10:17 Lord, you have heard 1 the request 2 of the oppressed;
you make them feel secure because you listen to their prayer. 3
17:6 I call to you for you will answer me, O God.
Listen to me! 4
Hear what I say! 5
31:2 Listen to me! 6
Quickly deliver me!
Be my protector and refuge, 7
a stronghold where I can be safe! 8
66:16 Come! Listen, all you who are loyal to God! 9
I will declare what he has done for me.
A well-written song 11 by Asaph.
78:1 Pay attention, my people, to my instruction!
Listen to the words I speak! 12
79:11 Listen to the painful cries of the prisoners! 13
Use your great strength to set free those condemned to die! 14
81:8 I said, 15 ‘Listen, my people!
I will warn 16 you!
O Israel, if only you would obey me! 17
1 sn You have heard. The psalmist is confident that God has responded positively to his earlier petitions for divine intervention. The psalmist apparently prayed the words of vv. 16-18 after the reception of an oracle of deliverance (given in response to the confident petition of vv. 12-15) or after the Lord actually delivered him from his enemies.
2 tn Heb “desire.”
3 tn Heb “you make firm their heart, you cause your ear to listen.”
4 tn Heb “Turn your ear toward me.”
5 tn Heb “my word.”
6 tn Heb “turn toward me your ear.”
7 tn Heb “become for me a rocky summit of refuge.”
8 tn Heb “a house of strongholds to deliver me.”
9 tn Heb “all of the fearers of God.”
10 sn Psalm 78. The author of this lengthy didactic psalm rehearses Israel’s history. He praises God for his power, goodness and patience, but also reminds his audience that sin angers God and prompts his judgment. In the conclusion to the psalm the author elevates Jerusalem as God’s chosen city and David as his chosen king.
11 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. See the note on the phrase “well-written song” in the superscription of Ps 74.
12 tn Heb “Turn your ear to the words of my mouth.”
13 tn Heb “may the painful cry of the prisoner come before you.”
14 tn Heb “according to the greatness of your arm leave the sons of death.” God’s “arm” here symbolizes his strength to deliver. The verbal form הוֹתֵר (hoter) is a Hiphil imperative from יָתַר (yatar, “to remain; to be left over”). Here it must mean “to leave over; to preserve.” However, it is preferable to emend the form to הַתֵּר (hatter), a Hiphil imperative from נָתַר (natar, “be free”). The Hiphil form is used in Ps 105:20 of Pharaoh freeing Joseph from prison. The phrase “sons of death” (see also Ps 102:21) is idiomatic for those condemned to die.
15 tn The words “I said” are supplied in the translation for clarification. Verses 8-10 appear to recall what the
16 tn Or perhaps “command.”
17 tn The Hebrew particle אִם (“if”) and following prefixed verbal form here express a wish (GKC 321 §109.b). Note that the apodosis (the “then” clause of the conditional sentence) is suppressed.