For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer.
Parallel translations
- WEB In return for my love, they are my adversaries; but I am in prayer.
- BSB In return for my love they accuse me, but I am a man of prayer.
- ESV In return for my love they accuse me, but I give myself to prayer.
- NKJV In return for my love they are my accusers, But I give myself to prayer.
- NASB In return for my love they act as my accusers; But I am in prayer.
- NLT I love them, but they try to destroy me with accusations even as I am praying for them!
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
In return for David's love, his enemies accuse him, but he gives himself to prayer.
Overview
Though David has shown love, his enemies repay him with hostility and accusation, yet his response is to pray. He answers slander not with retaliation but by turning to God. This is a striking foreshadowing of Christ, who loved his enemies and prayed for those who crucified him, embodying the very heart of the gospel.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Ps 38:20They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is.
- Ps 69:12–13They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.
- Luke 23:34Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
- 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 55:16–17As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.
- Luke 6:11–12And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.
- Ps 35:12They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.
- John 10:32Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
- 2 Cor 12:15And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
- Dan 6:10Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
- 2 Sam 15:31–32And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
- 2 Sam 13:39And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 109:4 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.