Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 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.
5. For the figures cp. Psa 31:4; Psa 119:110; Psa 141:9; Psa 142:3. The hunter sets his snares in the ‘run’ of the animal he wishes to catch, and the Psalmist’s enemies are scheming to ruin him as he goes about his daily duties. Cp. Mat 22:15, “how they might ensnare ( , cp. LXX here) him in talk.” He calls them proud, for their hostility to God’s servant is virtually a defiance of God (Psa 10:2).
grins ] More properly, baits or lures, to entice him to his ruin. Grins, the original reading of the A.V. of 1611, restored by Scrivener, is an obsolete word of the same meaning as gins, which has been substituted for it in modern editions of the A.V. here and in Psa 141:9. For examples of its use see Wright’s Bible Word Book.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The proud have hid a snare for me – Haughty; arrogant; oppressive men. See Psa 35:7, note; Psa 57:6, note.
And cords – Strings; twine; as those do who lay a net to catch birds, and who design to spring it upon them unawares.
They have spread a net by the wayside – Where I may be expected to walk, and where it may be suddenly sprung upon me.
They have set gins for me – Snares, toils – such as are set for wild beasts. The meaning is, that they had not only made open war upon him, but they had sought to bring him into an ambush – to rush upon him suddenly when he was not on his guard, and did not know that, danger was near.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 5. Have hid a snare for me] They hunted David as they would a dangerous wild beast: one while striving to pierce him with the spear; another to entangle him in their snares, so as to take and sacrifice him before the people, on pretense of his being an enemy to the state.
Selah] This is the truth.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The proud; my insolent enemies, who despise me for my meanness, and exalt themselves against thee.
By the wayside; in which I used to walk.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5. snare [and] netforthreatening dangers (compare Psa 38:12;Psa 57:6).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords,…. These were the Ziphites, according to Arama; see Ps 119:85; the character well agrees with the Scribes and Pharisees, who were proud boasters, and despised others, and often laid snares for Christ to take away his life; and with the enemies of the church and people of God; who, through their pride, persecute them, and are insidious, and use artful methods to ensnare them; as the fowler lays his snare for the bird, and has his cords to draw it to him when it is taken in the snare, to which the allusion is;
they have spread a net by the wayside: they waylaid him; knowing the way he would go, they lay in wait for him, to seize him at once as he went along; see Joh 18:1; the word “cords” in the preceding clause should be connected with this, and be read, “and with cords they have spread a net by the wayside”: it being usual, as Jarchi observes, to fasten a long cord at the top of the net; and when the fowler sees the birds under the net, he draws the cord, and the net falls upon the fowls;
they have set gins for me; all these expressions design the insidiousness, and the private, secret, artful methods, the enemies of David, of Christ and his people, took and do take to ensnare them. Arama interprets the “snare and cords” of the watching of David’s house; the “net by the wayside” of posting themselves at the gates of the city, and surrounding it; and gins of spies; see 1Sa 19:11.
Selah; on this word, [See comments on Ps 3:2].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(5) Net.An elaboration of the favourite image of the net. (Psa. 9:15.) The frequent occurrence of this figure well indicates the dangers to which Israel was subjected through the leaning of many of the nation itself to foreign influences.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
5. Have hid a snare Four different words are used to set forth the deceitful artifices of the psalmist’s enemies: “a snare,” trap; “cords,”- nooses; “net” and “gins,” toils. The number and variety indicate the prolific inventions of his enemies to decoy, deceive, and take him.
By the way-side Whatever path he took, close to his steps was prepared a trap. See Psa 141:9; Psa 142:3
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 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.
