Mazmur 84:1-12
KonteksFor the music director; according to the gittith style; 2 written by the Korahites, a psalm.
84:1 How lovely is the place where you live, 3
O Lord who rules over all! 4
84:2 I desperately want to be 5
in the courts of the Lord’s temple. 6
My heart and my entire being 7 shout for joy
to the living God.
84:3 Even the birds find a home there,
and the swallow 8 builds a nest,
where she can protect her young 9
near your altars, O Lord who rules over all,
my king and my God.
84:4 How blessed 10 are those who live in your temple
and praise you continually! (Selah)
84:5 How blessed are those who 11 find their strength in you,
and long to travel the roads that lead to your temple! 12
84:6 As they pass through the Baca Valley, 13
he provides a spring for them. 14
The rain 15 even covers it with pools of water. 16
84:7 They are sustained as they travel along; 17
each one appears 18 before God in Zion.
84:8 O Lord, sovereign God, 19
hear my prayer!
Listen, O God of Jacob! (Selah)
84:9 O God, take notice of our shield! 20
Show concern for your chosen king! 21
84:10 Certainly 22 spending just one day in your temple courts is better
than spending a thousand elsewhere. 23
I would rather stand at the entrance 24 to the temple of my God
than live 25 in the tents of the wicked.
84:11 For the Lord God is our sovereign protector. 26
The Lord bestows favor 27 and honor;
he withholds no good thing from those who have integrity. 28
84:12 O Lord who rules over all, 29
how blessed are those who trust in you! 30
Mazmur 120:1--134:3
KonteksA song of ascents. 32
120:1 In my distress I cried out
to the Lord and he answered me.
120:2 I said, 33 “O Lord, rescue me 34
from those who lie with their lips 35
and those who deceive with their tongue. 36
120:3 How will he severely punish you,
you deceptive talker? 37
120:4 Here’s how! 38 With the sharp arrows of warriors,
with arrowheads forged over the hot coals. 39
For I have lived temporarily 41 in Meshech;
I have resided among the tents of Kedar. 42
120:6 For too long I have had to reside
with those who hate 43 peace.
120:7 I am committed to peace, 44
but when I speak, they want to make war. 45
A song of ascents. 47
121:1 I look up 48 toward the hills.
From where 49 does my help come?
121:2 My help comes from the Lord, 50
the Creator 51 of heaven and earth!
121:3 May he not allow your foot to slip!
May your protector 52 not sleep! 53
121:4 Look! Israel’s protector 54
does not sleep or slumber!
121:5 The Lord is your protector;
the Lord is the shade at your right hand.
121:6 The sun will not harm you by day,
or the moon by night. 55
121:7 The Lord will protect you from all harm;
he will protect your life.
121:8 The Lord will protect you in all you do, 56
now and forevermore.
A song of ascents, 58 by David.
122:1 I was glad because 59 they said to me,
“We will go to the Lord’s temple.”
122:2 Our feet are 60 standing
inside your gates, O Jerusalem.
122:3 Jerusalem 61 is a city designed
to accommodate an assembly. 62
122:4 The tribes go up 63 there, 64
the tribes of the Lord,
where it is required that Israel
give thanks to the name of the Lord. 65
122:5 Indeed, 66 the leaders sit 67 there on thrones and make legal decisions,
on the thrones of the house of David. 68
122:6 Pray 69 for the peace of Jerusalem!
May those who love her prosper! 70
122:7 May there be peace inside your defenses,
and prosperity 71 inside your fortresses! 72
122:8 For the sake of my brothers and my neighbors
I will say, “May there be peace in you!”
122:9 For the sake of the temple of the Lord our God
I will pray for you to prosper. 73
A song of ascents. 75
123:1 I look up 76 toward you,
the one enthroned 77 in heaven.
123:2 Look, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a female servant look to the hand of her mistress, 78
so my eyes will look to the Lord, our God, until he shows us favor.
123:3 Show us favor, O Lord, show us favor!
For we have had our fill of humiliation, and then some. 79
of the taunts of the self-assured,
of the contempt of the proud.
A song of ascents, 82 by David.
124:1 “If the Lord had not been on our side” –
let Israel say this! –
124:2 if the Lord had not been on our side,
when men attacked us, 83
124:3 they would have swallowed us alive,
when their anger raged against us.
124:4 The water would have overpowered us;
the current 84 would have overwhelmed 85 us. 86
124:5 The raging water
would have overwhelmed us. 87
124:6 The Lord deserves praise, 88
for 89 he did not hand us over as prey to their teeth.
124:7 We escaped with our lives, 90 like a bird from a hunter’s snare.
The snare broke, and we escaped.
124:8 Our deliverer is the Lord, 91
the Creator 92 of heaven and earth.
A song of ascents. 94
125:1 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion;
it cannot be upended and will endure forever.
125:2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, 95
so the Lord surrounds his people,
now and forevermore.
125:3 Indeed, 96 the scepter of a wicked king 97 will not settle 98
upon the allotted land of the godly.
