Psalms 18:44

18:44 When they hear of my exploits, they submit to me.

Foreigners are powerless before me;

Psalms 27:7

27:7 Hear me, O Lord, when I cry out!

Have mercy on me and answer me!

Psalms 30:10

30:10 Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me!

O Lord, deliver me!”

Psalms 34:2

34:2 I will boast in the Lord;

let the oppressed hear and rejoice!

Psalms 38:14

38:14 I am like a man who cannot hear

and is incapable of arguing his defense.

Psalms 55:17

55:17 During the evening, morning, and noontime

I will lament and moan,

and he will hear me. 10 

Psalms 58:4

58:4 Their venom is like that of a snake, 11 

like a deaf serpent 12  that does not hear, 13 

Psalms 84:8

84:8 O Lord, sovereign God, 14 

hear my prayer!

Listen, O God of Jacob! (Selah)

Psalms 86:6

86:6 O Lord, hear my prayer!

Pay attention to my plea for mercy!


tn Heb “at a report of an ear they submit to me.” The report of the psalmist’s exploits is so impressive that those who hear it submit to his rulership without putting up a fight.

tn For the meaning “be weak, powerless” for כָּחַשׁ (kakhash), see Ps 109:24. The next line (see v. 45a), in which “foreigners” are also mentioned, favors this interpretation. Another option is to translate “cower in fear” (see Deut 33:29; Pss 66:3; 81:15; cf. NIV “cringe”; NRSV “came cringing”).

tn Heb “my voice.”

tn Heb “be a helper to me.”

tn Heb “my soul will boast”; or better, “let my soul boast.” Following the cohortative form in v. 1, it is likely that the prefixed verbal form here is jussive.

tn The two prefixed verbal forms in this verse are best taken as jussives, for the psalmist is calling his audience to worship (see v. 3).

tn Heb “and there is not in his mouth arguments.”

tn The first verb is clearly a cohortative form, expressing the psalmist’s resolve. The second verb, while formally ambiguous, should also be understood as cohortative here.

tn The prefixed verb with vav (ו) consecutive normally appears in narrational contexts to indicate past action, but here it continues the anticipatory (future) perspective of the preceding line. In Ps 77:6 one finds the same sequence of cohortative + prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive. In this case as well, both forms refer to future actions.

10 tn Heb “my voice.”

11 tn Heb “[there is] venom to them according to the likeness of venom of a snake.”

12 tn Or perhaps “cobra” (cf. NASB, NIV). Other suggested species of snakes are “asp” (NEB) and “adder” (NRSV).

13 tn Heb “[that] stops up its ear.” The apparent Hiphil jussive verbal form should be understood as a Qal imperfect with “i” theme vowel (see GKC 168 §63.n).

14 tn HebLord, God, hosts.” One expects the construct form אֱלֹהֵי before צְבָאוֹת (tsÿvaot, “hosts”; see Ps 89:9) but יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים (yehvahelohim) precedes צְבָאוֹת in Pss 59:5 and 80:4, 19 as well.