Psalm 56:6
New International Version
They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps, hoping to take my life.

New Living Translation
They come together to spy on me— watching my every step, eager to kill me.

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

Berean Standard Bible
They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps while they wait to take my life.

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

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

New American Standard Bible
They attack, they lurk, They watch my steps, As they have waited to take my life.

NASB 1995
They attack, they lurk, They watch my steps, As they have waited to take my life.

NASB 1977
They attack, they lurk, They watch my steps, As they have waited to take my life.

Legacy Standard Bible
They attack, they lurk, They watch my heels, As they have hoped to take my life.

Amplified Bible
They attack, they hide and lurk, They watch my steps, As they have [expectantly] waited to take my life.

Christian Standard Bible
They stir up strife, they lurk, they watch my steps while they wait to take my life.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They stir up strife, they lurk; they watch my steps while they wait to take my life.

American Standard Version
They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, They mark my steps, Even as they have waited for my soul.

Contemporary English Version
They attack from ambush, watching my every step and hoping to kill me.

English Revised Version
They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, even as they have waited for my soul.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They attack, and then they hide. They watch my every step as they wait to take my life.

Good News Translation
They gather in hiding places and watch everything I do, hoping to kill me.

International Standard Version
They gather together and hide in ambush. They watch my every step as they lie in wait for my life.

Majority Standard Bible
They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps while they wait to take my life.

NET Bible
They stalk and lurk; they watch my every step, as they prepare to take my life.

New Heart English Bible
They conspire and lurk, watching my steps, they are eager to take my life.

Webster's Bible Translation
They assemble themselves, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul.

World English Bible
They conspire and lurk, watching my steps. They are eager to take my life.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
They assemble, they hide, they watch my heels, "" When they have expected my soul.

Young's Literal Translation
They assemble, they hide, they watch my heels, When they have expected my soul.

Smith's Literal Translation
They will sojourn, they will hide, they will watch my heels as they waited for my soul.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
They will dwell and hide themselves: they will watch my heel. As they have waited for my soul,

Catholic Public Domain Version
All day long, they curse my words. All their intentions are for evil against me.

New American Bible
They hide together in ambush; they watch my every step; they lie in wait for my life.

New Revised Standard Version
They stir up strife, they lurk, they watch my steps. As they hoped to have my life,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
They will wait in hiding, they will watch my steps, inasmuch as they wish for my death.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
They will lie in wait and they will stay and they will watch my steps as they lay wait for my life.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, They mark my steps; According as they have waited for my soul.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
They will dwell near and hide themselves; they will watch my steps, accordingly as I have waited patiently in my soul.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Be Merciful to Me, O God
5All day long they twist my words; all their thoughts are on my demise. 6They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps while they wait to take my life. 7In spite of such sin, will they escape? In Your anger, O God, cast down the nations.…

Cross References
Jeremiah 18:18
Then some said, “Come, let us make plans against Jeremiah, for the law will never be lost to the priest, nor counsel to the wise, nor an oracle to the prophet. Come, let us denounce him and pay no heed to any of his words.”

Psalm 31:13
For I hear the slander of many; there is terror on every side. They conspire against me and plot to take my life.

Psalm 64:2-6
Hide me from the scheming of the wicked, from the mob of workers of iniquity, / who sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows, / ambushing the innocent in seclusion, shooting suddenly, without fear. ...

Psalm 140:1-5
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. Rescue me, O LORD, from evil men. Protect me from men of violence, / who devise evil in their hearts and stir up war all day long. / They sharpen their tongues like snakes; the venom of vipers is on their lips. Selah ...

Psalm 10:9-10
He lies in wait like a lion in a thicket; he lurks to seize the oppressed; he catches the lowly in his net. / They are crushed and beaten down; the helpless fall prey to his strength.

Psalm 35:4
May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plan to harm me be driven back and confounded.

Psalm 41:7
All who hate me whisper against me; they imagine the worst for me:

Psalm 71:10-11
For my enemies speak against me, and those who lie in wait for my life conspire, / saying, “God has forsaken him; pursue him and seize him, for there is no one to rescue him.”

Proverbs 1:11-12
If they say, “Come along, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause, / let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit.

Isaiah 29:15
Woe to those who dig deep to hide their plans from the LORD. In darkness they do their works and say, “Who sees us, and who will know?”

Matthew 22:15
Then the Pharisees went out and conspired to trap Jesus in His words.

