Psalm 139:20
New International Version
They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name.

New Living Translation
They blaspheme you; your enemies misuse your name.

English Standard Version
They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain.

Berean Standard Bible
who speak of You deceitfully; Your enemies take Your name in vain.

King James Bible
For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.

New King James Version
For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain.

New American Standard Bible
For they speak against You wickedly, And Your enemies take Your name in vain.

NASB 1995
For they speak against You wickedly, And Your enemies take Your name in vain.

NASB 1977
For they speak against Thee wickedly, And Thine enemies take Thy name in vain.

Legacy Standard Bible
For they speak against You wickedly, And Your enemies take Your name in vain.

Amplified Bible
For they speak against You wickedly, Your enemies take Your name in vain.

Christian Standard Bible
who invoke you deceitfully. Your enemies swear by you falsely.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
who invoke You deceitfully. Your enemies swear by You falsely.

American Standard Version
For they speak against thee wickedly, And thine enemies take thy name in vain.

Contemporary English Version
They are always rebelling and speaking evil of you.

English Revised Version
For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They say wicked things about you. Your enemies misuse your name.

Good News Translation
They say wicked things about you; they speak evil things against your name.

International Standard Version
who speak against you with evil motives, your enemies who are acting in vain.

Majority Standard Bible
who speak of You deceitfully; Your enemies take Your name in vain.

NET Bible
They rebel against you and act deceitfully; your enemies lie.

New Heart English Bible
For they speak against you wickedly. Your enemies take your name in vain.

Webster's Bible Translation
For they speak against thee wickedly, and thy enemies take thy name in vain.

World English Bible
For they speak against you wickedly. Your enemies take your name in vain.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Who exchange You for wickedness, "" Your enemies [are] lifted up to vanity.

Young's Literal Translation
Who exchange Thee for wickedness, Lifted up to vanity are Thine enemies.

Smith's Literal Translation
For they will say to thee for mischief; thine enemies were lifted up for vanity.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Because you say in thought: They shall receive thy cities in vain.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For you say in thought: They will accept your cities in vain.

New American Bible
Your foes who conspire a plot against you are exalted in vain.

New Revised Standard Version
those who speak of you maliciously, and lift themselves up against you for evil!
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For they speak against thee, and have taken thy city without cause.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Because they have spoken against you and they have taken your city without a cause!
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Who utter Thy name with wicked thought, They take it for falsehood, even Thine enemies--

Brenton Septuagint Translation
For thou wilt say concerning their thought, that they shall take thy cities in vain.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
You Have Searched Me and Known Me
19O God, that You would slay the wicked—away from me, you bloodthirsty men— 20who speak of You deceitfully; Your enemies take Your name in vain. 21Do I not hate those who hate You, O LORD, and detest those who rise against You?…

Cross References
Exodus 20:7
You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain.

Leviticus 24:16
Whoever blasphemes the name of the LORD must surely be put to death; the whole assembly must surely stone him, whether he is a foreign resident or native; if he blasphemes the Name, he must be put to death.

Matthew 12:36-37
But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. / For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Romans 1:30
slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful. They invent new forms of evil; they disobey their parents.

James 3:9-10
With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. / Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be!

Isaiah 52:5
And now what have I here? declares the LORD. For My people have been taken without cause; those who rule them taunt, declares the LORD, and My name is blasphemed continually all day long.

Ezekiel 36:20-23
And wherever they went among the nations, they profaned My holy name, because it was said of them, ‘These are the people of the LORD, yet they had to leave His land.’ / But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations to which they had gone. / Therefore tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: It is not for your sake that I will act, O house of Israel, but for My holy name, which you profaned among the nations to which you went. ...

2 Timothy 3:2-5
For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, / unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, without love of good, / traitorous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ...

1 Timothy 1:13
I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man; yet because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief, I was shown mercy.

Jeremiah 23:36
But refer no more to the burden of the LORD, for each man’s word becomes the burden, so that you pervert the words of the living God, the LORD of Hosts, our God.

2 Peter 2:12
These men are like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be captured and destroyed. They blaspheme in matters they do not understand, and like such creatures, they too will be destroyed.

Jude 1:15
to execute judgment on everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of every ungodly act of wickedness and every harsh word spoken against Him by ungodly sinners.”

Revelation 13:6
And the beast opened its mouth to speak blasphemies against God and to slander His name and His tabernacle—those who dwell in heaven.

1 Samuel 17:45
But David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

Nehemiah 9:26
But they were disobedient and rebelled against You; they flung Your law behind their backs. They killed Your prophets, who had admonished them to return to You. They committed terrible blasphemies.


