Psalms Chapter 139 verse 20 Holy Bible
For they speak against thee wickedly, And thine enemies take `thy name' in vain.
read chapter 139 in ASV
For they go against you with evil designs, and your haters make sport of your name.
read chapter 139 in BBE
For they speak of thee wickedly, they take [thy name] in vain, thine enemies.
read chapter 139 in DARBY
For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.
read chapter 139 in KJV
read chapter 139 in WBT
For they speak against you wickedly. Your enemies take your name in vain.
read chapter 139 in WEB
Who exchange Thee for wickedness, Lifted up to vanity `are' Thine enemies.
read chapter 139 in YLT
Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 20. - For they speak against thee wickedly; literally, who speak of thee for wickedness; i.e. use thy Name for the accomplishment of wicked ends. And thine enemies take thy Name in vain. The text must be altered to produce this meaning. As it stands, it can only be rendered, "Thine enemies lift up [their scull to vanity" (comp. Psalm 24:4).
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(20) For they speak.--Better, Who rebel against thee. This is actually the reading of the fifth of the Greek translations preserved by Origen, and entails only a change of the vowel pointing.And thine enemies.--The state of the text is unsatisfactory. The subject to the verb must be that of the last clause, and the rendering "enemies" of a word properly meaning cities is very doubtful, in spite of 1Samuel 28:16 (but Aquila has "rivals," and Symmachus" adversaries"), where there is also a textual correction required.Of the various proposed emendations, the simplest produces"And rise up against them in vain."
