Mazmur 104:12

104:12 The birds of the sky live beside them;

they chirp among the bushes. ¹ 

Mazmur 141:6

141:6 They will be thrown down the side of a cliff by their judges. ² 

They ³  will listen to my words, for they are pleasant.

Mazmur 87:3

87:3 People say wonderful things about you, ⁴ 

O city of God. (Selah)

Mazmur 89:4

89:4 ‘I will give you an eternal dynasty ⁵ 

and establish your throne throughout future generations.’” ⁶  (Selah)

Mazmur 3:2

3:2 Many say about me,

“God will not deliver him.” ⁷  (Selah) ⁸ 

Mazmur 3:8

3:8 The Lord delivers; ⁹ 

you show favor to your people. ¹⁰  (Selah)

Mazmur 21:2

21:2 You grant ¹¹  him his heart’s desire;

you do not refuse his request. ¹²  (Selah)

Mazmur 24:6

24:6 Such purity characterizes the people who seek his favor,

Jacob’s descendants, who pray to him. ¹³  (Selah)

Mazmur 24:10

24:10 Who is this majestic king?

The Lord who commands armies! ¹⁴ 

He is the majestic king! (Selah)

Mazmur 46:3

46:3 when its waves ¹⁵  crash ¹⁶  and foam,

and the mountains shake ¹⁷  before the surging sea. ¹⁸  (Selah)

Mazmur 46:7

46:7 The Lord who commands armies is on our side! ¹⁹ 

The God of Jacob ²⁰  is our protector! ²¹  (Selah)

Mazmur 50:6

50:6 The heavens declare his fairness, ²² 

for God is judge. ²³  (Selah)

Mazmur 50:15

50:15 Pray to me when you are in trouble! ²⁴ 

I will deliver you, and you will honor me!” ²⁵ 

Mazmur 55:7

55:7 Look, I will escape to a distant place;

I will stay in the wilderness. (Selah)

Mazmur 66:4

66:4 All the earth worships ²⁶  you

and sings praises to you!

They sing praises to your name!” (Selah)

Mazmur 68:32

68:32 O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God!

Sing praises to the Lord, (Selah)

Mazmur 75:3

75:3 When the earth and all its inhabitants dissolve in fear, ²⁷ 

I make its pillars secure.” ²⁸  (Selah)

Mazmur 77:3

77:3 I said, “I will remember God while I groan;

I will think about him while my strength leaves me.” ²⁹  (Selah)

Mazmur 82:2

82:2 He says, ³⁰  “How long will you make unjust legal decisions

and show favoritism to the wicked? ³¹  (Selah)

Mazmur 83:8

83:8 Even Assyria has allied with them,

lending its strength to the descendants of Lot. ³²  (Selah)

Mazmur 85:2

85:2 You pardoned ³³  the wrongdoing of your people;

you forgave ³⁴  all their sin. (Selah)

Mazmur 87:6

87:6 The Lord writes in the census book of the nations, ³⁵ 

“This one was born there.” ³⁶  (Selah)

Mazmur 89:37

89:37 it will remain stable, like the moon, ³⁷ 

his throne will endure like the skies.” ³⁸  (Selah)

Mazmur 89:45

89:45 You have cut short his youth, ³⁹ 

and have covered him with shame. (Selah)

Mazmur 140:3

140:3 Their tongues wound like a serpent; ⁴⁰ 

a viper’s ⁴¹  venom is behind ⁴²  their lips. (Selah)

Mazmur 140:8

140:8 O Lord, do not let the wicked have their way! ⁴³ 

Do not allow their ⁴⁴  plan to succeed when they attack! ⁴⁵  (Selah)

Mazmur 143:6

143:6 I spread my hands out to you in prayer; ⁴⁶ 

my soul thirsts for you in a parched ⁴⁷  land. ⁴⁸ 

Mazmur 3:4

3:4 To the Lord I cried out, ⁴⁹ 

and he answered me from his holy hill. ⁵⁰  (Selah)

Mazmur 4:4

4:4 Tremble with fear and do not sin! ⁵¹ 

Meditate as you lie in bed, and repent of your ways! ⁵²  (Selah)

Mazmur 7:5

7:5 may an enemy relentlessly chase ⁵³  me ⁵⁴  and catch me; ⁵⁵ 

may he trample me to death ⁵⁶ 

and leave me lying dishonored in the dust. ⁵⁷  (Selah)

Mazmur 9:16

9:16 The Lord revealed himself;

he accomplished justice;

the wicked were ensnared by their own actions. ⁵⁸  (Higgaion. ⁵⁹  Selah)

Mazmur 9:20

9:20 Terrify them, Lord! ⁶⁰ 

Let the nations know they are mere mortals! ⁶¹  (Selah)

Mazmur 20:3

20:3 May he take notice ⁶²  of your offerings;

may he accept ⁶³  your burnt sacrifice! (Selah)

Mazmur 32:4

32:4 For day and night you tormented me; ⁶⁴ 

you tried to destroy me ⁶⁵  in the intense heat ⁶⁶  of summer. ⁶⁷  (Selah)

Mazmur 32:7

32:7 You are my hiding place;

you protect me from distress.

