Psalms 26:2

26:2 Examine me, O Lord, and test me!

Evaluate my inner thoughts and motives! ¹ 

Psalms 73:21

73:21 Yes, ²  my spirit was bitter, ³ 

and my insides felt sharp pain. ⁴ 

Psalms 139:13

139:13 Certainly ⁵  you made my mind and heart; ⁶ 

you wove me together ⁷  in my mother’s womb.

Psalms 7:9

7:9 May the evil deeds of the wicked ⁸  come to an end! ⁹ 

But make the innocent ¹⁰  secure, ¹¹ 

O righteous God,

you who examine ¹²  inner thoughts and motives! ¹³ 

Psalms 16:7

16:7 I will praise ¹⁴  the Lord who ¹⁵  guides ¹⁶  me;

yes, during the night I reflect and learn. ¹⁷ 

[26:2]  ¹ tn Heb “evaluate my kidneys and my heart.” The kidneys and heart were viewed as the seat of one’s volition, conscience, and moral character.

[73:21]  ² tn Or perhaps “when.”

[73:21]  ³ tn The imperfect verbal form here describes a continuing attitude in a past time frame.

[73:21]  ⁴ tn Heb “and [in] my kidneys I was pierced.” The imperfect verbal form here describes a continuing condition in a past time frame.

[139:13]  ³ tn Or “for.”

[139:13]  ⁴ tn Heb “my kidneys.” The kidneys were sometimes viewed as the seat of one’s emotions and moral character (cf. Pss 7:9; 26:2). A number of translations, recognizing that “kidneys” does not communicate this idea to the modern reader, have generalized the concept: “inmost being” (NAB, NIV); “inward parts” (NASB, NRSV); “the delicate, inner parts of my body” (NLT). In the last instance, the focus is almost entirely on the physical body rather than the emotions or moral character. The present translation, by using a hendiadys (one concept expressed through two terms), links the concepts of emotion (heart) and moral character (mind).

[139:13]  ⁵ tn The Hebrew verb סָכַךְ (sakhakh, “to weave together”) is an alternate form of שָׂכַךְ (sakhakh, “to weave”) used in Job 10:11.

[7:9]  ⁴ tn In the psalms the Hebrew term רְשָׁעִים (rÿsha’im, “wicked”) describes people who are proud, practical atheists (Ps 10:2, 4, 11) who hate God’s commands, commit sinful deeds, speak lies and slander (Ps 50:16-20), and cheat others (Ps 37:21). They oppose God and his people.

[7:9]  ⁵ tn The prefixed verbal form is a jussive, expressing an imprecation here.

[7:9]  ⁶ tn Or “the godly” (see Ps 5:12). The singular form is collective (see the plural “upright in heart” in v. 10), though it may reflect the personal focus of the psalmist in this context.

[7:9]  ⁷ tn The prefixed verbal form expresses the psalmist’s prayer or wish.

[7:9]  ⁸ tn For other uses of the verb in this sense, see Job 7:18; Pss 11:4; 26:2; 139:23.

[7:9]  ⁹ tn Heb “and [the one who] tests hearts and kidneys, just God.” The translation inverts the word order to improve the English style. The heart and kidneys were viewed as the seat of one’s volition, conscience, and moral character.

[16:7]  ⁵ tn Heb “bless,” that is, “proclaim as worthy of praise.”

[16:7]  ⁶ tn Or “because.”

[16:7]  ⁷ tn Or “counsels, advises.”

[16:7]  ⁸ tn Heb “yes, [during] nights my kidneys instruct [or “correct”] me.” The “kidneys” are viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s moral character (see Ps 26:2). In the quiet darkness the Lord speaks to his inner being, as it were, and enables him to grow in moral understanding.