37:21 Evil men borrow, but do not repay their debt,
but the godly show compassion and are generous. 1
40:11 O Lord, you do not withhold 2 your compassion from me.
May your loyal love and faithfulness continually protect me! 3
69:16 Answer me, O Lord, for your loyal love is good! 4
Because of your great compassion, turn toward me!
102:14 Indeed, 5 your servants take delight in her stones,
and feel compassion for 6 the dust of her ruins. 7
1 tn Heb “an evil [man] borrows and does not repay; but a godly [man] is gracious and gives.” The singular forms are used in a representative sense; the typical evildoer and godly individual are in view. The three active participles and one imperfect (“repay”) draw attention to the characteristic behavior of the two types.
2 tn Some (cf. NIV, NRSV) translate the verb as a request (“do not withhold”), but elsewhere in the psalms the second masculine singular prefixed form, when addressed to God and preceded by לֹא (lo’), is always indicative in mood and never has the force of a prayer (see Pss 16:10; 22:2; 44:9 51:16-17; 60:10; 108:11; cf. NEB, NASB).
3 tn In this line the psalmist makes the transition from confidence to petition (see v. 13). Since the prefixed verbal form in the preceding line is imperfect/indicative, one could take the verb in this line as imperfect as well and translate, “your loyal love and faithfulness continually protect me” (cf. NEB). However, the כִּי (ki) at the beginning of the next verse, if causal (“because”), is best understood as introducing a motivating argument in support of a petition. For this reason v. 11b is best taken as a prayer with the prefixed form being understood as jussive (cf. NIV, NRSV). For parallels to the proposed construction (jussive followed by כִּי + perfect introducing motivating argument), see Ps 25:21, as well as Pss 10:2-3; 22:8.
4 tn Or “pleasant”; or “desirable.”
5 tn Or “for.”
6 tn The Poel of חָנַן (khanan) occurs only here and in Prov 14:21, where it refers to having compassion on the poor.
7 tn Heb “her dust,” probably referring to the dust of the city’s rubble.