Psalms 27:13

27:13 Where would I be if I did not believe I would experience

the Lord’s favor in the land of the living? ¹ 

Psalms 42:11

42:11 Why are you depressed, ²  O my soul? ³ 

Why are you upset? ⁴ 

Wait for God!

For I will again give thanks

to my God for his saving intervention. ⁵ 

[27:13]  ¹ tn In the Hebrew text the sentence is incomplete: “If I had not believed [I would] see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” The words “Where would I be” are supplied in the translation to clarify the intent of the statement.

[42:11]  ² tn Heb “Why do you bow down?”

[42:11]  ³ sn For poetic effect the psalmist addresses his soul, or inner self.

[42:11]  ⁴ tn Heb “and why are you in turmoil upon me?”

[42:11]  ⁵ tc Heb “for again I will give him thanks, the saving acts of my face and my God.” The last line should be emended to read יְשׁוּעֹת פְנֵי אֱלֹהָי (yÿshu’ot fÿney ’elohay, “[for] the saving acts of the face of my God”), that is, the saving acts associated with God’s presence/intervention. This refrain is almost identical to the one in v. 5. See also Ps 43:5.