Psalms 1:1--50:23

Book 1
(Psalms 1-41)

Psalm 1 ¹ 

1:1 How blessed ²  is the one ³  who does not follow ⁴  the advice ⁵  of the wicked, ⁶ 

or stand in the pathway ⁷  with sinners,

or sit in the assembly ⁸  of scoffers! ⁹ 

1:2 Instead ¹⁰  he finds pleasure in obeying the Lord’s commands; ¹¹ 

he meditates on ¹²  his commands ¹³  day and night.

1:3 He is like ¹⁴  a tree planted by flowing streams; ¹⁵ 

it ¹⁶  yields ¹⁷  its fruit at the proper time, ¹⁸ 

and its leaves never fall off. ¹⁹ 

He succeeds in everything he attempts. ²⁰ 

1:4 Not so with the wicked!

Instead ²¹  they are like wind-driven chaff. ²² 

1:5 For this reason ²³  the wicked cannot withstand ²⁴  judgment, ²⁵ 

nor can sinners join the assembly of the godly. ²⁶ 

1:6 Certainly ²⁷  the Lord guards the way of the godly, ²⁸ 

but the way of the wicked ends in destruction. ²⁹ 

Psalm 2 ³⁰ 

2:1 Why ³¹  do the nations rebel? ³² 

Why ³³  are the countries ³⁴  devising ³⁵  plots that will fail? ³⁶ 

2:2 The kings of the earth ³⁷  form a united front; ³⁸ 

the rulers collaborate ³⁹ 

against the Lord and his anointed king. ⁴⁰ 

2:3 They say, ⁴¹  “Let’s tear off the shackles they’ve put on us! ⁴² 

Let’s free ourselves from ⁴³  their ropes!”

2:4 The one enthroned ⁴⁴  in heaven laughs in disgust; ⁴⁵ 

the Lord taunts ⁴⁶  them.

2:5 Then he angrily speaks to them

and terrifies them in his rage, ⁴⁷  saying, ⁴⁸ 

2:6 “I myself ⁴⁹  have installed ⁵⁰  my king

on Zion, my holy hill.”

2:7 The king says, ⁵¹  “I will announce the Lord’s decree. He said to me: ⁵² 

‘You are my son! ⁵³  This very day I have become your father!

2:8 Ask me,

and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, ⁵⁴ 

the ends of the earth as your personal property.

2:9 You will break them ⁵⁵  with an iron scepter; ⁵⁶ 

you will smash them like a potter’s jar!’” ⁵⁷ 

2:10 So now, you kings, do what is wise; ⁵⁸ 

you rulers of the earth, submit to correction! ⁵⁹ 

2:11 Serve ⁶⁰  the Lord in fear!

Repent in terror! ⁶¹ 

2:12 Give sincere homage! ⁶² 

Otherwise he ⁶³  will be angry, ⁶⁴ 

and you will die because of your behavior, ⁶⁵ 

when his anger quickly ignites. ⁶⁶ 

How blessed ⁶⁷  are all who take shelter in him! ⁶⁸ 

Psalm 3 ⁶⁹ 

A psalm of David, written when he fled from his son Absalom. ⁷⁰ 

3:1 Lord, how ⁷¹  numerous are my enemies!

Many attack me. ⁷² 

3:2 Many say about me,

“God will not deliver him.” ⁷³  (Selah) ⁷⁴ 

3:3 But you, Lord, are a shield that protects me; ⁷⁵ 

you are my glory ⁷⁶  and the one who restores me. ⁷⁷ 

3:4 To the Lord I cried out, ⁷⁸ 

and he answered me from his holy hill. ⁷⁹  (Selah)

3:5 I rested and slept;

I awoke, ⁸⁰  for the Lord protects ⁸¹  me.

3:6 I am not afraid ⁸²  of the multitude of people ⁸³ 

who attack me from all directions. ⁸⁴ 

3:7 Rise up, ⁸⁵  Lord!

Deliver me, my God!

Yes, ⁸⁶  you will strike ⁸⁷  all my enemies on the jaw;

you will break the teeth ⁸⁸  of the wicked. ⁸⁹ 

3:8 The Lord delivers; ⁹⁰ 

you show favor to your people. ⁹¹  (Selah)

Psalm 4 ⁹² 

For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a psalm of David.

4:1 When I call out, answer me,

O God who vindicates me! ⁹³ 

Though I am hemmed in, you will lead me into a wide, open place. ⁹⁴ 

Have mercy on me ⁹⁵  and respond to ⁹⁶  my prayer!

4:2 You men, ⁹⁷  how long will you try to turn my honor into shame? ⁹⁸ 

How long ⁹⁹  will you love what is worthless ¹⁰⁰ 

and search for what is deceptive? ¹⁰¹  (Selah)

4:3 Realize that ¹⁰²  the Lord shows the godly special favor; ¹⁰³ 

the Lord responds ¹⁰⁴  when I cry out to him.

4:4 Tremble with fear and do not sin! ¹⁰⁵ 

Meditate as you lie in bed, and repent of your ways! ¹⁰⁶  (Selah)

4:5 Offer the prescribed sacrifices ¹⁰⁷ 

and trust in the Lord! ¹⁰⁸ 

4:6 Many say, “Who can show us anything good?”

Smile upon us, Lord! ¹⁰⁹ 

4:7 You make me happier ¹¹⁰ 

than those who have abundant grain and wine. ¹¹¹ 

4:8 I will lie down and sleep peacefully, ¹¹² 

for you, Lord, make me safe and secure. ¹¹³ 

Psalm 5 ¹¹⁴ 

For the music director, to be accompanied by wind instruments; ¹¹⁵  a psalm of David.

5:1 Listen to what I say, ¹¹⁶  Lord!

Carefully consider my complaint! ¹¹⁷ 

5:2 Pay attention to my cry for help,

my king and my God,

for I am praying to you!

5:3 Lord, in the morning ¹¹⁸  you will hear ¹¹⁹  me; ¹²⁰ 

in the morning I will present my case to you ¹²¹  and then wait expectantly for an answer. ¹²² 

5:4 Certainly ¹²³  you are not a God who approves of evil; ¹²⁴ 

evil people ¹²⁵  cannot dwell with you. ¹²⁶ 

5:5 Arrogant people cannot stand in your presence; ¹²⁷ 

you hate ¹²⁸  all who behave wickedly. ¹²⁹ 

5:6 You destroy ¹³⁰  liars; ¹³¹ 

the Lord despises ¹³²  violent and deceitful people. ¹³³ 

5:7 But as for me, ¹³⁴  because of your great faithfulness I will enter your house; ¹³⁵ 

I will bow down toward your holy temple as I worship you. ¹³⁶ 

5:8 Lord, lead me in your righteousness ¹³⁷ 

because of those who wait to ambush me, ¹³⁸ 

remove the obstacles in the way in which you are guiding me! ¹³⁹ 

5:9 For ¹⁴⁰  they do not speak the truth; ¹⁴¹ 

their stomachs are like the place of destruction, ¹⁴² 

their throats like an open grave, ¹⁴³ 

their tongues like a steep slope leading into it. ¹⁴⁴ 

5:10 Condemn them, ¹⁴⁵  O God!

May their own schemes be their downfall! ¹⁴⁶ 

Drive them away ¹⁴⁷  because of their many acts of insurrection, ¹⁴⁸ 

for they have rebelled against you.

5:11 But may all who take shelter ¹⁴⁹  in you be happy! ¹⁵⁰ 

May they continually ¹⁵¹  shout for joy! ¹⁵² 

Shelter them ¹⁵³  so that those who are loyal to you ¹⁵⁴  may rejoice! ¹⁵⁵ 

5:12 Certainly ¹⁵⁶  you reward ¹⁵⁷  the godly, ¹⁵⁸  Lord.

Like a shield you protect ¹⁵⁹  them ¹⁶⁰  in your good favor. ¹⁶¹ 

Psalm 6 ¹⁶² 

For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments, according to the sheminith style; ¹⁶³  a psalm of David.

6:1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger!

Do not discipline me in your raging fury! ¹⁶⁴ 

6:2 Have mercy on me, ¹⁶⁵  Lord, for I am frail!

Heal me, Lord, for my bones are shaking! ¹⁶⁶ 

6:3 I am absolutely terrified, ¹⁶⁷ 

and you, Lord – how long will this continue? ¹⁶⁸ 

6:4 Relent, Lord, rescue me! ¹⁶⁹ 

Deliver me because of your faithfulness! ¹⁷⁰ 

6:5 For no one remembers you in the realm of death, ¹⁷¹ 

In Sheol who gives you thanks? ¹⁷² 

6:6 I am exhausted as I groan;

all night long I drench my bed in tears; ¹⁷³ 

my tears saturate the cushion beneath me. ¹⁷⁴ 

6:7 My eyes ¹⁷⁵  grow dim ¹⁷⁶  from suffering;

they grow weak ¹⁷⁷  because of all my enemies. ¹⁷⁸ 

6:8 Turn back from me, all you who behave wickedly, ¹⁷⁹ 

for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping! ¹⁸⁰ 

6:9 The Lord has heard my appeal for mercy;

the Lord has accepted ¹⁸¹  my prayer.

6:10 May all my enemies be humiliated ¹⁸²  and absolutely terrified! ¹⁸³ 

May they turn back and be suddenly humiliated!

Psalm 7 ¹⁸⁴ 

A musical composition ¹⁸⁵  by David, which he sang to the Lord concerning ¹⁸⁶  a Benjaminite named Cush. ¹⁸⁷ 

7:1 O Lord my God, in you I have taken shelter. ¹⁸⁸ 

Deliver me from all who chase me! Rescue me!

7:2 Otherwise they will rip ¹⁸⁹  me ¹⁹⁰  to shreds like a lion;

they will tear me to bits and no one will be able to rescue me. ¹⁹¹ 

7:3 O Lord my God, if I have done what they say, ¹⁹² 

or am guilty of unjust actions, ¹⁹³ 

7:4 or have wronged my ally, ¹⁹⁴ 

or helped his lawless enemy, ¹⁹⁵ 

7:5 may an enemy relentlessly chase ¹⁹⁶  me ¹⁹⁷  and catch me; ¹⁹⁸ 

may he trample me to death ¹⁹⁹ 

and leave me lying dishonored in the dust. ²⁰⁰  (Selah)

7:6 Stand up angrily, ²⁰¹  Lord!

Rise up with raging fury against my enemies! ²⁰² 

Wake up for my sake and execute the judgment you have decreed for them! ²⁰³ 

7:7 The countries are assembled all around you; ²⁰⁴ 

take once more your rightful place over them! ²⁰⁵ 

7:8 The Lord judges the nations. ²⁰⁶ 

Vindicate me, Lord, because I am innocent, ²⁰⁷ 

because I am blameless, ²⁰⁸  O Exalted One! ²⁰⁹ 

7:9 May the evil deeds of the wicked ²¹⁰  come to an end! ²¹¹ 

But make the innocent ²¹²  secure, ²¹³ 

O righteous God,

you who examine ²¹⁴  inner thoughts and motives! ²¹⁵ 

7:10 The Exalted God is my shield, ²¹⁶ 

the one who delivers the morally upright. ²¹⁷ 

7:11 God is a just judge;

he is angry throughout the day. ²¹⁸ 

7:12 If a person ²¹⁹  does not repent, God sharpens his sword ²²⁰ 

and prepares to shoot his bow. ²²¹ 

7:13 He prepares to use deadly weapons against him; ²²² 

he gets ready to shoot flaming arrows. ²²³ 

7:14 See the one who is pregnant with wickedness,

who conceives destructive plans,

and gives birth to harmful lies – ²²⁴ 

7:15 he digs a pit ²²⁵ 

and then falls into the hole he has made. ²²⁶ 

7:16 He becomes the victim of his own destructive plans ²²⁷ 

and the violence he intended for others falls on his own head. ²²⁸ 

7:17 I will thank the Lord for ²²⁹  his justice;

I will sing praises to the sovereign Lord! ²³⁰ 

Psalm 8 ²³¹ 

For the music director, according to the gittith style; ²³²  a psalm of David.

8:1 O Lord, our Lord, ²³³ 

how magnificent ²³⁴  is your reputation ²³⁵  throughout the earth!

You reveal your majesty in the heavens above! ²³⁶ 

8:2 From the mouths of children and nursing babies

you have ordained praise on account of your adversaries, ²³⁷ 

so that you might put an end to the vindictive enemy. ²³⁸ 

8:3 When I look up at the heavens, which your fingers made,

and see the moon and the stars, which you set in place, ²³⁹ 

8:4 Of what importance is the human race, ²⁴⁰  that you should notice ²⁴¹  them?

Of what importance is mankind, ²⁴²  that you should pay attention to them, ²⁴³ 

8:5 and make them a little less than the heavenly beings? ²⁴⁴ 

You grant mankind ²⁴⁵  honor and majesty; ²⁴⁶ 

8:6 you appoint them to rule over your creation; ²⁴⁷ 

you have placed ²⁴⁸  everything under their authority, ²⁴⁹ 

8:7 including all the sheep and cattle,

as well as the wild animals, ²⁵⁰ 

8:8 the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea

and everything that moves through the currents ²⁵¹  of the seas.

8:9 O Lord, our Lord, ²⁵² 

how magnificent ²⁵³  is your reputation ²⁵⁴  throughout the earth! ²⁵⁵ 

Psalm 9 ²⁵⁶ 

For the music director; according to the alumoth-labben style; ²⁵⁷  a psalm of David.

9:1 I will thank the Lord with all my heart!

I will tell about all your amazing deeds! ²⁵⁸ 

9:2 I will be happy and rejoice in you!

I will sing praises to you, O sovereign One! ²⁵⁹ 

9:3 When my enemies turn back,

they trip and are defeated ²⁶⁰  before you.

9:4 For you defended my just cause; ²⁶¹ 

from your throne you pronounced a just decision. ²⁶² 

9:5 You terrified the nations with your battle cry; ²⁶³ 

you destroyed the wicked; ²⁶⁴ 

you permanently wiped out all memory of them. ²⁶⁵ 

9:6 The enemy’s cities have been reduced to permanent ruins; ²⁶⁶ 

you destroyed their cities; ²⁶⁷ 

all memory of the enemies has perished. ²⁶⁸ 

9:7 But the Lord ²⁶⁹  rules ²⁷⁰  forever;

he reigns in a just manner. ²⁷¹ 

9:8 He judges the world fairly;

he makes just legal decisions for the nations. ²⁷² 

9:9 Consequently ²⁷³  the Lord provides safety for the oppressed; ²⁷⁴ 

he provides safety in times of trouble. ²⁷⁵ 

9:10 Your loyal followers trust in you, ²⁷⁶ 

for you, Lord, do not abandon those who seek your help. ²⁷⁷ 

9:11 Sing praises to the Lord, who rules ²⁷⁸  in Zion!

Tell the nations what he has done! ²⁷⁹ 

9:12 For the one who takes revenge against murderers took notice of the oppressed; ²⁸⁰ 

he did not overlook ²⁸¹  their cry for help ²⁸² 

9:13 when they prayed: ²⁸³ 

“Have mercy on me, ²⁸⁴  Lord!

See how I am oppressed by those who hate me, ²⁸⁵ 

O one who can snatch me away ²⁸⁶  from the gates of death!

9:14 Then I will ²⁸⁷  tell about all your praiseworthy acts; ²⁸⁸ 

in the gates of Daughter Zion ²⁸⁹  I will rejoice because of your deliverance.” ²⁹⁰ 

9:15 The nations fell ²⁹¹  into the pit they had made;

their feet were caught in the net they had hidden. ²⁹² 

9:16 The Lord revealed himself;

he accomplished justice;

the wicked were ensnared by their own actions. ²⁹³  (Higgaion. ²⁹⁴  Selah)

9:17 The wicked are turned back and sent to Sheol; ²⁹⁵ 

this is the destiny of ²⁹⁶  all the nations that ignore ²⁹⁷  God,

9:18 for the needy are not permanently ignored, ²⁹⁸ 

the hopes of the oppressed are not forever dashed. ²⁹⁹ 

9:19 Rise up, Lord! ³⁰⁰ 

Don’t let men be defiant! ³⁰¹ 

May the nations be judged in your presence!

9:20 Terrify them, Lord! ³⁰² 

Let the nations know they are mere mortals! ³⁰³  (Selah)

Psalm 10 ³⁰⁴ 

10:1 Why, Lord, do you stand far off?

Why do you pay no attention during times of trouble? ³⁰⁵ 

10:2 The wicked arrogantly chase the oppressed; ³⁰⁶ 

the oppressed are trapped ³⁰⁷  by the schemes the wicked have dreamed up. ³⁰⁸ 

10:3 Yes, ³⁰⁹  the wicked man ³¹⁰  boasts because he gets what he wants; ³¹¹ 

the one who robs others ³¹²  curses ³¹³  and ³¹⁴  rejects the Lord. ³¹⁵ 

10:4 The wicked man is so arrogant he always thinks,

“God won’t hold me accountable; he doesn’t care.” ³¹⁶ 

10:5 He is secure at all times. ³¹⁷ 

He has no regard for your commands; ³¹⁸ 

he disdains all his enemies. ³¹⁹ 

10:6 He says to himself, ³²⁰ 

“I will never ³²¹  be upended,

because I experience no calamity.” ³²² 

10:7 His mouth is full of curses and deceptive, harmful words; ³²³ 

his tongue injures and destroys. ³²⁴ 

10:8 He waits in ambush near the villages; ³²⁵ 

in hidden places he kills the innocent.

His eyes look for some unfortunate victim. ³²⁶ 

10:9 He lies in ambush in a hidden place, like a lion in a thicket; ³²⁷ 

he lies in ambush, waiting to catch ³²⁸  the oppressed;

he catches the oppressed ³²⁹  by pulling in his net. ³³⁰ 

10:10 His victims are crushed and beaten down;

they are trapped in his sturdy nets. ³³¹ 

10:11 He says to himself, ³³² 

“God overlooks it;

he does not pay attention;

he never notices.” ³³³ 

10:12 Rise up, Lord! ³³⁴ 

O God, strike him down! ³³⁵ 

Do not forget the oppressed!

10:13 Why does the wicked man reject God? ³³⁶ 

He says to himself, ³³⁷  “You ³³⁸  will not hold me accountable.” ³³⁹ 

10:14 You have taken notice, ³⁴⁰ 

for ³⁴¹  you always see ³⁴²  one who inflicts pain and suffering. ³⁴³ 

The unfortunate victim entrusts his cause to you; ³⁴⁴ 

you deliver ³⁴⁵  the fatherless. ³⁴⁶ 

10:15 Break the arm ³⁴⁷  of the wicked and evil man!

Hold him accountable for his wicked deeds, ³⁴⁸ 

which he thought you would not discover. ³⁴⁹ 

10:16 The Lord rules forever! ³⁵⁰ 

The nations are driven out of his land. ³⁵¹ 

10:17 Lord, you have heard ³⁵²  the request ³⁵³  of the oppressed;

you make them feel secure because you listen to their prayer. ³⁵⁴ 

10:18 You defend ³⁵⁵  the fatherless and oppressed, ³⁵⁶ 

so that mere mortals may no longer terrorize them. ³⁵⁷ 

Psalm 11 ³⁵⁸ 

For the music director; by David.

11:1 In the Lord I have taken shelter. ³⁵⁹ 

How can you say to me, ³⁶⁰ 

“Flee to a mountain like a bird! ³⁶¹ 

11:2 For look, the wicked ³⁶²  prepare ³⁶³  their bows, ³⁶⁴ 

they put their arrows on the strings,

to shoot in the darkness ³⁶⁵  at the morally upright. ³⁶⁶ 

11:3 When the foundations ³⁶⁷  are destroyed,

what can the godly ³⁶⁸  accomplish?” ³⁶⁹ 

11:4 The Lord is in his holy temple; ³⁷⁰ 

the Lord’s throne is in heaven. ³⁷¹ 

His eyes ³⁷²  watch; ³⁷³ 

his eyes ³⁷⁴  examine ³⁷⁵  all people. ³⁷⁶ 

11:5 The Lord approves of ³⁷⁷  the godly, ³⁷⁸ 

but he ³⁷⁹  hates ³⁸⁰  the wicked and those who love to do violence. ³⁸¹ 

11:6 May the Lord rain down ³⁸²  burning coals ³⁸³  and brimstone ³⁸⁴  on the wicked!

A whirlwind is what they deserve! ³⁸⁵ 

11:7 Certainly ³⁸⁶  the Lord is just; ³⁸⁷ 

he rewards godly deeds; ³⁸⁸ 

the upright will experience his favor. ³⁸⁹ 

Psalm 12 ³⁹⁰ 

For the music director; according to the sheminith style; ³⁹¹  a psalm of David.

12:1 Deliver, Lord!

For the godly ³⁹²  have disappeared; ³⁹³ 

people of integrity ³⁹⁴  have vanished. ³⁹⁵ 

12:2 People lie to one another; ³⁹⁶ 

they flatter and deceive. ³⁹⁷ 

12:3 May the Lord cut off ³⁹⁸  all flattering lips,

and the tongue that boasts! ³⁹⁹ 

12:4 They say, ⁴⁰⁰  “We speak persuasively; ⁴⁰¹ 

we know how to flatter and boast. ⁴⁰² 

Who is our master?” ⁴⁰³ 

12:5 “Because of the violence done to the oppressed, ⁴⁰⁴ 

because of the painful cries ⁴⁰⁵  of the needy,

I will spring into action,” ⁴⁰⁶  says the Lord.

“I will provide the safety they so desperately desire.” ⁴⁰⁷ 

12:6 The Lord’s words are absolutely reliable. ⁴⁰⁸ 

They are as untainted as silver purified in a furnace on the ground,

where it is thoroughly refined. ⁴⁰⁹ 

12:7 You, Lord, will protect them; ⁴¹⁰ 

you will continually shelter each one from these evil people, ⁴¹¹ 

12:8 for the wicked seem to be everywhere, ⁴¹² 

when people promote evil. ⁴¹³ 

Psalm 13 ⁴¹⁴ 

For the music director; a psalm of David.

13:1 How long, Lord, will you continue to ignore me? ⁴¹⁵ 

How long will you pay no attention to me? ⁴¹⁶ 

13:2 How long must I worry, ⁴¹⁷ 

and suffer in broad daylight? ⁴¹⁸ 

How long will my enemy gloat over me? ⁴¹⁹ 

13:3 Look at me! ⁴²⁰  Answer me, O Lord my God!

Revive me, ⁴²¹  or else I will die! ⁴²² 

13:4 Then ⁴²³  my enemy will say, “I have defeated him!”

Then ⁴²⁴  my foes will rejoice because I am upended.

13:5 But I ⁴²⁵  trust in your faithfulness.

May I rejoice because of your deliverance! ⁴²⁶ 

13:6 I will sing praises ⁴²⁷  to the Lord

when he vindicates me. ⁴²⁸ 

Psalm 14 ⁴²⁹ 

For the music director; by David.

14:1 Fools say to themselves, ⁴³⁰  “There is no God.” ⁴³¹ 

They sin and commit evil deeds; ⁴³² 

none of them does what is right. ⁴³³ 

14:2 The Lord looks down from heaven ⁴³⁴  at the human race, ⁴³⁵ 

to see if there is anyone who is wise ⁴³⁶  and seeks God. ⁴³⁷ 

14:3 Everyone rejects God; ⁴³⁸ 

they are all morally corrupt. ⁴³⁹ 

None of them does what is right, ⁴⁴⁰ 

not even one!

14:4 All those who behave wickedly ⁴⁴¹  do not understand – ⁴⁴² 

those who devour my people as if they were eating bread,

and do not call out to the Lord.

14:5 They are absolutely terrified, ⁴⁴³ 

for God defends the godly. ⁴⁴⁴ 

14:6 You want to humiliate the oppressed, ⁴⁴⁵ 

even though ⁴⁴⁶  the Lord is their ⁴⁴⁷  shelter.

14:7 I wish the deliverance ⁴⁴⁸  of Israel would come from Zion!

When the Lord restores the well-being of his people, ⁴⁴⁹ 

may Jacob rejoice, ⁴⁵⁰ 

may Israel be happy! ⁴⁵¹ 

Psalm 15 ⁴⁵² 

A psalm of David.

15:1 Lord, who may be a guest in your home? ⁴⁵³ 

Who may live on your holy hill? ⁴⁵⁴ 

15:2 Whoever lives a blameless life, ⁴⁵⁵ 

does what is right,

and speaks honestly. ⁴⁵⁶ 

15:3 He ⁴⁵⁷  does not slander, ⁴⁵⁸ 

or do harm to others, ⁴⁵⁹ 

or insult his neighbor. ⁴⁶⁰ 

15:4 He despises a reprobate, ⁴⁶¹ 

but honors the Lord’s loyal followers. ⁴⁶² 

He makes firm commitments and does not renege on his promise. ⁴⁶³ 

15:5 He does not charge interest when he lends his money. ⁴⁶⁴ 

He does not take bribes to testify against the innocent. ⁴⁶⁵ 

The one who lives like this ⁴⁶⁶  will never be upended.

Psalm 16 ⁴⁶⁷ 

A prayer ⁴⁶⁸  of David.

16:1 Protect me, O God, for I have taken shelter in you. ⁴⁶⁹ 

16:2 I say to the Lord, “You are the Lord,

my only source of well-being.” ⁴⁷⁰ 

16:3 As for God’s chosen people who are in the land,

and the leading officials I admired so much ⁴⁷¹  –

16:4 their troubles multiply,

they desire other gods. ⁴⁷² 

I will not pour out drink offerings of blood to their gods, ⁴⁷³ 

nor will I make vows in the name of their gods. ⁴⁷⁴ 

16:5 Lord, you give me stability and prosperity; ⁴⁷⁵ 

you make my future secure. ⁴⁷⁶ 

16:6 It is as if I have been given fertile fields

or received a beautiful tract of land. ⁴⁷⁷ 

16:7 I will praise ⁴⁷⁸  the Lord who ⁴⁷⁹  guides ⁴⁸⁰  me;

yes, during the night I reflect and learn. ⁴⁸¹ 

16:8 I constantly trust in the Lord; ⁴⁸² 

because he is at my right hand, I will not be upended.

16:9 So my heart rejoices

and I am happy; ⁴⁸³ 

My life is safe. ⁴⁸⁴ 

16:10 You will not abandon me ⁴⁸⁵  to Sheol; ⁴⁸⁶ 

you will not allow your faithful follower ⁴⁸⁷  to see ⁴⁸⁸  the Pit. ⁴⁸⁹ 

16:11 You lead me in ⁴⁹⁰  the path of life; ⁴⁹¹ 

I experience absolute joy in your presence; ⁴⁹² 

you always give me sheer delight. ⁴⁹³ 

Psalm 17 ⁴⁹⁴ 

A prayer of David.

17:1 Lord, consider my just cause! ⁴⁹⁵ 

Pay attention to my cry for help!

Listen to the prayer

I sincerely offer! ⁴⁹⁶ 

17:2 Make a just decision on my behalf! ⁴⁹⁷ 

Decide what is right! ⁴⁹⁸ 

17:3 You have scrutinized my inner motives; ⁴⁹⁹ 

you have examined me during the night. ⁵⁰⁰ 

You have carefully evaluated me, but you find no sin.

I am determined I will say nothing sinful. ⁵⁰¹ 

17:4 As for the actions of people ⁵⁰²  –

just as you have commanded,

I have not followed in the footsteps of violent men. ⁵⁰³ 

17:5 I carefully obey your commands; ⁵⁰⁴ 

I do not deviate from them. ⁵⁰⁵ 

17:6 I call to you for you will answer me, O God.

Listen to me! ⁵⁰⁶ 

Hear what I say! ⁵⁰⁷ 

17:7 Accomplish awesome, faithful deeds, ⁵⁰⁸ 

you who powerfully deliver those who look to you for protection from their enemies. ⁵⁰⁹ 

17:8 Protect me as you would protect the pupil of your eye! ⁵¹⁰ 

Hide me in the shadow of your wings! ⁵¹¹ 

17:9 Protect me from ⁵¹²  the wicked men who attack ⁵¹³  me,

my enemies who crowd around me for the kill. ⁵¹⁴ 

17:10 They are calloused; ⁵¹⁵ 

they speak arrogantly. ⁵¹⁶ 

17:11 They attack me, now they surround me; ⁵¹⁷ 

they intend to throw me to the ground. ⁵¹⁸ 

17:12 He ⁵¹⁹  is like a lion ⁵²⁰  that wants to tear its prey to bits, ⁵²¹ 

like a young lion crouching ⁵²²  in hidden places.

17:13 Rise up, Lord!

Confront him! ⁵²³  Knock him down! ⁵²⁴ 

Use your sword to rescue me from the wicked man! ⁵²⁵ 

17:14 Lord, use your power to deliver me from these murderers, ⁵²⁶ 

from the murderers of this world! ⁵²⁷ 

They enjoy prosperity; ⁵²⁸ 

you overwhelm them with the riches they desire. ⁵²⁹ 

They have many children,

and leave their wealth to their offspring. ⁵³⁰ 

17:15 As for me, because I am innocent I will see your face; ⁵³¹ 

when I awake you will reveal yourself to me. ⁵³² 

Psalm 18 ⁵³³ 

For the music director; by the Lord’s servant David, who sang ⁵³⁴  to the Lord the words of this song when ⁵³⁵  the Lord rescued him from the power ⁵³⁶  of all his enemies, including Saul. ⁵³⁷ 

18:1 He said: ⁵³⁸ 

“I love ⁵³⁹  you, Lord, my source of strength! ⁵⁴⁰ 

18:2 The Lord is my high ridge, ⁵⁴¹  my stronghold, ⁵⁴²  my deliverer.

My God is my rocky summit where ⁵⁴³  I take shelter, ⁵⁴⁴ 

my shield, the horn that saves me, ⁵⁴⁵  and my refuge. ⁵⁴⁶ 

18:3 I called ⁵⁴⁷  to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, ⁵⁴⁸ 

and I was delivered from my enemies.

18:4 The waves ⁵⁴⁹  of death engulfed me,

the currents ⁵⁵⁰  of chaos ⁵⁵¹  overwhelmed me. ⁵⁵² 

18:5 The ropes of Sheol tightened around me, ⁵⁵³ 

the snares of death trapped me. ⁵⁵⁴ 

18:6 In my distress I called to the Lord;

I cried out to my God. ⁵⁵⁵ 

From his heavenly temple ⁵⁵⁶  he heard my voice;

he listened to my cry for help. ⁵⁵⁷ 

18:7 The earth heaved and shook; ⁵⁵⁸ 

the roots of the mountains ⁵⁵⁹  trembled; ⁵⁶⁰ 

they heaved because he was angry.

18:8 Smoke ascended from ⁵⁶¹  his nose; ⁵⁶² 

fire devoured as it came from his mouth; ⁵⁶³ 

he hurled down fiery coals. ⁵⁶⁴ 

18:9 He made the sky sink ⁵⁶⁵  as he descended;

a thick cloud was under his feet.

18:10 He mounted ⁵⁶⁶  a winged angel ⁵⁶⁷  and flew;

he glided ⁵⁶⁸  on the wings of the wind. ⁵⁶⁹ 

18:11 He shrouded himself in darkness, ⁵⁷⁰ 

in thick rain clouds. ⁵⁷¹ 

18:12 From the brightness in front of him came

hail and fiery coals. ⁵⁷² 

18:13 The Lord thundered ⁵⁷³  in ⁵⁷⁴  the sky;

the sovereign One ⁵⁷⁵  shouted. ⁵⁷⁶ 

18:14 He shot his ⁵⁷⁷  arrows and scattered them, ⁵⁷⁸ 

many lightning bolts ⁵⁷⁹  and routed them. ⁵⁸⁰ 

18:15 The depths ⁵⁸¹  of the sea ⁵⁸²  were exposed;

the inner regions ⁵⁸³  of the world were uncovered

by ⁵⁸⁴  your battle cry, ⁵⁸⁵  Lord,

by the powerful breath from your nose. ⁵⁸⁶ 

18:16 He reached down ⁵⁸⁷  from above and took hold of me;

he pulled me from the surging water. ⁵⁸⁸ 

18:17 He rescued me from my strong enemy, ⁵⁸⁹ 

from those who hate me,

for they were too strong for me.

18:18 They confronted ⁵⁹⁰  me in my day of calamity,

but the Lord helped me. ⁵⁹¹ 

18:19 He brought me out into a wide open place;

he delivered me because he was pleased with me. ⁵⁹² 

18:20 The Lord repaid ⁵⁹³  me for my godly deeds; ⁵⁹⁴ 

he rewarded ⁵⁹⁵  my blameless behavior. ⁵⁹⁶ 

18:21 For I have obeyed the Lord’s commands; ⁵⁹⁷ 

I have not rebelled against my God. ⁵⁹⁸ 

18:22 For I am aware of all his regulations, ⁵⁹⁹ 

and I do not reject his rules. ⁶⁰⁰ 

18:23 I was innocent before him,

and kept myself from sinning. ⁶⁰¹ 

18:24 The Lord rewarded me for my godly deeds; ⁶⁰² 

he took notice of my blameless behavior. ⁶⁰³ 

18:25 You prove to be loyal ⁶⁰⁴  to one who is faithful; ⁶⁰⁵ 

you prove to be trustworthy ⁶⁰⁶  to one who is innocent. ⁶⁰⁷ 

18:26 You prove to be reliable ⁶⁰⁸  to one who is blameless,

but you prove to be deceptive ⁶⁰⁹  to one who is perverse. ⁶¹⁰ 

18:27 For you deliver oppressed ⁶¹¹  people,

but you bring down those who have a proud look. ⁶¹² 

18:28 Indeed, ⁶¹³  you are my lamp, Lord. ⁶¹⁴ 

My God ⁶¹⁵  illuminates the darkness around me. ⁶¹⁶ 

18:29 Indeed, ⁶¹⁷  with your help ⁶¹⁸  I can charge against ⁶¹⁹  an army; ⁶²⁰ 

by my God’s power ⁶²¹  I can jump over a wall. ⁶²² 

18:30 The one true God acts in a faithful manner; ⁶²³ 

the Lord’s promise ⁶²⁴  is reliable; ⁶²⁵ 

he is a shield to all who take shelter ⁶²⁶  in him.

18:31 Indeed, ⁶²⁷  who is God besides the Lord?

Who is a protector ⁶²⁸  besides our God? ⁶²⁹ 

18:32 The one true God ⁶³⁰  gives ⁶³¹  me strength; ⁶³² 

he removes ⁶³³  the obstacles in my way. ⁶³⁴ 

18:33 He gives me the agility of a deer; ⁶³⁵ 

he enables me to negotiate the rugged terrain. ⁶³⁶ 

18:34 He trains my hands for battle; ⁶³⁷ 

my arms can bend even the strongest bow. ⁶³⁸ 

18:35 You give me your protective shield; ⁶³⁹ 

your right hand supports me; ⁶⁴⁰ 

your willingness to help ⁶⁴¹  enables me to prevail. ⁶⁴² 

18:36 You widen my path; ⁶⁴³ 

my feet ⁶⁴⁴  do not slip.

18:37 I chase my enemies and catch ⁶⁴⁵  them;

I do not turn back until I wipe them out.

18:38 I beat them ⁶⁴⁶  to death; ⁶⁴⁷ 

they fall at my feet. ⁶⁴⁸ 

18:39 You give me strength ⁶⁴⁹  for battle;

you make my foes kneel before me. ⁶⁵⁰ 

18:40 You make my enemies retreat; ⁶⁵¹ 

I destroy those who hate me. ⁶⁵² 

18:41 They cry out, but there is no one to help them; ⁶⁵³ 

they cry out to the Lord, ⁶⁵⁴  but he does not answer them.

18:42 I grind them as fine windblown dust; ⁶⁵⁵ 

I beat them underfoot ⁶⁵⁶  like clay ⁶⁵⁷  in the streets.

18:43 You rescue me from a hostile army; ⁶⁵⁸ 

you make me ⁶⁵⁹  a leader of nations;

people over whom I had no authority are now my subjects. ⁶⁶⁰ 

18:44 When they hear of my exploits, they submit to me. ⁶⁶¹ 

Foreigners are powerless ⁶⁶²  before me;

18:45 foreigners lose their courage; ⁶⁶³ 

they shake with fear ⁶⁶⁴  as they leave ⁶⁶⁵  their strongholds. ⁶⁶⁶ 

18:46 The Lord is alive! ⁶⁶⁷ 

My protector ⁶⁶⁸  is praiseworthy! ⁶⁶⁹ 

The God who delivers me ⁶⁷⁰  is exalted as king! ⁶⁷¹ 

18:47 The one true God ⁶⁷²  completely vindicates me; ⁶⁷³ 

he makes nations submit to me. ⁶⁷⁴ 

18:48 He delivers me ⁶⁷⁵  from my enemies;

you snatch me away ⁶⁷⁶  from those who attack me; ⁶⁷⁷ 

you rescue me from violent men.

18:49 So I will give you thanks before the nations, ⁶⁷⁸  O Lord!

I will sing praises to you! ⁶⁷⁹ 

18:50 He ⁶⁸⁰  gives his chosen king magnificent victories; ⁶⁸¹ 

he is faithful ⁶⁸²  to his chosen ruler, ⁶⁸³ 

to David and his descendants ⁶⁸⁴  forever.” ⁶⁸⁵ 

Psalm 19 ⁶⁸⁶ 

For the music director; a psalm of David.

19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; ⁶⁸⁷ 

the sky displays his handiwork. ⁶⁸⁸ 

19:2 Day after day it speaks out; ⁶⁸⁹ 

night after night it reveals his greatness. ⁶⁹⁰ 

19:3 There is no actual speech or word,

nor is its ⁶⁹¹  voice literally heard.

19:4 Yet its voice ⁶⁹²  echoes ⁶⁹³  throughout the earth;

its ⁶⁹⁴  words carry ⁶⁹⁵  to the distant horizon. ⁶⁹⁶ 

In the sky ⁶⁹⁷  he has pitched a tent for the sun. ⁶⁹⁸ 

19:5 Like a bridegroom it emerges ⁶⁹⁹  from its chamber; ⁷⁰⁰ 

like a strong man it enjoys ⁷⁰¹  running its course. ⁷⁰² 

19:6 It emerges from the distant horizon, ⁷⁰³ 

and goes from one end of the sky to the other; ⁷⁰⁴ 

nothing can escape ⁷⁰⁵  its heat.

19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect

and preserves one’s life. ⁷⁰⁶ 

The rules set down by the Lord ⁷⁰⁷  are reliable ⁷⁰⁸ 

and impart wisdom to the inexperienced. ⁷⁰⁹ 

19:8 The Lord’s precepts are fair ⁷¹⁰ 

and make one joyful. ⁷¹¹ 

The Lord’s commands ⁷¹²  are pure ⁷¹³ 

and give insight for life. ⁷¹⁴ 

19:9 The commands to fear the Lord are right ⁷¹⁵ 

and endure forever. ⁷¹⁶ 

The judgments given by the Lord are trustworthy

and absolutely just. ⁷¹⁷ 

19:10 They are of greater value ⁷¹⁸  than gold,

than even a great amount of pure gold;

they bring greater delight ⁷¹⁹  than honey,

than even the sweetest honey from a honeycomb.

19:11 Yes, your servant finds moral guidance there; ⁷²⁰ 

those who obey them receive a rich reward. ⁷²¹ 

19:12 Who can know all his errors? ⁷²² 

Please do not punish me for sins I am unaware of. ⁷²³ 

19:13 Moreover, keep me from committing flagrant ⁷²⁴  sins;

do not allow such sins to control me. ⁷²⁵ 

Then I will be blameless,

and innocent of blatant ⁷²⁶  rebellion.

19:14 May my words and my thoughts

be acceptable in your sight, ⁷²⁷ 

O Lord, my sheltering rock ⁷²⁸  and my redeemer. ⁷²⁹ 

Psalm 20 ⁷³⁰ 

For the music director; a psalm of David.

20:1 May the Lord answer ⁷³¹  you ⁷³²  when you are in trouble; ⁷³³ 

may the God of Jacob ⁷³⁴  make you secure!

20:2 May he send you help from his temple; ⁷³⁵ 

from Zion may he give you support!

20:3 May he take notice ⁷³⁶  of your offerings;

may he accept ⁷³⁷  your burnt sacrifice! (Selah)

20:4 May he grant your heart’s desire; ⁷³⁸ 

may he bring all your plans to pass! ⁷³⁹ 

20:5 Then we will shout for joy over your ⁷⁴⁰  victory;

we will rejoice ⁷⁴¹  in the name of our God!

May the Lord grant all your requests!

20:6 Now I am sure ⁷⁴²  that the Lord will deliver ⁷⁴³  his chosen king; ⁷⁴⁴ 

he will intervene for him ⁷⁴⁵  from his holy heavenly temple, ⁷⁴⁶ 

and display his mighty ability to deliver. ⁷⁴⁷ 

20:7 Some trust in chariots and others in horses, ⁷⁴⁸ 

but we ⁷⁴⁹  depend on ⁷⁵⁰  the Lord our God.

20:8 They will fall down, ⁷⁵¹ 

but we ⁷⁵²  will stand firm. ⁷⁵³ 

20:9 The Lord will deliver the king; ⁷⁵⁴ 

he will answer us ⁷⁵⁵  when we call to him for help! ⁷⁵⁶ 

Psalm 21 ⁷⁵⁷ 

For the music director; a psalm of David.

21:1 O Lord, the king rejoices in the strength you give; ⁷⁵⁸ 

he takes great delight in the deliverance you provide. ⁷⁵⁹ 

21:2 You grant ⁷⁶⁰  him his heart’s desire;

you do not refuse his request. ⁷⁶¹  (Selah)

21:3 For you bring him ⁷⁶²  rich ⁷⁶³  blessings; ⁷⁶⁴ 

you place a golden crown on his head.

21:4 He asked you to sustain his life, ⁷⁶⁵ 

and you have granted him long life and an enduring dynasty. ⁷⁶⁶ 

21:5 Your deliverance brings him great honor; ⁷⁶⁷ 

you give him majestic splendor. ⁷⁶⁸ 

21:6 For you grant him lasting blessings;

you give him great joy by allowing him into your presence. ⁷⁶⁹ 

21:7 For the king trusts ⁷⁷⁰  in the Lord,

and because of the sovereign Lord’s ⁷⁷¹  faithfulness he is not upended. ⁷⁷² 

21:8 You ⁷⁷³  prevail over ⁷⁷⁴  all your enemies;

your power is too great for those who hate you. ⁷⁷⁵ 

21:9 You burn them up like a fiery furnace ⁷⁷⁶  when you appear; ⁷⁷⁷ 

the Lord angrily devours them; ⁷⁷⁸ 

the fire consumes them.

21:10 You destroy their offspring ⁷⁷⁹  from the earth,

their descendants ⁷⁸⁰  from among the human race. ⁷⁸¹ 

21:11 Yes, ⁷⁸²  they intend to do you harm; ⁷⁸³ 

they dream up a scheme, ⁷⁸⁴  but they do not succeed. ⁷⁸⁵ 

21:12 For you make them retreat ⁷⁸⁶ 

when you shoot your arrows at them. ⁷⁸⁷ 

21:13 Rise up, O Lord, in strength! ⁷⁸⁸ 

We will sing and praise ⁷⁸⁹  your power!

Psalm 22 ⁷⁹⁰ 

For the music director; according to the tune “Morning Doe;” ⁷⁹¹  a psalm of David.

22:1 My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? ⁷⁹² 

I groan in prayer, but help seems far away. ⁷⁹³ 

22:2 My God, I cry out during the day,

but you do not answer,

and during the night my prayers do not let up. ⁷⁹⁴ 

22:3 You are holy;

you sit as king receiving the praises of Israel. ⁷⁹⁵ 

22:4 In you our ancestors ⁷⁹⁶  trusted;

they trusted in you ⁷⁹⁷  and you rescued them.

22:5 To you they cried out, and they were saved;

in you they trusted and they were not disappointed. ⁷⁹⁸ 

22:6 But I ⁷⁹⁹  am a worm, ⁸⁰⁰  not a man; ⁸⁰¹ 

people insult me and despise me. ⁸⁰² 

22:7 All who see me taunt ⁸⁰³  me;

they mock me ⁸⁰⁴  and shake their heads. ⁸⁰⁵ 

22:8 They say, ⁸⁰⁶ 

“Commit yourself ⁸⁰⁷  to the Lord!

Let the Lord ⁸⁰⁸  rescue him!

Let the Lord ⁸⁰⁹  deliver him, for he delights in him.” ⁸¹⁰ 

22:9 Yes, you are the one who brought me out ⁸¹¹  from the womb

and made me feel secure on my mother’s breasts.

22:10 I have been dependent on you since birth; ⁸¹² 

from the time I came out of my mother’s womb you have been my God. ⁸¹³ 

22:11 Do not remain far away from me,

for trouble is near and I have no one to help me. ⁸¹⁴ 

22:12 Many bulls ⁸¹⁵  surround me;

powerful bulls of Bashan ⁸¹⁶  hem me in.

22:13 They ⁸¹⁷  open their mouths to devour me ⁸¹⁸ 

like a roaring lion that rips its prey. ⁸¹⁹ 

22:14 My strength drains away like water; ⁸²⁰ 

all my bones are dislocated;

my heart ⁸²¹  is like wax;

it melts away inside me.

22:15 The roof of my mouth ⁸²²  is as dry as a piece of pottery;

my tongue sticks to my gums. ⁸²³ 

You ⁸²⁴  set me in the dust of death. ⁸²⁵ 

22:16 Yes, ⁸²⁶  wild dogs surround me –

a gang of evil men crowd around me;

like a lion they pin my hands and feet. ⁸²⁷ 

22:17 I can count ⁸²⁸  all my bones;

my enemies ⁸²⁹  are gloating over me in triumph. ⁸³⁰ 

22:18 They are dividing up my clothes among themselves;

they are rolling dice ⁸³¹  for my garments.

22:19 But you, O Lord, do not remain far away!

You are my source of strength! ⁸³²  Hurry and help me! ⁸³³ 

22:20 Deliver me ⁸³⁴  from the sword!

Save ⁸³⁵  my life ⁸³⁶  from the claws ⁸³⁷  of the wild dogs!

22:21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lion, ⁸³⁸ 

and from the horns of the wild oxen! ⁸³⁹ 

You have answered me! ⁸⁴⁰ 

22:22 I will declare your name to my countrymen! ⁸⁴¹ 

In the middle of the assembly I will praise you!

22:23 You loyal followers of the Lord, ⁸⁴²  praise him!

All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!

All you descendants of Israel, stand in awe of him! ⁸⁴³ 

22:24 For he did not despise or detest the suffering ⁸⁴⁴  of the oppressed; ⁸⁴⁵ 

he did not ignore him; ⁸⁴⁶ 

when he cried out to him, he responded. ⁸⁴⁷ 

22:25 You are the reason I offer praise ⁸⁴⁸  in the great assembly;

I will fulfill my promises before the Lord’s loyal followers. ⁸⁴⁹ 

22:26 Let the oppressed eat and be filled! ⁸⁵⁰ 

Let those who seek his help praise the Lord!

May you ⁸⁵¹  live forever!

22:27 Let all the people of the earth acknowledge the Lord and turn to him! ⁸⁵² 

Let all the nations ⁸⁵³  worship you! ⁸⁵⁴ 

22:28 For the Lord is king ⁸⁵⁵ 

and rules over the nations.

22:29 All of the thriving people ⁸⁵⁶  of the earth will join the celebration and worship; ⁸⁵⁷ 

all those who are descending into the grave ⁸⁵⁸  will bow before him,

including those who cannot preserve their lives. ⁸⁵⁹ 

22:30 A whole generation ⁸⁶⁰  will serve him;

they will tell the next generation about the sovereign Lord. ⁸⁶¹ 

22:31 They will come and tell about his saving deeds; ⁸⁶² 

they will tell a future generation what he has accomplished. ⁸⁶³ 

Psalm 23 ⁸⁶⁴ 

A psalm of David.

23:1 The Lord is my shepherd, ⁸⁶⁵ 

I lack nothing. ⁸⁶⁶ 

23:2 He takes me to lush pastures, ⁸⁶⁷ 

he leads me to refreshing water. ⁸⁶⁸ 

23:3 He restores my strength. ⁸⁶⁹ 

He leads me down ⁸⁷⁰  the right paths ⁸⁷¹ 

for the sake of his reputation. ⁸⁷² 

23:4 Even when I must walk through the darkest valley, ⁸⁷³ 

I fear ⁸⁷⁴  no danger, ⁸⁷⁵ 

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff reassure me. ⁸⁷⁶ 

23:5 You prepare a feast before me ⁸⁷⁷ 

in plain sight of my enemies.

You refresh ⁸⁷⁸  my head with oil;

my cup is completely full. ⁸⁷⁹ 

23:6 Surely your goodness and faithfulness ⁸⁸⁰  will pursue ⁸⁸¹  me all my days, ⁸⁸² 

and I will live in ⁸⁸³  the Lord’s house ⁸⁸⁴  for the rest of my life. ⁸⁸⁵ 

Psalm 24 ⁸⁸⁶ 

A psalm of David.

24:1 The Lord owns the earth and all it contains,

the world and all who live in it.

24:2 For he set its foundation upon the seas,

and established ⁸⁸⁷  it upon the ocean currents. ⁸⁸⁸ 

24:3 Who is allowed to ascend ⁸⁸⁹  the mountain of the Lord? ⁸⁹⁰ 

Who may go up to his holy dwelling place?

24:4 The one whose deeds are blameless

and whose motives are pure, ⁸⁹¹ 

who does not lie, ⁸⁹² 

or make promises with no intention of keeping them. ⁸⁹³ 

24:5 Such godly people are rewarded by the Lord, ⁸⁹⁴ 

and vindicated by the God who delivers them. ⁸⁹⁵ 

24:6 Such purity characterizes the people who seek his favor,

Jacob’s descendants, who pray to him. ⁸⁹⁶  (Selah)

24:7 Look up, ⁸⁹⁷  you gates!

Rise up, ⁸⁹⁸  you eternal doors!

Then the majestic king ⁸⁹⁹  will enter! ⁹⁰⁰ 

24:8 Who is this majestic king? ⁹⁰¹ 

The Lord who is strong and mighty!

The Lord who is mighty in battle!

24:9 Look up, you gates!

Rise up, you eternal doors!

Then the majestic king will enter!

24:10 Who is this majestic king?

The Lord who commands armies! ⁹⁰² 

He is the majestic king! (Selah)

Psalm 25 ⁹⁰³ 

By David.

25:1 O Lord, I come before you in prayer. ⁹⁰⁴ 

25:2 My God, I trust in you.

Please do not let me be humiliated;

do not let my enemies triumphantly rejoice over me!

25:3 Certainly none who rely on you will be humiliated.

Those who deal in treachery will be thwarted ⁹⁰⁵  and humiliated.

25:4 Make me understand your ways, O Lord!

Teach me your paths! ⁹⁰⁶ 

25:5 Guide me into your truth ⁹⁰⁷  and teach me.

For you are the God who delivers me;

on you I rely all day long.

25:6 Remember ⁹⁰⁸  your compassionate and faithful deeds, O Lord,

for you have always acted in this manner. ⁹⁰⁹ 

25:7 Do not hold against me ⁹¹⁰  the sins of my youth ⁹¹¹  or my rebellious acts!

Because you are faithful to me, extend to me your favor, O Lord! ⁹¹² 

25:8 The Lord is both kind and fair; ⁹¹³ 

that is why he teaches sinners the right way to live. ⁹¹⁴ 

25:9 May he show ⁹¹⁵  the humble what is right! ⁹¹⁶ 

May he teach ⁹¹⁷  the humble his way!

25:10 The Lord always proves faithful and reliable ⁹¹⁸ 

to those who follow the demands of his covenant. ⁹¹⁹ 

25:11 For the sake of your reputation, ⁹²⁰  O Lord,

forgive my sin, because it is great. ⁹²¹ 

25:12 The Lord shows his faithful followers

the way they should live. ⁹²² 

25:13 They experience his favor; ⁹²³ 

their descendants ⁹²⁴  inherit the land. ⁹²⁵ 

25:14 The Lord’s loyal followers receive his guidance, ⁹²⁶ 

and he reveals his covenantal demands to them. ⁹²⁷ 

25:15 I continually look to the Lord for help, ⁹²⁸ 

for he will free my feet from the enemy’s net. ⁹²⁹ 

25:16 Turn toward me and have mercy on me,

for I am alone ⁹³⁰  and oppressed!

25:17 Deliver me from my distress; ⁹³¹ 

rescue me from my suffering! ⁹³² 

25:18 See my pain and suffering!

Forgive all my sins! ⁹³³ 

25:19 Watch my enemies, for they outnumber me;

they hate me and want to harm me. ⁹³⁴ 

25:20 Protect me ⁹³⁵  and deliver me!

Please do not let me be humiliated,

for I have taken shelter in you!

25:21 May integrity and godliness protect me,

for I rely on you!

25:22 O God, rescue ⁹³⁶  Israel

from all their distress! ⁹³⁷ 

Psalm 26 ⁹³⁸ 

By David.

26:1 Vindicate me, O Lord,

for I have integrity, ⁹³⁹ 

and I trust in the Lord without wavering.

26:2 Examine me, O Lord, and test me!

Evaluate my inner thoughts and motives! ⁹⁴⁰ 

26:3 For I am ever aware of your faithfulness, ⁹⁴¹ 

and your loyalty continually motivates me. ⁹⁴² 

26:4 I do not associate ⁹⁴³  with deceitful men,

or consort ⁹⁴⁴  with those who are dishonest. ⁹⁴⁵ 

26:5 I hate the mob ⁹⁴⁶  of evil men,

and do not associate ⁹⁴⁷  with the wicked.

26:6 I maintain a pure lifestyle, ⁹⁴⁸ 

so I can appear before your altar, ⁹⁴⁹  O Lord,

26:7 to give you thanks, ⁹⁵⁰ 

and to tell about all your amazing deeds. ⁹⁵¹ 

26:8 O Lord, I love the temple where you live, ⁹⁵² 

the place where your splendor is revealed. ⁹⁵³ 

26:9 Do not sweep me away ⁹⁵⁴  with sinners,

or execute me along with violent people, ⁹⁵⁵ 

26:10 who are always ready to do wrong ⁹⁵⁶ 

or offer a bribe. ⁹⁵⁷ 

26:11 But I have integrity! ⁹⁵⁸ 

Rescue me ⁹⁵⁹  and have mercy on me!

26:12 I am safe, ⁹⁶⁰ 

and among the worshipers I will praise the Lord.

Psalm 27 ⁹⁶¹ 

By David.

27:1 The Lord delivers and vindicates me! ⁹⁶² 

I fear no one! ⁹⁶³ 

The Lord protects my life!

I am afraid of no one! ⁹⁶⁴ 

27:2 When evil men attack me ⁹⁶⁵ 

to devour my flesh, ⁹⁶⁶ 

when my adversaries and enemies attack me, ⁹⁶⁷ 

they stumble and fall. ⁹⁶⁸ 

27:3 Even when an army is deployed against me,

I do not fear. ⁹⁶⁹ 

Even when war is imminent, ⁹⁷⁰ 

I remain confident. ⁹⁷¹ 

27:4 I have asked the Lord for one thing –

this is what I desire!

I want to live ⁹⁷²  in the Lord’s house ⁹⁷³  all the days of my life,

so I can gaze at the splendor ⁹⁷⁴  of the Lord

and contemplate in his temple.

27:5 He will surely ⁹⁷⁵  give me shelter ⁹⁷⁶  in the day of danger; ⁹⁷⁷ 

he will hide me in his home; ⁹⁷⁸ 

he will place me ⁹⁷⁹  on an inaccessible rocky summit. ⁹⁸⁰ 

27:6 Now I will triumph

over my enemies who surround me! ⁹⁸¹ 

I will offer sacrifices in his dwelling place and shout for joy! ⁹⁸² 

I will sing praises to the Lord!

27:7 Hear me, ⁹⁸³  O Lord, when I cry out!

Have mercy on me and answer me!

27:8 My heart tells me to pray to you, ⁹⁸⁴ 

and I do pray to you, O Lord. ⁹⁸⁵ 

27:9 Do not reject me! ⁹⁸⁶ 

Do not push your servant away in anger!

You are my deliverer! ⁹⁸⁷ 

Do not forsake or abandon me,

O God who vindicates me!

27:10 Even if my father and mother abandoned me, ⁹⁸⁸ 

the Lord would take me in. ⁹⁸⁹ 

27:11 Teach me how you want me to live; ⁹⁹⁰ 

lead me along a level path ⁹⁹¹  because of those who wait to ambush me! ⁹⁹² 

27:12 Do not turn me over to my enemies, ⁹⁹³ 

for false witnesses who want to destroy me testify against me. ⁹⁹⁴ 

27:13 Where would I be if I did not believe I would experience

the Lord’s favor in the land of the living? ⁹⁹⁵ 

27:14 Rely ⁹⁹⁶  on the Lord!

Be strong and confident! ⁹⁹⁷ 

Rely on the Lord!

Psalm 28 ⁹⁹⁸ 

By David.

28:1 To you, O Lord, I cry out!

My protector, ⁹⁹⁹  do not ignore me! ¹⁰⁰⁰ 

If you do not respond to me, ¹⁰⁰¹ 

I will join ¹⁰⁰²  those who are descending into the grave. ¹⁰⁰³ 

28:2 Hear my plea for mercy when I cry out to you for help,

when I lift my hands ¹⁰⁰⁴  toward your holy temple! ¹⁰⁰⁵ 

28:3 Do not drag me away with evil men,

with those who behave wickedly, ¹⁰⁰⁶ 

who talk so friendly to their neighbors, ¹⁰⁰⁷ 

while they plan to harm them! ¹⁰⁰⁸ 

28:4 Pay them back for their evil deeds!

Pay them back for what they do!

Punish them! ¹⁰⁰⁹ 

28:5 For they do not understand the Lord’s actions,

or the way he carries out justice. ¹⁰¹⁰ 

The Lord ¹⁰¹¹  will permanently demolish them. ¹⁰¹² 

28:6 The Lord deserves praise, ¹⁰¹³ 

for he has heard my plea for mercy! ¹⁰¹⁴ 

28:7 The Lord strengthens and protects me; ¹⁰¹⁵ 

I trust in him with all my heart. ¹⁰¹⁶ 

I am rescued ¹⁰¹⁷  and my heart is full of joy; ¹⁰¹⁸ 

I will sing to him in gratitude. ¹⁰¹⁹ 

28:8 The Lord strengthens his people; ¹⁰²⁰ 

he protects and delivers his chosen king. ¹⁰²¹ 

28:9 Deliver your people!

Empower ¹⁰²²  the nation that belongs to you! ¹⁰²³ 

Care for them like a shepherd and carry them in your arms ¹⁰²⁴  at all times! ¹⁰²⁵ 

Psalm 29 ¹⁰²⁶ 

A psalm of David.

29:1 Acknowledge the Lord, you heavenly beings, ¹⁰²⁷ 

acknowledge the Lord’s majesty and power! ¹⁰²⁸ 

29:2 Acknowledge the majesty of the Lord’s reputation! ¹⁰²⁹ 

Worship the Lord in holy attire! ¹⁰³⁰ 

29:3 The Lord’s shout is heard over the water; ¹⁰³¹ 

the majestic God thunders, ¹⁰³² 

the Lord appears over the surging water. ¹⁰³³ 

29:4 The Lord’s shout is powerful, ¹⁰³⁴ 

the Lord’s shout is majestic. ¹⁰³⁵ 

29:5 The Lord’s shout breaks ¹⁰³⁶  the cedars,

the Lord shatters ¹⁰³⁷  the cedars of Lebanon. ¹⁰³⁸ 

29:6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf

and Sirion ¹⁰³⁹  like a young ox. ¹⁰⁴⁰ 

29:7 The Lord’s shout strikes ¹⁰⁴¹  with flaming fire. ¹⁰⁴² 

29:8 The Lord’s shout shakes ¹⁰⁴³  the wilderness,

the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. ¹⁰⁴⁴ 

29:9 The Lord’s shout bends ¹⁰⁴⁵  the large trees ¹⁰⁴⁶ 

and strips ¹⁰⁴⁷  the leaves from the forests. ¹⁰⁴⁸ 

Everyone in his temple says, “Majestic!” ¹⁰⁴⁹ 

29:10 The Lord sits enthroned over the engulfing waters, ¹⁰⁵⁰ 

the Lord sits enthroned ¹⁰⁵¹  as the eternal king.

29:11 The Lord gives ¹⁰⁵²  his people strength; ¹⁰⁵³ 

the Lord grants his people security. ¹⁰⁵⁴ 

Psalm 30 ¹⁰⁵⁵ 

A psalm – a song used at the dedication of the temple; ¹⁰⁵⁶  by David.

30:1 I will praise you, O Lord, for you lifted me up, ¹⁰⁵⁷ 

and did not allow my enemies to gloat ¹⁰⁵⁸  over me.

30:2 O Lord my God,

I cried out to you and you healed me. ¹⁰⁵⁹ 

30:3 O Lord, you pulled me ¹⁰⁶⁰  up from Sheol;

you rescued me from among those descending into the grave. ¹⁰⁶¹ 

30:4 Sing to the Lord, you faithful followers ¹⁰⁶²  of his;

give thanks to his holy name. ¹⁰⁶³ 

30:5 For his anger lasts only a brief moment,

and his good favor restores one’s life. ¹⁰⁶⁴ 

One may experience sorrow during the night,

but joy arrives in the morning. ¹⁰⁶⁵ 

30:6 In my self-confidence I said,

“I will never be upended.” ¹⁰⁶⁶ 

30:7 O Lord, in your good favor you made me secure. ¹⁰⁶⁷ 

Then you rejected me ¹⁰⁶⁸  and I was terrified.

30:8 To you, O Lord, I cried out;

I begged the Lord for mercy: ¹⁰⁶⁹ 

30:9 “What ¹⁰⁷⁰  profit is there in taking my life, ¹⁰⁷¹ 

in my descending into the Pit? ¹⁰⁷² 

Can the dust of the grave ¹⁰⁷³  praise you?

Can it declare your loyalty? ¹⁰⁷⁴ 

30:10 Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me!

O Lord, deliver me!” ¹⁰⁷⁵ 

30:11 Then you turned my lament into dancing;

you removed my sackcloth and covered me with joy. ¹⁰⁷⁶ 

30:12 So now ¹⁰⁷⁷  my heart ¹⁰⁷⁸  will sing to you and not be silent;

O Lord my God, I will always ¹⁰⁷⁹  give thanks to you.

Psalm 31 ¹⁰⁸⁰ 

For the music director; a psalm of David.

31:1 In you, O Lord, I have taken shelter!

Never let me be humiliated!

Vindicate me by rescuing me! ¹⁰⁸¹ 

31:2 Listen to me! ¹⁰⁸² 

Quickly deliver me!

Be my protector and refuge, ¹⁰⁸³ 

a stronghold where I can be safe! ¹⁰⁸⁴ 

31:3 For you are my high ridge ¹⁰⁸⁵  and my stronghold;

for the sake of your own reputation ¹⁰⁸⁶  you lead me and guide me. ¹⁰⁸⁷ 

31:4 You will free me ¹⁰⁸⁸  from the net they hid for me,

for you are my place of refuge.

31:5 Into your hand I entrust my life; ¹⁰⁸⁹ 

you will rescue ¹⁰⁹⁰  me, O Lord, the faithful God.

31:6 I hate those who serve worthless idols, ¹⁰⁹¹ 

but I trust in the Lord.

31:7 I will be happy and rejoice in your faithfulness,

because you notice my pain

and you are aware of how distressed I am. ¹⁰⁹² 

31:8 You do not deliver me over to the power of the enemy;

you enable me to stand ¹⁰⁹³  in a wide open place.

31:9 Have mercy on me, for I am in distress!

My eyes grow dim ¹⁰⁹⁴  from suffering. ¹⁰⁹⁵ 

I have lost my strength. ¹⁰⁹⁶ 

31:10 For my life nears its end in pain;

my years draw to a close as I groan. ¹⁰⁹⁷ 

My strength fails me because of ¹⁰⁹⁸  my sin,

and my bones become brittle. ¹⁰⁹⁹ 

31:11 Because of all my enemies, people disdain me; ¹¹⁰⁰ 

my neighbors are appalled by my suffering ¹¹⁰¹  –

those who know me are horrified by my condition; ¹¹⁰² 

those who see me in the street run away from me.

31:12 I am forgotten, like a dead man no one thinks about; ¹¹⁰³ 

I am regarded as worthless, like a broken jar. ¹¹⁰⁴ 

31:13 For I hear what so many are saying, ¹¹⁰⁵ 

the terrifying news that comes from every direction. ¹¹⁰⁶ 

When they plot together against me,

they figure out how they can take my life.

31:14 But I trust in you, O Lord!

I declare, “You are my God!”

31:15 You determine my destiny! ¹¹⁰⁷ 

Rescue me from the power of my enemies and those who chase me.

31:16 Smile ¹¹⁰⁸  on your servant!

Deliver me because of your faithfulness!

31:17 O Lord, do not let me be humiliated,

for I call out to you!

May evil men be humiliated!

May they go wailing to the grave! ¹¹⁰⁹ 

31:18 May lying lips be silenced –

lips ¹¹¹⁰  that speak defiantly against the innocent ¹¹¹¹ 

with arrogance and contempt!

31:19 How great is your favor, ¹¹¹² 

which you store up for your loyal followers! ¹¹¹³ 

In plain sight of everyone you bestow it on those who take shelter ¹¹¹⁴  in you. ¹¹¹⁵ 

31:20 You hide them with you, where they are safe from the attacks ¹¹¹⁶  of men; ¹¹¹⁷ 

you conceal them in a shelter, where they are safe from slanderous attacks. ¹¹¹⁸ 

31:21 The Lord deserves praise ¹¹¹⁹ 

for he demonstrated his amazing faithfulness to me when I was besieged by enemies. ¹¹²⁰ 

31:22 I jumped to conclusions and said, ¹¹²¹ 

“I am cut off from your presence!” ¹¹²² 

But you heard my plea for mercy when I cried out to you for help.

31:23 Love the Lord, all you faithful followers ¹¹²³  of his!

The Lord protects those who have integrity,

but he pays back in full the one who acts arrogantly. ¹¹²⁴ 

31:24 Be strong and confident, ¹¹²⁵ 

all you who wait on the Lord!

Psalm 32 ¹¹²⁶ 

By David; a well-written song. ¹¹²⁷ 

32:1 How blessed ¹¹²⁸  is the one whose rebellious acts are forgiven, ¹¹²⁹ 

whose sin is pardoned! ¹¹³⁰ 

32:2 How blessed is the one ¹¹³¹  whose wrongdoing the Lord does not punish, ¹¹³² 

in whose spirit there is no deceit. ¹¹³³ 

32:3 When I refused to confess my sin, ¹¹³⁴ 

my whole body wasted away, ¹¹³⁵ 

while I groaned in pain all day long.

32:4 For day and night you tormented me; ¹¹³⁶ 

you tried to destroy me ¹¹³⁷  in the intense heat ¹¹³⁸  of summer. ¹¹³⁹  (Selah)

32:5 Then I confessed my sin;

I no longer covered up my wrongdoing.

I said, “I will confess ¹¹⁴⁰  my rebellious acts to the Lord.”

And then you forgave my sins. ¹¹⁴¹  (Selah)

32:6 For this reason every one of your faithful followers ¹¹⁴²  should pray to you

while there is a window of opportunity. ¹¹⁴³ 

Certainly ¹¹⁴⁴  when the surging water ¹¹⁴⁵  rises,

it will not reach them. ¹¹⁴⁶ 

32:7 You are my hiding place;

you protect me from distress.

You surround me with shouts of joy from those celebrating deliverance. ¹¹⁴⁷  (Selah)

32:8 I will instruct and teach you ¹¹⁴⁸  about how you should live. ¹¹⁴⁹ 

I will advise you as I look you in the eye. ¹¹⁵⁰ 

32:9 Do not be ¹¹⁵¹  like an unintelligent horse or mule, ¹¹⁵² 

which will not obey you

unless they are controlled by a bridle and bit. ¹¹⁵³ 

32:10 An evil person suffers much pain, ¹¹⁵⁴ 

but the Lord’s faithfulness overwhelms the one who trusts in him. ¹¹⁵⁵ 

32:11 Rejoice in the Lord and be happy, you who are godly!

Shout for joy, all you who are morally upright! ¹¹⁵⁶ 

Psalm 33 ¹¹⁵⁷ 

33:1 You godly ones, shout for joy because of the Lord!

It is appropriate for the morally upright to offer him praise.

33:2 Give thanks to the Lord with the harp!

Sing to him to the accompaniment of a ten-stringed instrument!

33:3 Sing to him a new song! ¹¹⁵⁸ 

Play skillfully as you shout out your praises to him! ¹¹⁵⁹ 

33:4 For ¹¹⁶⁰  the Lord’s decrees ¹¹⁶¹  are just, ¹¹⁶² 

and everything he does is fair. ¹¹⁶³ 

33:5 The Lord promotes ¹¹⁶⁴  equity and justice;

the Lord’s faithfulness extends throughout the earth. ¹¹⁶⁵ 

33:6 By the Lord’s decree ¹¹⁶⁶  the heavens were made;

by a mere word from his mouth all the stars in the sky were created. ¹¹⁶⁷ 

33:7 He piles up the water of the sea; ¹¹⁶⁸ 

he puts the oceans ¹¹⁶⁹  in storehouses.

33:8 Let the whole earth fear ¹¹⁷⁰  the Lord!

Let all who live in the world stand in awe of him!

33:9 For he spoke, and it ¹¹⁷¹  came into existence,

he issued the decree, ¹¹⁷²  and it stood firm.

33:10 The Lord frustrates ¹¹⁷³  the decisions of the nations;

he nullifies the plans ¹¹⁷⁴  of the peoples.

33:11 The Lord’s decisions stand forever;

his plans abide throughout the ages. ¹¹⁷⁵ 

33:12 How blessed ¹¹⁷⁶  is the nation whose God is the Lord,

the people whom he has chosen to be his special possession. ¹¹⁷⁷ 

33:13 The Lord watches ¹¹⁷⁸  from heaven;

he sees all people. ¹¹⁷⁹ 

33:14 From the place where he lives he looks carefully

at all the earth’s inhabitants.

33:15 He is the one who forms every human heart, ¹¹⁸⁰ 

and takes note of all their actions.

33:16 No king is delivered by his vast army;

a warrior is not saved by his great might.

33:17 A horse disappoints those who trust in it for victory; ¹¹⁸¹ 

despite its great strength, it cannot deliver.

33:18 Look, the Lord takes notice of his loyal followers, ¹¹⁸² 

those who wait for him to demonstrate his faithfulness ¹¹⁸³ 

33:19 by saving their lives from death ¹¹⁸⁴ 

and sustaining them during times of famine. ¹¹⁸⁵ 

33:20 We ¹¹⁸⁶  wait for the Lord;

he is our deliverer ¹¹⁸⁷  and shield. ¹¹⁸⁸ 

33:21 For our hearts rejoice in him,

for we trust in his holy name.

33:22 May we experience your faithfulness, O Lord, ¹¹⁸⁹ 

for ¹¹⁹⁰  we wait for you.

Psalm 34 ¹¹⁹¹ 

Written by David, when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, causing the king to send him away. ¹¹⁹² 

34:1 I will praise ¹¹⁹³  the Lord at all times;

my mouth will continually praise him. ¹¹⁹⁴ 

34:2 I will boast ¹¹⁹⁵  in the Lord;

let the oppressed hear and rejoice! ¹¹⁹⁶ 

34:3 Magnify the Lord with me!

Let’s praise ¹¹⁹⁷  his name together!

34:4 I sought the Lord’s help ¹¹⁹⁸  and he answered me;

he delivered me from all my fears.

34:5 Those who look to him for help are happy;

their faces are not ashamed. ¹¹⁹⁹ 

34:6 This oppressed man cried out and the Lord heard;

he saved him ¹²⁰⁰  from all his troubles.

34:7 The Lord’s angel camps around

the Lord’s ¹²⁰¹  loyal followers ¹²⁰²  and delivers them. ¹²⁰³ 

34:8 Taste ¹²⁰⁴  and see that the Lord is good!

How blessed ¹²⁰⁵  is the one ¹²⁰⁶  who takes shelter in him! ¹²⁰⁷ 

34:9 Remain loyal to ¹²⁰⁸  the Lord, you chosen people of his, ¹²⁰⁹ 

for his loyal followers ¹²¹⁰  lack nothing!

34:10 Even young lions sometimes lack food and are hungry,

but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

34:11 Come children! Listen to me!

I will teach you what it means to fear the Lord. ¹²¹¹ 

34:12 Do you want to really live? ¹²¹² 

Would you love to live a long, happy life? ¹²¹³ 

34:13 Then make sure you don’t speak evil words ¹²¹⁴ 

or use deceptive speech! ¹²¹⁵ 

34:14 Turn away from evil and do what is right! ¹²¹⁶ 

Strive for peace and promote it! ¹²¹⁷ 

34:15 The Lord pays attention to the godly

and hears their cry for help. ¹²¹⁸ 

34:16 But the Lord opposes evildoers

and wipes out all memory of them from the earth. ¹²¹⁹ 

34:17 The godly ¹²²⁰  cry out and the Lord hears;

he saves them from all their troubles. ¹²²¹ 

34:18 The Lord is near the brokenhearted;

he delivers ¹²²²  those who are discouraged. ¹²²³ 

34:19 The godly ¹²²⁴  face many dangers, ¹²²⁵ 

but the Lord saves ¹²²⁶  them ¹²²⁷  from each one of them.

34:20 He protects ¹²²⁸  all his bones; ¹²²⁹ 

not one of them is broken. ¹²³⁰ 

34:21 Evil people self-destruct; ¹²³¹ 

those who hate the godly are punished. ¹²³² 

34:22 The Lord rescues his servants; ¹²³³ 

all who take shelter in him escape punishment. ¹²³⁴ 

Psalm 35 ¹²³⁵ 

By David.

35:1 O Lord, fight ¹²³⁶  those who fight with me!

Attack those who attack me!

35:2 Grab your small shield and large shield, ¹²³⁷ 

and rise up to help me!

35:3 Use your spear and lance ¹²³⁸  against ¹²³⁹  those who chase me!

Assure me with these words: ¹²⁴⁰  “I am your deliverer!”

35:4 May those who seek my life be embarrassed and humiliated!

May those who plan to harm me be turned back and ashamed! ¹²⁴¹ 

35:5 May they be ¹²⁴²  like wind-driven chaff,

as the Lord’s angel ¹²⁴³  attacks them! ¹²⁴⁴ 

35:6 May their path be ¹²⁴⁵  dark and slippery,

as the Lord’s angel chases them!

35:7 I did not harm them, but they hid a net to catch me

and dug a pit to trap me. ¹²⁴⁶ 

35:8 Let destruction take them by surprise! ¹²⁴⁷ 

Let the net they hid catch them!

Let them fall into destruction! ¹²⁴⁸ 

35:9 Then I will rejoice in the Lord

and be happy because of his deliverance. ¹²⁴⁹ 

35:10 With all my strength I will say, ¹²⁵⁰ 

“O Lord, who can compare to you?

You rescue ¹²⁵¹  the oppressed from those who try to overpower them; ¹²⁵² 

the oppressed and needy from those who try to rob them.” ¹²⁵³ 

35:11 Violent men perjure themselves, ¹²⁵⁴ 

and falsely accuse me. ¹²⁵⁵ 

35:12 They repay me evil for the good I have done; ¹²⁵⁶ 

I am overwhelmed with sorrow. ¹²⁵⁷ 

35:13 When they were sick, I wore sackcloth, ¹²⁵⁸ 

and refrained from eating food. ¹²⁵⁹ 

(If I am lying, may my prayers go unanswered!) ¹²⁶⁰ 

35:14 I mourned for them as I would for a friend or my brother. ¹²⁶¹ 

I bowed down ¹²⁶²  in sorrow as if I were mourning for my mother. ¹²⁶³ 

35:15 But when I stumbled, they rejoiced and gathered together;

they gathered together to ambush me. ¹²⁶⁴ 

They tore at me without stopping to rest. ¹²⁶⁵ 

35:16 When I tripped, they taunted me relentlessly, ¹²⁶⁶ 

and tried to bite me. ¹²⁶⁷ 

35:17 O Lord, how long are you going to just stand there and watch this? ¹²⁶⁸ 

Rescue ¹²⁶⁹  me ¹²⁷⁰  from their destructive attacks;

guard my life ¹²⁷¹  from the young lions!

35:18 Then I will give you thanks in the great assembly; ¹²⁷² 

I will praise you before a large crowd of people! ¹²⁷³ 

35:19 Do not let those who are my enemies for no reason ¹²⁷⁴  gloat ¹²⁷⁵  over me!

Do not let those who hate me without cause carry out their wicked schemes! ¹²⁷⁶ 

35:20 For they do not try to make peace with others, ¹²⁷⁷ 

but plan ways to deceive those who are unsuspecting. ¹²⁷⁸ 

35:21 They are ready to devour me; ¹²⁷⁹ 

they say, “Aha! Aha! We’ve got you!” ¹²⁸⁰ 

35:22 But you take notice, ¹²⁸¹  Lord!

O Lord, do not remain far away from me!

35:23 Rouse yourself, wake up ¹²⁸²  and vindicate me! ¹²⁸³ 

My God and Lord, defend my just cause! ¹²⁸⁴ 

35:24 Vindicate me by your justice, O Lord my God!

Do not let them gloat ¹²⁸⁵  over me!

35:25 Do not let them say to themselves, ¹²⁸⁶  “Aha! We have what we wanted!” ¹²⁸⁷ 

Do not let them say, “We have devoured him!”

35:26 May those who want to harm me be totally embarrassed and ashamed! ¹²⁸⁸ 

May those who arrogantly taunt me be covered with shame and humiliation! ¹²⁸⁹ 

35:27 May those who desire my vindication shout for joy and rejoice!

May they continually say, ¹²⁹⁰  “May the Lord be praised, ¹²⁹¹  for he wants his servant to be secure.” ¹²⁹² 

35:28 Then I will tell others about your justice, ¹²⁹³ 

and praise you all day long. ¹²⁹⁴ 

Psalm 36 ¹²⁹⁵ 

For the music director; written by the Lord’s servant, David; an oracle. ¹²⁹⁶ 

36:1 An evil man is rebellious to the core. ¹²⁹⁷ 

He does not fear God, ¹²⁹⁸ 

36:2 for he is too proud

to recognize and give up his sin. ¹²⁹⁹ 

36:3 The words he speaks are sinful and deceitful;

he does not care about doing what is wise and right. ¹³⁰⁰ 

36:4 He plans ways to sin while he lies in bed;

he is committed to a sinful lifestyle; ¹³⁰¹ 

he does not reject what is evil. ¹³⁰² 

36:5 O Lord, your loyal love reaches to the sky; ¹³⁰³ 

your faithfulness to the clouds. ¹³⁰⁴ 

36:6 Your justice is like the highest mountains, ¹³⁰⁵ 

your fairness like the deepest sea;

you preserve ¹³⁰⁶  mankind and the animal kingdom. ¹³⁰⁷ 

36:7 How precious ¹³⁰⁸  is your loyal love, O God!

The human race finds shelter under your wings. ¹³⁰⁹ 

36:8 They are filled with food from your house,

and you allow them to drink from the river of your delicacies.

36:9 For you are the one who gives

and sustains life. ¹³¹⁰ 

36:10 Extend ¹³¹¹  your loyal love to your faithful followers, ¹³¹² 

and vindicate ¹³¹³  the morally upright! ¹³¹⁴ 

36:11 Do not let arrogant men overtake me,

or let evil men make me homeless! ¹³¹⁵ 

36:12 I can see the evildoers! They have fallen! ¹³¹⁶ 

They have been knocked down and are unable to get up! ¹³¹⁷ 

Psalm 37 ¹³¹⁸ 

By David.

37:1 Do not fret ¹³¹⁹  when wicked men seem to succeed! ¹³²⁰ 

Do not envy evildoers!

37:2 For they will quickly dry up like grass,

and wither away like plants. ¹³²¹ 

37:3 Trust in the Lord and do what is right!

Settle in the land and maintain your integrity! ¹³²² 

37:4 Then you will take delight in the Lord, ¹³²³ 

and he will answer your prayers. ¹³²⁴ 

37:5 Commit your future to the Lord! ¹³²⁵ 

Trust in him, and he will act on your behalf. ¹³²⁶ 

37:6 He will vindicate you in broad daylight,

and publicly defend your just cause. ¹³²⁷ 

37:7 Wait patiently for the Lord! ¹³²⁸ 

Wait confidently ¹³²⁹  for him!

Do not fret over the apparent success of a sinner, ¹³³⁰ 

a man who carries out wicked schemes!

37:8 Do not be angry and frustrated! ¹³³¹ 

Do not fret! That only leads to trouble!

37:9 Wicked men ¹³³²  will be wiped out, ¹³³³ 

but those who rely on the Lord are the ones who will possess the land. ¹³³⁴ 

37:10 Evil men will soon disappear; ¹³³⁵ 

you will stare at the spot where they once were, but they will be gone. ¹³³⁶ 

37:11 But the oppressed will possess the land

and enjoy great prosperity. ¹³³⁷ 

37:12 Evil men plot against the godly ¹³³⁸ 

and viciously attack them. ¹³³⁹ 

37:13 The Lord laughs in disgust ¹³⁴⁰  at them,

for he knows that their day is coming. ¹³⁴¹ 

37:14 Evil men draw their swords

and prepare their bows,

to bring down ¹³⁴²  the oppressed and needy,

and to slaughter those who are godly. ¹³⁴³ 

37:15 Their swords will pierce ¹³⁴⁴  their own hearts,

and their bows will be broken.

37:16 The little bit that a godly man owns is better than

the wealth of many evil men, ¹³⁴⁵ 

37:17 for evil men will lose their power, ¹³⁴⁶ 

but the Lord sustains ¹³⁴⁷  the godly.

37:18 The Lord watches over the innocent day by day ¹³⁴⁸ 

and they possess a permanent inheritance. ¹³⁴⁹ 

37:19 They will not be ashamed when hard times come; ¹³⁵⁰ 

when famine comes they will have enough to eat. ¹³⁵¹ 

37:20 But ¹³⁵²  evil men will die;

the Lord’s enemies will be incinerated ¹³⁵³  –

they will go up in smoke. ¹³⁵⁴ 

37:21 Evil men borrow, but do not repay their debt,

but the godly show compassion and are generous. ¹³⁵⁵ 

37:22 Surely ¹³⁵⁶  those favored by the Lord ¹³⁵⁷  will possess the land,

but those rejected ¹³⁵⁸  by him will be wiped out. ¹³⁵⁹ 

37:23 The Lord grants success to the one

whose behavior he finds commendable. ¹³⁶⁰ 

37:24 Even if ¹³⁶¹  he trips, he will not fall headlong, ¹³⁶² 

for the Lord holds ¹³⁶³  his hand.

37:25 I was once young, now I am old.

I have never seen a godly man abandoned,

or his children ¹³⁶⁴  forced to search for food. ¹³⁶⁵ 

37:26 All day long he shows compassion and lends to others, ¹³⁶⁶ 

and his children ¹³⁶⁷  are blessed.

37:27 Turn away from evil! Do what is right! ¹³⁶⁸ 

Then you will enjoy lasting security. ¹³⁶⁹ 

37:28 For the Lord promotes ¹³⁷⁰  justice,

and never abandons ¹³⁷¹  his faithful followers.

They are permanently secure, ¹³⁷² 

but the children ¹³⁷³  of evil men are wiped out. ¹³⁷⁴ 

37:29 The godly will possess the land

and will dwell in it permanently.

37:30 The godly speak wise words

and promote justice. ¹³⁷⁵ 

37:31 The law of their God controls their thinking; ¹³⁷⁶ 

their ¹³⁷⁷  feet do not slip.

37:32 Evil men set an ambush for the godly

and try to kill them. ¹³⁷⁸ 

37:33 But the Lord does not surrender the godly,

or allow them to be condemned in a court of law. ¹³⁷⁹ 

37:34 Rely ¹³⁸⁰  on the Lord! Obey his commands! ¹³⁸¹ 

Then he will permit you ¹³⁸²  to possess the land;

you will see the demise of evil men. ¹³⁸³ 

37:35 I have seen ruthless evil men ¹³⁸⁴ 

growing in influence, like a green tree grows in its native soil. ¹³⁸⁵ 

37:36 But then one passes by, and suddenly they have disappeared! ¹³⁸⁶ 

I looked for them, but they could not be found.

37:37 Take note of the one who has integrity! Observe the godly! ¹³⁸⁷ 

For the one who promotes peace has a future. ¹³⁸⁸ 

37:38 Sinful rebels are totally destroyed; ¹³⁸⁹ 

evil men have no future. ¹³⁹⁰ 

37:39 But the Lord delivers the godly; ¹³⁹¹ 

he protects them in times of trouble. ¹³⁹² 

37:40 The Lord helps them and rescues them;

he rescues them from evil men and delivers them, ¹³⁹³ 

for they seek his protection.

Psalm 38 ¹³⁹⁴ 

A psalm of David, written to get God’s attention. ¹³⁹⁵ 

38:1 O Lord, do not continue to rebuke me in your anger!

Do not continue to punish me in your raging fury! ¹³⁹⁶ 

38:2 For your arrows pierce ¹³⁹⁷  me,

and your hand presses me down. ¹³⁹⁸ 

38:3 My whole body is sick because of your judgment; ¹³⁹⁹ 

I am deprived of health because of my sin. ¹⁴⁰⁰ 

38:4 For my sins overwhelm me; ¹⁴⁰¹ 

like a heavy load, they are too much for me to bear.

38:5 My wounds ¹⁴⁰²  are infected and starting to smell, ¹⁴⁰³ 

because of my foolish sins. ¹⁴⁰⁴ 

38:6 I am dazed ¹⁴⁰⁵  and completely humiliated; ¹⁴⁰⁶ 

all day long I walk around mourning.

38:7 For I am overcome with shame ¹⁴⁰⁷ 

and my whole body is sick. ¹⁴⁰⁸ 

38:8 I am numb with pain and severely battered; ¹⁴⁰⁹ 

I groan loudly because of the anxiety I feel. ¹⁴¹⁰ 

38:9 O Lord, you understand my heart’s desire; ¹⁴¹¹ 

my groaning is not hidden from you.

38:10 My heart beats quickly;

my strength leaves me;

I can hardly see. ¹⁴¹² 

38:11 Because of my condition, ¹⁴¹³  even my friends and acquaintances keep their distance; ¹⁴¹⁴ 

my neighbors stand far away. ¹⁴¹⁵ 

38:12 Those who seek my life try to entrap me; ¹⁴¹⁶ 

those who want to harm me speak destructive words;

all day long they say deceitful things.

38:13 But I am like a deaf man – I hear nothing;

I am like a mute who cannot speak. ¹⁴¹⁷ 

38:14 I am like a man who cannot hear

and is incapable of arguing his defense. ¹⁴¹⁸ 

38:15 Yet ¹⁴¹⁹  I wait for you, O Lord!

You will respond, O Lord, my God!

38:16 I have prayed for deliverance, because otherwise they will gloat over me; ¹⁴²⁰ 

when my foot slips they will arrogantly taunt me. ¹⁴²¹ 

38:17 For I am about to stumble,

and I am in constant pain. ¹⁴²² 

38:18 Yes, ¹⁴²³  I confess my wrongdoing,

and I am concerned about my sins.

38:19 But those who are my enemies for no reason are numerous; ¹⁴²⁴ 

those who hate me without cause outnumber me. ¹⁴²⁵ 

38:20 They repay me evil for the good I have done;

though I have tried to do good to them, they hurl accusations at me. ¹⁴²⁶ 

38:21 Do not abandon me, O Lord!

My God, do not remain far away from me!

38:22 Hurry and help me, ¹⁴²⁷  O Lord, my deliverer!

Psalm 39 ¹⁴²⁸ 

For the music director, Jeduthun; a psalm of David.

39:1 I decided, ¹⁴²⁹  “I will watch what I say

and make sure I do not sin with my tongue. ¹⁴³⁰ 

I will put a muzzle over my mouth

while in the presence of an evil man.” ¹⁴³¹ 

39:2 I was stone silent; ¹⁴³² 

I held back the urge to speak. ¹⁴³³ 

My frustration grew; ¹⁴³⁴ 

39:3 my anxiety intensified. ¹⁴³⁵ 

As I thought about it, I became impatient. ¹⁴³⁶ 

Finally I spoke these words: ¹⁴³⁷ 

39:4 “O Lord, help me understand my mortality

and the brevity of life! ¹⁴³⁸ 

Let me realize how quickly my life will pass! ¹⁴³⁹ 

39:5 Look, you make my days short-lived, ¹⁴⁴⁰ 

and my life span is nothing from your perspective. ¹⁴⁴¹ 

Surely all people, even those who seem secure, are nothing but vapor. ¹⁴⁴² 

39:6 Surely people go through life as mere ghosts. ¹⁴⁴³ 

Surely they accumulate worthless wealth

without knowing who will eventually haul it away.” ¹⁴⁴⁴ 

39:7 But now, O Lord, upon what am I relying?

You are my only hope! ¹⁴⁴⁵ 

39:8 Deliver me from all my sins of rebellion!

Do not make me the object of fools’ insults!

39:9 I am silent and cannot open my mouth

because of what you have done. ¹⁴⁴⁶ 

39:10 Please stop wounding me! ¹⁴⁴⁷ 

You have almost beaten me to death! ¹⁴⁴⁸ 

39:11 You severely discipline people for their sins; ¹⁴⁴⁹ 

like a moth you slowly devour their strength. ¹⁴⁵⁰ 

Surely all people are a mere vapor. (Selah)

39:12 Hear my prayer, O Lord!

Listen to my cry for help!

Do not ignore my sobbing! ¹⁴⁵¹ 

For I am dependent on you, like one residing outside his native land;

I am at your mercy, just as all my ancestors were. ¹⁴⁵² 

39:13 Turn your angry gaze away from me, so I can be happy

before I pass away. ¹⁴⁵³ 

Psalm 40 ¹⁴⁵⁴ 

For the music director; By David, a psalm.

40:1 I relied completely ¹⁴⁵⁵  on the Lord,

and he turned toward me

and heard my cry for help.

40:2 He lifted me out of the watery pit, ¹⁴⁵⁶ 

out of the slimy mud. ¹⁴⁵⁷ 

He placed my feet on a rock

and gave me secure footing. ¹⁴⁵⁸ 

40:3 He gave me reason to sing a new song, ¹⁴⁵⁹ 

praising our God. ¹⁴⁶⁰ 

May many see what God has done,

so that they might swear allegiance to him and trust in the Lord! ¹⁴⁶¹ 

40:4 How blessed ¹⁴⁶²  is the one ¹⁴⁶³  who trusts in the Lord ¹⁴⁶⁴ 

and does not seek help from ¹⁴⁶⁵  the proud or from liars! ¹⁴⁶⁶ 

40:5 O Lord, my God, you have accomplished many things;

you have done amazing things and carried out your purposes for us. ¹⁴⁶⁷ 

No one can thwart you! ¹⁴⁶⁸ 

I want to declare them and talk about them,

but they are too numerous to recount! ¹⁴⁶⁹ 

40:6 Receiving sacrifices and offerings are not your primary concern. ¹⁴⁷⁰ 

You make that quite clear to me! ¹⁴⁷¹ 

You do not ask for burnt sacrifices and sin offerings.

40:7 Then I say,

“Look! I come!

What is written in the scroll pertains to me. ¹⁴⁷² 

40:8 I want to do what pleases you, ¹⁴⁷³  my God.

Your law dominates my thoughts.” ¹⁴⁷⁴ 

40:9 I have told the great assembly ¹⁴⁷⁵  about your justice. ¹⁴⁷⁶ 

Look! I spare no words! ¹⁴⁷⁷ 

O Lord, you know this is true.

40:10 I have not failed to tell about your justice; ¹⁴⁷⁸ 

I spoke about your reliability and deliverance;

I have not neglected to tell the great assembly about your loyal love and faithfulness. ¹⁴⁷⁹ 

40:11 O Lord, you do not withhold ¹⁴⁸⁰  your compassion from me.

May your loyal love and faithfulness continually protect me! ¹⁴⁸¹ 

40:12 For innumerable dangers ¹⁴⁸²  surround me.

My sins overtake me

so I am unable to see;

they outnumber the hairs of my head

so my strength fails me. ¹⁴⁸³ 

40:13 Please be willing, O Lord, to rescue me!

O Lord, hurry and help me! ¹⁴⁸⁴ 

40:14 May those who are trying to snatch away my life

be totally embarrassed and ashamed! ¹⁴⁸⁵ 

May those who want to harm me

be turned back and ashamed! ¹⁴⁸⁶ 

40:15 May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”

be humiliated ¹⁴⁸⁷  and disgraced! ¹⁴⁸⁸ 

40:16 May all those who seek you be happy and rejoice in you!

May those who love to experience ¹⁴⁸⁹  your deliverance say continually, ¹⁴⁹⁰ 

“May the Lord be praised!” ¹⁴⁹¹ 

40:17 I am oppressed and needy! ¹⁴⁹² 

May the Lord pay attention to me! ¹⁴⁹³ 

You are my helper and my deliverer!

O my God, do not delay!

Psalm 41 ¹⁴⁹⁴ 

For the music director; a psalm of David.

41:1 How blessed ¹⁴⁹⁵  is the one who treats the poor properly! ¹⁴⁹⁶ 

When trouble comes, ¹⁴⁹⁷  the Lord delivers him. ¹⁴⁹⁸ 

41:2 May the Lord protect him and save his life! ¹⁴⁹⁹ 

May he be blessed ¹⁵⁰⁰  in the land!

Do not turn him over ¹⁵⁰¹  to his enemies! ¹⁵⁰² 

41:3 The Lord supports ¹⁵⁰³  him on his sickbed;

you completely heal him from his illness. ¹⁵⁰⁴ 

41:4 As for me, I said: ¹⁵⁰⁵ 

“O Lord, have mercy on me!

Heal me, for I have sinned against you!

41:5 My enemies ask this cruel question about me, ¹⁵⁰⁶ 

‘When will he finally die and be forgotten?’ ¹⁵⁰⁷ 

41:6 When someone comes to visit, ¹⁵⁰⁸  he pretends to be friendly; ¹⁵⁰⁹ 

he thinks of ways to defame me, ¹⁵¹⁰ 

and when he leaves he slanders me. ¹⁵¹¹ 

41:7 All who hate me whisper insults about me to one another; ¹⁵¹² 

they plan ways to harm me.

41:8 They say, ¹⁵¹³ 

‘An awful disease ¹⁵¹⁴  overwhelms him, ¹⁵¹⁵ 

and now that he is bed-ridden he will never recover.’ ¹⁵¹⁶ 

41:9 Even my close friend ¹⁵¹⁷  whom I trusted,

he who shared meals with me, has turned against me. ¹⁵¹⁸ 

41:10 As for you, O Lord, have mercy on me and raise me up,

so I can pay them back!” ¹⁵¹⁹ 

41:11 By this ¹⁵²⁰  I know that you are pleased with me,

for my enemy does ¹⁵²¹  not triumph ¹⁵²²  over me.

41:12 As for me, you uphold ¹⁵²³  me because of my integrity; ¹⁵²⁴ 

you allow ¹⁵²⁵  me permanent access to your presence. ¹⁵²⁶ 

41:13 The Lord God of Israel deserves praise ¹⁵²⁷ 

in the future and forevermore! ¹⁵²⁸ 

We agree! We agree! ¹⁵²⁹ 

Book 2
(Psalms 42-72)

Psalm 42 ¹⁵³⁰ 

For the music director; a well-written song ¹⁵³¹  by the Korahites.

42:1 As a deer ¹⁵³²  longs ¹⁵³³  for streams of water,

so I long ¹⁵³⁴  for you, O God!

42:2 I thirst ¹⁵³⁵  for God,

for the living God.

I say, ¹⁵³⁶  “When will I be able to go and appear in God’s presence?” ¹⁵³⁷ 

42:3 I cannot eat, I weep day and night; ¹⁵³⁸ 

all day long they say to me, ¹⁵³⁹  “Where is your God?”

42:4 I will remember and weep! ¹⁵⁴⁰ 

For I was once walking along with the great throng to the temple of God,

shouting and giving thanks along with the crowd as we celebrated the holy festival. ¹⁵⁴¹ 

42:5 Why are you depressed, ¹⁵⁴²  O my soul? ¹⁵⁴³ 

Why are you upset? ¹⁵⁴⁴ 

Wait for God!

For I will again give thanks

to my God for his saving intervention. ¹⁵⁴⁵ 

42:6 I am depressed, ¹⁵⁴⁶ 

so I will pray to you while I am trapped here in the region of the upper Jordan, ¹⁵⁴⁷ 

from Hermon, ¹⁵⁴⁸  from Mount Mizar. ¹⁵⁴⁹ 

42:7 One deep stream calls out to another ¹⁵⁵⁰  at the sound of your waterfalls; ¹⁵⁵¹ 

all your billows and waves overwhelm me. ¹⁵⁵² 

42:8 By day the Lord decrees his loyal love, ¹⁵⁵³ 

and by night he gives me a song, ¹⁵⁵⁴ 

a prayer ¹⁵⁵⁵  to the living God.

42:9 I will pray ¹⁵⁵⁶  to God, my high ridge: ¹⁵⁵⁷ 

“Why do you ignore ¹⁵⁵⁸  me?

Why must I walk around mourning ¹⁵⁵⁹ 

because my enemies oppress me?”

42:10 My enemies’ taunts cut into me to the bone, ¹⁵⁶⁰ 

as they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” ¹⁵⁶¹ 

42:11 Why are you depressed, ¹⁵⁶²  O my soul? ¹⁵⁶³ 

Why are you upset? ¹⁵⁶⁴ 

Wait for God!

For I will again give thanks

to my God for his saving intervention. ¹⁵⁶⁵ 

Psalm 43 ¹⁵⁶⁶ 

43:1 Vindicate me, O God!

Fight for me ¹⁵⁶⁷  against an ungodly nation!

Deliver me ¹⁵⁶⁸  from deceitful and evil men! ¹⁵⁶⁹ 

43:2 For you are the God who shelters me. ¹⁵⁷⁰ 

Why do you reject me? ¹⁵⁷¹ 

Why must I walk around ¹⁵⁷²  mourning ¹⁵⁷³ 

because my enemies oppress me?

43:3 Reveal ¹⁵⁷⁴  your light ¹⁵⁷⁵  and your faithfulness!

They will lead me, ¹⁵⁷⁶ 

they will escort ¹⁵⁷⁷  me back to your holy hill, ¹⁵⁷⁸ 

and to the place where you live. ¹⁵⁷⁹ 

43:4 Then I will go ¹⁵⁸⁰  to the altar of God,

to the God who gives me ecstatic joy, ¹⁵⁸¹ 

so that I express my thanks to you, ¹⁵⁸²  O God, my God, with a harp.

43:5 Why are you depressed, ¹⁵⁸³  O my soul? ¹⁵⁸⁴ 

Why are you upset? ¹⁵⁸⁵ 

Wait for God!

For I will again give thanks

to my God for his saving intervention. ¹⁵⁸⁶ 

Psalm 44 ¹⁵⁸⁷ 

For the music director; by the Korahites, a well-written song. ¹⁵⁸⁸ 

44:1 O God, we have clearly heard; ¹⁵⁸⁹ 

our ancestors ¹⁵⁹⁰  have told us

what you did ¹⁵⁹¹  in their days,

in ancient times. ¹⁵⁹² 

44:2 You, by your power, ¹⁵⁹³  defeated nations and settled our fathers on their land; ¹⁵⁹⁴ 

you crushed ¹⁵⁹⁵  the people living there ¹⁵⁹⁶  and enabled our ancestors to occupy it. ¹⁵⁹⁷ 

44:3 For they did not conquer ¹⁵⁹⁸  the land by their swords,

and they did not prevail by their strength, ¹⁵⁹⁹ 

but rather by your power, ¹⁶⁰⁰  strength ¹⁶⁰¹  and good favor, ¹⁶⁰² 

for you were partial to ¹⁶⁰³  them.

44:4 You are my ¹⁶⁰⁴  king, O God!

Decree ¹⁶⁰⁵  Jacob’s ¹⁶⁰⁶  deliverance!

44:5 By your power ¹⁶⁰⁷  we will drive back ¹⁶⁰⁸  our enemies;

by your strength ¹⁶⁰⁹  we will trample down ¹⁶¹⁰  our foes! ¹⁶¹¹ 

44:6 For I do not trust in my bow,

and I do not prevail by my sword.

44:7 For you deliver ¹⁶¹²  us from our enemies;

you humiliate ¹⁶¹³  those who hate us.

44:8 In God I boast all day long,

and we will continually give thanks to your name. (Selah)

44:9 But ¹⁶¹⁴  you rejected and embarrassed us!

You did not go into battle with our armies. ¹⁶¹⁵ 

44:10 You made us retreat ¹⁶¹⁶  from the enemy.

Those who hate us take whatever they want from us. ¹⁶¹⁷ 

44:11 You handed us ¹⁶¹⁸  over like sheep to be eaten;

you scattered us among the nations.

44:12 You sold ¹⁶¹⁹  your people for a pittance; ¹⁶²⁰ 

you did not ask a high price for them. ¹⁶²¹ 

44:13 You made us ¹⁶²²  an object of disdain to our neighbors;

those who live on our borders taunt and insult us. ¹⁶²³ 

44:14 You made us ¹⁶²⁴  an object of ridicule ¹⁶²⁵  among the nations;

foreigners treat us with contempt. ¹⁶²⁶ 

44:15 All day long I feel humiliated ¹⁶²⁷ 

and am overwhelmed with shame, ¹⁶²⁸ 

44:16 before the vindictive enemy

who ridicules and insults me. ¹⁶²⁹ 

44:17 All this has happened to us, even though we have not rejected you ¹⁶³⁰ 

or violated your covenant with us. ¹⁶³¹ 

44:18 We have not been unfaithful, ¹⁶³² 

nor have we disobeyed your commands. ¹⁶³³ 

44:19 Yet you have battered us, leaving us a heap of ruins overrun by wild dogs; ¹⁶³⁴ 

you have covered us with darkness. ¹⁶³⁵ 

44:20 If we had rejected our God, ¹⁶³⁶ 

and spread out our hands in prayer to another god, ¹⁶³⁷ 

44:21 would not God discover it,

for he knows ¹⁶³⁸  one’s thoughts? ¹⁶³⁹ 

44:22 Yet because of you ¹⁶⁴⁰  we are killed all day long;

we are treated like ¹⁶⁴¹  sheep at the slaughtering block. ¹⁶⁴² 

44:23 Rouse yourself! Why do you sleep, O Lord?

Wake up! ¹⁶⁴³  Do not reject us forever!

44:24 Why do you look the other way, ¹⁶⁴⁴ 

and ignore ¹⁶⁴⁵  the way we are oppressed and mistreated? ¹⁶⁴⁶ 

44:25 For we lie in the dirt,

with our bellies pressed to the ground. ¹⁶⁴⁷ 

44:26 Rise up and help us!

Rescue us ¹⁶⁴⁸  because of your loyal love!

Psalm 45 ¹⁶⁴⁹ 

For the music director; according to the tune of “Lilies;” ¹⁶⁵⁰  by the Korahites, a well-written poem, ¹⁶⁵¹  a love song.

45:1 My heart is stirred by a beautiful song. ¹⁶⁵² 

I say, “I have composed this special song ¹⁶⁵³  for the king;

my tongue is as skilled as the stylus of an experienced scribe.” ¹⁶⁵⁴ 

45:2 You are the most handsome of all men! ¹⁶⁵⁵ 

You speak in an impressive and fitting manner! ¹⁶⁵⁶ 

For this reason ¹⁶⁵⁷  God grants you continual blessings. ¹⁶⁵⁸ 

45:3 Strap your sword to your thigh, O warrior! ¹⁶⁵⁹ 

Appear in your majestic splendor! ¹⁶⁶⁰ 

45:4 Appear in your majesty and be victorious! ¹⁶⁶¹ 

Ride forth for the sake of what is right, ¹⁶⁶² 

on behalf of justice! ¹⁶⁶³ 

Then your right hand will accomplish mighty acts! ¹⁶⁶⁴ 

45:5 Your arrows are sharp

and penetrate the hearts of the king’s enemies.

Nations fall at your feet. ¹⁶⁶⁵ 

45:6 Your throne, ¹⁶⁶⁶  O God, is permanent. ¹⁶⁶⁷ 

The scepter ¹⁶⁶⁸  of your kingdom is a scepter of justice.

45:7 You love ¹⁶⁶⁹  justice and hate evil. ¹⁶⁷⁰ 

For this reason God, your God ¹⁶⁷¹  has anointed you ¹⁶⁷² 

with the oil of joy, ¹⁶⁷³  elevating you above your companions. ¹⁶⁷⁴ 

45:8 All your garments are perfumed with ¹⁶⁷⁵  myrrh, aloes, and cassia.

From the luxurious palaces ¹⁶⁷⁶  comes the music of stringed instruments that makes you happy. ¹⁶⁷⁷ 

45:9 Princesses ¹⁶⁷⁸  are among your honored guests, ¹⁶⁷⁹ 

your bride ¹⁶⁸⁰  stands at your right hand, wearing jewelry made with gold from Ophir. ¹⁶⁸¹ 

45:10 Listen, O princess! ¹⁶⁸² 

Observe and pay attention! ¹⁶⁸³ 

Forget your homeland ¹⁶⁸⁴  and your family! ¹⁶⁸⁵ 

45:11 Then ¹⁶⁸⁶  the king will be attracted by ¹⁶⁸⁷  your beauty.

After all, he is your master! Submit ¹⁶⁸⁸  to him! ¹⁶⁸⁹ 

45:12 Rich people from Tyre ¹⁶⁹⁰ 

will seek your favor by bringing a gift. ¹⁶⁹¹ 

45:13 The princess ¹⁶⁹²  looks absolutely magnificent, ¹⁶⁹³ 

decked out in pearls and clothed in a brocade trimmed with gold. ¹⁶⁹⁴ 

45:14 In embroidered robes she is escorted to the king.

Her attendants, the maidens of honor who follow her,

are led before you. ¹⁶⁹⁵ 

45:15 They are bubbling with joy as they walk in procession

and enter the royal palace. ¹⁶⁹⁶ 

45:16 Your ¹⁶⁹⁷  sons will carry ¹⁶⁹⁸  on the dynasty of your ancestors; ¹⁶⁹⁹ 

you will make them princes throughout the land.

45:17 I will proclaim your greatness through the coming years, ¹⁷⁰⁰ 

then the nations will praise you ¹⁷⁰¹  forever.

Psalm 46 ¹⁷⁰² 

For the music director; by the Korahites; according to the alamoth style; ¹⁷⁰³  a song.

46:1 God is our strong refuge; ¹⁷⁰⁴ 

he is truly our helper in times of trouble. ¹⁷⁰⁵ 

46:2 For this reason we do not fear ¹⁷⁰⁶  when the earth shakes, ¹⁷⁰⁷ 

and the mountains tumble into the depths of the sea, ¹⁷⁰⁸ 

46:3 when its waves ¹⁷⁰⁹  crash ¹⁷¹⁰  and foam,

and the mountains shake ¹⁷¹¹  before the surging sea. ¹⁷¹²  (Selah)

46:4 The river’s channels bring joy to the city of God, ¹⁷¹³ 

the special, holy dwelling place of ¹⁷¹⁴  the sovereign One. ¹⁷¹⁵ 

46:5 God lives within it, ¹⁷¹⁶  it cannot be moved. ¹⁷¹⁷ 

God rescues it ¹⁷¹⁸  at the break of dawn. ¹⁷¹⁹ 

46:6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms are overthrown. ¹⁷²⁰ 

God ¹⁷²¹  gives a shout, ¹⁷²²  the earth dissolves. ¹⁷²³ 

46:7 The Lord who commands armies is on our side! ¹⁷²⁴ 

The God of Jacob ¹⁷²⁵  is our protector! ¹⁷²⁶  (Selah)

46:8 Come! Witness the exploits ¹⁷²⁷  of the Lord,

who brings devastation to the earth! ¹⁷²⁸ 

46:9 He brings an end to wars throughout the earth; ¹⁷²⁹ 

he shatters ¹⁷³⁰  the bow and breaks ¹⁷³¹  the spear;

he burns ¹⁷³²  the shields with fire. ¹⁷³³ 

46:10 He says, ¹⁷³⁴  “Stop your striving and recognize ¹⁷³⁵  that I am God!

I will be exalted ¹⁷³⁶  over ¹⁷³⁷  the nations! I will be exalted over ¹⁷³⁸  the earth!”

46:11 The Lord who commands armies is on our side! ¹⁷³⁹ 

The God of Jacob ¹⁷⁴⁰  is our protector! ¹⁷⁴¹  (Selah)

Psalm 47 ¹⁷⁴² 

For the music director; by the Korahites; a psalm.

47:1 All you nations, clap your hands!

Shout out to God in celebration! ¹⁷⁴³ 

47:2 For the sovereign Lord ¹⁷⁴⁴  is awe-inspiring; ¹⁷⁴⁵ 

he is the great king who rules the whole earth! ¹⁷⁴⁶ 

47:3 He subdued nations beneath us ¹⁷⁴⁷ 

and countries ¹⁷⁴⁸  under our feet.

47:4 He picked out for us a special land ¹⁷⁴⁹ 

to be a source of pride for ¹⁷⁵⁰  Jacob, ¹⁷⁵¹  whom he loves. ¹⁷⁵²  (Selah)

47:5 God has ascended his throne ¹⁷⁵³  amid loud shouts; ¹⁷⁵⁴ 

the Lord has ascended his throne amid the blaring of ram’s horns. ¹⁷⁵⁵ 

47:6 Sing to God! Sing!

Sing to our king! Sing!

47:7 For God is king of the whole earth!

Sing a well-written song! ¹⁷⁵⁶ 

47:8 God reigns ¹⁷⁵⁷  over the nations!

God sits on his holy throne!

47:9 The nobles of the nations assemble,

along with the people of the God of Abraham, ¹⁷⁵⁸ 

for God has authority over the rulers ¹⁷⁵⁹  of the earth.

He is highly exalted! ¹⁷⁶⁰ 

Psalm 48 ¹⁷⁶¹ 

A song, a psalm by the Korahites.

48:1 The Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise

in the city of our God, ¹⁷⁶²  his holy hill.

48:2 It is lofty and pleasing to look at, ¹⁷⁶³ 

a source of joy to the whole earth. ¹⁷⁶⁴ 

Mount Zion resembles the peaks of Zaphon; ¹⁷⁶⁵ 

it is the city of the great king.

48:3 God is in its fortresses;

he reveals himself as its defender. ¹⁷⁶⁶ 

48:4 For ¹⁷⁶⁷  look, the kings assemble; ¹⁷⁶⁸ 

they advance together.

48:5 As soon as they see, ¹⁷⁶⁹  they are shocked; ¹⁷⁷⁰ 

they are terrified, they quickly retreat. ¹⁷⁷¹ 

48:6 Look at them shake uncontrollably, ¹⁷⁷² 

like a woman writhing in childbirth. ¹⁷⁷³ 

48:7 With an east wind

you shatter ¹⁷⁷⁴  the large ships. ¹⁷⁷⁵ 

48:8 We heard about God’s mighty deeds, now we have seen them, ¹⁷⁷⁶ 

in the city of the Lord, the invincible Warrior, ¹⁷⁷⁷ 

in the city of our God.

God makes it permanently secure. ¹⁷⁷⁸  (Selah)

48:9 We reflect on your loyal love, O God,

within your temple.

48:10 The praise you receive as far away as the ends of the earth

is worthy of your reputation, O God. ¹⁷⁷⁹ 

You execute justice! ¹⁷⁸⁰ 

48:11 Mount Zion rejoices;

the towns ¹⁷⁸¹  of Judah are happy, ¹⁷⁸² 

because of your acts of judgment. ¹⁷⁸³ 

48:12 Walk around ¹⁷⁸⁴  Zion! Encircle it!

Count its towers!

48:13 Consider its defenses! ¹⁷⁸⁵ 

Walk through ¹⁷⁸⁶  its fortresses,

so you can tell the next generation about it! ¹⁷⁸⁷ 

48:14 For God, our God, is our defender forever! ¹⁷⁸⁸ 

He guides ¹⁷⁸⁹  us! ¹⁷⁹⁰ 

Psalm 49 ¹⁷⁹¹ 

For the music director, a psalm by the Korahites.

49:1 Listen to this, all you nations!

Pay attention, all you inhabitants of the world! ¹⁷⁹² 

49:2 Pay attention, all you people, ¹⁷⁹³ 

both rich and poor!

49:3 I will declare a wise saying; ¹⁷⁹⁴ 

I will share my profound thoughts. ¹⁷⁹⁵ 

49:4 I will learn a song that imparts wisdom;

I will then sing my insightful song to the accompaniment of a harp. ¹⁷⁹⁶ 

49:5 Why should I be afraid in times of trouble, ¹⁷⁹⁷ 

when the sinful deeds of deceptive men threaten to overwhelm me? ¹⁷⁹⁸ 

49:6 They trust ¹⁷⁹⁹  in their wealth

and boast ¹⁸⁰⁰  in their great riches.

49:7 Certainly a man cannot rescue his brother; ¹⁸⁰¹ 

he cannot pay God an adequate ransom price ¹⁸⁰² 

49:8 (the ransom price for a human life ¹⁸⁰³  is too high,

and people go to their final destiny), ¹⁸⁰⁴ 

49:9 so that he might continue to live ¹⁸⁰⁵  forever

and not experience death. ¹⁸⁰⁶ 

49:10 Surely ¹⁸⁰⁷  one sees ¹⁸⁰⁸  that even wise people die; ¹⁸⁰⁹ 

fools and spiritually insensitive people all pass away ¹⁸¹⁰ 

and leave their wealth to others. ¹⁸¹¹ 

49:11 Their grave becomes their permanent residence,

their eternal dwelling place. ¹⁸¹² 

They name their lands after themselves, ¹⁸¹³ 

49:12 but, despite their wealth, people do not last, ¹⁸¹⁴ 

they are like animals ¹⁸¹⁵  that perish. ¹⁸¹⁶ 

49:13 This is the destiny of fools, ¹⁸¹⁷ 

and of those who approve of their philosophy. ¹⁸¹⁸  (Selah)

49:14 They will travel to Sheol like sheep, ¹⁸¹⁹ 

with death as their shepherd. ¹⁸²⁰ 

The godly will rule ¹⁸²¹  over them when the day of vindication dawns; ¹⁸²² 

Sheol will consume their bodies and they will no longer live in impressive houses. ¹⁸²³ 

49:15 But ¹⁸²⁴  God will rescue ¹⁸²⁵  my life ¹⁸²⁶  from the power ¹⁸²⁷  of Sheol;

certainly ¹⁸²⁸  he will pull me to safety. ¹⁸²⁹  (Selah)

49:16 Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich ¹⁸³⁰ 

and his wealth multiplies! ¹⁸³¹ 

49:17 For he will take nothing with him when he dies;

his wealth will not follow him down into the grave. ¹⁸³² 

49:18 He pronounces this blessing on himself while he is alive:

“May men praise you, for you have done well!”

49:19 But he will join his ancestors; ¹⁸³³ 

they will never again see the light of day. ¹⁸³⁴ 

49:20 Wealthy people do not understand; ¹⁸³⁵ 

they are like animals ¹⁸³⁶  that perish. ¹⁸³⁷ 

Psalm 50 ¹⁸³⁸ 

A psalm by Asaph.

50:1 El, God, the Lord ¹⁸³⁹  speaks,

and summons the earth to come from the east and west. ¹⁸⁴⁰ 

50:2 From Zion, the most beautiful of all places, ¹⁸⁴¹ 

God comes in splendor. ¹⁸⁴² 

50:3 Our God approaches and is not silent; ¹⁸⁴³ 

consuming fire goes ahead of him

and all around him a storm rages. ¹⁸⁴⁴ 

50:4 He summons the heavens above,

as well as the earth, so that he might judge his people. ¹⁸⁴⁵ 

50:5 He says: ¹⁸⁴⁶ 

“Assemble my covenant people before me, ¹⁸⁴⁷ 

those who ratified a covenant with me by sacrifice!” ¹⁸⁴⁸ 

50:6 The heavens declare his fairness, ¹⁸⁴⁹ 

for God is judge. ¹⁸⁵⁰  (Selah)

50:7 He says: ¹⁸⁵¹ 

“Listen my people! I am speaking!

Listen Israel! I am accusing you! ¹⁸⁵² 

I am God, your God!

50:8 I am not condemning ¹⁸⁵³  you because of your sacrifices,

or because of your burnt sacrifices that you continually offer me. ¹⁸⁵⁴ 

50:9 I do not need to take ¹⁸⁵⁵  a bull from your household

or goats from your sheepfolds.

50:10 For every wild animal in the forest belongs to me,

as well as the cattle that graze on a thousand hills. ¹⁸⁵⁶ 

50:11 I keep track of ¹⁸⁵⁷  every bird in the hills,

and the insects ¹⁸⁵⁸  of the field are mine.

50:12 Even if I were hungry, I would not tell you,

for the world and all it contains belong to me.

50:13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls?

Do I drink the blood of goats? ¹⁸⁵⁹ 

50:14 Present to God a thank-offering!

Repay your vows to the sovereign One! ¹⁸⁶⁰ 

50:15 Pray to me when you are in trouble! ¹⁸⁶¹ 

I will deliver you, and you will honor me!” ¹⁸⁶² 

50:16 God says this to the evildoer: ¹⁸⁶³ 

“How can you declare my commands,

and talk about my covenant? ¹⁸⁶⁴ 

50:17 For you hate instruction

and reject my words. ¹⁸⁶⁵ 

50:18 When you see a thief, you join him; ¹⁸⁶⁶ 

you associate with men who are unfaithful to their wives. ¹⁸⁶⁷ 

50:19 You do damage with words, ¹⁸⁶⁸ 

and use your tongue to deceive. ¹⁸⁶⁹ 

50:20 You plot against your brother; ¹⁸⁷⁰ 

you slander your own brother. ¹⁸⁷¹ 

50:21 When you did these things, I was silent, ¹⁸⁷² 

so you thought I was exactly like you. ¹⁸⁷³ 

But now I will condemn ¹⁸⁷⁴  you

and state my case against you! ¹⁸⁷⁵ 

50:22 Carefully consider this, you who reject God! ¹⁸⁷⁶ 

Otherwise I will rip you to shreds ¹⁸⁷⁷ 

and no one will be able to rescue you.

50:23 Whoever presents a thank-offering honors me. ¹⁸⁷⁸ 

To whoever obeys my commands, I will reveal my power to deliver.” ¹⁸⁷⁹ 

[1:1]  ¹ sn Psalm 1. In this wisdom psalm the author advises his audience to reject the lifestyle of the wicked and to be loyal to God. The psalmist contrasts the destiny of the wicked with that of the righteous, emphasizing that the wicked are eventually destroyed while the godly prosper under the Lord’s protective care.

[1:1]  ² tn The Hebrew noun is an abstract plural. The word often refers metonymically to the happiness that God-given security and prosperity produce (see v. 3; Pss 2:12; 34:9; 41:1; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).

[1:1]  ³ 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.” (Generic “he” is employed in vv. 2-3). Since the godly man described in the psalm is representative of followers of God (note the plural form צַדִּיקִים [tsadiqim, “righteous, godly”] in vv. 5-6), one could translate the collective singular with the plural “those” both here and in vv. 2-3, where singular pronouns and verbal forms are utilized in the Hebrew text (cf. NRSV). However, here the singular form may emphasize that godly individuals are usually outnumbered by the wicked. Retaining the singular allows the translation to retain this emphasis.

[1:1]  ⁴ tn Heb “walk in.” The three perfect verbal forms in v. 1 refer in this context to characteristic behavior. The sequence “walk–stand–sit” envisions a progression from relatively casual association with the wicked to complete identification with them.

[1:1]  ⁵ tn The Hebrew noun translated “advice” most often refers to the “counsel” or “advice” one receives from others. To “walk in the advice of the wicked” means to allow their evil advice to impact and determine one’s behavior.

[1:1]  ⁶ tn In the psalms the Hebrew term רְשָׁעִים (rÿsha’im, “wicked”) describes people who are proud, practical atheists (Ps 10:2, 4, 11) who hate God’s commands, commit sinful deeds, speak lies and slander (Ps 50:16-20), and cheat others (Ps 37:21).

[1:1]  ⁷ tn “Pathway” here refers to the lifestyle of sinners. To “stand in the pathway of/with sinners” means to closely associate with them in their sinful behavior.

[1:1]  ⁸ tn Here the Hebrew term מוֹשַׁב (moshav), although often translated “seat” (cf. NEB, NIV), appears to refer to the whole assembly of evildoers. The word also carries the semantic nuance “assembly” in Ps 107:32, where it is in synonymous parallelism with קָהָל (qahal, “assembly”).

[1:1]  ⁹ tn The Hebrew word refers to arrogant individuals (Prov 21:24) who love conflict (Prov 22:10) and vociferously reject wisdom and correction (Prov 1:22; 9:7-8; 13:1; 15:12). To “sit in the assembly” of such people means to completely identify with them in their proud, sinful plans and behavior.

[1:2]  ¹⁰ tn Here the Hebrew expression כִּי־אִם (ki-’im, “instead”) introduces a contrast between the sinful behavior depicted in v. 1 and the godly lifestyle described in v. 2.

[1:2]  ¹¹ tn Heb “his delight [is] in the law of the Lord.” In light of the following line, which focuses on studying the Lord’s law, one might translate, “he finds pleasure in studying the Lord’s commands.” However, even if one translates the line this way, it is important to recognize that mere study and intellectual awareness are not ultimately what bring divine favor. Study of the law is metonymic here for the correct attitudes and behavior that should result from an awareness of and commitment to God’s moral will; thus “obeying” has been used in the translation rather than “studying.”

[1:2]  ¹² tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form draws attention to the characteristic behavior described here and lends support to the hyperbolic adverbial phrase “day and night.” The verb הָגָה (hagag) means “to recite quietly; to meditate” and refers metonymically to intense study and reflection.

[1:2]  ¹³ tn Or “his law.”

[1:3]  ¹⁴ tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries the same characteristic force as the imperfect in the preceding verse. According to the psalmist, the one who studies and obeys God’s commands typically prospers.

[1:3]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “channels of water.”

[1:3]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “which.”

[1:3]  ¹⁷ tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal forms in v. 3 draw attention to the typical nature of the actions/states they describe.

[1:3]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “in its season.”

[1:3]  ¹⁹ tn Or “fade”; “wither.”

[1:3]  ²⁰ tn Heb “and all which he does prospers”; or “and all which he does he causes to prosper.” (The simile of the tree does not extend to this line.) It is not certain if the Hiphil verbal form (יַצְלִיחַ, yatsliakh) is intransitive-exhibitive (“prospers”) or causative (“causes to prosper”) here. If the verb is intransitive, then כֹּל (kol, “all, everything”) is the subject. If the verb is causative, then the godly individual or the Lord himself is the subject and כֹּל is the object. The wording is reminiscent of Josh 1:8, where the Lord tells Joshua: “This law scroll must not leave your lips! You must memorize it day and night so you can carefully obey all that is written in it. Then you will prosper (literally, “cause your way to prosper”) and be successful.”

[1:4]  ²¹ tn Here the Hebrew expression כִּי־אִם (ki-’im, “instead,” cf. v. 2) introduces a contrast between the prosperity of the godly depicted in v. 3 and the destiny of the wicked described in v. 4.

[1:4]  ²² tn Heb “[they are] like the chaff which [the] wind blows about.” The Hebrew imperfect verbal form draws attention to the typical nature of the action described.

[1:5]  ²³ tn Or “Therefore.”

[1:5]  ²⁴ tn Heb “arise in,” but the verb is used metonymically here in the sense of “stand”; “endure,” as in 1 Sam 13:14 and Job 8:15. The negated Hebrew imperfect verbal form is here taken as indicating incapability or lack of potential, though one could understand the verb form as indicating what is typical (“do not withstand”) or what will happen (“will not withstand”).

[1:5]  ²⁵ tn Heb “the judgment.” The article indicates a judgment that is definite in the mind of the speaker. In the immediate context this probably does not refer to the “final judgment” described in later biblical revelation, but to a temporal/historical judgment which the author anticipates. Periodically during the OT period, God would come in judgment, removing the wicked from the scene, while preserving a godly remnant (see Gen 6-9; Ps 37; Hab 3).

[1:5]  ²⁶ tn Heb “and sinners in the assembly (or “circle”) of [the] godly.” The negative particle and verb from the preceding line are assumed by ellipsis here (“will not arise/stand”).

[1:6]  ²⁷ tn The translation understands כי as asseverative. Another option is to translate “for,” understanding v. 6 as a theological explanation for vv. 3-5, which contrasts the respective destinies of the godly and the wicked.

[1:6]  ²⁸ tn Heb “the Lord knows the way of the righteous.” To “know a way” means, in its most basic sense, “to recognize/acknowledge a pathway, route, or prescribed way of life” (see Josh 3:4; Job 21:14; Ps 67:2; Isa 42:16; Jer 5:4-5). Here it could refer to the Lord recognizing the behavior of the godly and, by metonymy, rewarding their godliness with security and prosperity (resulting in the translation, “the Lord rewards the behavior of the godly”). The present translation takes the verb in the sense of “mark out” (cf. Job 23:10), which metonymically could mean “watch over, protect, guard.” In this case the “way of the godly” is not their behavior, but their course of life or destiny; a translation reflecting this would be “the Lord protects the lives of the godly” or “the Lord watches over the destiny of the godly” (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV). The Hebrew active participle יוֹדֵעַ (yodea’, “knows”) has here a characteristic durative force.

[1:6]  ²⁹ tn Heb “but the way of the wicked perishes.” The “way of the wicked” may refer to their course of life (Ps 146:9; Prov 4:19; Jer 12:1) or their sinful behavior (Prov 12:26; 15:9). The Hebrew imperfect verbal form probably describes here what typically happens, though one could take the form as indicating what will happen (“will perish”).

[2:1]  ³⁰ sn Psalm 2. In this royal psalm the author asserts the special status of the divinely chosen Davidic king and warns the nations and their rulers to submit to the authority of God and his chosen vice-regent.

[2:1]  ³¹ tn The question is rhetorical. Rather than seeking information, the psalmist expresses his outrage that the nations would have the audacity to rebel against God and his chosen king.

[2:1]  ³² tn The Hebrew verb רָגַשׁ (ragash) occurs only here. In Dan 6:6, 11, 15 the Aramaic cognate verb describes several officials acting as a group. A Hebrew nominal derivative is used in Ps 55:14 of a crowd of people in the temple.

[2:1]  ³³ tn The interrogative לָמָּה (lamah, “why?”) is understood by ellipsis in the second line.

[2:1]  ³⁴ tn Or “peoples” (so many English versions).

[2:1]  ³⁵ tn The Hebrew imperfect form describes the rebellion as underway. The verb הָגָה (hagah), which means “to recite quietly, meditate,” here has the metonymic nuance “devise, plan, plot” (see Ps 38:12; Prov 24:2).

[2:1]  ³⁶ tn Heb “devising emptiness.” The noun רִיק (riq, “emptiness”) may characterize their behavior as “worthless, morally bankrupt” but more likely refers to the outcome of their plots (i.e., failure). As the rest of the psalm emphasizes, their rebellion will fail.

[2:2]  ³⁷ sn The expression kings of the earth refers somewhat hyperbolically to the kings who had been conquered by and were subject to the Davidic king.

[2:2]  ³⁸ tn Or “take their stand.” The Hebrew imperfect verbal form describes their action as underway.

[2:2]  ³⁹ tn Or “conspire together.” The verbal form is a Niphal from יָסַד (yasad). BDB 413-14 s.v. יָסַד defines the verb as “establish, found,” but HALOT 417 s.v. II יסד proposes a homonym meaning “get together, conspire” (an alternate form of סוּד, sud).

[2:2]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “and against his anointed one.” The Davidic king is the referent (see vv. 6-7).

[2:3]  ⁴¹ tn The words “they say” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The quotation represents the words of the rebellious kings.

[2:3]  ⁴² tn Heb “their (i.e., the Lord’s and the king’s) shackles.” The kings compare the rule of the Lord and his vice-regent to being imprisoned.

[2:3]  ⁴³ tn Heb “throw off from us.”

[2:4]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “sitting.” The Hebrew verb יָשַׁב (yashav) is here used metonymically of “sitting enthroned” (see Pss 9:7; 29:10; 55:19; 102:12; 123:1).

[2:4]  ⁴⁵ tn As the next line indicates, this refers to derisive laughter. The Hebrew imperfect verbal forms in vv. 4-5 describe the action from the perspective of an eyewitness who is watching the divine response as it unfolds before his eyes.

[2:4]  ⁴⁶ tn Or “scoffs at”; “derides”; “mocks.”

[2:5]  ⁴⁷ sn And terrifies them in his rage. This line focuses on the effect that God’s angry response (see previous line) has on the rebellious kings.

[2:5]  ⁴⁸ tn The word “saying” is supplied in the translation for clarification to indicate that the speaker is the Lord (cf. RSV, NIV).

[2:6]  ⁴⁹ tn The first person pronoun appears before the first person verbal form for emphasis, reflected in the translation by “myself.”

[2:6]  ⁵⁰ tn Or perhaps “consecrated.”

[2:7]  ⁵¹ tn The words “the king says” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The speaker is the Lord’s chosen king.

[2:7]  ⁵² tn Or “I will relate the decree. The Lord said to me” (in accordance with the Masoretic accentuation).

[2:7]  ⁵³ sn ‘You are my son!’ The Davidic king was viewed as God’s “son” (see 2 Sam 7:14; Ps 89:26-27). 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.

[2:8]  ⁵⁴ sn I will give you the nations. The Lord promises the Davidic king universal dominion.

[2:9]  ⁵⁵ tc The LXX reads “you will shepherd them.” This reading, quoted in the Greek text of the NT in Rev 2:27; 12:5; 19:15, assumes a different vocalization of the consonantal Hebrew text and understands the verb as רָעָה (ra’ah, “to shepherd”) rather than רָעָע (ra’a’, “to break”). But the presence of נָפַץ (nafats, “to smash”) in the next line strongly favors the MT vocalization.

[2:9]  ⁵⁶ tn The Hebrew term שֵׁבֶט (shevet) can refer to a “staff” or “rod,” but here it probably refers to the Davidic king’s royal scepter, symbolizing his sovereignty.

[2:9]  ⁵⁷ sn Like a potter’s jar. Before the Davidic king’s awesome power, the rebellious nations are like fragile pottery.

[2:10]  ⁵⁸ sn The speaker here is either the psalmist or the Davidic king, who now addresses the rebellious kings.

[2:10]  ⁵⁹ tn The Niphal has here a tolerative nuance; the kings are urged to submit themselves to the advice being offered.

[2:11]  ⁶⁰ tn The Hebrew verb translated “serve” refers here to submitting to the Lord’s sovereignty as expressed through the rule of the Davidic king. Such “service” would involve maintaining allegiance to the Davidic king by paying tribute on a regular basis.

[2:11]  ⁶¹ tn Traditionally, “rejoice with trembling” (KJV). The verb גִּיל (gil) normally means “rejoice,” but this meaning does not fit well here in conjunction with “in trembling.” Some try to understand “trembling” (and the parallel יִרְאָה, yir’ah, “fear”) in the sense of “reverential awe” and then take the verbs “serve” and “rejoice” in the sense of “worship” (cf. NASB). But רְעָדָה (rÿ’adah, “trembling”) and its related terms consistently refer to utter terror and fear (see Exod 15:15; Job 4:14; Pss 48:6; 55:5; 104:32; Isa 33:14; Dan 10:11) or at least great emotional distress (Ezra 10:9). It seems more likely here that גִּיל carries its polarized meaning “mourn, lament,” as in Hos 10:5. “Mourn, lament” would then be metonymic in this context for “repent” (referring to one’s rebellious ways). On the meaning of the verb in Hos 10:5, see F. I. Andersen and D. N. Freedman, Hosea (AB), 556-57.

[2:12]  ⁶² tn Traditionally, “kiss the son” (KJV). But בַּר (bar) is the Aramaic word for “son,” not the Hebrew. For this reason many regard the reading as suspect. Some propose emendations of vv. 11b-12a. One of the more popular proposals is to read בִּרְעָדָה נַשְּׁקוּ לְרַגְלָיו (bir’adah nashÿqu lÿraslayv, “in trembling kiss his feet”). It makes better sense to understand בַּר (bar) as an adjective meaning “pure” (see Pss 24:4; 73:1 and BDB 141 s.v. בַּר 3) functioning here in an adverbial sense. If read this way, then the syntactical structure of exhortation (imperative followed by adverbial modifier) corresponds to the two preceding lines (see v. 11). The verb נָשַׁק (nashaq, “kiss”) refers metonymically to showing homage (see 1 Sam 10:1; Hos 13:2). The exhortation in v. 12a advocates a genuine expression of allegiance and warns against insincerity. When swearing allegiance, vassal kings would sometimes do so insincerely, with the intent of rebelling when the time was right. The so-called “Vassal Treaties of Esarhaddon” also warn against such an attitude. In this treaty the vassal is told: “If you, as you stand on the soil where this oath [is sworn], swear the oath with your words and lips [only], do not swear with your entire heart, do not transmit it to your sons who will live after this treaty, if you take this curse upon yourselves but do not plan to keep the treaty of Esarhaddon…may your sons and grandsons because of this fear in the future” (see J. B. Pritchard, ed., The Ancient Near East, 2:62).

[2:12]  ⁶³ tn Throughout the translation of this verse the third person masculine pronouns refer to the Lord (cf. v. 11).

[2:12]  ⁶⁴ tn The implied subject of the verb is the Lord, mentioned in v. 11. Elsewhere the subject of this verb is consistently the Lord, suggesting it may be a technical term for divine anger. Anger is here used metonymically for judgment, as the following statement makes clear. A Moabite cognate occurs in the Mesha inscription, where it is used of the Moabite god Chemosh’s anger at his people (see J. B. Pritchard, ed., The Ancient Near East, 1:209).

[2:12]  ⁶⁵ tn Heb “and you will perish [in the] way.” The Hebrew word דֶּרֶךְ (derekh, “way”) here refers to their rebellious behavior (not to a pathway, as often understood). It functions syntactically as an adverbial accusative in relation to the verb “perish.”

[2:12]  ⁶⁶ tn Or “burns.” The Lord’s anger is compared here to fire, the most destructive force known in ancient Israel.

[2:12]  ⁶⁷ tn The Hebrew noun is an abstract plural. The word often refers metonymically to the happiness that God-given security and prosperity produce (see Pss 1:1; 34:9; 41:1; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).

[2:12]  ⁶⁸ sn Who take shelter in him. “Taking shelter” in the Lord is an idiom for seeking his protection. Seeking his protection presupposes and even demonstrates the subject’s loyalty to the Lord. In the psalms those who “take shelter” in the Lord are contrasted with the wicked and equated with those who love, fear, and serve the Lord (Pss 5:11-12; 31:17-20; 34:21-22).

[3:1]  ⁶⁹ sn Psalm 3. The psalmist acknowledges that he is confronted by many enemies (vv. 1-2). But, alluding to a divine oracle he has received (vv. 4-5), he affirms his confidence in God’s ability to protect him (vv. 3, 6) and requests that God make his promise a reality (vv. 7-8).

[3:1]  ⁷⁰ sn According to Jewish tradition, David offered this prayer when he was forced to flee from Jerusalem during his son Absalom’s attempted coup (see 2 Sam 15:13-17).

[3:1]  ⁷¹ tn The Hebrew term מָה (mah, “how”) is used here as an adverbial exclamation (see BDB 553 s.v.).

[3:1]  ⁷² tn Heb “many rise up against me.”

[3:2]  ⁷³ tn Heb “there is no deliverance for him in God.”

[3:2]  ⁷⁴ sn The function of the Hebrew term סֶלָה (selah), transliterated here “Selah,” is uncertain. It may be a musical direction of some kind.

[3:3]  ⁷⁵ tn Heb “a shield round about me.”

[3:3]  ⁷⁶ tn Heb “my glory,” or “my honor.” The psalmist affirms that the Lord is his source of honor, i.e., the one who gives him honor in the sight of others. According to BDB 459 s.v. II כָּבוֹד 7, the phrase refers to God as the one to whom the psalmist gives honor. But the immediate context focuses on what God does for the psalmist, not vice-versa.

[3:3]  ⁷⁷ tn Heb “[the one who] lifts my head.” This phrase could be understood to refer to a general strengthening of the psalmist by God during difficult circumstances. However, if one takes the suggestion of the superscription that this is a Davidic psalm written during the revolt of Absalom, the phrase “lift the head” could refer to the psalmist’s desire for restoration to his former position (cf. Gen 40:13 where the same phrase is used). Like the Hebrew text, the present translation (“who restores me”) can be understood in either sense.

[3:4]  ⁷⁸ tn The prefixed verbal form could be an imperfect, yielding the translation “I cry out,” but the verb form in the next line (a vav [ו] consecutive with the preterite) suggests this is a brief narrative of what has already happened. Consequently the verb form in v. 4a is better understood as a preterite, “I cried out.” (For another example of the preterite of this same verb form, see Ps 30:8.) Sometime after the crisis arose, the psalmist prayed to the Lord and received an assuring answer. Now he confidently awaits the fulfillment of the divine promise.

[3:4]  ⁷⁹ sn His holy hill. That is, Zion (see Pss 2:6; 48:1-2). The psalmist recognizes that the Lord dwells in his sanctuary on Mount Zion.

[3:5]  ⁸⁰ tn The three verbal forms that appear in succession here (perfect + vav [ו] consecutive with preterite + perfect) are most naturally taken as narrational. When the psalmist received an assuring word from the Lord, he was able to sleep calmly. Because the Lord was protecting him, he awoke safely from his sleep.

[3:5]  ⁸¹ tn Or “supports”; “sustains.” In this explanatory causal clause the imperfect verbal form probably has a habitual or present progressive nuance, for the psalmist is confident of God’s continual protection (see v. 3). Another option is to take the verb as a preterite, “for the Lord protected me.” In this case, the psalmist focuses specifically on the protection God provided while he slept.

[3:6]  ⁸² tn The imperfect verbal form here expresses the psalmist’s continuing attitude as he faces the crisis at hand.

[3:6]  ⁸³ tn Or perhaps “troops.” The Hebrew noun עָם (’am) sometimes refers to a military contingent or army.

[3:6]  ⁸⁴ tn Heb “who all around take a stand against me.”

[3:7]  ⁸⁵ tn In v. 2 the psalmist describes his enemies as those who “confront” him (קָמִים [qamim], literally, “rise up against him”). Now, using the same verbal root (קוּם, qum) he asks the Lord to rise up (קוּמָה, qumah) in his defense.

[3:7]  ⁸⁶ tn Elsewhere in the psalms the particle כִּי (ki), when collocated with a perfect verbal form and subordinated to a preceding imperative directed to God, almost always has an explanatory or causal force (“for, because”) and introduces a motivating argument for why God should respond positively to the request (see Pss 5:10; 6:2; 12:1; 16:1; 41:4; 55:9; 56:1; 57:1; 60:2; 69:1; 74:20; 119:94; 123:3; 142:6; 143:8). (On three occasions the כִּי is recitative after a verb of perception [“see/know that,” see Pss 4:3; 25:19; 119:159]). If כִּי is taken as explanatory here, then the psalmist is arguing that God should deliver him now because that is what God characteristically does. However, such a motivating argument is not used in the passages cited above. The motivating argument usually focuses on the nature of the psalmist’s dilemma or the fact that he trusts in the Lord. For this reason it is unlikely that כִּי has its normal force here. Most scholars understand the particle כִּי as having an asseverative (emphasizing) function here (“indeed, yes”; NEB leaves the particle untranslated).

[3:7]  ⁸⁷ tn If the particle כִּי (ki) is taken as explanatory, then the perfect verbal forms in v. 7b would describe God’s characteristic behavior. However, as pointed out in the preceding note on the word “yes,” the particle probably has an asseverative force here. If so, the perfects may be taken as indicating rhetorically the psalmist’s certitude and confidence that God will intervene. The psalmist is so confident of God’s positive response to his prayer, he can describe God’s assault on his enemies as if it had already happened. Such confidence is consistent with the mood of the psalm, as expressed before (vv. 3-6) and after this (v. 8). Another option is to take the perfects as precative, expressing a wish or request (“Strike all my enemies on the jaw, break the teeth of the wicked”). See IBHS 494-95 §30.5.4c, d. However, not all grammarians are convinced that the perfect is used as a precative in biblical Hebrew.

[3:7]  ⁸⁸ sn The expression break the teeth may envision violent hand-to hand combat, though it is possible that the enemies are pictured here as a dangerous animal (see Job 29:17).

[3:7]  ⁸⁹ tn In the psalms the Hebrew term רְשָׁעִים (rÿsha’im, “wicked”) describes people who are proud, practical atheists (Ps 10:2, 4, 11) who hate God’s commands, commit sinful deeds, speak lies and slander (Ps 50:16-20), and cheat others (Ps 37:21). They oppose God and his people.

[3:8]  ⁹⁰ tn Heb “to the Lord [is] deliverance.”

[3:8]  ⁹¹ tn Heb “upon your people [is] your blessing.” In this context God’s “blessing” includes deliverance/protection, vindication, and sustained life (see Pss 21:3, 6; 24:5).

[4:1]  ⁹² sn Psalm 4. The psalmist asks God to hear his prayer, expresses his confidence that the Lord will intervene, and urges his enemies to change their ways and place their trust in God. He concludes with another prayer for divine intervention and again affirms his absolute confidence in God’s protection.

[4:1]  ⁹³ tn Heb “God of my righteousness.”

[4:1]  ⁹⁴ tn Heb “in distress (or “a narrow place”) you make (a place) large for me.” The function of the Hebrew perfect verbal form here is uncertain. The translation above assumes that the psalmist is expressing his certitude and confidence that God will intervene. The psalmist is so confident of God’s positive response to his prayer, he can describe God’s deliverance as if it had already happened. Such confidence is consistent with the mood of the psalm (vv. 3, 8). Another option is to take the perfects as precative, expressing a wish or request (“lead me”). See IBHS 494-95 §30.5.4c, d. However, not all grammarians are convinced that the perfect is used as a precative in biblical Hebrew.

[4:1]  ⁹⁵ tn Or “show me favor.”

[4:1]  ⁹⁶ tn Heb “hear.”

[4:2]  ⁹⁷ tn Heb “sons of man.”

[4:2]  ⁹⁸ tn Heb “how long my honor to shame?”

[4:2]  ⁹⁹ tn The interrogative construction עַד־מֶה (’ad-meh, “how long?”), is understood by ellipsis in the second line.

[4:2]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Heb “emptiness.”

[4:2]  ¹⁰¹ tn Heb “a lie.” Some see the metonymic language of v. 2b (“emptiness, lie”) as referring to idols or false gods. However, there is no solid immediate contextual evidence for such an interpretation. It is more likely that the psalmist addresses those who threaten him (see v. 1) and refers in a general way to their sinful lifestyle. (See R. Mosis, TDOT 7:121.) The two terms allude to the fact that sinful behavior is ultimately fruitless and self-destructive.

[4:3]  ¹⁰² tn Heb “and know that.”

[4:3]  ¹⁰³ tn Heb “that the Lord sets apart a faithful one for himself.” The psalmist states a general principle, though the singular form and the parallel line indicate he has himself in mind as the representative godly person. A חָסִיד (khasid; here translated as “the godly”) is one who does what is right in God’s eyes and remains faithful to God (see Pss 12:1; 18:25; 31:23; 37:28; 86:2; 97:10).

[4:3]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Heb “hears.”

[4:4]  ¹⁰⁵ sn The psalmist warns his enemies that they need to tremble with fear before God and repudiate their sinful ways.

[4:4]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Heb “say in your heart(s) on your bed(s) and wail/lament.” The verb דֹמּוּ (dommu) is understood as a form of דָמָם (“wail, lament”) in sorrow and repentance. Another option is to take the verb from II דָמָם (damam, “be quiet”); cf. NIV, NRSV “be silent.”

[4:5]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Or “proper, right.” The phrase also occurs in Deut 33:19 and Ps 51:19.

[4:5]  ¹⁰⁸ sn Trust in the Lord. The psalmist urges his enemies to make peace with God and become his followers.

[4:6]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Heb “lift up upon us the light of your face, Lord.” The verb נסה is apparently an alternate form of נשׂא, “lift up.” See GKC 217 §76.b. 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 31:16; 44:3; 67:1; 80:3, 7, 19; 89:15; Dan 9:17).

[4:7]  ¹¹⁰ tn Heb “you place joy in my heart.” Another option is to understand the perfect verbal form as indicating certitude, “you will make me happier.”

[4:7]  ¹¹¹ tn Heb “from (i.e., more than) the time (when) their grain and their wine are abundant.”

[4:8]  ¹¹² tn Heb “in peace at the same time I will lie down and sleep.”

[4:8]  ¹¹³ tn Heb “for you, Lord, solitarily, securely make me dwell.” The translation understands לְבָדָד (lÿvadad) as modifying the verb; the Lord keeps enemies away from the psalmist so that he is safe and secure. Another option is to take לְבָדָד with what precedes and translate, “you alone, Lord, make me secure.”

[5:1]  ¹¹⁴ sn Psalm 5. Appealing to God’s justice and commitment to the godly, the psalmist asks the Lord to intervene and deliver him from evildoers.

[5:1]  ¹¹⁵ tn The meaning of the Hebrew word נְחִילוֹת (nÿkhilot), which occurs only here, is uncertain. Many relate the form to חָלִיל (khalil, “flute”).

[5:1]  ¹¹⁶ tn Heb “my words.”

[5:1]  ¹¹⁷ tn Or “sighing.” The word occurs only here and in Ps 39:3.

[5:3]  ¹¹⁸ sn In the morning is here viewed as the time of prayer (Pss 59:16; 88:13) and/or of deliverance (Ps 30:5).

[5:3]  ¹¹⁹ tn The imperfect is here understood in a specific future sense; the psalmist is expressing his confidence that God will be willing to hear his request. Another option is to understand the imperfect as expressing the psalmist’s wish or request. In this case one could translate, “Lord, in the morning hear me.”

[5:3]  ¹²⁰ tn Heb “my voice.”

[5:3]  ¹²¹ tn Heb “I will arrange for you.” Some understand a sacrifice or offering as the implied object (cf. NEB “I set out my morning sacrifice”). The present translation assumes that the implied object is the psalmist’s case/request. See Isa 44:7.

[5:3]  ¹²² tn Heb “and I will watch.”

[5:4]  ¹²³ tn Or “for.”

[5:4]  ¹²⁴ tn Heb “not a God [who] delights [in] wickedness [are] you.”

[5:4]  ¹²⁵ tn The Hebrew text has simply the singular form רע, which may be taken as an abstract noun “evil” (the reference to “wickedness” in the preceding line favors this; cf. NEB, NASB, NRSV) or as a substantival adjective “evil one” (the references to evil people in the next two verses favor this; cf. NIV “with you the wicked cannot dwell”).

[5:4]  ¹²⁶ tn Heb “cannot dwell as a resident alien [with] you.” The negated imperfect verbal form here indicates incapability or lack of permission. These people are morally incapable of dwelling in God’s presence and are not permitted to do so.

[5:5]  ¹²⁷ tn Heb “before your eyes.”

[5:5]  ¹²⁸ sn You hate. The Lord “hates” the wicked in the sense that he despises their wicked character and deeds and actively opposes and judges them for their wickedness. See Ps 11:5.

[5:5]  ¹²⁹ tn Heb “all the workers of wickedness.”

[5:6]  ¹³⁰ tn The imperfect verbal form indicates God’s typical response to such individuals. Another option is to translate the verb as future (“You will destroy”); the psalmist may be envisioning a time of judgment when God will remove the wicked from the scene.

[5:6]  ¹³¹ tn Heb “those who speak a lie.” In the OT a “lie” does not refer in a general philosophical sense to any statement that fails to correspond to reality. Instead it refers more specifically to a slanderous and/or deceitful statement that promotes one’s own selfish, sinful interests and/or exploits or harms those who are innocent. Note the emphasis on violence and deceit in the following line.

[5:6]  ¹³² tn The imperfect verbal form highlights the Lord’s characteristic attitude toward such individuals.

[5:6]  ¹³³ tn Heb “a man of bloodshed and deceit.” The singular אִישׁ (’ish, “man”) is used here in a collective or representative sense; thus the translation “people” is appropriate here. Note the plural forms in vv. 5-6a.

[5:7]  ¹³⁴ sn But as for me. By placing the first person pronoun at the beginning of the verse, the psalmist highlights the contrast between the evildoers’ actions and destiny, outlined in the preceding verses, with his own.

[5:7]  ¹³⁵ sn I will enter your house. The psalmist is confident that God will accept him into his presence, in contrast to the evildoers (see v. 5).

[5:7]  ¹³⁶ tn Heb “in fear [of] you.” The Hebrew noun יִרְאָה (yir’ah, “fear”), when used of fearing God, is sometimes used metonymically for what it ideally produces: “worship, reverence, piety.”

[5:8]  ¹³⁷ tn God’s providential leading is in view. His צְדָקָה (tsÿdaqah, “righteousness”) includes here the deliverance that originates in his righteousness; he protects and vindicates the one whose cause is just. For other examples of this use of the word, see BDB 842 s.v.

[5:8]  ¹³⁸ tn Heb “because of those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 27:11; 56:2.

[5:8]  ¹³⁹ tn Heb “make level before me your way.” The imperative “make level” is Hiphil in the Kethib (consonantal text); Piel in the Qere (marginal reading). God’s “way” is here the way in which he leads the psalmist providentially (see the preceding line, where the psalmist asks the Lord to lead him).

[5:9]  ¹⁴⁰ tn Or “certainly.”

[5:9]  ¹⁴¹ tn Heb “for there is not in his mouth truthfulness.” The singular pronoun (“his”) probably refers back to the “man of bloodshed and deceit” mentioned in v. 6. The singular is collective or representative, as the plural in the next line indicates, and so has been translated “they.”

[5:9]  ¹⁴² tn Heb “their inward part[s] [is] destruction.” For a discussion of the extended metaphor in v. 9b, see the note on the word “it” at the end of the verse.

[5:9]  ¹⁴³ tn Heb “their throat is an open grave.” For a discussion of the extended metaphor in v. 9b, see the note on the word “it” at the end of the verse. The metaphor is suggested by the physical resemblance of the human throat to a deeply dug grave; both are dark chasms.

[5:9]  ¹⁴⁴ tn Heb “they make smooth their tongue.” Flattering, deceitful words are in view. See Ps 12:2. The psalmist’s deceitful enemies are compared to the realm of death/Sheol in v. 9b. Sheol was envisioned as a dark region within the earth, the entrance to which was the grave with its steep slopes (cf. Ps 88:4-6). The enemies’ victims are pictured here as slipping down a steep slope (the enemies’ tongues) and falling into an open grave (their throat) that terminates in destruction in the inner recesses of Sheol (their stomach). The enemies’ קרב (“inward part”) refers here to their thoughts and motives, which are destructive in their intent. The throat is where these destructive thoughts are transformed into words, and their tongue is what they use to speak the deceitful words that lead their innocent victims to their demise.

[5:10]  ¹⁴⁵ tn Heb “declare/regard them as guilty.” Declaring the psalmist’s adversaries guilty is here metonymic for judging them or paying them back for their wrongdoing.

[5:10]  ¹⁴⁶ tn Heb “may they fall from their plans.” The prefixed verbal form is a jussive, expressing an imprecation. The psalmist calls judgment down on the evildoers. Their plans will be their downfall in that God will judge them for their evil schemes.

[5:10]  ¹⁴⁷ tn Or “banish them.”

[5:10]  ¹⁴⁸ tn The Hebrew noun used here, פֶּשַׁע (pesha’), refers to rebellious actions. The psalmist pictures his enemies as rebels against God (see the next line).

[5:11]  ¹⁴⁹ sn Take shelter. “Taking shelter” in the Lord is an idiom for seeking his protection. Seeking his protection presupposes and even demonstrates the subject’s loyalty to the Lord. In the psalms those who “take shelter” in the Lord are contrasted with the wicked and equated with those who love, fear and serve the Lord (Pss 5:11-12; 31:17-20; 34:21-22).

[5:11]  ¹⁵⁰ tn The prefixed verbal form is a jussive of wish or prayer. The psalmist calls on God to reward his faithful followers.

[5:11]  ¹⁵¹ tn Or perhaps more hyperbolically, “forever.”

[5:11]  ¹⁵² tn As in the preceding line, the prefixed verbal form is a jussive of wish or prayer.

[5:11]  ¹⁵³ tn Heb “put a cover over them.” The verb form is a Hiphil imperfect from סָכַךְ (sakhakh, “cover, shut off”). The imperfect expresses the psalmist’s wish or request.

[5:11]  ¹⁵⁴ tn Heb “the lovers of your name.” The phrase refers to those who are loyal to the Lord. See Pss 69:36; 119:132; Isa 56:6.

[5:11]  ¹⁵⁵ tn The vav (ו) with prefixed verbal form following the volitional “shelter them” indicates purpose or result (“so that those…may rejoice).

[5:12]  ¹⁵⁶ tn Or “For.”

[5:12]  ¹⁵⁷ tn Or “bless.” The imperfect verbal forms here and in the next line highlight how God characteristically rewards and protects the godly.

[5:12]  ¹⁵⁸ tn Or “innocent.” The singular form is used here in a collective or representative sense.

[5:12]  ¹⁵⁹ tn Heb “surround.” In 1 Sam 23:26 the verb describes how Saul and his men hemmed David in as they chased him.

[5:12]  ¹⁶⁰ tn Heb “him.” The singular form is used here in a collective or representative sense and is thus translated “them.”

[5:12]  ¹⁶¹ tn Or “with favor” (cf. NRSV). There is no preposition before the noun in the Hebrew text, nor is there a pronoun attached. “Favor” here stands by metonymy for God’s defensive actions on behalf of the one whom he finds acceptable.

[6:1]  ¹⁶² sn Psalm 6. The psalmist begs the Lord to withdraw his anger and spare his life. Having received a positive response to his prayer, the psalmist then confronts his enemies and describes how they retreat.

[6:1]  ¹⁶³ tn The meaning of the Hebrew term שְׁמִינִית (shÿminit, “sheminith”) is uncertain; perhaps it refers to a particular style of music. See 1 Chr 15:21.

[6:1]  ¹⁶⁴ sn The implication is that the psalmist has sinned, causing God to discipline him by bringing a life-threatening illness upon him (see vv. 2-7).

[6:2]  ¹⁶⁵ tn Or “show me favor.”

[6:2]  ¹⁶⁶ tn Normally the verb בָּהַל (bahal) refers to an emotional response and means “tremble with fear, be terrified” (see vv. 3, 10). Perhaps here the “bones” are viewed as the seat of the psalmist’s emotions. However, the verb may describe one of the effects of his physical ailment, perhaps a fever. In Ezek 7:27 the verb describes how the hands of the people will shake with fear when they experience the horrors of divine judgment.

[6:3]  ¹⁶⁷ tn Heb “my being is very terrified.” The suffixed form of נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being”) is often equivalent to a pronoun in poetic texts.

[6:3]  ¹⁶⁸ tn Heb “and you, Lord, how long?” The suffering psalmist speaks in broken syntax. He addresses God, but then simply cries out with a brief, but poignant, question: How long will this (= his suffering) continue?

[6:4]  ¹⁶⁹ tn Heb “my being,” or “my life.” The suffixed form of נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being”) is often equivalent to a pronoun in poetic texts.

[6:4]  ¹⁷⁰ sn Deliver me because of your faithfulness. Though the psalmist is experiencing divine discipline, he realizes that God has made a commitment to him in the past, so he appeals to God’s faithfulness in his request for help.

[6:5]  ¹⁷¹ tn Heb “for there is not in death your remembrance.” The Hebrew noun זֵכֶר (zekher, “remembrance”) here refers to the name of the Lord as invoked in liturgy and praise. Cf. Pss 30:4; 97:12. “Death” here refers to the realm of death where the dead reside. See the reference to Sheol in the next line.

[6:5]  ¹⁷² tn The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “no one.”

[6:6]  ¹⁷³ tn Heb “I cause to swim through all the night my bed.”

[6:6]  ¹⁷⁴ tn Heb “with my tears my bed I flood/melt.”

[6:7]  ¹⁷⁵ tn The Hebrew text has the singular “eye” here.

[6:7]  ¹⁷⁶ tn Or perhaps, “are swollen.”

[6:7]  ¹⁷⁷ tn Or perhaps, “grow old.”

[6:7]  ¹⁷⁸ sn In his weakened condition the psalmist is vulnerable to the taunts and threats of his enemies.

[6:8]  ¹⁷⁹ tn Heb “all [you] workers of wickedness.” See Ps 5:5.

[6:8]  ¹⁸⁰ sn The Lord has heard. The psalmist’s mood abruptly changes because the Lord responded positively to the lament and petition of vv. 1-7 and promised him deliverance.

[6:9]  ¹⁸¹ tn The prefixed verbal form is probably a preterite here; it is parallel to a perfect and refers to the fact that the Lord has responded favorably to the psalmist’s request.

[6:10]  ¹⁸² tn The four prefixed verbal forms in this verse are understood as jussives. The psalmist concludes his prayer with an imprecation, calling judgment down on his enemies.

[6:10]  ¹⁸³ tn Heb “and may they be very terrified.” The psalmist uses the same expression in v. 3 to describe the terror he was experiencing. Now he asks the Lord to turn the tables and cause his enemies to know what absolute terror feels like.

[7:1]  ¹⁸⁴ sn Psalm 7. The psalmist asks the Lord to intervene and deliver him from his enemies. He protests his innocence and declares his confidence in God’s justice.

[7:1]  ¹⁸⁵ tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew term שִׁגָּיוֹן (shiggayon; translated here “musical composition”) is uncertain. Some derive the noun from the verbal root שָׁגָה (shagah, “swerve, reel”) and understand it as referring to a “wild, passionate song, with rapid changes of rhythm” (see BDB 993 s.v. שִׁגָּיוֹן). But this proposal is purely speculative. The only other appearance of the noun is in Hab 3:1, where it occurs in the plural.

[7:1]  ¹⁸⁶ tn Or “on account of.”

[7:1]  ¹⁸⁷ sn Apparently this individual named Cush was one of David’s enemies.

[7:1]  ¹⁸⁸ tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form probably refers here to a completed action with continuing results.

[7:2]  ¹⁸⁹ tn The verb is singular in the Hebrew text, even though “all who chase me” in v. 1 refers to a whole group of enemies. The singular is also used in vv. 4-5, but the psalmist returns to the plural in v. 6. The singular is probably collective, emphasizing the united front that the psalmist’s enemies present. This same alternation between a collective singular and a plural referring to enemies appears in Pss 9:3, 6; 13:4; 31:4, 8; 41:6, 10-11; 42:9-10; 55:3; 64:1-2; 74:3-4; 89:22-23; 106:10-11; 143:3, 6, 9.

[7:2]  ¹⁹⁰ tn Heb “my life.” The pronominal suffix attached to נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) is equivalent to a personal pronoun. See Ps 6:3.

[7:2]  ¹⁹¹ tn Heb “tearing and there is no one rescuing.” The verbal form translated “tearing” is a singular active participle.

[7:3]  ¹⁹² tn Heb “if I have done this.”

[7:3]  ¹⁹³ tn Heb “if there is injustice in my hands.” The “hands” figuratively suggest deeds or actions.

[7:4]  ¹⁹⁴ tn Heb “if I have repaid the one at peace with me evil.” The form שׁוֹלְמִי (sholÿmi, “the one at peace with me”) probably refers to a close friend or ally, i.e., one with whom the psalmist has made a formal agreement. See BDB 1023 s.v. שָׁלוֹם 4.a.

[7:4]  ¹⁹⁵ tn Heb “or rescued my enemy in vain.” The preterite with vav (ו) consecutive (the verb form is pseudo-cohortative; see IBHS 576-77 §34.5.3) carries on the hypothetical nuance of the perfect in the preceding line. Some regard the statement as a parenthetical assertion that the psalmist is kind to his enemies. Others define חָלַץ (khalats) as “despoil” (cf. NASB, NRSV “plundered”; NIV “robbed”), an otherwise unattested nuance for this verb. Still others emend the verb to לָחַץ (lakhats, “oppress”). Most construe the adverb רֵיקָם (reqam, “emptily, vainly”) with “my enemy,” i.e., the one who is my enemy in vain.” The present translation (1) assumes an emendation of צוֹרְרִי (tsorÿriy, “my enemy”) to צוֹרְרוֹ (tsorÿro, “his [i.e., the psalmist’s ally’s] enemy”) following J. Tigay, “Psalm 7:5 and Ancient Near Eastern Treaties,” JBL 89 (1970): 178-86, (2) understands the final mem (ם) on רֵיקָם as enclitic, and (3) takes רִיק (riq) as an adjective modifying “his enemy.” (For other examples of a suffixed noun followed by an attributive adjective without the article, see Pss 18:17 (“my strong enemy”), 99:3 (“your great and awesome name”) and 143:10 (“your good spirit”). The adjective רִיק occurs with the sense “lawless” in Judg 9:4; 11:3; 2 Chr 13:7. In this case the psalmist affirms that he has not wronged his ally, nor has he given aid to his ally’s enemies. Ancient Near Eastern treaties typically included such clauses, with one or both parties agreeing not to lend aid to the treaty partner’s enemies.

[7:5]  ¹⁹⁶ tn The vocalization of the verb form seems to be a mixture of Qal and Piel (see GKC 168 §63.n). The translation assumes the Piel, which would emphasize the repetitive nature of the action. The translation assumes the prefixed verbal form is a jussive. The psalmist is so certain that he is innocent of the sins mentioned in vv. 3-4, he pronounces an imprecation on himself for rhetorical effect.

[7:5]  ¹⁹⁷ tn Heb “my life.” The pronominal suffix attached to נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) is equivalent to a personal pronoun. See Ps 6:3.

[7:5]  ¹⁹⁸ tn Heb “and may he overtake.” The prefixed verbal form is distinctly jussive. The object “me,” though unexpressed, is understood from the preceding statement.

[7:5]  ¹⁹⁹ tn Heb “and may he trample down to the earth my life.”

[7:5]  ²⁰⁰ tn Heb “and my honor in the dust may he cause to dwell.” The prefixed verbal form is distinctly jussive. Some emend כְבוֹדִי (khÿvodiy, “my honor”) to כְבֵדִי (khÿvediy, “my liver” as the seat of life), but the term כְבוֹדִי (khÿvodiy) is to be retained since it probably refers to the psalmist’s dignity or honor.

[7:6]  ²⁰¹ tn Heb “in your anger.”

[7:6]  ²⁰² tn Heb “Lift yourself up in the angry outbursts of my enemies.” Many understand the preposition prefixed to עַבְרוֹת (’avrot, “angry outbursts”) as adversative, “against,” and the following genitive “enemies” as subjective. In this case one could translate, “rise up against my furious enemies” (cf. NIV, NRSV). The present translation, however, takes the preposition as indicating manner (cf. “in your anger” in the previous line) and understands the plural form of the noun as indicating an abstract quality (“fury”) or excessive degree (“raging fury”). Cf. Job 21:30.

[7:6]  ²⁰³ tc Heb “Wake up to me [with the] judgment [which] you have commanded.” The LXX understands אֵלִי (’eliy, “my God”) instead of אֵלַי (’elay, “to me”; the LXX reading is followed by NEB, NIV, NRSV.) If the reading of the MT is retained, the preposition probably has the sense of “on account of, for the sake of.” The noun מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat, “judgment”) is probably an adverbial accusative, modifying the initial imperative, “wake up.” In this case צִוִּיתָ (tsivvita, “[which] you have commanded”) is an asyndetic relative clause. Some take the perfect as precative. In this case one could translate the final line, “Wake up for my sake! Decree judgment!” (cf. NIV). However, not all grammarians are convinced that the perfect is used as a precative in biblical Hebrew.

[7:7]  ²⁰⁴ tn Heb “and the assembly of the peoples surrounds you.” Some understand the prefixed verbal form as a jussive, “may the assembly of the peoples surround you.”

[7:7]  ²⁰⁵ tn Heb “over it (the feminine suffix refers back to the feminine noun “assembly” in the preceding line) on high return.” Some emend שׁוּבָה (shuvah, “return”) to שֵׁבָה (shevah, “sit [in judgment]”) because they find the implication of “return” problematic. But the psalmist does not mean to imply that God has abandoned his royal throne and needs to regain it. Rather he simply urges God, as sovereign king of the world, to once more occupy his royal seat of judgment and execute judgment, as the OT pictures God doing periodically.

[7:8]  ²⁰⁶ sn The Lord judges the nations. In hyperbolic fashion the psalmist pictures the nations assembled around the divine throne (v. 7a). He urges God to take his rightful place on the throne (v. 7b) and then pictures him making judicial decisions that vindicate the innocent (see vv. 8-16).

[7:8]  ²⁰⁷ tn Heb “judge me, O Lord, according to my innocence.”

[7:8]  ²⁰⁸ tn Heb “according to my blamelessness.” The imperative verb translated “vindicate” governs the second line as well.

[7:8]  ²⁰⁹ tn The Hebrew form עָלָי (’alay) has been traditionally understood as the preposition עַל (’al, “over”) with a first person suffix. But this is syntactically awkward and meaningless. The form is probably a divine title derived from the verbal root עָלָה (’alah, “ascend”). This relatively rare title appears elsewhere in the OT (see HALOT 824-25 s.v. I עַל, though this text is not listed) and in Ugaritic as an epithet for Baal (see G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 98). See M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 1:44-45, and P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 (WBC), 98.

[7:9]  ²¹⁰ tn In the psalms the Hebrew term רְשָׁעִים (rÿsha’im, “wicked”) describes people who are proud, practical atheists (Ps 10:2, 4, 11) who hate God’s commands, commit sinful deeds, speak lies and slander (Ps 50:16-20), and cheat others (Ps 37:21). They oppose God and his people.

[7:9]  ²¹¹ tn The prefixed verbal form is a jussive, expressing an imprecation here.

[7:9]  ²¹² tn Or “the godly” (see Ps 5:12). The singular form is collective (see the plural “upright in heart” in v. 10), though it may reflect the personal focus of the psalmist in this context.

[7:9]  ²¹³ tn The prefixed verbal form expresses the psalmist’s prayer or wish.

[7:9]  ²¹⁴ tn For other uses of the verb in this sense, see Job 7:18; Pss 11:4; 26:2; 139:23.

[7:9]  ²¹⁵ tn Heb “and [the one who] tests hearts and kidneys, just God.” The translation inverts the word order to improve the English style. The heart and kidneys were viewed as the seat of one’s volition, conscience, and moral character.

[7:10]  ²¹⁶ tn Traditionally, “my shield is upon God” (cf. NASB). As in v. 8, עַל (’al) should be understood as a divine title, here compounded with “God” (cf. NIV, “God Most High”). See M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 1:45-46. The shield metaphor pictures God as a protector against deadly attacks.

[7:10]  ²¹⁷ tn Heb “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 Lord and, as a result, experience his deliverance (see Pss 11:2; 32:11; 36:10; 64:10; 94:15; 97:11).

[7:11]  ²¹⁸ tn Heb “God (the divine name אֵל [’el] is used) is angry during all the day.” The verb זֹעֵם (zo’em) means “be indignant, be angry, curse.” Here God’s angry response to wrongdoing and injustice leads him to prepare to execute judgment as described in the following verses.

[7:12]  ²¹⁹ tn Heb “If he”; the referent (a person who is a sinner) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The subject of the first verb is understood as the sinner who fails to repent of his ways and becomes the target of God’s judgment (vv. 9, 14-16).

[7:12]  ²²⁰ tn Heb “if he does not return, his sword he sharpens.” The referent (God) of the pronominal subject of the second verb (“sharpens”) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:12]  ²²¹ tn Heb “his bow he treads and prepares it.” “Treading the bow” involved stepping on one end of it in order to string it and thus prepare it for battle.

[7:13]  ²²² tn Heb “and for him he prepares the weapons of death.”

[7:13]  ²²³ tn Heb “his arrows into flaming [things] he makes.”

[7:14]  ²²⁴ tn Heb “and he conceives harm and gives birth to a lie.”

[7:15]  ²²⁵ tn Heb “a pit he digs and he excavates it.” Apparently the imagery of hunting is employed; the wicked sinner digs this pit to entrap and destroy his intended victim. The redundancy in the Hebrew text has been simplified in the translation.

[7:15]  ²²⁶ tn The verb forms in vv. 15-16 describe the typical behavior and destiny of those who attempt to destroy others. The image of the evildoer falling into the very trap he set for his intended victim emphasizes the appropriate nature of God’s judgment.

[7:16]  ²²⁷ tn Heb “his harm [i.e., the harm he conceived for others, see v. 14] returns on his head.”

[7:16]  ²²⁸ tn Heb “and on his forehead his violence [i.e., the violence he intended to do to others] comes down.”

[7:17]  ²²⁹ tn Heb “according to.”

[7:17]  ²³⁰ tn Heb “[to] the name of the Lord Most High.” God’s “name” refers metonymically to his divine characteristics as suggested by his name, in this case the compound “Lord Most High.” The divine title “Most High” (עֶלְיוֹן, ’elyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Ps 47:2.

[8:1]  ²³¹ sn Psalm 8. In this hymn to the sovereign creator, the psalmist praises God’s majesty and marvels that God has given mankind dominion over the created order.

[8:1]  ²³² tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew term הגתית is uncertain; it probably refers to a musical style or type of instrument.

[8:1]  ²³³ tn The plural form of the title emphasizes the Lord’s absolute sovereignty.

[8:1]  ²³⁴ tn Or “awesome”; or “majestic.”

[8:1]  ²³⁵ tn Heb “name,” which here stands metonymically for God’s reputation.

[8:1]  ²³⁶ tc Heb “which, give, your majesty on the heavens.” The verb form תְּנָה (tÿnah; an imperative?) is corrupt. The form should be emended to a second masculine singular perfect (נָתַתָּה, natatah) or imperfect (תִתֵן, titen) form. The introductory אֲשֶׁר (’asher, “which”) can be taken as a relative pronoun (“you who”) or as a causal conjunction (“because”). One may literally translate, “you who [or “because you”] place your majesty upon the heavens.” For other uses of the phrase “place majesty upon” see Num 27:20 and 1 Chr 29:25.

[8:2]  ²³⁷ tn Heb “you establish strength because of your foes.” The meaning of the statement is unclear. The present translation follows the reading of the LXX which has “praise” (αἶνος, ainos) in place of “strength” (עֹז, ’oz); cf. NIV, NCV, NLT.

[8:2]  ²³⁸ tn Heb “to cause to cease an enemy and an avenger.” The singular forms are collective. The Hitpael participle of נָקַם (naqam) also occurs in Ps 44:16.

[8:3]  ²³⁹ tn Heb “when I see your heavens, the works of your fingers, the moon and stars which you established.” The verb “[and] see” is understood by ellipsis in the second half of the verse.

[8:4]  ²⁴⁰ tn Heb “What is man[kind]?” The singular noun אֱנוֹשׁ (’enosh, “man”) is used here in a collective sense and refers to the human race.

[8:4]  ²⁴¹ tn Heb “remember him.”

[8:4]  ²⁴² tn Heb “and the son of man.” The phrase “son of man” is used here in a collective sense and refers to human beings. For other uses of the phrase in a collective or representative manner, see Num 23:19; Ps 146:3; Isa 51:12.

[8:4]  ²⁴³ tn The two imperfect verbal forms in v. 4 describe God’s characteristic activity.

[8:5]  ²⁴⁴ tn Heb “and you make him lack a little from [the] gods [or “God”].” The Piel form of חָסַר (khasar, “to decrease, to be devoid”) is used only here and in Eccl 4:8, where it means “to deprive, to cause to be lacking.” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive either carries on the characteristic nuance of the imperfect in v. 5b or indicates a consequence (“so that you make him…”) of the preceding statement (see GKC 328 §111.m). Some prefer to make this an independent clause and translate it as a new sentence, “You made him….” In this case the statement might refer specifically to the creation of the first human couple, Adam and Eve (cf. Gen 1:26-27). The psalmist does appear to allude to Gen 1:26-27, where mankind is created in the image of God and his angelic assembly (note “let us make man in our image” in Gen 1:26). However, the psalmist’s statement need not be limited in its focus to that historical event, for all mankind shares the image imparted to the first human couple. Consequently the psalmist can speak in general terms of the exalted nature of mankind. The referent of אֱלֹהִים (’elohim, “God” or “the heavenly beings”) is unclear. Some understand this as a reference to God alone, but the allusion to Gen 1:26-27 suggests a broader referent, including God and the other heavenly beings (known in other texts as “angels”). The term אֱלֹהִים is also used in this way in Gen 3:5, where the serpent says to the woman, “you will be like the heavenly beings who know good and evil.” (Note Gen 3:22, where God says, “the man has become like one of us.”) Also אֱלֹהִים may refer to the members of the heavenly assembly in Ps 82:1, 6. The LXX (the ancient Greek translation of the OT) reads “angels” in Ps 8:5 (this is the source of the quotation of Ps 8:5 in Heb 2:7).

[8:5]  ²⁴⁵ tn Heb “you crown him [with].” The imperfect verbal forms in this and the next line describe God’s characteristic activity.

[8:5]  ²⁴⁶ sn Honor and majesty. These terms allude to mankind’s royal status as God’s vice-regents (cf. v. 6 and Gen 1:26-30).

[8:6]  ²⁴⁷ tn Heb “you cause [i.e., “permit, allow”] him to rule over the works of your hands.”

[8:6]  ²⁴⁸ tn The perfect verbal form probably has a present perfect nuance here. It refers to the continuing effects of God’s original mandate (see Gen 1:26-30).

[8:6]  ²⁴⁹ tn Heb “under his feet.”

[8:7]  ²⁵⁰ tn Heb “and also the beasts of the field.”

[8:8]  ²⁵¹ tn Heb “paths.”

[8:9]  ²⁵² tn The plural form of the title emphasizes the Lord’s absolute sovereignty.

[8:9]  ²⁵³ tn Or “awesome, majestic.”

[8:9]  ²⁵⁴ tn Heb “name,” which here stands metonymically for God’s reputation.

[8:9]  ²⁵⁵ sn Using the poetic device of inclusio, the psalmist ends the psalm the way he began it. The concluding refrain is identical to v. 1.

[9:1]  ²⁵⁶ sn Psalm 9. The psalmist, probably speaking on behalf of Israel or Judah, praises God for delivering him from hostile nations. He celebrates God’s sovereignty and justice, and calls on others to join him in boasting of God’s greatness. Many Hebrew mss and the ancient Greek version (LXX) combine Psalms 9 and 10 into a single psalm.

[9:1]  ²⁵⁷ tc The meaning of the Hebrew term עַלְמוּת (’almut) is uncertain. Some mss divide the form into עַל מוּת (’al mut, “according to the death [of the son]”), while the LXX assumes a reading עֲלֻמוֹת עַל (’al ’alumot, “according to alumoth”). The phrase probably refers to a particular tune or musical style.

[9:1]  ²⁵⁸ tn The cohortative forms in vv. 1-2 express the psalmist’s resolve to praise God publicly.

[9:2]  ²⁵⁹ tn Heb “[to] your name, O Most High.” God’s “name” refers metonymically to his divine characteristics as suggested by his name, in this case “Most High.” This divine title (עֶלְיוֹן, ’elyo/) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Ps 47:2.

[9:3]  ²⁶⁰ tn Or “perish”; or “die.” The imperfect verbal forms in this line either emphasize what typically happens or describe vividly the aftermath of a recent battle in which the Lord defeated the psalmist’s enemies.

[9:4]  ²⁶¹ tn Heb “for you accomplished my justice and my legal claim.”

[9:4]  ²⁶² tn Heb “you sat on a throne [as] one who judges [with] righteousness.” The perfect verbal forms in v. 4 probably allude to a recent victory (see vv. 5-7). Another option is to understand the verbs as describing what is typical (“you defend…you sit on a throne”).

[9:5]  ²⁶³ tn The verb גָּעַר (ga’ar) is often understood to mean “rebuke” and in this context taken to refer to the Lord’s “rebuke” of the nations. In some cases it is apparent that scolding or threatening is in view (see Gen 37:10; Ruth 2:16; Zech 3:2). However, in militaristic contexts this translation is inadequate, for the verb refers in this setting to the warrior’s battle cry, which terrifies and paralyzes the enemy. See A. Caquot, TDOT 3:53, and note the use of the verb in Pss 68:30; 106:9; and Nah 1:4, as well as the related noun in Job 26:11; Pss 18:15; 76:6; 104:7; Isa 50:2; 51:20; 66:15.

[9:5]  ²⁶⁴ tn The singular form is collective (note “nations” and “their name”). In the psalms the “wicked” (רְשָׁעִים, rÿsha’im) are typically proud, practical atheists (Ps 10:2, 4, 11) who hate God’s commands, commit sinful deeds, speak lies and slander (Ps 50:16-20), and cheat others (Ps 37:21). In this context the hostile nations who threaten Israel/Judah are in view.

[9:5]  ²⁶⁵ tn Heb “their name you wiped out forever and ever.” The three perfect verbal forms in v. 5 probably refer to a recent victory (definite past or present perfect use), although they might express what is typical (characteristic use).

[9:6]  ²⁶⁶ tn Heb “the enemy – they have come to an end [in] ruins permanently.” The singular form אוֹיֵב (’oyev, “enemy”) is collective. It is placed at the beginning of the verse to heighten the contrast with יְהוָה (yÿhvah, “the Lord”) in v. 7.

[9:6]  ²⁶⁷ tn Heb “you uprooted cities.”

[9:6]  ²⁶⁸ tn Heb “it has perished, their remembrance, they.” The independent pronoun at the end of the line is in apposition to the preceding pronominal suffix and lends emphasis (see IBHS 299 §16.3.4). The referent of the masculine pronoun is the nations/enemies (cf. v. 5), not the cities (the Hebrew noun עָרִים [’arim, “cities”] is grammatically feminine). This has been specified in the present translation for clarity; many modern translations retain the pronoun “them,” resulting in ambiguity (cf. NRSV “their cities you have rooted out; the very memory of them has perished”).

[9:7]  ²⁶⁹ tn The construction vav (ו) + subject highlights the contrast between the exalted Lord and his defeated foes (see v. 6).

[9:7]  ²⁷⁰ tn Heb “sits” (i.e., enthroned, see v. 4). The imperfect verbal form highlights the generalization.

[9:7]  ²⁷¹ tn Heb “he establishes for justice his throne.”

[9:8]  ²⁷² tn Heb “the peoples.” The imperfect verbal forms in v. 8 either describe God’s typical, characteristic behavior, or anticipate a future judgment of worldwide proportions (“will judge…”).

[9:9]  ²⁷³ tn Following the imperfect in v. 9, the construction vav (ו) conjunctive + shortened form of the prefixed verb הָיָה (hayah) indicates a consequence or result of the preceding statement. The construction functions this same way in Pss 81:15 and 104:20.

[9:9]  ²⁷⁴ tn Heb “and the Lord is an elevated place for the oppressed.” The singular form דָּךְ (dakh, “oppressed”) is collective here.

[9:9]  ²⁷⁵ tn Heb “[he is] an elevated place for times in trouble.” Here an “elevated place” refers to a stronghold, a defensible, secure position that represents a safe haven in times of unrest or distress (cf. NEB “tower of strength”; NIV, NRSV “stronghold”).

[9:10]  ²⁷⁶ tn Heb “and the ones who know your name trust in you.” The construction vav (ו) conjunctive + imperfect at the beginning of the verse expresses another consequence of the statement made in v. 8. “To know” the Lord’s “name” means to be his follower, recognizing his authority and maintaining loyalty to him. See Ps 91:14, where “knowing” the Lord’s “name” is associated with loving him.

[9:10]  ²⁷⁷ tn Heb “the ones who seek you.”

[9:11]  ²⁷⁸ tn Heb “sits” (i.e., enthroned, and therefore ruling – see v. 4). Another option is to translate as “lives” or “dwells.”

[9:11]  ²⁷⁹ tn Heb “declare among the nations his deeds.”

[9:12]  ²⁸⁰ tn Heb “for the one who seeks shed blood remembered them.” The idiomatic expression “to seek shed blood” seems to carry the idea “to seek payment/restitution for one’s shed blood.” The plural form דָּמִים (damim, “shed blood”) occurs only here as the object of דָּרַשׁ (darash); the singular form דָּם (dam, “blood”) appears with the verb in Gen 9:5; 42:22; Ezek 33:6. “Them,” the pronominal object of the verb “remembered,” refers to the oppressed, mentioned specifically in the next line, so the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:12]  ²⁸¹ tn Heb “did not forget.”

[9:12]  ²⁸² tn Heb “the cry for help of the oppressed.” In this context the “oppressed” are the psalmist and those he represents, whom the hostile nations have threatened.

[9:13]  ²⁸³ tn The words “when they prayed,” though not represented in the Hebrew text, are supplied in the translation for clarification. The petition in vv. 13-14 is best understood as the cry for help which the oppressed offered to God when the nations threatened. The Lord answered this request, prompting the present song of thanksgiving.

[9:13]  ²⁸⁴ tn Or “show me favor.”

[9:13]  ²⁸⁵ tn Heb “see my misery from the ones who hate me.”

[9:13]  ²⁸⁶ tn Heb “one who lifts me up.”

[9:14]  ²⁸⁷ tn Or “so that I might.”

[9:14]  ²⁸⁸ tn Heb “all your praise.” “Praise” stands by metonymy for the mighty acts that prompt it.

[9:14]  ²⁸⁹ sn Daughter Zion is an idiomatic title for Jerusalem. It appears frequently in the prophets, but only here in the psalms.

[9:14]  ²⁹⁰ tn Heb “in your deliverance.”

[9:15]  ²⁹¹ tn Heb “sank down.”

[9:15]  ²⁹² sn The hostility of the nations against God’s people is their downfall, for it prompts God to intervene and destroy them. See also Ps 7:15-16.

[9:16]  ²⁹³ tn Heb “by the work of his hands [the] wicked [one] was ensnared. The singular form רָשָׁע (rasha’, “wicked”) is collective or representative here (see vv. 15, 17). The form נוֹקֵשׁ (noqesh) appears to be an otherwise unattested Qal form (active participle) from נָקַשׁ (naqash), but the form should be emended to נוֹקַשׁ (noqash), a Niphal perfect from יָקַשׁ (yaqash).

[9:16]  ²⁹⁴ tn This is probably a technical musical term.

[9:17]  ²⁹⁵ tn Heb “the wicked turn back to Sheol.” The imperfect verbal form either emphasizes what typically happens or describes vividly the aftermath of the Lord’s victory over the psalmist’s enemies. See v. 3.

[9:17]  ²⁹⁶ tn The words “this is the destiny of” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. The verb “are turned back” is understood by ellipsis (see the preceding line).

[9:17]  ²⁹⁷ tn Heb “forget.” “Forgetting God” refers here to worshiping false gods and thereby refusing to recognize his sovereignty (see also Deut 8:19; Judg 3:7; 1 Sam 12:9; Isa 17:10; Jer 3:21; Ps 44:20). The nations’ refusal to acknowledge God’s sovereignty accounts for their brazen attempt to attack and destroy his people.

[9:18]  ²⁹⁸ tn Or “forgotten.”

[9:18]  ²⁹⁹ tn Heb “the hope of the afflicted does [not] perish forever.” The negative particle is understood by ellipsis; note the preceding line. The imperfect verbal forms express what typically happens.

[9:19]  ³⁰⁰ sn Rise up, Lord! …May the nations be judged. The psalm concludes with a petition that the Lord would continue to exercise his justice as he has done in the recent crisis.

[9:19]  ³⁰¹ tn Or “prevail.”

[9:20]  ³⁰² tn Heb “place, Lord, terror with regard to them.” The Hebrew term מוֹרָה (morah, “terror”) is an alternative form of מוֹרָא (mora’; a reading that appears in some mss and finds support in several ancient textual witnesses).

[9:20]  ³⁰³ tn Heb “let the nations know they [are] man[kind]”; i.e., mere human beings (as opposed to God).

[10:1]  ³⁰⁴ sn Psalm 10. Many Hebrew mss and the ancient Greek version (LXX) combine Psalms 9 and 10 into a single psalm. Taken in isolation, Psalm 10 is a petition for help in which the psalmist urges the Lord to deliver him from his dangerous enemies, whom he describes in vivid and terrifying detail. The psalmist concludes with confidence; he is certain that God’s justice will prevail.

[10:1]  ³⁰⁵ tn Heb “you hide for times in trouble.” The interrogative “why” is understood by ellipsis; note the preceding line. The Hiphil verbal form “hide” has no expressed object. Some supply “your eyes” by ellipsis (see BDB 761 s.v. I עָלַם Hiph and HALOT 835 s.v. I עלם hif) or emend the form to a Niphal (“you hide yourself,” see BHS, note c; cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV).

[10:2]  ³⁰⁶ tn Heb “because of the pride of [the] wicked he burns [i.e. hotly pursues] [the] oppressed.” The singular forms רָשָׁע (rasha’, “wicked”) and עָנִי (’aniy, “oppressed”) are collective and representative, as indicated in the next line, which uses plural verb forms to describe the actions of both.

[10:2]  ³⁰⁷ tn The two imperfect verbal forms in v. 2 describe either what typically happens (from the psalmist’s perspective) or what the psalmist was experiencing at the time he offered this prayer.

[10:2]  ³⁰⁸ tn Heb “they are trapped in the schemes which they have thought up.” The referents of the two pronominal suffixes on the verbs have been specified in the translation for clarity. The referent of the first suffix (“they”) is taken as the oppressed, while the referent of the second (“they”) is taken to be the wicked (cf. NIV, which renders “wicked” in the previous line as a collective singular). Others take the referent of both occurrences of “they” in the line to be the wicked (cf. NRSV, “let them be caught in the schemes they have devised”).

[10:3]  ³⁰⁹ tn The translation assumes כִּי (ki) is asseverative: “indeed, certainly.” Another option is to translate “for,” understanding v. 3 as giving the reason why the wicked so arrogantly seek to destroy the helpless (so NASB, NRSV).

[10:3]  ³¹⁰ tn The representative or typical evildoer is described in vv. 3-11, 13, 15. Since the singular form predominates in these verses, it has been retained in the translation.

[10:3]  ³¹¹ tn Heb “the wicked [one] boasts on account of the desire of his appetite.” The translation assumes that the preposition עַל (’al) introduces the reason why the wicked boasts (cf. this use of עַל with הָלַל (halal) in Ps 119:164 and Ezra 3:11). In this case, the “desire of his appetite” refers by metonymy to the object desired and acquired.

[10:3]  ³¹² tn The translation assumes the active participle is substantival, referring to the wicked man mentioned in the preceding line. The substantival participle is then understood as the subject of the following verbs. For other examples of the participle of בָּצַע (batsar) used of those who desire and/or acquire wealth through dishonest and/or violent means, see Prov 1:19; 15:27; Jer 6:13; 8:10; Hab 2:9.

[10:3]  ³¹³ tn The verb בָּרַךְ (barakh) normally means “to bless,” but in a few cases it exhibits the polarized meaning “to curse” (1 Kgs 21:10, 13; Job 1:5-11; 2:5-9). (Some regard this use of בָּרַךְ as a mere euphemism.) The verb refers to the act of pronouncing or calling down a formal curse upon the object of one’s anger.

[10:3]  ³¹⁴ tn The conjunction “and” is supplied in the translation; it does not appear in the Hebrew text.

[10:3]  ³¹⁵ tn Another option is to translate, “he blesses one who robs others, [but] he curses the Lord.” In this case the subject of the verbs is “the wicked man” mentioned in the previous line, and “the one who robs others” is the object of the verb בָּרַךְ (barakh), which is understood in its usual sense of “bless.”

[10:4]  ³¹⁶ tn Heb “the wicked [one], according to the height of his nose, he does not seek, there is no God, all his thoughts.” The phrase “height of his nose” probably refers to an arrogant or snooty attitude; it likely pictures one with his nose turned upward toward the sky in pride. One could take the “wicked” as the subject of the negated verb “seek,” in which case the point is that the wicked do not “seek” God. The translation assumes that this statement, along with “there is no God,” is what the wicked man thinks to himself. In this case God is the subject of the verb “seek,” and the point is that God will not hold the wicked man accountable for his actions. Verse 13 strongly favors this interpretation. The statement “there is no God” is not a philosophical assertion that God does not exist, but rather a confident affirmation that he is unconcerned about how men live morally and ethically (see v. 11).

[10:5]  ³¹⁷ tn Heb “they are firm, his ways, at every time.” The verb חַיִל (khayil, “be firm, be strong”) occurs only here and in Job 20:21, where it has the sense “endure.”

[10:5]  ³¹⁸ tc Heb “[on a] height, your judgments from before him.” If the MT is retained, then the idea may be that God’s “judgments” are high above (i.e., not recognized) by the wicked man. However, the syntax is awkward. The translation assumes an emendation of מָרוֹם (marom, “height”) to סָרוּ (saru, “[your judgments] are turned aside”), the final mem (ם) being dittographic (note the initial mem on the immediately following word [מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ, mishÿfatekha, “your judgments”). “Judgments” probably refers here to God’s laws or commands, rather than his judicial decisions or acts of judgment.

[10:5]  ³¹⁹ tn Heb “all his enemies, he snorts against them.” This may picture the wicked man defiantly challenging his enemies because he is confident of success. Another option is to take יָפִיחַ (yafiakh) from the root יָפַח (yafakh, “to testify”) and translate “he testifies against all his enemies,” implying that he gets the upper hand over them in legal battles. The noun יָפֵחַ (yafeakh, “witness”) is attested in biblical Hebrew (see Prov 6:19; 12:17; 14:5, 25; 19:5, 9, and Hab 2:3). The verb, however, is not clearly attested.

[10:6]  ³²⁰ tn Heb “he says in his heart/mind.”

[10:6]  ³²¹ tn Heb “for a generation and a generation.” The traditional accentuation of the MT understands these words with the following line.

[10:6]  ³²² tn Heb “who, not in calamity.” If אֲשֶׁר (’asher) is taken as a relative pronoun here, then one could translate, “[I] who [am] not in calamity.” Some emend אֲשֶׁר to אֹשֶׁר (’osher, “happiness”; see HALOT 99 s.v. אֹשֶׁר); one might then translate, “[I live in] happiness, not in calamity.” The present translation assumes that אֲשֶׁר functions here as a causal conjunction, “because, for.” For this use of אֲשֶׁר, see BDB 83 s.v. אֲשֶׁר 8.c (where the present text is not cited).

[10:7]  ³²³ tn Heb “[with] a curse his mouth is full, and lies and injury.”

[10:7]  ³²⁴ tn Heb “under his tongue are destruction and wickedness.” The words translated “destruction and wickedness” are also paired in Ps 90:10. They also appear in proximity in Pss 7:14 and 55:10.

[10:8]  ³²⁵ tn Heb “he sits in the ambush of the villages.”

[10:8]  ³²⁶ tn Heb “his eyes for an unfortunate person lie hidden.” The language may picture a lion (see v. 9) peering out from its hiding place in anticipation that an unsuspecting victim will soon come strolling along.

[10:9]  ³²⁷ tn Or “in its den.”

[10:9]  ³²⁸ tn The verb, which also appears in the next line, occurs only here and in Judg 21:21.

[10:9]  ³²⁹ tn The singular form is collective (see v. 10) or refers to the typical or representative oppressed individual.

[10:9]  ³³⁰ tn Or “when he [i.e., the wicked man] pulls in his net.”

