Mazmur 51:1--57:11
KonteksFor the music director; a psalm of David, written when Nathan the prophet confronted him after David’s affair with Bathsheba. 2
51:1 Have mercy on me, O God, because of 3 your loyal love!
Because of 4 your great compassion, wipe away my rebellious acts! 5
51:2 Wash away my wrongdoing! 6
Cleanse me of my sin! 7
51:3 For I am aware of 8 my rebellious acts;
I am forever conscious of my sin. 9
51:4 Against you – you above all 10 – I have sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
So 11 you are just when you confront me; 12
you are right when you condemn me. 13
51:5 Look, I was guilty of sin from birth,
a sinner the moment my mother conceived me. 14
51:6 Look, 15 you desire 16 integrity in the inner man; 17
you want me to possess wisdom. 18
51:7 Sprinkle me 19 with water 20 and I will be pure; 21
wash me 22 and I will be whiter than snow. 23
51:8 Grant me the ultimate joy of being forgiven! 24
May the bones 25 you crushed rejoice! 26
51:9 Hide your face 27 from my sins!
Wipe away 28 all my guilt!
51:10 Create for me a pure heart, O God! 29
Renew a resolute spirit within me! 30
Do not take your Holy Spirit 32 away from me! 33
51:12 Let me again experience the joy of your deliverance!
Sustain me by giving me the desire to obey! 34
51:13 Then I will teach 35 rebels your merciful ways, 36
and sinners will turn 37 to you.
51:14 Rescue me from the guilt of murder, 38 O God, the God who delivers me!
Then my tongue will shout for joy because of your deliverance. 39
51:15 O Lord, give me the words! 40
Then my mouth will praise you. 41
51:16 Certainly 42 you do not want a sacrifice, or else I would offer it; 43
you do not desire a burnt sacrifice. 44
51:17 The sacrifices God desires are a humble spirit 45 –
O God, a humble and repentant heart 46 you will not reject. 47
51:18 Because you favor Zion, do what is good for her! 48
Fortify 49 the walls of Jerusalem! 50
51:19 Then you will accept 51 the proper sacrifices, burnt sacrifices and whole offerings;
then bulls will be sacrificed 52 on your altar. 53
For the music director; a well-written song 55 by David. It was written when Doeg the Edomite went and informed Saul: “David has arrived at the home of Ahimelech.” 56
52:1 Why do you boast about your evil plans, 57 O powerful man?
God’s loyal love protects me all day long! 58
52:2 Your tongue carries out your destructive plans; 59
it is as effective as a sharp razor, O deceiver. 60
52:3 You love evil more than good,
lies more than speaking the truth. 61 (Selah)
52:4 You love to use all the words that destroy, 62
and the tongue that deceives.
52:5 Yet 63 God will make you a permanent heap of ruins. 64
He will scoop you up 65 and remove you from your home; 66
he will uproot you from the land of the living. (Selah)
52:6 When the godly see this, they will be filled with awe,
and will mock the evildoer, saying: 67
52:7 “Look, here is the man who would not make 68 God his protector!
He trusted in his great wealth
and was confident about his plans to destroy others.” 69
52:8 But I 70 am like a flourishing 71 olive tree in the house of God;
I continually 72 trust in God’s loyal love.
52:9 I will continually 73 thank you when 74 you execute judgment; 75
I will rely 76 on you, 77 for your loyal followers know you are good. 78
For the music director; according to the machalath style; 80 a well-written song 81 by David.
53:1 Fools say to themselves, 82 “There is no God.” 83
They sin and commit evil deeds; 84
none of them does what is right. 85
53:2 God looks down from heaven 86 at the human race, 87
to see if there is anyone who is wise 88 and seeks God. 89
they are all morally corrupt. 91
None of them does what is right, 92
not even one!
53:4 All those who behave wickedly 93 do not understand 94 –
those who devour my people as if they were eating bread,
and do not call out to God.
53:5 They are absolutely terrified, 95
even by things that do not normally cause fear. 96
For God annihilates 97 those who attack you. 98
You are able to humiliate them because God has rejected them. 99
53:6 I wish the deliverance 100 of Israel would come from Zion!
When God restores the well-being of his people, 101
may Jacob rejoice, 102
may Israel be happy! 103
For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a well-written song 105 by David. It was written when the Ziphites came and informed Saul: “David is hiding with us.” 106
54:1 O God, deliver me by your name! 107
Vindicate me 108 by your power!
54:2 O God, listen to my prayer!
Pay attention to what I say! 109
54:3 For foreigners 110 attack me; 111
ruthless men, who do not respect God, seek my life. 112 (Selah)
54:4 Look, God is my deliverer! 113
The Lord is among those who support me. 114
54:5 May those who wait to ambush me 115 be repaid for their evil! 116
As a demonstration of your faithfulness, 117 destroy them!
54:6 With a freewill offering I will sacrifice 118 to you!
I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good!
54:7 Surely 119 he rescues me from all trouble, 120
and I triumph over my enemies. 121
For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a well-written song 123 by David.
55:1 Listen, O God, to my prayer!
Do not ignore 124 my appeal for mercy!
55:2 Pay attention to me and answer me!
I am so upset 125 and distressed, 126 I am beside myself, 127
55:3 because of what the enemy says, 128
and because of how the wicked 129 pressure me, 130
for they hurl trouble 131 down upon me 132
and angrily attack me.
55:4 My heart beats violently 133 within me;
the horrors of death overcome me. 134
55:5 Fear and panic overpower me; 135
terror overwhelms 136 me.
55:6 I say, 137 “I wish I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and settle in a safe place!
55:7 Look, I will escape to a distant place;
I will stay in the wilderness. (Selah)
55:8 I will hurry off to a place that is safe
from the strong wind 138 and the gale.”
55:9 Confuse them, 139 O Lord!
Frustrate their plans! 140
For I see violence and conflict in the city.
55:10 Day and night they walk around on its walls, 141
while wickedness and destruction 142 are within it.
55:11 Disaster is within it;
violence 143 and deceit do not depart from its public square.
55:12 Indeed, 144 it is not an enemy who insults me,
or else I could bear it;
it is not one who hates me who arrogantly taunts me, 145
or else I could hide from him.
55:13 But it is you, 146 a man like me, 147
my close friend in whom I confided. 148
55:14 We would share personal thoughts with each other; 149
in God’s temple we would walk together among the crowd.
55:15 May death destroy them! 150
May they go down alive into Sheol! 151
For evil is in their dwelling place and in their midst.
55:16 As for me, I will call out to God,
and the Lord will deliver me.
