Psalms 72:6

72:6 He ¹  will descend like rain on the mown grass, ² 

like showers that drench ³  the earth. ⁴ 

Psalms 65:10

65:10 You saturate ⁵  its furrows,

and soak ⁶  its plowed ground. ⁷ 

With rain showers you soften its soil, ⁸ 

and make its crops grow. ⁹ 

[72:6]  ¹ tn That is, the king (see vv. 2, 4).

[72:6]  ² tn The rare term zg refers to a sheep’s fleece in Deut 18:4 and Job 31:20, but to “mown” grass or crops here and in Amos 7:1.

[72:6]  ³ tc The form in the Hebrew text appears to be an otherwise unattested noun. Many prefer to emend the form to a verb from the root זָרַף (zaraf). BHS in textual note b on this verse suggests a Hiphil imperfect, third masculine plural יַזְרִיפוּ (yazrifu), while HALOT 283 s.v. *זרף prefers a Pilpel perfect, third masculine plural זִרְזְפוּ (zirzÿfu). The translation assumes the latter.

[72:6]  ⁴ sn The imagery of this verse compares the blessings produced by the king’s reign to fructifying rains that cause the crops to grow.

[65:10]  ⁵ tn Heb “saturating” [the form is an infinitive absolute].

[65:10]  ⁶ tn Heb “flatten, cause to sink.”

[65:10]  ⁷ tn Heb “trenches,” or “furrows.”

[65:10]  ⁸ tn Heb “soften it,” that is, the earth.

[65:10]  ⁹ tn Heb “its vegetation you bless.” Divine “blessing” often involves endowing an object with special power or capacity.