Psalms 69:23

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Psalms 69:23 in Multiple Translations

Berean Standard Bible BSB

May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.

King James Version KJV

Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake.

American Standard Version ASV

Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see; And make their loins continually to shake.

Bible in Basic English BBE

Let their eyes be blind so that they may not see; let their bodies for ever be shaking.

Free Bible Version FBV

May their eyes become blind so they cannot see, and may their backs always be bent low in dejection.

Geneva Bible 1599 GNV

Let their eyes be blinded that they see not: and make their loynes alway to tremble.

Young's Literal Translation YLT

Darkened are their eyes from seeing, And their loins continually shake Thou.

World English Bible WEB

Let their eyes be darkened, so that they can’t see. Let their backs be continually bent.

Noah Webster Bible WBS

Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake.

Translation for Translators T4T

I hope/desire that their eyesight will become dim so that they cannot see anything, and that their backs/bodies will become weaker and weaker.

Study Highlights

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Berean Amplified Bible — Psalms 69:23

BAB

Word Study

Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.

Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.

Psalms 69:23 Interlinear (Deep Study)

BIB

HEB יְהִֽי שֻׁלְחָנָ֣/ם לִ/פְנֵי/הֶ֣ם לְ/פָ֑ח וְ/לִ/שְׁלוֹמִ֥ים לְ/מוֹקֵֽשׁ

יְהִֽי hâyâh H1961 to be V-Qal-Juss-3ms

שֻׁלְחָנָ֣/ם shulchân H7979 table N-ms | Suff

לִ/פְנֵי/הֶ֣ם pânîym H6440 face Prep | N-cp | Suff

לְ/פָ֑ח pach H6341 snare Prep | N-ms

וְ/לִ/שְׁלוֹמִ֥ים shâlôwm H7965 Peace Conj | Prep | N-mp

לְ/מוֹקֵֽשׁ môwqêsh H4170 snare Prep | N-ms

Hebrew Word Study

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Hebrew Word Reference — Psalms 69:23

יְהִֽי hâyâh H1961 "to be" V-Qal-Juss-3ms

The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.

Definition: 1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) --- 1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass 1a1b) to come about, come to pass 1a2) to come into being, become 1a2a) to arise, appear, come 1a2b) to become 1a2b1) to become 1a2b2) to become like 1a2b3) to be instituted, be established 1a3) to be 1a3a) to exist, be in existence 1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time) 1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality) 1a3d) to accompany, be with 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about 1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone

Usage: Occurs in 3131 OT verses. KJV: beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 17:4; Genesis 36:11.

שֻׁלְחָנָ֣/ם shulchân H7979 "table" N-ms | Suff

A shulchan refers to a table, often used for meals or sacred purposes, like a king's table. It symbolizes a place of community and sharing.

Definition: 1) table 1a) table 1a1) of king's table, private use, sacred uses

Usage: Occurs in 62 OT verses. KJV: table. See also: Exodus 25:23; 1 Kings 13:20; Psalms 23:5.

לִ/פְנֵי/הֶ֣ם pânîym H6440 "face" Prep | N-cp | Suff

This word means face or presence, like being in front of someone or something. It's used in many contexts, like in Genesis, Exodus, and Psalms, to describe interactions and relationships.

Definition: : face 1) face 1a) face, faces 1b) presence, person 1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim) 1d) face (of animals) 1e) face, surface (of ground) 1f) as adv of loc/temp 1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before 1g) with prep 1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of

Usage: Occurs in 1891 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, [idiom] him(-self), [phrase] honourable, [phrase] impudent, [phrase] in, it, look(-eth) (-s), [idiom] me, [phrase] meet, [idiom] more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), [idiom] on, open, [phrase] out of, over against, the partial, person, [phrase] please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, [phrase] regard, right forth, [phrase] serve, [idiom] shewbread, sight, state, straight, [phrase] street, [idiom] thee, [idiom] them(-selves), through ([phrase] -out), till, time(-s) past, (un-) to(-ward), [phrase] upon, upside ([phrase] down), with(-in, [phrase] -stand), [idiom] ye, [idiom] you. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 43:31; Exodus 30:16.

לְ/פָ֑ח pach H6341 "snare" Prep | N-ms

This word refers to a thin, flat piece of metal, like a plate. It can also describe a net used for catching animals, spread out like a thin sheet of metal.

Definition: 1) bird trap, trap, snare 1a) bird trap (literal) 1b) of calamities, plots, source or agent of calamity (fig.)

Usage: Occurs in 25 OT verses. KJV: gin, (thin) plate, snare. See also: Exodus 39:3; Psalms 142:4; Psalms 11:6.

וְ/לִ/שְׁלוֹמִ֥ים shâlôwm H7965 "Peace" Conj | Prep | N-mp

This Hebrew word for peace, shalom, means completeness, wellness, and friendship, and is often used to describe God's relationship with humanity, as seen in the covenant with the Israelites. It encompasses physical and spiritual health, prosperity, and harmony.

Definition: This name means completeness, peace Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

Usage: Occurs in 209 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] do, familiar, [idiom] fare, favour, [phrase] friend, [idiom] great, (good) health, ([idiom] perfect, such as be at) peace(-able, -ably), prosper(-ity, -ous), rest, safe(-ty), salute, welfare, ([idiom] all is, be) well, [idiom] wholly. See also: Genesis 15:15; Esther 2:11; Psalms 4:9.

לְ/מוֹקֵֽשׁ môwqêsh H4170 "snare" Prep | N-ms

A snare or trap, this word is used to describe a device to catch animals. In the Bible, it is also used figuratively to describe being trapped by sin or temptation, as seen in the book of Proverbs.

Definition: bait, lure, snare

Usage: Occurs in 27 OT verses. KJV: be ensnared, gin, (is) snare(-d), trap. See also: Exodus 10:7; Psalms 69:23; Psalms 18:6.

Study Notes — Psalms 69:23

Show Verse Quote Highlights

Context
Cross References
Psalms 69:23 Summary
Frequently Asked Questions
Reflection Questions
Gill's Exposition on Psalms 69:23
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 69:23
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Psalms 69:23
Trapp's Commentary on Psalms 69:23
Ellicott's Commentary on Psalms 69:23
Cambridge Bible on Psalms 69:23
Whedon's Commentary on Psalms 69:23
Sermons on Psalms 69:23

Context — The Waters Are up to My Neck

21They poisoned my food with gall and gave me vinegar to quench my thirst. 22May their table become a snare; may it be a retribution and a trap.

23May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.

24Pour out Your wrath upon them, and let Your burning anger overtake them. 25May their place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in their tents.

Cross References

	Reference	Text (BSB)
1	Daniel 5:6	his face grew pale and his thoughts so alarmed him that his hips gave way and his knees knocked together.
2	Romans 11:10	May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.”
3	Isaiah 6:9–10	And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed. ”
4	Jeremiah 30:6	Ask now, and see: Can a male give birth? Why then do I see every man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor and every face turned pale?
5	John 12:39–40	For this reason they were unable to believe. For again, Isaiah says: “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they cannot see with their eyes, and understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.”
6	Isaiah 29:9–10	Stop and be astonished; blind yourselves and be sightless; be drunk, but not with wine; stagger, but not from strong drink. For the LORD has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep. He has shut your eyes, O prophets; He has covered your heads, O seers.
7	Isaiah 21:3–4	Therefore my body is filled with anguish. Pain grips me, like the pains of a woman in labor. I am bewildered to hear, I am dismayed to see. My heart falters; fear makes me tremble. The twilight of my desire has turned to horror.
8	2 Corinthians 3:14	But their minds were closed. For to this day the same veil remains at the reading of the old covenant. It has not been lifted, because only in Christ can it be removed.
9	Matthew 13:14–15	In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’
10	Deuteronomy 28:65–67	Among those nations you will find no repose, not even a resting place for the sole of your foot. There the LORD will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and a despairing soul. So your life will hang in doubt before you, and you will be afraid night and day, never certain of survival. In the morning you will say, ‘If only it were evening!’ and in the evening you will say, ‘If only it were morning!’—because of the dread in your hearts of the terrifying sights you will see.

Psalms 69:23 Summary

[This verse is a prayer that those who have hurt the psalmist would be unable to see or understand God's truth, and would be bent under the weight of their own sin, as a consequence of their actions. This is not a call for personal revenge, but rather a cry for God's justice, as seen in Psalms 7:11. The psalmist is trusting in God's sovereignty and righteousness, as stated in Psalms 37:28, and is leaving the punishment to Him, rather than taking matters into his own hands, as warned against in Romans 12:19. By looking at this verse, we can see the importance of trusting in God's justice and not seeking personal revenge, and can ask God to help us love our enemies, as taught in Matthew 5:44.]

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean for someone's eyes to be darkened so they cannot see?

This phrase, found in Psalms 69:23, is a metaphor for spiritual blindness, where a person is unable to see or understand God's truth, similar to what is described in Romans 11:10 and Matthew 13:14-15.

Is the psalmist seeking revenge when he says 'May their backs be bent forever'?

The psalmist is actually calling for God's justice to be poured out on those who have wronged him, as seen in Psalms 69:24, and is not seeking personal revenge, but rather trusting in God's sovereignty, as stated in Deuteronomy 32:41.

How can we reconcile this verse with Jesus' teachings on loving our enemies?

