Psalms 10:9
Psalms 10:9 in Multiple Translations
He lies in wait like a lion in a thicket; he lurks to seize the oppressed; he catches the lowly in his net.
He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net.
He lurketh in secret as a lion in his covert; He lieth in wait to catch the poor: He doth catch the poor, when he draweth him in his net.
He keeps himself in a secret place like a lion in his hole, waiting to put his hands on the poor man, and pulling him into his net.
They lie in ambush like a lion ready to attack, ready to leap out from their hiding place to seize their victim. They capture the helpless, throwing a net over them.
He lyeth in waite secretly, euen as a lyon in his denne: he lyeth in waite to spoyle the poore: he doeth spoyle the poore, when he draweth him into his net.
He lieth in wait in a secret place, as a lion in a covert. He lieth in wait to catch the poor, He catcheth the poor, drawing him into his net.
He lurks in secret as a lion in his ambush. He lies in wait to catch the helpless. He catches the helpless when he draws him in his net.
He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net.
They are like [MET] lions that crouch down and hide, waiting to pounce on their prey. They are like hunters that catch their prey with a net and then drag it away.
Berean Amplified Bible — Psalms 10:9
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Psalms 10:9 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
יֶאֱרֹ֬ב
בַּ/מִּסְתָּ֨ר
כְּ/אַרְיֵ֬ה
בְ/סֻכֹּ֗/ה
יֶ֭אֱרֹב
לַ/חֲט֣וֹף
עָנִ֑י
יַחְטֹ֥ף
עָ֝נִ֗י
בְּ/מָשְׁכ֥/וֹ
בְ/רִשְׁתּֽ/וֹ
יֶאֱרֹ֬ב
ʼârab
H693
to ambush
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
בַּ/מִּסְתָּ֨ר
miçtâr
H4565
hiding
Prep | N-ms
כְּ/אַרְיֵ֬ה
ʼărîy
H738
lion
Prep | N-ms
בְ/סֻכֹּ֗/ה
çôk
H5520
lair
Prep | N-ms | Suff
יֶ֭אֱרֹב
ʼârab
H693
to ambush
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
לַ/חֲט֣וֹף
châṭaph
H2414
to catch
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a
עָנִ֑י
ʻânîy
H6041
afflicted
Adj
יַחְטֹ֥ף
châṭaph
H2414
to catch
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
עָ֝נִ֗י
ʻânîy
H6041
afflicted
Adj
בְּ/מָשְׁכ֥/וֹ
mâshak
H4900
to draw
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a | Suff
בְ/רִשְׁתּֽ/וֹ
resheth
H7568
net
Prep | N-fs | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Psalms 10:9
יֶאֱרֹ֬ב
ʼârab
H693
"to ambush"
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
This verb means to lie in wait or ambush someone, often used to describe a surprise attack. It is used in the Bible to talk about people who are hiding and waiting to attack. The word can also mean to lay a trap for someone.
Definition: 1) to lie in wait, ambush, lurk 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to lie in wait 1a2) ambush (participle as subst) 1b) (Piel) ambushers, liers-in-wait (pl. participle) 1c) (Hiphil) to lay an ambush
Usage: Occurs in 39 OT verses. KJV: (lie in) ambush(-ment), lay (lie in) wait. See also: Deuteronomy 19:11; Judges 20:38; Psalms 10:9.
בַּ/מִּסְתָּ֨ר
miçtâr
H4565
"hiding"
Prep | N-ms
This Hebrew word means a secret or hiding place, often used for protection or to conceal something, as seen in the Bible's description of hiding from danger. It can also refer to a place where wrongdoings are hidden. The KJV translates it as secret or secretly.
Definition: 1) secret place, hiding place 1a) secret place 1b) hiding place 1b1) for protection 1b2) for perpetration of crime
Usage: Occurs in 10 OT verses. KJV: secret(-ly, place). See also: Psalms 10:8; Jeremiah 13:17; Psalms 10:9.
כְּ/אַרְיֵ֬ה
ʼărîy
H738
"lion"
Prep | N-ms
In biblical times, a lion was a symbol of strength and power, and is often mentioned in stories like Daniel in the lions' den. The word for lion appears in various forms, including pictures or images of lions, and is used in books like 1 Kings and 2 Kings.
