Psalms 109:10

Old Testament Poetry/Hymns ASV (1901)

What does Psalms 109:10 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Let his children be vagabonds, and beg; And let them seek [their bread] out of their desolate places.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Let his children be vagabonds, and beg; And let them seek [their bread] out of their desolate places.
Psalms 109:10 — American Standard Version

Context — Psalms 109

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
10Let his children be vagabonds, and beg; And let them seek [their bread] out of their desolate places.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg, etc.] Wander from place to place, begging their bread: this is denied of the children of good men in David’s time, (<193725>Psalm 37:25) yet was threatened to the children of Eli, (<090236>1 Samuel 2:36) and was very likely literally true of the children of Judas; and was certainly the case of multitudes of the children of the Jews, the posterity of them that crucified Christ, at the time of their destruction by the Romans; when great numbers were dispersed, and wandered about in various countries, as vagabonds, begging their bread from door to door; which is reckoned f1556 by them a great affliction, and very distressing. Let them seek…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg - Let them continually wander about with no home - no fixed habitation. Let them be compelled to ask their daily food at the hand of charity. Here we enter on a part of the psalm which is more difficult to be reconciled with a proper feeling than the portions which have been considered. It is, indeed, a frequent consequence of crime that the children of those who are punished “are” vagabonds and beggars, but this is not a necessary consequence; and there “seems” here, therefore, to be a mixture of personal feeling, or a feeling of revenge. This runs through the remaining portion of the imprecatory part of the psalm. I confess that it is…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Desolate places - Into which they are fled for fear and shame. Psalms 109:11”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Psa 37:25; Gen 4:12-14; Sa2 3:29; Kg2 5:27; Job 24:8-12, Job 30:3-9; Isa 16:2 Psalms 109:11”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification