Psalms 16:3

16:3 As for God’s chosen people who are in the land,

and the leading officials I admired so much ¹  –

Psalms 35:27

35:27 May those who desire my vindication shout for joy and rejoice!

May they continually say, ²  “May the Lord be praised, ³  for he wants his servant to be secure.” ⁴ 

Psalms 40:14

40:14 May those who are trying to snatch away my life

be totally embarrassed and ashamed! ⁵ 

May those who want to harm me

be turned back and ashamed! ⁶ 

Psalms 70:2

70:2 May those who are trying to take my life

be embarrassed and ashamed! ⁷ 

May those who want to harm me

be turned back and ashamed! ⁸ 

[16:3]  ¹ tn Heb “regarding the holy ones who [are] in the land, they; and the mighty [ones] in [whom is/was] all my desire.” The difficult syntax makes the meaning of the verse uncertain. The phrase “holy ones” sometimes refers to God’s angelic assembly (see Ps 89:5, 7), but the qualifying clause “who are in the land” suggests that here it refers to God’s people (Ps 34:9) or to their priestly leaders (2 Chr 35:3).

[35:27]  ² tn The prefixed verbal forms in v. 27a are understood as jussives (see vv. 24b-26).

[35:27]  ³ tn The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive, “may the Lord be magnified [in praise].” Another option is to take the verb as an imperfect, “the Lord is great.”

[35:27]  ⁴ tn Heb “the one who desires the peace of his servant.”

[40:14]  ³ tn Heb “may they be embarrassed and ashamed together, the ones seeking my life to snatch it away.”

[40:14]  ⁴ tn The four prefixed verbal forms in this verse (“may those…be…embarrassed and ashamed…may those…be turned back and ashamed”) are understood as jussives. The psalmist is calling judgment down on his enemies.

[70:2]  ⁴ tn Heb “may they be embarrassed and ashamed, the ones seeking my life.” Ps 40:14 has “together” after “ashamed,” and “to snatch it away” after “my life.”

[70:2]  ⁵ tn The four prefixed verbal forms in this verse are understood as jussives. The psalmist is calling judgment down on his enemies.