Mazmur 54:5-6

54:5 May those who wait to ambush me ¹  be repaid for their evil! ² 

As a demonstration of your faithfulness, ³  destroy them!

54:6 With a freewill offering I will sacrifice ⁴  to you!

I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good!

[54:5]  ¹ tn Heb “to those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 5:8; 27:11; 56:2.

[54:5]  ² tn The Kethib (consonantal text) reads a Qal imperfect, “the evil will return,” while the Qere (marginal reading) has a Hiphil imperfect, “he will repay.” The parallel line has an imperative (indicating a prayer/request), so it is best to read a jussive form יָשֹׁב (yashov, “let it [the evil] return”) here.

[54:5]  ³ tn Heb “in [or “by”] your faithfulness.”

[54:6]  ⁴ tn The cohortative verbal form expresses the psalmist’s resolve/vow to praise.