Psalms 35:7-8

Context

35:7 I did not harm them, but they hid a net to catch me

and dug a pit to trap me.¹

35:8 Let destruction take them by surprise!²

Let the net they hid catch them!

Let them fall into destruction!³

[35:7] ¹tc Heb “for without cause they hid for me a pit of their net, without cause they dug for my life.” It appears that the words “pit” and “net” have been transposed. “Net” goes with the verb “hid” in the first line (see v. 8, as well as Pss 9:15; 31:4), while “pit” goes with the verb “dug” in the second line (see Ps 7:15).

[35:8] ²tn Heb “let destruction [which] he does not know come to him.” The singular is used of the enemy in v. 8, probably in a representative or collective sense. The psalmist has more than one enemy, as vv. 1-7 make clear.

[35:8] ³tn The psalmist’s prayer for his enemies’ demise continues. See vv. 4-6.