The Meaning of Ps 109:20

Back to Psalm 109.

Exegetical issues for Psalm 109:

The Meaning of Ps 109:4b

The Speaker of Ps 109:6-19

The Meaning of Ps 109:20

Introduction

The Hebrew text of Ps 109:20, according to the Masoretic Text, reads as follows:

זֹ֤את פְּעֻלַּ֣ת שֹׂ֭טְנַי מֵאֵ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה

וְהַדֹּבְרִ֥ים רָ֝֗ע עַל־נַפְשִֽׁי׃

Consider the following translations of v. 20a:

• "May this be the reward of my accusers from the LORD..." (ESV)
• "This is the LORD's reward for my enemies..." (cf. S21)
• "This would mine adversaries effect from the LORD..." (JPS1917)
• "Such are the doings of those who accuse me with reference to the LORD" (cf. EÜ)
• "Such are the doings of those who accuse me before the Lord..." (cf. NFC).

As these various translations illustrate, there are several interrelated interpretive issues in this verse:

1. The meaning of the word פְּעֻלַּת
   1. "Reward/punishment" (cf. ESV, S21)
   2. "Activity/doings" (cf. EÜ, JPS1917, NFC)
2. The meaning of the phrase פְּעֻלַּת שֹׂטְנַי
   1. שֹׂטְנַי as recipient: "the reward/punishment which my accusers will receive" (cf. ESV, S21)
   2. שֹׂטְנַי as agent: "the activity which my accusers are doing" (cf. JPS1917, EÜ, NFC)
3. The meaning and syntactic function of the phrase מֵאֵת יְהוָה
   1. Modifying פְּעֻלַּת
      1. Source/agent of the accusers' punishment: "from YHWH" (cf. ESV, S21)
      2. Source/agent of effecting the accusers' curse on the psalmist: "from YHWH" (cf. JPS1917)
   2. Modifying שֹׂטְנַי
      1. Point of reference for accusations: "regarding YHWH" (cf. EÜ)
      2. Place of accusations: "before YHWH"
4. The mood of the clause
   1. Indicative: "this is" (cf. S21)
   2. Directive: "may this be" (cf. ESV)

This issue has a significant bearing on how one identifies The Speaker of Ps 109:6-19, whether the psalmist himself or the psalmist's enemies.

Argument Maps

The meaning of פְּעֻלַּת שֹׂטְנַי

The first two issues raised in the introduction (the meaning of the word פְּעֻלַּת and the meaning of the phrase פְּעֻלַּת שֹׂטְנַי) can be treated together.

"The punishment deserved by my accusers" (preferred)

The vast majority of modern translations interpret the phrase פְּעֻלַּת שֹׂטְנַי as "the punishment for my accusers," i.e., "the punishment deserved by my accusers." For example, the ESV translates the phrase as "the reward of my accusers" (ESV), and the NIV translates it as "payment to my accusers." According to both of these translations the first noun in the phrase (פְּעֻלַּת) has a retributive sense, and the second noun in the phrase (שֹׂטְנַי) specifies the recipients of the retribution.

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["The punishment deserved by my accusers"]: The phrase פְּעֻלַּת שֹׂטְנַי means "punishment deserved by my accusers" (lit.: "wage for my accusers"). The word פְּעֻלַּת has a retributive sense, and the word שֹׂטְנַי specifies the recipient of the retribution (HALOT :L:, SDBH :L:, DCH :L:).
 + <Context>: The immediately preceding verses argue that the enemy deserves to be cursed because he himself loved cursing (vv. 17-19). It would be appropriate, then, to describe the enemy's punishment as a 'wage' (פּעֻלָּה) which he has worked to earn.
 + <Usage>: The noun פְּעֻלָּה often means, "payment for work, either with money or in kind; ≈ by extension: all that happens in return for one's actions" (SDBH). When it occurs in construct with an animate noun, the phrase usually means "payment *for* X-person."
  + [Usage]: פְּעֻלַּ֥ת שָׂכִ֛יר (Lev 19:13); פְּעֻלָּתֹו֙ אֲשֶׁר־עָ֣בַד בָּ֔הּ (Ezek 29:20); פְּעֻלַּ֣ת צַדִּ֣יק (Prov 10:16); וּפְעֻלָּתִי (Isa 49:4); וְנָתַתִּ֤י פְעֻלָּתָם֙ (Isa 61:8); וּמַדֹּתִ֧י פְעֻלָּתָ֛ם (Isa 65:7).
 + <Ancient versions>: Some of the ancient translations understood פְּעֻלַּת שֹׂטְנַי to mean "repayment for my accusers."
  + [Ancient versions]: Symmachus: τὸ ἀνταπόδομα ('repayment'); Jerome (Hebr.): *retributio his* ('repayment for them'); cf. Targum: אחסנא ('heritage'); one medieval Hebrew manuscript: נחלת ('heritage').

