Psalms 52:9

52:9 I will continually ¹  thank you when ²  you execute judgment; ³ 

I will rely ⁴  on you, ⁵  for your loyal followers know you are good. ⁶ 

Psalms 69:20

69:20 Their insults are painful ⁷  and make me lose heart; ⁸ 

I look ⁹  for sympathy, but receive none, ¹⁰ 

for comforters, but find none.

[52:9]  ¹ tn Or, hyperbolically, “forever.”

[52:9]  ² tn Or “for.”

[52:9]  ³ tn Heb “you have acted.” The perfect verbal form (1) probably indicates a future perfect here. The psalmist promises to give thanks when the expected vindication has been accomplished. Other options include (2) a generalizing (“for you act”) or (3) rhetorical (“for you will act”) use.

[52:9]  ⁴ tn Or “wait.”

[52:9]  ⁵ tn Heb “your name.” God’s “name” refers here to his reputation and revealed character.

[52:9]  ⁶ tn Heb “for it is good in front of your loyal followers.”

[69:20]  ⁷ tn Heb “break my heart.” The “heart” is viewed here as the origin of the psalmist’s emotions.

[69:20]  ⁸ tn The verb form appears to be a Qal preterite from an otherwise unattested root נוּשׁ (nush), which some consider an alternate form of אָנַשׁ (’anash, “be weak; be sick”; see BDB 60 s.v. I אָנַשׁ). Perhaps the form should be emended to a Niphal, וָאֵאָנְשָׁה (va’e’onshah, “and I am sick”). The Niphal of אָנַשׁ occurs in 2 Sam 12:15, where it is used to describe David’s sick child.

[69:20]  ⁹ tn Heb “wait.”

[69:20]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “and I wait for sympathy, but there is none.” The form נוּד (nud) is an infinitive functioning as a verbal noun:, “sympathizing.” Some suggest emending the form to a participle נָד (nad, “one who shows sympathy”). The verb נוּד (nud) also has the nuance “show sympathy” in Job 2:11; 42:11 and Isa 51:19.