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 90:10

90:10 The days of our lives add up to seventy years, ⁵ 

or eighty, if one is especially strong. ⁶ 

But even one’s best years are marred by trouble and oppression. ⁷ 

Yes, ⁸  they pass quickly ⁹  and we fly away. ¹⁰ 

[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.

[90:10]  ⁵ tn Heb “the days of our years, in them [are] seventy years.”

[90:10]  ⁶ tn Heb “or if [there is] strength, eighty years.”

[90:10]  ⁷ tn Heb “and their pride [is] destruction and wickedness.” The Hebrew noun רֹהַב (rohav) occurs only here. BDB 923 s.v. assigns the meaning “pride,” deriving the noun from the verbal root רהב (“to act stormily [boisterously, arrogantly]”). Here the “pride” of one’s days (see v. 9) probably refers to one’s most productive years in the prime of life. The words translated “destruction and wickedness” are also paired in Ps 10:7. They also appear in proximity in Pss 7:14 and 55:10. The oppressive and abusive actions of evil men are probably in view (see Job 4:8; 5:6; 15:35; Isa 10:1; 59:4).

[90:10]  ⁸ tn or “for.”

[90:10]  ⁹ tn Heb “it passes quickly.” The subject of the verb is probably “their pride” (see the preceding line). The verb גּוּז (guz) means “to pass” here; it occurs only here and in Num 11:31.

[90:10]  ¹⁰ sn We fly away. The psalmist compares life to a bird that quickly flies off (see Job 20:8).