The Meaning of Psalms 109:16 Explained

Psalms 109:16

KJV: Because that he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart.

YLT: Because that he hath not remembered to do kindness, And pursueth the poor man and needy, And the smitten of heart -- to slay,

Darby: Because he remembered not to shew kindness, but persecuted the afflicted and needy man, and the broken in heart, to slay him.

ASV: Because he remembered not to show kindness, But persecuted the poor and needy man, And the broken in heart, to slay them .

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Because that he remembered  not to shew  mercy,  but persecuted  the poor  and needy  man,  that he might even slay  the broken  in heart. 

What does Psalms 109:16 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 109:1-16 - The Persecutor Of The Needy
This psalm is like a patch of the Sahara amid a smiling Eden. But, terrible as the words are, remember that they were written by the man who, on two occasions, spared the life of his persecutor, and who, when the field of Gilboa was wet with Saul's life-blood, sang the loveliest of elegiacs to his memory. These maledictions do not express personal vindictiveness. Probably they should be read as depicting the doom of the wrong-doer. The Apostle, quoting this psalm, expressly says that the Spirit of Inspiration spoke before by the mouth of David, Acts 1:16. The imperative let might better be translated by the future shall. This would be in perfect conformity with Hebrew usage.
Notice in Psalms 109:4 that by omitting the three words in italics, a beautiful suggestion is made of the life of prayer: But I-prayer. The only response of the psalmist to the hatred of his enemies was to give himself more absolutely to prayer. His whole being was consumed in the one intense appeal to God. Such times come to us all. Such prayers always end in praise and thanksgiving, Psalms 109:30. Happy are we who also can count on the Advocate with the Father, Psalms 109:31. Jesus prays our prayers with us. [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 109:16 mean?

Because that not he did remember to show mercy but persecuted the man poor and needy that the broken in heart he might even slay
יַ֗עַן אֲשֶׁ֤ר ׀ לֹ֥א זָכַר֮ עֲשׂ֪וֹת חָ֥סֶד וַיִּרְדֹּ֡ף אִישׁ־ עָנִ֣י וְ֭אֶבְיוֹן וְנִכְאֵ֨ה לֵבָ֬ב לְמוֹתֵֽת

יַ֗עַן  Because 
Parse: Adverb
Root: יַעַן  
Sense: because, therefore, because that, on account of prep.
אֲשֶׁ֤ר ׀  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
זָכַר֮  he  did  remember 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: זָכַר 
Sense: to remember, recall, call to mind.
עֲשׂ֪וֹת  to  show 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
חָ֥סֶד  mercy 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֶסֶד 
Sense: goodness, kindness, faithfulness.
וַיִּרְדֹּ֡ף  but  persecuted 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָדַף  
Sense: to be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute, run after.
אִישׁ־  the  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
עָנִ֣י  poor 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: עָנִי  
Sense: poor, afflicted, humble, wretched.
וְ֭אֶבְיוֹן  and  needy 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: אֶבְיׄון  
Sense: in want, needy, chiefly poor, needy person.
וְנִכְאֵ֨ה  that  the  broken  in 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular construct
Root: נָכָא 
Sense: stricken.
לֵבָ֬ב  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֵבָב  
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding.
לְמוֹתֵֽת  he  might  even  slay 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.