Psaume 71:10

10 Car mes ennemis parlent de moi; ceux qui guettent mon âme tiennent conseil ensemble,

Psaume 71:10 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 71:10

For mine enemies speak against, me
Or "say unto me" F25 what is expressed in the following verse, "God hath forsaken him"; and so these words are a reason of the above petitions: or "mine enemies speak to me"; or "of me" F26; not good, but evil, and so the Targum paraphrases it,

``for mine enemies speak evil against me;''

or concerning me. David had his enemies, and many, as Ahithophel, and others, who spake against him to the people, and thereby drew many with them into rebellion against him; and particularly Shimei spoke against him, and cursed him, calling him a bloody man, a man of Belial, ( 2 Samuel 16:7 ) ;

and they that lay wait for my soul;
or "life"; that laid snares for him; or lay in ambush, and sought for an opportunity to take away his life: or "they that keep my soul", or "life" F1; that were his bodyguards that were about his person for the preservation of him; and so the Targum seems to understand it;

take counsel together;
lay schemes and form plots how to destroy him, as Ahithophel did, ( 2 Samuel 16:20-17:4 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F25 (yl wrma) "dixerunt mihi", Montanus.
F26 "De me loquuti sunt, vel loquuntur", Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Gejerus, Michaelis.
F1 (yvpn yrmv) "custodientes animam meam", Pagninus, Montanus; "custodiebant", V. L.

Psaume 71:10 In-Context

8 Que ma bouche soit pleine de ta louange et de ta gloire chaque jour!
9 Ne me rejette pas au temps de la vieillesse; quand ma force s'en va, ne m'abandonne pas!
10 Car mes ennemis parlent de moi; ceux qui guettent mon âme tiennent conseil ensemble,
11 Disant: Dieu l'a abandonné; poursuivez-le et le saisissez, car il n'y a personne qui le délivre.
12 O Dieu! ne t'éloigne pas de moi; mon Dieu, accours à mon aide!
The Ostervald translation is in the public domain.