Mazmur 37:29

37:29 The godly will possess the land

and will dwell in it permanently.

Mazmur 79:7

79:7 For they have devoured Jacob

and destroyed his home.

Mazmur 94:6

94:6 They kill the widow and the one residing outside his native land,

and they murder the fatherless. ¹ 

Mazmur 107:39

107:39 As for their enemies, ²  they decreased in number and were beaten down,

because of painful distress ³  and suffering.

Mazmur 109:24

109:24 I am so starved my knees shake; ⁴ 

I have turned into skin and bones. ⁵ 

Mazmur 113:4

113:4 The Lord is exalted over all the nations;

his splendor reaches beyond the sky. ⁶ 

[94:6]  ¹ tn The Hebrew noun יָתוֹם (yatom) refers to one who has lost his father (not necessarily his mother, see Ps 109:9). Because they were so vulnerable and were frequently exploited, fatherless children are often mentioned as epitomizing the oppressed (see Pss 10:14; 68:5; 82:3; 146:9; as well as Job 6:27; 22:9; 24:3, 9; 29:12; 31:17, 21).

[107:39]  ² tn The words “As for their enemies” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity. Without such clarification, one might think that v. 39 refers to those just mentioned in v. 38 as objects of divine blessing, which would contradict the point just emphasized by the psalmist. The structure of vv. 33-42 is paneled (A-B-A-B). In vv. 33-34 the psalmist describes God’s judgment upon his enemies (perhaps those who had enslaved his people). In vv. 35-38 he contrasts this judgment with the divine blessing poured out on God’s people. (See the note on the word “people” in v. 35.) In vv. 39-40 he contrasts this blessing with the judgment experienced by enemies, before returning in vv. 41-42 to the blessing experienced by God’s people.

[107:39]  ³ tn Heb “from the oppression of calamity.”

[109:24]  ⁴ tn Heb “my knees stagger from fasting.”

[109:24]  ⁵ tn Heb “and my flesh is lean away from fatness [i.e., “lean so as not to be fat”].”

[113:4]  ⁶ tn Heb “above the sky [is] his splendor.”