Psalms 35:4

35:4 May those who seek my life be embarrassed and humiliated!

May those who plan to harm me be turned back and ashamed! ¹ 

Psalms 40:14

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

be totally embarrassed and ashamed! ² 

May those who want to harm me

be turned back and ashamed! ³ 

Psalms 44:18

44:18 We have not been unfaithful, ⁴ 

nor have we disobeyed your commands. ⁵ 

Psalms 53:3

53:3 Everyone rejects God; ⁶ 

they are all morally corrupt. ⁷ 

None of them does what is right, ⁸ 

not even one!

Psalms 70:2

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

be embarrassed and ashamed! ⁹ 

May those who want to harm me

be turned back and ashamed! ¹⁰ 

[35:4]  ¹ tn The four prefixed verbal forms in this verse are understood as jussives. The psalmist is calling judgment down on his enemies. See also the distinct jussive form in v. 6.

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

[40:14]  ³ 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.

[44:18]  ³ tn Heb “our heart did not turn backward.” Cf. Ps 78:57.

[44:18]  ⁴ tn Heb “and our steps did [not] turn aside from your path.” The negative particle is understood by ellipsis (see the preceding line). God’s “path” refers to his commands, i.e., the moral pathway he has prescribed for the psalmist. See Pss 17:5; 25:4.

[53:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “all of it turns away.” Ps 14:1 has הָכֹּל (hakkol) instead of כֻּלּוֹ, and סָר (sar, “turn aside”) instead of סָג (sag, “turn away”).

[53:3]  ⁵ tn Heb “together they are corrupt.”

[53:3]  ⁶ tn Heb “there is none that does good.”

[70:2]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ tn The four prefixed verbal forms in this verse are understood as jussives. The psalmist is calling judgment down on his enemies.