25:18 See my pain and suffering!
Forgive all my sins! 1
25:22 O God, rescue 2 Israel
from all their distress! 3
33:13 The Lord watches 4 from heaven;
he sees all people. 5
49:2 Pay attention, all you people, 6
both rich and poor!
73:14 I suffer all day long,
and am punished every morning.”
106:46 He caused all their conquerors 7
to have pity on them.
119:20 I desperately long to know 8
your regulations at all times.
119:160 Your instructions are totally reliable;
all your just regulations endure. 9
129:5 May all who hate Zion
be humiliated and turned back!
1 tn Heb “lift up all my sins.”
2 tn Or “redeem.”
3 tn Heb “his distresses.”
sn O God, rescue Israel from all their distress. It is possible that the psalmist speaks on behalf of the nation throughout this entire psalm. Another option is that v. 22 is a later addition to the psalm which applies an original individual lament to the covenant community. If so, it may reflect an exilic setting.
4 tn The Hebrew perfect verbal forms in v. 13 state general facts.
5 tn Heb “all the sons of men.”
6 tn Heb “even the sons of mankind, even the sons of man.” Because of the parallel line, where “rich and poor” are mentioned, some treat these expressions as polar opposites, with בְּנֵי אָדָם (bÿney ’adam) referring to the lower classes and בְּנֵי אִישׁ (bÿney ’ish) to higher classes (cf. NIV, NRSV). But usage does not support such a view. The rare phrase בְּנֵי אִישׁ (“sons of man”) appears to refer to human beings in general in its other uses (see Pss 4:2; 62:9; Lam 3:33). It is better to understand “even the sons of mankind” and “even the sons of man” as synonymous expressions (cf. NEB “all mankind, every living man”). The repetition emphasizes the need for all people to pay attention, for the psalmist’s message is relevant to everyone.
7 tn Or “captors.”
8 tn Heb “my soul languishes for longing for.”
9 tn Heb “the head of your word is truth, and forever [is] all your just regulation.” The term “head” is used here of the “sum total” of God’s instructions.