Psalms 111:10

111:10 To obey the Lord is the fundamental principle for wise living; ¹ 

all who carry out his precepts acquire good moral insight. ² 

He will receive praise forever. ³ 

Psalms 115:7-13

115:7 hands, but cannot touch,

feet, but cannot walk.

They cannot even clear their throats. ⁴ 

115:8 Those who make them will end up ⁵  like them,

as will everyone who trusts in them.

115:9 O Israel, trust in the Lord!

He is their deliverer ⁶  and protector. ⁷ 

115:10 O family ⁸  of Aaron, trust in the Lord!

He is their deliverer ⁹  and protector. ¹⁰ 

115:11 You loyal followers of the Lord, ¹¹  trust in the Lord!

He is their deliverer ¹²  and protector. ¹³ 

115:12 The Lord takes notice of us, ¹⁴  he will bless ¹⁵  –

he will bless the family ¹⁶  of Israel,

he will bless the family of Aaron.

115:13 He will bless his loyal followers, ¹⁷ 

both young and old. ¹⁸ 

Psalms 128:1

Psalm 128 ¹⁹ 

A song of ascents. ²⁰ 

128:1 How blessed is every one of the Lord’s loyal followers, ²¹ 

each one who keeps his commands! ²² 

Psalms 145:19

145:19 He satisfies the desire ²³  of his loyal followers; ²⁴ 

he hears their cry for help and delivers them.

Isaiah 50:10

50:10 Who among you fears the Lord?

Who obeys ²⁵  his servant?

Whoever walks in deep darkness, ²⁶ 

without light,

should trust in the name of the Lord

and rely on his God.

Luke 1:50

1:50 from ²⁷  generation to generation he is merciful ²⁸  to those who fear ²⁹  him.

[111:10]  ¹ tn Heb “the beginning of wisdom [is] the fear of the Lord.”

[111:10]  ² tn Heb “good sense [is] to all who do them.” The third masculine plural pronominal suffix must refer back to the “precepts” mentioned in v. 7. In the translation the referent has been specified for clarity. The phrase שֵׂכֶל טוֹב (shekhel tov) also occurs in Prov 3:4; 13:15 and 2 Chr 30:22.

[111:10]  ³ tn Heb “his praise stands forever.”

[115:7]  ⁴ tn Heb “they cannot mutter in their throats.” Verse 5a refers to speaking, v. 7c to inarticulate sounds made in the throat (see M. Dahood, Psalms [AB], 3:140-41).

[115:8]  ⁵ tn Heb “will be.” Another option is to take the prefixed verbal form as a prayer, “may those who make them end up like them.”

[115:9]  ⁶ tn Or “[source of] help.”

[115:9]  ⁷ tn Heb “and their shield.”

[115:10]  ⁸ tn Heb “house.”

[115:10]  ⁹ tn Or “[source of] help.”

[115:10]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “and their shield.”

[115:11]  ¹¹ tn Heb “[you] fearers of the Lord.” See Ps 15:4.

[115:11]  ¹² tn Or “[source of] help.”

[115:11]  ¹³ tn Heb “and their shield.”

[115:12]  ¹⁴ tn Or “remembers us.”

[115:12]  ¹⁵ tn Another option is to translate the prefixed form of the verb “bless” in vv. 12-13 as a jussive, “may he bless” (see v. 14).

[115:12]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “house.”

[115:13]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “the fearers of the Lord.”

[115:13]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “the small along with the great.” The translation assumes that “small” and “great” here refer to age (see 2 Chr 15:13). Another option is to translate “both the insignificant and the prominent” (see Job 3:19; cf. NEB “high and low alike”).

[128:1]  ¹⁹ sn Psalm 128. The psalmist observes that the godly individual has genuine happiness because the Lord rewards such a person with prosperity and numerous children.

[128:1]  ²⁰ sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.

[128:1]  ²¹ tn Heb “every fearer of the Lord.”

[128:1]  ²² tn Heb “the one who walks in his ways.”

[145:19]  ²³ tn In this context “desire” refers to the followers’ desire to be delivered from wicked enemies.

[145:19]  ²⁴ tn Heb “the desire of those who fear him, he does.”

[50:10]  ²⁵ tn Heb “[who] listens to the voice of his servant?” The interrogative is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).

[50:10]  ²⁶ tn The plural indicates degree. Darkness may refer to exile and/or moral evil.

[1:50]  ²⁷ tn Grk “and from.” Here καί (kai) has been translated by a semicolon to improve the English style.

[1:50]  ²⁸ sn God’s mercy refers to his “loyal love” or “steadfast love,” expressed in faithful actions, as the rest of the psalm illustrates.

[1:50]  ²⁹ tn That is, “who revere.” This refers to those who show God a reverential respect for his sovereignty.