Lectionary Calendar
Monday, October 7th, 2024
the Week of Proper 22 / Ordinary 27
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Read the Bible

New Living Translation

Psalms 59:3

They have set an ambush for me. Fierce enemies are out there waiting, Lord , though I have not sinned or offended them.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Afflictions and Adversities;   Malice;   Waiting;   War;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Waiting upon God;   Warfare of Saints;  

Dictionaries:

- Fausset Bible Dictionary - David;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ambush;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Al-Tashheth;   Music and Musical Instruments;   Psalms;   Sin;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - God;   Psalms the book of;  

Parallel Translations

Legacy Standard Bible
For behold, they have lain in wait for my soul;Fierce men launch an attack against me,Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Yahweh,
New American Standard Bible (1995)
For behold, they have set an ambush for my life; Fierce men launch an attack against me, Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord ,
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For lo, they lye in wayte for my soule: men of power are gathered together against me who haue committed no wickednes nor fault O God.
Darby Translation
For behold, they lie in wait for my soul; strong ones are gathered against me: not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Jehovah.
New King James Version
For look, they lie in wait for my life; The mighty gather against me, Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O LORD.
Literal Translation
For lo, they lie in wait for my soul, mighty ones gather against me; not for my transgression, and not for my sin, O Jehovah.
Easy-to-Read Version
Look, powerful men are waiting for me. Lord , they are waiting to kill me, even though I did not sin or commit a crime.
World English Bible
For, behold, they lie in wait for my soul. The mighty gather themselves together against me, Not for my disobedience, nor for my sin, Yahweh.
King James Version (1611)
For loe, they lye in waite for my soule; the mighty are gathered against me, not for my transgression, nor for my sinne, O Lord.
King James Version
For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Lord .
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For lo, they lye waytinge for my soule: ye mightie me are gathered together against me, wt out eny offence or faute of me, o LORDE.
THE MESSAGE
Desperadoes have ganged up on me, they're hiding in ambush for me. I did nothing to deserve this, God , crossed no one, wronged no one. All the same, they're after me, determined to get me. Wake up and see for yourself! You're God , God -of-Angel-Armies, Israel's God! Get on the job and take care of these pagans, don't be soft on these hard cases. They return when the sun goes down, They howl like coyotes, ringing the city. Then suddenly they're all at the gate, Snarling invective, drawn daggers in their teeth. They think they'll never get caught. But you, God , break out laughing; you treat the godless nations like jokes. Strong God, I'm watching you do it, I can always count on you. God in dependable love shows up on time, shows me my enemies in ruin. Don't make quick work of them, God , lest my people forget. Bring them down in slow motion, take them apart piece by piece. Let all their mean-mouthed arrogance catch up with them, Catch them out and bring them down —every muttered curse —every barefaced lie. Finish them off in fine style! Finish them off for good! Then all the world will see that God rules well in Jacob, everywhere that God's in charge. They return when the sun goes down, They howl like coyotes, ringing the city. They scavenge for bones, And bite the hand that feeds them. And me? I'm singing your prowess, shouting at cockcrow your largesse, For you've been a safe place for me, a good place to hide. Strong God, I'm watching you do it, I can always count on you— God, my dependable love.
Amplified Bible
Look! They lie in wait for my life; Fierce and powerful men [are uniting together to] launch an attack against me, Not for my wrongdoing nor for any sin of mine, O LORD.
American Standard Version
For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul; The mighty gather themselves together against me: Not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Jehovah.
Bible in Basic English
For see, they are watching in secret for my soul; the strong have come together against me? but not because of my sin, or my evil-doing, O Lord.
Update Bible Version
For, look, they lie in wait for my soul; The mighty gather themselves together against me: Not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Yahweh.
Webster's Bible Translation
For lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not [for] my transgression, nor [for] my sin, O LORD.
New English Translation
For look, they wait to ambush me; powerful men stalk me, but not because I have rebelled or sinned, O Lord .
Contemporary English Version
Merciless enemies, Lord , are hiding and plotting, hoping to kill me. I have not hurt them in any way at all.
Complete Jewish Bible
Rescue me from evildoers, save me from bloodthirsty men.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For loe, they haue layd waite for my soule: the mightie men are gathered against me, not for mine offence, nor for my sinne, O Lord.
George Lamsa Translation
For, 1o, they lie in wait for my soul; evil have they multiplied against me; not because I have transgressed or because I have sinned, O LORD.
Hebrew Names Version
For, behold, they lie in wait for my soul. The mighty gather themselves together against me, Not for my disobedience, nor for my sin, LORD.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from the men of blood.
New Life Bible
For, look, they lie in wait for my life. Strong men are gathering together to fight me, but not because of my wrong-doing or my sin, O Lord.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
For, behold, they have hunted after my soul; violent men have set upon me: neither is it my iniquity, nor my sin, O Lord.
English Revised Version
For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul; the mighty gather themselves together against me: not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O LORD.
Berean Standard Bible
See how they lie in wait for me. Fierce men conspire against me for no transgression or sin of my own, O LORD.
New Revised Standard
Even now they lie in wait for my life; the mighty stir up strife against me. For no transgression or sin of mine, O Lord ,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For lo! they have lain in wait for my life, Mighty ones stir up strife against me, Without transgression of mine, and without sin of mine, O Yahweh;
Douay-Rheims Bible
(58-4) For behold they have caught my soul: the mighty have rushed in upon me:
Lexham English Bible
For look, they lie in wait for my life. The mighty attack against me, not because of my transgression or my sin, O Yahweh.
English Standard Version
For behold, they lie in wait for my life; fierce men stir up strife against me. For no transgression or sin of mine, O Lord ,
New American Standard Bible
For behold, they have set an ambush for my life; Fierce men attack me, Not for my wrongdoing nor for my sin, LORD,
New Century Version
Look, they are waiting to ambush me. Cruel people attack me, but I have not sinned or done wrong, Lord .
Good News Translation
Look! They are waiting to kill me; cruel people are gathering against me. It is not because of any sin or wrong I have done,
Christian Standard Bible®
Lord , look! They set an ambush for me. Powerful men attack me, but not because of any sin or rebellion of mine.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For lo! thei han take my soule; stronge men fellen in on me.
Young's Literal Translation
For, lo, they laid wait for my soul, Assembled against me are strong ones, Not my transgression nor my sin, O Jehovah.
Revised Standard Version
For, lo, they lie in wait for my life; fierce men band themselves against me. For no transgression or sin of mine, O LORD,

