50:21 When you did these things, I was silent, 1
so you thought I was exactly like you. 2
But now I will condemn 3 you
and state my case against you! 4
87:5 But it is said of Zion’s residents, 5
“Each one of these 6 was born in her,
and the sovereign One 7 makes her secure.” 8
95:10 For forty years I was continually disgusted 9 with that generation,
and I said, ‘These people desire to go astray; 10
they do not obey my commands.’ 11
107:43 Whoever is wise, let him take note of these things!
Let them consider the Lord’s acts of loyal love!
126:2 At that time we laughed loudly
and shouted for joy. 12
At that time the nations said, 13
“The Lord has accomplished great things for these people.”
1 tn Heb “these things you did and I was silent.” Some interpret the second clause (“and I was silent”) as a rhetorical question expecting a negative answer, “[When you do these things], should I keep silent?” (cf. NEB). See GKC 335 §112.cc.
sn The Lord was silent in the sense that he delayed punishment. Of course, God’s patience toward sinners eventually runs out. The divine “silence” is only temporary (see v. 3, where the psalmist, having described God’s arrival, observes that “he is not silent”).
2 tn The Hebrew infinitive construct (הֱיוֹת, heyot) appears to function like the infinitive absolute here, adding emphasis to the following finite verbal form (אֶהְיֶה, ’ehyeh). See GKC 339-40 §113.a. Some prefer to emend הֱיוֹת (heyot) to the infinitive absolute form הָיוֹ (hayo).
3 tn Or “rebuke” (see v. 8).
4 tn Heb “and I will set in order [my case against you] to your eyes.” The cohortative form expresses the
5 tn Heb “and of Zion it is said.” Another option is to translate, “and to Zion it is said.” In collocation with the Niphal of אָמַר (’amar), the preposition lamed (-לְ) can introduce the recipient of the statement (see Josh 2:2; Jer 4:11; Hos 1:10; Zeph 3:16), carry the nuance “concerning, of” (see Num 23:23), or mean “be named” (see Isa 4:3; 62:4).
6 tn Heb “a man and a man.” The idiom also appears in Esth 1:8. The translation assumes that the phrase refers to each of Zion’s residents, in contrast to the foreigners mentioned in v. 4. Those advocating the universalistic interpretation understand this as a reference to each of the nations, including those mentioned in v. 4.
7 tn Traditionally “Most High.”
8 tn Heb “and he makes her secure, the Most High.”
9 tn The prefixed verbal form is either a preterite or an imperfect. If the latter, it emphasizes the ongoing nature of the condition in the past. The translation reflects this interpretation of the verbal form.
10 tn Heb “a people, wanderers of heart [are] they.”
11 tn Heb “and they do not know my ways.” In this context the
12 tn Heb “then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with a shout.”
13 tn Heb “they said among the nations.”