A well-written song 2 by Ethan the Ezrachite.
89:1 I will sing continually 3 about the Lord’s faithful deeds;
to future generations I will proclaim your faithfulness. 4
89:2 For I say, “Loyal love is permanently established; 5
in the skies you set up your faithfulness.” 6
89:3 The Lord said, 7
“I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
I have made a promise on oath to David, my servant:
89:4 ‘I will give you an eternal dynasty 8
and establish your throne throughout future generations.’” 9 (Selah)
89:5 O Lord, the heavens 10 praise your amazing deeds,
as well as your faithfulness in the angelic assembly. 11
89:6 For who in the skies can compare to the Lord?
Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings, 12
89:7 a God who is honored 13 in the great angelic assembly, 14
and more awesome than 15 all who surround him?
89:8 O Lord, sovereign God! 16
Who is strong like you, O Lord?
Your faithfulness surrounds you.
89:9 You rule over the proud sea. 17
When its waves surge, 18 you calm them.
89:10 You crushed the Proud One 19 and killed it; 20
with your strong arm you scattered your enemies.
89:11 The heavens belong to you, as does the earth.
You made the world and all it contains. 21
89:12 You created the north and the south.
Tabor and Hermon 22 rejoice in your name.
89:13 Your arm is powerful,
your hand strong,
your right hand 23 victorious. 24
89:14 Equity and justice are the foundation of your throne. 25
Loyal love and faithfulness characterize your rule. 26
89:15 How blessed are the people who worship you! 27
O Lord, they experience your favor. 28
89:16 They rejoice in your name all day long,
and are vindicated 29 by your justice.
89:17 For you give them splendor and strength. 30
By your favor we are victorious. 31
89:18 For our shield 32 belongs to the Lord,
our king to the Holy One of Israel. 33
89:19 Then you 34 spoke through a vision to your faithful followers 35 and said:
“I have energized a warrior; 36
I have raised up a young man 37 from the people.
89:20 I have discovered David, my servant.
With my holy oil I have anointed him as king. 38
89:21 My hand will support him, 39
and my arm will strengthen him.
89:22 No enemy will be able to exact tribute 40 from him; 41
a violent oppressor will not be able to humiliate him. 42
89:23 I will crush his enemies before him;
I will strike down those who hate him.
89:24 He will experience my faithfulness and loyal love, 43
and by my name he will win victories. 44
89:25 I will place his hand over the sea,
his right hand over the rivers. 45
89:26 He will call out to me,
‘You are my father, 46 my God, and the protector who delivers me.’ 47
89:27 I will appoint him to be my firstborn son, 48
the most exalted of the earth’s kings.
89:28 I will always extend my loyal love to him,
and my covenant with him is secure. 49
89:29 I will give him an eternal dynasty, 50
and make his throne as enduring as the skies above. 51
89:30 If his sons reject my law
and disobey my regulations,
89:31 if they break 52 my rules
and do not keep my commandments,
89:32 I will punish their rebellion by beating them with a club, 53
their sin by inflicting them with bruises. 54
89:33 But I will not remove 55 my loyal love from him,
nor be unfaithful to my promise. 56
89:34 I will not break 57 my covenant
or go back on what I promised. 58
89:35 Once and for all I have vowed by my own holiness,
I will never deceive 59 David.
89:36 His dynasty will last forever. 60
His throne will endure before me, like the sun, 61
89:37 it will remain stable, like the moon, 62
his throne will endure like the skies.” 63 (Selah)
89:38 But you have spurned 64 and rejected him;
you are angry with your chosen king. 65
89:39 You have repudiated 66 your covenant with your servant; 67
you have thrown his crown to the ground. 68
89:40 You have broken down all his 69 walls;
you have made his strongholds a heap of ruins.
89:41 All who pass by 70 have robbed him;
he has become an object of disdain to his neighbors.
89:42 You have allowed his adversaries to be victorious, 71
and all his enemies to rejoice.
89:43 You turn back 72 his sword from the adversary, 73
and have not sustained him in battle. 74
89:44 You have brought to an end his splendor, 75
and have knocked 76 his throne to the ground.
89:45 You have cut short his youth, 77
and have covered him with shame. (Selah)
89:46 How long, O Lord, will this last?
Will you remain hidden forever? 78
Will your anger continue to burn like fire?
89:47 Take note of my brief lifespan! 79
Why do you make all people so mortal? 80
89:48 No man can live on without experiencing death,
or deliver his life from the power of Sheol. 81 (Selah)
89:49 Where are your earlier faithful deeds, 82 O Lord, 83
the ones performed in accordance with your reliable oath to David? 84
89:50 Take note, O Lord, 85 of the way your servants are taunted, 86
and of how I must bear so many insults from people! 87
89:51 Your enemies, O Lord, hurl insults;
they insult your chosen king as they dog his footsteps. 88
89:52 89 The Lord deserves praise 90 forevermore!
We agree! We agree! 91
Book 4
(Psalms 90-106)
A prayer of Moses, the man of God.
90:1 O Lord, you have been our protector 93 through all generations!
90:2 Even before the mountains came into existence, 94
or you brought the world into being, 95
you were the eternal God. 96
90:3 You make mankind return 97 to the dust, 98
and say, “Return, O people!”
90:4 Yes, 99 in your eyes a thousand years
are like yesterday that quickly passes,
or like one of the divisions of the nighttime. 100
90:5 You bring their lives to an end and they “fall asleep.” 101
In the morning they are like the grass that sprouts up;
90:6 in the morning it glistens 102 and sprouts up;
at evening time it withers 103 and dries up.
90:7 Yes, 104 we are consumed by your anger;
we are terrified by your wrath.
90:8 You are aware of our sins; 105
you even know about our hidden sins. 106
90:9 Yes, 107 throughout all our days we experience your raging fury; 108
the years of our lives pass quickly, like a sigh. 109
90:10 The days of our lives add up to seventy years, 110
or eighty, if one is especially strong. 111
But even one’s best years are marred by trouble and oppression. 112
Yes, 113 they pass quickly 114 and we fly away. 115
90:11 Who can really fathom the intensity of your anger? 116
Your raging fury causes people to fear you. 117
90:12 So teach us to consider our mortality, 118
so that we might live wisely. 119
90:13 Turn back toward us, O Lord!
How long must this suffering last? 120
Have pity on your servants! 121
90:14 Satisfy us in the morning 122 with your loyal love!
Then we will shout for joy and be happy 123 all our days!
90:15 Make us happy in proportion to the days you have afflicted us,
in proportion to the years we have experienced 124 trouble!
90:16 May your servants see your work! 125
May their sons see your majesty! 126
90:17 May our sovereign God extend his favor to us! 127
Make our endeavors successful!
Yes, make them successful! 128
91:1 As for you, the one who lives 130 in the shelter of the sovereign One, 131
and resides in the protective shadow 132 of the mighty king 133 –
91:2 I say this about the Lord, my shelter and my stronghold,
my God in whom I trust –
91:3 he will certainly rescue you from the snare of the hunter 134
and from the destructive plague.
91:4 He will shelter you 135 with his wings; 136
you will find safety under his wings.
His faithfulness is like a shield or a protective wall. 137
91:5 You need not fear the terrors of the night, 138
the arrow that flies by day,
91:6 the plague that comes in the darkness,
or the disease that comes at noon. 139
91:7 Though a thousand may fall beside you,
and a multitude on your right side,
it 140 will not reach you.
91:8 Certainly you will see it with your very own eyes –
you will see the wicked paid back. 141
91:9 For you have taken refuge in the Lord,
my shelter, the sovereign One. 142
91:10 No harm will overtake 143 you;
no illness 144 will come near your home. 145
91:11 For he will order his angels 146
to protect you in all you do. 147
91:12 They will lift you up in their hands,
so you will not slip and fall on a stone. 148
91:13 You will subdue 149 a lion and a snake; 150
you will trample underfoot a young lion and a serpent.
91:14 The Lord says, 151
“Because he is devoted to me, I will deliver him;
I will protect him 152 because he is loyal to me. 153
91:15 When he calls out to me, I will answer him.
I will be with him when he is in trouble;
I will rescue him and bring him honor.
91:16 I will satisfy him with long life, 154
and will let him see my salvation.
A psalm; a song for the Sabbath day.
92:1 It is fitting 156 to thank the Lord,
and to sing praises to your name, O sovereign One! 157
92:2 It is fitting 158 to proclaim your loyal love in the morning,
and your faithfulness during the night,
92:3 to the accompaniment of a ten-stringed instrument and a lyre,
to the accompaniment of the meditative tone of the harp.
92:4 For you, O Lord, have made me happy by your work.
I will sing for joy because of what you have done. 159
92:5 How great are your works, O Lord!
Your plans are very intricate! 160
92:6 The spiritually insensitive do not recognize this;
the fool does not understand this. 161
92:7 When the wicked sprout up like grass,
and all the evildoers glisten, 162
it is so that they may be annihilated. 163
92:8 But you, O Lord, reign 164 forever!
92:9 Indeed, 165 look at your enemies, O Lord!
Indeed, 166 look at how your enemies perish!
All the evildoers are scattered!
92:10 You exalt my horn like that of a wild ox. 167
I am covered 168 with fresh oil.
92:11 I gloat in triumph over those who tried to ambush me; 169
I hear the defeated cries of the evil foes who attacked me. 170
92:12 The godly 171 grow like a palm tree;
they grow high like a cedar in Lebanon. 172
92:13 Planted in the Lord’s house,
they grow in the courts of our God.
92:14 They bear fruit even when they are old;
they are filled with vitality and have many leaves. 173
92:15 So they proclaim that the Lord, my protector,
is just and never unfair. 174
93:1 The Lord reigns!
He is robed in majesty,
the Lord is robed,
he wears strength around his waist. 176
Indeed, the world is established, it cannot be moved.
93:2 Your throne has been secure from ancient times;
you have always been king. 177
93:3 The waves 178 roar, O Lord,
the waves roar,
the waves roar and crash. 179
93:4 Above the sound of the surging water, 180
and the mighty waves of the sea,
the Lord sits enthroned in majesty. 181
93:5 The rules you set down 182 are completely reliable. 183
Holiness 184 aptly adorns your house, O Lord, forever. 185
94:1 O Lord, the God who avenges!
O God who avenges, reveal your splendor! 187
94:2 Rise up, O judge of the earth!
Pay back the proud!
94:3 O Lord, how long will the wicked,
how long will the wicked celebrate? 188
94:4 They spew out threats 189 and speak defiantly;
all the evildoers boast. 190
94:5 O Lord, they crush your people;
they oppress the nation that belongs to you. 191
94:6 They kill the widow and the one residing outside his native land,
and they murder the fatherless. 192
94:7 Then they say, “The Lord does not see this;
the God of Jacob does not take notice of it.” 193
94:8 Take notice of this, 194 you ignorant people! 195
You fools, when will you ever understand?
94:9 Does the one who makes the human ear not hear?
Does the one who forms the human eye not see? 196
94:10 Does the one who disciplines the nations not punish?
He is the one who imparts knowledge to human beings!
94:11 The Lord knows that
peoples’ thoughts are morally bankrupt. 197
94:12 How blessed is the one 198 whom you instruct, O Lord,
the one whom you teach from your law,
94:13 in order to protect him from times of trouble, 199
until the wicked are destroyed. 200
94:14 Certainly 201 the Lord does not forsake his people;
he does not abandon the nation that belongs to him. 202
94:15 For justice will prevail, 203
and all the morally upright 204 will be vindicated. 205
94:16 Who will rise up to defend me 206 against the wicked?
Who will stand up for me against the evildoers? 207
94:17 If the Lord had not helped me,
I would have laid down in the silence of death. 208
94:18 If I say, “My foot is slipping,”
your loyal love, O Lord, supports me.
94:19 When worries threaten to overwhelm me, 209
your soothing touch makes me happy. 210
94:20 Cruel rulers 211 are not your allies,
those who make oppressive laws. 212
94:21 They conspire against 213 the blameless, 214
and condemn to death the innocent. 215
94:22 But the Lord will protect me, 216
and my God will shelter me. 217
94:23 He will pay them back for their sin. 218
He will destroy them because of 219 their evil;
the Lord our God will destroy them.
95:1 Come! Let’s sing for joy to the Lord!
Let’s shout out praises to our protector who delivers us! 221
95:2 Let’s enter his presence 222 with thanksgiving!
Let’s shout out to him in celebration! 223
95:3 For the Lord is a great God,
a great king who is superior to 224 all gods.
95:4 The depths of the earth are in his hand, 225
and the mountain peaks belong to him.
95:5 The sea is his, for he made it.
His hands formed the dry land.
95:6 Come! Let’s bow down and worship! 226
Let’s kneel before the Lord, our creator!
95:7 For he is our God;
we are the people of his pasture,
the sheep he owns. 227
Today, if only you would obey him! 228
95:8 He says, 229 “Do not be stubborn like they were at Meribah, 230
like they were that day at Massah 231 in the wilderness, 232
95:9 where your ancestors challenged my authority, 233
and tried my patience, even though they had seen my work.
95:10 For forty years I was continually disgusted 234 with that generation,
and I said, ‘These people desire to go astray; 235
they do not obey my commands.’ 236
95:11 So I made a vow in my anger,
‘They will never enter into the resting place I had set aside for them.’” 237
96:1 Sing to the Lord a new song! 239
Sing to the Lord, all the earth!
96:2 Sing to the Lord! Praise his name!
Announce every day how he delivers! 240
96:3 Tell the nations about his splendor!
Tell 241 all the nations about his amazing deeds!
96:4 For the Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise;
he is more awesome than all gods. 242
96:5 For all the gods of the nations are worthless, 243
but the Lord made the sky.
96:6 Majestic splendor emanates from him; 244
his sanctuary is firmly established and beautiful. 245
96:7 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the nations,
ascribe to the Lord splendor and strength!
96:8 Ascribe to the Lord the splendor he deserves! 246
Bring an offering and enter his courts!
96:9 Worship the Lord in holy attire! 247
Tremble before him, all the earth!
96:10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!
The world is established, it cannot be moved.
He judges the nations fairly.”
96:11 Let the sky rejoice, and the earth be happy!
Let the sea and everything in it shout!
96:12 Let the fields and everything in them celebrate!
Then let the trees of the forest shout with joy
96:13 before the Lord, for he comes!
For he comes to judge the earth!
He judges the world fairly, 248
and the nations in accordance with his justice. 249
97:1 The Lord reigns!
Let the earth be happy!
Let the many coastlands rejoice!
97:2 Dark clouds surround him;
equity and justice are the foundation of his throne. 251
97:3 Fire goes before him;
on every side 252 it burns up his enemies.
97:4 His lightning bolts light up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
97:5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
before the Lord of the whole earth.
97:6 The sky declares his justice,
and all the nations see his splendor.
97:7 All who worship idols are ashamed,
those who boast about worthless idols.
All the gods bow down before him. 253
97:8 Zion hears and rejoices,
the towns 254 of Judah are happy,
because of your judgments, O Lord.
97:9 For you, O Lord, are the sovereign king 255 over the whole earth;
you are elevated high above all gods.
97:10 You who love the Lord, hate evil!
He protects 256 the lives of his faithful followers;
he delivers them from the power 257 of the wicked.
97:11 The godly bask in the light;
the morally upright experience joy. 258
97:12 You godly ones, rejoice in the Lord!
Give thanks to his holy name. 259
A psalm.
98:1 Sing to the Lord a new song, 261
for he performs 262 amazing deeds!
His right hand and his mighty arm
accomplish deliverance. 263
98:2 The Lord demonstrates his power to deliver; 264
in the sight of the nations he reveals his justice.
