Psalm 109:11
New International Version
May a creditor seize all he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.

New Living Translation
May creditors seize his entire estate, and strangers take all he has earned.

English Standard Version
May the creditor seize all that he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil!

Berean Standard Bible
May the creditor seize all he owns, and strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.

King James Bible
Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil his labour.

New King James Version
Let the creditor seize all that he has, And let strangers plunder his labor.

New American Standard Bible
May the creditor seize everything that he has, And may strangers plunder the product of his labor.

NASB 1995
Let the creditor seize all that he has, And let strangers plunder the product of his labor.

NASB 1977
Let the creditor seize all that he has; And let strangers plunder the product of his labor.

Legacy Standard Bible
Let the creditor seize all that he has, And let strangers plunder the fruit of his labor.

Amplified Bible
Let the creditor seize all that he has, And let strangers plunder the product of his labor.

Christian Standard Bible
Let a creditor seize all he has; let strangers plunder what he has worked for.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Let a creditor seize all he has; let strangers plunder what he has worked for.

American Standard Version
Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; And let strangers make spoil of his labor.

Contemporary English Version
"Let the people he owes take everything he owns. Give it all to strangers.

English Revised Version
Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let strangers make spoil of his labour.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Let a creditor take everything he owns. Let strangers steal what he has worked for.

Good News Translation
May his creditors take away all his property, and may strangers get everything he worked for.

International Standard Version
May creditors seize all his possessions, and may foreigners loot the property he has acquired.

Majority Standard Bible
May the creditor seize all he owns, and strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.

NET Bible
May the creditor seize all he owns! May strangers loot his property!

New Heart English Bible
Let the creditor seize all that he has. Let strangers plunder the fruit of his labor.

Webster's Bible Translation
Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let strangers spoil his labor.

World English Bible
Let the creditor seize all that he has. Let strangers plunder the fruit of his labor.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
An exactor lays a snare for all that he has, "" And strangers spoil his labor.

Young's Literal Translation
An exactor layeth a snare for all that he hath, And strangers spoil his labour.

Smith's Literal Translation
The creditor shall lay snares for all which is to him, and strangers shall plunder his labor.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
May the userer search all his substance: and let strangers plunder his labours.

Catholic Public Domain Version
May the money lenders scrutinize all his belongings, and let foreigners plunder his labors.

New American Bible
May the usurer snare all he owns, strangers plunder all he earns.

New Revised Standard Version
May the creditor seize all that he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Let the creditor take all that they have, and let the strangers make them to be weakened.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
The creditor will seize upon all that they have and foreigners will weaken their power.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Let the creditor distrain all that he hath; And let strangers make spoil of his labour.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Let his creditor exact all that belongs to him: and let strangers spoil his labours.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Song of the Slandered
10May his children wander as beggars, seeking sustenance far from their ruined homes. 11May the creditor seize all he owns, and strangers plunder the fruits of his labor. 12May there be no one to extend kindness to him, and no one to favor his fatherless children.…

Cross References
Proverbs 22:7
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.

Deuteronomy 28:43-44
The foreigner living among you will rise higher and higher above you, while you sink down lower and lower. / He will lend to you, but you will not lend to him. He will be the head, and you will be the tail.

Nehemiah 5:4-5
Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. / We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless to redeem them because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

Isaiah 50:1
This is what the LORD says: “Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce with which I sent her away? Or to which of My creditors did I sell you? Look, you were sold for your iniquities, and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.

2 Kings 4:1
Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And now his creditor is coming to take my two children as his slaves!”

Job 24:9
The fatherless infant is snatched from the breast; the nursing child of the poor is seized for a debt.

Ezekiel 18:7
He does not oppress another, but restores the pledge to the debtor. He does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing.

Amos 2:6
This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Israel, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they sell the righteous for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals.

Micah 2:2
They covet fields and seize them; they take away houses. They deprive a man of his home, a fellow man of his inheritance.

Jeremiah 15:13
Your wealth and your treasures I will give up as plunder, without charge for all your sins within all your borders.

Matthew 18:25
Since the man was unable to pay, the master ordered that he be sold to pay his debt, along with his wife and children and everything he owned.

Luke 12:58-59
Make every effort to reconcile with your adversary while you are on your way to the magistrate. Otherwise, he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and the officer may throw you into prison. / I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the very last penny.”

Matthew 5:25-26
Reconcile quickly with your adversary, while you are still on the way to court. Otherwise, he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. / Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

James 2:6
But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?

Romans 13:8
Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.


