Psalms 73:18

73:18 Surely ¹  you put them in slippery places;

you bring them down ²  to ruin.

Psalms 88:6

88:6 You place me in the lowest regions of the pit, ³ 

in the dark places, in the watery depths.

Psalms 90:8

90:8 You are aware of our sins; ⁴ 

you even know about our hidden sins. ⁵ 

Psalms 139:5

139:5 You squeeze me in from behind and in front;

you place your hand on me.

[73:18]  ¹ tn The use of the Hebrew term אַךְ (’akh, “surely”) here literarily counteracts its use in v. 13. The repetition draws attention to the contrast between the two statements, the first of which expresses the psalmist’s earlier despair and the second his newly discovered confidence.

[73:18]  ² tn Heb “cause them to fall.”

[88:6]  ³ tn The noun בּוֹר (bor, “pit,” “cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead. See v. 4.

[90:8]  ⁵ tn Heb “you set our sins in front of you.”

[90:8]  ⁶ tn Heb “what we have hidden to the light of your face.” God’s face is compared to a light or lamp that exposes the darkness around it.