Psalms 5:9

5:9 For ¹  they do not speak the truth; ² 

their stomachs are like the place of destruction, ³ 

their throats like an open grave, ⁴ 

their tongues like a steep slope leading into it. ⁵ 

Psalms 55:21

55:21 His words are as smooth as butter, ⁶ 

but he harbors animosity in his heart. ⁷ 

His words seem softer than oil,

but they are really like sharp swords. ⁸ 

Psalms 60:6

60:6 God has spoken in his sanctuary: ⁹ 

“I will triumph! I will parcel out Shechem;

the Valley of Succoth I will measure off. ¹⁰ 

Psalms 68:12

68:12 Kings leading armies run away – they run away! ¹¹ 

The lovely lady ¹²  of the house divides up the loot.

Psalms 108:7

108:7 God has spoken in his sanctuary: ¹³ 

“I will triumph! I will parcel out Shechem,

the valley of Succoth I will measure off. ¹⁴ 

[5:9]  ¹ tn Or “certainly.”

[5:9]  ² tn Heb “for there is not in his mouth truthfulness.” The singular pronoun (“his”) probably refers back to the “man of bloodshed and deceit” mentioned in v. 6. The singular is collective or representative, as the plural in the next line indicates, and so has been translated “they.”

[5:9]  ³ tn Heb “their inward part[s] [is] destruction.” For a discussion of the extended metaphor in v. 9b, see the note on the word “it” at the end of the verse.

[5:9]  ⁴ tn Heb “their throat is an open grave.” For a discussion of the extended metaphor in v. 9b, see the note on the word “it” at the end of the verse. The metaphor is suggested by the physical resemblance of the human throat to a deeply dug grave; both are dark chasms.

[5:9]  ⁵ tn Heb “they make smooth their tongue.” Flattering, deceitful words are in view. See Ps 12:2. The psalmist’s deceitful enemies are compared to the realm of death/Sheol in v. 9b. Sheol was envisioned as a dark region within the earth, the entrance to which was the grave with its steep slopes (cf. Ps 88:4-6). The enemies’ victims are pictured here as slipping down a steep slope (the enemies’ tongues) and falling into an open grave (their throat) that terminates in destruction in the inner recesses of Sheol (their stomach). The enemies’ קרב (“inward part”) refers here to their thoughts and motives, which are destructive in their intent. The throat is where these destructive thoughts are transformed into words, and their tongue is what they use to speak the deceitful words that lead their innocent victims to their demise.

[55:21]  ⁶ tn Heb “the butter-like [words] of his mouth are smooth.” The noun מַחְמָאֹת (makhma’ot, “butter-like [words]”) occurs only here. Many prefer to emend the form to מֵחֶמְאָה (mekhem’ah, from [i.e., “than”] butter”), cf. NEB, NRSV “smoother than butter.” However, in this case “his mouth” does not agree in number with the plural verb חָלְקוּ (kholqu, “they are smooth”). Therefore some further propose an emendation of פִּיו (piv, “his mouth”) to פָּנָיו (panayv, “his face”). In any case, the point seems to that the psalmist’s former friend spoke kindly to him and gave the outward indications of friendship.

[55:21]  ⁷ tn Heb “and war [is in] his heart.”

[55:21]  ⁸ tn Heb “his words are softer than oil, but they are drawn swords.”

[60:6]  ¹¹ tn Heb “in his holy place.”

[60:6]  ¹² sn Shechem stands for the territory west of the Jordan, the Valley of Succoth for the region east of the Jordan.

[68:12]  ¹⁶ tn The verbal repetition draws attention to the statement.

[68:12]  ¹⁷ tn The Hebrew form appears to be the construct of נוּה (nuh, “pasture”) but the phrase “pasture of the house” makes no sense here. The translation assumes that the form is an alternative or corruption of נצוה (“beautiful woman”). A reference to a woman would be appropriate in light of v. 11b.

[108:7]  ²¹ tn Heb “in his holy place.”

[108:7]  ²² sn Shechem stands for the territory west of the Jordan River; the valley of Succoth represents the region east of the Jordan.