Psalms 139:20 - Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Bible Comments

For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.

For they speak against thee wickedly - literally, 'for wickedness.' "They speak against thee." So the Syriac. Compare Psalms 10:4-7; Psalms 5:4-5. The parallelism of the next clause favours, 'they speak of thee (making thy name a pretext) for wickedness.' Compare Psalms 50:16; Philippians 1:18; Philippians 3:18-19. So the Chaldaic, 'they swear in thy name falsely.' The argument of the Psalmist accords with this: 'I have no sympathy with such as make my name a cloak for wickedness. If I had, I should forfeit thy promised loving-kindness.'

(And) thine enemies take (thy name) in vain - i:e., use it for the confirmation of a lie, in violation of the Third Commandment (Exodus 20:7; Psalms 24:4).

Psalms 139:20

20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.