Those who seek my life lay snares; those who wish me harm speak destruction, plotting deceit all day long.
Parallel translations
- WEB They also who seek after my life lay snares. Those who seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and meditate deceits all day long.
- KJV They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long.
- NKJV Those also who seek my life lay snares for me; Those who seek my hurt speak of destruction, And plan deception all the day long.
- NASB Those who seek my life lay snares for me; And those who seek to injure me have threatened destruction, And they plot deception all day long.
- NLT Meanwhile, my enemies lay traps to kill me. Those who wish me harm make plans to ruin me. All day long they plan their treachery.
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
While friends retreat, enemies actively plot David's ruin with traps and lies. The afflicted believer often faces hostility on top of isolation.
Overview
David describes adversaries who seek his life, scheming deceit against him all day long. His weakness becomes an occasion for their malice. The innocent Savior likewise faced those who plotted His death and spoke deceit against Him (Mark 14:55-58).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Ps 35:20For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful schemes against those who live quietly in the land.
- 2 Sam 17:1–3Furthermore, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David.
- Ps 140:5The proud hide a snare for me; the cords of their net are spread along the path, and lures are set out for me. Selah
- Ps 119:110The wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from Your precepts.
- Ps 35:4May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plan to harm me be driven back and confounded.
- Ps 64:2–5Hide me from the scheming of the wicked, from the mob of workers of iniquity,
- Ps 54:3For strangers rise up against me, and ruthless men seek my life—men with no regard for God. Selah
- Ps 141:9Keep me from the snares they have laid for me, and from the lures of evildoers.
- Luke 20:19–22When the scribes and chief priests realized that Jesus had spoken this parable against them, they sought to arrest Him that very hour. But they were afraid of the people.
- 2 Sam 16:7–8And as he yelled curses, Shimei said, “Get out, get out, you worthless man of bloodshed!
- Ps 62:3–4How long will you threaten a man? Will all of you throw him down like a leaning wall or a tottering fence?
- Ps 10:9He lies in wait like a lion in a thicket; he lurks to seize the oppressed; he catches the lowly in his net.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 38:12 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.