Psalms 62:11

62:11 God has declared one principle;

two principles I have heard: ¹ 

God is strong, ² 

Psalms 31:13

31:13 For I hear what so many are saying, ³ 

the terrifying news that comes from every direction. ⁴ 

When they plot together against me,

they figure out how they can take my life.

[62:11]  ¹ tn Heb “one God spoke, two which I heard.” This is a numerical saying utilizing the “x” followed by “x + 1” pattern to facilitate poetic parallelism. (See W. M. W. Roth, Numerical Sayings in the Old Testament [VTSup], 55-56.) As is typical in such sayings, a list corresponding to the second number (in this case “two”) follows. Another option is to translate, “God has spoken once, twice [he has spoken] that which I have heard.” The terms אַחַת (’akhat, “one; once”) and שְׁתַּיִם (shÿtayim, “two; twice”) are also juxtaposed in 2 Kgs 6:10 (where they refer to an action that was done more than “once or twice”) and in Job 33:14 (where they refer to God speaking “one way” and then in “another manner”).

[62:11]  ² tn Heb “that strength [belongs] to God.”

[31:13]  ³ tn Heb “the report of many.”

[31:13]  ⁴ tn Heb “the terror from all around.”