Psalms 2:9

2:9 You will break them ¹  with an iron scepter; ² 

you will smash them like a potter’s jar!’” ³ 

Psalms 18:1

Psalm 18 ⁴ 

For the music director; by the Lord’s servant David, who sang ⁵  to the Lord the words of this song when ⁶  the Lord rescued him from the power ⁷  of all his enemies, including Saul. ⁸ 

18:1 He said: ⁹ 

“I love ¹⁰  you, Lord, my source of strength! ¹¹ 

Psalms 72:9

72:9 Before him the coastlands ¹²  will bow down,

and his enemies will lick the dust. ¹³ 

Psalms 89:22-23

89:22 No enemy will be able to exact tribute ¹⁴  from him; ¹⁵ 

a violent oppressor will not be able to humiliate him. ¹⁶ 

89:23 I will crush his enemies before him;

I will strike down those who hate him.

Psalms 110:1-2

Psalm 110 ¹⁷ 

A psalm of David.

110:1 Here is the Lord’s proclamation ¹⁸  to my lord: ¹⁹ 

“Sit down at my right hand ²⁰  until I make your enemies your footstool!” ²¹ 

110:2 The Lord ²²  extends ²³  your dominion ²⁴  from Zion.

Rule in the midst of your enemies!

Psalms 110:1

Psalm 110 ²⁵ 

A psalm of David.

110:1 Here is the Lord’s proclamation ²⁶  to my lord: ²⁷ 

“Sit down at my right hand ²⁸  until I make your enemies your footstool!” ²⁹ 

Psalms 25:1

Psalm 25 ³⁰ 

By David.

25:1 O Lord, I come before you in prayer. ³¹ 

Psalms 31:3

31:3 For you are my high ridge ³²  and my stronghold;

for the sake of your own reputation ³³  you lead me and guide me. ³⁴ 

Psalms 31:2

31:2 Listen to me! ³⁵ 

Quickly deliver me!

Be my protector and refuge, ³⁶ 

a stronghold where I can be safe! ³⁷ 

Psalms 7:1

Psalm 7 ³⁸ 

A musical composition ³⁹  by David, which he sang to the Lord concerning ⁴⁰  a Benjaminite named Cush. ⁴¹ 

7:1 O Lord my God, in you I have taken shelter. ⁴² 

Deliver me from all who chase me! Rescue me!

Amos 9:2-3

9:2 Even if they could dig down into the netherworld, ⁴³ 

my hand would pull them up from there.

Even if they could climb up to heaven,

I would drag them down from there.

9:3 Even if they were to hide on the top of Mount Carmel,

I would hunt them down and take them from there.

Even if they tried to hide from me ⁴⁴  at the bottom of the sea,

from there ⁴⁵  I would command the Sea Serpent ⁴⁶  to bite them.

Luke 19:14

19:14 But his citizens ⁴⁷  hated ⁴⁸  him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man ⁴⁹  to be king ⁵⁰  over us!’

Luke 19:27

19:27 But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be their king, ⁵¹  bring them here and slaughter ⁵²  them ⁵³  in front of me!’”

Luke 19:1

Jesus and Zacchaeus

19:1 Jesus ⁵⁴  entered Jericho ⁵⁵  and was passing through it.

Colossians 1:25

1:25 I became a servant of the church according to the stewardship ⁵⁶  from God – given to me for you – in order to complete ⁵⁷  the word of God,

Hebrews 10:28-29

10:28 Someone who rejected the law of Moses was put to death ⁵⁸  without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. ⁵⁹  10:29 How much greater punishment do you think that person deserves who has contempt for ⁶⁰  the Son of God, and profanes ⁶¹  the blood of the covenant that made him holy, ⁶²  and insults the Spirit of grace?

Revelation 19:15

19:15 From his mouth extends a sharp sword, so that with it he can strike the nations. ⁶³  He ⁶⁴  will rule ⁶⁵  them with an iron rod, ⁶⁶  and he stomps the winepress ⁶⁷  of the furious ⁶⁸  wrath of God, the All-Powerful. ⁶⁹ 

[2:9]  ¹ tc The LXX reads “you will shepherd them.” This reading, quoted in the Greek text of the NT in Rev 2:27; 12:5; 19:15, assumes a different vocalization of the consonantal Hebrew text and understands the verb as רָעָה (ra’ah, “to shepherd”) rather than רָעָע (ra’a’, “to break”). But the presence of נָפַץ (nafats, “to smash”) in the next line strongly favors the MT vocalization.

