55:20 He 1 attacks 2 his friends; 3
he breaks his solemn promises to them. 4
109:22 For I am oppressed and needy,
and my heart beats violently within me. 5
1 sn He. This must refer to the psalmist’s former friend, who was addressed previously in vv. 12-14.
2 tn Heb “stretches out his hand against.”
3 tc The form should probably be emended to an active participle (שֹׁלְמָיו, sholÿmayv) from the verbal root שָׁלַם (shalam, “be in a covenant of peace with”). Perhaps the translation “his friends” suggests too intimate a relationship. Another option is to translate, “he attacks those who made agreements with him.”
4 tn Heb “he violates his covenant.”
5 tc The verb in the Hebrew text (חָלַל, khalal) appears to be a Qal form from the root חלל meaning “pierced; wounded.” However, the Qal of this root is otherwise unattested. The translation assumes an emendation to יָחִיל (yakhil), a Qal imperfect from חוּל (khul, “tremble”) or to חֹלַל (kholal), a polal perfect from חוּל (khul). See Ps 55:4, which reads לִבִּי יָחִיל בְּקִרְבִּי (libbiy yakhil bÿqirbbiy, “my heart trembles [i.e., “beats violently”] within me”).