98:3 He remains loyal and faithful to the family of Israel. 265
All the ends of the earth see our God deliver us. 266
98:4 Shout out praises to the Lord, all the earth!
Break out in a joyful shout and sing!
98:5 Sing to the Lord accompanied by a harp,
accompanied by a harp and the sound of music!
98:6 With trumpets and the blaring of the ram’s horn,
shout out praises before the king, the Lord!
98:7 Let the sea and everything in it shout,
along with the world and those who live in it!
98:8 Let the rivers clap their hands!
Let the mountains sing in unison
98:9 before the Lord!
For he comes to judge the earth!
He judges the world fairly, 267
and the nations in a just manner.
99:1 The Lord reigns!
The nations tremble. 269
He sits enthroned above the winged angels; 270
the earth shakes. 271
99:2 The Lord is elevated 272 in Zion;
he is exalted over all the nations.
99:3 Let them praise your great and awesome name!
He 273 is holy!
99:4 The king is strong;
he loves justice. 274
You ensure that legal decisions will be made fairly; 275
you promote justice and equity in Jacob.
99:5 Praise 276 the Lord our God!
Worship 277 before his footstool!
He is holy!
99:6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests;
Samuel was one of those who prayed to him. 278
They 279 prayed to the Lord and he answered them.
99:7 He spoke to them from a pillar of cloud; 280
they obeyed his regulations and the ordinance he gave them.
99:8 O Lord our God, you answered them.
They found you to be a forgiving God,
but also one who punished their sinful deeds. 281
99:9 Praise 282 the Lord our God!
Worship on his holy hill,
for the Lord our God is holy!
A thanksgiving psalm.
100:1 Shout out praises to the Lord, all the earth!
100:2 Worship 284 the Lord with joy!
Enter his presence with joyful singing!
100:3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us and we belong to him; 285
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
100:4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give him thanks!
Praise his name!
100:5 For the Lord is good.
His loyal love endures, 286
and he is faithful through all generations. 287
A psalm of David.
101:1 I will sing about loyalty and justice!
To you, O Lord, I will sing praises!
101:2 I will walk in 289 the way of integrity.
When will you come to me?
I will conduct my business with integrity in the midst of my palace. 290
101:3 I will not even consider doing what is dishonest. 291
I hate doing evil; 292
I will have no part of it. 293
101:4 I will have nothing to do with a perverse person; 294
I will not permit 295 evil.
101:5 I will destroy anyone who slanders his neighbor in secret.
I will not tolerate anyone who has a cocky demeanor and an arrogant attitude. 296
101:6 I will favor the honest people of the land, 297
and allow them to live with me. 298
Those who walk in the way of integrity will attend me. 299
101:7 Deceitful people will not live in my palace. 300
Liars will not be welcome in my presence. 301
101:8 Each morning I will destroy all the wicked people in the land,
and remove all evildoers from the city of the Lord.
The prayer of an oppressed man, as he grows faint and pours out his lament before the Lord.
102:1 O Lord, hear my prayer!
Pay attention to my cry for help! 303
102:2 Do not ignore me in my time of trouble! 304
Listen to me! 305
When I call out to you, quickly answer me!
102:3 For my days go up in smoke, 306
and my bones are charred like a fireplace. 307
102:4 My heart is parched 308 and withered like grass,
for I am unable 309 to eat food. 310
102:5 Because of the anxiety that makes me groan,
my bones protrude from my skin. 311
102:6 I am like an owl 312 in the wilderness;
I am like a screech owl 313 among the ruins. 314
102:7 I stay awake; 315
I am like a solitary bird on a roof.
102:8 All day long my enemies taunt me;
those who mock me use my name in their curses. 316
102:9 For I eat ashes as if they were bread, 317
and mix my drink with my tears, 318
102:10 because of your anger and raging fury.
Indeed, 319 you pick me up and throw me away.
102:11 My days are coming to an end, 320
and I am withered like grass.
102:12 But you, O Lord, rule forever, 321
and your reputation endures. 322
102:13 You will rise up and have compassion on Zion. 323
For it is time to have mercy on her,
for the appointed time has come.
102:14 Indeed, 324 your servants take delight in her stones,
and feel compassion for 325 the dust of her ruins. 326
102:15 The nations will respect the reputation of the Lord, 327
and all the kings of the earth will respect 328 his splendor,
102:16 when the Lord rebuilds Zion,
and reveals his splendor,
102:17 when he responds to the prayer of the destitute, 329
and does not reject 330 their request. 331
102:18 The account of his intervention 332 will be recorded for future generations;
people yet to be born will praise the Lord.
102:19 For he will look down from his sanctuary above; 333
from heaven the Lord will look toward earth, 334
102:20 in order to hear the painful cries of the prisoners,
and to set free those condemned to die, 335
102:21 so they may proclaim the name of the Lord in Zion,
and praise him 336 in Jerusalem, 337
102:22 when the nations gather together,
and the kingdoms pay tribute to the Lord. 338
102:23 He has taken away my strength in the middle of life; 339
he has cut short my days.
102:24 I say, “O my God, please do not take me away in the middle of my life! 340
You endure through all generations. 341
102:25 In earlier times you established the earth;
the skies are your handiwork.
102:26 They will perish,
but you will endure. 342
They will wear out like a garment;
like clothes you will remove them and they will disappear. 343
102:27 But you remain; 344
your years do not come to an end.
102:28 The children of your servants will settle down here,
and their descendants 345 will live securely in your presence.” 346
By David.
103:1 Praise the Lord, O my soul!
With all that is within me, praise 348 his holy name!
103:2 Praise the Lord, O my soul!
Do not forget all his kind deeds! 349
103:3 He is the one who forgives all your sins,
who heals all your diseases, 350
103:4 who delivers 351 your life from the Pit, 352
who crowns you with his loyal love and compassion,
103:5 who satisfies your life with good things, 353
so your youth is renewed like an eagle’s. 354
103:6 The Lord does what is fair,
and executes justice for all the oppressed. 355
103:7 The Lord revealed his faithful acts 356 to Moses,
his deeds to the Israelites.
103:8 The Lord is compassionate and merciful;
he is patient 357 and demonstrates great loyal love. 358
103:9 He does not always accuse,
and does not stay angry. 359
103:10 He does not deal with us as our sins deserve; 360
he does not repay us as our misdeeds deserve. 361
103:11 For as the skies are high above the earth,
so his loyal love towers 362 over his faithful followers. 363
103:12 As far as the eastern horizon 364 is from the west, 365
so he removes the guilt of our rebellious actions 366 from us.
103:13 As a father has compassion on his children, 367
so the Lord has compassion on his faithful followers. 368
103:14 For he knows what we are made of; 369
he realizes 370 we are made of clay. 371
103:15 A person’s life is like grass. 372
Like a flower in the field it flourishes,
103:16 but when the hot wind 373 blows by, it disappears,
and one can no longer even spot the place where it once grew.
103:17 But the Lord continually shows loyal love to his faithful followers, 374
and is faithful to their descendants, 375
103:18 to those who keep his covenant,
who are careful to obey his commands. 376
103:19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven;
his kingdom extends over everything. 377
103:20 Praise the Lord, you angels of his,
you powerful warriors who carry out his decrees
and obey his orders! 378
103:21 Praise the Lord, all you warriors of his, 379
you servants of his who carry out his desires! 380
103:22 Praise the Lord, all that he has made, 381
in all the regions 382 of his kingdom!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
104:1 Praise the Lord, O my soul!
O Lord my God, you are magnificent. 384
You are robed in splendor and majesty.
104:2 He covers himself with light as if it were a garment.
He stretches out the skies like a tent curtain,
104:3 and lays the beams of the upper rooms of his palace on the rain clouds. 385
He makes the clouds his chariot,
and travels along on the wings of the wind. 386
104:4 He makes the winds his messengers,
and the flaming fire his attendant. 387
104:5 He established the earth on its foundations;
it will never be upended.
104:6 The watery deep covered it 388 like a garment;
the waters reached 389 above the mountains. 390
104:7 Your shout made the waters retreat;
at the sound of your thunderous voice they hurried off –
104:8 as the mountains rose up,
and the valleys went down –
to the place you appointed for them. 391
104:9 You set up a boundary for them that they could not cross,
so that they would not cover the earth again. 392
104:10 He turns springs into streams; 393
they flow between the mountains.
104:11 They provide water for all the animals in the field;
the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
104:12 The birds of the sky live beside them;
they chirp among the bushes. 394
104:13 He waters the mountains from the upper rooms of his palace; 395
the earth is full of the fruit you cause to grow. 396
104:14 He provides grass 397 for the cattle,
and crops for people to cultivate, 398
so they can produce food from the ground, 399
104:15 as well as wine that makes people feel so good, 400
and so they can have oil to make their faces shine, 401
as well as food that sustains people’s lives. 402
104:16 The trees of the Lord 403 receive all the rain they need, 404
the cedars of Lebanon which he planted,
104:17 where the birds make nests,
near the evergreens in which the herons live. 405
104:18 The wild goats live in the high mountains; 406
the rock badgers find safety in the cliffs.
104:19 He made the moon to mark the months, 407
and the sun sets according to a regular schedule. 408
104:20 You make it dark and night comes, 409
during which all the beasts of the forest prowl around.
104:21 The lions roar for prey,
seeking their food from God. 410
104:22 When the sun rises, they withdraw
and sleep 411 in their dens.
104:23 Men then go out to do their work,
and labor away until evening. 412
104:24 How many living things you have made, O Lord! 413
You have exhibited great skill in making all of them; 414
the earth is full of the living things you have made.
104:25 Over here is the deep, wide sea, 415
which teems with innumerable swimming creatures, 416
living things both small and large.
104:26 The ships travel there,
and over here swims the whale 417 you made to play in it.
104:27 All of your creatures 418 wait for you
to provide them with food on a regular basis. 419
104:28 You give food to them and they receive it;
you open your hand and they are filled with food. 420
104:29 When you ignore them, they panic. 421
When you take away their life’s breath, they die
and return to dust.
104:30 When you send your life-giving breath, they are created,
and you replenish the surface of the ground.
104:31 May the splendor of the Lord endure! 422
May the Lord find pleasure in the living things he has made! 423
104:32 He looks down on the earth and it shakes;
he touches the mountains and they start to smolder.
104:33 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I exist! 424
104:34 May my thoughts 425 be pleasing to him!
I will rejoice in the Lord.
104:35 May sinners disappear 426 from the earth,
and the wicked vanish!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
Praise the Lord!
105:1 Give thanks to the Lord!
Call on his name!
Make known his accomplishments among the nations!
105:2 Sing to him!
Make music to him!
Tell about all his miraculous deeds!
105:3 Boast about his holy name!
Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
105:4 Seek the Lord and the strength he gives!
Seek his presence continually!
105:5 Recall the miraculous deeds he performed,
his mighty acts and the judgments he decreed, 428
105:6 O children 429 of Abraham, 430 God’s 431 servant,
you descendants 432 of Jacob, God’s 433 chosen ones!
105:7 He is the Lord our God;
he carries out judgment throughout the earth. 434
105:8 He always remembers his covenantal decree,
the promise he made 435 to a thousand generations –
105:9 the promise 436 he made to Abraham,
the promise he made by oath to Isaac!
105:10 He gave it to Jacob as a decree,
to Israel as a lasting promise, 437
105:11 saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan
as the portion of your inheritance.”
105:12 When they were few in number,
just a very few, and resident aliens within it,
105:13 they wandered from nation to nation,
and from one kingdom to another. 438
105:14 He let no one oppress them;
he disciplined kings for their sake,
105:15 saying, 439 “Don’t touch my chosen 440 ones!
Don’t harm my prophets!”
105:16 He called down a famine upon the earth;
he cut off all the food supply. 441
105:17 He sent a man ahead of them 442 –
Joseph was sold as a servant.
105:18 The shackles hurt his feet; 443
his neck was placed in an iron collar, 444
105:19 until the time when his prediction 445 came true.
The Lord’s word 446 proved him right. 447
105:20 The king authorized his release; 448
the ruler of nations set him free.
105:21 He put him in charge of his palace, 449
and made him manager of all his property,
105:22 giving him authority to imprison his officials 450
and to teach his advisers. 451
105:23 Israel moved to 452 Egypt;
Jacob lived for a time 453 in the land of Ham.
105:24 The Lord 454 made his people very fruitful,
and made them 455 more numerous than their 456 enemies.
105:25 He caused them 457 to hate his people,
and to mistreat 458 his servants.
105:26 He sent his servant Moses,
and Aaron, whom he had chosen.
105:27 They executed his miraculous signs among them, 459
and his amazing deeds in the land of Ham.
105:28 He made it dark; 460
they did not disobey his orders. 461
105:29 He turned their water into blood,
and killed their fish.
105:30 Their land was overrun by frogs,
which even got into the rooms of their kings.
105:31 He ordered flies to come; 462
gnats invaded their whole territory.
105:32 He sent hail along with the rain; 463
there was lightning in their land. 464
105:33 He destroyed their vines and fig trees,
and broke the trees throughout their territory.
105:34 He ordered locusts to come, 465
innumerable grasshoppers.
105:35 They ate all the vegetation in their land,
and devoured the crops of their fields. 466
105:36 He struck down all the firstborn in their land,
the firstfruits of their reproductive power. 467
105:37 He brought his people 468 out enriched 469 with silver and gold;
none of his tribes stumbled.
105:38 Egypt was happy when they left,
for they were afraid of them. 470
105:39 He spread out a cloud for a cover, 471
and provided a fire to light up the night.
105:40 They asked for food, 472 and he sent quails;
he satisfied them with food from the sky. 473
105:41 He opened up a rock and water flowed out;
a river ran through dry regions.
105:42 Yes, 474 he remembered the sacred promise 475
he made to Abraham his servant.
105:43 When he led his people out, they rejoiced;
his chosen ones shouted with joy. 476
105:44 He handed the territory of nations over to them,
and they took possession of what other peoples had produced, 477
105:45 so that they might keep his commands
and obey 478 his laws.
Praise the Lord!
106:1 Praise the Lord!
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
and his loyal love endures! 480
106:2 Who can adequately recount the Lord’s mighty acts,
or relate all his praiseworthy deeds? 481
106:3 How blessed are those who promote justice,
and do what is right all the time!
106:4 Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people!
Pay attention to me, when you deliver,
106:5 so I may see the prosperity 482 of your chosen ones,
rejoice along with your nation, 483
and boast along with the people who belong to you. 484
106:6 We have sinned like 485 our ancestors; 486
we have done wrong, we have done evil.
106:7 Our ancestors in Egypt failed to appreciate your miraculous deeds,
they failed to remember your many acts of loyal love,
and they rebelled at the sea, by the Red Sea. 487
106:8 Yet he delivered them for the sake of his reputation, 488
that he might reveal his power.
106:9 He shouted at 489 the Red Sea and it dried up;
he led them through the deep water as if it were a desert.
106:10 He delivered them from the power 490 of the one who hated them,
and rescued 491 them from the power 492 of the enemy.
106:11 The water covered their enemies;
not even one of them survived. 493
106:12 They believed his promises; 494
they sang praises to him.
106:13 They quickly forgot what he had done; 495
they did not wait for his instructions. 496
106:14 In the wilderness they had an insatiable craving 497 for meat; 498
they challenged God 499 in the desert.
106:15 He granted their request,
then struck them with a disease. 500
106:16 In the camp they resented 501 Moses,
and Aaron, the Lord’s holy priest. 502
106:17 The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan;
it engulfed 503 the group led by Abiram. 504
106:18 Fire burned their group;
the flames scorched the wicked. 505
106:19 They made an image of a calf at Horeb,
and worshiped a metal idol.
