Psalms 17:3-5

17:3 You have scrutinized my inner motives; ¹ 

you have examined me during the night. ² 

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

I am determined I will say nothing sinful. ³ 

17:4 As for the actions of people ⁴  –

just as you have commanded,

I have not followed in the footsteps of violent men. ⁵ 

17:5 I carefully obey your commands; ⁶ 

I do not deviate from them. ⁷ 

Psalms 39:1

Psalm 39 ⁸ 

For the music director, Jeduthun; a psalm of David.

39:1 I decided, ⁹  “I will watch what I say

and make sure I do not sin with my tongue. ¹⁰ 

I will put a muzzle over my mouth

while in the presence of an evil man.” ¹¹ 

Psalms 71:8

71:8 I praise you constantly

and speak of your splendor all day long. ¹² 

Micah 7:5

7:5 Do not rely on a friend;

do not trust a companion!

Don’t even share secrets with the one who lies in your arms! ¹³ 

James 1:26

1:26 If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile.

James 3:2

3:2 For we all stumble ¹⁴  in many ways. If someone does not stumble ¹⁵  in what he says, ¹⁶  he is a perfect individual, ¹⁷  able to control the entire body as well.

[17:3]  ¹ tn Heb “you tested my heart.”

[17:3]  ² tn Heb “you visited [at] night.”

[17:3]  ³ 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]  ⁴ tn Heb “with regard to the deeds of man[kind].”

[17:4]  ⁵ 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”).

[17:5]  ⁶ tn Heb “my steps stay firm in your tracks.” The infinitive absolute functions here as a finite verb (see GKC 347 §113.gg). God’s “tracks” are his commands, i.e., the moral pathways he has prescribed for the psalmist.

[17:5]  ⁷ tn Heb “my footsteps do not stagger.”

[39:1]  ⁸ sn Psalm 39. The psalmist laments his frailty and mortality as he begs the Lord to take pity on him and remove his disciplinary hand.

[39:1]  ⁹ tn Heb “I said.”

[39:1]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “I will watch my ways, from sinning with my tongue.”

[39:1]  ¹¹ sn The psalmist wanted to voice a lament to the Lord (see vv. 4-6), but he hesitated to do so in the presence of evil men, for such words might be sinful if they gave the wicked an occasion to insult God. See C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms (ICC), 1:345.

[71:8]  ¹² tn Heb “my mouth is filled [with] your praise, all the day [with] your splendor.”

[7:5]  ¹³ tn Heb “from the one who lies in your arms, guard the doors of your mouth.”

[3:2]  ¹⁴ tn Or “fail.”

[3:2]  ¹⁵ tn Or “fail.”

[3:2]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “in speech.”

[3:2]  ¹⁷ tn The word for “man” or “individual” is ἀνήρ (anhr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” But it sometimes is used generically to mean “anyone,” “a person,” as here (cf. BDAG 79 s.v. 2).