Psalm 92/Notes/Lexical.V. 12.283278

• On the singular "eye" for "sight >> (both) eyes" see the lexical notes on Ps 88:10.
• On בְּשׁוּרָי: There are three different analyses of the form and meaning of בְּשׁוּרָי:

1. It is derived from the nominal שׁוּר meaning "wall" (cf. Gen. 49.22, 2 Sam. 22.30; Ps 18.30). This is probably reflected by both Symmachus' and Theodotion's τοῖς ἀποτειχνίζουσί με ('to wall off'; LSJ) = "those who wall me in."

2. It is an otherwise-unattested by-form of the participle שׁוֹרֵר. This reading is attested in

• And my eye has looked at my enemies (NASB) ≈ CEB, CEV, CSB, GNT, KJV NIV, NLT, NRSV

• Mit Freude sieht mein Auge auf meine Feinde herab (Luther 2017 ≈ ELB)

• Mes yeux voient mes adversaires (NFC ≈ PDV)

• Mis ojos mirarán sobre mis enemigos (RVA ≈ DHH).

This view is attractive because of the very similar expression found in Ps 59:11: אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים יַרְאֵ֥נִי בְשֹׁרְרָֽי.

It is found in a number of the ancient versions, perhaps all dependent on the LXX, however (LXX: τοῖς ἐχθροῖς μου > Gall. inimicis meis, CPA ܒܥܝܠ ܕܒܒܝ; Syr. ܒ̈ܥܠܕܒܒܝ ("my enemies").

A couple of cognates are also widely recognized. See Akkadian šāru, a substantive adjective hostile > n. enemy and šwr from the Old Canaanite qal širti (1cs) 'to be maligned.'

3. It is an instance of the root שׁוּר , most prototypically as "look, see," but also "watch stealthily, lie in wait" (BDB, 1003) and "watch with evil intent, lurk" (DCH, vol. 8, 311). See, e.g.,

• Mon œil voit ceux qui m’espionnent (SG21 ≈ TOB)

• I gloat in triumph over those who tried to ambush me (NET)

• mein Auge blickt herab auf meine Verfolger (EÜ)

• Mit Lust blickt mein Auge auf die, die mich belauern (ZÜR)

• those who lie in wait for me (AMPC)

• those waiting to attack me (ERV)

• those who spy on me (GW):::• those who lie in wait for me (ISV)

• those who spy on me (NOG).

Such an interpretation is reflected in the Hebr. eos qui insidiantur mihi ("those who lie in wait / ambush me") and TgPss בהובדנא דמעיקי ("the destruction of my oppressors").

Despite a number of clear instance of the prototypical "look" in Job (see 7:8; 17:15; 20:9; 24:15; 33:14; 34:29; 35:5, 13, 14), Ringren comments "The LXX does not translate šûr I consistently. In more than one instance it uses prosnoeín and horán; other translations include periblépein, katamanthánein, horatḗs, and makarízein (Nu. 24:17!). In the uncertain passages the LXX either read a different text or misunderstood the text." The hesitation by the LXX––and those translations dependent on it (see above)––is therefore not surprising.

For other instances of this (albeit rare) nuance of the root, see Jeremiah 5:26 כִּי־נִמְצְא֥וּ בְעַמִּ֖י רְשָׁעִ֑ים יָשׁוּר֙ כְּשַׁ֣ךְ יְקוּשִׁ֔ים ("For wicked men are found among my people; they lurk like fowlers lying in wait," ESV), probably as a 3ms impersonal, and Hosea 13:7 וָאֱהִ֥י לָהֶ֖ם כְּמוֹ־שָׁ֑חַל כְּנָמֵ֖ר עַל־דֶּ֥רֶךְ אָשֽׁוּר׃ ("So I am to them like a lion; like a leopard I will lurk beside the way," ESV). Such has also been suggested for the difficult אַ֭שֻּׁרֵינוּ (MT) in Ps 17:11, if emended to יְשֻׁרוּנִי (DCH), though see our grammar notes on this verse.

This use fits well with the parallel of those rising up against me in the following line (presumably, from the ambush in which they are lurking).