Mazmur 55:2

55:2 Pay attention to me and answer me!

I am so upset ¹  and distressed, ²  I am beside myself, ³ 

Mazmur 59:6

59:6 They return in the evening;

they growl ⁴  like a dog

and prowl around outside ⁵  the city.

Mazmur 59:14

59:14 They return in the evening;

they growl ⁶  like a dog

and prowl around outside ⁷  the city.

Mazmur 74:4

74:4 Your enemies roar ⁸  in the middle of your sanctuary; ⁹ 

they set up their battle flags. ¹⁰ 

[55:2]  ¹ tn Or “restless” (see Gen 27:40). The Hiphil is intransitive-exhibitive, indicating the outward display of an inner attitude.

[55:2]  ² tn Heb “in my complaint.”

[55:2]  ³ tn The verb is a Hiphil cohortative from הוּם (hum), which means “to confuse someone” in the Qal and “to go wild” in the Niphal. An Arabic cognate means “to be out of one’s senses, to wander about.” With the vav (ו) conjunctive prefixed to it, the cohortative probably indicates the result or effect of the preceding main verb. Some prefer to emend the form to וְאֵהוֹמָה (vÿ’ehomah), a Niphal of הוּם (hum), or to וְאֶהַמֶה (vÿ’ehameh), a Qal imperfect from הָמָה (hamah, “to moan”). Many also prefer to take this verb with what follows (see v. 3).

[59:6]  ⁴ tn Or “howl”; or “bark.”

[59:6]  ⁵ tn Heb “go around.”

[59:14]  ⁶ tn Or “howl”; or “bark.”

[59:14]  ⁷ tn Heb “go around.”

[74:4]  ⁸ tn This verb is often used of a lion’s roar, so the psalmist may be comparing the enemy to a raging, devouring lion.

[74:4]  ⁹ tn Heb “your meeting place.”

[74:4]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “they set up their banners [as] banners.” The Hebrew noun אוֹת (’ot, “sign”) here refers to the enemy army’s battle flags and banners (see Num 2:12).