[2:9]  ² tn The Hebrew term שֵׁבֶט (shevet) can refer to a “staff” or “rod,” but here it probably refers to the Davidic king’s royal scepter, symbolizing his sovereignty.

[2:9]  ³ sn Like a potter’s jar. Before the Davidic king’s awesome power, the rebellious nations are like fragile pottery.

[18:1]  ⁴ sn Psalm 18. In this long song of thanks, the psalmist (a Davidic king, traditionally understood as David himself) affirms that God is his faithful protector. He recalls in highly poetic fashion how God intervened in awesome power and delivered him from death. The psalmist’s experience demonstrates that God vindicates those who are blameless and remain loyal to him. True to his promises, God gives the king victory on the battlefield and enables him to subdue nations. A parallel version of the psalm appears in 2 Sam 22:1-51.

[18:1]  ⁵ tn Heb “spoke.”

[18:1]  ⁶ tn Heb “in the day,” or “at the time.”

[18:1]  ⁷ tn Heb “hand.”

[18:1]  ⁸ tn Heb “and from the hand of Saul.”

[18:1]  ⁹ tn A number of translations (e.g., NASB, NIV, NRSV) assign the words “he said” to the superscription, in which case the entire psalm is in first person. Other translations (e.g., NAB) include the introductory “he said” at the beginning of v. 1.

[18:1]  ¹⁰ tn The verb רָחַם (rakham) elsewhere appears in the Piel (or Pual) verbal stem with the basic meaning, “have compassion.” The verb occurs only here in the basic (Qal) stem. The basic stem of the verbal root also occurs in Aramaic with the meaning “love” (see DNWSI 2:1068-69; Jastrow 1467 s.v. רָחַם; G. Schmuttermayr, “rhm: eine lexikalische Studie,” Bib 51 [1970]: 515-21). Since this introductory statement does not appear in the parallel version in 2 Sam 22:1-51, it is possible that it is a later addition to the psalm, made when the poem was revised for use in worship.

[18:1]  ¹¹ tn Heb “my strength.” “Strength” is metonymic here, referring to the Lord as the one who bestows strength to the psalmist; thus the translation “my source of strength.”

[72:9]  ¹² tn Or “islands.” The term here refers metonymically to those people who dwell in these regions.

[72:9]  ¹³ sn As they bow down before him, it will appear that his enemies are licking the dust.

[89:22]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “an enemy will not exact tribute.” The imperfect is understood in a modal sense, indicating capability or potential.

[89:22]  ¹⁵ tn The translation understands the Hiphil of נָשַׁא (nasha’) in the sense of “act as a creditor.” This may allude to the practice of a conqueror forcing his subjects to pay tribute in exchange for “protection.” Another option is to take the verb from a homonymic verbal root meaning “to deceive,” “to trick.” Still another option is to emend the form to יִשָּׂא (yisa’), a Qal imperfect from נָאַשׂ (na’as, “rise up”) and to translate “an enemy will not rise up against him” (see M. Dahood, Psalms [AB], 2:317).

[89:22]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “and a son of violence will not oppress him.” The imperfect is understood in a modal sense, indicating capability or potential. The reference to a “son of violence” echoes the language of God’s promise to David in 2 Sam 7:10 (see also 1 Chr 17:9).

[110:1]  ¹⁷ sn Psalm 110. In this royal psalm the psalmist announces God’s oracle to the Davidic king. The first part of the oracle appears in v. 1, the second in v. 4. In vv. 2-3 the psalmist addresses the king, while in vv. 5-7 he appears to address God.

[110:1]  ¹⁸ tn The word נְאֻם (nÿ’um) is used frequently in the OT of a formal divine announcement through a prophet.