You surround me with shouts of joy from those celebrating deliverance. ⁶⁸  (Selah)

Mazmur 44:8

44:8 In God I boast all day long,

and we will continually give thanks to your name. (Selah)

Mazmur 46:11

46:11 The Lord who commands armies is on our side! ⁶⁹ 

The God of Jacob ⁷⁰  is our protector! ⁷¹  (Selah)

Mazmur 47:4

47:4 He picked out for us a special land ⁷² 

to be a source of pride for ⁷³  Jacob, ⁷⁴  whom he loves. ⁷⁵  (Selah)

Mazmur 49:13

49:13 This is the destiny of fools, ⁷⁶ 

and of those who approve of their philosophy. ⁷⁷  (Selah)

Mazmur 49:15

49:15 But ⁷⁸  God will rescue ⁷⁹  my life ⁸⁰  from the power ⁸¹  of Sheol;

certainly ⁸²  he will pull me to safety. ⁸³  (Selah)

Mazmur 52:3

52:3 You love evil more than good,

lies more than speaking the truth. ⁸⁴  (Selah)

Mazmur 61:4

61:4 I will be a permanent guest in your home; ⁸⁵ 

I will find shelter in the protection of your wings. ⁸⁶  (Selah)

Mazmur 62:4

62:4 They ⁸⁷  spend all their time planning how to bring him ⁸⁸  down. ⁸⁹ 

They love to use deceit; ⁹⁰ 

they pronounce blessings with their mouths,

but inwardly they utter curses. ⁹¹  (Selah)

Mazmur 66:7

66:7 He rules ⁹²  by his power forever;

he watches ⁹³  the nations.

Stubborn rebels should not exalt ⁹⁴  themselves. (Selah)

Mazmur 68:7

68:7 O God, when you lead your people into battle, ⁹⁵ 

when you march through the desert, ⁹⁶  (Selah)

Mazmur 68:19

68:19 The Lord deserves praise! ⁹⁷ 

Day after day ⁹⁸  he carries our burden,

the God who delivers us. (Selah)

Mazmur 76:3

76:3 There he shattered the arrows, ⁹⁹ 

the shield, the sword, and the rest of the weapons of war. ¹⁰⁰  (Selah)

Mazmur 76:9

76:9 when God arose to execute judgment,

and to deliver all the oppressed of the earth. (Selah)

Mazmur 77:9

77:9 Has God forgotten to be merciful?

Has his anger stifled his compassion?”

Mazmur 77:15

77:15 You delivered ¹⁰¹  your people by your strength ¹⁰²  –

the children of Jacob and Joseph. (Selah)

Mazmur 84:4

84:4 How blessed ¹⁰³  are those who live in your temple

and praise you continually! (Selah)

Mazmur 84:8

84:8 O Lord, sovereign God, ¹⁰⁴ 

hear my prayer!

Listen, O God of Jacob! (Selah)

Mazmur 88:7

88:7 Your anger bears down on me,

and you overwhelm me with all your waves. (Selah)

Mazmur 88:10

88:10 Do you accomplish amazing things for the dead?

Do the departed spirits ¹⁰⁵  rise up and give you thanks? (Selah)

Mazmur 89:48

89:48 No man can live on without experiencing death,

or deliver his life from the power of Sheol. ¹⁰⁶  (Selah)

Mazmur 4:2

4:2 You men, ¹⁰⁷  how long will you try to turn my honor into shame? ¹⁰⁸ 

How long ¹⁰⁹  will you love what is worthless ¹¹⁰ 

and search for what is deceptive? ¹¹¹  (Selah)

Mazmur 32:5

32:5 Then I confessed my sin;

I no longer covered up my wrongdoing.

I said, “I will confess ¹¹²  my rebellious acts to the Lord.”

And then you forgave my sins. ¹¹³  (Selah)

Mazmur 39:5

39:5 Look, you make my days short-lived, ¹¹⁴ 

and my life span is nothing from your perspective. ¹¹⁵ 

Surely all people, even those who seem secure, are nothing but vapor. ¹¹⁶ 

Mazmur 39:11

39:11 You severely discipline people for their sins; ¹¹⁷ 

like a moth you slowly devour their strength. ¹¹⁸ 

Surely all people are a mere vapor. (Selah)

Mazmur 48:8

48:8 We heard about God’s mighty deeds, now we have seen them, ¹¹⁹ 

in the city of the Lord, the invincible Warrior, ¹²⁰ 

in the city of our God.

God makes it permanently secure. ¹²¹  (Selah)

Mazmur 52:5

52:5 Yet ¹²²  God will make you a permanent heap of ruins. ¹²³ 

He will scoop you up ¹²⁴  and remove you from your home; ¹²⁵ 

he will uproot you from the land of the living. (Selah)

Mazmur 54:3

54:3 For foreigners ¹²⁶  attack me; ¹²⁷ 

ruthless men, who do not respect God, seek my life. ¹²⁸  (Selah)

Mazmur 55:19

55:19 God, the one who has reigned as king from long ago,

will hear and humiliate them. ¹²⁹  (Selah)

They refuse to change,

and do not fear God. ¹³⁰ 

Mazmur 57:3

57:3 May he send help from heaven and deliver me ¹³¹ 

from my enemies who hurl insults! ¹³²  (Selah)

May God send his loyal love and faithfulness!

