Mazmur 27:1--32:11
KonteksBy David.
27:1 The Lord delivers and vindicates me! 2
I fear no one! 3
The Lord protects my life!
I am afraid of no one! 4
27:2 When evil men attack me 5
to devour my flesh, 6
when my adversaries and enemies attack me, 7
they stumble and fall. 8
27:3 Even when an army is deployed against me,
I do not fear. 9
Even when war is imminent, 10
I remain confident. 11
27:4 I have asked the Lord for one thing –
this is what I desire!
I want to live 12 in the Lord’s house 13 all the days of my life,
so I can gaze at the splendor 14 of the Lord
and contemplate in his temple.
27:5 He will surely 15 give me shelter 16 in the day of danger; 17
he will hide me in his home; 18
he will place me 19 on an inaccessible rocky summit. 20
27:6 Now I will triumph
over my enemies who surround me! 21
I will offer sacrifices in his dwelling place and shout for joy! 22
I will sing praises to the Lord!
27:7 Hear me, 23 O Lord, when I cry out!
Have mercy on me and answer me!
27:8 My heart tells me to pray to you, 24
and I do pray to you, O Lord. 25
Do not push your servant away in anger!
You are my deliverer! 27
Do not forsake or abandon me,
O God who vindicates me!
27:10 Even if my father and mother abandoned me, 28
the Lord would take me in. 29
27:11 Teach me how you want me to live; 30
lead me along a level path 31 because of those who wait to ambush me! 32
27:12 Do not turn me over to my enemies, 33
for false witnesses who want to destroy me testify against me. 34
27:13 Where would I be if I did not believe I would experience
the Lord’s favor in the land of the living? 35
Be strong and confident! 37
Rely on the Lord!
By David.
28:1 To you, O Lord, I cry out!
My protector, 39 do not ignore me! 40
If you do not respond to me, 41
I will join 42 those who are descending into the grave. 43
28:2 Hear my plea for mercy when I cry out to you for help,
when I lift my hands 44 toward your holy temple! 45
28:3 Do not drag me away with evil men,
with those who behave wickedly, 46
who talk so friendly to their neighbors, 47
while they plan to harm them! 48
28:4 Pay them back for their evil deeds!
Pay them back for what they do!
Punish them! 49
28:5 For they do not understand the Lord’s actions,
or the way he carries out justice. 50
The Lord 51 will permanently demolish them. 52
28:6 The Lord deserves praise, 53
for he has heard my plea for mercy! 54
28:7 The Lord strengthens and protects me; 55
I trust in him with all my heart. 56
I am rescued 57 and my heart is full of joy; 58
I will sing to him in gratitude. 59
28:8 The Lord strengthens his people; 60
he protects and delivers his chosen king. 61
28:9 Deliver your people!
Empower 62 the nation that belongs to you! 63
Care for them like a shepherd and carry them in your arms 64 at all times! 65
A psalm of David.
29:1 Acknowledge the Lord, you heavenly beings, 67
acknowledge the Lord’s majesty and power! 68
29:2 Acknowledge the majesty of the Lord’s reputation! 69
Worship the Lord in holy attire! 70
29:3 The Lord’s shout is heard over the water; 71
the majestic God thunders, 72
the Lord appears over the surging water. 73
29:4 The Lord’s shout is powerful, 74
the Lord’s shout is majestic. 75
29:5 The Lord’s shout breaks 76 the cedars,
the Lord shatters 77 the cedars of Lebanon. 78
29:6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf
and Sirion 79 like a young ox. 80
29:7 The Lord’s shout strikes 81 with flaming fire. 82
29:8 The Lord’s shout shakes 83 the wilderness,
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. 84
29:9 The Lord’s shout bends 85 the large trees 86
and strips 87 the leaves from the forests. 88
Everyone in his temple says, “Majestic!” 89
29:10 The Lord sits enthroned over the engulfing waters, 90
the Lord sits enthroned 91 as the eternal king.
29:11 The Lord gives 92 his people strength; 93
the Lord grants his people security. 94
A psalm – a song used at the dedication of the temple; 96 by David.
30:1 I will praise you, O Lord, for you lifted me up, 97
and did not allow my enemies to gloat 98 over me.
30:2 O Lord my God,
I cried out to you and you healed me. 99
30:3 O Lord, you pulled me 100 up from Sheol;
you rescued me from among those descending into the grave. 101
30:4 Sing to the Lord, you faithful followers 102 of his;
give thanks to his holy name. 103
30:5 For his anger lasts only a brief moment,
and his good favor restores one’s life. 104
One may experience sorrow during the night,
but joy arrives in the morning. 105
30:6 In my self-confidence I said,
“I will never be upended.” 106
30:7 O Lord, in your good favor you made me secure. 107
Then you rejected me 108 and I was terrified.
