14:7 I wish the deliverance 1 of Israel would come from Zion!
When the Lord restores the well-being of his people, 2
may Jacob rejoice, 3
may Israel be happy! 4
By David; a well-written song. 6
32:1 How blessed 7 is the one whose rebellious acts are forgiven, 8
whose sin is pardoned! 9
Book 2
(Psalms 42-72)
For the music director; a well-written song 11 by the Korahites.
42:1 As a deer 12 longs 13 for streams of water,
so I long 14 for you, O God!
50:10 For every wild animal in the forest belongs to me,
as well as the cattle that graze on a thousand hills. 15
53:6 I wish the deliverance 16 of Israel would come from Zion!
When God restores the well-being of his people, 17
may Jacob rejoice, 18
may Israel be happy! 19
A well-written song 21 by Asaph.
74:1 Why, O God, have you permanently rejected us? 22
Why does your anger burn 23 against the sheep of your pasture?
74:2 Remember your people 24 whom you acquired in ancient times,
whom you rescued 25 so they could be your very own nation, 26
as well as Mount Zion, where you dwell!
For the music director; written by the Korahites, a psalm.
85:1 O Lord, you showed favor to your land;
you restored the well-being of Jacob. 28
A well-written song 30 by Ethan the Ezrachite.
89:1 I will sing continually 31 about the Lord’s faithful deeds;
to future generations I will proclaim your faithfulness. 32
A well-written song 34 by David, when he was in the cave; 35 a prayer.
142:1 To the Lord I cry out; 36
to the Lord I plead for mercy. 37
1 sn The deliverance of Israel. This refers metonymically to God, the one who lives in Zion and provides deliverance for Israel.
2 tn Heb “turns with a turning [toward] his people.” The Hebrew term שְׁבוּת (shÿvut) is apparently a cognate accusative of שׁוּב (shuv).
3 tn The verb form is jussive.
4 tn Because the parallel verb is jussive, this verb, which is ambiguous in form, should be taken as a jussive as well.
5 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.
6 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.
7 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.
8 tn Heb “lifted up.”
9 tn Heb “covered over.”
10 sn Psalm 42. The psalmist recalls how he once worshiped in the Lord’s temple, but laments that he is now oppressed by enemies in a foreign land. Some medieval Hebrew
11 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.
12 tn Since the accompanying verb is feminine in form, the noun אָיִּל (’ayyil, “male deer”) should be emended to אַיֶּלֶת (’ayyelet, “female deer”). Haplography of the letter tav has occurred; note that the following verb begins with tav.
13 tn Or “pants [with thirst].”
14 tn Or “my soul pants [with thirst].” 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).
15 tn Heb “[the] animals on a thousand hills.” The words “that graze” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The term בְּהֵמוֹה (bÿhemot, “animal”) refers here to cattle (see Ps 104:14).
16 tn This refers metonymically to God, the one who lives in Zion and provides deliverance for Israel.
17 tn Heb “turns with a turning [toward] his people.” The Hebrew term שְׁבוּת (shÿvut) is apparently a cognate accusative of שׁוּב (shuv).
18 tn The verb form is jussive.
19 tn Because the parallel verb is jussive, this verb, which is ambiguous in form, should be taken as a jussive as well.
20 sn Psalm 74. The psalmist, who has just experienced the devastation of the Babylonian invasion of Jerusalem in 586
21 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.
22 sn The psalmist does not really believe God has permanently rejected his people or he would not pray as he does in this psalm. But this initial question reflects his emotional response to what he sees and is overstated for the sake of emphasis. The severity of divine judgment gives the appearance that God has permanently abandoned his people.
23 tn Heb “smoke.” The picture is that of a fire that continues to smolder.
24 tn Heb “your assembly,” which pictures God’s people as an assembled community.
25 tn Heb “redeemed.” The verb “redeem” casts God in the role of a leader who protects members of his extended family in times of need and crisis (see Ps 19:14).
26 tn Heb “the tribe of your inheritance” (see Jer 10:16; 51:19).
27 sn Psalm 85. God’s people recall how he forgave their sins in the past, pray that he might now restore them to his favor, and anticipate renewed blessings.
28 tn Heb “you turned with a turning [toward] Jacob.” The Hebrew term שְׁבוּת (shÿvut) is apparently a cognate accusative of שׁוּב (shuv). See Pss 14:7; 53:6.
29 sn Psalm 89. The psalmist praises God as the sovereign creator of the world. He recalls God’s covenant with David, but then laments that the promises of the covenant remain unrealized. The covenant promised the Davidic king military victories, but the king has now been subjected to humiliating defeat.
30 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 88.
31 tn Or “forever.”
32 tn Heb “to a generation and a generation I will make known your faithfulness with my mouth.”
33 sn Psalm 142. The psalmist laments his persecuted state and asks the Lord to deliver him from his enemies.
34 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.
35 sn According to the superscription, David wrote this psalm while in “the cave.” This probably refers to either the incident recorded in 1 Sam 22:1 or to the one recorded in 1 Sam 24:3. See the superscription of Ps 57.
36 tn Heb “[with] my voice to the
37 tn Heb “[with] my voice to the