Psalms 38:16-22

Context

38:16 I have prayed for deliverance, because otherwise they will gloat over me;¹

when my foot slips they will arrogantly taunt me.²

38:17 For I am about to stumble,

and I am in constant pain.³

38:18 Yes,⁴ I confess my wrongdoing,

and I am concerned about my sins.

38:19 But those who are my enemies for no reason are numerous;⁵

those who hate me without cause outnumber me.⁶

38:20 They repay me evil for the good I have done;

though I have tried to do good to them, they hurl accusations at me.⁷

38:21 Do not abandon me, O Lord!

My God, do not remain far away from me!

38:22 Hurry and help me,⁸ O Lord, my deliverer!

[38:16] ¹tn Heb “For I said, ‘Lest they rejoice over me.’” The psalmist recalls the motivating argument of his petition. He probably prefaced this statement with a prayer for deliverance (see Pss 7:1-2; 13:3-4; 28:1).

[38:16] ²tn Heb “they will magnify against me.” See Pss 35:26; 55:13.

[38:17] ³tn Heb “and my pain [is] before me continually.”

[38:18] ⁴tn Or “for.” The translation assumes that כִּי (ki) is asseverative here.

[38:19] ⁵tn Heb “and my enemies, life, are many.” The noun חַיִּים (khayyim, “life”) fits very awkwardly here. The translation assumes an emendation to חִנָּם (khinam, “without reason”; note the parallelism with שֶׁקֶר [sheqer, “falsely”] and see Pss 35:19; 69:4; Lam 3:52). The verb עָצַם (’atsam) can sometimes mean “are strong,” but here it probably focuses on numerical superiority (note the parallel verb רָבַב, ravav, “be many”).

[38:19] ⁶tn Heb “are many.”

[38:20] ⁷tn Heb “the ones who repay evil instead of good accuse me, instead of my pursuing good.”

[38:22] ⁸tn Heb “hurry to my help.” See Ps 22:19.