Mazmur 4:6

4:6 Many say, “Who can show us anything good?”

Smile upon us, Lord! ¹ 

Mazmur 27:1

Psalm 27 ² 

By David.

27:1 The Lord delivers and vindicates me! ³ 

I fear no one! ⁴ 

The Lord protects my life!

I am afraid of no one! ⁵ 

Mazmur 76:4

76:4 You shine brightly and reveal your majesty,

as you descend from the hills where you killed your prey. ⁶ 

Mazmur 104:2

104:2 He covers himself with light as if it were a garment.

He stretches out the skies like a tent curtain,

[4:6]  ¹ tn Heb “lift up upon us the light of your face, Lord.” The verb נסה is apparently an alternate form of נשׂא, “lift up.” See GKC 217 §76.b. The idiom “light of your face” probably refers to a smile (see Eccl 8:1), which in turn suggests favor and blessing (see Num 6:25; Pss 31:16; 44:3; 67:1; 80:3, 7, 19; 89:15; Dan 9:17).

[4:6]  sn Smile upon us. Though many are discouraged, the psalmist asks the Lord to intervene and transform the situation.

[27:1]  ² sn Psalm 27. The author is confident of the Lord’s protection and asks the Lord to vindicate him.

[27:1]  ³ tn Heb “the Lord [is] my light and my deliverance.” “Light” is often used as a metaphor for deliverance and the life/blessings it brings. See Pss 37:6; 97:11; 112:4; Isa 49:6; 51:4; Mic 7:8. Another option is that “light” refers here to divine guidance (see Ps 43:3).

[27:1]  ⁴ tn Heb “Whom shall I fear?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “No one!”

[27:1]  ⁵ tn Heb “Of whom shall I be afraid?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “No one!”

[76:4]  ⁶ tn Heb “radiant [are] you, majestic from the hills of prey.” God is depicted as a victorious king and as a lion that has killed its victims.