Psalms 18:17

18:17 He rescued me from my strong enemy, ¹ 

from those who hate me,

for they were too strong for me.

Psalms 59:3

59:3 For look, they wait to ambush me; ² 

powerful men stalk ³  me,

but not because I have rebelled or sinned, O Lord. ⁴ 

[18:17]  ¹ tn The singular refers either to personified death or collectively to the psalmist’s enemies. The following line, which refers to “those [plural] who hate me,” favors the latter.

[59:3]  ² tn Heb “my life.”

[59:3]  ³ tn The Hebrew verb is from the root גּוּר (gur), which means “to challenge, attack” in Isa 54:15 and “to stalk” (with hostile intent) in Ps 56:8.

[59:3]  ⁴ sn The point is that the psalmist’s enemies have no justifiable reason for attacking him. He has neither rebelled or sinned against the Lord.