7:6 Stand up angrily, 1 Lord!
Rise up with raging fury against my enemies! 2
Wake up for my sake and execute the judgment you have decreed for them! 3
8:2 From the mouths of children and nursing babies
you have ordained praise on account of your adversaries, 4
so that you might put an end to the vindictive enemy. 5
11:4 The Lord is in his holy temple; 6
the Lord’s throne is in heaven. 7
His eyes 8 watch; 9
his eyes 10 examine 11 all people. 12
12:5 “Because of the violence done to the oppressed, 13
because of the painful cries 14 of the needy,
I will spring into action,” 15 says the Lord.
“I will provide the safety they so desperately desire.” 16
17:15 As for me, because I am innocent I will see your face; 17
when I awake you will reveal yourself to me. 18
20:5 Then we will shout for joy over your 19 victory;
we will rejoice 20 in the name of our God!
May the Lord grant all your requests!
21:9 You burn them up like a fiery furnace 21 when you appear; 22
the Lord angrily devours them; 23
the fire consumes them.
23:4 Even when I must walk through the darkest valley, 24
I fear 25 no danger, 26
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff reassure me. 27
31:19 How great is your favor, 28
which you store up for your loyal followers! 29
In plain sight of everyone you bestow it on those who take shelter 30 in you. 31
36:6 Your justice is like the highest mountains, 32
your fairness like the deepest sea;
you preserve 33 mankind and the animal kingdom. 34
40:6 Receiving sacrifices and offerings are not your primary concern. 35
You make that quite clear to me! 36
You do not ask for burnt sacrifices and sin offerings.
43:5 Why are you depressed, 37 O my soul? 38
Why are you upset? 39
Wait for God!
For I will again give thanks
to my God for his saving intervention. 40
48:10 The praise you receive as far away as the ends of the earth
is worthy of your reputation, O God. 41
You execute justice! 42
49:10 Surely 43 one sees 44 that even wise people die; 45
fools and spiritually insensitive people all pass away 46
and leave their wealth to others. 47
50:21 When you did these things, I was silent, 48
so you thought I was exactly like you. 49
But now I will condemn 50 you
and state my case against you! 51
51:4 Against you – you above all 52 – I have sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
So 53 you are just when you confront me; 54
you are right when you condemn me. 55
52:8 But I 56 am like a flourishing 57 olive tree in the house of God;
I continually 58 trust in God’s loyal love.
52:9 I will continually 59 thank you when 60 you execute judgment; 61
I will rely 62 on you, 63 for your loyal followers know you are good. 64
57:6 They have prepared a net to trap me; 65
I am discouraged. 66
They have dug a pit for me. 67
They will fall 68 into it! (Selah)
59:12 They speak sinful words. 69
So let them be trapped by their own pride
and by the curses and lies they speak!
60:8 Moab is my washbasin. 70
I will make Edom serve me. 71
I will shout in triumph over Philistia.” 72
62:3 How long will you threaten 73 a man?
All of you are murderers, 74
as dangerous as a leaning wall or an unstable fence. 75
65:8 Even those living in the most remote areas are awestruck by your acts; 76
you cause those living in the east and west to praise you. 77
65:9 You visit the earth and give it rain; 78
you make it rich and fertile 79
with overflowing streams full of water. 80
You provide grain for them, 81
for you prepare the earth to yield its crops. 82
66:3 Say to God:
“How awesome are your deeds!
Because of your great power your enemies cower in fear 83 before you.
66:12 You allowed men to ride over our heads;
we passed through fire and water,
but you brought us out into a wide open place. 84
For the music director; by David, a psalm, a song.
68:1 God springs into action! 86
His enemies scatter;
his adversaries 87 run from him. 88
68:6 God settles those who have been deserted in their own homes; 89
he frees prisoners and grants them prosperity. 90
But sinful rebels live in the desert. 91
68:11 The Lord speaks; 92
many, many women spread the good news. 93
68:16 Why do you look with envy, 94 O mountains 95 with many peaks,
at the mountain where God has decided to live? 96
Indeed 97 the Lord will live there 98 permanently!
68:35 You are awe-inspiring, O God, as you emerge from your holy temple! 99
It is the God of Israel 100 who gives the people power and strength.
God deserves praise! 101
70:5 I am oppressed and needy! 102
O God, hurry to me! 103
You are my helper and my deliverer!
