Psalm 56 5

Psalm 56:5 kjv

Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil.

Psalm 56:5 nkjv

All day they twist my words; All their thoughts are against me for evil.

Psalm 56:5 niv

All day long they twist my words; all their schemes are for my ruin.

Psalm 56:5 esv

All day long they injure my cause; all their thoughts are against me for evil.

Psalm 56:5 nlt

They are always twisting what I say;
they spend their days plotting to harm me.

Psalm 56 verses

Psalm 56 5 Meaning

Psalm 56:5 expresses the Psalmist David's intense experience of being maliciously opposed by his enemies. It describes their constant, unrelenting effort to distort and misrepresent his words and actions, confirming that all their internal intentions and plans are entirely directed towards his harm and destruction. This highlights a deep-seated, persistent evil intent that drives their external slanders.

Psalm 56 5 Context

Psalm 56 is a Miktam of David, meaning it is an "inscription" or "golden poem," often indicating its significant enduring value or a didactic purpose. Its superscription specifically places it in a time of intense peril for David: "when the Philistines seized him in Gath." This historical backdrop, recounted in 1 Samuel 21:10-15, details how David fled from King Saul's persecution and sought refuge in Gath, only to find himself recognized as a formidable enemy of the Philistines. To escape imminent capture and execution, David feigned madness, scribbling on doors and allowing spittle to run down his beard. The enemies mentioned in this Psalm are not just a generic opposition but likely the Philistine officials, courtiers, and spies who were observing David. They are not simply mistaken; their scrutiny of his "words" and actions is born from suspicion and fueled by a deep-seated antagonism ("all their thoughts are against me for evil"). The verse thus encapsulates David's vulnerability, the relentless surveillance, and the inherent malevolence of his adversaries in a life-threatening situation.

Psalm 56 5 Word analysis

• All day long (כָּל־הַיּוֹם - kol-hayyom): This Hebrew phrase signifies a continuous, unrelenting, and persistent action. It means "the whole day" or "every day," conveying an exhausting, non-stop harassment. It is not an occasional misunderstanding but a constant barrage of opposition.
• they twist (יְעַצְּבוּ - y'atstsevū): From the root עָצַב (ʻatsab). While it can mean "to grieve" or "to pain," in the context of "words," it strongly suggests "to distort," "to contrive," "to pervert," or "to scheme." It implies an intentional misrepresentation or malicious misconstruction rather than simple error. Their aim is not just to misinterpret but to damage David's reputation or condemn him by twisting what he says into something harmful.
• my words (דְּבָרָ֑י - d'varay): Refers to David's utterances, declarations, or even his deeds/matters. It encompasses what he has spoken or the very substance of his being and actions. The enemies attack his character and intent by distorting his genuine expressions.
• all their thoughts (כָּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָם - kol-maḥsh'vōṯām): The term מַחֲשָׁבָה (machashavah) signifies inner devices, plans, purposes, or schemes. The addition of "all" emphasizes the totality and pervasiveness of their internal machinations. It reveals that their outer actions of twisting words stem from deeply ingrained and comprehensive evil designs. It's not spontaneous; it's premeditated malice.
• are against me (עָלַי - ʻālay): The preposition עַל (ʻal) means "upon" or "against," clearly indicating direct opposition and hostility towards David. There is no ambiguity regarding the target of their intentions.
• for evil (לְרָעָֽה - l'rāʻâ): The preposition לְ (le) meaning "for" or "unto" followed by רָעָה (ra'ah), meaning evil, harm, disaster, or wickedness. This phrase unequivocally states the ultimate goal of their twisted words and evil thoughts: to cause David significant harm or to bring about his ruin. Their intentions are not just misinformed or misguided, but fundamentally malevolent.

• "All day long they twist my words": This phrase highlights the relentless psychological assault David faced. It was a constant barrage of calumny, libel, and misrepresentation. This perpetual twisting aims to undermine his credibility, reputation, and potentially to create charges against him for his enemies to use.
• "all their thoughts are against me for evil": This clarifies the source and purpose of the previous clause. The outward acts of slandering words are merely symptoms of a deeper, internal malignancy. Their entire mental landscape, their plans, and their every contemplation are not just generally ill-willed, but specifically directed towards inflicting personal evil and destruction upon David. This reveals the premeditated, fundamental antagonism of his adversaries.

Psalm 56 5 Bonus section

The imagery in Psalm 56:5 reflects a form of psychological warfare that is just as potent as physical attack. It attacks David's identity, integrity, and right to speak, intending to isolate him and justify their future harmful actions. This spiritual dimension of warfare is central, as it demonstrates how sin often operates through the mind and tongue to destroy the righteous. The Hebrew verb for "twist" (עָצַב - atsab) having associations with "grieving" or "pain" adds a layer of emotional distress to the intellectual perversion; it's a painful twisting of reality. This Psalm serves as a profound expression of lament, acknowledging the depth of human wickedness, while simultaneously setting the stage for David's ultimate declaration of trust in God (Ps 56:11-13), despite such relentless human opposition.

Psalm 56 5 Commentary

Psalm 56:5 lays bare the pervasive and deeply personal nature of David's affliction. It is not merely an external threat, but a systematic campaign of defamation and internal malice. The "all day long" underscores the relentless, suffocating nature of this psychological warfare, where David's every word and action is scrutinized and perverted. The enemies are not merely mistaken; they intentionally "twist" his statements, demonstrating a cunning and deliberate effort to fabricate guilt and incite opposition against him. This distortion stems from their innermost being; "all their thoughts" are entirely consumed by wicked schemes "for evil." This reveals a profound moral corruption and unshakeable animosity, highlighting the pervasive nature of sin's influence, extending from thought to deed. It vividly illustrates the reality that believers often face deliberate slander and malicious intent from those hostile to righteousness, demonstrating a foundational conflict between the kingdom of God and the forces of evil. David's response in this psalm (his ultimate trust in God) exemplifies the call to persevere in faith despite such concerted human evil.