Discovery BoxPsalms 1:1--41:13
ContextBook 1
(Psalms 1-41)
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
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
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
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
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
you show favor to your people. 91 (Selah)
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
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
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
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
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!
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
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
For the music director, according to the gittith style; 232 a psalm of David.
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.
how magnificent 253 is your reputation 254 throughout the earth! 255
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
“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
Don’t let men be defiant! 301
May the nations be judged in your presence!
Let the nations know they are mere mortals! 303 (Selah)
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
“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
“God overlooks it;
he does not pay attention;
he never notices.” 333
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
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 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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
“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
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
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
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
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.
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
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!
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
“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
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
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
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)
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)
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
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,
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!
and among the worshipers I will praise the Lord.
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
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
Be strong and confident! 997
Rely on the Lord!
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
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
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.
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
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!
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
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.
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
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
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
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.
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!
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
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
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!
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
“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.
‘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
[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
[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.
[1:3] 19 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] 20 tn Heb “channels of water.”
[1:3] 22 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal forms in v. 3 draw attention to the typical nature of the actions/states they describe.
[1:3] 23 tn Heb “in its season.”
[1:3] 24 tn Or “fade”; “wither.”
[1:3] 25 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] 28 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] 29 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] 38 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] 39 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] 40 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] 46 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] 47 tn Heb “the
[1:6] 48 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] 55 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] 56 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] 57 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] 58 tn The interrogative לָמָּה (lamah, “why?”) is understood by ellipsis in the second line.
[2:1] 59 tn Or “peoples” (so many English versions).
[2:1] 60 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] 61 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] 64 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] 65 tn Or “take their stand.” The Hebrew imperfect verbal form describes their action as underway.
[2:2] 66 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] 67 tn Heb “and against his anointed one.” The Davidic king is the referent (see vv. 6-7).
[2:3] 73 tn The words “they say” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The quotation represents the words of the rebellious kings.
[2:3] 74 tn Heb “their (i.e., the
[2:3] 75 tn Heb “throw off from us.”
[2:4] 82 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] 83 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] 84 tn Or “scoffs at”; “derides”; “mocks.”
[2:5] 91 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] 92 tn The word “saying” is supplied in the translation for clarification to indicate that the speaker is the Lord (cf. RSV, NIV).
[2:6] 100 tn The first person pronoun appears before the first person verbal form for emphasis, reflected in the translation by “myself.”
[2:6] 101 tn Or perhaps “consecrated.”
[2:7] 109 tn The words “the king says” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The speaker is the Lord’s chosen king.
[2:7] 110 tn Or “I will relate the decree. The
[2:7] 111 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] 118 sn I will give you the nations. The
[2:9] 127 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] 128 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] 129 sn Like a potter’s jar. Before the Davidic king’s awesome power, the rebellious nations are like fragile pottery.
[2:10] 136 sn The speaker here is either the psalmist or the Davidic king, who now addresses the rebellious kings.
[2:10] 137 tn The Niphal has here a tolerative nuance; the kings are urged to submit themselves to the advice being offered.
[2:11] 145 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] 146 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] 154 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] 155 tn Throughout the translation of this verse the third person masculine pronouns refer to the
[2:12] 156 tn The implied subject of the verb is the
[2:12] 157 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] 158 tn Or “burns.” The
[2:12] 159 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] 160 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] 163 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] 164 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] 165 tn The Hebrew term מָה (mah, “how”) is used here as an adverbial exclamation (see BDB 553 s.v.).
[3:1] 166 tn Heb “many rise up against me.”
[3:2] 172 tn Heb “there is no deliverance for him in God.”
[3:2] 173 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] 181 tn Heb “a shield round about me.”
[3:3] 182 tn Heb “my glory,” or “my honor.” The psalmist affirms that the
[3:3] 183 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] 190 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] 191 sn His holy hill. That is, Zion (see Pss 2:6; 48:1-2). The psalmist recognizes that the
[3:5] 199 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
[3:5] 200 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
[3:6] 208 tn The imperfect verbal form here expresses the psalmist’s continuing attitude as he faces the crisis at hand.
[3:6] 209 tn Or perhaps “troops.” The Hebrew noun עָם (’am) sometimes refers to a military contingent or army.
[3:6] 210 tn Heb “who all around take a stand against me.”
[3:7] 217 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
[3:7] 218 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] 219 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] 220 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] 221 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] 226 tn Heb “to the
[3:8] 227 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] 235 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] 236 tn Heb “God of my righteousness.”
[4:1] 237 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] 238 tn Or “show me favor.”
[4:2] 244 tn Heb “sons of man.”
[4:2] 245 tn Heb “how long my honor to shame?”
[4:2] 246 tn The interrogative construction עַד־מֶה (’ad-meh, “how long?”), is understood by ellipsis in the second line.
[4:2] 248 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] 253 tn Heb “and know that.”
[4:3] 254 tn Heb “that the
[4:4] 262 sn The psalmist warns his enemies that they need to tremble with fear before God and repudiate their sinful ways.
[4:4] 263 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] 271 tn Or “proper, right.” The phrase also occurs in Deut 33:19 and Ps 51:19.
[4:5] 272 sn Trust in the
[4:6] 280 tn Heb “lift up upon us the light of your face,
[4:7] 289 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] 290 tn Heb “from (i.e., more than) the time (when) their grain and their wine are abundant.”
[4:8] 298 tn Heb “in peace at the same time I will lie down and sleep.”
[4:8] 299 tn Heb “for you,
[5:1] 307 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] 308 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] 310 tn Or “sighing.” The word occurs only here and in Ps 39:3.
[5:3] 316 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] 317 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, “
[5:3] 319 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] 320 tn Heb “and I will watch.”
[5:4] 326 tn Heb “not a God [who] delights [in] wickedness [are] you.”
[5:4] 327 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] 328 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] 334 tn Heb “before your eyes.”
[5:5] 335 sn You hate. The
[5:5] 336 tn Heb “all the workers of wickedness.”
[5:6] 343 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] 344 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] 345 tn The imperfect verbal form highlights the
[5:6] 346 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] 352 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] 353 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] 354 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] 361 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] 362 tn Heb “because of those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 27:11; 56:2.
[5:8] 363 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] 371 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] 372 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] 373 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] 374 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] 379 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] 380 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] 381 tn Or “banish them.”
[5:10] 382 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] 388 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] 389 tn The prefixed verbal form is a jussive of wish or prayer. The psalmist calls on God to reward his faithful followers.
[5:11] 390 tn Or perhaps more hyperbolically, “forever.”
[5:11] 391 tn As in the preceding line, the prefixed verbal form is a jussive of wish or prayer.
[5:11] 392 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] 393 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] 394 tn The vav (ו) with prefixed verbal form following the volitional “shelter them” indicates purpose or result (“so that those…may rejoice).
[5:12] 398 tn Or “bless.” The imperfect verbal forms here and in the next line highlight how God characteristically rewards and protects the godly.
[5:12] 399 tn Or “innocent.” The singular form is used here in a collective or representative sense.
[5:12] 400 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] 401 tn Heb “him.” The singular form is used here in a collective or representative sense and is thus translated “them.”
[5:12] 402 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] 406 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] 407 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] 408 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] 415 tn Or “show me favor.”
[6:2] 416 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] 424 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] 425 tn Heb “and you,
[6:4] 433 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] 434 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] 442 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] 443 tn The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “no one.”
[6:6] 451 tn Heb “I cause to swim through all the night my bed.”
[6:6] 452 tn Heb “with my tears my bed I flood/melt.”
[6:7] 460 tn The Hebrew text has the singular “eye” here.
[6:7] 461 tn Or perhaps, “are swollen.”
[6:7] 462 tn Or perhaps, “grow old.”
[6:7] 463 sn In his weakened condition the psalmist is vulnerable to the taunts and threats of his enemies.
[6:8] 469 tn Heb “all [you] workers of wickedness.” See Ps 5:5.
[6:8] 470 sn The
[6:9] 478 tn The prefixed verbal form is probably a preterite here; it is parallel to a perfect and refers to the fact that the
[6:10] 487 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] 488 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
[7:1] 496 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] 497 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] 498 tn Or “on account of.”
[7:1] 499 sn Apparently this individual named Cush was one of David’s enemies.
[7:1] 500 tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form probably refers here to a completed action with continuing results.
[7:2] 505 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] 506 tn Heb “my life.” The pronominal suffix attached to נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) is equivalent to a personal pronoun. See Ps 6:3.
[7:2] 507 tn Heb “tearing and there is no one rescuing.” The verbal form translated “tearing” is a singular active participle.
[7:3] 514 tn Heb “if I have done this.”
[7:3] 515 tn Heb “if there is injustice in my hands.” The “hands” figuratively suggest deeds or actions.
[7:4] 523 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] 524 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] 532 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] 533 tn Heb “my life.” The pronominal suffix attached to נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) is equivalent to a personal pronoun. See Ps 6:3.
[7:5] 534 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] 535 tn Heb “and may he trample down to the earth my life.”
[7:5] 536 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] 541 tn Heb “in your anger.”
[7:6] 542 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] 543 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] 550 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] 551 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] 559 sn The
[7:8] 560 tn Heb “judge me, O
[7:8] 561 tn Heb “according to my blamelessness.” The imperative verb translated “vindicate” governs the second line as well.
