Psalms 19:9

19:9 The commands to fear the Lord are right 1 

and endure forever. 2 

The judgments given by the Lord are trustworthy

and absolutely just. 3 

Psalms 79:2

79:2 They have given the corpses of your servants

to the birds of the sky; 4 

the flesh of your loyal followers

to the beasts of the earth.

Psalms 148:14

148:14 He has made his people victorious, 5 

and given all his loyal followers reason to praise –

the Israelites, the people who are close to him. 6 

Praise the Lord!

1 tn Heb “the fear of the Lord is clean.” The phrase “fear of the Lord” probably refers here to the law, which teaches one how to demonstrate proper reverence for the Lord. See Ps 111:10 for another possible use of the phrase in this sense.

2 tn Heb “[it] stands permanently.”

3 sn Trustworthy and absolutely just. The Lord’s commands accurately reflect God’s moral will for his people and are an expression of his just character.

4 tn Heb “[as] food for the birds of the sky.”

5 tn Heb “and he lifted up a horn for his people.” 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; 89:17, 24; 92:10; Lam 2:17). Another option is to take the “horn” as a symbol for the Davidic king, through whom the Lord gives his people military victory.

6 tn “[there is] praise for all his loyal followers, to the sons of Israel, the people near him.” Here “praise” stands by metonymy for the victory that prompts it.