147:16 He sends the snow that is white like wool;
he spreads the frost that is white like ashes. 1
51:7 Sprinkle me 2 with water 3 and I will be pure; 4
wash me 5 and I will be whiter than snow. 6
148:8 O fire and hail, snow and clouds, 7
O stormy wind that carries out his orders, 8
1 tn Heb “the one who gives snow like wool, frost like ashes he scatters.”
2 tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request.
3 tn Heb “cleanse me with hyssop.” “Hyssop” was a small plant (see 1 Kgs 4:33) used to apply water (or blood) in purification rites (see Exod 12:22; Lev 14:4-6, 49-52; Num 19:6-18. The psalmist uses the language and imagery of such rites to describe spiritual cleansing through forgiveness.
4 tn After the preceding imperfect, the imperfect with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates result.
5 tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request.
6 sn I will be whiter than snow. Whiteness here symbolizes the moral purity resulting from forgiveness (see Isa 1:18).
3 tn In Ps 119:83 the noun refers to “smoke,” but here, where the elements of nature are addressed, the clouds, which resemble smoke, are probably in view.
4 tn Heb “[that] does his word.”