Efesus 2:13

2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who used to be far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ¹ 

Mazmur 148:14

148:14 He has made his people victorious, ² 

and given all his loyal followers reason to praise –

the Israelites, the people who are close to him. ³ 

Praise the Lord!

Yesaya 57:19

57:19 I am the one who gives them reason to celebrate. ⁴ 

Complete prosperity ⁵  is available both to those who are far away and those who are nearby,”

says the Lord, “and I will heal them.

[2:13]  ¹ tn Or “have come near in the blood of Christ.”

[2:13]  sn See the note on “his blood” in 1:7.

[148:14]  ² tn Heb “and he lifted up a horn for his people.” The horn of an ox underlies the metaphor (see Deut 33:17; 1 Kgs 22:11; Ps 92:10). The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 75:10; 89:17, 24; 92:10; Lam 2:17). Another option is to take the “horn” as a symbol for the Davidic king, through whom the Lord gives his people military victory.

[148:14]  ³ tn “[there is] praise for all his loyal followers, to the sons of Israel, the people near him.” Here “praise” stands by metonymy for the victory that prompts it.

[57:19]  ⁴ tc The Hebrew text has literally, “one who creates fruit of lips.” Perhaps the pronoun אֲנִי (’ani) should be inserted after the participle; it may have been accidentally omitted by haplography: נוּב שְׂפָתָיִם[אֲנִי] בּוֹרֵא (bore’ [’ani] nuv sÿfatayim). “Fruit of the lips” is often understood as a metonymy for praise; perhaps it refers more generally to joyful shouts (see v. 18).

[57:19]  ⁵ tn Heb “Peace, peace.” The repetition of the noun emphasizes degree.