Mazmur 35:19

35:19 Do not let those who are my enemies for no reason ¹  gloat ²  over me!

Do not let those who hate me without cause carry out their wicked schemes! ³ 

Mazmur 35:25-26

35:25 Do not let them say to themselves, ⁴  “Aha! We have what we wanted!” ⁵ 

Do not let them say, “We have devoured him!”

35:26 May those who want to harm me be totally embarrassed and ashamed! ⁶ 

May those who arrogantly taunt me be covered with shame and humiliation! ⁷ 

[35:19]  ¹ tn Heb “[with] a lie.” The Hebrew noun שֶׁקֶר (sheqer, “lie”) is used here as an adverb, “falsely, wrongfully” (see Ps 38:19).

[35:19]  ² tn Heb “rejoice.”

[35:19]  ³ tn Heb “[do not let] those who hate me without cause pinch [i.e., wink] an eye.” The negative particle is understood in the second line by ellipsis (see the preceding line). In the Book of Proverbs “winking an eye” is associated with deceit and trickery (see 6:13; 10:10; 16:30).

[35:25]  ⁴ tn Heb “in their heart[s].”

[35:25]  ⁵ tn Heb “Aha! Our desire!” The “desire” of the psalmist’s enemies is to triumph over him.

[35:26]  ⁶ tn Heb “may they be embarrassed and ashamed together, the ones who rejoice over my harm.”

[35:26]  ⁷ tn Heb “may they be clothed with shame and humiliation, the ones who magnify [themselves] against me.” The prefixed verbal forms in v. 26 are understood as jussives (see vv. 24b-25, where the negative particle אַל (’al) appears before the prefixed verbal forms, indicating they are jussives). The psalmist is calling down judgment on his enemies.