Psalm 69:26 kjv
For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.
Psalm 69:26 nkjv
For they persecute the ones You have struck, And talk of the grief of those You have wounded.
Psalm 69:26 niv
For they persecute those you wound and talk about the pain of those you hurt.
Psalm 69:26 esv
For they persecute him whom you have struck down, and they recount the pain of those you have wounded.
Psalm 69:26 nlt
To the one you have punished, they add insult to injury;
they add to the pain of those you have hurt.
Psalm 69 26 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 69:25 | Let their habitation be desolate; let no one dwell in their tents. | Closely preceding verse, contextually linked, often rendered similarly in translations. |
| Acts 1:20 | For it is written in the Book of Psalms, “May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it”; and “Let another take his office.” | Direct NT quotation, fulfilling this very specific imprecation regarding Judas. |
| Dt 28:15-68 | But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD your God... The LORD will strike you... you shall be dispossessed... | Broad context of curses for disobedience, including desolation of land/dwellings. |
| Isa 6:11-12 | Then I said, “How long, O Lord?” And he said: “Until cities lie waste without inhabitant... and the land is utterly desolate...” | Prophecy of land's desolation and depopulation due to sin. |
| Isa 5:9 | The LORD of hosts has sworn in my hearing: “Surely many houses shall be desolate, large and beautiful houses, without inhabitant.” | Divine judgment leading to empty, ruined houses. |
| Jer 12:4 | How long will the land mourn and the grass of every field wither? For the evil of those who dwell in it... | God's judgment causing desolation of land due to inhabitants' wickedness. |
| Jer 25:9 | ...I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants and against all these surrounding nations... and make them an everlasting desolation and a hissing. | Prophecy of divine judgment bringing widespread, lasting desolation. |
| Jer 33:10 | Thus says the LORD: In this place of which you say, ‘It is a waste, without man or beast,’ in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem... | Reference to previous desolation, but with a promise of restoration. |
| Ezek 12:20 | And the inhabited cities shall be laid waste and the land shall become a desolation... | Prophecy of judgment leading to devastated cities and desolate land. |
| Ezek 29:10-12 | ...Behold, I am against you... and I will make the land of Egypt a desolation... No foot of man shall pass through it... for forty years. | Judgment against Egypt leading to uninhabitable desolation. |
| Lk 19:43-44 | For days will come upon you when your enemies... will tear you down to the ground... and they will not leave one stone upon another... | Prophecy of Jerusalem's desolation due to rejecting Christ. |
| Lk 21:20 | “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near.” | Foretelling the siege and destruction of Jerusalem. |
| Mt 23:38 | “Behold, your house is left to you desolate.” | Jesus' pronouncement of Jerusalem's future spiritual and physical desolation. |
| Hos 9:6 | ...Egypt shall gather them... Memphis shall bury them. Their pleasant places shall be overgrown with nettles; thorns shall be in their tents. | Prophecy of desolation affecting dwelling places of God's people due to their unfaithfulness. |
| Rev 18:21-23 | Then a mighty angel took up a stone... and threw it into the sea, saying, “So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence, and will be found no more.” | Ultimate judgment and desolation of Babylon, never to be inhabited again. |
| Mal 4:1 | “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven... that it may leave them neither root nor branch.” | Prophecy of a day of judgment leaving no remnants, implying complete removal. |
| 2 Sam 7:16 | And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me... | Contrast to Davidic covenant, here judgment means the opposite of perpetual dwelling. |
| Job 15:28 | And he dwells in desolate cities, in houses no one inhabits, which are ready to fall into heaps. | Describes the fate of the wicked. |
| Job 18:15 | Fire dwells in his tent; sulfur is scattered over his habitation. | Imagery of destruction and uninhabitable conditions for the wicked. |
| Ps 34:21 | Affliction will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. | General principle of justice against enemies of the righteous. |
| Ps 37:28 | For the LORD loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the offspring of the wicked shall be cut off. | Implies permanent removal of the wicked and their lineage. |
| Ps 55:9 | Confuse their tongues, O Lord, divide them, for I see violence and strife in the city. | Another imprecatory prayer against specific actions of enemies. |
Psalm 69 verses
Psalm 69 26 Meaning
Psalm 69:26 is an imprecatory prayer, expressing a fervent desire for the complete and utter desolation of the persecutors' dwelling places. It signifies a wish for their collective encampment and individual homes to be laid waste, becoming utterly devoid of inhabitants. This plea seeks a final and irreversible ruin of their presence, heritage, and continuity, serving as a petition for divine judgment against their relentless and unjust actions.
