The Meaning of Psalms 109:28 Explained

Psalms 109:28

KJV: Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.

YLT: They revile, and Thou dost bless, They have risen, and are ashamed, And Thy servant doth rejoice.

Darby: Let them curse, but bless thou; when they rise up, let them be ashamed, and let thy servant rejoice.

ASV: Let them curse, but bless thou: When they arise, they shall be put to shame, But thy servant shall rejoice.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Let them curse,  but bless  thou: when they arise,  let them be ashamed;  but let thy servant  rejoice. 

What does Psalms 109:28 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 109:17-31 - The Deliverer Of The Needy
This psalm emphasizes the difference, indicated by our Lord, between His teaching and that addressed to "them of old time," especially on the point of forgiveness. It is in such teaching as this that the psalmist's mood is distinctly inferior to that which has now become the law for devout men. This at least may be said, that these ancient saints did not desire vengeance for private injuries, but that God's name and character might be vindicated. Devout men could not but long for the triumph of good and the defeat and destruction of its opposite.
The closing paragraph voices some of those lowly, sad petitions for help, which occur in so many of the psalms. This combination of devout meekness and trust with the fiery imprecations or predictions at the core of this psalm, substantiates what has been said above as to the spirit in which the psalm was conceived. It is not personal, but the voice of the Church asking God to make known the righteousness of His government. The psalm begins and ends with praise. It starts by picturing an adversary at the right hand of the wicked, Psalms 109:6, and closes with assurance that Jehovah stands at the right hand of His afflicted servant to deliver him. "I have set the Lord always before me: because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved," Psalms 16:8. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 109

1  David complains of his slanderous enemies
16  He shows their sin
21  Complaining of his own misery, he prays for help
29  He promises thankfulness

What do the individual words in Psalms 109:28 mean?

Let curse them but You bless when they arise and let them be ashamed but Your servant let rejoice
יְקַֽלְלוּ־ הֵמָּה֮ וְאַתָּ֪ה תְבָ֫רֵ֥ךְ קָ֤מוּ ׀ וַיֵּבֹ֗שׁוּ וְֽעַבְדְּךָ֥ יִשְׂמָֽח

יְקַֽלְלוּ־  Let  curse 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: קָלַל  
Sense: to be slight, be swift, be trifling, be of little account, be light.
וְאַתָּ֪ה  but  You 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
תְבָ֫רֵ֥ךְ  bless 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: בָּרַךְ 
Sense: to bless, kneel.
קָ֤מוּ ׀  when  they  arise 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
וַיֵּבֹ֗שׁוּ  and  let  them  be  ashamed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּושׁ 
Sense: to put to shame, be ashamed, be disconcerted, be disappointed.
וְֽעַבְדְּךָ֥  but  Your  servant 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
יִשְׂמָֽח  let  rejoice 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׂמַח  
Sense: to rejoice, be glad.