Psalms 80:12

80:12 Why did you break down its walls, ¹ 

so that all who pass by pluck its fruit? ² 

Psalms 62:3

62:3 How long will you threaten ³  a man?

All of you are murderers, ⁴ 

as dangerous as a leaning wall or an unstable fence. ⁵ 

[80:12]  ¹ sn The protective walls of the metaphorical vineyard are in view here (see Isa 5:5).

[80:12]  ² tn Heb “pluck it.”

[62:3]  ³ tn The verb form is plural; the psalmist addresses his enemies. The verb הוּת occurs only here in the OT. An Arabic cognate means “shout at.”

[62:3]  ⁴ tn The Hebrew text has a Pual (passive) form, but the verb form should be vocalized as a Piel (active) form. See BDB 953-54 s.v. רָצַח.

[62:3]  ⁵ tn Heb “like a bent wall and a broken fence.” The point of the comparison is not entirely clear. Perhaps the enemies are depicted as dangerous, like a leaning wall or broken fence that is in danger of falling on someone (see C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms [ICC], 2:69).