1 Heb “I love because the Lord heard my voice, my pleas.” It is possible that “the Lord” originally appeared directly after “I love” and was later accidentally misplaced. The translation assumes the prefixed verbal form is a preterite. The psalmist recalls that God heard his cry for help (note the perfect in v. 2a and the narrative in vv. 3–4).
2 Heb “because he turned his ear to me.”
3 Heb “and in my days I will cry out.”
4 Heb “surrounded me.”
5 The Hebrew noun מצר (“straits; distress”) occurs only here, Ps 118:5 and Lam 1:3. If retained, it refers to Sheol as a place where one is confined or severely restricted (cf. 865 מֵצַר, “the straits of Sheol”; “the anguish of the grave”; “the pangs of Sheol”). However, מֵצַר suggests an emendation to מְצָדֵי (métsadey, “snares of”), a rare noun attested in Job 19:6 and Eccl 7:26. This proposal, which is reflected in the translation, produces better parallelism with “ropes” in the preceding line.
6 The translation assumes the prefixed verbal form is a preterite. The psalmist recalls the crisis from which the Lord delivered him.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

I love the Lord, because he has heard

my voice and my pleas for mercy.

Because he inclined his ear to me,

therefore I will call on him as long as I live.

The snares of death encompassed me;

the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;

I suffered distress and anguish.

Then I called on the name of the Lord:

“O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

I love the Lord, for he heard my voice;

he heard my cry for mercy.

Because he turned his ear to me,

I will call on him as long as I live.

The cords of death entangled me,

the anguish of the grave came over me;

I was overcome by distress and sorrow.

Then I called on the name of the Lord:

“Lord, save me!”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

I love the Lord because he has heard

my appeal for mercy.

Because he has turned his ear to me,

I will call out to him as long as I live.

The ropes of death were wrapped around me,

and the torments of Sheol overcame me;

I encountered trouble and sorrow.

Then I called on the name of the Lord:

“Lord, save me!”

NLTNew Living Translation

I love the Lord because he hears my voice

and my prayer for mercy.

Because he bends down to listen,

I will pray as long as I have breath!

Death wrapped its ropes around me;

the terrors of the grave overtook me.

I saw only trouble and sorrow.

Then I called on the name of the Lord:

“Please, Lord, save me!”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

I love him, because Yahweh has heard

the voice of my supplications.

Because he has inclined his ear to me,

I will call all my days.

The ropes of death encircled me,

and the distresses of Sheol found me.

I found trouble and grief.

Then I called on the name of Yahweh:

“O Yahweh, please save my life!”

KJV 1900King James Version

I love the Lord, because he hath heard

My voice and my supplications.

Because he hath inclined his ear unto me,

Therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.

The sorrows of death compassed me,

And the pains of hell gat hold upon me:

I found trouble and sorrow.

Then called I upon the name of the Lord;

O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.

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