[10:10]  ³³¹ tn Heb “he crushes, he is bowed down, and he falls into his strong [ones], [the] unfortunate [ones].” This verse presents several lexical and syntactical difficulties. The first word (יִדְכֶּה, yidekeh) is an otherwise unattested Qal form of the verb דָּכָה (dakhah, “crush”). (The Qere [marginal] form is imperfect; the consonantal text [Kethib] has the perfect with a prefixed conjunction vav [ו].) If the wicked man’s victim is the subject, which seems to be the case (note the two verbs which follow), then the form should be emended to a Niphal (יִדָּכֶה, yiddakheh). The phrase בַּעֲצוּמָיו (ba’atsumayv, “into his strong [ones]”), poses interpretive problems. The preposition -בְּ (bet) follows the verb נָפַל (nafal, “fall”), so it may very well carry the nuance “into” here, with “his strong [ones]” then referring to something into which the oppressed individual falls. Since a net is mentioned in the preceding verse as the instrument used to entrap the victim, it is possible that “strong [ones]” here refers metonymically to the wicked man’s nets or traps. Ps 35:8 refers to a man falling into a net (רֶשֶׁת, reshet), as does Ps 141:10 (where the plural of מִכְמָר [mikhmar, “net”] is used). A hunter’s net (רֶשֶׁת), is associated with snares (פַּח [pakh], מֹקְשִׁים, [moqÿshim]) and ropes (חֲבָלִים, khavalim) in Ps 140:5. The final word in the verse (חֶלְכָּאִים (khelka’im, “unfortunate [ones]”) may be an alternate form of חֵלְכָח (khelkhakh, “unfortunate [one]”; see vv. 8, 14). The Qere (marginal reading) divides the form into two words, חֵיל כָּאִים (khel ka’im, “army/host of disheartened [ones]”). The three verb forms in v. 10 are singular because the representative “oppressed” individual is the grammatical subject (see the singular עָנִי [’aniy] in v. 9).

[10:11]  ³³² tn Heb “he says in his heart.” See v. 6.

[10:11]  ³³³ tn Heb “God forgets, he hides his face, he never sees.”

[10:12]  ³³⁴ sn Rise up, O Lord! The psalmist’s mood changes from lament to petition and confidence.

[10:12]  ³³⁵ tn Heb “lift up your hand.” Usually the expression “lifting the hand” refers to praying (Pss 28:2; 134:2) or making an oath (Ps 106:26), but here it probably refers to “striking a blow” (see 2 Sam 18:28; 20:21). Note v. 15, where the psalmist asks the Lord to “break the arm of the wicked.” A less likely option is that the psalmist is requesting that the Lord declare by oath his intention to intervene.

[10:13]  ³³⁶ tn The rhetorical question expresses the psalmist’s outrage that the wicked would have the audacity to disdain God.

[10:13]  ³³⁷ tn Heb “he says in his heart” (see vv. 6, 11). Another option is to understand an ellipsis of the interrogative particle here (cf. the preceding line), “Why does he say in his heart?”

[10:13]  ³³⁸ tn Here the wicked man addresses God directly.

[10:13]  ³³⁹ tn Heb “you will not seek.” The verb דָרַשׁ (darash, “seek”) is used here in the sense of “seek an accounting.” One could understand the imperfect as generalizing about what is typical and translate, “you do not hold [people] accountable.”

[10:14]  ³⁴⁰ tn Heb “you see.” One could translate the perfect as generalizing, “you do take notice.”

[10:14]  ³⁴¹ tn If the preceding perfect is taken as generalizing, then one might understand כִּי (ki) as asseverative: “indeed, certainly.”

[10:14]  ³⁴² tn Here the imperfect emphasizes God’s typical behavior.

[10:14]  ³⁴³ tn Heb “destruction and suffering,” which here refers metonymically to the wicked, who dish out pain and suffering to their victims.

[10:14]  ³⁴⁴ tn Heb “to give into your hand, upon you, he abandons, [the] unfortunate [one].” The syntax is awkward and the meaning unclear. It is uncertain who or what is being given into God’s hand. Elsewhere the idiom “give into the hand” means to deliver into one’s possession. If “to give” goes with what precedes (as the accentuation of the Hebrew text suggests), then this may refer to the wicked man being delivered over to God for judgment. The present translation assumes that “to give” goes with what follows (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV). The verb יַעֲזֹב (ya’azov) here has the nuance “entrust” (see Gen 39:6; Job 39:11); the direct object (“[his] cause”) is implied.

[10:14]  ³⁴⁵ tn Or “help.”

[10:14]  ³⁴⁶ tn Heb “[for] one who is fatherless, you are a deliverer.” The noun יָתוֹם (yatom) refers to one who has lost his father (not necessarily his mother, see Ps 109:9).

[10:15]  ³⁴⁷ sn The arm symbolizes the strength of the wicked, which they use to oppress and exploit the weak.

[10:15]  ³⁴⁸ tn Heb “you seek his wickedness.” As in v. 13, the verb דָרַשׁ (darash, “seek”) is used here in the sense of “seek an accounting.” One could understand the imperfect as describing a fact, “you hold him accountable,” or as anticipating divine judgment, “you will hold him accountable.” However, since the verb is in apparent parallelism with the preceding imperative (“break”), it is better to understand the imperfect as expressing the psalmist’s desire or request.

[10:15]  ³⁴⁹ tn Heb “you will not find.” It is uncertain how this statement relates to what precedes. Some take בַל (bal), which is used as a negative particle in vv. 4, 6, 11, 18, as asseverative here, “Indeed find (i.e., judge his wickedness).” The translation assumes that the final words are an asyndetic relative clause which refers back to what the wicked man boasted in God’s face (“you will not find [i.e., my wickedness]”). See v. 13.

[10:16]  ³⁵⁰ tn Heb “the Lord is king forever and ever.”

[10:16]  ³⁵¹ tn Or “the nations perish from his land.” The perfect verb form may express what is typical or it may express rhetorically the psalmist’s certitude that God’s deliverance is “as good as done.”

[10:17]  ³⁵² sn You have heard. The psalmist is confident that God has responded positively to his earlier petitions for divine intervention. The psalmist apparently prayed the words of vv. 16-18 after the reception of an oracle of deliverance (given in response to the confident petition of vv. 12-15) or after the Lord actually delivered him from his enemies.

[10:17]  ³⁵³ tn Heb “desire.”

[10:17]  ³⁵⁴ tn Heb “you make firm their heart, you cause your ear to listen.”

[10:18]  ³⁵⁵ tn Heb “to judge (on behalf of),” or “by judging (on behalf of).”

[10:18]  ³⁵⁶ tn Heb “crushed.” See v. 10.

[10:18]  ³⁵⁷ tn Heb “he will not add again [i.e., “he will no longer”] to terrify, man from the earth.” The Hebrew term אֱנוֹשׁ (’enosh, “man”) refers here to the wicked nations (v. 16). By describing them as “from the earth,” the psalmist emphasizes their weakness before the sovereign, eternal king.

[11:1]  ³⁵⁸ sn Psalm 11. The psalmist rejects the advice to flee from his dangerous enemies. Instead he affirms his confidence in God’s just character and calls down judgment on evildoers.

[11:1]  ³⁵⁹ tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form probably refers here to a completed action with continuing results.

[11:1]  ³⁶⁰ tn The pronominal suffix attached to נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) is equivalent to a personal pronoun. See Ps 6:3.

[11:1]  ³⁶¹ tc The MT is corrupt here. The Kethib (consonantal text) reads: “flee [masculine plural!] to your [masculine plural!] mountain, bird.” The Qere (marginal reading) has “flee” in a feminine singular form, agreeing grammatically with the addressee, the feminine noun “bird.” Rather than being a second masculine plural pronominal suffix, the ending כֶם- (-khem) attached to “mountain” is better interpreted as a second feminine singular pronominal suffix followed by an enclitic mem (ם). “Bird” may be taken as vocative (“O bird”) or as an adverbial accusative of manner (“like a bird”). Either way, the psalmist’s advisers compare him to a helpless bird whose only option in the face of danger is to fly away to an inaccessible place.

[11:2]  ³⁶² tn In the psalms the “wicked” (רְשָׁעִים, rÿsha’im) are typically proud, practical atheists (Ps 10:2, 4, 11) who hate God’s commands, commit sinful deeds, speak lies and slander (Ps 50:16-20), and cheat others (Ps 37:21). They oppose God and threaten his people (Ps 3:8).

[11:2]  ³⁶³ tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form depicts the enemies’ hostile action as underway.

[11:2]  ³⁶⁴ tn Heb “a bow.”

[11:2]  ³⁶⁵ sn In the darkness. The enemies’ attack, the precise form of which is not indicated, is compared here to a night ambush by archers; the psalmist is defenseless against this deadly attack.

[11:2]  ³⁶⁶ tn Heb “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 Lord and, as a result, experience his deliverance (see Pss 7:10; 32:11; 36:10; 64:10; 94:15; 97:11).

[11:3]  ³⁶⁷ tn The precise meaning of this rare word is uncertain. An Ugaritic cognate is used of the “bottom” or “base” of a cliff or mountain (see G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 47, 159). The noun appears in postbiblical Hebrew with the meaning “foundation” (see Jastrow 1636 s.v. שָׁת).

[11:3]  ³⁶⁸ tn The singular form is used here in a collective or representative sense. Note the plural form “pure [of heart]” in the previous verse.

[11:3]  ³⁶⁹ sn The quotation of the advisers’ words (which begins in 11:1c) ends at this point. They advise the psalmist to flee because the enemy is poised to launch a deadly attack. In such a lawless and chaotic situation godly people like the psalmist can accomplish nothing, so they might as well retreat to a safe place.

[11:4]  ³⁷⁰ tn Because of the royal imagery involved here, one could translate “lofty palace.” The Lord’s heavenly temple is in view here (see Mic 1:2-4).

[11:4]  ³⁷¹ sn The Lord’s throne is in heaven. The psalmist is confident that the Lord reigns as sovereign king, “keeps an eye on” all people, and responds in a just manner to the godly and wicked.

[11:4]  ³⁷² sn His eyes. The anthropomorphic language draws attention to God’s awareness of and interest in the situation on earth. Though the enemies are hidden by the darkness (v. 2), the Lord sees all.

[11:4]  ³⁷³ tn The two Hebrew imperfect verbal forms in this verse describe the Lord’s characteristic activity.

[11:4]  ³⁷⁴ tn Heb “eyelids.”

[11:4]  ³⁷⁵ tn For other uses of the verb in this sense, see Job 7:18; Pss 7:9; 26:2; 139:23.

[11:4]  ³⁷⁶ tn Heb “test the sons of men.”

[11:5]  ³⁷⁷ tn Heb “examines,” the same verb used in v. 4b. But here it is used in a metonymic sense of “examine and approve” (see Jer 20:12).

[11:5]  ³⁷⁸ tn The singular form is used here in a collective or representative sense. Note the plural form “pure (of heart)” in v. 2.

[11:5]  ³⁷⁹ tn Heb “his [very] being.” A נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being, soul”) is also attributed to the Lord in Isa 1:14, where a suffixed form of the noun appears as the subject of the verb “hate.” Both there and here the term is used of the seat of one’s emotions and passions.

[11:5]  ³⁸⁰ sn He hates the wicked. The Lord “hates” the wicked in the sense that he despises their wicked character and deeds, and actively opposes and judges them for their wickedness. See Ps 5:5.

[11:5]  ³⁸¹ tn Heb “the wicked [one] and the lover of violence.” The singular form is used here in a collective or representative sense. Note the plural form רְשָׁעִים (rÿsha’im, “wicked [ones]”) in vv. 2 and 6.

[11:6]  ³⁸² tn The verb form is a jussive, indicating that the statement is imprecatory (“May the Lord rain down”), not indicative (“The Lord rains down”; see also Job 20:23). The psalmist appeals to God to destroy the wicked, rather than simply stating his confidence that God will do so. In this way the psalmist seeks to activate divine judgment by appealing to God’s just character. For an example of the power of such a curse, see Judg 9:7-57.

[11:6]  ³⁸³ tc The MT reads “traps, fire, and brimstone,” but the image of God raining traps, or snares, down from the sky is bizarre and does not fit the fire and storm imagery of this verse. The noun פַּחִים (pakhim, “traps, snares”) should be emended to פַּחֲמֵי (pakhamey, “coals of [fire]”). The rare noun פֶּחָם (pekham, “coal”) occurs in Prov 26:21 and Isa 44:12; 54:16.

[11:6]  ³⁸⁴ sn The image of God “raining down” brimstone on the objects of his judgment also appears in Gen 19:24 and Ezek 38:22.

[11:6]  ³⁸⁵ tn Heb “[may] a wind of rage [be] the portion of their cup.” The precise meaning of the rare noun זִלְעָפוֹת (zil’afot) is uncertain. It may mean “raging heat” (BDB 273 s.v. זַלְעָפָה) or simply “rage” (HALOT 272 s.v. זַלְעָפָה). If one understands the former sense, then one might translate “hot wind” (cf. NEB, NRSV). The present translation assumes the latter nuance, “a wind of rage” (the genitive is attributive) referring to a “whirlwind” symbolic of destructive judgment. In this mixed metaphor, judgment is also compared to an allotted portion of a beverage poured into one’s drinking cup (see Hab 2:15-16).

[11:7]  ³⁸⁶ tn Or “for.”

[11:7]  ³⁸⁷ tn Or “righteous.”

[11:7]  ³⁸⁸ tn Heb “he loves righteous deeds.” The “righteous deeds” are probably those done by godly people (see v. 5). The Lord “loves” such deeds in the sense that he rewards them. Another option is to take צְדָקוֹת (tsÿdaqot) as referring to God’s acts of justice (see Ps 103:6). In this case one could translate, “he loves to do just deeds.”

[11:7]  ³⁸⁹ tn Heb “the upright will see his face.” The singular subject (“upright”) does not agree with the plural verb. However, collective singular nouns can be construed with a plural predicate (see GKC 462 §145.b). Another possibility is that the plural verb יֶחֱזוּ (yekhezu) is a corruption of an original singular form. To “see” God’s “face” means to have access to his presence and to experience his favor (see Ps 17:15 and Job 33:26 [where רָאָה (ra’ah), not חָזָה (khazah), is used]). On the form פָנֵימוֹ (fanemo, “his face”) see GKC 300-301 §103.b, n. 3.

[12:1]  ³⁹⁰ sn Psalm 12. The psalmist asks the Lord to intervene, for society is overrun by deceitful, arrogant oppressors and godly individuals are a dying breed. When the Lord announces his intention to defend the oppressed, the psalmist affirms his confidence in the divine promise.

[12:1]  ³⁹¹ tn The meaning of the Hebrew term שְׁמִינִית (shÿminit) is uncertain; perhaps it refers to a particular style of music. See 1 Chr 15:21.

[12:1]  ³⁹² tn The singular form is collective or representative. Note the plural form “faithful [ones]” in the following line. A “godly [one]” (חָסִיד, khasid) is one who does what is right in God’s eyes and remains faithful to God (see Pss 4:3; 18:25; 31:23; 37:28; 86:2; 97:10).

[12:1]  ³⁹³ tn Or “have come to an end.”

[12:1]  ³⁹⁴ tn Heb “the faithful [ones] from the sons of man.”

[12:1]  ³⁹⁵ tn The Hebrew verb פָּסַס (pasas) occurs only here. An Akkadian cognate means “efface, blot out.”

[12:2]  ³⁹⁶ tn Heb “falsehood they speak, a man with his neighbor.” The imperfect verb forms in v. 2 describe what is typical in the psalmist’s experience.

[12:2]  ³⁹⁷ tn Heb “[with] a lip of smoothness, with a heart and a heart they speak.” Speaking a “smooth” word refers to deceptive flattery (cf. Ps 5:9; 55:21; Prov 2:16; 5:3; 7:5, 21; 26:28; 28:23; Isa 30:10). “Heart” here refers to their mind, from which their motives and intentions originate. The repetition of the noun indicates diversity (see GKC 396 §123.f, IBHS 116 §7.2.3c, and Deut 25:13, where the phrase “weight and a weight” refers to two different measuring weights). These people have two different types of “hearts.” Their flattering words seem to express kind motives and intentions, but this outward display does not really reflect their true motives. Their real “heart” is filled with evil thoughts and destructive intentions. The “heart” that is seemingly displayed through their words is far different from the real “heart” they keep disguised. (For the idea see Ps 28:3.) In 1 Chr 12:33 the phrase “without a heart and a heart” means “undivided loyalty.”

[12:3]  ³⁹⁸ tn The verb form is a jussive, indicating that the statement is imprecatory (“May the Lord cut off”), not indicative (“The Lord will cut off”; see also Ps 109:15 and Mal 2:12). The psalmist appeals to God to destroy the wicked, rather than simply stating his confidence that he will. In this way he seeks to activate divine judgment by appealing to God’s just character. For an example of the power of such a curse, see Judg 9:7-57.

[12:3]  ³⁹⁹ tn Heb “a tongue speaking great [things].”

[12:4]  ⁴⁰⁰ tn Heb “which say.” The plural verb after the relative pronoun indicates a plural antecedent for the pronoun, probably “lips” in v. 3.

[12:4]  ⁴⁰¹ tn Heb “to our tongue we make strong.” The Hiphil of גָבַר (gavar) occurs only here and in Dan 9:27, where it refers to making strong, or confirming, a covenant. Here in Ps 12 the evildoers “make their tongue strong” in the sense that they use their tongue to produce flattering and arrogant words to accomplish their purposes. The preposition -לְ (l) prefixed to “our tongue” may be dittographic.

[12:4]  ⁴⁰² tn Heb “our lips [are] with us.” This odd expression probably means, “our lips are in our power,” in the sense that they say what they want, whether it be flattery or boasting. For other cases where אֵת (’et, “with”) has the sense “in the power of,” see Ps 38:10 and other texts listed by BDB 86 s.v. 3.a.

[12:4]  ⁴⁰³ sn The rhetorical question expresses the arrogant attitude of these people. As far as they are concerned, they are answerable to no one for how they speak.

[12:5]  ⁴⁰⁴ tn The term translated “oppressed” is an objective genitive; the oppressed are the recipients/victims of violence.

[12:5]  ⁴⁰⁵ tn Elsewhere in the psalms this noun is used of the painful groans of prisoners awaiting death (79:11; 102:20). The related verb is used of the painful groaning of those wounded in combat (Jer 51:52; Ezek 26:15) and of the mournful sighing of those in grief (Ezek 9:4; 24:17).

[12:5]  ⁴⁰⁶ tn Heb “I will rise up.”

[12:5]  ⁴⁰⁷ tn Heb “I will place in deliverance, he pants for it.” The final two words in Hebrew (יָפִיחַ לוֹ, yafiakh lo) comprise an asyndetic relative clause, “the one who pants for it.” “The one who pants” is the object of the verb “place” and the antecedent of the pronominal suffix (in the phrase “for it”) is “deliverance.” Another option is to translate, “I will place in deliverance the witness for him,” repointing יָפִיחַ (a Hiphil imperfect from פּוּחַ, puakh, “pant”) as יָפֵחַ (yafeakh), a noun meaning “witness.” In this case the Lord would be promising protection to those who have the courage to support the oppressed in the court of law. However, the first part of the verse focuses on the oppressed, not their advocates.

[12:6]  ⁴⁰⁸ tn Heb “the words of the Lord are pure words,” i.e., untainted by falsehood or deception (in contrast to the flattery of the evildoers, v. 2).

[12:6]  ⁴⁰⁹ tn Heb “[like] silver purified in a furnace of [i.e., “on”] the ground, refined seven times.” The singular participle מְזֻקָּק (mÿzuqqaq, “refined”) modifies “silver.” The number seven is used rhetorically to express the thorough nature of the action. For other rhetorical/figurative uses of שִׁבְעָתָיִם (shiv’atayim, “seven times”), see Gen 4:15, 24; Ps 79:12; Prov 6:31; Isa 30:26.

[12:7]  ⁴¹⁰ tn The third person plural pronominal suffix on the verb is masculine, referring back to the “oppressed” and “needy” in v. 5 (both of those nouns are plural in form), suggesting that the verb means “protect” here. The suffix does not refer to אִמֲרוֹת (’imarot, “words”) in v. 6, because that term is feminine gender.

[12:7]  ⁴¹¹ tn Heb “you will protect him from this generation permanently.” The third masculine singular suffix on the verb “protect” is probably used in a distributive sense, referring to each one within the group mentioned previously (the oppressed/needy, referred to as “them” in the preceding line). On this grammatical point see GKC 396 §123.f (where the present text is not cited). (Some Hebrew mss and ancient textual witnesses read “us,” both here and in the preceding line.) The noun דוֹר (dor, “generation”) refers here to the psalmist’s contemporaries, who were characterized by deceit and arrogance (see vv. 1-2). See BDB 189-90 s.v. for other examples where “generation” refers to a class of people.

[12:8]  ⁴¹² tn Heb “the wicked walk all around.” One could translate v. 8a as an independent clause, in which case it would be a concluding observation in proverbial style. The present translation assumes that v. 8a is a subordinate explanatory clause, or perhaps a subordinate temporal clause (“while the wicked walk all around”). The adverb סָבִיב (saviv, “around”), in combination with the Hitpael form of the verb “walk” (which indicates repeated action), pictures the wicked as ubiquitous. They have seemingly overrun society.

[12:8]  ⁴¹³ tn Heb “when evil is lifted up by the sons of man.” The abstract noun זֻלּוּת (zulut, “evil”) occurs only here. On the basis of evidence from the cognate languages (see HALOT 272 s.v.), one might propose the meaning “base character,” or “morally foolish behavior.”

[13:1]  ⁴¹⁴ sn Psalm 13. The psalmist, who is close to death, desperately pleads for God’s deliverance and affirms his trust in God’s faithfulness.

[13:1]  ⁴¹⁵ tn Heb “will you forget me continually.”

[13:1]  ⁴¹⁶ tn Heb “will you hide your face from me.”

[13:2]  ⁴¹⁷ tn Heb “How long will I put counsel in my being?”

[13:2]  ⁴¹⁸ tn Heb “[with] grief in my heart by day.”

[13:2]  ⁴¹⁹ tn Heb “be exalted over me.” Perhaps one could translate, “How long will my enemy defeat me?”

[13:3]  ⁴²⁰ tn Heb “see.”

[13:3]  ⁴²¹ tn Heb “Give light [to] my eyes.” The Hiphil of אוּר (’ur), when used elsewhere with “eyes” as object, refers to the law of God giving moral enlightenment (Ps 19:8), to God the creator giving literal eyesight to all people (Prov 29:13), and to God giving encouragement to his people (Ezra 9:8). Here the psalmist pictures himself as being on the verge of death. His eyes are falling shut and, if God does not intervene soon, he will “fall asleep” for good.

[13:3]  ⁴²² tn Heb “or else I will sleep [in?] the death.” Perhaps the statement is elliptical, “I will sleep [the sleep] of death,” or “I will sleep [with the sleepers in] death.”

[13:4]  ⁴²³ tn Heb “or else.”

[13:4]  ⁴²⁴ tn Heb “or else.”

[13:5]  ⁴²⁵ tn The grammatical construction used here (conjunction with independent pronoun) highlights the contrast between the psalmist’s defeated condition envisioned in v. 4 and confident attitude he displays in v. 5.

[13:5]  ⁴²⁶ tn Heb “may my heart rejoice in your deliverance.” The verb form is jussive. Having expressed his trust in God’s faithful character and promises, the psalmist prays that his confidence will prove to be well-placed. “Heart” is used here of the seat of the emotions.

[13:6]  ⁴²⁷ tn The verb form is cohortative, indicating the psalmist’s resolve (or vow) to praise the Lord when deliverance arrives.

[13:6]  ⁴²⁸ tn Or “for he will have vindicated me.” The verb form indicates a future perfect here. The idiom גָמַל עַל (gamal ’al) means “to repay,” here in a positive sense.

[14:1]  ⁴²⁹ sn Psalm 14. The psalmist observes that the human race is morally corrupt. Evildoers oppress God’s people, but the psalmist is confident of God’s protection and anticipates a day when God will vindicate Israel.

[14:1]  ⁴³⁰ tn Heb “a fool says in his heart.” The singular is used here in a collective or representative sense; the typical fool is envisioned.

[14:1]  ⁴³¹ sn “There is no God.” The statement is probably not a philosophical assertion that God does not exist, but rather a confident affirmation that God is unconcerned about how men live morally and ethically (see Ps 10:4, 11).

[14:1]  ⁴³² tn Heb “they act corruptly, they make a deed evil.” The verbs describe the typical behavior of the wicked. The subject of the plural verbs is “sons of man” (v. 2). The entire human race is characterized by sinful behavior. This practical atheism – living as if there is no God who will hold them accountable for their actions – makes them fools, for one of the earmarks of folly is to fail to anticipate the long range consequences of one’s behavior.

[14:1]  ⁴³³ tn Heb “there is none that does good.”

[14:2]  ⁴³⁴ sn The picture of the Lord looking down from heaven draws attention to his sovereignty over the world.

[14:2]  ⁴³⁵ tn Heb “upon the sons of man.”

[14:2]  ⁴³⁶ tn Or “acts wisely.” The Hiphil is exhibitive.

[14:2]  ⁴³⁷ sn Anyone who is wise and seeks God refers to the person who seeks to have a relationship with God by obeying and worshiping him.

[14:3]  ⁴³⁸ tn Heb “everyone turns aside.”

[14:3]  ⁴³⁹ tn Heb “together they are corrupt.”

[14:3]  ⁴⁴⁰ tn Heb “there is none that does good.”

[14:4]  ⁴⁴¹ tn Heb “all the workers of wickedness.” See Pss 5:5; 6:8.

[14:4]  ⁴⁴² tn Heb “Do they not understand?” The rhetorical question (rendered in the translation as a positive affirmation) expresses the psalmist’s amazement at their apparent lack of understanding. This may refer to their lack of moral understanding, but it more likely refers to their failure to anticipate God’s defense of his people (see vv. 5-7).

[14:5]  ⁴⁴³ tn Heb “there they are afraid [with] fear.” The perfect verbal form is probably used in a rhetorical manner; the psalmist describes the future demise of the oppressors as if it were already occurring. The adverb שָׁם (sham, “there”) is also used here for dramatic effect, as the psalmist envisions the wicked standing in fear at a spot that is this vivid in his imagination (BDB 1027 s.v.). The cognate accusative following the verb emphasizes the degree of their terror.

[14:5]  ⁴⁴⁴ tn Heb “for God is with a godly generation.” The Hebrew noun דּוֹר (dor, “generation”) refers here to the general class of people who are characterized by godliness. See BDB 190 s.v. for other examples where “generation” refers to a class of people.

[14:6]  ⁴⁴⁵ tn Heb “the counsel of the oppressed you put to shame.” Using a second person plural verb form, the psalmist addresses the wicked. Since the context indicates their attempt to harm the godly will be thwarted, the imperfect should be taken in a subjunctive (cf. NASB, NRSV) rather than an indicative manner (cf. NIV). Here it probably expresses their desire or intent (“want to humiliate”).

[14:6]  ⁴⁴⁶ tn It is unlikely that כִּי (ki) has a causal force here. The translation assumes a concessive force; another option is to understand an asseverative use (“certainly, indeed”).

[14:6]  ⁴⁴⁷ tn Heb “his.” The antecedent of the singular pronoun is the singular form עָנִי (’ani, “oppressed”) in the preceding line. The singular is collective or representative here (and thus translated as plural, “they”).

[14:7]  ⁴⁴⁸ sn The deliverance of Israel. This refers metonymically to God, the one who lives in Zion and provides deliverance for Israel.

[14:7]  ⁴⁴⁹ tn Heb “turns with a turning [toward] his people.” The Hebrew term שְׁבוּת (shÿvut) is apparently a cognate accusative of שׁוּב (shuv).

[14:7]  ⁴⁵⁰ tn The verb form is jussive.

[14:7]  ⁴⁵¹ tn Because the parallel verb is jussive, this verb, which is ambiguous in form, should be taken as a jussive as well.

[15:1]  ⁴⁵² sn Psalm 15. This psalm describes the character qualities that one must possess to be allowed access to the divine presence.

[15:1]  ⁴⁵³ tn Heb “Who may live as a resident alien in your tent?”

[15:1]  ⁴⁵⁴ sn In this context the Lord’s holy hill probably refers to Zion/Jerusalem. See Isa 66:20; Joel 2:1; 3:17; Zech 8:3; Pss 2:6; 43:3; 48:1; 87:1; Dan 9:16.

[15:2]  ⁴⁵⁵ tn Heb “one who walks blamelessly.”

[15:2]  ⁴⁵⁶ tn Heb “one who speaks truth in his heart”; or “one who speaks truth [that is] in his heart.” This apparently refers to formulating a truthful statement in one’s mind and then honestly revealing that statement in one’s speech.

[15:3]  ⁴⁵⁷ sn Hebrew 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.

[15:3]  ⁴⁵⁸ tn Heb “he does not slander upon his tongue.” For another example of רָגַל (ragal, “slander”) see 2 Sam 19:28.

[15:3]  ⁴⁵⁹ tn Or “his fellow.”

[15:3]  ⁴⁶⁰ tn Heb “and he does not lift up an insult against one who is near to him.”

[15:4]  ⁴⁶¹ tn Heb “despised in his eyes [is] a rejected [one].” The Hebrew term נִמְאָס (nim’as, “rejected [one]”) apparently refers here to one who has been rejected by God because of his godless behavior. It stands in contrast to “those who fear God” in the following line.

[15:4]  ⁴⁶² tn Heb “those who fear the Lord.” The one who fears the Lord respects his sovereignty and obeys his commandments. See Ps 128:1; Prov 14:2.

[15:4]  ⁴⁶³ tn Heb “he takes an oath to do harm and does not change.” The phrase “to do harm” cannot mean “do harm to others,” for the preceding verse clearly characterizes this individual as one who does not harm others. In this context the phrase must refer to an oath to which a self-imprecation is attached. The godly individual takes his commitments to others so seriously he is willing to “swear to his own hurt.” For an example of such an oath, see Ruth 1:16-17.

[15:5]  ⁴⁶⁴ sn He does not charge interest. Such an individual is truly generous, and not simply concerned with making a profit.

[15:5]  ⁴⁶⁵ tn Heb “a bribe against the innocent he does not take.” For other texts condemning the practice of a judge or witness taking a bribe, see Exod 23:8; Deut 16:19; 27:25; 1 Sam 8:3; Ezek 22:12; Prov 17:23.

[15:5]  ⁴⁶⁶ tn Heb “does these things.”

[16:1]  ⁴⁶⁷ sn Psalm 16. The psalmist seeks divine protection because he has remained loyal to God. He praises God for his rich blessings, and is confident God will vindicate him and deliver him from death.

[16:1]  ⁴⁶⁸ tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew term מִכְתָּם (mikhtam) is uncertain. HALOT 582-83 s.v. defines it as “inscription.”

[16:1]  ⁴⁶⁹ tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form probably refers here to a completed action with continuing results (see 7:1; 11:1).

[16:2]  ⁴⁷⁰ tn Heb “my good [is] not beyond you.” For the use of the preposition עַל (’al) in the sense of “beyond,” see BDB 755 s.v. 2.

[16:3]  ⁴⁷¹ tn Heb “regarding the holy ones who [are] in the land, they; and the mighty [ones] in [whom is/was] all my desire.” The difficult syntax makes the meaning of the verse uncertain. The phrase “holy ones” sometimes refers to God’s angelic assembly (see Ps 89:5, 7), but the qualifying clause “who are in the land” suggests that here it refers to God’s people (Ps 34:9) or to their priestly leaders (2 Chr 35:3).

[16:4]  ⁴⁷² tn Heb “their troubles multiply, another, they pay a dowry.” The meaning of the text is unclear. The Hebrew term עַצְּבוֹתָם (’atsÿvotam, “troubles”) appears to be a plural form of עַצֶּבֶת (’atsÿvet, “pain, wound”; see Job 9:28; Ps 147:3). Because idolatry appears to be in view (see v. 4b), some prefer to emend the noun to עַצְּבִים (’atsÿvim, “idols”). “Troubles” may be a wordplay on “idols” or a later alteration designed to emphasize that idolatry leads to trouble. The singular form אחר (“another”) is syntactically problematic here. Perhaps the form should be emended to a plural אֲחֵרִים (’akherim, “others”). (The final mem [ם] could have been lost by haplography; note the mem [מ] at the beginning of the next word.) In this case it might be taken as an abbreviated form of the well-attested phrase אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים (’elohim ’akherim, “other gods”). (In Isa 42:8 the singular form אַחַר (’akher, “another”) is used of another god.) The verb מָהַר (mahar) appears in the Qal stem; the only other use of a Qal verbal form of a root מָהַר is in Exod 22:15, where the denominative verb מָהֹר (mahor, “purchase [a wife]”) appears; cf. the related noun מֹהַר (mohar, “bride money, purchase price for a wife”). If that verb is understood here, then the idolaters are pictured as eager bridegrooms paying the price to acquire the object of their desire. Another option is to emend the verb to a Piel and translate, “hurry (after).”

[16:4]  ⁴⁷³ tn Heb “I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood.” The third masculine plural suffix would appear to refer back to the people/leaders mentioned in v. 3. However, if we emend אֲחֵר (’akher, “another”) to the plural אֲחֵרִים (’akherim, “other [gods]”) in v. 4, the suffix can be understood as referring to these gods – “the drink offerings [made to] them.” The next line favors this interpretation. Perhaps this refers to some type of pagan cultic ritual. Elsewhere wine is the prescribed content of drink offerings.

[16:4]  ⁴⁷⁴ tn Heb “and I will not lift up their names upon my lips.” The expression “lift up the name” probably refers here to swearing an oath in the name of deity (see Exod 20:7; Deut 5:11). If so, the third masculine plural suffix on “names” likely refers to the pagan gods, not the people/leaders. See the preceding note.

[16:5]  ⁴⁷⁵ tn Heb “O Lord, the portion of my possession and my cup”; or “the Lord [is] the portion of my possession and my cup.” The psalmist compares the Lord to landed property, which was foundational to economic stability in ancient Israel, and to a cup of wine, which may symbolize a reward (in Ps 11:6 it symbolizes the judgment one deserves) or divine blessing (see Ps 23:5). The metaphor highlights the fact that God is the psalmist’s source of security and prosperity.

[16:5]  ⁴⁷⁶ tc Heb “you take hold of my lot.” The form תּוֹמִיךְ (tomikh) should be emended to a participle, תוֹמֵךְ (tomekh). The psalmist pictures the Lord as casting his lot (a method used to allot landed property) for him, thus assuring that he will receive a fertile piece of land (see v. 6). As in the previous line, land represents security and economic stability, thus “you make my future secure.”

[16:6]  ⁴⁷⁷ tn Heb “measuring lines have fallen for me in pleasant [places]; yes, property [or “an inheritance”] is beautiful for me.” On the dative use of עַל, see BDB 758 s.v. II.8. Extending the metaphor used in v. 5, the psalmist compares the divine blessings he has received to a rich, beautiful tract of land that one might receive by allotment or inheritance.

[16:7]  ⁴⁷⁸ tn Heb “bless,” that is, “proclaim as worthy of praise.”

[16:7]  ⁴⁷⁹ tn Or “because.”

[16:7]  ⁴⁸⁰ tn Or “counsels, advises.”

[16:7]  ⁴⁸¹ tn Heb “yes, [during] nights my kidneys instruct [or “correct”] me.” The “kidneys” are viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s moral character (see Ps 26:2). In the quiet darkness the Lord speaks to his inner being, as it were, and enables him to grow in moral understanding.

[16:8]  ⁴⁸² tn Heb “I set the Lord before me continually.” This may mean that the psalmist is aware of the Lord’s presence and sensitive to his moral guidance (see v. 7), or that he trusts in the Lord’s protection (see the following line).

[16:9]  ⁴⁸³ tn Heb “my glory is happy.” Some view the Hebrew term כְּבוֹדִי (kÿvodiy, “my glory”) 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 (kÿvediy, “my liver”). Like the heart, the liver is viewed as the seat of one’s emotions. See also Pss 30:12; 57:9; 108:1, as well as H. W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament, 64, and M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 1:90. 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.”

[16:9]  ⁴⁸⁴ tn Heb “yes, my flesh dwells securely.” The psalmist’s “flesh” stands by metonymy for his body and, by extension, his physical life.

[16:10]  ⁴⁸⁵ tn Or “my life.” The suffixed form of נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being”) is often equivalent to a pronoun in poetic texts.

[16:10]  ⁴⁸⁶ sn In ancient Israelite cosmology Sheol is the realm of the dead, viewed as being under the earth’s surface. See L. I. J. Stadelmann, The Hebrew Conception of the World, 165-76.

[16:10]  ⁴⁸⁷ tn A “faithful follower” (חָסִיד [khasid], traditionally rendered “holy one”) is one who does what is right in God’s eyes and remains faithful to God (see Pss 4:3; 12:1; 18:25; 31:23; 37:28; 86:2; 97:10). The psalmist here refers to himself, as the parallel line (“You will not abandon me to Sheol”) indicates.

[16:10]  ⁴⁸⁸ tn That is, “experience.” The psalmist is confident that the Lord will protect him in his present crisis (see v. 1) and prevent him from dying.

[16:10]  ⁴⁸⁹ tn The Hebrew word שָׁחַת (shakhat, “pit”) is often used as a title for Sheol (see Pss 30:9; 49:9; 55:24; 103:4). Note the parallelism with the previous line.

[16:11]  ⁴⁹⁰ tn Heb “cause me to know”; or “cause me to experience.”

[16:11]  ⁴⁹¹ tn This is a metaphorical way of saying, “you preserve my life.” The phrase “path of life” stands in contrast to death/Sheol in Prov 2:18-19; 5:5-6; 15:24.

[16:11]  ⁴⁹² tn Heb “abundance of joy [is] with your face.” The plural form of the noun שִׂמְחָה (simkhah, “joy”) occurs only here and in Ps 45:15. It may emphasize the degree of joy experienced.

[16:11]  ⁴⁹³ tn Heb “delight [is] in your right hand forever.” The plural form of the adjective נָעִים (na’im, “pleasant, delightful”) may here emphasize the degree of delight experienced (see Job 36:11).

[17:1]  ⁴⁹⁴ sn Psalm 17. The psalmist asks God to intervene on his behalf because his life is threatened by dangerous enemies. He appeals to divine justice, for he is certain of his own innocence. Because he is innocent, he expects to encounter God and receive an assuring word.

[17:1]  ⁴⁹⁵ tn Heb “hear, Lord, what is just.”

[17:1]  ⁴⁹⁶ tn Heb “Listen to my prayer, [made] without lips of deceit.”

[17:2]  ⁴⁹⁷ tn Heb “From before you may my justice come out.” The prefixed verbal form יָצָא (yatsa’) could be taken as an imperfect, but following the imperatives in v. 1, it is better understood as a jussive of prayer.

[17:2]  ⁴⁹⁸ tn Heb “May your eyes look at what is right.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as jussive. (See also the preceding note on the word “behalf.”)

[17:3]  ⁴⁹⁹ tn Heb “you tested my heart.”

[17:3]  ⁵⁰⁰ tn Heb “you visited [at] night.”

[17:3]  ⁵⁰¹ tc Heb “you tested me, you do not find, I plan, my mouth will not cross over.” The Hebrew verbal form זַמֹּתִי (zammotiy) is a Qal perfect, first person singular from the root זָמַם (zamam, “plan, plan evil”). Some emend the form to a suffixed form of the noun, זִמָּתִי (zimmatiy, “my plan/evil plan”), and take it as the object of the preceding verb “find.” However, the suffix seems odd, since the psalmist is denying that he has any wrong thoughts. If one takes the form with what precedes, it might make better sense to read זִמּוֹת (zimmot, “evil plans”). However, this emendation leaves an unclear connection with the next line. The present translation maintains the verbal form found in the MT and understands it in a neutral sense, “I have decided” (see Jer 4:28). The words “my mouth will not cross over” (i.e., “transgress, sin”) can then be taken as a noun clause functioning as the object of the verb.

[17:4]  ⁵⁰² tn Heb “with regard to the deeds of man[kind].”

[17:4]  ⁵⁰³ tn Heb “by the word of your lips, I, I have watched the paths of the violent” (i.e., “watched” in the sense of “watched for the purpose of avoiding”).

[17:5]  ⁵⁰⁴ tn Heb “my steps stay firm in your tracks.” The infinitive absolute functions here as a finite verb (see GKC 347 §113.gg). God’s “tracks” are his commands, i.e., the moral pathways he has prescribed for the psalmist.

[17:5]  ⁵⁰⁵ tn Heb “my footsteps do not stagger.”

[17:6]  ⁵⁰⁶ tn Heb “Turn your ear toward me.”

[17:6]  ⁵⁰⁷ tn Heb “my word.”

[17:7]  ⁵⁰⁸ tn Heb “Set apart faithful acts.”

[17:7]  ⁵⁰⁹ tn Heb “[O] one who delivers those who seek shelter from the ones raising themselves up, by your right hand.” The Lord’s “right hand” here symbolizes his power to protect and deliver.

[17:8]  ⁵¹⁰ tc Heb “Protect me like the pupil, a daughter of an eye.” The noun בַּת (bat, “daughter”) should probably be emended to בָּבַת (bavat, “pupil”). See Zech 2:12 HT (2:8 ET) and HALOT 107 s.v. *בָּבָה.

[17:8]  ⁵¹¹ sn Your wings. The metaphor compares God to a protective mother bird.

[17:9]  ⁵¹² tn Heb “from before”; or “because.” In the Hebrew text v. 9 is subordinated to v. 8. The words “protect me” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[17:9]  ⁵¹³ tn Heb “destroy.” The psalmist uses the perfect verbal form to emphasize the degree of danger. He describes the wicked as being already in the process of destroying him.

[17:9]  ⁵¹⁴ tn Heb “my enemies, at the risk of life they surround me.” The Hebrew phrase בְּנֶפֶשׁ (bÿnefesh) sometimes has the nuance “at the risk of [one’s] life” (see 1 Kgs 2:23; Prov 7:23; Lam 5:9).

[17:10]  ⁵¹⁵ tn Heb “their fat they close.” The Hebrew term חֵלֶב (khelev, “fat”) appears to stand by metonymy for their calloused hearts. They attack the psalmist without feeling any pity or remorse. Some propose emending the text to חֵלֶב לִבָּמוֹ (khelev libbamo, “fat of their heart[s]; cf. Ps 119:70, “their heart is insensitive like fat”). This assumes haplography of the לב (lamed-bet) consonantal sequence.

[17:10]  ⁵¹⁶ tn Heb “[with] their mouth they speak with arrogance.”

[17:11]  ⁵¹⁷ tc Heb “our steps, now they surround me.” The Kethib (consonantal text) has “surround me,” while the Qere (marginal reading) has “surround us,” harmonizing the pronoun to the preceding “our steps.” The first person plural pronoun does not fit the context, where the psalmist speaks as an individual. In the preceding verses the psalmist uses a first person singular verbal or pronominal form twenty times. For this reason it is preferable to emend “our steps” to אִשְּׁרוּנִי (’ishÿruni, “they attack me”) from the verbal root אָשֻׁר (’ashur, “march, stride, track”).

[17:11]  ⁵¹⁸ tn Heb “their eyes they set to bend down in the ground.”

[17:12]  ⁵¹⁹ tn Here the psalmist switches to the singular pronoun; he views his enemies collectively, or singles out a representative of the group, perhaps its leader.

[17:12]  ⁵²⁰ tn Heb “his likeness [is] like a lion.”

[17:12]  ⁵²¹ tn Heb “[that] longs to tear.”

[17:12]  ⁵²² tn Heb “sitting.”

[17:13]  ⁵²³ tn Heb “Be in front of his face.”

[17:13]  ⁵²⁴ tn Or “bring him to his knees.”

[17:13]  ⁵²⁵ tn Heb “rescue my life from the wicked [one] [by] your sword.”

[17:14]  ⁵²⁶ tc Heb “from men [by] your hand, Lord.” The translation assumes an emendation (both here and in the following line) of מִמְתִים (mimtim, “from men”) to מִמְמִתִים (mimmitim, “from those who kill”). For other uses of the plural form of the Hiphil participle of מוּת (mut, “die”), see 2 Kgs 17:26 (used with lions as subject), Job 33:22 (apparently referring to the agents of death), and Jer 26:15 (used of those seeking Jeremiah’s life).

[17:14]  ⁵²⁷ tn Heb “from men, from [the] world.” On the emendation of “men” to “murderers,” see the preceding note on the word “murderers.”

[17:14]  ⁵²⁸ tn Heb “their portion, in life.”

[17:14]  ⁵²⁹ tn Heb “and [with] your treasures you fill their belly.”

[17:14]  ⁵³⁰ tn Heb “they are satisfied [with] sons and leave their abundance to their children.”

[17:15]  ⁵³¹ tn Heb “I, in innocence, I will see your face.” To “see” God’s “face” means to have access to his presence and to experience his favor (see Ps 11:7; see also Job 33:26 [where רָאָה (ra’ah), not חָזַה (khazah), is used]). Here, however, the psalmist may be anticipating a mystical experience. See the following note on the word “me.”

[17:15]  ⁵³² tn Heb “I will be satisfied, when I awake, [with] your form.” The noun תְּמוּנָה (tÿmunah) normally carries the nuance “likeness” or “form.” In Job 4:16 it refers to a ghostlike spiritual entity (see v. 15) that revealed itself to Eliphaz during the night. The psalmist may anticipate a mystical encounter with God in which he expects to see a manifestation of God’s presence (i.e., a theophany), perhaps in conjunction with an oracle of deliverance. During the quiet darkness of the night, God examines the psalmist’s inner motives and finds them to be pure (see v. 3). The psalmist is confident that when he awakens, perhaps sometime during the night or in the morning, he will be visited by God and assured of vindication.

[18:1]  ⁵³³ sn Psalm 18. In this long song of thanks, the psalmist (a Davidic king, traditionally understood as David himself) affirms that God is his faithful protector. He recalls in highly poetic fashion how God intervened in awesome power and delivered him from death. The psalmist’s experience demonstrates that God vindicates those who are blameless and remain loyal to him. True to his promises, God gives the king victory on the battlefield and enables him to subdue nations. A parallel version of the psalm appears in 2 Sam 22:1-51.

[18:1]  ⁵³⁴ tn Heb “spoke.”

[18:1]  ⁵³⁵ tn Heb “in the day,” or “at the time.”

[18:1]  ⁵³⁶ tn Heb “hand.”

[18:1]  ⁵³⁷ tn Heb “and from the hand of Saul.”

[18:1]  ⁵³⁸ tn A number of translations (e.g., NASB, NIV, NRSV) assign the words “he said” to the superscription, in which case the entire psalm is in first person. Other translations (e.g., NAB) include the introductory “he said” at the beginning of v. 1.

[18:1]  ⁵³⁹ tn The verb רָחַם (rakham) elsewhere appears in the Piel (or Pual) verbal stem with the basic meaning, “have compassion.” The verb occurs only here in the basic (Qal) stem. The basic stem of the verbal root also occurs in Aramaic with the meaning “love” (see DNWSI 2:1068-69; Jastrow 1467 s.v. רָחַם; G. Schmuttermayr, “rhm: eine lexikalische Studie,” Bib 51 [1970]: 515-21). Since this introductory statement does not appear in the parallel version in 2 Sam 22:1-51, it is possible that it is a later addition to the psalm, made when the poem was revised for use in worship.

[18:1]  ⁵⁴⁰ tn Heb “my strength.” “Strength” is metonymic here, referring to the Lord as the one who bestows strength to the psalmist; thus the translation “my source of strength.”

[18:2]  ⁵⁴¹ sn My high ridge. This metaphor pictures God as a rocky, relatively inaccessible summit, where one would be able to find protection from enemies. See 1 Sam 23:25, 28.

[18:2]  ⁵⁴² sn My stronghold. David often found safety in such strongholds. See 1 Sam 22:4-5; 24:22; 2 Sam 5:9, 17; 23:14.

[18:2]  ⁵⁴³ tn Or “in whom.”

[18:2]  ⁵⁴⁴ sn Take shelter. “Taking shelter” in the Lord is an idiom for seeking his protection. Seeking his protection presupposes and even demonstrates the subject’s loyalty to the Lord. In the psalms those who “take shelter” in the Lord are contrasted with the wicked and equated with those who love, fear and serve the Lord (Pss 5:11-12; 31:17-20; 34:21-22).

[18:2]  ⁵⁴⁵ tn Heb “the horn of my salvation”; or “my saving horn.”

[18:2]  ⁵⁴⁶ tn Or “my elevated place.” The parallel version of this psalm in 2 Sam 22:3 adds at this point, “my refuge, my savior, [you who] save me from violence.”

[18:3]  ⁵⁴⁷ tn In this song of thanksgiving, where the psalmist recalls how the Lord delivered him, the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite indicating past tense, not an imperfect.

[18:3]  ⁵⁴⁸ tn Heb “worthy of praise, I cried out [to] the Lord.” Some take מְהֻלָּל (mÿhullal, “worthy of praise”) with what precedes and translate, “the praiseworthy one,” or “praiseworthy.” However, the various epithets in vv. 1-2 have the first person pronominal suffix, unlike מְהֻלָּל. If one follows the traditional verse division and takes מְהֻלָּל with what follows, it is best understood as substantival and as appositional to יְהוָה (yÿhvah): “[to the] praiseworthy one I cried out, [to the] Lord.”

[18:4]  ⁵⁴⁹ tc Ps 18:4 reads “ropes,” while 2 Sam 22:5 reads “waves.” The reading of the psalm has been influenced by the next verse (note “ropes of Sheol”) and perhaps also by Ps 116:3 (where “ropes of death” appears, as here, with the verb אָפַף, ’afaf). However, the parallelism of v. 4 (note “currents” in the next line) favors the reading “waves.” While the verb אָפַף is used with “ropes” as subject in Ps 116:3, it can also be used with engulfing “waters” as subject (see Jonah 2:5). Death is compared to surging waters in v. 4 and to a hunter in v. 5.

[18:4]  ⁵⁵⁰ tn The Hebrew noun נַחַל (nakhal) usually refers to a river or stream, but in this context the plural form likely refers to the currents of the sea (see vv. 15-16).

[18:4]  ⁵⁵¹ tn The noun בְלִיַּעַל (vÿliyya’al) is used here as an epithet for death. Elsewhere it is a common noun meaning “wickedness, uselessness.” It is often associated with rebellion against authority and other crimes that result in societal disorder and anarchy. The phrase “man/son of wickedness” refers to one who opposes God and the order he has established. The term becomes an appropriate title for death, which, through human forces, launches an attack against God’s chosen servant.

[18:4]  ⁵⁵² tn In this poetic narrative context the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite indicating past tense, not an imperfect. (Note the perfect verbal form in the parallel/preceding line.) The verb בָּעַת (ba’at) sometimes by metonymy carries the nuance “frighten,” but the parallelism (see “engulfed”) favors the meaning “overwhelm” here.

[18:5]  ⁵⁵³ tn Heb “surrounded me.”

[18:5]  ⁵⁵⁴ tn Heb “confronted me.”

[18:6]  ⁵⁵⁵ tn In this poetic narrative context the four prefixed verbal forms in v. 6 are best understood as preterites indicating past tense, not imperfects.

[18:6]  ⁵⁵⁶ tn Heb “from his temple.” Verse 10, which pictures God descending from the sky, indicates that the heavenly temple is in view, not the earthly one.

[18:6]  ⁵⁵⁷ tc Heb “and my cry for help before him came into his ears.” 2 Sam 22:7 has a shorter reading, “my cry for help, in his ears.” It is likely that Ps 18:6 MT as it now stands represents a conflation of two readings: (1) “my cry for help came before him,” (2) “my cry for help came into his ears.” See F. M. Cross and D. N. Freedman, Studies in Ancient Yahwistic Poetry (SBLDS), 144, n. 13.

[18:7]  ⁵⁵⁸ sn The earth heaved and shook. The imagery pictures an earthquake in which the earth’s surface rises and falls. The earthquake motif is common in OT theophanies of God as warrior and in ancient Near Eastern literary descriptions of warring gods and kings. See R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 160-62.

[18:7]  ⁵⁵⁹ tn 2 Sam 22:8 has “heavens” which forms a merism with “earth” in the preceding line. The “foundations of the heavens” would be the mountains. However, the reading “foundations of the mountains” has a parallel in Deut 32:22.

[18:7]  ⁵⁶⁰ tn In this poetic narrative context the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite indicating past tense, not an imperfect. Note the three prefixed verbal forms with vav (ו) consecutive in the verse.

[18:8]  ⁵⁶¹ tn Heb “within”; or “[from] within.” For a discussion of the use of the preposition -בְּ (bÿ) here, see R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 163-64.

[18:8]  ⁵⁶² tn Or “in his anger.” The noun אַף (’af) can carry the abstract meaning “anger,” but the parallelism (note “from his mouth”) suggests the more concrete meaning “nose” here. See also v. 15, “the powerful breath of your nose.”

[18:8]  ⁵⁶³ tn Heb “fire from his mouth devoured.” In this poetic narrative context the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite indicating past tense, not an imperfect. Note the two perfect verbal forms in the verse.

[18:8]  ⁵⁶⁴ tn Heb “coals burned from him.” Perhaps the psalmist pictures God’s fiery breath igniting coals (cf. Job 41:21), which he then hurls as weapons (cf. Ps 120:4).

[18:9]  ⁵⁶⁵ tn The Hebrew verb נָטָה (natah) can carry the sense “[cause to] bend, bow down.” For example, Gen 49:15 pictures Issachar as a donkey that “bends” its shoulder or back under a burden. Here the Lord causes the sky, pictured as a dome or vault, to sink down as he descends in the storm.

[18:10]  ⁵⁶⁶ tn Or “rode upon.”

[18:10]  ⁵⁶⁷ tn Heb “a cherub.” Because of the typical associations of the word “cherub” in English with chubby winged babies, the term has been rendered “winged angel” in the translation.

[18:10]  ⁵⁶⁸ tc 2 Sam 22:11 reads “appeared” (from רָאָה, ra’ah); the relatively rare verb דָאָה (da’ah, “glide”) is more difficult and probably the original reading here in Ps 18.

[18:10]  ⁵⁶⁹ sn The wings of the wind. Verse 10 may depict (1) the Lord riding a cherub, which is in turn propelled by the wind current. Another option (2) is that two different vehicles (a cherub and the wind) are envisioned. Yet another option (3) is that the wind is personified as a cherub. For a discussion of ancient Near Eastern parallels to the imagery in v. 10, see M. Weinfeld, “‘Rider of the Clouds’ and ‘Gatherer of the Clouds’,” JANESCU 5 (1973): 422-24.

[18:11]  ⁵⁷⁰ tc Heb “he made darkness his hiding place around him, his covering.” 2 Sam 22:12 reads, “he made darkness around him coverings,” omitting “his hiding place” and pluralizing “covering.” Ps 18:11 may include a conflation of synonyms (“his hiding place” and “his covering”) or 2 Sam 22:12 may be the result of haplography/homoioarcton. Note that three successive words in Ps 18:11 begin with the Hebrew letter samek: סִתְרוֹ סְבִיבוֹתָיו סֻכָּתוֹ (sitro sÿvivotayv sukkato).

[18:11]  ⁵⁷¹ tc Heb “darkness of water, clouds of clouds.” The noun “darkness” (חֶשְׁכַת, kheshkhat) is probably a corruption of an original reading חשׁרת, a form that is preserved in 2 Sam 22:12. The latter is a construct form of חַשְׁרָה (khashrah, “sieve”) which occurs only here in the OT. A cognate Ugaritic noun means “sieve,” and a related verb חָשַׁר (khashar, “to sift”) is attested in postbiblical Hebrew and Aramaic. The phrase חַשְׁרַת מַיִם (khashrat mayim) means literally “a sieve of water.” It pictures the rain clouds as a sieve through which the rain falls to the ground (see F. M. Cross and D. N. Freedman, Studies in Ancient Yahwistic Poetry [SBLDS], 146, n. 33).

[18:12]  ⁵⁷² tc Heb “from the brightness in front of him his clouds came, hail and coals of fire.” 2 Sam 22:13 reads, “from the brightness in front of him burned coals of fire.” The Lucianic family of texts within the Greek tradition of 2 Sam 22:13 seems to assume the underlying Hebrew text: מנגה נגדו עברו ברד וגחלי אשׁ, “from the brightness in front of him came hail and coals of fire” (the basis for the present translation). The textual situation is perplexing and the identity of the original text uncertain. The verbs עָבָרוּ (’avaru; Ps 18:12) and בָּעֲרוּ (ba’aru; 2 Sam 22:13) appear to be variants involving a transposition of the first two letters. The noun עָבָיו (’avayv, “his clouds,” Ps 18:12) may be virtually dittographic (note the following עָבְרוּ, ’avru), or it could have accidentally dropped out from the text of 2 Sam 22:13 by virtual haplography (note the preceding בָּעֲרוּ, which might have originally read עָבְרוּ). The noun בָּרָד (barad, “hail,” Ps 18:12) may be virtually dittographic (note the preceding עָבְרוּ), or it could have dropped out from 2 Sam 22:13 by virtual haplography (note the preceding בָּעֲרוּ, which might have originally read עָבְרוּ). For a fuller discussion of the text and its problems, see R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 74-76.

[18:13]  ⁵⁷³ sn Thunder is a common motif in OT theophanies and in ancient Near Eastern portrayals of the storm god and warring kings. See R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 179-83.

[18:13]  ⁵⁷⁴ tn 2 Sam 22:14 has “from.”

[18:13]  ⁵⁷⁵ tn Heb “the Most High.” This divine title (עֶלְיוֹן, ’elyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Ps 47:2.

[18:13]  ⁵⁷⁶ tc The text of Ps 18:13 adds at this point, “hail and coals of fire.” These words are probably accidentally added from v. 12b; they do not appear in 2 Sam 22:14.

[18:14]  ⁵⁷⁷ tn 2 Sam 22:15 omits the pronominal suffix (“his”).

[18:14]  ⁵⁷⁸ tn The pronominal suffixes on the verbs “scattered” and “routed” (see the next line) refer to the psalmist’s enemies. Some argue that the suffixes refer to the arrows, in which case one might translate “shot them far and wide” and “made them move noisily,” respectively. They argue that the enemies have not been mentioned since v. 4 and are not again mentioned until v. 17. However, usage of the verbs פוּץ (puts, “scatter”) and הָמַם (hamam, “rout”) elsewhere in Holy War accounts suggests the suffixes refer to enemies. Enemies are frequently pictured in such texts as scattered and/or routed (see Exod 14:24; 23:27; Num 10:35; Josh 10:10; Judg 4:15; 1 Sam 7:10; 11:11; Ps 68:1).

[18:14]  ⁵⁷⁹ sn Lightning is a common motif in in OT theophanies and in ancient Near Eastern portrayals of the storm god and warring kings. See R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 190-92.

[18:14]  ⁵⁸⁰ tn Heb “lightning bolts, many.” 2 Sam 22:15 has simply “lightning” (בָּרָק, baraq). The identity of the word רָב (rav) in Ps 18:14 is problematic. (1) It may be a form of a rare verb רָבַב (ravav, “to shoot”), perhaps attested in Gen 49:23 as well. In this case one might translate, “he shot lightning bolts and routed them.” Other options include (2) understanding רָב (rav) as an adverbial use of the adjective, “lightning bolts in abundance,” or (3) emending the form to רַבּוּ (rabbu), from רָבַב (ravav, “be many”) or to רָבוּ (ravu), from רָבָה (ravah, “be many”) – both a haplography of the vav (ו); note the initial vav on the immediately following form – and translating “lightning bolts were in abundance.”

[18:15]  ⁵⁸¹ tn Or “channels.”

[18:15]  ⁵⁸² tc Ps 18:15 reads “water” (cf. Ps 42:1); “sea” is the reading of 2 Sam 22:16.

[18:15]  ⁵⁸³ tn Or “foundations.”

[18:15]  ⁵⁸⁴ tn Heb “from.” The preposition has a causal sense here.

[18:15]  ⁵⁸⁵ tn The noun is derived from the verb גָּעַר (ga’ar), which is often understood to mean “rebuke.” In some cases it is apparent that scolding or threatening is in view (see Gen 37:10; Ruth 2:16; Zech 3:2). However, in militaristic contexts this translation is inadequate, for the verb refers in this setting to the warrior’s battle cry, which terrifies and paralyzes the enemy. See A. Caquot, TDOT 3:53, and note the use of the verb in Pss 68:30; 106:9; and Nah 1:4, as well as the related noun in Job 26:11; Pss 9:5; 76:6; 104:7; Isa 50:2; 51:20; 66:15.

[18:15]  ⁵⁸⁶ tn 2 Sam 22:16 reads “by the battle cry of the Lord, by the blast of the breath of his nose.” The phrase “blast of the breath” (Heb “breath of breath”) employs an appositional genitive. Synonyms are joined in a construct relationship to emphasize the single idea. For a detailed discussion of the grammatical point with numerous examples, see Y. Avishur, “Pairs of Synonymous Words in the Construct State (and in Appositional Hendiadys) in Biblical Hebrew,” Semitics 2 (1971): 17-81.

[18:16]  ⁵⁸⁷ tn Heb “stretched.” Perhaps “his hand” should be supplied by ellipsis (see Ps 144:7). In this poetic narrative context the three prefixed verbal forms in this verse are best understood as preterites indicating past tense, not imperfects.

[18:16]  ⁵⁸⁸ tn Heb “mighty waters.” The waters of the sea symbolize the psalmist’s powerful enemies, as well as the realm of death they represent (see v. 4 and Ps 144:7).

[18:17]  ⁵⁸⁹ tn The singular refers either to personified death or collectively to the psalmist’s enemies. The following line, which refers to “those [plural] who hate me,” favors the latter.

[18:18]  ⁵⁹⁰ tn The same verb is translated “trapped” in v. 5. In this poetic narrative context the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite indicating past tense, not imperfect.

[18:18]  ⁵⁹¹ tn Heb “became my support.”

[18:19]  ⁵⁹² tn Or “delighted in me.”

[18:20]  ⁵⁹³ tn In this poetic narrative context the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite indicating past tense, not imperfect.

[18:20]  ⁵⁹⁴ tn Heb “according to my righteousness.” As vv. 22-24 make clear, the psalmist refers here to his unwavering obedience to God’s commands. In these verses the psalmist explains that the Lord was pleased with him and willing to deliver him because he had been loyal to God and obedient to his commandments. Ancient Near Eastern literature contains numerous parallels. A superior (a god or king) would typically reward a subject (a king or the servant of a king, respectively) for loyalty and obedience. See R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 211-13.

[18:20]  ⁵⁹⁵ tn The unreduced Hiphil prefixed verbal form appears to be an imperfect, in which case the psalmist would be generalizing. However, both the preceding and following contexts (see especially v. 24) suggest he is narrating his experience. Despite its unreduced form, the verb is better taken as a preterite. For other examples of unreduced Hiphil preterites, see Pss 55:14a; 68:9a, 10b; 80:8a; 89:43a; 107:38b; 116:6b.

[18:20]  ⁵⁹⁶ tn Heb “according to the purity of my hands he repaid to me.” “Hands” suggest activity and behavior.

[18:21]  ⁵⁹⁷ tn Heb “for I have kept the ways of the Lord.” The phrase “ways of the Lord” refers here to the “conduct required” by the Lord. In Ps 25 the Lord’s “ways” are associated with his covenantal demands (see vv. 4, 9-10). See also Ps 119:3 (cf. vv. 1, 4), as well as Deut 8:6; 10:12; 11:22; 19:9; 26:17; 28:9; 30:16.

[18:21]  ⁵⁹⁸ tn Heb “I have not acted wickedly from my God.” The statement is elliptical; the idea is, “I have not acted wickedly and, in so doing, departed from my God.”

[18:22]  ⁵⁹⁹ tn Heb “for all his regulations [are] before me.” The Hebrew term מִשְׁפָּטִים (mishpatim, “regulations”) refers to God’s covenantal requirements, especially those which the king is responsible to follow (cf. Deut 17:18-20). See also Pss 19:9 (cf. vv. 7-8); 89:30; 147:20 (cf. v. 19), as well as the numerous uses of the term in Ps 119.

[18:22]  ⁶⁰⁰ tn Heb “and his rules I do not turn aside from me.” 2 Sam 22:23 reads, “and his rules, I do not turn aside from it.” The prefixed verbal form is probably an imperfect; the psalmist here generalizes about his loyalty to God’s commands. The Lord’s “rules” are the stipulations of the covenant which the king was responsible to obey (see Ps 89:31; cf. v. 30 and Deut 17:18-20).

[18:23]  ⁶⁰¹ tn Heb “from my sin,” that is, from making it my own in any way.

[18:24]  ⁶⁰² tn Heb “according to my righteousness.”

[18:24]  ⁶⁰³ tn Heb “according to the purity of my hands before his eyes.” 2 Sam 22:25 reads “according to my purity before his eyes.” The verbal repetition (compare vv. 20 and 24) sets off vv. 20-24 as a distinct sub-unit within the psalm.

[18:25]  ⁶⁰⁴ tn The imperfect verbal forms in vv. 25-29 draw attention to God’s characteristic actions. Based on his experience, the psalmist generalizes about God’s just dealings with people (vv. 25-27) and about the way in which God typically empowers him on the battlefield (vv. 28-29). The Hitpael stem is used in vv. 26-27 in a reflexive resultative (or causative) sense. God makes himself loyal, etc. in the sense that he conducts or reveals himself as such. On this use of the Hitpael stem, see GKC 149-50 §54.e.

[18:25]  ⁶⁰⁵ tn Or “to a faithful follower.” A “faithful follower” (חָסִיד, khasid) is one who does what is right in God’s eyes and remains faithful to God (see Pss 4:3; 12:1; 16:10; 31:23; 37:28; 86:2; 97:10).

[18:25]  ⁶⁰⁶ tn Or “innocent.”

[18:25]  ⁶⁰⁷ tn Heb “a man of innocence.”

[18:26]  ⁶⁰⁸ tn Or “blameless.”

[18:26]  ⁶⁰⁹ tn The Hebrew verb פָתַל (patal) is used in only three other texts. In Gen 30:8 it means literally “to wrestle,” or “to twist.” In Job 5:13 it refers to devious individuals, and in Prov 8:8 to deceptive words.

[18:26]  ⁶¹⁰ tn The adjective עִקֵּשׁ (’iqqesh) has the basic nuance “twisted, crooked,” and by extension refers to someone or something that is morally perverse. It appears frequently in 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). A righteous king opposes such people (Ps 101:4).

[18:27]  ⁶¹¹ tn Or perhaps, “humble” (note the contrast with those who are proud).

[18:27]  ⁶¹² tn Heb “but proud eyes you bring low.” 2 Sam 22:28 reads, “your eyes [are] upon the proud, [whom] you bring low.”

[18:28]  ⁶¹³ tn Or “for.” The translation assumes that כִּי (ki)is asseverative here.

[18:28]  ⁶¹⁴ tn Ps 18:28 reads literally, “you light my lamp, Lord.” 2 Sam 22:29 has, “you are my lamp, Lord.” The Ps 18 reading may preserve two variants, נֵרִי (neriy, “my lamp”) and אוֹרִי (’oriy, “my light”), cf. Ps 27:1. The verb תָּאִיר (ta’ir, “you light”) in Ps 18:28 would, in this case, be a corruption of the latter. See F. M. Cross and D. N. Freedman, Studies in Ancient Yahwistic Poetry (SBLDS), 150, n. 64. The metaphor, which likens the Lord to a lamp or light, pictures him as the psalmist’s source of life. For other examples of “lamp” used in this way, see Job 18:6; 21:17; Prov 13:9; 20:20; 24:20. For other examples of “light” as a symbol for life, see Job 3:20; 33:30; Ps 56:13.

[18:28]  ⁶¹⁵ tn 2 Sam 22:29 repeats the name “Lord.”

[18:28]  ⁶¹⁶ tn Heb “my darkness.”

[18:29]  ⁶¹⁷ tn Or “for.” The translation assumes that כִּי (ki) is asseverative here.

[18:29]  ⁶¹⁸ tn Heb “by you.”

[18:29]  ⁶¹⁹ tn Heb “I will run.” The imperfect verbal forms in v. 29 indicate the subject’s potential or capacity to perform an action. Though one might expect a preposition to follow the verb here, this need not be the case with the verb רוּץ (ruts; see 1 Sam 17:22). Some emend the Qal to a Hiphil form of the verb and translate, “I put to flight [Heb “cause to run”] an army.”

[18:29]  ⁶²⁰ tn More specifically, the noun גְּדוּד (gÿdud) refers to a raiding party or to a contingent of troops.

[18:29]  ⁶²¹ tn Heb “and by my God.”

[18:29]  ⁶²² sn I can jump over a wall. The psalmist uses hyperbole to emphasize his God-given military superiority.

[18:30]  ⁶²³ tn Heb “[As for] the God, his way is blameless.” The term הָאֵל (ha’el, “the God”) stands as a nominative (or genitive) absolute in apposition to the resumptive pronominal suffix on “way.” The prefixed article emphasizes his distinctiveness as the one true God (cf. Deut 33:26). God’s “way” in this context refers to his protective and salvific acts in fulfillment of his promise (see also Deut 32:4; Pss 67:2; 77:13 [note vv. 11-12, 14]; 103:7; 138:5; 145:17).

[18:30]  ⁶²⁴ sn The Lord’s promise. In the ancient Near East kings would typically seek and receive oracles from their god(s) prior to battle. For examples, see R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 241-42.

[18:30]  ⁶²⁵ tn Heb “the word of the Lord is purified.” The Lord’s “word” probably refers here to his oracle(s) of victory delivered to the psalmist before the battle(s) described in the following context. See also Pss 12:5-7 and 138:2-3. David frequently received such oracles before going into battle (see 1 Sam 23:2, 4-5, 10-12; 30:8; 2 Sam 5:19). The Lord’s word of promise is absolutely reliable; it is compared to metal that has been refined in fire and cleansed of impurities. See Ps 12:6.

[18:30]  ⁶²⁶ sn Take shelter. See the note on the word “shelter” in v. 2.

[18:31]  ⁶²⁷ tn Or “for.”

[18:31]  ⁶²⁸ tn Heb “rocky cliff,” which is a metaphor of divine protection. See v. 2, where the Hebrew term צוּר (tsur) is translated “rocky summit.”

[18:31]  ⁶²⁹ tn The rhetorical questions anticipate the answer, “No one.” In this way the psalmist indicates that the Lord is the only true God and reliable source of protection. See also Deut 32:39, where the Lord affirms that he is the only true God. Note as well the emphasis on his role as protector (Heb “rocky cliff,” צוּר, tsur) in Deut 32:4, 15, 17-18, 30.

[18:32]  ⁶³⁰ tn Heb “the God.” The prefixed article emphasizes the Lord’s distinctiveness as the one true God (cf. Deut 33:26). See v. 30.

[18:32]  ⁶³¹ tn Heb “is the one who clothes.” For similar language see 1 Sam 2:4; Pss 65:6; 93:1. The psalmist employs a generalizing hymnic style in vv. 32-34; he uses participles in vv. 32a, 33a, and 34a to describe what God characteristically does on his behalf.

[18:32]  ⁶³² tn 2 Sam 22:33 reads, “the God is my strong refuge.”

[18:32]  ⁶³³ tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries along the generalizing force of the preceding participle.

[18:32]  ⁶³⁴ tn Heb “he made my path smooth.” The Hebrew term תָּמִים (tamim, “smooth”) usually carries a moral or ethical connotation, “blameless, innocent.” However, in Ps 18:33 it refers to a pathway free of obstacles. The reality underlying the metaphor is the psalmist’s ability to charge into battle without tripping (see vv. 33, 36).

[18:33]  ⁶³⁵ tn Heb “[the one who] makes my feet like [those of ] a deer.”

[18:33]  ⁶³⁶ tn Heb “and on my high places he makes me walk.” The imperfect verbal form emphasizes God’s characteristic provision. The psalmist compares his agility in battle to the ability of a deer to negotiate rugged, high terrain without falling or being injured.

[18:34]  ⁶³⁷ sn He trains my hands. The psalmist attributes his skill with weapons to divine enablement. Egyptian reliefs picture gods teaching the king how to shoot a bow. See O. Keel, The Symbolism of the Biblical World, 265.

[18:34]  ⁶³⁸ tn Heb “and a bow of bronze is bent by my arms”; or “my arms bend a bow of bronze.” The verb נָחַת (nakhat) apparently means “pull back, bend” here (see HALOT 692 s.v. נחת). The third feminine singular verbal form appears to agree with the feminine singular noun קֶשֶׁת (qeshet, “bow”). In this case the verb must be taken as Niphal (passive). However, it is possible that “my arms” is the subject of the verb and “bow” the object. In this case the verb is Piel (active). For other examples of a feminine singular verb being construed with a plural noun, see GKC 464 §145.k.

[18:35]  ⁶³⁹ tn Heb “and you give to me the shield of your deliverance.”

[18:35]  ⁶⁴⁰ tc 2 Sam 22:36 omits this line, perhaps due to homoioarcton. A scribe’s eye may have jumped from the vav (ו) prefixed to “your right hand” to the vav prefixed to the following “and your answer,” causing the copyist to omit by accident the intervening words (“your right hand supports me and”).

[18:35]  ⁶⁴¹ tn The MT of Ps 18:35 appears to read, “your condescension,” apparently referring to God’s willingness to intervene (cf. NIV “you stoop down”). However, the noun עֲנָוָה (’anavah) elsewhere means “humility” and is used only here of God. The form עַנְוַתְךָ (’anvatÿkha) may be a fully written form of the suffixed infinitive construct of עָנָה (’anah, “to answer”; a defectively written form of the infinitive appears in 2 Sam 22:36). In this case the psalmist refers to God’s willingness to answer his prayer; one might translate, “your favorable response.”

[18:35]  ⁶⁴² tn Heb “makes me great.”

[18:36]  ⁶⁴³ tn Heb “you make wide my step under me.” “Step” probably refers metonymically to the path upon which the psalmist walks. Another option is to translate, “you widen my stride.” This would suggest that God gives the psalmist the capacity to run quickly.

[18:36]  ⁶⁴⁴ tn Heb “lower legs.” On the meaning of the Hebrew noun, which occurs only here, see H. R. Cohen, Biblical Hapax Legomena (SBLDS), 112. A cognate Akkadian noun means “lower leg.”

[18:37]  ⁶⁴⁵ tn 2 Sam 22:38 reads “destroy.”

[18:38]  ⁶⁴⁶ tn Or “smash them.” 2 Sam 22:39 reads, “and I wiped them out and smashed them.”

[18:38]  ⁶⁴⁷ tn Heb “until they are unable to rise.” 2 Sam 22:39 reads, “until they do not rise.”

[18:38]  ⁶⁴⁸ sn They fall at my feet. For ancient Near Eastern parallels, see O. Keel, The Symbolism of the Biblical World, 294-97.

[18:39]  ⁶⁴⁹ tn Heb “clothed me.” See v. 32.

[18:39]  ⁶⁵⁰ tn Heb “you make those who rise against me kneel beneath me.”

[18:40]  ⁶⁵¹ tn Heb “and [as for] my enemies, you give to me [the] back [or “neck”].” The idiom “give [the] back” means “to cause [one] to turn the back and run away.” Cf. Exod 23:27.

[18:40]  ⁶⁵² sn Those who hate me. See v. 17, where it is the Lord who delivered the psalmist from those who hated him.

[18:41]  ⁶⁵³ tn Heb “but there is no deliverer.”

[18:41]  ⁶⁵⁴ tn Heb “to the Lord.” The words “they cry out” are supplied in the translation because they are understood by ellipsis (see the preceding line).

[18:42]  ⁶⁵⁵ tn Heb “I pulverize them like dust upon the face of the wind.” The phrase “upon the face of” here means “before.” 2 Sam 22:43 reads, “like dust of the earth.”

[18:42]  ⁶⁵⁶ tc Ps 18:42 reads, “I empty them out” (Hiphil of ריק), while 2 Sam 22:43 reads, “I crush them, I stomp on them” (juxtaposing the synonyms דקק and רקע). It is likely that the latter is a conflation of variants. One, but not both, of the verbs in 2 Sam 22:43 is probably original; “empty out” does not form as good a parallel with “grind, pulverize” in the parallel line.

[18:42]  ⁶⁵⁷ tn Or “mud.”

[18:43]  ⁶⁵⁸ tn Heb “from the strivings of a people.” In this context the Hebrew term רִיב (riv, “striving”) probably has a militaristic sense (as in Judg 12:2; Isa 41:11), and עָם (’am, “people”) probably refers more specifically to an army (for other examples, see the verses listed in BDB 766 s.v. I עַם, עָם 2.d). Some understand the phrase as referring to attacks by the psalmist’s own countrymen, the “nation” being Israel. However, foreign enemies appear to be in view; note the reference to “nations” in the following line.

[18:43]  ⁶⁵⁹ tn 2 Sam 22:44 reads, “you keep me.”

[18:43]  ⁶⁶⁰ tn Heb “a people whom I did not know serve me.” In this context “know” (יָדַע, yada’) probably refers to formal recognition by treaty. People who were once not under the psalmist’s authority now willingly submit to his rulership to avoid being conquered militarily (see vv. 44-45). The language may recall the events recorded in 2 Sam 8:9-10 and 10:19.

[18:44]  ⁶⁶¹ tn Heb “at a report of an ear they submit to me.” The report of the psalmist’s exploits is so impressive that those who hear it submit to his rulership without putting up a fight.

[18:44]  ⁶⁶² tn For the meaning “be weak, powerless” for כָּחַשׁ (kakhash), see Ps 109:24. The next line (see v. 45a), in which “foreigners” are also mentioned, favors this interpretation. Another option is to translate “cower in fear” (see Deut 33:29; Pss 66:3; 81:15; cf. NIV “cringe”; NRSV “came cringing”).

[18:45]  ⁶⁶³ tn Heb “wither, wear out.”

[18:45]  ⁶⁶⁴ tn The meaning of חָרַג (kharag, “shake”) is established on the basis of cognates in Arabic and Aramaic. 2 Sam 22:46 reads חָגַר (khagar), which might mean here, “[they] come limping” (on the basis of a cognate in postbiblical Hebrew). The normal meaning for חָגַר (“gird”) makes little sense here.

[18:45]  ⁶⁶⁵ tn Heb “from.”

[18:45]  ⁶⁶⁶ tn Heb “their prisons.” The besieged cities of the foreigners are compared to prisons.

[18:46]  ⁶⁶⁷ tn Elsewhere the construction חַי־יְהוָה (khay-yÿhvah) is used exclusively as an oath formula, “as surely as the Lord lives,” but this is not the case here, for no oath follows. Here the statement is an affirmation of the Lord’s active presence and intervention. In contrast to pagan deities, he demonstrates he is the living God by rescuing and empowering the psalmist.

[18:46]  ⁶⁶⁸ tn Heb “my rocky cliff,” which is a metaphor for protection. See similar phrases in vv. 2, 31.

[18:46]  ⁶⁶⁹ tn Or “blessed [i.e., praised] be.”

[18:46]  ⁶⁷⁰ tn Heb “the God of my deliverance.” 2 Sam 22:48 reads, “the God of the rocky cliff of my deliverance.”

[18:46]  ⁶⁷¹ tn The words “as king” are supplied in the translation for clarification. Elsewhere in the psalms the verb רוּם (rum, “be exalted”), when used of God, refers to his exalted position as king (Pss 99:2; 113:4; 138:6) and/or his self-revelation as king through his mighty deeds of deliverance (Pss 21:13; 46:10; 57:5, 11).

[18:47]  ⁶⁷² tn Heb “the God.” See v. 32.

[18:47]  ⁶⁷³ tn Heb “is the one who grants vengeance to me.” The plural form of the noun indicates degree here, suggesting complete vengeance or vindication.

[18:47]  ⁶⁷⁴ tn Heb “he subdues nations beneath me.” On the meaning of the verb דָּבַר (davar, “subdue,” a homonym of דָּבַר, davar, “speak”), see HALOT 209-10 s.v. I דבר. See also Ps 47:3 and 2 Chr 22:10. 2 Sam 22:48 reads “and [is the one who] brings down nations beneath me.”

[18:48]  ⁶⁷⁵ tn Heb “[the one who] delivers me.” 2 Sam 22:49 reads “and [the one who] brings me out.”

[18:48]  ⁶⁷⁶ tn Heb “lifts me up.” In light of the preceding and following references to deliverance, the verb רום probably here refers to being rescued from danger (see Ps 9:13). However, it could mean “exalt, elevate” here, indicating that the Lord has given the psalmist victory over his enemies and forced them to acknowledge the psalmist’s superiority (cf. NIV, NRSV).

[18:48]  ⁶⁷⁷ tn Heb “from those who rise against me.”

[18:49]  ⁶⁷⁸ sn I will give you thanks before the nations. This probably alludes to the fact that the psalmist will praise the Lord in the presence of the defeated nations when they, as his subjects, bring their tribute payments. Ideally the Davidic king was to testify to the nations of God’s greatness. See J. H. Eaton, Kingship and the Psalms (SBT), 182-85.

[18:49]  ⁶⁷⁹ tn Heb “to your name.” God’s “name” refers metonymically to his divine characteristics as suggested by his name, in this case “Lord,” the primary name of Israel’s covenant God which suggests his active presence with his people (see Exod 3:12-15).

[18:50]  ⁶⁸⁰ tn Or “the one who.”

[18:50]  ⁶⁸¹ tn Heb “magnifies the victories of his king.” “His king” refers to the psalmist, the Davidic king whom God has chosen to rule Israel.

[18:50]  ⁶⁸² tn Heb “[the one who] does loyalty.”

[18:50]  ⁶⁸³ tn Heb “his anointed [one],” i.e., the psalmist/Davidic king. See Ps 2:2.

[18:50]  ⁶⁸⁴ tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”

[18:50]  ⁶⁸⁵ sn If David is the author of the psalm (see the superscription), then he here anticipates that God will continue to demonstrate loyalty to his descendants who succeed him. If the author is a later Davidic king, then he views the divine favor he has experienced as the outworking of God’s faithful promises to David his ancestor.

[19:1]  ⁶⁸⁶ sn Psalm 19. The psalmist praises God for his self-revelation in the heavens and in the Mosaic law. The psalmist concludes with a prayer, asking the Lord to keep him from sinning and to approve of his thoughts and words.

[19:1]  ⁶⁸⁷ sn God’s glory refers here to his royal majesty and power.

[19:1]  ⁶⁸⁸ tn Heb “and the work of his hands the sky declares.” The participles emphasize the ongoing testimony of the heavens/sky.

[19:2]  ⁶⁸⁹ tn Heb “it gushes forth a word.” The “sky” (see v. 1b) is the subject of the verb. Though not literally speaking (see v. 3), it clearly reveals God’s royal majesty. The sun’s splendor and its movement across the sky is in view (see vv. 4-6).

[19:2]  ⁶⁹⁰ tn Heb “it [i.e., the sky] declares knowledge,” i.e., knowledge about God’s royal majesty and power (see v. 1). This apparently refers to the splendor and movements of the stars. The imperfect verbal forms in v. 2, like the participles in the preceding verse, combine with the temporal phrases (“day after day” and “night after night”) to emphasize the ongoing testimony of the sky.

[19:3]  ⁶⁹¹ tn Heb “their.” The antecedent of the plural pronoun is “heavens” (v. 1).

[19:4]  ⁶⁹² tc The MT reads, “their measuring line” (קוּם, qum). The noun קַו (qav, “measuring line”) makes no sense in this context. The reading קוֹלָם (qolam, “their voice”) which is supported by the LXX, is preferable.

[19:4]  ⁶⁹³ tn Heb “goes out,” or “proceeds forth.”

[19:4]  ⁶⁹⁴ tn Heb “their” (see the note on the word “its” in v. 3).

[19:4]  ⁶⁹⁵ tn The verb is supplied in the translation. The Hebrew text has no verb; יָצָא (yatsa’, “goes out”) is understood by ellipsis.

[19:4]  ⁶⁹⁶ tn Heb “to the end of the world.”

[19:4]  ⁶⁹⁷ tn Heb “in them” (i.e., the heavens).

[19:4]  ⁶⁹⁸ sn He has pitched a tent for the sun. The personified sun emerges from this “tent” in order to make its daytime journey across the sky. So the “tent” must refer metaphorically to the place where the sun goes to rest during the night.

[19:5]  ⁶⁹⁹ tn The participle expresses the repeated or regular nature of the action.

[19:5]  ⁷⁰⁰ tn The Hebrew noun חֻפָּה (khufah, “chamber”) occurs elsewhere only in Isa 4:5 and Joel 2:16 (where it refers to the bedroom of a bride and groom).

[19:5]  ⁷⁰¹ tn The imperfect verbal form draws attention to the regularity of the action.

[19:5]  ⁷⁰² tn Heb “[on] a path.”

[19:6]  ⁷⁰³ tn Heb “from the end of the heavens [is] its going forth.”

[19:6]  ⁷⁰⁴ tn Heb “and its circuit [is] to their ends.”

[19:6]  ⁷⁰⁵ tn Heb “is hidden from.”

[19:7]  ⁷⁰⁶ tn Heb “[it] restores life.” Elsewhere the Hiphil of שׁוּב (shuv, “return”) when used with נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “life”) as object, means to “rescue or preserve one’s life” (Job 33:30; Ps 35:17) or to “revive one’s strength” (emotionally or physically; cf. Ruth 4:15; Lam 1:11, 16, 19). Here the point seems to be that the law preserves the life of the one who studies it by making known God’s will. Those who know God’s will know how to please him and can avoid offending him. See v. 11a.

[19:7]  ⁷⁰⁷ tn Traditionally, “the testimony of the Lord.” The noun עֵדוּת (’edut) refers here to the demands of God’s covenant law.

[19:7]  ⁷⁰⁸ tn God’s covenant contains a clear, reliable witness to his moral character and demands.

[19:7]  ⁷⁰⁹ tn Or “the [morally] naive,” that is, the one who is young and still in the process of learning right from wrong and distinguishing wisdom from folly.

[19:8]  ⁷¹⁰ tn Or “just.” Perhaps the idea is that they impart a knowledge of what is just and right.

[19:8]  ⁷¹¹ tn Heb “[they] make happy [the] heart.” Perhaps the point is that they bring a sense of joyful satisfaction to the one who knows and keeps them, for those who obey God’s law are richly rewarded. See v. 11b.

[19:8]  ⁷¹² tn Heb “command.” The singular here refers to the law as a whole.

[19:8]  ⁷¹³ tn Because they reflect God’s character, his commands provide a code of moral and ethical purity.

[19:8]  ⁷¹⁴ tn Heb [they] enlighten [the] eyes.

[19:9]  ⁷¹⁵ tn Heb “the fear of the Lord is clean.” The phrase “fear of the Lord” probably refers here to the law, which teaches one how to demonstrate proper reverence for the Lord. See Ps 111:10 for another possible use of the phrase in this sense.

[19:9]  ⁷¹⁶ tn Heb “[it] stands permanently.”

[19:9]  ⁷¹⁷ sn Trustworthy and absolutely just. The Lord’s commands accurately reflect God’s moral will for his people and are an expression of his just character.

[19:10]  ⁷¹⁸ tn Heb “more desirable.”

[19:10]  ⁷¹⁹ tn Heb “are sweeter.” God’s law is “sweet’ in the sense that, when obeyed, it brings a great reward (see v. 11b).

[19:11]  ⁷²⁰ tn Heb “moreover your servant is warned by them.”

[19:11]  ⁷²¹ tn Heb “in the keeping of them [there is] a great reward.”

[19:12]  ⁷²² tn Heb “Errors who can discern?” This rhetorical question makes the point that perfect moral discernment is impossible to achieve. Consequently it is inevitable that even those with good intentions will sin on occasion.

[19:12]  ⁷²³ tn Heb “declare me innocent from hidden [things],” i.e., sins. In this context (see the preceding line) “hidden” sins are not sins committed in secret, but sins which are not recognized as such by the psalmist.

[19:13]  ⁷²⁴ tn Or “presumptuous.”

[19:13]  ⁷²⁵ tn Heb “let them not rule over me.”

[19:13]  ⁷²⁶ tn Heb “great.”

[19:14]  ⁷²⁷ tn Heb “may the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart be acceptable before you.” The prefixed verbal form at the beginning of the verse is understood as a jussive of prayer. Another option is to translate the form as an imperfect continuing the thought of v. 14b: “[Then] the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart will be acceptable before you.”

[19:14]  ⁷²⁸ tn Heb “my rocky cliff,” which is a metaphor for protection; thus the translation “sheltering rock.”

[19:14]  ⁷²⁹ tn Heb “and the one who redeems me.” The metaphor casts the Lord in the role of a leader who protects members of his extended family in times of need and crisis.

[20:1]  ⁷³⁰ sn Psalm 20. The people pray for the king’s success in battle. When the king declares his assurance that the Lord will answer the people’s prayer, they affirm their confidence in God’s enablement.

[20:1]  ⁷³¹ tn The prefixed verbal forms here and in vv. 1b-5 are interpreted as jussives of prayer (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV). Another option is to understand them as imperfects, “the Lord will answer,” etc. In this case the people declare their confidence that the Lord will intervene on behalf of the king and extend to him his favor.

[20:1]  ⁷³² sn May the Lord answer you. The people address the king as they pray to the Lord.

[20:1]  ⁷³³ tn Heb “in a day of trouble.”

[20:1]  ⁷³⁴ tn Heb “the name of the God of Jacob.” God’s “name” refers metonymically to his very person and to the divine characteristics suggested by his name, in this case “God of Jacob,” which highlights his relationship to Israel.

[20:2]  ⁷³⁵ tc Heb “from [the] temple.” The third masculine singular pronominal suffix (ן, nun) has probably been accidentally omitted by haplography. Note that the following word begins with a prefixed vav (ו). See P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 (WBC), 184.

[20:3]  ⁷³⁶ tn Or “remember.” For other examples of the verb זָכַר (zakhar) carrying the nuance “take notice of,” see Pss 8:4 and 9:12.

[20:3]  ⁷³⁷ tc Heb “consider as fat.” The verbal form should probably be emended to יְדַשְּׁנֶהָ (yÿdashÿneha), the final he (ה) being understood as a third feminine singular pronominal suffix referring back to the feminine noun “burnt sacrifice.”

[20:4]  ⁷³⁸ tn Heb “may he give to you according to your heart.” This probably refers to the king’s prayer for protection and victory in battle. See vv. 5-6.

[20:4]  ⁷³⁹ sn May he bring all your plans to pass. This probably refers to the king’s strategy for battle.

[20:5]  ⁷⁴⁰ sn Your victory. Here the king is addressed (see v. 1).

[20:5]  ⁷⁴¹ tc The Hebrew verb דָּגַל (dagal) occurs only here in the Qal. If accepted as original, it may carry the nuance “raise a banner,” but it is preferable to emend the form to נגיל (“we will rejoice”) which provides better parallelism with “shout for joy” and fits well with the prepositional phrase “in the name of our God” (see Ps 89:16).

[20:6]  ⁷⁴² tn Or “know.”

[20:6]  ⁷⁴³ tn The perfect verbal form is probably used rhetorically to state that the deliverance is as good as done. In this way the speaker emphasizes the certainty of the deliverance. Another option is to take the statement as generalizing; the psalmist affirms that the Lord typically delivers the king.

[20:6]  ⁷⁴⁴ tn Heb “his anointed one.” This title refers to the Davidic king. See Pss 2:2 and 18:50.

[20:6]  ⁷⁴⁵ tn Heb “he will answer him.”

[20:6]  ⁷⁴⁶ tn Heb “from his holy heavens.”

[20:6]  ⁷⁴⁷ tn Heb “with mighty acts of deliverance of his right hand.” The Lord’s “right hand” here symbolizes his power to protect and deliver (see Ps 17:7).

[20:7]  ⁷⁴⁸ tn Heb “these in chariots and these in horses.” No verb appears; perhaps the verb “invoke” is to be supplied from the following line. In this case the idea would be that some “invoke” (i.e., trust in) their military might for victory (cf. NEB “boast”; NIV “trust”; NRSV “take pride”). Verse 8 suggests that the “some/others” mentioned here are the nation’s enemies.

[20:7]  ⁷⁴⁹ tn The grammatical construction (conjunction + pronominal subject) highlights the contrast between God’s faithful people and the others mentioned in the previous line.

[20:7]  ⁷⁵⁰ tn Heb “we invoke the name of.” The Hiphil of זָכַר (zakhar), when combined with the phrase “in the name,” means “to invoke” (see Josh 23:7; Isa 48:1; Amos 6:10). By invoking the Lord’s name in prayer, the people demonstrate their trust in him.

[20:8]  ⁷⁵¹ tn Or “stumble and fall down.”

[20:8]  ⁷⁵² tn The grammatical construction (conjunction + pronominal subject) highlights the contrast between God’s victorious people and the defeated enemies mentioned in the previous line. The perfect verbal forms either generalize or, more likely, state rhetorically the people’s confidence as they face the approaching battle. They describe the demise of the enemy as being as good as done.

[20:8]  ⁷⁵³ tn Or “rise up and remain upright.” On the meaning of the Hitpolel of עוּד (’ud), see HALOT 795 s.v. I עוד. The verbal forms (a perfect followed by a prefixed form with vav [ו] consecutive) either generalize or, more likely, state rhetorically the people’s confidence as they face the approaching battle.

[20:9]  ⁷⁵⁴ tc This translation assumes an emendation of the verbal form הוֹשִׁיעָה (hoshi’ah). As it stands, the form is an imperative. In this case the people return to the petitionary mood with which the psalm begins (“O Lord, deliver”). But the immediate context is one of confidence (vv. 6-8), not petition (vv. 1-5). If one takes the final he on the verb “deliver” as dittographic (note the initial he (ה) on the following phrase, “the king”), one can repoint the verbal form as a perfect and understand it as expressing the people’s confidence, “the Lord will deliver the king” (see v. 6). The Hebrew scribal tradition takes “the king” with the following line, in which case it would be best interpreted as a divine title, “may the King answer us” or “the king will answer us” (see Pss 98:6; 145:1). However, the poetic parallelism is better balanced if “the king” is taken with the first line. In this case the referent is the Davidic king, who is earlier called the Lord’s “anointed one” (cf. note on “chosen king” in v. 6; see Pss 21:7; 45:5, 11; 63:11).

[20:9]  ⁷⁵⁵ tn If the imperative is retained in the preceding line, then the prefixed verbal form is best taken as a jussive of prayer, “may he answer us.” However, if the imperative in the previous line is emended to a perfect, the prefixed form is best taken as imperfect, “he will answer us” (see the note on the word “king” at the end of the previous line).

[20:9]  ⁷⁵⁶ tn Heb “in the day we call.”

[21:1]  ⁷⁵⁷ sn Psalm 21. The psalmist praises the Lord for the way he protects and blesses the Davidic king.

[21:1]  ⁷⁵⁸ tn Heb “in your strength.” The translation interprets the pronominal suffix as subjective, rather than merely descriptive (or attributive).

[21:1]  ⁷⁵⁹ tn Heb “and in your deliverance, how greatly he rejoices.”

[21:2]  ⁷⁶⁰ tn The translation assumes the perfect verbal forms in v. 2 are generalizing, stating factually what God typically does for the king. Another option is to take them as present perfects, “you have granted…you have not refused.” See v. 4, which mentions a specific request for a long reign.

[21:2]  ⁷⁶¹ tn Heb “and the request of his lips you do not refuse.”

[21:3]  ⁷⁶² tn Or “meet him [with].”

[21:3]  ⁷⁶³ tn Heb “good.”

[21:3]  ⁷⁶⁴ sn You bring him rich blessings. The following context indicates that God’s “blessings” include deliverance/protection, vindication, sustained life, and a long, stable reign (see also Pss 3:8; 24:5).

[21:4]  ⁷⁶⁵ tn Heb “life he asked from you.” Another option is to translate the perfect verbal forms in v. 4 with the present tense, “he asks…you grant.”

[21:4]  ⁷⁶⁶ tn Heb “you have granted him length of days forever and ever.” The phrase “length of days,” when used of human beings, usually refers to a lengthy period of time (such as one’s lifetime). See, for example, Deut 30:20; Job 12:12; Ps 91:16; Prov 3:2, 16; Lam 5:20. The additional phrase “forever and ever” is hyperbolic. While it seems to attribute eternal life to the king (see Pss 61:6-7; 72:5 as well), the underlying reality is the king’s enduring dynasty. He will live on, as it were, through his descendants, who will continue to rule over his kingdom long after he has passed off the scene.

[21:5]  ⁷⁶⁷ tn Or “great glory.”

[21:5]  ⁷⁶⁸ tn Heb “majesty and splendor you place upon him.” For other uses of the phrase הוֹד וְהָדָר (hod vÿhadar, “majesty and splendor”) see 1 Chr 16:27; Job 40:10; Pss 96:6; 104:1; 111:3.

[21:6]  ⁷⁶⁹ tn Heb “you make him happy with joy with [i.e., “close by” or “in”] your face.” On the idiom “with your face” (i.e., “in your presence”) see Ps 16:11 and BDB 816 s.v. פָּנֻה II.2.a.

[21:7]  ⁷⁷⁰ tn The active participle draws attention to the ongoing nature of the action.

[21:7]  ⁷⁷¹ tn Traditionally “the Most High’s.” The divine title “Most High” (עֶלְיוֹן, ’elyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. Note the focus of vv. 8-12 and see Ps 47:2.

[21:7]  ⁷⁷² tn Another option is to translate the imperfect verbal form as future, “he will not be upended” (cf. NRSV “he shall not be moved”). Even if one chooses this option, the future tense must be understood in a generalizing sense.

[21:8]  ⁷⁷³ tn The king is now addressed. One could argue that the Lord is still being addressed, but v. 9 militates against this proposal, for there the Lord is mentioned in the third person and appears to be distinct from the addressee (unless, of course, one takes “Lord” in v. 9 as vocative; see the note on “them” in v. 9b). Verse 7 begins this transition to a new addressee by referring to both the king and the Lord in the third person (in vv. 1-6 the Lord is addressed and only the king referred to in the third person).

[21:8]  ⁷⁷⁴ tn Heb “your hand finds.” The idiom pictures the king grabbing hold of his enemies and defeating them (see 1 Sam 23:17). The imperfect verbal forms in vv. 8-12 may be translated with the future tense, as long as the future is understood as generalizing.

[21:8]  ⁷⁷⁵ tn Heb “your right hand finds those who hate you.”

[21:9]  ⁷⁷⁶ tn Heb “you make them like a furnace of fire.” Although many modern translations retain the literal Hebrew, the statement is elliptical. The point is not that he makes them like a furnace, but like an object burned in a furnace (cf. NEB, “at your coming you shall plunge them into a fiery furnace”).

[21:9]  ⁷⁷⁷ tn Heb “at the time of your face.” The “face” of the king here refers to his angry presence. See Lam 4:16.

[21:9]  ⁷⁷⁸ tn Heb “the Lord, in his anger he swallows them, and fire devours them.” Some take “the Lord” as a vocative, in which case he is addressed in vv. 8-9a. But this makes the use of the third person in v. 9b rather awkward, though the king could be the subject (see vv. 1-7).

[21:10]  ⁷⁷⁹ tn Heb “fruit.” The next line makes it clear that offspring is in view.

[21:10]  ⁷⁸⁰ tn Heb “seed.”

[21:10]  ⁷⁸¹ tn Heb “sons of man.”

[21:11]  ⁷⁸² tn Or “for.”

[21:11]  ⁷⁸³ tn Heb “they extend against you harm.” The perfect verbal forms in v. 11 are taken as generalizing, stating factually what the king’s enemies typically do. Another option is to translate with the past tense (“they intended…planned”).

[21:11]  ⁷⁸⁴ sn See Ps 10:2.

[21:11]  ⁷⁸⁵ tn Heb “they lack ability.”

[21:12]  ⁷⁸⁶ tn Heb “you make them a shoulder,” i.e., “you make them turn and run, showing the back of their neck and shoulders.”

[21:12]  ⁷⁸⁷ tn Heb “with your bowstrings you fix against their faces,” i.e., “you fix your arrows on the bowstrings to shoot at them.”

[21:13]  ⁷⁸⁸ tn Heb “in your strength,” but English idiom does not require the pronoun.

[21:13]  ⁷⁸⁹ tn Heb “sing praise.”

[22:1]  ⁷⁹⁰ sn Psalm 22. The psalmist cries out to the Lord for deliverance from his dangerous enemies, who have surrounded him and threaten his life. Confident that the Lord will intervene, he then vows to thank the Lord publicly for his help and anticipates a time when all people will recognize the Lord’s greatness and worship him.

[22:1]  ⁷⁹¹ tn Heb “according to the doe of the dawn.” Apparently this refers to a particular musical tune or style.

[22:1]  ⁷⁹² sn From the psalmist’s perspective it seems that God has abandoned him, for he fails to answer his cry for help (vv. 1b-2).

[22:1]  ⁷⁹³ tn Heb “far from my deliverance [are] the words of my groaning.” The Hebrew noun שְׁאָגָה (shÿ’agah) and its related verb שָׁאַג (sha’ag) are sometimes used of a lion’s roar, but they can also describe human groaning (see Job 3:24 and Pss 32:3 and 38:8.

[22:2]  ⁷⁹⁴ tn Heb “there is no silence to me.”

[22:3]  ⁷⁹⁵ tn Heb “[O] one who sits [on] the praises of Israel.” The verb “receiving” is supplied in the translation for clarity. The metaphorical language pictures the Lord as sitting enthroned as king in his temple, receiving the praises that his people Israel offer up to him.

[22:4]  ⁷⁹⁶ tn Heb “fathers.”

[22:4]  ⁷⁹⁷ tn The words “in you” are supplied in the translation. They are understood by ellipsis (see the preceding line).

[22:5]  ⁷⁹⁸ tn Or “were not ashamed.”

[22:6]  ⁷⁹⁹ tn The grammatical construction (conjunction + pronoun) highlights the contrast between the psalmist’s experience and that of his ancestors. When he considers God’s past reliability, it only heightens his despair and confusion, for God’s present silence stands in stark contrast to his past saving acts.

[22:6]  ⁸⁰⁰ tn The metaphor expresses the psalmist’s self-perception, which is based on how others treat him (see the following line).

[22:6]  ⁸⁰¹ tn Or “not a human being.” The psalmist perceives himself as less than human.

[22:6]  ⁸⁰² tn Heb “a reproach of man and despised by people.”

[22:7]  ⁸⁰³ tn Or “scoff at, deride, mock.”

[22:7]  ⁸⁰⁴ tn Heb “they separate with a lip.” Apparently this refers to their verbal taunting.

[22:7]  ⁸⁰⁵ sn Shake their heads. Apparently this refers to a taunting gesture. See also Job 16:4; Ps 109:25; Lam 2:15.

[22:8]  ⁸⁰⁶ tn The words “they say” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons. The psalmist here quotes the sarcastic taunts of his enemies.

[22:8]  ⁸⁰⁷ tn Heb “roll [yourself].” The Hebrew verb גלל here has the sense of “commit” (see Prov 16:3). The imperatival form in the Hebrew text indicates the enemies here address the psalmist. Since they refer to him in the third person in the rest of the verse, some prefer to emend the verb to a perfect, “he commits himself to the Lord.”

[22:8]  ⁸⁰⁸ tn Heb “Let him”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:8]  ⁸⁰⁹ tn Heb “Let him”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:8]  ⁸¹⁰ tn That is, “for he [the Lord] delights in him [the psalmist].” For other cases where the expression “delight in” refers to God’s delight in a person, see Num 14:8; 1 Kgs 10:9; Pss 18:19; 40:8.

[22:9]  ⁸¹¹ tn Or “the one who pulled me.” The verb is derived from either גָחָה (gakhah; see HALOT 187 s.v. גחה) or גִּיחַ (giyakh; see BDB 161 s.v. גִּיחַ) and seems to carry the nuance “burst forth” or “pull out.”

[22:10]  ⁸¹² tn Heb “upon you I was cast from [the] womb.”

[22:10]  ⁸¹³ tn Heb “from the womb of my mother you [have been] my God.”

[22:11]  ⁸¹⁴ tn Heb “and there is no helper.”

[22:12]  ⁸¹⁵ sn The psalmist figuratively compares his enemies to dangerous bulls.

[22:12]  ⁸¹⁶ sn Bashan, located east of the Jordan River, was well-known for its cattle. See Ezek 39:18; Amos 4:1.

[22:13]  ⁸¹⁷ tn “They” refers to the psalmist’s enemies, who in the previous verse are described as “powerful bulls.”

[22:13]  ⁸¹⁸ tn Heb “they open against me their mouth[s].” To “open the mouth against” is a Hebrew idiom associated with eating and swallowing (see Ezek 2:8; Lam 2:16).

[22:13]  ⁸¹⁹ tn Heb “a lion ripping and roaring.”

[22:14]  ⁸²⁰ tn Heb “like water I am poured out.”

[22:14]  ⁸²¹ sn The heart is viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s strength and courage.

[22:15]  ⁸²² tc Heb “my strength” (כֹּחִי, kokhiy), but many prefer to emend the text to חִכִּי (khikiy, “my palate”; cf. NEB, NRSV “my mouth”) assuming that an error of transposition has occurred in the traditional Hebrew text.

[22:15]  ⁸²³ tn Cf. NEB “my jaw”; NASB, NRSV “my jaws”; NIV “the roof of my mouth.”

[22:15]  ⁸²⁴ sn Here the psalmist addresses God and suggests that God is ultimately responsible for what is happening because of his failure to intervene (see vv. 1-2, 11).

[22:15]  ⁸²⁵ sn The imperfect verbal form draws attention to the progressive nature of the action. The psalmist is in the process of dying.

[22:16]  ⁸²⁶ tn Or “for.”

[22:16]  ⁸²⁷ tn Heb “like a lion, my hands and my feet.” This reading is often emended because it is grammatically awkward, but perhaps its awkwardness is by rhetorical design. Its broken syntax may be intended to convey the panic and terror felt by the psalmist. The psalmist may envision a lion pinning the hands and feet of its victim to the ground with its paws (a scene depicted in ancient Near Eastern art), or a lion biting the hands and feet. The line has been traditionally translated, “they pierce my hands and feet,” and then taken as foreshadowing the crucifixion of Christ. Though Jesus does appropriate the language of this psalm while on the cross (compare v. 1 with Matt 27:46 and Mark 15:34), the NT does not cite this verse in describing the death of Jesus. (It does refer to vv. 7-8 and 18, however. See Matt 27:35, 39, 43; Mark 15:24, 29; Luke 23:34; John 19:23-24.) If one were to insist on an emendation of כָּאֲרִי (ka’ariy, “like a lion”) to a verb, the most likely verbal root would be כָּרָה (karah, “dig”; see the LXX). In this context this verb could refer to the gnawing and tearing of wild dogs (cf. NCV, TEV, CEV). The ancient Greek version produced by Symmachus reads “bind” here, perhaps understanding a verbal root כרך, which is attested in later Hebrew and Aramaic and means “to encircle, entwine, embrace” (see HALOT 497-98 s.v. כרך and Jastrow 668 s.v. כָּרַךְ). Neither one of these proposed verbs can yield a meaning “bore, pierce.”

[22:17]  ⁸²⁸ tn The imperfect verbal forms in vv. 17-18 draw attention to the progressive nature of the action.

[22:17]  ⁸²⁹ tn Heb “they.” The masculine form indicates the enemies are in view. The referent (the psalmist’s enemies) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:17]  ⁸³⁰ tn Heb “they gaze, they look upon me.”

[22:18]  ⁸³¹ tn Heb “casting lots.” The precise way in which this would have been done is not certain.

[22:19]  ⁸³² tn Heb “O my strength.”

[22:19]  ⁸³³ tn Heb “hurry to my help.”

[22:20]  ⁸³⁴ tn Or “my life.”

[22:20]  ⁸³⁵ tn The verb “save” is supplied in the translation; it is understood by ellipsis (see “deliver” in the preceding line).

[22:20]  ⁸³⁶ tn Heb “my only one.” The psalmist may mean that his life is precious, or that he feels isolated and alone.

[22:20]  ⁸³⁷ tn Heb “from the hand.” Here “hand” is understood by metonymy as a reference to the “paw” and thus the “claws” of the wild dogs.

[22:21]  ⁸³⁸ sn The psalmist again compares his enemies to vicious dogs and ferocious lions (see vv. 13, 16).

[22:21]  ⁸³⁹ tn The Hebrew term רֵמִים (remim) appears to be an alternate spelling of רְאֵמִים (rÿ’emim, “wild oxen”; see BDB 910 s.v. רְאֵם).

[22:21]  ⁸⁴⁰ tn Heb “and from the horns of the wild oxen you answer me.” Most take the final verb with the preceding prepositional phrase. Some understand the verb form as a relatively rare precative perfect, expressing a wish or request (see IBHS 494-95 §30.5.4c, d). However, not all grammarians are convinced that the perfect is used as a precative in biblical Hebrew. (See the discussion at Ps 3:7.) Others prefer to take the perfect in its usual indicative sense. The psalmist, perhaps in response to an oracle of salvation, affirms confidently that God has answered him, assuring him that deliverance is on the way. The present translation takes the prepositional phrase as parallel to the preceding “from the mouth of the lion” and as collocated with the verb “rescue” at the beginning of the verse. “You have answered me” is understood as a triumphant shout which marks a sudden shift in tone and introduces the next major section of the psalm. By isolating the statement syntactically, the psalmist highlights the declaration.

[22:22]  ⁸⁴¹ tn Or “brothers,” but here the term does not carry a literal familial sense. It refers to the psalmist’s fellow members of the Israelite covenant community (see v. 23).

[22:23]  ⁸⁴² tn Heb “[you] fearers of the Lord.” See Ps 15:4.

[22:23]  ⁸⁴³ tn Heb “fear him.”

[22:24]  ⁸⁴⁴ tn Or “affliction”; or “need.”

[22:24]  ⁸⁴⁵ sn In this verse the psalmist refers to himself in the third person and characterizes himself as oppressed.

[22:24]  ⁸⁴⁶ tn Heb “he did not hide his face from him.” For other uses of the idiom “hide the face” meaning “ignore,” see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9. Sometimes the idiom carries the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 27:9; 88:14).

[22:24]  ⁸⁴⁷ tn Heb “heard.”

[22:25]  ⁸⁴⁸ tn Heb “from with you [is] my praise.”

[22:25]  ⁸⁴⁹ tn Heb “my vows I will fulfill before those who fear him.” When asking the Lord for help, the psalmists would typically promise to praise the Lord publicly if he intervened and delivered them.

[22:26]  ⁸⁵⁰ sn Eat and be filled. In addition to praising the Lord, the psalmist also offers a thank offering to the Lord and invites others to share in a communal meal.

[22:26]  ⁸⁵¹ tn Heb “may your heart[s].”

[22:27]  ⁸⁵² tn Heb “may all the ends of the earth remember and turn to the Lord.” The prefixed verbal forms in v. 27 are understood as jussives (cf. NEB). Another option (cf. NIV, NRSV) is to take the forms as imperfects and translate, “all the people of the earth will acknowledge and turn…and worship.” See vv. 29-32.

[22:27]  ⁸⁵³ tn Heb “families of the nations.”

[22:27]  ⁸⁵⁴ tn Heb “before you.”

[22:28]  ⁸⁵⁵ tn Heb “for to the Lord [is] dominion.”

[22:29]  ⁸⁵⁶ tn Heb “fat [ones].” This apparently refers to those who are healthy and robust, i.e., thriving. In light of the parallelism, some prefer to emend the form to יְשֵׁנֵי (yÿsheney, “those who sleep [in the earth]”; cf. NAB, NRSV), but דִּשְׁנֵי (dishney, “fat [ones]”) seems to form a merism with “all who descend into the grave” in the following line. The psalmist envisions all people, whether healthy or dying, joining in worship of the Lord.

[22:29]  ⁸⁵⁷ tn Heb “eat and worship.” The verb forms (a perfect followed by a prefixed form with vav [ו] consecutive) are normally used in narrative to relate completed actions. Here the psalmist uses the forms rhetorically as he envisions a time when the Lord will receive universal worship. The mood is one of wishful thinking and anticipation; this is not prophecy in the strict sense.

[22:29]  ⁸⁵⁸ tn Heb “all of the ones going down [into] the dust.” This group stands in contrast to those mentioned in the previous line. Together the two form a merism encompassing all human beings – the healthy, the dying, and everyone in between.

[22:29]  ⁸⁵⁹ tn Heb “and his life he does not revive.”

[22:30]  ⁸⁶⁰ tn Heb “offspring.”

[22:30]  ⁸⁶¹ tn Heb “it will be told concerning the Lord to the generation.” The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

[22:31]  ⁸⁶² tn Heb “his righteousness.” Here the noun צִדָקָה (tsidaqah) refers to the Lord’s saving deeds whereby he vindicates the oppressed.

[22:31]  ⁸⁶³ tn Heb “to a people [to be] born that he has acted.” The words “they will tell” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[23:1]  ⁸⁶⁴ sn Psalm 23. In vv. 1-4 the psalmist pictures the Lord as a shepherd who provides for his needs and protects him from danger. The psalmist declares, “The Lord is my shepherd,” and then extends and develops that metaphor, speaking as if he were a sheep. In vv. 5-6 the metaphor changes as the psalmist depicts a great royal banquet hosted by the Lord. The psalmist is a guest of honor and recipient of divine favor, who enjoys unlimited access to the divine palace and the divine presence.

[23:1]  ⁸⁶⁵ sn The LORD is my shepherd. The opening metaphor suggests the psalmist is assuming the role of a sheep. In vv. 1b-4 the psalmist extends the metaphor and explains exactly how the LORD is like a shepherd to him. At the surface level the language can be understood in terms of a shepherd’s relationship to his sheep. The translation of vv. 1-4 reflects this level. But, of course, each statement also points to an underlying reality.

[23:1]  ⁸⁶⁶ tn The imperfect verbal form is best understood as generalizing; the psalmist highlights his typical or ongoing experience as a result of having the LORD as his shepherd (habitual present use). The next verse explains more specifically what he means by this statement.

[23:2]  ⁸⁶⁷ tn Heb “he makes me lie down in lush pastures.” The Hiphil verb יַרְבִּיצֵנִי (yarbitseniy) has a causative-modal nuance here (see IBHS 445-46 §27.5 on this use of the Hiphil), meaning “allows me to lie down” (see also Jer 33:12). The point is that the shepherd takes the sheep to lush pastures and lets them eat and rest there. Both imperfect verbal forms in v. 2 are generalizing and highlight the psalmist’s typical experience.

[23:2]  ⁸⁶⁸ tn Both genitives in v. 2 indicate an attribute of the noun they modify: דֶּשֶׁא (deshe’) characterizes the pastures as “lush” (i.e., rich with vegetation), while מְנֻחוֹת (mÿnukhot) probably characterizes the water as refreshing. In this case the plural indicates an abstract quality. Some take מְנֻחוֹת in the sense of “still, calm” (i.e., as describing calm pools in contrast to dangerous torrents) but it is unlikely that such a pastoral scene is in view. Shepherds usually watered their sheep at wells (see Gen 29:2-3; Exod 2:16-19). Another option is to take מְנֻחוֹת as “resting places” and to translate, “water of/at the resting places” (i.e., a genitive of location; see IBHS 147-48 §9.5.2e).

[23:3]  ⁸⁶⁹ tn The appearance of the Hebrew term נַפְשִׁי (nafshi), traditionally translated “my soul,” might suggest a spiritualized interpretation for the first line of v. 3. However, at the surface level of the shepherd/sheep metaphor, this is unlikely. When it occurs with a pronominal suffix נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v. 4 נֶפֶשׁ.a). In this context, where the statement most naturally refers to the physical provision just described, the form is best translated simply “me.” The accompanying verb (a Polel form [factitive use] of שׁוּב [shuv]), if referring to the physical provision just described, carries the nuance “refresh, restore strength.”

[23:3]  ⁸⁷⁰ tn The imperfect verbal forms in v. 3 (יְשׁוֹבֵב [yÿshovev] and יַנְחֵנִי [yakheniy]), like those in vv. 1-2, highlight what is typical of the shepherd/sheep relationship.

[23:3]  ⁸⁷¹ tn The attributive genitive צֶדֶק (tsedeq) is traditionally translated “righteousness” here, as if designating a moral or ethical quality. But this seems unlikely, for it modifies מַעְגְּלֵי (ma’ggÿley, “paths”). Within the shepherd/sheep metaphor, the phrase likely refers to “right” or “correct” paths, i.e. ones that lead to pastures, wells, or the fold. While צֶדֶק usually does carry a moral or ethical nuance, it can occasionally refer to less abstract things, such as weights and offerings. In this context, which emphasizes divine provision and protection, the underlying reality is probably God’s providential guidance. The psalmist is confident that God takes him down paths that will ultimately lead to something beneficial, not destructive.

[23:3]  ⁸⁷² tn The Hebrew term שֶׁם (shem, “name”) refers here to the shepherd’s reputation. (The English term “name” is often used the same way.) The statement לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ (lÿma’an shÿmo, “for the sake of his name”) makes excellent sense within the framework of the shepherd/sheep metaphor. Shepherds, who sometimes hired out their services, were undoubtedly concerned about their vocational reputation. To maintain their reputation as competent shepherds, they had to know the “lay of the land” and make sure they led the sheep down the right paths to the proper destinations. The underlying reality is a profound theological truth: God must look out for the best interests of the one he has promised to protect, because if he fails to do so, his faithfulness could legitimately be called into question and his reputation damaged.

[23:4]  ⁸⁷³ tn The Hebrew term צַלְמָוֶת (tsalmavet) has traditionally been understood as a compound noun meaning “shadow of death” (צֵל [tsel] + מָוֶת [mavet]; see BDB 853 s.v. צַלְמָוֶת). Other scholars prefer to vocalize the form צַלְמוּת (tsalmut) and understand it as an abstract noun (from the root צָלַם, tsalam) 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. If the word does indeed mean “darkness,” it modifies גַיְא (gay’, “valley, ravine”) quite naturally. At the metaphorical level, v. 4 pictures the shepherd taking his sheep through a dark ravine where predators might lurk. The life-threatening situations faced by the psalmist are the underlying reality behind the imagery.

[23:4]  ⁸⁷⁴ tn The imperfect verbal forms in v. 4, as in vv. 1-3, highlight what is typical in the psalmist’s experience.

[23:4]  ⁸⁷⁵ tn The Hebrew term רַע (ra’) is traditionally translated “evil” here, perhaps suggesting a moral or ethical nuance. But at the level of the metaphor, the word means “danger, injury, harm,” as a sheep might experience from a predator. The life-threatening dangers faced by the psalmist, especially the enemies mentioned in v. 5, are the underlying reality.

[23:4]  ⁸⁷⁶ tn The Piel of נָחַם (nakham), when used with a human object, means “comfort, console.” But here, within the metaphorical framework, it refers to the way in which a shepherd uses his implements to assure the sheep of his presence and calm their nerves. The underlying reality is the emotional stability God provides the psalmist during life threatening situations.

[23:5]  ⁸⁷⁷ sn In v. 5 the metaphor switches. (It would be very odd for a sheep to have its head anointed and be served wine.) The background for the imagery is probably the royal banquet. Ancient Near Eastern texts describe such banquets in similar terms to those employed by the psalmist. (See M. L. Barre and J. S. Kselman, “New Exodus, Covenant, and Restoration in Psalm 23,” The Word of the Lord Shall Go Forth, 97-127.) The reality behind the imagery is the Lord’s favor. Through his blessings and protection he demonstrates to everyone, including dangerous enemies, that the psalmist has a special relationship with him.

[23:5]  ⁸⁷⁸ tn The imperfect verbal form in v. 5a carries on the generalizing mood of vv. 1-4. However, in v. 5b the psalmist switches to a perfect (דִּשַּׁנְתָּ, dishanta), which may have a generalizing force as well. But then again the perfect is conspicuous here and may be present perfect in sense, indicating that the divine host typically pours oil on his head prior to seating him at the banquet table. The verb דָשַׁן (dashan; the Piel is factitive) is often translated “anoint,” but this is misleading, for it might suggest a symbolic act of initiation into royal status. One would expect the verb מָשָׁח (mashan) in this case; דָשַׁן here describes an act of hospitality extended to guests and carries the nuance “refresh.” In Prov 15:30 it stands parallel to “make happy” and refers to the effect that good news has on the inner being of its recipient.

[23:5]  ⁸⁷⁹ tn The rare noun רְַָויָה (rÿvayah) is derived from the well-attested verb רָוָה (ravah, “be saturated, drink one’s fill”). In this context, where it describes a cup, it must mean “filled up,” but not necessarily to overflowing.

[23:6]  ⁸⁸⁰ tn The noun חֶסֶד (khesed; v. 6) has been the subject of several monographs. G. R. Clark concludes that חֶסֶד “is not merely an attitude or an emotion; it is an emotion that leads to an activity beneficial to the recipient.” He explains that an act of חֶסֶד is “a beneficent action performed, in the context of a deep and enduring commitment between two persons or parties, by one who is able to render assistance to the needy party who in the circumstances is unable to help him- or herself.” (See G. R. Clark, The Word Hesed in the Hebrew Bible [JSOTSup], 267.) HALOT 336-37 s.v. defines the word as “loyalty,” or “faithfulness.” Other appropriate meanings might be “commitment” and “devotion.”

[23:6]  ⁸⁸¹ tn The use of רָדַף (radaf, “pursue, chase”) with טוֹב וָחֶסֶד (tov vakhesed, “goodness and faithfulness”) as subject is ironic. This is the only place in the entire OT where either of these nouns appears as the subject of this verb רָדַף (radaf, “pursue”). This verb is often used to describe the hostile actions of enemies. One might expect the psalmist’s enemies (see v. 5) to chase him, but ironically God’s “goodness and faithfulness” (which are personified and stand by metonymy for God himself) pursue him instead. The word “pursue” is used outside of its normal context in an ironic manner and creates a unique, but pleasant word picture of God’s favor (or a kind God) “chasing down” the one whom he loves.

[23:6]  ⁸⁸² tn Heb “all the days of my life.”

[23:6]  ⁸⁸³ tn The verb form וְשַׁבְתִּי (vÿshavtiy) is a Qal perfect (with vav [ו] consecutive), first common singular, from שׁוּב (shuv, “return”) and should be translated, “and I will return.” But this makes no sense when construed with the following phrase, “in the house of the Lord.” The term שׁוּב (shuv) appears only here with the following phrase בְּבֵית (bÿvet). The form should be emended to וְשִׁבְתִּי (vÿshivtiy; an infinitive construct from יָשַׁב, yashav, “live”) with pronominal suffix) or to וְיָשַׁבְתִּי (vÿyashavtiy; a Qal perfect with vav [ו] consecutive, first common singular, from ישׁב [see BHS, note c]). In either case one could then translate, “and I will live [in the house of the Lord].” The phrase “in the house” frequently follows the verb יָשַׁב in the OT.

[23:6]  ⁸⁸⁴ tn Heb “the house of the Lord.” The phrase may be purely metaphorical here, referring to the royal palace where the royal host of v. 5 holds his banquet and lives. If one takes the phrase more literally, it would refer to the earthly tabernacle (if one accepts Davidic authorship) or the later temple (see Judg 19:18; 1 Sam 1:7, 24; 2 Sam 12:20; 1 Kgs 7:12, 40, 45, 51).

[23:6]  ⁸⁸⁵ tn The phrase אֹרֶךְ יָמִים (’orekh yamim, “length of days”) is traditionally translated “forever.” However, this phrase, when used elsewhere of people, usually refers to a lengthy period of time, such as one’s lifetime, and does not mean “forever” in the sense of eternity. (Cf. Deut 30:20; Job 12:12; Ps 91:16; Prov 3:2, 16; Lam 5:20.) Furthermore, the parallel phrase “all the days of my life” suggests this more limited meaning. Psalm 21:4, where the phrase is followed by “forever and ever,” may be an exception, though the juxtaposition of the phrases may be an example of intensification, where the second phrase goes beyond the limits of the first, rather than synonymity. Even if one takes both expressions as referring to eternal life, the language is part of the king’s hyperbolic description of the Lord’s blessings and should not be taken literally.

[24:1]  ⁸⁸⁶ sn Psalm 24. The psalmist affirms the universal kingship of the sovereign creator, reminds his people that only the morally pure are qualified to worship him, and celebrates his splendor as a mighty warrior king.

[24:2]  ⁸⁸⁷ tn The prefixed verbal form is understood as a preterite, referring to the creation of the world.

[24:2]  ⁸⁸⁸ sn He…established it upon the ocean currents. The description reflects ancient Israelite prescientific cosmology, which is based on outward appearances. The language also suggests that God’s creative work involved the subjugation of chaos, symbolized by the sea.

[24:3]  ⁸⁸⁹ tn The imperfects in v. 3 are modal, expressing potential or permission.

[24:3]  ⁸⁹⁰ sn In this context the Lord’s mountain probably refers to Zion/Jerusalem (see Isa 2:2-3).

[24:4]  ⁸⁹¹ tn Heb “the innocent of hands and the pure of heart.” The “hands” allude to one’s actions, the “heart” to one’s thought life and motives.

[24:4]  ⁸⁹² tn Heb “who does not lift up for emptiness my life.” The first person pronoun on נַפְשִׁי (nafshiy, “my life”) makes little sense here; many medieval Hebrew mss support the ancient versions in reading a third person pronoun “his.” The idiom “lift the life” here means to “long for” or “desire strongly.” In this context (note the reference to an oath in the following line) “emptiness” probably refers to speech (see Ps 12:2).

[24:4]  ⁸⁹³ tn Heb “and does not swear an oath deceitfully.”

[24:5]  ⁸⁹⁴ tn Heb “he (the righteous individual described in v. 4) lifts up a blessing from the Lord.” The singular subject is representative here, as v. 6 makes clear. The referent (godly people like the individual in v. 4) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The imperfect verbal form is generalizing; such people are typically rewarded for their deeds.

[24:5]  ⁸⁹⁵ tn “and vindication from the God of his deliverance.”

[24:6]  ⁸⁹⁶ tn Heb “this [is the] generation of the ones seeking him, the ones seeking your face, Jacob.” To “seek the Lord’s face” means to seek his favor through prayer (see 2 Sam 21:1; Pss 27:8; 105:4).

[24:7]  ⁸⁹⁷ tn Heb “lift up your heads.” The gates of the Lord’s dwelling place are here personified. The idiom “lift up the head” often means “be confident, bold” (see Judg 8:28; Job 10:15; Ps 83:2; Zech 1:21).

[24:7]  ⁸⁹⁸ tn Heb “lift yourselves up.”

[24:7]  ⁸⁹⁹ tn Or “king of glory.”

[24:7]  ⁹⁰⁰ tn Following the imperatives of the preceding lines, the prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose or result.

[24:8]  ⁹⁰¹ sn Who is this majestic king? Perhaps the personified gates/doors ask this question, in response to the command given in v. 7.

[24:10]  ⁹⁰² tn Traditionally, “the Lord of hosts,” a title which here pictures the Lord as a mighty warrior-king who leads armies into battle.

[25:1]  ⁹⁰³ sn Psalm 25. The psalmist asks for divine protection, guidance and forgiveness as he affirms his loyalty to and trust in the Lord. This psalm is an acrostic; every verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet, except for v. 18, which, like v. 19, begins with ר (resh) instead of the expected ק (qof). The final verse, which begins with פ (pe), stands outside the acrostic scheme.

[25:1]  ⁹⁰⁴ tn Heb “to you, O Lord, my life I lift up.” To “lift up” one’s “life” to the Lord means to express one’s trust in him through prayer. See Pss 86:4; 143:8.

[25:3]  ⁹⁰⁵ tn Heb “those who deal in treachery in vain.” The adverb רֵיקָם (reqam, “in vain”) probably refers to the failure (or futility) of their efforts. Another option is to understand it as meaning “without cause” (cf. NIV “without excuse”; NRSV “wantonly treacherous”).

[25:4]  ⁹⁰⁶ sn Teach me your paths. In this context the Lord’s “ways” and “paths” refer to the moral principles which the Lord prescribes for his followers. See vv. 8-10.

[25:5]  ⁹⁰⁷ sn The Lord’s commandments are referred to as truth here because they are a trustworthy and accurate expression of the divine will.

[25:6]  ⁹⁰⁸ tn That is, “remember” with the intention of repeating.

[25:6]  ⁹⁰⁹ tn Heb “for from antiquity [are] they.”

[25:7]  ⁹¹⁰ tn Heb “do not remember,” with the intention of punishing.

[25:7]  ⁹¹¹ sn That is, the sins characteristic of youths, who lack moral discretion and wisdom.

[25:7]  ⁹¹² tn Heb “according to your faithfulness, remember me, you, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord.”

[25:8]  ⁹¹³ tn Heb “good and just.”

[25:8]  ⁹¹⁴ tn Heb “teaches sinners in the way.”

[25:9]  ⁹¹⁵ tn The prefixed verbal form is jussive; the psalmist expresses his prayer.

[25:9]  ⁹¹⁶ tn Heb “may he guide the humble into justice.” The Hebrew term עֲנָוִים (’anavim, “humble”) usually refers to the oppressed, but in this context, where the psalmist confesses his sin and asks for moral guidance, it apparently refers to sinners who humble themselves before God and seek deliverance from their sinful condition.

[25:9]  ⁹¹⁷ tn The prefixed verbal form is interpreted as a jussive (it stands parallel to the jussive form, “may he guide”).

[25:10]  ⁹¹⁸ tn Heb “all the paths of the Lord are faithful and trustworthy.” The Lord’s “paths” refer here to his characteristic actions.

[25:10]  ⁹¹⁹ tn Heb “to the ones who keep his covenant and his testimonies.”

[25:11]  ⁹²⁰ tn Heb “name.” By forgiving the sinful psalmist, the Lord’s reputation as a merciful God will be enhanced.

[25:11]  ⁹²¹ sn Forgive my sin, because it is great. The psalmist readily admits his desperate need for forgiveness.

[25:12]  ⁹²² tn Heb “Who is this man, the one who fears the Lord? He will instruct him in the way he should choose.” The singular (note “man”) is representative here (see v. 14, where the plural is used), and has thus been translated as a plural (“followers…they”).

[25:13]  ⁹²³ tn Heb “his life in goodness dwells.” The singular is representative (see v. 14).

[25:13]  ⁹²⁴ tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”

[25:13]  ⁹²⁵ tn Or “earth.”

[25:14]  ⁹²⁶ tn Heb “the advice of the Lord belongs to those who fear him.”

[25:14]  ⁹²⁷ tn Heb “and his covenant, to make them know.”

[25:15]  ⁹²⁸ tn Heb “my eyes continually [are] toward the Lord.”

[25:15]  ⁹²⁹ tn Heb “for he will bring out from a net my feet.” The hostility of the psalmist’s enemies is probably in view (see v. 19).

[25:16]  ⁹³⁰ tn That is, helpless and vulnerable.

[25:17]  ⁹³¹ tc Heb “the distresses of my heart, they make wide.” The text makes little if any sense as it stands, unless this is an otherwise unattested intransitive use of the Hiphil of רָחַב (rakhav, “be wide”). It is preferable to emend the form הִרְחִיבוּ (hirkhivu; Hiphil perfect third plural “they make wide”) to הַרְחֵיב (harkhev; Hiphil imperative masculine singular “make wide”). (The final vav [ו] can be joined to the following word and taken as a conjunction.) In this case one can translate, “[in/from] the distresses of my heart, make wide [a place for me],” that is, “deliver me from the distress I am experiencing.” For the expression “make wide [a place for me],” see Ps 4:1.

[25:17]  ⁹³² tn Heb “from my distresses lead me out.”

[25:18]  ⁹³³ tn Heb “lift up all my sins.”

[25:19]  ⁹³⁴ tn Heb “see my enemies for they are numerous, and [with] violent hatred they hate me.”

[25:20]  ⁹³⁵ tn Or “my life.”

[25:22]  ⁹³⁶ tn Or “redeem.”

[25:22]  ⁹³⁷ tn Heb “his distresses.”

[26:1]  ⁹³⁸ sn Psalm 26. The author invites the Lord to test his integrity, asserts his innocence and declares his loyalty to God.

[26:1]  ⁹³⁹ tn Heb “for I in my integrity walk.”

[26:2]  ⁹⁴⁰ tn Heb “evaluate my kidneys and my heart.” The kidneys and heart were viewed as the seat of one’s volition, conscience, and moral character.

[26:3]  ⁹⁴¹ tn Heb “for your faithfulness [is] before my eyes.”

[26:3]  ⁹⁴² tn Heb “and I walk about in your loyalty.”

[26:4]  ⁹⁴³ tn Heb “sit.”

[26:4]  ⁹⁴⁴ tn Heb “go.” The psalmist uses the imperfect form of the verb to emphasize that he does not make a practice of associating with such people.

[26:4]  ⁹⁴⁵ tn Heb “[those who] conceal themselves.”

[26:5]  ⁹⁴⁶ tn Heb “assembly, company.”

[26:5]  ⁹⁴⁷ tn Heb “sit.” The psalmist uses the imperfect form of the verb to emphasize that he does not make a practice of associating with such people.

[26:6]  ⁹⁴⁸ tn Heb “I wash my hands in innocence.” The psalmist uses an image from cultic ritual to picture his moral lifestyle. The imperfect verbal emphasizes that this is his habit.

[26:6]  ⁹⁴⁹ tn Heb “so I can go around your altar” (probably in ritual procession). Following the imperfect of the preceding line, the cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose or result.

[26:7]  ⁹⁵⁰ tn Heb “to cause to be heard the sound of thanksgiving.”

[26:7]  ⁹⁵¹ tn The two infinitival forms (both with prefixed preposition -לְ, lamed) give the purpose for his appearance at the altar.

[26:8]  ⁹⁵² tn Heb “the dwelling of your house.”

[26:8]  ⁹⁵³ tn Heb “the place of the abode of your splendor.”

[26:9]  ⁹⁵⁴ tn Heb “do not gather up my life with.”

[26:9]  ⁹⁵⁵ tn Heb “or with men of bloodshed my life.” The verb is supplied; it is understood by ellipsis (see the preceding line).

[26:10]  ⁹⁵⁶ tn Heb “who [have] in their hands evil.”

[26:10]  ⁹⁵⁷ tn Heb “and their right hand is full of a bribe.”

[26:11]  ⁹⁵⁸ tn Heb “and I in my integrity walk.” The psalmist uses the imperfect verbal form to emphasize this is his practice. The construction at the beginning of the verse (conjunction + pronoun) highlights the contrast between the psalmist and the sinners mentioned in vv. 9-10.

[26:11]  ⁹⁵⁹ tn Or “redeem me.”

[26:12]  ⁹⁶⁰ tn Heb “my foot stands in a level place.”

[27:1]  ⁹⁶¹ sn Psalm 27. The author is confident of the Lord’s protection and asks the Lord to vindicate him.

[27:1]  ⁹⁶² tn Heb “the Lord [is] my light and my deliverance.” “Light” is often used as a metaphor for deliverance and the life/blessings it brings. See Pss 37:6; 97:11; 112:4; Isa 49:6; 51:4; Mic 7:8. Another option is that “light” refers here to divine guidance (see Ps 43:3).

[27:1]  ⁹⁶³ tn Heb “Whom shall I fear?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “No one!”

[27:1]  ⁹⁶⁴ tn Heb “Of whom shall I be afraid?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “No one!”

[27:2]  ⁹⁶⁵ tn Heb “draw near to me.”

[27:2]  ⁹⁶⁶ sn To devour my flesh. The psalmist compares his enemies to dangerous, hungry predators (see 2 Kgs 9:36; Ezek 39:17).

[27:2]  ⁹⁶⁷ tn Heb “my adversaries and my enemies against me.” The verb “draw near” (that is, “attack”) is understood by ellipsis; see the previous line.

[27:2]  ⁹⁶⁸ tn The Hebrew verbal forms are perfects. The translation assumes the psalmist is generalizing here, but another option is to take this as a report of past experience, “when evil men attacked me…they stumbled and fell.”

[27:3]  ⁹⁶⁹ tn Heb “my heart does not fear.”

[27:3]  ⁹⁷⁰ tn Heb “if war rises up against me.”

[27:3]  ⁹⁷¹ tn Heb “in this [i.e., “during this situation”] I am trusting.”

[27:4]  ⁹⁷² tn Heb “my living.”

[27:4]  ⁹⁷³ sn The Lord’s house. This probably refers to the tabernacle (if one accepts Davidic authorship) or the temple (see Judg 19:18; 1 Sam 1:7, 24; 2 Sam 12:20; 1 Kgs 7:12, 40, 45, 51).

[27:4]  ⁹⁷⁴ tn Or “beauty.”

[27:5]  ⁹⁷⁵ tn Or “for he will.” The translation assumes the כִּי (ki) is asseverative here, rather than causal.

[27:5]  ⁹⁷⁶ tn Heb “he will hide me in his hut.”

[27:5]  ⁹⁷⁷ tn Or “trouble.”

[27:5]  ⁹⁷⁸ tn Heb “tent.”

[27:5]  ⁹⁷⁹ tn The three imperfect verb forms in v. 5 anticipate a positive response to the prayer offered in vv. 7-12.

[27:5]  ⁹⁸⁰ tn Heb “on a rocky summit he lifts me up.” The Lord places the psalmist in an inaccessible place where his enemies cannot reach him. See Ps 18:2.

[27:6]  ⁹⁸¹ tn Heb “and now my head will be lifted up over my enemies all around me.”

[27:6]  ⁹⁸² tn Heb “I will sacrifice in his tent sacrifices of a shout for joy” (that is, “sacrifices accompanied by a joyful shout”).

[27:7]  ⁹⁸³ tn Heb “my voice.”

[27:8]  ⁹⁸⁴ tc Heb “concerning you my heart says, ‘Seek my face.’” The verb form “seek” is plural, but this makes no sense here, for the psalmist is addressed. The verb should be emended to a singular form. The first person pronominal suffix on “face” also makes little sense, unless it is the voice of the Lord he hears. His “heart” is viewed as speaking, however, so it is better to emend the form to פָּנָיו (panayv, “his face”).

[27:8]  ⁹⁸⁵ tn Heb “your face, O Lord, I seek.” To “seek the Lord’s face” means to seek his favor through prayer (see 2 Sam 21:1; Pss 24:6; 105:4).

[27:9]  ⁹⁸⁶ tn Heb “do not hide your face from me.” The idiom “hide the face” can mean “ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or carry the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 30:7; 88:14).

[27:9]  ⁹⁸⁷ tn Or “[source of] help.”

[27:10]  ⁹⁸⁸ tn Or “though my father and mother have abandoned me.”

[27:10]  ⁹⁸⁹ tn Heb “gather me in”; or “receive me.”

[27:11]  ⁹⁹⁰ tn Heb “teach me your way.” The Lord’s “way” refers here to the moral principles which he expects the psalmist to follow. See Ps 25:4.

[27:11]  ⁹⁹¹ sn The level path refers to God’s moral principles (see the parallel line), which, if followed, will keep the psalmist blameless before his accusers (see v. 12).

[27:11]  ⁹⁹² tn Heb “because of those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 5:8; 54:5; 56:2.

[27:12]  ⁹⁹³ tn Heb “do not give me over to the desire of my enemies.”

[27:12]  ⁹⁹⁴ tn Heb “for they have risen up against me, lying witnesses and a testifier of violence.” The form יָפֵחַ (yafeakh) is traditionally understood as a verb meaning “snort, breathe out”: “for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty” (KJV; cf. BDB 422 s.v.). A better option is to take the form as a noun meaning “a witness” (or “testifier”). See Prov 6:19; 12:17; 14:5, 25; 19:5, 9, and Hab 2:3.

[27:13]  ⁹⁹⁵ tn In the Hebrew text the sentence is incomplete: “If I had not believed [I would] see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” The words “Where would I be” are supplied in the translation to clarify the intent of the statement.

[27:14]  ⁹⁹⁶ tn Or “wait.”

[27:14]  ⁹⁹⁷ tn Heb “be strong and let your heart be confident.”

[28:1]  ⁹⁹⁸ sn Psalm 28. The author looks to the Lord for vindication, asks that the wicked be repaid in full for their evil deeds, and affirms his confidence that the Lord will protect his own.

[28:1]  ⁹⁹⁹ tn Heb “my rocky summit.” The Lord is compared to a rocky summit where one can find protection from enemies. See Ps 18:2.

[28:1]  ¹⁰⁰⁰ tn Heb “do not be deaf from me.”

[28:1]  ¹⁰⁰¹ tn Heb “lest [if] you are silent from me.”

[28:1]  ¹⁰⁰² tn Heb “I will be equal with.”

[28:1]  ¹⁰⁰³ tn Heb “the pit.” The noun בּוֹר (bor, “pit, cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead.

[28:2]  ¹⁰⁰⁴ sn I lift my hands. Lifting one’s hands toward God was a gesture of prayer.

[28:2]  ¹⁰⁰⁵ tn The Hebrew term דְּבִיר (dÿvir, “temple”) actually refers to the most holy place within the sanctuary.

[28:3]  ¹⁰⁰⁶ tn Heb “workers of wickedness.”

[28:3]  ¹⁰⁰⁷ tn Heb “speakers of peace with their neighbors.”

[28:3]  ¹⁰⁰⁸ tn Heb “and evil [is] in their heart[s].”

[28:4]  ¹⁰⁰⁹ tn Heb “Give to them according to their work, and according to the evil of their deeds. According to the work of their hands give to them. Return their due to them.” The highly repetitive style reflects the psalmist’s agitated emotional state and draws attention to his yearning for justice.

[28:5]  ¹⁰¹⁰ tn Heb “or the work of his hands.” In this context “the Lord’s actions” and “the work of his hands” probably refer to the way he carries out justice by vindicating the godly and punishing the wicked. (Note the final line of the verse, which refers to divine judgment. See also Ps 92:4-7.) Evil men do not “understand” God’s just ways; they fail to realize he will protect the innocent. Consequently they seek to harm the godly, as if they believe they will never be held accountable for their actions.

[28:5]  ¹⁰¹¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord, who is referred to in the two immediately preceding lines) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[28:5]  ¹⁰¹² tn Heb “will tear them down and not rebuild them.” The ungodly are compared to a structure that is permanently demolished.

[28:6]  ¹⁰¹³ tn Heb “blessed [be] the Lord.”

[28:6]  ¹⁰¹⁴ sn He has heard my plea for mercy. The psalmist’s mood abruptly changes at this point, because the Lord responded positively to his petition and assured him that he would deliver him.

[28:7]  ¹⁰¹⁵ tn Heb “The Lord [is] my strength and my shield.”

[28:7]  ¹⁰¹⁶ tn Heb “in him my heart trusts.”

[28:7]  ¹⁰¹⁷ tn Or “I am helped.”

[28:7]  ¹⁰¹⁸ tn Heb “and my heart exults.”

[28:7]  ¹⁰¹⁹ tn Heb “and from my song I will thank him.” As pointed in the Hebrew text, מִשִּׁירִי (mishiri) appears to be “from my song,” but the preposition “from” never occurs elsewhere with the verb “to thank” (Hiphil of יָדָה, yadah). Perhaps משׁיר is a noun form meaning “song.” If so, it can be taken as an adverbial accusative, “and [with] my song I will thank him.” See P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 (WBC), 236.

[28:8]  ¹⁰²⁰ tn Heb “the Lord [is] strength to them” (or perhaps, “to him”). The form לָמוֹ (lamo, “to them/him”) is probably a corruption of an original לְעַמוֹ (lÿ’amo, “to his people”; see P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 [WBC], 236), perhaps due to quiescence of the letter ayin (ע; see P. McCarter, Textual Criticism [GBS], 55). Note the reference to the Lord’s “people” in the next verse.

[28:8]  ¹⁰²¹ tn Heb “he [is] a refuge of help for his anointed one.” The noun מָשִׁיחַ (mashiakh, “anointed one”) refers to the Davidic king, who perhaps speaks as representative of the nation in this psalm. See Pss 2:2; 18:50; 20:6; 84:9; 89:38, 51; 132:10, 17.

[28:9]  ¹⁰²² tn Or “bless.”

[28:9]  ¹⁰²³ tn Heb “your inheritance.” The parallelism (note “your people”) indicates that Israel is in view.

[28:9]  ¹⁰²⁴ tn Heb “shepherd them and lift them up.”

[28:9]  ¹⁰²⁵ tn Or “forever.”

[29:1]  ¹⁰²⁶ sn Psalm 29. In this hymn of praise the psalmist calls upon the heavenly assembly to acknowledge the royal splendor of the Lord. He describes the Lord’s devastating power as revealed in the thunderstorm and affirms that the Lord exerts this awesome might on behalf of his people. In its original context the psalm was a bold polemic against the Canaanite storm god Baal, for it affirms that the Lord is the real king who controls the elements of the storm, contrary to pagan belief. See R. B. Chisholm, Jr., “The Polemic against Baalism in Israel’s Early History and Literature,” BSac 150 (1994): 280-82.

[29:1]  ¹⁰²⁷ tc Heb “sons of gods,” or “sons of God.” Though אֵלִים (’elim) is vocalized as a plural form (“gods”) in the MT, it is likely that the final mem 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.

[29:1]  ¹⁰²⁸ tn Or “ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.”

[29:2]  ¹⁰²⁹ tn Heb “ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name.” The Hebrew term שֵׁם (shem, “name”) refers here to the Lord’s reputation. (The English term “name” is often used the same way.)

[29:2]  ¹⁰³⁰ tn That is, properly dressed for the occasion.

[29:3]  ¹⁰³¹ tn Heb “the voice of the Lord [is] over the water.” As the next line makes clear, the “voice of the Lord” is here the thunder that accompanies a violent storm. The psalm depicts the Lord in the role of a warrior-king, so the thunder is his battle cry, as it were.

[29:3]  ¹⁰³² tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form is probably descriptive. In dramatic fashion the psalmist portrays the Lord coming in the storm to do battle with his enemies and to vindicate his people.

[29:3]  ¹⁰³³ tn Traditionally “many waters.” The geographical references in the psalm (Lebanon, Sirion, Kadesh) suggest this is a reference to the Mediterranean Sea (see Ezek 26:19; 27:26). The psalmist describes a powerful storm moving in from the sea and sweeping over the mountainous areas north of Israel. The “surging waters” may symbolize the hostile enemies of God who seek to destroy his people (see Pss 18:17; 32:6; 77:20; 93:4; 144:7; Isa 17:13; Jer 51:55; Ezek 26:19; Hab 3:15). In this case the Lord is depicted as elevated above and sovereign over the raging waters.

[29:4]  ¹⁰³⁴ tn Heb “the voice of the Lord [is] accompanied by strength.”

[29:4]  ¹⁰³⁵ tn Heb “the voice of the Lord [is] accompanied by majesty.”

[29:5]  ¹⁰³⁶ tn The Hebrew participial form draws attention to the durative nature of the action being described.

[29:5]  ¹⁰³⁷ tn The prefixed verbal forms with vav (ו) consecutive here and in v. 6a carry on the descriptive function of the preceding participle (see GKC 329 §111.u). The verb שָׁבַר (shavar) appears in the Qal in the first line of the verse, and in the Piel in the second line. The verb, which means “break” in the Qal, appears thirty-six times in the Piel, always with multiple objects (the object is either a collective singular or grammatically plural or dual form). The Piel may highlight the repetition of the pluralative action, or it may suggest an intensification of action, indicating repeated action comprising a whole, perhaps with the nuance “break again and again, break in pieces.” Another option is to understand the form as resultative: “make broken” (see IBHS 404-7 §24.3).

[29:5]  ¹⁰³⁸ sn The cedars of the Lebanon forest were well-known in ancient Israel for their immense size. Here they may symbolize the arrogant enemies of God (see Isa 2:12-13).

[29:6]  ¹⁰³⁹ sn Sirion is another name for Mount Hermon (Deut 3:9).

[29:6]  ¹⁰⁴⁰ sn Lebanon and Sirion are compared to frisky young animals (a calf…a young ox) who skip and jump. The thunderous shout of the Lord is so powerful, one can see the very mountains shake on the horizon.

[29:7]  ¹⁰⁴¹ tn The verb normally means “to hew [stone or wood],” or “to hew out.” In Hos 6:5 it seems to mean “cut in pieces,” “knock down,” or perhaps “hack” (see F. I. Andersen and D. N. Freedman, Hosea [AB], 428). The Ugaritic cognate can mean “assault.” In v. 7 the verb seems to have a similar meaning, perhaps “attack, strike.” The phrase “flames of fire” is an adverbial accusative; the Lord’s shout is accompanied by “flames of fire,” that is, lightning bolts.

[29:7]  ¹⁰⁴² sn The Lord’s shout strikes with flaming fire. The short line has invited textual emendation, but its distinct, brief form may highlight the statement, which serves as the axis of a chiastic structure encompassing vv. 5-9: (A) the Lord’s shout destroys the forest (v. 5); (B) the Lord’s shout shakes the terrain (v. 6); (C) the Lord’s shout is accompanied by destructive lightning (v. 7); (B´) the Lord’s shout shakes the terrain (v. 8); (A´) the Lord’s shout destroys the forest (v. 9).

[29:8]  ¹⁰⁴³ tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal forms are descriptive in function; the psalmist depicts the action as underway.

[29:8]  ¹⁰⁴⁴ sn Kadesh. The references to Lebanon and Sirion in v. 6 suggest this is a reference to the northern Kadesh, located north of Damascus, not the southern Kadesh mentioned so often in the OT. See M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 1:178.

[29:9]  ¹⁰⁴⁵ tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form is descriptive in function; the psalmist depicts the action as underway.

[29:9]  ¹⁰⁴⁶ tc Heb “the deer.” Preserving this reading, some translate the preceding verb, “causes [the deer] to give premature birth” (cf. NEB, NASB). But the Polel of חוּל/חִיל (khul/khil) means “give birth,” not “cause to give birth,” and the statement “the Lord’s shout gives birth to deer” is absurd. In light of the parallelism (note “forests” in the next line) and v. 5, it is preferable to emend אַיָּלוֹת (’ayyalot, “deer”) to אֵילוֹת (’elot, “large trees”) understanding the latter as an alternate form of the usual plural form אַיָּלִים (’ayyalim).

[29:9]  ¹⁰⁴⁷ tn The verb is used in Joel 1:7 of locusts stripping the leaves from a tree. The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries the descriptive function of the preceding imperfect. See GKC 329 §111.t.

[29:9]  ¹⁰⁴⁸ tn The usual form of the plural of יַעַר (ya’ar, “forest”) is יְעָרִים (yÿ’arim). For this reason some propose an emendation to יְעָלוֹת (yÿ’alot, “female mountain goats”) which would fit nicely in the parallelism with “deer” (cf. NEB “brings kids early to birth”). In this case one would have to understand the verb חָשַׂף (khasaf) to mean “cause premature birth,” an otherwise unattested homonym of the more common חָשַׂף (“strip bare”).

[29:9]  ¹⁰⁴⁹ tn Heb “In his temple, all of it says, ‘Glory.’”

[29:10]  ¹⁰⁵⁰ tn The noun מַּבּוּל (mabbul, “flood”) appears only here and in Gen 6-11, where it refers to the Noahic flood. Some see a reference to that event here. The presence of the article (perhaps indicating uniqueness) and the switch to the perfect verbal form (which could be taken as describing a past situation) might support this. However, the immediate context indicates that the referent of מַּבּוּל is the “surging waters” mentioned in v. 3. The article indicates waters that are definite in the mind of the speaker and the perfect is probably descriptive in function, like “thunders” in v. 3. However, even though the historical flood is not the primary referent here, there may be a literary allusion involved. The psalmist views the threatening chaotic sea as a contemporary manifestation of the destructive waters of old.

[29:10]  ¹⁰⁵¹ tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries the descriptive function of the preceding perfect.

[29:11]  ¹⁰⁵² tn The imperfect verbal forms in v. 11 are either descriptive or generalizing.

[29:11]  ¹⁰⁵³ sn Strength. This probably refers to military power; see the use of the noun in 1 Sam 2:10 and Ps 86:16.

[29:11]  ¹⁰⁵⁴ tn Heb “blesses his people with peace.” The Hebrew term שָׁלוֹם (shalom, “peace”) probably refers here to the protection and prosperity experienced by God’s people after the Lord intervenes in battle on their behalf.

[30:1]  ¹⁰⁵⁵ sn Psalm 30. The author thanks the Lord for delivering him from death and urges others to join him in praise. The psalmist experienced divine discipline for a brief time, but when he cried out for help the Lord intervened and restored his favor.

[30:1]  ¹⁰⁵⁶ tn Heb “a song of the dedication of the house.” The referent of “house” is unclear. It is possible that David wrote this psalm for the dedication ceremony of Solomon’s temple. Another possibility is that the psalm was used on the occasion of the dedication of the second temple following the return from exile, or on the occasion of the rededication of the temple in Maccabean times.

[30:1]  ¹⁰⁵⁷ tn Elsewhere the verb דָּלָה (dalah) is used of drawing water from a well (Exod 2:16, 19; Prov 20:5). The psalmist was trapped in the pit leading to Sheol (see v. 3), but the Lord hoisted him up. The Piel stem is used here, perhaps suggesting special exertion on the Lord’s part.

[30:1]  ¹⁰⁵⁸ tn Or “rejoice.”

[30:2]  ¹⁰⁵⁹ sn You healed me. Apparently the psalmist was plagued by a serious illness that threatened his life. See Ps 41.

[30:3]  ¹⁰⁶⁰ tn Or “my life.”

[30:3]  ¹⁰⁶¹ tn Heb “you kept me alive from those descending into the pit.” The Hebrew noun בוֹר (bor, “pit, cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead. The translation follows the consonantal Hebrew text (Kethib); the marginal reading (Qere) has, “you kept me alive so that I did not go down into the pit.”

[30:4]  ¹⁰⁶² tn A “faithful follower” (חָסִיד) is one who does what is right in God’s eyes and remains faithful to God (see Pss 4:3; 12:1; 16:10; 31:23; 37:28; 86:2; 97:10).

[30:4]  ¹⁰⁶³ tn Heb “to his holy remembrance.” The noun זֵכֵר (zekher, “remembrance”) here refers to the name of the Lord as invoked in liturgy and praise. Cf. Pss 6:5; 97:12.The Lord’s “name” is “holy” in the sense that it is a reminder of his uniqueness and greatness.

[30:5]  ¹⁰⁶⁴ tn Heb “for [there is] a moment in his anger, [but] life in his favor.” Because of the parallelism with “moment,” some understand חַיִּים (khayyim) in a quantitative sense: “lifetime” (cf. NIV, NRSV). However, the immediate context, which emphasizes deliverance from death (see v. 3), suggests that חַיִּים has a qualitative sense: “physical life” or even “prosperous life” (cf. NEB “in his favour there is life”).

[30:5]  ¹⁰⁶⁵ tn Heb “in the evening weeping comes to lodge, but at morning a shout of joy.” “Weeping” is personified here as a traveler who lodges with one temporarily.

[30:6]  ¹⁰⁶⁶ sn In my self-confidence I said… Here the psalmist begins to fill in the background of the crisis referred to in the earlier verses. He had been arrogant and self-confident, so the Lord withdrew his protection and allowed trouble to invade his life (vv. 8-11).

[30:7]  ¹⁰⁶⁷ tn Heb “in your good favor you caused to stand for my mountain strength.” Apparently this means “you established strength for my mountain” (“mountain” in this case representing his rule, which would be centered on Mt. Zion) or “you established strength as my mountain” (“mountain” in this case being a metaphor for security).

[30:7]  ¹⁰⁶⁸ tn Heb “you hid your face.” The idiom “hide the face” can mean “ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or, as here, carry the stronger idea of “reject” (see Ps 88:14).

[30:8]  ¹⁰⁶⁹ tn The prefixed verbal forms in v. 8 are probably preterites; the psalmist recalls that he prayed in his time of crisis.

[30:9]  ¹⁰⁷⁰ sn The following two verses (vv. 9-10) contain the prayer (or an excerpt of the prayer) that the psalmist offered to the Lord during his crisis.

[30:9]  ¹⁰⁷¹ tn Heb “What profit [is there] in my blood?” “Blood” here represents his life.

[30:9]  ¹⁰⁷² tn The Hebrew term שָׁחַת (shakhat, “pit”) is often used as a title for Sheol (see Pss 16:10; 49:9; 55:24; 103:4).

[30:9]  ¹⁰⁷³ tn Heb “dust.” The words “of the grave” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[30:9]  ¹⁰⁷⁴ tn The rhetorical questions anticipate the answer, “Of course not!”

[30:10]  ¹⁰⁷⁵ tn Heb “be a helper to me.”

[30:11]  ¹⁰⁷⁶ sn Covered me with joy. “Joy” probably stands metonymically for festive attire here.

[30:12]  ¹⁰⁷⁷ tn Heb “so that”; or “in order that.”

[30:12]  ¹⁰⁷⁸ tn Heb “glory.” Some view כָבוֹד (khavod, “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 (kÿvediy, “my liver”). Like the heart, the liver is viewed as the seat of one’s emotions. See also Pss 16:9; 57:9; 108:1, as well as H. W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament, 64, and M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 1:90. 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.” “Heart” is used in the translation above for the sake of English idiom; the expression “my liver sings” would seem odd indeed to the modern reader.

[30:12]  ¹⁰⁷⁹ tn Or “forever.”

[31:1]  ¹⁰⁸⁰ sn Psalm 31. The psalmist confidently asks the Lord to protect him. Enemies threaten him and even his friends have abandoned him, but he looks to the Lord for vindication. In vv. 19-24, which were apparently written after the Lord answered the prayer of vv. 1-18, the psalmist thanks the Lord for delivering him.

[31:1]  ¹⁰⁸¹ tn Heb “in your vindication rescue me.”

[31:2]  ¹⁰⁸² tn Heb “turn toward me your ear.”

[31:2]  ¹⁰⁸³ tn Heb “become for me a rocky summit of refuge.”

[31:2]  ¹⁰⁸⁴ tn Heb “a house of strongholds to deliver me.”

[31:3]  ¹⁰⁸⁵ sn The metaphor of the high ridge pictures God as a rocky, relatively inaccessible summit, where one would be able to find protection from enemies. See 1 Sam 23:25, 28.

[31:3]  ¹⁰⁸⁶ tn Heb “name.” The Hebrew term שֵׁם (shem, “name”) refers here to the Lord’s reputation. (The English term “name” is often used the same way.)

[31:3]  ¹⁰⁸⁷ tn The present translation assumes that the imperfect verbal forms are generalizing, “you lead me and guide me.” Other options are to take them as an expression of confidence about the future, “you will lead me and guide me” (cf. NASB), or as expressing a prayer, “lead me and guide me” (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV).

[31:4]  ¹⁰⁸⁸ tn Heb “bring me out.” The translation assumes that the imperfect verbal form expresses the psalmist’s confidence about the future. Another option is to take the form as expressing a prayer, “free me.”

[31:5]  ¹⁰⁸⁹ tn Heb “my spirit.” The noun רוּחַ (ruakh, “spirit”) here refers to the animating spirit that gives the psalmist life.

[31:5]  ¹⁰⁹⁰ tn Or “redeem.” The perfect verbal form is understood here as anticipatory, indicating rhetorically the psalmist’s certitude and confidence that God will intervene. The psalmist is so confident of God’s positive response to his prayer that he can describe his deliverance as if it had already happened. Another option is to take the perfect as precative, expressing a wish or request (“rescue me”; cf. NIV). See IBHS 494-95 §30.5.4c, d. However, not all grammarians are convinced that the perfect is used as a precative in biblical Hebrew.

[31:6]  ¹⁰⁹¹ tn Heb “the ones who observe vain things of falsehood.” See Jonah 2:9.

[31:7]  ¹⁰⁹² tn Heb “you know the distresses of my life.”

[31:8]  ¹⁰⁹³ tn Heb “you cause my feet to stand.”

[31:9]  ¹⁰⁹⁴ tn Or perhaps, “are swollen.”

[31:9]  ¹⁰⁹⁵ tn Cf. Ps 6:7, which has a similar line.

[31:9]  ¹⁰⁹⁶ tn Heb “my breath and my stomach [grow weak].” Apparently the verb in the previous line (“grow dim, be weakened”) is to be understood here. The Hebrew term נפשׁ can mean “life,” or, more specifically, “throat, breath.” The psalmist seems to be lamenting that his breathing is impaired because of the physical and emotional suffering he is forced to endure.

[31:10]  ¹⁰⁹⁷ tn Heb “and my years in groaning.”

[31:10]  ¹⁰⁹⁸ tn Heb “stumbles in.”

[31:10]  ¹⁰⁹⁹ tn Heb “grow weak.”

[31:11]  ¹¹⁰⁰ tn Heb “because of all my enemies I am a reproach.”

[31:11]  ¹¹⁰¹ tc Heb “and to my neighbors, exceedingly.” If the MT is retained, then these words probably go with what precedes. However the syntactical awkwardness of the text suggests it is textually corrupt. P. C. Craigie (Psalms 1-50 [WBC], 258) suggests that the initial mem (מ) on מְאֹד (me’od, “exceedingly”) be understood as an enclitic mem (ם) which was originally suffixed to the preceding form and then later misinterpreted. The resulting form אֵד (’ed) can then be taken as a defectively written form of אֵיד (’ed, “calamity”). If one follows this emendation, then the text reads literally, “and to my neighbors [I am one who experiences] calamity.” The noun פַחַד (fakhad, “[object of] horror”) occurs in the next line; אֵיד and פַחַד appear in parallelism elsewhere (see Prov 1:26-27).

[31:11]  ¹¹⁰² tn Heb “and [an object of ] horror to those known by me.”

[31:12]  ¹¹⁰³ tn Heb “I am forgotten, like a dead man, from [the] heart.” The “heart” is here viewed as the center of one’s thoughts.

[31:12]  ¹¹⁰⁴ tn Heb “I am like a broken jar.” One throws away a broken jar without a second thought because it is considered worthless and useless.

[31:13]  ¹¹⁰⁵ tn Heb “the report of many.”

[31:13]  ¹¹⁰⁶ tn Heb “the terror from all around.”

[31:15]  ¹¹⁰⁷ tn Heb “in your hand [are] my times.”

[31:16]  ¹¹⁰⁸ tn Heb “cause your face to shine.”

[31:17]  ¹¹⁰⁹ tn The verb יִדְּמוּ (yiddÿmu) is understood as a form of דָּמַם (damam, “wail, lament”). Another option is to take the verb from דָּמַם (“be quiet”; see BDB 198-99 s.v. I דָּמַם), in which case one might translate, “May they lie silent in the grave.”

[31:18]  ¹¹¹⁰ tn Heb “the [ones which].”

[31:18]  ¹¹¹¹ tn Or “godly.”

[31:19]  ¹¹¹² tn Or “How abundant are your blessings!”

[31:19]  ¹¹¹³ tn Heb “for those who fear you.”

[31:19]  ¹¹¹⁴ tn “Taking shelter” in the Lord is an idiom for seeking his protection. Seeking his protection presupposes and even demonstrates the subject’s loyalty to the Lord. In the psalms those who “take shelter” in the Lord are contrasted with the wicked and equated with those who love, fear, and serve the Lord (Pss 2:12; 5:11-12; 34:21-22).

[31:19]  ¹¹¹⁵ tn Heb “you work [your favor] for the ones seeking shelter in you before the sons of men.”

[31:20]  ¹¹¹⁶ tn The noun רֹכֶס (rokhes) occurs only here. Its meaning is debated; some suggest “snare,” while others propose “slander” or “conspiracy.”

[31:20]  ¹¹¹⁷ tn Heb “you hide them in the hiding place of your face from the attacks of man.” The imperfect verbal forms in this verse draw attention to God’s typical treatment of the faithful.

[31:20]  ¹¹¹⁸ tn Heb “you conceal them in a shelter from the strife of tongues.”

[31:21]  ¹¹¹⁹ tn Heb “blessed [be] the Lord.”

[31:21]  ¹¹²⁰ tn Heb “for he caused his faithfulness to be amazing to me in a besieged city.” The psalmist probably speaks figuratively here. He compares his crisis to being trapped in a besieged city, but the Lord answered his prayer for help. Verses 19-24 were apparently written after the Lord answered the prayer of vv. 1-18.

[31:22]  ¹¹²¹ tn Heb “and I, I said in my haste.”

[31:22]  ¹¹²² tn Heb “from before your eyes.”

[31:23]  ¹¹²³ tn A “faithful follower” (חָסִיד, khasid) is one who does what is right in God’s eyes and remains faithful to God (see Pss 4:3; 12:1; 16:10; 31:23; 37:28; 86:2; 97:10).

[31:23]  ¹¹²⁴ tn The participial forms in the second and third lines characterize the Lord as one who typically protects the faithful and judges the proud.

[31:24]  ¹¹²⁵ tn Heb “be strong and let your heart[s] be confident.”

[32:1]  ¹¹²⁶ sn Psalm 32. The psalmist recalls the agony he experienced prior to confessing his sins and affirms that true happiness comes when one’s sins are forgiven. He then urges others not to be stubborn, but to turn to God while forgiveness is available, for God extends his mercy to the repentant, while the wicked experience nothing but sorrow.

[32:1]  ¹¹²⁷ tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. The word is derived from a verb meaning “to be prudent; to be wise.” Various options are: “a contemplative song,” “a song imparting moral wisdom,” or “a skillful [i.e., well-written] song.” The term occurs in the superscriptions of Pss 32, 42, 44, 45, 52-55, 74, 78, 88, 89, and 142, as well as in Ps 47:7.

[32:1]  ¹¹²⁸ tn The Hebrew noun is an abstract plural. The word often refers metonymically to the happiness that God-given security and prosperity produce (see Pss 1:1, 3; 2:12; 34:9; 41:1; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15). Here it refers to the relief that one experiences when one’s sins are forgiven.

[32:1]  ¹¹²⁹ tn Heb “lifted up.”

[32:1]  ¹¹³⁰ tn Heb “covered over.”

[32:2]  ¹¹³¹ tn Heb “man.” The word choice reflects the perspective of the psalmist, who is male. The principle of the psalm is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, the gender and age specific “man” has been translated with the more neutral “one.”

[32:2]  ¹¹³² tn Heb “blessed [is] the man to whom the Lord does not impute wrongdoing.”

[32:2]  ¹¹³³ sn In whose spirit there is no deceit. The point is not that the individual is sinless and pure. In this context, which focuses on confession and forgiveness of sin, the psalmist refers to one who refuses to deny or hide his sin, but instead honestly confesses it to God.

[32:3]  ¹¹³⁴ tn Heb “when I was silent.”

[32:3]  ¹¹³⁵ tn Heb “my bones became brittle.” The psalmist pictures himself as aging and growing physically weak. Trying to cover up his sin brought severe physical consequences.

[32:4]  ¹¹³⁶ tn Heb “your hand was heavy upon me.”

[32:4]  ¹¹³⁷ tc Heb “my [?] was turned.” The meaning of the Hebrew term לְשַׁד (lÿshad) is uncertain. A noun לָשָׁד (lashad, “cake”) is attested in Num 11:8, but it would make no sense to understand that word in this context. It is better to emend the form to לְשֻׁדִּי (lÿshuddiy, “to my destruction”) and understand “your hand” as the subject of the verb “was turned.” In this case the text reads, “[your hand] was turned to my destruction.” In Lam 3:3 the author laments that God’s “hand” was “turned” (הָפַךְ, hafakh) against him in a hostile sense.

[32:4]  ¹¹³⁸ tn The translation assumes that the plural form indicates degree. If one understands the form as a true plural, then one might translate, “in the times of drought.”

[32:4]  ¹¹³⁹ sn Summer. Perhaps the psalmist suffered during the hot season and perceived the very weather as being an instrument of divine judgment. Another option is that he compares his time of suffering to the uncomfortable and oppressive heat of summer.

[32:5]  ¹¹⁴⁰ tn The Hiphil of ידה normally means “give thanks, praise,” but here, as in Prov 28:13, it means “confess.”

[32:5]  ¹¹⁴¹ tn Heb “the wrongdoing of my sin.” By joining synonyms for “sin” in this way, the psalmist may be emphasizing the degree of his wrongdoing.

[32:6]  ¹¹⁴² tn A “faithful follower” (חָסִיד, khasid) is one who does what is right in God’s eyes and remains faithful to God (see Pss 4:3; 12:1; 18:25; 31:23; 37:28; 86:2; 97:10).

[32:6]  ¹¹⁴³ tn Heb “at a time of finding.” This may mean, “while there is time to ‘find’ [the Lord]” and seek his forgiveness (cf. NIV). Some emend the text by combining מְצֹא (mÿtso’, “finding”) with the following term רַק (raq, “only, surely”) and read either ר[וֹ]מָצ (matsor, “distress”; see Ps 31:22) or ק[וֹ]מָצ (matsoq, “hardship”; see Ps 119:143). In this case, one may translate “in a time of distress/hardship” (cf. NEB, NRSV).

[32:6]  ¹¹⁴⁴ tn The Hebrew term רַק (raq) occasionally has an asseverative force.

[32:6]  ¹¹⁴⁵ sn The surging water is here a metaphor for trouble that endangers one’s life.

[32:6]  ¹¹⁴⁶ tn Heb “him.” The translation uses the plural “them” to agree with the plural “every one of your faithful followers” in the first line of v. 6.

[32:7]  ¹¹⁴⁷ tn Heb “[with] shouts of joy of deliverance you surround me.”

[32:8]  ¹¹⁴⁸ tn The second person pronominal forms in this verse are singular. The psalmist addresses each member of his audience individually (see also the note on the word “eye” in the next line). A less likely option (but one which is commonly understood) is that the Lord addresses the psalmist in vv. 8-9 (cf. NASB “I will instruct you and teach you…I will counsel you with My eye upon you”).

[32:8]  ¹¹⁴⁹ tn Heb “I will instruct you and I will teach you in the way [in] which you should walk.”

[32:8]  ¹¹⁵⁰ tn Heb “I will advise, upon you my eye,” that is, “I will offer advice [with] my eye upon you.” In 2 Chr 20:12 the statement “our eye is upon you” means that the speakers are looking to the Lord for intervention. Here the expression “my eye upon you” may simply mean that the psalmist will teach his pupils directly and personally.

[32:9]  ¹¹⁵¹ tn The verb form is plural (i.e., “do not all of you be”); the psalmist addresses the whole group.

[32:9]  ¹¹⁵² tn Heb “like a horse, like a mule without understanding.”

[32:9]  ¹¹⁵³ tn Heb “with a bridle and bit, its [?] to hold, not to come near to you.” The meaning of the Hebrew noun עֲדִי (’adiy) is uncertain. Normally the word refers to “jewelry,” so some suggest the meaning “trappings” here (cf. NASB). Some emend the form to לְחֵיהֶם (lÿkhehem, “their jawbones”) but it is difficult to see how the present Hebrew text, even if corrupt, could have derived from this proposed original reading. P. C. Craigie (Psalms 1-50 [WBC], 265) takes the form from an Arabic root and translates “whose gallop.” Cf. also NRSV “whose temper must be curbed.”

[32:10]  ¹¹⁵⁴ tn Heb “many [are the] pains of evil [one].” The singular form is representative here; the typical evildoer, representative of the larger group of wicked people, is in view.

[32:10]  ¹¹⁵⁵ tn Heb “but the one who trusts in the Lord, faithfulness surrounds him.”

[32:11]  ¹¹⁵⁶ tn Heb “all [you] 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 Lord and, as a result, experience his deliverance (see Pss 7:10; 11:2; 36:10; 64:10; 94:15; 97:11).

[33:1]  ¹¹⁵⁷ sn Psalm 33. In this hymn the psalmist praises the Lord as the sovereign creator and just ruler of the world who protects and vindicates those who fear him.

[33:3]  ¹¹⁵⁸ sn A new song is appropriate because the Lord is constantly intervening in the lives of his people in fresh and exciting ways.

[33:3]  ¹¹⁵⁹ tn Heb “play skillfully with a loud shout.”

[33:4]  ¹¹⁶⁰ sn For the Lord’s decrees are just… After the call to praise (vv. 1-3), the psalmist now gives a series of reasons why the Lord is worthy of praise.

[33:4]  ¹¹⁶¹ tn Heb “word.” In this context, which depicts the Lord as the sovereign creator and ruler of the world, the Lord’s “word” refers to the decrees whereby he governs his dominion.

[33:4]  ¹¹⁶² tn Or “upright.”

[33:4]  ¹¹⁶³ tn Heb “and all his work [is] in faithfulness.”

[33:5]  ¹¹⁶⁴ tn Heb “loves.” The verb “loves” is here metonymic; the Lord’s commitment to principles of equity and justice causes him to actively promote these principles as he governs the world.

[33:5]  ¹¹⁶⁵ tn Heb “fills the earth.”

[33:6]  ¹¹⁶⁶ tn Heb “word.”

[33:6]  ¹¹⁶⁷ tn Heb “and by the breath of his mouth all their host.” The words “were created” are added in the translation for stylistic reasons; they are understood by ellipsis (note “were made” in the preceding line). The description is consistent with Gen 1:16, which indicates that God spoke the heavenly luminaries into existence.

[33:7]  ¹¹⁶⁸ tn Heb “[he] gathers like a pile the waters of the sea.” Some prefer to emend נֵד (ged, “heap, pile”; cf. NASB) to נֹד (nod, “bottle”; cf. NRSV; NIV “into jars”), but “pile” is used elsewhere to describe water that the Lord confines to one place (Exod 15:8; Josh 3:13, 16; Ps 78:13). This verse appears to refer to Gen 1:9, where God decrees that the watery deep be gathered to one place so that dry land might appear. If so, the participles in this and the following line depict this action with special vividness, as if the reader were present on the occasion. Another option is that the participles picture the confinement of the sea to one place as an ongoing divine activity.

[33:7]  ¹¹⁶⁹ tn Or “watery depths.” The form תְּהוֹמוֹת (tÿhomot, “watery depths”) is the plural form of תְּהוֹם (tÿhom, “great deep”; see Gen 1:2).

[33:8]  ¹¹⁷⁰ tn In this context “fear” probably means “to demonstrate respect for the Lord’s power and authority by worshiping him and obeying his commandments.”

[33:9]  ¹¹⁷¹ tn That is, “all the earth” in the first line of v. 8. The apparent antecedent of the masculine subject of the verbs in v. 9 (note וַיֶּהִי [vayyehiy] and וַיַּעֲמֹד [vayya’amod]) is “earth” or “world,” both of which are feminine nouns. However, כָּל (kol, “all”) may be the antecedent, or the apparent lack of agreement may be explained by the collective nature of the nouns involved here (see GKC 463 §145.e).

[33:9]  ¹¹⁷² tn Heb “he commanded.”

[33:10]  ¹¹⁷³ tn Heb “breaks” or “destroys.” The Hebrew perfect verbal forms here and in the next line generalize about the Lord’s activity.

[33:10]  ¹¹⁷⁴ tn Heb “thoughts.”

[33:11]  ¹¹⁷⁵ tn Heb “the thoughts of his heart for generation to generation.” The verb “abides” is supplied in the translation. The Lord’s “decisions” and “plans” here refer to his decrees and purposes.

[33:12]  ¹¹⁷⁶ tn The Hebrew noun is an abstract plural. The word often refers metonymically to the happiness that God-given security and prosperity produce (see Pss 1:1; 2:12; 34:9; 41:1; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).

[33:12]  ¹¹⁷⁷ tn Heb “inheritance.”

[33:13]  ¹¹⁷⁸ tn The Hebrew perfect verbal forms in v. 13 state general facts.

[33:13]  ¹¹⁷⁹ tn Heb “all the sons of men.”

[33:15]  ¹¹⁸⁰ tn Heb “the one who forms together their heart[s].” “Heart” here refers to human nature, composed of intellect, emotions and will. The precise force of יָחַד (yakhad, “together”) is unclear here. The point seems to be that the Lord is the creator of every human being.

[33:17]  ¹¹⁸¹ tn Heb “a lie [is] the horse for victory.”

[33:18]  ¹¹⁸² tn Heb “look, the eye of the Lord [is] toward the ones who fear him.” The expression “the eye…[is] toward” here indicates recognition and the bestowing of favor. See Ps 34:15. The one who fears the Lord respects his sovereignty and obeys his commandments. See Ps 128:1; Prov 14:2.

[33:18]  ¹¹⁸³ tn Heb “for the ones who wait for his faithfulness.”

[33:19]  ¹¹⁸⁴ tn Heb “to save from death their live[s].”

[33:19]  ¹¹⁸⁵ tn Heb “and to keep them alive in famine.”

[33:20]  ¹¹⁸⁶ tn Or “our lives.” The suffixed form of נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being, life”) is often equivalent to a pronoun in poetic texts.

[33:20]  ¹¹⁸⁷ tn Or “[source of] help.”

[33:20]  ¹¹⁸⁸ tn Or “protector.”

[33:22]  ¹¹⁸⁹ tn Heb “let your faithfulness, O Lord, be on us.”

[33:22]  ¹¹⁹⁰ tn Or “just as.”

[34:1]  ¹¹⁹¹ sn Psalm 34. In this song of thanksgiving the psalmist praises God for delivering him from distress. He encourages others to be loyal to the Lord, tells them how to please God, and assures them that the Lord protects his servants. The psalm is an acrostic; vv. 1-21 begin with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. (Verse 6 begins with the letter he (ה) and v. 7 with the letter zayin (ז). The letter vav (ו), which comes between ה and ז, seems to be omitted, although it does appear at the beginning of v. 6b. The final verse of the psalm, which begins with the letter pe (פ), is outside the acrostic scheme.

[34:1]  ¹¹⁹² tn Heb “By David, when he changed his sense before Abimelech and he drove him away and he went.”

[34:1]  ¹¹⁹³ tn Heb “bless.”

[34:1]  ¹¹⁹⁴ tn Heb “continually [will] his praise [be] in my mouth.”

[34:2]  ¹¹⁹⁵ tn Heb “my soul will boast”; or better, “let my soul boast.” Following the cohortative form in v. 1, it is likely that the prefixed verbal form here is jussive.

[34:2]  ¹¹⁹⁶ tn The two prefixed verbal forms in this verse are best taken as jussives, for the psalmist is calling his audience to worship (see v. 3).

[34:3]  ¹¹⁹⁷ tn Or “exalt.”

[34:4]  ¹¹⁹⁸ tn Heb “I sought the Lord.”

[34:5]  ¹¹⁹⁹ tc Heb “they look to him and are radiant and their faces are not ashamed.” The third person plural subject (“they”) is unidentified; there is no antecedent in the Hebrew text. For this reason some prefer to take the perfect verbal forms in the first line as imperatives, “look to him and be radiant” (cf. NEB, NRSV). Some medieval Hebrew mss and other ancient witnesses (Aquila, the Syriac, and Jerome) support an imperatival reading for the first verb. In the second line some (with support from the LXX and Syriac) change “their faces” to “your faces,” which allows one to retain more easily the jussive force of the verb (suggested by the preceding אַל [’al]): “do not let your faces be ashamed.” It is probable that the verbal construction in the second line is rhetorical, expressing the conviction that the action in view cannot or should not happen. See GKC 322 §109.e.

[34:6]  ¹²⁰⁰ tn The pronoun refers back to “this oppressed man,” namely, the psalmist.

[34:7]  ¹²⁰¹ tn Heb “his”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[34:7]  ¹²⁰² tn Heb “those who fear him.”

[34:7]  ¹²⁰³ tn The prefixed verb with vav (ו) consecutive here carries the same generalizing force as the active participle in the first line. See GKC 329 §111.u.

[34:8]  ¹²⁰⁴ tn This verb is normally used of tasting or savoring food. The metaphor here appears to compare the Lord to a tasty meal.

[34:8]  ¹²⁰⁵ tn The Hebrew noun is an abstract plural. The word often refers metonymically to the happiness that God-given security and prosperity produce (see Pss 1:1, 3; 2:12; 41:1; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).

[34:8]  ¹²⁰⁶ tn Heb “man.” 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.”

[34:8]  ¹²⁰⁷ tn “Taking shelter” in the Lord is an idiom for seeking his protection. Seeking his protection presupposes and even demonstrates the subject’s loyalty to the Lord. In the psalms those who “take shelter” in the Lord are contrasted with the wicked and equated with those who love, fear, and serve the Lord (Pss 2:12; 5:11-12; 31:17-20; 34:21-22).

[34:9]  ¹²⁰⁸ tn Heb “fear.”

[34:9]  ¹²⁰⁹ tn Heb “O holy ones of his.”

[34:9]  ¹²¹⁰ tn Heb “those who fear him.”

[34:11]  ¹²¹¹ tn Heb “the fear of the Lord I will teach you.” In vv. 13-14 the psalmist explains to his audience what it means to “fear” the Lord.

[34:12]  ¹²¹² tn Heb “Who is the man who desires life?” The rhetorical question is used to grab the audience’s attention. “Life” probably refers here to quality of life, not just physical existence or even duration of life. See the following line.

[34:12]  ¹²¹³ tn Heb “[Who] loves days to see good?”

[34:13]  ¹²¹⁴ tn Heb “guard your tongue from evil.”

[34:13]  ¹²¹⁵ tn Heb “and your lips from speaking deception.”

[34:14]  ¹²¹⁶ tn Or “do good.”

[34:14]  ¹²¹⁷ tn Heb “seek peace and pursue it.”

[34:15]  ¹²¹⁸ tn Heb “the eyes of the Lord [are] toward the godly, and his ears [are] toward their cry for help.”

[34:16]  ¹²¹⁹ tn Heb “the face of the Lord [is] against the doers of evil to cut off from the earth memory of them.”

[34:17]  ¹²²⁰ tn Heb “they” (i.e., the godly mentioned in v. 15).

[34:17]  ¹²²¹ tn The three perfect verbal forms are taken in a generalizing sense in v. 17 and translated with the present tense (note the generalizing mood of vv. 18-22).

[34:18]  ¹²²² tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form highlights the generalizing statement and draws attention to the fact that the Lord typically delivers the oppressed and needy.

[34:18]  ¹²²³ tn Heb “the crushed in spirit.”

[34:19]  ¹²²⁴ tn The Hebrew text uses the singular form; the representative or typical godly person is envisioned.

[34:19]  ¹²²⁵ tn Or “trials.”

[34:19]  ¹²²⁶ tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form highlights the generalizing statement and draws attention to the fact that the Lord typically delivers the godly.

[34:19]  ¹²²⁷ tn Heb “him,” agreeing with the singular form in the preceding line.

[34:20]  ¹²²⁸ tn The Hebrew participial form suggests such protection is characteristic.

[34:20]  ¹²²⁹ tn That is, he protects the godly from physical harm.

[34:20]  ¹²³⁰ sn Not one of them is broken. The author of the Gospel of John saw a fulfillment of these words in Jesus’ experience on the cross (see John 19:31-37), for the Roman soldiers, when they saw that Jesus was already dead, did not break his legs as was customarily done to speed the death of crucified individuals. John’s use of the psalm seems strange, for the statement in its original context suggests that the Lord protects the godly from physical harm. Jesus’ legs may have remained unbroken, but he was brutally and unjustly executed by his enemies. John seems to give the statement a literal sense that is foreign to its original literary context by applying a promise of divine protection to a man who was seemingly not saved by God. However, John saw in this incident a foreshadowing of Jesus’ ultimate deliverance and vindication. His unbroken bones were a reminder of God’s commitment to the godly and a sign of things to come. Jesus’ death on the cross was not the end of the story; God vindicated him, as John goes on to explain in the following context (John 19:38-20:18).

[34:21]  ¹²³¹ tn Heb “evil kills the wicked [one].” The singular form is representative; the typical evil person is envisioned. The Hebrew imperfect verbal form draws attention to the typical nature of the action.

[34:21]  ¹²³² tn Heb “are guilty,” but the verb is sometimes used metonymically with the meaning “to suffer the consequences of guilt,” the effect being substituted for the cause.

[34:22]  ¹²³³ tn Heb “redeems the life of his servants.” The Hebrew participial form suggests such deliverance is characteristic.

[34:22]  ¹²³⁴ tn “Taking shelter” in the Lord is an idiom for seeking his protection. Seeking his protection presupposes and even demonstrates the subject’s loyalty to the Lord. In the psalms those who “take shelter” in the Lord are contrasted with the wicked and equated with those who love, fear, and serve the Lord (Pss 2:12; 5:11-12; 31:19).

[35:1]  ¹²³⁵ sn Psalm 35. The author, who faces ruthless enemies who seek his life for no reason, begs the Lord to fight his battles for him and to vindicate him by annihilating his adversaries.

[35:1]  ¹²³⁶ tn Or “contend.”

[35:2]  ¹²³⁷ tn Two different types of shields are mentioned here. See also Ezek 38:4. Many modern translations render the first term (translated here “small shield”) as “buckler” (cf. NASB “buckler and shield”; the order is often reversed in the translation, apparently for stylistic reasons: cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV “shield and buckler”). The English term “buckler,” referring to a small round shield held on the arm to protect the upper body, is unfamiliar to many modern readers, so the term “small shield” was used in the present translation for clarity.

[35:3]  ¹²³⁸ tn Or “javelin.” On the meaning of this word, which occurs only here in the Hebrew Bible, see M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 1:210-11.

[35:3]  ¹²³⁹ tn Heb “draw out spear and lance to meet.”

[35:3]  ¹²⁴⁰ tn Heb “say to me,” or “say to my soul.”

[35:4]  ¹²⁴¹ tn The four prefixed verbal forms in this verse are understood as jussives. The psalmist is calling judgment down on his enemies. See also the distinct jussive form in v. 6.

[35:5]  ¹²⁴² tn The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive. See v. 4.

[35:5]  ¹²⁴³ sn See the mention of the Lord’s angel in Ps 34:7.

[35:5]  ¹²⁴⁴ tn Heb “as the Lord’s angel pushes [them].”

[35:6]  ¹²⁴⁵ tn The prefixed verbal form is distinctly jussive, indicating this is a prayer.

[35:7]  ¹²⁴⁶ tc Heb “for without cause they hid for me a pit of their net, without cause they dug for my life.” It appears that the words “pit” and “net” have been transposed. “Net” goes with the verb “hid” in the first line (see v. 8, as well as Pss 9:15; 31:4), while “pit” goes with the verb “dug” in the second line (see Ps 7:15).

[35:8]  ¹²⁴⁷ tn Heb “let destruction [which] he does not know come to him.” The singular is used of the enemy in v. 8, probably in a representative or collective sense. The psalmist has more than one enemy, as vv. 1-7 make clear.

[35:8]  ¹²⁴⁸ tn The psalmist’s prayer for his enemies’ demise continues. See vv. 4-6.

[35:9]  ¹²⁴⁹ tn Heb “then my soul will rejoice in the Lord and be happy in his deliverance.”

[35:10]  ¹²⁵⁰ tn Heb “all my bones will say.”

[35:10]  ¹²⁵¹ tn Heb “[the one who] rescues.” The substantival participle in the Hebrew text characterizes God as one who typically rescues the oppressed.

[35:10]  ¹²⁵² tn Heb “from [the one who is] too strong for him.” The singular forms are used in a representative sense. The typical oppressed individual and typical oppressor are in view.

[35:10]  ¹²⁵³ tn Heb “the oppressed [one] and needy [one] from [the one who] robs him.” As in the previous line, the singular forms are used in a representative sense.

[35:11]  ¹²⁵⁴ tn Heb “witnesses of violence rise up.”

[35:11]  ¹²⁵⁵ tn Heb “[that] which I do not know they ask me.”

[35:12]  ¹²⁵⁶ tn Heb “they repay me evil instead of good.”

[35:12]  ¹²⁵⁷ tn Heb “[there is] bereavement to my soul.”

[35:13]  ¹²⁵⁸ tn Heb “as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth.” Sackcloth was worn by mourners. When the psalmist’s enemies were sick, he was sorry for their misfortune and mourned for them.

[35:13]  ¹²⁵⁹ sn Fasting was also a practice of mourners. By refraining from normal activities, such as eating food, the mourner demonstrated the sincerity of his sorrow.

[35:13]  ¹²⁶⁰ tn Heb “and my prayer upon my chest will return.” One could translate, “but my prayer was returning upon my chest,” but the use of the imperfect verbal form sets this line apart from the preceding and following lines (vv. 13a, 14), which use the perfect to describe the psalmist’s past actions.

[35:14]  ¹²⁶¹ tn Heb “like a friend, like a brother to me I walked about.”

[35:14]  ¹²⁶² sn I bowed down. Bowing down was a posture for mourning. See Ps 38:6.

[35:14]  ¹²⁶³ tn Heb “like mourning for a mother [in] sorrow I bowed down.”

[35:15]  ¹²⁶⁴ tn Heb “they gathered together against me, stricken [ones], and I did not know.” The Hebrew form נֵכִים (nekhim, “stricken ones” ?) is problematic. Some suggest an emendation to נָכְרִים[כְ] (kÿnokhÿrim, “foreigners”) or “like foreigners,” which would fit with what follows, “[like] foreigners that I do not recognize.” Perhaps the form should be read as a Qal active participle, נֹכִים (nokhim, “ones who strike”) from the verbal root נָכָה (nakhah, “to strike”). The Qal of this verb is unattested in biblical Hebrew, but the peal (basic) stem appears in Old Aramaic (J. Fitzmyer, The Aramaic Inscriptions of Sefire [BibOr], 114; DNWSI 1:730.) In this case one might translate, “attackers gathered together against me though I was not aware of it” (cf. NASB “smiters”; NEB, NRSV “ruffians”; NIV “attackers”).

[35:15]  ¹²⁶⁵ tn Heb “they tore and did not keep quiet.” By using the verb “tear,” the psalmist likens his enemies to a wild animal (see Hos 13:8). In v. 17 he compares them to hungry young lions.

[35:16]  ¹²⁶⁶ tc The MT reads “as profane [ones] of mockers of food,” which is nonsensical. The present translation assumes (1) an emendation of בְּחַנְפֵי (bÿkhanfey, “as profane men”) to בְּחַנְפִי (bekhanfiy, “when I tripped”; preposition + Qal infinitive construct from II חָנַף [“limp”] + first common singular pronominal suffix) and (2) an emendation of לַעֲגֵי מָעוֹג (la’agey ma’og, “mockers of food”) to עָגוּ[ם]לַעְגָּ (la’gam ’agu, “[with] taunting they taunted”; masculine plural noun with enclitic mem + Qal perfect third common plural from לַּעַג [la’ag, “taunt”]).

[35:16]  ¹²⁶⁷ tn Heb “gnashing at me with their teeth.” The infinitive absolute adds a complementary action – they gnashed with their teeth as they taunted.

[35:17]  ¹²⁶⁸ tn Heb “O Lord, how long will you see?”

[35:17]  ¹²⁶⁹ tn Heb “bring back, restore.”

[35:17]  ¹²⁷⁰ tn Or “my life.”

[35:17]  ¹²⁷¹ tn Heb “my only one.” The psalmist may mean that his life is precious, or that he feels isolated and alone (see Ps 22:20). The verb “guard” is supplied in the translation, because the verb “rescue” is understood by ellipsis (see the previous line).

[35:18]  ¹²⁷² sn The great assembly is also mentioned in Ps 22:25.

[35:18]  ¹²⁷³ tn Heb “among numerous people.”

[35:19]  ¹²⁷⁴ tn Heb “[with] a lie.” The Hebrew noun שֶׁקֶר (sheqer, “lie”) is used here as an adverb, “falsely, wrongfully” (see Ps 38:19).

[35:19]  ¹²⁷⁵ tn Heb “rejoice.”

[35:19]  ¹²⁷⁶ tn Heb “[do not let] those who hate me without cause pinch [i.e., wink] an eye.” The negative particle is understood in the second line by ellipsis (see the preceding line). In the Book of Proverbs “winking an eye” is associated with deceit and trickery (see 6:13; 10:10; 16:30).

[35:20]  ¹²⁷⁷ tn Heb “for they do not speak peace.”

[35:20]  ¹²⁷⁸ tn Heb “but against the quiet ones of the land words of deceit they plan.” The imperfect verbal forms in v. 20 highlight their characteristic behavior.

[35:21]  ¹²⁷⁹ tn Heb “and they cause their mouth to be wide against me.” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries on the generalizing mood of the previous verse. For other examples of this use of the prefixed verbal form with vav consecutive, see GKC 329 §111.t.

[35:21]  ¹²⁸⁰ tn Heb “our eye sees.” Apparently this is an idiom meaning to “look in triumph” or “gloat over” (see Ps 54:7).

[35:22]  ¹²⁸¹ tn Heb “you see, O Lord.” There is a deliberate play on words. In v. 21 the enemies say, “our eye sees,” but the psalmist is confident that the Lord “sees” as well, so he appeals to him for help (see also v. 17).

[35:23]  ¹²⁸² sn Though he is confident that the Lord is aware of his situation (see v. 22a), the psalmist compares the Lord’s inactivity to sleep and urges him to wake up.

[35:23]  ¹²⁸³ tn Heb “for my justice.”

[35:23]  ¹²⁸⁴ tn Heb “for my cause.”

[35:24]  ¹²⁸⁵ tn Heb “rejoice.”

[35:25]  ¹²⁸⁶ tn Heb “in their heart[s].”

[35:25]  ¹²⁸⁷ tn Heb “Aha! Our desire!” The “desire” of the psalmist’s enemies is to triumph over him.