Mazmur 57:6

57:6 They have prepared a net to trap me; ¹³³ 

I am discouraged. ¹³⁴ 

They have dug a pit for me. ¹³⁵ 

They will fall ¹³⁶  into it! (Selah)

Mazmur 59:5

59:5 You, O Lord God, the invincible warrior, ¹³⁷  the God of Israel,

rouse yourself and punish ¹³⁸  all the nations!

Have no mercy on any treacherous evildoers! (Selah)

Mazmur 59:13

59:13 Angrily wipe them out! Wipe them out so they vanish!

Let them know that God rules

in Jacob and to the ends of the earth! (Selah)

Mazmur 60:4

60:4 You have given your loyal followers ¹³⁹  a rallying flag,

so that they might seek safety from the bow. ¹⁴⁰  (Selah)

Mazmur 62:8

62:8 Trust in him at all times, you people!

Pour out your hearts before him! ¹⁴¹ 

God is our shelter! (Selah)

Mazmur 66:15

66:15 I will offer up to you fattened animals as burnt sacrifices,

along with the smell of sacrificial rams.

I will offer cattle and goats. (Selah)

Mazmur 67:1

Psalm 67 ¹⁴² 

For the music director; to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a psalm, a song.

67:1 May God show us his favor ¹⁴³  and bless us! ¹⁴⁴ 

May he smile on us! ¹⁴⁵  (Selah)

Mazmur 67:4

67:4 Let foreigners ¹⁴⁶  rejoice and celebrate!

For you execute justice among the nations,

and govern the people living on earth. ¹⁴⁷  (Selah)

Mazmur 81:7

81:7 In your distress you called out and I rescued you.

I answered you from a dark thundercloud. ¹⁴⁸ 

I tested you at the waters of Meribah. ¹⁴⁹  (Selah)

Mazmur 140:5

140:5 Proud men hide a snare for me;

evil men ¹⁵⁰  spread a net by the path;

they set traps for me. (Selah)

[104:12]  ¹ tn Heb “among the thick foliage they give a sound.”

[141:6]  ² tn Heb “they are thrown down by the hands of a cliff, their judges.” The syntax of the Hebrew text is difficult and the meaning uncertain. The perfect verbal form is understood as rhetorical; the psalmist describes the anticipated downfall of the wicked as if it had already occurred. “Their judges” could be taken as the subject of the verb, but this makes little, if any, sense. The translation assumes the judges are the agents and that the wicked, mentioned earlier in the psalm, are the subjects of the verb.

[141:6]  ³ tn It is unclear how this statement relates to the preceding sentence. Perhaps the judges are the referent of the pronominal subject (“they”) of the verb “will listen,” and “my words” are the referent of the pronominal subject (“they”) of the phrase “are pleasant.” The psalmist may be affirming here his confidence that he will be vindicated when he presents his case before the judges, while the wicked will be punished.

[87:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “glorious things are spoken about you.” The translation assumes this is a general reference to compliments paid to Zion by those who live within her walls and by those who live in the surrounding areas and lands. Another option is that this refers to a prophetic oracle about the city’s glorious future. In this case one could translate, “wonderful things are announced concerning you.”

[89:4]  ⁵ tn Heb “forever I will establish your offspring.”

[89:4]  ⁶ tn Heb “and I will build to a generation and a generation your throne.”

[3:2]  ⁷ tn Heb “there is no deliverance for him in God.”

[3:2]  ⁸ sn The function of the Hebrew term סֶלָה (selah), transliterated here “Selah,” is uncertain. It may be a musical direction of some kind.

[3:8]  ⁹ tn Heb “to the Lord [is] deliverance.”

[3:8]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “upon your people [is] your blessing.” In this context God’s “blessing” includes deliverance/protection, vindication, and sustained life (see Pss 21:3, 6; 24:5).

[21:2]  ¹¹ 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]  ¹² tn Heb “and the request of his lips you do not refuse.”

[24:6]  ¹³ tn Heb “this [is the] generation of the ones seeking him, the ones seeking your face, Jacob.” To “seek the Lord’s face” means to seek his favor through prayer (see 2 Sam 21:1; Pss 27:8; 105:4).

[24:6]  sn This verse presents a somewhat idealized view of Jacob’s descendants as devoted worshipers of the Lord.

[24:10]  ¹⁴ tn Traditionally, “the Lord of hosts,” a title which here pictures the Lord as a mighty warrior-king who leads armies into battle.

[46:3]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “its waters.”

[46:3]  ¹⁶ tn Or “roar.”

[46:3]  ¹⁷ tn The three imperfect verbal forms in v. 3 draw attention to the characteristic nature of the activity described.

[46:3]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “at its swelling.” The Hebrew word often means “pride.” If the sea is symbolic of hostile nations, then this may be a case of double entendre. The surging, swelling sea symbolizes the proud, hostile nations. On the surface the psalmist appears to be depicting a major natural catastrophe, perhaps a tidal wave. If so, then the situation would be hypothetical. However, the repetition of the verbs הָמָה (hamah, “crash; roar,” v. 3) and מוֹט (mot, “shake,” v. 2) in v. 6, where nations/kingdoms “roar” and “shake,” suggests that the language of vv. 2-3 is symbolic and depicts the upheaval that characterizes relationships between the nations of the earth. As some nations (symbolized by the surging, chaotic waters) show hostility, others (symbolized by the mountains) come crashing down to destruction. The surging waters are symbolic of chaotic forces in other poetic texts (see, for example, Isa 17:12; Jer 51:42) and mountains can symbolize strong kingdoms (see, for example, Jer 51:25).

[46:7]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “the Lord of hosts is with us.” The title “Lord of hosts” here pictures the Lord as a mighty warrior-king who leads armies into battle (see Ps 24:10). The military imagery is further developed in vv. 8-9.

[46:7]  ²⁰ tn That is, Israel, or Judah (see Ps 20:1).

[46:7]  ²¹ tn Heb “our elevated place” (see Pss 9:9; 18:2).

[50:6]  ²² tn Or “justice.”

[50:6]  ²³ tn Or “for God, he is about to judge.” The participle may be taken as substantival (as in the translation above) or as a predicate (indicating imminent future action in this context).

[50:15]  ²⁴ tn Heb “call [to] me in a day of trouble.”

[50:15]  ²⁵ sn In vv. 7-15 the Lord makes it clear that he was not rebuking Israel because they had failed to offer sacrifices (v. 8a). On the contrary, they had been faithful in doing so (v. 8b). However, their understanding of the essence of their relationship with God was confused. Apparently they believed that he needed/desired such sacrifices and that offering them would ensure their prosperity. But the Lord owns all the animals of the world and did not need Israel’s meager sacrifices (vv. 9-13). Other aspects of the relationship were more important to the Lord. He desired Israel to be thankful for his blessings (v. 14a), to demonstrate gratitude for his intervention by repaying the vows they made to him (v. 14b), and to acknowledge their absolute dependence on him (v. 15a). Rather than viewing their sacrifices as somehow essential to God’s well-being, they needed to understand their dependence on him.

[66:4]  ²⁶ tn Or “bows down to.” The prefixed verbal forms in v. 4 are taken (1) as imperfects expressing what is typical. Another option (2) is to interpret them as anticipatory (“all the earth will worship you”) or (3) take them as jussives, expressing a prayer or wish (“may all the earth worship you”).

[75:3]  ²⁷ tn Heb “melt.”

[75:3]  ²⁸ tn The statement is understood in a generalizing sense; God typically prevents the world from being overrun by chaos. One could take this as referring to an anticipated event, “I will make its pillars secure.”

[77:3]  ²⁹ tn Heb “I will remember God and I will groan, I will reflect and my spirit will grow faint.” The first three verbs are cohortatives, the last a perfect with vav (ו) consecutive. The psalmist’s statement in v. 4 could be understood as concurrent with v. 1, or, more likely, as a quotation of what he had said earlier as he prayed to God (see v. 2). The words “I said” are supplied in the translation at the beginning of the verse to reflect this interpretation (see v. 10).

[82:2]  ³⁰ tn The words “he says” are supplied in the translation to indicate that the following speech is God’s judicial decision (see v. 1).

[82:2]  ³¹ tn Heb “and the face of the wicked lift up.”

[83:8]  ³² tn Heb “they are an arm for the sons of Lot.” The “arm” is here a symbol of military might.

[83:8]  sn The descendants of Lot were the Moabites and Ammonites.

[85:2]  ³³ tn Heb “lifted up.”

[85:2]  ³⁴ tn Heb “covered over.”

[87:6]  ³⁵ tn Heb “the Lord records in the writing of the nations.”

[87:6]  ³⁶ tn As noted in v. 4, the translation assumes a contrast between “there” (the various foreign lands) and “in her” (Zion). In contrast to foreigners, the citizens of Zion have special status because of their birthplace (v. 5). In this case vv. 4 and 6 form a structural frame around v. 5.

[89:37]  ³⁷ tn Heb “like the moon it will be established forever.”

[89:37]  ³⁸ tn Heb “and a witness in the sky, secure.” Scholars have offered a variety of opinions as to the identity of the “witness” referred to here, none of which is very convincing. It is preferable to join וְעֵד (vÿ’ed) to עוֹלָם (’olam) in the preceding line and translate the commonly attested phrase עוֹלָם וְעֵד (“forever”). In this case one may translate the second line, “[it] will be secure like the skies.” Another option (the one reflected in the present translation) is to take עד as a rare noun meaning “throne” or “dais.” This noun is attested in Ugaritic; see, for example, CTA 16 vi 22-23, where ksi (= כִּסֵּא, kisse’, “throne”) and ’d (= עד, “dais”) appear as synonyms in the poetic parallelism (see G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 91). Emending בַּשַּׁחַק (bashakhaq, “in the heavens”) to כַּשַׁחַק (kashakhaq, “like the heavens”) – bet/kaf (כ/ב) confusion is widely attested – one can then read “[his] throne like the heavens [is] firm/stable.” Verse 29 refers to the enduring nature of the heavens, while Job 37:18 speaks of God spreading out the heavens (שְׁחָקִים, shÿkhaqim) and compares their strength to a bronze mirror. Ps 89:29 uses the term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim, “skies”) which frequently appears in parallelism to שְׁחָקִים.

[89:45]  ³⁹ tn Heb “the days of his youth” (see as well Job 33:25).

[140:3]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “they sharpen their tongue like a serpent.” Ps 64:3 reads, “they sharpen their tongues like sword.” Perhaps Ps 140:3 uses a mixed metaphor, the point being that “they sharpen their tongues [like a sword],” as it were, so that when they speak, their words wound like a serpent’s bite. Another option is that the language refers to the pointed or forked nature of a serpent’s tongue, which is viewed metaphorically as “sharpened.”

[140:3]  ⁴¹ tn The Hebrew term is used only here in the OT.

[140:3]  ⁴² tn Heb “under.”

[140:8]  ⁴³ tn Heb “do not grant the desires of the wicked.”

[140:8]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “his.” The singular is used in a representative sense (see v. 1).

[140:8]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “his plot do not promote, they rise up.” The translation understands the final verb as being an unmarked temporal clause. Another option is to revocalize the verb as a Hiphil and take the verb with the next verse, “those who surround me lift up [their] head,” which could refer to their proud attitude as they anticipate victory (see Ps 27:6).

[143:6]  ⁴⁶ tn The words “in prayer” are supplied in the translation to clarify that the psalmist is referring to a posture of prayer.

[143:6]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “faint” or “weary.” See Ps 63:1.

[143:6]  ⁴⁸ tc Heb “my soul like a faint land for you.” A verb (perhaps “thirsts”) is implied (see Ps 63:1). The translation assumes an emendation of the preposition -כְּ (kÿ, “like”) to -בְּ (bÿ, “in,” see Ps 63:1; cf. NEB “athirst for thee in a thirsty land”). If the MT is retained, one might translate, “my soul thirsts for you, as a parched land does for water/rain” (cf. NIV, NRSV).

[3:4]  ⁴⁹ tn The prefixed verbal form could be an imperfect, yielding the translation “I cry out,” but the verb form in the next line (a vav [ו] consecutive with the preterite) suggests this is a brief narrative of what has already happened. Consequently the verb form in v. 4a is better understood as a preterite, “I cried out.” (For another example of the preterite of this same verb form, see Ps 30:8.) Sometime after the crisis arose, the psalmist prayed to the Lord and received an assuring answer. Now he confidently awaits the fulfillment of the divine promise.

[3:4]  ⁵⁰ sn His holy hill. That is, Zion (see Pss 2:6; 48:1-2). The psalmist recognizes that the Lord dwells in his sanctuary on Mount Zion.

[4:4]  ⁵¹ sn The psalmist warns his enemies that they need to tremble with fear before God and repudiate their sinful ways.

[4:4]  ⁵² tn Heb “say in your heart(s) on your bed(s) and wail/lament.” The verb דֹמּוּ (dommu) is understood as a form of דָמָם (“wail, lament”) in sorrow and repentance. Another option is to take the verb from II דָמָם (damam, “be quiet”); cf. NIV, NRSV “be silent.”

[7:5]  ⁵³ tn The vocalization of the verb form seems to be a mixture of Qal and Piel (see GKC 168 §63.n). The translation assumes the Piel, which would emphasize the repetitive nature of the action. The translation assumes the prefixed verbal form is a jussive. The psalmist is so certain that he is innocent of the sins mentioned in vv. 3-4, he pronounces an imprecation on himself for rhetorical effect.

[7:5]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “my life.” The pronominal suffix attached to נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) is equivalent to a personal pronoun. See Ps 6:3.

[7:5]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “and may he overtake.” The prefixed verbal form is distinctly jussive. The object “me,” though unexpressed, is understood from the preceding statement.

[7:5]  ⁵⁶ tn Heb “and may he trample down to the earth my life.”

[7:5]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “and my honor in the dust may he cause to dwell.” The prefixed verbal form is distinctly jussive. Some emend כְבוֹדִי (khÿvodiy, “my honor”) to כְבֵדִי (khÿvediy, “my liver” as the seat of life), but the term כְבוֹדִי (khÿvodiy) is to be retained since it probably refers to the psalmist’s dignity or honor.

[9:16]  ⁵⁸ tn Heb “by the work of his hands [the] wicked [one] was ensnared. The singular form רָשָׁע (rasha’, “wicked”) is collective or representative here (see vv. 15, 17). The form נוֹקֵשׁ (noqesh) appears to be an otherwise unattested Qal form (active participle) from נָקַשׁ (naqash), but the form should be emended to נוֹקַשׁ (noqash), a Niphal perfect from יָקַשׁ (yaqash).

[9:16]  ⁵⁹ tn This is probably a technical musical term.

[9:20]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “place, Lord, terror with regard to them.” The Hebrew term מוֹרָה (morah, “terror”) is an alternative form of מוֹרָא (mora’; a reading that appears in some mss and finds support in several ancient textual witnesses).

[9:20]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “let the nations know they [are] man[kind]”; i.e., mere human beings (as opposed to God).

[20:3]  ⁶² 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]  ⁶³ 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.”

[32:4]  ⁶⁴ tn Heb “your hand was heavy upon me.”

[32:4]  ⁶⁵ 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]  ⁶⁶ 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]  ⁶⁷ 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.

[32:7]  ⁶⁸ tn Heb “[with] shouts of joy of deliverance you surround me.”

[46:11]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “the Lord of hosts is with us.” The title “Lord of hosts” here pictures the Lord as a mighty warrior-king who leads armies into battle (see Ps 24:10). The military imagery is further developed in vv. 8-9.

[46:11]  ⁷⁰ tn That is, Israel, or Judah (see Ps 20:1).

[46:11]  ⁷¹ tn Heb “our elevated place” (see Pss 9:9; 18:2).

