Mazmur 1:1--11:7
KonteksBook 1
(Psalms 1-41)
1:1 How blessed 2 is the one 3 who does not follow 4 the advice 5 of the wicked, 6
or stand in the pathway 7 with sinners,
or sit in the assembly 8 of scoffers! 9
1:2 Instead 10 he finds pleasure in obeying the Lord’s commands; 11
he meditates on 12 his commands 13 day and night.
1:3 He is like 14 a tree planted by flowing streams; 15
it 16 yields 17 its fruit at the proper time, 18
and its leaves never fall off. 19
He succeeds in everything he attempts. 20
1:4 Not so with the wicked!
Instead 21 they are like wind-driven chaff. 22
1:5 For this reason 23 the wicked cannot withstand 24 judgment, 25
nor can sinners join the assembly of the godly. 26
1:6 Certainly 27 the Lord guards the way of the godly, 28
but the way of the wicked ends in destruction. 29
2:1 Why 31 do the nations rebel? 32
Why 33 are the countries 34 devising 35 plots that will fail? 36
2:2 The kings of the earth 37 form a united front; 38
the rulers collaborate 39
against the Lord and his anointed king. 40
2:3 They say, 41 “Let’s tear off the shackles they’ve put on us! 42
Let’s free ourselves from 43 their ropes!”
2:4 The one enthroned 44 in heaven laughs in disgust; 45
the Lord taunts 46 them.
2:5 Then he angrily speaks to them
and terrifies them in his rage, 47 saying, 48
2:6 “I myself 49 have installed 50 my king
on Zion, my holy hill.”
2:7 The king says, 51 “I will announce the Lord’s decree. He said to me: 52
‘You are my son! 53 This very day I have become your father!
2:8 Ask me,
and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, 54
the ends of the earth as your personal property.
2:9 You will break them 55 with an iron scepter; 56
you will smash them like a potter’s jar!’” 57
2:10 So now, you kings, do what is wise; 58
you rulers of the earth, submit to correction! 59
2:11 Serve 60 the Lord in fear!
Repent in terror! 61
Otherwise he 63 will be angry, 64
and you will die because of your behavior, 65
when his anger quickly ignites. 66
How blessed 67 are all who take shelter in him! 68
A psalm of David, written when he fled from his son Absalom. 70
3:1 Lord, how 71 numerous are my enemies!
Many attack me. 72
3:2 Many say about me,
“God will not deliver him.” 73 (Selah) 74
3:3 But you, Lord, are a shield that protects me; 75
you are my glory 76 and the one who restores me. 77
3:4 To the Lord I cried out, 78
and he answered me from his holy hill. 79 (Selah)
3:5 I rested and slept;
I awoke, 80 for the Lord protects 81 me.
3:6 I am not afraid 82 of the multitude of people 83
who attack me from all directions. 84
Deliver me, my God!
Yes, 86 you will strike 87 all my enemies on the jaw;
you will break the teeth 88 of the wicked. 89
you show favor to your people. 91 (Selah)
For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a psalm of David.
4:1 When I call out, answer me,
O God who vindicates me! 93
Though I am hemmed in, you will lead me into a wide, open place. 94
Have mercy on me 95 and respond to 96 my prayer!
4:2 You men, 97 how long will you try to turn my honor into shame? 98
How long 99 will you love what is worthless 100
and search for what is deceptive? 101 (Selah)
4:3 Realize that 102 the Lord shows the godly special favor; 103
the Lord responds 104 when I cry out to him.
4:4 Tremble with fear and do not sin! 105
Meditate as you lie in bed, and repent of your ways! 106 (Selah)
4:5 Offer the prescribed sacrifices 107
and trust in the Lord! 108
4:6 Many say, “Who can show us anything good?”
Smile upon us, Lord! 109
than those who have abundant grain and wine. 111
4:8 I will lie down and sleep peacefully, 112
for you, Lord, make me safe and secure. 113
For the music director, to be accompanied by wind instruments; 115 a psalm of David.
5:1 Listen to what I say, 116 Lord!
Carefully consider my complaint! 117
5:2 Pay attention to my cry for help,
my king and my God,
for I am praying to you!
5:3 Lord, in the morning 118 you will hear 119 me; 120
in the morning I will present my case to you 121 and then wait expectantly for an answer. 122
5:4 Certainly 123 you are not a God who approves of evil; 124
evil people 125 cannot dwell with you. 126
5:5 Arrogant people cannot stand in your presence; 127
you hate 128 all who behave wickedly. 129
5:6 You destroy 130 liars; 131
the Lord despises 132 violent and deceitful people. 133
5:7 But as for me, 134 because of your great faithfulness I will enter your house; 135
I will bow down toward your holy temple as I worship you. 136
5:8 Lord, lead me in your righteousness 137
because of those who wait to ambush me, 138
remove the obstacles in the way in which you are guiding me! 139
5:9 For 140 they do not speak the truth; 141
their stomachs are like the place of destruction, 142
their throats like an open grave, 143
their tongues like a steep slope leading into it. 144
May their own schemes be their downfall! 146
Drive them away 147 because of their many acts of insurrection, 148
for they have rebelled against you.
5:11 But may all who take shelter 149 in you be happy! 150
May they continually 151 shout for joy! 152
Shelter them 153 so that those who are loyal to you 154 may rejoice! 155
5:12 Certainly 156 you reward 157 the godly, 158 Lord.
Like a shield you protect 159 them 160 in your good favor. 161
For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments, according to the sheminith style; 163 a psalm of David.
6:1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger!
Do not discipline me in your raging fury! 164
6:2 Have mercy on me, 165 Lord, for I am frail!
Heal me, Lord, for my bones are shaking! 166
6:3 I am absolutely terrified, 167
and you, Lord – how long will this continue? 168
6:4 Relent, Lord, rescue me! 169
Deliver me because of your faithfulness! 170
6:5 For no one remembers you in the realm of death, 171
In Sheol who gives you thanks? 172
6:6 I am exhausted as I groan;
all night long I drench my bed in tears; 173
my tears saturate the cushion beneath me. 174
6:7 My eyes 175 grow dim 176 from suffering;
they grow weak 177 because of all my enemies. 178
6:8 Turn back from me, all you who behave wickedly, 179
for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping! 180
6:9 The Lord has heard my appeal for mercy;
the Lord has accepted 181 my prayer.
6:10 May all my enemies be humiliated 182 and absolutely terrified! 183
May they turn back and be suddenly humiliated!
A musical composition 185 by David, which he sang to the Lord concerning 186 a Benjaminite named Cush. 187
7:1 O Lord my God, in you I have taken shelter. 188
Deliver me from all who chase me! Rescue me!
7:2 Otherwise they will rip 189 me 190 to shreds like a lion;
they will tear me to bits and no one will be able to rescue me. 191
7:3 O Lord my God, if I have done what they say, 192
or am guilty of unjust actions, 193
7:4 or have wronged my ally, 194
or helped his lawless enemy, 195
7:5 may an enemy relentlessly chase 196 me 197 and catch me; 198
may he trample me to death 199
and leave me lying dishonored in the dust. 200 (Selah)
7:6 Stand up angrily, 201 Lord!
Rise up with raging fury against my enemies! 202
Wake up for my sake and execute the judgment you have decreed for them! 203
7:7 The countries are assembled all around you; 204
take once more your rightful place over them! 205
7:8 The Lord judges the nations. 206
Vindicate me, Lord, because I am innocent, 207
because I am blameless, 208 O Exalted One! 209
7:9 May the evil deeds of the wicked 210 come to an end! 211
But make the innocent 212 secure, 213
O righteous God,
you who examine 214 inner thoughts and motives! 215
7:10 The Exalted God is my shield, 216
the one who delivers the morally upright. 217
7:11 God is a just judge;
he is angry throughout the day. 218
7:12 If a person 219 does not repent, God sharpens his sword 220
and prepares to shoot his bow. 221
7:13 He prepares to use deadly weapons against him; 222
he gets ready to shoot flaming arrows. 223
7:14 See the one who is pregnant with wickedness,
who conceives destructive plans,
and gives birth to harmful lies – 224
and then falls into the hole he has made. 226
7:16 He becomes the victim of his own destructive plans 227
and the violence he intended for others falls on his own head. 228
7:17 I will thank the Lord for 229 his justice;
I will sing praises to the sovereign Lord! 230
For the music director, according to the gittith style; 232 a psalm of David.
how magnificent 234 is your reputation 235 throughout the earth!
You reveal your majesty in the heavens above! 236
8:2 From the mouths of children and nursing babies
you have ordained praise on account of your adversaries, 237
so that you might put an end to the vindictive enemy. 238
8:3 When I look up at the heavens, which your fingers made,
and see the moon and the stars, which you set in place, 239
8:4 Of what importance is the human race, 240 that you should notice 241 them?
Of what importance is mankind, 242 that you should pay attention to them, 243
8:5 and make them a little less than the heavenly beings? 244
You grant mankind 245 honor and majesty; 246
8:6 you appoint them to rule over your creation; 247
you have placed 248 everything under their authority, 249
8:7 including all the sheep and cattle,
as well as the wild animals, 250
8:8 the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea
and everything that moves through the currents 251 of the seas.
how magnificent 253 is your reputation 254 throughout the earth! 255
For the music director; according to the alumoth-labben style; 257 a psalm of David.
9:1 I will thank the Lord with all my heart!
I will tell about all your amazing deeds! 258
9:2 I will be happy and rejoice in you!
I will sing praises to you, O sovereign One! 259
9:3 When my enemies turn back,
they trip and are defeated 260 before you.
9:4 For you defended my just cause; 261
from your throne you pronounced a just decision. 262
9:5 You terrified the nations with your battle cry; 263
you destroyed the wicked; 264
you permanently wiped out all memory of them. 265
9:6 The enemy’s cities have been reduced to permanent ruins; 266
you destroyed their cities; 267
all memory of the enemies has perished. 268
9:7 But the Lord 269 rules 270 forever;
he reigns in a just manner. 271
9:8 He judges the world fairly;
he makes just legal decisions for the nations. 272
9:9 Consequently 273 the Lord provides safety for the oppressed; 274
he provides safety in times of trouble. 275
9:10 Your loyal followers trust in you, 276
for you, Lord, do not abandon those who seek your help. 277
9:11 Sing praises to the Lord, who rules 278 in Zion!
Tell the nations what he has done! 279
9:12 For the one who takes revenge against murderers took notice of the oppressed; 280
he did not overlook 281 their cry for help 282
“Have mercy on me, 284 Lord!
See how I am oppressed by those who hate me, 285
O one who can snatch me away 286 from the gates of death!
9:14 Then I will 287 tell about all your praiseworthy acts; 288
in the gates of Daughter Zion 289 I will rejoice because of your deliverance.” 290
9:15 The nations fell 291 into the pit they had made;
their feet were caught in the net they had hidden. 292
9:16 The Lord revealed himself;
he accomplished justice;
the wicked were ensnared by their own actions. 293 (Higgaion. 294 Selah)
9:17 The wicked are turned back and sent to Sheol; 295
this is the destiny of 296 all the nations that ignore 297 God,
9:18 for the needy are not permanently ignored, 298
the hopes of the oppressed are not forever dashed. 299
Don’t let men be defiant! 301
May the nations be judged in your presence!
