Psalms 52:2

52:2 Your tongue carries out your destructive plans; ¹ 

it is as effective as a sharp razor, O deceiver. ² 

Psalms 55:11

55:11 Disaster is within it;

violence ³  and deceit do not depart from its public square.

Psalms 91:3

91:3 he will certainly rescue you from the snare of the hunter ⁴ 

and from the destructive plague.

Psalms 94:20

94:20 Cruel rulers ⁵  are not your allies,

those who make oppressive laws. ⁶ 

[52:2]  ¹ tn Heb “destruction your tongue devises.”

[52:2]  ² tn Heb “like a sharpened razor, doer of deceit.” The masculine participle עָשָׂה (’asah) is understood as a substantival vocative, addressed to the powerful man.

[55:11]  ³ tn Or “injury, harm.”

[91:3]  ⁵ tn The word refers specifically to a fowler (or hunter of birds).

[94:20]  ⁷ tn Heb “a throne of destruction.” “Throne” stands here by metonymy for rulers who occupy thrones.

[94:20]  ⁸ tn Heb “Is a throne of destruction united to you, one that forms trouble upon a statute?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “Of course not!” The translation, while not preserving the interrogative form of the statement, reflects its rhetorical force.