Psalms 27:2
in Psalms 27When the wicked came upon me to devour my flesh, my enemies and foes stumbled and fell.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
When evil-doers came upon me to eat up my flesh, Even mine adversaries and my foes, they stumbled and fell.
KJV
When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
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This verse in Psalms 27
Commentary
15 notes on this verseDavid says that he does not fear, because the enemy were eating up his flesh but not his soul.
This site's exposition
my light and my salvation
on Psalms 27:1-3
Light, salvation and stronghold are three words for the LORD in one verse, and each answers the question whom shall I fear. The wicked came to devour his flesh, and his enemies and foes stumbled and fell. An army encamped and a war begun leave the heart unafraid.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
David says that he does not fear, because the enemy were eating up his flesh but not his soul.
"Whilst the guilty approach unto me to eat up my flesh" [Psalm 27:2]. Whilst the guilty come near to recognise and insult me, that they may exalt themselves above me in my change for the better; that with their reviling tooth they may consume not me, but rather my fleshly desires. "Mine enemies who trouble me." Not they only who trouble me, blaming me with a friendly intent, and wishing to recall me from my purpose, but mine enemies also. "They became weak, and fell." Whilst then they do this with the desire of defending their own opinion, they became weak to believe better things, and began to hate the word of salvation, whereby I do what displeases them.
Those who stole an advantage over me in their pursuit like wild animals and their attempts to make a meal of me while still alive, far from doing me any harm, were themselves the victims of total destruction.
Having referred to the victory in the introduction, he states these two clauses by way of narrative; lest he seem to be giving thanks needlessly, he introduces as well the reason for thanksgiving in the words "When some enemies assembled against me who were so …
The Medieval Church1 voice
"When the wicked draw near to me." And because it could be said that God is the illuminator even of enemies, therefore removing this he says that God resists them. And first he describes their attempt. Second, he presents the obstacle that befalls them, at …
8 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me,....
"If God is my salvation, in the time of trouble he shall hide me; he shall set me out of danger and above the fear of it." God will not only find out a shelter for his people in distress (as he did Jer. xxxvi. 26 ), but he will himself be their hiding-place, Ps. xxxii. His providence will, it may be, keep them safe; at least his grace will make them easy.
The Nineteenth Century6 voices
This verse records a past deliverance, and is an instance of the way in which experience should be employed to reassure our faith in times of trial. Each word is instructive. When the wicked. It is a hopeful sign for us when the wicked hate us; if our foes were godly men it would be a sore sorrow, but as for the wicked their hatred is better than their love. Even mine enemies and my foes. There were many of them, they were of different sorts, but they were unanimous in mischief and hearty in hatred.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
eat . . . my flesh-- (Job 19:22; The allusion to wild beasts illustrates their rapacity. they stumbled--"they" is emphatic; not I, but they were destroyed.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
This verse records a past deliverance, and is an instance of the way in which experience should be employed to reassure our faith in times of trial. Each word is instructive. When the wicked. It is a hopeful sign for us when the wicked hate us; if our foes were godly men it would be a sore sorrow, but as for the wicked their hatred is better than their love. Even mine enemies and my foes. There were many of them, they were of different sorts, but they were unanimous in mischief and hearty in hatred. Came upon me —advanced to the attack, leaping upon the victim like a lion upon its prey. To eat up my flesh, like cannibals they would make a full end of the man, tear him limb from limb, and make a feast for their malice. The enemies of our souls are not deficient in ferocity, they yield no quarter, and ought to have none in return. See in what danger David was; in the grip and grasp of numerous, powerful, and cruel enemies, and yet observe his perfect safety and their utter discomfiture! They stumbled and fell. God's breath blew them off their legs. There were stones in the way which they never reckoned upon, and over these they made an ignominious tumble. This was literally true in the case of our Lord in Gethsemane, when those who came to take him went backward and fell to the ground; and herein he was a prophetic representative of all wrestling believers who, rising from their knees shall, by the power of faith, throw their foes upon their faces.