[7:8] 562 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] 568 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] 569 tn The prefixed verbal form is a jussive, expressing an imprecation here.
[7:9] 570 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] 571 tn The prefixed verbal form expresses the psalmist’s prayer or wish.
[7:9] 572 tn For other uses of the verb in this sense, see Job 7:18; Pss 11:4; 26:2; 139:23.
[7:9] 573 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] 577 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] 578 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] 586 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] 595 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] 596 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] 597 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] 604 tn Heb “and for him he prepares the weapons of death.”
[7:13] 605 tn Heb “his arrows into flaming [things] he makes.”
[7:14] 613 tn Heb “and he conceives harm and gives birth to a lie.”
[7:15] 622 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] 623 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] 631 tn Heb “his harm [i.e., the harm he conceived for others, see v. 14] returns on his head.”
[7:16] 632 tn Heb “and on his forehead his violence [i.e., the violence he intended to do to others] comes down.”
[7:17] 640 tn Heb “according to.”
[7:17] 641 tn Heb “[to] the name of the
[8:1] 649 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] 650 tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew term הגתית is uncertain; it probably refers to a musical style or type of instrument.
[8:1] 651 tn The plural form of the title emphasizes the
[8:1] 652 tn Or “awesome”; or “majestic.”
[8:1] 653 tn Heb “name,” which here stands metonymically for God’s reputation.
[8:1] 654 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] 658 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] 659 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] 667 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] 676 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] 677 tn Heb “remember him.”
[8:4] 678 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] 679 tn The two imperfect verbal forms in v. 4 describe God’s characteristic activity.
[8:5] 685 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] 686 tn Heb “you crown him [with].” The imperfect verbal forms in this and the next line describe God’s characteristic activity.
[8:5] 687 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] 694 tn Heb “you cause [i.e., “permit, allow”] him to rule over the works of your hands.”
[8:6] 695 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] 696 tn Heb “under his feet.”
[8:7] 703 tn Heb “and also the beasts of the field.”
[8:9] 721 tn The plural form of the title emphasizes the
[8:9] 722 tn Or “awesome, majestic.”
[8:9] 723 tn Heb “name,” which here stands metonymically for God’s reputation.
[8:9] 724 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] 730 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
[9:1] 731 tc The meaning of the Hebrew term עַלְמוּת (’almut) is uncertain. Some
[9:1] 732 tn The cohortative forms in vv. 1-2 express the psalmist’s resolve to praise God publicly.
[9:2] 739 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] 748 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
[9:4] 757 tn Heb “for you accomplished my justice and my legal claim.”
[9:4] 758 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] 766 tn The verb גָּעַר (ga’ar) is often understood to mean “rebuke” and in this context taken to refer to the
[9:5] 767 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] 768 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] 775 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
[9:6] 776 tn Heb “you uprooted cities.”
[9:6] 777 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] 784 tn The construction vav (ו) + subject highlights the contrast between the exalted
[9:7] 785 tn Heb “sits” (i.e., enthroned, see v. 4). The imperfect verbal form highlights the generalization.
[9:7] 786 tn Heb “he establishes for justice his throne.”
[9:8] 793 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] 802 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] 803 tn Heb “and the
[9:9] 804 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] 811 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
[9:10] 812 tn Heb “the ones who seek you.”
[9:11] 820 tn Heb “sits” (i.e., enthroned, and therefore ruling – see v. 4). Another option is to translate as “lives” or “dwells.”
[9:11] 821 tn Heb “declare among the nations his deeds.”
[9:12] 829 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] 830 tn Heb “did not forget.”
[9:12] 831 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] 838 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
[9:13] 839 tn Or “show me favor.”
[9:13] 840 tn Heb “see my misery from the ones who hate me.”
[9:13] 841 tn Heb “one who lifts me up.”
[9:14] 847 tn Or “so that I might.”
[9:14] 848 tn Heb “all your praise.” “Praise” stands by metonymy for the mighty acts that prompt it.
[9:14] 849 sn Daughter Zion is an idiomatic title for Jerusalem. It appears frequently in the prophets, but only here in the psalms.
[9:14] 850 tn Heb “in your deliverance.”
[9:15] 856 tn Heb “sank down.”
[9:15] 857 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] 865 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] 866 tn This is probably a technical musical term.
[9:17] 874 tn Heb “the wicked turn back to Sheol.” The imperfect verbal form either emphasizes what typically happens or describes vividly the aftermath of the
[9:17] 875 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] 876 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] 884 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] 892 sn Rise up,
[9:20] 901 tn Heb “place,
[9:20] 902 tn Heb “let the nations know they [are] man[kind]”; i.e., mere human beings (as opposed to God).
[10:1] 910 sn Psalm 10. Many Hebrew
[10:1] 911 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] 919 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] 920 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] 921 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] 928 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] 929 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] 930 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] 931 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] 932 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] 933 tn The conjunction “and” is supplied in the translation; it does not appear in the Hebrew text.
[10:3] 934 tn Another option is to translate, “he blesses one who robs others, [but] he curses the
[10:4] 937 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] 946 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] 947 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] 948 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] 955 tn Heb “he says in his heart/mind.”
[10:6] 956 tn Heb “for a generation and a generation.” The traditional accentuation of the MT understands these words with the following line.
[10:6] 957 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] 964 tn Heb “[with] a curse his mouth is full, and lies and injury.”
[10:7] 965 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] 973 tn Heb “he sits in the ambush of the villages.”
[10:8] 974 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] 982 tn Or “in its den.”
[10:9] 983 tn The verb, which also appears in the next line, occurs only here and in Judg 21:21.
[10:9] 984 tn The singular form is collective (see v. 10) or refers to the typical or representative oppressed individual.
[10:9] 985 tn Or “when he [i.e., the wicked man] pulls in his net.”
[10:10] 991 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] 1000 tn Heb “he says in his heart.” See v. 6.
[10:11] 1001 tn Heb “God forgets, he hides his face, he never sees.”
[10:12] 1009 sn Rise up, O
[10:12] 1010 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
[10:13] 1018 tn The rhetorical question expresses the psalmist’s outrage that the wicked would have the audacity to disdain God.
[10:13] 1019 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] 1020 tn Here the wicked man addresses God directly.
[10:13] 1021 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] 1027 tn Heb “you see.” One could translate the perfect as generalizing, “you do take notice.”
[10:14] 1028 tn If the preceding perfect is taken as generalizing, then one might understand כִּי (ki) as asseverative: “indeed, certainly.”
[10:14] 1029 tn Here the imperfect emphasizes God’s typical behavior.
[10:14] 1030 tn Heb “destruction and suffering,” which here refers metonymically to the wicked, who dish out pain and suffering to their victims.
[10:14] 1031 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] 1033 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] 1036 sn The arm symbolizes the strength of the wicked, which they use to oppress and exploit the weak.
[10:15] 1037 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] 1038 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] 1045 tn Heb “the
[10:16] 1046 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] 1054 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] 1056 tn Heb “you make firm their heart, you cause your ear to listen.”
[10:18] 1063 tn Heb “to judge (on behalf of),” or “by judging (on behalf of).”
[10:18] 1064 tn Heb “crushed.” See v. 10.
[10:18] 1065 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] 1072 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] 1073 tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form probably refers here to a completed action with continuing results.
[11:1] 1074 tn The pronominal suffix attached to נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) is equivalent to a personal pronoun. See Ps 6:3.
[11:1] 1075 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] 1081 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] 1082 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form depicts the enemies’ hostile action as underway.
[11:2] 1084 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] 1085 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] 1090 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] 1091 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] 1092 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] 1099 tn Because of the royal imagery involved here, one could translate “lofty palace.” The
[11:4] 1100 sn The
[11:4] 1101 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] 1102 tn The two Hebrew imperfect verbal forms in this verse describe the
[11:4] 1104 tn For other uses of the verb in this sense, see Job 7:18; Pss 7:9; 26:2; 139:23.
[11:4] 1105 tn Heb “test the sons of men.”
[11:5] 1108 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] 1109 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] 1110 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] 1111 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] 1112 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] 1117 tn The verb form is a jussive, indicating that the statement is imprecatory (“May the
[11:6] 1118 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] 1119 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] 1120 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] 1127 tn Or “righteous.”
[11:7] 1128 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] 1129 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] 1135 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] 1136 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] 1137 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] 1138 tn Or “have come to an end.”
[12:1] 1139 tn Heb “the faithful [ones] from the sons of man.”
[12:1] 1140 tn The Hebrew verb פָּסַס (pasas) occurs only here. An Akkadian cognate means “efface, blot out.”
[12:2] 1144 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] 1145 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] 1153 tn The verb form is a jussive, indicating that the statement is imprecatory (“May the
[12:3] 1154 tn Heb “a tongue speaking great [things].”
[12:4] 1162 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] 1163 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] 1164 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] 1165 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] 1171 tn The term translated “oppressed” is an objective genitive; the oppressed are the recipients/victims of violence.
[12:5] 1172 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] 1173 tn Heb “I will rise up.”
[12:5] 1174 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
[12:6] 1180 tn Heb “the words of the
[12:6] 1181 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] 1189 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] 1190 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
[12:8] 1198 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] 1199 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] 1207 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] 1208 tn Heb “will you forget me continually.”
[13:1] 1209 tn Heb “will you hide your face from me.”
[13:2] 1216 tn Heb “How long will I put counsel in my being?”
