[119:118] 1 tn The Hebrew verb סָלָה (salah, “to disdain”) occurs only here and in Lam 1:15. Cognate usage in Aramaic and Akkadian, as well as Lam 1:15, suggest it may have a concrete nuance of “to throw away.”
[119:118] 2 tn Heb “for their deceit [is] falsehood.”
[119:119] 3 sn Traditionally “dross” (so KJV, ASV, NIV). The metaphor comes from metallurgy; “slag” is the substance left over after the metallic ore has been refined.
[119:119] 4 sn As he explains in the next verse, the psalmist’s fear of judgment motivates him to obey God’s rules.
