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.
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.
- BSB Those who seek my life lay snares; those who wish me harm speak destruction, plotting deceit all 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 speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.
- 2 Sam 17:1–3Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night:
- Ps 140:5The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah.
- Ps 119:110The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from thy precepts.
- Ps 35:4Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.
- Ps 64:2–5Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:
- Ps 54:3For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah.
- Ps 141:9Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity.
- Luke 20:19–22And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.
- 2 Sam 16:7–8And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial:
- Ps 62:3–4How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence.
- Ps 10:9He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into 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.