"The work that my accusers do"

Some translations interpret the first noun פְּעֻלַּת in a more generic (non-retributive) sense: "work" or "activity." These translations then interpret the second noun (שֹׂטְנַי) as the agent of this "work" or "activity": "the work of my accusers" or "the doings of those who accuse me." For example, the EÜ translates this part of the verse follows: "So treiben es die, die mich anklagen..."—"Such are the doings of those who accuse me..."

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["The work my accusers do"]: The phrase פְּעֻלַּת שֹׂטְנַי means "the work of my accusers," i.e., "the work that my accusers do." The word פְּעֻלַּת has the basic sense of "work," and the word שֹׂטְנַי specifies the agent of the work.#dispreferred
 + <Context>: If vv. 6-19 are a quotation of the psalmist's enemies, then it makes sense to read v. 20 as a colophon or postscript to the quotation, summarizing the "work" of the psalmist's accusers. #dispreferred
  - <Odd choice of phrase for a summary>: If the psalmist wanted to summarize the speech-activity of his enemies in vv. 6-19 (assuming vv. 6-19 are a quotation), then he might have used a less ambiguous and more appropriate phrase than פְּעֻלַּת שֹׂטְנַי, e.g., אֵלֶּה דִבְרֵי שֹׂטְנַי or כֹּה אָמְרוּ שֹׂטְנַי.
 + <Usage>: The basic meaning of פְּעֻלָּה is "an activity performed by a person or deity" (SDBH). When it occurs in construct with an animate noun, the phrase usually means "work *performed by* X-person."#dispreferred
  + [Usage]: שָׂכָ֤ר לִפְעֻלָּתֵךְ֙ (Jer 31:16); שָׂכָ֖ר לִפְעֻלַּתְכֶֽם (II Chron 15:7); לִפְעֻלֹּ֣ות אָ֭דָם (Ps 17:14); פְּעֻלֹּ֣ת יְ֭הוָה (Ps 28:5).#dispreferred
 + <Ancient versions>: Some of the ancient versions understood פְּעֻלַּת as having the basic sense of "work."#dispreferred
  + [Ancient versions]: LXX: τὸ ἔργον ('the work'); Peshitta: ܥܒܕܐ ('the work'); some Targum manuscripts: עובדא ('the work'). #dispreferred

The syntactic function of מֵאֵת יְהוָה

The phrase מֵאֵת יְהוָה lies at the heart of this exegetical issue. The approaches to this phrase can be summed up in three categories:

1. מֵאֵת יְהוָה modifies פְּעֻלַּת (YHWH delivers the punishment).
2. מֵאֵת יְהוָה modifies שֹׂטְנַי (YHWH is the audience for the accusations).
3. מֵאֵת יְהוָה is not the earliest recoverable form of the text.

Modifying פְּעֻלַּת (preferred)

Most modern translations think that the prepositional phrase מֵאֵת יְהוָה is modifying the noun פְּעֻלַּת, and they interpret מֵאֵת יְהוָה as specifying the source of this desired "punishment" against the psalmist's adversaries. The ESV for example, translates the phrase as, "the reward of my accusers from the LORD," and the NLT translates it as, "the LORD’s punishment for my accusers." Thus, most of the versions that reflect this interpretation also interpret פְּעֻלַּת שֹׂטְנַי as "punishment for my accusers." This connection is not always or necessarily the case, however. At least one translation (JPS1917) interprets פְּעֻלַּת שֹׂטְנַי as "the work of my accusers" and interprets מֵאֵת יְהוָה as modifying פְּעֻלַּת and specifying YHHW as the source: "This would mine adversaries effect from the LORD" (i.e., "this is what my adversaries are trying to get YHWH to do").