Definition: 1) lion 1a) pictures or images of lions
Usage: Occurs in 71 OT verses. KJV: (young) lion, [phrase] pierce (from the margin). See also: Genesis 49:9; Proverbs 22:13; Psalms 7:3.
בְ/סֻכֹּ֗/ה
çôk
H5520
"lair"
Prep | N-ms | Suff
This word refers to a small shelter or lair, often made of branches. It is used to describe a temporary or rude dwelling, as seen in the KJV translations. In the Bible, it is used to describe the homes of shepherds or travelers.
Definition: thicket, lair, covert, booth
Usage: Occurs in 4 OT verses. KJV: covert, den, pavilion, tabernacle. See also: Psalms 10:9; Psalms 76:3; Psalms 27:5.
יֶ֭אֱרֹב
ʼârab
H693
"to ambush"
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
This verb means to lie in wait or ambush someone, often used to describe a surprise attack. It is used in the Bible to talk about people who are hiding and waiting to attack. The word can also mean to lay a trap for someone.
Definition: 1) to lie in wait, ambush, lurk 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to lie in wait 1a2) ambush (participle as subst) 1b) (Piel) ambushers, liers-in-wait (pl. participle) 1c) (Hiphil) to lay an ambush
Usage: Occurs in 39 OT verses. KJV: (lie in) ambush(-ment), lay (lie in) wait. See also: Deuteronomy 19:11; Judges 20:38; Psalms 10:9.
לַ/חֲט֣וֹף
châṭaph
H2414
"to catch"
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a
This word means to catch or seize something quickly. It is used in stories like the one of Jacob and the angel in Genesis 32:24-33.
Definition: (Qal) to catch, seize
Usage: Occurs in 2 OT verses. KJV: catch. See also: Judges 21:21; Psalms 10:9.
עָנִ֑י
ʻânîy
H6041
"afflicted"
Adj
This word describes someone who is depressed, humble, or weak, often due to difficult circumstances, as described in the Psalms and other biblical books.
Definition: 1) poor, afflicted, humble, wretched 1a) poor, needy 1b) poor and weak 1c) poor, weak, afflicted, wretched 1d) humble, lowly
Usage: Occurs in 77 OT verses. KJV: afflicted, humble, lowly, needy, poor. See also: Exodus 22:24; Psalms 88:16; Psalms 9:13.
יַחְטֹ֥ף
châṭaph
H2414
"to catch"
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
This word means to catch or seize something quickly. It is used in stories like the one of Jacob and the angel in Genesis 32:24-33.
Definition: (Qal) to catch, seize
Usage: Occurs in 2 OT verses. KJV: catch. See also: Judges 21:21; Psalms 10:9.
עָ֝נִ֗י
ʻânîy
H6041
"afflicted"
Adj
This word describes someone who is depressed, humble, or weak, often due to difficult circumstances, as described in the Psalms and other biblical books.
Definition: 1) poor, afflicted, humble, wretched 1a) poor, needy 1b) poor and weak 1c) poor, weak, afflicted, wretched 1d) humble, lowly
Usage: Occurs in 77 OT verses. KJV: afflicted, humble, lowly, needy, poor. See also: Exodus 22:24; Psalms 88:16; Psalms 9:13.
בְּ/מָשְׁכ֥/וֹ
mâshak
H4900
"to draw"
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a | Suff
To draw can mean many things in the Bible, such as to pull or lead something, to sow seeds, or to make music. It is used in various contexts, including war, farming, and worship. The word is used in different forms throughout the Old Testament.
Definition: 1) to draw, drag, seize 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to draw (and lift out), drag along, lead along, drag or lead off, draw down 1a2) to draw (the bow) 1a3) to proceed, march 1a4) to draw out or give (a sound) 1a5) to draw out, prolong, continue 1a6) to trail (seed in sowing) 1a7) to cheer, draw, attract, gratify 1b) (Niphal) to be drawn out 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to be drawn out, be postponed, be deferred 1c2) to be tall
Usage: Occurs in 36 OT verses. KJV: draw (along, out), continue, defer, extend, forbear, [idiom] give, handle, make (pro-, sound) long, [idiom] sow, scatter, stretch out. See also: Genesis 37:28; Psalms 85:6; Psalms 10:9.
