Psalm 38

Psalms · Chapter 38

Psalms 38:12

1O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.2For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.3There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.4For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.5My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.6I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.7For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh.8I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.9Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.10My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.11My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off.12They 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.13But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.14Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.15For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.16For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me.17For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.18For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.19But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.20They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is.21Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me.22Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
12They 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.Those who seek my life lay snares; those who wish me harm speak destruction, plotting deceit all day long.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.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and they set trapsוַיְנַקְשׁ֤וּ׀vay-nak-SHUH5367
to snare

נָקַשׁ (na.qash) 1) to knock, strike, bring down 1a) (Qal) to strike down 1b) (Niphal) to be thrust after, be impelled 1c) (Piel) to strike at, take aim at 1d) (Hithpael) to be struck 2) (CLBL) to ensnare 2a) (Qal) to ensnare 2b) (Niphal) to be ensnared 2c) (Piel) to lay snares 2d) (Hithpael) to lay snares

[those who] seekמְבַקְשֵׁ֬יme-vak-SHEIH1245
to seek

בָּקַשׁ (ba.qash) 1) to seek, require, desire, exact, request 1a) (Piel) 1a1) to seek to find 1a2) to seek to secure 1a3) to seek the face 1a4) to desire, demand 1a5) to require, exact 1a6) to ask, request 1b) (Pual) to be sought

of life myנַפְשִׁ֗יnaf-SHIH5315H
soul

נֶ֫פֶשׁ (ne.phesh) 1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion 1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man 1b) living being 1c) living being (with life in the blood) 1d) the man himself, self, person or individual 1e) seat of the appetites 1f) seat of emotions and passions 1g) activity of mind 1g1) uncertain 1h) activity of the will 1h1) uncertain 1i) activity of the character 1i1) uncertain

and [those who] seekוְדֹרְשֵׁ֣יve-do-re-SHEIH1875
to seek

דָּרַשׁ (da.rash) 1) to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to resort to, frequent (a place), (tread a place) 1a2) to consult, enquire of, seek 1a2a) of God 1a2b) of heathen gods, necromancers 1a3) to seek deity in prayer and worship 1a3a) God 1a3b) heathen deities 1a4) to seek (with a demand), demand, require 1a5) to investigate, enquire 1a6) to ask for, require, demand 1a7) to practice, study, follow, seek with application 1a8) to seek with care, care for 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to allow oneself to be enquired of, consulted (only of God) 1b2) to be sought, be sought out …

of harm myרָ֭עָתִיRA-'a-tiH7451C
distress: harm

רָעָה (ra.ah) : harm 1) evil, misery, distress, injury 1a) evil, misery, distress 1b) evil, injury, wrong 1c) evil (ethical)

they have spokenדִּבְּר֣וּdi-be-RUH1696G
to speak: speak

דָבַר (da.var) : speak/tell/command 1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing 1a) (Qal) to speak 1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to speak 1c2) to promise 1d) (Pual) to be spoken 1e) (Hithpael) to speak 1f) (Hiphil) to lead away, put to flight

destructionsהַוּ֑וֹתha-VOTH1942
desire

הַוָּה (hav.vah) 1) desire 1a) desire (in bad sense) 2) chasm (fig. of destruction) 2a) engulfing ruin, destruction, calamity

and deceitsוּ֝מִרְמ֗וֹתu-mir-MOTH4820
deceit

מִרְמָה (mir.mah) deceit, treachery

allכָּל־kol-H3605
all

כֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

the dayהַיּ֥וֹםhai-YOMH3117G
day

יוֹם (yom) : day/when/time/period 1) day, time, year 1a) day (as opposed to night) 1b) day (24 hour period) 1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1 1b2) as a division of time 1b2a) a working day, a day's journey 1c) days, lifetime (pl.) 1d) time, period (general) 1e) year 1f) temporal references 1f1) today 1f2) yesterday 1f3) tomorrow

they deviseיֶהְגּֽוּ׃yeh-GUH1897
to mutter

הָגָה (ha.gah) 1) to moan, growl, utter, muse, mutter, meditate, devise, plot, speak 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to roar, growl, groan 1a2) to utter, speak 1a3) to meditate, devise, muse, imagine 1b) (Poal) to utter 1c) (Hiphil) to mutter

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.