Logos Bible Study

Psalm 50:19–21

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50:19You do damage with words,30

and use your tongue to deceive.31

50:20You plot against your brother;32

you slander your own brother.33

50:21When you did these things, I was silent,34

so you thought I was exactly like you.35

But now I will condemn36 you

and state my case against you!37

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Footnotes

  1. 30 Heb “your mouth you send with evil.”
  2. 31 Heb “and your tongue binds together [i.e., “frames”] deceit.”
  3. 32 Heb “you sit, against your brother you speak.” To “sit” and “speak” against someone implies plotting against that person (see Ps 119:23).
  4. 33 Heb “against the son of your mother you give a fault.”
  5. 34 Heb “these things you did and I was silent.” Some interpret the second clause (“and I was silent”) as a rhetorical question expecting a negative answer, “[When you do these things], should I keep silent?” (cf. ). See §112.cc. The Lord was silent in the sense that he delayed punishment. Of course, God’s patience toward sinners eventually runs out. The divine “silence” is only temporary (see v. 3, where the psalmist, having described God’s arrival, observes that “he is not silent”).
  6. 35 The Hebrew infinitive construct (הֱיוֹת, heyot) appears to function like the infinitive absolute here, adding emphasis to the following finite verbal form (אֶהְיֶה, ’ehyeh). See §113.a. Some prefer to emend הֱיוֹת (heyot) to the infinitive absolute form הָיוֹ (hayo).
  7. 36 Or “rebuke” (see v. 8).
  8. 37 Heb “and I will set in order [my case against you] to your eyes.” The cohortative form expresses the Lord’s resolve to accuse and judge the wicked.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

“You give your mouth free rein for evil,

and your tongue frames deceit.

You sit and speak against your brother;

you slander your own mother’s son.

These things you have done, and I have been silent;

you thought that I was one like yourself.

But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

You use your mouth for evil

and harness your tongue to deceit.

You sit and testify against your brother

and slander your own mother’s son.

When you did these things and I kept silent,

you thought I was exactly like you.

But I now arraign you

and set my accusations before you.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

You unleash your mouth for evil

and harness your tongue for deceit.

You sit, maligning your brother,

slandering your mother’s son.

You have done these things, and I kept silent;

you thought I was just like you.

But I will rebuke you

and lay out the case before you.

NLTNew Living Translation

Your mouth is filled with wickedness,

and your tongue is full of lies.

You sit around and slander your brother—

your own mother’s son.

While you did all this, I remained silent,

and you thought I didn’t care.

But now I will rebuke you,

listing all my charges against you.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

You give your mouth free rein for evil,

and you harness your tongue to deceit.

You sit and speak against your brother;

you slander your mother’s son.

These things you have done, and I have been silent;

You imagined that I was just like you.

I will rebuke you and present an argument before your eyes.

KJV 1900King James Version

Thou givest thy mouth to evil,

And thy tongue frameth deceit.

Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother;

Thou slanderest thine own mother’s son.

These things hast thou done, and I kept silence;

Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself:

But I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.