בְ/רִשְׁתּֽ/וֹ
resheth
H7568
"net"
Prep | N-fs | Suff
A net used for catching animals, but also a symbol of judgment or a trap. In the book of Ecclesiastes, it describes a net that can snare people. The tabernacle even had a network of bronze for its altar.
Definition: 1) net 1a) net 1a1) for catching 1a2) of judgment (fig) 1a3) of leaders leading people to sin 1a4) as a trap for man 1b) network (brazen-for altar of tabernacle)
Usage: Occurs in 21 OT verses. KJV: net(-work). See also: Exodus 27:4; Psalms 57:7; Psalms 9:16.
Study Notes — Psalms 10:9
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Psalms 10:9 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Psalms 10:9
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 10:9
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Psalms 10:9
- Trapp's Commentary on Psalms 10:9
- Ellicott's Commentary on Psalms 10:9
- Cambridge Bible on Psalms 10:9
- Barnes' Notes on Psalms 10:9
- Whedon's Commentary on Psalms 10:9
- Sermons on Psalms 10:9
Context — The Perils of the Pilgrim
7His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and violence; trouble and malice are under his tongue.
8He lies in wait near the villages; in ambush he slays the innocent; his eyes watch in stealth for the helpless.
9He lies in wait like a lion in a thicket; he lurks to seize the oppressed; he catches the lowly in his net.
10They are crushed and beaten down; the helpless fall prey to his strength. 11He says to himself, “God has forgotten; He hides His face and never sees.”Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalms 17:12 | like a lion greedy for prey, like a young lion lurking in ambush. |
| 2 | Psalms 59:3 | See how they lie in wait for me. Fierce men conspire against me for no transgression or sin of my own, O LORD. |
| 3 | Micah 7:2 | The godly man has perished from the earth; there is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; they hunt one another with a net. |
| 4 | Psalms 35:10 | All my bones will exclaim, “Who is like You, O LORD, who delivers the afflicted from the aggressor, the poor and needy from the robber?” |
| 5 | Job 5:15–16 | He saves the needy from the sword in their mouth and from the clutches of the powerful. So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth. |
| 6 | Amos 5:11–12 | Therefore, because you trample on the poor and exact from him a tax of grain, you will never live in the stone houses you have built; you will never drink the wine from the lush vineyards you have planted. For I know that your transgressions are many and your sins are numerous. You oppress the righteous by taking bribes; you deprive the poor of justice in the gate. |
| 7 | Psalms 12:5 | “For the cause of the oppressed and for the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will bring safety to him who yearns.” |
| 8 | Amos 3:4 | Does a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey? Does a young lion growl in his den if he has caught nothing? |
| 9 | Isaiah 3:15 | Why do you crush My people and grind the faces of the poor?” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts. |
| 10 | Nahum 2:11–12 | Where is the lions’ lair or the feeding ground of the young lions, where the lion and lioness prowled with their cubs, with nothing to frighten them away? The lion mauled enough for its cubs and strangled prey for the lioness. It filled its dens with the kill, and its lairs with mauled prey. |
Psalms 10:9 Summary
[This verse describes how the wicked person is like a lion waiting to pounce on its prey, seeking to harm and destroy the innocent and the vulnerable, as also mentioned in Jeremiah 5:6. The wicked use deceit and trickery to catch their victims, but we can trust in God's power and protection to keep us safe, as promised in Psalms 23:4. We should be aware of the schemes of the wicked and avoid their traps, and instead trust in God's goodness and love, as proclaimed in Psalms 100:5.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean for the wicked to lie in wait like a lion in a thicket?
This means that the wicked person is patiently waiting for the perfect moment to attack and harm the innocent, much like a lion stalks its prey in the wild, as described in Psalms 10:9 and also in Jeremiah 5:6.
Who are the oppressed and the lowly that the wicked seek to seize?
The oppressed and the lowly refer to those who are vulnerable and powerless, such as the poor, the widows, and the orphans, as mentioned in Psalms 140:12 and Isaiah 1:17.
What is the net that the wicked use to catch their victims?
The net is a metaphor for the traps and snares that the wicked use to deceive and entangle their victims, as mentioned in Psalms 9:15 and Proverbs 29:6.
How can we protect ourselves from the wicked who seek to harm us?