[110:1]  ¹⁹ sn My lord. In the psalm’s original context the speaker is an unidentified prophetic voice in the royal court. In the course of time the psalm is applied to each successive king in the dynasty and ultimately to the ideal Davidic king. NT references to the psalm understand David to be speaking about his “lord,” the Messiah. (See Matt 22:43-45; Mark 12:36-37; Luke 20:42-44; Acts 2:34-35).

[110:1]  ²⁰ tn To sit at the “right hand” of the king was an honor (see 1 Kgs 2:19). In Ugaritic myth (CTA 4 v. 108-10) the artisan god Kothar-and Khasis is described as sitting at the right hand of the storm god Baal. See G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 61-62.

[110:1]  ²¹ sn When the Lord made his covenant with David, he promised to subdue the king’s enemies (see 2 Sam 7:9-11; Ps 89:22-23).

[110:2]  ²² tn Since the Lord is mentioned in the third person (note the use of the first person in v. 1), it is likely that these are the psalmist’s words to the king, not a continuation of the oracle per se.

[110:2]  ²³ tn The prefixed verbal form is understood here as descriptive-dramatic or as generalizing, though it could be taken as future.

[110:2]  ²⁴ tn Heb “your strong scepter,” symbolic of the king’s royal authority and dominion.

[110:1]  ²⁵ sn Psalm 110. In this royal psalm the psalmist announces God’s oracle to the Davidic king. The first part of the oracle appears in v. 1, the second in v. 4. In vv. 2-3 the psalmist addresses the king, while in vv. 5-7 he appears to address God.

[110:1]  ²⁶ tn The word נְאֻם (nÿ’um) is used frequently in the OT of a formal divine announcement through a prophet.

[110:1]  ²⁷ sn My lord. In the psalm’s original context the speaker is an unidentified prophetic voice in the royal court. In the course of time the psalm is applied to each successive king in the dynasty and ultimately to the ideal Davidic king. NT references to the psalm understand David to be speaking about his “lord,” the Messiah. (See Matt 22:43-45; Mark 12:36-37; Luke 20:42-44; Acts 2:34-35).

[110:1]  ²⁸ tn To sit at the “right hand” of the king was an honor (see 1 Kgs 2:19). In Ugaritic myth (CTA 4 v. 108-10) the artisan god Kothar-and Khasis is described as sitting at the right hand of the storm god Baal. See G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 61-62.

[110:1]  ²⁹ sn When the Lord made his covenant with David, he promised to subdue the king’s enemies (see 2 Sam 7:9-11; Ps 89:22-23).

[25:1]  ³⁰ sn Psalm 25. The psalmist asks for divine protection, guidance and forgiveness as he affirms his loyalty to and trust in the Lord. This psalm is an acrostic; every verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet, except for v. 18, which, like v. 19, begins with ר (resh) instead of the expected ק (qof). The final verse, which begins with פ (pe), stands outside the acrostic scheme.

[25:1]  ³¹ tn Heb “to you, O Lord, my life I lift up.” To “lift up” one’s “life” to the Lord means to express one’s trust in him through prayer. See Pss 86:4; 143:8.

[31:3]  ³² sn The metaphor of the high ridge pictures God as a rocky, relatively inaccessible summit, where one would be able to find protection from enemies. See 1 Sam 23:25, 28.

[31:3]  ³³ tn Heb “name.” The Hebrew term שֵׁם (shem, “name”) refers here to the Lord’s reputation. (The English term “name” is often used the same way.)

[31:3]  ³⁴ tn The present translation assumes that the imperfect verbal forms are generalizing, “you lead me and guide me.” Other options are to take them as an expression of confidence about the future, “you will lead me and guide me” (cf. NASB), or as expressing a prayer, “lead me and guide me” (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV).

[31:2]  ³⁵ tn Heb “turn toward me your ear.”

[31:2]  ³⁶ tn Heb “become for me a rocky summit of refuge.”

[31:2]  ³⁷ tn Heb “a house of strongholds to deliver me.”

[7:1]  ³⁸ sn Psalm 7. The psalmist asks the Lord to intervene and deliver him from his enemies. He protests his innocence and declares his confidence in God’s justice.

