“With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.”
The psalmist describes the enemies as mockers and scoffers, gnashing their teeth against him. The imagery of gnashing teeth suggests both intense hostility and the gloating of those who anticipate their enemy's destruction. The mockery and scoffing suggest that the enemies treat the psalmist's suffering as occasion for ridicule and entertainment. This verse conveys the psychological cruelty of the opposition: not merely causing harm but deriding and mocking the victim.
Church Fathers on Psalms 35:16
1. ...The title of it causes us no delay, for it is both brief, and to be understood not difficult, especially to those nursed in the Church of God. For so it is, “To David himself.” The Psalm then is to David himself: now David is interpreted, Strong in hand, or Desirable. The Psalm then is to the Strong in hand, and Desirable, to Him who for us has overcome death, who unto us has promised life: for in this is He Strong in hand, that He has overcome death for us; in this is…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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