Psalms 46:6

46:6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms are overthrown. ¹ 

God ²  gives a shout, ³  the earth dissolves. ⁴ 

Psalms 75:2

75:2 God says, ⁵ 

“At the appointed times, ⁶ 

I judge ⁷  fairly.

Psalms 78:25

78:25 Man ate the food of the mighty ones. ⁸ 

He sent them more than enough to eat. ⁹ 

Psalms 105:6

105:6 O children ¹⁰  of Abraham, ¹¹  God’s ¹²  servant,

you descendants ¹³  of Jacob, God’s ¹⁴  chosen ones!

[46:6]  ¹ tn Heb “nations roar, kingdoms shake.” The Hebrew verb הָמָה (hamah, “roar, be in uproar”) is used in v. 3 of the waves crashing, while the verb מוֹט (mot, “overthrown”) is used in v. 2 of mountains tumbling into the sea (see also v. 5, where the psalm affirms that Jerusalem “cannot be moved”). The repetition of the verbs 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).

[46:6]  ² tn Heb “He.” God is the obvious referent here (see v. 5), and has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[46:6]  ³ tn Heb “offers his voice.” In theophanic texts the phrase refers to God’s thunderous shout which functions as a battle cry (see Pss 18:13; 68:33).

[46:6]  ⁴ tn Or “melts.” See Amos 9:5. The image depicts the nation’s helplessness before Jerusalem’s defender, who annihilates their armies (see vv. 8-9). The imperfect verbal form emphasizes the characteristic nature of the action described.

[75:2]  ⁵ tn The words “God says” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation to clarify that God speaks in vv. 2-3.

[75:2]  ⁶ tn Heb “when I take an appointed time.”

[75:2]  ⁷ tn Heb “I, [in] fairness, I judge.” The statement is understood in a generalizing sense; God typically executes fair judgment as he governs the world. One could take this as referring to an anticipated (future) judgment, “I will judge.”

[78:25]  ⁹ sn Because of the reference to “heaven” in the preceding verse, it is likely that mighty ones refers here to the angels of heaven. The LXX translates “angels” here, as do a number of modern translations (NEB, NIV, NRSV).

[78:25]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “provision he sent to them to satisfaction.”

[105:6]  ¹³ tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”

[105:6]  ¹⁴ tc Some mss have “Israel,” which appears in the parallel version of this psalm in 1 Chr 16:13.

[105:6]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “his”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[105:6]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “sons.”

[105:6]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “his”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.