[13:2] 1217 tn Heb “[with] grief in my heart by day.”
[13:2] 1218 tn Heb “be exalted over me.” Perhaps one could translate, “How long will my enemy defeat me?”
[13:3] 1226 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] 1227 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.”
[13:5] 1243 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] 1244 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] 1252 tn The verb form is cohortative, indicating the psalmist’s resolve (or vow) to praise the
[13:6] 1253 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] 1261 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] 1262 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] 1263 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] 1264 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] 1265 tn Heb “there is none that does good.”
[14:2] 1270 sn The picture of the
[14:2] 1271 tn Heb “upon the sons of man.”
[14:2] 1272 tn Or “acts wisely.” The Hiphil is exhibitive.
[14:2] 1273 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] 1279 tn Heb “everyone turns aside.”
[14:3] 1280 tn Heb “together they are corrupt.”
[14:3] 1281 tn Heb “there is none that does good.”
[14:4] 1288 tn Heb “all the workers of wickedness.” See Pss 5:5; 6:8.
[14:4] 1289 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] 1297 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] 1298 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] 1306 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] 1307 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] 1308 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] 1315 sn The deliverance of Israel. This refers metonymically to God, the one who lives in Zion and provides deliverance for Israel.
[14:7] 1316 tn Heb “turns with a turning [toward] his people.” The Hebrew term שְׁבוּת (shÿvut) is apparently a cognate accusative of שׁוּב (shuv).
[14:7] 1317 tn The verb form is jussive.
[14:7] 1318 tn Because the parallel verb is jussive, this verb, which is ambiguous in form, should be taken as a jussive as well.
[15:1] 1324 sn Psalm 15. This psalm describes the character qualities that one must possess to be allowed access to the divine presence.
[15:1] 1325 tn Heb “Who may live as a resident alien in your tent?”
[15:1] 1326 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] 1333 tn Heb “one who walks blamelessly.”
[15:2] 1334 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] 1342 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] 1343 tn Heb “he does not slander upon his tongue.” For another example of רָגַל (ragal, “slander”) see 2 Sam 19:28.
[15:3] 1344 tn Or “his fellow.”
[15:3] 1345 tn Heb “and he does not lift up an insult against one who is near to him.”
[15:4] 1351 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] 1352 tn Heb “those who fear the
[15:4] 1353 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] 1360 sn He does not charge interest. Such an individual is truly generous, and not simply concerned with making a profit.
[15:5] 1361 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] 1362 tn Heb “does these things.”
[16:1] 1369 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] 1370 tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew term מִכְתָּם (mikhtam) is uncertain. HALOT 582-83 s.v. defines it as “inscription.”
[16:1] 1371 tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form probably refers here to a completed action with continuing results (see 7:1; 11:1).
[16:2] 1378 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] 1387 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] 1396 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] 1397 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] 1398 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] 1405 tn Heb “O
[16:5] 1406 tc Heb “you take hold of my lot.” The form תּוֹמִיךְ (tomikh) should be emended to a participle, תוֹמֵךְ (tomekh). The psalmist pictures the
[16:6] 1414 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] 1423 tn Heb “bless,” that is, “proclaim as worthy of praise.”
[16:7] 1425 tn Or “counsels, advises.”
[16:7] 1426 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
[16:8] 1432 tn Heb “I set the
[16:9] 1441 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] 1442 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] 1450 tn Or “my life.” The suffixed form of נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being”) is often equivalent to a pronoun in poetic texts.
[16:10] 1451 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] 1452 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] 1453 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] 1454 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] 1459 tn Heb “cause me to know”; or “cause me to experience.”
[16:11] 1460 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] 1461 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] 1462 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] 1468 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] 1469 tn Heb “hear,
[17:1] 1470 tn Heb “Listen to my prayer, [made] without lips of deceit.”
[17:2] 1477 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] 1478 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] 1486 tn Heb “you tested my heart.”
[17:3] 1487 tn Heb “you visited [at] night.”
[17:3] 1488 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] 1495 tn Heb “with regard to the deeds of man[kind].”
[17:4] 1496 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] 1504 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] 1505 tn Heb “my footsteps do not stagger.”
[17:6] 1513 tn Heb “Turn your ear toward me.”
[17:7] 1522 tn Heb “Set apart faithful acts.”
[17:7] 1523 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] 1531 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] 1532 sn Your wings. The metaphor compares God to a protective mother bird.
[17:9] 1540 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] 1541 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] 1542 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] 1549 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] 1550 tn Heb “[with] their mouth they speak with arrogance.”
[17:11] 1558 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] 1559 tn Heb “their eyes they set to bend down in the ground.”
[17:12] 1567 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] 1568 tn Heb “his likeness [is] like a lion.”
[17:12] 1569 tn Heb “[that] longs to tear.”
[17:12] 1570 tn Heb “sitting.”
[17:13] 1576 tn Heb “Be in front of his face.”
[17:13] 1577 tn Or “bring him to his knees.”
[17:13] 1578 tn Heb “rescue my life from the wicked [one] [by] your sword.”
[17:14] 1585 tc Heb “from men [by] your hand,
[17:14] 1586 tn Heb “from men, from [the] world.” On the emendation of “men” to “murderers,” see the preceding note on the word “murderers.”
[17:14] 1587 tn Heb “their portion, in life.”
[17:14] 1588 tn Heb “and [with] your treasures you fill their belly.”
[17:14] 1589 tn Heb “they are satisfied [with] sons and leave their abundance to their children.”
[17:15] 1594 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] 1595 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] 1603 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] 1605 tn Heb “in the day,” or “at the time.”
[18:1] 1607 tn Heb “and from the hand of Saul.”
[18:1] 1608 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] 1609 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] 1610 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] 1612 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] 1613 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] 1615 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] 1616 tn Heb “the horn of my salvation”; or “my saving horn.”
[18:2] 1617 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] 1621 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] 1622 tn Heb “worthy of praise, I cried out [to] the
[18:4] 1630 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] 1631 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] 1632 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] 1633 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] 1639 tn Heb “surrounded me.”
[18:5] 1640 tn Heb “confronted me.”
[18:6] 1648 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] 1649 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] 1650 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] 1657 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] 1658 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] 1659 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] 1666 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] 1667 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] 1668 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] 1669 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] 1675 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
[18:10] 1684 tn Or “rode upon.”
[18:10] 1685 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] 1686 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] 1687 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] 1693 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] 1694 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] 1702 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] 1711 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] 1712 tn 2 Sam 22:14 has “from.”
[18:13] 1713 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] 1714 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] 1720 tn 2 Sam 22:15 omits the pronominal suffix (“his”).
[18:14] 1721 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] 1722 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] 1723 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] 1729 tn Or “channels.”
[18:15] 1730 tc Ps 18:15 reads “water” (cf. Ps 42:1); “sea” is the reading of 2 Sam 22:16.
[18:15] 1731 tn Or “foundations.”
[18:15] 1732 tn Heb “from.” The preposition has a causal sense here.
[18:15] 1733 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] 1734 tn 2 Sam 22:16 reads “by the battle cry of the
[18:16] 1738 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] 1739 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] 1747 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] 1756 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] 1757 tn Heb “became my support.”
[18:19] 1765 tn Or “delighted in me.”
[18:20] 1774 tn In this poetic narrative context the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite indicating past tense, not imperfect.
[18:20] 1775 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
[18:20] 1776 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] 1777 tn Heb “according to the purity of my hands he repaid to me.” “Hands” suggest activity and behavior.
[18:21] 1783 tn Heb “for I have kept the ways of the
[18:21] 1784 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] 1792 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] 1793 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] 1801 tn Heb “from my sin,” that is, from making it my own in any way.
[18:24] 1810 tn Heb “according to my righteousness.”
[18:24] 1811 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] 1819 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] 1820 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] 1821 tn Or “innocent.”
[18:25] 1822 tn Heb “a man of innocence.”
[18:26] 1828 tn Or “blameless.”
[18:26] 1829 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] 1830 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] 1837 tn Or perhaps, “humble” (note the contrast with those who are proud).
[18:27] 1838 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] 1846 tn Or “for.” The translation assumes that כִּי (ki)is asseverative here.
[18:28] 1847 tn Ps 18:28 reads literally, “you light my lamp,
[18:28] 1848 tn 2 Sam 22:29 repeats the name “
[18:28] 1849 tn Heb “my darkness.”
[18:29] 1855 tn Or “for.” The translation assumes that כִּי (ki) is asseverative here.
[18:29] 1857 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] 1858 tn More specifically, the noun גְּדוּד (gÿdud) refers to a raiding party or to a contingent of troops.
[18:29] 1859 tn Heb “and by my God.”
[18:29] 1860 sn I can jump over a wall. The psalmist uses hyperbole to emphasize his God-given military superiority.
[18:30] 1864 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] 1865 sn The
[18:30] 1866 tn Heb “the word of the
[18:30] 1867 sn Take shelter. See the note on the word “shelter” in v. 2.
[18:31] 1874 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] 1875 tn The rhetorical questions anticipate the answer, “No one.” In this way the psalmist indicates that the
[18:32] 1882 tn Heb “the God.” The prefixed article emphasizes the
[18:32] 1883 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] 1884 tn 2 Sam 22:33 reads, “the God is my strong refuge.”
[18:32] 1885 tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries along the generalizing force of the preceding participle.
