Mazmur 18:47-48

18:47 The one true God ¹  completely vindicates me; ² 

he makes nations submit to me. ³ 

18:48 He delivers me ⁴  from my enemies;

you snatch me away ⁵  from those who attack me; ⁶ 

you rescue me from violent men.

Mazmur 44:3

44:3 For they did not conquer ⁷  the land by their swords,

and they did not prevail by their strength, ⁸ 

but rather by your power, ⁹  strength ¹⁰  and good favor, ¹¹ 

for you were partial to ¹²  them.

[18:47]  ¹ tn Heb “the God.” See v. 32.

[18:47]  ² tn Heb “is the one who grants vengeance to me.” The plural form of the noun indicates degree here, suggesting complete vengeance or vindication.

[18:47]  sn Completely vindicates me. In the ancient Near East military victory was sometimes viewed as a sign that one’s God had judged in favor of the victor, avenging and/or vindicating him. See, for example, Judg 11:27, 32-33, 36.

[18:47]  ³ tn Heb “he subdues nations beneath me.” On the meaning of the verb דָּבַר (davar, “subdue,” a homonym of דָּבַר, davar, “speak”), see HALOT 209-10 s.v. I דבר. See also Ps 47:3 and 2 Chr 22:10. 2 Sam 22:48 reads “and [is the one who] brings down nations beneath me.”

[18:48]  ⁴ tn Heb “[the one who] delivers me.” 2 Sam 22:49 reads “and [the one who] brings me out.”

[18:48]  ⁵ tn Heb “lifts me up.” In light of the preceding and following references to deliverance, the verb רום probably here refers to being rescued from danger (see Ps 9:13). However, it could mean “exalt, elevate” here, indicating that the Lord has given the psalmist victory over his enemies and forced them to acknowledge the psalmist’s superiority (cf. NIV, NRSV).

[18:48]  ⁶ tn Heb “from those who rise against me.”

[44:3]  ⁷ tn Or “take possession of.”

[44:3]  ⁸ tn Heb “and their arm did not save them.” The “arm” here symbolizes military strength.

[44:3]  ⁹ tn Heb “your right hand.” The Lord’s “right hand” here symbolizes his power to protect and deliver (see Pss 17:7; 20:6; 21:8).

[44:3]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “your arm.”

[44:3]  ¹¹ tn Heb “light of your face.” The idiom “light of your face” probably refers to a smile (see Eccl 8:1), which in turn suggests favor and blessing (see Num 6:25; Pss 4:6; 31:16; 67:1; 80:3, 7, 19; 89:15; Dan 9:17).

[44:3]  ¹² tn Or “favorable toward.”