30:8 To you, O Lord, I cried out;
I begged the Lord for mercy: 109
30:9 “What 110 profit is there in taking my life, 111
in my descending into the Pit? 112
Can the dust of the grave 113 praise you?
Can it declare your loyalty? 114
30:10 Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me!
O Lord, deliver me!” 115
30:11 Then you turned my lament into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and covered me with joy. 116
30:12 So now 117 my heart 118 will sing to you and not be silent;
O Lord my God, I will always 119 give thanks to you.
For the music director; a psalm of David.
31:1 In you, O Lord, I have taken shelter!
Never let me be humiliated!
Vindicate me by rescuing me! 121
Quickly deliver me!
Be my protector and refuge, 123
a stronghold where I can be safe! 124
31:3 For you are my high ridge 125 and my stronghold;
for the sake of your own reputation 126 you lead me and guide me. 127
31:4 You will free me 128 from the net they hid for me,
for you are my place of refuge.
31:5 Into your hand I entrust my life; 129
you will rescue 130 me, O Lord, the faithful God.
31:6 I hate those who serve worthless idols, 131
but I trust in the Lord.
31:7 I will be happy and rejoice in your faithfulness,
because you notice my pain
and you are aware of how distressed I am. 132
31:8 You do not deliver me over to the power of the enemy;
you enable me to stand 133 in a wide open place.
31:9 Have mercy on me, for I am in distress!
My eyes grow dim 134 from suffering. 135
I have lost my strength. 136
31:10 For my life nears its end in pain;
my years draw to a close as I groan. 137
My strength fails me because of 138 my sin,
and my bones become brittle. 139
31:11 Because of all my enemies, people disdain me; 140
my neighbors are appalled by my suffering 141 –
those who know me are horrified by my condition; 142
those who see me in the street run away from me.
31:12 I am forgotten, like a dead man no one thinks about; 143
I am regarded as worthless, like a broken jar. 144
31:13 For I hear what so many are saying, 145
the terrifying news that comes from every direction. 146
When they plot together against me,
they figure out how they can take my life.
31:14 But I trust in you, O Lord!
I declare, “You are my God!”
31:15 You determine my destiny! 147
Rescue me from the power of my enemies and those who chase me.
31:16 Smile 148 on your servant!
Deliver me because of your faithfulness!
31:17 O Lord, do not let me be humiliated,
for I call out to you!
May evil men be humiliated!
May they go wailing to the grave! 149
31:18 May lying lips be silenced –
lips 150 that speak defiantly against the innocent 151
with arrogance and contempt!
31:19 How great is your favor, 152
which you store up for your loyal followers! 153
In plain sight of everyone you bestow it on those who take shelter 154 in you. 155
31:20 You hide them with you, where they are safe from the attacks 156 of men; 157
you conceal them in a shelter, where they are safe from slanderous attacks. 158
31:21 The Lord deserves praise 159
for he demonstrated his amazing faithfulness to me when I was besieged by enemies. 160
31:22 I jumped to conclusions and said, 161
“I am cut off from your presence!” 162
But you heard my plea for mercy when I cried out to you for help.
31:23 Love the Lord, all you faithful followers 163 of his!
The Lord protects those who have integrity,
but he pays back in full the one who acts arrogantly. 164
31:24 Be strong and confident, 165
all you who wait on the Lord!
By David; a well-written song. 167
32:1 How blessed 168 is the one whose rebellious acts are forgiven, 169
whose sin is pardoned! 170
32:2 How blessed is the one 171 whose wrongdoing the Lord does not punish, 172
in whose spirit there is no deceit. 173
32:3 When I refused to confess my sin, 174
my whole body wasted away, 175
while I groaned in pain all day long.
32:4 For day and night you tormented me; 176
you tried to destroy me 177 in the intense heat 178 of summer. 179 (Selah)
32:5 Then I confessed my sin;
I no longer covered up my wrongdoing.
I said, “I will confess 180 my rebellious acts to the Lord.”
And then you forgave my sins. 181 (Selah)
32:6 For this reason every one of your faithful followers 182 should pray to you
while there is a window of opportunity. 183
Certainly 184 when the surging water 185 rises,
it will not reach them. 186
32:7 You are my hiding place;
you protect me from distress.
You surround me with shouts of joy from those celebrating deliverance. 187 (Selah)
32:8 I will instruct and teach you 188 about how you should live. 189
I will advise you as I look you in the eye. 190
32:9 Do not be 191 like an unintelligent horse or mule, 192
which will not obey you
unless they are controlled by a bridle and bit. 193
32:10 An evil person suffers much pain, 194
but the Lord’s faithfulness overwhelms the one who trusts in him. 195
32:11 Rejoice in the Lord and be happy, you who are godly!
Shout for joy, all you who are morally upright! 196
[27:1] 1 sn Psalm 27. The author is confident of the Lord’s protection and asks the Lord to vindicate him.
