2 Raja-raja 17:18

17:18 So the Lord was furious ¹  with Israel and rejected them; ²  only the tribe of Judah was left.

Mazmur 51:13

51:13 Then I will teach ³  rebels your merciful ways, ⁴ 

and sinners will turn ⁵  to you.

[17:18]  ¹ tn Heb “very angry.”

[17:18]  ² tn Heb “turned them away from his face.”

[51:13]  ³ tn The cohortative expresses the psalmist’s resolve. This may be a vow or promise. If forgiven, the psalmist will “repay” the Lord by declaring God’s mercy and motivating other sinners to repent.

[51:13]  ⁴ tn Heb “your ways.” The word “merciful” is added for clarification. God’s “ways” are sometimes his commands, but in this context, where the teaching of God’s ways motivates repentance (see the next line), it is more likely that God’s merciful and compassionate way of dealing with sinners is in view. Thanksgiving songs praising God for his deliverance typically focus on these divine attributes (see Pss 34, 41, 116, 138).

[51:13]  ⁵ tn Or “return,” i.e., in repentance.