Psalms 65:8

65:8 Even those living in the most remote areas are awestruck by your acts; ¹ 

you cause those living in the east and west to praise you. ² 

Psalms 74:9

74:9 We do not see any signs of God’s presence; ³ 

there are no longer any prophets ⁴ 

and we have no one to tell us how long this will last. ⁵ 

Psalms 86:17

86:17 Show me evidence of your favor! ⁶ 

Then those who hate me will see it and be ashamed, ⁷ 

for you, O Lord, will help me and comfort me. ⁸ 

[65:8]  ¹ tn Heb “and the inhabitants of the ends fear because of your signs.” God’s “signs” are the “awesome acts” (see v. 5) he performs in the earth.

[65:8]  ² tn Heb “the goings out of the morning and the evening you cause to shout for joy.” The phrase “goings out of the morning and evening” refers to the sunrise and sunset, that is, the east and the west.

[74:9]  ³ tn Heb “our signs we do not see.” Because of the reference to a prophet in the next line, it is likely that the “signs” in view here include the evidence of God’s presence as typically revealed through the prophets. These could include miraculous acts performed by the prophets (see, for example, Isa 38:7-8) or object lessons which they acted out (see, for example, Isa 20:3).

[74:9]  ⁴ tn Heb “there is not still a prophet.”

[74:9]  ⁵ tn Heb “and [there is] not with us one who knows how long.”

[86:17]  ⁵ tn Heb “Work with me a sign for good.” The expression “work a sign” also occurs in Judg 6:17.

[86:17]  ⁶ tn After the imperative in the preceding line (“work”), the prefixed verb forms with prefixed vav (ו) conjunctive indicate purpose or result.

[86:17]  ⁷ tn The perfect verbal forms are understood here as dramatic/rhetorical, expressing the psalmist’s certitude that such a sign from the Lord will be followed by his intervention. Another option is to understand the forms as future perfects (“for you, O Lord, will have helped me and comforted me”).