[27:1] 2 tn Heb “the
[27:1] 3 tn Heb “Whom shall I fear?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “No one!”
[27:1] 4 tn Heb “Of whom shall I be afraid?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “No one!”
[27:2] 5 tn Heb “draw near to me.”
[27:2] 6 sn To devour my flesh. The psalmist compares his enemies to dangerous, hungry predators (see 2 Kgs 9:36; Ezek 39:17).
[27:2] 7 tn Heb “my adversaries and my enemies against me.” The verb “draw near” (that is, “attack”) is understood by ellipsis; see the previous line.
[27:2] 8 tn The Hebrew verbal forms are perfects. The translation assumes the psalmist is generalizing here, but another option is to take this as a report of past experience, “when evil men attacked me…they stumbled and fell.”
[27:3] 9 tn Heb “my heart does not fear.”
[27:3] 10 tn Heb “if war rises up against me.”
[27:3] 11 tn Heb “in this [i.e., “during this situation”] I am trusting.”
[27:4] 13 sn The
[27:5] 15 tn Or “for he will.” The translation assumes the כִּי (ki) is asseverative here, rather than causal.
[27:5] 16 tn Heb “he will hide me in his hut.”
[27:5] 19 tn The three imperfect verb forms in v. 5 anticipate a positive response to the prayer offered in vv. 7-12.
[27:5] 20 tn Heb “on a rocky summit he lifts me up.” The
[27:6] 21 tn Heb “and now my head will be lifted up over my enemies all around me.”
[27:6] sn In vv. 1-3 the psalmist generalizes, but here we discover that he is facing a crisis and is under attack from enemies (see vv. 11-12).
[27:6] 22 tn Heb “I will sacrifice in his tent sacrifices of a shout for joy” (that is, “sacrifices accompanied by a joyful shout”).
[27:8] 24 tc Heb “concerning you my heart says, ‘Seek my face.’” The verb form “seek” is plural, but this makes no sense here, for the psalmist is addressed. The verb should be emended to a singular form. The first person pronominal suffix on “face” also makes little sense, unless it is the voice of the
[27:8] 25 tn Heb “your face, O
[27:9] 26 tn Heb “do not hide your face from me.” The idiom “hide the face” can mean “ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or carry the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 30:7; 88:14).
[27:9] 27 tn Or “[source of] help.”
[27:10] 28 tn Or “though my father and mother have abandoned me.”
[27:10] 29 tn Heb “gather me in”; or “receive me.”
[27:11] 30 tn Heb “teach me your way.” The
[27:11] 31 sn The level path refers to God’s moral principles (see the parallel line), which, if followed, will keep the psalmist blameless before his accusers (see v. 12).
[27:11] 32 tn Heb “because of those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 5:8; 54:5; 56:2.
[27:12] 33 tn Heb “do not give me over to the desire of my enemies.”
[27:12] 34 tn Heb “for they have risen up against me, lying witnesses and a testifier of violence.” The form יָפֵחַ (yafeakh) is traditionally understood as a verb meaning “snort, breathe out”: “for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty” (KJV; cf. BDB 422 s.v.). A better option is to take the form as a noun meaning “a witness” (or “testifier”). See Prov 6:19; 12:17; 14:5, 25; 19:5, 9, and Hab 2:3.
[27:13] 35 tn In the Hebrew text the sentence is incomplete: “If I had not believed [I would] see the goodness of the
[27:14] 37 tn Heb “be strong and let your heart be confident.”
[28:1] 38 sn Psalm 28. The author looks to the Lord for vindication, asks that the wicked be repaid in full for their evil deeds, and affirms his confidence that the Lord will protect his own.
[28:1] 39 tn Heb “my rocky summit.” The Lord is compared to a rocky summit where one can find protection from enemies. See Ps 18:2.
[28:1] 40 tn Heb “do not be deaf from me.”
[28:1] 41 tn Heb “lest [if] you are silent from me.”
[28:1] 42 tn Heb “I will be equal with.”
[28:1] 43 tn Heb “the pit.” The noun בּוֹר (bor, “pit, cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead.
[28:2] 44 sn I lift my hands. Lifting one’s hands toward God was a gesture of prayer.
[28:2] 45 tn The Hebrew term דְּבִיר (dÿvir, “temple”) actually refers to the most holy place within the sanctuary.
[28:3] 46 tn Heb “workers of wickedness.”
[28:3] 47 tn Heb “speakers of peace with their neighbors.”
[28:3] 48 tn Heb “and evil [is] in their heart[s].”
[28:4] 49 tn Heb “Give to them according to their work, and according to the evil of their deeds. According to the work of their hands give to them. Return their due to them.” The highly repetitive style reflects the psalmist’s agitated emotional state and draws attention to his yearning for justice.
