Psalms 81:7

81:7 In your distress you called out and I rescued you.

I answered you from a dark thundercloud. ¹ 

I tested you at the waters of Meribah. ²  (Selah)

Psalms 116:8

116:8 Yes, ³  Lord, ⁴  you rescued my life from death,

and kept my feet from stumbling.

Psalms 140:1

Psalm 140 ⁵ 

For the music director; a psalm of David.

140:1 O Lord, rescue me from wicked men! ⁶ 

Protect me from violent men, ⁷ 

[81:7]  ¹ tn Heb “I answered you in the hidden place of thunder.” This may allude to God’s self-revelation at Mount Sinai, where he appeared in a dark cloud accompanied by thunder (see Exod 19:16).

[81:7]  ² sn The name Meribah means “strife.” Two separate but similar incidents at the place called Meribah are recorded in the Pentateuch (Exod 17:1-7; Num 20:1-13). In both cases the Israelites complained about lack of water and the Lord miraculously provided for them.

[116:8]  ³ tn Or “for.”

[116:8]  ⁴ tn “Lord” is supplied here in the translation for clarification.

[140:1]  ⁵ sn Psalm 140. The psalmist asks God to deliver him from his deadly enemies, calls judgment down upon them, and affirms his confidence in God’s justice.

[140:1]  ⁶ tn Heb “from a wicked man.” The Hebrew uses the singular in a representative or collective sense (note the plural verbs in v. 2).

[140:1]  ⁷ tn Heb “a man of violent acts.” The Hebrew uses the singular in a representative or collective sense (note the plural verbs in v. 2).