Mazmur 10:8-9

10:8 He waits in ambush near the villages; ¹ 

in hidden places he kills the innocent.

His eyes look for some unfortunate victim. ² 

10:9 He lies in ambush in a hidden place, like a lion in a thicket; ³ 

he lies in ambush, waiting to catch ⁴  the oppressed;

he catches the oppressed ⁵  by pulling in his net. ⁶ 

Mazmur 147:18

147:18 He then orders it all to melt; ⁷ 

he breathes on it, ⁸  and the water flows.

[10:8]  ¹ tn Heb “he sits in the ambush of the villages.”

[10:8]  ² tn Heb “his eyes for an unfortunate person lie hidden.” The language may picture a lion (see v. 9) peering out from its hiding place in anticipation that an unsuspecting victim will soon come strolling along.

[10:9]  ³ tn Or “in its den.”

[10:9]  ⁴ tn The verb, which also appears in the next line, occurs only here and in Judg 21:21.

[10:9]  ⁵ tn The singular form is collective (see v. 10) or refers to the typical or representative oppressed individual.

[10:9]  ⁶ tn Or “when he [i.e., the wicked man] pulls in his net.”

[10:9]  sn The background of the imagery is hunting, where the hunter uses a net to entrap an unsuspecting bird or wild animal.

[147:18]  ⁷ tn Heb “he sends his word and melts them.”

[147:18]  ⁸ tn Heb “he blows his breath.”