Discovery BoxPsalms 73:1--150:6
ContextBook 3
(Psalms 73-89)
A psalm by Asaph.
73:1 Certainly God is good to Israel, 2
and to those whose motives are pure! 3
73:2 But as for me, my feet almost slipped;
my feet almost slid out from under me. 4
73:3 For I envied those who are proud,
as I observed 5 the prosperity 6 of the wicked.
73:4 For they suffer no pain; 7
their bodies 8 are strong and well-fed. 9
73:5 They are immune to the trouble common to men;
they do not suffer as other men do. 10
73:6 Arrogance is their necklace, 11
and violence their clothing. 12
73:7 Their prosperity causes them to do wrong; 13
their thoughts are sinful. 14
73:8 They mock 15 and say evil things; 16
they proudly threaten violence. 17
73:9 They speak as if they rule in heaven,
and lay claim to the earth. 18
73:10 Therefore they have more than enough food to eat,
and even suck up the water of the sea. 19
73:11 They say, “How does God know what we do?
Is the sovereign one aware of what goes on?” 20
73:12 Take a good look! This is what the wicked are like, 21
those who always have it so easy and get richer and richer. 22
73:13 I concluded, 23 “Surely in vain I have kept my motives 24 pure
and maintained a pure lifestyle. 25
73:14 I suffer all day long,
and am punished every morning.”
73:15 If I had publicized these thoughts, 26
I would have betrayed your loyal followers. 27
73:16 When I tried to make sense of this,
it was troubling to me. 28
73:17 Then I entered the precincts of God’s temple, 29
and understood the destiny of the wicked. 30
73:18 Surely 31 you put them in slippery places;
you bring them down 32 to ruin.
73:19 How desolate they become in a mere moment!
Terrifying judgments make their demise complete! 33
73:20 They are like a dream after one wakes up. 34
O Lord, when you awake 35 you will despise them. 36
73:21 Yes, 37 my spirit was bitter, 38
and my insides felt sharp pain. 39
73:22 I was ignorant 40 and lacked insight; 41
I was as senseless as an animal before you. 42
73:23 But I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand.
73:24 You guide 43 me by your wise advice,
and then you will lead me to a position of honor. 44
73:25 Whom do I have in heaven but you?
I desire no one but you on earth. 45
73:26 My flesh and my heart may grow weak, 46
but God always 47 protects my heart and gives me stability. 48
73:27 Yes, 49 look! Those far from you 50 die;
you destroy everyone who is unfaithful to you. 51
73:28 But as for me, God’s presence is all I need. 52
I have made the sovereign Lord my shelter,
as 53 I declare all the things you have done.
A well-written song 55 by Asaph.
74:1 Why, O God, have you permanently rejected us? 56
Why does your anger burn 57 against the sheep of your pasture?
74:2 Remember your people 58 whom you acquired in ancient times,
whom you rescued 59 so they could be your very own nation, 60
as well as Mount Zion, where you dwell!
74:3 Hurry and look 61 at the permanent ruins,
and all the damage the enemy has done to the temple! 62
74:4 Your enemies roar 63 in the middle of your sanctuary; 64
they set up their battle flags. 65
74:5 They invade like lumberjacks
swinging their axes in a thick forest. 66
74:6 And now 67 they are tearing down 68 all its engravings 69
74:7 They set your sanctuary on fire;
they desecrate your dwelling place by knocking it to the ground. 72
74:8 They say to themselves, 73
“We will oppress all of them.” 74
They burn down all the places where people worship God in the land. 75
74:9 We do not see any signs of God’s presence; 76
there are no longer any prophets 77
and we have no one to tell us how long this will last. 78
74:10 How long, O God, will the adversary hurl insults?
Will the enemy blaspheme your name forever?
74:11 Why do you remain inactive?
Intervene and destroy him! 79
74:12 But God has been my 80 king from ancient times,
performing acts of deliverance on the earth. 81
74:13 You destroyed 82 the sea by your strength;
you shattered the heads of the sea monster 83 in the water.
74:14 You crushed the heads of Leviathan; 84
you fed 85 him to the people who live along the coast. 86
74:15 You broke open the spring and the stream; 87
you dried up perpetually flowing rivers. 88
74:16 You established the cycle of day and night; 89
you put the moon 90 and sun in place. 91
74:17 You set up all the boundaries 92 of the earth;
you created the cycle of summer and winter. 93
74:18 Remember how 94 the enemy hurls insults, O Lord, 95
and how a foolish nation blasphemes your name!
74:19 Do not hand the life of your dove 96 over to a wild animal!
Do not continue to disregard 97 the lives of your oppressed people!
74:20 Remember your covenant promises, 98
for the dark regions of the earth are full of places where violence rules. 99
74:21 Do not let the afflicted be turned back in shame!
Let the oppressed and poor praise your name! 100
74:22 Rise up, O God! Defend your honor! 101
Remember how fools insult you all day long! 102
74:23 Do not disregard 103 what your enemies say, 104
or the unceasing shouts of those who defy you. 105
For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; 107 a psalm of Asaph; a song.
75:1 We give thanks to you, O God! We give thanks!
You reveal your presence; 108
people tell about your amazing deeds.
“At the appointed times, 110
I judge 111 fairly.
75:3 When the earth and all its inhabitants dissolve in fear, 112
I make its pillars secure.” 113 (Selah)
75:4 114 I say to the proud, “Do not be proud,”
and to the wicked, “Do not be so confident of victory! 115
75:5 Do not be so certain you have won! 116
Do not speak with your head held so high! 117
75:6 For victory does not come from the east or west,
or from the wilderness. 118
75:7 For God is the judge! 119
He brings one down and exalts another. 120
75:8 For the Lord holds in his hand a cup full
of foaming wine mixed with spices, 121
and pours it out. 122
Surely all the wicked of the earth
will slurp it up and drink it to its very last drop.” 123
75:9 As for me, I will continually tell what you have done; 124
I will sing praises to the God of Jacob!
“I will bring down all the power of the wicked;
the godly will be victorious.” 126
For the music director; to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a psalm of Asaph, a song.
76:1 God has revealed himself in Judah; 128
in Israel his reputation 129 is great.
he dwells in Zion. 131
76:3 There he shattered the arrows, 132
the shield, the sword, and the rest of the weapons of war. 133 (Selah)
76:4 You shine brightly and reveal your majesty,
as you descend from the hills where you killed your prey. 134
76:5 The bravehearted 135 were plundered; 136
they “fell asleep.” 137
All the warriors were helpless. 138
76:6 At the sound of your battle cry, 139 O God of Jacob,
both rider 140 and horse “fell asleep.” 141
76:7 You are awesome! Yes, you!
Who can withstand your intense anger? 142
76:8 From heaven you announced what their punishment would be. 143
The earth 144 was afraid and silent
76:9 when God arose to execute judgment,
and to deliver all the oppressed of the earth. (Selah)
76:10 Certainly 145 your angry judgment upon men will bring you praise; 146
you reveal your anger in full measure. 147
76:11 Make vows to the Lord your God and repay them!
Let all those who surround him 148 bring tribute to the awesome one!
the kings of the earth regard him as awesome. 150
For the music director, Jeduthun; a psalm of Asaph.
77:1 I will cry out to God 152 and call for help!
I will cry out to God and he will pay attention 153 to me.
77:2 In my time of trouble I sought 154 the Lord.
I kept my hand raised in prayer throughout the night. 155
I 156 refused to be comforted.
77:3 I said, “I will remember God while I groan;
I will think about him while my strength leaves me.” 157 (Selah)
77:4 You held my eyelids open; 158
I was troubled and could not speak. 159
77:5 I thought about the days of old,
about ancient times. 160
77:6 I said, “During the night I will remember the song I once sang;
I will think very carefully.”
I tried to make sense of what was happening. 161
77:7 I asked, 162 “Will the Lord reject me forever?
Will he never again show me his favor?
77:8 Has his loyal love disappeared forever?
Has his promise 163 failed forever?
77:9 Has God forgotten to be merciful?
Has his anger stifled his compassion?”
77:10 Then I said, “I am sickened by the thought
that the sovereign One 164 might become inactive. 165
77:11 I will remember the works of the Lord.
Yes, I will remember the amazing things you did long ago! 166
77:12 I will think about all you have done;
I will reflect upon your deeds!”
77:13 167 O God, your deeds are extraordinary! 168
What god can compare to our great God? 169
77:14 You are the God who does amazing things;
you have revealed your strength among the nations.
77:15 You delivered 170 your people by your strength 171 –
the children of Jacob and Joseph. (Selah)
77:16 The waters 172 saw you, O God,
the waters saw you and trembled. 173
Yes, the depths of the sea 174 shook with fear. 175
77:17 The clouds poured down rain; 176
the skies thundered. 177
Yes, your arrows 178 flashed about.
77:18 Your thunderous voice was heard in the wind;
the lightning bolts lit up the world;
the earth trembled and shook. 179
77:19 You walked through the sea; 180
you passed through the surging waters, 181
but left no footprints. 182
77:20 You led your people like a flock of sheep,
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
A well-written song 184 by Asaph.
78:1 Pay attention, my people, to my instruction!
Listen to the words I speak! 185
78:2 I will sing a song that imparts wisdom;
I will make insightful observations about the past. 186
78:3 What we have heard and learned 187 –
that which our ancestors 188 have told us –
78:4 we will not hide from their 189 descendants.
We will tell the next generation
about the Lord’s praiseworthy acts, 190
about his strength and the amazing things he has done.
78:5 He established a rule 191 in Jacob;
he set up a law in Israel.
He commanded our ancestors
to make his deeds known to their descendants, 192
78:6 so that the next generation, children yet to be born,
might know about them.
They will grow up and tell their descendants about them. 193
78:7 Then they will place their confidence in God.
They will not forget the works of God,
and they will obey 194 his commands.
78:8 Then they will not be like their ancestors,
who were a stubborn and rebellious generation,
a generation that was not committed
and faithful to God. 195
78:9 The Ephraimites 196 were armed with bows, 197
but they retreated in the day of battle. 198
78:10 They did not keep their covenant with God, 199
and they refused to obey 200 his law.
78:11 They forgot what he had done, 201
the amazing things he had shown them.
78:12 He did amazing things in the sight of their ancestors,
in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan. 202
78:13 He divided the sea and led them across it;
he made the water stand in a heap.
78:14 He led them with a cloud by day,
and with the light of a fire all night long.
78:15 He broke open rocks in the wilderness,
and gave them enough water to fill the depths of the sea. 203
78:16 He caused streams to flow from the rock,
and made the water flow like rivers.
78:17 Yet they continued to sin against him,
and rebelled against the sovereign One 204 in the desert.
78:18 They willfully challenged God 205
by asking for food to satisfy their appetite.
78:19 They insulted God, saying, 206
“Is God really able to give us food 207 in the wilderness?
78:20 Yes, 208 he struck a rock and water flowed out,
streams gushed forth.
But can he also give us food?
Will he provide meat for his people?”
78:21 When 209 the Lord heard this, he was furious.
A fire broke out against Jacob,
and his anger flared up 210 against Israel,
78:22 because they did not have faith in God,
and did not trust his ability to deliver them. 211
78:23 He gave a command to the clouds above,
and opened the doors in the sky.
78:24 He rained down manna for them to eat;
he gave them the grain of heaven. 212
78:25 Man ate the food of the mighty ones. 213
He sent them more than enough to eat. 214
78:26 He brought the east wind through the sky,
and by his strength led forth the south wind.
78:27 He rained down meat on them like dust,
birds as numerous as the sand on the seashores. 215
78:28 He caused them to fall right in the middle of their camp,
all around their homes.
78:29 They ate until they were stuffed; 216
he gave them what they desired.
78:30 They were not yet filled up, 217
their food was still in their mouths,
78:31 when the anger of God flared up against them.
He killed some of the strongest of them;
he brought the young men of Israel to their knees.
78:32 Despite all this, they continued to sin,
and did not trust him to do amazing things. 218
78:33 So he caused them to die unsatisfied 219
and filled with terror. 220
78:34 When he struck them down, 221 they sought his favor; 222
they turned back and longed for God.
78:35 They remembered that God was their protector, 223
and that the sovereign God was their deliverer. 224
78:36 But they deceived him with their words, 225
and lied to him. 226
78:37 They were not really committed to him, 227
and they were unfaithful to his covenant.
78:38 Yet he is compassionate.
He forgives sin and does not destroy.
He often holds back his anger,
and does not stir up his fury. 228
78:39 He remembered 229 that they were made of flesh,
and were like a wind that blows past and does not return. 230
78:40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness,
and insulted him 231 in the desert!
78:41 They again challenged God, 232
and offended 233 the Holy One of Israel. 234
78:42 They did not remember what he had done, 235
how he delivered them from the enemy, 236
78:43 when he performed his awesome deeds 237 in Egypt,
and his acts of judgment 238 in the region of Zoan.
78:44 He turned their rivers into blood,
and they could not drink from their streams.
78:45 He sent swarms of biting insects against them, 239
as well as frogs that overran their land. 240
78:46 He gave their crops to the grasshopper,
the fruit of their labor to the locust.
78:47 He destroyed their vines with hail,
and their sycamore-fig trees with driving rain.
78:48 He rained hail down on their cattle, 241
and hurled lightning bolts down on their livestock. 242
78:49 His raging anger lashed out against them, 243
He sent fury, rage, and trouble
as messengers who bring disaster. 244
78:50 He sent his anger in full force; 245
he did not spare them from death;
he handed their lives over to destruction. 246
78:51 He struck down all the firstborn in Egypt,
the firstfruits of their reproductive power 247 in the tents of Ham.
78:52 Yet he brought out his people like sheep;
he led them through the wilderness like a flock.
78:53 He guided them safely along,
while the sea covered their enemies.
78:54 He brought them to the border of his holy land,
to this mountainous land 248 which his right hand 249 acquired.
78:55 He drove the nations out from before them;
he assigned them their tribal allotments 250
and allowed the tribes of Israel to settle down. 251
78:56 Yet they challenged and defied 252 the sovereign God, 253
and did not obey 254 his commands. 255
78:57 They were unfaithful 256 and acted as treacherously as 257 their ancestors;
they were as unreliable as a malfunctioning bow. 258
78:58 They made him angry with their pagan shrines, 259
and made him jealous with their idols.
78:59 God heard and was angry;
he completely rejected Israel.
78:60 He abandoned 260 the sanctuary at Shiloh,
the tent where he lived among men.
78:61 He allowed the symbol of his strong presence to be captured; 261
he gave the symbol of his splendor 262 into the hand of the enemy. 263
78:62 He delivered his people over to the sword,
and was angry with his chosen nation. 264
78:63 Fire consumed their 265 young men,
and their 266 virgins remained unmarried. 267
78:64 Their 268 priests fell by the sword,
but their 269 widows did not weep. 270
78:65 But then the Lord awoke from his sleep; 271
he was like a warrior in a drunken rage. 272
78:66 He drove his enemies back;
he made them a permanent target for insults. 273
78:67 He rejected the tent of Joseph;
he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim.
78:68 He chose the tribe of Judah,
and Mount Zion, which he loves.
78:69 He made his sanctuary as enduring as the heavens above; 274
as secure as the earth, which he established permanently. 275
78:70 He chose David, his servant,
and took him from the sheepfolds.
78:71 He took him away from following the mother sheep, 276
and made him the shepherd of Jacob, his people,
and of Israel, his chosen nation. 277
78:72 David 278 cared for them with pure motives; 279
he led them with skill. 280
A psalm of Asaph.
79:1 O God, foreigners 282 have invaded your chosen land; 283
they have polluted your holy temple
and turned Jerusalem 284 into a heap of ruins.
79:2 They have given the corpses of your servants
to the birds of the sky; 285
the flesh of your loyal followers
to the beasts of the earth.
79:3 They have made their blood flow like water
all around Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury them. 286
79:4 We have become an object of disdain to our neighbors;
those who live on our borders taunt and insult us. 287
79:5 How long will this go on, O Lord? 288
Will you stay angry forever?
How long will your rage 289 burn like fire?
79:6 Pour out your anger on the nations that do not acknowledge you, 290
on the kingdoms that do not pray to you! 291
79:7 For they have devoured Jacob
and destroyed his home.
79:8 Do not hold us accountable for the sins of earlier generations! 292
Quickly send your compassion our way, 293
for we are in serious trouble! 294
79:9 Help us, O God, our deliverer!
For the sake of your glorious reputation, 295 rescue us!
Forgive our sins for the sake of your reputation! 296
79:10 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”
Before our very eyes may the shed blood of your servants
be avenged among the nations! 297
79:11 Listen to the painful cries of the prisoners! 298
Use your great strength to set free those condemned to die! 299
79:12 Pay back our neighbors in full! 300
May they be insulted the same way they insulted you, O Lord! 301
79:13 Then we, your people, the sheep of your pasture,
will continually thank you. 302
We will tell coming generations of your praiseworthy acts. 303
For the music director; according to the shushan-eduth style; 305 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, 306 reveal your splendor! 307
80:2 In the sight of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh reveal 308 your power!
Come and deliver us! 309
80:3 O God, restore us!
Smile on us! 310 Then we will be delivered! 311
80:4 O Lord God, invincible warrior! 312
How long will you remain angry at your people while they pray to you? 313
80:5 You have given them tears as food; 314
you have made them drink tears by the measure. 315
80:6 You have made our neighbors dislike us, 316
and our enemies insult us.
80:7 O God, invincible warrior, 317 restore us!
Smile on us! 318 Then we will be delivered! 319
80:8 You uprooted a vine 320 from Egypt;
you drove out nations and transplanted it.
80:9 You cleared the ground for it; 321
it took root, 322
and filled the land.
80:10 The mountains were covered by its shadow,
the highest cedars 323 by its branches.
80:11 Its branches reached the Mediterranean Sea, 324
and its shoots the Euphrates River. 325
80:12 Why did you break down its walls, 326
so that all who pass by pluck its fruit? 327
80:13 The wild boars of the forest ruin it; 328
the insects 329 of the field feed on it.
80:14 O God, invincible warrior, 330 come back!
Look down from heaven and take notice!
Take care of this vine,
80:15 the root 331 your right hand planted,
the shoot you made to grow! 332
80:16 It is burned 333 and cut down.
They die because you are displeased with them. 334
80:17 May you give support to the one you have chosen, 335
to the one whom you raised up for yourself! 336
80:18 Then we will not turn away from you.
Revive us and we will pray to you! 337
80:19 O Lord God, invincible warrior, 338 restore us!
Smile on us! 339 Then we will be delivered! 340
For the music director; according to the gittith style; 342 by Asaph.
81:1 Shout for joy to God, our source of strength!
Shout out to the God of Jacob!
81:2 Sing 343 a song and play the tambourine,
the pleasant sounding harp, and the ten-stringed instrument!
81:3 Sound the ram’s horn on the day of the new moon, 344
and on the day of the full moon when our festival begins. 345
81:4 For observing the festival is a requirement for Israel; 346
it is an ordinance given by the God of Jacob.
81:5 He decreed it as a regulation in Joseph,
when he attacked the land of Egypt. 347
I heard a voice I did not recognize. 348
81:6 It said: 349 “I removed the burden from his shoulder;
his hands were released from holding the basket. 350
81:7 In your distress you called out and I rescued you.
I answered you from a dark thundercloud. 351
I tested you at the waters of Meribah. 352 (Selah)
81:8 I said, 353 ‘Listen, my people!
I will warn 354 you!
O Israel, if only you would obey me! 355
81:9 There must be 356 no other 357 god among you.
You must not worship a foreign god.
81:10 I am the Lord, your God,
the one who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide and I will fill it!’
81:11 But my people did not obey me; 358
Israel did not submit to me. 359
81:12 I gave them over to their stubborn desires; 360
they did what seemed right to them. 361
81:13 If only my people would obey me! 362
If only Israel would keep my commands! 363
81:14 Then I would quickly subdue their enemies,
and attack 364 their adversaries.”
81:15 (May those who hate the Lord 365 cower in fear 366 before him!
May they be permanently humiliated!) 367
81:16 “I would feed Israel the best wheat, 368
and would satisfy your appetite 369 with honey from the rocky cliffs.” 370
A psalm of Asaph.
82:1 God stands in 372 the assembly of El; 373
in the midst of the gods 374 he renders judgment. 375
82:2 He says, 376 “How long will you make unjust legal decisions
and show favoritism to the wicked? 377 (Selah)
82:3 Defend the cause of the poor and the fatherless! 378
Vindicate the oppressed and suffering!
82:4 Rescue the poor and needy!
Deliver them from the power 379 of the wicked!
82:5 They 380 neither know nor understand.
They stumble 381 around in the dark,
while all the foundations of the earth crumble. 382
82:6 I thought, 383 ‘You are gods;
all of you are sons of the Most High.’ 384
82:7 Yet you will die like mortals; 385
you will fall like all the other rulers.” 386
82:8 Rise up, O God, and execute judgment on the earth!
For you own 387 all the nations.
A song, a psalm of Asaph.
83:1 O God, do not be silent!
Do not ignore us! 389 Do not be inactive, O God!
83:2 For look, your enemies are making a commotion;
those who hate you are hostile. 390
83:3 They carefully plot 391 against your people,
and make plans to harm 392 the ones you cherish. 393
83:4 They say, “Come on, let’s annihilate them so they are no longer a nation! 394
Then the name of Israel will be remembered no more.”
83:5 Yes, 395 they devise a unified strategy; 396
they form an alliance 397 against you.
83:6 It includes 398 the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
Moab and the Hagrites, 399
83:7 Gebal, 400 Ammon, and Amalek,
Philistia and the inhabitants of Tyre. 401
83:8 Even Assyria has allied with them,
lending its strength to the descendants of Lot. 402 (Selah)
83:9 Do to them as you did to Midian 403 –
as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River! 404
83:10 They were destroyed at Endor; 405
their corpses were like manure 406 on the ground.
83:11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, 407
and all their rulers like Zebah and Zalmunna, 408
83:12 who said, 409 “Let’s take over 410 the pastures of God!”
83:13 O my God, make them like dead thistles, 411
like dead weeds blown away by 412 the wind!
83:14 Like the fire that burns down the forest,
or the flames that consume the mountainsides, 413
83:15 chase them with your gale winds,
and terrify 414 them with your windstorm.
83:16 Cover 415 their faces with shame,
so they might seek 416 you, 417 O Lord.
83:17 May they be humiliated and continually terrified! 418
May they die in shame! 419
83:18 Then they will know 420 that you alone are the Lord, 421
the sovereign king 422 over all the earth.
For the music director; according to the gittith style; 424 written by the Korahites, a psalm.
84:1 How lovely is the place where you live, 425
O Lord who rules over all! 426
84:2 I desperately want to be 427
in the courts of the Lord’s temple. 428
My heart and my entire being 429 shout for joy
to the living God.
84:3 Even the birds find a home there,
and the swallow 430 builds a nest,
where she can protect her young 431
near your altars, O Lord who rules over all,
my king and my God.
84:4 How blessed 432 are those who live in your temple
and praise you continually! (Selah)
84:5 How blessed are those who 433 find their strength in you,
and long to travel the roads that lead to your temple! 434
84:6 As they pass through the Baca Valley, 435
he provides a spring for them. 436
The rain 437 even covers it with pools of water. 438
84:7 They are sustained as they travel along; 439
each one appears 440 before God in Zion.
84:8 O Lord, sovereign God, 441
hear my prayer!
Listen, O God of Jacob! (Selah)
84:9 O God, take notice of our shield! 442
Show concern for your chosen king! 443
84:10 Certainly 444 spending just one day in your temple courts is better
than spending a thousand elsewhere. 445
I would rather stand at the entrance 446 to the temple of my God
than live 447 in the tents of the wicked.
84:11 For the Lord God is our sovereign protector. 448
The Lord bestows favor 449 and honor;
he withholds no good thing from those who have integrity. 450
84:12 O Lord who rules over all, 451
how blessed are those who trust in you! 452
For the music director; written by the Korahites, a psalm.
85:1 O Lord, you showed favor to your land;
you restored the well-being of Jacob. 454
85:2 You pardoned 455 the wrongdoing of your people;
you forgave 456 all their sin. (Selah)
85:3 You withdrew all your fury;
you turned back from your raging anger. 457
85:4 Restore us, O God our deliverer!
Do not be displeased with us! 458
85:5 Will you stay mad at us forever?
Will you remain angry throughout future generations? 459
85:6 Will you not revive us once more?
Then your people will rejoice in you!
85:7 O Lord, show us your loyal love!
Bestow on us your deliverance!
85:8 I will listen to what God the Lord says. 460
For he will make 461 peace with his people, his faithful followers. 462
Yet they must not 463 return to their foolish ways.
85:9 Certainly his loyal followers will soon experience his deliverance; 464
then his splendor will again appear in our land. 465
85:10 Loyal love and faithfulness meet; 466
deliverance and peace greet each other with a kiss. 467
85:11 Faithfulness grows from the ground,
and deliverance looks down from the sky. 468
85:12 Yes, the Lord will bestow his good blessings, 469
and our land will yield 470 its crops.
85:13 Deliverance goes 471 before him,
and prepares 472 a pathway for him. 473
A prayer of David.
86:1 Listen 475 O Lord! Answer me!
For I am oppressed and needy.
86:2 Protect me, 476 for I am loyal!
O my God, deliver your servant, who trusts in you!
86:3 Have mercy on me, 477 O Lord,
for I cry out to you all day long!
86:4 Make your servant 478 glad,
for to you, O Lord, I pray! 479
86:5 Certainly 480 O Lord, you are kind 481 and forgiving,
and show great faithfulness to all who cry out to you.
86:6 O Lord, hear my prayer!
Pay attention to my plea for mercy!
86:7 In my time of trouble I cry out to you,
for you will answer me.
86:8 None can compare to you among the gods, O Lord!
Your exploits are incomparable! 482
86:9 All the nations, whom you created,
will come and worship you, 483 O Lord.
They will honor your name.
86:10 For you are great and do amazing things.
You alone are God.
86:11 O Lord, teach me how you want me to live! 484
Then I will obey your commands. 485
Make me wholeheartedly committed to you! 486
86:12 O Lord, my God, I will give you thanks with my whole heart!
I will honor your name continually! 487
86:13 For you will extend your great loyal love to me, 488
and will deliver my life 489 from the depths of Sheol. 490
86:14 O God, arrogant men attack me; 491
a gang 492 of ruthless men, who do not respect you, seek my life. 493
86:15 But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and merciful God.
You are patient 494 and demonstrate great loyal love and faithfulness. 495
86:16 Turn toward me and have mercy on me!
Give your servant your strength!
Deliver your slave! 496
86:17 Show me evidence of your favor! 497
Then those who hate me will see it and be ashamed, 498
for you, O Lord, will help me and comfort me. 499
Written by the Korahites; a psalm, a song.
87:1 The Lord’s city is in the holy hills. 501
87:2 The Lord loves the gates of Zion
more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.
87:3 People say wonderful things about you, 502
O city of God. (Selah)
87:4 I mention Rahab 503 and Babylon to my followers. 504
Here are 505 Philistia and Tyre, 506 along with Ethiopia. 507
It is said of them, “This one was born there.” 508
87:5 But it is said of Zion’s residents, 509
“Each one of these 510 was born in her,
and the sovereign One 511 makes her secure.” 512
87:6 The Lord writes in the census book of the nations, 513
“This one was born there.” 514 (Selah)
87:7 As for the singers, as well as the pipers –
all of them sing within your walls. 515
A song, a psalm written by the Korahites; for the music director; according to the machalath-leannoth style; 517 a well-written song 518 by Heman the Ezrachite.
88:1 O Lord God who delivers me! 519
By day I cry out
and at night I pray before you. 520
Pay attention 522 to my cry for help!
88:3 For my life 523 is filled with troubles
and I am ready to enter Sheol. 524
88:4 They treat me like 525 those who descend into the grave. 526
I am like a helpless man, 527
88:5 adrift 528 among the dead,
like corpses lying in the grave,
whom you remember no more,
and who are cut off from your power. 529
88:6 You place me in the lowest regions of the pit, 530
in the dark places, in the watery depths.
88:7 Your anger bears down on me,
and you overwhelm me with all your waves. (Selah)
88:8 You cause those who know me to keep their distance;
you make me an appalling sight to them.
I am trapped and cannot get free. 531
88:9 My eyes grow weak because of oppression.
I call out to you, O Lord, all day long;
I spread out my hands in prayer to you. 532
88:10 Do you accomplish amazing things for the dead?
Do the departed spirits 533 rise up and give you thanks? (Selah)
88:11 Is your loyal love proclaimed in the grave,
or your faithfulness in the place of the dead? 534
88:12 Are your amazing deeds experienced 535 in the dark region, 536
or your deliverance in the land of oblivion? 537
88:13 As for me, I cry out to you, O Lord;
in the morning my prayer confronts you.
88:14 O Lord, why do you reject me,
and pay no attention to me? 538
88:15 I am oppressed and have been on the verge of death since my youth. 539
I have been subjected to your horrors and am numb with pain. 540
88:16 Your anger overwhelms me; 541
your terrors destroy me.
88:17 They surround me like water all day long;
they join forces and encircle me. 542
88:18 You cause my friends and neighbors to keep their distance; 543
those who know me leave me alone in the darkness. 544
A well-written song 546 by Ethan the Ezrachite.
89:1 I will sing continually 547 about the Lord’s faithful deeds;
to future generations I will proclaim your faithfulness. 548
89:2 For I say, “Loyal love is permanently established; 549
in the skies you set up your faithfulness.” 550
“I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
I have made a promise on oath to David, my servant:
89:4 ‘I will give you an eternal dynasty 552
and establish your throne throughout future generations.’” 553 (Selah)
89:5 O Lord, the heavens 554 praise your amazing deeds,
as well as your faithfulness in the angelic assembly. 555
89:6 For who in the skies can compare to the Lord?
Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings, 556
89:7 a God who is honored 557 in the great angelic assembly, 558
and more awesome than 559 all who surround him?
89:8 O Lord, sovereign God! 560
Who is strong like you, O Lord?
Your faithfulness surrounds you.
89:9 You rule over the proud sea. 561
When its waves surge, 562 you calm them.
89:10 You crushed the Proud One 563 and killed it; 564
with your strong arm you scattered your enemies.
89:11 The heavens belong to you, as does the earth.
You made the world and all it contains. 565
89:12 You created the north and the south.
Tabor and Hermon 566 rejoice in your name.
89:13 Your arm is powerful,
your hand strong,
your right hand 567 victorious. 568
89:14 Equity and justice are the foundation of your throne. 569
Loyal love and faithfulness characterize your rule. 570
89:15 How blessed are the people who worship you! 571
O Lord, they experience your favor. 572
89:16 They rejoice in your name all day long,
and are vindicated 573 by your justice.
89:17 For you give them splendor and strength. 574
By your favor we are victorious. 575
89:18 For our shield 576 belongs to the Lord,
our king to the Holy One of Israel. 577
89:19 Then you 578 spoke through a vision to your faithful followers 579 and said:
“I have energized a warrior; 580
I have raised up a young man 581 from the people.
89:20 I have discovered David, my servant.
With my holy oil I have anointed him as king. 582
89:21 My hand will support him, 583
and my arm will strengthen him.
89:22 No enemy will be able to exact tribute 584 from him; 585
a violent oppressor will not be able to humiliate him. 586
89:23 I will crush his enemies before him;
I will strike down those who hate him.
89:24 He will experience my faithfulness and loyal love, 587
and by my name he will win victories. 588
89:25 I will place his hand over the sea,
his right hand over the rivers. 589
89:26 He will call out to me,
‘You are my father, 590 my God, and the protector who delivers me.’ 591
89:27 I will appoint him to be my firstborn son, 592
the most exalted of the earth’s kings.
89:28 I will always extend my loyal love to him,
and my covenant with him is secure. 593
89:29 I will give him an eternal dynasty, 594
and make his throne as enduring as the skies above. 595
89:30 If his sons reject my law
and disobey my regulations,
89:31 if they break 596 my rules
and do not keep my commandments,
89:32 I will punish their rebellion by beating them with a club, 597
their sin by inflicting them with bruises. 598
89:33 But I will not remove 599 my loyal love from him,
nor be unfaithful to my promise. 600
89:34 I will not break 601 my covenant
or go back on what I promised. 602
89:35 Once and for all I have vowed by my own holiness,
I will never deceive 603 David.
89:36 His dynasty will last forever. 604
His throne will endure before me, like the sun, 605
89:37 it will remain stable, like the moon, 606
his throne will endure like the skies.” 607 (Selah)
89:38 But you have spurned 608 and rejected him;
you are angry with your chosen king. 609
89:39 You have repudiated 610 your covenant with your servant; 611
you have thrown his crown to the ground. 612
89:40 You have broken down all his 613 walls;
you have made his strongholds a heap of ruins.
89:41 All who pass by 614 have robbed him;
he has become an object of disdain to his neighbors.
89:42 You have allowed his adversaries to be victorious, 615
and all his enemies to rejoice.
89:43 You turn back 616 his sword from the adversary, 617
and have not sustained him in battle. 618
89:44 You have brought to an end his splendor, 619
and have knocked 620 his throne to the ground.
89:45 You have cut short his youth, 621
and have covered him with shame. (Selah)
89:46 How long, O Lord, will this last?
Will you remain hidden forever? 622
Will your anger continue to burn like fire?
89:47 Take note of my brief lifespan! 623
Why do you make all people so mortal? 624
89:48 No man can live on without experiencing death,
or deliver his life from the power of Sheol. 625 (Selah)
89:49 Where are your earlier faithful deeds, 626 O Lord, 627
the ones performed in accordance with your reliable oath to David? 628
89:50 Take note, O Lord, 629 of the way your servants are taunted, 630
and of how I must bear so many insults from people! 631
89:51 Your enemies, O Lord, hurl insults;
they insult your chosen king as they dog his footsteps. 632
89:52 633 The Lord deserves praise 634 forevermore!
We agree! We agree! 635
Book 4
(Psalms 90-106)
A prayer of Moses, the man of God.
90:1 O Lord, you have been our protector 637 through all generations!
90:2 Even before the mountains came into existence, 638
or you brought the world into being, 639
you were the eternal God. 640
90:3 You make mankind return 641 to the dust, 642
and say, “Return, O people!”
90:4 Yes, 643 in your eyes a thousand years
are like yesterday that quickly passes,
or like one of the divisions of the nighttime. 644
90:5 You bring their lives to an end and they “fall asleep.” 645
In the morning they are like the grass that sprouts up;
90:6 in the morning it glistens 646 and sprouts up;
at evening time it withers 647 and dries up.
90:7 Yes, 648 we are consumed by your anger;
we are terrified by your wrath.
90:8 You are aware of our sins; 649
you even know about our hidden sins. 650
90:9 Yes, 651 throughout all our days we experience your raging fury; 652
the years of our lives pass quickly, like a sigh. 653
90:10 The days of our lives add up to seventy years, 654
or eighty, if one is especially strong. 655
But even one’s best years are marred by trouble and oppression. 656
Yes, 657 they pass quickly 658 and we fly away. 659
90:11 Who can really fathom the intensity of your anger? 660
Your raging fury causes people to fear you. 661
90:12 So teach us to consider our mortality, 662
so that we might live wisely. 663
90:13 Turn back toward us, O Lord!
How long must this suffering last? 664
Have pity on your servants! 665
90:14 Satisfy us in the morning 666 with your loyal love!
Then we will shout for joy and be happy 667 all our days!
90:15 Make us happy in proportion to the days you have afflicted us,
in proportion to the years we have experienced 668 trouble!
90:16 May your servants see your work! 669
May their sons see your majesty! 670
90:17 May our sovereign God extend his favor to us! 671
Make our endeavors successful!
Yes, make them successful! 672
91:1 As for you, the one who lives 674 in the shelter of the sovereign One, 675
and resides in the protective shadow 676 of the mighty king 677 –
91:2 I say this about the Lord, my shelter and my stronghold,
my God in whom I trust –
91:3 he will certainly rescue you from the snare of the hunter 678
and from the destructive plague.
91:4 He will shelter you 679 with his wings; 680
you will find safety under his wings.
His faithfulness is like a shield or a protective wall. 681
91:5 You need not fear the terrors of the night, 682
the arrow that flies by day,
91:6 the plague that comes in the darkness,
or the disease that comes at noon. 683
91:7 Though a thousand may fall beside you,
and a multitude on your right side,
it 684 will not reach you.
91:8 Certainly you will see it with your very own eyes –
you will see the wicked paid back. 685
91:9 For you have taken refuge in the Lord,
my shelter, the sovereign One. 686
91:10 No harm will overtake 687 you;
no illness 688 will come near your home. 689
91:11 For he will order his angels 690
to protect you in all you do. 691
91:12 They will lift you up in their hands,
so you will not slip and fall on a stone. 692
91:13 You will subdue 693 a lion and a snake; 694
you will trample underfoot a young lion and a serpent.
“Because he is devoted to me, I will deliver him;
I will protect him 696 because he is loyal to me. 697
91:15 When he calls out to me, I will answer him.
I will be with him when he is in trouble;
I will rescue him and bring him honor.
91:16 I will satisfy him with long life, 698
and will let him see my salvation.
A psalm; a song for the Sabbath day.
92:1 It is fitting 700 to thank the Lord,
and to sing praises to your name, O sovereign One! 701
92:2 It is fitting 702 to proclaim your loyal love in the morning,
and your faithfulness during the night,
92:3 to the accompaniment of a ten-stringed instrument and a lyre,
to the accompaniment of the meditative tone of the harp.
92:4 For you, O Lord, have made me happy by your work.
I will sing for joy because of what you have done. 703
92:5 How great are your works, O Lord!
Your plans are very intricate! 704
92:6 The spiritually insensitive do not recognize this;
the fool does not understand this. 705
92:7 When the wicked sprout up like grass,
and all the evildoers glisten, 706
it is so that they may be annihilated. 707
92:8 But you, O Lord, reign 708 forever!
92:9 Indeed, 709 look at your enemies, O Lord!
Indeed, 710 look at how your enemies perish!
All the evildoers are scattered!
92:10 You exalt my horn like that of a wild ox. 711
I am covered 712 with fresh oil.
92:11 I gloat in triumph over those who tried to ambush me; 713
I hear the defeated cries of the evil foes who attacked me. 714
92:12 The godly 715 grow like a palm tree;
they grow high like a cedar in Lebanon. 716
92:13 Planted in the Lord’s house,
they grow in the courts of our God.
92:14 They bear fruit even when they are old;
they are filled with vitality and have many leaves. 717
92:15 So they proclaim that the Lord, my protector,
is just and never unfair. 718
93:1 The Lord reigns!
He is robed in majesty,
the Lord is robed,
he wears strength around his waist. 720
Indeed, the world is established, it cannot be moved.
93:2 Your throne has been secure from ancient times;
you have always been king. 721
93:3 The waves 722 roar, O Lord,
the waves roar,
the waves roar and crash. 723
93:4 Above the sound of the surging water, 724
and the mighty waves of the sea,
the Lord sits enthroned in majesty. 725
93:5 The rules you set down 726 are completely reliable. 727
Holiness 728 aptly adorns your house, O Lord, forever. 729
94:1 O Lord, the God who avenges!
O God who avenges, reveal your splendor! 731
94:2 Rise up, O judge of the earth!
Pay back the proud!
94:3 O Lord, how long will the wicked,
how long will the wicked celebrate? 732
94:4 They spew out threats 733 and speak defiantly;
all the evildoers boast. 734
94:5 O Lord, they crush your people;
they oppress the nation that belongs to you. 735
94:6 They kill the widow and the one residing outside his native land,
and they murder the fatherless. 736
94:7 Then they say, “The Lord does not see this;
the God of Jacob does not take notice of it.” 737
94:8 Take notice of this, 738 you ignorant people! 739
You fools, when will you ever understand?
94:9 Does the one who makes the human ear not hear?
Does the one who forms the human eye not see? 740
94:10 Does the one who disciplines the nations not punish?
He is the one who imparts knowledge to human beings!
94:11 The Lord knows that
peoples’ thoughts are morally bankrupt. 741
94:12 How blessed is the one 742 whom you instruct, O Lord,
the one whom you teach from your law,
94:13 in order to protect him from times of trouble, 743
until the wicked are destroyed. 744
94:14 Certainly 745 the Lord does not forsake his people;
he does not abandon the nation that belongs to him. 746
94:15 For justice will prevail, 747
and all the morally upright 748 will be vindicated. 749
94:16 Who will rise up to defend me 750 against the wicked?
Who will stand up for me against the evildoers? 751
94:17 If the Lord had not helped me,
I would have laid down in the silence of death. 752
94:18 If I say, “My foot is slipping,”
your loyal love, O Lord, supports me.
94:19 When worries threaten to overwhelm me, 753
your soothing touch makes me happy. 754
94:20 Cruel rulers 755 are not your allies,
those who make oppressive laws. 756
94:21 They conspire against 757 the blameless, 758
and condemn to death the innocent. 759
94:22 But the Lord will protect me, 760
and my God will shelter me. 761
94:23 He will pay them back for their sin. 762
He will destroy them because of 763 their evil;
the Lord our God will destroy them.
95:1 Come! Let’s sing for joy to the Lord!
Let’s shout out praises to our protector who delivers us! 765
95:2 Let’s enter his presence 766 with thanksgiving!
Let’s shout out to him in celebration! 767
95:3 For the Lord is a great God,
a great king who is superior to 768 all gods.
95:4 The depths of the earth are in his hand, 769
and the mountain peaks belong to him.
95:5 The sea is his, for he made it.
His hands formed the dry land.
95:6 Come! Let’s bow down and worship! 770
Let’s kneel before the Lord, our creator!
95:7 For he is our God;
we are the people of his pasture,
the sheep he owns. 771
Today, if only you would obey him! 772
95:8 He says, 773 “Do not be stubborn like they were at Meribah, 774
like they were that day at Massah 775 in the wilderness, 776
95:9 where your ancestors challenged my authority, 777
and tried my patience, even though they had seen my work.
95:10 For forty years I was continually disgusted 778 with that generation,
and I said, ‘These people desire to go astray; 779
they do not obey my commands.’ 780
95:11 So I made a vow in my anger,
‘They will never enter into the resting place I had set aside for them.’” 781
96:1 Sing to the Lord a new song! 783
Sing to the Lord, all the earth!
96:2 Sing to the Lord! Praise his name!
Announce every day how he delivers! 784
96:3 Tell the nations about his splendor!
Tell 785 all the nations about his amazing deeds!
96:4 For the Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise;
he is more awesome than all gods. 786
96:5 For all the gods of the nations are worthless, 787
but the Lord made the sky.
96:6 Majestic splendor emanates from him; 788
his sanctuary is firmly established and beautiful. 789
96:7 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the nations,
ascribe to the Lord splendor and strength!
96:8 Ascribe to the Lord the splendor he deserves! 790
Bring an offering and enter his courts!
96:9 Worship the Lord in holy attire! 791
Tremble before him, all the earth!
96:10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!
The world is established, it cannot be moved.
He judges the nations fairly.”
96:11 Let the sky rejoice, and the earth be happy!
Let the sea and everything in it shout!
96:12 Let the fields and everything in them celebrate!
Then let the trees of the forest shout with joy
96:13 before the Lord, for he comes!
For he comes to judge the earth!
He judges the world fairly, 792
and the nations in accordance with his justice. 793
97:1 The Lord reigns!
Let the earth be happy!
Let the many coastlands rejoice!
97:2 Dark clouds surround him;
equity and justice are the foundation of his throne. 795
97:3 Fire goes before him;
on every side 796 it burns up his enemies.
97:4 His lightning bolts light up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
97:5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
before the Lord of the whole earth.
97:6 The sky declares his justice,
and all the nations see his splendor.
97:7 All who worship idols are ashamed,
those who boast about worthless idols.
All the gods bow down before him. 797
97:8 Zion hears and rejoices,
the towns 798 of Judah are happy,
because of your judgments, O Lord.
97:9 For you, O Lord, are the sovereign king 799 over the whole earth;
you are elevated high above all gods.
97:10 You who love the Lord, hate evil!
He protects 800 the lives of his faithful followers;
he delivers them from the power 801 of the wicked.
97:11 The godly bask in the light;
the morally upright experience joy. 802
97:12 You godly ones, rejoice in the Lord!
Give thanks to his holy name. 803
A psalm.
98:1 Sing to the Lord a new song, 805
for he performs 806 amazing deeds!
His right hand and his mighty arm
accomplish deliverance. 807
98:2 The Lord demonstrates his power to deliver; 808
in the sight of the nations he reveals his justice.
98:3 He remains loyal and faithful to the family of Israel. 809
All the ends of the earth see our God deliver us. 810
98:4 Shout out praises to the Lord, all the earth!
Break out in a joyful shout and sing!
98:5 Sing to the Lord accompanied by a harp,
accompanied by a harp and the sound of music!
98:6 With trumpets and the blaring of the ram’s horn,
shout out praises before the king, the Lord!
98:7 Let the sea and everything in it shout,
along with the world and those who live in it!
98:8 Let the rivers clap their hands!
Let the mountains sing in unison
98:9 before the Lord!
For he comes to judge the earth!
He judges the world fairly, 811
and the nations in a just manner.
99:1 The Lord reigns!
The nations tremble. 813
He sits enthroned above the winged angels; 814
the earth shakes. 815
99:2 The Lord is elevated 816 in Zion;
he is exalted over all the nations.
99:3 Let them praise your great and awesome name!
He 817 is holy!
99:4 The king is strong;
he loves justice. 818
You ensure that legal decisions will be made fairly; 819
you promote justice and equity in Jacob.
99:5 Praise 820 the Lord our God!
Worship 821 before his footstool!
He is holy!
99:6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests;
Samuel was one of those who prayed to him. 822
They 823 prayed to the Lord and he answered them.
99:7 He spoke to them from a pillar of cloud; 824
they obeyed his regulations and the ordinance he gave them.
99:8 O Lord our God, you answered them.
They found you to be a forgiving God,
but also one who punished their sinful deeds. 825
99:9 Praise 826 the Lord our God!
Worship on his holy hill,
for the Lord our God is holy!
A thanksgiving psalm.
100:1 Shout out praises to the Lord, all the earth!
100:2 Worship 828 the Lord with joy!
Enter his presence with joyful singing!
100:3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us and we belong to him; 829
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
100:4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give him thanks!
Praise his name!
100:5 For the Lord is good.
His loyal love endures, 830
and he is faithful through all generations. 831
A psalm of David.
101:1 I will sing about loyalty and justice!
To you, O Lord, I will sing praises!
101:2 I will walk in 833 the way of integrity.
When will you come to me?
I will conduct my business with integrity in the midst of my palace. 834
101:3 I will not even consider doing what is dishonest. 835
I hate doing evil; 836
I will have no part of it. 837
101:4 I will have nothing to do with a perverse person; 838
I will not permit 839 evil.
101:5 I will destroy anyone who slanders his neighbor in secret.
I will not tolerate anyone who has a cocky demeanor and an arrogant attitude. 840
101:6 I will favor the honest people of the land, 841
and allow them to live with me. 842
Those who walk in the way of integrity will attend me. 843
101:7 Deceitful people will not live in my palace. 844
Liars will not be welcome in my presence. 845
101:8 Each morning I will destroy all the wicked people in the land,
and remove all evildoers from the city of the Lord.
The prayer of an oppressed man, as he grows faint and pours out his lament before the Lord.
102:1 O Lord, hear my prayer!
Pay attention to my cry for help! 847
102:2 Do not ignore me in my time of trouble! 848
Listen to me! 849
When I call out to you, quickly answer me!
102:3 For my days go up in smoke, 850
and my bones are charred like a fireplace. 851
102:4 My heart is parched 852 and withered like grass,
for I am unable 853 to eat food. 854
102:5 Because of the anxiety that makes me groan,
my bones protrude from my skin. 855
102:6 I am like an owl 856 in the wilderness;
I am like a screech owl 857 among the ruins. 858
I am like a solitary bird on a roof.
102:8 All day long my enemies taunt me;
those who mock me use my name in their curses. 860
102:9 For I eat ashes as if they were bread, 861
and mix my drink with my tears, 862
102:10 because of your anger and raging fury.
Indeed, 863 you pick me up and throw me away.
102:11 My days are coming to an end, 864
and I am withered like grass.
102:12 But you, O Lord, rule forever, 865
and your reputation endures. 866
102:13 You will rise up and have compassion on Zion. 867
For it is time to have mercy on her,
for the appointed time has come.
102:14 Indeed, 868 your servants take delight in her stones,
and feel compassion for 869 the dust of her ruins. 870
102:15 The nations will respect the reputation of the Lord, 871
and all the kings of the earth will respect 872 his splendor,
102:16 when the Lord rebuilds Zion,
and reveals his splendor,
102:17 when he responds to the prayer of the destitute, 873
and does not reject 874 their request. 875
102:18 The account of his intervention 876 will be recorded for future generations;
people yet to be born will praise the Lord.
102:19 For he will look down from his sanctuary above; 877
from heaven the Lord will look toward earth, 878
102:20 in order to hear the painful cries of the prisoners,
and to set free those condemned to die, 879
102:21 so they may proclaim the name of the Lord in Zion,
and praise him 880 in Jerusalem, 881
102:22 when the nations gather together,
and the kingdoms pay tribute to the Lord. 882
102:23 He has taken away my strength in the middle of life; 883
he has cut short my days.
102:24 I say, “O my God, please do not take me away in the middle of my life! 884
You endure through all generations. 885
102:25 In earlier times you established the earth;
the skies are your handiwork.
102:26 They will perish,
but you will endure. 886
They will wear out like a garment;
like clothes you will remove them and they will disappear. 887
your years do not come to an end.
102:28 The children of your servants will settle down here,
and their descendants 889 will live securely in your presence.” 890
By David.
103:1 Praise the Lord, O my soul!
With all that is within me, praise 892 his holy name!
103:2 Praise the Lord, O my soul!
Do not forget all his kind deeds! 893
103:3 He is the one who forgives all your sins,
who heals all your diseases, 894
103:4 who delivers 895 your life from the Pit, 896
who crowns you with his loyal love and compassion,
103:5 who satisfies your life with good things, 897
so your youth is renewed like an eagle’s. 898
103:6 The Lord does what is fair,
and executes justice for all the oppressed. 899
103:7 The Lord revealed his faithful acts 900 to Moses,
his deeds to the Israelites.
103:8 The Lord is compassionate and merciful;
he is patient 901 and demonstrates great loyal love. 902
103:9 He does not always accuse,
and does not stay angry. 903
103:10 He does not deal with us as our sins deserve; 904
he does not repay us as our misdeeds deserve. 905
103:11 For as the skies are high above the earth,
so his loyal love towers 906 over his faithful followers. 907
103:12 As far as the eastern horizon 908 is from the west, 909
so he removes the guilt of our rebellious actions 910 from us.
103:13 As a father has compassion on his children, 911
so the Lord has compassion on his faithful followers. 912
103:14 For he knows what we are made of; 913
he realizes 914 we are made of clay. 915
103:15 A person’s life is like grass. 916
Like a flower in the field it flourishes,
103:16 but when the hot wind 917 blows by, it disappears,
and one can no longer even spot the place where it once grew.
103:17 But the Lord continually shows loyal love to his faithful followers, 918
and is faithful to their descendants, 919
103:18 to those who keep his covenant,
who are careful to obey his commands. 920
103:19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven;
his kingdom extends over everything. 921
103:20 Praise the Lord, you angels of his,
you powerful warriors who carry out his decrees
and obey his orders! 922
103:21 Praise the Lord, all you warriors of his, 923
you servants of his who carry out his desires! 924
103:22 Praise the Lord, all that he has made, 925
in all the regions 926 of his kingdom!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
104:1 Praise the Lord, O my soul!
O Lord my God, you are magnificent. 928
You are robed in splendor and majesty.
104:2 He covers himself with light as if it were a garment.
He stretches out the skies like a tent curtain,
104:3 and lays the beams of the upper rooms of his palace on the rain clouds. 929
He makes the clouds his chariot,
and travels along on the wings of the wind. 930
104:4 He makes the winds his messengers,
and the flaming fire his attendant. 931
104:5 He established the earth on its foundations;
it will never be upended.
104:6 The watery deep covered it 932 like a garment;
the waters reached 933 above the mountains. 934
104:7 Your shout made the waters retreat;
at the sound of your thunderous voice they hurried off –
104:8 as the mountains rose up,
and the valleys went down –
to the place you appointed for them. 935
104:9 You set up a boundary for them that they could not cross,
so that they would not cover the earth again. 936
104:10 He turns springs into streams; 937
they flow between the mountains.
104:11 They provide water for all the animals in the field;
the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
104:12 The birds of the sky live beside them;
they chirp among the bushes. 938
104:13 He waters the mountains from the upper rooms of his palace; 939
the earth is full of the fruit you cause to grow. 940
104:14 He provides grass 941 for the cattle,
and crops for people to cultivate, 942
so they can produce food from the ground, 943
104:15 as well as wine that makes people feel so good, 944
and so they can have oil to make their faces shine, 945
as well as food that sustains people’s lives. 946
104:16 The trees of the Lord 947 receive all the rain they need, 948
the cedars of Lebanon which he planted,
104:17 where the birds make nests,
near the evergreens in which the herons live. 949
104:18 The wild goats live in the high mountains; 950
the rock badgers find safety in the cliffs.
104:19 He made the moon to mark the months, 951
and the sun sets according to a regular schedule. 952
104:20 You make it dark and night comes, 953
during which all the beasts of the forest prowl around.
104:21 The lions roar for prey,
seeking their food from God. 954
104:22 When the sun rises, they withdraw
and sleep 955 in their dens.
104:23 Men then go out to do their work,
and labor away until evening. 956
104:24 How many living things you have made, O Lord! 957
You have exhibited great skill in making all of them; 958
the earth is full of the living things you have made.
104:25 Over here is the deep, wide sea, 959
which teems with innumerable swimming creatures, 960
living things both small and large.
104:26 The ships travel there,
and over here swims the whale 961 you made to play in it.
104:27 All of your creatures 962 wait for you
to provide them with food on a regular basis. 963
104:28 You give food to them and they receive it;
you open your hand and they are filled with food. 964
104:29 When you ignore them, they panic. 965
When you take away their life’s breath, they die
and return to dust.
104:30 When you send your life-giving breath, they are created,
and you replenish the surface of the ground.
104:31 May the splendor of the Lord endure! 966
May the Lord find pleasure in the living things he has made! 967
104:32 He looks down on the earth and it shakes;
he touches the mountains and they start to smolder.
104:33 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I exist! 968
104:34 May my thoughts 969 be pleasing to him!
I will rejoice in the Lord.
104:35 May sinners disappear 970 from the earth,
and the wicked vanish!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
Praise the Lord!
105:1 Give thanks to the Lord!
Call on his name!
Make known his accomplishments among the nations!
105:2 Sing to him!
Make music to him!
Tell about all his miraculous deeds!
105:3 Boast about his holy name!
Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
105:4 Seek the Lord and the strength he gives!
Seek his presence continually!
105:5 Recall the miraculous deeds he performed,
his mighty acts and the judgments he decreed, 972
105:6 O children 973 of Abraham, 974 God’s 975 servant,
you descendants 976 of Jacob, God’s 977 chosen ones!
105:7 He is the Lord our God;
he carries out judgment throughout the earth. 978
105:8 He always remembers his covenantal decree,
the promise he made 979 to a thousand generations –
105:9 the promise 980 he made to Abraham,
the promise he made by oath to Isaac!
105:10 He gave it to Jacob as a decree,
to Israel as a lasting promise, 981
105:11 saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan
as the portion of your inheritance.”
105:12 When they were few in number,
just a very few, and resident aliens within it,
105:13 they wandered from nation to nation,
and from one kingdom to another. 982
105:14 He let no one oppress them;
he disciplined kings for their sake,
105:15 saying, 983 “Don’t touch my chosen 984 ones!
Don’t harm my prophets!”
105:16 He called down a famine upon the earth;
he cut off all the food supply. 985
105:17 He sent a man ahead of them 986 –
Joseph was sold as a servant.
105:18 The shackles hurt his feet; 987
his neck was placed in an iron collar, 988
105:19 until the time when his prediction 989 came true.
The Lord’s word 990 proved him right. 991
105:20 The king authorized his release; 992
the ruler of nations set him free.
105:21 He put him in charge of his palace, 993
and made him manager of all his property,
105:22 giving him authority to imprison his officials 994
and to teach his advisers. 995
105:23 Israel moved to 996 Egypt;
Jacob lived for a time 997 in the land of Ham.
105:24 The Lord 998 made his people very fruitful,
and made them 999 more numerous than their 1000 enemies.
105:25 He caused them 1001 to hate his people,
and to mistreat 1002 his servants.
105:26 He sent his servant Moses,
and Aaron, whom he had chosen.
105:27 They executed his miraculous signs among them, 1003
and his amazing deeds in the land of Ham.
they did not disobey his orders. 1005
105:29 He turned their water into blood,
and killed their fish.
105:30 Their land was overrun by frogs,
which even got into the rooms of their kings.
105:31 He ordered flies to come; 1006
gnats invaded their whole territory.
105:32 He sent hail along with the rain; 1007
there was lightning in their land. 1008
105:33 He destroyed their vines and fig trees,
and broke the trees throughout their territory.
105:34 He ordered locusts to come, 1009
innumerable grasshoppers.
105:35 They ate all the vegetation in their land,
and devoured the crops of their fields. 1010
105:36 He struck down all the firstborn in their land,
the firstfruits of their reproductive power. 1011
105:37 He brought his people 1012 out enriched 1013 with silver and gold;
none of his tribes stumbled.
105:38 Egypt was happy when they left,
for they were afraid of them. 1014
105:39 He spread out a cloud for a cover, 1015
and provided a fire to light up the night.
105:40 They asked for food, 1016 and he sent quails;
he satisfied them with food from the sky. 1017
105:41 He opened up a rock and water flowed out;
a river ran through dry regions.
105:42 Yes, 1018 he remembered the sacred promise 1019
he made to Abraham his servant.
105:43 When he led his people out, they rejoiced;
his chosen ones shouted with joy. 1020
105:44 He handed the territory of nations over to them,
and they took possession of what other peoples had produced, 1021
105:45 so that they might keep his commands
and obey 1022 his laws.
Praise the Lord!
106:1 Praise the Lord!
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
and his loyal love endures! 1024
106:2 Who can adequately recount the Lord’s mighty acts,
or relate all his praiseworthy deeds? 1025
106:3 How blessed are those who promote justice,
and do what is right all the time!
106:4 Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people!
Pay attention to me, when you deliver,
106:5 so I may see the prosperity 1026 of your chosen ones,
rejoice along with your nation, 1027
and boast along with the people who belong to you. 1028
106:6 We have sinned like 1029 our ancestors; 1030
we have done wrong, we have done evil.
106:7 Our ancestors in Egypt failed to appreciate your miraculous deeds,
they failed to remember your many acts of loyal love,
and they rebelled at the sea, by the Red Sea. 1031
106:8 Yet he delivered them for the sake of his reputation, 1032
that he might reveal his power.
106:9 He shouted at 1033 the Red Sea and it dried up;
he led them through the deep water as if it were a desert.
106:10 He delivered them from the power 1034 of the one who hated them,
and rescued 1035 them from the power 1036 of the enemy.
106:11 The water covered their enemies;
not even one of them survived. 1037
106:12 They believed his promises; 1038
they sang praises to him.
106:13 They quickly forgot what he had done; 1039
they did not wait for his instructions. 1040
106:14 In the wilderness they had an insatiable craving 1041 for meat; 1042
they challenged God 1043 in the desert.
106:15 He granted their request,
then struck them with a disease. 1044
106:16 In the camp they resented 1045 Moses,
and Aaron, the Lord’s holy priest. 1046
106:17 The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan;
it engulfed 1047 the group led by Abiram. 1048
106:18 Fire burned their group;
the flames scorched the wicked. 1049
106:19 They made an image of a calf at Horeb,
and worshiped a metal idol.
106:20 They traded their majestic God 1050
for the image of an ox that eats grass.
106:21 They rejected 1051 the God who delivered them,
the one who performed great deeds in Egypt,
106:22 amazing feats in the land of Ham,
mighty 1052 acts by the Red Sea.
106:23 He threatened 1053 to destroy them,
but 1054 Moses, his chosen one, interceded with him 1055
and turned back his destructive anger. 1056
106:24 They rejected the fruitful land; 1057
they did not believe his promise. 1058
106:25 They grumbled in their tents; 1059
they did not obey 1060 the Lord.
106:26 So he made a solemn vow 1061
that he would make them die 1062 in the desert,
106:27 make their descendants 1063 die 1064 among the nations,
and scatter them among foreign lands. 1065
106:28 They worshiped 1066 Baal of Peor,
and ate sacrifices offered to the dead. 1067
106:29 They made the Lord angry 1068 by their actions,
and a plague broke out among them.
106:30 Phinehas took a stand and intervened, 1069
and the plague subsided.
106:31 This brought him a reward,
an eternal gift. 1070
106:32 They made him angry by the waters of Meribah,
and Moses suffered 1071 because of them,
106:33 for they aroused 1072 his temper, 1073
and he spoke rashly. 1074
106:34 They did not destroy the nations, 1075
as the Lord had commanded them to do.
106:35 They mixed in with the nations
and learned their ways. 1076
106:36 They worshiped 1077 their idols,
which became a snare to them. 1078
106:37 They sacrificed their sons and daughters to demons. 1079
106:38 They shed innocent blood –
the blood of their sons and daughters,
whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan.
The land was polluted by bloodshed. 1080
106:39 They were defiled by their deeds,
and unfaithful in their actions. 1081
106:40 So the Lord was angry with his people 1082
and despised the people who belong to him. 1083
106:41 He handed them over to 1084 the nations,
and those who hated them ruled over them.
106:42 Their enemies oppressed them;
they were subject to their authority. 1085
106:43 Many times he delivered 1086 them,
but they had a rebellious attitude, 1087
and degraded themselves 1088 by their sin.
106:44 Yet he took notice of their distress,
when he heard their cry for help.
106:45 He remembered his covenant with them,
and relented 1089 because of his great loyal love.
106:46 He caused all their conquerors 1090
to have pity on them.
106:47 Deliver us, O Lord, our God!
Gather us from among the nations!
Then we will give thanks 1091 to your holy name,
and boast about your praiseworthy deeds. 1092
106:48 The Lord God of Israel deserves praise, 1093
in the future and forevermore. 1094
Let all the people say, “We agree! 1095 Praise the Lord!” 1096
Book 5
(Psalms 107-150)
107:1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
and his loyal love endures! 1098
107:2 Let those delivered by the Lord speak out, 1099
those whom he delivered 1100 from the power 1101 of the enemy,
107:3 and gathered from foreign lands, 1102
from east and west,
from north and south.
107:4 They wandered through the wilderness on a desert road;
they found no city in which to live.
107:5 They were hungry and thirsty;
they fainted from exhaustion. 1103
107:6 They cried out to the Lord in their distress;
he delivered them from their troubles.
107:7 He led them on a level road, 1104
that they might find a city in which to live.
107:8 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love,
and for the amazing things he has done for people! 1105
107:9 For he has satisfied those who thirst, 1106
and those who hunger he has filled with food. 1107
107:10 They sat in utter darkness, 1108
bound in painful iron chains, 1109
107:11 because they had rebelled against God’s commands, 1110
and rejected the instructions of the sovereign king. 1111
107:12 So he used suffering to humble them; 1112
they stumbled and no one helped them up.
107:13 They cried out to the Lord in their distress;
he delivered them from their troubles.
107:14 He brought them out of the utter darkness, 1113
and tore off their shackles.
107:15 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love,
and for the amazing things he has done for people! 1114
107:16 For he shattered the bronze gates,
and hacked through the iron bars. 1115
107:17 They acted like fools in their rebellious ways, 1116
and suffered because of their sins.
107:18 They lost their appetite for all food, 1117
and they drew near the gates of death.
107:19 They cried out to the Lord in their distress;
he delivered them from their troubles.
107:20 He sent them an assuring word 1118 and healed them;
he rescued them from the pits where they were trapped. 1119
107:21 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love,
and for the amazing things he has done for people! 1120
107:22 Let them present thank offerings,
and loudly proclaim what he has done! 1121
107:23 1122 Some traveled on 1123 the sea in ships,
and carried cargo over the vast waters. 1124
107:24 They witnessed the acts of the Lord,
his amazing feats on the deep water.
107:25 He gave the order for a windstorm, 1125
and it stirred up the waves of the sea. 1126
107:26 They 1127 reached up to the sky,
then dropped into the depths.
The sailors’ strength 1128 left them 1129 because the danger was so great. 1130
107:27 They swayed 1131 and staggered like a drunk,
and all their skill proved ineffective. 1132
107:28 They cried out to the Lord in their distress;
he delivered them from their troubles.
107:29 He calmed the storm, 1133
and the waves 1134 grew silent.
107:30 The sailors 1135 rejoiced because the waves 1136 grew quiet,
and he led them to the harbor 1137 they desired.
107:31 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love,
and for the amazing things he has done for people! 1138
107:32 Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people!
Let them praise him in the place where the leaders preside! 1139
107:33 He turned 1140 streams into a desert,
springs of water into arid land,
107:34 and a fruitful land into a barren place, 1141
because of the sin of its inhabitants.
107:35 As for his people, 1142 he turned 1143 a desert into a pool of water,
and a dry land into springs of water.
107:36 He allowed the hungry to settle there,
and they established a city in which to live.
107:37 They cultivated 1144 fields,
and planted vineyards,
which yielded a harvest of fruit. 1145
107:38 He blessed 1146 them so that they became very numerous.
He would not allow their cattle to decrease in number. 1147
107:39 As for their enemies, 1148 they decreased in number and were beaten down,
because of painful distress 1149 and suffering.
107:40 He would pour 1150 contempt upon princes,
and he made them wander in a wasteland with no road.
107:41 Yet he protected 1151 the needy from oppression,
and cared for his families like a flock of sheep.
107:42 When the godly see this, they rejoice,
and every sinner 1152 shuts his mouth.
107:43 Whoever is wise, let him take note of these things!
Let them consider the Lord’s acts of loyal love!
A song, a psalm of David.
108:1 I am determined, 1154 O God!
I will sing and praise you with my whole heart. 1155
108:2 Awake, O stringed instrument and harp!
I will wake up at dawn! 1156
108:3 I will give you thanks before the nations, O Lord!
I will sing praises to you before foreigners! 1157
108:4 For your loyal love extends beyond the sky, 1158
and your faithfulness reaches the clouds.
108:5 Rise up 1159 above the sky, O God!
May your splendor cover the whole earth! 1160
108:6 Deliver by your power 1161 and answer me,
so that the ones you love may be safe. 1162
108:7 God has spoken in his sanctuary: 1163
“I will triumph! I will parcel out Shechem,
the valley of Succoth I will measure off. 1164
108:8 Gilead belongs to me,
as does Manasseh! 1165
Ephraim is my helmet, 1166
Judah my royal scepter. 1167
108:9 Moab is my wash basin. 1168
I will make Edom serve me. 1169
I will shout in triumph over Philistia.”
108:10 Who will lead me into the fortified city?
Who will bring me to Edom? 1170
108:11 Have you not rejected us, O God?
O God, you do not go into battle with our armies.
108:12 Give us help against the enemy,
for any help men might offer is futile. 1171
108:13 By God’s power we will conquer; 1172
he will trample down 1173 our enemies.
For the music director, a psalm of David.
109:1 O God whom I praise, do not ignore me! 1175
109:2 For they say cruel and deceptive things to me;
they lie to me. 1176
109:3 They surround me and say hateful things; 1177
they attack me for no reason.
109:4 They repay my love with accusations, 1178
but I continue to pray. 1179
109:5 They repay me evil for good, 1180
and hate for love.
109:6 1181 Appoint an evil man to testify against him! 1182
May an accuser stand 1183 at his right side!
109:7 When he is judged, he will be found 1184 guilty! 1185
Then his prayer will be regarded as sinful.
109:8 May his days be few! 1186
May another take his job! 1187
109:9 May his children 1188 be fatherless,
and his wife a widow!
109:10 May his children 1189 roam around begging,
asking for handouts as they leave their ruined home! 1190
109:11 May the creditor seize 1191 all he owns!
May strangers loot his property! 1192
109:12 May no one show him kindness! 1193
May no one have compassion 1194 on his fatherless children!
109:13 May his descendants 1195 be cut off! 1196
May the memory of them be wiped out by the time the next generation arrives! 1197
109:14 May his ancestors’ 1198 sins be remembered by the Lord!
May his mother’s sin not be forgotten! 1199
109:15 May the Lord be constantly aware of them, 1200
and cut off the memory of his children 1201 from the earth!
109:16 For he never bothered to show kindness; 1202
he harassed the oppressed and needy,
and killed the disheartened. 1203
109:17 He loved to curse 1204 others, so those curses have come upon him. 1205
He had no desire to bless anyone, so he has experienced no blessings. 1206
109:18 He made cursing a way of life, 1207
so curses poured into his stomach like water
and seeped into his bones like oil. 1208
109:19 May a curse attach itself to him, like a garment one puts on, 1209
or a belt 1210 one wears continually!
109:20 May the Lord repay my accusers in this way, 1211
those who say evil things about 1212 me! 1213
109:21 O sovereign Lord,
intervene on my behalf for the sake of your reputation! 1214
Because your loyal love is good, deliver me!
109:22 For I am oppressed and needy,
and my heart beats violently within me. 1215
109:23 I am fading away like a shadow at the end of the day; 1216
I am shaken off like a locust.
109:24 I am so starved my knees shake; 1217
I have turned into skin and bones. 1218
109:25 I am disdained by them. 1219
When they see me, they shake their heads. 1220
109:26 Help me, O Lord my God!
Because you are faithful to me, deliver me! 1221
109:27 Then they will realize 1222 this is your work, 1223
and that you, Lord, have accomplished it.
109:28 They curse, but you will bless. 1224
When they attack, they will be humiliated, 1225
but your servant will rejoice.
109:29 My accusers will be covered 1226 with shame,
and draped in humiliation as if it were a robe.
109:30 I will thank the Lord profusely, 1227
in the middle of a crowd 1228 I will praise him,
109:31 because he stands at the right hand of the needy,
to deliver him from those who threaten 1229 his life.
A psalm of David.
110:1 Here is the Lord’s proclamation 1231 to my lord: 1232
“Sit down at my right hand 1233 until I make your enemies your footstool!” 1234
110:2 The Lord 1235 extends 1236 your dominion 1237 from Zion.
Rule in the midst of your enemies!
110:3 Your people willingly follow you 1238 when you go into battle. 1239
On the holy hills 1240 at sunrise 1241 the dew of your youth 1242 belongs to you. 1243
110:4 The Lord makes this promise on oath 1244 and will not revoke it: 1245
“You are an eternal priest 1246 after the pattern of 1247 Melchizedek.” 1248
110:5 O sovereign Lord, 1249 at your right hand
he strikes down 1250 kings in the day he unleashes his anger. 1251
110:6 He executes judgment 1252 against 1253 the nations;
he fills the valleys with corpses; 1254
he shatters their heads over the vast battlefield. 1255
110:7 From the stream along the road he drinks;
then he lifts up his head. 1256
111:1 Praise the Lord!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
in the assembly of the godly and the congregation.
111:2 The Lord’s deeds are great,
eagerly awaited 1258 by all who desire them.
111:3 His work is majestic and glorious, 1259
and his faithfulness endures 1260 forever.
111:4 He does 1261 amazing things that will be remembered; 1262
the Lord is merciful and compassionate.
111:5 He gives 1263 food to his faithful followers; 1264
he always remembers his covenant. 1265
111:6 He announced that he would do mighty deeds for his people,
giving them a land that belonged to other nations. 1266
111:7 His acts are characterized by 1267 faithfulness and justice;
all his precepts are reliable. 1268
111:8 They are forever firm,
and should be faithfully and properly carried out. 1269
111:9 He delivered his people; 1270
he ordained that his covenant be observed forever. 1271
His name is holy and awesome.
111:10 To obey the Lord is the fundamental principle for wise living; 1272
all who carry out his precepts acquire good moral insight. 1273
He will receive praise forever. 1274
112:1 Praise the Lord!
How blessed is the one 1276 who obeys 1277 the Lord,
who takes great delight in keeping his commands. 1278
112:2 His descendants 1279 will be powerful on the earth;
the godly 1280 will be blessed.
112:3 His house contains wealth and riches;
his integrity endures. 1281
112:4 In the darkness a light 1282 shines for the godly,
for each one who is merciful, compassionate, and just. 1283
112:5 It goes well for the one 1284 who generously lends money,
and conducts his business honestly. 1285
112:6 For he will never be upended;
others will always remember one who is just. 1286
112:7 He does not fear bad news.
He 1287 is confident; he trusts 1288 in the Lord.
112:8 His resolve 1289 is firm; he will not succumb to fear
before he looks in triumph on his enemies.
112:9 He generously gives 1290 to the needy;
his integrity endures. 1291
He will be vindicated and honored. 1292
112:10 When the wicked 1293 see this, they will worry;
they will grind their teeth in frustration 1294 and melt away;
the desire of the wicked will perish. 1295
113:1 Praise the Lord!
Praise, you servants of the Lord,
praise the name of the Lord!
113:2 May the Lord’s name be praised
now and forevermore!
the Lord’s name is deserving of praise.
113:4 The Lord is exalted over all the nations;
his splendor reaches beyond the sky. 1298
113:5 Who can compare to the Lord our God,
who sits on a high throne? 1299
113:6 He bends down to look 1300
at the sky and the earth.
113:7 He raises the poor from the dirt,
and lifts up the needy from the garbage pile, 1301
113:8 that he might seat him with princes,
with the princes of his people.
113:9 He makes the barren woman of the family 1302
a happy mother of children. 1303
Praise the Lord!
114:1 When Israel left Egypt,
when the family of Jacob left a foreign nation behind, 1305
114:2 Judah became his sanctuary,
Israel his kingdom.
114:3 The sea looked and fled; 1306
the Jordan River 1307 turned back. 1308
114:4 The mountains skipped like rams,
the hills like lambs. 1309
114:5 Why do you flee, O sea?
Why do you turn back, O Jordan River?
114:6 Why do you skip like rams, O mountains,
like lambs, O hills?
114:7 Tremble, O earth, before the Lord –
before the God of Jacob,
114:8 who turned a rock into a pool of water,
a hard rock into springs of water! 1310
115:1 Not to us, O Lord, not to us!
But to your name bring honor, 1312
for the sake of your loyal love and faithfulness. 1313
115:2 Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
115:3 Our God is in heaven!
He does whatever he pleases! 1314
115:4 Their 1315 idols are made of silver and gold –
they are man-made. 1316
115:5 They have mouths, but cannot speak,
eyes, but cannot see,
115:6 ears, but cannot hear,
noses, but cannot smell,
115:7 hands, but cannot touch,
feet, but cannot walk.
They cannot even clear their throats. 1317
115:8 Those who make them will end up 1318 like them,
as will everyone who trusts in them.
115:9 O Israel, trust in the Lord!
He is their deliverer 1319 and protector. 1320
115:10 O family 1321 of Aaron, trust in the Lord!
He is their deliverer 1322 and protector. 1323
115:11 You loyal followers of the Lord, 1324 trust in the Lord!
He is their deliverer 1325 and protector. 1326
115:12 The Lord takes notice of us, 1327 he will bless 1328 –
he will bless the family 1329 of Israel,
he will bless the family of Aaron.
115:13 He will bless his loyal followers, 1330
both young and old. 1331
115:14 May he increase your numbers,
yours and your children’s! 1332
115:15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
the creator 1333 of heaven and earth!
115:16 The heavens belong to the Lord, 1334
but the earth he has given to mankind. 1335
115:17 The dead do not praise the Lord,
nor do any of those who descend into the silence of death. 1336
115:18 But we will praise the Lord
now and forevermore.
Praise the Lord!
116:1 I love the Lord
because he heard my plea for mercy, 1338
116:2 and listened to me. 1339
As long as I live, I will call to him when I need help. 1340
116:3 The ropes of death tightened around me, 1341
the snares 1342 of Sheol confronted me.
I was confronted 1343 with trouble and sorrow.
116:4 I called on the name of the Lord,
“Please Lord, rescue my life!”
116:5 The Lord is merciful and fair;
our God is compassionate.
116:6 The Lord protects 1344 the untrained; 1345
I was in serious trouble 1346 and he delivered me.
116:7 Rest once more, my soul, 1347
for the Lord has vindicated you. 1348
116:8 Yes, 1349 Lord, 1350 you rescued my life from death,
and kept my feet from stumbling.
116:9 I will serve 1351 the Lord
in the land 1352 of the living.
116:10 I had faith when I said,
“I am severely oppressed.”
116:11 I rashly declared, 1353
“All men are liars.”
116:12 How can I repay the Lord
for all his acts of kindness to me?
116:13 I will celebrate my deliverance, 1354
and call on the name of the Lord.
116:14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
before all his people.
116:15 The Lord values
the lives of his faithful followers. 1355
116:16 Yes, Lord! I am indeed your servant;
I am your lowest slave. 1356
You saved me from death. 1357
116:17 I will present a thank offering to you,
and call on the name of the Lord.
116:18 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
before all his people,
116:19 in the courts of the Lord’s temple,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord!
117:1 Praise the Lord, all you nations!
Applaud him, all you foreigners! 1359
117:2 For his loyal love towers 1360 over us,
and the Lord’s faithfulness endures.
Praise the Lord!
118:1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good
and his loyal love endures! 1362
118:2 Let Israel say,
“Yes, his loyal love endures!”
118:3 Let the family 1363 of Aaron say,
“Yes, his loyal love endures!”
118:4 Let the loyal followers of the Lord 1364 say,
“Yes, his loyal love endures!”
118:5 In my distress 1365 I cried out to the Lord.
The Lord answered me and put me in a wide open place. 1366
118:6 The Lord is on my side, 1367 I am not afraid!
What can people do to me? 1368
118:7 The Lord is on my side 1369 as my helper. 1370
I look in triumph on those who hate me.
118:8 It is better to take shelter 1371 in the Lord
than to trust in people.
118:9 It is better to take shelter in the Lord
than to trust in princes.
118:10 All the nations surrounded me. 1372
Indeed, in the name of the Lord 1373 I pushed them away. 1374
118:11 They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me.
Indeed, in the name of the Lord I pushed them away.
118:12 They surrounded me like bees.
But they disappeared as quickly 1375 as a fire among thorns. 1376
Indeed, in the name of the Lord I pushed them away.
118:13 “You aggressively attacked me 1377 and tried to knock me down, 1378
but the Lord helped me.
118:14 The Lord gives me strength and protects me; 1379
he has become my deliverer.” 1380
118:15 They celebrate deliverance in the tents of the godly. 1381
The Lord’s right hand conquers, 1382
118:16 the Lord’s right hand gives victory, 1383
the Lord’s right hand conquers.
118:17 I will not die, but live,
and I will proclaim what the Lord has done. 1384
118:18 The Lord severely 1385 punished me,
but he did not hand me over to death.
118:19 Open for me the gates of the just king’s temple! 1386
I will enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.
118:20 This is the Lord’s gate –
the godly enter through it.
118:21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me,
and have become my deliverer.
118:22 The stone which the builders discarded 1387
has become the cornerstone. 1388
118:23 This is the Lord’s work.
We consider it amazing! 1389
118:24 This is the day the Lord has brought about. 1390
We will be happy and rejoice in it.
118:25 Please Lord, deliver!
Please Lord, grant us success! 1391
118:26 May the one who comes in the name of the Lord 1392 be blessed!
We will pronounce blessings on you 1393 in the Lord’s temple. 1394
118:27 The Lord is God and he has delivered us. 1395
Tie the offering 1396 with ropes
to the horns of the altar! 1397
118:28 You are my 1398 God and I will give you thanks!
You are my God and I will praise you!
118:29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good
and his loyal love endures! 1399
א (Alef)
119:1 How blessed are those whose actions are blameless, 1401
who obey 1402 the law of the Lord.
119:2 How blessed are those who observe his rules,
and seek him with all their heart,
119:3 who, moreover, do no wrong,
but follow in his footsteps. 1403
119:4 You demand that your precepts
be carefully kept. 1404
119:5 If only I were predisposed 1405
to keep your statutes!
119:6 Then I would not be ashamed,
if 1406 I were focused on 1407 all your commands.
119:7 I will give you sincere thanks, 1408
when I learn your just regulations.
119:8 I will keep your statutes.
Do not completely abandon me! 1409
ב (Bet)
119:9 How can a young person 1410 maintain a pure life? 1411
By guarding it according to your instructions! 1412
119:10 With all my heart I seek you.
Do not allow me to stray from your commands!
119:11 In my heart I store up 1413 your words, 1414
so I might not sin against you.
119:12 You deserve praise, 1415 O Lord!
Teach me your statutes!
119:13 With my lips I proclaim
all the regulations you have revealed. 1416
119:14 I rejoice in the lifestyle prescribed by your rules 1417
as if 1418 they were riches of all kinds. 1419
119:15 I will meditate on 1420 your precepts
and focus 1421 on your behavior. 1422
119:16 I find delight 1423 in your statutes;
I do not forget your instructions. 1424
ג (Gimel)
119:17 Be kind to your servant!
Then I will live 1425 and keep 1426 your instructions. 1427
119:18 Open 1428 my eyes so I can truly see 1429
the marvelous things in your law!
119:19 I am like a foreigner in this land. 1430
Do not hide your commands from me!
119:20 I desperately long to know 1431
your regulations at all times.
119:21 You reprimand arrogant people.
Those who stray from your commands are doomed. 1432
119:22 Spare me 1433 shame and humiliation,
for I observe your rules.
119:23 Though rulers plot and slander me, 1434
your servant meditates on your statutes.
119:24 Yes, I find delight in your rules;
they give me guidance. 1435
ד (Dalet)
119:25 I collapse in the dirt. 1436
Revive me with your word! 1437
119:26 I told you about my ways 1438 and you answered me.
Teach me your statutes!
119:27 Help me to understand what your precepts mean! 1439
Then I can meditate 1440 on your marvelous teachings. 1441
119:28 I collapse 1442 from grief.
Sustain me by your word! 1443
119:29 Remove me from the path of deceit! 1444
Graciously give me 1445 your law!
119:30 I choose the path of faithfulness;
I am committed to 1446 your regulations.
119:31 I hold fast 1447 to your rules.
O Lord, do not let me be ashamed!
119:32 I run along the path of your commands,
for you enable me to do so. 1448
ה (He)
119:33 Teach me, O Lord, the lifestyle prescribed by your statutes, 1449
so that I might observe it continually. 1450
119:34 Give me understanding so that I might observe your law,
and keep it with all my heart. 1451
119:35 Guide me 1452 in the path of your commands,
for I delight to walk in it. 1453
119:36 Give me a desire for your rules, 1454
rather than for wealth gained unjustly. 1455
119:37 Turn my eyes away from what is worthless! 1456
Revive me with your word! 1457
119:38 Confirm to your servant your promise, 1458
which you made to the one who honors you. 1459
119:39 Take away the insults that I dread! 1460
Indeed, 1461 your regulations are good.
119:40 Look, I long for your precepts.
Revive me with your deliverance! 1462
ו (Vav)
119:41 May I experience your loyal love, 1463 O Lord,
and your deliverance, 1464 as you promised. 1465
119:42 Then I will have a reply for the one who insults me, 1466
for I trust in your word.
119:43 Do not completely deprive me of a truthful testimony, 1467
for I await your justice.
119:44 Then I will keep 1468 your law continually
now and for all time. 1469
for I seek your precepts.
119:46 I will speak 1471 about your regulations before kings
and not be ashamed.
119:47 I will find delight in your commands,
which I love.
119:48 I will lift my hands to 1472 your commands,
which I love,
and I will meditate on your statutes.
ז (Zayin)
119:49 Remember your word to your servant,
for you have given me hope.
119:50 This 1473 is what comforts me in my trouble,
for your promise revives me. 1474
119:51 Arrogant people do nothing but scoff at me. 1475
Yet I do not turn aside from your law.
119:52 I remember your ancient regulations, 1476
O Lord, and console myself. 1477
119:53 Rage takes hold of me because of the wicked,
those who reject your law.
119:54 Your statutes have been my songs 1478
in the house where I live. 1479
119:55 I remember your name during the night, O Lord,
and I will keep 1480 your law.
119:56 This 1481 has been my practice,
for I observe your precepts.
ח (Khet)
119:57 The Lord is my source of security. 1482
I have determined 1483 to follow your instructions. 1484
119:58 I seek your favor 1485 with all my heart.
Have mercy on me as you promised! 1486
119:59 I consider my actions 1487
and follow 1488 your rules.
119:60 I keep your commands
eagerly and without delay. 1489
119:61 The ropes of the wicked tighten around 1490 me,
but I do not forget your law.
119:62 In the middle of the night I arise 1491 to thank you
for your just regulations.
119:63 I am a friend to all your loyal followers, 1492
and to those who keep your precepts.
119:64 O Lord, your loyal love fills the earth.
Teach me your statutes!
ט (Tet)
119:65 You are good 1493 to your servant,
O Lord, just as you promised. 1494
119:66 Teach me proper discernment 1495 and understanding!
For I consider your commands to be reliable. 1496
119:67 Before I was afflicted I used to stray off, 1497
but now I keep your instructions. 1498
119:68 You are good and you do good.
Teach me your statutes!
119:69 Arrogant people smear my reputation with lies, 1499
but I observe your precepts with all my heart.
119:70 Their hearts are calloused, 1500
but I find delight in your law.
119:71 It was good for me to suffer,
so that I might learn your statutes.
119:72 The law you have revealed is more important to me
than thousands of pieces of gold and silver. 1501
י (Yod)
119:73 Your hands made me and formed me. 1502
Give me understanding so that I might learn 1503 your commands.
119:74 Your loyal followers will be glad when they see me, 1504
for I find hope in your word.
119:75 I know, Lord, that your regulations 1505 are just.
You disciplined me because of your faithful devotion to me. 1506
119:76 May your loyal love console me,
as you promised your servant. 1507
119:77 May I experience your compassion, 1508 so I might live!
For I find delight in your law.
119:78 May the arrogant be humiliated, for they have slandered me! 1509
But I meditate on your precepts.
119:79 May your loyal followers 1510 turn to me,
those who know your rules.
119:80 May I be fully committed to your statutes, 1511
so that I might not be ashamed.
כ (Kaf)
119:81 I desperately long for 1512 your deliverance.
I find hope in your word.
119:82 My eyes grow tired as I wait for your promise to be fulfilled. 1513
I say, 1514 “When will you comfort me?”
119:83 For 1515 I am like a wineskin 1516 dried up in smoke. 1517
I do not forget your statutes.
119:84 How long must your servant endure this? 1518
When will you judge those who pursue me?
119:85 The arrogant dig pits to trap me, 1519
which violates your law. 1520
119:86 All your commands are reliable.
I am pursued without reason. 1521 Help me!
119:87 They have almost destroyed me here on the earth,
but I do not reject your precepts.
119:88 Revive me with 1522 your loyal love,
that I might keep 1523 the rules you have revealed. 1524
ל (Lamed)
119:89 O Lord, your instructions endure;
they stand secure in heaven. 1525
119:90 You demonstrate your faithfulness to all generations. 1526
You established the earth and it stood firm.
119:91 Today they stand firm by your decrees,
for all things are your servants.
119:92 If I had not found encouragement in your law, 1527
I would have died in my sorrow. 1528
119:93 I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have revived me.
119:94 I belong to you. Deliver me!
For I seek your precepts.
119:95 The wicked prepare to kill me, 1529
yet I concentrate on your rules.
119:96 I realize that everything has its limits,
but your commands are beyond full comprehension. 1530
מ (Mem)
119:97 O how I love your law!
All day long I meditate on it.
119:98 Your commandments 1531 make me wiser than my enemies,
for I am always aware of them.
119:99 I have more insight than all my teachers,
for I meditate on your rules.
119:100 I am more discerning than those older than I,
for I observe your precepts.
119:101 I stay away 1532 from the evil path,
so that I might keep your instructions. 1533
119:102 I do not turn aside from your regulations,
for you teach me.
119:103 Your words are sweeter
in my mouth than honey! 1534
119:104 Your precepts give me discernment.
Therefore I hate all deceitful actions. 1535
נ (Nun)
119:105 Your word 1536 is a lamp to walk by,
and a light to illumine my path. 1537
119:106 I have vowed and solemnly sworn
to keep your just regulations.
119:107 I am suffering terribly.
O Lord, revive me with your word! 1538
119:108 O Lord, please accept the freewill offerings of my praise! 1539
Teach me your regulations!
119:109 My life is in continual danger, 1540
but I do not forget your law.
119:110 The wicked lay a trap for me,
but I do not wander from your precepts.
119:111 I claim your rules as my permanent possession,
for they give me joy. 1541
119:112 I am determined to obey 1542 your statutes
at all times, to the very end.
ס (Samek)
119:113 I hate people with divided loyalties, 1543
but I love your law.
119:114 You are my hiding place and my shield.
I find hope in your word.
119:115 Turn away from me, you evil men,
so that I can observe 1544 the commands of my God. 1545
119:116 Sustain me as you promised, 1546 so that I will live. 1547
Do not disappoint me! 1548
119:117 Support me, so that I will be delivered.
Then I will focus 1549 on your statutes continually.
119:118 You despise 1550 all who stray from your statutes,
for they are deceptive and unreliable. 1551
119:119 You remove all the wicked of the earth like slag. 1552
Therefore I love your rules. 1553
119:120 My body 1554 trembles 1555 because I fear you; 1556
I am afraid of your judgments.
ע (Ayin)
119:121 I do what is fair and right. 1557
Do not abandon me to my oppressors!
119:122 Guarantee the welfare of your servant! 1558
Do not let the arrogant oppress me!
119:123 My eyes grow tired as I wait for your deliverance, 1559
for your reliable promise to be fulfilled. 1560
119:124 Show your servant your loyal love! 1561
Teach me your statutes!
119:125 I am your servant. Give me insight,
so that I can understand 1562 your rules.
119:126 It is time for the Lord to act –
they break your law!
119:127 For this reason 1563 I love your commands
more than gold, even purest gold.
119:128 For this reason I carefully follow all your precepts. 1564
I hate all deceitful actions. 1565
פ (Pe)
119:129 Your rules are marvelous.
Therefore I observe them.
119:130 Your instructions are a doorway through which light shines. 1566
They give 1567 insight to the untrained. 1568
119:131 I open my mouth and pant,
because I long 1569 for your commands.
119:132 Turn toward me and extend mercy to me,
as you typically do to your loyal followers. 1570
119:133 Direct my steps by your word! 1571
Do not let any sin dominate me!
119:134 Deliver me 1572 from oppressive men,
so that I can keep 1573 your precepts.
119:135 Smile 1574 on your servant!
Teach me your statutes!
119:136 Tears stream down from my eyes, 1575
because people 1576 do not keep your law.
צ (Tsade)
119:137 You are just, O Lord,
and your judgments are fair.
119:138 The rules you impose are just, 1577
and absolutely reliable.
119:139 My zeal 1578 consumes 1579 me,
for my enemies forget your instructions. 1580
119:140 Your word is absolutely pure,
and your servant loves it!
119:141 I am insignificant and despised,
yet I do not forget your precepts.
119:142 Your justice endures, 1581
and your law is reliable. 1582
119:143 Distress and hardship confront 1583 me,
yet I find delight in your commands.
119:144 Your rules remain just. 1584
Give me insight so that I can live. 1585
ק (Qof)
119:145 I cried out with all my heart, “Answer me, O Lord!
I will observe your statutes.”
119:146 I cried out to you, “Deliver me,
so that I can keep 1586 your rules.”
119:147 I am up before dawn crying for help.
I find hope in your word.
119:148 My eyes anticipate the nighttime hours,
so that I can meditate on your word.
119:149 Listen to me 1587 because of 1588 your loyal love!
O Lord, revive me, as you typically do! 1589
119:150 Those who are eager to do 1590 wrong draw near;
they are far from your law.
119:151 You are near, O Lord,
and all your commands are reliable. 1591
119:152 I learned long ago that
you ordained your rules to last. 1592
ר (Resh)
119:153 See my pain and rescue me!
For I do not forget your law.
119:154 Fight for me 1593 and defend me! 1594
Revive me with your word!
119:155 The wicked have no chance for deliverance, 1595
for they do not seek your statutes.
119:156 Your compassion is great, O Lord.
Revive me, as you typically do! 1596
119:157 The enemies who chase me are numerous. 1597
Yet I do not turn aside from your rules.
119:158 I take note of the treacherous and despise them,
because they do not keep your instructions. 1598
119:159 See how I love your precepts!
O Lord, revive me with your loyal love!
119:160 Your instructions are totally reliable;
all your just regulations endure. 1599
שׂ/שׁ (Sin/Shin)
119:161 Rulers pursue me for no reason,
yet I am more afraid of disobeying your instructions. 1600
119:162 I rejoice in your instructions,
like one who finds much plunder. 1601
119:163 I hate and despise deceit;
I love your law.
119:164 Seven 1602 times a day I praise you
because of your just regulations.
119:165 Those who love your law are completely secure; 1603
nothing causes them to stumble. 1604
119:166 I hope for your deliverance, O Lord,
and I obey 1605 your commands.
119:167 I keep your rules;
I love them greatly.
119:168 I keep your precepts and rules,
for you are aware of everything I do. 1606
ת (Tav)
119:169 Listen to my cry for help, 1607 O Lord!
Give me insight by your word!
119:170 Listen to my appeal for mercy! 1608
Deliver me, as you promised. 1609
119:171 May praise flow freely from my lips,
for you teach me your statutes.
119:172 May my tongue sing about your instructions, 1610
for all your commands are just.
119:173 May your hand help me,
for I choose to obey 1611 your precepts.
119:174 I long for your deliverance, O Lord;
I find delight in your law.
119:175 May I 1612 live and praise you!
May your regulations help me! 1613
119:176 I have wandered off like a lost sheep. 1614
Come looking for your servant,
for I do not forget your commands.
A song of ascents. 1616
120:1 In my distress I cried out
to the Lord and he answered me.
120:2 I said, 1617 “O Lord, rescue me 1618
from those who lie with their lips 1619
and those who deceive with their tongue. 1620
120:3 How will he severely punish you,
you deceptive talker? 1621
120:4 Here’s how! 1622 With the sharp arrows of warriors,
with arrowheads forged over the hot coals. 1623
120:5 How miserable I am! 1624
For I have lived temporarily 1625 in Meshech;
I have resided among the tents of Kedar. 1626
120:6 For too long I have had to reside
with those who hate 1627 peace.
120:7 I am committed to peace, 1628
but when I speak, they want to make war. 1629
A song of ascents. 1631
121:1 I look up 1632 toward the hills.
From where 1633 does my help come?
121:2 My help comes from the Lord, 1634
the Creator 1635 of heaven and earth!
121:3 May he not allow your foot to slip!
May your protector 1636 not sleep! 1637
121:4 Look! Israel’s protector 1638
does not sleep or slumber!
121:5 The Lord is your protector;
the Lord is the shade at your right hand.
121:6 The sun will not harm you by day,
or the moon by night. 1639
121:7 The Lord will protect you from all harm;
he will protect your life.
121:8 The Lord will protect you in all you do, 1640
now and forevermore.
A song of ascents, 1642 by David.
122:1 I was glad because 1643 they said to me,
“We will go to the Lord’s temple.”
122:2 Our feet are 1644 standing
inside your gates, O Jerusalem.
122:3 Jerusalem 1645 is a city designed
to accommodate an assembly. 1646
122:4 The tribes go up 1647 there, 1648
the tribes of the Lord,
where it is required that Israel
give thanks to the name of the Lord. 1649
122:5 Indeed, 1650 the leaders sit 1651 there on thrones and make legal decisions,
on the thrones of the house of David. 1652
122:6 Pray 1653 for the peace of Jerusalem!
May those who love her prosper! 1654
122:7 May there be peace inside your defenses,
and prosperity 1655 inside your fortresses! 1656
122:8 For the sake of my brothers and my neighbors
I will say, “May there be peace in you!”
122:9 For the sake of the temple of the Lord our God
I will pray for you to prosper. 1657
A song of ascents. 1659
123:1 I look up 1660 toward you,
the one enthroned 1661 in heaven.
123:2 Look, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a female servant look to the hand of her mistress, 1662
so my eyes will look to the Lord, our God, until he shows us favor.
123:3 Show us favor, O Lord, show us favor!
For we have had our fill of humiliation, and then some. 1663
123:4 We have had our fill 1664
of the taunts of the self-assured,
of the contempt of the proud.
A song of ascents, 1666 by David.
124:1 “If the Lord had not been on our side” –
let Israel say this! –
124:2 if the Lord had not been on our side,
when men attacked us, 1667
124:3 they would have swallowed us alive,
when their anger raged against us.
124:4 The water would have overpowered us;
the current 1668 would have overwhelmed 1669 us. 1670
124:5 The raging water
would have overwhelmed us. 1671
124:6 The Lord deserves praise, 1672
for 1673 he did not hand us over as prey to their teeth.
124:7 We escaped with our lives, 1674 like a bird from a hunter’s snare.
The snare broke, and we escaped.
124:8 Our deliverer is the Lord, 1675
the Creator 1676 of heaven and earth.
A song of ascents. 1678
125:1 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion;
it cannot be upended and will endure forever.
125:2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, 1679
so the Lord surrounds his people,
now and forevermore.
125:3 Indeed, 1680 the scepter of a wicked king 1681 will not settle 1682
upon the allotted land of the godly.
Otherwise the godly might
do what is wrong. 1683
125:4 Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
to the morally upright! 1684
125:5 As for those who are bent on traveling a sinful path, 1685
may the Lord remove them, 1686 along with those who behave wickedly! 1687
May Israel experience peace! 1688
A song of ascents. 1690
126:1 When the Lord restored the well-being of Zion, 1691
we thought we were dreaming. 1692
126:2 At that time we laughed loudly
and shouted for joy. 1693
At that time the nations said, 1694
“The Lord has accomplished great things for these people.”
126:3 The Lord did indeed accomplish great things for us.
We were happy.
126:4 O Lord, restore our well-being,
just as the streams in the arid south are replenished. 1695
126:5 Those who shed tears as they plant
will shout for joy when they reap the harvest. 1696
126:6 The one who weeps as he walks along, carrying his bag 1697 of seed,
will certainly come in with a shout of joy, carrying his sheaves of grain. 1698
A song of ascents, 1700 by Solomon.
127:1 If the Lord does not build a house, 1701
then those who build it work in vain.
If the Lord does not guard a city, 1702
then the watchman stands guard in vain.
127:2 It is vain for you to rise early, come home late,
and work so hard for your food. 1703
Yes, 1704 he can provide for those whom he loves even when they sleep. 1705
127:3 Yes, 1706 sons 1707 are a gift from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb is a reward.
127:4 Sons born during one’s youth
are like arrows in a warrior’s hand. 1708
127:5 How blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!
They will not be put to shame 1709 when they confront 1710 enemies at the city gate.
A song of ascents. 1712
128:1 How blessed is every one of the Lord’s loyal followers, 1713
each one who keeps his commands! 1714
128:2 You 1715 will eat what you worked so hard to grow. 1716
You will be blessed and secure. 1717
128:3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine 1718
in the inner rooms of your house;
your children 1719 will be like olive branches,
as they sit all around your table.
128:4 Yes indeed, the man who fears the Lord
will be blessed in this way. 1720
128:5 May the Lord bless you 1721 from Zion,
that you might see 1722 Jerusalem 1723 prosper
all the days of your life,
128:6 and that you might see 1724 your grandchildren. 1725
May Israel experience peace! 1726
A song of ascents. 1728
129:1 “Since my youth they have often attacked me,”
let Israel say.
129:2 “Since my youth they have often attacked me,
but they have not defeated me.
129:3 The plowers plowed my back;
they made their furrows long.
129:4 The Lord is just;
he cut the ropes of the wicked.” 1729
129:5 May all who hate Zion
be humiliated and turned back!
