Psalms 69:11 — Word Study
WLCוָאֶתְּנָ֣ה לְבוּשִׁ֣י שָׂ֑ק וָאֱהִ֖י לָהֶ֣ם לְמָשָֽׁל׃
BSAand I washâyâh▸ [became, became a laughingstock]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וָאֶתְּנָ֣ה | and I made ! | Verb qal sequential imperfect first person common singular, suffix |
| לְבוּשִׁ֣י | clothing my | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| שָׂ֑ק | sackcloth | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| וָאֱהִ֖י | and I became | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect first person common singular |
| לָהֶ֣ם | for them | Preposition, suffix |
| לְמָשָֽׁל׃ | a byword | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | I made sackcloth my clothing, and I was sport to them. |
| KJV | I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them. |
| ASV | When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword unto them. |
| YLT | And I make my clothing sackcloth, And I am to them for a simile. |
| WEB | When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them. |
| BBE | When I put on the clothing of grief, they said evil of me. |
Where they part company is in the interpretation of the terms used, particularly לְמָשָֽׁל — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence has one main clause with two subordinate clauses, indicating a cause-and-effect relationship between the psalmist's actions and the resulting scorn.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbהָיָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 69:11
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Lament of the Suffering Righteousgenerated
Psalm 69:11 is part of a lament where the psalmist recounts his suffering and the scorn he endures from others. He expresses his grief through the act of wearing sackcloth, a traditional sign of mourning. This verse illustrates the depth of his despair and the social ridicule he faces, as seen in the surrounding verses that describe his weeping and fasting, and the mockery from those around him.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 35:13–14 | Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, but my prayers returned unanswered. |
| 2 | Isaiah 20:2 | the LORD had already spoken through Isaiah son of Amoz, saying, “Go, remove the sackcloth from your waist and the sandals from your feet.” And Isaiah did so, walking around naked and barefoot. |
| 3 | Isaiah 22:12 | On that day the Lord GOD of Hosts called for weeping and wailing, for shaven heads and the wearing of sackcloth. |
| 4 | Joel 1:8–13 | Wail like a virgin dressed in sackcloth, grieving for the husband of her youth. |
| 5 | Psalm 44:13–14 | You have made us a reproach to our neighbors, a mockery and derision to those around us. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — לְבוּשִׁ֣י, le.vu.Shigenerated
The word לְבוּשׁ (lebush) refers to clothing or garments, indicating what the psalmist has chosen to wear in his time of mourning. The construction here shows that the sackcloth is not just an item of clothing but a symbol of his grief and humility before God.
In this context, it emphasizes the seriousness of his lamentation. The psalmist's choice to wear sackcloth indicates a deep personal sorrow and a desire to express his mourning outwardly.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which translates the phrase as made sackcloth my clothing.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb is וָאֶתְּנָ֣ה, and I made, which governs the entire clause. The structure includes a noun phrase describing what was made (sackcloth as clothing) and a second clause that describes the psalmist's state of being (a byword for them).
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the actions of the psalmist, highlighting his choice to wear sackcloth and the resulting social consequences.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates שָׂ֑ק as μου, which indicates possession and aligns with the Hebrew meaning of sackcloth. This choice reflects the translators' understanding of the garment as a personal expression of mourning.
The translation of לְמָשָֽׁל as ὀνειδισμὸν suggests a focus on the scorn and ridicule faced by the psalmist, emphasizing the social implications of his mourning.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 69:11 shows the psalmist expressing his sorrow by wearing sackcloth, a sign of mourning, and becoming an object of mockery among those around him. This verse highlights the deep emotional pain he experiences and the scorn he endures from others.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Wearing sackcloth signifies mourning and humility, indicating the psalmist's deep sorrow and repentance.
The psalmist became a byword because his suffering and mourning made him an object of scorn and ridicule among others.
This verse is part of a larger lament where the psalmist expresses his grief and the scorn he faces, as seen in the preceding and following verses.
We can learn about the importance of expressing grief and the reality of social ridicule that can accompany deep sorrow.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I express my grief or sorrow, and how do I handle the responses of others?
- How can I support someone who is mourning and facing ridicule?
- What does it mean for me to wear 'sackcloth' in my own life?
- How can I find comfort in God during times of deep sorrow, as the psalmist does?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Augustine of Hippo comments on this verse, discussing the significance of sackcloth in expressing mourning.
