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They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause.
Psalms 109:3 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause.
  • BSB They surround me with hateful words and attack me without cause.
  • ESV They encircle me with words of hate, and attack me without cause.
  • NKJV They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, And fought against me without a cause.
  • NASB They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, And have fought against me without cause.
  • NLT They surround me with hateful words and fight against me for no reason.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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

They surround David with words of hatred and attack him without cause.

Overview

David is encircled by hateful speech and assaulted though he has given no reason for such enmity. The phrase 'without a cause' underscores the injustice of the attack. Jesus applied this very expression to himself, saying his enemies hated him without a cause, marking David's experience as a shadow of Christ's undeserved suffering.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 13

  • Ps 69:4They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.
  • Ps 35:7For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.
  • Ps 35:20For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.
  • Ps 88:17They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together.
  • John 15:24–25If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.
  • Ps 17:11They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth;
  • 1 Sam 26:18And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand?
  • Ps 59:3–4For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O LORD.
  • Ps 22:12Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
  • 1 Sam 19:4–5And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward very good:
  • 2 Sam 16:7–8And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial:
  • 2 Sam 15:12And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.
  • Hos 11:12Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (4)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Psalms videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Psalms 109:3YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on PsalmsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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 109:3 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

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.