Psalms 116:6

116:6 The Lord protects the untrained;

I was in serious trouble and he delivered me.

Psalms 116:16

116:16 Yes, Lord! I am indeed your servant;

I am your lowest slave.

You saved me from death.


tn Heb “guards.” The active participle indicates this is a characteristic of the Lord.

tn Or “the [morally] naive,” that is, the one who is young and still in the process of learning right from wrong and distinguishing wisdom from folly. See Ps 19:7.

tn Heb “I was low.”

tn Heb “I am your servant, the son of your female servant.” The phrase “son of a female servant” (see also Ps 86:16) is used of a son born to a secondary wife or concubine (Exod 23:12). In some cases the child’s father is the master of the house (see Gen 21:10, 13; Judg 9:18). The use of the expression here certainly does not imply that the Lord has such a secondary wife or concubine! It is used metaphorically and idiomatically to emphasize the psalmist’s humility before the Lord and his status as the Lord’s servant.

tn Heb “you have loosed my bonds.” In this context the imagery refers to deliverance from death (see v. 3).