Psalms 18:30

18:30 The one true God acts in a faithful manner; 1 

the Lord’s promise 2  is reliable; 3 

he is a shield to all who take shelter 4  in him.

Psalms 19:8

19:8 The Lord’s precepts are fair 5 

and make one joyful. 6 

The Lord’s commands 7  are pure 8 

and give insight for life. 9 

Psalms 119:140

119:140 Your word is absolutely pure,

and your servant loves it!

Psalms 119:2

119:2 How blessed are those who observe his rules,

and seek him with all their heart,

Psalms 22:31

22:31 They will come and tell about his saving deeds; 10 

they will tell a future generation what he has accomplished. 11 

Proverbs 30:5

30:5 Every word of God is purified; 12 

he is like 13  a shield for those who take refuge in him. 14 

1 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).

2 sn The Lord’s promise. In the ancient Near East kings would typically seek and receive oracles from their god(s) prior to battle. For examples, see R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 241-42.

3 tn Heb “the word of the Lord is purified.” The Lord’s “word” probably refers here to his oracle(s) of victory delivered to the psalmist before the battle(s) described in the following context. See also Pss 12:5-7 and 138:2-3. David frequently received such oracles before going into battle (see 1 Sam 23:2, 4-5, 10-12; 30:8; 2 Sam 5:19). The Lord’s word of promise is absolutely reliable; it is compared to metal that has been refined in fire and cleansed of impurities. See Ps 12:6.

4 sn Take shelter. See the note on the word “shelter” in v. 2.

5 tn Or “just.” Perhaps the idea is that they impart a knowledge of what is just and right.

6 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.

7 tn Heb “command.” The singular here refers to the law as a whole.

8 tn Because they reflect God’s character, his commands provide a code of moral and ethical purity.

9 tn Heb [they] enlighten [the] eyes.

10 tn Heb “his righteousness.” Here the noun צִדָקָה (tsidaqah) refers to the Lord’s saving deeds whereby he vindicates the oppressed.

11 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.

12 sn The text here uses an implied comparison (a figure of speech known as hypocatastasis): It compares the perfection of every word from God with some precious metal that has been refined and purified (e.g., Ps 12:6). The point is that God’s word is trustworthy; it has no defects and flaws, nothing false or misleading. The second half of the verse explains the significance of this point – it is safe to trust the Lord.

13 tn The comparative “like” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is implied by the metaphor; it is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.

14 sn The line uses two more figures of speech to declare that God can be trusted for security and salvation. “Shield” is a simple metaphor – God protects. “Take refuge” is another implied comparison (hypocatastasis) – God provides spiritual rest and security for those who put their trust in him.