55:17 During the evening, morning, and noontime
I will lament and moan, 152
55:18 He will rescue 155 me and protect me from those who attack me, 156
even though 157 they greatly outnumber me. 158
55:19 God, the one who has reigned as king from long ago,
will hear and humiliate them. 159 (Selah)
They refuse to change,
and do not fear God. 160
55:20 He 161 attacks 162 his friends; 163
he breaks his solemn promises to them. 164
55:21 His words are as smooth as butter, 165
but he harbors animosity in his heart. 166
His words seem softer than oil,
but they are really like sharp swords. 167
55:22 Throw your burden 168 upon the Lord,
and he will sustain you. 169
He will never allow the godly to be upended. 170
55:23 But you, O God, will bring them 171 down to the deep Pit. 172
Violent and deceitful people 173 will not live even half a normal lifespan. 174
But as for me, I trust in you.
For the music director; according to the yonath-elem-rechovim style; 176 a prayer 177 of David, written when the Philistines captured him in Gath. 178
56:1 Have mercy on me, O God, for men are attacking me! 179
All day long hostile enemies 180 are tormenting me. 181
56:2 Those who anticipate my defeat 182 attack me all day long.
Indeed, 183 many are fighting against me, O Exalted One. 184
I trust in you.
56:4 In God – I boast in his promise 186 –
in God I trust, I am not afraid.
What can mere men 187 do to me? 188
56:5 All day long they cause me trouble; 189
they make a habit of plotting my demise. 190
56:6 They stalk 191 and lurk; 192
they watch my every step, 193
as 194 they prepare to take my life. 195
56:7 Because they are bent on violence, do not let them escape! 196
In your anger 197 bring down the nations, 198 O God!
56:8 You keep track of my misery. 199
Put my tears in your leather container! 200
Are they not recorded in your scroll? 201
56:9 My enemies will turn back when I cry out to you for help; 202
I know that God is on my side. 203
56:10 In God – I boast in his promise 204 –
in the Lord – I boast in his promise 205 –
56:11 in God I trust, I am not afraid.
What can mere men 206 do to me? 207
56:12 I am obligated to fulfill the vows I made to you, O God; 208
I will give you the thank-offerings you deserve, 209
56:13 when you deliver 210 my life from death.
You keep my feet from stumbling, 211
so that I might serve 212 God as I enjoy life. 213
For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; 215 a prayer 216 of David, written when he fled from Saul into the cave. 217
57:1 Have mercy on me, O God! Have mercy on me!
For in you I have taken shelter. 218
In the shadow of your wings 219 I take shelter
until trouble passes.
57:2 I cry out for help to the sovereign God, 220
to the God who vindicates 221 me.
57:3 May he send help from heaven and deliver me 222
from my enemies who hurl insults! 223 (Selah)
May God send his loyal love and faithfulness!
57:4 I am surrounded by lions;
I lie down 224 among those who want to devour me; 225
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are a sharp sword. 226
57:5 Rise up 227 above the sky, O God!
May your splendor cover the whole earth! 228
57:6 They have prepared a net to trap me; 229
I am discouraged. 230
They have dug a pit for me. 231
They will fall 232 into it! (Selah)
57:7 I am determined, 233 O God! I am determined!
I will sing and praise you!
Awake, O stringed instrument and harp!
I will wake up at dawn! 235
57:9 I will give you thanks before the nations, O Master!
I will sing praises to you before foreigners! 236
57:10 For your loyal love extends beyond the sky, 237
and your faithfulness reaches the clouds.
57:11 Rise up 238 above the sky, O God!
May your splendor cover the whole earth! 239
[51:1] 1 sn Psalm 51. The psalmist confesses his sinfulness to God and begs for forgiveness and a transformation of his inner character. According to the psalm superscription, David offered this prayer when Nathan confronted him with his sin following the king’s affair with Bathsheba (see 2 Sam 11-12). However, the final two verses of the psalm hardly fit this situation, for they assume the walls of Jerusalem have been destroyed and that the sacrificial system has been temporarily suspended. These verses are probably an addition to the psalm made during the period of exile following the fall of Jerusalem in 586
[51:1] 2 tn Heb “a psalm by David, when Nathan the prophet came to him when he had gone to Bathsheba.”
[51:1] 3 tn Or “according to.”
[51:1] 4 tn Or “according to.”
[51:1] 5 tn Traditionally “blot out my transgressions.” Because of the reference to washing and cleansing in the following verse, it is likely that the psalmist is comparing forgiveness to wiping an object clean (note the use of the verb מָחָה (makhah) in the sense of “wipe clean; dry” in 2 Kgs 21:13; Prov 30:20; Isa 25:8). Another option is that the psalmist is comparing forgiveness to erasing or blotting out names from a register (see Exod 32:32-33). In this case one might translate, “erase all record of my rebellious acts.”
[51:2] 6 tn Heb “Thoroughly wash me from my wrongdoing.”
[51:2] 7 sn In vv. 1b-2 the psalmist uses three different words to emphasize the multifaceted character and degree of his sin. Whatever one wants to call it (“rebellious acts,” “wrongdoing,” “sin”), he has done it and stands morally polluted in God’s sight. The same three words appear in Exod 34:7, which emphasizes that God is willing to forgive sin in all of its many dimensions. In v. 2 the psalmist compares forgiveness and restoration to physical cleansing. Perhaps he likens spiritual cleansing to the purification rites of priestly law.
[51:3] 9 tn Heb “and my sin [is] in front of me continually.”
[51:4] 10 tn Heb “only you,” as if the psalmist had sinned exclusively against God and no other. Since the Hebrew verb חָטָא (hata’, “to sin”) is used elsewhere of sinful acts against people (see BDB 306 s.v. 2.a) and David (the presumed author) certainly sinned when he murdered Uriah (2 Sam 12:9), it is likely that the psalmist is overstating the case to suggest that the attack on Uriah was ultimately an attack on God himself. To clarify the point of the hyperbole, the translation uses “especially,” rather than the potentially confusing “only.”
[51:4] 11 tn The Hebrew term לְמַעַן (lÿma’an) normally indicates purpose (“in order that”), but here it introduces a logical consequence of the preceding statement. (Taking the clause as indicating purpose here would yield a theologically preposterous idea – the psalmist purposely sinned so that God’s justice might be vindicated!) For other examples of לְמַעַן indicating result, see 2 Kgs 22:17; Jer 27:15; Amos 2:7, as well as IBHS 638-40 §38.3.
[51:4] 12 tn Heb “when you speak.” In this context the psalmist refers to God’s word of condemnation against his sin delivered through Nathan (cf. 2 Sam 12:7-12).
[51:4] 13 tn Heb “when you judge.”
