Psalms 120:3

120:3 How will he severely punish you,

you deceptive talker? ¹ 

Psalms 133:1

Psalm 133 ² 

A song of ascents, ³  by David.

133:1 Look! How good and how pleasant it is

when brothers live together! ⁴ 

Psalms 42:11

42:11 Why are you depressed, ⁵  O my soul? ⁶ 

Why are you upset? ⁷ 

Wait for God!

For I will again give thanks

to my God for his saving intervention. ⁸ 

Psalms 43:5

43:5 Why are you depressed, ⁹  O my soul? ¹⁰ 

Why are you upset? ¹¹ 

Wait for God!

For I will again give thanks

to my God for his saving intervention. ¹² 

[120:3]  ¹ tn Heb “What will he give to you, and what will he add to you, O tongue of deception?” The psalmist addresses his deceptive enemies. The Lord is the understood subject of the verbs “give” and “add.” The second part of the question echoes a standard curse formula, “thus the Lord/God will do … and thus he will add” (see Ruth 1:17; 1 Sam 3:17; 14:44; 20:13; 25:22; 2 Sam 3:9, 35; 19:13; 1 Kgs 2:23; 2 Kgs 6:31).

[133:1]  ² sn Psalm 133. The psalmist affirms the benefits of family unity.

[133:1]  ³ 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.

[133:1]  ⁴ sn This statement refers to the extended family structure of ancient Israel, where brothers would often live in proximity to one another (Deut 25:5), giving the family greater social prominence and security. However, in its later application in the Israelite cult it probably envisions unity within the covenant community. See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 212-15.

[42:11]  ³ tn Heb “Why do you bow down?”

[42:11]  ⁴ sn For poetic effect the psalmist addresses his soul, or inner self.

[42:11]  ⁵ tn Heb “and why are you in turmoil upon me?”

[42:11]  ⁶ tc Heb “for again I will give him thanks, the saving acts of my face and my God.” The last line should be emended to read יְשׁוּעֹת פְנֵי אֱלֹהָי (yÿshu’ot fÿney ’elohay, “[for] the saving acts of the face of my God”), that is, the saving acts associated with God’s presence/intervention. This refrain is almost identical to the one in v. 5. See also Ps 43:5.

[43:5]  ⁴ tn Heb “Why do you bow down?”

[43:5]  ⁵ sn For poetic effect the psalmist addresses his soul, or inner self.

[43:5]  ⁶ tn Heb “and why are you in turmoil upon me?”

[43:5]  ⁷ tc Heb “for again I will give him thanks, the saving acts of my face and my God.” The last line should be emended to read יְשׁוּעֹת פְנֵי אֱלֹהָי (yÿshu’ot fÿney ’elohay, “[for] the saving acts of the face of my God,” that is, the saving acts associated with God’s presence/intervention. This refrain is identical to the one in Ps 42:11. See also 42:5, which differs only slightly.