John Calvin Commentary Psalms 35:8

"Let destruction come upon him unawares; And let his net that he hath hid catch himself: With destruction let him fall therein." — Psalms 35:8 (ASV)

Let confusion of which he is not aware come upon him. David again prays that God would cause the mischief, which they had directed against a just and inoffensive man, to return upon the head of his enemies. The change from the plural to the singular number, even when the same subject is spoken of, is, as we know, very common among the Hebrews.

Accordingly, what is said here of one man is applicable to all David’s enemies in general, unless, perhaps, we are rather inclined to suppose that allusion is made here to Saul or one of his nobles. But since it is certain that the prayer he offers here against Saul as the head extends to the whole body—in other words, to all his followers—it matters little how we understand it.

The Hebrew word שואה, shoah, sometimes signifies confusion, and sometimes destruction; therefore, many translate it, Let destruction, or desolation, or ruin, come upon him. The other rendering, however, seems more suitable, for he immediately adds, Let his own net which he hath hidden catch him, let him fall into it with confusion. The way in which others render it, Let him fall into destruction itself, is certainly forced and unnatural.

But the meaning of the clause will be brought out very suitably if it is viewed as David’s prayer that, just as the wicked settle down like wine upon the lees in their present enjoyments and fear nothing (as if they were placed beyond the reach of all danger), some calamity they do not expect might suddenly come upon them like a tempest and overwhelm them.

It never for a moment occurs to them as even possible that their stratagems and craft, their wicked practices, and all the snares which they lay for the good and the simple, will bring about the destruction of those who devised them. David, therefore, very properly desires that they may fall with confusion into the nets which they have laid; in other words, that they may be filled with amazement and terror when they are suddenly and unexpectedly visited with calamity.

The more unbounded and extravagant the exultation of people is, because they vainly and foolishly imagine that they will escape unpunished, the more they are filled with amazement and fear when calamity suddenly overtakes them. I have, however, no doubt that David here refers to some strange and extraordinary calamity.

Let confusion, then, which he does not expect, come upon him; that is to say, when he has persuaded himself that all is well with him and has promised himself peace in his deceitful fascinations, then let unusual terror strike him to the heart, and let him feel, through his tumultuous fear, that he is caught in his own snares.