We can protect ourselves by trusting in God's power and protection, as mentioned in Psalms 23:4 and Proverbs 18:10, and by being wise and discerning in our interactions with others, as advised in Proverbs 22:3.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways that I can be more aware of the schemes of the wicked and avoid their traps?
- How can I be a source of comfort and support to those who are oppressed and vulnerable?
- What are some ways that I can trust in God's power and protection in my own life, especially when faced with challenges and dangers?
- How can I cultivate a heart of compassion and empathy for those who are suffering, as God does, according to Psalms 10:17-18?
Gill's Exposition on Psalms 10:9
He lieth in wait secretly as a lion,.... The first beast in Revelation 13:2; is said to have a mouth like a lion, and the second beast in Psalms 10:11; spake like a dragon; and both design one and
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 10:9
He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Psalms 10:9
As a lion in his den, where he lurks and waits for prey. He doth catch, or snatch, or seize upon, to wit, with violence, and to devour or destroy him. When he draweth him; or, by drawing him; or, after he hath drawn him. He layeth snares for him, and when he takes him, tears him in pieces.
Trapp's Commentary on Psalms 10:9
Psalms 10:9 He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net.Ver. 9. He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den] See Job 38:40, When he draweth him into his net] That is, into his bonds, debts, mortgages, saith Chrysostom. When a poor man is once gotten into these nets, wicked oppressors do not only rob but ravish them; coining their money upon poor men’ s skins, and wringing the sponges of poor people into their own purses. David compareth them to cannibals, Psalms 14:4, to greedy lions here. Another saith they are like the fish polypus, that lying in wait for other fishes upon the rock, assimilateth to the rock and taketh them in his net, which he hath naturally behind his head, and can spread at his pleasure, before they find themselves in danger (Sir Richard Berkley’ s Summum Bonum).
Ellicott's Commentary on Psalms 10:9
(9) Lieth in wait.—A confusion of metaphor. The wicked is first, the lion watching for his prey, and then the hunter snaring animals. “Poor,” here—better, afflicted (see Psalms 9:12). Translate, in his hiding-place he lurks, as a lion in his lair, lurks to seize a sufferer, seizes a sufferer, drawing him into his net.
Cambridge Bible on Psalms 10:9
9. Render: He lieth in ambush in the secret place as a lion in his lair; He lieth in ambush to catch the poor: He catcheth the poor, dragging him off with his net. The wicked man is now described as a lion, lurking in his lair in the forest till his prey comes near. In the third clause the figure is changed for that of a hunter: probably the victim is dragged off to be sold for a slave.
Barnes' Notes on Psalms 10:9
He lieth in wait secretly - Margin, in the secret places. See the note at Psalms 10:8. The object here is merely to illustrate the thought in the previous verse, by an allusion to a lion and a hunter.
Whedon's Commentary on Psalms 10:9
9. Secretly as a lion—The figure is now borrowed from the habits of beasts of prey, the most perfect for secrecy, wariness, deceit, and cruelty. In his den—Rather, in his covert, or covered place, where he watches for prey.
Sermons on Psalms 10:9
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
Secrets of Happy Home Life by J.R. Miller | Greek Word Studies preaches about the dangers of trickery, using the term 'kubeia' to illustrate how some manipulate the Word of God for personal gain, similar to loaded dice used |
|
The Christian in Complete Armour - Part 8 by William Gurnall | William Gurnall preaches about the strengthening power of sincerity in a Christian's spirit, emphasizing how sincerity acts as a girdle that fortifies the believer in their spiritu |
|
The Situation Is Desperate by Vance Havner | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the concept of holy desperation and how it is reflected in the book of Lamentations and Micah. He emphasizes the desperate state of the world |
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Spiritual Depression by Carter Conlon | This sermon addresses spiritual depression among the godly, emphasizing the challenges faced in a society marked by godlessness and the need to trust in God's promises. It draws pa |
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Psalm 12 by Henry Law | Henry Law preaches about the comfort found in the company of holy men, the power of prayer to bring God's presence and joy, the insincerity of ungodly conversation, the blinding po |
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The Lord, the Saints' Avenger by Octavius Winslow | Octavius Winslow emphasizes that God is the Avenger of the oppressed, standing firmly with the saints against injustice and oppression. He illustrates this with a missionary story |