Mazmur 40:17

40:17 I am oppressed and needy! ¹ 

May the Lord pay attention to me! ² 

You are my helper and my deliverer!

O my God, do not delay!

Mazmur 59:11

59:11 Do not strike them dead suddenly,

because then my people might forget the lesson. ³ 

Use your power to make them homeless vagabonds and then bring them down,

O Lord who shields us! ⁴ 

[40:17]  ¹ sn See Pss 35:10; 37:14.

[40:17]  ² tn The prefixed verbal form may be taken as a jussive of prayer (as in the present translation; cf. NIV) or as an imperfect, “The Lord will pay attention to me” (cf. NRSV). The parallel in Ps 70:5 has, “O God, hurry to me!” For this reason some prefer to emend יַחֲשָׁב (yakhashav, “may he pay attention”) to חוּשָׁה (khushah, “hurry!”). The syntax of the Hebrew text is awkward; elsewhere when the Qal of חָשַׁב (khashav, “reckon; consider”) is collocated with the preposition -ל (lamed) and a pronominal suffix there is an accompanying direct object or additional prepositional phrase/adverbial accusative (see Gen 15:6; 2 Sam 19:19; Job 13:24; 19:11; 33:10; Pss 32:2; 41:7; Amos 6:5).

[59:11]  ³ tn Heb “do not kill them, lest my people forget.”

[59:11]  sn My people might forget the lesson. Swift, sudden destruction might be quickly forgotten. The psalmist wants God’s judgment to be prolonged so that it might be a continual reminder of divine justice.

[59:11]  ⁴ tn Heb “make them roam around by your strength and bring them down, O our shield, the Lord.”