Translation Challenges/Mouth

Mouth

• Nursing children represent the weakest and most vulnerable part of the human race (cf. 1 Sam. 15:3; 22:29; Jer. 44:7; Lam. 1:16; Joel 2:16). In ancient Israel, "nursing children" may have included children up to three years of age.[17] The parallels between vv. 2-3 and vv. 4-5 suggest that the nursing children (v. 3) stand figuratively for all of humanity (v. 5), of which they are the weakest part. Thus, "we may take 'babes and infants' as a metaphor for the weak and inherently helpless condition of human beings."[18] More specifically, the nursing children may be an image of Israel and her kings.[19]
• Mouth (פִּי) is metaphorical for speech. It is through the helpless cries of children (metaphorical for the desperate prayers of his people) that YHWH protects his people.