Psalms 35:21

35:21 They are ready to devour me; ¹ 

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

Psalms 70:3

70:3 May those who say, “Aha! Aha!”

be driven back ³  and disgraced! ⁴ 

Psalms 40:15

40:15 May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”

be humiliated ⁵  and disgraced! ⁶ 

Psalms 35:25

35:25 Do not let them say to themselves, ⁷  “Aha! We have what we wanted!” ⁸ 

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

[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).

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

[70:3]  ⁴ 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.”

[40:15]  ⁵ tn The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive in this imprecation.

[40:15]  ⁶ tn Heb “May they be humiliated according to their shame, those who say to me, ‘Aha! Aha!’”

[35:25]  ⁷ tn Heb “in their heart[s].”

[35:25]  ⁸ tn Heb “Aha! Our desire!” The “desire” of the psalmist’s enemies is to triumph over him.