For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.

For I have heard the defaming of many, Terror on every side: While they took counsel together against me, They devised to take away my life.

For I have heard the blame of many that dwell round about. While they assembled together against me, they consulted to take away my life.

For I have heard the slander of many terror on every side when they take counsel together against me: they plot to take away my life.

For I have heard an evil account of many, Fear is round about. In their being united against me, To take my life they have devised,

False statements against me have come to my ears; fear was on every side: they were talking together against me, designing to take away my life.

I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind; I am like a useless vessel.

For I have heard the slander of many - The reproach; the false accusations; the unjust aspersions. We are here more definitely informed as to another of the sources of the trouble that came upon him. It was "slander." He had already referred to "two" sources of trouble; one Psalm 31:11 that he was "reproached" by his friends and neighbors, and that his society was shunned by them; a second, that he was "forgotten" by those who ought to have remembered him, and that they treated him as though he were dead, Psalm 31:12. The third is referred to now; to wit, that he was the subject of "slander," or of false reports. What was the "nature" of those false charges we are not informed. But it is not needful that we should know precisely what they were. It is enough, in order to see the depth and aggravation of his trouble, to know that he "was" exposed to this; and that, to all that he had to endure from other sources, there was this added - that his name was reproached and cast out as evil - that he was subjected to "slander,"
"Whose edge is sharper than the sword; whose tongue
Outvenoms all the worms of Nile; whose breath
Rides on the posting winds; and doth belie
All corners of the world."
Cymbeline, Acts iii., Sc. iv.
Fear was on every side - From the causes already specified. He knew not whom to trust. He seemed to have no friend. He was afraid, therefore, of every one that he met.
While they took counsel together against me - See the notes at Psalm 2:2. They entered into a conspiracy or combination.
They devised to take away my life - They devised measures, or they laid a plot, thus to kill me. These are the grounds of the earnest prayer which he urges in Psalm 31:9 : "Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble."

I have heard the slander of many - To this and the two foregoing verses the reader may find several parallels; Jeremiah 18:18 to the end of Jeremiah 19:1-15., and ten first verses of chapter 20: This has caused several to suppose that Jeremiah was the author of this Psalm.

For I have heard the slander of (i) many: fear [was] on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.
(i) They who were in authority condemned me as a wicked doer.

For I have heard the slander of many,.... Both enemies and neighbours;
fear was on every side; his enemies were a "Magormissabib" to him, Jeremiah 20:3; encompassed him around, so that he was in fear from every quarter;
while they took counsel together against me; how to apprehend him, and what to do with him;
they devised to take away my life; nothing short of that would satisfy; but life is in the hand of God; men may devise, but God disappoints, and his counsel stands; hence the psalmist was encouraged, after all, to trust in him, in this time of imminent danger, as follows.

For--introduces further reasons for his prayer, the unjust, deliberate, and murderous purposes of his foes.

Fear - Just cause of fear.