Psalms 89:17

89:17 For you give them splendor and strength. ¹ 

By your favor we are victorious. ² 

Psalms 148:14

148:14 He has made his people victorious, ³ 

and given all his loyal followers reason to praise –

the Israelites, the people who are close to him. ⁴ 

Praise the Lord!

Daniel 7:20-21

7:20 I also wanted to know ⁵  the meaning of the ten horns on its head, and of that other horn which came up and before which three others fell. This was the horn that had eyes ⁶  and a mouth speaking arrogant things, whose appearance was more formidable than the others. ⁷  7:21 While I was watching, that horn began to wage war against the holy ones and was defeating ⁸  them,

Zechariah 1:21

1:21 I asked, “What are these going to do?” He answered, “These horns are the ones that have scattered Judah so that there is no one to be seen. ⁹  But the blacksmiths have come to terrify Judah’s enemies ¹⁰  and cut off the horns of the nations that have thrust themselves against the land of Judah in order to scatter its people.” ¹¹ 

¹ tn Heb “for the splendor of their strength [is] you.”

² tn Heb “you lift up our horn,” or if one follows the marginal reading (Qere), “our horn is lifted up.” The horn of an ox underlies the metaphor (see Deut 33:17; 1 Kgs 22:11; Ps 92:10). The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 75:10; 89:24; 92:10; Lam 2:17).

³ tn Heb “and he lifted up a horn for his people.” The horn of an ox underlies the metaphor (see Deut 33:17; 1 Kgs 22:11; Ps 92:10). The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 75:10; 89:17, 24; 92:10; Lam 2:17). Another option is to take the “horn” as a symbol for the Davidic king, through whom the Lord gives his people military victory.

⁴ tn “[there is] praise for all his loyal followers, to the sons of Israel, the people near him.” Here “praise” stands by metonymy for the victory that prompts it.

⁵ tn The words “I also wanted to know” are added in the translation for stylistic reasons.

⁶ tc The conjunction in the MT before “eyes” is odd. The ancient versions do not seem to presuppose it.

⁷ tn Aram “greater than its companions.”

⁸ tn Aram “prevailing against” (KJV and ASV both similar); NASB “overpowering them”; TEV “conquered them.”

⁹ tn Heb “so that no man lifts up his head.”

¹⁰ tn Heb “terrify them”; the referent (Judah’s enemies) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹¹ tn Heb “to scatter it.” The word “people” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.