Psalm 38:12-22 “Five Ways To Fix Dismay”

Translation & Sermon By Nate Wilson for Christ the Redeemer Church, Manhattan, KS, 03 June 2018

· In our last study, I introduced Psalm 38 as a lament psalm, with a purpose to get us back in synch with God’s attitude of abhorring sin. The application was that when you are tempted in the direction of a certain sin, you can recall to mind the terrible consequences of that sin to fight against the allure of that sin.

· But at some point, lament can become dismay. Hopelessness, Aimlessness, Carelessness, and Hardness can set in if we lose focus on Jesus our savior.

· So, in today’s study on the second half of Psalm 38, I want us to learn from David’s example five things to focus on when we are dismayed by the sin inside us and around us.

A) Eyes on God instead of on Bad-guys

· v.12 And those who seek [to end] my life have struck hard; and those who pursue evil [against] me have declared destructive-desires; they meditate on deceptions all day [long].

· David is in dire straits. Not only does he not have friends in v.11, he also has enemies who are out for blood in v.12.

o They are laying traps for him, snares built to hit hard and knock him permanently to the ground, according to the root meaning of the verb naqash, and as I interpret the perfect tense here, he’s already been struck hard by one of these traps.

o David knows that they are out to do him harm because they have already declared their intentions. They have been talking about their rapacious appetites for mischief –for his ruin and destruction.

· He has noted this before in Psalm 5:8-11 “Yahweh, guide me in your righteousness because of my opponents; level your way in front of me. Because in [every] mouth there is nothing that will stand; their innards are empty-desires, an open grave their larynx; they flatter [with] their tongue. Judge them guilty, God! They will fall as a result of their counsels. Cause them to go away through multiplication of their transgressions because they are resistant with You. Meanwhile, all refugees in You will be happy, they will sing out forever…” (NAW)

o It seems that David attributes this aggressive and violent behavior of his enemies in Psalm 38 to the fact that, all day long, they devise/plot/imagine deceptions/treacheries/deceits. The verb here is the same one translated “meditates” in Psalm 1. They think about what is not true, over and over, until it spills out of their mouths in mutterings of their perverted appetites and results in evildoing.

o You can see that same pattern in a lot of terrorist profiles. They begin meditating on false and bad ideas (much of which they get off the Internet), then they start talking about doing evil things, and then suddenly there they are in some public place shooting innocent bystanders.

· In v.13, David seems to be offering himself as a foil to contrast with his enemies by means of two similes, a deaf man and a mute man.

o Instead of being like the wicked and meditating indiscriminately on lies, David is careful about what he will listen to, and he says he’s not going to listen to that junk.

§ (The NIV suggests that he is not able to hear or speak, and that could be inferred from his comparison with a deaf and dumb man, but I’d like to point out that the Hebrew verbs in v.13 don’t speak to whether or not he can hear and speak; it merely says he is not hearing and speaking.)

§ If he is not able to hear or speak, perhaps this would be due to how devastated he is by his own sin and how dismayed he is at the depravity of his enemies. He could be realizing that he deserves worse than he’s getting for his sin, and that he has no room to be indignant at his enemies for their evil, because he is a sinner too. It could be a way of expressing before God, “I’m a mess; what can I say?” My only hope is for You, O LORD to intervene.

§ But I think there was intentionality behind David’s deafness.

· Remember what he said in Psalm 1? He is that man who, to the best of his ability, “didn't walk in the counsel of the wicked didn't stand in the path of sinners, and didn't sit in the bench of the scornful” (NAW). And that means he did not hear so much mischief and deception because he was intentionally avoiding it.

· Antagonists may have accused David of being out-of-it because he was not up on the latest propaganda news items or the latest juicy gossip or the latest pagan entertainment acts. But David stands as an example to us also to be calculatingly ignorant about things that would destroy our innocence and faith in God.

· Remember also what the Apostle Paul wrote: “…in regards to evil continue to be in immaturity, yet in thinking be becoming mature.” (1 Cor. 14:20 NAW)

o The second simile contrast is that, instead of spouting off mischief and threats and vacuous desires and wishes to ruin others – like his enemies in v.12, David makes himself mute – he doesn’t open his mouth.

§ The word for “reproofs/arguments/replies” at the end of v.14 is a noun form of the verb in v.1 translated “rebuke/judge.”

