Mazmur 14:4

14:4 All those who behave wickedly ¹  do not understand – ² 

those who devour my people as if they were eating bread,

and do not call out to the Lord.

Mazmur 15:3

15:3 He ³  does not slander, ⁴ 

or do harm to others, ⁵ 

or insult his neighbor. ⁶ 

Mazmur 22:5

22:5 To you they cried out, and they were saved;

in you they trusted and they were not disappointed. ⁷ 

Mazmur 38:19

38:19 But those who are my enemies for no reason are numerous; ⁸ 

those who hate me without cause outnumber me. ⁹ 

Mazmur 44:17

44:17 All this has happened to us, even though we have not rejected you ¹⁰ 

or violated your covenant with us. ¹¹ 

Mazmur 58:8

58:8 Let them be ¹²  like a snail that melts away as it moves along! ¹³ 

Let them be like ¹⁴  stillborn babies ¹⁵  that never see the sun!

Mazmur 80:18

80:18 Then we will not turn away from you.

Revive us and we will pray to you! ¹⁶ 

Mazmur 89:28

89:28 I will always extend my loyal love to him,

and my covenant with him is secure. ¹⁷ 

Mazmur 105:10

105:10 He gave it to Jacob as a decree,

to Israel as a lasting promise, ¹⁸ 

Mazmur 111:5

111:5 He gives ¹⁹  food to his faithful followers; ²⁰ 

he always remembers his covenant. ²¹ 

Mazmur 112:9

112:9 He generously gives ²²  to the needy;

his integrity endures. ²³ 

He will be vindicated and honored. ²⁴ 

Mazmur 119:71

119:71 It was good for me to suffer,

so that I might learn your statutes.

Mazmur 145:13

145:13 Your kingdom is an eternal kingdom, ²⁵ 

and your dominion endures through all generations.

Mazmur 147:20

147:20 He has not done so with any other nation;

they are not aware of his regulations.

Praise the Lord!

[14:4]  ¹ tn Heb “all the workers of wickedness.” See Pss 5:5; 6:8.

[14:4]  ² tn Heb “Do they not understand?” The rhetorical question (rendered in the translation as a positive affirmation) expresses the psalmist’s amazement at their apparent lack of understanding. This may refer to their lack of moral understanding, but it more likely refers to their failure to anticipate God’s defense of his people (see vv. 5-7).

[15:3]  ³ sn Hebrew literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The principle of the psalm is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age.

[15:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “he does not slander upon his tongue.” For another example of רָגַל (ragal, “slander”) see 2 Sam 19:28.

[15:3]  ⁵ tn Or “his fellow.”

[15:3]  ⁶ tn Heb “and he does not lift up an insult against one who is near to him.”

[22:5]  ⁷ tn Or “were not ashamed.”

[38:19]  ⁸ tn Heb “and my enemies, life, are many.” The noun חַיִּים (khayyim, “life”) fits very awkwardly here. The translation assumes an emendation to חִנָּם (khinam, “without reason”; note the parallelism with שֶׁקֶר [sheqer, “falsely”] and see Pss 35:19; 69:4; Lam 3:52). The verb עָצַם (’atsam) can sometimes mean “are strong,” but here it probably focuses on numerical superiority (note the parallel verb רָבַב, ravav, “be many”).

[38:19]  ⁹ tn Heb “are many.”

[44:17]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “we have not forgotten you.” To “forget” God refers here to worshiping false gods and thereby refusing to recognize his sovereignty (see v. 20, as well as Deut 8:19; Judg 3:7; 1 Sam 12:9; Isa 17:10; Jer 3:21; Ps 9:17).Thus the translation “we have not rejected you” has been used.

[44:17]  ¹¹ tn Heb “and we did not deal falsely with your covenant.”

[58:8]  ¹² tn There is no “to be” verb in the Hebrew text at this point, but a jussive tone can be assumed based on vv. 6-7.

[58:8]  ¹³ tn Heb “like a melting snail [that] moves along.” A. Cohen (Psalms [SoBB], 184) explains that the text here alludes “to the popular belief that the slimy trail which the snail leaves in its track is the dissolution of its substance.”

[58:8]  ¹⁴ tn The words “let them be like” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. The jussive mood is implied from the preceding context, and “like” is understood by ellipsis (see the previous line).

[58:8]  ¹⁵ tn This rare word also appears in Job 3:16 and Eccles 6:3.

[80:18]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “and in your name we will call.”

[89:28]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “forever I will keep for him my loyal love and will make my covenant secure for him.”

[105:10]  ¹⁸ tn Or “eternal covenant.”

[111:5]  ¹⁹ tn Or “gave,” if the events of the exodus and conquest period (see v. 6, 9) are primarily in view.

[111:5]  ²⁰ tn Heb “those who fear him.”

[111:5]  ²¹ tn Or “he remembers his covenant forever” (see Ps 105:8).

[112:9]  ²² tn Heb “he scatters, he gives.”

[112:9]  ²³ tn Heb “stands forever.”

[112:9]  ²⁴ tn Heb “his horn will be lifted up in honor.” The horn of an ox underlies the metaphor (see Deut 33:17; 1 Kgs 22:11; Ps 92:10). The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 89:17, 24; 92:10; Lam 2:17).

[145:13]  ²⁵ tn Heb “a kingdom of all ages.”