Mazmur 144:15

144:15 How blessed are the people who experience these things! ¹ 

How blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!

Mazmur 128:2

128:2 You ²  will eat what you worked so hard to grow. ³ 

You will be blessed and secure. ⁴ 

Mazmur 106:3

106:3 How blessed are those who promote justice,

and do what is right all the time!

Mazmur 119:1

Psalm 119 ⁵ 

א (Alef)

119:1 How blessed are those whose actions are blameless, ⁶ 

who obey ⁷  the law of the Lord.

Mazmur 137:9

137:9 How blessed will be the one who grabs your babies

and smashes them on a rock! ⁸ 

Mazmur 32:1-2

Psalm 32 ⁹ 

By David; a well-written song. ¹⁰ 

32:1 How blessed ¹¹  is the one whose rebellious acts are forgiven, ¹² 

whose sin is pardoned! ¹³ 

32:2 How blessed is the one ¹⁴  whose wrongdoing the Lord does not punish, ¹⁵ 

in whose spirit there is no deceit. ¹⁶ 

Mazmur 84:12

84:12 O Lord who rules over all, ¹⁷ 

how blessed are those who trust in you! ¹⁸ 

Mazmur 119:2

119:2 How blessed are those who observe his rules,

and seek him with all their heart,

Mazmur 128:1

Psalm 128 ¹⁹ 

A song of ascents. ²⁰ 

128:1 How blessed is every one of the Lord’s loyal followers, ²¹ 

each one who keeps his commands! ²² 

Mazmur 146:5

146:5 How blessed is the one whose helper is the God of Jacob,

whose hope is in the Lord his God,

Mazmur 33:12

33:12 How blessed ²³  is the nation whose God is the Lord,

the people whom he has chosen to be his special possession. ²⁴ 

Mazmur 94:12

94:12 How blessed is the one ²⁵  whom you instruct, O Lord,

the one whom you teach from your law,

Mazmur 112:1

Psalm 112 ²⁶ 

112:1 Praise the Lord!

How blessed is the one ²⁷  who obeys ²⁸  the Lord,

who takes great delight in keeping his commands. ²⁹ 

Mazmur 137:8

137:8 O daughter Babylon, soon to be devastated! ³⁰ 

How blessed will be the one who repays you

for what you dished out to us! ³¹ 

Mazmur 16:2

16:2 I say to the Lord, “You are the Lord,

my only source of well-being.” ³² 

Mazmur 89:15

89:15 How blessed are the people who worship you! ³³ 

O Lord, they experience your favor. ³⁴ 

Mazmur 84:4-5

84:4 How blessed ³⁵  are those who live in your temple

and praise you continually! (Selah)

84:5 How blessed are those who ³⁶  find their strength in you,

and long to travel the roads that lead to your temple! ³⁷ 

Mazmur 127:5

127:5 How blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!

They will not be put to shame ³⁸  when they confront ³⁹  enemies at the city gate.

Mazmur 34:8

34:8 Taste ⁴⁰  and see that the Lord is good!

How blessed ⁴¹  is the one ⁴²  who takes shelter in him! ⁴³ 

Mazmur 40:4

40:4 How blessed ⁴⁴  is the one ⁴⁵  who trusts in the Lord ⁴⁶ 

and does not seek help from ⁴⁷  the proud or from liars! ⁴⁸ 

Mazmur 41:1

Psalm 41 ⁴⁹ 

For the music director; a psalm of David.

41:1 How blessed ⁵⁰  is the one who treats the poor properly! ⁵¹ 

When trouble comes, ⁵²  the Lord delivers him. ⁵³ 

Mazmur 1:1

Book 1
(Psalms 1-41)

Psalm 1 ⁵⁴ 

1:1 How blessed ⁵⁵  is the one ⁵⁶  who does not follow ⁵⁷  the advice ⁵⁸  of the wicked, ⁵⁹ 

or stand in the pathway ⁶⁰  with sinners,

or sit in the assembly ⁶¹  of scoffers! ⁶² 

Mazmur 41:2

41:2 May the Lord protect him and save his life! ⁶³ 

May he be blessed ⁶⁴  in the land!

Do not turn him over ⁶⁵  to his enemies! ⁶⁶ 

Mazmur 72:17

72:17 May his fame endure! ⁶⁷ 

May his dynasty last as long as the sun remains in the sky! ⁶⁸ 

May they use his name when they formulate their blessings! ⁶⁹ 

May all nations consider him to be favored by God! ⁷⁰ 

Mazmur 2:12

2:12 Give sincere homage! ⁷¹ 

Otherwise he ⁷²  will be angry, ⁷³ 

and you will die because of your behavior, ⁷⁴ 

when his anger quickly ignites. ⁷⁵ 

How blessed ⁷⁶  are all who take shelter in him! ⁷⁷ 

Mazmur 65:4

65:4 How blessed ⁷⁸  is the one whom you choose,

and allow to live in your palace courts. ⁷⁹ 

May we be satisfied with the good things of your house –

your holy palace. ⁸⁰ 

Mazmur 16:11

16:11 You lead me in ⁸¹  the path of life; ⁸² 

I experience absolute joy in your presence; ⁸³ 

you always give me sheer delight. ⁸⁴ 

Mazmur 116:15

116:15 The Lord values

the lives of his faithful followers. ⁸⁵ 

Mazmur 113:9

113:9 He makes the barren woman of the family ⁸⁶ 

a happy mother of children. ⁸⁷ 

Praise the Lord!

