Mazmur 139:15

139:15 my bones were not hidden from you,

when ¹  I was made in secret

and sewed together in the depths of the earth. ² 

Mazmur 143:12

143:12 As a demonstration of your loyal love, ³  destroy my enemies!

Annihilate ⁴  all who threaten my life, ⁵ 

for I am your servant.

[139:15]  ¹ tc The Hebrew term אֲשֶׁר (’asher, “which”) should probably be emended to כֲּאַשֶׁר (ka’asher, “when”). The kaf (כ) may have been lost by haplography (note the kaf at the end of the preceding form).

[139:15]  ² sn The phrase depths of the earth may be metaphorical (euphemistic) or it may reflect a prescientific belief about the origins of the embryo deep beneath the earth’s surface (see H. W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament, 96-97). Job 1:21 also closely associates the mother’s womb with the earth.

[143:12]  ³ tn Heb “in [or “by”] your faithfulness.”

[143:12]  ⁴ tn The perfect with vav (ו) consecutive carries on the mood of the preceding imperfect.

[143:12]  ⁵ tn Heb “all the enemies of my life.”