Psalms 109:13 Meaning and Explanation
“Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their name be blotted out.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Psalm 109:13 confronts us with a severe kind of biblical prayer. It gives no permission for private revenge or delight in another family's loss. Instead, within a song addressed to God, a wounded servant places a cruel oppressor and the consequences of his evil before the Judge whose mercy and justice the whole psalm seeks.
The psalmist asks God to bring a violent enemy's line and public remembrance to an end. The request belongs to a prayer for righteous judgment against one who persistently abused the poor and brokenhearted.
The Context of Psalms 109:13
Psalm 109 opens with an unnamed speaker calling on "O God of my praise" while deceitful enemies accuse him with lies and hatred. He answers their hostility with prayer (verses 1-5). Verses 6-20 contain a concentrated plea that judgment fall on a singular adversary. The reasons are supplied in verses 16-19: this man did not show mercy, persecuted the poor and needy, and loved cursing. After verse 20, the speaker turns again to his own need, asking God for deliverance according to mercy, and ends by praising the LORD who stands at the right hand of the poor (verses 21-31).
What Does Psalms 109:13 Mean?
"Let his posterity be cut off" asks that the enemy's continuing family line cease. In the next clause, "in the generation following" sharpens the request: the man's name would no longer be carried forward in public memory through descendants. In Scripture, a name can include reputation, remembrance, and an enduring place among a people. The language is deliberately grave. The psalmist is not describing a minor setback for an opponent. He is committing the outcome of an oppressor's household and memory to the LORD's judgment. Because the prayer is directed to God, it acknowledges that final judgment belongs to him, even where the petitioner feels deeply wronged.
Verse 13 stands among petitions for the collapse of the adversary's security: shortened days, loss of goods, absent mercy, and the end of posterity. The chapter itself prevents us from treating this as a complaint over ordinary disagreement. Verse 16 identifies the accused man's settled conduct: he forgot mercy and pursued the poor, needy, and brokenhearted. The psalm's concern is therefore moral and social as well as personal. A person who uses power to crush vulnerable people is answerable to God. The final movement of the psalm also matters. The speaker calls himself poor, needy, and wounded, then trusts the LORD to save the poor from those who condemn them.
The Bible preserves prayers of anguish without hiding their severity. Psalm 109 brings suffering, accusation, and the desire for justice into God's presence instead of turning them into personal violence. Its closing affirmation offers the chapter's clearest horizon: the LORD stands at the right hand of the poor to save. Jesus likewise was opposed without cause and entrusted himself to the righteous Judge in suffering. That connection does not make every detail of this imprecation a prediction of Jesus. It shows that the righteous sufferer may bring real evil before God, trusting him to vindicate the afflicted and judge evil rightly.
Bible Verses Related to Psalms 109:13
“Because that he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart.”
- Psalm 109:16
“For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemn his soul.”
- Psalm 109:31
“For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.”
- Psalm 37:28
“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”
- Romans 12:19
Where Psalms 109:13 Echoes in Scripture
Revelation 3:5 uses the closely related image of a name being blotted out, speaking of the book of life and Christ's acknowledgment of the faithful before the Father. Psalm 109:13 asks for an earthly family name and remembrance to cease; Revelation's setting is final and covenantal. The echo helps us feel the weight Scripture can attach to a name while keeping the two passages' immediate meanings distinct.
How to Apply Psalms 109:13 Today
When cruelty, slander, or exploitation leaves us angry, Psalm 109 gives words for bringing the case honestly to God. We can name the wrong, remember those harmed by it, and refuse to pretend that evil has no consequences. At the same time, the psalm places judgment in the LORD's hands. This can shape our speech and choices: seek protection for vulnerable people, pursue truthful remedies where possible, pray for God's justice, and resist taking vengeance into our own hands. The closing verses encourage us to ask God for mercy and help in our own woundedness.
Reflection & Prayer
Where are we tempted either to minimize serious wrongdoing or to carry its judgment alone? We may pray: "O LORD, you see the poor, needy, and brokenhearted. Keep us from revenge, give us courage to protect those in danger, and judge every wrong with truth and mercy."