Psalm 69 22

Psalm 69:22 kjv

Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.

Psalm 69:22 nkjv

Let their table become a snare before them, And their well-being a trap.

Psalm 69:22 niv

May the table set before them become a snare; may it become retribution and a trap.

Psalm 69:22 esv

Let their own table before them become a snare; and when they are at peace, let it become a trap.

Psalm 69:22 nlt

Let the bountiful table set before them become a snare
and their prosperity become a trap.

Psalm 69 verses

Psalm 69 22 Meaning

Psalm 69:22 is an imprecatory prayer, expressing a plea for divine judgment against the psalmist's adversaries. It petitions that the very sources of blessing, provision, and perceived security for the wicked would be transformed into instruments of their downfall. Specifically, their "table"—a symbol of sustenance, fellowship, and prosperity—is requested to become a hidden danger (a "snare"), and what should have been for their "welfare" or peace would become an unavoidable means of capture or stumbling (a "trap"). This is a prayer for poetic justice, where the wicked's advantages turn against them by God's decree.

Psalm 69 22 Context

Psalm 69 is a profound lament psalm, often called one of the "greatest lament psalms," profoundly reflecting the sufferings of a righteous individual who is deeply distressed, oppressed by powerful enemies, and enduring public scorn and slander. The psalmist expresses deep anguish, feels overwhelmed by troubles (v. 1-4), yet maintains his trust in God (v. 5-6). He identifies himself with God’s cause and suffers for it (v. 7-12). The psalm then transitions into a series of fervent pleas for deliverance (v. 13-21), and subsequently, calls for divine judgment upon his tormentors (v. 22-28). Psalm 69 is remarkably messianic, with several verses (like 69:4, 69:9, 69:21) explicitly quoted in the New Testament to describe the sufferings of Christ. Verse 22, therefore, falls within this imprecatory section, uttered by a type of Christ or prophetically foretelling judgment upon those who reject the Lord's Anointed. It represents a call for God to reverse the fortune of the wicked, turning their comfort into a source of calamity.

Psalm 69 22 Word analysis

• Let their table (שֻׁלְחָן - shulchan): The Hebrew word shulchan literally means "table." However, in biblical context, a table often symbolizes provision, sustenance, fellowship, prosperity, and the enjoyment of life's blessings. It can represent a source of comfort and security. Here, the prayer is that this very place of blessing or privilege becomes dangerous for them.
• become a snare (לְפָח - lefakh): Pakh refers to a fowler's trap, a net, or a noose. It signifies a sudden, unseen, and inescapable danger. It implies capture and ruin, often by deceit or unexpected means. The desire is that their seemingly good things (like their table/provisions) would become the means of their unexpected downfall.
• before them: This suggests the snare is directly in their path, something they encounter head-on, or even within their midst. It's a visible but unnoticed danger.
• and that which should have been for their welfare (וְלִשְׁלוֹמִים לְמוֹקֵשׁ - velishlomim le'mokesh):
  • welfare / peace (לִשְׁלוֹמִים - lishlomim): This word comes from shalom, encompassing completeness, wholeness, prosperity, peace, well-being, health, and security. It denotes the positive state of being. The implication is that even the things that promise good for them, their sources of shalom, would be corrupted.
  • let it become a trap (לְמוֹקֵשׁ - le'mokesh): Mokesh is another word for a trap, often implying a stumbling block or an actual hunter's trap, specifically one designed to cause a fall or ensnare feet. While pakh (snare) can be a net, mokesh is often a physical impediment or spring trap. The repetition using two different words for 'trap' (snare and trap) intensifies the meaning, emphasizing inevitability and utter ruin.
• words-group by words-group analysis:
  • "Let their table become a snare... and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap": This is an example of synonymous and synthetic parallelism. The second part reiterates and intensifies the first part's meaning. It's a comprehensive curse. The psalmist desires that not only a specific physical thing (the table) becomes a danger, but that the entire concept of their well-being would lead to their ruin. It signifies that God will twist their apparent blessings into instruments of judgment. This reflects a principle of divine retribution, where the very context of a person's prosperity or presumed security is turned against them, often due to their misuse of God's grace or their wickedness. For example, those who use their "table" to plot evil, oppress, or indulge in godless living will find that very table becoming their judgment.

Psalm 69 22 Bonus section

The imprecations in the Psalms, including Psalm 69:22, are not expressions of personal vindictiveness or human revenge. Rather, they are fervent appeals for God's righteous justice to be enacted in a world that often sees the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer. They are covenantal prayers, rooted in the understanding that God is just and will uphold His covenant by judging evil. The language here can also be seen through the lens of lex talionis (the law of retribution), not in a simple tit-for-tat sense, but in the theological sense that what one sows, one reaps. The "snare" and "trap" concepts imply that the very plans the wicked lay for others or the ways they seek comfort in defiance of God, will ultimately become their own undoing. This serves as a warning against complacent enjoyment of worldly provisions without a right standing before God.

Psalm 69 22 Commentary

Psalm 69:22 articulates a profound spiritual principle of divine retribution, often referred to as "poetic justice." The psalmist, enduring severe and unjust persecution, cries out for God to turn the supposed strengths and comforts of his adversaries into weaknesses and pitfalls. The "table" symbolizes the fulness of life, blessings, and social interaction that the wicked enjoy, often at the expense of the righteous. The prayer is not merely for their loss of these things, but for the things themselves to become the mechanism of their downfall. Similarly, their "welfare" (shalom)—their state of peace, prosperity, and security—is wished to morph into a "trap." This means that the very systems, relationships, or advantages they rely upon would turn against them. The Apostle Paul, in Romans 11:9-10, applies this very curse to those in Israel who, in their pride and unbelief, rejected Jesus Christ. Their "table"—the rich covenantal blessings and spiritual privileges God had prepared for them—became a stumbling block, leading to spiritual blindness and a temporary hardening. This illustrates how spiritual advantages, when rejected or abused, can lead to greater judgment. The verse thus teaches that God, in His sovereign justice, can transform seemingly beneficial circumstances into instruments of judgment for those who persistently oppose His will and His people.