Psalms 18:18

18:18 They confronted ¹  me in my day of calamity,

but the Lord helped me. ² 

Psalms 86:3

86:3 Have mercy on me, ³  O Lord,

for I cry out to you all day long!

Psalms 102:11

102:11 My days are coming to an end, ⁴ 

and I am withered like grass.

Psalms 144:4

144:4 People ⁵  are like a vapor,

their days like a shadow that disappears. ⁶ 

[18:18]  ¹ tn The same verb is translated “trapped” in v. 5. In this poetic narrative context the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite indicating past tense, not imperfect.

[18:18]  ² tn Heb “became my support.”

[86:3]  ³ tn Or “show me favor.”

[102:11]  ⁵ tn Heb “my days [are] like an extended [or “lengthening”] shadow,” that is, like a late afternoon shadow made by the descending sun that will soon be swallowed up by complete darkness.

[144:4]  ⁷ tn Heb “man,” or “mankind.”

[144:4]  ⁸ tn Heb “his days [are] like a shadow that passes away,” that is, like a late afternoon shadow made by the descending sun that will soon be swallowed up by complete darkness. See Ps 102:11.