Psalms 17:4

17:4 As for the actions of people ¹  –

just as you have commanded,

I have not followed in the footsteps of violent men. ² 

Psalms 34:13

34:13 Then make sure you don’t speak evil words ³ 

or use deceptive speech! ⁴ 

Psalms 51:15

51:15 O Lord, give me the words! ⁵ 

Then my mouth will praise you. ⁶ 

Psalms 63:3

63:3 Because ⁷  experiencing ⁸  your loyal love is better than life itself,

my lips will praise you.

Psalms 66:14

66:14 which my lips uttered

and my mouth spoke when I was in trouble.

Psalms 71:23

71:23 My lips will shout for joy! Yes, ⁹  I will sing your praises!

I will praise you when you rescue me! ¹⁰ 

Psalms 89:34

89:34 I will not break ¹¹  my covenant

or go back on what I promised. ¹² 

Psalms 120:2

120:2 I said, ¹³  “O Lord, rescue me ¹⁴ 

from those who lie with their lips ¹⁵ 

and those who deceive with their tongue. ¹⁶ 

Psalms 140:9

140:9 As for the heads of those who surround me –

may the harm done by ¹⁷  their lips overwhelm them!

Psalms 141:3

141:3 O Lord, place a guard on my mouth!

Protect the opening ¹⁸  of my lips! ¹⁹ 

[17:4]  ¹ tn Heb “with regard to the deeds of man[kind].”

[17:4]  ² 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”).

[34:13]  ³ tn Heb “guard your tongue from evil.”

[34:13]  ⁴ tn Heb “and your lips from speaking deception.”

[51:15]  ⁵ tn Heb “open my lips.” The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request.

[51:15]  ⁶ tn Heb “and my mouth will declare your praise.”

[63:3]  ⁷ tn This line is understood as giving the basis for the praise promised in the following line. Another option is to take the Hebrew particle כִּי (ki) as asseverative/emphasizing, “Indeed, your loyal love is better” (cf. NEB, which leaves the particle untranslated).

[63:3]  ⁸ tn The word “experiencing” is supplied in the translation for clarification. The psalmist does not speak here of divine loyal love in some abstract sense, but of loyal love revealed and experienced.

[71:23]  ⁹ tn Or “when.” The translation assumes that כִּי (ki) has an emphasizing (asseverative) function here.

[71:23]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “and my life [or “soul”] which you will have redeemed.” The perfect verbal form functions here as a future perfect. The psalmist anticipates praising God, for God will have rescued him by that time.

[89:34]  ¹¹ tn Or “desecrate.”

[89:34]  ¹² tn Heb “and what proceeds out of my lips I will not alter.”

[120:2]  ¹³ tn The words “I said” are supplied in the translation for clarification. See the introductory note for this psalm.

[120:2]  ¹⁴ tn Or “my life.”

[120:2]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “from a lip of falsehood.”

[120:2]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “from a tongue of deception.”

[140:9]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “harm of their lips.” The genitive here indicates the source or agent of the harm.

[141:3]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “door.” The Hebrew word occurs only here in the OT.

[141:3]  ¹⁸ sn My mouth…my lips. The psalmist asks God to protect him from speaking inappropriately or sinfully.