Psalms 38:19But my enemies are vigorous and many. Those who hate me without reason are numerous.
The setting
Ancient Jerusalem, ~1000 BC. David, now king but surrounded by political enemies, court intrigue, and family betrayals, counts his opposition while confined to his palace in Jerusalem, Israel.
The emotion here: surrounded and counting the growing opposition
The original word
chinam (חִנָּם) — without cause, for no reason, gratuitous hatred
Why it matters
Jesus quoted this exact phrase in John 15:25, identifying with David's experience
Read with care
What most readers miss in Psalms 38:19
The word 'vigorous' means his enemies are thriving and multiplying, not just existing
Common misconceptionPeople think David is complaining, but he's actually stating facts before God as evidence for his case. This is a legal brief, not whining.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Psalms 38:19
Bible Genome reading
Psalms 38:19 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Psalms 38:19 comes from the book of Psalms, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to David. The dominant emotion in this verse is anxious, with a comfort power of 70% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the psalm genre of biblical literature. Key themes include persecution, enemies, injustice. Notable phrases: enemies are vigorous and many; hate me without reason. This verse is a prayer.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same anxious
“And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:14
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
— 2 Timothy 3:12
“The evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"”
— Acts 19:15
“I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'”
— Acts 22:7
“When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is har…”
— Acts 26:14
Your reflection
What does Psalms 38:19 mean to you, today?
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