51:7 Sprinkle me 1 with water 2 and I will be pure; 3
wash me 4 and I will be whiter than snow. 5
147:16 He sends the snow that is white like wool;
he spreads the frost that is white like ashes. 6
1 tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request.
2 tn Heb “cleanse me with hyssop.” “Hyssop” was a small plant (see 1 Kgs 4:33) used to apply water (or blood) in purification rites (see Exod 12:22; Lev 14:4-6, 49-52; Num 19:6-18. The psalmist uses the language and imagery of such rites to describe spiritual cleansing through forgiveness.
3 tn After the preceding imperfect, the imperfect with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates result.
4 tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request.
5 sn I will be whiter than snow. Whiteness here symbolizes the moral purity resulting from forgiveness (see Isa 1:18).
6 tn Heb “the one who gives snow like wool, frost like ashes he scatters.”