Psalms 14:6

You want to humiliate the oppressed, ¹  even though ²  the Lord is their ³  shelter.

Ne 4:2-4; Ps 3:2; Ps 4:2; Ps 9:9; Ps 22:7,8; Ps 42:10; Isa 37:10,11; Eze 35:10; Da 3:15; Mt 27:40-43; Heb 6:18

¹ tn Heb “the counsel of the oppressed you put to shame.” Using a second person plural verb form, the psalmist addresses the wicked. Since the context indicates their attempt to harm the godly will be thwarted, the imperfect should be taken in a subjunctive (cf. NASB, NRSV) rather than an indicative manner (cf. NIV). Here it probably expresses their desire or intent (“want to humiliate”).

² tn It is unlikely that כִּי (ki) has a causal force here. The translation assumes a concessive force; another option is to understand an asseverative use (“certainly, indeed”).

³ tn Heb “his.” The antecedent of the singular pronoun is the singular form עָנִי (’ani, “oppressed”) in the preceding line. The singular is collective or representative here (and thus translated as plural, “they”).