Psalms 9:12

9:12 For the one who takes revenge against murderers took notice of the oppressed; ¹ 

he did not overlook ²  their cry for help ³ 

Psalms 18:27

18:27 For you deliver oppressed ⁴  people,

but you bring down those who have a proud look. ⁵ 

Psalms 34:6

34:6 This oppressed man cried out and the Lord heard;

he saved him ⁶  from all his troubles.

Psalms 37:14

37:14 Evil men draw their swords

and prepare their bows,

to bring down ⁷  the oppressed and needy,

and to slaughter those who are godly. ⁸ 

Psalms 74:19

74:19 Do not hand the life of your dove ⁹  over to a wild animal!

Do not continue to disregard ¹⁰  the lives of your oppressed people!

Psalms 86:1

Psalm 86 ¹¹ 

A prayer of David.

86:1 Listen ¹²  O Lord! Answer me!

For I am oppressed and needy.

Psalms 140:12

140:12 I know ¹³  that the Lord defends the cause of the oppressed

and vindicates the poor. ¹⁴ 

[9:12]  ¹ tn Heb “for the one who seeks shed blood remembered them.” The idiomatic expression “to seek shed blood” seems to carry the idea “to seek payment/restitution for one’s shed blood.” The plural form דָּמִים (damim, “shed blood”) occurs only here as the object of דָּרַשׁ (darash); the singular form דָּם (dam, “blood”) appears with the verb in Gen 9:5; 42:22; Ezek 33:6. “Them,” the pronominal object of the verb “remembered,” refers to the oppressed, mentioned specifically in the next line, so the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:12]  ² tn Heb “did not forget.”

[9:12]  ³ tn Heb “the cry for help of the oppressed.” In this context the “oppressed” are the psalmist and those he represents, whom the hostile nations have threatened.

[18:27]  ⁴ tn Or perhaps, “humble” (note the contrast with those who are proud).

[18:27]  ⁵ tn Heb “but proud eyes you bring low.” 2 Sam 22:28 reads, “your eyes [are] upon the proud, [whom] you bring low.”

[34:6]  ⁷ tn The pronoun refers back to “this oppressed man,” namely, the psalmist.

[37:14]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “to cause to fall.”

[37:14]  ¹¹ tn Heb “the upright in way,” i.e., those who lead godly lives.

[74:19]  ¹³ sn Your dove. The psalmist compares weak and vulnerable Israel to a helpless dove.

[74:19]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “do not forget forever.”

[86:1]  ¹⁶ sn Psalm 86. The psalmist appeals to God’s mercy as he asks for deliverance from his enemies.

[86:1]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “turn your ear.”

[140:12]  ¹⁹ tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss in reading a first person verb form here. The Kethib reads the second person.

[140:12]  ²⁰ tn Heb “and the just cause of the poor.”