Mazmur 116:3

116:3 The ropes of death tightened around me, ¹ 

the snares ²  of Sheol confronted me.

I was confronted ³  with trouble and sorrow.

Kisah Para Rasul 2:24

2:24 But God raised him up, ⁴  having released ⁵  him from the pains ⁶  of death, because it was not possible for him to be held in its power. ⁷ 

[116:3]  ¹ tn Heb “surrounded me.”

[116:3]  ² tn The Hebrew noun מצר (“straits; distress”) occurs only here, Ps 118:5 and Lam 1:3. If retained, it refers to Sheol as a place where one is confined or severely restricted (cf. BDB 865 s.v. מֵצַר, “the straits of Sheol”; NIV “the anguish of the grave”; NRSV “the pangs of Sheol”). However, HALOT 624 s.v. מֵצַר suggests an emendation to מְצָדֵי (mÿtsadey, “snares of”), a rare noun attested in Job 19:6 and Eccl 7:26. This proposal, which is reflected in the translation, produces better parallelism with “ropes” in the preceding line.

[116:3]  ³ tn The translation assumes the prefixed verbal form is a preterite. The psalmist recalls the crisis from which the Lord delivered him.

[2:24]  ⁴ tn Grk “Whom God raised up.”

[2:24]  ⁵ tn Or “having freed.”

[2:24]  ⁶ sn The term translated pains is frequently used to describe pains associated with giving birth (see Rev 12:2). So there is irony here in the mixed metaphor.

[2:24]  ⁷ tn Or “for him to be held by it” (in either case, “it” refers to death’s power).