§ David, although rightfully king, seems to have made a decision to step away from the role of judge and jury – even step away from the role of plaintiff, and not press charges against those at enmity with him.

§ This reminds me of the position David took with Shemei, who publicly insulted David (but later apologized), and Joab, who was a loyal army captain but nevertheless murdered some of David’s best officers. David decided not to hold trial and put them to death like he could have; he just let them be.

§ Again, I think this is intentional.

· Notice the first word of v.15 “I am deaf-mute… [WHY?] for/because I’m hoping/waiting for God.” Even if you’re reading the NIV or ESV that ignored the Hebrew causal word כִּי that starts the verse,

· the verb “wait” itself is in the Hiphil stem, also indicating causality.

· David is intentionally not listening or talking to enemies (subordinate players in his life) because he is listening for and talking to a more important person in his life – His master, the Lord.

o I remember one time I was at the drivers licensing office – I don’t remember which kid it was, but the clerk was not satisfied with the documentation we gave her with our application for a drivers permit for my child, so she refused to issue us a permit. I tried arguing with her that my documentation actually did fit the legal requirements, but I couldn’t convince her. Finally, I asked her to check with her supervisor. When the supervisor came over, I stopped arguing with the clerk. I now had the ear of the guy in charge of the whole office – why argue with a peon when you can talk to the head honcho?! He knew some things that the clerk didn’t know, and before long we were walking out of the office with a driver’s permit!

o When you are experiencing God’s reproof for your sin, the most pointless thing you can do is attack the mean people that are making your life difficult and assert that you are in the right and ignore God’s discipline. I have seen people who have gotten so consumed with taking revenge on others that they can no longer see the sin in their own life and repent of it.

o Choosing to reject the messages of the world and flesh and the devil and choosing not to defend your own righteousness but wait expectantly for God to save you is the kind of contrite heart the Lord will not despise.

§ No more holding on to shreds of self-respect.

§ No more blaming others for the evil in your life.

§ No more clinging to the right to justice.

§ Just saying, “Here I am, Lord, warts and all. I need you to make something of this mess, because I can’t fix this.”

· Another way of putting it is that if it is your goal to enjoy the presence of God, then it’s not so much a goal to see the people who were bullying you get punished. Nor is it so important that you have that certain reputation or mark of prestige. Nor is it even that important that bad things stop happening to you, as long as you are getting your far-more-ultimate desire. “It’s for You I’ve been waiting, O Lord, my master and my God,” it’s not so much for my comfort I’ve been waiting. It’s not so much for justice that I’ve been waiting. It’s for You.

B) Express Hope in the Lord’s Salvation

· The verb in v.15- הוֹחָלְתִּי for “waiting/hoping” has showed up before in the Psalms:

o Psalm 31:23 “Love Yahweh, all you His godly ones! Those being faithful are the ones Yahweh is protecting, but He is paying back in excess the one who acts out haughtiness. Y'all be strong - and He will cause your heart to be firm, all you who are waiting for Yahweh!” (NAW)

· So what is it specifically that we wait for? Psalm 119 and 130 elaborate that it is God’s “word” that we wait for, namely His words of promise to “redeem” us from the mess we are in and give us “mercy/lovingkindness”! “I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, And in His word I do hope… O Israel, hope in the LORD; For with the LORD there is mercy, And with Him is abundant redemption.” (Psalm 130:5-7, NKJV)

· In Isaiah’s day, hundreds of years later, God’s people around the world were still hoping in God to give them salvation and to make them right in the judgment: Isaiah 51:5 “My righteousness is near, my salvation has gone out, and my arm will judge peoples. For me the coastlands eagerly wait [קוה], and for my arm they hope.” (NAW)

· And still today, that’s what we hope and wait for, a God and Master who has given us “great and precious promises[1]” of mercy and Jesus’ righteousness and salvation from sin.

o Galatians 5:5 “For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.” (NKJV)

o Philippians 3:20-21 “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.” (NKJV)

o Colossians 1:21-23 “And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard...” (NKJV)

o 1 Thessalonians 5:8-9 “But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (NKJV)

o Heb. 9:28 “…Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.” (NKJV)

o 1 Peter 1:13-15 “…start hoping upon the grace which is being brought to y'all in the revelation of Jesus Christ. As children of obedience, not being shaped with [your] earlier desires during your ignorance, but rather, in accordance with the Holy One who called you, you yourselves should also start becoming holy in all [your] lifestyle…” (NAW)