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[Modifying פְּעֻלַּת]: The prepositional phrase מֵאֵת יְהוָה modifies פְּעֻלַּת and indicates that YHWH is the agent or source of the 'repayment/work.'
 + <Semantic roles>: The noun פְּעֻלַּת ("repayment," lit.: "wage") lexically entails a source or an agent, i.e., a person to give or measure out the פְּעֻלָּה.
  + [Agent of distributing]: E.g., וְנָתַתִּ֤י פְעֻלָּתָם֙—"I will give their payment" (Isa 61:8); וּמַדֹּתִ֧י פְעֻלָּתָ֛ם—"I will measure out their payment" (Isa 65:7).
 + <Usage>: The compound preposition מֵאֵת usually indicates the source of some thing or activity (DCH :L:: "from being with, away from, from"), and the phrase מֵאֵת יְהוָה in particular always indicates YHWH as the source or agent of some thing or activity.
  + [Usage]: "The king said, 'This disaster is from the Lord' (הִנֵּה זֹאת הָרָעָה מֵאֵת יְהוָה)" (II Kgs 6:33, NIV); cf. Gen 19:24; Num 11:31; 16:35; Josh 11:20; 1 Sam 16:14; 2 Kgs 20:9; Isa 21:10; 38:7; Jer 7:1; 11:1; 18:1; 21:1; 26:1; 27:1; 30:1; 32:1; 34:1, 8, 12; 35:1; 36:1; 37:17; 40:1; 49:14; Ezek 33:30; Obad 1; Micah 1:12; 5:6; Hab 2:13; Zech 7:12; Pss 24:5; 27:4; 118:23; Ezra 9:8.
  + [E.g., Num 7:84]: E.g., זֹ֣את׀ חֲנֻכַּ֣ת הַמִּזְבֵּ֗חַ…מֵאֵ֖ת נְשִׂיאֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל—"This was the dedication offering... from the chiefs of Israel (ESV, Num 7:84).
 + <Ancient versions>: Most of the ancient versions appear to have understood the prepositional phrase מֵאֵת יְהוָה as indicating the source of the work/punishment.
  + [Ancient versions]: LXX: παρὰ κυρίου ('from the Lord'); Jerome (Hebr.): a Domino ('from the Lord'); Targum: מן ייי ('from YHWH').
   - <παρὰ κυρίῳ>: The Septuagint probably read παρὰ κυρίῳ ('with/beside the Lord'), not παρὰ κυρίου ('from the Lord').#dispreferred
    + [παρὰ κυρίῳ]: So Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus, Ra 2110, Ra 2029, and others (see Rahlfs 1979, 275). Cf. Jerome (LXX): apud Dominum.#dispreferred
    - <παρὰ κυρίου>: The reading παρὰ κυρίῳ is probably an inner-Greek corruption. The earlier form of the Septuagint text is παρὰ κυρίου ("from the Lord") (so Rahlfs 1979, 275).
     + [παρὰ κυρίου]: So the Verona Psalter and the Lucianic text group (see Rahlfs 1979, 275).
     <_ <Adaptation to Hebrew>: "In the Septuagint tradition, the reading παρὰ κυρίου... can hardly be anything else than an adaptation to the current Hebrew text" (Booij 1996, 101 :A:).#dispreferred
     + <מאת = παρὰ + genitive>: The Greek Psalms translator always renders מאת as παρὰ + genitive.
      + [מאת = παρὰ + genitive]: Pss 21:26; 23:5; 26:4; 65:20; 117:23.
      <_ <Different Vorlage>: The Greek Psalms translator might have read something other than מאת יהוה in Ps 109, perhaps שטני את יהוה or שטנים את יהוה (see argument maps below).#dispreferred

Modifying שֹׂטְנַי

Some of the translations that interpret פְּעֻלַּת שֹׂטְנַי as "the work of my accusers" understand the phrase מֵאֵת יְהוָה as modifying שֹׂטְנַי: either "those who accuse me with reference to the LORD" (cf. EÜ) or "those who accuse me before the Lord" (cf. NFC).

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[Modifying שֹׂטְנַי]: The phrase מֵאֵת יְהוָה modifies שֹׂטְנַי, specifying that the psalmist's accusers accuse him "before YHWH" or perhaps "with reference to YHWH".#dispreferred
 + <Ancient versions>: The Septuagint and the Syriac Peshitta appear to have understood the phrase מֵאֵת יְהוָה (or perhaps את יהוה?) as modifying שֹׂטְנַי.#dispreferred
  + <Septuagint>: The Septuagint probably translated the phrase with παρὰ κυρίῳ ('with/beside the Lord'), and παρά + dative can mean "in the presence of (a judge)" (see LSJ), which would be an appropriate way to describe the psalmist's accusers who make their accusations "in the presence of the Lord."#dispreferred
   + [παρὰ κυρίῳ]: So Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus, Ra 2110, Ra 2029, and others (see Rahlfs 1979, 275). Cf. Jerome (LXX): apud Dominum.#dispreferred
    <_ <παρὰ κυρίου>: The reading παρὰ κυρίῳ is probably an inner-Greek corruption. The earlier form of the Septuagint text is παρὰ κυρίου ("from the Lord") (so Rahlfs 1979, 275) (see evidence and arguments in the preceding argument map).
  + [Peshitta]: ܗܢܘ ܥܒܕܐ ܕܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܣܩܪܝܢ ܠܡܪܝܐ܂ ("This is the work of those who are the Lord's adversaries"—Taylor 2020, 465).#dispreferred
   <_  <Incorrect word division>: The Peshitta's translation is the result of an incorrect word division: שטנים את יהוה (Vogel 1951, 209 :A:).
 + <Judicial context>: "The judicial context implies a spatial sense for מֵאֵת יְהוָה... One goes physically into the presence of the priests and judges, but through their mediation one is in Yahweh’s presence" (Jenkins 2020, 130 :A:). Thus, the accusers are making their accusations "before YHWH."#dispreferred
  + [Deut 19:17]: "The two people involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the Lord (לִפְנֵי יְהוָה) before the priests and the judges (לִפְנֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַשֹּׁפְטִים) who are in office at the time" (Deut 19:17, NIV).#dispreferred
 - <Usage>: The compound preposition מֵאֵת usually indicates the source of some thing or activity (DCH :L:: "from being with, away from, from"), and the phrase מֵאֵת יְהוָה in particular always indicates YHWH as the source or agent of some thing or activity (see previous argument map for evidence).
  <_ <מֵאֵת as "before">: The compound preposition מֵאֵת can also mean "before" (Gass 2021, 75-76 :A:).#dispreferred
   + [מֵאֵת as "before"]: "You have no one before/with (מֵאֵת הַמֶּלֶךְ) the king to hear" (2 Sam 15:3; cf. Exod 27:21; 29:28; Lev 7:34, 36; 24:8; Esth 7:7) (examples cited in Gass 2021, 75-76 :A:).#dispreferred
    - <מֵאֵת as source or agency>: In all of these passages, the מֵאֵת indicates source or agency, not proximity: 2 Sam 15:3: "someone from the king" >> "man designated by the king" (ESV, cf. NIV, NET, GNT, JPS1917); Esth 7:7: "harm determined...by the king" (ESV, cf. NIV, NLT, NET); in Exod 27:21; 29:28; Lev 7:34, 36; 24:8, the phrase מֵאֵת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל indicates agency: "observed... by the people of Israel" (Exod 27:21, ESV). Even if "with" is an appropriate translation in English in some of these passages (or *bei* in German), the Hebrew phrase indicates source or agency, not proximity.
 - <Other more likely constructions>: If the psalmist wanted to describe his accusers as accusing him "before YHWH," he would have used the preposition לִפְנֵי, not מֵאֵת. If he wanted to describe them as accusing him "with reference to YHWH," then he would have used the preposition לְ, not מֵאֵת.

