Psalms 29:7

29:7 The Lord’s shout strikes¹ with flaming fire.²

Psalms 113:2

113:2 May the Lord’s name be praised

now and forevermore!

Psalms 116:9

116:9 I will serve³ the Lord

in the land⁴ of the living.

Psalms 128:4

128:4 Yes indeed, the man who fears the Lord

will be blessed in this way.⁵

¹tn The verb normally means “to hew [stone or wood],” or “to hew out.” In Hos 6:5 it seems to mean “cut in pieces,” “knock down,” or perhaps “hack” (see F. I. Andersen and D. N. Freedman, Hosea [AB], 428). The Ugaritic cognate can mean “assault.” In v. 7 the verb seems to have a similar meaning, perhaps “attack, strike.” The phrase “flames of fire” is an adverbial accusative; the Lord’s shout is accompanied by “flames of fire,” that is, lightning bolts.

²sn The Lord’s shout strikes with flaming fire. The short line has invited textual emendation, but its distinct, brief form may highlight the statement, which serves as the axis of a chiastic structure encompassing vv. 5-9: (A) the Lord’s shout destroys the forest (v. 5); (B) the Lord’s shout shakes the terrain (v. 6); (C) the Lord’s shout is accompanied by destructive lightning (v. 7); (B´) the Lord’s shout shakes the terrain (v. 8); (A´) the Lord’s shout destroys the forest (v. 9).

³tn Heb “walk before” (see Ps 56:13). On the meaning of the Hebrew idiom, see the notes at 2 Kgs 20:3/Isa 38:3.

⁴tn Heb “lands, regions.”

⁵tn Heb “look, indeed thus will the man, the fearer of the Lord, be blessed.”