Exodus 15:2

15:2 The Lord ¹  is my strength and my song, ² 

and he has become my salvation.

This is my God, and I will praise him, ³ 

my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

Psalms 25:5

25:5 Guide me into your truth ⁴  and teach me.

For you are the God who delivers me;

on you I rely all day long.

Psalms 27:1

Psalm 27 ⁵ 

By David.

27:1 The Lord delivers and vindicates me! ⁶ 

I fear no one! ⁷ 

The Lord protects my life!

I am afraid of no one! ⁸ 

Psalms 118:14

118:14 The Lord gives me strength and protects me; ⁹ 

he has become my deliverer.” ¹⁰ 

Isaiah 12:2

12:2 Look, God is my deliverer! ¹¹ 

I will trust in him ¹²  and not fear.

For the Lord gives me strength and protects me; ¹³ 

he has become my deliverer.” ¹⁴ 

Micah 7:7

7:7 But I will keep watching for the Lord;

I will wait for the God who delivers me.

My God will hear my lament. ¹⁵ 

Luke 2:30

2:30 For my eyes have seen your salvation ¹⁶ 

¹ tn Heb “Yah.” Moses’ poem here uses a short form of the name Yahweh, traditionally rendered in English by “the LORD.”

² tn The word וְזִמְרָת (vÿzimrat) is problematic. It probably had a suffix yod (י) that was accidentally dropped because of the yod (י) on the divine name following. Most scholars posit another meaning for the word. A meaning of “power” fits the line fairly well, forming a hendiadys with strength – “strength and power” becoming “strong power.” Similar lines are in Isa 12:2 and Ps 118:14. Others suggest “protection” or “glory.” However, there is nothing substantially wrong with “my song” in the line – only that it would be a nicer match if it had something to do with strength.

³ tn The word נָוָה (navah) occurs only here. It may mean “beautify, adorn” with praises (see BDB 627 s.v.). See also M. Dahood, “Exodus 15:2: ‘anwehu and Ugaritic snwt,” Bib 59 (1979): 260-61; and M. Klein, “The Targumic Tosefta to Exodus 15:2,” JJS 26 (1975): 61-67; and S. B. Parker, “Exodus 15:2 Again,” VT 21 (1971): 373-79.

⁴ sn The Lord’s commandments are referred to as truth here because they are a trustworthy and accurate expression of the divine will.

⁵ sn Psalm 27. The author is confident of the Lord’s protection and asks the Lord to vindicate him.

⁶ tn Heb “the Lord [is] my light and my deliverance.” “Light” is often used as a metaphor for deliverance and the life/blessings it brings. See Pss 37:6; 97:11; 112:4; Isa 49:6; 51:4; Mic 7:8. Another option is that “light” refers here to divine guidance (see Ps 43:3).

⁷ tn Heb “Whom shall I fear?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “No one!”

⁸ tn Heb “Of whom shall I be afraid?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “No one!”

⁹ tn Heb “my strength and protection [is] the Lord.” The Hebrew term זִמְרָת (zimrat) is traditionally understood as meaning “song” (“my strength and song [is] the Lord”) in which case one might translate, “for the Lord gives me strength and joy” (i.e., a reason to sing). However, many recent commentators have argued that the noun זִמְרָת is here a homonym, meaning “protection” or “strength.” See HALOT 274 s.v.; cf. NEB “The Lord is my refuge and defence”; NRSV “my strength and my might.”

¹⁰ tn Or “salvation.”

¹¹ tn Or “salvation” (KJV, NIV, NRSV).

¹² tn The words “in him” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

¹³ tc The Hebrew text has, “for my strength and protection [is] the Lord, the Lord (Heb “Yah, Yahweh).” The word יְהוָה (yehvah) is probably dittographic or explanatory here (note that the short form of the name [יָהּ, yah] precedes, and that the graphically similar וַיְהִי [vayÿhi] follows). Exod 15:2, the passage from which the words of v. 2b are taken, has only יָהּ. The word זִמְרָת (zimrat) is traditionally understood as meaning “song,” in which case one might translate, “for the Lord gives me strength and joy” (i.e., a reason to sing); note that in v. 5 the verb זָמַר (zamar, “sing”) appears. Many recent commentators, however, have argued that the noun is here instead a homonym, meaning “protection” or “strength.” See HALOT 274 s.v. III *זמר.

¹⁴ tn Or “salvation” (so many English versions, e.g., KJV, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “my savior.”

¹⁵ tn Heb “me.” In the interest of clarity the nature of the prophet’s cry has been specified as “my lament” in the translation.

¹⁶ sn To see Jesus, the Messiah, is to see God’s salvation.