Discovery BoxPsalms 2:3 
Context2:3 They say, 1 “Let’s tear off the shackles they’ve put on us! 2
Let’s free ourselves from 3 their ropes!”
Psalms 7:2
Context7:2 Otherwise they will rip 4 me 5 to shreds like a lion;
they will tear me to bits and no one will be able to rescue me. 6
Psalms 17:12
Context17:12 He 7 is like a lion 8 that wants to tear its prey to bits, 9
like a young lion crouching 10 in hidden places.
1 tn The words “they say” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The quotation represents the words of the rebellious kings.
2 tn Heb “their (i.e., the
3 tn Heb “throw off from us.”
4 tn The verb is singular in the Hebrew text, even though “all who chase me” in v. 1 refers to a whole group of enemies. The singular is also used in vv. 4-5, but the psalmist returns to the plural in v. 6. The singular is probably collective, emphasizing the united front that the psalmist’s enemies present. This same alternation between a collective singular and a plural referring to enemies appears in Pss 9:3, 6; 13:4; 31:4, 8; 41:6, 10-11; 42:9-10; 55:3; 64:1-2; 74:3-4; 89:22-23; 106:10-11; 143:3, 6, 9.
5 tn Heb “my life.” The pronominal suffix attached to נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) is equivalent to a personal pronoun. See Ps 6:3.
6 tn Heb “tearing and there is no one rescuing.” The verbal form translated “tearing” is a singular active participle.
7 tn Here the psalmist switches to the singular pronoun; he views his enemies collectively, or singles out a representative of the group, perhaps its leader.
8 tn Heb “his likeness [is] like a lion.”
9 tn Heb “[that] longs to tear.”
10 tn Heb “sitting.”