[18:32] 1886 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] 1891 tn Heb “[the one who] makes my feet like [those of ] a deer.”
[18:33] 1892 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] 1900 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] 1901 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] 1909 tn Heb “and you give to me the shield of your deliverance.”
[18:35] 1910 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] 1911 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] 1912 tn Heb “makes me great.”
[18:36] 1918 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] 1919 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] 1927 tn 2 Sam 22:38 reads “destroy.”
[18:38] 1936 tn Or “smash them.” 2 Sam 22:39 reads, “and I wiped them out and smashed them.”
[18:38] 1937 tn Heb “until they are unable to rise.” 2 Sam 22:39 reads, “until they do not rise.”
[18:38] 1938 sn They fall at my feet. For ancient Near Eastern parallels, see O. Keel, The Symbolism of the Biblical World, 294-97.
[18:39] 1945 tn Heb “clothed me.” See v. 32.
[18:39] 1946 tn Heb “you make those who rise against me kneel beneath me.”
[18:40] 1954 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] 1955 sn Those who hate me. See v. 17, where it is the
[18:41] 1963 tn Heb “but there is no deliverer.”
[18:41] 1964 tn Heb “to the
[18:42] 1972 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] 1973 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.
[18:43] 1981 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] 1982 tn 2 Sam 22:44 reads, “you keep me.”
[18:43] 1983 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] 1990 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] 1991 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] 1999 tn Heb “wither, wear out.”
[18:45] 2000 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] 2002 tn Heb “their prisons.” The besieged cities of the foreigners are compared to prisons.
[18:46] 2008 tn Elsewhere the construction חַי־יְהוָה (khay-yÿhvah) is used exclusively as an oath formula, “as surely as the
[18:46] 2009 tn Heb “my rocky cliff,” which is a metaphor for protection. See similar phrases in vv. 2, 31.
[18:46] 2010 tn Or “blessed [i.e., praised] be.”
[18:46] 2011 tn Heb “the God of my deliverance.” 2 Sam 22:48 reads, “the God of the rocky cliff of my deliverance.”
[18:46] 2012 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] 2017 tn Heb “the God.” See v. 32.
[18:47] 2018 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] 2019 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] 2026 tn Heb “[the one who] delivers me.” 2 Sam 22:49 reads “and [the one who] brings me out.”
[18:48] 2027 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
[18:48] 2028 tn Heb “from those who rise against me.”
[18:49] 2035 sn I will give you thanks before the nations. This probably alludes to the fact that the psalmist will praise the
[18:49] 2036 tn Heb “to your name.” God’s “name” refers metonymically to his divine characteristics as suggested by his name, in this case “
[18:50] 2044 tn Or “the one who.”
[18:50] 2045 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] 2046 tn Heb “[the one who] does loyalty.”
[18:50] 2047 tn Heb “his anointed [one],” i.e., the psalmist/Davidic king. See Ps 2:2.
[18:50] 2048 tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”
[18:50] 2049 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] 2053 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] 2054 sn God’s glory refers here to his royal majesty and power.
[19:1] 2055 tn Heb “and the work of his hands the sky declares.” The participles emphasize the ongoing testimony of the heavens/sky.
[19:2] 2062 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] 2063 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] 2071 tn Heb “their.” The antecedent of the plural pronoun is “heavens” (v. 1).
[19:4] 2080 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] 2081 tn Heb “goes out,” or “proceeds forth.”
[19:4] 2082 tn Heb “their” (see the note on the word “its” in v. 3).
[19:4] 2083 tn The verb is supplied in the translation. The Hebrew text has no verb; יָצָא (yatsa’, “goes out”) is understood by ellipsis.
[19:4] 2084 tn Heb “to the end of the world.”
[19:4] 2085 tn Heb “in them” (i.e., the heavens).
[19:4] 2086 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] 2089 tn The participle expresses the repeated or regular nature of the action.
[19:5] 2090 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] 2091 tn The imperfect verbal form draws attention to the regularity of the action.
[19:5] 2092 tn Heb “[on] a path.”
[19:6] 2098 tn Heb “from the end of the heavens [is] its going forth.”
[19:6] 2099 tn Heb “and its circuit [is] to their ends.”
[19:6] 2100 tn Heb “is hidden from.”
[19:7] 2107 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] 2108 tn Traditionally, “the testimony of the
[19:7] 2109 tn God’s covenant contains a clear, reliable witness to his moral character and demands.
[19:7] 2110 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] 2116 tn Or “just.” Perhaps the idea is that they impart a knowledge of what is just and right.
[19:8] 2117 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] 2118 tn Heb “command.” The singular here refers to the law as a whole.
[19:8] 2119 tn Because they reflect God’s character, his commands provide a code of moral and ethical purity.
[19:8] 2120 tn Heb [they] enlighten [the] eyes.
[19:9] 2125 tn Heb “the fear of the
[19:9] 2126 tn Heb “[it] stands permanently.”
[19:9] 2127 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] 2134 tn Heb “more desirable.”
[19:10] 2135 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] 2143 tn Heb “moreover your servant is warned by them.”
[19:11] 2144 tn Heb “in the keeping of them [there is] a great reward.”
[19:12] 2152 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] 2153 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] 2161 tn Or “presumptuous.”
[19:13] 2162 tn Heb “let them not rule over me.”
[19:14] 2170 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] 2171 tn Heb “my rocky cliff,” which is a metaphor for protection; thus the translation “sheltering rock.”
[19:14] 2172 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] 2179 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] 2180 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
[20:1] 2181 sn May the
[20:1] 2182 tn Heb “in a day of trouble.”
[20:1] 2183 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] 2188 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] 2197 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] 2198 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] 2206 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] 2207 sn May he bring all your plans to pass. This probably refers to the king’s strategy for battle.
[20:5] 2215 sn Your victory. Here the king is addressed (see v. 1).
[20:5] 2216 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] 2225 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
[20:6] 2226 tn Heb “his anointed one.” This title refers to the Davidic king. See Pss 2:2 and 18:50.
[20:6] 2227 tn Heb “he will answer him.”
[20:6] 2228 tn Heb “from his holy heavens.”
[20:6] 2229 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] 2233 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] 2234 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] 2235 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
[20:8] 2242 tn Or “stumble and fall down.”
[20:8] 2243 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] 2244 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] 2251 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
[20:9] 2252 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] 2253 tn Heb “in the day we call.”
[21:1] 2260 sn Psalm 21. The psalmist praises the Lord for the way he protects and blesses the Davidic king.
[21:1] 2261 tn Heb “in your strength.” The translation interprets the pronominal suffix as subjective, rather than merely descriptive (or attributive).
[21:1] 2262 tn Heb “and in your deliverance, how greatly he rejoices.”
[21:2] 2269 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] 2270 tn Heb “and the request of his lips you do not refuse.”
[21:3] 2278 tn Or “meet him [with].”
[21:3] 2280 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] 2287 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] 2288 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] 2296 tn Or “great glory.”
[21:5] 2297 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] 2305 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] 2314 tn The active participle draws attention to the ongoing nature of the action.
[21:7] 2315 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] 2316 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] 2323 tn The king is now addressed. One could argue that the
[21:8] 2324 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] 2325 tn Heb “your right hand finds those who hate you.”
[21:9] 2332 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] 2333 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] 2334 tn Heb “the
[21:10] 2341 tn Heb “fruit.” The next line makes it clear that offspring is in view.
[21:10] 2343 tn Heb “sons of man.”
[21:11] 2351 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] 2353 tn Heb “they lack ability.”
[21:12] 2359 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] 2360 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] 2368 tn Heb “in your strength,” but English idiom does not require the pronoun.
[21:13] 2369 tn Heb “sing praise.”
[22:1] 2377 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] 2378 tn Heb “according to the doe of the dawn.” Apparently this refers to a particular musical tune or style.
[22:1] 2379 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] 2380 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] 2386 tn Heb “there is no silence to me.”
[22:3] 2395 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
[22:4] 2405 tn The words “in you” are supplied in the translation. They are understood by ellipsis (see the preceding line).
[22:5] 2413 tn Or “were not ashamed.”
[22:6] 2422 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] 2423 tn The metaphor expresses the psalmist’s self-perception, which is based on how others treat him (see the following line).
[22:6] 2424 tn Or “not a human being.” The psalmist perceives himself as less than human.
[22:6] 2425 tn Heb “a reproach of man and despised by people.”
[22:7] 2431 tn Or “scoff at, deride, mock.”
[22:7] 2432 tn Heb “they separate with a lip.” Apparently this refers to their verbal taunting.
[22:7] 2433 sn Shake their heads. Apparently this refers to a taunting gesture. See also Job 16:4; Ps 109:25; Lam 2:15.
[22:8] 2440 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] 2441 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
[22:8] 2442 tn Heb “Let him”; the referent (the
[22:8] 2443 tn Heb “Let him”; the referent (the
[22:8] 2444 tn That is, “for he [the
[22:9] 2449 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] 2458 tn Heb “upon you I was cast from [the] womb.”
[22:10] 2459 tn Heb “from the womb of my mother you [have been] my God.”
[22:11] 2467 tn Heb “and there is no helper.”
[22:12] 2476 sn The psalmist figuratively compares his enemies to dangerous bulls.
[22:12] 2477 sn Bashan, located east of the Jordan River, was well-known for its cattle. See Ezek 39:18; Amos 4:1.
