Psalms 109:29 — Word Study
WLCיִלְבְּשׁ֣וּ שׂוֹטְנַ֣י כְּלִמָּ֑ה וְיַעֲט֖וּ כַמְעִ֣יל בָּשְׁתָּֽם׃
BSAMay my accuserssâṭan [adversaries, those who oppose me] be clothedlâbash▸ [wrapped, covered] with disgracekᵉlimmâh [shame, dishonor] may they wearʻâṭâh▸ [cover themselves with] their shamebôsheth [reproach, guilt] like a robemᵉʻîyl [cloak, outer garment]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יִלְבְּשׁ֣וּ | may they be clothed | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine plural |
| שׂוֹטְנַ֣י | accusers my | Verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common, suffix |
| כְּלִמָּ֑ה | ignominy | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| וְיַעֲט֖וּ | and may they be wrapped | Conjunction, verb qal third person masculine plural |
| כַמְעִ֣יל | like robe | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| בָּשְׁתָּֽם׃ | shame their | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | May my accusers be clothed with disgrace; may they wear their shame like a robe. |
| KJV | Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a mantle. |
| ASV | Let mine adversaries be clothed with dishonor, And let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe. |
| YLT | Mine accusers put on blushing, and are covered, As an upper robe [is] their shame. |
| WEB | Let my adversaries be clothed with dishonor. Let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe. |
| BBE | Let my haters be clothed with shame, covering themselves with shame as with a robe. |
Where they part company is in the nuances of כְּלִמָּ֑ה — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence has a main clause followed by a noun phrase and two prepositional phrases, showing a clear structure of desire and consequence.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbלָבֵשׁ
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 109:29
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — A Lament Against Accusersgenerated
Psalm 109:29 expresses the psalmist's plea for justice against his accusers. He desires that they be enveloped in disgrace and wear their shame as a visible sign of their wrongdoing. This verse reflects the intense emotions associated with being wronged and the longing for divine retribution, similar to the sentiments expressed in other psalms such as Psalm 35:26 and Psalm 6:10.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 109:17–19 | The cursing that he loved, may it fall on him; the blessing in which he refused to delight, may it be far from him. |
| 2 | Psalm 6:10 | All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed; they will turn back in sudden disgrace. |
| 3 | Psalm 35:26 | May those who gloat in my distress be ashamed and confounded; may those who exalt themselves over me be clothed in shame and reproach. |
| 4 | Psalm 132:18 | I will clothe his enemies with shame, but the crown upon him will gleam.” |
| 5 | Psalm 140:9 | May the heads of those who surround me be covered in the trouble their lips have caused. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — לָבֵשׁ, yil.be.Shugenerated
The verb לָבֵשׁ (*lavash*) means to clothe or put on garments. It can refer to both literal clothing and figurative states, such as being clothed with a certain attitude or condition. In this verse, it emphasizes the desire for the accusers to be wrapped in disgrace, highlighting the seriousness of their actions.
The imperfect tense indicates an ongoing action, suggesting that the psalmist wishes for this state of disgrace to be continuously upon his accusers. This reflects a deep yearning for justice and accountability.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The verse is presented in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the phrase be clothed with disgrace.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb of the verse is יִלְבְּשׁ֣וּ, may they be clothed, which governs the rest of the sentence. It is followed by a noun phrase, שׂוֹטְנַ֣י, my accusers, and a prepositional phrase, כְּלִמָּ֑ה, with disgrace, which describes what they are to be clothed with.
The structure emphasizes the psalmist's desire for his adversaries to experience shame, with the second clause elaborating on how they should wear their shame, likened to a robe.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew verb לָבֵשׁ is rendered as ἐνδυσάσθωσαν, which conveys a similar meaning of being clothed. This choice maintains the original intent of the psalmist's plea for his accusers to be enveloped in disgrace.
The Greek term emphasizes the act of putting on, which aligns with the Hebrew's focus on being wrapped in shame.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 109:29 expresses the psalmist's desire for his accusers to be clothed in disgrace and to wear their shame like a robe. This reflects the intense feelings of being wronged and a longing for justice from God.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that the psalmist desires his accusers to experience shame and dishonor publicly, reflecting their wrongful actions.
This verse highlights the psalmist's plea for divine justice, wishing for his enemies to face the consequences of their actions.
Yes, clothing often symbolizes one's state or condition, and being clothed with shame indicates a visible manifestation of guilt or dishonor.
