4:6 Many say, “Who can show us anything good?”
Smile upon us, Lord! 1
18:14 He shot his 2 arrows and scattered them, 3
many lightning bolts 4 and routed them. 5
22:12 Many bulls 6 surround me;
powerful bulls of Bashan 7 hem me in.
34:19 The godly 8 face many dangers, 9
but the Lord saves 10 them 11 from each one of them.
71:7 Many are appalled when they see me, 12
but you are my secure shelter.
97:1 The Lord reigns!
Let the earth be happy!
Let the many coastlands rejoice!
1 tn Heb “lift up upon us the light of your face,
sn Smile upon us. Though many are discouraged, the psalmist asks the Lord to intervene and transform the situation.
2 tn 2 Sam 22:15 omits the pronominal suffix (“his”).
3 tn The pronominal suffixes on the verbs “scattered” and “routed” (see the next line) refer to the psalmist’s enemies. Some argue that the suffixes refer to the arrows, in which case one might translate “shot them far and wide” and “made them move noisily,” respectively. They argue that the enemies have not been mentioned since v. 4 and are not again mentioned until v. 17. However, usage of the verbs פוּץ (puts, “scatter”) and הָמַם (hamam, “rout”) elsewhere in Holy War accounts suggests the suffixes refer to enemies. Enemies are frequently pictured in such texts as scattered and/or routed (see Exod 14:24; 23:27; Num 10:35; Josh 10:10; Judg 4:15; 1 Sam 7:10; 11:11; Ps 68:1).
4 sn Lightning is a common motif in in OT theophanies and in ancient Near Eastern portrayals of the storm god and warring kings. See R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 190-92.
5 tn Heb “lightning bolts, many.” 2 Sam 22:15 has simply “lightning” (בָּרָק, baraq). The identity of the word רָב (rav) in Ps 18:14 is problematic. (1) It may be a form of a rare verb רָבַב (ravav, “to shoot”), perhaps attested in Gen 49:23 as well. In this case one might translate, “he shot lightning bolts and routed them.” Other options include (2) understanding רָב (rav) as an adverbial use of the adjective, “lightning bolts in abundance,” or (3) emending the form to רַבּוּ (rabbu), from רָבַב (ravav, “be many”) or to רָבוּ (ravu), from רָבָה (ravah, “be many”) – both a haplography of the vav (ו); note the initial vav on the immediately following form – and translating “lightning bolts were in abundance.”
sn Arrows and lightning bolts are associated in other texts (see Pss 77:17-18; 144:6; Zech 9:14), as well as in ancient Near Eastern art (see R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” [Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983], 187).
6 sn The psalmist figuratively compares his enemies to dangerous bulls.
7 sn Bashan, located east of the Jordan River, was well-known for its cattle. See Ezek 39:18; Amos 4:1.
8 tn The Hebrew text uses the singular form; the representative or typical godly person is envisioned.
9 tn Or “trials.”
10 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form highlights the generalizing statement and draws attention to the fact that the
11 tn Heb “him,” agreeing with the singular form in the preceding line.
12 tn Heb “like a sign [i.e., portent or bad omen] I am to many.”
13 sn Psalm 97. The psalmist depicts the Lord as the sovereign, just king of the world who comes in power to vindicate his people.