Psalm 17:12-14

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Psalm 17:12 tn Here the psalmist switches to the singular pronoun; he views his enemies collectively, or singles out a representative of the group, perhaps its leader.
2. Psalm 17:12 tn Heb “his likeness [is] like a lion.”
3. Psalm 17:12 tn Heb “[that] longs to tear.”
4. Psalm 17:12 tn Heb “sitting.”
5. Psalm 17:13 tn Heb “Be in front of his face.”
6. Psalm 17:13 tn Or “bring him to his knees.”
7. Psalm 17:13 tn Heb “rescue my life from the wicked [one] [by] your sword.”
8. Psalm 17:14 tc Heb “from men [by] your hand, Lord.” The translation assumes an emendation (both here and in the following line) of מִמְתִים (mim^etim, “from men”) to מִמְּמִתִים (mimm^emitim, “from those who kill”). For other uses of the plural form of the Hiphil participle of מוּת (mut, “die”), see 2 Kgs 17:26 (used with lions as subject), Job 33:22 (apparently referring to the agents of death), and Jer 26:15 (used of those seeking Jeremiah’s life).
9. Psalm 17:14 tn Heb “from men, from [the] world.” On the emendation of “men” to “murderers,” see the preceding note on the word “murderers.”
10. Psalm 17:14 tn Heb “their portion, in life.”
11. Psalm 17:14 tn Heb “and [with] your treasures you fill their belly.”sn You overwhelm them with the riches they desire. The psalmist is not accusing God of being unjust; he is simply observing that the wicked often prosper and that God is the ultimate source of all blessings that human beings enjoy (see Matt 5:45). When the wicked are ungrateful for God’s blessings, they become even more culpable and deserving of judgment. So this description of the wicked actually supports the psalmist’s appeal for deliverance. God should rescue him because he is innocent (see vv. 3-5) and because the wicked, though blessed abundantly by God, still have the audacity to attack God’s people.
12. Psalm 17:14 tn Heb “they are satisfied [with] sons and leave their abundance to their children.”