Psalms 55:20

55:20 He ¹  attacks ²  his friends; ³ 

he breaks his solemn promises to them. ⁴ 

Psalms 105:17

105:17 He sent a man ahead of them ⁵  –

Joseph was sold as a servant.

Psalms 105:20

105:20 The king authorized his release; ⁶ 

the ruler of nations set him free.

Psalms 144:6

144:6 Hurl lightning bolts and scatter them!

Shoot your arrows and rout them! ⁷ 

[55:20]  ¹ sn He. This must refer to the psalmist’s former friend, who was addressed previously in vv. 12-14.

[55:20]  ² tn Heb “stretches out his hand against.”

[55:20]  ³ tc The form should probably be emended to an active participle (שֹׁלְמָיו, sholÿmayv) from the verbal root שָׁלַם (shalam, “be in a covenant of peace with”). Perhaps the translation “his friends” suggests too intimate a relationship. Another option is to translate, “he attacks those who made agreements with him.”

[55:20]  ⁴ tn Heb “he violates his covenant.”

[105:17]  ⁵ tn After the reference to the famine in v. 16, v. 17 flashes back to events that preceded the famine (see Gen 37).

[105:20]  ⁹ tn Heb “[the] king sent and set him free.”

[144:6]  ¹³ sn Arrows and lightning bolts are associated in other texts (see Pss 18:14; 77:17-18; Zech 9:14), as well as in ancient Near Eastern art (see R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” [Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983], 187).