Psalms 5:1

Psalm 5 ¹ 

For the music director, to be accompanied by wind instruments; ²  a psalm of David.

5:1 Listen to what I say, ³  Lord!

Carefully consider my complaint! ⁴ 

Psalms 17:1

Psalm 17 ⁵ 

A prayer of David.

17:1 Lord, consider my just cause! ⁶ 

Pay attention to my cry for help!

Listen to the prayer

I sincerely offer! ⁷ 

Psalms 64:1

Psalm 64 ⁸ 

For the music director; a psalm of David.

64:1 Listen to me, ⁹  O God, as I offer my lament!

Protect ¹⁰  my life from the enemy’s terrifying attacks. ¹¹ 

Psalms 80:1

Psalm 80 ¹² 

For the music director; according to the shushan-eduth style; ¹³  a psalm of Asaph.

80:1 O shepherd of Israel, pay attention,

you who lead Joseph like a flock of sheep!

You who sit enthroned above the winged angels, ¹⁴  reveal your splendor! ¹⁵ 

Psalms 84:8

84:8 O Lord, sovereign God, ¹⁶ 

hear my prayer!

Listen, O God of Jacob! (Selah)

Psalms 84:1

Psalm 84 ¹⁷ 

For the music director; according to the gittith style; ¹⁸  written by the Korahites, a psalm.

84:1 How lovely is the place where you live, ¹⁹ 

O Lord who rules over all! ²⁰ 

Psalms 3:1

Psalm 3 ²¹ 

A psalm of David, written when he fled from his son Absalom. ²² 

3:1 Lord, how ²³  numerous are my enemies!

Many attack me. ²⁴ 

[5:1]  ¹ sn Psalm 5. Appealing to God’s justice and commitment to the godly, the psalmist asks the Lord to intervene and deliver him from evildoers.

[5:1]  ² tn The meaning of the Hebrew word נְחִילוֹת (nÿkhilot), which occurs only here, is uncertain. Many relate the form to חָלִיל (khalil, “flute”).

[5:1]  ³ tn Heb “my words.”

[5:1]  ⁴ tn Or “sighing.” The word occurs only here and in Ps 39:3.

[17:1]  ⁵ sn Psalm 17. The psalmist asks God to intervene on his behalf because his life is threatened by dangerous enemies. He appeals to divine justice, for he is certain of his own innocence. Because he is innocent, he expects to encounter God and receive an assuring word.

[17:1]  ⁶ tn Heb “hear, Lord, what is just.”

[17:1]  ⁷ tn Heb “Listen to my prayer, [made] without lips of deceit.”

[64:1]  ⁸ sn Psalm 64. The psalmist asks God to protect him from his dangerous enemies and then confidently affirms that God will destroy his enemies and demonstrate his justice in the sight of all observers.

[64:1]  ⁹ tn Heb “my voice.”

[64:1]  ¹⁰ tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s request.

[64:1]  ¹¹ tn Heb “from the terror of [the] enemy.” “Terror” is used here metonymically for the enemy’s attacks that produce fear because they threaten the psalmist’s life.

[80:1]  ¹² sn Psalm 80. The psalmist laments Israel’s demise and asks the Lord to show favor toward his people, as he did in earlier times.

[80:1]  ¹³ tn The Hebrew expression shushan-eduth means “lily of the testimony.” It may refer to a particular music style or to a tune title. See the superscription to Ps 60.

[80:1]  ¹⁴ sn Winged angels (Heb “cherubs”). Cherubs, as depicted in the OT, possess both human and animal (lion, ox, and eagle) characteristics (see Ezek 1:10; 10:14, 21; 41:18). They are pictured as winged creatures (Exod 25:20; 37:9; 1 Kgs 6:24-27; Ezek 10:8, 19) and serve as the very throne of God when the ark of the covenant is in view (Ps 99:1; see Num 7:89; 1 Sam 4:4; 2 Sam 6:2; 2 Kgs 19:15). The picture of the Lord seated on the cherubs suggests they might be used by him as a vehicle, a function they carry out in Ezek 1:22-28 (the “living creatures” mentioned here are identified as cherubs in Ezek 10:20). In Ps 18:10 the image of a cherub serves to personify the wind.

[80:1]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “shine forth.”

[84:8]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “Lord, God, hosts.” One expects the construct form אֱלֹהֵי before צְבָאוֹת (tsÿva’ot, “hosts”; see Ps 89:9) but יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים (yehvah ’elohim) precedes צְבָאוֹת in Pss 59:5 and 80:4, 19 as well.

[84:1]  ¹⁷ sn Psalm 84. The psalmist expresses his desire to be in God’s presence in the Jerusalem temple, for the Lord is the protector of his people.

[84:1]  ¹⁸ tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew term הַגִּתִּית (haggittit) is uncertain; it probably refers to a musical style or instrument.

[84:1]  ¹⁹ tn Or “your dwelling place[s].” The plural form of the noun may indicate degree or quality; this is the Lord’s special dwelling place (see Pss 43:3; 46:4; 132:5, 7).

[84:1]  ²⁰ tn Traditionally, “Lord of hosts.” The title draws attention to God’s sovereign position (see Ps 69:6).

[3:1]  ²¹ sn Psalm 3. The psalmist acknowledges that he is confronted by many enemies (vv. 1-2). But, alluding to a divine oracle he has received (vv. 4-5), he affirms his confidence in God’s ability to protect him (vv. 3, 6) and requests that God make his promise a reality (vv. 7-8).

[3:1]  ²² sn According to Jewish tradition, David offered this prayer when he was forced to flee from Jerusalem during his son Absalom’s attempted coup (see 2 Sam 15:13-17).

[3:1]  ²³ tn The Hebrew term מָה (mah, “how”) is used here as an adverbial exclamation (see BDB 553 s.v.).

[3:1]  ²⁴ tn Heb “many rise up against me.”