[22:13] 2485 tn “They” refers to the psalmist’s enemies, who in the previous verse are described as “powerful bulls.”
[22:13] 2486 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] 2487 tn Heb “a lion ripping and roaring.”
[22:14] 2494 tn Heb “like water I am poured out.”
[22:14] 2495 sn The heart is viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s strength and courage.
[22:15] 2503 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] 2504 tn Cf. NEB “my jaw”; NASB, NRSV “my jaws”; NIV “the roof of my mouth.”
[22:15] 2505 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] 2506 sn The imperfect verbal form draws attention to the progressive nature of the action. The psalmist is in the process of dying.
[22:16] 2513 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] 2521 tn The imperfect verbal forms in vv. 17-18 draw attention to the progressive nature of the action.
[22:17] 2522 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] 2523 tn Heb “they gaze, they look upon me.”
[22:18] 2530 tn Heb “casting lots.” The precise way in which this would have been done is not certain.
[22:19] 2539 tn Heb “O my strength.”
[22:19] 2540 tn Heb “hurry to my help.”
[22:20] 2549 tn The verb “save” is supplied in the translation; it is understood by ellipsis (see “deliver” in the preceding line).
[22:20] 2550 tn Heb “my only one.” The psalmist may mean that his life is precious, or that he feels isolated and alone.
[22:20] 2551 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] 2557 sn The psalmist again compares his enemies to vicious dogs and ferocious lions (see vv. 13, 16).
[22:21] 2558 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] 2559 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] 2566 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] 2575 tn Heb “[you] fearers of the
[22:23] 2576 tn Heb “fear him.”
[22:24] 2584 tn Or “affliction”; or “need.”
[22:24] 2585 sn In this verse the psalmist refers to himself in the third person and characterizes himself as oppressed.
[22:24] 2586 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).
[22:25] 2593 tn Heb “from with you [is] my praise.”
[22:25] 2594 tn Heb “my vows I will fulfill before those who fear him.” When asking the
[22:26] 2602 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] 2603 tn Heb “may your heart[s].”
[22:27] 2611 tn Heb “may all the ends of the earth remember and turn to the
[22:27] 2612 tn Heb “families of the nations.”
[22:27] 2613 tn Heb “before you.”
[22:28] 2620 tn Heb “for to the
[22:29] 2629 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
[22:29] 2630 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
[22:29] 2631 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] 2632 tn Heb “and his life he does not revive.”
[22:30] 2638 tn Heb “offspring.”
[22:30] 2639 tn Heb “it will be told concerning the Lord to the generation.” The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[22:31] 2647 tn Heb “his righteousness.” Here the noun צִדָקָה (tsidaqah) refers to the Lord’s saving deeds whereby he vindicates the oppressed.
[22:31] 2648 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] 2656 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] 2657 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] 2658 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] 2665 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] 2666 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] 2674 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] 2675 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] 2676 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] 2677 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] 2683 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] 2684 tn The imperfect verbal forms in v. 4, as in vv. 1-3, highlight what is typical in the psalmist’s experience.
[23:4] 2685 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] 2686 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] 2692 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] 2693 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] 2694 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] 2701 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] 2702 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] 2703 tn Heb “all the days of my life.”
[23:6] 2704 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
[23:6] 2705 tn Heb “the house of the
[23:6] 2706 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
[24:1] 2710 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] 2719 tn The prefixed verbal form is understood as a preterite, referring to the creation of the world.
[24:2] 2720 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] 2728 tn The imperfects in v. 3 are modal, expressing potential or permission.
[24:3] 2729 sn In this context the Lord’s mountain probably refers to Zion/Jerusalem (see Isa 2:2-3).
[24:4] 2737 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] 2738 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
[24:4] 2739 tn Heb “and does not swear an oath deceitfully.”
[24:5] 2746 tn Heb “he (the righteous individual described in v. 4) lifts up a blessing from the
[24:5] 2747 tn “and vindication from the God of his deliverance.”
[24:6] 2755 tn Heb “this [is the] generation of the ones seeking him, the ones seeking your face, Jacob.” To “seek the
[24:7] 2764 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] 2765 tn Heb “lift yourselves up.”
[24:7] 2766 tn Or “king of glory.”
[24:7] 2767 tn Following the imperatives of the preceding lines, the prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose or result.
[24:8] 2773 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] 2782 tn Traditionally, “the
[25:1] 2791 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] 2792 tn Heb “to you, O
[25:3] 2800 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] 2809 sn Teach me your paths. In this context the
[25:5] 2818 sn The
[25:6] 2827 tn That is, “remember” with the intention of repeating.
[25:6] 2828 tn Heb “for from antiquity [are] they.”
[25:7] 2836 tn Heb “do not remember,” with the intention of punishing.
[25:7] 2837 sn That is, the sins characteristic of youths, who lack moral discretion and wisdom.
[25:7] 2838 tn Heb “according to your faithfulness, remember me, you, for the sake of your goodness, O
[25:8] 2845 tn Heb “good and just.”
[25:8] 2846 tn Heb “teaches sinners in the way.”
[25:9] 2854 tn The prefixed verbal form is jussive; the psalmist expresses his prayer.
[25:9] 2855 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] 2856 tn The prefixed verbal form is interpreted as a jussive (it stands parallel to the jussive form, “may he guide”).
[25:10] 2863 tn Heb “all the paths of the
[25:10] 2864 tn Heb “to the ones who keep his covenant and his testimonies.”
[25:11] 2872 tn Heb “name.” By forgiving the sinful psalmist, the
[25:11] 2873 sn Forgive my sin, because it is great. The psalmist readily admits his desperate need for forgiveness.
[25:12] 2881 tn Heb “Who is this man, the one who fears the
[25:13] 2890 tn Heb “his life in goodness dwells.” The singular is representative (see v. 14).
[25:13] 2891 tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”
[25:14] 2899 tn Heb “the advice of the
[25:14] 2900 tn Heb “and his covenant, to make them know.”
[25:15] 2908 tn Heb “my eyes continually [are] toward the
[25:15] 2909 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] 2917 tn That is, helpless and vulnerable.
[25:17] 2926 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] 2927 tn Heb “from my distresses lead me out.”
[25:18] 2935 tn Heb “lift up all my sins.”
[25:19] 2944 tn Heb “see my enemies for they are numerous, and [with] violent hatred they hate me.”
[25:22] 2963 tn Heb “his distresses.”
[26:1] 2971 sn Psalm 26. The author invites the Lord to test his integrity, asserts his innocence and declares his loyalty to God.
[26:1] 2972 tn Heb “for I in my integrity walk.”
[26:2] 2980 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] 2989 tn Heb “for your faithfulness [is] before my eyes.”
[26:3] 2990 tn Heb “and I walk about in your loyalty.”
[26:4] 2999 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] 3000 tn Heb “[those who] conceal themselves.”
[26:5] 3007 tn Heb “assembly, company.”
[26:5] 3008 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] 3016 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] 3017 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] 3025 tn Heb “to cause to be heard the sound of thanksgiving.”
[26:7] 3026 tn The two infinitival forms (both with prefixed preposition -לְ, lamed) give the purpose for his appearance at the altar.
[26:8] 3034 tn Heb “the dwelling of your house.”
[26:8] 3035 tn Heb “the place of the abode of your splendor.”
[26:9] 3043 tn Heb “do not gather up my life with.”
[26:9] 3044 tn Heb “or with men of bloodshed my life.” The verb is supplied; it is understood by ellipsis (see the preceding line).
[26:10] 3052 tn Heb “who [have] in their hands evil.”
[26:10] 3053 tn Heb “and their right hand is full of a bribe.”
[26:11] 3061 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] 3062 tn Or “redeem me.”
[26:12] 3070 tn Heb “my foot stands in a level place.”
[27:1] 3079 sn Psalm 27. The author is confident of the Lord’s protection and asks the Lord to vindicate him.
[27:1] 3080 tn Heb “the
[27:1] 3081 tn Heb “Whom shall I fear?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “No one!”
[27:1] 3082 tn Heb “Of whom shall I be afraid?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “No one!”
[27:2] 3088 tn Heb “draw near to me.”
[27:2] 3089 sn To devour my flesh. The psalmist compares his enemies to dangerous, hungry predators (see 2 Kgs 9:36; Ezek 39:17).
[27:2] 3090 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] 3091 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] 3097 tn Heb “my heart does not fear.”
[27:3] 3098 tn Heb “if war rises up against me.”
[27:3] 3099 tn Heb “in this [i.e., “during this situation”] I am trusting.”
[27:4] 3106 tn Heb “my living.”
[27:4] 3107 sn The
[27:5] 3115 tn Or “for he will.” The translation assumes the כִּי (ki) is asseverative here, rather than causal.
[27:5] 3116 tn Heb “he will hide me in his hut.”
[27:5] 3119 tn The three imperfect verb forms in v. 5 anticipate a positive response to the prayer offered in vv. 7-12.
[27:5] 3120 tn Heb “on a rocky summit he lifts me up.” The
[27:6] 3124 tn Heb “and now my head will be lifted up over my enemies all around me.”
[27:6] 3125 tn Heb “I will sacrifice in his tent sacrifices of a shout for joy” (that is, “sacrifices accompanied by a joyful shout”).
[27:7] 3133 tn Heb “my voice.”
