Psalms 41:9

41:9 Even my close friend ¹  whom I trusted,

he who shared meals with me, has turned against me. ² 

Psalms 55:12-14

55:12 Indeed, ³  it is not an enemy who insults me,

or else I could bear it;

it is not one who hates me who arrogantly taunts me, ⁴ 

or else I could hide from him.

55:13 But it is you, ⁵  a man like me, ⁶ 

my close friend in whom I confided. ⁷ 

55:14 We would share personal thoughts with each other; ⁸ 

in God’s temple we would walk together among the crowd.

Psalms 55:20

55:20 He ⁹  attacks ¹⁰  his friends; ¹¹ 

he breaks his solemn promises to them. ¹² 

[41:9]  ¹ tn Heb “man of my peace.” The phrase here refers to one’s trusted friend (see Jer 38:22; Obad 7).

[41:9]  ² tn Heb “has made a heel great against me.” The precise meaning of this phrase, which appears only here, is uncertain.

[55:12]  ³ tn Or “for.”

[55:12]  ⁴ tn Heb “[who] magnifies against me.” See Pss 35:26; 38:16.

[55:13]  ⁵ sn It is you. The psalmist addresses the apparent ringleader of the opposition, an individual who was once his friend.

[55:13]  ⁶ tn Heb “a man according to my value,” i.e., “a person such as I.”

[55:13]  ⁷ tn Heb “my close friend, one known by me.”

[55:14]  ⁸ tn Heb “who together we would make counsel sweet.” The imperfect verbal forms here and in the next line draw attention to the ongoing nature of the actions (the so-called customary use of the imperfect). Their relationship was characterized by such intimacy and friendship. See IBHS 502-3 §31.2b.

[55:20]  ⁹ sn He. This must refer to the psalmist’s former friend, who was addressed previously in vv. 12-14.

[55:20]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “stretches out his hand against.”

[55:20]  ¹¹ 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.”

[55:20]  ¹² tn Heb “he violates his covenant.”