Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 38:19
But mine enemies [are] lively, [and] they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.
19. mine enemies are lively ] He contrasts their vigour with his own weakness. But the expression is somewhat strange; and a comparison of Psa 35:19 suggests that we should read without cause, corresponding to wrongfully in the next line, in place of are lively. The Hebrew words are very similar ( ).
wrongfully ] Lit. falsely. Their hatred is based on misconception and misrepresentation.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
But mine enemies are lively … – DeWette renders this, My enemies live and are strong. The word translated lively – 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 Psa 35:19.
Are multiplied – They are numerous. They are constantly increasing.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 19. But mine enemies are lively] Instead of chaiyim, lively, I would read chinam, without cause; a change made by the half of one letter, nun for a yod. See the parallel places, Ps 35:19; Ps 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.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Lively, Heb. living, i.e. thriving, or flourishing, or prosperous, as life is used, Psa 22:26; 34:12, and elsewhere.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
19, 20. Still, while humbledbefore God, he is the victim of deadly enemies, full of malice andtreachery.
enemies are livelyliterally,”of life,” who would take my life, that is, deadly.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole 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 Ps 73:4.
q “viventes”, Pagninus, Montanus, Musculus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
This living, (58) which he attributes to his enemies, implies as much as to enjoy continued and abundant prosperity in all things; and therefore he adds, that they are become strong and increase in power I interpret the word רבב, rabbab, in this place, increase in power, because he would speak improperly were he to be understood as saying, that they were multiplied. He does not here complain that they increased in number, but rather exalts their greatness, because the more they acquired of riches, they acquired so much the greater audacity in oppressing the good and the simple. He tells us that he is assailed by them wrongfully, and without cause, that he may induce God to be the more favorable and propitious to him. And surely, if we would have the favor of God for our defense, we must always take care not to injure any man, and to do nothing to provoke the hatred of any against us.
(58) Ainsworth reads, “ are alive, or living; ” “that is,” says he, “lively, lusty, cheerful, hale, and sound, or rich, as the word seemeth to mean in Ecc 6:8.” Dr Lowth, instead of חיים, chayim, living, proposes to read here חאנם, chinam, without cause — without cause have strengthened themselves. “I think,” says he, “ חינם, here for חיים, is a remarkable instance of a reading merely conjectural, unsupported by any authority but that of the context, of the truth of which, no possible doubt can be made. Hare and Houbigant, and I suppose every other competent reader, has hit upon it. You see the two hemistichs are parallel and synonymous, word answering to word.” — Dr Lowth in Mr Merrick ’ s Note on this place. — Street and Dr Adam Clarke agree in this alteration.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(19) But mine enemies are lively.See margin. But the parallelism and a comparison with Psa. 35:19 lead to the suspicion that the true reading is without cause.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
19. Mine enemies are lively strong “Lively” seems to be used in the sense of full of life, as opposed to David’s condition of exhaustion and infirmity. “Strong” may refer to their public influence, or to their numbers, or both.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
I need not enlarge on these verses, they all express the same blessed truths, and bear a gracious correspondence to the whole tenor of this Psalm. Jehovah is the salvation of his people, and Christ is the salvation of Jehovah’s appointment to the ends of the earth. Psa 27:1 ; Isa 49:6 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 38:19 But mine enemies [are] lively, [and] they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.
Ver. 19. Mine enemies are lively, &c. ] q.d. It is nuts to them, and they soon compose comedies out of my tragedies, growing more insolent by mine afflictions, and upbraiding me with my sins.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 38:19-20
Psa 38:19-20
A RECAPITULATION OF Psa 38:11-16
“But mine enemies are lively and strong:
And they that hate me are wrongfully multiplied.
They also that render evil for good
Are adversaries unto me, because I follow the thing that is good.”
“Mine adversaries, etc.” (Psa 38:19-20). The fact that David’s enemies were multiplied against him and threatening to destroy him was a source of the utmost anxiety on David’s part. This is reason (4).
“Because I follow the thing that is good” (Psa 38:20). The only thing anyone has to do to earn the hatred of unregenerated humanity is merely to “do good.” David found it so; and Christians of all ages can attest the truth of his experience. “Cain slew his brother Abel. And wherefore slew he him? Because his works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.” (1Jn 3:12).
E.M. Zerr:
Psa 38:19. Usually those who are unrighteous are in the majority; it was so in the case of David’s enemies. As they were multiplied that gave them the strength that comes from numbers. Such strength, however, will not avail when God enters the situation, hence David made his appeal to Him.
Psa 38:20. It would be taken for granted that those who would return evil for good to a man would be his adversaries. That was not the information David intended to impart in this verse. The significant idea is the motive he assigned to them; that it was because he followed that which was good. It has been the general history of mankind that a wicked person will dislike one who is good.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
But: Psa 3:1, Psa 25:19, Psa 56:1, Psa 56:2, Psa 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 Psa 35:19, Psa 79:5.
they that: Psa 35:19, Psa 69:4, Mat 10:22, Joh 15:18-25, Act 4:25-28
Reciprocal: Gen 37:4 – hated him Psa 18:17 – strong Psa 119:86 – they Psa 142:6 – for they 1Pe 2:19 – suffering
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 38:19-20. Mine enemies are lively Hebrew, living; that is, thriving, flourishing, and prosperous. They that render evil for good That hate and persecute me, not only without any injury or provocation on my part, but, as it were, in requital of the good I have done to them. Because I follow the thing that good is Because I love and diligently practise justice and piety, which they hate, and which I exercised, as I had opportunity, in the punishment of such as they are.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
38:19 But mine {n} enemies [are] lively, [and] they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.
(n) In my greatest misery they most rejoice.