O Lord, 104 do not delay!
74:2 Remember your people 105 whom you acquired in ancient times,
whom you rescued 106 so they could be your very own nation, 107
as well as Mount Zion, where you dwell!
74:9 We do not see any signs of God’s presence; 108
there are no longer any prophets 109
and we have no one to tell us how long this will last. 110
A psalm of Asaph.
79:1 O God, foreigners 112 have invaded your chosen land; 113
they have polluted your holy temple
and turned Jerusalem 114 into a heap of ruins.
84:3 Even the birds find a home there,
and the swallow 115 builds a nest,
where she can protect her young 116
near your altars, O Lord who rules over all,
my king and my God.
89:14 Equity and justice are the foundation of your throne. 117
Loyal love and faithfulness characterize your rule. 118
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.
92:7 When the wicked sprout up like grass,
and all the evildoers glisten, 119
it is so that they may be annihilated. 120
99:6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests;
Samuel was one of those who prayed to him. 121
They 122 prayed to the Lord and he answered them.
101:2 I will walk in 123 the way of integrity.
When will you come to me?
I will conduct my business with integrity in the midst of my palace. 124
108:3 I will give you thanks before the nations, O Lord!
I will sing praises to you before foreigners! 125
108:9 Moab is my wash basin. 126
I will make Edom serve me. 127
I will shout in triumph over Philistia.”
110:3 Your people willingly follow you 128 when you go into battle. 129
On the holy hills 130 at sunrise 131 the dew of your youth 132 belongs to you. 133
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, 134
so my eyes will look to the Lord, our God, until he shows us favor.
A song of ascents, 136 by David.
131:1 O Lord, my heart is not proud,
nor do I have a haughty look. 137
I do not have great aspirations,
or concern myself with things that are beyond me. 138
132:12 If your sons keep my covenant
and the rules I teach them,
their sons will also sit on your throne forever.”
142:3 Even when my strength leaves me, 139
you watch my footsteps. 140
In the path where I walk
they have hidden a trap for me.
1 tn Heb “in your anger.”
2 tn Heb “Lift yourself up in the angry outbursts of my enemies.” Many understand the preposition prefixed to עַבְרוֹת (’avrot, “angry outbursts”) as adversative, “against,” and the following genitive “enemies” as subjective. In this case one could translate, “rise up against my furious enemies” (cf. NIV, NRSV). The present translation, however, takes the preposition as indicating manner (cf. “in your anger” in the previous line) and understands the plural form of the noun as indicating an abstract quality (“fury”) or excessive degree (“raging fury”). Cf. Job 21:30.
3 tc Heb “Wake up to me [with the] judgment [which] you have commanded.” The LXX understands אֵלִי (’eliy, “my God”) instead of אֵלַי (’elay, “to me”; the LXX reading is followed by NEB, NIV, NRSV.) If the reading of the MT is retained, the preposition probably has the sense of “on account of, for the sake of.” The noun מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat, “judgment”) is probably an adverbial accusative, modifying the initial imperative, “wake up.” In this case צִוִּיתָ (tsivvita, “[which] you have commanded”) is an asyndetic relative clause. Some take the perfect as precative. In this case one could translate the final line, “Wake up for my sake! Decree judgment!” (cf. NIV). However, not all grammarians are convinced that the perfect is used as a precative in biblical Hebrew.
4 tn Heb “you establish strength because of your foes.” The meaning of the statement is unclear. The present translation follows the reading of the LXX which has “praise” (αἶνος, ainos) in place of “strength” (עֹז, ’oz); cf. NIV, NCV, NLT.
5 tn Heb “to cause to cease an enemy and an avenger.” The singular forms are collective. The Hitpael participle of נָקַם (naqam) also occurs in Ps 44:16.
6 tn Because of the royal imagery involved here, one could translate “lofty palace.” The
7 sn The
8 sn His eyes. The anthropomorphic language draws attention to God’s awareness of and interest in the situation on earth. Though the enemies are hidden by the darkness (v. 2), the Lord sees all.
9 tn The two Hebrew imperfect verbal forms in this verse describe the
10 tn Heb “eyelids.”
11 tn For other uses of the verb in this sense, see Job 7:18; Pss 7:9; 26:2; 139:23.
12 tn Heb “test the sons of men.”