Mark 3:6
At this, the Pharisees went out and began plotting with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

Luke 20:20
So they watched Him closely and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. They were hoping to catch Him in His words in order to hand Him over to the rule and authority of the governor.

John 11:53
So from that day on they plotted to kill Him.

Acts 23:12-15
When daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. / More than forty of them were involved in this plot. / They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. ...


Treasury of Scripture

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

gather

Psalm 2:1-3
Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? …

Psalm 59:3
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.

Psalm 71:10
For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,

jide

Psalm 10:8-10
He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor…

Psalm 64:2-6
Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity: …

Daniel 6:4
Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.

Jump to Previous
Assemble Attack Band Conspire Eager Expected Gather Heels Hide Lurk Mark Places Secret Soul Steps Themselves Together Wait Waited Waiting Watch Watching
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Assemble Attack Band Conspire Eager Expected Gather Heels Hide Lurk Mark Places Secret Soul Steps Themselves Together Wait Waited Waiting Watch Watching
Psalm 56
1. David, praying to God in confidence of his word, complains of his enemies,
9. He professes his confidence in God's word, and promises to praise him














They conspire
The Hebrew root for "conspire" is "קָשַׁר" (qashar), which means to bind or tie together, often used in the context of forming a secret plan or alliance. In the historical context of David's life, this word reflects the constant plotting of his enemies, such as Saul and his men, who sought to undermine and destroy him. This phrase reminds us of the spiritual warfare that believers face, where unseen forces conspire against the faithful. It is a call to vigilance and reliance on God's protection.

they lurk
The word "lurking" comes from the Hebrew "צָפַן" (tsaphan), which means to hide or conceal oneself with malicious intent. This imagery paints a picture of enemies who are not only actively plotting but are also stealthily waiting for the opportune moment to strike. Historically, this reflects the tactics of ancient warfare, where ambushes were common. Spiritually, it serves as a metaphor for the hidden dangers and temptations that Christians must be aware of in their daily walk.

they watch my steps
The phrase "watch my steps" uses the Hebrew "שָׁמַר" (shamar), meaning to keep, guard, or observe. This indicates a close and careful observation, akin to a predator stalking its prey. In David's context, it suggests the relentless scrutiny by his adversaries, seeking any misstep. For believers, it is a reminder that our actions are observed not only by God but also by those who may wish us harm, urging us to walk in righteousness and integrity.

while they wait
The Hebrew "קָוָה" (qavah) is used here, meaning to wait or look for with eager expectation. This conveys the patience and persistence of David's enemies, who are willing to bide their time to achieve their malicious goals. It reflects the enduring nature of spiritual opposition, encouraging Christians to remain steadfast and patient in their faith, trusting in God's timing and deliverance.

to take my life
The phrase "to take my life" translates from the Hebrew "נֶפֶשׁ" (nephesh), which means soul or life. This indicates the ultimate goal of David's enemies: to destroy him completely. In a broader spiritual sense, it symbolizes the enemy's desire to rob believers of their spiritual vitality and relationship with God. It serves as a sobering reminder of the stakes in spiritual warfare and the need for divine protection and perseverance in faith.

(6) They hide themselves.--Better, they set spies.

Mark my steps.--Literally, watch my heels. (See Psalm 49:5; Psalm 89:51.)

Verse 6. - They gather themselves together, they hide themselves; or, "they gather themselves together; they set an ambush." They mark my steps, when they wait for my soul; literally, they, even they, mark my steps; i.e. they themselves, grand as they are, condescend to be spies, and track my footsteps.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
They conspire,
יָג֤וּרוּ ׀ (yā·ḡū·rū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1481: To turn aside from the road, sojourn, to shrink, fear, to gather for, hostility

they lurk,
יִצְפּ֗וֹנוּ (yiṣ·pō·w·nū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 6845: To hide, to hoard, reserve, to deny, to protect, to lurk

they
הֵ֭מָּה (hêm·māh)
Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1992: They

watch
יִשְׁמֹ֑רוּ (yiš·mō·rū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to

my steps,
עֲקֵבַ֣י (‘ă·qê·ḇay)
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 6119: Heel, footprint, hind part

while
כַּ֝אֲשֶׁ֗ר (ka·’ă·šer)
Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

they wait
קִוּ֥וּ (qiw·wū)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 6960: To bind together, collect, to expect

to take my life.
נַפְשִֽׁי׃ (nap̄·šî)
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion


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OT Poetry: Psalm 56:6 They conspire and lurk watching my steps (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 56:5
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