Book 1
(Psalms 1-41)
1:1 How blessed 2 is the one 3 who does not follow 4 the advice 5 of the wicked, 6
or stand in the pathway 7 with sinners,
or sit in the assembly 8 of scoffers! 9
1:2 Instead 10 he finds pleasure in obeying the Lord’s commands; 11
he meditates on 12 his commands 13 day and night.
1:3 He is like 14 a tree planted by flowing streams; 15
it 16 yields 17 its fruit at the proper time, 18
and its leaves never fall off. 19
He succeeds in everything he attempts. 20
1:4 Not so with the wicked!
Instead 21 they are like wind-driven chaff. 22
1:5 For this reason 23 the wicked cannot withstand 24 judgment, 25
nor can sinners join the assembly of the godly. 26
1:6 Certainly 27 the Lord guards the way of the godly, 28
but the way of the wicked ends in destruction. 29
2:1 Why 31 do the nations rebel? 32
Why 33 are the countries 34 devising 35 plots that will fail? 36
2:2 The kings of the earth 37 form a united front; 38
the rulers collaborate 39
against the Lord and his anointed king. 40
2:3 They say, 41 “Let’s tear off the shackles they’ve put on us! 42
Let’s free ourselves from 43 their ropes!”
2:4 The one enthroned 44 in heaven laughs in disgust; 45
the Lord taunts 46 them.
2:5 Then he angrily speaks to them
and terrifies them in his rage, 47 saying, 48
2:6 “I myself 49 have installed 50 my king
on Zion, my holy hill.”
2:7 The king says, 51 “I will announce the Lord’s decree. He said to me: 52
‘You are my son! 53 This very day I have become your father!
2:8 Ask me,
and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, 54
the ends of the earth as your personal property.
2:9 You will break them 55 with an iron scepter; 56
you will smash them like a potter’s jar!’” 57
2:10 So now, you kings, do what is wise; 58
you rulers of the earth, submit to correction! 59
2:11 Serve 60 the Lord in fear!
Repent in terror! 61
2:12 Give sincere homage! 62
Otherwise he 63 will be angry, 64
and you will die because of your behavior, 65
when his anger quickly ignites. 66
How blessed 67 are all who take shelter in him! 68
A psalm of David, written when he fled from his son Absalom. 70
3:1 Lord, how 71 numerous are my enemies!
Many attack me. 72
3:2 Many say about me,
“God will not deliver him.” 73 (Selah) 74
3:3 But you, Lord, are a shield that protects me; 75
you are my glory 76 and the one who restores me. 77
3:4 To the Lord I cried out, 78
and he answered me from his holy hill. 79 (Selah)
3:5 I rested and slept;
I awoke, 80 for the Lord protects 81 me.
3:6 I am not afraid 82 of the multitude of people 83
who attack me from all directions. 84
3:7 Rise up, 85 Lord!
Deliver me, my God!
Yes, 86 you will strike 87 all my enemies on the jaw;
you will break the teeth 88 of the wicked. 89
3:8 The Lord delivers; 90
you show favor to your people. 91 (Selah)
For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a psalm of David.
4:1 When I call out, answer me,
O God who vindicates me! 93
Though I am hemmed in, you will lead me into a wide, open place. 94
Have mercy on me 95 and respond to 96 my prayer!
4:2 You men, 97 how long will you try to turn my honor into shame? 98
How long 99 will you love what is worthless 100
and search for what is deceptive? 101 (Selah)
4:3 Realize that 102 the Lord shows the godly special favor; 103
the Lord responds 104 when I cry out to him.
4:4 Tremble with fear and do not sin! 105
Meditate as you lie in bed, and repent of your ways! 106 (Selah)
4:5 Offer the prescribed sacrifices 107
and trust in the Lord! 108
4:6 Many say, “Who can show us anything good?”
Smile upon us, Lord! 109
4:7 You make me happier 110
than those who have abundant grain and wine. 111
4:8 I will lie down and sleep peacefully, 112
for you, Lord, make me safe and secure. 113
For the music director, to be accompanied by wind instruments; 115 a psalm of David.
5:1 Listen to what I say, 116 Lord!
Carefully consider my complaint! 117
5:2 Pay attention to my cry for help,
my king and my God,
for I am praying to you!
5:3 Lord, in the morning 118 you will hear 119 me; 120
in the morning I will present my case to you 121 and then wait expectantly for an answer. 122
5:4 Certainly 123 you are not a God who approves of evil; 124
evil people 125 cannot dwell with you. 126
5:5 Arrogant people cannot stand in your presence; 127
you hate 128 all who behave wickedly. 129
5:6 You destroy 130 liars; 131
the Lord despises 132 violent and deceitful people. 133
5:7 But as for me, 134 because of your great faithfulness I will enter your house; 135
I will bow down toward your holy temple as I worship you. 136
5:8 Lord, lead me in your righteousness 137
because of those who wait to ambush me, 138
remove the obstacles in the way in which you are guiding me! 139
5:9 For 140 they do not speak the truth; 141
their stomachs are like the place of destruction, 142
their throats like an open grave, 143
their tongues like a steep slope leading into it. 144
5:10 Condemn them, 145 O God!
May their own schemes be their downfall! 146
Drive them away 147 because of their many acts of insurrection, 148
for they have rebelled against you.
5:11 But may all who take shelter 149 in you be happy! 150
May they continually 151 shout for joy! 152
Shelter them 153 so that those who are loyal to you 154 may rejoice! 155
5:12 Certainly 156 you reward 157 the godly, 158 Lord.
Like a shield you protect 159 them 160 in your good favor. 161
For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments, according to the sheminith style; 163 a psalm of David.
6:1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger!
Do not discipline me in your raging fury! 164
6:2 Have mercy on me, 165 Lord, for I am frail!
Heal me, Lord, for my bones are shaking! 166
6:3 I am absolutely terrified, 167
and you, Lord – how long will this continue? 168
6:4 Relent, Lord, rescue me! 169
Deliver me because of your faithfulness! 170
6:5 For no one remembers you in the realm of death, 171
In Sheol who gives you thanks? 172
6:6 I am exhausted as I groan;
all night long I drench my bed in tears; 173
my tears saturate the cushion beneath me. 174
6:7 My eyes 175 grow dim 176 from suffering;
they grow weak 177 because of all my enemies. 178
6:8 Turn back from me, all you who behave wickedly, 179
for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping! 180
6:9 The Lord has heard my appeal for mercy;
the Lord has accepted 181 my prayer.
6:10 May all my enemies be humiliated 182 and absolutely terrified! 183
May they turn back and be suddenly humiliated!
A musical composition 185 by David, which he sang to the Lord concerning 186 a Benjaminite named Cush. 187
7:1 O Lord my God, in you I have taken shelter. 188
Deliver me from all who chase me! Rescue me!
7:2 Otherwise they will rip 189 me 190 to shreds like a lion;
they will tear me to bits and no one will be able to rescue me. 191
7:3 O Lord my God, if I have done what they say, 192
or am guilty of unjust actions, 193
7:4 or have wronged my ally, 194
or helped his lawless enemy, 195
7:5 may an enemy relentlessly chase 196 me 197 and catch me; 198
may he trample me to death 199
and leave me lying dishonored in the dust. 200 (Selah)
7:6 Stand up angrily, 201 Lord!
Rise up with raging fury against my enemies! 202
Wake up for my sake and execute the judgment you have decreed for them! 203
7:7 The countries are assembled all around you; 204
take once more your rightful place over them! 205
7:8 The Lord judges the nations. 206
Vindicate me, Lord, because I am innocent, 207
because I am blameless, 208 O Exalted One! 209
7:9 May the evil deeds of the wicked 210 come to an end! 211
But make the innocent 212 secure, 213
O righteous God,
you who examine 214 inner thoughts and motives! 215
7:10 The Exalted God is my shield, 216
the one who delivers the morally upright. 217
7:11 God is a just judge;
he is angry throughout the day. 218
7:12 If a person 219 does not repent, God sharpens his sword 220
and prepares to shoot his bow. 221
7:13 He prepares to use deadly weapons against him; 222
he gets ready to shoot flaming arrows. 223
7:14 See the one who is pregnant with wickedness,
who conceives destructive plans,
and gives birth to harmful lies – 224
7:15 he digs a pit 225
and then falls into the hole he has made. 226
7:16 He becomes the victim of his own destructive plans 227
and the violence he intended for others falls on his own head. 228
7:17 I will thank the Lord for 229 his justice;
I will sing praises to the sovereign Lord! 230
For the music director, according to the gittith style; 232 a psalm of David.
8:1 O Lord, our Lord, 233
how magnificent 234 is your reputation 235 throughout the earth!
You reveal your majesty in the heavens above! 236
8:2 From the mouths of children and nursing babies
you have ordained praise on account of your adversaries, 237
so that you might put an end to the vindictive enemy. 238
8:3 When I look up at the heavens, which your fingers made,
and see the moon and the stars, which you set in place, 239
8:4 Of what importance is the human race, 240 that you should notice 241 them?
Of what importance is mankind, 242 that you should pay attention to them, 243
8:5 and make them a little less than the heavenly beings? 244
You grant mankind 245 honor and majesty; 246
8:6 you appoint them to rule over your creation; 247
you have placed 248 everything under their authority, 249
8:7 including all the sheep and cattle,
as well as the wild animals, 250
8:8 the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea
and everything that moves through the currents 251 of the seas.
8:9 O Lord, our Lord, 252
how magnificent 253 is your reputation 254 throughout the earth! 255
For the music director; according to the alumoth-labben style; 257 a psalm of David.
9:1 I will thank the Lord with all my heart!
I will tell about all your amazing deeds! 258
9:2 I will be happy and rejoice in you!
I will sing praises to you, O sovereign One! 259
9:3 When my enemies turn back,
they trip and are defeated 260 before you.
9:4 For you defended my just cause; 261
from your throne you pronounced a just decision. 262
9:5 You terrified the nations with your battle cry; 263
you destroyed the wicked; 264
you permanently wiped out all memory of them. 265
9:6 The enemy’s cities have been reduced to permanent ruins; 266
you destroyed their cities; 267
all memory of the enemies has perished. 268
9:7 But the Lord 269 rules 270 forever;
he reigns in a just manner. 271
9:8 He judges the world fairly;
he makes just legal decisions for the nations. 272
9:9 Consequently 273 the Lord provides safety for the oppressed; 274
he provides safety in times of trouble. 275
9:10 Your loyal followers trust in you, 276
for you, Lord, do not abandon those who seek your help. 277
9:11 Sing praises to the Lord, who rules 278 in Zion!
Tell the nations what he has done! 279
9:12 For the one who takes revenge against murderers took notice of the oppressed; 280
he did not overlook 281 their cry for help 282
9:13 when they prayed: 283
“Have mercy on me, 284 Lord!
See how I am oppressed by those who hate me, 285
O one who can snatch me away 286 from the gates of death!
9:14 Then I will 287 tell about all your praiseworthy acts; 288
in the gates of Daughter Zion 289 I will rejoice because of your deliverance.” 290
9:15 The nations fell 291 into the pit they had made;
their feet were caught in the net they had hidden. 292
9:16 The Lord revealed himself;
he accomplished justice;
the wicked were ensnared by their own actions. 293 (Higgaion. 294 Selah)
9:17 The wicked are turned back and sent to Sheol; 295
this is the destiny of 296 all the nations that ignore 297 God,
9:18 for the needy are not permanently ignored, 298
the hopes of the oppressed are not forever dashed. 299
9:19 Rise up, Lord! 300
Don’t let men be defiant! 301
May the nations be judged in your presence!
9:20 Terrify them, Lord! 302
Let the nations know they are mere mortals! 303 (Selah)
10:1 Why, Lord, do you stand far off?
Why do you pay no attention during times of trouble? 305
10:2 The wicked arrogantly chase the oppressed; 306
the oppressed are trapped 307 by the schemes the wicked have dreamed up. 308
10:3 Yes, 309 the wicked man 310 boasts because he gets what he wants; 311
the one who robs others 312 curses 313 and 314 rejects the Lord. 315
10:4 The wicked man is so arrogant he always thinks,
“God won’t hold me accountable; he doesn’t care.” 316
10:5 He is secure at all times. 317
He has no regard for your commands; 318
he disdains all his enemies. 319
10:6 He says to himself, 320
“I will never 321 be upended,
because I experience no calamity.” 322
10:7 His mouth is full of curses and deceptive, harmful words; 323
his tongue injures and destroys. 324
10:8 He waits in ambush near the villages; 325
in hidden places he kills the innocent.
His eyes look for some unfortunate victim. 326
10:9 He lies in ambush in a hidden place, like a lion in a thicket; 327
he lies in ambush, waiting to catch 328 the oppressed;
he catches the oppressed 329 by pulling in his net. 330
10:10 His victims are crushed and beaten down;
they are trapped in his sturdy nets. 331
10:11 He says to himself, 332
“God overlooks it;
he does not pay attention;
he never notices.” 333
10:12 Rise up, Lord! 334
O God, strike him down! 335
Do not forget the oppressed!
10:13 Why does the wicked man reject God? 336
He says to himself, 337 “You 338 will not hold me accountable.” 339
10:14 You have taken notice, 340
for 341 you always see 342 one who inflicts pain and suffering. 343
The unfortunate victim entrusts his cause to you; 344
you deliver 345 the fatherless. 346
10:15 Break the arm 347 of the wicked and evil man!
Hold him accountable for his wicked deeds, 348
which he thought you would not discover. 349
10:16 The Lord rules forever! 350
The nations are driven out of his land. 351
10:17 Lord, you have heard 352 the request 353 of the oppressed;
you make them feel secure because you listen to their prayer. 354
10:18 You defend 355 the fatherless and oppressed, 356
so that mere mortals may no longer terrorize them. 357
For the music director; by David.
11:1 In the Lord I have taken shelter. 359
How can you say to me, 360
“Flee to a mountain like a bird! 361
11:2 For look, the wicked 362 prepare 363 their bows, 364
they put their arrows on the strings,
to shoot in the darkness 365 at the morally upright. 366
11:3 When the foundations 367 are destroyed,
what can the godly 368 accomplish?” 369
11:4 The Lord is in his holy temple; 370
the Lord’s throne is in heaven. 371
His eyes 372 watch; 373
his eyes 374 examine 375 all people. 376
11:5 The Lord approves of 377 the godly, 378
but he 379 hates 380 the wicked and those who love to do violence. 381
11:6 May the Lord rain down 382 burning coals 383 and brimstone 384 on the wicked!
A whirlwind is what they deserve! 385
11:7 Certainly 386 the Lord is just; 387
he rewards godly deeds; 388
the upright will experience his favor. 389
For the music director; according to the sheminith style; 391 a psalm of David.
12:1 Deliver, Lord!
For the godly 392 have disappeared; 393
people of integrity 394 have vanished. 395
12:2 People lie to one another; 396
they flatter and deceive. 397
12:3 May the Lord cut off 398 all flattering lips,
and the tongue that boasts! 399
12:4 They say, 400 “We speak persuasively; 401
we know how to flatter and boast. 402
Who is our master?” 403
12:5 “Because of the violence done to the oppressed, 404
because of the painful cries 405 of the needy,
I will spring into action,” 406 says the Lord.
“I will provide the safety they so desperately desire.” 407
12:6 The Lord’s words are absolutely reliable. 408
They are as untainted as silver purified in a furnace on the ground,
where it is thoroughly refined. 409
12:7 You, Lord, will protect them; 410
you will continually shelter each one from these evil people, 411
12:8 for the wicked seem to be everywhere, 412
when people promote evil. 413
For the music director; a psalm of David.
13:1 How long, Lord, will you continue to ignore me? 415
How long will you pay no attention to me? 416
13:2 How long must I worry, 417
and suffer in broad daylight? 418
How long will my enemy gloat over me? 419
13:3 Look at me! 420 Answer me, O Lord my God!
Revive me, 421 or else I will die! 422
13:4 Then 423 my enemy will say, “I have defeated him!”
Then 424 my foes will rejoice because I am upended.
13:5 But I 425 trust in your faithfulness.
May I rejoice because of your deliverance! 426
13:6 I will sing praises 427 to the Lord
when he vindicates me. 428
For the music director; by David.
14:1 Fools say to themselves, 430 “There is no God.” 431
They sin and commit evil deeds; 432
none of them does what is right. 433
14:2 The Lord looks down from heaven 434 at the human race, 435
to see if there is anyone who is wise 436 and seeks God. 437
14:3 Everyone rejects God; 438
they are all morally corrupt. 439
None of them does what is right, 440
not even one!
14:4 All those who behave wickedly 441 do not understand – 442
those who devour my people as if they were eating bread,
and do not call out to the Lord.
14:5 They are absolutely terrified, 443
for God defends the godly. 444
14:6 You want to humiliate the oppressed, 445
even though 446 the Lord is their 447 shelter.
14:7 I wish the deliverance 448 of Israel would come from Zion!
When the Lord restores the well-being of his people, 449
may Jacob rejoice, 450
may Israel be happy! 451
A psalm of David.
15:1 Lord, who may be a guest in your home? 453
Who may live on your holy hill? 454
15:2 Whoever lives a blameless life, 455
does what is right,
and speaks honestly. 456
15:3 He 457 does not slander, 458
or do harm to others, 459
or insult his neighbor. 460
15:4 He despises a reprobate, 461
but honors the Lord’s loyal followers. 462
He makes firm commitments and does not renege on his promise. 463
15:5 He does not charge interest when he lends his money. 464
He does not take bribes to testify against the innocent. 465
The one who lives like this 466 will never be upended.
A prayer 468 of David.
16:1 Protect me, O God, for I have taken shelter in you. 469
16:2 I say to the Lord, “You are the Lord,
my only source of well-being.” 470
16:3 As for God’s chosen people who are in the land,
and the leading officials I admired so much 471 –
16:4 their troubles multiply,
they desire other gods. 472
I will not pour out drink offerings of blood to their gods, 473
nor will I make vows in the name of their gods. 474
16:5 Lord, you give me stability and prosperity; 475
you make my future secure. 476
16:6 It is as if I have been given fertile fields
or received a beautiful tract of land. 477
16:7 I will praise 478 the Lord who 479 guides 480 me;
yes, during the night I reflect and learn. 481
16:8 I constantly trust in the Lord; 482
because he is at my right hand, I will not be upended.
16:9 So my heart rejoices
and I am happy; 483
My life is safe. 484
16:10 You will not abandon me 485 to Sheol; 486
you will not allow your faithful follower 487 to see 488 the Pit. 489
16:11 You lead me in 490 the path of life; 491
I experience absolute joy in your presence; 492
you always give me sheer delight. 493
A prayer of David.
17:1 Lord, consider my just cause! 495
Pay attention to my cry for help!
Listen to the prayer
I sincerely offer! 496
17:2 Make a just decision on my behalf! 497
Decide what is right! 498
17:3 You have scrutinized my inner motives; 499
you have examined me during the night. 500
You have carefully evaluated me, but you find no sin.
I am determined I will say nothing sinful. 501
17:4 As for the actions of people 502 –
just as you have commanded,
I have not followed in the footsteps of violent men. 503
17:5 I carefully obey your commands; 504
I do not deviate from them. 505
17:6 I call to you for you will answer me, O God.
Listen to me! 506
Hear what I say! 507
17:7 Accomplish awesome, faithful deeds, 508
you who powerfully deliver those who look to you for protection from their enemies. 509
17:8 Protect me as you would protect the pupil of your eye! 510
Hide me in the shadow of your wings! 511
17:9 Protect me from 512 the wicked men who attack 513 me,
my enemies who crowd around me for the kill. 514
17:10 They are calloused; 515
they speak arrogantly. 516
17:11 They attack me, now they surround me; 517
they intend to throw me to the ground. 518
17:12 He 519 is like a lion 520 that wants to tear its prey to bits, 521
like a young lion crouching 522 in hidden places.
17:13 Rise up, Lord!
Confront him! 523 Knock him down! 524
Use your sword to rescue me from the wicked man! 525
17:14 Lord, use your power to deliver me from these murderers, 526
from the murderers of this world! 527
They enjoy prosperity; 528
you overwhelm them with the riches they desire. 529
They have many children,
and leave their wealth to their offspring. 530
17:15 As for me, because I am innocent I will see your face; 531
when I awake you will reveal yourself to me. 532
For the music director; by the Lord’s servant David, who sang 534 to the Lord the words of this song when 535 the Lord rescued him from the power 536 of all his enemies, including Saul. 537
18:1 He said: 538
“I love 539 you, Lord, my source of strength! 540
18:2 The Lord is my high ridge, 541 my stronghold, 542 my deliverer.
My God is my rocky summit where 543 I take shelter, 544
my shield, the horn that saves me, 545 and my refuge. 546
18:3 I called 547 to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, 548
and I was delivered from my enemies.
18:4 The waves 549 of death engulfed me,
the currents 550 of chaos 551 overwhelmed me. 552
18:5 The ropes of Sheol tightened around me, 553
the snares of death trapped me. 554
18:6 In my distress I called to the Lord;
I cried out to my God. 555
From his heavenly temple 556 he heard my voice;
he listened to my cry for help. 557
18:7 The earth heaved and shook; 558
the roots of the mountains 559 trembled; 560
they heaved because he was angry.
18:8 Smoke ascended from 561 his nose; 562
fire devoured as it came from his mouth; 563
he hurled down fiery coals. 564
18:9 He made the sky sink 565 as he descended;
a thick cloud was under his feet.
18:10 He mounted 566 a winged angel 567 and flew;
he glided 568 on the wings of the wind. 569
18:11 He shrouded himself in darkness, 570
in thick rain clouds. 571
18:12 From the brightness in front of him came
hail and fiery coals. 572
18:13 The Lord thundered 573 in 574 the sky;
the sovereign One 575 shouted. 576
18:14 He shot his 577 arrows and scattered them, 578
many lightning bolts 579 and routed them. 580
18:15 The depths 581 of the sea 582 were exposed;
the inner regions 583 of the world were uncovered
by 584 your battle cry, 585 Lord,
by the powerful breath from your nose. 586
18:16 He reached down 587 from above and took hold of me;
he pulled me from the surging water. 588
18:17 He rescued me from my strong enemy, 589
from those who hate me,
for they were too strong for me.
18:18 They confronted 590 me in my day of calamity,
but the Lord helped me. 591
18:19 He brought me out into a wide open place;
he delivered me because he was pleased with me. 592
18:20 The Lord repaid 593 me for my godly deeds; 594
he rewarded 595 my blameless behavior. 596
18:21 For I have obeyed the Lord’s commands; 597
I have not rebelled against my God. 598
18:22 For I am aware of all his regulations, 599
and I do not reject his rules. 600
18:23 I was innocent before him,
and kept myself from sinning. 601
18:24 The Lord rewarded me for my godly deeds; 602
he took notice of my blameless behavior. 603
18:25 You prove to be loyal 604 to one who is faithful; 605
you prove to be trustworthy 606 to one who is innocent. 607
18:26 You prove to be reliable 608 to one who is blameless,
but you prove to be deceptive 609 to one who is perverse. 610
18:27 For you deliver oppressed 611 people,
but you bring down those who have a proud look. 612
18:28 Indeed, 613 you are my lamp, Lord. 614
My God 615 illuminates the darkness around me. 616
18:29 Indeed, 617 with your help 618 I can charge against 619 an army; 620
by my God’s power 621 I can jump over a wall. 622
18:30 The one true God acts in a faithful manner; 623
the Lord’s promise 624 is reliable; 625
he is a shield to all who take shelter 626 in him.
18:31 Indeed, 627 who is God besides the Lord?
Who is a protector 628 besides our God? 629
18:32 The one true God 630 gives 631 me strength; 632
he removes 633 the obstacles in my way. 634
18:33 He gives me the agility of a deer; 635
he enables me to negotiate the rugged terrain. 636
18:34 He trains my hands for battle; 637
my arms can bend even the strongest bow. 638
18:35 You give me your protective shield; 639
your right hand supports me; 640
your willingness to help 641 enables me to prevail. 642
18:36 You widen my path; 643
my feet 644 do not slip.
18:37 I chase my enemies and catch 645 them;
I do not turn back until I wipe them out.
18:38 I beat them 646 to death; 647
they fall at my feet. 648
18:39 You give me strength 649 for battle;
you make my foes kneel before me. 650
18:40 You make my enemies retreat; 651
I destroy those who hate me. 652
18:41 They cry out, but there is no one to help them; 653
they cry out to the Lord, 654 but he does not answer them.
18:42 I grind them as fine windblown dust; 655
I beat them underfoot 656 like clay 657 in the streets.
18:43 You rescue me from a hostile army; 658
you make me 659 a leader of nations;
people over whom I had no authority are now my subjects. 660
18:44 When they hear of my exploits, they submit to me. 661
Foreigners are powerless 662 before me;
18:45 foreigners lose their courage; 663
they shake with fear 664 as they leave 665 their strongholds. 666
18:46 The Lord is alive! 667
My protector 668 is praiseworthy! 669
The God who delivers me 670 is exalted as king! 671
18:47 The one true God 672 completely vindicates me; 673
he makes nations submit to me. 674
18:48 He delivers me 675 from my enemies;
you snatch me away 676 from those who attack me; 677
you rescue me from violent men.
18:49 So I will give you thanks before the nations, 678 O Lord!
I will sing praises to you! 679
18:50 He 680 gives his chosen king magnificent victories; 681
he is faithful 682 to his chosen ruler, 683
to David and his descendants 684 forever.” 685
For the music director; a psalm of David.
19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; 687
the sky displays his handiwork. 688
19:2 Day after day it speaks out; 689
night after night it reveals his greatness. 690
19:3 There is no actual speech or word,
nor is its 691 voice literally heard.
19:4 Yet its voice 692 echoes 693 throughout the earth;
its 694 words carry 695 to the distant horizon. 696
In the sky 697 he has pitched a tent for the sun. 698
19:5 Like a bridegroom it emerges 699 from its chamber; 700
like a strong man it enjoys 701 running its course. 702
19:6 It emerges from the distant horizon, 703
and goes from one end of the sky to the other; 704
nothing can escape 705 its heat.
19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect
and preserves one’s life. 706
The rules set down by the Lord 707 are reliable 708
and impart wisdom to the inexperienced. 709
19:8 The Lord’s precepts are fair 710
and make one joyful. 711
The Lord’s commands 712 are pure 713
and give insight for life. 714
19:9 The commands to fear the Lord are right 715
and endure forever. 716
The judgments given by the Lord are trustworthy
and absolutely just. 717
19:10 They are of greater value 718 than gold,
than even a great amount of pure gold;
they bring greater delight 719 than honey,
than even the sweetest honey from a honeycomb.
19:11 Yes, your servant finds moral guidance there; 720
those who obey them receive a rich reward. 721
19:12 Who can know all his errors? 722
Please do not punish me for sins I am unaware of. 723
19:13 Moreover, keep me from committing flagrant 724 sins;
do not allow such sins to control me. 725
Then I will be blameless,
and innocent of blatant 726 rebellion.
19:14 May my words and my thoughts
be acceptable in your sight, 727
O Lord, my sheltering rock 728 and my redeemer. 729
For the music director; a psalm of David.
20:1 May the Lord answer 731 you 732 when you are in trouble; 733
may the God of Jacob 734 make you secure!
20:2 May he send you help from his temple; 735
from Zion may he give you support!
20:3 May he take notice 736 of your offerings;
may he accept 737 your burnt sacrifice! (Selah)
20:4 May he grant your heart’s desire; 738
may he bring all your plans to pass! 739
20:5 Then we will shout for joy over your 740 victory;
we will rejoice 741 in the name of our God!
May the Lord grant all your requests!
20:6 Now I am sure 742 that the Lord will deliver 743 his chosen king; 744
he will intervene for him 745 from his holy heavenly temple, 746
and display his mighty ability to deliver. 747
20:7 Some trust in chariots and others in horses, 748
but we 749 depend on 750 the Lord our God.
20:8 They will fall down, 751
but we 752 will stand firm. 753
20:9 The Lord will deliver the king; 754
he will answer us 755 when we call to him for help! 756
For the music director; a psalm of David.
21:1 O Lord, the king rejoices in the strength you give; 758
he takes great delight in the deliverance you provide. 759
21:2 You grant 760 him his heart’s desire;
you do not refuse his request. 761 (Selah)
21:3 For you bring him 762 rich 763 blessings; 764
you place a golden crown on his head.
21:4 He asked you to sustain his life, 765
and you have granted him long life and an enduring dynasty. 766
21:5 Your deliverance brings him great honor; 767
you give him majestic splendor. 768
21:6 For you grant him lasting blessings;
you give him great joy by allowing him into your presence. 769
21:7 For the king trusts 770 in the Lord,
and because of the sovereign Lord’s 771 faithfulness he is not upended. 772
21:8 You 773 prevail over 774 all your enemies;
your power is too great for those who hate you. 775
21:9 You burn them up like a fiery furnace 776 when you appear; 777
the Lord angrily devours them; 778
the fire consumes them.
21:10 You destroy their offspring 779 from the earth,
their descendants 780 from among the human race. 781
21:11 Yes, 782 they intend to do you harm; 783
they dream up a scheme, 784 but they do not succeed. 785
21:12 For you make them retreat 786
when you shoot your arrows at them. 787
21:13 Rise up, O Lord, in strength! 788
We will sing and praise 789 your power!
For the music director; according to the tune “Morning Doe;” 791 a psalm of David.
22:1 My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? 792
I groan in prayer, but help seems far away. 793
22:2 My God, I cry out during the day,
but you do not answer,
and during the night my prayers do not let up. 794
22:3 You are holy;
you sit as king receiving the praises of Israel. 795
22:4 In you our ancestors 796 trusted;
they trusted in you 797 and you rescued them.
22:5 To you they cried out, and they were saved;
in you they trusted and they were not disappointed. 798
22:6 But I 799 am a worm, 800 not a man; 801
people insult me and despise me. 802
22:7 All who see me taunt 803 me;
they mock me 804 and shake their heads. 805
22:8 They say, 806
“Commit yourself 807 to the Lord!
Let the Lord 808 rescue him!
Let the Lord 809 deliver him, for he delights in him.” 810
22:9 Yes, you are the one who brought me out 811 from the womb
and made me feel secure on my mother’s breasts.
22:10 I have been dependent on you since birth; 812
from the time I came out of my mother’s womb you have been my God. 813
22:11 Do not remain far away from me,
for trouble is near and I have no one to help me. 814
22:12 Many bulls 815 surround me;
powerful bulls of Bashan 816 hem me in.
22:13 They 817 open their mouths to devour me 818
like a roaring lion that rips its prey. 819
22:14 My strength drains away like water; 820
all my bones are dislocated;
my heart 821 is like wax;
it melts away inside me.
22:15 The roof of my mouth 822 is as dry as a piece of pottery;
my tongue sticks to my gums. 823
You 824 set me in the dust of death. 825
22:16 Yes, 826 wild dogs surround me –
a gang of evil men crowd around me;
like a lion they pin my hands and feet. 827
22:17 I can count 828 all my bones;
my enemies 829 are gloating over me in triumph. 830
22:18 They are dividing up my clothes among themselves;
they are rolling dice 831 for my garments.
22:19 But you, O Lord, do not remain far away!
You are my source of strength! 832 Hurry and help me! 833
22:20 Deliver me 834 from the sword!
Save 835 my life 836 from the claws 837 of the wild dogs!
22:21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lion, 838
and from the horns of the wild oxen! 839
You have answered me! 840
22:22 I will declare your name to my countrymen! 841
In the middle of the assembly I will praise you!
22:23 You loyal followers of the Lord, 842 praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
All you descendants of Israel, stand in awe of him! 843
22:24 For he did not despise or detest the suffering 844 of the oppressed; 845
he did not ignore him; 846
when he cried out to him, he responded. 847
22:25 You are the reason I offer praise 848 in the great assembly;
I will fulfill my promises before the Lord’s loyal followers. 849
22:26 Let the oppressed eat and be filled! 850
Let those who seek his help praise the Lord!
May you 851 live forever!
22:27 Let all the people of the earth acknowledge the Lord and turn to him! 852
Let all the nations 853 worship you! 854
22:28 For the Lord is king 855
and rules over the nations.
22:29 All of the thriving people 856 of the earth will join the celebration and worship; 857
all those who are descending into the grave 858 will bow before him,
including those who cannot preserve their lives. 859
22:30 A whole generation 860 will serve him;
they will tell the next generation about the sovereign Lord. 861
22:31 They will come and tell about his saving deeds; 862
they will tell a future generation what he has accomplished. 863
A psalm of David.
23:1 The Lord is my shepherd, 865
I lack nothing. 866
23:2 He takes me to lush pastures, 867
he leads me to refreshing water. 868
23:3 He restores my strength. 869
He leads me down 870 the right paths 871
for the sake of his reputation. 872
23:4 Even when I must walk through the darkest valley, 873
I fear 874 no danger, 875
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff reassure me. 876
23:5 You prepare a feast before me 877
in plain sight of my enemies.
You refresh 878 my head with oil;
my cup is completely full. 879
23:6 Surely your goodness and faithfulness 880 will pursue 881 me all my days, 882
and I will live in 883 the Lord’s house 884 for the rest of my life. 885
A psalm of David.
24:1 The Lord owns the earth and all it contains,
the world and all who live in it.
24:2 For he set its foundation upon the seas,
and established 887 it upon the ocean currents. 888
24:3 Who is allowed to ascend 889 the mountain of the Lord? 890
Who may go up to his holy dwelling place?
24:4 The one whose deeds are blameless
and whose motives are pure, 891
who does not lie, 892
or make promises with no intention of keeping them. 893
24:5 Such godly people are rewarded by the Lord, 894
and vindicated by the God who delivers them. 895
24:6 Such purity characterizes the people who seek his favor,
Jacob’s descendants, who pray to him. 896 (Selah)
24:7 Look up, 897 you gates!
Rise up, 898 you eternal doors!
Then the majestic king 899 will enter! 900
24:8 Who is this majestic king? 901
The Lord who is strong and mighty!
The Lord who is mighty in battle!
24:9 Look up, you gates!
Rise up, you eternal doors!
Then the majestic king will enter!
24:10 Who is this majestic king?
The Lord who commands armies! 902
He is the majestic king! (Selah)
By David.
25:1 O Lord, I come before you in prayer. 904
25:2 My God, I trust in you.
Please do not let me be humiliated;
do not let my enemies triumphantly rejoice over me!
25:3 Certainly none who rely on you will be humiliated.
Those who deal in treachery will be thwarted 905 and humiliated.
25:4 Make me understand your ways, O Lord!
Teach me your paths! 906
25:5 Guide me into your truth 907 and teach me.
For you are the God who delivers me;
on you I rely all day long.
25:6 Remember 908 your compassionate and faithful deeds, O Lord,
for you have always acted in this manner. 909
25:7 Do not hold against me 910 the sins of my youth 911 or my rebellious acts!
Because you are faithful to me, extend to me your favor, O Lord! 912
25:8 The Lord is both kind and fair; 913
that is why he teaches sinners the right way to live. 914
25:9 May he show 915 the humble what is right! 916
May he teach 917 the humble his way!
25:10 The Lord always proves faithful and reliable 918
to those who follow the demands of his covenant. 919
25:11 For the sake of your reputation, 920 O Lord,
forgive my sin, because it is great. 921
25:12 The Lord shows his faithful followers
the way they should live. 922
25:13 They experience his favor; 923
their descendants 924 inherit the land. 925
25:14 The Lord’s loyal followers receive his guidance, 926
and he reveals his covenantal demands to them. 927
25:15 I continually look to the Lord for help, 928
for he will free my feet from the enemy’s net. 929
25:16 Turn toward me and have mercy on me,
for I am alone 930 and oppressed!
25:17 Deliver me from my distress; 931
rescue me from my suffering! 932
25:18 See my pain and suffering!
Forgive all my sins! 933
25:19 Watch my enemies, for they outnumber me;
they hate me and want to harm me. 934
25:20 Protect me 935 and deliver me!
Please do not let me be humiliated,
for I have taken shelter in you!
25:21 May integrity and godliness protect me,
for I rely on you!
25:22 O God, rescue 936 Israel
from all their distress! 937
By David.
26:1 Vindicate me, O Lord,
for I have integrity, 939
and I trust in the Lord without wavering.
26:2 Examine me, O Lord, and test me!
Evaluate my inner thoughts and motives! 940
26:3 For I am ever aware of your faithfulness, 941
and your loyalty continually motivates me. 942
26:4 I do not associate 943 with deceitful men,
or consort 944 with those who are dishonest. 945
26:5 I hate the mob 946 of evil men,
and do not associate 947 with the wicked.
26:6 I maintain a pure lifestyle, 948
so I can appear before your altar, 949 O Lord,
26:7 to give you thanks, 950
and to tell about all your amazing deeds. 951
26:8 O Lord, I love the temple where you live, 952
the place where your splendor is revealed. 953
26:9 Do not sweep me away 954 with sinners,
or execute me along with violent people, 955
26:10 who are always ready to do wrong 956
or offer a bribe. 957
26:11 But I have integrity! 958
Rescue me 959 and have mercy on me!
26:12 I am safe, 960
and among the worshipers I will praise the Lord.
By David.
27:1 The Lord delivers and vindicates me! 962
I fear no one! 963
The Lord protects my life!
I am afraid of no one! 964
27:2 When evil men attack me 965
to devour my flesh, 966
when my adversaries and enemies attack me, 967
they stumble and fall. 968
27:3 Even when an army is deployed against me,
I do not fear. 969
Even when war is imminent, 970
I remain confident. 971
27:4 I have asked the Lord for one thing –
this is what I desire!
I want to live 972 in the Lord’s house 973 all the days of my life,
so I can gaze at the splendor 974 of the Lord
and contemplate in his temple.
27:5 He will surely 975 give me shelter 976 in the day of danger; 977
he will hide me in his home; 978
he will place me 979 on an inaccessible rocky summit. 980
27:6 Now I will triumph
over my enemies who surround me! 981
I will offer sacrifices in his dwelling place and shout for joy! 982
I will sing praises to the Lord!
27:7 Hear me, 983 O Lord, when I cry out!
Have mercy on me and answer me!
27:8 My heart tells me to pray to you, 984
and I do pray to you, O Lord. 985
27:9 Do not reject me! 986
Do not push your servant away in anger!
You are my deliverer! 987
Do not forsake or abandon me,
O God who vindicates me!
27:10 Even if my father and mother abandoned me, 988
the Lord would take me in. 989
27:11 Teach me how you want me to live; 990
lead me along a level path 991 because of those who wait to ambush me! 992
27:12 Do not turn me over to my enemies, 993
for false witnesses who want to destroy me testify against me. 994
27:13 Where would I be if I did not believe I would experience
the Lord’s favor in the land of the living? 995
27:14 Rely 996 on the Lord!
Be strong and confident! 997
Rely on the Lord!
By David.
28:1 To you, O Lord, I cry out!
My protector, 999 do not ignore me! 1000
If you do not respond to me, 1001
I will join 1002 those who are descending into the grave. 1003
28:2 Hear my plea for mercy when I cry out to you for help,
when I lift my hands 1004 toward your holy temple! 1005
28:3 Do not drag me away with evil men,
with those who behave wickedly, 1006
who talk so friendly to their neighbors, 1007
while they plan to harm them! 1008
28:4 Pay them back for their evil deeds!
Pay them back for what they do!
Punish them! 1009
28:5 For they do not understand the Lord’s actions,
or the way he carries out justice. 1010
The Lord 1011 will permanently demolish them. 1012
28:6 The Lord deserves praise, 1013
for he has heard my plea for mercy! 1014
28:7 The Lord strengthens and protects me; 1015
I trust in him with all my heart. 1016
I am rescued 1017 and my heart is full of joy; 1018
I will sing to him in gratitude. 1019
28:8 The Lord strengthens his people; 1020
he protects and delivers his chosen king. 1021
28:9 Deliver your people!
Empower 1022 the nation that belongs to you! 1023
Care for them like a shepherd and carry them in your arms 1024 at all times! 1025
A psalm of David.
29:1 Acknowledge the Lord, you heavenly beings, 1027
acknowledge the Lord’s majesty and power! 1028
29:2 Acknowledge the majesty of the Lord’s reputation! 1029
Worship the Lord in holy attire! 1030
29:3 The Lord’s shout is heard over the water; 1031
the majestic God thunders, 1032
the Lord appears over the surging water. 1033
29:4 The Lord’s shout is powerful, 1034
the Lord’s shout is majestic. 1035
29:5 The Lord’s shout breaks 1036 the cedars,
the Lord shatters 1037 the cedars of Lebanon. 1038
29:6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf
and Sirion 1039 like a young ox. 1040
29:7 The Lord’s shout strikes 1041 with flaming fire. 1042
29:8 The Lord’s shout shakes 1043 the wilderness,
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. 1044
29:9 The Lord’s shout bends 1045 the large trees 1046
and strips 1047 the leaves from the forests. 1048
Everyone in his temple says, “Majestic!” 1049
29:10 The Lord sits enthroned over the engulfing waters, 1050
the Lord sits enthroned 1051 as the eternal king.
29:11 The Lord gives 1052 his people strength; 1053
the Lord grants his people security. 1054
A psalm – a song used at the dedication of the temple; 1056 by David.
30:1 I will praise you, O Lord, for you lifted me up, 1057
and did not allow my enemies to gloat 1058 over me.
30:2 O Lord my God,
I cried out to you and you healed me. 1059
30:3 O Lord, you pulled me 1060 up from Sheol;
you rescued me from among those descending into the grave. 1061
30:4 Sing to the Lord, you faithful followers 1062 of his;
give thanks to his holy name. 1063
30:5 For his anger lasts only a brief moment,
and his good favor restores one’s life. 1064
One may experience sorrow during the night,
but joy arrives in the morning. 1065
30:6 In my self-confidence I said,
“I will never be upended.” 1066
30:7 O Lord, in your good favor you made me secure. 1067
Then you rejected me 1068 and I was terrified.
30:8 To you, O Lord, I cried out;
I begged the Lord for mercy: 1069
30:9 “What 1070 profit is there in taking my life, 1071
in my descending into the Pit? 1072
Can the dust of the grave 1073 praise you?
Can it declare your loyalty? 1074
30:10 Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me!
O Lord, deliver me!” 1075
30:11 Then you turned my lament into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and covered me with joy. 1076
30:12 So now 1077 my heart 1078 will sing to you and not be silent;
O Lord my God, I will always 1079 give thanks to you.
For the music director; a psalm of David.
31:1 In you, O Lord, I have taken shelter!
Never let me be humiliated!
Vindicate me by rescuing me! 1081
31:2 Listen to me! 1082
Quickly deliver me!
Be my protector and refuge, 1083
a stronghold where I can be safe! 1084
31:3 For you are my high ridge 1085 and my stronghold;
for the sake of your own reputation 1086 you lead me and guide me. 1087
31:4 You will free me 1088 from the net they hid for me,
for you are my place of refuge.
31:5 Into your hand I entrust my life; 1089
you will rescue 1090 me, O Lord, the faithful God.
31:6 I hate those who serve worthless idols, 1091
but I trust in the Lord.
31:7 I will be happy and rejoice in your faithfulness,
because you notice my pain
and you are aware of how distressed I am. 1092
31:8 You do not deliver me over to the power of the enemy;
you enable me to stand 1093 in a wide open place.
31:9 Have mercy on me, for I am in distress!
My eyes grow dim 1094 from suffering. 1095
I have lost my strength. 1096
31:10 For my life nears its end in pain;
my years draw to a close as I groan. 1097
My strength fails me because of 1098 my sin,
and my bones become brittle. 1099
31:11 Because of all my enemies, people disdain me; 1100
my neighbors are appalled by my suffering 1101 –
those who know me are horrified by my condition; 1102
those who see me in the street run away from me.
31:12 I am forgotten, like a dead man no one thinks about; 1103
I am regarded as worthless, like a broken jar. 1104
31:13 For I hear what so many are saying, 1105
the terrifying news that comes from every direction. 1106
When they plot together against me,
they figure out how they can take my life.
31:14 But I trust in you, O Lord!
I declare, “You are my God!”
31:15 You determine my destiny! 1107
Rescue me from the power of my enemies and those who chase me.
31:16 Smile 1108 on your servant!
Deliver me because of your faithfulness!
31:17 O Lord, do not let me be humiliated,
for I call out to you!
May evil men be humiliated!
May they go wailing to the grave! 1109
31:18 May lying lips be silenced –
lips 1110 that speak defiantly against the innocent 1111
with arrogance and contempt!
31:19 How great is your favor, 1112
which you store up for your loyal followers! 1113
In plain sight of everyone you bestow it on those who take shelter 1114 in you. 1115
31:20 You hide them with you, where they are safe from the attacks 1116 of men; 1117
you conceal them in a shelter, where they are safe from slanderous attacks. 1118
31:21 The Lord deserves praise 1119
for he demonstrated his amazing faithfulness to me when I was besieged by enemies. 1120
31:22 I jumped to conclusions and said, 1121
“I am cut off from your presence!” 1122
But you heard my plea for mercy when I cried out to you for help.
31:23 Love the Lord, all you faithful followers 1123 of his!
The Lord protects those who have integrity,
but he pays back in full the one who acts arrogantly. 1124
31:24 Be strong and confident, 1125
all you who wait on the Lord!
By David; a well-written song. 1127
32:1 How blessed 1128 is the one whose rebellious acts are forgiven, 1129
whose sin is pardoned! 1130
32:2 How blessed is the one 1131 whose wrongdoing the Lord does not punish, 1132
in whose spirit there is no deceit. 1133
32:3 When I refused to confess my sin, 1134
my whole body wasted away, 1135
while I groaned in pain all day long.
32:4 For day and night you tormented me; 1136
you tried to destroy me 1137 in the intense heat 1138 of summer. 1139 (Selah)
32:5 Then I confessed my sin;
I no longer covered up my wrongdoing.
I said, “I will confess 1140 my rebellious acts to the Lord.”
And then you forgave my sins. 1141 (Selah)
32:6 For this reason every one of your faithful followers 1142 should pray to you
while there is a window of opportunity. 1143
Certainly 1144 when the surging water 1145 rises,
it will not reach them. 1146
32:7 You are my hiding place;
you protect me from distress.
You surround me with shouts of joy from those celebrating deliverance. 1147 (Selah)
32:8 I will instruct and teach you 1148 about how you should live. 1149
I will advise you as I look you in the eye. 1150
32:9 Do not be 1151 like an unintelligent horse or mule, 1152
which will not obey you
unless they are controlled by a bridle and bit. 1153
32:10 An evil person suffers much pain, 1154
but the Lord’s faithfulness overwhelms the one who trusts in him. 1155
32:11 Rejoice in the Lord and be happy, you who are godly!
Shout for joy, all you who are morally upright! 1156
33:1 You godly ones, shout for joy because of the Lord!
It is appropriate for the morally upright to offer him praise.
33:2 Give thanks to the Lord with the harp!
Sing to him to the accompaniment of a ten-stringed instrument!