Mazmur 118:26

118:26 May the one who comes in the name of the Lord ⁸⁸  be blessed!

We will pronounce blessings on you ⁸⁹  in the Lord’s temple. ⁹⁰ 

Mazmur 128:5

128:5 May the Lord bless you ⁹¹  from Zion,

that you might see ⁹²  Jerusalem ⁹³  prosper

all the days of your life,

Mazmur 49:18

49:18 He pronounces this blessing on himself while he is alive:

“May men praise you, for you have done well!”

Mazmur 25:13

25:13 They experience his favor; ⁹⁴ 

their descendants ⁹⁵  inherit the land. ⁹⁶ 

Mazmur 37:4

37:4 Then you will take delight in the Lord, ⁹⁷ 

and he will answer your prayers. ⁹⁸ 

Mazmur 73:19

73:19 How desolate they become in a mere moment!

Terrifying judgments make their demise complete! ⁹⁹ 

Mazmur 119:3

119:3 who, moreover, do no wrong,

but follow in his footsteps. ¹⁰⁰ 

Mazmur 119:56

119:56 This ¹⁰¹  has been my practice,

for I observe your precepts.

Mazmur 122:9

122:9 For the sake of the temple of the Lord our God

I will pray for you to prosper. ¹⁰² 

Mazmur 68:6

68:6 God settles those who have been deserted in their own homes; ¹⁰³ 

he frees prisoners and grants them prosperity. ¹⁰⁴ 

But sinful rebels live in the desert. ¹⁰⁵ 

Mazmur 33:21

33:21 For our hearts rejoice in him,

for we trust in his holy name.

Mazmur 78:51

78:51 He struck down all the firstborn in Egypt,

the firstfruits of their reproductive power ¹⁰⁶  in the tents of Ham.

Mazmur 81:4

81:4 For observing the festival is a requirement for Israel; ¹⁰⁷ 

it is an ordinance given by the God of Jacob.

Mazmur 86:4

86:4 Make your servant ¹⁰⁸  glad,

for to you, O Lord, I pray! ¹⁰⁹ 

Mazmur 92:10

92:10 You exalt my horn like that of a wild ox. ¹¹⁰ 

I am covered ¹¹¹  with fresh oil.

Mazmur 112:2

112:2 His descendants ¹¹²  will be powerful on the earth;

the godly ¹¹³  will be blessed.

Mazmur 112:5

112:5 It goes well for the one ¹¹⁴  who generously lends money,

and conducts his business honestly. ¹¹⁵ 

Mazmur 21:6

21:6 For you grant him lasting blessings;

you give him great joy by allowing him into your presence. ¹¹⁶ 

Mazmur 37:37

37:37 Take note of the one who has integrity! Observe the godly! ¹¹⁷ 

For the one who promotes peace has a future. ¹¹⁸ 

Mazmur 39:13

39:13 Turn your angry gaze away from me, so I can be happy

before I pass away. ¹¹⁹ 

Mazmur 81:15

81:15 (May those who hate the Lord ¹²⁰  cower in fear ¹²¹  before him!

May they be permanently humiliated!) ¹²² 

Mazmur 90:15

90:15 Make us happy in proportion to the days you have afflicted us,

in proportion to the years we have experienced ¹²³  trouble!

Mazmur 97:12

97:12 You godly ones, rejoice in the Lord!

Give thanks to his holy name. ¹²⁴ 

Mazmur 144:12

144:12 Then ¹²⁵  our sons will be like plants,

that quickly grow to full size. ¹²⁶ 

Our daughters will be like corner pillars, ¹²⁷ 

carved like those in a palace. ¹²⁸ 

Mazmur 5:11

5:11 But may all who take shelter ¹²⁹  in you be happy! ¹³⁰ 

May they continually ¹³¹  shout for joy! ¹³² 

Shelter them ¹³³  so that those who are loyal to you ¹³⁴  may rejoice! ¹³⁵ 

Mazmur 43:4

43:4 Then I will go ¹³⁶  to the altar of God,

to the God who gives me ecstatic joy, ¹³⁷ 

so that I express my thanks to you, ¹³⁸  O God, my God, with a harp.

Mazmur 45:7

45:7 You love ¹³⁹  justice and hate evil. ¹⁴⁰ 

For this reason God, your God ¹⁴¹  has anointed you ¹⁴² 

with the oil of joy, ¹⁴³  elevating you above your companions. ¹⁴⁴ 

Mazmur 53:6

53:6 I wish the deliverance ¹⁴⁵  of Israel would come from Zion!

When God restores the well-being of his people, ¹⁴⁶ 

may Jacob rejoice, ¹⁴⁷ 

may Israel be happy! ¹⁴⁸ 

Mazmur 89:14

89:14 Equity and justice are the foundation of your throne. ¹⁴⁹ 

Loyal love and faithfulness characterize your rule. ¹⁵⁰ 

[144:15]  ¹ tn Heb “[O] the happiness of the people who [it is] such to them.”

[128:2]  ² tn The psalmist addresses the representative God-fearing man, as indicated by the references to “your wife” (v. 3) and “the man” (v. 4), as well as the second masculine singular pronominal and verbal forms in vv. 2-6.

[128:2]  ³ tn Heb “the work of your hands, indeed you will eat.”

