Psalms 38:17-20

Context

38:17 For I am about to stumble,

and I am in constant pain.¹

38:18 Yes,² I confess my wrongdoing,

and I am concerned about my sins.

38:19 But those who are my enemies for no reason are numerous;³

those who hate me without cause outnumber me.⁴

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.⁵

[38:17] ¹tn Heb “and my pain [is] before me continually.”

[38:18] ²tn Or “for.” The translation assumes that כִּי (ki) is asseverative here.

[38:19] ³tn 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] ⁴tn Heb “are many.”

[38:20] ⁵tn Heb “the ones who repay evil instead of good accuse me, instead of my pursuing good.”