Psalm 32/Notes/Grammar.v. 9.382048
From Psalms: Layer by Layer
v. 9 – For infinitive לִבְל֑וֹם as expressing deontic modality of "must" (cf. the KJV: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle) see also 2 Kgs 4:13, 14; Isa 5:4; Jer 51:49; Hos 12:3; Ps 49:15; Job 30:6; Eccl 3:15 (as discussed in Sjörs, forthcoming, "The Infinitive Construct"). Though most modern translations recognize the impersonal nature of the clause, they render the infinitive in the passive voice, "must be x-ed." Nevertheless, the infinitive לִבְל֑וֹם is in the qal stem, so we have preferred to avoid the passive reading with "one must, people must."