Psalms 31:11

11 To my enemies I'm a monster; I'm ridiculed by the neighbors. My friends are horrified; they cross the street to avoid me.

Psalms 31:11 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 31:11

I was a reproach among all mine enemies
This is a common case of the people of God; and though it may be the least of their afflictions, yet it is not grateful to the flesh; and it is as it is made: under divine supports saints rejoice, and take pleasure in reproaches, that they are counted worthy to bear them, and esteem them as great riches; at other times they seize and feed upon their spirits, and are ready to break their hearts;

but especially among my neighbours;
who knew him, and knew he did not deserve to be so treated; and who ought, as neighbours, to have loved him, and done all good offices to him; so that this is an aggravation both of their sin and his distress;

and a fear to mine acquaintance;
not that they were afraid that he should do them any mischief; but they were afraid to own him, and to do him any service; unless the sense is, that they were afraid that evil would befall him, that he should not escape with his life; which, though it may express the affectionate concern of his friends, yet shows the danger he was exposed to;

they that did see me without fled from me;
as if he had something very pestilential and infectious about him.

Psalms 31:11 In-Context

9 Be kind to me, God - I'm in deep, deep trouble again. I've cried my eyes out; I feel hollow inside.

10 My life leaks away, groan by groan; my years fade out in sighs. My troubles have worn me out, turned my bones to powder.

11 To my enemies I'm a monster; I'm ridiculed by the neighbors. My friends are horrified; they cross the street to avoid me.

12 They want to blot me from memory, forget me like a corpse in a grave, discard me like a broken dish in the trash.

13 The street-talk gossip has me "criminally insane"! Behind locked doors they plot how to ruin me for good.