18:9 He made the sky sink 1 as he descended;
a thick cloud was under his feet.
144:5 O Lord, make the sky sink 2 and come down! 3
Touch the mountains and make them smolder! 4
69:2 I sink into the deep mire
where there is no solid ground; 5
I am in 6 deep water,
and the current overpowers me.
69:14 Rescue me from the mud! Don’t let me sink!
Deliver me 7 from those who hate me,
from the deep water!
1 tn The Hebrew verb נָטָה (natah) can carry the sense “[cause to] bend, bow down.” For example, Gen 49:15 pictures Issachar as a donkey that “bends” its shoulder or back under a burden. Here the
2 tn The Hebrew verb נָטָה (natah) can carry the sense “to [cause to] bend; to [cause to] bow down.” For example, Gen 49:15 pictures Issachar as a donkey that “bends” its shoulder or back under a burden. Here the
3 tn Heb “so you might come down.” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose after the preceding imperative. The same type of construction is utilized in v. 6.
4 tn Heb “so they might smolder.” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose after the preceding imperative.
5 tn Heb “and there is no place to stand.”
6 tn Heb “have entered.”
7 tn Heb “let me be delivered.”