C) Expand God’s Good Reputation

· V.16 introduces a new line of argumentation before God based upon God’s own motivation to make a good reputation for Himself on earth.

o God will answer (v.15) because (v.16) I said, “If you don’t intervene, the bad guys are going to be the ones who are happy. I’m doing poorly and about to wipe out here, and if you let that happen, my enemies are going to think that they are bigger and better than you are.”

o Moses used this line of reasoning a few times successfully a few times when God made to wipe out the whole nation of Israel in the desert. “What about your reputation among the nations? They will think you didn’t have the power to deliver Israel. They will say ‘We don’t want to worship a God that wipes out His own people.’” (Num. 14:11-18)

o We also saw it back in Psalm 13:3-5 “Look this way; answer me, Yahweh my God, cause there to be light toward my eyes, otherwise I will sleep the [sleep of] death. Otherwise my enemy will say, ‘I have bested him!’ My adversaries will rejoice that I am overthrown. But as for me, it is in Your lovingkindness that I have trusted. My heart will rejoice in Your salvation.”(NAW)

o And in Psalm 35:25-27 “Don't let them say in their heart, ‘Aha! Our dream-come-true!’ Don't let them say, ‘We have swallowed him up!’ Those who are happy about evil happening to me will experience shame and blush together. Those trying to be great against me will wear shame and embarrassment. Those who are inclined toward righteousness happening to me will sing out and be happy, and those who are inclined toward the peace of His servant will always say, ‘Yahweh is great.’” (NAW)

o If you don’t save me, Your enemies will think they are great, but if You save me Your people will think You’re great. I know what you want! You have said you want your name to be “great to the ends of the earth!” (Micah 5:4)

o David thinks that his enemies are going to make much over his fall and think more highly of themselves[2] for two reasons in v.17:

§ First, the apparent success of their trap which knocked David’s feet out from under him.

· David mentioned his enemies gloating over this earlier in Psalm 35:15 “But they were happy with my stumbling so they gathered together; injuries were gathered against me while I did not know; they tore in and they did not cease.” (NAW)

· It seems unusual to me for the standard English translations to render a passive participle for the Hebrew verb meaning “to establish” as “ready to” or “about to.” I prefer to translate it literally “being established/set up.” This helps bring out the contrast between the enemies’ humanistic worldview and the reality of God’s providence which David knows. The enemies think they are in control of David’s future. They set the traps and they’re going to watch him stumble and fall. But actually, God is the one setting up the stage for what is happening. In the sovereignty of God, David’s fall is part of God’s “established” plan, which included not only David’s humiliation but also David’s redemption and eternal blessing, for the God who established that calamities would happen and even gave prophets visions of the future calamities in advance[3] is also the God who sent His Son (the Lord) to redeem, as the Prophet Hosea said, “His [that is, the LORD’s] going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain…” (Hos. 6:3, NKJV) and He is the same God in control of the future who promised David, “Your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you…'" (2 Sam. 7:16, NKJV).

§ The second reason David gives in v.17 is that he fears that his enemies will make too much of his fall because his makoav/sorrow/pain is always with/before/conspicuous.

· This is the same sort of “sorrow” that Jeremiah spoke of in his book of Lamentations, “Is… there is any sorrow like my sorrow, Which has been brought on me, Which the LORD has inflicted In the day of His fierce anger… The LORD is righteous, For I rebelled against His commandment. Hear now, all peoples, And behold my sorrow; My [young women] and my young men Have gone into captivity.” (Lam. 1:12&18, NKJV) Jeremiah clearly recognized that the sorrows of the Babylonian exile were God’s punishment for the Jew’s sin. (cf. Jer. 30:15 & 45:3)

· But if the enemies see all that sorrow heaped on God’s people, they will not have much respect for God, so David prays for God to intervene.

