The Meaning of Psalms 109:29 Explained

Psalms 109:29

KJV: Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a mantle.

YLT: Mine accusers put on blushing, and are covered, As an upper robe is their shame.

Darby: Let mine adversaries be clothed with confusion, and let them cover themselves with their shame as with a mantle.

ASV: Let mine adversaries be clothed with dishonor, And let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Let mine adversaries  be clothed  with shame,  and let them cover  themselves with their own confusion,  as with a mantle. 

What does Psalms 109:29 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 109:17-31 - The Deliverer Of The Needy
This psalm emphasizes the difference, indicated by our Lord, between His teaching and that addressed to "them of old time," especially on the point of forgiveness. It is in such teaching as this that the psalmist's mood is distinctly inferior to that which has now become the law for devout men. This at least may be said, that these ancient saints did not desire vengeance for private injuries, but that God's name and character might be vindicated. Devout men could not but long for the triumph of good and the defeat and destruction of its opposite.
The closing paragraph voices some of those lowly, sad petitions for help, which occur in so many of the psalms. This combination of devout meekness and trust with the fiery imprecations or predictions at the core of this psalm, substantiates what has been said above as to the spirit in which the psalm was conceived. It is not personal, but the voice of the Church asking God to make known the righteousness of His government. The psalm begins and ends with praise. It starts by picturing an adversary at the right hand of the wicked, Psalms 109:6, and closes with assurance that Jehovah stands at the right hand of His afflicted servant to deliver him. "I have set the Lord always before me: because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved," Psalms 16:8. [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 109:29 mean?

Let be clothed my accusers with shame and let them cover themselves as with a mantle With their own disgrace
יִלְבְּשׁ֣וּ שׂוֹטְנַ֣י כְּלִמָּ֑ה וְיַעֲט֖וּ כַמְעִ֣יל בָּשְׁתָּֽם

יִלְבְּשׁ֣וּ  Let  be  clothed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: לָבַשׁ  
Sense: to dress, wear, clothe, put on clothing, be clothed.
שׂוֹטְנַ֣י  my  accusers 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: שָׂטַן  
Sense: (Qal) to be or act as an adversary, resist, oppose.
כְּלִמָּ֑ה  with  shame 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: כְּלִמָּה  
Sense: disgrace, reproach, shame, confusion, dishonour, insult, ignominy.
וְיַעֲט֖וּ  and  let  them  cover  themselves 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: עָטָה 
Sense: to cover, enwrap, wrap oneself, envelop oneself.
כַמְעִ֣יל  as  with  a  mantle 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מְעִיל  
Sense: robe.
בָּשְׁתָּֽם  With  their  own  disgrace 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּשֶׁת  
Sense: shame.