106:20 They traded their majestic God 506
for the image of an ox that eats grass.
106:21 They rejected 507 the God who delivered them,
the one who performed great deeds in Egypt,
106:22 amazing feats in the land of Ham,
mighty 508 acts by the Red Sea.
106:23 He threatened 509 to destroy them,
but 510 Moses, his chosen one, interceded with him 511
and turned back his destructive anger. 512
106:24 They rejected the fruitful land; 513
they did not believe his promise. 514
106:25 They grumbled in their tents; 515
they did not obey 516 the Lord.
106:26 So he made a solemn vow 517
that he would make them die 518 in the desert,
106:27 make their descendants 519 die 520 among the nations,
and scatter them among foreign lands. 521
106:28 They worshiped 522 Baal of Peor,
and ate sacrifices offered to the dead. 523
106:29 They made the Lord angry 524 by their actions,
and a plague broke out among them.
106:30 Phinehas took a stand and intervened, 525
and the plague subsided.
106:31 This brought him a reward,
an eternal gift. 526
106:32 They made him angry by the waters of Meribah,
and Moses suffered 527 because of them,
106:33 for they aroused 528 his temper, 529
and he spoke rashly. 530
106:34 They did not destroy the nations, 531
as the Lord had commanded them to do.
106:35 They mixed in with the nations
and learned their ways. 532
106:36 They worshiped 533 their idols,
which became a snare to them. 534
106:37 They sacrificed their sons and daughters to demons. 535
106:38 They shed innocent blood –
the blood of their sons and daughters,
whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan.
The land was polluted by bloodshed. 536
106:39 They were defiled by their deeds,
and unfaithful in their actions. 537
106:40 So the Lord was angry with his people 538
and despised the people who belong to him. 539
106:41 He handed them over to 540 the nations,
and those who hated them ruled over them.
106:42 Their enemies oppressed them;
they were subject to their authority. 541
106:43 Many times he delivered 542 them,
but they had a rebellious attitude, 543
and degraded themselves 544 by their sin.
106:44 Yet he took notice of their distress,
when he heard their cry for help.
106:45 He remembered his covenant with them,
and relented 545 because of his great loyal love.
106:46 He caused all their conquerors 546
to have pity on them.
106:47 Deliver us, O Lord, our God!
Gather us from among the nations!
Then we will give thanks 547 to your holy name,
and boast about your praiseworthy deeds. 548
106:48 The Lord God of Israel deserves praise, 549
in the future and forevermore. 550
Let all the people say, “We agree! 551 Praise the Lord!” 552
Book 5
(Psalms 107-150)
107:1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
and his loyal love endures! 554
107:2 Let those delivered by the Lord speak out, 555
those whom he delivered 556 from the power 557 of the enemy,
107:3 and gathered from foreign lands, 558
from east and west,
from north and south.
107:4 They wandered through the wilderness on a desert road;
they found no city in which to live.
107:5 They were hungry and thirsty;
they fainted from exhaustion. 559
107:6 They cried out to the Lord in their distress;
he delivered them from their troubles.
107:7 He led them on a level road, 560
that they might find a city in which to live.
107:8 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love,
and for the amazing things he has done for people! 561
107:9 For he has satisfied those who thirst, 562
and those who hunger he has filled with food. 563
107:10 They sat in utter darkness, 564
bound in painful iron chains, 565
107:11 because they had rebelled against God’s commands, 566
and rejected the instructions of the sovereign king. 567
107:12 So he used suffering to humble them; 568
they stumbled and no one helped them up.
107:13 They cried out to the Lord in their distress;
he delivered them from their troubles.
107:14 He brought them out of the utter darkness, 569
and tore off their shackles.
107:15 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love,
and for the amazing things he has done for people! 570
107:16 For he shattered the bronze gates,
and hacked through the iron bars. 571
107:17 They acted like fools in their rebellious ways, 572
and suffered because of their sins.
107:18 They lost their appetite for all food, 573
and they drew near the gates of death.
107:19 They cried out to the Lord in their distress;
he delivered them from their troubles.
107:20 He sent them an assuring word 574 and healed them;
he rescued them from the pits where they were trapped. 575
107:21 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love,
and for the amazing things he has done for people! 576
107:22 Let them present thank offerings,
and loudly proclaim what he has done! 577
107:23 578 Some traveled on 579 the sea in ships,
and carried cargo over the vast waters. 580
107:24 They witnessed the acts of the Lord,
his amazing feats on the deep water.
107:25 He gave the order for a windstorm, 581
and it stirred up the waves of the sea. 582
107:26 They 583 reached up to the sky,
then dropped into the depths.
The sailors’ strength 584 left them 585 because the danger was so great. 586
107:27 They swayed 587 and staggered like a drunk,
and all their skill proved ineffective. 588
107:28 They cried out to the Lord in their distress;
he delivered them from their troubles.
107:29 He calmed the storm, 589
and the waves 590 grew silent.
107:30 The sailors 591 rejoiced because the waves 592 grew quiet,
and he led them to the harbor 593 they desired.
107:31 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love,
and for the amazing things he has done for people! 594
107:32 Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people!
Let them praise him in the place where the leaders preside! 595
107:33 He turned 596 streams into a desert,
springs of water into arid land,
107:34 and a fruitful land into a barren place, 597
because of the sin of its inhabitants.
107:35 As for his people, 598 he turned 599 a desert into a pool of water,
and a dry land into springs of water.
107:36 He allowed the hungry to settle there,
and they established a city in which to live.
107:37 They cultivated 600 fields,
and planted vineyards,
which yielded a harvest of fruit. 601
107:38 He blessed 602 them so that they became very numerous.
He would not allow their cattle to decrease in number. 603
107:39 As for their enemies, 604 they decreased in number and were beaten down,
because of painful distress 605 and suffering.
107:40 He would pour 606 contempt upon princes,
and he made them wander in a wasteland with no road.
107:41 Yet he protected 607 the needy from oppression,
and cared for his families like a flock of sheep.
107:42 When the godly see this, they rejoice,
and every sinner 608 shuts his mouth.
107:43 Whoever is wise, let him take note of these things!
Let them consider the Lord’s acts of loyal love!
A song, a psalm of David.
108:1 I am determined, 610 O God!
I will sing and praise you with my whole heart. 611
108:2 Awake, O stringed instrument and harp!
I will wake up at dawn! 612
108:3 I will give you thanks before the nations, O Lord!
I will sing praises to you before foreigners! 613
108:4 For your loyal love extends beyond the sky, 614
and your faithfulness reaches the clouds.
108:5 Rise up 615 above the sky, O God!
May your splendor cover the whole earth! 616
108:6 Deliver by your power 617 and answer me,
so that the ones you love may be safe. 618
108:7 God has spoken in his sanctuary: 619
“I will triumph! I will parcel out Shechem,
the valley of Succoth I will measure off. 620
108:8 Gilead belongs to me,
as does Manasseh! 621
Ephraim is my helmet, 622
Judah my royal scepter. 623
108:9 Moab is my wash basin. 624
I will make Edom serve me. 625
I will shout in triumph over Philistia.”
108:10 Who will lead me into the fortified city?
Who will bring me to Edom? 626
108:11 Have you not rejected us, O God?
O God, you do not go into battle with our armies.
108:12 Give us help against the enemy,
for any help men might offer is futile. 627
108:13 By God’s power we will conquer; 628
he will trample down 629 our enemies.
For the music director, a psalm of David.
109:1 O God whom I praise, do not ignore me! 631
109:2 For they say cruel and deceptive things to me;
they lie to me. 632
109:3 They surround me and say hateful things; 633
they attack me for no reason.
109:4 They repay my love with accusations, 634
but I continue to pray. 635
109:5 They repay me evil for good, 636
and hate for love.
109:6 637 Appoint an evil man to testify against him! 638
May an accuser stand 639 at his right side!
109:7 When he is judged, he will be found 640 guilty! 641
Then his prayer will be regarded as sinful.
109:8 May his days be few! 642
May another take his job! 643
109:9 May his children 644 be fatherless,
and his wife a widow!
109:10 May his children 645 roam around begging,
asking for handouts as they leave their ruined home! 646
109:11 May the creditor seize 647 all he owns!
May strangers loot his property! 648
109:12 May no one show him kindness! 649
May no one have compassion 650 on his fatherless children!
109:13 May his descendants 651 be cut off! 652
May the memory of them be wiped out by the time the next generation arrives! 653
109:14 May his ancestors’ 654 sins be remembered by the Lord!
May his mother’s sin not be forgotten! 655
109:15 May the Lord be constantly aware of them, 656
and cut off the memory of his children 657 from the earth!
109:16 For he never bothered to show kindness; 658
he harassed the oppressed and needy,
and killed the disheartened. 659
109:17 He loved to curse 660 others, so those curses have come upon him. 661
He had no desire to bless anyone, so he has experienced no blessings. 662
109:18 He made cursing a way of life, 663
so curses poured into his stomach like water
and seeped into his bones like oil. 664
109:19 May a curse attach itself to him, like a garment one puts on, 665
or a belt 666 one wears continually!
109:20 May the Lord repay my accusers in this way, 667
those who say evil things about 668 me! 669
109:21 O sovereign Lord,
intervene on my behalf for the sake of your reputation! 670
Because your loyal love is good, deliver me!
109:22 For I am oppressed and needy,
and my heart beats violently within me. 671
109:23 I am fading away like a shadow at the end of the day; 672
I am shaken off like a locust.
109:24 I am so starved my knees shake; 673
I have turned into skin and bones. 674
109:25 I am disdained by them. 675
When they see me, they shake their heads. 676
109:26 Help me, O Lord my God!
Because you are faithful to me, deliver me! 677
109:27 Then they will realize 678 this is your work, 679
and that you, Lord, have accomplished it.
109:28 They curse, but you will bless. 680
When they attack, they will be humiliated, 681
but your servant will rejoice.
109:29 My accusers will be covered 682 with shame,
and draped in humiliation as if it were a robe.
109:30 I will thank the Lord profusely, 683
in the middle of a crowd 684 I will praise him,
109:31 because he stands at the right hand of the needy,
to deliver him from those who threaten 685 his life.
A psalm of David.
110:1 Here is the Lord’s proclamation 687 to my lord: 688
“Sit down at my right hand 689 until I make your enemies your footstool!” 690
110:2 The Lord 691 extends 692 your dominion 693 from Zion.
Rule in the midst of your enemies!
110:3 Your people willingly follow you 694 when you go into battle. 695
On the holy hills 696 at sunrise 697 the dew of your youth 698 belongs to you. 699
110:4 The Lord makes this promise on oath 700 and will not revoke it: 701
“You are an eternal priest 702 after the pattern of 703 Melchizedek.” 704
110:5 O sovereign Lord, 705 at your right hand
he strikes down 706 kings in the day he unleashes his anger. 707
110:6 He executes judgment 708 against 709 the nations;
he fills the valleys with corpses; 710
he shatters their heads over the vast battlefield. 711
110:7 From the stream along the road he drinks;
then he lifts up his head. 712
1 sn Psalm 89. The psalmist praises God as the sovereign creator of the world. He recalls God’s covenant with David, but then laments that the promises of the covenant remain unrealized. The covenant promised the Davidic king military victories, but the king has now been subjected to humiliating defeat.
2 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. See the note on the phrase “well-written song” in the superscription of Ps 88.
3 tn Or “forever.”
4 tn Heb “to a generation and a generation I will make known your faithfulness with my mouth.”
5 tn Heb “built.”
6 sn You set up your faithfulness. This may allude to the Lord’s heavenly throne, which symbolizes his just rule and from which the Lord decrees his unconditional promises (see vv. 8, 14).
7 tn The words “the
8 tn Heb “forever I will establish your offspring.”
9 tn Heb “and I will build to a generation and a generation your throne.”
10 tn As the following context makes clear, the personified “heavens” here stand by metonymy for the angelic beings that surround God’s heavenly throne.
11 tn Heb “in the assembly of the holy ones.” The phrase “holy ones” sometimes refers to God’s people (Ps 34:9) or to their priestly leaders (2 Chr 35:3), but here it refers to God’s heavenly assembly and the angels that surround his throne (see vv. 6-7).
12 tn Heb “sons of gods”; or “sons of God.” Though אֵלִים (’elim) is vocalized as a plural form (“gods”) in the Hebrew text, it is likely that the final mem (ם) is actually enclitic rather than a plural marker. In this case one may read “God.” Some, following a Qumran text and the LXX, also propose the phrase occurred in the original text of Deut 32:8. The phrase בְנֵי אֵלִים (vÿney ’elim, “sons of gods” or “sons of God”) occurs only here and in Ps 29:1. Since the “sons of gods/God” are here associated with “the assembly of the holy ones” and “council of the holy ones,” the heavenly assembly (comprised of so-called “angels” and other supernatural beings) appears to be in view. See Job 5:1; 15:15 and Zech 14:5, where these supernatural beings are referred to as “holy ones.” In Canaanite mythological texts the divine council of the high god El is called “the sons of El.” The OT apparently uses the Canaanite phrase, applying it to the supernatural beings that surround the
13 tn Heb “feared.”
14 tn Heb “in the great assembly of the holy ones.”
15 tn Or perhaps “feared by.”
16 tn Traditionally “God of hosts.” The title here pictures the
17 tn Heb “the majesty of the sea.”
18 tn Heb “rise up.”
19 tn Heb “Rahab.” The name “Rahab” means “proud one.” Since it is sometimes used of Egypt (see Ps 87:4; Isa 30:7), the passage may allude to the exodus. However, the name is also used of the sea (or the mythological sea creature) which symbolizes the disruptive forces of the world that seek to replace order with chaos (see Job 9:13; 26:12). Isa 51:9 appears to combine the mythological and historical referents. The association of Rahab with the sea in Ps 89 (see v. 9) suggests that the name carries symbolic force in this context. In this case the passage may allude to creation (see vv. 11-12), when God overcame the great deep and brought order out of chaos.
20 tn Heb “like one fatally wounded.”
21 tn Heb “the world and its fullness, you established them.”
22 sn Tabor and Hermon were two of the most prominent mountains in Palestine.
23 sn The Lord’s arm, hand, and right hand all symbolize his activities, especially his exploits in war.
24 tn Heb “is lifted up.” The idiom “the right hand is lifted up” refers to victorious military deeds (see Pss 89:42; 118:16).
25 sn The Lord’s throne symbolizes his kingship.
26 tn Heb “are in front of your face.” The idiom can mean “confront” (Ps 17:13) or “meet, enter the presence of” (Ps 95:2).
27 tn Heb “who know the shout.” “Shout” here refers to the shouts of the
28 tn Heb “in the light of your face they walk.” 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; 44:3; 67:1; 80:3, 7, 19; Dan 9:17).
29 tn Heb “are lifted up.”
30 tn Heb “for the splendor of their strength [is] you.”
31 tn Heb “you lift up our horn,” or if one follows the marginal reading (Qere), “our horn is lifted up.” The horn of an ox underlies the metaphor (see Deut 33:17; 1 Kgs 22:11; Ps 92:10). The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 75:10; 89:24; 92:10; Lam 2:17).
32 tn The phrase “our shield” refers metaphorically to the Davidic king, who, as God’s vice-regent, was the human protector of the people. Note the parallelism with “our king" here and with “your anointed one” in Ps 84:9.
33 sn The basic sense of the word “holy” is “set apart from that which is commonplace, special, unique.” The Lord’s holiness is first and foremost his transcendent sovereignty as the ruler of the world. He is “set apart” from the world over which he rules. At the same time his holiness encompasses his moral authority, which derives from his royal position. As king he has the right to dictate to his subjects how they are to live; indeed his very own character sets the standard for proper behavior. This expression is a common title for the
34 tn The pronoun “you” refers to the
35 tc Many medieval
36 tn Heb “I have placed help upon a warrior.”
