51:6 Look, 1 you desire 2 integrity in the inner man; 3
you want me to possess wisdom. 4
16:11 You lead me in 5 the path of life; 6
I experience absolute joy in your presence; 7
you always give me sheer delight. 8
1 sn The juxtaposition of two occurrences of “look” in vv. 5-6 draws attention to the sharp contrast between the sinful reality of the psalmist’s condition and the lofty ideal God has for him.
2 tn The perfect is used in a generalizing sense here.
3 tn Heb “in the covered [places],” i.e., in the inner man.
4 tn Heb “in the secret [place] wisdom you cause me to know.” The Hiphil verbal form is causative, while the imperfect is used in a modal sense to indicate God’s desire (note the parallel verb “desire”).
5 tn Heb “cause me to know”; or “cause me to experience.”
6 tn This is a metaphorical way of saying, “you preserve my life.” The phrase “path of life” stands in contrast to death/Sheol in Prov 2:18-19; 5:5-6; 15:24.
7 tn Heb “abundance of joy [is] with your face.” The plural form of the noun שִׂמְחָה (simkhah, “joy”) occurs only here and in Ps 45:15. It may emphasize the degree of joy experienced.
8 tn Heb “delight [is] in your right hand forever.” The plural form of the adjective נָעִים (na’im, “pleasant, delightful”) may here emphasize the degree of delight experienced (see Job 36:11).