Psalms 70:1--72:19 
ContextFor the music director; by David; written to get God’s attention. 2
70:1 O God, please be willing to rescue me! 3
O Lord, hurry and help me! 4
70:2 May those who are trying to take my life
be embarrassed and ashamed! 5
May those who want to harm me
be turned back and ashamed! 6
70:3 May those who say, “Aha! Aha!”
be driven back 7 and disgraced! 8
70:4 May all those who seek you be happy and rejoice in you!
May those who love to experience 9 your deliverance say continually, 10
70:5 I am oppressed and needy! 13
O God, hurry to me! 14
You are my helper and my deliverer!
O Lord, 15 do not delay!
71:1 In you, O Lord, I have taken shelter!
Never let me be humiliated!
71:2 Vindicate me by rescuing me! 17
Listen to me! 18 Deliver me! 19
71:3 Be my protector and refuge, 20
a stronghold where I can be safe! 21
For you are my high ridge 22 and my stronghold.
71:4 My God, rescue me from the power 23 of the wicked,
from the hand of the cruel oppressor!
71:5 For you give me confidence, 24 O Lord;
O Lord, I have trusted in you since I was young. 25
71:6 I have leaned on you since birth; 26
you pulled me 27 from my mother’s womb.
I praise you continually. 28
71:7 Many are appalled when they see me, 29
but you are my secure shelter.
71:8 I praise you constantly
and speak of your splendor all day long. 30
71:9 Do not reject me in my old age! 31
When my strength fails, do not abandon me!
71:10 For my enemies talk about me;
those waiting for a chance to kill me plot my demise. 32
71:11 They say, 33 “God has abandoned him.
Run and seize him, for there is no one who will rescue him!”
71:12 O God, do not remain far away from me!
My God, hurry and help me! 34
71:13 May my accusers be humiliated and defeated!
May those who want to harm me 35 be covered with scorn and disgrace!
71:14 As for me, I will wait continually,
and will continue to praise you. 36
71:15 I will tell about your justice,
and all day long proclaim your salvation, 37
though I cannot fathom its full extent. 38
71:16 I will come and tell about 39 the mighty acts of the sovereign Lord.
I will proclaim your justice – yours alone.
71:17 O God, you have taught me since I was young,
and I am still declaring 40 your amazing deeds.
71:18 Even when I am old and gray, 41
O God, do not abandon me,
until I tell the next generation about your strength,
and those coming after me about your power. 42
71:19 Your justice, O God, extends to the skies above; 43
you have done great things. 44
O God, who can compare to you? 45
71:20 Though you have allowed me to experience much trouble and distress, 46
revive me once again! 47
Bring me up once again 48 from the depths of the earth!
71:21 Raise me to a position of great honor! 49
Turn and comfort me! 50
71:22 I will express my thanks to you with a stringed instrument,
praising 51 your faithfulness, O my God!
I will sing praises to you accompanied by a harp,
O Holy One of Israel! 52
71:23 My lips will shout for joy! Yes, 53 I will sing your praises!
I will praise you when you rescue me! 54
71:24 All day long my tongue will also tell about your justice,
for those who want to harm me 55 will be embarrassed and ashamed. 56
For 58 Solomon.
72:1 O God, grant the king the ability to make just decisions! 59
Grant the king’s son 60 the ability to make fair decisions! 61
72:2 Then he will judge 62 your people fairly,
and your oppressed ones 63 equitably.
72:3 The mountains will bring news of peace to the people,
and the hills will announce justice. 64
72:4 He will defend 65 the oppressed among the people;
he will deliver 66 the children 67 of the poor
and crush the oppressor.
72:5 People will fear 68 you 69 as long as the sun and moon remain in the sky,
for generation after generation. 70
72:6 He 71 will descend like rain on the mown grass, 72
like showers that drench 73 the earth. 74
72:7 During his days the godly will flourish; 75
peace will prevail as long as the moon remains in the sky. 76
72:8 May he rule 77 from sea to sea, 78
and from the Euphrates River 79 to the ends of the earth!
72:9 Before him the coastlands 80 will bow down,
and his enemies will lick the dust. 81
72:10 The kings of Tarshish 82 and the coastlands will offer gifts;
the kings of Sheba 83 and Seba 84 will bring tribute.
72:11 All kings will bow down to him;
all nations will serve him.
72:12 For he will rescue the needy 85 when they cry out for help,
and the oppressed 86 who have no defender.