37 tn Or perhaps “a chosen one.”
38 tn The words “as king” are supplied in the translation for clarification, indicating that a royal anointing is in view.
39 tn Heb “with whom my hand will be firm.”
40 tn Heb “an enemy will not exact tribute.” The imperfect is understood in a modal sense, indicating capability or potential.
41 tn The translation understands the Hiphil of נָשַׁא (nasha’) in the sense of “act as a creditor.” This may allude to the practice of a conqueror forcing his subjects to pay tribute in exchange for “protection.” Another option is to take the verb from a homonymic verbal root meaning “to deceive,” “to trick.” Still another option is to emend the form to יִשָּׂא (yisa’), a Qal imperfect from נָאַשׂ (na’as, “rise up”) and to translate “an enemy will not rise up against him” (see M. Dahood, Psalms [AB], 2:317).
42 tn Heb “and a son of violence will not oppress him.” The imperfect is understood in a modal sense, indicating capability or potential. The reference to a “son of violence” echoes the language of God’s promise to David in 2 Sam 7:10 (see also 1 Chr 17:9).
43 tn Heb “and my faithfulness and my loyal love [will be] with him.”
44 tn Heb “and by my name his horn will be lifted up.” The horn of an ox underlies the metaphor (see Deut 33:17; 1 Kgs 22:11; Ps 92:10). The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 75:10; 92:10; Lam 2:17).
45 tn Some identify “the sea” as the Mediterranean and “the rivers” as the Euphrates and its tributaries. However, it is more likely that “the sea” and “the rivers” are symbols for hostile powers that oppose God and the king (see v. 9, as well as Ps 93:3-4).
46 sn You are my father. The Davidic king was viewed as God’s “son” (see 2 Sam 7:14; Ps 2:7). The idiom reflects ancient Near Eastern adoption language associated with covenants of grant, by which a lord would reward a faithful subject by elevating him to special status, referred to as “sonship.” Like a son, the faithful subject received an “inheritance,” viewed as an unconditional, eternal gift. Such gifts usually took the form of land and/or an enduring dynasty. See M. Weinfeld, “The Covenant of Grant in the Old Testament and in the Ancient Near East,” JAOS 90 (1970): 184-203, for general discussion and some striking extra-biblical parallels.
47 tn Heb “the rocky summit of my deliverance.”
48 sn The firstborn son typically had special status and received special privileges.
49 tn Heb “forever I will keep for him my loyal love and will make my covenant secure for him.”
50 tn Heb “and I will set in place forever his offspring.”
51 tn Heb “and his throne like the days of the heavens.”
52 tn Or “desecrate.”
53 tn Heb “I will punish with a club their rebellion.”
54 tn Heb “with blows their sin.”
55 tn Heb “break”; “make ineffectual.” Some prefer to emend אָפִיר (’afir; the Hiphil of פָּרַר, parar, “to break”) to אָסִיר (’asir; the Hiphil of סוּר, sur, “to turn aside”), a verb that appears in 2 Sam 7:15.
56 tn Heb “and I will not deal falsely with my faithfulness.”
57 tn Or “desecrate.”
58 tn Heb “and what proceeds out of my lips I will not alter.”
59 tn Or “lie to.”
60 tn Heb “his offspring forever will be.”
61 tn Heb “and his throne like the sun before me.”
62 tn Heb “like the moon it will be established forever.”
63 tn Heb “and a witness in the sky, secure.” Scholars have offered a variety of opinions as to the identity of the “witness” referred to here, none of which is very convincing. It is preferable to join וְעֵד (vÿ’ed) to עוֹלָם (’olam) in the preceding line and translate the commonly attested phrase עוֹלָם וְעֵד (“forever”). In this case one may translate the second line, “[it] will be secure like the skies.” Another option (the one reflected in the present translation) is to take עד as a rare noun meaning “throne” or “dais.” This noun is attested in Ugaritic; see, for example, CTA 16 vi 22-23, where ksi (= כִּסֵּא, kisse’, “throne”) and ’d (= עד, “dais”) appear as synonyms in the poetic parallelism (see G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 91). Emending בַּשַּׁחַק (bashakhaq, “in the heavens”) to כַּשַׁחַק (kashakhaq, “like the heavens”) – bet/kaf (כ/ב) confusion is widely attested – one can then read “[his] throne like the heavens [is] firm/stable.” Verse 29 refers to the enduring nature of the heavens, while Job 37:18 speaks of God spreading out the heavens (שְׁחָקִים, shÿkhaqim) and compares their strength to a bronze mirror. Ps 89:29 uses the term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim, “skies”) which frequently appears in parallelism to שְׁחָקִים.
64 tn The Hebrew construction (conjunction + pronoun, followed by the verb) draws attention to the contrast between what follows and what precedes.
65 tn Heb “your anointed one.” The Hebrew phrase מְשִׁיחֶךָ (mÿshikhekha, “your anointed one”) refers here to the Davidic king (see Pss 2:2; 18:50; 20:6; 28:8; 84:9; 132:10, 17).
66 tn The Hebrew verb appears only here and in Lam 2:7.
67 tn Heb “the covenant of your servant.”
68 tn Heb “you dishonor [or “desecrate”] on the ground his crown.”
69 tn The king here represents the land and cities over which he rules.
70 tn Heb “all the passersby on the road.”
71 tn Heb “you have lifted up the right hand of his adversaries.” The idiom “the right hand is lifted up” refers to victorious military deeds (see Pss 89:13; 118:16).
72 tn The perfect verbal form predominates in vv. 38-45. The use of the imperfect in this one instance may be for rhetorical effect. The psalmist briefly lapses into dramatic mode, describing the king’s military defeat as if it were happening before his very eyes.
73 tc Heb “you turn back, rocky summit, his sword.” The Hebrew term צוּר (tsur, “rocky summit”) makes no sense here, unless it is a divine title understood as vocative, “you turn back, O Rocky Summit, his sword.” Some emend the form to צֹר (tsor, “flint”) on the basis of Josh 5:2, which uses the phrase חַרְבוֹת צֻרִים (kharvot tsurim, “flint knives”). The noun צֹר (tsor, “flint”) can then be taken as “flint-like edge,” indicating the sharpness of the sword. Others emend the form to אָחוֹר (’akhor, “backward”) or to מִצַּר (mitsar, “from the adversary”). The present translation reflects the latter, assuming an original reading תָּשִׁיב מִצָּר חַרְבּוֹ (tashiv mitsar kharbo), which was corrupted to תָּשִׁיב צָר חַרְבּוֹ (tashiv tsar kharbo) by virtual haplography (confusion of bet/mem is well-attested) with צָר (tsar, “adversary”) then being misinterpreted as צוּר in the later tradition.
74 tn Heb “and you have not caused him to stand in the battle.”
75 tc The Hebrew text appears to read, “you have brought to an end from his splendor,” but the form מִטְּהָרוֹ (mittÿharo) should be slightly emended (the daghesh should be removed from the tet [ת]) and read simply “his splendor” (the initial mem [מ] is not the preposition, but a nominal prefix).
76 tn The Hebrew verb מָגַר (magar) occurs only here and perhaps in Ezek 21:17.
77 tn Heb “the days of his youth” (see as well Job 33:25).
78 tn Heb “How long, O
79 tn Heb “remember me, what is [my] lifespan.” The Hebrew term חֶלֶד (kheled) is also used of one’s lifespan in Ps 39:5. Because the Hebrew text is so awkward here, some prefer to emend it to read מֶה חָדֵל אָנִי (meh khadel ’aniy, “[remember] how transient [that is, “short-lived”] I am”; see Ps 39:4).
80 tn Heb “For what emptiness do you create all the sons of mankind?” In this context the term שָׁוְא (shavah) refers to mankind’s mortal nature and the brevity of life (see vv. 45, 48).
81 tn Heb “Who [is] the man [who] can live and not see death, [who] can deliver his life from the hand of Sheol?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “No one!”
82 sn The Lord’s faithful deeds are also mentioned in Pss 17:7 and 25:6.
83 tc Many medieval Hebrew
84 tn Heb “[which] you swore on oath to David by your faithfulness.”
85 tc Many medieval Hebrew
86 tn Heb “remember, O Lord, the taunt against your servants.” Many medieval Hebrew
87 tn Heb “my lifting up in my arms [or “against my chest”] all of the many, peoples.” The term רַבִּים (rabbim, “many”) makes no apparent sense here. For this reason some emend the text to רִבֵי (rivey, “attacks by”), a defectively written plural construct form of רִיב (riv, “dispute; quarrel”).
88 tn Heb “[by] which your enemies, O
89 sn The final verse of Ps 89, v. 52, is a conclusion to this third “book” (or major editorial division) of the Psalter. Similar statements appear at or near the end of each of the first, second and fourth “books” of the Psalter (see Pss 41:13; 72:18-19; 106:48, respectively).
90 tn Heb “[be] blessed.” See Pss 18:46; 28:6; 31:21.
91 tn Heb “surely and surely” (אָמֵן וְאָמֵן [’amen vÿ’amen], i.e., “Amen and amen”). This is probably a congregational response to the immediately preceding statement about the propriety of praising God; thus it has been translated “We agree! We agree!”
92 sn Psalm 90. In this communal lament the worship leader affirms that the eternal God and creator of the world has always been Israel’s protector. But God also causes men, who are as transient as grass, to die, and in his fierce anger he decimates his covenant community, whose brief lives are filled with suffering and end in weakness. The community asks for wisdom, the restoration of God’s favor, a fresh revelation of his power, and his blessing upon their labors.
93 tn Or “place of safety.” See Ps 71:3.
94 tn Heb “were born.”
95 tn Heb “and you gave birth to the earth and world.” The Polel verbal form in the Hebrew text pictures God giving birth to the world. The LXX and some other ancient textual witnesses assume a polal (passive) verbal form here. In this case the earth becomes the subject of the verb and the verb is understood as third feminine singular rather than second masculine singular.
96 tn Heb “and from everlasting to everlasting you [are] God.” Instead of אֵל (’el, “God”) the LXX reads אַל (’al, “not”) and joins the negative particle to the following verse, making the verb תָּשֵׁב (tashev) a jussive. In this case v. 3a reads as a prayer, “do not turn man back to a low place.” However, taking תָּשֵׁב as a jussive is problematic in light of the following following wayyiqtol form וַתֹּאמֶר (vato’mer, “and you said/say”).
97 tn In this context the shortened prefix form does not function as a preterite, but indicates what is typical of the world.
98 tn The Hebrew term דַּכָּא (daka’) carries the basic sense of “crushed.” Elsewhere it refers to those who are “crushed” in spirit or contrite of heart (see Ps 34:18; Isa 57:15). If one understands this nuance here, then v. 3 is observing that God leads mankind to repentance (the term שׁוּב, shuv, “return,” which appears twice in this verse, is sometimes used of repentance.) However, the following context laments mankind’s mortality and the brevity of life, so it is doubtful if v. 3 should be understood so positively. It is more likely that דַּכָּא here refers to “crushed matter,” that is, the dust that fills the grave (see HALOT 221 s.v. s.v. I דַּכָּא; BDB 194 s.v. דַּכָּא). In this case one may hear an echo of Gen 3:19.
99 tn Or “for.”
100 sn The divisions of the nighttime. The ancient Israelites divided the night into distinct periods, or “watches.”
101 tn Heb “you bring them to an end [with] sleep.” The Hebrew verb זָרַם (zaram) has traditionally been taken to mean “flood” or “overwhelm” (note the Polel form of a root זרם in Ps 77:17, where the verb is used of the clouds pouring down rain). However, the verb form here is Qal, not Polel, and is better understood as a homonym meaning “to make an end [of life].” The term שֵׁנָה (shenah, “sleep”) can be taken as an adverbial accusative; it is a euphemism here for death (see Ps 76:5-6).
102 tn Or “flourishes.” The verb is used of a crown shining in Ps 132:18. Perhaps here in Ps 90:6 it refers to the glistening of the grass in the morning dew.
103 tn The Polel form of this verb occurs only here. Perhaps the form should be emended to a Qal (which necessitates eliminating the final lamed [ל] as dittographic). See Ps 37:2.
104 tn Or “for.”
105 tn Heb “you set our sins in front of you.”
106 tn Heb “what we have hidden to the light of your face.” God’s face is compared to a light or lamp that exposes the darkness around it.
107 tn Or “for.”
108 tn Heb “all our days pass by in your anger.”
109 tn Heb “we finish our years like a sigh.” In Ezek 2:10 the word הֶגֶה (hegeh) elsewhere refers to a grumbling or moaning sound. Here a brief sigh or moan is probably in view. If so, the simile pictures one’s lifetime as transient. Another option is that the simile alludes to the weakness that characteristically overtakes a person at the end of one’s lifetime. In this case the phrase could be translated, “we end our lives with a painful moan.”
110 tn Heb “the days of our years, in them [are] seventy years.”
111 tn Heb “or if [there is] strength, eighty years.”
112 tn Heb “and their pride [is] destruction and wickedness.” The Hebrew noun רֹהַב (rohav) occurs only here. BDB 923 s.v. assigns the meaning “pride,” deriving the noun from the verbal root רהב (“to act stormily [boisterously, arrogantly]”). Here the “pride” of one’s days (see v. 9) probably refers to one’s most productive years in the prime of life. The words translated “destruction and wickedness” are also paired in Ps 10:7. They also appear in proximity in Pss 7:14 and 55:10. The oppressive and abusive actions of evil men are probably in view (see Job 4:8; 5:6; 15:35; Isa 10:1; 59:4).
113 tn or “for.”
114 tn Heb “it passes quickly.” The subject of the verb is probably “their pride” (see the preceding line). The verb גּוּז (guz) means “to pass” here; it occurs only here and in Num 11:31.
115 sn We fly away. The psalmist compares life to a bird that quickly flies off (see Job 20:8).
116 tn Heb “Who knows the strength of your anger?”
117 tn Heb “and like your fear [is] your raging fury.” Perhaps one should emend וּכְיִרְאָתְךְ (ukhyir’otekh, “and like your fear”) to יִרְאָתְךְ (yir’otkh, “your fear”), understanding a virtual dittography (אַפֶּךָ וּכְיִרְאָתְךְ, ’apekha ukhyir’otekh) to have occurred. In this case the psalmist asserts “your fear [is] your raging fury,” that is, your raging fury is what causes others to fear you. The suffix on “fear” is understood as objective.
118 tn Heb “to number our days,” that is, to be aware of how few they really are.
119 tn Heb “and we will bring a heart of wisdom.” After the imperative of the preceding line, the prefixed verbal form with the conjunction indicates purpose/result. The Hebrew term “heart” here refers to the center of one’s thoughts, volition, and moral character.
120 tn Heb “Return, O
121 tn Elsewhere the Niphal of נָחַם (nakham) + the preposition עַל (’al) + a personal object has the nuance “be comforted concerning [the personal object’s death]” (see 2 Sam 13:39; Jer 31:15). However, here the context seems to demand “feel sorrow for,” “have pity on.” In Deut 32:36 and Ps 135:14, where “servants” is also the object of the preposition, this idea is expressed with the Hitpael form of the verb.
122 sn Morning is used metaphorically for a time of renewed joy after affliction (see Pss 30:5; 46:5; 49:14; 59:16; 143:8).
123 tn After the imperative (see the preceding line) the cohortatives with the prefixed conjunction indicate purpose/result.
124 tn Heb “have seen.”
