Psalms 35:20

35:20 For they do not try to make peace with others, ¹ 

but plan ways to deceive those who are unsuspecting. ² 

Psalms 35:27

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

May they continually say, ³  “May the Lord be praised, ⁴  for he wants his servant to be secure.” ⁵ 

Psalms 38:3

38:3 My whole body is sick because of your judgment; ⁶ 

I am deprived of health because of my sin. ⁷ 

Psalms 125:5

125:5 As for those who are bent on traveling a sinful path, ⁸ 

may the Lord remove them, ⁹  along with those who behave wickedly! ¹⁰ 

May Israel experience peace! ¹¹ 

[35:20]  ¹ tn Heb “for they do not speak peace.”

[35:20]  ² tn Heb “but against the quiet ones of the land words of deceit they plan.” The imperfect verbal forms in v. 20 highlight their characteristic behavior.

[35:27]  ³ tn The prefixed verbal forms in v. 27a are understood as jussives (see vv. 24b-26).

[35:27]  ⁴ 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]  ⁵ tn Heb “the one who desires the peace of his servant.”

[38:3]  ⁵ tn Heb “there is no soundness in my flesh from before your anger.” “Anger” here refers metonymically to divine judgment, which is the practical effect of God’s anger at the psalmist’s sin.

[38:3]  ⁶ tn Heb “there is no health in my bones from before my sin.”

[125:5]  ⁷ tn Heb “and the ones making their paths twisted.” A sinful lifestyle is compared to a twisting, winding road.

[125:5]  ⁸ tn Heb “lead them away.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive of prayer here (note the prayers directly before and after this). Another option is to translate, “the Lord will remove them” (cf. NIV, NRSV).

[125:5]  ⁹ tn Heb “the workers of wickedness.”

[125:5]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “peace [be] upon Israel.” The statement is understood as a prayer (see Ps 122:8 for a similar prayer for peace).