For the music director; by David.
11:1 In the Lord I have taken shelter. 13
How can you say to me, 14
“Flee to a mountain like a bird! 15
11:2 For look, the wicked 16 prepare 17 their bows, 18
they put their arrows on the strings,
to shoot in the darkness 19 at the morally upright. 20
11:3 When the foundations 21 are destroyed,
what can the godly 22 accomplish?” 23
11:4 The Lord is in his holy temple; 24
the Lord’s throne is in heaven. 25
His eyes 26 watch; 27
his eyes 28 examine 29 all people. 30
11:5 The Lord approves of 31 the godly, 32
but he 33 hates 34 the wicked and those who love to do violence. 35
11:6 May the Lord rain down 36 burning coals 37 and brimstone 38 on the wicked!
A whirlwind is what they deserve! 39
11:7 Certainly 40 the Lord is just; 41
he rewards godly deeds; 42
the upright will experience his favor. 43
20:2 May he send you help from his temple; 44
from Zion may he give you support!
For the music director; a psalm of David.
21:1 O Lord, the king rejoices in the strength you give; 46
he takes great delight in the deliverance you provide. 47
21:8 You 48 prevail over 49 all your enemies;
your power is too great for those who hate you. 50
A psalm of David.
110:1 Here is the Lord’s proclamation 52 to my lord: 53
“Sit down at my right hand 54 until I make your enemies your footstool!” 55
110:2 The Lord 56 extends 57 your dominion 58 from Zion.
Rule in the midst of your enemies!
146:5 How blessed is the one whose helper is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
19:1 Jesus 62 entered Jericho 63 and was passing through it.
20:11 Then 69 I saw a large 70 white throne and the one who was seated on it; the earth and the heaven 71 fled 72 from his presence, and no place was found for them. 20:12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne. Then 73 books were opened, and another book was opened – the book of life. 74 So 75 the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their deeds. 76 20:13 The 77 sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death 78 and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each one was judged according to his deeds. 20:14 Then 79 Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death – the lake of fire. 20:15 If 80 anyone’s name 81 was not found written in the book of life, that person 82 was thrown into the lake of fire.
1 tn Heb “cut off.”
2 tn Heb “and I will make for you a great name like the name of the great ones who are in the earth.”
3 tn Heb “plant.”
4 tn Heb “shaken.”
5 tn Heb “the sons of violence.”
6 tn Or “rest.”
7 tn In the Hebrew text the verb is apparently perfect with vav consecutive, which would normally suggest a future sense (“he will declare”; so the LXX, ἀπαγγελεῖ [apangelei]). But the context seems instead to call for a present or past nuance (“he declares” or “he has declared”). The synoptic passage in 1 Chr 17:10 has וָאַגִּד (va’aggid, “and I declared”). The construction used in 2 Sam 7:11 highlights this important statement.
8 tn Heb “the
9 tn Heb “house,” but used here in a metaphorical sense, referring to a royal dynasty. Here the
10 tn Heb, “when your days are full and you lie down with your ancestors.”
11 tn Heb “your seed after you who comes out from your insides.”
12 sn Psalm 11. The psalmist rejects the advice to flee from his dangerous enemies. Instead he affirms his confidence in God’s just character and calls down judgment on evildoers.
13 tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form probably refers here to a completed action with continuing results.
14 tn The pronominal suffix attached to נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) is equivalent to a personal pronoun. See Ps 6:3.
15 tc The MT is corrupt here. The Kethib (consonantal text) reads: “flee [masculine plural!] to your [masculine plural!] mountain, bird.” The Qere (marginal reading) has “flee” in a feminine singular form, agreeing grammatically with the addressee, the feminine noun “bird.” Rather than being a second masculine plural pronominal suffix, the ending כֶם- (-khem) attached to “mountain” is better interpreted as a second feminine singular pronominal suffix followed by an enclitic mem (ם). “Bird” may be taken as vocative (“O bird”) or as an adverbial accusative of manner (“like a bird”). Either way, the psalmist’s advisers compare him to a helpless bird whose only option in the face of danger is to fly away to an inaccessible place.
16 tn In the psalms the “wicked” (רְשָׁעִים, rÿsha’im) are typically proud, practical atheists (Ps 10:2, 4, 11) who hate God’s commands, commit sinful deeds, speak lies and slander (Ps 50:16-20), and cheat others (Ps 37:21). They oppose God and threaten his people (Ps 3:8).
17 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form depicts the enemies’ hostile action as underway.
18 tn Heb “a bow.”
19 sn In the darkness. The enemies’ attack, the precise form of which is not indicated, is compared here to a night ambush by archers; the psalmist is defenseless against this deadly attack.
20 tn Heb “pure of heart.” The “heart” is here viewed as the seat of one’s moral character and motives. The “pure of heart” are God’s faithful followers who trust in and love the Lord and, as a result, experience his deliverance (see Pss 7:10; 32:11; 36:10; 64:10; 94:15; 97:11).
21 tn The precise meaning of this rare word is uncertain. An Ugaritic cognate is used of the “bottom” or “base” of a cliff or mountain (see G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 47, 159). The noun appears in postbiblical Hebrew with the meaning “foundation” (see Jastrow 1636 s.v. שָׁת).
22 tn The singular form is used here in a collective or representative sense. Note the plural form “pure [of heart]” in the previous verse.
23 sn The quotation of the advisers’ words (which begins in 11:1c) ends at this point. They advise the psalmist to flee because the enemy is poised to launch a deadly attack. In such a lawless and chaotic situation godly people like the psalmist can accomplish nothing, so they might as well retreat to a safe place.
24 tn Because of the royal imagery involved here, one could translate “lofty palace.” The
25 sn The
26 sn His eyes. The anthropomorphic language draws attention to God’s awareness of and interest in the situation on earth. Though the enemies are hidden by the darkness (v. 2), the Lord sees all.
27 tn The two Hebrew imperfect verbal forms in this verse describe the
28 tn Heb “eyelids.”
29 tn For other uses of the verb in this sense, see Job 7:18; Pss 7:9; 26:2; 139:23.
30 tn Heb “test the sons of men.”
31 tn Heb “examines,” the same verb used in v. 4b. But here it is used in a metonymic sense of “examine and approve” (see Jer 20:12).
32 tn The singular form is used here in a collective or representative sense. Note the plural form “pure (of heart)” in v. 2.
33 tn Heb “his [very] being.” A נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being, soul”) is also attributed to the Lord in Isa 1:14, where a suffixed form of the noun appears as the subject of the verb “hate.” Both there and here the term is used of the seat of one’s emotions and passions.
34 sn He hates the wicked. The Lord “hates” the wicked in the sense that he despises their wicked character and deeds, and actively opposes and judges them for their wickedness. See Ps 5:5.
35 tn Heb “the wicked [one] and the lover of violence.” The singular form is used here in a collective or representative sense. Note the plural form רְשָׁעִים (rÿsha’im, “wicked [ones]”) in vv. 2 and 6.
36 tn The verb form is a jussive, indicating that the statement is imprecatory (“May the
37 tc The MT reads “traps, fire, and brimstone,” but the image of God raining traps, or snares, down from the sky is bizarre and does not fit the fire and storm imagery of this verse. The noun פַּחִים (pakhim, “traps, snares”) should be emended to פַּחֲמֵי (pakhamey, “coals of [fire]”). The rare noun פֶּחָם (pekham, “coal”) occurs in Prov 26:21 and Isa 44:12; 54:16.
38 sn The image of God “raining down” brimstone on the objects of his judgment also appears in Gen 19:24 and Ezek 38:22.
