For the music director; according to the sheminith style; 2 a psalm of David.
12:1 Deliver, Lord!
For the godly 3 have disappeared; 4
people of integrity 5 have vanished. 6
44:3 For they did not conquer 7 the land by their swords,
and they did not prevail by their strength, 8
but rather by your power, 9 strength 10 and good favor, 11
for you were partial to 12 them.
A psalm.
98:1 Sing to the Lord a new song, 14
for he performs 15 amazing deeds!
His right hand and his mighty arm
accomplish deliverance. 16
1 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.
2 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.
3 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).
4 tn Or “have come to an end.”
5 tn Heb “the faithful [ones] from the sons of man.”
6 tn The Hebrew verb פָּסַס (pasas) occurs only here. An Akkadian cognate means “efface, blot out.”
7 tn Or “take possession of.”
8 tn Heb “and their arm did not save them.” The “arm” here symbolizes military strength.
9 tn Heb “your right hand.” The
10 tn Heb “your arm.”
11 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).
12 tn Or “favorable toward.”
13 sn Psalm 98. The psalmist summons the whole earth to praise God because he reveals his justice and delivers Israel.
14 sn A new song is appropriate because the Lord is constantly intervening in the world as its just king. See Ps 96:1.
15 tn The perfect verbal forms in vv. 1-3 are understood here as describing characteristic divine activities. Another option is to translate them as present perfects, “has performed…has accomplished deliverance, etc.” referring to completed actions that have continuing results.
16 tn Heb “his right hand delivers for him and his holy arm.” The right hand and arm symbolize his power as a warrior-king (see Isa 52:10). His arm is “holy” in the sense that it is in a category of its own; God’s power is incomparable.