Mazmur 14:6

14:6 You want to humiliate the oppressed, ¹ 

even though ²  the Lord is their ³  shelter.

Mazmur 26:10

26:10 who are always ready to do wrong ⁴ 

or offer a bribe. ⁵ 

Mazmur 73:6

73:6 Arrogance is their necklace, ⁶ 

and violence their clothing. ⁷ 

Mazmur 119:86

119:86 All your commands are reliable.

I am pursued without reason. ⁸  Help me!

[14:6]  ¹ tn Heb “the counsel of the oppressed you put to shame.” Using a second person plural verb form, the psalmist addresses the wicked. Since the context indicates their attempt to harm the godly will be thwarted, the imperfect should be taken in a subjunctive (cf. NASB, NRSV) rather than an indicative manner (cf. NIV). Here it probably expresses their desire or intent (“want to humiliate”).

[14:6]  ² tn It is unlikely that כִּי (ki) has a causal force here. The translation assumes a concessive force; another option is to understand an asseverative use (“certainly, indeed”).

[14:6]  ³ tn Heb “his.” The antecedent of the singular pronoun is the singular form עָנִי (’ani, “oppressed”) in the preceding line. The singular is collective or representative here (and thus translated as plural, “they”).

[26:10]  ⁴ tn Heb “who [have] in their hands evil.”

[26:10]  ⁵ tn Heb “and their right hand is full of a bribe.”

[73:6]  ⁶ sn Arrogance is their necklace. The metaphor suggests that their arrogance is something the wicked “wear” proudly. It draws attention to them, just as a beautiful necklace does to its owner.

[73:6]  ⁷ tn Heb “a garment of violence covers them.” The metaphor suggests that violence is habitual for the wicked. They “wear” it like clothing; when one looks at them, violence is what one sees.

[119:86]  ⁸ sn God’s commands are a reliable guide to right and wrong. By keeping them the psalmist is doing what is right, yet he is still persecuted.