78:25 Man ate the food of the mighty ones. 1
He sent them more than enough to eat. 2
80:5 You have given them tears as food; 3
you have made them drink tears by the measure. 4
102:9 For I eat ashes as if they were bread, 5
and mix my drink with my tears, 6
105:16 He called down a famine upon the earth;
he cut off all the food supply. 7
136:25 to the one who gives food to all living things, 8
for his loyal love endures.
147:9 He gives food to the animals,
and to the young ravens when they chirp. 9
1 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).
2 tn Heb “provision he sent to them to satisfaction.”
3 tn Heb “you have fed them the food of tears.”
4 tn Heb “[by] the third part [of a measure].” The Hebrew term שָׁלִישׁ (shalish, “third part [of a measure]”) occurs only here and in Isa 40:12.
5 sn Mourners would sometimes put ashes on their head or roll in ashes as a sign of mourning (see 2 Sam 13:19; Job 2:8; Isa 58:5).
6 tn Heb “weeping.”
7 tn Heb “and every staff of food he broke.” The psalmist refers to the famine that occurred in Joseph’s time (see v. 17 and Gen 41:53-57).
9 tn Heb “to all flesh,” which can refer to all people (see Pss 65:2; 145:21) or more broadly to mankind and animals. Elsewhere the psalms view God as the provider for all living things (see Pss 104:27-28; 145:15).
11 tn Heb “which cry out.”