Psalms 57 · Verse 6

Psalms 57:6

They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah.

Psalms 57:6, King James Version

Psalms 57:6 in other translations

BSB	They spread a net for my feet; my soul was despondent. They dug a pit before me, but they themselves have fallen into it! Selah
WEB	They have prepared a net for my steps. My soul is bowed down. They dig a pit before me. They fall into the middle of it themselves. Selah.
ASV	They have prepared a net for my steps; My soul is bowed down: They have digged a pit before me; They are fallen into the midst thereof themselves. [Selah
YLT	A net they have prepared for my steps, Bowed down hath my soul, They have digged before me a pit, They have fallen into its midst. Selah.
DARBY	They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul was bowed down: they have digged a pit before me; they are fallen into the midst thereof. Selah.
BBE	They have made ready a net for my steps; my soul is bent down; they have made a great hole before me, and have gone down into it themselves. (Selah.)
Webster	They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst of which they have fallen themselves. Selah.

What does Psalms 57:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

6. (Compare Psa 7:15; 9:15, 16).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 6 They have prepared a net for my steps - A gin or springe, such as huntsmen put in the places which they know the prey they seek frequents: such, also, as they place in passages in hedges, etc., through which the game creeps. They have digged a pit - Another method of catching game and wild beasts. They dig a pit, cover it over with weak sticks and turf. The beasts, not suspecting danger where none appears, in attempting to walk over it, fall tbrough, and are taken. Saul digged a pit, laid snares for the life of David; and fell into one of them himself, particularly at the cave of En-gedi; for he entered into the very pit or cave where David and his men were hidden, and his life lay at the generosity of the very man whose life he was seeking! The rabbins tell a curious and instructive tale concerning this: "God sent a spider to weave her web at the mouth of the cave in which David and his men lay hid. When Saul saw the spider's web over the cave's mouth, he very naturally conjectured that it could neither be the haunt of men nor wild beasts; and therefore went in with confidence to repose." The spider here, a vile and contemptible animal, became the instrument in the hand of God of saving David's life and of confounding Saul in his policy and malice. This may be a fable; but it shows by what apparently insignificant means God, the universal ruler, can accomplish the greatest and most beneficent ends. Saul continued to dig pits to entrap David; and at last fell a prey to his own obstinacy. We have a proverb to the same effect: Harm watch, harm catch. The Greeks have one also: Ἡ τε κακη βουλη τῳ βουλευσαντι κακιστη, "An evil advice often becomes most ruinous to the adviser." The Romans have one to the same effect: - Neque enim lex justior ulla est Quam necis artificem arte perire sua. "There is no law more just than that which condemns a man to suffer death by the instrument which he has invented to take away the life of others."

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 57:1-6

All David's dependence is upon God. The most eminent believers need often repeat the publican's prayer, "God be merciful to me a sinner." But if our souls trust in the Lord, this may assure us, in our utmost dangers, that our calamities will at length be overpast, and in the mean time, by faith and prayer, we must make him our refuge. Though God be most high, yet he condescends so low, as to take care that all…

Read the full comment on Psalms 57:1-6 →

Psalms 57:6 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

רֶ֤שֶׁת\׀Re.sheta netH7568

הֵכִ֣ינוּhe.Khi.nuthey preparedH3559

לִפְעָמַי֮lif.'a.Maifor feet myH6471

כָּפַ֪ףka.Fafit bent downH3721

נַ֫פְשִׁ֥יnaf.Shiself myH5315

כָּר֣וּka.Ruthey dugH3738

לְפָנַ֣יle.fa.Nai<to> before meH6440

שִׁיחָ֑הshi.Chaha pitH7882

נָפְל֖וּna.fe.Luthey have fallenH5307

בְתוֹכָ֣הּve.to.Khahin [the] midst of itH8432

סֶֽלָה\׃Se.lahSelahH5542

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 57:6

Psalms 145:14
The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.
Proverbs 28:10
Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good things in possession.
Psalms 7:15-16
He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.
Micah 7:2
The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.
Psalms 140:5
The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah.
Psalms 35:7-8
For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul. Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.
Psalms 9:15-16
The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken. The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah.
Proverbs 29:5
A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet.
Psalms 142:3
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.
Psalms 143:4
Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.
Matthew 26:37-38
And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
Psalms 42:6
O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

a net.
7:15,16; 9:15,16; 35:7,8; 140:5; 1Sa 23:22-26; Pr 29:5; Mic 7:2
my soul.
42:6; 142:3; 143:4; Mt 26:37,38

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Psalms 57:5
Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth.
Psalms 57:6
They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah.
Psalms 57:7
My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.

Read all of Psalms 57

Psalms 57:6 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Red han armado á mis pasos; hase abatido mi alma: hoyo han cavado delante de mí; en medio de él han caído. (Selah.)
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Élève-toi, ô Dieu! au-dessus des cieux; que ta gloire soit au-dessus de toute la terre!
German Elberfelder 1871	Ein Netz haben sie meinen Schritten bereitet, es beugte sich nieder meine Seele; eine Grube haben sie vor mir gegraben, sie sind mitten hineingefallen.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	quæ non exaudiet vocem incantantium, et venefici incantantis sapienter.