King James Bible
"Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty."
David pleads for God's protection from being surrendered to his adversaries' control. The phrase reflects the ancient Near Eastern understanding that falling into enemy hands meant facing their unchecked desires for revenge or harm, making divine intervention the psalmist's only hope. The specific threat involves perjurers who have emerged to testify falsely, likely in a legal or political context. In Israelite society, where testimony could determine life or death, false witnesses represented a particularly grave danger that corrupted justice itself. These accusers are characterized by violence that emanates from their very being—they exhale malice as naturally as breathing. The vivid imagery suggests their hostility is not calculated but inherent, making them especially dangerous and merciless opponents.