Psalms

Psalm 38:12–14

¹²Those who seek my life lay snares;

those who wish me harm speak destruction,

plotting deceit all day long.

¹³But like a deaf man, I do not hear;

and like a mute man, I do not open my mouth.

¹⁴I am like a man who cannot hear,

whose mouth offers no reply.

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Those who seek	מְבַקְשֵׁ֬י	mə·ḇaq·šê	Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural construct	H1245 seek
my life	נַפְשִׁ֗י	nap̄·šî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
lay snares	וַיְנַקְשׁ֤וּ׀	way·naq·šū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5367 knock, strike
those who wish me	וְדֹרְשֵׁ֣י	wə·ḏō·rə·šê	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct	H1875 resort to, seek
harm	רָ֭עָתִי	rā·‘ā·ṯî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H7451 bad, evil
speak	דִּבְּר֣וּ	dib·bə·rū	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural	H1696 speak
destruction	הַוּ֑וֹת	haw·wō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H1942 desire
plotting	יֶהְגּֽוּ׃	yeh·gū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1897 moan, growl, utter, speak, muse
deceit	וּ֝מִרְמ֗וֹת	ū·mir·mō·wṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine plural	H4820 deceit, treachery
all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
day long	הַיּ֥וֹם	hay·yō·wm	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3117 day

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But like a deaf man	כְ֭חֵרֵשׁ	ḵə·ḥê·rêš	Preposition-k; Adjective - masculine singular	H2795 deaf
I	וַאֲנִ֣י	wa·’ă·nî	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
do not	לֹ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
hear	אֶשְׁמָ֑ע	’eš·mā‘	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H8085 hear
and like a mute man	וּ֝כְאִלֵּ֗ם	ū·ḵə·’il·lêm	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k; Adjective - masculine singular	H483 dumb
I do not	לֹ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
open	יִפְתַּח־	yip̄·taḥ-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6605 open
my mouth	פִּֽיו׃	pîw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H6310 mouth

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I am	וָאֱהִ֗י	wā·’ĕ·hî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
like a man	כְּ֭אִישׁ	kə·’îš	Preposition-k; Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
who	אֲשֶׁ֣ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
cannot	לֹא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
hear	שֹׁמֵ֑עַ	šō·mê·a‘	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H8085 hear
whose mouth	בְּ֝פִ֗יו	bə·p̄îw	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H6310 mouth
offers no reply	תּוֹכָחֽוֹת׃	tō·w·ḵā·ḥō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H8433 rebuke, correction

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Psalm 38:12 2 Samuel 17:1–3 · Psalm 35:20 · Psalm 54:3 · Psalm 140:5 · Psalm 64:2–5 · Psalm 35:4 · 2 Samuel 16:7–8 · Luke 20:19–22 · Psalm 119:110 · Psalm 141:9

Psalm 38:13 Isaiah 53:7 · Psalm 39:9 · Psalm 39:2 · 1 Peter 2:23 · 2 Samuel 16:10–12

Psalm 38:14 Amos 5:13 · John 8:6 · Mark 15:3–5 · Micah 7:5

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.