25:6 how much less a mortal man, who is but a maggot 1 –
a son of man, who is only a worm!”
22:6 But I 2 am a worm, 3 not a man; 4
people insult me and despise me. 5
1 tn The text just has “maggot” and in the second half “worm.” Something has to be added to make it a bit clearer. The terms “maggot” and “worm” describe man in his lowest and most ignominious shape.
2 tn The grammatical construction (conjunction + pronoun) highlights the contrast between the psalmist’s experience and that of his ancestors. When he considers God’s past reliability, it only heightens his despair and confusion, for God’s present silence stands in stark contrast to his past saving acts.
3 tn The metaphor expresses the psalmist’s self-perception, which is based on how others treat him (see the following line).
4 tn Or “not a human being.” The psalmist perceives himself as less than human.
5 tn Heb “a reproach of man and despised by people.”