Psalms 33:9

33:9 For he spoke, and it ¹  came into existence,

he issued the decree, ²  and it stood firm.

Psalms 148:8

148:8 O fire and hail, snow and clouds, ³ 

O stormy wind that carries out his orders, ⁴ 

[33:9]  ¹ tn That is, “all the earth” in the first line of v. 8. The apparent antecedent of the masculine subject of the verbs in v. 9 (note וַיֶּהִי [vayyehiy] and וַיַּעֲמֹד [vayya’amod]) is “earth” or “world,” both of which are feminine nouns. However, כָּל (kol, “all”) may be the antecedent, or the apparent lack of agreement may be explained by the collective nature of the nouns involved here (see GKC 463 §145.e).

[33:9]  ² tn Heb “he commanded.”

[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.”