Psalms 34:16Yahweh's face is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
The setting
Israel, ~1000 BC. David witnessing Saul's progressive madness and downfall, understanding divine justice works slowly but surely, near Hebron, Israel.
The emotion here: sobered by witnessing divine justice unfold
The original word
hiphil (הִכְרִית) — to cut off completely, like severing a branch so it never grows back
Why it matters
Saul's dynasty ended completely — not one descendant held the throne after his death
Read with care
What most readers miss in Psalms 34:16
God's 'face against' doesn't mean anger — it means His full attention focused on stopping them
Common misconceptionPeople expect instant karma. David waited 15 years to see Saul fall. God's justice is certain but operates on His timeline, not ours.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Psalms 34:16
Bible Genome reading
Psalms 34:16 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Psalms 34:16 comes from the book of Psalms, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to David. The dominant emotion in this verse is worship, with a comfort power of 40% and a tone that is prophetic. It belongs to the wisdom genre of biblical literature. Key themes include divine judgment, justice, consequences, evil. Notable phrases: Yahweh's face is against those who do evil; cut off the memory. This verse contains a promise of God.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same worship
“Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God; Yahweh is one:”
— Deuteronomy 6:4
“and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”
— Deuteronomy 6:5
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:”
— Ecclesiastes 3:1
“Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.”
— John 14:6
“Jesus said to them, "Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM."”
— John 8:58
Your reflection
What does Psalms 34:16 mean to you, today?
A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.
Speak your heart →Get 3 verses for "worship"
Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.