Mazmur 37:14

37:14 Evil men draw their swords

and prepare their bows,

to bring down ¹  the oppressed and needy,

and to slaughter those who are godly. ² 

Mazmur 38:19

38:19 But those who are my enemies for no reason are numerous; ³ 

those who hate me without cause outnumber me. ⁴ 

Mazmur 79:11

79:11 Listen to the painful cries of the prisoners! ⁵ 

Use your great strength to set free those condemned to die! ⁶ 

Mazmur 89:30

89:30 If his sons reject my law

and disobey my regulations,

Mazmur 119:128

119:128 For this reason I carefully follow all your precepts. ⁷ 

I hate all deceitful actions. ⁸ 

[37:14]  ¹ tn Heb “to cause to fall.”

[37:14]  ² tn Heb “the upright in way,” i.e., those who lead godly lives.

[38:19]  ³ tn Heb “and my enemies, life, are many.” The noun חַיִּים (khayyim, “life”) fits very awkwardly here. The translation assumes an emendation to חִנָּם (khinam, “without reason”; note the parallelism with שֶׁקֶר [sheqer, “falsely”] and see Pss 35:19; 69:4; Lam 3:52). The verb עָצַם (’atsam) can sometimes mean “are strong,” but here it probably focuses on numerical superiority (note the parallel verb רָבַב, ravav, “be many”).

[38:19]  ⁴ tn Heb “are many.”

[79:11]  ⁵ tn Heb “may the painful cry of the prisoner come before you.”

[79:11]  ⁶ tn Heb “according to the greatness of your arm leave the sons of death.” God’s “arm” here symbolizes his strength to deliver. The verbal form הוֹתֵר (hoter) is a Hiphil imperative from יָתַר (yatar, “to remain; to be left over”). Here it must mean “to leave over; to preserve.” However, it is preferable to emend the form to הַתֵּר (hatter), a Hiphil imperative from נָתַר (natar, “be free”). The Hiphil form is used in Ps 105:20 of Pharaoh freeing Joseph from prison. The phrase “sons of death” (see also Ps 102:21) is idiomatic for those condemned to die.

[119:128]  ⁷ tn Heb “for this reason all the precepts of everything I regard as right.” The phrase “precepts of everything” is odd. It is preferable to take the kaf (כ) on כֹּל (kol, “everything) with the preceding form as a pronominal suffix, “your precepts,” and the lamed (ל) with the following verb as an emphatic particle. See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 138.

[119:128]  ⁸ tn Heb “every false path.”