2:6 “I myself 1 have installed 2 my king
on Zion, my holy hill.”
3:4 To the Lord I cried out, 3
and he answered me from his holy hill. 4 (Selah)
3:6 I am not afraid 5 of the multitude of people 6
who attack me from all directions. 7
4:8 I will lie down and sleep peacefully, 8
for you, Lord, make me safe and secure. 9
6:3 I am absolutely terrified, 10
and you, Lord – how long will this continue? 11
13:3 Look at me! 12 Answer me, O Lord my God!
Revive me, 13 or else I will die! 14
13:6 I will sing praises 15 to the Lord
when he vindicates me. 16
A prayer 18 of David.
16:1 Protect me, O God, for I have taken shelter in you. 19
16:2 I say to the Lord, “You are the Lord,
my only source of well-being.” 20
16:9 So my heart rejoices
and I am happy; 21
My life is safe. 22
18:40 You make my enemies retreat; 23
I destroy those who hate me. 24
22:6 But I 25 am a worm, 26 not a man; 27
people insult me and despise me. 28
22:17 I can count 29 all my bones;
my enemies 30 are gloating over me in triumph. 31
A psalm of David.
23:1 The Lord is my shepherd, 33
I lack nothing. 34
25:16 Turn toward me and have mercy on me,
for I am alone 35 and oppressed!
25:21 May integrity and godliness protect me,
for I rely on you!
26:3 For I am ever aware of your faithfulness, 36
and your loyalty continually motivates me. 37
26:4 I do not associate 38 with deceitful men,
or consort 39 with those who are dishonest. 40
26:5 I hate the mob 41 of evil men,
and do not associate 42 with the wicked.
26:8 O Lord, I love the temple where you live, 43
the place where your splendor is revealed. 44
26:11 But I have integrity! 45
Rescue me 46 and have mercy on me!
27:4 I have asked the Lord for one thing –
this is what I desire!
I want to live 47 in the Lord’s house 48 all the days of my life,
so I can gaze at the splendor 49 of the Lord
and contemplate in his temple.
27:7 Hear me, 50 O Lord, when I cry out!
Have mercy on me and answer me!
27:8 My heart tells me to pray to you, 51
and I do pray to you, O Lord. 52
30:2 O Lord my God,
I cried out to you and you healed me. 53
31:5 Into your hand I entrust my life; 54
you will rescue 55 me, O Lord, the faithful God.
34:2 I will boast 56 in the Lord;
let the oppressed hear and rejoice! 57
34:11 Come children! Listen to me!
I will teach you what it means to fear the Lord. 58
35:9 Then I will rejoice in the Lord
and be happy because of his deliverance. 59
35:16 When I tripped, they taunted me relentlessly, 60
and tried to bite me. 61
35:28 Then I will tell others about your justice, 62
and praise you all day long. 63
38:7 For I am overcome with shame 64
and my whole body is sick. 65
38:10 My heart beats quickly;
my strength leaves me;
I can hardly see. 66
38:14 I am like a man who cannot hear
and is incapable of arguing his defense. 67
38:15 Yet 68 I wait for you, O Lord!
You will respond, O Lord, my God!
39:7 But now, O Lord, upon what am I relying?
You are my only hope! 69
39:9 I am silent and cannot open my mouth
because of what you have done. 70
40:8 I want to do what pleases you, 71 my God.
Your law dominates my thoughts.” 72
44:15 All day long I feel humiliated 73
and am overwhelmed with shame, 74
45:17 I will proclaim your greatness through the coming years, 75
then the nations will praise you 76 forever.
50:9 I do not need to take 77 a bull from your household
or goats from your sheepfolds.
51:5 Look, I was guilty of sin from birth,
a sinner the moment my mother conceived me. 78
51:13 Then I will teach 79 rebels your merciful ways, 80
and sinners will turn 81 to you.
54:2 O God, listen to my prayer!
Pay attention to what I say! 82
54:7 Surely 83 he rescues me from all trouble, 84
and I triumph over my enemies. 85
55:9 Confuse them, 86 O Lord!
Frustrate their plans! 87
For I see violence and conflict in the city.
55:13 But it is you, 88 a man like me, 89
my close friend in whom I confided. 90
55:16 As for me, I will call out to God,
and the Lord will deliver me.
55:17 During the evening, morning, and noontime
I will lament and moan, 91
and he will hear 92 me. 93
57:2 I cry out for help to the sovereign God, 94
to the God who vindicates 95 me.
57:8 Awake, my soul! 96
Awake, O stringed instrument and harp!
I will wake up at dawn! 97
59:9 You are my source of strength! I will wait for you! 98
For God is my refuge. 99
62:2 He alone is my protector 100 and deliverer.
He is my refuge; 101 I will not be upended. 102
62:6 He alone is my protector 103 and deliverer.
He is my refuge; 104 I will not be upended. 105
62:11 God has declared one principle;
two principles I have heard: 106
God is strong, 107
63:2 Yes, 108 in the sanctuary I have seen you, 109
and witnessed 110 your power and splendor.
63:6 whenever 111 I remember you on my bed,
and think about you during the nighttime hours.
66:17 I cried out to him for help 112
and praised him with my tongue. 113
66:18 If I had harbored sin in my heart, 114
the Lord would not have listened.
69:7 For I suffer 115 humiliation for your sake 116
and am thoroughly disgraced. 117
69:8 My own brothers treat me like a stranger;
they act as if I were a foreigner. 118
69:9 Certainly 119 zeal for 120 your house 121 consumes me;
I endure the insults of those who insult you. 122
69:10 I weep and refrain from eating food, 123
which causes others to insult me. 124
69:17 Do not ignore 125 your servant,
for I am in trouble! Answer me right away! 126
69:19 You know how I am insulted, humiliated and disgraced;
you can see all my enemies. 127
69:29 I am oppressed and suffering!
O God, deliver and protect me! 128
71:1 In you, O Lord, I have taken shelter!
Never let me be humiliated!
71:8 I praise you constantly
and speak of your splendor all day long. 130
71:14 As for me, I will wait continually,
and will continue to praise you. 131
73:16 When I tried to make sense of this,
it was troubling to me. 132
73:23 But I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand.
75:3 When the earth and all its inhabitants dissolve in fear, 133
I make its pillars secure.” 134 (Selah)
77:4 You held my eyelids open; 135
I was troubled and could not speak. 136
77:7 I asked, 137 “Will the Lord reject me forever?
Will he never again show me his favor?
81:12 I gave them over to their stubborn desires; 138
they did what seemed right to them. 139
81:14 Then I would quickly subdue their enemies,
and attack 140 their adversaries.”
82:6 I thought, 141 ‘You are gods;
all of you are sons of the Most High.’ 142
A prayer of David.
86:1 Listen 144 O Lord! Answer me!
For I am oppressed and needy.
86:2 Protect me, 145 for I am loyal!
O my God, deliver your servant, who trusts in you!
86:3 Have mercy on me, 146 O Lord,
for I cry out to you all day long!
86:4 Make your servant 147 glad,
for to you, O Lord, I pray! 148
86:7 In my time of trouble I cry out to you,
for you will answer me.
88:3 For my life 149 is filled with troubles
and I am ready to enter Sheol. 150
88:4 They treat me like 151 those who descend into the grave. 152
I am like a helpless man, 153
89:2 For I say, “Loyal love is permanently established; 154
in the skies you set up your faithfulness.” 155
89:4 ‘I will give you an eternal dynasty 156
and establish your throne throughout future generations.’” 157 (Selah)
89:25 I will place his hand over the sea,
his right hand over the rivers. 158
89:28 I will always extend my loyal love to him,
and my covenant with him is secure. 159
89:33 But I will not remove 160 my loyal love from him,
nor be unfaithful to my promise. 161
91:16 I will satisfy him with long life, 162
and will let him see my salvation.
92:10 You exalt my horn like that of a wild ox. 163
I am covered 164 with fresh oil.
94:18 If I say, “My foot is slipping,”
your loyal love, O Lord, supports me.
102:4 My heart is parched 165 and withered like grass,
for I am unable 166 to eat food. 167
102:9 For I eat ashes as if they were bread, 168
and mix my drink with my tears, 169
102:11 My days are coming to an end, 170
and I am withered like grass.
104:34 May my thoughts 171 be pleasing to him!
I will rejoice in the Lord.
105:11 saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan
as the portion of your inheritance.”
108:2 Awake, O stringed instrument and harp!
I will wake up at dawn! 172
109:4 They repay my love with accusations, 173
but I continue to pray. 174
109:22 For I am oppressed and needy,
and my heart beats violently within me. 175
109:25 I am disdained by them. 176
When they see me, they shake their heads. 177
116:1 I love the Lord
because he heard my plea for mercy, 179
116:4 I called on the name of the Lord,
“Please Lord, rescue my life!”
116:6 The Lord protects 180 the untrained; 181
I was in serious trouble 182 and he delivered me.
116:9 I will serve 183 the Lord
in the land 184 of the living.
116:12 How can I repay the Lord
for all his acts of kindness to me?
116:13 I will celebrate my deliverance, 185
and call on the name of the Lord.
116:17 I will present a thank offering to you,
and call on the name of the Lord.
118:6 The Lord is on my side, 186 I am not afraid!
What can people do to me? 187
118:10 All the nations surrounded me. 188
Indeed, in the name of the Lord 189 I pushed them away. 190
118:21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me,
and have become my deliverer.
119:10 With all my heart I seek you.
Do not allow me to stray from your commands!
119:13 With my lips I proclaim
all the regulations you have revealed. 191
119:15 I will meditate on 192 your precepts
and focus 193 on your behavior. 194
ג (Gimel)
119:17 Be kind to your servant!
Then I will live 195 and keep 196 your instructions. 197
119:18 Open 198 my eyes so I can truly see 199
the marvelous things in your law!
119:19 I am like a foreigner in this land. 200
Do not hide your commands from me!
119:24 Yes, I find delight in your rules;
they give me guidance. 201
ד (Dalet)
119:25 I collapse in the dirt. 202
Revive me with your word! 203
119:26 I told you about my ways 204 and you answered me.
Teach me your statutes!
119:27 Help me to understand what your precepts mean! 205
Then I can meditate 206 on your marvelous teachings. 207
119:31 I hold fast 208 to your rules.
O Lord, do not let me be ashamed!
119:32 I run along the path of your commands,
for you enable me to do so. 209
119:35 Guide me 210 in the path of your commands,
for I delight to walk in it. 211
119:39 Take away the insults that I dread! 212
Indeed, 213 your regulations are good.
119:40 Look, I long for your precepts.
Revive me with your deliverance! 214
ו (Vav)
119:41 May I experience your loyal love, 215 O Lord,
and your deliverance, 216 as you promised. 217
119:43 Do not completely deprive me of a truthful testimony, 218
for I await your justice.
119:44 Then I will keep 219 your law continually
now and for all time. 220
119:46 I will speak 221 about your regulations before kings
and not be ashamed.
119:54 Your statutes have been my songs 222
in the house where I live. 223
ח (Khet)
119:57 The Lord is my source of security. 224
I have determined 225 to follow your instructions. 226
119:58 I seek your favor 227 with all my heart.
Have mercy on me as you promised! 228
119:61 The ropes of the wicked tighten around 229 me,
but I do not forget your law.
119:62 In the middle of the night I arise 230 to thank you
for your just regulations.
119:63 I am a friend to all your loyal followers, 231
and to those who keep your precepts.
119:66 Teach me proper discernment 232 and understanding!
For I consider your commands to be reliable. 233
119:69 Arrogant people smear my reputation with lies, 234
but I observe your precepts with all my heart.
119:70 Their hearts are calloused, 235
but I find delight in your law.
119:71 It was good for me to suffer,
so that I might learn your statutes.
119:78 May the arrogant be humiliated, for they have slandered me! 236
But I meditate on your precepts.
119:86 All your commands are reliable.
I am pursued without reason. 237 Help me!
119:87 They have almost destroyed me here on the earth,
but I do not reject your precepts.
119:88 Revive me with 238 your loyal love,
that I might keep 239 the rules you have revealed. 240
119:93 I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have revived me.
119:95 The wicked prepare to kill me, 241
yet I concentrate on your rules.
119:96 I realize that everything has its limits,
but your commands are beyond full comprehension. 242
119:98 Your commandments 243 make me wiser than my enemies,
for I am always aware of them.
119:102 I do not turn aside from your regulations,
for you teach me.
119:104 Your precepts give me discernment.
Therefore I hate all deceitful actions. 244
119:106 I have vowed and solemnly sworn
to keep your just regulations.
119:107 I am suffering terribly.
O Lord, revive me with your word! 245
119:109 My life is in continual danger, 246
but I do not forget your law.
119:110 The wicked lay a trap for me,
but I do not wander from your precepts.
119:111 I claim your rules as my permanent possession,
for they give me joy. 247
119:112 I am determined to obey 248 your statutes
at all times, to the very end.
119:114 You are my hiding place and my shield.
I find hope in your word.
119:116 Sustain me as you promised, 249 so that I will live. 250
Do not disappoint me! 251
119:119 You remove all the wicked of the earth like slag. 252
Therefore I love your rules. 253
ע (Ayin)
119:121 I do what is fair and right. 254
Do not abandon me to my oppressors!
119:127 For this reason 255 I love your commands
more than gold, even purest gold.
119:134 Deliver me 256 from oppressive men,
so that I can keep 257 your precepts.
119:143 Distress and hardship confront 258 me,
yet I find delight in your commands.
119:144 Your rules remain just. 259
Give me insight so that I can live. 260
119:148 My eyes anticipate the nighttime hours,
so that I can meditate on your word.
119:152 I learned long ago that
you ordained your rules to last. 261
ר (Resh)
119:153 See my pain and rescue me!
For I do not forget your law.
119:157 The enemies who chase me are numerous. 262
Yet I do not turn aside from your rules.
119:158 I take note of the treacherous and despise them,
because they do not keep your instructions. 263
119:159 See how I love your precepts!
O Lord, revive me with your loyal love!
119:162 I rejoice in your instructions,
like one who finds much plunder. 264
119:164 Seven 265 times a day I praise you
because of your just regulations.
119:173 May your hand help me,
for I choose to obey 266 your precepts.
119:175 May I 267 live and praise you!
May your regulations help me! 268
120:6 For too long I have had to reside
with those who hate 269 peace.
A song of ascents. 271
121:1 I look up 272 toward the hills.
From where 273 does my help come?
A song of ascents. 275
123:1 I look up 276 toward you,
the one enthroned 277 in heaven.
A song of ascents. 279
130:1 From the deep water 280 I cry out to you, O Lord.
132:3 He said, 281 “I will not enter my own home, 282
or get into my bed. 283
132:4 I will not allow my eyes to sleep,
or my eyelids to slumber,
132:16 I will protect her priests, 284
and her godly people will shout exuberantly. 285
135:5 Yes, 286 I know the Lord is great,
and our Lord is superior to all gods.
137:5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
may my right hand be crippled! 287
138:3 When 288 I cried out for help, you answered me.
You made me bold and energized me. 289
139:14 I will give you thanks because your deeds are awesome and amazing. 290
You knew me thoroughly; 291
139:21 O Lord, do I not hate those who hate you,
and despise those who oppose you? 292
140:12 I know 293 that the Lord defends the cause of the oppressed
and vindicates the poor. 294
141:10 Let the wicked fall 295 into their 296 own nets,
while I escape. 297
143:9 Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord!
I run to you for protection. 298
145:5 I will focus on your honor and majestic splendor,
and your amazing deeds! 299
145:6 They will proclaim 300 the power of your awesome acts!
I will declare your great deeds!
1 tn The first person pronoun appears before the first person verbal form for emphasis, reflected in the translation by “myself.”
2 tn Or perhaps “consecrated.”
3 tn The prefixed verbal form could be an imperfect, yielding the translation “I cry out,” but the verb form in the next line (a vav [ו] consecutive with the preterite) suggests this is a brief narrative of what has already happened. Consequently the verb form in v. 4a is better understood as a preterite, “I cried out.” (For another example of the preterite of this same verb form, see Ps 30:8.) Sometime after the crisis arose, the psalmist prayed to the Lord and received an assuring answer. Now he confidently awaits the fulfillment of the divine promise.
4 sn His holy hill. That is, Zion (see Pss 2:6; 48:1-2). The psalmist recognizes that the
5 tn The imperfect verbal form here expresses the psalmist’s continuing attitude as he faces the crisis at hand.
6 tn Or perhaps “troops.” The Hebrew noun עָם (’am) sometimes refers to a military contingent or army.
7 tn Heb “who all around take a stand against me.”
8 tn Heb “in peace at the same time I will lie down and sleep.”
9 tn Heb “for you,
10 tn Heb “my being is very terrified.” The suffixed form of נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being”) is often equivalent to a pronoun in poetic texts.
11 tn Heb “and you,
12 tn Heb “see.”
13 tn Heb “Give light [to] my eyes.” The Hiphil of אוּר (’ur), when used elsewhere with “eyes” as object, refers to the law of God giving moral enlightenment (Ps 19:8), to God the creator giving literal eyesight to all people (Prov 29:13), and to God giving encouragement to his people (Ezra 9:8). Here the psalmist pictures himself as being on the verge of death. His eyes are falling shut and, if God does not intervene soon, he will “fall asleep” for good.
14 tn Heb “or else I will sleep [in?] the death.” Perhaps the statement is elliptical, “I will sleep [the sleep] of death,” or “I will sleep [with the sleepers in] death.”
15 tn The verb form is cohortative, indicating the psalmist’s resolve (or vow) to praise the
16 tn Or “for he will have vindicated me.” The verb form indicates a future perfect here. The idiom גָמַל עַל (gamal ’al) means “to repay,” here in a positive sense.
17 sn Psalm 16. The psalmist seeks divine protection because he has remained loyal to God. He praises God for his rich blessings, and is confident God will vindicate him and deliver him from death.
18 tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew term מִכְתָּם (mikhtam) is uncertain. HALOT 582-83 s.v. defines it as “inscription.”
19 tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form probably refers here to a completed action with continuing results (see 7:1; 11:1).
sn Taken shelter. “Taking shelter” in the Lord is an idiom for seeking his protection. Seeking his protection presupposes and even demonstrates the subject’s loyalty to the Lord. In the psalms those who “take shelter” in the Lord are contrasted with the wicked and equated with those who love, fear and serve the Lord (Pss 5:11-12; 31:17-20; 34:21-22).
20 tn Heb “my good [is] not beyond you.” For the use of the preposition עַל (’al) in the sense of “beyond,” see BDB 755 s.v. 2.
21 tn Heb “my glory is happy.” Some view the Hebrew term כְּבוֹדִי (kÿvodiy, “my glory”) as a metonymy for man’s inner being (see BDB 459 s.v. II כָּבוֹד 5), but it is preferable to emend the form to כְּבֵדִי (kÿvediy, “my liver”). Like the heart, the liver is viewed as the seat of one’s emotions. See also Pss 30:12; 57:9; 108:1, as well as H. W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament, 64, and M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 1:90. For an Ugaritic example of the heart/liver as the source of joy, see G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 47-48: “her [Anat’s] liver swelled with laughter, her heart was filled with joy, the liver of Anat with triumph.”
22 tn Heb “yes, my flesh dwells securely.” The psalmist’s “flesh” stands by metonymy for his body and, by extension, his physical life.
23 tn Heb “and [as for] my enemies, you give to me [the] back [or “neck”].” The idiom “give [the] back” means “to cause [one] to turn the back and run away.” Cf. Exod 23:27.
24 sn Those who hate me. See v. 17, where it is the
25 tn The grammatical construction (conjunction + pronoun) highlights the contrast between the psalmist’s experience and that of his ancestors. When he considers God’s past reliability, it only heightens his despair and confusion, for God’s present silence stands in stark contrast to his past saving acts.
26 tn The metaphor expresses the psalmist’s self-perception, which is based on how others treat him (see the following line).
27 tn Or “not a human being.” The psalmist perceives himself as less than human.
28 tn Heb “a reproach of man and despised by people.”
29 tn The imperfect verbal forms in vv. 17-18 draw attention to the progressive nature of the action.
30 tn Heb “they.” The masculine form indicates the enemies are in view. The referent (the psalmist’s enemies) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
31 tn Heb “they gaze, they look upon me.”
32 sn Psalm 23. In vv. 1-4 the psalmist pictures the Lord as a shepherd who provides for his needs and protects him from danger. The psalmist declares, “The Lord is my shepherd,” and then extends and develops that metaphor, speaking as if he were a sheep. In vv. 5-6 the metaphor changes as the psalmist depicts a great royal banquet hosted by the Lord. The psalmist is a guest of honor and recipient of divine favor, who enjoys unlimited access to the divine palace and the divine presence.
33 sn The LORD is my shepherd. The opening metaphor suggests the psalmist is assuming the role of a sheep. In vv. 1b-4 the psalmist extends the metaphor and explains exactly how the LORD is like a shepherd to him. At the surface level the language can be understood in terms of a shepherd’s relationship to his sheep. The translation of vv. 1-4 reflects this level. But, of course, each statement also points to an underlying reality.
34 tn The imperfect verbal form is best understood as generalizing; the psalmist highlights his typical or ongoing experience as a result of having the LORD as his shepherd (habitual present use). The next verse explains more specifically what he means by this statement.
35 tn That is, helpless and vulnerable.
36 tn Heb “for your faithfulness [is] before my eyes.”
37 tn Heb “and I walk about in your loyalty.”
sn The psalmist’s awareness of the Lord’s faithfulness and…loyalty toward him motivates him to remain loyal to the Lord and to maintain his moral purity.
38 tn Heb “sit.”
39 tn Heb “go.” The psalmist uses the imperfect form of the verb to emphasize that he does not make a practice of associating with such people.
40 tn Heb “[those who] conceal themselves.”
41 tn Heb “assembly, company.”
42 tn Heb “sit.” The psalmist uses the imperfect form of the verb to emphasize that he does not make a practice of associating with such people.
43 tn Heb “the dwelling of your house.”
44 tn Heb “the place of the abode of your splendor.”
45 tn Heb “and I in my integrity walk.” The psalmist uses the imperfect verbal form to emphasize this is his practice. The construction at the beginning of the verse (conjunction + pronoun) highlights the contrast between the psalmist and the sinners mentioned in vv. 9-10.
46 tn Or “redeem me.”
47 tn Heb “my living.”
48 sn The
49 tn Or “beauty.”
50 tn Heb “my voice.”
51 tc Heb “concerning you my heart says, ‘Seek my face.’” The verb form “seek” is plural, but this makes no sense here, for the psalmist is addressed. The verb should be emended to a singular form. The first person pronominal suffix on “face” also makes little sense, unless it is the voice of the
52 tn Heb “your face, O
53 sn You healed me. Apparently the psalmist was plagued by a serious illness that threatened his life. See Ps 41.
54 tn Heb “my spirit.” The noun רוּחַ (ruakh, “spirit”) here refers to the animating spirit that gives the psalmist life.
55 tn Or “redeem.” The perfect verbal form is understood here as anticipatory, indicating rhetorically the psalmist’s certitude and confidence that God will intervene. The psalmist is so confident of God’s positive response to his prayer that he can describe his deliverance as if it had already happened. Another option is to take the perfect as precative, expressing a wish or request (“rescue me”; cf. NIV). See IBHS 494-95 §30.5.4c, d. However, not all grammarians are convinced that the perfect is used as a precative in biblical Hebrew.
56 tn Heb “my soul will boast”; or better, “let my soul boast.” Following the cohortative form in v. 1, it is likely that the prefixed verbal form here is jussive.
57 tn The two prefixed verbal forms in this verse are best taken as jussives, for the psalmist is calling his audience to worship (see v. 3).
58 tn Heb “the fear of the
59 tn Heb “then my soul will rejoice in the
60 tc The MT reads “as profane [ones] of mockers of food,” which is nonsensical. The present translation assumes (1) an emendation of בְּחַנְפֵי (bÿkhanfey, “as profane men”) to בְּחַנְפִי (bekhanfiy, “when I tripped”; preposition + Qal infinitive construct from II חָנַף [“limp”] + first common singular pronominal suffix) and (2) an emendation of לַעֲגֵי מָעוֹג (la’agey ma’og, “mockers of food”) to עָגוּ[ם]לַעְגָּ (la’gam ’agu, “[with] taunting they taunted”; masculine plural noun with enclitic mem + Qal perfect third common plural from לַּעַג [la’ag, “taunt”]).
