The first part of this verse in Hebrew is “a wicked thing is poured on him.” It is unclear what is the precise force of the words. One suggestion is “An evil power attacks him,” and New English Bible has “An evil spell is cast upon him”; these regard the evil thing either as a demon or as a spell. See also New Jerusalem Bible “Something baneful has settled in him.” “It is not impossible that the speakers had in mind a curse which, they believe, had been infused into the unfortunate man, operating like a fatal poison” (Anderson; similarly Weiser). Toombs and Taylor also see it as a sorcerer’s formula. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy has “His illness is caused by the Devil.” Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible take the phrase “a wicked thing” to mean a disease. “Fatally ill” can sometimes be rendered “He is ill and will soon die” or “He is ill and cannot get well again.”

Line b means “he will not get well; he is going to die.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Reyburn, William D. A Handbook on the Book of Psalms. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1991. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .