Why 'hairy' in Psalm 68:21?

"But God will shatter the heads of his enemies,
the hairy crown of those who walk in their guilty ways." (Psalm 68:10, NRSV)

In verse 21b 'the hairy crown' is parallel to 'the heads' in line 'a.' Some take this phrase to refer to the custom of warriors not cutting their hair while engaged in holy wars. NEB has 'flowing locks'; NJB 'long-haired skull.'

- Robert Bratcher, Translator's Handbook on the Book of Psalms

Heb
אך־אלהים ימחץ ראש
איביו קדקד שער
מתהלך באשמיו׃

Heb(ptd)
הָ֤אֵ֣ל׀ לָנוּ֘ אֵ֤ל לְֽמֹושָׁ֫עֹ֥ות וְלֵיהוִ֥ה אֲדֹנָ֑י לַ֝מָּ֗וֶת תֹּוצָאֹֽות׃

Heb(xlit)
’aḵə-’ĕlōhîm yiməḥaṣ rō’š ’ōyəḇāyw qāḏəqōḏ śē‘ār miṯəhallēḵə ba’ăšāmāyw:

LXX
πλην ο θεος συνθλασει κεφαλας εχθρων αυτου κορυφην τριχος διαπορευομενων
εν πλημμελειαις αυτων

LXX(nets)
But God will shatter his enemies' heads,
the hairy crown of those who walk in their errors

Targum


Vulg
verumtamen Deus confringet capita inimicorum suorum verticem crinis ambulantis in delictis suis

Wycliffe
Netheles God schal breke the heedis of hise enemyes; the cop of the heere of hem that goen in her trespassis.

Geneva
Surely God will wound the head of his enemies, and the hearie pate of him that walketh in his sinnes.

KJV
But God shall wound the head of his enemies,
and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his trespasses.

RSV
But God will shatter the heads of his enemies,
the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways.

NRSV
But God will shatter the heads of his enemies,
the hairy crown of those who walk in their guilty ways.

NET
Indeed God strikes the heads of his enemies,
the hairy foreheads of those who persist in rebellion.*

tn Heb “the hairy forehead of the one who walks about in his guilt.” The singular is representative.

CEV
Our Lord and our God,
your terrible enemies
are ready for war,* but you will crush
their skulls.

* 'are ready for war': The Hebrew text has "have long hair," which probably refers to the ancient custom of wearing long hair on special occasions, such as a "holy war."

Msg
What's more, he made heads roll,
split the skulls of the enemy