· The ultimate way in which God intervened was by sending Jesus. Those sorrows caused by sin are one of the things that the Isaiah prophecied would be transferred onto the Messiah for Him to suffer instead: “Surely our griefs He Himself carried, and our sorrows, He bore them. Yet we, we considered Him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted. [As indeed He was!] However, He was being pierced as a result of our rebellion - beaten as a result of our iniquity. Chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes there is healing for us. All we like the flock have strayed, each has faced toward his own way. But Yahweh interposed in Him the iniquity of us all… [saying] my righteous Servant will make righteous the many…” (Isa. 53:4-11, NAW)

D) Expose Your Sin for an Open Relationship

· V.18 starts with another causal ki (which again is omitted by the NIV). “Because I will confess my iniquity.” My question is, “What is the this the cause of?” What will happen as a result of David confessing his sin?

o It doesn’t seem related to v.19. “Because I confess my iniquity my enemies are many.” That doesn’t make logical sense.

o Possibly it could be related to the preceding verse: “My sorrow is ever before me because I confess my iniquity.” But that doesn’t quite seem to fit either because generally we feel the sorrow before we confess our sin, not after.

o I think that we have to go up two more verses to v.15 before we see the protasis: “You will answer... because…” Notice that the three verses after v.15 all start with the causal word for/because. I suggest that verses 16, 17, and 18 present three reasons why David believes that God will answer him:

§ First, in v.16, because David has talked with God about how God’s reputation will be dirt among the ungodly if God doesn’t save him.

§ Second, in v17, because David needs saving

§ And Third, in v.18, because David has confessed his sin to God.

§ Notice how relational this is: David “speaks” to God in v.16 and “declares/confesses” to God in v.18, as expressions of his “hope” in God, and God “answers” – v.15.

· What can we learn from David’s confession of sin?

o We should be open and honest about sin with God

§ The first verb root is nagad, meaning, “to make conspicuous, to expose, explain fully, declare, confess.”

§ In order to open up positive communications with God, David opened all the doors and windows of his live and said, “Here are all the ways I’m aware of that I have violated your laws and offended you.” (Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God and know my heart. Try me and know my anxieties[שׂרעף], and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” ~KJV)

§ Now, you’d think that in order to have a good relationship with somebody, you would not want to trot out all your offensiveness in front of them because it might make them recoil from you in disgust. But that’s not the way God works. He comes closer when we confess our sins and ask for Him to save us, but He is relationally distant from those who pretend they haven’t offended Him and don’t need His salvation. (James 4)

§ Proverbs 28:13 “He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes [them] will have mercy.” (NKJV)

o A corollary in the second half of v.18 is that we should take sin seriously:

§ The second verb edag is translated in the standard English versions: “I will be sorry/be full of anxiety/be troubled.” The verb root has to do with “being anxious, fearful, or concerned about” something. It consumes your thoughts because it is something with significant consequences that you can’t afford to ignore. It’s something you take seriously.

§ This verb is in the Hiphil stem which indicates causality, so it’s not just an anxiety or a state of being concerned that is happening to David, it’s a frame of mind that he is intentionally causing in himself. This takes us back to the reason why he wrote this lament Psalm in the first place, to brand in his mind the awfulness of sin. He is taking his sin seriously and causing/stirring up concern over it to match how much he knows God is offended by it. This leads to confessing his iniquity to God, being sorry over it, and God answering with pardon and salvation. “For godly sorrow produces repentance [leading] to salvation...” (2 Cor. 7:10, NKJV)

E) Evaluate Your Need and Ask for God’s Help

· Vs. 19-20 add two more reasons why God should take action against David’s enemies:

o V.19 emphasizes the sheer number/power of enemies. There are too many for David to deal with effectively. And they’re not going to be won over easily because they actively “hate” David; have “treachery” in their hearts toward him, are perpetrating “lies” about him and want to do him “wrong.” He needs outside help. He needs God’s intervention. So do you.

o V.20 emphasizes the injustice of David’s enemies. He’s trying to do what’s good, but they drag him off to court and accuse him of doing wrong anyway - and then punish him! Psalm 109 talks in depth about these shotanim (Now if you heard the name “Satan” in that, you’ve got a good ear; this Hebrew root word for “accuser/adversary” is where the name “Satan” comes from.) “For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful Have opened against me; They have spoken against me with a lying tongue. They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, And fought against me without a cause. In return for my love they are my accusers, But I [give myself to] prayer. Thus they have rewarded me evil for good, And hatred for my love” (Psalm 109:2-5, NKJV). Justice has been turned upside down, and we need God to intervene and set justice right again.

· Thus David concludes the psalm in verses 21-22, by calling for God to help. That’s the bottom line.

o V.21 states his plea negatively: “Don’t abandon me[4]” and “Don’t be far away[5].”

§ This is a claim on God’s promise in Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

§ Under divine inspiration, the Psalmist declared over and over again that the Lord is “near” – to the brokenhearted (Ps. 34:18), to those who respect Him (Ps. 85:9), and to all who call upon Him sincerely (Ps. 145:18).

