Enemy

How Nave’s arranged it

• General scriptures concerningExodus 23:5Job 31:29Job 31:30Psalms 35:1–28Proverbs 24:17Proverbs 24:18Proverbs 25:21Proverbs 25:22Matthew 5:43–48Luke 6:27–36Romans 12:14Romans 12:20
• The wickedness of David'sPsalms 56:5Psalms 57:4Psalms 57:6Psalms 62:4Psalms 69:4Psalms 69:9Psalms 71:10Psalms 102:8Psalms 109:2–5Psalms 129:1–3
• His imprecations against
• See Prayer, Imprecatory
• Instances of forgiveness of
• David, of Absalom, and co-conspirators2 Samuel 19:62 Samuel 19:122 Samuel 19:13
• Jesus, of his persecutorsLuke 23:34
• Stephen, of his murderersActs 7:60

The passages, in Bible order (27)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 16 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. Exodus 23:5

   If you see the donkey of one who hates you fallen under its load, do not leave it there; you must help him with it.

   ›Commentary on Exodus 23:51 voice

   “The Lord tells us to relieve and lighten the burden of beasts of burden, even when they belong to our enemies. He is teaching us at a distance not to take pleasure in the misfortunes of others and not to laugh at our enemies. He wants to teach those who have exercised themselves in these disciplines to pray for their enemies.

   Everything gathered on Exodus 23:5→

   Verse page →Original language →

2. 2 Samuel 19:6

   You love those who hate you and hate those who love you! For you have made it clear today that the commanders and soldiers mean nothing to you. I know today that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead, it would have pleased you!

   Verse page →Original language →

3. 2 Samuel 19:12

   You are my brothers, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to restore the king?’

   Verse page →Original language →

4. 2 Samuel 19:13

   And say to Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my flesh and blood? May God punish me, and ever so severely, if from this time you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab!’”

   ›Commentary on 2 Samuel 19:131 voice

   “Of my bone ... - Render as in preceding verse, “art thou not my bone and my flesh?” It is curious to note how the phrase is used in 2Sa 5:1 of common descent from Israel, in 2Sa 19:12 of the closer kindred of the tribe of Judah, and in this verse of the yet nearer kindred between David and Amasa his sister’s son. Captain ... in the room of Joab - It is very plain that David felt the weight of Joab’s overbearing influence to be very oppressive (compare 2Sa 19:22; 2Sa 3:39; 2Sa 16:10).

   Everything gathered on 2 Samuel 19:13→

   Verse page →Original language →

5. Job 31:29

   If I have rejoiced in my enemy’s ruin, or exulted when evil befell him—

   ›Commentary on Job 31:292 voices

   “If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found me. That we are disciples of Almighty God, the keeping of charity is the only proof. For it is hence that Truth saith by Itself, By this shall all men know that ye are My Disciples, if ye have love one toward another. Which same love, if it really fills our heart, is wont to be exhibited in two ways; viz. if we at once love our friends in God, and our enemies for God.

   “If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me - Job here introduces another class of offences, of which he says he was innocent. The subject referred to is the proper treatment of those who injure us. In respect to this, he says that he was entirely conscious of freedom from exultation when calamity came upon a foe, and that he had never even wished him evil in his heart. The word “destruction” here, means calamity, disappointment, or affliction of any kind. It had never been pleasant to him to see one who hated him suffer.

   Everything gathered on Job 31:29→

   Verse page →Original language →

6. Job 31:30

   I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse—

   ›Commentary on Job 31:302 voices

   “Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul. For he would sin, if he were to desire that to be done by God, which he himself either could not at all be able to do, or if he could it would not be in any wise right. For they who assail an enemy with curses, what other thing do they wish God to do in his case, but what they are either unable or ashamed to do themselves?

   “He never wished a curse to his soul (curses to the soul are the worst of curses), never desired his death; he knew that, if he did, it would turn into sin to him. He was careful not to offend with his tongue ( Ps. xxxix. 1 ), would not suffer his mouth to sin, and therefore durst not imprecate any evil, no, not to his worst enemy.

