Psalms 28:6

28:6 The Lord deserves praise, ¹ 

for he has heard my plea for mercy! ² 

Psalms 29:7

29:7 The Lord’s shout strikes ³  with flaming fire. ⁴ 

Psalms 66:8

66:8 Praise ⁵  our God, you nations!

Loudly proclaim his praise! ⁶ 

[28:6]  ¹ tn Heb “blessed [be] the Lord.”

[28:6]  ² sn He has heard my plea for mercy. The psalmist’s mood abruptly changes at this point, because the Lord responded positively to his petition and assured him that he would deliver him.

[29:7]  ³ tn The verb normally means “to hew [stone or wood],” or “to hew out.” In Hos 6:5 it seems to mean “cut in pieces,” “knock down,” or perhaps “hack” (see F. I. Andersen and D. N. Freedman, Hosea [AB], 428). The Ugaritic cognate can mean “assault.” In v. 7 the verb seems to have a similar meaning, perhaps “attack, strike.” The phrase “flames of fire” is an adverbial accusative; the Lord’s shout is accompanied by “flames of fire,” that is, lightning bolts.

[29:7]  ⁴ sn The Lord’s shout strikes with flaming fire. The short line has invited textual emendation, but its distinct, brief form may highlight the statement, which serves as the axis of a chiastic structure encompassing vv. 5-9: (A) the Lord’s shout destroys the forest (v. 5); (B) the Lord’s shout shakes the terrain (v. 6); (C) the Lord’s shout is accompanied by destructive lightning (v. 7); (B´) the Lord’s shout shakes the terrain (v. 8); (A´) the Lord’s shout destroys the forest (v. 9).

[66:8]  ⁵ tn Heb “bless,” in the sense of declaring “God to be the source of…special power” (see HALOT 160 s.v. II ברך pi).

[66:8]  ⁶ tn Heb “cause the voice of his praise to be heard.”