109:19 May a curse attach itself to him, like a garment one puts on, 1
or a belt 2 one wears continually!
109:28 They curse, but you will bless. 3
When they attack, they will be humiliated, 4
but your servant will rejoice.
1 tn Heb “may it be for him like a garment one puts on.”
2 tn The Hebrew noun מֵזַח (mezakh, “belt; waistband”) occurs only here in the OT. The form apparently occurs in Isa 23:10 as well, but an emendation is necessary there.
3 tn Another option is to translate the imperfect as a prayer/request (“may you bless”).
4 tn The verbal sequence is perfect + prefixed form with vav (ו) consecutive. Since the psalmist seems to be anticipating the demise of his enemies, he may be using these forms rhetorically to describe the enemies’ defeat as if it were already accomplished. Some emend the text to קָמוּ יֵבֹשׁוּ (qamu yevoshu, “may those who attack me be humiliated”). See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 75.