Psalms 71:13Let my accusers be disappointed and consumed. Let them be covered with disgrace and scorn who want to harm me.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~1000 BC. David's anger boils over as he prays for his accusers to face the same shame they're trying to bring on him...
The emotion here: righteous anger demanding divine justice
The original word
bosh (בּוֹשׁ) — to be ashamed, disappointed, put to shame publicly
Why it matters
This is an 'imprecatory psalm' - a prayer for God's judgment, considered controversial today
Read with care
What most readers miss in Psalms 71:13
David isn't seeking personal revenge but asking God to uphold justice and righteousness
Common misconceptionModern Christians avoid these verses as 'unloving,' but God included them to show that honest anger about injustice is acceptable in prayer.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Psalms 71:13
Bible Genome reading
Psalms 71:13 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Psalms 71:13 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 angry, with a comfort power of 40% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the psalm genre of biblical literature. Key themes include justice, vindication, enemy defeat. Notable phrases: let my accusers be disappointed; covered with disgrace. This verse is a prayer.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does Psalms 71:13 mean to you, today?
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