Mazmur 18:1--22:31
KonteksFor the music director; by the Lord’s servant David, who sang 2 to the Lord the words of this song when 3 the Lord rescued him from the power 4 of all his enemies, including Saul. 5
“I love 7 you, Lord, my source of strength! 8
18:2 The Lord is my high ridge, 9 my stronghold, 10 my deliverer.
My God is my rocky summit where 11 I take shelter, 12
my shield, the horn that saves me, 13 and my refuge. 14
18:3 I called 15 to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, 16
and I was delivered from my enemies.
18:4 The waves 17 of death engulfed me,
the currents 18 of chaos 19 overwhelmed me. 20
18:5 The ropes of Sheol tightened around me, 21
the snares of death trapped me. 22
18:6 In my distress I called to the Lord;
I cried out to my God. 23
From his heavenly temple 24 he heard my voice;
he listened to my cry for help. 25
18:7 The earth heaved and shook; 26
the roots of the mountains 27 trembled; 28
they heaved because he was angry.
18:8 Smoke ascended from 29 his nose; 30
fire devoured as it came from his mouth; 31
he hurled down fiery coals. 32
18:9 He made the sky sink 33 as he descended;
a thick cloud was under his feet.
18:10 He mounted 34 a winged angel 35 and flew;
he glided 36 on the wings of the wind. 37
18:11 He shrouded himself in darkness, 38
in thick rain clouds. 39
18:12 From the brightness in front of him came
hail and fiery coals. 40
18:13 The Lord thundered 41 in 42 the sky;
the sovereign One 43 shouted. 44
18:14 He shot his 45 arrows and scattered them, 46
many lightning bolts 47 and routed them. 48
18:15 The depths 49 of the sea 50 were exposed;
the inner regions 51 of the world were uncovered
by 52 your battle cry, 53 Lord,
by the powerful breath from your nose. 54
18:16 He reached down 55 from above and took hold of me;
he pulled me from the surging water. 56
18:17 He rescued me from my strong enemy, 57
from those who hate me,
for they were too strong for me.
18:18 They confronted 58 me in my day of calamity,
but the Lord helped me. 59
18:19 He brought me out into a wide open place;
he delivered me because he was pleased with me. 60
18:20 The Lord repaid 61 me for my godly deeds; 62
he rewarded 63 my blameless behavior. 64
18:21 For I have obeyed the Lord’s commands; 65
I have not rebelled against my God. 66
18:22 For I am aware of all his regulations, 67
and I do not reject his rules. 68
18:23 I was innocent before him,
and kept myself from sinning. 69
18:24 The Lord rewarded me for my godly deeds; 70
he took notice of my blameless behavior. 71
18:25 You prove to be loyal 72 to one who is faithful; 73
you prove to be trustworthy 74 to one who is innocent. 75
18:26 You prove to be reliable 76 to one who is blameless,
but you prove to be deceptive 77 to one who is perverse. 78
18:27 For you deliver oppressed 79 people,
but you bring down those who have a proud look. 80
18:28 Indeed, 81 you are my lamp, Lord. 82
My God 83 illuminates the darkness around me. 84
18:29 Indeed, 85 with your help 86 I can charge against 87 an army; 88
by my God’s power 89 I can jump over a wall. 90
18:30 The one true God acts in a faithful manner; 91
the Lord’s promise 92 is reliable; 93
he is a shield to all who take shelter 94 in him.
18:31 Indeed, 95 who is God besides the Lord?
Who is a protector 96 besides our God? 97
18:32 The one true God 98 gives 99 me strength; 100
he removes 101 the obstacles in my way. 102
18:33 He gives me the agility of a deer; 103
he enables me to negotiate the rugged terrain. 104
18:34 He trains my hands for battle; 105
my arms can bend even the strongest bow. 106
18:35 You give me your protective shield; 107
your right hand supports me; 108
your willingness to help 109 enables me to prevail. 110
my feet 112 do not slip.
18:37 I chase my enemies and catch 113 them;
I do not turn back until I wipe them out.
18:38 I beat them 114 to death; 115
they fall at my feet. 116
18:39 You give me strength 117 for battle;
you make my foes kneel before me. 118
18:40 You make my enemies retreat; 119
I destroy those who hate me. 120
18:41 They cry out, but there is no one to help them; 121
they cry out to the Lord, 122 but he does not answer them.
18:42 I grind them as fine windblown dust; 123
I beat them underfoot 124 like clay 125 in the streets.
18:43 You rescue me from a hostile army; 126
you make me 127 a leader of nations;
people over whom I had no authority are now my subjects. 128
18:44 When they hear of my exploits, they submit to me. 129
Foreigners are powerless 130 before me;
18:45 foreigners lose their courage; 131
they shake with fear 132 as they leave 133 their strongholds. 134
My protector 136 is praiseworthy! 137
The God who delivers me 138 is exalted as king! 139
18:47 The one true God 140 completely vindicates me; 141
he makes nations submit to me. 142
18:48 He delivers me 143 from my enemies;
you snatch me away 144 from those who attack me; 145
you rescue me from violent men.
18:49 So I will give you thanks before the nations, 146 O Lord!
I will sing praises to you! 147
18:50 He 148 gives his chosen king magnificent victories; 149
he is faithful 150 to his chosen ruler, 151
to David and his descendants 152 forever.” 153
For the music director; a psalm of David.
19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; 155
the sky displays his handiwork. 156
19:2 Day after day it speaks out; 157
night after night it reveals his greatness. 158
19:3 There is no actual speech or word,
nor is its 159 voice literally heard.
19:4 Yet its voice 160 echoes 161 throughout the earth;
its 162 words carry 163 to the distant horizon. 164
In the sky 165 he has pitched a tent for the sun. 166
19:5 Like a bridegroom it emerges 167 from its chamber; 168
like a strong man it enjoys 169 running its course. 170
19:6 It emerges from the distant horizon, 171
and goes from one end of the sky to the other; 172
nothing can escape 173 its heat.
19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect
and preserves one’s life. 174
The rules set down by the Lord 175 are reliable 176
and impart wisdom to the inexperienced. 177
19:8 The Lord’s precepts are fair 178
and make one joyful. 179
The Lord’s commands 180 are pure 181
and give insight for life. 182
19:9 The commands to fear the Lord are right 183
and endure forever. 184
The judgments given by the Lord are trustworthy
and absolutely just. 185
19:10 They are of greater value 186 than gold,
than even a great amount of pure gold;
they bring greater delight 187 than honey,
than even the sweetest honey from a honeycomb.
19:11 Yes, your servant finds moral guidance there; 188
those who obey them receive a rich reward. 189
19:12 Who can know all his errors? 190
Please do not punish me for sins I am unaware of. 191
19:13 Moreover, keep me from committing flagrant 192 sins;
do not allow such sins to control me. 193
Then I will be blameless,
and innocent of blatant 194 rebellion.
19:14 May my words and my thoughts
be acceptable in your sight, 195
O Lord, my sheltering rock 196 and my redeemer. 197
For the music director; a psalm of David.
20:1 May the Lord answer 199 you 200 when you are in trouble; 201
may the God of Jacob 202 make you secure!
20:2 May he send you help from his temple; 203
from Zion may he give you support!
20:3 May he take notice 204 of your offerings;
may he accept 205 your burnt sacrifice! (Selah)
20:4 May he grant your heart’s desire; 206
may he bring all your plans to pass! 207
20:5 Then we will shout for joy over your 208 victory;
we will rejoice 209 in the name of our God!
May the Lord grant all your requests!
20:6 Now I am sure 210 that the Lord will deliver 211 his chosen king; 212
he will intervene for him 213 from his holy heavenly temple, 214
and display his mighty ability to deliver. 215
20:7 Some trust in chariots and others in horses, 216
but we 217 depend on 218 the Lord our God.
but we 220 will stand firm. 221
20:9 The Lord will deliver the king; 222
he will answer us 223 when we call to him for help! 224
For the music director; a psalm of David.
21:1 O Lord, the king rejoices in the strength you give; 226
he takes great delight in the deliverance you provide. 227
21:2 You grant 228 him his heart’s desire;
you do not refuse his request. 229 (Selah)
21:3 For you bring him 230 rich 231 blessings; 232
you place a golden crown on his head.
21:4 He asked you to sustain his life, 233
and you have granted him long life and an enduring dynasty. 234
21:5 Your deliverance brings him great honor; 235
you give him majestic splendor. 236
21:6 For you grant him lasting blessings;
you give him great joy by allowing him into your presence. 237
21:7 For the king trusts 238 in the Lord,
and because of the sovereign Lord’s 239 faithfulness he is not upended. 240
21:8 You 241 prevail over 242 all your enemies;
your power is too great for those who hate you. 243
21:9 You burn them up like a fiery furnace 244 when you appear; 245
the Lord angrily devours them; 246
the fire consumes them.