[51:5] 14 tn Heb “Look, in wrongdoing I was brought forth, and in sin my mother conceived me.” The prefixed verbal form in the second line is probably a preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive), stating a simple historical fact. The psalmist is not suggesting that he was conceived through an inappropriate sexual relationship (although the verse has sometimes been understood to mean that, or even that all sexual relationships are sinful). The psalmist’s point is that he has been a sinner from the very moment his personal existence began. By going back beyond the time of birth to the moment of conception, the psalmist makes his point more emphatically in the second line than in the first.
[51:6] 15 sn The juxtaposition of two occurrences of “look” in vv. 5-6 draws attention to the sharp contrast between the sinful reality of the psalmist’s condition and the lofty ideal God has for him.
[51:6] 16 tn The perfect is used in a generalizing sense here.
[51:6] 17 tn Heb “in the covered [places],” i.e., in the inner man.
[51:6] 18 tn Heb “in the secret [place] wisdom you cause me to know.” The Hiphil verbal form is causative, while the imperfect is used in a modal sense to indicate God’s desire (note the parallel verb “desire”).
[51:6] sn You want me to possess wisdom. Here “wisdom” does not mean “intelligence” or “learning,” but refers to moral insight and skill.
[51:7] 19 tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request.
[51:7] 20 tn Heb “cleanse me with hyssop.” “Hyssop” was a small plant (see 1 Kgs 4:33) used to apply water (or blood) in purification rites (see Exod 12:22; Lev 14:4-6, 49-52; Num 19:6-18. The psalmist uses the language and imagery of such rites to describe spiritual cleansing through forgiveness.
[51:7] 21 tn After the preceding imperfect, the imperfect with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates result.
[51:7] 22 tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request.
[51:7] 23 sn I will be whiter than snow. Whiteness here symbolizes the moral purity resulting from forgiveness (see Isa 1:18).
[51:8] 24 tn Heb “cause me to hear happiness and joy.” The language is metonymic: the effect of forgiveness (joy) has been substituted for its cause. The psalmist probably alludes here to an assuring word from God announcing that his sins are forgiven (a so-called oracle of forgiveness). The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request. The synonyms “happiness” and “joy” are joined together as a hendiadys to emphasize the degree of joy he anticipates.
[51:8] 25 sn May the bones you crushed rejoice. The psalmist compares his sinful condition to that of a person who has been physically battered and crushed. Within this metaphorical framework, his “bones” are the seat of his emotional strength.
[51:8] 26 tn In this context of petitionary prayer, the prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive, expressing the psalmist’s wish or request.
[51:9] 27 sn In this context Hide your face from my sins means “Do not hold me accountable for my sins.”
[51:9] 28 tn See the note on the similar expression “wipe away my rebellious acts” in v. 1.
[51:10] 29 sn The heart is viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s motives and moral character.
[51:10] 30 tn Heb “and a reliable spirit renew in my inner being.”
[51:11] 31 tn Heb “do not cast me away from before you.”
[51:11] 32 sn Your Holy Spirit. The personal Spirit of God is mentioned frequently in the OT, but only here and in Isa 63:10-11 is he called “your/his Holy Spirit.”
[51:11] 33 sn Do not take…away. The psalmist expresses his fear that, due to his sin, God will take away the Holy Spirit from him. NT believers enjoy the permanent gift of the Holy Spirit and need not make such a request nor fear such a consequence. However, in the OT God’s Spirit empowered certain individuals for special tasks and only temporarily resided in them. For example, when God rejected Saul as king and chose David to replace him, the divine Spirit left Saul and came upon David (1 Sam 16:13-14).
[51:12] 34 tn Heb “and [with] a willing spirit sustain me.” The psalmist asks that God make him the kind of person who willingly obeys the divine commandments. The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request.
[51:13] 35 tn The cohortative expresses the psalmist’s resolve. This may be a vow or promise. If forgiven, the psalmist will “repay” the Lord by declaring God’s mercy and motivating other sinners to repent.
[51:13] 36 tn Heb “your ways.” The word “merciful” is added for clarification. God’s “ways” are sometimes his commands, but in this context, where the teaching of God’s ways motivates repentance (see the next line), it is more likely that God’s merciful and compassionate way of dealing with sinners is in view. Thanksgiving songs praising God for his deliverance typically focus on these divine attributes (see Pss 34, 41, 116, 138).
[51:13] 37 tn Or “return,” i.e., in repentance.
[51:14] 38 tn Heb “from bloodshed.” “Bloodshed” here stands by metonymy for the guilt which it produces.
[51:14] 39 tn Heb “my tongue will shout for joy your deliverance.” Another option is to take the prefixed verbal form as a jussive, “may my tongue shout for joy.” However, the pattern in vv. 12-15 appears to be prayer/request (see vv. 12, 14a, 15a) followed by promise/vow (see vv. 13, 14b, 15b).
[51:15] 40 tn Heb “open my lips.” The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request.
[51:15] 41 tn Heb “and my mouth will declare your praise.”
[51:16] 42 tn Or “For.” The translation assumes the particle is asseverative (i.e., emphasizing: “certainly”). (Some translations that consider the particle asseverative leave it untranslated.) If taken as causal or explanatory (“for”, cf. NRSV), the verse would explain why the psalmist is pleading for forgiveness, rather than merely offering a sacrifice.
[51:16] 43 tn The translation assumes that the cohortative is used in a hypothetical manner in a formally unmarked conditional sentence, “You do not want a sacrifice, should I offer [it]” (cf. NEB). For other examples of cohortatives in the protasis (“if” clause) of a conditional sentence, see GKC 320 §108.e. (It should be noted, however, that GKC understands this particular verse in a different manner. See GKC 320 §108.f, where it is suggested that the cohortative is part of an apodosis with the protasis being suppressed.)
[51:16] 44 sn You do not desire a burnt sacrifice. The terminology used in v. 16 does not refer to expiatory sacrifices, but to dedication and communion offerings. This is not a categorical denial of the sacrificial system in general or of the importance of such offerings. The psalmist is talking about his specific situation. Dedication and communion offerings have their proper place in worship (see v. 19), but God requires something more fundamental, a repentant and humble attitude (see v. 17), before these offerings can have real meaning.
[51:17] 45 tn Heb “a broken spirit.”
[51:17] 46 tn Heb “a broken and crushed heart.”
[51:18] 48 tn Heb “do what is good for Zion in your favor.”
[51:18] 49 tn Or “Build.” The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request.
[51:18] 50 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[51:19] 51 tn Or “desire, take delight in.”
[51:19] 52 tn Heb “then they will offer up bulls.” The third plural subject is indefinite.