We learn that it is natural to seek justice when wronged, and that expressing these feelings to God is a part of the lament tradition in the Psalms.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How do I respond when I feel wronged by others, as the psalmist does?
- What does it mean for me to seek justice in my own life?
- In what ways can I find comfort in God's justice when I face accusations?
- How can I ensure that I do not act as an adversary to others?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early Church Fathers, such as Augustine of Hippo, reflected on this verse to discuss themes of justice and praise in the context of suffering.
"As for me, I will confess greatly unto the Lord with my mouth" [Psalms 109:29]....Is He said to "praise among the multitude" because He is with His Church here even unto the end…Early Church Fathers on Psalms 109 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 109:29 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleLet mine adversaries be clothed with shame,.... This is only explanative of what is said before, And let them cover themselves with their own confusion as with a mantle: the Arabic version is, "as
Read John Gill on Psalms 109 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryLet mine adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a mantle. Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame - (Psalms 71:13).
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 109 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleFor the disappointment of their wicked hopes and designs, and for that unexpected destruction which they have brought upon themselves.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 109 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 109:29 Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a mantle.Ver. 29. As with a mantle] Sicut diploide, saith the Vulgate, as with a doublet, q.d. Let them be doubley ashamed; for which purpose also he here doubleth his prayer.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 109 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(29) Mantle.—Heb., meîl, which was also a garment worn over the tunic.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 109 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 29. Let them cover themselves] He here retorts their own curse, Psalms 109:18.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 109 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges29. Mine adversaries shall be clothed with dishonour, And shall wrap themselves in their own shame as in a mantle. Cp. Psalms 109:18-19; Psalms 71:13; Psalms 35:26.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 109 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleLet mine adversaries be clothed with shame - Let confusion and disappointment seem to cover them, so as to constitute a garment. See the notes at Psalms 109:18-19.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 109 →The verse in English, compared — 16 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
May my accusers be clothed with disgrace; may they wear their shame like a robe.
Let my adversaries be clothed with dishonor. Let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe.
May my accusers be clothed with disgrace; may they wear their shame like a robe.
My accusers will be covered with shame, and draped in humiliation as if it were a robe.
Tyndale line
Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a mantle.
Let mine adversaries be clothed with dishonor, And let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe.
Let mine adversaries be clothed with dishonour, and let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a mantle.
Let my adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a mantle.
Let mine aduersaries be clothed with shame, and let them couer themselues with their confusion, as with a cloke.
Strictly literal
Let mine adversaries be clothed with confusion, and let them cover themselves with their shame as with a mantle.
Mine accusers put on blushing, and are covered, As an upper robe [is] their shame.
My accusers put on blushing, and are covered, || Their shame [is] as an upper robe.
Let my accusers be clothed with confusion, and let them wrap themselves, as with a mantle, in their own shame.
May my adversaries be clothed with shame; may they wear their shame like a robe.
Simplified
May those who accuse me be clothed with disgrace; may they cover themselves with a cloak of shame.
Let my haters be clothed with shame, covering themselves with shame as with a robe.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely in wording, with all six words matched in the Septuagint's rendering. The Dead Sea Scrolls show one word partially restored and five entirely supplied by an editor, indicating some textual restoration.
יִלְבְּשׁ֣וּ שׂוֹטְנַ֣י כְּלִמָּ֑ה וְיַעֲט֖וּ כַמְעִ֣יל בָּשְׁתָּֽם׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
[ילבשו] [שוטנ׳י] [כלמה] [ויעטו] [כמעיל] בשת׳ם
nothing on the leather here — 1 partly restored, 5 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 109:29
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word לָבֵשׁ (*labash*) means to put on or wear clothing, and it can refer to both literal and figurative clothing. It is built from a primitive root meaning to wrap around. The entries cover various forms, including Qal, Pual, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances of dressing or being clothed. The word is also noted for its use in a figurative sense, such as being clothed with a spirit.
לָבֵשׁ, לָבַשׁ vb. put on (a garment), wear, clothe, be clothed
Qal
lit. put on (one’s own) garment; = wear (more or less habitually)
very oft. fig., put on, be clothed with
lit. put on
once
clothed with
and the spirit of י׳ clothed itself with Gideon
Pu. arrayed
Hiph. clothe, array with
base
H3847 לָבֵשׁ, לָבַשׁ put on (a garment), wear, clothe, be clothed
3847 labash law-bash'
or labesh {law-bashe'}; a primitive root; properly, wrap
around, i.e. (by implication) to put on a garment or clothe
(oneself, or another), literally or figuratively:--(in)
apparel, arm, array (self), clothe (self), come upon, put (on,
upon), wear.