21:10 You destroy their offspring 247 from the earth,
their descendants 248 from among the human race. 249
21:11 Yes, 250 they intend to do you harm; 251
they dream up a scheme, 252 but they do not succeed. 253
21:12 For you make them retreat 254
when you shoot your arrows at them. 255
21:13 Rise up, O Lord, in strength! 256
We will sing and praise 257 your power!
For the music director; according to the tune “Morning Doe;” 259 a psalm of David.
22:1 My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? 260
I groan in prayer, but help seems far away. 261
22:2 My God, I cry out during the day,
but you do not answer,
and during the night my prayers do not let up. 262
22:3 You are holy;
you sit as king receiving the praises of Israel. 263
22:4 In you our ancestors 264 trusted;
they trusted in you 265 and you rescued them.
22:5 To you they cried out, and they were saved;
in you they trusted and they were not disappointed. 266
22:6 But I 267 am a worm, 268 not a man; 269
people insult me and despise me. 270
22:7 All who see me taunt 271 me;
they mock me 272 and shake their heads. 273
“Commit yourself 275 to the Lord!
Let the Lord 276 rescue him!
Let the Lord 277 deliver him, for he delights in him.” 278
22:9 Yes, you are the one who brought me out 279 from the womb
and made me feel secure on my mother’s breasts.
22:10 I have been dependent on you since birth; 280
from the time I came out of my mother’s womb you have been my God. 281
22:11 Do not remain far away from me,
for trouble is near and I have no one to help me. 282
22:12 Many bulls 283 surround me;
powerful bulls of Bashan 284 hem me in.
22:13 They 285 open their mouths to devour me 286
like a roaring lion that rips its prey. 287
22:14 My strength drains away like water; 288
all my bones are dislocated;
my heart 289 is like wax;
it melts away inside me.
22:15 The roof of my mouth 290 is as dry as a piece of pottery;
my tongue sticks to my gums. 291
You 292 set me in the dust of death. 293
22:16 Yes, 294 wild dogs surround me –
a gang of evil men crowd around me;
like a lion they pin my hands and feet. 295
22:17 I can count 296 all my bones;
my enemies 297 are gloating over me in triumph. 298
22:18 They are dividing up my clothes among themselves;
they are rolling dice 299 for my garments.
22:19 But you, O Lord, do not remain far away!
You are my source of strength! 300 Hurry and help me! 301
22:20 Deliver me 302 from the sword!
Save 303 my life 304 from the claws 305 of the wild dogs!
22:21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lion, 306
and from the horns of the wild oxen! 307
You have answered me! 308
22:22 I will declare your name to my countrymen! 309
In the middle of the assembly I will praise you!
22:23 You loyal followers of the Lord, 310 praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
All you descendants of Israel, stand in awe of him! 311
22:24 For he did not despise or detest the suffering 312 of the oppressed; 313
he did not ignore him; 314
when he cried out to him, he responded. 315
22:25 You are the reason I offer praise 316 in the great assembly;
I will fulfill my promises before the Lord’s loyal followers. 317
22:26 Let the oppressed eat and be filled! 318
Let those who seek his help praise the Lord!
May you 319 live forever!
22:27 Let all the people of the earth acknowledge the Lord and turn to him! 320
Let all the nations 321 worship you! 322
22:28 For the Lord is king 323
and rules over the nations.
22:29 All of the thriving people 324 of the earth will join the celebration and worship; 325
all those who are descending into the grave 326 will bow before him,
including those who cannot preserve their lives. 327
22:30 A whole generation 328 will serve him;
they will tell the next generation about the sovereign Lord. 329
22:31 They will come and tell about his saving deeds; 330
they will tell a future generation what he has accomplished. 331
[18:1] 1 sn Psalm 18. In this long song of thanks, the psalmist (a Davidic king, traditionally understood as David himself) affirms that God is his faithful protector. He recalls in highly poetic fashion how God intervened in awesome power and delivered him from death. The psalmist’s experience demonstrates that God vindicates those who are blameless and remain loyal to him. True to his promises, God gives the king victory on the battlefield and enables him to subdue nations. A parallel version of the psalm appears in 2 Sam 22:1-51.
[18:1] 3 tn Heb “in the day,” or “at the time.”
[18:1] 5 tn Heb “and from the hand of Saul.”
[18:1] 6 tn A number of translations (e.g., NASB, NIV, NRSV) assign the words “he said” to the superscription, in which case the entire psalm is in first person. Other translations (e.g., NAB) include the introductory “he said” at the beginning of v. 1.
[18:1] 7 tn The verb רָחַם (rakham) elsewhere appears in the Piel (or Pual) verbal stem with the basic meaning, “have compassion.” The verb occurs only here in the basic (Qal) stem. The basic stem of the verbal root also occurs in Aramaic with the meaning “love” (see DNWSI 2:1068-69; Jastrow 1467 s.v. רָחַם; G. Schmuttermayr, “rhm: eine lexikalische Studie,” Bib 51 [1970]: 515-21). Since this introductory statement does not appear in the parallel version in 2 Sam 22:1-51, it is possible that it is a later addition to the psalm, made when the poem was revised for use in worship.
[18:1] 8 tn Heb “my strength.” “Strength” is metonymic here, referring to the Lord as the one who bestows strength to the psalmist; thus the translation “my source of strength.”
[18:2] 9 sn My high ridge. This metaphor pictures God as a rocky, relatively inaccessible summit, where one would be able to find protection from enemies. See 1 Sam 23:25, 28.
[18:2] 10 sn My stronghold. David often found safety in such strongholds. See 1 Sam 22:4-5; 24:22; 2 Sam 5:9, 17; 23:14.
[18:2] 12 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).
[18:2] 13 tn Heb “the horn of my salvation”; or “my saving horn.”
[18:2] sn Though some see “horn” as referring to a horn-shaped peak of a hill, or to the “horns” of an altar where one could find refuge, it is more likely that the horn of an ox underlies the metaphor (cf. Deut 33:17; 1 Kgs 22:11; Ps 92:10). The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “exalt the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 89:17, 24; 92:10; Lam 2:17). In the ancient Near East powerful warrior-kings would sometimes compare themselves to a goring bull that uses its horns to kill its enemies. For examples, see P. Miller, “El the Warrior,” HTR 60 (1967): 422-25, and R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 135-36. Ps 18:2 uses the metaphor of the horn in a slightly different manner. Here the Lord himself is compared to a horn. He is to the psalmist what the horn is to the ox, a source of defense and victory.
[18:2] 14 tn Or “my elevated place.” The parallel version of this psalm in 2 Sam 22:3 adds at this point, “my refuge, my savior, [you who] save me from violence.”
[18:3] 15 tn In this song of thanksgiving, where the psalmist recalls how the Lord delivered him, the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite indicating past tense, not an imperfect.
[18:3] 16 tn Heb “worthy of praise, I cried out [to] the
[18:4] 17 tc Ps 18:4 reads “ropes,” while 2 Sam 22:5 reads “waves.” The reading of the psalm has been influenced by the next verse (note “ropes of Sheol”) and perhaps also by Ps 116:3 (where “ropes of death” appears, as here, with the verb אָפַף, ’afaf). However, the parallelism of v. 4 (note “currents” in the next line) favors the reading “waves.” While the verb אָפַף is used with “ropes” as subject in Ps 116:3, it can also be used with engulfing “waters” as subject (see Jonah 2:5). Death is compared to surging waters in v. 4 and to a hunter in v. 5.
[18:4] 18 tn The Hebrew noun נַחַל (nakhal) usually refers to a river or stream, but in this context the plural form likely refers to the currents of the sea (see vv. 15-16).
[18:4] 19 tn The noun בְלִיַּעַל (vÿliyya’al) is used here as an epithet for death. Elsewhere it is a common noun meaning “wickedness, uselessness.” It is often associated with rebellion against authority and other crimes that result in societal disorder and anarchy. The phrase “man/son of wickedness” refers to one who opposes God and the order he has established. The term becomes an appropriate title for death, which, through human forces, launches an attack against God’s chosen servant.
[18:4] 20 tn In this poetic narrative context the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite indicating past tense, not an imperfect. (Note the perfect verbal form in the parallel/preceding line.) The verb בָּעַת (ba’at) sometimes by metonymy carries the nuance “frighten,” but the parallelism (see “engulfed”) favors the meaning “overwhelm” here.
[18:5] 21 tn Heb “surrounded me.”
[18:5] 22 tn Heb “confronted me.”
[18:6] 23 tn In this poetic narrative context the four prefixed verbal forms in v. 6 are best understood as preterites indicating past tense, not imperfects.
[18:6] 24 tn Heb “from his temple.” Verse 10, which pictures God descending from the sky, indicates that the heavenly temple is in view, not the earthly one.
[18:6] 25 tc Heb “and my cry for help before him came into his ears.” 2 Sam 22:7 has a shorter reading, “my cry for help, in his ears.” It is likely that Ps 18:6 MT as it now stands represents a conflation of two readings: (1) “my cry for help came before him,” (2) “my cry for help came into his ears.” See F. M. Cross and D. N. Freedman, Studies in Ancient Yahwistic Poetry (SBLDS), 144, n. 13.