33:3 Sing to him a new song! 1158
Play skillfully as you shout out your praises to him! 1159
33:4 For 1160 the Lord’s decrees 1161 are just, 1162
and everything he does is fair. 1163
33:5 The Lord promotes 1164 equity and justice;
the Lord’s faithfulness extends throughout the earth. 1165
33:6 By the Lord’s decree 1166 the heavens were made;
by a mere word from his mouth all the stars in the sky were created. 1167
33:7 He piles up the water of the sea; 1168
he puts the oceans 1169 in storehouses.
33:8 Let the whole earth fear 1170 the Lord!
Let all who live in the world stand in awe of him!
33:9 For he spoke, and it 1171 came into existence,
he issued the decree, 1172 and it stood firm.
33:10 The Lord frustrates 1173 the decisions of the nations;
he nullifies the plans 1174 of the peoples.
33:11 The Lord’s decisions stand forever;
his plans abide throughout the ages. 1175
33:12 How blessed 1176 is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people whom he has chosen to be his special possession. 1177
33:13 The Lord watches 1178 from heaven;
he sees all people. 1179
33:14 From the place where he lives he looks carefully
at all the earth’s inhabitants.
33:15 He is the one who forms every human heart, 1180
and takes note of all their actions.
33:16 No king is delivered by his vast army;
a warrior is not saved by his great might.
33:17 A horse disappoints those who trust in it for victory; 1181
despite its great strength, it cannot deliver.
33:18 Look, the Lord takes notice of his loyal followers, 1182
those who wait for him to demonstrate his faithfulness 1183
33:19 by saving their lives from death 1184
and sustaining them during times of famine. 1185
33:20 We 1186 wait for the Lord;
he is our deliverer 1187 and shield. 1188
33:21 For our hearts rejoice in him,
for we trust in his holy name.
33:22 May we experience your faithfulness, O Lord, 1189
for 1190 we wait for you.
Written by David, when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, causing the king to send him away. 1192
34:1 I will praise 1193 the Lord at all times;
my mouth will continually praise him. 1194
34:2 I will boast 1195 in the Lord;
let the oppressed hear and rejoice! 1196
34:3 Magnify the Lord with me!
Let’s praise 1197 his name together!
34:4 I sought the Lord’s help 1198 and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
34:5 Those who look to him for help are happy;
their faces are not ashamed. 1199
34:6 This oppressed man cried out and the Lord heard;
he saved him 1200 from all his troubles.
34:7 The Lord’s angel camps around
the Lord’s 1201 loyal followers 1202 and delivers them. 1203
34:8 Taste 1204 and see that the Lord is good!
How blessed 1205 is the one 1206 who takes shelter in him! 1207
34:9 Remain loyal to 1208 the Lord, you chosen people of his, 1209
for his loyal followers 1210 lack nothing!
34:10 Even young lions sometimes lack food and are hungry,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
34:11 Come children! Listen to me!
I will teach you what it means to fear the Lord. 1211
34:12 Do you want to really live? 1212
Would you love to live a long, happy life? 1213
34:13 Then make sure you don’t speak evil words 1214
or use deceptive speech! 1215
34:14 Turn away from evil and do what is right! 1216
Strive for peace and promote it! 1217
34:15 The Lord pays attention to the godly
and hears their cry for help. 1218
34:16 But the Lord opposes evildoers
and wipes out all memory of them from the earth. 1219
34:17 The godly 1220 cry out and the Lord hears;
he saves them from all their troubles. 1221
34:18 The Lord is near the brokenhearted;
he delivers 1222 those who are discouraged. 1223
34:19 The godly 1224 face many dangers, 1225
but the Lord saves 1226 them 1227 from each one of them.
34:20 He protects 1228 all his bones; 1229
not one of them is broken. 1230
34:21 Evil people self-destruct; 1231
those who hate the godly are punished. 1232
34:22 The Lord rescues his servants; 1233
all who take shelter in him escape punishment. 1234
By David.
35:1 O Lord, fight 1236 those who fight with me!
Attack those who attack me!
35:2 Grab your small shield and large shield, 1237
and rise up to help me!
35:3 Use your spear and lance 1238 against 1239 those who chase me!
Assure me with these words: 1240 “I am your deliverer!”
35:4 May those who seek my life be embarrassed and humiliated!
May those who plan to harm me be turned back and ashamed! 1241
35:5 May they be 1242 like wind-driven chaff,
as the Lord’s angel 1243 attacks them! 1244
35:6 May their path be 1245 dark and slippery,
as the Lord’s angel chases them!
35:7 I did not harm them, but they hid a net to catch me
and dug a pit to trap me. 1246
35:8 Let destruction take them by surprise! 1247
Let the net they hid catch them!
Let them fall into destruction! 1248
35:9 Then I will rejoice in the Lord
and be happy because of his deliverance. 1249
35:10 With all my strength I will say, 1250
“O Lord, who can compare to you?
You rescue 1251 the oppressed from those who try to overpower them; 1252
the oppressed and needy from those who try to rob them.” 1253
35:11 Violent men perjure themselves, 1254
and falsely accuse me. 1255
35:12 They repay me evil for the good I have done; 1256
I am overwhelmed with sorrow. 1257
35:13 When they were sick, I wore sackcloth, 1258
and refrained from eating food. 1259
(If I am lying, may my prayers go unanswered!) 1260
35:14 I mourned for them as I would for a friend or my brother. 1261
I bowed down 1262 in sorrow as if I were mourning for my mother. 1263
35:15 But when I stumbled, they rejoiced and gathered together;
they gathered together to ambush me. 1264
They tore at me without stopping to rest. 1265
35:16 When I tripped, they taunted me relentlessly, 1266
and tried to bite me. 1267
35:17 O Lord, how long are you going to just stand there and watch this? 1268
Rescue 1269 me 1270 from their destructive attacks;
guard my life 1271 from the young lions!
35:18 Then I will give you thanks in the great assembly; 1272
I will praise you before a large crowd of people! 1273
35:19 Do not let those who are my enemies for no reason 1274 gloat 1275 over me!
Do not let those who hate me without cause carry out their wicked schemes! 1276
35:20 For they do not try to make peace with others, 1277
but plan ways to deceive those who are unsuspecting. 1278
35:21 They are ready to devour me; 1279
they say, “Aha! Aha! We’ve got you!” 1280
35:22 But you take notice, 1281 Lord!
O Lord, do not remain far away from me!
35:23 Rouse yourself, wake up 1282 and vindicate me! 1283
My God and Lord, defend my just cause! 1284
35:24 Vindicate me by your justice, O Lord my God!
Do not let them gloat 1285 over me!
35:25 Do not let them say to themselves, 1286 “Aha! We have what we wanted!” 1287
Do not let them say, “We have devoured him!”
35:26 May those who want to harm me be totally embarrassed and ashamed! 1288
May those who arrogantly taunt me be covered with shame and humiliation! 1289
35:27 May those who desire my vindication shout for joy and rejoice!
May they continually say, 1290 “May the Lord be praised, 1291 for he wants his servant to be secure.” 1292
35:28 Then I will tell others about your justice, 1293
and praise you all day long. 1294
For the music director; written by the Lord’s servant, David; an oracle. 1296
36:1 An evil man is rebellious to the core. 1297
He does not fear God, 1298
36:2 for he is too proud
to recognize and give up his sin. 1299
36:3 The words he speaks are sinful and deceitful;
he does not care about doing what is wise and right. 1300
36:4 He plans ways to sin while he lies in bed;
he is committed to a sinful lifestyle; 1301
he does not reject what is evil. 1302
36:5 O Lord, your loyal love reaches to the sky; 1303
your faithfulness to the clouds. 1304
36:6 Your justice is like the highest mountains, 1305
your fairness like the deepest sea;
you preserve 1306 mankind and the animal kingdom. 1307
36:7 How precious 1308 is your loyal love, O God!
The human race finds shelter under your wings. 1309
36:8 They are filled with food from your house,
and you allow them to drink from the river of your delicacies.
36:9 For you are the one who gives
and sustains life. 1310
36:10 Extend 1311 your loyal love to your faithful followers, 1312
and vindicate 1313 the morally upright! 1314
36:11 Do not let arrogant men overtake me,
or let evil men make me homeless! 1315
36:12 I can see the evildoers! They have fallen! 1316
They have been knocked down and are unable to get up! 1317
By David.
37:1 Do not fret 1319 when wicked men seem to succeed! 1320
Do not envy evildoers!
37:2 For they will quickly dry up like grass,
and wither away like plants. 1321
37:3 Trust in the Lord and do what is right!
Settle in the land and maintain your integrity! 1322
37:4 Then you will take delight in the Lord, 1323
and he will answer your prayers. 1324
37:5 Commit your future to the Lord! 1325
Trust in him, and he will act on your behalf. 1326
37:6 He will vindicate you in broad daylight,
and publicly defend your just cause. 1327
37:7 Wait patiently for the Lord! 1328
Wait confidently 1329 for him!
Do not fret over the apparent success of a sinner, 1330
a man who carries out wicked schemes!
37:8 Do not be angry and frustrated! 1331
Do not fret! That only leads to trouble!
37:9 Wicked men 1332 will be wiped out, 1333
but those who rely on the Lord are the ones who will possess the land. 1334
37:10 Evil men will soon disappear; 1335
you will stare at the spot where they once were, but they will be gone. 1336
37:11 But the oppressed will possess the land
and enjoy great prosperity. 1337
37:12 Evil men plot against the godly 1338
and viciously attack them. 1339
37:13 The Lord laughs in disgust 1340 at them,
for he knows that their day is coming. 1341
37:14 Evil men draw their swords
and prepare their bows,
to bring down 1342 the oppressed and needy,
and to slaughter those who are godly. 1343
37:15 Their swords will pierce 1344 their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.
37:16 The little bit that a godly man owns is better than
the wealth of many evil men, 1345
37:17 for evil men will lose their power, 1346
but the Lord sustains 1347 the godly.
37:18 The Lord watches over the innocent day by day 1348
and they possess a permanent inheritance. 1349
37:19 They will not be ashamed when hard times come; 1350
when famine comes they will have enough to eat. 1351
37:20 But 1352 evil men will die;
the Lord’s enemies will be incinerated 1353 –
they will go up in smoke. 1354
37:21 Evil men borrow, but do not repay their debt,
but the godly show compassion and are generous. 1355
37:22 Surely 1356 those favored by the Lord 1357 will possess the land,
but those rejected 1358 by him will be wiped out. 1359
37:23 The Lord grants success to the one
whose behavior he finds commendable. 1360
37:24 Even if 1361 he trips, he will not fall headlong, 1362
for the Lord holds 1363 his hand.
37:25 I was once young, now I am old.
I have never seen a godly man abandoned,
or his children 1364 forced to search for food. 1365
37:26 All day long he shows compassion and lends to others, 1366
and his children 1367 are blessed.
37:27 Turn away from evil! Do what is right! 1368
Then you will enjoy lasting security. 1369
37:28 For the Lord promotes 1370 justice,
and never abandons 1371 his faithful followers.
They are permanently secure, 1372
but the children 1373 of evil men are wiped out. 1374
37:29 The godly will possess the land
and will dwell in it permanently.
37:30 The godly speak wise words
and promote justice. 1375
37:31 The law of their God controls their thinking; 1376
their 1377 feet do not slip.
37:32 Evil men set an ambush for the godly
and try to kill them. 1378
37:33 But the Lord does not surrender the godly,
or allow them to be condemned in a court of law. 1379
37:34 Rely 1380 on the Lord! Obey his commands! 1381
Then he will permit you 1382 to possess the land;
you will see the demise of evil men. 1383
37:35 I have seen ruthless evil men 1384
growing in influence, like a green tree grows in its native soil. 1385
37:36 But then one passes by, and suddenly they have disappeared! 1386
I looked for them, but they could not be found.
37:37 Take note of the one who has integrity! Observe the godly! 1387
For the one who promotes peace has a future. 1388
37:38 Sinful rebels are totally destroyed; 1389
evil men have no future. 1390
37:39 But the Lord delivers the godly; 1391
he protects them in times of trouble. 1392
37:40 The Lord helps them and rescues them;
he rescues them from evil men and delivers them, 1393
for they seek his protection.
A psalm of David, written to get God’s attention. 1395
38:1 O Lord, do not continue to rebuke me in your anger!
Do not continue to punish me in your raging fury! 1396
38:2 For your arrows pierce 1397 me,
and your hand presses me down. 1398
38:3 My whole body is sick because of your judgment; 1399
I am deprived of health because of my sin. 1400
38:4 For my sins overwhelm me; 1401
like a heavy load, they are too much for me to bear.
38:5 My wounds 1402 are infected and starting to smell, 1403
because of my foolish sins. 1404
38:6 I am dazed 1405 and completely humiliated; 1406
all day long I walk around mourning.
38:7 For I am overcome with shame 1407
and my whole body is sick. 1408
38:8 I am numb with pain and severely battered; 1409
I groan loudly because of the anxiety I feel. 1410
38:9 O Lord, you understand my heart’s desire; 1411
my groaning is not hidden from you.
38:10 My heart beats quickly;
my strength leaves me;
I can hardly see. 1412
38:11 Because of my condition, 1413 even my friends and acquaintances keep their distance; 1414
my neighbors stand far away. 1415
38:12 Those who seek my life try to entrap me; 1416
those who want to harm me speak destructive words;
all day long they say deceitful things.
38:13 But I am like a deaf man – I hear nothing;
I am like a mute who cannot speak. 1417
38:14 I am like a man who cannot hear
and is incapable of arguing his defense. 1418
38:15 Yet 1419 I wait for you, O Lord!
You will respond, O Lord, my God!
38:16 I have prayed for deliverance, because otherwise they will gloat over me; 1420
when my foot slips they will arrogantly taunt me. 1421
38:17 For I am about to stumble,
and I am in constant pain. 1422
38:18 Yes, 1423 I confess my wrongdoing,
and I am concerned about my sins.
38:19 But those who are my enemies for no reason are numerous; 1424
those who hate me without cause outnumber me. 1425
38:20 They repay me evil for the good I have done;
though I have tried to do good to them, they hurl accusations at me. 1426
38:21 Do not abandon me, O Lord!
My God, do not remain far away from me!
38:22 Hurry and help me, 1427 O Lord, my deliverer!
For the music director, Jeduthun; a psalm of David.
39:1 I decided, 1429 “I will watch what I say
and make sure I do not sin with my tongue. 1430
I will put a muzzle over my mouth
while in the presence of an evil man.” 1431
39:2 I was stone silent; 1432
I held back the urge to speak. 1433
My frustration grew; 1434
39:3 my anxiety intensified. 1435
As I thought about it, I became impatient. 1436
Finally I spoke these words: 1437
39:4 “O Lord, help me understand my mortality
and the brevity of life! 1438
Let me realize how quickly my life will pass! 1439
39:5 Look, you make my days short-lived, 1440
and my life span is nothing from your perspective. 1441
Surely all people, even those who seem secure, are nothing but vapor. 1442
39:6 Surely people go through life as mere ghosts. 1443
Surely they accumulate worthless wealth
without knowing who will eventually haul it away.” 1444
39:7 But now, O Lord, upon what am I relying?
You are my only hope! 1445
39:8 Deliver me from all my sins of rebellion!
Do not make me the object of fools’ insults!
39:9 I am silent and cannot open my mouth
because of what you have done. 1446
39:10 Please stop wounding me! 1447
You have almost beaten me to death! 1448
39:11 You severely discipline people for their sins; 1449
like a moth you slowly devour their strength. 1450
Surely all people are a mere vapor. (Selah)
39:12 Hear my prayer, O Lord!
Listen to my cry for help!
Do not ignore my sobbing! 1451
For I am dependent on you, like one residing outside his native land;
I am at your mercy, just as all my ancestors were. 1452
39:13 Turn your angry gaze away from me, so I can be happy
before I pass away. 1453
For the music director; By David, a psalm.
40:1 I relied completely 1455 on the Lord,
and he turned toward me
and heard my cry for help.
40:2 He lifted me out of the watery pit, 1456
out of the slimy mud. 1457
He placed my feet on a rock
and gave me secure footing. 1458
40:3 He gave me reason to sing a new song, 1459
praising our God. 1460
May many see what God has done,
so that they might swear allegiance to him and trust in the Lord! 1461
40:4 How blessed 1462 is the one 1463 who trusts in the Lord 1464
and does not seek help from 1465 the proud or from liars! 1466
40:5 O Lord, my God, you have accomplished many things;
you have done amazing things and carried out your purposes for us. 1467
No one can thwart you! 1468
I want to declare them and talk about them,
but they are too numerous to recount! 1469
40:6 Receiving sacrifices and offerings are not your primary concern. 1470
You make that quite clear to me! 1471
You do not ask for burnt sacrifices and sin offerings.
40:7 Then I say,
“Look! I come!
What is written in the scroll pertains to me. 1472
40:8 I want to do what pleases you, 1473 my God.
Your law dominates my thoughts.” 1474
40:9 I have told the great assembly 1475 about your justice. 1476
Look! I spare no words! 1477
O Lord, you know this is true.
40:10 I have not failed to tell about your justice; 1478
I spoke about your reliability and deliverance;
I have not neglected to tell the great assembly about your loyal love and faithfulness. 1479
40:11 O Lord, you do not withhold 1480 your compassion from me.
May your loyal love and faithfulness continually protect me! 1481
40:12 For innumerable dangers 1482 surround me.
My sins overtake me
so I am unable to see;
they outnumber the hairs of my head
so my strength fails me. 1483
40:13 Please be willing, O Lord, to rescue me!
O Lord, hurry and help me! 1484
40:14 May those who are trying to snatch away my life
be totally embarrassed and ashamed! 1485
May those who want to harm me
be turned back and ashamed! 1486
40:15 May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”
be humiliated 1487 and disgraced! 1488
40:16 May all those who seek you be happy and rejoice in you!
May those who love to experience 1489 your deliverance say continually, 1490
“May the Lord be praised!” 1491
40:17 I am oppressed and needy! 1492
May the Lord pay attention to me! 1493
You are my helper and my deliverer!
O my God, do not delay!
For the music director; a psalm of David.
41:1 How blessed 1495 is the one who treats the poor properly! 1496
When trouble comes, 1497 the Lord delivers him. 1498
41:2 May the Lord protect him and save his life! 1499
May he be blessed 1500 in the land!
Do not turn him over 1501 to his enemies! 1502
41:3 The Lord supports 1503 him on his sickbed;
you completely heal him from his illness. 1504
41:4 As for me, I said: 1505
“O Lord, have mercy on me!
Heal me, for I have sinned against you!
41:5 My enemies ask this cruel question about me, 1506
‘When will he finally die and be forgotten?’ 1507
41:6 When someone comes to visit, 1508 he pretends to be friendly; 1509
he thinks of ways to defame me, 1510
and when he leaves he slanders me. 1511
41:7 All who hate me whisper insults about me to one another; 1512
they plan ways to harm me.
41:8 They say, 1513
‘An awful disease 1514 overwhelms him, 1515
and now that he is bed-ridden he will never recover.’ 1516
41:9 Even my close friend 1517 whom I trusted,
he who shared meals with me, has turned against me. 1518
41:10 As for you, O Lord, have mercy on me and raise me up,
so I can pay them back!” 1519
41:11 By this 1520 I know that you are pleased with me,
for my enemy does 1521 not triumph 1522 over me.
41:12 As for me, you uphold 1523 me because of my integrity; 1524
you allow 1525 me permanent access to your presence. 1526
41:13 The Lord God of Israel deserves praise 1527
in the future and forevermore! 1528
We agree! We agree! 1529
Book 2
(Psalms 42-72)
For the music director; a well-written song 1531 by the Korahites.
42:1 As a deer 1532 longs 1533 for streams of water,
so I long 1534 for you, O God!
42:2 I thirst 1535 for God,
for the living God.
I say, 1536 “When will I be able to go and appear in God’s presence?” 1537
42:3 I cannot eat, I weep day and night; 1538
all day long they say to me, 1539 “Where is your God?”
42:4 I will remember and weep! 1540
For I was once walking along with the great throng to the temple of God,
shouting and giving thanks along with the crowd as we celebrated the holy festival. 1541
42:5 Why are you depressed, 1542 O my soul? 1543
Why are you upset? 1544
Wait for God!
For I will again give thanks
to my God for his saving intervention. 1545
42:6 I am depressed, 1546
so I will pray to you while I am trapped here in the region of the upper Jordan, 1547
from Hermon, 1548 from Mount Mizar. 1549
42:7 One deep stream calls out to another 1550 at the sound of your waterfalls; 1551
all your billows and waves overwhelm me. 1552
42:8 By day the Lord decrees his loyal love, 1553
and by night he gives me a song, 1554
a prayer 1555 to the living God.
42:9 I will pray 1556 to God, my high ridge: 1557
“Why do you ignore 1558 me?
Why must I walk around mourning 1559
because my enemies oppress me?”
42:10 My enemies’ taunts cut into me to the bone, 1560
as they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” 1561
42:11 Why are you depressed, 1562 O my soul? 1563
Why are you upset? 1564
Wait for God!
For I will again give thanks
to my God for his saving intervention. 1565
43:1 Vindicate me, O God!
Fight for me 1567 against an ungodly nation!
Deliver me 1568 from deceitful and evil men! 1569
43:2 For you are the God who shelters me. 1570
Why do you reject me? 1571
Why must I walk around 1572 mourning 1573
because my enemies oppress me?
43:3 Reveal 1574 your light 1575 and your faithfulness!
They will lead me, 1576
they will escort 1577 me back to your holy hill, 1578
and to the place where you live. 1579
43:4 Then I will go 1580 to the altar of God,
to the God who gives me ecstatic joy, 1581
so that I express my thanks to you, 1582 O God, my God, with a harp.
43:5 Why are you depressed, 1583 O my soul? 1584
Why are you upset? 1585
Wait for God!
For I will again give thanks
to my God for his saving intervention. 1586
For the music director; by the Korahites, a well-written song. 1588
44:1 O God, we have clearly heard; 1589
our ancestors 1590 have told us
what you did 1591 in their days,
in ancient times. 1592
44:2 You, by your power, 1593 defeated nations and settled our fathers on their land; 1594
you crushed 1595 the people living there 1596 and enabled our ancestors to occupy it. 1597
44:3 For they did not conquer 1598 the land by their swords,
and they did not prevail by their strength, 1599
but rather by your power, 1600 strength 1601 and good favor, 1602
for you were partial to 1603 them.
44:4 You are my 1604 king, O God!
Decree 1605 Jacob’s 1606 deliverance!
44:5 By your power 1607 we will drive back 1608 our enemies;
by your strength 1609 we will trample down 1610 our foes! 1611
44:6 For I do not trust in my bow,
and I do not prevail by my sword.
44:7 For you deliver 1612 us from our enemies;
you humiliate 1613 those who hate us.
44:8 In God I boast all day long,
and we will continually give thanks to your name. (Selah)
44:9 But 1614 you rejected and embarrassed us!
You did not go into battle with our armies. 1615
44:10 You made us retreat 1616 from the enemy.
Those who hate us take whatever they want from us. 1617
44:11 You handed us 1618 over like sheep to be eaten;
you scattered us among the nations.
44:12 You sold 1619 your people for a pittance; 1620
you did not ask a high price for them. 1621
44:13 You made us 1622 an object of disdain to our neighbors;
those who live on our borders taunt and insult us. 1623
44:14 You made us 1624 an object of ridicule 1625 among the nations;
foreigners treat us with contempt. 1626
44:15 All day long I feel humiliated 1627
and am overwhelmed with shame, 1628
44:16 before the vindictive enemy
who ridicules and insults me. 1629
44:17 All this has happened to us, even though we have not rejected you 1630
or violated your covenant with us. 1631
44:18 We have not been unfaithful, 1632
nor have we disobeyed your commands. 1633
44:19 Yet you have battered us, leaving us a heap of ruins overrun by wild dogs; 1634
you have covered us with darkness. 1635
44:20 If we had rejected our God, 1636
and spread out our hands in prayer to another god, 1637
44:21 would not God discover it,
for he knows 1638 one’s thoughts? 1639
44:22 Yet because of you 1640 we are killed all day long;
we are treated like 1641 sheep at the slaughtering block. 1642
44:23 Rouse yourself! Why do you sleep, O Lord?
Wake up! 1643 Do not reject us forever!
44:24 Why do you look the other way, 1644
and ignore 1645 the way we are oppressed and mistreated? 1646
44:25 For we lie in the dirt,
with our bellies pressed to the ground. 1647
44:26 Rise up and help us!
Rescue us 1648 because of your loyal love!
For the music director; according to the tune of “Lilies;” 1650 by the Korahites, a well-written poem, 1651 a love song.
45:1 My heart is stirred by a beautiful song. 1652
I say, “I have composed this special song 1653 for the king;
my tongue is as skilled as the stylus of an experienced scribe.” 1654
45:2 You are the most handsome of all men! 1655
You speak in an impressive and fitting manner! 1656
For this reason 1657 God grants you continual blessings. 1658
45:3 Strap your sword to your thigh, O warrior! 1659
Appear in your majestic splendor! 1660
45:4 Appear in your majesty and be victorious! 1661
Ride forth for the sake of what is right, 1662
on behalf of justice! 1663
Then your right hand will accomplish mighty acts! 1664
45:5 Your arrows are sharp
and penetrate the hearts of the king’s enemies.
Nations fall at your feet. 1665
45:6 Your throne, 1666 O God, is permanent. 1667
The scepter 1668 of your kingdom is a scepter of justice.
45:7 You love 1669 justice and hate evil. 1670
For this reason God, your God 1671 has anointed you 1672
with the oil of joy, 1673 elevating you above your companions. 1674
45:8 All your garments are perfumed with 1675 myrrh, aloes, and cassia.
From the luxurious palaces 1676 comes the music of stringed instruments that makes you happy. 1677
45:9 Princesses 1678 are among your honored guests, 1679
your bride 1680 stands at your right hand, wearing jewelry made with gold from Ophir. 1681
45:10 Listen, O princess! 1682
Observe and pay attention! 1683
Forget your homeland 1684 and your family! 1685
45:11 Then 1686 the king will be attracted by 1687 your beauty.
After all, he is your master! Submit 1688 to him! 1689
45:12 Rich people from Tyre 1690
will seek your favor by bringing a gift. 1691
45:13 The princess 1692 looks absolutely magnificent, 1693
decked out in pearls and clothed in a brocade trimmed with gold. 1694
45:14 In embroidered robes she is escorted to the king.
Her attendants, the maidens of honor who follow her,
are led before you. 1695
45:15 They are bubbling with joy as they walk in procession
and enter the royal palace. 1696
45:16 Your 1697 sons will carry 1698 on the dynasty of your ancestors; 1699
you will make them princes throughout the land.
45:17 I will proclaim your greatness through the coming years, 1700
then the nations will praise you 1701 forever.
For the music director; by the Korahites; according to the alamoth style; 1703 a song.
46:1 God is our strong refuge; 1704
he is truly our helper in times of trouble. 1705
46:2 For this reason we do not fear 1706 when the earth shakes, 1707
and the mountains tumble into the depths of the sea, 1708
46:3 when its waves 1709 crash 1710 and foam,
and the mountains shake 1711 before the surging sea. 1712 (Selah)
46:4 The river’s channels bring joy to the city of God, 1713
the special, holy dwelling place of 1714 the sovereign One. 1715
46:5 God lives within it, 1716 it cannot be moved. 1717
God rescues it 1718 at the break of dawn. 1719
46:6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms are overthrown. 1720
God 1721 gives a shout, 1722 the earth dissolves. 1723
46:7 The Lord who commands armies is on our side! 1724
The God of Jacob 1725 is our protector! 1726 (Selah)
46:8 Come! Witness the exploits 1727 of the Lord,
who brings devastation to the earth! 1728
46:9 He brings an end to wars throughout the earth; 1729
he shatters 1730 the bow and breaks 1731 the spear;
he burns 1732 the shields with fire. 1733
46:10 He says, 1734 “Stop your striving and recognize 1735 that I am God!
I will be exalted 1736 over 1737 the nations! I will be exalted over 1738 the earth!”
46:11 The Lord who commands armies is on our side! 1739
The God of Jacob 1740 is our protector! 1741 (Selah)
For the music director; by the Korahites; a psalm.
47:1 All you nations, clap your hands!
Shout out to God in celebration! 1743
47:2 For the sovereign Lord 1744 is awe-inspiring; 1745
he is the great king who rules the whole earth! 1746
47:3 He subdued nations beneath us 1747
and countries 1748 under our feet.
47:4 He picked out for us a special land 1749
to be a source of pride for 1750 Jacob, 1751 whom he loves. 1752 (Selah)
47:5 God has ascended his throne 1753 amid loud shouts; 1754
the Lord has ascended his throne amid the blaring of ram’s horns. 1755
47:6 Sing to God! Sing!
Sing to our king! Sing!
47:7 For God is king of the whole earth!
Sing a well-written song! 1756
47:8 God reigns 1757 over the nations!
God sits on his holy throne!
47:9 The nobles of the nations assemble,
along with the people of the God of Abraham, 1758
for God has authority over the rulers 1759 of the earth.
He is highly exalted! 1760
A song, a psalm by the Korahites.
48:1 The Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise
in the city of our God, 1762 his holy hill.
48:2 It is lofty and pleasing to look at, 1763
a source of joy to the whole earth. 1764
Mount Zion resembles the peaks of Zaphon; 1765
it is the city of the great king.
48:3 God is in its fortresses;
he reveals himself as its defender. 1766
48:4 For 1767 look, the kings assemble; 1768
they advance together.
48:5 As soon as they see, 1769 they are shocked; 1770
they are terrified, they quickly retreat. 1771
48:6 Look at them shake uncontrollably, 1772
like a woman writhing in childbirth. 1773
48:7 With an east wind
you shatter 1774 the large ships. 1775
48:8 We heard about God’s mighty deeds, now we have seen them, 1776
in the city of the Lord, the invincible Warrior, 1777
in the city of our God.
God makes it permanently secure. 1778 (Selah)
48:9 We reflect on your loyal love, O God,
within your temple.
48:10 The praise you receive as far away as the ends of the earth
is worthy of your reputation, O God. 1779
You execute justice! 1780
48:11 Mount Zion rejoices;
the towns 1781 of Judah are happy, 1782
because of your acts of judgment. 1783
48:12 Walk around 1784 Zion! Encircle it!
Count its towers!
48:13 Consider its defenses! 1785
Walk through 1786 its fortresses,
so you can tell the next generation about it! 1787
48:14 For God, our God, is our defender forever! 1788
He guides 1789 us! 1790
For the music director, a psalm by the Korahites.
49:1 Listen to this, all you nations!
Pay attention, all you inhabitants of the world! 1792
49:2 Pay attention, all you people, 1793
both rich and poor!
49:3 I will declare a wise saying; 1794
I will share my profound thoughts. 1795
49:4 I will learn a song that imparts wisdom;
I will then sing my insightful song to the accompaniment of a harp. 1796
49:5 Why should I be afraid in times of trouble, 1797
when the sinful deeds of deceptive men threaten to overwhelm me? 1798
49:6 They trust 1799 in their wealth
and boast 1800 in their great riches.
49:7 Certainly a man cannot rescue his brother; 1801
he cannot pay God an adequate ransom price 1802
49:8 (the ransom price for a human life 1803 is too high,
and people go to their final destiny), 1804
49:9 so that he might continue to live 1805 forever
and not experience death. 1806
49:10 Surely 1807 one sees 1808 that even wise people die; 1809
fools and spiritually insensitive people all pass away 1810
and leave their wealth to others. 1811
49:11 Their grave becomes their permanent residence,
their eternal dwelling place. 1812
They name their lands after themselves, 1813
49:12 but, despite their wealth, people do not last, 1814
they are like animals 1815 that perish. 1816
49:13 This is the destiny of fools, 1817
and of those who approve of their philosophy. 1818 (Selah)
49:14 They will travel to Sheol like sheep, 1819
with death as their shepherd. 1820
The godly will rule 1821 over them when the day of vindication dawns; 1822
Sheol will consume their bodies and they will no longer live in impressive houses. 1823
49:15 But 1824 God will rescue 1825 my life 1826 from the power 1827 of Sheol;
certainly 1828 he will pull me to safety. 1829 (Selah)
49:16 Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich 1830
and his wealth multiplies! 1831
49:17 For he will take nothing with him when he dies;
his wealth will not follow him down into the grave. 1832
49:18 He pronounces this blessing on himself while he is alive:
“May men praise you, for you have done well!”
49:19 But he will join his ancestors; 1833
they will never again see the light of day. 1834
49:20 Wealthy people do not understand; 1835
they are like animals 1836 that perish. 1837
A psalm by Asaph.
50:1 El, God, the Lord 1839 speaks,
and summons the earth to come from the east and west. 1840
50:2 From Zion, the most beautiful of all places, 1841
God comes in splendor. 1842
50:3 Our God approaches and is not silent; 1843
consuming fire goes ahead of him
and all around him a storm rages. 1844
50:4 He summons the heavens above,
as well as the earth, so that he might judge his people. 1845
50:5 He says: 1846
“Assemble my covenant people before me, 1847
those who ratified a covenant with me by sacrifice!” 1848
50:6 The heavens declare his fairness, 1849
for God is judge. 1850 (Selah)
50:7 He says: 1851
“Listen my people! I am speaking!
Listen Israel! I am accusing you! 1852
I am God, your God!
50:8 I am not condemning 1853 you because of your sacrifices,
or because of your burnt sacrifices that you continually offer me. 1854
50:9 I do not need to take 1855 a bull from your household
or goats from your sheepfolds.
50:10 For every wild animal in the forest belongs to me,
as well as the cattle that graze on a thousand hills. 1856
50:11 I keep track of 1857 every bird in the hills,
and the insects 1858 of the field are mine.
50:12 Even if I were hungry, I would not tell you,
for the world and all it contains belong to me.
50:13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls?
Do I drink the blood of goats? 1859
50:14 Present to God a thank-offering!
Repay your vows to the sovereign One! 1860
50:15 Pray to me when you are in trouble! 1861
I will deliver you, and you will honor me!” 1862
50:16 God says this to the evildoer: 1863
“How can you declare my commands,
and talk about my covenant? 1864
50:17 For you hate instruction
and reject my words. 1865
50:18 When you see a thief, you join him; 1866
you associate with men who are unfaithful to their wives. 1867
50:19 You do damage with words, 1868
and use your tongue to deceive. 1869
50:20 You plot against your brother; 1870
you slander your own brother. 1871
50:21 When you did these things, I was silent, 1872
so you thought I was exactly like you. 1873
But now I will condemn 1874 you
and state my case against you! 1875
50:22 Carefully consider this, you who reject God! 1876
Otherwise I will rip you to shreds 1877
and no one will be able to rescue you.
50:23 Whoever presents a thank-offering honors me. 1878
To whoever obeys my commands, I will reveal my power to deliver.” 1879
1 sn Psalm 1. In this wisdom psalm the author advises his audience to reject the lifestyle of the wicked and to be loyal to God. The psalmist contrasts the destiny of the wicked with that of the righteous, emphasizing that the wicked are eventually destroyed while the godly prosper under the Lord’s protective care.
2 tn The Hebrew noun is an abstract plural. The word often refers metonymically to the happiness that God-given security and prosperity produce (see v. 3; Pss 2:12; 34:9; 41:1; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).
3 tn Heb “[Oh] the happiness [of] the man.” Hebrew wisdom literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The principle of the psalm is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, we translate the gender and age specific “man” with the more neutral “one.” (Generic “he” is employed in vv. 2-3). Since the godly man described in the psalm is representative of followers of God (note the plural form צַדִּיקִים [tsadiqim, “righteous, godly”] in vv. 5-6), one could translate the collective singular with the plural “those” both here and in vv. 2-3, where singular pronouns and verbal forms are utilized in the Hebrew text (cf. NRSV). However, here the singular form may emphasize that godly individuals are usually outnumbered by the wicked. Retaining the singular allows the translation to retain this emphasis.
4 tn Heb “walk in.” The three perfect verbal forms in v. 1 refer in this context to characteristic behavior. The sequence “walk–stand–sit” envisions a progression from relatively casual association with the wicked to complete identification with them.
5 tn The Hebrew noun translated “advice” most often refers to the “counsel” or “advice” one receives from others. To “walk in the advice of the wicked” means to allow their evil advice to impact and determine one’s behavior.
6 tn In the psalms the Hebrew term רְשָׁעִים (rÿsha’im, “wicked”) describes people who are 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).
7 tn “Pathway” here refers to the lifestyle of sinners. To “stand in the pathway of/with sinners” means to closely associate with them in their sinful behavior.
8 tn Here the Hebrew term מוֹשַׁב (moshav), although often translated “seat” (cf. NEB, NIV), appears to refer to the whole assembly of evildoers. The word also carries the semantic nuance “assembly” in Ps 107:32, where it is in synonymous parallelism with קָהָל (qahal, “assembly”).
9 tn The Hebrew word refers to arrogant individuals (Prov 21:24) who love conflict (Prov 22:10) and vociferously reject wisdom and correction (Prov 1:22; 9:7-8; 13:1; 15:12). To “sit in the assembly” of such people means to completely identify with them in their proud, sinful plans and behavior.
10 tn Here the Hebrew expression כִּי־אִם (ki-’im, “instead”) introduces a contrast between the sinful behavior depicted in v. 1 and the godly lifestyle described in v. 2.
11 tn Heb “his delight [is] in the law of the
12 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form draws attention to the characteristic behavior described here and lends support to the hyperbolic adverbial phrase “day and night.” The verb הָגָה (hagag) means “to recite quietly; to meditate” and refers metonymically to intense study and reflection.
13 tn Or “his law.”
14 tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries the same characteristic force as the imperfect in the preceding verse. According to the psalmist, the one who studies and obeys God’s commands typically prospers.
15 tn Heb “channels of water.”
16 tn Heb “which.”
17 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal forms in v. 3 draw attention to the typical nature of the actions/states they describe.
18 tn Heb “in its season.”
19 tn Or “fade”; “wither.”
20 tn Heb “and all which he does prospers”; or “and all which he does he causes to prosper.” (The simile of the tree does not extend to this line.) It is not certain if the Hiphil verbal form (יַצְלִיחַ, yatsliakh) is intransitive-exhibitive (“prospers”) or causative (“causes to prosper”) here. If the verb is intransitive, then כֹּל (kol, “all, everything”) is the subject. If the verb is causative, then the godly individual or the Lord himself is the subject and כֹּל is the object. The wording is reminiscent of Josh 1:8, where the Lord tells Joshua: “This law scroll must not leave your lips! You must memorize it day and night so you can carefully obey all that is written in it. Then you will prosper (literally, “cause your way to prosper”) and be successful.”
21 tn Here the Hebrew expression כִּי־אִם (ki-’im, “instead,” cf. v. 2) introduces a contrast between the prosperity of the godly depicted in v. 3 and the destiny of the wicked described in v. 4.
22 tn Heb “[they are] like the chaff which [the] wind blows about.” The Hebrew imperfect verbal form draws attention to the typical nature of the action described.
23 tn Or “Therefore.”
24 tn Heb “arise in,” but the verb is used metonymically here in the sense of “stand”; “endure,” as in 1 Sam 13:14 and Job 8:15. The negated Hebrew imperfect verbal form is here taken as indicating incapability or lack of potential, though one could understand the verb form as indicating what is typical (“do not withstand”) or what will happen (“will not withstand”).
25 tn Heb “the judgment.” The article indicates a judgment that is definite in the mind of the speaker. In the immediate context this probably does not refer to the “final judgment” described in later biblical revelation, but to a temporal/historical judgment which the author anticipates. Periodically during the OT period, God would come in judgment, removing the wicked from the scene, while preserving a godly remnant (see Gen 6-9; Ps 37; Hab 3).
26 tn Heb “and sinners in the assembly (or “circle”) of [the] godly.” The negative particle and verb from the preceding line are assumed by ellipsis here (“will not arise/stand”).
27 tn The translation understands כי as asseverative. Another option is to translate “for,” understanding v. 6 as a theological explanation for vv. 3-5, which contrasts the respective destinies of the godly and the wicked.
28 tn Heb “the
29 tn Heb “but the way of the wicked perishes.” The “way of the wicked” may refer to their course of life (Ps 146:9; Prov 4:19; Jer 12:1) or their sinful behavior (Prov 12:26; 15:9). The Hebrew imperfect verbal form probably describes here what typically happens, though one could take the form as indicating what will happen (“will perish”).
30 sn Psalm 2. In this royal psalm the author asserts the special status of the divinely chosen Davidic king and warns the nations and their rulers to submit to the authority of God and his chosen vice-regent.
31 tn The question is rhetorical. Rather than seeking information, the psalmist expresses his outrage that the nations would have the audacity to rebel against God and his chosen king.
32 tn The Hebrew verb רָגַשׁ (ragash) occurs only here. In Dan 6:6, 11, 15 the Aramaic cognate verb describes several officials acting as a group. A Hebrew nominal derivative is used in Ps 55:14 of a crowd of people in the temple.
33 tn The interrogative לָמָּה (lamah, “why?”) is understood by ellipsis in the second line.
34 tn Or “peoples” (so many English versions).
35 tn The Hebrew imperfect form describes the rebellion as underway. The verb הָגָה (hagah), which means “to recite quietly, meditate,” here has the metonymic nuance “devise, plan, plot” (see Ps 38:12; Prov 24:2).
36 tn Heb “devising emptiness.” The noun רִיק (riq, “emptiness”) may characterize their behavior as “worthless, morally bankrupt” but more likely refers to the outcome of their plots (i.e., failure). As the rest of the psalm emphasizes, their rebellion will fail.
37 sn The expression kings of the earth refers somewhat hyperbolically to the kings who had been conquered by and were subject to the Davidic king.
38 tn Or “take their stand.” The Hebrew imperfect verbal form describes their action as underway.
39 tn Or “conspire together.” The verbal form is a Niphal from יָסַד (yasad). BDB 413-14 s.v. יָסַד defines the verb as “establish, found,” but HALOT 417 s.v. II יסד proposes a homonym meaning “get together, conspire” (an alternate form of סוּד, sud).
40 tn Heb “and against his anointed one.” The Davidic king is the referent (see vv. 6-7).
41 tn The words “they say” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The quotation represents the words of the rebellious kings.
42 tn Heb “their (i.e., the
43 tn Heb “throw off from us.”
44 tn Heb “sitting.” The Hebrew verb יָשַׁב (yashav) is here used metonymically of “sitting enthroned” (see Pss 9:7; 29:10; 55:19; 102:12; 123:1).
45 tn As the next line indicates, this refers to derisive laughter. The Hebrew imperfect verbal forms in vv. 4-5 describe the action from the perspective of an eyewitness who is watching the divine response as it unfolds before his eyes.
46 tn Or “scoffs at”; “derides”; “mocks.”
47 sn And terrifies them in his rage. This line focuses on the effect that God’s angry response (see previous line) has on the rebellious kings.
48 tn The word “saying” is supplied in the translation for clarification to indicate that the speaker is the Lord (cf. RSV, NIV).
49 tn The first person pronoun appears before the first person verbal form for emphasis, reflected in the translation by “myself.”
50 tn Or perhaps “consecrated.”
51 tn The words “the king says” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The speaker is the Lord’s chosen king.
52 tn Or “I will relate the decree. The
53 sn ‘You are my son!’ The Davidic king was viewed as God’s “son” (see 2 Sam 7:14; Ps 89:26-27). The idiom reflects ancient Near Eastern adoption language associated with covenants of grant, by which a lord would reward a faithful subject by elevating him to special status, referred to as “sonship.” Like a son, the faithful subject received an “inheritance,” viewed as an unconditional, eternal gift. Such gifts usually took the form of land and/or an enduring dynasty. See M. Weinfeld, “The Covenant of Grant in the Old Testament and in the Ancient Near East,” JAOS 90 (1970): 184-203, for general discussion and some striking extra-biblical parallels.
54 sn I will give you the nations. The
55 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.
56 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.
57 sn Like a potter’s jar. Before the Davidic king’s awesome power, the rebellious nations are like fragile pottery.
58 sn The speaker here is either the psalmist or the Davidic king, who now addresses the rebellious kings.
59 tn The Niphal has here a tolerative nuance; the kings are urged to submit themselves to the advice being offered.
60 tn The Hebrew verb translated “serve” refers here to submitting to the Lord’s sovereignty as expressed through the rule of the Davidic king. Such “service” would involve maintaining allegiance to the Davidic king by paying tribute on a regular basis.
61 tn Traditionally, “rejoice with trembling” (KJV). The verb גִּיל (gil) normally means “rejoice,” but this meaning does not fit well here in conjunction with “in trembling.” Some try to understand “trembling” (and the parallel יִרְאָה, yir’ah, “fear”) in the sense of “reverential awe” and then take the verbs “serve” and “rejoice” in the sense of “worship” (cf. NASB). But רְעָדָה (rÿ’adah, “trembling”) and its related terms consistently refer to utter terror and fear (see Exod 15:15; Job 4:14; Pss 48:6; 55:5; 104:32; Isa 33:14; Dan 10:11) or at least great emotional distress (Ezra 10:9). It seems more likely here that גִּיל carries its polarized meaning “mourn, lament,” as in Hos 10:5. “Mourn, lament” would then be metonymic in this context for “repent” (referring to one’s rebellious ways). On the meaning of the verb in Hos 10:5, see F. I. Andersen and D. N. Freedman, Hosea (AB), 556-57.
62 tn Traditionally, “kiss the son” (KJV). But בַּר (bar) is the Aramaic word for “son,” not the Hebrew. For this reason many regard the reading as suspect. Some propose emendations of vv. 11b-12a. One of the more popular proposals is to read בִּרְעָדָה נַשְּׁקוּ לְרַגְלָיו (bir’adah nashÿqu lÿraslayv, “in trembling kiss his feet”). It makes better sense to understand בַּר (bar) as an adjective meaning “pure” (see Pss 24:4; 73:1 and BDB 141 s.v. בַּר 3) functioning here in an adverbial sense. If read this way, then the syntactical structure of exhortation (imperative followed by adverbial modifier) corresponds to the two preceding lines (see v. 11). The verb נָשַׁק (nashaq, “kiss”) refers metonymically to showing homage (see 1 Sam 10:1; Hos 13:2). The exhortation in v. 12a advocates a genuine expression of allegiance and warns against insincerity. When swearing allegiance, vassal kings would sometimes do so insincerely, with the intent of rebelling when the time was right. The so-called “Vassal Treaties of Esarhaddon” also warn against such an attitude. In this treaty the vassal is told: “If you, as you stand on the soil where this oath [is sworn], swear the oath with your words and lips [only], do not swear with your entire heart, do not transmit it to your sons who will live after this treaty, if you take this curse upon yourselves but do not plan to keep the treaty of Esarhaddon…may your sons and grandsons because of this fear in the future” (see J. B. Pritchard, ed., The Ancient Near East, 2:62).
63 tn Throughout the translation of this verse the third person masculine pronouns refer to the
64 tn The implied subject of the verb is the
65 tn Heb “and you will perish [in the] way.” The Hebrew word דֶּרֶךְ (derekh, “way”) here refers to their rebellious behavior (not to a pathway, as often understood). It functions syntactically as an adverbial accusative in relation to the verb “perish.”
66 tn Or “burns.” The
67 tn The Hebrew noun is an abstract plural. The word often refers metonymically to the happiness that God-given security and prosperity produce (see Pss 1:1; 34:9; 41:1; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).
68 sn Who take shelter in him. “Taking shelter” in the Lord is an idiom for seeking his protection. Seeking his protection presupposes and even demonstrates the subject’s loyalty to the Lord. In the psalms those who “take shelter” in the Lord are contrasted with the wicked and equated with those who love, fear, and serve the Lord (Pss 5:11-12; 31:17-20; 34:21-22).
69 sn Psalm 3. The psalmist acknowledges that he is confronted by many enemies (vv. 1-2). But, alluding to a divine oracle he has received (vv. 4-5), he affirms his confidence in God’s ability to protect him (vv. 3, 6) and requests that God make his promise a reality (vv. 7-8).
70 sn According to Jewish tradition, David offered this prayer when he was forced to flee from Jerusalem during his son Absalom’s attempted coup (see 2 Sam 15:13-17).
71 tn The Hebrew term מָה (mah, “how”) is used here as an adverbial exclamation (see BDB 553 s.v.).
72 tn Heb “many rise up against me.”
73 tn Heb “there is no deliverance for him in God.”
74 sn The function of the Hebrew term סֶלָה (selah), transliterated here “Selah,” is uncertain. It may be a musical direction of some kind.
75 tn Heb “a shield round about me.”
76 tn Heb “my glory,” or “my honor.” The psalmist affirms that the
77 tn Heb “[the one who] lifts my head.” This phrase could be understood to refer to a general strengthening of the psalmist by God during difficult circumstances. However, if one takes the suggestion of the superscription that this is a Davidic psalm written during the revolt of Absalom, the phrase “lift the head” could refer to the psalmist’s desire for restoration to his former position (cf. Gen 40:13 where the same phrase is used). Like the Hebrew text, the present translation (“who restores me”) can be understood in either sense.
78 tn The prefixed verbal form could be an imperfect, yielding the translation “I cry out,” but the verb form in the next line (a vav [ו] consecutive with the preterite) suggests this is a brief narrative of what has already happened. Consequently the verb form in v. 4a is better understood as a preterite, “I cried out.” (For another example of the preterite of this same verb form, see Ps 30:8.) Sometime after the crisis arose, the psalmist prayed to the Lord and received an assuring answer. Now he confidently awaits the fulfillment of the divine promise.
79 sn His holy hill. That is, Zion (see Pss 2:6; 48:1-2). The psalmist recognizes that the
80 tn The three verbal forms that appear in succession here (perfect + vav [ו] consecutive with preterite + perfect) are most naturally taken as narrational. When the psalmist received an assuring word from the
81 tn Or “supports”; “sustains.” In this explanatory causal clause the imperfect verbal form probably has a habitual or present progressive nuance, for the psalmist is confident of God’s continual protection (see v. 3). Another option is to take the verb as a preterite, “for the
82 tn The imperfect verbal form here expresses the psalmist’s continuing attitude as he faces the crisis at hand.
83 tn Or perhaps “troops.” The Hebrew noun עָם (’am) sometimes refers to a military contingent or army.
84 tn Heb “who all around take a stand against me.”
85 tn In v. 2 the psalmist describes his enemies as those who “confront” him (קָמִים [qamim], literally, “rise up against him”). Now, using the same verbal root (קוּם, qum) he asks the
86 tn Elsewhere in the psalms the particle כִּי (ki), when collocated with a perfect verbal form and subordinated to a preceding imperative directed to God, almost always has an explanatory or causal force (“for, because”) and introduces a motivating argument for why God should respond positively to the request (see Pss 5:10; 6:2; 12:1; 16:1; 41:4; 55:9; 56:1; 57:1; 60:2; 69:1; 74:20; 119:94; 123:3; 142:6; 143:8). (On three occasions the כִּי is recitative after a verb of perception [“see/know that,” see Pss 4:3; 25:19; 119:159]). If כִּי is taken as explanatory here, then the psalmist is arguing that God should deliver him now because that is what God characteristically does. However, such a motivating argument is not used in the passages cited above. The motivating argument usually focuses on the nature of the psalmist’s dilemma or the fact that he trusts in the Lord. For this reason it is unlikely that כִּי has its normal force here. Most scholars understand the particle כִּי as having an asseverative (emphasizing) function here (“indeed, yes”; NEB leaves the particle untranslated).
87 tn If the particle כִּי (ki) is taken as explanatory, then the perfect verbal forms in v. 7b would describe God’s characteristic behavior. However, as pointed out in the preceding note on the word “yes,” the particle probably has an asseverative force here. If so, the perfects may be taken as indicating rhetorically the psalmist’s certitude and confidence that God will intervene. The psalmist is so confident of God’s positive response to his prayer, he can describe God’s assault on his enemies as if it had already happened. Such confidence is consistent with the mood of the psalm, as expressed before (vv. 3-6) and after this (v. 8). Another option is to take the perfects as precative, expressing a wish or request (“Strike all my enemies on the jaw, break the teeth of the wicked”). See IBHS 494-95 §30.5.4c, d. However, not all grammarians are convinced that the perfect is used as a precative in biblical Hebrew.
88 sn The expression break the teeth may envision violent hand-to hand combat, though it is possible that the enemies are pictured here as a dangerous animal (see Job 29:17).
89 tn In the psalms the Hebrew term רְשָׁעִים (rÿsha’im, “wicked”) describes people who are 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 his people.
90 tn Heb “to the
91 tn Heb “upon your people [is] your blessing.” In this context God’s “blessing” includes deliverance/protection, vindication, and sustained life (see Pss 21:3, 6; 24:5).
92 sn Psalm 4. The psalmist asks God to hear his prayer, expresses his confidence that the Lord will intervene, and urges his enemies to change their ways and place their trust in God. He concludes with another prayer for divine intervention and again affirms his absolute confidence in God’s protection.
93 tn Heb “God of my righteousness.”
94 tn Heb “in distress (or “a narrow place”) you make (a place) large for me.” The function of the Hebrew perfect verbal form here is uncertain. The translation above assumes that the psalmist is expressing his certitude and confidence that God will intervene. The psalmist is so confident of God’s positive response to his prayer, he can describe God’s deliverance as if it had already happened. Such confidence is consistent with the mood of the psalm (vv. 3, 8). Another option is to take the perfects as precative, expressing a wish or request (“lead me”). See IBHS 494-95 §30.5.4c, d. However, not all grammarians are convinced that the perfect is used as a precative in biblical Hebrew.
95 tn Or “show me favor.”
96 tn Heb “hear.”
97 tn Heb “sons of man.”
98 tn Heb “how long my honor to shame?”
99 tn The interrogative construction עַד־מֶה (’ad-meh, “how long?”), is understood by ellipsis in the second line.
100 tn Heb “emptiness.”
101 tn Heb “a lie.” Some see the metonymic language of v. 2b (“emptiness, lie”) as referring to idols or false gods. However, there is no solid immediate contextual evidence for such an interpretation. It is more likely that the psalmist addresses those who threaten him (see v. 1) and refers in a general way to their sinful lifestyle. (See R. Mosis, TDOT 7:121.) The two terms allude to the fact that sinful behavior is ultimately fruitless and self-destructive.
102 tn Heb “and know that.”
103 tn Heb “that the
104 tn Heb “hears.”
105 sn The psalmist warns his enemies that they need to tremble with fear before God and repudiate their sinful ways.
106 tn Heb “say in your heart(s) on your bed(s) and wail/lament.” The verb דֹמּוּ (dommu) is understood as a form of דָמָם (“wail, lament”) in sorrow and repentance. Another option is to take the verb from II דָמָם (damam, “be quiet”); cf. NIV, NRSV “be silent.”
107 tn Or “proper, right.” The phrase also occurs in Deut 33:19 and Ps 51:19.
108 sn Trust in the
109 tn Heb “lift up upon us the light of your face,
110 tn Heb “you place joy in my heart.” Another option is to understand the perfect verbal form as indicating certitude, “you will make me happier.”
111 tn Heb “from (i.e., more than) the time (when) their grain and their wine are abundant.”
112 tn Heb “in peace at the same time I will lie down and sleep.”
113 tn Heb “for you,
114 sn Psalm 5. Appealing to God’s justice and commitment to the godly, the psalmist asks the Lord to intervene and deliver him from evildoers.
115 tn The meaning of the Hebrew word נְחִילוֹת (nÿkhilot), which occurs only here, is uncertain. Many relate the form to חָלִיל (khalil, “flute”).
116 tn Heb “my words.”
117 tn Or “sighing.” The word occurs only here and in Ps 39:3.
118 sn In the morning is here viewed as the time of prayer (Pss 59:16; 88:13) and/or of deliverance (Ps 30:5).
119 tn The imperfect is here understood in a specific future sense; the psalmist is expressing his confidence that God will be willing to hear his request. Another option is to understand the imperfect as expressing the psalmist’s wish or request. In this case one could translate, “
120 tn Heb “my voice.”
121 tn Heb “I will arrange for you.” Some understand a sacrifice or offering as the implied object (cf. NEB “I set out my morning sacrifice”). The present translation assumes that the implied object is the psalmist’s case/request. See Isa 44:7.
122 tn Heb “and I will watch.”
123 tn Or “for.”
124 tn Heb “not a God [who] delights [in] wickedness [are] you.”
125 tn The Hebrew text has simply the singular form רע, which may be taken as an abstract noun “evil” (the reference to “wickedness” in the preceding line favors this; cf. NEB, NASB, NRSV) or as a substantival adjective “evil one” (the references to evil people in the next two verses favor this; cf. NIV “with you the wicked cannot dwell”).
126 tn Heb “cannot dwell as a resident alien [with] you.” The negated imperfect verbal form here indicates incapability or lack of permission. These people are morally incapable of dwelling in God’s presence and are not permitted to do so.
127 tn Heb “before your eyes.”
128 sn You hate. The
129 tn Heb “all the workers of wickedness.”
130 tn The imperfect verbal form indicates God’s typical response to such individuals. Another option is to translate the verb as future (“You will destroy”); the psalmist may be envisioning a time of judgment when God will remove the wicked from the scene.
131 tn Heb “those who speak a lie.” In the OT a “lie” does not refer in a general philosophical sense to any statement that fails to correspond to reality. Instead it refers more specifically to a slanderous and/or deceitful statement that promotes one’s own selfish, sinful interests and/or exploits or harms those who are innocent. Note the emphasis on violence and deceit in the following line.
132 tn The imperfect verbal form highlights the
133 tn Heb “a man of bloodshed and deceit.” The singular אִישׁ (’ish, “man”) is used here in a collective or representative sense; thus the translation “people” is appropriate here. Note the plural forms in vv. 5-6a.
134 sn But as for me. By placing the first person pronoun at the beginning of the verse, the psalmist highlights the contrast between the evildoers’ actions and destiny, outlined in the preceding verses, with his own.
135 sn I will enter your house. The psalmist is confident that God will accept him into his presence, in contrast to the evildoers (see v. 5).
136 tn Heb “in fear [of] you.” The Hebrew noun יִרְאָה (yir’ah, “fear”), when used of fearing God, is sometimes used metonymically for what it ideally produces: “worship, reverence, piety.”
137 tn God’s providential leading is in view. His צְדָקָה (tsÿdaqah, “righteousness”) includes here the deliverance that originates in his righteousness; he protects and vindicates the one whose cause is just. For other examples of this use of the word, see BDB 842 s.v.
138 tn Heb “because of those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 27:11; 56:2.
139 tn Heb “make level before me your way.” The imperative “make level” is Hiphil in the Kethib (consonantal text); Piel in the Qere (marginal reading). God’s “way” is here the way in which he leads the psalmist providentially (see the preceding line, where the psalmist asks the Lord to lead him).
140 tn Or “certainly.”
141 tn Heb “for there is not in his mouth truthfulness.” The singular pronoun (“his”) probably refers back to the “man of bloodshed and deceit” mentioned in v. 6. The singular is collective or representative, as the plural in the next line indicates, and so has been translated “they.”
142 tn Heb “their inward part[s] [is] destruction.” For a discussion of the extended metaphor in v. 9b, see the note on the word “it” at the end of the verse.
143 tn Heb “their throat is an open grave.” For a discussion of the extended metaphor in v. 9b, see the note on the word “it” at the end of the verse. The metaphor is suggested by the physical resemblance of the human throat to a deeply dug grave; both are dark chasms.
144 tn Heb “they make smooth their tongue.” Flattering, deceitful words are in view. See Ps 12:2. The psalmist’s deceitful enemies are compared to the realm of death/Sheol in v. 9b. Sheol was envisioned as a dark region within the earth, the entrance to which was the grave with its steep slopes (cf. Ps 88:4-6). The enemies’ victims are pictured here as slipping down a steep slope (the enemies’ tongues) and falling into an open grave (their throat) that terminates in destruction in the inner recesses of Sheol (their stomach). The enemies’ קרב (“inward part”) refers here to their thoughts and motives, which are destructive in their intent. The throat is where these destructive thoughts are transformed into words, and their tongue is what they use to speak the deceitful words that lead their innocent victims to their demise.
145 tn Heb “declare/regard them as guilty.” Declaring the psalmist’s adversaries guilty is here metonymic for judging them or paying them back for their wrongdoing.
146 tn Heb “may they fall from their plans.” The prefixed verbal form is a jussive, expressing an imprecation. The psalmist calls judgment down on the evildoers. Their plans will be their downfall in that God will judge them for their evil schemes.
147 tn Or “banish them.”
148 tn The Hebrew noun used here, פֶּשַׁע (pesha’), refers to rebellious actions. The psalmist pictures his enemies as rebels against God (see the next line).
149 sn Take shelter. “Taking shelter” in the Lord is an idiom for seeking his protection. Seeking his protection presupposes and even demonstrates the subject’s loyalty to the Lord. In the psalms those who “take shelter” in the Lord are contrasted with the wicked and equated with those who love, fear and serve the Lord (Pss 5:11-12; 31:17-20; 34:21-22).
150 tn The prefixed verbal form is a jussive of wish or prayer. The psalmist calls on God to reward his faithful followers.
151 tn Or perhaps more hyperbolically, “forever.”
152 tn As in the preceding line, the prefixed verbal form is a jussive of wish or prayer.
153 tn Heb “put a cover over them.” The verb form is a Hiphil imperfect from סָכַךְ (sakhakh, “cover, shut off”). The imperfect expresses the psalmist’s wish or request.
154 tn Heb “the lovers of your name.” The phrase refers to those who are loyal to the Lord. See Pss 69:36; 119:132; Isa 56:6.
155 tn The vav (ו) with prefixed verbal form following the volitional “shelter them” indicates purpose or result (“so that those…may rejoice).
156 tn Or “For.”
157 tn Or “bless.” The imperfect verbal forms here and in the next line highlight how God characteristically rewards and protects the godly.
158 tn Or “innocent.” The singular form is used here in a collective or representative sense.
159 tn Heb “surround.” In 1 Sam 23:26 the verb describes how Saul and his men hemmed David in as they chased him.
160 tn Heb “him.” The singular form is used here in a collective or representative sense and is thus translated “them.”
161 tn Or “with favor” (cf. NRSV). There is no preposition before the noun in the Hebrew text, nor is there a pronoun attached. “Favor” here stands by metonymy for God’s defensive actions on behalf of the one whom he finds acceptable.
162 sn Psalm 6. The psalmist begs the Lord to withdraw his anger and spare his life. Having received a positive response to his prayer, the psalmist then confronts his enemies and describes how they retreat.
163 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term שְׁמִינִית (shÿminit, “sheminith”) is uncertain; perhaps it refers to a particular style of music. See 1 Chr 15:21.
164 sn The implication is that the psalmist has sinned, causing God to discipline him by bringing a life-threatening illness upon him (see vv. 2-7).
165 tn Or “show me favor.”
166 tn Normally the verb בָּהַל (bahal) refers to an emotional response and means “tremble with fear, be terrified” (see vv. 3, 10). Perhaps here the “bones” are viewed as the seat of the psalmist’s emotions. However, the verb may describe one of the effects of his physical ailment, perhaps a fever. In Ezek 7:27 the verb describes how the hands of the people will shake with fear when they experience the horrors of divine judgment.
167 tn Heb “my being is very terrified.” The suffixed form of נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being”) is often equivalent to a pronoun in poetic texts.
168 tn Heb “and you,
169 tn Heb “my being,” or “my life.” The suffixed form of נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being”) is often equivalent to a pronoun in poetic texts.
170 sn Deliver me because of your faithfulness. Though the psalmist is experiencing divine discipline, he realizes that God has made a commitment to him in the past, so he appeals to God’s faithfulness in his request for help.
171 tn Heb “for there is not in death your remembrance.” The Hebrew noun זֵכֶר (zekher, “remembrance”) here refers to the name of the Lord as invoked in liturgy and praise. Cf. Pss 30:4; 97:12. “Death” here refers to the realm of death where the dead reside. See the reference to Sheol in the next line.
172 tn The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “no one.”
173 tn Heb “I cause to swim through all the night my bed.”
174 tn Heb “with my tears my bed I flood/melt.”
175 tn The Hebrew text has the singular “eye” here.
176 tn Or perhaps, “are swollen.”
177 tn Or perhaps, “grow old.”
178 sn In his weakened condition the psalmist is vulnerable to the taunts and threats of his enemies.
179 tn Heb “all [you] workers of wickedness.” See Ps 5:5.
180 sn The
181 tn The prefixed verbal form is probably a preterite here; it is parallel to a perfect and refers to the fact that the
182 tn The four prefixed verbal forms in this verse are understood as jussives. The psalmist concludes his prayer with an imprecation, calling judgment down on his enemies.
183 tn Heb “and may they be very terrified.” The psalmist uses the same expression in v. 3 to describe the terror he was experiencing. Now he asks the
184 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.
185 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.
186 tn Or “on account of.”
187 sn Apparently this individual named Cush was one of David’s enemies.
188 tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form probably refers here to a completed action with continuing results.
189 tn The verb is singular in the Hebrew text, even though “all who chase me” in v. 1 refers to a whole group of enemies. The singular is also used in vv. 4-5, but the psalmist returns to the plural in v. 6. The singular is probably collective, emphasizing the united front that the psalmist’s enemies present. This same alternation between a collective singular and a plural referring to enemies appears in Pss 9:3, 6; 13:4; 31:4, 8; 41:6, 10-11; 42:9-10; 55:3; 64:1-2; 74:3-4; 89:22-23; 106:10-11; 143:3, 6, 9.
190 tn Heb “my life.” The pronominal suffix attached to נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) is equivalent to a personal pronoun. See Ps 6:3.
191 tn Heb “tearing and there is no one rescuing.” The verbal form translated “tearing” is a singular active participle.
192 tn Heb “if I have done this.”
193 tn Heb “if there is injustice in my hands.” The “hands” figuratively suggest deeds or actions.
194 tn Heb “if I have repaid the one at peace with me evil.” The form שׁוֹלְמִי (sholÿmi, “the one at peace with me”) probably refers to a close friend or ally, i.e., one with whom the psalmist has made a formal agreement. See BDB 1023 s.v. שָׁלוֹם 4.a.
195 tn Heb “or rescued my enemy in vain.” The preterite with vav (ו) consecutive (the verb form is pseudo-cohortative; see IBHS 576-77 §34.5.3) carries on the hypothetical nuance of the perfect in the preceding line. Some regard the statement as a parenthetical assertion that the psalmist is kind to his enemies. Others define חָלַץ (khalats) as “despoil” (cf. NASB, NRSV “plundered”; NIV “robbed”), an otherwise unattested nuance for this verb. Still others emend the verb to לָחַץ (lakhats, “oppress”). Most construe the adverb רֵיקָם (reqam, “emptily, vainly”) with “my enemy,” i.e., the one who is my enemy in vain.” The present translation (1) assumes an emendation of צוֹרְרִי (tsorÿriy, “my enemy”) to צוֹרְרוֹ (tsorÿro, “his [i.e., the psalmist’s ally’s] enemy”) following J. Tigay, “Psalm 7:5 and Ancient Near Eastern Treaties,” JBL 89 (1970): 178-86, (2) understands the final mem (ם) on רֵיקָם as enclitic, and (3) takes רִיק (riq) as an adjective modifying “his enemy.” (For other examples of a suffixed noun followed by an attributive adjective without the article, see Pss 18:17 (“my strong enemy”), 99:3 (“your great and awesome name”) and 143:10 (“your good spirit”). The adjective רִיק occurs with the sense “lawless” in Judg 9:4; 11:3; 2 Chr 13:7. In this case the psalmist affirms that he has not wronged his ally, nor has he given aid to his ally’s enemies. Ancient Near Eastern treaties typically included such clauses, with one or both parties agreeing not to lend aid to the treaty partner’s enemies.
196 tn The vocalization of the verb form seems to be a mixture of Qal and Piel (see GKC 168 §63.n). The translation assumes the Piel, which would emphasize the repetitive nature of the action. The translation assumes the prefixed verbal form is a jussive. The psalmist is so certain that he is innocent of the sins mentioned in vv. 3-4, he pronounces an imprecation on himself for rhetorical effect.
197 tn Heb “my life.” The pronominal suffix attached to נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) is equivalent to a personal pronoun. See Ps 6:3.
198 tn Heb “and may he overtake.” The prefixed verbal form is distinctly jussive. The object “me,” though unexpressed, is understood from the preceding statement.
199 tn Heb “and may he trample down to the earth my life.”
200 tn Heb “and my honor in the dust may he cause to dwell.” The prefixed verbal form is distinctly jussive. Some emend כְבוֹדִי (khÿvodiy, “my honor”) to כְבֵדִי (khÿvediy, “my liver” as the seat of life), but the term כְבוֹדִי (khÿvodiy) is to be retained since it probably refers to the psalmist’s dignity or honor.
201 tn Heb “in your anger.”
202 tn Heb “Lift yourself up in the angry outbursts of my enemies.” Many understand the preposition prefixed to עַבְרוֹת (’avrot, “angry outbursts”) as adversative, “against,” and the following genitive “enemies” as subjective. In this case one could translate, “rise up against my furious enemies” (cf. NIV, NRSV). The present translation, however, takes the preposition as indicating manner (cf. “in your anger” in the previous line) and understands the plural form of the noun as indicating an abstract quality (“fury”) or excessive degree (“raging fury”). Cf. Job 21:30.
203 tc Heb “Wake up to me [with the] judgment [which] you have commanded.” The LXX understands אֵלִי (’eliy, “my God”) instead of אֵלַי (’elay, “to me”; the LXX reading is followed by NEB, NIV, NRSV.) If the reading of the MT is retained, the preposition probably has the sense of “on account of, for the sake of.” The noun מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat, “judgment”) is probably an adverbial accusative, modifying the initial imperative, “wake up.” In this case צִוִּיתָ (tsivvita, “[which] you have commanded”) is an asyndetic relative clause. Some take the perfect as precative. In this case one could translate the final line, “Wake up for my sake! Decree judgment!” (cf. NIV). However, not all grammarians are convinced that the perfect is used as a precative in biblical Hebrew.
204 tn Heb “and the assembly of the peoples surrounds you.” Some understand the prefixed verbal form as a jussive, “may the assembly of the peoples surround you.”
205 tn Heb “over it (the feminine suffix refers back to the feminine noun “assembly” in the preceding line) on high return.” Some emend שׁוּבָה (shuvah, “return”) to שֵׁבָה (shevah, “sit [in judgment]”) because they find the implication of “return” problematic. But the psalmist does not mean to imply that God has abandoned his royal throne and needs to regain it. Rather he simply urges God, as sovereign king of the world, to once more occupy his royal seat of judgment and execute judgment, as the OT pictures God doing periodically.
206 sn The
207 tn Heb “judge me, O
208 tn Heb “according to my blamelessness.” The imperative verb translated “vindicate” governs the second line as well.
209 tn The Hebrew form עָלָי (’alay) has been traditionally understood as the preposition עַל (’al, “over”) with a first person suffix. But this is syntactically awkward and meaningless. The form is probably a divine title derived from the verbal root עָלָה (’alah, “ascend”). This relatively rare title appears elsewhere in the OT (see HALOT 824-25 s.v. I עַל, though this text is not listed) and in Ugaritic as an epithet for Baal (see G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 98). See M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 1:44-45, and P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 (WBC), 98.
210 tn In the psalms the Hebrew term רְשָׁעִים (rÿsha’im, “wicked”) describes people who are 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 his people.
211 tn The prefixed verbal form is a jussive, expressing an imprecation here.
212 tn Or “the godly” (see Ps 5:12). The singular form is collective (see the plural “upright in heart” in v. 10), though it may reflect the personal focus of the psalmist in this context.
213 tn The prefixed verbal form expresses the psalmist’s prayer or wish.
214 tn For other uses of the verb in this sense, see Job 7:18; Pss 11:4; 26:2; 139:23.
215 tn Heb “and [the one who] tests hearts and kidneys, just God.” The translation inverts the word order to improve the English style. The heart and kidneys were viewed as the seat of one’s volition, conscience, and moral character.
216 tn Traditionally, “my shield is upon God” (cf. NASB). As in v. 8, עַל (’al) should be understood as a divine title, here compounded with “God” (cf. NIV, “God Most High”). See M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 1:45-46. The shield metaphor pictures God as a protector against deadly attacks.
217 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 11:2; 32:11; 36:10; 64:10; 94:15; 97:11).
218 tn Heb “God (the divine name אֵל [’el] is used) is angry during all the day.” The verb זֹעֵם (zo’em) means “be indignant, be angry, curse.” Here God’s angry response to wrongdoing and injustice leads him to prepare to execute judgment as described in the following verses.
219 tn Heb “If he”; the referent (a person who is a sinner) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The subject of the first verb is understood as the sinner who fails to repent of his ways and becomes the target of God’s judgment (vv. 9, 14-16).
220 tn Heb “if he does not return, his sword he sharpens.” The referent (God) of the pronominal subject of the second verb (“sharpens”) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
221 tn Heb “his bow he treads and prepares it.” “Treading the bow” involved stepping on one end of it in order to string it and thus prepare it for battle.
222 tn Heb “and for him he prepares the weapons of death.”
223 tn Heb “his arrows into flaming [things] he makes.”
224 tn Heb “and he conceives harm and gives birth to a lie.”
225 tn Heb “a pit he digs and he excavates it.” Apparently the imagery of hunting is employed; the wicked sinner digs this pit to entrap and destroy his intended victim. The redundancy in the Hebrew text has been simplified in the translation.
226 tn The verb forms in vv. 15-16 describe the typical behavior and destiny of those who attempt to destroy others. The image of the evildoer falling into the very trap he set for his intended victim emphasizes the appropriate nature of God’s judgment.
227 tn Heb “his harm [i.e., the harm he conceived for others, see v. 14] returns on his head.”
228 tn Heb “and on his forehead his violence [i.e., the violence he intended to do to others] comes down.”
229 tn Heb “according to.”
230 tn Heb “[to] the name of the
231 sn Psalm 8. In this hymn to the sovereign creator, the psalmist praises God’s majesty and marvels that God has given mankind dominion over the created order.
232 tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew term הגתית is uncertain; it probably refers to a musical style or type of instrument.
233 tn The plural form of the title emphasizes the
234 tn Or “awesome”; or “majestic.”
235 tn Heb “name,” which here stands metonymically for God’s reputation.
236 tc Heb “which, give, your majesty on the heavens.” The verb form תְּנָה (tÿnah; an imperative?) is corrupt. The form should be emended to a second masculine singular perfect (נָתַתָּה, natatah) or imperfect (תִתֵן, titen) form. The introductory אֲשֶׁר (’asher, “which”) can be taken as a relative pronoun (“you who”) or as a causal conjunction (“because”). One may literally translate, “you who [or “because you”] place your majesty upon the heavens.” For other uses of the phrase “place majesty upon” see Num 27:20 and 1 Chr 29:25.
237 tn Heb “you establish strength because of your foes.” The meaning of the statement is unclear. The present translation follows the reading of the LXX which has “praise” (αἶνος, ainos) in place of “strength” (עֹז, ’oz); cf. NIV, NCV, NLT.
238 tn Heb “to cause to cease an enemy and an avenger.” The singular forms are collective. The Hitpael participle of נָקַם (naqam) also occurs in Ps 44:16.
239 tn Heb “when I see your heavens, the works of your fingers, the moon and stars which you established.” The verb “[and] see” is understood by ellipsis in the second half of the verse.
240 tn Heb “What is man[kind]?” The singular noun אֱנוֹשׁ (’enosh, “man”) is used here in a collective sense and refers to the human race.
241 tn Heb “remember him.”
242 tn Heb “and the son of man.” The phrase “son of man” is used here in a collective sense and refers to human beings. For other uses of the phrase in a collective or representative manner, see Num 23:19; Ps 146:3; Isa 51:12.
243 tn The two imperfect verbal forms in v. 4 describe God’s characteristic activity.
244 tn Heb “and you make him lack a little from [the] gods [or “God”].” The Piel form of חָסַר (khasar, “to decrease, to be devoid”) is used only here and in Eccl 4:8, where it means “to deprive, to cause to be lacking.” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive either carries on the characteristic nuance of the imperfect in v. 5b or indicates a consequence (“so that you make him…”) of the preceding statement (see GKC 328 §111.m). Some prefer to make this an independent clause and translate it as a new sentence, “You made him….” In this case the statement might refer specifically to the creation of the first human couple, Adam and Eve (cf. Gen 1:26-27). The psalmist does appear to allude to Gen 1:26-27, where mankind is created in the image of God and his angelic assembly (note “let us make man in our image” in Gen 1:26). However, the psalmist’s statement need not be limited in its focus to that historical event, for all mankind shares the image imparted to the first human couple. Consequently the psalmist can speak in general terms of the exalted nature of mankind. The referent of אֱלֹהִים (’elohim, “God” or “the heavenly beings”) is unclear. Some understand this as a reference to God alone, but the allusion to Gen 1:26-27 suggests a broader referent, including God and the other heavenly beings (known in other texts as “angels”). The term אֱלֹהִים is also used in this way in Gen 3:5, where the serpent says to the woman, “you will be like the heavenly beings who know good and evil.” (Note Gen 3:22, where God says, “the man has become like one of us.”) Also אֱלֹהִים may refer to the members of the heavenly assembly in Ps 82:1, 6. The LXX (the ancient Greek translation of the OT) reads “angels” in Ps 8:5 (this is the source of the quotation of Ps 8:5 in Heb 2:7).
245 tn Heb “you crown him [with].” The imperfect verbal forms in this and the next line describe God’s characteristic activity.
246 sn Honor and majesty. These terms allude to mankind’s royal status as God’s vice-regents (cf. v. 6 and Gen 1:26-30).
247 tn Heb “you cause [i.e., “permit, allow”] him to rule over the works of your hands.”
248 tn The perfect verbal form probably has a present perfect nuance here. It refers to the continuing effects of God’s original mandate (see Gen 1:26-30).
249 tn Heb “under his feet.”
250 tn Heb “and also the beasts of the field.”
251 tn Heb “paths.”
252 tn The plural form of the title emphasizes the
253 tn Or “awesome, majestic.”
254 tn Heb “name,” which here stands metonymically for God’s reputation.
255 sn Using the poetic device of inclusio, the psalmist ends the psalm the way he began it. The concluding refrain is identical to v. 1.
256 sn Psalm 9. The psalmist, probably speaking on behalf of Israel or Judah, praises God for delivering him from hostile nations. He celebrates God’s sovereignty and justice, and calls on others to join him in boasting of God’s greatness. Many Hebrew
257 tc The meaning of the Hebrew term עַלְמוּת (’almut) is uncertain. Some
258 tn The cohortative forms in vv. 1-2 express the psalmist’s resolve to praise God publicly.
259 tn Heb “[to] your name, O Most High.” God’s “name” refers metonymically to his divine characteristics as suggested by his name, in this case “Most High.” This divine title (עֶלְיוֹן, ’elyo/) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Ps 47:2.
260 tn Or “perish”; or “die.” The imperfect verbal forms in this line either emphasize what typically happens or describe vividly the aftermath of a recent battle in which the
261 tn Heb “for you accomplished my justice and my legal claim.”
262 tn Heb “you sat on a throne [as] one who judges [with] righteousness.” The perfect verbal forms in v. 4 probably allude to a recent victory (see vv. 5-7). Another option is to understand the verbs as describing what is typical (“you defend…you sit on a throne”).
263 tn The verb גָּעַר (ga’ar) is often understood to mean “rebuke” and in this context taken to refer to the
264 tn The singular form is collective (note “nations” and “their name”). 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). In this context the hostile nations who threaten Israel/Judah are in view.
265 tn Heb “their name you wiped out forever and ever.” The three perfect verbal forms in v. 5 probably refer to a recent victory (definite past or present perfect use), although they might express what is typical (characteristic use).
266 tn Heb “the enemy – they have come to an end [in] ruins permanently.” The singular form אוֹיֵב (’oyev, “enemy”) is collective. It is placed at the beginning of the verse to heighten the contrast with יְהוָה (yÿhvah, “the
267 tn Heb “you uprooted cities.”
268 tn Heb “it has perished, their remembrance, they.” The independent pronoun at the end of the line is in apposition to the preceding pronominal suffix and lends emphasis (see IBHS 299 §16.3.4). The referent of the masculine pronoun is the nations/enemies (cf. v. 5), not the cities (the Hebrew noun עָרִים [’arim, “cities”] is grammatically feminine). This has been specified in the present translation for clarity; many modern translations retain the pronoun “them,” resulting in ambiguity (cf. NRSV “their cities you have rooted out; the very memory of them has perished”).
269 tn The construction vav (ו) + subject highlights the contrast between the exalted
270 tn Heb “sits” (i.e., enthroned, see v. 4). The imperfect verbal form highlights the generalization.
271 tn Heb “he establishes for justice his throne.”
272 tn Heb “the peoples.” The imperfect verbal forms in v. 8 either describe God’s typical, characteristic behavior, or anticipate a future judgment of worldwide proportions (“will judge…”).
273 tn Following the imperfect in v. 9, the construction vav (ו) conjunctive + shortened form of the prefixed verb הָיָה (hayah) indicates a consequence or result of the preceding statement. The construction functions this same way in Pss 81:15 and 104:20.
274 tn Heb “and the
275 tn Heb “[he is] an elevated place for times in trouble.” Here an “elevated place” refers to a stronghold, a defensible, secure position that represents a safe haven in times of unrest or distress (cf. NEB “tower of strength”; NIV, NRSV “stronghold”).
276 tn Heb “and the ones who know your name trust in you.” The construction vav (ו) conjunctive + imperfect at the beginning of the verse expresses another consequence of the statement made in v. 8. “To know” the
277 tn Heb “the ones who seek you.”
278 tn Heb “sits” (i.e., enthroned, and therefore ruling – see v. 4). Another option is to translate as “lives” or “dwells.”
279 tn Heb “declare among the nations his deeds.”
280 tn Heb “for the one who seeks shed blood remembered them.” The idiomatic expression “to seek shed blood” seems to carry the idea “to seek payment/restitution for one’s shed blood.” The plural form דָּמִים (damim, “shed blood”) occurs only here as the object of דָּרַשׁ (darash); the singular form דָּם (dam, “blood”) appears with the verb in Gen 9:5; 42:22; Ezek 33:6. “Them,” the pronominal object of the verb “remembered,” refers to the oppressed, mentioned specifically in the next line, so the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
281 tn Heb “did not forget.”
282 tn Heb “the cry for help of the oppressed.” In this context the “oppressed” are the psalmist and those he represents, whom the hostile nations have threatened.
283 tn The words “when they prayed,” though not represented in the Hebrew text, are supplied in the translation for clarification. The petition in vv. 13-14 is best understood as the cry for help which the oppressed offered to God when the nations threatened. The
284 tn Or “show me favor.”
285 tn Heb “see my misery from the ones who hate me.”
286 tn Heb “one who lifts me up.”
287 tn Or “so that I might.”
288 tn Heb “all your praise.” “Praise” stands by metonymy for the mighty acts that prompt it.
289 sn Daughter Zion is an idiomatic title for Jerusalem. It appears frequently in the prophets, but only here in the psalms.
290 tn Heb “in your deliverance.”
291 tn Heb “sank down.”
292 sn The hostility of the nations against God’s people is their downfall, for it prompts God to intervene and destroy them. See also Ps 7:15-16.
293 tn Heb “by the work of his hands [the] wicked [one] was ensnared. The singular form רָשָׁע (rasha’, “wicked”) is collective or representative here (see vv. 15, 17). The form נוֹקֵשׁ (noqesh) appears to be an otherwise unattested Qal form (active participle) from נָקַשׁ (naqash), but the form should be emended to נוֹקַשׁ (noqash), a Niphal perfect from יָקַשׁ (yaqash).
294 tn This is probably a technical musical term.
295 tn Heb “the wicked turn back to Sheol.” The imperfect verbal form either emphasizes what typically happens or describes vividly the aftermath of the
296 tn The words “this is the destiny of” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. The verb “are turned back” is understood by ellipsis (see the preceding line).
297 tn Heb “forget.” “Forgetting God” refers here to worshiping false gods and thereby refusing to recognize his sovereignty (see also Deut 8:19; Judg 3:7; 1 Sam 12:9; Isa 17:10; Jer 3:21; Ps 44:20). The nations’ refusal to acknowledge God’s sovereignty accounts for their brazen attempt to attack and destroy his people.
298 tn Or “forgotten.”
299 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.
300 sn Rise up,
301 tn Or “prevail.”
302 tn Heb “place,
303 tn Heb “let the nations know they [are] man[kind]”; i.e., mere human beings (as opposed to God).
304 sn Psalm 10. Many Hebrew
305 tn Heb “you hide for times in trouble.” The interrogative “why” is understood by ellipsis; note the preceding line. The Hiphil verbal form “hide” has no expressed object. Some supply “your eyes” by ellipsis (see BDB 761 s.v. I עָלַם Hiph and HALOT 835 s.v. I עלם hif) or emend the form to a Niphal (“you hide yourself,” see BHS, note c; cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV).
306 tn Heb “because of the pride of [the] wicked he burns [i.e. hotly pursues] [the] oppressed.” The singular forms רָשָׁע (rasha’, “wicked”) and עָנִי (’aniy, “oppressed”) are collective and representative, as indicated in the next line, which uses plural verb forms to describe the actions of both.
307 tn The two imperfect verbal forms in v. 2 describe either what typically happens (from the psalmist’s perspective) or what the psalmist was experiencing at the time he offered this prayer.
308 tn Heb “they are trapped in the schemes which they have thought up.” The referents of the two pronominal suffixes on the verbs have been specified in the translation for clarity. The referent of the first suffix (“they”) is taken as the oppressed, while the referent of the second (“they”) is taken to be the wicked (cf. NIV, which renders “wicked” in the previous line as a collective singular). Others take the referent of both occurrences of “they” in the line to be the wicked (cf. NRSV, “let them be caught in the schemes they have devised”).
309 tn The translation assumes כִּי (ki) is asseverative: “indeed, certainly.” Another option is to translate “for,” understanding v. 3 as giving the reason why the wicked so arrogantly seek to destroy the helpless (so NASB, NRSV).
310 tn The representative or typical evildoer is described in vv. 3-11, 13, 15. Since the singular form predominates in these verses, it has been retained in the translation.
311 tn Heb “the wicked [one] boasts on account of the desire of his appetite.” The translation assumes that the preposition עַל (’al) introduces the reason why the wicked boasts (cf. this use of עַל with הָלַל (halal) in Ps 119:164 and Ezra 3:11). In this case, the “desire of his appetite” refers by metonymy to the object desired and acquired.
312 tn The translation assumes the active participle is substantival, referring to the wicked man mentioned in the preceding line. The substantival participle is then understood as the subject of the following verbs. For other examples of the participle of בָּצַע (batsar) used of those who desire and/or acquire wealth through dishonest and/or violent means, see Prov 1:19; 15:27; Jer 6:13; 8:10; Hab 2:9.
313 tn The verb בָּרַךְ (barakh) normally means “to bless,” but in a few cases it exhibits the polarized meaning “to curse” (1 Kgs 21:10, 13; Job 1:5-11; 2:5-9). (Some regard this use of בָּרַךְ as a mere euphemism.) The verb refers to the act of pronouncing or calling down a formal curse upon the object of one’s anger.
314 tn The conjunction “and” is supplied in the translation; it does not appear in the Hebrew text.
315 tn Another option is to translate, “he blesses one who robs others, [but] he curses the
316 tn Heb “the wicked [one], according to the height of his nose, he does not seek, there is no God, all his thoughts.” The phrase “height of his nose” probably refers to an arrogant or snooty attitude; it likely pictures one with his nose turned upward toward the sky in pride. One could take the “wicked” as the subject of the negated verb “seek,” in which case the point is that the wicked do not “seek” God. The translation assumes that this statement, along with “there is no God,” is what the wicked man thinks to himself. In this case God is the subject of the verb “seek,” and the point is that God will not hold the wicked man accountable for his actions. Verse 13 strongly favors this interpretation. The statement “there is no God” is not a philosophical assertion that God does not exist, but rather a confident affirmation that he is unconcerned about how men live morally and ethically (see v. 11).
317 tn Heb “they are firm, his ways, at every time.” The verb חַיִל (khayil, “be firm, be strong”) occurs only here and in Job 20:21, where it has the sense “endure.”
318 tc Heb “[on a] height, your judgments from before him.” If the MT is retained, then the idea may be that God’s “judgments” are high above (i.e., not recognized) by the wicked man. However, the syntax is awkward. The translation assumes an emendation of מָרוֹם (marom, “height”) to סָרוּ (saru, “[your judgments] are turned aside”), the final mem (ם) being dittographic (note the initial mem on the immediately following word [מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ, mishÿfatekha, “your judgments”). “Judgments” probably refers here to God’s laws or commands, rather than his judicial decisions or acts of judgment.
319 tn Heb “all his enemies, he snorts against them.” This may picture the wicked man defiantly challenging his enemies because he is confident of success. Another option is to take יָפִיחַ (yafiakh) from the root יָפַח (yafakh, “to testify”) and translate “he testifies against all his enemies,” implying that he gets the upper hand over them in legal battles. The noun יָפֵחַ (yafeakh, “witness”) is attested in biblical Hebrew (see Prov 6:19; 12:17; 14:5, 25; 19:5, 9, and Hab 2:3). The verb, however, is not clearly attested.
320 tn Heb “he says in his heart/mind.”
321 tn Heb “for a generation and a generation.” The traditional accentuation of the MT understands these words with the following line.
322 tn Heb “who, not in calamity.” If אֲשֶׁר (’asher) is taken as a relative pronoun here, then one could translate, “[I] who [am] not in calamity.” Some emend אֲשֶׁר to אֹשֶׁר (’osher, “happiness”; see HALOT 99 s.v. אֹשֶׁר); one might then translate, “[I live in] happiness, not in calamity.” The present translation assumes that אֲשֶׁר functions here as a causal conjunction, “because, for.” For this use of אֲשֶׁר, see BDB 83 s.v. אֲשֶׁר 8.c (where the present text is not cited).
323 tn Heb “[with] a curse his mouth is full, and lies and injury.”
324 tn Heb “under his tongue are destruction and wickedness.” The words translated “destruction and wickedness” are also paired in Ps 90:10. They also appear in proximity in Pss 7:14 and 55:10.
325 tn Heb “he sits in the ambush of the villages.”
326 tn Heb “his eyes for an unfortunate person lie hidden.” The language may picture a lion (see v. 9) peering out from its hiding place in anticipation that an unsuspecting victim will soon come strolling along.
327 tn Or “in its den.”
328 tn The verb, which also appears in the next line, occurs only here and in Judg 21:21.
329 tn The singular form is collective (see v. 10) or refers to the typical or representative oppressed individual.
330 tn Or “when he [i.e., the wicked man] pulls in his net.”
331 tn Heb “he crushes, he is bowed down, and he falls into his strong [ones], [the] unfortunate [ones].” This verse presents several lexical and syntactical difficulties. The first word (יִדְכֶּה, yidekeh) is an otherwise unattested Qal form of the verb דָּכָה (dakhah, “crush”). (The Qere [marginal] form is imperfect; the consonantal text [Kethib] has the perfect with a prefixed conjunction vav [ו].) If the wicked man’s victim is the subject, which seems to be the case (note the two verbs which follow), then the form should be emended to a Niphal (יִדָּכֶה, yiddakheh). The phrase בַּעֲצוּמָיו (ba’atsumayv, “into his strong [ones]”), poses interpretive problems. The preposition -בְּ (bet) follows the verb נָפַל (nafal, “fall”), so it may very well carry the nuance “into” here, with “his strong [ones]” then referring to something into which the oppressed individual falls. Since a net is mentioned in the preceding verse as the instrument used to entrap the victim, it is possible that “strong [ones]” here refers metonymically to the wicked man’s nets or traps. Ps 35:8 refers to a man falling into a net (רֶשֶׁת, reshet), as does Ps 141:10 (where the plural of מִכְמָר [mikhmar, “net”] is used). A hunter’s net (רֶשֶׁת), is associated with snares (פַּח [pakh], מֹקְשִׁים, [moqÿshim]) and ropes (חֲבָלִים, khavalim) in Ps 140:5. The final word in the verse (חֶלְכָּאִים (khelka’im, “unfortunate [ones]”) may be an alternate form of חֵלְכָח (khelkhakh, “unfortunate [one]”; see vv. 8, 14). The Qere (marginal reading) divides the form into two words, חֵיל כָּאִים (khel ka’im, “army/host of disheartened [ones]”). The three verb forms in v. 10 are singular because the representative “oppressed” individual is the grammatical subject (see the singular עָנִי [’aniy] in v. 9).
332 tn Heb “he says in his heart.” See v. 6.
333 tn Heb “God forgets, he hides his face, he never sees.”
334 sn Rise up, O
335 tn Heb “lift up your hand.” Usually the expression “lifting the hand” refers to praying (Pss 28:2; 134:2) or making an oath (Ps 106:26), but here it probably refers to “striking a blow” (see 2 Sam 18:28; 20:21). Note v. 15, where the psalmist asks the
336 tn The rhetorical question expresses the psalmist’s outrage that the wicked would have the audacity to disdain God.
337 tn Heb “he says in his heart” (see vv. 6, 11). Another option is to understand an ellipsis of the interrogative particle here (cf. the preceding line), “Why does he say in his heart?”
338 tn Here the wicked man addresses God directly.
339 tn Heb “you will not seek.” The verb דָרַשׁ (darash, “seek”) is used here in the sense of “seek an accounting.” One could understand the imperfect as generalizing about what is typical and translate, “you do not hold [people] accountable.”
