78:38 Yet he is compassionate.
He forgives sin and does not destroy.
He often holds back his anger,
and does not stir up his fury. 1
112:4 In the darkness a light 2 shines for the godly,
for each one who is merciful, compassionate, and just. 3
145:8 The Lord is merciful and compassionate;
he is patient 4 and demonstrates great loyal love. 5
1 tn One could translate v. 38 in the past tense (“he was compassionate…forgave sin and did not destroy…held back his anger, and did not stir up his fury”), but the imperfect verbal forms are probably best understood as generalizing. Verse 38 steps back briefly from the narrational summary of Israel’s history and lays the theological basis for v. 39, which focuses on God’s mercy toward sinful Israel.
2 tn In this context “light” symbolizes divine blessing in its various forms (see v. 2), including material prosperity and stability.
3 tn Heb “merciful and compassionate and just.” The Hebrew text has three singular adjectives, which are probably substantival and in apposition to the “godly” (which is plural, however). By switching to the singular, the psalmist focuses on each individual member of the group known as the “godly.” Note how vv. 5-9, like vv. 1-2a, use the singular to describe the representative godly individual who typifies the whole group.
4 tn Heb “slow to anger” (see Pss 86:15; 103:8).
5 tn Heb “and great of loyal love” (see Pss 86:15; 103:8).