[18:7] 26 sn The earth heaved and shook. The imagery pictures an earthquake in which the earth’s surface rises and falls. The earthquake motif is common in OT theophanies of God as warrior and in ancient Near Eastern literary descriptions of warring gods and kings. See R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 160-62.
[18:7] 27 tn 2 Sam 22:8 has “heavens” which forms a merism with “earth” in the preceding line. The “foundations of the heavens” would be the mountains. However, the reading “foundations of the mountains” has a parallel in Deut 32:22.
[18:7] 28 tn In this poetic narrative context the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite indicating past tense, not an imperfect. Note the three prefixed verbal forms with vav (ו) consecutive in the verse.
[18:8] 29 tn Heb “within”; or “[from] within.” For a discussion of the use of the preposition -בְּ (bÿ) here, see R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 163-64.
[18:8] 30 tn Or “in his anger.” The noun אַף (’af) can carry the abstract meaning “anger,” but the parallelism (note “from his mouth”) suggests the more concrete meaning “nose” here. See also v. 15, “the powerful breath of your nose.”
[18:8] 31 tn Heb “fire from his mouth devoured.” In this poetic narrative context the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite indicating past tense, not an imperfect. Note the two perfect verbal forms in the verse.
[18:8] sn Fire devoured as it came from his mouth. For other examples of fire as a weapon in OT theophanies and ancient Near Eastern portrayals of warring gods and kings, see R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 165-67.
[18:8] 32 tn Heb “coals burned from him.” Perhaps the psalmist pictures God’s fiery breath igniting coals (cf. Job 41:21), which he then hurls as weapons (cf. Ps 120:4).
[18:9] 33 tn The Hebrew verb נָטָה (natah) can carry the sense “[cause to] bend, bow down.” For example, Gen 49:15 pictures Issachar as a donkey that “bends” its shoulder or back under a burden. Here the
[18:10] 35 tn Heb “a cherub.” Because of the typical associations of the word “cherub” in English with chubby winged babies, the term has been rendered “winged angel” in the translation.
[18:10] sn Winged angel (Heb “cherub”). Cherubs, as depicted in the OT, possess both human and animal (lion, ox, and eagle) characteristics (see Ezek 1:10; 10:14, 21; 41:18). They are pictured as winged creatures (Exod 25:20; 37:9; 1 Kgs 6:24-27; Ezek 10:8, 19) and serve as the very throne of God when the ark of the covenant is in view (Pss 80:1; 99:1; see Num 7:89; 1 Sam 4:4; 2 Sam 6:2; 2 Kgs 19:15). The picture of the
[18:10] 36 tc 2 Sam 22:11 reads “appeared” (from רָאָה, ra’ah); the relatively rare verb דָאָה (da’ah, “glide”) is more difficult and probably the original reading here in Ps 18.
[18:10] 37 sn The wings of the wind. Verse 10 may depict (1) the Lord riding a cherub, which is in turn propelled by the wind current. Another option (2) is that two different vehicles (a cherub and the wind) are envisioned. Yet another option (3) is that the wind is personified as a cherub. For a discussion of ancient Near Eastern parallels to the imagery in v. 10, see M. Weinfeld, “‘Rider of the Clouds’ and ‘Gatherer of the Clouds’,” JANESCU 5 (1973): 422-24.
[18:11] 38 tc Heb “he made darkness his hiding place around him, his covering.” 2 Sam 22:12 reads, “he made darkness around him coverings,” omitting “his hiding place” and pluralizing “covering.” Ps 18:11 may include a conflation of synonyms (“his hiding place” and “his covering”) or 2 Sam 22:12 may be the result of haplography/homoioarcton. Note that three successive words in Ps 18:11 begin with the Hebrew letter samek: סִתְרוֹ סְבִיבוֹתָיו סֻכָּתוֹ (sitro sÿvivotayv sukkato).
[18:11] 39 tc Heb “darkness of water, clouds of clouds.” The noun “darkness” (חֶשְׁכַת, kheshkhat) is probably a corruption of an original reading חשׁרת, a form that is preserved in 2 Sam 22:12. The latter is a construct form of חַשְׁרָה (khashrah, “sieve”) which occurs only here in the OT. A cognate Ugaritic noun means “sieve,” and a related verb חָשַׁר (khashar, “to sift”) is attested in postbiblical Hebrew and Aramaic. The phrase חַשְׁרַת מַיִם (khashrat mayim) means literally “a sieve of water.” It pictures the rain clouds as a sieve through which the rain falls to the ground (see F. M. Cross and D. N. Freedman, Studies in Ancient Yahwistic Poetry [SBLDS], 146, n. 33).
[18:12] 40 tc Heb “from the brightness in front of him his clouds came, hail and coals of fire.” 2 Sam 22:13 reads, “from the brightness in front of him burned coals of fire.” The Lucianic family of texts within the Greek tradition of 2 Sam 22:13 seems to assume the underlying Hebrew text: מנגה נגדו עברו ברד וגחלי אשׁ, “from the brightness in front of him came hail and coals of fire” (the basis for the present translation). The textual situation is perplexing and the identity of the original text uncertain. The verbs עָבָרוּ (’avaru; Ps 18:12) and בָּעֲרוּ (ba’aru; 2 Sam 22:13) appear to be variants involving a transposition of the first two letters. The noun עָבָיו (’avayv, “his clouds,” Ps 18:12) may be virtually dittographic (note the following עָבְרוּ, ’avru), or it could have accidentally dropped out from the text of 2 Sam 22:13 by virtual haplography (note the preceding בָּעֲרוּ, which might have originally read עָבְרוּ). The noun בָּרָד (barad, “hail,” Ps 18:12) may be virtually dittographic (note the preceding עָבְרוּ), or it could have dropped out from 2 Sam 22:13 by virtual haplography (note the preceding בָּעֲרוּ, which might have originally read עָבְרוּ). For a fuller discussion of the text and its problems, see R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 74-76.
[18:13] 41 sn Thunder is a common motif in OT theophanies and in ancient Near Eastern portrayals of the storm god and warring kings. See R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 179-83.
[18:13] 42 tn 2 Sam 22:14 has “from.”
[18:13] 43 tn Heb “the Most High.” This divine title (עֶלְיוֹן, ’elyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Ps 47:2.
[18:13] 44 tc The text of Ps 18:13 adds at this point, “hail and coals of fire.” These words are probably accidentally added from v. 12b; they do not appear in 2 Sam 22:14.
[18:13] tn Heb “offered his voice.” In this poetic narrative context the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite indicating past tense, not an imperfect. Note the prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive in the preceding line.
[18:14] 45 tn 2 Sam 22:15 omits the pronominal suffix (“his”).
[18:14] 46 tn The pronominal suffixes on the verbs “scattered” and “routed” (see the next line) refer to the psalmist’s enemies. Some argue that the suffixes refer to the arrows, in which case one might translate “shot them far and wide” and “made them move noisily,” respectively. They argue that the enemies have not been mentioned since v. 4 and are not again mentioned until v. 17. However, usage of the verbs פוּץ (puts, “scatter”) and הָמַם (hamam, “rout”) elsewhere in Holy War accounts suggests the suffixes refer to enemies. Enemies are frequently pictured in such texts as scattered and/or routed (see Exod 14:24; 23:27; Num 10:35; Josh 10:10; Judg 4:15; 1 Sam 7:10; 11:11; Ps 68:1).
[18:14] 47 sn Lightning is a common motif in in OT theophanies and in ancient Near Eastern portrayals of the storm god and warring kings. See R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 190-92.
[18:14] 48 tn Heb “lightning bolts, many.” 2 Sam 22:15 has simply “lightning” (בָּרָק, baraq). The identity of the word רָב (rav) in Ps 18:14 is problematic. (1) It may be a form of a rare verb רָבַב (ravav, “to shoot”), perhaps attested in Gen 49:23 as well. In this case one might translate, “he shot lightning bolts and routed them.” Other options include (2) understanding רָב (rav) as an adverbial use of the adjective, “lightning bolts in abundance,” or (3) emending the form to רַבּוּ (rabbu), from רָבַב (ravav, “be many”) or to רָבוּ (ravu), from רָבָה (ravah, “be many”) – both a haplography of the vav (ו); note the initial vav on the immediately following form – and translating “lightning bolts were in abundance.”
[18:14] sn Arrows and lightning bolts are associated in other texts (see Pss 77:17-18; 144:6; Zech 9:14), as well as in ancient Near Eastern art (see R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” [Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983], 187).
[18:15] 50 tc Ps 18:15 reads “water” (cf. Ps 42:1); “sea” is the reading of 2 Sam 22:16.
[18:15] 51 tn Or “foundations.”
[18:15] 52 tn Heb “from.” The preposition has a causal sense here.