"And I have set sackcloth my garment" [Psalms 69:11]. Already before we have said something of the sackcloth, from whence there is this, "But I, when they were troubling Me,Early Church Fathers on Psalms 69 →
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 69:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleI made sackcloth also my garment,.... Though we nowhere read that Jesus put on sackcloth upon any occasion, yet it is not improbable that he did; besides, the phrase may only intend that he mourned
Read John Gill on Psalms 69 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryO God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 69 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleMy garment; wearing it next to my skin, in token of my humiliation and hearty sorrow, as the manner then was in days of fasting. A proverb to them; they used my name proverbially of any person whom they thought vainly and foolishly religious.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 69 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 69:11 I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them.Ver. 11. I made sackcloth also my garment] A fashion at solemn fasts among the Easterlings; as if they thought the coarsest clothing too good for them; and but for shame would have gone stark naked. I became a proverb to them] Dicterium. They would say, with mocking Michal, "How glorious was the king of Israel today, as one of the vain fellows!" 2 Samuel 6:20.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 69 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges7–12. Such discouragement must be the inevitable consequence if he is abandoned, for it is for God’s sake that he is persecuted and defamed. Comp. the plea of the nation in Psalms 44:14 ff.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 69 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleI made sackcloth also my garment - I put on sackcloth. This was often done as expressive of grief and sorrow. See Psalms 30:11, note; Psalms 35:13, note. Compare Isaiah 22:12; Daniel 9:3.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 69 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible10, 11. When I wept… with fasting… sackcloth—Possibly because of the public depravation of morals, and the alienation from spiritual worship; perhaps for his own sin. Psalms 38, 41, 51.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 69 →The verse in English, compared — 16 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
I made sackcloth my clothing, and I was sport to them.
When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them.
I made sackcloth my clothing, and I was sport to them.
I wear sackcloth and they ridicule me.
Tyndale line
I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them.
When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword unto them.
When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a proverb unto them.
I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them.
I put on a sacke also: and I became a prouerbe vnto them.
Strictly literal
And I made sackcloth my garment: then I became a proverb to them.
And I make my clothing sackcloth, And I am to them for a simile.
And I make my clothing sackcloth, || And I am for an allegory to them.
(69:12) And when I made sackcloth my garment, I became a proverb to them.
When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became the object of a proverb to them.
Simplified
I mourned in sackcloth, but they laughed at me.
When I put on the clothing of grief, they said evil of me.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely, with all six words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls also align with the Masoretic Text, although one word is partly restored, indicating consistency across these ancient witnesses.
וָאֶתְּנָ֣ה לְבוּשִׁ֣י שָׂ֑ק וָאֱהִ֖י לָהֶ֣ם לְמָשָֽׁל׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
ואך בצום נפש׳י ותהי לחרפות ל׳י
5 words on the leather — 1 partly restored.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 69:11
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word נָתַן (natan) means 'to give' and encompasses a wide range of applications such as putting, setting, and making. It can also indicate actions like bestowing, delivering, and assigning. The entries describe its use in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Hophal, but do not present any significant disagreements among lexicons.
נָתַן 2007 vb. give, put, set
Qal 1917
give
Put, set
Make, constitute
Niph.
82be given
Be put, set
Hoph.
be given, bestowed
= be given to one for wife
be put upon
base
H5414 נָתַן give, put, set .. give
. Put, set
. Make, constitute
. . be given
. Be put, set
. . . be given, bestowed
. = be given to one for wife
. be put upon
5414 nathan naw-than'
a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of
application (put, make, etc.):--add, apply, appoint, ascribe,
assign, X avenge, X be ((healed)), bestow, bring (forth,
hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, +
cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, X doubtless, X
without fail, fasten, frame, X get, give (forth, over, up),
grant, hang (up), X have, X indeed, lay (unto charge, up),
(give) leave, lend, let (out), + lie, lift up, make, + O that,
occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, X
pull , put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send
(out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), + sing, + slander,
strike, (sub-)mit, suffer, X surely, X take, thrust, trade,
turn, utter, + weep, + willingly, + withdraw, + would (to)
God, yield.
נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: give.
: give/deliver/send/produce
1) to give, put, set
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend
1a2) to put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate
1a3) to make, constitute
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be published, be uttered, be assigned
1b2) to be set, be put, be made, be inflicted
1c) (Hophal)
1c1) to be given, be bestowed, be given up, be delivered up
1c2) to be put upon
נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: put.
: put/set/apppoint
1) to give, put, set
1a) (Qal)
Hc/Vqw1cs/Sh — Verb qal sequential imperfect first person common singular · suffixHc/Vqw1cs/Sh
לְבוּשׁ (lebush) refers to clothing or garments in a literal or figurative sense, and can also imply a euphemism for a wife. It encompasses terms like apparel and raiment. The word is derived from a root meaning related to clothing, and its Aramaic equivalent is noted as well.
