Psalm 69 24

Psalm 69:24 kjv

Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.

Psalm 69:24 nkjv

Pour out Your indignation upon them, And let Your wrathful anger take hold of them.

Psalm 69:24 niv

Pour out your wrath on them; let your fierce anger overtake them.

Psalm 69:24 esv

Pour out your indignation upon them, and let your burning anger overtake them.

Psalm 69:24 nlt

Pour out your fury on them;
consume them with your burning anger.

Psalm 69 verses

Psalm 69 24 Meaning

Psalm 69:24 is a fervent plea for God to execute His full and unrestrained judgment upon those who are adversaries of the psalmist, understood biblically as those who oppose God's chosen and His divine plan. It is a prayer for divine retribution, calling upon God's intense anger and indignation to completely overwhelm the wicked.

Psalm 69 24 Context

Psalm 69 is a profound lament attributed to David, expressing deep distress and persecution by numerous enemies. The psalmist describes being overwhelmed by suffering, alienation, and false accusations (Ps 69:1-12). Despite his suffering, he maintains his integrity and dedication to God. Following his prayer for deliverance, the psalm transitions into a series of imprecatory pleas, particularly from verses 22-28, where he asks God to mete out justice against his persecutors. These imprecations are not mere personal vengeance but an appeal for God's righteous judgment against those who oppose His divine purposes and inflict suffering on His faithful servant. The psalmist's suffering is often viewed typologically as prophetic of Christ's passion, rejection, and subsequent judgment upon those who opposed Him (e.g., John 15:25, Rom 11:9-10). Verse 24 falls within this section, intensifying the request for God's direct and consuming wrath upon these adversaries, understanding them as enemies of God himself.

Psalm 69 24 Word analysis

• Pour out (שְׁפֹ֨ךְ, shəp̄ōḵ):

  • Meaning: An imperative verb, "pour out," "shed forth," "empty out."
  • Significance: This signifies a complete, abundant, and overflowing release. It is not a trickle or a small amount but a full, unrestrained discharge. Often used metaphorically in the Bible for shedding blood or, in this context, divine wrath. It suggests that God's indignation will be fully exhausted upon the wicked, leaving nothing withheld.

• Your indignation (זַעְמְךָ֗, zaʿməkā):

  • Meaning: "Indignation," "fury," "rage," "divine wrath." It speaks of God's intense displeasure or fury, often accompanied by destructive action.
  • Significance: This term highlights God's righteous anger in response to unrighteousness. It is not an arbitrary or petty rage, but a holy indignation provoked by wickedness, injustice, and rebellion against His will. It underscores the severity and justification of the requested judgment.

• Upon them (עֲלֵיהֶ֗ם, ʿălêhem):

  • Meaning: "Upon them," referring to the specified adversaries of the psalmist and, by extension, God.
  • Significance: Specifies the direct targets of the divine wrath. This precise targeting implies a just and deserved punishment, not an indiscriminate outpouring. It aligns with God's nature as one who sees and addresses the specific deeds of individuals.

• And let Your burning anger (וַחֲר֥וֹן אַפְּךָ֖, waḥarôn ʾappəḵā):

  • Meaning: "And the burning of Your nose/face," "fierce anger," "wrath." Charon (burning heat) aph (nose, face, thus anger expressed through breathing heavily or snorting). This is an anthropomorphism expressing intense, hot, and consuming anger.
  • Significance: Amplifies the preceding "indignation." It conveys an even more vivid and forceful picture of God's wrath, depicting it as an overwhelming heat that consumes and destroys. The "nose" is a common biblical idiom for anger, highlighting its immediate and forceful manifestation.

• Overtake them (יַשִּׂיגֵֽם, yaśśîgēm):

  • Meaning: "Let it reach them," "let it apprehend them," "let it pursue and seize them," "let it catch up with them."
  • Significance: Implies inescapability. The judgment is not merely aimed at them but will relentlessly pursue and catch them, ensuring that they cannot escape its reach. It emphasizes the certainty and effectiveness of God's judgment; once released, His wrath will accomplish its purpose.

Psalm 69 24 Bonus section

The imprecatory psalms like Psalm 69 also serve a theological purpose, affirming that God is not indifferent to evil and suffering. They teach that there will be a day of reckoning where divine justice prevails, reassuring the righteous who endure oppression that their trust in God's righteousness is not misplaced. They uphold God's covenant faithfulness, as those who persistently violate the covenant will face its consequences. The passion displayed in these verses reflects a profound wrestling with human injustice and an unshakeable belief in God's ultimate just governance of the world.

Psalm 69 24 Commentary

Psalm 69:24 represents a powerful imprecation, a solemn appeal to God's justice. It is crucial to understand these prayers not as calls for personal revenge in a New Testament sense (Rom 12:19), but as fervent expressions of faith in God's sovereignty and His role as the ultimate Righteous Judge. The psalmist, suffering under immense and unjust persecution, sees his adversaries as directly opposing God Himself. Therefore, he calls for God's divine and devastating judgment to be executed upon them. The imagery of "pouring out indignation" and "burning anger" overtaking them depicts a complete, unsparing, and inescapable divine retribution. The intensity of the language underscores the severity of the offense against God and His righteous servant. The New Testament interprets elements of Psalm 69 as Messianic, applying the suffering to Christ and the judgment on His persecutors (Rom 11:9-10; Acts 1:20), suggesting that these imprecations find their ultimate fulfillment in the divine judgment against those who reject Christ and stand against God's ultimate redemptive plan.