Let the nations know they are mere mortals! 303 (Selah)
10:1 Why, Lord, do you stand far off?
Why do you pay no attention during times of trouble? 305
10:2 The wicked arrogantly chase the oppressed; 306
the oppressed are trapped 307 by the schemes the wicked have dreamed up. 308
10:3 Yes, 309 the wicked man 310 boasts because he gets what he wants; 311
the one who robs others 312 curses 313 and 314 rejects the Lord. 315
10:4 The wicked man is so arrogant he always thinks,
“God won’t hold me accountable; he doesn’t care.” 316
10:5 He is secure at all times. 317
He has no regard for your commands; 318
he disdains all his enemies. 319
“I will never 321 be upended,
because I experience no calamity.” 322
10:7 His mouth is full of curses and deceptive, harmful words; 323
his tongue injures and destroys. 324
10:8 He waits in ambush near the villages; 325
in hidden places he kills the innocent.
His eyes look for some unfortunate victim. 326
10:9 He lies in ambush in a hidden place, like a lion in a thicket; 327
he lies in ambush, waiting to catch 328 the oppressed;
he catches the oppressed 329 by pulling in his net. 330
10:10 His victims are crushed and beaten down;
they are trapped in his sturdy nets. 331
“God overlooks it;
he does not pay attention;
he never notices.” 333
O God, strike him down! 335
Do not forget the oppressed!
10:13 Why does the wicked man reject God? 336
He says to himself, 337 “You 338 will not hold me accountable.” 339
10:14 You have taken notice, 340
for 341 you always see 342 one who inflicts pain and suffering. 343
The unfortunate victim entrusts his cause to you; 344
you deliver 345 the fatherless. 346
10:15 Break the arm 347 of the wicked and evil man!
Hold him accountable for his wicked deeds, 348
which he thought you would not discover. 349
10:16 The Lord rules forever! 350
The nations are driven out of his land. 351
10:17 Lord, you have heard 352 the request 353 of the oppressed;
you make them feel secure because you listen to their prayer. 354
10:18 You defend 355 the fatherless and oppressed, 356
so that mere mortals may no longer terrorize them. 357
For the music director; by David.
11:1 In the Lord I have taken shelter. 359
How can you say to me, 360
“Flee to a mountain like a bird! 361
11:2 For look, the wicked 362 prepare 363 their bows, 364
they put their arrows on the strings,
to shoot in the darkness 365 at the morally upright. 366
11:3 When the foundations 367 are destroyed,
what can the godly 368 accomplish?” 369
11:4 The Lord is in his holy temple; 370
the Lord’s throne is in heaven. 371
his eyes 374 examine 375 all people. 376
11:5 The Lord approves of 377 the godly, 378
but he 379 hates 380 the wicked and those who love to do violence. 381
11:6 May the Lord rain down 382 burning coals 383 and brimstone 384 on the wicked!
A whirlwind is what they deserve! 385
11:7 Certainly 386 the Lord is just; 387
he rewards godly deeds; 388
the upright will experience his favor. 389
[1:1] 1 sn Psalm 1. In this wisdom psalm the author advises his audience to reject the lifestyle of the wicked and to be loyal to God. The psalmist contrasts the destiny of the wicked with that of the righteous, emphasizing that the wicked are eventually destroyed while the godly prosper under the Lord’s protective care.
[1:1] 2 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. 3; Pss 2:12; 34:9; 41:1; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).
[1:1] 3 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.” (Generic “he” is employed in vv. 2-3). Since the godly man described in the psalm is representative of followers of God (note the plural form צַדִּיקִים [tsadiqim, “righteous, godly”] in vv. 5-6), one could translate the collective singular with the plural “those” both here and in vv. 2-3, where singular pronouns and verbal forms are utilized in the Hebrew text (cf. NRSV). However, here the singular form may emphasize that godly individuals are usually outnumbered by the wicked. Retaining the singular allows the translation to retain this emphasis.
[1:1] 4 tn Heb “walk in.” The three perfect verbal forms in v. 1 refer in this context to characteristic behavior. The sequence “walk–stand–sit” envisions a progression from relatively casual association with the wicked to complete identification with them.
[1:1] 5 tn The Hebrew noun translated “advice” most often refers to the “counsel” or “advice” one receives from others. To “walk in the advice of the wicked” means to allow their evil advice to impact and determine one’s behavior.
[1:1] 6 tn In the psalms the Hebrew term רְשָׁעִים (rÿsha’im, “wicked”) describes people who are proud, practical atheists (Ps 10:2, 4, 11) who hate God’s commands, commit sinful deeds, speak lies and slander (Ps 50:16-20), and cheat others (Ps 37:21).
[1:1] 7 tn “Pathway” here refers to the lifestyle of sinners. To “stand in the pathway of/with sinners” means to closely associate with them in their sinful behavior.
[1:1] 8 tn Here the Hebrew term מוֹשַׁב (moshav), although often translated “seat” (cf. NEB, NIV), appears to refer to the whole assembly of evildoers. The word also carries the semantic nuance “assembly” in Ps 107:32, where it is in synonymous parallelism with קָהָל (qahal, “assembly”).
[1:1] 9 tn The Hebrew word refers to arrogant individuals (Prov 21:24) who love conflict (Prov 22:10) and vociferously reject wisdom and correction (Prov 1:22; 9:7-8; 13:1; 15:12). To “sit in the assembly” of such people means to completely identify with them in their proud, sinful plans and behavior.
[1:2] 10 tn Here the Hebrew expression כִּי־אִם (ki-’im, “instead”) introduces a contrast between the sinful behavior depicted in v. 1 and the godly lifestyle described in v. 2.
[1:2] 11 tn Heb “his delight [is] in the law of the
[1:2] 12 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form draws attention to the characteristic behavior described here and lends support to the hyperbolic adverbial phrase “day and night.” The verb הָגָה (hagag) means “to recite quietly; to meditate” and refers metonymically to intense study and reflection.
[1:3] 14 tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries the same characteristic force as the imperfect in the preceding verse. According to the psalmist, the one who studies and obeys God’s commands typically prospers.
[1:3] 15 tn Heb “channels of water.”
[1:3] 17 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal forms in v. 3 draw attention to the typical nature of the actions/states they describe.
[1:3] 18 tn Heb “in its season.”
[1:3] 19 tn Or “fade”; “wither.”
[1:3] sn The author compares the godly individual to a tree that has a rich water supply (planted by flowing streams), develops a strong root system, and is filled with leaves and fruit. The simile suggests that the godly have a continual source of life which in turn produces stability and uninterrupted prosperity.
[1:3] 20 tn Heb “and all which he does prospers”; or “and all which he does he causes to prosper.” (The simile of the tree does not extend to this line.) It is not certain if the Hiphil verbal form (יַצְלִיחַ, yatsliakh) is intransitive-exhibitive (“prospers”) or causative (“causes to prosper”) here. If the verb is intransitive, then כֹּל (kol, “all, everything”) is the subject. If the verb is causative, then the godly individual or the Lord himself is the subject and כֹּל is the object. The wording is reminiscent of Josh 1:8, where the Lord tells Joshua: “This law scroll must not leave your lips! You must memorize it day and night so you can carefully obey all that is written in it. Then you will prosper (literally, “cause your way to prosper”) and be successful.”
[1:4] 21 tn Here the Hebrew expression כִּי־אִם (ki-’im, “instead,” cf. v. 2) introduces a contrast between the prosperity of the godly depicted in v. 3 and the destiny of the wicked described in v. 4.
[1:4] 22 tn Heb “[they are] like the chaff which [the] wind blows about.” The Hebrew imperfect verbal form draws attention to the typical nature of the action described.
[1:4] sn Wind-driven chaff. In contrast to the well-rooted and productive tree described in v. 3, the wicked are like a dried up plant that has no root system and is blown away by the wind. The simile describes the destiny of the wicked (see vv. 5-6).
[1:5] 24 tn Heb “arise in,” but the verb is used metonymically here in the sense of “stand”; “endure,” as in 1 Sam 13:14 and Job 8:15. The negated Hebrew imperfect verbal form is here taken as indicating incapability or lack of potential, though one could understand the verb form as indicating what is typical (“do not withstand”) or what will happen (“will not withstand”).
[1:5] 25 tn Heb “the judgment.” The article indicates a judgment that is definite in the mind of the speaker. In the immediate context this probably does not refer to the “final judgment” described in later biblical revelation, but to a temporal/historical judgment which the author anticipates. Periodically during the OT period, God would come in judgment, removing the wicked from the scene, while preserving a godly remnant (see Gen 6-9; Ps 37; Hab 3).
[1:5] 26 tn Heb “and sinners in the assembly (or “circle”) of [the] godly.” The negative particle and verb from the preceding line are assumed by ellipsis here (“will not arise/stand”).
[1:5] sn The assembly of the godly is insulated from divine judgment (Ps 37:12-17, 28-29).
[1:6] 27 tn The translation understands כי as asseverative. Another option is to translate “for,” understanding v. 6 as a theological explanation for vv. 3-5, which contrasts the respective destinies of the godly and the wicked.
[1:6] 28 tn Heb “the
[1:6] 29 tn Heb “but the way of the wicked perishes.” The “way of the wicked” may refer to their course of life (Ps 146:9; Prov 4:19; Jer 12:1) or their sinful behavior (Prov 12:26; 15:9). The Hebrew imperfect verbal form probably describes here what typically happens, though one could take the form as indicating what will happen (“will perish”).
[2:1] 30 sn Psalm 2. In this royal psalm the author asserts the special status of the divinely chosen Davidic king and warns the nations and their rulers to submit to the authority of God and his chosen vice-regent.
[2:1] 31 tn The question is rhetorical. Rather than seeking information, the psalmist expresses his outrage that the nations would have the audacity to rebel against God and his chosen king.
[2:1] 32 tn The Hebrew verb רָגַשׁ (ragash) occurs only here. In Dan 6:6, 11, 15 the Aramaic cognate verb describes several officials acting as a group. A Hebrew nominal derivative is used in Ps 55:14 of a crowd of people in the temple.
[2:1] 33 tn The interrogative לָמָּה (lamah, “why?”) is understood by ellipsis in the second line.
[2:1] 34 tn Or “peoples” (so many English versions).
[2:1] 35 tn The Hebrew imperfect form describes the rebellion as underway. The verb הָגָה (hagah), which means “to recite quietly, meditate,” here has the metonymic nuance “devise, plan, plot” (see Ps 38:12; Prov 24:2).
[2:1] 36 tn Heb “devising emptiness.” The noun רִיק (riq, “emptiness”) may characterize their behavior as “worthless, morally bankrupt” but more likely refers to the outcome of their plots (i.e., failure). As the rest of the psalm emphasizes, their rebellion will fail.
[2:2] 37 sn The expression kings of the earth refers somewhat hyperbolically to the kings who had been conquered by and were subject to the Davidic king.
[2:2] 38 tn Or “take their stand.” The Hebrew imperfect verbal form describes their action as underway.
[2:2] 39 tn Or “conspire together.” The verbal form is a Niphal from יָסַד (yasad). BDB 413-14 s.v. יָסַד defines the verb as “establish, found,” but HALOT 417 s.v. II יסד proposes a homonym meaning “get together, conspire” (an alternate form of סוּד, sud).