[7:1]  ³⁹ tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew term שִׁגָּיוֹן (shiggayon; translated here “musical composition”) is uncertain. Some derive the noun from the verbal root שָׁגָה (shagah, “swerve, reel”) and understand it as referring to a “wild, passionate song, with rapid changes of rhythm” (see BDB 993 s.v. שִׁגָּיוֹן). But this proposal is purely speculative. The only other appearance of the noun is in Hab 3:1, where it occurs in the plural.

[7:1]  ⁴⁰ tn Or “on account of.”

[7:1]  ⁴¹ sn Apparently this individual named Cush was one of David’s enemies.

[7:1]  ⁴² tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form probably refers here to a completed action with continuing results.

[9:2]  ⁴³ tn Heb “into Sheol” (so ASV, NASB, NRSV), that is, the land of the dead localized in Hebrew thought in the earth’s core or the grave. Cf. KJV “hell”; NCV, NLT “the place of the dead”; NIV “the depths of the grave.”

[9:3]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “from before my eyes.”

[9:3]  ⁴⁵ tn Or perhaps simply, “there,” if the מ (mem) prefixed to the adverb is dittographic (note the preceding word ends in mem).

[9:3]  ⁴⁶ sn If the article indicates a definite serpent, then the mythological Sea Serpent, symbolic of the world’s chaotic forces, is probably in view. See Job 26:13 and Isa 27:1 (where it is also called Leviathan). Elsewhere in the OT this serpent is depicted as opposing the Lord, but this text implies that even this powerful enemy of God is ultimately subject to his sovereign will.

[19:14]  ⁴⁷ tn Or “subjects.” Technically these people were not his subjects yet, but would be upon his return. They were citizens of his country who opposed his appointment as their king; later the newly-appointed king will refer to them as his “enemies” (v. 27).

[19:14]  ⁴⁸ tn The imperfect is intense in this context, suggesting an ongoing attitude.

[19:14]  ⁴⁹ tn Grk “this one” (somewhat derogatory in this context).

[19:14]  ⁵⁰ tn Or “to rule.”

[19:27]  ⁵¹ tn Grk “to rule over them.”

[19:27]  ⁵² tn This term, when used of people rather than animals, has some connotations of violence and mercilessness (L&N 20.72).

[19:27]  ⁵³ sn Slaughter them. To reject the king is to face certain judgment from him.

[19:1]  ⁵⁴ tn Grk “And entering, he passed through”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[19:1]  ⁵⁵ map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

[1:25]  ⁵⁶ tn BDAG 697 s.v. οἰκονομία 1.b renders the term here as “divine office.”

[1:25]  ⁵⁷ tn See BDAG 828 s.v. πληρόω 3. The idea here seems to be that the apostle wants to “complete the word of God” in that he wants to preach it to every person in the known world (cf. Rom 15:19). See P. T. O’Brien, Colossians, Philemon (WBC), 82.

[10:28]  ⁵⁸ tn Grk “dies.”

[10:28]  ⁵⁹ sn An allusion to Deut 17:6.

[10:29]  ⁶⁰ tn Grk “tramples under foot.”

[10:29]  ⁶¹ tn Grk “regarded as common.”

[10:29]  ⁶² tn Grk “by which he was made holy.”

[19:15]  ⁶³ tn Or “the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).

[19:15]  ⁶⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[19:15]  ⁶⁵ tn Grk “will shepherd.”

[19:15]  ⁶⁶ tn Or “scepter.” The Greek term ῥάβδος (rJabdo") can mean either “rod” or “scepter.”

[19:15]  ⁶⁷ sn He stomps the winepress. See Isa 63:3, where Messiah does this alone (usually several individuals would join in the process), and Rev 14:20.

[19:15]  ⁶⁸ tn The genitive θυμοῦ (qumou) has been translated as an attributed genitive. Following BDAG 461 s.v. θυμός 2, the combination of the genitives of θυμός (qumos) and ὀργή (orgh) in Rev 16:19 and 19:15 are taken to be a strengthening of the thought as in the OT and Qumran literature (Exod 32:12; Jer 32:37; Lam 2:3; CD 10:9).

[19:15]  ⁶⁹ tn On this word BDAG 755 s.v. παντοκράτωρ states, “the Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipotent (One) only of God…(ὁ) κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ π. …Rv 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22.”