38:17 For I am about to stumble,
and I am in constant pain. 1
73:4 For they suffer no pain; 2
their bodies 3 are strong and well-fed. 4
73:21 Yes, 5 my spirit was bitter, 6
and my insides felt sharp pain. 7
ר (Resh)
119:153 See my pain and rescue me!
For I do not forget your law.
1 tn Heb “and my pain [is] before me continually.”
2 tn In Isa 58:6, the only other occurrence of this word in the OT, the term refers to “bonds” or “ropes.” In Ps 73:4 it is used metaphorically of pain and suffering that restricts one’s enjoyment of life.
3 tn Or “bellies.”
4 tc Or “fat.” The MT of v. 4 reads as follows: “for there are no pains at their death, and fat [is] their body.” Since a reference to the death of the wicked seems incongruous in the immediate context (note v. 5) and premature in the argument of the psalm (see vv. 18-20, 27), some prefer to emend the text by redividing it. The term לְמוֹתָם (lÿmotam,“at their death”) is changed to לָמוֹ תָּם (lamo tam, “[there are no pains] to them, strong [and fat are their bodies]”). The term תָּם (tam, “complete; sound”) is used of physical beauty in Song 5:2; 6:9. This emendation is the basis for the present translation. However, in defense of the MT (the traditional Hebrew text), one may point to an Aramaic inscription from Nerab which views a painful death as a curse and a nonpainful death in one’s old age as a sign of divine favor. See ANET 661.
5 tn Or perhaps “when.”
6 tn The imperfect verbal form here describes a continuing attitude in a past time frame.
7 tn Heb “and [in] my kidneys I was pierced.” The imperfect verbal form here describes a continuing condition in a past time frame.