Psalms 14:6

14:6 You want to humiliate the oppressed, ¹ 

even though ²  the Lord is their ³  shelter.

Psalms 33:10-11

33:10 The Lord frustrates ⁴  the decisions of the nations;

he nullifies the plans ⁵  of the peoples.

33:11 The Lord’s decisions stand forever;

his plans abide throughout the ages. ⁶ 

[14:6]  ¹ tn Heb “the counsel of the oppressed you put to shame.” Using a second person plural verb form, the psalmist addresses the wicked. Since the context indicates their attempt to harm the godly will be thwarted, the imperfect should be taken in a subjunctive (cf. NASB, NRSV) rather than an indicative manner (cf. NIV). Here it probably expresses their desire or intent (“want to humiliate”).

[14:6]  ² tn It is unlikely that כִּי (ki) has a causal force here. The translation assumes a concessive force; another option is to understand an asseverative use (“certainly, indeed”).

[14:6]  ³ tn Heb “his.” The antecedent of the singular pronoun is the singular form עָנִי (’ani, “oppressed”) in the preceding line. The singular is collective or representative here (and thus translated as plural, “they”).

[33:10]  ⁴ tn Heb “breaks” or “destroys.” The Hebrew perfect verbal forms here and in the next line generalize about the Lord’s activity.

[33:10]  ⁵ tn Heb “thoughts.”

[33:11]  ⁷ tn Heb “the thoughts of his heart for generation to generation.” The verb “abides” is supplied in the translation. The Lord’s “decisions” and “plans” here refer to his decrees and purposes.