Psalms 147:16

147:16 He sends the snow that is white like wool;

he spreads the frost that is white like ashes. ¹ 

Psalms 51:7

51:7 Sprinkle me ²  with water ³  and I will be pure; ⁴ 

wash me ⁵  and I will be whiter than snow. ⁶ 

Psalms 148:8

148:8 O fire and hail, snow and clouds, ⁷ 

O stormy wind that carries out his orders, ⁸ 

[147:16]  ¹ tn Heb “the one who gives snow like wool, frost like ashes he scatters.”

[51:7]  ² tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request.

[51:7]  ³ tn Heb “cleanse me with hyssop.” “Hyssop” was a small plant (see 1 Kgs 4:33) used to apply water (or blood) in purification rites (see Exod 12:22; Lev 14:4-6, 49-52; Num 19:6-18. The psalmist uses the language and imagery of such rites to describe spiritual cleansing through forgiveness.

[51:7]  ⁴ tn After the preceding imperfect, the imperfect with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates result.

[51:7]  ⁵ tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request.

[51:7]  ⁶ sn I will be whiter than snow. Whiteness here symbolizes the moral purity resulting from forgiveness (see Isa 1:18).

[148:8]  ³ tn In Ps 119:83 the noun refers to “smoke,” but here, where the elements of nature are addressed, the clouds, which resemble smoke, are probably in view.

[148:8]  ⁴ tn Heb “[that] does his word.”