Mazmur 50:16

50:16 God says this to the evildoer: ¹ 

“How can you declare my commands,

and talk about my covenant? ² 

Mazmur 71:24

71:24 All day long my tongue will also tell about your justice,

for those who want to harm me ³  will be embarrassed and ashamed. ⁴ 

[50:16]  ¹ tn Heb “evil [one].” The singular adjective is used here in a representative sense; it refers to those within the larger covenant community who have blatantly violated the Lord’s commandments. In the psalms the “wicked” (רְשָׁעִים, rÿsha’im) are typically proud, practical atheists (Ps 10:2, 4, 11) who hate God’s commands, commit sinful deeds, speak lies and slander, and cheat others (Ps 37:21).

[50:16]  ² tn Heb “What to you to declare my commands and lift up my covenant upon your mouth?” The rhetorical question expresses sarcastic amazement. The Lord is shocked that such evildoers would give lip-service to his covenantal demands, for their lifestyle is completely opposed to his standards (see vv. 18-20).

[71:24]  ³ tn Heb “those who seek my harm.”

[71:24]  ⁴ tn Heb “will have become embarrassed and ashamed.” The perfect verbal forms function here as future perfects, indicating future actions which will precede chronologically the action expressed by the main verb in the preceding line.