Psalm 107:4-22

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Psalm 107:4 tc The MT divides the verse so the line ends “on a wasteland of a road.” The LXX divides the line before “road” as in the translation.
2. Psalm 107:5 tn Heb “and their soul in them fainted.”
3. Psalm 107:7 sn A level road. See Jer 31:9.
4. Psalm 107:8 tn Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.”
5. Psalm 107:9 tn Heb “[the] longing throat.” The noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh), which frequently refers to one’s very being or soul, here probably refers to one’s parched “throat” (note the parallelism with נֶפֶשׁ רְעֵבָה, nefesh r^eʿevah, “hungry throat”).
6. Psalm 107:9 tn Heb “and [the] hungry throat he has filled [with] good.”
7. Psalm 107:10 tn Heb “those who sat in darkness and deep darkness.” Synonyms are joined here to emphasize the degree of “darkness” experienced by the exiles. The Hebrew term צַלְמָוֶת (tsalmavet, “deep darkness”) has traditionally been understood as a compound noun, meaning “shadow of death” (צֵל + מָוֶת [tsel + mavet]; see BDB 853 s.v. צַלְמָוֶת; cf. NASB). Other authorities prefer to vocalize the form צַלְמוּת (tsalmut) and understand it as an abstract noun (from the root צלם) meaning “darkness.” An examination of the word’s usage favors the latter derivation. It is frequently associated with darkness/night and contrasted with light/morning (see Job 3:5; 10:21-22; 12:22; 24:17; 28:3; 34:22; Ps 107:10, 14; Isa 9:1; Jer 13:16; Amos 5:8). In some cases the darkness described is associated with the realm of death (Job 10:21-22; 38:17), but this is a metaphorical application of the word and does not reflect its inherent meaning. In Ps 107:10 the word refers metonymically to a dungeon, which in turn metaphorically depicts the place of Israel’s exile (see vv. 2-3).
8. Psalm 107:10 tn Heb “those bound in suffering and iron.” “Suffering and iron” is a hendiadys (like English “good and angry”), where both words contribute to one idea. In this case the first word characterizes the second; the iron (chains) contribute to the prisoners’ pain and suffering.
9. Psalm 107:11 tn Heb “the words of God.”
10. Psalm 107:11 sn The divine title “Most High” (עֶלְיוֹן ʿelyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Pss 7:17; 9:2; 18:13; 21:7; 47:2.
11. Psalm 107:12 tn Heb “and he subdued with suffering their heart.”
12. Psalm 107:14 tn Heb “darkness and deep darkness.” See the note on the word “darkness” in v. 10.
13. Psalm 107:15 tn Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.” See v. 8.
14. Psalm 107:16 sn The language of v. 16 recalls Isa 45:2.
15. Psalm 107:17 tn Heb “fools [they were] because of the way of their rebellion.”
16. Psalm 107:18 tn Heb “all food their appetite loathed.”
17. Psalm 107:20 tn Heb “he sent his word.” This probably refers to an oracle of assurance which announced his intention to intervene (see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 59).
18. Psalm 107:20 tn Heb “he rescued from their traps.” The Hebrew word שְׁחִית (sh^ekhit, “trap”) occurs only here and in Lam 4:20, where it refers to a trap or pit in which one is captured. Because of the rarity of the term and the absence of an object with the verb “rescued,” some prefer to emend the text of Ps 107:20, reading מִשַּׁחַת חַיָּתָם (mishakhat khayyatam, “[he rescued] their lives from the pit”). Note also NIV “from the grave,” which interprets the “pit” as Sheol or the grave.
19. Psalm 107:21 tn Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.” See v. 8.
20. Psalm 107:22 tn Heb “and let them proclaim his works with a ringing cry.”