114 Heb “and [as for] my enemies, you give to me [the] back [or “neck”].” The idiom “give [the] back” means “to cause [one] to turn the back and run away.” Cf. Exod 23:27.
115 Those who hate me. See v. 17, where it is the Lord who delivered the psalmist from those who hated him.
116 Heb “but there is no deliverer.”
117 Heb “to the Lord.” The words “they cry out” are supplied in the translation because they are understood by ellipsis (see the preceding line). They cry out. This reference to the psalmist’s enemies crying out for help to the Lord suggests that the psalmist refers here to enemies within the covenant community, rather than foreigners. However, the militaristic context suggests foreign enemies are in view. Ancient Near Eastern literature indicates that defeated enemies would sometimes cry out for mercy to the god(s) of their conqueror. See R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 271.
118 Heb “I pulverize them like dust upon the face of the wind.” The phrase “upon the face of” here means “before.” 2 Sam 22:43 reads, “like dust of the earth.”
119 Ps 18:42 reads, “I empty them out” (Hiphil of ריק), while 2 Sam 22:43 reads, “I crush them, I stomp on them” (juxtaposing the synonyms דקק and רקע). It is likely that the latter is a conflation of variants. One, but not both, of the verbs in 2 Sam 22:43 is probably original; “empty out” does not form as good a parallel with “grind, pulverize” in the parallel line.
120 Or “mud.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

You made my enemies turn their backs to me,

and those who hated me I destroyed.

They cried for help, but there was none to save;

they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.

I beat them fine as dust before the wind;

I cast them out like the mire of the streets.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

You made my enemies turn their backs in flight,

and I destroyed my foes.

They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—

to the Lord, but he did not answer.

I beat them as fine as windblown dust;

I trampled them like mud in the streets.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

You have made my enemies retreat before me;

I annihilate those who hate me.

They cry for help, but there is no one to save them—

they cry to the Lord, but he does not answer them.

I pulverize them like dust before the wind;

I trample them like mud in the streets.

NLTNew Living Translation

You placed my foot on their necks.

I have destroyed all who hated me.

They called for help, but no one came to their rescue.

They even cried to the Lord, but he refused to answer.

I ground them as fine as dust in the wind.

I swept them into the gutter like dirt.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And you made my enemies turn their backs,

then I destroyed those who hated me.

They cried out but there was no rescuer,

even to Yahweh, but he did not answer them.

And I ground them like dust in the wind,

I emptied them out like mud of the streets.

KJV 1900King James Version

Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies;

That I might destroy them that hate me.

They cried, but there was none to save them:

Even unto the Lord, but he answered them not.

Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind:

I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.

Public Domain