Psalms 11:3

11:3 When the foundations ¹  are destroyed,

what can the godly ²  accomplish?” ³ 

Psalms 33:1

Psalm 33 ⁴ 

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

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

Psalms 37:12

37:12 Evil men plot against the godly ⁵ 

and viciously attack them. ⁶ 

Psalms 37:16

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

the wealth of many evil men, ⁷ 

Psalms 37:29

37:29 The godly will possess the land

and will dwell in it permanently.

Psalms 37:32

37:32 Evil men set an ambush for the godly

and try to kill them. ⁸ 

Psalms 37:39

37:39 But the Lord delivers the godly; ⁹ 

he protects them in times of trouble. ¹⁰ 

Psalms 52:6

52:6 When the godly see this, they will be filled with awe,

and will mock the evildoer, saying: ¹¹ 

Psalms 97:11-12

97:11 The godly bask in the light;

the morally upright experience joy. ¹² 

97:12 You godly ones, rejoice in the Lord!

Give thanks to his holy name. ¹³ 

Psalms 116:5

116:5 The Lord is merciful and fair;

our God is compassionate.

Psalms 118:20

118:20 This is the Lord’s gate –

the godly enter through it.

Psalms 119:137

צ (Tsade)

119:137 You are just, O Lord,

and your judgments are fair.

Psalms 129:4

129:4 The Lord is just;

he cut the ropes of the wicked.” ¹⁴ 

[11:3]  ¹ 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]  ² 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]  ³ 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.

[33:1]  ⁴ 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.

[37:12]  ⁷ 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]  ⁸ 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.

[37:16]  ¹⁰ 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.

[37:32]  ¹³ 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.

[37:39]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “and the deliverance of the godly [ones] [is] from the Lord.”

[37:39]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “[he is] their place of refuge in a time of trouble.”

[52:6]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “and the godly will see and will fear and at him will laugh.”

[97:11]  ²² tn Heb “Light is planted for the godly, and for the upright of heart joy.” The translation assumes an emendation of זָרַע (zara’, “planted”) to זָרַח (zara’, “shines”) which collocates more naturally with “light.” “Light” here symbolizes the joy (note the following line) that accompanies deliverance and the outpouring of divine favor.

[97:12]  ²⁵ tn Heb “to his holy remembrance.” The Hebrew noun זָכַר (zakhar, “remembrance”) here refers to the name of the Lord as invoked in liturgy and praise. Cf. Pss 6:5; 30:4. The Lord’s “name” is “holy” in the sense that it is a reminder of his uniqueness and greatness.

[129:4]  ²⁸ tn The background of the metaphor is not entirely clear. Perhaps the “ropes” are those used to harness the ox for plowing (see Job 39:10). Verse 3 pictures the wicked plowing God’s people as if they were a field. But when God “cut the ropes” of their ox, as it were, they could no longer plow. The point of the metaphor seems to be that God took away the enemies’ ability to oppress his people. See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 187.