Treasury of Scripture

For they speak against you wickedly, and your enemies take your name in vain.

for they speak

Psalm 73:8,9
They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily…

Psalm 74:18,22,23
Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O LORD, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name…

Job 21:14,15
Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways…

thine

Psalm 2:1-3
Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? …

Exodus 20:7
Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Jump to Previous
Adversaries Defy Designs Enemies Evil Exchange Falsehood Haters Intent Lift Maliciously Misuse Speak Sport Themselves Thought Utter Vain Vanity Wicked Wickedly Wickedness
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Adversaries Defy Designs Enemies Evil Exchange Falsehood Haters Intent Lift Maliciously Misuse Speak Sport Themselves Thought Utter Vain Vanity Wicked Wickedly Wickedness
Psalm 139
1. David praises God for his all-seeing providence
17. And for this infinite mercies
19. He defies the wicked
23. He prays for sincerity














who speak of You deceitfully;
This phrase addresses those who misrepresent or distort the truth about God. In biblical context, deceitful speech is often associated with false prophets or those who lead others astray (Jeremiah 23:16). The act of speaking deceitfully about God can be seen as a violation of the commandment against bearing false witness (Exodus 20:16). Historically, Israel faced many challenges from surrounding nations and internal factions that sought to undermine the true worship of Yahweh. This deceit can also be linked to the serpent's deception in Genesis 3, where twisting God's words led to the fall of man. In a broader sense, deceitful speech about God can be seen as a type of antichrist behavior, opposing the truth of Christ, who is the Word made flesh (John 1:14).

Your enemies take Your name in vain.
Taking God's name in vain is a direct violation of the third commandment (Exodus 20:7), which underscores the importance of reverence for God's name. In ancient Israel, God's name was considered sacred, and misuse of it was a serious offense. This phrase highlights the actions of those who not only oppose God but also disrespect His holiness and authority. The cultural context of the time placed great emphasis on the power and significance of names, especially the divine name of Yahweh. This disrespect can be seen as a form of blasphemy, which was punishable by death under Mosaic Law (Leviticus 24:16). In the New Testament, Jesus teaches the importance of honoring God's name in the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9). The enemies of God, by taking His name in vain, align themselves against His purposes and ultimately against Christ, who perfectly honored and revealed the Father (John 17:6).

Persons / Places / Events
1. David
Traditionally attributed as the author of Psalm 139, David is expressing his deep awareness of God's omniscience and omnipresence, contrasting it with the deceitful actions of God's adversaries.

2. Adversaries
These are individuals or groups who oppose God and His purposes, often characterized by deceit and misuse of God's name.

3. God
The central figure in the Psalm, whose omniscience, omnipresence, and holiness are highlighted throughout the chapter.
Teaching Points
The Importance of Reverence for God's Name
God's name is holy and should be treated with the utmost respect. Misusing His name reflects a heart that is not aligned with His holiness.

Recognizing Deceitful Intent
Believers must be discerning of those who speak of God with deceitful intent, ensuring that their own words and actions align with truth and integrity.

God's Awareness of Our Hearts
God is fully aware of our intentions and the sincerity of our faith. We should strive to live transparently before Him, knowing that nothing is hidden from His sight.

The Call to Stand Against Deception
As followers of Christ, we are called to stand against deceit and uphold the truth of God's Word in our lives and communities.

Reflecting God's Holiness in Our Speech
Our speech should reflect the holiness of God, avoiding any form of deceit or misuse of His name, and instead, glorifying Him in all we say.(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 1Samuel 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."

Verse 20. - For they speak against thee wickedly; literally, who speak of thee for wickedness; i.e. use thy Name for the accomplishment of wicked ends. And thine enemies take thy Name in vain. The text must be altered to produce this meaning. As it stands, it can only be rendered, "Thine enemies lift up [their scull to vanity" (comp. Psalm 24:4).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
who
אֲשֶׁ֣ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

invoke You
יֹ֭אמְרֻךָ (yō·mə·ru·ḵā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | second person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

with deceit;
לִמְזִמָּ֑ה (lim·zim·māh)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4209: A plan, evil, sometimes good

Your enemies
עָרֶֽיךָ׃ (‘ā·re·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 6145: Perhaps adversary

take
נָשֻׂ֖א (nā·śu)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

[Your name] in vain.
לַשָּׁ֣וְא (laš·šāw)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7723: Evil, idolatry, uselessness


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OT Poetry: Psalm 139:20 For they speak against you wickedly (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 139:19
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