Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; let them not be enrolled among the righteous.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's easily missed here is that the "book of the living" wasn't just a registry of who was alive, but a divine roll call for those in God's favor. The psalmist isn't just wishing death on his enemies, but praying for their ultimate disqualification from any part in God's covenant blessings, past, present, and future.
Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; let them not be enrolled among the righteous.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse comes at the climax of Psalm 69, a deeply personal and anguished cry from David, who feels utterly abandoned and persecuted by his enemies. He's laid bare his suffering and betrayal, describing how they’ve attacked him with false accusations and cruelty. Now, facing such overwhelming opposition, he turns to God with intense imprecations, asking for divine justice against those who have so relentlessly pursued him.
Imagine a cosmic registry, a divine ledger where lives are inscribed. What does it mean for names to be 'blotted out'?
The imagery of a 'book of the living' or 'book of life' comes from ancient administrative practices. Cities kept registers of their citizens, and lists were maintained for various purposes, including tracking who was alive and who had died.
Divine Administration
God, in His sovereignty, is depicted as keeping a similar record. This isn't just a record of physical existence but also of those who belong to Him, those He favors and will bless.
Erasure and Exclusion
To be 'blotted out' from this book means to be removed from the list of the living, implying death. More profoundly, in the context of this Psalm, it signifies exclusion from God's favor, His covenant, and ultimately, from eternal life. It's a prayer for complete judgment and separation from God's people.
This Psalm contains some harsh prayers. How do we reconcile David's words with the call to love our enemies?
The imprecations in Psalm 69, like verse 28, are often difficult for modern readers. It’s crucial to understand their context and purpose.
Guided by the Spirit
Commentators like Calvin emphasize that David was not acting on personal pique. He was guided by the Holy Spirit, praying for God's against the wicked, not driven by his own revenge. His zeal was for God's glory, not his own vindication.
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A Plea for Divine Justice
These are not casual curses but deep pleas for God to enact His righteous judgment. They reflect an understanding that God has ultimate authority to decide who belongs to the 'living' and the 'righteous.' When applied by David, these imprecations were a cry for God to vindicate His name and His people against those who actively opposed Him and His purposes.
Does the 'book of life' in the Old Testament mean the same thing as in the New Testament?
The concept of the 'book of life' evolves across Scripture, but its core idea remains consistent: it's a register of those belonging to God.
Old Testament Context
In the Old Testament, the 'book of the living' primarily referred to a register of those God favored, blessed with earthly life, and recognized as part of His covenant people, Israel. Erasure meant a loss of these privileges and possibly life itself.
New Testament Expansion
The New Testament expands this concept to encompass eternal life. Jesus speaks of disciples whose names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20), and Revelation consistently refers to the 'book of life' as containing the names of those destined for eternal salvation. While the Old Testament imagery was more focused on earthly blessings and covenant membership, it laid the foundation for the New Testament understanding of belonging to God eternally.
Understand the original words
machah · Hebrew Verb
To erase, wipe out, or destroy completely. In a divine context, it refers to being removed from God's register of life or remembrance.
sepher chayyim · Hebrew Noun Phrase
A symbolic register containing the names of those granted life or citizenship in God’s kingdom. Being in this book implies divine favor, protection, and eternal life.
tsaddiq · Hebrew Noun/Adjective
Those who are morally upright and conduct themselves according to God’s laws. They are distinguished by their obedience and faith.
The imagery of being 'blotted out' from a divine registry and 'not written with the righteous' draws on ancient Near Eastern practices of keeping lists of citizens or soldiers. In the context of Psalm 69, it speaks to a desperate plea for divine justice against persecutors, implying that their actions not only forfeit their earthly lives but also their place in God's eternal community, a concept that developed further in later Jewish and Christian thought.
c. 1000 BC— this verse
David's Reign as King of Israel
The Psalms were composed over centuries, but Psalm 69 is traditionally attributed to David, reflecting his struggles and persecution during his life and reign. It speaks from the perspective of someone deeply wronged.
c. 722 BC
Assyrian Exile of Northern Kingdom
The northern kingdom of Israel was conquered and exiled by the Assyrians, a harsh reality for many Israelites that could lead to a sense of being 'blotted out' from the community of God's people.
