Mazmur 46:3

46:3 when its waves ¹  crash ²  and foam,

and the mountains shake ³  before the surging sea. ⁴  (Selah)

Mazmur 80:10

80:10 The mountains were covered by its shadow,

the highest cedars ⁵  by its branches.

Mazmur 104:10

104:10 He turns springs into streams; ⁶ 

they flow between the mountains.

Mazmur 104:18

104:18 The wild goats live in the high mountains; ⁷ 

the rock badgers find safety in the cliffs.

Mazmur 125:2

125:2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, ⁸ 

so the Lord surrounds his people,

now and forevermore.

[46:3]  ¹ tn Heb “its waters.”

[46:3]  ² tn Or “roar.”

[46:3]  ³ tn The three imperfect verbal forms in v. 3 draw attention to the characteristic nature of the activity described.

[46:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “at its swelling.” The Hebrew word often means “pride.” If the sea is symbolic of hostile nations, then this may be a case of double entendre. The surging, swelling sea symbolizes the proud, hostile nations. On the surface the psalmist appears to be depicting a major natural catastrophe, perhaps a tidal wave. If so, then the situation would be hypothetical. However, the repetition of the verbs הָמָה (hamah, “crash; roar,” v. 3) and מוֹט (mot, “shake,” v. 2) in v. 6, where nations/kingdoms “roar” and “shake,” suggests that the language of vv. 2-3 is symbolic and depicts the upheaval that characterizes relationships between the nations of the earth. As some nations (symbolized by the surging, chaotic waters) show hostility, others (symbolized by the mountains) come crashing down to destruction. The surging waters are symbolic of chaotic forces in other poetic texts (see, for example, Isa 17:12; Jer 51:42) and mountains can symbolize strong kingdoms (see, for example, Jer 51:25).

[80:10]  ⁵ tn Heb “cedars of God.” The divine name אֵל (’al, “God”) is here used in an idiomatic manner to indicate the superlative.

[104:10]  ⁶ tn Heb “[the] one who sends springs into streams.” Another option is to translate, “he sends streams [i.e., streams that originate from springs] into the valleys” (cf. NIV).

[104:18]  ⁷ tn Heb “the high mountains [are] for the goats.”

[125:2]  ⁸ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.