Psalm 41:5
New International Version
My enemies say of me in malice, “When will he die and his name perish?”

New Living Translation
But my enemies say nothing but evil about me. “How soon will he die and be forgotten?” they ask.

English Standard Version
My enemies say of me in malice, “When will he die, and his name perish?”

Berean Standard Bible
My enemies say with malice: “When will he die and be forgotten?”

King James Bible
Mine enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die, and his name perish?

New King James Version
My enemies speak evil of me: “When will he die, and his name perish?”

New American Standard Bible
My enemies speak evil against me, “When will he die, and his name perish?”

NASB 1995
My enemies speak evil against me, “When will he die, and his name perish?”

NASB 1977
My enemies speak evil against me, “When will he die, and his name perish?”

Legacy Standard Bible
My enemies speak evil against me, “When will he die, and his name perish?”

Amplified Bible
My enemies speak evil of me, saying, “When will he die and his name perish?”

Christian Standard Bible
My enemies speak maliciously about me: “When will he die and be forgotten? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
My enemies speak maliciously about me:” When will he die and be forgotten?”

American Standard Version
Mine enemies speak evil against me, saying, When will he die, and his name perish?

Contemporary English Version
My vicious enemies ask me, "When will you die and be forgotten?"

English Revised Version
Mine enemies speak evil against me, saying, When shall he die, and his name perish?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
My enemies say terrible things about me: "When will he die, and when will his family name disappear?"

Good News Translation
My enemies say cruel things about me. They want me to die and be forgotten.

International Standard Version
As for my enemies, with malice they said, "When will he die and memory of his name perish?"

Majority Standard Bible
My enemies say with malice: “When will he die and be forgotten?”

NET Bible
My enemies ask this cruel question about me, 'When will he finally die and be forgotten?'

New Heart English Bible
My enemies speak evil against me: "When will he die, and his name perish?"

Webster's Bible Translation
My enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die, and his name perish?

World English Bible
My enemies speak evil against me: “When will he die, and his name perish?”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
My enemies say evil of me: When he dies—his name has perished!

Young's Literal Translation
Mine enemies say evil of me: When he dieth -- his name hath perished!

Smith's Literal Translation
Mine enemies will say evil to me: When shall he die, and his name perish?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
My enemies have spoken evils against me: when shall he die and his name perish?

Catholic Public Domain Version
My enemies have spoken evils against me. When will he die and his name perish?

New American Bible
My enemies say bad things against me: ‘When will he die and his name be forgotten?’

New Revised Standard Version
My enemies wonder in malice when I will die, and my name perish.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Mine enemies speak evil of me: When shall he die, and his name perish?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
My enemies speak evil against me: "But when does he die and his Name perish?"
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Mine enemies speak evil of me: 'When shall he die, and his name perish?'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Mine enemies have spoken evil against me, saying, When shall he die, and his name perish?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Blessed is He who Cares for the Poor
4I said, “O LORD, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against You.” 5My enemies say with malice: “When will he die and be forgotten?” 6My visitor speaks falsehood; he gathers slander in his heart; he goes out and spreads it abroad.…

Cross References
Matthew 5:11
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.

John 15:18-19
If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first. / If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.

Matthew 27:39-44
And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads / and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross!” / In the same way, the chief priests, scribes, and elders mocked Him, saying, ...

Mark 15:29-32
And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, / come down from the cross and save Yourself!” / In the same way, the chief priests and scribes mocked Him among themselves, saying, “He saved others, but He cannot save Himself! ...

Luke 6:22
Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil because of the Son of Man.

John 13:18
I am not speaking about all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the Scripture: ‘The one who shares My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.’

Acts 13:45
But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and they blasphemously contradicted what Paul was saying.

Acts 23:12-13
When daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. / More than forty of them were involved in this plot.

Romans 12:14
Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse.

1 Peter 4:14
If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

2 Timothy 3:12
Indeed, all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

Job 19:19
All my best friends despise me, and those I love have turned against me.

Job 30:1-10
“But now they mock me, men younger than I am, whose fathers I would have refused to put with my sheep dogs. / What use to me was the strength of their hands, since their vigor had left them? / Gaunt from poverty and hunger, they gnawed the dry land, and the desolate wasteland by night. ...

