Psalms 119:85

85 [The] arrogant have dug pits for me, which [is] not according to your law.

Psalms 119:85 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 119:85

The proud have digged pits for me
Laid snares and temptations in his way, to draw him into sin, and so into mischief; they sought indeed to take away his life, and formed schemes for it. The allusion is to the digging of pits for the taking of wild beasts; which shows the ill opinion they had of David, and their ill usage of him; see ( Psalms 7:15 ) ( 9:15 ) ;

which [are] not after thy law;
no, contrary to it; which forbids the digging of a pit, and leaving it uncovered, so that a neighbour's beast might fall into it, ( Exodus 21:33 Exodus 21:34 ) ; and if those might not be dug to the injury of beasts, then much less to the injury of men, to the hurt of the servants of the Lord, or to the shedding of innocent blood, which the law forbids.

Psalms 119:85 In-Context

83 For I have become like a wineskin in [the] smoke, [yet] I have not forgotten your statutes.
84 How many [are] the days of your servant? When will you execute justice against those who persecute me?
85 [The] arrogant have dug pits for me, which [is] not according to your law.
86 All your commands [are] faithful. They persecute me deceitfully; help me!
87 They have almost destroyed me on the earth, but I have not forsaken your precepts.

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. That is, traps
  • [b]. Or "who [are] not in accord with"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.