125 tn Heb “may your work be revealed to your servants.” In this context (note v. 17) the verb form יֵרָאֶה (yera’eh) is best understood as an unshortened jussive (see Gen 1:9; Isa 47:3).
126 tn Heb “and your majesty to their sons.” The verb “be revealed” is understood by ellipsis in the second line.
127 tn Heb “and may the delight of the Master, our God, be on us.” The Hebrew term נֹעַם (no’am, “delight”) is used in Ps 27:4 of the
128 tn Heb “and the work of our hands establish over us, and the work of our hands, establish it.”
129 sn Psalm 91. In this psalm an individual (perhaps a priest) addresses one who has sought shelter in the Lord and assures him that God will protect him from danger (vv. 1-13). In vv. 14-16 God himself promises to keep his loyal follower safe.
130 tn Heb “[O] one who lives.”
131 tn Traditionally “the Most High.”
132 sn The Lord is compared here to a bird who protects its young under the shadow of its wings (see v. 4).
133 sn The divine name used here is “Shaddai” (שַׁדַּי, shadday; see also Ps 68:14). Shaddai (or El Shaddai) is the mighty king (sovereign judge) of the world who grants life/blesses and kills/judges. In Genesis he blesses the patriarchs with fertility and promises numerous descendants. Outside Genesis he both blesses/protects and takes away life/happiness.
134 tn The word refers specifically to a fowler (or hunter of birds).
135 tn Heb “put a cover over you” (see Ps 5:11).
136 tc The Hebrew text has the singular, but the plural should be read. The final yod (י) of the suffix, which indicates the plural, has dropped off by haplography (note the yod [י] at the beginning of the next word).
137 tn Traditionally the Hebrew term סֹחֵרָה (sokherah), which occurs only here in the OT, has been understood to refer to a buckler or small shield (see BDB 695 s.v.). But HALOT 750 s.v., on the basis of evidence from the cognate languages, proposes the meaning “wall.”
138 tn This probably alludes to a sneak attack by enemies in the darkness of night (see Song 3:8).
139 sn As in Deut 32:23-24, vv. 5-6 closely associate military attack and deadly disease. Perhaps the latter alludes to one of the effects of siege warfare on the population of an entrapped city, which was especially vulnerable to the outbreak of epidemics.
140 tn Apparently the deadly disease mentioned in v. 6b is the understood subject here.
141 tn Heb “retribution on the wicked.”
142 tn Heb “for you, the
143 tn Or “confront.”
144 tn For this sense of the Hebrew term נגע see Ps 38:11.
145 tn Heb “your tent.”
146 tn Heb “for his angels he will command concerning you.”
147 tn Heb “in all your ways.”
148 tn Heb “so your foot will not strike a stone.”
149 tn Heb “walk upon.”
150 tn Or perhaps “cobra” (see Ps 58:4).
151 tn The words “the
152 tn Or “make him secure” (Heb “set him on high”).
153 tn Heb “because he knows my name” (see Ps 9:10).
154 tn Heb “length of days.”
155 sn Psalm 92. The psalmist praises God because he defeats the wicked and vindicates his loyal followers.
156 tn Or “good.”
157 tn Traditionally “O Most High.”
158 tn The words “it is fitting” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. Verses 1-3 are actually one long sentence in the Hebrew text, but this has been divided up into two shorter sentences in the translation in keeping with contemporary English style.
159 tn Heb “the works of your hands.”
160 tn Heb “very deep [are] your thoughts.” God’s “thoughts” refer here to his moral design of the world, as outlined in vv. 6-15.
161 tn Heb “the brutish man does not know, and the fool does not understand this.” The adjective בַּעַר (ba’ar, “brutish”) refers to spiritual insensitivity, not mere lack of intelligence or reasoning ability (see Pss 49:10; 73:22; Prov 12:1; 30:2, as well as the use of the related verb in Ps 94:8).
162 tn Or “flourish.”
163 tn Heb “in order that they might be destroyed permanently.”
164 tn Heb “[are elevated] on high.”
165 tn Or “for.”
166 tn Or “for.”
167 sn The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “to exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 75:10; 89:24; Lam 2:17).
168 tn The Hebrew verb בָּלַל (balal) usually has the nuance “to mix.” Here it seems to mean “to smear” or “to anoint.” Some emend the form to בַּלֹּתַנִי (ballotaniy; a second person form of the verb with a first person suffix) and read, “you anoint me.”
169 tn Heb “my eye gazes upon those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 5:8; 27:11; 56:2. The form שׁוּרָי (shuray) should be emended to שׁוֹרְרָי (shorÿray).
170 tn Heb “those who rise up against me, evil [foes], my ears hear.”
171 tn The singular is used in a representative sense, with the typical godly person being in view.
172 sn The cedars of the Lebanon forest were well-known in ancient Israel for their immense size.
173 tn Heb “they are juicy and fresh.”
174 tn Heb “so that [they] proclaim that upright [is] the
175 sn Psalm 93. The psalmist affirms that the
176 sn Strength is compared here to a belt that one wears for support. The Lord’s power undergirds his rule.
177 tn Heb “from antiquity [are] you.” As the context suggests, this refers specifically to God’s royal position, not his personal existence.
178 tn The Hebrew noun translated “waves” often refers to rivers or streams, but here it appears to refer to the surging waves of the sea (see v. 4, Ps 24:2).
179 tn Heb “the waves lift up, O
180 tn Heb “mighty waters.”
181 tn Heb “mighty on high [is] the
182 tn Traditionally “your testimonies.” The Hebrew noun עֵדוּת (’edut) refers here to the demands of God’s covenant law. See Ps 19:7.
183 sn The rules you set down. God’s covenant contains a clear, reliable witness to his moral character and demands.
184 sn Holiness refers here to God’s royal transcendence (see vv. 1-4), as well as his moral authority and perfection (see v. 5a).
185 tn Heb “for your house holiness is fitting, O
186 sn Psalm 94. The psalmist asks God to judge the wicked and affirms his confidence in God’s justice.
187 tn Heb “shine forth” (see Pss 50:2; 80:1).
188 tn Or “exult.”
189 tn Heb “they gush forth [words].”
190 tn The Hitpael of אָמַר (’amar) occurs only here (and perhaps in Isa 61:6).
191 tn Or “your inheritance.”
192 tn The Hebrew noun יָתוֹם (yatom) refers to one who has lost his father (not necessarily his mother, see Ps 109:9). Because they were so vulnerable and were frequently exploited, fatherless children are often mentioned as epitomizing the oppressed (see Pss 10:14; 68:5; 82:3; 146:9; as well as Job 6:27; 22:9; 24:3, 9; 29:12; 31:17, 21).
193 tn Heb “does not understand.”
194 tn Heb “understand.” The verb used in v. 7 is repeated here for rhetorical effect. The people referred to here claim God is ignorant of their actions, but the psalmist corrects their faulty viewpoint.
195 tn Heb “[you] brutish among the people.”
196 tn Heb “The one who plants an ear, does he not hear? The one who forms an eye, does he not see?”
197 tn Heb “the
198 tn Heb “[Oh] the happiness [of] the man.” Hebrew wisdom literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The principle of the psalm is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, we translate the gender and age specific “man” with the more neutral “one.” The generic masculine pronoun is used in v. 2.
199 tn Heb “to give him rest from the days of trouble.”
200 tn Heb “until a pit is dug for the wicked.”
201 tn Or “for.”
202 tn Or “his inheritance.”
203 tn Heb “for judgment will return to justice.”
204 tn Heb “all the pure of heart.” The “heart” is here viewed as the seat of one’s moral character and motives. The “pure of heart” are God’s faithful followers who trust in and love the
205 tn Heb “and after it [are] the pure of heart.”
206 tn Heb “for me.”
207 sn Who will stand up for me…? The questions anticipate the answer, “No one except God” (see v. 17).
208 tn Heb “If the
209 tn Heb “when my worries are many within me.”
210 tn Heb “your comforts cause my soul to delight.”
211 tn Heb “a throne of destruction.” “Throne” stands here by metonymy for rulers who occupy thrones.
212 tn Heb “Is a throne of destruction united to you, one that forms trouble upon a statute?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “Of course not!” The translation, while not preserving the interrogative form of the statement, reflects its rhetorical force.
213 tn Or “attack.”
214 tn Heb “the life of the blameless.”
215 tn Heb “and the blood of the innocent they declare guilty.”
216 tn Heb “and the
217 tn Heb “and my God [has become] a rocky summit of my safety.”
218 tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive is used in a rhetorical sense, describing an anticipated development as if it were already reality.
219 tn Or “in.”
220 sn Psalm 95. The psalmist summons Israel to praise God as the creator of the world and the nation’s protector, but he also reminds the people not to rebel against God.
221 tn Heb “to the rocky summit of our deliverance.”
222 tn Heb “meet his face.”
223 tn Heb “with songs of joy.”
224 tn Heb “above.”
225 tn The phrase “in his hand” means within the sphere of his authority.
226 tn Heb “kneel down.”
227 tn Heb “of his hand.”
228 tn Heb “if only you would listen to his voice.” The Hebrew particle אִם (’im, “if”) and following prefixed verbal form here express a wish (cf. Ps 81:8). Note that the apodosis (the “then” clause of the conditional sentence) is suppressed.
229 tn The words “he says” are supplied in the translation to clarify that the following words are spoken by the Lord (see vv. 9-11).
230 sn The name Meribah means “strife.” Two separate but similar incidents at Meribah are recorded in the Pentateuch (Exod 17:1-7; Num 20:1-13, see also Pss 81:7; 106:32). In both cases the Israelites complained about lack of water and the Lord miraculously provided for them.
231 sn The name Massah means “testing.” This was another name (along with Meribah) given to the place where Israel complained following the Red Sea Crossing (see Exod 17:1-7, as well as Deut 6:16; 9:22; 33:8).
232 tn Heb “do not harden your heart[s] as [at] Meribah, as [in] the day of Massah in the wilderness.”
233 tn Heb “where your fathers tested me.”
234 tn The prefixed verbal form is either a preterite or an imperfect. If the latter, it emphasizes the ongoing nature of the condition in the past. The translation reflects this interpretation of the verbal form.
235 tn Heb “a people, wanderers of heart [are] they.”
236 tn Heb “and they do not know my ways.” In this context the
237 tn Heb “my resting place.” The promised land of Canaan is here viewed metaphorically as a place of rest for God’s people, who are compared to sheep (see v. 7).
238 sn Psalm 96. The psalmist summons everyone to praise the Lord, the sovereign creator of the world who preserves and promotes justice in the earth.
239 sn A new song is appropriate because the
240 tn Heb “announce from day to day his deliverance.”
241 tn The verb “tell” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
242 tn Or perhaps “and feared by all gods.” See Ps 89:7.
243 tn The Hebrew term אֱלִילִים (’elilim, “worthless”) sounds like אֱלֹהִים (’elohim, “gods”). The sound play draws attention to the statement.
244 tn Heb “majesty and splendor [are] before him.”
245 tn Heb “strength and beauty [are] in his sanctuary.”
246 tn Heb “the splendor of [i.e., “due”] his name.”
247 tn Or “in holy splendor.”
248 tn The verbal forms in v. 13 probably describe God’s typical, characteristic behavior, though they may depict in dramatic fashion the outworking of divine judgment or anticipate a future judgment of worldwide proportions, in which case they could be translated “will judge the world.”
249 tn Heb “and the nations with his integrity.”
250 sn Psalm 97. The psalmist depicts the Lord as the sovereign, just king of the world who comes in power to vindicate his people.
251 sn The Lord’s throne symbolizes his kingship.
252 tn Heb “all around.”
253 tn The translation assumes that the prefixed verbal form in the first line is an imperfect (“are ashamed”) and that the ambiguous form in the third line is a perfect (“bow down”) because the psalmist appears to be describing the effect of the
254 tn Heb “daughters.” The term “daughters” refers to the cities of Judah surrounding Zion (see Ps 48:11 and H. Haag, TDOT 2:336).
255 tn Traditionally “Most High.”
256 tn The participle may be verbal, though it might also be understood as substantival and appositional to “the
257 tn Heb “hand.”
258 tn Heb “Light is planted for the godly, and for the upright of heart joy.” The translation assumes an emendation of זָרַע (zara’, “planted”) to זָרַח (zara’, “shines”) which collocates more naturally with “light.” “Light” here symbolizes the joy (note the following line) that accompanies deliverance and the outpouring of divine favor.
259 tn Heb “to his holy remembrance.” The Hebrew noun זָכַר (zakhar, “remembrance”) here refers to the name of the
260 sn Psalm 98. The psalmist summons the whole earth to praise God because he reveals his justice and delivers Israel.
261 sn A new song is appropriate because the Lord is constantly intervening in the world as its just king. See Ps 96:1.
262 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.
263 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.
264 tn Heb “makes known his deliverance.”
265 tn Heb “he remembers his loyal love and his faithfulness to the house of Israel.”
266 tn Heb “the deliverance of our God,” with “God” being a subjective genitive (= God delivers).
267 tn The verbal forms in v. 9 probably describe God’s typical, characteristic behavior, though they may depict in dramatic fashion the outworking of divine judgment or anticipate a future judgment of worldwide proportions (“will judge…”).
268 sn Psalm 99. The psalmist celebrates the Lord’s just rule and recalls how he revealed himself to Israel’s leaders.
269 tn The prefixed verbal forms in v. 1 are understood here as indicating the nations’ characteristic response to the reality of the
270 sn Winged angels (Heb “cherubs”). Cherubs, as depicted in the OT, possess both human and animal (lion, ox, and eagle) characteristics (see Ezek 1:10; 10:14, 21; 41:18). They are pictured as winged creatures (Exod 25:20; 37:9; 1 Kgs 6:24-27; Ezek 10:8, 19) and serve as the very throne of God when the ark of the covenant is in view (Ps 99:1; see Num 7:89; 1 Sam 4:4; 2 Sam 6:2; 2 Kgs 19:15). The picture of the Lord seated on the cherubs suggests they might be used by him as a vehicle, a function they carry out in Ezek 1:22-28 (the “living creatures” mentioned here are identified as cherubs in Ezek 10:20). In Ps 18:10 the image of a cherub serves to personify the wind.
271 tn The Hebrew verb נוּט (nut) occurs only here in the OT, but the meaning can be determined on the basis of the parallelism with רָגַז (ragaz, “tremble”) and evidence from the cognate languages (see H. R. Cohen, Biblical Hapax Legomena [SBLDS], 121).
272 tn Heb “great.”
273 tn The pronoun refers to the
274 tn Heb “and strength, a king, justice he loves.” The syntax of the Hebrew text is difficult here. The translation assumes that two affirmations are made about the king, the
275 tn Heb “you establish fairness.”
276 tn Or “exalt.”
277 tn Or “bow down.”
278 tn Heb “among those who called on his name.”
279 tn Heb “those who.” The participle is in apposition to the phrase “those who called on his name” in the preceding line.
280 sn A pillar of cloud. The psalmist refers to the reality described in Exod 33:9-10; Num 12:5; and Deut 31:15.
281 tn Heb “a God of lifting up [i.e., forgiveness] you were to them, and an avenger concerning their deeds.” The present translation reflects the traditional interpretation, which understands the last line as qualifying the preceding one. God forgave Moses and Aaron, but he also disciplined them when they sinned (cf. NIV, NRSV). Another option is to take “their deeds” as referring to harmful deeds directed against Moses and Aaron. In this case the verse may be translated, “and one who avenged attacks against them.” Still another option is to emend the participial form נֹקֵם (noqem, “an avenger”) to נֹקָם (noqam), a rare Qal participial form of נָקַה (naqah, “purify”) with a suffixed pronoun. In this case one could translate, “and one who purified them from their [sinful] deeds” (cf. NEB “and held them innocent”).
