Psalm 140 5

Psalm 140:5 kjv

The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah.

Psalm 140:5 nkjv

The proud have hidden a snare for me, and cords; They have spread a net by the wayside; They have set traps for me. Selah

Psalm 140:5 niv

The arrogant have hidden a snare for me; they have spread out the cords of their net and have set traps for me along my path.

Psalm 140:5 esv

The arrogant have hidden a trap for me, and with cords they have spread a net; beside the way they have set snares for me. Selah

Psalm 140:5 nlt

The proud have set a trap to catch me;
they have stretched out a net;
they have placed traps all along the way. Interlude

Psalm 140 verses

Psalm 140 5 Meaning

Psalm 140:5 expresses the psalmist's deep distress and vulnerability before his adversaries. It details the treacherous and covert methods employed by his enemies, who are characterized as "proud." They do not confront him openly but rather lay hidden traps and snares, reminiscent of a hunter setting out to catch prey. The verse emphasizes the stealth and widespread nature of these schemes, depicting a perilous environment where unseen dangers lie along common paths, aiming to trip and capture the righteous. It conveys a sense of constant, pervasive threat designed to ensnare or bring about the psalmist's downfall.

Psalm 140 5 Context

Psalm 140 is a fervent prayer of David for deliverance from the hands of violent and wicked men. The chapter opens with an urgent plea for God to preserve him from such adversaries (vv. 1-2), highlighting their malicious speech and intent (vv. 3-4). Verse 5 elaborates on their insidious tactics, detailing how these "proud" enemies subtly lay traps and snares to ambush and ensnare him. This sets the stage for David's continued prayer for justice and for God to turn the enemies' wickedness back on themselves (vv. 9-11), concluding with an affirmation of God's care for the righteous and His justice against the wicked (vv. 12-13). Historically, this psalm could relate to periods in David's life when he was relentlessly pursued by Saul, or later by his son Absalom, where his enemies sought his downfall through cunning plots rather than direct, honorable combat. The emphasis on hidden snares reflects a deep fear of betrayal and an awareness of the deceptive nature of his opposition.

Psalm 140 5 Word analysis

• The proud (גֵּאִים, ge'im): Meaning: Arrogant, haughty, insolent. This word characterizes the enemies not just by their actions, but by their inner disposition. Significance: Their pride leads them to despise others and believe themselves above divine or human law, motivating their malicious actions. This moral attribute is a key identifying factor of the psalmist's adversaries throughout the Psalms.
• have hidden (טָמְנוּ, tāmnū): Meaning: To conceal, to keep secret, to bury. Implies intentional concealment and stealth. Significance: The traps are not openly displayed but cunningly hidden, emphasizing the treacherous and deceitful nature of the enemies' plots.
• a snare (פַּח, pakh): Meaning: A bird trap, a gin, a snare (specifically a loop or net to catch an animal). Significance: Illustrates the enemies' intention to "catch" or entrap the psalmist, often for destruction or downfall, as a hunter captures prey.
• for me (לִי, li): Meaning: For my benefit or, in this context, targeting "me." Significance: Personalizes the threat, showing the psalmist is the direct object of their elaborate schemes.
• and cords (וַחֲבָלִים, vaḥavalīm): Meaning: Ropes, measuring lines, or pangs/birth pains (in other contexts). Here, refers to components of a trap. Significance: These are the elements that secure the snare, preventing escape. They add to the imagery of confinement and capture, indicating an inability to get free once ensnared.
• they have spread (פָּרְשׂוּ, pārśū): Meaning: To spread out, stretch out, or deploy. Significance: This indicates an active and deliberate effort to cover an area, making escape difficult, as a hunter would deploy a large net.
• a net (רֶשֶׁת, reshet): Meaning: A fishing net or hunting net. Significance: A larger, more comprehensive trapping device than a simple snare. It suggests a wider field of danger, increasing the likelihood of being caught.
• by the wayside (לְיַד מַעְגָּל, lēyad maʿgāl): Meaning: Literally "by the hand of a track/path/circle." Implies along a well-trodden path or common route. Significance: This specifies the location of the traps. They are placed where the psalmist is expected to travel regularly, maximizing the chance of stumbling into them unknowingly, reflecting ordinary activities turning perilous.
• they have set (שָׁתוּ, shātū): Meaning: To place, put, set. Significance: Conveys a deliberate and purposeful placement, emphasizing the malicious intent and planning involved.
• traps (מוֹקְשִׁים, mōq'shīm): Meaning: Snares, stumbling blocks, bait, anything that catches by cunning. This is a general term for various types of traps, often implying entanglements or stumbling blocks. Significance: The plural "traps" (mokshim) underscores the multitude and variety of dangers prepared, creating an omnipresent sense of peril. The imagery moves from specific components (snares, cords) to a general, overwhelming array of entangling devices.
• Selah (סֶלָה, selah): Meaning: A liturgical-musical term, possibly indicating a pause for reflection, contemplation, or a musical interlude. Significance: Following this verse, Selah signals the listener to pause and absorb the gravity of the psalmist's words. It invites reflection on the depth of the treachery described and the severity of the threat posed by the proud, prompting internal prayer or meditation.

• "The proud have hidden a snare for me, and cords": This initial phrase establishes the core problem: a personalized, covert, and deceptive attack. The "proud" are characterized as malicious plotters. The image of "cords" amplifies the binding nature of the trap, suggesting an intended restriction of freedom and movement.
• "they have spread a net by the wayside": This expands the scope of the threat from individual snares to a broader, more pervasive danger. "By the wayside" signifies that the peril is not in isolated, dangerous places, but along ordinary, expected paths of life, making daily existence hazardous. The act of "spreading a net" shows organized, widespread malice, not just opportunistic harm.
• "they have set traps for me": This climactic statement encompasses all the preceding imagery and emphasizes the sheer number and deliberate placement of these devices. The plural "traps" underscores the multitude of ways the enemy seeks to cause the psalmist's downfall, whether physical or metaphorical. The repetition reinforces the grave reality of being hunted.

Psalm 140 5 Bonus section

The threefold repetition of trapping imagery – "snare," "net," and "traps" – creates an intensifying effect, underscoring the relentless and comprehensive nature of the enemies' malicious designs. This is not a single accidental trap, but a carefully planned and executed network of peril. The specific animal traps mentioned would have been familiar to the ancient audience, making the analogy concrete and impactful: just as a small animal is caught unawares, so too could the psalmist be entangled by the plots of the wicked. The unseen aspect of these traps makes the danger all the more terrifying, demanding heightened vigilance and unwavering trust in divine protection, as opposed to reliance on one's own perception of safety.

Psalm 140 5 Commentary

Psalm 140:5 paints a vivid picture of the psalmist's perilous situation, characterized by an invisible, insidious warfare waged by his "proud" enemies. This pride, far from being mere arrogance, indicates a haughty disregard for God and man, driving their malevolent schemes. They operate with stealth, employing hunting metaphors: "hidden snare," "cords," "spread a net," "set traps." This cumulative imagery reveals a multifaceted and calculated assault. The location "by the wayside" is particularly chilling; it signifies that these dangers are laid along paths of daily life, where one feels safe and goes about routine, making the betrayal more profound. The enemies seek to entrap the psalmist, not through open combat, but by luring him into unseen dangers that would cause his stumbling or ultimate capture and destruction. This verse highlights the deep spiritual distress of living under constant, unseen threat from those driven by pride and malice. The concluding "Selah" invites the reader to internalize the weight of this spiritual battle.