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Psalm 91:5-6
New English Translation
Psalm 91:5-6
New English Translation
5 You need not fear the terrors of the night,[a]
the arrow that flies by day,
6 the plague that stalks in the darkness,
or the disease that ravages at noon.[b]
Footnotes
- Psalm 91:5 tn This probably alludes to a sneak attack by enemies in the darkness of night (see Song 3:8).
- Psalm 91:6 sn As in Deut 32:23-24, vv. 5-6 closely associate military attack and deadly disease. Perhaps the latter alludes to one of the effects of siege warfare on the population of an entrapped city, which was especially vulnerable to the outbreak of epidemics.
Psalm 118:10-13
New English Translation
Psalm 118:10-13
New English Translation
10 All the nations surrounded me.[a]
Indeed, in the name of the Lord[b] I pushed them away.[c]
11 They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me.
Indeed, in the name of the Lord I pushed them away.
12 They surrounded me like bees.
But they disappeared as quickly[d] as a fire among thorns.[e]
Indeed, in the name of the Lord I pushed them away.
13 “You aggressively attacked me[f] and tried to knock me down,[g]
but the Lord helped me.
Footnotes
- Psalm 118:10 sn The reference to an attack by the nations suggests the psalmist may have been a military leader.
- Psalm 118:10 tn In this context the phrase “in the name of the Lord” means “by the Lord’s power.”
- Psalm 118:10 tn Traditionally the verb has been derived from מוּל (mul, “to circumcise”) and translated “[I] cut [them] off” (see BDB 557-58 s.v. II מוּל). However, it is likely that this is a homonym meaning “to fend off” (see HALOT 556 s.v. II מול) or “to push away.” In this context, where the psalmist is reporting his past experience, the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite. The phrase also occurs in vv. 11, 12.
- Psalm 118:12 tn Heb “were extinguished.”
- Psalm 118:12 tn The point seems to be that the hostility of the nations (v. 10) is short-lived, like a fire that quickly devours thorns and then burns out. Some, attempting to create a better parallel with the preceding line, emend דֹּעֲכוּ (doʿakhu, “they were extinguished”) to בָּעֲרוּ (baʿaru, “they burned”). In that case the statement emphasizes their hostility.
- Psalm 118:13 tn Heb “pushing, you pushed me.” The infinitive absolute emphasizes the following verbal idea. The psalmist appears to address the nations as if they were an individual enemy. Some find this problematic and emend the verb form (which is a Qal perfect second masculine singular with a first person singular suffix) to נִדְחֵיתִי (nidkheti), a Niphal perfect first common singular, “I was pushed.”
- Psalm 118:13 tn Heb “to fall,” i.e., “that [I] might fall.”
New English Translation (NET)
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