Psalms 35:4

THE MESSAGE

When those thugs try to knife me in the back, make them look foolish. Frustrate all those who are plotting my downfall. Make them like cinders in a high wind, with God 's angel working the bellows. Make their road lightless and mud-slick, with God 's angel on their tails. Out of sheer cussedness they set a trap to catch me; for no good reason they dug a ditch to stop me. Surprise them with your ambush— catch them in the very trap they set, the disaster they planned for me.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Let those who intend to take my lifebe disgraced and humiliated;let those who plan to harm mebe turned back and ashamed.

Hebrew Names Version
Let those who seek after my soul be put to shame and brought to dishonor. Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded.

King James Version
Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.

English Standard Version
Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life! Let them be turned back and disappointed who devise evil against me!

New Century Version
Make those who want to kill me be ashamed and disgraced. Make those who plan to harm me turn back and run away.

New English Translation
May those who seek my life be embarrassed and humiliated! May those who plan to harm me be turned back and ashamed!

Amplified Bible
Let those be ashamed and dishonored who seek my life; Let those be turned back [in defeat] and humiliated who plot evil against me.

New American Standard Bible
Let those be ashamed and dishonored who seek my life; Let those be turned back and humiliated who devise evil against me.

World English Bible
Let those who seek after my soul be put to shame and brought to dishonor. Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Let them be confounded & put to shame, that seeke after my soule: let them be turned backe, and brought to confusion, that imagine mine hurt.

Legacy Standard Bible
Let those be ashamed and dishonored who seek my life;Let those who devise evil against me be turned back and humiliated.

Berean Standard Bible
May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plan to harm me be driven back and confounded.

Contemporary English Version
Let all who want to kill me be disappointed and disgraced. Chase away and confuse all who plan to harm me.

Complete Jewish Bible
May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to confusion; may those who are plotting harm for me be repulsed and put to shame.

Darby Translation
Let them be put to shame and confounded that seek after my life; let them be turned backward and brought to confusion that devise my hurt:

Easy-to-Read Version
Some people are trying to kill me. Disappoint them and make them ashamed. Make them turn and run away. They are planning to hurt me. Defeat and embarrass them.

George Lamsa Translation
Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul; let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise evil against me.

Good News Translation
May those who try to kill me be defeated and disgraced! May those who plot against me be turned back and confused!

Lexham English Bible
Let those who seek my life be shamed and humiliated. Let those who plot calamity against me be repulsed and ashamed.

Literal Translation
Let those who seek my soul be ashamed and disgraced; let them be turned back and brought to confusion, those who plot evil to me.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Let them be cofounded and put to shame, that seke after my soule: let the be turned back and brought to confucion, that ymagin myschefe for me.

American Standard Version
Let them be put to shame and brought to dishonor that seek after my soul: Let them be turned back and confounded that devise my hurt.

Bible in Basic English
Let them be overcome and put to shame who make attempts to take my soul; let those who would do me damage be turned back and made foolish.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion that seek after my soul; let them be turned back and be abashed that devise my hurt.

King James Version (1611)
Let them be confounded and put to shame that seeke after my soule: let them be turned backe and brought to confusion, that deuise my hurt.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Let them be confounded and put to shame that seeke after my soule: let them be turned backe and brought to cofusion, that imagine mischiefe for me.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Let them that seek my soul be ashamed and confounded: let them that devise evils against me be turned back and put to shame.

English Revised Version
Let them be ashamed and brought to dishonour that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and confounded that devise my hurt.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Thei that seken my lijf; be schent, and aschamed. Thei that thenken yuels to me; be turned awei bacward, and be schent.

Update Bible Version
Let them be put to shame and brought to dishonor that seek after my soul: Let them be turned back and confounded that devise my hurt.

Webster's Bible Translation
Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.

New King James Version
Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor Who seek after my life; Let those be turned back and brought to confusion Who plot my hurt.

