Psalm 73:3-5

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Psalm 73:3 tn The imperfect verbal form here depicts the action as continuing in a past time frame.
2. Psalm 73:3 tn Heb “peace” (שָׁלוֹם, shalom).
3. Psalm 73:4 tn In Isa 58:6, the only other occurrence of this word in the OT, the term refers to “bonds” or “ropes.” In Ps 73:4 it is used metaphorically of pain and suffering that restricts one’s enjoyment of life.
4. Psalm 73:4 tn Or “bellies.”
5. Psalm 73:4 tc Or “fat.” The MT of v. 4 reads as follows: “for there are no pains at their death, and fat [is] their body.” Since a reference to the death of the wicked seems incongruous in the immediate context (note v. 5) and premature in the argument of the psalm (see vv. 18-20, 27), some prefer to emend the text by redividing it. The term לְמוֹתָם (l^emotam, “at their death”) is changed to לָמוֹ תָּם (lamo tam, “[there are no pains] to them, strong [and fat are their bodies]”). The term תָּם (tam, “complete; sound”) is used of physical beauty in Song 5:2; 6:9. This emendation is the basis for the present translation. However, in defense of the MT (the traditional Hebrew text), one may point to an Aramaic inscription from Nerab which views a painful death as a curse and a nonpainful death in one’s old age as a sign of divine favor. See ANET 661.
6. Psalm 73:5 tn Heb “in the trouble of man they are not, and with mankind they are not afflicted.”