Tehillim 35:16

16 Like chanef (hypocritical) mockers at cake, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

Tehillim 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 ) .


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.

Tehillim 35:16 In-Context

14 I went about as though he had been my re’a or ach; I bowed in sadness, as one that mourneth for his em.
15 But at mine stumbling they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together; yes, the attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I had no da’as; they did tear at me [with slander], and ceased not:
16 Like chanef (hypocritical) mockers at cake, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
17 Adonoi, how long wilt Thou look on? Rescue my nefesh from their destructions, my yechidah (only one, my life) from the lions.
18 I will give Thee thanks in the kahal rav (great congregation); I will praise Thee among the mighty throng.
The Orthodox Jewish Bible fourth edition, OJB. Copyright 2002,2003,2008,2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.