Explicitly, the text describes a public and internal undoing: not only do the enemies stop, they lose standing and confidence. The last word (“suddenly”) frames the outcome as abrupt rather than gradual.

Where interpretation differs (only where needed)

Who the “enemies” are. Some read “enemies” mainly as personal opponents such as slanderers, rivals, or those exploiting the speaker’s weakness. Others think the language can naturally include wider threats (even military ones). The verse itself stays general and does not identify the setting.

Whether the line is request, prediction, or both. The first clause sounds like a wish (“May…”) while the later clauses sound confident (“They shall…”). Many read this as prayer moving into assurance: the speaker asks for the reversal and, in the same breath, anticipates it. Others treat the whole line primarily as a declaration of what will happen, using “may” as a poetic way of stating certainty.

How “shame/disgrace” works. Some take shame-language as mainly social and public (loss of honor in the community). Others stress the inner experience (“dismayed” as panic or turmoil) while still allowing a public outcome. The verse holds both together: inner disturbance paired with visible retreat.

Why the disagreement exists The Hebrew poetry uses compact, overlapping terms and shifts in tone within one verse. It also uses broad categories (“enemies,” “shame”) that fit more than one concrete scenario, and it does not narrate the cause of the conflict.

What this passage clearly contributes This closing verse contributes a theology of reversal within lament: the prayer does not end with the speaker’s pain but with the anticipated downfall of those doing harm. It presents opposition to the psalmist as ultimately unstable—able to look strong for a time, but capable of collapsing quickly. It also frames “defeat” not only as stopping an attack, but as a humiliating retreat that restores the speaker’s standing (even though the mechanics of that reversal are not described). See also Psalm 6:8 for the immediate lead-in to this confident ending.

enemies (’ō·yə·ḇāy)