Mazmur 1:4

1:4 Not so with the wicked!

Instead ¹  they are like wind-driven chaff. ² 

Mazmur 6:9

6:9 The Lord has heard my appeal for mercy;

the Lord has accepted ³  my prayer.

Mazmur 25:13

25:13 They experience his favor; ⁴ 

their descendants ⁵  inherit the land. ⁶ 

Mazmur 25:19

25:19 Watch my enemies, for they outnumber me;

they hate me and want to harm me. ⁷ 

Mazmur 29:6

29:6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf

and Sirion ⁸  like a young ox. ⁹ 

Mazmur 33:4

33:4 For ¹⁰  the Lord’s decrees ¹¹  are just, ¹² 

and everything he does is fair. ¹³ 

Mazmur 33:11

33:11 The Lord’s decisions stand forever;

his plans abide throughout the ages. ¹⁴ 

Mazmur 34:20

34:20 He protects ¹⁵  all his bones; ¹⁶ 

not one of them is broken. ¹⁷ 

Mazmur 37:2

37:2 For they will quickly dry up like grass,

and wither away like plants. ¹⁸ 

Mazmur 37:31

37:31 The law of their God controls their thinking; ¹⁹ 

their ²⁰  feet do not slip.

Mazmur 37:38

37:38 Sinful rebels are totally destroyed; ²¹ 

evil men have no future. ²² 

Mazmur 65:7

65:7 You calm the raging seas ²³ 

and their roaring waves,

as well as the commotion made by the nations. ²⁴ 

Mazmur 65:12

65:12 The pastures in the wilderness glisten with moisture, ²⁵ 

and the hills are clothed with joy. ²⁶ 

Mazmur 66:18

66:18 If I had harbored sin in my heart, ²⁷ 

the Lord would not have listened.

Mazmur 67:7

67:7 May God bless us! ²⁸ 

Then all the ends of the earth will give him the honor he deserves. ²⁹ 

Mazmur 78:30

78:30 They were not yet filled up, ³⁰ 

their food was still in their mouths,

Mazmur 98:8

98:8 Let the rivers clap their hands!

Let the mountains sing in unison

Mazmur 103:6

103:6 The Lord does what is fair,

and executes justice for all the oppressed. ³¹ 

Mazmur 104:22

104:22 When the sun rises, they withdraw

and sleep ³²  in their dens.

Mazmur 105:7

105:7 He is the Lord our God;

he carries out judgment throughout the earth. ³³ 

Mazmur 106:31

106:31 This brought him a reward,

an eternal gift. ³⁴ 

Mazmur 106:36

106:36 They worshiped ³⁵  their idols,

which became a snare to them. ³⁶ 

Mazmur 107:5

107:5 They were hungry and thirsty;

they fainted from exhaustion. ³⁷ 

Mazmur 107:11

107:11 because they had rebelled against God’s commands, ³⁸ 

and rejected the instructions of the sovereign king. ³⁹ 

Mazmur 107:29

107:29 He calmed the storm, ⁴⁰ 

and the waves ⁴¹  grew silent.

Mazmur 109:23

109:23 I am fading away like a shadow at the end of the day; ⁴² 

I am shaken off like a locust.

Mazmur 111:2

111:2 The Lord’s deeds are great,

eagerly awaited ⁴³  by all who desire them.

Mazmur 112:3

112:3 His house contains wealth and riches;

his integrity endures. ⁴⁴ 

Mazmur 113:4-5

113:4 The Lord is exalted over all the nations;

his splendor reaches beyond the sky. ⁴⁵ 

113:5 Who can compare to the Lord our God,

who sits on a high throne? ⁴⁶ 

Mazmur 115:4

115:4 Their ⁴⁷  idols are made of silver and gold –

they are man-made. ⁴⁸ 

Mazmur 116:13

116:13 I will celebrate my deliverance, ⁴⁹ 

and call on the name of the Lord.

Mazmur 116:15

116:15 The Lord values

the lives of his faithful followers. ⁵⁰ 

Mazmur 118:22-23

118:22 The stone which the builders discarded ⁵¹ 

has become the cornerstone. ⁵² 

118:23 This is the Lord’s work.

