33:13 The Lord watches 1 from heaven;
he sees all people. 2
44:21 would not God discover it,
for he knows 3 one’s thoughts? 4
66:7 He rules 5 by his power forever;
he watches 6 the nations.
Stubborn rebels should not exalt 7 themselves. (Selah)
66:2 Sing praises about the majesty of his reputation! 8
Give him the honor he deserves! 9
16:9 So my heart rejoices
and I am happy; 10
My life is safe. 11
15:3 The eyes of the Lord 12 are in every place,
keeping watch 13 on those who are evil and those who are good.
17:10 I, the Lord, probe into people’s minds.
I examine people’s hearts. 14
I deal with each person according to how he has behaved.
I give them what they deserve based on what they have done.
23:24 “Do you really think anyone can hide himself
where I cannot see him?” the Lord asks. 15
“Do you not know that I am everywhere?” 16
the Lord asks. 17
1 tn The Hebrew perfect verbal forms in v. 13 state general facts.
2 tn Heb “all the sons of men.”
3 tn The active participle describes what is characteristically true.
4 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.
5 tn Heb “[the] one who rules.”
6 tn Heb “his eyes watch.” “Eyes” are an anthropomorphism, attributed to God here to emphasize his awareness of all that happens on earth.
7 tn The verb form is jussive (note the negative particle אַל, ’al). The Kethib (consonantal text) has a Hiphil form of the verb, apparently to be understood in an exhibitive sense (“demonstrate stubborn rebellion”; see BDB 927 s.v. רוּם Hiph), while the Qere (marginal reading) has a Qal form, to be understood in an intransitive sense. The preposition -לְ (lamed) with pronominal suffix should be understood in a reflexive sense (“for themselves”) and indicates that the action is performed with the interest of the subject in mind.
8 tn Heb “his name,” which here stands metonymically for God’s reputation.
9 tn Heb “make honorable his praise.”
10 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.”
11 tn Heb “yes, my flesh dwells securely.” The psalmist’s “flesh” stands by metonymy for his body and, by extension, his physical life.
12 sn The proverb uses anthropomorphic language to describe God’s exacting and evaluating knowledge of all people.
13 tn The form צֹפוֹת (tsofot, “watching”) is a feminine plural participle agreeing with “eyes.” God’s watching eyes comfort good people but convict evil.
14 tn The term rendered “mind” here and in the previous verse is actually the Hebrew word for “heart.” However, in combination with the word rendered “heart” in the next line, which is the Hebrew for “kidneys,” it is best rendered “mind” because the “heart” was considered the center of intellect, conscience, and will and the “kidneys” the center of emotions.
15 tn Heb “Oracle of the
16 tn The words “Don’t you know” are not in the text. They are a way of conveying the idea that the question which reads literally “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” expects a positive answer. They follow the pattern used at the beginning of the previous two questions and continue that thought. The words are supplied in the translation for clarity.
17 tn Heb “Oracle of the
18 tn Grk “him”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.