§ We also see it in the New Testament: Hebrews 13:5-6 “…He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear…’ (NKJV)

§ God is bound by His own word. Or perhaps it would be better put that God’s word explains things about the way He is: He will not be far away, and He will not abandon you who hope in Him; that will not change because that is the way God is, so you can pray that same prayer and know that it will come true.

o In v.22, David states his heart’s desire positively: “hurry to help me[6]”

§ Perhaps this is understood as a promise from Deuteronomy 32:35 “Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; Their foot shall slip in due time; For the day of their calamity is at hand, And the things to come hasten upon them.” (NKJV)

§ Let us also talk with God about our need for Him to intervene and our desire for Him to help us and show His salvation.

§ The ultimate intervention will be when Jesus returns to consummate His kingdom and condemn all evil. Even this is hurrying forward: The Apostle Peter explained in his second epistle, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you…” (2 Peter 3:9, ESV)

§ And Jesus Himself said, “…Behold, I am coming soon…” (Rev 22:7, ESV)

Psalm 38[A]

Septuagint (Psalm 37)	Brenton’s translation of LXX	Douay-Rheims Vulgate	King James Authorized Version	Nathan A Wilson’s Version	Masoretic Text
13 καὶ ἐξεβιάσαντο οἱ ζητοῦντες τὴν ψυχήν μου, καὶ οἱ ζητοῦντες τὰ κακά μοι ἐλάλησαν ματαιότητας καὶ δολιότητας ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν ἐμελέτησαν.	12 While they pressed hard [upon me] that sought my soul: and they that sought my hurt spoke vanities, and devised deceits all the day.	12 And they that sought my soul used violence. And they that sought evils to me spoke vain things, and studied deceits all the day [long].	12 They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine[B] deceits all the day [long].	12 And those who seek [to end] my life have struck hard; and those who pursue evil [against] me have declared destructive-desires; they meditate on deceptions all day [long].	יג וַיְנַקְשׁוּ[C] מְבַקְשֵׁי נַפְשִׁי וְדֹרְשֵׁי רָעָתִי דִּבְּרוּ הַוּוֹת וּמִרְמוֹת כָּל הַיּוֹם יֶהְגּוּ.
14 ἐγὼ δὲ ὡσεὶ κωφὸς οὐκ ἤκουον καὶ ὡσεὶ ἄλαλος οὐκ ἀνοίγων τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ	13 But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and was as a dumb man not opening his mouth.	13 But I, as a deaf man, heard not: and as a dumb man not opening his mouth.	13 But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.	13 But I am like a deaf person (I do not listen), and like a mute person who does not open his mouth.	יד וַאֲנִי כְחֵרֵשׁ לֹא אֶשְׁמָע וּכְאִלֵּם לֹא יִפְתַּח פִּיו.
15 καὶ ἐγενόμην ὡσεὶ ἄνθρωπος οὐκ ἀκούων καὶ οὐκ ἔχων ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ ἐλεγμούς.	14 And I was as a man that hears not, and who has no reproofs in his mouth.	14 And I became as a man that heareth not: and that hath no reproofs in his mouth.	14 Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs[D].	14 And I have become like a man who isn’t listening and in whose mouth there are no arguments,	טו וָאֱהִי כְּאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר לֹא שֹׁמֵעַ וְאֵין בְּפִיו תּוֹכָחוֹת.
16 ὅτι ἐπὶ σοί, κύριε, ἤλπισα· σὺ εἰσακούσῃ, κύριε ὁ θεός μου.	15 For I hoped in thee, O Lord: thou wilt ~~hear~~, O Lord my God.	15 For in thee, O Lord, have I hoped: thou wilt ~~hear~~ me, O Lord my God.	15 For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt ~~hear~~, O Lord my God.	15 because it is for You, Yahweh, that I have been hoping. You Yourself will answer, my Master, My God,	טז כִּי לְךָ יְהוָה הוֹחָלְתִּי אַתָּה תַעֲנֶה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהָי.[E]