[51:19] 53 sn Verses 18-19 appear to reflect the exilic period, when the city’s walls lay in ruins and the sacrificial system had been disrupted.
[52:1] 54 sn Psalm 52. The psalmist confidently confronts his enemy and affirms that God will destroy evildoers and vindicate the godly.
[52:1] 55 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. The word is derived from a verb meaning “to be prudent; to be wise.” Various options are: “a contemplative song,” “a song imparting moral wisdom,” or “a skillful [i.e., well-written] song.” The term occurs in the superscriptions of Pss 32, 42, 44, 45, 52-55, 74, 78, 88, 89, and 142, as well as in Ps 47:7.
[52:1] 56 tn Heb “when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul and said to him, ‘David has come to the house of Ahimelech.’”
[52:1] sn According to the superscription, David wrote this psalm during the period when Saul was seeking his life. On one occasion Doeg the Edomite, Saul’s head shepherd (1 Sam 21:7), informed Saul of David’s whereabouts (see 1 Sam 21-22).
[52:1] 57 tn Heb “Why do you boast in evil?”
[52:1] 58 tn Heb “the loyal love of God [is] all the day.” In this context, where the psalmist is threatened by his enemy, the point seems to be that the psalmist is protected by God’s loyal love at all times.
[52:2] 59 tn Heb “destruction your tongue devises.”
[52:2] 60 tn Heb “like a sharpened razor, doer of deceit.” The masculine participle עָשָׂה (’asah) is understood as a substantival vocative, addressed to the powerful man.
[52:3] 61 tn Or “deceit more than speaking what is right.”
[52:4] 62 tn Heb “you love all the words of swallowing.” Traditionally בַּלַּע (bala’) has been taken to mean “swallowing” in the sense of “devouring” or “destructive” (see BDB 118 s.v. בָּלַע). HALOT 135 s.v. III *בֶּלַע proposes a homonym here, meaning “confusion.” This would fit the immediate context nicely and provide a close parallel to the following line, which refers to deceptive words.
[52:5] 63 tn The adverb גַּם (gam, “also; even”) is translated here in an adversative sense (“yet”). It highlights the contrastive correspondence between the evildoer’s behavior and God’s response.
[52:5] 64 tn Heb “will tear you down forever.”
[52:5] 65 tn This rare verb (חָתָה, khatah) occurs only here and in Prov 6:27; 25:22; Isa 30:14.
[52:5] 66 tn Heb “from [your] tent.”
[52:6] 67 tn Heb “and the godly will see and will fear and at him will laugh.”
[52:7] 68 tn The imperfect verbal form here draws attention to the ongoing nature of the action. The evildoer customarily rejected God and trusted in his own abilities. Another option is to take the imperfect as generalizing, “[here is the man who] does not make.”
[52:7] 69 tn Heb “he was strong in his destruction.” “Destruction” must refer back to the destructive plans mentioned in v. 2. The verb (derived from the root עָזַז, ’azaz, “be strong”) as it stands is either an imperfect (if so, probably used in a customary sense) or a preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive). However the form should probably be emended to וַיָּעָז (vayya’az), a Qal preterite (with vav [ו] consecutive) from עָזַז. Note the preterite form without vav (ו) consecutive in the preceding line (וַיִּבְטַח, vayyivtakh, “and he trusted”). The prefixed vav (ו) was likely omitted by haplography (note the suffixed vav [ו] on the preceding עָשְׁרוֹ, ’oshro, “his wealth”).
[52:8] 70 tn The disjunctive construction (vav [ו] + subject) highlights the contrast between the evildoer’s destiny (vv. 5-7) and that of the godly psalmist’s security.
[52:8] 71 tn Or “luxuriant, green, leafy.”
[52:8] 72 tn Or, hyperbolically, “forever and ever.”
[52:9] 73 tn Or, hyperbolically, “forever.”
[52:9] 75 tn Heb “you have acted.” The perfect verbal form (1) probably indicates a future perfect here. The psalmist promises to give thanks when the expected vindication has been accomplished. Other options include (2) a generalizing (“for you act”) or (3) rhetorical (“for you will act”) use.
[52:9] 77 tn Heb “your name.” God’s “name” refers here to his reputation and revealed character.
[52:9] 78 tn Heb “for it is good in front of your loyal followers.”
[53:1] 79 sn Psalm 53. This psalm is very similar to Ps 14. The major difference comes in v. 5, which corresponds to, but differs quite a bit from, Ps 14:5-6, and in the use of the divine name. Ps 14 uses “the
[53:1] 80 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מָחֲלַת (makhalat, “machalath”) is uncertain; perhaps it refers to a particular style of music, a tune title, or a musical instrument. The term also appears in the heading of Ps 88.
[53:1] 81 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. See the note on the phrase “well-written song” in the superscription of Ps 52.
[53:1] 82 tn Heb “a fool says in his heart.” The singular is used here in a collective or representative sense; the typical fool is envisioned.
[53:1] 83 sn There is no God. This statement is probably 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 Ps 10:4, 11).
[53:1] 84 tn Heb “they act corruptly, they do evil [with] injustice.” Ps 14:1 has עֲלִילָה (’alilah, “a deed”) instead of עָוֶל (’aval, “injustice”). The verbs describe the typical behavior of the wicked. The subject of the plural verbs is “sons of man” (v. 2). The entire human race is characterized by sinful behavior. This practical atheism – living as if there is no God who will hold them accountable for their actions – makes them fools, for one of the earmarks of folly is to fail to anticipate the long range consequences of one’s behavior.
[53:1] 85 tn Heb “there is none that does good.”
[53:2] 86 sn The picture of the
[53:2] 87 tn Heb “upon the sons of man.”
[53:2] 88 tn Or “acts wisely.” The Hiphil is exhibitive.
[53:2] 89 tn That is, who seeks to have a relationship with God by obeying and worshiping him.
[53:3] 90 tn Heb “all of it turns away.” Ps 14:1 has הָכֹּל (hakkol) instead of כֻּלּוֹ, and סָר (sar, “turn aside”) instead of סָג (sag, “turn away”).
[53:3] 91 tn Heb “together they are corrupt.”
[53:3] 92 tn Heb “there is none that does good.”
[53:4] 93 tn Heb “the workers of wickedness.” See Pss 5:5; 6:8. Ps 14:4 adds כֹּל (kol, “all of”) before “workers of wickedness.”
[53:4] 94 tn Heb “Do they not understand?” The rhetorical question expresses the psalmist’s amazement at their apparent lack of understanding. This may refer to their lack of moral understanding, but it more likely refers to their failure to anticipate God’s defense of his people (see vv. 5-6).