[27:8] 3142 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
[27:8] 3143 tn Heb “your face, O
[27:9] 3151 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] 3152 tn Or “[source of] help.”
[27:10] 3160 tn Or “though my father and mother have abandoned me.”
[27:10] 3161 tn Heb “gather me in”; or “receive me.”
[27:11] 3169 tn Heb “teach me your way.” The
[27:11] 3170 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] 3171 tn Heb “because of those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 5:8; 54:5; 56:2.
[27:12] 3178 tn Heb “do not give me over to the desire of my enemies.”
[27:12] 3179 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] 3187 tn In the Hebrew text the sentence is incomplete: “If I had not believed [I would] see the goodness of the
[27:14] 3197 tn Heb “be strong and let your heart be confident.”
[28:1] 3205 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] 3206 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] 3207 tn Heb “do not be deaf from me.”
[28:1] 3208 tn Heb “lest [if] you are silent from me.”
[28:1] 3209 tn Heb “I will be equal with.”
[28:1] 3210 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] 3214 sn I lift my hands. Lifting one’s hands toward God was a gesture of prayer.
[28:2] 3215 tn The Hebrew term דְּבִיר (dÿvir, “temple”) actually refers to the most holy place within the sanctuary.
[28:3] 3223 tn Heb “workers of wickedness.”
[28:3] 3224 tn Heb “speakers of peace with their neighbors.”
[28:3] 3225 tn Heb “and evil [is] in their heart[s].”
[28:4] 3232 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] 3241 tn Heb “or the work of his hands.” In this context “the
[28:5] 3242 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the
[28:5] 3243 tn Heb “will tear them down and not rebuild them.” The ungodly are compared to a structure that is permanently demolished.
[28:6] 3250 tn Heb “blessed [be] the
[28:6] 3251 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] 3259 tn Heb “The
[28:7] 3260 tn Heb “in him my heart trusts.”
[28:7] 3261 tn Or “I am helped.”
[28:7] 3262 tn Heb “and my heart exults.”
[28:7] 3263 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] 3268 tn Heb “the
[28:8] 3269 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] 3278 tn Heb “your inheritance.” The parallelism (note “your people”) indicates that Israel is in view.
[28:9] 3279 tn Heb “shepherd them and lift them up.”
[29:1] 3286 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] 3287 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] 3288 tn Or “ascribe to the
[29:2] 3295 tn Heb “ascribe to the
[29:2] 3296 tn That is, properly dressed for the occasion.
[29:3] 3304 tn Heb “the voice of the
[29:3] 3305 tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form is probably descriptive. In dramatic fashion the psalmist portrays the
[29:3] 3306 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
[29:4] 3313 tn Heb “the voice of the
[29:4] 3314 tn Heb “the voice of the
[29:5] 3322 tn The Hebrew participial form draws attention to the durative nature of the action being described.
[29:5] 3323 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] 3324 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] 3331 sn Sirion is another name for Mount Hermon (Deut 3:9).
[29:6] 3332 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] 3340 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
[29:7] 3341 sn The
[29:8] 3349 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal forms are descriptive in function; the psalmist depicts the action as underway.
[29:8] 3350 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] 3358 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form is descriptive in function; the psalmist depicts the action as underway.
[29:9] 3359 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
[29:9] 3360 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] 3361 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] 3362 tn Heb “In his temple, all of it says, ‘Glory.’”
[29:10] 3367 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] 3368 tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries the descriptive function of the preceding perfect.
[29:11] 3376 tn The imperfect verbal forms in v. 11 are either descriptive or generalizing.
[29:11] 3377 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] 3378 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
[30:1] 3385 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] 3386 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] 3387 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
[30:2] 3394 sn You healed me. Apparently the psalmist was plagued by a serious illness that threatened his life. See Ps 41.
[30:3] 3404 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] 3412 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] 3413 tn Heb “to his holy remembrance.” The noun זֵכֵר (zekher, “remembrance”) here refers to the name of the
[30:5] 3421 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] 3422 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] 3430 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] 3439 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] 3440 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] 3448 tn The prefixed verbal forms in v. 8 are probably preterites; the psalmist recalls that he prayed in his time of crisis.
[30:9] 3457 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] 3458 tn Heb “What profit [is there] in my blood?” “Blood” here represents his life.
[30:9] 3459 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] 3460 tn Heb “dust.” The words “of the grave” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[30:9] 3461 tn The rhetorical questions anticipate the answer, “Of course not!”
[30:10] 3466 tn Heb “be a helper to me.”
[30:11] 3475 sn Covered me with joy. “Joy” probably stands metonymically for festive attire here.
[30:12] 3484 tn Heb “so that”; or “in order that.”
[30:12] 3485 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.
[31:1] 3493 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] 3494 tn Heb “in your vindication rescue me.”
[31:2] 3502 tn Heb “turn toward me your ear.”
[31:2] 3503 tn Heb “become for me a rocky summit of refuge.”
[31:2] 3504 tn Heb “a house of strongholds to deliver me.”
[31:3] 3511 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] 3512 tn Heb “name.” The Hebrew term שֵׁם (shem, “name”) refers here to the
[31:3] 3513 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] 3520 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] 3529 tn Heb “my spirit.” The noun רוּחַ (ruakh, “spirit”) here refers to the animating spirit that gives the psalmist life.
[31:5] 3530 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] 3538 tn Heb “the ones who observe vain things of falsehood.” See Jonah 2:9.
[31:7] 3547 tn Heb “you know the distresses of my life.”
[31:8] 3556 tn Heb “you cause my feet to stand.”
[31:9] 3565 tn Or perhaps, “are swollen.”
[31:9] 3566 tn Cf. Ps 6:7, which has a similar line.
[31:9] 3567 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] 3574 tn Heb “and my years in groaning.”
[31:10] 3575 tn Heb “stumbles in.”
[31:10] 3576 tn Heb “grow weak.”
[31:11] 3583 tn Heb “because of all my enemies I am a reproach.”
[31:11] 3584 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] 3585 tn Heb “and [an object of ] horror to those known by me.”
[31:12] 3592 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] 3593 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] 3601 tn Heb “the report of many.”
[31:13] 3602 tn Heb “the terror from all around.”
[31:15] 3610 tn Heb “in your hand [are] my times.”
[31:16] 3619 tn Heb “cause your face to shine.”
[31:17] 3628 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] 3637 tn Heb “the [ones which].”
[31:19] 3646 tn Or “How abundant are your blessings!”
[31:19] 3647 tn Heb “for those who fear you.”
[31:19] 3648 tn “Taking shelter” in the
[31:19] 3649 tn Heb “you work [your favor] for the ones seeking shelter in you before the sons of men.”
[31:20] 3655 tn The noun רֹכֶס (rokhes) occurs only here. Its meaning is debated; some suggest “snare,” while others propose “slander” or “conspiracy.”
[31:20] 3656 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] 3657 tn Heb “you conceal them in a shelter from the strife of tongues.”
[31:21] 3664 tn Heb “blessed [be] the
[31:21] 3665 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
[31:22] 3673 tn Heb “and I, I said in my haste.”
[31:22] 3674 tn Heb “from before your eyes.”
[31:23] 3682 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] 3683 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] 3691 tn Heb “be strong and let your heart[s] be confident.”
[32:1] 3700 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] 3701 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] 3702 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] 3703 tn Heb “lifted up.”
[32:1] 3704 tn Heb “covered over.”
[32:2] 3709 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] 3710 tn Heb “blessed [is] the man to whom the
[32:2] 3711 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] 3718 tn Heb “when I was silent.”
[32:3] 3719 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] 3727 tn Heb “your hand was heavy upon me.”
[32:4] 3728 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] 3729 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] 3730 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] 3736 tn The Hiphil of ידה normally means “give thanks, praise,” but here, as in Prov 28:13, it means “confess.”
[32:5] 3737 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] 3745 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] 3746 tn Heb “at a time of finding.” This may mean, “while there is time to ‘find’ [the
[32:6] 3747 tn The Hebrew term רַק (raq) occasionally has an asseverative force.
[32:6] 3748 sn The surging water is here a metaphor for trouble that endangers one’s life.
[32:6] 3749 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] 3754 tn Heb “[with] shouts of joy of deliverance you surround me.”
[32:8] 3763 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
[32:8] 3764 tn Heb “I will instruct you and I will teach you in the way [in] which you should walk.”
[32:8] 3765 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
[32:9] 3772 tn The verb form is plural (i.e., “do not all of you be”); the psalmist addresses the whole group.
[32:9] 3773 tn Heb “like a horse, like a mule without understanding.”
[32:9] 3774 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] 3781 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] 3782 tn Heb “but the one who trusts in the
[32:11] 3790 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
[33:1] 3799 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] 3808 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] 3809 tn Heb “play skillfully with a loud shout.”
[33:4] 3817 sn For the
[33:4] 3818 tn Heb “word.” In this context, which depicts the
[33:4] 3820 tn Heb “and all his work [is] in faithfulness.”
[33:5] 3826 tn Heb “loves.” The verb “loves” is here metonymic; the
[33:5] 3827 tn Heb “fills the earth.”
[33:6] 3836 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] 3844 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
[33:7] 3845 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] 3853 tn In this context “fear” probably means “to demonstrate respect for the
[33:9] 3862 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] 3863 tn Heb “he commanded.”
