Psalm 69:4
New International Version
Those who hate me without reason outnumber the hairs of my head; many are my enemies without cause, those who seek to destroy me. I am forced to restore what I did not steal.

New Living Translation
Those who hate me without cause outnumber the hairs on my head. Many enemies try to destroy me with lies, demanding that I give back what I didn’t steal.

English Standard Version
More in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause; mighty are those who would destroy me, those who attack me with lies. What I did not steal must I now restore?

Berean Standard Bible
Those who hate me without cause outnumber the hairs of my head; many are those who would destroy me—my enemies for no reason. Though I did not steal, I must repay.

King James Bible
They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.

New King James Version
Those who hate me without a cause Are more than the hairs of my head; They are mighty who would destroy me, Being my enemies wrongfully; Though I have stolen nothing, I still must restore it.

New American Standard Bible
Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; Those who would destroy me are powerful, those who oppose me with lies; What I did not steal, I then have to restore.

NASB 1995
Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; Those who would destroy me are powerful, being wrongfully my enemies; What I did not steal, I then have to restore.

NASB 1977
Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; Those who would destroy me are powerful, being wrongfully my enemies, What I did not steal, I then have to restore.

Legacy Standard Bible
Those who hate me without cause are more than the hairs of my head; Those who would destroy me are powerful, being wrongfully my enemies; What I did not steal, I then have to restore.

Amplified Bible
Those who hate me without cause are more than the hairs of my head; Those who would destroy me are powerful, being my enemies wrongfully; I am forced to restore what I did not steal.

Christian Standard Bible
Those who hate me without cause are more numerous than the hairs of my head; my deceitful enemies, who would destroy me, are powerful. Though I did not steal, I must repay.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Those who hate me without cause are more numerous than the hairs of my head; my deceitful enemies, who would destroy me, are powerful. Though I did not steal, I must repay.

American Standard Version
They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head: They that would cut me off, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: That which I took not away I have to restore.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
My enemies who are without a cause are more than the hairs of my head and they are harder than my bones; I have returned that which I did not defraud to my lying enemies.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head: my enemies that persecute me unrighteously are strengthened: then I restored that which I took not away.

Contemporary English Version
There are more people who hate me for no reason than there are hairs on my head. Many terrible enemies want to destroy me, God. Am I supposed to give back something I didn't steal?

Douay-Rheims Bible
They are multiplied above the hairs of my head, who hate me without cause. My enemies are grown strong who have wrongfully persecuted me: then did I pay that which I took not away.

English Revised Version
They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would cut me off, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Those who hate me for no reason outnumber the hairs on my head. Those who want to destroy me are mighty. They have no reason to be my enemies. I am forced to pay back what I did not steal.

Good News Translation
Those who hate me for no reason are more numerous than the hairs of my head. My enemies tell lies against me; they are strong and want to kill me. They made me give back things I did not steal.

International Standard Version
Those who hate me without cause are more than the hairs of my head. My persecutors are mighty, and they want to destroy me. Must I be forced to return what I did not steal?

JPS Tanakh 1917
They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; They that would cut me off, being mine enemies wrongfully, are many; Should I restore that which I took not away?

Literal Standard Version
Those hating me without cause | Have been more than the hairs of my head, | Mighty have been my destroyers, | My lying enemies, | That which I did not take away—I bring back.

Majority Standard Bible
Those who hate me without cause outnumber the hairs of my head; many are those who would destroy me—my enemies for no reason. Though I did not steal, I must repay.

New American Bible
More numerous than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause. Those who would destroy me are mighty, my enemies without reason. Must I now restore what I did not steal?

NET Bible
Those who hate me without cause are more numerous than the hairs of my head. Those who want to destroy me, my enemies for no reason, outnumber me. They make me repay what I did not steal!

New Revised Standard Version
More in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause; many are those who would destroy me, my enemies who accuse me falsely. What I did not steal must I now restore?

New Heart English Bible
Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head. Those who want to cut me off, being my enemies wrongfully, are mighty. I have to restore what I did not take away.

Webster's Bible Translation
They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head: they that would destroy me, being my enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.

World English Bible
Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head. Those who want to cut me off, being my enemies wrongfully, are mighty. I have to restore what I didn’t take away.