72:13 He will take pity 87 on the poor and needy;
the lives of the needy he will save.
72:14 From harm and violence he will defend them; 88
he will value their lives. 89
72:15 May he live! 90 May they offer him gold from Sheba! 91
May they continually pray for him!
May they pronounce blessings on him all day long! 92
72:16 May there be 93 an abundance 94 of grain in the earth;
on the tops 95 of the mountains may it 96 sway! 97
May its 98 fruit trees 99 flourish 100 like the forests of Lebanon! 101
May its crops 102 be as abundant 103 as the grass of the earth! 104
72:17 May his fame endure! 105
May his dynasty last as long as the sun remains in the sky! 106
May they use his name when they formulate their blessings! 107
May all nations consider him to be favored by God! 108
72:18 The Lord God, the God of Israel, deserves praise! 109
He alone accomplishes amazing things! 110
72:19 His glorious name deserves praise 111 forevermore!
May his majestic splendor 112 fill the whole earth!
We agree! We agree! 113
1 sn Psalm 70. This psalm is almost identical to Ps 40:13-17. The psalmist asks for God’s help and for divine retribution against his enemies.
2 tn Heb “to cause to remember.” The same form, a Hiphil infinitive of זָכַר (zakhar, “remember”), also appears in the superscription of Ps 38. Some understand this in the sense of “for the memorial offering,” but it may carry the idea of bringing one’s plight to God’s attention (see P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 [WBC], 303).
3 tn Heb “O God, to rescue me.” A main verb is obviously missing. The verb רָצָה (ratsah, “be willing”) should be supplied (see Ps 40:13). Ps 40:13 uses the divine name “
4 tn Heb “hurry to my help.” See Pss 22:19; 38:22.
5 tn Heb “may they be embarrassed and ashamed, the ones seeking my life.” Ps 40:14 has “together” after “ashamed,” and “to snatch it away” after “my life.”
6 tn The four prefixed verbal forms in this verse are understood as jussives. The psalmist is calling judgment down on his enemies.
sn See Ps 35:4 for a similar prayer.
7 tn The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive in this imprecation.
8 tn Heb “May they be turned back according to their shame, those who say, ‘Aha! Aha!’” Ps 40:15 has the verb “humiliated” instead of “turned back” and adds “to me” after “say.”
9 tn Heb “those who love,” which stands metonymically for its cause, the experience of being delivered by God.
10 tn The three prefixed verbal forms prior to the quotation are understood as jussives. The psalmist balances out his imprecation against his enemies with a prayer of blessing on the godly.
11 tn Ps 40:16 uses the divine name “
12 tn The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive, “may the
13 sn See Pss 35:10; 37:14.
14 tn Ps 40:17 has “may the Lord pay attention to me.”
15 tn Ps 40:17 has “my God” instead of “
16 sn Psalm 71. The psalmist prays for divine intervention and expresses his confidence that God will protect and vindicate him. The first three verses are very similar to Ps 31:1-3a.
17 tn Heb “in your vindication rescue me and deliver me.” Ps 31:1 omits “and deliver me.”
18 tn Heb “turn toward me your ear.”
19 tn Ps 31:2 adds “quickly” before “deliver.”
20 tc Heb “become for me a rocky summit of a dwelling place.” The Hebrew term מָעוֹן (ma’on, “dwelling place”) should probably be emended to מָעוֹז (ma’oz, “refuge”; see Ps 31:2).
21 tc Heb “to enter continually, you commanded to deliver me.” The Hebrew phrase לָבוֹא תָּמִיד צִוִּיתָ (lavo’ tamid tsivvita, “to enter continually, you commanded”) should be emended to לְבֵית מְצוּדוֹת (lÿvet mÿtsudot, “a house of strongholds”; see Ps 31:2).
22 sn You are my high ridge. This metaphor pictures God as a rocky, relatively inaccessible summit, where one would be able to find protection from enemies. See 1 Sam 23:25, 28.
23 tn Heb “hand.”
24 tn Heb “for you [are] my hope.”
25 tn Heb “O
26 tn Heb “from the womb.”
27 tc The form in the MT is derived from גָזָה (gazah, “to cut off”), perhaps picturing God as the one who severed the psalmist’s umbilical cord. Many interpreters and translators prefer to emend the text to גֹחִי (gokhiy), from גוּח (gukh) or גִיח, (gikh, “pull out”; see Ps 22:9; cf. the present translation) or to עוּזִּי (’uzziy, “my strength”; cf. NEB “my protector since I left my mother’s womb”).
