Text -- Psalms 9:18-20 (NET)

9:18 for the needy are not permanently ignored, the hopes of the oppressed are not forever dashed. 9:19 Rise up, Lord! Don’t let men be defiant! May the nations be judged in your presence! 9:20 Terrify them, Lord! Let the nations know they are mere mortals! (Selah)

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Psa 9:18

¹ tn Or “forgotten.”

² tn Heb “the hope of the afflicted does [not] perish forever.” The negative particle is understood by ellipsis; note the preceding line. The imperfect verbal forms express what typically happens.

NET Notes: Psa 9:19

¹ sn Rise up, Lord! …May the nations be judged. The psalm concludes with a petition that the Lord would continue to exercise his justice as he has done in the recent crisis.

² tn Or “prevail.”

NET Notes: Psa 9:20

¹ tn Heb “place, Lord, terror with regard to them.” The Hebrew term מוֹרָה (morah, “terror”) is an alternative form of מוֹרָא (mora’; a reading that appears in some mss and finds support in several ancient textual witnesses).

² tn Heb “let the nations know they [are] man[kind]”; i.e., mere human beings (as opposed to God).