Psalms 7:2

7:2 Otherwise they will rip ¹  me ²  to shreds like a lion;

they will tear me to bits and no one will be able to rescue me. ³ 

Psalms 18:41

18:41 They cry out, but there is no one to help them; ⁴ 

they cry out to the Lord, ⁵  but he does not answer them.

Psalms 19:3

19:3 There is no actual speech or word,

nor is its ⁶  voice literally heard.

Psalms 37:10

37:10 Evil men will soon disappear; ⁷ 

you will stare at the spot where they once were, but they will be gone. ⁸ 

Psalms 38:7

38:7 For I am overcome with shame ⁹ 

and my whole body is sick. ¹⁰ 

Psalms 72:12

72:12 For he will rescue the needy ¹¹  when they cry out for help,

and the oppressed ¹²  who have no defender.

Psalms 79:3

79:3 They have made their blood flow like water

all around Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury them. ¹³ 

Psalms 119:165

119:165 Those who love your law are completely secure; ¹⁴ 

nothing causes them to stumble. ¹⁵ 

[7:2]  ¹ tn The verb is singular in the Hebrew text, even though “all who chase me” in v. 1 refers to a whole group of enemies. The singular is also used in vv. 4-5, but the psalmist returns to the plural in v. 6. The singular is probably collective, emphasizing the united front that the psalmist’s enemies present. This same alternation between a collective singular and a plural referring to enemies appears in Pss 9:3, 6; 13:4; 31:4, 8; 41:6, 10-11; 42:9-10; 55:3; 64:1-2; 74:3-4; 89:22-23; 106:10-11; 143:3, 6, 9.

[7:2]  ² tn Heb “my life.” The pronominal suffix attached to נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) is equivalent to a personal pronoun. See Ps 6:3.

[7:2]  ³ tn Heb “tearing and there is no one rescuing.” The verbal form translated “tearing” is a singular active participle.

[18:41]  ⁴ tn Heb “but there is no deliverer.”

[18:41]  ⁵ tn Heb “to the Lord.” The words “they cry out” are supplied in the translation because they are understood by ellipsis (see the preceding line).

[19:3]  ⁷ tn Heb “their.” The antecedent of the plural pronoun is “heavens” (v. 1).

[37:10]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “and yet, a little, there will be no wicked [one].”

[37:10]  ¹¹ tn Heb “and you will carefully look upon his place, but he will not be [there].” The singular is used here in a representative sense; the typical evildoer is in view.

[38:7]  ¹³ tn Heb “for my loins are filled with shame.” The “loins” are viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s emotions. The present translation assumes that נִקְלֶה (niqleh) is derived from קָלָה (qalah, “be dishonored”). Some derive it instead from a homonymic root קָלָה (qalah), meaning “to roast.” In this case one might translate “fever” (cf. NEB “my loins burn with fever”).

[38:7]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “there is no soundness in my flesh” (see v. 3).

[72:12]  ¹⁶ tn The singular is representative. The typical needy individual here represents the entire group.

[72:12]  ¹⁷ tn The singular is representative. The typical oppressed individual here represents the entire group.

[79:3]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “they have poured out their blood like water, all around Jerusalem, and there is no one burying.”

[119:165]  ²² tn Heb “great peace [is] to the lovers of your law.”

[119:165]  ²³ tn Heb “and there is no stumbling to them.”