34:19 The godly 1 face many dangers, 2
but the Lord saves 3 them 4 from each one of them.
118:13 “You aggressively attacked me 5 and tried to knock me down, 6
but the Lord helped me.
A song of ascents. 8
125:1 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion;
it cannot be upended and will endure forever.
5:19 He will deliver you 9 from six calamities;
yes, in seven 10 no evil will touch you.
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 Heb “pushing, you pushed me.” The infinitive absolute emphasizes the following verbal idea. The psalmist appears to address the nations as if they were an individual enemy. Some find this problematic and emend the verb form (which is a Qal perfect second masculine singular with a first person singular suffix) to נִדְחֵיתִי (nidkheti), a Niphal perfect first common singular, “I was pushed.”
6 tn Heb “to fall,” i.e., “that [I] might fall.”
7 sn Psalm 125. The psalmist affirms his confidence in the Lord’s protection and justice.
8 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
9 tn The verb is the Hiphil imperfect of נָצַל (natsal, “deliver”). These verbs might have been treated as habitual imperfects if it were not for the use of the numerical images – “six calamities…in seven.” So the nuance is specific future instead.
10 tn The use of a numerical ladder as we have here – “six // seven” is frequent in wisdom literature to show completeness. See Prov 6:16; Amos 1:3, Mic 5:5. A number that seems to be sufficient for the point is increased by one, as if to say there is always one more. By using this Eliphaz simply means “in all troubles” (see H. H. Rowley, Job [NCBC], 56).
11 tn Or “and the power of death” (taking the reference to the gates of Hades as a metonymy).
12 tn Here “sword” is a metonymy that includes both threats of violence and acts of violence, even including death (although death is not necessarily the only thing in view here).
13 sn A quotation from Ps 44:22.
14 tn BDAG 1034 s.v. ὑπερνικάω states, “as a heightened form of νικᾶν prevail completely ὑπερνικῶμεν we are winning a most glorious victory Ro 8:37.”
15 tn Here the referent could be either God or Christ, but in v. 39 it is God’s love that is mentioned.
16 tn BDAG 138 s.v. ἀρχή 6 takes this term as a reference to angelic or transcendent powers (as opposed to merely human rulers). To clarify this, the adjective “heavenly” has been supplied in the translation. Some interpreters see this as a reference to fallen angels or demonic powers, and this view is reflected in some recent translations (NIV, NLT).
17 tn The one Greek term θλῖψις (qliyis) has been translated by an English hendiadys (two terms that combine for one meaning) “trouble and suffering.” For modern English readers “tribulation” is no longer clearly understandable.
18 tn Or “but be courageous.”
19 tn Or “I am victorious over the world,” or “I have overcome the world.”
20 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the implied contrast.
21 tn The words “to prevail” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
22 tn Grk “found.”
23 tn Grk “for them”; the referent (the dragon and his angels, v. 7) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
24 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of the war in heaven.