Otherwise the godly might
do what is wrong. 99
125:4 Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
to the morally upright! 100
125:5 As for those who are bent on traveling a sinful path, 101
may the Lord remove them, 102 along with those who behave wickedly! 103
May Israel experience peace! 104
A song of ascents. 106
126:1 When the Lord restored the well-being of Zion, 107
we thought we were dreaming. 108
126:2 At that time we laughed loudly
and shouted for joy. 109
At that time the nations said, 110
“The Lord has accomplished great things for these people.”
126:3 The Lord did indeed accomplish great things for us.
We were happy.
126:4 O Lord, restore our well-being,
just as the streams in the arid south are replenished. 111
126:5 Those who shed tears as they plant
will shout for joy when they reap the harvest. 112
126:6 The one who weeps as he walks along, carrying his bag 113 of seed,
will certainly come in with a shout of joy, carrying his sheaves of grain. 114
A song of ascents, 116 by Solomon.
127:1 If the Lord does not build a house, 117
then those who build it work in vain.
If the Lord does not guard a city, 118
then the watchman stands guard in vain.
127:2 It is vain for you to rise early, come home late,
and work so hard for your food. 119
Yes, 120 he can provide for those whom he loves even when they sleep. 121
127:3 Yes, 122 sons 123 are a gift from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb is a reward.
127:4 Sons born during one’s youth
are like arrows in a warrior’s hand. 124
127:5 How blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!
They will not be put to shame 125 when they confront 126 enemies at the city gate.
A song of ascents. 128
128:1 How blessed is every one of the Lord’s loyal followers, 129
each one who keeps his commands! 130
128:2 You 131 will eat what you worked so hard to grow. 132
You will be blessed and secure. 133
128:3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine 134
in the inner rooms of your house;
your children 135 will be like olive branches,
as they sit all around your table.
128:4 Yes indeed, the man who fears the Lord
will be blessed in this way. 136
128:5 May the Lord bless you 137 from Zion,
that you might see 138 Jerusalem 139 prosper
all the days of your life,
128:6 and that you might see 140 your grandchildren. 141
May Israel experience peace! 142
A song of ascents. 144
129:1 “Since my youth they have often attacked me,”
let Israel say.
129:2 “Since my youth they have often attacked me,
but they have not defeated me.
129:3 The plowers plowed my back;
they made their furrows long.
129:4 The Lord is just;
he cut the ropes of the wicked.” 145
129:5 May all who hate Zion
be humiliated and turned back!
129:6 May they be like the grass on the rooftops
which withers before one can even pull it up, 146
129:7 which cannot fill the reaper’s hand,
or the lap of the one who gathers the grain!
129:8 Those who pass by will not say, 147
“May you experience the Lord’s blessing!
We pronounce a blessing on you in the name of the Lord.”
A song of ascents. 149
130:1 From the deep water 150 I cry out to you, O Lord.
130:2 O Lord, listen to me! 151
Pay attention to 152 my plea for mercy!
130:3 If you, O Lord, were to keep track of 153 sins,
O Lord, who could stand before you? 154
130:4 But 155 you are willing to forgive, 156
so that you might 157 be honored. 158
I rely on him with my whole being; 160
I wait for his assuring word. 161
130:6 I yearn for the Lord, 162
more than watchmen do for the morning,
yes, more than watchmen do for the morning. 163
130:7 O Israel, hope in the Lord,
for the Lord exhibits loyal love, 164
and is more than willing to deliver. 165
130:8 He will deliver 166 Israel
from all the consequences of their sins. 167
A song of ascents, 169 by David.
131:1 O Lord, my heart is not proud,
nor do I have a haughty look. 170
I do not have great aspirations,
or concern myself with things that are beyond me. 171
131:2 Indeed 172 I am composed and quiet, 173
like a young child carried by its mother; 174
I am content like the young child I carry. 175
131:3 O Israel, hope in the Lord
now and forevermore!
A song of ascents. 177
132:1 O Lord, for David’s sake remember
all his strenuous effort, 178
132:2 and how he made a vow to the Lord,
and swore an oath to the powerful ruler of Jacob. 179
132:3 He said, 180 “I will not enter my own home, 181
or get into my bed. 182
132:4 I will not allow my eyes to sleep,
or my eyelids to slumber,
132:5 until I find a place for the Lord,
a fine dwelling place 183 for the powerful ruler of Jacob.” 184
132:6 Look, we heard about it 185 in Ephrathah, 186
we found it in the territory of Jaar. 187
132:7 Let us go to his dwelling place!
Let us worship 188 before his footstool!
132:8 Ascend, O Lord, to your resting place,
you and the ark of your strength!
132:9 May your priests be clothed with integrity! 189
May your loyal followers shout for joy!
132:10 For the sake of David, your servant,
do not reject your chosen king! 190
132:11 The Lord made a reliable promise to David; 191
he will not go back on his word. 192
He said, 193 “I will place one of your descendants 194 on your throne.
