Psalms 90:3

90:3 You make mankind return ¹  to the dust, ² 

and say, “Return, O people!”

Psalms 89:19

89:19 Then you ³  spoke through a vision to your faithful followers ⁴  and said:

“I have energized a warrior; ⁵ 

I have raised up a young man ⁶  from the people.

[90:3]  ¹ tn In this context the shortened prefix form does not function as a preterite, but indicates what is typical of the world.

[90:3]  ² tn The Hebrew term דַּכָּא (daka’) carries the basic sense of “crushed.” Elsewhere it refers to those who are “crushed” in spirit or contrite of heart (see Ps 34:18; Isa 57:15). If one understands this nuance here, then v. 3 is observing that God leads mankind to repentance (the term שׁוּב, shuv, “return,” which appears twice in this verse, is sometimes used of repentance.) However, the following context laments mankind’s mortality and the brevity of life, so it is doubtful if v. 3 should be understood so positively. It is more likely that דַּכָּא here refers to “crushed matter,” that is, the dust that fills the grave (see HALOT 221 s.v. s.v. I דַּכָּא; BDB 194 s.v. דַּכָּא). In this case one may hear an echo of Gen 3:19.

[89:19]  ³ tn The pronoun “you” refers to the Lord, who is addressed here. The quotation that follows further develops the announcement of vv. 3-4.

[89:19]  ⁴ tc Many medieval mss read the singular here, “your faithful follower.” In this case the statement refers directly to Nathan’s oracle to David (see 2 Sam 7:17).

[89:19]  ⁵ tn Heb “I have placed help upon a warrior.”

[89:19]  ⁶ tn Or perhaps “a chosen one.”