They set a net for my steps; my soul was bowed down. They dug a pit in my way, but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights that the very traps set for the vulnerable can become the downfall of the trappers. It's not just about falling into a pit, but that the enemies' own devices—their plots and schemes—ultimately ensnare them instead of the one they're pursuing.
They set a net for my steps; my soul was bowed down. They dug a pit in my way, but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah
English Standard Version (ESV)
David feels trapped and crushed by his enemies, who are laying elaborate, deadly schemes to capture him. Yet, he declares that their own traps have backfired, causing them to fall into their own devices. This verse follows David's plea for God's intervention and protection amidst intense persecution, setting the stage for his trust in God's ultimate justice.
Ever felt like someone's out to get you, laying traps you can't see coming? David knew this feeling intimately. His enemies didn't just attack; they plotted with cunning and deceit.
Hidden Dangers
David describes his enemies as setting a 'net for my steps' and digging a 'pit.' These aren't open battles but insidious schemes designed to ensnare and destroy him without him even realizing it until it's too late.
This verse highlights how enemies can be both cruelly aggressive and deceptively cunning, aiming to trap us in ways that bring us low.
Being targeted by deceitful people doesn't just put you in danger; it crushes your spirit. David felt this immense pressure, his very soul bowed down.
The Soul's Burden
The phrase 'my soul was bowed down' captures more than just sadness. It signifies a deep oppression, a spiritual and emotional weight that makes one feel defeated and unable to rise.
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David's experience reminds us that the attacks of our enemies are not just physical but deeply personal, aiming to break our inner strength.
The story isn't over with David's distress. There's a powerful turn of events: those who plotted against him ended up falling into their own traps!
The Lord's Justice
Verse 6 ends with a triumphant declaration: 'but they have fallen into it themselves.' This isn't just luck; it's the justice of God at work.
This is a profound comfort: even when evil seems powerful, God is sovereign and ensures that justice ultimately prevails.
Understand the original words
resheth · Hebrew Noun
A device used for trapping animals or birds; metaphorically, it represents traps, plots, or schemes set by enemies to cause the downfall of the righteous.
nephesh · Hebrew Noun
The Hebrew word 'nephesh' denotes the whole person, the inner self, or the seat of emotions and life; it is the vital essence that experiences distress, longing, and praise toward God.
selah · Hebrew Interjection/Noun
A technical musical or liturgical term, likely indicating a pause, a moment for reflection, or a musical interlude in the singing of the Psalms.
The imagery of nets and pits powerfully reflects the desperate circumstances David faced, hunted by a paranoid king. Yet, the ultimate deliverance depicted shows how God can turn the tables on oppressors, causing their own schemes to backfire.
c. 1025-1015 BC
Saul's Growing Paranoia and Pursuit
King Saul, increasingly paranoid and jealous of David's popularity and military success, begins actively hunting him. This period is marked by Saul's relentless pursuit and David's need to constantly flee and hide.
c. 1018 BC
David Hides in the Wilderness of Ziph
David and his men take refuge in the wilderness, an area known for its caves and rugged terrain. The Ziphites, seeking favor with Saul, betray David's whereabouts.
c. 1018 BC— this verse
Saul Pursues David to the Cave of Engedi
Saul, informed of David's location at Engedi, personally leads his troops to capture David. He enters a cave where David and his men are hiding, unaware of their presence.
c. 1018 BC
David Spares Saul's Life
David's men urge him to kill Saul, but David refuses, instead cutting off a piece of Saul's robe. Later, David reveals himself, showing Saul the cloth and demonstrating his restraint, highlighting Saul's own precarious position.
c. 1015 BC
Saul's Death at Mount Gilboa
Saul and his army are defeated by the Philistines. In despair, Saul falls on his own sword, bringing an end to his reign and his pursuit of David.
This passage describes an enemy digging a pit and falling into it themselves, mirroring the outcome described in Psalm 57:6.
Psalms 9:15This verse also speaks of the wicked falling into a snare they prepared for others, directly paralleling the theme of Psalm 57:6.
Proverbs 26:27This proverb explicitly states that whoever digs a pit will fall into it, reinforcing the judgment depicted in Psalm 57:6.
1 Samuel 24:1-4This historical account shows King Saul pursuing David into a cave, where David had the opportunity to strike him but spared him, fulfilling the idea of the pursuer falling into the pursued's hands.
Galatians 6:7This New Testament passage presents the principle of reaping what you sow, which is the theological undergirding for why those who plot evil often fall prey to their own schemes.
clarkePsalms 57:6: "They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah."
They have prepared a net for my steps - A gin or springe, such as huntsmen put in the places which they know the prey they seek frequents: such, also, as they place in passages in hedges, etc., through which the game creeps. They have digged a pit - Another method of catching game and wild beasts. They dig a pit, cover it over w…
gillPsalms 57:6: "They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah."
They have prepared a net for my steps,.... They laid snares for him, as the fowler does for the bird, in order to take him. It denotes the insidious ways used by Saul and his men to get David into their hands; so the Pharisees consulted together how they might entangle Christ in his talk, Matthew 22:15 ; my soul is bowed down; d…
The verse highlights that the very traps set for the vulnerable can become the downfall of the trappers. It's not just about falling into a pit, but that the enemies' own devices—their plots and schemes—ultimately ensnare them instead of the one they're pursuing.
David feels trapped and crushed by his enemies, who are laying elaborate, deadly schemes to capture him. Yet, he declares that their own traps have backfired, causing them to fall into their own devices. This verse follows David's plea for God's intervention and protection amidst intense persecution, setting the stage for his trust in God's ultimate justice.
David feels trapped and crushed by his enemies, who are laying elaborate, deadly schemes to capture him. Yet, he declares that their own traps have backfired, causing them to fall into their own devices. This verse follows David's plea for God's intervention and protection amidst intense persecution, setting the stage for his trust in God's ultimate justice.
"They set a net for my steps; my soul was bowed down. They dug a pit in my way, but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah" — The verse highlights that the very traps set for the vulnerable can become the downfall of the trappers. It's not just about falling into a pit, but that the enemies' own devices—their plots and sc…
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Last reviewed October 2026