Psalms 81:15

81:15 (May those who hate the Lord ¹  cower in fear ²  before him!

May they be permanently humiliated!) ³ 

Psalms 9:13

9:13 when they prayed: ⁴ 

“Have mercy on me, ⁵  Lord!

See how I am oppressed by those who hate me, ⁶ 

O one who can snatch me away ⁷  from the gates of death!

Psalms 55:12

55:12 Indeed, ⁸  it is not an enemy who insults me,

or else I could bear it;

it is not one who hates me who arrogantly taunts me, ⁹ 

or else I could hide from him.

Psalms 69:14

69:14 Rescue me from the mud! Don’t let me sink!

Deliver me ¹⁰  from those who hate me,

from the deep water!

[81:15]  ¹ tn “Those who hate the Lord” are also mentioned in 2 Chr 19:2 and Ps 139:21.

[81:15]  ² tn See Deut 33:29; Ps 66:3 for other uses of the verb כָּחַשׁ (kakhash) in the sense “cower in fear.” In Ps 18:44 the verb seems to carry the nuance “to be weak; to be powerless” (see also Ps 109:24). The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive, parallel to the jussive form in the next line.

[81:15]  ³ tc Heb “and may their time be forever.” The Hebrew term עִתָּם (’ittam, “their time”) must refer here to the “time” of the demise and humiliation of those who hate the Lord. Some propose an emendation to בַּעֲתָתָם (ba’atatam) or בִּעֻתָם (bi’utam; “their terror”; i.e., “may their terror last forever”), but the omission of bet (ב) in the present Hebrew text is difficult to explain, making the proposed emendation unlikely.

[9:13]  ⁴ tn The words “when they prayed,” though not represented in the Hebrew text, are supplied in the translation for clarification. The petition in vv. 13-14 is best understood as the cry for help which the oppressed offered to God when the nations threatened. The Lord answered this request, prompting the present song of thanksgiving.

[9:13]  ⁵ tn Or “show me favor.”

[9:13]  ⁶ tn Heb “see my misery from the ones who hate me.”

[9:13]  ⁷ tn Heb “one who lifts me up.”

[55:12]  ⁷ tn Or “for.”

[55:12]  ⁸ tn Heb “[who] magnifies against me.” See Pss 35:26; 38:16.

[69:14]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “let me be delivered.”