Psalms 16:3

16:3 As for God’s chosen people who are in the land,

and the leading officials I admired so much ¹  –

Psalms 20:8

20:8 They will fall down, ² 

but we ³  will stand firm. ⁴ 

Psalms 22:17

22:17 I can count ⁵  all my bones;

my enemies ⁶  are gloating over me in triumph. ⁷ 

Psalms 25:6

25:6 Remember ⁸  your compassionate and faithful deeds, O Lord,

for you have always acted in this manner. ⁹ 

Psalms 37:9

37:9 Wicked men ¹⁰  will be wiped out, ¹¹ 

but those who rely on the Lord are the ones who will possess the land. ¹² 

Psalms 48:5

48:5 As soon as they see, ¹³  they are shocked; ¹⁴ 

they are terrified, they quickly retreat. ¹⁵ 

Psalms 78:39

78:39 He remembered ¹⁶  that they were made of flesh,

and were like a wind that blows past and does not return. ¹⁷ 

Psalms 94:11

94:11 The Lord knows that

peoples’ thoughts are morally bankrupt. ¹⁸ 

Psalms 109:28

109:28 They curse, but you will bless. ¹⁹ 

When they attack, they will be humiliated, ²⁰ 

but your servant will rejoice.

Psalms 119:111

119:111 I claim your rules as my permanent possession,

for they give me joy. ²¹ 

[16:3]  ¹ tn Heb “regarding the holy ones who [are] in the land, they; and the mighty [ones] in [whom is/was] all my desire.” The difficult syntax makes the meaning of the verse uncertain. The phrase “holy ones” sometimes refers to God’s angelic assembly (see Ps 89:5, 7), but the qualifying clause “who are in the land” suggests that here it refers to God’s people (Ps 34:9) or to their priestly leaders (2 Chr 35:3).

[20:8]  ² tn Or “stumble and fall down.”

[20:8]  ³ tn The grammatical construction (conjunction + pronominal subject) highlights the contrast between God’s victorious people and the defeated enemies mentioned in the previous line. The perfect verbal forms either generalize or, more likely, state rhetorically the people’s confidence as they face the approaching battle. They describe the demise of the enemy as being as good as done.

[20:8]  ⁴ tn Or “rise up and remain upright.” On the meaning of the Hitpolel of עוּד (’ud), see HALOT 795 s.v. I עוד. The verbal forms (a perfect followed by a prefixed form with vav [ו] consecutive) either generalize or, more likely, state rhetorically the people’s confidence as they face the approaching battle.

[22:17]  ³ tn The imperfect verbal forms in vv. 17-18 draw attention to the progressive nature of the action.

[22:17]  ⁴ tn Heb “they.” The masculine form indicates the enemies are in view. The referent (the psalmist’s enemies) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:17]  ⁵ tn Heb “they gaze, they look upon me.”

[25:6]  ⁴ tn That is, “remember” with the intention of repeating.

[25:6]  ⁵ tn Heb “for from antiquity [are] they.”

[37:9]  ⁵ tn Heb “for evil men.” The conjunction כִּי (ki, “for”) relates to the exhortations in v. 8; there is no reason to be frustrated, for the evildoers will be punished in due time.

[37:9]  ⁶ tn Or “cut off, removed.”

[37:9]  ⁷ tn Heb “and those who wait on the Lord, they will possess the land.”

[48:5]  ⁶ tn The object of “see” is omitted, but v. 3b suggests that the Lord’s self-revelation as the city’s defender is what they see.

[48:5]  ⁷ tn Heb “they look, so they are shocked.” Here כֵּן (ken, “so”) has the force of “in the same measure.”

[48:5]  ⁸ tn The translation attempts to reflect the staccato style of the Hebrew text, where the main clauses of vv. 4-6 are simply juxtaposed without connectives.

[78:39]  ⁷ tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive signals a return to the narrative.

[78:39]  ⁸ tn Heb “and he remembered that they [were] flesh, a wind [that] goes and does not return.”

[94:11]  ⁸ tn Heb “the Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are emptiness.” The psalmist thinks specifically of the “thoughts” expressed in v. 7.

[109:28]  ⁹ tn Another option is to translate the imperfect as a prayer/request (“may you bless”).

[109:28]  ¹⁰ tn The verbal sequence is perfect + prefixed form with vav (ו) consecutive. Since the psalmist seems to be anticipating the demise of his enemies, he may be using these forms rhetorically to describe the enemies’ defeat as if it were already accomplished. Some emend the text to קָמוּ יֵבֹשׁוּ (qamu yevoshu, “may those who attack me be humiliated”). See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 75.

[119:111]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “for the joy of my heart [are] they.”