Psalms 46:3

46:3 when its waves ¹  crash ²  and foam,

and the mountains shake ³  before the surging sea. ⁴  (Selah)

Psalms 55:17

55:17 During the evening, morning, and noontime

I will lament and moan, ⁵ 

and he will hear ⁶  me. ⁷ 

Psalms 59:6

59:6 They return in the evening;

they growl ⁸  like a dog

and prowl around outside ⁹  the city.

Psalms 59:14

59:14 They return in the evening;

they growl ¹⁰  like a dog

and prowl around outside ¹¹  the city.

Psalms 77:3

77:3 I said, “I will remember God while I groan;

I will think about him while my strength leaves me.” ¹²  (Selah)

Psalms 83:2

83:2 For look, your enemies are making a commotion;

those who hate you are hostile. ¹³ 

[46:3]  ¹ tn Heb “its waters.”

[46:3]  ² tn Or “roar.”

[46:3]  ³ tn The three imperfect verbal forms in v. 3 draw attention to the characteristic nature of the activity described.

[46:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “at its swelling.” The Hebrew word often means “pride.” If the sea is symbolic of hostile nations, then this may be a case of double entendre. The surging, swelling sea symbolizes the proud, hostile nations. On the surface the psalmist appears to be depicting a major natural catastrophe, perhaps a tidal wave. If so, then the situation would be hypothetical. However, the repetition of the verbs הָמָה (hamah, “crash; roar,” v. 3) and מוֹט (mot, “shake,” v. 2) in v. 6, where nations/kingdoms “roar” and “shake,” suggests that the language of vv. 2-3 is symbolic and depicts the upheaval that characterizes relationships between the nations of the earth. As some nations (symbolized by the surging, chaotic waters) show hostility, others (symbolized by the mountains) come crashing down to destruction. The surging waters are symbolic of chaotic forces in other poetic texts (see, for example, Isa 17:12; Jer 51:42) and mountains can symbolize strong kingdoms (see, for example, Jer 51:25).

[55:17]  ⁵ tn The first verb is clearly a cohortative form, expressing the psalmist’s resolve. The second verb, while formally ambiguous, should also be understood as cohortative here.

[55:17]  ⁶ tn The prefixed verb with vav (ו) consecutive normally appears in narrational contexts to indicate past action, but here it continues the anticipatory (future) perspective of the preceding line. In Ps 77:6 one finds the same sequence of cohortative + prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive. In this case as well, both forms refer to future actions.

[55:17]  ⁷ tn Heb “my voice.”

[59:6]  ⁹ tn Or “howl”; or “bark.”

[59:6]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “go around.”

[59:14]  ¹³ tn Or “howl”; or “bark.”

[59:14]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “go around.”

[77:3]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “I will remember God and I will groan, I will reflect and my spirit will grow faint.” The first three verbs are cohortatives, the last a perfect with vav (ו) consecutive. The psalmist’s statement in v. 4 could be understood as concurrent with v. 1, or, more likely, as a quotation of what he had said earlier as he prayed to God (see v. 2). The words “I said” are supplied in the translation at the beginning of the verse to reflect this interpretation (see v. 10).

[83:2]  ²¹ tn Heb “lift up [their] head[s].” The phrase “lift up [the] head” here means “to threaten; to be hostile,” as in Judg 8:28.