Mazmur 41:5

41:5 My enemies ask this cruel question about me, ¹ 

‘When will he finally die and be forgotten?’ ² 

Mazmur 60:11

60:11 Give us help against the enemy,

for any help men might offer is futile. ³ 

Mazmur 69:18

69:18 Come near me and redeem me! ⁴ 

Because of my enemies, rescue me!

Mazmur 108:12

108:12 Give us help against the enemy,

for any help men might offer is futile. ⁵ 

Mazmur 119:98

119:98 Your commandments ⁶  make me wiser than my enemies,

for I am always aware of them.

Mazmur 143:9

143:9 Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord!

I run to you for protection. ⁷ 

Mazmur 144:6

144:6 Hurl lightning bolts and scatter them!

Shoot your arrows and rout them! ⁸ 

[41:5]  ¹ tn Heb “my enemies speak evil concerning me.”

[41:5]  ² tn Heb “and his name perish.”

[60:11]  ³ tn Heb “and futile [is] the deliverance of man.”

[69:18]  ⁴ tn Heb “come near my life and redeem it.” The verb “redeem” casts the Lord in the role of a leader who protects members of his extended family in times of need and crisis (see Ps 19:14).

[108:12]  ⁵ tn Heb “and futile [is] the deliverance of man.”

[119:98]  ⁶ tn The plural form needs to be revocalized as a singular in order to agree with the preceding singular verb and the singular pronoun in the next line. The Lord’s “command” refers here to the law (see Ps 19:8).

[143:9]  ⁷ tn Heb “to you I cover,” which makes no sense. The translation assumes an emendation to נַסְתִּי (nastiy, “I flee,” a Qal perfect, first singular form from נוּס, nos). Confusion of kaf (כ) and nun (נ) is attested elsewhere (see P. K. McCarter, Textual Criticism [GBS], 48). The collocation of נוּס (“flee”) with אֶל (’el, “to”) is well-attested.

[144:6]  ⁸ sn Arrows and lightning bolts are associated in other texts (see Pss 18:14; 77:17-18; Zech 9:14), as well as in ancient Near Eastern art (see R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” [Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983], 187).