Psalm 35:6 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them!

NIV: may their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them.

NASB: Let their way be dark and slippery, With the angel of the Lord pursuing them.

CSB: Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.

NLT: Make their path dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.

KJV: Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.

NKJV: Let their way be dark and slippery, And let the angel of the Lord pursue them.

Depending on weather and time of day, a trail might be dry and well lit. When the same path is poorly lit, muddy, or waterlogged, it becomes far more treacherous. Anyone who has hiked through natural terrain knows terms like "slippery" and "dark" are serious in those situations. They put a traveler in constant jeopardy of losing balance. This could cause a fall, an injury, or even death. In the worst scenario it could mean falling over a cliff or ledge.

This is one of the "imprecatory psalms" which include prayers for God to actively attack one's enemies. The context of this request has been David's plea for help using terms related to physical battle (Psalm 35:1–5). Scripture often uses the metaphor of a person's path to refer to their life (Psalm 17:5) and treats "light" as the embodiment of truth and goodness (Psalm 119:105). It's no small thing for David to ask God to create a dark, slippery way for his enemies.

Further, he wants "the angel of the LORD" to pursue them. Being pursued would make the trail even more hazardous for David's enemies. The angel of the Lord is described in Psalm 34:7 as protecting those who fear the Lord (Proverbs 1:7) and delivering them from trouble. Here, this angel is depicted as chasing the wicked to judgment. It is far better to run to the Lord for salvation than to run from Him into judgment (Hebrews 10:30–31)!

Psalm 35:1–10 is the first of three echoes in this psalm, each using the same basic themes. David asks the Lord for defense against enemies. He asks God to stand as his champion, fully armed and in opposition to David's foes. He asks the Lord to vindicate him and destroy the enemy. Each request is accompanied by praise. This segment compares to other "imprecatory psalms" written by David (Psalm 69:22–25; Psalm 109:8–15).

This is one of the "imprecatory psalms," which call on God to immediately judge or destroy His enemies. David echoes the same ideas in three phases. Each segment includes a plea for rescue, a request for God to conquer David's foes, and a promise to praise the Lord. David makes a point of noting that his enemies have no good reason for their hatred, since he was kind to them. With faith, David looks ahead, trusting he will have the opportunity to worship the Lord for His rescue and vindication.

David pleads with the Lord to destroy his enemies and vindicate him. As such, Psalm 35 is labeled an "imprecatory psalm." Other examples include psalms 5, 69, 109, and 140. This song might have been written when King Saul was seeking David's life (1 Samuel 19:1–2), or when Absalom was spreading rebellion in Israel (2 Samuel 15:13–14). David' notes three basic ideas in this psalm: vindication, defeat of enemies, and praise of God. Each is repeated in a series of three variations.

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.