Mazmur 15:5

15:5 He does not charge interest when he lends his money. ¹ 

He does not take bribes to testify against the innocent. ² 

The one who lives like this ³  will never be upended.

Mazmur 59:3

59:3 For look, they wait to ambush me; ⁴ 

powerful men stalk ⁵  me,

but not because I have rebelled or sinned, O Lord. ⁶ 

Mazmur 92:7

92:7 When the wicked sprout up like grass,

and all the evildoers glisten, ⁷ 

it is so that they may be annihilated. ⁸ 

Mazmur 126:2

126:2 At that time we laughed loudly

and shouted for joy. ⁹ 

At that time the nations said, ¹⁰ 

“The Lord has accomplished great things for these people.”

[15:5]  ¹ sn He does not charge interest. Such an individual is truly generous, and not simply concerned with making a profit.

[15:5]  ² tn Heb “a bribe against the innocent he does not take.” For other texts condemning the practice of a judge or witness taking a bribe, see Exod 23:8; Deut 16:19; 27:25; 1 Sam 8:3; Ezek 22:12; Prov 17:23.

[15:5]  ³ tn Heb “does these things.”

[59:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “my life.”

[59:3]  ⁵ tn The Hebrew verb is from the root גּוּר (gur), which means “to challenge, attack” in Isa 54:15 and “to stalk” (with hostile intent) in Ps 56:8.

[59:3]  ⁶ sn The point is that the psalmist’s enemies have no justifiable reason for attacking him. He has neither rebelled or sinned against the Lord.

[92:7]  ⁷ tn Or “flourish.”

[92:7]  ⁸ tn Heb “in order that they might be destroyed permanently.”

[92:7]  sn God allows the wicked to prosper temporarily so that he might reveal his justice. When the wicked are annihilated, God demonstrates that wickedness does not pay off.

[126:2]  ⁹ tn Heb “then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with a shout.”

[126:2]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “they said among the nations.”