Though they curse, You will bless. When they rise up, they will be put to shame, but Your servant will rejoice.
Parallel translations
- WEB They may curse, but you bless. When they arise, they will be shamed, but your servant shall rejoice.
- KJV Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.
- ESV Let them curse, but you will bless! They arise and are put to shame, but your servant will be glad!
- NKJV Let them curse, but You bless; When they arise, let them be ashamed, But let Your servant rejoice.
- NASB They will curse, but You bless; When they arise, they will be ashamed, But Your servant will be glad.
- NLT Then let them curse me if they like, but you will bless me! When they attack me, they will be disgraced! But I, your servant, will go right on rejoicing!
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Though his enemies curse him, David trusts that God will bless, and that the foes will be shamed while God's servant rejoices. He rests in the reversal God will bring.
Overview
David sets human cursing against divine blessing and is confident which prevails. The contrast between the shamed wicked and the rejoicing servant reflects the certain outcome of God's justice. It echoes the assurance that no curse can ultimately stand against those whom God blesses (Numbers 23:8; Romans 8:31).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Num 23:20I have indeed received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot change it.
- John 16:22So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.
- Ps 109:17The cursing that he loved, may it fall on him; the blessing in which he refused to delight, may it be far from him.
- Heb 12:2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
- Num 22:12But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You are not to curse this people, for they are blessed.”
- 2 Sam 16:10–13But the king replied, “What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? If he curses me because the LORD told him, ‘Curse David,’ who can ask, ‘Why did you do this?’”
- Isa 65:13–16Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: “My servants will eat, but you will go hungry; My servants will drink, but you will go thirsty; My servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame.
- Num 23:23For there is no spell against Jacob and no divination against Israel. It will now be said of Jacob and Israel, ‘What great things God has done!’
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 109:28 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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