New Living Translation
Psalms 142:3
3When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn. Wherever I go, my enemies have set traps for me.
Psalms 142:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who watch over my way. In the path where I walk people have hidden a snare for me.
- English Standard Version (ESV)When my spirit faints within me, you know my way! In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me.
- New King James Version (NKJV)When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, Then You knew my path. In the way in which I walk They have secretly set a snare for me.
Context of Psalms 142:3
1I cry out to the Lord; I plead for the Lord’s mercy. 2I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles. When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn. Wherever I go, my enemies have set traps for me. 4I look for someone to come and help me, but no one gives me a passing thought! No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me. 5Then I pray to you, O Lord. I say, “You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life.
Read all of Psalms 142Psalms 142:3 word by word
בְּהִתְעַטֵּ֬ף עָלַ֨י׀ רוּחִ֗י וְאַתָּה֮ יָדַ֪עְתָּ נְֽתִיבָ֫תִ֥י בְּאֹֽרַח־ז֥וּ אֲהַלֵּ֑ךְ טָמְנ֖וּ פַ֣ח לִֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- When my spiritרוּחַrûach · spiritH7307
- was overwhelmedעָטַף‛âţaph · be feebleH5848
- within me, then thou knewestיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- my pathנְתִיבָהnâthîyb nethîybâh nethibâh · pathH5410
- In the wayאֹ֫רַח'ôrach · wayH734
- whereinזוּzû · thisH2098
- I walkedהָלַךְhâlak · to go: walkH1980
- have they privily laidטָמַןţâman · to hideH2934
- a snareפַּחpach · snareH6341
Cross-references for Psalms 142:3
- Psalms 22:14My life is poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, melting within me.
- Psalms 61:2From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety,
- Psalms 102:4My heart is sick, withered like grass, and I have lost my appetite.
- Psalms 143:4I am losing all hope; I am paralyzed with fear.
- Mark 14:33He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he became deeply troubled and distressed.
- Psalms 1:6For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.
- Psalms 17:3You have tested my thoughts and examined my heart in the night. You have scrutinized me and found nothing wrong. I am determined not to sin in what I say.
- Psalms 139:2You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
- Job 23:10“But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold.
- Psalms 31:4Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me, for I find protection in you alone.
- Psalms 35:7I did them no wrong, but they laid a trap for me. I did them no wrong, but they dug a pit to catch me.
- Psalms 56:6They come together to spy on me— watching my every step, eager to kill me.
- Psalms 140:5The proud have set a trap to catch me; they have stretched out a net; they have placed traps all along the way. Interlude
- Psalms 141:9Keep me from the traps they have set for me, from the snares of those who do wrong.
- Jeremiah 18:22Let screaming be heard from their homes as warriors come suddenly upon them. For they have dug a pit for me and have hidden traps along my path.
- Matthew 22:15Then the Pharisees met together to plot how to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested.
Commentaries on Psalms 142:3
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3When my spirit was overwhelmed within me - Luther renders this, “When my spirit was in distress.” The Hebrew word rendered “overwhelmed” means, in Kal, to cover as with a garment; then, to be covered as with darkness, trouble, sorrow; and then, to languish, to faint, to be feeble: Psalm 77:3; Psalm 107:5. The idea here is, that, in his troubles, he had no vigor, no life, no spirit. He did not see how he could escape from his troubles, and he had no heart…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4The psalmist feels deep despair (see Psalm 77:3), and the Lord helps him in his distress. The psalmist trusts in the Lord's wisdom (see Psalm 139) but mourns being trapped by evil people (5:9–10; 140:5; 141:9; 142:3).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. thou knewest ... path--The appeal is indicative of conscious innocence; knowest it to be right, and that my affliction is owing to the snares of enemies, and is not deserved (compare Psa 42:4; 61:2).Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 142:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 142
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- The Treasury of David
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
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