Psalms 68:33

68:33 to the one who rides through the sky from ancient times! ¹ 

Look! He thunders loudly. ² 

Psalms 74:2

74:2 Remember your people ³  whom you acquired in ancient times,

whom you rescued ⁴  so they could be your very own nation, ⁵ 

as well as Mount Zion, where you dwell!

[68:33]  ¹ tc Heb “to the one who rides through the skies of skies of ancient times.” If the MT is retained, one might translate, “to the one who rides through the ancient skies.” (שְׁמֵי [shÿmey, “skies of”] may be accidentally repeated.) The present translation assumes an emendation to בַּשָּׁמַיִם מִקֶּדֶם (bashamayim miqqedem, “[to the one who rides] through the sky from ancient times”), that is, God has been revealing his power through the storm since ancient times.

[68:33]  ² tn Heb “he gives his voice a strong voice.” In this context God’s “voice” is the thunder that accompanies the rain (see vv. 8-9, as well as Deut 33:26).

[74:2]  ³ tn Heb “your assembly,” which pictures God’s people as an assembled community.

[74:2]  ⁴ tn Heb “redeemed.” The verb “redeem” casts God in the role of a leader who protects members of his extended family in times of need and crisis (see Ps 19:14).

[74:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “the tribe of your inheritance” (see Jer 10:16; 51:19).