The Meaning of Psalms 35:4 Explained

Psalms 35:4

KJV: Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.

YLT: They are ashamed and blush, those seeking my soul, Turned backward and confounded, Those devising my evil.

Darby: Let them be put to shame and confounded that seek after my life; let them be turned backward and brought to confusion that devise my hurt:

ASV: Let them be put to shame and brought to dishonor that seek after my soul: Let them be turned back and confounded that devise my hurt.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Let them be confounded  and put to shame  that seek  after my soul:  let them be turned  back  and brought to confusion  that devise  my hurt. 

What does Psalms 35:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 35:1-17 - Rescuing The Poor And Needy
This psalm dates from the Sauline persecution, or else from the disturbed condition of the kingdom in David's later years. Each of the three divisions into which the psalm naturally falls ends with praise, Psalms 35:9; Psalms 35:18; Psalms 35:28.
Throughout the psalm we meet with strong imprecations on the wicked. The spirit of the New Testament inculcates a higher law of love and forgiveness, Luke 9:55-56. Therefore our Lord rebuked His Apostles when they called for fire from heaven. He said: "You do not understand that you have passed out of the Old Covenant into the New." It has been suggested that the maledictions of these verses should be read as predictions. Thus, "Let them be confounded" would read, "They will be confounded." "Their way will be dark and slippery." "The angel of the Lord will oppose them," etc.
What a thrill passes through the soul when God whispers the assurance, I am thy salvation! "Who is like unto thee!" Exodus 15:11. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 35

1  David prays for his own safety, and his enemies' confusion
11  He complains of their wrongful dealing
22  Thereby he incites God against them

What do the individual words in Psalms 35:4 mean?

Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor who seek after my life let those be turned back and brought to confusion who plot my hurt
יֵבֹ֣שׁוּ וְיִכָּלְמוּ֮ מְבַקְשֵׁ֪י נַ֫פְשִׁ֥י יִסֹּ֣גוּ אָח֣וֹר וְיַחְפְּר֑וּ חֹ֝שְׁבֵ֗י רָעָתִֽי

יֵבֹ֣שׁוּ  Let  those  be  put  to  shame 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּושׁ 
Sense: to put to shame, be ashamed, be disconcerted, be disappointed.
וְיִכָּלְמוּ֮  and  brought  to  dishonor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: כָּלַם  
Sense: to insult, shame, humiliate, blush, be ashamed, be put to shame, be reproached, be put to confusion, be humiliated.
מְבַקְשֵׁ֪י  who  seek  after 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: בָּקַשׁ  
Sense: to seek, require, desire, exact, request.
נַ֫פְשִׁ֥י  my  life 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
יִסֹּ֣גוּ  let  those  be  turned 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: סוּג  
Sense: to move, go, turn back, move away, backslide.
אָח֣וֹר  back 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָחֹור  
Sense: the back side, the rear.
וְיַחְפְּר֑וּ  and  brought  to  confusion 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: חָפַר  
Sense: to be ashamed, be confounded, be abashed, feel abashed.
חֹ֝שְׁבֵ֗י  who  plot 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: חָשַׁב 
Sense: to think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment, imagine, count.
רָעָתִֽי  my  hurt 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.