50:18 When you see a thief, you join him; 1
you associate with men who are unfaithful to their wives. 2
50:19 You do damage with words, 3
and use your tongue to deceive. 4
50:20 You plot against your brother; 5
you slander your own brother. 6
50:21 When you did these things, I was silent, 7
so you thought I was exactly like you. 8
But now I will condemn 9 you
and state my case against you! 10
50:22 Carefully consider this, you who reject God! 11
Otherwise I will rip you to shreds 12
and no one will be able to rescue you.
50:23 Whoever presents a thank-offering honors me. 13
To whoever obeys my commands, I will reveal my power to deliver.” 14
1 tn Heb “you run with him.”
2 tn Heb “and with adulterers [is] your portion.”
3 tn Heb “your mouth you send with evil.”
4 tn Heb “and your tongue binds together [i.e., “frames”] deceit.”
5 tn Heb “you sit, against your brother you speak.” To “sit” and “speak” against someone implies plotting against that person (see Ps 119:23).
6 tn Heb “against the son of your mother you give a fault.”
7 tn Heb “these things you did and I was silent.” Some interpret the second clause (“and I was silent”) as a rhetorical question expecting a negative answer, “[When you do these things], should I keep silent?” (cf. NEB). See GKC 335 §112.cc.
8 tn The Hebrew infinitive construct (הֱיוֹת, heyot) appears to function like the infinitive absolute here, adding emphasis to the following finite verbal form (אֶהְיֶה, ’ehyeh). See GKC 339-40 §113.a. Some prefer to emend הֱיוֹת (heyot) to the infinitive absolute form הָיוֹ (hayo).
9 tn Or “rebuke” (see v. 8).
10 tn Heb “and I will set in order [my case against you] to your eyes.” The cohortative form expresses the
11 tn Heb “[you who] forget God.” “Forgetting God” here means forgetting about his commandments and not respecting his moral authority.
12 sn Elsewhere in the psalms this verb is used (within a metaphorical framework) of a lion tearing its prey (see Pss 7:2; 17:12; 22:13).
13 sn The reference to a thank-offering recalls the earlier statement made in v. 14. Gratitude characterizes genuine worship.
14 tn Heb “and [to one who] sets a way I will show the deliverance of God.” Elsewhere the phrase “set a way” simply means “to travel” (see Gen 30:36; cf. NRSV). The present translation assumes an emendation of וְשָׂם דֶּרֶךְ (vÿsam derekh) to וְשֹׁמֵר דְּרָכַּי (vÿshomer dÿrakhay, “and [the one who] keeps my ways” [i.e., commands, see Pss 18:21; 37:34). Another option is to read וְשֹׁמֵר דַּרְכּוֹ (vÿshomer darko, “and [the one who] guards his way,” i.e., “the one who is careful to follow a godly lifestyle”; see Ps 39:1).