Psalm 37/Notes/Lexical.v. 7.668355

The verb הִתְחוֹלֵל elsewhere means "to writhe with fear" (HALOT, cf. Jer 23:19; Job 15:20; for the possible combination of fear and silence, cf. Ps 4:5—רִגְזוּ... וְדֹמּוּ), but this is not appropriate to the context. Thus, virtually all translation agree that the verb הִתְחוֹלֵל here means to "wait longingly" (BDB, DCH; cf. NIV, NLT, ESV, GNT, NET, NJPS, NEB, LUT, HFA, NGÜ, ELB, EÜ, GNB, ZÜR). So also the Targum (ואוריך ליה) and Aquila (ἀποκαραδόκει). Cf. the similar phrase וּתְח֥וֹלֵֽל לֽוֹ in Job 35:14—"you must wait for him" (NIV, cf. NLT, ESV, NET, etc.). The verbal root חיל/חול in Ps 37:7 and Job 35:14 is probably different from the root חיל/חול ("to writhe") and is instead related to the root יחל ("to wait", so Briggs 1906, 333; cf. DCH, SDBH).