לְבוּשׁ, לְבֻשׁ n.m. garment, clothing, raiment
base
H3830 לְבוּשׁ, לְבֻשׁ garment, clothing, raiment
3830 lbuwsh leb-oosh'
or lbush {leb-oosh'}; from 3847; a garment (literally or
figuratively); by implication (euphem.) a wife:--apparel,
clothed with, clothing, garment, raiment, vestment, vesture.
see HEBREW for 03847
לְבוּשׁ (le.vush) — clothing.
clothing, garment, apparel, raiment
Aramaic equivalent: le.vush (לְבוּשׁ "garment" H3831)
HNcmsc/Sp1bs — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp1bs
שַׂק (saq) refers to a type of coarse cloth or sacking, often associated with mourning. It can denote both a sack used for carrying grain and sackcloth worn in times of grief or humiliation. The term is derived from a root meaning to allow liquid to pass through, indicating its mesh-like quality.
שַׂק n.m. sack, sackcloth
base
H8242 שַׂק sack, sackcloth
8242 saq sak
from 8264; properly, a mesh (as allowing a liquid to run
through), i.e. coarse loose cloth or sacking (used in mourning
and for bagging); hence, a bag (for grain,
etc.):--sack(-cloth, -clothes).
see HEBREW for 08264
שַׂק (saq) — sackcloth.
1) mesh, sackcloth, sack, sacking
1a) sack (for grain)
1b) sackcloth
1b1) worn in mourning or humiliation
1b2) same material spread out to lie on
HNcmsa — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
sak'-kloth.
See BURIAL.
Sackcloth
Cloth made of black goats’ hair, coarse, rough, and thick, used for sacks, and also worn by mourners (Gen. 37:34; 42:25; 2 Sam. 3:31; Esther 4:1, 2; Ps. 30:11, etc.), and as a sign of repentance (Matt. 11:21). It was put upon animals by the people of Nineveh (Jonah 3:8).
cloth used in making sacks or bags, a coarse fabric, of a dark color, made of goat’s hair, (Isaiah 50:3; Revelation 6:12) end resembling the eilicium of the Romans. It, was used also for making the rough garments used by mourners, which were in extreme cases worn next the skin. (1 Kings 21:27; 2 Kings 6:30; Job 16:15; Isaiah 32:11)
The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be
Qal
Fall out, happen
occur, take place, come about, come to pass
esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass
וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
Come into being, become
abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
sq. prep.
become
sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
sq. pred. adj.
become like
sq. pred. לְ pers.
sq. לְ pred.
oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.
with עַל and לְ
sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)
exist, be in existence
abide, remain, continue
with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie
as copula, joining subj. & pred.
H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen
. occur, take place, come about, come to pass
. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
. sq. prep.
. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
. sq. pred. adj.
. become like
. sq. pred. + לְ pers.
. sq. לְ pred.
. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.
. with עַל and לְ
. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence
. abide, remain, continue
1961 hayah haw-yaw
a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,
come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or
auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,
committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,
fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit
(one-)self, require, X use.
see HEBREW for 01933
הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.
1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) ---
1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass
1a1b) to come about, come to pass
1a2) to come into being, become
1a2a) to arise, appear, come
1a2b) to become
1a2b1) to become
1a2b2) to become like
1a2b3) to be instituted, be established
1a3) to be
1a3a) to exist, be in existence
1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)
1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)
1a3d) to accompany, be with
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about
1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3fs — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect first person common singularHc/Vqw1cs
הֶם (hem) — them.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine plural
HR/Sp3mp — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp3mp
מָשָׁל (mashal) refers to a proverb or parable, often characterized by parallelism and typically found in Hebrew Wisdom literature. It encompasses various forms such as aphorisms, bywords, and ethical maxims. The word is derived from a root suggesting superiority in mental action, indicating its metaphorical nature.
מָשָׁל n.m. proverb, parable (of sentences constructed in parallelism, usu. of Hebrew Wisdom, but occas. of other types)
base
H4912 מָשָׁל proverb, parable (of sentences constructed in parallelism, usu. of Hebrew Wisdom, but occas. of other types)
4912 mashal maw-shawl'
apparently from 4910 in some original sense of superiority in
mental action; properly, a pithy maxim, usually of
metaphorical nature; hence, a simile (as an adage, poem,
discourse):--byword, like, parable, proverb.
see HEBREW for 04910
מָשָׁל (ma.shal) — proverb.
1) proverb, parable
1a) proverb, proverbial saying, aphorism
1b) byword
1c) similitude, parable
1d) poem
1e) sentences of ethical wisdom, ethical maxims
HR/Ncmsa — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa