Mazmur 4:8

4:8 I will lie down and sleep peacefully, ¹ 

for you, Lord, make me safe and secure. ² 

Mazmur 38:13

38:13 But I am like a deaf man – I hear nothing;

I am like a mute who cannot speak. ³ 

Mazmur 41:12

41:12 As for me, you uphold ⁴  me because of my integrity; ⁵ 

you allow ⁶  me permanent access to your presence. ⁷ 

Mazmur 71:17

71:17 O God, you have taught me since I was young,

and I am still declaring ⁸  your amazing deeds.

Mazmur 119:69

119:69 Arrogant people smear my reputation with lies, ⁹ 

but I observe your precepts with all my heart.

Mazmur 119:176

119:176 I have wandered off like a lost sheep. ¹⁰ 

Come looking for your servant,

for I do not forget your commands.

Mazmur 143:3

143:3 Certainly ¹¹  my enemies ¹²  chase me.

They smash me into the ground. ¹³ 

They force me to live ¹⁴  in dark regions, ¹⁵ 

like those who have been dead for ages.

Mazmur 144:7

144:7 Reach down ¹⁶  from above!

Grab me and rescue me from the surging water, ¹⁷ 

from the power of foreigners, ¹⁸ 

[4:8]  ¹ tn Heb “in peace at the same time I will lie down and sleep.”

[4:8]  ² tn Heb “for you, Lord, solitarily, securely make me dwell.” The translation understands לְבָדָד (lÿvadad) as modifying the verb; the Lord keeps enemies away from the psalmist so that he is safe and secure. Another option is to take לְבָדָד with what precedes and translate, “you alone, Lord, make me secure.”

[38:13]  ³ sn I am like a deaf man…like a mute. The psalmist is like a deaf mute; he is incapable of defending himself and is vulnerable to his enemies’ deception (see v. 14).

[41:12]  ⁴ tn Or “have upheld.” The perfect verbal form can be taken as generalizing/descriptive (present) or as a present perfect.

[41:12]  ⁵ sn Because of my integrity. See Pss 7:8; 25:21; 26:1, 11.

[41:12]  ⁶ tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive has the same aspectual function as the preceding perfect. It is either generalizing/descriptive (present) or has a present perfect nuance (“you have allowed”).

[41:12]  ⁷ tn Heb “and you cause me to stand before you permanently.”

[71:17]  ⁸ tn Heb “and until now I am declaring.”

[119:69]  ⁹ tn Heb “smear over me a lie.”

[119:176]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “I stray like a lost sheep.” It is possible that the point of the metaphor is vulnerability: The psalmist, who is threatened by his enemies, feels as vulnerable as a straying, lost sheep. This would not suggest, however, that he has wandered from God’s path (see the second half of the verse, as well as v. 110).

[143:3]  ¹¹ tn Or “for.”

[143:3]  ¹² tn Heb “an enemy.” The singular is used in a representative sense to describe a typical member of the larger group of enemies (note the plural “enemies” in vv. 9, 12).

[143:3]  ¹³ tn Heb “he crushes on the ground my life.”

[143:3]  ¹⁴ tn Or “sit.”

[143:3]  ¹⁵ sn Dark regions refers to Sheol, which the psalmist views as a dark place located deep in the ground (see Ps 88:6).

[144:7]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “stretch out your hands.”

[144:7]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “mighty waters.” The waters of the sea symbolize the psalmist’s powerful foreign enemies, as well as the realm of death they represent (see the next line and Ps 18:16-17).

[144:7]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “from the hand of the sons of foreignness.”