Psalms 4:6

4:6 Many say, “Who can show us anything good?”

Smile upon us, Lord! ¹ 

Psalms 18:28

18:28 Indeed, ²  you are my lamp, Lord. ³ 

My God ⁴  illuminates the darkness around me. ⁵ 

Psalms 97:11

97:11 The godly bask in the light;

the morally upright experience joy. ⁶ 

Psalms 112:4

112:4 In the darkness a light ⁷  shines for the godly,

for each one who is merciful, compassionate, and just. ⁸ 

Isaiah 50:10

50:10 Who among you fears the Lord?

Who obeys ⁹  his servant?

Whoever walks in deep darkness, ¹⁰ 

without light,

should trust in the name of the Lord

and rely on his God.

Isaiah 60:19-20

60:19 The sun will no longer supply light for you by day,

nor will the moon’s brightness shine on you;

the Lord will be your permanent source of light –

the splendor of your God will shine upon you. ¹¹ 

60:20 Your sun will no longer set;

your moon will not disappear; ¹² 

the Lord will be your permanent source of light;

your time ¹³  of sorrow will be over.

Micah 7:9

7:9 I must endure ¹⁴  the Lord’s anger,

for I have sinned against him.

But then ¹⁵  he will defend my cause, ¹⁶ 

and accomplish justice on my behalf.

He will lead me out into the light;

I will experience firsthand ¹⁷  his deliverance. ¹⁸ 

Malachi 4:2

4:2 But for you who respect my name, the sun of vindication ¹⁹  will rise with healing wings, ²⁰  and you will skip about ²¹  like calves released from the stall.

John 12:46

12:46 I have come as a light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in darkness.

[4:6]  ¹ tn Heb “lift up upon us the light of your face, Lord.” The verb נסה is apparently an alternate form of נשׂא, “lift up.” See GKC 217 §76.b. The idiom “light of your face” probably refers to a smile (see Eccl 8:1), which in turn suggests favor and blessing (see Num 6:25; Pss 31:16; 44:3; 67:1; 80:3, 7, 19; 89:15; Dan 9:17).

[18:28]  ² tn Or “for.” The translation assumes that כִּי (ki)is asseverative here.

[18:28]  ³ tn Ps 18:28 reads literally, “you light my lamp, Lord.” 2 Sam 22:29 has, “you are my lamp, Lord.” The Ps 18 reading may preserve two variants, נֵרִי (neriy, “my lamp”) and אוֹרִי (’oriy, “my light”), cf. Ps 27:1. The verb תָּאִיר (ta’ir, “you light”) in Ps 18:28 would, in this case, be a corruption of the latter. See F. M. Cross and D. N. Freedman, Studies in Ancient Yahwistic Poetry (SBLDS), 150, n. 64. The metaphor, which likens the Lord to a lamp or light, pictures him as the psalmist’s source of life. For other examples of “lamp” used in this way, see Job 18:6; 21:17; Prov 13:9; 20:20; 24:20. For other examples of “light” as a symbol for life, see Job 3:20; 33:30; Ps 56:13.

[18:28]  ⁴ tn 2 Sam 22:29 repeats the name “Lord.”

[18:28]  ⁵ tn Heb “my darkness.”

[97:11]  ⁶ tn Heb “Light is planted for the godly, and for the upright of heart joy.” The translation assumes an emendation of זָרַע (zara’, “planted”) to זָרַח (zara’, “shines”) which collocates more naturally with “light.” “Light” here symbolizes the joy (note the following line) that accompanies deliverance and the outpouring of divine favor.

[112:4]  ⁷ tn In this context “light” symbolizes divine blessing in its various forms (see v. 2), including material prosperity and stability.

[112:4]  ⁸ tn Heb “merciful and compassionate and just.” The Hebrew text has three singular adjectives, which are probably substantival and in apposition to the “godly” (which is plural, however). By switching to the singular, the psalmist focuses on each individual member of the group known as the “godly.” Note how vv. 5-9, like vv. 1-2a, use the singular to describe the representative godly individual who typifies the whole group.

[50:10]  ⁹ tn Heb “[who] listens to the voice of his servant?” The interrogative is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).

[50:10]  ¹⁰ tn The plural indicates degree. Darkness may refer to exile and/or moral evil.

[60:19]  ¹¹ tn Heb “and your God for your splendor.”

[60:20]  ¹² sn In this verse “sun” and “moon” refer to the Lord’s light, which will replace the sun and moon (see v. 19). Light here symbolizes the restoration of divine blessing and prosperity in conjunction with the Lord’s presence. See 30:26.

[60:20]  ¹³ tn Heb “days” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).

[7:9]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “lift, bear.”

[7:9]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “until.”

[7:9]  ¹⁶ tn Or “plead my case” (NASB and NIV both similar); NRSV “until he takes my side.”

[7:9]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “see.”

[7:9]  ¹⁸ tn Or “justice, vindication.”

[4:2]  ¹⁹ tn Here the Hebrew word צְדָקָה (tsÿdaqah), usually translated “righteousness” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV, NLT; cf. NAB “justice”), has been rendered as “vindication” because it is the vindication of God’s people that is in view in the context. Cf. BDB 842 s.v. צְדָקָה 6; “righteousness as vindicated, justification, salvation, etc.”

[4:2]  ²⁰ sn The point of the metaphor of healing wings is unclear. The sun seems to be compared to a bird. Perhaps the sun’s “wings” are its warm rays. “Healing” may refer to a reversal of the injury done by evildoers (see Mal 3:5).

[4:2]  ²¹ tn Heb “you will go out and skip about.”