Psa 116:3-4 | NET2full | STEP | The ropes of death tightened around me, the snares of Sheol confronted me. I was confronted with trouble and sorrow .

‏ Psalms 116:3-4

3 The ropes of death tightened around me, ^{▼▼tn Heb “surrounded me.”}
the snares ^{▼▼tn The Hebrew noun מֵצַר (metsar, “straits; distress”) occurs only here, Ps 118:5 and Lam 1:3. If retained, it refers to Sheol as a place where one is confined or severely restricted (cf. BDB 865 s.v. מֵצַר, “the straits of Sheol”; NIV “the anguish of the grave”; NRSV “the pangs of Sheol”). However, HALOT 624 s.v. מֵצַר suggests an emendation to מְצָדֵי (metsade, “snares of”), a rare noun attested in Job 19:6 and Eccl 7:26. This proposal, which is reflected in the translation, produces better parallelism with “ropes” in the preceding line.} of Sheol confronted me.
I was confronted ^{▼▼tn The translation assumes the prefixed verbal form is a preterite. The psalmist recalls the crisis from which the Lord delivered him.} with trouble and sorrow.
4 I called on the name of the Lord,
“Please, Lord, rescue my life!”