13 tn The term translated “oppressed” is an objective genitive; the oppressed are the recipients/victims of violence.
14 tn Elsewhere in the psalms this noun is used of the painful groans of prisoners awaiting death (79:11; 102:20). The related verb is used of the painful groaning of those wounded in combat (Jer 51:52; Ezek 26:15) and of the mournful sighing of those in grief (Ezek 9:4; 24:17).
15 tn Heb “I will rise up.”
16 tn Heb “I will place in deliverance, he pants for it.” The final two words in Hebrew (יָפִיחַ לוֹ, yafiakh lo) comprise an asyndetic relative clause, “the one who pants for it.” “The one who pants” is the object of the verb “place” and the antecedent of the pronominal suffix (in the phrase “for it”) is “deliverance.” Another option is to translate, “I will place in deliverance the witness for him,” repointing יָפִיחַ (a Hiphil imperfect from פּוּחַ, puakh, “pant”) as יָפֵחַ (yafeakh), a noun meaning “witness.” In this case the
17 tn Heb “I, in innocence, I will see your face.” To “see” God’s “face” means to have access to his presence and to experience his favor (see Ps 11:7; see also Job 33:26 [where רָאָה (ra’ah), not חָזַה (khazah), is used]). Here, however, the psalmist may be anticipating a mystical experience. See the following note on the word “me.”
18 tn Heb “I will be satisfied, when I awake, [with] your form.” The noun תְּמוּנָה (tÿmunah) normally carries the nuance “likeness” or “form.” In Job 4:16 it refers to a ghostlike spiritual entity (see v. 15) that revealed itself to Eliphaz during the night. The psalmist may anticipate a mystical encounter with God in which he expects to see a manifestation of God’s presence (i.e., a theophany), perhaps in conjunction with an oracle of deliverance. During the quiet darkness of the night, God examines the psalmist’s inner motives and finds them to be pure (see v. 3). The psalmist is confident that when he awakens, perhaps sometime during the night or in the morning, he will be visited by God and assured of vindication.
sn When I awake you will reveal yourself to me. Some see in this verse an allusion to resurrection. According to this view, when the psalmist awakens from the sleep of death, he will see God. It is unlikely that the psalmist had such a highly developed personal eschatology. As noted above, it is more likely that he is anticipating a divine visitation and mystical encounter as a prelude to his deliverance from his enemies.
19 sn Your victory. Here the king is addressed (see v. 1).
20 tc The Hebrew verb דָּגַל (dagal) occurs only here in the Qal. If accepted as original, it may carry the nuance “raise a banner,” but it is preferable to emend the form to נגיל (“we will rejoice”) which provides better parallelism with “shout for joy” and fits well with the prepositional phrase “in the name of our God” (see Ps 89:16).
21 tn Heb “you make them like a furnace of fire.” Although many modern translations retain the literal Hebrew, the statement is elliptical. The point is not that he makes them like a furnace, but like an object burned in a furnace (cf. NEB, “at your coming you shall plunge them into a fiery furnace”).
22 tn Heb “at the time of your face.” The “face” of the king here refers to his angry presence. See Lam 4:16.
23 tn Heb “the
24 tn The Hebrew term צַלְמָוֶת (tsalmavet) has traditionally been understood as a compound noun meaning “shadow of death” (צֵל [tsel] + מָוֶת [mavet]; see BDB 853 s.v. צַלְמָוֶת). Other scholars prefer to vocalize the form צַלְמוּת (tsalmut) and understand it as an abstract noun (from the root צָלַם, tsalam) 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. If the word does indeed mean “darkness,” it modifies גַיְא (gay’, “valley, ravine”) quite naturally. At the metaphorical level, v. 4 pictures the shepherd taking his sheep through a dark ravine where predators might lurk. The life-threatening situations faced by the psalmist are the underlying reality behind the imagery.
25 tn The imperfect verbal forms in v. 4, as in vv. 1-3, highlight what is typical in the psalmist’s experience.
26 tn The Hebrew term רַע (ra’) is traditionally translated “evil” here, perhaps suggesting a moral or ethical nuance. But at the level of the metaphor, the word means “danger, injury, harm,” as a sheep might experience from a predator. The life-threatening dangers faced by the psalmist, especially the enemies mentioned in v. 5, are the underlying reality.
