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.
When my spirit {H7307} was overwhelmed {H5848} within me, then thou knewest {H3045} my path {H5410}. In the way {H734} wherein {H2098} I walked {H1980} have they privily laid {H2934} a snare {H6341} for me.
When my spirit faints within me, you watch over my path. By the road that I am walking they have hidden a snare for me.
Although my spirit grows faint within me, You know my way. Along the path I travel they have hidden a snare for me.
When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, Thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walk Have they hidden a snare for me.
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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 141:9
Keep me from the snares [which] they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity. -
Psalms 61:2
From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock [that] is higher than I. -
Psalms 143:4
Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate. -
Mark 14:33
And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; -
Mark 14:36
And he said, Abba, Father, all things [are] possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt. -
Jeremiah 18:22
Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them: for they have digged a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet.
Context of Psalms 142:3
This verse is an integral part of Psalm 142, a Maskil (a contemplative or instructional psalm) attributed to King David. The superscription indicates it was a prayer offered "when he was in the cave." This likely refers to David's desperate period as a fugitive, fleeing from the jealous King Saul, possibly hiding in the cave of Adullam or the cave of Engedi. In this precarious situation, David felt isolated, without refuge, and in mortal danger, expressing profound distress and a deep sense of abandonment.
Key Themes and Messages
Linguistic Insights
The Hebrew word translated "overwhelmed" (`ataph) can mean to be faint, feeble, or covered over, suggesting a profound sense of weakness and being engulfed by despair or sorrow. "Knewest" comes from the Hebrew verb yada`, which implies a deep, personal, and experiential knowledge, not merely intellectual awareness. God doesn't just know about David's path; He knows it intimately and personally. The term "snare" (mōqēsh) refers to a trap, often used for birds or animals, emphasizing the intent to capture or destroy subtly and maliciously.
Related Scriptures
David's expressions of distress are common throughout the Psalms, resonating with cries like those found in Psalm 6:3 or Psalm 77:3. The comforting truth of God's intimate knowledge of our ways is beautifully echoed in Psalm 139:3, which states, "Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways." The theme of enemies laying snares or traps is also prevalent, as seen in Psalm 9:15 and Psalm 35:7. In such times, God is presented as the ultimate refuge, a truth powerfully declared in Psalm 46:1.
Practical Application
This verse offers profound comfort and reassurance to anyone feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or targeted by unseen forces. It reminds us that even when we feel lost, alone, or our spirit is deeply troubled, God is intimately aware of our circumstances and struggles. In times of mental or spiritual anguish, knowing that God "knewest my path" provides an anchor of hope and encourages us to bring our honest feelings of despair and fear before Him, just as David did in pouring out his complaint. It also serves as a reminder that unseen spiritual battles or human malice can lay "snares" in our lives, but God's omniscience means no hidden danger is unknown to Him. We can trust in His guidance and protection, even when we cannot see the way clearly.