[128:2]  ⁴ tn Heb “how blessed you [will be] and it will be good for you.”

[119:1]  ⁵ sn Psalm 119. The psalmist celebrates God’s law and the guidance it provides his people. He expresses his desire to know God’s law thoroughly so that he might experience the blessings that come to those who obey it. This lengthy psalm exhibits an elaborate acrostic pattern. The psalm is divided into twenty-two sections (corresponding to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet), each of which is comprised of eight verses. Each of the verses in the first section (vv. 1-8) begins with the letter alef (א), the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This pattern continues throughout the psalm as each new section highlights a successive letter of the alphabet. Each verse in section two (vv. 9-16) begins with the second letter of the alphabet, each verse in section three (vv. 17-24) with the third letter, etc. This rigid pattern creates a sense of order and completeness and may have facilitated memorization.

[119:1]  ⁶ tn Heb “[Oh] the happiness of those who are blameless of way.”

[119:1]  ⁷ tn Heb “walk in.”

[137:9]  ⁸ sn For other references to the wholesale slaughter of babies in the context of ancient Near Eastern warfare, see 2 Kgs 8:12; Isa 13:16; Hos 13:16; Nah 3:10.

[32:1]  ⁹ 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]  ¹⁰ 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]  ¹¹ 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]  ¹² tn Heb “lifted up.”

[32:1]  ¹³ tn Heb “covered over.”

[32:2]  ¹⁴ 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]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “blessed [is] the man to whom the Lord does not impute wrongdoing.”

[32:2]  ¹⁶ 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.

[84:12]  ¹⁷ tn Traditionally “Lord of hosts.”

[84:12]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “[Oh] the happiness [of] the man [who] trusts in you.” Hebrew literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The principle stated here is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, we translate the gender and age specific “man” with the plural “those.” The individual referred to here is representative of all followers of God, as the use of the plural form in v. 12b indicates.

[128:1]  ¹⁹ sn Psalm 128. The psalmist observes that the godly individual has genuine happiness because the Lord rewards such a person with prosperity and numerous children.

[128:1]  ²⁰ sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.

[128:1]  ²¹ tn Heb “every fearer of the Lord.”

[128:1]  ²² tn Heb “the one who walks in his ways.”

[33:12]  ²³ 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; 2:12; 34:9; 41:1; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).

[33:12]  ²⁴ tn Heb “inheritance.”

[94:12]  ²⁵ tn Heb “[Oh] the happiness [of] the man.” Hebrew wisdom 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. To facilitate modern application, we translate the gender and age specific “man” with the more neutral “one.” The generic masculine pronoun is used in v. 2.

[112:1]  ²⁶ sn Psalm 112. This wisdom psalm lists some of the benefits of living a godly life. The psalm is an acrostic. After the introductory call to praise, every poetic line (twenty-two in all) begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

[112:1]  ²⁷ tn Heb “[Oh] the happiness [of] the man.” Hebrew wisdom literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The individual is representative of a larger group, called the “godly” in vv. 3-4. The principle of the psalm is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender. To facilitate modern application, we translate the gender specific “man” with the more neutral “one.” The generic masculine pronoun is used in the following verses.

[112:1]  ²⁸ tn Heb “fears.”

[112:1]  ²⁹ tn Heb “in his commands he delights very much.” The words “in keeping” are supplied in the translation for clarification. Taking delight in the law is metonymic here for obeying God’s moral will. See Ps 1:2.

[137:8]  ³⁰ tn Heb “O devastated daughter of Babylon.” The psalmist dramatically anticipates Babylon’s demise.

[137:8]  ³¹ tn Heb “O the happiness of the one who repays you your wage which you paid to us.”

[16:2]  ³² tn Heb “my good [is] not beyond you.” For the use of the preposition עַל (’al) in the sense of “beyond,” see BDB 755 s.v. 2.

[89:15]  ³³ tn Heb “who know the shout.” “Shout” here refers to the shouts of the Lord’s worshipers (see Pss 27:6; 33:3; 47:5).

[89:15]  ³⁴ tn Heb “in the light of your face they walk.” The idiom “light of your face” probably refers to a smile (see Eccl 8:1), which in turn suggests favor and blessing (see Num 6:25; Pss 4:6; 31:16; 44:3; 67:1; 80:3, 7, 19; Dan 9:17).

[84:4]  ³⁵ 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).

[84:5]  ³⁶ tn Heb “[Oh] the happiness [of] the man.” Hebrew literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The principle stated here was certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, we translate the gender and age specific “man” with the plural “those.” The individual referred to in v. 5a is representative of followers of God, as the use of plural forms in vv. 5b-7 indicates.

[84:5]  ³⁷ tn Heb “roads [are] in their heart[s].” The roads are here those that lead to Zion (see v. 7).

[127:5]  ³⁸ tn Being “put to shame” is here metonymic for being defeated, probably in a legal context, as the reference to the city gate suggests. One could be humiliated (Ps 69:12) or deprived of justice (Amos 5:12) at the gate, but with strong sons to defend the family interests this was less likely to happen.

[127:5]  ³⁹ tn Heb “speak with.”

[34:8]  ⁴⁰ tn This verb is normally used of tasting or savoring food. The metaphor here appears to compare the Lord to a tasty meal.

[34:8]  ⁴¹ 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; 41:1; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).

[34:8]  ⁴² tn Heb “man.” The principle of the psalm is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, we translate the gender and age specific “man” with the more neutral “one.”

