Psa 27:11-12 | NETfull | STEP | Teach me how you want me to live; lead me along a level path because of those who wait to ambush me!

Psalms 27:11-12

11 Teach me how you want me to live; ^{▼▼ 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.}
lead me along a level path ^{▼▼ 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).} because of those who wait to ambush me! ^{▼▼ Heb “because of those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 5:8; 54:5; 56:2.}
12 Do not turn me over to my enemies, ^{▼▼ Heb “do not give me over to the desire of my enemies.”}
for false witnesses who want to destroy me testify against me. ^{▼▼ Heb “for they have risen up against me, lying witnesses and a testifier of violence.” The form יָפֵחַ (yafeakh) is traditionally understood as a verb meaning “snort, breathe out”: “for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty” (KJV; cf. BDB 422 s.v.). A better option is to take the form as a noun meaning “a witness” (or “testifier”). See Prov 6:19; 12:17; 14:5, 25; 19:5, 9, and Hab 2:3.}