Psalms 120:4

120:4 Here’s how! ¹  With the sharp arrows of warriors,

with arrowheads forged over the hot coals. ² 

Psalms 127:4

127:4 Sons born during one’s youth

are like arrows in a warrior’s hand. ³ 

Psalms 45:3

45:3 Strap your sword to your thigh, O warrior! ⁴ 

Appear in your majestic splendor! ⁵ 

Psalms 112:2

112:2 His descendants ⁶  will be powerful on the earth;

the godly ⁷  will be blessed.

Psalms 24:8

24:8 Who is this majestic king? ⁸ 

The Lord who is strong and mighty!

The Lord who is mighty in battle!

Psalms 33:16

33:16 No king is delivered by his vast army;

a warrior is not saved by his great might.

Psalms 89:19

89:19 Then you ⁹  spoke through a vision to your faithful followers ¹⁰  and said:

“I have energized a warrior; ¹¹ 

I have raised up a young man ¹²  from the people.

[120:4]  ¹ tn The words “here’s how” are supplied in the translation as a clarification. In v. 4 the psalmist answers the question he raises in v. 3.

[120:4]  ² tn Heb “with coals of the wood of the broom plant.” The wood of the broom plant was used to make charcoal, which in turn was used to fuel the fire used to forge the arrowheads.

[127:4]  ³ tn Heb “like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so [are] sons of youth.” Arrows are used in combat to defend oneself against enemies; sons are viewed here as providing social security and protection (see v. 5). The phrase “sons of youth” is elliptical, meaning “sons [born during the father’s] youth.” Such sons will have grown up to be mature adults and will have children of their own by the time the father reaches old age and becomes vulnerable to enemies. Contrast the phrase “son of old age” in Gen 37:3 (see also 44:20), which refers to Jacob’s age when Joseph was born.

[45:3]  ⁵ tn Or “mighty one.”

[45:3]  ⁶ tn The Hebrew text has simply, “your majesty and your splendor,” which probably refers to the king’s majestic splendor when he appears in full royal battle regalia.

[112:2]  ⁷ tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”

[112:2]  ⁸ tn Heb “His seed will be mighty on the earth, the generation of the godly.” The Hebrew term דוֹר (dor, “generation”) could be taken as parallel to “offspring” and translated “posterity,” but the singular more likely refers to the godly as a class. See BDB 189-90 s.v. for other examples where “generation” refers to a class of people.

[24:8]  ⁹ sn Who is this majestic king? Perhaps the personified gates/doors ask this question, in response to the command given in v. 7.

[89:19]  ¹¹ tn The pronoun “you” refers to the Lord, who is addressed here. The quotation that follows further develops the announcement of vv. 3-4.

[89:19]  ¹² tc Many medieval mss read the singular here, “your faithful follower.” In this case the statement refers directly to Nathan’s oracle to David (see 2 Sam 7:17).

[89:19]  ¹³ tn Heb “I have placed help upon a warrior.”

[89:19]  ¹⁴ tn Or perhaps “a chosen one.”