282 tn Or “exalt.”
283 sn Psalm 100. The psalmist celebrates the fact that Israel has a special relationship to God and summons worshipers to praise the Lord for his faithfulness.
284 tn Or “serve.”
285 tn The present translation (like most modern translations) follows the Qere (marginal reading), which reads literally, “and to him [are] we.” The Kethib (consonantal text) has “and not we.” The suffixed preposition לו (“to him”) was confused aurally with the negative particle לא because the two sound identical.
286 tn Or “is forever.”
287 tn Heb “and to a generation and a generation [is] his faithfulness.”
288 sn Psalm 101. The psalmist, who appears to be a king, promises to promote justice in his land and vows to rid his royal court of evildoers.
289 tn Heb “take notice of.”
290 tn Heb “I will walk about in the integrity of my heart in the midst of my house.”
291 tn Heb “I will not set before my eyes a thing of worthlessness.”
292 tn Heb “the doing of swerving [deeds] I hate.” The Hebrew term סֵטִים (setim) is probably an alternate spelling of שֵׂטִים (setim), which appears in many medieval Hebrew
293 tn Heb “it [i.e., the doing of evil deeds] does not cling to me.”
294 tn Heb “a perverse heart will turn aside from me.” The adjective עִקֵּשׁ (’iqqesh) has the basic nuance “twisted; crooked” and by extension refers to someone or something that is morally perverse (see Ps 18:26). It appears frequently in the Book of Proverbs, where it is used of evil people (22:5), speech (8:8; 19:1), thoughts (11:20; 17:20), and life styles (2:15; 28:6).
295 tn Heb “know.” The king will not willingly allow perverse individuals to remain in his royal court.
296 tn Heb “[one who has] pride of eyes and wideness [i.e., arrogance] of heart, him I will not endure.”
297 tn Heb “my eyes [are] on the faithful of the land.”
298 tn The Hebrew text simply reads, “in order to live with me.”
299 tn Heb “one who walks in the way of integrity, he will minister to me.”
300 tn Heb “he will not live in the midst of my house, one who does deceit.”
301 tn Heb “one who speaks lies will not be established before my eyes.”
302 sn Psalm 102. The psalmist laments his oppressed state, but longs for a day when the Lord will restore Jerusalem and vindicate his suffering people.
303 tn Heb “and may my cry for help come to you.”
304 tn Heb “do not hide your face from me in the day of my trouble.” The idiom “to hide the face” can mean “to ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or carry the stronger idea of “to reject” (see Pss 29:7; 30:7; 88:14).
305 tn Heb “turn toward me your ear.”
306 tn Heb “for my days come to an end in smoke.”
307 tn The Hebrew noun מוֹ־קֵד (mo-qed, “fireplace”) occurs only here, in Isa 33:14 (where it refers to the fire itself), and perhaps in Lev 6:2.
308 tn Heb “struck, attacked.”
309 tn Heb “I forget.”
310 sn I am unable to eat food. During his time of mourning, the psalmist refrained from eating. In the following verse he describes metaphorically the physical effects of fasting.
311 tn Heb “from the sound of my groaning my bone[s] stick to my flesh.” The preposition at the beginning of the verse is causal; the phrase “sound of my groaning” is metonymic for the anxiety that causes the groaning. The point seems to be this: Anxiety (which causes the psalmist to groan) keeps him from eating (v. 4). This physical deprivation in turn makes him emaciated – he is turned to “skin and bones,” so to speak.
312 tn The Hebrew term קָאַת (qa’at) refers to some type of bird (see Lev 11:18; Deut 14:17) that was typically found near ruins (see Zeph 2:14). Modern translations have frequently rendered this as some type of owl (NIV, REB “desert owl”; NRSV “owl”).
313 tn The Hebrew term כוֹס (khos) refers to a bird (see Lev 11:17; Deut 14:16), probably a type of owl (cf. NIV, REB “owl”; NRSV “little owl”).
314 sn By comparing himself to a screech owl among the ruins, the psalmist may be highlighting his loneliness (see v. 7), though he may also be comparing his cries for help to the owl’s screech.
315 tn This probably refers to the psalmist’s inability to sleep. Another option is to translate, “I keep watch,” in which case it might refer to watching for a response from the
316 tn Heb “by me they swear.” When the psalmist’s enemies call judgment down on others, they hold the psalmist up as a prime example of what they desire their enemies to become.
317 sn Mourners would sometimes put ashes on their head or roll in ashes as a sign of mourning (see 2 Sam 13:19; Job 2:8; Isa 58:5).
318 tn Heb “weeping.”
319 tn Or “for.”
320 tn Heb “my days [are] like an extended [or “lengthening”] shadow,” that is, like a late afternoon shadow made by the descending sun that will soon be swallowed up by complete darkness.
321 tn Heb “sit” (i.e., sit enthroned, see Ps 9:7). The imperfect verbal form highlights the generalization.
322 tn Heb “and your remembrance [is] for a generation and a generation.”
323 tn The imperfect verbal forms are understood as expressing the psalmist’s confidence in God’s intervention. Another option is to take them as expressing the psalmist’s request or wish, “You, rise up and have compassion!”
324 tn Or “for.”
325 tn The Poel of חָנַן (khanan) occurs only here and in Prov 14:21, where it refers to having compassion on the poor.
326 tn Heb “her dust,” probably referring to the dust of the city’s rubble.
327 tn Heb “will fear the name of the
328 tn The verb “will fear” is understood by ellipsis in the second line (see the preceding line).
329 tn The Hebrew adjective עַרְעָר (’arar, “destitute”) occurs only here in the OT. It is derived from the verbal root ערר (“to strip oneself”).
330 tn Heb “despise.”
331 tn The perfect verbal forms in vv. 16-17 are functioning as future perfects, indicating future actions that will precede the future developments described in v. 15.
332 tn The Hebrew text has simply “this,” referring to the anticipated divine intervention on behalf of Zion (vv. 13, 16-17). The referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
333 tn Heb “from the height of his sanctuary.”
334 tn The perfect verbal forms in v. 19 are functioning as future perfects, indicating future actions that will precede the future developments described in v. 18.
335 tn Heb “the sons of death.” The phrase “sons of death” (see also Ps 79:11) is idiomatic for those condemned to die.
336 tn Heb “his praise.”
337 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
338 tn “and the kingdoms to serve the
339 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).
340 tn Heb “do not lift me up in the middle of my days.”
341 tn Heb “in a generation of generations [are] your years.”
342 tn Heb “stand.”
343 tn The Hebrew verb חָלַף (khalaf) occurs twice in this line, once in the Hiphil (“you will remove them”) and once in the Qal (“they will disappear”). The repetition draws attention to the statement.
344 tn Heb “you [are] he,” or “you [are] the one.” The statement may echo the
345 tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”
346 tn Heb “before you will be established.”
347 sn Psalm 103. The psalmist praises God for his mercy and willingness to forgive his people.
348 tn The verb “praise” is understood by ellipsis in the second line (see the preceding line).
349 tn Or “his benefits” (see 2 Chr 32:25, where the noun is also used of kind deeds performed by the
350 tn This relatively rare noun refers to deadly diseases (see Deut 29:22; Jer 14:18; 16:4; 2 Chr 21:19).
351 tn Or “redeems.”
352 tn The Hebrew term שַׁחַת (shakhat, “pit”) is often used as a title for Sheol (see Pss 16:10; 30:9; 49:9; 55:24.
353 tc Heb “who satisfies with the good of your ornaments.” The text as it stands makes little, if any, sense. The translation assumes an emendation of עֶדְיֵךְ (’ed’ekh, “your ornaments”) to עֹדֵכִי (’odekhiy, “your duration; your continuance”) that is, “your life” (see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 18).
354 sn The expression your youth is renewed like an eagle’s may allude to the phenomenon of molting, whereby the eagle grows new feathers.
355 tn Heb “the
356 tn Heb “made known his ways.” God’s “ways” in this context are his protective and salvific acts in fulfillment of his promise (see also Deut 32:4; Pss 18:30; 67:2; 77:13 [note vv. 11-12, 14]; 138:5; 145:17).
357 tn Heb “slow to anger” (see Ps 86:15).
358 tn Heb “and great of loyal love” (see Ps 86:15).
359 tn The Hebrew verb נָטַר (natar) is usually taken to mean “to keep; to guard,” with “anger” being understood by ellipsis. The idiom “to guard anger” is then understood to mean “to remain angry” (see Lev 19:18; Jer 3:5, 12; Nah 1:2). However, it is possible that this is a homonymic root meaning “to be angry” (see HALOT 695 s.v. נטר).
360 tn Heb “not according to our sins does he do to us.”
361 tn Heb “and not according to our misdeeds does he repay us.”
362 tn For this sense of the verb גָבַר (gavar), see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 17, 19.
363 tn Heb “those who fear him.”
364 tn Heb “sunrise.”
365 tn Or “sunset.”
366 tn The Hebrew term פֶּשַׁע (pesha’, rebellious act”) is here used metonymically for the guilt such actions produce.
367 tn Or “sons,” but the Hebrew term sometimes refers to children in general.
368 tn Heb “those who fear him.”
369 tn Heb “our form.”
370 tn Heb “remembers.”
371 tn Heb “we [are] clay.”
372 tn Heb “[as for] mankind, like grass [are] his days.” The Hebrew noun אֱנוֹשׁ (’enosh) is used here generically of human beings. What is said is true of all mankind.
373 tn Heb “[the] wind.” The word “hot” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
374 tn Heb “but the loyal love of the
375 tn Heb “and his righteousness to sons of sons.”
376 tn Heb “to those who remember his precepts to do them.”
377 tn Heb “his kingdom rules over all.”
378 tn Heb “[you] mighty ones of strength, doers of his word, by listening to the voice of his word.”
379 tn Heb “all his hosts.”
380 tn Heb “his attendants, doers of his desire.”
381 tn Heb “all his works,” which includes mankind.
382 tn Heb “places.”
383 sn Psalm 104. The psalmist praises God as the ruler of the world who sustains all life.
384 tn Heb “very great.”
385 tn Heb “one who lays the beams on water [in] his upper rooms.” The “water” mentioned here corresponds to the “waters above” mentioned in Gen 1:7. For a discussion of the picture envisioned by the psalmist, see L. I. J. Stadelmann, The Hebrew Conception of the World, 44-45.
386 sn Verse 3 may depict the Lord riding a cherub, which is in turn propelled by the wind current. Another option is that the wind is personified as a cherub. See Ps 18:10 and the discussion of ancient Near Eastern parallels to the imagery in M. Weinfeld, “‘Rider of the Clouds’ and ‘Gatherer of the Clouds’,” JANESCU 5 (1973): 422-24.
387 tc Heb “and his attendants a flaming fire.” The lack of agreement between the singular “fire” and plural “attendants” has prompted various emendations. Some read “fire and flame.” The present translation assumes an emendation to “his attendant” (יו in the Hebrew text being virtually dittographic).
388 tc Heb “you covered it.” The masculine suffix is problematic if the grammatically feminine noun “earth” is the antecedent. For this reason some emend the form to a feminine verb with feminine suffix, כִּסַּתָּה (kisattah, “[the watery deep] covered it [i.e., the earth]”), a reading assumed by the present translation.
389 tn Heb “stood.”
390 sn Verse 6 refers to the condition described in Gen 1:2 (note the use of the Hebrew term תְּהוֹם [tÿhom, “watery deep”] in both texts).
391 tn Heb “from your shout they fled, from the sound of your thunder they hurried off.”
392 tn Heb “a boundary you set up, they will not cross, they will not return to cover the earth.”
393 tn Heb “[the] one who sends springs into streams.” Another option is to translate, “he sends streams [i.e., streams that originate from springs] into the valleys” (cf. NIV).
394 tn Heb “among the thick foliage they give a sound.”
395 tn Heb “from his upper rooms.”
396 tn Heb “from the fruit of your works the earth is full.” The translation assumes that “fruit” is literal here. If “fruit” is understood more abstractly as “product; result,” then one could translate, “the earth flourishes as a result of your deeds” (cf. NIV, NRSV, REB).
397 tn Heb “causes the grass to sprout up.”
398 tn Heb “for the service of man” (see Gen 2:5).
399 tn Heb “to cause food to come out from the earth.”
400 tn Heb “and wine [that] makes the heart of man happy.”
401 tn Heb “to make [the] face shine from oil.” The Hebrew verb צָהַל (tsahal, “to shine”) occurs only here in the OT. It appears to be an alternate form of צָהַר (tsahar), a derivative from צָהָרִים (tsaharim, “noon”).
402 tn Heb “and food [that] sustains the heart of man.”
403 sn The trees of the
404 tn Heb “are satisfied,” which means here that they receive abundant rain (see v. 13).
405 tn Heb “[the] heron [in the] evergreens [is] its home.”
406 tn Heb “the high mountains [are] for the goats.”
407 tn Heb “he made [the] moon for appointed times.” The phrase “appointed times” probably refers to the months of the Hebrew lunar calendar.
408 tn Heb more metaphorically, “knows its setting.”
409 tn Heb “you make darkness, so that it might be night.”
410 sn The lions’ roaring is viewed as a request for food from God.
411 tn Heb “lie down.”
412 tn Heb “man goes out to his work, and to his labor until evening.”
413 tn Heb “How many [are] your works, O
414 tn Heb “all of them with wisdom you have made.”
415 tn Heb “this [is] the sea, great and broad of hands [i.e., “sides” or “shores”].”
416 tn Heb “where [there are] swimming things, and without number.”
417 tn Heb “[and] this Leviathan, [which] you formed to play in it.” Elsewhere Leviathan is a multiheaded sea monster that symbolizes forces hostile to God (see Ps 74:14; Isa 27:1), but here it appears to be an actual marine creature created by God, probably some type of whale.
418 tn Heb “All of them.” The pronoun “them” refers not just to the sea creatures mentioned in vv. 25-26, but to all living things (see v. 24). This has been specified in the translation as “all of your creatures” for clarity.
419 tn Heb “to give their food in its time.”
420 tn Heb “they are satisfied [with] good.”
421 tn Heb “you hide your face, they are terrified.”
422 tn Heb “be forever.”
423 tn Or “rejoice in his works.”
424 tn Heb “in my duration.”
425 tn That is, the psalmist’s thoughts as expressed in his songs of praise.
426 tn Or “be destroyed.”
427 sn Psalm 105. The psalmist summons Israel to praise God because he delivered his people from Egypt in fulfillment of his covenantal promises to Abraham. A parallel version of vv. 1-15 appears in 1 Chr 16:8-22.
428 tn Heb “and the judgments of his mouth.”
429 tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”
430 tc Some
431 tn Heb “his”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
432 tn Heb “sons.”
433 tn Heb “his”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
434 tn Heb “in all the earth [are] his judgments.”
435 tn Heb “[the] word he commanded.” The text refers here to God’s unconditional covenantal promise to Abraham and the patriarchs, as vv. 10-12 make clear.
436 tn Heb “which.”
437 tn Or “eternal covenant.”
438 tn Heb “and from a kingdom to another nation.”
439 tn The word “saying” is supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
440 tn Heb “anointed.”
441 tn Heb “and every staff of food he broke.” The psalmist refers to the famine that occurred in Joseph’s time (see v. 17 and Gen 41:53-57).
442 tn After the reference to the famine in v. 16, v. 17 flashes back to events that preceded the famine (see Gen 37).
443 tn Heb “they afflicted his feet with shackles.”
444 tn Heb “his neck came [into] iron.” The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) with the suffix could mean simply “he” or “his life.” But the nuance “neck” makes good sense here (note the reference to his “feet” in the preceding line). See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 38.
