Psalms 109:5 (KJV)

What does Psalms 109:5 mean?

Psalms 109:5 describes how the speaker has been treated unfairly: when the speaker did good to others, they responded with evil, and when the speaker showed love, they answered with hatred. The verse highlights a deep sense of betrayal and injustice experienced by the speaker.

In this psalm, David is speaking to God about people who have turned against him. He is expressing his pain over being repaid with hostility and wrongdoing despite his kindness and care. The verse captures the emotional weight of being hurt by those to whom he had shown genuine goodwill.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 109:5

• "rewarded" (שׂוּם, sūm): This word often means "to put" or "to set," but here it carries the sense of "to give" or "to repay." The idea is that the people have actively chosen to return evil for good, not just passively let it happen.
• "evil" (רַע, ra‘): This word means something harmful, bad, or morally wrong. It emphasizes that the response David received was not just neutral or indifferent, but actively harmful.
• "good" (טוֹב, ṭov): This word means good, beneficial, or kind actions. The contrast with "evil" in this verse makes the injustice stand out even more.
• "hatred" (שִׂנְאָה, sin’āh): This word means deep dislike or hostility. It shows that the response to love was not just a lack of affection, but outright animosity.
• "love" (אַהֲבָה, ’ahavāh): This word means love, affection, or loyal care. David is saying that his genuine care was met with the opposite emotion, making the betrayal feel even sharper.

Why Psalms 109:5 matters

• This verse clarifies that David’s pain comes not just from enemies, but from people he had treated well, which deepens the sense of betrayal.
• The strong contrast between "good" and "evil," and between "love" and "hatred," highlights how unjust and undeserved the response was.
• Understanding the specific words used in Hebrew helps readers see that this is not about minor slights, but about a complete reversal of expected kindness and loyalty.