[28:5] 50 tn Heb “or the work of his hands.” In this context “the
[28:5] 51 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the
[28:5] 52 tn Heb “will tear them down and not rebuild them.” The ungodly are compared to a structure that is permanently demolished.
[28:6] 53 tn Heb “blessed [be] the
[28:6] 54 sn He has heard my plea for mercy. The psalmist’s mood abruptly changes at this point, because the Lord responded positively to his petition and assured him that he would deliver him.
[28:7] 55 tn Heb “The
[28:7] 56 tn Heb “in him my heart trusts.”
[28:7] 57 tn Or “I am helped.”
[28:7] 58 tn Heb “and my heart exults.”
[28:7] 59 tn Heb “and from my song I will thank him.” As pointed in the Hebrew text, מִשִּׁירִי (mishiri) appears to be “from my song,” but the preposition “from” never occurs elsewhere with the verb “to thank” (Hiphil of יָדָה, yadah). Perhaps משׁיר is a noun form meaning “song.” If so, it can be taken as an adverbial accusative, “and [with] my song I will thank him.” See P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 (WBC), 236.
[28:8] 60 tn Heb “the
[28:8] 61 tn Heb “he [is] a refuge of help for his anointed one.” The noun מָשִׁיחַ (mashiakh, “anointed one”) refers to the Davidic king, who perhaps speaks as representative of the nation in this psalm. See Pss 2:2; 18:50; 20:6; 84:9; 89:38, 51; 132:10, 17.
[28:9] 63 tn Heb “your inheritance.” The parallelism (note “your people”) indicates that Israel is in view.
[28:9] 64 tn Heb “shepherd them and lift them up.”
[28:9] sn The shepherd metaphor is sometimes associated with royal responsibility. See 2 Sam 5:2; 7:7; Mic 5:2-4).
[29:1] 66 sn Psalm 29. In this hymn of praise the psalmist calls upon the heavenly assembly to acknowledge the royal splendor of the Lord. He describes the Lord’s devastating power as revealed in the thunderstorm and affirms that the Lord exerts this awesome might on behalf of his people. In its original context the psalm was a bold polemic against the Canaanite storm god Baal, for it affirms that the Lord is the real king who controls the elements of the storm, contrary to pagan belief. See R. B. Chisholm, Jr., “The Polemic against Baalism in Israel’s Early History and Literature,” BSac 150 (1994): 280-82.
[29:1] 67 tc Heb “sons of gods,” or “sons of God.” Though אֵלִים (’elim) is vocalized as a plural form (“gods”) in the MT, it is likely that the final mem is actually enclitic, rather than a plural marker. In this case one may read “God.” Some, following a Qumran text and the LXX, also propose the phrase occurred in the original text of Deut 32:8.
[29:1] tn The phrase בְּנֵי אֵלִים (bÿney ’elim, “sons of gods” or “sons of God”) occurs only here and in Ps 89:6 (89:7 HT). In Ps 89 the “sons of gods/God” are also called “the assembly of the holy ones” and “council of the holy ones.” The heavenly assembly, comprised of so-called “angels” and other supernatural beings, appears to be in view. See Job 5:1; 15:15 and Zech 14:5, where these supernatural beings are referred to as “holy ones.” In Canaanite mythological texts the divine council of the high god El is referred to as “the sons of El.” The OT apparently borrows the Canaanite phrase and applies it to the supernatural beings that surround the heavenly throne.
[29:1] 68 tn Or “ascribe to the
[29:2] 69 tn Heb “ascribe to the
[29:2] 70 tn That is, properly dressed for the occasion.
[29:3] 71 tn Heb “the voice of the
[29:3] 72 tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form is probably descriptive. In dramatic fashion the psalmist portrays the
[29:3] 73 tn Traditionally “many waters.” The geographical references in the psalm (Lebanon, Sirion, Kadesh) suggest this is a reference to the Mediterranean Sea (see Ezek 26:19; 27:26). The psalmist describes a powerful storm moving in from the sea and sweeping over the mountainous areas north of Israel. The “surging waters” may symbolize the hostile enemies of God who seek to destroy his people (see Pss 18:17; 32:6; 77:20; 93:4; 144:7; Isa 17:13; Jer 51:55; Ezek 26:19; Hab 3:15). In this case the
[29:4] 74 tn Heb “the voice of the
[29:4] 75 tn Heb “the voice of the
[29:5] 76 tn The Hebrew participial form draws attention to the durative nature of the action being described.
[29:5] 77 tn The prefixed verbal forms with vav (ו) consecutive here and in v. 6a carry on the descriptive function of the preceding participle (see GKC 329 §111.u). The verb שָׁבַר (shavar) appears in the Qal in the first line of the verse, and in the Piel in the second line. The verb, which means “break” in the Qal, appears thirty-six times in the Piel, always with multiple objects (the object is either a collective singular or grammatically plural or dual form). The Piel may highlight the repetition of the pluralative action, or it may suggest an intensification of action, indicating repeated action comprising a whole, perhaps with the nuance “break again and again, break in pieces.” Another option is to understand the form as resultative: “make broken” (see IBHS 404-7 §24.3).