129:6 May they be like the grass on the rooftops
which withers before one can even pull it up, 1730
129:7 which cannot fill the reaper’s hand,
or the lap of the one who gathers the grain!
129:8 Those who pass by will not say, 1731
“May you experience the Lord’s blessing!
We pronounce a blessing on you in the name of the Lord.”
A song of ascents. 1733
130:1 From the deep water 1734 I cry out to you, O Lord.
130:2 O Lord, listen to me! 1735
Pay attention to 1736 my plea for mercy!
130:3 If you, O Lord, were to keep track of 1737 sins,
O Lord, who could stand before you? 1738
130:4 But 1739 you are willing to forgive, 1740
so that you might 1741 be honored. 1742
130:5 I rely on 1743 the Lord,
I rely on him with my whole being; 1744
I wait for his assuring word. 1745
130:6 I yearn for the Lord, 1746
more than watchmen do for the morning,
yes, more than watchmen do for the morning. 1747
130:7 O Israel, hope in the Lord,
for the Lord exhibits loyal love, 1748
and is more than willing to deliver. 1749
130:8 He will deliver 1750 Israel
from all the consequences of their sins. 1751
A song of ascents, 1753 by David.
131:1 O Lord, my heart is not proud,
nor do I have a haughty look. 1754
I do not have great aspirations,
or concern myself with things that are beyond me. 1755
131:2 Indeed 1756 I am composed and quiet, 1757
like a young child carried by its mother; 1758
I am content like the young child I carry. 1759
131:3 O Israel, hope in the Lord
now and forevermore!
A song of ascents. 1761
132:1 O Lord, for David’s sake remember
all his strenuous effort, 1762
132:2 and how he made a vow to the Lord,
and swore an oath to the powerful ruler of Jacob. 1763
132:3 He said, 1764 “I will not enter my own home, 1765
or get into my bed. 1766
132:4 I will not allow my eyes to sleep,
or my eyelids to slumber,
132:5 until I find a place for the Lord,
a fine dwelling place 1767 for the powerful ruler of Jacob.” 1768
132:6 Look, we heard about it 1769 in Ephrathah, 1770
we found it in the territory of Jaar. 1771
132:7 Let us go to his dwelling place!
Let us worship 1772 before his footstool!
132:8 Ascend, O Lord, to your resting place,
you and the ark of your strength!
132:9 May your priests be clothed with integrity! 1773
May your loyal followers shout for joy!
132:10 For the sake of David, your servant,
do not reject your chosen king! 1774
132:11 The Lord made a reliable promise to David; 1775
he will not go back on his word. 1776
He said, 1777 “I will place one of your descendants 1778 on your throne.
132:12 If your sons keep my covenant
and the rules I teach them,
their sons will also sit on your throne forever.”
132:13 Certainly 1779 the Lord has chosen Zion;
he decided to make it his home. 1780
132:14 He said, 1781 “This will be my resting place forever;
I will live here, for I have chosen it. 1782
132:15 I will abundantly supply what she needs; 1783
I will give her poor all the food they need. 1784
132:16 I will protect her priests, 1785
and her godly people will shout exuberantly. 1786
132:17 There I will make David strong; 1787
I have determined that my chosen king’s dynasty will continue. 1788
132:18 I will humiliate his enemies, 1789
and his crown will shine.
A song of ascents, 1791 by David.
133:1 Look! How good and how pleasant it is
when brothers live together! 1792
133:2 It is like fine oil poured on the head
which flows down the beard 1793 –
Aaron’s beard,
and then flows down his garments. 1794
133:3 It is like the dew of Hermon, 1795
which flows down upon the hills of Zion. 1796
Indeed 1797 that is where the Lord has decreed
a blessing will be available – eternal life. 1798
A song of ascents. 1800
134:1 Attention! 1801 Praise the Lord,
all you servants of the Lord,
who serve 1802 in the Lord’s temple during the night.
134:2 Lift your hands toward the sanctuary
and praise the Lord!
134:3 May the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth,
bless you 1803 from Zion! 1804
135:1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord!
Offer praise, you servants of the Lord,
135:2 who serve 1806 in the Lord’s temple,
in the courts of the temple of our God.
135:3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good!
Sing praises to his name, for it is pleasant! 1807
135:4 Indeed, 1808 the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself,
Israel to be his special possession. 1809
135:5 Yes, 1810 I know the Lord is great,
and our Lord is superior to all gods.
135:6 He does whatever he pleases
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and all the ocean depths.
135:7 He causes the clouds to arise from the end of the earth,
makes lightning bolts accompany the rain,
and brings the wind out of his storehouses.
135:8 He struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
including both men and animals.
135:9 He performed awesome deeds 1811 and acts of judgment 1812
in your midst, O Egypt,
against Pharaoh and all his servants.
135:10 He defeated many nations,
and killed mighty kings –
135:11 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
and Og, king of Bashan,
and all the kingdoms of Canaan.
135:12 He gave their land as an inheritance,
as an inheritance to Israel his people.
135:13 O Lord, your name endures, 1813
your reputation, O Lord, lasts. 1814
135:14 For the Lord vindicates 1815 his people,
and has compassion on his servants. 1816
135:15 The nations’ idols are made of silver and gold,
they are man-made. 1817
135:16 They have mouths, but cannot speak,
eyes, but cannot see,
135:17 and ears, but cannot hear.
Indeed, they cannot breathe. 1818
135:18 Those who make them will end up 1819 like them,
as will everyone who trusts in them.
135:19 O family 1820 of Israel, praise the Lord!
O family of Aaron, praise the Lord!
135:20 O family of Levi, praise the Lord!
You loyal followers 1821 of the Lord, praise the Lord!
135:21 The Lord deserves praise in Zion 1822 –
he who dwells in Jerusalem. 1823
Praise the Lord!
136:1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his loyal love endures. 1825
136:2 Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his loyal love endures.
136:3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his loyal love endures,
136:4 to the one who performs magnificent, amazing deeds all by himself,
for his loyal love endures,
136:5 to the one who used wisdom to make the heavens,
for his loyal love endures,
136:6 to the one who spread out the earth over the water,
for his loyal love endures,
136:7 to the one who made the great lights,
for his loyal love endures,
136:8 the sun to rule by day,
for his loyal love endures,
136:9 the moon and stars to rule by night,
for his loyal love endures,
136:10 to the one who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
for his loyal love endures,
136:11 and led Israel out from their midst,
for his loyal love endures,
136:12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
for his loyal love endures,
136:13 to the one who divided 1826 the Red Sea 1827 in two, 1828
for his loyal love endures,
136:14 and led Israel through its midst,
for his loyal love endures,
136:15 and tossed 1829 Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea,
for his loyal love endures,
136:16 to the one who led his people through the wilderness,
for his loyal love endures,
136:17 to the one who struck down great kings,
for his loyal love endures,
136:18 and killed powerful kings,
for his loyal love endures,
136:19 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
for his loyal love endures,
136:20 Og, king of Bashan,
for his loyal love endures,
136:21 and gave their land as an inheritance,
for his loyal love endures,
136:22 as an inheritance to Israel his servant,
for his loyal love endures,
136:23 to the one who remembered us when we were down, 1830
for his loyal love endures,
136:24 and snatched us away from our enemies,
for his loyal love endures,
136:25 to the one who gives food to all living things, 1831
for his loyal love endures.
136:26 Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his loyal love endures!
137:1 By the rivers of Babylon
we sit down and weep 1833
when we remember Zion.
137:2 On the poplars in her midst
we hang our harps,
137:3 for there our captors ask us to compose songs; 1834
those who mock us demand that we be happy, saying: 1835
“Sing for us a song about Zion!” 1836
137:4 How can we sing a song to the Lord
in a foreign land?
137:5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
may my right hand be crippled! 1837
137:6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth,
if I do not remember you,
and do not give Jerusalem priority
over whatever gives me the most joy. 1838
137:7 Remember, O Lord, what the Edomites did
on the day Jerusalem fell. 1839
They said, “Tear it down, tear it down, 1840
right to its very foundation!”
137:8 O daughter Babylon, soon to be devastated! 1841
How blessed will be the one who repays you
for what you dished out to us! 1842
137:9 How blessed will be the one who grabs your babies
and smashes them on a rock! 1843
By David.
138:1 I will give you thanks with all my heart;
before the heavenly assembly 1845 I will sing praises to you.
138:2 I will bow down toward your holy temple,
and give thanks to your name,
because of your loyal love and faithfulness,
for you have exalted your promise above the entire sky. 1846
138:3 When 1847 I cried out for help, you answered me.
You made me bold and energized me. 1848
138:4 Let all the kings of the earth give thanks 1849 to you, O Lord,
when they hear the words you speak. 1850
138:5 Let them sing about the Lord’s deeds, 1851
for the Lord’s splendor is magnificent. 1852
138:6 Though the Lord is exalted, he takes note of the lowly,
and recognizes the proud from far away.
138:7 Even when I must walk in the midst of danger, 1853 you revive me.
You oppose my angry enemies, 1854
and your right hand delivers me.
138:8 The Lord avenges me. 1855
O Lord, your loyal love endures.
Do not abandon those whom you have made! 1856
For the music director, a psalm of David.
139:1 O Lord, you examine me 1858 and know.
139:2 You know when I sit down and when I get up;
even from far away you understand my motives.
139:3 You carefully observe me when I travel or when I lie down to rest; 1859
you are aware of everything I do. 1860
139:4 Certainly 1861 my tongue does not frame a word
without you, O Lord, being thoroughly aware of it. 1862
139:5 You squeeze me in from behind and in front;
you place your hand on me.
139:6 Your knowledge is beyond my comprehension;
it is so far beyond me, I am unable to fathom it. 1863
139:7 Where can I go to escape your spirit?
Where can I flee to escape your presence? 1864
139:8 If I were to ascend 1865 to heaven, you would be there.
If I were to sprawl out in Sheol, there you would be. 1866
139:9 If I were to fly away 1867 on the wings of the dawn, 1868
and settle down on the other side 1869 of the sea,
139:10 even there your hand would guide me,
your right hand would grab hold of me.
139:11 If I were to say, “Certainly the darkness will cover me, 1870
and the light will turn to night all around me,” 1871
139:12 even the darkness is not too dark for you to see, 1872
and the night is as bright as 1873 day;
darkness and light are the same to you. 1874
139:13 Certainly 1875 you made my mind and heart; 1876
you wove me together 1877 in my mother’s womb.
139:14 I will give you thanks because your deeds are awesome and amazing. 1878
You knew me thoroughly; 1879
139:15 my bones were not hidden from you,
when 1880 I was made in secret
and sewed together in the depths of the earth. 1881
139:16 Your eyes saw me when I was inside the womb. 1882
All the days ordained for me
were recorded in your scroll
before one of them came into existence. 1883
139:17 How difficult it is for me to fathom your thoughts about me, O God! 1884
How vast is their sum total! 1885
139:18 If I tried to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
Even if I finished counting them,
I would still have to contend with you. 1886
139:19 If only 1887 you would kill the wicked, O God!
Get away from me, you violent men! 1888
139:20 They 1889 rebel against you 1890 and act deceitfully; 1891
your enemies lie. 1892
139:21 O Lord, do I not hate those who hate you,
and despise those who oppose you? 1893
139:22 I absolutely hate them, 1894
they have become my enemies!
139:23 Examine me, and probe my thoughts! 1895
Test me, and know my concerns! 1896
139:24 See if there is any idolatrous tendency 1897 in me,
and lead me in the reliable ancient path! 1898
For the music director; a psalm of David.
140:1 O Lord, rescue me from wicked men! 1900
Protect me from violent men, 1901
140:2 who plan ways to harm me. 1902
All day long they stir up conflict. 1903
140:3 Their tongues wound like a serpent; 1904
a viper’s 1905 venom is behind 1906 their lips. (Selah)
140:4 O Lord, shelter me from the power 1907 of the wicked!
Protect me from violent men,
who plan to knock me over. 1908
140:5 Proud men hide a snare for me;
evil men 1909 spread a net by the path;
they set traps for me. (Selah)
140:6 I say to the Lord, “You are my God.”
O Lord, pay attention to my plea for mercy!
140:7 O sovereign Lord, my strong deliverer, 1910
you shield 1911 my head in the day of battle.
140:8 O Lord, do not let the wicked have their way! 1912
Do not allow their 1913 plan to succeed when they attack! 1914 (Selah)
140:9 As for the heads of those who surround me –
may the harm done by 1915 their lips overwhelm them!
140:10 May he rain down 1916 fiery coals upon them!
May he throw them into the fire!
From bottomless pits they will not escape. 1917
140:11 A slanderer 1918 will not endure on 1919 the earth;
calamity will hunt down a violent man and strike him down. 1920
140:12 I know 1921 that the Lord defends the cause of the oppressed
and vindicates the poor. 1922
140:13 Certainly the godly will give thanks to your name;
the morally upright will live in your presence.
A psalm of David.
141:1 O Lord, I cry out to you. Come quickly to me!
Pay attention to me when I cry out to you!
141:2 May you accept my prayer like incense,
my uplifted hands like the evening offering! 1924
141:3 O Lord, place a guard on my mouth!
Protect the opening 1925 of my lips! 1926
141:4 Do not let me have evil desires, 1927
or participate in sinful activities
with men who behave wickedly. 1928
I will not eat their delicacies. 1929
141:5 May the godly strike me in love and correct me!
May my head not refuse 1930 choice oil! 1931
Indeed, my prayer is a witness against their evil deeds. 1932
141:6 They will be thrown down the side of a cliff by their judges. 1933
They 1934 will listen to my words, for they are pleasant.
141:7 As when one plows and breaks up the soil, 1935
so our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
141:8 Surely I am looking to you, 1936 O sovereign Lord.
In you I take shelter.
Do not expose me to danger! 1937
141:9 Protect me from the snare they have laid for me,
and the traps the evildoers have set. 1938
141:10 Let the wicked fall 1939 into their 1940 own nets,
while I escape. 1941
A well-written song 1943 by David, when he was in the cave; 1944 a prayer.
142:1 To the Lord I cry out; 1945
to the Lord I plead for mercy. 1946
142:2 I pour out my lament before him;
I tell him about 1947 my troubles.
142:3 Even when my strength leaves me, 1948
you watch my footsteps. 1949
In the path where I walk
they have hidden a trap for me.
142:4 Look to the right and see!
No one cares about me. 1950
I have nowhere to run; 1951
no one is concerned about my life. 1952
142:5 I cry out to you, O Lord;
I say, “You are my shelter,
my security 1953 in the land of the living.”
142:6 Listen to my cry for help,
for I am in serious trouble! 1954
Rescue me from those who chase me,
for they are stronger than I am.
142:7 Free me 1955 from prison,
that I may give thanks to your name.
Because of me the godly will assemble, 1956
for you will vindicate me. 1957
A psalm of David.
143:1 O Lord, hear my prayer!
Pay attention to my plea for help!
Because of your faithfulness and justice, answer me!
143:2 Do not sit in judgment on 1959 your servant,
for no one alive is innocent before you. 1960
143:3 Certainly 1961 my enemies 1962 chase me.
They smash me into the ground. 1963
They force me to live 1964 in dark regions, 1965
like those who have been dead for ages.
143:4 My strength leaves me; 1966
I am absolutely shocked. 1967
143:5 I recall the old days; 1968
I meditate on all you have done;
I reflect on your accomplishments. 1969
143:6 I spread my hands out to you in prayer; 1970
my soul thirsts for you in a parched 1971 land. 1972
143:7 Answer me quickly, Lord!
My strength is fading. 1973
Do not reject me, 1974
or I will join 1975 those descending into the grave. 1976
143:8 May I hear about your loyal love in the morning, 1977
for I trust in you.
Show me the way I should go, 1978
because I long for you. 1979
143:9 Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord!
I run to you for protection. 1980
143:10 Teach me to do what pleases you, 1981
for you are my God.
May your kind presence 1982
lead me 1983 into a level land. 1984
143:11 O Lord, for the sake of your reputation, 1985 revive me! 1986
Because of your justice, rescue me from trouble! 1987
143:12 As a demonstration of your loyal love, 1988 destroy my enemies!
Annihilate 1989 all who threaten my life, 1990
for I am your servant.
By David.
144:1 The Lord, my protector, 1992 deserves praise 1993 –
the one who trains my hands for battle, 1994
and my fingers for war,
144:2 who loves me 1995 and is my stronghold,
my refuge 1996 and my deliverer,
my shield and the one in whom I take shelter,
who makes nations submit to me. 1997
144:3 O Lord, of what importance is the human race, 1998 that you should notice them?
Of what importance is mankind, 1999 that you should be concerned about them? 2000
144:4 People 2001 are like a vapor,
their days like a shadow that disappears. 2002
144:5 O Lord, make the sky sink 2003 and come down! 2004
Touch the mountains and make them smolder! 2005
144:6 Hurl lightning bolts and scatter them!
Shoot your arrows and rout them! 2006
144:7 Reach down 2007 from above!
Grab me and rescue me from the surging water, 2008
from the power of foreigners, 2009
144:8 who speak lies,
and make false promises. 2010
144:9 O God, I will sing a new song to you!
Accompanied by a ten-stringed instrument, I will sing praises to you,
144:10 the one who delivers 2011 kings,
and rescued David his servant from a deadly 2012 sword.
144:11 Grab me and rescue me from the power of foreigners, 2013
who speak lies,
and make false promises. 2014
144:12 Then 2015 our sons will be like plants,
that quickly grow to full size. 2016
Our daughters will be like corner pillars, 2017
carved like those in a palace. 2018
144:13 Our storehouses 2019 will be full,
providing all kinds of food. 2020
Our sheep will multiply by the thousands
and fill 2021 our pastures. 2022
144:14 Our cattle will be weighted down with produce. 2023
No one will break through our walls,
no one will be taken captive,
and there will be no terrified cries in our city squares. 2024
144:15 How blessed are the people who experience these things! 2025
How blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!
A psalm of praise, by David.
145:1 I will extol you, my God, O king!
I will praise your name continually! 2027
145:2 Every day I will praise you!
I will praise your name continually! 2028
145:3 The Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise!
No one can fathom his greatness! 2029
145:4 One generation will praise your deeds to another,
and tell about your mighty acts! 2030
145:5 I will focus on your honor and majestic splendor,
and your amazing deeds! 2031
145:6 They will proclaim 2032 the power of your awesome acts!
I will declare your great deeds!
145:7 They will talk about the fame of your great kindness, 2033
and sing about your justice. 2034
145:8 The Lord is merciful and compassionate;
he is patient 2035 and demonstrates great loyal love. 2036
145:9 The Lord is good to all,
and has compassion on all he has made. 2037
145:10 All he has made will give thanks to the Lord.
Your loyal followers will praise you.
145:11 They will proclaim the splendor of your kingdom;
they will tell about your power,
145:12 so that mankind 2038 might acknowledge your mighty acts,
and the majestic splendor of your kingdom.
145:13 Your kingdom is an eternal kingdom, 2039
and your dominion endures through all generations.
145:14 2040 The Lord supports all who fall,
and lifts up all who are bent over. 2041
145:15 Everything looks to you in anticipation, 2042
and you provide them with food on a regular basis. 2043
145:16 You open your hand,
and fill every living thing with the food they desire. 2044
145:17 The Lord is just in all his actions, 2045
and exhibits love in all he does. 2046
145:18 The Lord is near all who cry out to him,
all who cry out to him sincerely. 2047
145:19 He satisfies the desire 2048 of his loyal followers; 2049
he hears their cry for help and delivers them.
145:20 The Lord protects those who love him,
but he destroys all the wicked.
145:21 My mouth will praise the Lord. 2050
Let all who live 2051 praise his holy name forever!
146:1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
146:2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live!
I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist!
146:3 Do not trust in princes,
or in human beings, who cannot deliver! 2053
146:4 Their life’s breath departs, they return to the ground;
on that day their plans die. 2054
146:5 How blessed is the one whose helper is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
146:6 the one who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
who remains forever faithful, 2055
146:7 vindicates the oppressed, 2056
and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord releases the imprisoned.
146:8 The Lord gives sight to the blind.
The Lord lifts up all who are bent over. 2057
The Lord loves the godly.
146:9 The Lord protects those residing outside their native land;
he lifts up the fatherless and the widow, 2058
but he opposes the wicked. 2059
146:10 The Lord rules forever,
your God, O Zion, throughout the generations to come! 2060
Praise the Lord!
147:1 Praise the Lord,
for it is good to sing praises to our God!
Yes, 2062 praise is pleasant and appropriate!
147:2 The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem, 2063
and gathers the exiles of Israel.
147:3 He heals 2064 the brokenhearted,
and bandages their wounds.
147:4 He counts the number of the stars;
he names all of them.
147:5 Our Lord is great and has awesome power; 2065
there is no limit to his wisdom. 2066
147:6 The Lord lifts up the oppressed,
but knocks 2067 the wicked to the ground.
147:7 Offer to the Lord a song of thanks! 2068
Sing praises to our God to the accompaniment of a harp!
147:8 He covers 2069 the sky with clouds,
provides the earth with rain,
and causes grass to grow on the hillsides. 2070
147:9 He gives food to the animals,
and to the young ravens when they chirp. 2071
147:10 He is not enamored with the strength of a horse,
nor is he impressed by the warrior’s strong legs. 2072
147:11 The Lord takes delight in his faithful followers, 2073
and in those who wait for his loyal love.
147:12 Extol the Lord, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
147:13 For he makes the bars of your gates strong.
He blesses your children 2074 within you.
147:14 He 2075 brings peace to your territory. 2076
He abundantly provides for you 2077 the best grain.
147:15 He 2078 sends his command through the earth; 2079
swiftly his order reaches its destination. 2080
147:16 He sends the snow that is white like wool;
he spreads the frost that is white like ashes. 2081
147:17 He throws his hailstones 2082 like crumbs.
Who can withstand the cold wind he sends? 2083
147:18 He then orders it all to melt; 2084
he breathes on it, 2085 and the water flows.
147:19 He proclaims his word to Jacob,
his statutes and regulations to Israel.
147:20 He has not done so with any other nation;
they are not aware of his regulations.
Praise the Lord!
148:1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the sky!
Praise him in the heavens!
148:2 Praise him, all his angels! 2087
Praise him, all his heavenly assembly! 2088
148:3 Praise him, O sun and moon!
Praise him, all you shiny stars! 2089
148:4 Praise him, O highest heaven,
and you waters above the sky! 2090
148:5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for he gave the command and they came into existence.
148:6 He established them so they would endure; 2091
he issued a decree that will not be revoked. 2092
148:7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
you sea creatures and all you ocean depths,
148:8 O fire and hail, snow and clouds, 2093
O stormy wind that carries out his orders, 2094
148:9 you mountains and all you hills,
you fruit trees and all you cedars,
148:10 you animals and all you cattle,
you creeping things and birds,
148:11 you kings of the earth and all you nations,
you princes and all you leaders 2095 on the earth,
148:12 you young men and young women,
you elderly, along with you children!
148:13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
his majesty extends over the earth and sky.
148:14 He has made his people victorious, 2096
and given all his loyal followers reason to praise –
the Israelites, the people who are close to him. 2097
Praise the Lord!
149:1 Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song!
Praise him in the assembly of the godly! 2099
149:2 Let Israel rejoice in their Creator!
Let the people 2100 of Zion delight in their king! 2101
149:3 Let them praise his name with dancing!
Let them sing praises to him to the accompaniment of the tambourine and harp!
149:4 For the Lord takes delight in his people;
he exalts the oppressed by delivering them. 2102
149:5 Let the godly rejoice because of their vindication! 2103
Let them shout for joy upon their beds! 2104
149:6 May they praise God
while they hold a two-edged sword in their hand, 2105
149:7 in order to take 2106 revenge on the nations,
and punish foreigners.
149:8 They bind 2107 their kings in chains,
and their nobles in iron shackles,
149:9 and execute the judgment to which their enemies 2108 have been sentenced. 2109
All his loyal followers will be vindicated. 2110
Praise the Lord!
150:1 Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary!
Praise him in the sky, which testifies to his strength! 2112
150:2 Praise him for his mighty acts!
Praise him for his surpassing greatness!
150:3 Praise him with the blast of the horn!
Praise him with the lyre and the harp!
150:4 Praise him with the tambourine and with dancing!
Praise him with stringed instruments and the flute!
150:5 Praise him with loud cymbals!
Praise him with clanging cymbals!
150:6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
[73:1] 1 sn Psalm 73. In this wisdom psalm the psalmist offers a personal testimony of his struggle with the age-old problem of the prosperity of the wicked. As he observed evil men prosper, he wondered if a godly lifestyle really pays off. In the midst of his discouragement, he reflected upon spiritual truths and realities. He was reminded that the prosperity of the wicked is only temporary. God will eventually vindicate his people.
[73:1] 2 tn Since the psalm appears to focus on an individual’s concerns, not the situation of Israel, this introduction may be a later addition designed to apply the psalm’s message to the entire community. To provide a better parallel with the next line, some emend the Hebrew phrase לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֱלֹהִים (lÿyisra’el ’elohim, “to Israel, God”) to אֱלֹהִים [or אֵל] לָיָּשָׁר (’elohim [or ’el] lÿyyashar, “God [is good] to the upright one”).
[73:1] 3 tn Heb “to the pure of heart.”
[73:2] 4 tn The Hebrew verb normally means “to pour out,” but here it must have the nuance “to slide.”
[73:3] 5 tn The imperfect verbal form here depicts the action as continuing in a past time frame.
[73:3] 6 tn Heb “peace” (שָׁלוֹם, shalom).
[73:4] 7 tn In Isa 58:6, the only other occurrence of this word in the OT, the term refers to “bonds” or “ropes.” In Ps 73:4 it is used metaphorically of pain and suffering that restricts one’s enjoyment of life.
[73:4] 9 tc Or “fat.” The MT of v. 4 reads as follows: “for there are no pains at their death, and fat [is] their body.” Since a reference to the death of the wicked seems incongruous in the immediate context (note v. 5) and premature in the argument of the psalm (see vv. 18-20, 27), some prefer to emend the text by redividing it. The term לְמוֹתָם (lÿmotam,“at their death”) is changed to לָמוֹ תָּם (lamo tam, “[there are no pains] to them, strong [and fat are their bodies]”). The term תָּם (tam, “complete; sound”) is used of physical beauty in Song 5:2; 6:9. This emendation is the basis for the present translation. However, in defense of the MT (the traditional Hebrew text), one may point to an Aramaic inscription from Nerab which views a painful death as a curse and a nonpainful death in one’s old age as a sign of divine favor. See ANET 661.
[73:5] 10 tn Heb “in the trouble of man they are not, and with mankind they are not afflicted.”
[73:6] 11 sn Arrogance is their necklace. The metaphor suggests that their arrogance is something the wicked “wear” proudly. It draws attention to them, just as a beautiful necklace does to its owner.
[73:6] 12 tn Heb “a garment of violence covers them.” The metaphor suggests that violence is habitual for the wicked. They “wear” it like clothing; when one looks at them, violence is what one sees.
[73:7] 13 tc The MT reads “it goes out from fatness their eye,” which might be paraphrased, “their eye protrudes [or “bulges”] because of fatness.” This in turn might refer to their greed; their eyes “bug out” when they see rich food or produce (the noun חֵלֶב [khelev, “fatness”] sometimes refers to such food or produce). However, when used with the verb יָצָא (yatsa’, “go out”) the preposition מִן (“from”) more naturally indicates source. For this reason it is preferable to emend עֵינֵמוֹ (’enemo, “their eye”) to עֲוֹנָמוֹ, (’avonamo, “their sin”) and read, “and their sin proceeds forth from fatness,” that is, their prosperity gives rise to their sinful attitudes. If one follows this textual reading, another interpretive option is to take חֵלֶב (“fatness”) in the sense of “unreceptive, insensitive” (see its use in Ps 17:10). In this case, the sin of the wicked proceeds forth from their spiritual insensitivity.
[73:7] 14 tn Heb “the thoughts of [their] heart [i.e., mind] cross over” (i.e., violate God’s moral boundary, see Ps 17:3).
[73:8] 15 tn The verb מוּק (muq, “mock”) occurs only here in the OT.
[73:8] 16 tn Heb “and speak with evil.”
[73:8] 17 tn Heb “oppression from an elevated place they speak.” The traditional accentuation of the MT places “oppression” with the preceding line. In this case, one might translate, “they mock and speak with evil [of] oppression, from an elevated place [i.e., “proudly”] they speak.” By placing “oppression” with what follows, one achieves better poetic balance in the parallelism.
[73:9] 18 tn Heb “they set in heaven their mouth, and their tongue walks through the earth.” The meaning of the text is uncertain. Perhaps the idea is that they lay claim to heaven (i.e., speak as if they were ruling in heaven) and move through the earth declaring their superiority and exerting their influence. Some take the preposition -בְּ (bet) the first line as adversative and translate, “they set their mouth against heaven,” that is, they defy God.
[73:10] 19 tc Heb “therefore his people return [so Qere (marginal reading); Kethib (consonantal text) has “he brings back”] to here, and waters of abundance are sucked up by them.” The traditional Hebrew text (MT) defies explanation. The present translation reflects M. Dahood’s proposed emendations (Psalms [AB], 2:190) and reads the Hebrew text as follows: לָכֵן יִשְׂבְעוּם לֶחֶם וּמֵי מָלֵא יָמֹצּוּ לָמוֹ (“therefore they are filled with food, and waters of abundance they suck up for themselves”). The reading יִשְׂבְעוּם לֶחֶם (yisvÿ’um lekhem, “they are filled with food”) assumes (1) an emendation of יָשׁיּב עַמּוֹ (yashyyv, “he will bring back his people”) to יִשְׂבְעוּם (yisvÿ’um, “they will be filled”; a Qal imperfect third masculine plural form from שָׂבַע [sava’] with enclitic mem [ם]), and (2) an emendation of הֲלֹם (halom, “to here”) to לֶחֶם (“food”). The expression “be filled/fill with food” appears elsewhere at least ten times (see Ps 132:15, for example). In the second line the Niphal form יִמָּצוּ (yimmatsu, derived from מָצָה, matsah, “drain”) is emended to a Qal form יָמֹצּוּ (yamotsu), derived from מָצַץ (matsats, “to suck”). In Isa 66:11 the verbs שָׂבַע (sava’; proposed in Ps 73:10a) and מָצַץ (proposed in Ps 73:10b) are parallel. The point of the emended text is this: Because they are seemingly sovereign (v. 9), they become greedy and grab up everything they need and more.
[73:11] 20 tn Heb “How does God know? Is there knowledge with the Most High?” They appear to be practical atheists, who acknowledge God’s existence and sovereignty in theory, but deny his involvement in the world (see Pss 10:4, 11; 14:1).
[73:12] 21 tn Heb “Look, these [are] the wicked.”
[73:12] 22 tn Heb “the ones who are always at ease [who] increase wealth.”
[73:13] 23 tn The words “I concluded” are supplied in the translation. It is apparent that vv. 13-14 reflect the psalmist’s thoughts at an earlier time (see vv. 2-3), prior to the spiritual awakening he describes in vv. 17-28.
[73:13] 24 tn Heb “heart,” viewed here as the seat of one’s thoughts and motives.
[73:13] 25 tn Heb “and washed my hands in innocence.” The psalmist uses an image from cultic ritual to picture his moral lifestyle. The reference to “hands” suggests actions.
[73:15] 26 tn Heb “If I had said, ‘I will speak out like this.’”
[73:15] 27 tn Heb “look, the generation of your sons I would have betrayed.” The phrase “generation of your [i.e., God’s] sons” occurs only here in the OT. Some equate the phrase with “generation of the godly” (Ps 14:5), “generation of the ones seeking him” (Ps 24:6), and “generation of the upright” (Ps 112:2). In Deut 14:1 the Israelites are referred to as God’s “sons.” Perhaps the psalmist refers here to those who are “Israelites” in the true sense because of their loyalty to God (note the juxtaposition of “Israel” with “the pure in heart” in v. 1).
[73:16] 28 tn Heb “and [when] I pondered to understand this, troubling it [was] in my eyes.”
[73:17] 29 tn The plural of the term מִקְדָּשׁ (miqdash) probably refers to the temple precincts (see Ps 68:35; Jer 51:51).
[73:17] 30 tn Heb “I discerned their end.” At the temple the psalmist perhaps received an oracle of deliverance announcing his vindication and the demise of the wicked (see Ps 12) or heard songs of confidence (for example, Ps 11), wisdom psalms (for example, Pss 1, 37), and hymns (for example, Ps 112) that describe the eventual downfall of the proud and wealthy.
[73:18] 31 tn The use of the Hebrew term אַךְ (’akh, “surely”) here literarily counteracts its use in v. 13. The repetition draws attention to the contrast between the two statements, the first of which expresses the psalmist’s earlier despair and the second his newly discovered confidence.
[73:18] 32 tn Heb “cause them to fall.”
[73:19] 33 tn Heb “they come to an end, they are finished, from terrors.”
[73:20] 34 tn Heb “like a dream from awakening.” They lack any real substance; their prosperity will last for only a brief time.
[73:20] 35 sn When you awake. The psalmist compares God’s inactivity to sleep and the time of God’s judgment to his awakening from sleep.
[73:20] 36 tn Heb “you will despise their form.” The Hebrew term צֶלֶם (tselem, “form; image”) also suggests their short-lived nature. Rather than having real substance, they are like the mere images that populate one’s dreams. Note the similar use of the term in Ps 39:6.
[73:21] 37 tn Or perhaps “when.”
[73:21] 38 tn The imperfect verbal form here describes a continuing attitude in a past time frame.
[73:21] 39 tn Heb “and [in] my kidneys I was pierced.” The imperfect verbal form here describes a continuing condition in a past time frame.
[73:22] 40 tn Or “brutish, stupid.”
[73:22] 41 tn Heb “and I was not knowing.”
[73:22] 42 tn Heb “an animal I was with you.”
[73:24] 43 tn The imperfect verbal form here suggests this is the psalmist’s ongoing experience.
[73:24] 44 tn Heb “and afterward [to] glory you will take me.” Some interpreters view this as the psalmist’s confidence in an afterlife in God’s presence and understand כָּבוֹד (cavod) as a metonymic reference to God’s presence in heaven. But this seems unlikely in the present context. The psalmist anticipates a time of vindication, when the wicked are destroyed and he is honored by God for his godly life style. The verb לָקַח (laqakh, “take”) here carries the nuance “lead, guide, conduct,” as in Num 23:14, 27-28; Josh 24:3 and Prov 24:11.
[73:25] 45 tn Heb “Who [is there] for me in heaven? And besides you I do not desire [anyone] in the earth.” The psalmist uses a merism (heaven/earth) to emphasize that God is the sole object of his desire and worship in the entire universe.
[73:26] 46 tn The Hebrew verb כָלָה (khalah, “to fail; to grow weak”) does not refer here to physical death per se, but to the physical weakness that sometimes precedes death (see Job 33:21; Pss 71:9; 143:7; Prov 5:11).
[73:26] 48 tn Heb “is the rocky summit of my heart and my portion.” The psalmist compares the
[73:27] 50 sn The following line defines the phrase far from you in a spiritual sense. Those “far” from God are those who are unfaithful and disloyal to him.
[73:27] 51 tn Heb “everyone who commits adultery from you.”
[73:28] 52 tn Heb “but as for me, the nearness of God for me [is] good.”
[73:28] 53 tn The infinitive construct with -לְ (lÿ) is understood here as indicating an attendant circumstance. Another option is to take it as indicating purpose (“so that I might declare”) or result (“with the result that I declare”).
[74:1] 54 sn Psalm 74. The psalmist, who has just experienced the devastation of the Babylonian invasion of Jerusalem in 586
[74:1] 55 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. The word is derived from a verb meaning “to be prudent; to be wise.” Various options are: “a contemplative song,” “a song imparting moral wisdom,” or “a skillful [i.e., well-written] song.” The term occurs in the superscriptions of Pss 32, 42, 44, 45, 52-55, 74, 78, 88, 89, and 142, as well as in Ps 47:7.
[74:1] 56 sn The psalmist does not really believe God has permanently rejected his people or he would not pray as he does in this psalm. But this initial question reflects his emotional response to what he sees and is overstated for the sake of emphasis. The severity of divine judgment gives the appearance that God has permanently abandoned his people.
[74:1] 57 tn Heb “smoke.” The picture is that of a fire that continues to smolder.
[74:2] 58 tn Heb “your assembly,” which pictures God’s people as an assembled community.
[74:2] 59 tn Heb “redeemed.” The verb “redeem” casts God in the role of a leader who protects members of his extended family in times of need and crisis (see Ps 19:14).
[74:2] 60 tn Heb “the tribe of your inheritance” (see Jer 10:16; 51:19).
[74:3] 61 tn Heb “lift up your steps to,” which may mean “run, hurry.”
[74:3] 62 tn Heb “everything [the] enemy has damaged in the holy place.”
[74:4] 63 tn This verb is often used of a lion’s roar, so the psalmist may be comparing the enemy to a raging, devouring lion.
[74:4] 64 tn Heb “your meeting place.”
[74:4] 65 tn Heb “they set up their banners [as] banners.” The Hebrew noun אוֹת (’ot, “sign”) here refers to the enemy army’s battle flags and banners (see Num 2:12).
[74:5] 66 tn Heb “it is known like one bringing upwards, in a thicket of wood, axes.” The Babylonian invaders destroyed the woodwork in the temple.
[74:6] 67 tn This is the reading of the Qere (marginal reading). The Kethib (consonantal text) has “and a time.”
[74:6] 68 tn The imperfect verbal form vividly describes the act as underway.
[74:6] 69 tn Heb “its engravings together.”
[74:6] 70 tn This Hebrew noun occurs only here in the OT (see H. R. Cohen, Biblical Hapax Legomena [SBLDS], 49-50).
[74:6] 71 tn This Hebrew noun occurs only here in the OT. An Akkadian cognate refers to a “pickaxe” (cf. NEB “hatchet and pick”; NIV “axes and hatchets”; NRSV “hatchets and hammers”).
[74:7] 72 tn Heb “to the ground they desecrate the dwelling place of your name.”
[74:8] 73 tn Heb “in their heart.”
[74:8] 74 tc Heb “[?] altogether.” The Hebrew form נִינָם (ninam) is problematic. It could be understood as the noun נִין (nin, “offspring”) but the statement “their offspring altogether” would make no sense here. C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs (Psalms [ICC], 2:159) emends יָחַד (yakhad, “altogether”) to יָחִיד (yakhid, “alone”) and translate “let their offspring be solitary” (i.e., exiled). Another option is to understand the form as a Qal imperfect first common plural from יָנָה (yanah, “to oppress”) with a third masculine plural pronominal suffix, “we will oppress them.” However, this verb, when used in the finite form, always appears in the Hiphil. Therefore, it is preferable to emend the form to the Hiphil נוֹנֵם (nonem, “we will oppress them”).
[74:8] 75 tn Heb “they burn down all the meeting places of God in the land.”
[74:9] 76 tn Heb “our signs we do not see.” Because of the reference to a prophet in the next line, it is likely that the “signs” in view here include the evidence of God’s presence as typically revealed through the prophets. These could include miraculous acts performed by the prophets (see, for example, Isa 38:7-8) or object lessons which they acted out (see, for example, Isa 20:3).
[74:9] 77 tn Heb “there is not still a prophet.”
[74:9] 78 tn Heb “and [there is] not with us one who knows how long.”
[74:11] 79 tn Heb “Why do you draw back your hand, even your right hand? From the midst of your chest, destroy!” The psalmist pictures God as having placed his right hand (symbolic of activity and strength) inside his robe against his chest. He prays that God would pull his hand out from under his robe and use it to destroy the enemy.
[74:12] 80 tn The psalmist speaks as Israel’s representative here.
[74:12] 81 tn Heb “in the midst of the earth.”
[74:13] 82 tn The derivation and meaning of the Polel verb form פּוֹרַרְתָּ (porarta) are uncertain. The form may be related to an Akkadian cognate meaning “break, shatter,” though the biblical Hebrew cognate of this verb always appears in the Hiphil or Hophal stem. BDB 830 s.v. II פָּרַר suggests a homonym here, meaning “to split; to divide.” A Hitpolel form of a root פָּרַר (parar) appears in Isa 24:19 with the meaning “to shake violently.”
[74:13] 83 tn The Hebrew text has the plural form, “sea monsters” (cf. NRSV “dragons”), but it is likely that an original enclitic mem has been misunderstood as a plural ending. The imagery of the mythological sea monster is utilized here. See the note on “Leviathan” in v. 14.
[74:14] 84 sn You crushed the heads of Leviathan. The imagery of vv. 13-14 originates in West Semitic mythology. The description of Leviathan should be compared with the following excerpts from Ugaritic mythological texts: (1) “Was not the dragon [Ugaritic tnn, cognate with Hebrew תַּנִין (tanin), translated “sea monster” in v. 13] vanquished and captured? I did destroy the wriggling [Ugaritic ’qltn, cognate to Hebrew עֲקַלָּתוֹן (’aqallaton), translated “squirming” in Isa 27:1] serpent, the tyrant with seven heads” (note the use of the plural “heads” here and in v. 13). (See CTA 3.iii.38-39 in G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 50.) (2) “For all that you smote Leviathan the slippery [Ugaritic brh, cognate to Hebrew בָּרִחַ (bariakh), translated “fast moving” in Isa 27:1] serpent, [and] made an end of the wriggling serpent, the tyrant with seven heads” (See CTA 5.i.1-3 in G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 68.) In the myths Leviathan is a sea creature that symbolizes the destructive water of the sea and, in turn, the forces of chaos that threaten the established order. In the OT, the battle with the sea motif is applied to Yahweh’s victories over the forces of chaos at creation and in history (see Pss 74:13-14; 77:16-20; 89:9-10; Isa 51:9-10). Yahweh’s subjugation of the waters of chaos is related to his kingship (see Pss 29:3, 10; 93:3-4). Isa 27:1 applies imagery from Canaanite mythology to Yahweh’s eschatological victory over his enemies. Apocalyptic literature employs the imagery as well. The beasts of Dan 7 emerge from the sea, while Rev 13 speaks of a seven-headed beast coming from the sea. Here in Ps 74:13-14 the primary referent is unclear. The psalmist may be describing God’s creation of the world (note vv. 16-17 and see Ps 89:9-12), when he brought order out of a watery mass, or the exodus (see Isa 51:9-10), when he created Israel by destroying the Egyptians in the waters of the sea.
[74:14] 85 tn The prefixed verbal form is understood as a preterite in this narrational context.
[74:14] 86 sn You fed him to the people. This pictures the fragments of Leviathan’s dead corpse washing up on shore and being devoured by those who find them. If the exodus is in view, then it may allude to the bodies of the dead Egyptians which washed up on the shore of the Red Sea (see Exod 14:30).
[74:15] 87 sn You broke open the spring and the stream. Perhaps this alludes to the way in which God provided water for the Israelites as they traveled in the wilderness following the exodus (see Ps 78:15-16, 20; 105:41).
[74:15] 88 sn Perpetually flowing rivers are rivers that contain water year round, unlike the seasonal streams that flow only during the rainy season. Perhaps the psalmist here alludes to the drying up of the Jordan River when the Israelites entered the land of Canaan under Joshua (see Josh 3-4).
[74:16] 89 tn Heb “To you [is] day, also to you [is] night.”
[74:16] 90 tn Heb “[the] light.” Following the reference to “day and night” and in combination with “sun,” it is likely that the Hebrew term מָאוֹר (ma’or, “light”) refers here to the moon.
[74:16] 91 tn Heb “you established [the] light and [the] sun.”
[74:17] 92 tn This would appear to refer to geographical boundaries, such as mountains, rivers, and seacoasts. However, since the day-night cycle has just been mentioned (v. 16) and the next line speaks of the seasons, it is possible that “boundaries” here refers to the divisions of the seasons. See C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms (ICC), 2:156.
[74:17] 93 tn Heb “summer and winter, you, you formed them.”
[74:18] 94 tn Heb “remember this.”
[74:18] 95 tn Or “[how] the enemy insults the
[74:19] 96 sn Your dove. The psalmist compares weak and vulnerable Israel to a helpless dove.
[74:19] 97 tn Heb “do not forget forever.”
[74:20] 98 tc Heb “look at the covenant.” The LXX reads “your covenant,” which seems to assume a second person pronominal suffix. The suffix may have been accidentally omitted by haplography. Note that the following word (כִּי) begins with kaf (כ).
[74:20] 99 tn Heb “for the dark places of the earth are full of dwelling places of violence.” The “dark regions” are probably the lands where the people have been exiled (see C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms [ICC], 2:157). In some contexts “dark regions” refers to Sheol (Ps 88:6) or to hiding places likened to Sheol (Ps 143:3; Lam 3:6).
[74:21] 100 sn Let the oppressed and poor praise your name! The statement is metonymic. The point is this: May the oppressed be delivered from their enemies! Then they will have ample reason to praise God’s name.
[74:22] 101 tn Or “defend your cause.”
[74:22] 102 tn Heb “remember your reproach from a fool all the day.”
[74:23] 104 tn Heb “the voice of your enemies.”
[74:23] 105 tn Heb “the roar of those who rise up against you, which ascends continually.”
[75:1] 106 sn Psalm 75. The psalmist celebrates God’s just rule, which guarantees that the godly will be vindicated and the wicked destroyed.
[75:1] 107 tn Heb “do not destroy.” Perhaps this refers to a particular style of music, a tune title, or a musical instrument. These words also appear in the superscription to Pss 57-59.
[75:1] 108 tn Heb “and near [is] your name.”
[75:2] 109 tn The words “God says” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation to clarify that God speaks in vv. 2-3.
[75:2] 110 tn Heb “when I take an appointed time.”
[75:2] 111 tn Heb “I, [in] fairness, I judge.” The statement is understood in a generalizing sense; God typically executes fair judgment as he governs the world. One could take this as referring to an anticipated (future) judgment, “I will judge.”
[75:3] 113 tn The statement is understood in a generalizing sense; God typically prevents the world from being overrun by chaos. One could take this as referring to an anticipated event, “I will make its pillars secure.”
[75:4] 114 tn The identity of the speaker in vv. 4-6 is unclear. The present translation assumes that the psalmist, who also speaks in vv. 7-9 (where God/the
[75:4] 115 tn Heb “do not lift up a horn.” The horn of an ox underlies the metaphor (see Deut 33:17; 1 Kgs 22:11; Ps 92:10). The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 89:17, 24; 92:10; Lam 2:17). Here the idiom seems to refer to an arrogant attitude that assumes victory has been achieved.
[75:5] 116 tn Heb “do not lift up on high your horn.”
[75:5] 117 tn Heb “[do not] speak with unrestrained neck.” The negative particle is understood in this line by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
[75:6] 118 tn Heb “for not from the east or from the west, and not from the wilderness of the mountains.” If one follows this reading the sentence is elliptical. One must supply “does help come,” or some comparable statement. However, it is possible to take הָרִים (harim) as a Hiphil infinitive from רוּם (rum), the same verb used in vv. 4-5 of “lifting up” a horn. In this case one may translate the form as “victory.” In this case the point is that victory does not come from alliances with other nations.
[75:7] 120 tn The imperfects here emphasize the generalizing nature of the statement.
[75:8] 121 tn Heb “for a cup [is] in the hand of the
[75:8] 122 tn Heb “and he pours out from this.”
[75:8] 123 tn Heb “surely its dregs they slurp up and drink, all the wicked of the earth.”
[75:9] 124 tn Heb “I will declare forever.” The object needs to be supplied; God’s just judgment is in view.
[75:10] 125 tn The words “God says” are not in the Hebrew text. They are supplied in the translation to clarify that God speaks in v. 10.
[75:10] 126 tn Heb “and all the horns of the wicked I will cut off, the horns of the godly will be lifted up.” The imagery of the wild ox’s horn is once more utilized (see vv. 4-5).
[76:1] 127 sn Psalm 76. The psalmist depicts God as a mighty warrior who destroys Israel’s enemies.
[76:1] 128 tn Or “God is known in Judah.”
[76:1] 129 tn Heb “name,” which here stands metonymically for God’s reputation.
[76:2] 130 sn Salem is a shorter name for Jerusalem (see Gen 14:18).
[76:2] 131 tn Heb “and his place of refuge is in Salem, and his lair in Zion.” God may be likened here to a lion (see v. 4).
[76:3] 132 tn Heb “flames of the bow,” i.e., arrows.
[76:3] 133 tn Heb “shield and sword and battle.” “Battle” probably here stands by metonymy for the weapons of war in general.
[76:4] 134 tn Heb “radiant [are] you, majestic from the hills of prey.” God is depicted as a victorious king and as a lion that has killed its victims.
[76:5] 135 tn Heb “strong of heart.” In Isa 46:12, the only other text where this phrase appears, it refers to those who are stubborn, but here it seems to describe brave warriors (see the next line).
[76:5] 136 tn The verb is a rare Aramaized form of the Hitpolel (see GKC 149 §54.a, n. 2); the root is שָׁלַל (shalal, “to plunder”).
[76:5] 137 tn Heb “they slept [in] their sleep.” “Sleep” here refers to the “sleep” of death. A number of modern translations take the phrase to refer to something less than death, however: NASB “cast into a deep sleep”; NEB “fall senseless”; NIV “lie still”; NRSV “lay stunned.”
[76:5] 138 tn Heb “and all the men of strength did not find their hands.”
[76:6] 139 tn Heb “from your shout.” The noun is derived from the Hebrew verb גָּעַר (ga’ar), which is often understood to mean “rebuke.” In some cases it is apparent that scolding or threatening is in view (see Gen 37:10; Ruth 2:16; Zech 3:2). However, in militaristic contexts this translation is inadequate, for the verb refers in this setting to the warrior’s battle cry, which terrifies and paralyzes the enemy. See A. Caquot, TDOT 3:53, and note the use of the verb in Pss 68:30; 106:9; Nah 1:4, as well as the related noun in Job 26:11; Pss 9:5; 18:15; 104:7; Isa 50:2; 51:20; 66:15.
[76:6] 140 tn Or “chariot,” but even so the term is metonymic for the charioteer.
[76:6] 141 tn Heb “he fell asleep, and [the] chariot and [the] horse.” Once again (see v. 5) “sleep” refers here to the “sleep” of death.
