For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O LORD.
Parallel translations
- WEB For, behold, they lie in wait for my soul. The mighty gather themselves together against me, not for my disobedience, nor for my sin, Yahweh.
- BSB See how they lie in wait for me. Fierce men conspire against me for no transgression or sin of my own, O LORD.
- NKJV For look, they lie in wait for my life; The mighty gather against me, Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord.
- NASB For behold, they have set an ambush for my life; Fierce men attack me, Not for my wrongdoing nor for my sin, Lord,
- NLT They have set an ambush for me. Fierce enemies are out there waiting, Lord, though I have not sinned or offended them.
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 protests that his enemies plot against him though he has done no wrong. He appeals to God on the basis of his innocence in this matter.
Overview
David insists the assault is unjust, not provoked by any sin or rebellion of his against his foes. His clear conscience gives him boldness to call on God. This points ahead to Christ, the truly innocent one who was hated without cause yet entrusted himself to the Father who judges justly.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Ps 56:6They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul.
- Ps 69:4They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.
- 1 Sam 24:11Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it.
- John 15:25But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.
- Prov 12:6The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.
- Mic 7:2The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.
- Ps 37:32–33The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.
- Ps 38:12They 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.
- Ps 7:3–6O LORD my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;
- 1 Sam 26:18And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand?
- Acts 23:21But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.
- 1 Sam 24:17And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.
- Ps 2:2The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
- 1 Sam 19:1And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David.
- Acts 4:26–27The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
- Ps 10:9–10He 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.
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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 59:3 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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