[33:10] 3871 tn Heb “breaks” or “destroys.” The Hebrew perfect verbal forms here and in the next line generalize about the
[33:10] 3872 tn Heb “thoughts.”
[33:11] 3880 tn Heb “the thoughts of his heart for generation to generation.” The verb “abides” is supplied in the translation. The
[33:12] 3889 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] 3890 tn Heb “inheritance.”
[33:13] 3898 tn The Hebrew perfect verbal forms in v. 13 state general facts.
[33:13] 3899 tn Heb “all the sons of men.”
[33:15] 3907 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
[33:17] 3916 tn Heb “a lie [is] the horse for victory.”
[33:18] 3925 tn Heb “look, the eye of the
[33:18] 3926 tn Heb “for the ones who wait for his faithfulness.”
[33:19] 3934 tn Heb “to save from death their live[s].”
[33:19] 3935 tn Heb “and to keep them alive in famine.”
[33:20] 3943 tn Or “our lives.” The suffixed form of נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being, life”) is often equivalent to a pronoun in poetic texts.
[33:20] 3944 tn Or “[source of] help.”
[33:20] 3945 tn Or “protector.”
[33:22] 3952 tn Heb “let your faithfulness, O
[34:1] 3961 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] 3962 tn Heb “By David, when he changed his sense before Abimelech and he drove him away and he went.”
[34:1] 3964 tn Heb “continually [will] his praise [be] in my mouth.”
[34:2] 3970 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] 3971 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).
[34:4] 3988 tn Heb “I sought the
[34:5] 3997 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
[34:6] 4006 tn The pronoun refers back to “this oppressed man,” namely, the psalmist.
[34:7] 4015 tn Heb “his”; the referent (the
[34:7] 4016 tn Heb “those who fear him.”
[34:7] 4017 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] 4024 tn This verb is normally used of tasting or savoring food. The metaphor here appears to compare the
[34:8] 4025 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] 4026 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] 4027 tn “Taking shelter” in the
[34:9] 4034 tn Heb “O holy ones of his.”
[34:9] 4035 tn Heb “those who fear him.”
[34:11] 4042 tn Heb “the fear of the
[34:12] 4051 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] 4052 tn Heb “[Who] loves days to see good?”
[34:13] 4060 tn Heb “guard your tongue from evil.”
[34:13] 4061 tn Heb “and your lips from speaking deception.”
[34:14] 4070 tn Heb “seek peace and pursue it.”
[34:15] 4078 tn Heb “the eyes of the
[34:16] 4087 tn Heb “the face of the
[34:17] 4096 tn Heb “they” (i.e., the godly mentioned in v. 15).
[34:17] 4097 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] 4105 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form highlights the generalizing statement and draws attention to the fact that the
[34:18] 4106 tn Heb “the crushed in spirit.”
[34:19] 4114 tn The Hebrew text uses the singular form; the representative or typical godly person is envisioned.
[34:19] 4116 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form highlights the generalizing statement and draws attention to the fact that the
[34:19] 4117 tn Heb “him,” agreeing with the singular form in the preceding line.
[34:20] 4123 tn The Hebrew participial form suggests such protection is characteristic.
[34:20] 4124 tn That is, he protects the godly from physical harm.
[34:20] 4125 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] 4132 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] 4133 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] 4141 tn Heb “redeems the life of his servants.” The Hebrew participial form suggests such deliverance is characteristic.
[34:22] 4142 tn “Taking shelter” in the
[35:1] 4150 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.
[35:2] 4159 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] 4168 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] 4169 tn Heb “draw out spear and lance to meet.”
[35:3] 4170 tn Heb “say to me,” or “say to my soul.”
[35:4] 4177 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] 4186 tn The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive. See v. 4.
[35:5] 4187 sn See the mention of the
[35:5] 4188 tn Heb “as the
[35:6] 4195 tn The prefixed verbal form is distinctly jussive, indicating this is a prayer.
[35:7] 4204 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] 4213 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] 4214 tn The psalmist’s prayer for his enemies’ demise continues. See vv. 4-6.
[35:9] 4222 tn Heb “then my soul will rejoice in the
[35:10] 4231 tn Heb “all my bones will say.”
[35:10] 4232 tn Heb “[the one who] rescues.” The substantival participle in the Hebrew text characterizes God as one who typically rescues the oppressed.
[35:10] 4233 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] 4234 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] 4240 tn Heb “witnesses of violence rise up.”
[35:11] 4241 tn Heb “[that] which I do not know they ask me.”
[35:12] 4249 tn Heb “they repay me evil instead of good.”
[35:12] 4250 tn Heb “[there is] bereavement to my soul.”
[35:13] 4258 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] 4259 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] 4260 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] 4267 tn Heb “like a friend, like a brother to me I walked about.”
[35:14] 4268 sn I bowed down. Bowing down was a posture for mourning. See Ps 38:6.
[35:14] 4269 tn Heb “like mourning for a mother [in] sorrow I bowed down.”
[35:15] 4276 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] 4277 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] 4285 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] 4286 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] 4294 tn Heb “O Lord, how long will you see?”
[35:17] 4295 tn Heb “bring back, restore.”
[35:17] 4297 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] 4303 sn The great assembly is also mentioned in Ps 22:25.
[35:18] 4304 tn Heb “among numerous people.”
[35:19] 4312 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] 4313 tn Heb “rejoice.”
[35:19] 4314 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] 4321 tn Heb “for they do not speak peace.”
[35:20] 4322 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] 4330 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] 4331 tn Heb “our eye sees.” Apparently this is an idiom meaning to “look in triumph” or “gloat over” (see Ps 54:7).
[35:22] 4339 tn Heb “you see, O
[35:23] 4348 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] 4349 tn Heb “for my justice.”
[35:23] 4350 tn Heb “for my cause.”
[35:24] 4357 tn Heb “rejoice.”
[35:25] 4366 tn Heb “in their heart[s].”
[35:25] 4367 tn Heb “Aha! Our desire!” The “desire” of the psalmist’s enemies is to triumph over him.
[35:26] 4375 tn Heb “may they be embarrassed and ashamed together, the ones who rejoice over my harm.”
[35:26] 4376 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] 4384 tn The prefixed verbal forms in v. 27a are understood as jussives (see vv. 24b-26).
[35:27] 4385 tn The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive, “may the
[35:27] 4386 tn Heb “the one who desires the peace of his servant.”
[35:28] 4393 tn Heb “and my tongue will proclaim your justice.”
[35:28] 4394 tn Heb “all the day your praise.” The verb “proclaim” is understood by ellipsis in the second line (see the previous line).
[36:1] 4402 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] 4403 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] 4404 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
[36:1] 4405 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] 4411 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] 4420 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] 4429 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] 4430 tn The three imperfect verbal forms in v. 4 highlight the characteristic behavior of the typical evildoer.
[36:5] 4438 tn Heb “[is] in the heavens.”
[36:5] 4439 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] 4447 tn Heb “mountains of God.” The divine name אֵל (’el, “God”) is here used in an idiomatic manner to indicate the superlative.
[36:6] 4449 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] 4457 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] 4465 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] 4474 tn Heb “draw out to full length.”
[36:10] 4475 tn Heb “to those who know you.” The Hebrew verb יָדַע (yada’, “know”) is used here of those who “know” the
[36:10] 4476 tn Heb “and your justice to.” The verb “extend” is understood by ellipsis in the second line (see the previous line).
[36:10] 4477 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] 4483 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] 4492 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] 4493 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] 4501 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] 4502 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] 4503 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] 4510 tn Heb “like green vegetation.”
[37:3] 4519 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] 4528 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] 4529 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] 4537 tn Heb “roll your way upon the
[37:5] 4538 tn Heb “he will act.” Verse 6 explains what is meant; the
[37:6] 4546 tn Heb “and he will bring out like light your vindication, and your just cause like noonday.”
[37:7] 4555 tn Heb “Be quiet before the
[37:7] 4556 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] 4557 tn Heb “over one who causes his way to be successful.”
[37:8] 4564 tn Heb “Refrain from anger! Abandon rage!”
[37:9] 4573 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] 4574 tn Or “cut off, removed.”
[37:9] 4575 tn Heb “and those who wait on the
[37:10] 4582 tn Heb “and yet, a little, there will be no wicked [one].”
[37:10] 4583 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] 4591 tn Heb “and they will take delight in (see v. 4) abundance of peace.”
[37:12] 4600 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] 4601 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] 4609 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] 4610 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] 4618 tn Heb “to cause to fall.”
[37:14] 4619 tn Heb “the upright in way,” i.e., those who lead godly lives.
[37:15] 4627 tn Heb “enter into.”
[37:16] 4636 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] 4645 tn Heb “for the arms of the evil ones will be broken.”
[37:17] 4646 tn The active participle here indicates this is characteristically true.
[37:18] 4654 tn Heb “the
[37:18] 4655 tn Heb “and their inheritance is forever.”
[37:19] 4663 tn Heb “in a time of trouble.”
[37:19] 4664 tn Heb “in days of famine they will be satisfied.”
[37:20] 4672 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] 4673 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
[37:20] 4674 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] 4681 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] 4690 tn The particle כִּי is best understood as asseverative or emphatic here.
[37:22] 4691 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] 4693 tn Or “cut off”; or “removed” (see v. 9).
[37:23] 4699 tn Heb “from the
[37:24] 4708 tn Other translation options for כִּי in this context are “when” (so NASB) or “though” (so NEB, NIV, NRSV).
