78:57 They were unfaithful 1 and acted as treacherously as 2 their ancestors;
they were as unreliable as a malfunctioning bow. 3
125:5 As for those who are bent on traveling a sinful path, 4
may the Lord remove them, 5 along with those who behave wickedly! 6
May Israel experience peace! 7
A song of ascents. 9
125:1 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion;
it cannot be upended and will endure forever.
15:5 He does not charge interest when he lends his money. 10
He does not take bribes to testify against the innocent. 11
The one who lives like this 12 will never be upended.
34:27 because they have turned away from following him,
and have not understood 13 any of his ways,
1:6 and those who turn their backs on 17 the Lord
and do not want the Lord’s help or guidance.” 18
1 tn Heb “they turned back.”
2 tn Or “acted treacherously like.”
3 tn Heb “they turned aside like a deceitful bow.”
4 tn Heb “and the ones making their paths twisted.” A sinful lifestyle is compared to a twisting, winding road.
5 tn Heb “lead them away.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive of prayer here (note the prayers directly before and after this). Another option is to translate, “the
6 tn Heb “the workers of wickedness.”
7 tn Heb “peace [be] upon Israel.” The statement is understood as a prayer (see Ps 122:8 for a similar prayer for peace).
8 sn Psalm 125. The psalmist affirms his confidence in the Lord’s protection and justice.
9 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
10 sn He does not charge interest. Such an individual is truly generous, and not simply concerned with making a profit.
11 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.
12 tn Heb “does these things.”
13 tn The verb הִשְׂכִּילוּ (hiskilu) means “to be prudent; to be wise.” From this is derived the idea of “be wise in understanding God’s will,” and “be successful because of prudence” – i.e., successful with God.
14 tn Or “They have repeated the evil actions of….”
15 tn Heb “have walked/followed after.” See the translator’s note at 2:5 for the idiom.
16 tn Heb “house of Israel and house of Judah.”
17 tn Heb “turn back from [following] after.”
18 tn Heb “who do not seek the
19 sn An allusion to Gen 19:26. The warning about Lot’s wife is not to look back and long to be where one used to be. The world is being judged, and the person who delays or turns back will be destroyed.