445 tn Heb “word,” probably referring to Joseph’s prediction about the fate of Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker (see Gen 41:9-14).
446 tn This line may refer to Joseph’s prediction of the famine in response to Pharaoh’s dream. Joseph emphasized to Pharaoh that the interpretation of the dream came from God (see Gen 41:16, 25, 28, 32, 39).
447 tn Heb “refined him.”
448 tn Heb “[the] king sent and set him free.”
449 tn Heb “he made him master of his house.”
450 tn Heb “to bind his officials by his will.”
451 tn Heb “and his elders he taught wisdom.”
452 tn Heb “entered.”
453 tn Heb “lived as a resident alien.”
454 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the
455 tn Heb “him,” referring to “his people.”
456 tn Heb “his,” referring to “his people.”
457 tn Heb “their heart.”
458 tn Or “to deal deceptively.” The Hitpael of נָכַל (nakhal) occurs only here and in Gen 37:18, where it is used of Joseph’s brothers “plotting” to kill him.
459 tn Apparently the pronoun refers to “his servants” (i.e., the Israelites, see v. 25).
460 tn Heb “he sent darkness and made it dark.”
461 tn Heb “they did not rebel against his words.” Apparently this refers to Moses and Aaron, who obediently carried out God’s orders.
462 tn Heb “he spoke and flies came.”
463 tn Heb “he gave their rains hail.”
464 tn Heb “fire of flames [was] in their land.”
465 tn Heb “he spoke and locusts came.”
466 tn Heb “the fruit of their ground.”
467 tn Heb “the beginning of all their strength,” that is, reproductive power (see Ps 78:51).
468 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the
469 tn The word “enriched” is supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
470 tn Heb “for fear of them had fallen upon them.”
471 tn Or “curtain.”
472 tn Heb “he [i.e., his people] asked.” The singular form should probably be emended to a plural שָׁאֲלוּ (sha’alu, “they asked”), the vav (ו) having fallen off by haplography (note the vav at the beginning of the following form).
473 tn Or “bread of heaven.” The reference is to manna (see Exod 16:4, 13-15).
474 tn Or “for.”
475 tn Heb “his holy word.”
476 tn Heb “and he led his people out with joy, with a ringing cry, his chosen ones.”
477 tn Heb “and the [product of the] work of peoples they possessed.”
478 tn Heb “guard.”
479 sn Psalm 106. The psalmist recalls Israel’s long history of rebellion against God, despite his mighty saving deeds on their behalf.
480 tn Heb “for forever [is] his loyal love.”
481 tn Heb “[or] cause to be heard all his praise.”
482 tn Heb “good.”
483 tn Heb “in order that [I may] rejoice with the rejoicing of your nation.”
484 tn Heb “with your inheritance.”
485 tn Heb “with.”
486 tn Heb “fathers” (also in v. 7).
487 tn Heb “Reed Sea” (also in vv. 9, 22). “Reed Sea” (or “Sea of Reeds”) is a more accurate rendering of the Hebrew expression יָם סוּף (yam suf), traditionally translated “Red Sea.” See the note on the term “Red Sea” in Exod 13:18.
488 tn Heb “his name,” which here stands metonymically for God’s reputation.
489 tn Or “rebuked.”
490 tn Heb “hand.”
491 tn Or “redeemed.”
492 tn Heb “hand.”
493 tn Heb “remained.”
494 tn Heb “his words.”
495 tn Heb “his works.”
496 tn Heb “his counsel.”
497 sn They had an insatiable craving. This is described in Num 11:4-35.
498 tn Heb “they craved [with] a craving.”
499 tn Heb “they tested God.”
500 tn Heb “and he sent leanness into their being.”
501 tn Or “envied.”
502 tn Heb “the holy one of the
503 tn Or “covered.”
504 tn Or “the assembly of Abiram.”
505 sn Verses 16-18 describe the events of Num 16:1-40.
506 tn Heb “their glory.” According to an ancient Hebrew scribal tradition, the text originally read “his glory” or “my glory.” In Jer 2:11 the
507 tn Heb “forgot.”
508 tn Or “awe-inspiring.”
509 tn Heb “and he said.”
510 tn Heb “if not,” that is, “[and would have] if [Moses] had not.”
511 tn Heb “stood in the gap before him.”
512 tn Heb “to turn back his anger from destroying.”
513 tn Heb “a land of delight” (see also Jer 3:19; Zech 7:14).
514 tn Heb “his word.”
515 sn They grumbled in their tents. See Deut 1:27.
516 tn Heb “did not listen to the voice of.”
517 tn Heb “and he lifted his hand to [or “concerning”] them.” The idiom “to lift a hand” here refers to swearing an oath. One would sometimes solemnly lift one’s hand when making such a vow (see Ezek 20:5-6, 15).
518 tn Heb “to cause them to fall.”
519 tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”
520 tn Heb “and to cause their offspring to fall.” Some emend the verb to “scatter” to form tighter parallelism with the following line (cf. NRSV “disperse”).
521 tn Heb “among the lands.” The word “foreign” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
522 tn Heb “joined themselves to.”
523 tn Here “the dead” may refer to deceased ancestors (see Deut 26:14). Another option is to understand the term as a derogatory reference to the various deities which the Israelites worshiped at Peor along with Baal (see Num 25:2 and L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 49).
524 tn Heb “They made angry [him].” The pronominal suffix is omitted here, but does appear in a few medieval Hebrew
525 sn The intervention of Phinehas is recounted in Num 25:7-8.
526 tn Heb “and it was reckoned to him for righteousness, to a generation and a generation forever.” The verb חָשַׁב (khashav, “to reckon”) is collocated with צְדָקָה (tsÿdaqah, “righteousness”) only in Ps 106:31 and Gen 15:6, where God rewards Abram’s faith with a land grant.
527 tn Heb “there was harm to Moses.”
528 tn The Hebrew text vocalizes the form as הִמְרוּ (himru), a Hiphil from מָרָה (marah, “to behave rebelliously”), but the verb fits better with the object (“his spirit”) if it is revocalized as הֵמֵרוּ (hemeru), a Hiphil from מָרַר (marar, “to be bitter”). The Israelites “embittered” Moses’ “spirit” in the sense that they aroused his temper with their complaints.
529 tn Heb “his spirit.”
530 tn The Hebrew text adds “with his lips,” but this has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
531 tn That is, the nations of Canaan.
532 tn Heb “their deeds.”
533 tn Or “served.”
534 sn Became a snare. See Exod 23:33; Judg 2:3.
535 tn The Hebrew term שֵׁדִים (shedim, “demons”) occurs only here and in Deut 32:17. Some type of lesser deity is probably in view.
536 sn Num 35:33-34 explains that bloodshed defiles a land.
537 tn Heb “and they committed adultery in their actions.” This means that they were unfaithful to the
538 tn Heb “the anger of the
539 tn Heb “his inheritance.”
540 tn Heb “gave them into the hand of.”
541 tn Heb “they were subdued under their hand.”
542 tn The prefixed verbal form is either preterite or imperfect, in which case it is customary, describing repeated action in past time (“he would deliver”).
543 tn Heb “but they rebelled in their counsel.” The prefixed verbal form is either preterite or imperfect, in which case it is customary, describing repeated action in past time (“they would have a rebellious attitude”).
544 tn Heb “they sank down.” The Hebrew verb מָכַךְ (makhakh, “to lower; to sink”) occurs only here in the Qal.
545 tn The Niphal of נָחַם (nakham) refers here to God relenting from a punishment already underway.
546 tn Or “captors.”
547 tn Heb “to give thanks.” The infinitive construct indicates result after the imperative.
548 tn Heb “to boast in your praise.”
549 tn Heb “[be] blessed.” See Pss 18:46; 28:6; 31:21.
550 tn Heb “from everlasting to everlasting.”
551 tn Heb “surely” (אָמֵן, ’amen), traditionally transliterated “amen.”
552 sn The final verse (v. 48) is a conclusion to this fourth “book” (or major editorial division) of the Psalter. Similar statements appear at or near the end of each of the first, second and third “books” of the Psalter (see Pss 41:13; 72:18-19; 89:52, respectively).
553 sn Psalm 107. The psalmist praises God for his kindness to his exiled people.
554 tn Heb “for forever [is] his loyal love.”
555 tn Or “let the redeemed of the
556 tn Or “redeemed.”
557 tn Heb “hand.”
558 tn Heb “from lands.” The word “foreign” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
559 tn Heb “and their soul in them fainted.”
560 sn A level road. See Jer 31:9.
561 tn Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.”
562 tn Heb “[the] longing throat.” The noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh), which frequently refers to one’s very being or soul, here probably refers to one’s parched “throat” (note the parallelism with נֶפֱשׁ רְעֵבָה, nefesh rÿ’evah, “hungry throat”).
563 tn Heb “and [the] hungry throat he has filled [with] good.”
564 tn Heb “those who sat in darkness and deep darkness.” Synonyms are joined here to emphasize the degree of “darkness” experienced by the exiles. The Hebrew term צַלְמָוֶת (tsalmavet, “deep darkness”) has traditionally been understood as a compound noun, meaning “shadow of death” (צֵל + מָוֶת [tsel + mavet]; see BDB 853 s.v. צַלְמָוֶת; cf. NASB). Other authorities prefer to vocalize the form צַלְמוּת (tsalmut) and understand it as an abstract noun (from the root צלם) meaning “darkness.” An examination of the word’s usage favors the latter derivation. It is frequently associated with darkness/night and contrasted with light/morning (see Job 3:5; 10:21-22; 12:22; 24:17; 28:3; 34:22; Ps 107:10, 14; Isa 9:1; Jer 13:16; Amos 5:8). In some cases the darkness described is associated with the realm of death (Job 10:21-22; 38:17), but this is a metaphorical application of the word and does not reflect its inherent meaning. In Ps 107:10 the word refers metonymically to a dungeon, which in turn metaphorically depicts the place of Israel’s exile (see vv. 2-3).
565 tn Heb “those bound in suffering and iron.” “Suffering and iron” is a hendiadys (like English “good and angry”), where both words contribute to one idea. In this case the first word characterizes the second; the iron (chains) contribute to the prisoners’ pain and suffering.
566 tn Heb “the words of God.”
567 tn Heb “the counsel of the Most High.”
568 tn Heb “and he subdued with suffering their heart.”
569 tn Heb “darkness and deep darkness.” See the note on the word “darkness” in v. 10.
570 tn Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.” See v. 8.
571 sn The language of v. 16 recalls Isa 45:2.
572 tn Heb “fools [they were] because of the way of their rebellion.”
573 tn Heb “all food their appetite loathed.”
574 tn Heb “he sent his word.” This probably refers to an oracle of assurance which announced his intention to intervene (see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 59).
575 tn Heb “he rescued from their traps.” The Hebrew word שְׁחִית (shekhit, “trap”) occurs only here and in Lam 4:20, where it refers to a trap or pit in which one is captured. Because of the rarity of the term and the absence of an object with the verb “rescued,” some prefer to emend the text of Ps 107:20, reading מִשַׁחַת חַיָּתָם (mishakhat khayyatam, “[he rescued] their lives from the pit”). Note also NIV “from the grave,” which interprets the “pit” as Sheol or the grave.
576 tn Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.” See v. 8.
577 tn Heb “and let them proclaim his works with a ringing cry.”
578 sn Verses 23-30, which depict the Lord rescuing sailors from a storm at sea, do not seem to describe the exiles’ situation, unless the word picture is metaphorical. Perhaps the psalmist here broadens his scope and offers an example of God’s kindness to the needy beyond the covenant community.
579 tn Heb “those going down [into].”
580 tn Heb “doers of work on the mighty waters.”
581 tn Heb “he spoke and caused to stand a stormy wind.”
582 tn Heb “and it stirred up its [i.e., the sea’s, see v. 23] waves.”
583 tn That is, the waves (see v. 25).
584 tn Heb “their being”; traditionally “their soul” (referring to that of the sailors). This is sometimes translated “courage” (cf. NIV, NRSV).
585 tn Or “melted.”
586 tn Heb “from danger.”
587 tn Only here does the Hebrew verb חָגַג (khagag; normally meaning “to celebrate”) carry the nuance “to sway.”
588 tn The Hitpael of בָלַע (vala’) occurs only here in the OT. Traditionally the form is derived from the verbal root בלע (“to swallow”), but HALOT 135 s.v. III בלע understands a homonym here with the meaning “to be confused.”
589 tn Heb “he raised [the] storm to calm.”
590 tn Heb “their waves.” The antecedent of the third masculine plural pronominal suffix is not readily apparent, unless it refers back to “waters” in v. 23.
591 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the sailors) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
592 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the waves) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
593 tn The Hebrew noun occurs only here in the OT.
594 tn Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.” See v. 8.
595 tn Heb “in the seat of the elders.”
596 tn The verbal form appears to be a preterite, which is most naturally taken as narrational. (The use of prefixed forms with vav [ו] consecutive in vv. 36-37 favor this.) The psalmist may return to the theme of God’s intervention for the exiles (see vv. 4-22, especially vv. 4-9). However, many regard vv. 33-41 as a hymnic description which generalizes about God’s activities among men. In this case it would be preferable to use the English present tense throughout (cf. NEB, NRSV).
597 tn Heb “a salty land.”
598 tn The words “As for his people” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity. The psalmist contrasts God’s judgment on his enemies with his blessing of his people. See the note on the word “enemies” in v. 39 for further discussion.
599 tn The verbal form appears to be a preterite, which is most naturally taken as narrational. See the note on the word “turned” in v. 33.
600 tn Heb “sowed seed in.”
601 tn Heb “fruit [as] produce.”
602 tn “Bless” here carries the nuance “endue with sexual potency, make fertile.” See Gen 1:28, where the statement “he blessed them” directly precedes the command “be fruitful and populate the earth” (see also 1:22). The verb “bless” carries this same nuance in Gen 17:16 (where God’s blessing of Sarai imparts to her the capacity to bear a child); 48:16 (where God’s blessing of Joseph’s sons is closely associated with their having numerous descendants); and Deut 7:13 (where God’s blessing is associated with fertility in general, including numerous descendants). See also Gen 49:25 (where Jacob uses the noun derivative in referring to “blessings of the breast and womb,” an obvious reference to fertility) and Gen 27:27 (where the verb is used of a field to which God has given the capacity to produce vegetation).
603 tn The verbal form in this line appears to be an imperfect, which may be taken as customary (drawing attention to typical action in a past time frame) or as generalizing (in which case one should use the English present tense, understanding a move from narrative to present reality).
604 tn The words “As for their enemies” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity. Without such clarification, one might think that v. 39 refers to those just mentioned in v. 38 as objects of divine blessing, which would contradict the point just emphasized by the psalmist. The structure of vv. 33-42 is paneled (A-B-A-B). In vv. 33-34 the psalmist describes God’s judgment upon his enemies (perhaps those who had enslaved his people). In vv. 35-38 he contrasts this judgment with the divine blessing poured out on God’s people. (See the note on the word “people” in v. 35.) In vv. 39-40 he contrasts this blessing with the judgment experienced by enemies, before returning in vv. 41-42 to the blessing experienced by God’s people.
605 tn Heb “from the oppression of calamity.”
606 tn The active participle is understood as past durative here, drawing attention to typical action in a past time frame. However, it could be taken as generalizing (in which case one should translate using the English present tense), in which case the psalmist moves from narrative to present reality. Perhaps the participial form appears because the statement is lifted from Job 12:21.
607 tn Heb “set on high.”
608 tn Heb “all evil,” which stands metonymically for those who do evil.
609 sn Psalm 108. With some minor variations, this psalm is a composite of Ps 57:7-11 (see vv. 1-5) and Ps 60:5-12 (see vv. 6-13).
