Psalm 89/Notes/Lexical.v. 44.131914

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  • In v. 44b, most English translations give an abstract rendering of the verb: "help" (NLT), "support" (NIV), "sustain" (NET) (so also LXX trans. NETS: "support" [ἀντελάβου]). But the image here is more vivid and concrete; the verb הֲקֵימֹתוֹ in v. 44 probably means "help up (from the ground after he has fallen)" (cf. Eccl. 4:10; Jer 50:32; so Rashi: מליפול, Ibn Ezra: בנפלו). The verse gives us the image of the king lying in the dust of the battlefield (perhaps injured) with no one to help him up.