Bible Strands
Psalms 38:12
Those who seek my life lay snares; those who wish me harm speak destruction, plotting deceit all day long.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The psalmist speaks from a state of severe affliction, isolated by friends and kin who stand at a distance, while hostile parties actively pursue him.
The words — The Hebrew מְבַקְשֵׁי (me.vak.Shei) and דֹרְשֵׁי (do.re.Shei) both mean "seek," describing those targeting the psalmist's נַפְשִׁי (naf.Sh/i, "life") and רָעָתִי (Ra.'a.t/i, "harm").
The thread — This motif of calculated hostility appears in 2 Samuel 17:1, Psalms 35:20, and Psalms 54:3, where adversaries devise schemes to destroy the targeted individual.
Why it lands — The text records that persecution operates through concealed traps and continuous verbal destruction rather than open confrontation, requiring the reader to acknowledge the reality of coordinated malice without attributing it to divine approval.
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
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.
Cross-references
- 2 Samuel 17:1 Furthermore, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David.
- Psalms 35:20 For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful schemes against those who live quietly in the land.
- Psalms 54:3 For strangers rise up against me, and ruthless men seek my life—men with no regard for God. Selah
- 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
- 2 Samuel 16:7 And as he yelled curses, Shimei said, “Get out, get out, you worthless man of bloodshed!
- Psalms 35:4 May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plan to harm me be driven back and confounded.
- Psalms 64:2 Hide me from the scheming of the wicked, from the mob of workers of iniquity,
- Psalms 119:110 The wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from Your precepts.
- Psalms 141:9 Keep me from the snares they have laid for me, and from the lures of evildoers.
- Luke 20:19 When the scribes and chief priests realized that Jesus had spoken this parable against them, they sought to arrest Him that very hour. But they were afraid of the people.