Mazmur 55:2

55:2 Pay attention to me and answer me!

I am so upset ¹  and distressed, ²  I am beside myself, ³ 

Mazmur 78:39

78:39 He remembered ⁴  that they were made of flesh,

and were like a wind that blows past and does not return. ⁵ 

[55:2]  ¹ tn Or “restless” (see Gen 27:40). The Hiphil is intransitive-exhibitive, indicating the outward display of an inner attitude.

[55:2]  ² tn Heb “in my complaint.”

[55:2]  ³ tn The verb is a Hiphil cohortative from הוּם (hum), which means “to confuse someone” in the Qal and “to go wild” in the Niphal. An Arabic cognate means “to be out of one’s senses, to wander about.” With the vav (ו) conjunctive prefixed to it, the cohortative probably indicates the result or effect of the preceding main verb. Some prefer to emend the form to וְאֵהוֹמָה (vÿ’ehomah), a Niphal of הוּם (hum), or to וְאֶהַמֶה (vÿ’ehameh), a Qal imperfect from הָמָה (hamah, “to moan”). Many also prefer to take this verb with what follows (see v. 3).

[78:39]  ⁴ tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive signals a return to the narrative.

[78:39]  ⁵ tn Heb “and he remembered that they [were] flesh, a wind [that] goes and does not return.”