Psalms 40:17
40:17 I am oppressed and needy! 1
May the Lord pay attention to me! 2
You are my helper and my deliverer!
O my God, do not delay!
Psalms 70:5
70:5 I am oppressed and needy! 3
O God, hurry to me! 4
You are my helper and my deliverer!
O Lord, 5 do not delay!
1 sn See Pss 35:10; 37:14.
2 tn The prefixed verbal form may be taken as a jussive of prayer (as in the present translation; cf. NIV) or as an imperfect, “The Lord will pay attention to me” (cf. NRSV). The parallel in Ps 70:5 has, “O God, hurry to me!” For this reason some prefer to emend יַחֲשָׁב (yakhashav, “may he pay attention”) to חוּשָׁה (khushah, “hurry!”). The syntax of the Hebrew text is awkward; elsewhere when the Qal of חָשַׁב (khashav, “reckon; consider”) is collocated with the preposition -ל (lamed) and a pronominal suffix there is an accompanying direct object or additional prepositional phrase/adverbial accusative (see Gen 15:6; 2 Sam 19:19; Job 13:24; 19:11; 33:10; Pss 32:2; 41:7; Amos 6:5).
3 sn See Pss 35:10; 37:14.
4 tn Ps 40:17 has “may the Lord pay attention to me.”
5 tn Ps 40:17 has “my God” instead of “Lord.”