Psalms 140:5

“The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords, etc.] These were the Ziphites, according to Arama; (see <19B985>Psalm 119:85); the character well agrees with the Scribes and Pharisees, who were proud boasters, and despised others, and often laid snares for Christ to take away his life; and with the enemies of the church and people of God; who, through their pride, persecute them, and are insidious, and use artful methods to ensnare them; as the fowler lays his snare for the bird, and has his cords to draw it to him when it is taken in the snare, to which the allusion is; they have spread a net by the wayside: they waylaid him; knowing the way he would go, they lay in wait for him, to seize him…”

“The proud have hid a snare for me - Haughty; arrogant; oppressive men. See Psalms 35:7, note; Psalms 57:6, note. And cords - Strings; twine; as those do who lay a net to catch birds, and who design to spring it upon them unawares. They have spread a net by the wayside - Where I may be expected to walk, and where it may be suddenly sprung upon me. They have set gins for me - Snares, toils - such as are set for wild beasts. The meaning is, that they had not only made open war upon him, but they had sought to bring him into an ambush - to rush upon him suddenly when he was not on his guard, and did not know that, danger was near. return to 'Top of Page'”

“The proud: Psa 10:4-12, Psa 17:8-13, Psa 35:7, Psa 36:11, Psa 57:6, Psa 119:69, Psa 119:85, Psa 119:110, Psa 123:3, Psa 123:4; Psa 141:9, Psa 141:10, Psa 142:3; Pro 29:5; Jer 18:18, Jer 18:20, Jer 18:22; Luk 11:53, Luk 11:54, Luk 20:20-23 Psalms 140:6”