Discovery BoxPsalms 18:43
Context18:43 You rescue me from a hostile army; 1
you make me 2 a leader of nations;
people over whom I had no authority are now my subjects. 3
Psalms 48:8
Context48:8 We heard about God’s mighty deeds, now we have seen them, 4
in the city of the Lord, the invincible Warrior, 5
in the city of our God.
God makes it permanently secure. 6 (Selah)
[18:43] 1 tn Heb “from the strivings of a people.” In this context the Hebrew term רִיב (riv, “striving”) probably has a militaristic sense (as in Judg 12:2; Isa 41:11), and עָם (’am, “people”) probably refers more specifically to an army (for other examples, see the verses listed in BDB 766 s.v. I עַם, עָם 2.d). Some understand the phrase as referring to attacks by the psalmist’s own countrymen, the “nation” being Israel. However, foreign enemies appear to be in view; note the reference to “nations” in the following line.
[18:43] 2 tn 2 Sam 22:44 reads, “you keep me.”
[18:43] 3 tn Heb “a people whom I did not know serve me.” In this context “know” (יָדַע, yada’) probably refers to formal recognition by treaty. People who were once not under the psalmist’s authority now willingly submit to his rulership to avoid being conquered militarily (see vv. 44-45). The language may recall the events recorded in 2 Sam 8:9-10 and 10:19.
[48:8] 4 tn Heb “As we have heard, so we have seen.” The community had heard about God’s mighty deeds in the nation’s history. Having personally witnessed his saving power with their own eyes, they could now affirm that the tradition was not exaggerated or inaccurate.
[48:8] 5 tn Heb “the
[48:8] 6 tn Or “God makes it secure forever.” The imperfect highlights the characteristic nature of the generalizing statement.
