Discovery BoxPsalms 50:16-20 
Context50:16 God says this to the evildoer: 1
“How can you declare my commands,
and talk about my covenant? 2
50:17 For you hate instruction
and reject my words. 3
50:18 When you see a thief, you join him; 4
you associate with men who are unfaithful to their wives. 5
50:19 You do damage with words, 6
and use your tongue to deceive. 7
50:20 You plot against your brother; 8
you slander your own brother. 9
1 tn Heb “evil [one].” The singular adjective is used here in a representative sense; it refers to those within the larger covenant community who have blatantly violated the
2 tn Heb “What to you to declare my commands and lift up my covenant upon your mouth?” The rhetorical question expresses sarcastic amazement. The
3 tn Heb “and throw my words behind you.”
4 tn Heb “you run with him.”
5 tn Heb “and with adulterers [is] your portion.”
6 tn Heb “your mouth you send with evil.”
7 tn Heb “and your tongue binds together [i.e., “frames”] deceit.”
8 tn Heb “you sit, against your brother you speak.” To “sit” and “speak” against someone implies plotting against that person (see Ps 119:23).
9 tn Heb “against the son of your mother you give a fault.”
