Psalm 142 3

Psalm 142:3 kjv

When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.

Psalm 142:3 nkjv

When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, Then You knew my path. In the way in which I walk They have secretly set a snare for me.

Psalm 142:3 niv

When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who watch over my way. In the path where I walk people have hidden a snare for me.

Psalm 142:3 esv

When my spirit faints within me, you know my way! In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me.

Psalm 142:3 nlt

When I am overwhelmed,
you alone know the way I should turn.
Wherever I go,
my enemies have set traps for me.

Psalm 142 verses

Psalm 142 3 Meaning

Psalm 142:3 expresses David's profound inner turmoil and God's absolute knowledge of his predicament, even as hidden dangers from his adversaries lay in wait. When David's spirit was faint and overcome with distress, he affirmed that God intimately knew his entire journey and every step he was forced to take. This divine omniscience stood in stark contrast to David's helplessness and the secret, malicious intent of his enemies who had set unseen traps along his path. The verse highlights both human weakness and God's steadfast, penetrating awareness amidst severe adversity.

Psalm 142 3 Context

Psalm 142 is designated "A Maskil of David. A prayer when he was in the cave." This superscription directly connects the psalm to specific moments in David's life, likely either the Cave of Adullam (1 Sam 22) or the caves of Engedi (1 Sam 24), both times when he was a fugitive hunted by King Saul. David was in deep distress, hiding from his persecutors, completely isolated and vulnerable. The entire chapter reflects his desperate prayer to God, pouring out his complaint and crying for deliverance, feeling abandoned by all human support. Verse 3 comes after David has cried out to God and confessed his deep need, setting the stage for his acknowledgment of God's perfect understanding despite his own despair.

Psalm 142 3 Word analysis

• "When my spirit was overwhelmed" (כְּהִתְעַטֵּף רוּחִי - kəhiṭ'ṭaṭēp rûḥî):

  • כְּ (kə): A prefix meaning "when" or "as."
  • הִתְעַטֵּף (hiṭ'ṭaṭēp): The root verb is עטף ('āṭaf), meaning "to cover oneself, wrap, faint, be feeble." In this Hithpael stem, it signifies an reflexive or intensive action: "to cover oneself thoroughly," hence "to be faint, grow weak, be overwhelmed." It portrays a profound state of internal collapse, weariness, or despair, as if the spirit itself is being suffocated or cloaked in darkness.
  • רוּחִי (rûḥî): "My spirit." Ruach signifies breath, wind, spirit, or vital force. Here, it refers to David's innermost being, his vital energy and emotional state. The feeling of being "overwhelmed" is not merely physical exhaustion but a deep spiritual and emotional anguish.
  • Significance: This phrase powerfully conveys David's intense, suffocating despair. It's an internal, overwhelming struggle, indicating a sense of utter weakness, perhaps even near-death experience, where his very life-force feels shrouded.

• "within me" (עָלַי - 'ālay):

  • עָלַי ('ālay): The preposition al meaning "upon" or "over," with the suffix for "me." Literally, "upon me." This reinforces the internal nature of the spiritual oppression—it rests upon and encompasses David, emphasizing that his despondency originates from within him as well as being a reaction to external pressures.
  • Significance: It underlines the pervasive, engulfing nature of his distress. It was not just an external circumstance, but a profound internal reality weighing heavily upon his very soul.

• "then You knew" (וְאַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ - wə'attâ yāḏaʿtā):

  • וְאַתָּה (wə'attâ): "And You" or "But You." The conjunction waw (wə) often denotes a strong contrast or continuation. The emphatic personal pronoun attâ ("You") directly addresses God.
  • יָדַעְתָּ (yāḏaʿtā): From the verb ידע (yāḏaʿ), "to know, perceive, understand, acknowledge, be acquainted with." In Hebrew thought, yada is often more than intellectual apprehension; it implies intimate, experiential, relational knowledge.
  • Significance: This is the pivot point of the verse. Despite David's despair and inability to fully comprehend his own situation (or see a way out), God possesses complete, intimate, and empathetic knowledge. It’s a knowledge not merely of fact but of the deepest realities of David's experience.