[34:8]  ⁴³ tn “Taking shelter” in the Lord is an idiom for seeking his protection. Seeking his protection presupposes and even demonstrates the subject’s loyalty to the Lord. In the psalms those who “take shelter” in the Lord are contrasted with the wicked and equated with those who love, fear, and serve the Lord (Pss 2:12; 5:11-12; 31:17-20; 34:21-22).

[40:4]  ⁴⁴ 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).

[40:4]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “man.” See the note on the word “one” in Ps 1:1.

[40:4]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “who has made the Lord his [object of] trust.”

[40:4]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “and does not turn toward.”

[40:4]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “those falling away toward a lie.”

[41:1]  ⁴⁹ sn Psalm 41. The psalmist is confident (vv. 11-12) that the Lord has heard his request to be healed (vv. 4-10), and he anticipates the joy he will experience when the Lord intervenes (vv. 1-3). One must assume that the psalmist is responding to a divine oracle of assurance (see P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 [WBC], 319-20). The final verse is a fitting conclusion to this psalm, but it is also serves as a fitting conclusion to the first “book” (or major editorial division) of the Psalter. Similar statements appear at or near the end of each of the second, third, and fourth “books” of the Psalter (see Pss 72:19, 89:52, and 106:48 respectively).

[41:1]  ⁵⁰ 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; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).

[41:1]  ⁵¹ sn One who treats the poor properly. The psalmist is characterizing himself as such an individual and supplying a reason why God has responded favorably to his prayer. The Lord’s attitude toward the merciful mirrors their treatment of the poor.

[41:1]  ⁵² tn Heb “in the day of trouble” (see Ps 27:5).

[41:1]  ⁵³ tn That is, the one who has been kind to the poor. The prefixed verbal form could be taken as jussive of prayer (“may the Lord deliver,” see v. 2), but the preceding parallel line is a declaration of fact, not a prayer per se. The imperfect can be taken here as future (“will deliver,” cf. NEB, NASB) or as generalizing (“delivers,” cf. NIV, NRSV). The parallel line, which has a generalizing tone, favors the latter. At the same time, though the psalmist uses a generalizing style here, he clearly has himself primarily in view.

[1:1]  ⁵⁴ sn Psalm 1. In this wisdom psalm the author advises his audience to reject the lifestyle of the wicked and to be loyal to God. The psalmist contrasts the destiny of the wicked with that of the righteous, emphasizing that the wicked are eventually destroyed while the godly prosper under the Lord’s protective care.

[1:1]  ⁵⁵ 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. 3; Pss 2:12; 34:9; 41:1; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).

[1:1]  ⁵⁶ tn Heb “[Oh] the happiness [of] the man.” Hebrew wisdom 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. To facilitate modern application, we translate the gender and age specific “man” with the more neutral “one.” (Generic “he” is employed in vv. 2-3). Since the godly man described in the psalm is representative of followers of God (note the plural form צַדִּיקִים [tsadiqim, “righteous, godly”] in vv. 5-6), one could translate the collective singular with the plural “those” both here and in vv. 2-3, where singular pronouns and verbal forms are utilized in the Hebrew text (cf. NRSV). However, here the singular form may emphasize that godly individuals are usually outnumbered by the wicked. Retaining the singular allows the translation to retain this emphasis.

[1:1]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “walk in.” The three perfect verbal forms in v. 1 refer in this context to characteristic behavior. The sequence “walk–stand–sit” envisions a progression from relatively casual association with the wicked to complete identification with them.

[1:1]  ⁵⁸ tn The Hebrew noun translated “advice” most often refers to the “counsel” or “advice” one receives from others. To “walk in the advice of the wicked” means to allow their evil advice to impact and determine one’s behavior.

[1:1]  ⁵⁹ tn In the psalms the Hebrew term רְשָׁעִים (rÿsha’im, “wicked”) describes people who are proud, practical atheists (Ps 10:2, 4, 11) who hate God’s commands, commit sinful deeds, speak lies and slander (Ps 50:16-20), and cheat others (Ps 37:21).

[1:1]  ⁶⁰ tn “Pathway” here refers to the lifestyle of sinners. To “stand in the pathway of/with sinners” means to closely associate with them in their sinful behavior.

[1:1]  ⁶¹ tn Here the Hebrew term מוֹשַׁב (moshav), although often translated “seat” (cf. NEB, NIV), appears to refer to the whole assembly of evildoers. The word also carries the semantic nuance “assembly” in Ps 107:32, where it is in synonymous parallelism with קָהָל (qahal, “assembly”).

[1:1]  ⁶² tn The Hebrew word refers to arrogant individuals (Prov 21:24) who love conflict (Prov 22:10) and vociferously reject wisdom and correction (Prov 1:22; 9:7-8; 13:1; 15:12). To “sit in the assembly” of such people means to completely identify with them in their proud, sinful plans and behavior.

[41:2]  ⁶³ tn The prefixed verbal forms are taken as jussives in the translation because the jussive is clearly used in the final line of the verse, suggesting that this is a prayer. The psalmist stops to pronounce a prayer of blessing on the godly individual envisioned in v. 1. Of course, he actually has himself primarily in view. He mixes confidence (vv. 1, 3) with petition (v. 2) because he stands in the interval between the word of assurance and the actual intervention by God.

