25:15 I continually look to the Lord for help, 1
for he will free my feet from the enemy’s net. 2
31:4 You will free me 3 from the net they hid for me,
for you are my place of refuge.
79:11 Listen to the painful cries of the prisoners! 4
Use your great strength to set free those condemned to die! 5
102:20 in order to hear the painful cries of the prisoners,
and to set free those condemned to die, 6
1 tn Heb “my eyes continually [are] toward the
2 tn Heb “for he will bring out from a net my feet.” The hostility of the psalmist’s enemies is probably in view (see v. 19).
3 tn Heb “bring me out.” The translation assumes that the imperfect verbal form expresses the psalmist’s confidence about the future. Another option is to take the form as expressing a prayer, “free me.”
4 tn Heb “may the painful cry of the prisoner come before you.”
5 tn Heb “according to the greatness of your arm leave the sons of death.” God’s “arm” here symbolizes his strength to deliver. The verbal form הוֹתֵר (hoter) is a Hiphil imperative from יָתַר (yatar, “to remain; to be left over”). Here it must mean “to leave over; to preserve.” However, it is preferable to emend the form to הַתֵּר (hatter), a Hiphil imperative from נָתַר (natar, “be free”). The Hiphil form is used in Ps 105:20 of Pharaoh freeing Joseph from prison. The phrase “sons of death” (see also Ps 102:21) is idiomatic for those condemned to die.
6 tn Heb “the sons of death.” The phrase “sons of death” (see also Ps 79:11) is idiomatic for those condemned to die.