132:12 If your sons keep my covenant
and the rules I teach them,
their sons will also sit on your throne forever.”
132:13 Certainly 195 the Lord has chosen Zion;
he decided to make it his home. 196
132:14 He said, 197 “This will be my resting place forever;
I will live here, for I have chosen it. 198
132:15 I will abundantly supply what she needs; 199
I will give her poor all the food they need. 200
132:16 I will protect her priests, 201
and her godly people will shout exuberantly. 202
132:17 There I will make David strong; 203
I have determined that my chosen king’s dynasty will continue. 204
132:18 I will humiliate his enemies, 205
and his crown will shine.
A song of ascents, 207 by David.
133:1 Look! How good and how pleasant it is
when brothers live together! 208
133:2 It is like fine oil poured on the head
which flows down the beard 209 –
Aaron’s beard,
and then flows down his garments. 210
133:3 It is like the dew of Hermon, 211
which flows down upon the hills of Zion. 212
Indeed 213 that is where the Lord has decreed
a blessing will be available – eternal life. 214
A song of ascents. 216
134:1 Attention! 217 Praise the Lord,
all you servants of the Lord,
who serve 218 in the Lord’s temple during the night.
134:2 Lift your hands toward the sanctuary
and praise the Lord!
134:3 May the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth,
[84:1] 1 sn Psalm 84. The psalmist expresses his desire to be in God’s presence in the Jerusalem temple, for the Lord is the protector of his people.
[84:1] 2 tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew term הַגִּתִּית (haggittit) is uncertain; it probably refers to a musical style or instrument.
[84:1] 3 tn Or “your dwelling place[s].” The plural form of the noun may indicate degree or quality; this is the
[84:1] 4 tn Traditionally, “
[84:2] 5 tn Heb “my soul longs, it even pines for.”
[84:2] 6 tn Heb “the courts of the
[84:2] 7 tn Heb “my flesh,” which stands for his whole person and being.
[84:3] 8 tn The word translated “swallow” occurs only here and in Prov 26:2.
[84:3] 9 tn Heb “even a bird finds a home, and a swallow a nest for herself, [in] which she places her young.”
[84:3] sn The psalmist here romanticizes the temple as a place of refuge and safety. As he thinks of the birds nesting near its roof, he envisions them finding protection in God’s presence.
[84:4] 10 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] 11 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] 12 tn Heb “roads [are] in their heart[s].” The roads are here those that lead to Zion (see v. 7).
[84:6] 13 tn The translation assumes that the Hebrew phrase עֵמֶק הַבָּכָא (’emeq habbakha’) is the name of an otherwise unknown arid valley through which pilgrims to Jerusalem passed. The term בָּכָא (bakha’) may be the name of a particular type of plant or shrub that grew in this valley. O. Borowski (Agriculture in Iron Age Israel, 130) suggests it is the black mulberry. Some take the phrase as purely metaphorical and relate בָּכָא to the root בָּכָה (bakhah, “to weep”). In this case one might translate, “the valley of weeping” or “the valley of affliction.”
[84:6] 14 tc The MT reads “a spring they make it,” but this makes little sense. Many medieval Hebrew
[84:6] 15 tn This rare word may refer to the early (or autumn) rains (see Joel 2:23).
[84:6] 16 tc The MT reads בְּרָכוֹת (bÿrakhot, “blessings”) but the preceding reference to a “spring” favors an emendation to בְּרֵכוֹת (bÿrekhot, “pools”).
[84:6] sn Pools of water. Because water is so necessary for life, it makes an apt symbol for divine favor and blessing. As the pilgrims traveled to Jerusalem, God provided for their physical needs and gave them a token of his favor and of the blessings awaiting them at the temple.
[84:7] 17 tn Heb “they go from strength to strength.” The phrase “from strength to strength” occurs only here in the OT. With a verb of motion, the expression “from [common noun] to [same common noun]” normally suggests movement from one point to another or through successive points (see Num 36:7; 1 Chr 16:20; 17:5; Ps 105:13; Jer 25:32). Ps 84:7 may be emphasizing that the pilgrims move successively from one “place of strength” to another as they travel toward Jerusalem. All along the way they find adequate provisions and renewed energy for the trip.
[84:7] 18 tn The psalmist returns to the singular (see v. 5a), which he uses in either a representative or distributive (“each one” ) sense.
[84:8] 19 tn Heb “
[84:9] 20 tn The phrase “our shield” refers metaphorically to the Davidic king, who, as God’s vice-regent, was the human protector of the people. Note the parallelism with “your anointed one” here and with “our king” in Ps 89:18.
[84:9] 21 tn Heb “look [on] the face of your anointed one.” The Hebrew phrase מְשִׁיחֶךָ (mÿshikhekha, “your anointed one”) refers here to the Davidic king (see Pss 2:2; 18:50; 20:6; 28:8; 89:38, 51; 132:10, 17).
