Psalms 15:2

15:2 Whoever lives a blameless life, ¹ 

does what is right,

and speaks honestly. ² 

Psalms 33:4

33:4 For ³  the Lord’s decrees ⁴  are just, ⁵ 

and everything he does is fair. ⁶ 

Psalms 38:13

38:13 But I am like a deaf man – I hear nothing;

I am like a mute who cannot speak. ⁷ 

Psalms 50:3

50:3 Our God approaches and is not silent; ⁸ 

consuming fire goes ahead of him

and all around him a storm rages. ⁹ 

Psalms 129:7

129:7 which cannot fill the reaper’s hand,

or the lap of the one who gathers the grain!

[15:2]  ¹ tn Heb “one who walks blamelessly.”

[15:2]  ² tn Heb “one who speaks truth in his heart”; or “one who speaks truth [that is] in his heart.” This apparently refers to formulating a truthful statement in one’s mind and then honestly revealing that statement in one’s speech.

[33:4]  ³ sn For the Lord’s decrees are just… After the call to praise (vv. 1-3), the psalmist now gives a series of reasons why the Lord is worthy of praise.

[33:4]  ⁴ tn Heb “word.” In this context, which depicts the Lord as the sovereign creator and ruler of the world, the Lord’s “word” refers to the decrees whereby he governs his dominion.

[33:4]  ⁵ tn Or “upright.”

[33:4]  ⁶ tn Heb “and all his work [is] in faithfulness.”

[38:13]  ⁵ sn I am like a deaf man…like a mute. The psalmist is like a deaf mute; he is incapable of defending himself and is vulnerable to his enemies’ deception (see v. 14).

[50:3]  ⁷ tn According to GKC 322 §109.e, the jussive (note the negative particle אַל, ’al) is used rhetorically here “to express the conviction that something cannot or should not happen.”

[50:3]  ⁸ tn Heb “fire before him devours, and around him it is very stormy.”