Psalms 69:11
When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Psalms 69:11
When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The phrase "a byword" here signifies more than just being an object of mockery; it implies the psalmist's mourning attire and penitential actions became a proverbial symbol for foolishness or excessive religious observance among his detractors. This shows how deeply his genuine sorrow and devotion were twisted into a source of ridicule, highlighting the perversity of his enemies.
The psalmist is describing a period of deep suffering and mockery, where his acts of repentance, like wearing sackcloth and fasting, were twisted by his enemies into reasons for ridicule. They not only scorned him personally but also used his name and actions as a proverb to insult anyone who seemed overly pious or mournful. This verse comes amid a lament where the psalmist details the profound alienation and suffering he endures because of his devotion to God.
Have you ever felt so deeply about something that you wanted to wear your emotions on your sleeve? The psalmist chose a garment that literally did that, but it backfired.
The Meaning of Sackcloth
In the ancient world, sackcloth was a coarse, rough fabric, often made from goat hair. It was the absolute opposite of luxurious or comfortable clothing. Wearing sackcloth was a public, outward expression of intense grief, deep repentance, or extreme suffering. It wasn't just a fashion choice; it was a deliberate act to show the world, and God, the depth of one's sorrow or humility.
From Humiliation to Mockery
When the psalmist put on sackcloth in Psalm 69:11, he wasn't trying to draw attention to himself for praise. He was mourning, perhaps over his own sin, the state of his nation, or the opposition he faced. However, instead of evoking sympathy or understanding, his public display of grief became a source of ridicule for those around him. His sorrowful act, intended for a private spiritual purpose or a humble plea, was twisted into a reason for them to mock him.
Ever been the punchline of a joke, not because you did something funny, but because of who you are or what you stand for? That's the sting the psalmist felt.
More Than Just a Joke
The word translated 'byword' here signifies more than just being the subject of a joke. It means becoming a synonym for something negative, a proverbial example of folly or shame. When the people called the psalmist a 'byword,' they weren't just laughing at him; they were using him as a label for others who were foolish, misguided, or disgraced. His identity, or at least his current suffering and outward signs of it, became a negative reference point for everyone.
The Weight of Derision
This experience is particularly painful because it often comes from those in positions of authority or influence (as suggested by 'they that sit in the gate' in some translations). When leaders or respected figures join in the mockery, it validates the ridicule for the wider community. The psalmist's actions, meant as expressions of devotion and sorrow, were reinterpreted by his enemies as proof of his weakness and foolishness, making him a living insult to their own values.
Understand the original words
saq · Hebrew Noun
A coarse, dark fabric, usually made of goat's hair, worn as a sign of extreme mourning, repentance, or distress. It signifies humility before God and the casting aside of worldly pride.
mashal · Hebrew Noun
A proverb, object of scorn, or a target of mocking ridicule. Being a byword signifies a loss of social standing and becoming an example of misfortune or divine judgment in the eyes of others.
The psalm's lament of becoming a byword for acts of devotion points to the intense social and religious pressures faced by those seeking to live faithfully in post-exilic Judah, where outward displays of piety could draw ridicule from a community grappling with its identity and past failures.
c. 730-722 BC
Assyrian Conquest of Israel
The Northern Kingdom of Israel faced repeated incursions and eventually conquest by the Neo-Assyrian Empire. This period of upheaval, political instability, and foreign oppression led to widespread suffering and displacement for many Israelites.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem
Under Sennacherib, the Assyrians laid siege to Jerusalem. Although the city was not captured, the surrounding areas were devastated, and many people suffered greatly during this intense period of conflict and fear.
586 BC
Babylonian Destruction of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian army conquered Judah, destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple, and deported a significant portion of the population into exile in Babylon. This was a catastrophic event for the Jewish people.
c. 458-432 BC— this verse
Post-Exilic Period and Reforms
Following the return from Babylonian exile, the Jewish community faced significant challenges in rebuilding their society and religious life. This era, particularly under figures like Ezra and Nehemiah, involved struggles with assimilation, internal divisions, and re-establishing faithfulness to the Law.
This passage describes a group of people who become a 'curse' and a 'byword' among the nations due to their disobedience, mirroring the psalmist's experience of being mocked and scorned.
Lamentations 3:14The writer of Lamentations expresses a similar sentiment of being an object of mockery and ridicule, using the imagery of becoming a song of the scornful, which resonates with the psalmist's experience in verse 11.
Ezekiel 14:8This verse speaks of God setting himself against those who go astray, making them a 'proverb' and a 'byword' among the people, highlighting the theme of divine judgment and public disgrace.
Matthew 27:29Although not a direct parallel of 'sackcloth' and 'byword', this passage shows Jesus, the ultimate fulfillment of many Psalms, being clothed in mockery (purple robe) and becoming an object of scorn and derision by the soldiers, reflecting the deep humiliation described.
Job 30:9Job laments his fallen state, crying out that his children mock him and he has become a 'proverb' to them, sharing the psalmist's pain of being reduced to a subject of ridicule when in deep distress.
pulpitPsalms 69:11: "I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them."
Verse 11. - I made sackcloth also my garment (see Psalm 30:12; Psalm 35:13); and I became a proverb to them; or, a byword, as the same word, mashal, is rendered in Psalm 44:14.
calvinPsalms 69:10-13: "When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach."
- And I wept, my soul fasted; and that was laid to me as a reproach. 11. I also made sackcloth my clothing: and I became a proverb to them. 12. They who sit in the gate defame me: and I am the song of those who drink intoxicating liquor. 13. But as for me, my prayer is to thee, O Jehovah! in a time of thy favor, [or good-will,] O God: answer me in the multitude of thy mercy, in the truth of thy salvat…
The phrase "a byword" here signifies more than just being an object of mockery; it implies the psalmist's mourning attire and penitential actions became a proverbial symbol for foolishness or excessive religious observance among his detractors. This shows how deeply his genuine sorrow and devotion were twisted into a source of ridicule, highlighting the perversity of his enemies.
The psalmist is describing a period of deep suffering and mockery, where his acts of repentance, like wearing sackcloth and fasting, were twisted by his enemies into reasons for ridicule. They not only scorned him personally but also used his name and actions as a proverb to insult anyone who seemed overly pious or mournful. This verse comes amid a lament where the psalmist details the profound alienation and suffering he endures because of his devotion to God.
The psalmist is describing a period of deep suffering and mockery, where his acts of repentance, like wearing sackcloth and fasting, were twisted by his enemies into reasons for ridicule. They not only scorned him personally but also used his name and actions as a proverb to insult anyone who seemed overly pious or mournful. This verse comes amid a lament where the psalmist details the profound alienation and suffering he endures because of his devotion to God.
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"When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them." — The phrase "a byword" here signifies more than just being an object of mockery; it implies the psalmist's mourning attire and penitential actions became a proverbial symbol for foolishness or excessi…