Mazmur 58:8

58:8 Let them be ¹  like a snail that melts away as it moves along! ² 

Let them be like ³  stillborn babies ⁴  that never see the sun!

Mazmur 63:2

63:2 Yes, ⁵  in the sanctuary I have seen you, ⁶ 

and witnessed ⁷  your power and splendor.

Mazmur 64:8

64:8 Their slander will bring about their demise. ⁸ 

All who see them will shudder, ⁹ 

Mazmur 69:32

69:32 The oppressed look on – let them rejoice!

You who seek God, ¹⁰  may you be encouraged! ¹¹ 

[58:8]  ¹ tn There is no “to be” verb in the Hebrew text at this point, but a jussive tone can be assumed based on vv. 6-7.

[58:8]  ² tn Heb “like a melting snail [that] moves along.” A. Cohen (Psalms [SoBB], 184) explains that the text here alludes “to the popular belief that the slimy trail which the snail leaves in its track is the dissolution of its substance.”

[58:8]  ³ tn The words “let them be like” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. The jussive mood is implied from the preceding context, and “like” is understood by ellipsis (see the previous line).

[58:8]  ⁴ tn This rare word also appears in Job 3:16 and Eccles 6:3.

[63:2]  ⁵ tn The Hebrew particle כֵּן (ken) is used here to stress the following affirmation (see Josh 2:4).

[63:2]  ⁶ tn The perfect verbal form is understood here as referring to a past experience which the psalmist desires to be repeated. Another option is to take the perfect as indicating the psalmist’s certitude that he will again stand in God’s presence in the sanctuary. In this case one can translate, “I will see you.”

[63:2]  ⁷ tn Heb “seeing.” The preposition with the infinitive construct here indicates an accompanying circumstance.

[64:8]  ⁸ tc The MT reads literally, “and they caused him to stumble, upon them, their tongue.” Perhaps the third plural subject of the verb is indefinite with the third singular pronominal suffix on the verb being distributive (see Ps 63:10). In this case one may translate, “each one will be made to stumble.” The preposition עַל (’al) might then be taken as adversative, “against them [is] their tongue.” Many prefer to emend the text to וַיַּכְשִׁילֵמוֹ עֲלֵי לְשׁוֹנָם (vayyakhshilemo ’aley lÿshonam, “and he caused them to stumble over their tongue”). However, if this reading is original, it is difficult to see how the present reading of the MT arose. Furthermore, the preposition is not collocated with the verb כָּשַׁל (kashal) elsewhere. It is likely that the MT is corrupt, but a satisfying emendation has not yet been proposed.

[64:8]  ⁹ tn The Hitpolel verbal form is probably from the root נוּד (nud; see HALOT 678 s.v. נוד), which is attested elsewhere in the Hitpolel stem, not the root נָדַד (nadad, as proposed by BDB 622 s.v. I נָדַד), which does not occur elsewhere in this stem.

[69:32]  ¹⁰ sn You who seek God refers to those who seek to have a relationship with God by obeying and worshiping him (see Ps 53:2).

[69:32]  ¹¹ tn Heb “may your heart[s] live.” See Ps 22:26.