While Jesus does teach us to love our enemies in Matthew 5:44, this verse is a cry for God's justice and a recognition of the consequences of sin, as seen in Psalms 7:11, and is not necessarily a call for personal retaliation or hatred towards others.

What is the significance of the phrase 'May their eyes be darkened' in relation to the rest of the Psalm?

The phrase 'May their eyes be darkened' is part of a larger imprecatory prayer, where the psalmist is calling for God's judgment on those who have persecuted him, as seen in Psalms 69:22-25, and is a expression of his trust in God's justice and righteousness, as stated in Psalms 37:28.

Reflection Questions

What are some ways that I may be experiencing spiritual blindness in my own life, and how can I ask God to open my eyes to His truth?
How can I balance my desire for justice with the command to love my enemies, and what does this look like in my relationships with others?
In what ways can I trust in God's sovereignty and justice, even when I face persecution or hardship, and what promises can I hold onto from Scripture?
How can I use this verse as a reminder to pray for those who may be opposing me or persecuting me, and what can I ask God to do in their lives?

Gill's Exposition on Psalms 69:23

Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not,.... Not literally, the eyes of their bodies; but figuratively, the eyes of their understanding; which were so darkened, and they given up to such

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 69:23

Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake.

Matthew Poole's Commentary on Psalms 69:23

Their eyes; not the eyes of their bodies, (for so this was not accomplished in David’ s nor in Christ’ s enemies,) but of their minds, that they may not discern God’ s truth, nor their own duty, nor the way of peace and salvation. Punish them in their own kind; as they shut their eyes and would not see, so do thou judicially blind them. This was threatened and inflicted upon the Jews, ,40. Their loins: this also belongs to the loins of their minds or souls; of which we read . The loins of the body are the seat of strength, and the great instrument of bodily motions and actions; which being applied to the mind, the sense may be, either, 1. Take away their courage and alacrity, and give them up to pusillanimity, and terror, and despair; or rather, 2. Take away their strength and ability for spiritual actions. In the former branch, he wisheth that they may not be able to see or choose their way; and here, that they may not be able to walk in it, nor to execute the good counsels which others may give them. As, on the other side, when God gives men strength, they are able not only to walk, but to run in the ways of God, .

Trapp's Commentary on Psalms 69:23

Psalms 69:23 Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake.Ver. 23. Let their eyes be darkened] Let them be infatuated and besotted, that they may go hoodwinked to hell. And make their loins continually to shake] Ne fugiant, saith R. Obadiah Gaon, that they may not be able to fly, or otherwise to help themselves; for in the loins and reins of a man lieth his strength, Deuteronomy 33:11. The Syriac hath it, Lumbi eorum sint curvi, viz. under their enemies’ burdens. See Romans 11:10, bow down their backs.

Ellicott's Commentary on Psalms 69:23

(23) Their eyes.—The darkened eyes and trembling limbs (comp. Nahum 2:10; Daniel 5:6) are expressive of terror and dismay.

Cambridge Bible on Psalms 69:23

23. Let the eyes which gloated over another’s misfortunes be blinded: let the limbs which are the seat of the strength they have abused be palsied.

Whedon's Commentary on Psalms 69:23

23. Let their eyes be darkened—The Hebrew verb is simply in Kal, future, as in the preceding verse, and should be rendered, Their eyes shall be darkened; the darkness being that of the mind, and the fruit of perversity.

Sermons on Psalms 69:23

	Sermon	Description
	The Christian in Complete Armour - Part 7 by William Gurnall	William Gurnall preaches on the importance of the Christian's spiritual girdle, focusing on having our loins girt with truth as the first piece of the whole armor of God. He explai
	The Enemy of Revival - Part 1 (Cd Quality) by Leonard Ravenhill	In this sermon, the preacher starts by quoting a scripture about the children of Israel doing evil in the sight of the Lord and being delivered into the hands of the Philistines fo
	Virgin Lock Out by David Wilkerson	In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of having a devoted heart towards God. He highlights that many people claim to be followers of God but lack true commitment a
	Are We Blind Too? by Alistair Begg	In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes that the coming of Jesus into the world brings about a division among people. He explains that encountering Jesus and his claims forces indiv
	Finn-04 Restoration of Israel in the Last Days by Art Katz	In this sermon, the speaker, who is a Jew from New York City, shares his personal journey of living in a remote location in North America. He explains that he was led by the word o
	Ger-06 the Apocalyptic Perspective by Art Katz	In this sermon, the speaker begins by acknowledging his physical fatigue but emphasizes that God's strength is perfected in weakness. He then prays for God to use him as a vessel a
	What Is the Secret of Your Strength - Part 1 (Alternative) by Leonard Ravenhill	In this sermon, the preacher discusses the fear and anxieties that people have in today's generation. He emphasizes the importance of stillness and knowing that God is in control.