Mazmur 46:7

46:7 The Lord who commands armies is on our side! ¹ 

The God of Jacob ²  is our protector! ³  (Selah)

Mazmur 68:33

68:33 to the one who rides through the sky from ancient times! ⁴ 

Look! He thunders loudly. ⁵ 

[46:7]  ¹ tn Heb “the Lord of hosts is with us.” The title “Lord of hosts” here pictures the Lord as a mighty warrior-king who leads armies into battle (see Ps 24:10). The military imagery is further developed in vv. 8-9.

[46:7]  ² tn That is, Israel, or Judah (see Ps 20:1).

[46:7]  ³ tn Heb “our elevated place” (see Pss 9:9; 18:2).

[68:33]  ⁴ tc Heb “to the one who rides through the skies of skies of ancient times.” If the MT is retained, one might translate, “to the one who rides through the ancient skies.” (שְׁמֵי [shÿmey, “skies of”] may be accidentally repeated.) The present translation assumes an emendation to בַּשָּׁמַיִם מִקֶּדֶם (bashamayim miqqedem, “[to the one who rides] through the sky from ancient times”), that is, God has been revealing his power through the storm since ancient times.

[68:33]  ⁵ tn Heb “he gives his voice a strong voice.” In this context God’s “voice” is the thunder that accompanies the rain (see vv. 8-9, as well as Deut 33:26).