"Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him" (Ps. 37:7)—The Hebrew term rendered "rest" can also mean "keep silence"; hence the reading of the Revised Version (margin): "Be still before the Lord." Moffatt has: "Leave it to the Eternal and be patient;" while the Septuagint suggests: "Submit thyself to the Lord and supplicate him."

"Fret not thyself in any wise to do evil" (Ps. 37:8)—The word translated "in any wise" means more exactly "surely, only, together" (Brown, Driver, Briggs: Hebrew Lexicon, p. 36). Hence a more idiomatic rendering would be: "Do not fret, it only (leads) to evil-doing." Compare the rendering of the Revised Version: "Fret not thyself, it tendeth only to evil-doing;" and that of Moffatt: "Fret not—it only leads to evil."

"They shall not be ashamed in the evil time" (Ps. 37:19)—The verb here translated "be ashamed" can also mean "be confounded or disappointed," renderings which are preferred by some scholars in view of the fact that they appear to be more suited to the context. Moffatt renders the passage positively in the words: "In a calamity they keep their share."

"The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord" (Ps. 37:23)—It may be noted that the word "good" is not represented in the original Hebrew. Moreover, the term rendered "ordered" is more literally "established," and scholars contend that the word "steps" is used figuratively of a man's "course of life" (Brown, etc., op. cit., p. 857). The Revised Version suggests the translation: "A man's goings are established by the Lord;" while Moffatt renders the complete verse as follows: "When a man's life pleases the Eternal, he gives him a sure footing."

"I will publish the name of the Lord" (Deut. 32:3)—Among the Jews, the term "shem" (name) was often used as equivalent to "character or nature" (Brown, etc., op. cit., p. 1030), somewhat as in English we speak of a man's "name" in the sense of his "reputed character, reputation" (Webster). Moffatt suggests the rendering: "I proclaim what the Eternal is."

"His work is perfect" (Deut. 32:4)—The word "tamim," here rendered "perfect," has a variety of meanings which include "healthful, complete, sound, innocent" (Brown, etc., op. cit., p. 1071); "faultless, upright, honest" (Feyerabend: Hebrew Dictionary, p. 372). The Septuagint translates: "His works are true;" and Moffatt: "He rules aright": while Smith has: "What he does is right."

"Blessed shall be . . . the flocks of thy sheep" (Deut. 28:4)—A more literal rendering would be "the lambs of thy flock." Similarly, Smith has: "Blessed shall be . . . the progeny of your flock;" and the Revised Version, "the young of thy flock."

"Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store" (Deut. 28:5)—The literal meaning of the word here translated "store" is "kneading-trough"—a rendering which is accepted by the Revised Version and by various modern translators. So we find: "Blessed shall be the contents of your basket and kneading-trough" (Smith); and, "Full shall your basket be, and your kneading-trough" (Moffat).

"They shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways" (Deut. 28:7)—Among the Babylonians "seven" was regarded as "the number of totality or completeness" (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, p. 2159); and there is good reason to suppose that it was similarly considered by the Hebrews. Hence, the sense of this passage might well be expressed by rendering: "They will . . . flee before you in every direction." Moffat has: "They may assail you all together, but they shall fly before you in all directions;" and Smith: "They may come out against you by a single road, but they shall fly before you be seven different roads."

"Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in" (Ps. 68:16)—The verb rendered "leap" means rather "to observe with jealousy" (Feyerabend: op. cit., p. 325), while the words "this is" are not represented in the original. Consequently, many translators feel that the question mark should be placed after "to dwell in" instead of remaining in its present position. Thus we find: "Why look ye askance, ye high mountains, at the mountain which God hath desired for his abode?" (Revised Version); "What is your grudge, O range of peaks, at the hill that God loves for his home?" (Moffatt); and, "Why, O many-peaked mountains, do you envy the mountain that God has desired for his abode?" (Smith.)

"Eschew evil, and do good . . . seek peace, and ensue it" (I Pet. 3:11)—The Greek verb "ekklinato" (eschew) means properly "turn aside from, keep aloof from" (Thayer: Greek Lexicon, p. 153); while "dioxato" (ensue) means "pursue," and so, figuratively, "seek after eagerly" (ibid.). So, Goodspeed has: "Let him turn away from evil and do right, let him seek peace and go after it;" and Moffatt: "Let him shun wrong and do right, let him seek peace and make peace his aim."

"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil. 2:12)—The Greek verb used here means literally "perform, accomplish, achieve," and so "work out, i.e., make every effort to obtain" salvation (Thayer: op. cit., p. 339). "Fear" is the primary meaning of the Greek word "phobos," but it is also used in the sense of "reverence, respect" (ibid., p. 656). Goodspeed renders: "With reverence and awe make every effort to ensure your salvation." However, in view of the fact that the preposition "meta," here rendered "with," can also be translated "in the midst of," we could translate: "Work out your own salvation in the midst of (or 'in face of') fear and trembling."