Psalm 44/Notes/Lexical.V. 11.450577

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  • The meaning of תְּשִׁיבֵנוּ אָחוֹר: While the hiphil verb תְּשִׁיבֵנוּ with an accusative means "to bring or lead back" (HALOT), with the adverbial accusative אָחוֹר, the construction has the sense of "to make retreat" (DCH).
  • The translation of לָמוֹ: Multiple modern translations omit the prepositional phrase לָמוֹ (NIV, ESV, NRSV, CEV). The phrase could have the nuance of "at their will" (Craigie 2004, 330; NET Notes; so REB, NJB). The NET captures this idiomatic sense in its rendering, "Those who hate us take whatever they want from us" (emphasis added). However, it is perhaps preferable to render the preposition as a לְ of advantage, "for themselves >> for their benefit." The verb שׁסה can be modified with a ל indicating benefit (DCH, 8:515). It is possible that this construction denotes the idiom of "at their will" (Craigie 2004, 330; cf. Ps 80:7), but this nuance is is not broadly attested.
  • אָחוֹר ("backwards"): Indication of directional specification. This noun functions as an adverbial accusative of local determination (JM, §126h). In other words, it specifies the location where the action occurs. God has pushed his people "backwards."