21:11 Yes, 1 they intend to do you harm; 2
they dream up a scheme, 3 but they do not succeed. 4
92:14 They bear fruit even when they are old;
they are filled with vitality and have many leaves. 5
109:28 They curse, but you will bless. 6
When they attack, they will be humiliated, 7
but your servant will rejoice.
1 tn Or “for.”
2 tn Heb “they extend against you harm.” The perfect verbal forms in v. 11 are taken as generalizing, stating factually what the king’s enemies typically do. Another option is to translate with the past tense (“they intended…planned”).
3 sn See Ps 10:2.
4 tn Heb “they lack ability.”
5 tn Heb “they are juicy and fresh.”
6 tn Another option is to translate the imperfect as a prayer/request (“may you bless”).
7 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.