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May those who gloat in my distress be ashamed and confounded; may those who exalt themselves over me be clothed in shame and reproach.
Psalms 35:26 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB Let them be disappointed and confounded together who rejoice at my calamity. Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me.
  • KJV Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.
  • NKJV Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion Who rejoice at my hurt; Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor Who exalt themselves against me.
  • NASB May those be ashamed and altogether humiliated who rejoice at my distress; May those who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and dishonor.
  • NLT May those who rejoice at my troubles be humiliated and disgraced. May those who triumph over me be covered with shame and dishonor.

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 asks that those who rejoice at his calamity be put to shame and clothed in dishonor. He commits judgment of arrogant foes to God.

Overview

David prays that the malicious who 'magnify themselves' over him be themselves humiliated, leaving vengeance to the Lord rather than taking it himself (Romans 12:19). Such imprecatory prayers express zeal for God's justice against unrepentant evil. They are answered finally in the righteous judgment of God, while the gospel still holds out mercy to enemies who repent and trust Christ.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 15

  • Job 8:22Your enemies will be clothed in shame, and the tent of the wicked will be no more.”
  • Ps 38:16For I said, “Let them not gloat over me—those who taunt me when my foot slips.”
  • Job 19:5If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me and use my disgrace against me,
  • Ps 132:18I will clothe his enemies with shame, but the crown upon him will gleam.”
  • Isa 41:11Behold, all who rage against you will be ashamed and disgraced; those who contend with you will be reduced to nothing and will perish.
  • Isa 65:13–15Therefore 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.
  • Jer 48:26“Make him drunk, because he has magnified himself against the LORD; so Moab will wallow in his own vomit, and he will also become a laughingstock.
  • Ps 40:14–15May those who seek my life be ashamed and confounded; may those who wish me harm be repelled and humiliated.
  • Ps 129:5May all who hate Zion be turned back in shame.
  • Ps 35:4May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plan to harm me be driven back and confounded.
  • Ps 71:13May the accusers of my soul be ashamed and consumed; may those who seek my harm be covered with scorn and disgrace.
  • Ps 55:12For it is not an enemy who insults me; that I could endure. It is not a foe who rises against me; from him I could hide.
  • Dan 11:36Then the king will do as he pleases and will exalt and magnify himself above every god, and he will speak monstrous things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been decreed must be accomplished.
  • 1 Pet 5:5Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
  • Ps 109:28–29Though they curse, You will bless. When they rise up, they will be put to shame, but Your servant will rejoice.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (2)

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 35:26YouTube · 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 35:26 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.