We consider it amazing! ⁵³ 

Mazmur 119:35

119:35 Guide me ⁵⁴  in the path of your commands,

for I delight to walk in it. ⁵⁵ 

Mazmur 119:56

119:56 This ⁵⁶  has been my practice,

for I observe your precepts.

Mazmur 120:3

120:3 How will he severely punish you,

you deceptive talker? ⁵⁷ 

Mazmur 121:4

121:4 Look! Israel’s protector ⁵⁸ 

does not sleep or slumber!

Mazmur 121:6

121:6 The sun will not harm you by day,

or the moon by night. ⁵⁹ 

Mazmur 124:6

124:6 The Lord deserves praise, ⁶⁰ 

for ⁶¹  he did not hand us over as prey to their teeth.

Mazmur 126:5

126:5 Those who shed tears as they plant

will shout for joy when they reap the harvest. ⁶² 

Mazmur 129:3

129:3 The plowers plowed my back;

they made their furrows long.

Mazmur 132:13

132:13 Certainly ⁶³  the Lord has chosen Zion;

he decided to make it his home. ⁶⁴ 

Mazmur 135:10

135:10 He defeated many nations,

and killed mighty kings –

Mazmur 135:15

135:15 The nations’ idols are made of silver and gold,

they are man-made. ⁶⁵ 

Mazmur 135:17

135:17 and ears, but cannot hear.

Indeed, they cannot breathe. ⁶⁶ 

Mazmur 135:21

135:21 The Lord deserves praise in Zion ⁶⁷  –

he who dwells in Jerusalem. ⁶⁸ 

Praise the Lord!

Mazmur 145:3

145:3 The Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise!

No one can fathom his greatness! ⁶⁹ 

[1:4]  ¹ tn Here the Hebrew expression כִּי־אִם (ki-’im, “instead,” cf. v. 2) introduces a contrast between the prosperity of the godly depicted in v. 3 and the destiny of the wicked described in v. 4.

[1:4]  ² tn Heb “[they are] like the chaff which [the] wind blows about.” The Hebrew imperfect verbal form draws attention to the typical nature of the action described.

[1:4]  sn Wind-driven chaff. In contrast to the well-rooted and productive tree described in v. 3, the wicked are like a dried up plant that has no root system and is blown away by the wind. The simile describes the destiny of the wicked (see vv. 5-6).

[6:9]  ³ tn The prefixed verbal form is probably a preterite here; it is parallel to a perfect and refers to the fact that the Lord has responded favorably to the psalmist’s request.

[25:13]  ⁴ tn Heb “his life in goodness dwells.” The singular is representative (see v. 14).

[25:13]  ⁵ tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”

[25:13]  ⁶ tn Or “earth.”

[25:19]  ⁷ tn Heb “see my enemies for they are numerous, and [with] violent hatred they hate me.”

[29:6]  ⁸ sn Sirion is another name for Mount Hermon (Deut 3:9).

[29:6]  ⁹ 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.

[33:4]  ¹⁰ sn For the Lord’s decrees are just… After the call to praise (vv. 1-3), the psalmist now gives a series of reasons why the Lord is worthy of praise.

[33:4]  ¹¹ tn Heb “word.” In this context, which depicts the Lord as the sovereign creator and ruler of the world, the Lord’s “word” refers to the decrees whereby he governs his dominion.

[33:4]  ¹² tn Or “upright.”

[33:4]  ¹³ tn Heb “and all his work [is] in faithfulness.”

[33:11]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “the thoughts of his heart for generation to generation.” The verb “abides” is supplied in the translation. The Lord’s “decisions” and “plans” here refer to his decrees and purposes.

[34:20]  ¹⁵ tn The Hebrew participial form suggests such protection is characteristic.

[34:20]  ¹⁶ tn That is, he protects the godly from physical harm.