[29:5] 78 sn The cedars of the Lebanon forest were well-known in ancient Israel for their immense size. Here they may symbolize the arrogant enemies of God (see Isa 2:12-13).
[29:6] 79 sn Sirion is another name for Mount Hermon (Deut 3:9).
[29:6] 80 sn Lebanon and Sirion are compared to frisky young animals (a calf…a young ox) who skip and jump. The thunderous shout of the Lord is so powerful, one can see the very mountains shake on the horizon.
[29:7] 81 tn The verb normally means “to hew [stone or wood],” or “to hew out.” In Hos 6:5 it seems to mean “cut in pieces,” “knock down,” or perhaps “hack” (see F. I. Andersen and D. N. Freedman, Hosea [AB], 428). The Ugaritic cognate can mean “assault.” In v. 7 the verb seems to have a similar meaning, perhaps “attack, strike.” The phrase “flames of fire” is an adverbial accusative; the
[29:7] 82 sn The
[29:8] 83 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal forms are descriptive in function; the psalmist depicts the action as underway.
[29:8] 84 sn Kadesh. The references to Lebanon and Sirion in v. 6 suggest this is a reference to the northern Kadesh, located north of Damascus, not the southern Kadesh mentioned so often in the OT. See M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 1:178.
[29:9] 85 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form is descriptive in function; the psalmist depicts the action as underway.
[29:9] 86 tc Heb “the deer.” Preserving this reading, some translate the preceding verb, “causes [the deer] to give premature birth” (cf. NEB, NASB). But the Polel of חוּל/חִיל (khul/khil) means “give birth,” not “cause to give birth,” and the statement “the
[29:9] 87 tn The verb is used in Joel 1:7 of locusts stripping the leaves from a tree. The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries the descriptive function of the preceding imperfect. See GKC 329 §111.t.
[29:9] 88 tn The usual form of the plural of יַעַר (ya’ar, “forest”) is יְעָרִים (yÿ’arim). For this reason some propose an emendation to יְעָלוֹת (yÿ’alot, “female mountain goats”) which would fit nicely in the parallelism with “deer” (cf. NEB “brings kids early to birth”). In this case one would have to understand the verb חָשַׂף (khasaf) to mean “cause premature birth,” an otherwise unattested homonym of the more common חָשַׂף (“strip bare”).
[29:9] sn The Lord’s thunderous shout is accompanied by high winds which damage the trees of the forest.
[29:9] 89 tn Heb “In his temple, all of it says, ‘Glory.’”
[29:10] 90 tn The noun מַּבּוּל (mabbul, “flood”) appears only here and in Gen 6-11, where it refers to the Noahic flood. Some see a reference to that event here. The presence of the article (perhaps indicating uniqueness) and the switch to the perfect verbal form (which could be taken as describing a past situation) might support this. However, the immediate context indicates that the referent of מַּבּוּל is the “surging waters” mentioned in v. 3. The article indicates waters that are definite in the mind of the speaker and the perfect is probably descriptive in function, like “thunders” in v. 3. However, even though the historical flood is not the primary referent here, there may be a literary allusion involved. The psalmist views the threatening chaotic sea as a contemporary manifestation of the destructive waters of old.
[29:10] 91 tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries the descriptive function of the preceding perfect.
[29:11] 92 tn The imperfect verbal forms in v. 11 are either descriptive or generalizing.
[29:11] 93 sn Strength. This probably refers to military power; see the use of the noun in 1 Sam 2:10 and Ps 86:16.
[29:11] 94 tn Heb “blesses his people with peace.” The Hebrew term שָׁלוֹם (shalom, “peace”) probably refers here to the protection and prosperity experienced by God’s people after the
[30:1] 95 sn Psalm 30. The author thanks the Lord for delivering him from death and urges others to join him in praise. The psalmist experienced divine discipline for a brief time, but when he cried out for help the Lord intervened and restored his favor.
[30:1] 96 tn Heb “a song of the dedication of the house.” The referent of “house” is unclear. It is possible that David wrote this psalm for the dedication ceremony of Solomon’s temple. Another possibility is that the psalm was used on the occasion of the dedication of the second temple following the return from exile, or on the occasion of the rededication of the temple in Maccabean times.
[30:1] 97 tn Elsewhere the verb דָּלָה (dalah) is used of drawing water from a well (Exod 2:16, 19; Prov 20:5). The psalmist was trapped in the pit leading to Sheol (see v. 3), but the
[30:2] 99 sn You healed me. Apparently the psalmist was plagued by a serious illness that threatened his life. See Ps 41.
[30:3] 101 tn Heb “you kept me alive from those descending into the pit.” The Hebrew noun בוֹר (bor, “pit, cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead. The translation follows the consonantal Hebrew text (Kethib); the marginal reading (Qere) has, “you kept me alive so that I did not go down into the pit.”
[30:4] 102 tn A “faithful follower” (חָסִיד) 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).
[30:4] 103 tn Heb “to his holy remembrance.” The noun זֵכֵר (zekher, “remembrance”) here refers to the name of the
[30:5] 104 tn Heb “for [there is] a moment in his anger, [but] life in his favor.” Because of the parallelism with “moment,” some understand חַיִּים (khayyim) in a quantitative sense: “lifetime” (cf. NIV, NRSV). However, the immediate context, which emphasizes deliverance from death (see v. 3), suggests that חַיִּים has a qualitative sense: “physical life” or even “prosperous life” (cf. NEB “in his favour there is life”).
[30:5] 105 tn Heb “in the evening weeping comes to lodge, but at morning a shout of joy.” “Weeping” is personified here as a traveler who lodges with one temporarily.
[30:6] 106 sn In my self-confidence I said… Here the psalmist begins to fill in the background of the crisis referred to in the earlier verses. He had been arrogant and self-confident, so the Lord withdrew his protection and allowed trouble to invade his life (vv. 8-11).
[30:7] 107 tn Heb “in your good favor you caused to stand for my mountain strength.” Apparently this means “you established strength for my mountain” (“mountain” in this case representing his rule, which would be centered on Mt. Zion) or “you established strength as my mountain” (“mountain” in this case being a metaphor for security).
[30:7] 108 tn Heb “you hid your face.” The idiom “hide the face” can mean “ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or, as here, carry the stronger idea of “reject” (see Ps 88:14).
[30:8] 109 tn The prefixed verbal forms in v. 8 are probably preterites; the psalmist recalls that he prayed in his time of crisis.
[30:9] 110 sn The following two verses (vv. 9-10) contain the prayer (or an excerpt of the prayer) that the psalmist offered to the Lord during his crisis.
[30:9] 111 tn Heb “What profit [is there] in my blood?” “Blood” here represents his life.
[30:9] 112 tn The Hebrew term שָׁחַת (shakhat, “pit”) is often used as a title for Sheol (see Pss 16:10; 49:9; 55:24; 103:4).
[30:9] 113 tn Heb “dust.” The words “of the grave” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[30:9] 114 tn The rhetorical questions anticipate the answer, “Of course not!”
[30:9] sn According to the OT, those who descend into the realm of death/Sheol are cut off from God’s mighty deeds and from the worshiping covenant community that experiences divine intervention (Pss 6:5; 88:10-12; Isa 38:18). In his effort to elicit a positive divine response, the psalmist reminds God that he will receive no praise or glory if he allows the psalmist to die. Dead men do not praise God!
[30:10] 115 tn Heb “be a helper to me.”
[30:11] 116 sn Covered me with joy. “Joy” probably stands metonymically for festive attire here.
[30:12] 117 tn Heb “so that”; or “in order that.”
[30:12] 118 tn Heb “glory.” Some view כָבוֹד (khavod, “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; 57:9; 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.” “Heart” is used in the translation above for the sake of English idiom; the expression “my liver sings” would seem odd indeed to the modern reader.
[31:1] 120 sn Psalm 31. The psalmist confidently asks the Lord to protect him. Enemies threaten him and even his friends have abandoned him, but he looks to the Lord for vindication. In vv. 19-24, which were apparently written after the Lord answered the prayer of vv. 1-18, the psalmist thanks the Lord for delivering him.
[31:1] 121 tn Heb “in your vindication rescue me.”
[31:2] 122 tn Heb “turn toward me your ear.”
[31:2] 123 tn Heb “become for me a rocky summit of refuge.”
[31:2] 124 tn Heb “a house of strongholds to deliver me.”
[31:3] 125 sn The metaphor of the high ridge pictures God as a rocky, relatively inaccessible summit, where one would be able to find protection from enemies. See 1 Sam 23:25, 28.
[31:3] 126 tn Heb “name.” The Hebrew term שֵׁם (shem, “name”) refers here to the
[31:3] 127 tn The present translation assumes that the imperfect verbal forms are generalizing, “you lead me and guide me.” Other options are to take them as an expression of confidence about the future, “you will lead me and guide me” (cf. NASB), or as expressing a prayer, “lead me and guide me” (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV).
[31:4] 128 tn Heb “bring me out.” The translation assumes that the imperfect verbal form expresses the psalmist’s confidence about the future. Another option is to take the form as expressing a prayer, “free me.”
[31:5] 129 tn Heb “my spirit.” The noun רוּחַ (ruakh, “spirit”) here refers to the animating spirit that gives the psalmist life.