[2:2] 40 tn Heb “and against his anointed one.” The Davidic king is the referent (see vv. 6-7).
[2:3] 41 tn The words “they say” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The quotation represents the words of the rebellious kings.
[2:3] 42 tn Heb “their (i.e., the
[2:3] 43 tn Heb “throw off from us.”
[2:4] 44 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; 123:1).
[2:4] 45 tn As the next line indicates, this refers to derisive laughter. The Hebrew imperfect verbal forms in vv. 4-5 describe the action from the perspective of an eyewitness who is watching the divine response as it unfolds before his eyes.
[2:4] 46 tn Or “scoffs at”; “derides”; “mocks.”
[2:5] 47 sn And terrifies them in his rage. This line focuses on the effect that God’s angry response (see previous line) has on the rebellious kings.
[2:5] 48 tn The word “saying” is supplied in the translation for clarification to indicate that the speaker is the Lord (cf. RSV, NIV).
[2:6] 49 tn The first person pronoun appears before the first person verbal form for emphasis, reflected in the translation by “myself.”
[2:6] 50 tn Or perhaps “consecrated.”
[2:7] 51 tn The words “the king says” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The speaker is the Lord’s chosen king.
[2:7] 52 tn Or “I will relate the decree. The
[2:7] 53 sn ‘You are my son!’ The Davidic king was viewed as God’s “son” (see 2 Sam 7:14; Ps 89:26-27). 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.
[2:8] 54 sn I will give you the nations. The
[2:9] 55 tc The LXX reads “you will shepherd them.” This reading, quoted in the Greek text of the NT in Rev 2:27; 12:5; 19:15, assumes a different vocalization of the consonantal Hebrew text and understands the verb as רָעָה (ra’ah, “to shepherd”) rather than רָעָע (ra’a’, “to break”). But the presence of נָפַץ (nafats, “to smash”) in the next line strongly favors the MT vocalization.
[2:9] 56 tn The Hebrew term שֵׁבֶט (shevet) can refer to a “staff” or “rod,” but here it probably refers to the Davidic king’s royal scepter, symbolizing his sovereignty.
[2:9] 57 sn Like a potter’s jar. Before the Davidic king’s awesome power, the rebellious nations are like fragile pottery.
[2:10] 58 sn The speaker here is either the psalmist or the Davidic king, who now addresses the rebellious kings.
[2:10] 59 tn The Niphal has here a tolerative nuance; the kings are urged to submit themselves to the advice being offered.
[2:11] 60 tn The Hebrew verb translated “serve” refers here to submitting to the Lord’s sovereignty as expressed through the rule of the Davidic king. Such “service” would involve maintaining allegiance to the Davidic king by paying tribute on a regular basis.
[2:11] 61 tn Traditionally, “rejoice with trembling” (KJV). The verb גִּיל (gil) normally means “rejoice,” but this meaning does not fit well here in conjunction with “in trembling.” Some try to understand “trembling” (and the parallel יִרְאָה, yir’ah, “fear”) in the sense of “reverential awe” and then take the verbs “serve” and “rejoice” in the sense of “worship” (cf. NASB). But רְעָדָה (rÿ’adah, “trembling”) and its related terms consistently refer to utter terror and fear (see Exod 15:15; Job 4:14; Pss 48:6; 55:5; 104:32; Isa 33:14; Dan 10:11) or at least great emotional distress (Ezra 10:9). It seems more likely here that גִּיל carries its polarized meaning “mourn, lament,” as in Hos 10:5. “Mourn, lament” would then be metonymic in this context for “repent” (referring to one’s rebellious ways). On the meaning of the verb in Hos 10:5, see F. I. Andersen and D. N. Freedman, Hosea (AB), 556-57.
[2:12] 62 tn Traditionally, “kiss the son” (KJV). But בַּר (bar) is the Aramaic word for “son,” not the Hebrew. For this reason many regard the reading as suspect. Some propose emendations of vv. 11b-12a. One of the more popular proposals is to read בִּרְעָדָה נַשְּׁקוּ לְרַגְלָיו (bir’adah nashÿqu lÿraslayv, “in trembling kiss his feet”). It makes better sense to understand בַּר (bar) as an adjective meaning “pure” (see Pss 24:4; 73:1 and BDB 141 s.v. בַּר 3) functioning here in an adverbial sense. If read this way, then the syntactical structure of exhortation (imperative followed by adverbial modifier) corresponds to the two preceding lines (see v. 11). The verb נָשַׁק (nashaq, “kiss”) refers metonymically to showing homage (see 1 Sam 10:1; Hos 13:2). The exhortation in v. 12a advocates a genuine expression of allegiance and warns against insincerity. When swearing allegiance, vassal kings would sometimes do so insincerely, with the intent of rebelling when the time was right. The so-called “Vassal Treaties of Esarhaddon” also warn against such an attitude. In this treaty the vassal is told: “If you, as you stand on the soil where this oath [is sworn], swear the oath with your words and lips [only], do not swear with your entire heart, do not transmit it to your sons who will live after this treaty, if you take this curse upon yourselves but do not plan to keep the treaty of Esarhaddon…may your sons and grandsons because of this fear in the future” (see J. B. Pritchard, ed., The Ancient Near East, 2:62).
[2:12] 63 tn Throughout the translation of this verse the third person masculine pronouns refer to the
[2:12] 64 tn The implied subject of the verb is the
[2:12] 65 tn Heb “and you will perish [in the] way.” The Hebrew word דֶּרֶךְ (derekh, “way”) here refers to their rebellious behavior (not to a pathway, as often understood). It functions syntactically as an adverbial accusative in relation to the verb “perish.”
[2:12] 66 tn Or “burns.” The
[2:12] 67 tn The Hebrew noun is an abstract plural. The word often refers metonymically to the happiness that God-given security and prosperity produce (see Pss 1:1; 34:9; 41:1; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).
[2:12] 68 sn Who take shelter in him. “Taking shelter” in the Lord is an idiom for seeking his protection. Seeking his protection presupposes and even demonstrates the subject’s loyalty to the Lord. In the psalms those who “take shelter” in the Lord are contrasted with the wicked and equated with those who love, fear, and serve the Lord (Pss 5:11-12; 31:17-20; 34:21-22).
[3:1] 69 sn Psalm 3. The psalmist acknowledges that he is confronted by many enemies (vv. 1-2). But, alluding to a divine oracle he has received (vv. 4-5), he affirms his confidence in God’s ability to protect him (vv. 3, 6) and requests that God make his promise a reality (vv. 7-8).
[3:1] 70 sn According to Jewish tradition, David offered this prayer when he was forced to flee from Jerusalem during his son Absalom’s attempted coup (see 2 Sam 15:13-17).
[3:1] 71 tn The Hebrew term מָה (mah, “how”) is used here as an adverbial exclamation (see BDB 553 s.v.).
[3:1] 72 tn Heb “many rise up against me.”
[3:2] 73 tn Heb “there is no deliverance for him in God.”
[3:2] 74 sn The function of the Hebrew term סֶלָה (selah), transliterated here “Selah,” is uncertain. It may be a musical direction of some kind.
[3:3] 75 tn Heb “a shield round about me.”
[3:3] 76 tn Heb “my glory,” or “my honor.” The psalmist affirms that the
[3:3] 77 tn Heb “[the one who] lifts my head.” This phrase could be understood to refer to a general strengthening of the psalmist by God during difficult circumstances. However, if one takes the suggestion of the superscription that this is a Davidic psalm written during the revolt of Absalom, the phrase “lift the head” could refer to the psalmist’s desire for restoration to his former position (cf. Gen 40:13 where the same phrase is used). Like the Hebrew text, the present translation (“who restores me”) can be understood in either sense.
[3:4] 78 tn The prefixed verbal form could be an imperfect, yielding the translation “I cry out,” but the verb form in the next line (a vav [ו] consecutive with the preterite) suggests this is a brief narrative of what has already happened. Consequently the verb form in v. 4a is better understood as a preterite, “I cried out.” (For another example of the preterite of this same verb form, see Ps 30:8.) Sometime after the crisis arose, the psalmist prayed to the Lord and received an assuring answer. Now he confidently awaits the fulfillment of the divine promise.
[3:4] 79 sn His holy hill. That is, Zion (see Pss 2:6; 48:1-2). The psalmist recognizes that the
[3:5] 80 tn The three verbal forms that appear in succession here (perfect + vav [ו] consecutive with preterite + perfect) are most naturally taken as narrational. When the psalmist received an assuring word from the
[3:5] 81 tn Or “supports”; “sustains.” In this explanatory causal clause the imperfect verbal form probably has a habitual or present progressive nuance, for the psalmist is confident of God’s continual protection (see v. 3). Another option is to take the verb as a preterite, “for the
[3:6] 82 tn The imperfect verbal form here expresses the psalmist’s continuing attitude as he faces the crisis at hand.
[3:6] 83 tn Or perhaps “troops.” The Hebrew noun עָם (’am) sometimes refers to a military contingent or army.
[3:6] 84 tn Heb “who all around take a stand against me.”
[3:7] 85 tn In v. 2 the psalmist describes his enemies as those who “confront” him (קָמִים [qamim], literally, “rise up against him”). Now, using the same verbal root (קוּם, qum) he asks the
[3:7] 86 tn Elsewhere in the psalms the particle כִּי (ki), when collocated with a perfect verbal form and subordinated to a preceding imperative directed to God, almost always has an explanatory or causal force (“for, because”) and introduces a motivating argument for why God should respond positively to the request (see Pss 5:10; 6:2; 12:1; 16:1; 41:4; 55:9; 56:1; 57:1; 60:2; 69:1; 74:20; 119:94; 123:3; 142:6; 143:8). (On three occasions the כִּי is recitative after a verb of perception [“see/know that,” see Pss 4:3; 25:19; 119:159]). If כִּי is taken as explanatory here, then the psalmist is arguing that God should deliver him now because that is what God characteristically does. However, such a motivating argument is not used in the passages cited above. The motivating argument usually focuses on the nature of the psalmist’s dilemma or the fact that he trusts in the Lord. For this reason it is unlikely that כִּי has its normal force here. Most scholars understand the particle כִּי as having an asseverative (emphasizing) function here (“indeed, yes”; NEB leaves the particle untranslated).
[3:7] 87 tn If the particle כִּי (ki) is taken as explanatory, then the perfect verbal forms in v. 7b would describe God’s characteristic behavior. However, as pointed out in the preceding note on the word “yes,” the particle probably has an asseverative force here. If so, the perfects may be taken as indicating rhetorically the psalmist’s certitude and confidence that God will intervene. The psalmist is so confident of God’s positive response to his prayer, he can describe God’s assault on his enemies as if it had already happened. Such confidence is consistent with the mood of the psalm, as expressed before (vv. 3-6) and after this (v. 8). Another option is to take the perfects as precative, expressing a wish or request (“Strike all my enemies on the jaw, break the teeth of the wicked”). See IBHS 494-95 §30.5.4c, d. However, not all grammarians are convinced that the perfect is used as a precative in biblical Hebrew.