[53:5] 95 tn Heb “there they are afraid [with] fear.” The perfect verbal form is probably used in a rhetorical manner; the psalmist describes the future demise of the oppressors as if it were already occurring. The adverb שָׁם (sham, “there”) is also used here for dramatic effect, as the psalmist envisions the wicked standing in fear at a spot that is this vivid in his imagination (BDB 1027 s.v.). The cognate accusative following the verb emphasizes the degree of their terror (“absolutely”).
[53:5] 96 tn Heb “there is no fear.” Apparently this means the evildoers are so traumatized with panic (see v. 5b) that they now jump with fear at everything, even those things that would not normally cause fear. Ps 14:5 omits this line.
[53:5] 97 tn Heb “scatters the bones.” The perfect is used in a rhetorical manner, describing this future judgment as if it were already accomplished. Scattering the bones alludes to the aftermath of a battle. God annihilates his enemies, leaving their carcasses spread all over the battlefield. As the bodies are devoured by wild animals and decay, the bones of God’s dead enemies are exposed. See Ps 141:7.
[53:5] 98 tn Heb “[those who] encamp [against] you.” The second person masculine singular pronominal suffix probably refers to God’s people viewed as a collective whole. Instead of “for God scatters the bones of those who encamp against you,” Ps 14:5 reads, “for God is with a godly generation.”
[53:5] 99 tn Once again the perfect is used in a rhetorical manner, describing this future judgment as if it were already accomplished. As in the previous line, God’s people are probably addressed. The second person singular verb form is apparently collective, suggesting that the people are viewed here as a unified whole. Ps 14:6 reads here “the counsel of the oppressed you put to shame, even though God is his shelter,” the words being addressed to the wicked.
[53:6] 100 tn This refers metonymically to God, the one who lives in Zion and provides deliverance for Israel.
[53:6] 101 tn Heb “turns with a turning [toward] his people.” The Hebrew term שְׁבוּת (shÿvut) is apparently a cognate accusative of שׁוּב (shuv).
[53:6] 102 tn The verb form is jussive.
[53:6] 103 tn Because the parallel verb is jussive, this verb, which is ambiguous in form, should be taken as a jussive as well.
[54:1] 104 sn Psalm 54. The psalmist asks God for protection against his enemies, confidently affirms that God will vindicate him, and promises to give thanks to God for his saving intervention.
[54:1] 105 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. See the note on the phrase “well-written song” in the superscription of Ps 52.
[54:1] 106 tn Heb “Is not David hiding with us?”
[54:1] sn According to the superscription, David wrote this psalm during the period when Saul was seeking his life. On one occasion the Ziphites informed Saul that David was hiding in their territory (see 1 Sam 23:19-20).
[54:1] 107 tn God’s “name” refers here to his reputation and revealed character, which would instill fear in the psalmist’s enemies (see C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms [ICC], 2:17).
[54:1] 108 tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request.
[54:2] 109 tn Heb “to the words of my mouth.”
[54:3] 110 tc Many medieval Hebrew
[54:3] 111 tn Heb “rise against me.”
[54:3] 112 tn Heb “and ruthless ones seek my life, they do not set God in front of them.”
[54:4] 114 tn Or “sustain my life.”
[54:5] 115 tn Heb “to those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 5:8; 27:11; 56:2.
[54:5] 116 tn The Kethib (consonantal text) reads a Qal imperfect, “the evil will return,” while the Qere (marginal reading) has a Hiphil imperfect, “he will repay.” The parallel line has an imperative (indicating a prayer/request), so it is best to read a jussive form יָשֹׁב (yashov, “let it [the evil] return”) here.
[54:5] 117 tn Heb “in [or “by”] your faithfulness.”
[54:6] 118 tn The cohortative verbal form expresses the psalmist’s resolve/vow to praise.
[54:7] 119 tn Or “for,” indicating a more specific reason why he will praise the
[54:7] 120 tn The perfects in v. 7 are probably rhetorical, indicating 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 deliverance and his own vindication as if they were occurring or had already occurred.
[54:7] 121 tn Heb “and on my enemies my eyes look.”
[55:1] 122 sn Psalm 55. The suffering and oppressed author laments that one of his friends has betrayed him, but he is confident that God will vindicate him by punishing his deceitful enemies.
[55:1] 123 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. See the note on the phrase “well-written song” in the superscription of Ps 52.
[55:1] 124 tn Heb “hide yourself from.”
[55:2] 125 tn Or “restless” (see Gen 27:40). The Hiphil is intransitive-exhibitive, indicating the outward display of an inner attitude.
[55:2] 126 tn Heb “in my complaint.”
[55:2] 127 tn The verb is a Hiphil cohortative from הוּם (hum), which means “to confuse someone” in the Qal and “to go wild” in the Niphal. An Arabic cognate means “to be out of one’s senses, to wander about.” With the vav (ו) conjunctive prefixed to it, the cohortative probably indicates the result or effect of the preceding main verb. Some prefer to emend the form to וְאֵהוֹמָה (vÿ’ehomah), a Niphal of הוּם (hum), or to וְאֶהַמֶה (vÿ’ehameh), a Qal imperfect from הָמָה (hamah, “to moan”). Many also prefer to take this verb with what follows (see v. 3).
[55:3] 128 tn Heb “because of [the] voice of [the] enemy.”
[55:3] 129 tn The singular forms “enemy” and “wicked” are collective or representative, as the plural verb forms in the second half of the verse indicate.
[55:3] 130 tn Heb “from before the pressure of the wicked.” Some suggest the meaning “screech” (note the parallel “voice”; cf. NEB “shrill clamour”; NRSV “clamor”) for the rare noun עָקָה (’aqah, “pressure”).
[55:3] 131 tn Heb “wickedness,” but here the term refers to the destructive effects of their wicked acts.
[55:3] 132 tc The verb form in the MT appears to be a Hiphil imperfect from the root מוֹט (mot, “to sway”), but the Hiphil occurs only here and in the Kethib (consonantal text) of Ps 140:10, where the form יַמְטֵר (yamter, “let him rain down”) should probably be read. Here in Ps 55:3 it is preferable to read יַמְטִירוּ (yamtiru, “they rain down”). It is odd for “rain down” to be used with an abstract object like “wickedness,” but in Job 20:23 God “rains down” anger (unless one emends the text there; see BHS).
[55:4] 133 tn Heb “shakes, trembles.”
[55:4] 134 tn Heb “the terrors of death have fallen on me.”
[55:5] 135 tn Heb “fear and trembling enter into me.”
[55:5] 136 tn Heb “covers.” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive carries on the descriptive (present progressive) force of the preceding imperfect.
[55:6] 137 tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive carries on the descriptive (present progressive) force of the verbs in v. 5.
