Discovery BoxPsalms 16:11 
Context16:11 You lead me in 1 the path of life; 2
I experience absolute joy in your presence; 3
you always give me sheer delight. 4
Psalms 31:22
Context31:22 I jumped to conclusions and said, 5
“I am cut off from your presence!” 6
But you heard my plea for mercy when I cried out to you for help.
Psalms 42:2
Contextfor the living God.
I say, 8 “When will I be able to go and appear in God’s presence?” 9
Psalms 78:61
Context78:61 He allowed the symbol of his strong presence to be captured; 10
he gave the symbol of his splendor 11 into the hand of the enemy. 12
Psalms 143:10
Context143:10 Teach me to do what pleases you, 13
for you are my God.
May your kind presence 14
1 tn Heb “cause me to know”; or “cause me to experience.”
2 tn This is a metaphorical way of saying, “you preserve my life.” The phrase “path of life” stands in contrast to death/Sheol in Prov 2:18-19; 5:5-6; 15:24.
3 tn Heb “abundance of joy [is] with your face.” The plural form of the noun שִׂמְחָה (simkhah, “joy”) occurs only here and in Ps 45:15. It may emphasize the degree of joy experienced.
4 tn Heb “delight [is] in your right hand forever.” The plural form of the adjective נָעִים (na’im, “pleasant, delightful”) may here emphasize the degree of delight experienced (see Job 36:11).
5 tn Heb “and I, I said in my haste.”
6 tn Heb “from before your eyes.”
7 tn Or “my soul thirsts.”
8 tn The words “I say” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons and for clarification.
9 tn Heb “When will I go and appear [to] the face of God?” Some emend the Niphal verbal form אֵרָאֶה (’era’eh, “I will appear”) to a Qal אֶרְאֶה (’er’eh, “I will see”; see Gen 33:10), but the Niphal can be retained if one understands ellipsis of אֶת (’et) before “face” (see Exod 34:24; Deut 31:11).
10 tn Heb “and he gave to captivity his strength.” The expression “his strength” refers metonymically to the ark of the covenant, which was housed in the tabernacle at Shiloh.
11 tn Heb “and his splendor into the hand of an enemy.” The expression “his splendor” also refers metonymically to the ark of the covenant.
12 sn Verses 60-61 refer to the Philistines’ capture of the ark in the days of Eli (1 Sam 4:1-11).
13 tn Or “your will.” See Ps 40:8.
14 tn Heb “your good spirit.” God’s “spirit” may refer here to his presence (see the note on the word “presence” in Ps 139:7) or to his personal Spirit (see Ps 51:10).
15 tn The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive. Taking the statement as a prayer fits well with the petitionary tone of vv. 7-10a.
16 sn A level land (where one can walk free of obstacles) here symbolizes divine blessing and protection. See Pss 26:12 and 27:11 for similar imagery.
