In these two verses the psalmist describes how the wicked oppress the poor. In vivid figures he pictures the whole process in terms of a criminal hiding in order to rob and kill; of a lion waiting to pounce on the helpless prey; and of a hunter catching an animal in a trap.
Ambush translates a word found only here and in Judges 9.35; Joshua 8.9; and 2 Chronicles 13.13. Sits in ambush must be clarified in some languages along the line taken by Good News Translation, “hides” in line a and “waiting” in line b. Villages were communities unprotected by walls, and so easily attacked. (Instead of the word in the traditional Hebrew text, K-B and New Jerusalem Bible prefer a similar Hebrew word meaning “reeds.”) The innocent are usually those who are not guilty, but in the present context, where they are helpless victims, they are simply good people and may be rendered “helpless people” or “people who have no one to protect them.”
His eyes stealthily watch (“He spies,” Good News Translation) translates the literal “his eyes shelter” (the Hebrew verb means “to hide” or “to treasure”). Although most translations assume this verb can be translated “to spy,” some follow the Septuagint and change the Hebrew text to a form of a Hebrew verb which means “to watch”; so New English Bible. The meaning is not greatly affected by the change.8-9 Hebrew Old Testament Text Project says that the Masoretic text may be interpreted in two ways: (1) “his eyes are hidden (to observe) the poor,” meaning “in secret he spies on the poor”; or (2) “his eyes watch out for the poor,” that is “he keeps his eyes on the poor.”
The hapless translates a term whose precise meaning is unknown (it also appears in verses 10, 14, and nowhere else). Most commentators and translators take it to mean “unfortunate, helpless, out of luck.” The English word hapless means “unlucky.”
He lurks in secret like a lion in his covert: “he hides and waits like a lion in its lair.” This portrays the evil man crouching in some hiding place, waiting to spring out like a lion on his victim. If lion is unknown, the translator may have to replace it by a local animal that stalks its prey as a lion does.
For the poor see comment on “the afflicted” in 9.12; New Jerusalem Bible has here “the lowly.”
For net see comment on 9.15b.
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 .