[47:4]  ⁷² tn Heb “he chose for us our inheritance.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a preterite (see “subdued” in v. 3).

[47:4]  ⁷³ tn Heb “the pride of.” The phrase is appositional to “our inheritance,” indicating that the land is here described as a source of pride to God’s people.

[47:4]  ⁷⁴ tn That is, Israel.

[47:4]  ⁷⁵ sn Jacob whom he loves. The Lord’s covenantal devotion to his people is in view.

[49:13]  ⁷⁶ tn Heb “this [is] their way, [there is] folly [belonging] to them.” The Hebrew term translated “this” could refer (1) back to the preceding verse[s] or (2) ahead to the subsequent statements. The translation assumes the latter, since v. 12 appears to be a refrain that concludes the psalm’s first major section and marks a structural boundary. (A similar refrain [see v. 20] concludes the second half of the psalm.) The noun דֶּרֶךְ (derekh, “way”) often refers to one’s lifestyle, but, if it relates to what follows, then here it likely refers metonymically to one’s destiny (the natural outcome of one’s lifestyle [cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV “fate”]). (See the discussion in K. Koch, TDOT 3:285.) If one prefers the more common nuance (“lifestyle”), then the term would look back to the self-confident attitude described in the earlier verses.

[49:13]  ⁷⁷ tn Heb “and after them, in their mouth they take delight.” The meaning of the MT is not entirely clear. “After them” is understood here as substantival, “those who come after them” or “those who follow them.” “Their mouth” is taken as a metonymy for the arrogant attitude verbalized by the rich. In the expression “take delight in,” the preposition -ב (bet) introduces the object/cause of one’s delight (see Pss 147:10; 149:4). So the idea here is that those who come after/follow the rich find the philosophy of life they verbalize and promote to be attractive and desirable.

[49:15]  ⁷⁸ tn Or “certainly.”

[49:15]  ⁷⁹ tn Or “redeem.”

[49:15]  ⁸⁰ tn Or “me.” The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) with a pronominal suffix is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 4.a).

[49:15]  ⁸¹ tn Heb “hand.”

[49:15]  ⁸² tn Or “for.”

[49:15]  ⁸³ tn Heb “he will take me.” To improve the poetic balance of the verse, some move the words “from the power of Sheol” to the following line. The verse would then read: “But God will rescue my life; / from the power of Sheol he will certainly deliver me” (cf. NEB).

[49:15]  sn According to some, the psalmist here anticipates the resurrection (or at least an afterlife in God’s presence). But it is more likely that the psalmist here expresses his hope that God will rescue him from premature death at the hands of the rich oppressors denounced in the psalm. The psalmist is well aware that all (the wise and foolish) die (see vv. 7-12), but he is confident God will lead him safely through the present “times of trouble” (v. 5) and sweep the wicked away to their final destiny. The theme is a common one in the so-called wisdom psalms (see Pss 1, 34, 37, 112). For a fuller discussion of the psalmists’ view of the afterlife, see R. B. Chisholm, Jr., “A Theology of the Psalms,” A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament, 284-88.

[52:3]  ⁸⁴ tn Or “deceit more than speaking what is right.”

[61:4]  ⁸⁵ tn Heb “I will live as a resident alien in your tent permanently.” The cohortative is understood here as indicating resolve. Another option is to take it as expressing a request, “please let me live” (cf. NASB, NRSV).

[61:4]  ⁸⁶ sn I will find shelter in the protection of your wings. The metaphor compares God to a protective mother bird.

[62:4]  ⁸⁷ tn That is, the psalmist’s enemies addressed in the previous verse.

[62:4]  ⁸⁸ tn That is, the generic “man” referred to in the previous verse.

[62:4]  ⁸⁹ tn Heb “only from his lofty place [or perhaps, “dignity”] they plan to drive [him] away.”

[62:4]  ⁹⁰ tn Heb “they delight [in] a lie.”

[62:4]  ⁹¹ sn The enemies use deceit to bring down their victim. They make him think they are his friends by pronouncing blessings upon him, but inwardly they desire his demise.

[66:7]  ⁹² tn Heb “[the] one who rules.”

[66:7]  ⁹³ tn Heb “his eyes watch.” “Eyes” are an anthropomorphism, attributed to God here to emphasize his awareness of all that happens on earth.

[66:7]  ⁹⁴ tn The verb form is jussive (note the negative particle אַל, ’al). The Kethib (consonantal text) has a Hiphil form of the verb, apparently to be understood in an exhibitive sense (“demonstrate stubborn rebellion”; see BDB 927 s.v. רוּם Hiph), while the Qere (marginal reading) has a Qal form, to be understood in an intransitive sense. The preposition -לְ (lamed) with pronominal suffix should be understood in a reflexive sense (“for themselves”) and indicates that the action is performed with the interest of the subject in mind.

[68:7]  ⁹⁵ tn Heb “when you go out before your people.” The Hebrew idiom “go out before” is used here in a militaristic sense of leading troops into battle (see Judg 4:14; 9:39; 2 Sam 5:24).

[68:7]  ⁹⁶ sn When you march through the desert. Some interpreters think that v. 7 alludes to Israel’s exodus from Egypt and its subsequent travels in the desert. Another option is that v. 7, like v. 8, echoes Judg 5:4, which describes how the God of Sinai marched across the desert regions to do battle with Sisera and his Canaanite army.