Emendations to the text

Some scholars argue that מֵאֵת יְהוָה is not the earliest recoverable form of the text, and they argue for an emendation. The following four emendations (listed in order of how much they differ from MT) have been proposed:

1. שֹׂטְנִים אֵת יְהוָה
2. שֹׂטְנַי אֵת יְהוָה
3. שֹׂטְנֵי יְהוָה
4. שֹׂטְנַי

שֹׂטְנִים אֵת יְהוָה

Some scholars have argued that the words should be redivided to read שֹׂטְנִים אֵת יְהוָה ("accusers before YHWH"). According to this view, the mem which the MT places at the beginning of את actually belongs at the end of שטני.

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[שֹׂטְנִים אֵת יְהוָה]: The words should be divided as follows: שֹׂטְנִים אֵת יְהוָה ("accusers before YHWH") (Booij 1996 :A:). #dispreferred
 + <Ancient versions>: The Septuagint and the Syriac Peshitta probably read שֹׂטְנִים אֵת יְהוָה, reading the same consonantal text as MT but dividing the words differently (on the Peshitta's reading cf. Vogel 1951, 209 :A:).#dispreferred
   + [Peshitta]: ܗܢܘ ܥܒܕܐ ܕܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܣܩܪܝܢ ܠܡܪܝܐ܂ ("This is the work of those who are the Lord's adversaries"—Taylor 2020, 465).#dispreferred
   + [Septuagint]: τοῦτο τὸ ἔργον τῶν ἐνδιαβαλλόντων με παρὰ κυρίῳ.#dispreferred
    + <παρὰ κυρίῳ>: The Septuagint probably read παρὰ κυρίῳ ('with/beside the Lord'), not (as Rahlfs claimed) παρὰ κυρίου ('from the Lord').#dispreferred
     + [παρὰ κυρίῳ]: So Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus, Ra 2110, Ra 2029, and others (see Rahlfs 1979, 275). Cf. Jerome (LXX): apud Dominum.#dispreferred
    - <παρὰ κυρίου>: The reading παρὰ κυρίῳ is probably an inner-Greek corruption. The earlier form of the Septuagint text is παρὰ κυρίου ("from the Lord") (so Rahlfs 1979, 275).
     - <Adaptation to Hebrew>: "In the Septuagint tradition, the reading παρὰ κυρίου... can hardly be anything else than an adaptation to the current Hebrew text" (Booij 1996, 101 :A:).#dispreferred
     + [παρὰ κυρίου]: So the Verona Psalter and the Lucianic text group (see Rahlfs 1979, 275).
     + <מאת = παρὰ + genitive>: The Greek Psalms translator always renders מאת as παρὰ + genitive.
      + [מאת = παρὰ + genitive]: Pss 21:26; 23:5; 26:4; 65:20; 117:23.
      <_ <Different Vorlage>: The Greek Psalms translator did not read מאת יהוה in Ps 109. Instead he divided the words as follows: שטנים את יהוה (Booij 1996, 99-101 :A:).#dispreferred
       - <Pronoun>: The Greek translation has a pronoun (με), which means that he must have read the י in שטני as a pronominal suffix.
        <_ <Translation technique>: "In the Septuagint version of Psalms, in spite of its relative literality, the addition of pronouns is fairly common... \[P\]ronouns are added for linguistic, stylistic or explanatory reasons" (Booij 1996, 100 :A:).#dispreferred
         + [Added pronouns]: Pss 12:2; 16:5; 19:6; 27:4; 45:4; 49:12; 69:2; 78:6,15; 84:4; 88:8; 106:32,43; 107:20; 127:5; 139:1 (cited in Booij 1996, 100 :A:).#dispreferred
 + <Spatial sense and judicial context>: The preposition אֵת "indicates a general shared proximity in space" between two entities (BHRG §39.5 :G:), and this spatial sense of the preposition would work well in the judicial context, where "one goes physically into the presence of the priests and judges, but through their mediation one is in Yahweh’s presence" (Jenkins 2020, 130 :A:). Thus, the accusers are making their accusations "before YHWH."#dispreferred
  + [Deut 19:17]: "The two people involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the Lord (לִפְנֵי יְהוָה) before the priests and the judges (לִפְנֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַשֹּׁפְטִים) who are in office at the time" (Deut 19:17, NIV).#dispreferred
  - <More appropriate prepositions>: In such a judicial context, the compound preposition לִפְנֵי or the compound preposition אֶת פְּנֵי  would be more appropriate than אֵת (see e.g., Deut 19:17).
   + <Rare use of אֵת>: The use of אֵת in the sense of "in the presence of" is "rare... In this sense אֶת פְּנֵי is more frequent" (BDB :L:).
    + [1 Kgs 12:6]: "Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon (אֶת־פְּנֵי שְׁלֹמֹה) his father while he was yet alive..." (1 Kgs 12:6, ESV).
 - <Less natural>: The absence of a pronominal suffix (שֹׂטְנַי) makes the text reads less naturally—"*my* accusers" is expected (cf. v. 29a)—and also makes for a weaker parallel with the b-line, which uses a first person pronoun to refer to the psalmist (הַדֹּבְרִים רָע עַל נַפְשִׁי).
  + <Direct object>: The verb שׂטן (and also the similar verb שטם) always takes a direct object. If the words are divided as שֹׂטְנִים אֵת יְהוָה and את is interpreted as a preposition rather than a direct object marker, then this would be the only place in the OT where שׂטן (or שטם) does not have a direct object.