[84:10] 23 tn Heb “better is a day in your courts than a thousand [spent elsewhere].”
[84:10] 24 tn Heb “I choose being at the entrance of the house of my God over living in the tents of the wicked.” The verb סָפַף (safaf) appears only here in the OT; it is derived from the noun סַף (saf, “threshold”). Traditionally some have interpreted this as a reference to being a doorkeeper at the temple, though some understand it to mean “lie as a beggar at the entrance to the temple” (see HALOT 765 s.v. ספף).
[84:10] 25 tn The verb דּוּר (dur, “to live”) occurs only here in the OT.
[84:11] 26 tn Heb “[is] a sun and a shield.” The epithet “sun,” though rarely used of Israel’s God in the OT, was a well-attested royal title in the ancient Near East. For several examples from Ugaritic texts, the Amarna letters, and Assyrian royal inscriptions, see R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 131, n. 2.
[84:11] 28 tn Heb “he does not withhold good to those walking in integrity.”
[84:12] 29 tn Traditionally “
[84:12] 30 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.
[120:1] 31 sn Psalm 120. The genre and structure of this psalm are uncertain. It begins like a thanksgiving psalm, with a brief notice that God has heard the psalmist’s prayer for help and has intervened. But v. 2 is a petition for help, followed by a taunt directed toward enemies (vv. 3-4) and a lament (vv. 5-7). Perhaps vv. 2-7 recall the psalmist’s prayer when he cried out to the Lord.
[120:1] 32 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.
[120:2] 33 tn The words “I said” are supplied in the translation for clarification. See the introductory note for this psalm.
[120:2] 35 tn Heb “from a lip of falsehood.”
[120:2] 36 tn Heb “from a tongue of deception.”
[120:3] 37 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
[120:4] 38 tn The words “here’s how” are supplied in the translation as a clarification. In v. 4 the psalmist answers the question he raises in v. 3.
[120:4] 39 tn Heb “with coals of the wood of the broom plant.” The wood of the broom plant was used to make charcoal, which in turn was used to fuel the fire used to forge the arrowheads.
[120:5] 40 tn Or “woe to me.” The Hebrew term אוֹיָה (’oyah, “woe”) which occurs only here, is an alternate form of אוֹי (’oy).
[120:5] 41 tn Heb “I live as a resident alien.”
[120:5] 42 sn Meshech was located in central Anatolia (modern Turkey). Kedar was located in the desert to east-southeast of Israel. Because of the reference to Kedar, it is possible that Ps 120:5 refers to a different Meshech, perhaps one associated with the individual mentioned as a descendant of Aram in 1 Chr 1:17. (However, the LXX in 1 Chr 1:17 follows the parallel text in Gen 10:23, which reads “Mash,” not Meshech.) It is, of course, impossible that the psalmist could have been living in both the far north and the east at the same time. For this reason one must assume that he is recalling his experience as a wanderer among the nations or that he is using the geographical terms metaphorically and sarcastically to suggest that the enemies who surround him are like the barbarians who live in these distant regions. For a discussion of the problem, see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 146.
[120:6] 43 tn The singular participial form probably has a representative function here. The psalmist envisions the typical hater of peace who represents the entire category of such individuals.
[120:7] 45 tn Heb “they [are] for war.”
[121:1] 46 sn Psalm 121. The psalm affirms that the Lord protects his people Israel. Unless the psalmist addresses an observer (note the second person singular forms in vv. 3-8), it appears there are two or three speakers represented in the psalm, depending on how one takes v. 3. The translation assumes that speaker one talks in vv. 1-2, that speaker two responds to him with a prayer in v. 3 (this assumes the verbs are true jussives of prayer), and that speaker three responds with words of assurance in vv. 4-8. If the verbs in v. 3 are taken as a rhetorical use of the jussive, then there are two speakers. Verses 3-8 are speaker two’s response to the words of speaker one. See the note on the word “sleep” at the end of v. 3.
[121:1] 47 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.
[121:1] 48 tn Heb “I lift my eyes.”
[121:1] 49 tn The Hebrew term מֵאַיִן (me’ayin) is interrogative, not relative, in function. Rather than directly stating that his source of help descends from the hills, the psalmist is asking, “From where does my help come?” Nevertheless, the first line does indicate that he is looking toward the hills for help, probably indicating that he is looking up toward the sky in anticipation of supernatural intervention. The psalmist assumes the dramatic role of one needing help. He answers his own question in v. 2.
[121:2] 50 tn Heb “my help [is] from with the
[121:3] 52 tn Heb “the one who guards you.”
[121:3] 53 tn The prefixed verbal forms following the negative particle אל appear to be jussives. As noted above, if they are taken as true jussives of prayer, then the speaker in v. 3 would appear to be distinct from both the speaker in vv. 1-2 and the speaker in vv. 4-8. However, according to GKC 322 §109.e), the jussives are used rhetorically here “to express the conviction that something cannot or should not happen.” In this case one should probably translate, “he will not allow your foot to slip, your protector will not sleep,” and understand just one speaker in vv. 4-8.
