Psalms 71:13

Psa 71:13 Let them be confounded [and] consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered [with] reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.

Ver. 13. Let them be confounded and consumed] Here he beginneth diris devovere, to devote his foes to destruction, who soon also found that these were not bruta fulmina, as the pope’s bulls are (wittily compared by one to a fool’s dagger, rattling and snapping without an edge), but that there was an energy in them, though haply not felt for present; and that they had better have angered all the witches in the country than occasioned David thus to curse them in the name of the Lord.

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.

Ver. 13. Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul. It will be all this to them to see thy servant preserved; their envy and malice, when disappointed, will fill them with life consuming bitterness. The defeat of their plans shall nonplus them, they shall be confounded as they enquire the reason for their overthrow; the men they seek to destroy seem so weak, and their cause so contemptible, that they will be filled with amazement as they see them not only survive all opposition, but even surmount it. How confounded must Pharaoh have been when Israel multiplied, despite his endeavours to exterminate the race; and how consumed with rage must the Scribes and Pharisees have become when they saw the gospel spreading from land to land by the very means which they used for its destruction.

Let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt. He would have their shame made visible to all eyes, by their wearing it in their blushes as a mantle. They would have made a laughing stock of the believer, if his God had forsaken him; therefore, let unbelief and atheism be made a public scoffing in their persons.

Ver. 13. Let them be confounded, etc. Let them, who were so wicked that they never hoped anything good of me, be confounded by the evidence of the blessings which manifestly fall upon me; and, let them fail, the grounds of their abuse being taken away, as a fire fails when the fagots are removed. Gerhohus.

Ver. 13. Let them be confounded, etc. By the law of retaliation (talio), he might have said: "Be thou an adversary to their souls, and seek their hurt." Nothing of this is hinted at: his only desire is that they may be confounded and fail, that they may be covered with disgrace and shame. He seeks nothing beyond the frustration of their attempts, that they may begin to be ashamed, and have no cause for boasting that they came off victorious. Musculus.

Ver. 13. Shame ariseth from utter disappointments. If hope deferred causeth shame, then much more hope destroyed. When a man sees his hopes quite cut off, so that he can no way reach the thing he looked for, shame takes hold of him strongly. Joseph Caryl.

Ver. 13. That are adversaries to my soul. That hated him with a diabolical hatred, as the devil hates the souls of men, and who has his name Satan from the word here used. All wicked men are Satans, full of enmity against God and all good men; and such were David's enemies, spiteful and malicious, and nothing would satisfy them but his life. John Gill.

Ver. 13-14.

I. What the wicked gain by opposing the righteous:

Let them, etc. Ps 71:13.

II. What the righteous gain from being opposed by them,

Ps 71:14: But I, etc.

Psalms 71:14*

Ver. 13-14.

I. What the wicked gain by opposing the righteous:

Let them, etc. Ps 71:13.

II. What the righteous gain from being opposed by them,

Ps 71:14: But I, etc.

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

In view of Psa 40:15 (Psa 70:3), Psa 35:4, Psa 35:26; Psa 109:29, and other passages, the reading of יכּלמוּ, with the Syriac, instead of יכלוּ in Psa 71:13 commends itself; but there are also other instances in this Psalm of a modification of the original passages, and the course of the thoughts is now climactic: confusion, ruin (cf. Ps 6:11), and in fact ruin accompanied by reproach and shame. This is the fate that the poet desires for his deadly foes. In prospect of this he patiently composes himself, Psa 71:14 (cf. 31:25); and when righteous retribution appears, he will find new matter and ground and motive for the praise of God in addition to all such occasion as he has hitherto had. The late origin of the Psalm betrays itself again here; for instead of the praet. Hiph. הוסיף (which is found only in the Books of Kings and in Ecclesiastes), the older language made use of the praet. Ka. Without ceasing shall his mouth tell (ספּר, as in Jer 51:10) of God's righteousness, of God's salvation for he knows not numbers, i.e., the counting over or through of them (Psa 139:17.);

(Note: The lxx renders οὐκ ἔγνων πραγματείας; the Psalterium Romanum, non cognovi negotiationes; Psalt. Gallicum (Vulgate), non cognovi literaturam (instead of which the Psalt. Hebr., literaturas). According to Bttcher, the poet really means that he did not understand the art of writing.)

the divine proofs of righteousness or salvation עצמוּ מסּפּר (Psa 40:6), they are in themselves endless, and therefore the matter also which they furnish for praise is inexhaustible. He will tell those things which cannot be so reckoned up; he will come with the mighty deeds of the Lord Jahve, and with praise acknowledge His righteousness, Him alone. Since גּברות, like the New Testament δυνάμεις, usually signifies the proofs of the divine גּבוּרה (e.g., Psa 20:7), the Beth is the Beth of accompaniment, as e.g., in Psa 40:8; Psa 66:13. בּוא בּ, vernire cum, is like Arab. j'â' b (atâ), equivalent to afferre, he will bring the proofs of the divine power, this rich material, with him. It is evident from Psa 71:18. that בגברות does not refer to the poet (in the fulness of divine strength), but, together with צדקתך, forms a pair of words that have reference to God. לבדּך, according to the sense, joins closely upon the suffix of צדקתך (cf. Ps 83:19): Thy righteousness (which has been in mercy turned towards me), Thine alone (te solum = tui solius). From youth up God has instructed him, viz., in His ways (Psa 25:4), which are worthy of all praise, and hitherto (עד־הנּה, found only in this passage in the Psalter, and elsewhere almost entirely confined to prose) has he, "the taught of Jahve" (למּוּד ה), had to praise the wonders of His rule and of His leadings. May God, then, not forsake him even further on עד־זקנה ושׂיבה. The poet is already old (זקן), and is drawing ever nearer to שׂיבה, silvery, hoary old age (cf. Sa1 12:2). May God, then, in this stage of life also to which he has attained, preserve him in life and in His favour, until (עד = עד־אשׁר, as in Psa 132:5; Gen 38:11, and frequently) he shall have declared His arm, i.e., His mighty interposition in human history, to posterity (דּור), and to all who shall come (supply אשׁר), i.e., the whole of the future generation, His strength, i.e., the impossibility of thwarting His purposes. The primary passage for this is Psa 22:31.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

