Psalm 56 6

Psalm 56:6 kjv

They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul.

Psalm 56:6 nkjv

They gather together, They hide, they mark my steps, When they lie in wait for my life.

Psalm 56:6 niv

They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps, hoping to take my life.

Psalm 56:6 esv

They stir up strife, they lurk; they watch my steps, as they have waited for my life.

Psalm 56:6 nlt

They come together to spy on me ?
watching my every step, eager to kill me.

Psalm 56 verses

Psalm 56 6 Meaning

Psalm 56:6 describes the relentless, covert, and focused actions of the psalmist's enemies. They combine their forces and conceal themselves, meticulously observing his every move and seeking opportune moments to strike at his very life. This verse highlights their malicious intent, their coordinated efforts, and the constant threat David faced.

Psalm 56 6 Context

Psalm 56 is a Michtam of David, written "when the Philistines seized him in Gath." This provides crucial historical context. David was a fugitive, first from King Saul, and then from Israel into the land of his enemies, the Philistines. The city of Gath was the home of Goliath, and David’s presence there was precarious. He feigned madness to escape the Philistine king Achish (1 Sam 21:10-15). Verse 6 specifically portrays the surveillance and malicious intent of those who, either Philistine captors or other enemies in David's perilous exile, sought his death. This verse underscores David’s profound vulnerability and the constant, organized threat against his life, emphasizing the psalmist’s desperate situation which drives his prayer for God's intervention.

Word Analysis

• They gather themselves together (יִקָּווּ - yikkavú): From the root קוה (qāvāh), meaning to collect, assemble, or wait. This indicates a deliberate coming together of forces or individuals with a shared purpose. It implies coordination and solidarity among his enemies, not random attacks.
• They hide themselves (יִצְפֹּנוּ - yitzpónu): From the root צפן (tsāphan), meaning to hide, store up, or conceal. This suggests stealth, covert operations, and perhaps setting ambushes or preparing hidden attacks. Their actions are clandestine, designed to catch him unawares, enhancing the sense of menace and fear.
• They (הֵמָּה - hémma): An emphatic third-person plural pronoun. Its inclusion here after the initial verbs emphasizes the specific, concerted nature of "them"—these particular enemies are actively, persistently doing this.
• my steps (עֲקֵבַי - ʿakeváy): From the root עקב (ʿāqab), meaning heel, footprint, or track. Metaphorically, it refers to one's movements, walk, path, or life’s course. This means they are watching his every move, every decision, every location he takes. It implies detailed surveillance and seeking to find a vulnerability.
• They watch (יִשְׁמֹרוּ - yishmóru): From the root שמר (shāmar), meaning to keep, guard, observe, or watch carefully. This is a strong verb indicating diligent and focused observation, like a guard on duty. They are not casually looking but actively scrutinizing his every action for a weak point or an opportunity to exploit.
• when they wait for my soul (כַּאֲשֶׁר קִוּוּ נַפְשִׁי - kaʾashér qívu nafsí):
  • when they wait for (כַּאֲשֶׁר קִוּוּ - kaʾashér qívu): Kaʾashér means "as" or "when." Qívu is the Piel form of the same root קוה (qāvāh) as yikkavú, used at the beginning of the verse. Here it specifically means to wait intently, or lie in wait for, implying patience and strategic timing. The repetition of the root קוה (qāvāh) subtly emphasizes the concerted and patient nature of their evil scheme. They gather, they watch, and they patiently wait for the exact moment.
  • my soul (נַפְשִׁי - nafsí): From the common Hebrew word נֶפֶשׁ (nephesh), often translated as soul, life, being, self, or vital breath. Here, it signifies David’s very existence or life. This clarifies the ultimate goal of their actions: not merely to harass or injure, but to take his life.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "They gather themselves together, they hide themselves": This paints a picture of conspiracy and ambush. The enemies are not solitary actors but a coordinated group, employing secrecy to achieve their destructive ends. It conveys a deep sense of treachery and calculated malevolence, akin to a hunt.
• "they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul": This highlights the persistent and fatal intent behind their surveillance. "Mark my steps" denotes an insidious observation, while "wait for my soul" reveals the ultimate, dire objective—the taking of life. It’s a terrifying portrait of being constantly monitored by those who seek your demise, with the predator biding its time.

Psalm 56 6 Commentary

Psalm 56:6 masterfully describes the palpable threat David experienced from his enemies, whether Saul's operatives or the Philistines. It portrays them as highly organized ("gather themselves"), clandestine ("hide themselves"), and relentlessly analytical ("mark my steps"). The phrase "mark my steps" evokes the meticulous observation of a tracker hunting prey, studying every movement for a weakness. This deliberate watching is not out of curiosity but purely opportunistic, driven by a desire to seize his "soul" – his very life. The repetition of the root qavah ("gather" and "wait") underscores the calculated nature of their plot: they assemble and patiently lie in wait, ready to strike when the moment is ripe. This verse reveals the psalmist’s profound sense of vulnerability and isolation, surrounded by malicious forces intent on his destruction, setting the stage for his subsequent expressions of fear and, ultimately, faith in God's protective power (Ps 56:3-4, 9-11). It can serve as a potent illustration for believers facing spiritual or physical adversaries who operate with hidden agendas and seek to undermine their faith or well-being.

Bonus Section

The use of perfective forms with a waw-conversive (e.g., yishmoru) in the Hebrew implies ongoing, continuous action despite being future in literal tense. This depicts the persistent nature of the enemies' surveillance, not a one-time event, increasing the psychological burden on David. The Psalm 56 is titled as a "Michtam," which often indicates a Psalm of enduring significance or a "golden poem," perhaps hinting at the profound theological truths gleaned from the intense pressure David endured, emphasizing God's enduring faithfulness in the face of human treachery. The verse reflects a common theme in the Psalms of righteous suffering under the wicked, a theme that prefigures the sufferings of Christ, who was also constantly watched and plotted against by those who sought His life.