לָבֵשׁ (la.vash) — to clothe.
1) to dress, wear, clothe, put on clothing, be clothed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to put on clothes, be clothed, wear
1a2) to put on, be clothed with (fig.)
1b) (Pual) to be fully clothed
1c) (Hiphil) to clothe, array with, dress
Aramaic equivalent: le.vash (לְבֵשׁ "to clothe" H3848)
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVqi3mp
שָׂטַן (satan) is a verb meaning to act as an adversary or to oppose. It is derived from a primitive root that conveys the idea of attacking or accusing. The entries consistently emphasize its role in opposition, but do not provide specific verse references.
[שָׂטַן] vb. denom. be or act as adversary
base
H7853 שָׂטַן vb. denom. be or act as adversary
7853 satan saw-tan'
a primitive root; to attack, (figuratively) accuse:--(be an)
adversary, resist.
שָׂטַן (sa.tan) — to oppose.
(Qal) to be or act as an adversary, resist, oppose
V-Qal | Suff — Verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffixHVqrmpc/Sp1bs
כְּלִמָּה (klimmah) refers to concepts of disgrace, reproach, and shame. It encompasses meanings such as insult, dishonor, and ignominy. The word is derived from a root that suggests confusion or dishonor, reflecting a range of negative social perceptions.
כְּלִמָּה n.f. insult, reproach, ignominy
base
H3639 כְּלִמָּה insult, reproach, ignominy
3639 klimmah kel-im-maw'
from 3637; disgrace:--confusion, dishonour, reproach, shame.
see HEBREW for 03637
כְּלִמָּה (ke.lim.mah) — shame.
1) disgrace, reproach, shame, confusion, dishonour, insult, ignominy
1a) insult, reproach
1b) reproach, ignominy
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
עָטָה (atah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to wrap, enwrap, or cover oneself. It can also mean to grasp. The entries indicate that in the Qal form, it refers to actions like wrapping or enveloping, while the Hiphil form involves covering someone with shame. The word appears in contexts related to mourning and physical covering.
עָטָה vb. wrap oneself, enwrap, envelop oneself
Qal
wrap, envelop oneself with sthg.
Hiph. thou hast wrapped shame upon him
H5844a עָטָה wrap oneself, enwrap, envelop oneself H5844b עָטָה grasp
5844 `atah aw-taw'
a primitive root; to wrap, i.e. cover, veil, cloth, or
roll:--array self, be clad, (put a) cover (-ing, self), fill,
put on, X surely, turn aside.
עָטָה (a.tah) — to enwrap.
1) to cover, enwrap, wrap oneself, envelop oneself
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to wrap, envelop oneself
1a2) to cover (the beard in mourning)
1a3) mourner, one who covers (participle)
1b) (Hiphil) to cover, enwrap, envelop
עָטָה (a.tah) — to grasp.
1) to grasp
1a) (Qal) to grasp
Conj | V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Conjunction · verb qal third person masculine pluralHC/Vqu3mp
מְעִיל (me.il) means 'robe' and refers to an upper or outer garment. It is associated with garments worn by men of rank, long garments for David's daughters, and the high priest's attire. The word is derived from a root meaning 'covering' and encompasses various types of robes.
מְעִיל n.m. robe
base
H4598 מְעִיל robe
4598 m`iyl meh-eel'
from 4603 in the sense of covering; a robe (i.e. upper and
outer garment):--cloke, coat, mantle, robe.
see HEBREW for 04603
מְעִיל (me.il) — robe.
1) robe
1a) a garment worn over a tunic by men of rank
1b) a long garment worn by David's daughters
1c) a garment of the high priest
1d) (fig.) of attributes
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/Ncmsa
בֹּ֫שֶׁת (bosheth) means 'shame' in Hebrew, encompassing both the feeling and the condition, as well as its cause. It can also refer to a shameful thing or an idol. The word is derived from a root meaning to be ashamed, and is noted in various contexts in the Old Testament.
בֹּ֫שֶׁת n.f. shame
shame
shameful thing
base
H1322 בֹּ֫שֶׁת shame
1322 bosheth bo'-sheth
from 954; shame (the feeling and the condition, as well as
its cause); by implication (specifically) an idol:--ashamed,
confusion, + greatly, (put to) shame(-ful thing).
see HEBREW for 0954
בֹּ֫שֶׁת (bo.shet) — shame.
1) shame
1a) shame
1b) shameful thing
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp3mp