Mazmur 38:18-22

38:18 Yes, ¹  I confess my wrongdoing,

and I am concerned about my sins.

38:19 But those who are my enemies for no reason are numerous; ² 

those who hate me without cause outnumber me. ³ 

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. ⁴ 

38:21 Do not abandon me, O Lord!

My God, do not remain far away from me!

38:22 Hurry and help me, ⁵  O Lord, my deliverer!

[38:18]  ¹ tn Or “for.” The translation assumes that כִּי (ki) is asseverative here.

[38:19]  ² tn 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]  ³ tn Heb “are many.”

[38:20]  ⁴ tn Heb “the ones who repay evil instead of good accuse me, instead of my pursuing good.”

[38:22]  ⁵ tn Heb “hurry to my help.” See Ps 22:19.