28 tn Heb “in you [is] my praise continually.”
29 tn Heb “like a sign [i.e., portent or bad omen] I am to many.”
30 tn Heb “my mouth is filled [with] your praise, all the day [with] your splendor.”
31 tn Heb “do not cast me away at the time of old age.”
32 tn Heb “those who watch for my life consult together.”
33 tn Heb “saying.”
34 tn Heb “hurry to my help.”
35 tn Heb “those who seek my harm.”
36 tn Heb “and I add to all your praise.”
37 tn Heb “my mouth declares your vindication, all the day your deliverance.”
38 tn Heb “though I do not know [the] numbers,” that is, the tally of God’s just and saving acts. HALOT 768 s.v. סְפֹרוֹת understands the plural noun to mean “the art of writing.”
39 tn Heb “I will come with.”
40 tn Heb “and until now I am declaring.”
41 tn Heb “and even unto old age and gray hair.”
42 tn Heb “until I declare your arm to a generation, to everyone who comes your power.” God’s “arm” here is an anthropomorphism that symbolizes his great strength.
43 tn Heb “your justice, O God, [is] unto the height.” The Hebrew term מָרוֹם (marom, “height”) is here a title for the sky/heavens.
sn Extends to the skies above. Similar statements are made in Pss 36:5 and 57:10.
44 tn Heb “you who have done great things.”
45 tn Or “Who is like you?”
46 tn Heb “you who have caused me to see many harmful distresses.”
47 tn Heb “you return, you give me life.” The Hebrew term שׁוּב (shuv, “return”) is used here in an adverbial sense, indicating repetition of the action described by the following verb. The imperfects are understood here as expressing the psalmist’s prayer or wish. (Note the use of a distinctly jussive form at the beginning of v. 21.) Another option is to understand this as a statement of confidence, “you will revive me once again” (cf. NIV, NRSV).
48 tn Heb “you return, you bring me up.” The Hebrew term שׁוּב (shuv, “return”) is used here in an adverbial sense, indicating repetition of the action described by the following verb. The imperfects are understood here as expressing the psalmist’s prayer or wish. (Note the use of a distinctly jussive form at the beginning of v. 21.) Another option is to understand this as a statement of confidence, “you will bring me up once again” (cf. NIV, NRSV).
49 tn Heb “increase my greatness.” The prefixed verbal form is distinctly jussive, indicating this is a prayer or wish. The psalmist’s request for “greatness” (or “honor”) is not a boastful, self-serving prayer for prominence, but, rather, a request that God would vindicate by elevating him over those who are trying to humiliate him.
50 tn The imperfects are understood here as expressing the psalmist’s prayer or wish. (Note the use of a distinctly jussive form at the beginning of v. 21.)
51 tn The word “praising” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
52 sn The basic sense of the word “holy” is “set apart from that which is commonplace, special, unique.” The
53 tn Or “when.” The translation assumes that כִּי (ki) has an emphasizing (asseverative) function here.
54 tn Heb “and my life [or “soul”] which you will have redeemed.” The perfect verbal form functions here as a future perfect. The psalmist anticipates praising God, for God will have rescued him by that time.
55 tn Heb “those who seek my harm.”
56 tn Heb “will have become embarrassed and ashamed.” The perfect verbal forms function here as future perfects, indicating future actions which will precede chronologically the action expressed by the main verb in the preceding line.
57 sn Psalm 72. This royal psalm contains a prayer for the Davidic king (note the imperatival form in v. 1 and the jussive forms in vv. 16-17). It is not entirely clear if vv. 2-15 express a prayer or anticipate a future reign. The translation assumes a blend of petition and vision: (I) opening prayer (v. 1), followed by anticipated results if prayer is answered (vv. 2-7); (II) prayer (v. 8), followed by anticipated results if prayer is answered (vv. 9-14); (III) closing prayer (vv. 15-17). Whether a prayer, vision, or combination of the two, the psalm depicts the king’s universal rule of peace and prosperity. As such it is indirectly messianic, for the ideal it expresses will only be fully realized during the Messiah’s earthly reign. Verses 18-19 are a conclusion for Book 2 of the Psalter (Pss 42-72; cf. Ps 41:13, which contains a similar conclusion for Book 1), while v. 20 appears to be a remnant of an earlier collection of psalms or an earlier edition of the Psalter.
