54:5 May those who wait to ambush me 1 be repaid for their evil! 2
As a demonstration of your faithfulness, 3 destroy them!
143:12 As a demonstration of your loyal love, 4 destroy my enemies!
Annihilate 5 all who threaten my life, 6
for I am your servant.
1 tn Heb “to those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 5:8; 27:11; 56:2.
2 tn The Kethib (consonantal text) reads a Qal imperfect, “the evil will return,” while the Qere (marginal reading) has a Hiphil imperfect, “he will repay.” The parallel line has an imperative (indicating a prayer/request), so it is best to read a jussive form יָשֹׁב (yashov, “let it [the evil] return”) here.
3 tn Heb “in [or “by”] your faithfulness.”
4 tn Heb “in [or “by”] your faithfulness.”
5 tn The perfect with vav (ו) consecutive carries on the mood of the preceding imperfect.
6 tn Heb “all the enemies of my life.”