[41:2]  ⁶⁴ tc The translation follows the consonantal Hebrew text (Kethib), which has a Pual (passive) prefixed form, regarded here as a jussive. The Pual of the verb אָשַׁר (’ashar) also appears in Prov 3:18. The marginal reading (Qere) assumes a vav (ו) consecutive and Pual perfect. Some, with the support of the LXX, change the verb to a Piel (active) form with an objective pronominal suffix, “and may he bless him,” or “and he will bless him” (cf. NIV).

[41:2]  ⁶⁵ tn The negative particle אַל (’al) before the prefixed verbal form indicates the verb is a jussive and the statement a prayer. Those who want to take v. 2 as a statement of confidence suggest emending the negative particle to לֹא (lo’), which is used with the imperfect. See the earlier note on the verbal forms in line one of this verse. According to GKC 322 §109.e, this is a case where the jussive is used rhetorically to “express that something cannot or should not happen.” In this case one might translate, “you will not turn him over to his enemies,” and take the preceding verbal forms as indicative in mood.

[41:2]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “do not give him over to the desire of his enemies” (see Ps 27:12).

[72:17]  ⁶⁷ tn Heb “may his name [be] permanent.” The prefixed verbal form is jussive, not imperfect.

[72:17]  ⁶⁸ tn Heb “before the sun may his name increase.” The Kethib (consonantal text) assumes יָנִין (yanin; a Hiphil of the verbal root נִין, nin) or יְנַיֵן (yÿnayen; a Piel form), while the Qere (marginal reading) assumes יִנּוֹן (yinnon; a Niphal form). The verb נִין occurs only here, though a derived noun, meaning “offspring,” appears elsewhere (see Isa 14:22). The verb appears to mean “propagate, increase” (BDB 630 s.v. נוּן, נִין) or “produce shoots, get descendants” (HALOT 696 s.v. נין). In this context this appears to be a prayer for a lasting dynasty that will keep the king’s name and memory alive.

[72:17]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “may they bless one another by him,” that is, use the king’s name in their blessing formulae because he is a prime example of one blessed by God (for examples of such blessing formulae, see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11). There is some debate on whether the Hitpael form of בָּרַךְ (barakh, “bless”) is reflexive-reciprocal (as assumed in the present translation) or passive. The Hitpael of בָּרַךְ occurs in five other passages, including the hotly debated Gen 22:18 and 26:4. In these two texts one could understand the verb form as passive and translate, “all the nations of the earth will be blessed through your offspring,” or one could take the Hitpael as reflexive or reciprocal and translate, “all the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings [i.e., on themselves or one another] by your offspring.” In the first instance Abraham’s (or Isaac’s) offspring are viewed as a channel of divine blessing. In the second instance they are viewed as a prime example of blessing that will appear as part of the nations’ blessing formulae, but not necessarily as a channel of blessing to the nations. In Deut 29:18 one reads: “When one hears the words of this covenant [or “oath”] and invokes a blessing on himself (Hitpael of בָּרַךְ) in his heart, saying: ‘I will have peace, even though I walk with a rebellious heart.’” In this case the Hitpael is clearly reflexive, as the phrases “in his heart” and “I will have peace” indicate. The Hitpael of בָּרַךְ appears twice in Isaiah 65:16: “The one who invokes a blessing on himself (see Deut 9:18) in the land will invoke that blessing by the God of truth; and the one who makes an oath in the land will make that oath by the God of truth.” A passive nuance does not fit here. The parallel line, which mentions making an oath, suggests that the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ refers here to invoking a blessing. Both pronouncements of blessing and oaths will appeal to God as the one who rewards and judges, respectively. Jer 4:2 states: “If you swear, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’ with truth, integrity, and honesty, then the nations will pronounce blessings by him and boast in him.” A passive nuance might work (“the nations will be blessed”), but the context refers to verbal pronouncements (swearing an oath, boasting), suggesting that the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ refers here to invoking a blessing. The logic of the verse seems to be as follows: If Israel conducts its affairs with integrity, the nation will be favored by the Lord, which will in turn attract the surrounding nations to Israel’s God. To summarize, while the evidence might leave the door open for a passive interpretation, there is no clear cut passive use. Usage favors a reflexive or reciprocal understanding of the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ. In Ps 72:17 the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ is followed by the prepositional phrase בוֹ (vo, “by him”). The verb could theoretically be taken as passive, “may all the nations be blessed through him” (cf. NIV, NRSV), because the preceding context describes the positive effects of this king’s rule on the inhabitants of the earth. But the parallel line, which employs the Piel of אָשַׁר (’ashar) in a factitive/declarative sense, “regard as happy, fortunate,” suggests a reflexive or reciprocal nuance for the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ here. If the nations regard the ideal king as a prime example of one who is fortunate or blessed, it is understandable that they would use his name in their pronouncements of blessing.

[72:17]  ⁷⁰ tn Heb “all the nations, may they regard him as happy.” The Piel is used here in a delocutive sense (“regard as”).

