Psalms 88:17

88:17 They surround me like water all day long;

they join forces and encircle me. ¹ 

Psalms 118:11-12

118:11 They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me.

Indeed, in the name of the Lord I pushed them away.

118:12 They surrounded me like bees.

But they disappeared as quickly ²  as a fire among thorns. ³ 

Indeed, in the name of the Lord I pushed them away.

[88:17]  ¹ tn Heb “they encircle me together.”

[118:12]  ² tn Heb “were extinguished.”

[118:12]  ³ tn The point seems to be that the hostility of the nations (v. 10) is short-lived, like a fire that quickly devours thorns and then burns out. Some, attempting to create a better parallel with the preceding line, emend דֹּעֲכוּ (do’akhu, “they were extinguished”) to בָּעֲרוּ (ba’aru, “they burned”). In this case the statement emphasizes their hostility.