Mazmur 90:2

90:2 Even before the mountains came into existence, ¹ 

or you brought the world into being, ² 

you were the eternal God. ³ 

Mazmur 102:12

102:12 But you, O Lord, rule forever, ⁴ 

and your reputation endures. ⁵ 

Mazmur 102:24-27

102:24 I say, “O my God, please do not take me away in the middle of my life! ⁶ 

You endure through all generations. ⁷ 

102:25 In earlier times you established the earth;

the skies are your handiwork.

102:26 They will perish,

but you will endure. ⁸ 

They will wear out like a garment;

like clothes you will remove them and they will disappear. ⁹ 

102:27 But you remain; ¹⁰ 

your years do not come to an end.

[90:2]  ¹ tn Heb “were born.”

[90:2]  ² tn Heb “and you gave birth to the earth and world.” The Polel verbal form in the Hebrew text pictures God giving birth to the world. The LXX and some other ancient textual witnesses assume a polal (passive) verbal form here. In this case the earth becomes the subject of the verb and the verb is understood as third feminine singular rather than second masculine singular.

[90:2]  ³ tn Heb “and from everlasting to everlasting you [are] God.” Instead of אֵל (’el, “God”) the LXX reads אַל (’al, “not”) and joins the negative particle to the following verse, making the verb תָּשֵׁב (tashev) a jussive. In this case v. 3a reads as a prayer, “do not turn man back to a low place.” However, taking תָּשֵׁב as a jussive is problematic in light of the following following wayyiqtol form וַתֹּאמֶר (vato’mer, “and you said/say”).

[102:12]  ⁴ tn Heb “sit” (i.e., sit enthroned, see Ps 9:7). The imperfect verbal form highlights the generalization.

[102:12]  ⁵ tn Heb “and your remembrance [is] for a generation and a generation.”

[102:24]  ⁶ tn Heb “do not lift me up in the middle of my days.”

[102:24]  ⁷ tn Heb “in a generation of generations [are] your years.”

[102:26]  ⁸ tn Heb “stand.”

[102:26]  ⁹ tn The Hebrew verb חָלַף (khalaf) occurs twice in this line, once in the Hiphil (“you will remove them”) and once in the Qal (“they will disappear”). The repetition draws attention to the statement.

[102:27]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “you [are] he,” or “you [are] the one.” The statement may echo the Lord’s affirmation “I am he” in Isa 41:4; 43:10, 13; 46:10; 48:12. In each of these passages the affirmation emphasizes the fact that the Lord transcends time limitations, the very point being made in Ps 102:27.