Christian Standard Bible
Psalms 7:16
16His trouble comes back on his own head; his own violence comes down on top of his head.
Psalms 7:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.
- New International Version (NIV)The trouble they cause recoils on them; their violence comes down on their own heads.
- English Standard Version (ESV)His mischief returns upon his own head, and on his own skull his violence descends.
- New King James Version (NKJV)His trouble shall return upon his own head, And his violent dealing shall come down on his own crown.
Context of Psalms 7:16
14See, the wicked one is pregnant with evil, conceives trouble, and gives birth to deceit. 15He dug a pit and hollowed it out but fell into the hole he had made. His trouble comes back on his own head; his own violence comes down on top of his head. 17I will thank the Lord for his righteousness; I will sing about the name of the Lord Most High.
Read all of Psalms 7Psalms 7:16 word by word
יָשׁ֣וּב עֲמָל֣וֹ בְרֹאשׁ֑וֹ וְעַ֥ל קָ֝דְקֳד֗וֹ חֲמָס֥וֹ יֵרֵֽד׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 7:16
- Psalms 36:4Even on his bed he makes malicious plans. He sets himself on a path that is not good, and he does not reject evil.
- Psalms 37:12The wicked person schemes against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him.
- 1 Samuel 23:9When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to the priest Abiathar, “Bring the ephod.”
- 1 Samuel 24:12“May the Lord judge between me and you, and may the Lord take vengeance on you for me, but my hand will never be against you.
- 1 Samuel 26:10David added, “As the Lord lives, the Lord will certainly strike him down: either his day will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish.
- 1 Samuel 28:19The Lord will also hand Israel over to the Philistines along with you. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me, and the Lord will hand Israel’s army over to the Philistines.”
- 1 Samuel 31:3When the battle intensified against Saul, the archers found him and severely wounded him.
- 1 Kings 2:32The Lord will bring back his own blood on his head because he struck down two men more righteous and better than he, without my father David’s knowledge. With his sword, Joab murdered Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army.
- Esther 9:25But when the matter was brought before the king, he commanded by letter that the evil plan Haman had devised against the Jews return on his own head and that he should be hanged with his sons on the gallows.
- Malachi 2:3“Look, I am going to rebuke your descendants, and I will spread animal waste over your faces, the waste from your festival sacrifices, and you will be taken away with it.
Commentaries on Psalms 7:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Shall come down upon his own pate - Upon his scalp, קדקד kodkod, the top of the head. It may refer to knocking the criminal on the head, in order to deprive him of life. Had scalping been known in those days, I should have thought the reference might be to that barbarous custom.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16His mischief - The mischief which he had designed for others. Shall return upon his own head - Shall come upon himself. The blow which he aimed at others shall recoil on himself. This is but stating in another form the sentiment which had been expressed in the two previous verses. The language used here has something of a proverbial cast, and perhaps was common in the time of the writer to express this idea. And his violent dealing - Which he shows to…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-17Verses 10-17 David is confident that he shall find God his powerful Saviour. The destruction of sinners may be prevented by their conversion; for it is threatened, If he turn not from his evil way, let him expect it will be his ruin. But amidst the threatenings of wrath, we have a gracious offer of mercy. God gives sinners warning of their danger, and space to repent, and prevent it. He is slow to punish, and long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-17This psalm includes the following: A lament (Psalm 7:1–2): The psalmist cries out to God for help and protection from enemies. An oath of innocence (Psalm 7:3–5): The psalmist declares that he has done no wrong and maintains his integrity. A call for God's justice (Psalm 7:6–9): He asks God to act against evildoers and defend the righteous. An affirmation of God’s just kingship (Psalm 7:10–16): The psalmist praises God as a fair judge who rules the world…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-1615-16. 1Sa 18:17; 31:2 illustrate the statement whether alluded to or not. These verses are expository of Psa 7:14, showing how the devices of the wicked end in disappointment, falsifying their expectations.Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 7:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- The Treasury of David
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
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