Psalms 69:23

Psa 69:23 Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake.

Ver. 23. Let their eyes be darkened] Let them be infatuated and besotted, that they may go hoodwinked to hell.

And make their loins continually to shake] Ne fugiant, saith R. Obadiah Gaon, that they may not be able to fly, or otherwise to help themselves; for in the loins and reins of a man lieth his strength, Deu 33:11. The Syriac hath it, Lumbi eorum sint curvi, viz. under their enemies’ burdens. See Rom 11:10, bow down their backs.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Psa 69:23. Let their eyes, &c. — Their eyes shall be darkened — Not the eyes of their bodies, (for, in that sense, the prediction was neither accomplished in David’s nor in Christ’s enemies,) but of their minds, that they will not discern God’s truth, nor their own duty, nor the way of peace and salvation. As they shut their eyes and will not see, so they shall be judicially blinded. This was most solemnly threatened, or rather foretold, Isa 6:9-12, and most awfully fulfilled: see the margin. “They who loved darkness rather than light,” says Dr. Horne, “were permitted by the righteous judgment of God to go on in darkness, while the blind led the blind. And such still continues to be the state of the Jews, notwithstanding that intolerable weight of wo which made their loins to shake, and bowed down their backs to the earth. The veil remaineth yet upon their hearts, in the reading of the Old Testament, nor can they see therein the things which belong to their peace.”

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

24. (Psa 69:23). Let their eyes darken, i.e. be or grow dark, from seeing, so as not to see, and their loins do thou cause to bend, give way, or swerve, i.e. paralyse their strength. See above, on Psa 66:9. The first clause probably does not refer to blindness, but either to the dimness of the eyes in death, or to darkness as a figure for calamity in general.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (1850) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Take both judgment and power from them, Acts 1:20.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

continually to shake--literally, "to swerve" or bend in weakness.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

23. Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see. The Psalmist here refers chiefly to two powers of the body, those of the eyes and of the loins; and I have no hesitation in considering his language as a prayer that God would deprive his enemies of reason and understanding, and at the same time enfeeble their strength, that they might be altogether unfitted for exerting themselves in any way. We know how indispensable it is, in order to the doing of any thing aright, that counsel go before to give light, and that there should also be added the power of putting what is purposed into execution. The curse here expressed impends over the heads of all the enemies of the Church; and, therefore, we have no reason to be terrified at the malice or fury of the wicked. God, whenever he pleases, can strike them suddenly with blindness, that they may see nothing, and by breaking their loins, lay them prostrate in shame and confusion.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(23) Their eyes.—The darkened eyes and trembling limbs (comp. Nah_2:10; Dan_5:6) are expressive of terror and dismay.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

23. Let the eyes which gloated over another’s misfortunes be blinded: let the limbs which are the seat of the strength they have abused be palsied.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not,.... Not literally, the eyes of their bodies; but figuratively, the eyes of their understanding; which were so darkened, and they given up to such judicial blindness, that they could not discern the signs of the times that the Messiah must be come, Daniel's weeks being up; could not see any glory, excellency, and comeliness in Christ; could not see the evidence of the Messiahship of Jesus in the miracles he wrought; nor in the prophecies of the Old Testament fulfilled in him: that book was a sealed book unto them; the Gospel, and the doctrines of it, were hid from them, even from the wise and prudent among them; yea, also those things which belonged to their temporal peace; they were so blinded and infatuated, they could not see what was for their outward good and happiness: and, in proof of this their blindness, the words are cited by the apostle in Rom 11:7; see Mat 16:3;

and make their loins continually to shake; weaken their loins, in which a man's strength lies, that they may not be able to rise up against their enemies; and that they might not be able to flee and escape from them; see Deu 33:11; or fill them with horror, dread, and trembling, as they will be when Christ shall come in the clouds of heaven; and they shall see him whom they have pierced, Rev 1:7. The apostle renders the words "bow down their back alway"; See Gill on Rom 11:10.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Their eyes; not the eyes of their bodies, (for so this was not accomplished in David’s nor in Christ’s enemies,) but of their minds, that they may not discern God’s truth, nor their own duty, nor the way of peace and salvation. Punish them in their own kind; as they shut their eyes and would not see, so do thou judicially blind them. This was threatened and inflicted upon the Jews, Isa 6:10; Joh 12:39,40.

