Psalms 33:12

33:12 How blessed ¹  is the nation whose God is the Lord,

the people whom he has chosen to be his special possession. ² 

Psalms 84:12

84:12 O Lord who rules over all, ³ 

how blessed are those who trust in you! ⁴ 

Psalms 144:15

144:15 How blessed are the people who experience these things! ⁵ 

How blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!

Deuteronomy 33:29

33:29 You have joy, Israel! Who is like you?

You are a people delivered by the Lord,

your protective shield

and your exalted sword.

May your enemies cringe before you;

may you trample on their backs.

[33:12]  ¹ tn The Hebrew noun is an abstract plural. The word often refers metonymically to the happiness that God-given security and prosperity produce (see Pss 1:1; 2:12; 34:9; 41:1; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).

[33:12]  ² tn Heb “inheritance.”

[84:12]  ³ tn Traditionally “Lord of hosts.”

[84:12]  ⁴ tn Heb “[Oh] the happiness [of] the man [who] trusts in you.” Hebrew literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The principle stated here is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, we translate the gender and age specific “man” with the plural “those.” The individual referred to here is representative of all followers of God, as the use of the plural form in v. 12b indicates.

[144:15]  ⁵ tn Heb “[O] the happiness of the people who [it is] such to them.”