The Meaning of Psalms 35:16 Explained

Psalms 35:16

KJV: With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

YLT: With profane ones, mockers in feasts, Gnashing against me their teeth.

Darby: With profane jesters for bread, they have gnashed their teeth against me.

ASV: Like the profane mockers in feasts, They gnashed upon me with their teeth.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

With hypocritical  mockers  in feasts,  they gnashed  upon me with their teeth. 

What does Psalms 35:16 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 35:16 mean?

With hypocritical mockers at feasts they gnashed at me with their teeth
בְּ֭חַנְפֵי לַעֲגֵ֣י מָע֑וֹג חָרֹ֖ק עָלַ֣י שִׁנֵּֽימוֹ

בְּ֭חַנְפֵי  With  hypocritical 
Parse: Preposition-b, Adjective, masculine plural construct
Root: חָנֵף 
Sense: hypocritical, godless, profane, hypocrite, irreligious.
לַעֲגֵ֣י  mockers 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural construct
Root: לָעֵג  
Sense: mocking.
מָע֑וֹג  at  feasts 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָעֹוג  
Sense: cake.
חָרֹ֖ק  they  gnashed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: חָרַק  
Sense: (Qal) to gnash, grind (the teeth).
עָלַ֣י  at  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
שִׁנֵּֽימוֹ  with  their  teeth 
Parse: Noun, cdc, third person masculine plural
Root: שֵׁן  
Sense: tooth, ivory.