New Living Translation
Bring shame and disgrace on those trying to kill me; turn them back and humiliate those who want to harm me.

New Life Bible
Let the people be ashamed and without honor who want to take my life. Let those be turned away and brought to shame who plan to hurt me.

New Revised Standard
Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life. Let them be turned back and confounded who devise evil against me.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Let them be ashamed and confounded, who are seeking my life, - Let them turn back and be put to the blush, who are devising my hurt:

Douay-Rheims Bible
(34-4) Let them be confounded and ashamed that seek after my soul. Let them be turned back and be confounded that devise evil against me.

Revised Standard Version
Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life! Let them be turned back and confounded who devise evil against me!

Young's Literal Translation
They are ashamed and blush, those seeking my soul, Turned backward and confounded, Those devising my evil.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Let those be ashamed and dishonored who seek my life; Let those be turned back and humiliated who devise evil against me.

Contextual Overview

¹A David Psalm Harass these hecklers, God , punch these bullies in the nose. Grab a weapon, anything at hand; stand up for me! Get ready to throw the spear, aim the javelin, at the people who are out to get me. Reassure me; let me hear you say, "I'll save you." ⁴When those thugs try to knife me in the back, make them look foolish. Frustrate all those who are plotting my downfall. Make them like cinders in a high wind, with God 's angel working the bellows. Make their road lightless and mud-slick, with God 's angel on their tails. Out of sheer cussedness they set a trap to catch me; for no good reason they dug a ditch to stop me. Surprise them with your ambush— catch them in the very trap they set, the disaster they planned for me. ⁹But let me run loose and free, celebrating God 's great work, Every bone in my body laughing, singing, " God , there's no one like you. You put the down-and-out on their feet and protect the unprotected from bullies!"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

confounded: Psalms 35:26, Psalms 31:17, Psalms 31:18, Psalms 40:14, Psalms 40:15, Psalms 70:2, Psalms 70:3, Psalms 71:24

that: Psalms 38:12, 1 Samuel 23:23, 1 Kings 19:10, Ezekiel 13:19, Matthew 27:1

turned: Psalms 129:5, Isaiah 37:29, Jeremiah 46:5, John 18:6

Reciprocal: Psalms 17:9 - deadly enemies Psalms 35:8 - Let destruction Psalms 53:5 - thou hast Psalms 63:9 - seek Psalms 71:13 - Let them be Psalms 83:17 - General Psalms 143:3 - the enemy Jeremiah 17:18 - confounded Jeremiah 18:23 - forgive Lamentations 1:13 - he hath turned

Cross-References

Genesis 35:2
Jacob told his family and all those who lived with him, "Throw out all the alien gods which you have, take a good bath and put on clean clothes, we're going to Bethel. I'm going to build an altar there to the God who answered me when I was in trouble and has stuck with me everywhere I've gone since."

Genesis 35:4
They turned over to Jacob all the alien gods they'd been holding on to, along with their lucky-charm earrings. Jacob buried them under the oak tree in Shechem. Then they set out. A paralyzing fear descended on all the surrounding villages so that they were unable to pursue the sons of Jacob.

