Psalm 109:6
New International Version
Appoint someone evil to oppose my enemy; let an accuser stand at his right hand.

New Living Translation
They say, “Get an evil person to turn against him. Send an accuser to bring him to trial.

English Standard Version
Appoint a wicked man against him; let an accuser stand at his right hand.

Berean Standard Bible
Set over him a wicked man; let an accuser stand at his right hand.

King James Bible
Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.

New King James Version
Set a wicked man over him, And let an accuser stand at his right hand.

New American Standard Bible
Appoint a wicked person over him, And may an accuser stand at his right hand.

NASB 1995
Appoint a wicked man over him, And let an accuser stand at his right hand.

NASB 1977
Appoint a wicked man over him; And let an accuser stand at his right hand.

Legacy Standard Bible
Appoint a wicked man over him, And let an accuser stand at his right hand.

Amplified Bible
Appoint a wicked man against him, And let an attacker stand at his right hand [to kill him].

Christian Standard Bible
Set a wicked person over him; let an accuser stand at his right hand.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Set a wicked person over him; let an accuser stand at his right hand.

American Standard Version
Set thou a wicked man over him; And let an adversary stand at his right hand.

Contemporary English Version
My enemies said, "Find some worthless fools to accuse him of a crime.

English Revised Version
Set thou a wicked man over him: and let an adversary stand at his right hand.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
[I said,] "Appoint the evil one to oppose him. Let Satan stand beside him.

Good News Translation
Choose some corrupt judge to try my enemy, and let one of his own enemies accuse him.

International Standard Version
Appoint an evil person over him; may an accuser stand at his right side.

Majority Standard Bible
Set over him a wicked man; let an accuser stand at his right hand.

NET Bible
Appoint an evil man to testify against him! May an accuser stand at his right side!

New Heart English Bible
Set a wicked man over him. Let an adversary stand at his right hand.

Webster's Bible Translation
Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.

World English Bible
Set a wicked man over him. Let an adversary stand at his right hand.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Appoint the wicked over him, "" And an adversary stands at his right hand.

Young's Literal Translation
Appoint Thou over him the wicked, And an adversary standeth at his right hand.

Smith's Literal Translation
Appoint over him the unjust one, and the adversary shall stand at his right hand.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Set thou the sinner over him: and may the devil stand at his right hand.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Establish the sinner over him, and let the devil stand at his right hand.

New American Bible
Appoint an evil one over him, an accuser to stand at his right hand,

New Revised Standard Version
They say, “Appoint a wicked man against him; let an accuser stand on his right.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Command thou vengeance against them; and let Satan stand at their right hand.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Command evil against them and Satan shall stand at their right hand!
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Set Thou a wicked man over him; And let an adversary stand at his right hand.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Set thou a sinner against him; and let the devil stand at his right hand.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Song of the Slandered
5They repay me evil for good, and hatred for my love. 6Set over him a wicked man; let an accuser stand at his right hand. 7When he is tried, let him be found guilty, and may his prayer be regarded as sin.…

Cross References
Acts 1:20
“For it is written in the book of Psalms: ‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, ‘May another take his position.’

Matthew 27:3-5
When Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was filled with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. / “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said. “What is that to us?” they replied. “You bear the responsibility.” / So Judas threw the silver into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.

John 13:27
And when Judas had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said to Judas, “What you are about to do, do quickly.”

Luke 22:3
Then Satan entered Judas Iscariot, who was one of the Twelve.

Romans 12:19
Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”

1 Peter 2:23
When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.

Matthew 5:44
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

Romans 3:13-14
“Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The venom of vipers is on their lips.” / “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”

2 Timothy 4:14
Alexander the coppersmith did great harm to me. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds.

Revelation 12:10
And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ. For the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down—he who accuses them day and night before our God.

Job 16:9-11
His anger has torn me and opposed me; He gnashes His teeth at me. My adversary pierces me with His eyes. / They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join together against me. / God has delivered me to unjust men; He has thrown me to the clutches of the wicked.

Zechariah 3:1-2
Then the angel showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, with Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. / And the LORD said to Satan: “The LORD rebukes you, Satan! Indeed, the LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you! Is not this man a firebrand snatched from the fire?”

1 Samuel 24:12
May the LORD judge between you and me, and may the LORD take vengeance on you, but my hand will never be against you.

1 Kings 21:10
But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them testify, ‘You have cursed both God and the king!’ Then take him out and stone him to death.”

Jeremiah 18:18
Then some said, “Come, let us make plans against Jeremiah, for the law will never be lost to the priest, nor counsel to the wise, nor an oracle to the prophet. Come, let us denounce him and pay no heed to any of his words.”


