Psalms 89:23
And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him.
Original Language Analysis
מִפָּנָ֣יו
before his face
H6440
מִפָּנָ֣יו
before his face
Strong's:
H6440
Word #:
2 of 5
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi
Cross References
2 Samuel 7:9And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.John 15:23He that hateth me hateth my Father also.2 Samuel 7:1And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies;2 Samuel 3:1Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.
Historical Context
David's military campaigns saw spectacular victories: defeating the Philistine champion Goliath (1 Samuel 17), routing the Philistine army repeatedly (2 Samuel 5:17-25, 8:1), conquering the Jebusite stronghold of Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:6-9), and subduing surrounding nations (2 Samuel 8:1-14). These weren't merely David's tactical genius but God actively beating down his foes. Yet the full victory awaits Christ's return, when every enemy will be put under His feet (1 Corinthians 15:25-26).
Questions for Reflection
- How does God's promise to personally 'beat down' David's foes demonstrate divine commitment to His covenant promises?
- What does it mean that God plagues 'them that hate' His anointed king—how does opposition to Christ's kingdom bring divine judgment?
- How should the promise of Christ's ultimate victory over all enemies shape Christian confidence and perseverance today?
Analysis & Commentary
And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him. God personally guarantees aggressive action against David's enemies. I will beat down his foes uses wə-kat-tôtî miṣ-ṣārāyw (וְכַתּוֹתִי מִצָּרָיו), where kātaṯ (כָּתַת) means to beat, crush, pulverize—violent imagery of complete defeat. The verb appears in Micah 4:13 describing Israel treading down nations like grain on the threshing floor. His foes (ṣārāyw, צָרָיו from ṣar) means adversaries, those who cause distress and anguish.
Before his face (mil-lĕ-p̄ānāyw, מִלְּפָנָיו) indicates visible, immediate deliverance—enemies crushed in David's presence, not hidden victories. And plague them that hate him employs wə-mə-śan-ʾāyw ʾeg-gōp̄ (וּמְשַׂנְאָיו אֶגּוֹף). The verb nāḡap̄ (נָגַף) means to strike down, smite, plague—the same word describing God's judgment on Egypt (Exodus 12:23) and Philistines (1 Samuel 5:6). Those who "hate" (śānēʾ, שָׂנֵא) David hate God's anointed, making them objects of divine wrath.
This is more than defensive protection (v. 22)—it's offensive warfare. God doesn't merely shield David but actively destroys his enemies. Typologically, this points to Christ's eschatological victory when He returns to judge His enemies (Revelation 19:11-21), fulfilling the promise that God will "crush Satan under your feet shortly" (Romans 16:20).