66:10 For 1 you, O God, tested us;
you purified us like refined silver.
115:4 Their 2 idols are made of silver and gold –
they are man-made. 3
135:15 The nations’ idols are made of silver and gold,
they are man-made. 4
12:6 The Lord’s words are absolutely reliable. 5
They are as untainted as silver purified in a furnace on the ground,
where it is thoroughly refined. 6
68:30 Sound your battle cry 7 against the wild beast of the reeds, 8
and the nations that assemble like a herd of calves led by bulls! 9
They humble themselves 10 and offer gold and silver as tribute. 11
God 12 scatters 13 the nations that like to do battle.
1 tn Or “indeed.”
2 tn The referent of the pronominal suffix is “the nations” (v. 2).
3 tn Heb “the work of the hands of man.”
3 tn Heb “the work of the hands of man.”
4 tn Heb “the words of the
5 tn Heb “[like] silver purified in a furnace of [i.e., “on”] the ground, refined seven times.” The singular participle מְזֻקָּק (mÿzuqqaq, “refined”) modifies “silver.” The number seven is used rhetorically to express the thorough nature of the action. For other rhetorical/figurative uses of שִׁבְעָתָיִם (shiv’atayim, “seven times”), see Gen 4:15, 24; Ps 79:12; Prov 6:31; Isa 30:26.
5 tn The Hebrew verb גָּעַר (ga’ar) is often understood to mean “rebuke.” In some cases it is apparent that scolding or threatening is in view (see Gen 37:10; Ruth 2:16; Zech 3:2). However, in militaristic contexts such as Ps 68 this translation is inadequate, for the verb refers in this setting to the warrior’s battle cry, which terrifies and paralyzes the enemy. See A. Caquot, TDOT 3:53, and note the use of the verb in Ps 106:9 and Nah 1:4, as well as the related noun in Job 26:11; Pss 18:15; 76:6; 104:7; Isa 50:2; 51:20; 66:15.
6 sn The wild beast of the reeds probably refers to a hippopotamus, which in turn symbolizes the nation of Egypt.
7 tn Heb “an assembly of bulls, with calves of the nations.”
8 tn Heb “humbling himself.” The verb form is a Hitpael participle from the root רָפַס (rafas, “to trample”). The Hitpael of this verb appears only here and in Prov 6:3, where it seems to mean, “humble oneself,” a nuance that fits nicely in this context. The apparent subject is “wild beast” or “assembly,” though both of these nouns are grammatically feminine, while the participle is a masculine form. Perhaps one should emend the participial form to a masculine plural (מִתְרַפִּם, mitrapim) and understand “bulls” or “calves” as the subject.
9 tc Heb “with pieces [?] of silver.” The meaning of the Hebrew term רַצֵּי (ratsey) is unclear. It is probably best to emend the text to בֶּצֶר וְכָסֶף (betser vÿkhasef, “[with] gold and silver”).
10 tn Heb “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
11 tn The verb בָּזַר (bazar) is an alternative form of פָּזַר (pazar, “scatter”).