שֹׂטְנַי אֵת יְהוָה

Some scholars have argued that the earliest form of the text read שֹׂטְנַי אֵת יְהוָה and that the mem is a secondary addition.

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[שֹׂטְנַי אֵת יְהוָה]: The earliest form of the text read שטני את יהוה ("my accusers before YHWH") (Hugger 1973 :A:). #dispreferred
 - <Inability to explain the mem>: The reading שטני את יהוה (without a mem) cannot explain how most manuscripts came to read שטני מאת יהוה (with a mem).
  - <(Pseudo-)dittography>: The mem came about by (pseudo-)dittography. The י and נ in שטני could have been mistaken for a mem, which was then copied twice (Hugger 1973, 108 :A:). #dispreferred
 + <Septuagint>: The Septuagint probably read שטני את יהוה. #dispreferred
  + [Septuagint]: τοῦτο τὸ ἔργον τῶν ἐνδιαβαλλόντων με παρὰ κυρίῳ.#dispreferred
   + <παρὰ κυρίῳ>: The Septuagint probably read παρὰ κυρίῳ ('with/beside the Lord'), not παρὰ κυρίου ('from the Lord').#dispreferred
    + [παρὰ κυρίῳ]: So Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus, Ra 2110, Ra 2029, and others (see Rahlfs 1979, 275). Cf. Jerome (LXX): apud Dominum.#dispreferred
    - <παρὰ κυρίου>: The reading παρὰ κυρίῳ is probably an inner-Greek corruption. The earlier form of the Septuagint text is παρὰ κυρίου ("from the Lord") (so Rahlfs 1979, 275).
     + [παρὰ κυρίου]: So the Verona Psalter and the Lucianic text group (see Rahlfs 1979, 275).
     + <מאת = παρὰ + genitive>: The Greek Psalms translator always renders מאת as παρὰ + genitive.
      + [מאת = παρὰ + genitive]: Pss 21:26; 23:5; 26:4; 65:20; 117:23.
      <_ <Different Vorlage>: The Greek Psalms translator might have read something other than מאת יהוה in Ps 109, perhaps את יהוה.#dispreferred
       - <Simpler explanation>: There is no other manuscript evidence for reading את יהוה. The simpler explanation for the reading παρὰ κ\[υρί\]ῳ is that it originated from a misreading of παρὰ κ\[υρίο\]υ.
 + <Spatial sense and judicial context>: The preposition אֵת "indicates a general shared proximity in space" between two entities (BHRG §39.5 :G:), and this spatial sense of the preposition would work well in the judicial context, where "one goes physically into the presence of the priests and judges, but through their mediation one is in Yahweh’s presence" (Jenkins 2020, 130 :A:). Thus, the accusers are making their accusations "before YHWH."#dispreferred
  + [Deut 19:17]: "The two people involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the Lord (לִפְנֵי יְהוָה) before the priests and the judges (לִפְנֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַשֹּׁפְטִים) who are in office at the time" (Deut 19:17, NIV).#dispreferred
  - <More appropriate prepositions>: In such a judicial context, the compound preposition לִפְנֵי or the compound preposition אֶת פְּנֵי  would be more appropriate than אֵת (see e.g., Deut 19:17). 
   + <Rare use of אֵת>: The use of אֵת in the sense of "in the presence of" is "rare... In this sense אֶת פְּנֵי is more frequent" (BDB :L:).
    + [1 Kgs 12:6]: "Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon (אֶת־פְּנֵי שְׁלֹמֹה) his father while he was yet alive..." (1 Kgs 12:6, ESV).

