The psalmist now speaks of a former friend who had betrayed him (it is assumed that verses 20-21 refer to the same person). His distress is all the greater because it is not an enemy or an adversary (literally “one who hates me”) who is mocking him.

The two parallel couplets of verse 12 are roughly synonymous; but line d hide from him is not the same as bear it in line b. Instead of hide the translation can be “I would avoid him,” “I would be able to stay away from him.”

The expression an enemy who taunts me in some languages can be translated by terms referring to body gestures; for example, “an enemy who shakes his head at me” or “… who points his nose at me.” In some languages it is possible to say “… who tells funny things about me.”

The idea of “boasting” (deals insolently) is common in all languages and is sometimes said “he makes himself big” or “he looks down on me.”

The worst thing about the psalmist’s situation is that he is being reviled and mocked by one who used to be an equal, a companion, a familiar friend. New English Bible translates: “a man of my own sort, my comrade, my own dear friend”; New Jerusalem Bible “my equal, my companion, my friend.” The three terms equal, companion, and familiar friend may not be easy to translate in some languages where the people one associates with are almost entirely one’s local blood group or persons related by marriage. However, it is sometimes possible to say “you who are like me,” “you, the one I go around with,” and “you who are like my brother.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Reyburn, William D. A Handbook on the Book of Psalms. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1991. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .