Text -- Psalms 120:1-3 (NET)

Psalm 120

120:1 A song of ascents. In my distress I cried out to the Lord and he answered me. 120:2 I said, “O Lord, rescue me from those who lie with their lips and those who deceive with their tongue. 120:3 How will he severely punish you, you deceptive talker?

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Psa 120:1

¹ sn Psalm 120. The genre and structure of this psalm are uncertain. It begins like a thanksgiving psalm, with a brief notice that God has heard the psalmist’s prayer for help and has intervened. But v. 2 is a petition for help, followed by a taunt directed toward enemies (vv. 3-4) and a lament (vv. 5-7). Perhaps vv. 2-7 recall the psalmist’s prayer when he cried out to the Lord.

² sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.

NET Notes: Psa 120:2

¹ tn The words “I said” are supplied in the translation for clarification. See the introductory note for this psalm.

² tn Or “my life.”

³ tn Heb “from a lip of falsehood.”

⁴ tn Heb “from a tongue of deception.”

NET Notes: Psa 120:3

¹ tn Heb “What will he give to you, and what will he add to you, O tongue of deception?” The psalmist addresses his deceptive enemies. The Lord is the understood subject of the verbs “give” and “add.” The second part of the question echoes a standard curse formula, “thus the Lord/God will do … and thus he will add” (see Ruth 1:17; 1 Sam 3:17; 14:44; 20:13; 25:22; 2 Sam 3:9, 35; 19:13; 1 Kgs 2:23; 2 Kgs 6:31).