Bible Strands
Psalms 31:13
For I hear the slander of many; there is terror on every side. They conspire against me and plot to take my life.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The psalmist addresses God while experiencing acute isolation and persecution, positioned between his state of being forgotten like a dead man and his declaration of trust in the Lord.
The words — The Hebrew term מָגוֹר (ma.Gor) literally means "terror," describing the psalmist's perception of imminent danger surrounding him, while דִּבַּת (di.Bat) means "slander," indicating the verbal attacks he endures.
The thread — This pattern of surrounding terror and conspiratorial plotting appears in Jeremiah 20:10, Matthew 27:1, and Lamentations 2:22.
Why it lands — The text demands a reader acknowledge the reality of coordinated opposition while confronting the choice to maintain trust in God despite perceived mortal threat.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.
Cross-references
- Jeremiah 20:10 For I have heard the whispering of many: “Terror is on every side! Report him; let us report him!” All my trusted friends watch for my fall: “Perhaps he will be deceived so that we may prevail against him and take our vengeance upon him.”
- Matthew 27:1 When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people conspired against Jesus to put Him to death.
- Lamentations 2:22 You summoned my terrors on every side, as for the day of an appointed feast. In the day of the LORD’s anger no one escaped or survived; my enemy has destroyed those I nurtured and reared.
- 1 Samuel 20:33 Then Saul hurled his spear at Jonathan to kill him. So Jonathan knew that his father was determined to kill David.
- 2 Samuel 17:1 Furthermore, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David.
- Matthew 26:3 At that time the chief priests and elders of the people assembled in the courtyard of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,
- Matthew 26:59 Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking false testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death.
- 1 Samuel 19:10 Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear. But David eluded him and the spear struck the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.
- 1 Samuel 22:8 Is that why all of you have conspired against me? Not one of you told me that my own son had made a covenant with the son of Jesse. Not one of you has shown concern for me or revealed to me that my son has stirred up my own servant to lie in wait against me, as is the case today.”
- 1 Samuel 23:19 Then the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon?