62:3 How long will you threaten 1 a man?
All of you are murderers, 2
as dangerous as a leaning wall or an unstable fence. 3
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 The verb form is plural; the psalmist addresses his enemies. The verb הוּת occurs only here in the OT. An Arabic cognate means “shout at.”
2 tn The Hebrew text has a Pual (passive) form, but the verb form should be vocalized as a Piel (active) form. See BDB 953-54 s.v. רָצַח.
3 tn Heb “like a bent wall and a broken fence.” The point of the comparison is not entirely clear. Perhaps the enemies are depicted as dangerous, like a leaning wall or broken fence that is in danger of falling on someone (see C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms [ICC], 2:69).
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.”