Psalms 35:21

35:21 They are ready to devour me; ¹ 

they say, “Aha! Aha! We’ve got you!” ² 

Psalms 35:25

35:25 Do not let them say to themselves, ³  “Aha! We have what we wanted!” ⁴ 

Do not let them say, “We have devoured him!”

Psalms 70:3-4

70:3 May those who say, “Aha! Aha!”

be driven back ⁵  and disgraced! ⁶ 

70:4 May all those who seek you be happy and rejoice in you!

May those who love to experience ⁷  your deliverance say continually, ⁸ 

“May God ⁹  be praised!” ¹⁰ 

[35:21]  ¹ tn Heb “and they cause their mouth to be wide against me.” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries on the generalizing mood of the previous verse. For other examples of this use of the prefixed verbal form with vav consecutive, see GKC 329 §111.t.

[35:21]  ² tn Heb “our eye sees.” Apparently this is an idiom meaning to “look in triumph” or “gloat over” (see Ps 54:7).

[35:25]  ³ tn Heb “in their heart[s].”

[35:25]  ⁴ tn Heb “Aha! Our desire!” The “desire” of the psalmist’s enemies is to triumph over him.

[70:3]  ⁵ tn The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive in this imprecation.

[70:3]  ⁶ tn Heb “May they be turned back according to their shame, those who say, ‘Aha! Aha!’” Ps 40:15 has the verb “humiliated” instead of “turned back” and adds “to me” after “say.”

[70:4]  ⁷ tn Heb “those who love,” which stands metonymically for its cause, the experience of being delivered by God.

[70:4]  ⁸ tn The three prefixed verbal forms prior to the quotation are understood as jussives. The psalmist balances out his imprecation against his enemies with a prayer of blessing on the godly.

[70:4]  ⁹ tn Ps 40:16 uses the divine name “Lord” here instead of “God.”

[70:4]  ¹⁰ 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.” See Ps 35:27.