39 tn Heb “[may] a wind of rage [be] the portion of their cup.” The precise meaning of the rare noun זִלְעָפוֹת (zil’afot) is uncertain. It may mean “raging heat” (BDB 273 s.v. זַלְעָפָה) or simply “rage” (HALOT 272 s.v. זַלְעָפָה). If one understands the former sense, then one might translate “hot wind” (cf. NEB, NRSV). The present translation assumes the latter nuance, “a wind of rage” (the genitive is attributive) referring to a “whirlwind” symbolic of destructive judgment. In this mixed metaphor, judgment is also compared to an allotted portion of a beverage poured into one’s drinking cup (see Hab 2:15-16).
40 tn Or “for.”
41 tn Or “righteous.”
42 tn Heb “he loves righteous deeds.” The “righteous deeds” are probably those done by godly people (see v. 5). The Lord “loves” such deeds in the sense that he rewards them. Another option is to take צְדָקוֹת (tsÿdaqot) as referring to God’s acts of justice (see Ps 103:6). In this case one could translate, “he loves to do just deeds.”
43 tn Heb “the upright will see his face.” The singular subject (“upright”) does not agree with the plural verb. However, collective singular nouns can be construed with a plural predicate (see GKC 462 §145.b). Another possibility is that the plural verb יֶחֱזוּ (yekhezu) is a corruption of an original singular form. To “see” God’s “face” means to have access to his presence and to experience his favor (see Ps 17:15 and Job 33:26 [where רָאָה (ra’ah), not חָזָה (khazah), is used]). On the form פָנֵימוֹ (fanemo, “his face”) see GKC 300-301 §103.b, n. 3.
44 tc Heb “from [the] temple.” The third masculine singular pronominal suffix (ן, nun) has probably been accidentally omitted by haplography. Note that the following word begins with a prefixed vav (ו). See P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 (WBC), 184.
45 sn Psalm 21. The psalmist praises the Lord for the way he protects and blesses the Davidic king.
46 tn Heb “in your strength.” The translation interprets the pronominal suffix as subjective, rather than merely descriptive (or attributive).
47 tn Heb “and in your deliverance, how greatly he rejoices.”
48 tn The king is now addressed. One could argue that the
49 tn Heb “your hand finds.” The idiom pictures the king grabbing hold of his enemies and defeating them (see 1 Sam 23:17). The imperfect verbal forms in vv. 8-12 may be translated with the future tense, as long as the future is understood as generalizing.
50 tn Heb “your right hand finds those who hate you.”
51 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.
52 tn The word נְאֻם (nÿ’um) is used frequently in the OT of a formal divine announcement through a prophet.
53 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).
54 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.
55 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).
56 tn Since the
57 tn The prefixed verbal form is understood here as descriptive-dramatic or as generalizing, though it could be taken as future.
58 tn Heb “your strong scepter,” symbolic of the king’s royal authority and dominion.
59 tn Grk “to rule over them.”
60 tn This term, when used of people rather than animals, has some connotations of violence and mercilessness (L&N 20.72).
61 sn Slaughter them. To reject the king is to face certain judgment from him.
62 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.
63 map For location see Map5-B2; Map6-E1; Map7-E1; Map8-E3; Map10-A2; Map11-A1.
64 tn BDAG 697 s.v. οἰκονομία 1.b renders the term here as “divine office.”
65 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.
66 tn Or “misled.”
67 tn Traditionally, “brimstone.”
68 tn The verb in this clause is elided. In keeping with the previous past tenses some translations supply a past tense verb here (“were”), but in view of the future tense that follows (“they will be tormented”), a present tense verb was used to provide a transition from the previous past tense to the future tense that follows.
69 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
70 tn Traditionally, “great,” but μέγας (megas) here refers to size rather than importance.
71 tn Or “and the sky.” The same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky,” and context usually determines which is meant. In this apocalyptic scene, however, it is difficult to be sure what referent to assign the term.
72 tn Or “vanished.”
73 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
74 tn Grk “another book was opened, which is of life.”
75 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the books being opened.
76 tn Grk “from the things written in the books according to their works.”
77 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
78 sn Here Death is personified (cf. 1 Cor 15:55).
79 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
80 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
81 tn The word “name” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
82 tn Grk “he”; the pronoun has been intensified by translating as “that person.”