Mazmur 37:21

37:21 Evil men borrow, but do not repay their debt,

but the godly show compassion and are generous. ¹ 

Mazmur 78:39

78:39 He remembered ²  that they were made of flesh,

and were like a wind that blows past and does not return. ³ 

Mazmur 94:15

94:15 For justice will prevail, ⁴ 

and all the morally upright ⁵  will be vindicated. ⁶ 

Mazmur 146:4

146:4 Their life’s breath departs, they return to the ground;

on that day their plans die. ⁷ 

[37:21]  ¹ tn Heb “an evil [man] borrows and does not repay; but a godly [man] is gracious and gives.” The singular forms are used in a representative sense; the typical evildoer and godly individual are in view. The three active participles and one imperfect (“repay”) draw attention to the characteristic behavior of the two types.

[78:39]  ² tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive signals a return to the narrative.

[78:39]  ³ tn Heb “and he remembered that they [were] flesh, a wind [that] goes and does not return.”

[94:15]  ⁴ tn Heb “for judgment will return to justice.”

[94:15]  ⁵ tn Heb “all the pure of heart.” The “heart” is here viewed as the seat of one’s moral character and motives. The “pure of heart” are God’s faithful followers who trust in and love the Lord and, as a result, experience his deliverance (see Pss 7:10; 11:2; 32:11; 36:10; 64:10; 97:11).

[94:15]  ⁶ tn Heb “and after it [are] the pure of heart.”

[146:4]  ⁷ tn Heb “his spirit goes out, it returns to his ground; in that day his plans die.” The singular refers to the representative man mentioned in v. 3b.