Psa 71:13. They shall be shamed, they shall cease (or be consumed)—the adversaries of my soul; they shall put on (or be clothed with) reproach or disgrace —the seekers of my hurt. The verbs may also be translated as optatives, let them be shamed, &c. But this is really included in the strict sense of the future. Compare the parallel passages, Psa 35:4; Psa 35:26; Psa 40:14; Psa 70:2.

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

Verse 13. Let them be confounded] They shall be confounded: these are prophetic denunciations.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

While invoking the aid of God, he at the same time prays (verse 13) that his enemies may be filled with shame until they be consumed. These words, however, may not improperly be read in the future tense; for it is frequently the practice of David, after having ended his prayer, to rise up against his enemies, and, as it were, to triumph over them. But I have followed that which seems more agreeable to the scope of the passage. Having had occasion elsewhere to explain this imprecation, it is unnecessary for me to repeat, in this place, what I have previously said.

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.

(13) Hurt.—Literally, evil.

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

Let them be confounded,.... See Psa 70:2;

and consumed; like smoke; see Psa 37:20; as antichrist will be with the breath of Christ's mouth, and the brightness of his coming, Th2 2:8;

that are adversaries to my soul; that hated him with a diabolical hatred, as the devil hates the souls of men, and who has his name "Satan" from the word here used; all wicked men are Satans, full of enmity against God, and all good men; and such were David's enemies, spiteful and malicious, and nothing would satisfy them but his life;

let them be covered with reproach and dishonour; as with a garment:

that seek my hurt; see Psa 35:26; as Absalom and his company; so Arama.

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

Let them be confounded and consumed - See the notes at the similar passage in Psa 35:4. The sentiment in this verse is the same; the language is slightly varied. See also Psa 40:14, where the same sentiment occurs.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

13. Let them be confounded—This, with some variation, forms a refrain with Psa_71:24. This is the language of desire, that of experience—the fulfilment of his prayer.

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

Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt. (comp. Psa_35:4 Psa_40:14 Psa_70:2)

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

Warning and Thanksgiving

v. 13. Let them be confounded and consumed, heaped with disgrace and delivered to utter ruin, that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered, completely enveloped, with reproach and dishonor that seek my hurt, endeavoring to carry their wickedness into practise at every opportunity.

v. 14. But I, in spite of such wicked counsels, will hope continually and will yet praise Thee more and more, knowing that there will be further occasion for expressing his thanksgiving.

v. 15. My mouth shall show forth Thy righteousness and Thy salvation all the day, v. 2. for I know not the numbers thereof; the manifestations of God’s attributes are so innumerable that one cannot keep count, and therefore the material for the praise of God is inexhaustible.

v. 16. I will go in the strength of the Lord God, come forward with His mighty deeds, try to perform the impossible in enumerating them; I will make mention of Thy righteousness, even of Thine only, joyfully confessing it everywhere and upon all occasions.

v. 17. O God, Thou hast taught me from my youth, namely, in His ways, as they agree with His holy will; and hitherto have I declared Thy wondrous works, namely, of the guidance of God in his whole life.

v. 18. Now also, when I am old and gray-headed, showing the effects of old age in his appearance, O God, forsake me not, until I have showed Thy strength, the arm of the Lord, as the symbol of His almighty power and deeds, unto this generation and Thy power to every one that is to come, publishing the mighty works of Jehovah to all whom his voice may reach.

v. 19. Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, reaching even to the height of heaven, the highest point of creation, who hast done great things, which the psalmist feels constrained to proclaim even now. O God, who is like unto Thee? The God of Israel, the supreme God, is exalted in righteousness and might over all the universe.

v. 20. Thou, which hast showed me great and sore troubles, by having him see and experience affliction and tribulation, shalt quicken me again, rather, "revive us again," for the poet now includes the entire congregation in his hymn of praise, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth, the abysses of earth standing for threatening ruin.

v. 21. Thou shalt increase my greatness, the prominence and authority of the psalmist’s office in the kingdom, and comfort me on every side, chiefly by justifying him before the enemies.

v. 22. I will also praise Thee with the psaltery, the lutelike instrument used to accompany singing, even Thy truth, O my God, the faithfulness with which the Lord keeps His promises; unto Thee will I sing with the harp, with the zither of David, O Thou Holy One of Israel.

v. 23. My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto Thee, composing and declaiming psalms in His honor; and my soul, which Thou hast redeemed, the deliverance from the troubles of this present life being the believer’s guarantee of his final redemption.

v. 24. My tongue also shall talk of Thy righteousness all the day long, v. 15; for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt. That is the proper spirit of prayer, to anticipate the Lord’s favorable answer and to praise Him in advance for all His blessings.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.