Psalms 53:2

53:2 God looks down from heaven ¹  at the human race, ² 

to see if there is anyone who is wise ³  and seeks God. ⁴ 

Psalms 53:5

53:5 They are absolutely terrified, ⁵ 

even by things that do not normally cause fear. ⁶ 

For God annihilates ⁷  those who attack you. ⁸ 

You are able to humiliate them because God has rejected them. ⁹ 

Psalms 68:8

68:8 the earth shakes,

yes, the heavens pour down rain

before God, the God of Sinai, ¹⁰ 

before God, the God of Israel. ¹¹ 

Psalms 68:35

68:35 You are awe-inspiring, O God, as you emerge from your holy temple! ¹² 

It is the God of Israel ¹³  who gives the people power and strength.

God deserves praise! ¹⁴ 

Psalms 77:1

Psalm 77 ¹⁵ 

For the music director, Jeduthun; a psalm of Asaph.

77:1 I will cry out to God ¹⁶  and call for help!

I will cry out to God and he will pay attention ¹⁷  to me.

[53:2]  ¹ sn The picture of the Lord looking down from heaven draws attention to his sovereignty over the world.

[53:2]  ² tn Heb “upon the sons of man.”

[53:2]  ³ tn Or “acts wisely.” The Hiphil is exhibitive.

[53:2]  ⁴ tn That is, who seeks to have a relationship with God by obeying and worshiping him.

[53:5]  ⁵ tn Heb “there they are afraid [with] fear.” The perfect verbal form is probably used in a rhetorical manner; the psalmist describes the future demise of the oppressors as if it were already occurring. The adverb שָׁם (sham, “there”) is also used here for dramatic effect, as the psalmist envisions the wicked standing in fear at a spot that is this vivid in his imagination (BDB 1027 s.v.). The cognate accusative following the verb emphasizes the degree of their terror (“absolutely”).

[53:5]  ⁶ tn Heb “there is no fear.” Apparently this means the evildoers are so traumatized with panic (see v. 5b) that they now jump with fear at everything, even those things that would not normally cause fear. Ps 14:5 omits this line.

[53:5]  ⁷ tn Heb “scatters the bones.” The perfect is used in a rhetorical manner, describing this future judgment as if it were already accomplished. Scattering the bones alludes to the aftermath of a battle. God annihilates his enemies, leaving their carcasses spread all over the battlefield. As the bodies are devoured by wild animals and decay, the bones of God’s dead enemies are exposed. See Ps 141:7.

[53:5]  ⁸ tn Heb “[those who] encamp [against] you.” The second person masculine singular pronominal suffix probably refers to God’s people viewed as a collective whole. Instead of “for God scatters the bones of those who encamp against you,” Ps 14:5 reads, “for God is with a godly generation.”

[53:5]  ⁹ tn Once again the perfect is used in a rhetorical manner, describing this future judgment as if it were already accomplished. As in the previous line, God’s people are probably addressed. The second person singular verb form is apparently collective, suggesting that the people are viewed here as a unified whole. Ps 14:6 reads here “the counsel of the oppressed you put to shame, even though God is his shelter,” the words being addressed to the wicked.

[68:8]  ⁹ tn Heb “this one of Sinai.” The phrase is a divine title, perhaps indicating that the Lord rules from Sinai.

[68:8]  ¹⁰ sn The language of vv. 7-8 is reminiscent of Judg 5:4-5, which tells how the God of Sinai came in the storm and annihilated the Canaanite forces led by Sisera. The presence of allusion does not mean, however, that this is a purely historical reference. The psalmist is describing God’s typical appearance as a warrior in terms of his prior self-revelation as ancient events are reactualized in the psalmist’s experience. (For a similar literary technique, see Hab 3.)

[68:35]  ¹³ tn Heb “awesome [is] God from his holy places.” The plural of מִקְדָּשׁ (miqdash, “holy places”) perhaps refers to the temple precincts (see Ps 73:17; Jer 51:51).

[68:35]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “the God of Israel, he.”

[68:35]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “blessed [be] God.”

[77:1]  ¹⁷ sn Psalm 77. The psalmist recalls how he suffered through a time of doubt, but tells how he found encouragement and hope as he recalled the way in which God delivered Israel at the Red Sea.

[77:1]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “my voice to God.” The Hebrew verb קָרָא (qara’, “to call out; to cry out”) should probably be understood by ellipsis (see Ps 3:4) both here and in the following (parallel) line.

[77:1]  ¹⁹ tn The perfect with vav (ו) consecutive is best taken as future here (although some translations render this as a past tense; cf. NEB, NIV). The psalmist expresses his confidence that God will respond to his prayer. This mood of confidence seems premature (see vv. 3-4), but v. 1 probably reflects the psalmist’s attitude at the end of the prayer (see vv. 13-20). Having opened with an affirmation of confidence, he then retraces how he gained confidence during his trial (see vv. 2-12).