[31:5] 130 tn Or “redeem.” The perfect verbal form is understood here as anticipatory, indicating rhetorically the psalmist’s certitude and confidence that God will intervene. The psalmist is so confident of God’s positive response to his prayer that he can describe his deliverance as if it had already happened. Another option is to take the perfect as precative, expressing a wish or request (“rescue me”; cf. NIV). 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.
[31:6] 131 tn Heb “the ones who observe vain things of falsehood.” See Jonah 2:9.
[31:7] 132 tn Heb “you know the distresses of my life.”
[31:8] 133 tn Heb “you cause my feet to stand.”
[31:9] 134 tn Or perhaps, “are swollen.”
[31:9] 135 tn Cf. Ps 6:7, which has a similar line.
[31:9] 136 tn Heb “my breath and my stomach [grow weak].” Apparently the verb in the previous line (“grow dim, be weakened”) is to be understood here. The Hebrew term נפשׁ can mean “life,” or, more specifically, “throat, breath.” The psalmist seems to be lamenting that his breathing is impaired because of the physical and emotional suffering he is forced to endure.
[31:10] 137 tn Heb “and my years in groaning.”
[31:10] 138 tn Heb “stumbles in.”
[31:10] 139 tn Heb “grow weak.”
[31:11] 140 tn Heb “because of all my enemies I am a reproach.”
[31:11] 141 tc Heb “and to my neighbors, exceedingly.” If the MT is retained, then these words probably go with what precedes. However the syntactical awkwardness of the text suggests it is textually corrupt. P. C. Craigie (Psalms 1-50 [WBC], 258) suggests that the initial mem (מ) on מְאֹד (me’od, “exceedingly”) be understood as an enclitic mem (ם) which was originally suffixed to the preceding form and then later misinterpreted. The resulting form אֵד (’ed) can then be taken as a defectively written form of אֵיד (’ed, “calamity”). If one follows this emendation, then the text reads literally, “and to my neighbors [I am one who experiences] calamity.” The noun פַחַד (fakhad, “[object of] horror”) occurs in the next line; אֵיד and פַחַד appear in parallelism elsewhere (see Prov 1:26-27).
[31:11] 142 tn Heb “and [an object of ] horror to those known by me.”
[31:12] 143 tn Heb “I am forgotten, like a dead man, from [the] heart.” The “heart” is here viewed as the center of one’s thoughts.
[31:12] 144 tn Heb “I am like a broken jar.” One throws away a broken jar without a second thought because it is considered worthless and useless.
[31:13] 145 tn Heb “the report of many.”
[31:13] 146 tn Heb “the terror from all around.”
[31:15] 147 tn Heb “in your hand [are] my times.”
[31:16] 148 tn Heb “cause your face to shine.”
[31:17] 149 tn The verb יִדְּמוּ (yiddÿmu) is understood as a form of דָּמַם (damam, “wail, lament”). Another option is to take the verb from דָּמַם (“be quiet”; see BDB 198-99 s.v. I דָּמַם), in which case one might translate, “May they lie silent in the grave.”
[31:18] 150 tn Heb “the [ones which].”
[31:19] 152 tn Or “How abundant are your blessings!”
[31:19] 153 tn Heb “for those who fear you.”
[31:19] 154 tn “Taking shelter” in the
[31:19] 155 tn Heb “you work [your favor] for the ones seeking shelter in you before the sons of men.”
[31:20] 156 tn The noun רֹכֶס (rokhes) occurs only here. Its meaning is debated; some suggest “snare,” while others propose “slander” or “conspiracy.”
[31:20] 157 tn Heb “you hide them in the hiding place of your face from the attacks of man.” The imperfect verbal forms in this verse draw attention to God’s typical treatment of the faithful.
[31:20] 158 tn Heb “you conceal them in a shelter from the strife of tongues.”
[31:21] 159 tn Heb “blessed [be] the
[31:21] 160 tn Heb “for he caused his faithfulness to be amazing to me in a besieged city.” The psalmist probably speaks figuratively here. He compares his crisis to being trapped in a besieged city, but the
[31:22] 161 tn Heb “and I, I said in my haste.”
[31:22] 162 tn Heb “from before your eyes.”
[31:23] 163 tn 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).
[31:23] 164 tn The participial forms in the second and third lines characterize the Lord as one who typically protects the faithful and judges the proud.
[31:24] 165 tn Heb “be strong and let your heart[s] be confident.”
[32:1] 166 sn Psalm 32. The psalmist recalls the agony he experienced prior to confessing his sins and affirms that true happiness comes when one’s sins are forgiven. He then urges others not to be stubborn, but to turn to God while forgiveness is available, for God extends his mercy to the repentant, while the wicked experience nothing but sorrow.
[32:1] 167 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.