17 ὅτι εἶπα Μήποτε ἐπιχαρῶσίν μοι [οἱ ἐχθροί μου·καὶ] ἐν τῷ σαλευθῆναι πόδας μου ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ ἐμεγαλορρημόνησαν.	16 For I said, Lest [mine enemies] rejoice against me: [for] when my feet w~~ere~~ moved, they ~~spoke boastingly~~ against me.	16 For I said: Lest at any time [my enemies] rejoice over me: [and] whilst my feet are moved, they [speak] great things against me.	16 For I said, Hear me, lest^{^[F]}otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify[G] themselves against me.	16 because I have said, “Otherwise, they will be happy about me; when my foot is overthrown they will make a big deal over me,	יז כִּי אָמַרְתִּי פֶּן יִשְׂמְחוּ לִי בְּמוֹט רַגְלִי עָלַי הִגְדִּילוּ.[H]
18 ὅτι ἐγὼ εἰς μάστιγας ἕτοιμος, καὶ ἡ ἀλγηδών μου ἐνώπιόν μου διὰ παντός.	17 For I am ready for plagues, and my grief is continually before me.	17 For I am ready for scourges: and my sorrow is continually before me.	17 For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.	17 for I am being set up for a stumble and my sorrow is always conspicuous to me.	יח כִּי אֲנִי לְצֶלַע נָכוֹן וּמַכְאוֹבִי נֶגְדִּי תָמִיד.
19 ὅτι τὴν ἀνομίαν μου ἐγὼ ἀναγγελῶ καὶ μεριμνήσω ὑπὲρ τῆς ἁμαρτίας μου.	18 For I will declare mine iniquity, and be distressed for my sin.	18 For I will declare my iniquity: and I will ~~think~~ for my sin.	18 For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.	18 Because I will confess my iniquity; I will stir up concern as a result of my sin.	יט כִּי[I] עֲו‍ֹנִי אַגִּיד אֶדְאַג מֵחַטָּאתִי.
20 οἱ δὲ ἐχθροί μου ζῶσιν [καὶ] κεκραταίωνται [ὑπὲρ ἐμέ], καὶ ἐπληθύνθησαν οἱ μισοῦντές με ἀδίκως·	19 But mine enemies live, [and] are might[ier than I]: and they that hate me unjustly are multiplied.	19 But my enemies live, [and] are strong[er than I]: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.	19 But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong[J]: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.	19 My enemies who are still alive have become numerous, and those who hate me treacherously have become many.	כ וְאֹיְבַי חַיִּים[K] עָצֵמוּ וְרַבּוּ שֹׂנְאַי שָׁקֶר.
21 οἱ ἀνταποδιδόντες κακὰ ἀντὶ ἀγαθῶν ἐνδιέβαλλόν με, ἐπεὶ κατεδίωκον δικαιοσύνην, [καὶ ἀπέρριψάν με τὸν ἀγαπητὸν ὡσεὶ νεκρὸν ἐβδελυγμένον.]	20 They that reward evil for good slandered me; because I followed righteousness.	20 They that render evil for good, have detracted me, because I followed goodness.	20 They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries[L]; because I follow the thing that good is.	20 Furthermore, those who pay back evil instead of good accuse me despite my pursuit of what is good.	כא וּמְשַׁלְּמֵי רָעָה תַּחַת טוֹבָה יִשְׂטְנוּנִי תַּחַת רדופי[M] טוֹב.[N]
22 μὴ ἐγκαταλίπῃς με, κύριε· ὁ θεός μου, μὴ ἀποστῇς ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ·	21 Forsake me not, O Lord my God: depart not from me.	21 Forsake me not, O Lord my God: do not thou depart from me.	21 Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me.	21 Do not abandon me, Yahweh. My God, do not be far away from me!	כב אַל תַּעַזְבֵנִי יְהוָה[O] אֱלֹהַי אַל תִּרְחַק מִמֶּנִּי.
23 πρόσχες εἰς τὴν βοήθειάν μου, κύριε τῆς σωτηρίας μου.	22 Draw nigh to my help, O Lord of my salvation.	22 Attend unto my help, O Lord, the God of my salvation.	22 Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.	22 Hurry to help me, my Lord, my Salvation!	כג חוּשָׁה [P]לְעֶזְרָתִי אֲדֹנָי תְּשׁוּעָתִי.

[1] 2 Peter 1:3-4 “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (NKJV)

[2] The word “themselves” isn’t in the Hebrew or the Greek text, so that’s why I prefer “make much over.”

[3] Gen. 41:32 “The dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.” NKJV

[5] Repeated in Psalms 22:11,19; 35:22; and 71:12.

[6] Repeated in Psalms 22:19; 40:13; 70:1,5; 141:1.