Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them!
English Standard Version (ESV)
This isn't just about enemies being chased; it's about God actively causing them to lose their way in the dark and stumble on slippery paths. The pursuit isn't just a physical chase, but a divine confusion that makes them unable to find solid ground, mirroring their own wicked intentions against the psalmist.
Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them!
English Standard Version (ESV)
David is in deep distress, facing enemies who have plotted against him without cause. He cries out to God to act as his defender and judge, asking for divine intervention to confound and shame those who wish him harm. This verse is part of a series of imprecations where David asks God to turn the tables on his attackers, ensuring their wicked plans backfire disastrously.
David is calling down some serious trouble on his enemies. It's not just that he wants them to fail; he wants them to be actively pursued.
What does it mean for God's own angel to be the one doing the chasing?
The Pursuer
The verse speaks of "the angel of the LORD pursuing them." This isn't just any pursuer; it's a divinely appointed one.
The enemies' way is described as "dark and slippery." This isn't just about physical difficulty; it's a profound state of being.
What does it mean for your path to be characterized by darkness and slipperiness when you're trying to 'run' or 'flee'?
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Lost and Stumbling
This imagery paints a vivid picture of utter confusion and instability for those under divine pursuit.
It's a state where their own plans backfire, and their efforts to harm others only lead to their own downfall.
Understand the original words
derek · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the place or path of life, including the conduct, moral direction, and behavioral patterns of an individual. It often signifies the trajectory one’s life takes toward either righteousness or wickedness.
mal'ak · Hebrew Noun
A supernatural messenger of God, functioning as an agent of divine action, judgment, or revelation. In this context, it refers to a manifestation of the LORD's power acting on behalf of the psalmist.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The covenant name of the one true God of Israel, YHWH. It signifies His self-existence, eternal nature, and faithful relationship with His people as their Redeemer and King.
This powerful verse draws on David's desperate flight from Saul, painting a vivid picture of the terror and confusion his enemies faced when God intervened on his behalf.
c. 1000 BC— this verse
David's Persecution by Saul
King Saul, consumed by jealousy, relentlessly hunted David, forcing him to flee and hide, often living as a fugitive.
c. 1000 BC
David's Eloquence in Lament
David, facing intense danger and betrayal, often poured out his heart to God in psalms, expressing his suffering, innocence, and trust.
c. 970 BC
David Becomes King of Israel
After Saul's death, David was finally anointed King of Israel, fulfilling God's promises and establishing his rule.
This passage speaks of God sending an angel before His people to guide and protect them, paralleling the 'angel of the LORD' in Psalm 35:6, but here as a pursuer of enemies. It highlights the dual role of angelic beings in God's plan.
1 Samuel 16:14This verse describes an 'evil spirit from the LORD' tormenting Saul. It resonates with the 'dark and slippery' path of the wicked in Psalm 35:6, suggesting a spiritual confusion and distress sent by God upon those who oppose Him.
Job 18:7Bildad describes the wicked's path as 'darkness,' and 'destruction awaits them.' This aligns with the imagery of a 'dark and slippery' way in Psalm 35:6, emphasizing the inevitable downfall and lack of clarity for the ungodly.
Isaiah 40:31While this verse speaks of those who wait on the Lord renewing their strength, it paints a picture of 'flying' and 'running without weariness' after the pursuit. This provides a powerful contrast to the futile and doomed flight of the wicked pursued by God's angel in Psalm 35:6.
calvinPsalms 35:4-7: "Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt."
- Let those who seek my soul be confounded and put to shame; and let those who devise my hurt be turned back, and brought to confusion. 5. Let them be as chaff before the wind, and let the angel of Jehovah thrust [or impel] them. [705] 6. Let their way be darkness and slipperiness, and let the angel of Jehovah pursue them. 7. For they have hid…
clarkePsalms 35:6: "Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them."
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.
This isn't just about enemies being chased; it's about God actively causing them to lose their way in the dark and stumble on slippery paths. The pursuit isn't just a physical chase, but a divine confusion that makes them unable to find solid ground, mirroring their own wicked intentions against the psalmist.
David is in deep distress, facing enemies who have plotted against him without cause. He cries out to God to act as his defender and judge, asking for divine intervention to confound and shame those who wish him harm. This verse is part of a series of imprecations where David asks God to turn the tables on his attackers, ensuring their wicked plans backfire disastrously.
David is in deep distress, facing enemies who have plotted against him without cause. He cries out to God to act as his defender and judge, asking for divine intervention to confound and shame those who wish him harm. This verse is part of a series of imprecations where David asks God to turn the tables on his attackers, ensuring their wicked plans backfire disastrously.
"Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them!" — This isn't just about enemies being chased; it's about God actively causing them to lose their way in the dark and stumble on slippery paths. The pursuit isn't just a physical chase, but a divine con…
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Last reviewed October 2026