[2:12]  ⁷¹ tn Traditionally, “kiss the son” (KJV). But בַּר (bar) is the Aramaic word for “son,” not the Hebrew. For this reason many regard the reading as suspect. Some propose emendations of vv. 11b-12a. One of the more popular proposals is to read בִּרְעָדָה נַשְּׁקוּ לְרַגְלָיו (bir’adah nashÿqu lÿraslayv, “in trembling kiss his feet”). It makes better sense to understand בַּר (bar) as an adjective meaning “pure” (see Pss 24:4; 73:1 and BDB 141 s.v. בַּר 3) functioning here in an adverbial sense. If read this way, then the syntactical structure of exhortation (imperative followed by adverbial modifier) corresponds to the two preceding lines (see v. 11). The verb נָשַׁק (nashaq, “kiss”) refers metonymically to showing homage (see 1 Sam 10:1; Hos 13:2). The exhortation in v. 12a advocates a genuine expression of allegiance and warns against insincerity. When swearing allegiance, vassal kings would sometimes do so insincerely, with the intent of rebelling when the time was right. The so-called “Vassal Treaties of Esarhaddon” also warn against such an attitude. In this treaty the vassal is told: “If you, as you stand on the soil where this oath [is sworn], swear the oath with your words and lips [only], do not swear with your entire heart, do not transmit it to your sons who will live after this treaty, if you take this curse upon yourselves but do not plan to keep the treaty of Esarhaddon…may your sons and grandsons because of this fear in the future” (see J. B. Pritchard, ed., The Ancient Near East, 2:62).

[2:12]  ⁷² tn Throughout the translation of this verse the third person masculine pronouns refer to the Lord (cf. v. 11).

[2:12]  ⁷³ tn The implied subject of the verb is the Lord, mentioned in v. 11. Elsewhere the subject of this verb is consistently the Lord, suggesting it may be a technical term for divine anger. Anger is here used metonymically for judgment, as the following statement makes clear. A Moabite cognate occurs in the Mesha inscription, where it is used of the Moabite god Chemosh’s anger at his people (see J. B. Pritchard, ed., The Ancient Near East, 1:209).

[2:12]  ⁷⁴ tn Heb “and you will perish [in the] way.” The Hebrew word דֶּרֶךְ (derekh, “way”) here refers to their rebellious behavior (not to a pathway, as often understood). It functions syntactically as an adverbial accusative in relation to the verb “perish.”

[2:12]  ⁷⁵ tn Or “burns.” The Lord’s anger is compared here to fire, the most destructive force known in ancient Israel.

[2:12]  ⁷⁶ 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; 34:9; 41:1; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).

[2:12]  ⁷⁷ sn Who take shelter in him. “Taking shelter” in the Lord is an idiom for seeking his protection. Seeking his protection presupposes and even demonstrates the subject’s loyalty to the Lord. In the psalms those who “take shelter” in the Lord are contrasted with the wicked and equated with those who love, fear, and serve the Lord (Pss 5:11-12; 31:17-20; 34:21-22).

[65:4]  ⁷⁸ 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; 2:12; 34:9; 41:1; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).

[65:4]  ⁷⁹ tn Heb “[whom] you bring near [so that] he might live [in] your courts.”

[65:4]  ⁸⁰ tn Or “temple.”

[16:11]  ⁸¹ tn Heb “cause me to know”; or “cause me to experience.”

[16:11]  ⁸² tn This is a metaphorical way of saying, “you preserve my life.” The phrase “path of life” stands in contrast to death/Sheol in Prov 2:18-19; 5:5-6; 15:24.

[16:11]  ⁸³ tn Heb “abundance of joy [is] with your face.” The plural form of the noun שִׂמְחָה (simkhah, “joy”) occurs only here and in Ps 45:15. It may emphasize the degree of joy experienced.

[16:11]  ⁸⁴ tn Heb “delight [is] in your right hand forever.” The plural form of the adjective נָעִים (na’im, “pleasant, delightful”) may here emphasize the degree of delight experienced (see Job 36:11).

[116:15]  ⁸⁵ 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.

[113:9]  ⁸⁶ tn Heb “of the house.”

[113:9]  ⁸⁷ tn Heb “sons.”

[118:26]  ⁸⁸ sn The people refer here to the psalmist, who enters the Lord’s temple to thank him publicly (see vv. 19-21), as the one who comes in the name of the Lord.

[118:26]  ⁸⁹ tn The pronominal suffix is second masculine plural, but the final mem (ם) is probably dittographic (note the mem [מ] at the beginning of the following form) or enclitic, in which case the suffix may be taken as second masculine singular, referring to the psalmist.

[118:26]  ⁹⁰ tn Heb “from the house of the Lord.”

[128:5]  ⁹¹ tn The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive of prayer (note the imperatives that are subordinated to this clause in vv. 5b-6a). Having described the blessings that typically come to the godly, the psalmist concludes by praying that this ideal may become reality for the representative godly man being addressed.

[128:5]  ⁹² tn The imperative with prefixed vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding jussive.

[128:5]  ⁹³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[25:13]  ⁹⁴ tn Heb “his life in goodness dwells.” The singular is representative (see v. 14).

[25:13]  ⁹⁵ tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”

[25:13]  ⁹⁶ tn Or “earth.”

[37:4]  ⁹⁷ tn Following the imperatives of v. 3 the prefixed verbal forms with vav (ו) in v. 4 indicate result. Faith and obedience (v. 3) will bring divine blessing (v. 4).

[37:4]  ⁹⁸ tn Or “and he will give you what you desire most.” Heb “and he will grant to you the requests of your heart.”

[73:19]  ⁹⁹ tn Heb “they come to an end, they are finished, from terrors.”

[119:3]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Heb “walk in his ways.”

[119:56]  ¹⁰¹ 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.”