[121:4] 54 tn Heb “the one who guards Israel.”
[121:6] 55 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.
[121:8] 56 tn Heb “your going out and your coming in.”
[122:1] 57 sn Psalm 122. The psalmist expresses his love for Jerusalem and promises to pray for the city’s security.
[122:1] 58 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.
[122:1] 59 tn Heb “in the ones saying to me.” After the verb שָׂמַח (samakh), the preposition בְּ (bet) usually introduces the reason for joy.
[122:3] 61 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[122:3] 62 tc Heb “Jerusalem, which is built like a city which is joined to her together.” The meaning of the Hebrew text is unclear. Many regard this as a description of the compact way in which the city was designed or constructed. The translation assumes an emendation of the verb חֻבְּרָה (khubbÿrah, “is joined”) to a noun חֶבְרָה (khevrah, “association; company”). The text then reads literally, “Jerusalem, which is built like a city which has a company together.” This in turn can be taken as a reference to Jerusalem’s role as a city where people congregated for religious festivals and other civic occasions (see vv. 4-5).
[122:4] 64 tn Heb “which is where the tribes go up.”
[122:4] 65 tn Heb “[it is] a statute for Israel to give thanks to the name of the
[122:5] 68 tn Heb “Indeed, there they sit [on] thrones for judgment, [on] thrones [belonging] to the house of David.”
[122:6] 69 tn Heb “ask [for].”
[122:7] 72 tn The psalmist uses second feminine singular pronominal forms to address personified Jerusalem.
[122:9] 73 tn Heb “I will seek good for you.” The psalmist will seek Jerusalem’s “good” through prayer.
[123:1] 74 sn Psalm 123. The psalmist, speaking for God’s people, acknowledges his dependence on God in the midst of a crisis.
[123:1] 75 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.
[123:1] 76 tn Heb “I lift my eyes.”
[123:1] 77 tn Heb “sitting.” The Hebrew verb יָשַׁב (yashav) is here used metonymically of “sitting enthroned” (see Pss 9:7; 29:10; 55:19; 102:12).
[123:2] 78 sn Servants look to their master for food, shelter, and other basic needs.
[123:3] 79 tn Heb “for greatly we are filled [with] humiliation.”
[123:4] 80 tn Heb “greatly our soul is full to it.”
[124:1] 81 sn Psalm 124. Israel acknowledges that the Lord delivered them from certain disaster.
[124:1] 82 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.
[124:2] 83 tn Heb “rose up against us.”
[124:4] 85 tn Heb “would have passed over.”
[124:4] 86 tn Heb “our being.” 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).
[124:5] 87 tn Heb “then they would have passed over our being, the raging waters.”
[124:6] 88 tn Heb “blessed [be] the
[124:6] 89 tn Heb “[the one] who.”
[124:7] 90 tn Heb “our life escaped.”
[124:8] 91 tn Heb “our help [is] in the name of the
[125:1] 93 sn Psalm 125. The psalmist affirms his confidence in the Lord’s protection and justice.
[125:1] 94 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.
[125:2] 95 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[125:3] 97 tn Heb “a scepter of wickedness.” The “scepter” symbolizes royal authority; when collocated with “wickedness” the phrase refers to an oppressive foreign conqueror.
[125:3] 99 tn Heb “so that the godly might not stretch out their hands in wrongdoing.” A wicked king who sets a sinful example can have an adverse moral and ethical effect on the people he rules.
[125:4] 100 tn Heb “pure of heart.” The “heart” is here viewed as the seat of one’s moral character and motives. The “pure of heart” are God’s faithful followers who trust in and love the
[125:5] 101 tn Heb “and the ones making their paths twisted.” A sinful lifestyle is compared to a twisting, winding road.
[125:5] 102 tn Heb “lead them away.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive of prayer here (note the prayers directly before and after this). Another option is to translate, “the
[125:5] 103 tn Heb “the workers of wickedness.”
[125:5] 104 tn Heb “peace [be] upon Israel.” The statement is understood as a prayer (see Ps 122:8 for a similar prayer for peace).
[126:1] 105 sn Psalm 126. Recalling the joy of past deliverance, God’s covenant community asks for a fresh display of God’s power and confidently anticipate their sorrow being transformed into joy.
[126:1] 106 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.
