Psalms 71:4

71:4 My God, rescue me from the power ¹  of the wicked,

from the hand of the cruel oppressor!

Psalms 71:2

71:2 Vindicate me by rescuing me! ² 

Listen to me! ³  Deliver me! ⁴ 

Psalms 15:1

Psalm 15 ⁵ 

A psalm of David.

15:1 Lord, who may be a guest in your home? ⁶ 

Who may live on your holy hill? ⁷ 

Psalms 16:1

Psalm 16 ⁸ 

A prayer ⁹  of David.

16:1 Protect me, O God, for I have taken shelter in you. ¹⁰ 

Psalms 17:1-4

Psalm 17 ¹¹ 

A prayer of David.

17:1 Lord, consider my just cause! ¹² 

Pay attention to my cry for help!

Listen to the prayer

I sincerely offer! ¹³ 

17:2 Make a just decision on my behalf! ¹⁴ 

Decide what is right! ¹⁵ 

17:3 You have scrutinized my inner motives; ¹⁶ 

you have examined me during the night. ¹⁷ 

You have carefully evaluated me, but you find no sin.

I am determined I will say nothing sinful. ¹⁸ 

17:4 As for the actions of people ¹⁹  –

just as you have commanded,

I have not followed in the footsteps of violent men. ²⁰ 

[71:4]  ¹ tn Heb “hand.”

[71:2]  ² tn Heb “in your vindication rescue me and deliver me.” Ps 31:1 omits “and deliver me.”

[71:2]  ³ tn Heb “turn toward me your ear.”

[71:2]  ⁴ tn Ps 31:2 adds “quickly” before “deliver.”

[15:1]  ⁵ sn Psalm 15. This psalm describes the character qualities that one must possess to be allowed access to the divine presence.

[15:1]  ⁶ tn Heb “Who may live as a resident alien in your tent?”

[15:1]  ⁷ sn In this context the Lord’s holy hill probably refers to Zion/Jerusalem. See Isa 66:20; Joel 2:1; 3:17; Zech 8:3; Pss 2:6; 43:3; 48:1; 87:1; Dan 9:16.

[16:1]  ⁸ sn Psalm 16. The psalmist seeks divine protection because he has remained loyal to God. He praises God for his rich blessings, and is confident God will vindicate him and deliver him from death.

[16:1]  ⁹ tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew term מִכְתָּם (mikhtam) is uncertain. HALOT 582-83 s.v. defines it as “inscription.”

[16:1]  ¹⁰ tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form probably refers here to a completed action with continuing results (see 7:1; 11:1).

[17:1]  ¹¹ 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]  ¹² tn Heb “hear, Lord, what is just.”

[17:1]  ¹³ tn Heb “Listen to my prayer, [made] without lips of deceit.”

[17:2]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “From before you may my justice come out.” The prefixed verbal form יָצָא (yatsa’) could be taken as an imperfect, but following the imperatives in v. 1, it is better understood as a jussive of prayer.

[17:2]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “May your eyes look at what is right.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as jussive. (See also the preceding note on the word “behalf.”)

[17:3]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “you tested my heart.”

[17:3]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “you visited [at] night.”

[17:3]  ¹⁸ tc Heb “you tested me, you do not find, I plan, my mouth will not cross over.” The Hebrew verbal form זַמֹּתִי (zammotiy) is a Qal perfect, first person singular from the root זָמַם (zamam, “plan, plan evil”). Some emend the form to a suffixed form of the noun, זִמָּתִי (zimmatiy, “my plan/evil plan”), and take it as the object of the preceding verb “find.” However, the suffix seems odd, since the psalmist is denying that he has any wrong thoughts. If one takes the form with what precedes, it might make better sense to read זִמּוֹת (zimmot, “evil plans”). However, this emendation leaves an unclear connection with the next line. The present translation maintains the verbal form found in the MT and understands it in a neutral sense, “I have decided” (see Jer 4:28). The words “my mouth will not cross over” (i.e., “transgress, sin”) can then be taken as a noun clause functioning as the object of the verb.

[17:4]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “with regard to the deeds of man[kind].”

[17:4]  ²⁰ tn Heb “by the word of your lips, I, I have watched the paths of the violent” (i.e., “watched” in the sense of “watched for the purpose of avoiding”).