[18:15] 53 tn The noun is derived from the verb גָּעַר (ga’ar), which is often understood to mean “rebuke.” In some cases it is apparent that scolding or threatening is in view (see Gen 37:10; Ruth 2:16; Zech 3:2). However, in militaristic contexts this translation is inadequate, for the verb refers in this setting to the warrior’s battle cry, which terrifies and paralyzes the enemy. See A. Caquot, TDOT 3:53, and note the use of the verb in Pss 68:30; 106:9; and Nah 1:4, as well as the related noun in Job 26:11; Pss 9:5; 76:6; 104:7; Isa 50:2; 51:20; 66:15.
[18:15] 54 tn 2 Sam 22:16 reads “by the battle cry of the
[18:16] 55 tn Heb “stretched.” Perhaps “his hand” should be supplied by ellipsis (see Ps 144:7). In this poetic narrative context the three prefixed verbal forms in this verse are best understood as preterites indicating past tense, not imperfects.
[18:16] 56 tn Heb “mighty waters.” The waters of the sea symbolize the psalmist’s powerful enemies, as well as the realm of death they represent (see v. 4 and Ps 144:7).
[18:17] 57 tn The singular refers either to personified death or collectively to the psalmist’s enemies. The following line, which refers to “those [plural] who hate me,” favors the latter.
[18:18] 58 tn The same verb is translated “trapped” in v. 5. In this poetic narrative context the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite indicating past tense, not imperfect.
[18:18] 59 tn Heb “became my support.”
[18:19] 60 tn Or “delighted in me.”
[18:20] 61 tn In this poetic narrative context the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite indicating past tense, not imperfect.
[18:20] 62 tn Heb “according to my righteousness.” As vv. 22-24 make clear, the psalmist refers here to his unwavering obedience to God’s commands. In these verses the psalmist explains that the
[18:20] 63 tn The unreduced Hiphil prefixed verbal form appears to be an imperfect, in which case the psalmist would be generalizing. However, both the preceding and following contexts (see especially v. 24) suggest he is narrating his experience. Despite its unreduced form, the verb is better taken as a preterite. For other examples of unreduced Hiphil preterites, see Pss 55:14a; 68:9a, 10b; 80:8a; 89:43a; 107:38b; 116:6b.
[18:20] 64 tn Heb “according to the purity of my hands he repaid to me.” “Hands” suggest activity and behavior.
[18:21] 65 tn Heb “for I have kept the ways of the
[18:21] 66 tn Heb “I have not acted wickedly from my God.” The statement is elliptical; the idea is, “I have not acted wickedly and, in so doing, departed from my God.”
[18:22] 67 tn Heb “for all his regulations [are] before me.” The Hebrew term מִשְׁפָּטִים (mishpatim, “regulations”) refers to God’s covenantal requirements, especially those which the king is responsible to follow (cf. Deut 17:18-20). See also Pss 19:9 (cf. vv. 7-8); 89:30; 147:20 (cf. v. 19), as well as the numerous uses of the term in Ps 119.
[18:22] 68 tn Heb “and his rules I do not turn aside from me.” 2 Sam 22:23 reads, “and his rules, I do not turn aside from it.” The prefixed verbal form is probably an imperfect; the psalmist here generalizes about his loyalty to God’s commands. The Lord’s “rules” are the stipulations of the covenant which the king was responsible to obey (see Ps 89:31; cf. v. 30 and Deut 17:18-20).
[18:23] 69 tn Heb “from my sin,” that is, from making it my own in any way.
[18:23] sn Kept myself from sinning. Leading a blameless life meant that the king would be loyal to God’s covenant, purge the government and society of evil and unjust officials, and reward loyalty to the Lord (see Ps 101).
[18:24] 70 tn Heb “according to my righteousness.”
[18:24] 71 tn Heb “according to the purity of my hands before his eyes.” 2 Sam 22:25 reads “according to my purity before his eyes.” The verbal repetition (compare vv. 20 and 24) sets off vv. 20-24 as a distinct sub-unit within the psalm.
[18:25] 72 tn The imperfect verbal forms in vv. 25-29 draw attention to God’s characteristic actions. Based on his experience, the psalmist generalizes about God’s just dealings with people (vv. 25-27) and about the way in which God typically empowers him on the battlefield (vv. 28-29). The Hitpael stem is used in vv. 26-27 in a reflexive resultative (or causative) sense. God makes himself loyal, etc. in the sense that he conducts or reveals himself as such. On this use of the Hitpael stem, see GKC 149-50 §54.e.
[18:25] 73 tn Or “to a faithful follower.” A “faithful follower” (חָסִיד, khasid) is one who does what is right in God’s eyes and remains faithful to God (see Pss 4:3; 12:1; 16:10; 31:23; 37:28; 86:2; 97:10).
[18:25] 75 tn Heb “a man of innocence.”
[18:26] 77 tn The Hebrew verb פָתַל (patal) is used in only three other texts. In Gen 30:8 it means literally “to wrestle,” or “to twist.” In Job 5:13 it refers to devious individuals, and in Prov 8:8 to deceptive words.
[18:26] 78 tn The adjective עִקֵּשׁ (’iqqesh) has the basic nuance “twisted, crooked,” and by extension refers to someone or something that is morally perverse. It appears frequently in Proverbs, where it is used of evil people (22:5), speech (8:8; 19:1), thoughts (11:20; 17:20), and life styles (2:15; 28:6). A righteous king opposes such people (Ps 101:4).
[18:26] sn Verses 25-26 affirm God’s justice. He responds to people in accordance with their moral character. His response mirrors their actions. The faithful and blameless find God to be loyal and reliable in his dealings with them. But deceivers discover he is able and willing to use deceit to destroy them. For a more extensive discussion of the theme of divine deception in the OT, see R. B. Chisholm, “Does God Deceive?” BSac 155 (1998): 11-28.
[18:27] 79 tn Or perhaps, “humble” (note the contrast with those who are proud).
[18:27] 80 tn Heb “but proud eyes you bring low.” 2 Sam 22:28 reads, “your eyes [are] upon the proud, [whom] you bring low.”
[18:28] 81 tn Or “for.” The translation assumes that כִּי (ki)is asseverative here.
[18:28] 82 tn Ps 18:28 reads literally, “you light my lamp,
[18:28] 83 tn 2 Sam 22:29 repeats the name “
[18:28] 84 tn Heb “my darkness.”
[18:29] 85 tn Or “for.” The translation assumes that כִּי (ki) is asseverative here.
[18:29] 87 tn Heb “I will run.” The imperfect verbal forms in v. 29 indicate the subject’s potential or capacity to perform an action. Though one might expect a preposition to follow the verb here, this need not be the case with the verb רוּץ (ruts; see 1 Sam 17:22). Some emend the Qal to a Hiphil form of the verb and translate, “I put to flight [Heb “cause to run”] an army.”
[18:29] 88 tn More specifically, the noun גְּדוּד (gÿdud) refers to a raiding party or to a contingent of troops.
[18:29] sn I can charge against an army. The picture of a divinely empowered warrior charging against an army in almost superhuman fashion appears elsewhere in ancient Near Eastern literature. See R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 228.
[18:29] 89 tn Heb “and by my God.”
[18:29] 90 sn I can jump over a wall. The psalmist uses hyperbole to emphasize his God-given military superiority.
[18:30] 91 tn Heb “[As for] the God, his way is blameless.” The term הָאֵל (ha’el, “the God”) stands as a nominative (or genitive) absolute in apposition to the resumptive pronominal suffix on “way.” The prefixed article emphasizes his distinctiveness as the one true God (cf. Deut 33:26). God’s “way” in this context refers to his protective and salvific acts in fulfillment of his promise (see also Deut 32:4; Pss 67:2; 77:13 [note vv. 11-12, 14]; 103:7; 138:5; 145:17).
[18:30] 92 sn The
[18:30] 93 tn Heb “the word of the
[18:30] 94 sn Take shelter. See the note on the word “shelter” in v. 2.
[18:31] 96 tn Heb “rocky cliff,” which is a metaphor of divine protection. See v. 2, where the Hebrew term צוּר (tsur) is translated “rocky summit.”
[18:31] 97 tn The rhetorical questions anticipate the answer, “No one.” In this way the psalmist indicates that the
[18:32] 98 tn Heb “the God.” The prefixed article emphasizes the
[18:32] 99 tn Heb “is the one who clothes.” For similar language see 1 Sam 2:4; Pss 65:6; 93:1. The psalmist employs a generalizing hymnic style in vv. 32-34; he uses participles in vv. 32a, 33a, and 34a to describe what God characteristically does on his behalf.
[18:32] 100 tn 2 Sam 22:33 reads, “the God is my strong refuge.”
[18:32] sn Gives me strength. As the following context makes clear, this refers to physical and emotional strength for battle (see especially v. 39).
[18:32] 101 tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries along the generalizing force of the preceding participle.
[18:32] 102 tn Heb “he made my path smooth.” The Hebrew term תָּמִים (tamim, “smooth”) usually carries a moral or ethical connotation, “blameless, innocent.” However, in Ps 18:33 it refers to a pathway free of obstacles. The reality underlying the metaphor is the psalmist’s ability to charge into battle without tripping (see vv. 33, 36).
