Psalms 38:19 - Clarke's commentary and critical notes on the Bible

But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied. 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 (note); Psalms 79:5 (note). 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.