[126:1] 107 tn Heb “turns with a turning [toward] his people.” The Hebrew noun שִׁיבַת (shivat) occurs only here in the OT. For this reason many prefer to emend the form to the more common שְׁבִית (shevit) or שְׁבוּת (shÿvut), both of which are used as a cognate accusative of שׁוּב (shuv; see Ps 14:7). However an Aramaic cognate of שְׁבִית appears in an eighth century
[126:1] 108 tn Heb “we were like dreamers.” This could mean the speakers were so overcome with ecstatic joy (see v. 3b) that they were like those who fantasize about pleasurable experiences in their sleep (see Isa 29:7-8). Since dreams are more commonly associated in the OT with prophetic visions, the community may be comparing their experience of God’s renewed favor to a prophet’s receiving divine visions. Just as a prophetic dream sweeps the individual into a different dimension and sometimes brings one face-to-face with God himself (see Gen 28:11-15; 1 Kgs 3:5-15), so the community was aware of God’s presence in a special way in the day of Zion’s restoration. Though the MT as it stands makes good sense, some choose to understand a homonymic root here meaning “to be healthy; to be strong” (see BDB 321 s.v. I חָלַם) and translate, “we were like those restored to health.” This reading appears to have the support of several ancient translations as well as 11QPsa. See L. C. Allen (Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 170-71) for a discussion of the viewpoints.
[126:2] 109 tn Heb “then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with a shout.”
[126:2] 110 tn Heb “they said among the nations.”
[126:4] 111 tn Heb “like the streams in the Negev.”
[126:4] sn The streams in the arid south. Y. Aharoni writes of the streams in the Negev: “These usually dry wadis collect water on rainy days from vast areas. The situation is also aggravated by floods from the desert mountains and southern Judah. For a day or two or, more frequently, for only a few hours they turn into dangerous torrents” (Y. Aharoni, The Land of the Bible, 26). God’s people were experiencing a “dry season” after a time of past blessing; they pray here for a “flash flood” of his renewed blessing. This does not imply that they are requesting only a brief display of God’s blessing. Rather the point of comparison is the suddenness with which the wadis swell during a rain, as well as the depth and power of these raging waters. The community desires a sudden display of divine favor in which God overwhelms them with blessings.
[126:5] 112 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.
[126:6] 113 tn The noun occurs only here and in Job 28:18 in the OT. See HALOT 646 s.v. I מֶשֶׁךְ which gives “leather pouch” as the meaning.
[126:6] 114 tn The Hebrew noun אֲלֻמָּה (’alummah, “sheaf”) occurs only here and in Gen 37:7 in the OT.
[126:6] sn Verse 6 expands the image of v. 5. See the note on the word “harvest” there.
[127:1] 115 sn Psalm 127. In this wisdom psalm the psalmist teaches that one does not find security by one’s own efforts, for God alone gives stability and security.
[127:1] 116 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.
[127:1] 117 sn The expression build a house may have a double meaning here. It may refer on the surface level to a literal physical structure in which a family lives, but at a deeper, metaphorical level it refers to building, perpetuating, and maintaining a family line. See Deut 25:9; Ruth 4:11; 1 Sam 2:35; 2 Sam 7:27; 1 Kgs 11:38; 1 Chr 17:10, 25. Having a family line provided security in ancient Israel.
[127:1] 118 sn The city symbolizes community security, which is the necessary framework for family security.
[127:2] 119 tn Heb “[it is] vain for you, you who are early to rise, who delay sitting, who eat the food of hard work.” The three substantival participles are parallel and stand in apposition to the pronominal suffix on the preposition. See לָכֶם (lakhem, “for you”).
[127:2] 120 tn Here the Hebrew particle כֵּן (ken) is used to stress the following affirmation (see Josh 2:4; Ps 63:2).
[127:2] 121 tn Heb “he gives to his beloved, sleep.” The translation assumes that the Hebrew term שֵׁנָא (shena’, “sleep,” an alternate form of שֵׁנָה, shenah) is an adverbial accusative. The point seems to be this: Hard work by itself is not what counts, but one’s relationship to God, for God is able to bless an individual even while he sleeps. (There may even be a subtle allusion to the miracle of conception following sexual intercourse; see the reference to the gift of sons in the following verse.) The statement is not advocating laziness, but utilizing hyperbole to give perspective and to remind the addressees that God must be one’s first priority. Another option is to take “sleep” as the direct object: “yes, he gives sleep to his beloved” (cf. NIV, NRSV). In this case the point is this: Hard work by itself is futile, for only God is able to bless one with sleep, which metonymically refers to having one’s needs met. He blesses on the basis of one’s relationship to him, not on the basis of physical energy expended.
[127:3] 123 tn Some prefer to translate this term with the gender neutral “children,” but “sons” are plainly in view here, as the following verses make clear. Daughters are certainly wonderful additions to a family, but in ancient Israelite culture sons were the “arrows” that gave a man security in his old age, for they could defend the family interests at the city gate, where the legal and economic issues of the community were settled.
[127:4] 124 tn Heb “like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so [are] sons of youth.” Arrows are used in combat to defend oneself against enemies; sons are viewed here as providing social security and protection (see v. 5). The phrase “sons of youth” is elliptical, meaning “sons [born during the father’s] youth.” Such sons will have grown up to be mature adults and will have children of their own by the time the father reaches old age and becomes vulnerable to enemies. Contrast the phrase “son of old age” in Gen 37:3 (see also 44:20), which refers to Jacob’s age when Joseph was born.
[127:5] 125 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] 126 tn Heb “speak with.”