27 tn The Piel of נָחַם (nakham), when used with a human object, means “comfort, console.” But here, within the metaphorical framework, it refers to the way in which a shepherd uses his implements to assure the sheep of his presence and calm their nerves. The underlying reality is the emotional stability God provides the psalmist during life threatening situations.
28 tn Or “How abundant are your blessings!”
29 tn Heb “for those who fear you.”
30 tn “Taking shelter” in the
31 tn Heb “you work [your favor] for the ones seeking shelter in you before the sons of men.”
32 tn Heb “mountains of God.” The divine name אֵל (’el, “God”) is here used in an idiomatic manner to indicate the superlative.
33 tn Or “deliver.”
34 sn God’s justice/fairness is firm and reliable like the highest mountains and as abundant as the water in the deepest sea. The psalmist uses a legal metaphor to describe God’s preservation of his creation. Like a just judge who vindicates the innocent, God protects his creation from destructive forces.
35 tn Heb “sacrifice and offering you do not desire.” The statement is exaggerated for the sake of emphasis (see Ps 51:16 as well). God is pleased with sacrifices, but his first priority is obedience and loyalty (see 1 Sam 15:22). Sacrifices and offerings apart from genuine allegiance are meaningless (see Isa 1:11-20).
36 tn Heb “ears you hollowed out for me.” The meaning of this odd expression is debated (this is the only collocation of “hollowed out” and “ears” in the OT). It may have been an idiomatic expression referring to making a point clear to a listener. The LXX has “but a body you have prepared for me,” a reading which is followed in Heb 10:5.
37 tn Heb “Why do you bow down?”
38 sn For poetic effect the psalmist addresses his soul, or inner self.
39 tn Heb “and why are you in turmoil upon me?”
40 tc Heb “for again I will give him thanks, the saving acts of my face and my God.” The last line should be emended to read יְשׁוּעֹת פְנֵי אֱלֹהָי (yÿshu’ot fÿney ’elohay, “[for] the saving acts of the face of my God,” that is, the saving acts associated with God’s presence/intervention. This refrain is identical to the one in Ps 42:11. See also 42:5, which differs only slightly.
41 tn Heb “like your name, O God, so [is] your praise to the ends of the earth.” Here “name” refers to God’s reputation and revealed character.
42 tn Heb “your right hand is full of justice.” The “right hand” suggests activity and power.
43 tn The particle כִּי (ki) is understood here as asseverative (emphatic).
44 tn The subject of the verb is probably the typical “man” mentioned in v. 7. The imperfect can be taken here as generalizing or as indicating potential (“surely he/one can see”).
45 tn The imperfect verbal forms here and in the next line draw attention to what is characteristically true. The vav (ו) consecutive with perfect in the third line carries the same force.
46 tn Heb “together a fool and a brutish [man] perish.” The adjective בַּעַר (ba’ar, “brutish”) refers to spiritual insensitivity, not mere lack of intelligence or reasoning ability (see Pss 73:22; 92:6; Prov 12:1; 30:2, as well as the use of the related verb in Ps 94:8).
47 sn Death shows no respect for anyone. No matter how wise or foolish an individual happens to be, all pass away.
48 tn Heb “these things you did and I was silent.” Some interpret the second clause (“and I was silent”) as a rhetorical question expecting a negative answer, “[When you do these things], should I keep silent?” (cf. NEB). See GKC 335 §112.cc.
sn The Lord was silent in the sense that he delayed punishment. Of course, God’s patience toward sinners eventually runs out. The divine “silence” is only temporary (see v. 3, where the psalmist, having described God’s arrival, observes that “he is not silent”).
49 tn The Hebrew infinitive construct (הֱיוֹת, heyot) appears to function like the infinitive absolute here, adding emphasis to the following finite verbal form (אֶהְיֶה, ’ehyeh). See GKC 339-40 §113.a. Some prefer to emend הֱיוֹת (heyot) to the infinitive absolute form הָיוֹ (hayo).
50 tn Or “rebuke” (see v. 8).
51 tn Heb “and I will set in order [my case against you] to your eyes.” The cohortative form expresses the
52 tn Heb “only you,” as if the psalmist had sinned exclusively against God and no other. Since the Hebrew verb חָטָא (hata’, “to sin”) is used elsewhere of sinful acts against people (see BDB 306 s.v. 2.a) and David (the presumed author) certainly sinned when he murdered Uriah (2 Sam 12:9), it is likely that the psalmist is overstating the case to suggest that the attack on Uriah was ultimately an attack on God himself. To clarify the point of the hyperbole, the translation uses “especially,” rather than the potentially confusing “only.”