[122:9]  ¹⁰² tn Heb “I will seek good for you.” The psalmist will seek Jerusalem’s “good” through prayer.

[68:6]  ¹⁰³ tn Heb “God causes the solitary ones to dwell in a house.” The participle suggests this is what God typically does.

[68:6]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Heb “he brings out prisoners into prosperity.” Another option is to translate, “he brings out prisoners with singing” (cf. NIV). The participle suggests this is what God typically does.

[68:6]  ¹⁰⁵ tn Or “in a parched [land].”

[68:6]  sn God delivers the downtrodden and oppressed, but sinful rebels who oppose his reign are treated appropriately.

[78:51]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Heb “the beginning of strength.” If retained, the plural form אוֹנִים (’onim, “strength”) probably indicates degree (“great strength”), but many ancient witnesses read “their strength,” which presupposes an emendation to אֹנָם (’onam; singular form of the noun with third masculine plural pronominal suffix).

[81:4]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Heb “because a statute for Israel [is] it.”

[86:4]  ¹⁰⁸ tn Heb “the soul of your servant.”

[86:4]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Heb “I lift up my soul.”

[92:10]  ¹¹⁰ sn The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “to exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 75:10; 89:24; Lam 2:17).

[92:10]  ¹¹¹ tn The Hebrew verb בָּלַל (balal) usually has the nuance “to mix.” Here it seems to mean “to smear” or “to anoint.” Some emend the form to בַּלֹּתַנִי (ballotaniy; a second person form of the verb with a first person suffix) and read, “you anoint me.”

[112:2]  ¹¹² tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”

[112:2]  ¹¹³ tn Heb “His seed will be mighty on the earth, the generation of the godly.” The Hebrew term דוֹר (dor, “generation”) could be taken as parallel to “offspring” and translated “posterity,” but the singular more likely refers to the godly as a class. See BDB 189-90 s.v. for other examples where “generation” refers to a class of people.

[112:5]  ¹¹⁴ tn Heb “man.”

[112:5]  ¹¹⁵ tn Heb “he sustains his matters with justice.”

[21:6]  ¹¹⁶ tn Heb “you make him happy with joy with [i.e., “close by” or “in”] your face.” On the idiom “with your face” (i.e., “in your presence”) see Ps 16:11 and BDB 816 s.v. פָּנֻה II.2.a.

[37:37]  ¹¹⁷ tn Or “upright.”

[37:37]  ¹¹⁸ tn Heb “for [there is] an end for a man of peace.” Some interpret אַחֲרִית (’akharit, “end”) as referring to offspring (see the next verse and Ps 109:13; cf. NEB, NRSV).

[39:13]  ¹¹⁹ tn Heb “Gaze away from me and I will smile before I go and am not.” The precise identification of the initial verb form (הָשַׁע, hasha’) is uncertain. It could be from the root שָׁעָע (sha’a’, “smear”), but “your eyes” would be the expected object in this case (see Isa 6:10). The verb may be an otherwise unattested Hiphil form of שָׁעָה (sha’ah, “to gaze”) meaning “cause your gaze to be.” Some prefer to emend the form to the Qal שְׁעֵה (shÿ’eh, “gaze”; see Job 14:6). If one does read a form of the verb “to gaze,” the angry divine “gaze” of discipline would seem to be in view (see vv. 10-11). For a similar expression of this sentiment see Job 10:20-21.

[81:15]  ¹²⁰ tn “Those who hate the Lord” are also mentioned in 2 Chr 19:2 and Ps 139:21.

[81:15]  ¹²¹ tn See Deut 33:29; Ps 66:3 for other uses of the verb כָּחַשׁ (kakhash) in the sense “cower in fear.” In Ps 18:44 the verb seems to carry the nuance “to be weak; to be powerless” (see also Ps 109:24). The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive, parallel to the jussive form in the next line.

[81:15]  ¹²² tc Heb “and may their time be forever.” The Hebrew term עִתָּם (’ittam, “their time”) must refer here to the “time” of the demise and humiliation of those who hate the Lord. Some propose an emendation to בַּעֲתָתָם (ba’atatam) or בִּעֻתָם (bi’utam; “their terror”; i.e., “may their terror last forever”), but the omission of bet (ב) in the present Hebrew text is difficult to explain, making the proposed emendation unlikely.

[81:15]  tn The verb form at the beginning of the line is jussive, indicating that this is a prayer. The translation assumes that v. 15 is a parenthetical “curse” offered by the psalmist. Having heard the reference to Israel’s enemies (v. 14), the psalmist inserts this prayer, reminding the Lord that they are God’s enemies as well.

[90:15]  ¹²³ tn Heb “have seen.”

[97:12]  ¹²⁴ tn Heb “to his holy remembrance.” The Hebrew noun זָכַר (zakhar, “remembrance”) here refers to the name of the Lord as invoked in liturgy and praise. Cf. Pss 6:5; 30:4. The Lord’s “name” is “holy” in the sense that it is a reminder of his uniqueness and greatness.

[144:12]  ¹²⁵ tn Some consider אֲשֶׁר (’asher) problematic, but here it probably indicates the anticipated consequence of the preceding request. (For other examples of אֲשֶׁר indicating purpose/result, see BDB 83 s.v. and HALOT 99 s.v.) If the psalmist – who appears to be a Davidic king preparing to fight a battle (see vv. 10-11) – is victorious, the whole nation will be spared invasion and defeat (see v. 14) and can flourish. Some prefer to emend the form to אַשְׁרֵי (“how blessed [are our sons]”). A suffixed noun sometimes follows אַשְׁרֵי (’ashrey; see 1 Kgs 10:8; Prov 20:7), but the presence of a comparative element (see “like plants”) after the suffixed noun makes the proposed reading too awkward syntactically.

