Discovery BoxPsalms 107:23-32
Context107:23 1 Some traveled on 2 the sea in ships,
and carried cargo over the vast waters. 3
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, 4
and it stirred up the waves of the sea. 5
107:26 They 6 reached up to the sky,
then dropped into the depths.
The sailors’ strength 7 left them 8 because the danger was so great. 9
107:27 They swayed 10 and staggered like a drunk,
and all their skill proved ineffective. 11
107:28 They cried out to the Lord in their distress;
he delivered them from their troubles.
107:29 He calmed the storm, 12
and the waves 13 grew silent.
107:30 The sailors 14 rejoiced because the waves 15 grew quiet,
and he led them to the harbor 16 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! 17
107:32 Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people!
Let them praise him in the place where the leaders preside! 18
Psalms 148:1-14
Context148:1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the sky!
Praise him in the heavens!
148:2 Praise him, all his angels! 20
Praise him, all his heavenly assembly! 21
148:3 Praise him, O sun and moon!
Praise him, all you shiny stars! 22
148:4 Praise him, O highest heaven,
and you waters above the sky! 23
148:5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for he gave the command and they came into existence.
148:6 He established them so they would endure; 24
he issued a decree that will not be revoked. 25
148:7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
you sea creatures and all you ocean depths,
148:8 O fire and hail, snow and clouds, 26
O stormy wind that carries out his orders, 27
148:9 you mountains and all you hills,
you fruit trees and all you cedars,
148:10 you animals and all you cattle,
you creeping things and birds,
148:11 you kings of the earth and all you nations,
you princes and all you leaders 28 on the earth,
148:12 you young men and young women,
you elderly, along with you children!
148:13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
his majesty extends over the earth and sky.
148:14 He has made his people victorious, 29
and given all his loyal followers reason to praise –
the Israelites, the people who are close to him. 30
Praise the Lord!
Psalms 150:6
Context150:6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
[107:23] 1 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.
[107:23] 2 tn Heb “those going down [into].”
[107:23] 3 tn Heb “doers of work on the mighty waters.”
[107:25] 4 tn Heb “he spoke and caused to stand a stormy wind.”
[107:25] 5 tn Heb “and it stirred up its [i.e., the sea’s, see v. 23] waves.”
[107:26] 6 tn That is, the waves (see v. 25).
[107:26] 7 tn Heb “their being”; traditionally “their soul” (referring to that of the sailors). This is sometimes translated “courage” (cf. NIV, NRSV).
[107:26] 9 tn Heb “from danger.”
[107:27] 10 tn Only here does the Hebrew verb חָגַג (khagag; normally meaning “to celebrate”) carry the nuance “to sway.”
[107:27] 11 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.”
[107:29] 12 tn Heb “he raised [the] storm to calm.”
[107:29] 13 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.
[107:30] 14 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the sailors) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[107:30] 15 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the waves) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[107:30] 16 tn The Hebrew noun occurs only here in the OT.
[107:31] 17 tn Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.” See v. 8.
[107:32] 18 tn Heb “in the seat of the elders.”
[148:1] 19 sn Psalm 148. The psalmist calls upon all creation to praise the Lord, for he is the creator and sovereign king of the world.
[148:2] 20 tn Or “heavenly messengers.”
[148:2] 21 tn Heb “all his host.”
[148:3] 22 tn Heb “stars of light.”
[148:4] 23 sn The “water” mentioned here corresponds to the “waters above” mentioned in Gen 1:7. See also Ps 104:3. For a discussion of the picture envisioned by the psalmist, see L. I. J. Stadelmann, The Hebrew Conception of the World, 47.
[148:6] 24 tn Or “forever and ever.”
[148:6] 25 tn Heb “and it will not pass away.”
[148:8] 26 tn In Ps 119:83 the noun refers to “smoke,” but here, where the elements of nature are addressed, the clouds, which resemble smoke, are probably in view.
[148:8] 27 tn Heb “[that] does his word.”
[148:14] 29 tn Heb “and he lifted up a horn for his people.” 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; 89:17, 24; 92:10; Lam 2:17). Another option is to take the “horn” as a symbol for the Davidic king, through whom the
[148:14] 30 tn “[there is] praise for all his loyal followers, to the sons of Israel, the people near him.” Here “praise” stands by metonymy for the victory that prompts it.
