86:15 But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and merciful God.
You are patient 1 and demonstrate great loyal love and faithfulness. 2
103:8 The Lord is compassionate and merciful;
he is patient 3 and demonstrates great loyal love. 4
103:17 But the Lord continually shows loyal love to his faithful followers, 5
and is faithful to their descendants, 6
7:18 There is no other God like you! 19
You 20 forgive sin
and pardon 21 the rebellion
of those who remain among your people. 22
You do not remain angry forever, 23
but delight in showing loyal love.
1 tn Heb “slow to anger.”
2 tn Heb “and great of loyal love and faithfulness.”
3 tn Heb “slow to anger” (see Ps 86:15).
4 tn Heb “and great of loyal love” (see Ps 86:15).
5 tn Heb “but the loyal love of the
6 tn Heb “and his righteousness to sons of sons.”
7 tn Here is one of the clearest examples of what it means “to call on the name of the Lord,” as that clause has been translated traditionally (וַיִּקְרָא בְשֵׁם יְהוָה, vayyiqra’ vÿshem yÿhvah). It seems more likely that it means “to make proclamation of Yahweh by name.” Yahweh came down and made a proclamation – and the next verses give the content of what he said. This cannot be prayer or praise; it is a proclamation of the nature or attributes of God (which is what his “name” means throughout the Bible). Attempts to make Moses the subject of the verb are awkward, for the verb is repeated in v. 6 with Yahweh clearly doing the proclaiming.
8 sn U. Cassuto (Exodus, 439) suggests that these two names be written as a sentence: “Yahweh, He is Yahweh.” In this manner it reflects “I am that I am.” It is impossible to define his name in any other way than to make this affirmation and then show what it means.
9 tn See Exod 33:19.
10 sn This is literally “long of anger.” His anger prolongs itself, allowing for people to repent before punishment is inflicted.
11 sn These two words (“loyal love” and “truth”) are often found together, occasionally in a hendiadys construction. If that is the interpretation here, then it means “faithful covenant love.” Even if they are left separate, they are dual elements of a single quality. The first word is God’s faithful covenant love; the second word is God’s reliability and faithfulness.
12 tn That is, “for thousands of generations.”
13 sn As in the ten commandments (20:5-6), this expression shows that the iniquity and its punishment will continue in the family if left unchecked. This does not go on as long as the outcomes for good (thousands versus third or fourth generations), and it is limited to those who hate God.
14 tn Heb “to the Lord our God (belong) compassion and forgiveness.”
15 tn Heb “turn your ear.”
16 tn Heb “desolations.” The term refers here to the ruined condition of Judah’s towns.
17 tn Heb “over which your name is called.” Cf. v. 19. This expression implies that God is the owner of his city, Jerusalem. Note the use of the idiom in 2 Sam 12:28; Isa 4:1; Amos 9:12.
18 tn Heb “praying our supplications before you.”
19 tn Heb “Who is a God like you?” The rhetorical question expects the answer, “No one!”
20 tn Heb “one who.” The prayer moves from direct address (second person) in v. 18a to a descriptive (third person) style in vv. 18b-19a and then back to direct address (second person) in vv. 19b-20. Due to considerations of English style and the unfamiliarity of the modern reader with alternation of persons in Hebrew poetry, the entire section has been rendered as direct address (second person) in the translation.
21 tn Heb “pass over.”
22 tn Heb “of the remnant of his inheritance.”
23 tn Heb “he does not keep hold of his anger forever.”