[76:7] 142 tc Heb “and who can stand before you from the time of your anger?” The Hebrew expression מֵאָז (me’az, “from the time of”) is better emended to מֵאֹז (me’oz, “from [i.e., “because of”] the strength of your anger”; see Ps 90:11).
[76:8] 143 tn Heb “a [legal] decision,” or “sentence.”
[76:8] 144 tn “The earth” stands here by metonymy for its inhabitants.
[76:10] 146 tn Heb “the anger of men will praise you.” This could mean that men’s anger (subjective genitive), when punished by God, will bring him praise, but this interpretation does not harmonize well with the next line. The translation assumes that God’s anger is in view here (see v. 7) and that “men” is an objective genitive. God’s angry judgment against men brings him praise because it reveals his power and majesty (see vv. 1-4).
[76:10] 147 tn Heb “the rest of anger you put on.” The meaning of the statement is not entirely clear. Perhaps the idea is that God, as he prepares for battle, girds himself with every last ounce of his anger, as if it were a weapon.
[76:11] 148 tn The phrase “all those who surround him” may refer to the surrounding nations (v. 12 may favor this), but in Ps 89:7 the phrase refers to God’s heavenly assembly.
[76:12] 149 tn Heb “he reduces the spirit of princes.” According to HALOT 148 s.v. II בצר, the Hebrew verb בָּצַר (batsar) is here a hapax legomenon meaning “reduce, humble.” The statement is generalizing, with the imperfect tense highlighting God’s typical behavior.
[76:12] 150 tn Heb “[he is] awesome to the kings of the earth.”
[77:1] 151 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] 152 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] 153 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).
[77:2] 154 tn Here the psalmist refers back to the very recent past, when he began to pray for divine help.
[77:2] 155 tn Heb “my hand [at] night was extended and was not growing numb.” The verb נָגַר (nagar), which can mean “flow” in certain contexts, here has the nuance “be extended.” The imperfect form (תָפוּג, tafug, “to be numb”) is used here to describe continuous action in the past.
[77:2] 156 tn Or “my soul.” The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) with a pronominal suffix is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 4.a).
[77:3] 157 tn Heb “I will remember God and I will groan, I will reflect and my spirit will grow faint.” The first three verbs are cohortatives, the last a perfect with vav (ו) consecutive. The psalmist’s statement in v. 4 could be understood as concurrent with v. 1, or, more likely, as a quotation of what he had said earlier as he prayed to God (see v. 2). The words “I said” are supplied in the translation at the beginning of the verse to reflect this interpretation (see v. 10).
[77:4] 158 tn Heb “you held fast the guards of my eyes.” The “guards of the eyes” apparently refers to his eyelids. The psalmist seems to be saying that God would not bring him relief, which would have allowed him to shut his eyes and get some sleep (see v. 2).
[77:4] 159 tn The imperfect is used in the second clause to emphasize that this was an ongoing condition in the past.
[77:5] 160 tn Heb “the years of antiquity.”
[77:6] 161 tn Heb “I will remember my song in the night, with my heart I will reflect. And my spirit searched.” As in v. 4, the words of v. 6a are understood as what the psalmist said earlier. Consequently the words “I said” are supplied in the translation for clarification (see v. 10). The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive at the beginning of the final line is taken as sequential to the perfect “I thought” in v. 6.
[77:7] 162 tn As in vv. 4 and 6a, the words of vv. 7-9 are understood as a quotation of what the psalmist said earlier. Therefore the words “I asked” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[77:8] 163 tn Heb “word,” which may refer here to God’s word of promise (note the reference to “loyal love” in the preceding line).
[77:10] 164 tn Heb “Most High.” This divine title (עֶלְיוֹן, ’elyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Pss 7:17; 9:2; 18:13; 21:7; 47:2.
[77:10] 165 tc Heb “And I said, ‘This is my wounding, the changing of the right hand of the Most High.’” The form חַלּוֹתִי (khallotiy) appears to be a Qal infinitive construct (with a first person singular pronominal suffix) from the verbal root חָלַל (khalal, “to pierce; to wound”). The present translation assumes an emendation to חֲלוֹתִי (khalotiy), a Qal infinitive construct (with a first person singular pronominal suffix) from the verbal root חָלָה (khalah, “be sick, weak”). The form שְׁנוֹת (shÿnot) is understood as a Qal infinitive construct from שָׁנָה (shanah, “to change”) rather than a plural noun form, “years” (see v. 5). “Right hand” here symbolizes by metonymy God’s power and activity. The psalmist observes that his real problem is theological in nature. His experience suggests that the sovereign Lord has abandoned him and become inactive. However, this goes against the grain of his most cherished beliefs.
[77:11] 166 tn Heb “yes, I will remember from old your wonders.”
[77:13] 167 sn Verses 13-20 are the content of the psalmist’s reflection (see vv. 11-12). As he thought about God’s work in Israel’s past, he reached the place where he could confidently cry out for God’s help (see v. 1).
[77:13] 168 tn Heb “O God, in holiness [is] your way.” God’s “way” here refers to his actions. “Holiness” is used here in the sense of “set apart, unique,” rather than in a moral/ethical sense. As the next line and the next verse emphasize, God’s deeds are incomparable and set him apart as the one true God.
[77:13] 169 tn Heb “Who [is] a great god like God?” The rhetorical question assumes the answer, “No one!”
[77:15] 171 tn Heb “with [your] arm.”
[77:16] 172 tn The waters of the Red Sea are here personified; they are portrayed as seeing God and fearing him.
[77:16] 173 tn The prefixed verbal form may be taken as a preterite or as an imperfect with past progressive force.
[77:16] 174 tn The words “of the sea” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[77:16] 175 tn The prefixed verbal form may be taken as a preterite or as an imperfect with past progressive force.
[77:17] 177 tn Heb “a sound the clouds gave.”
[77:17] 178 tn The lightning accompanying the storm is portrayed as the
[77:18] 179 tn The prefixed verbal form may be taken as a preterite or as an imperfect with past progressive force.
[77:19] 180 tn Heb “in the sea [was] your way.”
[77:19] 181 tn Heb “and your paths [were] in the mighty waters.”
[77:19] 182 tn Heb “and your footprints were not known.”
[78:1] 183 sn Psalm 78. The author of this lengthy didactic psalm rehearses Israel’s history. He praises God for his power, goodness and patience, but also reminds his audience that sin angers God and prompts his judgment. In the conclusion to the psalm the author elevates Jerusalem as God’s chosen city and David as his chosen king.
[78:1] 184 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. See the note on the phrase “well-written song” in the superscription of Ps 74.
[78:1] 185 tn Heb “Turn your ear to the words of my mouth.”
[78:2] 186 tn Heb “I will open with a wise saying my mouth, I will utter insightful sayings from long ago.” Elsewhere the Hebrew word pair חִידָה+מָשָׁל (mashal + khidah) refers to a taunt song (Hab 2:6), a parable (Ezek 17:2), proverbial sayings (Prov 1:6), and an insightful song that reflects on the mortality of humankind and the ultimate inability of riches to prevent death (Ps 49:4).
[78:3] 188 tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 5, 8, 12, 57).
[78:4] 189 tn The pronominal suffix refers back to the “fathers” (“our ancestors,” v. 3).
[78:4] 190 tn Heb “to a following generation telling the praises of the
[78:5] 191 tn The Hebrew noun עֵדוּת (’edut) refers here to God’s command that the older generation teach their children about God’s mighty deeds in the nation’s history (see Exod 10:2; Deut 4:9; 6:20-25).
[78:5] 192 tn Heb “which he commanded our fathers to make them known to their sons.” The plural suffix “them” probably refers back to the
[78:6] 193 tn Heb “in order that they might know, a following generation, sons [who] will be born, they will arise and will tell to their sons.”
[78:8] 195 tn Heb “a generation that did not make firm its heart and whose spirit was not faithful with God.” The expression “make firm the heart” means “to be committed, devoted” (see 1 Sam 7:3).
[78:9] 196 tn Heb “the sons of Ephraim.” Ephraim probably stands here by synecdoche (part for whole) for the northern kingdom of Israel.
[78:9] 197 tn Heb “ones armed, shooters of bow.” It is possible that the term נוֹשְׁקֵי (noshÿqey, “ones armed [with]”) is an interpretive gloss for the rare רוֹמֵי (romey, “shooters of”; on the latter see BDB 941 s.v. I רָמָה). The phrase נוֹשְׁקֵי קֶשֶׁת (noshÿqey qeshet, “ones armed with a bow”) appears in 1 Chr 12:2; 2 Chr 17:17.
[78:9] 198 sn They retreated. This could refer to the northern tribes’ failure to conquer completely their allotted territory (see Judg 1), or it could refer generally to the typical consequence (military defeat) of their sin (see vv. 10-11).
[78:10] 199 tn Heb “the covenant of God.”
[78:11] 201 tn Heb “his deeds.”
[78:12] 202 sn The region of Zoan was located in the Egyptian delta, where the enslaved Israelites lived (see Num 13:22; Isa 19:11, 13; 30:4; Ezek 30:14).
[78:15] 203 tn Heb “and caused them to drink, like the depths, abundantly.”
[78:17] 204 tn Heb “rebelling [against] the Most High.”
[78:18] 205 tn Heb “and they tested God in their heart.” The “heart” is viewed here as the center of their volition.
[78:19] 206 tn Heb “they spoke against God, they said.”
[78:19] 207 tn Heb “to arrange a table [for food].”
[78:21] 209 tn Heb “therefore.”
[78:21] 210 tn Heb “and also anger went up.”
[78:22] 211 tn Heb “and they did not trust his deliverance.”
[78:24] 212 sn Manna was apparently shaped like a seed (Exod 16:31), perhaps explaining why it is here compared to grain.
[78:25] 213 sn Because of the reference to “heaven” in the preceding verse, it is likely that mighty ones refers here to the angels of heaven. The LXX translates “angels” here, as do a number of modern translations (NEB, NIV, NRSV).
[78:25] 214 tn Heb “provision he sent to them to satisfaction.”
[78:27] 215 tn Heb “and like the sand of the seas winged birds.”
[78:29] 216 tn Heb “and they ate and were very satisfied.”
[78:30] 217 tn Heb “they were not separated from their desire.”
[78:32] 218 tn Heb “and did not believe in his amazing deeds.”
[78:33] 219 tn Heb “and he ended in vanity their days.”
[78:33] 220 tn Heb “and their years in terror.”
[78:34] 221 tn Or “killed them,” that is, killed large numbers of them.
[78:34] 222 tn Heb “they sought him.”
[78:35] 223 tn Heb “my high rocky summit.”
[78:35] 224 tn Heb “and [that] God Most High [was] their redeemer.”
[78:36] 225 tn Heb “with their mouth.”
[78:36] 226 tn Heb “and with their tongue they lied to him.”
[78:37] 227 tn Heb “and their heart was not firm with him.”
[78:38] 228 tn One could translate v. 38 in the past tense (“he was compassionate…forgave sin and did not destroy…held back his anger, and did not stir up his fury”), but the imperfect verbal forms are probably best understood as generalizing. Verse 38 steps back briefly from the narrational summary of Israel’s history and lays the theological basis for v. 39, which focuses on God’s mercy toward sinful Israel.
[78:39] 229 tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive signals a return to the narrative.
[78:39] 230 tn Heb “and he remembered that they [were] flesh, a wind [that] goes and does not return.”
[78:40] 231 tn Or “caused him pain.”
[78:41] 232 tn Heb “and they returned and tested God.” The Hebrew verb שׁוּב (shuv, “to return”) is used here in an adverbial sense to indicate that an earlier action was repeated.
[78:41] 233 tn Or “wounded, hurt.” The verb occurs only here in the OT.
[78:41] 234 sn The basic sense of the word “holy” is “set apart from that which is commonplace, special, unique.” The Lord’s holiness is first and foremost his transcendent sovereignty as the ruler of the world. He is “set apart” from the world over which he rules. At the same time his holiness encompasses his moral authority, which derives from his royal position. As king he has the right to dictate to his subjects how they are to live; indeed his very own character sets the standard for proper behavior. This expression is a common title for the
[78:42] 235 tn Heb “his hand,” symbolizing his saving activity and strength, as the next line makes clear.
[78:42] 236 tn Heb “[the] day [in] which he ransomed them from [the] enemy.”
[78:43] 237 tn Or “signs” (see Ps 65:8).
[78:43] 238 tn Or “portents, omens” (see Ps 71:7). The Egyptian plagues are referred to here (see vv. 44-51).
[78:45] 239 tn Heb “and he sent an insect swarm against them and it devoured them.”
[78:45] 240 tn Heb “and a swarm of frogs and it destroyed them.”
[78:48] 241 tn Heb “and he turned over to the hail their cattle.”
[78:48] 242 tn Heb “and their livestock to the flames.” “Flames” here refer to the lightning bolts that accompanied the storm.
[78:49] 243 tn Heb “he sent against them the rage of his anger.” The phrase “rage of his anger” employs an appositional genitive. Synonyms are joined in a construct relationship to emphasize the single idea. For a detailed discussion of the grammatical point with numerous examples, see Y. Avishur, “Pairs of Synonymous Words in the Construct State (and in Appositional Hendiadys) in Biblical Hebrew,” Semitics 2 (1971): 17-81.
[78:49] 244 tn Heb “fury and indignation and trouble, a sending of messengers of disaster.”
[78:50] 245 tn Heb “he leveled a path for his anger.” There were no obstacles to impede its progress; it moved swiftly and destructively.
[78:50] 246 tn Or perhaps “[the] plague.”
[78:51] 247 tn Heb “the beginning of strength.” If retained, the plural form אוֹנִים (’onim, “strength”) probably indicates degree (“great strength”), but many ancient witnesses read “their strength,” which presupposes an emendation to אֹנָם (’onam; singular form of the noun with third masculine plural pronominal suffix).
[78:54] 248 tn Heb “this mountain.” The whole land of Canaan seems to be referred to here. In Exod 15:17 the promised land is called the “mountain of your [i.e., God’s] inheritance.”
[78:54] 249 tn The “right hand” here symbolizes God’s military strength (see v. 55).
[78:55] 250 tn Heb “he caused to fall [to] them with a measuring line an inheritance.”
[78:55] 251 tn Heb “and caused the tribes of Israel to settle down in their tents.”
[78:56] 252 tn Or “tested and rebelled against.”
[78:56] 253 tn Heb “God, the Most High.”
[78:56] 255 tn Heb “his testimonies” (see Ps 25:10).
[78:57] 256 tn Heb “they turned back.”
[78:57] 257 tn Or “acted treacherously like.”
[78:57] 258 tn Heb “they turned aside like a deceitful bow.”
[78:58] 259 tn Traditionally, “high places.”
[78:61] 261 tn Heb “and he gave to captivity his strength.” The expression “his strength” refers metonymically to the ark of the covenant, which was housed in the tabernacle at Shiloh.
[78:61] 262 tn Heb “and his splendor into the hand of an enemy.” The expression “his splendor” also refers metonymically to the ark of the covenant.
[78:61] 263 sn Verses 60-61 refer to the Philistines’ capture of the ark in the days of Eli (1 Sam 4:1-11).
[78:62] 264 tn Heb “his inheritance.”
[78:63] 265 tn Heb “his.” The singular pronominal suffix is collective, referring back to God’s “people” (v. 62).
[78:63] 266 tn Heb “his.” The singular pronominal suffix is collective, referring back to God’s “people” (v. 62).
[78:63] 267 tn Heb “were not praised,” that is, in wedding songs. The young men died in masses, leaving no husbands for the young women.
[78:64] 268 tn Heb “his.” The singular pronominal suffix is collective, referring back to God’s “people” (v. 62).
[78:64] 269 tn Heb “his.” The singular pronominal suffix is collective, referring back to God’s “people” (v. 62).
[78:64] 270 sn Because of the invading army and the ensuing panic, the priests’ widows had no time to carry out the normal mourning rites.
[78:65] 271 tn Heb “and the master awoke like one sleeping.” The
[78:65] 272 tn Heb “like a warrior overcome with wine.” The Hebrew verb רוּן (run, “overcome”) occurs only here in the OT. The phrase “overcome with wine” could picture a drunken warrior controlled by his emotions and passions (as in the present translation), or it could refer to a warrior who awakes from a drunken stupor.
[78:66] 273 tn Heb “a permanent reproach he made them.”
[78:69] 274 tc Heb “and he built like the exalting [ones] his sanctuary.” The phrase כְּמוֹ־רָמִים (kÿmo-ramim, “like the exalting [ones]”) is a poetic form of the comparative preposition followed by a participial form of the verb רוּם (rum, “be exalted”). The text should be emended to כִּמְרֹמִים (kimromim, “like the [heavenly] heights”). See Ps 148:1, where “heights” refers to the heavens above.
[78:69] 275 tn Heb “like the earth, [which] he established permanently.” The feminine singular suffix on the Hebrew verb יָסַד (yasad, “to establish”) refers to the grammatically feminine noun “earth.”
[78:71] 276 tn Heb “from after the ewes he brought him.”
[78:71] 277 tn Heb “to shepherd Jacob, his people, and Israel, his inheritance.”
[78:72] 278 tn Heb “He”; the referent (David, God’s chosen king, mentioned in v. 70) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[78:72] 279 tn Heb “and he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart.”
[78:72] 280 tn Heb “and with the understanding of his hands he led them.”
[79:1] 281 sn Psalm 79. The author laments how the invading nations have destroyed the temple and city of Jerusalem. He asks God to forgive his people and to pour out his vengeance on those who have mistreated them.
[79:1] 283 tn Heb “have come into your inheritance.”
[79:1] 284 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[79:2] 285 tn Heb “[as] food for the birds of the sky.”
[79:3] 286 tn Heb “they have poured out their blood like water, all around Jerusalem, and there is no one burying.”
[79:4] 287 tn Heb “an [object of] taunting and [of] mockery to those around us.” See Ps 44:13.
[79:5] 288 tn Heb “How long, O
[79:5] 289 tn Or “jealous anger.”
[79:6] 290 tn Heb “which do not know you.” Here the Hebrew term “know” means “acknowledge the authority of.”
[79:6] 291 sn The kingdoms that do not pray to you. The people of these kingdoms pray to other gods, not the Lord, because they do not recognize his authority over them.
[79:8] 292 tn Heb “do not remember against us sins, former.” Some understand “former” as an attributive adjective modifying sins, “former [i.e., chronologically prior] sins” (see BDB 911 s.v. רִאשׁוֹן). The present translation assumes that ראשׁנים (“former”) here refers to those who lived formerly, that is, the people’s ancestors (see Lam 5:7). The word is used in this way in Lev 26:45; Deut 19:14 and Eccl 1:11.
[79:8] 293 tn Heb “may your compassion quickly confront us.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive, indicating a tone of prayer.
[79:8] 294 tn Heb “for we are very low.”
[79:9] 295 tn Heb “the glory of your name.” Here and in the following line “name” stands metonymically for God’s reputation.
[79:9] 296 tn Heb “your name.”
[79:10] 297 tn Heb “may it be known among the nations, to our eyes, the vengeance of the shed blood of your servants.”
[79:11] 298 tn Heb “may the painful cry of the prisoner come before you.”
[79:11] 299 tn Heb “according to the greatness of your arm leave the sons of death.” God’s “arm” here symbolizes his strength to deliver. The verbal form הוֹתֵר (hoter) is a Hiphil imperative from יָתַר (yatar, “to remain; to be left over”). Here it must mean “to leave over; to preserve.” However, it is preferable to emend the form to הַתֵּר (hatter), a Hiphil imperative from נָתַר (natar, “be free”). The Hiphil form is used in Ps 105:20 of Pharaoh freeing Joseph from prison. The phrase “sons of death” (see also Ps 102:21) is idiomatic for those condemned to die.
[79:12] 300 tn Heb “Return to our neighbors sevenfold into their lap.” The number seven is used rhetorically to express the thorough nature of the action. For other rhetorical/figurative uses of the Hebrew phrase שִׁבְעָתַיִם (shiv’atayim, “seven times”) see Gen 4:15, 24; Ps 12:6; Prov 6:31; Isa 30:26.
[79:12] 301 tn Heb “their reproach with which they reproached you, O Lord.”
[79:13] 302 tn Or (hyperbolically) “will thank you forever.”
[79:13] 303 tn Heb “to a generation and a generation we will report your praise.” Here “praise” stands by metonymy for the mighty acts that prompt worship. Cf. Ps 9:14.
[80:1] 304 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] 305 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] 306 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] 307 tn Heb “shine forth.”
[80:2] 308 tn Heb “stir up”; “arouse.”
[80:2] 309 tn Heb “come for our deliverance.”
[80:3] 310 tn The idiom “cause your face to shine” probably refers to a smile (see Eccl 8:1), which in turn suggests favor and blessing (see Num 6:25; Pss 4:6; 31:16; 44:3; 67:1; 89:15; Dan 9:17).
[80:3] 311 tn Heb “cause your face to shine in order that we may be delivered.” After the imperative, the cohortative with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose/result.
[80:4] 312 tn Heb “
[80:4] 313 tn Heb “How long will you remain angry during the prayer of your people.” Some take the preposition -בְּ (bet) in an adversative sense here (“at/against the prayer of your people”), but the temporal sense is preferable. The psalmist expects persistent prayer to pacify God.
[80:5] 314 tn Heb “you have fed them the food of tears.”
[80:5] 315 tn Heb “[by] the third part [of a measure].” The Hebrew term שָׁלִישׁ (shalish, “third part [of a measure]”) occurs only here and in Isa 40:12.
[80:6] 316 tn Heb “you have made us an object of contention to our neighbors.”
[80:7] 317 tn Heb “O God, hosts.” One expects the construct form אֱלֹהֵי before צְבָאוֹת (tsÿva’ot, “hosts”; see Ps 89:9), but יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים (yehvah ’elohim) precedes צְבָאוֹת (tsÿva’ot) in Pss 59:5 and 84:8 as well. See also v. 4 for a similar construction.
[80:7] 318 tn The idiom “cause your face to shine” probably refers to a smile (see Eccl 8:1), which in turn suggests favor and blessing (see Num 6:25; Pss 4:6; 31:16; 44:3; 67:1; 89:15; Dan 9:17).
[80:7] 319 tn Heb “cause your face to shine in order that we may be delivered.” After the imperative, the cohortative with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose/result.
[80:8] 320 sn The vine is here a metaphor for Israel (see Ezek 17:6-10; Hos 10:1).
[80:9] 321 tn Heb “you cleared away before it.”
[80:9] 322 tn Heb “and it took root [with] its roots.”
[80:10] 323 tn Heb “cedars of God.” The divine name אֵל (’al, “God”) is here used in an idiomatic manner to indicate the superlative.
[80:11] 324 tn Heb “to [the] sea.” The “sea” refers here to the Mediterranean Sea.
[80:11] 325 tn Heb “to [the] river.” The “river” is the Euphrates River in Mesopotamia. Israel expanded both to the west and to the east.
[80:12] 326 sn The protective walls of the metaphorical vineyard are in view here (see Isa 5:5).
[80:12] 327 tn Heb “pluck it.”
[80:13] 328 tn The Hebrew verb כִּרְסֵם (kirsem, “to eat away; to ruin”) occurs only here in the OT.
[80:13] 329 tn The precise referent of the Hebrew word translated “insects,” which occurs only here and in Ps 50:11, is uncertain. Aramaic, Arabic, and Akkadian cognates refer to insects, such as locusts or crickets.
[80:14] 330 tn Heb “O God, hosts.” One expects the construct form אֱלֹהֵי before צְבָאוֹת (tsÿva’ot, “hosts”; see Ps 89:9), but יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים (yehvah ’elohim) precedes צְבָאוֹת (tsÿva’ot) in Pss 59:5 and 84:8 as well. See also vv. 4, 7 for a similar construction.
[80:15] 331 tn The Hebrew noun occurs only here in the OT. HALOT 483 s.v. III כֵּן emends the form to כַּנָּהּ (kannah, “its shoot”).
[80:15] 332 tn Heb “and upon a son you strengthened for yourself.” In this context, where the extended metaphor of the vine dominates, בֵּן (ben, “son”) probably refers to the shoots that grow from the vine. Cf. Gen 49:22.
[80:16] 333 tn Heb “burned with fire.”
[80:16] 334 tn Heb “because of the rebuke of your face they perish.”
[80:17] 335 tn Heb “may your hand be upon the man of your right hand.” The referent of the otherwise unattested phrase “man of your right hand,” is unclear. It may refer to the nation collectively as a man. (See the note on the word “yourself” in v. 17b.)
[80:17] 336 tn Heb “upon the son of man you strengthened for yourself.” In its only other use in the Book of Psalms, the phrase “son of man” refers to the human race in general (see Ps 8:4). Here the phrase may refer to the nation collectively as a man. Note the use of the statement “you strengthened for yourself” both here and in v. 15, where the “son” (i.e., the branch of the vine) refers to Israel.
[80:18] 337 tn Heb “and in your name we will call.”
[80:19] 338 tn Heb “O
[80:19] 339 tn The idiom “cause your face to shine” probably refers to a smile (see Eccl 8:1), which in turn suggests favor and blessing (see Num 6:25; Pss 4:6; 31:16; 44:3; 67:1; 89:15; Dan 9:17).
[80:19] 340 tn Heb “cause your face to shine in order that we may be delivered.” After the imperative, the cohortative with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose/result.
[81:1] 341 sn Psalm 81. The psalmist calls God’s people to assemble for a festival and then proclaims God’s message to them. The divine speech (vv. 6-16) recalls how God delivered the people from Egypt, reminds Israel of their rebellious past, expresses God’s desire for his people to obey him, and promises divine protection in exchange for obedience.
[81:1] 342 tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew term הַגִּתִּית (haggittit) is uncertain; it probably refers to a musical style or instrument. See the superscription to Ps 8.
[81:3] 344 tn Heb “at the new moon.”
[81:3] 345 tn Heb “at the full moon on the day of our festival.” The Hebrew word כֶּסֶה (keseh) is an alternate spelling of כֶּסֶא (kese’, “full moon”).
[81:4] 346 tn Heb “because a statute for Israel [is] it.”
[81:5] 347 tn Heb “in his going out against the land of Egypt.” This apparently refers to the general time period of Israel’s exodus from Egypt. The LXX reads, “from Egypt,” in which case “Joseph” (see the preceding line) would be the subject of the verb, “when he [Joseph = Israel] left Egypt.”
[81:5] 348 tn Heb “a lip I did not know, I heard.” Here the term “lip” probably stands for speech or a voice. Apparently the psalmist speaks here and refers to God’s voice, whose speech is recorded in the following verses.
[81:6] 349 tn The words “It said” are not included in the Hebrew text. They are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[81:6] 350 sn I removed the burden. The Lord speaks metaphorically of how he delivered his people from Egyptian bondage. The reference to a basket/burden probably alludes to the hard labor of the Israelites in Egypt, where they had to carry loads of bricks (see Exod 1:14).
[81:7] 351 tn Heb “I answered you in the hidden place of thunder.” This may allude to God’s self-revelation at Mount Sinai, where he appeared in a dark cloud accompanied by thunder (see Exod 19:16).
[81:7] 352 sn The name Meribah means “strife.” Two separate but similar incidents at the place called Meribah are recorded in the Pentateuch (Exod 17:1-7; Num 20:1-13). In both cases the Israelites complained about lack of water and the Lord miraculously provided for them.
[81:8] 353 tn The words “I said” are supplied in the translation for clarification. Verses 8-10 appear to recall what the
[81:8] 354 tn Or perhaps “command.”
[81:8] 355 tn The Hebrew particle אִם (“if”) and following prefixed verbal form here express a wish (GKC 321 §109.b). Note that the apodosis (the “then” clause of the conditional sentence) is suppressed.
[81:9] 356 tn The imperfect verbal forms in v. 9 have a modal function, expressing what is obligatory.
[81:9] 357 tn Heb “different”; “illicit.”
[81:11] 358 tn Heb “did not listen to my voice.”
[81:11] 359 tn The Hebrew expression אָבָה לִי (’avah liy) means “submit to me” (see Deut 13:8).
[81:12] 360 tn Heb “and I sent him away in the stubbornness of their heart.”
[81:12] 361 tn Heb “they walked in their counsel.” The prefixed verbal form is either preterite (“walked”) or a customary imperfect (“were walking”).
[81:13] 362 tn Heb “if only my people were listening to me.” The Hebrew particle לוּ (lu, “if not”) introduces a purely hypothetical or contrary to fact condition (see 2 Sam 18:12).
[81:13] 363 tn Heb “[and if only] Israel would walk in my ways.”
[81:14] 364 tn Heb “turn my hand against.” The idiom “turn the hand against” has the nuance of “strike with the hand, attack” (see Isa 1:25; Ezek 38:12; Amos 1:8; Zech 13:7).
[81:15] 365 tn “Those who hate the
[81:15] 366 tn See Deut 33:29; Ps 66:3 for other uses of the verb כָּחַשׁ (kakhash) in the sense “cower in fear.” In Ps 18:44 the verb seems to carry the nuance “to be weak; to be powerless” (see also Ps 109:24). The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive, parallel to the jussive form in the next line.
[81:15] 367 tc Heb “and may their time be forever.” The Hebrew term עִתָּם (’ittam, “their time”) must refer here to the “time” of the demise and humiliation of those who hate the
[81:16] 368 tn Heb “and he fed him from the best of the wheat.” The Hebrew text has a third person form of the preterite with a vav (ו) consecutive attached. However, it is preferable, in light of the use of the first person in v. 14 and in the next line, to emend the verb to a first person form and understand the vav as conjunctive, continuing the apodosis of the conditional sentence of vv. 13-14. The third masculine singular pronominal suffix refers to Israel, as in v. 6.
[81:16] 369 tn Heb “you.” The second person singular pronominal suffix refers to Israel, as in vv. 7-10.
[81:16] 370 sn The language in this verse, particularly the references to wheat and honey, is reminiscent of Deut 32:13-14.
[82:1] 371 sn Psalm 82. The psalmist pictures God standing in the “assembly of El” where he accuses the “gods” of failing to promote justice on earth. God pronounces sentence upon them, announcing that they will die like men. Having witnessed the scene, the psalmist then asks God to establish his just rule over the earth.
[82:1] 372 tn Or “presides over.”
[82:1] 373 tn The phrase עֲדַת אֵל (’adat ’el, “assembly of El”) appears only here in the OT. (1) Some understand “El” to refer to God himself. In this case he is pictured presiding over his own heavenly assembly. (2) Others take אֵל as a superlative here (“God stands in the great assembly”), as in Pss 36:6 and 80:10. (3) The present translation assumes this is a reference to the Canaanite high god El, who presided over the Canaanite divine assembly. (See Isa 14:13, where El’s assembly is called “the stars of El.”) In the Ugaritic myths the phrase ’dt ’ilm refers to the “assembly of the gods,” who congregate in King Kirtu’s house, where Baal asks El to bless Kirtu’s house (see G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 91). If the Canaanite divine assembly is referred to here in Ps 82:1, then the psalm must be understood as a bold polemic against Canaanite religion. Israel’s God invades El’s assembly, denounces its gods as failing to uphold justice, and announces their coming demise. For an interpretation of the psalm along these lines, see W. VanGemeren, “Psalms,” EBC 5:533-36.
[82:1] 374 sn The present translation assumes that the Hebrew term אֱלֹהִים (’elohim, “gods”) here refers to the pagan gods who supposedly comprise El’s assembly according to Canaanite religion. Those who reject the polemical view of the psalm prefer to see the referent as human judges or rulers (אֱלֹהִים sometimes refers to officials appointed by God, see Exod 21:6; 22:8-9; Ps 45:6) or as angelic beings (אֱלֹהִים sometimes refers to angelic beings, see Gen 3:5; Ps 8:5).
[82:1] 375 sn The picture of God rendering judgment among the gods clearly depicts his sovereign authority as universal king (see v. 8, where the psalmist boldly affirms this truth).
[82:2] 376 tn The words “he says” are supplied in the translation to indicate that the following speech is God’s judicial decision (see v. 1).
[82:2] 377 tn Heb “and the face of the wicked lift up.”
[82:3] 378 tn The Hebrew noun יָתוֹם (yatom) refers to one who has lost his father (not necessarily his mother, see Ps 109:9). Because they were so vulnerable and were frequently exploited, fatherless children are often mentioned as epitomizing the oppressed (see Pss 10:14; 68:5; 94:6; 146:9; as well as Job 6:27; 22:9; 24:3, 9; 29:12; 31:17, 21).
[82:5] 380 sn Having addressed the defendants, God now speaks to those who are observing the trial, referring to the gods in the third person.
[82:5] 381 tn Heb “walk.” The Hitpael stem indicates iterative action, picturing these ignorant “judges” as stumbling around in the darkness.
[82:5] 382 sn These gods, though responsible for justice, neglect their duty. Their self-imposed ignorance (which the psalmist compares to stumbling around in the dark) results in widespread injustice, which threatens the social order of the world (the meaning of the phrase all the foundations of the earth crumble).
[82:6] 384 sn Normally in the OT the title Most High belongs to the God of Israel, but in this context, where the mythological overtones are so strong, it probably refers to the Canaanite high god El (see v. 1, as well as Isa 14:13).
[82:7] 385 tn Heb “men.” The point in the context is mortality, however, not maleness.
[82:7] 386 tn Heb “like one of the rulers.” The comparison does not necessarily imply that they are not rulers. The expression “like one of” can sometimes mean “as one of” (Gen 49:16; Obad 11) or “as any other of” (Judg 16:7, 11).
[82:8] 387 tn The translation assumes that the Qal of נָחַל (nakhal) here means “to own; to possess,” and that the imperfect emphasizes a general truth. Another option is to translate the verb as future, “for you will take possession of all the nations” (cf. NIV “all the nations are your inheritance”).
[83:1] 388 sn Psalm 83. The psalmist asks God to deliver Israel from the attacks of foreign nations. Recalling how God defeated Israel’s enemies in the days of Deborah and Gideon, he prays that the hostile nations would be humiliated.
[83:1] 389 tn Heb “do not be deaf.”
[83:2] 390 tn Heb “lift up [their] head[s].” The phrase “lift up [the] head” here means “to threaten; to be hostile,” as in Judg 8:28.
[83:3] 391 tn Heb “they make crafty a plot.”
[83:3] 392 tn Heb “and consult together against.”
[83:3] 393 tn The passive participle of the Hebrew verb צָפַן (tsafan, “to hide”) is used here in the sense of “treasured; cherished.”
[83:4] 394 tn Heb “we will cause them to disappear from [being] a nation.”
[83:5] 396 tn Heb “they consult [with] a heart together.”
[83:5] 397 tn Heb “cut a covenant.”
[83:6] 398 tn The words “it includes” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[83:6] 399 sn The Hagrites are also mentioned in 1 Chr 5:10, 19-20.
[83:7] 400 sn Some identify Gebal with the Phoenician coastal city of Byblos (see Ezek 27:9, where the name is spelled differently), though others locate this site south of the Dead Sea (see BDB 148 s.v. גְּבַל; HALOT 174 s.v. גְּבַל).
[83:7] 401 map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
[83:8] 402 tn Heb “they are an arm for the sons of Lot.” The “arm” is here a symbol of military might.
[83:9] 403 tn Heb “do to them like Midian.”
[83:9] 404 sn The psalmist alludes here to Gideon’s victory over the Midianites (see Judg 7-8) and to Barak’s victory over Jabin’s army, which was led by his general Sisera (Judg 4-5).
[83:10] 405 sn Endor is not mentioned in the accounts of Gideon’s or Barak’s victories, but both battles took place in the general vicinity of the town. (See Y. Aharoni and M. Avi-Yonah, The Macmillan Bible Atlas, 46, 54.) Because Sisera and Jabin are mentioned in v. 9b, many understand them to be the subject of the verbs in v. 10, though they relate v. 10 to Gideon’s victory, which is referred to in v. 9a, 11. (See, for example, Y. Aharoni, The Land of the Bible, 263.)
[83:10] 406 tn Heb “they were manure.” In addition to this passage, corpses are compared to manure in 2 Kgs 9:37; Jer 8:2; 9:21; 16:4; 25:33.
[83:11] 407 sn Oreb and Zeeb were the generals of the Midianite army that was defeated by Gideon. The Ephraimites captured and executed both of them and sent their heads to Gideon (Judg 7:24-25).
[83:11] 408 sn Zebah and Zalmunna were the Midianite kings. Gideon captured them and executed them (Judg 8:1-21).
[83:12] 409 tn The translation assumes that “Zebah and Zalmunna” are the antecedents of the relative pronoun (“who [said]”). Another option is to take “their nobles…all their rulers” as the antecedent and to translate, “those who say.”
[83:12] 410 tn Heb “let’s take possession for ourselves.”
[83:13] 411 tn Or “tumbleweed.” The Hebrew noun גַּלְגַּל (galgal) refers to a “wheel” or, metaphorically, to a whirling wind (see Ps 77:18). If taken in the latter sense here, one could understand the term as a metonymical reference to dust blown by a whirlwind (cf. NRSV “like whirling dust”). However, HALOT 190 s.v. II גַּלְגַּל understands the noun as a homonym referring to a “dead thistle” here and in Isa 17:13. The parallel line, which refers to קַשׁ (qash, “chaff”), favors this interpretation.
[83:14] 413 sn The imagery of fire and flames suggests unrelenting, destructive judgment.
[83:15] 414 tn The two imperfect verbal forms in v. 15 express the psalmist’s wish or prayer.
[83:16] 416 tn After the preceding imperative, the prefixed verbal form with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose or result (“then they will seek”).
[83:16] 417 tn Heb “your name,” which stands here for God’s person.
[83:17] 418 tn Heb “and may they be terrified to perpetuity.” The Hebrew expression עֲדֵי־עַד (’adey-’ad, “to perpetuity”) can mean “forevermore” (see Pss 92:7; 132:12, 14), but here it may be used hyperbolically, for the psalmist asks that the experience of judgment might lead the nations to recognize (v. 18) and even to seek (v. 16) God.
[83:17] 419 tn Heb “may they be ashamed and perish.” The four prefixed verbal forms in this verse are understood as jussives. The psalmist concludes his prayer with an imprecation, calling severe judgment down on his enemies. The strong language of the imprecation seems to run contrary to the positive outcome of divine judgment envisioned in v. 16b. Perhaps the language of v. 17 is overstated for effect. Another option is that v. 16b expresses an ideal, while the strong imprecation of vv. 17-18 anticipates reality. It would be nice if the defeated nations actually pursued a relationship with God, but if judgment does not bring them to that point, the psalmist asks that they be annihilated so that they might at least be forced to acknowledge God’s power.
[83:18] 420 tn After the preceding jussives (v. 17), the prefixed verbal form with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose (“so that they may know”) or result.
[83:18] 421 tn Heb “that you, your name [is] the
[83:18] 422 tn Traditionally “the Most High.”
[84:1] 423 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] 424 tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew term הַגִּתִּית (haggittit) is uncertain; it probably refers to a musical style or instrument.
[84:1] 425 tn Or “your dwelling place[s].” The plural form of the noun may indicate degree or quality; this is the
[84:1] 426 tn Traditionally, “
[84:2] 427 tn Heb “my soul longs, it even pines for.”
[84:2] 428 tn Heb “the courts of the
[84:2] 429 tn Heb “my flesh,” which stands for his whole person and being.
[84:3] 430 tn The word translated “swallow” occurs only here and in Prov 26:2.
[84:3] 431 tn Heb “even a bird finds a home, and a swallow a nest for herself, [in] which she places her young.”
[84:4] 432 tn The Hebrew noun is an abstract plural. The word often refers metonymically to the happiness that God-given security and prosperity produce (see v. 12 and Pss 1:1; 2:12; 34:9; 41:1; 65:4; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).
[84:5] 433 tn Heb “[Oh] the happiness [of] the man.” Hebrew literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The principle stated here was certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, we translate the gender and age specific “man” with the plural “those.” The individual referred to in v. 5a is representative of followers of God, as the use of plural forms in vv. 5b-7 indicates.
[84:5] 434 tn Heb “roads [are] in their heart[s].” The roads are here those that lead to Zion (see v. 7).
[84:6] 435 tn The translation assumes that the Hebrew phrase עֵמֶק הַבָּכָא (’emeq habbakha’) is the name of an otherwise unknown arid valley through which pilgrims to Jerusalem passed. The term בָּכָא (bakha’) may be the name of a particular type of plant or shrub that grew in this valley. O. Borowski (Agriculture in Iron Age Israel, 130) suggests it is the black mulberry. Some take the phrase as purely metaphorical and relate בָּכָא to the root בָּכָה (bakhah, “to weep”). In this case one might translate, “the valley of weeping” or “the valley of affliction.”
[84:6] 436 tc The MT reads “a spring they make it,” but this makes little sense. Many medieval Hebrew
[84:6] 437 tn This rare word may refer to the early (or autumn) rains (see Joel 2:23).
[84:6] 438 tc The MT reads בְּרָכוֹת (bÿrakhot, “blessings”) but the preceding reference to a “spring” favors an emendation to בְּרֵכוֹת (bÿrekhot, “pools”).
[84:7] 439 tn Heb “they go from strength to strength.” The phrase “from strength to strength” occurs only here in the OT. With a verb of motion, the expression “from [common noun] to [same common noun]” normally suggests movement from one point to another or through successive points (see Num 36:7; 1 Chr 16:20; 17:5; Ps 105:13; Jer 25:32). Ps 84:7 may be emphasizing that the pilgrims move successively from one “place of strength” to another as they travel toward Jerusalem. All along the way they find adequate provisions and renewed energy for the trip.
[84:7] 440 tn The psalmist returns to the singular (see v. 5a), which he uses in either a representative or distributive (“each one” ) sense.
[84:8] 441 tn Heb “
[84:9] 442 tn The phrase “our shield” refers metaphorically to the Davidic king, who, as God’s vice-regent, was the human protector of the people. Note the parallelism with “your anointed one” here and with “our king” in Ps 89:18.
[84:9] 443 tn Heb “look [on] the face of your anointed one.” The Hebrew phrase מְשִׁיחֶךָ (mÿshikhekha, “your anointed one”) refers here to the Davidic king (see Pss 2:2; 18:50; 20:6; 28:8; 89:38, 51; 132:10, 17).
[84:10] 445 tn Heb “better is a day in your courts than a thousand [spent elsewhere].”
[84:10] 446 tn Heb “I choose being at the entrance of the house of my God over living in the tents of the wicked.” The verb סָפַף (safaf) appears only here in the OT; it is derived from the noun סַף (saf, “threshold”). Traditionally some have interpreted this as a reference to being a doorkeeper at the temple, though some understand it to mean “lie as a beggar at the entrance to the temple” (see HALOT 765 s.v. ספף).
[84:10] 447 tn The verb דּוּר (dur, “to live”) occurs only here in the OT.
[84:11] 448 tn Heb “[is] a sun and a shield.” The epithet “sun,” though rarely used of Israel’s God in the OT, was a well-attested royal title in the ancient Near East. For several examples from Ugaritic texts, the Amarna letters, and Assyrian royal inscriptions, see R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 131, n. 2.
[84:11] 450 tn Heb “he does not withhold good to those walking in integrity.”
[84:12] 451 tn Traditionally “
[84:12] 452 tn Heb “[Oh] the happiness [of] the man [who] trusts in you.” Hebrew literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The principle stated here is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, we translate the gender and age specific “man” with the plural “those.” The individual referred to here is representative of all followers of God, as the use of the plural form in v. 12b indicates.
[85:1] 453 sn Psalm 85. God’s people recall how he forgave their sins in the past, pray that he might now restore them to his favor, and anticipate renewed blessings.
[85:1] 454 tn Heb “you turned with a turning [toward] Jacob.” The Hebrew term שְׁבוּת (shÿvut) is apparently a cognate accusative of שׁוּב (shuv). See Pss 14:7; 53:6.
[85:2] 455 tn Heb “lifted up.”
[85:2] 456 tn Heb “covered over.”
[85:3] 457 tn Heb “the rage of your anger.” The phrase “rage of your anger” employs an appositional genitive. Synonyms are joined in a construct relationship to emphasize the single idea. For a detailed discussion of the grammatical point with numerous examples, see Y. Avishur, “Pairs of Synonymous Words in the Construct State (and in Appositional Hendiadys) in Biblical Hebrew,” Semitics 2 (1971): 17-81. See Pss 69:24; 78:49.
[85:4] 458 tn Heb “break your displeasure with us.” Some prefer to emend הָפֵר (hafer, “break”) to הָסֵר (haser, “turn aside”).
[85:5] 459 tn Heb “Will your anger stretch to a generation and a generation?”
[85:8] 460 sn I will listen. Having asked for the Lord’s favor, the psalmist (who here represents the nation) anticipates a divine word of assurance.
[85:8] 461 tn Heb “speak.” The idiom “speak peace” refers to establishing or maintaining peaceful relations with someone (see Gen 37:4; Zech 9:10; cf. Ps 122:8).
[85:8] 462 tn Heb “to his people and to his faithful followers.” The translation assumes that “his people” and “his faithful followers” are viewed as identical here.
[85:8] 463 tn Or “yet let them not.” After the negative particle אֵל (’el), the prefixed verbal form is jussive, indicating the speaker’s desire or wish.
[85:9] 464 tn Heb “certainly his deliverance [is] near to those who fear him.”
[85:9] 465 tn Heb “to dwell, glory, in our land.” “Glory” is the subject of the infinitive. The infinitive with -לְ (lÿ), “to dwell,” probably indicates result here (“then”). When God delivers his people and renews his relationship with them, he will once more reveal his royal splendor in the land.
[85:10] 466 tn The psalmist probably uses the perfect verbal forms in v. 10 in a dramatic or rhetorical manner, describing what he anticipates as if it were already occurring or had already occurred.
[85:10] 467 sn Deliverance and peace greet each other with a kiss. The psalmist personifies these abstract qualities to emphasize that God’s loyal love and faithfulness will yield deliverance and peace for his people.
[85:11] 468 sn The psalmist already sees undeniable signs of God’s faithfulness and expects deliverance to arrive soon.
[85:12] 469 tn Heb “what is good.”
[85:12] 470 tn Both “bestow” and “yield” translate the same Hebrew verb (נָתַן, natan). The repetition of the word emphasizes that agricultural prosperity is the direct result of divine blessing.
[85:13] 472 tn Or “will prepare.”
[85:13] 473 tn Heb “and it prepares for a way his footsteps.” Some suggest emending וְיָשֵׂם (vÿyasem, “and prepares”) to וְשָׁלוֹם (vÿshalom, “and peace”) since “deliverance” and “peace” are closely related earlier in v. 13. This could be translated, “and peace [goes ahead, making] a pathway for his footsteps” (cf. NEB).
[86:1] 474 sn Psalm 86. The psalmist appeals to God’s mercy as he asks for deliverance from his enemies.
[86:1] 475 tn Heb “turn your ear.”
[86:3] 477 tn Or “show me favor.”
[86:4] 478 tn Heb “the soul of your servant.”
[86:4] 479 tn Heb “I lift up my soul.”
[86:8] 482 tn Heb “and there are none like your acts.”
[86:9] 483 tn Or “bow down before you.”
[86:11] 484 tn Heb “teach me your way.” The
[86:11] 485 tn Heb “I will walk in your truth.” The
[86:11] 486 tn Heb “Bind my heart to the fearing of your name.” The verb translated “bind” occurs only here in the Piel stem. It appears twice in the Qal, meaning “be joined” in both cases (Gen 49:6; Isa 14:20). To “fear” God’s name means to have a healthy respect for him which in turn motivates one to obey his commands (see Pss 61:5; 102:15).
[86:13] 488 tn Heb “for your loyal love [is] great over me.”
[86:13] 489 tn Or “for he will have delivered my life.” The verb form indicates a future perfect here.
[86:13] 490 tn Or “lower Sheol.”
[86:14] 491 tn Heb “rise up against me.”
[86:14] 493 tn Heb “seek my life and do not set you before them.” See Ps 54:3.
[86:15] 494 tn Heb “slow to anger.”
[86:15] 495 tn Heb “and great of loyal love and faithfulness.”
[86:16] 496 tn Heb “the son of your female servant.” The phrase “son of a female servant” (see also Ps 116:16) is used of a son born to a secondary wife or concubine (Exod 23:12). In some cases the child’s father is the master of the house (see Gen 21:10, 13; Judg 9:18). The use of the expression here certainly does not imply that the
[86:17] 497 tn Heb “Work with me a sign for good.” The expression “work a sign” also occurs in Judg 6:17.
[86:17] 498 tn After the imperative in the preceding line (“work”), the prefixed verb forms with prefixed vav (ו) conjunctive indicate purpose or result.
[86:17] 499 tn The perfect verbal forms are understood here as dramatic/rhetorical, expressing the psalmist’s certitude that such a sign from the
[87:1] 500 sn Psalm 87. The psalmist celebrates the Lord’s presence in Zion and the special status of its citizens.
[87:1] 501 tn Heb “his foundation [is] in the hills of holiness.” The expression “his foundation” refers here by metonymy to the
[87:3] 502 tn Heb “glorious things are spoken about you.” The translation assumes this is a general reference to compliments paid to Zion by those who live within her walls and by those who live in the surrounding areas and lands. Another option is that this refers to a prophetic oracle about the city’s glorious future. In this case one could translate, “wonderful things are announced concerning you.”
[87:4] 503 sn “Rahab,” which means “proud one,” is used here as a title for Egypt (see Isa 30:7).
[87:4] 504 tn Heb “to those who know me” (see Ps 36:10). Apparently the
[87:4] 506 map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
[87:4] 508 tn Heb “and this one was born there.” The words “It is said of them” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied for clarification and stylistic purposes (see v. 5). Those advocating the universalistic interpretation understand “there” as referring to Zion, but it seems more likely that the adverb refers to the nations just mentioned. The foreigners are identified by their native lands.
[87:5] 509 tn Heb “and of Zion it is said.” Another option is to translate, “and to Zion it is said.” In collocation with the Niphal of אָמַר (’amar), the preposition lamed (-לְ) can introduce the recipient of the statement (see Josh 2:2; Jer 4:11; Hos 1:10; Zeph 3:16), carry the nuance “concerning, of” (see Num 23:23), or mean “be named” (see Isa 4:3; 62:4).
