Psalms 71:6-8

71:6 I have leaned on you since birth; ¹ 

you pulled me ²  from my mother’s womb.

I praise you continually. ³ 

71:7 Many are appalled when they see me, ⁴ 

but you are my secure shelter.

71:8 I praise you constantly

and speak of your splendor all day long. ⁵ 

[71:6]  ¹ tn Heb “from the womb.”

[71:6]  ² tc The form in the MT is derived from גָזָה (gazah, “to cut off”), perhaps picturing God as the one who severed the psalmist’s umbilical cord. Many interpreters and translators prefer to emend the text to גֹחִי (gokhiy), from גוּח (gukh) or גִיח, (gikh, “pull out”; see Ps 22:9; cf. the present translation) or to עוּזִּי (’uzziy, “my strength”; cf. NEB “my protector since I left my mother’s womb”).

[71:6]  ³ tn Heb “in you [is] my praise continually.”

[71:7]  ⁴ tn Heb “like a sign [i.e., portent or bad omen] I am to many.”

[71:8]  ⁵ tn Heb “my mouth is filled [with] your praise, all the day [with] your splendor.”