   Everything gathered on Job 31:30→

   Verse page →Original language →

7. Psalms 35:1–28

   Contend with my opponents, O LORD; fight against those who fight against me.

   ›Commentary on Psalms 35:1–282 voices

   "Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me." Plead against those who plead against me; strive with my strivers; contend with my contenders. If they urge their suit in the law-court, Lord, meet them there, and beat them at their own weapons. Every saint of God shall have this privilege: the accuser of the brethren shall be met by the Advocate of the saints. "Fight against them that fight against me." If my adversaries try force as well as fraud, be a match for them; oppose thy strength to their strength.

   “This statement, as has been noted, refers to the devil and his followers.… For when he gives the command, "pray for your enemies," this statement does not apply to people. Thus, he asks that they be condemned whom he knows by virtue of his foreknowledge …

   Everything gathered on Psalms 35:1–28→

   Verse page →Original language →

8. Psalms 56:5

   All day long they twist my words; all their thoughts are on my demise.

   ›Commentary on Psalms 56:52 voices

   “Every day they wrest my words. This is a common mode of warfare among the ungodly. They put our language on the rack, they extort meanings from it which it cannot be made fairly to contain. Thus our Saviour's prophecy concerning the temple of his body, and countless accusations against his servants, were founded on wilful perversions. They who do this every day become great adepts in the art. A wolf can always find in a lamb's discourse a reason for eating him. Prayers are blasphemies if you choose to read them the wrong way upwards.

   “Every day they wrest my words,.... Form, fashion, and shape them at their pleasure; construe them, and put what sense upon them they think fit. The word (u) is used of the formation of the human body, in Job 10:8; They put his words upon the rack, and made them speak what he never intended; as some men wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction, 2Pe 3:16; and as the Jews wrested the words of Christ, Joh 2:

   Everything gathered on Psalms 56:5→

   Verse page →Original language →

9. Psalms 57:4

   My soul is among the lions; I lie down with ravenous beasts— with men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.

   ›Commentary on Psalms 57:42 voices

   “My soul is among lions. He was a very Daniel. Howled at, hunted, wounded, but not slain. His place was in itself one of extreme peril, and yet faith made him feel himself secure, so that he could lie down. The cave may have reminded him of a lion's den, and Saul and his band shouting and yelling in their disappointment at missing him, were the lions; yet beneath the divine shelter he finds himself safe. And I lie even among them that are set on fire.

   “My soul is among lions,.... Not literally understood; though such there might be in the wildernesses where he sometimes was; but figuratively, men comparable to lions, for their stoutness, courage, strength, fierceness, and cruelty; meaning not his own men, as some think, who were fierce, and of keen resentment against Saul, and would fain have killed him when he was in the cave, had they not been restrained by David, 1Sa 24:4; but Saul, and those with him, who were three thousand chosen men, stout, courageous, fierce, and furious.

   Everything gathered on Psalms 57:4→

   Verse page →Original language →

10. Psalms 57:6

    They spread a net for my feet; my soul was despondent. They dug a pit before me, but they themselves have fallen into it! Selah

    ›Commentary on Psalms 57:62 voices

    “They have prepared a net for my steps. The enemies of the godly spare no pains, but go about their wicked work with the coolest deliberation. As for each sort of fish, or bird, or beast, a fitting net is needed, so do the ungodly suit their net to their victim's circumstances and character with a careful craftiness of malice. Whatever David might do, and whichever way he might turn, his enemies were ready to entrap him in some way or other. My soul is bowed down.

    “They have prepared a net for my steps,.... They laid snares for him, as the fowler does for the bird, in order to take him.

    Everything gathered on Psalms 57:6→

    Verse page →Original language →

11. Psalms 62:4

    They fully intend to cast him down from his lofty perch; they delight in lies; with their mouths they bless, but inwardly they curse. Selah

    ›Commentary on Psalms 62:42 voices

    "But they have thought to cast away my price; they ran in thirst: they blessed with their mouth but cursed with their heart." The price of [humanity's redemption] is the blood of Christ: "You have been bought," it is said, "with a price; do not become the slaves of people." The soldiers of Satan planned, therefore, to make this price useless to us, leading again into slavery those who had once been freed. "They ran in thirst." He is speaking of the eager plots of the demons, because they run against us, thirsting for our destruction.

