Although his enemies attack him for no reason at all, the psalmist loves them and prays for them (verse 4). In verse 4a accuse translates the verb satan (the synonymous verb translated “contend” in 35.1 may also mean to accuse in a trial). Ordinarily, in English the verb “accuse” is transitive, that is, the one accused must be mentioned, and something like “they accuse me of doing evil things” (or the like) must be said. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy has “they attack me,” which is better than Good News Translation “They oppose me.”

Verse 4b in Hebrew is strange; it seems to say simply “and I a prayer.” New English Bible emends the text to get “though I have done nothing unseemly”; New Jerusalem Bible translates the Masoretic text “and I must stand judgment” (with the footnote “Or ‘but I am all prayer’ ”). The majority render the text as Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation do; Hebrew Old Testament Text Project says the Masoretic text means “while I did but pray.” New International Version “but I am a man of prayer” does not fit in the context.

The psalmist protests that he is completely innocent and has given his enemies no reason for their hatred (verse 5); for similar language see 35.12; 38.20. Instead of abstract nouns, verbal phrases may be better in translating this verse:

• I do good things for them,
but they pay me back with bad things;
I love them, but they hate me.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Reyburn, William D. A Handbook on the Book of Psalms. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1991. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .