Psalms 97:8

97:8 Zion hears and rejoices,

the towns ¹  of Judah are happy,

because of your judgments, O Lord.

Psalms 99:2-3

99:2 The Lord is elevated ²  in Zion;

he is exalted over all the nations.

99:3 Let them praise your great and awesome name!

He ³  is holy!

Psalms 147:12-14

147:12 Extol the Lord, O Jerusalem!

Praise your God, O Zion!

147:13 For he makes the bars of your gates strong.

He blesses your children ⁴  within you.

147:14 He ⁵  brings peace to your territory. ⁶ 

He abundantly provides for you ⁷  the best grain.

Psalms 148:14

148:14 He has made his people victorious, ⁸ 

and given all his loyal followers reason to praise –

the Israelites, the people who are close to him. ⁹ 

Praise the Lord!

[97:8]  ¹ tn Heb “daughters.” The term “daughters” refers to the cities of Judah surrounding Zion (see Ps 48:11 and H. Haag, TDOT 2:336).

[99:2]  ² tn Heb “great.”

[99:3]  ³ tn The pronoun refers to the Lord himself (see vv. 5, 9).

[147:13]  ⁴ tn Heb “your sons.”

[147:14]  ⁵ tn Heb “the one who.”

[147:14]  ⁶ tn Heb “he makes your boundary peace.”

[147:14]  ⁷ tn Heb “satisfies you with.”

[148:14]  ⁸ 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 Lord gives his people military victory.

[148:14]  ⁹ 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.