[87:5] 510 tn Heb “a man and a man.” The idiom also appears in Esth 1:8. The translation assumes that the phrase refers to each of Zion’s residents, in contrast to the foreigners mentioned in v. 4. Those advocating the universalistic interpretation understand this as a reference to each of the nations, including those mentioned in v. 4.
[87:5] 511 tn Traditionally “Most High.”
[87:5] 512 tn Heb “and he makes her secure, the Most High.”
[87:6] 513 tn Heb “the
[87:6] 514 tn As noted in v. 4, the translation assumes a contrast between “there” (the various foreign lands) and “in her” (Zion). In contrast to foreigners, the citizens of Zion have special status because of their birthplace (v. 5). In this case vv. 4 and 6 form a structural frame around v. 5.
[87:7] 515 tc Heb “and singers, like pipers, all my springs [are] in you.” The participial form חֹלְלִים (kholÿlim) appears to be from a denominative verb meaning “play the pipe,” though some derive the form from חוּל (khul, “dance”). In this case the duplicated lamed (ל) requires an emendation to מְחֹלְלִים (mÿkholÿlim, “a Polel form). The words are addressed to Zion. As it stands, the Hebrew text makes little, if any, sense. “Springs” are often taken here as a symbol of divine blessing and life”), but this reading does not relate to the preceding line in any apparent way. The present translation assumes an emendation of כָּל־מַעְיָנַי (kol-ma’yanay, “all my springs”) to כֻּלָּם עָנוּ (kullam ’anu, “all of them sing,” with the form עָנוּ being derived from עָנָה, ’anah, “sing”).
[88:1] 516 sn Psalm 88. The psalmist cries out in pain to the Lord, begging him for relief from his intense and constant suffering. The psalmist regards God as the ultimate cause of his distress, but nevertheless clings to God in hope.
[88:1] 517 tn The Hebrew phrase מָחֲלַת לְעַנּוֹת (makhalat lÿ’annot) may mean “illness to afflict.” Perhaps it refers to a particular style of music, a tune title, or a musical instrument. The term מָחֲלַת also appears in the superscription of Ps 53.
[88:1] 518 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. The word is derived from a verb meaning “to be prudent; to be wise.” Various options are: “a contemplative song,” “a song imparting moral wisdom,” or “a skillful [i.e., well-written] song.” The term occurs in the superscriptions of Pss 32, 42, 44, 45, 52-55, 74, 78, 88, 89, and 142, as well as in Ps 47:7.
[88:1] 519 tn Heb “O
[88:1] 520 tn Heb “[by] day I cry out, in the night before you.”
[88:2] 521 tn Heb “may my prayer come before you.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive, indicating the psalmist’s desire or prayer.
[88:2] 522 tn Heb “turn your ear.”
[88:3] 524 tn Heb “and my life approaches Sheol.”
[88:4] 525 tn Heb “I am considered with.”
[88:4] 526 tn Heb “the pit.” The noun בּוֹר (bor, “pit,” “cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead.
[88:4] 527 tn Heb “I am like a man [for whom] there is no help.”
[88:5] 529 tn Heb “from your hand.”
[88:6] 530 tn The noun בּוֹר (bor, “pit,” “cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead. See v. 4.
[88:8] 531 tn Heb “[I am] confined and I cannot go out.”
[88:9] 532 tn Heb “I spread out my hands to you.” Spreading out the hands toward God was a prayer gesture (see Exod 9:29, 33; 1 Kgs 8:22, 38; 2 Chr 6:12-13, 29; Ezra 9:15; Job 11:13; Isa 1:15). The words “in prayer” have been supplied in the translation to clarify this.
[88:10] 533 tn Heb “Rephaim,” a term that refers to those who occupy the land of the dead (see Isa 14:9; 26:14, 19).
[88:11] 534 tn Heb “in Abaddon,” a name for Sheol. The noun is derived from a verbal root meaning “to perish,” “to die.”
[88:12] 536 tn Heb “darkness,” here a title for Sheol.
[88:12] 537 tn Heb “forgetfulness.” The noun, which occurs only here in the OT, is derived from a verbal root meaning “to forget.”
[88:14] 538 tn Heb “[why] do you hide your face from me?”
[88:15] 539 tn Heb “and am dying from youth.”
[88:15] 540 tn Heb “I carry your horrors [?].” The meaning of the Hebrew form אָפוּנָה (’afunah), which occurs only here in the OT, is unclear. It may be an adverb meaning “very much” (BDB 67 s.v.), though some prefer to emend the text to אָפוּגָה (’afugah, “I am numb”) from the verb פוּג (pug; see Pss 38:8; 77:2).
[88:16] 541 tn Heb “passes over me.”
[88:17] 542 tn Heb “they encircle me together.”
[88:18] 543 tn Heb “you cause to be far from me friend and neighbor.”
[88:18] 544 tn Heb “those known by me, darkness.”
[89:1] 545 sn Psalm 89. The psalmist praises God as the sovereign creator of the world. He recalls God’s covenant with David, but then laments that the promises of the covenant remain unrealized. The covenant promised the Davidic king military victories, but the king has now been subjected to humiliating defeat.
[89:1] 546 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. See the note on the phrase “well-written song” in the superscription of Ps 88.
[89:1] 548 tn Heb “to a generation and a generation I will make known your faithfulness with my mouth.”
[89:2] 550 sn You set up your faithfulness. This may allude to the Lord’s heavenly throne, which symbolizes his just rule and from which the Lord decrees his unconditional promises (see vv. 8, 14).
[89:3] 551 tn The words “the
[89:4] 552 tn Heb “forever I will establish your offspring.”
[89:4] 553 tn Heb “and I will build to a generation and a generation your throne.”
[89:5] 554 tn As the following context makes clear, the personified “heavens” here stand by metonymy for the angelic beings that surround God’s heavenly throne.
[89:5] 555 tn Heb “in the assembly of the holy ones.” The phrase “holy ones” sometimes refers to God’s people (Ps 34:9) or to their priestly leaders (2 Chr 35:3), but here it refers to God’s heavenly assembly and the angels that surround his throne (see vv. 6-7).
[89:6] 556 tn Heb “sons of gods”; or “sons of God.” Though אֵלִים (’elim) is vocalized as a plural form (“gods”) in the Hebrew text, it is likely that the final mem (ם) is actually enclitic rather than a plural marker. In this case one may read “God.” Some, following a Qumran text and the LXX, also propose the phrase occurred in the original text of Deut 32:8. The phrase בְנֵי אֵלִים (vÿney ’elim, “sons of gods” or “sons of God”) occurs only here and in Ps 29:1. Since the “sons of gods/God” are here associated with “the assembly of the holy ones” and “council of the holy ones,” the heavenly assembly (comprised of so-called “angels” and other supernatural beings) appears to be in view. See Job 5:1; 15:15 and Zech 14:5, where these supernatural beings are referred to as “holy ones.” In Canaanite mythological texts the divine council of the high god El is called “the sons of El.” The OT apparently uses the Canaanite phrase, applying it to the supernatural beings that surround the
[89:7] 558 tn Heb “in the great assembly of the holy ones.”
[89:7] 559 tn Or perhaps “feared by.”
[89:8] 560 tn Traditionally “God of hosts.” The title here pictures the
[89:9] 561 tn Heb “the majesty of the sea.”
[89:10] 563 tn Heb “Rahab.” The name “Rahab” means “proud one.” Since it is sometimes used of Egypt (see Ps 87:4; Isa 30:7), the passage may allude to the exodus. However, the name is also used of the sea (or the mythological sea creature) which symbolizes the disruptive forces of the world that seek to replace order with chaos (see Job 9:13; 26:12). Isa 51:9 appears to combine the mythological and historical referents. The association of Rahab with the sea in Ps 89 (see v. 9) suggests that the name carries symbolic force in this context. In this case the passage may allude to creation (see vv. 11-12), when God overcame the great deep and brought order out of chaos.
[89:10] 564 tn Heb “like one fatally wounded.”
[89:11] 565 tn Heb “the world and its fullness, you established them.”
[89:12] 566 sn Tabor and Hermon were two of the most prominent mountains in Palestine.
[89:13] 567 sn The Lord’s arm, hand, and right hand all symbolize his activities, especially his exploits in war.
[89:13] 568 tn Heb “is lifted up.” The idiom “the right hand is lifted up” refers to victorious military deeds (see Pss 89:42; 118:16).
[89:14] 569 sn The Lord’s throne symbolizes his kingship.
[89:14] 570 tn Heb “are in front of your face.” The idiom can mean “confront” (Ps 17:13) or “meet, enter the presence of” (Ps 95:2).
[89:15] 571 tn Heb “who know the shout.” “Shout” here refers to the shouts of the
[89:15] 572 tn Heb “in the light of your face they walk.” The idiom “light of your face” probably refers to a smile (see Eccl 8:1), which in turn suggests favor and blessing (see Num 6:25; Pss 4:6; 31:16; 44:3; 67:1; 80:3, 7, 19; Dan 9:17).
[89:16] 573 tn Heb “are lifted up.”
[89:17] 574 tn Heb “for the splendor of their strength [is] you.”
[89:17] 575 tn Heb “you lift up our horn,” or if one follows the marginal reading (Qere), “our horn is lifted up.” The horn of an ox underlies the metaphor (see Deut 33:17; 1 Kgs 22:11; Ps 92:10). The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 75:10; 89:24; 92:10; Lam 2:17).
[89:18] 576 tn The phrase “our shield” refers metaphorically to the Davidic king, who, as God’s vice-regent, was the human protector of the people. Note the parallelism with “our king" here and with “your anointed one” in Ps 84:9.
[89:18] 577 sn The basic sense of the word “holy” is “set apart from that which is commonplace, special, unique.” The Lord’s holiness is first and foremost his transcendent sovereignty as the ruler of the world. He is “set apart” from the world over which he rules. At the same time his holiness encompasses his moral authority, which derives from his royal position. As king he has the right to dictate to his subjects how they are to live; indeed his very own character sets the standard for proper behavior. This expression is a common title for the
[89:19] 578 tn The pronoun “you” refers to the
[89:19] 579 tc Many medieval
[89:19] 580 tn Heb “I have placed help upon a warrior.”
[89:19] 581 tn Or perhaps “a chosen one.”
[89:20] 582 tn The words “as king” are supplied in the translation for clarification, indicating that a royal anointing is in view.
[89:21] 583 tn Heb “with whom my hand will be firm.”
[89:22] 584 tn Heb “an enemy will not exact tribute.” The imperfect is understood in a modal sense, indicating capability or potential.
[89:22] 585 tn The translation understands the Hiphil of נָשַׁא (nasha’) in the sense of “act as a creditor.” This may allude to the practice of a conqueror forcing his subjects to pay tribute in exchange for “protection.” Another option is to take the verb from a homonymic verbal root meaning “to deceive,” “to trick.” Still another option is to emend the form to יִשָּׂא (yisa’), a Qal imperfect from נָאַשׂ (na’as, “rise up”) and to translate “an enemy will not rise up against him” (see M. Dahood, Psalms [AB], 2:317).
[89:22] 586 tn Heb “and a son of violence will not oppress him.” The imperfect is understood in a modal sense, indicating capability or potential. The reference to a “son of violence” echoes the language of God’s promise to David in 2 Sam 7:10 (see also 1 Chr 17:9).
[89:24] 587 tn Heb “and my faithfulness and my loyal love [will be] with him.”
[89:24] 588 tn Heb “and by my name his horn will be lifted up.” The horn of an ox underlies the metaphor (see Deut 33:17; 1 Kgs 22:11; Ps 92:10). The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 75:10; 92:10; Lam 2:17).
[89:25] 589 tn Some identify “the sea” as the Mediterranean and “the rivers” as the Euphrates and its tributaries. However, it is more likely that “the sea” and “the rivers” are symbols for hostile powers that oppose God and the king (see v. 9, as well as Ps 93:3-4).
[89:26] 590 sn You are my father. The Davidic king was viewed as God’s “son” (see 2 Sam 7:14; Ps 2:7). The idiom reflects ancient Near Eastern adoption language associated with covenants of grant, by which a lord would reward a faithful subject by elevating him to special status, referred to as “sonship.” Like a son, the faithful subject received an “inheritance,” viewed as an unconditional, eternal gift. Such gifts usually took the form of land and/or an enduring dynasty. See M. Weinfeld, “The Covenant of Grant in the Old Testament and in the Ancient Near East,” JAOS 90 (1970): 184-203, for general discussion and some striking extra-biblical parallels.
[89:26] 591 tn Heb “the rocky summit of my deliverance.”
[89:27] 592 sn The firstborn son typically had special status and received special privileges.
[89:28] 593 tn Heb “forever I will keep for him my loyal love and will make my covenant secure for him.”
[89:29] 594 tn Heb “and I will set in place forever his offspring.”
[89:29] 595 tn Heb “and his throne like the days of the heavens.”
[89:31] 596 tn Or “desecrate.”
[89:32] 597 tn Heb “I will punish with a club their rebellion.”
[89:32] 598 tn Heb “with blows their sin.”
[89:33] 599 tn Heb “break”; “make ineffectual.” Some prefer to emend אָפִיר (’afir; the Hiphil of פָּרַר, parar, “to break”) to אָסִיר (’asir; the Hiphil of סוּר, sur, “to turn aside”), a verb that appears in 2 Sam 7:15.
[89:33] 600 tn Heb “and I will not deal falsely with my faithfulness.”
[89:34] 601 tn Or “desecrate.”
[89:34] 602 tn Heb “and what proceeds out of my lips I will not alter.”
[89:36] 604 tn Heb “his offspring forever will be.”
[89:36] 605 tn Heb “and his throne like the sun before me.”
[89:37] 606 tn Heb “like the moon it will be established forever.”
[89:37] 607 tn Heb “and a witness in the sky, secure.” Scholars have offered a variety of opinions as to the identity of the “witness” referred to here, none of which is very convincing. It is preferable to join וְעֵד (vÿ’ed) to עוֹלָם (’olam) in the preceding line and translate the commonly attested phrase עוֹלָם וְעֵד (“forever”). In this case one may translate the second line, “[it] will be secure like the skies.” Another option (the one reflected in the present translation) is to take עד as a rare noun meaning “throne” or “dais.” This noun is attested in Ugaritic; see, for example, CTA 16 vi 22-23, where ksi (= כִּסֵּא, kisse’, “throne”) and ’d (= עד, “dais”) appear as synonyms in the poetic parallelism (see G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 91). Emending בַּשַּׁחַק (bashakhaq, “in the heavens”) to כַּשַׁחַק (kashakhaq, “like the heavens”) – bet/kaf (כ/ב) confusion is widely attested – one can then read “[his] throne like the heavens [is] firm/stable.” Verse 29 refers to the enduring nature of the heavens, while Job 37:18 speaks of God spreading out the heavens (שְׁחָקִים, shÿkhaqim) and compares their strength to a bronze mirror. Ps 89:29 uses the term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim, “skies”) which frequently appears in parallelism to שְׁחָקִים.
[89:38] 608 tn The Hebrew construction (conjunction + pronoun, followed by the verb) draws attention to the contrast between what follows and what precedes.
[89:38] 609 tn Heb “your anointed one.” The Hebrew phrase מְשִׁיחֶךָ (mÿshikhekha, “your anointed one”) refers here to the Davidic king (see Pss 2:2; 18:50; 20:6; 28:8; 84:9; 132:10, 17).
[89:39] 610 tn The Hebrew verb appears only here and in Lam 2:7.
[89:39] 611 tn Heb “the covenant of your servant.”
[89:39] 612 tn Heb “you dishonor [or “desecrate”] on the ground his crown.”
[89:40] 613 tn The king here represents the land and cities over which he rules.
[89:41] 614 tn Heb “all the passersby on the road.”
[89:42] 615 tn Heb “you have lifted up the right hand of his adversaries.” The idiom “the right hand is lifted up” refers to victorious military deeds (see Pss 89:13; 118:16).
[89:43] 616 tn The perfect verbal form predominates in vv. 38-45. The use of the imperfect in this one instance may be for rhetorical effect. The psalmist briefly lapses into dramatic mode, describing the king’s military defeat as if it were happening before his very eyes.
[89:43] 617 tc Heb “you turn back, rocky summit, his sword.” The Hebrew term צוּר (tsur, “rocky summit”) makes no sense here, unless it is a divine title understood as vocative, “you turn back, O Rocky Summit, his sword.” Some emend the form to צֹר (tsor, “flint”) on the basis of Josh 5:2, which uses the phrase חַרְבוֹת צֻרִים (kharvot tsurim, “flint knives”). The noun צֹר (tsor, “flint”) can then be taken as “flint-like edge,” indicating the sharpness of the sword. Others emend the form to אָחוֹר (’akhor, “backward”) or to מִצַּר (mitsar, “from the adversary”). The present translation reflects the latter, assuming an original reading תָּשִׁיב מִצָּר חַרְבּוֹ (tashiv mitsar kharbo), which was corrupted to תָּשִׁיב צָר חַרְבּוֹ (tashiv tsar kharbo) by virtual haplography (confusion of bet/mem is well-attested) with צָר (tsar, “adversary”) then being misinterpreted as צוּר in the later tradition.
[89:43] 618 tn Heb “and you have not caused him to stand in the battle.”
[89:44] 619 tc The Hebrew text appears to read, “you have brought to an end from his splendor,” but the form מִטְּהָרוֹ (mittÿharo) should be slightly emended (the daghesh should be removed from the tet [ת]) and read simply “his splendor” (the initial mem [מ] is not the preposition, but a nominal prefix).
[89:44] 620 tn The Hebrew verb מָגַר (magar) occurs only here and perhaps in Ezek 21:17.
[89:45] 621 tn Heb “the days of his youth” (see as well Job 33:25).
[89:46] 622 tn Heb “How long, O
[89:47] 623 tn Heb “remember me, what is [my] lifespan.” The Hebrew term חֶלֶד (kheled) is also used of one’s lifespan in Ps 39:5. Because the Hebrew text is so awkward here, some prefer to emend it to read מֶה חָדֵל אָנִי (meh khadel ’aniy, “[remember] how transient [that is, “short-lived”] I am”; see Ps 39:4).
[89:47] 624 tn Heb “For what emptiness do you create all the sons of mankind?” In this context the term שָׁוְא (shavah) refers to mankind’s mortal nature and the brevity of life (see vv. 45, 48).
[89:48] 625 tn Heb “Who [is] the man [who] can live and not see death, [who] can deliver his life from the hand of Sheol?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “No one!”
[89:49] 626 sn The Lord’s faithful deeds are also mentioned in Pss 17:7 and 25:6.
[89:49] 627 tc Many medieval Hebrew
[89:49] 628 tn Heb “[which] you swore on oath to David by your faithfulness.”
[89:50] 629 tc Many medieval Hebrew
[89:50] 630 tn Heb “remember, O Lord, the taunt against your servants.” Many medieval Hebrew
[89:50] 631 tn Heb “my lifting up in my arms [or “against my chest”] all of the many, peoples.” The term רַבִּים (rabbim, “many”) makes no apparent sense here. For this reason some emend the text to רִבֵי (rivey, “attacks by”), a defectively written plural construct form of רִיב (riv, “dispute; quarrel”).
[89:51] 632 tn Heb “[by] which your enemies, O
[89:52] 633 sn The final verse of Ps 89, v. 52, is a conclusion to this third “book” (or major editorial division) of the Psalter. Similar statements appear at or near the end of each of the first, second and fourth “books” of the Psalter (see Pss 41:13; 72:18-19; 106:48, respectively).
[89:52] 634 tn Heb “[be] blessed.” See Pss 18:46; 28:6; 31:21.
[89:52] 635 tn Heb “surely and surely” (אָמֵן וְאָמֵן [’amen vÿ’amen], i.e., “Amen and amen”). This is probably a congregational response to the immediately preceding statement about the propriety of praising God; thus it has been translated “We agree! We agree!”
[90:1] 636 sn Psalm 90. In this communal lament the worship leader affirms that the eternal God and creator of the world has always been Israel’s protector. But God also causes men, who are as transient as grass, to die, and in his fierce anger he decimates his covenant community, whose brief lives are filled with suffering and end in weakness. The community asks for wisdom, the restoration of God’s favor, a fresh revelation of his power, and his blessing upon their labors.
[90:1] 637 tn Or “place of safety.” See Ps 71:3.
[90:2] 638 tn Heb “were born.”
[90:2] 639 tn Heb “and you gave birth to the earth and world.” The Polel verbal form in the Hebrew text pictures God giving birth to the world. The LXX and some other ancient textual witnesses assume a polal (passive) verbal form here. In this case the earth becomes the subject of the verb and the verb is understood as third feminine singular rather than second masculine singular.
[90:2] 640 tn Heb “and from everlasting to everlasting you [are] God.” Instead of אֵל (’el, “God”) the LXX reads אַל (’al, “not”) and joins the negative particle to the following verse, making the verb תָּשֵׁב (tashev) a jussive. In this case v. 3a reads as a prayer, “do not turn man back to a low place.” However, taking תָּשֵׁב as a jussive is problematic in light of the following following wayyiqtol form וַתֹּאמֶר (vato’mer, “and you said/say”).
[90:3] 641 tn In this context the shortened prefix form does not function as a preterite, but indicates what is typical of the world.
[90:3] 642 tn The Hebrew term דַּכָּא (daka’) carries the basic sense of “crushed.” Elsewhere it refers to those who are “crushed” in spirit or contrite of heart (see Ps 34:18; Isa 57:15). If one understands this nuance here, then v. 3 is observing that God leads mankind to repentance (the term שׁוּב, shuv, “return,” which appears twice in this verse, is sometimes used of repentance.) However, the following context laments mankind’s mortality and the brevity of life, so it is doubtful if v. 3 should be understood so positively. It is more likely that דַּכָּא here refers to “crushed matter,” that is, the dust that fills the grave (see HALOT 221 s.v. s.v. I דַּכָּא; BDB 194 s.v. דַּכָּא). In this case one may hear an echo of Gen 3:19.
[90:4] 644 sn The divisions of the nighttime. The ancient Israelites divided the night into distinct periods, or “watches.”
[90:5] 645 tn Heb “you bring them to an end [with] sleep.” The Hebrew verb זָרַם (zaram) has traditionally been taken to mean “flood” or “overwhelm” (note the Polel form of a root זרם in Ps 77:17, where the verb is used of the clouds pouring down rain). However, the verb form here is Qal, not Polel, and is better understood as a homonym meaning “to make an end [of life].” The term שֵׁנָה (shenah, “sleep”) can be taken as an adverbial accusative; it is a euphemism here for death (see Ps 76:5-6).
[90:6] 646 tn Or “flourishes.” The verb is used of a crown shining in Ps 132:18. Perhaps here in Ps 90:6 it refers to the glistening of the grass in the morning dew.
[90:6] 647 tn The Polel form of this verb occurs only here. Perhaps the form should be emended to a Qal (which necessitates eliminating the final lamed [ל] as dittographic). See Ps 37:2.
[90:8] 649 tn Heb “you set our sins in front of you.”
[90:8] 650 tn Heb “what we have hidden to the light of your face.” God’s face is compared to a light or lamp that exposes the darkness around it.
[90:9] 652 tn Heb “all our days pass by in your anger.”
[90:9] 653 tn Heb “we finish our years like a sigh.” In Ezek 2:10 the word הֶגֶה (hegeh) elsewhere refers to a grumbling or moaning sound. Here a brief sigh or moan is probably in view. If so, the simile pictures one’s lifetime as transient. Another option is that the simile alludes to the weakness that characteristically overtakes a person at the end of one’s lifetime. In this case the phrase could be translated, “we end our lives with a painful moan.”
[90:10] 654 tn Heb “the days of our years, in them [are] seventy years.”
[90:10] 655 tn Heb “or if [there is] strength, eighty years.”
[90:10] 656 tn Heb “and their pride [is] destruction and wickedness.” The Hebrew noun רֹהַב (rohav) occurs only here. BDB 923 s.v. assigns the meaning “pride,” deriving the noun from the verbal root רהב (“to act stormily [boisterously, arrogantly]”). Here the “pride” of one’s days (see v. 9) probably refers to one’s most productive years in the prime of life. The words translated “destruction and wickedness” are also paired in Ps 10:7. They also appear in proximity in Pss 7:14 and 55:10. The oppressive and abusive actions of evil men are probably in view (see Job 4:8; 5:6; 15:35; Isa 10:1; 59:4).
[90:10] 658 tn Heb “it passes quickly.” The subject of the verb is probably “their pride” (see the preceding line). The verb גּוּז (guz) means “to pass” here; it occurs only here and in Num 11:31.
[90:10] 659 sn We fly away. The psalmist compares life to a bird that quickly flies off (see Job 20:8).
[90:11] 660 tn Heb “Who knows the strength of your anger?”
[90:11] 661 tn Heb “and like your fear [is] your raging fury.” Perhaps one should emend וּכְיִרְאָתְךְ (ukhyir’otekh, “and like your fear”) to יִרְאָתְךְ (yir’otkh, “your fear”), understanding a virtual dittography (אַפֶּךָ וּכְיִרְאָתְךְ, ’apekha ukhyir’otekh) to have occurred. In this case the psalmist asserts “your fear [is] your raging fury,” that is, your raging fury is what causes others to fear you. The suffix on “fear” is understood as objective.
[90:12] 662 tn Heb “to number our days,” that is, to be aware of how few they really are.
[90:12] 663 tn Heb “and we will bring a heart of wisdom.” After the imperative of the preceding line, the prefixed verbal form with the conjunction indicates purpose/result. The Hebrew term “heart” here refers to the center of one’s thoughts, volition, and moral character.
[90:13] 664 tn Heb “Return, O
[90:13] 665 tn Elsewhere the Niphal of נָחַם (nakham) + the preposition עַל (’al) + a personal object has the nuance “be comforted concerning [the personal object’s death]” (see 2 Sam 13:39; Jer 31:15). However, here the context seems to demand “feel sorrow for,” “have pity on.” In Deut 32:36 and Ps 135:14, where “servants” is also the object of the preposition, this idea is expressed with the Hitpael form of the verb.
[90:14] 666 sn Morning is used metaphorically for a time of renewed joy after affliction (see Pss 30:5; 46:5; 49:14; 59:16; 143:8).
[90:14] 667 tn After the imperative (see the preceding line) the cohortatives with the prefixed conjunction indicate purpose/result.
[90:15] 668 tn Heb “have seen.”
[90:16] 669 tn Heb “may your work be revealed to your servants.” In this context (note v. 17) the verb form יֵרָאֶה (yera’eh) is best understood as an unshortened jussive (see Gen 1:9; Isa 47:3).
[90:16] 670 tn Heb “and your majesty to their sons.” The verb “be revealed” is understood by ellipsis in the second line.
[90:17] 671 tn Heb “and may the delight of the Master, our God, be on us.” The Hebrew term נֹעַם (no’am, “delight”) is used in Ps 27:4 of the
[90:17] 672 tn Heb “and the work of our hands establish over us, and the work of our hands, establish it.”
[91:1] 673 sn Psalm 91. In this psalm an individual (perhaps a priest) addresses one who has sought shelter in the Lord and assures him that God will protect him from danger (vv. 1-13). In vv. 14-16 God himself promises to keep his loyal follower safe.
[91:1] 674 tn Heb “[O] one who lives.”
[91:1] 675 tn Traditionally “the Most High.”
[91:1] 676 sn The Lord is compared here to a bird who protects its young under the shadow of its wings (see v. 4).
[91:1] 677 sn The divine name used here is “Shaddai” (שַׁדַּי, shadday; see also Ps 68:14). Shaddai (or El Shaddai) is the mighty king (sovereign judge) of the world who grants life/blesses and kills/judges. In Genesis he blesses the patriarchs with fertility and promises numerous descendants. Outside Genesis he both blesses/protects and takes away life/happiness.
[91:3] 678 tn The word refers specifically to a fowler (or hunter of birds).
[91:4] 679 tn Heb “put a cover over you” (see Ps 5:11).
[91:4] 680 tc The Hebrew text has the singular, but the plural should be read. The final yod (י) of the suffix, which indicates the plural, has dropped off by haplography (note the yod [י] at the beginning of the next word).
[91:4] 681 tn Traditionally the Hebrew term סֹחֵרָה (sokherah), which occurs only here in the OT, has been understood to refer to a buckler or small shield (see BDB 695 s.v.). But HALOT 750 s.v., on the basis of evidence from the cognate languages, proposes the meaning “wall.”
[91:5] 682 tn This probably alludes to a sneak attack by enemies in the darkness of night (see Song 3:8).
[91:6] 683 sn As in Deut 32:23-24, vv. 5-6 closely associate military attack and deadly disease. Perhaps the latter alludes to one of the effects of siege warfare on the population of an entrapped city, which was especially vulnerable to the outbreak of epidemics.
[91:7] 684 tn Apparently the deadly disease mentioned in v. 6b is the understood subject here.
[91:8] 685 tn Heb “retribution on the wicked.”
[91:9] 686 tn Heb “for you, the
[91:10] 688 tn For this sense of the Hebrew term נגע see Ps 38:11.
[91:10] 689 tn Heb “your tent.”
[91:11] 690 tn Heb “for his angels he will command concerning you.”
[91:11] 691 tn Heb “in all your ways.”
[91:12] 692 tn Heb “so your foot will not strike a stone.”
[91:13] 693 tn Heb “walk upon.”
[91:13] 694 tn Or perhaps “cobra” (see Ps 58:4).
[91:14] 695 tn The words “the
[91:14] 696 tn Or “make him secure” (Heb “set him on high”).
[91:14] 697 tn Heb “because he knows my name” (see Ps 9:10).
[91:16] 698 tn Heb “length of days.”
[92:1] 699 sn Psalm 92. The psalmist praises God because he defeats the wicked and vindicates his loyal followers.
[92:1] 701 tn Traditionally “O Most High.”
[92:2] 702 tn The words “it is fitting” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. Verses 1-3 are actually one long sentence in the Hebrew text, but this has been divided up into two shorter sentences in the translation in keeping with contemporary English style.
[92:4] 703 tn Heb “the works of your hands.”
[92:5] 704 tn Heb “very deep [are] your thoughts.” God’s “thoughts” refer here to his moral design of the world, as outlined in vv. 6-15.
[92:6] 705 tn Heb “the brutish man does not know, and the fool does not understand this.” The adjective בַּעַר (ba’ar, “brutish”) refers to spiritual insensitivity, not mere lack of intelligence or reasoning ability (see Pss 49:10; 73:22; Prov 12:1; 30:2, as well as the use of the related verb in Ps 94:8).
[92:7] 707 tn Heb “in order that they might be destroyed permanently.”
[92:8] 708 tn Heb “[are elevated] on high.”
[92:10] 711 sn The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “to exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 75:10; 89:24; Lam 2:17).
[92:10] 712 tn The Hebrew verb בָּלַל (balal) usually has the nuance “to mix.” Here it seems to mean “to smear” or “to anoint.” Some emend the form to בַּלֹּתַנִי (ballotaniy; a second person form of the verb with a first person suffix) and read, “you anoint me.”
[92:11] 713 tn Heb “my eye gazes upon those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 5:8; 27:11; 56:2. The form שׁוּרָי (shuray) should be emended to שׁוֹרְרָי (shorÿray).
[92:11] 714 tn Heb “those who rise up against me, evil [foes], my ears hear.”
[92:12] 715 tn The singular is used in a representative sense, with the typical godly person being in view.
[92:12] 716 sn The cedars of the Lebanon forest were well-known in ancient Israel for their immense size.
[92:14] 717 tn Heb “they are juicy and fresh.”
[92:15] 718 tn Heb “so that [they] proclaim that upright [is] the
[93:1] 719 sn Psalm 93. The psalmist affirms that the
[93:1] 720 sn Strength is compared here to a belt that one wears for support. The Lord’s power undergirds his rule.
[93:2] 721 tn Heb “from antiquity [are] you.” As the context suggests, this refers specifically to God’s royal position, not his personal existence.
[93:3] 722 tn The Hebrew noun translated “waves” often refers to rivers or streams, but here it appears to refer to the surging waves of the sea (see v. 4, Ps 24:2).
[93:3] 723 tn Heb “the waves lift up, O
[93:4] 724 tn Heb “mighty waters.”
[93:4] 725 tn Heb “mighty on high [is] the
[93:5] 726 tn Traditionally “your testimonies.” The Hebrew noun עֵדוּת (’edut) refers here to the demands of God’s covenant law. See Ps 19:7.
[93:5] 727 sn The rules you set down. God’s covenant contains a clear, reliable witness to his moral character and demands.
[93:5] 728 sn Holiness refers here to God’s royal transcendence (see vv. 1-4), as well as his moral authority and perfection (see v. 5a).
[93:5] 729 tn Heb “for your house holiness is fitting, O
[94:1] 730 sn Psalm 94. The psalmist asks God to judge the wicked and affirms his confidence in God’s justice.
[94:1] 731 tn Heb “shine forth” (see Pss 50:2; 80:1).
[94:4] 733 tn Heb “they gush forth [words].”
[94:4] 734 tn The Hitpael of אָמַר (’amar) occurs only here (and perhaps in Isa 61:6).
[94:5] 735 tn Or “your inheritance.”
[94:6] 736 tn The Hebrew noun יָתוֹם (yatom) refers to one who has lost his father (not necessarily his mother, see Ps 109:9). Because they were so vulnerable and were frequently exploited, fatherless children are often mentioned as epitomizing the oppressed (see Pss 10:14; 68:5; 82:3; 146:9; as well as Job 6:27; 22:9; 24:3, 9; 29:12; 31:17, 21).
[94:7] 737 tn Heb “does not understand.”
[94:8] 738 tn Heb “understand.” The verb used in v. 7 is repeated here for rhetorical effect. The people referred to here claim God is ignorant of their actions, but the psalmist corrects their faulty viewpoint.
[94:8] 739 tn Heb “[you] brutish among the people.”
[94:9] 740 tn Heb “The one who plants an ear, does he not hear? The one who forms an eye, does he not see?”
[94:11] 741 tn Heb “the
[94:12] 742 tn Heb “[Oh] the happiness [of] the man.” Hebrew wisdom literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The principle of the psalm is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, we translate the gender and age specific “man” with the more neutral “one.” The generic masculine pronoun is used in v. 2.
[94:13] 743 tn Heb “to give him rest from the days of trouble.”
[94:13] 744 tn Heb “until a pit is dug for the wicked.”
[94:14] 746 tn Or “his inheritance.”
[94:15] 747 tn Heb “for judgment will return to justice.”
[94:15] 748 tn Heb “all the pure of heart.” The “heart” is here viewed as the seat of one’s moral character and motives. The “pure of heart” are God’s faithful followers who trust in and love the
[94:15] 749 tn Heb “and after it [are] the pure of heart.”
[94:16] 751 sn Who will stand up for me…? The questions anticipate the answer, “No one except God” (see v. 17).
[94:17] 752 tn Heb “If the
[94:19] 753 tn Heb “when my worries are many within me.”
[94:19] 754 tn Heb “your comforts cause my soul to delight.”
[94:20] 755 tn Heb “a throne of destruction.” “Throne” stands here by metonymy for rulers who occupy thrones.
[94:20] 756 tn Heb “Is a throne of destruction united to you, one that forms trouble upon a statute?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “Of course not!” The translation, while not preserving the interrogative form of the statement, reflects its rhetorical force.
[94:21] 758 tn Heb “the life of the blameless.”
[94:21] 759 tn Heb “and the blood of the innocent they declare guilty.”
[94:22] 760 tn Heb “and the
[94:22] 761 tn Heb “and my God [has become] a rocky summit of my safety.”
[94:23] 762 tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive is used in a rhetorical sense, describing an anticipated development as if it were already reality.
[95:1] 764 sn Psalm 95. The psalmist summons Israel to praise God as the creator of the world and the nation’s protector, but he also reminds the people not to rebel against God.
[95:1] 765 tn Heb “to the rocky summit of our deliverance.”
[95:2] 766 tn Heb “meet his face.”
[95:2] 767 tn Heb “with songs of joy.”
[95:4] 769 tn The phrase “in his hand” means within the sphere of his authority.
[95:6] 770 tn Heb “kneel down.”
[95:7] 771 tn Heb “of his hand.”
[95:7] 772 tn Heb “if only you would listen to his voice.” The Hebrew particle אִם (’im, “if”) and following prefixed verbal form here express a wish (cf. Ps 81:8). Note that the apodosis (the “then” clause of the conditional sentence) is suppressed.
[95:8] 773 tn The words “he says” are supplied in the translation to clarify that the following words are spoken by the Lord (see vv. 9-11).
[95:8] 774 sn The name Meribah means “strife.” Two separate but similar incidents at Meribah are recorded in the Pentateuch (Exod 17:1-7; Num 20:1-13, see also Pss 81:7; 106:32). In both cases the Israelites complained about lack of water and the Lord miraculously provided for them.
[95:8] 775 sn The name Massah means “testing.” This was another name (along with Meribah) given to the place where Israel complained following the Red Sea Crossing (see Exod 17:1-7, as well as Deut 6:16; 9:22; 33:8).
[95:8] 776 tn Heb “do not harden your heart[s] as [at] Meribah, as [in] the day of Massah in the wilderness.”
[95:9] 777 tn Heb “where your fathers tested me.”
[95:10] 778 tn The prefixed verbal form is either a preterite or an imperfect. If the latter, it emphasizes the ongoing nature of the condition in the past. The translation reflects this interpretation of the verbal form.
[95:10] 779 tn Heb “a people, wanderers of heart [are] they.”
[95:10] 780 tn Heb “and they do not know my ways.” In this context the
[95:11] 781 tn Heb “my resting place.” The promised land of Canaan is here viewed metaphorically as a place of rest for God’s people, who are compared to sheep (see v. 7).
[96:1] 782 sn Psalm 96. The psalmist summons everyone to praise the Lord, the sovereign creator of the world who preserves and promotes justice in the earth.
[96:1] 783 sn A new song is appropriate because the
[96:2] 784 tn Heb “announce from day to day his deliverance.”
[96:3] 785 tn The verb “tell” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
[96:4] 786 tn Or perhaps “and feared by all gods.” See Ps 89:7.
[96:5] 787 tn The Hebrew term אֱלִילִים (’elilim, “worthless”) sounds like אֱלֹהִים (’elohim, “gods”). The sound play draws attention to the statement.
[96:6] 788 tn Heb “majesty and splendor [are] before him.”
[96:6] 789 tn Heb “strength and beauty [are] in his sanctuary.”
[96:8] 790 tn Heb “the splendor of [i.e., “due”] his name.”
[96:9] 791 tn Or “in holy splendor.”
[96:13] 792 tn The verbal forms in v. 13 probably describe God’s typical, characteristic behavior, though they may depict in dramatic fashion the outworking of divine judgment or anticipate a future judgment of worldwide proportions, in which case they could be translated “will judge the world.”
[96:13] 793 tn Heb “and the nations with his integrity.”
[97:1] 794 sn Psalm 97. The psalmist depicts the Lord as the sovereign, just king of the world who comes in power to vindicate his people.
[97:2] 795 sn The Lord’s throne symbolizes his kingship.
[97:3] 796 tn Heb “all around.”
[97:7] 797 tn The translation assumes that the prefixed verbal form in the first line is an imperfect (“are ashamed”) and that the ambiguous form in the third line is a perfect (“bow down”) because the psalmist appears to be describing the effect of the
[97:8] 798 tn Heb “daughters.” The term “daughters” refers to the cities of Judah surrounding Zion (see Ps 48:11 and H. Haag, TDOT 2:336).
[97:9] 799 tn Traditionally “Most High.”
[97:10] 800 tn The participle may be verbal, though it might also be understood as substantival and appositional to “the
[97:11] 802 tn Heb “Light is planted for the godly, and for the upright of heart joy.” The translation assumes an emendation of זָרַע (zara’, “planted”) to זָרַח (zara’, “shines”) which collocates more naturally with “light.” “Light” here symbolizes the joy (note the following line) that accompanies deliverance and the outpouring of divine favor.
[97:12] 803 tn Heb “to his holy remembrance.” The Hebrew noun זָכַר (zakhar, “remembrance”) here refers to the name of the
[98:1] 804 sn Psalm 98. The psalmist summons the whole earth to praise God because he reveals his justice and delivers Israel.
[98:1] 805 sn A new song is appropriate because the Lord is constantly intervening in the world as its just king. See Ps 96:1.
[98:1] 806 tn The perfect verbal forms in vv. 1-3 are understood here as describing characteristic divine activities. Another option is to translate them as present perfects, “has performed…has accomplished deliverance, etc.” referring to completed actions that have continuing results.
[98:1] 807 tn Heb “his right hand delivers for him and his holy arm.” The right hand and arm symbolize his power as a warrior-king (see Isa 52:10). His arm is “holy” in the sense that it is in a category of its own; God’s power is incomparable.
[98:2] 808 tn Heb “makes known his deliverance.”
[98:3] 809 tn Heb “he remembers his loyal love and his faithfulness to the house of Israel.”
[98:3] 810 tn Heb “the deliverance of our God,” with “God” being a subjective genitive (= God delivers).
[98:9] 811 tn The verbal forms in v. 9 probably describe God’s typical, characteristic behavior, though they may depict in dramatic fashion the outworking of divine judgment or anticipate a future judgment of worldwide proportions (“will judge…”).
[99:1] 812 sn Psalm 99. The psalmist celebrates the Lord’s just rule and recalls how he revealed himself to Israel’s leaders.
[99:1] 813 tn The prefixed verbal forms in v. 1 are understood here as indicating the nations’ characteristic response to the reality of the
[99:1] 814 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.
[99:1] 815 tn The Hebrew verb נוּט (nut) occurs only here in the OT, but the meaning can be determined on the basis of the parallelism with רָגַז (ragaz, “tremble”) and evidence from the cognate languages (see H. R. Cohen, Biblical Hapax Legomena [SBLDS], 121).
[99:3] 817 tn The pronoun refers to the
[99:4] 818 tn Heb “and strength, a king, justice he loves.” The syntax of the Hebrew text is difficult here. The translation assumes that two affirmations are made about the king, the
[99:4] 819 tn Heb “you establish fairness.”
[99:6] 822 tn Heb “among those who called on his name.”
[99:6] 823 tn Heb “those who.” The participle is in apposition to the phrase “those who called on his name” in the preceding line.
[99:7] 824 sn A pillar of cloud. The psalmist refers to the reality described in Exod 33:9-10; Num 12:5; and Deut 31:15.
[99:8] 825 tn Heb “a God of lifting up [i.e., forgiveness] you were to them, and an avenger concerning their deeds.” The present translation reflects the traditional interpretation, which understands the last line as qualifying the preceding one. God forgave Moses and Aaron, but he also disciplined them when they sinned (cf. NIV, NRSV). Another option is to take “their deeds” as referring to harmful deeds directed against Moses and Aaron. In this case the verse may be translated, “and one who avenged attacks against them.” Still another option is to emend the participial form נֹקֵם (noqem, “an avenger”) to נֹקָם (noqam), a rare Qal participial form of נָקַה (naqah, “purify”) with a suffixed pronoun. In this case one could translate, “and one who purified them from their [sinful] deeds” (cf. NEB “and held them innocent”).
[100:1] 827 sn Psalm 100. The psalmist celebrates the fact that Israel has a special relationship to God and summons worshipers to praise the Lord for his faithfulness.
[100:3] 829 tn The present translation (like most modern translations) follows the Qere (marginal reading), which reads literally, “and to him [are] we.” The Kethib (consonantal text) has “and not we.” The suffixed preposition לו (“to him”) was confused aurally with the negative particle לא because the two sound identical.
[100:5] 830 tn Or “is forever.”
[100:5] 831 tn Heb “and to a generation and a generation [is] his faithfulness.”
[101:1] 832 sn Psalm 101. The psalmist, who appears to be a king, promises to promote justice in his land and vows to rid his royal court of evildoers.
[101:2] 833 tn Heb “take notice of.”
[101:2] 834 tn Heb “I will walk about in the integrity of my heart in the midst of my house.”
[101:3] 835 tn Heb “I will not set before my eyes a thing of worthlessness.”
[101:3] 836 tn Heb “the doing of swerving [deeds] I hate.” The Hebrew term סֵטִים (setim) is probably an alternate spelling of שֵׂטִים (setim), which appears in many medieval Hebrew
[101:3] 837 tn Heb “it [i.e., the doing of evil deeds] does not cling to me.”
[101:4] 838 tn Heb “a perverse heart will turn aside from me.” The adjective עִקֵּשׁ (’iqqesh) has the basic nuance “twisted; crooked” and by extension refers to someone or something that is morally perverse (see Ps 18:26). It appears frequently in the Book of Proverbs, where it is used of evil people (22:5), speech (8:8; 19:1), thoughts (11:20; 17:20), and life styles (2:15; 28:6).
[101:4] 839 tn Heb “know.” The king will not willingly allow perverse individuals to remain in his royal court.
[101:5] 840 tn Heb “[one who has] pride of eyes and wideness [i.e., arrogance] of heart, him I will not endure.”
[101:6] 841 tn Heb “my eyes [are] on the faithful of the land.”
[101:6] 842 tn The Hebrew text simply reads, “in order to live with me.”
[101:6] 843 tn Heb “one who walks in the way of integrity, he will minister to me.”
[101:7] 844 tn Heb “he will not live in the midst of my house, one who does deceit.”
[101:7] 845 tn Heb “one who speaks lies will not be established before my eyes.”
[102:1] 846 sn Psalm 102. The psalmist laments his oppressed state, but longs for a day when the Lord will restore Jerusalem and vindicate his suffering people.
[102:1] 847 tn Heb “and may my cry for help come to you.”
[102:2] 848 tn Heb “do not hide your face from me in the day of my trouble.” The idiom “to hide the face” can mean “to ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or carry the stronger idea of “to reject” (see Pss 29:7; 30:7; 88:14).
[102:2] 849 tn Heb “turn toward me your ear.”
[102:3] 850 tn Heb “for my days come to an end in smoke.”
[102:3] 851 tn The Hebrew noun מוֹ־קֵד (mo-qed, “fireplace”) occurs only here, in Isa 33:14 (where it refers to the fire itself), and perhaps in Lev 6:2.
[102:4] 852 tn Heb “struck, attacked.”
[102:4] 853 tn Heb “I forget.”
[102:4] 854 sn I am unable to eat food. During his time of mourning, the psalmist refrained from eating. In the following verse he describes metaphorically the physical effects of fasting.
[102:5] 855 tn Heb “from the sound of my groaning my bone[s] stick to my flesh.” The preposition at the beginning of the verse is causal; the phrase “sound of my groaning” is metonymic for the anxiety that causes the groaning. The point seems to be this: Anxiety (which causes the psalmist to groan) keeps him from eating (v. 4). This physical deprivation in turn makes him emaciated – he is turned to “skin and bones,” so to speak.
[102:6] 856 tn The Hebrew term קָאַת (qa’at) refers to some type of bird (see Lev 11:18; Deut 14:17) that was typically found near ruins (see Zeph 2:14). Modern translations have frequently rendered this as some type of owl (NIV, REB “desert owl”; NRSV “owl”).
[102:6] 857 tn The Hebrew term כוֹס (khos) refers to a bird (see Lev 11:17; Deut 14:16), probably a type of owl (cf. NIV, REB “owl”; NRSV “little owl”).
[102:6] 858 sn By comparing himself to a screech owl among the ruins, the psalmist may be highlighting his loneliness (see v. 7), though he may also be comparing his cries for help to the owl’s screech.
[102:7] 859 tn This probably refers to the psalmist’s inability to sleep. Another option is to translate, “I keep watch,” in which case it might refer to watching for a response from the
[102:8] 860 tn Heb “by me they swear.” When the psalmist’s enemies call judgment down on others, they hold the psalmist up as a prime example of what they desire their enemies to become.
[102:9] 861 sn Mourners would sometimes put ashes on their head or roll in ashes as a sign of mourning (see 2 Sam 13:19; Job 2:8; Isa 58:5).
[102:11] 864 tn Heb “my days [are] like an extended [or “lengthening”] shadow,” that is, like a late afternoon shadow made by the descending sun that will soon be swallowed up by complete darkness.
[102:12] 865 tn Heb “sit” (i.e., sit enthroned, see Ps 9:7). The imperfect verbal form highlights the generalization.
[102:12] 866 tn Heb “and your remembrance [is] for a generation and a generation.”
[102:13] 867 tn The imperfect verbal forms are understood as expressing the psalmist’s confidence in God’s intervention. Another option is to take them as expressing the psalmist’s request or wish, “You, rise up and have compassion!”
[102:14] 869 tn The Poel of חָנַן (khanan) occurs only here and in Prov 14:21, where it refers to having compassion on the poor.
[102:14] 870 tn Heb “her dust,” probably referring to the dust of the city’s rubble.
[102:15] 871 tn Heb “will fear the name of the
[102:15] 872 tn The verb “will fear” is understood by ellipsis in the second line (see the preceding line).
[102:17] 873 tn The Hebrew adjective עַרְעָר (’arar, “destitute”) occurs only here in the OT. It is derived from the verbal root ערר (“to strip oneself”).
[102:17] 874 tn Heb “despise.”
[102:17] 875 tn The perfect verbal forms in vv. 16-17 are functioning as future perfects, indicating future actions that will precede the future developments described in v. 15.
[102:18] 876 tn The Hebrew text has simply “this,” referring to the anticipated divine intervention on behalf of Zion (vv. 13, 16-17). The referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[102:19] 877 tn Heb “from the height of his sanctuary.”
[102:19] 878 tn The perfect verbal forms in v. 19 are functioning as future perfects, indicating future actions that will precede the future developments described in v. 18.
[102:20] 879 tn Heb “the sons of death.” The phrase “sons of death” (see also Ps 79:11) is idiomatic for those condemned to die.
[102:21] 880 tn Heb “his praise.”
[102:21] 881 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[102:22] 882 tn “and the kingdoms to serve the
[102:23] 883 tn Heb “he has afflicted my strength in the way.” The term “way” refers here to the course of the psalmist’s life, which appears to be ending prematurely (vv. 23b-24).
