Job 37:22-24

37:22 From the north he comes in golden splendor; ¹ 

around God is awesome majesty.

37:23 As for the Almighty, ²  we cannot attain to him!

He is great in power,

but justice ³  and abundant righteousness he does not oppress.

37:24 Therefore people fear him,

for he does not regard all the wise in heart.” ⁴ 

Psalms 77:16-19

77:16 The waters ⁵  saw you, O God,

the waters saw you and trembled. ⁶ 

Yes, the depths of the sea ⁷  shook with fear. ⁸ 

77:17 The clouds poured down rain; ⁹ 

the skies thundered. ¹⁰ 

Yes, your arrows ¹¹  flashed about.

77:18 Your thunderous voice was heard in the wind;

the lightning bolts lit up the world;

the earth trembled and shook. ¹² 

77:19 You walked through the sea; ¹³ 

you passed through the surging waters, ¹⁴ 

but left no footprints. ¹⁵ 

Psalms 97:2-5

97:2 Dark clouds surround him;

equity and justice are the foundation of his throne. ¹⁶ 

97:3 Fire goes before him;

on every side ¹⁷  it burns up his enemies.

97:4 His lightning bolts light up the world;

the earth sees and trembles.

97:5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,

before the Lord of the whole earth.

Isaiah 55:9

55:9 for just as the sky ¹⁸  is higher than the earth,

so my deeds ¹⁹  are superior to ²⁰  your deeds

and my plans ²¹  superior to your plans.

[37:22]  ¹ tn The MT has “out of the north comes gold.” Left in that sense the line seems irrelevant. The translation “golden splendor” (with RV, RSV, NRSV, NIV) depends upon the context of theophany. Others suggest “golden rays” (Dhorme), the aurora borealis (Graetz, Gray), or some mythological allusion (Pope), such as Baal’s palace. Golden rays or splendor is what is intended, although the reference is not to a natural phenomenon – it is something that would suggest the glory of God.

[37:23]  ² tn The name “Almighty” is here a casus pendens, isolating the name at the front of the sentence and resuming it with a pronoun.

[37:23]  ³ tn The MT places the major disjunctive accent (the atnach) under “power,” indicating that “and justice” as a disjunctive clause starting the second half of the verse (with ESV, NASB, NIV, NLT). Ignoring the Masoretic accent, NRSV has “he is great in power and justice.”

[37:24]  ⁴ sn The phrase “wise of heart” was used in Job 9:4 in a negative sense.

[77:16]  ⁵ tn The waters of the Red Sea are here personified; they are portrayed as seeing God and fearing him.

[77:16]  ⁶ tn The prefixed verbal form may be taken as a preterite or as an imperfect with past progressive force.

[77:16]  ⁷ tn The words “of the sea” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[77:16]  ⁸ tn The prefixed verbal form may be taken as a preterite or as an imperfect with past progressive force.

[77:17]  ⁹ tn Heb “water.”

[77:17]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “a sound the clouds gave.”

[77:17]  ¹¹ tn The lightning accompanying the storm is portrayed as the Lord’s “arrows” (see v. 18).

[77:18]  ¹² tn The prefixed verbal form may be taken as a preterite or as an imperfect with past progressive force.

[77:19]  ¹³ tn Heb “in the sea [was] your way.”

[77:19]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “and your paths [were] in the mighty waters.”

[77:19]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “and your footprints were not known.”

[97:2]  ¹⁶ sn The Lord’s throne symbolizes his kingship.

[97:3]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “all around.”

[55:9]  ¹⁸ tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.

[55:9]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “ways” (so many English versions).

[55:9]  ²⁰ tn Heb “are higher than.”

[55:9]  ²¹ tn Or “thoughts” (so many English versions).