• "my path" (נְתִיבָתִי - nətîvātî):

  • נְתִיבָתִי (nətîvātî): "My path." The noun נְתִיבָה (nəṯîbâ) means a "path," "way," or "course." It signifies David's journey, his life's direction, his current predicament, and his destiny.
  • Significance: Even when David felt utterly lost or trapped, God knew every detail of his present circumstances, the traps along the way, and His divine plan for David's future. It encompasses both the literal physical journey in the cave and the broader course of his life.

• "In the way wherein I walked" (בְּאָרַח זוּ אֲהַלֵּךְ - bə'ōraḥ zû 'ahallēḵ):

  • בְּאָרַח (bə'ōraḥ): "In the way/road." ʾōraḥ refers to a travelled road or course, synonymous with derek.
  • זוּ (zû): A relative pronoun, "which" or "wherein."
  • אֲהַלֵּךְ ('ahallēḵ): From the verb הָלַךְ (hālḵ), "to walk, go." Here, "I walked" or "I was walking." It points to the present reality of his perilous journey.
  • Significance: This phrase anchors God's knowledge and the enemies' action to David's actual physical movements and daily life. The threat wasn't theoretical but immediate and constant as he moved.

• "they had privily laid a snare for me" (טָמְנוּ פַח לִי - ṭām'nû paḥ lî):

  • טָמְנוּ (ṭām'nû): From the verb טָמַן (ṭāman), "to hide, conceal, store up." The form means "they hid/concealed."
  • פַח (paḥ): A "snare," "trap," or "net."
  • לִי (lî): "For me."
  • Significance: This highlights the treacherous, malicious nature of David's enemies (Saul and his men). The snares were hidden, making them insidious and dangerous, not overt challenges. It speaks of deception, ill-intent, and cunning efforts to capture or destroy him. This concept often extends to spiritual traps or temptations.

Words-group analysis:

• "When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then You knew my path.": This section draws a stark contrast between David's internal chaos and God's perfect, ordering knowledge. Human perception is clouded by suffering, but divine perception remains clear and comprehensive. It's a statement of reliance and trust, affirming that even when David doesn't know his own way, God does.
• "In the way wherein I walked they had privily laid a snare for me.": This part immediately provides the external threat and explanation for David's internal anguish. The danger is real, specific, and hidden. It portrays the vulnerability of one pursued, where every step carries potential peril. This contrasts God's protective knowledge with the insidious nature of human malice.

Psalm 142 3 Bonus section

This verse offers a powerful model for prayer and spiritual resilience:

• Vulnerability before God: David fully exposes his deepest internal anguish ("my spirit was overwhelmed"). This highlights the importance of honesty and raw confession in prayer. God doesn't need us to pretend strength.
• Confidence in God's Character: Despite his feelings, David declares what God knows. This is an act of faith – acknowledging God's unchanging nature (His omniscience and immanence) even when circumstances are grim.
• God's Presence in Despair: The verse confirms God's active engagement and personal concern in times of extreme loneliness and perceived abandonment. He is not distant, but intimately aware of every step, struggle, and hidden threat.
• Distinction between Human and Divine Perspective: David's overwhelm represents his limited, human perspective; God's knowing represents His infinite, sovereign perspective. This distinction encourages leaning into God's foresight when our own vision is clouded.

Psalm 142 3 Commentary

Psalm 142:3 serves as a pivotal point in David's lament, articulating a fundamental theological truth: God's unfailing omniscience and care precisely when human experience feels most chaotic and forsaken. When David’s ruach (spirit/life-breath) was 'ataf (fainting, enveloped in despair), reaching the depths of human weakness, he paradoxically declared God's profound, intimate yada (knowing) of his netivah (path/life's course). This divine knowledge transcends human understanding, assuring David that even his darkest, most confusing steps are not outside God's perfect awareness.

The mention of taman paḥ (privily laid a snare) points to the cunning and malicious intent of his adversaries, emphasizing that David faced not just overt persecution, but also hidden traps designed to cause his downfall. In the cave, David was physically isolated and emotionally bereft, feeling there was no human refuge (v. 4). Yet, amidst this palpable despair and unseen dangers, his gaze shifts from his torment to God's all-encompassing sight. The verse provides comfort by reminding believers that their trials, internal suffering, and external perils are fully known by God. This knowledge is not merely passive observation but the basis for divine intervention and ultimate deliverance, even when hope seems lost.