55:20 He 1 attacks 2 his friends; 3
he breaks his solemn promises to them. 4
105:17 He sent a man ahead of them 5 –
Joseph was sold as a servant.
105:20 The king authorized his release; 6
the ruler of nations set him free.
144:6 Hurl lightning bolts and scatter them!
Shoot your arrows and rout them! 7
78:25 Man ate the food of the mighty ones. 8
He sent them more than enough to eat. 9
105:26 He sent his servant Moses,
and Aaron, whom he had chosen.
105:28 He made it dark; 10
they did not disobey his orders. 11
135:9 He performed awesome deeds 12 and acts of judgment 13
in your midst, O Egypt,
against Pharaoh and all his servants.
43:3 Reveal 14 your light 15 and your faithfulness!
They will lead me, 16
they will escort 17 me back to your holy hill, 18
and to the place where you live. 19
111:9 He delivered his people; 20
he ordained that his covenant be observed forever. 21
His name is holy and awesome.
144:7 Reach down 22 from above!
Grab me and rescue me from the surging water, 23
from the power of foreigners, 24
1 sn He. This must refer to the psalmist’s former friend, who was addressed previously in vv. 12-14.
2 tn Heb “stretches out his hand against.”
3 tc The form should probably be emended to an active participle (שֹׁלְמָיו, sholÿmayv) from the verbal root שָׁלַם (shalam, “be in a covenant of peace with”). Perhaps the translation “his friends” suggests too intimate a relationship. Another option is to translate, “he attacks those who made agreements with him.”
4 tn Heb “he violates his covenant.”
5 tn After the reference to the famine in v. 16, v. 17 flashes back to events that preceded the famine (see Gen 37).
9 tn Heb “[the] king sent and set him free.”
13 sn Arrows and lightning bolts are associated in other texts (see Pss 18:14; 77:17-18; Zech 9:14), as well as in ancient Near Eastern art (see R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” [Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983], 187).
17 sn Because of the reference to “heaven” in the preceding verse, it is likely that mighty ones refers here to the angels of heaven. The LXX translates “angels” here, as do a number of modern translations (NEB, NIV, NRSV).
18 tn Heb “provision he sent to them to satisfaction.”
21 tn Heb “he sent darkness and made it dark.”
22 tn Heb “they did not rebel against his words.” Apparently this refers to Moses and Aaron, who obediently carried out God’s orders.
25 tn Or “signs” (see Ps 65:8).
26 tn Or “portents”; “omens” (see Ps 71:7). The Egyptian plagues are alluded to here.
29 tn Heb “send.”
30 sn God’s deliverance is compared here to a light which will lead the psalmist back home to the Lord’s temple. Divine deliverance will in turn demonstrate the Lord’s faithfulness to his people.
31 tn Or “may they lead me.” The prefixed verbal forms here and in the next line may be taken as jussives.
32 tn Heb “bring.”
33 sn In this context the Lord’s holy hill is Zion/Jerusalem. See Isa 66:20; Joel 2:1; 3:17; Zech 8:3; Pss 2:6; 15:1; 48:1; 87:1; Dan 9:16.
34 tn Or “to your dwelling place[s].” The plural form of the noun may indicate degree or quality; this is the
33 tn Heb “redemption he sent for his people.”
34 tn Heb “he commanded forever his covenant.”
37 tn Heb “stretch out your hands.”
38 tn Heb “mighty waters.” The waters of the sea symbolize the psalmist’s powerful foreign enemies, as well as the realm of death they represent (see the next line and Ps 18:16-17).
39 tn Heb “from the hand of the sons of foreignness.”