Their loins: this also belongs to the loins of their minds or souls; of which we read Luk 12:35; 1Pe 1:13. The loins of the body are the seat of strength, and the great instrument of bodily motions and actions; which being applied to the mind, the sense may be, either,

1. Take away their courage and alacrity, and give them up to pusillanimity, and terror, and despair; or rather,

2. Take away their strength and ability for spiritual actions. In the former branch, he wisheth that they may not be able to see or choose their way; and here, that they may not be able to walk in it, nor to execute the good counsels which others may give them. As, on the other side, when God gives men strength, they are able not only to walk, but to run in the ways of God, Psa 119:32; Son 1:4; Isa 40:31.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ver. 23. Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not. They shall wander in a darkness that may be felt. They have loved darkness rather than light, and in darkness they shall abide. Judicial blindness fell upon Israel after our Lord's death and their persecution of his apostles; they were blinded by the light which they would not accept. Eyes which see no beauty in the Lord Jesus, but flash wrath upon him, may well grow yet more dim, till death spiritual leads to death eternal.

And make their loins continually to shake. Their conscience shall be so ill at ease that they shall continually quiver with fear; their backs shall bend to the earth (so some read it) with grovelling avarice, and their strength shall be utterly paralysed, so that they cannot walk firmly, but shall totter at every step. See the terrifying, degrading, and enfeebling influence of unbelief. See also the retaliation of justice: those who will not see shall not see; those who would not walk in uprightness shall be unable to do so.

Ver. 23-28. He denounces ten plagues, or effects of God's wrath, to come upon them for their wickedness. David Dickson.

Ver. 23. The judicial curse which falls on some despisers of Christ; their understandings fail to perceive the truth; and they tremble because they are unable to receive strengthening comforts.

Psalms 69:24*

Ver. 23-28. He denounces ten plagues, or effects of God's wrath, to come upon them for their wickedness. David Dickson.

Ver. 23-28. He denounces ten plagues, or effects of God's wrath, to come upon them for their wickedness. David Dickson.

Ver. 23-28. He denounces ten plagues, or effects of God's wrath, to come upon them for their wickedness. David Dickson.

Ver. 23-28. He denounces ten plagues, or effects of God's wrath, to come upon them for their wickedness. David Dickson.

Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

23. Let their eyes be darkened—The Hebrew verb is simply in Kal, future, as in the preceding verse, and should be rendered, Their eyes shall be darkened; the darkness being that of the mind, and the fruit of perversity. Men become blinded by evil desire, passion, and prejudice, and in this state rush madly on to ruin, God, meanwhile, withdrawing his Spirit in judgment. See Rom_1:21-26; 2Th_2:9-12.

Their loins… shake—That is, through fear and apprehension, as not knowing whom to trust. See Psa_69:22. “Loins” are here mentioned as the foundation of a man’s strength. Paul quotes it: “Bow down their back alway,” which would be only the effect of weakness and trembling of the “loins” and limbs. Rom_11:10

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not. This may be taken either literally, "let blindness come upon those who have so misused their eyes;" or metaphorically, "let their understandings, which they have partially blinded, be wholly darkened." And make their loins continually to shake. Deprive them of the strength whereof they have boasted, and which they have misapplied.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Eyes - Not the eyes of their bodies, but of their minds: as they that shut their eyes and will not see, so they shall be judicially blinded. To shake - To take away their strength.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

and for peace When they hope for peace, may their peace be turned into a snare.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.