Psalms 119:61

119:61 The ropes of the wicked tighten around ¹  me,

but I do not forget your law.

Psalms 119:69

119:69 Arrogant people smear my reputation with lies, ² 

but I observe your precepts with all my heart.

Psalms 119:85-87

119:85 The arrogant dig pits to trap me, ³ 

which violates your law. ⁴ 

119:86 All your commands are reliable.

I am pursued without reason. ⁵  Help me!

119:87 They have almost destroyed me here on the earth,

but I do not reject your precepts.

Psalms 10:8-10

10:8 He waits in ambush near the villages; ⁶ 

in hidden places he kills the innocent.

His eyes look for some unfortunate victim. ⁷ 

10:9 He lies in ambush in a hidden place, like a lion in a thicket; ⁸ 

he lies in ambush, waiting to catch ⁹  the oppressed;

he catches the oppressed ¹⁰  by pulling in his net. ¹¹ 

10:10 His victims are crushed and beaten down;

they are trapped in his sturdy nets. ¹² 

Psalms 27:2

27:2 When evil men attack me ¹³ 

to devour my flesh, ¹⁴ 

when my adversaries and enemies attack me, ¹⁵ 

they stumble and fall. ¹⁶ 

Psalms 37:32

37:32 Evil men set an ambush for the godly

and try to kill them. ¹⁷ 

Psalms 38:12

38:12 Those who seek my life try to entrap me; ¹⁸ 

those who want to harm me speak destructive words;

all day long they say deceitful things.

Psalms 38:1

Psalm 38 ¹⁹ 

A psalm of David, written to get God’s attention. ²⁰ 

38:1 O Lord, do not continue to rebuke me in your anger!

Do not continue to punish me in your raging fury! ²¹ 

Psalms 23:1-2

Psalm 23 ²² 

A psalm of David.

23:1 The Lord is my shepherd, ²³ 

I lack nothing. ²⁴ 

23:2 He takes me to lush pastures, ²⁵ 

he leads me to refreshing water. ²⁶ 

Psalms 17:1-4

Psalm 17 ²⁷ 

A prayer of David.

17:1 Lord, consider my just cause! ²⁸ 

Pay attention to my cry for help!

Listen to the prayer

I sincerely offer! ²⁹ 

17:2 Make a just decision on my behalf! ³⁰ 

Decide what is right! ³¹ 

17:3 You have scrutinized my inner motives; ³² 

you have examined me during the night. ³³ 

You have carefully evaluated me, but you find no sin.

I am determined I will say nothing sinful. ³⁴ 

17:4 As for the actions of people ³⁵  –

just as you have commanded,

I have not followed in the footsteps of violent men. ³⁶ 

Matthew 26:3-5

26:3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people met together in the palace of the high priest, who was named Caiaphas. 26:4 They ³⁷  planned to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. 26:5 But they said, “Not during the feast, so that there won’t be a riot among the people.” ³⁸ 

Acts 12:11

12:11 When ³⁹  Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued ⁴⁰  me from the hand ⁴¹  of Herod ⁴²  and from everything the Jewish people ⁴³  were expecting to happen.”

Acts 23:21

23:21 So do not let them persuade you to do this, ⁴⁴  because more than forty of them ⁴⁵  are lying in ambush ⁴⁶  for him. They ⁴⁷  have bound themselves with an oath ⁴⁸  not to eat or drink anything ⁴⁹  until they have killed him, and now they are ready, waiting for you to agree to their request.” ⁵⁰ 

Acts 25:3

25:3 Requesting him to do them a favor against Paul, ⁵¹  they urged Festus ⁵²  to summon him to Jerusalem, planning an ambush ⁵³  to kill him along the way.

[119:61]  ¹ tn Heb “surround.”

[119:69]  ² tn Heb “smear over me a lie.”

[119:85]  ³ tn Heb “for me.”

[119:85]  ⁴ tn Heb “which [is] not according to your law.”

[119:86]  ⁵ sn God’s commands are a reliable guide to right and wrong. By keeping them the psalmist is doing what is right, yet he is still persecuted.

[10:8]  ⁶ tn Heb “he sits in the ambush of the villages.”

[10:8]  ⁷ 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]  ⁸ tn Or “in its den.”

[10:9]  ⁹ tn The verb, which also appears in the next line, occurs only here and in Judg 21:21.

[10:9]  ¹⁰ tn The singular form is collective (see v. 10) or refers to the typical or representative oppressed individual.

[10:9]  ¹¹ tn Or “when he [i.e., the wicked man] pulls in his net.”

[10:10]  ¹² 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).

[27:2]  ¹³ tn Heb “draw near to me.”

[27:2]  ¹⁴ sn To devour my flesh. The psalmist compares his enemies to dangerous, hungry predators (see 2 Kgs 9:36; Ezek 39:17).

[27:2]  ¹⁵ 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]  ¹⁶ 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.”

[37:32]  ¹⁷ 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.

[38:12]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “lay snares.”

[38:1]  ¹⁹ 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]  ²⁰ 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]  ²¹ 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.

[23:1]  ²² 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]  ²³ 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]  ²⁴ 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]  ²⁵ 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]  ²⁶ 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).

[17:1]  ²⁷ 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]  ²⁸ tn Heb “hear, Lord, what is just.”

[17:1]  ²⁹ tn Heb “Listen to my prayer, [made] without lips of deceit.”

[17:2]  ³⁰ 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]  ³¹ 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]  ³² tn Heb “you tested my heart.”

[17:3]  ³³ tn Heb “you visited [at] night.”

[17:3]  ³⁴ 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]  ³⁵ tn Heb “with regard to the deeds of man[kind].”

[17:4]  ³⁶ 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”).

[26:4]  ³⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

[26:5]  ³⁸ sn The suggestion here is that Jesus was too popular to openly arrest him.

[12:11]  ³⁹ tn Grk “And when.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[12:11]  ⁴⁰ tn Or “delivered.”

[12:11]  ⁴¹ sn Here the hand of Herod is a metaphor for Herod’s power or control.

[12:11]  ⁴² sn King Herod was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod I (Herod the Great).

[12:11]  ⁴³ sn Luke characterizes the opposition here as the Jewish people, including their leadership (see 12:3).

[23:21]  ⁴⁴ tn Grk “do not be persuaded by them.” The passive construction μὴ πεισθῇς αὐτοῖς (mh peisqh" autoi") has been converted to an active construction in the translation, and the phrase “to do this” supplied to indicate more clearly the object of their persuasion.

[23:21]  ⁴⁵ tn Grk “forty men of them.” In the expression ἐξ αὐτῶν ἄνδρες (ex autwn andre") “men” is somewhat redundant and has not been included in the English translation.

[23:21]  ⁴⁶ tn Grk “are lying in wait for him” (BDAG 334 s.v. ἐνεδρεύω); see also v. 16.

[23:21]  ⁴⁷ tn Grk “for him, who.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“who”) was translated by the third person plural pronoun (“they”) and a new sentence begun in the translation.

[23:21]  ⁴⁸ tn Or “bound themselves under a curse.” BDAG 63 s.v. ἀναθεματίζω 1 has “trans. put under a curse τινά someone… ἀ. ἑαυτόν vss. 12, 21, 13 v.l.”

[23:21]  ⁴⁹ tn The word “anything” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[23:21]  ⁵⁰ tn Grk “waiting for your approval,” “waiting for your agreement.” Since it would be possible to misunderstand the literal translation “waiting for your approval” to mean that the Jews were waiting for the commander’s approval to carry out their plot or to kill Paul (as if he were to be an accomplice to their plot), the object of the commander’s approval (their request to bring Paul to the council) has been specified in the translation as “their request.”

[25:3]  ⁵¹ tn Grk “Requesting a favor against him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation, the understood direct object of “requesting” has been supplied, and the phrase “to do them” supplied for clarity.

[25:3]  ⁵² tn Grk “him”; the referent (Festus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The words “they urged him” are in v. 2 in the Greek text.

[25:3]  ⁵³ sn Planning an ambush. The Jewish leadership had not forgotten the original plan of several years ago (see 23:16). They did not trust the Roman legal process, but preferred to take matters into their own hands.