Genesis 35:24
God spoke to Jacob: "Go back to Bethel. Stay there and build an altar to the God who revealed himself to you when you were running for your life from your brother Esau." Jacob told his family and all those who lived with him, "Throw out all the alien gods which you have, take a good bath and put on clean clothes, we're going to Bethel. I'm going to build an altar there to the God who answered me when I was in trouble and has stuck with me everywhere I've gone since." They turned over to Jacob all the alien gods they'd been holding on to, along with their lucky-charm earrings. Jacob buried them under the oak tree in Shechem. Then they set out. A paralyzing fear descended on all the surrounding villages so that they were unable to pursue the sons of Jacob. Jacob and his company arrived at Luz, that is, Bethel, in the land of Canaan. He built an altar there and named it El-Bethel (God-of-Bethel) because that's where God revealed himself to him when he was running from his brother. And that's when Rebekah's nurse, Deborah, died. She was buried just below Bethel under the oak tree. It was named Allon-Bacuth (Weeping-Oak). God revealed himself once again to Jacob, after he had come back from Paddan Aram and blessed him: "Your name is Jacob (Heel); but that's your name no longer. From now on your name is Israel (God-Wrestler)." God continued, I am The Strong God. Have children! Flourish! A nation—a whole company of nations!— will come from you. Kings will come from your loins; the land I gave Abraham and Isaac I now give to you, and pass it on to your descendants. And then God was gone, ascended from the place where he had spoken with him. Jacob set up a stone pillar on the spot where God had spoken with him. He poured a drink offering on it and anointed it with oil. Jacob dedicated the place where God had spoken with him, Bethel (God's-House). They left Bethel. They were still quite a ways from Ephrath when Rachel went into labor—hard, hard labor. When her labor pains were at their worst, the midwife said to her, "Don't be afraid—you have another boy." With her last breath, for she was now dying, she named him Ben-oni (Son-of-My-Pain), but his father named him Ben-jamin (Son-of-Good-Fortune). Rachel died and was buried on the road to Ephrath, that is, Bethlehem. Jacob set up a pillar to mark her grave. It is still there today, "Rachel's Grave Stone." Israel kept on his way and set up camp at Migdal Eder. While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went and slept with his father's concubine, Bilhah. And Israel heard of what he did. There were twelve sons of Jacob. The sons by Leah: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn Simeon Levi Judah Issachar Zebulun. The sons by Rachel: Joseph Benjamin. The sons by Bilhah, Rachel's maid: Dan Naphtali. The sons by Zilpah, Leah's maid: Gad Asher. These were Jacob's sons, born to him in Paddan Aram. Finally, Jacob made it back home to his father Isaac at Mamre in Kiriath Arba, present-day Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac had lived. Isaac was now 180 years old. Isaac breathed his last and died—an old man full of years. He was buried with his family by his sons Esau and Jacob.

Genesis 35:25
God spoke to Jacob: "Go back to Bethel. Stay there and build an altar to the God who revealed himself to you when you were running for your life from your brother Esau." Jacob told his family and all those who lived with him, "Throw out all the alien gods which you have, take a good bath and put on clean clothes, we're going to Bethel. I'm going to build an altar there to the God who answered me when I was in trouble and has stuck with me everywhere I've gone since." They turned over to Jacob all the alien gods they'd been holding on to, along with their lucky-charm earrings. Jacob buried them under the oak tree in Shechem. Then they set out. A paralyzing fear descended on all the surrounding villages so that they were unable to pursue the sons of Jacob. Jacob and his company arrived at Luz, that is, Bethel, in the land of Canaan. He built an altar there and named it El-Bethel (God-of-Bethel) because that's where God revealed himself to him when he was running from his brother. And that's when Rebekah's nurse, Deborah, died. She was buried just below Bethel under the oak tree. It was named Allon-Bacuth (Weeping-Oak). God revealed himself once again to Jacob, after he had come back from Paddan Aram and blessed him: "Your name is Jacob (Heel); but that's your name no longer. From now on your name is Israel (God-Wrestler)." God continued, I am The Strong God. Have children! Flourish! A nation—a whole company of nations!— will come from you. Kings will come from your loins; the land I gave Abraham and Isaac I now give to you, and pass it on to your descendants. And then God was gone, ascended from the place where he had spoken with him. Jacob set up a stone pillar on the spot where God had spoken with him. He poured a drink offering on it and anointed it with oil. Jacob dedicated the place where God had spoken with him, Bethel (God's-House). They left Bethel. They were still quite a ways from Ephrath when Rachel went into labor—hard, hard labor. When her labor pains were at their worst, the midwife said to her, "Don't be afraid—you have another boy." With her last breath, for she was now dying, she named him Ben-oni (Son-of-My-Pain), but his father named him Ben-jamin (Son-of-Good-Fortune). Rachel died and was buried on the road to Ephrath, that is, Bethlehem. Jacob set up a pillar to mark her grave. It is still there today, "Rachel's Grave Stone." Israel kept on his way and set up camp at Migdal Eder. While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went and slept with his father's concubine, Bilhah. And Israel heard of what he did. There were twelve sons of Jacob. The sons by Leah: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn Simeon Levi Judah Issachar Zebulun. The sons by Rachel: Joseph Benjamin. The sons by Bilhah, Rachel's maid: Dan Naphtali. The sons by Zilpah, Leah's maid: Gad Asher. These were Jacob's sons, born to him in Paddan Aram. Finally, Jacob made it back home to his father Isaac at Mamre in Kiriath Arba, present-day Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac had lived. Isaac was now 180 years old. Isaac breathed his last and died—an old man full of years. He was buried with his family by his sons Esau and Jacob.