340 tn Heb “you see.” One could translate the perfect as generalizing, “you do take notice.”
341 tn If the preceding perfect is taken as generalizing, then one might understand כִּי (ki) as asseverative: “indeed, certainly.”
342 tn Here the imperfect emphasizes God’s typical behavior.
343 tn Heb “destruction and suffering,” which here refers metonymically to the wicked, who dish out pain and suffering to their victims.
344 tn Heb “to give into your hand, upon you, he abandons, [the] unfortunate [one].” The syntax is awkward and the meaning unclear. It is uncertain who or what is being given into God’s hand. Elsewhere the idiom “give into the hand” means to deliver into one’s possession. If “to give” goes with what precedes (as the accentuation of the Hebrew text suggests), then this may refer to the wicked man being delivered over to God for judgment. The present translation assumes that “to give” goes with what follows (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV). The verb יַעֲזֹב (ya’azov) here has the nuance “entrust” (see Gen 39:6; Job 39:11); the direct object (“[his] cause”) is implied.
345 tn Or “help.”
346 tn Heb “[for] one who is fatherless, you are a deliverer.” The noun יָתוֹם (yatom) refers to one who has lost his father (not necessarily his mother, see Ps 109:9).
347 sn The arm symbolizes the strength of the wicked, which they use to oppress and exploit the weak.
348 tn Heb “you seek his wickedness.” As in v. 13, the verb דָרַשׁ (darash, “seek”) is used here in the sense of “seek an accounting.” One could understand the imperfect as describing a fact, “you hold him accountable,” or as anticipating divine judgment, “you will hold him accountable.” However, since the verb is in apparent parallelism with the preceding imperative (“break”), it is better to understand the imperfect as expressing the psalmist’s desire or request.
349 tn Heb “you will not find.” It is uncertain how this statement relates to what precedes. Some take בַל (bal), which is used as a negative particle in vv. 4, 6, 11, 18, as asseverative here, “Indeed find (i.e., judge his wickedness).” The translation assumes that the final words are an asyndetic relative clause which refers back to what the wicked man boasted in God’s face (“you will not find [i.e., my wickedness]”). See v. 13.
350 tn Heb “the
351 tn Or “the nations perish from his land.” The perfect verb form may express what is typical or it may express rhetorically the psalmist’s certitude that God’s deliverance is “as good as done.”
352 sn You have heard. The psalmist is confident that God has responded positively to his earlier petitions for divine intervention. The psalmist apparently prayed the words of vv. 16-18 after the reception of an oracle of deliverance (given in response to the confident petition of vv. 12-15) or after the Lord actually delivered him from his enemies.
353 tn Heb “desire.”
354 tn Heb “you make firm their heart, you cause your ear to listen.”
355 tn Heb “to judge (on behalf of),” or “by judging (on behalf of).”
356 tn Heb “crushed.” See v. 10.
357 tn Heb “he will not add again [i.e., “he will no longer”] to terrify, man from the earth.” The Hebrew term אֱנוֹשׁ (’enosh, “man”) refers here to the wicked nations (v. 16). By describing them as “from the earth,” the psalmist emphasizes their weakness before the sovereign, eternal king.
358 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.
359 tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form probably refers here to a completed action with continuing results.
360 tn The pronominal suffix attached to נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) is equivalent to a personal pronoun. See Ps 6:3.
361 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.
362 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).
363 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form depicts the enemies’ hostile action as underway.
364 tn Heb “a bow.”
365 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.
366 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).
367 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).
368 tn The singular form is used here in a collective or representative sense. Note the plural form “pure [of heart]” in the previous verse.
369 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.
370 tn Because of the royal imagery involved here, one could translate “lofty palace.” The
371 sn The
372 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.
373 tn The two Hebrew imperfect verbal forms in this verse describe the
374 tn Heb “eyelids.”
375 tn For other uses of the verb in this sense, see Job 7:18; Pss 7:9; 26:2; 139:23.
376 tn Heb “test the sons of men.”
377 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).
378 tn The singular form is used here in a collective or representative sense. Note the plural form “pure (of heart)” in v. 2.
379 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.
380 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.
381 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.
382 tn The verb form is a jussive, indicating that the statement is imprecatory (“May the
383 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.
384 sn The image of God “raining down” brimstone on the objects of his judgment also appears in Gen 19:24 and Ezek 38:22.
385 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).
386 tn Or “for.”
387 tn Or “righteous.”
388 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.”
389 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.
390 sn Psalm 12. The psalmist asks the Lord to intervene, for society is overrun by deceitful, arrogant oppressors and godly individuals are a dying breed. When the Lord announces his intention to defend the oppressed, the psalmist affirms his confidence in the divine promise.
391 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term שְׁמִינִית (shÿminit) is uncertain; perhaps it refers to a particular style of music. See 1 Chr 15:21.
392 tn The singular form is collective or representative. Note the plural form “faithful [ones]” in the following line. A “godly [one]” (חָסִיד, khasid) is one who does what is right in God’s eyes and remains faithful to God (see Pss 4:3; 18:25; 31:23; 37:28; 86:2; 97:10).
393 tn Or “have come to an end.”
394 tn Heb “the faithful [ones] from the sons of man.”
395 tn The Hebrew verb פָּסַס (pasas) occurs only here. An Akkadian cognate means “efface, blot out.”
396 tn Heb “falsehood they speak, a man with his neighbor.” The imperfect verb forms in v. 2 describe what is typical in the psalmist’s experience.
397 tn Heb “[with] a lip of smoothness, with a heart and a heart they speak.” Speaking a “smooth” word refers to deceptive flattery (cf. Ps 5:9; 55:21; Prov 2:16; 5:3; 7:5, 21; 26:28; 28:23; Isa 30:10). “Heart” here refers to their mind, from which their motives and intentions originate. The repetition of the noun indicates diversity (see GKC 396 §123.f, IBHS 116 §7.2.3c, and Deut 25:13, where the phrase “weight and a weight” refers to two different measuring weights). These people have two different types of “hearts.” Their flattering words seem to express kind motives and intentions, but this outward display does not really reflect their true motives. Their real “heart” is filled with evil thoughts and destructive intentions. The “heart” that is seemingly displayed through their words is far different from the real “heart” they keep disguised. (For the idea see Ps 28:3.) In 1 Chr 12:33 the phrase “without a heart and a heart” means “undivided loyalty.”
398 tn The verb form is a jussive, indicating that the statement is imprecatory (“May the
399 tn Heb “a tongue speaking great [things].”
400 tn Heb “which say.” The plural verb after the relative pronoun indicates a plural antecedent for the pronoun, probably “lips” in v. 3.
401 tn Heb “to our tongue we make strong.” The Hiphil of גָבַר (gavar) occurs only here and in Dan 9:27, where it refers to making strong, or confirming, a covenant. Here in Ps 12 the evildoers “make their tongue strong” in the sense that they use their tongue to produce flattering and arrogant words to accomplish their purposes. The preposition -לְ (l) prefixed to “our tongue” may be dittographic.
402 tn Heb “our lips [are] with us.” This odd expression probably means, “our lips are in our power,” in the sense that they say what they want, whether it be flattery or boasting. For other cases where אֵת (’et, “with”) has the sense “in the power of,” see Ps 38:10 and other texts listed by BDB 86 s.v. 3.a.
403 sn The rhetorical question expresses the arrogant attitude of these people. As far as they are concerned, they are answerable to no one for how they speak.
404 tn The term translated “oppressed” is an objective genitive; the oppressed are the recipients/victims of violence.
405 tn Elsewhere in the psalms this noun is used of the painful groans of prisoners awaiting death (79:11; 102:20). The related verb is used of the painful groaning of those wounded in combat (Jer 51:52; Ezek 26:15) and of the mournful sighing of those in grief (Ezek 9:4; 24:17).
406 tn Heb “I will rise up.”
407 tn Heb “I will place in deliverance, he pants for it.” The final two words in Hebrew (יָפִיחַ לוֹ, yafiakh lo) comprise an asyndetic relative clause, “the one who pants for it.” “The one who pants” is the object of the verb “place” and the antecedent of the pronominal suffix (in the phrase “for it”) is “deliverance.” Another option is to translate, “I will place in deliverance the witness for him,” repointing יָפִיחַ (a Hiphil imperfect from פּוּחַ, puakh, “pant”) as יָפֵחַ (yafeakh), a noun meaning “witness.” In this case the
408 tn Heb “the words of the
409 tn Heb “[like] silver purified in a furnace of [i.e., “on”] the ground, refined seven times.” The singular participle מְזֻקָּק (mÿzuqqaq, “refined”) modifies “silver.” The number seven is used rhetorically to express the thorough nature of the action. For other rhetorical/figurative uses of שִׁבְעָתָיִם (shiv’atayim, “seven times”), see Gen 4:15, 24; Ps 79:12; Prov 6:31; Isa 30:26.
410 tn The third person plural pronominal suffix on the verb is masculine, referring back to the “oppressed” and “needy” in v. 5 (both of those nouns are plural in form), suggesting that the verb means “protect” here. The suffix does not refer to אִמֲרוֹת (’imarot, “words”) in v. 6, because that term is feminine gender.
411 tn Heb “you will protect him from this generation permanently.” The third masculine singular suffix on the verb “protect” is probably used in a distributive sense, referring to each one within the group mentioned previously (the oppressed/needy, referred to as “them” in the preceding line). On this grammatical point see GKC 396 §123.f (where the present text is not cited). (Some Hebrew
412 tn Heb “the wicked walk all around.” One could translate v. 8a as an independent clause, in which case it would be a concluding observation in proverbial style. The present translation assumes that v. 8a is a subordinate explanatory clause, or perhaps a subordinate temporal clause (“while the wicked walk all around”). The adverb סָבִיב (saviv, “around”), in combination with the Hitpael form of the verb “walk” (which indicates repeated action), pictures the wicked as ubiquitous. They have seemingly overrun society.
413 tn Heb “when evil is lifted up by the sons of man.” The abstract noun זֻלּוּת (zulut, “evil”) occurs only here. On the basis of evidence from the cognate languages (see HALOT 272 s.v.), one might propose the meaning “base character,” or “morally foolish behavior.”
414 sn Psalm 13. The psalmist, who is close to death, desperately pleads for God’s deliverance and affirms his trust in God’s faithfulness.
415 tn Heb “will you forget me continually.”
416 tn Heb “will you hide your face from me.”
417 tn Heb “How long will I put counsel in my being?”
418 tn Heb “[with] grief in my heart by day.”
419 tn Heb “be exalted over me.” Perhaps one could translate, “How long will my enemy defeat me?”
420 tn Heb “see.”
421 tn Heb “Give light [to] my eyes.” The Hiphil of אוּר (’ur), when used elsewhere with “eyes” as object, refers to the law of God giving moral enlightenment (Ps 19:8), to God the creator giving literal eyesight to all people (Prov 29:13), and to God giving encouragement to his people (Ezra 9:8). Here the psalmist pictures himself as being on the verge of death. His eyes are falling shut and, if God does not intervene soon, he will “fall asleep” for good.
422 tn Heb “or else I will sleep [in?] the death.” Perhaps the statement is elliptical, “I will sleep [the sleep] of death,” or “I will sleep [with the sleepers in] death.”
423 tn Heb “or else.”
424 tn Heb “or else.”
425 tn The grammatical construction used here (conjunction with independent pronoun) highlights the contrast between the psalmist’s defeated condition envisioned in v. 4 and confident attitude he displays in v. 5.
426 tn Heb “may my heart rejoice in your deliverance.” The verb form is jussive. Having expressed his trust in God’s faithful character and promises, the psalmist prays that his confidence will prove to be well-placed. “Heart” is used here of the seat of the emotions.
427 tn The verb form is cohortative, indicating the psalmist’s resolve (or vow) to praise the
428 tn Or “for he will have vindicated me.” The verb form indicates a future perfect here. The idiom גָמַל עַל (gamal ’al) means “to repay,” here in a positive sense.
429 sn Psalm 14. The psalmist observes that the human race is morally corrupt. Evildoers oppress God’s people, but the psalmist is confident of God’s protection and anticipates a day when God will vindicate Israel.
430 tn Heb “a fool says in his heart.” The singular is used here in a collective or representative sense; the typical fool is envisioned.
431 sn “There is no God.” The statement is probably not a philosophical assertion that God does not exist, but rather a confident affirmation that God is unconcerned about how men live morally and ethically (see Ps 10:4, 11).
432 tn Heb “they act corruptly, they make a deed evil.” The verbs describe the typical behavior of the wicked. The subject of the plural verbs is “sons of man” (v. 2). The entire human race is characterized by sinful behavior. This practical atheism – living as if there is no God who will hold them accountable for their actions – makes them fools, for one of the earmarks of folly is to fail to anticipate the long range consequences of one’s behavior.
433 tn Heb “there is none that does good.”
434 sn The picture of the
435 tn Heb “upon the sons of man.”
436 tn Or “acts wisely.” The Hiphil is exhibitive.
437 sn Anyone who is wise and seeks God refers to the person who seeks to have a relationship with God by obeying and worshiping him.
438 tn Heb “everyone turns aside.”
439 tn Heb “together they are corrupt.”
440 tn Heb “there is none that does good.”
441 tn Heb “all the workers of wickedness.” See Pss 5:5; 6:8.
442 tn Heb “Do they not understand?” The rhetorical question (rendered in the translation as a positive affirmation) expresses the psalmist’s amazement at their apparent lack of understanding. This may refer to their lack of moral understanding, but it more likely refers to their failure to anticipate God’s defense of his people (see vv. 5-7).
443 tn Heb “there they are afraid [with] fear.” The perfect verbal form is probably used in a rhetorical manner; the psalmist describes the future demise of the oppressors as if it were already occurring. The adverb שָׁם (sham, “there”) is also used here for dramatic effect, as the psalmist envisions the wicked standing in fear at a spot that is this vivid in his imagination (BDB 1027 s.v.). The cognate accusative following the verb emphasizes the degree of their terror.
444 tn Heb “for God is with a godly generation.” The Hebrew noun דּוֹר (dor, “generation”) refers here to the general class of people who are characterized by godliness. See BDB 190 s.v. for other examples where “generation” refers to a class of people.
445 tn Heb “the counsel of the oppressed you put to shame.” Using a second person plural verb form, the psalmist addresses the wicked. Since the context indicates their attempt to harm the godly will be thwarted, the imperfect should be taken in a subjunctive (cf. NASB, NRSV) rather than an indicative manner (cf. NIV). Here it probably expresses their desire or intent (“want to humiliate”).
446 tn It is unlikely that כִּי (ki) has a causal force here. The translation assumes a concessive force; another option is to understand an asseverative use (“certainly, indeed”).
447 tn Heb “his.” The antecedent of the singular pronoun is the singular form עָנִי (’ani, “oppressed”) in the preceding line. The singular is collective or representative here (and thus translated as plural, “they”).
448 sn The deliverance of Israel. This refers metonymically to God, the one who lives in Zion and provides deliverance for Israel.
449 tn Heb “turns with a turning [toward] his people.” The Hebrew term שְׁבוּת (shÿvut) is apparently a cognate accusative of שׁוּב (shuv).
450 tn The verb form is jussive.
451 tn Because the parallel verb is jussive, this verb, which is ambiguous in form, should be taken as a jussive as well.
452 sn Psalm 15. This psalm describes the character qualities that one must possess to be allowed access to the divine presence.
453 tn Heb “Who may live as a resident alien in your tent?”
454 sn In this context the Lord’s holy hill probably refers to Zion/Jerusalem. See Isa 66:20; Joel 2:1; 3:17; Zech 8:3; Pss 2:6; 43:3; 48:1; 87:1; Dan 9:16.
455 tn Heb “one who walks blamelessly.”
456 tn Heb “one who speaks truth in his heart”; or “one who speaks truth [that is] in his heart.” This apparently refers to formulating a truthful statement in one’s mind and then honestly revealing that statement in one’s speech.
457 sn Hebrew literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The principle of the psalm is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age.
458 tn Heb “he does not slander upon his tongue.” For another example of רָגַל (ragal, “slander”) see 2 Sam 19:28.
459 tn Or “his fellow.”
460 tn Heb “and he does not lift up an insult against one who is near to him.”
461 tn Heb “despised in his eyes [is] a rejected [one].” The Hebrew term נִמְאָס (nim’as, “rejected [one]”) apparently refers here to one who has been rejected by God because of his godless behavior. It stands in contrast to “those who fear God” in the following line.
462 tn Heb “those who fear the
463 tn Heb “he takes an oath to do harm and does not change.” The phrase “to do harm” cannot mean “do harm to others,” for the preceding verse clearly characterizes this individual as one who does not harm others. In this context the phrase must refer to an oath to which a self-imprecation is attached. The godly individual takes his commitments to others so seriously he is willing to “swear to his own hurt.” For an example of such an oath, see Ruth 1:16-17.
464 sn He does not charge interest. Such an individual is truly generous, and not simply concerned with making a profit.
465 tn Heb “a bribe against the innocent he does not take.” For other texts condemning the practice of a judge or witness taking a bribe, see Exod 23:8; Deut 16:19; 27:25; 1 Sam 8:3; Ezek 22:12; Prov 17:23.
466 tn Heb “does these things.”
467 sn Psalm 16. The psalmist seeks divine protection because he has remained loyal to God. He praises God for his rich blessings, and is confident God will vindicate him and deliver him from death.
468 tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew term מִכְתָּם (mikhtam) is uncertain. HALOT 582-83 s.v. defines it as “inscription.”
469 tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form probably refers here to a completed action with continuing results (see 7:1; 11:1).
470 tn Heb “my good [is] not beyond you.” For the use of the preposition עַל (’al) in the sense of “beyond,” see BDB 755 s.v. 2.
471 tn Heb “regarding the holy ones who [are] in the land, they; and the mighty [ones] in [whom is/was] all my desire.” The difficult syntax makes the meaning of the verse uncertain. The phrase “holy ones” sometimes refers to God’s angelic assembly (see Ps 89:5, 7), but the qualifying clause “who are in the land” suggests that here it refers to God’s people (Ps 34:9) or to their priestly leaders (2 Chr 35:3).
472 tn Heb “their troubles multiply, another, they pay a dowry.” The meaning of the text is unclear. The Hebrew term עַצְּבוֹתָם (’atsÿvotam, “troubles”) appears to be a plural form of עַצֶּבֶת (’atsÿvet, “pain, wound”; see Job 9:28; Ps 147:3). Because idolatry appears to be in view (see v. 4b), some prefer to emend the noun to עַצְּבִים (’atsÿvim, “idols”). “Troubles” may be a wordplay on “idols” or a later alteration designed to emphasize that idolatry leads to trouble. The singular form אחר (“another”) is syntactically problematic here. Perhaps the form should be emended to a plural אֲחֵרִים (’akherim, “others”). (The final mem [ם] could have been lost by haplography; note the mem [מ] at the beginning of the next word.) In this case it might be taken as an abbreviated form of the well-attested phrase אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים (’elohim ’akherim, “other gods”). (In Isa 42:8 the singular form אַחַר (’akher, “another”) is used of another god.) The verb מָהַר (mahar) appears in the Qal stem; the only other use of a Qal verbal form of a root מָהַר is in Exod 22:15, where the denominative verb מָהֹר (mahor, “purchase [a wife]”) appears; cf. the related noun מֹהַר (mohar, “bride money, purchase price for a wife”). If that verb is understood here, then the idolaters are pictured as eager bridegrooms paying the price to acquire the object of their desire. Another option is to emend the verb to a Piel and translate, “hurry (after).”
473 tn Heb “I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood.” The third masculine plural suffix would appear to refer back to the people/leaders mentioned in v. 3. However, if we emend אֲחֵר (’akher, “another”) to the plural אֲחֵרִים (’akherim, “other [gods]”) in v. 4, the suffix can be understood as referring to these gods – “the drink offerings [made to] them.” The next line favors this interpretation. Perhaps this refers to some type of pagan cultic ritual. Elsewhere wine is the prescribed content of drink offerings.
474 tn Heb “and I will not lift up their names upon my lips.” The expression “lift up the name” probably refers here to swearing an oath in the name of deity (see Exod 20:7; Deut 5:11). If so, the third masculine plural suffix on “names” likely refers to the pagan gods, not the people/leaders. See the preceding note.
475 tn Heb “O
476 tc Heb “you take hold of my lot.” The form תּוֹמִיךְ (tomikh) should be emended to a participle, תוֹמֵךְ (tomekh). The psalmist pictures the
477 tn Heb “measuring lines have fallen for me in pleasant [places]; yes, property [or “an inheritance”] is beautiful for me.” On the dative use of עַל, see BDB 758 s.v. II.8. Extending the metaphor used in v. 5, the psalmist compares the divine blessings he has received to a rich, beautiful tract of land that one might receive by allotment or inheritance.
478 tn Heb “bless,” that is, “proclaim as worthy of praise.”
479 tn Or “because.”
480 tn Or “counsels, advises.”
481 tn Heb “yes, [during] nights my kidneys instruct [or “correct”] me.” The “kidneys” are viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s moral character (see Ps 26:2). In the quiet darkness the
482 tn Heb “I set the
483 tn Heb “my glory is happy.” Some view the Hebrew term כְּבוֹדִי (kÿvodiy, “my glory”) as a metonymy for man’s inner being (see BDB 459 s.v. II כָּבוֹד 5), but it is preferable to emend the form to כְּבֵדִי (kÿvediy, “my liver”). Like the heart, the liver is viewed as the seat of one’s emotions. See also Pss 30:12; 57:9; 108:1, as well as H. W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament, 64, and M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 1:90. For an Ugaritic example of the heart/liver as the source of joy, see G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 47-48: “her [Anat’s] liver swelled with laughter, her heart was filled with joy, the liver of Anat with triumph.”
484 tn Heb “yes, my flesh dwells securely.” The psalmist’s “flesh” stands by metonymy for his body and, by extension, his physical life.
485 tn Or “my life.” The suffixed form of נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being”) is often equivalent to a pronoun in poetic texts.
486 sn In ancient Israelite cosmology Sheol is the realm of the dead, viewed as being under the earth’s surface. See L. I. J. Stadelmann, The Hebrew Conception of the World, 165-76.
487 tn A “faithful follower” (חָסִיד [khasid], traditionally rendered “holy one”) is one who does what is right in God’s eyes and remains faithful to God (see Pss 4:3; 12:1; 18:25; 31:23; 37:28; 86:2; 97:10). The psalmist here refers to himself, as the parallel line (“You will not abandon me to Sheol”) indicates.
488 tn That is, “experience.” The psalmist is confident that the Lord will protect him in his present crisis (see v. 1) and prevent him from dying.
489 tn The Hebrew word שָׁחַת (shakhat, “pit”) is often used as a title for Sheol (see Pss 30:9; 49:9; 55:24; 103:4). Note the parallelism with the previous line.
490 tn Heb “cause me to know”; or “cause me to experience.”
491 tn This is a metaphorical way of saying, “you preserve my life.” The phrase “path of life” stands in contrast to death/Sheol in Prov 2:18-19; 5:5-6; 15:24.
492 tn Heb “abundance of joy [is] with your face.” The plural form of the noun שִׂמְחָה (simkhah, “joy”) occurs only here and in Ps 45:15. It may emphasize the degree of joy experienced.
493 tn Heb “delight [is] in your right hand forever.” The plural form of the adjective נָעִים (na’im, “pleasant, delightful”) may here emphasize the degree of delight experienced (see Job 36:11).
494 sn Psalm 17. The psalmist asks God to intervene on his behalf because his life is threatened by dangerous enemies. He appeals to divine justice, for he is certain of his own innocence. Because he is innocent, he expects to encounter God and receive an assuring word.
495 tn Heb “hear,
496 tn Heb “Listen to my prayer, [made] without lips of deceit.”
497 tn Heb “From before you may my justice come out.” The prefixed verbal form יָצָא (yatsa’) could be taken as an imperfect, but following the imperatives in v. 1, it is better understood as a jussive of prayer.
498 tn Heb “May your eyes look at what is right.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as jussive. (See also the preceding note on the word “behalf.”)
499 tn Heb “you tested my heart.”
500 tn Heb “you visited [at] night.”
501 tc Heb “you tested me, you do not find, I plan, my mouth will not cross over.” The Hebrew verbal form זַמֹּתִי (zammotiy) is a Qal perfect, first person singular from the root זָמַם (zamam, “plan, plan evil”). Some emend the form to a suffixed form of the noun, זִמָּתִי (zimmatiy, “my plan/evil plan”), and take it as the object of the preceding verb “find.” However, the suffix seems odd, since the psalmist is denying that he has any wrong thoughts. If one takes the form with what precedes, it might make better sense to read זִמּוֹת (zimmot, “evil plans”). However, this emendation leaves an unclear connection with the next line. The present translation maintains the verbal form found in the MT and understands it in a neutral sense, “I have decided” (see Jer 4:28). The words “my mouth will not cross over” (i.e., “transgress, sin”) can then be taken as a noun clause functioning as the object of the verb.
502 tn Heb “with regard to the deeds of man[kind].”
503 tn Heb “by the word of your lips, I, I have watched the paths of the violent” (i.e., “watched” in the sense of “watched for the purpose of avoiding”).
504 tn Heb “my steps stay firm in your tracks.” The infinitive absolute functions here as a finite verb (see GKC 347 §113.gg). God’s “tracks” are his commands, i.e., the moral pathways he has prescribed for the psalmist.
505 tn Heb “my footsteps do not stagger.”
506 tn Heb “Turn your ear toward me.”
507 tn Heb “my word.”
508 tn Heb “Set apart faithful acts.”
509 tn Heb “[O] one who delivers those who seek shelter from the ones raising themselves up, by your right hand.” The Lord’s “right hand” here symbolizes his power to protect and deliver.
510 tc Heb “Protect me like the pupil, a daughter of an eye.” The noun בַּת (bat, “daughter”) should probably be emended to בָּבַת (bavat, “pupil”). See Zech 2:12 HT (2:8 ET) and HALOT 107 s.v. *בָּבָה.
511 sn Your wings. The metaphor compares God to a protective mother bird.
512 tn Heb “from before”; or “because.” In the Hebrew text v. 9 is subordinated to v. 8. The words “protect me” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
513 tn Heb “destroy.” The psalmist uses the perfect verbal form to emphasize the degree of danger. He describes the wicked as being already in the process of destroying him.
514 tn Heb “my enemies, at the risk of life they surround me.” The Hebrew phrase בְּנֶפֶשׁ (bÿnefesh) sometimes has the nuance “at the risk of [one’s] life” (see 1 Kgs 2:23; Prov 7:23; Lam 5:9).
515 tn Heb “their fat they close.” The Hebrew term חֵלֶב (khelev, “fat”) appears to stand by metonymy for their calloused hearts. They attack the psalmist without feeling any pity or remorse. Some propose emending the text to חֵלֶב לִבָּמוֹ (khelev libbamo, “fat of their heart[s]; cf. Ps 119:70, “their heart is insensitive like fat”). This assumes haplography of the לב (lamed-bet) consonantal sequence.
516 tn Heb “[with] their mouth they speak with arrogance.”
517 tc Heb “our steps, now they surround me.” The Kethib (consonantal text) has “surround me,” while the Qere (marginal reading) has “surround us,” harmonizing the pronoun to the preceding “our steps.” The first person plural pronoun does not fit the context, where the psalmist speaks as an individual. In the preceding verses the psalmist uses a first person singular verbal or pronominal form twenty times. For this reason it is preferable to emend “our steps” to אִשְּׁרוּנִי (’ishÿruni, “they attack me”) from the verbal root אָשֻׁר (’ashur, “march, stride, track”).
518 tn Heb “their eyes they set to bend down in the ground.”
519 tn Here the psalmist switches to the singular pronoun; he views his enemies collectively, or singles out a representative of the group, perhaps its leader.
520 tn Heb “his likeness [is] like a lion.”
521 tn Heb “[that] longs to tear.”
522 tn Heb “sitting.”
523 tn Heb “Be in front of his face.”
524 tn Or “bring him to his knees.”
525 tn Heb “rescue my life from the wicked [one] [by] your sword.”
526 tc Heb “from men [by] your hand,
527 tn Heb “from men, from [the] world.” On the emendation of “men” to “murderers,” see the preceding note on the word “murderers.”
528 tn Heb “their portion, in life.”
529 tn Heb “and [with] your treasures you fill their belly.”
530 tn Heb “they are satisfied [with] sons and leave their abundance to their children.”
531 tn Heb “I, in innocence, I will see your face.” To “see” God’s “face” means to have access to his presence and to experience his favor (see Ps 11:7; see also Job 33:26 [where רָאָה (ra’ah), not חָזַה (khazah), is used]). Here, however, the psalmist may be anticipating a mystical experience. See the following note on the word “me.”
532 tn Heb “I will be satisfied, when I awake, [with] your form.” The noun תְּמוּנָה (tÿmunah) normally carries the nuance “likeness” or “form.” In Job 4:16 it refers to a ghostlike spiritual entity (see v. 15) that revealed itself to Eliphaz during the night. The psalmist may anticipate a mystical encounter with God in which he expects to see a manifestation of God’s presence (i.e., a theophany), perhaps in conjunction with an oracle of deliverance. During the quiet darkness of the night, God examines the psalmist’s inner motives and finds them to be pure (see v. 3). The psalmist is confident that when he awakens, perhaps sometime during the night or in the morning, he will be visited by God and assured of vindication.
533 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.
534 tn Heb “spoke.”
535 tn Heb “in the day,” or “at the time.”
536 tn Heb “hand.”
537 tn Heb “and from the hand of Saul.”
538 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.
539 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.
540 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.”
541 sn My high ridge. This metaphor pictures God as a rocky, relatively inaccessible summit, where one would be able to find protection from enemies. See 1 Sam 23:25, 28.
542 sn My stronghold. David often found safety in such strongholds. See 1 Sam 22:4-5; 24:22; 2 Sam 5:9, 17; 23:14.
543 tn Or “in whom.”
544 sn Take shelter. “Taking shelter” in the Lord is an idiom for seeking his protection. Seeking his protection presupposes and even demonstrates the subject’s loyalty to the Lord. In the psalms those who “take shelter” in the Lord are contrasted with the wicked and equated with those who love, fear and serve the Lord (Pss 5:11-12; 31:17-20; 34:21-22).
545 tn Heb “the horn of my salvation”; or “my saving horn.”
546 tn Or “my elevated place.” The parallel version of this psalm in 2 Sam 22:3 adds at this point, “my refuge, my savior, [you who] save me from violence.”
547 tn In this song of thanksgiving, where the psalmist recalls how the Lord delivered him, the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite indicating past tense, not an imperfect.
548 tn Heb “worthy of praise, I cried out [to] the
549 tc Ps 18:4 reads “ropes,” while 2 Sam 22:5 reads “waves.” The reading of the psalm has been influenced by the next verse (note “ropes of Sheol”) and perhaps also by Ps 116:3 (where “ropes of death” appears, as here, with the verb אָפַף, ’afaf). However, the parallelism of v. 4 (note “currents” in the next line) favors the reading “waves.” While the verb אָפַף is used with “ropes” as subject in Ps 116:3, it can also be used with engulfing “waters” as subject (see Jonah 2:5). Death is compared to surging waters in v. 4 and to a hunter in v. 5.
550 tn The Hebrew noun נַחַל (nakhal) usually refers to a river or stream, but in this context the plural form likely refers to the currents of the sea (see vv. 15-16).
551 tn The noun בְלִיַּעַל (vÿliyya’al) is used here as an epithet for death. Elsewhere it is a common noun meaning “wickedness, uselessness.” It is often associated with rebellion against authority and other crimes that result in societal disorder and anarchy. The phrase “man/son of wickedness” refers to one who opposes God and the order he has established. The term becomes an appropriate title for death, which, through human forces, launches an attack against God’s chosen servant.
552 tn In this poetic narrative context the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite indicating past tense, not an imperfect. (Note the perfect verbal form in the parallel/preceding line.) The verb בָּעַת (ba’at) sometimes by metonymy carries the nuance “frighten,” but the parallelism (see “engulfed”) favors the meaning “overwhelm” here.
553 tn Heb “surrounded me.”
554 tn Heb “confronted me.”
555 tn In this poetic narrative context the four prefixed verbal forms in v. 6 are best understood as preterites indicating past tense, not imperfects.
556 tn Heb “from his temple.” Verse 10, which pictures God descending from the sky, indicates that the heavenly temple is in view, not the earthly one.
557 tc Heb “and my cry for help before him came into his ears.” 2 Sam 22:7 has a shorter reading, “my cry for help, in his ears.” It is likely that Ps 18:6 MT as it now stands represents a conflation of two readings: (1) “my cry for help came before him,” (2) “my cry for help came into his ears.” See F. M. Cross and D. N. Freedman, Studies in Ancient Yahwistic Poetry (SBLDS), 144, n. 13.
558 sn The earth heaved and shook. The imagery pictures an earthquake in which the earth’s surface rises and falls. The earthquake motif is common in OT theophanies of God as warrior and in ancient Near Eastern literary descriptions of warring gods and kings. See R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 160-62.
559 tn 2 Sam 22:8 has “heavens” which forms a merism with “earth” in the preceding line. The “foundations of the heavens” would be the mountains. However, the reading “foundations of the mountains” has a parallel in Deut 32:22.
560 tn In this poetic narrative context the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite indicating past tense, not an imperfect. Note the three prefixed verbal forms with vav (ו) consecutive in the verse.
561 tn Heb “within”; or “[from] within.” For a discussion of the use of the preposition -בְּ (bÿ) here, see R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 163-64.
562 tn Or “in his anger.” The noun אַף (’af) can carry the abstract meaning “anger,” but the parallelism (note “from his mouth”) suggests the more concrete meaning “nose” here. See also v. 15, “the powerful breath of your nose.”
563 tn Heb “fire from his mouth devoured.” In this poetic narrative context the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite indicating past tense, not an imperfect. Note the two perfect verbal forms in the verse.
564 tn Heb “coals burned from him.” Perhaps the psalmist pictures God’s fiery breath igniting coals (cf. Job 41:21), which he then hurls as weapons (cf. Ps 120:4).
565 tn The Hebrew verb נָטָה (natah) can carry the sense “[cause to] bend, bow down.” For example, Gen 49:15 pictures Issachar as a donkey that “bends” its shoulder or back under a burden. Here the
566 tn Or “rode upon.”
567 tn Heb “a cherub.” Because of the typical associations of the word “cherub” in English with chubby winged babies, the term has been rendered “winged angel” in the translation.
568 tc 2 Sam 22:11 reads “appeared” (from רָאָה, ra’ah); the relatively rare verb דָאָה (da’ah, “glide”) is more difficult and probably the original reading here in Ps 18.
569 sn The wings of the wind. Verse 10 may depict (1) the Lord riding a cherub, which is in turn propelled by the wind current. Another option (2) is that two different vehicles (a cherub and the wind) are envisioned. Yet another option (3) is that the wind is personified as a cherub. For a discussion of ancient Near Eastern parallels to the imagery in v. 10, see M. Weinfeld, “‘Rider of the Clouds’ and ‘Gatherer of the Clouds’,” JANESCU 5 (1973): 422-24.
570 tc Heb “he made darkness his hiding place around him, his covering.” 2 Sam 22:12 reads, “he made darkness around him coverings,” omitting “his hiding place” and pluralizing “covering.” Ps 18:11 may include a conflation of synonyms (“his hiding place” and “his covering”) or 2 Sam 22:12 may be the result of haplography/homoioarcton. Note that three successive words in Ps 18:11 begin with the Hebrew letter samek: סִתְרוֹ סְבִיבוֹתָיו סֻכָּתוֹ (sitro sÿvivotayv sukkato).
571 tc Heb “darkness of water, clouds of clouds.” The noun “darkness” (חֶשְׁכַת, kheshkhat) is probably a corruption of an original reading חשׁרת, a form that is preserved in 2 Sam 22:12. The latter is a construct form of חַשְׁרָה (khashrah, “sieve”) which occurs only here in the OT. A cognate Ugaritic noun means “sieve,” and a related verb חָשַׁר (khashar, “to sift”) is attested in postbiblical Hebrew and Aramaic. The phrase חַשְׁרַת מַיִם (khashrat mayim) means literally “a sieve of water.” It pictures the rain clouds as a sieve through which the rain falls to the ground (see F. M. Cross and D. N. Freedman, Studies in Ancient Yahwistic Poetry [SBLDS], 146, n. 33).
572 tc Heb “from the brightness in front of him his clouds came, hail and coals of fire.” 2 Sam 22:13 reads, “from the brightness in front of him burned coals of fire.” The Lucianic family of texts within the Greek tradition of 2 Sam 22:13 seems to assume the underlying Hebrew text: מנגה נגדו עברו ברד וגחלי אשׁ, “from the brightness in front of him came hail and coals of fire” (the basis for the present translation). The textual situation is perplexing and the identity of the original text uncertain. The verbs עָבָרוּ (’avaru; Ps 18:12) and בָּעֲרוּ (ba’aru; 2 Sam 22:13) appear to be variants involving a transposition of the first two letters. The noun עָבָיו (’avayv, “his clouds,” Ps 18:12) may be virtually dittographic (note the following עָבְרוּ, ’avru), or it could have accidentally dropped out from the text of 2 Sam 22:13 by virtual haplography (note the preceding בָּעֲרוּ, which might have originally read עָבְרוּ). The noun בָּרָד (barad, “hail,” Ps 18:12) may be virtually dittographic (note the preceding עָבְרוּ), or it could have dropped out from 2 Sam 22:13 by virtual haplography (note the preceding בָּעֲרוּ, which might have originally read עָבְרוּ). For a fuller discussion of the text and its problems, see R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 74-76.
573 sn Thunder is a common motif in OT theophanies and in ancient Near Eastern portrayals of the storm god and warring kings. See R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 179-83.
574 tn 2 Sam 22:14 has “from.”
575 tn Heb “the Most High.” This divine title (עֶלְיוֹן, ’elyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Ps 47:2.
576 tc The text of Ps 18:13 adds at this point, “hail and coals of fire.” These words are probably accidentally added from v. 12b; they do not appear in 2 Sam 22:14.
577 tn 2 Sam 22:15 omits the pronominal suffix (“his”).
578 tn The pronominal suffixes on the verbs “scattered” and “routed” (see the next line) refer to the psalmist’s enemies. Some argue that the suffixes refer to the arrows, in which case one might translate “shot them far and wide” and “made them move noisily,” respectively. They argue that the enemies have not been mentioned since v. 4 and are not again mentioned until v. 17. However, usage of the verbs פוּץ (puts, “scatter”) and הָמַם (hamam, “rout”) elsewhere in Holy War accounts suggests the suffixes refer to enemies. Enemies are frequently pictured in such texts as scattered and/or routed (see Exod 14:24; 23:27; Num 10:35; Josh 10:10; Judg 4:15; 1 Sam 7:10; 11:11; Ps 68:1).
579 sn Lightning is a common motif in in OT theophanies and in ancient Near Eastern portrayals of the storm god and warring kings. See R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 190-92.
580 tn Heb “lightning bolts, many.” 2 Sam 22:15 has simply “lightning” (בָּרָק, baraq). The identity of the word רָב (rav) in Ps 18:14 is problematic. (1) It may be a form of a rare verb רָבַב (ravav, “to shoot”), perhaps attested in Gen 49:23 as well. In this case one might translate, “he shot lightning bolts and routed them.” Other options include (2) understanding רָב (rav) as an adverbial use of the adjective, “lightning bolts in abundance,” or (3) emending the form to רַבּוּ (rabbu), from רָבַב (ravav, “be many”) or to רָבוּ (ravu), from רָבָה (ravah, “be many”) – both a haplography of the vav (ו); note the initial vav on the immediately following form – and translating “lightning bolts were in abundance.”
581 tn Or “channels.”
582 tc Ps 18:15 reads “water” (cf. Ps 42:1); “sea” is the reading of 2 Sam 22:16.
583 tn Or “foundations.”
584 tn Heb “from.” The preposition has a causal sense here.
585 tn The noun is derived from the verb גָּעַר (ga’ar), which is often understood to mean “rebuke.” In some cases it is apparent that scolding or threatening is in view (see Gen 37:10; Ruth 2:16; Zech 3:2). However, in militaristic contexts this translation is inadequate, for the verb refers in this setting to the warrior’s battle cry, which terrifies and paralyzes the enemy. See A. Caquot, TDOT 3:53, and note the use of the verb in Pss 68:30; 106:9; and Nah 1:4, as well as the related noun in Job 26:11; Pss 9:5; 76:6; 104:7; Isa 50:2; 51:20; 66:15.
586 tn 2 Sam 22:16 reads “by the battle cry of the
587 tn Heb “stretched.” Perhaps “his hand” should be supplied by ellipsis (see Ps 144:7). In this poetic narrative context the three prefixed verbal forms in this verse are best understood as preterites indicating past tense, not imperfects.
588 tn Heb “mighty waters.” The waters of the sea symbolize the psalmist’s powerful enemies, as well as the realm of death they represent (see v. 4 and Ps 144:7).
589 tn The singular refers either to personified death or collectively to the psalmist’s enemies. The following line, which refers to “those [plural] who hate me,” favors the latter.
590 tn The same verb is translated “trapped” in v. 5. In this poetic narrative context the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite indicating past tense, not imperfect.
591 tn Heb “became my support.”
592 tn Or “delighted in me.”
593 tn In this poetic narrative context the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite indicating past tense, not imperfect.
594 tn Heb “according to my righteousness.” As vv. 22-24 make clear, the psalmist refers here to his unwavering obedience to God’s commands. In these verses the psalmist explains that the
595 tn The unreduced Hiphil prefixed verbal form appears to be an imperfect, in which case the psalmist would be generalizing. However, both the preceding and following contexts (see especially v. 24) suggest he is narrating his experience. Despite its unreduced form, the verb is better taken as a preterite. For other examples of unreduced Hiphil preterites, see Pss 55:14a; 68:9a, 10b; 80:8a; 89:43a; 107:38b; 116:6b.
596 tn Heb “according to the purity of my hands he repaid to me.” “Hands” suggest activity and behavior.
597 tn Heb “for I have kept the ways of the
598 tn Heb “I have not acted wickedly from my God.” The statement is elliptical; the idea is, “I have not acted wickedly and, in so doing, departed from my God.”
599 tn Heb “for all his regulations [are] before me.” The Hebrew term מִשְׁפָּטִים (mishpatim, “regulations”) refers to God’s covenantal requirements, especially those which the king is responsible to follow (cf. Deut 17:18-20). See also Pss 19:9 (cf. vv. 7-8); 89:30; 147:20 (cf. v. 19), as well as the numerous uses of the term in Ps 119.
600 tn Heb “and his rules I do not turn aside from me.” 2 Sam 22:23 reads, “and his rules, I do not turn aside from it.” The prefixed verbal form is probably an imperfect; the psalmist here generalizes about his loyalty to God’s commands. The Lord’s “rules” are the stipulations of the covenant which the king was responsible to obey (see Ps 89:31; cf. v. 30 and Deut 17:18-20).
601 tn Heb “from my sin,” that is, from making it my own in any way.
602 tn Heb “according to my righteousness.”
603 tn Heb “according to the purity of my hands before his eyes.” 2 Sam 22:25 reads “according to my purity before his eyes.” The verbal repetition (compare vv. 20 and 24) sets off vv. 20-24 as a distinct sub-unit within the psalm.
604 tn The imperfect verbal forms in vv. 25-29 draw attention to God’s characteristic actions. Based on his experience, the psalmist generalizes about God’s just dealings with people (vv. 25-27) and about the way in which God typically empowers him on the battlefield (vv. 28-29). The Hitpael stem is used in vv. 26-27 in a reflexive resultative (or causative) sense. God makes himself loyal, etc. in the sense that he conducts or reveals himself as such. On this use of the Hitpael stem, see GKC 149-50 §54.e.
605 tn Or “to a faithful follower.” A “faithful follower” (חָסִיד, khasid) is one who does what is right in God’s eyes and remains faithful to God (see Pss 4:3; 12:1; 16:10; 31:23; 37:28; 86:2; 97:10).
606 tn Or “innocent.”
607 tn Heb “a man of innocence.”
608 tn Or “blameless.”
609 tn The Hebrew verb פָתַל (patal) is used in only three other texts. In Gen 30:8 it means literally “to wrestle,” or “to twist.” In Job 5:13 it refers to devious individuals, and in Prov 8:8 to deceptive words.
610 tn The adjective עִקֵּשׁ (’iqqesh) has the basic nuance “twisted, crooked,” and by extension refers to someone or something that is morally perverse. It appears frequently in Proverbs, where it is used of evil people (22:5), speech (8:8; 19:1), thoughts (11:20; 17:20), and life styles (2:15; 28:6). A righteous king opposes such people (Ps 101:4).
611 tn Or perhaps, “humble” (note the contrast with those who are proud).
612 tn Heb “but proud eyes you bring low.” 2 Sam 22:28 reads, “your eyes [are] upon the proud, [whom] you bring low.”
613 tn Or “for.” The translation assumes that כִּי (ki)is asseverative here.
614 tn Ps 18:28 reads literally, “you light my lamp,
615 tn 2 Sam 22:29 repeats the name “
616 tn Heb “my darkness.”
617 tn Or “for.” The translation assumes that כִּי (ki) is asseverative here.
618 tn Heb “by you.”
619 tn Heb “I will run.” The imperfect verbal forms in v. 29 indicate the subject’s potential or capacity to perform an action. Though one might expect a preposition to follow the verb here, this need not be the case with the verb רוּץ (ruts; see 1 Sam 17:22). Some emend the Qal to a Hiphil form of the verb and translate, “I put to flight [Heb “cause to run”] an army.”
620 tn More specifically, the noun גְּדוּד (gÿdud) refers to a raiding party or to a contingent of troops.
621 tn Heb “and by my God.”
622 sn I can jump over a wall. The psalmist uses hyperbole to emphasize his God-given military superiority.
623 tn Heb “[As for] the God, his way is blameless.” The term הָאֵל (ha’el, “the God”) stands as a nominative (or genitive) absolute in apposition to the resumptive pronominal suffix on “way.” The prefixed article emphasizes his distinctiveness as the one true God (cf. Deut 33:26). God’s “way” in this context refers to his protective and salvific acts in fulfillment of his promise (see also Deut 32:4; Pss 67:2; 77:13 [note vv. 11-12, 14]; 103:7; 138:5; 145:17).
624 sn The
625 tn Heb “the word of the
626 sn Take shelter. See the note on the word “shelter” in v. 2.
627 tn Or “for.”
628 tn Heb “rocky cliff,” which is a metaphor of divine protection. See v. 2, where the Hebrew term צוּר (tsur) is translated “rocky summit.”
629 tn The rhetorical questions anticipate the answer, “No one.” In this way the psalmist indicates that the
630 tn Heb “the God.” The prefixed article emphasizes the
631 tn Heb “is the one who clothes.” For similar language see 1 Sam 2:4; Pss 65:6; 93:1. The psalmist employs a generalizing hymnic style in vv. 32-34; he uses participles in vv. 32a, 33a, and 34a to describe what God characteristically does on his behalf.
