Mazmur 27:3

27:3 Even when an army is deployed against me,

I do not fear. ¹ 

Even when war is imminent, ² 

I remain confident. ³ 

Mazmur 46:2

46:2 For this reason we do not fear ⁴  when the earth shakes, ⁵ 

and the mountains tumble into the depths of the sea, ⁶ 

Mazmur 81:13

81:13 If only my people would obey me! ⁷ 

If only Israel would keep my commands! ⁸ 

Mazmur 104:29

104:29 When you ignore them, they panic. ⁹ 

When you take away their life’s breath, they die

and return to dust.

Mazmur 139:8

139:8 If I were to ascend ¹⁰  to heaven, you would be there.

If I were to sprawl out in Sheol, there you would be. ¹¹ 

[27:3]  ¹ tn Heb “my heart does not fear.”

[27:3]  ² tn Heb “if war rises up against me.”

[27:3]  ³ tn Heb “in this [i.e., “during this situation”] I am trusting.”

[46:2]  ⁴ tn The imperfect is taken in a generalizing sense (cf. NEB) because the situation described in vv. 2-3 is understood as symbolizing typical world conditions. In this case the imperfect draws attention to the typical nature of the response. The covenant community characteristically responds with confidence, not fear. Another option is to take the situation described as purely hypothetical. In this case one might translate, “We will not fear, even though the earth should shake” (cf. NIV, NRSV).

[46:2]  ⁵ tn The Hiphil infinitival form is normally taken to mean “when [the earth] is altered,” being derived from מוּר (mur, “to change”). In this case the Hiphil would be intransitive, as in Ps 15:4. HALOT 560 s.v. II מור emends the form to a Niphal and derives it from a homonymic root מוּר attested in Arabic with the meaning “shake.”

[46:2]  ⁶ tn Heb “heart of the seas.” The plural may be used for emphasis, pointing to the deepest sea. Note that the next verse uses a singular pronoun (“its waters,” “its swelling”) in referring back to the plural noun.

[81:13]  ⁷ tn Heb “if only my people were listening to me.” The Hebrew particle לוּ (lu, “if not”) introduces a purely hypothetical or contrary to fact condition (see 2 Sam 18:12).

[81:13]  ⁸ tn Heb “[and if only] Israel would walk in my ways.”

[104:29]  ⁹ tn Heb “you hide your face, they are terrified.”

[139:8]  ¹⁰ tn The Hebrew verb סָלַק (salaq, “to ascend”) occurs only here in the OT, but the word is well-attested in Aramaic literature from different time periods and displays a wide semantic range (see DNWSI 2:788-90).

[139:8]  ¹¹ tn Heb “look, you.”