Psalm 35:16

16 With ungodly mocking and grimacing, they grind their teeth at me.

Psalm 35:16 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 35:16

With hypocritical mockers in feasts
That is, the abjects gathered, themselves together with such; these may design Saul's courtiers, his parasites and flatterers, and who were hypocrites in religion also, and made it their business at Saul's table, and in their banquetings and revellings, to mock at David; and who were "hypocritical mockers of" or "for a piece of bread" ^F25, as it may be rendered; the same word is used for a pastry, or cake, and for flatterers; and they used at their feasts to throw a pastry baked with honey to parasites ^F26, for the word (gwem) signifies a cake, or a piece of bread, ( 1 Kings 17:12 ) ; and the sense may be, that they mocked at David as wanting a piece of bread, and that he had brought himself to one; or else those, and they that gathered with them especially, mocked at David for the sake of a meal; or for a piece of bread; see ( Proverbs 28:27 ) ; and such sort of men were the enemies of Christ, the Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites to God, flatterers of men, who loved feasts, and the uppermost places there, and whose god was their belly; and who were mockers of Christ, derided his doctrine, and scoffed at his person, especially when he hung upon the cross;

they gnashed upon me with their teeth;
in indignation and contempt; as Stephen's enemies did on him, ( Acts 7:54 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 (gwem ygel) "subsannatoribus subcineritii panis", Vatablus; "subsanmantes propter placentam", Piscator; "scoffers for a cake of bread", Ainsworth; hence a "parasite", a "table companion", or "trencher friend", is used for a "flatterer", vid. Suidam in voce (parasitov) .
F26 Weemse's Christ. Synag. l. 1. c. 6. s. 8. p. 209. of the Moral Law, l. 2. c. 9. p. 310.

Psalm 35:16 In-Context

14 I behaved as I would for my friend or my brother; I bent down in sorrow as if mourning my mother.

15 But when I stumble, they gather in glee; they gather against me and strike me unawares; they tear me apart unceasingly.

16 With ungodly mocking and grimacing, they grind their teeth at me.

17 Adonai, how much longer will you look on? Rescue me from their assaults, save the one life I have from the lions!

18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly, I will give you praise among huge crowds of people.