[3:7] 88 sn The expression break the teeth may envision violent hand-to hand combat, though it is possible that the enemies are pictured here as a dangerous animal (see Job 29:17).
[3:7] 89 tn In the psalms the Hebrew term רְשָׁעִים (rÿsha’im, “wicked”) describes people who are proud, practical atheists (Ps 10:2, 4, 11) who hate God’s commands, commit sinful deeds, speak lies and slander (Ps 50:16-20), and cheat others (Ps 37:21). They oppose God and his people.
[3:8] 90 tn Heb “to the
[3:8] 91 tn Heb “upon your people [is] your blessing.” In this context God’s “blessing” includes deliverance/protection, vindication, and sustained life (see Pss 21:3, 6; 24:5).
[4:1] 92 sn Psalm 4. The psalmist asks God to hear his prayer, expresses his confidence that the Lord will intervene, and urges his enemies to change their ways and place their trust in God. He concludes with another prayer for divine intervention and again affirms his absolute confidence in God’s protection.
[4:1] 93 tn Heb “God of my righteousness.”
[4:1] 94 tn Heb “in distress (or “a narrow place”) you make (a place) large for me.” The function of the Hebrew perfect verbal form here is uncertain. The translation above assumes that the psalmist is expressing his certitude and confidence that God will intervene. The psalmist is so confident of God’s positive response to his prayer, he can describe God’s deliverance as if it had already happened. Such confidence is consistent with the mood of the psalm (vv. 3, 8). Another option is to take the perfects as precative, expressing a wish or request (“lead me”). See IBHS 494-95 §30.5.4c, d. However, not all grammarians are convinced that the perfect is used as a precative in biblical Hebrew.
[4:1] 95 tn Or “show me favor.”
[4:2] 97 tn Heb “sons of man.”
[4:2] 98 tn Heb “how long my honor to shame?”
[4:2] 99 tn The interrogative construction עַד־מֶה (’ad-meh, “how long?”), is understood by ellipsis in the second line.
[4:2] 101 tn Heb “a lie.” Some see the metonymic language of v. 2b (“emptiness, lie”) as referring to idols or false gods. However, there is no solid immediate contextual evidence for such an interpretation. It is more likely that the psalmist addresses those who threaten him (see v. 1) and refers in a general way to their sinful lifestyle. (See R. Mosis, TDOT 7:121.) The two terms allude to the fact that sinful behavior is ultimately fruitless and self-destructive.
[4:3] 102 tn Heb “and know that.”
[4:3] 103 tn Heb “that the
[4:4] 105 sn The psalmist warns his enemies that they need to tremble with fear before God and repudiate their sinful ways.
[4:4] 106 tn Heb “say in your heart(s) on your bed(s) and wail/lament.” The verb דֹמּוּ (dommu) is understood as a form of דָמָם (“wail, lament”) in sorrow and repentance. Another option is to take the verb from II דָמָם (damam, “be quiet”); cf. NIV, NRSV “be silent.”
[4:5] 107 tn Or “proper, right.” The phrase also occurs in Deut 33:19 and Ps 51:19.
[4:5] 108 sn Trust in the
[4:6] 109 tn Heb “lift up upon us the light of your face,
[4:6] sn Smile upon us. Though many are discouraged, the psalmist asks the Lord to intervene and transform the situation.
[4:7] 110 tn Heb “you place joy in my heart.” Another option is to understand the perfect verbal form as indicating certitude, “you will make me happier.”
[4:7] 111 tn Heb “from (i.e., more than) the time (when) their grain and their wine are abundant.”
[4:8] 112 tn Heb “in peace at the same time I will lie down and sleep.”
[4:8] 113 tn Heb “for you,
[5:1] 114 sn Psalm 5. Appealing to God’s justice and commitment to the godly, the psalmist asks the Lord to intervene and deliver him from evildoers.
[5:1] 115 tn The meaning of the Hebrew word נְחִילוֹת (nÿkhilot), which occurs only here, is uncertain. Many relate the form to חָלִיל (khalil, “flute”).
[5:1] 117 tn Or “sighing.” The word occurs only here and in Ps 39:3.
[5:3] 118 sn In the morning is here viewed as the time of prayer (Pss 59:16; 88:13) and/or of deliverance (Ps 30:5).
[5:3] 119 tn The imperfect is here understood in a specific future sense; the psalmist is expressing his confidence that God will be willing to hear his request. Another option is to understand the imperfect as expressing the psalmist’s wish or request. In this case one could translate, “
[5:3] 121 tn Heb “I will arrange for you.” Some understand a sacrifice or offering as the implied object (cf. NEB “I set out my morning sacrifice”). The present translation assumes that the implied object is the psalmist’s case/request. See Isa 44:7.
[5:3] 122 tn Heb “and I will watch.”
[5:4] 124 tn Heb “not a God [who] delights [in] wickedness [are] you.”
[5:4] 125 tn The Hebrew text has simply the singular form רע, which may be taken as an abstract noun “evil” (the reference to “wickedness” in the preceding line favors this; cf. NEB, NASB, NRSV) or as a substantival adjective “evil one” (the references to evil people in the next two verses favor this; cf. NIV “with you the wicked cannot dwell”).
[5:4] 126 tn Heb “cannot dwell as a resident alien [with] you.” The negated imperfect verbal form here indicates incapability or lack of permission. These people are morally incapable of dwelling in God’s presence and are not permitted to do so.
[5:4] sn Only the godly are allowed to dwell with the Lord. Evil people are excluded. See Ps 15.
[5:5] 127 tn Heb “before your eyes.”
[5:5] 128 sn You hate. The
[5:5] 129 tn Heb “all the workers of wickedness.”
[5:6] 130 tn The imperfect verbal form indicates God’s typical response to such individuals. Another option is to translate the verb as future (“You will destroy”); the psalmist may be envisioning a time of judgment when God will remove the wicked from the scene.
[5:6] 131 tn Heb “those who speak a lie.” In the OT a “lie” does not refer in a general philosophical sense to any statement that fails to correspond to reality. Instead it refers more specifically to a slanderous and/or deceitful statement that promotes one’s own selfish, sinful interests and/or exploits or harms those who are innocent. Note the emphasis on violence and deceit in the following line.
[5:6] 132 tn The imperfect verbal form highlights the
[5:6] 133 tn Heb “a man of bloodshed and deceit.” The singular אִישׁ (’ish, “man”) is used here in a collective or representative sense; thus the translation “people” is appropriate here. Note the plural forms in vv. 5-6a.
[5:7] 134 sn But as for me. By placing the first person pronoun at the beginning of the verse, the psalmist highlights the contrast between the evildoers’ actions and destiny, outlined in the preceding verses, with his own.
[5:7] 135 sn I will enter your house. The psalmist is confident that God will accept him into his presence, in contrast to the evildoers (see v. 5).
[5:7] 136 tn Heb “in fear [of] you.” The Hebrew noun יִרְאָה (yir’ah, “fear”), when used of fearing God, is sometimes used metonymically for what it ideally produces: “worship, reverence, piety.”
[5:8] 137 tn God’s providential leading is in view. His צְדָקָה (tsÿdaqah, “righteousness”) includes here the deliverance that originates in his righteousness; he protects and vindicates the one whose cause is just. For other examples of this use of the word, see BDB 842 s.v.
[5:8] 138 tn Heb “because of those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 27:11; 56:2.
[5:8] 139 tn Heb “make level before me your way.” The imperative “make level” is Hiphil in the Kethib (consonantal text); Piel in the Qere (marginal reading). God’s “way” is here the way in which he leads the psalmist providentially (see the preceding line, where the psalmist asks the Lord to lead him).
[5:9] 141 tn Heb “for there is not in his mouth truthfulness.” The singular pronoun (“his”) probably refers back to the “man of bloodshed and deceit” mentioned in v. 6. The singular is collective or representative, as the plural in the next line indicates, and so has been translated “they.”
[5:9] 142 tn Heb “their inward part[s] [is] destruction.” For a discussion of the extended metaphor in v. 9b, see the note on the word “it” at the end of the verse.
[5:9] 143 tn Heb “their throat is an open grave.” For a discussion of the extended metaphor in v. 9b, see the note on the word “it” at the end of the verse. The metaphor is suggested by the physical resemblance of the human throat to a deeply dug grave; both are dark chasms.
[5:9] 144 tn Heb “they make smooth their tongue.” Flattering, deceitful words are in view. See Ps 12:2. The psalmist’s deceitful enemies are compared to the realm of death/Sheol in v. 9b. Sheol was envisioned as a dark region within the earth, the entrance to which was the grave with its steep slopes (cf. Ps 88:4-6). The enemies’ victims are pictured here as slipping down a steep slope (the enemies’ tongues) and falling into an open grave (their throat) that terminates in destruction in the inner recesses of Sheol (their stomach). The enemies’ קרב (“inward part”) refers here to their thoughts and motives, which are destructive in their intent. The throat is where these destructive thoughts are transformed into words, and their tongue is what they use to speak the deceitful words that lead their innocent victims to their demise.
[5:9] sn As the psalmist walks down the path in which God leads him, he asks the
[5:10] 145 tn Heb “declare/regard them as guilty.” Declaring the psalmist’s adversaries guilty is here metonymic for judging them or paying them back for their wrongdoing.
[5:10] 146 tn Heb “may they fall from their plans.” The prefixed verbal form is a jussive, expressing an imprecation. The psalmist calls judgment down on the evildoers. Their plans will be their downfall in that God will judge them for their evil schemes.
[5:10] 147 tn Or “banish them.”
[5:10] 148 tn The Hebrew noun used here, פֶּשַׁע (pesha’), refers to rebellious actions. The psalmist pictures his enemies as rebels against God (see the next line).
[5:11] 149 sn Take shelter. “Taking shelter” in the Lord is an idiom for seeking his protection. Seeking his protection presupposes and even demonstrates the subject’s loyalty to the Lord. In the psalms those who “take shelter” in the Lord are contrasted with the wicked and equated with those who love, fear and serve the Lord (Pss 5:11-12; 31:17-20; 34:21-22).
[5:11] 150 tn The prefixed verbal form is a jussive of wish or prayer. The psalmist calls on God to reward his faithful followers.
[5:11] 151 tn Or perhaps more hyperbolically, “forever.”
[5:11] 152 tn As in the preceding line, the prefixed verbal form is a jussive of wish or prayer.
[5:11] 153 tn Heb “put a cover over them.” The verb form is a Hiphil imperfect from סָכַךְ (sakhakh, “cover, shut off”). The imperfect expresses the psalmist’s wish or request.
[5:11] 154 tn Heb “the lovers of your name.” The phrase refers to those who are loyal to the Lord. See Pss 69:36; 119:132; Isa 56:6.
[5:11] 155 tn The vav (ו) with prefixed verbal form following the volitional “shelter them” indicates purpose or result (“so that those…may rejoice).
[5:12] 157 tn Or “bless.” The imperfect verbal forms here and in the next line highlight how God characteristically rewards and protects the godly.
[5:12] 158 tn Or “innocent.” The singular form is used here in a collective or representative sense.
[5:12] 159 tn Heb “surround.” In 1 Sam 23:26 the verb describes how Saul and his men hemmed David in as they chased him.
[5:12] 160 tn Heb “him.” The singular form is used here in a collective or representative sense and is thus translated “them.”
