Psalms 109:13 (KJV)

What does Psalms 109:13 mean?

Psalms 109:13 expresses a wish that the descendants of a certain person would be completely cut off, so that in the next generation, their family name would disappear and be forgotten. This is part of a series of strong curses spoken against someone who has acted as an enemy.

In this psalm, David is speaking, praying to God about people who have treated him with hostility and injustice. The verse is part of a larger section where David calls for severe consequences on his adversaries, reflecting the depth of his distress and the seriousness of the wrongs done to him. The language is intense, showing the ancient world’s view of family legacy and reputation as deeply important.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 109:13

• "posterity" (אַחֲרִית, 'acharit): This word often means "end" or "future," but here it refers to descendants or those who come after. The idea is not just about children, but the entire family line.
• "off" (כָּרַת, karat): This verb means "to cut off" or "destroy." It carries the sense of a complete removal, not just a setback.
• "generation" (דּוֹר, dor): This word means a period of time or a group of people living at the same time, often used for a generation of a family.
• "following" (אַחֵר, acher): This means "next" or "another," pointing to the generation after the current one.
• "name" (שֵׁם, shem): In ancient Israel, a person's name represented their identity and legacy. To have a name "blotted out" meant to be forgotten or erased from memory.
• "out" (מָחָה, machah): This verb means "to blot out" or "wipe away," emphasizing total erasure.

Why Psalms 109:13 matters

• This verse shows how seriously people in the ancient world viewed family legacy—being "cut off" meant not just personal loss, but the end of a family’s presence and memory in the community.
• The intensity of the language highlights the depth of David’s pain and the seriousness of the betrayal or harm he experienced.
• Understanding the original words helps clarify that this is not just about punishment for one person, but a desire for the complete removal of an enemy’s influence and memory from future generations.