[128:1] 127 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] 128 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] 129 tn Heb “every fearer of the
[128:1] 130 tn Heb “the one who walks in his ways.”
[128:2] 131 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] 132 tn Heb “the work of your hands, indeed you will eat.”
[128:2] 133 tn Heb “how blessed you [will be] and it will be good for you.”
[128:3] 134 sn The metaphor of the fruitful vine pictures the wife as fertile; she will give her husband numerous children (see the next line).
[128:3] 135 tn One could translate “sons” (see Ps 127:3 and the note on the word “sons” there), but here the term seems to refer more generally to children of both genders.
[128:4] 136 tn Heb “look, indeed thus will the man, the fearer of the
[128:5] 137 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] 138 tn The imperative with prefixed vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding jussive.
[128:5] 139 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[128:6] 140 tn The imperative with prefixed vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the jussive in v. 5a.
[128:6] 141 tn Heb “sons to your sons.”
[128:6] 142 tn Heb “peace [be] upon Israel.” The statement is understood as a prayer (see Ps 125:5).
[129:1] 143 sn Psalm 129. Israel affirms God’s justice and asks him to destroy the enemies of Zion.
[129:1] 144 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.
[129:4] 145 tn The background of the metaphor is not entirely clear. Perhaps the “ropes” are those used to harness the ox for plowing (see Job 39:10). Verse 3 pictures the wicked plowing God’s people as if they were a field. But when God “cut the ropes” of their ox, as it were, they could no longer plow. The point of the metaphor seems to be that God took away the enemies’ ability to oppress his people. See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 187.
[129:6] 146 tn The Hebrew verb שָׁלַף (shalaf) normally means “to draw [a sword]” or “to pull.” BDB 1025 s.v. suggests the meaning “to shoot up” here, but it is more likely that the verb here means “to pluck; to pull up,” a nuance attested for this word in later Hebrew and Aramaic (see Jastrow 1587 s.v. שָׁלַף).
[129:8] 147 tn The perfect verbal form is used for rhetorical effect; it describes an anticipated development as if it were already reality.
[130:1] 148 sn Psalm 130. The psalmist, confident of the Lord’s forgiveness, cries out to the Lord for help in the midst of his suffering and urges Israel to do the same.
[130:1] 149 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.
[130:1] 150 tn Heb “depths,” that is, deep waters (see Ps 69:2, 14; Isa 51:10), a metaphor for the life-threatening danger faced by the psalmist.
[130:2] 151 tn Heb “my voice.”
[130:2] 152 tn Heb “may your ears be attentive to the voice of.”
[130:3] 154 tn The words “before you” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The psalmist must be referring to standing before God’s judgment seat. The rhetorical question expects the answer, “No one.”
[130:4] 156 tn Heb “for with you [there is] forgiveness.”
[130:4] 157 tn Or “consequently you are.”
[130:5] 160 tn Heb “my soul waits.”
[130:5] 161 tn Heb “his word.”
[130:6] 162 tn Heb “my soul for the master.”
[130:6] 163 tn Heb “more than watchmen for the morning, watchmen for the morning.” The words “yes, more” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[130:7] 164 tn Heb “for with the
[130:7] 165 tn Heb “and abundantly with him [is] redemption.”
[130:8] 167 tn The Hebrew noun עָוֹן (’avon) can refer to sin, the guilt sin produces, or the consequences of sin. Only here is the noun collocated with the verb פָּדָה (padah, “to redeem; to deliver”). The psalmist may refer to forgiveness per se (v. 4), but the emphasis in this context is likely on deliverance from the national consequences of sin. See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 192.
[131:1] 168 sn Psalm 131. The psalmist affirms his humble dependence on the Lord and urges Israel to place its trust in God.
[131:1] 169 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.
[131:1] 170 tn Heb “and my eyes are not lifted up.”
[131:1] 171 tn Heb “I do not walk in great things, and in things too marvelous for me.”
[131:2] 173 tn Heb “I make level and make quiet my soul.”
[131:2] 174 tn Heb “like a weaned [one] upon his mother.”
[131:2] 175 tn Heb “like the weaned [one] upon me, my soul.”
[132:1] 176 sn Psalm 132. The psalmist reminds God of David’s devotion and of his promises concerning David’s dynasty and Zion.
[132:1] 177 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.
[132:1] 178 tn Heb “all his affliction.” This may refer to David’s strenuous and tireless efforts to make provision for the building of the temple (see 1 Chr 22:14). Some prefer to revocalize the text as עַנַוָתוֹ (’anavato, “his humility”).
[132:2] 179 tn Heb “the powerful [one] of Jacob.”
[132:3] 180 tn The words “he said” are supplied in the translation to clarify that what follows is David’s vow.
[132:3] 181 tn Heb “the tent of my house.”
[132:3] 182 tn Heb “go up upon the bed of my couch.”
[132:5] 183 tn The plural form of the noun may indicate degree or quality; David envisions a special dwelling place (see Pss 43:3; 46:4; 84:1).