Psalm 69 26 Context
Psalm 69 is a profound Davidic lament, articulating deep suffering, shame, and overwhelming affliction at the hands of numerous, ruthless enemies. The psalmist feels submerged in deep waters, sinking in mire, weary from crying, and experiencing the betrayal of those close to him. Amidst this intense personal distress, he also identifies as zealous for God’s house and bearing reproach for God's sake (v. 9). The imprecations found from verse 22 through verse 28 arise from this context of relentless and unprovoked persecution. They are not merely personal cries for revenge, but a desperate plea for God's righteous judgment and intervention against those who not only harm the psalmist but actively oppose God's purposes. Prophetically, much of Psalm 69 speaks of the suffering of Christ, with the imprecations finding a significant New Testament fulfillment in the fate of Judas Iscariot and other opponents of the Gospel.
Psalm 69 26 Word analysis
- May: This opening word is a desiderative particle, indicating a strong desire or a prayer for something to happen. It's not a mere statement of possibility, but an earnest petition to God for a specific outcome, signaling a direct appeal for divine action.
- their camp: The Hebrew word is ṭîrāh (טִירָה). While ṭîrāh can refer to a nomadic camp or pasturage, in this context, it signifies an inhabited settlement, enclosure, or even a wall or stronghold. It encompasses the collective living space or community of the enemies. This term highlights the corporate existence and secure dwelling of the wicked that the psalmist prays would be shattered.
- be desolate: The Hebrew verb is našām (נָשַׁם). It means "to be desolated," "devastated," "appalled," or "laid waste." It denotes more than just emptiness; it conveys a horrifying, permanent state of ruin, barrenness, and utter abandonment, where life cannot return. It suggests a divine curse rendering the place unfit for habitation.
- let no one dwell: This phrase uses the Hebrew verb yāšab (יָשַׁב), meaning "to sit," "dwell," or "inhabit." The negated form, "let no one dwell," emphatically reinforces the previous "be desolate." It desires an absolute and permanent cessation of occupancy. It aims not just for temporary abandonment but for a complete and perpetual removal of any resident.
- in their tents: The Hebrew word is ʾōhel (אֹהֶל). The "tent" is a fundamental symbol of dwelling, home, family, and by extension, a lineage or heritage. In ancient Near Eastern culture, the continuity of a family line was profoundly tied to its dwelling. The desire for no one to dwell in their tents signifies the ultimate curse: the termination of their family, legacy, and even remembrance. This contrasts with the notion of posterity and continuation of family name which was important.
- May their camp be desolate: This phrase acts as a singular, powerful petition for the total ruin of the enemy's collective space and presence. It encompasses their settlements, fortifications, and general habitations. It's a prayer for their social fabric and infrastructure to be divinely brought to utter ruin and made uninhabitable. It represents a plea for God to act decisively against their corporate wickedness.
- let no one dwell in their tents: This second clause serves as a direct and absolute intensification and clarification of the first. It drives home the desire for not just physical desolation but for permanent depopulation and the severing of their familial and individual legacies. "Tents" here signify not just temporary structures, but deeply personal, foundational, and often hereditary dwellings. The plea is for an absolute end to their continuity and remembrance on earth.
Psalm 69 26 Bonus section
The imprecatory psalms, like Psalm 69, serve several vital theological purposes:
- Appeals to Divine Justice: They are not licenses for human revenge but desperate pleas to God, the ultimate Judge, to enact His righteous justice against severe wickedness and injustice. They reflect a belief that God will intervene in history.
- Prophetic Nature: Many imprecations in the Psalms, including this one, carry prophetic weight. Their fulfillment in the New Testament (as seen with Acts 1:20 and Judas) highlights that these prayers are not mere human expressions but divinely inspired pronouncements concerning the fate of the wicked, particularly those who betray or oppose the Messiah.
- Emphasis on God's Sovereignty: These prayers acknowledge God's absolute sovereignty and power to judge. They reveal the psalmist's understanding that only God can bring about the profound and just resolution that is required for such deep injustice.
- Moral Distinction: While seeming harsh, they maintain a moral distinction: the object of the curse is active, malicious evil that harms the innocent and often blasphemes God, not personal offense. They align with God’s abhorrence of evil and commitment to righteousness.
Psalm 69 26 Commentary
Psalm 69:26 encapsulates a plea for absolute divine judgment against the relentless and unjust persecutors of the righteous. It asks God to devastate the very fabric of their collective and individual existence—their encampments and their homes—rendering them permanently uninhabited. This imprecation stems from the psalmist's profound suffering and an unwavering belief in God's righteousness to administer perfect justice where human systems fail. Far from mere personal revenge, this is a call for God's holy wrath against those who actively oppose His truth and harm His anointed. Crucially, in the New Testament, this verse (often considered with Ps 69:25) finds direct prophetic fulfillment concerning the betrayal and tragic end of Judas Iscariot (Acts 1:20), indicating God's specific, ultimate judgment upon those who oppose Christ. It instructs believers that while personal vengeance is forbidden, we can trust God for ultimate justice and the vindication of His righteousness.