58 tn The preposition could be understood as indicating authorship (“Of Solomon”), but since the psalm is a prayer for a king, it may be that the superscription reflects a tradition that understood this as a prayer for Solomon.
59 tn Heb “O God, your judgments to [the] king give.”
60 sn Grant the king…Grant the king’s son. It is not entirely clear whether v. 1 envisions one individual or two. The phrase “the king’s son” in the second line may simply refer to “the king” of the first line, drawing attention to the fact that he has inherited his dynastic rule. Another option is that v. 1 envisions a co-regency between father and son (a common phenomenon in ancient Israel) or simply expresses a hope for a dynasty that champions justice.
61 tn Heb “and your justice to [the] son of [the] king.”
62 tn The prefixed verbal form appears to be an imperfect, not a jussive.
63 sn These people are called God’s oppressed ones because he is their defender (see Pss 9:12, 18; 10:12; 12:5).
64 tn Heb “[the] mountains will bear peace to the people, and [the] hills with justice.” The personified mountains and hills probably represent messengers who will sweep over the land announcing the king’s just decrees and policies. See Isa 52:7 and C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms (ICC), 2:133.
65 tn Heb “judge [for].”
66 tn The prefixed verbal form appears to be an imperfect, not a jussive.
67 tn Heb “sons.”
68 tn In this context “fear” probably means “to demonstrate respect for the
69 tn God is the addressee (see vv. 1-2).
70 tn Heb “with [the] sun, and before [the] moon [for] a generation, generations.” The rare expression דּוֹר דּוֹרִים (dor dorim, “generation, generations”) occurs only here, in Ps 102:24, and in Isa 51:8.
71 tn That is, the king (see vv. 2, 4).
72 tn The rare term zg refers to a sheep’s fleece in Deut 18:4 and Job 31:20, but to “mown” grass or crops here and in Amos 7:1.
73 tc The form in the Hebrew text appears to be an otherwise unattested noun. Many prefer to emend the form to a verb from the root זָרַף (zaraf). BHS in textual note b on this verse suggests a Hiphil imperfect, third masculine plural יַזְרִיפוּ (yazrifu), while HALOT 283 s.v. *זרף prefers a Pilpel perfect, third masculine plural זִרְזְפוּ (zirzÿfu). The translation assumes the latter.
74 sn The imagery of this verse compares the blessings produced by the king’s reign to fructifying rains that cause the crops to grow.
75 tn Heb “sprout up,” like crops. This verse continues the metaphor of rain utilized in v. 6.
76 tn Heb “and [there will be an] abundance of peace until there is no more moon.”
77 tn The prefixed verbal form is a (shortened) jussive form, indicating this is a prayer of blessing.
78 sn From sea to sea. This may mean from the Mediterranean Sea in the west to the Dead Sea in the east. See Amos 8:12. The language of this and the following line also appears in Zech 9:10.
79 tn Heb “the river,” a reference to the Euphrates.
80 tn Or “islands.” The term here refers metonymically to those people who dwell in these regions.
81 sn As they bow down before him, it will appear that his enemies are licking the dust.
82 sn Tarshish was a distant western port, the precise location of which is uncertain.
83 sn Sheba was located in Arabia.
84 sn Seba was located in Africa.
85 tn The singular is representative. The typical needy individual here represents the entire group.
86 tn The singular is representative. The typical oppressed individual here represents the entire group.
87 tn The prefixed verb form is best understood as a defectively written imperfect (see Deut 7:16).
88 tn Or “redeem their lives.” The verb “redeem” casts the
89 tn Heb “their blood will be precious in his eyes.”
90 tn The prefixed verbal form is jussive, not imperfect. Because the form has the prefixed vav (ו), some subordinate it to what precedes as a purpose/result clause. In this case the representative poor individual might be the subject of this and the following verb, “so that he may live and give to him gold of Sheba.” But the idea of the poor offering gold is incongruous. It is better to take the jussive as a prayer with the king as subject of the verb. (Perhaps the initial vav is dittographic; note the vav at the end of the last form in v. 14.) The statement is probably an abbreviated version of the formula יְחִי הַמֶּלֶךְ (yÿkhiy hammelekh, “may the king live”; see 1 Sam 10:24; 2 Sam 16:16; 1 Kgs 1:25, 34, 39; 2 Kgs 11:12).
