Mazmur 44:19

44:19 Yet you have battered us, leaving us a heap of ruins overrun by wild dogs; ¹ 

you have covered us with darkness. ² 

Mazmur 74:13

74:13 You destroyed ³  the sea by your strength;

you shattered the heads of the sea monster ⁴  in the water.

Mazmur 89:10

89:10 You crushed the Proud One ⁵  and killed it; ⁶ 

with your strong arm you scattered your enemies.

Mazmur 91:13

91:13 You will subdue ⁷  a lion and a snake; ⁸ 

you will trample underfoot a young lion and a serpent.

Mazmur 104:26

104:26 The ships travel there,

and over here swims the whale ⁹  you made to play in it.

Mazmur 148:7

148:7 Praise the Lord from the earth,

you sea creatures and all you ocean depths,

[44:19]  ¹ tn Heb “yet you have battered us in a place of jackals.”

[44:19]  ² tn The Hebrew term צַלְמָוֶת (tsalmavet) has traditionally been understood as a compound noun meaning “shadow of death” (צֵל+מָוֶת [mavet + tsel]; see BDB 853 s.v. צַלְמָוֶת; cf. NASB). Other scholars prefer to vocalize the form צַלְמוּת (tsalmut) and understand it as an abstract noun (from the root צלם) meaning “darkness” (cf. NIV, NRSV). An examination of the word’s usage favors the latter derivation. It is frequently associated with darkness/night and contrasted with light/morning (see Job 3:5; 10:21-22; 12:22; 24:17; 28:3; 34:22; Ps 107:10, 14; Isa 9:1; Jer 13:16; Amos 5:8). In some cases the darkness described is associated with the realm of death (Job 10:21-22; 38:17), but this is a metaphorical application of the word and does not reflect its inherent meaning. In Ps 44:19 darkness symbolizes defeat and humiliation.

[74:13]  ³ tn The derivation and meaning of the Polel verb form פּוֹרַרְתָּ (porarta) are uncertain. The form may be related to an Akkadian cognate meaning “break, shatter,” though the biblical Hebrew cognate of this verb always appears in the Hiphil or Hophal stem. BDB 830 s.v. II פָּרַר suggests a homonym here, meaning “to split; to divide.” A Hitpolel form of a root פָּרַר (parar) appears in Isa 24:19 with the meaning “to shake violently.”

[74:13]  ⁴ tn The Hebrew text has the plural form, “sea monsters” (cf. NRSV “dragons”), but it is likely that an original enclitic mem has been misunderstood as a plural ending. The imagery of the mythological sea monster is utilized here. See the note on “Leviathan” in v. 14.

[89:10]  ⁵ tn Heb “Rahab.” The name “Rahab” means “proud one.” Since it is sometimes used of Egypt (see Ps 87:4; Isa 30:7), the passage may allude to the exodus. However, the name is also used of the sea (or the mythological sea creature) which symbolizes the disruptive forces of the world that seek to replace order with chaos (see Job 9:13; 26:12). Isa 51:9 appears to combine the mythological and historical referents. The association of Rahab with the sea in Ps 89 (see v. 9) suggests that the name carries symbolic force in this context. In this case the passage may allude to creation (see vv. 11-12), when God overcame the great deep and brought order out of chaos.

[89:10]  ⁶ tn Heb “like one fatally wounded.”

[91:13]  ⁷ tn Heb “walk upon.”

[91:13]  ⁸ tn Or perhaps “cobra” (see Ps 58:4).

[104:26]  ⁹ tn Heb “[and] this Leviathan, [which] you formed to play in it.” Elsewhere Leviathan is a multiheaded sea monster that symbolizes forces hostile to God (see Ps 74:14; Isa 27:1), but here it appears to be an actual marine creature created by God, probably some type of whale.