586 BC
Babylonian Exile of Southern Kingdom
The destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of Judah to Babylon represent a major crisis, leading to profound theological reflection on divine justice and the fate of those who opposed God's people.
c. 538 BC
Return from Exile and Rebuilding
The return from Babylonian exile and the subsequent rebuilding of the Temple offered hope, but also highlighted divisions within the community and ongoing tensions with surrounding peoples. The concept of 'enrollment' among the righteous was central to rebuilding the nation.
c. 1st Century AD
Early Messianic Expectation and Opposition
During the time of Jesus and the early Church, the concept of a 'book of life' became more prominent in understanding who truly belonged to God's renewed people, and opposition from those who rejected Jesus was fierce.
c. AD 70
Destruction of Jerusalem and Second Temple
The Roman destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple was a catastrophic event for Judaism, seen by many Christians as a fulfillment of prophecies and judgment upon those who rejected Christ, echoing the imprecations in Psalm 69.
Moses' plea to be blotted out of God's book if the Israelites are not forgiven echoes the psalmist's desire for the unrighteous to be removed from God's record.
Jeremiah 22:30This prophecy about Jehoiakim being written as a childless man removed from God's sight parallels the psalmist's prayer for erasure from the book of the living.
Ezekiel 13:9The condemnation of false prophets who will not be included in the assembly or records of Israel mirrors the psalmist's imprecation against the wicked not being written with the righteous.
Daniel 12:1Daniel speaks of deliverance for those whose names are found written in the book, highlighting the concept of a divine registry of the saved that contrasts with the psalmist's prayer for the wicked to be excluded.
Luke 10:20Jesus tells his disciples to rejoice not that spirits submit to them, but that their names are written in heaven, showing the New Testament continuation of the 'book of life' concept.
clarkePsalms 69:28: "Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous."
Let them be blotted out - They shall be blotted out from the land of the living. They shall be cut off from life, which they have forfeited by their cruelty and oppression. The psalmist is speaking of retributive justice; and in this sense all these passages are to be understood. And not be written with the righteous - They shall have no title to that long life which God has promised to his…
bensonPsalms 69:28: "Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous."
Psalm 69:28 . Let them be blotted out of the book of the living — “Let them be cut off before their time, and enjoy none of the blessings which thou hast promised to the righteous.” — Bishop Patrick. The psalmist is thought to allude to registers or catalogues, in which the names of living men used anciently to be recorded, and out of which the names of those who died were blotted. This was…
What's easily missed here is that the "book of the living" wasn't just a registry of who was alive, but a divine roll call for those in God's favor. The psalmist isn't just wishing death on his enemies, but praying for their ultimate disqualification from any part in God's covenant blessings, past, present, and future.
This verse comes at the climax of Psalm 69, a deeply personal and anguished cry from David, who feels utterly abandoned and persecuted by his enemies. He's laid bare his suffering and betrayal, describing how they’ve attacked him with false accusations and cruelty. Now, facing such overwhelming opposition, he turns to God with intense imprecations, asking for divine justice against those who have so relentlessly pursued him.
This verse comes at the climax of Psalm 69, a deeply personal and anguished cry from David, who feels utterly abandoned and persecuted by his enemies. He's laid bare his suffering and betrayal, describing how they’ve attacked him with false accusations and cruelty. Now, facing such overwhelming opposition, he turns to God with intense imprecations, asking for divine justice against those who have so relentlessly pursued him.
"Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; let them not be enrolled among the righteous." — What's easily missed here is that the "book of the living" wasn't just a registry of who was alive, but a divine roll call for those in God's favor. The psalmist isn't just wishing death on his enemi…
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Last reviewed October 2026