61 tn Heb “gnashing at me with their teeth.” The infinitive absolute adds a complementary action – they gnashed with their teeth as they taunted.
62 tn Heb “and my tongue will proclaim your justice.”
63 tn Heb “all the day your praise.” The verb “proclaim” is understood by ellipsis in the second line (see the previous line).
64 tn Heb “for my loins are filled with shame.” The “loins” are viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s emotions. The present translation assumes that נִקְלֶה (niqleh) is derived from קָלָה (qalah, “be dishonored”). Some derive it instead from a homonymic root קָלָה (qalah), meaning “to roast.” In this case one might translate “fever” (cf. NEB “my loins burn with fever”).
65 tn Heb “there is no soundness in my flesh” (see v. 3).
66 tn Heb “and the light of my eyes, even they, there is not with me.” The “light of the eyes” may refer to physical energy (see 1 Sam 14:27, 29), life itself (Ps 13:3), or the ability to see (Prov 29:23).
67 tn Heb “and there is not in his mouth arguments.”
68 tn Or perhaps “surely.”
69 tn Heb “my hope, for you it [is].”
70 tn Heb “because you acted.” The psalmist has in mind God’s disciplinary measures (see vv. 10-13).
71 tn Or “your will.”
72 tn Heb “your law [is] in the midst of my inner parts.” The “inner parts” are viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s thought life and moral decision making.
73 tn Heb “all the day my humiliation [is] in front of me.”
74 tn Heb “and the shame of my face covers me.”
75 tn Heb “I will cause your name to be remembered in every generation and generation.” The cohortative verbal form expresses the poet’s resolve. The king’s “name” stands here for his reputation and character, which the poet praised in vv. 2-7.
76 sn The nations will praise you. As God’s vice-regent on earth, the king is deserving of such honor and praise.
77 tn Or “I will not take.”
78 tn Heb “Look, in wrongdoing I was brought forth, and in sin my mother conceived me.” The prefixed verbal form in the second line is probably a preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive), stating a simple historical fact. The psalmist is not suggesting that he was conceived through an inappropriate sexual relationship (although the verse has sometimes been understood to mean that, or even that all sexual relationships are sinful). The psalmist’s point is that he has been a sinner from the very moment his personal existence began. By going back beyond the time of birth to the moment of conception, the psalmist makes his point more emphatically in the second line than in the first.
79 tn The cohortative expresses the psalmist’s resolve. This may be a vow or promise. If forgiven, the psalmist will “repay” the Lord by declaring God’s mercy and motivating other sinners to repent.
80 tn Heb “your ways.” The word “merciful” is added for clarification. God’s “ways” are sometimes his commands, but in this context, where the teaching of God’s ways motivates repentance (see the next line), it is more likely that God’s merciful and compassionate way of dealing with sinners is in view. Thanksgiving songs praising God for his deliverance typically focus on these divine attributes (see Pss 34, 41, 116, 138).
81 tn Or “return,” i.e., in repentance.
82 tn Heb “to the words of my mouth.”
83 tn Or “for,” indicating a more specific reason why he will praise the
84 tn The perfects in v. 7 are probably rhetorical, indicating the psalmist’s certitude and confidence that God will intervene. The psalmist is so confident of God’s positive response to his prayer, he can describe God’s deliverance and his own vindication as if they were occurring or had already occurred.
85 tn Heb “and on my enemies my eyes look.”
86 tn Traditionally בַּלַּע (bala’) has been taken to mean “swallow” in the sense of “devour” or “destroy” (cf. KJV), but this may be a homonym meaning “confuse” (see BDB 118 s.v. בַּלַּע; HALOT 135 s.v. III *בֶּלַע). “Their tongue” is the understood object of the verb (see the next line).
