Mazmur 89:14-17

89:14 Equity and justice are the foundation of your throne. ¹ 

Loyal love and faithfulness characterize your rule. ² 

89:15 How blessed are the people who worship you! ³ 

O Lord, they experience your favor. ⁴ 

89:16 They rejoice in your name all day long,

and are vindicated ⁵  by your justice.

89:17 For you give them splendor and strength. ⁶ 

By your favor we are victorious. ⁷ 

[89:14]  ¹ sn The Lord’s throne symbolizes his kingship.

[89:14]  ² 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).

[89:15]  ³ 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]  ⁴ 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).

[89:16]  ⁵ tn Heb “are lifted up.”

[89:17]  ⁶ tn Heb “for the splendor of their strength [is] you.”

[89:17]  ⁷ tn Heb “you lift up our horn,” or if one follows the marginal reading (Qere), “our horn is lifted up.” 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 75:10; 89:24; 92:10; Lam 2:17).