Psalm 35 is a lament of David, where he's complaining about his enemies. Verse 11, "Unrighteous witnesses rise up. They ask me about things that I don’t know about," speaks to a specific type of attack David is facing. Let's break it down:
"Unrighteous witnesses rise up": This refers to people who are bearing false witness against David. "Unrighteous" implies they are not acting justly or fairly, and their testimony is likely fabricated or distorted. The fact that they "rise up" suggests they are numerous and/or acting aggressively. They are publicly accusing him.
"They ask me about things that I don’t know about": This is the crux of the verse. It means these false witnesses are interrogating David about things he has no knowledge of. There are a couple of possible interpretations:
Framing him: They are accusing him of crimes or misdeeds he didn't commit and trying to trick him into incriminating himself. The questions are designed to trap him, not to discover the truth.
Raising absurd accusations: The accusations are so far-fetched or nonsensical that David is genuinely perplexed and doesn't understand what they're even talking about. This could be designed to confuse and discredit him.
Accusations based on misunderstanding: Perhaps David did something innocent that has been maliciously reinterpreted and he is being questioned about the alleged hidden motives.
In essence, this verse describes a situation where David is being falsely accused based on fabricated evidence or twisted interpretations of his actions. The accusations are baffling to him because they are based on lies or misunderstandings.
The overall meaning in the context of the psalm:
This verse highlights the injustice and unfairness David is experiencing. He is being targeted by malicious enemies who are willing to lie and manipulate the truth to bring him down. It underscores his vulnerability and the need for God's intervention to vindicate him. He is innocent, yet being treated as guilty. The "things he doesn't know about" become a symbol of the baseless nature of the accusations against him.
Psalm 35 is a lament of David, where he's complaining about his enemies. Verse 11, "Unrighteous witnesses rise up. They ask me about things that I don’t know about," speaks to a specific type of attack David is facing. Let's break it down:
"Unrighteous witnesses rise up": This refers to people who are bearing false witness against David. "Unrighteous" implies they are not acting justly or fairly, and their testimony is likely fabricated or distorted. The fact that they "rise up" suggests they are numerous and/or acting aggressively. They are publicly accusing him.
"They ask me about things that I don’t know about": This is the crux of the verse. It means these false witnesses are interrogating David about things he has no knowledge of. There are a couple of possible interpretations:
Framing him: They are accusing him of crimes or misdeeds he didn't commit and trying to trick him into incriminating himself. The questions are designed to trap him, not to discover the truth.
Raising absurd accusations: The accusations are so far-fetched or nonsensical that David is genuinely perplexed and doesn't understand what they're even talking about. This could be designed to confuse and discredit him.
Accusations based on misunderstanding: Perhaps David did something innocent that has been maliciously reinterpreted and he is being questioned about the alleged hidden motives.
In essence, this verse describes a situation where David is being falsely accused based on fabricated evidence or twisted interpretations of his actions. The accusations are baffling to him because they are based on lies or misunderstandings.
The overall meaning in the context of the psalm:
This verse highlights the injustice and unfairness David is experiencing. He is being targeted by malicious enemies who are willing to lie and manipulate the truth to bring him down. It underscores his vulnerability and the need for God's intervention to vindicate him. He is innocent, yet being treated as guilty. The "things he doesn't know about" become a symbol of the baseless nature of the accusations against him.