Psalms 35:6
in Psalms 35May their path be dark and slick, as the angel of the LORD pursues.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Let their way be dark and slippery, And the angel of Jehovah pursuing them.
KJV
Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the Lord persecute them.
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This verse in Psalms 35
Commentary
12 notes on this verseLet their way be dark and slippery,.... In which they run before the angel, chasing and pursuing them; so that they know not where they are, at what they stumble, whither to flee, nor how to stand; the ways of wicked men are as darkness, they know not in what condition they are, and whither they are going; and utter darkness, even blackness of darkness, is reserved for them: but here it means a calamitous, uncomfortable, fickle, and unstable situation in this life; see Jer 23:
This site's exposition
be disgraced and put to shame
on Psalms 35:4-8
David asks that the men who seek his life be shamed, driven like chaff, and chased by the angel of the LORD. Verses 7 and 8 ask that the net and the pit they hid take those who dug them. The ground he gives is that they had no cause.
This site's exposition
May their path be dark and slick
Augustine noted that a man on a dark and slick path might stand still and wait for light. The angel of the LORD pursuing behind him takes that choice away. He read the darkness as ignorance and the slipping as luxury.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Put them to flight, entrusting the pursuit to the unseen angels. This is the way we also find the Assyrians exterminated by an angel and the way the exterminator destroyed the firstborn of the Egyptians.
"Let their way be darkness and slipping." A horrible way! Darkness alone who fears not? A slippery way alone who avoids not? In a dark and slippery way how shall you go? Where set foot? These two ills are the great punishments of men: darkness, ignorance; a slippery way, luxury. "And let the Angel of the Lord persecute them;" that they be not able to stand. For any one in a dark and slippery way, when he sees that if he move his foot he will fall, and there is no light before his feet, haply resolves to wait until light come; but here is the Angel of the Lord persecuting them. These things he predicted would come upon them, not as though he wished them to happen. Although the Prophet in the Spirit of God so speaks these things, even as God does the same, with sure judgment, with a judgment good, righteous, holy, tranquil; not moved with wrath, not with bitter jealousy, not with desire of wreaking enmities, but of punishing wickedness with righteousness; nevertheless, it is a prophecy.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Then, when he says, "let their ways be," a comparison is set forth regarding the second impediment, that is, regarding the course of the way; and he sets forth three impediments on the way. The first is darkness, because then one easily stumbles. "Let their …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
) so that they cannot possibly escape the pit of destruction. As God's angels encamp against those that fight against him. They are the ministers of his justice, as well as of his mercy.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Their way shall be dark and slippery, darkness and slipperiness (so the margin reads it); the way of sinners is so, for they walk in darkness and in continual danger of falling into sin, into hell; and it will prove so at last, for their foot shall slide in due time, Deut. xxxii. But this is not the worst of it.
4 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
"Let their way be dark and slippery." What terrors are gathered here! No light, no foothold, and a fierce avenger at their heels! What a doom is appointed for the enemies of God! They may rage and rave today, but how altered will be their plight ere long! "And let the angel of the Lord persecute them." He will follow them hot-foot, as we say, never turning aside, but like a trusty pursuivant serving the writ of vengeance upon them, and arresting them in the name of unflinching justice.
"Let their way be dark and slippery." What terrors are gathered here! No light, no foothold, and a fierce avenger at their heels! What a doom is appointed for the enemies of God! They may rage and rave today, but how altered will be their plight ere long! "And let the angel of the Lord persecute them." He will follow them hot-foot, as we say, never turning aside, but like a trusty pursuivant serving the writ of vengeance upon them, and arresting them in the name of unflinching justice.
Let their way be dark - Let them lose their way, be entangled in morasses and thickets, and be confounded in all their attempts to injure me. All these phrases are military; and relate to ambushes, hidden snares, forced marches in order to surprise, and stratagems of different kinds.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Let their way be dark - Margin, as in Hebrew: “darkness.” That is, let them not be able to see where they go; what danger they incur; what is before them. The idea is that of persons who wander in the night, not knowing what is before them, or what danger may be near. The succession of images and figures here is terrific. The representation is that of persons scattered as the chaff is before the wind; pursued by the angel seeking vengeance; and driven along a dark and slippery path, with no guide, and no knowledge as to the precipices which may be before them, or the enemies that may be pressing upon them. And slippery - Margin, as in Hebrew: “slipperiness.” This is a circumstance which adds increased terror to the image. It is not only a dark road, but a road made slippery by rains; a road where they are in danger every moment of sliding down a precipice where they will be destroyed. And let the angel of the Lord persecute them - Pursue or follow them. The word “persecute” we use now in the sense of subjecting one to pain, torture, or privation, on account of his religious opinions. This is not the meaning of the word used here. It is simply to “follow” or “pursue.” The image is that of the avenging angel following on, or pursuing them in this dark and slippery way; a flight in a dark and dangerous path, with a destroying angel close in the rear.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יְֽהִי־ | yehi- | may it be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| דַרְכָּ֗ם | darkam | way their | H1870 → | 707 times |
| חֹ֥שֶׁךְ | choshekh | darkness | H2822 → | 80 times |
| וַחֲלַקְלַקּ֑וֹת | vachalaklakot | and slippery places | H2519 → | |
| וּמַלְאַ֥ךְ | umalakh | and [the] angel of | H4397 → | 213 times |
| יְ֝הוָ֗ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| רֹדְפָֽם׃ | rodefam | pursuing them | H7291 → | 143 times |
יְֽהִי־may it be
yehi-H1961 →3559 times
דַרְכָּ֗םway their
darkamH1870 →707 times
חֹ֥שֶׁךְdarkness
choshekhH2822 →80 times
וַחֲלַקְלַקּ֑וֹתand slippery places
vachalaklakotH2519 →
וּמַלְאַ֥ךְand [the] angel of
umalakhH4397 →213 times
יְ֝הוָ֗הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
רֹדְפָֽם׃pursuing them
rodefamH7291 →143 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 73:18Surely You set them on slick ground; You cast them down into ruin.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 23:12
“Therefore their path will become slick; they will be driven away into the darkness and fall into it. For I will bring disaster upon them in the year of their punishment,” declares the LORD.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 23:12
Through
Jeremiah 13:16Give glory to the LORD your God before He brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the dusky mountains. You wait for light, but He turns it into deep gloom and thick darkness.
it leads to
- Isaiah 8:22
Then they will look to the earth and see only distress and darkness and the gloom of anguish. And they will be driven into utter darkness.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 4:19
But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 59:9
Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We hope for light, but there is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in gloom.
- Isaiah 60:2
For behold, darkness covers the earth, and thick darkness is over the peoples; but the LORD will rise upon you, and His glory will appear over you.
- Isaiah 8:22
Through
Proverbs 4:19But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.
it leads to
- John 12:35
Then Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the…
- Isaiah 59:9–10
Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We hope for light, but there is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in gloom.
- Job 18:5–6
Indeed, the lamp of the wicked is extinguished; the flame of his fire does not glow.
- John 12:35
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Psalms
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 35; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 2; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 35:3 and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.