Psalm 35 8

Psalm 35:8 kjv

Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.

Psalm 35:8 nkjv

Let destruction come upon him unexpectedly, And let his net that he has hidden catch himself; Into that very destruction let him fall.

Psalm 35:8 niv

may ruin overtake them by surprise? may the net they hid entangle them, may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.

Psalm 35:8 esv

Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it! And let the net that he hid ensnare him; let him fall into it ? to his destruction!

Psalm 35:8 nlt

So let sudden ruin come upon them!
Let them be caught in the trap they set for me!
Let them be destroyed in the pit they dug for me.

Psalm 35 verses

Psalm 35 8 Meaning

Psalm 35:8 is an imprecatory prayer, an earnest petition to God, where the psalmist calls for the wicked who plot his downfall to be caught in their own devices. It expresses a fervent desire for divine justice to manifest, causing unexpected and comprehensive destruction to befall his adversaries, effectively turning their own hidden traps back upon them and leading to their ultimate ruin. This is a plea for God's righteousness to prevail through perfect poetic justice.

Psalm 35 8 Context

Psalm 35:8 stands within a larger prayer of David, specifically in Psalm 35, a heartfelt plea for God's intervention and vindication against malicious and deceitful adversaries. The entire chapter oscillates between the psalmist's deep distress, his innocence concerning the charges against him, and fervent requests for God's divine retribution upon his enemies. In verses 1-3, David appeals to God as a warrior, asking Him to fight on his behalf. Verses 4-6 call for the shame and ultimate destruction of his persecutors. Verse 7 describes the enemies’ causeless plots—digging a pit and spreading a net for him without reason—which sets the stage for the imprecation in verse 8. David's request for destruction and self-entrapment is therefore a direct response to their unjustified malice and treacherous, hidden schemes.

Historically and culturally, David, as an anointed king, would have sought God's justice against those who opposed him, understanding it as a fight for God’s kingdom and divine order. The metaphors of "net" and "pit" were common Ancient Near Eastern hunting and trapping methods, vividly illustrating the enemies' cunning and deadly intentions. Such imprecations reflect a strong belief in a morally ordered universe where divine justice ultimately prevails, not allowing evil to go unpunished. They represent a relinquishing of personal vengeance into the hands of a righteous God.

Psalm 35 8 Word analysis

This verse is a powerful declaration of desired divine retribution, marked by its vivid imagery and repetition for emphasis.

• יְבוֹאֵהוּ (yevo'ehu): "Let it come upon him." This is a jussive form of the verb "to come" (בּוֹא, bo'), expressing a prayer, wish, or command. It signifies the desired certainty and directness of the event.
• שׁוֹאָה (sho'ah): "destruction" or "desolation," "catastrophe." This strong term denotes utter ruin, often sudden and overwhelming, like a storm or tempest. Its usage highlights the severity and completeness of the desired judgment. This word reappears at the end of the verse for intensified emphasis.
• לֹא יֵדָע (lo yeda'): "by surprise" or "which he does not know." This phrase, derived from לֹא (lo, "not") and יָדַע (yada, "to know"), means the destruction will come unexpectedly, giving no opportunity for the enemy to foresee, prepare for, or avoid it. It emphasizes the suddenness and hidden nature of God's judgment.
• וְרִשְׁתּוֹ (v'rishto): "and his net." From רֶשֶׁת (reshet), meaning a "net" or "snare," a device for catching prey. This is a common biblical metaphor for deceitful and treacherous plots laid by enemies.
• אֲשֶׁר טָמַן (asher taman): "which he hid" or "that he has hidden." אֲשֶׁר (asher) means "which" or "that," and טָמַן (taman) means "to hide," "to conceal," "to lay up," or "to lay in wait." This emphasizes the clandestine, malicious intent behind the enemy’s schemes; their evil designs were crafted in secret.
• תִּלְכְּדֵהוּ (tilk'dehu): "may it ensnare him" or "let it catch him." This is a jussive form of לָכַד (lakad), meaning "to catch," "to seize," "to capture," or "to ensnare." It powerfully conveys the wish that the enemy's own trap would successfully capture them.
• בְּזוֹ לַשּׁוֹאָה (b'zo lashsho'ah): "in that (pit/snare)—to his destruction!" Or "into this destruction."
  • בְּזוֹ (b'zo): "in it" or "in that." This pronoun points back to the net/snare, emphasizing the place of entrapment.
  • לַשּׁוֹאָה (lashsho'ah): "to destruction," or "into the very ruin/desolation." The prefix לַ (la) acts as "to" or "for." The repetition of שׁוֹאָה (sho'ah) dramatically emphasizes the ultimate, comprehensive nature of the desired downfall, creating a chilling echo of the initial demand for destruction.
• יִפֹּל בָּהּ (yippol bah): "let him fall into it." This is a jussive form of נָפַל (nafal), meaning "to fall," followed by בָּהּ (bah), "in it" (referring to the net/snare). It reinforces the direct consequence of the ensnarement, showing the enemy helplessly plummeting into their self-made ruin.