[144:12]  ¹²⁶ tn Heb “grown up in their youth.” The translation assumes that “grown up” modifies “plants” (just as “carved” modifies “corner pillars” in the second half of the verse). Another option is to take “grown up” as a predicate in relation to “our sons,” in which case one might translate, “they will be strapping youths.”

[144:12]  ¹²⁷ tn The Hebrew noun occurs only here and in Zech 9:15, where it refers to the corners of an altar.

[144:12]  ¹²⁸ tn Heb “carved [in] the pattern of a palace.”

[5:11]  ¹²⁹ sn Take shelter. “Taking shelter” in the Lord is an idiom for seeking his protection. Seeking his protection presupposes and even demonstrates the subject’s loyalty to the Lord. In the psalms those who “take shelter” in the Lord are contrasted with the wicked and equated with those who love, fear and serve the Lord (Pss 5:11-12; 31:17-20; 34:21-22).

[5:11]  ¹³⁰ tn The prefixed verbal form is a jussive of wish or prayer. The psalmist calls on God to reward his faithful followers.

[5:11]  ¹³¹ tn Or perhaps more hyperbolically, “forever.”

[5:11]  ¹³² tn As in the preceding line, the prefixed verbal form is a jussive of wish or prayer.

[5:11]  ¹³³ tn Heb “put a cover over them.” The verb form is a Hiphil imperfect from סָכַךְ (sakhakh, “cover, shut off”). The imperfect expresses the psalmist’s wish or request.

[5:11]  ¹³⁴ tn Heb “the lovers of your name.” The phrase refers to those who are loyal to the Lord. See Pss 69:36; 119:132; Isa 56:6.

[5:11]  ¹³⁵ tn The vav (ו) with prefixed verbal form following the volitional “shelter them” indicates purpose or result (“so that those…may rejoice).

[43:4]  ¹³⁶ tn The cohortative expresses the psalmist’s resolve. Prefixed with the vav (ו) conjunctive it also expresses the result or outcome of the preceding verbs “lead” and “escort.”

[43:4]  ¹³⁷ tn Heb “to God, the joy of my happiness.” The phrase “joy of my happiness” employs an appositional genitive. Synonyms are joined in a construct relationship to emphasize the degree of the psalmist’s joy. For a detailed discussion of the grammatical point with numerous examples, see Y. Avishur, “Pairs of Synonymous Words in the Construct State (and in Appositional Hendiadys) in Biblical Hebrew,” Semitics 2 (1971): 17-81.

[43:4]  ¹³⁸ tn The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive probably indicates purpose (“so that”) or intention.

[45:7]  ¹³⁹ sn To love justice means to actively promote it.

[45:7]  ¹⁴⁰ sn To hate evil means to actively oppose it.

[45:7]  ¹⁴¹ tn For other examples of the repetition of Elohim, “God,” see Pss 43:4; 48:8, 14; 50:7; 51:14; 67:7. Because the name Yahweh (“Lord”) is relatively rare in Pss 42-83, where the name Elohim (“God”) predominates, this compounding of Elohim may be an alternative form of the compound name “the Lord my/your/our God.”

[45:7]  ¹⁴² sn Anointed you. When read in the light of the preceding context, the anointing is most naturally taken as referring to the king’s coronation. However, the following context (vv. 8-9) focuses on the wedding ceremony, so some prefer to see this anointing as part of the king’s preparations for the wedding celebration. Perhaps the reference to his anointing at his coronation facilitates the transition to the description of the wedding, for the king was also anointed on this occasion.

[45:7]  ¹⁴³ sn The phrase oil of joy alludes to the fact that the coronation of the king, which was ritually accomplished by anointing his head with olive oil, was a time of great celebration and renewed hope. (If one understands the anointing in conjunction with the wedding ceremony, the “joy” would be that associated with the marriage.) The phrase “oil of joy” also appears in Isa 61:3, where mourners are granted “oil of joy” in conjunction with their deliverance from oppression.

[45:7]  ¹⁴⁴ tn Heb “from your companions.” The “companions” are most naturally understood as others in the royal family or, more generally, as the king’s countrymen.

[45:7]  sn Verses 6-7 are quoted in Heb 1:8-9, where they are applied to Jesus.

[53:6]  ¹⁴⁵ tn This refers metonymically to God, the one who lives in Zion and provides deliverance for Israel.

[53:6]  ¹⁴⁶ tn Heb “turns with a turning [toward] his people.” The Hebrew term שְׁבוּת (shÿvut) is apparently a cognate accusative of שׁוּב (shuv).

[53:6]  ¹⁴⁷ tn The verb form is jussive.

[53:6]  ¹⁴⁸ tn Because the parallel verb is jussive, this verb, which is ambiguous in form, should be taken as a jussive as well.

[89:14]  ¹⁴⁹ sn The Lord’s throne symbolizes his kingship.

[89:14]  ¹⁵⁰ tn Heb “are in front of your face.” The idiom can mean “confront” (Ps 17:13) or “meet, enter the presence of” (Ps 95:2).