שֹׂטְנֵי יְהוָה

Some scholars have argued that the earliest form of the text is שֹׂטְנֵי יְהוָה ("YHWH's accusers"). According to this view, מֵאֵת is a secondary addition, and שטני should be vocalized as a plural construct form: שֹׂטְנֵי.

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[שֹׂטְנֵי יְהוָה]: The compound preposition מֵאֵת is a secondary addition to the text. The original text read: שטני יהוה ("YHWH's accusers") (see Creager 1947 :A:). #dispreferred
 + <Balance>: "The phrase seriously overloads the meter, and deletion gives... regular rhythm" (Creager 1947, 123 :A:). #dispreferred
  + [Balance]: זֹאת פְּעֻלַּת שֹׂטְנֵי יְהוָה / וְהַדֹּבְרִים רָע עַל נַפְשִׁי (four words, 9 syllables / four words, 9 syllables). #dispreferred
 + <Peshitta>: The Syriac Peshitta appears to have read שטני יהוה, without מאת (Creager 1947, 123 :A:).#dispreferred
  + [Peshitta]: ܗܢܘ ܥܒܕܐ ܕܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܣܩܪܝܢ ܠܡܪܝܐ܂ ("This is the work of those who are the Lord's adversaries"—Taylor 2020, 465).#dispreferred
  - <שטנים את יהוה>: It is more likely that the Peshitta read שטנים את יהוה, reading the same consonantal text but dividing the words differently (Vogel 1951, 209 :A:).
 - <Context>: The accusers are accusing the psalmist, not YHWH.
  + [vv. 4, 29]: v. 4: יִשְׂטְנוּנִי; v. 29: שׂוֹטְנַי

שֹׂטְנַי

Finally, some scholars have argued that the entire phrase מֵאֵת יְהוָה is a secondary addition and that the earliest form of the text read only שֹׂטְנַי.

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[שֹׂטְנַי]: The phrase מֵאֵת יְהוָה is a secondary addition to the text (see BHS).#dispreferred
 + <Balance>: "The phrase seriously overloads the meter, and deletion gives... regular rhythm" (Creager 1947, 123 :A:).#dispreferred
  + [Balance]: זֹאת פְּעֻלַּת שֹׂטְנַי / וְהַדֹּבְרִים רָע עַל נַפְשִׁי (three words, 7 syllables / four words, 9 syllables). #dispreferred
  - <Equally balanced with מֵאֵת יְהוָה>: The verse is no more balanced without  מֵאֵת יְהוָה than with it. In either case, there is a difference between the lines of one word and two syllables.
   + [Equally balanced]: זֹאת פְּעֻלַּת שֹׂטְנַי מֵאֵת יְהוָה / וְהַדֹּבְרִים רָע עַל נַפְשִׁי (five words, 11 syllables / four words, 9 syllables).
 - <Manuscript evidence>: No witnesses to the text omit the consonants מאת יהוה.

The mood of the clause

The translations that interpret פְּעֻלַּת שֹׂטְנַי as "punishment for my accusers" disagree on the mood of the clause.

Indicative (preferred)

A few of the translations that interpret פְּעֻלַּת שֹׂטְנַי as "punishment for my accusers" think that the clause is indicative. The S21 translation, for example, says, "Voilà, de la part de l’Eternel, le salaire de mes ennemis"—"This is the reward of my enemies from the Lord."

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[Indicative]: Verse 20 has indicative semantics: "this is..."
 + <Usage>: "Elsewhere sentences of this type \[i.e., "nominal sentences opening with זֹאת"\] are always statements of fact" (Booij 1996, 95 :A:).
  + [Usage]: E.g., Lev 11:46; Num 7:88; Isa 54:17; also, with זֶה, Ps 49:14; Job 20:29;
cf. Job 21:2 (examples cited in Booij 1996, 95 :A:).
 + <Context>: However vv. 6-19 and v. 20 are interpreted (quotation vs no-quotation, "wage/punishment for my accusers" vs "work of my accusers"), v. 20 makes sense as an indicative clause.
  + <Context 1>: If vv. 6-19 are a quotation, then v. 20 is naturally read as indicative, describing these words as "the work of my accusers."
  + <Context 2>: If vv. 6-19 are the psalmist's words against his enemies, then v. 20 can still be naturally read as a justifying statement that his enemies have earned the kind of punishment for which he has just prayed: "this is the wage that my enemies have earned from YHWH."

