Psalms 18:33

18:33 He gives me the agility of a deer; ¹ 

he enables me to negotiate the rugged terrain. ² 

Psalms 18:38

18:38 I beat them ³  to death; ⁴ 

they fall at my feet. ⁵ 

Psalms 31:8

31:8 You do not deliver me over to the power of the enemy;

you enable me to stand ⁶  in a wide open place.

Psalms 73:2

73:2 But as for me, my feet almost slipped;

my feet almost slid out from under me. ⁷ 

Psalms 94:18

94:18 If I say, “My foot is slipping,”

your loyal love, O Lord, supports me.

Psalms 119:101

119:101 I stay away ⁸  from the evil path,

so that I might keep your instructions. ⁹ 

[18:33]  ¹ tn Heb “[the one who] makes my feet like [those of ] a deer.”

[18:33]  ² tn Heb “and on my high places he makes me walk.” The imperfect verbal form emphasizes God’s characteristic provision. The psalmist compares his agility in battle to the ability of a deer to negotiate rugged, high terrain without falling or being injured.

[18:38]  ³ tn Or “smash them.” 2 Sam 22:39 reads, “and I wiped them out and smashed them.”

[18:38]  ⁴ tn Heb “until they are unable to rise.” 2 Sam 22:39 reads, “until they do not rise.”

[18:38]  ⁵ sn They fall at my feet. For ancient Near Eastern parallels, see O. Keel, The Symbolism of the Biblical World, 294-97.

[31:8]  ⁵ tn Heb “you cause my feet to stand.”

[73:2]  ⁷ tn The Hebrew verb normally means “to pour out,” but here it must have the nuance “to slide.”

[119:101]  ⁹ tn Heb “I hold back my feet.”

[119:101]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss read the plural.