Mazmur 18:38

18:38 I beat them ¹  to death; ² 

they fall at my feet. ³ 

Mazmur 55:4

55:4 My heart beats violently ⁴  within me;

the horrors of death overcome me. ⁵ 

Mazmur 68:14

68:14 When the sovereign judge ⁶  scatters kings, ⁷ 

let it snow ⁸  on Zalmon!

Mazmur 105:38

105:38 Egypt was happy when they left,

for they were afraid of them. ⁹ 

[18:38]  ¹ tn Or “smash them.” 2 Sam 22:39 reads, “and I wiped them out and smashed them.”

[18:38]  ² tn Heb “until they are unable to rise.” 2 Sam 22:39 reads, “until they do not rise.”

[18:38]  ³ sn They fall at my feet. For ancient Near Eastern parallels, see O. Keel, The Symbolism of the Biblical World, 294-97.

[55:4]  ⁴ tn Heb “shakes, trembles.”

[55:4]  ⁵ tn Heb “the terrors of death have fallen on me.”

[68:14]  ⁶ tn The divine name used here is שַׁדַּי (“Shaddai”). Shaddai/El Shaddai is the sovereign king/judge of the world who grants life, blesses and kills, and judges. In Genesis he blesses the patriarchs with fertility and promises numerous descendants. Outside Genesis he both blesses (protects) and takes away life and/or happiness.

[68:14]  ⁷ tn The Hebrew text adds “in it.” The third feminine singular pronominal suffix may refer back to God’s community/dwelling place (v. 10).

[68:14]  ⁸ tn The verb form appears to be a Hiphil jussive from שָׁלַג (shalag), which is usually understood as a denominative verb from שֶׁלֶג (sheleg, “snow”) with an indefinite subject. The form could be taken as a preterite, in which case one might translate, “when the sovereign judge scattered kings, it snowed on Zalmon” (cf. NIV, NRSV). The point of the image is unclear. Perhaps “snow” suggests fertility and blessing (see v. 9 and Isa 55:10), or the image of a snow-capped mountain suggests grandeur.

[68:14]  sn Zalmon was apparently a mountain in the region, perhaps the one mentioned in Judg 9:46 as being in the vicinity of Shechem.

[105:38]  ⁹ tn Heb “for fear of them had fallen upon them.”