[34:20]  ¹⁷ sn Not one of them is broken. The author of the Gospel of John saw a fulfillment of these words in Jesus’ experience on the cross (see John 19:31-37), for the Roman soldiers, when they saw that Jesus was already dead, did not break his legs as was customarily done to speed the death of crucified individuals. John’s use of the psalm seems strange, for the statement in its original context suggests that the Lord protects the godly from physical harm. Jesus’ legs may have remained unbroken, but he was brutally and unjustly executed by his enemies. John seems to give the statement a literal sense that is foreign to its original literary context by applying a promise of divine protection to a man who was seemingly not saved by God. However, John saw in this incident a foreshadowing of Jesus’ ultimate deliverance and vindication. His unbroken bones were a reminder of God’s commitment to the godly and a sign of things to come. Jesus’ death on the cross was not the end of the story; God vindicated him, as John goes on to explain in the following context (John 19:38-20:18).

[37:2]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “like green vegetation.”

[37:31]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “the law of his God [is] in his heart.” The “heart” is here the seat of one’s thoughts and motives.

[37:31]  ²⁰ tn Heb “his.” The pronoun has been translated as plural to agree with the representative or typical “godly” in v. 30.

[37:38]  ²¹ tn Or “destroyed together.” In this case the psalmist pictures judgment sweeping them away as a group.

[37:38]  ²² tn Heb “the end of evil men is cut off.” As in v. 37, some interpret אַחֲרִית (’akharit, “end”) as referring to offspring (see Ps 109:13). The perfect verbal forms in v. 38 probably express general truths. Another option is that they are used emphatically to state with certitude that the demise of the wicked is as good as done.

[65:7]  ²³ tn Heb “the roar of the seas.”

[65:7]  ²⁴ sn The raging seas…the commotion made by the nations. The raging seas symbolize the turbulent nations of the earth (see Ps 46:2-3, 6; Isa 17:12).

[65:12]  ²⁵ tn Heb “drip.”

[65:12]  ²⁶ tn That is, with rich vegetation that brings joy to those who see it.

[66:18]  ²⁷ tn Heb “sin if I had seen in my heart.”

[67:7]  ²⁸ tn The prefixed verb forms in vv. 6b-7a are understood as jussives.

[67:7]  ²⁹ tn Heb “will fear him.” After the jussive of the preceding line, the prefixed verbal form with prefixed vav (ו) conjunctive is understood as indicating purpose/result. (Note how v. 3 anticipates the universal impact of God showing his people blessing.) Another option is to take the verb as a jussive and translate, “Let all the ends of the earth fear him.”

[78:30]  ³⁰ tn Heb “they were not separated from their desire.”

[103:6]  ³¹ tn Heb “the Lord does fairness, and [acts of] justice for all the oppressed.”

[104:22]  ³² tn Heb “lie down.”

[105:7]  ³³ tn Heb “in all the earth [are] his judgments.”

[106:31]  ³⁴ tn Heb “and it was reckoned to him for righteousness, to a generation and a generation forever.” The verb חָשַׁב (khashav, “to reckon”) is collocated with צְדָקָה (tsÿdaqah, “righteousness”) only in Ps 106:31 and Gen 15:6, where God rewards Abram’s faith with a land grant.

[106:31]  sn Brought him a reward. See Num 25:12-13.

[106:36]  ³⁵ tn Or “served.”

[106:36]  ³⁶ sn Became a snare. See Exod 23:33; Judg 2:3.

[107:5]  ³⁷ tn Heb “and their soul in them fainted.”

[107:11]  ³⁸ tn Heb “the words of God.”

[107:11]  ³⁹ tn Heb “the counsel of the Most High.”

[107:29]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “he raised [the] storm to calm.”

[107:29]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “their waves.” The antecedent of the third masculine plural pronominal suffix is not readily apparent, unless it refers back to “waters” in v. 23.

[109:23]  ⁴² tn Heb “like a shadow when it is extended I go.” He is like a late afternoon shadow made by the descending sun that will soon be swallowed up by complete darkness. See Ps 102:11.

[111:2]  ⁴³ tn Heb “sought out.”

[112:3]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “stands forever.”

[113:4]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “above the sky [is] his splendor.”

[113:5]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “the one who makes high to sit.”

[115:4]  ⁴⁷ tn The referent of the pronominal suffix is “the nations” (v. 2).

[115:4]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “the work of the hands of man.”

