John Calvin Commentary Psalms 35:16

"Like the profane mockers in feasts, They gnashed upon me with their teeth." — Psalms 35:16 (ASV)

Among treacherous jesters. Others translate it, With hypocrites, but in my opinion, David simply describes the alliance of his enemies. The meaning of the expression is this: that among men of a crafty disposition, who were given to deceit and, as a result, had lost all sense of shame, the only and constant subject of their deliberations was how they might destroy this afflicted man.

David again returns to the leaders of the people and to those in power, as the source from which all the mischief arose. This is because this description could not apply to many of the common people, who acted more from thoughtless impulse.

He therefore speaks particularly of the rulers and others of a similar character, and accuses them of cruelty, saying that they gnash their teeth at him like furious wild beasts.

He first calls them treacherous or wicked, so that he may more easily obtain help and aid from God, as if calling upon Him in extreme distress. Secondly, he calls them jesters or mockers, by which he means that they have such effrontery, and have so completely lost all sense of shame, that there is nothing they will not dare to do.

Regarding the meaning of the word מעוג, maog, which follows, interpreters do not agree. Properly, it means bread baked on the hearth over the embers. Some, however, because they could not derive a suitable meaning from it for the passage, have thought that it should be understood as talkative jesting or idle speech.

Others, taking even greater imaginative liberties, have supposed that the Psalmist meant that the scoffing of such people was like bread to them, because they take pleasure in scoffing and jesting. To me, it appears that we ought to retain the proper meaning of the word, while at the same time, it may be understood in two senses.

Some, taking מעוג, maog, for a cake or tart, believe that David here censures people with refined tastes who seek fine and dainty food, many of whom are always found in the courts of princes. Others rather suppose that he rebukes people with a servile and sordid spirit, who, for the most trivial reward, would use their tongues to revile others, just as in all ages there have been people who, for a bit of bread, as we say, sell their tongues.

When I carefully consider other passages in which David describes the nature and character of his enemies, I am inclined to think that those who indulged in jesting and scoffing at feasts, and who, while sitting over their drinks, plotted to kill David, are referred to here. He therefore complains that even in the midst of their feasting and banqueting, the ungodly, who had shaken off all shame, conspired to take his life.