Psalms 79:11

Listen to the painful cries of the prisoners! ¹  Use your great strength to set free those condemned to die! ² 

Ex 2:23,24; Nu 14:17-19; Ps 12:5; Ps 69:33; Ps 102:20; Ps 146:6,7; Isa 33:2; Isa 42:7; Mt 6:13; Eph 3:20

¹ tn Heb “may the painful cry of the prisoner come before you.”

² tn Heb “according to the greatness of your arm leave the sons of death.” God’s “arm” here symbolizes his strength to deliver. The verbal form הוֹתֵר (hoter) is a Hiphil imperative from יָתַר (yatar, “to remain; to be left over”). Here it must mean “to leave over; to preserve.” However, it is preferable to emend the form to הַתֵּר (hatter), a Hiphil imperative from נָתַר (natar, “be free”). The Hiphil form is used in Ps 105:20 of Pharaoh freeing Joseph from prison. The phrase “sons of death” (see also Ps 102:21) is idiomatic for those condemned to die.