Lexical Summary sharar: To be firm, to be strong, to be obstinate Original Word: שָׁרַר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance enemy A primitive root; to be hostile (only active participle an opponent) -- enemy. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originsee shorer. Brown-Driver-Briggs [שׁוֺרֵר] noun masculine (insidious) watcher, (properly Po`l. Participle, ׳מְ omitted, Ges§ 52s); — plural suffix שׁוֺרְרַי Psalm 56:3, שׁוֺרְרָ֑י Psalm 5:9; Psalm 27:11, שֹׁרְרָ֑י Psalm 54:7; Psalm 59:11; Psalm 92:12 see foregoing. III. שׁור (√ of following; Arabic Topical Lexicon Root Sense and Conceptual Scopeשָׁרַר portrays an active stance of hostility. The participial forms rendered “enemies,” “foes,” or “those who oppress me” depict adversaries who do not merely exist, but deliberately plot, stalk, and assault. The verb carries the flavor of constant pressure—an enemy who keeps up the chase, presses in, and refuses to relent. Canonical Distribution All five appearances lie in Davidic laments (Psalm 5:8; Psalm 27:11; Psalm 54:5; Psalm 56:2; Psalm 59:10). The restricted range highlights a single, unified testimony: the shepherd-king repeatedly faced relentless human opposition and learned to meet it with prayer, confidence, and ethical integrity. Literary and Poetic Function 1. Psalm 5:8 “Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make Your way straight before me.” The presence of שָׁרַר drives David to petition for moral clarity. The hostile gaze of the foe forces the psalmist to walk a transparent path where God’s righteousness, not self-defense, vindicates him. 2. Psalm 27:11 “Teach me Your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.” Here the same pressure becomes a sanctifying instrument. Foes push David toward a “level path,” a metaphor for stability and integrity amid turmoil. 3. Psalm 54:5 “He will repay my enemies for their evil. In Your faithfulness destroy them.” The verb moves from present threat to assured judgment. Divine faithfulness, not personal revenge, settles the score. 4. Psalm 56:2 “My enemies pursue me all day long, for many proudly assail me.” שָׁרַר depicts continuous pursuit. The psalm answers with an equally continuous confession: “When I am afraid, I will trust in You” (Psalm 56:3). 5. Psalm 59:10 “My God will go before me; He will let me look down on my foes.” The once-pressing adversary becomes the object of God-given triumph, transforming fear into worship. Theological Significance 1. Divine Sovereignty over Human Opposition Each context pairs the foe’s aggression with the Lord’s righteous oversight. The pattern teaches that enmity, however fierce, functions within God’s providential boundaries. 2. Sanctification through Pressure Opposition exposes the heart. David’s appeals show that an enemy’s presence is an invitation to deeper instruction (“Teach me Your way”), heightened righteousness, and renewed dependence. 3. Imprecation and Mercy Psalm 54:5 juxtaposes divine repayment with covenant faithfulness. The believer may pray for just retribution without personal malice, entrusting judgment to the Judge of all the earth. Historical Backdrop The superscriptions link several of these psalms to specific episodes in David’s life (for example, Psalm 54 to the Ziphites’ betrayal). שָׁרַר captures the political and personal hostility he experienced as a fugitive. The term thus roots the theology of enmity in concrete history: real deserts, real spies, real spears. Yet the inspired text elevates those moments into paradigms for every generation of God’s people. Practical and Ministry Applications • Spiritual Formation: Teach believers to convert the pressure of adversaries into petitions for guidance and holiness (Psalm 27:11). Christological and New Testament Echoes David’s experience anticipates the Greater Son. Isaiah 53:7 describes Messiah oppressed but silent; the Gospels recount foes who “kept watch” to trap Him (Luke 14:1), echoing the stalking nuance of שָׁרַר. Yet in Christ, ultimate victory over adversaries is secured (Colossians 2:15), fulfilling the trajectory that Psalms only foreshadow. Prayer and Worship Insights The five texts move in a spiral: petition (Psalm 5), instruction (Psalm 27), imprecation (Psalm 54), trust (Psalm 56), and triumph (Psalm 59). When used sequentially in devotional settings, they shepherd the heart from fear to faith to praise, demonstrating how to process sustained hostility through God-centered liturgy. Summary שָׁרַר encapsulates the reality of determined enemies and the God-given path to overcome them. Found only in David’s laments, it invites believers to face persistent opposition with righteousness, trust, and expectancy, confident that the Lord who leads on “level paths” will, in His time, humble every foe and exalt His steadfast love. Forms and Transliterations בְשֹׁרְרָֽי׃ בשררי׃ וררי לְשֹׁרְרָ֑י לשררי שׁ֭וֹרְרַי שׁוֹרְרָ֑י שׁוֹרְרָֽי׃ שוררי שוררי׃ ḇə·šō·rə·rāy ḇəšōrərāy lə·šō·rə·rāy leshoreRai ləšōrərāy shorRai šō·wr·rāy šōwrrāy veshoreRai vrrai wr·ray wrrayLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Psalm 5:8 HEB: בְצִדְקָתֶ֗ךָ לְמַ֥עַן שׁוֹרְרָ֑י [הֹושַׁר כ] KJV: in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way INT: your righteousness because enemies direct before Psalm 27:11 Psalm 54:5 Psalm 56:2 Psalm 59:10 5 Occurrences |
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is become raised, excited, leap, spring; Late Hebrew שׁוֺר = Biblical Hebrew, = Sabean תֿור(ןׅ SabDenkmNo. 12, 1. 3 DHMZMG xxxvii (1883), 329; Arabic 
, Aramaic תּוֺרָא, 
; Nabataean תורא as proper name, masculine Lzb384 (Greek ταῦρος, Latin taurus, English steer); Assyrian šûru, Ethiopic 
).