Psalms 34:15-19

34:15 The Lord pays attention to the godly

and hears their cry for help. 1 

34:16 But the Lord opposes evildoers

and wipes out all memory of them from the earth. 2 

34:17 The godly 3  cry out and the Lord hears;

he saves them from all their troubles. 4 

34:18 The Lord is near the brokenhearted;

he delivers 5  those who are discouraged. 6 

34:19 The godly 7  face many dangers, 8 

but the Lord saves 9  them 10  from each one of them.

1 tn Heb “the eyes of the Lord [are] toward the godly, and his ears [are] toward their cry for help.”

2 tn Heb “the face of the Lord [is] against the doers of evil to cut off from the earth memory of them.”

3 tn Heb “they” (i.e., the godly mentioned in v. 15).

4 tn The three perfect verbal forms are taken in a generalizing sense in v. 17 and translated with the present tense (note the generalizing mood of vv. 18-22).

5 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form highlights the generalizing statement and draws attention to the fact that the Lord typically delivers the oppressed and needy.

6 tn Heb “the crushed in spirit.”

7 tn The Hebrew text uses the singular form; the representative or typical godly person is envisioned.

8 tn Or “trials.”

9 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form highlights the generalizing statement and draws attention to the fact that the Lord typically delivers the godly.

10 tn Heb “him,” agreeing with the singular form in the preceding line.