[55:8] 138 tn Heb “[the] wind [that] sweeps away.” The verb סָעָה (sa’ah, “sweep away”) occurs only here in the OT (see H. R. Cohen, Biblical Hapax Legomena [SBLDS], 120).
[55:9] 139 tn Traditionally בַּלַּע (bala’) has been taken to mean “swallow” in the sense of “devour” or “destroy” (cf. KJV), but this may be a homonym meaning “confuse” (see BDB 118 s.v. בַּלַּע; HALOT 135 s.v. III *בֶּלַע). “Their tongue” is the understood object of the verb (see the next line).
[55:9] 140 tn Heb “split their tongue,” which apparently means “confuse their speech,” or, more paraphrastically, “frustrate the plans they devise with their tongues.”
[55:10] 141 tn Heb “day and night they surround it, upon its walls.” Personified “violence and conflict” are the likely subjects. They are compared to watchmen on the city’s walls.
[55:10] 142 sn Wickedness and destruction. These terms are also closely associated in Ps 7:14.
[55:11] 143 tn Or “injury, harm.”
[55:12] 145 tn Heb “[who] magnifies against me.” See Pss 35:26; 38:16.
[55:13] 146 sn It is you. The psalmist addresses the apparent ringleader of the opposition, an individual who was once his friend.
[55:13] 147 tn Heb “a man according to my value,” i.e., “a person such as I.”
[55:13] 148 tn Heb “my close friend, one known by me.”
[55:14] 149 tn Heb “who together we would make counsel sweet.” The imperfect verbal forms here and in the next line draw attention to the ongoing nature of the actions (the so-called customary use of the imperfect). Their relationship was characterized by such intimacy and friendship. See IBHS 502-3 §31.2b.
[55:15] 150 tc The meaning of the MT is unclear. The Kethib (consonantal text) reads יַשִּׁימָוֶת עָלֵימוֹ (yashimavet ’alemo, “May devastation [be] upon them!”). The proposed noun יַשִּׁימָוֶת occurs only here and perhaps in the place name Beth-Jeshimoth in Num 33:49. The Qere (marginal text) has יַשִּׁי מָוֶת עָלֵימוֹ (yashi mavet ’alemo). The verbal form יַשִּׁי is apparently an alternate form of יַשִּׁיא (yashi’), a Hiphil imperfect from נָשַׁא (nasha’, “deceive”). In this case one might read “death will come deceptively upon them.” This reading has the advantage of reading מָוֶת (mavet, “death”) which forms a natural parallel with “Sheol” in the next line. The present translation is based on the following reconstruction of the text: יְשִׁמֵּם מָוֶת (yeshimmem mavet). The verb assumed in the reconstruction is a Hiphil jussive third masculine singular from שָׁמַם (shamam, “be desolate”) with a third masculine plural pronominal suffix attached. This reconstruction assumes that (1) haplography has occurred in the traditional text (the original sequence of three mems [מ] was lost with only one mem remaining), resulting in the fusion of originally distinct forms in the Kethib, and (2) that עָלֵימוֹ (’alemo, “upon them”) is a later scribal addition attempting to make sense of a garbled and corrupt text. The preposition עַל (’al) does occur with the verb שָׁמַם (shamam), but in such cases the expression means “be appalled at/because of” (see Jer 49:20; 50:45). If one were to retain the prepositional phrase here, one would have to read the text as follows: יַשִּׁים מָוֶת עָלֵימוֹ (yashim mavet ’alemo, “Death will be appalled at them”). The idea seems odd, to say the least. Death is not collocated with this verb elsewhere.
[55:15] 151 sn Go down alive. This curse imagines a swift and sudden death for the psalmist’s enemies.
[55:17] 152 tn The first verb is clearly a cohortative form, expressing the psalmist’s resolve. The second verb, while formally ambiguous, should also be understood as cohortative here.
[55:17] 153 tn The prefixed verb with vav (ו) consecutive normally appears in narrational contexts to indicate past action, but here it continues the anticipatory (future) perspective of the preceding line. In Ps 77:6 one finds the same sequence of cohortative + prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive. In this case as well, both forms refer to future actions.
[55:17] 154 tn Heb “my voice.”
[55:18] 155 tn The perfect verbal form is here used rhetorically to indicate that the action is certain to take place (the so-called perfect of certitude).
[55:18] 156 tn Heb “he will redeem in peace my life from [those who] draw near to me.”
[55:18] 158 tn Heb “among many they are against me.” For other examples of the preposition עִמָּד (’immad) used in the sense of “at, against,” see HALOT 842 s.v.; BDB 767 s.v.; IBHS 219 §11.2.14b.
[55:19] 159 tc Heb “God will hear and answer them, even [the] one who sits [from] ancient times.” The prefixed verbal from with vav (ו) consecutive carries on the anticipatory force of the preceding imperfect. The verb appears to be a Qal form from עָנָה (’anah, “to answer”). If this reading is retained, the point would be that God “answered” them in judgment. The translation assumes an emendation to the Piel וַיְעַנֵּם (vay’annem; see 2 Kgs 17:20) and understands the root as עָנָה (’anah, “to afflict”; see also 1 Kgs 8:35).
[55:19] 160 tn Heb “[the ones] for whom there are no changes, and they do not fear God.”
[55:20] 161 sn He. This must refer to the psalmist’s former friend, who was addressed previously in vv. 12-14.
[55:20] 162 tn Heb “stretches out his hand against.”
[55:20] 163 tc The form should probably be emended to an active participle (שֹׁלְמָיו, sholÿmayv) from the verbal root שָׁלַם (shalam, “be in a covenant of peace with”). Perhaps the translation “his friends” suggests too intimate a relationship. Another option is to translate, “he attacks those who made agreements with him.”
[55:20] 164 tn Heb “he violates his covenant.”
[55:21] 165 tn Heb “the butter-like [words] of his mouth are smooth.” The noun מַחְמָאֹת (makhma’ot, “butter-like [words]”) occurs only here. Many prefer to emend the form to מֵחֶמְאָה (mekhem’ah, from [i.e., “than”] butter”), cf. NEB, NRSV “smoother than butter.” However, in this case “his mouth” does not agree in number with the plural verb חָלְקוּ (kholqu, “they are smooth”). Therefore some further propose an emendation of פִּיו (piv, “his mouth”) to פָּנָיו (panayv, “his face”). In any case, the point seems to that the psalmist’s former friend spoke kindly to him and gave the outward indications of friendship.
[55:21] 166 tn Heb “and war [is in] his heart.”
[55:21] 167 tn Heb “his words are softer than oil, but they are drawn swords.”
[55:22] 168 tn The Hebrew noun occurs only here.
