the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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Psalms 62:3
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So many enemies against one man— all of them trying to kill me. To them I'm just a broken-down wall or a tottering fence.
How long will ye set upon a man, that ye may slay him, all of you, like a bowing wall, like a tottering fence?
How long will you set on a man, That you may slay [him], all of you, Like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence?
How long will you attack someone? Will all of you kill that person? Who is like a leaning wall, like a fence ready to fall?
How long will you threaten a man? All of you are murderers, as dangerous as a leaning wall or an unstable fence.
How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall [shall ye be], [and as] a tottering fence.
How long will you assault a man, Would all of you throw him down, Like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence?
How long will you attack a man So that you may murder him, all of you, Like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence?
How long will all of you attack a man to batter him, like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
Hou longe fallen ye on a man? alle ye sleen; as to a wal bowid, and a wal of stoon with out morter cast doun.
How long will you threaten a man? Will all of you throw him down like a leaning wall or a tottering fence?
I feel like a shaky fence or a sagging wall. How long will all of you attack and assault me?
How long will ye set upon a man, That ye may slay him, all of you, Like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence?
How long will you go on designing evil against a man? running against him as against a broken wall, which is on the point of falling?
He alone is my rock and salvation, my stronghold; I won't be greatly moved.
How long will ye assail a man; will ye [seek], all of you, to break him down as a bowing wall or a tottering fence?
He only is my rock and my salvation, my high tower, I shall not be greatly moved.
How long wil ye imagine mischiefe against a man? ye shall be slaine all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence.
How long will all of you go against a man to break him down, that you may kill him, like a wall that no longer stands straight, like a fence ready to fall?
How long will you assail a person, will you batter your victim, all of you, as you would a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
How long wil ye imagine mischiefe against a man? ye shalbe all slaine: ye shalbe as a bowed wall, or as a wall shaken.
How long will you threaten a man so that you may kill him? Like a crumbling wall shall you be and as a tottering fence.
How much longer will all of you attack someone who is no stronger than a broken-down fence?
How long will ye shout at a man? Ye shall be crushed all of you, - Like a wall that bulgeth, - a fence pushed in!
(61-4) How long do you rush in upon a man? you all kill, as if you were thrusting down a leaning wall, and a tottering fence.
How long will you set upon a man to shatter him, all of you, like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
Howe long wyll ye imagine mischiefe against euery man? ye shalbe slayne all the sort of you: [ye shalbe] as a tottering wall, [and like] a broken hedge.
How long will ye assault a man? ye are all slaughtering as with a bowed wall and a broken hedge.
How long will you threaten a man?Will all of you attackas if he were a leaning wallor a tottering fence?
How long will you assault a man, Would all of you throw him down, Like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence?
How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence.
How long will you attack a man? All of you will be shattered like a leaning wall, a tottering fence.
Until when will you break in against a man? You will shatter him, all of you, like a bowing wall, a tottering fence.
Till when do ye devise mischief against a man? Ye are destroyed all of you, As a wall inclined, a hedge that is cast down.
How longe wil ye ymagin myschefe agaynst euery man? ye shal be slayne all ye sorte of you: yee as a tottringe wall shal ye be, & like a broken hedge.
How long will you gang up on me? How long will you run with the bullies? There's nothing to you, any of you— rotten floorboards, worm-eaten rafters, Anthills plotting to bring down mountains, far gone in make-believe. You talk a good line, but every "blessing" breathes a curse.
How long will you attack a man, That you may murder him, all of you, Like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence?
How long will you attack a man? You shall be slain, all of you, Like a leaning wall and a tottering fence.
How long will you assail a man, That you may murder him, all of you, Like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence?
How long will you assail a man,That you may murder him, all of you,Like a leaning wall, like a fence thrust down?
Contextual Overview
To the director, Jeduthun. A song of David.
I must calm down and turn to God; only he can rescue me. 2 He is my Rock, the only one who can save me. He is my high place of safety, where no army can defeat me. 3 How long will you people attack me? Do you all want to kill me? I am like a leaning wall, like a fence ready to fall. 4 You want only to destroy me, to bring me down from my important position. It makes you happy to tell lies about me. In public, you say nice things, but in private, you curse me. Selah 5 I must calm down and turn to God; he is my only hope. 6 He is my Rock, the only one who can save me. He is my high place of safety, where no army can defeat me. 7 My victory and honor come from God. He is the mighty Rock, where I am safe.Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
How: Psalms 4:2, Psalms 82:2, Exodus 10:3, Exodus 16:28, Proverbs 1:22, Proverbs 6:9, Jeremiah 4:14, Matthew 17:17
imagine: Psalms 21:11, Psalms 38:12, Psalms 140:2, Hosea 7:15
ye shall: Psalms 73:18-20, 1 Samuel 26:10
bowing: Isaiah 30:13, Isaiah 30:14
Reciprocal: Judges 16:30 - and the house 1 Samuel 1:14 - How long 1 Kings 20:7 - seeketh mischief Psalms 27:2 - wicked Ezekiel 13:15 - The wall Daniel 6:6 - assembled together Mark 9:5 - it is Acts 24:9 - General
Gill's Notes on the Bible
How long will ye imagine mischief against a man?.... Against a good man, as the Targum; or against any Israelite, as Kimchi; or rather he means himself, a single man, a weak man, and an innocent one; which aggravated their sin, in devising his hurt, and contriving ways to take away his life, as did Saul and his courtiers; and, Absalom, and those that were with him. R. Jonah, from the Arabic language, interprets the word here used of putting or drawing out the tongue to a great length; that is, multiplying words, as lies and calumnies, in agreement with Psalms 62:4; but Jarchi, Aben Ezra, and Kimchi, explain it as we do, of devising mischief. The Targum is,
"how long do ye rage against a good man?''