[32:1] 168 tn The Hebrew noun is an abstract plural. The word often refers metonymically to the happiness that God-given security and prosperity produce (see Pss 1:1, 3; 2:12; 34:9; 41:1; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15). Here it refers to the relief that one experiences when one’s sins are forgiven.
[32:1] 169 tn Heb “lifted up.”
[32:1] 170 tn Heb “covered over.”
[32:2] 171 tn Heb “man.” The word choice reflects the perspective of the psalmist, who is male. The principle of the psalm is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, the gender and age specific “man” has been translated with the more neutral “one.”
[32:2] 172 tn Heb “blessed [is] the man to whom the
[32:2] 173 sn In whose spirit there is no deceit. The point is not that the individual is sinless and pure. In this context, which focuses on confession and forgiveness of sin, the psalmist refers to one who refuses to deny or hide his sin, but instead honestly confesses it to God.
[32:3] 174 tn Heb “when I was silent.”
[32:3] 175 tn Heb “my bones became brittle.” The psalmist pictures himself as aging and growing physically weak. Trying to cover up his sin brought severe physical consequences.
[32:4] 176 tn Heb “your hand was heavy upon me.”
[32:4] 177 tc Heb “my [?] was turned.” The meaning of the Hebrew term לְשַׁד (lÿshad) is uncertain. A noun לָשָׁד (lashad, “cake”) is attested in Num 11:8, but it would make no sense to understand that word in this context. It is better to emend the form to לְשֻׁדִּי (lÿshuddiy, “to my destruction”) and understand “your hand” as the subject of the verb “was turned.” In this case the text reads, “[your hand] was turned to my destruction.” In Lam 3:3 the author laments that God’s “hand” was “turned” (הָפַךְ, hafakh) against him in a hostile sense.
[32:4] sn You tried to destroy me. The psalmist’s statement reflects his perspective. As far as he was concerned, it seemed as if the Lord was trying to kill him.
[32:4] 178 tn The translation assumes that the plural form indicates degree. If one understands the form as a true plural, then one might translate, “in the times of drought.”
[32:4] 179 sn Summer. Perhaps the psalmist suffered during the hot season and perceived the very weather as being an instrument of divine judgment. Another option is that he compares his time of suffering to the uncomfortable and oppressive heat of summer.
[32:5] 180 tn The Hiphil of ידה normally means “give thanks, praise,” but here, as in Prov 28:13, it means “confess.”
[32:5] 181 tn Heb “the wrongdoing of my sin.” By joining synonyms for “sin” in this way, the psalmist may be emphasizing the degree of his wrongdoing.
[32:6] 182 tn 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; 18:25; 31:23; 37:28; 86:2; 97:10).
[32:6] 183 tn Heb “at a time of finding.” This may mean, “while there is time to ‘find’ [the
[32:6] 184 tn The Hebrew term רַק (raq) occasionally has an asseverative force.
[32:6] 185 sn The surging water is here a metaphor for trouble that endangers one’s life.
[32:6] 186 tn Heb “him.” The translation uses the plural “them” to agree with the plural “every one of your faithful followers” in the first line of v. 6.
[32:7] 187 tn Heb “[with] shouts of joy of deliverance you surround me.”
[32:8] 188 tn The second person pronominal forms in this verse are singular. The psalmist addresses each member of his audience individually (see also the note on the word “eye” in the next line). A less likely option (but one which is commonly understood) is that the
[32:8] 189 tn Heb “I will instruct you and I will teach you in the way [in] which you should walk.”
[32:8] 190 tn Heb “I will advise, upon you my eye,” that is, “I will offer advice [with] my eye upon you.” In 2 Chr 20:12 the statement “our eye is upon you” means that the speakers are looking to the
[32:9] 191 tn The verb form is plural (i.e., “do not all of you be”); the psalmist addresses the whole group.
[32:9] 192 tn Heb “like a horse, like a mule without understanding.”
[32:9] 193 tn Heb “with a bridle and bit, its [?] to hold, not to come near to you.” The meaning of the Hebrew noun עֲדִי (’adiy) is uncertain. Normally the word refers to “jewelry,” so some suggest the meaning “trappings” here (cf. NASB). Some emend the form to לְחֵיהֶם (lÿkhehem, “their jawbones”) but it is difficult to see how the present Hebrew text, even if corrupt, could have derived from this proposed original reading. P. C. Craigie (Psalms 1-50 [WBC], 265) takes the form from an Arabic root and translates “whose gallop.” Cf. also NRSV “whose temper must be curbed.”
[32:10] 194 tn Heb “many [are the] pains of evil [one].” The singular form is representative here; the typical evildoer, representative of the larger group of wicked people, is in view.
[32:10] 195 tn Heb “but the one who trusts in the
[32:11] 196 tn Heb “all [you] pure of heart.” The “heart” is here viewed as the seat of one’s moral character and motives. The “pure of heart” are God’s faithful followers who trust in and love the
