Mazmur 62:4

62:4 They ¹  spend all their time planning how to bring him ²  down. ³ 

They love to use deceit; ⁴ 

they pronounce blessings with their mouths,

but inwardly they utter curses. ⁵  (Selah)

Mazmur 64:5

64:5 They encourage one another to carry out their evil deed. ⁶ 

They plan how to hide ⁷  snares,

and boast, ⁸  “Who will see them?” ⁹ 

[62:4]  ¹ tn That is, the psalmist’s enemies addressed in the previous verse.

[62:4]  ² tn That is, the generic “man” referred to in the previous verse.

[62:4]  ³ tn Heb “only from his lofty place [or perhaps, “dignity”] they plan to drive [him] away.”

[62:4]  ⁴ tn Heb “they delight [in] a lie.”

[62:4]  ⁵ sn The enemies use deceit to bring down their victim. They make him think they are his friends by pronouncing blessings upon him, but inwardly they desire his demise.

[64:5]  ⁶ tn Heb “they give strength to themselves, an evil matter [or “word”].”

[64:5]  ⁷ tn Heb “they report about hiding.”

[64:5]  ⁸ tn Heb “they say.”

[64:5]  ⁹ tn If this is a direct quotation (cf. NASB, NIV), the pronoun “them” refers to the snares mentioned in the previous line. If it is an indirect quotation, then the pronoun may refer to the enemies themselves (cf. NEB, which is ambiguous). Some translations retain the direct quotation but alter the pronoun to “us,” referring clearly to the enemies (cf. NRSV).