Directive

Most of the translations that interpret פְּעֻלַּת שֹׂטְנַי as "punishment for my accusers" think that the clause is directive. The ESV, for example, says, "May this be the reward of my accusers from the LORD."

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[Directive]: Verse 20 has directive, or jussive/optative, semantics: "May this be...!" #dispreferred
 + <Context>: However vv. 6-19 are interpreted (quotation vs no-quotation), v. 20 makes sense as a directive clause.#dispreferred
  + <Context 1>: If vv. 6-19 are a quotation, then v. 20 can be read as the psalmist's request for YHWH to turn the curses of his accusers back onto their own heads.#dispreferred
  + <Context 2>: If vv. 6-19 are the psalmist's words against his enemies, then v. 20 can be read as a summary of his preceding prayer.#dispreferred
 - <Nothing to mark as directive>: "There is nothing to indicate that it is a petition; one would expect it to be introduced by תְּהִי, as in verse 19, if this were the intended thought" (Creager 1947, 122 :A:; cf. Booij 1996, 95-96 :A:; Gass 2021, 74 :A:).
  <_ <v. 19>: The directive/jussive semantics are "understood from v. 19" (Egwim 2011, 111 :M:). #dispreferred
   - <Major gap>: There is a "major gap" between v. 19 and v. 20, so the jussive semantics cannot be carried over from v. 19 to v. 20 (Creager 1947, 122 :A:).
  <_ <Optative nominal clauses>: "Nominal clauses can have optative force..." (JM §163 :G:).#dispreferred
   + [Optative nominal clauses]: E.g., "in the greeting formulae: שָׁלוֹם לָךְ 'Greetings to you!' Jdg 6.23 etc.; יהוה עִמָּכֶם 'YHWH be with you! Ru 2.4...; in blessings and curses: Gen 9.26 בָּרוּךְ יהוה 'Yahweh be blessed!; 3.14 אָרוּר אַתָּה 'may you be cursed!'" (JM §163 :G:).#dispreferred
    <_ <Fixed formulas>: "Pronouncements without a jussive or an imperfect, which nevertheless are to be understood as a wish, are generally fixed formulas or exclamations" (Booij 1996, 95 :A:).

Conclusion (A)

The issue largely comes down to the phrase מֵאֵת יְהוָה. We can start there and then reason our way through the rest of the issue.

1. The manuscript evidence strongly supports reading the consonants שטני מאת יהוה. There is some disagreement about the proper word division (שטני מאת יהוה vs שטנים את יהוה), but the word division in MT makes the most sense.
2. If we read מֵאֵת יְהוָה, then it is best to understand this phrase as modifying פְּעֻלַּת and indicating YHWH as the agent or source of the פְּעֻלָּה. This interpretation corresponds to the normal usage of מֵאֵת. Attempts to understand מֵאֵת in any other way do not have strong support.
3. If we understand מֵאֵת יְהוָה to mean that YHWH is the agent or source of the פְּעֻלָּה, then it makes the most sense to understand פְּעֻלַּת in a retributive sense: "the punishment [lit.: wage] for my accusers." This meaning of the phrase corresponds well with similar usage in the Hebrew Bible.
4. The mood of the clause in v. 20 is probably indicative, since clauses of this type are typically indicative and since this meaning works well in the context.

In conclusion, v. 20a appears to be saying, "This is the punishment [lit.: wage] that my enemies have earned from YHWH." In other words, in v. 20 the psalmist is saying that his enemies have earned the kind of punishment for which he has just prayed (vv. 6-19). This statement is especially appropriate in light of the immediately preceding verses, which argue that the enemy deserves to be cursed because he himself loved cursing (vv. 17-19).

Our interpretation of this verse has ancient precedent. Jerome reflects the same interpretation in his translation of the Hebrew text: haec est retributio his qui adversantur mihi a Domino (cf. Symmachus).

Research

Hebrew manuscripts

• In place of פעלת, one medieval Hebrew manuscript reads נחלת (cf. Targum).

Translations

Ancient

• LXX: τοῦτο τὸ ἔργον τῶν ἐνδιαβαλλόντων με παρὰ κυρίου καὶ τῶν λαλούντων πονηρὰ κατὰ τῆς ψυχῆς μου.
  • "This is the work from the Lord against those that slander me and those that speak evil against my soul."
• Symmachus: τοῦτο τὸ ἀνταπόδομα τῶν ἀντικειμένων (μοι)
  • "This is the repayment of those who oppose (me)."
• Peshitta: ܗܢܘ ܥܒܕܐ ܕܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܣܩܪܝܢ ܠܡܪܝܐ܂ ܘܕܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܡܡܠܠܝܢ ܒܝܫܬܐ ܥܠ ܢܦܫܝ܂
  • "This is the work of those who are the Lord's adversaries and those who speak evil against me."
• Jerome (iuxta Hebr.): haec est retributio his qui adversantur mihi a Domino et qui loquuntur malum contra animam meam.
  • "This is the repayment for those who oppose me from the Lord, and those who speak evil against my soul."
• Targum: דא עובדא דש{ו}טני מן ייי ודמללין בישתא על נפשי׃
  • "This is the heritage of my accusers from the Lord, and of those who speak evil against my soul."