Genesis 35:26
God spoke to Jacob: "Go back to Bethel. Stay there and build an altar to the God who revealed himself to you when you were running for your life from your brother Esau." Jacob told his family and all those who lived with him, "Throw out all the alien gods which you have, take a good bath and put on clean clothes, we're going to Bethel. I'm going to build an altar there to the God who answered me when I was in trouble and has stuck with me everywhere I've gone since." They turned over to Jacob all the alien gods they'd been holding on to, along with their lucky-charm earrings. Jacob buried them under the oak tree in Shechem. Then they set out. A paralyzing fear descended on all the surrounding villages so that they were unable to pursue the sons of Jacob. Jacob and his company arrived at Luz, that is, Bethel, in the land of Canaan. He built an altar there and named it El-Bethel (God-of-Bethel) because that's where God revealed himself to him when he was running from his brother. And that's when Rebekah's nurse, Deborah, died. She was buried just below Bethel under the oak tree. It was named Allon-Bacuth (Weeping-Oak). God revealed himself once again to Jacob, after he had come back from Paddan Aram and blessed him: "Your name is Jacob (Heel); but that's your name no longer. From now on your name is Israel (God-Wrestler)." God continued, I am The Strong God. Have children! Flourish! A nation—a whole company of nations!— will come from you. Kings will come from your loins; the land I gave Abraham and Isaac I now give to you, and pass it on to your descendants. And then God was gone, ascended from the place where he had spoken with him. Jacob set up a stone pillar on the spot where God had spoken with him. He poured a drink offering on it and anointed it with oil. Jacob dedicated the place where God had spoken with him, Bethel (God's-House). They left Bethel. They were still quite a ways from Ephrath when Rachel went into labor—hard, hard labor. When her labor pains were at their worst, the midwife said to her, "Don't be afraid—you have another boy." With her last breath, for she was now dying, she named him Ben-oni (Son-of-My-Pain), but his father named him Ben-jamin (Son-of-Good-Fortune). Rachel died and was buried on the road to Ephrath, that is, Bethlehem. Jacob set up a pillar to mark her grave. It is still there today, "Rachel's Grave Stone." Israel kept on his way and set up camp at Migdal Eder. While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went and slept with his father's concubine, Bilhah. And Israel heard of what he did. There were twelve sons of Jacob. The sons by Leah: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn Simeon Levi Judah Issachar Zebulun. The sons by Rachel: Joseph Benjamin. The sons by Bilhah, Rachel's maid: Dan Naphtali. The sons by Zilpah, Leah's maid: Gad Asher. These were Jacob's sons, born to him in Paddan Aram.

Genesis 35:27
Finally, Jacob made it back home to his father Isaac at Mamre in Kiriath Arba, present-day Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac had lived. Isaac was now 180 years old. Isaac breathed his last and died—an old man full of years. He was buried with his family by his sons Esau and Jacob.

Deuteronomy 7:5
Here's what you are to do: Tear apart their altars stone by stone, smash their phallic pillars, chop down their sex-and-religion Asherah groves, set fire to their carved god-images.