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.”

Jeremiah 20:10
For I have heard the whispering of many: “Terror is on every side! Report him; let us report him!” All my trusted friends watch for my fall: “Perhaps he will be deceived so that we may prevail against him and take our vengeance upon him.”


Treasury of Scripture

My enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die, and his name perish?

Mine

Psalm 22:6-8
But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people…

Psalm 102:8
Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me.

his name

Job 18:17
His remembrance shall perish from the earth, and he shall have no name in the street.

Job 20:7
Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?

Proverbs 10:7
The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.

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Dead Die Dieth End Enemies Evil Haters Malice Perish Perished Speak Wish
Psalm 41
1. The recompense of the charitable
4. David complains of his enemies' treachery
10. He flees to God for helpfulness














My enemies say
The phrase "My enemies say" introduces the adversarial context of the psalmist's experience. In Hebrew, the word for "enemies" is "אֹיְבַי" (oyebay), which denotes those who are hostile or bear animosity. This reflects the reality of spiritual and physical opposition faced by believers. Historically, David, the attributed author of this psalm, often encountered enemies, both within his kingdom and from surrounding nations. This phrase sets the stage for understanding the trials and tribulations that come with being a follower of God, reminding us that opposition is a common experience for those who stand for righteousness.

of me in malice
The phrase "of me in malice" highlights the ill intent behind the enemies' words. The Hebrew word for "malice" is "רָעָה" (ra'ah), which conveys evil, wickedness, or harm. This suggests that the enemies are not merely indifferent but actively seek to harm the psalmist. In a broader spiritual context, this reflects the nature of sin and evil in the world, which often seeks to undermine and destroy the work of God and His people. It serves as a reminder of the spiritual warfare that believers are engaged in, where the forces of darkness are constantly at work against the light.

When will he die
The question "When will he die" reveals the depth of the enemies' hostility. It is not just a wish for the psalmist's downfall but a desire for his complete eradication. This reflects the ultimate aim of evil, which is to bring about death and destruction. In the biblical narrative, death is often seen as the final enemy, one that Christ Himself conquered through His resurrection. For believers, this phrase serves as a reminder of the hope and victory found in Christ, who has overcome death and offers eternal life to those who trust in Him.

and his name perish?
The phrase "and his name perish" underscores the enemies' desire not only for the physical death of the psalmist but also for the obliteration of his legacy and memory. In Hebrew culture, a person's name was synonymous with their identity and reputation. To wish for someone's name to perish is to wish for their complete erasure from history. This reflects the ultimate futility of evil, as God's promises to His people include the assurance of an eternal legacy. For Christians, this is a powerful reminder of the eternal significance of living a life that honors God, knowing that our names are written in the Book of Life and will never perish.

(5) Shall he die . . . perish.--Better, When will he die, and his name have perished.

Verse 5. - Mine enemies speak evil of me. Another head of suffering, viz. misrepresentation, calumny, abuse, on the part of enemies. Absalom had stolen away the hearts of the children of Israel from David by misrepresenting him (2 Samuel 15:3, 4). Shimei had followed the example, adding to his misrepresentation abuse and cursing (2 Samuel 16:5-8). Absalom's aiders and abettors generally, no doubt, joined in the chorus. This, then, is David's second subject of complaint, and one that he felt keenly - his enemies spoke evil of him. Farther, they desired and anticipated his death. When (they said) shall he die, and his name perish? David evidently was, or had been, when his enemies thus spoke, on the bed of sickness, prostrate, and in danger of his life. While he thus suffered, they rejoiced, expecting his early demise. When he was dead, they intended that his name should "perish;" i.e. that his memory should be utterly rooted out.

Parallel Commentaries ...


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

say
יֹאמְר֣וּ (yō·mə·rū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

with malice:
רַ֣ע (ra‘)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil

“When
מָתַ֥י (mā·ṯay)
Interrogative
Strong's 4970: Extent, when

will he die
יָ֝מ֗וּת (yā·mūṯ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

and be forgotten?”
וְאָבַ֥ד (wə·’ā·ḇaḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6: To wander away, lose oneself, to perish


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OT Poetry: Psalm 41:5 My enemies speak evil against me: When (Psalm Ps Psa.)
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