Psalms 9:17

9:17 The wicked are turned back and sent to Sheol; ¹ 

this is the destiny of ²  all the nations that ignore ³  God,

Psalms 18:5

18:5 The ropes of Sheol tightened around me, ⁴ 

the snares of death trapped me. ⁵ 

Psalms 86:13

86:13 For you will extend your great loyal love to me, ⁶ 

and will deliver my life ⁷  from the depths of Sheol. ⁸ 

Psalms 88:3

88:3 For my life ⁹  is filled with troubles

and I am ready to enter Sheol. ¹⁰ 

Psalms 139:8

139:8 If I were to ascend ¹¹  to heaven, you would be there.

If I were to sprawl out in Sheol, there you would be. ¹² 

Psalms 141:7

141:7 As when one plows and breaks up the soil, ¹³ 

so our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.

[9:17]  ¹ tn Heb “the wicked turn back to Sheol.” The imperfect verbal form either emphasizes what typically happens or describes vividly the aftermath of the Lord’s victory over the psalmist’s enemies. See v. 3.

[9:17]  ² tn The words “this is the destiny of” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. The verb “are turned back” is understood by ellipsis (see the preceding line).

[9:17]  ³ tn Heb “forget.” “Forgetting God” refers here to worshiping false gods and thereby refusing to recognize his sovereignty (see also Deut 8:19; Judg 3:7; 1 Sam 12:9; Isa 17:10; Jer 3:21; Ps 44:20). The nations’ refusal to acknowledge God’s sovereignty accounts for their brazen attempt to attack and destroy his people.

[18:5]  ⁴ tn Heb “surrounded me.”

[18:5]  ⁵ tn Heb “confronted me.”

[86:13]  ⁷ tn Heb “for your loyal love [is] great over me.”

[86:13]  ⁸ tn Or “for he will have delivered my life.” The verb form indicates a future perfect here.

[86:13]  ⁹ tn Or “lower Sheol.”

[88:3]  ¹⁰ tn Or “my soul.”

[88:3]  ¹¹ tn Heb “and my life approaches Sheol.”

[139:8]  ¹³ tn The Hebrew verb סָלַק (salaq, “to ascend”) occurs only here in the OT, but the word is well-attested in Aramaic literature from different time periods and displays a wide semantic range (see DNWSI 2:788-90).

[139:8]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “look, you.”

[141:7]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “like splitting and breaking open in the earth.” The meaning of the statement and the point of the comparison are not entirely clear. Perhaps the psalmist is suggesting that he and other godly individuals are as good as dead; their bones are scattered about like dirt that is dug up and tossed aside.