[5:12] 161 tn Or “with favor” (cf. NRSV). There is no preposition before the noun in the Hebrew text, nor is there a pronoun attached. “Favor” here stands by metonymy for God’s defensive actions on behalf of the one whom he finds acceptable.
[6:1] 162 sn Psalm 6. The psalmist begs the Lord to withdraw his anger and spare his life. Having received a positive response to his prayer, the psalmist then confronts his enemies and describes how they retreat.
[6:1] 163 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term שְׁמִינִית (shÿminit, “sheminith”) is uncertain; perhaps it refers to a particular style of music. See 1 Chr 15:21.
[6:1] 164 sn The implication is that the psalmist has sinned, causing God to discipline him by bringing a life-threatening illness upon him (see vv. 2-7).
[6:2] 165 tn Or “show me favor.”
[6:2] 166 tn Normally the verb בָּהַל (bahal) refers to an emotional response and means “tremble with fear, be terrified” (see vv. 3, 10). Perhaps here the “bones” are viewed as the seat of the psalmist’s emotions. However, the verb may describe one of the effects of his physical ailment, perhaps a fever. In Ezek 7:27 the verb describes how the hands of the people will shake with fear when they experience the horrors of divine judgment.
[6:3] 167 tn Heb “my being is very terrified.” The suffixed form of נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being”) is often equivalent to a pronoun in poetic texts.
[6:3] 168 tn Heb “and you,
[6:4] 169 tn Heb “my being,” or “my life.” The suffixed form of נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being”) is often equivalent to a pronoun in poetic texts.
[6:4] 170 sn Deliver me because of your faithfulness. Though the psalmist is experiencing divine discipline, he realizes that God has made a commitment to him in the past, so he appeals to God’s faithfulness in his request for help.
[6:5] 171 tn Heb “for there is not in death your remembrance.” The Hebrew noun זֵכֶר (zekher, “remembrance”) here refers to the name of the Lord as invoked in liturgy and praise. Cf. Pss 30:4; 97:12. “Death” here refers to the realm of death where the dead reside. See the reference to Sheol in the next line.
[6:5] 172 tn The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “no one.”
[6:5] sn In Sheol who gives you thanks? According to the OT, those who descend into the realm of death/Sheol are cut off from God’s mighty deeds and from the worshiping covenant community that experiences divine intervention (Pss 30:9; 88:10-12; Isa 38:18). In his effort to elicit a positive divine response, the psalmist reminds God that he will receive no praise or glory if he allows the psalmist to die. Dead men do not praise God!
[6:6] 173 tn Heb “I cause to swim through all the night my bed.”
[6:6] 174 tn Heb “with my tears my bed I flood/melt.”
[6:7] 175 tn The Hebrew text has the singular “eye” here.
[6:7] 176 tn Or perhaps, “are swollen.”
[6:7] 177 tn Or perhaps, “grow old.”
[6:7] 178 sn In his weakened condition the psalmist is vulnerable to the taunts and threats of his enemies.
[6:8] 179 tn Heb “all [you] workers of wickedness.” See Ps 5:5.
[6:8] 180 sn The
[6:9] 181 tn The prefixed verbal form is probably a preterite here; it is parallel to a perfect and refers to the fact that the
[6:10] 182 tn The four prefixed verbal forms in this verse are understood as jussives. The psalmist concludes his prayer with an imprecation, calling judgment down on his enemies.
[6:10] 183 tn Heb “and may they be very terrified.” The psalmist uses the same expression in v. 3 to describe the terror he was experiencing. Now he asks the
[7:1] 184 sn Psalm 7. The psalmist asks the Lord to intervene and deliver him from his enemies. He protests his innocence and declares his confidence in God’s justice.
[7:1] 185 tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew term שִׁגָּיוֹן (shiggayon; translated here “musical composition”) is uncertain. Some derive the noun from the verbal root שָׁגָה (shagah, “swerve, reel”) and understand it as referring to a “wild, passionate song, with rapid changes of rhythm” (see BDB 993 s.v. שִׁגָּיוֹן). But this proposal is purely speculative. The only other appearance of the noun is in Hab 3:1, where it occurs in the plural.
[7:1] 186 tn Or “on account of.”
[7:1] 187 sn Apparently this individual named Cush was one of David’s enemies.
[7:1] 188 tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form probably refers here to a completed action with continuing results.
[7:2] 189 tn The verb is singular in the Hebrew text, even though “all who chase me” in v. 1 refers to a whole group of enemies. The singular is also used in vv. 4-5, but the psalmist returns to the plural in v. 6. The singular is probably collective, emphasizing the united front that the psalmist’s enemies present. This same alternation between a collective singular and a plural referring to enemies appears in Pss 9:3, 6; 13:4; 31:4, 8; 41:6, 10-11; 42:9-10; 55:3; 64:1-2; 74:3-4; 89:22-23; 106:10-11; 143:3, 6, 9.
[7:2] 190 tn Heb “my life.” The pronominal suffix attached to נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) is equivalent to a personal pronoun. See Ps 6:3.
[7:2] 191 tn Heb “tearing and there is no one rescuing.” The verbal form translated “tearing” is a singular active participle.
[7:3] 192 tn Heb “if I have done this.”
[7:3] 193 tn Heb “if there is injustice in my hands.” The “hands” figuratively suggest deeds or actions.
[7:4] 194 tn Heb “if I have repaid the one at peace with me evil.” The form שׁוֹלְמִי (sholÿmi, “the one at peace with me”) probably refers to a close friend or ally, i.e., one with whom the psalmist has made a formal agreement. See BDB 1023 s.v. שָׁלוֹם 4.a.
[7:4] 195 tn Heb “or rescued my enemy in vain.” The preterite with vav (ו) consecutive (the verb form is pseudo-cohortative; see IBHS 576-77 §34.5.3) carries on the hypothetical nuance of the perfect in the preceding line. Some regard the statement as a parenthetical assertion that the psalmist is kind to his enemies. Others define חָלַץ (khalats) as “despoil” (cf. NASB, NRSV “plundered”; NIV “robbed”), an otherwise unattested nuance for this verb. Still others emend the verb to לָחַץ (lakhats, “oppress”). Most construe the adverb רֵיקָם (reqam, “emptily, vainly”) with “my enemy,” i.e., the one who is my enemy in vain.” The present translation (1) assumes an emendation of צוֹרְרִי (tsorÿriy, “my enemy”) to צוֹרְרוֹ (tsorÿro, “his [i.e., the psalmist’s ally’s] enemy”) following J. Tigay, “Psalm 7:5 and Ancient Near Eastern Treaties,” JBL 89 (1970): 178-86, (2) understands the final mem (ם) on רֵיקָם as enclitic, and (3) takes רִיק (riq) as an adjective modifying “his enemy.” (For other examples of a suffixed noun followed by an attributive adjective without the article, see Pss 18:17 (“my strong enemy”), 99:3 (“your great and awesome name”) and 143:10 (“your good spirit”). The adjective רִיק occurs with the sense “lawless” in Judg 9:4; 11:3; 2 Chr 13:7. In this case the psalmist affirms that he has not wronged his ally, nor has he given aid to his ally’s enemies. Ancient Near Eastern treaties typically included such clauses, with one or both parties agreeing not to lend aid to the treaty partner’s enemies.
[7:5] 196 tn The vocalization of the verb form seems to be a mixture of Qal and Piel (see GKC 168 §63.n). The translation assumes the Piel, which would emphasize the repetitive nature of the action. The translation assumes the prefixed verbal form is a jussive. The psalmist is so certain that he is innocent of the sins mentioned in vv. 3-4, he pronounces an imprecation on himself for rhetorical effect.
[7:5] 197 tn Heb “my life.” The pronominal suffix attached to נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) is equivalent to a personal pronoun. See Ps 6:3.
[7:5] 198 tn Heb “and may he overtake.” The prefixed verbal form is distinctly jussive. The object “me,” though unexpressed, is understood from the preceding statement.
[7:5] 199 tn Heb “and may he trample down to the earth my life.”
[7:5] 200 tn Heb “and my honor in the dust may he cause to dwell.” The prefixed verbal form is distinctly jussive. Some emend כְבוֹדִי (khÿvodiy, “my honor”) to כְבֵדִי (khÿvediy, “my liver” as the seat of life), but the term כְבוֹדִי (khÿvodiy) is to be retained since it probably refers to the psalmist’s dignity or honor.
[7:6] 201 tn Heb “in your anger.”
[7:6] 202 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.
[7:6] 203 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.
[7:7] 204 tn Heb “and the assembly of the peoples surrounds you.” Some understand the prefixed verbal form as a jussive, “may the assembly of the peoples surround you.”
[7:7] 205 tn Heb “over it (the feminine suffix refers back to the feminine noun “assembly” in the preceding line) on high return.” Some emend שׁוּבָה (shuvah, “return”) to שֵׁבָה (shevah, “sit [in judgment]”) because they find the implication of “return” problematic. But the psalmist does not mean to imply that God has abandoned his royal throne and needs to regain it. Rather he simply urges God, as sovereign king of the world, to once more occupy his royal seat of judgment and execute judgment, as the OT pictures God doing periodically.
[7:8] 206 sn The
[7:8] 207 tn Heb “judge me, O
[7:8] 208 tn Heb “according to my blamelessness.” The imperative verb translated “vindicate” governs the second line as well.
[7:8] 209 tn The Hebrew form עָלָי (’alay) has been traditionally understood as the preposition עַל (’al, “over”) with a first person suffix. But this is syntactically awkward and meaningless. The form is probably a divine title derived from the verbal root עָלָה (’alah, “ascend”). This relatively rare title appears elsewhere in the OT (see HALOT 824-25 s.v. I עַל, though this text is not listed) and in Ugaritic as an epithet for Baal (see G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 98). See M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 1:44-45, and P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 (WBC), 98.
[7:9] 210 tn In the psalms the Hebrew term רְשָׁעִים (rÿsha’im, “wicked”) describes people who are proud, practical atheists (Ps 10:2, 4, 11) who hate God’s commands, commit sinful deeds, speak lies and slander (Ps 50:16-20), and cheat others (Ps 37:21). They oppose God and his people.
[7:9] 211 tn The prefixed verbal form is a jussive, expressing an imprecation here.
[7:9] 212 tn Or “the godly” (see Ps 5:12). The singular form is collective (see the plural “upright in heart” in v. 10), though it may reflect the personal focus of the psalmist in this context.
[7:9] 213 tn The prefixed verbal form expresses the psalmist’s prayer or wish.
[7:9] 214 tn For other uses of the verb in this sense, see Job 7:18; Pss 11:4; 26:2; 139:23.
[7:9] 215 tn Heb “and [the one who] tests hearts and kidneys, just God.” The translation inverts the word order to improve the English style. The heart and kidneys were viewed as the seat of one’s volition, conscience, and moral character.
[7:10] 216 tn Traditionally, “my shield is upon God” (cf. NASB). As in v. 8, עַל (’al) should be understood as a divine title, here compounded with “God” (cf. NIV, “God Most High”). See M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 1:45-46. The shield metaphor pictures God as a protector against deadly attacks.