[37:24] 4709 tn Heb “be hurled down.”
[37:24] 4710 tn The active participle indicates this is characteristically true. See v. 17.
[37:25] 4717 tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”
[37:25] 4718 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] 4726 tn The active participles describe characteristic behavior.
[37:26] 4727 tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”
[37:27] 4735 tn Or “Do good!” The imperatives are singular (see v. 1).
[37:27] 4736 tn Heb “and dwell permanently.” The imperative with vav (ו) is best taken here as a result clause after the preceding imperatives.
[37:28] 4744 tn Heb “loves.” The verb “loves” is here metonymic; the
[37:28] 4745 tn The imperfect verbal form draws attention to this generalizing statement.
[37:28] 4746 tn Or “protected forever.”
[37:28] 4747 tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”
[37:28] 4748 tn Or “cut off”; or “removed.” The perfect verbal forms in v. 28b state general truths.
[37:30] 4753 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] 4762 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] 4763 tn Heb “his.” The pronoun has been translated as plural to agree with the representative or typical “godly” in v. 30.
[37:32] 4771 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] 4780 tn Heb “the
[37:34] 4790 tn Heb “keep his way.” The
[37:34] 4791 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] 4792 tn Heb “when evil men are cut off you will see.”
[37:35] 4798 tn The Hebrew uses the representative singular again here.
[37:35] 4799 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] 4807 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] 4817 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] 4825 tn Or “destroyed together.” In this case the psalmist pictures judgment sweeping them away as a group.
[37:38] 4826 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] 4834 tn Heb “and the deliverance of the godly [ones] [is] from the
[37:39] 4835 tn Heb “[he is] their place of refuge in a time of trouble.”
[37:40] 4843 tn The prefixed verbal forms with vav (ו) consecutive carry on the generalizing tone of the preceding verse.
[38:1] 4852 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] 4853 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] 4854 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] 4861 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
[38:2] 4862 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] 4870 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] 4871 tn Heb “there is no health in my bones from before my sin.”
[38:4] 4879 tn Heb “pass over my head.”
[38:5] 4888 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] 4889 tn Heb “my wounds stink, they are festering” (cf. NEB).
[38:5] 4890 tn Heb “from before my foolishness.”
[38:6] 4897 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] 4898 tn Heb “I am bowed down to excess.”
[38:7] 4906 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] 4907 tn Heb “there is no soundness in my flesh” (see v. 3).
[38:8] 4915 tn Heb “I am numb and crushed to excess.”
[38:8] 4916 tn Heb “I roar because of the moaning of my heart.”
[38:9] 4924 tn Heb “O Lord, before you [is] all my desire.”
[38:10] 4933 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] 4942 tn Or “wound,” or “illness.”
[38:11] 4943 tn Heb “stand [aloof].”
[38:11] 4944 tn Heb “and the ones near me off at a distance stand.”
[38:12] 4951 tn Heb “lay snares.”
[38:13] 4960 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] 4969 tn Heb “and there is not in his mouth arguments.”
[38:15] 4978 tn Or perhaps “surely.”
[38:16] 4987 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] 4988 tn Heb “they will magnify against me.” See Pss 35:26; 55:13.
[38:17] 4996 tn Heb “and my pain [is] before me continually.”
[38:18] 5005 tn Or “for.” The translation assumes that כִּי (ki) is asseverative here.
[38:19] 5014 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] 5015 tn Heb “are many.”
[38:20] 5023 tn Heb “the ones who repay evil instead of good accuse me, instead of my pursuing good.”
[38:22] 5032 tn Heb “hurry to my help.” See Ps 22:19.
[39:1] 5041 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] 5043 tn Heb “I will watch my ways, from sinning with my tongue.”
[39:1] 5044 sn The psalmist wanted to voice a lament to the
[39:2] 5050 tn Heb “I was mute [with] silence.”
[39:2] 5051 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] 5052 tn Heb “and my pain was stirred up.” Emotional pain is in view here.
[39:3] 5059 tn Heb “my heart was hot within me.”
[39:3] 5060 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] 5061 tn Heb “I spoke with my tongue.” The phrase “these words” is supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
[39:4] 5068 tn Heb “Cause me to know, O
[39:4] 5069 tn Heb “Let me know how transient I am!”
[39:5] 5077 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] 5078 tn Heb “is like nothing before you.”
[39:5] 5079 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] 5086 tn Heb “surely, as an image man walks about.” The preposition prefixed to “image” indicates identity here.
[39:6] 5087 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] 5095 tn Heb “my hope, for you it [is].”
[39:9] 5104 tn Heb “because you acted.” The psalmist has in mind God’s disciplinary measures (see vv. 10-13).
[39:10] 5113 tn Heb “remove from upon me your wound.”
[39:10] 5114 tn Heb “from the hostility of your hand I have come to an end.”
[39:11] 5122 tn “with punishments on account of sin you discipline a man.”
[39:11] 5123 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
[39:12] 5131 tn Heb “do not be deaf to my tears.”
[39:12] 5132 tn Heb “For a resident alien [am] I with you, a sojourner like all my fathers.”
[39:13] 5140 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] 5149 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] 5150 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] 5158 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] 5159 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] 5160 tn Heb “he established my footsteps.”
[40:3] 5167 sn A new song was appropriate because the Lord had intervened in the psalmist’s experience in a fresh and exciting way.
[40:3] 5168 tn Heb “and he placed in my mouth a new song, praise to our God.”
[40:3] 5169 tn Heb “may many see and fear and trust in the
[40:4] 5176 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] 5177 tn Heb “man.” See the note on the word “one” in Ps 1:1.
[40:4] 5178 tn Heb “who has made the
[40:4] 5179 tn Heb “and does not turn toward.”
[40:4] 5180 tn Heb “those falling away toward a lie.”
[40:5] 5185 tn Heb “many things you have done, you, O
[40:5] 5186 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] 5187 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] 5194 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] 5195 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] 5203 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] 5212 tn Or “your will.”
[40:8] 5213 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] 5221 sn The great assembly is also mentioned in Pss 22:25 and 35:18.
[40:9] 5222 tn Heb “I proclaim justice in the great assembly.” Though “justice” appears without a pronoun here, the
[40:9] 5223 tn Heb “Look! My lips I do not restrain.”
[40:10] 5230 tn Heb “your justice I have not hidden in the midst of my heart.”
[40:10] 5231 tn Heb “I have not hidden your loyal love and reliability.”
[40:11] 5239 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] 5240 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] 5248 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] 5249 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] 5257 tn Heb “hurry to my help.” See Pss 22:19; 38:22.
[40:14] 5266 tn Heb “may they be embarrassed and ashamed together, the ones seeking my life to snatch it away.”
[40:14] 5267 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] 5275 tn The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive in this imprecation.
[40:15] 5276 tn Heb “May they be humiliated according to their shame, those who say to me, ‘Aha! Aha!’”
[40:16] 5284 tn Heb “those who love,” which stands metonymically for its cause, the experience of being delivered by the
[40:16] 5285 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] 5286 tn The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive, “may the
[40:17] 5293 sn See Pss 35:10; 37:14.
[40:17] 5294 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
[41:1] 5302 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] 5303 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] 5304 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] 5305 tn Heb “in the day of trouble” (see Ps 27:5).
[41:1] 5306 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
[41:2] 5311 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] 5312 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] 5313 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] 5314 tn Heb “do not give him over to the desire of his enemies” (see Ps 27:12).
[41:3] 5320 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] 5321 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] 5329 sn In vv. 4-10 the psalmist recites the prayer of petition and lament he offered to the Lord.
[41:5] 5338 tn Heb “my enemies speak evil concerning me.”
[41:5] 5339 tn Heb “and his name perish.”
[41:6] 5348 tn Heb “he speaks deceitfully.”
[41:6] 5349 tn Heb “his heart gathers sin to itself.”
[41:6] 5350 tn Heb “he goes outside and speaks.”
[41:7] 5356 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] 5365 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] 5366 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] 5367 tn Heb “is poured out on him.” The passive participle of יָצַק (yatsaq) is used.
[41:8] 5368 tn Heb “and he who lies down will not again arise.”
[41:9] 5374 tn Heb “man of my peace.” The phrase here refers to one’s trusted friend (see Jer 38:22; Obad 7).
[41:9] 5375 tn Heb “has made a heel great against me.” The precise meaning of this phrase, which appears only here, is uncertain.
[41:10] 5383 tn The cohortative with prefixed vav (ו) here indicates purpose or result (“Then I will repay them”) after the preceding imperatives.
[41:11] 5392 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] 5393 tn Or “will.” One may translate the imperfect verbal form as descriptive (present, cf. NIV) or as anticipatory (future, cf. NEB).
[41:12] 5401 tn Or “have upheld.” The perfect verbal form can be taken as generalizing/descriptive (present) or as a present perfect.
[41:12] 5402 sn Because of my integrity. See Pss 7:8; 25:21; 26:1, 11.
[41:12] 5403 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] 5404 tn Heb “and you cause me to stand before you permanently.”
[41:13] 5410 tn Heb “[be] blessed.” See Pss 18:46; 28:6; 31:21.
[41:13] 5411 tn Heb “from everlasting to everlasting.” See 1 Chr 16:36; Neh 9:5; Pss 90:2; 106:48.
[41:13] 5412 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.
