Psalm 44/Notes/Phrasal.V. 11.965664
From Psalms: Layer by Layer
- מִנִּי צָר ("from the adversary"): The most typical spatial use of מִן is for movement away from a point (BHRG, §39.14.1). Combined with the hiphil form of the verb שׁוב and אָ֭חוֹר, the construction has the sense of "to make retreat from enemies" (DCH).
- לָֽ-מוֹ ("for themselves"): 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.