Mazmur 12:5

12:5 “Because of the violence done to the oppressed, ¹ 

because of the painful cries ²  of the needy,

I will spring into action,” ³  says the Lord.

“I will provide the safety they so desperately desire.” ⁴ 

Mazmur 18:50

18:50 He ⁵  gives his chosen king magnificent victories; ⁶ 

he is faithful ⁷  to his chosen ruler, ⁸ 

to David and his descendants ⁹  forever.” ¹⁰ 

Mazmur 65:8

65:8 Even those living in the most remote areas are awestruck by your acts; ¹¹ 

you cause those living in the east and west to praise you. ¹² 

Mazmur 68:11

68:11 The Lord speaks; ¹³ 

many, many women spread the good news. ¹⁴ 

Mazmur 111:9

111:9 He delivered his people; ¹⁵ 

he ordained that his covenant be observed forever. ¹⁶ 

His name is holy and awesome.

Mazmur 141:4

141:4 Do not let me have evil desires, ¹⁷ 

or participate in sinful activities

with men who behave wickedly. ¹⁸ 

I will not eat their delicacies. ¹⁹ 

[12:5]  ¹ tn The term translated “oppressed” is an objective genitive; the oppressed are the recipients/victims of violence.

[12:5]  ² tn Elsewhere in the psalms this noun is used of the painful groans of prisoners awaiting death (79:11; 102:20). The related verb is used of the painful groaning of those wounded in combat (Jer 51:52; Ezek 26:15) and of the mournful sighing of those in grief (Ezek 9:4; 24:17).

[12:5]  ³ tn Heb “I will rise up.”

[12:5]  ⁴ tn Heb “I will place in deliverance, he pants for it.” The final two words in Hebrew (יָפִיחַ לוֹ, yafiakh lo) comprise an asyndetic relative clause, “the one who pants for it.” “The one who pants” is the object of the verb “place” and the antecedent of the pronominal suffix (in the phrase “for it”) is “deliverance.” Another option is to translate, “I will place in deliverance the witness for him,” repointing יָפִיחַ (a Hiphil imperfect from פּוּחַ, puakh, “pant”) as יָפֵחַ (yafeakh), a noun meaning “witness.” In this case the Lord would be promising protection to those who have the courage to support the oppressed in the court of law. However, the first part of the verse focuses on the oppressed, not their advocates.

[18:50]  ⁵ tn Or “the one who.”

[18:50]  ⁶ 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]  ⁷ tn Heb “[the one who] does loyalty.”

[18:50]  ⁸ tn Heb “his anointed [one],” i.e., the psalmist/Davidic king. See Ps 2:2.

[18:50]  ⁹ tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”

[18:50]  ¹⁰ 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.

[65:8]  ¹¹ tn Heb “and the inhabitants of the ends fear because of your signs.” God’s “signs” are the “awesome acts” (see v. 5) he performs in the earth.

[65:8]  ¹² tn Heb “the goings out of the morning and the evening you cause to shout for joy.” The phrase “goings out of the morning and evening” refers to the sunrise and sunset, that is, the east and the west.

[68:11]  ¹³ tn Heb “gives a word.” Perhaps this refers to a divine royal decree or battle cry.

[68:11]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “the ones spreading the good news [are] a large army.” The participle translated “the ones spreading the good news” is a feminine plural form. Apparently the good news here is the announcement that enemy kings have been defeated (see v. 12).

[111:9]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “redemption he sent for his people.”

[111:9]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “he commanded forever his covenant.”

[141:4]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “do not turn my heart toward an evil thing.”

[141:4]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “to act sinfully in practices in wickedness with men, doers of evil.”

[141:4]  ¹⁹ sn Their delicacies. This probably refers to the enjoyment that a sinful lifestyle appears to offer.