2:10 So now, you kings, do what is wise; 1
you rulers of the earth, submit to correction! 2
68:14 When the sovereign judge 3 scatters kings, 4
let it snow 5 on Zalmon!
68:29 as you come out of your temple in Jerusalem! 6
Kings bring tribute to you.
72:11 All kings will bow down to him;
all nations will serve him.
76:12 He humbles princes; 7
the kings of the earth regard him as awesome. 8
105:14 He let no one oppress them;
he disciplined kings for their sake,
105:30 Their land was overrun by frogs,
which even got into the rooms of their kings.
119:46 I will speak 9 about your regulations before kings
and not be ashamed.
136:17 to the one who struck down great kings,
for his loyal love endures,
144:10 the one who delivers 10 kings,
and rescued David his servant from a deadly 11 sword.
149:8 They bind 12 their kings in chains,
and their nobles in iron shackles,
1 sn The speaker here is either the psalmist or the Davidic king, who now addresses the rebellious kings.
2 tn The Niphal has here a tolerative nuance; the kings are urged to submit themselves to the advice being offered.
3 tn The divine name used here is שַׁדַּי (“Shaddai”). Shaddai/El Shaddai is the sovereign king/judge of the world who grants life, blesses and kills, and judges. In Genesis he blesses the patriarchs with fertility and promises numerous descendants. Outside Genesis he both blesses (protects) and takes away life and/or happiness.
4 tn The Hebrew text adds “in it.” The third feminine singular pronominal suffix may refer back to God’s community/dwelling place (v. 10).
5 tn The verb form appears to be a Hiphil jussive from שָׁלַג (shalag), which is usually understood as a denominative verb from שֶׁלֶג (sheleg, “snow”) with an indefinite subject. The form could be taken as a preterite, in which case one might translate, “when the sovereign judge scattered kings, it snowed on Zalmon” (cf. NIV, NRSV). The point of the image is unclear. Perhaps “snow” suggests fertility and blessing (see v. 9 and Isa 55:10), or the image of a snow-capped mountain suggests grandeur.
sn Zalmon was apparently a mountain in the region, perhaps the one mentioned in Judg 9:46 as being in the vicinity of Shechem.
6 tn Heb “Be strong, O God, [you] who have acted for us, from your temple in Jerusalem.”
map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
7 tn Heb “he reduces the spirit of princes.” According to HALOT 148 s.v. II בצר, the Hebrew verb בָּצַר (batsar) is here a hapax legomenon meaning “reduce, humble.” The statement is generalizing, with the imperfect tense highlighting God’s typical behavior.
8 tn Heb “[he is] awesome to the kings of the earth.”
9 tn The series of four cohortatives with prefixed vav (ו) conjunctive in vv. 46-48 list further consequences of the anticipated positive divine response to the request made in v. 43.
10 tn Heb “grants deliverance to.”
11 tn Heb “harmful.”
12 tn Heb “to bind.”