632 tn 2 Sam 22:33 reads, “the God is my strong refuge.”
633 tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries along the generalizing force of the preceding participle.
634 tn Heb “he made my path smooth.” The Hebrew term תָּמִים (tamim, “smooth”) usually carries a moral or ethical connotation, “blameless, innocent.” However, in Ps 18:33 it refers to a pathway free of obstacles. The reality underlying the metaphor is the psalmist’s ability to charge into battle without tripping (see vv. 33, 36).
635 tn Heb “[the one who] makes my feet like [those of ] a deer.”
636 tn Heb “and on my high places he makes me walk.” The imperfect verbal form emphasizes God’s characteristic provision. The psalmist compares his agility in battle to the ability of a deer to negotiate rugged, high terrain without falling or being injured.
637 sn He trains my hands. The psalmist attributes his skill with weapons to divine enablement. Egyptian reliefs picture gods teaching the king how to shoot a bow. See O. Keel, The Symbolism of the Biblical World, 265.
638 tn Heb “and a bow of bronze is bent by my arms”; or “my arms bend a bow of bronze.” The verb נָחַת (nakhat) apparently means “pull back, bend” here (see HALOT 692 s.v. נחת). The third feminine singular verbal form appears to agree with the feminine singular noun קֶשֶׁת (qeshet, “bow”). In this case the verb must be taken as Niphal (passive). However, it is possible that “my arms” is the subject of the verb and “bow” the object. In this case the verb is Piel (active). For other examples of a feminine singular verb being construed with a plural noun, see GKC 464 §145.k.
639 tn Heb “and you give to me the shield of your deliverance.”
640 tc 2 Sam 22:36 omits this line, perhaps due to homoioarcton. A scribe’s eye may have jumped from the vav (ו) prefixed to “your right hand” to the vav prefixed to the following “and your answer,” causing the copyist to omit by accident the intervening words (“your right hand supports me and”).
641 tn The MT of Ps 18:35 appears to read, “your condescension,” apparently referring to God’s willingness to intervene (cf. NIV “you stoop down”). However, the noun עֲנָוָה (’anavah) elsewhere means “humility” and is used only here of God. The form עַנְוַתְךָ (’anvatÿkha) may be a fully written form of the suffixed infinitive construct of עָנָה (’anah, “to answer”; a defectively written form of the infinitive appears in 2 Sam 22:36). In this case the psalmist refers to God’s willingness to answer his prayer; one might translate, “your favorable response.”
642 tn Heb “makes me great.”
643 tn Heb “you make wide my step under me.” “Step” probably refers metonymically to the path upon which the psalmist walks. Another option is to translate, “you widen my stride.” This would suggest that God gives the psalmist the capacity to run quickly.
644 tn Heb “lower legs.” On the meaning of the Hebrew noun, which occurs only here, see H. R. Cohen, Biblical Hapax Legomena (SBLDS), 112. A cognate Akkadian noun means “lower leg.”
645 tn 2 Sam 22:38 reads “destroy.”
646 tn Or “smash them.” 2 Sam 22:39 reads, “and I wiped them out and smashed them.”
647 tn Heb “until they are unable to rise.” 2 Sam 22:39 reads, “until they do not rise.”
648 sn They fall at my feet. For ancient Near Eastern parallels, see O. Keel, The Symbolism of the Biblical World, 294-97.
649 tn Heb “clothed me.” See v. 32.
650 tn Heb “you make those who rise against me kneel beneath me.”
651 tn Heb “and [as for] my enemies, you give to me [the] back [or “neck”].” The idiom “give [the] back” means “to cause [one] to turn the back and run away.” Cf. Exod 23:27.
652 sn Those who hate me. See v. 17, where it is the
653 tn Heb “but there is no deliverer.”
654 tn Heb “to the
655 tn Heb “I pulverize them like dust upon the face of the wind.” The phrase “upon the face of” here means “before.” 2 Sam 22:43 reads, “like dust of the earth.”
656 tc Ps 18:42 reads, “I empty them out” (Hiphil of ריק), while 2 Sam 22:43 reads, “I crush them, I stomp on them” (juxtaposing the synonyms דקק and רקע). It is likely that the latter is a conflation of variants. One, but not both, of the verbs in 2 Sam 22:43 is probably original; “empty out” does not form as good a parallel with “grind, pulverize” in the parallel line.
657 tn Or “mud.”
658 tn Heb “from the strivings of a people.” In this context the Hebrew term רִיב (riv, “striving”) probably has a militaristic sense (as in Judg 12:2; Isa 41:11), and עָם (’am, “people”) probably refers more specifically to an army (for other examples, see the verses listed in BDB 766 s.v. I עַם, עָם 2.d). Some understand the phrase as referring to attacks by the psalmist’s own countrymen, the “nation” being Israel. However, foreign enemies appear to be in view; note the reference to “nations” in the following line.
659 tn 2 Sam 22:44 reads, “you keep me.”
660 tn Heb “a people whom I did not know serve me.” In this context “know” (יָדַע, yada’) probably refers to formal recognition by treaty. People who were once not under the psalmist’s authority now willingly submit to his rulership to avoid being conquered militarily (see vv. 44-45). The language may recall the events recorded in 2 Sam 8:9-10 and 10:19.
661 tn Heb “at a report of an ear they submit to me.” The report of the psalmist’s exploits is so impressive that those who hear it submit to his rulership without putting up a fight.
662 tn For the meaning “be weak, powerless” for כָּחַשׁ (kakhash), see Ps 109:24. The next line (see v. 45a), in which “foreigners” are also mentioned, favors this interpretation. Another option is to translate “cower in fear” (see Deut 33:29; Pss 66:3; 81:15; cf. NIV “cringe”; NRSV “came cringing”).
663 tn Heb “wither, wear out.”
664 tn The meaning of חָרַג (kharag, “shake”) is established on the basis of cognates in Arabic and Aramaic. 2 Sam 22:46 reads חָגַר (khagar), which might mean here, “[they] come limping” (on the basis of a cognate in postbiblical Hebrew). The normal meaning for חָגַר (“gird”) makes little sense here.
665 tn Heb “from.”
666 tn Heb “their prisons.” The besieged cities of the foreigners are compared to prisons.
667 tn Elsewhere the construction חַי־יְהוָה (khay-yÿhvah) is used exclusively as an oath formula, “as surely as the
668 tn Heb “my rocky cliff,” which is a metaphor for protection. See similar phrases in vv. 2, 31.
669 tn Or “blessed [i.e., praised] be.”
670 tn Heb “the God of my deliverance.” 2 Sam 22:48 reads, “the God of the rocky cliff of my deliverance.”
671 tn The words “as king” are supplied in the translation for clarification. Elsewhere in the psalms the verb רוּם (rum, “be exalted”), when used of God, refers to his exalted position as king (Pss 99:2; 113:4; 138:6) and/or his self-revelation as king through his mighty deeds of deliverance (Pss 21:13; 46:10; 57:5, 11).
672 tn Heb “the God.” See v. 32.
673 tn Heb “is the one who grants vengeance to me.” The plural form of the noun indicates degree here, suggesting complete vengeance or vindication.
674 tn Heb “he subdues nations beneath me.” On the meaning of the verb דָּבַר (davar, “subdue,” a homonym of דָּבַר, davar, “speak”), see HALOT 209-10 s.v. I דבר. See also Ps 47:3 and 2 Chr 22:10. 2 Sam 22:48 reads “and [is the one who] brings down nations beneath me.”
675 tn Heb “[the one who] delivers me.” 2 Sam 22:49 reads “and [the one who] brings me out.”
676 tn Heb “lifts me up.” In light of the preceding and following references to deliverance, the verb רום probably here refers to being rescued from danger (see Ps 9:13). However, it could mean “exalt, elevate” here, indicating that the
677 tn Heb “from those who rise against me.”
678 sn I will give you thanks before the nations. This probably alludes to the fact that the psalmist will praise the
679 tn Heb “to your name.” God’s “name” refers metonymically to his divine characteristics as suggested by his name, in this case “
680 tn Or “the one who.”
681 tn Heb “magnifies the victories of his king.” “His king” refers to the psalmist, the Davidic king whom God has chosen to rule Israel.
682 tn Heb “[the one who] does loyalty.”
683 tn Heb “his anointed [one],” i.e., the psalmist/Davidic king. See Ps 2:2.
684 tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”
685 sn If David is the author of the psalm (see the superscription), then he here anticipates that God will continue to demonstrate loyalty to his descendants who succeed him. If the author is a later Davidic king, then he views the divine favor he has experienced as the outworking of God’s faithful promises to David his ancestor.
686 sn Psalm 19. The psalmist praises God for his self-revelation in the heavens and in the Mosaic law. The psalmist concludes with a prayer, asking the Lord to keep him from sinning and to approve of his thoughts and words.
687 sn God’s glory refers here to his royal majesty and power.
688 tn Heb “and the work of his hands the sky declares.” The participles emphasize the ongoing testimony of the heavens/sky.
689 tn Heb “it gushes forth a word.” The “sky” (see v. 1b) is the subject of the verb. Though not literally speaking (see v. 3), it clearly reveals God’s royal majesty. The sun’s splendor and its movement across the sky is in view (see vv. 4-6).
690 tn Heb “it [i.e., the sky] declares knowledge,” i.e., knowledge about God’s royal majesty and power (see v. 1). This apparently refers to the splendor and movements of the stars. The imperfect verbal forms in v. 2, like the participles in the preceding verse, combine with the temporal phrases (“day after day” and “night after night”) to emphasize the ongoing testimony of the sky.
691 tn Heb “their.” The antecedent of the plural pronoun is “heavens” (v. 1).
692 tc The MT reads, “their measuring line” (קוּם, qum). The noun קַו (qav, “measuring line”) makes no sense in this context. The reading קוֹלָם (qolam, “their voice”) which is supported by the LXX, is preferable.
693 tn Heb “goes out,” or “proceeds forth.”
694 tn Heb “their” (see the note on the word “its” in v. 3).
695 tn The verb is supplied in the translation. The Hebrew text has no verb; יָצָא (yatsa’, “goes out”) is understood by ellipsis.
696 tn Heb “to the end of the world.”
697 tn Heb “in them” (i.e., the heavens).
698 sn He has pitched a tent for the sun. The personified sun emerges from this “tent” in order to make its daytime journey across the sky. So the “tent” must refer metaphorically to the place where the sun goes to rest during the night.
699 tn The participle expresses the repeated or regular nature of the action.
700 tn The Hebrew noun חֻפָּה (khufah, “chamber”) occurs elsewhere only in Isa 4:5 and Joel 2:16 (where it refers to the bedroom of a bride and groom).
701 tn The imperfect verbal form draws attention to the regularity of the action.
702 tn Heb “[on] a path.”
703 tn Heb “from the end of the heavens [is] its going forth.”
704 tn Heb “and its circuit [is] to their ends.”
705 tn Heb “is hidden from.”
706 tn Heb “[it] restores life.” Elsewhere the Hiphil of שׁוּב (shuv, “return”) when used with נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “life”) as object, means to “rescue or preserve one’s life” (Job 33:30; Ps 35:17) or to “revive one’s strength” (emotionally or physically; cf. Ruth 4:15; Lam 1:11, 16, 19). Here the point seems to be that the law preserves the life of the one who studies it by making known God’s will. Those who know God’s will know how to please him and can avoid offending him. See v. 11a.
707 tn Traditionally, “the testimony of the
708 tn God’s covenant contains a clear, reliable witness to his moral character and demands.
709 tn Or “the [morally] naive,” that is, the one who is young and still in the process of learning right from wrong and distinguishing wisdom from folly.
710 tn Or “just.” Perhaps the idea is that they impart a knowledge of what is just and right.
711 tn Heb “[they] make happy [the] heart.” Perhaps the point is that they bring a sense of joyful satisfaction to the one who knows and keeps them, for those who obey God’s law are richly rewarded. See v. 11b.
712 tn Heb “command.” The singular here refers to the law as a whole.
713 tn Because they reflect God’s character, his commands provide a code of moral and ethical purity.
714 tn Heb [they] enlighten [the] eyes.
715 tn Heb “the fear of the
716 tn Heb “[it] stands permanently.”
717 sn Trustworthy and absolutely just. The Lord’s commands accurately reflect God’s moral will for his people and are an expression of his just character.
718 tn Heb “more desirable.”
719 tn Heb “are sweeter.” God’s law is “sweet’ in the sense that, when obeyed, it brings a great reward (see v. 11b).
720 tn Heb “moreover your servant is warned by them.”
721 tn Heb “in the keeping of them [there is] a great reward.”
722 tn Heb “Errors who can discern?” This rhetorical question makes the point that perfect moral discernment is impossible to achieve. Consequently it is inevitable that even those with good intentions will sin on occasion.
723 tn Heb “declare me innocent from hidden [things],” i.e., sins. In this context (see the preceding line) “hidden” sins are not sins committed in secret, but sins which are not recognized as such by the psalmist.
724 tn Or “presumptuous.”
725 tn Heb “let them not rule over me.”
726 tn Heb “great.”
727 tn Heb “may the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart be acceptable before you.” The prefixed verbal form at the beginning of the verse is understood as a jussive of prayer. Another option is to translate the form as an imperfect continuing the thought of v. 14b: “[Then] the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart will be acceptable before you.”
728 tn Heb “my rocky cliff,” which is a metaphor for protection; thus the translation “sheltering rock.”
729 tn Heb “and the one who redeems me.” The metaphor casts the Lord in the role of a leader who protects members of his extended family in times of need and crisis.
730 sn Psalm 20. The people pray for the king’s success in battle. When the king declares his assurance that the Lord will answer the people’s prayer, they affirm their confidence in God’s enablement.
731 tn The prefixed verbal forms here and in vv. 1b-5 are interpreted as jussives of prayer (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV). Another option is to understand them as imperfects, “the
732 sn May the
733 tn Heb “in a day of trouble.”
734 tn Heb “the name of the God of Jacob.” God’s “name” refers metonymically to his very person and to the divine characteristics suggested by his name, in this case “God of Jacob,” which highlights his relationship to Israel.
735 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.
736 tn Or “remember.” For other examples of the verb זָכַר (zakhar) carrying the nuance “take notice of,” see Pss 8:4 and 9:12.
737 tc Heb “consider as fat.” The verbal form should probably be emended to יְדַשְּׁנֶהָ (yÿdashÿneha), the final he (ה) being understood as a third feminine singular pronominal suffix referring back to the feminine noun “burnt sacrifice.”
738 tn Heb “may he give to you according to your heart.” This probably refers to the king’s prayer for protection and victory in battle. See vv. 5-6.
739 sn May he bring all your plans to pass. This probably refers to the king’s strategy for battle.
740 sn Your victory. Here the king is addressed (see v. 1).
741 tc The Hebrew verb דָּגַל (dagal) occurs only here in the Qal. If accepted as original, it may carry the nuance “raise a banner,” but it is preferable to emend the form to נגיל (“we will rejoice”) which provides better parallelism with “shout for joy” and fits well with the prepositional phrase “in the name of our God” (see Ps 89:16).
742 tn Or “know.”
743 tn The perfect verbal form is probably used rhetorically to state that the deliverance is as good as done. In this way the speaker emphasizes the certainty of the deliverance. Another option is to take the statement as generalizing; the psalmist affirms that the
744 tn Heb “his anointed one.” This title refers to the Davidic king. See Pss 2:2 and 18:50.
745 tn Heb “he will answer him.”
746 tn Heb “from his holy heavens.”
747 tn Heb “with mighty acts of deliverance of his right hand.” The Lord’s “right hand” here symbolizes his power to protect and deliver (see Ps 17:7).
748 tn Heb “these in chariots and these in horses.” No verb appears; perhaps the verb “invoke” is to be supplied from the following line. In this case the idea would be that some “invoke” (i.e., trust in) their military might for victory (cf. NEB “boast”; NIV “trust”; NRSV “take pride”). Verse 8 suggests that the “some/others” mentioned here are the nation’s enemies.
749 tn The grammatical construction (conjunction + pronominal subject) highlights the contrast between God’s faithful people and the others mentioned in the previous line.
750 tn Heb “we invoke the name of.” The Hiphil of זָכַר (zakhar), when combined with the phrase “in the name,” means “to invoke” (see Josh 23:7; Isa 48:1; Amos 6:10). By invoking the
751 tn Or “stumble and fall down.”
752 tn The grammatical construction (conjunction + pronominal subject) highlights the contrast between God’s victorious people and the defeated enemies mentioned in the previous line. The perfect verbal forms either generalize or, more likely, state rhetorically the people’s confidence as they face the approaching battle. They describe the demise of the enemy as being as good as done.
753 tn Or “rise up and remain upright.” On the meaning of the Hitpolel of עוּד (’ud), see HALOT 795 s.v. I עוד. The verbal forms (a perfect followed by a prefixed form with vav [ו] consecutive) either generalize or, more likely, state rhetorically the people’s confidence as they face the approaching battle.
754 tc This translation assumes an emendation of the verbal form הוֹשִׁיעָה (hoshi’ah). As it stands, the form is an imperative. In this case the people return to the petitionary mood with which the psalm begins (“O
755 tn If the imperative is retained in the preceding line, then the prefixed verbal form is best taken as a jussive of prayer, “may he answer us.” However, if the imperative in the previous line is emended to a perfect, the prefixed form is best taken as imperfect, “he will answer us” (see the note on the word “king” at the end of the previous line).
756 tn Heb “in the day we call.”
757 sn Psalm 21. The psalmist praises the Lord for the way he protects and blesses the Davidic king.
758 tn Heb “in your strength.” The translation interprets the pronominal suffix as subjective, rather than merely descriptive (or attributive).
759 tn Heb “and in your deliverance, how greatly he rejoices.”
760 tn The translation assumes the perfect verbal forms in v. 2 are generalizing, stating factually what God typically does for the king. Another option is to take them as present perfects, “you have granted…you have not refused.” See v. 4, which mentions a specific request for a long reign.
761 tn Heb “and the request of his lips you do not refuse.”
762 tn Or “meet him [with].”
763 tn Heb “good.”
764 sn You bring him rich blessings. The following context indicates that God’s “blessings” include deliverance/protection, vindication, sustained life, and a long, stable reign (see also Pss 3:8; 24:5).
765 tn Heb “life he asked from you.” Another option is to translate the perfect verbal forms in v. 4 with the present tense, “he asks…you grant.”
766 tn Heb “you have granted him length of days forever and ever.” The phrase “length of days,” when used of human beings, usually refers to a lengthy period of time (such as one’s lifetime). See, for example, Deut 30:20; Job 12:12; Ps 91:16; Prov 3:2, 16; Lam 5:20. The additional phrase “forever and ever” is hyperbolic. While it seems to attribute eternal life to the king (see Pss 61:6-7; 72:5 as well), the underlying reality is the king’s enduring dynasty. He will live on, as it were, through his descendants, who will continue to rule over his kingdom long after he has passed off the scene.
767 tn Or “great glory.”
768 tn Heb “majesty and splendor you place upon him.” For other uses of the phrase הוֹד וְהָדָר (hod vÿhadar, “majesty and splendor”) see 1 Chr 16:27; Job 40:10; Pss 96:6; 104:1; 111:3.
769 tn Heb “you make him happy with joy with [i.e., “close by” or “in”] your face.” On the idiom “with your face” (i.e., “in your presence”) see Ps 16:11 and BDB 816 s.v. פָּנֻה II.2.a.
770 tn The active participle draws attention to the ongoing nature of the action.
771 tn Traditionally “the Most High’s.” The divine title “Most High” (עֶלְיוֹן, ’elyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. Note the focus of vv. 8-12 and see Ps 47:2.
772 tn Another option is to translate the imperfect verbal form as future, “he will not be upended” (cf. NRSV “he shall not be moved”). Even if one chooses this option, the future tense must be understood in a generalizing sense.
773 tn The king is now addressed. One could argue that the
774 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.
775 tn Heb “your right hand finds those who hate you.”
776 tn Heb “you make them like a furnace of fire.” Although many modern translations retain the literal Hebrew, the statement is elliptical. The point is not that he makes them like a furnace, but like an object burned in a furnace (cf. NEB, “at your coming you shall plunge them into a fiery furnace”).
777 tn Heb “at the time of your face.” The “face” of the king here refers to his angry presence. See Lam 4:16.
778 tn Heb “the
779 tn Heb “fruit.” The next line makes it clear that offspring is in view.
780 tn Heb “seed.”
781 tn Heb “sons of man.”
782 tn Or “for.”
783 tn Heb “they extend against you harm.” The perfect verbal forms in v. 11 are taken as generalizing, stating factually what the king’s enemies typically do. Another option is to translate with the past tense (“they intended…planned”).
784 sn See Ps 10:2.
785 tn Heb “they lack ability.”
786 tn Heb “you make them a shoulder,” i.e., “you make them turn and run, showing the back of their neck and shoulders.”
787 tn Heb “with your bowstrings you fix against their faces,” i.e., “you fix your arrows on the bowstrings to shoot at them.”
788 tn Heb “in your strength,” but English idiom does not require the pronoun.
789 tn Heb “sing praise.”
790 sn Psalm 22. The psalmist cries out to the Lord for deliverance from his dangerous enemies, who have surrounded him and threaten his life. Confident that the Lord will intervene, he then vows to thank the Lord publicly for his help and anticipates a time when all people will recognize the Lord’s greatness and worship him.
791 tn Heb “according to the doe of the dawn.” Apparently this refers to a particular musical tune or style.
792 sn From the psalmist’s perspective it seems that God has abandoned him, for he fails to answer his cry for help (vv. 1b-2).
793 tn Heb “far from my deliverance [are] the words of my groaning.” The Hebrew noun שְׁאָגָה (shÿ’agah) and its related verb שָׁאַג (sha’ag) are sometimes used of a lion’s roar, but they can also describe human groaning (see Job 3:24 and Pss 32:3 and 38:8.
794 tn Heb “there is no silence to me.”
795 tn Heb “[O] one who sits [on] the praises of Israel.” The verb “receiving” is supplied in the translation for clarity. The metaphorical language pictures the
796 tn Heb “fathers.”
797 tn The words “in you” are supplied in the translation. They are understood by ellipsis (see the preceding line).
798 tn Or “were not ashamed.”
799 tn The grammatical construction (conjunction + pronoun) highlights the contrast between the psalmist’s experience and that of his ancestors. When he considers God’s past reliability, it only heightens his despair and confusion, for God’s present silence stands in stark contrast to his past saving acts.
800 tn The metaphor expresses the psalmist’s self-perception, which is based on how others treat him (see the following line).
801 tn Or “not a human being.” The psalmist perceives himself as less than human.
802 tn Heb “a reproach of man and despised by people.”
803 tn Or “scoff at, deride, mock.”
804 tn Heb “they separate with a lip.” Apparently this refers to their verbal taunting.
805 sn Shake their heads. Apparently this refers to a taunting gesture. See also Job 16:4; Ps 109:25; Lam 2:15.
806 tn The words “they say” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons. The psalmist here quotes the sarcastic taunts of his enemies.
807 tn Heb “roll [yourself].” The Hebrew verb גלל here has the sense of “commit” (see Prov 16:3). The imperatival form in the Hebrew text indicates the enemies here address the psalmist. Since they refer to him in the third person in the rest of the verse, some prefer to emend the verb to a perfect, “he commits himself to the
808 tn Heb “Let him”; the referent (the
809 tn Heb “Let him”; the referent (the
810 tn That is, “for he [the
811 tn Or “the one who pulled me.” The verb is derived from either גָחָה (gakhah; see HALOT 187 s.v. גחה) or גִּיחַ (giyakh; see BDB 161 s.v. גִּיחַ) and seems to carry the nuance “burst forth” or “pull out.”
812 tn Heb “upon you I was cast from [the] womb.”
813 tn Heb “from the womb of my mother you [have been] my God.”
814 tn Heb “and there is no helper.”
815 sn The psalmist figuratively compares his enemies to dangerous bulls.
816 sn Bashan, located east of the Jordan River, was well-known for its cattle. See Ezek 39:18; Amos 4:1.
817 tn “They” refers to the psalmist’s enemies, who in the previous verse are described as “powerful bulls.”
818 tn Heb “they open against me their mouth[s].” To “open the mouth against” is a Hebrew idiom associated with eating and swallowing (see Ezek 2:8; Lam 2:16).
819 tn Heb “a lion ripping and roaring.”
820 tn Heb “like water I am poured out.”
821 sn The heart is viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s strength and courage.
822 tc Heb “my strength” (כֹּחִי, kokhiy), but many prefer to emend the text to חִכִּי (khikiy, “my palate”; cf. NEB, NRSV “my mouth”) assuming that an error of transposition has occurred in the traditional Hebrew text.
823 tn Cf. NEB “my jaw”; NASB, NRSV “my jaws”; NIV “the roof of my mouth.”
824 sn Here the psalmist addresses God and suggests that God is ultimately responsible for what is happening because of his failure to intervene (see vv. 1-2, 11).
825 sn The imperfect verbal form draws attention to the progressive nature of the action. The psalmist is in the process of dying.
826 tn Or “for.”
827 tn Heb “like a lion, my hands and my feet.” This reading is often emended because it is grammatically awkward, but perhaps its awkwardness is by rhetorical design. Its broken syntax may be intended to convey the panic and terror felt by the psalmist. The psalmist may envision a lion pinning the hands and feet of its victim to the ground with its paws (a scene depicted in ancient Near Eastern art), or a lion biting the hands and feet. The line has been traditionally translated, “they pierce my hands and feet,” and then taken as foreshadowing the crucifixion of Christ. Though Jesus does appropriate the language of this psalm while on the cross (compare v. 1 with Matt 27:46 and Mark 15:34), the NT does not cite this verse in describing the death of Jesus. (It does refer to vv. 7-8 and 18, however. See Matt 27:35, 39, 43; Mark 15:24, 29; Luke 23:34; John 19:23-24.) If one were to insist on an emendation of כָּאֲרִי (ka’ariy, “like a lion”) to a verb, the most likely verbal root would be כָּרָה (karah, “dig”; see the LXX). In this context this verb could refer to the gnawing and tearing of wild dogs (cf. NCV, TEV, CEV). The ancient Greek version produced by Symmachus reads “bind” here, perhaps understanding a verbal root כרך, which is attested in later Hebrew and Aramaic and means “to encircle, entwine, embrace” (see HALOT 497-98 s.v. כרך and Jastrow 668 s.v. כָּרַךְ). Neither one of these proposed verbs can yield a meaning “bore, pierce.”
828 tn The imperfect verbal forms in vv. 17-18 draw attention to the progressive nature of the action.
829 tn Heb “they.” The masculine form indicates the enemies are in view. The referent (the psalmist’s enemies) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
830 tn Heb “they gaze, they look upon me.”
831 tn Heb “casting lots.” The precise way in which this would have been done is not certain.
832 tn Heb “O my strength.”
833 tn Heb “hurry to my help.”
834 tn Or “my life.”
835 tn The verb “save” is supplied in the translation; it is understood by ellipsis (see “deliver” in the preceding line).
836 tn Heb “my only one.” The psalmist may mean that his life is precious, or that he feels isolated and alone.
837 tn Heb “from the hand.” Here “hand” is understood by metonymy as a reference to the “paw” and thus the “claws” of the wild dogs.
838 sn The psalmist again compares his enemies to vicious dogs and ferocious lions (see vv. 13, 16).
839 tn The Hebrew term רֵמִים (remim) appears to be an alternate spelling of רְאֵמִים (rÿ’emim, “wild oxen”; see BDB 910 s.v. רְאֵם).
840 tn Heb “and from the horns of the wild oxen you answer me.” Most take the final verb with the preceding prepositional phrase. Some understand the verb form as a relatively rare precative perfect, expressing a wish or request (see IBHS 494-95 §30.5.4c, d). However, not all grammarians are convinced that the perfect is used as a precative in biblical Hebrew. (See the discussion at Ps 3:7.) Others prefer to take the perfect in its usual indicative sense. The psalmist, perhaps in response to an oracle of salvation, affirms confidently that God has answered him, assuring him that deliverance is on the way. The present translation takes the prepositional phrase as parallel to the preceding “from the mouth of the lion” and as collocated with the verb “rescue” at the beginning of the verse. “You have answered me” is understood as a triumphant shout which marks a sudden shift in tone and introduces the next major section of the psalm. By isolating the statement syntactically, the psalmist highlights the declaration.
841 tn Or “brothers,” but here the term does not carry a literal familial sense. It refers to the psalmist’s fellow members of the Israelite covenant community (see v. 23).
842 tn Heb “[you] fearers of the
843 tn Heb “fear him.”
844 tn Or “affliction”; or “need.”
845 sn In this verse the psalmist refers to himself in the third person and characterizes himself as oppressed.
846 tn Heb “he did not hide his face from him.” For other uses of the idiom “hide the face” meaning “ignore,” see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9. Sometimes the idiom carries the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 27:9; 88:14).
847 tn Heb “heard.”
848 tn Heb “from with you [is] my praise.”
849 tn Heb “my vows I will fulfill before those who fear him.” When asking the
850 sn Eat and be filled. In addition to praising the Lord, the psalmist also offers a thank offering to the Lord and invites others to share in a communal meal.
851 tn Heb “may your heart[s].”
852 tn Heb “may all the ends of the earth remember and turn to the
853 tn Heb “families of the nations.”
854 tn Heb “before you.”
855 tn Heb “for to the
856 tn Heb “fat [ones].” This apparently refers to those who are healthy and robust, i.e., thriving. In light of the parallelism, some prefer to emend the form to יְשֵׁנֵי (yÿsheney, “those who sleep [in the earth]”; cf. NAB, NRSV), but דִּשְׁנֵי (dishney, “fat [ones]”) seems to form a merism with “all who descend into the grave” in the following line. The psalmist envisions all people, whether healthy or dying, joining in worship of the
857 tn Heb “eat and worship.” The verb forms (a perfect followed by a prefixed form with vav [ו] consecutive) are normally used in narrative to relate completed actions. Here the psalmist uses the forms rhetorically as he envisions a time when the
858 tn Heb “all of the ones going down [into] the dust.” This group stands in contrast to those mentioned in the previous line. Together the two form a merism encompassing all human beings – the healthy, the dying, and everyone in between.
859 tn Heb “and his life he does not revive.”
860 tn Heb “offspring.”
861 tn Heb “it will be told concerning the Lord to the generation.” The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
862 tn Heb “his righteousness.” Here the noun צִדָקָה (tsidaqah) refers to the Lord’s saving deeds whereby he vindicates the oppressed.
863 tn Heb “to a people [to be] born that he has acted.” The words “they will tell” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
864 sn Psalm 23. In vv. 1-4 the psalmist pictures the Lord as a shepherd who provides for his needs and protects him from danger. The psalmist declares, “The Lord is my shepherd,” and then extends and develops that metaphor, speaking as if he were a sheep. In vv. 5-6 the metaphor changes as the psalmist depicts a great royal banquet hosted by the Lord. The psalmist is a guest of honor and recipient of divine favor, who enjoys unlimited access to the divine palace and the divine presence.
865 sn The LORD is my shepherd. The opening metaphor suggests the psalmist is assuming the role of a sheep. In vv. 1b-4 the psalmist extends the metaphor and explains exactly how the LORD is like a shepherd to him. At the surface level the language can be understood in terms of a shepherd’s relationship to his sheep. The translation of vv. 1-4 reflects this level. But, of course, each statement also points to an underlying reality.
866 tn The imperfect verbal form is best understood as generalizing; the psalmist highlights his typical or ongoing experience as a result of having the LORD as his shepherd (habitual present use). The next verse explains more specifically what he means by this statement.
867 tn Heb “he makes me lie down in lush pastures.” The Hiphil verb יַרְבִּיצֵנִי (yarbitseniy) has a causative-modal nuance here (see IBHS 445-46 §27.5 on this use of the Hiphil), meaning “allows me to lie down” (see also Jer 33:12). The point is that the shepherd takes the sheep to lush pastures and lets them eat and rest there. Both imperfect verbal forms in v. 2 are generalizing and highlight the psalmist’s typical experience.
868 tn Both genitives in v. 2 indicate an attribute of the noun they modify: דֶּשֶׁא (deshe’) characterizes the pastures as “lush” (i.e., rich with vegetation), while מְנֻחוֹת (mÿnukhot) probably characterizes the water as refreshing. In this case the plural indicates an abstract quality. Some take מְנֻחוֹת in the sense of “still, calm” (i.e., as describing calm pools in contrast to dangerous torrents) but it is unlikely that such a pastoral scene is in view. Shepherds usually watered their sheep at wells (see Gen 29:2-3; Exod 2:16-19). Another option is to take מְנֻחוֹת as “resting places” and to translate, “water of/at the resting places” (i.e., a genitive of location; see IBHS 147-48 §9.5.2e).
869 tn The appearance of the Hebrew term נַפְשִׁי (nafshi), traditionally translated “my soul,” might suggest a spiritualized interpretation for the first line of v. 3. However, at the surface level of the shepherd/sheep metaphor, this is unlikely. When it occurs with a pronominal suffix נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v. 4 נֶפֶשׁ.a). In this context, where the statement most naturally refers to the physical provision just described, the form is best translated simply “me.” The accompanying verb (a Polel form [factitive use] of שׁוּב [shuv]), if referring to the physical provision just described, carries the nuance “refresh, restore strength.”
870 tn The imperfect verbal forms in v. 3 (יְשׁוֹבֵב [yÿshovev] and יַנְחֵנִי [yakheniy]), like those in vv. 1-2, highlight what is typical of the shepherd/sheep relationship.
871 tn The attributive genitive צֶדֶק (tsedeq) is traditionally translated “righteousness” here, as if designating a moral or ethical quality. But this seems unlikely, for it modifies מַעְגְּלֵי (ma’ggÿley, “paths”). Within the shepherd/sheep metaphor, the phrase likely refers to “right” or “correct” paths, i.e. ones that lead to pastures, wells, or the fold. While צֶדֶק usually does carry a moral or ethical nuance, it can occasionally refer to less abstract things, such as weights and offerings. In this context, which emphasizes divine provision and protection, the underlying reality is probably God’s providential guidance. The psalmist is confident that God takes him down paths that will ultimately lead to something beneficial, not destructive.
872 tn The Hebrew term שֶׁם (shem, “name”) refers here to the shepherd’s reputation. (The English term “name” is often used the same way.) The statement לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ (lÿma’an shÿmo, “for the sake of his name”) makes excellent sense within the framework of the shepherd/sheep metaphor. Shepherds, who sometimes hired out their services, were undoubtedly concerned about their vocational reputation. To maintain their reputation as competent shepherds, they had to know the “lay of the land” and make sure they led the sheep down the right paths to the proper destinations. The underlying reality is a profound theological truth: God must look out for the best interests of the one he has promised to protect, because if he fails to do so, his faithfulness could legitimately be called into question and his reputation damaged.
873 tn The Hebrew term צַלְמָוֶת (tsalmavet) has traditionally been understood as a compound noun meaning “shadow of death” (צֵל [tsel] + מָוֶת [mavet]; see BDB 853 s.v. צַלְמָוֶת). Other scholars prefer to vocalize the form צַלְמוּת (tsalmut) and understand it as an abstract noun (from the root צָלַם, tsalam) meaning “darkness.” An examination of the word’s usage favors the latter derivation. It is frequently associated with darkness/night and contrasted with light/morning (see Job 3:5; 10:21-22; 12:22; 24:17; 28:3; 34:22; Ps 107:10, 14; Isa 9:1; Jer 13:16; Amos 5:8). In some cases the darkness described is associated with the realm of death (Job 10:21-22; 38:17), but this is a metaphorical application of the word and does not reflect its inherent meaning. If the word does indeed mean “darkness,” it modifies גַיְא (gay’, “valley, ravine”) quite naturally. At the metaphorical level, v. 4 pictures the shepherd taking his sheep through a dark ravine where predators might lurk. The life-threatening situations faced by the psalmist are the underlying reality behind the imagery.
874 tn The imperfect verbal forms in v. 4, as in vv. 1-3, highlight what is typical in the psalmist’s experience.
875 tn The Hebrew term רַע (ra’) is traditionally translated “evil” here, perhaps suggesting a moral or ethical nuance. But at the level of the metaphor, the word means “danger, injury, harm,” as a sheep might experience from a predator. The life-threatening dangers faced by the psalmist, especially the enemies mentioned in v. 5, are the underlying reality.
876 tn The Piel of נָחַם (nakham), when used with a human object, means “comfort, console.” But here, within the metaphorical framework, it refers to the way in which a shepherd uses his implements to assure the sheep of his presence and calm their nerves. The underlying reality is the emotional stability God provides the psalmist during life threatening situations.
877 sn In v. 5 the metaphor switches. (It would be very odd for a sheep to have its head anointed and be served wine.) The background for the imagery is probably the royal banquet. Ancient Near Eastern texts describe such banquets in similar terms to those employed by the psalmist. (See M. L. Barre and J. S. Kselman, “New Exodus, Covenant, and Restoration in Psalm 23,” The Word of the Lord Shall Go Forth, 97-127.) The reality behind the imagery is the Lord’s favor. Through his blessings and protection he demonstrates to everyone, including dangerous enemies, that the psalmist has a special relationship with him.
878 tn The imperfect verbal form in v. 5a carries on the generalizing mood of vv. 1-4. However, in v. 5b the psalmist switches to a perfect (דִּשַּׁנְתָּ, dishanta), which may have a generalizing force as well. But then again the perfect is conspicuous here and may be present perfect in sense, indicating that the divine host typically pours oil on his head prior to seating him at the banquet table. The verb דָשַׁן (dashan; the Piel is factitive) is often translated “anoint,” but this is misleading, for it might suggest a symbolic act of initiation into royal status. One would expect the verb מָשָׁח (mashan) in this case; דָשַׁן here describes an act of hospitality extended to guests and carries the nuance “refresh.” In Prov 15:30 it stands parallel to “make happy” and refers to the effect that good news has on the inner being of its recipient.
879 tn The rare noun רְַָויָה (rÿvayah) is derived from the well-attested verb רָוָה (ravah, “be saturated, drink one’s fill”). In this context, where it describes a cup, it must mean “filled up,” but not necessarily to overflowing.
880 tn The noun חֶסֶד (khesed; v. 6) has been the subject of several monographs. G. R. Clark concludes that חֶסֶד “is not merely an attitude or an emotion; it is an emotion that leads to an activity beneficial to the recipient.” He explains that an act of חֶסֶד is “a beneficent action performed, in the context of a deep and enduring commitment between two persons or parties, by one who is able to render assistance to the needy party who in the circumstances is unable to help him- or herself.” (See G. R. Clark, The Word Hesed in the Hebrew Bible [JSOTSup], 267.) HALOT 336-37 s.v. defines the word as “loyalty,” or “faithfulness.” Other appropriate meanings might be “commitment” and “devotion.”
881 tn The use of רָדַף (radaf, “pursue, chase”) with טוֹב וָחֶסֶד (tov vakhesed, “goodness and faithfulness”) as subject is ironic. This is the only place in the entire OT where either of these nouns appears as the subject of this verb רָדַף (radaf, “pursue”). This verb is often used to describe the hostile actions of enemies. One might expect the psalmist’s enemies (see v. 5) to chase him, but ironically God’s “goodness and faithfulness” (which are personified and stand by metonymy for God himself) pursue him instead. The word “pursue” is used outside of its normal context in an ironic manner and creates a unique, but pleasant word picture of God’s favor (or a kind God) “chasing down” the one whom he loves.
882 tn Heb “all the days of my life.”
883 tn The verb form וְשַׁבְתִּי (vÿshavtiy) is a Qal perfect (with vav [ו] consecutive), first common singular, from שׁוּב (shuv, “return”) and should be translated, “and I will return.” But this makes no sense when construed with the following phrase, “in the house of the
884 tn Heb “the house of the
885 tn The phrase אֹרֶךְ יָמִים (’orekh yamim, “length of days”) is traditionally translated “forever.” However, this phrase, when used elsewhere of people, usually refers to a lengthy period of time, such as one’s lifetime, and does not mean “forever” in the sense of eternity. (Cf. Deut 30:20; Job 12:12; Ps 91:16; Prov 3:2, 16; Lam 5:20.) Furthermore, the parallel phrase “all the days of my life” suggests this more limited meaning. Psalm 21:4, where the phrase is followed by “forever and ever,” may be an exception, though the juxtaposition of the phrases may be an example of intensification, where the second phrase goes beyond the limits of the first, rather than synonymity. Even if one takes both expressions as referring to eternal life, the language is part of the king’s hyperbolic description of the
886 sn Psalm 24. The psalmist affirms the universal kingship of the sovereign creator, reminds his people that only the morally pure are qualified to worship him, and celebrates his splendor as a mighty warrior king.
887 tn The prefixed verbal form is understood as a preterite, referring to the creation of the world.
888 sn He…established it upon the ocean currents. The description reflects ancient Israelite prescientific cosmology, which is based on outward appearances. The language also suggests that God’s creative work involved the subjugation of chaos, symbolized by the sea.
889 tn The imperfects in v. 3 are modal, expressing potential or permission.
890 sn In this context the Lord’s mountain probably refers to Zion/Jerusalem (see Isa 2:2-3).
891 tn Heb “the innocent of hands and the pure of heart.” The “hands” allude to one’s actions, the “heart” to one’s thought life and motives.
892 tn Heb “who does not lift up for emptiness my life.” The first person pronoun on נַפְשִׁי (nafshiy, “my life”) makes little sense here; many medieval Hebrew
893 tn Heb “and does not swear an oath deceitfully.”
894 tn Heb “he (the righteous individual described in v. 4) lifts up a blessing from the
895 tn “and vindication from the God of his deliverance.”
896 tn Heb “this [is the] generation of the ones seeking him, the ones seeking your face, Jacob.” To “seek the
897 tn Heb “lift up your heads.” The gates of the Lord’s dwelling place are here personified. The idiom “lift up the head” often means “be confident, bold” (see Judg 8:28; Job 10:15; Ps 83:2; Zech 1:21).
898 tn Heb “lift yourselves up.”
899 tn Or “king of glory.”
900 tn Following the imperatives of the preceding lines, the prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose or result.
901 sn Who is this majestic king? Perhaps the personified gates/doors ask this question, in response to the command given in v. 7.
902 tn Traditionally, “the
903 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.
904 tn Heb “to you, O
905 tn Heb “those who deal in treachery in vain.” The adverb רֵיקָם (reqam, “in vain”) probably refers to the failure (or futility) of their efforts. Another option is to understand it as meaning “without cause” (cf. NIV “without excuse”; NRSV “wantonly treacherous”).
906 sn Teach me your paths. In this context the
907 sn The
908 tn That is, “remember” with the intention of repeating.
909 tn Heb “for from antiquity [are] they.”
910 tn Heb “do not remember,” with the intention of punishing.
911 sn That is, the sins characteristic of youths, who lack moral discretion and wisdom.
912 tn Heb “according to your faithfulness, remember me, you, for the sake of your goodness, O
913 tn Heb “good and just.”
914 tn Heb “teaches sinners in the way.”
915 tn The prefixed verbal form is jussive; the psalmist expresses his prayer.
916 tn Heb “may he guide the humble into justice.” The Hebrew term עֲנָוִים (’anavim, “humble”) usually refers to the oppressed, but in this context, where the psalmist confesses his sin and asks for moral guidance, it apparently refers to sinners who humble themselves before God and seek deliverance from their sinful condition.
917 tn The prefixed verbal form is interpreted as a jussive (it stands parallel to the jussive form, “may he guide”).
918 tn Heb “all the paths of the
919 tn Heb “to the ones who keep his covenant and his testimonies.”
920 tn Heb “name.” By forgiving the sinful psalmist, the
921 sn Forgive my sin, because it is great. The psalmist readily admits his desperate need for forgiveness.
922 tn Heb “Who is this man, the one who fears the
923 tn Heb “his life in goodness dwells.” The singular is representative (see v. 14).
924 tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”
925 tn Or “earth.”
926 tn Heb “the advice of the
927 tn Heb “and his covenant, to make them know.”
928 tn Heb “my eyes continually [are] toward the
929 tn Heb “for he will bring out from a net my feet.” The hostility of the psalmist’s enemies is probably in view (see v. 19).
930 tn That is, helpless and vulnerable.
931 tc Heb “the distresses of my heart, they make wide.” The text makes little if any sense as it stands, unless this is an otherwise unattested intransitive use of the Hiphil of רָחַב (rakhav, “be wide”). It is preferable to emend the form הִרְחִיבוּ (hirkhivu; Hiphil perfect third plural “they make wide”) to הַרְחֵיב (harkhev; Hiphil imperative masculine singular “make wide”). (The final vav [ו] can be joined to the following word and taken as a conjunction.) In this case one can translate, “[in/from] the distresses of my heart, make wide [a place for me],” that is, “deliver me from the distress I am experiencing.” For the expression “make wide [a place for me],” see Ps 4:1.
932 tn Heb “from my distresses lead me out.”
933 tn Heb “lift up all my sins.”
934 tn Heb “see my enemies for they are numerous, and [with] violent hatred they hate me.”
935 tn Or “my life.”
936 tn Or “redeem.”
937 tn Heb “his distresses.”
938 sn Psalm 26. The author invites the Lord to test his integrity, asserts his innocence and declares his loyalty to God.
939 tn Heb “for I in my integrity walk.”
940 tn Heb “evaluate my kidneys and my heart.” The kidneys and heart were viewed as the seat of one’s volition, conscience, and moral character.
941 tn Heb “for your faithfulness [is] before my eyes.”
942 tn Heb “and I walk about in your loyalty.”
943 tn Heb “sit.”
944 tn Heb “go.” The psalmist uses the imperfect form of the verb to emphasize that he does not make a practice of associating with such people.
945 tn Heb “[those who] conceal themselves.”
946 tn Heb “assembly, company.”
947 tn Heb “sit.” The psalmist uses the imperfect form of the verb to emphasize that he does not make a practice of associating with such people.
948 tn Heb “I wash my hands in innocence.” The psalmist uses an image from cultic ritual to picture his moral lifestyle. The imperfect verbal emphasizes that this is his habit.
949 tn Heb “so I can go around your altar” (probably in ritual procession). Following the imperfect of the preceding line, the cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose or result.
950 tn Heb “to cause to be heard the sound of thanksgiving.”
951 tn The two infinitival forms (both with prefixed preposition -לְ, lamed) give the purpose for his appearance at the altar.
952 tn Heb “the dwelling of your house.”
953 tn Heb “the place of the abode of your splendor.”
954 tn Heb “do not gather up my life with.”
955 tn Heb “or with men of bloodshed my life.” The verb is supplied; it is understood by ellipsis (see the preceding line).
956 tn Heb “who [have] in their hands evil.”
957 tn Heb “and their right hand is full of a bribe.”