610 tn Or perhaps “confident”; Heb “my heart is steadfast.” The “heart” is viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s volition and/or emotions.
611 tn Heb “also my glory,” but this makes little sense in the context. Some view the term כָּבוֹד (“glory”) here 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 (kÿvodiy, “my liver”). Like the heart, the liver is viewed as the seat of one’s emotions. See also Pss 16:9; 30:12; 57:9; as well as H. W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament, 64, and M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 3:93. 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.”
612 tn BDB 1007 s.v. שַׁחַר takes “dawn” as an adverbial accusative, though others understand it as a personified direct object. “Dawn” is used metaphorically for the time of deliverance and vindication the psalmist anticipates. When salvation “dawns,” the psalmist will “wake up” in praise.
613 tn Or “the peoples.”
614 tn Heb “for great upon the sky [or “heavens”] [is] your loyal love.”
615 tn Or “be exalted.”
616 tn Heb “over all the earth [be] your splendor.” Though no verb appears, the tone of the statement is a prayer or wish. (Note the imperative form in the preceding line.)
617 tn Heb “right hand.”
618 tn Or “may be rescued.” The lines are actually reversed in the Hebrew text: “So that the ones you love may be rescued, deliver by your power and answer me.”
619 tn Heb “in his holy place.”
620 sn Shechem stands for the territory west of the Jordan River; the valley of Succoth represents the region east of the Jordan.
621 tn Gilead was located east of the Jordan River. Half of the tribe of Manasseh lived east of the Jordan in the region of Bashan.
622 tn Heb “the protection of my head.”
623 sn Judah, like Ephraim, was the other major tribe west of the Jordan River. The Davidic king, symbolized here by the royal scepter, came from this tribe.
624 sn The metaphor of the wash basin, used to rinse one’s hands and feet, suggests that Moab, in contrast to Israel’s elevated position (vv. 7-8), would be reduced to the status of a servant.
625 tn Heb “over Edom I will throw my sandal.” The point of the metaphor is not entirely clear. Some interpret this as idiomatic for “taking possession of.” Others translate עַל (’al) as “to” and understand this as referring to a master throwing his dirty sandal to a servant so that the latter might dust it off.
626 sn The psalmist speaks again and acknowledges his need for help in battle. He hopes God will volunteer, based on the affirmation of sovereignty over Edom in v. 9, but he is also aware that God has seemingly rejected the nation of Israel (v. 11).
627 tn Heb “and futile [is] the deliverance of man.”
628 tn Heb “in God we will accomplish strength.” The statement refers here to military success (see Num 24:18; 1 Sam 14:48; Pss 60:12; 118:16-16).
629 sn On the expression trample down our enemies see Ps 44:5.
630 sn Psalm 109. Appealing to God’s justice, the psalmist asks God to vindicate him and to bring severe judgment down upon his enemies.
631 tn Heb “do not be deaf.”
632 tn Heb “for a mouth of evil and a mouth of deceit against me they open, they speak with me [with] a tongue of falsehood.”
633 tn Heb “and [with] words of hatred they surround me.”
634 tn Heb “in place of my love they oppose me.”
635 tn Heb “and I, prayer.”
636 tn Heb “and they set upon me evil in place of good.”
637 sn In vv. 6-19 the psalmist calls on God to judge his enemies severely. Some attribute this curse-list to the psalmist’s enemies rather than the psalmist. In this case one should paraphrase v. 6: “They say about me, ‘Appoint an evil man, etc.’” Those supporting this line of interpretation point out that vv. 2-5 and 20 refer to the enemies’ attack on the psalmist being a verbal one. Furthermore in vv. 1-5, 20 the psalmist speaks of his enemies in the plural, while vv. 6-19 refer to an individual. This use of the singular in vv. 6-19 could be readily explained if this is the psalmist’s enemies’ curse on him. However, it is much more natural to understand vv. 6-19 as the psalmist’s prayer against his enemies. There is no introductory quotation formula in v. 6 to indicate that the psalmist is quoting anyone, and the statement “may the
638 tn Heb “appoint against him an evil [man].”
639 tn The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive here (note the imperative in the preceding line).
640 tn The prefixed verbal form could be taken as a jussive, but the use of the imperfect form in the following line suggests that v. 7 anticipates the outcome of the accusation envisioned in v. 6.
641 tn Heb “he will go out [as] a criminal” (that is, guilty).
642 tn The prefixed verbal forms (except those with vav [ו] consecutive) in vv. 8-20 are taken as jussives of prayer. Note the distinct jussive forms used in vv. 12-13, 15, 19.
643 tn The Hebrew noun פְּקֻדָּה (pÿquddah) can mean “charge” or “office,” though BDB 824 s.v. suggests that here it refers to his possessions.
644 tn Or “sons.”
645 tn Or “sons.”
646 tn Heb “and roaming, may his children roam and beg, and seek from their ruins.” Some, following the LXX, emend the term וְדָרְשׁוּ (vÿdoreshu, “and seek”) to יְגֹרְשׁוּ (yÿgoreshu; a Pual jussive, “may they be driven away” [see Job 30:5; cf. NIV, NRSV]), but דָּרַשׁ (darash) nicely parallels שִׁאֵלוּ (shi’elu, “and beg”) in the preceding line.
647 tn Heb “lay snares for” (see Ps 38:12).
648 tn Heb “the product of his labor.”
649 tn Heb “may there not be for him one who extends loyal love.”
650 tn Perhaps this refers to being generous (see Ps 37:21).
651 tn Or “offspring.”
652 sn On the expression cut off see Ps 37:28.
653 tn Heb “in another generation may their name be wiped out.”
654 tn Or “fathers’ sins.”
655 tn Heb “not be wiped out.”
656 tn Heb “may they [that is, the sins mentioned in v. 14] be before the
657 tn Heb “their memory.” The plural pronominal suffix probably refers back to the children mentioned in v. 13, and for clarity this has been specified in the translation.
658 tn Heb “he did not remember to do loyal love.”
659 tn Heb “and he chased an oppressed and needy man, and one timid of heart to put [him] to death.”
660 sn A curse in OT times consists of a formal appeal to God to bring judgment down upon another. Curses were sometimes justified (such as the one spoken by the psalmist here in vv. 6-19), but when they were not, the one pronouncing the curse was in danger of bringing the anticipated judgment down upon himself.
661 tn Heb “and he loved a curse and it came [upon] him.” A reference to the evil man experiencing a curse seems premature here, for the psalmist is asking God to bring judgment on his enemies. For this reason some (cf. NIV, NRSV) prefer to repoint the vav (ו) on “it came” as conjunctive and translate the verb as a jussive of prayer (“may it come upon him!”). The prefixed form with vav consecutive in the next line is emended in the same way and translated, “may it be far from him.” However, the psalmist may be indicating that the evil man’s lifestyle has already begun to yield its destructive fruit.
662 tn Heb “and he did not delight in a blessing and it is far from him.”
663 tn Heb “he put on a curse as [if it were] his garment.”
664 tn Heb “and it came like water into his inner being, and like oil into his bones.” This may refer to this individual’s appetite for cursing. For him cursing was as refreshing as drinking water or massaging oneself with oil. Another option is that the destructive effects of a curse are in view. In this case a destructive curse invades his very being, like water or oil. Some who interpret the verse this way prefer to repoint the vav (ו) on “it came” to a conjunctive vav and interpret the prefixed verb as a jussive, “may it come!”
665 tn Heb “may it be for him like a garment one puts on.”
666 tn The Hebrew noun מֵזַח (mezakh, “belt; waistband”) occurs only here in the OT. The form apparently occurs in Isa 23:10 as well, but an emendation is necessary there.
667 tn Heb “[may] this [be] the repayment to my accusers from the
668 tn Or “against.”
669 tn The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being; soul”) with a pronominal suffix is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 4.a).
670 tn Heb “but you,
671 tc The verb in the Hebrew text (חָלַל, khalal) appears to be a Qal form from the root חלל meaning “pierced; wounded.” However, the Qal of this root is otherwise unattested. The translation assumes an emendation to יָחִיל (yakhil), a Qal imperfect from חוּל (khul, “tremble”) or to חֹלַל (kholal), a polal perfect from חוּל (khul). See Ps 55:4, which reads לִבִּי יָחִיל בְּקִרְבִּי (libbiy yakhil bÿqirbbiy, “my heart trembles [i.e., “beats violently”] within me”).
672 tn Heb “like a shadow when it is extended I go.” He is like a late afternoon shadow made by the descending sun that will soon be swallowed up by complete darkness. See Ps 102:11.
673 tn Heb “my knees stagger from fasting.”
674 tn Heb “and my flesh is lean away from fatness [i.e., “lean so as not to be fat”].”
675 tn Heb “as for me, I am a reproach to them.”
676 sn They shake their heads. Apparently shaking the head was a taunting gesture. See also Job 16:4; Ps 22:7; Lam 2:15.
677 tn Heb “deliver me according to your faithfulness.”
678 tn After the preceding imperative, the prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose or result.
679 tn Heb “that your hand [is] this.”
680 tn Another option is to translate the imperfect as a prayer/request (“may you bless”).
681 tn The verbal sequence is perfect + prefixed form with vav (ו) consecutive. Since the psalmist seems to be anticipating the demise of his enemies, he may be using these forms rhetorically to describe the enemies’ defeat as if it were already accomplished. Some emend the text to קָמוּ יֵבֹשׁוּ (qamu yevoshu, “may those who attack me be humiliated”). See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 75.
682 tn Heb “clothed.” Another option is to translate the prefixed verbal forms in this line and the next as jussives (“may my accusers be covered with shame”).
683 tn Heb “I will thank the
684 tn Heb “many.”
685 tn Heb “judge.”
686 sn Psalm 110. In this royal psalm the psalmist announces God’s oracle to the Davidic king. The first part of the oracle appears in v. 1, the second in v. 4. In vv. 2-3 the psalmist addresses the king, while in vv. 5-7 he appears to address God.
687 tn The word נְאֻם (nÿ’um) is used frequently in the OT of a formal divine announcement through a prophet.
688 sn My lord. In the psalm’s original context the speaker is an unidentified prophetic voice in the royal court. In the course of time the psalm is applied to each successive king in the dynasty and ultimately to the ideal Davidic king. NT references to the psalm understand David to be speaking about his “lord,” the Messiah. (See Matt 22:43-45; Mark 12:36-37; Luke 20:42-44; Acts 2:34-35).
689 tn To sit at the “right hand” of the king was an honor (see 1 Kgs 2:19). In Ugaritic myth (CTA 4 v. 108-10) the artisan god Kothar-and Khasis is described as sitting at the right hand of the storm god Baal. See G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 61-62.
690 sn When the Lord made his covenant with David, he promised to subdue the king’s enemies (see 2 Sam 7:9-11; Ps 89:22-23).
691 tn Since the
692 tn The prefixed verbal form is understood here as descriptive-dramatic or as generalizing, though it could be taken as future.
693 tn Heb “your strong scepter,” symbolic of the king’s royal authority and dominion.
694 tn Heb “your people, free will offerings.” Perhaps the people, in their willingness to volunteer, are compared metaphorically to freewill offerings. Following the LXX, some revocalize the text and read “with you is nobility.”
695 tn Heb “in the day of your power.”
696 tc Heb “in splendor of holiness.” The plural construct form הַדְרֵי (hadrey, from הָדַר, hadar, “splendor”) occurs only here; it may indicate degree or perhaps refer by metonymy to garments (see Pss 29:2 and 96:9, where the phrase הַדְרַת קֹדֶשׁ [hadrat qodesh] refers to “holy attire”). If one retains the reading of the MT, this phrase should probably be taken with the preceding line. However, because of the subsequent references to “dawn” and to “dew,” it is better to emend the text to הַרְרֵי קֹדֶשׁ (harrey qodesh, “mountains of holiness”), a reading found in many medieval Hebrew
697 tn Heb “from the womb of dawn.” The Hebrew noun רֶחֶם (rekhem, “womb”) is probably used here metonymically for “birth.” The form מִשְׁחָר (mishkhar) occurs only here and should be emended to שַׁחַר (shakhar, “dawn”) with the mem (מ) being understood as dittographic (note the final mem [ם] on the preceding word). The phrase “womb [i.e., “birth”] of dawn” refers to sunrise.
698 sn The point of the metaphor is not entirely clear. The dew may symbolize the king’s youthful vitality or, more likely (note the parallelism), may refer to his army of strong, youthful warriors.
699 tn Heb “to you [is].”
700 tn Or “swears, vows.”
701 tn Or “will not change his mind.” The negated Niphal imperfect of נָחַם (nakham) is a way of marking an announcement as an irrevocable decree. See 1 Sam 15:29; Ezek 24:14, as well as R. B. Chisholm, “Does God ‘Change His Mind’?” BSac 152 (1995): 387-99.
702 sn You are an eternal priest. The Davidic king exercised a non-Levitical priestly role. The king superintended Judah’s cultic ritual, had authority over the Levites, and sometimes led in formal worship. David himself instructed the Levites to bring the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem (1 Chr 15:11-15), joined the procession, offered sacrifices, wore a priestly ephod, and blessed the people (2 Sam 6:12-19). At the dedication of the temple Solomon led the ceremony, offering sacrifices and praying on behalf of the people (1 Kgs 8).
703 tn The phrase עַל־דִּבְרָתִי (’al-divratiy) is a variant of עַל־דִּבְרָת (’al-divrat; the final yod [י] being an archaic genitival ending), which in turn is a variant of עַל דָּבַר (’al davar). Both phrases can mean “concerning” or “because of,” but neither of these nuances fits the use of עַל־דִּבְרָתִי in Ps 110:4. Here the phrase probably carries the sense “according to the manner of.” See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 81.
704 sn The Davidic king’s priestly role is analogous to that of Melchizedek, who was both “king of Salem” (i.e., Jerusalem) and a “priest of God Most High” in the time of Abraham (Gen 14:18-20). Like Melchizedek, the Davidic king was a royal priest, distinct from the Aaronic line (see Heb 7). The analogy focuses on the king’s priestly role; the language need not imply that Melchizedek himself was “an eternal priest.”
705 tn As pointed in the Hebrew text, this title refers to God (many medieval Hebrew
706 tn The perfect verbal forms in vv. 5-6 are understood here as descriptive-dramatic or as generalizing. Another option is to take them as rhetorical. In this case the psalmist describes anticipated events as if they had already taken place.
707 tn Heb “in the day of his anger.”
708 tn The imperfect verbal forms in vv. 6-7 are understood here as descriptive-dramatic or as generalizing, though they could be taken as future.
709 tn Or “among.”
710 tn Heb “he fills [with] corpses,” but one expects a double accusative here. The translation assumes an emendation to גְוִיּוֹת גֵאָיוֹת(בִּ) מִלֵּא or מִלֵּא גֵאָיוֹת גְּוִיוֹת (for a similar construction see Ezek 32:5). In the former case גֵאָיוֹת(ge’ayot) has accidentally dropped from the text due to homoioteleuton; in the latter case it has dropped out due to homoioarcton.
711 tn Heb “he strikes [the verb is מָחַץ (makhats), translated “strikes down” in v. 5] head[s] over a great land.” The Hebrew term רַבָּה (rabbah, “great”) is here used of distance or spatial measurement (see 1 Sam 26:13).
712 tn Here the expression “lifts up the head” refers to the renewed physical strength and emotional vigor (see Ps 3:3) provided by the refreshing water. For another example of a victorious warrior being energized by water in the aftermath of battle, see Judg 15:18-19 (see also 1 Sam 30:11-12, where the setting is different, however).