Psalms 18:17

18:17 He rescued me from my strong enemy, ¹ 

from those who hate me,

for they were too strong for me.

Psalms 31:24

31:24 Be strong and confident, ² 

all you who wait on the Lord!

Psalms 89:21

89:21 My hand will support him, ³ 

and my arm will strengthen him.

Psalms 27:14

27:14 Rely ⁴  on the Lord!

Be strong and confident! ⁵ 

Rely on the Lord!

Psalms 80:15

80:15 the root ⁶  your right hand planted,

the shoot you made to grow! ⁷ 

Psalms 80:17

80:17 May you give support to the one you have chosen, ⁸ 

to the one whom you raised up for yourself! ⁹ 

Psalms 142:6

142:6 Listen to my cry for help,

for I am in serious trouble! ¹⁰ 

Rescue me from those who chase me,

for they are stronger than I am.

[18:17]  ¹ tn The singular refers either to personified death or collectively to the psalmist’s enemies. The following line, which refers to “those [plural] who hate me,” favors the latter.

[31:24]  ² tn Heb “be strong and let your heart[s] be confident.”

[89:21]  ³ tn Heb “with whom my hand will be firm.”

[27:14]  ⁴ tn Or “wait.”

[27:14]  ⁵ tn Heb “be strong and let your heart be confident.”

[80:15]  ⁵ tn The Hebrew noun occurs only here in the OT. HALOT 483 s.v. III כֵּן emends the form to כַּנָּהּ (kannah, “its shoot”).

[80:15]  ⁶ tn Heb “and upon a son you strengthened for yourself.” In this context, where the extended metaphor of the vine dominates, בֵּן (ben, “son”) probably refers to the shoots that grow from the vine. Cf. Gen 49:22.

[80:17]  ⁶ tn Heb “may your hand be upon the man of your right hand.” The referent of the otherwise unattested phrase “man of your right hand,” is unclear. It may refer to the nation collectively as a man. (See the note on the word “yourself” in v. 17b.)

[80:17]  ⁷ tn Heb “upon the son of man you strengthened for yourself.” In its only other use in the Book of Psalms, the phrase “son of man” refers to the human race in general (see Ps 8:4). Here the phrase may refer to the nation collectively as a man. Note the use of the statement “you strengthened for yourself” both here and in v. 15, where the “son” (i.e., the branch of the vine) refers to Israel.

[142:6]  ⁷ tn Heb “for I am very low.”