Psalms 11:2

11:2 For look, the wicked ¹  prepare ²  their bows, ³ 

they put their arrows on the strings,

to shoot in the darkness ⁴  at the morally upright. ⁵ 

Psalms 17:14

17:14 Lord, use your power to deliver me from these murderers, ⁶ 

from the murderers of this world! ⁷ 

They enjoy prosperity; ⁸ 

you overwhelm them with the riches they desire. ⁹ 

They have many children,

and leave their wealth to their offspring. ¹⁰ 

Psalms 31:23

31:23 Love the Lord, all you faithful followers ¹¹  of his!

The Lord protects those who have integrity,

but he pays back in full the one who acts arrogantly. ¹² 

[11:2]  ¹ tn In the psalms the “wicked” (רְשָׁעִים, rÿsha’im) are typically proud, practical atheists (Ps 10:2, 4, 11) who hate God’s commands, commit sinful deeds, speak lies and slander (Ps 50:16-20), and cheat others (Ps 37:21). They oppose God and threaten his people (Ps 3:8).

[11:2]  ² tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form depicts the enemies’ hostile action as underway.

[11:2]  ³ tn Heb “a bow.”

[11:2]  ⁴ sn In the darkness. The enemies’ attack, the precise form of which is not indicated, is compared here to a night ambush by archers; the psalmist is defenseless against this deadly attack.

[11:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “pure of heart.” The “heart” is here viewed as the seat of one’s moral character and motives. The “pure of heart” are God’s faithful followers who trust in and love the Lord and, as a result, experience his deliverance (see Pss 7:10; 32:11; 36:10; 64:10; 94:15; 97:11).

[17:14]  ⁶ tc Heb “from men [by] your hand, Lord.” The translation assumes an emendation (both here and in the following line) of מִמְתִים (mimtim, “from men”) to מִמְמִתִים (mimmitim, “from those who kill”). For other uses of the plural form of the Hiphil participle of מוּת (mut, “die”), see 2 Kgs 17:26 (used with lions as subject), Job 33:22 (apparently referring to the agents of death), and Jer 26:15 (used of those seeking Jeremiah’s life).

[17:14]  ⁷ tn Heb “from men, from [the] world.” On the emendation of “men” to “murderers,” see the preceding note on the word “murderers.”

[17:14]  ⁸ tn Heb “their portion, in life.”

[17:14]  ⁹ tn Heb “and [with] your treasures you fill their belly.”

[17:14]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “they are satisfied [with] sons and leave their abundance to their children.”

[31:23]  ¹¹ tn A “faithful follower” (חָסִיד, khasid) is one who does what is right in God’s eyes and remains faithful to God (see Pss 4:3; 12:1; 16:10; 31:23; 37:28; 86:2; 97:10).

[31:23]  ¹² tn The participial forms in the second and third lines characterize the Lord as one who typically protects the faithful and judges the proud.