Treasury of Scripture

Let the extortionist catch all that he has; and let the strangers spoil his labor.

extortioner

Job 5:5
Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out of the thorns, and the robber swalloweth up their substance.

Job 18:9-19
The gin shall take him by the heel, and the robber shall prevail against him…

Job 20:18
That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein.

strangers

Deuteronomy 28:29,33,34,50,51
And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee

Judges 6:3-6
And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them; …

Jump to Previous
Cast Catch Creditor Despoil Exactor Extortioner Fruit Fruits Goods Labor Net Others Plunder Product Profit Seize Spoil Strangers Toil Usurer Work
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Cast Catch Creditor Despoil Exactor Extortioner Fruit Fruits Goods Labor Net Others Plunder Product Profit Seize Spoil Strangers Toil Usurer Work
Psalm 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














May the creditor seize all he owns
This phrase reflects a plea for divine justice against an enemy, invoking the image of a creditor taking possession of a debtor's property. In ancient Israel, debt was a serious matter, often leading to loss of property or even enslavement. The creditor here symbolizes the consequences of one's actions, aligning with the biblical principle of reaping what one sows (Galatians 6:7). This imprecation is part of a larger tradition of lament and imprecatory psalms, where the psalmist calls upon God to enact justice. The cultural context of debt and servitude in the ancient Near East underscores the severity of this curse, as losing one's possessions could mean losing one's livelihood and social standing.

and strangers plunder the fruits of his labor
The mention of "strangers" plundering the fruits of one's labor highlights the complete loss and humiliation intended for the enemy. In the agrarian society of ancient Israel, the "fruits of labor" would primarily refer to agricultural produce, which was essential for survival and prosperity. The involvement of "strangers" suggests a loss of protection and community, as outsiders taking what one has worked for indicates a breakdown of social and familial support. This imagery connects to the curses found in Deuteronomy 28, where disobedience to God leads to foreign nations consuming the labor of the Israelites. It also foreshadows the ultimate judgment and separation from God, as seen in the parables of Jesus, where the unfaithful are cast out and their rewards given to others (Matthew 25:28-30).

Persons / Places / Events
1. David
Traditionally attributed as the author of Psalm 109, David is expressing a deep lament and imprecation against his enemies.

2. Enemies of David
The psalm is directed towards those who have wronged David, possibly including individuals who have betrayed or falsely accused him.

3. Creditor
Represents those who would take advantage of the psalmist's enemies, seizing their possessions as a form of divine justice.

4. Strangers
Symbolize outsiders who would benefit from the downfall of the psalmist's adversaries, further emphasizing the totality of their loss.

5. Fruits of Labor
Refers to the results of one's work and efforts, which in this context, are taken away as a consequence of wrongdoing.
Teaching Points
The Consequences of Injustice
The verse serves as a reminder that injustice and betrayal can lead to severe consequences, both spiritually and materially.

Divine Justice
God's justice may manifest in ways that seem harsh, but they serve to uphold righteousness and deter wrongdoing.

The Power of Prayer
David's imprecatory prayer reflects the power of bringing grievances before God, trusting Him to handle justice.

The Importance of Integrity
Maintaining integrity in our dealings can protect us from the kind of divine retribution described in this psalm.

Empathy and Forgiveness
While the psalm reflects a call for justice, Christians are also called to balance justice with mercy and forgiveness, following Christ's example.(11) Let the extortioner.--Better, let the usurer lay traps to catch all that he hath. So Timon:

"Let prisons swallow them,

Debts wither them to nothing."

Verse 11. - Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; rather, the creditor, or the usurer; i.e. the man from whom he has borrowed money. And let the strangers (rather, let foreigners) spoil his labor; i.e. plunder his lands, carry off his crops, and leave him destitute.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
May the creditor
נ֭וֹשֶׁה (nō·wō·šeh)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5383: To lend, borrow on security, interest

seize
יְנַקֵּ֣שׁ (yə·naq·qêš)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5367: To knock, strike, hit, strike or bring down

all
לְכָל־ (lə·ḵāl)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

he owns,
ל֑וֹ (lōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

and strangers
זָרִ֣ים (zā·rîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 2114: To turn aside, to be a, foreigner, strange, profane, to commit adultery

plunder
וְיָבֹ֖זּוּ (wə·yā·ḇōz·zū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 962: To spoil, plunder

the fruits of his labor.
יְגִיעֽוֹ׃ (yə·ḡî·‘ōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3018: Toil, a work, produce, property


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OT Poetry: Psalm 109:11 Let the creditor seize all that he (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 109:10
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