[18:33] 103 tn Heb “[the one who] makes my feet like [those of ] a deer.”
[18:33] 104 tn Heb “and on my high places he makes me walk.” The imperfect verbal form emphasizes God’s characteristic provision. The psalmist compares his agility in battle to the ability of a deer to negotiate rugged, high terrain without falling or being injured.
[18:33] sn Habakkuk uses similar language to describe his faith during difficult times. See Hab 3:19.
[18:34] 105 sn He trains my hands. The psalmist attributes his skill with weapons to divine enablement. Egyptian reliefs picture gods teaching the king how to shoot a bow. See O. Keel, The Symbolism of the Biblical World, 265.
[18:34] 106 tn Heb “and a bow of bronze is bent by my arms”; or “my arms bend a bow of bronze.” The verb נָחַת (nakhat) apparently means “pull back, bend” here (see HALOT 692 s.v. נחת). The third feminine singular verbal form appears to agree with the feminine singular noun קֶשֶׁת (qeshet, “bow”). In this case the verb must be taken as Niphal (passive). However, it is possible that “my arms” is the subject of the verb and “bow” the object. In this case the verb is Piel (active). For other examples of a feminine singular verb being construed with a plural noun, see GKC 464 §145.k.
[18:34] sn The strongest bow (Heb “bow of bronze”) probably refers to a bow laminated with bronze strips, or to a purely ceremonial or decorative bow made entirely from bronze. In the latter case the language is hyperbolic, for such a weapon would not be functional in battle.
[18:35] 107 tn Heb “and you give to me the shield of your deliverance.”
[18:35] sn You give me your protective shield. Ancient Near Eastern literature often refers to a god giving a king special weapons. See R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 260-61.
[18:35] 108 tc 2 Sam 22:36 omits this line, perhaps due to homoioarcton. A scribe’s eye may have jumped from the vav (ו) prefixed to “your right hand” to the vav prefixed to the following “and your answer,” causing the copyist to omit by accident the intervening words (“your right hand supports me and”).
[18:35] 109 tn The MT of Ps 18:35 appears to read, “your condescension,” apparently referring to God’s willingness to intervene (cf. NIV “you stoop down”). However, the noun עֲנָוָה (’anavah) elsewhere means “humility” and is used only here of God. The form עַנְוַתְךָ (’anvatÿkha) may be a fully written form of the suffixed infinitive construct of עָנָה (’anah, “to answer”; a defectively written form of the infinitive appears in 2 Sam 22:36). In this case the psalmist refers to God’s willingness to answer his prayer; one might translate, “your favorable response.”
[18:35] 110 tn Heb “makes me great.”
[18:36] 111 tn Heb “you make wide my step under me.” “Step” probably refers metonymically to the path upon which the psalmist walks. Another option is to translate, “you widen my stride.” This would suggest that God gives the psalmist the capacity to run quickly.
[18:36] 112 tn Heb “lower legs.” On the meaning of the Hebrew noun, which occurs only here, see H. R. Cohen, Biblical Hapax Legomena (SBLDS), 112. A cognate Akkadian noun means “lower leg.”
[18:37] 113 tn 2 Sam 22:38 reads “destroy.”
[18:38] 114 tn Or “smash them.” 2 Sam 22:39 reads, “and I wiped them out and smashed them.”
[18:38] 115 tn Heb “until they are unable to rise.” 2 Sam 22:39 reads, “until they do not rise.”
[18:38] 116 sn They fall at my feet. For ancient Near Eastern parallels, see O. Keel, The Symbolism of the Biblical World, 294-97.
[18:39] 117 tn Heb “clothed me.” See v. 32.
[18:39] 118 tn Heb “you make those who rise against me kneel beneath me.”
[18:39] sn My foes kneel before me. For ancient Near Eastern parallels, see R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 268.
[18:40] 119 tn Heb “and [as for] my enemies, you give to me [the] back [or “neck”].” The idiom “give [the] back” means “to cause [one] to turn the back and run away.” Cf. Exod 23:27.
[18:40] 120 sn Those who hate me. See v. 17, where it is the
[18:41] 121 tn Heb “but there is no deliverer.”
[18:41] 122 tn Heb “to the
[18:41] sn They cry out. This reference to the psalmist’s enemies crying out for help to the
[18:42] 123 tn Heb “I pulverize them like dust upon the face of the wind.” The phrase “upon the face of” here means “before.” 2 Sam 22:43 reads, “like dust of the earth.”
[18:42] 124 tc Ps 18:42 reads, “I empty them out” (Hiphil of ריק), while 2 Sam 22:43 reads, “I crush them, I stomp on them” (juxtaposing the synonyms דקק and רקע). It is likely that the latter is a conflation of variants. One, but not both, of the verbs in 2 Sam 22:43 is probably original; “empty out” does not form as good a parallel with “grind, pulverize” in the parallel line.
[18:43] 126 tn Heb “from the strivings of a people.” In this context the Hebrew term רִיב (riv, “striving”) probably has a militaristic sense (as in Judg 12:2; Isa 41:11), and עָם (’am, “people”) probably refers more specifically to an army (for other examples, see the verses listed in BDB 766 s.v. I עַם, עָם 2.d). Some understand the phrase as referring to attacks by the psalmist’s own countrymen, the “nation” being Israel. However, foreign enemies appear to be in view; note the reference to “nations” in the following line.
[18:43] 127 tn 2 Sam 22:44 reads, “you keep me.”
[18:43] 128 tn Heb “a people whom I did not know serve me.” In this context “know” (יָדַע, yada’) probably refers to formal recognition by treaty. People who were once not under the psalmist’s authority now willingly submit to his rulership to avoid being conquered militarily (see vv. 44-45). The language may recall the events recorded in 2 Sam 8:9-10 and 10:19.
[18:44] 129 tn Heb “at a report of an ear they submit to me.” The report of the psalmist’s exploits is so impressive that those who hear it submit to his rulership without putting up a fight.
[18:44] 130 tn For the meaning “be weak, powerless” for כָּחַשׁ (kakhash), see Ps 109:24. The next line (see v. 45a), in which “foreigners” are also mentioned, favors this interpretation. Another option is to translate “cower in fear” (see Deut 33:29; Pss 66:3; 81:15; cf. NIV “cringe”; NRSV “came cringing”).
[18:45] 131 tn Heb “wither, wear out.”
[18:45] 132 tn The meaning of חָרַג (kharag, “shake”) is established on the basis of cognates in Arabic and Aramaic. 2 Sam 22:46 reads חָגַר (khagar), which might mean here, “[they] come limping” (on the basis of a cognate in postbiblical Hebrew). The normal meaning for חָגַר (“gird”) makes little sense here.
[18:45] 134 tn Heb “their prisons.” The besieged cities of the foreigners are compared to prisons.
[18:46] 135 tn Elsewhere the construction חַי־יְהוָה (khay-yÿhvah) is used exclusively as an oath formula, “as surely as the
[18:46] 136 tn Heb “my rocky cliff,” which is a metaphor for protection. See similar phrases in vv. 2, 31.
[18:46] 137 tn Or “blessed [i.e., praised] be.”
[18:46] 138 tn Heb “the God of my deliverance.” 2 Sam 22:48 reads, “the God of the rocky cliff of my deliverance.”
[18:46] 139 tn The words “as king” are supplied in the translation for clarification. Elsewhere in the psalms the verb רוּם (rum, “be exalted”), when used of God, refers to his exalted position as king (Pss 99:2; 113:4; 138:6) and/or his self-revelation as king through his mighty deeds of deliverance (Pss 21:13; 46:10; 57:5, 11).
[18:47] 140 tn Heb “the God.” See v. 32.
[18:47] 141 tn Heb “is the one who grants vengeance to me.” The plural form of the noun indicates degree here, suggesting complete vengeance or vindication.
[18:47] sn Completely vindicates me. In the ancient Near East military victory was sometimes viewed as a sign that one’s God had judged in favor of the victor, avenging and/or vindicating him. See, for example, Judg 11:27, 32-33, 36.
[18:47] 142 tn Heb “he subdues nations beneath me.” On the meaning of the verb דָּבַר (davar, “subdue,” a homonym of דָּבַר, davar, “speak”), see HALOT 209-10 s.v. I דבר. See also Ps 47:3 and 2 Chr 22:10. 2 Sam 22:48 reads “and [is the one who] brings down nations beneath me.”
[18:48] 143 tn Heb “[the one who] delivers me.” 2 Sam 22:49 reads “and [the one who] brings me out.”
[18:48] 144 tn Heb “lifts me up.” In light of the preceding and following references to deliverance, the verb רום probably here refers to being rescued from danger (see Ps 9:13). However, it could mean “exalt, elevate” here, indicating that the
[18:48] 145 tn Heb “from those who rise against me.”
