Mazmur 24:3

24:3 Who is allowed to ascend ¹  the mountain of the Lord? ² 

Who may go up to his holy dwelling place?

Mazmur 42:2

42:2 I thirst ³  for God,

for the living God.

I say, ⁴  “When will I be able to go and appear in God’s presence?” ⁵ 

[24:3]  ¹ tn The imperfects in v. 3 are modal, expressing potential or permission.

[24:3]  ² sn In this context the Lord’s mountain probably refers to Zion/Jerusalem (see Isa 2:2-3).

[42:2]  ³ tn Or “my soul thirsts.”

[42:2]  ⁴ tn The words “I say” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons and for clarification.

[42:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “When will I go and appear [to] the face of God?” Some emend the Niphal verbal form אֵרָאֶה (’era’eh, “I will appear”) to a Qal אֶרְאֶה (’er’eh, “I will see”; see Gen 33:10), but the Niphal can be retained if one understands ellipsis of אֶת (’et) before “face” (see Exod 34:24; Deut 31:11).