Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.
Parallel translations
- WEB Teach me your way, Yahweh. Lead me in a straight path, because of my enemies.
- BSB Teach me Your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path, because of my oppressors.
- NKJV Teach me Your way, O Lord, And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.
- NASB ¶Teach me Your way, Lord, And lead me on a level path Because of my enemies.
- NLT Teach me how to live, O Lord. Lead me along the right path, for my enemies are waiting for me.
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
David asks God to teach him His way and lead him on a level path because of his enemies. It links right living with reliance on God's guidance under pressure.
Overview
Surrounded by adversaries, David seeks not merely rescue but instruction in righteousness, knowing a straight path keeps him from stumbling into sin or his enemies' traps. Holiness and safety are bound together. Christ, the Way, both teaches and leads His people in the path of life.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 20
- Ps 25:4–5Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.
- Ps 5:8Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.
- Ps 86:11Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
- Ps 26:12My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the LORD.
- Ps 143:8–10Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.
- Ps 119:10With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.
- Prov 2:6–9For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
- Ps 64:6They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.
- Isa 30:20–21And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers:
- Isa 35:8And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
- Luke 3:4–6As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
- Prov 8:9They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.
- Ps 56:5–6Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil.
- Ps 25:12What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.
- Jer 20:10For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.
- Ps 25:9The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.
- Dan 6:4–5Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
- Luke 20:20And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.
- Ps 54:5He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth.
- Prov 15:19The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.
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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 27:11 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.