44:3 For they did not conquer 1 the land by their swords,
and they did not prevail by their strength, 2
but rather by your power, 3 strength 4 and good favor, 5
for you were partial to 6 them.
44:6 For I do not trust in my bow,
and I do not prevail by my sword.
44:7 For you deliver 7 us from our enemies;
you humiliate 8 those who hate us.
1 tn Or “take possession of.”
2 tn Heb “and their arm did not save them.” The “arm” here symbolizes military strength.
3 tn Heb “your right hand.” The
4 tn Heb “your arm.”
5 tn Heb “light of your face.” The idiom “light of your face” probably refers to a smile (see Eccl 8:1), which in turn suggests favor and blessing (see Num 6:25; Pss 4:6; 31:16; 67:1; 80:3, 7, 19; 89:15; Dan 9:17).
6 tn Or “favorable toward.”
7 tn Or “have delivered,” if past successes are in view. Another option is to take the perfect as rhetorical, emphasizing that victory is certain (note the use of the imperfect in vv. 5-6).
8 tn Or “have humiliated,” if past successes are in view. Another option is to take the perfect as rhetorical, emphasizing that victory is certain (note the use of the imperfect in vv. 5-6).