Psalm 139:19-21

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Psalm 139:19 tn The Hebrew particle אִם (ʾim, “if”) and following prefixed verbal form here express a wish (see Pss 81:8; 95:7, as well as GKC 321 §109.b).
2. Psalm 139:19 tn Heb “men of bloodshed.”
3. Psalm 139:20 tn Heb “who.”
4. Psalm 139:20 tc Heb “they speak [of] you.” The suffixed form of the verb אָמַר (ʾamar, “to speak”) is peculiar. The translation assumes an emendation to יַמְרֻךָ (yamrukha), a Hiphil form from מָרָה (marah, “to rebel”; see Ps 78:40).
5. Psalm 139:20 tn Heb “by deceit.”
6. Psalm 139:20 tc Heb “lifted up for emptiness, your cities.” The form נָשֻׂא (nasuʾ; a Qal passive participle) should be emended to נָשְׂאוּ (nas^eʾu; a Qal perfect, third common plural, “[they] lift up”). Many emend עָרֶיךָ (ʿarekha, “your cities”) to עָלֶיךָ (ʿalekha, “against you”), but it is preferable to understand the noun as an Aramaism and translate “your enemies” (see Dan 4:16 and L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 253).
7. Psalm 139:21 tc Heb “who raise themselves up against you.” The form וּבִתְקוֹמְמֶיךָ (uvitqom^emekha) should be emended to וּבְמִתְקוֹמְמֶיךָ (uv^emitqom^emekha), a Hitpolel participle (the prefixed מ [mem] of the participle is accidentally omitted in the MT, though a few medieval Hebrew mss have it).