6:9 The Lord has heard my appeal for mercy;
the Lord has accepted 1 my prayer.
22:18 They are dividing up my clothes among themselves;
they are rolling dice 2 for my garments.
38:5 My wounds 3 are infected and starting to smell, 4
because of my foolish sins. 5
54:2 O God, listen to my prayer!
Pay attention to what I say! 6
81:13 If only my people would obey me! 7
If only Israel would keep my commands! 8
86:6 O Lord, hear my prayer!
Pay attention to my plea for mercy!
88:2 Listen to my prayer! 9
Pay attention 10 to my cry for help!
89:20 I have discovered David, my servant.
With my holy oil I have anointed him as king. 11
89:30 If his sons reject my law
and disobey my regulations,
89:31 if they break 12 my rules
and do not keep my commandments,
102:23 He has taken away my strength in the middle of life; 13
he has cut short my days.
139:23 Examine me, and probe my thoughts! 14
Test me, and know my concerns! 15
142:2 I pour out my lament before him;
I tell him about 16 my troubles.
1 tn The prefixed verbal form is probably a preterite here; it is parallel to a perfect and refers to the fact that the
2 tn Heb “casting lots.” The precise way in which this would have been done is not certain.
3 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.
4 tn Heb “my wounds stink, they are festering” (cf. NEB).
5 tn Heb “from before my foolishness.”
4 tn Heb “to the words of my mouth.”
5 tn Heb “if only my people were listening to me.” The Hebrew particle לוּ (lu, “if not”) introduces a purely hypothetical or contrary to fact condition (see 2 Sam 18:12).
6 tn Heb “[and if only] Israel would walk in my ways.”
6 tn Heb “may my prayer come before you.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive, indicating the psalmist’s desire or prayer.
7 tn Heb “turn your ear.”
7 tn The words “as king” are supplied in the translation for clarification, indicating that a royal anointing is in view.
8 tn Or “desecrate.”
9 tn Heb “he has afflicted my strength in the way.” The term “way” refers here to the course of the psalmist’s life, which appears to be ending prematurely (vv. 23b-24).
10 tn Heb “and know my heart.”
11 tn The Hebrew noun שַׂרְעַפַּי (sar’apay, “concerns”) is used of “worries” in Ps 94:19.
11 tn Heb “my trouble before him I declare.”