Young's Literal Translation
Those hating me without cause Have been more than the hairs of my head, Mighty have been my destroyers, My lying enemies, That which I took not away -- I bring back.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Waters Are Up to My Neck
3I am weary from my crying; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God. 4Those who hate me without cause outnumber the hairs of my head; many are those who would destroy me— my enemies for no reason. Though I did not steal, I must repay. 5You know my folly, O God, and my guilt is not hidden from You.…

Cross References
John 15:25
But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: 'They hated Me without reason.'

Psalm 3:1
O LORD, how my foes have increased! How many rise up against me!

Psalm 35:7
For without cause they laid their net for me; without reason they dug a pit for my soul.

Psalm 35:11
Hostile witnesses come forward; they make charges I know nothing about.

Psalm 35:19
Let not my enemies gloat over me without cause, nor those who hate me without reason wink in malice.

Psalm 38:19
Many are my enemies without cause, and many hate me without reason.

Psalm 40:12
For evils without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, so that I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart has failed within me.


Treasury of Scripture

They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head: they that would destroy me, being my enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.

hate

John 15:25
But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

1 Peter 2:22
Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

more than

Psalm 40:12
For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.

being

Psalm 7:3-5
O LORD my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands; …

Psalm 35:12,19
They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul…

Psalm 38:19,20
But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied…

then I

Isaiah 53:4-7
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted…

2 Corinthians 5:21
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

1 Peter 2:24
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

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Attack Cause Cut Desiring Destroy Destroyers Destruction Enemies Falsely Hairs Hate Hating Head Lies Mighty Powerful Restore Restored Seek Steal Strong Want Wrongfully
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Attack Cause Cut Desiring Destroy Destroyers Destruction Enemies Falsely Hairs Hate Hating Head Lies Mighty Powerful Restore Restored Seek Steal Strong Want Wrongfully
Psalm 69
1. David complains of his affliction
13. He prays for deliverance
22. He devotes his enemies to destruction
30. He praises God with thanksgiving














(4) They that would destroy me . . .--Properly, my exterminators. It seems a piece of hypercriticism to object to this as too strong a word. It is a very allowable prolepsis. At the same time the parallelism would be improved by adopting, as Ewald suggests, the Syriac reading "my enemies without are more numerous than my bones," and the construction would be the same as in Psalm 40:12.

Wrongfully.--Better, without cause. Comp. Psalm 35:19.

Then I restored.--Rather, what I did not steal I must then restore, possibly a proverbial saying to express harsh and unjust treatment. Comp. Ps. Xxxv. 11; Jeremiah 15:10.

Verse 4. - They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head (comp. Psalm 35:14; and for the simile. comp. Psalm 40:12; both of them Davidical compositions). They that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty. Joab and Abiathar, who supported the rebellion of Adonijah (1 Kings 1:7), and were "mighty" men, certainly were David's enemies "wrongfully." And the same may be said of Absalom and Ahithophel. Then I restored that which I took not away. Dr. Kay supposes David's quasi-abdication of a crown which he had not placed on his own head (2 Samuel 15:14-17) to be alluded to.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Those who hate
שֹׂנְאַ֪י (śō·nə·’ay)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 8130: To hate

me without cause
חִ֫נָּ֥ם (ḥin·nām)
Adverb
Strong's 2600: Gratis, devoid of cost, reason, advantage

outnumber
רַבּ֤וּ ׀ (rab·bū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 7231: To cast together, increase, in number, to multiply by the myriad

the hairs
מִשַּׂעֲר֣וֹת (miś·śa·‘ă·rō·wṯ)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 8185: Hairiness

of my head;
רֹאשִׁי֮ (rō·šî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 7218: The head

many are
עָצְמ֣וּ (‘ā·ṣə·mū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 6105: To bind fast, close, powerful, numerous, to crunch the bones

those who would destroy me—
מַ֭צְמִיתַי (maṣ·mî·ṯay)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 6789: To put an end to, exterminate

my enemies
אֹיְבַ֣י (’ō·yə·ḇay)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 341: Hating, an adversary

without cause.
שֶׁ֑קֶר (še·qer)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8267: Deception, disappointment, falsehood

Though I did not
לֹא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

steal,
גָ֝זַ֗לְתִּי (ḡā·zal·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 1497: To pluck off, to flay, strip, rob

I must repay.
אָשִֽׁיב׃ (’ā·šîḇ)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again


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OT Poetry: Psalm 69:4 Those who hate me without a cause (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 69:3
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