Psalm 71:18-20

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Psalm 71:18 tn Heb “and even unto old age and gray hair.”
2. Psalm 71:18 tn Heb “until I declare your arm to a generation, to everyone who comes your power.” God’s “arm” here is an anthropomorphism that symbolizes his great strength.
3. Psalm 71:19 tn Heb “your justice, O God, [is] unto the height.” The Hebrew term מָרוֹם (marom, “height”) is here a title for the sky/heavens.sn Extends to the skies above. Similar statements are made in Pss 36:5 and 57:10.
4. Psalm 71:19 tn Heb “you who have done great things.”
5. Psalm 71:19 tn Or “Who is like you?”
6. Psalm 71:20 tn Heb “you who have caused me to see many harmful distresses.”
7. Psalm 71:20 tn Heb “you return, you give me life.” The Hebrew term שׁוּב (shuv, “return”) is used here in an adverbial sense, indicating repetition of the action described by the following verb. The imperfects are understood here as expressing the psalmist’s prayer or wish. (Note the use of a distinctly jussive form at the beginning of v. 21.) Another option is to understand this as a statement of confidence, “you will revive me once again” (cf. NIV, NRSV).
8. Psalm 71:20 tn Heb “you return, you bring me up.” The Hebrew term שׁוּב (shuv, “return”) is used adverbially to indicate repetition of the action in the next verb. See previous note. If understood as a statement of confidence, it would say, “you will bring me up once again” (cf. NIV, NRSV).