God’s Word Translation
Psalms 35:12
12I am devastated because they pay me back with evil instead of good.
Psalms 35:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.
- New International Version (NIV)They repay me evil for good and leave me like one bereaved.
- English Standard Version (ESV)They repay me evil for good; my soul is bereft.
- New King James Version (NKJV)They reward me evil for good, To the sorrow of my soul.
Context of Psalms 35:12
10All my bones will say, “O Lord, who can compare with you? You rescue the weak person from the one who is too strong for him and weak and needy people from the one who robs them.” 11Malicious people bring charges against me. They ask me things I know nothing about. I am devastated because they pay me back with evil instead of good. 13But when they were sick, I wore sackcloth. I humbled myself with fasting. When my prayer returned unanswered, 14I walked around as if I were mourning for my friend or my brother. I was bent over as if I were mourning for my mother.
Read all of Psalms 35Psalms 35:12 word by word
יְשַׁלְּמ֣וּנִי רָ֭עָה תַּ֥חַת טוֹבָ֗ה שְׁכ֣וֹל לְנַפְשִֽׁי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 35:12
- Psalms 38:20They pay me back with evil instead of good, and they accuse me because I try to do what is good.
- Psalms 109:3They surround me with hateful words. They fight against me for no reason.
- 1 Samuel 19:4So Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul. “You should not commit a sin against your servant David,” he said. “He hasn’t sinned against you. Instead, he has done some very fine things for you:
- 1 Samuel 22:13Saul asked him, “Why did you and Jesse’s son plot against me? You gave him bread and a sword and prayed to God for him so that he can rise up against me and ambush me, as he’s doing now.”
- Proverbs 17:13Whoever pays back evil for good— evil will never leave his home.
- Jeremiah 18:20Good should not be paid back with evil. They dig a pit to take my life. Remember how I stood in your presence and pleaded for them in order to turn your anger away from them.
- John 10:32Jesus replied to them, “I’ve shown you many good things that come from the Father. For which of these good things do you want to stone me to death?”
- 1 Samuel 20:31As long as Jesse’s son lives on earth, neither you nor your right to be king is secure. Now, send some men to bring him to me. He’s a dead man!”
- Luke 23:21They began yelling, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
Commentaries on Psalms 35:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12To the spoiling of my soul - To destroy my life; so נפש nephesh should be translated in a multitude of places, where our translators have used the word soul.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12They rewarded me evil for good - They recompensed, or returned evil instead of good. The manner in which they did it he states in the following verses. To the spoiling of my soul - Margin, “depriving.” The Hebrew word means “the being forsaken,” or “abandoned.” The idea is, that owing to this conduct he was forsaken or abandoned by all in whom he might have put confidence.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-16Verses 11-16 Call a man ungrateful, and you can call him no worse: this was the character of David's enemies. Herein he was a type of Christ. David shows how tenderly he had behaved towards them in afflictions. We ought to mourn for the sins of those who do not mourn for themselves. We shall not lose by the good offices we do to any, how ungrateful soever they may be. Let us learn to possess our souls in patience and meekness like David, or rather after…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11-18The psalmist presents the Lord with the reasons for his suffering. Evil has many faces. He is tired and worn out, and he knows that only the Lord can help him.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 12-1412-14. Though they rendered evil for good, he showed a tender sympathy in their affliction. spoiling--literally, "bereavement." The usual modes of showing grief are made, as figures, to express his sorrow.Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 35:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 35
- 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
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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