Psalms 79:8

79:8 Do not hold us accountable for the sins of earlier generations! ¹ 

Quickly send your compassion our way, ² 

for we are in serious trouble! ³ 

Psalms 106:43

106:43 Many times he delivered ⁴  them,

but they had a rebellious attitude, ⁵ 

and degraded themselves ⁶  by their sin.

Psalms 142:6

142:6 Listen to my cry for help,

for I am in serious trouble! ⁷ 

Rescue me from those who chase me,

for they are stronger than I am.

[79:8]  ¹ tn Heb “do not remember against us sins, former.” Some understand “former” as an attributive adjective modifying sins, “former [i.e., chronologically prior] sins” (see BDB 911 s.v. רִאשׁוֹן). The present translation assumes that ראשׁנים (“former”) here refers to those who lived formerly, that is, the people’s ancestors (see Lam 5:7). The word is used in this way in Lev 26:45; Deut 19:14 and Eccl 1:11.

[79:8]  ² tn Heb “may your compassion quickly confront us.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive, indicating a tone of prayer.

[79:8]  ³ tn Heb “for we are very low.”

[106:43]  ⁴ tn The prefixed verbal form is either preterite or imperfect, in which case it is customary, describing repeated action in past time (“he would deliver”).

[106:43]  ⁵ tn Heb “but they rebelled in their counsel.” The prefixed verbal form is either preterite or imperfect, in which case it is customary, describing repeated action in past time (“they would have a rebellious attitude”).

[106:43]  ⁶ tn Heb “they sank down.” The Hebrew verb מָכַךְ (makhakh, “to lower; to sink”) occurs only here in the Qal.

[142:6]  ⁷ tn Heb “for I am very low.”