    “They only consult to cast him down from his excellency,.... Either from the excellency of God, from his greatness, and from his height, as Kimchi; or from his grace, as the Arabic version: that is, they consulted to discourage him from looking to God, his rock and fortress, and from trusting in him; or rather, from his own excellency, from what high estate of dignity and honour he was advanced to, or designed for, namely his kingly office.

    Everything gathered on Psalms 62:4→

    Verse page →Original language →

12. Psalms 69:4

    Those who hate me without cause outnumber the hairs of my head; many are those who would destroy me— my enemies for no reason. Though I did not steal, I must repay.

    ›Commentary on Psalms 69:42 voices

    They that hate me. Surprising sin that men should hate the altogether lovely one, truly is it added, without a cause, for reason there was none for this senseless enmity. He neither blasphemed God, nor injured man. As Samuel said: "Whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed?" Even so might Jesus enquire. Besides, he had not only done us no evil, but he had bestowed countless and priceless benefits. Well might he demand, "For which of these works do ye stone me?"

    Christ did not speak deceitfully but displayed all justice and humility. He did not suffer that kind of death [crucifixion] for anything he had done but so that those things that the prophets had predicted would happen to him through you as the very Spirit of Christ already foretold in the Psalms, saying, "They repaid me evil instead of good"; "What I had not taken, I repaid"; "They pierced my hands and feet"; "They put gall in my drink, and they satisfied my thirst with vinegar"; and "They cast lots for my clothing."

    Everything gathered on Psalms 69:4→

    Verse page →Original language →

13. Psalms 69:9

    because zeal for Your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult You have fallen on me.

    ›Commentary on Psalms 69:91 voice

    “For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. His burning ardour, like the flame of a candle, fed on his strength and consumed it. His heart, like a sharp sword, cut through the scabbard. Some men are eaten up with lechery, others with covetousness, and a third class with pride, but the master passion with our great leader was the glory of God, jealousy for his name, and love to the divine family.

    Everything gathered on Psalms 69:9→

    Verse page →Original language →

14. Psalms 71:10

    For my enemies speak against me, and those who lie in wait for my life conspire,

    ›Commentary on Psalms 71:101 voice

    “For mine enemies speak against, me,.... Or "say unto me" (y) what is expressed in the following verse, "God hath forsaken him"; and so these words are a reason of the above petitions: or "mine enemies speak to me"; or "of me" (z); not good, but evil, and so the Targum paraphrases it, "for mine enemies speak evil against me;'' or concerning me.

    Everything gathered on Psalms 71:10→

    Verse page →Original language →

15. Psalms 102:8

    All day long my enemies taunt me; they ridicule me and curse me.

    ›Commentary on Psalms 102:82 voices

    “Mine enemies reproach me all the day,.... For his principles and practices, being different from theirs; for his religion, and preciseness in it; for his faith and profession of it, and for his holy walk and conversation.

    “In this they were unwearied; they did it all the day; it was a continual dropping. His enemies were very outrageous: They are mad against me, and very obstinate and implacable. They are sworn against me; as the Jews that bound themselves with an oath that they would kill Paul; or, They have sworn against me as accusers, to take away my life.

    Everything gathered on Psalms 102:8→

    Verse page →Original language →

16. Psalms 109:2–5

    For wicked and deceitful mouths open against me; they speak against me with lying tongues.

    ›Commentary on Psalms 109:2–51 voice

    “For the mouth of the sinner and the mouth of the deceitful man has been opened against me. Let us see how the mouth of Judas the betrayer was opened against the Lord. He comes to the Lord in order to betray him, and he says: Rabbi — that is, master. Behold, the mouth of the sinner and the mouth of the deceitful man. I in my clemency wish to save him, and I offer him a kiss, and I wish to overcome his malice; yet he persists in doing evil, so as to betray me.

    Everything gathered on Psalms 109:2–5→

    Verse page →Original language →