Deuteronomy 7:25
Make sure you set fire to their carved gods. Don't get greedy for the veneer of silver and gold on them and take it for yourselves—you'll get trapped by it for sure. God hates it; it's an abomination to God , your God. And don't dare bring one of these abominations home or you'll end up just like it, burned up as a holy destruction. No: It is forbidden! Hate it. Abominate it. Destroy it and preserve God 's holiness.

Judges 9:6
Then all the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo gathered at the Oak by the Standing Stone at Shechem and crowned Abimelech king.

Isaiah 2:20
On that Day men and women will take the sticks and stones They've decked out in gold and silver to look like gods and then worshiped, And they will dump them in any ditch or gully, Then run for rock caves and cliff hideouts To hide from the terror of God , from his dazzling presence, When he assumes his full stature on earth, towering and terrifying.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Let them be confounded, and put to shame, that seek after my soul,.... This petition, and what follows, which seem to be by way of imprecation, are to be considered as prophecies of what would be, and as expressions of faith that so it should be; and are not to be drawn into examples, and to be imitated by private persons; nor are they contrary to those evangelical rules, which require men to love their enemies, and pray for them; to give place to wrath, and not meditate vengeance, nor take it: and so it was with David's enemies. Saul, who hunted after his soul or life, to take it away, was filled with shame and confusion, when David, having cut off the skirt of his garment, held it up to him; by which he was convinced that his life was in his hands, and he did not take it away, though he was seeking after his: and so it will fare with the enemies of Christ, the Jews; who sought to take away his life and did take it away, when they shall see him come in the clouds of heaven, whom they have pierced; and in like manner will it be with the enemies of all his people, whom nothing will content but their lives, when they shall see the lambs they have worried and butchered on Christ's right hand, and they on the left; and to the sheep said, Come, ye blessed; and to them, Go, ye cursed,

Matthew 25:34;

let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt; as Saul did David's, even when he made the most specious show of affection and respect unto him, as well as when he more openly persecuted him; and more than once was he turned back with shame, and departed home; see 1 Samuel 24:22. The Jews, that came to apprehend Christ, together with the Roman soldiers, and who had devised and intended his hurt, went backward, and fell to the ground with shame and confusion, when, having asked them who they sought, and they had replied, told them he was the person; and how often has it been, that when wicked men have devised, deceitful matters against the members of Christ, that their counsel has been carried headlong, they have not been able to perform their enterprises; a hook has been put into their nose, and a bridle in their jaws, and they have been turned back the way they came, with shame and disgrace.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Let them be confounded - That is, Let them, through Thy gracious interposition in my behalf, be so entirely overcome and subdued that they shall be “ashamed” that they ever made the effort to destroy me; let them see so manifestly that God is on my side that they will be covered with confusion for having opposed one who was so entirely the object of the divine protection and care. See Psalms 6:10, note; Psalms 25:2-3, notes. Compare the notes at Job 6:20.

That seek after my soul - My life. That seek to destroy me.

Let them be turned back - In their attempts to pursue me. Do thou interpose and turn them back.

And brought to confusion - Put to shame; or made ashamed - as they are who are disappointed and thwarted in their schemes.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Psalms 35:4. Let then be confounded — Let none of their projects or devices against me succeed. Blast all their designs.

The imprecations in these verses against enemies are all legitimate. They are not against the souls or eternal welfare of those sinners, but against their schemes and plans for destroying the life of an innocent man; and the holiest Christian may offer up such prayers against his adversaries. If a man aim a blow at another with a design to take away his life, and the blow would infallibly be mortal if it took place, and the person about to be slain see that by breaking the arm of his adversary he may prevent his own death, and thus save his enemy from actual murder; it is his duty to prevent this double evil by breaking the arm of the blood-thirsty man. It is on this principle that David prays against his adversaries in the first eight verses of this Psalm.