[35:26]  ¹²⁸⁸ tn Heb “may they be embarrassed and ashamed together, the ones who rejoice over my harm.”

[35:26]  ¹²⁸⁹ tn Heb “may they be clothed with shame and humiliation, the ones who magnify [themselves] against me.” The prefixed verbal forms in v. 26 are understood as jussives (see vv. 24b-25, where the negative particle אַל (’al) appears before the prefixed verbal forms, indicating they are jussives). The psalmist is calling down judgment on his enemies.

[35:27]  ¹²⁹⁰ tn The prefixed verbal forms in v. 27a are understood as jussives (see vv. 24b-26).

[35:27]  ¹²⁹¹ tn The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive, “may the Lord be magnified [in praise].” Another option is to take the verb as an imperfect, “the Lord is great.”

[35:27]  ¹²⁹² tn Heb “the one who desires the peace of his servant.”

[35:28]  ¹²⁹³ tn Heb “and my tongue will proclaim your justice.”

[35:28]  ¹²⁹⁴ tn Heb “all the day your praise.” The verb “proclaim” is understood by ellipsis in the second line (see the previous line).

[36:1]  ¹²⁹⁵ sn Psalm 36. Though evil men plan to harm others, the psalmist is confident that the Lord is the just ruler of the earth who gives and sustains all life. He prays for divine blessing and protection and anticipates God’s judgment of the wicked.

[36:1]  ¹²⁹⁶ tn In the Hebrew text the word נאם (“oracle”) appears at the beginning of the next verse (v. 2 in the Hebrew text because the superscription is considered v. 1). The resulting reading, “an oracle of rebellion for the wicked [is] in the midst of my heart” (cf. NIV) apparently means that the psalm, which foresees the downfall of the wicked, is a prophetic oracle about the rebellion of the wicked which emerges from the soul of the psalmist. One could translate, “Here is a poem written as I reflected on the rebellious character of evil men.” Another option, followed in the translation above, is to attach נאם (nÿ’um, “oracle”) with the superscription. For another example of a Davidic poem being labeled an “oracle,” see 2 Sam 23:1.

[36:1]  ¹²⁹⁷ tn Heb “[the] rebellion of an evil man [is] in the midst of my heart.” The translation assumes a reading “in the midst of his heart” (i.e., “to the core”) instead of “in the midst of my heart,” a change which finds support in a a few medieval Hebrew mss, the Hebrew text of Origen’s Hexapla, and the Syriac.

[36:1]  ¹²⁹⁸ tn Heb “there is no dread of God before his eyes.” The phrase “dread of God” refers here to a healthy respect for God which recognizes that he will punish evil behavior.

[36:2]  ¹²⁹⁹ tn Heb “for it causes to be smooth to him in his eyes to find his sin to hate.” The meaning of the Hebrew text is unclear. Perhaps the point is this: His rebellious attitude makes him reject any notion that God will hold him accountable. His attitude also prevents him from recognizing and repudiating his sinful ways.

[36:3]  ¹³⁰⁰ tn Heb “he ceases to exhibit wisdom to do good.” The Hiphil forms are exhibitive, indicating the outward expression of an inner attitude.

[36:4]  ¹³⁰¹ tn Heb “he takes a stand in a way [that is] not good.” The word “way” here refers metaphorically to behavior or life style.

[36:4]  ¹³⁰² tn The three imperfect verbal forms in v. 4 highlight the characteristic behavior of the typical evildoer.

[36:5]  ¹³⁰³ tn Heb “[is] in the heavens.”

[36:5]  ¹³⁰⁴ sn The Lord’s loyal love/faithfulness is almost limitless. He is loyal and faithful to his creation and blesses mankind and the animal kingdom with physical life and sustenance (vv. 6-9).

[36:6]  ¹³⁰⁵ tn Heb “mountains of God.” The divine name אֵל (’el, “God”) is here used in an idiomatic manner to indicate the superlative.

[36:6]  ¹³⁰⁶ tn Or “deliver.”

[36:6]  ¹³⁰⁷ sn God’s justice/fairness is firm and reliable like the highest mountains and as abundant as the water in the deepest sea. The psalmist uses a legal metaphor to describe God’s preservation of his creation. Like a just judge who vindicates the innocent, God protects his creation from destructive forces.

[36:7]  ¹³⁰⁸ tn Or “valuable.”

[36:7]  ¹³⁰⁹ tn Heb “and the sons of man in the shadow of your wings find shelter.” The preservation of physical life is in view, as the next verse makes clear.

[36:9]  ¹³¹⁰ tn Heb “for with you is the fountain of life, in your light we see light.” Water (note “fountain”) and light are here metaphors for life.

[36:10]  ¹³¹¹ tn Heb “draw out to full length.”

[36:10]  ¹³¹² tn Heb “to those who know you.” The Hebrew verb יָדַע (yada’, “know”) is used here of those who “know” the Lord in the sense that they recognize his royal authority and obey his will (see Jer 22:16).

[36:10]  ¹³¹³ tn Heb “and your justice to.” The verb “extend” is understood by ellipsis in the second line (see the previous line).

[36:10]  ¹³¹⁴ tn Heb “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 Lord and, as a result, experience his deliverance (see Pss 7:10; 11:2; 32:11; 64:10; 94:15; 97:11).

[36:11]  ¹³¹⁵ tn Heb “let not a foot of pride come to me, and let not the hand of the evil ones cause me to wander as a fugitive.”

[36:12]  ¹³¹⁶ tn Heb “there the workers of wickedness have fallen.” The adverb שָׁם (sham, “there”) is used here for dramatic effect, as the psalmist envisions the evildoers lying fallen at a spot that is vivid in his imagination (BDB 1027 s.v.).

[36:12]  ¹³¹⁷ tn The psalmist uses perfect verbal forms in v. 12 to describe the demise of the wicked as if it has already taken place.

[37:1]  ¹³¹⁸ sn Psalm 37. The psalmist urges his audience not to envy the wicked, but to trust in and obey the Lord, for he will destroy sinners and preserve the godly. When the smoke of judgment clears, the wicked will be gone, but the godly will remain and inherit God’s promised blessings. The psalm is an acrostic; every other verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

[37:1]  ¹³¹⁹ tn The verb form is singular (see vv. 3-10 as well, where the second person verbs and pronouns are also singular). The psalmist’s exhortation has a wisdom flavor to it; it is personalized for each member of his audience.

[37:1]  ¹³²⁰ tn Heb “over sinners.” The context indicates that the psalmist has in mind the apparent power and success of sinners. See v. 7b.

[37:2]  ¹³²¹ tn Heb “like green vegetation.”

[37:3]  ¹³²² tn Heb “tend integrity.” The verb רָעָה (ra’ah, “tend, shepherd”) is probably used here in the sense of “watch over, guard.” The noun אֱמוּנָה (’emunah, “faithfulness, honesty, integrity”) is understood as the direct object of the verb, though it could be taken as an adverbial accusative, “[feed] securely,” if the audience is likened to a flock of sheep.

[37:4]  ¹³²³ tn Following the imperatives of v. 3 the prefixed verbal forms with vav (ו) in v. 4 indicate result. Faith and obedience (v. 3) will bring divine blessing (v. 4).

[37:4]  ¹³²⁴ tn Or “and he will give you what you desire most.” Heb “and he will grant to you the requests of your heart.”

[37:5]  ¹³²⁵ tn Heb “roll your way upon the Lord.” The noun “way” may refer here to one’s activities or course of life.

[37:5]  ¹³²⁶ tn Heb “he will act.” Verse 6 explains what is meant; the Lord will vindicate those who trust in him.

[37:6]  ¹³²⁷ tn Heb “and he will bring out like light your vindication, and your just cause like noonday.”

[37:7]  ¹³²⁸ tn Heb “Be quiet before the Lord!”

[37:7]  ¹³²⁹ tc The Hebrew text has וְהִתְחוֹלֵל (vÿhitkholel, Hitpolel of חִיל, khil, “writhe with fear, suffer”) but this idea fits awkwardly here. The text should be changed to וְתוֹחֵל (vÿtokhel; Hiphil of יָחַל, yakhal, “wait”). It appears that the Hebrew text is the product of dittography: (1) the initial וה (vav-he) is accidentally repeated from the preceding word (יְהוָה, yÿhvah) and (2) the final lamed (ל) is accidentally repeated (note the preceding lamed and the initial lamed on the following form, לו).

[37:7]  ¹³³⁰ tn Heb “over one who causes his way to be successful.”

[37:8]  ¹³³¹ tn Heb “Refrain from anger! Abandon rage!”

[37:9]  ¹³³² tn Heb “for evil men.” The conjunction כִּי (ki, “for”) relates to the exhortations in v. 8; there is no reason to be frustrated, for the evildoers will be punished in due time.

[37:9]  ¹³³³ tn Or “cut off, removed.”

[37:9]  ¹³³⁴ tn Heb “and those who wait on the Lord, they will possess the land.”

[37:10]  ¹³³⁵ tn Heb “and yet, a little, there will be no wicked [one].”

[37:10]  ¹³³⁶ tn Heb “and you will carefully look upon his place, but he will not be [there].” The singular is used here in a representative sense; the typical evildoer is in view.

[37:11]  ¹³³⁷ tn Heb “and they will take delight in (see v. 4) abundance of peace.”

[37:12]  ¹³³⁸ tn Or “innocent.” The singular is used here in a representative sense; the typical evildoer and the typical godly individual are in view.

[37:12]  ¹³³⁹ tn Heb “and gnashes at him with his teeth” (see Ps 35:16). The language may picture the evil men as wild animals. The active participles in v. 12 are used for purposes of dramatic description.

[37:13]  ¹³⁴⁰ tn Heb “laughs.” As the next line indicates, this refers to derisive laughter (see 2:4). The Hebrew imperfect verbal form describes the action from the perspective of an eye-witness who is watching the divine response as it unfolds before his eyes.

[37:13]  ¹³⁴¹ tn Heb “for he sees that his day is coming.” As the following context makes clear (vv. 15, 17, 19-20), “his day” refers to the time when God will destroy evildoers.

[37:14]  ¹³⁴² tn Heb “to cause to fall.”

[37:14]  ¹³⁴³ tn Heb “the upright in way,” i.e., those who lead godly lives.

[37:15]  ¹³⁴⁴ tn Heb “enter into.”

[37:16]  ¹³⁴⁵ tn Heb “Better [is] a little to the godly one than the wealth of many evil ones.” The following verses explain why this is true. Though a godly individual may seem to have only meager possessions, he always has what he needs and will eventually possess the land. The wicked may prosper for a brief time, but will eventually be destroyed by divine judgment and lose everything.

[37:17]  ¹³⁴⁶ tn Heb “for the arms of the evil ones will be broken.”

[37:17]  ¹³⁴⁷ tn The active participle here indicates this is characteristically true.

[37:18]  ¹³⁴⁸ tn Heb “the Lord knows the days of the innocent ones.” He “knows” their days in the sense that he is intimately aware of and involved in their daily struggles. He meets their needs and sustains them.

[37:18]  ¹³⁴⁹ tn Heb “and their inheritance is forever.”

[37:19]  ¹³⁵⁰ tn Heb “in a time of trouble.”

[37:19]  ¹³⁵¹ tn Heb “in days of famine they will be satisfied.”

[37:20]  ¹³⁵² tn Or “for,” but Hebrew כי in this case would have to extend all the way back to v. 17a. Another option is to understand the particle as asseverative, “surely” (see v. 22).

[37:20]  ¹³⁵³ tc The meaning of the MT (כִּיקַר כָּרִים [kiqar karim], “like what is precious among the pastures/rams”) is uncertain. One possibility is to take the noun כָּרִים as “pastures” and interpret “what is precious” as referring to flowers that blossom but then quickly disappear (see v. 2 and BDB 430 s.v. יָקָר 3). If כָּרִים is taken as “rams,” then “what is precious” might refer to the choicest portions of rams. The present translation follows a reading in the Dead Sea Scrolls (4QpPs37), כיקוד כורם (“like the burning of an oven”). The next line, which pictures the Lord’s enemies being consumed in smoke, supports this reading, which assumes confusion of the Hebrew letters resh (ר) and dalet (ד) at the end of the first word in the sequence.

[37:20]  ¹³⁵⁴ tn Heb “they perish in smoke, they perish.” In addition to repeating the verb for emphasis, the psalmist uses the perfect form of the verb to picture the enemies’ demise as if it had already taken place. In this way he draws attention to the certitude of their judgment.

[37:21]  ¹³⁵⁵ tn Heb “an evil [man] borrows and does not repay; but a godly [man] is gracious and gives.” The singular forms are used in a representative sense; the typical evildoer and godly individual are in view. The three active participles and one imperfect (“repay”) draw attention to the characteristic behavior of the two types.

[37:22]  ¹³⁵⁶ tn The particle כִּי is best understood as asseverative or emphatic here.

[37:22]  ¹³⁵⁷ tn Heb “those blessed by him.” The pronoun “him” must refer to the Lord (see vv. 20, 23), so the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:22]  ¹³⁵⁸ tn Heb “cursed.”

[37:22]  ¹³⁵⁹ tn Or “cut off”; or “removed” (see v. 9).

[37:23]  ¹³⁶⁰ tn Heb “from the Lord the steps of a man are established, and in his way he delights.” The second line qualifies the first. The man whose behavior is commendable in God’s sight is the one whose ways are established by God. Another option is that the second line refers to the godly man delighting in God’s “way,” namely the lifestyle which he prescribes for men. In this case one might translate, “The Lord grants success to the one who desires to obey his commands.”

[37:24]  ¹³⁶¹ tn Other translation options for כִּי in this context are “when” (so NASB) or “though” (so NEB, NIV, NRSV).

[37:24]  ¹³⁶² tn Heb “be hurled down.”

[37:24]  ¹³⁶³ tn The active participle indicates this is characteristically true. See v. 17.

[37:25]  ¹³⁶⁴ tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”

[37:25]  ¹³⁶⁵ tn Heb “or his offspring searching for food.” The expression “search for food” also appears in Lam 1:11, where Jerusalem’s refugees are forced to search for food and to trade their valuable possessions for something to eat.

[37:26]  ¹³⁶⁶ tn The active participles describe characteristic behavior.

[37:26]  ¹³⁶⁷ tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”

[37:27]  ¹³⁶⁸ tn Or “Do good!” The imperatives are singular (see v. 1).

[37:27]  ¹³⁶⁹ tn Heb “and dwell permanently.” The imperative with vav (ו) is best taken here as a result clause after the preceding imperatives.

[37:28]  ¹³⁷⁰ tn Heb “loves.” The verb “loves” is here metonymic; the Lord’s commitment to principles of justice causes him to actively promote these principles as he governs the world. The active participle describes characteristic behavior.

[37:28]  ¹³⁷¹ tn The imperfect verbal form draws attention to this generalizing statement.

[37:28]  ¹³⁷² tn Or “protected forever.”

[37:28]  ¹³⁷³ tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”

[37:28]  ¹³⁷⁴ tn Or “cut off”; or “removed.” The perfect verbal forms in v. 28b state general truths.

[37:30]  ¹³⁷⁵ tn Heb “The mouth of the godly [one] utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.” The singular form is used in a representative sense; the typical godly individual is in view. The imperfect verbal forms draw attention to the characteristic behavior of the godly.

[37:31]  ¹³⁷⁶ tn Heb “the law of his God [is] in his heart.” The “heart” is here the seat of one’s thoughts and motives.

[37:31]  ¹³⁷⁷ tn Heb “his.” The pronoun has been translated as plural to agree with the representative or typical “godly” in v. 30.

[37:32]  ¹³⁷⁸ tn Heb “an evil [one] watches the godly [one] and seeks to kill him.” The singular forms are used in a representative sense; the typical evildoer and godly individual are in view. The active participles describe characteristic behavior.

[37:33]  ¹³⁷⁹ tn Heb “the Lord does not abandon him into his hand or condemn him when he is judged.” The imperfects draw attention to the Lord’s characteristic behavior in this regard.

[37:34]  ¹³⁸⁰ tn Or “wait.”

[37:34]  ¹³⁸¹ tn Heb “keep his way.” The Lord’s “way” refers here to the “conduct required” by the Lord. In Ps 25 the Lord’s “ways” are associated with his covenantal demands (see vv. 4, 9-10). See also Ps 119:3 (cf. vv. 1, 4), as well as Deut 8:6; 10:12; 11:22; 19:9; 26:17; 28:9; 30:16.

[37:34]  ¹³⁸² tn Heb “and he will lift you up.” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) is best taken here as a result clause following the imperatives in the preceding lines.

[37:34]  ¹³⁸³ tn Heb “when evil men are cut off you will see.”

[37:35]  ¹³⁸⁴ tn The Hebrew uses the representative singular again here.

[37:35]  ¹³⁸⁵ tn Heb “being exposed [?] like a native, luxuriant.” The Hebrew form מִתְעָרֶה (mit’areh) appears to be a Hitpael participle from עָרָה (’arah, “be exposed”), but this makes no sense in this context. Perhaps the form is a dialectal variant of מִתְעָלָה (“giving oneself an air of importance”; see Jer 51:3), from עָלָה (’alah, “go up”; see P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 [WBC], 296). The noun אֶזְרָח (’ezrakh, “native, full citizen”) refers elsewhere to people, but here, where it is collocated with “luxuriant, green,” it probably refers to a tree growing in native soil.

[37:36]  ¹³⁸⁶ tn Heb “and he passes by and, look, he is not [there].” The subject of the verb “passes by” is probably indefinite, referring to any passerby. Some prefer to change the form to first person, “and I passed by” (cf. NEB; note the first person verbal forms in preceding verse and in the following line).

[37:37]  ¹³⁸⁷ tn Or “upright.”

[37:37]  ¹³⁸⁸ tn Heb “for [there is] an end for a man of peace.” Some interpret אַחֲרִית (’akharit, “end”) as referring to offspring (see the next verse and Ps 109:13; cf. NEB, NRSV).

[37:38]  ¹³⁸⁹ tn Or “destroyed together.” In this case the psalmist pictures judgment sweeping them away as a group.

[37:38]  ¹³⁹⁰ tn Heb “the end of evil men is cut off.” As in v. 37, some interpret אַחֲרִית (’akharit, “end”) as referring to offspring (see Ps 109:13). The perfect verbal forms in v. 38 probably express general truths. Another option is that they are used emphatically to state with certitude that the demise of the wicked is as good as done.

[37:39]  ¹³⁹¹ tn Heb “and the deliverance of the godly [ones] [is] from the Lord.”

[37:39]  ¹³⁹² tn Heb “[he is] their place of refuge in a time of trouble.”

[37:40]  ¹³⁹³ tn The prefixed verbal forms with vav (ו) consecutive carry on the generalizing tone of the preceding verse.

[38:1]  ¹³⁹⁴ sn Psalm 38. The author asks the Lord to deliver him from his enemies. He confesses his sin and recognizes that the crisis he faces is the result of divine discipline. Yet he begs the Lord not to reject him.

[38:1]  ¹³⁹⁵ tn The Hebrew text reads simply, “to cause to remember.” The same form, the Hiphil infinitive of זָכַר (zakhar, “remember”), also appears in the heading of Ps 70. Some understand this in the sense of “for the memorial offering,” but it may carry the idea of bringing one’s plight to God’s attention (see P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 [WBC], 303).

[38:1]  ¹³⁹⁶ tn The words “continue to” are supplied in the translation of both lines. The following verses make it clear that the psalmist is already experiencing divine rebuke/punishment. He asks that it might cease.

[38:2]  ¹³⁹⁷ tn The verb Hebrew נָחַת (nakhat) apparently here means “penetrate, pierce” (note the use of the Qal in Prov 17:10). The psalmist pictures the Lord as a warrior who shoots arrows at him (see Ps 7:12-13).

[38:2]  ¹³⁹⁸ tn Heb “and your hand [?] upon me.” The meaning of the verb נָחַת (nakhat) is unclear in this context. It is preferable to emend the form to וַתָּנַח (vattanakh) from the verb נוּחַ (nuakh, “rest”). In this case the text would read literally, “and your hand rests upon me” (see Isa 25:10, though the phrase is used in a positive sense there, unlike Ps 38:2).

[38:3]  ¹³⁹⁹ tn Heb “there is no soundness in my flesh from before your anger.” “Anger” here refers metonymically to divine judgment, which is the practical effect of God’s anger at the psalmist’s sin.

[38:3]  ¹⁴⁰⁰ tn Heb “there is no health in my bones from before my sin.”

[38:4]  ¹⁴⁰¹ tn Heb “pass over my head.”

[38:5]  ¹⁴⁰² sn The reference to wounds may be an extension of the metaphorical language of v. 2. The psalmist pictures himself as one whose flesh is ripped and torn by arrows.

[38:5]  ¹⁴⁰³ tn Heb “my wounds stink, they are festering” (cf. NEB).

[38:5]  ¹⁴⁰⁴ tn Heb “from before my foolishness.”

[38:6]  ¹⁴⁰⁵ tn The verb’s precise shade of meaning in this context is not entirely clear. The verb, which literally means “to bend,” may refer to the psalmist’s posture. In Isa 21:3 it seems to mean “be confused, dazed.”

[38:6]  ¹⁴⁰⁶ tn Heb “I am bowed down to excess.”

[38:7]  ¹⁴⁰⁷ tn Heb “for my loins are filled with shame.” The “loins” are viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s emotions. The present translation assumes that נִקְלֶה (niqleh) is derived from קָלָה (qalah, “be dishonored”). Some derive it instead from a homonymic root קָלָה (qalah), meaning “to roast.” In this case one might translate “fever” (cf. NEB “my loins burn with fever”).

[38:7]  ¹⁴⁰⁸ tn Heb “there is no soundness in my flesh” (see v. 3).

[38:8]  ¹⁴⁰⁹ tn Heb “I am numb and crushed to excess.”

[38:8]  ¹⁴¹⁰ tn Heb “I roar because of the moaning of my heart.”

[38:9]  ¹⁴¹¹ tn Heb “O Lord, before you [is] all my desire.”

[38:10]  ¹⁴¹² tn Heb “and the light of my eyes, even they, there is not with me.” The “light of the eyes” may refer to physical energy (see 1 Sam 14:27, 29), life itself (Ps 13:3), or the ability to see (Prov 29:23).

[38:11]  ¹⁴¹³ tn Or “wound,” or “illness.”

[38:11]  ¹⁴¹⁴ tn Heb “stand [aloof].”

[38:11]  ¹⁴¹⁵ tn Heb “and the ones near me off at a distance stand.”

[38:12]  ¹⁴¹⁶ tn Heb “lay snares.”

[38:13]  ¹⁴¹⁷ sn I am like a deaf man…like a mute. The psalmist is like a deaf mute; he is incapable of defending himself and is vulnerable to his enemies’ deception (see v. 14).

[38:14]  ¹⁴¹⁸ tn Heb “and there is not in his mouth arguments.”

[38:15]  ¹⁴¹⁹ tn Or perhaps “surely.”

[38:16]  ¹⁴²⁰ tn Heb “For I said, ‘Lest they rejoice over me.’” The psalmist recalls the motivating argument of his petition. He probably prefaced this statement with a prayer for deliverance (see Pss 7:1-2; 13:3-4; 28:1).

[38:16]  ¹⁴²¹ tn Heb “they will magnify against me.” See Pss 35:26; 55:13.

[38:17]  ¹⁴²² tn Heb “and my pain [is] before me continually.”

[38:18]  ¹⁴²³ tn Or “for.” The translation assumes that כִּי (ki) is asseverative here.

[38:19]  ¹⁴²⁴ tn Heb “and my enemies, life, are many.” The noun חַיִּים (khayyim, “life”) fits very awkwardly here. The translation assumes an emendation to חִנָּם (khinam, “without reason”; note the parallelism with שֶׁקֶר [sheqer, “falsely”] and see Pss 35:19; 69:4; Lam 3:52). The verb עָצַם (’atsam) can sometimes mean “are strong,” but here it probably focuses on numerical superiority (note the parallel verb רָבַב, ravav, “be many”).

[38:19]  ¹⁴²⁵ tn Heb “are many.”

[38:20]  ¹⁴²⁶ tn Heb “the ones who repay evil instead of good accuse me, instead of my pursuing good.”

[38:22]  ¹⁴²⁷ tn Heb “hurry to my help.” See Ps 22:19.

[39:1]  ¹⁴²⁸ sn Psalm 39. The psalmist laments his frailty and mortality as he begs the Lord to take pity on him and remove his disciplinary hand.

[39:1]  ¹⁴²⁹ tn Heb “I said.”

[39:1]  ¹⁴³⁰ tn Heb “I will watch my ways, from sinning with my tongue.”

[39:1]  ¹⁴³¹ sn The psalmist wanted to voice a lament to the Lord (see vv. 4-6), but he hesitated to do so in the presence of evil men, for such words might be sinful if they gave the wicked an occasion to insult God. See C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms (ICC), 1:345.

[39:2]  ¹⁴³² tn Heb “I was mute [with] silence.”

[39:2]  ¹⁴³³ tn Heb “I was quiet from good.” He kept quiet, resisting the urge to find emotional release and satisfaction by voicing his lament.

[39:2]  ¹⁴³⁴ tn Heb “and my pain was stirred up.” Emotional pain is in view here.

[39:3]  ¹⁴³⁵ tn Heb “my heart was hot within me.”

[39:3]  ¹⁴³⁶ tn Heb “In my reflection fire burned.” The prefixed verbal form is either a preterite (past tense) or an imperfect being used in a past progressive or customary sense (“fire was burning”).

[39:3]  ¹⁴³⁷ tn Heb “I spoke with my tongue.” The phrase “these words” is supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

[39:4]  ¹⁴³⁸ tn Heb “Cause me to know, O Lord, my end; and the measure of my days, what it is!”

[39:4]  ¹⁴³⁹ tn Heb “Let me know how transient I am!”

[39:5]  ¹⁴⁴⁰ tn Heb “Look, handbreadths you make my days.” The “handbreadth” (equivalent to the width of four fingers) was one of the smallest measures used by ancient Israelites. See P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 (WBC), 309.

[39:5]  ¹⁴⁴¹ tn Heb “is like nothing before you.”

[39:5]  ¹⁴⁴² tn Heb “surely, all vapor [is] all mankind, standing firm.” Another option is to translate, “Surely, all mankind, though seemingly secure, is nothing but a vapor.”

[39:6]  ¹⁴⁴³ tn Heb “surely, as an image man walks about.” The preposition prefixed to “image” indicates identity here.

[39:6]  ¹⁴⁴⁴ tc Heb “Surely [in] vain they strive, he accumulates and does not know who gathers them.” The MT as it stands is syntactically awkward. The verb forms switch from singular (“walks about”) to plural (“they strive”) and then back to singular (“accumulates and does not know”), even though the subject (generic “man”) remains the same. Furthermore there is no object for the verb “accumulates” and no plural antecedent for the plural pronoun (“them”) attached to “gathers.” These problems can be removed if one emends the text from הֶבֶל יֶהֱמָיוּן (hevel yehemaun, “[in] vain they strive”) to הֶבְלֵי הָמוֹן (hevley hamon, “vain things of wealth”). This assumes a misdivision in the MT and a virtual dittography of vav (ו) between the mem and nun of המון. The present translation follows this emendation.

[39:7]  ¹⁴⁴⁵ tn Heb “my hope, for you it [is].”

[39:9]  ¹⁴⁴⁶ tn Heb “because you acted.” The psalmist has in mind God’s disciplinary measures (see vv. 10-13).

[39:10]  ¹⁴⁴⁷ tn Heb “remove from upon me your wound.”

[39:10]  ¹⁴⁴⁸ tn Heb “from the hostility of your hand I have come to an end.”

[39:11]  ¹⁴⁴⁹ tn “with punishments on account of sin you discipline a man.”

[39:11]  ¹⁴⁵⁰ tc Heb “you cause to dissolve, like a moth, his desired [thing].” The translation assumes an emendation of חֲמוּדוֹ (khamudo, “his desirable [thing]”) to חֶמְדוֹ (khemdo, “his loveliness” [or “beauty”]), a reading that is supported by a few medieval Hebrew mss.

[39:12]  ¹⁴⁵¹ tn Heb “do not be deaf to my tears.”

[39:12]  ¹⁴⁵² tn Heb “For a resident alien [am] I with you, a sojourner like all my fathers.”

[39:13]  ¹⁴⁵³ tn Heb “Gaze away from me and I will smile before I go and am not.” The precise identification of the initial verb form (הָשַׁע, hasha’) is uncertain. It could be from the root שָׁעָע (sha’a’, “smear”), but “your eyes” would be the expected object in this case (see Isa 6:10). The verb may be an otherwise unattested Hiphil form of שָׁעָה (sha’ah, “to gaze”) meaning “cause your gaze to be.” Some prefer to emend the form to the Qal שְׁעֵה (shÿ’eh, “gaze”; see Job 14:6). If one does read a form of the verb “to gaze,” the angry divine “gaze” of discipline would seem to be in view (see vv. 10-11). For a similar expression of this sentiment see Job 10:20-21.

[40:1]  ¹⁴⁵⁴ sn Psalm 40. The psalmist combines a song of thanksgiving for a recent act of divine deliverance (vv. 1-11) with a confident petition for renewed divine intervention (vv. 12-17).

[40:1]  ¹⁴⁵⁵ tn Heb “relying, I relied.” The infinitive absolute precedes the finite verbal form to emphasize the verbal idea. The emphasis is reflected in the translation through the adverb “completely.” Another option is to translate, “I waited patiently” (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV).

[40:2]  ¹⁴⁵⁶ tn Heb “cistern of roaring.” The Hebrew noun בּוֹר (bor, “cistern, pit”) is used metaphorically here of Sheol, the place of death, which is sometimes depicted as a raging sea (see Ps 18:4, 15-16). The noun שָׁאוֹן (sha’on, “roaring”) refers elsewhere to the crashing sound of the sea’s waves (see Ps 65:7).

[40:2]  ¹⁴⁵⁷ tn Heb “from the mud of mud.” The Hebrew phrase translated “slimy mud” employs an appositional genitive. Two synonyms are joined in a construct relationship to emphasize the single idea. For a detailed discussion of the grammatical point with numerous examples, see Y. Avishur, “Pairs of Synonymous Words in the Construct State (and in Appositional Hendiadys) in Biblical Hebrew,” Semitics 2 (1971): 17-81.

[40:2]  ¹⁴⁵⁸ tn Heb “he established my footsteps.”

[40:3]  ¹⁴⁵⁹ sn A new song was appropriate because the Lord had intervened in the psalmist’s experience in a fresh and exciting way.

[40:3]  ¹⁴⁶⁰ tn Heb “and he placed in my mouth a new song, praise to our God.”

[40:3]  ¹⁴⁶¹ tn Heb “may many see and fear and trust in the Lord.” The translation assumes that the initial prefixed verbal form is a jussive (“may many see”), rather than an imperfect (“many will see”). The following prefixed verbal forms with vav (ו) conjunctive are taken as indicating purpose or result (“so that they might swear allegiance…and trust”) after the introductory jussive.

[40:4]  ¹⁴⁶² tn The Hebrew noun is an abstract plural. The word often refers metonymically to the happiness that God-given security and prosperity produce (see Pss 1:1, 3; 2:12; 34:9; 41:1; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).

[40:4]  ¹⁴⁶³ tn Heb “man.” See the note on the word “one” in Ps 1:1.

[40:4]  ¹⁴⁶⁴ tn Heb “who has made the Lord his [object of] trust.”

[40:4]  ¹⁴⁶⁵ tn Heb “and does not turn toward.”

[40:4]  ¹⁴⁶⁶ tn Heb “those falling away toward a lie.”

[40:5]  ¹⁴⁶⁷ tn Heb “many things you have done, you, O Lord my God, your amazing deeds and your thoughts toward us.” The precise meaning of the text is not clear, but the psalmist seems to be recalling the Lord’s miraculous deeds on Israel’s behalf (see Pss 9:1; 26:7), as well as his covenantal decrees and promises (see Ps 33:11).

[40:5]  ¹⁴⁶⁸ tn Heb “there is none arrayed against you.” The precise meaning of the text is unclear, but the collocation עָרַךְ אֶל (’arakh ’el, “array against”) is used elsewhere of military (Judg 20:30; 1 Chr 19:17) or verbal opposition (Job 32:14).

[40:5]  ¹⁴⁶⁹ tn Heb “I will declare and I will speak, they are too numerous to recount.” The present translation assumes that the cohortatives are used in a hypothetical manner in a formally unmarked conditional sentence, “Should I try to declare [them] and speak [of them]…” (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV). For other examples of cohortatives in the protasis (“if” clause) of a conditional sentence, see GKC 320 §108.e. (It should be noted, however, that GKC understands this particular verse in a different manner. See GKC 320 §108.f, where it is suggested that the cohortatives are part of an apodosis with the protasis being suppressed.) Another option is to take the cohortatives as a declaration of the psalmist’s resolve to announce the truth expressed in the next line. In this case one might translate: “I will declare and speak [the truth]: They are too numerous to recount.”

[40:6]  ¹⁴⁷⁰ tn Heb “sacrifice and offering you do not desire.” The statement is exaggerated for the sake of emphasis (see Ps 51:16 as well). God is pleased with sacrifices, but his first priority is obedience and loyalty (see 1 Sam 15:22). Sacrifices and offerings apart from genuine allegiance are meaningless (see Isa 1:11-20).

[40:6]  ¹⁴⁷¹ tn Heb “ears you hollowed out for me.” The meaning of this odd expression is debated (this is the only collocation of “hollowed out” and “ears” in the OT). It may have been an idiomatic expression referring to making a point clear to a listener. The LXX has “but a body you have prepared for me,” a reading which is followed in Heb 10:5.

[40:7]  ¹⁴⁷² tn Heb “in the roll of the scroll it is written concerning me.” Apparently the psalmist refers to the law of God (see v. 8), which contains the commandments God desires him to obey. If this is a distinctly royal psalm, then the psalmist/king may be referring specifically to the regulations of kingship prescribed in Deut 17:14-20. See P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 (WBC), 315.

[40:8]  ¹⁴⁷³ tn Or “your will.”

[40:8]  ¹⁴⁷⁴ tn Heb “your law [is] in the midst of my inner parts.” The “inner parts” are viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s thought life and moral decision making.

[40:9]  ¹⁴⁷⁵ sn The great assembly is also mentioned in Pss 22:25 and 35:18.

[40:9]  ¹⁴⁷⁶ tn Heb “I proclaim justice in the great assembly.” Though “justice” appears without a pronoun here, the Lord’s just acts are in view (see v. 10). His “justice” (צֶדֶק, tsedeq) is here the deliverance that originates in his justice; he protects and vindicates the one whose cause is just.

[40:9]  ¹⁴⁷⁷ tn Heb “Look! My lips I do not restrain.”

[40:10]  ¹⁴⁷⁸ tn Heb “your justice I have not hidden in the midst of my heart.”

[40:10]  ¹⁴⁷⁹ tn Heb “I have not hidden your loyal love and reliability.”

[40:11]  ¹⁴⁸⁰ tn Some (cf. NIV, NRSV) translate the verb as a request (“do not withhold”), but elsewhere in the psalms the second masculine singular prefixed form, when addressed to God and preceded by לֹא (lo’), is always indicative in mood and never has the force of a prayer (see Pss 16:10; 22:2; 44:9 51:16-17; 60:10; 108:11; cf. NEB, NASB).

[40:11]  ¹⁴⁸¹ tn In this line the psalmist makes the transition from confidence to petition (see v. 13). Since the prefixed verbal form in the preceding line is imperfect/indicative, one could take the verb in this line as imperfect as well and translate, “your loyal love and faithfulness continually protect me” (cf. NEB). However, the כִּי (ki) at the beginning of the next verse, if causal (“because”), is best understood as introducing a motivating argument in support of a petition. For this reason v. 11b is best taken as a prayer with the prefixed form being understood as jussive (cf. NIV, NRSV). For parallels to the proposed construction (jussive followed by כִּי + perfect introducing motivating argument), see Ps 25:21, as well as Pss 10:2-3; 22:8.

[40:12]  ¹⁴⁸² tn Or “sinful deeds.” The Hebrew term used here can have a nonmoral nuance (“dangers”) or a moral one (“sinful deeds”) depending on the context. The next line (see “my sins”) seems to favor the moral sense, but the psalmist also speaks of enemies shortly after this (v. 14).

[40:12]  ¹⁴⁸³ tn Heb “and my heart abandons me.” The “heart” is here viewed as the seat of emotional strength and courage. For a similar idea see Ps 38:10.

[40:13]  ¹⁴⁸⁴ tn Heb “hurry to my help.” See Pss 22:19; 38:22.

[40:14]  ¹⁴⁸⁵ tn Heb “may they be embarrassed and ashamed together, the ones seeking my life to snatch it away.”

[40:14]  ¹⁴⁸⁶ tn The four prefixed verbal forms in this verse (“may those…be…embarrassed and ashamed…may those…be turned back and ashamed”) are understood as jussives. The psalmist is calling judgment down on his enemies.

[40:15]  ¹⁴⁸⁷ tn The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive in this imprecation.

[40:15]  ¹⁴⁸⁸ tn Heb “May they be humiliated according to their shame, those who say to me, ‘Aha! Aha!’”

[40:16]  ¹⁴⁸⁹ tn Heb “those who love,” which stands metonymically for its cause, the experience of being delivered by the Lord.

[40:16]  ¹⁴⁹⁰ tn The three prefixed verbal forms prior to the quotation are understood as jussives. The psalmist balances out his imprecation against his enemies with a prayer of blessing upon the godly.

[40:16]  ¹⁴⁹¹ tn The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive, “may the Lord be magnified [in praise].” Another option is to take the verb as an imperfect, “the Lord is great” (cf. NRSV). See Ps 35:27.

[40:17]  ¹⁴⁹² sn See Pss 35:10; 37:14.

[40:17]  ¹⁴⁹³ tn The prefixed verbal form may be taken as a jussive of prayer (as in the present translation; cf. NIV) or as an imperfect, “The Lord will pay attention to me” (cf. NRSV). The parallel in Ps 70:5 has, “O God, hurry to me!” For this reason some prefer to emend יַחֲשָׁב (yakhashav, “may he pay attention”) to חוּשָׁה (khushah, “hurry!”). The syntax of the Hebrew text is awkward; elsewhere when the Qal of חָשַׁב (khashav, “reckon; consider”) is collocated with the preposition -ל (lamed) and a pronominal suffix there is an accompanying direct object or additional prepositional phrase/adverbial accusative (see Gen 15:6; 2 Sam 19:19; Job 13:24; 19:11; 33:10; Pss 32:2; 41:7; Amos 6:5).

[41:1]  ¹⁴⁹⁴ sn Psalm 41. The psalmist is confident (vv. 11-12) that the Lord has heard his request to be healed (vv. 4-10), and he anticipates the joy he will experience when the Lord intervenes (vv. 1-3). One must assume that the psalmist is responding to a divine oracle of assurance (see P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 [WBC], 319-20). The final verse is a fitting conclusion to this psalm, but it is also serves as a fitting conclusion to the first “book” (or major editorial division) of the Psalter. Similar statements appear at or near the end of each of the second, third, and fourth “books” of the Psalter (see Pss 72:19, 89:52, and 106:48 respectively).

[41:1]  ¹⁴⁹⁵ tn The Hebrew noun is an abstract plural. The word often refers metonymically to the happiness that God-given security and prosperity produce (see Pss 1:1, 3; 2:12; 34:9; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).

[41:1]  ¹⁴⁹⁶ sn One who treats the poor properly. The psalmist is characterizing himself as such an individual and supplying a reason why God has responded favorably to his prayer. The Lord’s attitude toward the merciful mirrors their treatment of the poor.

[41:1]  ¹⁴⁹⁷ tn Heb “in the day of trouble” (see Ps 27:5).

[41:1]  ¹⁴⁹⁸ tn That is, the one who has been kind to the poor. The prefixed verbal form could be taken as jussive of prayer (“may the Lord deliver,” see v. 2), but the preceding parallel line is a declaration of fact, not a prayer per se. The imperfect can be taken here as future (“will deliver,” cf. NEB, NASB) or as generalizing (“delivers,” cf. NIV, NRSV). The parallel line, which has a generalizing tone, favors the latter. At the same time, though the psalmist uses a generalizing style here, he clearly has himself primarily in view.

[41:2]  ¹⁴⁹⁹ tn The prefixed verbal forms are taken as jussives in the translation because the jussive is clearly used in the final line of the verse, suggesting that this is a prayer. The psalmist stops to pronounce a prayer of blessing on the godly individual envisioned in v. 1. Of course, he actually has himself primarily in view. He mixes confidence (vv. 1, 3) with petition (v. 2) because he stands in the interval between the word of assurance and the actual intervention by God.

[41:2]  ¹⁵⁰⁰ tc The translation follows the consonantal Hebrew text (Kethib), which has a Pual (passive) prefixed form, regarded here as a jussive. The Pual of the verb אָשַׁר (’ashar) also appears in Prov 3:18. The marginal reading (Qere) assumes a vav (ו) consecutive and Pual perfect. Some, with the support of the LXX, change the verb to a Piel (active) form with an objective pronominal suffix, “and may he bless him,” or “and he will bless him” (cf. NIV).

[41:2]  ¹⁵⁰¹ tn The negative particle אַל (’al) before the prefixed verbal form indicates the verb is a jussive and the statement a prayer. Those who want to take v. 2 as a statement of confidence suggest emending the negative particle to לֹא (lo’), which is used with the imperfect. See the earlier note on the verbal forms in line one of this verse. According to GKC 322 §109.e, this is a case where the jussive is used rhetorically to “express that something cannot or should not happen.” In this case one might translate, “you will not turn him over to his enemies,” and take the preceding verbal forms as indicative in mood.

[41:2]  ¹⁵⁰² tn Heb “do not give him over to the desire of his enemies” (see Ps 27:12).

[41:3]  ¹⁵⁰³ tn The prefixed verbal form could be taken as jussive, continuing the prayer of v. 2, but the parallel line in v. 3b employs the perfect, suggesting that the psalmist is again speaking in the indicative mood (see v. 1b). The imperfect can be understood as future or as generalizing (see v. 1).

[41:3]  ¹⁵⁰⁴ tn Heb “all his bed you turn in his illness.” The perfect is used here in a generalizing sense (see v. 1) or in a rhetorical manner to emphasize that the healing is as good as done.

[41:4]  ¹⁵⁰⁵ sn In vv. 4-10 the psalmist recites the prayer of petition and lament he offered to the Lord.

[41:5]  ¹⁵⁰⁶ tn Heb “my enemies speak evil concerning me.”

[41:5]  ¹⁵⁰⁷ tn Heb “and his name perish.”

[41:6]  ¹⁵⁰⁸ tn Heb “to see.”

[41:6]  ¹⁵⁰⁹ tn Heb “he speaks deceitfully.”

[41:6]  ¹⁵¹⁰ tn Heb “his heart gathers sin to itself.”

[41:6]  ¹⁵¹¹ tn Heb “he goes outside and speaks.”

[41:7]  ¹⁵¹² tn Heb “together against me they whisper, all those who hate me.” The Hitpael of לָחַשׁ (lakhash) refers here to whispering to one another (see 2 Sam 12:19).

[41:8]  ¹⁵¹³ tn The words “they say” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation to make it clear that v. 8 contains a quotation of what the psalmist’s enemies say about him (see v. 7a).

[41:8]  ¹⁵¹⁴ tn Heb “thing of worthlessness.” In Ps 101:3 the phrase refers to evil deeds in general, but here it appears to refer more specifically to the illness that plagues the psalmist.

[41:8]  ¹⁵¹⁵ tn Heb “is poured out on him.” The passive participle of יָצַק (yatsaq) is used.

[41:8]  ¹⁵¹⁶ tn Heb “and he who lies down will not again arise.”

[41:9]  ¹⁵¹⁷ tn Heb “man of my peace.” The phrase here refers to one’s trusted friend (see Jer 38:22; Obad 7).

[41:9]  ¹⁵¹⁸ tn Heb “has made a heel great against me.” The precise meaning of this phrase, which appears only here, is uncertain.

[41:10]  ¹⁵¹⁹ tn The cohortative with prefixed vav (ו) here indicates purpose or result (“Then I will repay them”) after the preceding imperatives.

[41:11]  ¹⁵²⁰ sn By this. Having recalled his former lament and petition, the psalmist returns to the confident mood of vv. 1-3. The basis for his confidence may be a divine oracle of deliverance, assuring him that God would intervene and vindicate him. The demonstrative pronoun “this” may refer to such an oracle, which is assumed here, though its contents are not included. See P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 (WBC), 319, 321.

[41:11]  ¹⁵²¹ tn Or “will.” One may translate the imperfect verbal form as descriptive (present, cf. NIV) or as anticipatory (future, cf. NEB).

[41:11]  ¹⁵²² tn Heb “shout.”

[41:12]  ¹⁵²³ tn Or “have upheld.” The perfect verbal form can be taken as generalizing/descriptive (present) or as a present perfect.

[41:12]  ¹⁵²⁴ sn Because of my integrity. See Pss 7:8; 25:21; 26:1, 11.

[41:12]  ¹⁵²⁵ tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive has the same aspectual function as the preceding perfect. It is either generalizing/descriptive (present) or has a present perfect nuance (“you have allowed”).

[41:12]  ¹⁵²⁶ tn Heb “and you cause me to stand before you permanently.”

[41:13]  ¹⁵²⁷ tn Heb “[be] blessed.” See Pss 18:46; 28:6; 31:21.

[41:13]  ¹⁵²⁸ tn Heb “from everlasting to everlasting.” See 1 Chr 16:36; Neh 9:5; Pss 90:2; 106:48.

[41:13]  ¹⁵²⁹ 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.

[42:1]  ¹⁵³⁰ sn Psalm 42. The psalmist recalls how he once worshiped in the Lord’s temple, but laments that he is now oppressed by enemies in a foreign land. Some medieval Hebrew mss combine Psalms 42 and 43 into a single psalm.

[42:1]  ¹⁵³¹ tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. The word is derived from a verb meaning “to be prudent; to be wise.” Various options are: “a contemplative song,” “a song imparting moral wisdom,” or “a skillful [i.e., well-written] song.” The term occurs in the superscriptions of Pss 32, 42, 44, 45, 52-55, 74, 78, 88, 89, and 142, as well as in Ps 47:7.

[42:1]  ¹⁵³² tn Since the accompanying verb is feminine in form, the noun אָיִּל (’ayyil, “male deer”) should be emended to אַיֶּלֶת (’ayyelet, “female deer”). Haplography of the letter tav has occurred; note that the following verb begins with tav.

[42:1]  ¹⁵³³ tn Or “pants [with thirst].”

[42:1]  ¹⁵³⁴ tn Or “my soul pants [with thirst].” The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) with a pronominal suffix is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 4.a).

[42:2]  ¹⁵³⁵ tn Or “my soul thirsts.”

[42:2]  ¹⁵³⁶ tn The words “I say” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons and for clarification.

[42:2]  ¹⁵³⁷ tn Heb “When will I go and appear [to] the face of God?” Some emend the Niphal verbal form אֵרָאֶה (’era’eh, “I will appear”) to a Qal אֶרְאֶה (’er’eh, “I will see”; see Gen 33:10), but the Niphal can be retained if one understands ellipsis of אֶת (’et) before “face” (see Exod 34:24; Deut 31:11).

[42:3]  ¹⁵³⁸ tn Heb “My tears have become my food day and night.”

[42:3]  ¹⁵³⁹ tn Heb “when [they] say to me all the day.” The suffixed third masculine plural pronoun may have been accidentally omitted from the infinitive בֶּאֱמֹר (be’ÿmor, “when [they] say”). Note the term בְּאָמְרָם (bÿ’omram, “when they say”) in v. 10.

[42:4]  ¹⁵⁴⁰ tn Heb “These things I will remember and I will pour out upon myself my soul.” “These things” are identified in the second half of the verse as those times when the psalmist worshiped in the Lord’s temple. The two cohortative forms indicate the psalmist’s resolve to remember and weep. The expression “pour out upon myself my soul” refers to mourning (see Job 30:16).

[42:4]  ¹⁵⁴¹ tc Heb “for I was passing by with the throng [?], I was walking with [?] them to the house of God; with a voice of a ringing shout and thanksgiving a multitude was observing a festival.” The Hebrew phrase בַּסָּךְ אֶדַּדֵּם (bassakh ’eddaddem, “with the throng [?] I was walking with [?]”) is particularly problematic. The noun סָךְ (sakh) occurs only here. If it corresponds to הָמוֹן (hamon, “multitude”) then one can propose a meaning “throng.” The present translation assumes this reading (cf. NIV, NRSV). The form אֶדַּדֵּם (“I will walk with [?]”) is also very problematic. The form can be taken as a Hitpael from דָּדָה (dadah; this verb possibly appears in Isa 38:15), but the pronominal suffix is problematic. For this reason many emend the form to ם[י]אַדִּרִ (’adirim, “nobles”) or ם-רִ[י]אַדִ (’adirim, “great,” with enclitic mem [ם]). The present translation understands the latter and takes the adjective “great” as modifying “throng.” If one emends סָךְ (sakh, “throng [?]”) to סֹךְ (sokh, “shelter”; see the Qere of Ps 27:5), then ר[י]אַדִּ (’addir) could be taken as a divine epithet, “[in the shelter of] the majestic one,” a reading which may find support in the LXX and Syriac Peshitta.

[42:5]  ¹⁵⁴² tn Heb “Why do you bow down?”

[42:5]  ¹⁵⁴³ sn For poetic effect the psalmist addresses his soul, or inner self.

[42:5]  ¹⁵⁴⁴ tn Heb “and [why] are you in turmoil upon me?” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries on the descriptive present nuance of the preceding imperfect. See GKC 329 §111.t.

[42:5]  ¹⁵⁴⁵ tc Heb “for again I will give him thanks, the saving acts of his face.” The verse division in the Hebrew text is incorrect. אֱלֹהַי (’elohay, “my God”) at the beginning of v. 7 belongs with the end of v. 6 (see the corresponding refrains in 42:11 and 43:5, both of which end with “my God” after “saving acts of my face”). The Hebrew term פָּנָיו (panayv, “his face”) should be emended to פְּנֵי (pÿney, “face of”). The emended text reads, “[for] the saving acts of the face of my God,” that is, the saving acts associated with God’s presence/intervention.

[42:6]  ¹⁵⁴⁶ tn Heb “my God, upon me my soul bows down.” As noted earlier, “my God” belongs with the end of v. 6.

[42:6]  ¹⁵⁴⁷ tn Heb “therefore I will remember you from the land of Jordan.” “Remember” is here used metonymically for prayer (see vv. 8-9). As the next line indicates, the region of the upper Jordan, where the river originates, is in view.

[42:6]  ¹⁵⁴⁸ tc Heb “Hermons.” The plural form of the name occurs only here in the OT. Some suggest the plural refers to multiple mountain peaks (cf. NASB) or simply retain the plural in the translation (cf. NEB), but the final mem (ם) is probably dittographic (note that the next form in the text begins with the letter mem) or enclitic. At a later time it was misinterpreted as a plural marker and vocalized accordingly.

[42:6]  ¹⁵⁴⁹ tn The Hebrew term מִצְעָר (mits’ar) is probably a proper name (“Mizar”), designating a particular mountain in the Hermon region. The name appears only here in the OT.

[42:7]  ¹⁵⁵⁰ tn Heb “deep calls to deep.” The Hebrew noun תְּהוֹם (tÿhom) often refers to the deep sea, but here, where it is associated with Hermon, it probably refers to mountain streams. The word can be used of streams and rivers (see Deut 8:7; Ezek 31:4).

[42:7]  ¹⁵⁵¹ tn The noun צִנּוֹר (tsinnor, “waterfall”) occurs only here and in 2 Sam 5:8, where it apparently refers to a water shaft. The psalmist alludes to the loud rushing sound of mountain streams and cascading waterfalls. Using the poetic device of personification, he imagines the streams calling out to each other as they hear the sound of the waterfalls.

[42:7]  ¹⁵⁵² tn Heb “pass over me” (see Jonah 2:3). As he hears the sound of the rushing water, the psalmist imagines himself engulfed in the current. By implication he likens his emotional distress to such an experience.

[42:8]  ¹⁵⁵³ sn The psalmist believes that the Lord has not abandoned him, but continues to extend his loyal love. To this point in the psalm, the author has used the name “God,” but now, as he mentions the divine characteristic of loyal love, he switches to the more personal divine name Yahweh (rendered in the translation as “the Lord”).

[42:8]  ¹⁵⁵⁴ tn Heb “his song [is] with me.”

[42:8]  ¹⁵⁵⁵ tc A few medieval Hebrew mss read תְּהִלָּה (tÿhillah, “praise”) instead of תְּפִלָּה (tÿfillah, “prayer”).

[42:9]  ¹⁵⁵⁶ tn The cohortative form indicates the psalmist’s resolve.

[42:9]  ¹⁵⁵⁷ tn This metaphor pictures God as a rocky, relatively inaccessible summit, where one would be able to find protection from enemies. See 1 Sam 23:25, 28; Pss 18:2; 31:3.

[42:9]  ¹⁵⁵⁸ tn Or “forget.”

[42:9]  ¹⁵⁵⁹ sn Walk around mourning. See Ps 38:6 for a similar idea.

[42:10]  ¹⁵⁶⁰ tc Heb “with a shattering in my bones my enemies taunt me.” A few medieval Hebrew mss and Symmachus’ Greek version read “like” instead of “with.”

[42:10]  ¹⁵⁶¹ sn “Where is your God?” The enemies ask this same question in v. 3.

[42:11]  ¹⁵⁶² tn Heb “Why do you bow down?”

[42:11]  ¹⁵⁶³ sn For poetic effect the psalmist addresses his soul, or inner self.

[42:11]  ¹⁵⁶⁴ tn Heb “and why are you in turmoil upon me?”

[42:11]  ¹⁵⁶⁵ tc Heb “for again I will give him thanks, the saving acts of my face and my God.” The last line should be emended to read יְשׁוּעֹת פְנֵי אֱלֹהָי (yÿshu’ot fÿney ’elohay, “[for] the saving acts of the face of my God”), that is, the saving acts associated with God’s presence/intervention. This refrain is almost identical to the one in v. 5. See also Ps 43:5.

[43:1]  ¹⁵⁶⁶ sn Psalm 43. Many medieval Hebrew mss combine Psalm 43 and Psalm 42 into one psalm. Psalm 43 is the only psalm in Book 2 of the Psalter (Psalms 42-72) that does not have a heading, suggesting that it was originally the third and concluding section of Psalm 42. Ps 43:5 is identical to the refrain in Ps 42:11 and almost identical to the refrain in Ps 42:5.

[43:1]  ¹⁵⁶⁷ tn Or “argue my case.”

[43:1]  ¹⁵⁶⁸ tn The imperfect here expresses a request or wish. Note the imperatives in the first half of the verse. See also v. 3.

[43:1]  ¹⁵⁶⁹ tn Heb “from the deceitful and evil man.” The Hebrew text uses the singular form “man” in a collective sense, as the reference to a “nation” in the parallel line indicates.

[43:2]  ¹⁵⁷⁰ tn Heb “God of my place of refuge,” that is, “God who is my place of refuge.” See Ps 31:4.

[43:2]  ¹⁵⁷¹ tn The question is similar to that of Ps 42:9, but זָנַח (zanakh, “reject”) is a stronger verb than שָׁכַח (shakhakh, “forget”).

[43:2]  ¹⁵⁷² tn The language is similar to that of Ps 42:9, but the Hitpael form of the verb הָלַךְ (halakh; as opposed to the Qal form in 42:9) expresses more forcefully the continuing nature of the psalmist’s distress.

[43:2]  ¹⁵⁷³ sn Walk around mourning. See Ps 38:6 for a similar statement.

[43:3]  ¹⁵⁷⁴ tn Heb “send.”

[43:3]  ¹⁵⁷⁵ sn God’s deliverance is compared here to a light which will lead the psalmist back home to the Lord’s temple. Divine deliverance will in turn demonstrate the Lord’s faithfulness to his people.

[43:3]  ¹⁵⁷⁶ tn Or “may they lead me.” The prefixed verbal forms here and in the next line may be taken as jussives.

[43:3]  ¹⁵⁷⁷ tn Heb “bring.”

[43:3]  ¹⁵⁷⁸ sn In this context the Lord’s holy hill is Zion/Jerusalem. See Isa 66:20; Joel 2:1; 3:17; Zech 8:3; Pss 2:6; 15:1; 48:1; 87:1; Dan 9:16.

[43:3]  ¹⁵⁷⁹ tn Or “to your dwelling place[s].” The plural form of the noun may indicate degree or quality; this is the Lord’s special dwelling place (see Pss 46:4; 84:1; 132:5, 7).

[43:4]  ¹⁵⁸⁰ tn The cohortative expresses the psalmist’s resolve. Prefixed with the vav (ו) conjunctive it also expresses the result or outcome of the preceding verbs “lead” and “escort.”

[43:4]  ¹⁵⁸¹ tn Heb “to God, the joy of my happiness.” The phrase “joy of my happiness” employs an appositional genitive. Synonyms are joined in a construct relationship to emphasize the degree of the psalmist’s joy. For a detailed discussion of the grammatical point with numerous examples, see Y. Avishur, “Pairs of Synonymous Words in the Construct State (and in Appositional Hendiadys) in Biblical Hebrew,” Semitics 2 (1971): 17-81.

[43:4]  ¹⁵⁸² tn The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive probably indicates purpose (“so that”) or intention.

[43:5]  ¹⁵⁸³ tn Heb “Why do you bow down?”

[43:5]  ¹⁵⁸⁴ sn For poetic effect the psalmist addresses his soul, or inner self.

[43:5]  ¹⁵⁸⁵ tn Heb “and why are you in turmoil upon me?”

[43:5]  ¹⁵⁸⁶ tc Heb “for again I will give him thanks, the saving acts of my face and my God.” The last line should be emended to read יְשׁוּעֹת פְנֵי אֱלֹהָי (yÿshu’ot fÿney ’elohay, “[for] the saving acts of the face of my God,” that is, the saving acts associated with God’s presence/intervention. This refrain is identical to the one in Ps 42:11. See also 42:5, which differs only slightly.

[44:1]  ¹⁵⁸⁷ sn Psalm 44. The speakers in this psalm (the worshiping community within the nation Israel) were disappointed with God. The psalm begins on a positive note, praising God for leading Israel to past military victories. Verses 1-8 appear to be a song of confidence and petition which the people recited prior to battle. But suddenly the mood changes as the nation laments a recent defeat. The stark contrast between the present and the past only heightens the nation’s confusion. Israel trusted in God for victory, but the Lord rejected them and allowed them to be humiliated in battle. If Israel had been unfaithful to God, their defeat would make sense, but the nation was loyal to the Lord. Comparing the Lord to a careless shepherd, the nation urges God to wake up and to extend his compassion to his suffering people.

[44:1]  ¹⁵⁸⁸ 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 42.

[44:1]  ¹⁵⁸⁹ tn Heb “with our ears we have heard.”

[44:1]  ¹⁵⁹⁰ tn Heb “fathers” (also in v. 2; the same Hebrew word may be translated either “fathers” or “ancestors” depending on the context.

[44:1]  ¹⁵⁹¹ tn Heb “the work you worked.”

[44:1]  ¹⁵⁹² tn Heb “in the days of old.” This refers specifically to the days of Joshua, during Israel’s conquest of the land, as vv. 2-3 indicate.

[44:2]  ¹⁵⁹³ tn Heb “you, your hand.”

[44:2]  ¹⁵⁹⁴ tn Heb “dispossessed nations and planted them.” The third masculine plural pronoun “them” refers to the fathers (v. 1). See Ps 80:8, 15.

[44:2]  ¹⁵⁹⁵ tn The verb form in the Hebrew text is a Hiphil preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive) from רָעַע (ra’a’, “be evil; be bad”). If retained it apparently means, “you injured; harmed.” Some prefer to derive the verb from רָעַע (“break”; cf. NEB “breaking up the peoples”), in which case the form must be revocalized as Qal (since this verb is unattested in the Hiphil).

[44:2]  ¹⁵⁹⁶ tn Or “peoples.”

[44:2]  ¹⁵⁹⁷ tn Heb “and you sent them out.” The translation assumes that the third masculine plural pronoun “them” refers to the fathers (v. 1), as in the preceding parallel line. See Ps 80:11, where Israel, likened to a vine, “spreads out” its tendrils to the west and east. Another option is to take the “peoples” as the referent of the pronoun and translate, “and you sent them away,” though this does not provide as tight a parallel with the corresponding line.

[44:3]  ¹⁵⁹⁸ tn Or “take possession of.”

[44:3]  ¹⁵⁹⁹ tn Heb “and their arm did not save them.” The “arm” here symbolizes military strength.

[44:3]  ¹⁶⁰⁰ tn Heb “your right hand.” The Lord’s “right hand” here symbolizes his power to protect and deliver (see Pss 17:7; 20:6; 21:8).

[44:3]  ¹⁶⁰¹ tn Heb “your arm.”

[44:3]  ¹⁶⁰² tn Heb “light of your face.” 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; 67:1; 80:3, 7, 19; 89:15; Dan 9:17).

[44:3]  ¹⁶⁰³ tn Or “favorable toward.”

[44:4]  ¹⁶⁰⁴ sn The speaker changes here to an individual, perhaps the worship leader or the king. The oscillation between singular (vv. 4, 6) and plural (vv. 1-3, 5, 7-8) in vv. 1-8 may reflect an antiphonal ceremony.

[44:4]  ¹⁶⁰⁵ tc The LXX assumes a participle here (מְצַוֶּה [mÿtsavveh], “the one who commands/decrees”) which would stand in apposition to “my God.” It is possible that the MT, which has the imperative (צַוֵּה, tsavveh) form, has suffered haplography of the letter mem (ם). Note that the preceding word (אֱלֹהִים, ’elohim) ends in mem. Another option is that the MT is divided in the wrong place; perhaps one could move the final mem from אֱלֹהִים to the beginning of the next word and read מְצַוֶּה אֱלֹהָי (’elohay mÿtsavveh, “[You are my king,] my God, the one who decrees”).

[44:4]  ¹⁶⁰⁶ tn That is, Israel. See Pss 14:7; 22:23.

[44:5]  ¹⁶⁰⁷ tn Heb “by you.”

[44:5]  ¹⁶⁰⁸ tn Heb “gore” (like an ox). If this portion of the psalm contains the song of confidence/petition the Israelites recited prior to battle, then the imperfects here and in the next line may express their expectation of victory. Another option is that the imperfects function in an emphatic generalizing manner. In this case one might translate, “you [always] drive back…you [always] trample down.”

[44:5]  ¹⁶⁰⁹ tn Heb “in your name.” The Lord’s “name” refers here to his revealed character or personal presence. Specifically in this context his ability to deliver, protect, and energize for battle is in view (see Ps 54:1).

[44:5]  ¹⁶¹⁰ sn The image of the powerful wild ox continues; see the note on the phrase “drive back” in the preceding line.

[44:5]  ¹⁶¹¹ tn Heb “those who rise up [against] us.”

[44:7]  ¹⁶¹² tn Or “have delivered,” if past successes are in view. Another option is to take the perfect as rhetorical, emphasizing that victory is certain (note the use of the imperfect in vv. 5-6).

[44:7]  ¹⁶¹³ tn Or “have humiliated,” if past successes are in view. Another option is to take the perfect as rhetorical, emphasizing that victory is certain (note the use of the imperfect in vv. 5-6).

[44:9]  ¹⁶¹⁴ tn The particle אַף (’af, “but”) is used here as a strong adversative contrasting the following statement with what precedes.

[44:9]  ¹⁶¹⁵ tn Heb “you did not go out with our armies.” The prefixed verbal form is a preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive).

[44:10]  ¹⁶¹⁶ tn Heb “you caused us to turn backward.”

[44:10]  ¹⁶¹⁷ tn Heb “plunder for themselves.” The prepositional phrase לָמוֹ (lamo, “for themselves”) here has the nuance “at their will” or “as they please” (see Ps 80:6).

[44:11]  ¹⁶¹⁸ tn The prefixed verbal form is a preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive).

[44:12]  ¹⁶¹⁹ tn The prefixed verbal form is a preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive).

[44:12]  ¹⁶²⁰ tn Heb “for what is not wealth.”

[44:12]  ¹⁶²¹ tn Heb “you did not multiply their purchase prices.”

