Psalms Chapter 35 verse 13 Holy Bible
But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I afflicted my soul with fasting; And my prayer returned into mine own bosom.
read chapter 35 in ASV
But as for me, when they were ill I put on the clothing of sorrow: I went without food and was sad, and my prayer came back again to my heart.
read chapter 35 in BBE
But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I chastened my soul with fasting, and my prayer returned into mine own bosom:
read chapter 35 in DARBY
But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.
read chapter 35 in KJV
But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into my own bosom.
read chapter 35 in WBT
But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting. My prayer returned into my own bosom.
read chapter 35 in WEB
And I -- in their sickness my clothing `is' sackcloth, I have humbled with fastings my soul, And my prayer unto my bosom returneth.
read chapter 35 in YLT
Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 13. - But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. It is suggested that David had acted thus, especially in the case of Saul, when he was first afflicted with his terrible malady (1 Samuel 16:14-23; 1 Samuel 18:10); but he appears to speak of his habitual practice, whenever any of his friends were sick. (On the putting on of sackcloth as a sign of grief, see Genesis 37:34; 2 Samuel 3:31; 2 Samuel 21:10; 1 Kings 21:27; 2 Kings 6:30; 2 Kings 19:1; Esther 4:1; Job 16:15; Psalm 69:11; Psalm 69:11, etc.) I humbled my soul with fasting. Another customary indication of grief (see Psalm 69:10; Psalm 109:24; Judges 20:26; 1 Samuel 31:13; 2 Samuel 1:12; 2 Samuel 22:16; 1 Kings 21:27; Nehemiah 1:4, etc.). And my prayer returned into mine own bosom (comp. Matthew 10:13). Prayers for others, if prevented by their unworthiness from benefiting them, are yet not altogether void and vain. They bring a blessing to the man that offers them.
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(13)And my prayer returned into mine own bosom.--This has been most variously explained. The context evidently implies something done for the benefit of the whilome friends for whom, in their sickness, the poet had worn sackcloth, and had fasted and adopted all the other signs of mourning. We must therefore set aside (1) the idea of fruitless prayer, in spite of the analogy of Matthew 10:13, Luke 10:6. (2) The notion that the answer to the prayer came back to the psalmist himself, instead of to those for whom it was offered, must also be set aside. And (3) we must reject the notion of secret, i.e., silent prayer, in spite of Proverbs 17:23; Proverbs 21:14, since all the "outward and visible" signs of mourning are indicated, and the very object was to show sympathy and interest.There remains (1) the literal, and my prayer turned upon my bosom, referring to the posture described in Psalm 35:14. (Comp. 1Kings 18:42, where, however, there is no express mention of prayer.) The words were, as it were, muttered into his bosom. This is the view of Ewald and Delitzsch, but seems prosaic. (2)The far more probable meaning, my prayer came back again and again to my bosom, i.e., was repeated over and over again; just as we say, "the thought recurred to my mind." (Comp. the common phrase for thoughts coming upon the heart, Jeremiah 3:16; Jeremiah 7:31, etc.) The Hebrew verb has this frequentative sense in one of its conjugations. . . .