Contextual Overview

1

For the choir director: A psalm of David, regarding the time Saul sent soldiers to watch David's house in order to kill him. To be sung to the tune "Do Not Destroy!"

Rescue me from my enemies, O God. Protect me from those who have come to destroy me. 2 Rescue me from these criminals; save me from these murderers. 3 They have set an ambush for me. Fierce enemies are out there waiting, Lord , though I have not sinned or offended them. 4 I have done nothing wrong, yet they prepare to attack me. Wake up! See what is happening and help me! 5 O Lord God of Heaven's Armies, the God of Israel, wake up and punish those hostile nations. Show no mercy to wicked traitors. Interlude 6 They come out at night, snarling like vicious dogs as they prowl the streets. 7 Listen to the filth that comes from their mouths; their words cut like swords. "After all, who can hear us?" they sneer.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

they: Psalms 10:9, Psalms 10:10, Psalms 37:32, Psalms 37:33, Psalms 38:12, Psalms 56:6, 1 Samuel 19:1, Proverbs 12:6, Micah 7:2, Acts 23:21

the mighty: Psalms 2:2, Acts 4:26, Acts 4:27

not: Psalms 7:3-6, Psalms 69:4, 1 Samuel 24:11, 1 Samuel 24:17, 1 Samuel 26:18, John 15:25

Reciprocal: Genesis 40:15 - done 1 Samuel 19:11 - sent messengers Psalms 54:3 - oppressors Psalms 64:4 - the perfect Psalms 94:21 - gather Psalms 109:3 - fought Psalms 119:86 - they Psalms 142:6 - for they Proverbs 3:29 - Devise not evil Proverbs 24:15 - Lay Daniel 6:7 - have consulted Matthew 22:15 - how Ephesians 4:14 - lie

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul,.... As the men did that watched his house, when Saul sent to kill him; so the Jews sought and lay in wait to take away the life of Christ; and very often was it the case of the Apostle Paul, that he was in danger of his life, through the lying in wait of the Jews; so Satan makes use of cunning devices, stratagems, and wiles, to ruin the souls of God's people, if possible; and false teachers lie in wait to deceive them. The emphasis lies upon the word "soul", which is so precious, and the redemption of which has cost so much, even the blood of Christ;

the mighty are gathered against me; or, "dwell by me"; see

Psalms 56:6; around his house, the soldiers that Saul sent; and such were the enemies of Christ, Psalms 69:4; the chief priests, Scribes, and elders, men of great authority and influence among the people; the kings of the earth and rulers, Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and people of the Jews, Acts 4:26; yea, Satan, and his principalities and powers; and who are also those against whom the saints wrestle, and would be too mighty for them, were it not that God, and Christ, and the Holy Spirit, and the holy angels, are on their side;

not [for] my transgression, nor [for] my sin, O Lord; as the cause of such usage and treatment. David was not without original sin, in which he was conceived and born; nor without inward corruptions, of which he often complained; nor without actual transgressions, and some very gross ones, and which he owned and confessed, and prayed for the pardon of: but in the case of Saul there was no transgression nor iniquity in him, as he declared to him himself, and appeals to God for the truth of it, 1 Samuel 24:11. One of the words here used signifies "rebellion" m; of this he was not guilty; he never entered into any treasonable measures, nor committed any treasonable practices, nor conspired against the life and crown of his sovereign; in this respect he was quite clear and innocent. Christ, his antitype, was entirely without sin, without original or actual transgression; he had no sin in his nature, nor committed any in his life; he had none inherent in him, only the sins of his people imputed to him; and therefore the usage he met with from men was very cruel and unjust. And as for the saints, though they are not free from sin, original and actual, yet in the case for which they suffer reproach, and are persecuted by men, they are not criminal; they have done nothing to deserve such usage; they do not suffer as evildoers, but as Christians, 1 Peter 4:15.

m פשעי "rebellionem meam", Gejerus, Michaelis.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul - They lie in wait as wild beasts do for their prey, ready to spring upon it. The word used here is often employed to denote the act of lying in ambush; of watching in secret places to spring upon a victim: Judges 9:32; Judges 21:20; Psalms 10:9. The word “soul” here means “life.” They lie in ambush that they may kill me.

The mighty are gathered against me - Strong men; hostile men; cruel men. Saul would employ on this occasion not the weak, the cowardly, the faint-hearted, but men of courage and strength; men who were unscrupulous in their character; men who would not be likely to be moved by entreaty, or turned from their purpose by compassion. It is not mere “strength” that is here referred to, but that kind of strength or courage which can be employed in a desperate enterprise, and which is suited to accomplish any scheme of wickedness, however daring or difficult.

Not for my transgression, nor for my sin - This is done not on account of my violating the laws of the land, nor because it is alleged that I am a sinner against God. David was conscious that he did not deserve this treatment from the hand of man. He bad been guilty of no wrong against Saul that exposed him to just punishment. He carried with him the consciousness of innocence as to any crime that could have made this treatment proper; and he felt that it was all the result of unjust suspicions. It was not improper for him to refer to this in his prayer; for, however he might feel that he was a sinner in the sight of God, yet he felt that a great and grievous wrong was done him by man; and he prayed, therefore, that a righteous God would interpose. See Psalms 7:8, note; Psalms 17:2, note; Psalms 35:24, note; Psalms 43:1, note.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Psalms 59:3. For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul — For my life. See the passages referred to above.


 
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