[132:5] 184 tn Heb “the powerful [one] of Jacob.”
[132:6] 185 tn Rather than having an antecedent, the third feminine singular pronominal suffix here (and in the next line) appears to refer to the ark of the covenant, mentioned in v. 8. (The Hebrew term אָרוֹן [’aron, “ark”] is sometimes construed as grammatically feminine. See 1 Sam 4:17; 2 Chr 8:11.)
[132:6] 186 sn Some understand Ephrathah as a reference to Kiriath-jearim because of the apparent allusion to this site in the next line (see the note on “Jaar”). The ark was kept in Kiriath-jearim after the Philistines released it (see 1 Sam 6:21-7:2). However, the switch in verbs from “heard about” to “found” suggests that Ephrathah not be equated with Jair. The group who is speaking heard about the ark while they were in Ephrath. They then went to retrieve it from Kiriath-jearim (“Jaar”). It is more likely that Ephrathah refers to a site near Bethel (Gen 35:16, 19; 48:7) or to Bethlehem (Ruth 4:11; Mic 5:2).
[132:6] 187 tn Heb “fields of the forest.” The Hebrew term יָעַר (ya’ad, “forest”) is apparently a shortened alternative name for קִרְיַת יְעָרִים (qiryat yÿ’arim, “Kiriath-jearim”), the place where the ark was kept after it was released by the Philistines and from which David and his men retrieved it (see 1 Chr 13:6).
[132:9] 189 tn Or “righteousness.”
[132:10] 190 tn Heb “do not turn away the face of your anointed one.”
[132:11] 191 tn Heb “the
[132:11] 192 tn Heb “he will not turn back from it.”
[132:11] 193 tn The words “he said” are supplied in the translation to clarify that what follows are the
[132:11] 194 tn Heb “the fruit of your body.”
[132:13] 196 tn Heb “he desired it for his dwelling place.”
[132:14] 197 tn The words “he said” are added in the translation to clarify that what follows are the
[132:14] 198 tn Heb “for I desired it.”
[132:15] 199 tn Heb “I will greatly bless her provision.” The infinitive absolute is used to emphasize the verb.
[132:15] 200 tn Heb “her poor I will satisfy [with] food.”
[132:16] 201 tn Heb “and her priests I will clothe [with] deliverance.”
[132:16] 202 tn Heb “[with] shouting they will shout.” The infinitive absolute is used to emphasize the verb.
[132:17] 203 tn Heb “there I will cause a horn to sprout for David.” The horn of an ox underlies the metaphor (cf. Deut 33:17; 1 Kgs 22:11; Pss 18:2; 92:10). The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “exalt the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 89:17, 24; 92:10; Lam 2:17). In the ancient Near East powerful warrior-kings would sometimes compare themselves to a goring bull that used its horns to kill its enemies. For examples, see P. Miller, “El the Warrior,” HTR 60 (1967): 422-25, and R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 135-36.
[132:17] 204 tn Heb “I have arranged a lamp for my anointed one.” Here the “lamp” is a metaphor for the Davidic dynasty (see 1 Kgs 11:36).
[132:18] 205 tn Heb “his enemies I will clothe [with] shame.”
[133:1] 206 sn Psalm 133. The psalmist affirms the benefits of family unity.
[133:1] 207 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.
[133:1] 208 sn This statement refers to the extended family structure of ancient Israel, where brothers would often live in proximity to one another (Deut 25:5), giving the family greater social prominence and security. However, in its later application in the Israelite cult it probably envisions unity within the covenant community. See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 212-15.
[133:2] 209 tn Heb “[it is] like the good oil on the head, going down on the beard.”
[133:2] 210 tn Heb “which goes down in accordance with his measured things.” The Hebrew phrase מִדּוֹתָיו (middotayv, “his measured things”) refers here to the robes worn by Aaron. HALOT 546 s.v. *מַד derives the form from מַד (midah, “robe”) rather than מִדָּה (middah, “measured thing”). Ugaritic md means “robe” and is pluralized mdt.
[133:3] 211 sn Hermon refers to Mount Hermon, located north of Israel.
[133:3] 212 sn The hills of Zion are those surrounding Zion (see Pss 87:1; 125:2). The psalmist does not intend to suggest that the dew from Mt. Hermon in the distant north actually flows down upon Zion. His point is that the same kind of heavy dew that replenishes Hermon may also be seen on Zion’s hills. See A. Cohen, Psalms (SoBB), 439. “Dew” here symbolizes divine blessing, as the next line suggests.
[133:3] 214 tn Heb “there the
[134:1] 215 sn Psalm 134. The psalmist calls on the temple servants to praise God (vv. 1-2). They in turn pronounce a blessing on the psalmist (v. 3).
[134:1] 216 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.
[134:3] 219 tn The pronominal suffix is second masculine singular, suggesting that the servants addressed in vv. 1-2 are responding to the psalmist.
[134:3] 220 tn Heb “may the