[55:22] 169 tn The pronoun is singular; the psalmist addresses each member of his audience individually.
[55:22] 170 tn Heb “he will never allow swaying for the righteous.”
[55:23] 171 tn The pronominal suffix refers to the psalmist’s enemies (see v. 19).
[55:23] 172 tn Heb “well of the pit.” The Hebrew term שַׁחַת (shakhat, “pit”) is often used as a title for Sheol (see Pss 16:10; 30:9; 49:9; 103:4).
[55:23] 173 tn Heb “men of bloodshed and deceit.”
[55:23] 174 tn Heb “will not divide in half their days.”
[56:1] 175 sn Psalm 56. Despite the threats of his enemies, the psalmist is confident the Lord will keep his promise to protect and deliver him.
[56:1] 176 tn The literal meaning of this phrase is “silent dove, distant ones.” Perhaps it refers to a particular style of music, a tune title, or a type of musical instrument.
[56:1] 177 tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew word מִכְתָּם (miktam), which also appears in the heading to Pss 16 and 57-60 is uncertain. HALOT 582-83 s.v. defines it as “inscription.”
[56:1] 178 sn According to the superscription, David wrote this psalm when the Philistines seized him and took him to King Achish of Gath (see 1 Sam 21:11-15).
[56:1] 179 tn According to BDB 983 s.v. II שָׁאַף, the verb is derived from שָׁאַף (sha’af, “to trample, crush”) rather than the homonymic verb “pant after.”
[56:1] 180 tn Heb “a fighter.” The singular is collective for his enemies (see vv. 5-6). The Qal of לָחַם (lakham, “fight”) also occurs in Ps 35:1.
[56:1] 181 tn The imperfect verbal form draws attention to the continuing nature of the enemies’ attacks.
[56:2] 182 tn Heb “to those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 5:8; 27:11; 54:5; 59:10.
[56:2] 184 tn Some take the Hebrew term מָרוֹם (marom, “on high; above”) as an adverb modifying the preceding participle and translate, “proudly” (cf. NASB; NIV “in their pride”). The present translation assumes the term is a divine title here. The
[56:3] 185 tn Heb “[in] a day.”
[56:4] 186 tn Heb “in God I boast, his word.” The syntax in the Hebrew text is difficult. (1) The line could be translated, “in God I boast, [in] his word.” Such a translation assumes that the prepositional phrase “in God” goes with the following verb “I boast” (see Ps 44:8) and that “his word” is appositional to “in God” and more specifically identifies the basis for the psalmist’s confidence. God’s “word” is here understood as an assuring promise of protection. Another option (2) is to translate, “in God I will boast [with] a word.” In this case, the “word” is a song of praise. (In this view the pronominal suffix “his” must be omitted as in v. 10.) The present translation reflects yet another option (3): In this case “I praise his word” is a parenthetical statement, with “his word” being the object of the verb. The sentence begun with the prepositional phrase “in God” is then completed in the next line, with the prepositional phrase being repeated after the parenthesis.
[56:4] 187 tn Heb “flesh,” which refers by metonymy to human beings (see v. 11, where “man” is used in this same question), envisioned here as mortal and powerless before God.
[56:4] 188 tn The rhetorical question assumes the answer, “Nothing!” The imperfect is used in a modal sense here, indicating capability or potential.
[56:5] 189 tn Heb “my affairs they disturb.” For other instances of דָּבָר (davar) meaning “affairs, business,” see BDB 183 s.v.. The Piel of עָצַב (’atsav, “to hurt”) occurs only here and in Isa 63:10, where it is used of “grieving” (or “offending”) the Lord’s holy Spirit. Here in Ps 56:5, the verb seems to carry the nuance “disturb, upset,” in the sense of “cause trouble.”
[56:5] 190 tn Heb “against me [are] all their thoughts for harm.”
[56:6] 191 tn The verb is from the root גּוּר (gur), which means “to challenge, attack” in Isa 54:15 and “to stalk” (with hostile intent) in Ps 59:3.
[56:6] 194 tn Heb “according to,” in the sense of “inasmuch as; since,” or “when; while.”
[56:6] 195 tn Heb “they wait [for] my life.”
[56:7] 196 tc Heb “because of wickedness, deliverance to them.” As it stands, the MT makes no sense. The negative particle אַיִן (’ayin, “there is not,” which is due to dittography of the immediately preceding אָוֶן, ’aven, “wickedness”), should probably be added before “deliverance” (see BHS, note a). The presence of an imperative in the next line (note “bring down”) suggests that this line should be translated as a prayer as well, “may there not be deliverance to them.”
[56:7] 197 tn Heb “in anger.” The pronoun “your” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
[56:7] 198 tn Or perhaps “people” in a general sense.
[56:8] 199 tn Heb “my wandering you count, you.” The Hebrew term נֹד (nod, “wandering,” derived from the verbal root נוֹד, nod, “to wander”; cf. NASB) here refers to the psalmist’s “changeable circumstances of life” and may be translated “misery.” The verb סָפַר (safar, “count”) probably carries the nuance “assess” here. Cf. NIV “my lament”; NRSV “my tossings.”
[56:8] 200 tn Traditionally “your bottle.” Elsewhere the Hebrew word נֹאד (no’d, “leather container”) refers to a container made from animal skin which is used to hold wine or milk (see Josh 9:4, 13; Judg 4:19; 1 Sam 16:20). If such a container is metaphorically in view here, then the psalmist seems to be asking God to store up his tears as a reminder of his suffering.
[56:8] 201 tn The word “recorded” is supplied in the translation for clarification. The rhetorical question assumes a positive response (see the first line of the verse).
[56:9] 202 tn Heb “then my enemies will turn back in the day I cry out.” The Hebrew particle אָז (’az, “then”) is probably used here to draw attention to the following statement.
[56:9] 203 tn Heb “this I know, that God is for me.”
[56:10] 204 tn Heb “in God I praise a word.” The syntax of the Hebrew text is difficult. The statement is similar to that of v. 4, except that the third person pronominal suffix is omitted here, where the text has simply “a word” instead of “his word.” (1) One could translate, “in God I will boast [with] a word.” In this case, the “word” refers to a song of praise. (2) If one assumes that God’s word is in view, as in v. 4, then one option is to translate, “in God I boast, [in] his word.” In this case the prepositional phrase “in God” goes with the following verb “I boast” (see Ps 44:8) and “[his] word” is appositional to “in God” and more specifically identifies the basis for the psalmist’s confidence. God’s “word” is here understood as an assuring promise of protection. (3) The present translation reflects another option: In this case “I praise [his] word” is a parenthetical statement, with “[his] word” being the object of the verb. The sentence begun with the prepositional phrase “in God” is then completed in v. 11, with the prepositional phrase being repeated after the parenthesis.
