Psalms 17:10

17:10 They are calloused; ¹ 

they speak arrogantly. ² 

Psalms 17:14

17:14 Lord, use your power to deliver me from these murderers, ³ 

from the murderers of this world! ⁴ 

They enjoy prosperity; ⁵ 

you overwhelm them with the riches they desire. ⁶ 

They have many children,

and leave their wealth to their offspring. ⁷ 

[17:10]  ¹ tn Heb “their fat they close.” The Hebrew term חֵלֶב (khelev, “fat”) appears to stand by metonymy for their calloused hearts. They attack the psalmist without feeling any pity or remorse. Some propose emending the text to חֵלֶב לִבָּמוֹ (khelev libbamo, “fat of their heart[s]; cf. Ps 119:70, “their heart is insensitive like fat”). This assumes haplography of the לב (lamed-bet) consonantal sequence.

[17:10]  ² tn Heb “[with] their mouth they speak with arrogance.”

[17:14]  ³ 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]  ⁴ tn Heb “from men, from [the] world.” On the emendation of “men” to “murderers,” see the preceding note on the word “murderers.”

[17:14]  ⁵ tn Heb “their portion, in life.”

[17:14]  ⁶ tn Heb “and [with] your treasures you fill their belly.”

[17:14]  ⁷ tn Heb “they are satisfied [with] sons and leave their abundance to their children.”