Mazmur 118:5-7

118:5 In my distress ¹  I cried out to the Lord.

The Lord answered me and put me in a wide open place. ² 

118:6 The Lord is on my side, ³  I am not afraid!

What can people do to me? ⁴ 

118:7 The Lord is on my side ⁵  as my helper. ⁶ 

I look in triumph on those who hate me.

[118:5]  ¹ tn Heb “from the distress.” The noun מֵצַר (metsar, “straits; distress”) occurs only here and in Lam 1:3. In Ps 116:3 מצר should probably be emended to מְצָדֵי (mÿtsadey, “snares of”).

[118:5]  ² tn Heb “the Lord answered me in a wide open place.”

[118:6]  ³ tn Heb “for me.”

[118:6]  ⁴ tn The rhetorical question assumes the answer, “Nothing!” The imperfect is used in a modal sense here, indicating capability or potential. See Ps 56:11.

[118:7]  ⁵ tn Heb “for me.”

[118:7]  ⁶ tn Heb “among my helpers.” The preposition may indicate identity here, while the plural may be one of majesty or respect.