The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
The sorrows ... the sorrows - rather, 'the cords ... the cords,' as the parallel word, "the snares" (Psalms 18:5), requires.
Of death prevented - surprised or overtook me. Death or hell (Hades) is pictured as a hunter, from whose net-cords the animal cannot escape. Compare Acts 2:2,
The floods of ungodly men - Hebrew, 'of Belial.' See Deuteronomy 13:13; 2 Samuel 23:6; Matthew 1:11, margin. Saul is especially referred to: see Psalms 18:16-17. Belial means primarily worthless [from bªliy (H1097), not, and yaa`al (H3276), to be of use]: so the wicked one.