Psalms 57:2

57:2 I cry out for help to the sovereign God, ¹ 

to the God who vindicates ²  me.

Psalms 77:8

77:8 Has his loyal love disappeared forever?

Has his promise ³  failed forever?

Psalms 12:1

Psalm 12 ⁴ 

For the music director; according to the sheminith style; ⁵  a psalm of David.

12:1 Deliver, Lord!

For the godly ⁶  have disappeared; ⁷ 

people of integrity ⁸  have vanished. ⁹ 

[57:2]  ¹ tn Heb “to God Most High.” The divine title “Most High” (עֶלְיוֹן, ’elyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Ps 47:2.

[57:2]  ² tn Or “avenges in favor of.”

[77:8]  ³ tn Heb “word,” which may refer here to God’s word of promise (note the reference to “loyal love” in the preceding line).

[12:1]  ⁵ sn Psalm 12. The psalmist asks the Lord to intervene, for society is overrun by deceitful, arrogant oppressors and godly individuals are a dying breed. When the Lord announces his intention to defend the oppressed, the psalmist affirms his confidence in the divine promise.

[12:1]  ⁶ tn The meaning of the Hebrew term שְׁמִינִית (shÿminit) is uncertain; perhaps it refers to a particular style of music. See 1 Chr 15:21.

[12:1]  ⁷ tn The singular form is collective or representative. Note the plural form “faithful [ones]” in the following line. A “godly [one]” (חָסִיד, khasid) is one who does what is right in God’s eyes and remains faithful to God (see Pss 4:3; 18:25; 31:23; 37:28; 86:2; 97:10).

[12:1]  ⁸ tn Or “have come to an end.”

[12:1]  ⁹ tn Heb “the faithful [ones] from the sons of man.”

[12:1]  ¹⁰ tn The Hebrew verb פָּסַס (pasas) occurs only here. An Akkadian cognate means “efface, blot out.”