Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 35:6
Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.
Let their way be dark – Margin, as in Hebrew: darkness. That is, let them not be able to see where they go; what danger they incur; what is before them. The idea is that of persons who wander in the night, not knowing what is before them, or what danger may be near. The succession of images and figures here is terrific. The representation is that of persons scattered as the chaff is before the wind; pursued by the angel seeking vengeance; and driven along a dark and slippery path, with no guide, and no knowledge as to the precipices which may be before them, or the enemies that may be pressing upon them.
And slippery – Margin, as in Hebrew: slipperiness. This is a circumstance which adds increased terror to the image. It is not only a dark road, but a road made slippery by rains; a road where they are in danger every moment of sliding down a precipice where they will be destroyed.
And let the angel of the Lord persecute them – Pursue or follow them. The word persecute we use now in the sense of subjecting one to pain, torture, or privation, on account of his religious opinions. This is not the meaning of the word used here. It is simply to follow or pursue. The image is that of the avenging angel following on, or pursuing them in this dark and slippery way; a flight in a dark and dangerous path, with a destroying angel close in the rear.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 6. Let their way be dark] Let them lose their way, be entangled in morasses and thickets, and be confounded in all their attempts to injure me. All these phrases are military; and relate to ambushes, hidden snares, forced marches in order to surprise, and stratagems of different kinds.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Their way, by which they flee, being chased, as was now said.
Dark and slippery; so as they can neither discern the right path, nor be able to stand in it, and much less to run away, especially from so swift a persecutor as an angel, whereby they must unavoidably fall into their enemies hands, and be destroyed.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Let their way be dark and slippery,…. In which they run before the angel, chasing and pursuing them; so that they know not where they are, at what they stumble, whither to flee, nor how to stand; the ways of wicked men are as darkness, they know not in what condition they are, and whither they are going; and utter darkness, even blackness of darkness, is reserved for them: but here it means a calamitous, uncomfortable, fickle, and unstable situation in this life; see Jer 23:11. The allusion is to some of the valleys in the land of Palestine, which were dark, and the roads in them very smooth and slippery, as travellers in those parts have observed q;
and let the angel of God persecute them; [See comments on Ps 35:5].
q See Maundrell’s Travel’s, p. 7.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(6) Dark and slippery.See margin. Delitzsch supposes an allusion to the passage of the Red Sea, but the picture suggests rather the passage of some dangerous mountain pass in a raging storm. The tracks in the limestone hills of Palestine are often worn as smooth as marble; comp. Psa. 73:18 (quoted from Kay, in the Speakers Commentary).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 35:6 Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.
Ver. 6. Let their way be dark and slippery ] Heb. Darkness and slipperiness. If a man have neither light nor firm footing, and a fierce enemy at his heels, what shift can he make for himself? The word rendered slippery is of a double form (like that libbi secharchar, my heart panteth or beateth about, throbbeth, Psa 38:10 ), to increase the signfication. See Jer 23:12 . The soul of a wicked man is in a sling, 1Sa 25:29 , violently tossed about.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
angel
(See Scofield Heb 1:4).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
their: Psa 73:18, Pro 4:19, Jer 13:16, Jer 23:12
dark and slippery: Heb. darkness and slipperiness
Reciprocal: Gen 6:21 – General Exo 10:21 – darkness 2Sa 24:16 – the angel 2Ki 19:35 – the angel 2Ch 20:22 – to sing and to Isa 37:36 – the angel Lam 3:66 – Persecute Zep 3:20 – I turn Luk 17:10 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 35:6-7. Let their way By which they flee, being chased, as was now said; be dark and slippery So as that they can neither discern the right path, nor be able to stand in it, and much less to escape, especially from so swift a pursuer as an angel. For without cause Out of mere malice, without any injury or provocation on my part; have they hid, &c. The sundry expressions used in this clause, aggravate their sin, and signify that their persecution of him was not the effect of a sudden passion, but of a deep and habitual hatred and malice, carried on in a constant and continued course, with deliberation, craft, and deceit, and that against Davids soul, or life; for nothing less would satisfy them.