The Meaning of Psalms 27:2 Explained

Psalms 27:2

KJV: When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

YLT: When evil doers come near to me to eat my flesh, My adversaries and mine enemies to me, They have stumbled and fallen.

Darby: When evil-doers, mine adversaries and mine enemies, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

ASV: When evil-doers came upon me to eat up my flesh, Even mine adversaries and my foes, they stumbled and fell.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

When the wicked,  [even] mine enemies  and my foes,  came  upon me to eat up  my flesh,  they stumbled  and fell. 

What does Psalms 27:2 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalm 27:1-14 - The Song Of Fearless Trust In God
This psalm probably dates from the time when the exiled king, surrounded by unscrupulous foes, looked from his hiding-place beyond the Jordan to the Holy City, where the Ark abode. One thing he desired above all else. The "one thing" people are irresistible, Philippians 3:13-14.
Here we have assurance, Psalms 27:1-6. God's house for us is His presence. We may live day by day in the New Jerusalem, which needs no light of sun or candle. We are in it, though we know it not. Oh, that our eyes might be opened to see where we are! 2 Kings 6:20. How beautiful must God be, who has made the world so fair!
Next we have supplication, Psalms 27:7-14. The triumphant note changes to sadness. Did the writer look from his Redeemer to the winds and waves? But sometimes God seems to hide His face only to draw us to a point of trust and abandonment which otherwise the soul had never dared to adopt, Mark 7:28. The dearest may forsake, but the Lord gathers, Isaiah 40:11. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 27

1  David sustains his faith by prayer

What do the individual words in Psalms 27:2 mean?

when came against me the wicked to eat up - my flesh My enemies and foes to they stumbled and fell
בִּקְרֹ֤ב עָלַ֨י ׀ מְרֵעִים֮ לֶאֱכֹ֪ל אֶת־ בְּשָׂ֫רִ֥י צָרַ֣י וְאֹיְבַ֣י לִ֑י הֵ֖מָּה כָשְׁל֣וּ וְנָפָֽלוּ

בִּקְרֹ֤ב  when  came 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: קָרַב  
Sense: to come near, approach, enter into, draw near.
עָלַ֨י ׀  against  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
מְרֵעִים֮  the  wicked 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine plural
Root: מֵרֵעַ 
Sense: to be bad, be evil.
לֶאֱכֹ֪ל  to  eat  up 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
בְּשָׂ֫רִ֥י  my  flesh 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: בָּשָׂר  
Sense: flesh.
צָרַ֣י  My  enemies 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: צַר 
Sense: narrow, tight.
וְאֹיְבַ֣י  and  foes 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.
כָשְׁל֣וּ  stumbled 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: כָּשַׁל  
Sense: to stumble, stagger, totter.
וְנָפָֽלוּ  and  fell 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.