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They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.
Psalms 35:12 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB They reward me evil for good, to the bereaving of my soul.
  • BSB They repay me evil for good, to the bereavement of my soul.
  • NKJV They reward me evil for good, To the sorrow of my soul.
  • NASB They repay me evil for good, To the bereavement of my soul.
  • NLT They repay me evil for good. I am sick with despair.

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

David's enemies repay him evil for good, leaving his soul bereaved.

Overview

David grieves that his kindness has been answered with hostility, deepening his sorrow. The betrayal of returning evil for good is especially painful. This pattern of good repaid with evil reaches its climax in Christ, who did only good yet was met with hatred.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 10

  • John 10:32Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
  • Jer 18:20Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them.
  • Ps 38:20They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is.
  • Luke 23:21–23But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.
  • Prov 17:13Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
  • Ps 109:3–5They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause.
  • 1 Sam 20:31–33For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.
  • 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:
  • 1 Sam 19:15And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.
  • 1 Sam 22:13–14And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast enquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (5)

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 35:12YouTube · 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 35:12 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.