KJV ORIGINAL
For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him:
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
It wasn't an enemy who insulted me—I could have handled that. It wasn't someone who hated me who turned against me—I would have just avoided him.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
The writer is expressing that betrayal hurts most when it comes from someone close to you, not from an obvious enemy.
📚 Historical Context
This psalm is traditionally attributed to David during a time of personal crisis, possibly when his trusted counselor Ahithophel betrayed him during Absalom's rebellion. The pain described here reflects the universal human experience of being hurt by someone we trusted rather than by an obvious opponent.
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