[7:10] 217 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 Lord and, as a result, experience his deliverance (see Pss 11:2; 32:11; 36:10; 64:10; 94:15; 97:11).
[7:11] 218 tn Heb “God (the divine name אֵל [’el] is used) is angry during all the day.” The verb זֹעֵם (zo’em) means “be indignant, be angry, curse.” Here God’s angry response to wrongdoing and injustice leads him to prepare to execute judgment as described in the following verses.
[7:12] 219 tn Heb “If he”; the referent (a person who is a sinner) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The subject of the first verb is understood as the sinner who fails to repent of his ways and becomes the target of God’s judgment (vv. 9, 14-16).
[7:12] 220 tn Heb “if he does not return, his sword he sharpens.” The referent (God) of the pronominal subject of the second verb (“sharpens”) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:12] 221 tn Heb “his bow he treads and prepares it.” “Treading the bow” involved stepping on one end of it in order to string it and thus prepare it for battle.
[7:13] 222 tn Heb “and for him he prepares the weapons of death.”
[7:13] 223 tn Heb “his arrows into flaming [things] he makes.”
[7:14] 224 tn Heb “and he conceives harm and gives birth to a lie.”
[7:14] sn Pregnant with wickedness…gives birth to harmful lies. The psalmist metaphorically pictures the typical sinner as a pregnant woman, who is ready to give birth to wicked, destructive schemes and actions.
[7:15] 225 tn Heb “a pit he digs and he excavates it.” Apparently the imagery of hunting is employed; the wicked sinner digs this pit to entrap and destroy his intended victim. The redundancy in the Hebrew text has been simplified in the translation.
[7:15] 226 tn The verb forms in vv. 15-16 describe the typical behavior and destiny of those who attempt to destroy others. The image of the evildoer falling into the very trap he set for his intended victim emphasizes the appropriate nature of God’s judgment.
[7:16] 227 tn Heb “his harm [i.e., the harm he conceived for others, see v. 14] returns on his head.”
[7:16] 228 tn Heb “and on his forehead his violence [i.e., the violence he intended to do to others] comes down.”
[7:17] 229 tn Heb “according to.”
[7:17] 230 tn Heb “[to] the name of the
[8:1] 231 sn Psalm 8. In this hymn to the sovereign creator, the psalmist praises God’s majesty and marvels that God has given mankind dominion over the created order.
[8:1] 232 tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew term הגתית is uncertain; it probably refers to a musical style or type of instrument.
[8:1] 233 tn The plural form of the title emphasizes the
[8:1] 234 tn Or “awesome”; or “majestic.”
[8:1] 235 tn Heb “name,” which here stands metonymically for God’s reputation.
[8:1] 236 tc Heb “which, give, your majesty on the heavens.” The verb form תְּנָה (tÿnah; an imperative?) is corrupt. The form should be emended to a second masculine singular perfect (נָתַתָּה, natatah) or imperfect (תִתֵן, titen) form. The introductory אֲשֶׁר (’asher, “which”) can be taken as a relative pronoun (“you who”) or as a causal conjunction (“because”). One may literally translate, “you who [or “because you”] place your majesty upon the heavens.” For other uses of the phrase “place majesty upon” see Num 27:20 and 1 Chr 29:25.
[8:2] 237 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.
[8:2] 238 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.
[8:3] 239 tn Heb “when I see your heavens, the works of your fingers, the moon and stars which you established.” The verb “[and] see” is understood by ellipsis in the second half of the verse.
[8:4] 240 tn Heb “What is man[kind]?” The singular noun אֱנוֹשׁ (’enosh, “man”) is used here in a collective sense and refers to the human race.
[8:4] 241 tn Heb “remember him.”
[8:4] 242 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.
[8:4] 243 tn The two imperfect verbal forms in v. 4 describe God’s characteristic activity.
[8:5] 244 tn Heb “and you make him lack a little from [the] gods [or “God”].” The Piel form of חָסַר (khasar, “to decrease, to be devoid”) is used only here and in Eccl 4:8, where it means “to deprive, to cause to be lacking.” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive either carries on the characteristic nuance of the imperfect in v. 5b or indicates a consequence (“so that you make him…”) of the preceding statement (see GKC 328 §111.m). Some prefer to make this an independent clause and translate it as a new sentence, “You made him….” In this case the statement might refer specifically to the creation of the first human couple, Adam and Eve (cf. Gen 1:26-27). The psalmist does appear to allude to Gen 1:26-27, where mankind is created in the image of God and his angelic assembly (note “let us make man in our image” in Gen 1:26). However, the psalmist’s statement need not be limited in its focus to that historical event, for all mankind shares the image imparted to the first human couple. Consequently the psalmist can speak in general terms of the exalted nature of mankind. The referent of אֱלֹהִים (’elohim, “God” or “the heavenly beings”) is unclear. Some understand this as a reference to God alone, but the allusion to Gen 1:26-27 suggests a broader referent, including God and the other heavenly beings (known in other texts as “angels”). The term אֱלֹהִים is also used in this way in Gen 3:5, where the serpent says to the woman, “you will be like the heavenly beings who know good and evil.” (Note Gen 3:22, where God says, “the man has become like one of us.”) Also אֱלֹהִים may refer to the members of the heavenly assembly in Ps 82:1, 6. The LXX (the ancient Greek translation of the OT) reads “angels” in Ps 8:5 (this is the source of the quotation of Ps 8:5 in Heb 2:7).
[8:5] 245 tn Heb “you crown him [with].” The imperfect verbal forms in this and the next line describe God’s characteristic activity.
[8:5] 246 sn Honor and majesty. These terms allude to mankind’s royal status as God’s vice-regents (cf. v. 6 and Gen 1:26-30).
[8:6] 247 tn Heb “you cause [i.e., “permit, allow”] him to rule over the works of your hands.”
[8:6] 248 tn The perfect verbal form probably has a present perfect nuance here. It refers to the continuing effects of God’s original mandate (see Gen 1:26-30).
[8:6] 249 tn Heb “under his feet.”
[8:6] sn Placed everything under their authority. This verse affirms that mankind rules over God’s creation as his vice-regent. See Gen 1:26-30.
[8:7] 250 tn Heb “and also the beasts of the field.”
[8:9] 252 tn The plural form of the title emphasizes the
[8:9] 253 tn Or “awesome, majestic.”
[8:9] 254 tn Heb “name,” which here stands metonymically for God’s reputation.
[8:9] 255 sn Using the poetic device of inclusio, the psalmist ends the psalm the way he began it. The concluding refrain is identical to v. 1.
[9:1] 256 sn Psalm 9. The psalmist, probably speaking on behalf of Israel or Judah, praises God for delivering him from hostile nations. He celebrates God’s sovereignty and justice, and calls on others to join him in boasting of God’s greatness. Many Hebrew
[9:1] 257 tc The meaning of the Hebrew term עַלְמוּת (’almut) is uncertain. Some
[9:1] 258 tn The cohortative forms in vv. 1-2 express the psalmist’s resolve to praise God publicly.
[9:2] 259 tn Heb “[to] your name, O Most High.” God’s “name” refers metonymically to his divine characteristics as suggested by his name, in this case “Most High.” This divine title (עֶלְיוֹן, ’elyo/) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Ps 47:2.
[9:3] 260 tn Or “perish”; or “die.” The imperfect verbal forms in this line either emphasize what typically happens or describe vividly the aftermath of a recent battle in which the
[9:4] 261 tn Heb “for you accomplished my justice and my legal claim.”
[9:4] 262 tn Heb “you sat on a throne [as] one who judges [with] righteousness.” The perfect verbal forms in v. 4 probably allude to a recent victory (see vv. 5-7). Another option is to understand the verbs as describing what is typical (“you defend…you sit on a throne”).
[9:5] 263 tn The verb גָּעַר (ga’ar) is often understood to mean “rebuke” and in this context taken to refer to the
[9:5] 264 tn The singular form is collective (note “nations” and “their name”). In the psalms the “wicked” (רְשָׁעִים, rÿsha’im) are typically proud, practical atheists (Ps 10:2, 4, 11) who hate God’s commands, commit sinful deeds, speak lies and slander (Ps 50:16-20), and cheat others (Ps 37:21). In this context the hostile nations who threaten Israel/Judah are in view.
[9:5] 265 tn Heb “their name you wiped out forever and ever.” The three perfect verbal forms in v. 5 probably refer to a recent victory (definite past or present perfect use), although they might express what is typical (characteristic use).
[9:6] 266 tn Heb “the enemy – they have come to an end [in] ruins permanently.” The singular form אוֹיֵב (’oyev, “enemy”) is collective. It is placed at the beginning of the verse to heighten the contrast with יְהוָה (yÿhvah, “the
[9:6] 267 tn Heb “you uprooted cities.”
[9:6] 268 tn Heb “it has perished, their remembrance, they.” The independent pronoun at the end of the line is in apposition to the preceding pronominal suffix and lends emphasis (see IBHS 299 §16.3.4). The referent of the masculine pronoun is the nations/enemies (cf. v. 5), not the cities (the Hebrew noun עָרִים [’arim, “cities”] is grammatically feminine). This has been specified in the present translation for clarity; many modern translations retain the pronoun “them,” resulting in ambiguity (cf. NRSV “their cities you have rooted out; the very memory of them has perished”).
[9:7] 269 tn The construction vav (ו) + subject highlights the contrast between the exalted
[9:7] 270 tn Heb “sits” (i.e., enthroned, see v. 4). The imperfect verbal form highlights the generalization.
[9:7] 271 tn Heb “he establishes for justice his throne.”
[9:8] 272 tn Heb “the peoples.” The imperfect verbal forms in v. 8 either describe God’s typical, characteristic behavior, or anticipate a future judgment of worldwide proportions (“will judge…”).
[9:9] 273 tn Following the imperfect in v. 9, the construction vav (ו) conjunctive + shortened form of the prefixed verb הָיָה (hayah) indicates a consequence or result of the preceding statement. The construction functions this same way in Pss 81:15 and 104:20.
[9:9] 274 tn Heb “and the
[9:9] 275 tn Heb “[he is] an elevated place for times in trouble.” Here an “elevated place” refers to a stronghold, a defensible, secure position that represents a safe haven in times of unrest or distress (cf. NEB “tower of strength”; NIV, NRSV “stronghold”).
[9:10] 276 tn Heb “and the ones who know your name trust in you.” The construction vav (ו) conjunctive + imperfect at the beginning of the verse expresses another consequence of the statement made in v. 8. “To know” the
[9:10] 277 tn Heb “the ones who seek you.”
[9:11] 278 tn Heb “sits” (i.e., enthroned, and therefore ruling – see v. 4). Another option is to translate as “lives” or “dwells.”
[9:11] 279 tn Heb “declare among the nations his deeds.”
[9:12] 280 tn Heb “for the one who seeks shed blood remembered them.” The idiomatic expression “to seek shed blood” seems to carry the idea “to seek payment/restitution for one’s shed blood.” The plural form דָּמִים (damim, “shed blood”) occurs only here as the object of דָּרַשׁ (darash); the singular form דָּם (dam, “blood”) appears with the verb in Gen 9:5; 42:22; Ezek 33:6. “Them,” the pronominal object of the verb “remembered,” refers to the oppressed, mentioned specifically in the next line, so the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[9:12] 281 tn Heb “did not forget.”
