143:3 Certainly 1 my enemies 2 chase me.
They smash me into the ground. 3
They force me to live 4 in dark regions, 5
like those who have been dead for ages.
143:12 As a demonstration of your loyal love, 6 destroy my enemies!
Annihilate 7 all who threaten my life, 8
for I am your servant.
1 tn Or “for.”
2 tn Heb “an enemy.” The singular is used in a representative sense to describe a typical member of the larger group of enemies (note the plural “enemies” in vv. 9, 12).
3 tn Heb “he crushes on the ground my life.”
4 tn Or “sit.”
5 sn Dark regions refers to Sheol, which the psalmist views as a dark place located deep in the ground (see Ps 88:6).
6 tn Heb “in [or “by”] your faithfulness.”
7 tn The perfect with vav (ו) consecutive carries on the mood of the preceding imperfect.
8 tn Heb “all the enemies of my life.”