When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.
Parallel translations
- WEB Their judges are thrown down by the sides of the rock. They will hear my words, for they are well spoken.
- BSB When their rulers are thrown down from the cliffs, the people will listen to my words, for they are pleasant.
- NKJV Their judges are overthrown by the sides of the cliff, And they hear my words, for they are sweet.
- NASB Their judges are thrown down by the sides of the rock, And they hear my words, for they are pleasant.
- NLT When their leaders are thrown down from a cliff, the wicked will listen to my words and find them true.
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
When the wicked judges fall, the people will heed David's well-spoken words. It anticipates the vindication of truth once evil rulers are overthrown.
Overview
This verse is difficult and variously interpreted, but it broadly pictures the downfall of corrupt leaders and the eventual hearing of David's righteous words. The fall of unjust authority opens the way for truth to be received. Faithful readers see here a foreshadowing of God's overturning of all unjust powers under Christ's righteous reign.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- 2 Chr 25:12And other ten thousand left alive did the children of Judah carry away captive, and brought them unto the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, that they all were broken in pieces.
- 2 Sam 5:1–3Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.
- 1 Sam 31:1–8Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.
- 2 Sam 1:17–27And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:
- 2 Sam 2:4–6And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabeshgilead were they that buried Saul.
- 1 Chr 13:2And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good unto you, and that it be of the LORD our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren every where, that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us:
- Ps 45:2Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.
- Luke 4:22And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?
- 1 Chr 11:1–3Then all Israel gathered themselves to David unto Hebron, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.
- 2 Sam 23:1Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,
- 1 Chr 10:1–7Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.
- 1 Chr 12:38All these men of war, that could keep rank, came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel: and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king.
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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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 141:6 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.