[9:12] 282 tn Heb “the cry for help of the oppressed.” In this context the “oppressed” are the psalmist and those he represents, whom the hostile nations have threatened.
[9:13] 283 tn The words “when they prayed,” though not represented in the Hebrew text, are supplied in the translation for clarification. The petition in vv. 13-14 is best understood as the cry for help which the oppressed offered to God when the nations threatened. The
[9:13] 284 tn Or “show me favor.”
[9:13] 285 tn Heb “see my misery from the ones who hate me.”
[9:13] 286 tn Heb “one who lifts me up.”
[9:14] 287 tn Or “so that I might.”
[9:14] 288 tn Heb “all your praise.” “Praise” stands by metonymy for the mighty acts that prompt it.
[9:14] 289 sn Daughter Zion is an idiomatic title for Jerusalem. It appears frequently in the prophets, but only here in the psalms.
[9:14] 290 tn Heb “in your deliverance.”
[9:15] 291 tn Heb “sank down.”
[9:15] 292 sn The hostility of the nations against God’s people is their downfall, for it prompts God to intervene and destroy them. See also Ps 7:15-16.
[9:16] 293 tn Heb “by the work of his hands [the] wicked [one] was ensnared. The singular form רָשָׁע (rasha’, “wicked”) is collective or representative here (see vv. 15, 17). The form נוֹקֵשׁ (noqesh) appears to be an otherwise unattested Qal form (active participle) from נָקַשׁ (naqash), but the form should be emended to נוֹקַשׁ (noqash), a Niphal perfect from יָקַשׁ (yaqash).
[9:16] 294 tn This is probably a technical musical term.
[9:17] 295 tn Heb “the wicked turn back to Sheol.” The imperfect verbal form either emphasizes what typically happens or describes vividly the aftermath of the
[9:17] 296 tn The words “this is the destiny of” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. The verb “are turned back” is understood by ellipsis (see the preceding line).
[9:17] 297 tn Heb “forget.” “Forgetting God” refers here to worshiping false gods and thereby refusing to recognize his sovereignty (see also Deut 8:19; Judg 3:7; 1 Sam 12:9; Isa 17:10; Jer 3:21; Ps 44:20). The nations’ refusal to acknowledge God’s sovereignty accounts for their brazen attempt to attack and destroy his people.
[9:18] 299 tn Heb “the hope of the afflicted does [not] perish forever.” The negative particle is understood by ellipsis; note the preceding line. The imperfect verbal forms express what typically happens.
[9:19] 300 sn Rise up,
[9:20] 302 tn Heb “place,
[9:20] 303 tn Heb “let the nations know they [are] man[kind]”; i.e., mere human beings (as opposed to God).
[10:1] 304 sn Psalm 10. Many Hebrew
[10:1] 305 tn Heb “you hide for times in trouble.” The interrogative “why” is understood by ellipsis; note the preceding line. The Hiphil verbal form “hide” has no expressed object. Some supply “your eyes” by ellipsis (see BDB 761 s.v. I עָלַם Hiph and HALOT 835 s.v. I עלם hif) or emend the form to a Niphal (“you hide yourself,” see BHS, note c; cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV).
[10:2] 306 tn Heb “because of the pride of [the] wicked he burns [i.e. hotly pursues] [the] oppressed.” The singular forms רָשָׁע (rasha’, “wicked”) and עָנִי (’aniy, “oppressed”) are collective and representative, as indicated in the next line, which uses plural verb forms to describe the actions of both.
[10:2] 307 tn The two imperfect verbal forms in v. 2 describe either what typically happens (from the psalmist’s perspective) or what the psalmist was experiencing at the time he offered this prayer.
[10:2] 308 tn Heb “they are trapped in the schemes which they have thought up.” The referents of the two pronominal suffixes on the verbs have been specified in the translation for clarity. The referent of the first suffix (“they”) is taken as the oppressed, while the referent of the second (“they”) is taken to be the wicked (cf. NIV, which renders “wicked” in the previous line as a collective singular). Others take the referent of both occurrences of “they” in the line to be the wicked (cf. NRSV, “let them be caught in the schemes they have devised”).
[10:3] 309 tn The translation assumes כִּי (ki) is asseverative: “indeed, certainly.” Another option is to translate “for,” understanding v. 3 as giving the reason why the wicked so arrogantly seek to destroy the helpless (so NASB, NRSV).
[10:3] 310 tn The representative or typical evildoer is described in vv. 3-11, 13, 15. Since the singular form predominates in these verses, it has been retained in the translation.
[10:3] 311 tn Heb “the wicked [one] boasts on account of the desire of his appetite.” The translation assumes that the preposition עַל (’al) introduces the reason why the wicked boasts (cf. this use of עַל with הָלַל (halal) in Ps 119:164 and Ezra 3:11). In this case, the “desire of his appetite” refers by metonymy to the object desired and acquired.
[10:3] 312 tn The translation assumes the active participle is substantival, referring to the wicked man mentioned in the preceding line. The substantival participle is then understood as the subject of the following verbs. For other examples of the participle of בָּצַע (batsar) used of those who desire and/or acquire wealth through dishonest and/or violent means, see Prov 1:19; 15:27; Jer 6:13; 8:10; Hab 2:9.
[10:3] 313 tn The verb בָּרַךְ (barakh) normally means “to bless,” but in a few cases it exhibits the polarized meaning “to curse” (1 Kgs 21:10, 13; Job 1:5-11; 2:5-9). (Some regard this use of בָּרַךְ as a mere euphemism.) The verb refers to the act of pronouncing or calling down a formal curse upon the object of one’s anger.
[10:3] 314 tn The conjunction “and” is supplied in the translation; it does not appear in the Hebrew text.
[10:3] 315 tn Another option is to translate, “he blesses one who robs others, [but] he curses the
[10:4] 316 tn Heb “the wicked [one], according to the height of his nose, he does not seek, there is no God, all his thoughts.” The phrase “height of his nose” probably refers to an arrogant or snooty attitude; it likely pictures one with his nose turned upward toward the sky in pride. One could take the “wicked” as the subject of the negated verb “seek,” in which case the point is that the wicked do not “seek” God. The translation assumes that this statement, along with “there is no God,” is what the wicked man thinks to himself. In this case God is the subject of the verb “seek,” and the point is that God will not hold the wicked man accountable for his actions. Verse 13 strongly favors this interpretation. The statement “there is no God” is not a philosophical assertion that God does not exist, but rather a confident affirmation that he is unconcerned about how men live morally and ethically (see v. 11).
[10:5] 317 tn Heb “they are firm, his ways, at every time.” The verb חַיִל (khayil, “be firm, be strong”) occurs only here and in Job 20:21, where it has the sense “endure.”
[10:5] 318 tc Heb “[on a] height, your judgments from before him.” If the MT is retained, then the idea may be that God’s “judgments” are high above (i.e., not recognized) by the wicked man. However, the syntax is awkward. The translation assumes an emendation of מָרוֹם (marom, “height”) to סָרוּ (saru, “[your judgments] are turned aside”), the final mem (ם) being dittographic (note the initial mem on the immediately following word [מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ, mishÿfatekha, “your judgments”). “Judgments” probably refers here to God’s laws or commands, rather than his judicial decisions or acts of judgment.
[10:5] 319 tn Heb “all his enemies, he snorts against them.” This may picture the wicked man defiantly challenging his enemies because he is confident of success. Another option is to take יָפִיחַ (yafiakh) from the root יָפַח (yafakh, “to testify”) and translate “he testifies against all his enemies,” implying that he gets the upper hand over them in legal battles. The noun יָפֵחַ (yafeakh, “witness”) is attested in biblical Hebrew (see Prov 6:19; 12:17; 14:5, 25; 19:5, 9, and Hab 2:3). The verb, however, is not clearly attested.
[10:6] 320 tn Heb “he says in his heart/mind.”
[10:6] 321 tn Heb “for a generation and a generation.” The traditional accentuation of the MT understands these words with the following line.
[10:6] 322 tn Heb “who, not in calamity.” If אֲשֶׁר (’asher) is taken as a relative pronoun here, then one could translate, “[I] who [am] not in calamity.” Some emend אֲשֶׁר to אֹשֶׁר (’osher, “happiness”; see HALOT 99 s.v. אֹשֶׁר); one might then translate, “[I live in] happiness, not in calamity.” The present translation assumes that אֲשֶׁר functions here as a causal conjunction, “because, for.” For this use of אֲשֶׁר, see BDB 83 s.v. אֲשֶׁר 8.c (where the present text is not cited).
[10:7] 323 tn Heb “[with] a curse his mouth is full, and lies and injury.”
[10:7] 324 tn Heb “under his tongue are destruction and wickedness.” The words translated “destruction and wickedness” are also paired in Ps 90:10. They also appear in proximity in Pss 7:14 and 55:10.
[10:8] 325 tn Heb “he sits in the ambush of the villages.”
[10:8] 326 tn Heb “his eyes for an unfortunate person lie hidden.” The language may picture a lion (see v. 9) peering out from its hiding place in anticipation that an unsuspecting victim will soon come strolling along.
[10:9] 327 tn Or “in its den.”
[10:9] 328 tn The verb, which also appears in the next line, occurs only here and in Judg 21:21.
[10:9] 329 tn The singular form is collective (see v. 10) or refers to the typical or representative oppressed individual.
[10:9] 330 tn Or “when he [i.e., the wicked man] pulls in his net.”
[10:9] sn The background of the imagery is hunting, where the hunter uses a net to entrap an unsuspecting bird or wild animal.
[10:10] 331 tn Heb “he crushes, he is bowed down, and he falls into his strong [ones], [the] unfortunate [ones].” This verse presents several lexical and syntactical difficulties. The first word (יִדְכֶּה, yidekeh) is an otherwise unattested Qal form of the verb דָּכָה (dakhah, “crush”). (The Qere [marginal] form is imperfect; the consonantal text [Kethib] has the perfect with a prefixed conjunction vav [ו].) If the wicked man’s victim is the subject, which seems to be the case (note the two verbs which follow), then the form should be emended to a Niphal (יִדָּכֶה, yiddakheh). The phrase בַּעֲצוּמָיו (ba’atsumayv, “into his strong [ones]”), poses interpretive problems. The preposition -בְּ (bet) follows the verb נָפַל (nafal, “fall”), so it may very well carry the nuance “into” here, with “his strong [ones]” then referring to something into which the oppressed individual falls. Since a net is mentioned in the preceding verse as the instrument used to entrap the victim, it is possible that “strong [ones]” here refers metonymically to the wicked man’s nets or traps. Ps 35:8 refers to a man falling into a net (רֶשֶׁת, reshet), as does Ps 141:10 (where the plural of מִכְמָר [mikhmar, “net”] is used). A hunter’s net (רֶשֶׁת), is associated with snares (פַּח [pakh], מֹקְשִׁים, [moqÿshim]) and ropes (חֲבָלִים, khavalim) in Ps 140:5. The final word in the verse (חֶלְכָּאִים (khelka’im, “unfortunate [ones]”) may be an alternate form of חֵלְכָח (khelkhakh, “unfortunate [one]”; see vv. 8, 14). The Qere (marginal reading) divides the form into two words, חֵיל כָּאִים (khel ka’im, “army/host of disheartened [ones]”). The three verb forms in v. 10 are singular because the representative “oppressed” individual is the grammatical subject (see the singular עָנִי [’aniy] in v. 9).
