102:17 when he responds to the prayer of the destitute, 1
and does not reject 2 their request. 3
102:20 in order to hear the painful cries of the prisoners,
and to set free those condemned to die, 4
1 tn The Hebrew adjective עַרְעָר (’arar, “destitute”) occurs only here in the OT. It is derived from the verbal root ערר (“to strip oneself”).
2 tn Heb “despise.”
3 tn The perfect verbal forms in vv. 16-17 are functioning as future perfects, indicating future actions that will precede the future developments described in v. 15.
4 tn Heb “the sons of death.” The phrase “sons of death” (see also Ps 79:11) is idiomatic for those condemned to die.