958 tn Heb “and I in my integrity walk.” The psalmist uses the imperfect verbal form to emphasize this is his practice. The construction at the beginning of the verse (conjunction + pronoun) highlights the contrast between the psalmist and the sinners mentioned in vv. 9-10.
959 tn Or “redeem me.”
960 tn Heb “my foot stands in a level place.”
961 sn Psalm 27. The author is confident of the Lord’s protection and asks the Lord to vindicate him.
962 tn Heb “the
963 tn Heb “Whom shall I fear?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “No one!”
964 tn Heb “Of whom shall I be afraid?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “No one!”
965 tn Heb “draw near to me.”
966 sn To devour my flesh. The psalmist compares his enemies to dangerous, hungry predators (see 2 Kgs 9:36; Ezek 39:17).
967 tn Heb “my adversaries and my enemies against me.” The verb “draw near” (that is, “attack”) is understood by ellipsis; see the previous line.
968 tn The Hebrew verbal forms are perfects. The translation assumes the psalmist is generalizing here, but another option is to take this as a report of past experience, “when evil men attacked me…they stumbled and fell.”
969 tn Heb “my heart does not fear.”
970 tn Heb “if war rises up against me.”
971 tn Heb “in this [i.e., “during this situation”] I am trusting.”
972 tn Heb “my living.”
973 sn The
974 tn Or “beauty.”
975 tn Or “for he will.” The translation assumes the כִּי (ki) is asseverative here, rather than causal.
976 tn Heb “he will hide me in his hut.”
977 tn Or “trouble.”
978 tn Heb “tent.”
979 tn The three imperfect verb forms in v. 5 anticipate a positive response to the prayer offered in vv. 7-12.
980 tn Heb “on a rocky summit he lifts me up.” The
981 tn Heb “and now my head will be lifted up over my enemies all around me.”
982 tn Heb “I will sacrifice in his tent sacrifices of a shout for joy” (that is, “sacrifices accompanied by a joyful shout”).
983 tn Heb “my voice.”
984 tc Heb “concerning you my heart says, ‘Seek my face.’” The verb form “seek” is plural, but this makes no sense here, for the psalmist is addressed. The verb should be emended to a singular form. The first person pronominal suffix on “face” also makes little sense, unless it is the voice of the
985 tn Heb “your face, O
986 tn Heb “do not hide your face from me.” The idiom “hide the face” can mean “ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or carry the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 30:7; 88:14).
987 tn Or “[source of] help.”
988 tn Or “though my father and mother have abandoned me.”
989 tn Heb “gather me in”; or “receive me.”
990 tn Heb “teach me your way.” The
991 sn The level path refers to God’s moral principles (see the parallel line), which, if followed, will keep the psalmist blameless before his accusers (see v. 12).
992 tn Heb “because of those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 5:8; 54:5; 56:2.
993 tn Heb “do not give me over to the desire of my enemies.”
994 tn Heb “for they have risen up against me, lying witnesses and a testifier of violence.” The form יָפֵחַ (yafeakh) is traditionally understood as a verb meaning “snort, breathe out”: “for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty” (KJV; cf. BDB 422 s.v.). A better option is to take the form as a noun meaning “a witness” (or “testifier”). See Prov 6:19; 12:17; 14:5, 25; 19:5, 9, and Hab 2:3.
995 tn In the Hebrew text the sentence is incomplete: “If I had not believed [I would] see the goodness of the
996 tn Or “wait.”
997 tn Heb “be strong and let your heart be confident.”
998 sn Psalm 28. The author looks to the Lord for vindication, asks that the wicked be repaid in full for their evil deeds, and affirms his confidence that the Lord will protect his own.
999 tn Heb “my rocky summit.” The Lord is compared to a rocky summit where one can find protection from enemies. See Ps 18:2.
1000 tn Heb “do not be deaf from me.”
1001 tn Heb “lest [if] you are silent from me.”
1002 tn Heb “I will be equal with.”
1003 tn Heb “the pit.” The noun בּוֹר (bor, “pit, cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead.
1004 sn I lift my hands. Lifting one’s hands toward God was a gesture of prayer.
1005 tn The Hebrew term דְּבִיר (dÿvir, “temple”) actually refers to the most holy place within the sanctuary.
1006 tn Heb “workers of wickedness.”
1007 tn Heb “speakers of peace with their neighbors.”
1008 tn Heb “and evil [is] in their heart[s].”
1009 tn Heb “Give to them according to their work, and according to the evil of their deeds. According to the work of their hands give to them. Return their due to them.” The highly repetitive style reflects the psalmist’s agitated emotional state and draws attention to his yearning for justice.
1010 tn Heb “or the work of his hands.” In this context “the
1011 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the
1012 tn Heb “will tear them down and not rebuild them.” The ungodly are compared to a structure that is permanently demolished.
1013 tn Heb “blessed [be] the
1014 sn He has heard my plea for mercy. The psalmist’s mood abruptly changes at this point, because the Lord responded positively to his petition and assured him that he would deliver him.
1015 tn Heb “The
1016 tn Heb “in him my heart trusts.”
1017 tn Or “I am helped.”
1018 tn Heb “and my heart exults.”
1019 tn Heb “and from my song I will thank him.” As pointed in the Hebrew text, מִשִּׁירִי (mishiri) appears to be “from my song,” but the preposition “from” never occurs elsewhere with the verb “to thank” (Hiphil of יָדָה, yadah). Perhaps משׁיר is a noun form meaning “song.” If so, it can be taken as an adverbial accusative, “and [with] my song I will thank him.” See P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 (WBC), 236.
1020 tn Heb “the
1021 tn Heb “he [is] a refuge of help for his anointed one.” The noun מָשִׁיחַ (mashiakh, “anointed one”) refers to the Davidic king, who perhaps speaks as representative of the nation in this psalm. See Pss 2:2; 18:50; 20:6; 84:9; 89:38, 51; 132:10, 17.
1022 tn Or “bless.”
1023 tn Heb “your inheritance.” The parallelism (note “your people”) indicates that Israel is in view.
1024 tn Heb “shepherd them and lift them up.”
1025 tn Or “forever.”
1026 sn Psalm 29. In this hymn of praise the psalmist calls upon the heavenly assembly to acknowledge the royal splendor of the Lord. He describes the Lord’s devastating power as revealed in the thunderstorm and affirms that the Lord exerts this awesome might on behalf of his people. In its original context the psalm was a bold polemic against the Canaanite storm god Baal, for it affirms that the Lord is the real king who controls the elements of the storm, contrary to pagan belief. See R. B. Chisholm, Jr., “The Polemic against Baalism in Israel’s Early History and Literature,” BSac 150 (1994): 280-82.
1027 tc Heb “sons of gods,” or “sons of God.” Though אֵלִים (’elim) is vocalized as a plural form (“gods”) in the MT, it is likely that the final mem is actually enclitic, rather than a plural marker. In this case one may read “God.” Some, following a Qumran text and the LXX, also propose the phrase occurred in the original text of Deut 32:8.
1028 tn Or “ascribe to the
1029 tn Heb “ascribe to the
1030 tn That is, properly dressed for the occasion.
1031 tn Heb “the voice of the
1032 tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form is probably descriptive. In dramatic fashion the psalmist portrays the
1033 tn Traditionally “many waters.” The geographical references in the psalm (Lebanon, Sirion, Kadesh) suggest this is a reference to the Mediterranean Sea (see Ezek 26:19; 27:26). The psalmist describes a powerful storm moving in from the sea and sweeping over the mountainous areas north of Israel. The “surging waters” may symbolize the hostile enemies of God who seek to destroy his people (see Pss 18:17; 32:6; 77:20; 93:4; 144:7; Isa 17:13; Jer 51:55; Ezek 26:19; Hab 3:15). In this case the
1034 tn Heb “the voice of the
1035 tn Heb “the voice of the
1036 tn The Hebrew participial form draws attention to the durative nature of the action being described.
1037 tn The prefixed verbal forms with vav (ו) consecutive here and in v. 6a carry on the descriptive function of the preceding participle (see GKC 329 §111.u). The verb שָׁבַר (shavar) appears in the Qal in the first line of the verse, and in the Piel in the second line. The verb, which means “break” in the Qal, appears thirty-six times in the Piel, always with multiple objects (the object is either a collective singular or grammatically plural or dual form). The Piel may highlight the repetition of the pluralative action, or it may suggest an intensification of action, indicating repeated action comprising a whole, perhaps with the nuance “break again and again, break in pieces.” Another option is to understand the form as resultative: “make broken” (see IBHS 404-7 §24.3).
1038 sn The cedars of the Lebanon forest were well-known in ancient Israel for their immense size. Here they may symbolize the arrogant enemies of God (see Isa 2:12-13).
1039 sn Sirion is another name for Mount Hermon (Deut 3:9).
1040 sn Lebanon and Sirion are compared to frisky young animals (a calf…a young ox) who skip and jump. The thunderous shout of the Lord is so powerful, one can see the very mountains shake on the horizon.
1041 tn The verb normally means “to hew [stone or wood],” or “to hew out.” In Hos 6:5 it seems to mean “cut in pieces,” “knock down,” or perhaps “hack” (see F. I. Andersen and D. N. Freedman, Hosea [AB], 428). The Ugaritic cognate can mean “assault.” In v. 7 the verb seems to have a similar meaning, perhaps “attack, strike.” The phrase “flames of fire” is an adverbial accusative; the
1042 sn The
1043 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal forms are descriptive in function; the psalmist depicts the action as underway.
1044 sn Kadesh. The references to Lebanon and Sirion in v. 6 suggest this is a reference to the northern Kadesh, located north of Damascus, not the southern Kadesh mentioned so often in the OT. See M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 1:178.
1045 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form is descriptive in function; the psalmist depicts the action as underway.
1046 tc Heb “the deer.” Preserving this reading, some translate the preceding verb, “causes [the deer] to give premature birth” (cf. NEB, NASB). But the Polel of חוּל/חִיל (khul/khil) means “give birth,” not “cause to give birth,” and the statement “the
1047 tn The verb is used in Joel 1:7 of locusts stripping the leaves from a tree. The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries the descriptive function of the preceding imperfect. See GKC 329 §111.t.
1048 tn The usual form of the plural of יַעַר (ya’ar, “forest”) is יְעָרִים (yÿ’arim). For this reason some propose an emendation to יְעָלוֹת (yÿ’alot, “female mountain goats”) which would fit nicely in the parallelism with “deer” (cf. NEB “brings kids early to birth”). In this case one would have to understand the verb חָשַׂף (khasaf) to mean “cause premature birth,” an otherwise unattested homonym of the more common חָשַׂף (“strip bare”).
1049 tn Heb “In his temple, all of it says, ‘Glory.’”
1050 tn The noun מַּבּוּל (mabbul, “flood”) appears only here and in Gen 6-11, where it refers to the Noahic flood. Some see a reference to that event here. The presence of the article (perhaps indicating uniqueness) and the switch to the perfect verbal form (which could be taken as describing a past situation) might support this. However, the immediate context indicates that the referent of מַּבּוּל is the “surging waters” mentioned in v. 3. The article indicates waters that are definite in the mind of the speaker and the perfect is probably descriptive in function, like “thunders” in v. 3. However, even though the historical flood is not the primary referent here, there may be a literary allusion involved. The psalmist views the threatening chaotic sea as a contemporary manifestation of the destructive waters of old.
1051 tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries the descriptive function of the preceding perfect.
1052 tn The imperfect verbal forms in v. 11 are either descriptive or generalizing.
1053 sn Strength. This probably refers to military power; see the use of the noun in 1 Sam 2:10 and Ps 86:16.
1054 tn Heb “blesses his people with peace.” The Hebrew term שָׁלוֹם (shalom, “peace”) probably refers here to the protection and prosperity experienced by God’s people after the
1055 sn Psalm 30. The author thanks the Lord for delivering him from death and urges others to join him in praise. The psalmist experienced divine discipline for a brief time, but when he cried out for help the Lord intervened and restored his favor.
1056 tn Heb “a song of the dedication of the house.” The referent of “house” is unclear. It is possible that David wrote this psalm for the dedication ceremony of Solomon’s temple. Another possibility is that the psalm was used on the occasion of the dedication of the second temple following the return from exile, or on the occasion of the rededication of the temple in Maccabean times.
1057 tn Elsewhere the verb דָּלָה (dalah) is used of drawing water from a well (Exod 2:16, 19; Prov 20:5). The psalmist was trapped in the pit leading to Sheol (see v. 3), but the
1058 tn Or “rejoice.”
1059 sn You healed me. Apparently the psalmist was plagued by a serious illness that threatened his life. See Ps 41.
1060 tn Or “my life.”
1061 tn Heb “you kept me alive from those descending into the pit.” The Hebrew noun בוֹר (bor, “pit, cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead. The translation follows the consonantal Hebrew text (Kethib); the marginal reading (Qere) has, “you kept me alive so that I did not go down into the pit.”
1062 tn A “faithful follower” (חָסִיד) is one who does what is right in God’s eyes and remains faithful to God (see Pss 4:3; 12:1; 16:10; 31:23; 37:28; 86:2; 97:10).
1063 tn Heb “to his holy remembrance.” The noun זֵכֵר (zekher, “remembrance”) here refers to the name of the
1064 tn Heb “for [there is] a moment in his anger, [but] life in his favor.” Because of the parallelism with “moment,” some understand חַיִּים (khayyim) in a quantitative sense: “lifetime” (cf. NIV, NRSV). However, the immediate context, which emphasizes deliverance from death (see v. 3), suggests that חַיִּים has a qualitative sense: “physical life” or even “prosperous life” (cf. NEB “in his favour there is life”).
1065 tn Heb “in the evening weeping comes to lodge, but at morning a shout of joy.” “Weeping” is personified here as a traveler who lodges with one temporarily.
1066 sn In my self-confidence I said… Here the psalmist begins to fill in the background of the crisis referred to in the earlier verses. He had been arrogant and self-confident, so the Lord withdrew his protection and allowed trouble to invade his life (vv. 8-11).
1067 tn Heb “in your good favor you caused to stand for my mountain strength.” Apparently this means “you established strength for my mountain” (“mountain” in this case representing his rule, which would be centered on Mt. Zion) or “you established strength as my mountain” (“mountain” in this case being a metaphor for security).
1068 tn Heb “you hid your face.” The idiom “hide the face” can mean “ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or, as here, carry the stronger idea of “reject” (see Ps 88:14).
1069 tn The prefixed verbal forms in v. 8 are probably preterites; the psalmist recalls that he prayed in his time of crisis.
1070 sn The following two verses (vv. 9-10) contain the prayer (or an excerpt of the prayer) that the psalmist offered to the Lord during his crisis.
1071 tn Heb “What profit [is there] in my blood?” “Blood” here represents his life.
1072 tn The Hebrew term שָׁחַת (shakhat, “pit”) is often used as a title for Sheol (see Pss 16:10; 49:9; 55:24; 103:4).
1073 tn Heb “dust.” The words “of the grave” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
1074 tn The rhetorical questions anticipate the answer, “Of course not!”
1075 tn Heb “be a helper to me.”
1076 sn Covered me with joy. “Joy” probably stands metonymically for festive attire here.
1077 tn Heb “so that”; or “in order that.”
1078 tn Heb “glory.” Some view כָבוֹד (khavod, “glory”) here as a metonymy for man’s inner being (see BDB 459 s.v. II כָּבוֹד 5), but it is preferable to emend the form to כְּבֵדִי (kÿvediy, “my liver”). Like the heart, the liver is viewed as the seat of one’s emotions. See also Pss 16:9; 57:9; 108:1, as well as H. W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament, 64, and M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 1:90. For an Ugaritic example of the heart/liver as the source of joy, see G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 47-48: “her [Anat’s] liver swelled with laughter, her heart was filled with joy, the liver of Anat with triumph.” “Heart” is used in the translation above for the sake of English idiom; the expression “my liver sings” would seem odd indeed to the modern reader.
1079 tn Or “forever.”
1080 sn Psalm 31. The psalmist confidently asks the Lord to protect him. Enemies threaten him and even his friends have abandoned him, but he looks to the Lord for vindication. In vv. 19-24, which were apparently written after the Lord answered the prayer of vv. 1-18, the psalmist thanks the Lord for delivering him.
1081 tn Heb “in your vindication rescue me.”
1082 tn Heb “turn toward me your ear.”
1083 tn Heb “become for me a rocky summit of refuge.”
1084 tn Heb “a house of strongholds to deliver me.”
1085 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.
1086 tn Heb “name.” The Hebrew term שֵׁם (shem, “name”) refers here to the
1087 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).
1088 tn Heb “bring me out.” The translation assumes that the imperfect verbal form expresses the psalmist’s confidence about the future. Another option is to take the form as expressing a prayer, “free me.”
1089 tn Heb “my spirit.” The noun רוּחַ (ruakh, “spirit”) here refers to the animating spirit that gives the psalmist life.
1090 tn Or “redeem.” The perfect verbal form is understood here as anticipatory, indicating rhetorically the psalmist’s certitude and confidence that God will intervene. The psalmist is so confident of God’s positive response to his prayer that he can describe his deliverance as if it had already happened. Another option is to take the perfect as precative, expressing a wish or request (“rescue me”; cf. NIV). See IBHS 494-95 §30.5.4c, d. However, not all grammarians are convinced that the perfect is used as a precative in biblical Hebrew.
1091 tn Heb “the ones who observe vain things of falsehood.” See Jonah 2:9.
1092 tn Heb “you know the distresses of my life.”
1093 tn Heb “you cause my feet to stand.”
1094 tn Or perhaps, “are swollen.”
1095 tn Cf. Ps 6:7, which has a similar line.
1096 tn Heb “my breath and my stomach [grow weak].” Apparently the verb in the previous line (“grow dim, be weakened”) is to be understood here. The Hebrew term נפשׁ can mean “life,” or, more specifically, “throat, breath.” The psalmist seems to be lamenting that his breathing is impaired because of the physical and emotional suffering he is forced to endure.
1097 tn Heb “and my years in groaning.”
1098 tn Heb “stumbles in.”
1099 tn Heb “grow weak.”
1100 tn Heb “because of all my enemies I am a reproach.”
1101 tc Heb “and to my neighbors, exceedingly.” If the MT is retained, then these words probably go with what precedes. However the syntactical awkwardness of the text suggests it is textually corrupt. P. C. Craigie (Psalms 1-50 [WBC], 258) suggests that the initial mem (מ) on מְאֹד (me’od, “exceedingly”) be understood as an enclitic mem (ם) which was originally suffixed to the preceding form and then later misinterpreted. The resulting form אֵד (’ed) can then be taken as a defectively written form of אֵיד (’ed, “calamity”). If one follows this emendation, then the text reads literally, “and to my neighbors [I am one who experiences] calamity.” The noun פַחַד (fakhad, “[object of] horror”) occurs in the next line; אֵיד and פַחַד appear in parallelism elsewhere (see Prov 1:26-27).
1102 tn Heb “and [an object of ] horror to those known by me.”
1103 tn Heb “I am forgotten, like a dead man, from [the] heart.” The “heart” is here viewed as the center of one’s thoughts.
1104 tn Heb “I am like a broken jar.” One throws away a broken jar without a second thought because it is considered worthless and useless.
1105 tn Heb “the report of many.”
1106 tn Heb “the terror from all around.”
1107 tn Heb “in your hand [are] my times.”
1108 tn Heb “cause your face to shine.”
1109 tn The verb יִדְּמוּ (yiddÿmu) is understood as a form of דָּמַם (damam, “wail, lament”). Another option is to take the verb from דָּמַם (“be quiet”; see BDB 198-99 s.v. I דָּמַם), in which case one might translate, “May they lie silent in the grave.”
1110 tn Heb “the [ones which].”
1111 tn Or “godly.”
1112 tn Or “How abundant are your blessings!”
1113 tn Heb “for those who fear you.”
1114 tn “Taking shelter” in the
1115 tn Heb “you work [your favor] for the ones seeking shelter in you before the sons of men.”
1116 tn The noun רֹכֶס (rokhes) occurs only here. Its meaning is debated; some suggest “snare,” while others propose “slander” or “conspiracy.”
1117 tn Heb “you hide them in the hiding place of your face from the attacks of man.” The imperfect verbal forms in this verse draw attention to God’s typical treatment of the faithful.
1118 tn Heb “you conceal them in a shelter from the strife of tongues.”
1119 tn Heb “blessed [be] the
1120 tn Heb “for he caused his faithfulness to be amazing to me in a besieged city.” The psalmist probably speaks figuratively here. He compares his crisis to being trapped in a besieged city, but the
1121 tn Heb “and I, I said in my haste.”
1122 tn Heb “from before your eyes.”
1123 tn A “faithful follower” (חָסִיד, khasid) is one who does what is right in God’s eyes and remains faithful to God (see Pss 4:3; 12:1; 16:10; 31:23; 37:28; 86:2; 97:10).
1124 tn The participial forms in the second and third lines characterize the Lord as one who typically protects the faithful and judges the proud.
1125 tn Heb “be strong and let your heart[s] be confident.”
1126 sn Psalm 32. The psalmist recalls the agony he experienced prior to confessing his sins and affirms that true happiness comes when one’s sins are forgiven. He then urges others not to be stubborn, but to turn to God while forgiveness is available, for God extends his mercy to the repentant, while the wicked experience nothing but sorrow.
1127 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. The word is derived from a verb meaning “to be prudent; to be wise.” Various options are: “a contemplative song,” “a song imparting moral wisdom,” or “a skillful [i.e., well-written] song.” The term occurs in the superscriptions of Pss 32, 42, 44, 45, 52-55, 74, 78, 88, 89, and 142, as well as in Ps 47:7.
1128 tn The Hebrew noun is an abstract plural. The word often refers metonymically to the happiness that God-given security and prosperity produce (see Pss 1:1, 3; 2:12; 34:9; 41:1; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15). Here it refers to the relief that one experiences when one’s sins are forgiven.
1129 tn Heb “lifted up.”
1130 tn Heb “covered over.”
1131 tn Heb “man.” The word choice reflects the perspective of the psalmist, who is male. The principle of the psalm is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, the gender and age specific “man” has been translated with the more neutral “one.”
1132 tn Heb “blessed [is] the man to whom the
1133 sn In whose spirit there is no deceit. The point is not that the individual is sinless and pure. In this context, which focuses on confession and forgiveness of sin, the psalmist refers to one who refuses to deny or hide his sin, but instead honestly confesses it to God.
1134 tn Heb “when I was silent.”
1135 tn Heb “my bones became brittle.” The psalmist pictures himself as aging and growing physically weak. Trying to cover up his sin brought severe physical consequences.
1136 tn Heb “your hand was heavy upon me.”
1137 tc Heb “my [?] was turned.” The meaning of the Hebrew term לְשַׁד (lÿshad) is uncertain. A noun לָשָׁד (lashad, “cake”) is attested in Num 11:8, but it would make no sense to understand that word in this context. It is better to emend the form to לְשֻׁדִּי (lÿshuddiy, “to my destruction”) and understand “your hand” as the subject of the verb “was turned.” In this case the text reads, “[your hand] was turned to my destruction.” In Lam 3:3 the author laments that God’s “hand” was “turned” (הָפַךְ, hafakh) against him in a hostile sense.
1138 tn The translation assumes that the plural form indicates degree. If one understands the form as a true plural, then one might translate, “in the times of drought.”
1139 sn Summer. Perhaps the psalmist suffered during the hot season and perceived the very weather as being an instrument of divine judgment. Another option is that he compares his time of suffering to the uncomfortable and oppressive heat of summer.
1140 tn The Hiphil of ידה normally means “give thanks, praise,” but here, as in Prov 28:13, it means “confess.”
1141 tn Heb “the wrongdoing of my sin.” By joining synonyms for “sin” in this way, the psalmist may be emphasizing the degree of his wrongdoing.
1142 tn A “faithful follower” (חָסִיד, khasid) is one who does what is right in God’s eyes and remains faithful to God (see Pss 4:3; 12:1; 18:25; 31:23; 37:28; 86:2; 97:10).
1143 tn Heb “at a time of finding.” This may mean, “while there is time to ‘find’ [the
1144 tn The Hebrew term רַק (raq) occasionally has an asseverative force.
1145 sn The surging water is here a metaphor for trouble that endangers one’s life.
1146 tn Heb “him.” The translation uses the plural “them” to agree with the plural “every one of your faithful followers” in the first line of v. 6.
1147 tn Heb “[with] shouts of joy of deliverance you surround me.”
1148 tn The second person pronominal forms in this verse are singular. The psalmist addresses each member of his audience individually (see also the note on the word “eye” in the next line). A less likely option (but one which is commonly understood) is that the
1149 tn Heb “I will instruct you and I will teach you in the way [in] which you should walk.”
1150 tn Heb “I will advise, upon you my eye,” that is, “I will offer advice [with] my eye upon you.” In 2 Chr 20:12 the statement “our eye is upon you” means that the speakers are looking to the
1151 tn The verb form is plural (i.e., “do not all of you be”); the psalmist addresses the whole group.
1152 tn Heb “like a horse, like a mule without understanding.”
1153 tn Heb “with a bridle and bit, its [?] to hold, not to come near to you.” The meaning of the Hebrew noun עֲדִי (’adiy) is uncertain. Normally the word refers to “jewelry,” so some suggest the meaning “trappings” here (cf. NASB). Some emend the form to לְחֵיהֶם (lÿkhehem, “their jawbones”) but it is difficult to see how the present Hebrew text, even if corrupt, could have derived from this proposed original reading. P. C. Craigie (Psalms 1-50 [WBC], 265) takes the form from an Arabic root and translates “whose gallop.” Cf. also NRSV “whose temper must be curbed.”
1154 tn Heb “many [are the] pains of evil [one].” The singular form is representative here; the typical evildoer, representative of the larger group of wicked people, is in view.
1155 tn Heb “but the one who trusts in the
1156 tn Heb “all [you] 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
1157 sn Psalm 33. In this hymn the psalmist praises the Lord as the sovereign creator and just ruler of the world who protects and vindicates those who fear him.
1158 sn A new song is appropriate because the Lord is constantly intervening in the lives of his people in fresh and exciting ways.
1159 tn Heb “play skillfully with a loud shout.”
1160 sn For the
1161 tn Heb “word.” In this context, which depicts the
1162 tn Or “upright.”
1163 tn Heb “and all his work [is] in faithfulness.”
1164 tn Heb “loves.” The verb “loves” is here metonymic; the
1165 tn Heb “fills the earth.”
1166 tn Heb “word.”
1167 tn Heb “and by the breath of his mouth all their host.” The words “were created” are added in the translation for stylistic reasons; they are understood by ellipsis (note “were made” in the preceding line). The description is consistent with Gen 1:16, which indicates that God spoke the heavenly luminaries into existence.
1168 tn Heb “[he] gathers like a pile the waters of the sea.” Some prefer to emend נֵד (ged, “heap, pile”; cf. NASB) to נֹד (nod, “bottle”; cf. NRSV; NIV “into jars”), but “pile” is used elsewhere to describe water that the
1169 tn Or “watery depths.” The form תְּהוֹמוֹת (tÿhomot, “watery depths”) is the plural form of תְּהוֹם (tÿhom, “great deep”; see Gen 1:2).
1170 tn In this context “fear” probably means “to demonstrate respect for the
1171 tn That is, “all the earth” in the first line of v. 8. The apparent antecedent of the masculine subject of the verbs in v. 9 (note וַיֶּהִי [vayyehiy] and וַיַּעֲמֹד [vayya’amod]) is “earth” or “world,” both of which are feminine nouns. However, כָּל (kol, “all”) may be the antecedent, or the apparent lack of agreement may be explained by the collective nature of the nouns involved here (see GKC 463 §145.e).
1172 tn Heb “he commanded.”
1173 tn Heb “breaks” or “destroys.” The Hebrew perfect verbal forms here and in the next line generalize about the
1174 tn Heb “thoughts.”
1175 tn Heb “the thoughts of his heart for generation to generation.” The verb “abides” is supplied in the translation. The
1176 tn The Hebrew noun is an abstract plural. The word often refers metonymically to the happiness that God-given security and prosperity produce (see Pss 1:1; 2:12; 34:9; 41:1; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).
1177 tn Heb “inheritance.”
1178 tn The Hebrew perfect verbal forms in v. 13 state general facts.
1179 tn Heb “all the sons of men.”
1180 tn Heb “the one who forms together their heart[s].” “Heart” here refers to human nature, composed of intellect, emotions and will. The precise force of יָחַד (yakhad, “together”) is unclear here. The point seems to be that the
1181 tn Heb “a lie [is] the horse for victory.”
1182 tn Heb “look, the eye of the
1183 tn Heb “for the ones who wait for his faithfulness.”
1184 tn Heb “to save from death their live[s].”
1185 tn Heb “and to keep them alive in famine.”
1186 tn Or “our lives.” The suffixed form of נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being, life”) is often equivalent to a pronoun in poetic texts.
1187 tn Or “[source of] help.”
1188 tn Or “protector.”
1189 tn Heb “let your faithfulness, O
1190 tn Or “just as.”
1191 sn Psalm 34. In this song of thanksgiving the psalmist praises God for delivering him from distress. He encourages others to be loyal to the Lord, tells them how to please God, and assures them that the Lord protects his servants. The psalm is an acrostic; vv. 1-21 begin with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. (Verse 6 begins with the letter he (ה) and v. 7 with the letter zayin (ז). The letter vav (ו), which comes between ה and ז, seems to be omitted, although it does appear at the beginning of v. 6b. The final verse of the psalm, which begins with the letter pe (פ), is outside the acrostic scheme.
1192 tn Heb “By David, when he changed his sense before Abimelech and he drove him away and he went.”
1193 tn Heb “bless.”
1194 tn Heb “continually [will] his praise [be] in my mouth.”
1195 tn Heb “my soul will boast”; or better, “let my soul boast.” Following the cohortative form in v. 1, it is likely that the prefixed verbal form here is jussive.
1196 tn The two prefixed verbal forms in this verse are best taken as jussives, for the psalmist is calling his audience to worship (see v. 3).
1197 tn Or “exalt.”
1198 tn Heb “I sought the
1199 tc Heb “they look to him and are radiant and their faces are not ashamed.” The third person plural subject (“they”) is unidentified; there is no antecedent in the Hebrew text. For this reason some prefer to take the perfect verbal forms in the first line as imperatives, “look to him and be radiant” (cf. NEB, NRSV). Some medieval Hebrew
1200 tn The pronoun refers back to “this oppressed man,” namely, the psalmist.
1201 tn Heb “his”; the referent (the
1202 tn Heb “those who fear him.”
1203 tn The prefixed verb with vav (ו) consecutive here carries the same generalizing force as the active participle in the first line. See GKC 329 §111.u.
1204 tn This verb is normally used of tasting or savoring food. The metaphor here appears to compare the
1205 tn The Hebrew noun is an abstract plural. The word often refers metonymically to the happiness that God-given security and prosperity produce (see Pss 1:1, 3; 2:12; 41:1; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).
1206 tn Heb “man.” The principle of the psalm is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, we translate the gender and age specific “man” with the more neutral “one.”
1207 tn “Taking shelter” in the
1208 tn Heb “fear.”
1209 tn Heb “O holy ones of his.”
1210 tn Heb “those who fear him.”
1211 tn Heb “the fear of the
1212 tn Heb “Who is the man who desires life?” The rhetorical question is used to grab the audience’s attention. “Life” probably refers here to quality of life, not just physical existence or even duration of life. See the following line.
1213 tn Heb “[Who] loves days to see good?”
1214 tn Heb “guard your tongue from evil.”
1215 tn Heb “and your lips from speaking deception.”
1216 tn Or “do good.”
1217 tn Heb “seek peace and pursue it.”
1218 tn Heb “the eyes of the
1219 tn Heb “the face of the
1220 tn Heb “they” (i.e., the godly mentioned in v. 15).
1221 tn The three perfect verbal forms are taken in a generalizing sense in v. 17 and translated with the present tense (note the generalizing mood of vv. 18-22).
1222 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form highlights the generalizing statement and draws attention to the fact that the
1223 tn Heb “the crushed in spirit.”
1224 tn The Hebrew text uses the singular form; the representative or typical godly person is envisioned.
1225 tn Or “trials.”
1226 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form highlights the generalizing statement and draws attention to the fact that the
1227 tn Heb “him,” agreeing with the singular form in the preceding line.
1228 tn The Hebrew participial form suggests such protection is characteristic.
1229 tn That is, he protects the godly from physical harm.
1230 sn Not one of them is broken. The author of the Gospel of John saw a fulfillment of these words in Jesus’ experience on the cross (see John 19:31-37), for the Roman soldiers, when they saw that Jesus was already dead, did not break his legs as was customarily done to speed the death of crucified individuals. John’s use of the psalm seems strange, for the statement in its original context suggests that the Lord protects the godly from physical harm. Jesus’ legs may have remained unbroken, but he was brutally and unjustly executed by his enemies. John seems to give the statement a literal sense that is foreign to its original literary context by applying a promise of divine protection to a man who was seemingly not saved by God. However, John saw in this incident a foreshadowing of Jesus’ ultimate deliverance and vindication. His unbroken bones were a reminder of God’s commitment to the godly and a sign of things to come. Jesus’ death on the cross was not the end of the story; God vindicated him, as John goes on to explain in the following context (John 19:38-20:18).
1231 tn Heb “evil kills the wicked [one].” The singular form is representative; the typical evil person is envisioned. The Hebrew imperfect verbal form draws attention to the typical nature of the action.
1232 tn Heb “are guilty,” but the verb is sometimes used metonymically with the meaning “to suffer the consequences of guilt,” the effect being substituted for the cause.
1233 tn Heb “redeems the life of his servants.” The Hebrew participial form suggests such deliverance is characteristic.
1234 tn “Taking shelter” in the
1235 sn Psalm 35. The author, who faces ruthless enemies who seek his life for no reason, begs the Lord to fight his battles for him and to vindicate him by annihilating his adversaries.
1236 tn Or “contend.”
1237 tn Two different types of shields are mentioned here. See also Ezek 38:4. Many modern translations render the first term (translated here “small shield”) as “buckler” (cf. NASB “buckler and shield”; the order is often reversed in the translation, apparently for stylistic reasons: cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV “shield and buckler”). The English term “buckler,” referring to a small round shield held on the arm to protect the upper body, is unfamiliar to many modern readers, so the term “small shield” was used in the present translation for clarity.
1238 tn Or “javelin.” On the meaning of this word, which occurs only here in the Hebrew Bible, see M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 1:210-11.
1239 tn Heb “draw out spear and lance to meet.”
1240 tn Heb “say to me,” or “say to my soul.”
1241 tn The four prefixed verbal forms in this verse are understood as jussives. The psalmist is calling judgment down on his enemies. See also the distinct jussive form in v. 6.
1242 tn The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive. See v. 4.
1243 sn See the mention of the
1244 tn Heb “as the
1245 tn The prefixed verbal form is distinctly jussive, indicating this is a prayer.
1246 tc Heb “for without cause they hid for me a pit of their net, without cause they dug for my life.” It appears that the words “pit” and “net” have been transposed. “Net” goes with the verb “hid” in the first line (see v. 8, as well as Pss 9:15; 31:4), while “pit” goes with the verb “dug” in the second line (see Ps 7:15).
1247 tn Heb “let destruction [which] he does not know come to him.” The singular is used of the enemy in v. 8, probably in a representative or collective sense. The psalmist has more than one enemy, as vv. 1-7 make clear.
1248 tn The psalmist’s prayer for his enemies’ demise continues. See vv. 4-6.
1249 tn Heb “then my soul will rejoice in the
1250 tn Heb “all my bones will say.”
1251 tn Heb “[the one who] rescues.” The substantival participle in the Hebrew text characterizes God as one who typically rescues the oppressed.
1252 tn Heb “from [the one who is] too strong for him.” The singular forms are used in a representative sense. The typical oppressed individual and typical oppressor are in view.
1253 tn Heb “the oppressed [one] and needy [one] from [the one who] robs him.” As in the previous line, the singular forms are used in a representative sense.
1254 tn Heb “witnesses of violence rise up.”
1255 tn Heb “[that] which I do not know they ask me.”
1256 tn Heb “they repay me evil instead of good.”
1257 tn Heb “[there is] bereavement to my soul.”
1258 tn Heb “as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth.” Sackcloth was worn by mourners. When the psalmist’s enemies were sick, he was sorry for their misfortune and mourned for them.
1259 sn Fasting was also a practice of mourners. By refraining from normal activities, such as eating food, the mourner demonstrated the sincerity of his sorrow.
1260 tn Heb “and my prayer upon my chest will return.” One could translate, “but my prayer was returning upon my chest,” but the use of the imperfect verbal form sets this line apart from the preceding and following lines (vv. 13a, 14), which use the perfect to describe the psalmist’s past actions.
1261 tn Heb “like a friend, like a brother to me I walked about.”
1262 sn I bowed down. Bowing down was a posture for mourning. See Ps 38:6.
1263 tn Heb “like mourning for a mother [in] sorrow I bowed down.”
1264 tn Heb “they gathered together against me, stricken [ones], and I did not know.” The Hebrew form נֵכִים (nekhim, “stricken ones” ?) is problematic. Some suggest an emendation to נָכְרִים[כְ] (kÿnokhÿrim, “foreigners”) or “like foreigners,” which would fit with what follows, “[like] foreigners that I do not recognize.” Perhaps the form should be read as a Qal active participle, נֹכִים (nokhim, “ones who strike”) from the verbal root נָכָה (nakhah, “to strike”). The Qal of this verb is unattested in biblical Hebrew, but the peal (basic) stem appears in Old Aramaic (J. Fitzmyer, The Aramaic Inscriptions of Sefire [BibOr], 114; DNWSI 1:730.) In this case one might translate, “attackers gathered together against me though I was not aware of it” (cf. NASB “smiters”; NEB, NRSV “ruffians”; NIV “attackers”).
1265 tn Heb “they tore and did not keep quiet.” By using the verb “tear,” the psalmist likens his enemies to a wild animal (see Hos 13:8). In v. 17 he compares them to hungry young lions.
1266 tc The MT reads “as profane [ones] of mockers of food,” which is nonsensical. The present translation assumes (1) an emendation of בְּחַנְפֵי (bÿkhanfey, “as profane men”) to בְּחַנְפִי (bekhanfiy, “when I tripped”; preposition + Qal infinitive construct from II חָנַף [“limp”] + first common singular pronominal suffix) and (2) an emendation of לַעֲגֵי מָעוֹג (la’agey ma’og, “mockers of food”) to עָגוּ[ם]לַעְגָּ (la’gam ’agu, “[with] taunting they taunted”; masculine plural noun with enclitic mem + Qal perfect third common plural from לַּעַג [la’ag, “taunt”]).
1267 tn Heb “gnashing at me with their teeth.” The infinitive absolute adds a complementary action – they gnashed with their teeth as they taunted.
1268 tn Heb “O Lord, how long will you see?”
1269 tn Heb “bring back, restore.”
1270 tn Or “my life.”
1271 tn Heb “my only one.” The psalmist may mean that his life is precious, or that he feels isolated and alone (see Ps 22:20). The verb “guard” is supplied in the translation, because the verb “rescue” is understood by ellipsis (see the previous line).
1272 sn The great assembly is also mentioned in Ps 22:25.
1273 tn Heb “among numerous people.”
1274 tn Heb “[with] a lie.” The Hebrew noun שֶׁקֶר (sheqer, “lie”) is used here as an adverb, “falsely, wrongfully” (see Ps 38:19).
1275 tn Heb “rejoice.”
1276 tn Heb “[do not let] those who hate me without cause pinch [i.e., wink] an eye.” The negative particle is understood in the second line by ellipsis (see the preceding line). In the Book of Proverbs “winking an eye” is associated with deceit and trickery (see 6:13; 10:10; 16:30).
1277 tn Heb “for they do not speak peace.”
1278 tn Heb “but against the quiet ones of the land words of deceit they plan.” The imperfect verbal forms in v. 20 highlight their characteristic behavior.
1279 tn Heb “and they cause their mouth to be wide against me.” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries on the generalizing mood of the previous verse. For other examples of this use of the prefixed verbal form with vav consecutive, see GKC 329 §111.t.
1280 tn Heb “our eye sees.” Apparently this is an idiom meaning to “look in triumph” or “gloat over” (see Ps 54:7).
1281 tn Heb “you see, O
1282 sn Though he is confident that the Lord is aware of his situation (see v. 22a), the psalmist compares the Lord’s inactivity to sleep and urges him to wake up.
1283 tn Heb “for my justice.”
1284 tn Heb “for my cause.”
1285 tn Heb “rejoice.”
1286 tn Heb “in their heart[s].”
1287 tn Heb “Aha! Our desire!” The “desire” of the psalmist’s enemies is to triumph over him.
1288 tn Heb “may they be embarrassed and ashamed together, the ones who rejoice over my harm.”
1289 tn Heb “may they be clothed with shame and humiliation, the ones who magnify [themselves] against me.” The prefixed verbal forms in v. 26 are understood as jussives (see vv. 24b-25, where the negative particle אַל (’al) appears before the prefixed verbal forms, indicating they are jussives). The psalmist is calling down judgment on his enemies.
1290 tn The prefixed verbal forms in v. 27a are understood as jussives (see vv. 24b-26).
1291 tn The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive, “may the
1292 tn Heb “the one who desires the peace of his servant.”
1293 tn Heb “and my tongue will proclaim your justice.”
1294 tn Heb “all the day your praise.” The verb “proclaim” is understood by ellipsis in the second line (see the previous line).
1295 sn Psalm 36. Though evil men plan to harm others, the psalmist is confident that the Lord is the just ruler of the earth who gives and sustains all life. He prays for divine blessing and protection and anticipates God’s judgment of the wicked.
1296 tn In the Hebrew text the word נאם (“oracle”) appears at the beginning of the next verse (v. 2 in the Hebrew text because the superscription is considered v. 1). The resulting reading, “an oracle of rebellion for the wicked [is] in the midst of my heart” (cf. NIV) apparently means that the psalm, which foresees the downfall of the wicked, is a prophetic oracle about the rebellion of the wicked which emerges from the soul of the psalmist. One could translate, “Here is a poem written as I reflected on the rebellious character of evil men.” Another option, followed in the translation above, is to attach נאם (nÿ’um, “oracle”) with the superscription. For another example of a Davidic poem being labeled an “oracle,” see 2 Sam 23:1.
1297 tn Heb “[the] rebellion of an evil man [is] in the midst of my heart.” The translation assumes a reading “in the midst of his heart” (i.e., “to the core”) instead of “in the midst of my heart,” a change which finds support in a a few medieval Hebrew
1298 tn Heb “there is no dread of God before his eyes.” The phrase “dread of God” refers here to a healthy respect for God which recognizes that he will punish evil behavior.
1299 tn Heb “for it causes to be smooth to him in his eyes to find his sin to hate.” The meaning of the Hebrew text is unclear. Perhaps the point is this: His rebellious attitude makes him reject any notion that God will hold him accountable. His attitude also prevents him from recognizing and repudiating his sinful ways.
1300 tn Heb “he ceases to exhibit wisdom to do good.” The Hiphil forms are exhibitive, indicating the outward expression of an inner attitude.
1301 tn Heb “he takes a stand in a way [that is] not good.” The word “way” here refers metaphorically to behavior or life style.
1302 tn The three imperfect verbal forms in v. 4 highlight the characteristic behavior of the typical evildoer.
1303 tn Heb “[is] in the heavens.”
1304 sn The Lord’s loyal love/faithfulness is almost limitless. He is loyal and faithful to his creation and blesses mankind and the animal kingdom with physical life and sustenance (vv. 6-9).
1305 tn Heb “mountains of God.” The divine name אֵל (’el, “God”) is here used in an idiomatic manner to indicate the superlative.
1306 tn Or “deliver.”
1307 sn God’s justice/fairness is firm and reliable like the highest mountains and as abundant as the water in the deepest sea. The psalmist uses a legal metaphor to describe God’s preservation of his creation. Like a just judge who vindicates the innocent, God protects his creation from destructive forces.
1308 tn Or “valuable.”
1309 tn Heb “and the sons of man in the shadow of your wings find shelter.” The preservation of physical life is in view, as the next verse makes clear.
1310 tn Heb “for with you is the fountain of life, in your light we see light.” Water (note “fountain”) and light are here metaphors for life.
1311 tn Heb “draw out to full length.”
1312 tn Heb “to those who know you.” The Hebrew verb יָדַע (yada’, “know”) is used here of those who “know” the
1313 tn Heb “and your justice to.” The verb “extend” is understood by ellipsis in the second line (see the previous line).
1314 tn Heb “the 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; 11:2; 32:11; 64:10; 94:15; 97:11).
1315 tn Heb “let not a foot of pride come to me, and let not the hand of the evil ones cause me to wander as a fugitive.”
1316 tn Heb “there the workers of wickedness have fallen.” The adverb שָׁם (sham, “there”) is used here for dramatic effect, as the psalmist envisions the evildoers lying fallen at a spot that is vivid in his imagination (BDB 1027 s.v.).
1317 tn The psalmist uses perfect verbal forms in v. 12 to describe the demise of the wicked as if it has already taken place.
1318 sn Psalm 37. The psalmist urges his audience not to envy the wicked, but to trust in and obey the Lord, for he will destroy sinners and preserve the godly. When the smoke of judgment clears, the wicked will be gone, but the godly will remain and inherit God’s promised blessings. The psalm is an acrostic; every other verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
1319 tn The verb form is singular (see vv. 3-10 as well, where the second person verbs and pronouns are also singular). The psalmist’s exhortation has a wisdom flavor to it; it is personalized for each member of his audience.
1320 tn Heb “over sinners.” The context indicates that the psalmist has in mind the apparent power and success of sinners. See v. 7b.
1321 tn Heb “like green vegetation.”
1322 tn Heb “tend integrity.” The verb רָעָה (ra’ah, “tend, shepherd”) is probably used here in the sense of “watch over, guard.” The noun אֱמוּנָה (’emunah, “faithfulness, honesty, integrity”) is understood as the direct object of the verb, though it could be taken as an adverbial accusative, “[feed] securely,” if the audience is likened to a flock of sheep.
1323 tn Following the imperatives of v. 3 the prefixed verbal forms with vav (ו) in v. 4 indicate result. Faith and obedience (v. 3) will bring divine blessing (v. 4).
1324 tn Or “and he will give you what you desire most.” Heb “and he will grant to you the requests of your heart.”
1325 tn Heb “roll your way upon the
1326 tn Heb “he will act.” Verse 6 explains what is meant; the
1327 tn Heb “and he will bring out like light your vindication, and your just cause like noonday.”
1328 tn Heb “Be quiet before the
1329 tc The Hebrew text has וְהִתְחוֹלֵל (vÿhitkholel, Hitpolel of חִיל, khil, “writhe with fear, suffer”) but this idea fits awkwardly here. The text should be changed to וְתוֹחֵל (vÿtokhel; Hiphil of יָחַל, yakhal, “wait”). It appears that the Hebrew text is the product of dittography: (1) the initial וה (vav-he) is accidentally repeated from the preceding word (יְהוָה, yÿhvah) and (2) the final lamed (ל) is accidentally repeated (note the preceding lamed and the initial lamed on the following form, לו).
