34:16 But the Lord opposes evildoers
and wipes out all memory of them from the earth. 1
146:9 The Lord protects those residing outside their native land;
he lifts up the fatherless and the widow, 2
but he opposes the wicked. 3
1 tn Heb “the face of the
2 sn God is depicted here as a just ruler. In the ancient Near Eastern world a king was responsible for promoting justice, including caring for the weak and vulnerable, epitomized by resident aliens, the fatherless, and widows.
3 tn Heb “he makes the way of the wicked twisted.” The “way of the wicked” probably refers to their course of life (see Prov 4:19; Jer 12:1). God makes their path tortuous in the sense that he makes them pay the harmful consequences of their actions.