[68:19]  ⁹⁷ tn Heb “blessed [be] the Lord.”

[68:19]  ⁹⁸ tn It is possible to take this phrase with what precedes (“The Lord deserves praise day after day”) rather than with what follows.

[76:3]  ⁹⁹ tn Heb “flames of the bow,” i.e., arrows.

[76:3]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Heb “shield and sword and battle.” “Battle” probably here stands by metonymy for the weapons of war in general.

[76:3]  sn This verse may allude to the miraculous defeat of the Assyrians in 701 b.c. (see Isa 36-37).

[77:15]  ¹⁰¹ tn Or “redeemed.”

[77:15]  ¹⁰² tn Heb “with [your] arm.”

[84:4]  ¹⁰³ tn The Hebrew noun is an abstract plural. The word often refers metonymically to the happiness that God-given security and prosperity produce (see v. 12 and Pss 1:1; 2:12; 34:9; 41:1; 65:4; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).

[84:8]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Heb “Lord, God, hosts.” One expects the construct form אֱלֹהֵי before צְבָאוֹת (tsÿva’ot, “hosts”; see Ps 89:9) but יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים (yehvah ’elohim) precedes צְבָאוֹת in Pss 59:5 and 80:4, 19 as well.

[88:10]  ¹⁰⁵ tn Heb “Rephaim,” a term that refers to those who occupy the land of the dead (see Isa 14:9; 26:14, 19).

[89:48]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Heb “Who [is] the man [who] can live and not see death, [who] can deliver his life from the hand of Sheol?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “No one!”

[4:2]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Heb “sons of man.”

[4:2]  ¹⁰⁸ tn Heb “how long my honor to shame?”

[4:2]  ¹⁰⁹ tn The interrogative construction עַד־מֶה (’ad-meh, “how long?”), is understood by ellipsis in the second line.

[4:2]  ¹¹⁰ tn Heb “emptiness.”

[4:2]  ¹¹¹ tn Heb “a lie.” Some see the metonymic language of v. 2b (“emptiness, lie”) as referring to idols or false gods. However, there is no solid immediate contextual evidence for such an interpretation. It is more likely that the psalmist addresses those who threaten him (see v. 1) and refers in a general way to their sinful lifestyle. (See R. Mosis, TDOT 7:121.) The two terms allude to the fact that sinful behavior is ultimately fruitless and self-destructive.

[32:5]  ¹¹² tn The Hiphil of ידה normally means “give thanks, praise,” but here, as in Prov 28:13, it means “confess.”

[32:5]  ¹¹³ 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.

[39:5]  ¹¹⁴ tn Heb “Look, handbreadths you make my days.” The “handbreadth” (equivalent to the width of four fingers) was one of the smallest measures used by ancient Israelites. See P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 (WBC), 309.

[39:5]  ¹¹⁵ tn Heb “is like nothing before you.”

[39:5]  ¹¹⁶ tn Heb “surely, all vapor [is] all mankind, standing firm.” Another option is to translate, “Surely, all mankind, though seemingly secure, is nothing but a vapor.”

[39:11]  ¹¹⁷ tn “with punishments on account of sin you discipline a man.”

[39:11]  ¹¹⁸ tc Heb “you cause to dissolve, like a moth, his desired [thing].” The translation assumes an emendation of חֲמוּדוֹ (khamudo, “his desirable [thing]”) to חֶמְדוֹ (khemdo, “his loveliness” [or “beauty”]), a reading that is supported by a few medieval Hebrew mss.

[48:8]  ¹¹⁹ tn Heb “As we have heard, so we have seen.” The community had heard about God’s mighty deeds in the nation’s history. Having personally witnessed his saving power with their own eyes, they could now affirm that the tradition was not exaggerated or inaccurate.

[48:8]  ¹²⁰ tn Heb “the Lord of hosts.” The title “Lord of hosts” here pictures the Lord as a mighty warrior-king who leads armies into battle (see Pss 24:10; 46:7, 11).

[48:8]  ¹²¹ tn Or “God makes it secure forever.” The imperfect highlights the characteristic nature of the generalizing statement.

[52:5]  ¹²² tn The adverb גַּם (gam, “also; even”) is translated here in an adversative sense (“yet”). It highlights the contrastive correspondence between the evildoer’s behavior and God’s response.

[52:5]  ¹²³ tn Heb “will tear you down forever.”

[52:5]  ¹²⁴ tn This rare verb (חָתָה, khatah) occurs only here and in Prov 6:27; 25:22; Isa 30:14.

[52:5]  ¹²⁵ tn Heb “from [your] tent.”

[54:3]  ¹²⁶ tc Many medieval Hebrew mss read זֵדִים (zedim, “proud ones”) rather than זָרִים (zarim, “foreigners”). (No matter which reading one chooses as original, dalet-resh confusion accounts for the existence of the variant.) The term זֵדִים (“proud ones”) occurs in parallelism with עָרִיצִים (’aritsim, “violent ones”) in Ps 86:14 and Isa 13:11. However, זָרִים (zarim, “foreigners”) is parallel to עָרִיצִים (’aritsim, “violent ones”) in Isa 25:5; 29:5; Ezek 28:7; 31:12.

[54:3]  ¹²⁷ tn Heb “rise against me.”

