Psalms 139:20

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

For they speak against thee wickedly, And thine enemies take [thy name] in vain.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֹ֭אמְרֻךָ לִמְזִמָּ֑ה נָשֻׂ֖א לַשָּׁ֣וְא עָרֶֽיךָ׃

Transliteration

Who yōʾmrūkā for-məzimmâ; nāśuʾ laššāwʾ ʿārêkā

Grammar Details

*yōʾmrūkā*: verb, Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural + 2nd person masculine singular suffix - they speak of you
*məzimmâ*: noun, feminine singular - evil device/plot
*nāśuʾ*: verb, Qal perfect 3rd person common plural - they lift up
*laššāwʾ*: preposition + definite article + noun - for falsehood/in vain
*ʿārêkā*: noun, masculine plural + 2nd person masculine singular suffix - your cities/adversaries

Word Meanings

*yōʾmrūkā*: speak of you/mention you/invoke you
*məzimmâ*: evil device/plot/wicked purpose
*nāśuʾ*: lift up/carry/take
*laššāwʾ*: in vain/for falsehood/for emptiness
*ʿārêkā*: your cities/your enemies/your adversaries/your name

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Jude 1:15 : 15 to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their works of ungodliness which they have ungodly wrought, and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
Exod 20:7 : 7 Thou shalt not take the name of Jehovah thy God in vain; for Jehovah will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Job 21:14-15 : 14 And they say unto God, Depart from us; For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. 15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?
Ps 2:1-3 : 1 Why do the nations rage, And the peoples meditate a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against Jehovah, and against his anointed, [saying], 3 Let us break their bonds asunder, And cast away their cords from us.
Ps 73:8-9 : 8 They scoff, and in wickedness utter oppression: They speak loftily. 9 They have set their mouth in the heavens, And their tongue walketh through the earth.
Ps 74:18 : 18 Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O Jehovah, And that a foolish people hath blasphemed thy name.
Ps 74:22-23 : 22 Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: Remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee all the day. 23 Forget not the voice of thine adversaries: The tumult of those that rise up against thee ascendeth continually.
Isa 37:23 : 23 Whom hast thou defied and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice and lifted up thine eyes on high? [even] against the Holy One of Israel.
Isa 37:28-29 : 28 But I know thy sitting down, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy raging against me. 29 Because of thy raging against me, and because thine arrogancy is come up into mine ears, therefore will I put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.
Rev 13:6 : 6 And he opened his mouth for blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, [even] them that dwell in the heaven.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Ps 139:21-22
2 verses
80%
21Do not I hate them, O Jehovah, that hate thee? And am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
22I hate them with perfect hatred: They are become mine enemies.
Ps 41:5
78%
5Mine enemies speak evil against me, [saying], When will he die, and his name perish?
Ps 83:2-3
2 verses
77%
2For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult; And they that hate thee have lifted up the head.
3Thy take crafty counsel against thy people, And consult together against thy hidden ones.
Ps 139:19
77%
19Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: Depart from me therefore, ye bloodthirsty men.
Ps 25:19
77%
19Consider mine enemies, for they are many; And they hate me with cruel hatred.
Ps 71:10
76%
10For mine enemies speak concerning me; And they that watch for my soul take counsel together,
Ps 74:18
76%
18Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O Jehovah, And that a foolish people hath blasphemed thy name.
Ps 109:2-3
2 verses
76%
2For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of deceit have they opened against me: They have spoken unto me with a lying tongue.
3They have compassed me about also with words of hatred, And fought against me without a cause.
Ps 38:19-20
2 verses
76%
19But mine enemies are lively, [and] are strong; And they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.
20They also that render evil for good Are adversaries unto me, because I follow the thing that is good.
Ps 35:19-20
2 verses
75%
19Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; Neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.
20For they speak not peace; But they devise deceitful words against them that are quiet in the land.
Ps 44:16
75%
16For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth, By reason of the enemy and the avenger.
Ps 55:3
75%
3Because of the voice of the enemy, Because of the oppression of the wicked; For they cast iniquity upon me, And in anger they persecute me.
Ps 74:10
75%
10How long, O God, shall the adversary reproach? Shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?
Ps 89:51
75%
51Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O Jehovah, Wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed.
Ps 102:8
75%
8Mine enemies reproach me all the day; They that are mad against me do curse by me.
Ps 109:20
75%
20This is the reward of mine adversaries from Jehovah, And of them that speak evil against my soul.
Ps 59:12
74%
12[ For] the sin of their mouth, [and] the words of their lips, Let them even be taken in their pride, And for cursing and lying which they speak.
Jer 18:23
74%
23Yet, Jehovah, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me; forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight; but let them be overthrown before thee; deal thou with them in the time of thine anger.
Ps 5:10
74%
10Hold them guilty, O God; Let them fall by their own counsels; Thrust them out in the multitude of their transgressions; For they have rebelled against thee.
2 Sam 22:41
73%
41Thou hast also made mine enemies turn their backs unto me, That I might cut off them that hate me.
Ps 69:26-27
2 verses
73%
26For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; And they tell of the sorrow of those whom thou hast wounded.
27Add iniquity unto their iniquity; And let them not come into thy righteousness.
Ps 21:11
73%
11For they intended evil against thee; They conceived a device which they are not able to perform.
Ps 41:7
73%
7All that hate me whisper together against me; Against me do they devise my hurt.
Ps 54:5
73%
5He will requite the evil unto mine enemies: Destroy thou them in thy truth.
Job 8:22
73%
22They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; And the tent of the wicked shall be no more.
Job 16:10
73%
10They have gaped upon me with their mouth; They have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully: They gather themselves together against me.
Ps 17:9
72%
9From the wicked that oppress me, My deadly enemies, that compass me about.
Ps 56:2
72%
2Mine enemies would swallow me up all the day long; {H4791} For they are many that fight proudly against me.
Job 27:7
72%
7Let mine enemy be as the wicked, And let him that riseth up against me be as the unrighteous.
Ps 74:4
72%
4Thine adversaries have roared in the midst of thine assembly; They have set up their ensigns for signs.
Ps 18:40
72%
40Thou hast also made mine enemies turn their backs unto me, That I might cut off them that hate me.
Ps 5:5-6
2 verses
72%
5The arrogant shall not stand in thy sight: Thou hatest all workers of iniquity.
6Thou wilt destroy them that speak lies: Jehovah abhorreth the blood-thirsty and deceitful man.
Ps 56:5
72%
5All the day long they wrest my words: All their thoughts are against me for evil.
Ps 118:11
72%
11They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: In the name of Jehovah I will cut them off.
Ps 109:5
72%
5And they have rewarded me evil for good, And hatred for my love.
Ps 44:5
72%
5Through thee will we push down our adversaries: Through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.
Exod 20:7
72%
7Thou shalt not take the name of Jehovah thy God in vain; for Jehovah will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Ps 83:16
72%
16Fill their faces with confusion, That they may seek thy name, O Jehovah.
Ps 109:27
72%
27That they may know that this is thy hand; [That] thou, Jehovah, hast done it.
Ps 140:9
72%
9As for the head of those that compass me about, Let the mischief of their own lips cover them.
Lam 3:61
72%
61Thou hast heard their reproach, O Jehovah, and all their devices against me,
Ps 27:12
72%
12Deliver me not over unto the will of mine adversaries: For false witnesses are risen up against me, And such as breathe out cruelty.
Ps 9:5
72%
5Thou hast rebuked the nations, thou hast destroyed the wicked; Thou hast blotted out their name for ever and ever.