[102:24] 884 tn Heb “do not lift me up in the middle of my days.”
[102:24] 885 tn Heb “in a generation of generations [are] your years.”
[102:26] 887 tn The Hebrew verb חָלַף (khalaf) occurs twice in this line, once in the Hiphil (“you will remove them”) and once in the Qal (“they will disappear”). The repetition draws attention to the statement.
[102:27] 888 tn Heb “you [are] he,” or “you [are] the one.” The statement may echo the
[102:28] 889 tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”
[102:28] 890 tn Heb “before you will be established.”
[103:1] 891 sn Psalm 103. The psalmist praises God for his mercy and willingness to forgive his people.
[103:1] 892 tn The verb “praise” is understood by ellipsis in the second line (see the preceding line).
[103:2] 893 tn Or “his benefits” (see 2 Chr 32:25, where the noun is also used of kind deeds performed by the
[103:3] 894 tn This relatively rare noun refers to deadly diseases (see Deut 29:22; Jer 14:18; 16:4; 2 Chr 21:19).
[103:4] 896 tn The Hebrew term שַׁחַת (shakhat, “pit”) is often used as a title for Sheol (see Pss 16:10; 30:9; 49:9; 55:24.
[103:5] 897 tc Heb “who satisfies with the good of your ornaments.” The text as it stands makes little, if any, sense. The translation assumes an emendation of עֶדְיֵךְ (’ed’ekh, “your ornaments”) to עֹדֵכִי (’odekhiy, “your duration; your continuance”) that is, “your life” (see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 18).
[103:5] 898 sn The expression your youth is renewed like an eagle’s may allude to the phenomenon of molting, whereby the eagle grows new feathers.
[103:6] 899 tn Heb “the
[103:7] 900 tn Heb “made known his ways.” God’s “ways” in this context are his protective and salvific acts in fulfillment of his promise (see also Deut 32:4; Pss 18:30; 67:2; 77:13 [note vv. 11-12, 14]; 138:5; 145:17).
[103:8] 901 tn Heb “slow to anger” (see Ps 86:15).
[103:8] 902 tn Heb “and great of loyal love” (see Ps 86:15).
[103:9] 903 tn The Hebrew verb נָטַר (natar) is usually taken to mean “to keep; to guard,” with “anger” being understood by ellipsis. The idiom “to guard anger” is then understood to mean “to remain angry” (see Lev 19:18; Jer 3:5, 12; Nah 1:2). However, it is possible that this is a homonymic root meaning “to be angry” (see HALOT 695 s.v. נטר).
[103:10] 904 tn Heb “not according to our sins does he do to us.”
[103:10] 905 tn Heb “and not according to our misdeeds does he repay us.”
[103:11] 906 tn For this sense of the verb גָבַר (gavar), see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 17, 19.
[103:11] 907 tn Heb “those who fear him.”
[103:12] 908 tn Heb “sunrise.”
[103:12] 910 tn The Hebrew term פֶּשַׁע (pesha’, rebellious act”) is here used metonymically for the guilt such actions produce.
[103:13] 911 tn Or “sons,” but the Hebrew term sometimes refers to children in general.
[103:13] 912 tn Heb “those who fear him.”
[103:14] 913 tn Heb “our form.”
[103:14] 914 tn Heb “remembers.”
[103:14] 915 tn Heb “we [are] clay.”
[103:15] 916 tn Heb “[as for] mankind, like grass [are] his days.” The Hebrew noun אֱנוֹשׁ (’enosh) is used here generically of human beings. What is said is true of all mankind.
[103:16] 917 tn Heb “[the] wind.” The word “hot” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
[103:17] 918 tn Heb “but the loyal love of the
[103:17] 919 tn Heb “and his righteousness to sons of sons.”
[103:18] 920 tn Heb “to those who remember his precepts to do them.”
[103:19] 921 tn Heb “his kingdom rules over all.”
[103:20] 922 tn Heb “[you] mighty ones of strength, doers of his word, by listening to the voice of his word.”
[103:21] 923 tn Heb “all his hosts.”
[103:21] 924 tn Heb “his attendants, doers of his desire.”
[103:22] 925 tn Heb “all his works,” which includes mankind.
[104:1] 927 sn Psalm 104. The psalmist praises God as the ruler of the world who sustains all life.
[104:1] 928 tn Heb “very great.”
[104:3] 929 tn Heb “one who lays the beams on water [in] his upper rooms.” The “water” mentioned here corresponds to the “waters above” mentioned in Gen 1:7. For a discussion of the picture envisioned by the psalmist, see L. I. J. Stadelmann, The Hebrew Conception of the World, 44-45.
[104:3] 930 sn Verse 3 may depict the Lord riding a cherub, which is in turn propelled by the wind current. Another option is that the wind is personified as a cherub. See Ps 18:10 and the discussion of ancient Near Eastern parallels to the imagery in M. Weinfeld, “‘Rider of the Clouds’ and ‘Gatherer of the Clouds’,” JANESCU 5 (1973): 422-24.
[104:4] 931 tc Heb “and his attendants a flaming fire.” The lack of agreement between the singular “fire” and plural “attendants” has prompted various emendations. Some read “fire and flame.” The present translation assumes an emendation to “his attendant” (יו in the Hebrew text being virtually dittographic).
[104:6] 932 tc Heb “you covered it.” The masculine suffix is problematic if the grammatically feminine noun “earth” is the antecedent. For this reason some emend the form to a feminine verb with feminine suffix, כִּסַּתָּה (kisattah, “[the watery deep] covered it [i.e., the earth]”), a reading assumed by the present translation.
[104:6] 934 sn Verse 6 refers to the condition described in Gen 1:2 (note the use of the Hebrew term תְּהוֹם [tÿhom, “watery deep”] in both texts).
[104:8] 935 tn Heb “from your shout they fled, from the sound of your thunder they hurried off.”
[104:9] 936 tn Heb “a boundary you set up, they will not cross, they will not return to cover the earth.”
[104:10] 937 tn Heb “[the] one who sends springs into streams.” Another option is to translate, “he sends streams [i.e., streams that originate from springs] into the valleys” (cf. NIV).
[104:12] 938 tn Heb “among the thick foliage they give a sound.”
[104:13] 939 tn Heb “from his upper rooms.”
[104:13] 940 tn Heb “from the fruit of your works the earth is full.” The translation assumes that “fruit” is literal here. If “fruit” is understood more abstractly as “product; result,” then one could translate, “the earth flourishes as a result of your deeds” (cf. NIV, NRSV, REB).
[104:14] 941 tn Heb “causes the grass to sprout up.”
[104:14] 942 tn Heb “for the service of man” (see Gen 2:5).
[104:14] 943 tn Heb “to cause food to come out from the earth.”
[104:15] 944 tn Heb “and wine [that] makes the heart of man happy.”
[104:15] 945 tn Heb “to make [the] face shine from oil.” The Hebrew verb צָהַל (tsahal, “to shine”) occurs only here in the OT. It appears to be an alternate form of צָהַר (tsahar), a derivative from צָהָרִים (tsaharim, “noon”).
[104:15] 946 tn Heb “and food [that] sustains the heart of man.”
[104:16] 947 sn The trees of the
[104:16] 948 tn Heb “are satisfied,” which means here that they receive abundant rain (see v. 13).
[104:17] 949 tn Heb “[the] heron [in the] evergreens [is] its home.”
[104:18] 950 tn Heb “the high mountains [are] for the goats.”
[104:19] 951 tn Heb “he made [the] moon for appointed times.” The phrase “appointed times” probably refers to the months of the Hebrew lunar calendar.
[104:19] 952 tn Heb more metaphorically, “knows its setting.”
[104:20] 953 tn Heb “you make darkness, so that it might be night.”
[104:21] 954 sn The lions’ roaring is viewed as a request for food from God.
[104:22] 955 tn Heb “lie down.”
[104:23] 956 tn Heb “man goes out to his work, and to his labor until evening.”
[104:24] 957 tn Heb “How many [are] your works, O
[104:24] 958 tn Heb “all of them with wisdom you have made.”
[104:25] 959 tn Heb “this [is] the sea, great and broad of hands [i.e., “sides” or “shores”].”
[104:25] 960 tn Heb “where [there are] swimming things, and without number.”
[104:26] 961 tn Heb “[and] this Leviathan, [which] you formed to play in it.” Elsewhere Leviathan is a multiheaded sea monster that symbolizes forces hostile to God (see Ps 74:14; Isa 27:1), but here it appears to be an actual marine creature created by God, probably some type of whale.
[104:27] 962 tn Heb “All of them.” The pronoun “them” refers not just to the sea creatures mentioned in vv. 25-26, but to all living things (see v. 24). This has been specified in the translation as “all of your creatures” for clarity.
[104:27] 963 tn Heb “to give their food in its time.”
[104:28] 964 tn Heb “they are satisfied [with] good.”
[104:29] 965 tn Heb “you hide your face, they are terrified.”
[104:31] 966 tn Heb “be forever.”
[104:31] 967 tn Or “rejoice in his works.”
[104:33] 968 tn Heb “in my duration.”
[104:34] 969 tn That is, the psalmist’s thoughts as expressed in his songs of praise.
[104:35] 970 tn Or “be destroyed.”
[105:1] 971 sn Psalm 105. The psalmist summons Israel to praise God because he delivered his people from Egypt in fulfillment of his covenantal promises to Abraham. A parallel version of vv. 1-15 appears in 1 Chr 16:8-22.
[105:5] 972 tn Heb “and the judgments of his mouth.”
[105:6] 973 tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”
[105:6] 974 tc Some
[105:6] 975 tn Heb “his”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[105:6] 977 tn Heb “his”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[105:7] 978 tn Heb “in all the earth [are] his judgments.”
[105:8] 979 tn Heb “[the] word he commanded.” The text refers here to God’s unconditional covenantal promise to Abraham and the patriarchs, as vv. 10-12 make clear.
[105:10] 981 tn Or “eternal covenant.”
[105:13] 982 tn Heb “and from a kingdom to another nation.”
[105:15] 983 tn The word “saying” is supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
[105:15] 984 tn Heb “anointed.”
[105:16] 985 tn Heb “and every staff of food he broke.” The psalmist refers to the famine that occurred in Joseph’s time (see v. 17 and Gen 41:53-57).
[105:17] 986 tn After the reference to the famine in v. 16, v. 17 flashes back to events that preceded the famine (see Gen 37).
[105:18] 987 tn Heb “they afflicted his feet with shackles.”
[105:18] 988 tn Heb “his neck came [into] iron.” The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) with the suffix could mean simply “he” or “his life.” But the nuance “neck” makes good sense here (note the reference to his “feet” in the preceding line). See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 38.
[105:19] 989 tn Heb “word,” probably referring to Joseph’s prediction about the fate of Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker (see Gen 41:9-14).
[105:19] 990 tn This line may refer to Joseph’s prediction of the famine in response to Pharaoh’s dream. Joseph emphasized to Pharaoh that the interpretation of the dream came from God (see Gen 41:16, 25, 28, 32, 39).
[105:19] 991 tn Heb “refined him.”
[105:20] 992 tn Heb “[the] king sent and set him free.”
[105:21] 993 tn Heb “he made him master of his house.”
[105:22] 994 tn Heb “to bind his officials by his will.”
[105:22] 995 tn Heb “and his elders he taught wisdom.”
[105:23] 996 tn Heb “entered.”
[105:23] 997 tn Heb “lived as a resident alien.”
[105:24] 998 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the
[105:24] 999 tn Heb “him,” referring to “his people.”
[105:24] 1000 tn Heb “his,” referring to “his people.”
[105:25] 1001 tn Heb “their heart.”
[105:25] 1002 tn Or “to deal deceptively.” The Hitpael of נָכַל (nakhal) occurs only here and in Gen 37:18, where it is used of Joseph’s brothers “plotting” to kill him.
[105:27] 1003 tn Apparently the pronoun refers to “his servants” (i.e., the Israelites, see v. 25).
[105:28] 1004 tn Heb “he sent darkness and made it dark.”
[105:28] 1005 tn Heb “they did not rebel against his words.” Apparently this refers to Moses and Aaron, who obediently carried out God’s orders.
[105:31] 1006 tn Heb “he spoke and flies came.”
[105:32] 1007 tn Heb “he gave their rains hail.”
[105:32] 1008 tn Heb “fire of flames [was] in their land.”
[105:34] 1009 tn Heb “he spoke and locusts came.”
[105:35] 1010 tn Heb “the fruit of their ground.”
[105:36] 1011 tn Heb “the beginning of all their strength,” that is, reproductive power (see Ps 78:51).
[105:37] 1012 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the
[105:37] 1013 tn The word “enriched” is supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
[105:38] 1014 tn Heb “for fear of them had fallen upon them.”
[105:39] 1015 tn Or “curtain.”
[105:40] 1016 tn Heb “he [i.e., his people] asked.” The singular form should probably be emended to a plural שָׁאֲלוּ (sha’alu, “they asked”), the vav (ו) having fallen off by haplography (note the vav at the beginning of the following form).
[105:40] 1017 tn Or “bread of heaven.” The reference is to manna (see Exod 16:4, 13-15).
[105:42] 1019 tn Heb “his holy word.”
[105:43] 1020 tn Heb “and he led his people out with joy, with a ringing cry, his chosen ones.”
[105:44] 1021 tn Heb “and the [product of the] work of peoples they possessed.”
[106:1] 1023 sn Psalm 106. The psalmist recalls Israel’s long history of rebellion against God, despite his mighty saving deeds on their behalf.
[106:1] 1024 tn Heb “for forever [is] his loyal love.”
[106:2] 1025 tn Heb “[or] cause to be heard all his praise.”
[106:5] 1027 tn Heb “in order that [I may] rejoice with the rejoicing of your nation.”
[106:5] 1028 tn Heb “with your inheritance.”
[106:6] 1030 tn Heb “fathers” (also in v. 7).
[106:7] 1031 tn Heb “Reed Sea” (also in vv. 9, 22). “Reed Sea” (or “Sea of Reeds”) is a more accurate rendering of the Hebrew expression יָם סוּף (yam suf), traditionally translated “Red Sea.” See the note on the term “Red Sea” in Exod 13:18.
[106:8] 1032 tn Heb “his name,” which here stands metonymically for God’s reputation.
[106:10] 1035 tn Or “redeemed.”
[106:11] 1037 tn Heb “remained.”
[106:12] 1038 tn Heb “his words.”
[106:13] 1039 tn Heb “his works.”
[106:13] 1040 tn Heb “his counsel.”
[106:14] 1041 sn They had an insatiable craving. This is described in Num 11:4-35.
[106:14] 1042 tn Heb “they craved [with] a craving.”
[106:14] 1043 tn Heb “they tested God.”
[106:15] 1044 tn Heb “and he sent leanness into their being.”
[106:16] 1046 tn Heb “the holy one of the
[106:17] 1047 tn Or “covered.”
[106:17] 1048 tn Or “the assembly of Abiram.”
[106:18] 1049 sn Verses 16-18 describe the events of Num 16:1-40.
[106:20] 1050 tn Heb “their glory.” According to an ancient Hebrew scribal tradition, the text originally read “his glory” or “my glory.” In Jer 2:11 the
[106:21] 1051 tn Heb “forgot.”
[106:22] 1052 tn Or “awe-inspiring.”
[106:23] 1053 tn Heb “and he said.”
[106:23] 1054 tn Heb “if not,” that is, “[and would have] if [Moses] had not.”
[106:23] 1055 tn Heb “stood in the gap before him.”
[106:23] 1056 tn Heb “to turn back his anger from destroying.”
[106:24] 1057 tn Heb “a land of delight” (see also Jer 3:19; Zech 7:14).
[106:24] 1058 tn Heb “his word.”
[106:25] 1059 sn They grumbled in their tents. See Deut 1:27.
[106:25] 1060 tn Heb “did not listen to the voice of.”
[106:26] 1061 tn Heb “and he lifted his hand to [or “concerning”] them.” The idiom “to lift a hand” here refers to swearing an oath. One would sometimes solemnly lift one’s hand when making such a vow (see Ezek 20:5-6, 15).
[106:26] 1062 tn Heb “to cause them to fall.”
[106:27] 1063 tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”
[106:27] 1064 tn Heb “and to cause their offspring to fall.” Some emend the verb to “scatter” to form tighter parallelism with the following line (cf. NRSV “disperse”).
[106:27] 1065 tn Heb “among the lands.” The word “foreign” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
[106:28] 1066 tn Heb “joined themselves to.”
[106:28] 1067 tn Here “the dead” may refer to deceased ancestors (see Deut 26:14). Another option is to understand the term as a derogatory reference to the various deities which the Israelites worshiped at Peor along with Baal (see Num 25:2 and L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 49).
[106:29] 1068 tn Heb “They made angry [him].” The pronominal suffix is omitted here, but does appear in a few medieval Hebrew
[106:30] 1069 sn The intervention of Phinehas is recounted in Num 25:7-8.
[106:31] 1070 tn Heb “and it was reckoned to him for righteousness, to a generation and a generation forever.” The verb חָשַׁב (khashav, “to reckon”) is collocated with צְדָקָה (tsÿdaqah, “righteousness”) only in Ps 106:31 and Gen 15:6, where God rewards Abram’s faith with a land grant.
[106:32] 1071 tn Heb “there was harm to Moses.”
[106:33] 1072 tn The Hebrew text vocalizes the form as הִמְרוּ (himru), a Hiphil from מָרָה (marah, “to behave rebelliously”), but the verb fits better with the object (“his spirit”) if it is revocalized as הֵמֵרוּ (hemeru), a Hiphil from מָרַר (marar, “to be bitter”). The Israelites “embittered” Moses’ “spirit” in the sense that they aroused his temper with their complaints.
[106:33] 1073 tn Heb “his spirit.”
[106:33] 1074 tn The Hebrew text adds “with his lips,” but this has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[106:34] 1075 tn That is, the nations of Canaan.
[106:35] 1076 tn Heb “their deeds.”
[106:36] 1078 sn Became a snare. See Exod 23:33; Judg 2:3.
[106:37] 1079 tn The Hebrew term שֵׁדִים (shedim, “demons”) occurs only here and in Deut 32:17. Some type of lesser deity is probably in view.
[106:38] 1080 sn Num 35:33-34 explains that bloodshed defiles a land.
[106:39] 1081 tn Heb “and they committed adultery in their actions.” This means that they were unfaithful to the
[106:40] 1082 tn Heb “the anger of the
[106:40] 1083 tn Heb “his inheritance.”
[106:41] 1084 tn Heb “gave them into the hand of.”
[106:42] 1085 tn Heb “they were subdued under their hand.”
[106:43] 1086 tn The prefixed verbal form is either preterite or imperfect, in which case it is customary, describing repeated action in past time (“he would deliver”).
[106:43] 1087 tn Heb “but they rebelled in their counsel.” The prefixed verbal form is either preterite or imperfect, in which case it is customary, describing repeated action in past time (“they would have a rebellious attitude”).
[106:43] 1088 tn Heb “they sank down.” The Hebrew verb מָכַךְ (makhakh, “to lower; to sink”) occurs only here in the Qal.
[106:45] 1089 tn The Niphal of נָחַם (nakham) refers here to God relenting from a punishment already underway.
[106:46] 1090 tn Or “captors.”
[106:47] 1091 tn Heb “to give thanks.” The infinitive construct indicates result after the imperative.
[106:47] 1092 tn Heb “to boast in your praise.”
[106:48] 1093 tn Heb “[be] blessed.” See Pss 18:46; 28:6; 31:21.
[106:48] 1094 tn Heb “from everlasting to everlasting.”
[106:48] 1095 tn Heb “surely” (אָמֵן, ’amen), traditionally transliterated “amen.”
[106:48] 1096 sn The final verse (v. 48) is a conclusion to this fourth “book” (or major editorial division) of the Psalter. Similar statements appear at or near the end of each of the first, second and third “books” of the Psalter (see Pss 41:13; 72:18-19; 89:52, respectively).
[107:1] 1097 sn Psalm 107. The psalmist praises God for his kindness to his exiled people.
[107:1] 1098 tn Heb “for forever [is] his loyal love.”
[107:2] 1099 tn Or “let the redeemed of the
[107:2] 1100 tn Or “redeemed.”
[107:3] 1102 tn Heb “from lands.” The word “foreign” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
[107:5] 1103 tn Heb “and their soul in them fainted.”
[107:7] 1104 sn A level road. See Jer 31:9.
[107:8] 1105 tn Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.”
[107:9] 1106 tn Heb “[the] longing throat.” The noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh), which frequently refers to one’s very being or soul, here probably refers to one’s parched “throat” (note the parallelism with נֶפֱשׁ רְעֵבָה, nefesh rÿ’evah, “hungry throat”).
[107:9] 1107 tn Heb “and [the] hungry throat he has filled [with] good.”
[107:10] 1108 tn Heb “those who sat in darkness and deep darkness.” Synonyms are joined here to emphasize the degree of “darkness” experienced by the exiles. The Hebrew term צַלְמָוֶת (tsalmavet, “deep darkness”) has traditionally been understood as a compound noun, meaning “shadow of death” (צֵל + מָוֶת [tsel + mavet]; see BDB 853 s.v. צַלְמָוֶת; cf. NASB). Other authorities prefer to vocalize the form צַלְמוּת (tsalmut) and understand it as an abstract noun (from the root צלם) meaning “darkness.” An examination of the word’s usage favors the latter derivation. It is frequently associated with darkness/night and contrasted with light/morning (see Job 3:5; 10:21-22; 12:22; 24:17; 28:3; 34:22; Ps 107:10, 14; Isa 9:1; Jer 13:16; Amos 5:8). In some cases the darkness described is associated with the realm of death (Job 10:21-22; 38:17), but this is a metaphorical application of the word and does not reflect its inherent meaning. In Ps 107:10 the word refers metonymically to a dungeon, which in turn metaphorically depicts the place of Israel’s exile (see vv. 2-3).
[107:10] 1109 tn Heb “those bound in suffering and iron.” “Suffering and iron” is a hendiadys (like English “good and angry”), where both words contribute to one idea. In this case the first word characterizes the second; the iron (chains) contribute to the prisoners’ pain and suffering.
[107:11] 1110 tn Heb “the words of God.”
[107:11] 1111 tn Heb “the counsel of the Most High.”
[107:12] 1112 tn Heb “and he subdued with suffering their heart.”
[107:14] 1113 tn Heb “darkness and deep darkness.” See the note on the word “darkness” in v. 10.
[107:15] 1114 tn Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.” See v. 8.
[107:16] 1115 sn The language of v. 16 recalls Isa 45:2.
[107:17] 1116 tn Heb “fools [they were] because of the way of their rebellion.”
[107:18] 1117 tn Heb “all food their appetite loathed.”
[107:20] 1118 tn Heb “he sent his word.” This probably refers to an oracle of assurance which announced his intention to intervene (see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 59).
[107:20] 1119 tn Heb “he rescued from their traps.” The Hebrew word שְׁחִית (shekhit, “trap”) occurs only here and in Lam 4:20, where it refers to a trap or pit in which one is captured. Because of the rarity of the term and the absence of an object with the verb “rescued,” some prefer to emend the text of Ps 107:20, reading מִשַׁחַת חַיָּתָם (mishakhat khayyatam, “[he rescued] their lives from the pit”). Note also NIV “from the grave,” which interprets the “pit” as Sheol or the grave.
[107:21] 1120 tn Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.” See v. 8.
[107:22] 1121 tn Heb “and let them proclaim his works with a ringing cry.”
[107:23] 1122 sn Verses 23-30, which depict the Lord rescuing sailors from a storm at sea, do not seem to describe the exiles’ situation, unless the word picture is metaphorical. Perhaps the psalmist here broadens his scope and offers an example of God’s kindness to the needy beyond the covenant community.
[107:23] 1123 tn Heb “those going down [into].”
[107:23] 1124 tn Heb “doers of work on the mighty waters.”
[107:25] 1125 tn Heb “he spoke and caused to stand a stormy wind.”
[107:25] 1126 tn Heb “and it stirred up its [i.e., the sea’s, see v. 23] waves.”
[107:26] 1127 tn That is, the waves (see v. 25).
[107:26] 1128 tn Heb “their being”; traditionally “their soul” (referring to that of the sailors). This is sometimes translated “courage” (cf. NIV, NRSV).
[107:26] 1130 tn Heb “from danger.”
[107:27] 1131 tn Only here does the Hebrew verb חָגַג (khagag; normally meaning “to celebrate”) carry the nuance “to sway.”
[107:27] 1132 tn The Hitpael of בָלַע (vala’) occurs only here in the OT. Traditionally the form is derived from the verbal root בלע (“to swallow”), but HALOT 135 s.v. III בלע understands a homonym here with the meaning “to be confused.”
[107:29] 1133 tn Heb “he raised [the] storm to calm.”
[107:29] 1134 tn Heb “their waves.” The antecedent of the third masculine plural pronominal suffix is not readily apparent, unless it refers back to “waters” in v. 23.
[107:30] 1135 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the sailors) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[107:30] 1136 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the waves) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[107:30] 1137 tn The Hebrew noun occurs only here in the OT.
[107:31] 1138 tn Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.” See v. 8.
[107:32] 1139 tn Heb “in the seat of the elders.”
[107:33] 1140 tn The verbal form appears to be a preterite, which is most naturally taken as narrational. (The use of prefixed forms with vav [ו] consecutive in vv. 36-37 favor this.) The psalmist may return to the theme of God’s intervention for the exiles (see vv. 4-22, especially vv. 4-9). However, many regard vv. 33-41 as a hymnic description which generalizes about God’s activities among men. In this case it would be preferable to use the English present tense throughout (cf. NEB, NRSV).
[107:34] 1141 tn Heb “a salty land.”
[107:35] 1142 tn The words “As for his people” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity. The psalmist contrasts God’s judgment on his enemies with his blessing of his people. See the note on the word “enemies” in v. 39 for further discussion.
[107:35] 1143 tn The verbal form appears to be a preterite, which is most naturally taken as narrational. See the note on the word “turned” in v. 33.
[107:37] 1144 tn Heb “sowed seed in.”
[107:37] 1145 tn Heb “fruit [as] produce.”
[107:38] 1146 tn “Bless” here carries the nuance “endue with sexual potency, make fertile.” See Gen 1:28, where the statement “he blessed them” directly precedes the command “be fruitful and populate the earth” (see also 1:22). The verb “bless” carries this same nuance in Gen 17:16 (where God’s blessing of Sarai imparts to her the capacity to bear a child); 48:16 (where God’s blessing of Joseph’s sons is closely associated with their having numerous descendants); and Deut 7:13 (where God’s blessing is associated with fertility in general, including numerous descendants). See also Gen 49:25 (where Jacob uses the noun derivative in referring to “blessings of the breast and womb,” an obvious reference to fertility) and Gen 27:27 (where the verb is used of a field to which God has given the capacity to produce vegetation).
[107:38] 1147 tn The verbal form in this line appears to be an imperfect, which may be taken as customary (drawing attention to typical action in a past time frame) or as generalizing (in which case one should use the English present tense, understanding a move from narrative to present reality).
[107:39] 1148 tn The words “As for their enemies” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity. Without such clarification, one might think that v. 39 refers to those just mentioned in v. 38 as objects of divine blessing, which would contradict the point just emphasized by the psalmist. The structure of vv. 33-42 is paneled (A-B-A-B). In vv. 33-34 the psalmist describes God’s judgment upon his enemies (perhaps those who had enslaved his people). In vv. 35-38 he contrasts this judgment with the divine blessing poured out on God’s people. (See the note on the word “people” in v. 35.) In vv. 39-40 he contrasts this blessing with the judgment experienced by enemies, before returning in vv. 41-42 to the blessing experienced by God’s people.
[107:39] 1149 tn Heb “from the oppression of calamity.”
[107:40] 1150 tn The active participle is understood as past durative here, drawing attention to typical action in a past time frame. However, it could be taken as generalizing (in which case one should translate using the English present tense), in which case the psalmist moves from narrative to present reality. Perhaps the participial form appears because the statement is lifted from Job 12:21.
[107:41] 1151 tn Heb “set on high.”
[107:42] 1152 tn Heb “all evil,” which stands metonymically for those who do evil.
[108:1] 1153 sn Psalm 108. With some minor variations, this psalm is a composite of Ps 57:7-11 (see vv. 1-5) and Ps 60:5-12 (see vv. 6-13).
[108:1] 1154 tn Or perhaps “confident”; Heb “my heart is steadfast.” The “heart” is viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s volition and/or emotions.
[108:1] 1155 tn Heb “also my glory,” but this makes little sense in the context. Some view the term כָּבוֹד (“glory”) here as a metonymy for man’s inner being (see BDB 459 s.v. II כָּבוֹד 5), but it is preferable to emend the form to כְּבֵדִי (kÿvodiy, “my liver”). Like the heart, the liver is viewed as the seat of one’s emotions. See also Pss 16:9; 30:12; 57:9; as well as H. W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament, 64, and M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 3:93. For an Ugaritic example of the heart/liver as the source of joy, see G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 47-48: “her [Anat’s] liver swelled with laughter, her heart was filled with joy, the liver of Anat with triumph.”
[108:2] 1156 tn BDB 1007 s.v. שַׁחַר takes “dawn” as an adverbial accusative, though others understand it as a personified direct object. “Dawn” is used metaphorically for the time of deliverance and vindication the psalmist anticipates. When salvation “dawns,” the psalmist will “wake up” in praise.
[108:3] 1157 tn Or “the peoples.”
[108:4] 1158 tn Heb “for great upon the sky [or “heavens”] [is] your loyal love.”
[108:5] 1159 tn Or “be exalted.”
[108:5] 1160 tn Heb “over all the earth [be] your splendor.” Though no verb appears, the tone of the statement is a prayer or wish. (Note the imperative form in the preceding line.)
[108:6] 1161 tn Heb “right hand.”
[108:6] 1162 tn Or “may be rescued.” The lines are actually reversed in the Hebrew text: “So that the ones you love may be rescued, deliver by your power and answer me.”
[108:7] 1163 tn Heb “in his holy place.”
[108:7] 1164 sn Shechem stands for the territory west of the Jordan River; the valley of Succoth represents the region east of the Jordan.
[108:8] 1165 tn Gilead was located east of the Jordan River. Half of the tribe of Manasseh lived east of the Jordan in the region of Bashan.
[108:8] 1166 tn Heb “the protection of my head.”
[108:8] 1167 sn Judah, like Ephraim, was the other major tribe west of the Jordan River. The Davidic king, symbolized here by the royal scepter, came from this tribe.
[108:9] 1168 sn The metaphor of the wash basin, used to rinse one’s hands and feet, suggests that Moab, in contrast to Israel’s elevated position (vv. 7-8), would be reduced to the status of a servant.
[108:9] 1169 tn Heb “over Edom I will throw my sandal.” The point of the metaphor is not entirely clear. Some interpret this as idiomatic for “taking possession of.” Others translate עַל (’al) as “to” and understand this as referring to a master throwing his dirty sandal to a servant so that the latter might dust it off.
[108:10] 1170 sn The psalmist speaks again and acknowledges his need for help in battle. He hopes God will volunteer, based on the affirmation of sovereignty over Edom in v. 9, but he is also aware that God has seemingly rejected the nation of Israel (v. 11).
[108:12] 1171 tn Heb “and futile [is] the deliverance of man.”
[108:13] 1172 tn Heb “in God we will accomplish strength.” The statement refers here to military success (see Num 24:18; 1 Sam 14:48; Pss 60:12; 118:16-16).
[108:13] 1173 sn On the expression trample down our enemies see Ps 44:5.
[109:1] 1174 sn Psalm 109. Appealing to God’s justice, the psalmist asks God to vindicate him and to bring severe judgment down upon his enemies.
[109:1] 1175 tn Heb “do not be deaf.”
[109:2] 1176 tn Heb “for a mouth of evil and a mouth of deceit against me they open, they speak with me [with] a tongue of falsehood.”
[109:3] 1177 tn Heb “and [with] words of hatred they surround me.”
[109:4] 1178 tn Heb “in place of my love they oppose me.”
[109:4] 1179 tn Heb “and I, prayer.”
[109:5] 1180 tn Heb “and they set upon me evil in place of good.”
[109:6] 1181 sn In vv. 6-19 the psalmist calls on God to judge his enemies severely. Some attribute this curse-list to the psalmist’s enemies rather than the psalmist. In this case one should paraphrase v. 6: “They say about me, ‘Appoint an evil man, etc.’” Those supporting this line of interpretation point out that vv. 2-5 and 20 refer to the enemies’ attack on the psalmist being a verbal one. Furthermore in vv. 1-5, 20 the psalmist speaks of his enemies in the plural, while vv. 6-19 refer to an individual. This use of the singular in vv. 6-19 could be readily explained if this is the psalmist’s enemies’ curse on him. However, it is much more natural to understand vv. 6-19 as the psalmist’s prayer against his enemies. There is no introductory quotation formula in v. 6 to indicate that the psalmist is quoting anyone, and the statement “may the
[109:6] 1182 tn Heb “appoint against him an evil [man].”
[109:6] 1183 tn The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive here (note the imperative in the preceding line).
[109:7] 1184 tn The prefixed verbal form could be taken as a jussive, but the use of the imperfect form in the following line suggests that v. 7 anticipates the outcome of the accusation envisioned in v. 6.
[109:7] 1185 tn Heb “he will go out [as] a criminal” (that is, guilty).
[109:8] 1186 tn The prefixed verbal forms (except those with vav [ו] consecutive) in vv. 8-20 are taken as jussives of prayer. Note the distinct jussive forms used in vv. 12-13, 15, 19.
[109:8] 1187 tn The Hebrew noun פְּקֻדָּה (pÿquddah) can mean “charge” or “office,” though BDB 824 s.v. suggests that here it refers to his possessions.
[109:10] 1190 tn Heb “and roaming, may his children roam and beg, and seek from their ruins.” Some, following the LXX, emend the term וְדָרְשׁוּ (vÿdoreshu, “and seek”) to יְגֹרְשׁוּ (yÿgoreshu; a Pual jussive, “may they be driven away” [see Job 30:5; cf. NIV, NRSV]), but דָּרַשׁ (darash) nicely parallels שִׁאֵלוּ (shi’elu, “and beg”) in the preceding line.
[109:11] 1191 tn Heb “lay snares for” (see Ps 38:12).
[109:11] 1192 tn Heb “the product of his labor.”
[109:12] 1193 tn Heb “may there not be for him one who extends loyal love.”
[109:12] 1194 tn Perhaps this refers to being generous (see Ps 37:21).
[109:13] 1195 tn Or “offspring.”
[109:13] 1196 sn On the expression cut off see Ps 37:28.
[109:13] 1197 tn Heb “in another generation may their name be wiped out.”
[109:14] 1198 tn Or “fathers’ sins.”
[109:14] 1199 tn Heb “not be wiped out.”
[109:15] 1200 tn Heb “may they [that is, the sins mentioned in v. 14] be before the
[109:15] 1201 tn Heb “their memory.” The plural pronominal suffix probably refers back to the children mentioned in v. 13, and for clarity this has been specified in the translation.
[109:16] 1202 tn Heb “he did not remember to do loyal love.”
[109:16] 1203 tn Heb “and he chased an oppressed and needy man, and one timid of heart to put [him] to death.”
[109:17] 1204 sn A curse in OT times consists of a formal appeal to God to bring judgment down upon another. Curses were sometimes justified (such as the one spoken by the psalmist here in vv. 6-19), but when they were not, the one pronouncing the curse was in danger of bringing the anticipated judgment down upon himself.
[109:17] 1205 tn Heb “and he loved a curse and it came [upon] him.” A reference to the evil man experiencing a curse seems premature here, for the psalmist is asking God to bring judgment on his enemies. For this reason some (cf. NIV, NRSV) prefer to repoint the vav (ו) on “it came” as conjunctive and translate the verb as a jussive of prayer (“may it come upon him!”). The prefixed form with vav consecutive in the next line is emended in the same way and translated, “may it be far from him.” However, the psalmist may be indicating that the evil man’s lifestyle has already begun to yield its destructive fruit.
[109:17] 1206 tn Heb “and he did not delight in a blessing and it is far from him.”
[109:18] 1207 tn Heb “he put on a curse as [if it were] his garment.”
[109:18] 1208 tn Heb “and it came like water into his inner being, and like oil into his bones.” This may refer to this individual’s appetite for cursing. For him cursing was as refreshing as drinking water or massaging oneself with oil. Another option is that the destructive effects of a curse are in view. In this case a destructive curse invades his very being, like water or oil. Some who interpret the verse this way prefer to repoint the vav (ו) on “it came” to a conjunctive vav and interpret the prefixed verb as a jussive, “may it come!”
[109:19] 1209 tn Heb “may it be for him like a garment one puts on.”
[109:19] 1210 tn The Hebrew noun מֵזַח (mezakh, “belt; waistband”) occurs only here in the OT. The form apparently occurs in Isa 23:10 as well, but an emendation is necessary there.
[109:20] 1211 tn Heb “[may] this [be] the repayment to my accusers from the
[109:20] 1212 tn Or “against.”
[109:20] 1213 tn The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being; soul”) with a pronominal suffix is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 4.a).
[109:21] 1214 tn Heb “but you,
[109:22] 1215 tc The verb in the Hebrew text (חָלַל, khalal) appears to be a Qal form from the root חלל meaning “pierced; wounded.” However, the Qal of this root is otherwise unattested. The translation assumes an emendation to יָחִיל (yakhil), a Qal imperfect from חוּל (khul, “tremble”) or to חֹלַל (kholal), a polal perfect from חוּל (khul). See Ps 55:4, which reads לִבִּי יָחִיל בְּקִרְבִּי (libbiy yakhil bÿqirbbiy, “my heart trembles [i.e., “beats violently”] within me”).
[109:23] 1216 tn Heb “like a shadow when it is extended I go.” He is like a late afternoon shadow made by the descending sun that will soon be swallowed up by complete darkness. See Ps 102:11.
[109:24] 1217 tn Heb “my knees stagger from fasting.”
[109:24] 1218 tn Heb “and my flesh is lean away from fatness [i.e., “lean so as not to be fat”].”
[109:25] 1219 tn Heb “as for me, I am a reproach to them.”
[109:25] 1220 sn They shake their heads. Apparently shaking the head was a taunting gesture. See also Job 16:4; Ps 22:7; Lam 2:15.
[109:26] 1221 tn Heb “deliver me according to your faithfulness.”
[109:27] 1222 tn After the preceding imperative, the prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose or result.
[109:27] 1223 tn Heb “that your hand [is] this.”
[109:28] 1224 tn Another option is to translate the imperfect as a prayer/request (“may you bless”).
[109:28] 1225 tn The verbal sequence is perfect + prefixed form with vav (ו) consecutive. Since the psalmist seems to be anticipating the demise of his enemies, he may be using these forms rhetorically to describe the enemies’ defeat as if it were already accomplished. Some emend the text to קָמוּ יֵבֹשׁוּ (qamu yevoshu, “may those who attack me be humiliated”). See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 75.
[109:29] 1226 tn Heb “clothed.” Another option is to translate the prefixed verbal forms in this line and the next as jussives (“may my accusers be covered with shame”).
[109:30] 1227 tn Heb “I will thank the
[110:1] 1230 sn Psalm 110. In this royal psalm the psalmist announces God’s oracle to the Davidic king. The first part of the oracle appears in v. 1, the second in v. 4. In vv. 2-3 the psalmist addresses the king, while in vv. 5-7 he appears to address God.
[110:1] 1231 tn The word נְאֻם (nÿ’um) is used frequently in the OT of a formal divine announcement through a prophet.
[110:1] 1232 sn My lord. In the psalm’s original context the speaker is an unidentified prophetic voice in the royal court. In the course of time the psalm is applied to each successive king in the dynasty and ultimately to the ideal Davidic king. NT references to the psalm understand David to be speaking about his “lord,” the Messiah. (See Matt 22:43-45; Mark 12:36-37; Luke 20:42-44; Acts 2:34-35).
[110:1] 1233 tn To sit at the “right hand” of the king was an honor (see 1 Kgs 2:19). In Ugaritic myth (CTA 4 v. 108-10) the artisan god Kothar-and Khasis is described as sitting at the right hand of the storm god Baal. See G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 61-62.
[110:1] 1234 sn When the Lord made his covenant with David, he promised to subdue the king’s enemies (see 2 Sam 7:9-11; Ps 89:22-23).
[110:2] 1235 tn Since the
[110:2] 1236 tn The prefixed verbal form is understood here as descriptive-dramatic or as generalizing, though it could be taken as future.
[110:2] 1237 tn Heb “your strong scepter,” symbolic of the king’s royal authority and dominion.
[110:3] 1238 tn Heb “your people, free will offerings.” Perhaps the people, in their willingness to volunteer, are compared metaphorically to freewill offerings. Following the LXX, some revocalize the text and read “with you is nobility.”
[110:3] 1239 tn Heb “in the day of your power.”
[110:3] 1240 tc Heb “in splendor of holiness.” The plural construct form הַדְרֵי (hadrey, from הָדַר, hadar, “splendor”) occurs only here; it may indicate degree or perhaps refer by metonymy to garments (see Pss 29:2 and 96:9, where the phrase הַדְרַת קֹדֶשׁ [hadrat qodesh] refers to “holy attire”). If one retains the reading of the MT, this phrase should probably be taken with the preceding line. However, because of the subsequent references to “dawn” and to “dew,” it is better to emend the text to הַרְרֵי קֹדֶשׁ (harrey qodesh, “mountains of holiness”), a reading found in many medieval Hebrew
[110:3] 1241 tn Heb “from the womb of dawn.” The Hebrew noun רֶחֶם (rekhem, “womb”) is probably used here metonymically for “birth.” The form מִשְׁחָר (mishkhar) occurs only here and should be emended to שַׁחַר (shakhar, “dawn”) with the mem (מ) being understood as dittographic (note the final mem [ם] on the preceding word). The phrase “womb [i.e., “birth”] of dawn” refers to sunrise.
[110:3] 1242 sn The point of the metaphor is not entirely clear. The dew may symbolize the king’s youthful vitality or, more likely (note the parallelism), may refer to his army of strong, youthful warriors.
[110:3] 1243 tn Heb “to you [is].”
[110:4] 1244 tn Or “swears, vows.”
[110:4] 1245 tn Or “will not change his mind.” The negated Niphal imperfect of נָחַם (nakham) is a way of marking an announcement as an irrevocable decree. See 1 Sam 15:29; Ezek 24:14, as well as R. B. Chisholm, “Does God ‘Change His Mind’?” BSac 152 (1995): 387-99.
[110:4] 1246 sn You are an eternal priest. The Davidic king exercised a non-Levitical priestly role. The king superintended Judah’s cultic ritual, had authority over the Levites, and sometimes led in formal worship. David himself instructed the Levites to bring the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem (1 Chr 15:11-15), joined the procession, offered sacrifices, wore a priestly ephod, and blessed the people (2 Sam 6:12-19). At the dedication of the temple Solomon led the ceremony, offering sacrifices and praying on behalf of the people (1 Kgs 8).
[110:4] 1247 tn The phrase עַל־דִּבְרָתִי (’al-divratiy) is a variant of עַל־דִּבְרָת (’al-divrat; the final yod [י] being an archaic genitival ending), which in turn is a variant of עַל דָּבַר (’al davar). Both phrases can mean “concerning” or “because of,” but neither of these nuances fits the use of עַל־דִּבְרָתִי in Ps 110:4. Here the phrase probably carries the sense “according to the manner of.” See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 81.
[110:4] 1248 sn The Davidic king’s priestly role is analogous to that of Melchizedek, who was both “king of Salem” (i.e., Jerusalem) and a “priest of God Most High” in the time of Abraham (Gen 14:18-20). Like Melchizedek, the Davidic king was a royal priest, distinct from the Aaronic line (see Heb 7). The analogy focuses on the king’s priestly role; the language need not imply that Melchizedek himself was “an eternal priest.”
[110:5] 1249 tn As pointed in the Hebrew text, this title refers to God (many medieval Hebrew
[110:5] 1250 tn The perfect verbal forms in vv. 5-6 are understood here as descriptive-dramatic or as generalizing. Another option is to take them as rhetorical. In this case the psalmist describes anticipated events as if they had already taken place.
[110:5] 1251 tn Heb “in the day of his anger.”
[110:6] 1252 tn The imperfect verbal forms in vv. 6-7 are understood here as descriptive-dramatic or as generalizing, though they could be taken as future.
[110:6] 1254 tn Heb “he fills [with] corpses,” but one expects a double accusative here. The translation assumes an emendation to גְוִיּוֹת גֵאָיוֹת(בִּ) מִלֵּא or מִלֵּא גֵאָיוֹת גְּוִיוֹת (for a similar construction see Ezek 32:5). In the former case גֵאָיוֹת(ge’ayot) has accidentally dropped from the text due to homoioteleuton; in the latter case it has dropped out due to homoioarcton.
[110:6] 1255 tn Heb “he strikes [the verb is מָחַץ (makhats), translated “strikes down” in v. 5] head[s] over a great land.” The Hebrew term רַבָּה (rabbah, “great”) is here used of distance or spatial measurement (see 1 Sam 26:13).
[110:7] 1256 tn Here the expression “lifts up the head” refers to the renewed physical strength and emotional vigor (see Ps 3:3) provided by the refreshing water. For another example of a victorious warrior being energized by water in the aftermath of battle, see Judg 15:18-19 (see also 1 Sam 30:11-12, where the setting is different, however).
[111:1] 1257 sn Psalm 111. The psalmist praises God for his marvelous deeds, especially the way in which he provides for and delivers his people. The psalm is an acrostic. After the introductory call to praise, every poetic line (twenty-two in all) begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
[111:2] 1258 tn Heb “sought out.”
[111:3] 1259 tn For other uses of the Hebrew phrase וְהָדָר-הוֹד (hod-vÿhadar, “majesty and splendor”) see 1 Chr 16:27; Job 40:10; Pss 21:5; 96:6; 104:1.
[111:4] 1261 tn Or “did,” if this refers primarily to the events of the exodus and conquest period (see vv. 6, 9).
[111:4] 1262 tn Heb “a memorial he had made for his amazing deeds.”
[111:5] 1263 tn Or “gave,” if the events of the exodus and conquest period (see v. 6, 9) are primarily in view.
[111:5] 1264 tn Heb “those who fear him.”
[111:5] 1265 tn Or “he remembers his covenant forever” (see Ps 105:8).
[111:6] 1266 tn Heb “the strength of his deeds he proclaimed to his people, to give to them an inheritance of nations.”
[111:7] 1267 tn Heb “the deeds of his hands [are].”
[111:7] 1268 tn That is, fair and for man’s good.
[111:8] 1269 tn Heb “done in faithfulness and uprightness.” The passive participle probably has the force of a gerund. See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 89.
[111:9] 1270 tn Heb “redemption he sent for his people.”
[111:9] 1271 tn Heb “he commanded forever his covenant.”
[111:10] 1272 tn Heb “the beginning of wisdom [is] the fear of the
[111:10] 1273 tn Heb “good sense [is] to all who do them.” The third masculine plural pronominal suffix must refer back to the “precepts” mentioned in v. 7. In the translation the referent has been specified for clarity. The phrase שֵׂכֶל טוֹב (shekhel tov) also occurs in Prov 3:4; 13:15 and 2 Chr 30:22.
[111:10] 1274 tn Heb “his praise stands forever.”
[112:1] 1275 sn Psalm 112. This wisdom psalm lists some of the benefits of living a godly life. The psalm is an acrostic. After the introductory call to praise, every poetic line (twenty-two in all) begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
[112:1] 1276 tn Heb “[Oh] the happiness [of] the man.” Hebrew wisdom literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The individual is representative of a larger group, called the “godly” in vv. 3-4. The principle of the psalm is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender. To facilitate modern application, we translate the gender specific “man” with the more neutral “one.” The generic masculine pronoun is used in the following verses.
[112:1] 1278 tn Heb “in his commands he delights very much.” The words “in keeping” are supplied in the translation for clarification. Taking delight in the law is metonymic here for obeying God’s moral will. See Ps 1:2.
[112:2] 1279 tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”
[112:2] 1280 tn Heb “His seed will be mighty on the earth, the generation of the godly.” The Hebrew term דוֹר (dor, “generation”) could be taken as parallel to “offspring” and translated “posterity,” but the singular more likely refers to the godly as a class. See BDB 189-90 s.v. for other examples where “generation” refers to a class of people.
[112:3] 1281 tn Heb “stands forever.”
[112:4] 1282 tn In this context “light” symbolizes divine blessing in its various forms (see v. 2), including material prosperity and stability.
[112:4] 1283 tn Heb “merciful and compassionate and just.” The Hebrew text has three singular adjectives, which are probably substantival and in apposition to the “godly” (which is plural, however). By switching to the singular, the psalmist focuses on each individual member of the group known as the “godly.” Note how vv. 5-9, like vv. 1-2a, use the singular to describe the representative godly individual who typifies the whole group.
[112:5] 1285 tn Heb “he sustains his matters with justice.”
[112:6] 1286 tn Heb “for an eternal memorial a just [one] will be.”
[112:7] 1287 tn Heb “his heart,” viewed here as the seat of the volition and emotions (see Ps 108:1).
[112:7] 1288 tn The passive participle בָּטֻחַ [בָּטוּחַ] (batuakh [batuakh]) expresses a state that results from the subject’s action. See Isa 26:3.
[112:8] 1289 tn Heb “his heart,” viewed here as the seat of the volition.
[112:9] 1290 tn Heb “he scatters, he gives.”
[112:9] 1291 tn Heb “stands forever.”
[112:9] 1292 tn Heb “his horn will be lifted up in honor.” The horn of an ox underlies the metaphor (see Deut 33:17; 1 Kgs 22:11; Ps 92:10). The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 89:17, 24; 92:10; Lam 2:17).
[112:10] 1293 tn The Hebrew text uses the singular; the representative wicked individual is in view as typifying the group (note the use of the plural form in v. 10).
[112:10] 1294 tn Heb “his teeth he will gnash.” In Pss 35:16 and 37:12 this action is associated with a vicious attack.
