Psalms 38:19

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Contextual Overview

¹²Those who seek my life lay snares; those who wish me harm speak destruction, plotting deceit all day long. ¹³But like a deaf man, I do not hear; and like a mute man, I do not open my mouth. ¹⁴I am like a man who cannot hear, whose mouth offers no reply. ¹⁵I wait for You, O LORD; You will answer, O Lord my God. ¹⁶For I said, "Let them not gloat over me-those who taunt me when my foot slips." ¹⁷For I am ready to fall, and my pain is ever with me. ¹⁸Yes, I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin. ¹⁹Many are my enemies without cause, and many hate me without reason.²⁰Those who repay my good with evil attack me for pursuing the good. ²¹Do not forsake me, O LORD; be not far from me, O my God.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

But: Psalms 3:1, Psalms 25:19, Psalms 56:1, Psalms 56:2, Psalms 59:1-3

are lively: etc. Heb. being living are strong, Instead of chaymin, "lively" Bp. Lowth would read chinmon, "without cause" - "but mine enemies without cause have strengthened themselves." As this emendation renders this member of the sentence parallel to the other, it is by no means improbable. See note on Psalms 35:19, Psalms 79:5.

they that: Psalms 35:19, Psalms 69:4, Matthew 10:22, John 15:18-25, Acts 4:25-28

Reciprocal: Genesis 37:4 - hated him Psalms 18:17 - strong Psalms 119:86 - they Psalms 142:6 - for they 1 Peter 2:19 - suffering

Cross-References

Genesis 38:14
she removed her widow's garments, covered her face with a veil to disguise herself, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah. For she saw that although Shelah had grown up, she had not been given to him as a wife.

2 Samuel 14:2
So Joab sent to Tekoa to bring a wise woman from there. He told her, "Please pretend to be a mourner; put on clothes for mourning and do not anoint yourself with oil. Act like a woman who has mourned for the dead a long time.

2 Samuel 14:5
"What troubles you?" the king asked her. "Indeed," she said, "I am a widow, for my husband is dead.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But mine enemies [are] lively,.... Or "living" q or "live"; not in a spiritual sense; for they had no lively hope, nor living faith, but were dead in trespasses and sins; nor merely in a natural sense, or corporeally, so David was living himself; but in great prosperity and worldly happiness, and so were brisk and cheerful, and lived a merry and pleasent life;

[and] they are strong; not only hale and robust in body, but abounded in riches and wealth, which are the strength of wicked men;

and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied; that is, such as hated him without a cause, and made lies and falsehoods the reasons of it: these increased in numbers, or in their outward state and circumstances; see Psalms 73:4.

q חיים "viventes", Pagninus, Montanus, Musculus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But mine enemies are lively ... - DeWette renders this, “My enemies live and are strong.” The word translated “lively” - חיים chayiym - means properly “living, being alive.” The literal translation would be, “My enemies, being alive, are strong.” The idea is, that while he was weak and apparently near to death, they were in the full vigor of life and health. They were able to engage in active efforts to accomplish their purposes. They could take advantage of his weakness; and he could not contend with them, for he was no match for them. In every respect they had the advantage of him; and he prays, therefore, for the divine interposition in his behalf.

And they that hate me wrongfully - Hebrew, “falsely.” See Psalms 35:19.

Are multiplied - They are numerous. They are constantly increasing.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Psalms 38:19. But mine enemies are lively — Instead of חיים chaiyim, lively, I would read חינם chinam, without cause; a change made by the half of one letter, נ nun for a י yod. See the parallel places, Psalms 35:19; Psalms 79:5. See also the Preliminary Dissertation to Dr. Lowth's Isaiah, p. 40: "But without cause my enemies have strengthened themselves; and they who wrongfully hate me are multiplied." Here the one member of the verse answers to the other.