[18:49] 146 sn I will give you thanks before the nations. This probably alludes to the fact that the psalmist will praise the
[18:49] 147 tn Heb “to your name.” God’s “name” refers metonymically to his divine characteristics as suggested by his name, in this case “
[18:50] 148 tn Or “the one who.”
[18:50] 149 tn Heb “magnifies the victories of his king.” “His king” refers to the psalmist, the Davidic king whom God has chosen to rule Israel.
[18:50] 150 tn Heb “[the one who] does loyalty.”
[18:50] 151 tn Heb “his anointed [one],” i.e., the psalmist/Davidic king. See Ps 2:2.
[18:50] 152 tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”
[18:50] 153 sn If David is the author of the psalm (see the superscription), then he here anticipates that God will continue to demonstrate loyalty to his descendants who succeed him. If the author is a later Davidic king, then he views the divine favor he has experienced as the outworking of God’s faithful promises to David his ancestor.
[19:1] 154 sn Psalm 19. The psalmist praises God for his self-revelation in the heavens and in the Mosaic law. The psalmist concludes with a prayer, asking the Lord to keep him from sinning and to approve of his thoughts and words.
[19:1] 155 sn God’s glory refers here to his royal majesty and power.
[19:1] 156 tn Heb “and the work of his hands the sky declares.” The participles emphasize the ongoing testimony of the heavens/sky.
[19:2] 157 tn Heb “it gushes forth a word.” The “sky” (see v. 1b) is the subject of the verb. Though not literally speaking (see v. 3), it clearly reveals God’s royal majesty. The sun’s splendor and its movement across the sky is in view (see vv. 4-6).
[19:2] 158 tn Heb “it [i.e., the sky] declares knowledge,” i.e., knowledge about God’s royal majesty and power (see v. 1). This apparently refers to the splendor and movements of the stars. The imperfect verbal forms in v. 2, like the participles in the preceding verse, combine with the temporal phrases (“day after day” and “night after night”) to emphasize the ongoing testimony of the sky.
[19:3] 159 tn Heb “their.” The antecedent of the plural pronoun is “heavens” (v. 1).
[19:4] 160 tc The MT reads, “their measuring line” (קוּם, qum). The noun קַו (qav, “measuring line”) makes no sense in this context. The reading קוֹלָם (qolam, “their voice”) which is supported by the LXX, is preferable.
[19:4] 161 tn Heb “goes out,” or “proceeds forth.”
[19:4] 162 tn Heb “their” (see the note on the word “its” in v. 3).
[19:4] 163 tn The verb is supplied in the translation. The Hebrew text has no verb; יָצָא (yatsa’, “goes out”) is understood by ellipsis.
[19:4] 164 tn Heb “to the end of the world.”
[19:4] 165 tn Heb “in them” (i.e., the heavens).
[19:4] 166 sn He has pitched a tent for the sun. The personified sun emerges from this “tent” in order to make its daytime journey across the sky. So the “tent” must refer metaphorically to the place where the sun goes to rest during the night.
[19:5] 167 tn The participle expresses the repeated or regular nature of the action.
[19:5] 168 tn The Hebrew noun חֻפָּה (khufah, “chamber”) occurs elsewhere only in Isa 4:5 and Joel 2:16 (where it refers to the bedroom of a bride and groom).
[19:5] sn Like a bridegroom. The metaphor likens the sun to a bridegroom who rejoices on his wedding night.
[19:5] 169 tn The imperfect verbal form draws attention to the regularity of the action.
[19:5] 170 tn Heb “[on] a path.”
[19:5] sn Like a strong man. The metaphorical language reflects the brilliance of the sunrise, which attests to the sun’s vigor.
[19:6] 171 tn Heb “from the end of the heavens [is] its going forth.”
[19:6] 172 tn Heb “and its circuit [is] to their ends.”
[19:6] 173 tn Heb “is hidden from.”
[19:7] 174 tn Heb “[it] restores life.” Elsewhere the Hiphil of שׁוּב (shuv, “return”) when used with נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “life”) as object, means to “rescue or preserve one’s life” (Job 33:30; Ps 35:17) or to “revive one’s strength” (emotionally or physically; cf. Ruth 4:15; Lam 1:11, 16, 19). Here the point seems to be that the law preserves the life of the one who studies it by making known God’s will. Those who know God’s will know how to please him and can avoid offending him. See v. 11a.
[19:7] 175 tn Traditionally, “the testimony of the
[19:7] 176 tn God’s covenant contains a clear, reliable witness to his moral character and demands.
[19:7] 177 tn Or “the [morally] naive,” that is, the one who is young and still in the process of learning right from wrong and distinguishing wisdom from folly.
[19:8] 178 tn Or “just.” Perhaps the idea is that they impart a knowledge of what is just and right.
[19:8] 179 tn Heb “[they] make happy [the] heart.” Perhaps the point is that they bring a sense of joyful satisfaction to the one who knows and keeps them, for those who obey God’s law are richly rewarded. See v. 11b.
[19:8] 180 tn Heb “command.” The singular here refers to the law as a whole.
[19:8] 181 tn Because they reflect God’s character, his commands provide a code of moral and ethical purity.
[19:8] 182 tn Heb [they] enlighten [the] eyes.
[19:9] 183 tn Heb “the fear of the
[19:9] 184 tn Heb “[it] stands permanently.”
[19:9] 185 sn Trustworthy and absolutely just. The Lord’s commands accurately reflect God’s moral will for his people and are an expression of his just character.
[19:10] 186 tn Heb “more desirable.”
[19:10] 187 tn Heb “are sweeter.” God’s law is “sweet’ in the sense that, when obeyed, it brings a great reward (see v. 11b).
[19:11] 188 tn Heb “moreover your servant is warned by them.”
[19:11] 189 tn Heb “in the keeping of them [there is] a great reward.”
[19:12] 190 tn Heb “Errors who can discern?” This rhetorical question makes the point that perfect moral discernment is impossible to achieve. Consequently it is inevitable that even those with good intentions will sin on occasion.
[19:12] 191 tn Heb “declare me innocent from hidden [things],” i.e., sins. In this context (see the preceding line) “hidden” sins are not sins committed in secret, but sins which are not recognized as such by the psalmist.
[19:13] 192 tn Or “presumptuous.”
[19:13] 193 tn Heb “let them not rule over me.”
[19:14] 195 tn Heb “may the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart be acceptable before you.” The prefixed verbal form at the beginning of the verse is understood as a jussive of prayer. Another option is to translate the form as an imperfect continuing the thought of v. 14b: “[Then] the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart will be acceptable before you.”
[19:14] 196 tn Heb “my rocky cliff,” which is a metaphor for protection; thus the translation “sheltering rock.”
[19:14] 197 tn Heb “and the one who redeems me.” The metaphor casts the Lord in the role of a leader who protects members of his extended family in times of need and crisis.
[20:1] 198 sn Psalm 20. The people pray for the king’s success in battle. When the king declares his assurance that the Lord will answer the people’s prayer, they affirm their confidence in God’s enablement.
[20:1] 199 tn The prefixed verbal forms here and in vv. 1b-5 are interpreted as jussives of prayer (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV). Another option is to understand them as imperfects, “the
[20:1] 200 sn May the
[20:1] 201 tn Heb “in a day of trouble.”
[20:1] 202 tn Heb “the name of the God of Jacob.” God’s “name” refers metonymically to his very person and to the divine characteristics suggested by his name, in this case “God of Jacob,” which highlights his relationship to Israel.
[20:2] 203 tc Heb “from [the] temple.” The third masculine singular pronominal suffix (ן, nun) has probably been accidentally omitted by haplography. Note that the following word begins with a prefixed vav (ו). See P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 (WBC), 184.
[20:3] 204 tn Or “remember.” For other examples of the verb זָכַר (zakhar) carrying the nuance “take notice of,” see Pss 8:4 and 9:12.
[20:3] 205 tc Heb “consider as fat.” The verbal form should probably be emended to יְדַשְּׁנֶהָ (yÿdashÿneha), the final he (ה) being understood as a third feminine singular pronominal suffix referring back to the feminine noun “burnt sacrifice.”
[20:4] 206 tn Heb “may he give to you according to your heart.” This probably refers to the king’s prayer for protection and victory in battle. See vv. 5-6.
[20:4] 207 sn May he bring all your plans to pass. This probably refers to the king’s strategy for battle.
[20:5] 208 sn Your victory. Here the king is addressed (see v. 1).
[20:5] 209 tc The Hebrew verb דָּגַל (dagal) occurs only here in the Qal. If accepted as original, it may carry the nuance “raise a banner,” but it is preferable to emend the form to נגיל (“we will rejoice”) which provides better parallelism with “shout for joy” and fits well with the prepositional phrase “in the name of our God” (see Ps 89:16).
[20:6] sn Now I am sure. The speaker is not identified. It is likely that the king, referring to himself in the third person (note “his chosen king”), responds to the people’s prayer. Perhaps his confidence is due to the reception of a divine oracle of salvation.
