Mazmur 51:2

51:2 Wash away my wrongdoing! ¹ 

Cleanse me of my sin! ² 

Mazmur 71:14

71:14 As for me, I will wait continually,

and will continue to praise you. ³ 

Mazmur 109:23

109:23 I am fading away like a shadow at the end of the day; ⁴ 

I am shaken off like a locust.

Mazmur 119:141

119:141 I am insignificant and despised,

yet I do not forget your precepts.

Mazmur 120:7

120:7 I am committed to peace, ⁵ 

but when I speak, they want to make war. ⁶ 

[51:2]  ¹ tn Heb “Thoroughly wash me from my wrongdoing.”

[51:2]  ² sn In vv. 1b-2 the psalmist uses three different words to emphasize the multifaceted character and degree of his sin. Whatever one wants to call it (“rebellious acts,” “wrongdoing,” “sin”), he has done it and stands morally polluted in God’s sight. The same three words appear in Exod 34:7, which emphasizes that God is willing to forgive sin in all of its many dimensions. In v. 2 the psalmist compares forgiveness and restoration to physical cleansing. Perhaps he likens spiritual cleansing to the purification rites of priestly law.

[71:14]  ³ tn Heb “and I add to all your praise.”

[109:23]  ⁴ tn Heb “like a shadow when it is extended I go.” He is like a late afternoon shadow made by the descending sun that will soon be swallowed up by complete darkness. See Ps 102:11.

[120:7]  ⁵ tn Heb “I, peace.”

[120:7]  ⁶ tn Heb “they [are] for war.”