Ver. 5. The proud have hid a snare, &c ] They are restless to ruin me, adding all kind of craft to their cruelty.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
by the wayside. See Job 18:10.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
The proud: Psa 10:4-12, Psa 17:8-13, Psa 35:7, Psa 36:11, Psa 57:6, Psa 119:69, Psa 119:85, Psa 119:110, Psa 123:3, Psa 123:4, Psa 141:9, Psa 141:10, Psa 142:3, Pro 29:5, Jer 18:18, Jer 18:20, Jer 18:22, Luk 11:53, Luk 11:54, Luk 20:20-23
Reciprocal: Gen 27:41 – then 2Sa 22:6 – sorrows Neh 6:14 – think thou Psa 10:2 – The wicked Psa 31:4 – Pull Psa 31:20 – from Psa 38:12 – lay snares Psa 64:5 – of laying snares Psa 86:14 – O God Psa 129:4 – cut asunder Pro 24:15 – Lay Mar 12:13 – they send Luk 6:45 – and an
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
GOD THE SOULS REFUGE
The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords: they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set Sins for me. I said unto the Lord, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord.
Psa 140:5-6
In these words of David we see what a believer, who will not betray the truth, has to expect from men, and whither he should flee when assailed by the enemies of the soul.
I. The proud hid a snare for the king.They wished to entangle him; for they waited for his halting, and would have exulted in his fall. Had his life been more like their own, or had they not felt his career to be a protest against theirs, he would have been left unmolestedthe world would have loved its own. But as his manner of life rebuked theirs, they hid a snare for him, and cords. He was treated like a wild beast, and nets and gins were employed to secure him. No doubt the language is figurative, and we are not to read it as if it were literally true that a net was spread by the wayside for the king of Israel. But by the graphical language which he uses, David tells what pains the wicked took to ensnare or circumvent himhis path was surrounded by peril.
II. But what was his alternative?Whither did he flee amid these proofs of hatred or persecution? He said to the Lord, Thou art my God. That was enough. No evil could befall the persecuted monarch then. The wicked might plot against him,he might be made the song of the drunkard, and held in derision by the godless; but he had a Rock, a Refuge, a high Tower. He had Omnipotence for a shield, and the Eternal for a friend. That friend would make Davids cause His own, and the persecuted man could, therefore, possess his soul in patience. He that believes need not make haste: God will help, and that right early, against ten thousand dangers.
III. But further. David poured out his heart in prayer unto God.Hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord. When was a child of God known to restrain prayer in his straits? What can he do but flee to God to hide him in the day of trouble? Where could he seek or find a shelter in the day of trial, but under the shadow of Him that is the Almighty?
And is not Davids Lord our Lord? Is He not the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever? Are we not beckoned or besought to cast all our cares upon Him, for He careth for us? Let each soul apart, then, thus do in every hour of need. Do the wicked plot against us? Let their machinations press us nearer to the only wise God our Saviour. Does the tempter cast his fiery darts? Just the more should we seek the Almighty Refuge. Are there fears within and fightings without? These also should urge us to flee the more, and keep the closer, to Him Who can save us in all our tribulations, Who can keep us from falling, and stablish, and strengthen, and settle us amid all that is fitted to disturb or to waste the soul.
Illustrations
(1) Internal evidence confirms the testimony of the superscription that this is one of Davids psalms. His was a stormy life, continually molested by evil and violent men, who imagined mischief in their heart and stirred up wars. Other men who have set themselves to destroy nests of vipers have had to make the same complaints, as Clarkson in England, and Garrison in the United States. The wicked and violent and proud join hands, and lay their plans together to ensnare and overthrow all who interfere with their nefarious profits.
At such times we turn to the Lord. He is the strength of our salvation, and covers our heads in the day of battle.
(2) I refer such a psalm as this to my conflict with the Evil One, whom Bunyan calls Apollyon. Of course, some who read these words are sensible of the malign plottings of a Doeg or Ahithophel; but for the most we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the wicked spirits in the heavenly places. Evil, violent, imagining mischiefs, continually gathering for war, a serpents tongue and adders poison, hiding a snare, spreading a net and ginshow true these expressions are of the constant opposition and malignity with which we are opposed! If only we realised that we were in an enemys country, and that every advantage that could be taken against us was being utilised, and every device to secure our fall was being laid in our path, we should be more on the alert, and prepared by prayer and faith to withstand in the evil days.