² tn The “right hand” here symbolizes God’s military strength (see v. 55).

¹ tn Heb “his hand,” symbolizing his saving activity and strength, as the next line makes clear.

¹ tn Heb “the beginning of strength.” If retained, the plural form אוֹנִים (ʾonim, “strength”) probably indicates degree (“great strength”), but many ancient witnesses read “their strength,” which presupposes an emendation to אֹנָם (ʾonam; singular form of the noun with third masculine plural pronominal suffix).

⁴ tn Heb “and all the men of strength did not find their hands.”

¹ tn Heb “God has commanded your strength.” The statement is apparently addressed to Israel (see v. 26).

¹ tn Heb “they give strength to themselves, an evil matter [or “word”].”

² tn Heb “and their arm did not save them.” The “arm” here symbolizes military strength.

² sn The heart is viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s strength and courage.

¹ tn Heb “in your strength,” but English idiom does not require the pronoun.

¹ tn Heb “and the strength of Jeroboam was not retained again in the days of Abijah.”

³ tn Heb “when sons come to the cervical opening and there is no strength to give birth.”

² tn Or “this nation,” perhaps emphasizing the strength of the Syrian army.

³ tn Heb “until there was no longer in them strength to weep.”

¹ tn Heb “chop off your arm.” The arm here symbolizes strength and activity.

⁴ tn The consonantal form חיל is vocalized in the MT as חֵיל (khel, “rampart”). The LXX translation ἡ ἀρξή (hē arxē, “strength”) reflects confusion between the relatively rare חֵיל and the more common חַיִל (khayil, “strength”); see HALOT 310-12.

⁴ tn Heb “he has caused my strength to stumble.” The phrase הִכְשִׁיל כֹּחִי (hikhshil kokhi, “He has made my strength stumble”) is an idiom that means “to weaken, make feeble.”

³ tn Heb “a tower of strength,” with “strength” regarded as attributive by most English versions. The metaphor “strong tower” indicates that God is a secure refuge. The figure is qualified in the second colon.

³ tn Heb “our refuge and strength,” which is probably a hendiadys meaning “our strong refuge” (see Ps 71:7). Another option is to translate, “our refuge and source of strength.”

¹ tn Heb “you establish strength because of your foes.” The meaning of the statement is unclear. The present translation follows the reading of the LXX which has “praise” (αἶνος, ainos) in place of “strength” (עֹז, ʿoz); cf. NIV, NCV, NLT.

⁶ tn Heb “with very great strength.” The Hebrew word חַיִל (khayil, “strength”) may refer here to the size of her retinue or to the great wealth she brought with her.