Psa 38:19 | NETfull | STEP | But those who are my enemies for no reason are numerous; those who hate me without cause outnumber me.

Psalms 38:19

19 But those who are my enemies for no reason are numerous; ^{▼▼ 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”).}
those who hate me without cause outnumber me. ^{▼▼ Heb “are many.”}