1330 tn Heb “over one who causes his way to be successful.”
1331 tn Heb “Refrain from anger! Abandon rage!”
1332 tn Heb “for evil men.” The conjunction כִּי (ki, “for”) relates to the exhortations in v. 8; there is no reason to be frustrated, for the evildoers will be punished in due time.
1333 tn Or “cut off, removed.”
1334 tn Heb “and those who wait on the
1335 tn Heb “and yet, a little, there will be no wicked [one].”
1336 tn Heb “and you will carefully look upon his place, but he will not be [there].” The singular is used here in a representative sense; the typical evildoer is in view.
1337 tn Heb “and they will take delight in (see v. 4) abundance of peace.”
1338 tn Or “innocent.” The singular is used here in a representative sense; the typical evildoer and the typical godly individual are in view.
1339 tn Heb “and gnashes at him with his teeth” (see Ps 35:16). The language may picture the evil men as wild animals. The active participles in v. 12 are used for purposes of dramatic description.
1340 tn Heb “laughs.” As the next line indicates, this refers to derisive laughter (see 2:4). The Hebrew imperfect verbal form describes the action from the perspective of an eye-witness who is watching the divine response as it unfolds before his eyes.
1341 tn Heb “for he sees that his day is coming.” As the following context makes clear (vv. 15, 17, 19-20), “his day” refers to the time when God will destroy evildoers.
1342 tn Heb “to cause to fall.”
1343 tn Heb “the upright in way,” i.e., those who lead godly lives.
1344 tn Heb “enter into.”
1345 tn Heb “Better [is] a little to the godly one than the wealth of many evil ones.” The following verses explain why this is true. Though a godly individual may seem to have only meager possessions, he always has what he needs and will eventually possess the land. The wicked may prosper for a brief time, but will eventually be destroyed by divine judgment and lose everything.
1346 tn Heb “for the arms of the evil ones will be broken.”
1347 tn The active participle here indicates this is characteristically true.
1348 tn Heb “the
1349 tn Heb “and their inheritance is forever.”
1350 tn Heb “in a time of trouble.”
1351 tn Heb “in days of famine they will be satisfied.”
1352 tn Or “for,” but Hebrew כי in this case would have to extend all the way back to v. 17a. Another option is to understand the particle as asseverative, “surely” (see v. 22).
1353 tc The meaning of the MT (כִּיקַר כָּרִים [kiqar karim], “like what is precious among the pastures/rams”) is uncertain. One possibility is to take the noun כָּרִים as “pastures” and interpret “what is precious” as referring to flowers that blossom but then quickly disappear (see v. 2 and BDB 430 s.v. יָקָר 3). If כָּרִים is taken as “rams,” then “what is precious” might refer to the choicest portions of rams. The present translation follows a reading in the Dead Sea Scrolls (4QpPs37), כיקוד כורם (“like the burning of an oven”). The next line, which pictures the
1354 tn Heb “they perish in smoke, they perish.” In addition to repeating the verb for emphasis, the psalmist uses the perfect form of the verb to picture the enemies’ demise as if it had already taken place. In this way he draws attention to the certitude of their judgment.
1355 tn Heb “an evil [man] borrows and does not repay; but a godly [man] is gracious and gives.” The singular forms are used in a representative sense; the typical evildoer and godly individual are in view. The three active participles and one imperfect (“repay”) draw attention to the characteristic behavior of the two types.
1356 tn The particle כִּי is best understood as asseverative or emphatic here.
1357 tn Heb “those blessed by him.” The pronoun “him” must refer to the Lord (see vv. 20, 23), so the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
1358 tn Heb “cursed.”
1359 tn Or “cut off”; or “removed” (see v. 9).
1360 tn Heb “from the
1361 tn Other translation options for כִּי in this context are “when” (so NASB) or “though” (so NEB, NIV, NRSV).
1362 tn Heb “be hurled down.”
1363 tn The active participle indicates this is characteristically true. See v. 17.
1364 tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”
1365 tn Heb “or his offspring searching for food.” The expression “search for food” also appears in Lam 1:11, where Jerusalem’s refugees are forced to search for food and to trade their valuable possessions for something to eat.
1366 tn The active participles describe characteristic behavior.
1367 tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”
1368 tn Or “Do good!” The imperatives are singular (see v. 1).
1369 tn Heb “and dwell permanently.” The imperative with vav (ו) is best taken here as a result clause after the preceding imperatives.
1370 tn Heb “loves.” The verb “loves” is here metonymic; the
1371 tn The imperfect verbal form draws attention to this generalizing statement.
1372 tn Or “protected forever.”
1373 tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”
1374 tn Or “cut off”; or “removed.” The perfect verbal forms in v. 28b state general truths.
1375 tn Heb “The mouth of the godly [one] utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.” The singular form is used in a representative sense; the typical godly individual is in view. The imperfect verbal forms draw attention to the characteristic behavior of the godly.
1376 tn Heb “the law of his God [is] in his heart.” The “heart” is here the seat of one’s thoughts and motives.
1377 tn Heb “his.” The pronoun has been translated as plural to agree with the representative or typical “godly” in v. 30.
1378 tn Heb “an evil [one] watches the godly [one] and seeks to kill him.” The singular forms are used in a representative sense; the typical evildoer and godly individual are in view. The active participles describe characteristic behavior.
1379 tn Heb “the
1380 tn Or “wait.”
1381 tn Heb “keep his way.” The
1382 tn Heb “and he will lift you up.” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) is best taken here as a result clause following the imperatives in the preceding lines.
1383 tn Heb “when evil men are cut off you will see.”
1384 tn The Hebrew uses the representative singular again here.
1385 tn Heb “being exposed [?] like a native, luxuriant.” The Hebrew form מִתְעָרֶה (mit’areh) appears to be a Hitpael participle from עָרָה (’arah, “be exposed”), but this makes no sense in this context. Perhaps the form is a dialectal variant of מִתְעָלָה (“giving oneself an air of importance”; see Jer 51:3), from עָלָה (’alah, “go up”; see P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 [WBC], 296). The noun אֶזְרָח (’ezrakh, “native, full citizen”) refers elsewhere to people, but here, where it is collocated with “luxuriant, green,” it probably refers to a tree growing in native soil.
1386 tn Heb “and he passes by and, look, he is not [there].” The subject of the verb “passes by” is probably indefinite, referring to any passerby. Some prefer to change the form to first person, “and I passed by” (cf. NEB; note the first person verbal forms in preceding verse and in the following line).
1387 tn Or “upright.”
1388 tn Heb “for [there is] an end for a man of peace.” Some interpret אַחֲרִית (’akharit, “end”) as referring to offspring (see the next verse and Ps 109:13; cf. NEB, NRSV).
1389 tn Or “destroyed together.” In this case the psalmist pictures judgment sweeping them away as a group.
1390 tn Heb “the end of evil men is cut off.” As in v. 37, some interpret אַחֲרִית (’akharit, “end”) as referring to offspring (see Ps 109:13). The perfect verbal forms in v. 38 probably express general truths. Another option is that they are used emphatically to state with certitude that the demise of the wicked is as good as done.
1391 tn Heb “and the deliverance of the godly [ones] [is] from the
1392 tn Heb “[he is] their place of refuge in a time of trouble.”
1393 tn The prefixed verbal forms with vav (ו) consecutive carry on the generalizing tone of the preceding verse.
1394 sn Psalm 38. The author asks the Lord to deliver him from his enemies. He confesses his sin and recognizes that the crisis he faces is the result of divine discipline. Yet he begs the Lord not to reject him.
1395 tn The Hebrew text reads simply, “to cause to remember.” The same form, the Hiphil infinitive of זָכַר (zakhar, “remember”), also appears in the heading of Ps 70. Some understand this in the sense of “for the memorial offering,” but it may carry the idea of bringing one’s plight to God’s attention (see P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 [WBC], 303).
1396 tn The words “continue to” are supplied in the translation of both lines. The following verses make it clear that the psalmist is already experiencing divine rebuke/punishment. He asks that it might cease.
1397 tn The verb Hebrew נָחַת (nakhat) apparently here means “penetrate, pierce” (note the use of the Qal in Prov 17:10). The psalmist pictures the
1398 tn Heb “and your hand [?] upon me.” The meaning of the verb נָחַת (nakhat) is unclear in this context. It is preferable to emend the form to וַתָּנַח (vattanakh) from the verb נוּחַ (nuakh, “rest”). In this case the text would read literally, “and your hand rests upon me” (see Isa 25:10, though the phrase is used in a positive sense there, unlike Ps 38:2).
1399 tn Heb “there is no soundness in my flesh from before your anger.” “Anger” here refers metonymically to divine judgment, which is the practical effect of God’s anger at the psalmist’s sin.
1400 tn Heb “there is no health in my bones from before my sin.”
1401 tn Heb “pass over my head.”
1402 sn The reference to wounds may be an extension of the metaphorical language of v. 2. The psalmist pictures himself as one whose flesh is ripped and torn by arrows.
1403 tn Heb “my wounds stink, they are festering” (cf. NEB).
1404 tn Heb “from before my foolishness.”
1405 tn The verb’s precise shade of meaning in this context is not entirely clear. The verb, which literally means “to bend,” may refer to the psalmist’s posture. In Isa 21:3 it seems to mean “be confused, dazed.”
1406 tn Heb “I am bowed down to excess.”
1407 tn Heb “for my loins are filled with shame.” The “loins” are viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s emotions. The present translation assumes that נִקְלֶה (niqleh) is derived from קָלָה (qalah, “be dishonored”). Some derive it instead from a homonymic root קָלָה (qalah), meaning “to roast.” In this case one might translate “fever” (cf. NEB “my loins burn with fever”).
1408 tn Heb “there is no soundness in my flesh” (see v. 3).
1409 tn Heb “I am numb and crushed to excess.”
1410 tn Heb “I roar because of the moaning of my heart.”
1411 tn Heb “O Lord, before you [is] all my desire.”
1412 tn Heb “and the light of my eyes, even they, there is not with me.” The “light of the eyes” may refer to physical energy (see 1 Sam 14:27, 29), life itself (Ps 13:3), or the ability to see (Prov 29:23).
1413 tn Or “wound,” or “illness.”
1414 tn Heb “stand [aloof].”
1415 tn Heb “and the ones near me off at a distance stand.”
1416 tn Heb “lay snares.”
1417 sn I am like a deaf man…like a mute. The psalmist is like a deaf mute; he is incapable of defending himself and is vulnerable to his enemies’ deception (see v. 14).
1418 tn Heb “and there is not in his mouth arguments.”
1419 tn Or perhaps “surely.”
1420 tn Heb “For I said, ‘Lest they rejoice over me.’” The psalmist recalls the motivating argument of his petition. He probably prefaced this statement with a prayer for deliverance (see Pss 7:1-2; 13:3-4; 28:1).
1421 tn Heb “they will magnify against me.” See Pss 35:26; 55:13.
1422 tn Heb “and my pain [is] before me continually.”
1423 tn Or “for.” The translation assumes that כִּי (ki) is asseverative here.
1424 tn Heb “and my enemies, life, are many.” The noun חַיִּים (khayyim, “life”) fits very awkwardly here. The translation assumes an emendation to חִנָּם (khinam, “without reason”; note the parallelism with שֶׁקֶר [sheqer, “falsely”] and see Pss 35:19; 69:4; Lam 3:52). The verb עָצַם (’atsam) can sometimes mean “are strong,” but here it probably focuses on numerical superiority (note the parallel verb רָבַב, ravav, “be many”).
1425 tn Heb “are many.”
1426 tn Heb “the ones who repay evil instead of good accuse me, instead of my pursuing good.”
1427 tn Heb “hurry to my help.” See Ps 22:19.
1428 sn Psalm 39. The psalmist laments his frailty and mortality as he begs the Lord to take pity on him and remove his disciplinary hand.
1429 tn Heb “I said.”
1430 tn Heb “I will watch my ways, from sinning with my tongue.”
1431 sn The psalmist wanted to voice a lament to the
1432 tn Heb “I was mute [with] silence.”
1433 tn Heb “I was quiet from good.” He kept quiet, resisting the urge to find emotional release and satisfaction by voicing his lament.
1434 tn Heb “and my pain was stirred up.” Emotional pain is in view here.
1435 tn Heb “my heart was hot within me.”
1436 tn Heb “In my reflection fire burned.” The prefixed verbal form is either a preterite (past tense) or an imperfect being used in a past progressive or customary sense (“fire was burning”).
1437 tn Heb “I spoke with my tongue.” The phrase “these words” is supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
1438 tn Heb “Cause me to know, O
1439 tn Heb “Let me know how transient I am!”
1440 tn Heb “Look, handbreadths you make my days.” The “handbreadth” (equivalent to the width of four fingers) was one of the smallest measures used by ancient Israelites. See P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 (WBC), 309.
1441 tn Heb “is like nothing before you.”
1442 tn Heb “surely, all vapor [is] all mankind, standing firm.” Another option is to translate, “Surely, all mankind, though seemingly secure, is nothing but a vapor.”
1443 tn Heb “surely, as an image man walks about.” The preposition prefixed to “image” indicates identity here.
1444 tc Heb “Surely [in] vain they strive, he accumulates and does not know who gathers them.” The MT as it stands is syntactically awkward. The verb forms switch from singular (“walks about”) to plural (“they strive”) and then back to singular (“accumulates and does not know”), even though the subject (generic “man”) remains the same. Furthermore there is no object for the verb “accumulates” and no plural antecedent for the plural pronoun (“them”) attached to “gathers.” These problems can be removed if one emends the text from הֶבֶל יֶהֱמָיוּן (hevel yehemaun, “[in] vain they strive”) to הֶבְלֵי הָמוֹן (hevley hamon, “vain things of wealth”). This assumes a misdivision in the MT and a virtual dittography of vav (ו) between the mem and nun of המון. The present translation follows this emendation.
1445 tn Heb “my hope, for you it [is].”
1446 tn Heb “because you acted.” The psalmist has in mind God’s disciplinary measures (see vv. 10-13).
1447 tn Heb “remove from upon me your wound.”
1448 tn Heb “from the hostility of your hand I have come to an end.”
1449 tn “with punishments on account of sin you discipline a man.”
1450 tc Heb “you cause to dissolve, like a moth, his desired [thing].” The translation assumes an emendation of חֲמוּדוֹ (khamudo, “his desirable [thing]”) to חֶמְדוֹ (khemdo, “his loveliness” [or “beauty”]), a reading that is supported by a few medieval Hebrew
1451 tn Heb “do not be deaf to my tears.”
1452 tn Heb “For a resident alien [am] I with you, a sojourner like all my fathers.”
1453 tn Heb “Gaze away from me and I will smile before I go and am not.” The precise identification of the initial verb form (הָשַׁע, hasha’) is uncertain. It could be from the root שָׁעָע (sha’a’, “smear”), but “your eyes” would be the expected object in this case (see Isa 6:10). The verb may be an otherwise unattested Hiphil form of שָׁעָה (sha’ah, “to gaze”) meaning “cause your gaze to be.” Some prefer to emend the form to the Qal שְׁעֵה (shÿ’eh, “gaze”; see Job 14:6). If one does read a form of the verb “to gaze,” the angry divine “gaze” of discipline would seem to be in view (see vv. 10-11). For a similar expression of this sentiment see Job 10:20-21.
1454 sn Psalm 40. The psalmist combines a song of thanksgiving for a recent act of divine deliverance (vv. 1-11) with a confident petition for renewed divine intervention (vv. 12-17).
1455 tn Heb “relying, I relied.” The infinitive absolute precedes the finite verbal form to emphasize the verbal idea. The emphasis is reflected in the translation through the adverb “completely.” Another option is to translate, “I waited patiently” (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV).
1456 tn Heb “cistern of roaring.” The Hebrew noun בּוֹר (bor, “cistern, pit”) is used metaphorically here of Sheol, the place of death, which is sometimes depicted as a raging sea (see Ps 18:4, 15-16). The noun שָׁאוֹן (sha’on, “roaring”) refers elsewhere to the crashing sound of the sea’s waves (see Ps 65:7).
1457 tn Heb “from the mud of mud.” The Hebrew phrase translated “slimy mud” employs an appositional genitive. Two synonyms are joined in a construct relationship to emphasize the single idea. For a detailed discussion of the grammatical point with numerous examples, see Y. Avishur, “Pairs of Synonymous Words in the Construct State (and in Appositional Hendiadys) in Biblical Hebrew,” Semitics 2 (1971): 17-81.
1458 tn Heb “he established my footsteps.”
1459 sn A new song was appropriate because the Lord had intervened in the psalmist’s experience in a fresh and exciting way.
1460 tn Heb “and he placed in my mouth a new song, praise to our God.”
1461 tn Heb “may many see and fear and trust in the
1462 tn The Hebrew noun is an abstract plural. The word often refers metonymically to the happiness that God-given security and prosperity produce (see Pss 1:1, 3; 2:12; 34:9; 41:1; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).
1463 tn Heb “man.” See the note on the word “one” in Ps 1:1.
1464 tn Heb “who has made the
1465 tn Heb “and does not turn toward.”
1466 tn Heb “those falling away toward a lie.”
1467 tn Heb “many things you have done, you, O
1468 tn Heb “there is none arrayed against you.” The precise meaning of the text is unclear, but the collocation עָרַךְ אֶל (’arakh ’el, “array against”) is used elsewhere of military (Judg 20:30; 1 Chr 19:17) or verbal opposition (Job 32:14).
1469 tn Heb “I will declare and I will speak, they are too numerous to recount.” The present translation assumes that the cohortatives are used in a hypothetical manner in a formally unmarked conditional sentence, “Should I try to declare [them] and speak [of them]…” (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV). For other examples of cohortatives in the protasis (“if” clause) of a conditional sentence, see GKC 320 §108.e. (It should be noted, however, that GKC understands this particular verse in a different manner. See GKC 320 §108.f, where it is suggested that the cohortatives are part of an apodosis with the protasis being suppressed.) Another option is to take the cohortatives as a declaration of the psalmist’s resolve to announce the truth expressed in the next line. In this case one might translate: “I will declare and speak [the truth]: They are too numerous to recount.”
1470 tn Heb “sacrifice and offering you do not desire.” The statement is exaggerated for the sake of emphasis (see Ps 51:16 as well). God is pleased with sacrifices, but his first priority is obedience and loyalty (see 1 Sam 15:22). Sacrifices and offerings apart from genuine allegiance are meaningless (see Isa 1:11-20).
1471 tn Heb “ears you hollowed out for me.” The meaning of this odd expression is debated (this is the only collocation of “hollowed out” and “ears” in the OT). It may have been an idiomatic expression referring to making a point clear to a listener. The LXX has “but a body you have prepared for me,” a reading which is followed in Heb 10:5.
1472 tn Heb “in the roll of the scroll it is written concerning me.” Apparently the psalmist refers to the law of God (see v. 8), which contains the commandments God desires him to obey. If this is a distinctly royal psalm, then the psalmist/king may be referring specifically to the regulations of kingship prescribed in Deut 17:14-20. See P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 (WBC), 315.
1473 tn Or “your will.”
1474 tn Heb “your law [is] in the midst of my inner parts.” The “inner parts” are viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s thought life and moral decision making.
1475 sn The great assembly is also mentioned in Pss 22:25 and 35:18.
1476 tn Heb “I proclaim justice in the great assembly.” Though “justice” appears without a pronoun here, the
1477 tn Heb “Look! My lips I do not restrain.”
1478 tn Heb “your justice I have not hidden in the midst of my heart.”
1479 tn Heb “I have not hidden your loyal love and reliability.”
1480 tn Some (cf. NIV, NRSV) translate the verb as a request (“do not withhold”), but elsewhere in the psalms the second masculine singular prefixed form, when addressed to God and preceded by לֹא (lo’), is always indicative in mood and never has the force of a prayer (see Pss 16:10; 22:2; 44:9 51:16-17; 60:10; 108:11; cf. NEB, NASB).
1481 tn In this line the psalmist makes the transition from confidence to petition (see v. 13). Since the prefixed verbal form in the preceding line is imperfect/indicative, one could take the verb in this line as imperfect as well and translate, “your loyal love and faithfulness continually protect me” (cf. NEB). However, the כִּי (ki) at the beginning of the next verse, if causal (“because”), is best understood as introducing a motivating argument in support of a petition. For this reason v. 11b is best taken as a prayer with the prefixed form being understood as jussive (cf. NIV, NRSV). For parallels to the proposed construction (jussive followed by כִּי + perfect introducing motivating argument), see Ps 25:21, as well as Pss 10:2-3; 22:8.
1482 tn Or “sinful deeds.” The Hebrew term used here can have a nonmoral nuance (“dangers”) or a moral one (“sinful deeds”) depending on the context. The next line (see “my sins”) seems to favor the moral sense, but the psalmist also speaks of enemies shortly after this (v. 14).
1483 tn Heb “and my heart abandons me.” The “heart” is here viewed as the seat of emotional strength and courage. For a similar idea see Ps 38:10.
1484 tn Heb “hurry to my help.” See Pss 22:19; 38:22.
1485 tn Heb “may they be embarrassed and ashamed together, the ones seeking my life to snatch it away.”
1486 tn The four prefixed verbal forms in this verse (“may those…be…embarrassed and ashamed…may those…be turned back and ashamed”) are understood as jussives. The psalmist is calling judgment down on his enemies.
1487 tn The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive in this imprecation.
1488 tn Heb “May they be humiliated according to their shame, those who say to me, ‘Aha! Aha!’”
1489 tn Heb “those who love,” which stands metonymically for its cause, the experience of being delivered by the
1490 tn The three prefixed verbal forms prior to the quotation are understood as jussives. The psalmist balances out his imprecation against his enemies with a prayer of blessing upon the godly.
1491 tn The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive, “may the
1492 sn See Pss 35:10; 37:14.
1493 tn The prefixed verbal form may be taken as a jussive of prayer (as in the present translation; cf. NIV) or as an imperfect, “The
1494 sn Psalm 41. The psalmist is confident (vv. 11-12) that the Lord has heard his request to be healed (vv. 4-10), and he anticipates the joy he will experience when the Lord intervenes (vv. 1-3). One must assume that the psalmist is responding to a divine oracle of assurance (see P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 [WBC], 319-20). The final verse is a fitting conclusion to this psalm, but it is also serves as a fitting conclusion to the first “book” (or major editorial division) of the Psalter. Similar statements appear at or near the end of each of the second, third, and fourth “books” of the Psalter (see Pss 72:19, 89:52, and 106:48 respectively).
1495 tn The Hebrew noun is an abstract plural. The word often refers metonymically to the happiness that God-given security and prosperity produce (see Pss 1:1, 3; 2:12; 34:9; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).
1496 sn One who treats the poor properly. The psalmist is characterizing himself as such an individual and supplying a reason why God has responded favorably to his prayer. The Lord’s attitude toward the merciful mirrors their treatment of the poor.
1497 tn Heb “in the day of trouble” (see Ps 27:5).
1498 tn That is, the one who has been kind to the poor. The prefixed verbal form could be taken as jussive of prayer (“may the
1499 tn The prefixed verbal forms are taken as jussives in the translation because the jussive is clearly used in the final line of the verse, suggesting that this is a prayer. The psalmist stops to pronounce a prayer of blessing on the godly individual envisioned in v. 1. Of course, he actually has himself primarily in view. He mixes confidence (vv. 1, 3) with petition (v. 2) because he stands in the interval between the word of assurance and the actual intervention by God.
1500 tc The translation follows the consonantal Hebrew text (Kethib), which has a Pual (passive) prefixed form, regarded here as a jussive. The Pual of the verb אָשַׁר (’ashar) also appears in Prov 3:18. The marginal reading (Qere) assumes a vav (ו) consecutive and Pual perfect. Some, with the support of the LXX, change the verb to a Piel (active) form with an objective pronominal suffix, “and may he bless him,” or “and he will bless him” (cf. NIV).
1501 tn The negative particle אַל (’al) before the prefixed verbal form indicates the verb is a jussive and the statement a prayer. Those who want to take v. 2 as a statement of confidence suggest emending the negative particle to לֹא (lo’), which is used with the imperfect. See the earlier note on the verbal forms in line one of this verse. According to GKC 322 §109.e, this is a case where the jussive is used rhetorically to “express that something cannot or should not happen.” In this case one might translate, “you will not turn him over to his enemies,” and take the preceding verbal forms as indicative in mood.
1502 tn Heb “do not give him over to the desire of his enemies” (see Ps 27:12).
1503 tn The prefixed verbal form could be taken as jussive, continuing the prayer of v. 2, but the parallel line in v. 3b employs the perfect, suggesting that the psalmist is again speaking in the indicative mood (see v. 1b). The imperfect can be understood as future or as generalizing (see v. 1).
1504 tn Heb “all his bed you turn in his illness.” The perfect is used here in a generalizing sense (see v. 1) or in a rhetorical manner to emphasize that the healing is as good as done.
1505 sn In vv. 4-10 the psalmist recites the prayer of petition and lament he offered to the Lord.
1506 tn Heb “my enemies speak evil concerning me.”
1507 tn Heb “and his name perish.”
1508 tn Heb “to see.”
1509 tn Heb “he speaks deceitfully.”
1510 tn Heb “his heart gathers sin to itself.”
1511 tn Heb “he goes outside and speaks.”
1512 tn Heb “together against me they whisper, all those who hate me.” The Hitpael of לָחַשׁ (lakhash) refers here to whispering to one another (see 2 Sam 12:19).
1513 tn The words “they say” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation to make it clear that v. 8 contains a quotation of what the psalmist’s enemies say about him (see v. 7a).
1514 tn Heb “thing of worthlessness.” In Ps 101:3 the phrase refers to evil deeds in general, but here it appears to refer more specifically to the illness that plagues the psalmist.
1515 tn Heb “is poured out on him.” The passive participle of יָצַק (yatsaq) is used.
1516 tn Heb “and he who lies down will not again arise.”
1517 tn Heb “man of my peace.” The phrase here refers to one’s trusted friend (see Jer 38:22; Obad 7).
1518 tn Heb “has made a heel great against me.” The precise meaning of this phrase, which appears only here, is uncertain.
1519 tn The cohortative with prefixed vav (ו) here indicates purpose or result (“Then I will repay them”) after the preceding imperatives.
1520 sn By this. Having recalled his former lament and petition, the psalmist returns to the confident mood of vv. 1-3. The basis for his confidence may be a divine oracle of deliverance, assuring him that God would intervene and vindicate him. The demonstrative pronoun “this” may refer to such an oracle, which is assumed here, though its contents are not included. See P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 (WBC), 319, 321.
1521 tn Or “will.” One may translate the imperfect verbal form as descriptive (present, cf. NIV) or as anticipatory (future, cf. NEB).
1522 tn Heb “shout.”
1523 tn Or “have upheld.” The perfect verbal form can be taken as generalizing/descriptive (present) or as a present perfect.
1524 sn Because of my integrity. See Pss 7:8; 25:21; 26:1, 11.
1525 tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive has the same aspectual function as the preceding perfect. It is either generalizing/descriptive (present) or has a present perfect nuance (“you have allowed”).
1526 tn Heb “and you cause me to stand before you permanently.”
1527 tn Heb “[be] blessed.” See Pss 18:46; 28:6; 31:21.
1528 tn Heb “from everlasting to everlasting.” See 1 Chr 16:36; Neh 9:5; Pss 90:2; 106:48.
1529 tn Heb “surely and surely” (אָמֵן וְאָמֵן [’amen vÿ’amen], i.e., “amen and amen”). This is probably a congregational response to the immediately preceding statement about the propriety of praising God.
1530 sn Psalm 42. The psalmist recalls how he once worshiped in the Lord’s temple, but laments that he is now oppressed by enemies in a foreign land. Some medieval Hebrew
1531 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. The word is derived from a verb meaning “to be prudent; to be wise.” Various options are: “a contemplative song,” “a song imparting moral wisdom,” or “a skillful [i.e., well-written] song.” The term occurs in the superscriptions of Pss 32, 42, 44, 45, 52-55, 74, 78, 88, 89, and 142, as well as in Ps 47:7.
1532 tn Since the accompanying verb is feminine in form, the noun אָיִּל (’ayyil, “male deer”) should be emended to אַיֶּלֶת (’ayyelet, “female deer”). Haplography of the letter tav has occurred; note that the following verb begins with tav.
1533 tn Or “pants [with thirst].”
1534 tn Or “my soul pants [with thirst].” The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) with a pronominal suffix is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 4.a).
1535 tn Or “my soul thirsts.”
1536 tn The words “I say” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons and for clarification.
1537 tn Heb “When will I go and appear [to] the face of God?” Some emend the Niphal verbal form אֵרָאֶה (’era’eh, “I will appear”) to a Qal אֶרְאֶה (’er’eh, “I will see”; see Gen 33:10), but the Niphal can be retained if one understands ellipsis of אֶת (’et) before “face” (see Exod 34:24; Deut 31:11).
1538 tn Heb “My tears have become my food day and night.”
1539 tn Heb “when [they] say to me all the day.” The suffixed third masculine plural pronoun may have been accidentally omitted from the infinitive בֶּאֱמֹר (be’ÿmor, “when [they] say”). Note the term בְּאָמְרָם (bÿ’omram, “when they say”) in v. 10.
1540 tn Heb “These things I will remember and I will pour out upon myself my soul.” “These things” are identified in the second half of the verse as those times when the psalmist worshiped in the
1541 tc Heb “for I was passing by with the throng [?], I was walking with [?] them to the house of God; with a voice of a ringing shout and thanksgiving a multitude was observing a festival.” The Hebrew phrase בַּסָּךְ אֶדַּדֵּם (bassakh ’eddaddem, “with the throng [?] I was walking with [?]”) is particularly problematic. The noun סָךְ (sakh) occurs only here. If it corresponds to הָמוֹן (hamon, “multitude”) then one can propose a meaning “throng.” The present translation assumes this reading (cf. NIV, NRSV). The form אֶדַּדֵּם (“I will walk with [?]”) is also very problematic. The form can be taken as a Hitpael from דָּדָה (dadah; this verb possibly appears in Isa 38:15), but the pronominal suffix is problematic. For this reason many emend the form to ם[י]אַדִּרִ (’adirim, “nobles”) or ם-רִ[י]אַדִ (’adirim, “great,” with enclitic mem [ם]). The present translation understands the latter and takes the adjective “great” as modifying “throng.” If one emends סָךְ (sakh, “throng [?]”) to סֹךְ (sokh, “shelter”; see the Qere of Ps 27:5), then ר[י]אַדִּ (’addir) could be taken as a divine epithet, “[in the shelter of] the majestic one,” a reading which may find support in the LXX and Syriac Peshitta.
1542 tn Heb “Why do you bow down?”
1543 sn For poetic effect the psalmist addresses his soul, or inner self.
1544 tn Heb “and [why] are you in turmoil upon me?” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries on the descriptive present nuance of the preceding imperfect. See GKC 329 §111.t.
1545 tc Heb “for again I will give him thanks, the saving acts of his face.” The verse division in the Hebrew text is incorrect. אֱלֹהַי (’elohay, “my God”) at the beginning of v. 7 belongs with the end of v. 6 (see the corresponding refrains in 42:11 and 43:5, both of which end with “my God” after “saving acts of my face”). The Hebrew term פָּנָיו (panayv, “his face”) should be emended to פְּנֵי (pÿney, “face of”). The emended text reads, “[for] the saving acts of the face of my God,” that is, the saving acts associated with God’s presence/intervention.
1546 tn Heb “my God, upon me my soul bows down.” As noted earlier, “my God” belongs with the end of v. 6.
1547 tn Heb “therefore I will remember you from the land of Jordan.” “Remember” is here used metonymically for prayer (see vv. 8-9). As the next line indicates, the region of the upper Jordan, where the river originates, is in view.
1548 tc Heb “Hermons.” The plural form of the name occurs only here in the OT. Some suggest the plural refers to multiple mountain peaks (cf. NASB) or simply retain the plural in the translation (cf. NEB), but the final mem (ם) is probably dittographic (note that the next form in the text begins with the letter mem) or enclitic. At a later time it was misinterpreted as a plural marker and vocalized accordingly.
1549 tn The Hebrew term מִצְעָר (mits’ar) is probably a proper name (“Mizar”), designating a particular mountain in the Hermon region. The name appears only here in the OT.
1550 tn Heb “deep calls to deep.” The Hebrew noun תְּהוֹם (tÿhom) often refers to the deep sea, but here, where it is associated with Hermon, it probably refers to mountain streams. The word can be used of streams and rivers (see Deut 8:7; Ezek 31:4).
1551 tn The noun צִנּוֹר (tsinnor, “waterfall”) occurs only here and in 2 Sam 5:8, where it apparently refers to a water shaft. The psalmist alludes to the loud rushing sound of mountain streams and cascading waterfalls. Using the poetic device of personification, he imagines the streams calling out to each other as they hear the sound of the waterfalls.
1552 tn Heb “pass over me” (see Jonah 2:3). As he hears the sound of the rushing water, the psalmist imagines himself engulfed in the current. By implication he likens his emotional distress to such an experience.
1553 sn The psalmist believes that the Lord has not abandoned him, but continues to extend his loyal love. To this point in the psalm, the author has used the name “God,” but now, as he mentions the divine characteristic of loyal love, he switches to the more personal divine name Yahweh (rendered in the translation as “the
1554 tn Heb “his song [is] with me.”
1555 tc A few medieval Hebrew
1556 tn The cohortative form indicates the psalmist’s resolve.
1557 tn This metaphor pictures God as a rocky, relatively inaccessible summit, where one would be able to find protection from enemies. See 1 Sam 23:25, 28; Pss 18:2; 31:3.
1558 tn Or “forget.”
1559 sn Walk around mourning. See Ps 38:6 for a similar idea.
1560 tc Heb “with a shattering in my bones my enemies taunt me.” A few medieval Hebrew
1561 sn “Where is your God?” The enemies ask this same question in v. 3.
1562 tn Heb “Why do you bow down?”
1563 sn For poetic effect the psalmist addresses his soul, or inner self.
1564 tn Heb “and why are you in turmoil upon me?”
1565 tc Heb “for again I will give him thanks, the saving acts of my face and my God.” The last line should be emended to read יְשׁוּעֹת פְנֵי אֱלֹהָי (yÿshu’ot fÿney ’elohay, “[for] the saving acts of the face of my God”), that is, the saving acts associated with God’s presence/intervention. This refrain is almost identical to the one in v. 5. See also Ps 43:5.
1566 sn Psalm 43. Many medieval Hebrew
1567 tn Or “argue my case.”
1568 tn The imperfect here expresses a request or wish. Note the imperatives in the first half of the verse. See also v. 3.
1569 tn Heb “from the deceitful and evil man.” The Hebrew text uses the singular form “man” in a collective sense, as the reference to a “nation” in the parallel line indicates.
1570 tn Heb “God of my place of refuge,” that is, “God who is my place of refuge.” See Ps 31:4.
1571 tn The question is similar to that of Ps 42:9, but זָנַח (zanakh, “reject”) is a stronger verb than שָׁכַח (shakhakh, “forget”).
1572 tn The language is similar to that of Ps 42:9, but the Hitpael form of the verb הָלַךְ (halakh; as opposed to the Qal form in 42:9) expresses more forcefully the continuing nature of the psalmist’s distress.
1573 sn Walk around mourning. See Ps 38:6 for a similar statement.
1574 tn Heb “send.”
1575 sn God’s deliverance is compared here to a light which will lead the psalmist back home to the Lord’s temple. Divine deliverance will in turn demonstrate the Lord’s faithfulness to his people.
1576 tn Or “may they lead me.” The prefixed verbal forms here and in the next line may be taken as jussives.
1577 tn Heb “bring.”
1578 sn In this context the Lord’s holy hill is Zion/Jerusalem. See Isa 66:20; Joel 2:1; 3:17; Zech 8:3; Pss 2:6; 15:1; 48:1; 87:1; Dan 9:16.
1579 tn Or “to your dwelling place[s].” The plural form of the noun may indicate degree or quality; this is the
1580 tn The cohortative expresses the psalmist’s resolve. Prefixed with the vav (ו) conjunctive it also expresses the result or outcome of the preceding verbs “lead” and “escort.”
1581 tn Heb “to God, the joy of my happiness.” The phrase “joy of my happiness” employs an appositional genitive. Synonyms are joined in a construct relationship to emphasize the degree of the psalmist’s joy. For a detailed discussion of the grammatical point with numerous examples, see Y. Avishur, “Pairs of Synonymous Words in the Construct State (and in Appositional Hendiadys) in Biblical Hebrew,” Semitics 2 (1971): 17-81.
1582 tn The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive probably indicates purpose (“so that”) or intention.
1583 tn Heb “Why do you bow down?”
1584 sn For poetic effect the psalmist addresses his soul, or inner self.
1585 tn Heb “and why are you in turmoil upon me?”
1586 tc Heb “for again I will give him thanks, the saving acts of my face and my God.” The last line should be emended to read יְשׁוּעֹת פְנֵי אֱלֹהָי (yÿshu’ot fÿney ’elohay, “[for] the saving acts of the face of my God,” that is, the saving acts associated with God’s presence/intervention. This refrain is identical to the one in Ps 42:11. See also 42:5, which differs only slightly.
1587 sn Psalm 44. The speakers in this psalm (the worshiping community within the nation Israel) were disappointed with God. The psalm begins on a positive note, praising God for leading Israel to past military victories. Verses 1-8 appear to be a song of confidence and petition which the people recited prior to battle. But suddenly the mood changes as the nation laments a recent defeat. The stark contrast between the present and the past only heightens the nation’s confusion. Israel trusted in God for victory, but the Lord rejected them and allowed them to be humiliated in battle. If Israel had been unfaithful to God, their defeat would make sense, but the nation was loyal to the Lord. Comparing the Lord to a careless shepherd, the nation urges God to wake up and to extend his compassion to his suffering people.
1588 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. See the note on the phrase “well-written song” in the superscription of Ps 42.
1589 tn Heb “with our ears we have heard.”
1590 tn Heb “fathers” (also in v. 2; the same Hebrew word may be translated either “fathers” or “ancestors” depending on the context.
1591 tn Heb “the work you worked.”
1592 tn Heb “in the days of old.” This refers specifically to the days of Joshua, during Israel’s conquest of the land, as vv. 2-3 indicate.
1593 tn Heb “you, your hand.”
1594 tn Heb “dispossessed nations and planted them.” The third masculine plural pronoun “them” refers to the fathers (v. 1). See Ps 80:8, 15.
1595 tn The verb form in the Hebrew text is a Hiphil preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive) from רָעַע (ra’a’, “be evil; be bad”). If retained it apparently means, “you injured; harmed.” Some prefer to derive the verb from רָעַע (“break”; cf. NEB “breaking up the peoples”), in which case the form must be revocalized as Qal (since this verb is unattested in the Hiphil).
1596 tn Or “peoples.”
1597 tn Heb “and you sent them out.” The translation assumes that the third masculine plural pronoun “them” refers to the fathers (v. 1), as in the preceding parallel line. See Ps 80:11, where Israel, likened to a vine, “spreads out” its tendrils to the west and east. Another option is to take the “peoples” as the referent of the pronoun and translate, “and you sent them away,” though this does not provide as tight a parallel with the corresponding line.
1598 tn Or “take possession of.”
1599 tn Heb “and their arm did not save them.” The “arm” here symbolizes military strength.
1600 tn Heb “your right hand.” The
1601 tn Heb “your arm.”
1602 tn Heb “light of your face.” The idiom “light of your face” probably refers to a smile (see Eccl 8:1), which in turn suggests favor and blessing (see Num 6:25; Pss 4:6; 31:16; 67:1; 80:3, 7, 19; 89:15; Dan 9:17).
1603 tn Or “favorable toward.”
1604 sn The speaker changes here to an individual, perhaps the worship leader or the king. The oscillation between singular (vv. 4, 6) and plural (vv. 1-3, 5, 7-8) in vv. 1-8 may reflect an antiphonal ceremony.
1605 tc The LXX assumes a participle here (מְצַוֶּה [mÿtsavveh], “the one who commands/decrees”) which would stand in apposition to “my God.” It is possible that the MT, which has the imperative (צַוֵּה, tsavveh) form, has suffered haplography of the letter mem (ם). Note that the preceding word (אֱלֹהִים, ’elohim) ends in mem. Another option is that the MT is divided in the wrong place; perhaps one could move the final mem from אֱלֹהִים to the beginning of the next word and read מְצַוֶּה אֱלֹהָי (’elohay mÿtsavveh, “[You are my king,] my God, the one who decrees”).
1606 tn That is, Israel. See Pss 14:7; 22:23.
1607 tn Heb “by you.”
1608 tn Heb “gore” (like an ox). If this portion of the psalm contains the song of confidence/petition the Israelites recited prior to battle, then the imperfects here and in the next line may express their expectation of victory. Another option is that the imperfects function in an emphatic generalizing manner. In this case one might translate, “you [always] drive back…you [always] trample down.”
1609 tn Heb “in your name.” The
1610 sn The image of the powerful wild ox continues; see the note on the phrase “drive back” in the preceding line.
1611 tn Heb “those who rise up [against] us.”
1612 tn Or “have delivered,” if past successes are in view. Another option is to take the perfect as rhetorical, emphasizing that victory is certain (note the use of the imperfect in vv. 5-6).
1613 tn Or “have humiliated,” if past successes are in view. Another option is to take the perfect as rhetorical, emphasizing that victory is certain (note the use of the imperfect in vv. 5-6).
1614 tn The particle אַף (’af, “but”) is used here as a strong adversative contrasting the following statement with what precedes.
1615 tn Heb “you did not go out with our armies.” The prefixed verbal form is a preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive).
1616 tn Heb “you caused us to turn backward.”
1617 tn Heb “plunder for themselves.” The prepositional phrase לָמוֹ (lamo, “for themselves”) here has the nuance “at their will” or “as they please” (see Ps 80:6).
1618 tn The prefixed verbal form is a preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive).
1619 tn The prefixed verbal form is a preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive).
1620 tn Heb “for what is not wealth.”
1621 tn Heb “you did not multiply their purchase prices.”
1622 tn The prefixed verbal form is a preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive).
1623 tn Heb “an [object of] taunting and [of] mockery to those around us.”
1624 tn The prefixed verbal form is a preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive).
1625 tn Heb “a proverb,” or “[the subject of] a mocking song.”
1626 tn Heb “a shaking of the head among the peoples.” Shaking the head was a derisive gesture (see Jer 18:16; Lam 2:15).
1627 tn Heb “all the day my humiliation [is] in front of me.”
1628 tn Heb “and the shame of my face covers me.”
1629 tn Heb “from the voice of one who ridicules and insults, from the face of an enemy and an avenger.” See Ps 8:2.
1630 tn Heb “we have not forgotten you.” To “forget” God refers here to worshiping false gods and thereby refusing to recognize his sovereignty (see v. 20, as well as Deut 8:19; Judg 3:7; 1 Sam 12:9; Isa 17:10; Jer 3:21; Ps 9:17).Thus the translation “we have not rejected you” has been used.
1631 tn Heb “and we did not deal falsely with your covenant.”
1632 tn Heb “our heart did not turn backward.” Cf. Ps 78:57.
1633 tn Heb “and our steps did [not] turn aside from your path.” The negative particle is understood by ellipsis (see the preceding line). God’s “path” refers to his commands, i.e., the moral pathway he has prescribed for the psalmist. See Pss 17:5; 25:4.
1634 tn Heb “yet you have battered us in a place of jackals.”
1635 tn The Hebrew term צַלְמָוֶת (tsalmavet) has traditionally been understood as a compound noun meaning “shadow of death” (צֵל+מָוֶת [mavet + tsel]; see BDB 853 s.v. צַלְמָוֶת; cf. NASB). Other scholars prefer to vocalize the form צַלְמוּת (tsalmut) and understand it as an abstract noun (from the root צלם) meaning “darkness” (cf. NIV, NRSV). An examination of the word’s usage favors the latter derivation. It is frequently associated with darkness/night and contrasted with light/morning (see Job 3:5; 10:21-22; 12:22; 24:17; 28:3; 34:22; Ps 107:10, 14; Isa 9:1; Jer 13:16; Amos 5:8). In some cases the darkness described is associated with the realm of death (Job 10:21-22; 38:17), but this is a metaphorical application of the word and does not reflect its inherent meaning. In Ps 44:19 darkness symbolizes defeat and humiliation.
1636 tn Heb “If we had forgotten the name of our God.” To “forget the name” here refers to rejecting the
1637 tn Heb “and spread out your hands to another god.” Spreading out the hands was a prayer gesture (see Exod 9:29, 33; 1 Kgs 8:22, 38; 2 Chr 6:12-13, 29; Ezra 9:15; Job 11:13; Isa 1:15). In its most fundamental sense זר (“another; foreign; strange”) refers to something that is outside one’s circle, often making association with it inappropriate. A “strange” god is an alien deity, an “outside god” (see L. A. Snijders, TDOT 4:54-55).
1638 tn The active participle describes what is characteristically true.
1639 tn Heb “would not God search out this, for he knows the hidden things of [the] heart?” The expression “search out” is used metonymically here, referring to discovery, the intended effect of a search. The “heart” (i.e., mind) is here viewed as the seat of one’s thoughts. The rhetorical question expects the answer, “Of course he would!” The point seems to be this: There is no way the Israelites who are the speakers in the psalm would reject God and turn to another god, for the omniscient God would easily discover such a sin.
1640 tn The statement “because of you” (1) may simply indicate that God is the cause of the Israelites’ defeat (see vv. 9-14, where the nation’s situation is attributed directly to God’s activity, and cf. NEB, NRSV), or (2) it may suggest they suffer because of their allegiance to God (see Ps 69:7 and Jer 15:15). In this case one should translate, “for your sake” (cf. NASB, NIV). The citation of this verse in Rom 8:36 follows the LXX (Ps 43:23 LXX), where the Greek term ἕνεκεν (Jeneken; LXX ἕνεκα) may likewise mean “because of” or “for the sake of” (BDAG 334 s.v. ἕνεκα 1).
1641 tn Or “regarded as.”
1642 tn Heb “like sheep of slaughtering,” that is, sheep destined for slaughter.
1643 sn Wake up! See Ps 35:23.
1644 tn Heb “Why do you hide your face?” The idiom “hide the face” can mean “ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or carry the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 30:7; 88:14).
1645 tn Or “forget.”
1646 tn Heb “our oppression and our affliction.”
1647 tn Heb “for our being/life sinks down to the dirt, our belly clings to the earth.” The suffixed form of נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being, life”) is often equivalent to a pronoun in poetic texts.
1648 tn Or “redeem us.” See Pss 25:22; 26:11; 69:18; 119:134.