[116:13]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “a cup of deliverance I will lift up.” Perhaps this alludes to a drink offering the psalmist will present as he thanks the Lord for his deliverance. See v. 17.

[116:15]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “precious in the eyes of the Lord [is] the death of his godly ones.” The point is not that God delights in or finds satisfaction in the death of his followers! The psalmist, who has been delivered from death, affirms that the life-threatening experiences of God’s followers get God’s attention, just as a precious or rare object would attract someone’s eye. See Ps 72:14 for a similar expression of this belief.

[118:22]  ⁵¹ tn Or “rejected.”

[118:22]  ⁵² tn Heb “the head of the corner.”

[118:22]  sn The metaphor of the stone…the builders discarded describes the way in which God’s deliverance reversed the psalmist’s circumstances. When he was in distress, he was like a stone which was discarded by builders as useless, but now that he has been vindicated by God, all can see that he is of special importance to God, like the cornerstone of the building.

[118:23]  ⁵³ tn Heb “it is amazing in our eyes.” The use of the plural pronoun here and in vv. 24-27 suggests that the psalmist may be speaking for the entire nation. However, it is more likely that vv. 22-27 are the people’s response to the psalmist’s thanksgiving song (see especially v. 26). They rejoice with him because his deliverance on the battlefield (see vv. 10-12) had national repercussions.

[119:35]  ⁵⁴ tn Or “make me walk.”

[119:35]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “for in it I delight.”

[119:56]  ⁵⁶ tn Heb “this has been to me.” The demonstrative “this” (1) refers back to the practices mentioned in vv. 54-55, or (2) looks forward to the statement in the second line, in which case the כִּי (ki) at the beginning of the second line should be translated “that.”

[120:3]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “What will he give to you, and what will he add to you, O tongue of deception?” The psalmist addresses his deceptive enemies. The Lord is the understood subject of the verbs “give” and “add.” The second part of the question echoes a standard curse formula, “thus the Lord/God will do … and thus he will add” (see Ruth 1:17; 1 Sam 3:17; 14:44; 20:13; 25:22; 2 Sam 3:9, 35; 19:13; 1 Kgs 2:23; 2 Kgs 6:31).

[121:4]  ⁵⁸ tn Heb “the one who guards Israel.”

[121:6]  ⁵⁹ sn One hardly thinks of the moon’s rays as being physically harmful, like those of the sun. The reference to the moon may simply lend poetic balance to the verse, but it is likely that the verse reflects an ancient, primitive belief that the moon could have an adverse effect on the mind (note the English expression “moonstruck,” which reflects such a belief). Another possibility is that the sun and moon stand by metonymy for harmful forces characteristic of the day and night, respectively.

[124:6]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “blessed [be] the Lord.”

[124:6]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “[the one] who.”

[126:5]  ⁶² sn O. Borowski says regarding this passage: “The dependence on rain for watering plants, the uncertainty of the quantity and timing of the rains, and the possibility of crop failure due to pests and diseases appear to have kept the farmer in a gloomy mood during sowing” (Agriculture in Iron Age Israel, 54). Perhaps the people were experiencing a literal drought, the effects of which cause them to lament their plight as they plant their seed in hopes that the rain would come. However, most take the language as metaphorical. Like a farmer sowing his seed, the covenant community was enduring hardship as they waited for a new outpouring of divine blessing. Yet they are confident that a time of restoration will come and relieve their anxiety, just as the harvest brings relief and joy to the farmer.

[132:13]  ⁶³ tn Or “for.”

[132:13]  ⁶⁴ tn Heb “he desired it for his dwelling place.”

[135:15]  ⁶⁵ tn Heb “the work of the hands of man.”

[135:17]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “indeed, there is not breath in their mouth.” For the collocation אַף אֵין (’af ’en, “indeed, there is not”) see Isa 41:26. Another option is to take אַף as “nose” (see Ps 115:6), in which case one might translate, “a nose, [but] they have no breath in their mouths.”

[135:21]  ⁶⁷ tn Heb “praised be the Lord from Zion.”

[135:21]  ⁶⁸ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[145:3]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “and concerning his greatness there is no searching.”