[56:10] 205 tn The phrase “in the
[56:11] 206 tn The statement is similar to that of v. 4, except “flesh” is used there instead of “man.”
[56:11] 207 tn The rhetorical question assumes the answer, “Nothing!” The imperfect is used in a modal sense here, indicating capability or potential.
[56:12] 208 tn Heb “upon me, O God, [are] your vows.”
[56:12] 209 tn Heb “I will repay thank-offerings to you.”
[56:13] 210 tn The perfect verbal form is probably future perfect; the psalmist promises to make good on his vows once God has delivered him (see Pss 13:5; 52:9). (2) Another option is to understand the final two verses as being added later, after the
[56:13] 211 tn Heb “are not my feet [kept] from stumbling?” The rhetorical question expects the answer, “Of course they are!” The question has been translated as an affirmation for the sake of clarification of meaning.
[56:13] 212 tn Heb “walk before.” For a helpful discussion of the background and meaning of this Hebrew idiom, see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 254; cf. the same idiom in 2 Kgs 20:3; Isa 38:3.
[56:13] 213 tn Heb “in the light of life.” The phrase is used here and in Job 33:30.
[57:1] 214 sn Psalm 57. The psalmist asks for God’s protection and expresses his confidence that his ferocious enemies will be destroyed by their own schemes.
[57:1] 215 tn Heb “do not destroy.” Perhaps this refers to a particular style of music, a tune title, or a musical instrument. These words also appear in the heading to Pss 58-59, 75.
[57:1] 216 tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew word מִכְתָּם (miktam), which also appears in the heading to Pss 16, 56, 58-60 is uncertain. HALOT 582-83 s.v. defines it as “inscription.”
[57:1] 217 sn According to the superscription, David wrote this psalm on the occasion when he fled from Saul and hid in “the cave.” This probably refers to either the incident recorded in 1 Sam 22:1 or to the one recorded in 1 Sam 24:3.
[57:1] 218 tn Heb “my life has taken shelter.” The Hebrew perfect verbal form probably refers here to a completed action with continuing results.
[57:1] 219 sn In the shadow of your wings. The metaphor likens God to a protective mother bird (see also Pss 17:8; 36:7).
[57:2] 220 tn Heb “to God Most High.” The divine title “Most High” (עֶלְיוֹן, ’elyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Ps 47:2.
[57:2] 221 tn Or “avenges in favor of.”
[57:3] 222 tn Heb “may he send from heaven and deliver me.” The prefixed verbal forms are understood as jussives expressing the psalmist’s prayer. The second verb, which has a vav (ו) conjunctive prefixed to it, probably indicates purpose. Another option is to take the forms as imperfects expressing confidence, “he will send from heaven and deliver me” (cf. NRSV).
[57:3] 223 tn Heb “he hurls insults, one who crushes me.” The translation assumes that this line identifies those from whom the psalmist seeks deliverance. (The singular is representative; the psalmist is surrounded by enemies, see v. 4.) Another option is to understand God as the subject of the verb חָרַף (kharaf), which could then be taken as a homonym of the more common root חָרַף (“insult”) meaning “confuse.” In this case “one who crushes me” is the object of the verb. One might translate, “he [God] confuses my enemies.”
[57:4] 224 tn The cohortative form אֶשְׁכְּבָה (’eshkÿvah, “I lie down”) is problematic, for it does not seem to carry one of the normal functions of the cohortative (resolve or request). One possibility is that the form here is a “pseudo-cohortative” used here in a gnomic sense (IBHS 576-77 §34.5.3b).
[57:4] 225 tn The Hebrew verb לָהַט (lahat) is here understood as a hapax legomenon meaning “devour” (see HALOT 521 s.v. II להט), a homonym of the more common verb meaning “to burn.” A more traditional interpretation takes the verb from this latter root and translates, “those who are aflame” (see BDB 529 s.v.; cf. NASB “those who breathe forth fire”).
[57:4] 226 tn Heb “my life, in the midst of lions, I lie down, devouring ones, sons of mankind, their teeth a spear and arrows and their tongue a sharp sword.” The syntax of the verse is difficult. Another option is to take “my life” with the preceding verse. For this to make sense, one must add a verb, perhaps “and may he deliver” (cf. the LXX), before the phrase. One might then translate, “May God send his loyal love and faithfulness and deliver my life.” If one does take “my life” with v. 4, then the parallelism of v. 5 is altered and one might translate: “in the midst of lions I lie down, [among] men who want to devour me, whose teeth….”
[57:5] 227 tn Or “be exalted.”
[57:5] 228 tn Heb “over all the earth [be] your splendor.” Though no verb appears, the tone of the statement is a prayer or wish. (Note the imperative form in the preceding line.)
[57:6] 229 tn Heb “for my feet.”
[57:6] 230 tn Heb “my life bends low.” The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) with a pronominal suffix is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 4.a).
[57:6] 231 tn Heb “before me.”
[57:6] 232 tn The perfect form is used rhetorically here to express the psalmist’s certitude. The demise of the enemies is so certain that he can speak of it as already accomplished.
[57:7] 233 tn Or perhaps “confident”; Heb “my heart is steadfast.” The “heart” is viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s volition and/or emotions.
[57:8] 234 tn Heb “glory,” but that makes little sense in the context. Some view כָּבוֹד (kavod, “glory”) here as a metonymy for man’s inner being (see BDB 459 s.v. II כָּבוֹד 5), but it is preferable to emend the form to כְּבֵדִי (kÿvediy, “my liver”). Like the heart, the liver is viewed as the seat of one’s emotions. See also Pss 16:9; 30:12; 108:1, as well as H. W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament, 64, and M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 1:90. For an Ugaritic example of the heart/liver as the source of joy, see G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 47-48: “her [Anat’s] liver swelled with laughter, her heart was filled with joy, the liver of Anat with triumph.”
[57:8] 235 tn BDB 1007 s.v. שַׁחַר takes “dawn” as an adverbial accusative, though others understand it as a personified direct object. “Dawn” is used metaphorically for the time of deliverance and vindication the psalmist anticipates. When salvation “dawns,” the psalmist will “wake up” in praise.
[57:9] 236 tn Or “the peoples.”
[57:10] 237 tn Heb “for great upon the sky [or “heavens”] [is] your loyal love.”
[57:11] 238 tn Or “be exalted.”
[57:11] 239 tn Heb “over all the earth [be] your splendor.” Though no verb appears, the tone of the statement is a prayer or wish. (Note the imperative form in the preceding line.)