53 tn The Hebrew term לְמַעַן (lÿma’an) normally indicates purpose (“in order that”), but here it introduces a logical consequence of the preceding statement. (Taking the clause as indicating purpose here would yield a theologically preposterous idea – the psalmist purposely sinned so that God’s justice might be vindicated!) For other examples of לְמַעַן indicating result, see 2 Kgs 22:17; Jer 27:15; Amos 2:7, as well as IBHS 638-40 §38.3.
54 tn Heb “when you speak.” In this context the psalmist refers to God’s word of condemnation against his sin delivered through Nathan (cf. 2 Sam 12:7-12).
55 tn Heb “when you judge.”
56 tn The disjunctive construction (vav [ו] + subject) highlights the contrast between the evildoer’s destiny (vv. 5-7) and that of the godly psalmist’s security.
57 tn Or “luxuriant, green, leafy.”
58 tn Or, hyperbolically, “forever and ever.”
59 tn Or, hyperbolically, “forever.”
60 tn Or “for.”
61 tn Heb “you have acted.” The perfect verbal form (1) probably indicates a future perfect here. The psalmist promises to give thanks when the expected vindication has been accomplished. Other options include (2) a generalizing (“for you act”) or (3) rhetorical (“for you will act”) use.
62 tn Or “wait.”
63 tn Heb “your name.” God’s “name” refers here to his reputation and revealed character.
64 tn Heb “for it is good in front of your loyal followers.”
65 tn Heb “for my feet.”
66 tn Heb “my life bends low.” 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).
67 tn Heb “before me.”
68 tn The perfect form is used rhetorically here to express the psalmist’s certitude. The demise of the enemies is so certain that he can speak of it as already accomplished.
69 tn Heb “the sin of their mouth [is] the word of their lips.”
70 sn The metaphor of the washbasin, used to rinse one’s hands and feet, suggests that Moab, in contrast to Israel’s elevated position (vv. 6-7), would be reduced to the status of a servant.
71 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,” i.e., “I will take possession of Edom.” 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.
72 tc Heb “over me, O Philistia, shout in triumph.” The translation follows the text of Ps 108:9. When the initial עֲלֵיוֹ (’aleyo, “over”) was misread as עָלַי (’alay, “over me”), the first person verb form was probably altered to an imperative to provide better sense to the line.
73 tn The verb form is plural; the psalmist addresses his enemies. The verb הוּת occurs only here in the OT. An Arabic cognate means “shout at.”
74 tn The Hebrew text has a Pual (passive) form, but the verb form should be vocalized as a Piel (active) form. See BDB 953-54 s.v. רָצַח.
75 tn Heb “like a bent wall and a broken fence.” The point of the comparison is not entirely clear. Perhaps the enemies are depicted as dangerous, like a leaning wall or broken fence that is in danger of falling on someone (see C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms [ICC], 2:69).
76 tn Heb “and the inhabitants of the ends fear because of your signs.” God’s “signs” are the “awesome acts” (see v. 5) he performs in the earth.
77 tn Heb “the goings out of the morning and the evening you cause to shout for joy.” The phrase “goings out of the morning and evening” refers to the sunrise and sunset, that is, the east and the west.
78 tn The verb form is a Polel from שׁוּק (shuq, “be abundant”), a verb which appears only here and in Joel 2:24 and 3:13, where it is used in the Hiphil stem and means “overflow.”
79 tn Heb “you greatly enrich it.”
80 tn Heb “[with] a channel of God full of water.” The divine name is probably used here in a superlative sense to depict a very deep stream (“a stream fit for God,” as it were).
81 tn The pronoun apparently refers to the people of the earth, mentioned in v. 8.
82 tn Heb “for thus [referring to the provision of rain described in the first half of the verse] you prepare it.” The third feminine singular pronominal suffix attached to the verb “prepare” refers back to the “earth,” which is a feminine noun with regard to grammatical form.
83 tn See Deut 33:29; Ps 81:15 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 “be weak, powerless” (see also Ps 109:24).
84 tc The MT reads רְוָיָה (“saturation”) but this should be emended to רְוָחָה (rÿvakhah, “wide open place”; i.e., “relief”), a reading supported by several ancient versions (LXX, Syriac, Jerome, Targum).
85 sn Psalm 68. The psalmist depicts God as a mighty warrior and celebrates the fact that God exerts his power on behalf of his people.
86 tn Or “rises up.” The verb form is an imperfect, not a jussive. The psalmist is describing God’s appearance in battle in a dramatic fashion.
87 tn Heb “those who hate him.”
88 sn The wording of v. 1 echoes the prayer in Num 10:35: “Spring into action,
89 tn Heb “God causes the solitary ones to dwell in a house.” The participle suggests this is what God typically does.
90 tn Heb “he brings out prisoners into prosperity.” Another option is to translate, “he brings out prisoners with singing” (cf. NIV). The participle suggests this is what God typically does.
91 tn Or “in a parched [land].”
sn God delivers the downtrodden and oppressed, but sinful rebels who oppose his reign are treated appropriately.
92 tn Heb “gives a word.” Perhaps this refers to a divine royal decree or battle cry.
93 tn Heb “the ones spreading the good news [are] a large army.” The participle translated “the ones spreading the good news” is a feminine plural form. Apparently the good news here is the announcement that enemy kings have been defeated (see v. 12).
94 tn The meaning of the Hebrew verb רָצַד (ratsad), translated here “look with envy,” is uncertain; it occurs only here in the OT. See BDB 952-53. A cognate verb occurs in later Aramaic with the meaning “to lie in wait; to watch” (Jastrow 1492 s.v. רְצַד).
95 tn Perhaps the apparent plural form should be read as a singular with enclitic mem (ם; later misinterpreted as a plural ending). The preceding verse has the singular form.
96 tn Heb “[at] the mountain God desires for his dwelling place.” The reference is to Mount Zion/Jerusalem.
97 tn The Hebrew particle אַף (’af) has an emphasizing function here.
98 tn The word “there” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
99 tn Heb “awesome [is] God from his holy places.” The plural of מִקְדָּשׁ (miqdash, “holy places”) perhaps refers to the temple precincts (see Ps 73:17; Jer 51:51).
100 tn Heb “the God of Israel, he.”
101 tn Heb “blessed [be] God.”
102 sn See Pss 35:10; 37:14.
103 tn Ps 40:17 has “may the Lord pay attention to me.”
104 tn Ps 40:17 has “my God” instead of “
105 tn Heb “your assembly,” which pictures God’s people as an assembled community.
106 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).
107 tn Heb “the tribe of your inheritance” (see Jer 10:16; 51:19).
108 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).
109 tn Heb “there is not still a prophet.”
110 tn Heb “and [there is] not with us one who knows how long.”
111 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.
112 tn Or “nations.”
113 tn Heb “have come into your inheritance.”
114 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
115 tn The word translated “swallow” occurs only here and in Prov 26:2.
116 tn Heb “even a bird finds a home, and a swallow a nest for herself, [in] which she places her young.”
sn The psalmist here romanticizes the temple as a place of refuge and safety. As he thinks of the birds nesting near its roof, he envisions them finding protection in God’s presence.
117 sn The Lord’s throne symbolizes his kingship.
118 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).
119 tn Or “flourish.”
120 tn Heb “in order that they might be destroyed permanently.”
sn God allows the wicked to prosper temporarily so that he might reveal his justice. When the wicked are annihilated, God demonstrates that wickedness does not pay off.
121 tn Heb “among those who called on his name.”
122 tn Heb “those who.” The participle is in apposition to the phrase “those who called on his name” in the preceding line.
123 tn Heb “take notice of.”
124 tn Heb “I will walk about in the integrity of my heart in the midst of my house.”
125 tn Or “the peoples.”
126 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.
127 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.
128 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.”
129 tn Heb “in the day of your power.”
130 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
131 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.
132 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.
133 tn Heb “to you [is].”
134 sn Servants look to their master for food, shelter, and other basic needs.
135 sn Psalm 131. The psalmist affirms his humble dependence on the Lord and urges Israel to place its trust in God.
136 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.
137 tn Heb “and my eyes are not lifted up.”
138 tn Heb “I do not walk in great things, and in things too marvelous for me.”
139 tn Heb “my spirit grows faint.”
140 tn Heb “you know my path.”