Psalms 31:13

31:13 For I hear what so many are saying, 1 

the terrifying news that comes from every direction. 2 

When they plot together against me,

they figure out how they can take my life.

Psalms 32:6

32:6 For this reason every one of your faithful followers 3  should pray to you

while there is a window of opportunity. 4 

Certainly 5  when the surging water 6  rises,

it will not reach them. 7 

1 tn Heb “the report of many.”

2 tn Heb “the terror from all around.”

3 tn A “faithful follower” (חָסִיד, khasid) is one who does what is right in God’s eyes and remains faithful to God (see Pss 4:3; 12:1; 18:25; 31:23; 37:28; 86:2; 97:10).

4 tn Heb “at a time of finding.” This may mean, “while there is time to ‘find’ [the Lord]” and seek his forgiveness (cf. NIV). Some emend the text by combining מְצֹא (mÿtso’, “finding”) with the following term רַק (raq, “only, surely”) and read either ר[וֹ]מָצ (matsor, “distress”; see Ps 31:22) or ק[וֹ]מָצ (matsoq, “hardship”; see Ps 119:143). In this case, one may translate “in a time of distress/hardship” (cf. NEB, NRSV).

5 tn The Hebrew term רַק (raq) occasionally has an asseverative force.

6 sn The surging water is here a metaphor for trouble that endangers one’s life.

7 tn Heb “him.” The translation uses the plural “them” to agree with the plural “every one of your faithful followers” in the first line of v. 6.