Discovery BoxPsalms 2:2
Context2:2 The kings of the earth 1 form a united front; 2
the rulers collaborate 3
against the Lord and his anointed king. 4
Psalms 20:6
Context20:6 Now I am sure 5 that the Lord will deliver 6 his chosen king; 7
he will intervene for him 8 from his holy heavenly temple, 9
and display his mighty ability to deliver. 10
Psalms 20:1
ContextFor the music director; a psalm of David.
20:1 May the Lord answer 12 you 13 when you are in trouble; 14
may the God of Jacob 15 make you secure!
Psalms 16:1
ContextA prayer 17 of David.
16:1 Protect me, O God, for I have taken shelter in you. 18
Isaiah 61:1
Context61:1 The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me,
because the Lord has chosen 19 me. 20
He has commissioned 21 me to encourage 22 the poor,
to help 23 the brokenhearted,
to decree the release of captives,
and the freeing of prisoners,
[2:2] 1 sn The expression kings of the earth refers somewhat hyperbolically to the kings who had been conquered by and were subject to the Davidic king.
[2:2] 2 tn Or “take their stand.” The Hebrew imperfect verbal form describes their action as underway.
[2:2] 3 tn Or “conspire together.” The verbal form is a Niphal from יָסַד (yasad). BDB 413-14 s.v. יָסַד defines the verb as “establish, found,” but HALOT 417 s.v. II יסד proposes a homonym meaning “get together, conspire” (an alternate form of סוּד, sud).
[2:2] 4 tn Heb “and against his anointed one.” The Davidic king is the referent (see vv. 6-7).
[20:6] 6 tn The perfect verbal form is probably used rhetorically to state that the deliverance is as good as done. In this way the speaker emphasizes the certainty of the deliverance. Another option is to take the statement as generalizing; the psalmist affirms that the
[20:6] 7 tn Heb “his anointed one.” This title refers to the Davidic king. See Pss 2:2 and 18:50.
[20:6] 8 tn Heb “he will answer him.”
[20:6] 9 tn Heb “from his holy heavens.”
[20:6] 10 tn Heb “with mighty acts of deliverance of his right hand.” The Lord’s “right hand” here symbolizes his power to protect and deliver (see Ps 17:7).
[20:1] 11 sn Psalm 20. The people pray for the king’s success in battle. When the king declares his assurance that the Lord will answer the people’s prayer, they affirm their confidence in God’s enablement.
[20:1] 12 tn The prefixed verbal forms here and in vv. 1b-5 are interpreted as jussives of prayer (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV). Another option is to understand them as imperfects, “the
[20:1] 13 sn May the
[20:1] 14 tn Heb “in a day of trouble.”
[20:1] 15 tn Heb “the name of the God of Jacob.” God’s “name” refers metonymically to his very person and to the divine characteristics suggested by his name, in this case “God of Jacob,” which highlights his relationship to Israel.
[16:1] 16 sn Psalm 16. The psalmist seeks divine protection because he has remained loyal to God. He praises God for his rich blessings, and is confident God will vindicate him and deliver him from death.
[16:1] 17 tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew term מִכְתָּם (mikhtam) is uncertain. HALOT 582-83 s.v. defines it as “inscription.”
[16:1] 18 tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form probably refers here to a completed action with continuing results (see 7:1; 11:1).
[61:1] 19 tn Heb “anointed,” i.e., designated to carry out an assigned task.
[61:1] 20 sn The speaker is not identified, but he is distinct from the Lord and from Zion’s suffering people. He possesses the divine spirit, is God’s spokesman, and is sent to release prisoners from bondage. The evidence suggests he is the Lord’s special servant, described earlier in the servant songs (see 42:1-4, 7; 49:2, 9; 50:4; see also 51:16).
[61:1] 21 tn Or “sent” (NAB); NCV “has appointed me.”
