Let them be put to shame and confusion who seek my life! Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt! Let them turn back because of their shame who say, “Aha, Aha!”
English Standard Version (ESV)
David isn't just asking for his enemies to feel a little embarrassed; he's asking for their active pursuit of him to be completely halted. The phrase "turned back" suggests a desire for their aggressive advance to be reversed, stopping them dead in their tracks as they seek his ruin.
Let them be put to shame and confusion who seek my life! Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt! Let them turn back because of their shame who say, “Aha, Aha!”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This psalm is a desperate plea for God's immediate intervention, with the author facing serious enemies who are actively trying to harm him. The verses before and after this one describe the enemies' malicious intent and the author's own distress, highlighting the urgency of his prayer for deliverance and for his persecutors to be routed. This isn't just a wish; it's a cry that the enemies be stopped in their tracks and publicly humiliated for their wicked desires.
David's enemies aren't just disagreeing with him; they're actively plotting his downfall. What does it mean when people 'seek your life'?
The language here is intense and points to a deep-seated hostility. When David says 'seek my life,' he's not talking about a minor disagreement or a passing annoyance. The original Hebrew points to a relentless pursuit, an active hunt. These enemies aren't just wishing him ill; they are strategizing, planning, and actively working towards his destruction. The phrase 'delight in my hurt' reveals a disturbing pleasure they take in his suffering.
This isn't just about David's personal enemies; it echoes the hostility Jesus faced and the opposition believers can still encounter. It highlights that sometimes, the opposition we face is not accidental but a deliberate, malicious effort.
David doesn't just lament his situation; he prays for a specific outcome for his enemies. What is the nature of this reversal he asks for?
David's prayer is for a complete reversal of fortune and reputation for his enemies. He asks that they be 'ashamed and confounded' and 'turned back and brought to dishonor.' This isn't a plea for physical violence, but for divine justice to expose their wicked intentions and thwart their plans.
'Turned back' suggests halting their advance, stopping their pursuit in its tracks. 'Dishonor' implies that their schemes will be revealed as foolish and their pride brought low. It's a prayer that God would vindicate David by demonstrating His power and righteousness, showing that those who oppose His servant are ultimately opposed to Him.
This contrasts sharply with the enemies' 'delight in my hurt.' David prays that their delight would turn into shame, their pursuit into being turned back. It's a call for God's justice to bring about a righteous outcome.
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Understand the original words
bushah · Hebrew Noun
This concept implies a state of public humiliation or frustration resulting from defeat or the exposure of one's wicked intentions. It stands in contrast to the honor and security that God provides to those who trust in Him.
c. 1000 BC - 931 BC
Davidic Kingdom and its Challenges
The Psalms were composed over a long period, with many attributed to David. This era saw the establishment of the unified monarchy, but also internal strife, external threats, and personal betrayals, providing a backdrop for psalms of distress and imprecation.
c. 700 BC - 400 BC
Exilic and Post-Exilic Period
Many Psalms reflect the experiences of the people of God during the Babylonian exile and their return. This period of national crisis, oppression, and longing for restoration likely influenced the tone and content of psalms expressing deep anguish and pleas for divine intervention.
c. 400 BC
Compilation and Redaction of Psalms
The Book of Psalms, as we know it, was likely compiled and finalized during this period. Later editors or scribes may have placed this psalm, perhaps due to its similarity to Psalm 40, within its current context.
c. 400 BC— this verse
Similar Expression in Psalm 40
Psalm 70 is nearly identical to the latter part of Psalm 40, suggesting it might have been a distinct liturgical unit or a later liturgical adaptation of Psalm 40. This indicates a similar historical context of intense personal suffering and pursuit by enemies.
This passage directly echoes the sentiment of Psalm 70:2, asking for shame and confusion upon those who persecute the psalmist, highlighting a recurring theme of divine justice against oppressors.
Psalms 40:14This verse is nearly identical to Psalm 70:2, underscoring the desperate plea for divine intervention against enemies who seek harm, and showing how this prayer was considered important enough to be repeated.
Jeremiah 20:11This passage speaks of God fighting for the prophet, causing his persecutors to be put to shame, mirroring the vindication sought in Psalm 70:2 when enemies delight in one's suffering.
Esther 6:11This verse describes Haman being forced to honor Mordecai, a public humiliation and confusion, which reflects the spiritual principle in Psalm 70:2 that those who plot evil will ultimately be brought to dishonor.
clarkePsalms 70:2: "Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt."
Let them be turned backward - They are coming in a body against me. Lord, stop their progress!
poolePsalms 70:2: "Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt."
No text from Poole on this verse.
David isn't just asking for his enemies to feel a little embarrassed; he's asking for their active pursuit of him to be completely halted. The phrase "turned back" suggests a desire for their aggressive advance to be reversed, stopping them dead in their tracks as they seek his ruin.
This psalm is a desperate plea for God's immediate intervention, with the author facing serious enemies who are actively trying to harm him. The verses before and after this one describe the enemies' malicious intent and the author's own distress, highlighting the urgency of his prayer for deliverance and for his persecutors to be routed. This isn't just a wish; it's a cry that the enemies be stopped in their tracks and publicly humiliated for their wicked desires.
This psalm is a desperate plea for God's immediate intervention, with the author facing serious enemies who are actively trying to harm him. The verses before and after this one describe the enemies' malicious intent and the author's own distress, highlighting the urgency of his prayer for deliverance and for his persecutors to be routed. This isn't just a wish; it's a cry that the enemies be stopped in their tracks and publicly humiliated for their wicked desires.
"Let them be put to shame and confusion who seek my life! Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt! Let them turn back because of their shame who say, “Aha, Aha!”" — David isn't just asking for his enemies to feel a little embarrassed; he's asking for their active pursuit of him to be completely halted. The phrase "turned back" suggests a desire for their aggress…
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Last reviewed October 2026