Mazmur 44:10

44:10 You made us retreat ¹  from the enemy.

Those who hate us take whatever they want from us. ² 

Mazmur 45:8

45:8 All your garments are perfumed with ³  myrrh, aloes, and cassia.

From the luxurious palaces ⁴  comes the music of stringed instruments that makes you happy. ⁵ 

Mazmur 109:28

109:28 They curse, but you will bless. ⁶ 

When they attack, they will be humiliated, ⁷ 

but your servant will rejoice.

[44:10]  ¹ tn Heb “you caused us to turn backward.”

[44:10]  ² tn Heb “plunder for themselves.” The prepositional phrase לָמוֹ (lamo, “for themselves”) here has the nuance “at their will” or “as they please” (see Ps 80:6).

[45:8]  ³ tn The words “perfumed with” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[45:8]  ⁴ tn Heb “the palaces of ivory.” The phrase “palaces of ivory” refers to palaces that had ivory panels and furniture decorated with ivory inlays. Such decoration with ivory was characteristic of a high level of luxury. See 1 Kgs 22:39 and Amos 3:15.

[45:8]  ⁵ tn Heb “from the palaces of ivory stringed instrument[s] make you happy.”

[109:28]  ⁶ tn Another option is to translate the imperfect as a prayer/request (“may you bless”).

[109:28]  ⁷ tn The verbal sequence is perfect + prefixed form with vav (ו) consecutive. Since the psalmist seems to be anticipating the demise of his enemies, he may be using these forms rhetorically to describe the enemies’ defeat as if it were already accomplished. Some emend the text to קָמוּ יֵבֹשׁוּ (qamu yevoshu, “may those who attack me be humiliated”). See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 75.