Psalms 33:13-17

33:13 The Lord watches ¹  from heaven;

he sees all people. ² 

33:14 From the place where he lives he looks carefully

at all the earth’s inhabitants.

33:15 He is the one who forms every human heart, ³ 

and takes note of all their actions.

33:16 No king is delivered by his vast army;

a warrior is not saved by his great might.

33:17 A horse disappoints those who trust in it for victory; ⁴ 

despite its great strength, it cannot deliver.

[33:13]  ¹ tn The Hebrew perfect verbal forms in v. 13 state general facts.

[33:13]  ² tn Heb “all the sons of men.”

[33:15]  ³ tn Heb “the one who forms together their heart[s].” “Heart” here refers to human nature, composed of intellect, emotions and will. The precise force of יָחַד (yakhad, “together”) is unclear here. The point seems to be that the Lord is the creator of every human being.

[33:17]  ⁵ tn Heb “a lie [is] the horse for victory.”