Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 139:20
For they speak against thee wickedly, [and] thine enemies take [thy name] in vain.
20. For they speak against thee ] This rendering involves a questionable construction. That of R.V. marg. utter thy name, lit. thee, i.e. swear falsely by thy name, suits the parallelism, but is also doubtful. Most probably the word should be read with different vowels, rebel against thee ( for ); cp. Psa 78:40.
thine enemies take thy name in vain ] The text is difficult and perhaps corrupt. The word rendered thine enemies has this meaning in Aramaic, but not in Hebrew: thy name is not expressed: the verb is spelt anomalously. But slight alterations of the text would give the sense, and take thy name in vain.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For they speak against thee wickedly – This is one form or manifestation of their character as wicked people, that they speak maliciously against God. The psalmist, therefore, desired to have nothing to do with them. It is always a sufficient reason for avoiding the society, the friendship, and the fellowship of others, when they profane, blaspheme, or calumniate the name of God. From such men we should at once withdraw. Piety shrinks from the society of such men, whatever may be their rank, or their social qualities, and turns away in pain, in sorrow, in abhorrence. See the notes at Psa 26:9.
And thine enemies take thy name in vain – It is proof that they are thine enemies that they take thy name in vain, or that they are profane men; it is a sufficient reason for desiring to be separated from them.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 20. Thine enemies take thy name in vain.] Bishop Horsley translates the whole verse thus: –
“They have deserted me who are disobedient to thee;
“They who are sworn to a rash purpose – thy
refractory adversaries.”
The original is obscure: but I cannot see these things in it. Some translate the Hebrew thus: “Those who oppose thee iniquitously seize unjustly upon thy cities;” and so almost all the Versions. The words, thus translated, may apply to Sanballat, Tobiah, and the other enemies of the returned Jews, who endeavoured to drive them from the land, that they might possess the cities of Judea.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
They speak against thee wickedly, by profane scoffs, and a professed denial or contempt of thine omniscience and providence. Or,
they speak of thee in or unto wickedness; they make use of religion to cover or further their wicked designs. But our translation is more favoured by the context, which speaks of Gods open and professed enemies.
And thine enemies take thy name in vain; or, according to the order of the Hebrew words, and take thy name in vain, and are thine enemies, or haters of thee, as it follows Psa 139:21. These words,
thy name, are understood here, as also Isa 3:7, out of Exo 20:7, where they are expressed. They abuse thy blessed name with hellish oaths, and perjuries, and blasphemies.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
For they speak against thee wickedly,…. Against his being, his perfections, his purposes, his providences, his doctrines, ordinances, ministers, and people; or “they speak of thee for wickedness” b, they made mention of the name of God to cover their wickedness, pretending to fear God and love him, to have a reverence of him and serve him, putting on a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof;
[and] thine enemies take [thy name] in vain: either by profane swearing, or by false swearing. The Targum interprets both clauses of swearing deceitfully and vainly; or “he”, that is, everyone that is “lifted up to vanity [are] thine enemies” c, whose hearts are lifted up to vanity, idols, riches, self-righteousness, sensual lusts and pleasures; these are the enemies of God, are estranged from him, hold friendship with the world, harbour his enemies, love what he hates, hate what he loves, and commit acts of hostility against him. The Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions, read, “they take thy cities in vain”.
b Or “to a mischievous purpose”; so Ainsworth. c “qui elatus est ad vanitatem, hostes tui sunt”, De Dieu.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
20. Who have spoken of thee wickedly. He intimates the extent to which the wicked proceed when God spares them, and forbears to visit them with vengeance. They not merely conclude that they may perpetrate any crime with impunity, but openly blaspheme their Judge. He takes notice of their speaking wickedly, in the sense of their taking no pains to disguise their sin under plausible pretences, as persons who have some shame remaining will exercise a certain restraint upon their language, but they make no secret of the contempt they entertain for God. The second clause, where he speaks of their taking God’s name falsely, some have interpreted too restrictedly with reference to their sin of perjury. Those,come nearer the truth who consider that the wicked are spoken of as taking God’s name in vain, when they conceive of him according to their own idle fancies. We see from experience, that most men are ignorant of what God is, and judge of him rather as one dead than alive. In words they all acknowledge him to be judge of the world, but the acknowledgment comes to nothing, as they straightway denude him of his office of judgment, which is to take God’s name in vain, by tarnishing the glory of it, and, in a manner, deforming it. But as name is not in the original, and נשא , nasa, means to lift Up, or on high, I think we are warranted rather to interpret the passage as meaning’, that they carried themselves with an arrogant and false pride. This elation or haughtiness of spirit is almost always allied with that petulance of which he had previously taken notice. What other reason can be given for their vending such poisonous rancour against God, but pride, and forgetfulness, on the one hand, of their own insignificance as men, and on the other, of the power which belongeth unto the Lord? On this account he calls them God’s adversaries, for all who exalt themselves above the place which they should occupy, act the part of the giants who warred against heaven.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(20) For they speak.Better, Who rebel against thee. This is actually the reading of the fifth of the Greek translations preserved by Origen, and entails only a change of the vowel pointing.
And thine enemies.The state of the text is unsatisfactory. The subject to the verb must be that of the last clause, and the rendering enemies of a word properly meaning cities is very doubtful, in spite of 1Sa. 28:16 (but Aquila has rivals, and Symmachus adversaries), where there is also a textual correction required.
Of the various proposed emendations, the simplest produces
And rise up against them in vain.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
20. For they speak against thee This is the ground and nature of his hatred of the wicked.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 139:20. Take thy name in vain Take thee to falsehood. “Take thee (thy name is generally expressed) only to swear falsely by thee.” Mudge.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Psa 139:20 For they speak against thee wickedly, [and] thine enemies take [thy name] in vain.
Ver. 20. For they speak against thee wickedly ] Inasmuch as they speak against me; Tua causa erit inca causa, Your cause will be my cause, said Charles V, emperor, to Julius Pflugius, who complained he had been wronged by the Duke of Saxony; so saith God to every David. This Luther knew, and therefore wrote thus to Melancthon, Causa ut sit magna, magnus est actor, et auctor eius; neque enim nostra est. The cause is Christ’s; and he will see to it and us. Moses told the people that their murmurings were not against him, but against the Lord, Exo 16:8 . As unskilful hunters, shooting at wild beasts, kill a man sometimes, so while men shoot at Christians, they hit Christ.
And thine enemies take thy name in vain
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
wickedly = rebelliously (pre-meditated).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
for they speak: Psa 73:8, Psa 73:9, Psa 74:18, Psa 74:22, Psa 74:23, Job 21:14, Job 21:15, Isa 37:23, Isa 37:28, Isa 37:29, Jud 1:15, Rev 13:6
thine: Psa 2:1-3, Exo 20:7
Reciprocal: Lev 24:16 – blasphemeth Deu 5:11 – General 2Ch 32:19 – spake
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 139:20. For they speak against thee wickedly It is not so much me that they persecute, in opposing, misrepresenting, and speaking against me, as virtue and piety, in persecuting which they oppose and speak against thee; contemning thy omniscience and omnipresence, and thy superintending providence. And thine enemies take thy name in vain Or, according to the order of the Hebrew words, They take thy name in vain, and are thine enemies. Or, are haters of thee, as it follows, Psa 139:21. They abuse thy blessed name with oaths, blasphemies, and perjuries, calling thee to witness the truth of their lies and calumnies. Or, as some render the clause, Thine enemies take thee to falsehood, (the words; thy name, being not in the Hebrew,) they take thee, only to swear falsely by thee.