Psalm 69 8

Psalm 69:8 kjv

I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children.

Psalm 69:8 nkjv

I have become a stranger to my brothers, And an alien to my mother's children;

Psalm 69:8 niv

I am a foreigner to my own family, a stranger to my own mother's children;

Psalm 69:8 esv

I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother's sons.

Psalm 69:8 nlt

Even my own brothers pretend they don't know me;
they treat me like a stranger.

Psalm 69 verses

Psalm 69 8 Meaning

Psalm 69:8 profoundly expresses the psalmist's deep personal isolation and estrangement from his own family. Because of his fervent devotion and zeal for God's name and house, he has become an outcast, treated as a complete stranger or alien even by his closest relatives. This verse highlights the painful consequence of righteous suffering: a profound relational separation from those who should provide the most comfort and support.

Psalm 69 8 Context

h2Psalm 69 is a profound lament attributed to David, marked by intense suffering and cries for divine deliverance. The psalmist is engulfed in distress (v. 1), facing an overwhelming flood of accusations and opposition (vv. 2-4). Critically, his suffering is not due to his own sin (v. 5) but directly tied to his "zeal for Your house" and bearing "the reproaches of those who reproached You" (v. 9). This devotion has alienated him from society, including his closest kin. Historically, David often faced rejection and persecution, sometimes even from his own family (e.g., Absalom's rebellion). Culturally, family solidarity was paramount in ancient Israel; to be estranged from one's own household was an immense shame and hardship, implying deep disgrace or separation from the community's core support system. This lament transcends David's personal plight to foreshadow the ultimate righteous sufferer, Jesus Christ, whose passion and rejection by His own people would be the most poignant fulfillment.

Psalm 69 8 Word analysis

h2

• I have become: Denotes a transformation in status, from belonging to not belonging, from familiarity to alienation. This is a painful shift, not an inherent state.
• a stranger: Hebrew: זָר (zar). Meaning "stranger," "outsider," "foreigner." This word implies not just someone unknown, but often someone who is distinctly separate, not permitted or associated. It speaks of a lack of familiarity and acceptance, placing the psalmist in a category of the "other" within his own circle. It highlights a state of social exclusion.
• to my brothers: Hebrew: אַחִים ('akhim). Meaning "brothers" in a broad sense, encompassing close male relatives, kinsmen, or fellow countrymen. This indicates a general, wider familial and social rejection from his peer group or clan.
• an alien: Hebrew: נָכְרִי (nokriy). Meaning "foreigner," "alien," "one from another country/people." This word is stronger than 'zar,' often denoting a complete outsider, someone fundamentally foreign in identity or origin, distinct from the covenant community. It emphasizes a complete lack of shared identity or belonging, as if the psalmist were of an entirely different people group. The pairing of 'zar' and 'nokriy' intensifies the sense of utter disconnect and loss of belonging.
• to my mother's sons: Hebrew: בְּנֵי אִמִּי (b'nei immi). Literally, "sons of my mother," meaning full biological brothers, sharing the same parents. This phrase denotes the absolute closest bond within a family unit. To be an alien to them signifies the deepest form of betrayal and rejection, highlighting the pain of being rejected by those from whom one expects unconditional love and support. It represents the innermost circle of family turning away.

Word-groups by word-groups analysis

• "I have become a stranger to my brothers": This phrase introduces the social rejection from a wider family/kinsmen circle. It emphasizes the active process of being alienated, implying that something has occurred to change his standing. The psalmist is not inherently a stranger but has been made one by circumstances related to his commitment to God.
• "an alien to my mother's sons": This part intensifies the rejection from the widest familial circle to the most intimate. The transition from "brothers" (wider kinsmen) to "mother's sons" (full siblings) dramatically highlights the severity and completeness of the isolation. It underscores the ultimate painful reality of being an outsider in one's own immediate family, suggesting a breach of the most fundamental and cherished human relationships.

Psalm 69 8 Bonus section

h2The experience described in Psalm 69:8 speaks to a unique kind of loneliness—not the isolation of geographical distance, but the profound pain of relational alienation within one's most intimate circles. This sense of being an "other" to one's own flesh and blood is deeply traumatic because it violates the expectation of inherent belonging and support that family should provide. For the ancient Hebrew audience, such familial rejection could mean losing economic security, social standing, and emotional support, essentially becoming an exile within one's own community. This psalm provides a prophetic echo for Christ's earthly life, not only in terms of His ministry-driven alienation but also through His atoning work; He became estranged from His Father for a time (Matt 27:46) to reconcile estranged humanity to God. It highlights that standing for truth often demands the sacrifice of comfortable social acceptance, even from those closest to us.

Psalm 69 8 Commentary

h2Psalm 69:8 conveys a deep pathos, portraying the extreme emotional pain of profound isolation and estrangement suffered by the righteous for their devotion to God. The psalmist finds himself not just socially shunned, but specifically cast out by his own family. The progressive intensity, moving from "brothers" (kinsmen) to "mother's sons" (full siblings), underscores the utter completeness of this familial rejection. This profound loneliness is not a result of his sin, but of his unswerving commitment and "zeal for your house" (Ps 69:9). Such suffering prefigures the experience of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who faced the ultimate rejection, not only by his own nation but, initially, even by His own physical brothers (Jn 7:5; Mk 3:21). For believers today, this verse offers solace in suffering, reminding us that following Christ can lead to societal, and even familial, estrangement, but in such rejection, we share in His reproach and ultimate triumph. This truth offers both a warning and a source of strength, enabling believers to embrace suffering as participation in Christ's own.