[10:11] 332 tn Heb “he says in his heart.” See v. 6.
[10:11] 333 tn Heb “God forgets, he hides his face, he never sees.”
[10:12] 334 sn Rise up, O
[10:12] 335 tn Heb “lift up your hand.” Usually the expression “lifting the hand” refers to praying (Pss 28:2; 134:2) or making an oath (Ps 106:26), but here it probably refers to “striking a blow” (see 2 Sam 18:28; 20:21). Note v. 15, where the psalmist asks the
[10:13] 336 tn The rhetorical question expresses the psalmist’s outrage that the wicked would have the audacity to disdain God.
[10:13] 337 tn Heb “he says in his heart” (see vv. 6, 11). Another option is to understand an ellipsis of the interrogative particle here (cf. the preceding line), “Why does he say in his heart?”
[10:13] 338 tn Here the wicked man addresses God directly.
[10:13] 339 tn Heb “you will not seek.” The verb דָרַשׁ (darash, “seek”) is used here in the sense of “seek an accounting.” One could understand the imperfect as generalizing about what is typical and translate, “you do not hold [people] accountable.”
[10:14] 340 tn Heb “you see.” One could translate the perfect as generalizing, “you do take notice.”
[10:14] 341 tn If the preceding perfect is taken as generalizing, then one might understand כִּי (ki) as asseverative: “indeed, certainly.”
[10:14] 342 tn Here the imperfect emphasizes God’s typical behavior.
[10:14] 343 tn Heb “destruction and suffering,” which here refers metonymically to the wicked, who dish out pain and suffering to their victims.
[10:14] 344 tn Heb “to give into your hand, upon you, he abandons, [the] unfortunate [one].” The syntax is awkward and the meaning unclear. It is uncertain who or what is being given into God’s hand. Elsewhere the idiom “give into the hand” means to deliver into one’s possession. If “to give” goes with what precedes (as the accentuation of the Hebrew text suggests), then this may refer to the wicked man being delivered over to God for judgment. The present translation assumes that “to give” goes with what follows (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV). The verb יַעֲזֹב (ya’azov) here has the nuance “entrust” (see Gen 39:6; Job 39:11); the direct object (“[his] cause”) is implied.
[10:14] 346 tn Heb “[for] one who is fatherless, you are a deliverer.” The noun יָתוֹם (yatom) refers to one who has lost his father (not necessarily his mother, see Ps 109:9).
[10:14] sn The fatherless. Because they were so vulnerable and were frequently exploited, fatherless children are often mentioned as epitomizing the oppressed (see Pss 68:5; 82:3; 94:6; 146:9; as well as Job 6:27; 22:9; 24:3, 9; 29:12; 31:17, 21).
[10:15] 347 sn The arm symbolizes the strength of the wicked, which they use to oppress and exploit the weak.
[10:15] 348 tn Heb “you seek his wickedness.” As in v. 13, the verb דָרַשׁ (darash, “seek”) is used here in the sense of “seek an accounting.” One could understand the imperfect as describing a fact, “you hold him accountable,” or as anticipating divine judgment, “you will hold him accountable.” However, since the verb is in apparent parallelism with the preceding imperative (“break”), it is better to understand the imperfect as expressing the psalmist’s desire or request.
[10:15] 349 tn Heb “you will not find.” It is uncertain how this statement relates to what precedes. Some take בַל (bal), which is used as a negative particle in vv. 4, 6, 11, 18, as asseverative here, “Indeed find (i.e., judge his wickedness).” The translation assumes that the final words are an asyndetic relative clause which refers back to what the wicked man boasted in God’s face (“you will not find [i.e., my wickedness]”). See v. 13.
[10:16] 350 tn Heb “the
[10:16] 351 tn Or “the nations perish from his land.” The perfect verb form may express what is typical or it may express rhetorically the psalmist’s certitude that God’s deliverance is “as good as done.”
[10:16] sn The nations may be the underlying reality behind the psalmist’s references to the “wicked” in the earlier verses. This reference to the nations may have motivated the combining of Ps 10 with Ps 9 (see Ps 9:5, 15, 19).
[10:17] 352 sn You have heard. The psalmist is confident that God has responded positively to his earlier petitions for divine intervention. The psalmist apparently prayed the words of vv. 16-18 after the reception of an oracle of deliverance (given in response to the confident petition of vv. 12-15) or after the Lord actually delivered him from his enemies.
[10:17] 354 tn Heb “you make firm their heart, you cause your ear to listen.”
[10:18] 355 tn Heb “to judge (on behalf of),” or “by judging (on behalf of).”
[10:18] 356 tn Heb “crushed.” See v. 10.
[10:18] 357 tn Heb “he will not add again [i.e., “he will no longer”] to terrify, man from the earth.” The Hebrew term אֱנוֹשׁ (’enosh, “man”) refers here to the wicked nations (v. 16). By describing them as “from the earth,” the psalmist emphasizes their weakness before the sovereign, eternal king.
[11:1] 358 sn Psalm 11. The psalmist rejects the advice to flee from his dangerous enemies. Instead he affirms his confidence in God’s just character and calls down judgment on evildoers.
[11:1] 359 tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form probably refers here to a completed action with continuing results.
[11:1] 360 tn The pronominal suffix attached to נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) is equivalent to a personal pronoun. See Ps 6:3.
[11:1] 361 tc The MT is corrupt here. The Kethib (consonantal text) reads: “flee [masculine plural!] to your [masculine plural!] mountain, bird.” The Qere (marginal reading) has “flee” in a feminine singular form, agreeing grammatically with the addressee, the feminine noun “bird.” Rather than being a second masculine plural pronominal suffix, the ending כֶם- (-khem) attached to “mountain” is better interpreted as a second feminine singular pronominal suffix followed by an enclitic mem (ם). “Bird” may be taken as vocative (“O bird”) or as an adverbial accusative of manner (“like a bird”). Either way, the psalmist’s advisers compare him to a helpless bird whose only option in the face of danger is to fly away to an inaccessible place.
[11:2] 362 tn In the psalms the “wicked” (רְשָׁעִים, rÿsha’im) are typically proud, practical atheists (Ps 10:2, 4, 11) who hate God’s commands, commit sinful deeds, speak lies and slander (Ps 50:16-20), and cheat others (Ps 37:21). They oppose God and threaten his people (Ps 3:8).
[11:2] 363 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form depicts the enemies’ hostile action as underway.
[11:2] 365 sn In the darkness. The enemies’ attack, the precise form of which is not indicated, is compared here to a night ambush by archers; the psalmist is defenseless against this deadly attack.
[11:2] 366 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 Lord and, as a result, experience his deliverance (see Pss 7:10; 32:11; 36:10; 64:10; 94:15; 97:11).
[11:3] 367 tn The precise meaning of this rare word is uncertain. An Ugaritic cognate is used of the “bottom” or “base” of a cliff or mountain (see G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 47, 159). The noun appears in postbiblical Hebrew with the meaning “foundation” (see Jastrow 1636 s.v. שָׁת).
[11:3] 368 tn The singular form is used here in a collective or representative sense. Note the plural form “pure [of heart]” in the previous verse.
[11:3] 369 sn The quotation of the advisers’ words (which begins in 11:1c) ends at this point. They advise the psalmist to flee because the enemy is poised to launch a deadly attack. In such a lawless and chaotic situation godly people like the psalmist can accomplish nothing, so they might as well retreat to a safe place.
[11:4] 370 tn Because of the royal imagery involved here, one could translate “lofty palace.” The
[11:4] 371 sn The
[11:4] 372 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.
[11:4] 373 tn The two Hebrew imperfect verbal forms in this verse describe the
[11:4] 375 tn For other uses of the verb in this sense, see Job 7:18; Pss 7:9; 26:2; 139:23.
[11:4] 376 tn Heb “test the sons of men.”
[11:5] 377 tn Heb “examines,” the same verb used in v. 4b. But here it is used in a metonymic sense of “examine and approve” (see Jer 20:12).
[11:5] 378 tn The singular form is used here in a collective or representative sense. Note the plural form “pure (of heart)” in v. 2.
[11:5] 379 tn Heb “his [very] being.” A נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being, soul”) is also attributed to the Lord in Isa 1:14, where a suffixed form of the noun appears as the subject of the verb “hate.” Both there and here the term is used of the seat of one’s emotions and passions.
[11:5] 380 sn He hates the wicked. The Lord “hates” the wicked in the sense that he despises their wicked character and deeds, and actively opposes and judges them for their wickedness. See Ps 5:5.
[11:5] 381 tn Heb “the wicked [one] and the lover of violence.” The singular form is used here in a collective or representative sense. Note the plural form רְשָׁעִים (rÿsha’im, “wicked [ones]”) in vv. 2 and 6.
[11:6] 382 tn The verb form is a jussive, indicating that the statement is imprecatory (“May the
[11:6] 383 tc The MT reads “traps, fire, and brimstone,” but the image of God raining traps, or snares, down from the sky is bizarre and does not fit the fire and storm imagery of this verse. The noun פַּחִים (pakhim, “traps, snares”) should be emended to פַּחֲמֵי (pakhamey, “coals of [fire]”). The rare noun פֶּחָם (pekham, “coal”) occurs in Prov 26:21 and Isa 44:12; 54:16.
[11:6] 384 sn The image of God “raining down” brimstone on the objects of his judgment also appears in Gen 19:24 and Ezek 38:22.
[11:6] 385 tn Heb “[may] a wind of rage [be] the portion of their cup.” The precise meaning of the rare noun זִלְעָפוֹת (zil’afot) is uncertain. It may mean “raging heat” (BDB 273 s.v. זַלְעָפָה) or simply “rage” (HALOT 272 s.v. זַלְעָפָה). If one understands the former sense, then one might translate “hot wind” (cf. NEB, NRSV). The present translation assumes the latter nuance, “a wind of rage” (the genitive is attributive) referring to a “whirlwind” symbolic of destructive judgment. In this mixed metaphor, judgment is also compared to an allotted portion of a beverage poured into one’s drinking cup (see Hab 2:15-16).
[11:7] 388 tn Heb “he loves righteous deeds.” The “righteous deeds” are probably those done by godly people (see v. 5). The Lord “loves” such deeds in the sense that he rewards them. Another option is to take צְדָקוֹת (tsÿdaqot) as referring to God’s acts of justice (see Ps 103:6). In this case one could translate, “he loves to do just deeds.”
[11:7] 389 tn Heb “the upright will see his face.” The singular subject (“upright”) does not agree with the plural verb. However, collective singular nouns can be construed with a plural predicate (see GKC 462 §145.b). Another possibility is that the plural verb יֶחֱזוּ (yekhezu) is a corruption of an original singular form. To “see” God’s “face” means to have access to his presence and to experience his favor (see Ps 17:15 and Job 33:26 [where רָאָה (ra’ah), not חָזָה (khazah), is used]). On the form פָנֵימוֹ (fanemo, “his face”) see GKC 300-301 §103.b, n. 3.