[54:3]  ¹²⁸ tn Heb “and ruthless ones seek my life, they do not set God in front of them.”

[55:19]  ¹²⁹ tc Heb “God will hear and answer them, even [the] one who sits [from] ancient times.” The prefixed verbal from with vav (ו) consecutive carries on the anticipatory force of the preceding imperfect. The verb appears to be a Qal form from עָנָה (’anah, “to answer”). If this reading is retained, the point would be that God “answered” them in judgment. The translation assumes an emendation to the Piel וַיְעַנֵּם (vay’annem; see 2 Kgs 17:20) and understands the root as עָנָה (’anah, “to afflict”; see also 1 Kgs 8:35).

[55:19]  ¹³⁰ tn Heb “[the ones] for whom there are no changes, and they do not fear God.”

[57:3]  ¹³¹ tn Heb “may he send from heaven and deliver me.” The prefixed verbal forms are understood as jussives expressing the psalmist’s prayer. The second verb, which has a vav (ו) conjunctive prefixed to it, probably indicates purpose. Another option is to take the forms as imperfects expressing confidence, “he will send from heaven and deliver me” (cf. NRSV).

[57:3]  ¹³² tn Heb “he hurls insults, one who crushes me.” The translation assumes that this line identifies those from whom the psalmist seeks deliverance. (The singular is representative; the psalmist is surrounded by enemies, see v. 4.) Another option is to understand God as the subject of the verb חָרַף (kharaf), which could then be taken as a homonym of the more common root חָרַף (“insult”) meaning “confuse.” In this case “one who crushes me” is the object of the verb. One might translate, “he [God] confuses my enemies.”

[57:6]  ¹³³ tn Heb “for my feet.”

[57:6]  ¹³⁴ tn Heb “my life bends low.” The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) with a pronominal suffix is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 4.a).

[57:6]  ¹³⁵ tn Heb “before me.”

[57:6]  ¹³⁶ tn The perfect form is used rhetorically here to express the psalmist’s certitude. The demise of the enemies is so certain that he can speak of it as already accomplished.

[59:5]  ¹³⁷ tn Heb “Lord, God, Hosts.” One expects the construct form אֱלֹהֵי (’elohey) before צְבָאוֹת (tsÿva’ot, “hosts”). See Ps 89:9, but יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים (yÿhvah ’elohim) precedes צְבָאוֹת (tsÿva’ot) in Pss 80:4, 19; 84:8 as well.

[59:5]  ¹³⁸ tn Heb “wake up to punish” (see Pss 35:23; 44:23).

[60:4]  ¹³⁹ tn Heb “those who fear you.”

[60:4]  ¹⁴⁰ tn There is a ray of hope in that God has allowed his loyal followers to rally under a battle flag. The translation assumes the verb is from the root נוּס (nus, “flee”) used here in the Hitpolel in the sense of “find safety for oneself” (HALOT 681 s.v. נוס) or “take flight for oneself” (BDB 630-31 s.v. נוּס). Another option is to take the verb as a denominative from נֵס (nes, “flag”) and translate “that it may be displayed” (BDB 651 s.v. II נסס) or “that they may assemble under the banner” (HALOT 704 s.v. II נסס). Here קֹשֶׁט (qoshet) is taken as an Aramaized form of קֶשֶׁת (qeshet, “bow”; BDB 905-6 s.v. קֶשֶׁת), though some understand the homonymic קֹשְׁטְ (qosht, “truth”) here (see Prov 22:21; cf. NASB). If one follows the latter interpretation, the line may be translated, “so that they might assemble under the banner for the sake of truth.”

[62:8]  ¹⁴¹ tn To “pour out one’s heart” means to offer up to God intense, emotional lamentation and petitionary prayers (see Lam 2:19).

[67:1]  ¹⁴² sn Psalm 67. The psalmist prays for God’s blessing upon his people and urges the nations to praise him for he is the just ruler of the world.

[67:1]  ¹⁴³ tn Or “have mercy on us.”

[67:1]  ¹⁴⁴ tn The prefixed verbal forms are understood as jussives expressing the psalmist’s prayer. Note the jussive form יָאֵר (ya’er) in the next line.

[67:1]  ¹⁴⁵ tn Heb “may he cause his face to shine with us.”

[67:4]  ¹⁴⁶ tn Or “peoples.”

[67:4]  ¹⁴⁷ tn Heb “for you judge nations fairly, and [as for the] peoples in the earth, you lead them.” The imperfects are translated with the present tense because the statement is understood as a generalization about God’s providential control of the world. Another option is to understand the statement as anticipating God’s future rule (“for you will rule…and govern”).

[81:7]  ¹⁴⁸ tn Heb “I answered you in the hidden place of thunder.” This may allude to God’s self-revelation at Mount Sinai, where he appeared in a dark cloud accompanied by thunder (see Exod 19:16).

[81:7]  ¹⁴⁹ sn The name Meribah means “strife.” Two separate but similar incidents at the place called Meribah are recorded in the Pentateuch (Exod 17:1-7; Num 20:1-13). In both cases the Israelites complained about lack of water and the Lord miraculously provided for them.

[140:5]  ¹⁵⁰ tn Heb “and ropes,” but many prefer to revocalize the noun as a participle (חֹבְלִים, khovÿlim) from the verb חָבַל (khaval, “act corruptly”).