Copyright 2015 J. Neely
Psalm 38:12
12 They also that seek [baqash] after
my life [nephesh] lay
snares [naqash] for
me: and they that seek [darash] my
hurt [ra`] speak [dabar] mischievous things [havvah], and imagine [hagah] deceits [mirmah] all the day [yowm] long. KJV-Interlinear
12 Those who seek my life lay their snares; those
who seek my hurt speak of ruin and meditate treachery all day long. ESV
Throughout this
psalm, David has been describing the physical and mental anguish and sorrow and
distress that is a result of sin.
The word, they,
identifies, or rather makes ambiguous reference to enemies, that take advantage
of the physical and mental handicaps and disadvantages that are caused by sin.
Not that this is a
conspiracy theory, but this does describe the state of the individual, and ones
exposure to all manner of opposition, because of the existence of sin, and-or
the existence of the sin nature.
For the sin
nature, which is ingrained in every individual’s body, combined with sin, which
is a result of decisions of evil, produce a united enemy, which is
overwhelming, and far beyond the ability of any individual to overcome.
Laying snares, is
a concept of someone taking advantage of your weakened position, through fraud
or deceit and setting traps of any and every kind, for the purpose of ruining
you.
Seeking hurt,
means quite simply, the intent to injure.
Speaking
mischievous things, or speaking run, indicates slander or gossip or maligning,
that are intended to ruin and injure and destroy their victim.
Imagining deceits,
is the action of making false claims or accusations, that are clearly
unfounded.
All day long,
refers to the consistent and continual onslaught of these things against you,
and never letting up throughout your entire life.
You only have two
environments in which to live.
The first
environment is that of sin, and the second environment is that of the spiritual
life.
All of these
descriptions come from the environment of sin, which has only one intent, and
that is to destroy. Nothing good ever comes out of the environment of sin.
There are constant
problems, constant difficulties, constant stresses, that will never ever go
away, while you live in this world.
The environment of
the spiritual life, is a far better environment, because it gives you the
resources with which to deal with, and function, in this Devils world. While
living in this world, you cannot escape the difficulties of this world, but you
can have better resources that will help you get through those difficulties.
To choose to live
in the environment of sin, means you are going into battle with no weapons,
completely outnumbered, and was only one outcome, namely you lose. Physical and mental anguishes are a good symbolism
of spiritual principles, helping us to learn and understand spiritual flaws,
using physical ailments.
To choose to live
in the environment of the spiritual life, which unfortunately most people do
not do, means that you have the resources to live and function within this
Devils world, and the guarantee from God, that you will have success, going
into eternity.
These
studies are a part of the massive daily study web site at DailyBibeStudy.Org,
and are written, so that you can come to Christ if you have not done so
already, and therefore not be lost forever.
And
if you have already believed in Christ, then these studies are written so you
can learn and understand and grow in your spiritual life, so that you can come
to the full knowledge of Christ, so that you can fulfill your meaning and
purpose in life as God intended for you, and so you can qualify for a phenomenal
eternal reward which you will have forever.
To ignore this opportunity to pursue a daily study means you will be
incomplete, unfulfilled and you will lose out, big time.
The
Daily Bible Study is online, making it possible as never before in all of human
history, to advance in ones relationship with God, through Christ, and to
complete yourself beyond your imagination.
But
you have to decide to make that commitment.
No one else can study for you.
You have to do that yourself.