Ye shall be slain all of you; this is a further aggravation of their folly, since it would issue in their own ruin; the mischief they devised for him would fall upon themselves. Some understand this
דרך תפלה, "by way of prayer"; as Aben Ezra, Kimchi, and Ben Melech,
"may ye be slain all of you:''
there is a double reading of these words; Ben Napthali, who is followed by the eastern Jews, reads them actively, "ye shall slay"; with which agree the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and all the Oriental versions; and so the Targum,
"ye shall become murderers all of you.''
Ben Asher, who is followed by the western Jews, reads passively as we do, "ye shall be slain"; and which is approved by Aben Ezra, Kimchi, and others;
as a bowing wall [shall ye be, and as] a tottering fence; which are easily and suddenly pushed down; and so these similes denote the easy, sudden, and certain destruction of those men; see Isaiah 36:13; though some connect the words with the men against whom mischief was imagined by his enemies, who was like a bowing wall and a tottering fence; and so are expressive of his weakness, and of the easy destruction of him; and read the words, "ye shall be slain all of you", in a parenthesis; but the former sense seems best.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? - The original word here rendered “imagine mischief,” from התת hâthath, occurs only in this place. It means, according to Gesenius (Lexicon), to break in upon; to set upon; to assail: “How long will ye break in upon a man?” that is, set upon him. So the Septuagint, and the Latin Vulgate. It does not refer to their merely forming purposes of mischief against a man, but to their making assaults upon him; to their endeavoring to take his life or to destroy him. The address here is to the enemies of David, and the language would apply well to the attempts made upon his life by Absalom and his followers. The question here is, “how long” they would continue to do this; how long they would show this determined purpose to take his life; whether they would never cease thus to persecute him. They had already done it long; they had showed great perseverance in this course of wickedness; and he asks whether it would never come to an end? Who these persons were he does not intimate; but there can be no great danger of mistake in referring the description to Absalom and his adherents.
Ye shall be slain all of you - Prof. Alexander renders this entire passage,” Will ye murder (that is, seek to murder him) all of you (combined against a single person, who is consequently) like wall inclined (or bent by violence), fence (or hedge) crushed (broken down).” So, substantially, DeWette renders it. Those who thus interpret the passage give it an active signification, meaning that his enemies pressed upon him, like a wall that was bent by violence, or a fence that was likely to fall on one. The original word rendered “ye shall be slain,” tªraatsªchuw - תרצחוּ terâtsechû, is in the active form (Piel), and cannot without violence be rendered in the passive, as it is in our translation. But the active form may still be retained, and a consistent meaning be given to the whole passage without the forced meaning put on it in the rendering by Prof. Alexander. It is not natural to speak of enemies as so coming on a man as to make him like a falling wall, or a tottering fence. The evident idea is, that they themselves would be as a falling wall; that is, that they would be defeated or disappointed in their purpose, as a wall that has no solid foundation tumbles to the ground. The meaning of the original may be thus expressed: “How long will ye assail a man, that ye may put him to death? All of you shall be as a bowing wall,” etc. That is, You will not accomplish your design; you will fail in your enterprise, as a wall without strength falls to the ground.
As a bowing wall - A wall that bows out, or swells out; a wall that may fall at any moment. See the notes at Isaiah 30:13.
And as a tottering fence - A fence that is ready to fall; that has no firmness. So it would be with them. Their purposes would suddenly give way, as a fence does when the posts are rotted off, and when there is nothing to support it.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Psalms 62:3. How long will ye imagine mischief — The original word, תהותתו tehothethu, has been translated variously; rush upon, rage against, stir yourselves up, thrust against: the root is התת hathath or התה hathah, to rush violently upon, to assault. It points out the disorderly riotous manner in which this rebellion was conducted.
As a bowing wall - a tottering fence. — Ye are just ready to fall upon others, and destroy them; and in that fall yourselves shall be destroyed: "Ye shall be slain the whole of you."
