The proud hide a snare for me; the cords of their net are spread along the path, and lures are set out for me. Selah
Parallel translations
- WEB The proud have hidden a snare for me, they have spread the cords of a net by the path. They have set traps for me. Selah.
- KJV The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah.
- NKJV The proud have hidden a snare for me, and cords; They have spread a net by the wayside; They have set traps for me. Selah
- NASB The proud have hidden a trap for me, and snares; They have spread a net at the wayside; They have set snares for me. Selah
- NLT The proud have set a trap to catch me; they have stretched out a net; they have placed traps all along the way. Interlude
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The proud have hidden snares, nets, and traps along David's path. It portrays the cunning, premeditated nature of the threats against him.
Overview
The imagery of hunters' snares shows that David's enemies act with calculated stealth, not open combat. Pride drives their plotting, a recurring biblical root of opposition to God's servants. David's recourse is to expose these traps before God, trusting the Lord to deliver, as He ultimately delivers His people from every snare in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 19
- Ps 35:7For without cause they laid their net for me; without reason they dug a pit for my soul.
- Ps 142:3Although my spirit grows faint within me, You know my way. Along the path I travel they have hidden a snare for me.
- Jer 18:22Let a cry be heard from their houses when You suddenly bring raiders against them, for they have dug a pit to capture me and have hidden snares for my feet.
- Ps 119:85The arrogant have dug pits for me in violation of Your law.
- Luke 20:20–23So they watched Him closely and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. They were hoping to catch Him in His words in order to hand Him over to the rule and authority of the governor.
- Ps 123:3–4Have mercy on us, O LORD, have mercy, for we have endured much contempt.
- Jer 18:20Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit for me. Remember how I stood before You to speak good on their behalf, to turn Your wrath from them.
- Ps 57:6They spread a net for my feet; my soul was despondent. They dug a pit before me, but they themselves have fallen into it! Selah
- Ps 119:69Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep Your precepts with all my heart.
- Prov 29:5A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.
- Ps 141:9–10Keep me from the snares they have laid for me, and from the lures of evildoers.
- Luke 11:53–54As Jesus went on from there, the scribes and Pharisees began to oppose Him bitterly and to ply Him with questions about many things,
- Ps 10:4–12In his pride the wicked man does not seek Him; in all his schemes there is no God.
- Ps 119:110The wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from Your precepts.
- Ps 36:11Let not the foot of the proud come against me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.
- Ps 31:4You free me from the net laid out for me, for You are my refuge.
- Ps 17:8–13Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings
- Job 18:9A trap seizes his heel; a snare grips him.
- Jer 18:18Then some said, “Come, let us make plans against Jeremiah, for the law will never be lost to the priest, nor counsel to the wise, nor an oracle to the prophet. Come, let us denounce him and pay no heed to any of his words.”
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 140:5 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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