[112:10] 1295 tn This could mean that the desires of the wicked will go unfulfilled. Another possibility is that “desire” refers by metonymy to the object desired and acquired. In this case the point is that the wicked will lose what they desired so badly and acquired by evil means (see Ps 10:3).
[113:1] 1296 sn Psalm 113. The psalmist praises God as the sovereign king of the world who reaches down to help the needy.
[113:3] 1297 tn Heb “from the rising of the sun to its setting.” The extent is not temporal (“from sunrise to sunset”) but spatial (“from the place where the sun rises [the east] to the place where it sets [the west].” In the phenomenological language of OT cosmology, the sun was described as rising in the east and setting in the west.
[113:4] 1298 tn Heb “above the sky [is] his splendor.”
[113:5] 1299 tn Heb “the one who makes high to sit.”
[113:6] 1300 tn Heb “the one who makes low to see.”
[113:7] 1301 sn The language of v. 7 is almost identical to that of 1 Sam 2:8.
[113:9] 1302 tn Heb “of the house.”
[114:1] 1304 sn Psalm 114. The psalmist recalls the events of the exodus and conquest and celebrates God’s kingship over his covenant people.
[114:1] 1305 tn Heb “the house of Jacob from a nation speaking a foreign language.” The Hebrew verb לָעַז (la’at, “to speak a foreign language”) occurs only here in the OT.
[114:3] 1306 sn The psalmist recalls the crossing of the Red Sea (Exod 14:21).
[114:3] 1307 tn Heb “the Jordan” (also in v. 5). The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[114:3] 1308 sn The psalmist recalls the crossing of the Jordan River (Josh 3:13, 16).
[114:4] 1309 sn The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs. This may recall the theophany at Sinai when the mountain shook before God’s presence (Exod 19:18).
[114:8] 1310 sn In v. 8 the psalmist recalls the event(s) recorded in Exod 17:6 and/or Num 20:11 (see also Deut 8:15 and Ps 78:15-16, 20).
[115:1] 1311 sn Psalm 115. The psalmist affirms that Israel’s God is superior to pagan idols and urges Israel to place their confidence in him.
[115:1] 1312 tn Or “give glory.”
[115:1] 1313 sn The psalmist asks the
[115:3] 1314 sn He does whatever he pleases. Such sovereignty is characteristic of kings (see Eccl 8:3).
[115:4] 1315 tn The referent of the pronominal suffix is “the nations” (v. 2).
[115:4] 1316 tn Heb “the work of the hands of man.”
[115:7] 1317 tn Heb “they cannot mutter in their throats.” Verse 5a refers to speaking, v. 7c to inarticulate sounds made in the throat (see M. Dahood, Psalms [AB], 3:140-41).
[115:8] 1318 tn Heb “will be.” Another option is to take the prefixed verbal form as a prayer, “may those who make them end up like them.”
[115:9] 1319 tn Or “[source of] help.”
[115:9] 1320 tn Heb “and their shield.”
[115:10] 1322 tn Or “[source of] help.”
[115:10] 1323 tn Heb “and their shield.”
[115:11] 1324 tn Heb “[you] fearers of the
[115:11] 1325 tn Or “[source of] help.”
[115:11] 1326 tn Heb “and their shield.”
[115:12] 1327 tn Or “remembers us.”
[115:12] 1328 tn Another option is to translate the prefixed form of the verb “bless” in vv. 12-13 as a jussive, “may he bless” (see v. 14).
[115:13] 1330 tn Heb “the fearers of the
[115:13] 1331 tn Heb “the small along with the great.” The translation assumes that “small” and “great” here refer to age (see 2 Chr 15:13). Another option is to translate “both the insignificant and the prominent” (see Job 3:19; cf. NEB “high and low alike”).
[115:14] 1332 tn Heb “may he add to you, to you and your sons.” The prefixed verbal form is jussive, indicating this is a prayer.
[115:16] 1334 tn Heb “the heavens [are] heavens to the
[115:16] 1335 tn Heb “to the sons of man.”
[115:17] 1336 tn Heb “silence,” a metonymy here for death (see Ps 94:17).
[116:1] 1337 sn Psalm 116. The psalmist thanks the Lord for delivering him from a life threatening crisis and promises to tell the entire covenant community what God has done for him.
[116:1] 1338 tn Heb “I love because the
[116:2] 1339 tn Heb “because he turned his ear to me.”
[116:2] 1340 tn Heb “and in my days I will cry out.”
[116:3] 1341 tn Heb “surrounded me.”
[116:3] 1342 tn The Hebrew noun מצר (“straits; distress”) occurs only here, Ps 118:5 and Lam 1:3. If retained, it refers to Sheol as a place where one is confined or severely restricted (cf. BDB 865 s.v. מֵצַר, “the straits of Sheol”; NIV “the anguish of the grave”; NRSV “the pangs of Sheol”). However, HALOT 624 s.v. מֵצַר suggests an emendation to מְצָדֵי (mÿtsadey, “snares of”), a rare noun attested in Job 19:6 and Eccl 7:26. This proposal, which is reflected in the translation, produces better parallelism with “ropes” in the preceding line.
[116:3] 1343 tn The translation assumes the prefixed verbal form is a preterite. The psalmist recalls the crisis from which the Lord delivered him.
[116:6] 1344 tn Heb “guards.” The active participle indicates this is a characteristic of the
[116:6] 1345 tn Or “the [morally] naive,” that is, the one who is young and still in the process of learning right from wrong and distinguishing wisdom from folly. See Ps 19:7.
[116:6] 1346 tn Heb “I was low.”
[116:7] 1347 tn Heb “return, my soul, to your place of rest.”
[116:7] 1348 tn The Hebrew idiom גָּמַל עַל (gamal ’al) means “to repay,” here in a positive sense (cf. Ps 13:5).
[116:8] 1350 tn “
[116:9] 1351 tn Heb “walk before” (see Ps 56:13). On the meaning of the Hebrew idiom, see the notes at 2 Kgs 20:3/Isa 38:3.
[116:9] 1352 tn Heb “lands, regions.”
[116:11] 1353 tn Heb “I said in my haste.”
[116:13] 1354 tn Heb “a cup of deliverance I will lift up.” Perhaps this alludes to a drink offering the psalmist will present as he thanks the
[116:15] 1355 tn Heb “precious in the eyes of the
[116:16] 1356 tn Heb “I am your servant, the son of your female servant.” The phrase “son of a female servant” (see also Ps 86:16) is used of a son born to a secondary wife or concubine (Exod 23:12). In some cases the child’s father is the master of the house (see Gen 21:10, 13; Judg 9:18). The use of the expression here certainly does not imply that the
[116:16] 1357 tn Heb “you have loosed my bonds.” In this context the imagery refers to deliverance from death (see v. 3).
[117:1] 1358 sn Psalm 117. The psalmist tells the nations to praise the Lord for his loyal love and faithfulness.
[117:1] 1359 tn Or “peoples” (see Ps 108:3).
[117:2] 1360 tn For this sense of the Hebrew verb גָּבַר (gavar), see Ps 103:11 and L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 17, 19.
[118:1] 1361 sn Psalm 118. The psalmist thanks God for his deliverance and urges others to join him in praise.
[118:1] 1362 tn Or “is forever.”
[118:4] 1364 tn Heb “fearers of the
[118:5] 1365 tn Heb “from the distress.” The noun מֵצַר (metsar, “straits; distress”) occurs only here and in Lam 1:3. In Ps 116:3 מצר should probably be emended to מְצָדֵי (mÿtsadey, “snares of”).
[118:5] 1366 tn Heb “the
[118:6] 1368 tn The rhetorical question assumes the answer, “Nothing!” The imperfect is used in a modal sense here, indicating capability or potential. See Ps 56:11.
[118:7] 1370 tn Heb “among my helpers.” The preposition may indicate identity here, while the plural may be one of majesty or respect.
[118:8] 1371 tn “Taking shelter” in the
[118:10] 1372 sn The reference to an attack by the nations suggests the psalmist may have been a military leader.
[118:10] 1373 tn In this context the phrase “in the name of the
[118:10] 1374 tn Traditionally the verb has been derived from מוּל (mul, “to circumcise”) and translated “[I] cut [them] off” (see BDB 557-58 s.v. II מוּל). However, it is likely that this is a homonym meaning “to fend off” (see HALOT 556 s.v. II מול) or “to push away.” In this context, where the psalmist is reporting his past experience, the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite. The phrase also occurs in vv. 11, 12.
[118:12] 1375 tn Heb “were extinguished.”
[118:12] 1376 tn The point seems to be that the hostility of the nations (v. 10) is short-lived, like a fire that quickly devours thorns and then burns out. Some, attempting to create a better parallel with the preceding line, emend דֹּעֲכוּ (do’akhu, “they were extinguished”) to בָּעֲרוּ (ba’aru, “they burned”). In this case the statement emphasizes their hostility.
[118:13] 1377 tn Heb “pushing, you pushed me.” The infinitive absolute emphasizes the following verbal idea. The psalmist appears to address the nations as if they were an individual enemy. Some find this problematic and emend the verb form (which is a Qal perfect second masculine singular with a first person singular suffix) to נִדְחֵיתִי (nidkheti), a Niphal perfect first common singular, “I was pushed.”
[118:13] 1378 tn Heb “to fall,” i.e., “that [I] might fall.”
[118:14] 1379 tn Heb “my strength and protection [is] the
[118:14] 1380 tn Or “salvation.”
[118:15] 1381 tn Heb “the sound of a ringing shout and deliverance [is] in the tents of the godly.”
[118:15] 1382 tn Heb “does valiantly.” The statement refers here to military success (see Num 24:18; 1 Sam 14:48; Pss 60:12; 108:13).
[118:16] 1383 tn Heb “exalts.”
[118:17] 1384 tn Heb “the works of the
[118:18] 1385 tn The infinitive absolute emphasizes the following verbal idea.
[118:19] 1386 tn Heb “the gates of justice.” The gates of the
[118:22] 1387 tn Or “rejected.”
[118:22] 1388 tn Heb “the head of the corner.”
[118:23] 1389 tn Heb “it is amazing in our eyes.” The use of the plural pronoun here and in vv. 24-27 suggests that the psalmist may be speaking for the entire nation. However, it is more likely that vv. 22-27 are the people’s response to the psalmist’s thanksgiving song (see especially v. 26). They rejoice with him because his deliverance on the battlefield (see vv. 10-12) had national repercussions.
[118:24] 1390 tn Heb “this is the day the
[118:25] 1391 sn A petition for deliverance and success seems odd in a psalm thanking God for deliverance, but it is not unique (see Ps 9:19-20). The people ask God to continue to intervene for them as he has for the psalmist.
[118:26] 1392 sn The people refer here to the psalmist, who enters the
[118:26] 1393 tn The pronominal suffix is second masculine plural, but the final mem (ם) is probably dittographic (note the mem [מ] at the beginning of the following form) or enclitic, in which case the suffix may be taken as second masculine singular, referring to the psalmist.
[118:26] 1394 tn Heb “from the house of the
[118:27] 1395 tn Heb “and he has given us light.” This may be an elliptical expression, with “his face” being implied as the object (see Num 6:25; Pss 31:16; 67:1; 80:3, 7, 19). In this case, “his face has given us light” = “he has smiled on us,” or “he has shown us his favor.” Another option (the one reflected in the translation) is that “light” here symbolizes divine blessing in the form of deliverance. “Light” is often used as a metaphor for deliverance and the life/blessings it brings. See Pss 37:6; 97:11; 112:4; Isa 49:6; 51:4; Mic 7:8. Some prefer to repoint the form וְיָאֵר (vÿya’er; vav [ו] conjunctive + jussive) and translate the statement as a prayer, “may he give us light.”
[118:27] 1396 tn The Hebrew noun חַג (khag) normally means “festival,” but here it apparently refers metonymically to an offering made at the festival. BDB 291 s.v. חַג 2 interprets the word in this way here, citing as comparable the use of later Hebrew חֲגִיגָה, which can refer to both a festival and a festival offering (see Jastrow 424 s.v. חֲגִיגָה).
[118:27] 1397 tn The second half of v. 27 has been translated and interpreted in a variety of ways. For a survey of major views, see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 122.
[118:28] 1398 sn You are my God. The psalmist speaks again (see v. 21), responding to the words of the worshipers (vv. 22-27).
[118:29] 1399 tn Or “is forever.”
[119:1] 1400 sn Psalm 119. The psalmist celebrates God’s law and the guidance it provides his people. He expresses his desire to know God’s law thoroughly so that he might experience the blessings that come to those who obey it. This lengthy psalm exhibits an elaborate acrostic pattern. The psalm is divided into twenty-two sections (corresponding to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet), each of which is comprised of eight verses. Each of the verses in the first section (vv. 1-8) begins with the letter alef (א), the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This pattern continues throughout the psalm as each new section highlights a successive letter of the alphabet. Each verse in section two (vv. 9-16) begins with the second letter of the alphabet, each verse in section three (vv. 17-24) with the third letter, etc. This rigid pattern creates a sense of order and completeness and may have facilitated memorization.
[119:1] 1401 tn Heb “[Oh] the happiness of those who are blameless of way.”
[119:1] 1402 tn Heb “walk in.”
[119:3] 1403 tn Heb “walk in his ways.”
[119:4] 1404 tn Heb “you, you commanded your precepts, to keep, very much.”
[119:5] 1405 tn Heb “if only my ways were established.”
[119:6] 1407 tn Heb “I gaze at.”
[119:7] 1408 tn Heb “I will give you thanks with an upright heart.”
[119:8] 1409 tn Heb “do not abandon me to excess.” For other uses of the phrase עַד מְאֹד (’ad mÿ’od, “to excess”), see Ps 38:6, 8.
[119:9] 1410 tn Heb “young man.” Hebrew wisdom literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The principle of the psalm is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, the gender specific “young man” has been translated with the more neutral “young person.”
[119:9] 1411 tn Heb “purify his path.”
[119:9] 1412 tn Heb “by keeping according to your word.” Many medieval Hebrew
[119:11] 1414 tn Heb “your word.” Some medieval Hebrew
[119:12] 1415 tn Heb “[are] blessed.”
[119:13] 1416 tn Heb “of your mouth.”
[119:14] 1417 tn Heb “in the way of your rules.”
[119:14] 1418 tn Heb “as upon,” meaning “as if” (see 2 Chr 32:19).
[119:14] 1419 tn Heb “all wealth.” The phrase refers to all kinds of wealth and riches. See Prov 1:13; 6:31; 24:4; Ezek 27:12, 18.
[119:15] 1420 tn The cohortative verbal forms in this verse express the psalmist’s resolve.
[119:15] 1421 tn Heb “gaze [at].”
[119:15] 1422 tn Heb “ways” (referring figuratively to God’s behavior here).
[119:16] 1423 tn The imperfects in this verse emphasize the attitude the psalmist maintains toward God’s law. Another option is to translate with the future tense, “I will find delight…I will not forget.”
[119:16] 1424 tn Heb “your word.” Many medieval Hebrew
[119:17] 1425 tn The prefixed verbal form is probably a cohortative indicating purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
[119:17] 1426 tn The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the imperative that begins the verse.
[119:17] 1427 tn Heb “your word.” Many medieval Hebrew
[119:18] 1428 tn Heb “uncover.” The verb form גַּל (gal) is an apocopated Piel imperative from גָּלָה (galah, see GKC 214 §75.cc).
[119:18] 1429 tn The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
[119:19] 1430 tn Heb “I am a resident alien in the land.” Resident aliens were especially vulnerable and in need of help. They needed to know the social and legal customs of the land to avoid getting into trouble. The translation (note the addition of “like”) assumes the psalmist is speaking metaphorically, not literally.
[119:20] 1431 tn Heb “my soul languishes for longing for.”
[119:21] 1432 tn Heb “accursed.” The traditional punctuation of the Hebrew text takes “accursed” with the previous line (“arrogant, accursed ones”), but it is preferable to take it with the second line as the predicate of the statement.
[119:22] 1433 tn Heb “roll away from upon me.” Some derive the imperatival form גַּל (gal) from גָּלָה (galah, “uncover,” as in v. 18), but here the form is from גָּלַל (galal, “roll”; see Josh 5:9, where חֶרְפָּה [kherpah, “shame; reproach”] also appears as object of the verb). Some, following the lead of a Dead Sea scroll (11QPsa), emend the form to גֹּל (gol).
[119:23] 1434 tn Heb “though rulers sit, about me they talk together.” (For another example of the Niphal of דָּבַר (davar) used with a suffixed form of the preposition ב, see Ezek 33:30.)
[119:24] 1435 tn Heb “men of my counsel.” That is, God’s rules are like advisers to the psalmist, for they teach him how to live in a godly manner that refutes the accusations of his enemies.
[119:25] 1436 tn Heb “my soul clings to the dirt.” The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being; soul”) with a pronominal suffix is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 4.a).
[119:25] 1437 tn Heb “according to your word.” Many medieval Hebrew
[119:26] 1438 tn Heb “my ways I proclaimed.”
[119:27] 1439 tn Heb “the way of your precepts make me understand.”
[119:27] 1440 tn The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
[119:27] 1441 tn Heb “your amazing things,” which refers here to the teachings of the law (see v. 18).
[119:28] 1442 tn Some translate “my soul weeps,” taking the verb דָלַף (dalaf) from a root meaning “to drip; to drop” (BDB 196 s.v. דֶּלַף). On the basis of cognate evidence from Arabic and Akkadian, HALOT 223 s.v. II דלף proposes a homonymic root here, meaning “be sleepless.” Following L. C. Allen (Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 127, 135) the translation assumes that the verb is cognate with Ugaritic dlp, “to collapse; to crumple” in CTA 2 iv. 17, 26. See G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 44, 144.
[119:28] 1443 tn Heb “according to your word.” Many medieval Hebrew
[119:29] 1444 tn The “path of deceit” refers to a lifestyle characterized by deceit and disloyalty to God. It stands in contrast to the “way of faithfulness” in v. 30.
[119:29] 1445 tn Heb “be gracious to me.” The verb is used metonymically here for “graciously giving” the law. (See Gen 33:5, where Jacob uses this verb in describing how God had graciously given him children.)
[119:30] 1446 tn BDB 1000-1001 s.v. I שָׁוָה derives the verb from the first homonym listed, meaning “to agree with; to be like; to resemble.” It here means (in the Piel stem) “to be accounted suitable,” which in turn would mean by metonymy “to accept; to be committed to.” Some prefer to derive the verb from a homonym meaning “to place; to set,” but in this case an elliptical prepositional phrase must be understood, “I place your regulations [before me]” (see Ps 16:8).
[119:31] 1447 tn Or “cling to.”
[119:32] 1448 tn Heb “for you make wide my heart.” The “heart” is viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s volition and understanding. The
[119:33] 1449 tn Heb “the way of your statutes.”
[119:33] 1450 tn Heb “and I will keep it to the end.” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative. The Hebrew term עֵקֶב (’eqev) is understood to mean “end” here. Another option is to take עֵקֶב (’eqev) as meaning “reward” here (see Ps 19:11) and to translate, “so that I might observe it and be rewarded.”
[119:34] 1451 tn The two prefixed verbal forms with vav (ו) conjunctive indicate purpose/result after the introductory imperative.
[119:35] 1452 tn Or “make me walk.”
[119:35] 1453 tn Heb “for in it I delight.”
[119:36] 1454 tn Heb “turn my heart to your rules.”
[119:36] 1455 tn Heb “and not unjust gain.”
[119:37] 1456 tn Heb “Make my eyes pass by from looking at what is worthless.”
[119:37] 1457 tn Heb “by your word.”
[119:38] 1459 tn Heb “which [is] for your fear,” that is, the promise made to those who exhibit fear of God.
[119:39] 1460 tn Heb “my reproach that I fear.”
[119:40] 1462 tn Or “righteousness.”
[119:41] 1463 tn Heb “and may your loyal love come to me.”
[119:41] 1464 tn Or “salvation” (so many English versions).
[119:41] 1465 tn Heb “according to your word.”
[119:42] 1466 tn Heb “and I will answer [the] one who insults me a word.” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the jussive (see v. 41).
[119:43] 1467 tn Heb “do not snatch from my mouth a word of truth to excess.” The psalmist wants to be able to give a reliable testimony about the
[119:44] 1468 tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the negated jussive (see v. 43).
[119:44] 1469 tn Or “forever and ever.”
[119:45] 1470 tn Heb “and I will walk about in a wide place.” The cohortative with prefixed vav (ו) conjunctive gives a further consequence of the anticipated positive divine response (see vv. 43-44). Another option is to take the cohortative as expressing the psalmist’s request. In this case one could translate, “and please give me security.”
[119:46] 1471 tn The series of four cohortatives with prefixed vav (ו) conjunctive in vv. 46-48 list further consequences of the anticipated positive divine response to the request made in v. 43.
[119:48] 1472 tn Lifting the hands is often associated with prayer (Pss 28:2; 63:4; Lam 2:19). (1) Because praying to God’s law borders on the extreme, some prefer to emend the text to “I lift up my hands to you,” eliminating “your commands, which I love” as dittographic. In this view these words were accidentally repeated from the previous verse. (2) However, it is possible that the psalmist closely associates the law with God himself because he views the law as the expression of the divine will. (3) Another option is that “lifting the hands” does not refer to prayer here, but to the psalmist’s desire to receive and appropriate the law. (4) Still others understand this to be an action praising God’s commands (so NCV; cf. TEV, CEV, NLT).
[119:50] 1473 tn The demonstrative “this” refers back to the hope just mentioned or forward to the statement in the second line concerning the promise’s power to revive. See the note on the word “me” at the end of the verse for further discussion.
[119:50] 1474 tn The hope generated by the promise (see v. 49b) brings comfort because (note “for” at the beginning of the line) the promise revives the psalmist’s spirits. Another option is to take כִּי (ki) at the beginning of the second line in the sense of “that,” in which case “this” refers to the promise’s power to revive.
[119:51] 1475 tn Heb “scoff at me to excess.”
[119:52] 1476 tn Heb “I remember your regulations from of old.” The prepositional phrase “from of old” apparently modifies “your regulations,” alluding to the fact that God revealed them to Israel in the distant past. Another option is to understand the prepositional phrase as modifying the verb, in which case one might translate, “I have long remembered your regulations.”
[119:52] 1477 tn Or “find comfort.”
[119:54] 1478 tn Heb “songs were your statutes to me.”
[119:54] 1479 tn Heb “in the house of my dwelling place.” Some take the Hebrew noun מָגוֹר (magor) in the sense of “temporary abode,” and see this as a reference to the psalmist’s status as a resident alien (see v. 19). But the noun can refer to a dwelling place in general (see Ps 55:15).
[119:55] 1480 tn The cohortative verbal form expresses the psalmist’s resolve to obey the law.
[119:56] 1481 tn Heb “this has been to me.” The demonstrative “this” (1) refers back to the practices mentioned in vv. 54-55, or (2) looks forward to the statement in the second line, in which case the כִּי (ki) at the beginning of the second line should be translated “that.”
[119:57] 1482 tn Heb “my portion [is] the
[119:57] 1483 tn Heb “I said.”
[119:57] 1484 tn Heb “to keep your words” (see v. 9).
[119:58] 1485 tn Heb “I appease your face.”
[119:58] 1486 tn Heb “according to your word.”
[119:59] 1487 tn Heb “my ways.”
[119:59] 1488 tn Heb “and I turn my feet toward.”
[119:60] 1489 tn Heb “I hurry and I do not delay to keep your commands.”
[119:61] 1490 tn Heb “surround.”
[119:62] 1491 tn The psalmist uses an imperfect verbal form to emphasize that this is his continuing practice.
[119:63] 1492 tn Heb “to all who fear you.”
[119:65] 1493 tn Heb “do good.”
[119:65] 1494 tn Heb “according to your word.”
[119:66] 1495 tn Heb “goodness of taste.” Here “taste” refers to moral and ethical discernment.
[119:66] 1496 tn Heb “for I believe in your commands.”
[119:67] 1497 tn Heb “before I suffered, I was straying off.”
[119:67] 1498 tn Heb “your word.”
[119:69] 1499 tn Heb “smear over me a lie.”
[119:70] 1500 tn Heb “their heart is insensitive like fat.”
[119:72] 1501 tn Heb “better to me [is] the law of your mouth than thousands of gold and silver.”
[119:73] 1502 tn Heb “made me and established me.” The two verbs also appear together in Deut 32:6, where God, compared to a father, is said to have “made and established” Israel.
[119:73] 1503 tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
[119:74] 1504 tn Heb “those who fear you will see me and rejoice.”
[119:75] 1505 tn In this context (note the second line) the Hebrew term מִשְׁפָּטִים (mishpatim), which so often refers to the regulations of God’s law elsewhere in this psalm, may refer instead to his decisions or disciplinary judgment.
[119:75] 1506 tn Heb “and [in] faithfulness you afflicted me.”
[119:76] 1507 tn Heb “according to your word to your servant.”
[119:77] 1508 tn Heb “and may your compassion come to me.”
[119:78] 1509 tn Heb “for [with] falsehood they have denied me justice.”
[119:79] 1510 tn Heb “those who fear you.”
[119:80] 1511 tn Heb “may my heart be complete in your statutes.”
[119:81] 1512 tn Heb “my soul pines for.” See Ps 84:2.
[119:82] 1513 tn Heb “my eyes fail for your word.” The psalmist has intently kept his eyes open, looking for God to intervene, but now his eyes are watery and bloodshot, impairing his vision. See Ps 69:3.
[119:82] 1514 tn Heb “saying.”
[119:83] 1515 tn Or “even though.”
[119:83] 1516 tn The Hebrew word נֹאד (no’d, “leather container”) refers to a container made from animal skin which is used to hold wine or milk (see Josh 9:4, 13; Judg 4:19; 1 Sam 16:20).
[119:83] 1517 tn Heb “in the smoke.”
[119:84] 1518 tn Heb “How long are the days of your servant?”
[119:85] 1519 tn Heb “for me.”
[119:85] 1520 tn Heb “which [is] not according to your law.”
[119:86] 1521 sn God’s commands are a reliable guide to right and wrong. By keeping them the psalmist is doing what is right, yet he is still persecuted.
[119:88] 1522 tn Heb “according to.”
[119:88] 1523 tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
[119:88] 1524 tn Heb “of your mouth.”
[119:89] 1525 tn Heb “Forever, O
[119:90] 1526 tn Heb “to a generation and a generation [is] your faithfulness.”
[119:92] 1527 tn Heb “if your law had not been my delight.”
[119:92] 1528 tn Or “my suffering.”
[119:95] 1529 tn Heb “the wicked wait for me to kill me.”
[119:96] 1530 tn Heb “to every perfection I have seen an end, your command is very wide.” God’s law is beyond full comprehension, which is why the psalmist continually studies it (vv. 95, 97).
[119:98] 1531 tn The plural form needs to be revocalized as a singular in order to agree with the preceding singular verb and the singular pronoun in the next line. The
[119:101] 1532 tn Heb “I hold back my feet.”
[119:101] 1533 tn Heb “your word.” Many medieval Hebrew
[119:103] 1534 tn Heb “How smooth they are to my palate, your word, more than honey to my mouth.” A few medieval Hebrew
[119:104] 1535 tn Heb “every false path.”
[119:105] 1536 tn Many medieval Hebrew
[119:105] 1537 tn Heb “[is] a lamp for my foot and a light for my path.”
[119:107] 1538 tn Heb “according to your word.”
[119:108] 1539 tn Heb “of my mouth.”
[119:109] 1540 tn Heb “my life [is] in my hands continually.”
[119:111] 1541 tn Heb “for the joy of my heart [are] they.”
[119:112] 1542 tn Heb “I turn my heart to do.”
[119:113] 1543 tn Heb “divided ones.” The word occurs only here; it appears to be derived from a verbal root, attested in Arabic, meaning “to split” (see HALOT 762 s.v. *סֵעֵף). Since the psalmist is emphasizing his unswerving allegiance to God and his law, the term probably refers to those who lack such loyalty. The translation is similar to that suggested by L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 131.
[119:115] 1544 tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
[119:115] 1545 tn The psalmist has already declared that he observes God’s commands despite persecution, so here the idea must be “so that I might observe the commands of my God unhindered by threats.”
[119:116] 1546 tn Heb “according to your word.”
[119:116] 1547 tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
[119:116] 1548 tn Heb “do not make me ashamed of my hope.” After the Hebrew verb בּוֹשׁ (bosh, “to be ashamed”) the preposition מִן (min, “from”) often introduces the reason for shame.
[119:117] 1549 tn Or “and that I might focus.” The two cohortatives with vav (ו) conjunctive indicate purpose/result after the imperative at the beginning of the verse.
[119:118] 1550 tn The Hebrew verb סָלָה (salah, “to disdain”) occurs only here and in Lam 1:15. Cognate usage in Aramaic and Akkadian, as well as Lam 1:15, suggest it may have a concrete nuance of “to throw away.”
[119:118] 1551 tn Heb “for their deceit [is] falsehood.”
[119:119] 1552 sn Traditionally “dross” (so KJV, ASV, NIV). The metaphor comes from metallurgy; “slag” is the substance left over after the metallic ore has been refined.
[119:119] 1553 sn As he explains in the next verse, the psalmist’s fear of judgment motivates him to obey God’s rules.
[119:120] 1554 tn Heb “my flesh.”
[119:120] 1555 tn The Hebrew verb סָמַר (samar, “to tremble”) occurs only here and in Job 4:15.
[119:120] 1556 tn Heb “from fear of you.” The pronominal suffix on the noun is an objective genitive.
[119:121] 1557 tn Heb “do justice and righteousness.”
[119:122] 1558 tn Heb “be surety for your servant for good.”
[119:123] 1559 tn Heb “my eyes fail for your deliverance.” The psalmist has intently kept his eyes open, looking for God to intervene, but now his eyes are watery and bloodshot, impairing his vision. See the similar phrase in v. 82.
[119:123] 1560 tn Heb “and for the word of your faithfulness.”
[119:124] 1561 tn Heb “do with your servant according to your loyal love.”
[119:125] 1562 tn or “know.” The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
[119:127] 1563 tn “For this reason” connects logically with the statement made in v. 126. Because the judgment the psalmist fears (see vv. 119-120) is imminent, he remains loyal to God’s law.
[119:128] 1564 tn Heb “for this reason all the precepts of everything I regard as right.” The phrase “precepts of everything” is odd. It is preferable to take the kaf (כ) on כֹּל (kol, “everything) with the preceding form as a pronominal suffix, “your precepts,” and the lamed (ל) with the following verb as an emphatic particle. See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 138.
[119:128] 1565 tn Heb “every false path.”
[119:130] 1566 tn Heb “the doorway of your words gives light.” God’s “words” refer here to the instructions in his law (see vv. 9, 57).
[119:130] 1567 tn Heb “it [i.e., the doorway] gives.”
[119:130] 1568 tn Or “the [morally] naive,” that is, the one who is young and still in the process of learning right from wrong and distinguishing wisdom from folly. See Pss 19:7; 116:6.
[119:131] 1569 tn The verb occurs only here in the OT.
[119:132] 1570 tn Heb “according to custom toward the lovers of your name.” The “lovers of” God’s “name” are the
[119:133] 1571 tn God’s “word” refers here to his law (see v. 11).
[119:134] 1572 tn Or “redeem me.”
[119:134] 1573 tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
[119:135] 1574 tn Heb “cause your face to shine.”
[119:136] 1575 tn Heb “[with] flowing streams my eyes go down.”
[119:136] 1576 tn Heb “they”; even though somewhat generic, the referent (people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[119:138] 1577 tn Heb “you commanded [in] justice your rules.”
[119:139] 1579 tn Heb “destroys,” in a hyperbolic sense.
[119:139] 1580 tn Heb “your words.”
[119:142] 1581 tn Heb “your justice [is] justice forever.”
[119:144] 1584 tn Heb “just are your rules forever.”
[119:144] 1585 tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
[119:146] 1586 tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
[119:149] 1587 tn Heb “my voice.”
[119:149] 1588 tn Heb “according to.”
[119:149] 1589 tn Heb “according to your custom.”
[119:150] 1590 tn Heb “those who pursue.”
[119:152] 1592 tn Heb “long ago I knew concerning your rules, that forever you established them.” See v. 89 for the same idea. The translation assumes that the preposition מִן (min) prefixed to “your rules” introduces the object of the verb יָדַע (yada’), as in 1 Sam 23:23. Another option is that the preposition indicates source, in which case one might translate, “Long ago I realized from your rules that forever you established them” (cf. NIV, NRSV).
[119:154] 1593 tn Or “argue my case.”
[119:154] 1594 tn Heb “and redeem me.” The verb “redeem” casts the
[119:155] 1595 tn Heb “far from the wicked [is] deliverance.”
[119:156] 1596 tn Heb “according to your customs.”
[119:157] 1597 tn Heb “many [are] those who chase me and my enemies.”
[119:158] 1598 tn Heb “your word.”
[119:160] 1599 tn Heb “the head of your word is truth, and forever [is] all your just regulation.” The term “head” is used here of the “sum total” of God’s instructions.
[119:161] 1600 tn Heb “and because of your instructions my heart trembles.” The psalmist’s healthy “fear” of the consequences of violating God’s instructions motivates him to obey them. See v. 120.
[119:162] 1601 tn Heb “like one who finds great plunder.” See Judg 5:30. The image is that of a victorious warrior who finds a large amount of plunder on the field of battle.
[119:164] 1602 tn The number “seven” is use rhetorically to suggest thoroughness.
[119:165] 1603 tn Heb “great peace [is] to the lovers of your law.”
[119:165] 1604 tn Heb “and there is no stumbling to them.”
[119:168] 1606 tn Heb “for all my ways [are] before you.”
[119:169] 1607 tn Heb “may my cry approach before you.”
[119:170] 1608 tn Heb “may my appeal for mercy come before you.”
[119:170] 1609 tn Heb “according to your speech.”
[119:172] 1610 tn Heb “your word.”
[119:173] 1611 tn The words “to obey” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons and for clarity.
[119:175] 1612 tn Heb “my life.”
[119:175] 1613 tn God’s regulations will “help” the psalmist by giving him moral and ethical guidance.
[119:176] 1614 tn Heb “I stray like a lost sheep.” It is possible that the point of the metaphor is vulnerability: The psalmist, who is threatened by his enemies, feels as vulnerable as a straying, lost sheep. This would not suggest, however, that he has wandered from God’s path (see the second half of the verse, as well as v. 110).
[120:1] 1615 sn Psalm 120. The genre and structure of this psalm are uncertain. It begins like a thanksgiving psalm, with a brief notice that God has heard the psalmist’s prayer for help and has intervened. But v. 2 is a petition for help, followed by a taunt directed toward enemies (vv. 3-4) and a lament (vv. 5-7). Perhaps vv. 2-7 recall the psalmist’s prayer when he cried out to the Lord.
[120:1] 1616 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
[120:2] 1617 tn The words “I said” are supplied in the translation for clarification. See the introductory note for this psalm.
[120:2] 1619 tn Heb “from a lip of falsehood.”
[120:2] 1620 tn Heb “from a tongue of deception.”
[120:3] 1621 tn Heb “What will he give to you, and what will he add to you, O tongue of deception?” The psalmist addresses his deceptive enemies. The
[120:4] 1622 tn The words “here’s how” are supplied in the translation as a clarification. In v. 4 the psalmist answers the question he raises in v. 3.
[120:4] 1623 tn Heb “with coals of the wood of the broom plant.” The wood of the broom plant was used to make charcoal, which in turn was used to fuel the fire used to forge the arrowheads.
[120:5] 1624 tn Or “woe to me.” The Hebrew term אוֹיָה (’oyah, “woe”) which occurs only here, is an alternate form of אוֹי (’oy).
[120:5] 1625 tn Heb “I live as a resident alien.”
[120:5] 1626 sn Meshech was located in central Anatolia (modern Turkey). Kedar was located in the desert to east-southeast of Israel. Because of the reference to Kedar, it is possible that Ps 120:5 refers to a different Meshech, perhaps one associated with the individual mentioned as a descendant of Aram in 1 Chr 1:17. (However, the LXX in 1 Chr 1:17 follows the parallel text in Gen 10:23, which reads “Mash,” not Meshech.) It is, of course, impossible that the psalmist could have been living in both the far north and the east at the same time. For this reason one must assume that he is recalling his experience as a wanderer among the nations or that he is using the geographical terms metaphorically and sarcastically to suggest that the enemies who surround him are like the barbarians who live in these distant regions. For a discussion of the problem, see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 146.
[120:6] 1627 tn The singular participial form probably has a representative function here. The psalmist envisions the typical hater of peace who represents the entire category of such individuals.
[120:7] 1628 tn Heb “I, peace.”
[120:7] 1629 tn Heb “they [are] for war.”
[121:1] 1630 sn Psalm 121. The psalm affirms that the Lord protects his people Israel. Unless the psalmist addresses an observer (note the second person singular forms in vv. 3-8), it appears there are two or three speakers represented in the psalm, depending on how one takes v. 3. The translation assumes that speaker one talks in vv. 1-2, that speaker two responds to him with a prayer in v. 3 (this assumes the verbs are true jussives of prayer), and that speaker three responds with words of assurance in vv. 4-8. If the verbs in v. 3 are taken as a rhetorical use of the jussive, then there are two speakers. Verses 3-8 are speaker two’s response to the words of speaker one. See the note on the word “sleep” at the end of v. 3.
[121:1] 1631 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
[121:1] 1632 tn Heb “I lift my eyes.”
[121:1] 1633 tn The Hebrew term מֵאַיִן (me’ayin) is interrogative, not relative, in function. Rather than directly stating that his source of help descends from the hills, the psalmist is asking, “From where does my help come?” Nevertheless, the first line does indicate that he is looking toward the hills for help, probably indicating that he is looking up toward the sky in anticipation of supernatural intervention. The psalmist assumes the dramatic role of one needing help. He answers his own question in v. 2.
[121:2] 1634 tn Heb “my help [is] from with the
[121:3] 1636 tn Heb “the one who guards you.”
[121:3] 1637 tn The prefixed verbal forms following the negative particle אל appear to be jussives. As noted above, if they are taken as true jussives of prayer, then the speaker in v. 3 would appear to be distinct from both the speaker in vv. 1-2 and the speaker in vv. 4-8. However, according to GKC 322 §109.e), the jussives are used rhetorically here “to express the conviction that something cannot or should not happen.” In this case one should probably translate, “he will not allow your foot to slip, your protector will not sleep,” and understand just one speaker in vv. 4-8.
[121:4] 1638 tn Heb “the one who guards Israel.”
[121:6] 1639 sn One hardly thinks of the moon’s rays as being physically harmful, like those of the sun. The reference to the moon may simply lend poetic balance to the verse, but it is likely that the verse reflects an ancient, primitive belief that the moon could have an adverse effect on the mind (note the English expression “moonstruck,” which reflects such a belief). Another possibility is that the sun and moon stand by metonymy for harmful forces characteristic of the day and night, respectively.
[121:8] 1640 tn Heb “your going out and your coming in.”
[122:1] 1641 sn Psalm 122. The psalmist expresses his love for Jerusalem and promises to pray for the city’s security.
[122:1] 1642 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
[122:1] 1643 tn Heb “in the ones saying to me.” After the verb שָׂמַח (samakh), the preposition בְּ (bet) usually introduces the reason for joy.
[122:3] 1645 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[122:3] 1646 tc Heb “Jerusalem, which is built like a city which is joined to her together.” The meaning of the Hebrew text is unclear. Many regard this as a description of the compact way in which the city was designed or constructed. The translation assumes an emendation of the verb חֻבְּרָה (khubbÿrah, “is joined”) to a noun חֶבְרָה (khevrah, “association; company”). The text then reads literally, “Jerusalem, which is built like a city which has a company together.” This in turn can be taken as a reference to Jerusalem’s role as a city where people congregated for religious festivals and other civic occasions (see vv. 4-5).
[122:4] 1648 tn Heb “which is where the tribes go up.”
[122:4] 1649 tn Heb “[it is] a statute for Israel to give thanks to the name of the
[122:5] 1652 tn Heb “Indeed, there they sit [on] thrones for judgment, [on] thrones [belonging] to the house of David.”
[122:6] 1653 tn Heb “ask [for].”
[122:6] 1654 tn Or “be secure.”
[122:7] 1655 tn or “security.”
[122:7] 1656 tn The psalmist uses second feminine singular pronominal forms to address personified Jerusalem.
[122:9] 1657 tn Heb “I will seek good for you.” The psalmist will seek Jerusalem’s “good” through prayer.
[123:1] 1658 sn Psalm 123. The psalmist, speaking for God’s people, acknowledges his dependence on God in the midst of a crisis.
[123:1] 1659 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
[123:1] 1660 tn Heb “I lift my eyes.”
[123:1] 1661 tn Heb “sitting.” The Hebrew verb יָשַׁב (yashav) is here used metonymically of “sitting enthroned” (see Pss 9:7; 29:10; 55:19; 102:12).
[123:2] 1662 sn Servants look to their master for food, shelter, and other basic needs.
[123:3] 1663 tn Heb “for greatly we are filled [with] humiliation.”
[123:4] 1664 tn Heb “greatly our soul is full to it.”
[124:1] 1665 sn Psalm 124. Israel acknowledges that the Lord delivered them from certain disaster.
[124:1] 1666 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
[124:2] 1667 tn Heb “rose up against us.”
[124:4] 1669 tn Heb “would have passed over.”
[124:4] 1670 tn Heb “our being.” The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) with a pronominal suffix is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 4.a).
[124:5] 1671 tn Heb “then they would have passed over our being, the raging waters.”
[124:6] 1672 tn Heb “blessed [be] the
[124:6] 1673 tn Heb “[the one] who.”
[124:7] 1674 tn Heb “our life escaped.”
[124:8] 1675 tn Heb “our help [is] in the name of the
[125:1] 1677 sn Psalm 125. The psalmist affirms his confidence in the Lord’s protection and justice.
[125:1] 1678 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
[125:2] 1679 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[125:3] 1681 tn Heb “a scepter of wickedness.” The “scepter” symbolizes royal authority; when collocated with “wickedness” the phrase refers to an oppressive foreign conqueror.
[125:3] 1683 tn Heb “so that the godly might not stretch out their hands in wrongdoing.” A wicked king who sets a sinful example can have an adverse moral and ethical effect on the people he rules.
[125:4] 1684 tn Heb “pure of heart.” The “heart” is here viewed as the seat of one’s moral character and motives. The “pure of heart” are God’s faithful followers who trust in and love the
[125:5] 1685 tn Heb “and the ones making their paths twisted.” A sinful lifestyle is compared to a twisting, winding road.
[125:5] 1686 tn Heb “lead them away.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive of prayer here (note the prayers directly before and after this). Another option is to translate, “the
[125:5] 1687 tn Heb “the workers of wickedness.”
[125:5] 1688 tn Heb “peace [be] upon Israel.” The statement is understood as a prayer (see Ps 122:8 for a similar prayer for peace).
[126:1] 1689 sn Psalm 126. Recalling the joy of past deliverance, God’s covenant community asks for a fresh display of God’s power and confidently anticipate their sorrow being transformed into joy.
[126:1] 1690 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
[126:1] 1691 tn Heb “turns with a turning [toward] his people.” The Hebrew noun שִׁיבַת (shivat) occurs only here in the OT. For this reason many prefer to emend the form to the more common שְׁבִית (shevit) or שְׁבוּת (shÿvut), both of which are used as a cognate accusative of שׁוּב (shuv; see Ps 14:7). However an Aramaic cognate of שְׁבִית appears in an eighth century
[126:1] 1692 tn Heb “we were like dreamers.” This could mean the speakers were so overcome with ecstatic joy (see v. 3b) that they were like those who fantasize about pleasurable experiences in their sleep (see Isa 29:7-8). Since dreams are more commonly associated in the OT with prophetic visions, the community may be comparing their experience of God’s renewed favor to a prophet’s receiving divine visions. Just as a prophetic dream sweeps the individual into a different dimension and sometimes brings one face-to-face with God himself (see Gen 28:11-15; 1 Kgs 3:5-15), so the community was aware of God’s presence in a special way in the day of Zion’s restoration. Though the MT as it stands makes good sense, some choose to understand a homonymic root here meaning “to be healthy; to be strong” (see BDB 321 s.v. I חָלַם) and translate, “we were like those restored to health.” This reading appears to have the support of several ancient translations as well as 11QPsa. See L. C. Allen (Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 170-71) for a discussion of the viewpoints.
[126:2] 1693 tn Heb “then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with a shout.”
[126:2] 1694 tn Heb “they said among the nations.”
[126:4] 1695 tn Heb “like the streams in the Negev.”
[126:5] 1696 sn O. Borowski says regarding this passage: “The dependence on rain for watering plants, the uncertainty of the quantity and timing of the rains, and the possibility of crop failure due to pests and diseases appear to have kept the farmer in a gloomy mood during sowing” (Agriculture in Iron Age Israel, 54). Perhaps the people were experiencing a literal drought, the effects of which cause them to lament their plight as they plant their seed in hopes that the rain would come. However, most take the language as metaphorical. Like a farmer sowing his seed, the covenant community was enduring hardship as they waited for a new outpouring of divine blessing. Yet they are confident that a time of restoration will come and relieve their anxiety, just as the harvest brings relief and joy to the farmer.
[126:6] 1697 tn The noun occurs only here and in Job 28:18 in the OT. See HALOT 646 s.v. I מֶשֶׁךְ which gives “leather pouch” as the meaning.
[126:6] 1698 tn The Hebrew noun אֲלֻמָּה (’alummah, “sheaf”) occurs only here and in Gen 37:7 in the OT.
[127:1] 1699 sn Psalm 127. In this wisdom psalm the psalmist teaches that one does not find security by one’s own efforts, for God alone gives stability and security.
[127:1] 1700 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
[127:1] 1701 sn The expression build a house may have a double meaning here. It may refer on the surface level to a literal physical structure in which a family lives, but at a deeper, metaphorical level it refers to building, perpetuating, and maintaining a family line. See Deut 25:9; Ruth 4:11; 1 Sam 2:35; 2 Sam 7:27; 1 Kgs 11:38; 1 Chr 17:10, 25. Having a family line provided security in ancient Israel.
[127:1] 1702 sn The city symbolizes community security, which is the necessary framework for family security.
[127:2] 1703 tn Heb “[it is] vain for you, you who are early to rise, who delay sitting, who eat the food of hard work.” The three substantival participles are parallel and stand in apposition to the pronominal suffix on the preposition. See לָכֶם (lakhem, “for you”).
[127:2] 1704 tn Here the Hebrew particle כֵּן (ken) is used to stress the following affirmation (see Josh 2:4; Ps 63:2).
[127:2] 1705 tn Heb “he gives to his beloved, sleep.” The translation assumes that the Hebrew term שֵׁנָא (shena’, “sleep,” an alternate form of שֵׁנָה, shenah) is an adverbial accusative. The point seems to be this: Hard work by itself is not what counts, but one’s relationship to God, for God is able to bless an individual even while he sleeps. (There may even be a subtle allusion to the miracle of conception following sexual intercourse; see the reference to the gift of sons in the following verse.) The statement is not advocating laziness, but utilizing hyperbole to give perspective and to remind the addressees that God must be one’s first priority. Another option is to take “sleep” as the direct object: “yes, he gives sleep to his beloved” (cf. NIV, NRSV). In this case the point is this: Hard work by itself is futile, for only God is able to bless one with sleep, which metonymically refers to having one’s needs met. He blesses on the basis of one’s relationship to him, not on the basis of physical energy expended.
[127:3] 1707 tn Some prefer to translate this term with the gender neutral “children,” but “sons” are plainly in view here, as the following verses make clear. Daughters are certainly wonderful additions to a family, but in ancient Israelite culture sons were the “arrows” that gave a man security in his old age, for they could defend the family interests at the city gate, where the legal and economic issues of the community were settled.
[127:4] 1708 tn Heb “like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so [are] sons of youth.” Arrows are used in combat to defend oneself against enemies; sons are viewed here as providing social security and protection (see v. 5). The phrase “sons of youth” is elliptical, meaning “sons [born during the father’s] youth.” Such sons will have grown up to be mature adults and will have children of their own by the time the father reaches old age and becomes vulnerable to enemies. Contrast the phrase “son of old age” in Gen 37:3 (see also 44:20), which refers to Jacob’s age when Joseph was born.
[127:5] 1709 tn Being “put to shame” is here metonymic for being defeated, probably in a legal context, as the reference to the city gate suggests. One could be humiliated (Ps 69:12) or deprived of justice (Amos 5:12) at the gate, but with strong sons to defend the family interests this was less likely to happen.
[127:5] 1710 tn Heb “speak with.”
[128:1] 1711 sn Psalm 128. The psalmist observes that the godly individual has genuine happiness because the Lord rewards such a person with prosperity and numerous children.
[128:1] 1712 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
[128:1] 1713 tn Heb “every fearer of the
[128:1] 1714 tn Heb “the one who walks in his ways.”
[128:2] 1715 tn The psalmist addresses the representative God-fearing man, as indicated by the references to “your wife” (v. 3) and “the man” (v. 4), as well as the second masculine singular pronominal and verbal forms in vv. 2-6.
[128:2] 1716 tn Heb “the work of your hands, indeed you will eat.”
[128:2] 1717 tn Heb “how blessed you [will be] and it will be good for you.”
[128:3] 1718 sn The metaphor of the fruitful vine pictures the wife as fertile; she will give her husband numerous children (see the next line).
[128:3] 1719 tn One could translate “sons” (see Ps 127:3 and the note on the word “sons” there), but here the term seems to refer more generally to children of both genders.
[128:4] 1720 tn Heb “look, indeed thus will the man, the fearer of the
[128:5] 1721 tn The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive of prayer (note the imperatives that are subordinated to this clause in vv. 5b-6a). Having described the blessings that typically come to the godly, the psalmist concludes by praying that this ideal may become reality for the representative godly man being addressed.
[128:5] 1722 tn The imperative with prefixed vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding jussive.
[128:5] 1723 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[128:6] 1724 tn The imperative with prefixed vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the jussive in v. 5a.
[128:6] 1725 tn Heb “sons to your sons.”
[128:6] 1726 tn Heb “peace [be] upon Israel.” The statement is understood as a prayer (see Ps 125:5).
