Psalms 38:12
in Psalms 38Those who seek my life lay snares; those who wish me harm speak destruction, plotting deceit all day long.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
They also that seek after my life lay snares for me; And they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, And meditate deceits all the day long.
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.
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This verse in Psalms 38
Commentary
13 notes on this versePeople who cling to evil thoughts do not stand for truth but for falsehood. They do not stand for righteousness but for iniquity, because their tongue learns to speak lies. They have done evil, never pausing so that they could repent. Persevering with delight in wicked actions, they run to them without even looking back. They even tread underfoot the commandment about neighbors, and instead of loving them, they plot evil against them. As the ancient saint testifies, "Those who plot evil against me have spoken lies and plan treachery all day long."
This site's exposition
seek my life lay snares
on Psalms 38:12-14
Snares are laid, and destruction and deceit run all day long. He answers like a deaf man and a mute man, with no reply in his mouth. Henry reads the silence as a man keeping close to God by prayer and silencing his own resentment.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
A commentator
Ambrose of MilanCommentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms · Written before 397.
proposed
My friends and neighbors have approached me and stood against me. And my neighbors stood from afar. And those who sought my soul were causing violence. And those who intended harm to me spoke emptiness and deceit all day long. But I, like a deaf man, did not hear, and like a mute man who does not open his mouth. And I became like a man who does not hear and who does not have reproaches in his mouth. I see those who cleverly argue these things.
"They also that sought after my soul were preparing violence against me" [Psalm 38:12]. It is now plain who "sought after His soul;" viz. those who had not His soul, in that they were not in His Body. They who were "seeking after His soul," were far removed from His soul; but they were "seeking it" to destroy it. For His soul may be "sought after" in a right way also. For in another passage He finds fault with some persons, saying, "There is no man to care for My soul." He finds fault with some for not seeking after His soul; and again, with others for seeking after it. Who is he that seeks after His soul in the right way? He who imitates His sufferings. Who are they that sought after His soul in the wrong way? Even those who "prepared violence against Him," and crucified Him.
The Medieval Church1 voice
"And they used violence, who sought my life." And he was not only afflicted by friends in this way, but also by enemies. Now there is a twofold kind of enemies. Some are mortal enemies and kill. Others are not mortal, because they do not …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
They also that seek after my life,.... His avowed and implacable enemies, whom nothing would satisfy but the taking away of his life: these came too near him; for these, he says, lay snares for me, as Satan does for the souls of men, as the Jews did for Christ, and as wicked men do for the saints, Psa 124:7; and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things; to the injury of his character and reputation: and imagine deceits all the day long; contrive artful schemes to deceive; see Psa 35:20.
Such is the enmity of the serpent's seed against the seed of the woman; it would wound the head, though it can but reach the heel. It is the blood of the saints that is thirsted after. "They are very subtle and politic.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
6 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Such is the enmity of the serpent's seed against the seed of the woman; it would wound the head, though it can but reach the heel. It is the blood of the saints that is thirsted after. "They are very subtle and politic.
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
They also that seek after my life lay snares for me. Alas! for us when in addition to inward griefs, we are beset by outward temptations. David's foes endeavoured basely to ensnare him. If fair means would not overthrow him, foul should be tried. This snaring business is a vile one, the devil's own poachers alone condescend to it; but prayer to God will deliver us, for the craft of the entire college of tempters can be met and overcome by those who are led of the Spirit. They that seek my hurt speak mischievous things.
They also that seek after my life lay snares for me. Alas! for us when in addition to inward griefs, we are beset by outward temptations. David's foes endeavoured basely to ensnare him. If fair means would not overthrow him, foul should be tried. This snaring business is a vile one, the devil's own poachers alone condescend to it; but prayer to God will deliver us, for the craft of the entire college of tempters can be met and overcome by those who are led of the Spirit. They that seek my hurt speak mischievous things. Lies and slanders poured from them like water from the town pump. Their tongue was for ever going, and their heart fore ever inventing lies. And imagine deceit all the day long. They were never done, their forge was going from morning to night. When they could not act they talked, and when they could not talk they imagined, and schemed, and plotted. Restless is the activity of malice. Bad men never have enough of evil. They compass sea and land to injure a saint; no labour is too severe, no cost too great if they may utterly destroy the innocent. Our comfort is, that our glorious Head knows the pertinacious malignity of our foes, and will in due season put an end to it, as he even now sets a bound about it.
They also that seek after my life lay snares for me. Alas! for us when in addition to inward griefs, we are beset by outward temptations. David's foes endeavoured basely to ensnare him. If fair means would not overthrow him, foul should be tried. This snaring business is a vile one, the devil's own poachers alone condescend to it; but prayer to God will deliver us, for the craft of the entire college of tempters can be met and overcome by those who are led of the Spirit. They that seek my hurt speak mischievous things.
