Psalms

Psalm 50:16–21

¹⁶To the wicked, however, God says,

“What right have you to recite My statutes

and to bear My covenant on your lips?

¹⁷For you hate My instruction

and cast My words behind you.

¹⁸When you see a thief, you befriend him,

and throw in your lot with adulterers.

¹⁹You unleash your mouth for evil

and harness your tongue to deceit.

²⁰You sit and malign your brother;

you slander your own mother’s son.

²¹You have done these things, and I kept silent;

you thought I was^b just like you.

But now I rebuke you

and accuse you to your face.^c

Footnotes

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
To the wicked	וְלָ֤רָשָׁ֨ע׀	wə·lā·rā·šā‘	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H7563 wicked, criminal
however	וְלָ֤רָשָׁ֨ע׀	wə·lā·rā·šā‘	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H7563 wicked, criminal
God	אֱלֹהִ֗ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
says	אָ֘מַ֤ר	’ā·mar	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
What right	מַה־	mah-	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
have you	לְּ֭ךָ	lə·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular
to recite	לְסַפֵּ֣ר	lə·sap·pêr	Preposition-l; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct	H5608 count
My statutes	חֻקָּ֑י	ḥuq·qāy	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H2706 something prescribed, a statute or due
and to bear	וַתִּשָּׂ֖א	wat·tiś·śā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular	H5375 lift, take, carry
My covenant	בְרִיתִ֣י	ḇə·rî·ṯî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H1285 covenant
on	עֲלֵי־	‘ă·lê-	Preposition	H5921 height
your lips	פִֽיךָ׃	p̄î·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H6310 mouth

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For you	וְ֭אַתָּה	wə·’at·tāh	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
hate	שָׂנֵ֣אתָ	śā·nê·ṯā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H8130 hate
My instruction	מוּסָ֑ר	mū·sār	Noun - masculine singular	H4148 discipline
and cast	וַתַּשְׁלֵ֖ךְ	wat·taš·lêḵ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular	H7993 throw, fling, cast
My words	דְּבָרַ֣י	də·ḇā·ray	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H1697 speech, word
behind you	אַחֲרֶֽיךָ׃	’a·ḥă·re·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular	H310 behind

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When	אִם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
you see	רָאִ֣יתָ	rā·’î·ṯā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H7200 see
a thief	גַ֭נָּב	ḡan·nāḇ	Noun - masculine singular	H1590 thief
you befriend	וַתִּ֣רֶץ	wat·ti·reṣ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular	H7521 be pleased with, accept favourably
him	עִמּ֑וֹ	‘im·mōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H5973 with
and throw in your lot	חֶלְקֶֽךָ׃	ḥel·qe·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H2506 portion, tract, territory
with	וְעִ֖ם	wə·‘im	Conjunctive waw; Preposition	H5973 with
adulterers	מְנָאֲפִ֣ים	mə·nā·’ă·p̄îm	Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural	H5003 commit adultery

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
You unleash	שָׁלַ֣חְתָּ	šā·laḥ·tā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H7971 send
your mouth	פִּ֭יךָ	pî·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H6310 mouth
for evil	בְרָעָ֑ה	ḇə·rā·‘āh	Preposition-b; Adjective - feminine singular	H7451 bad, evil
and harness	תַּצְמִ֥יד	taṣ·mîḏ	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H6775 bind, join
your tongue	וּ֝לְשׁוֹנְךָ֗	ū·lə·šō·wn·ḵā	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular construct; second person masculine singular	H3956 tongue
to deceit	מִרְמָֽה׃	mir·māh	Noun - feminine singular	H4820 deceit, treachery

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
You sit	תֵּ֭שֵׁב	tê·šêḇ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H3427 sit, remain, dwell
and malign	תְדַבֵּ֑ר	ṯə·ḏab·bêr	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H1696 speak
your brother	בְּאָחִ֣יךָ	bə·’ā·ḥî·ḵā	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H251 brother
you	תִּתֶּן־	tit·ten-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
slander	דֹּֽפִי׃	dō·p̄î	Noun - masculine singular	H1848 blemish, fault
your own mother’s	אִ֝מְּךָ֗	’im·mə·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H517 mother
son	בְּבֶֽן־	bə·ḇen-	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H1121 son

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
You have done	עָשִׂ֨יתָ׀	‘ā·śî·ṯā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
these things	אֵ֤לֶּה	’êl·leh	Pronoun - common plural	H428 these
and I kept silent	וְֽהֶחֱרַ֗שְׁתִּי	wə·he·ḥĕ·raš·tî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H2790 cut in, engrave, plough, devise
you thought	דִּמִּ֗יתָ	dim·mî·ṯā	Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H1819 be like, resemble
I was	הֱֽיוֹת־	hĕ·yō·wṯ-	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
just like you	כָמ֑וֹךָ	ḵā·mō·w·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular	H3644 like, as, when
But now I rebuke you	אוֹכִיחֲךָ֖	’ō·w·ḵî·ḥă·ḵā	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular; second person masculine singular	H3198 decide, adjudge, prove
and accuse you	וְאֶֽעֶרְכָ֣ה	wə·’e·‘er·ḵāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular	H6186 arrange or set in order
to your face	לְעֵינֶֽיךָ׃	lə·‘ê·ne·ḵā	Preposition-l; Noun - cdc; second person masculine singular	H5869 eye