This verse records a past deliverance, and is an instance of the way in which experience should be employed to reassure our faith in times of trial. Each word is instructive. When the wicked. It is a hopeful sign for us when the wicked hate us; if our foes were godly men it would be a sore sorrow, but as for the wicked their hatred is better than their love. Even mine enemies and my foes. There were many of them, they were of different sorts, but they were unanimous in mischief and hearty in hatred.
When the wicked - came upon me - Near as I appeared to you to be in danger of losing my life, I was safe enough in the hands of the Lord; and those who thought to have eaten me up, stumbled, failed of their purpose and fell; the Philistine lost his own life.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me - This refers, doubtless, to some particular period of his past life when he was in very great danger, and when God interposed to save him. The margin here is, “approached against me.” The literal rendering would be, “in the drawing near against me of the wicked to eat up my flesh.” The reference is to some period when they purposed an attack upon him, and when he was in imminent danger from such a threatened attack. To eat up my flesh - As if they would eat me up. That is, they came upon me like ravening wolves, or hungry lions. We are not to suppose that they literally purposed to eat up his flesh, or that they were cannibals; but the comparison is one that is drawn from the fierceness of wild beasts rushing on their prey. Compare Psa 14:4. They stumbled and fell - They were overthrown. They failed in their purpose. Either they were thrown into a panic by a false fear, or they were overthrown in battle. The language would be rather applicable to the former, as if by some alarm they were thrown into consternation. Either they differed among themselves and became confused, or God threw obstacles in their way and they were driven back. The general idea is, that God had interposed in some way to prevent the execution of their purposes.
The words behind it
12 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בִּקְרֹ֤ב | bikro | when drew near | H7126 → | 280 times |
| עָלַ֨י׀ | ʾalai | on me | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| מְרֵעִים֮ | mereim | evil-doers | H7489 → | 107 times |
| לֶאֱכֹ֪ל | leekhol | to devour | H398 → | 810 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בְּשָׂ֫רִ֥י | besari | flesh my | H1320 → | 270 times |
| צָרַ֣י | tzarai | opponents my | H6862 → | 109 times |
| וְאֹיְבַ֣י | veoyevai | and enemies my | H341 → | 282 times |
| לִ֑י | li | to <the> me | ||
| הֵ֖מָּה | hemah | they | H1992 → | 553 times |
| כָשְׁל֣וּ | khashelu | they stumbled | H3782 → | 62 times |
| וְנָפָֽלוּ׃ | venafalu | and they fell | H5307 → | 435 times |
בִּקְרֹ֤בwhen drew near
bikroH7126 →280 times
עָלַ֨י׀on me
ʾalaiH5921 →5755 times
מְרֵעִים֮evil-doers
mereimH7489 →107 times
לֶאֱכֹ֪לto devour
leekholH398 →810 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
בְּשָׂ֫רִ֥יflesh my
besariH1320 →270 times
צָרַ֣יopponents my
tzaraiH6862 →109 times
וְאֹיְבַ֣יand enemies my
veoyevaiH341 →282 times
לִ֑יto <the> me
li
הֵ֖מָּהthey
hemahH1992 →553 times
כָשְׁל֣וּthey stumbled
khasheluH3782 →62 times
וְנָפָֽלוּ׃and they fell
venafaluH5307 →435 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 22:16For dogs surround me; a band of evil men encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet.
it leads to
- John 19:37
And, as another Scripture says: “They will look on the One they have pierced.”
- Zechariah 12:10
Then I will pour out on the house of David and on the people of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and prayer, and they will look on Me, the One they have pierced. They…
- Matthew 27:35
When they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments by casting lots.
- John 20:25
So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands, and put my finger where the nails have been, and put…
- John 19:23
When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they divided His garments into four parts, one for each soldier, with the tunic remaining. It was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.
- John 19:37
Through
Psalms 3:7Arise, O LORD! Save me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked.
it leads to
- Psalms 58:6
O God, shatter their teeth in their mouths; O LORD, tear out the fangs of the lions.
- Job 29:17
I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth.
- Job 16:10
They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join together against me.
- Psalms 58:6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Psalms
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrose of Milan, Concerning Repentance 1.14.77; Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 27; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 2; Diodorus of Tarsus, COMMENTARY ON PSALM 27; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 27:3 and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.