Psalms 129:4

129:4 The Lord is just;

he cut the ropes of the wicked.” ¹ 

Psalms 77:17

77:17 The clouds poured down rain; ² 

the skies thundered. ³ 

Yes, your arrows ⁴  flashed about.

[129:4]  ¹ tn The background of the metaphor is not entirely clear. Perhaps the “ropes” are those used to harness the ox for plowing (see Job 39:10). Verse 3 pictures the wicked plowing God’s people as if they were a field. But when God “cut the ropes” of their ox, as it were, they could no longer plow. The point of the metaphor seems to be that God took away the enemies’ ability to oppress his people. See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 187.

[77:17]  ² tn Heb “water.”

[77:17]  ³ tn Heb “a sound the clouds gave.”

[77:17]  ⁴ tn The lightning accompanying the storm is portrayed as the Lord’s “arrows” (see v. 18).