Psalms 16:11

16:11 You lead me in the path of life;

I experience absolute joy in your presence;

you always give me sheer delight.

Psalms 27:11

27:11 Teach me how you want me to live;

lead me along a level path because of those who wait to ambush me!

Psalms 125:5

125:5 As for those who are bent on traveling a sinful path,

may the Lord remove them, along with those who behave wickedly! 10 

May Israel experience peace! 11 

Psalms 140:5

140:5 Proud men hide a snare for me;

evil men 12  spread a net by the path;

they set traps for me. (Selah)

Psalms 142:3

142:3 Even when my strength leaves me, 13 

you watch my footsteps. 14 

In the path where I walk

they have hidden a trap for me.


tn Heb “cause me to know”; or “cause me to experience.”

tn This is a metaphorical way of saying, “you preserve my life.” The phrase “path of life” stands in contrast to death/Sheol in Prov 2:18-19; 5:5-6; 15:24.

tn Heb “abundance of joy [is] with your face.” The plural form of the noun שִׂמְחָה (simkhah, “joy”) occurs only here and in Ps 45:15. It may emphasize the degree of joy experienced.

tn Heb “delight [is] in your right hand forever.” The plural form of the adjective נָעִים (naim, “pleasant, delightful”) may here emphasize the degree of delight experienced (see Job 36:11).

tn Heb “teach me your way.” The Lord’s “way” refers here to the moral principles which he expects the psalmist to follow. See Ps 25:4.

sn The level path refers to God’s moral principles (see the parallel line), which, if followed, will keep the psalmist blameless before his accusers (see v. 12).

tn Heb “because of those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 5:8; 54:5; 56:2.

tn Heb “and the ones making their paths twisted.” A sinful lifestyle is compared to a twisting, winding road.

tn Heb “lead them away.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive of prayer here (note the prayers directly before and after this). Another option is to translate, “the Lord will remove them” (cf. NIV, NRSV).

10 tn Heb “the workers of wickedness.”

11 tn Heb “peace [be] upon Israel.” The statement is understood as a prayer (see Ps 122:8 for a similar prayer for peace).

12 tn Heb “and ropes,” but many prefer to revocalize the noun as a participle (חֹבְלִים, khovÿlim) from the verb חָבַל (khaval, “act corruptly”).

13 tn Heb “my spirit grows faint.”

14 tn Heb “you know my path.”