that ultimately will lead to a full reckoning. The slanderer mistakes God's patience for indifference, compounding their guilt.
• The term "mother's son" (בֶּן אִמֶּךָ) is often used in the Old Testament to underscore a particularly close, unbreakable bond (e.g., Song of Sol 1:6). Its deliberate inclusion here intensely magnifies the gravity and unnatural cruelty of the act of slandering such a figure, demonstrating the ultimate breach of trust and kinship.

Psalm 50 20 Commentary

Psalm 50:20 provides a piercing divine judgment against spiritual hypocrisy, exposing individuals who feign devotion to God while habitually engaging in socially destructive behavior. The phrase "you sit and speak against" reveals that such slander is not an accidental slip but a deliberate, even settled, practice—a cold act of malice. The specific targets, "your brother" and especially "your own mother's son," heighten the depravity of the act, signifying a betrayal of the most intimate familial and covenant bonds. This underscores God's insistence that genuine worship must be accompanied by ethical integrity and righteous conduct toward one's fellow humans. It demonstrates that He finds religious pretense combined with such vicious, character-damaging behavior utterly detestable, preferring a life of true righteousness over any outward display of piety.

Practical Examples:

• A person in a faith community actively spreading rumors and demeaning a fellow congregant to others.
• Someone who claims strong Christian values but secretly sabotages a family member's reputation out of envy or financial gain.
• Believers engaging in backbiting or calumny within their spiritual fellowship, all while maintaining an outward facade of godliness.