Show me favor, O God, because mortal man is attacking me. All day long they keep fighting and oppressing me. My foes keep snapping at me all day long; (v 1-2)
snapping
In God I put my trust; I am not afraid. What can mere man do to me? (v 4–repeated at 11)
Well, they can kill you. So he’s obviously thinking beyond that. No one wants to die; death is inconvenient and it makes people feel bad. But beyond that it holds no terror. It is like sleep, non-consciousness, non-being—and no one can take away the prospect of resurrection.
David (the psalmist) sure gets in hot water a lot. He gets chased all over:
You keep track of my wandering. Do collect my tears in your skin bottle. Are they not recorded in your book? (v 8)
Most translations just say ‘bottle:’
“Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?” (KJV)
What kind of bottle? A Coke bottle?
“Bag” (Byington)
“Leather container” (NET)
“Wineskin” (OJB)
The New World Translation really works the best here. (“skin bottle”) Animal skins were used to carry liquids of all types, be they wine or not. Like the soldier’s canteen of an earlier time.
(photo: The Schloss Nordkirchen )
I am bound by my vows to you, O God; I will offer you expressions of thanksgiving. For you have rescued me from death And prevented my feet from stumbling, So that I may walk before God in the light of the living. (v 12-13)
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