Charles Ellicott Commentary Psalms 18:5

"The cords of Sheol were round about me; The snares of death came upon me." — Psalms 18:5 (ASV)

Hell. —Heb., sheôl. (See Note on Psalms 6:5.)

Prevented — i.e., suddenly seized upon. The poet seems to feel the cords already tightening on his limbs. He is not dead yet, but like those who go down to sheôl. This verse has one verbal difference from Samuel.