[129:1] 1727 sn Psalm 129. Israel affirms God’s justice and asks him to destroy the enemies of Zion.
[129:1] 1728 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
[129:4] 1729 tn The background of the metaphor is not entirely clear. Perhaps the “ropes” are those used to harness the ox for plowing (see Job 39:10). Verse 3 pictures the wicked plowing God’s people as if they were a field. But when God “cut the ropes” of their ox, as it were, they could no longer plow. The point of the metaphor seems to be that God took away the enemies’ ability to oppress his people. See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 187.
[129:6] 1730 tn The Hebrew verb שָׁלַף (shalaf) normally means “to draw [a sword]” or “to pull.” BDB 1025 s.v. suggests the meaning “to shoot up” here, but it is more likely that the verb here means “to pluck; to pull up,” a nuance attested for this word in later Hebrew and Aramaic (see Jastrow 1587 s.v. שָׁלַף).
[129:8] 1731 tn The perfect verbal form is used for rhetorical effect; it describes an anticipated development as if it were already reality.
[130:1] 1732 sn Psalm 130. The psalmist, confident of the Lord’s forgiveness, cries out to the Lord for help in the midst of his suffering and urges Israel to do the same.
[130:1] 1733 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
[130:1] 1734 tn Heb “depths,” that is, deep waters (see Ps 69:2, 14; Isa 51:10), a metaphor for the life-threatening danger faced by the psalmist.
[130:2] 1735 tn Heb “my voice.”
[130:2] 1736 tn Heb “may your ears be attentive to the voice of.”
[130:3] 1737 tn Heb “observe.”
[130:3] 1738 tn The words “before you” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The psalmist must be referring to standing before God’s judgment seat. The rhetorical question expects the answer, “No one.”
[130:4] 1740 tn Heb “for with you [there is] forgiveness.”
[130:4] 1741 tn Or “consequently you are.”
[130:5] 1743 tn Or “wait for.”
[130:5] 1744 tn Heb “my soul waits.”
[130:5] 1745 tn Heb “his word.”
[130:6] 1746 tn Heb “my soul for the master.”
[130:6] 1747 tn Heb “more than watchmen for the morning, watchmen for the morning.” The words “yes, more” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[130:7] 1748 tn Heb “for with the
[130:7] 1749 tn Heb “and abundantly with him [is] redemption.”
[130:8] 1751 tn The Hebrew noun עָוֹן (’avon) can refer to sin, the guilt sin produces, or the consequences of sin. Only here is the noun collocated with the verb פָּדָה (padah, “to redeem; to deliver”). The psalmist may refer to forgiveness per se (v. 4), but the emphasis in this context is likely on deliverance from the national consequences of sin. See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 192.
[131:1] 1752 sn Psalm 131. The psalmist affirms his humble dependence on the Lord and urges Israel to place its trust in God.
[131:1] 1753 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
[131:1] 1754 tn Heb “and my eyes are not lifted up.”
[131:1] 1755 tn Heb “I do not walk in great things, and in things too marvelous for me.”
[131:2] 1757 tn Heb “I make level and make quiet my soul.”
[131:2] 1758 tn Heb “like a weaned [one] upon his mother.”
[131:2] 1759 tn Heb “like the weaned [one] upon me, my soul.”
[132:1] 1760 sn Psalm 132. The psalmist reminds God of David’s devotion and of his promises concerning David’s dynasty and Zion.
[132:1] 1761 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
[132:1] 1762 tn Heb “all his affliction.” This may refer to David’s strenuous and tireless efforts to make provision for the building of the temple (see 1 Chr 22:14). Some prefer to revocalize the text as עַנַוָתוֹ (’anavato, “his humility”).
[132:2] 1763 tn Heb “the powerful [one] of Jacob.”
[132:3] 1764 tn The words “he said” are supplied in the translation to clarify that what follows is David’s vow.
[132:3] 1765 tn Heb “the tent of my house.”
[132:3] 1766 tn Heb “go up upon the bed of my couch.”
[132:5] 1767 tn The plural form of the noun may indicate degree or quality; David envisions a special dwelling place (see Pss 43:3; 46:4; 84:1).
[132:5] 1768 tn Heb “the powerful [one] of Jacob.”
[132:6] 1769 tn Rather than having an antecedent, the third feminine singular pronominal suffix here (and in the next line) appears to refer to the ark of the covenant, mentioned in v. 8. (The Hebrew term אָרוֹן [’aron, “ark”] is sometimes construed as grammatically feminine. See 1 Sam 4:17; 2 Chr 8:11.)
[132:6] 1770 sn Some understand Ephrathah as a reference to Kiriath-jearim because of the apparent allusion to this site in the next line (see the note on “Jaar”). The ark was kept in Kiriath-jearim after the Philistines released it (see 1 Sam 6:21-7:2). However, the switch in verbs from “heard about” to “found” suggests that Ephrathah not be equated with Jair. The group who is speaking heard about the ark while they were in Ephrath. They then went to retrieve it from Kiriath-jearim (“Jaar”). It is more likely that Ephrathah refers to a site near Bethel (Gen 35:16, 19; 48:7) or to Bethlehem (Ruth 4:11; Mic 5:2).
[132:6] 1771 tn Heb “fields of the forest.” The Hebrew term יָעַר (ya’ad, “forest”) is apparently a shortened alternative name for קִרְיַת יְעָרִים (qiryat yÿ’arim, “Kiriath-jearim”), the place where the ark was kept after it was released by the Philistines and from which David and his men retrieved it (see 1 Chr 13:6).
[132:7] 1772 tn Or “bow down.”
[132:9] 1773 tn Or “righteousness.”
[132:10] 1774 tn Heb “do not turn away the face of your anointed one.”
[132:11] 1775 tn Heb “the
[132:11] 1776 tn Heb “he will not turn back from it.”
[132:11] 1777 tn The words “he said” are supplied in the translation to clarify that what follows are the
[132:11] 1778 tn Heb “the fruit of your body.”
[132:13] 1780 tn Heb “he desired it for his dwelling place.”
[132:14] 1781 tn The words “he said” are added in the translation to clarify that what follows are the
[132:14] 1782 tn Heb “for I desired it.”
[132:15] 1783 tn Heb “I will greatly bless her provision.” The infinitive absolute is used to emphasize the verb.
[132:15] 1784 tn Heb “her poor I will satisfy [with] food.”
[132:16] 1785 tn Heb “and her priests I will clothe [with] deliverance.”
[132:16] 1786 tn Heb “[with] shouting they will shout.” The infinitive absolute is used to emphasize the verb.
[132:17] 1787 tn Heb “there I will cause a horn to sprout for David.” The horn of an ox underlies the metaphor (cf. Deut 33:17; 1 Kgs 22:11; Pss 18:2; 92:10). The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “exalt the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 89:17, 24; 92:10; Lam 2:17). In the ancient Near East powerful warrior-kings would sometimes compare themselves to a goring bull that used its horns to kill its enemies. For examples, see P. Miller, “El the Warrior,” HTR 60 (1967): 422-25, and R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 135-36.
[132:17] 1788 tn Heb “I have arranged a lamp for my anointed one.” Here the “lamp” is a metaphor for the Davidic dynasty (see 1 Kgs 11:36).
[132:18] 1789 tn Heb “his enemies I will clothe [with] shame.”
[133:1] 1790 sn Psalm 133. The psalmist affirms the benefits of family unity.
[133:1] 1791 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
[133:1] 1792 sn This statement refers to the extended family structure of ancient Israel, where brothers would often live in proximity to one another (Deut 25:5), giving the family greater social prominence and security. However, in its later application in the Israelite cult it probably envisions unity within the covenant community. See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 212-15.
[133:2] 1793 tn Heb “[it is] like the good oil on the head, going down on the beard.”
[133:2] 1794 tn Heb “which goes down in accordance with his measured things.” The Hebrew phrase מִדּוֹתָיו (middotayv, “his measured things”) refers here to the robes worn by Aaron. HALOT 546 s.v. *מַד derives the form from מַד (midah, “robe”) rather than מִדָּה (middah, “measured thing”). Ugaritic md means “robe” and is pluralized mdt.
[133:3] 1795 sn Hermon refers to Mount Hermon, located north of Israel.
[133:3] 1796 sn The hills of Zion are those surrounding Zion (see Pss 87:1; 125:2). The psalmist does not intend to suggest that the dew from Mt. Hermon in the distant north actually flows down upon Zion. His point is that the same kind of heavy dew that replenishes Hermon may also be seen on Zion’s hills. See A. Cohen, Psalms (SoBB), 439. “Dew” here symbolizes divine blessing, as the next line suggests.
[133:3] 1798 tn Heb “there the
[134:1] 1799 sn Psalm 134. The psalmist calls on the temple servants to praise God (vv. 1-2). They in turn pronounce a blessing on the psalmist (v. 3).
[134:1] 1800 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
[134:3] 1803 tn The pronominal suffix is second masculine singular, suggesting that the servants addressed in vv. 1-2 are responding to the psalmist.
[134:3] 1804 tn Heb “may the
[135:1] 1805 sn Psalm 135. The psalmist urges God’s people to praise him because he is the incomparable God and ruler of the world who has accomplished great things for Israel.
[135:3] 1807 tn Heb “for [it is] pleasant.” The translation assumes that it is the
[135:4] 1809 sn His special possession. The language echoes Exod 19:5; Deut 7:6; 14:2; 26:18. See also Mal 3:17.
[135:9] 1811 tn Or “signs” (see Ps 65:8).
[135:9] 1812 tn Or “portents”; “omens” (see Ps 71:7). The Egyptian plagues are alluded to here.
[135:13] 1813 tn Or “is forever.”
[135:13] 1814 tn Heb “O
[135:14] 1815 tn Heb “judges,” but here the idea is that the
[135:14] 1816 sn Verse 14 echoes Deut 32:36, where Moses affirms that God mercifully relents from fully judging his wayward people.
[135:15] 1817 tn Heb “the work of the hands of man.”
[135:17] 1818 tn Heb “indeed, there is not breath in their mouth.” For the collocation אַף אֵין (’af ’en, “indeed, there is not”) see Isa 41:26. Another option is to take אַף as “nose” (see Ps 115:6), in which case one might translate, “a nose, [but] they have no breath in their mouths.”
[135:18] 1819 tn Heb “will be.” Another option is to take the prefixed verbal form as a prayer, “may those who make them end up like them.”
[135:19] 1820 tn Heb “house” (here and in the next two lines).
[135:20] 1821 tn Heb “fearers.”
[135:21] 1822 tn Heb “praised be the
[135:21] 1823 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[136:1] 1824 sn Psalm 136. In this hymn the psalmist affirms that God is praiseworthy because of his enduring loyal love, sovereign authority, and compassion. Each verse of the psalm concludes with the refrain “for his loyal love endures.”
[136:1] 1825 tn Or “is forever.”
[136:13] 1827 tn Heb “Reed Sea” (also in v. 15). “Reed Sea” (or “Sea of Reeds”) is a more accurate rendering of the Hebrew expression יָם סוּף (yam suf), traditionally translated “Red Sea.” See the note on the term “Red Sea” in Exod 13:18.
[136:13] 1828 tn Heb “into pieces.”
[136:15] 1829 tn Or “shook off.”
[136:23] 1830 tn Heb “who, in our low condition, remembered us.”
[136:25] 1831 tn Heb “to all flesh,” which can refer to all people (see Pss 65:2; 145:21) or more broadly to mankind and animals. Elsewhere the psalms view God as the provider for all living things (see Pss 104:27-28; 145:15).
[137:1] 1832 sn Psalm 137. The Babylonian exiles lament their condition, vow to remain loyal to Jerusalem, and appeal to God for revenge on their enemies.
[137:1] 1833 tn Heb “there we sit down, also we weep.”
[137:3] 1834 tn Heb “ask us [for] the words of a song.”
[137:3] 1835 tn Heb “our [?] joy.” The derivation and meaning of the Hebrew phrase תוֹלָלֵינוּ (tolalenu, “our [?]”) are uncertain. A derivation from תָּלַל (talal, “to mock”) fits contextually, but this root occurs only in the Hiphil stem. For a discussion of various proposals, see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 236.
[137:3] 1836 tn Heb “from a song of Zion.” Most modern translations read, “one of the songs of Zion,” taking the preposition מִן (min, “from”) as partitive and “song” as collective. The present translation assumes the mem (ם) is enclitic, being misunderstood later as the prefixed preposition.
[137:5] 1837 tn Heb “may my right hand forget.” In this case one must supply an object, such as “how to move.” The elliptical nature of the text has prompted emendations (see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 236). The translation assumes an emendation to תִּכְשַׁח (tikhshakh), from an otherwise unattested root כשׁח, meaning “to be crippled; to be lame.” See HALOT 502 s.v. כשׁח, which cites Arabic cognate evidence in support of the proposal. The corruption of the MT can be explained as an error of transposition facilitated by the use of שָׁכַח (shakhakh, “forget”) just before this.
[137:6] 1838 tn Heb “if I do not lift up Jerusalem over the top of my joy.”
[137:7] 1839 tn Heb “remember, O
[137:7] 1840 tn Heb “lay [it] bare, lay [it] bare.”
[137:8] 1841 tn Heb “O devastated daughter of Babylon.” The psalmist dramatically anticipates Babylon’s demise.
[137:8] 1842 tn Heb “O the happiness of the one who repays you your wage which you paid to us.”
[137:9] 1843 sn For other references to the wholesale slaughter of babies in the context of ancient Near Eastern warfare, see 2 Kgs 8:12; Isa 13:16; Hos 13:16; Nah 3:10.
[138:1] 1844 sn Psalm 138. The psalmist vows to thank the Lord for his deliverance and protection.
[138:1] 1845 tn The referent of the Hebrew term אֱלֹהִים (’elohim) is unclear. It refers either to the angelic assembly (see Gen 3:5; Ps 8:5) or to the pagan gods (see Pss 82:1, 6; 86:8; 97:7), in which case the psalmist’s praise takes on a polemical tone.
[138:2] 1846 tc The MT reads, “for you have made great over all your name your word.” If retained, this must mean that God's mighty intervention, in fulfillment of his word of promise, surpassed anything he had done prior to this. However, the statement is odd and several emendations have been proposed. Some read, “for you have exalted over everything your name and your word,” while others suggest, “for you have exalted over all the heavens your name and your word.” The translation assumes an emendation of “your name” to “your heavens” (a construction that appears in Pss 8:3 and 144:5). The point is that God has been faithful to his promise and the reliability of that promise is apparent to all. For a fuller discussion of these options, see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 244.
[138:3] 1847 tn Heb “in the day.”
[138:3] 1848 tn Heb “you made me bold in my soul [with] strength.”
[138:4] 1849 tn The prefixed verbal forms here and in the following verse are understood as jussives, for the psalmist appears to be calling upon the kings to praise God. Another option is to take them as imperfects and translate, “the kings of the earth will give thanks…and will sing.” In this case the psalmist anticipates a universal response to his thanksgiving song.
[138:4] 1850 tn Heb “the words of your mouth.”
[138:7] 1853 tn Or “distress.”
[138:7] 1854 tn Heb “against the anger of my enemies you extend your hand.”
[138:8] 1855 tn Heb “avenges on my behalf.” For the meaning “to avenge” for the verb גָּמַר (gamar), see HALOT 197-98 s.v. גמר.
[138:8] 1856 tn Heb “the works of your hands.” Many medieval Hebrew
[139:1] 1857 sn Psalm 139. The psalmist acknowledges that God, who created him, is aware of his every action and thought. He invites God to examine his motives, for he is confident they are pure.
[139:1] 1858 tn The statement is understood as generalizing – the psalmist describes what God typically does.
[139:3] 1859 tn Heb “my traveling and my lying down you measure.” The verb זָרָה (zarah, “to measure”) is probably here a denominative from זָרָת (zarat, “a span; a measure”), though some derive it from זָרָה (zarat, “to winnow; to sift”; see BDB 279-80 s.v. זָרָה).
[139:3] 1860 tn Heb “all my ways.”
[139:4] 1862 tn Heb “look, O
[139:6] 1863 tn Heb “too amazing [is this] knowledge for me, it is elevated, I cannot attain to it.”
[139:7] 1864 tn Heb “Where can I go from your spirit, and where from your face can I flee?” God’s “spirit” may refer here (1) to his presence (note the parallel term, “your face,” and see Ps 104:29-30, where God’s “face” is his presence and his “spirit” is the life-giving breath he imparts) or (2) to his personal Spirit (see Ps 51:10).
[139:8] 1865 tn The Hebrew verb סָלַק (salaq, “to ascend”) occurs only here in the OT, but the word is well-attested in Aramaic literature from different time periods and displays a wide semantic range (see DNWSI 2:788-90).
[139:8] 1866 tn Heb “look, you.”
[139:9] 1867 tn Heb “rise up.”
[139:9] 1868 sn On the wings of the dawn. This personification of the “dawn” may find its roots in mythological traditions about the god Shachar, whose birth is described in an Ugaritic myth (see G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 126) and who is mentioned in Isa 14:12 as the father of Helel.
[139:9] 1869 tn Heb “at the end.”
[139:11] 1870 tn The Hebrew verb שׁוּף (shuf), which means “to crush; to wound,” in Gen 3:15 and Job 9:17, is problematic here. For a discussion of attempts to relate the verb to Arabic roots, see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 251. Many emend the form to יְשׂוּכֵּנִי (yesukkeniy), from the root שׂכך (“to cover,” an alternate form of סכך), a reading assumed in the present translation.
[139:11] 1871 tn Heb “and night, light, around me.”
[139:12] 1872 tn The words “to see” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
[139:12] 1873 tn Heb “shines like.”
[139:12] 1874 tn Heb “like darkness, like light.”
[139:13] 1876 tn Heb “my kidneys.” The kidneys were sometimes viewed as the seat of one’s emotions and moral character (cf. Pss 7:9; 26:2). A number of translations, recognizing that “kidneys” does not communicate this idea to the modern reader, have generalized the concept: “inmost being” (NAB, NIV); “inward parts” (NASB, NRSV); “the delicate, inner parts of my body” (NLT). In the last instance, the focus is almost entirely on the physical body rather than the emotions or moral character. The present translation, by using a hendiadys (one concept expressed through two terms), links the concepts of emotion (heart) and moral character (mind).
[139:13] 1877 tn The Hebrew verb סָכַךְ (sakhakh, “to weave together”) is an alternate form of שָׂכַךְ (sakhakh, “to weave”) used in Job 10:11.
[139:14] 1878 tc Heb “because awesome things, I am distinct, amazing [are] your works.” The text as it stands is syntactically problematic and makes little, if any, sense. The Niphal of פָּלָה (pala’) occurs elsewhere only in Exod 33:16. Many take the form from פָלָא (pala’; see GKC 216 §75.qq), which in the Niphal perfect means “to be amazing” (see 2 Sam 1:26; Ps 118:23; Prov 30:18). Some, following the LXX and some other ancient witnesses, also prefer to emend the verb from first to second person, “you are amazing” (see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 249, 251). The present translation assumes the text conflates two variants: נפלאים, the otherwise unattested masculine plural participle of פָלָא, and נִפְלָאוֹת (nifla’ot), the usual (feminine) plural form of the Niphal participle. The latter has been changed to a verb by later scribes in an attempt to accommodate it syntactically. The original text likely read, נוראות נפלאותים מעשׂיך (“your works [are] awesome [and] amazing”).
[139:14] 1879 tc Heb “and my being knows very much.” Better parallelism is achieved (see v. 15a) if one emends יֹדַעַת (yoda’at), a Qal active participle, feminine singular form, to יָדַעְתָּ (yada’ta), a Qal perfect second masculine singular perfect. See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 252.
[139:15] 1880 tc The Hebrew term אֲשֶׁר (’asher, “which”) should probably be emended to כֲּאַשֶׁר (ka’asher, “when”). The kaf (כ) may have been lost by haplography (note the kaf at the end of the preceding form).
[139:15] 1881 sn The phrase depths of the earth may be metaphorical (euphemistic) or it may reflect a prescientific belief about the origins of the embryo deep beneath the earth’s surface (see H. W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament, 96-97). Job 1:21 also closely associates the mother’s womb with the earth.
[139:16] 1882 tn Heb “Your eyes saw my shapeless form.” The Hebrew noun גֹּלֶם (golem) occurs only here in the OT. In later Hebrew the word refers to “a lump, a shapeless or lifeless substance,” and to “unfinished matter, a vessel wanting finishing” (Jastrow 222 s.v. גּוֹלֶם). The translation employs the dynamic rendering “when I was inside the womb” to clarify that the speaker was still in his mother’s womb at the time he was “seen” by God.
[139:16] 1883 tn Heb “and on your scroll all of them were written, [the] days [which] were formed, and [there was] not one among them.” This “scroll” may be the “scroll of life” mentioned in Ps 69:28 (see the note on the word “living” there).
[139:17] 1884 tn Heb “and to me how precious are your thoughts, O God.” The Hebrew verb יָקַר (yaqar) probably has the sense of “difficult [to comprehend]” here (see HALOT 432 s.v. יקר qal.1 and note the use of Aramaic יַקִּר in Dan 2:11). Elsewhere in the immediate context the psalmist expresses his amazement at the extent of God’s knowledge about him (see vv. 1-6, 17b-18).
[139:17] 1885 tn Heb “how vast are their heads.” Here the Hebrew word “head” is used of the “sum total” of God’s knowledge of the psalmist.
[139:18] 1886 tc Heb “I awake and I [am] still with you.” A reference to the psalmist awaking from sleep makes little, if any, sense contextually. For this reason some propose an emendation to הֲקִצּוֹתִי (haqitsoti), a Hiphil perfect form from an otherwise unattested verb קָצַץ (qatsats) understood as a denominative of קֵץ (qets, “end”). See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 252-53.
[139:19] 1887 tn The Hebrew particle אִם (’im, “if”) and following prefixed verbal form here express a wish (see Pss 81:8; 95:7, as well as GKC 321 §109.b).
[139:19] 1888 tn Heb “men of bloodshed.”
[139:20] 1890 tc Heb “they speak [of] you.” The suffixed form of the verb אָמַר (’amar, “to speak”) is peculiar. The translation assumes an emendation to יַמְרֻךָ (yamrukha), a Hiphil form from מָרָה (marah, “to rebel”; see Ps 78:40).
[139:20] 1891 tn Heb “by deceit.”
[139:20] 1892 tc Heb “lifted up for emptiness, your cities.” The Hebrew text as it stands makes no sense. The form נָשֻׂא (nasu’; a Qal passive participle) should be emended to נָשְׂאוּ (nosÿu; a Qal perfect, third common plural, “[they] lift up”). Many emend עָרֶיךָ (’arekha, “your cities”) to עָלֶיךָ (’alekha, “against you”), but it is preferable to understand the noun as an Aramaism and translate “your enemies” (see Dan 4:16 and L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 253).
[139:21] 1893 tc Heb “who raise themselves up against you.” The form וּבִתְקוֹמְמֶיךָ (uvitqomÿmekha) should be emended to וּבְמִתְקוֹמְמֶיךָ (uvÿmitqomÿmekha), a Hitpolel participle (the prefixed mem [מ] of the participle is accidentally omitted in the MT, though a few medieval Hebrew
[139:22] 1894 tn Heb “[with] completeness of hatred I hate them.”
[139:23] 1895 tn Heb “and know my heart.”
[139:23] 1896 tn The Hebrew noun שַׂרְעַפַּי (sar’apay, “concerns”) is used of “worries” in Ps 94:19.
[139:24] 1897 tn Many understand the Hebrew term עֹצֶב (’otsev) as a noun meaning “pain,” and translate the phrase דֶּרֶךְ עֹצֶב (derekh ’otsev) as “of pain,” but this makes little sense here. (Some interpret it to refer to actions which bring pain to others.) It is preferable to take עֹצֶב as “idol” (see HALOT 865 s.v. I עֹצֶב) and understand “way of an idol” to refer to idolatrous actions or tendency. See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 253.
[139:24] 1898 tn Heb “in the path of antiquity.” This probably refers to the moral path prescribed by the
[140:1] 1899 sn Psalm 140. The psalmist asks God to deliver him from his deadly enemies, calls judgment down upon them, and affirms his confidence in God’s justice.
[140:1] 1900 tn Heb “from a wicked man.” The Hebrew uses the singular in a representative or collective sense (note the plural verbs in v. 2).
[140:1] 1901 tn Heb “a man of violent acts.” The Hebrew uses the singular in a representative or collective sense (note the plural verbs in v. 2).
[140:2] 1902 tn Heb “they devise wicked [plans] in [their] mind.”
[140:2] 1903 tc Heb “they attack [for] war.” Some revocalize the verb (which is a Qal imperfect from גּוּר, gur, “to attack”) as יְגָרוּ (yÿgaru), a Piel imperfect from גָרָה (garah, “stir up strife”). This is followed in the present translation.
[140:3] 1904 tn Heb “they sharpen their tongue like a serpent.” Ps 64:3 reads, “they sharpen their tongues like sword.” Perhaps Ps 140:3 uses a mixed metaphor, the point being that “they sharpen their tongues [like a sword],” as it were, so that when they speak, their words wound like a serpent’s bite. Another option is that the language refers to the pointed or forked nature of a serpent’s tongue, which is viewed metaphorically as “sharpened.”
[140:3] 1905 tn The Hebrew term is used only here in the OT.
[140:4] 1908 tn Heb “to push down my steps.”
[140:5] 1909 tn Heb “and ropes,” but many prefer to revocalize the noun as a participle (חֹבְלִים, khovÿlim) from the verb חָבַל (khaval, “act corruptly”).
[140:7] 1910 tn Heb “the strength of my deliverance.”
[140:8] 1912 tn Heb “do not grant the desires of the wicked.”
[140:8] 1913 tn Heb “his.” The singular is used in a representative sense (see v. 1).
[140:8] 1914 tn Heb “his plot do not promote, they rise up.” The translation understands the final verb as being an unmarked temporal clause. Another option is to revocalize the verb as a Hiphil and take the verb with the next verse, “those who surround me lift up [their] head,” which could refer to their proud attitude as they anticipate victory (see Ps 27:6).
[140:9] 1915 tn Heb “harm of their lips.” The genitive here indicates the source or agent of the harm.
[140:10] 1916 tn The verb form in the Kethib (consonantal Hebrew text) appears to be a Hiphil imperfect from the root מוּט (mut, “to sway”), but the Hiphil occurs only here and in Ps 55:3, where it is preferable to read יַמְטִירוּ (yamtiru, “they rain down”). In Ps 140:10 the form יַמְטֵר (yamter, “let him rain down”) should probably be read.
[140:10] 1917 tn Heb “into bottomless pits, they will not arise.” The translation assumes that the preposition -בְּ (bet) has the nuance “from” here. Another option is to connect the line with what precedes, take the final clause as an asyndetic relative clause, and translate, “into bottomless pits [from which] they cannot arise.” The Hebrew noun מַהֲמֹרָה (mahamorah, “bottomless pit”) occurs only here in the OT.
[140:11] 1918 tn Heb “a man of a tongue.”
[140:11] 1919 tn Heb “be established in.”
[140:11] 1920 tn Heb “for blows.” The Hebrew noun מַדְחֵפֹה (madkhefoh, “blow”) occurs only here in the OT.
[140:12] 1921 tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew
[140:12] 1922 tn Heb “and the just cause of the poor.”
[141:1] 1923 sn Psalm 141. The psalmist asks God to protect him from sin and from sinful men.
[141:2] 1924 tn Heb “may my prayer be established [like] incense before you, the uplifting of my hands [like] an evening offering.”
[141:3] 1925 tn Heb “door.” The Hebrew word occurs only here in the OT.
[141:3] 1926 sn My mouth…my lips. The psalmist asks God to protect him from speaking inappropriately or sinfully.
[141:4] 1927 tn Heb “do not turn my heart toward an evil thing.”
[141:4] 1928 tn Heb “to act sinfully in practices in wickedness with men, doers of evil.”
[141:4] 1929 sn Their delicacies. This probably refers to the enjoyment that a sinful lifestyle appears to offer.
[141:5] 1930 tn The form יָנִי (yaniy) appears to be derived from the verbal root נוּא (nu’). Another option is to emend the form to יְנָא (yÿna’), a Piel from נָאָה (na’ah), and translate “may choice oil not adorn my head” (see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 271). In this case, choice oil, like delicacies in v. 4, symbolize the pleasures of sin.
[141:5] 1931 sn May my head not refuse choice oil. The psalmist compares the constructive criticism of the godly (see the previous line) to having refreshing olive oil poured over one’s head.
[141:5] 1932 tc Heb “for still, and my prayer [is] against their evil deeds.” The syntax of the Hebrew text is difficult; the sequence -כִּי־עוֹד וּ (kiy-’od u-, “for still and”) occurs only here. The translation assumes an emendation to כִּי עֵד תְפלָּתִי (“indeed a witness [is] my prayer”). The psalmist’s lament about the evil actions of sinful men (see v. 4) testifies against the wicked in the divine court.
[141:6] 1933 tn Heb “they are thrown down by the hands of a cliff, their judges.” The syntax of the Hebrew text is difficult and the meaning uncertain. The perfect verbal form is understood as rhetorical; the psalmist describes the anticipated downfall of the wicked as if it had already occurred. “Their judges” could be taken as the subject of the verb, but this makes little, if any, sense. The translation assumes the judges are the agents and that the wicked, mentioned earlier in the psalm, are the subjects of the verb.
[141:6] 1934 tn It is unclear how this statement relates to the preceding sentence. Perhaps the judges are the referent of the pronominal subject (“they”) of the verb “will listen,” and “my words” are the referent of the pronominal subject (“they”) of the phrase “are pleasant.” The psalmist may be affirming here his confidence that he will be vindicated when he presents his case before the judges, while the wicked will be punished.
[141:7] 1935 tn Heb “like splitting and breaking open in the earth.” The meaning of the statement and the point of the comparison are not entirely clear. Perhaps the psalmist is suggesting that he and other godly individuals are as good as dead; their bones are scattered about like dirt that is dug up and tossed aside.
[141:8] 1936 tn Heb “my eyes [are] toward you.”
[141:8] 1937 tn Heb “do not lay bare my life.” Only here is the Piel form of the verb collocated with the term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “life”). In Isa 53:12 the Lord’s servant “lays bare (the Hiphil form of the verb is used) his life to death.”
[141:9] 1938 tn Heb “and the traps of the doers of evil.”
[141:10] 1939 tn The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive of prayer. Another option is to translate, “the wicked will fall.”
[141:10] 1941 tn Heb “at the same [that] I, until I pass by.” Another option is to take יַחַד (yakhad) with the preceding line, “let the wicked fall together into their own nets.”
[142:1] 1942 sn Psalm 142. The psalmist laments his persecuted state and asks the Lord to deliver him from his enemies.
[142:1] 1943 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. The word is derived from a verb meaning “to be prudent; to be wise.” Various options are: “a contemplative song,” “a song imparting moral wisdom,” or “a skillful [i.e., well-written] song.” The term occurs in the superscriptions of Pss 32, 42, 44, 45, 52-55, 74, 78, 88, 89, and 142, as well as in Ps 47:7.
[142:1] 1944 sn According to the superscription, David wrote this psalm while in “the cave.” This probably refers to either the incident recorded in 1 Sam 22:1 or to the one recorded in 1 Sam 24:3. See the superscription of Ps 57.
[142:1] 1945 tn Heb “[with] my voice to the
[142:1] 1946 tn Heb “[with] my voice to the
[142:2] 1947 tn Heb “my trouble before him I declare.”
[142:3] 1948 tn Heb “my spirit grows faint.”
[142:3] 1949 tn Heb “you know my path.”
[142:4] 1950 tn Heb “there is no one who recognizes me.”
[142:4] 1951 tn Heb “ a place of refuge perishes from me.”
[142:4] 1952 tn Heb “there is no one who seeks for the sake of my life.”
[142:5] 1953 tn Heb “my portion.” The psalmist compares the
[142:6] 1954 tn Heb “for I am very low.”
[142:7] 1955 tn Heb “bring out my life.”
[142:7] 1956 tn Or “gather around.”
[142:7] 1957 tn The Hebrew idiom גָּמַל עַל (gamal ’al) means “to repay,” here in a positive sense.
[143:1] 1958 sn Psalm 143. As in the previous psalm, the psalmist laments his persecuted state and asks the Lord to deliver him from his enemies.
[143:2] 1959 tn Heb “do not enter into judgment with.”
[143:2] 1960 tn Heb “for no one living is innocent before you.”
[143:3] 1962 tn Heb “an enemy.” The singular is used in a representative sense to describe a typical member of the larger group of enemies (note the plural “enemies” in vv. 9, 12).
[143:3] 1963 tn Heb “he crushes on the ground my life.”
[143:3] 1965 sn Dark regions refers to Sheol, which the psalmist views as a dark place located deep in the ground (see Ps 88:6).
[143:4] 1966 tn Heb “my spirit grows faint.”
[143:4] 1967 tn Heb “in my midst my heart is shocked.” For a similar use of the Hitpolel of שָׁמֵם (shamem), see Isa 59:16; 63:5.
[143:5] 1968 tn Or “ancient times”; Heb “days from before.”
[143:5] 1969 tn Heb “the work of your hands.”
[143:6] 1970 tn The words “in prayer” are supplied in the translation to clarify that the psalmist is referring to a posture of prayer.
[143:6] 1971 tn Heb “faint” or “weary.” See Ps 63:1.
[143:6] 1972 tc Heb “my soul like a faint land for you.” A verb (perhaps “thirsts”) is implied (see Ps 63:1). The translation assumes an emendation of the preposition -כְּ (kÿ, “like”) to -בְּ (bÿ, “in,” see Ps 63:1; cf. NEB “athirst for thee in a thirsty land”). If the MT is retained, one might translate, “my soul thirsts for you, as a parched land does for water/rain” (cf. NIV, NRSV).
[143:7] 1973 tn Heb “my spirit is failing.”
[143:7] 1974 tn Heb “do not hide your face from me.” The idiom “hide the face” (1) can mean “ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or (2) can carry the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 30:7; 88:14).
[143:7] 1975 tn Heb “I will be equal with.”
[143:7] 1976 tn Heb “the pit.” The Hebrew noun בּוֹר (bor, “pit; cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead. See Ps 28:1.
[143:8] 1977 tn Heb “cause me to hear in the morning your loyal love.” Here “loyal love” probably stands metonymically for an oracle of assurance promising God’s intervention as an expression of his loyal love.
[143:8] 1978 sn The way probably refers here to God’s moral and ethical standards and requirements (see v. 10).
[143:8] 1979 tn Heb “for to you I lift up my life.” The Hebrew expression נָאָשׂ נֶפֶשׁ (na’as nefesh, “to lift up [one’s] life”) means “to desire; to long for” (see Deut 24:15; Prov 19:18; Jer 22:27; 44:14; Hos 4:8, as well as H. W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament, 16).
[143:9] 1980 tn Heb “to you I cover,” which makes no sense. The translation assumes an emendation to נַסְתִּי (nastiy, “I flee,” a Qal perfect, first singular form from נוּס, nos). Confusion of kaf (כ) and nun (נ) is attested elsewhere (see P. K. McCarter, Textual Criticism [GBS], 48). The collocation of נוּס (“flee”) with אֶל (’el, “to”) is well-attested.
[143:10] 1981 tn Or “your will.” See Ps 40:8.
[143:10] 1982 tn Heb “your good spirit.” God’s “spirit” may refer here to his presence (see the note on the word “presence” in Ps 139:7) or to his personal Spirit (see Ps 51:10).
[143:10] 1983 tn The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive. Taking the statement as a prayer fits well with the petitionary tone of vv. 7-10a.
[143:10] 1984 sn A level land (where one can walk free of obstacles) here symbolizes divine blessing and protection. See Pss 26:12 and 27:11 for similar imagery.
[143:11] 1985 tn Heb “name,” which here stands metonymically for God’s reputation.
[143:11] 1986 tn The imperfect verbal forms in vv. 11-12a are understood as expressing the psalmist’s desire. Note the petitionary tone of vv. 7-10a.
[143:11] 1987 tn Heb “by your justice bring out my life from trouble.”
[143:12] 1988 tn Heb “in [or “by”] your faithfulness.”
[143:12] 1989 tn The perfect with vav (ו) consecutive carries on the mood of the preceding imperfect.
[143:12] 1990 tn Heb “all the enemies of my life.”
[144:1] 1991 sn Psalm 144. The psalmist expresses his confidence in God, asks for a mighty display of divine intervention in an upcoming battle, and anticipates God’s rich blessings on the nation in the aftermath of military victory.
[144:1] 1992 tn Heb “my rocky summit.” The
[144:1] 1993 tn Heb “blessed [be] the
[144:1] 1994 sn The one who trains my hands for battle. The psalmist attributes his skill with weapons to divine enablement (see Ps 18:34). Egyptian reliefs picture gods teaching the king how to shoot a bow. See O. Keel, The Symbolism of the Biblical World, 265.
[144:2] 1995 tn Heb “my loyal love,” which is probably an abbreviated form of “the God of my loyal love” (see Ps 59:10, 17).
[144:2] 1996 tn Or “my elevated place.”
[144:2] 1997 tn Heb “the one who subdues nations beneath me.”
[144:3] 1998 tn Heb “What is mankind?” The singular noun אֱנוֹשׁ (’enosh) is used here in a collective sense and refers to the human race. See Ps 8:5.
[144:3] 1999 tn Heb “and the son of man.” The phrase “son of man” is used here in a collective sense and refers to human beings. For other uses of the phrase in a collective or representative manner, see Num 23:19; Ps 146:3; Isa 51:12.
[144:3] 2000 tn Heb “take account of him.” The two imperfect verbal forms in v. 4 describe God’s characteristic activity.
[144:4] 2001 tn Heb “man,” or “mankind.”
[144:4] 2002 tn Heb “his days [are] like a shadow that passes away,” that is, like a late afternoon shadow made by the descending sun that will soon be swallowed up by complete darkness. See Ps 102:11.
[144:5] 2003 tn The Hebrew verb נָטָה (natah) can carry the sense “to [cause to] bend; to [cause to] bow down.” For example, Gen 49:15 pictures Issachar as a donkey that “bends” its shoulder or back under a burden. Here the
[144:5] 2004 tn Heb “so you might come down.” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose after the preceding imperative. The same type of construction is utilized in v. 6.
[144:5] 2005 tn Heb “so they might smolder.” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose after the preceding imperative.
[144:6] 2006 sn Arrows and lightning bolts are associated in other texts (see Pss 18:14; 77:17-18; Zech 9:14), as well as in ancient Near Eastern art (see R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” [Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983], 187).
[144:7] 2007 tn Heb “stretch out your hands.”
[144:7] 2008 tn Heb “mighty waters.” The waters of the sea symbolize the psalmist’s powerful foreign enemies, as well as the realm of death they represent (see the next line and Ps 18:16-17).
[144:7] 2009 tn Heb “from the hand of the sons of foreignness.”
[144:8] 2010 tn Heb “who [with] their mouth speak falsehood, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.” The reference to the “right hand” is probably a metonymy for an oath. When making an oath, one would raise the hand as a solemn gesture. See Exod 6:8; Num 14:30; Deut 32:40. The figure thus represents the making of false oaths (false promises).
[144:10] 2011 tn Heb “grants deliverance to.”
[144:10] 2012 tn Heb “harmful.”
[144:11] 2013 tn Heb “from the hand of the sons of foreignness.”
[144:11] 2014 tn Heb “who [with] their mouth speak falsehood, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.” See v. 8 where the same expression occurs.
[144:12] 2015 tn Some consider אֲשֶׁר (’asher) problematic, but here it probably indicates the anticipated consequence of the preceding request. (For other examples of אֲשֶׁר indicating purpose/result, see BDB 83 s.v. and HALOT 99 s.v.) If the psalmist – who appears to be a Davidic king preparing to fight a battle (see vv. 10-11) – is victorious, the whole nation will be spared invasion and defeat (see v. 14) and can flourish. Some prefer to emend the form to אַשְׁרֵי (“how blessed [are our sons]”). A suffixed noun sometimes follows אַשְׁרֵי (’ashrey; see 1 Kgs 10:8; Prov 20:7), but the presence of a comparative element (see “like plants”) after the suffixed noun makes the proposed reading too awkward syntactically.
[144:12] 2016 tn Heb “grown up in their youth.” The translation assumes that “grown up” modifies “plants” (just as “carved” modifies “corner pillars” in the second half of the verse). Another option is to take “grown up” as a predicate in relation to “our sons,” in which case one might translate, “they will be strapping youths.”
[144:12] 2017 tn The Hebrew noun occurs only here and in Zech 9:15, where it refers to the corners of an altar.
[144:12] 2018 tn Heb “carved [in] the pattern of a palace.”
[144:13] 2019 tn The Hebrew noun occurs only here.
[144:13] 2020 tn Heb “from kind to kind.” Some prefer to emend the text to מָזוֹן עַל מָזוֹן (mazon ’al mazon, “food upon food”).
[144:13] 2021 tn Heb “they are innumerable.”
[144:13] 2022 tn Heb “in outside places.” Here the term refers to pastures and fields (see Job 5:10; Prov 8:26).
[144:14] 2023 tn Heb “weighted down.” This probably refers (1) to the cattle having the produce from the harvest placed on their backs to be transported to the storehouses (see BDB 687 s.v. סָבַל). Other options are (2) to take this as reference to the cattle being pregnant (see HALOT 741 s.v. סבל pu) or (3) to their being well-fed or fattened (see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 288).
[144:14] 2024 tn Heb “there [will be] no breach, and there [will be] no going out, and there [will be] no crying out in our broad places.”
[144:15] 2025 tn Heb “[O] the happiness of the people who [it is] such to them.”
[145:1] 2026 sn Psalm 145. The psalmist praises God because he is a just and merciful king who cares for his people.
[145:1] 2027 tn Or, hyperbolically, “forever.”
[145:2] 2028 tn Or, hyperbolically, “forever.”
[145:3] 2029 tn Heb “and concerning his greatness there is no searching.”
[145:4] 2030 tn The prefixed verbal forms in v. 4 are understood as imperfects, indicating how the psalmist expects his audience to respond to his praise. Another option is to take the forms as jussives, indicating the psalmist’s wish, “may one generation praise…and tell about.”
[145:5] 2031 tn Heb “the splendor of the glory of your majesty, and the matters of your amazing deeds I will ponder.”
[145:6] 2032 tn The prefixed verbal form is understood as an imperfect, indicating how the psalmist expects his audience to respond to his praise. Another option is to take the forms as a jussive, indicating the psalmist’s wish, “may they proclaim.”
[145:7] 2033 tn Heb “the fame of the greatness of your goodness.”
[145:7] 2034 tn The prefixed verbal forms in v. 7 are understood as imperfects, indicating how the psalmist expects his audience to respond to his praise. Another option is to take the forms as jussives, indicating the psalmist’s wish, “may they talk…and sing.”
[145:8] 2035 tn Heb “slow to anger” (see Pss 86:15; 103:8).
[145:8] 2036 tn Heb “and great of loyal love” (see Pss 86:15; 103:8).
[145:9] 2037 tn Heb “and his compassion is over all his works.”
[145:12] 2038 tn Heb “the sons of man.”
[145:13] 2039 tn Heb “a kingdom of all ages.”
[145:14] 2040 tc Psalm 145 is an acrostic psalm, with each successive verse beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. However, in the traditional Hebrew (Masoretic) text of Psalm 145 there is no verse beginning with the letter nun. One would expect such a verse to appear as the fourteenth verse, between the mem (מ) and samek (ס) verses. Several ancient witnesses, including one medieval Hebrew manuscript, the Qumran scroll from cave 11, the LXX, and the Syriac, supply the missing nun (נ) verse, which reads as follows: “The Lord is reliable in all his words, and faithful in all his deeds.” One might paraphrase this as follows: “The Lord’s words are always reliable; his actions are always faithful.” Scholars are divided as to the originality of this verse. L. C. Allen argues for its inclusion on the basis of structural considerations (Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 294-95), but there is no apparent explanation for why, if original, it would have been accidentally omitted. The psalm may be a partial acrostic, as in Pss 25 and 34 (see M. Dahood, Psalms [AB], 3:335). The glaring omission of the nun line would have invited a later redactor to add such a line.
[145:14] 2041 tn Perhaps “discouraged” (see Ps 57:6).
[145:15] 2042 tn Heb “the eyes of all wait for you.”
[145:15] 2043 tn Heb “and you give to them their food in its season” (see Ps 104:27).
[145:16] 2044 tn Heb “[with what they] desire.”
[145:17] 2045 tn Heb “in all his ways.”
[145:17] 2046 tn Heb “and [is] loving in all his deeds.”
[145:18] 2047 tn Heb “in truth.”
[145:19] 2048 tn In this context “desire” refers to the followers’ desire to be delivered from wicked enemies.
[145:19] 2049 tn Heb “the desire of those who fear him, he does.”
[145:21] 2050 tn Heb “the praise of the
[145:21] 2051 tn Heb “all flesh.”
[146:1] 2052 sn Psalm 146. The psalmist urges his audience not to trust in men, but in the
[146:3] 2053 tn Heb “in a son of man, to whom there is no deliverance.”
[146:4] 2054 tn Heb “his spirit goes out, it returns to his ground; in that day his plans die.” The singular refers to the representative man mentioned in v. 3b.
[146:6] 2055 tn Heb “the one who guards faithfulness forever.”
[146:7] 2056 tn Heb “executes justice for the oppressed.”
[146:8] 2057 tn Perhaps “discouraged” (see Ps 57:6).
[146:9] 2058 sn God is depicted here as a just ruler. In the ancient Near Eastern world a king was responsible for promoting justice, including caring for the weak and vulnerable, epitomized by resident aliens, the fatherless, and widows.
[146:9] 2059 tn Heb “he makes the way of the wicked twisted.” The “way of the wicked” probably refers to their course of life (see Prov 4:19; Jer 12:1). God makes their path tortuous in the sense that he makes them pay the harmful consequences of their actions.
[146:10] 2060 tn Heb “for a generation and a generation.”
[147:1] 2061 sn Psalm 147. The psalmist praises the
[147:2] 2063 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[147:3] 2064 tn Heb “the one who heals.”
[147:5] 2065 tn Heb “and great of strength.”
[147:5] 2066 tn Heb “to his wisdom there is no counting.”
[147:6] 2067 tn Heb “brings down.”
[147:7] 2068 tn Heb “sing to the
[147:8] 2069 tn Heb “the one who covers.”
[147:9] 2071 tn Heb “which cry out.”
[147:10] 2072 tn Heb “he does not desire the strength of the horse, he does not take delight in the legs of the man.” Here “the horse” refers to the war horse used by ancient Near Eastern chariot forces, and “the man” refers to the warrior whose muscular legs epitomize his strength.
[147:11] 2073 tn Heb “those who fear him.”
[147:13] 2074 tn Heb “your sons.”
[147:14] 2075 tn Heb “the one who.”
[147:14] 2076 tn Heb “he makes your boundary peace.”
[147:14] 2077 tn Heb “satisfies you with.”
[147:15] 2078 tn Heb “the one who.”
[147:15] 2079 tn Heb “the one who sends his word, the earth.” The Hebrew term אֶרֶץ (’erets, “earth”) is an adverbial accusative; one must supply a preposition before it (such as “through” or “to”) in the English translation.
[147:15] 2080 tn Heb “swiftly his word runs.”
[147:16] 2081 tn Heb “the one who gives snow like wool, frost like ashes he scatters.”
[147:17] 2082 tn Heb “his ice.”
[147:17] 2083 tn Heb “Before his cold, who can stand?”
[147:18] 2084 tn Heb “he sends his word and melts them.”
[147:18] 2085 tn Heb “he blows his breath.”
[148:1] 2086 sn Psalm 148. The psalmist calls upon all creation to praise the Lord, for he is the creator and sovereign king of the world.
[148:2] 2087 tn Or “heavenly messengers.”
[148:2] 2088 tn Heb “all his host.”
[148:3] 2089 tn Heb “stars of light.”
[148:4] 2090 sn The “water” mentioned here corresponds to the “waters above” mentioned in Gen 1:7. See also Ps 104:3. For a discussion of the picture envisioned by the psalmist, see L. I. J. Stadelmann, The Hebrew Conception of the World, 47.
[148:6] 2091 tn Or “forever and ever.”
[148:6] 2092 tn Heb “and it will not pass away.”
[148:8] 2093 tn In Ps 119:83 the noun refers to “smoke,” but here, where the elements of nature are addressed, the clouds, which resemble smoke, are probably in view.
[148:8] 2094 tn Heb “[that] does his word.”
[148:14] 2096 tn Heb “and he lifted up a horn for his people.” The horn of an ox underlies the metaphor (see Deut 33:17; 1 Kgs 22:11; Ps 92:10). The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 75:10; 89:17, 24; 92:10; Lam 2:17). Another option is to take the “horn” as a symbol for the Davidic king, through whom the
[148:14] 2097 tn “[there is] praise for all his loyal followers, to the sons of Israel, the people near him.” Here “praise” stands by metonymy for the victory that prompts it.
[149:1] 2098 sn Psalm 149. The psalmist calls upon God’s people to praise him because he is just and avenges them.
[149:1] 2099 tn Heb “his praise in the assembly of the godly ones.”
[149:2] 2101 sn The
[149:4] 2102 tn Heb “he honors the oppressed [with] deliverance.”
[149:5] 2103 tn Heb “in glory.” Here “glory” probably refers to the “honor” that belongs to the
[149:5] 2104 tn The significance of the reference to “beds” is unclear. Perhaps the point is that they should rejoice at all times, even when falling asleep or awaking.
[149:6] 2105 tn Heb “[May] praises of God [be] in their throat, and a two-edged sword in their hand.”
[149:8] 2107 tn Heb “to bind.”
[149:9] 2108 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the enemies of the people of God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[149:9] 2109 tn Heb “to do against them judgment [that] is written.”
[149:9] 2110 tn Heb “it is honor for all his godly ones.” The judgment of the oppressive kings will bring vindication and honor to God’s people (see vv. 4-5).
[150:1] 2111 sn Psalm 150. The Psalter concludes with a resounding call for praise from everything that has breath.