[44:13]  ¹⁶²² tn The prefixed verbal form is a preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive).

[44:13]  ¹⁶²³ tn Heb “an [object of] taunting and [of] mockery to those around us.”

[44:14]  ¹⁶²⁴ tn The prefixed verbal form is a preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive).

[44:14]  ¹⁶²⁵ tn Heb “a proverb,” or “[the subject of] a mocking song.”

[44:14]  ¹⁶²⁶ tn Heb “a shaking of the head among the peoples.” Shaking the head was a derisive gesture (see Jer 18:16; Lam 2:15).

[44:15]  ¹⁶²⁷ tn Heb “all the day my humiliation [is] in front of me.”

[44:15]  ¹⁶²⁸ tn Heb “and the shame of my face covers me.”

[44:16]  ¹⁶²⁹ tn Heb “from the voice of one who ridicules and insults, from the face of an enemy and an avenger.” See Ps 8:2.

[44:17]  ¹⁶³⁰ tn Heb “we have not forgotten you.” To “forget” God refers here to worshiping false gods and thereby refusing to recognize his sovereignty (see v. 20, as well as Deut 8:19; Judg 3:7; 1 Sam 12:9; Isa 17:10; Jer 3:21; Ps 9:17).Thus the translation “we have not rejected you” has been used.

[44:17]  ¹⁶³¹ tn Heb “and we did not deal falsely with your covenant.”

[44:18]  ¹⁶³² tn Heb “our heart did not turn backward.” Cf. Ps 78:57.

[44:18]  ¹⁶³³ tn Heb “and our steps did [not] turn aside from your path.” The negative particle is understood by ellipsis (see the preceding line). God’s “path” refers to his commands, i.e., the moral pathway he has prescribed for the psalmist. See Pss 17:5; 25:4.

[44:19]  ¹⁶³⁴ tn Heb “yet you have battered us in a place of jackals.”

[44:19]  ¹⁶³⁵ tn The Hebrew term צַלְמָוֶת (tsalmavet) has traditionally been understood as a compound noun meaning “shadow of death” (צֵל+מָוֶת [mavet + tsel]; see BDB 853 s.v. צַלְמָוֶת; cf. NASB). Other scholars prefer to vocalize the form צַלְמוּת (tsalmut) and understand it as an abstract noun (from the root צלם) meaning “darkness” (cf. NIV, NRSV). 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 44:19 darkness symbolizes defeat and humiliation.

[44:20]  ¹⁶³⁶ tn Heb “If we had forgotten the name of our God.” To “forget the name” here refers to rejecting the Lord’s authority (see Jer 23:27) and abandoning him as an object of prayer and worship (see the next line).

[44:20]  ¹⁶³⁷ tn Heb “and spread out your hands to another god.” Spreading out the hands was a prayer gesture (see Exod 9:29, 33; 1 Kgs 8:22, 38; 2 Chr 6:12-13, 29; Ezra 9:15; Job 11:13; Isa 1:15). In its most fundamental sense זר (“another; foreign; strange”) refers to something that is outside one’s circle, often making association with it inappropriate. A “strange” god is an alien deity, an “outside god” (see L. A. Snijders, TDOT 4:54-55).

[44:21]  ¹⁶³⁸ tn The active participle describes what is characteristically true.

[44:21]  ¹⁶³⁹ tn Heb “would not God search out this, for he knows the hidden things of [the] heart?” The expression “search out” is used metonymically here, referring to discovery, the intended effect of a search. The “heart” (i.e., mind) is here viewed as the seat of one’s thoughts. The rhetorical question expects the answer, “Of course he would!” The point seems to be this: There is no way the Israelites who are the speakers in the psalm would reject God and turn to another god, for the omniscient God would easily discover such a sin.

[44:22]  ¹⁶⁴⁰ tn The statement “because of you” (1) may simply indicate that God is the cause of the Israelites’ defeat (see vv. 9-14, where the nation’s situation is attributed directly to God’s activity, and cf. NEB, NRSV), or (2) it may suggest they suffer because of their allegiance to God (see Ps 69:7 and Jer 15:15). In this case one should translate, “for your sake” (cf. NASB, NIV). The citation of this verse in Rom 8:36 follows the LXX (Ps 43:23 LXX), where the Greek term ἕνεκεν (Jeneken; LXX ἕνεκα) may likewise mean “because of” or “for the sake of” (BDAG 334 s.v. ἕνεκα 1).

[44:22]  ¹⁶⁴¹ tn Or “regarded as.”

[44:22]  ¹⁶⁴² tn Heb “like sheep of slaughtering,” that is, sheep destined for slaughter.

[44:23]  ¹⁶⁴³ sn Wake up! See Ps 35:23.

[44:24]  ¹⁶⁴⁴ tn Heb “Why do you hide your face?” The idiom “hide the face” can mean “ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or carry the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 30:7; 88:14).

[44:24]  ¹⁶⁴⁵ tn Or “forget.”

[44:24]  ¹⁶⁴⁶ tn Heb “our oppression and our affliction.”

[44:25]  ¹⁶⁴⁷ tn Heb “for our being/life sinks down to the dirt, our belly clings to the earth.” The suffixed form of נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being, life”) is often equivalent to a pronoun in poetic texts.

[44:26]  ¹⁶⁴⁸ tn Or “redeem us.” See Pss 25:22; 26:11; 69:18; 119:134.

[45:1]  ¹⁶⁴⁹ sn Psalm 45. This is a romantic poem celebrating the Davidic king’s marriage to a lovely princess. The psalmist praises the king for his military prowess and commitment to justice, urges the bride to be loyal to the king, and anticipates that the marriage will be blessed with royal offspring.

[45:1]  ¹⁶⁵⁰ tn Heb “according to lilies.” “Lilies” may be a tune title or musical style, suggestive of romantic love. The imagery of a “lily” appears frequently in the Song of Solomon in a variety of contexts (see 2:1-2, 16; 4:5; 5:13; 6:2-3; 7:2).

[45:1]  ¹⁶⁵¹ 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 42.

[45:1]  ¹⁶⁵² tn Heb “[with] a good word.” The “good word” probably refers here to the song that follows.

[45:1]  ¹⁶⁵³ tn Heb “my works [are] for a king.” The plural “works” may here indicate degree, referring to the special musical composition that follows.

[45:1]  ¹⁶⁵⁴ tn Heb “my tongue [is] a stylus of a skillful scribe.” Words flow from the psalmist’s tongue just as they do from a scribe’s stylus.

[45:2]  ¹⁶⁵⁵ tn Heb “you are handsome from the sons of man.” The preposition “from” is used in a comparative (“more than”) sense. The peculiar verb form יָפְיָפִיתָ (yafyafita) is probably the result of dittography of yod-pe (יפ) and should be emended to יָפִיתָ (yafita). See GKC 152 §55.e.

[45:2]  ¹⁶⁵⁶ tn Heb “favor is poured out on your lips.” “Lips” probably stands by metonymy for the king’s speech. Some interpret the Hebrew term חֵן (khen) as referring here to “gracious (i.e., kind and polite) speech”, but the word probably refers more generally to “attractive” speech that is impressively articulated and fitting for the occasion. For other instances of the term being used of speech, see Prov 22:11 and Eccl 10:12.

[45:2]  ¹⁶⁵⁷ tn Or “this demonstrates.” The construction עַל־כֵּן (’al-ken, “therefore”) usually indicates what logically follows from a preceding statement. However, here it may infer the cause from the effect, indicating the underlying basis or reason for what precedes (see BDB 487 s.v. I כֵּן 3.f; C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms [ICC], 1:386).

[45:2]  ¹⁶⁵⁸ tn Or “blesses you forever.” Here “bless” means to “endue with the power and skill to rule effectively,” as the following verses indicate.

[45:3]  ¹⁶⁵⁹ tn Or “mighty one.”

[45:3]  ¹⁶⁶⁰ tn The Hebrew text has simply, “your majesty and your splendor,” which probably refers to the king’s majestic splendor when he appears in full royal battle regalia.

[45:4]  ¹⁶⁶¹ tn Heb “and your majesty, be successful.” The syntax is awkward. The phrase “and your majesty” at the beginning of the verse may be accidentally repeated (dittography); it appears at the end of v. 3.

[45:4]  ¹⁶⁶² tn Or “for the sake of truth.”

[45:4]  ¹⁶⁶³ tc The precise meaning of the MT is uncertain. The form עַנְוָה (’anvah) occurs only here. One could emend the text to עֲנָוָה וְצֶדֶק (’anavah vÿtsedeq, “[for the sake of truth], humility, and justice”). In this case “humility” would perhaps allude to the king’s responsibility to “serve” his people by promoting justice (cf. NIV “in behalf of truth, humility and righteousness”). The present translation assumes an emendation to יַעַן (ya’an, “because; on account of”) which would form a suitable parallel to עַל־דְּבַר (’al-dÿvar, “because; for the sake of”) in the preceding line.

[45:4]  ¹⁶⁶⁴ tn Heb “and your right hand will teach you mighty acts”; or “and may your right hand teach you mighty acts.” After the imperatives in the first half of the verse, the prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive likely indicates purpose (“so that your right hand might teach you mighty acts”) or result (see the present translation). The “right hand” here symbolizes the king’s military strength. His right hand will “teach” him mighty acts by performing them and thereby causing him to experience their magnificence.

[45:5]  ¹⁶⁶⁵ tn Heb “your arrows are sharp – peoples beneath you fall – in the heart of the enemies of the king.” The choppy style reflects the poet’s excitement.

[45:6]  ¹⁶⁶⁶ sn The king’s throne here symbolizes his rule.

[45:6]  ¹⁶⁶⁷ tn Or “forever and ever.”

[45:6]  ¹⁶⁶⁸ sn The king’s scepter symbolizes his royal authority.

[45:7]  ¹⁶⁶⁹ sn To love justice means to actively promote it.

[45:7]  ¹⁶⁷⁰ sn To hate evil means to actively oppose it.

[45:7]  ¹⁶⁷¹ tn For other examples of the repetition of Elohim, “God,” see Pss 43:4; 48:8, 14; 50:7; 51:14; 67:7. Because the name Yahweh (“Lord”) is relatively rare in Pss 42-83, where the name Elohim (“God”) predominates, this compounding of Elohim may be an alternative form of the compound name “the Lord my/your/our God.”

[45:7]  ¹⁶⁷² sn Anointed you. When read in the light of the preceding context, the anointing is most naturally taken as referring to the king’s coronation. However, the following context (vv. 8-9) focuses on the wedding ceremony, so some prefer to see this anointing as part of the king’s preparations for the wedding celebration. Perhaps the reference to his anointing at his coronation facilitates the transition to the description of the wedding, for the king was also anointed on this occasion.

[45:7]  ¹⁶⁷³ sn The phrase oil of joy alludes to the fact that the coronation of the king, which was ritually accomplished by anointing his head with olive oil, was a time of great celebration and renewed hope. (If one understands the anointing in conjunction with the wedding ceremony, the “joy” would be that associated with the marriage.) The phrase “oil of joy” also appears in Isa 61:3, where mourners are granted “oil of joy” in conjunction with their deliverance from oppression.

[45:7]  ¹⁶⁷⁴ tn Heb “from your companions.” The “companions” are most naturally understood as others in the royal family or, more generally, as the king’s countrymen.

[45:8]  ¹⁶⁷⁵ tn The words “perfumed with” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[45:8]  ¹⁶⁷⁶ tn Heb “the palaces of ivory.” The phrase “palaces of ivory” refers to palaces that had ivory panels and furniture decorated with ivory inlays. Such decoration with ivory was characteristic of a high level of luxury. See 1 Kgs 22:39 and Amos 3:15.

[45:8]  ¹⁶⁷⁷ tn Heb “from the palaces of ivory stringed instrument[s] make you happy.”

[45:9]  ¹⁶⁷⁸ tn Heb “daughters of kings.”

[45:9]  ¹⁶⁷⁹ tn Heb “valuable ones.” The form is feminine plural.

[45:9]  ¹⁶⁸⁰ tn This rare Hebrew noun apparently refers to the king’s bride, who will soon be queen (see Neh 2:6). The Aramaic cognate is used of royal wives in Dan 5:2-3, 23.

[45:9]  ¹⁶⁸¹ tn Heb “a consort stands at your right hand, gold of Ophir.”

[45:10]  ¹⁶⁸² tn Heb “daughter.” The Hebrew noun בת (“daughter”) can sometimes refer to a young woman in a general sense (see H. Haag, TDOT 2:334).

[45:10]  ¹⁶⁸³ tn Heb “see and turn your ear.” The verb רָאָה (ra’ah, “see”) is used here of mental observation.

[45:10]  ¹⁶⁸⁴ tn Heb “your people.” This reference to the “people” of the princess suggests she was a foreigner. Perhaps the marriage was arranged as part of a political alliance between Israel (or Judah) and a neighboring state. The translation “your homeland” reflects such a situation.

[45:10]  ¹⁶⁸⁵ tn Heb “and the house of your father.”

[45:11]  ¹⁶⁸⁶ tn After the preceding imperatives, the jussive verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive is best understood as introducing a purpose (“so that the king might desire your beauty”) or result clause (see the present translation and cf. also NASB). The point seems to be this: The bride might tend to be homesick, which in turn might cause her to mourn and diminish her attractiveness. She needs to overcome this temptation to unhappiness and enter into the marriage with joy. Then the king will be drawn to her natural beauty.

[45:11]  ¹⁶⁸⁷ tn Or “desire.”

[45:11]  ¹⁶⁸⁸ tn Or “bow down.”

[45:11]  ¹⁶⁸⁹ sn Submit to him. The poet here makes the point that the young bride is obligated to bring pleasure to her new husband. Though a foreign concept to modern western culture, this was accepted as the cultural norm in the psalmist’s day.

[45:12]  ¹⁶⁹⁰ map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.

[45:12]  ¹⁶⁹¹ tn Heb “and a daughter of Tyre with a gift, your face they will appease, the rich of people.” The phrase “daughter of Tyre” occurs only here in the OT. It could be understood as addressed to the bride, indicating she was a Phoenician (cf. NEB). However, often in the OT the word “daughter,” when collocated with the name of a city or country, is used to personify the referent (see, for example, “Daughter Zion” in Ps 9:14, and “Daughter Babylon” in Ps 137:8). If that is the case here, then “Daughter Tyre” identifies the city-state of Tyre as the place from which the rich people come (cf. NRSV). The idiom “appease the face” refers to seeking one’s favor (see Exod 32:11; 1 Sam 13:12; 1 Kgs 13:6; 2 Kgs 13:4; 2 Chr 33:12; Job 11:19; Ps 119:58; Prov 19:6; Jer 26:19; Dan 9:13; Zech 7:2; 8:21-22; Mal 1:9).

[45:13]  ¹⁶⁹² tn Heb “[the] daughter of a king.”

[45:13]  ¹⁶⁹³ tn Heb “[is] completely glorious.”

[45:13]  ¹⁶⁹⁴ tc Heb “within, from settings of gold, her clothing.” The Hebrew term פְּנִימָה (pÿnimah, “within”), if retained, would go with the preceding line and perhaps refer to the bride being “within” the palace or her bridal chamber (cf. NIV, NRSV). Since the next two lines refer to her attire (see also v. 9b), it is preferable to emend the form to פְּנִינִיהָּ (“her pearls”) or to פְּנִינִים (“pearls”). The mem (מ) prefixed to “settings” is probably dittographic.

[45:14]  ¹⁶⁹⁵ tn Heb “virgins after her, her companions, are led to you.” Some emend לָךְ (lakh, “to you”) to לָהּ (lah, “to her,” i.e., the princess), because the princess is now being spoken of in the third person (vv. 13-14a), rather than being addressed directly (as in vv. 10-12). However, the ambiguous suffixed form לָךְ need not be taken as second feminine singular. The suffix can be understood as a pausal second masculine singular form, addressed to the king. The translation assumes this to be the case; note that the king is addressed once more in vv. 16-17, where the second person pronouns are masculine.

[45:15]  ¹⁶⁹⁶ tn Heb “they are led with joy and happiness, they enter the house of the king.”

[45:16]  ¹⁶⁹⁷ tn The pronoun is second masculine singular, indicating the king is being addressed from this point to the end of the psalm.

[45:16]  ¹⁶⁹⁸ tn The prefixed verbal form could be taken as jussive and the statement interpreted as a prayer, “May your sons carry on the dynasty of your ancestors!” The next line could then be taken as a relative clause, “[your sons] whom you will make princes throughout the land.”

[45:16]  ¹⁶⁹⁹ tn Heb “in place of your fathers will be your sons.”

[45:17]  ¹⁷⁰⁰ tn Heb “I will cause your name to be remembered in every generation and generation.” The cohortative verbal form expresses the poet’s resolve. The king’s “name” stands here for his reputation and character, which the poet praised in vv. 2-7.

[45:17]  ¹⁷⁰¹ sn The nations will praise you. As God’s vice-regent on earth, the king is deserving of such honor and praise.

[46:1]  ¹⁷⁰² sn Psalm 46. In this so-called “Song Of Zion” God’s people confidently affirm that they are secure because the great warrior-king dwells within Jerusalem and protects it from the nations that cause such chaos in the earth. A refrain (vv. 7, 11) concludes the song’s two major sections.

[46:1]  ¹⁷⁰³ sn The meaning of the Hebrew term עֲלָמוֹת (alamoth, which means “young women”) is uncertain; perhaps it refers to a particular style of music. Cf. 1 Chr 15:20.

[46:1]  ¹⁷⁰⁴ tn Heb “our refuge and strength,” which is probably a hendiadys meaning “our strong refuge” (see Ps 71:7). Another option is to translate, “our refuge and source of strength.”

[46:1]  ¹⁷⁰⁵ tn Heb “a helper in times of trouble he is found [to be] greatly.” The perfect verbal form has a generalizing function here. The adverb מְאֹד (mÿ’od, “greatly”) has an emphasizing function.

[46:2]  ¹⁷⁰⁶ tn The imperfect is taken in a generalizing sense (cf. NEB) because the situation described in vv. 2-3 is understood as symbolizing typical world conditions. In this case the imperfect draws attention to the typical nature of the response. The covenant community characteristically responds with confidence, not fear. Another option is to take the situation described as purely hypothetical. In this case one might translate, “We will not fear, even though the earth should shake” (cf. NIV, NRSV).

[46:2]  ¹⁷⁰⁷ tn The Hiphil infinitival form is normally taken to mean “when [the earth] is altered,” being derived from מוּר (mur, “to change”). In this case the Hiphil would be intransitive, as in Ps 15:4. HALOT 560 s.v. II מור emends the form to a Niphal and derives it from a homonymic root מוּר attested in Arabic with the meaning “shake.”

[46:2]  ¹⁷⁰⁸ tn Heb “heart of the seas.” The plural may be used for emphasis, pointing to the deepest sea. Note that the next verse uses a singular pronoun (“its waters,” “its swelling”) in referring back to the plural noun.

[46:3]  ¹⁷⁰⁹ tn Heb “its waters.”

[46:3]  ¹⁷¹⁰ tn Or “roar.”

[46:3]  ¹⁷¹¹ tn The three imperfect verbal forms in v. 3 draw attention to the characteristic nature of the activity described.

[46:3]  ¹⁷¹² tn Heb “at its swelling.” The Hebrew word often means “pride.” If the sea is symbolic of hostile nations, then this may be a case of double entendre. The surging, swelling sea symbolizes the proud, hostile nations. On the surface the psalmist appears to be depicting a major natural catastrophe, perhaps a tidal wave. If so, then the situation would be hypothetical. However, the repetition of the verbs הָמָה (hamah, “crash; roar,” v. 3) and מוֹט (mot, “shake,” v. 2) in v. 6, where nations/kingdoms “roar” and “shake,” suggests that the language of vv. 2-3 is symbolic and depicts the upheaval that characterizes relationships between the nations of the earth. As some nations (symbolized by the surging, chaotic waters) show hostility, others (symbolized by the mountains) come crashing down to destruction. The surging waters are symbolic of chaotic forces in other poetic texts (see, for example, Isa 17:12; Jer 51:42) and mountains can symbolize strong kingdoms (see, for example, Jer 51:25).

[46:4]  ¹⁷¹³ tn Heb “A river, its channels cause the city of God to be glad.”

[46:4]  ¹⁷¹⁴ tn Heb “the holy [place] of the dwelling places of.” The adjective “holy” is used here in a substantival manner and placed in construct with the following noun (see GKC 428 §132.c). Origen’s transliterated text assumes the reading קֹדֶשׁ (qodesh, “holiness; holy place”), while the LXX assumes a Piel verbal form קִדֵּשׁ (qidesh, “makes holy”) and takes the following form as “his dwelling place.” The plural form מִשְׁכְּנֵי (mishkÿney, “dwelling places of”) is probably a plural of degree, emphasizing the special character of this dwelling place. See GKC 397 §124.b. The form stands as an appositional genitive in relation to the preceding construct noun.

[46:4]  ¹⁷¹⁵ tn Heb “Most High.” This divine title (עֶלְיוֹן, ’elyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Pss 7:17; 9:2; 18:13; 21:7; 47:2.

[46:5]  ¹⁷¹⁶ tn Heb “God [is] within her.” The feminine singular pronoun refers to the city mentioned in v. 4.

[46:5]  ¹⁷¹⁷ tn Another option is to translate the imperfect verbal form as future, “it will not be upended.” Even if one chooses this option, the future tense must be understood in a generalizing sense. The verb מוֹט (mot), translated “upended” here, is used in v. 2 of the mountains “tumbling” into the seas and in v. 6 of nations being “upended.” By way of contrast, Jerusalem, God’s dwelling place, is secure and immune from such turmoil and destruction.

[46:5]  ¹⁷¹⁸ tn Or “helps her.” The imperfect draws attention to the generalizing character of the statement.

[46:5]  ¹⁷¹⁹ tn Heb “at the turning of morning.” (For other uses of the expression see Exod 14:27 and Judg 19:26).

[46:6]  ¹⁷²⁰ tn Heb “nations roar, kingdoms shake.” The Hebrew verb הָמָה (hamah, “roar, be in uproar”) is used in v. 3 of the waves crashing, while the verb מוֹט (mot, “overthrown”) is used in v. 2 of mountains tumbling into the sea (see also v. 5, where the psalm affirms that Jerusalem “cannot be moved”). The repetition of the verbs suggests that the language of vv. 2-3 is symbolic and depicts the upheaval that characterizes relationships between the nations of the earth. As some nations (symbolized by the surging, chaotic waters) show hostility, others (symbolized by the mountains) come crashing down to destruction. The surging waters are symbolic of chaotic forces in other poetic texts (see, for example, Isa 17:12; Jer 51:42) and mountains can symbolize strong kingdoms (see, for example, Jer 51:25).

[46:6]  ¹⁷²¹ tn Heb “He.” God is the obvious referent here (see v. 5), and has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[46:6]  ¹⁷²² tn Heb “offers his voice.” In theophanic texts the phrase refers to God’s thunderous shout which functions as a battle cry (see Pss 18:13; 68:33).

[46:6]  ¹⁷²³ tn Or “melts.” See Amos 9:5. The image depicts the nation’s helplessness before Jerusalem’s defender, who annihilates their armies (see vv. 8-9). The imperfect verbal form emphasizes the characteristic nature of the action described.

[46:7]  ¹⁷²⁴ tn Heb “the Lord of hosts is with us.” The title “Lord of hosts” here pictures the Lord as a mighty warrior-king who leads armies into battle (see Ps 24:10). The military imagery is further developed in vv. 8-9.

[46:7]  ¹⁷²⁵ tn That is, Israel, or Judah (see Ps 20:1).

[46:7]  ¹⁷²⁶ tn Heb “our elevated place” (see Pss 9:9; 18:2).

[46:8]  ¹⁷²⁷ sn In this context the Lord’s exploits are military in nature (see vv. 8b-9).

[46:8]  ¹⁷²⁸ tn Heb “who sets desolations in the earth” (see Isa 13:9). The active participle describes God’s characteristic activity as a warrior.

[46:9]  ¹⁷²⁹ tn Heb “[the] one who causes wars to cease unto the end of the earth.” The participle continues the description begun in v. 8b and indicates that this is the Lord’s characteristic activity. Ironically, he brings peace to the earth by devastating the warlike, hostile nations (vv. 8, 9b).

[46:9]  ¹⁷³⁰ tn The verb שָׁבַר (shavar, “break”) appears in the Piel here (see Ps 29:5). In the OT it occurs thirty-six times in the Piel, always with multiple objects (the object is either a collective singular or grammatically plural or dual form). The Piel may highlight the repetition of the pluralative action, or it may suggest an intensification of action, indicating repeated action comprising a whole, perhaps with the nuance “break again and again, break in pieces.” Another option is to understand the form as resultative: “make broken” (see IBHS 404-7 §24.3). The imperfect verbal form carries on and emphasizes the generalizing nature of the description.

[46:9]  ¹⁷³¹ tn The perfect verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive carries along the generalizing emphasis of the preceding imperfect.

[46:9]  ¹⁷³² tn The imperfect verbal form carries on and emphasizes the generalizing nature of the description.

[46:9]  ¹⁷³³ tn Heb “wagons he burns with fire.” Some read “chariots” here (cf. NASB), but the Hebrew word refers to wagons or carts, not chariots, elsewhere in the OT. In this context, where military weapons are mentioned, it is better to revocalize the form as עֲגִלוֹת (’agilot, “round shields”), a word which occurs only here in the OT, but is attested in later Hebrew and Aramaic.

[46:10]  ¹⁷³⁴ tn The words “he says” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[46:10]  ¹⁷³⁵ tn Heb “do nothing/be quiet (see 1 Sam 15:16) and know.” This statement may be addressed to the hostile nations, indicating they should cease their efforts to destroy God’s people, or to Judah, indicating they should rest secure in God’s protection. Since the psalm is an expression of Judah’s trust and confidence, it is more likely that the words are directed to the nations, who are actively promoting chaos and are in need of a rebuke.

[46:10]  ¹⁷³⁶ tn Elsewhere in the psalms the verb רוּם (rum, “be exalted”) when used of God, refers to his exalted position as king (Pss 18:46; 99:2; 113:4; 138:6) and/or his self-revelation as king through his mighty deeds of deliverance (Pss 21:13; 57:5, 11).

[46:10]  ¹⁷³⁷ tn Or “among.”

[46:10]  ¹⁷³⁸ tn Or “in.”

[46:11]  ¹⁷³⁹ tn Heb “the Lord of hosts is with us.” The title “Lord of hosts” here pictures the Lord as a mighty warrior-king who leads armies into battle (see Ps 24:10). The military imagery is further developed in vv. 8-9.

[46:11]  ¹⁷⁴⁰ tn That is, Israel, or Judah (see Ps 20:1).

[46:11]  ¹⁷⁴¹ tn Heb “our elevated place” (see Pss 9:9; 18:2).

[47:1]  ¹⁷⁴² sn Psalm 47. In this hymn the covenant community praises the Lord as the exalted king of the earth who has given them victory over the nations and a land in which to live.

[47:1]  ¹⁷⁴³ tn Heb “Shout to God with [the] sound of a ringing cry!”

[47:2]  ¹⁷⁴⁴ tn Heb “the Lord Most High.” The divine title “Most High” (עֶלְיוֹן, ’elyon) pictures the Lord as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked.

[47:2]  ¹⁷⁴⁵ tn Or “awesome.” The Niphal participle נוֹרָא (nora’), when used of God in the psalms, focuses on the effect that his royal splendor and powerful deeds have on those witnessing his acts (Pss 66:3, 5; 68:35; 76:7, 12; 89:7; 96:4; 99:3; 111:9). Here it refers to his capacity to fill his defeated foes with terror and his people with fearful respect.

[47:2]  ¹⁷⁴⁶ tn Heb “a great king over all the earth.”

[47:3]  ¹⁷⁴⁷ tn On the meaning of the verb דָּבַר (davar, “subdue”), a homonym of דָּבַר (“speak”), see HALOT 209-10 s.v. I דבר. See also Ps 18:47 and 2 Chr 22:10. The preterite form of the verb suggests this is an historical reference and the next verse, which mentions the gift of the land, indicates that the conquest under Joshua is in view.

[47:3]  ¹⁷⁴⁸ tn Or “peoples” (see Pss 2:1; 7:7; 9:8; 44:2).

[47:4]  ¹⁷⁴⁹ tn Heb “he chose for us our inheritance.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a preterite (see “subdued” in v. 3).

[47:4]  ¹⁷⁵⁰ tn Heb “the pride of.” The phrase is appositional to “our inheritance,” indicating that the land is here described as a source of pride to God’s people.

[47:4]  ¹⁷⁵¹ tn That is, Israel.

[47:4]  ¹⁷⁵² sn Jacob whom he loves. The Lord’s covenantal devotion to his people is in view.

[47:5]  ¹⁷⁵³ sn God ascended his throne. In the context of vv. 3-4, which refer to the conquest of the land under Joshua, v. 5 is best understood as referring to an historical event. When the Lord conquered the land and placed his people in it, he assumed a position of kingship, as predicted by Moses (see Exod 15:17-18, as well as Ps 114:1-2). That event is here described metaphorically in terms of a typical coronation ceremony for an earthly king (see 2 Sam 15:10; 2 Kgs 9:13). Verses 1-2, 8-9 focus on God’s continuing kingship, which extends over all nations.

[47:5]  ¹⁷⁵⁴ tn Heb “God ascended amid a shout.” The words “his throne” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The Lord’s coronation as king is described here (see v. 8). Here the perfect probably has a present perfect function, indicating a completed action with continuing effects.

[47:5]  ¹⁷⁵⁵ tn Heb “the Lord amid the sound of the ram horn.” The verb “ascended” is understood by ellipsis; see the preceding line.

[47:7]  ¹⁷⁵⁶ tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. The word is derived from a verb meaning “to be prudent; to be wise.” Various options are: “a contemplative song,” “a song imparting moral wisdom,” or “a skillful [i.e., well-written] song.” The term also occurs in the superscriptions of Pss 32, 42, 44, 45, 52-55, 74, 78, 88, 89, and 142. Here, in a context of celebration, the meaning “skillful, well-written” would fit particularly well.

[47:8]  ¹⁷⁵⁷ tn When a new king was enthroned, his followers would acclaim him king using this enthronement formula (Qal perfect 3ms מָלַךְ, malakh, “to reign,” followed by the name of the king). See 2 Sam 15:10; 1 Kgs 1:11, 13, 18; 2 Kgs 9:13, as well as Isa 52:7. In this context the perfect verbal form is generalizing, but the declaration logically follows the historical reference in v. 5 to the Lord’s having ascended his throne.

[47:9]  ¹⁷⁵⁸ tc The words “along with” do not appear in the MT. However, the LXX has “with,” suggesting that the original text may have read עִם עַם (’im ’am, “along with the people”). In this case the MT is haplographic (the consonantal sequence ayin-mem [עם] being written once instead of twice). Another option is that the LXX is simply and correctly interpreting “people” as an adverbial accusative and supplying the appropriate preposition.

[47:9]  ¹⁷⁵⁹ tn Heb “for to God [belong] the shields of the earth.” Perhaps the rulers are called “shields” because they are responsible for protecting their people. See Ps 84:9, where the Davidic king is called “our shield,” and perhaps also Hos 4:18.

[47:9]  ¹⁷⁶⁰ tn The verb עָלָה (’alah, “ascend”) appears once more (see v. 5), though now in the Niphal stem.

[48:1]  ¹⁷⁶¹ sn Psalm 48. This so-called “Song of Zion” celebrates the greatness and glory of the Lord’s dwelling place, Jerusalem. His presence in the city elevates it above all others and assures its security.

[48:1]  ¹⁷⁶² sn The city of our God is Jerusalem, which is also referred to here as “his holy hill,” that is, Zion (see v. 2, as well as Isa 66:20; Joel 2:1; 3:17; Zech 8:3; Pss 2:6; 15:1; 43:3; 87:1; Dan 9:16).

[48:2]  ¹⁷⁶³ tn Heb “beautiful of height.” The Hebrew term נוֹף (nof, “height”) is a genitive of specification after the qualitative noun “beautiful.” The idea seems to be that Mount Zion, because of its lofty appearance, is pleasing to the sight.

[48:2]  ¹⁷⁶⁴ sn A source of joy to the whole earth. The language is hyperbolic. Zion, as the dwelling place of the universal king, is pictured as the world’s capital. The prophets anticipated this idealized picture becoming a reality in the eschaton (see Isa 2:1-4).

[48:2]  ¹⁷⁶⁵ tn Heb “Mount Zion, the peaks of Zaphon.” Like all the preceding phrases in v. 2, both phrases are appositional to “city of our God, his holy hill” in v. 1, suggesting an identification in the poet’s mind between Mount Zion and Zaphon. “Zaphon” usually refers to the “north” in a general sense (see Pss 89:12; 107:3), but here, where it is collocated with “peaks,” it refers specifically to Mount Zaphon, located in the vicinity of ancient Ugarit and viewed as the mountain where the gods assembled (see Isa 14:13). By alluding to West Semitic mythology in this way, the psalm affirms that Mount Zion is the real divine mountain, for it is here that the Lord God of Israel lives and rules over the nations. See P. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 (WBC), 353, and T. N. D. Mettinger, In Search of God, 103.

[48:3]  ¹⁷⁶⁶ tn Heb “he is known for an elevated place.”

[48:4]  ¹⁷⁶⁷ tn The logical connection between vv. 3-4 seems to be this: God is the protector of Zion and reveals himself as the city’s defender – this is necessary because hostile armies threaten the city.

[48:4]  ¹⁷⁶⁸ tn The perfect verbal forms in vv. 4-6 are understood as descriptive. In dramatic style (note הִנֵּה, hinneh, “look”) the psalm describes an enemy attack against the city as if it were occurring at this very moment. Another option is to take the perfects as narrational (“the kings assembled, they advanced”), referring to a particular historical event, such as Sennacherib’s siege of the city in 701 b.c. (cf. NIV, NRSV). Even if one translates the verses in a dramatic-descriptive manner (as the present translation does), the Lord’s victory over the Assyrians was probably what served as the inspiration of the description (see v. 8).

[48:5]  ¹⁷⁶⁹ tn The object of “see” is omitted, but v. 3b suggests that the Lord’s self-revelation as the city’s defender is what they see.

[48:5]  ¹⁷⁷⁰ tn Heb “they look, so they are shocked.” Here כֵּן (ken, “so”) has the force of “in the same measure.”

[48:5]  ¹⁷⁷¹ tn The translation attempts to reflect the staccato style of the Hebrew text, where the main clauses of vv. 4-6 are simply juxtaposed without connectives.

[48:6]  ¹⁷⁷² tn Heb “trembling seizes them there.” The adverb שָׁם (sham, “there”) is used here, as often in poetic texts, to point “to a spot in which a scene is localized vividly in the imagination” (BDB 1027 s.v.).

[48:6]  ¹⁷⁷³ tn Heb “[with] writhing like one giving birth.”

[48:7]  ¹⁷⁷⁴ tn The switch to the imperfect, as well as the introduction of the ship metaphor, perhaps signals a change to a generalizing tone; the Lord typically shatters these large ships, symbolic of the human strength of hostile armies (see the following note on “large ships”). The verb שָׁבַר (shavar, “break”) appears in the Piel here (see Pss 29:5; 46:9). In the OT it occurs thirty-six times in the Piel, always with multiple objects (the object is either a collective singular or grammatically plural or dual form). The Piel may highlight the repetition of the pluralative action, or it may suggest an intensification of action, indicating repeated action comprising a whole, perhaps with the nuance “break again and again, break in pieces.” Another option is to understand the form as resultative: “make broken” (see IBHS 404-7 §24.3).

[48:7]  ¹⁷⁷⁵ tn Heb “the ships of Tarshish.” This probably refers to large ships either made in or capable of traveling to and from the distant western port of Tarshish. These ships, which were the best of their class, here symbolize the mere human strength of hostile armies, which are incapable of withstanding the Lord’s divine power (see Isa 2:16).

[48:8]  ¹⁷⁷⁶ tn Heb “As we have heard, so we have seen.” The community had heard about God’s mighty deeds in the nation’s history. Having personally witnessed his saving power with their own eyes, they could now affirm that the tradition was not exaggerated or inaccurate.

[48:8]  ¹⁷⁷⁷ tn Heb “the Lord of hosts.” The title “Lord of hosts” here pictures the Lord as a mighty warrior-king who leads armies into battle (see Pss 24:10; 46:7, 11).

[48:8]  ¹⁷⁷⁸ tn Or “God makes it secure forever.” The imperfect highlights the characteristic nature of the generalizing statement.

[48:10]  ¹⁷⁷⁹ tn Heb “like your name, O God, so [is] your praise to the ends of the earth.” Here “name” refers to God’s reputation and revealed character.

[48:10]  ¹⁷⁸⁰ tn Heb “your right hand is full of justice.” The “right hand” suggests activity and power.

[48:11]  ¹⁷⁸¹ tn Heb “daughters.” The reference is to the cities of Judah surrounding Zion (see Ps 97:8 and H. Haag, TDOT 2:336).

[48:11]  ¹⁷⁸² tn The prefixed verbal forms are understood as generalizing imperfects. (For other examples of an imperfect followed by causal לְמַעַן [lÿma’an], see Ps 23:3; Isa 49:7; 55:5.) Another option is to interpret the forms as jussives, “Let Mount Zion rejoice! Let the towns of Judah be happy!” (cf. NASB, NRSV; note the imperatives in vv. 12-13.)

[48:11]  ¹⁷⁸³ sn These acts of judgment are described in vv. 4-7.

[48:12]  ¹⁷⁸⁴ tn The verb forms in vv. 12-13 are plural; the entire Judahite community is addressed.

[48:13]  ¹⁷⁸⁵ tn Heb “set your heart to its rampart.”

[48:13]  ¹⁷⁸⁶ tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew word translated “walk through,” which occurs only here in the OT, is uncertain. Cf. NEB “pass…in review”; NIV “view.”

[48:13]  ¹⁷⁸⁷ sn The city’s towers, defenses, and fortresses are outward reminders and tangible symbols of the divine protection the city enjoys.

[48:14]  ¹⁷⁸⁸ tn Heb “for this is God, our God, forever and ever.” “This” might be paraphrased, “this protector described and praised in the preceding verses.”

[48:14]  ¹⁷⁸⁹ tn The imperfect highlights the characteristic nature of the generalizing statement.

[48:14]  ¹⁷⁹⁰ tn In the Hebrew text the psalm ends with the words עַל־מוּת (’al-mut, “upon [unto?] dying”), which make little, if any, sense. M. Dahood (Psalms [AB], 1:293) proposes an otherwise unattested plural form עֹלָמוֹת (’olamot; from עוֹלָם, ’olam, “eternity”). This would provide a nice parallel to עוֹלָם וָעֶד (’olam va’ed, “forever”) in the preceding line, but elsewhere the plural of עוֹלָם appears as עֹלָמִים (’olamim). It is preferable to understand the phrase as a musical direction of some sort (see עַל־מוּת [’al-mut] in the superscription of Ps 9) or to emend the text to עַל־עֲלָמוֹת (’al-’alamot, “according to the alamoth style”; see the heading of Ps 46). In either case it should be understood as belonging with the superscription of the following psalm.

[49:1]  ¹⁷⁹¹ sn Psalm 49. In this so-called wisdom psalm (see v. 3) the psalmist states that he will not fear the rich enemies who threaten him, for despite their wealth, they are mere men who will die like everyone else. The psalmist is confident the Lord will vindicate the godly and protect them from the attacks of their oppressors.

[49:1]  ¹⁷⁹² tn The rare noun חָלֶד (kheled, “world”) occurs in Ps 17:14 and perhaps also in Isa 38:11 (see the note on “world” there).

[49:2]  ¹⁷⁹³ tn Heb “even the sons of mankind, even the sons of man.” Because of the parallel line, where “rich and poor” are mentioned, some treat these expressions as polar opposites, with בְּנֵי אָדָם (bÿney ’adam) referring to the lower classes and בְּנֵי אִישׁ (bÿney ’ish) to higher classes (cf. NIV, NRSV). But usage does not support such a view. The rare phrase בְּנֵי אִישׁ (“sons of man”) appears to refer to human beings in general in its other uses (see Pss 4:2; 62:9; Lam 3:33). It is better to understand “even the sons of mankind” and “even the sons of man” as synonymous expressions (cf. NEB “all mankind, every living man”). The repetition emphasizes the need for all people to pay attention, for the psalmist’s message is relevant to everyone.

[49:3]  ¹⁷⁹⁴ tn Heb “my mouth will speak wisdom.” According to BDB 315 s.v. חָכְמָה the plural חָכְמוֹת (khokhmot, “wisdom”) indicates degree or emphasis here.

[49:3]  ¹⁷⁹⁵ tn Heb “and the meditation of my heart [i.e., mind] is understanding.” The Hebrew term הָגוּת (hagut, “meditation”), derived from הָגָה (hagah, “to recite quietly; to meditate”), here refers to thoughts that are verbalized (see the preceding line). The plural form תְבוּנוֹת (tÿvunot, “understanding”) indicates degree or emphasis (see GKC 397-98 §124.e).

[49:4]  ¹⁷⁹⁶ tn Heb “I will turn my ear to a wise saying, I will open [i.e., “reveal; explain”] my insightful saying with a harp.” In the first line the psalmist speaks as a pupil who learns a song of wisdom from a sage. This suggests that the resulting insightful song derives from another source, perhaps God himself. Elsewhere the Hebrew word pair חִידָה/מָשָׁל (mashal/khidah) refers to a taunt song (Hab 2:6), a parable (Ezek 17:2), lessons from history (Ps 78:2), and proverbial sayings (Prov 1:6). Here it appears to refer to the insightful song that follows, which reflects on the mortality of humankind and the ultimate inability of riches to prevent the inevitable – death. Another option is that the word pair refers more specifically to the closely related proverbial sayings of vv. 12, 20 (note the use of the verb מָשָׁל, mashal, “to be like” in both verses). In this case the psalmist first hears the sayings and then explains (Heb “opens”) their significance (see vv. 5-11, 13-19).

[49:5]  ¹⁷⁹⁷ tn Heb “days of trouble.” The phrase also occurs in Ps 94:13. The question is rhetorical; there is no reason to be afraid when the rich oppressors threaten the weak (see v. 17). The following verses explain why this is so.

[49:5]  ¹⁷⁹⁸ tc The MT has, “the iniquity of my heels surrounds me.” The clause is best understood as temporal and as elaborating on the preceding phrase “times of trouble.” If the MT is retained, the genitive “of my heels” would probably indicate location (“the iniquity at my heels”); the sinful actions of the rich threaten to overtake the psalmist, as it were. It is better, however, to emend עֲקֵבַי (’aqivay, “my heels”) to either (1) עֲקֻבַּי (’aqubay, “my deceitful ones,” i.e., “those who deceive me” [from the adjective עָקֹב (’aqov), “deceitful,” see Jer 17:9]) or (2) עֹקְבַי (’oqÿvay, “those who deceive me” [a suffixed active participle from עָקַב, ’aqav, “betray, deceive”]). Origen’s transliteration of the Hebrew text favors the first of these options. Either of the emendations provides a much smoother transition to v. 6, because “those who trust in their wealth” would then be appositional to “those who deceive me.”

[49:6]  ¹⁷⁹⁹ tn Heb “the ones who trust.” The substantival participle stands in apposition to “those who deceive me” (v. 5).

[49:6]  ¹⁸⁰⁰ tn The imperfect verbal form emphasizes their characteristic behavior.

[49:7]  ¹⁸⁰¹ tn Heb “a brother, he surely does not ransom, a man.” The sequence אִישׁ...אָח (’akh...’ish, “a brother…a man”) is problematic, for the usual combination is אָח...אָח (“a brother…a brother”) or אִישׁ...אִישׁ (“a man…a man”). When אִישׁ and אָח are combined, the usual order is אָח...אִישׁ (“a man…a brother”), with “brother” having a third masculine singular suffix, “his brother.” This suggests that “brother” is the object of the verb and “man” the subject. (1) Perhaps the altered word order and absence of the suffix can be explained by the text’s poetic character, for ellipsis is a feature of Hebrew poetic style. (2) Another option, supported by a few medieval Hebrew mss, is to emend “brother” to the similar sounding אַךְ (’akh, “surely; but”) which occurs in v. 15 before the verb פָּדָה (padah, “ransom”). If this reading is accepted the Qal imperfect יִפְדֶּה (yifddeh, “he can [not] ransom”) would need to be emended to a Niphal (passive) form, יִפָּדֶה (yifadeh, “he can[not] be ransomed”) unless one understands the subject of the Qal verb to be indefinite (“one cannot redeem a man”). (A Niphal imperfect can be collocated with a Qal infinitive absolute. See GKC 344-45 §113.w.) No matter how one decides the textual issues, the imperfect in this case is modal, indicating potential, and the infinitive absolute emphasizes the statement.

[49:7]  ¹⁸⁰² tn Heb “he cannot pay to God his ransom price.” Num 35:31 may supply the legal background for the metaphorical language used here. The psalmist pictures God as having a claim on the soul of the individual. When God comes to claim the life that ultimately belongs to him, he demands a ransom price that is beyond the capability of anyone to pay. The psalmist’s point is that God has ultimate authority over life and death; all the money in the world cannot buy anyone a single day of life beyond what God has decreed.

[49:8]  ¹⁸⁰³ tn Heb “their life.” Some emend the text to “his life,” understanding the antecedent of the pronoun as “brother” in v. 7. However, the man and brother of v. 7 are representative of the human race in general, perhaps explaining why a plural pronoun appears in v. 8. Of course, the plural pronoun could refer back to “the rich” mentioned in v. 6. Another option (the one assumed in the translation) is that the suffixed mem is enclitic. In this case the “ransom price for human life” is referred to an abstract, general way.

[49:8]  ¹⁸⁰⁴ tn Heb “and one ceases forever.” The translation assumes an indefinite subject which in turn is representative of the entire human race (“one,” that refers to human beings without exception). The verb חָדַל (khadal, “cease”) is understood in the sense of “come to an end; fail” (i.e., die). Another option is to translate, “and one ceases/refrains forever.” In this case the idea is that the living, convinced of the reality of human mortality, give up all hope of “buying off” God and refrain from trying to do so.

[49:9]  ¹⁸⁰⁵ tn The jussive verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive is taken as indicating purpose/result in relation to the statement made in v. 8. (On this use of the jussive after an imperfect, see GKC 322 §109.f.) In this case v. 8 is understood as a parenthetical comment.

[49:9]  ¹⁸⁰⁶ tn Heb “see the Pit.” The Hebrew term שַׁחַת (shakhat, “pit”) is often used as a title for Sheol (see Pss 16:10; 30:9; 55:24; 103:4).

[49:10]  ¹⁸⁰⁷ tn The particle כִּי (ki) is understood here as asseverative (emphatic).

[49:10]  ¹⁸⁰⁸ tn The subject of the verb is probably the typical “man” mentioned in v. 7. The imperfect can be taken here as generalizing or as indicating potential (“surely he/one can see”).

[49:10]  ¹⁸⁰⁹ tn The imperfect verbal forms here and in the next line draw attention to what is characteristically true. The vav (ו) consecutive with perfect in the third line carries the same force.

[49:10]  ¹⁸¹⁰ tn Heb “together a fool and a brutish [man] perish.” The adjective בַּעַר (ba’ar, “brutish”) refers to spiritual insensitivity, not mere lack of intelligence or reasoning ability (see Pss 73:22; 92:6; Prov 12:1; 30:2, as well as the use of the related verb in Ps 94:8).

[49:10]  ¹⁸¹¹ sn Death shows no respect for anyone. No matter how wise or foolish an individual happens to be, all pass away.

[49:11]  ¹⁸¹² tc Heb “their inward part [is] their houses [are] permanent, their dwelling places for a generation and a generation.” If one follows the MT, then קֶרֶב (qerev, “inward part”) must refer to the seat of these people’s thoughts (for other examples of this use of the term, see BDB 899 s.v., though BDB prefers an emendation in this passage). In this case all three lines of v. 11 expose these people’s arrogant assumption that they will last forever, which then stands in sharp contrast to reality as summarized in v. 12. In this case one might translate the first two lines, “they think that their houses are permanent and that their dwelling places will last forever” (cf. NASB). Following the lead of several ancient versions, the present translation assumes an emendation of קִרְבָּם (qirbam, “their inward part”) to קְבָרִים (qÿvarim, “graves”). This assumes that the letters bet (ב) and resh (ר) were accidentally transposed in the MT. In this case the first two lines support the point made in v. 10, while the third line of v. 11 stands in contrast to v. 12. The phrase בֵּית עוֹלָם (bet ’olam, “permanent house”) is used of a tomb in Eccl 12:5 (as well as in Phoenician tomb inscriptions, see DNWSI 1:160 for a list of texts) and מִשְׁכָּן (mishkan, “dwelling place”) refers to a tomb in Isa 22:16. Cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV.

[49:11]  ¹⁸¹³ sn Naming their lands after themselves is a claim of possession.

[49:12]  ¹⁸¹⁴ tn Heb “but mankind in honor does not remain.” The construction vav (ו) + noun at the beginning of the verse can be taken as contrastive in relation to what precedes. The Hebrew term יְקָר (yÿqar, “honor”) probably refers here to the wealth mentioned in the preceding context. The imperfect verbal form draws attention to what is characteristically true. Some scholars emend יָלִין (yalin, “remains”) to יָבִין (yavin, “understands”) but this is an unnecessary accommodation to the wording of v. 20.

[49:12]  ¹⁸¹⁵ tn Or “cattle.”

[49:12]  ¹⁸¹⁶ tn The verb is derived from דָּמָה (damah, “cease; destroy”; BDB 198 s.v.). Another option is to derive the verb from דָּמָה (“be silent”; see HALOT 225 s.v. II דמה, which sees two homonymic roots [דָּמָה, “be silent,” and דָּמָה, “destroy”] rather than a single root) and translate, “they are like dumb beasts.” This makes particularly good sense in v. 20, where the preceding line focuses on mankind’s lack of understanding.

[49:13]  ¹⁸¹⁷ tn Heb “this [is] their way, [there is] folly [belonging] to them.” The Hebrew term translated “this” could refer (1) back to the preceding verse[s] or (2) ahead to the subsequent statements. The translation assumes the latter, since v. 12 appears to be a refrain that concludes the psalm’s first major section and marks a structural boundary. (A similar refrain [see v. 20] concludes the second half of the psalm.) The noun דֶּרֶךְ (derekh, “way”) often refers to one’s lifestyle, but, if it relates to what follows, then here it likely refers metonymically to one’s destiny (the natural outcome of one’s lifestyle [cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV “fate”]). (See the discussion in K. Koch, TDOT 3:285.) If one prefers the more common nuance (“lifestyle”), then the term would look back to the self-confident attitude described in the earlier verses.

[49:13]  ¹⁸¹⁸ tn Heb “and after them, in their mouth they take delight.” The meaning of the MT is not entirely clear. “After them” is understood here as substantival, “those who come after them” or “those who follow them.” “Their mouth” is taken as a metonymy for the arrogant attitude verbalized by the rich. In the expression “take delight in,” the preposition -ב (bet) introduces the object/cause of one’s delight (see Pss 147:10; 149:4). So the idea here is that those who come after/follow the rich find the philosophy of life they verbalize and promote to be attractive and desirable.

[49:14]  ¹⁸¹⁹ tn Heb “like sheep to Sheol they are appointed.” The verb form שַׁתּוּ (shatu) is apparently derived from שָׁתַת (shatat), which appears to be a variant of the more common שִׁית (shiyt, “to place; to set”; BDB 1060 s.v. שָׁתַת and GKC 183 §67.ee). Some scholars emend the text to שָׁחוּ (shakhu; from the verbal root שׁוּח [shukh, “sink down”]) and read “they descend.” The present translation assumes an emendation to שָׁטוּ (shatu; from the verbal root שׁוּט [shut, “go; wander”]), “they travel, wander.” (The letter tet [ט] and tav [ת] sound similar; a scribe transcribing from dictation could easily confuse them.) The perfect verbal form is used in a rhetorical manner to speak of their destiny as if it were already realized (the so-called perfect of certitude or prophetic perfect).

[49:14]  ¹⁸²⁰ tn Heb “death will shepherd them,” that is, death itself (personified here as a shepherd) will lead them like a flock of helpless, unsuspecting sheep to Sheol, the underworld, the land of the dead.

[49:14]  ¹⁸²¹ tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive carries the same force as the perfect verbal form in v. 14a. The psalmist speaks of this coming event as if it were already accomplished.

[49:14]  ¹⁸²² tn Heb “will rule over them in the morning.” “Morning” here is a metaphor for a time of deliverance and vindication after the dark “night” of trouble (see Pss 30:5; 46:5; 59:16; 90:14; 143:8; Isa 17:14). In this context the psalmist confidently anticipates a day of vindication when the Lord will deliver the oppressed from the rich (see v. 15) and send the oppressors to Sheol.

[49:14]  ¹⁸²³ tn Heb “their form [will become an object] for the consuming of Sheol, from a lofty residence, to him.” The meaning of this syntactically difficult text is uncertain. The translation assumes that צוּר (tsur, “form”; this is the Qere [marginal] reading; the Kethib has צִירָם [tsiram, “their image”]) refers to their physical form or bodies. “Sheol” is taken as the subject of “consume” (on the implied “become” before the infinitive “to consume” see GKC 349 §114.k). The preposition מִן (min) prefixed to “lofty residence” is understood as privative, “away from; so as not.” The preposition -ל (lamed) is possessive, while the third person pronominal suffix is understood as a representative singular.

[49:15]  ¹⁸²⁴ tn Or “certainly.”

[49:15]  ¹⁸²⁵ tn Or “redeem.”

[49:15]  ¹⁸²⁶ tn Or “me.” The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) with a pronominal suffix is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 4.a).

[49:15]  ¹⁸²⁷ tn Heb “hand.”

[49:15]  ¹⁸²⁸ tn Or “for.”

[49:15]  ¹⁸²⁹ tn Heb “he will take me.” To improve the poetic balance of the verse, some move the words “from the power of Sheol” to the following line. The verse would then read: “But God will rescue my life; / from the power of Sheol he will certainly deliver me” (cf. NEB).

[49:16]  ¹⁸³⁰ sn When a man becomes rich. Why would people fear such a development? The acquisition of wealth makes individuals powerful and enables them to oppress others (see vv. 5-6).

[49:16]  ¹⁸³¹ tn Heb “when the glory of his house grows great.”

[49:17]  ¹⁸³² tn Heb “his glory will not go down after him.”

[49:19]  ¹⁸³³ tn Verses 18-19a are one long sentence in the Hebrew text, which reads: “Though he blesses his soul in his life, [saying], ‘And let them praise you, for you do well for yourself,’ it [that is, his soul] will go to the generation of his fathers.” This has been divided into two sentences in the translation for clarity, in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences.

[49:19]  ¹⁸³⁴ tn Heb “light.” The words “of day” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[49:20]  ¹⁸³⁵ tn Heb “mankind in honor does not understand.” The Hebrew term יְקָר (yÿqar, “honor”) probably refers here to the wealth mentioned in the preceding context. The imperfect verbal form draws attention to what is characteristically true. Some emend יָבִין (yavin, “understands”) to יָלִין (yalin, “remains”), but this is an unnecessary accommodation to the wording of v. 12.

[49:20]  ¹⁸³⁶ tn Or “cattle.”

[49:20]  ¹⁸³⁷ tn The Hebrew verb is derived from דָּמָה (damah, “cease, destroy”; BDB 198 s.v.). Another option is to derive the verb from דָּמָה (damah, “be silent”; see HALOT 225 s.v. II דמה, which sees two homonymic roots [I דָּמַה, “be silent,” and II דָּמַה, “destroy”] rather than a single root) and translate, “they are like dumb beasts.” This makes particularly good sense here, where the preceding line focuses on mankind’s lack of understanding.

[50:1]  ¹⁸³⁸ sn Psalm 50. This psalm takes the form of a covenant lawsuit in which the Lord comes to confront his people in a formal manner (as in Isa 1:2-20). The Lord emphasizes that he places priority on obedience and genuine worship, not empty ritual.

[50:1]  ¹⁸³⁹ sn Israel’s God is here identified with three names: El (אֵל [’el], or “God”), Elohim (אֱלֹהִים [’elohim], or “God”), and Yahweh (יְהוָה [yÿhvah] or “the Lord”). There is an obvious allusion here to Josh 22:22, the only other passage where these three names appear in succession. In that passage the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh declare, “El, God, the Lord! El, God, the Lord! He knows the truth! Israel must also know! If we have rebelled or disobeyed the Lord, don’t spare us today!” In that context the other tribes had accused the trans-Jordanian tribes of breaking God’s covenant by worshiping idols. The trans-Jordanian tribes appealed to “El, God, the Lord” as their witness that they were innocent of the charges brought against them. Ironically here in Ps 50 “El, God, the Lord” accuses his sinful covenant people of violating the covenant and warns that he will not spare them if they persist in their rebellion.

[50:1]  ¹⁸⁴⁰ tn Heb “and calls [the] earth from the sunrise to its going.”

[50:2]  ¹⁸⁴¹ tn Heb “the perfection of beauty.”

[50:2]  ¹⁸⁴² tn Or “shines forth.”

[50:3]  ¹⁸⁴³ tn According to GKC 322 §109.e, the jussive (note the negative particle אַל, ’al) is used rhetorically here “to express the conviction that something cannot or should not happen.”

[50:3]  ¹⁸⁴⁴ tn Heb “fire before him devours, and around him it is very stormy.”

[50:4]  ¹⁸⁴⁵ tn Or perhaps “to testify against his people.”

[50:5]  ¹⁸⁴⁶ tn The words “he says” are supplied in the translation for clarification. God’s summons to the defendant follows.

[50:5]  ¹⁸⁴⁷ tn Or “Gather to me my covenant people.” The Hebrew term חָסִיד (khasid, “covenant people”) elsewhere in the psalms is used in a positive sense of God’s loyal followers (see the note at Ps 4:3), but here, as the following line makes clear, the term has a neutral sense and simply refers to those who have outwardly sworn allegiance to God, not necessarily to those whose loyalty is genuine.

[50:5]  ¹⁸⁴⁸ tn Heb “the cutters of my covenant according to sacrifice.” A sacrifice accompanied the covenant-making ceremony and formally ratified the agreement (see Exod 24:3-8).

[50:6]  ¹⁸⁴⁹ tn Or “justice.”

[50:6]  ¹⁸⁵⁰ tn Or “for God, he is about to judge.” The participle may be taken as substantival (as in the translation above) or as a predicate (indicating imminent future action in this context).

[50:7]  ¹⁸⁵¹ tn The words “he says” are supplied in the translation for clarification. God’s charges against his people follow.

[50:7]  ¹⁸⁵² tn Heb “Israel, and I will testify against you.” The imperative “listen” is understood in the second line by ellipsis (note the preceding line).

[50:8]  ¹⁸⁵³ tn Or “rebuking.”

[50:8]  ¹⁸⁵⁴ tn Heb “and your burnt sacrifices before me continually.”

[50:9]  ¹⁸⁵⁵ tn Or “I will not take.”

[50:10]  ¹⁸⁵⁶ tn Heb “[the] animals on a thousand hills.” The words “that graze” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The term בְּהֵמוֹה (bÿhemot, “animal”) refers here to cattle (see Ps 104:14).

[50:11]  ¹⁸⁵⁷ tn Heb “I know.”

[50:11]  ¹⁸⁵⁸ tn The precise referent of the Hebrew word, which occurs only here and in Ps 80:13, is uncertain. Aramaic, Arabic and Akkadian cognates refer to insects, such as locusts or crickets.

[50:13]  ¹⁸⁵⁹ tn The rhetorical questions assume an emphatic negative response, “Of course not!”

[50:14]  ¹⁸⁶⁰ tn Heb “Most High.” This divine title (עֶלְיוֹן, ’elyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Pss 7:17; 9:2; 18:13; 21:7; 47:2.

[50:15]  ¹⁸⁶¹ tn Heb “call [to] me in a day of trouble.”

[50:15]  ¹⁸⁶² sn In vv. 7-15 the Lord makes it clear that he was not rebuking Israel because they had failed to offer sacrifices (v. 8a). On the contrary, they had been faithful in doing so (v. 8b). However, their understanding of the essence of their relationship with God was confused. Apparently they believed that he needed/desired such sacrifices and that offering them would ensure their prosperity. But the Lord owns all the animals of the world and did not need Israel’s meager sacrifices (vv. 9-13). Other aspects of the relationship were more important to the Lord. He desired Israel to be thankful for his blessings (v. 14a), to demonstrate gratitude for his intervention by repaying the vows they made to him (v. 14b), and to acknowledge their absolute dependence on him (v. 15a). Rather than viewing their sacrifices as somehow essential to God’s well-being, they needed to understand their dependence on him.

[50:16]  ¹⁸⁶³ tn Heb “evil [one].” The singular adjective is used here in a representative sense; it refers to those within the larger covenant community who have blatantly violated the Lord’s commandments. In the psalms the “wicked” (רְשָׁעִים, rÿsha’im) are typically proud, practical atheists (Ps 10:2, 4, 11) who hate God’s commands, commit sinful deeds, speak lies and slander, and cheat others (Ps 37:21).

[50:16]  ¹⁸⁶⁴ tn Heb “What to you to declare my commands and lift up my covenant upon your mouth?” The rhetorical question expresses sarcastic amazement. The Lord is shocked that such evildoers would give lip-service to his covenantal demands, for their lifestyle is completely opposed to his standards (see vv. 18-20).

[50:17]  ¹⁸⁶⁵ tn Heb “and throw my words behind you.”

[50:18]  ¹⁸⁶⁶ tn Heb “you run with him.”

[50:18]  ¹⁸⁶⁷ tn Heb “and with adulterers [is] your portion.”

[50:19]  ¹⁸⁶⁸ tn Heb “your mouth you send with evil.”

[50:19]  ¹⁸⁶⁹ tn Heb “and your tongue binds together [i.e., “frames”] deceit.”

[50:20]  ¹⁸⁷⁰ tn Heb “you sit, against your brother you speak.” To “sit” and “speak” against someone implies plotting against that person (see Ps 119:23).

[50:20]  ¹⁸⁷¹ tn Heb “against the son of your mother you give a fault.”

[50:21]  ¹⁸⁷² tn Heb “these things you did and I was silent.” Some interpret the second clause (“and I was silent”) as a rhetorical question expecting a negative answer, “[When you do these things], should I keep silent?” (cf. NEB). See GKC 335 §112.cc.

[50:21]  ¹⁸⁷³ tn The Hebrew infinitive construct (הֱיוֹת, heyot) appears to function like the infinitive absolute here, adding emphasis to the following finite verbal form (אֶהְיֶה, ’ehyeh). See GKC 339-40 §113.a. Some prefer to emend הֱיוֹת (heyot) to the infinitive absolute form הָיוֹ (hayo).

[50:21]  ¹⁸⁷⁴ tn Or “rebuke” (see v. 8).

[50:21]  ¹⁸⁷⁵ tn Heb “and I will set in order [my case against you] to your eyes.” The cohortative form expresses the Lord’s resolve to accuse and judge the wicked.

[50:22]  ¹⁸⁷⁶ tn Heb “[you who] forget God.” “Forgetting God” here means forgetting about his commandments and not respecting his moral authority.

[50:22]  ¹⁸⁷⁷ sn Elsewhere in the psalms this verb is used (within a metaphorical framework) of a lion tearing its prey (see Pss 7:2; 17:12; 22:13).

[50:23]  ¹⁸⁷⁸ sn The reference to a thank-offering recalls the earlier statement made in v. 14. Gratitude characterizes genuine worship.

[50:23]  ¹⁸⁷⁹ tn Heb “and [to one who] sets a way I will show the deliverance of God.” Elsewhere the phrase “set a way” simply means “to travel” (see Gen 30:36; cf. NRSV). The present translation assumes an emendation of וְשָׂם דֶּרֶךְ (vÿsam derekh) to וְשֹׁמֵר דְּרָכַּי (vÿshomer dÿrakhay, “and [the one who] keeps my ways” [i.e., commands, see Pss 18:21; 37:34). Another option is to read וְשֹׁמֵר דַּרְכּוֹ (vÿshomer darko, “and [the one who] guards his way,” i.e., “the one who is careful to follow a godly lifestyle”; see Ps 39:1).