[20:6] 211 tn The perfect verbal form is probably used rhetorically to state that the deliverance is as good as done. In this way the speaker emphasizes the certainty of the deliverance. Another option is to take the statement as generalizing; the psalmist affirms that the
[20:6] 212 tn Heb “his anointed one.” This title refers to the Davidic king. See Pss 2:2 and 18:50.
[20:6] 213 tn Heb “he will answer him.”
[20:6] 214 tn Heb “from his holy heavens.”
[20:6] 215 tn Heb “with mighty acts of deliverance of his right hand.” The Lord’s “right hand” here symbolizes his power to protect and deliver (see Ps 17:7).
[20:7] 216 tn Heb “these in chariots and these in horses.” No verb appears; perhaps the verb “invoke” is to be supplied from the following line. In this case the idea would be that some “invoke” (i.e., trust in) their military might for victory (cf. NEB “boast”; NIV “trust”; NRSV “take pride”). Verse 8 suggests that the “some/others” mentioned here are the nation’s enemies.
[20:7] 217 tn The grammatical construction (conjunction + pronominal subject) highlights the contrast between God’s faithful people and the others mentioned in the previous line.
[20:7] 218 tn Heb “we invoke the name of.” The Hiphil of זָכַר (zakhar), when combined with the phrase “in the name,” means “to invoke” (see Josh 23:7; Isa 48:1; Amos 6:10). By invoking the
[20:8] 219 tn Or “stumble and fall down.”
[20:8] 220 tn The grammatical construction (conjunction + pronominal subject) highlights the contrast between God’s victorious people and the defeated enemies mentioned in the previous line. The perfect verbal forms either generalize or, more likely, state rhetorically the people’s confidence as they face the approaching battle. They describe the demise of the enemy as being as good as done.
[20:8] 221 tn Or “rise up and remain upright.” On the meaning of the Hitpolel of עוּד (’ud), see HALOT 795 s.v. I עוד. The verbal forms (a perfect followed by a prefixed form with vav [ו] consecutive) either generalize or, more likely, state rhetorically the people’s confidence as they face the approaching battle.
[20:9] 222 tc This translation assumes an emendation of the verbal form הוֹשִׁיעָה (hoshi’ah). As it stands, the form is an imperative. In this case the people return to the petitionary mood with which the psalm begins (“O
[20:9] 223 tn If the imperative is retained in the preceding line, then the prefixed verbal form is best taken as a jussive of prayer, “may he answer us.” However, if the imperative in the previous line is emended to a perfect, the prefixed form is best taken as imperfect, “he will answer us” (see the note on the word “king” at the end of the previous line).
[20:9] 224 tn Heb “in the day we call.”
[21:1] 225 sn Psalm 21. The psalmist praises the Lord for the way he protects and blesses the Davidic king.
[21:1] 226 tn Heb “in your strength.” The translation interprets the pronominal suffix as subjective, rather than merely descriptive (or attributive).
[21:1] 227 tn Heb “and in your deliverance, how greatly he rejoices.”
[21:2] 228 tn The translation assumes the perfect verbal forms in v. 2 are generalizing, stating factually what God typically does for the king. Another option is to take them as present perfects, “you have granted…you have not refused.” See v. 4, which mentions a specific request for a long reign.
[21:2] 229 tn Heb “and the request of his lips you do not refuse.”
[21:3] 230 tn Or “meet him [with].”
[21:3] 232 sn You bring him rich blessings. The following context indicates that God’s “blessings” include deliverance/protection, vindication, sustained life, and a long, stable reign (see also Pss 3:8; 24:5).
[21:4] 233 tn Heb “life he asked from you.” Another option is to translate the perfect verbal forms in v. 4 with the present tense, “he asks…you grant.”
[21:4] 234 tn Heb “you have granted him length of days forever and ever.” The phrase “length of days,” when used of human beings, usually refers to a lengthy period of time (such as one’s lifetime). See, for example, Deut 30:20; Job 12:12; Ps 91:16; Prov 3:2, 16; Lam 5:20. The additional phrase “forever and ever” is hyperbolic. While it seems to attribute eternal life to the king (see Pss 61:6-7; 72:5 as well), the underlying reality is the king’s enduring dynasty. He will live on, as it were, through his descendants, who will continue to rule over his kingdom long after he has passed off the scene.
[21:5] 235 tn Or “great glory.”
[21:5] 236 tn Heb “majesty and splendor you place upon him.” For other uses of the phrase הוֹד וְהָדָר (hod vÿhadar, “majesty and splendor”) see 1 Chr 16:27; Job 40:10; Pss 96:6; 104:1; 111:3.
[21:6] 237 tn Heb “you make him happy with joy with [i.e., “close by” or “in”] your face.” On the idiom “with your face” (i.e., “in your presence”) see Ps 16:11 and BDB 816 s.v. פָּנֻה II.2.a.
[21:7] 238 tn The active participle draws attention to the ongoing nature of the action.
[21:7] 239 tn Traditionally “the Most High’s.” The divine title “Most High” (עֶלְיוֹן, ’elyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. Note the focus of vv. 8-12 and see Ps 47:2.
[21:7] 240 tn Another option is to translate the imperfect verbal form as future, “he will not be upended” (cf. NRSV “he shall not be moved”). Even if one chooses this option, the future tense must be understood in a generalizing sense.
[21:8] 241 tn The king is now addressed. One could argue that the
[21:8] 242 tn Heb “your hand finds.” The idiom pictures the king grabbing hold of his enemies and defeating them (see 1 Sam 23:17). The imperfect verbal forms in vv. 8-12 may be translated with the future tense, as long as the future is understood as generalizing.
[21:8] 243 tn Heb “your right hand finds those who hate you.”
[21:9] 244 tn Heb “you make them like a furnace of fire.” Although many modern translations retain the literal Hebrew, the statement is elliptical. The point is not that he makes them like a furnace, but like an object burned in a furnace (cf. NEB, “at your coming you shall plunge them into a fiery furnace”).
[21:9] 245 tn Heb “at the time of your face.” The “face” of the king here refers to his angry presence. See Lam 4:16.
[21:9] 246 tn Heb “the
[21:10] 247 tn Heb “fruit.” The next line makes it clear that offspring is in view.
[21:10] 249 tn Heb “sons of man.”
[21:11] 251 tn Heb “they extend against you harm.” The perfect verbal forms in v. 11 are taken as generalizing, stating factually what the king’s enemies typically do. Another option is to translate with the past tense (“they intended…planned”).
[21:11] 253 tn Heb “they lack ability.”
[21:12] 254 tn Heb “you make them a shoulder,” i.e., “you make them turn and run, showing the back of their neck and shoulders.”
[21:12] 255 tn Heb “with your bowstrings you fix against their faces,” i.e., “you fix your arrows on the bowstrings to shoot at them.”
[21:13] 256 tn Heb “in your strength,” but English idiom does not require the pronoun.
[21:13] sn The psalm concludes with a petition to the Lord, asking him to continue to intervene in strength for the king and nation.
[21:13] 257 tn Heb “sing praise.”
[22:1] 258 sn Psalm 22. The psalmist cries out to the Lord for deliverance from his dangerous enemies, who have surrounded him and threaten his life. Confident that the Lord will intervene, he then vows to thank the Lord publicly for his help and anticipates a time when all people will recognize the Lord’s greatness and worship him.
[22:1] 259 tn Heb “according to the doe of the dawn.” Apparently this refers to a particular musical tune or style.
[22:1] 260 sn From the psalmist’s perspective it seems that God has abandoned him, for he fails to answer his cry for help (vv. 1b-2).
[22:1] 261 tn Heb “far from my deliverance [are] the words of my groaning.” The Hebrew noun שְׁאָגָה (shÿ’agah) and its related verb שָׁאַג (sha’ag) are sometimes used of a lion’s roar, but they can also describe human groaning (see Job 3:24 and Pss 32:3 and 38:8.
[22:2] 262 tn Heb “there is no silence to me.”
[22:3] 263 tn Heb “[O] one who sits [on] the praises of Israel.” The verb “receiving” is supplied in the translation for clarity. The metaphorical language pictures the
[22:4] 265 tn The words “in you” are supplied in the translation. They are understood by ellipsis (see the preceding line).
[22:5] 266 tn Or “were not ashamed.”
[22:6] 267 tn The grammatical construction (conjunction + pronoun) highlights the contrast between the psalmist’s experience and that of his ancestors. When he considers God’s past reliability, it only heightens his despair and confusion, for God’s present silence stands in stark contrast to his past saving acts.
[22:6] 268 tn The metaphor expresses the psalmist’s self-perception, which is based on how others treat him (see the following line).
[22:6] 269 tn Or “not a human being.” The psalmist perceives himself as less than human.
[22:6] 270 tn Heb “a reproach of man and despised by people.”
[22:7] 271 tn Or “scoff at, deride, mock.”
[22:7] 272 tn Heb “they separate with a lip.” Apparently this refers to their verbal taunting.
