Psalm 38:12 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Those who seek my life lay their snares; those who seek my hurt speak of ruin and meditate treachery all day long.

NIV: Those who want to kill me set their traps, those who would harm me talk of my ruin; all day long they scheme and lie.

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.

CSB: Those who intend to kill me set traps, and those who want to harm me threaten to destroy me; they plot treachery 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.

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.

As a warrior and king, David's enemies were always looking for weaknesses which they could exploit. Psalm 38 describes David's suffering as God rebukes him for sin (Psalm 38:1–4). This part of Scripture does not specify what inspired David's plea. However, it might have been his sin regarding Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:7–9). In that instance, he abused his kingly authority attempting to cover up adultery. Even in the ancient world, where kings wielded almost unlimited power, such things would threaten the loyalty and love of the people (2 Samuel 15:6). Whatever the cause, David's sin seems to have given his enemies a renewed motivation and intensity in their plotting.

A "snare" was a trap usually placed on a path or hidden in the ground. When an animal stepped on the snare, it would snap shut and entangle the animal. In the context of David's enemies, this would mean their subversive plans to catch him and kill him. Those who wanted to destroy him spent ample time discussing his doom and going over their plans. Likely, David overheard his enemies discussing ways to destroy him, or heard reports from his spies and soldiers about it.

As he hears about enemies plotting to destroy him, David's experience foreshadows what happened to Jesus, his chief descendant. After Jesus healed a man with a withered hand, the Pharisees left the synagogue where the healing took place "and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him" (Mark 3:6). Evil never stops scheming to interfere with goodness.

Psalm 38:9–14 shows David's sincere humility. He addresses God as "Adonai," meaning "Lord" or "Master." He acknowledges that God knows all about his suffering, then continues to explain his misery. Guilt and conviction have caused him personal anguish. His sin created isolation from friends and relatives. It has given room for his enemies to attack him. In the face of this pressure, David feels entirely helpless.

David cries out to God in repentance for his sin. He feels the weight of shame and conviction, as if being pierced by arrows, ravaged by disease, crushed, and blinded. His friends have abandoned him; his enemies plot his demise. All of these have been brought about because of his "iniquity." Throughout this misery, David does not abandon hope. Instead, he confidently calls on the Lord to forgive and rescue him.

Psalm 38 and Psalm 32 are similar. They both express David's deep sense of guilt, his contrition, and his confession. Both psalms refer to the ill effect David's sins exerted on his physical condition. Psalm 38's descriptions seem mostly symbolic, but his anguish is very literal. Likely, the sins in question were adultery with Bathsheba and the arranged murder of her husband (2 Samuel 12:7–9). If so, these themes connect directly to Psalm 51. David asks God to forgive him and heal him.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.