They also that seek after my life - They act towards me as huntsmen after their prey; they lay snares to take away my life. Perhaps this means only that they wished for his death, and would have been glad to have had it in their power to end his days. Others spoke all manner of evil of him, and told falsities against him all the day long.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
They also that seek after my life - This was a new aggravation of his affliction, that those who were his enemies now sought to accomplish their purposes against him with better hopes of success, by taking advantage of his sickness. Lay snares for me - On the meaning of this phrase, see the notes at Psa 9:15. The idea here is that they sought this opportunity of ensnaring or entrapping him so as to ruin him. They took advantage of the fact that he was weak and helpless, and of the fact that he was forsaken or abandoned by his friends, to accomplish his ruin. how this was done is not stated. It might have been by their coming on him when he was thus helpless; or it might have been by endeavoring in his weak condition to extort confessions or promises from him that might be turned to his ruin. An enemy may hope to succeed much better when the one opposed is sick than when he is well, and may take advantage of his weak state of body and mind, and of the fact that he seems to be forsaken by all, to accomplish what could not be done if he were in the enjoyment of health, or sustained by powerful friends, or by a public opinion in his favor. And they that seek my hurt - They who seek to injure me. Speak mischievous things - Slanderous words. They charge on me things that are false, and that tend to injure me. The very fact that he was thus afflicted, they might urge (in accordance with a prevailing belief, and with the conviction of the psalmist also, Psa 38:3-5) as a proof of guilt. This was done by the three friends of Job; and the enemies of the psalmist may thus have taken advantage of his sickness to circulate false reports about him which he could not then well meet. And imagine deceits - Imagine or feign deceitful things; things which they know to be false or unfounded. All the day long - Constantly. They seem to have no other employment. See Psa 35:20.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
stand aloof from my affliction Those who appear to me as lovers in time of their pleasure, and when they see that the affliction comes upon me, they do not stand up for me in the time of my strait, but stand aloof and do not aid me.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
And those who seek my life lay traps They seek traps for me.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְנַקְשׁ֤וּ׀ | vaynakshu | and they set traps | H5367 → | 5 times |
| מְבַקְשֵׁ֬י | mevakshei | [those who] seek | H1245 → | 225 times |
| נַפְשִׁ֗י | nafshi | <of> life my | H5315 → | 754 times |
| וְדֹרְשֵׁ֣י | vedoreshei | and [those who] seek | H1875 → | 164 times |
| רָ֭עָתִי | raati | <of> harm my | H7451 → | 662 times |
| דִּבְּר֣וּ | diberu | they have spoken | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| הַוּ֑וֹת | havot | destruction<s> | H1942 → | 16 times |
| וּ֝מִרְמ֗וֹת | umirmot | and deceit<s> | H4820 → | 39 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַיּ֥וֹם | haiyom | the day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| יֶהְגּֽוּ׃ | yehgu | they devise | H1897 → | 25 times |
וַיְנַקְשׁ֤וּ׀and they set traps
vaynakshuH5367 →5 times
מְבַקְשֵׁ֬י[those who] seek
mevaksheiH1245 →225 times
נַפְשִׁ֗י<of> life my
nafshiH5315 →754 times
וְדֹרְשֵׁ֣יand [those who] seek
vedoresheiH1875 →164 times
רָ֭עָתִי<of> harm my
raatiH7451 →662 times
דִּבְּר֣וּthey have spoken
diberuH1696 →1141 times
הַוּ֑וֹתdestruction<s>
havotH1942 →16 times
וּ֝מִרְמ֗וֹתand deceit<s>
umirmotH4820 →39 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הַיּ֥וֹםthe day
haiyomH3117 →2304 times
יֶהְגּֽוּ׃they devise
yehguH1897 →25 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 54:3For strangers rise up against me, and ruthless men seek my life— men with no regard for God. Selah
it leads to
- Psalms 86:14
The arrogant rise against me, O God; a band of ruthless men seeks my life, with no regard for You.
- Psalms 36:1
An oracle is in my heart regarding the transgression of the wicked man: There is no fear of God before his eyes.
- Psalms 86:14
Through
Psalms 140:5The proud hide a snare for me; the cords of their net are spread along the path, and lures are set out for me. Selah
it leads to
- Psalms 35:7
For without cause they laid their net for me; without reason they dug a pit for my soul.
- Psalms 142:3
Although my spirit grows faint within me, You know my way. Along the path I travel they have hidden a snare for me.
- Jeremiah 18:22
Let a cry be heard from their houses when You suddenly bring raiders against them, for they have dug a pit to capture me and have hidden snares for my feet.
- Psalms 35:7
Through
Psalms 119:110The wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from Your precepts.
it leads to
- Psalms 140:5
The proud hide a snare for me; the cords of their net are spread along the path, and lures are set out for me. Selah
- Psalms 119:95
The wicked wait to destroy me, but I will ponder Your testimonies.
- Psalms 141:9
Keep me from the snares they have laid for me, and from the lures of evildoers.
- Psalms 140:5
About Psalms
This page draws on 10 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); Ambrose of Milan, Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms; Athanasius of Alexandria, FESTAL LETTERS 9:4; Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 38; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 2; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.