Words-group Analysis:

• "Let destruction come upon him by surprise": This phrase highlights two key elements of the desired judgment: its totality (destruction) and its unexpectedness (by surprise). It underscores that God’s justice is not predictable or escapable by human foresight.
• "let the net that he hid ensnare him": This is the core principle of lex talionis or poetic justice—the punishment fitting the crime. The instrument of harm devised by the wicked becomes their own undoing. It showcases the perfection of divine justice, where the perpetrator's own evil method recoils upon them.
• "let him fall into it—to his destruction!": This triadic statement ("destruction...ensnare...fall...destruction") culminates the prayer for justice. The act of "falling into it" describes the physical entrapment, while the repetition of "to his destruction" elevates it to a complete and devastating end, ensuring that the entire malevolent scheme backfires comprehensively and eternally upon its orchestrator.

Psalm 35 8 Bonus section

• Imprecation as Righteous Indignation: The imprecatory psalms, like Psalm 35, are not expressions of personal vindictiveness that Christians are meant to imitate directly in their personal lives (compare with Rom 12:19 and Matt 5:44). Rather, they represent a prophetically informed zeal for God's glory and a profound, righteous indignation against injustice and rebellion against Him. They are appeals to God's covenant promises and His character as a just judge who will ultimately bring order to a disordered world.
• Ultimate Fulfillment in Christ's Judgment: While this verse prays for an immediate and earthly manifestation of justice, its principles find ultimate fulfillment in the broader biblical narrative of God's final judgment against all evil. The unseen plots and snares of the "prince of this world" (John 14:30) were ultimately defeated by Christ through His death and resurrection, leading to the ultimate "destruction" of his power (Heb 2:14).
• Warning to the Wicked: For those who plot evil, this verse serves as a powerful warning that their actions are known to God, and their own schemes will become their downfall. It reinforces the universal principle that divine justice will prevail, ensuring accountability for hidden malice.

Psalm 35 8 Commentary

Psalm 35:8 stands as a profound declaration of faith in God's perfect justice, sought amidst severe and unwarranted persecution. It is an imprecatory prayer, where David, suffering from his enemies' insidious plots, cries out to the righteous Judge. This verse vividly articulates the desire for poetic justice: the very destruction, hidden traps, and pits laid for the innocent are wished back upon the guilty. The use of "שׁוֹאָה" (sho'ah), translated as "destruction," twice in the verse, underscores the comprehensive and final nature of the requested judgment. The phrase "by surprise" highlights that divine retribution is often unforeseen by the wicked, preventing any evasion. This prayer is not an expression of personal revenge but rather a relinquishment of personal rights to an omniscient and omnipotent God, asking Him to actively contend for His servant and to uphold His righteous order in the world. It provides assurance that while the wicked may scheme in secret, their folly will ultimately be exposed and consumed by their own evil intentions, illustrating the powerful biblical principle that "whatever one sows, that will he also reap." It serves as a reminder that God, the just judge, will indeed set things right, and the devices of the unrighteous will invariably ensnare them.