Psalms 35:17

35:17 O Lord, how long are you going to just stand there and watch this? ¹ 

Rescue ²  me ³  from their destructive attacks;

guard my life ⁴  from the young lions!

Psalms 51:12

51:12 Let me again experience the joy of your deliverance!

Sustain me by giving me the desire to obey! ⁵ 

[35:17]  ¹ tn Heb “O Lord, how long will you see?”

[35:17]  ² tn Heb “bring back, restore.”

[35:17]  ³ tn Or “my life.”

[35:17]  ⁴ tn Heb “my only one.” The psalmist may mean that his life is precious, or that he feels isolated and alone (see Ps 22:20). The verb “guard” is supplied in the translation, because the verb “rescue” is understood by ellipsis (see the previous line).

[51:12]  ⁵ tn Heb “and [with] a willing spirit sustain me.” The psalmist asks that God make him the kind of person who willingly obeys the divine commandments. The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request.