91 tn Heb “and he will give to him some gold of Sheba.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive with a grammatically indefinite subject (“and may one give”). Of course, the king’s subjects, mentioned in the preceding context, are the tribute bearers in view here.
92 tn As in the preceding line, the prefixed verbal forms are understood as jussives with a grammatically indefinite subject (“and may one pray…and may one bless”). Of course, the king’s subjects, mentioned in the preceding context, are in view here.
93 tn The prefixed verbal form is jussive, not imperfect. The translation assumes the subject is impersonal (rather than the king).
94 tn The Hebrew noun פִסַּה (pissah; which appears here in the construct form) occurs only here in the OT. Perhaps the noun is related to the verbal root פָּשָׂה (pasah, “to spread,” see BDB 832 s.v.; the root appears as פָּסָה [pasah] in postbiblical Hebrew), which is used in postbiblical Hebrew of the rising sun’s rays spreading over the horizon and a tree’s branches spreading out (see Jastrow 1194 s.v. פסי, פָּסָה, פָּשָׂה). In Ps 72:16 a “spreading of grain” would refer to grain fields extending out over the land. C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs (Psalms [ICC], 2:139) emend the form to סְפִיחַ (sÿfiakh, “second growth”).
95 tn Heb “top” (singular).
96 tn That is, the grain.
97 tn According to the traditional accentuation of the MT, this verb belongs with what follows. See the translator’s note at the end of the verse for a discussion of the poetic parallelism and interpretation of the verse.
98 tn The antecedent of the third masculine singular pronominal suffix is unclear. It is unlikely that the antecedent is אֶרֶץ (’erets, “earth”) because this noun is normally grammatically feminine. Perhaps רֹאשׁ (ro’sh, “top [of the mountains]”) is the antecedent. Another option is to understand the pronoun as referring to the king, who would then be viewed as an instrument of divine agricultural blessing (see v. 6).
99 tn Heb “fruit.”
100 tc According to the traditional accentuation of the MT, this verb belongs with what follows. See the note on the word “earth” at the end of the verse for a discussion of the poetic parallelism and interpretation of the verse. The present translation takes it with the preceding words, “like Lebanon its fruit” and emends the verb form from וְיָצִיצוּ (vÿyatsitsu; Qal imperfect third masculine plural with prefixed vav, [ו]) to יָצִיץ (yatsits; Qal imperfect third masculine singular). The initial vav is eliminated as dittographic (note the vav on the ending of the preceding form פִּרְיוֹ, piryo, “its/his fruit”) and the vav at the end of the form is placed on the following emended form (see the note on the word “crops”), yielding וַעֲמִיר (va’amir, “and [its] crops”).
101 tn Heb “like Lebanon.”
102 tc The MT has “from the city.” The translation assumes an emendation to עֲמִיר (’amir, “crops”).
103 tn The translation assumes that the verb צוץ (“flourish”) goes with the preceding line. The words “be as abundant” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
104 tc The traditional accentuation and vocalization of the MT differ from the text assumed by the present translation. The MT reads as follows: “May there be an abundance of grain in the earth, / and on the tops of the mountains! / May its [or “his”?] fruit [trees?] rustle like [the trees of] Lebanon! / May they flourish from the city, like the grass of the earth!” If one follows the MT, then it would appear that the “fruit” of the third line is a metaphorical reference to the king’s people, who flow out from the cities to populate the land (see line 4). Elsewhere in the OT people are sometimes compared to grass that sprouts up from the land (see v. 7, as well as Isa 27:6; Pss 92:7; 103:15). The translation understands a different poetic structural arrangement and, assuming the emendations mentioned in earlier notes, interprets each line of the verse to be a prayer for agricultural abundance.
105 tn Heb “may his name [be] permanent.” The prefixed verbal form is jussive, not imperfect.
106 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.
107 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
108 tn Heb “all the nations, may they regard him as happy.” The Piel is used here in a delocutive sense (“regard as”).
109 tn Heb “[be] blessed.” See Pss 18:46; 28:6; 31:21; 41:13.
110 tn Heb “[the] one who does amazing things by himself.”
111 tn Heb “[be] blessed.”
112 tn Or “glory.”
113 tn Heb “surely and surely” (אָמֵן וְאָמֵן [’amen vÿ’amen], i.e., “Amen and amen”). This is probably a congregational response of agreement to the immediately preceding statement about the propriety of praising God.
