34:19 The godly 1 face many dangers, 2
but the Lord saves 3 them 4 from each one of them.
91:3 he will certainly rescue you from the snare of the hunter 5
and from the destructive plague.
91:4 He will shelter you 6 with his wings; 7
you will find safety under his wings.
His faithfulness is like a shield or a protective wall. 8
91:5 You need not fear the terrors of the night, 9
the arrow that flies by day,
91:6 the plague that comes in the darkness,
or the disease that comes at noon. 10
91:7 Though a thousand may fall beside you,
and a multitude on your right side,
it 11 will not reach you.
24:16 Although 12 a righteous person may fall seven times, he gets up again,
but the wicked will be brought down 13 by calamity.
24:1 Do not envy evil people, 14
do not desire 15 to be with them;
1 tn The Hebrew text uses the singular form; the representative or typical godly person is envisioned.
2 tn Or “trials.”
3 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form highlights the generalizing statement and draws attention to the fact that the
4 tn Heb “him,” agreeing with the singular form in the preceding line.
5 tn The word refers specifically to a fowler (or hunter of birds).
6 tn Heb “put a cover over you” (see Ps 5:11).
7 tc The Hebrew text has the singular, but the plural should be read. The final yod (י) of the suffix, which indicates the plural, has dropped off by haplography (note the yod [י] at the beginning of the next word).
8 tn Traditionally the Hebrew term סֹחֵרָה (sokherah), which occurs only here in the OT, has been understood to refer to a buckler or small shield (see BDB 695 s.v.). But HALOT 750 s.v., on the basis of evidence from the cognate languages, proposes the meaning “wall.”
9 tn This probably alludes to a sneak attack by enemies in the darkness of night (see Song 3:8).
10 sn As in Deut 32:23-24, vv. 5-6 closely associate military attack and deadly disease. Perhaps the latter alludes to one of the effects of siege warfare on the population of an entrapped city, which was especially vulnerable to the outbreak of epidemics.
11 tn Apparently the deadly disease mentioned in v. 6b is the understood subject here.
12 tn The clause beginning with כִּי (ki) could be interpreted as causal or conditional; but in view of the significance of the next clause it seems better to take it as a concessive clause (“although”). Its verb then receives a modal nuance of possibility. The apodosis is then “and he rises up,” which could be a participle or a perfect tense; although he may fall, he gets up (or, will get up).
13 tn The verb could be translated with an English present tense (“are brought down,” so NIV) to express what happens to the wicked in this life; but since the saying warns against being like the wicked, their destruction is more likely directed to the future.
14 tn Heb “evil men,” although the context indicates a generic sense.
15 tn The Hitpael jussive is from the verb that means “to crave; to desire.” This is more of a coveting, an intense desire.
16 tn Here αὐτοῦ (autou) has been translated as a subjective genitive (“he loves”).
17 tn Grk “and faithful.” The construction in Greek (as well as Paul’s style) suggests that the saints are identical to the faithful; hence, the καί (kai) is best left untranslated (cf. Eph 1:1). See ExSyn 281-82.
18 tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).
19 tn Or “Grace to you and peace.”
20 tc Most witnesses, including some important ones (א A C F G I [P] 075 Ï it bo), read “and the Lord Jesus Christ” at the end of this verse, no doubt to conform the wording to the typical Pauline salutation. However, excellent and early witnesses (B D K L Ψ 33 81 1175 1505 1739 1881 al sa) lack this phrase. Since the omission is inexplicable as arising from the longer reading (otherwise, these
21 tn Grk “and faithful.” The construction in Greek (as well as Paul’s style) suggests that the saints are identical to the faithful; hence, the καί (kai) is best left untranslated (cf. Eph 1:1). See ExSyn 281-82.
22 tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).
23 tn Or “Grace to you and peace.”
24 tc Most witnesses, including some important ones (א A C F G I [P] 075 Ï it bo), read “and the Lord Jesus Christ” at the end of this verse, no doubt to conform the wording to the typical Pauline salutation. However, excellent and early witnesses (B D K L Ψ 33 81 1175 1505 1739 1881 al sa) lack this phrase. Since the omission is inexplicable as arising from the longer reading (otherwise, these
25 sn In him all the fullness of deity lives. The present tense in this verse (“lives”) is significant. Again, as was stated in the note on 1:19, this is not a temporary dwelling, but a permanent one. Paul’s point is polemical against the idea that the fullness of God dwells anywhere else, as the Gnostics believed, except in Christ alone. At the incarnation, the second person of the Trinity assumed humanity, and is forever the God-man.