[22:7] 273 sn Shake their heads. Apparently this refers to a taunting gesture. See also Job 16:4; Ps 109:25; Lam 2:15.
[22:8] 274 tn The words “they say” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons. The psalmist here quotes the sarcastic taunts of his enemies.
[22:8] 275 tn Heb “roll [yourself].” The Hebrew verb גלל here has the sense of “commit” (see Prov 16:3). The imperatival form in the Hebrew text indicates the enemies here address the psalmist. Since they refer to him in the third person in the rest of the verse, some prefer to emend the verb to a perfect, “he commits himself to the
[22:8] 276 tn Heb “Let him”; the referent (the
[22:8] 277 tn Heb “Let him”; the referent (the
[22:8] 278 tn That is, “for he [the
[22:8] sn This statement does not necessarily reflect the enemies’ actual belief, but it does reflect the psalmist’s confession. The psalmist’s enemies sarcastically appeal to God to help him, because he claims to be an object of divine favor. However, they probably doubted the reality of his claim.
[22:9] 279 tn Or “the one who pulled me.” The verb is derived from either גָחָה (gakhah; see HALOT 187 s.v. גחה) or גִּיחַ (giyakh; see BDB 161 s.v. גִּיחַ) and seems to carry the nuance “burst forth” or “pull out.”
[22:10] 280 tn Heb “upon you I was cast from [the] womb.”
[22:10] 281 tn Heb “from the womb of my mother you [have been] my God.”
[22:10] sn Despite the enemies’ taunts, the psalmist is certain of his relationship with God, which began from the time of his birth (from the time I came out of my mother’s womb).
[22:11] 282 tn Heb “and there is no helper.”
[22:12] 283 sn The psalmist figuratively compares his enemies to dangerous bulls.
[22:12] 284 sn Bashan, located east of the Jordan River, was well-known for its cattle. See Ezek 39:18; Amos 4:1.
[22:13] 285 tn “They” refers to the psalmist’s enemies, who in the previous verse are described as “powerful bulls.”
[22:13] 286 tn Heb “they open against me their mouth[s].” To “open the mouth against” is a Hebrew idiom associated with eating and swallowing (see Ezek 2:8; Lam 2:16).
[22:13] 287 tn Heb “a lion ripping and roaring.”
[22:14] 288 tn Heb “like water I am poured out.”
[22:14] 289 sn The heart is viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s strength and courage.
[22:15] 290 tc Heb “my strength” (כֹּחִי, kokhiy), but many prefer to emend the text to חִכִּי (khikiy, “my palate”; cf. NEB, NRSV “my mouth”) assuming that an error of transposition has occurred in the traditional Hebrew text.
[22:15] 291 tn Cf. NEB “my jaw”; NASB, NRSV “my jaws”; NIV “the roof of my mouth.”
[22:15] 292 sn Here the psalmist addresses God and suggests that God is ultimately responsible for what is happening because of his failure to intervene (see vv. 1-2, 11).
[22:15] 293 sn The imperfect verbal form draws attention to the progressive nature of the action. The psalmist is in the process of dying.
[22:16] 295 tn Heb “like a lion, my hands and my feet.” This reading is often emended because it is grammatically awkward, but perhaps its awkwardness is by rhetorical design. Its broken syntax may be intended to convey the panic and terror felt by the psalmist. The psalmist may envision a lion pinning the hands and feet of its victim to the ground with its paws (a scene depicted in ancient Near Eastern art), or a lion biting the hands and feet. The line has been traditionally translated, “they pierce my hands and feet,” and then taken as foreshadowing the crucifixion of Christ. Though Jesus does appropriate the language of this psalm while on the cross (compare v. 1 with Matt 27:46 and Mark 15:34), the NT does not cite this verse in describing the death of Jesus. (It does refer to vv. 7-8 and 18, however. See Matt 27:35, 39, 43; Mark 15:24, 29; Luke 23:34; John 19:23-24.) If one were to insist on an emendation of כָּאֲרִי (ka’ariy, “like a lion”) to a verb, the most likely verbal root would be כָּרָה (karah, “dig”; see the LXX). In this context this verb could refer to the gnawing and tearing of wild dogs (cf. NCV, TEV, CEV). The ancient Greek version produced by Symmachus reads “bind” here, perhaps understanding a verbal root כרך, which is attested in later Hebrew and Aramaic and means “to encircle, entwine, embrace” (see HALOT 497-98 s.v. כרך and Jastrow 668 s.v. כָּרַךְ). Neither one of these proposed verbs can yield a meaning “bore, pierce.”
[22:17] 296 tn The imperfect verbal forms in vv. 17-18 draw attention to the progressive nature of the action.
[22:17] 297 tn Heb “they.” The masculine form indicates the enemies are in view. The referent (the psalmist’s enemies) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[22:17] 298 tn Heb “they gaze, they look upon me.”
[22:18] 299 tn Heb “casting lots.” The precise way in which this would have been done is not certain.
[22:19] 300 tn Heb “O my strength.”
[22:19] 301 tn Heb “hurry to my help.”
[22:20] 303 tn The verb “save” is supplied in the translation; it is understood by ellipsis (see “deliver” in the preceding line).
[22:20] 304 tn Heb “my only one.” The psalmist may mean that his life is precious, or that he feels isolated and alone.
[22:20] 305 tn Heb “from the hand.” Here “hand” is understood by metonymy as a reference to the “paw” and thus the “claws” of the wild dogs.
[22:21] 306 sn The psalmist again compares his enemies to vicious dogs and ferocious lions (see vv. 13, 16).
[22:21] 307 tn The Hebrew term רֵמִים (remim) appears to be an alternate spelling of רְאֵמִים (rÿ’emim, “wild oxen”; see BDB 910 s.v. רְאֵם).
[22:21] 308 tn Heb “and from the horns of the wild oxen you answer me.” Most take the final verb with the preceding prepositional phrase. Some understand the verb form as a relatively rare precative perfect, expressing a wish or request (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. (See the discussion at Ps 3:7.) Others prefer to take the perfect in its usual indicative sense. The psalmist, perhaps in response to an oracle of salvation, affirms confidently that God has answered him, assuring him that deliverance is on the way. The present translation takes the prepositional phrase as parallel to the preceding “from the mouth of the lion” and as collocated with the verb “rescue” at the beginning of the verse. “You have answered me” is understood as a triumphant shout which marks a sudden shift in tone and introduces the next major section of the psalm. By isolating the statement syntactically, the psalmist highlights the declaration.
[22:22] 309 tn Or “brothers,” but here the term does not carry a literal familial sense. It refers to the psalmist’s fellow members of the Israelite covenant community (see v. 23).
[22:23] 310 tn Heb “[you] fearers of the
[22:23] 311 tn Heb “fear him.”
[22:24] 312 tn Or “affliction”; or “need.”
[22:24] 313 sn In this verse the psalmist refers to himself in the third person and characterizes himself as oppressed.
[22:24] 314 tn Heb “he did not hide his face from him.” For other uses of the idiom “hide the face” meaning “ignore,” see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9. Sometimes the idiom carries the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 27:9; 88:14).
[22:25] 316 tn Heb “from with you [is] my praise.”
[22:25] 317 tn Heb “my vows I will fulfill before those who fear him.” When asking the
[22:26] 318 sn Eat and be filled. In addition to praising the Lord, the psalmist also offers a thank offering to the Lord and invites others to share in a communal meal.
[22:26] 319 tn Heb “may your heart[s].”
[22:27] 320 tn Heb “may all the ends of the earth remember and turn to the
[22:27] 321 tn Heb “families of the nations.”
[22:27] 322 tn Heb “before you.”
[22:28] 323 tn Heb “for to the
[22:29] 324 tn Heb “fat [ones].” This apparently refers to those who are healthy and robust, i.e., thriving. In light of the parallelism, some prefer to emend the form to יְשֵׁנֵי (yÿsheney, “those who sleep [in the earth]”; cf. NAB, NRSV), but דִּשְׁנֵי (dishney, “fat [ones]”) seems to form a merism with “all who descend into the grave” in the following line. The psalmist envisions all people, whether healthy or dying, joining in worship of the
[22:29] 325 tn Heb “eat and worship.” The verb forms (a perfect followed by a prefixed form with vav [ו] consecutive) are normally used in narrative to relate completed actions. Here the psalmist uses the forms rhetorically as he envisions a time when the
[22:29] 326 tn Heb “all of the ones going down [into] the dust.” This group stands in contrast to those mentioned in the previous line. Together the two form a merism encompassing all human beings – the healthy, the dying, and everyone in between.
[22:29] 327 tn Heb “and his life he does not revive.”
[22:30] 328 tn Heb “offspring.”
[22:30] 329 tn Heb “it will be told concerning the Lord to the generation.” The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[22:31] 330 tn Heb “his righteousness.” Here the noun צִדָקָה (tsidaqah) refers to the Lord’s saving deeds whereby he vindicates the oppressed.
[22:31] 331 tn Heb “to a people [to be] born that he has acted.” The words “they will tell” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