Modern

Punishment of accusers from YHWH

Indicative ("This is...")

• Voilà, de la part de l’Eternel, le salaire de mes ennemis et de ceux qui disent du mal de moi! (S21)
• Voilà comment le Seigneur paiera mes accusateurs et ceux qui disent du mal de moi ! (TOB)
• Tel sera, de la part de l'Éternel, le salaire de mes accusateurs (NVS78P)
• Telle sera, de la part du Seigneur, la rétribution de mes adversaires et de ceux qui disent du mal de moi ! (NBS)
• C’est ainsi, au contraire, que le Seigneur paiera mes accusateurs, ceux qui disent du mal de moi. (PDV2017)

Directive ("May this be...")

• May this be the reward of my accusers from the LORD, of those who speak evil against my life! (ESV)
• May this be the LORD's payment to my accusers, to those who speak evil of me. (NIV)
• May the LORD repay my accusers in this way, those who say evil things about me! (NET)
• May those curses become the LORD’s punishment for my accusers who speak evil of me. (NLT)
• Let this be the reward of mine adversaries from the LORD, and of them that speak evil against my soul. (KJV)
• May the LORD thus repay my accusers, all those who speak evil against me (NJPS)
• May that be the reward of my accusers from the Lord, of those who speak evil against my life. (NRSV)
• LORD, punish my enemies in that way--those who say such evil things against me! (GNT)
• May the Lord so requite my accusers and those who speak evil against me! (NEB)
• Let this be the salary Yahweh pays the accusers who blacken my name (NJB)
• So geschehe denen vom HERRN, die mich verklagen und die Böses reden wider mich. (LUT)
• Ja, HERR, damit strafe alle meine Feinde, alle, die mich so gehässig verleumden! (HFA)
• Diese Strafe möge der HERR über meine Feinde verhängen, über alle, die nur Böses über mich reden (NGÜ)
• Das sei die Strafe meiner Widersacher vonseiten des HERRN; und derer, die Böses reden gegen meine Seele! (ELB)
• So soll der HERR verfahren mit allen meinen Feinden, die mich beschuldigen und verleumden! (GNB)
• Dies sei der Lohn des HERRN für meine Ankläger, für die, die Böses gegen mich reden. (ZÜR)
• Sea este el pago de parte de Jehová a los que me calumnian y a los que hablan mal contra mi alma. (RVR95)
• ¡Que así les pague el Señor a mis acusadores, a los que me calumnian! (NVI)
• ¡Así pague el Señor a mis enemigos y a los que hablan mal de mí! (DHH94I)
• Así pague YHVH a lost que me acusan, A los que dicen mal contra mi alma (BTX4)
• Que ce soit ainsi, ╵que l’Eternel paie ╵mes accusateurs et ceux qui me calomnient. (BDS)

Work of accusers...

• This would mine adversaries effect from the LORD, And they that speak evil against my soul. (JPS1917)
• So treiben es die, die mich anklagen mit Berufung auf den HERRN, die Böses gegen mein Leben reden (EÜ)
• Voilà comment agissent ceux qui m'accusent auprès du Seigneur, et qui disent du mal de moi. (NFC)

Ambiguous

• Those are the cruel things my enemies wish for me. Let it all happen to them! (CEV)

Secondary Literature

Booij, Thijs. 1996. “Psalm 109:6-19 as a Quotation: A Review of the Evidence.” In Give Ear to My Words: Psalms and Other Poetry in and around the Hebrew Bible: Essays in Honour of Professor N.A. van Uchlen, edited by Janet Dyk, 91–106. Amsterdam: Societas Hebraica Amstelodamensis.

Creager, Harold L. 1947. “Note on Psalm 109.” Journal of Near Eastern Studies 6 (2): 121–23.

Egwim, Stephen C. 2011. A Contextual and Cross-Cultural Study of Psalm 109. Biblical Tools and Studies, v. 12. Leuven ; Paris ; Walpole, MA: Peeters.

Gass, Erasmus. 2021. “‘Diss Jar mussen wir hertzog Moritzen todt beten.’” Revue Biblique 128 (1): 61–84.

Hugger, Pirmin. 1973. “‘Das sei meiner Ankläger Lohn . . . ?’ Zur Deutung von Ps 109,20.” Bibel und Leben 14:105–12.

Jenkins, Steffen G. 2020. “A Quotation in Psalm 109 as Defence Exhibit A.” Tyndale Bulletin 71 (1): 115-135.

Jerome. 2001. The Homilies of Saint Jerome. The Fathers of the Church, v. 48. Washington, D.C: Catholic University of America Press.

Vogel, A. 1951. “Studient zum Pešita-Psalter: Besonders im Hinblick auf sein Verhältnis zu Septuaginta (Fortsetzung).” Biblica 32 (2): 198–231.

References

109:20 Approved