Psalms 35:26
in Psalms 35May those who gloat in my distress be ashamed and confounded; may those who exalt themselves over me be clothed in shame and reproach.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Let them be put to shame and confounded together that rejoice at my hurt: Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor that magnify themselves against me.
KJV
Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.
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This verse in Psalms 35
Commentary
14 notes on this verseLet them be ashamed - This may be a prophetic declaration against Saul and his courtiers. They were ashamed, confounded, clothed with shame, and dishonored. All these took place in Saul’s last battle with the Philistines, where he lost his crown and his life, and came to a most dishonorable end.
This site's exposition
We have swallowed him up
on Psalms 35:25-26
The enemies' triumph is put into their own mouths so that it can be refused, We have swallowed him up. Verse 26 returns to the words of verse 4, shame and confusion asked on the men who gloat. Shame is asked as clothing they will wear.
This site's exposition
those who exalt themselves over me
Exalt themselves over me describes men who hoped to rise on his ruin, in Albert Barnes's reading. Evagrius Ponticus set the clothing of shame against baptism, in which believers put on Christ. Theodoret of Cyrus called shame the fitting wage of mockery.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
Shame is fitting for those who mock their neighbor; thus the inspired author calls it down on their arrogance and boasting.
One who blushes over his own acts is condemned by his own evaluation; one who is confined by the chain of embarrassment serves as his own tormentor.
Those who are baptized into Christ put on Christ; this is justice and wisdom. Those who are baptized into Satan are clothed in confusion and shame.
"Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour" [Psalm 35:26]; so that we may swallow up them ashamed and brought to confusion. "Who speak evil against me:" let them be ashamed, let them be brought to confusion.
The Medieval Church1 voice
"Let them blush." Here he asks for their confusion; and he asks for two things corresponding to the two aforesaid things about which insult is made: namely about things done and things to be done. First, he asks that they be confounded about evils already …
6 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Turba Remi sequitur fortunam, ut semper, et odit damnatos--The Roman crowd, varying their opinions with every turn of fortune, are sure to execrate the fallen. Thus, when the Son of David was run upon by the rulers, the people cried, Crucify him, crucify him.
9 And my soul shall be joyful in the L ORD : it shall rejoice in his salvation. 10 All my bones shall say, L ORD , who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:92%@v9-10
Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Here is the eternal result of all the laborious and crafty devices of the Lord's enemies. God will make little of them, though they "magnified themselves;" he will shame them for shaming his people, bring them to confusion for making confusion, pull off their fine apparel and give them a beggarly suit of dishonour, and turn all their rejoicing into weeping and wailing, and gnashing of teeth. Truly, the saints can afford to wait.
Here is the eternal result of all the laborious and crafty devices of the Lord's enemies. God will make little of them, though they "magnified themselves;" he will shame them for shaming his people, bring them to confusion for making confusion, pull off their fine apparel and give them a beggarly suit of dishonour, and turn all their rejoicing into weeping and wailing, and gnashing of teeth. Truly, the saints can afford to wait.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Let them be ashamed ... - See the notes at Psa 35:4. That magnify themselves against me - Who seek to exalt themselves over me; to make themselves great by humbling and destroying me. They hope to rise on my ruin.
The words behind it
10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יֵ֘בֹ֤שׁוּ | yevoshu | may they be ashamed | H954 → | 127 times |
| וְיַחְפְּר֨וּ׀ | veyachperu | and they may be abashed | H2659 → | 17 times |
| יַחְדָּו֮ | yachdav | altogether | H3162 → | 141 times |
| שְׂמֵחֵ֪י | semechei | [the] [people] joyful of | H8056 → | 21 times |
| רָעָ֫תִ֥י | raati | distress my | H7451 → | 662 times |
| יִֽלְבְּשׁוּ־ | yilbeshu- | may they be clothed | H3847 → | 110 times |
| בֹ֥שֶׁת | voshet | shame | H1322 → | 30 times |
| וּכְלִמָּ֑ה | ukhelimah | and ignominy | H3639 → | 30 times |
| הַֽמַּגְדִּילִ֥ים | hamagdilim | who magnify themselves | H1431 → | 117 times |
| עָלָֽי׃ | ʾalai | on me | H5921 → | 5755 times |
יֵ֘בֹ֤שׁוּmay they be ashamed
yevoshuH954 →127 times
וְיַחְפְּר֨וּ׀and they may be abashed
veyachperuH2659 →17 times
יַחְדָּו֮altogether
yachdavH3162 →141 times
שְׂמֵחֵ֪י[the] [people] joyful of
semecheiH8056 →21 times
רָעָ֫תִ֥יdistress my
raatiH7451 →662 times
יִֽלְבְּשׁוּ־may they be clothed
yilbeshu-H3847 →110 times
בֹ֥שֶׁתshame
voshetH1322 →30 times
וּכְלִמָּ֑הand ignominy
ukhelimahH3639 →30 times
הַֽמַּגְדִּילִ֥יםwho magnify themselves
hamagdilimH1431 →117 times
עָלָֽי׃on me
ʾalaiH5921 →5755 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
Job 8:22Your enemies will be clothed in shame, and the tent of the wicked will be no more.”
it leads to
- Psalms 109:29
May my accusers be clothed with disgrace; may they wear their shame like a robe.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 132:18
I will clothe his enemies with shame, but the crown upon him will gleam.”
- Job 18:14
He is torn from the shelter of his tent and is marched off to the king of terrors.
- Psalms 109:29
Through
Isaiah 41:11Behold, all who rage against you will be ashamed and disgraced; those who contend with you will be reduced to nothing and will perish.
it leads to
- Exodus 23:22
But if you will listen carefully to his voice and do everything I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and a foe to your foes.
- Isaiah 45:24
Surely they will say of Me, ‘In the LORD alone are righteousness and strength.’” All who rage against Him will come to Him and be put to shame.
- Revelation 3:9
Look at those who belong to the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews but are liars instead. I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and they will know…
- Isaiah 54:17
No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their vindication is from Me,” declares the…
- Acts 16:39
They came to appease them and led them out, requesting that they leave the city.
- Exodus 23:22
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Psalms
This page draws on 14 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; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 35; Cassiodorus, EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 35:26; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 2; Evagrius Ponticus, NOTES ON THE PSALMS; Evagrius Ponticus, NOTES ON THE PSALMS 34[35].26; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS; Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 35:12 and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.