Treasury of Scripture

Set you a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.

set thou.

Matthew 27:4
Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.

and let

Zechariah 3:1
And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.

John 13:2,27
And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him; …

Satan, or, an adversary

Matthew 5:25
Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

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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














Appoint
The word "appoint" in this context is a call for divine intervention. In Hebrew, the root word is "פָּקַד" (paqad), which often means to set or establish. This term is used in the Old Testament to denote God's sovereign authority to assign roles or judgments. The psalmist is invoking God's power to establish a course of action, reflecting a deep trust in God's ultimate justice and governance over human affairs.

an evil man
The phrase "an evil man" is translated from the Hebrew "רָשָׁע" (rasha), which denotes someone who is morally wrong or wicked. In the biblical context, this term is often used to describe those who are in opposition to God's will and righteousness. The psalmist's plea here is for a person who embodies wickedness to be set against his adversary, highlighting the severity of the situation and the need for divine retribution against those who perpetrate evil.

to oppose him
"To oppose him" suggests a confrontation or adversarial stance. The Hebrew root "שָׂטַן" (satan) is used here, which means to act as an adversary or accuser. This is the same root from which the name "Satan" is derived, indicating a role of opposition. The psalmist is calling for a forceful counteraction against his enemy, emphasizing the need for justice and the hope that God will raise up someone to challenge the wrongdoer.

let an accuser
The term "accuser" is again linked to the Hebrew "שָׂטַן" (satan), reinforcing the idea of an adversary or one who brings charges against another. In the ancient Near Eastern context, an accuser would be someone who stands in a legal or moral position to challenge or bring to light the wrongs of another. This reflects the psalmist's desire for accountability and exposure of the enemy's misdeeds.

stand at his right hand
The phrase "stand at his right hand" is significant in biblical literature. The right hand is traditionally a place of honor and power, but here it is used to denote a position of accusation or judgment. In ancient court settings, the accuser would stand at the right hand of the accused, ready to present the case against them. This imagery underscores the psalmist's plea for a decisive and authoritative judgment against his adversary, trusting that God will orchestrate justice in a manner that is both visible and undeniable.

(6) Set thou a wicked man over him.--This rendering is abundantly confirmed by Leviticus 26:16; Numbers 4:27; Numbers 27:16; Jeremiah 15:3; Jeremiah 51:27, against Hitzig's proposed "Pronounce against him--guilty," which also would only anticipate Psalm 109:7. (Comp., too, the noun "office" in Psalm 109:8, from the same verb.) The wish expressed is that the persons indicated may fall into the hands of an unscrupulous judge. If, however, we are to think of the divine judgment, then this clause must be taken as exactly parallel to the next: "Appoint a wicked man against him." Here the imprecatory part of the psalm begins, and it has been ingeniously argued that the whole of it (Psalm 109:6-20) is a quotation, giving, not the psalmist's curse on his foes, but theirs on him. Such quotations, without any introductory words, are common, and the theory is tenable, but improbable. . . . Verses 6-15. - The imprecatory portion of the psalm now begins. It is no doubt true to say, with Tholuck, that "no passion is discernible in the imprecations, dreadful as they are." Clearly the writer is not moved by personal feelings of hostility, but by a spirit of justice, and an intense abhorrence of sin. He delivers a calm judicial sentence. Still, the spirit of Christian love must ever shrink from such utterances, which belong to an earlier and less perfect dispensation (comp. Luke 9:51-56). Verse 6. - Set thou a wicked man over him; i.e. to judge him (see ver. 7). A persecutor deserves to be himself persecuted, an oppressor to be himself oppressed. "Nec lex justior ulla est, Quam necis artifices arte periresua." And let Satan stand at his right hand; rather, an adversary, or an accuser. In courts of justice the accuser stood at the accused person's right hand.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Set
הַפְקֵ֣ד (hap̄·qêḏ)
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 6485: To visit, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit

over him
עָלָ֣יו (‘ā·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

a wicked man;
רָשָׁ֑ע (rā·šā‘)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7563: Wrong, an, bad person

let an accuser
וְ֝שָׂטָ֗ן (wə·śā·ṭān)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7854: An opponent -- Satan, the arch-enemy of good

stand
יַעֲמֹ֥ד (ya·‘ă·mōḏ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5975: To stand, in various relations

at
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

his right hand.
יְמִינֽוֹ׃ (yə·mî·nōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3225: The right hand, side, the south


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OT Poetry: Psalm 109:6 Set a wicked man over him (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 109:5
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