63:9 Enemies seek to destroy my life, 1
but they will descend into the depths of the earth. 2
95:4 The depths of the earth are in his hand, 3
and the mountain peaks belong to him.
148:7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
you sea creatures and all you ocean depths,
68:22 The Lord says,
“I will retrieve them 4 from Bashan,
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
78:15 He broke open rocks in the wilderness,
and gave them enough water to fill the depths of the sea. 5
86:13 For you will extend your great loyal love to me, 6
and will deliver my life 7 from the depths of Sheol. 8
88:6 You place me in the lowest regions of the pit, 9
in the dark places, in the watery depths.
135:6 He does whatever he pleases
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and all the ocean depths.
1 tn Heb “but they for destruction seek my life.” The pronoun “they” must refer here to the psalmist’s enemies, referred to at this point for the first time in the psalm.
2 sn The depths of the earth refers here to the underworld dwelling place of the dead (see Ezek 26:20; 31:14, 16, 18; 32:18, 24). See L. I. J. Stadelmann, The Hebrew Conception of the World, 167.
3 tn The phrase “in his hand” means within the sphere of his authority.
4 tn That is, the enemies mentioned in v. 21. Even if they retreat to distant regions, God will retrieve them and make them taste his judgment.
5 tn Heb “and caused them to drink, like the depths, abundantly.”
6 tn Heb “for your loyal love [is] great over me.”
7 tn Or “for he will have delivered my life.” The verb form indicates a future perfect here.
8 tn Or “lower Sheol.”
9 tn The noun בּוֹר (bor, “pit,” “cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead. See v. 4.