83:15 chase them with your gale winds,
and terrify 1 them with your windstorm.
119:127 For this reason 2 I love your commands
more than gold, even purest gold.
פ (Pe)
119:129 Your rules are marvelous.
Therefore I observe them.
127:4 Sons born during one’s youth
are like arrows in a warrior’s hand. 3
1 tn The two imperfect verbal forms in v. 15 express the psalmist’s wish or prayer.
2 tn “For this reason” connects logically with the statement made in v. 126. Because the judgment the psalmist fears (see vv. 119-120) is imminent, he remains loyal to God’s law.
3 tn Heb “like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so [are] sons of youth.” Arrows are used in combat to defend oneself against enemies; sons are viewed here as providing social security and protection (see v. 5). The phrase “sons of youth” is elliptical, meaning “sons [born during the father’s] youth.” Such sons will have grown up to be mature adults and will have children of their own by the time the father reaches old age and becomes vulnerable to enemies. Contrast the phrase “son of old age” in Gen 37:3 (see also 44:20), which refers to Jacob’s age when Joseph was born.