Psalms 139:19
Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
Original Language Analysis
אִם
H518
אִם
Strong's:
H518
Word #:
1 of 8
used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
תִּקְטֹ֖ל
Surely thou wilt slay
H6991
תִּקְטֹ֖ל
Surely thou wilt slay
Strong's:
H6991
Word #:
2 of 8
properly, to cut off, i.e., (figuratively) put to death
רָשָׁ֑ע
the wicked
H7563
רָשָׁ֑ע
the wicked
Strong's:
H7563
Word #:
4 of 8
morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person
וְאַנְשֵׁ֥י
men
H582
וְאַנְשֵׁ֥י
men
Strong's:
H582
Word #:
5 of 8
properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the more dignified h0120); hence, a man in general (singly or collectively)
דָ֝מִ֗ים
from me therefore ye bloody
H1818
דָ֝מִ֗ים
from me therefore ye bloody
Strong's:
H1818
Word #:
6 of 8
blood (as that which when shed causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy, the juice of the grape; figuratively (especially in the plural) bloodshe
Cross References
Psalms 5:6Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.Isaiah 11:4But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.Psalms 6:8Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping.Psalms 119:115Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God.Psalms 9:17The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.Psalms 55:23But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.Psalms 64:7But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded.Psalms 94:23And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea, the LORD our God shall cut them off.Matthew 25:41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:2 Corinthians 6:17Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
Historical Context
Written during a period of conflict (possibly Absalom's rebellion or Saul's persecution), David faced real 'bloody men' seeking his life. Imprecatory psalms (35, 69, 109, 137, 139) were prayers for God's justice, not private revenge. Jesus quotes Psalm 109 (Acts 1:20), and Revelation depicts final judgment on God's enemies.
Questions for Reflection
- How do you reconcile David's prayer for God to slay the wicked with Jesus's command to love enemies?
- In what ways are you tempted to tolerate or compromise with 'bloody men'—those whose values violently oppose God's?
- What is the difference between personal vindictiveness and holy desire for God's justice?
Analysis & Commentary
Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. The psalm's tone shifts dramatically from wonder to indignation. Slay (תִּקְטֹל, tiqtol, from קָטַל, qatal) is a strong term for violent death—David calls for divine judgment, not personal vengeance. The wicked (רְשָׁעִים, resha'im) are not just sinners generally but God's enemies specifically, those who oppose His righteous rule.
Bloody men (אַנְשֵׁי דָמִים, anshei damim) literally means 'men of bloods'—those guilty of violence and murder. David's prayer reflects the imprecatory psalms tradition: those who align with God must oppose His enemies. This isn't personal vindictiveness but holy jealousy for God's honor. The imperative depart from me shows David's refusal to compromise with wickedness—knowing God intimately (vv. 1-18) produces moral clarity and separation.