Psalms 11:3

11:3 When the foundations ¹  are destroyed,

what can the godly ²  accomplish?” ³ 

Psalms 74:12

74:12 But God has been my ⁴  king from ancient times,

performing acts of deliverance on the earth. ⁵ 

Psalms 64:9

64:9 and all people will fear. ⁶ 

They will proclaim ⁷  what God has done,

and reflect on his deeds.

Psalms 44:1

Psalm 44 ⁸ 

For the music director; by the Korahites, a well-written song. ⁹ 

44:1 O God, we have clearly heard; ¹⁰ 

our ancestors ¹¹  have told us

what you did ¹²  in their days,

in ancient times. ¹³ 

[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.

[74:12]  ⁴ tn The psalmist speaks as Israel’s representative here.

[74:12]  ⁵ tn Heb “in the midst of the earth.”

[64:9]  ⁷ tc Many medieval Hebrew mss read וַיִּרְאוּ (vayyir’u, “and they will see”) instead of וַיִּירְאוּ (vayyirÿ’u, “and they will proclaim”).

[64:9]  ⁸ tn Heb “the work of God,” referring to the judgment described in v. 7.

[44:1]  ¹⁰ sn Psalm 44. The speakers in this psalm (the worshiping community within the nation Israel) were disappointed with God. The psalm begins on a positive note, praising God for leading Israel to past military victories. Verses 1-8 appear to be a song of confidence and petition which the people recited prior to battle. But suddenly the mood changes as the nation laments a recent defeat. The stark contrast between the present and the past only heightens the nation’s confusion. Israel trusted in God for victory, but the Lord rejected them and allowed them to be humiliated in battle. If Israel had been unfaithful to God, their defeat would make sense, but the nation was loyal to the Lord. Comparing the Lord to a careless shepherd, the nation urges God to wake up and to extend his compassion to his suffering people.

[44:1]  ¹¹ tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. See the note on the phrase “well-written song” in the superscription of Ps 42.

[44:1]  ¹² tn Heb “with our ears we have heard.”

[44:1]  ¹³ tn Heb “fathers” (also in v. 2; the same Hebrew word may be translated either “fathers” or “ancestors” depending on the context.

[44:1]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “the work you worked.”

[44:1]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “in the days of old.” This refers specifically to the days of Joshua, during Israel’s conquest of the land, as vv. 2-3 indicate.