The psalmist now prays that sudden death come upon his enemies, like that which came upon Korah and his family, who were swallowed up by the earth and gulped down alive into Sheol (Num 16.31-33).

In line a there are two ways in which the Hebrew text may be divided and understood: “desolations be upon them” (see Revised Standard Version footnote) or “may death come upon them” (Good News Translation, Revised Standard Version and most others). The psalmist wants them to die at once, before their appointed time. Bible en français courant says it well: “May death take my enemies by surprise.”

For comments on Sheol see 6.5. Line b intensifies the request, or malediction, of line a, namely, that his enemies die suddenly and unexpectedly. The form of the request is not logical, inasmuch as Sheol is the world of the dead, and its inhabitants cannot be alive in the normal meaning of the term. But it would be disastrous for a translator to try to make logical prose out of an emotional poetic line, so something straightforward like Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and others is the only way to translate it.

Line c in the Masoretic text is “for evils (are) in their homes, in their insides (or, in their midst)”; so Good News Translation and the others, including Hebrew Old Testament Text Project (“A” decision). Revised Standard Version follows a conjecture which is not recommended. New Jerusalem Bible has “For where they dwell, there evil is.” In some languages it will not be natural to speak of evil as occupying space without some adjustments. For example, one may say “Their homes and their hearts are evil” or “They live in evil homes and think evil thoughts in their hearts (minds, or innermosts).”

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 .