Psalms 118:16

118:16 the Lord’s right hand gives victory, ¹ 

the Lord’s right hand conquers.

Psalms 77:10

77:10 Then I said, “I am sickened by the thought

that the sovereign One ²  might become inactive. ³ 

Psalms 89:42

89:42 You have allowed his adversaries to be victorious, ⁴ 

and all his enemies to rejoice.

Psalms 144:8

144:8 who speak lies,

and make false promises. ⁵ 

Psalms 118:15

118:15 They celebrate deliverance in the tents of the godly. ⁶ 

The Lord’s right hand conquers, ⁷ 

Psalms 144:11

144:11 Grab me and rescue me from the power of foreigners, ⁸ 

who speak lies,

and make false promises. ⁹ 

Psalms 142:4

142:4 Look to the right and see!

No one cares about me. ¹⁰ 

I have nowhere to run; ¹¹ 

no one is concerned about my life. ¹² 

[118:16]  ¹ tn Heb “exalts.”

[77:10]  ² tn Heb “Most High.” This divine title (עֶלְיוֹן, ’elyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Pss 7:17; 9:2; 18:13; 21:7; 47:2.

[77:10]  ³ tc Heb “And I said, ‘This is my wounding, the changing of the right hand of the Most High.’” The form חַלּוֹתִי (khallotiy) appears to be a Qal infinitive construct (with a first person singular pronominal suffix) from the verbal root חָלַל (khalal, “to pierce; to wound”). The present translation assumes an emendation to חֲלוֹתִי (khalotiy), a Qal infinitive construct (with a first person singular pronominal suffix) from the verbal root חָלָה (khalah, “be sick, weak”). The form שְׁנוֹת (shÿnot) is understood as a Qal infinitive construct from שָׁנָה (shanah, “to change”) rather than a plural noun form, “years” (see v. 5). “Right hand” here symbolizes by metonymy God’s power and activity. The psalmist observes that his real problem is theological in nature. His experience suggests that the sovereign Lord has abandoned him and become inactive. However, this goes against the grain of his most cherished beliefs.

[89:42]  ³ tn Heb “you have lifted up the right hand of his adversaries.” The idiom “the right hand is lifted up” refers to victorious military deeds (see Pss 89:13; 118:16).

[144:8]  ⁴ tn Heb “who [with] their mouth speak falsehood, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.” The reference to the “right hand” is probably a metonymy for an oath. When making an oath, one would raise the hand as a solemn gesture. See Exod 6:8; Num 14:30; Deut 32:40. The figure thus represents the making of false oaths (false promises).

[118:15]  ⁵ tn Heb “the sound of a ringing shout and deliverance [is] in the tents of the godly.”

[118:15]  ⁶ tn Heb “does valiantly.” The statement refers here to military success (see Num 24:18; 1 Sam 14:48; Pss 60:12; 108:13).

[144:11]  ⁶ tn Heb “from the hand of the sons of foreignness.”

[144:11]  ⁷ tn Heb “who [with] their mouth speak falsehood, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.” See v. 8 where the same expression occurs.

[142:4]  ⁷ tn Heb “there is no one who recognizes me.”

[142:4]  ⁸ tn Heb “ a place of refuge perishes from me.”

[142:4]  ⁹ tn Heb “there is no one who seeks for the sake of my life.”