69:33 For the Lord listens to the needy;
he does not despise his captive people. 1
69:34 Let the heavens and the earth praise him,
along with the seas and everything that swims in them!
69:35 For God will deliver Zion
and rebuild the cities of Judah,
and his people 2 will again live in them and possess Zion. 3
69:36 The descendants of his servants will inherit it,
and those who are loyal to him 4 will live in it. 5
1 tn Heb “his prisoners he does not despise.”
2 tn Heb “they”; the referent (God’s people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
3 tn Heb “it.” The third feminine singular pronominal suffix probably refers to “Zion” (see Pss 48:12; 102:14); thus the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
4 tn Heb “the lovers of his name.” The phrase refers to those who are loyal to God (cf. v. 35). See Pss 5:11; 119:132; Isa 56:6.
5 sn Verses 35-36 appear to be an addition to the psalm from the time of the exile. The earlier lament reflects an individual’s situation, while these verses seem to reflect a communal application of it.