1649 sn Psalm 45. This is a romantic poem celebrating the Davidic king’s marriage to a lovely princess. The psalmist praises the king for his military prowess and commitment to justice, urges the bride to be loyal to the king, and anticipates that the marriage will be blessed with royal offspring.
1650 tn Heb “according to lilies.” “Lilies” may be a tune title or musical style, suggestive of romantic love. The imagery of a “lily” appears frequently in the Song of Solomon in a variety of contexts (see 2:1-2, 16; 4:5; 5:13; 6:2-3; 7:2).
1651 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. See the note on the phrase “well-written song” in the superscription of Ps 42.
1652 tn Heb “[with] a good word.” The “good word” probably refers here to the song that follows.
1653 tn Heb “my works [are] for a king.” The plural “works” may here indicate degree, referring to the special musical composition that follows.
1654 tn Heb “my tongue [is] a stylus of a skillful scribe.” Words flow from the psalmist’s tongue just as they do from a scribe’s stylus.
1655 tn Heb “you are handsome from the sons of man.” The preposition “from” is used in a comparative (“more than”) sense. The peculiar verb form יָפְיָפִיתָ (yafyafita) is probably the result of dittography of yod-pe (יפ) and should be emended to יָפִיתָ (yafita). See GKC 152 §55.e.
1656 tn Heb “favor is poured out on your lips.” “Lips” probably stands by metonymy for the king’s speech. Some interpret the Hebrew term חֵן (khen) as referring here to “gracious (i.e., kind and polite) speech”, but the word probably refers more generally to “attractive” speech that is impressively articulated and fitting for the occasion. For other instances of the term being used of speech, see Prov 22:11 and Eccl 10:12.
1657 tn Or “this demonstrates.” The construction עַל־כֵּן (’al-ken, “therefore”) usually indicates what logically follows from a preceding statement. However, here it may infer the cause from the effect, indicating the underlying basis or reason for what precedes (see BDB 487 s.v. I כֵּן 3.f; C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms [ICC], 1:386).
1658 tn Or “blesses you forever.” Here “bless” means to “endue with the power and skill to rule effectively,” as the following verses indicate.
1659 tn Or “mighty one.”
1660 tn The Hebrew text has simply, “your majesty and your splendor,” which probably refers to the king’s majestic splendor when he appears in full royal battle regalia.
1661 tn Heb “and your majesty, be successful.” The syntax is awkward. The phrase “and your majesty” at the beginning of the verse may be accidentally repeated (dittography); it appears at the end of v. 3.
1662 tn Or “for the sake of truth.”
1663 tc The precise meaning of the MT is uncertain. The form עַנְוָה (’anvah) occurs only here. One could emend the text to עֲנָוָה וְצֶדֶק (’anavah vÿtsedeq, “[for the sake of truth], humility, and justice”). In this case “humility” would perhaps allude to the king’s responsibility to “serve” his people by promoting justice (cf. NIV “in behalf of truth, humility and righteousness”). The present translation assumes an emendation to יַעַן (ya’an, “because; on account of”) which would form a suitable parallel to עַל־דְּבַר (’al-dÿvar, “because; for the sake of”) in the preceding line.
1664 tn Heb “and your right hand will teach you mighty acts”; or “and may your right hand teach you mighty acts.” After the imperatives in the first half of the verse, the prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive likely indicates purpose (“so that your right hand might teach you mighty acts”) or result (see the present translation). The “right hand” here symbolizes the king’s military strength. His right hand will “teach” him mighty acts by performing them and thereby causing him to experience their magnificence.
1665 tn Heb “your arrows are sharp – peoples beneath you fall – in the heart of the enemies of the king.” The choppy style reflects the poet’s excitement.
1666 sn The king’s throne here symbolizes his rule.
1667 tn Or “forever and ever.”
1668 sn The king’s scepter symbolizes his royal authority.
1669 sn To love justice means to actively promote it.
1670 sn To hate evil means to actively oppose it.
1671 tn For other examples of the repetition of Elohim, “God,” see Pss 43:4; 48:8, 14; 50:7; 51:14; 67:7. Because the name Yahweh (“
1672 sn Anointed you. When read in the light of the preceding context, the anointing is most naturally taken as referring to the king’s coronation. However, the following context (vv. 8-9) focuses on the wedding ceremony, so some prefer to see this anointing as part of the king’s preparations for the wedding celebration. Perhaps the reference to his anointing at his coronation facilitates the transition to the description of the wedding, for the king was also anointed on this occasion.
1673 sn The phrase oil of joy alludes to the fact that the coronation of the king, which was ritually accomplished by anointing his head with olive oil, was a time of great celebration and renewed hope. (If one understands the anointing in conjunction with the wedding ceremony, the “joy” would be that associated with the marriage.) The phrase “oil of joy” also appears in Isa 61:3, where mourners are granted “oil of joy” in conjunction with their deliverance from oppression.
1674 tn Heb “from your companions.” The “companions” are most naturally understood as others in the royal family or, more generally, as the king’s countrymen.
1675 tn The words “perfumed with” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
1676 tn Heb “the palaces of ivory.” The phrase “palaces of ivory” refers to palaces that had ivory panels and furniture decorated with ivory inlays. Such decoration with ivory was characteristic of a high level of luxury. See 1 Kgs 22:39 and Amos 3:15.
1677 tn Heb “from the palaces of ivory stringed instrument[s] make you happy.”
1678 tn Heb “daughters of kings.”
1679 tn Heb “valuable ones.” The form is feminine plural.
1680 tn This rare Hebrew noun apparently refers to the king’s bride, who will soon be queen (see Neh 2:6). The Aramaic cognate is used of royal wives in Dan 5:2-3, 23.
1681 tn Heb “a consort stands at your right hand, gold of Ophir.”
1682 tn Heb “daughter.” The Hebrew noun בת (“daughter”) can sometimes refer to a young woman in a general sense (see H. Haag, TDOT 2:334).
1683 tn Heb “see and turn your ear.” The verb רָאָה (ra’ah, “see”) is used here of mental observation.
1684 tn Heb “your people.” This reference to the “people” of the princess suggests she was a foreigner. Perhaps the marriage was arranged as part of a political alliance between Israel (or Judah) and a neighboring state. The translation “your homeland” reflects such a situation.
1685 tn Heb “and the house of your father.”
1686 tn After the preceding imperatives, the jussive verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive is best understood as introducing a purpose (“so that the king might desire your beauty”) or result clause (see the present translation and cf. also NASB). The point seems to be this: The bride might tend to be homesick, which in turn might cause her to mourn and diminish her attractiveness. She needs to overcome this temptation to unhappiness and enter into the marriage with joy. Then the king will be drawn to her natural beauty.
1687 tn Or “desire.”
1688 tn Or “bow down.”
1689 sn Submit to him. The poet here makes the point that the young bride is obligated to bring pleasure to her new husband. Though a foreign concept to modern western culture, this was accepted as the cultural norm in the psalmist’s day.
1690 map For location see Map1-A2; Map2-G2; Map4-A1; JP3-F3; JP4-F3.
1691 tn Heb “and a daughter of Tyre with a gift, your face they will appease, the rich of people.” The phrase “daughter of Tyre” occurs only here in the OT. It could be understood as addressed to the bride, indicating she was a Phoenician (cf. NEB). However, often in the OT the word “daughter,” when collocated with the name of a city or country, is used to personify the referent (see, for example, “Daughter Zion” in Ps 9:14, and “Daughter Babylon” in Ps 137:8). If that is the case here, then “Daughter Tyre” identifies the city-state of Tyre as the place from which the rich people come (cf. NRSV). The idiom “appease the face” refers to seeking one’s favor (see Exod 32:11; 1 Sam 13:12; 1 Kgs 13:6; 2 Kgs 13:4; 2 Chr 33:12; Job 11:19; Ps 119:58; Prov 19:6; Jer 26:19; Dan 9:13; Zech 7:2; 8:21-22; Mal 1:9).
1692 tn Heb “[the] daughter of a king.”
1693 tn Heb “[is] completely glorious.”
1694 tc Heb “within, from settings of gold, her clothing.” The Hebrew term פְּנִימָה (pÿnimah, “within”), if retained, would go with the preceding line and perhaps refer to the bride being “within” the palace or her bridal chamber (cf. NIV, NRSV). Since the next two lines refer to her attire (see also v. 9b), it is preferable to emend the form to פְּנִינִיהָּ (“her pearls”) or to פְּנִינִים (“pearls”). The mem (מ) prefixed to “settings” is probably dittographic.
1695 tn Heb “virgins after her, her companions, are led to you.” Some emend לָךְ (lakh, “to you”) to לָהּ (lah, “to her,” i.e., the princess), because the princess is now being spoken of in the third person (vv. 13-14a), rather than being addressed directly (as in vv. 10-12). However, the ambiguous suffixed form לָךְ need not be taken as second feminine singular. The suffix can be understood as a pausal second masculine singular form, addressed to the king. The translation assumes this to be the case; note that the king is addressed once more in vv. 16-17, where the second person pronouns are masculine.
1696 tn Heb “they are led with joy and happiness, they enter the house of the king.”
1697 tn The pronoun is second masculine singular, indicating the king is being addressed from this point to the end of the psalm.
1698 tn The prefixed verbal form could be taken as jussive and the statement interpreted as a prayer, “May your sons carry on the dynasty of your ancestors!” The next line could then be taken as a relative clause, “[your sons] whom you will make princes throughout the land.”
1699 tn Heb “in place of your fathers will be your sons.”
1700 tn Heb “I will cause your name to be remembered in every generation and generation.” The cohortative verbal form expresses the poet’s resolve. The king’s “name” stands here for his reputation and character, which the poet praised in vv. 2-7.
1701 sn The nations will praise you. As God’s vice-regent on earth, the king is deserving of such honor and praise.
1702 sn Psalm 46. In this so-called “Song Of Zion” God’s people confidently affirm that they are secure because the great warrior-king dwells within Jerusalem and protects it from the nations that cause such chaos in the earth. A refrain (vv. 7, 11) concludes the song’s two major sections.
1703 sn The meaning of the Hebrew term עֲלָמוֹת (alamoth, which means “young women”) is uncertain; perhaps it refers to a particular style of music. Cf. 1 Chr 15:20.
1704 tn Heb “our refuge and strength,” which is probably a hendiadys meaning “our strong refuge” (see Ps 71:7). Another option is to translate, “our refuge and source of strength.”
1705 tn Heb “a helper in times of trouble he is found [to be] greatly.” The perfect verbal form has a generalizing function here. The adverb מְאֹד (mÿ’od, “greatly”) has an emphasizing function.
1706 tn The imperfect is taken in a generalizing sense (cf. NEB) because the situation described in vv. 2-3 is understood as symbolizing typical world conditions. In this case the imperfect draws attention to the typical nature of the response. The covenant community characteristically responds with confidence, not fear. Another option is to take the situation described as purely hypothetical. In this case one might translate, “We will not fear, even though the earth should shake” (cf. NIV, NRSV).
1707 tn The Hiphil infinitival form is normally taken to mean “when [the earth] is altered,” being derived from מוּר (mur, “to change”). In this case the Hiphil would be intransitive, as in Ps 15:4. HALOT 560 s.v. II מור emends the form to a Niphal and derives it from a homonymic root מוּר attested in Arabic with the meaning “shake.”
1708 tn Heb “heart of the seas.” The plural may be used for emphasis, pointing to the deepest sea. Note that the next verse uses a singular pronoun (“its waters,” “its swelling”) in referring back to the plural noun.
1709 tn Heb “its waters.”
1710 tn Or “roar.”
1711 tn The three imperfect verbal forms in v. 3 draw attention to the characteristic nature of the activity described.
1712 tn Heb “at its swelling.” The Hebrew word often means “pride.” If the sea is symbolic of hostile nations, then this may be a case of double entendre. The surging, swelling sea symbolizes the proud, hostile nations. On the surface the psalmist appears to be depicting a major natural catastrophe, perhaps a tidal wave. If so, then the situation would be hypothetical. However, the repetition of the verbs הָמָה (hamah, “crash; roar,” v. 3) and מוֹט (mot, “shake,” v. 2) in v. 6, where nations/kingdoms “roar” and “shake,” suggests that the language of vv. 2-3 is symbolic and depicts the upheaval that characterizes relationships between the nations of the earth. As some nations (symbolized by the surging, chaotic waters) show hostility, others (symbolized by the mountains) come crashing down to destruction. The surging waters are symbolic of chaotic forces in other poetic texts (see, for example, Isa 17:12; Jer 51:42) and mountains can symbolize strong kingdoms (see, for example, Jer 51:25).
1713 tn Heb “A river, its channels cause the city of God to be glad.”
1714 tn Heb “the holy [place] of the dwelling places of.” The adjective “holy” is used here in a substantival manner and placed in construct with the following noun (see GKC 428 §132.c). Origen’s transliterated text assumes the reading קֹדֶשׁ (qodesh, “holiness; holy place”), while the LXX assumes a Piel verbal form קִדֵּשׁ (qidesh, “makes holy”) and takes the following form as “his dwelling place.” The plural form מִשְׁכְּנֵי (mishkÿney, “dwelling places of”) is probably a plural of degree, emphasizing the special character of this dwelling place. See GKC 397 §124.b. The form stands as an appositional genitive in relation to the preceding construct noun.
1715 tn Heb “Most High.” This divine title (עֶלְיוֹן, ’elyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Pss 7:17; 9:2; 18:13; 21:7; 47:2.
1716 tn Heb “God [is] within her.” The feminine singular pronoun refers to the city mentioned in v. 4.
1717 tn Another option is to translate the imperfect verbal form as future, “it will not be upended.” Even if one chooses this option, the future tense must be understood in a generalizing sense. The verb מוֹט (mot), translated “upended” here, is used in v. 2 of the mountains “tumbling” into the seas and in v. 6 of nations being “upended.” By way of contrast, Jerusalem, God’s dwelling place, is secure and immune from such turmoil and destruction.
1718 tn Or “helps her.” The imperfect draws attention to the generalizing character of the statement.
1719 tn Heb “at the turning of morning.” (For other uses of the expression see Exod 14:27 and Judg 19:26).
1720 tn Heb “nations roar, kingdoms shake.” The Hebrew verb הָמָה (hamah, “roar, be in uproar”) is used in v. 3 of the waves crashing, while the verb מוֹט (mot, “overthrown”) is used in v. 2 of mountains tumbling into the sea (see also v. 5, where the psalm affirms that Jerusalem “cannot be moved”). The repetition of the verbs suggests that the language of vv. 2-3 is symbolic and depicts the upheaval that characterizes relationships between the nations of the earth. As some nations (symbolized by the surging, chaotic waters) show hostility, others (symbolized by the mountains) come crashing down to destruction. The surging waters are symbolic of chaotic forces in other poetic texts (see, for example, Isa 17:12; Jer 51:42) and mountains can symbolize strong kingdoms (see, for example, Jer 51:25).
1721 tn Heb “He.” God is the obvious referent here (see v. 5), and has been specified in the translation for clarity.
1722 tn Heb “offers his voice.” In theophanic texts the phrase refers to God’s thunderous shout which functions as a battle cry (see Pss 18:13; 68:33).
1723 tn Or “melts.” See Amos 9:5. The image depicts the nation’s helplessness before Jerusalem’s defender, who annihilates their armies (see vv. 8-9). The imperfect verbal form emphasizes the characteristic nature of the action described.
1724 tn Heb “the
1725 tn That is, Israel, or Judah (see Ps 20:1).
1726 tn Heb “our elevated place” (see Pss 9:9; 18:2).
1727 sn In this context the Lord’s exploits are military in nature (see vv. 8b-9).
1728 tn Heb “who sets desolations in the earth” (see Isa 13:9). The active participle describes God’s characteristic activity as a warrior.
1729 tn Heb “[the] one who causes wars to cease unto the end of the earth.” The participle continues the description begun in v. 8b and indicates that this is the
1730 tn The verb שָׁבַר (shavar, “break”) appears in the Piel here (see Ps 29:5). In the OT it occurs thirty-six times in the Piel, always with multiple objects (the object is either a collective singular or grammatically plural or dual form). The Piel may highlight the repetition of the pluralative action, or it may suggest an intensification of action, indicating repeated action comprising a whole, perhaps with the nuance “break again and again, break in pieces.” Another option is to understand the form as resultative: “make broken” (see IBHS 404-7 §24.3). The imperfect verbal form carries on and emphasizes the generalizing nature of the description.
1731 tn The perfect verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive carries along the generalizing emphasis of the preceding imperfect.
1732 tn The imperfect verbal form carries on and emphasizes the generalizing nature of the description.
1733 tn Heb “wagons he burns with fire.” Some read “chariots” here (cf. NASB), but the Hebrew word refers to wagons or carts, not chariots, elsewhere in the OT. In this context, where military weapons are mentioned, it is better to revocalize the form as עֲגִלוֹת (’agilot, “round shields”), a word which occurs only here in the OT, but is attested in later Hebrew and Aramaic.
1734 tn The words “he says” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
1735 tn Heb “do nothing/be quiet (see 1 Sam 15:16) and know.” This statement may be addressed to the hostile nations, indicating they should cease their efforts to destroy God’s people, or to Judah, indicating they should rest secure in God’s protection. Since the psalm is an expression of Judah’s trust and confidence, it is more likely that the words are directed to the nations, who are actively promoting chaos and are in need of a rebuke.
1736 tn Elsewhere in the psalms the verb רוּם (rum, “be exalted”) when used of God, refers to his exalted position as king (Pss 18:46; 99:2; 113:4; 138:6) and/or his self-revelation as king through his mighty deeds of deliverance (Pss 21:13; 57:5, 11).
1737 tn Or “among.”
1738 tn Or “in.”
1739 tn Heb “the
1740 tn That is, Israel, or Judah (see Ps 20:1).
1741 tn Heb “our elevated place” (see Pss 9:9; 18:2).
1742 sn Psalm 47. In this hymn the covenant community praises the Lord as the exalted king of the earth who has given them victory over the nations and a land in which to live.
1743 tn Heb “Shout to God with [the] sound of a ringing cry!”
1744 tn Heb “the
1745 tn Or “awesome.” The Niphal participle נוֹרָא (nora’), when used of God in the psalms, focuses on the effect that his royal splendor and powerful deeds have on those witnessing his acts (Pss 66:3, 5; 68:35; 76:7, 12; 89:7; 96:4; 99:3; 111:9). Here it refers to his capacity to fill his defeated foes with terror and his people with fearful respect.
1746 tn Heb “a great king over all the earth.”
1747 tn On the meaning of the verb דָּבַר (davar, “subdue”), a homonym of דָּבַר (“speak”), see HALOT 209-10 s.v. I דבר. See also Ps 18:47 and 2 Chr 22:10. The preterite form of the verb suggests this is an historical reference and the next verse, which mentions the gift of the land, indicates that the conquest under Joshua is in view.
1748 tn Or “peoples” (see Pss 2:1; 7:7; 9:8; 44:2).
1749 tn Heb “he chose for us our inheritance.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a preterite (see “subdued” in v. 3).
1750 tn Heb “the pride of.” The phrase is appositional to “our inheritance,” indicating that the land is here described as a source of pride to God’s people.
1751 tn That is, Israel.
1752 sn Jacob whom he loves. The Lord’s covenantal devotion to his people is in view.
1753 sn God ascended his throne. In the context of vv. 3-4, which refer to the conquest of the land under Joshua, v. 5 is best understood as referring to an historical event. When the Lord conquered the land and placed his people in it, he assumed a position of kingship, as predicted by Moses (see Exod 15:17-18, as well as Ps 114:1-2). That event is here described metaphorically in terms of a typical coronation ceremony for an earthly king (see 2 Sam 15:10; 2 Kgs 9:13). Verses 1-2, 8-9 focus on God’s continuing kingship, which extends over all nations.
1754 tn Heb “God ascended amid a shout.” The words “his throne” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The
1755 tn Heb “the
1756 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. The word is derived from a verb meaning “to be prudent; to be wise.” Various options are: “a contemplative song,” “a song imparting moral wisdom,” or “a skillful [i.e., well-written] song.” The term also occurs in the superscriptions of Pss 32, 42, 44, 45, 52-55, 74, 78, 88, 89, and 142. Here, in a context of celebration, the meaning “skillful, well-written” would fit particularly well.
1757 tn When a new king was enthroned, his followers would acclaim him king using this enthronement formula (Qal perfect 3ms מָלַךְ, malakh, “to reign,” followed by the name of the king). See 2 Sam 15:10; 1 Kgs 1:11, 13, 18; 2 Kgs 9:13, as well as Isa 52:7. In this context the perfect verbal form is generalizing, but the declaration logically follows the historical reference in v. 5 to the
1758 tc The words “along with” do not appear in the MT. However, the LXX has “with,” suggesting that the original text may have read עִם עַם (’im ’am, “along with the people”). In this case the MT is haplographic (the consonantal sequence ayin-mem [עם] being written once instead of twice). Another option is that the LXX is simply and correctly interpreting “people” as an adverbial accusative and supplying the appropriate preposition.
1759 tn Heb “for to God [belong] the shields of the earth.” Perhaps the rulers are called “shields” because they are responsible for protecting their people. See Ps 84:9, where the Davidic king is called “our shield,” and perhaps also Hos 4:18.
1760 tn The verb עָלָה (’alah, “ascend”) appears once more (see v. 5), though now in the Niphal stem.
1761 sn Psalm 48. This so-called “Song of Zion” celebrates the greatness and glory of the Lord’s dwelling place, Jerusalem. His presence in the city elevates it above all others and assures its security.
1762 sn The city of our God is Jerusalem, which is also referred to here as “his holy hill,” that is, Zion (see v. 2, as well as Isa 66:20; Joel 2:1; 3:17; Zech 8:3; Pss 2:6; 15:1; 43:3; 87:1; Dan 9:16).
1763 tn Heb “beautiful of height.” The Hebrew term נוֹף (nof, “height”) is a genitive of specification after the qualitative noun “beautiful.” The idea seems to be that Mount Zion, because of its lofty appearance, is pleasing to the sight.
1764 sn A source of joy to the whole earth. The language is hyperbolic. Zion, as the dwelling place of the universal king, is pictured as the world’s capital. The prophets anticipated this idealized picture becoming a reality in the eschaton (see Isa 2:1-4).
1765 tn Heb “Mount Zion, the peaks of Zaphon.” Like all the preceding phrases in v. 2, both phrases are appositional to “city of our God, his holy hill” in v. 1, suggesting an identification in the poet’s mind between Mount Zion and Zaphon. “Zaphon” usually refers to the “north” in a general sense (see Pss 89:12; 107:3), but here, where it is collocated with “peaks,” it refers specifically to Mount Zaphon, located in the vicinity of ancient Ugarit and viewed as the mountain where the gods assembled (see Isa 14:13). By alluding to West Semitic mythology in this way, the psalm affirms that Mount Zion is the real divine mountain, for it is here that the
1766 tn Heb “he is known for an elevated place.”
1767 tn The logical connection between vv. 3-4 seems to be this: God is the protector of Zion and reveals himself as the city’s defender – this is necessary because hostile armies threaten the city.
1768 tn The perfect verbal forms in vv. 4-6 are understood as descriptive. In dramatic style (note הִנֵּה, hinneh, “look”) the psalm describes an enemy attack against the city as if it were occurring at this very moment. Another option is to take the perfects as narrational (“the kings assembled, they advanced”), referring to a particular historical event, such as Sennacherib’s siege of the city in 701
1769 tn The object of “see” is omitted, but v. 3b suggests that the
1770 tn Heb “they look, so they are shocked.” Here כֵּן (ken, “so”) has the force of “in the same measure.”
1771 tn The translation attempts to reflect the staccato style of the Hebrew text, where the main clauses of vv. 4-6 are simply juxtaposed without connectives.
1772 tn Heb “trembling seizes them there.” The adverb שָׁם (sham, “there”) is used here, as often in poetic texts, to point “to a spot in which a scene is localized vividly in the imagination” (BDB 1027 s.v.).
1773 tn Heb “[with] writhing like one giving birth.”
1774 tn The switch to the imperfect, as well as the introduction of the ship metaphor, perhaps signals a change to a generalizing tone; the
1775 tn Heb “the ships of Tarshish.” This probably refers to large ships either made in or capable of traveling to and from the distant western port of Tarshish. These ships, which were the best of their class, here symbolize the mere human strength of hostile armies, which are incapable of withstanding the
1776 tn Heb “As we have heard, so we have seen.” The community had heard about God’s mighty deeds in the nation’s history. Having personally witnessed his saving power with their own eyes, they could now affirm that the tradition was not exaggerated or inaccurate.
1777 tn Heb “the
1778 tn Or “God makes it secure forever.” The imperfect highlights the characteristic nature of the generalizing statement.
1779 tn Heb “like your name, O God, so [is] your praise to the ends of the earth.” Here “name” refers to God’s reputation and revealed character.
1780 tn Heb “your right hand is full of justice.” The “right hand” suggests activity and power.
1781 tn Heb “daughters.” The reference is to the cities of Judah surrounding Zion (see Ps 97:8 and H. Haag, TDOT 2:336).
1782 tn The prefixed verbal forms are understood as generalizing imperfects. (For other examples of an imperfect followed by causal לְמַעַן [lÿma’an], see Ps 23:3; Isa 49:7; 55:5.) Another option is to interpret the forms as jussives, “Let Mount Zion rejoice! Let the towns of Judah be happy!” (cf. NASB, NRSV; note the imperatives in vv. 12-13.)
1783 sn These acts of judgment are described in vv. 4-7.
1784 tn The verb forms in vv. 12-13 are plural; the entire Judahite community is addressed.
1785 tn Heb “set your heart to its rampart.”
1786 tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew word translated “walk through,” which occurs only here in the OT, is uncertain. Cf. NEB “pass…in review”; NIV “view.”
1787 sn The city’s towers, defenses, and fortresses are outward reminders and tangible symbols of the divine protection the city enjoys.
1788 tn Heb “for this is God, our God, forever and ever.” “This” might be paraphrased, “this protector described and praised in the preceding verses.”
1789 tn The imperfect highlights the characteristic nature of the generalizing statement.
1790 tn In the Hebrew text the psalm ends with the words עַל־מוּת (’al-mut, “upon [unto?] dying”), which make little, if any, sense. M. Dahood (Psalms [AB], 1:293) proposes an otherwise unattested plural form עֹלָמוֹת (’olamot; from עוֹלָם, ’olam, “eternity”). This would provide a nice parallel to עוֹלָם וָעֶד (’olam va’ed, “forever”) in the preceding line, but elsewhere the plural of עוֹלָם appears as עֹלָמִים (’olamim). It is preferable to understand the phrase as a musical direction of some sort (see עַל־מוּת [’al-mut] in the superscription of Ps 9) or to emend the text to עַל־עֲלָמוֹת (’al-’alamot, “according to the alamoth style”; see the heading of Ps 46). In either case it should be understood as belonging with the superscription of the following psalm.
1791 sn Psalm 49. In this so-called wisdom psalm (see v. 3) the psalmist states that he will not fear the rich enemies who threaten him, for despite their wealth, they are mere men who will die like everyone else. The psalmist is confident the Lord will vindicate the godly and protect them from the attacks of their oppressors.
1792 tn The rare noun חָלֶד (kheled, “world”) occurs in Ps 17:14 and perhaps also in Isa 38:11 (see the note on “world” there).
1793 tn Heb “even the sons of mankind, even the sons of man.” Because of the parallel line, where “rich and poor” are mentioned, some treat these expressions as polar opposites, with בְּנֵי אָדָם (bÿney ’adam) referring to the lower classes and בְּנֵי אִישׁ (bÿney ’ish) to higher classes (cf. NIV, NRSV). But usage does not support such a view. The rare phrase בְּנֵי אִישׁ (“sons of man”) appears to refer to human beings in general in its other uses (see Pss 4:2; 62:9; Lam 3:33). It is better to understand “even the sons of mankind” and “even the sons of man” as synonymous expressions (cf. NEB “all mankind, every living man”). The repetition emphasizes the need for all people to pay attention, for the psalmist’s message is relevant to everyone.
1794 tn Heb “my mouth will speak wisdom.” According to BDB 315 s.v. חָכְמָה the plural חָכְמוֹת (khokhmot, “wisdom”) indicates degree or emphasis here.
1795 tn Heb “and the meditation of my heart [i.e., mind] is understanding.” The Hebrew term הָגוּת (hagut, “meditation”), derived from הָגָה (hagah, “to recite quietly; to meditate”), here refers to thoughts that are verbalized (see the preceding line). The plural form תְבוּנוֹת (tÿvunot, “understanding”) indicates degree or emphasis (see GKC 397-98 §124.e).
1796 tn Heb “I will turn my ear to a wise saying, I will open [i.e., “reveal; explain”] my insightful saying with a harp.” In the first line the psalmist speaks as a pupil who learns a song of wisdom from a sage. This suggests that the resulting insightful song derives from another source, perhaps God himself. Elsewhere the Hebrew word pair חִידָה/מָשָׁל (mashal/khidah) refers to a taunt song (Hab 2:6), a parable (Ezek 17:2), lessons from history (Ps 78:2), and proverbial sayings (Prov 1:6). Here it appears to refer to the insightful song that follows, which reflects on the mortality of humankind and the ultimate inability of riches to prevent the inevitable – death. Another option is that the word pair refers more specifically to the closely related proverbial sayings of vv. 12, 20 (note the use of the verb מָשָׁל, mashal, “to be like” in both verses). In this case the psalmist first hears the sayings and then explains (Heb “opens”) their significance (see vv. 5-11, 13-19).
1797 tn Heb “days of trouble.” The phrase also occurs in Ps 94:13. The question is rhetorical; there is no reason to be afraid when the rich oppressors threaten the weak (see v. 17). The following verses explain why this is so.
1798 tc The MT has, “the iniquity of my heels surrounds me.” The clause is best understood as temporal and as elaborating on the preceding phrase “times of trouble.” If the MT is retained, the genitive “of my heels” would probably indicate location (“the iniquity at my heels”); the sinful actions of the rich threaten to overtake the psalmist, as it were. It is better, however, to emend עֲקֵבַי (’aqivay, “my heels”) to either (1) עֲקֻבַּי (’aqubay, “my deceitful ones,” i.e., “those who deceive me” [from the adjective עָקֹב (’aqov), “deceitful,” see Jer 17:9]) or (2) עֹקְבַי (’oqÿvay, “those who deceive me” [a suffixed active participle from עָקַב, ’aqav, “betray, deceive”]). Origen’s transliteration of the Hebrew text favors the first of these options. Either of the emendations provides a much smoother transition to v. 6, because “those who trust in their wealth” would then be appositional to “those who deceive me.”
1799 tn Heb “the ones who trust.” The substantival participle stands in apposition to “those who deceive me” (v. 5).
1800 tn The imperfect verbal form emphasizes their characteristic behavior.
1801 tn Heb “a brother, he surely does not ransom, a man.” The sequence אִישׁ...אָח (’akh...’ish, “a brother…a man”) is problematic, for the usual combination is אָח...אָח (“a brother…a brother”) or אִישׁ...אִישׁ (“a man…a man”). When אִישׁ and אָח are combined, the usual order is אָח...אִישׁ (“a man…a brother”), with “brother” having a third masculine singular suffix, “his brother.” This suggests that “brother” is the object of the verb and “man” the subject. (1) Perhaps the altered word order and absence of the suffix can be explained by the text’s poetic character, for ellipsis is a feature of Hebrew poetic style. (2) Another option, supported by a few medieval Hebrew
1802 tn Heb “he cannot pay to God his ransom price.” Num 35:31 may supply the legal background for the metaphorical language used here. The psalmist pictures God as having a claim on the soul of the individual. When God comes to claim the life that ultimately belongs to him, he demands a ransom price that is beyond the capability of anyone to pay. The psalmist’s point is that God has ultimate authority over life and death; all the money in the world cannot buy anyone a single day of life beyond what God has decreed.
1803 tn Heb “their life.” Some emend the text to “his life,” understanding the antecedent of the pronoun as “brother” in v. 7. However, the man and brother of v. 7 are representative of the human race in general, perhaps explaining why a plural pronoun appears in v. 8. Of course, the plural pronoun could refer back to “the rich” mentioned in v. 6. Another option (the one assumed in the translation) is that the suffixed mem is enclitic. In this case the “ransom price for human life” is referred to an abstract, general way.
1804 tn Heb “and one ceases forever.” The translation assumes an indefinite subject which in turn is representative of the entire human race (“one,” that refers to human beings without exception). The verb חָדַל (khadal, “cease”) is understood in the sense of “come to an end; fail” (i.e., die). Another option is to translate, “and one ceases/refrains forever.” In this case the idea is that the living, convinced of the reality of human mortality, give up all hope of “buying off” God and refrain from trying to do so.
1805 tn The jussive verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive is taken as indicating purpose/result in relation to the statement made in v. 8. (On this use of the jussive after an imperfect, see GKC 322 §109.f.) In this case v. 8 is understood as a parenthetical comment.
1806 tn Heb “see the Pit.” The Hebrew term שַׁחַת (shakhat, “pit”) is often used as a title for Sheol (see Pss 16:10; 30:9; 55:24; 103:4).
1807 tn The particle כִּי (ki) is understood here as asseverative (emphatic).
1808 tn The subject of the verb is probably the typical “man” mentioned in v. 7. The imperfect can be taken here as generalizing or as indicating potential (“surely he/one can see”).
1809 tn The imperfect verbal forms here and in the next line draw attention to what is characteristically true. The vav (ו) consecutive with perfect in the third line carries the same force.
1810 tn Heb “together a fool and a brutish [man] perish.” The adjective בַּעַר (ba’ar, “brutish”) refers to spiritual insensitivity, not mere lack of intelligence or reasoning ability (see Pss 73:22; 92:6; Prov 12:1; 30:2, as well as the use of the related verb in Ps 94:8).
1811 sn Death shows no respect for anyone. No matter how wise or foolish an individual happens to be, all pass away.
1812 tc Heb “their inward part [is] their houses [are] permanent, their dwelling places for a generation and a generation.” If one follows the MT, then קֶרֶב (qerev, “inward part”) must refer to the seat of these people’s thoughts (for other examples of this use of the term, see BDB 899 s.v., though BDB prefers an emendation in this passage). In this case all three lines of v. 11 expose these people’s arrogant assumption that they will last forever, which then stands in sharp contrast to reality as summarized in v. 12. In this case one might translate the first two lines, “they think that their houses are permanent and that their dwelling places will last forever” (cf. NASB). Following the lead of several ancient versions, the present translation assumes an emendation of קִרְבָּם (qirbam, “their inward part”) to קְבָרִים (qÿvarim, “graves”). This assumes that the letters bet (ב) and resh (ר) were accidentally transposed in the MT. In this case the first two lines support the point made in v. 10, while the third line of v. 11 stands in contrast to v. 12. The phrase בֵּית עוֹלָם (bet ’olam, “permanent house”) is used of a tomb in Eccl 12:5 (as well as in Phoenician tomb inscriptions, see DNWSI 1:160 for a list of texts) and מִשְׁכָּן (mishkan, “dwelling place”) refers to a tomb in Isa 22:16. Cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV.
1813 sn Naming their lands after themselves is a claim of possession.
1814 tn Heb “but mankind in honor does not remain.” The construction vav (ו) + noun at the beginning of the verse can be taken as contrastive in relation to what precedes. The Hebrew term יְקָר (yÿqar, “honor”) probably refers here to the wealth mentioned in the preceding context. The imperfect verbal form draws attention to what is characteristically true. Some scholars emend יָלִין (yalin, “remains”) to יָבִין (yavin, “understands”) but this is an unnecessary accommodation to the wording of v. 20.
1815 tn Or “cattle.”
1816 tn The verb is derived from דָּמָה (damah, “cease; destroy”; BDB 198 s.v.). Another option is to derive the verb from דָּמָה (“be silent”; see HALOT 225 s.v. II דמה, which sees two homonymic roots [דָּמָה, “be silent,” and דָּמָה, “destroy”] rather than a single root) and translate, “they are like dumb beasts.” This makes particularly good sense in v. 20, where the preceding line focuses on mankind’s lack of understanding.
1817 tn Heb “this [is] their way, [there is] folly [belonging] to them.” The Hebrew term translated “this” could refer (1) back to the preceding verse[s] or (2) ahead to the subsequent statements. The translation assumes the latter, since v. 12 appears to be a refrain that concludes the psalm’s first major section and marks a structural boundary. (A similar refrain [see v. 20] concludes the second half of the psalm.) The noun דֶּרֶךְ (derekh, “way”) often refers to one’s lifestyle, but, if it relates to what follows, then here it likely refers metonymically to one’s destiny (the natural outcome of one’s lifestyle [cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV “fate”]). (See the discussion in K. Koch, TDOT 3:285.) If one prefers the more common nuance (“lifestyle”), then the term would look back to the self-confident attitude described in the earlier verses.
1818 tn Heb “and after them, in their mouth they take delight.” The meaning of the MT is not entirely clear. “After them” is understood here as substantival, “those who come after them” or “those who follow them.” “Their mouth” is taken as a metonymy for the arrogant attitude verbalized by the rich. In the expression “take delight in,” the preposition -ב (bet) introduces the object/cause of one’s delight (see Pss 147:10; 149:4). So the idea here is that those who come after/follow the rich find the philosophy of life they verbalize and promote to be attractive and desirable.
1819 tn Heb “like sheep to Sheol they are appointed.” The verb form שַׁתּוּ (shatu) is apparently derived from שָׁתַת (shatat), which appears to be a variant of the more common שִׁית (shiyt, “to place; to set”; BDB 1060 s.v. שָׁתַת and GKC 183 §67.ee). Some scholars emend the text to שָׁחוּ (shakhu; from the verbal root שׁוּח [shukh, “sink down”]) and read “they descend.” The present translation assumes an emendation to שָׁטוּ (shatu; from the verbal root שׁוּט [shut, “go; wander”]), “they travel, wander.” (The letter tet [ט] and tav [ת] sound similar; a scribe transcribing from dictation could easily confuse them.) The perfect verbal form is used in a rhetorical manner to speak of their destiny as if it were already realized (the so-called perfect of certitude or prophetic perfect).
1820 tn Heb “death will shepherd them,” that is, death itself (personified here as a shepherd) will lead them like a flock of helpless, unsuspecting sheep to Sheol, the underworld, the land of the dead.
1821 tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive carries the same force as the perfect verbal form in v. 14a. The psalmist speaks of this coming event as if it were already accomplished.
1822 tn Heb “will rule over them in the morning.” “Morning” here is a metaphor for a time of deliverance and vindication after the dark “night” of trouble (see Pss 30:5; 46:5; 59:16; 90:14; 143:8; Isa 17:14). In this context the psalmist confidently anticipates a day of vindication when the
1823 tn Heb “their form [will become an object] for the consuming of Sheol, from a lofty residence, to him.” The meaning of this syntactically difficult text is uncertain. The translation assumes that צוּר (tsur, “form”; this is the Qere [marginal] reading; the Kethib has צִירָם [tsiram, “their image”]) refers to their physical form or bodies. “Sheol” is taken as the subject of “consume” (on the implied “become” before the infinitive “to consume” see GKC 349 §114.k). The preposition מִן (min) prefixed to “lofty residence” is understood as privative, “away from; so as not.” The preposition -ל (lamed) is possessive, while the third person pronominal suffix is understood as a representative singular.
1824 tn Or “certainly.”
1825 tn Or “redeem.”
1826 tn Or “me.” The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) with a pronominal suffix is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 4.a).
1827 tn Heb “hand.”
1828 tn Or “for.”
1829 tn Heb “he will take me.” To improve the poetic balance of the verse, some move the words “from the power of Sheol” to the following line. The verse would then read: “But God will rescue my life; / from the power of Sheol he will certainly deliver me” (cf. NEB).
1830 sn When a man becomes rich. Why would people fear such a development? The acquisition of wealth makes individuals powerful and enables them to oppress others (see vv. 5-6).
1831 tn Heb “when the glory of his house grows great.”
1832 tn Heb “his glory will not go down after him.”
1833 tn Verses 18-19a are one long sentence in the Hebrew text, which reads: “Though he blesses his soul in his life, [saying], ‘And let them praise you, for you do well for yourself,’ it [that is, his soul] will go to the generation of his fathers.” This has been divided into two sentences in the translation for clarity, in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences.
1834 tn Heb “light.” The words “of day” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
1835 tn Heb “mankind in honor does not understand.” The Hebrew term יְקָר (yÿqar, “honor”) probably refers here to the wealth mentioned in the preceding context. The imperfect verbal form draws attention to what is characteristically true. Some emend יָבִין (yavin, “understands”) to יָלִין (yalin, “remains”), but this is an unnecessary accommodation to the wording of v. 12.
1836 tn Or “cattle.”
1837 tn The Hebrew verb is derived from דָּמָה (damah, “cease, destroy”; BDB 198 s.v.). Another option is to derive the verb from דָּמָה (damah, “be silent”; see HALOT 225 s.v. II דמה, which sees two homonymic roots [I דָּמַה, “be silent,” and II דָּמַה, “destroy”] rather than a single root) and translate, “they are like dumb beasts.” This makes particularly good sense here, where the preceding line focuses on mankind’s lack of understanding.
1838 sn Psalm 50. This psalm takes the form of a covenant lawsuit in which the Lord comes to confront his people in a formal manner (as in Isa 1:2-20). The Lord emphasizes that he places priority on obedience and genuine worship, not empty ritual.
1839 sn Israel’s God is here identified with three names: El (אֵל [’el], or “God”), Elohim (אֱלֹהִים [’elohim], or “God”), and Yahweh (יְהוָה [yÿhvah] or “the
1840 tn Heb “and calls [the] earth from the sunrise to its going.”
1841 tn Heb “the perfection of beauty.”
1842 tn Or “shines forth.”
1843 tn According to GKC 322 §109.e, the jussive (note the negative particle אַל, ’al) is used rhetorically here “to express the conviction that something cannot or should not happen.”
1844 tn Heb “fire before him devours, and around him it is very stormy.”
1845 tn Or perhaps “to testify against his people.”
1846 tn The words “he says” are supplied in the translation for clarification. God’s summons to the defendant follows.
1847 tn Or “Gather to me my covenant people.” The Hebrew term חָסִיד (khasid, “covenant people”) elsewhere in the psalms is used in a positive sense of God’s loyal followers (see the note at Ps 4:3), but here, as the following line makes clear, the term has a neutral sense and simply refers to those who have outwardly sworn allegiance to God, not necessarily to those whose loyalty is genuine.
1848 tn Heb “the cutters of my covenant according to sacrifice.” A sacrifice accompanied the covenant-making ceremony and formally ratified the agreement (see Exod 24:3-8).
1849 tn Or “justice.”
1850 tn Or “for God, he is about to judge.” The participle may be taken as substantival (as in the translation above) or as a predicate (indicating imminent future action in this context).
1851 tn The words “he says” are supplied in the translation for clarification. God’s charges against his people follow.
1852 tn Heb “Israel, and I will testify against you.” The imperative “listen” is understood in the second line by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
1853 tn Or “rebuking.”
1854 tn Heb “and your burnt sacrifices before me continually.”
1855 tn Or “I will not take.”
1856 tn Heb “[the] animals on a thousand hills.” The words “that graze” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The term בְּהֵמוֹה (bÿhemot, “animal”) refers here to cattle (see Ps 104:14).
1857 tn Heb “I know.”
1858 tn The precise referent of the Hebrew word, which occurs only here and in Ps 80:13, is uncertain. Aramaic, Arabic and Akkadian cognates refer to insects, such as locusts or crickets.
1859 tn The rhetorical questions assume an emphatic negative response, “Of course not!”
1860 tn Heb “Most High.” This divine title (עֶלְיוֹן, ’elyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Pss 7:17; 9:2; 18:13; 21:7; 47:2.
1861 tn Heb “call [to] me in a day of trouble.”
1862 sn In vv. 7-15 the Lord makes it clear that he was not rebuking Israel because they had failed to offer sacrifices (v. 8a). On the contrary, they had been faithful in doing so (v. 8b). However, their understanding of the essence of their relationship with God was confused. Apparently they believed that he needed/desired such sacrifices and that offering them would ensure their prosperity. But the Lord owns all the animals of the world and did not need Israel’s meager sacrifices (vv. 9-13). Other aspects of the relationship were more important to the Lord. He desired Israel to be thankful for his blessings (v. 14a), to demonstrate gratitude for his intervention by repaying the vows they made to him (v. 14b), and to acknowledge their absolute dependence on him (v. 15a). Rather than viewing their sacrifices as somehow essential to God’s well-being, they needed to understand their dependence on him.
1863 tn Heb “evil [one].” The singular adjective is used here in a representative sense; it refers to those within the larger covenant community who have blatantly violated the
1864 tn Heb “What to you to declare my commands and lift up my covenant upon your mouth?” The rhetorical question expresses sarcastic amazement. The
1865 tn Heb “and throw my words behind you.”
1866 tn Heb “you run with him.”
1867 tn Heb “and with adulterers [is] your portion.”
1868 tn Heb “your mouth you send with evil.”
1869 tn Heb “and your tongue binds together [i.e., “frames”] deceit.”
1870 tn Heb “you sit, against your brother you speak.” To “sit” and “speak” against someone implies plotting against that person (see Ps 119:23).
1871 tn Heb “against the son of your mother you give a fault.”
1872 tn Heb “these things you did and I was silent.” Some interpret the second clause (“and I was silent”) as a rhetorical question expecting a negative answer, “[When you do these things], should I keep silent?” (cf. NEB). See GKC 335 §112.cc.
1873 tn The Hebrew infinitive construct (הֱיוֹת, heyot) appears to function like the infinitive absolute here, adding emphasis to the following finite verbal form (אֶהְיֶה, ’ehyeh). See GKC 339-40 §113.a. Some prefer to emend הֱיוֹת (heyot) to the infinitive absolute form הָיוֹ (hayo).
1874 tn Or “rebuke” (see v. 8).
1875 tn Heb “and I will set in order [my case against you] to your eyes.” The cohortative form expresses the
1876 tn Heb “[you who] forget God.” “Forgetting God” here means forgetting about his commandments and not respecting his moral authority.
1877 sn Elsewhere in the psalms this verb is used (within a metaphorical framework) of a lion tearing its prey (see Pss 7:2; 17:12; 22:13).
1878 sn The reference to a thank-offering recalls the earlier statement made in v. 14. Gratitude characterizes genuine worship.
1879 tn Heb “and [to one who] sets a way I will show the deliverance of God.” Elsewhere the phrase “set a way” simply means “to travel” (see Gen 30:36; cf. NRSV). The present translation assumes an emendation of וְשָׂם דֶּרֶךְ (vÿsam derekh) to וְשֹׁמֵר דְּרָכַּי (vÿshomer dÿrakhay, “and [the one who] keeps my ways” [i.e., commands, see Pss 18:21; 37:34). Another option is to read וְשֹׁמֵר דַּרְכּוֹ (vÿshomer darko, “and [the one who] guards his way,” i.e., “the one who is careful to follow a godly lifestyle”; see Ps 39:1).