Psalms 139:1

Psalm 139 ¹ 

For the music director, a psalm of David.

139:1 O Lord, you examine me ²  and know.

Psalms 66:1

Psalm 66 ³ 

For the music director; a song, a psalm.

66:1 Shout out praise to God, all the earth!

Psalms 70:1

Psalm 70 ⁴ 

For the music director; by David; written to get God’s attention. ⁵ 

70:1 O God, please be willing to rescue me! ⁶ 

O Lord, hurry and help me! ⁷ 

Psalms 109:1

Psalm 109 ⁸ 

For the music director, a psalm of David.

109:1 O God whom I praise, do not ignore me! ⁹ 

[139:1]  ¹ sn Psalm 139. The psalmist acknowledges that God, who created him, is aware of his every action and thought. He invites God to examine his motives, for he is confident they are pure.

[139:1]  ² tn The statement is understood as generalizing – the psalmist describes what God typically does.

[66:1]  ³ sn Psalm 66. The psalmist praises God because he has delivered his people from a crisis.

[70:1]  ⁵ sn Psalm 70. This psalm is almost identical to Ps 40:13-17. The psalmist asks for God’s help and for divine retribution against his enemies.

[70:1]  ⁶ tn Heb “to cause to remember.” The same form, a Hiphil infinitive of זָכַר (zakhar, “remember”), also appears in the superscription of Ps 38. 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).

[70:1]  ⁷ tn Heb “O God, to rescue me.” A main verb is obviously missing. The verb רָצָה (ratsah, “be willing”) should be supplied (see Ps 40:13). Ps 40:13 uses the divine name “Lord” rather than “God.”

[70:1]  ⁸ tn Heb “hurry to my help.” See Pss 22:19; 38:22.

[109:1]  ⁷ sn Psalm 109. Appealing to God’s justice, the psalmist asks God to vindicate him and to bring severe judgment down upon his enemies.

[109:1]  ⁸ tn Heb “do not be deaf.”