87 tn Heb “split their tongue,” which apparently means “confuse their speech,” or, more paraphrastically, “frustrate the plans they devise with their tongues.”
88 sn It is you. The psalmist addresses the apparent ringleader of the opposition, an individual who was once his friend.
89 tn Heb “a man according to my value,” i.e., “a person such as I.”
90 tn Heb “my close friend, one known by me.”
91 tn The first verb is clearly a cohortative form, expressing the psalmist’s resolve. The second verb, while formally ambiguous, should also be understood as cohortative here.
92 tn The prefixed verb with vav (ו) consecutive normally appears in narrational contexts to indicate past action, but here it continues the anticipatory (future) perspective of the preceding line. In Ps 77:6 one finds the same sequence of cohortative + prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive. In this case as well, both forms refer to future actions.
93 tn Heb “my voice.”
94 tn Heb “to God Most High.” The divine title “Most High” (עֶלְיוֹן, ’elyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Ps 47:2.
95 tn Or “avenges in favor of.”
96 tn Heb “glory,” but that makes little sense in the context. Some view כָּבוֹד (kavod, “glory”) here as a metonymy for man’s inner being (see BDB 459 s.v. II כָּבוֹד 5), but it is preferable to emend the form to כְּבֵדִי (kÿvediy, “my liver”). Like the heart, the liver is viewed as the seat of one’s emotions. See also Pss 16:9; 30:12; 108:1, as well as H. W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament, 64, and M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 1:90. For an Ugaritic example of the heart/liver as the source of joy, see G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 47-48: “her [Anat’s] liver swelled with laughter, her heart was filled with joy, the liver of Anat with triumph.”
97 tn BDB 1007 s.v. שַׁחַר takes “dawn” as an adverbial accusative, though others understand it as a personified direct object. “Dawn” is used metaphorically for the time of deliverance and vindication the psalmist anticipates. When salvation “dawns,” the psalmist will “wake up” in praise.
98 tc Heb “his strength, for you I will watch.” “His strength” should be emended to “my strength” (see v. 17). Some also emend אֶשְׁמֹרָה (’eshmorah, “I will watch”) to אֱזַמֵּרָה (’ezammerah, “I will sing praises [to you]”) See v. 17.
99 tn Or “my elevated place” (see Ps 18:2).
100 tn Heb “my high rocky summit.”
101 tn Or “my elevated place” (see Ps 18:2).
102 tn The Hebrew text adds רַבָּה (rabbah, “greatly”) at the end of the line. It is unusual for this adverb to follow a negated verb. Some see this as qualifying the assertion to some degree, but this would water down the affirmation too much (see v. 6b, where the adverb is omitted). If the adverb has a qualifying function, it would suggest that the psalmist might be upended, though not severely. This is inconsistent with the confident mood of the psalm. The adverb probably has an emphatic force here, “I will not be greatly upended” meaning “I will not be annihilated.”
103 tn Heb “my high rocky summit.”
104 tn Or “my elevated place” (see Ps 18:2).
105 sn The wording is identical to that of v. 2, except that רַבָּה (rabbah, “greatly”) does not appear in v. 6.
106 tn Heb “one God spoke, two which I heard.” This is a numerical saying utilizing the “x” followed by “x + 1” pattern to facilitate poetic parallelism. (See W. M. W. Roth, Numerical Sayings in the Old Testament [VTSup], 55-56.) As is typical in such sayings, a list corresponding to the second number (in this case “two”) follows. Another option is to translate, “God has spoken once, twice [he has spoken] that which I have heard.” The terms אַחַת (’akhat, “one; once”) and שְׁתַּיִם (shÿtayim, “two; twice”) are also juxtaposed in 2 Kgs 6:10 (where they refer to an action that was done more than “once or twice”) and in Job 33:14 (where they refer to God speaking “one way” and then in “another manner”).
107 tn Heb “that strength [belongs] to God.”
108 tn The Hebrew particle כֵּן (ken) is used here to stress the following affirmation (see Josh 2:4).
109 tn The perfect verbal form is understood here as referring to a past experience which the psalmist desires to be repeated. Another option is to take the perfect as indicating the psalmist’s certitude that he will again stand in God’s presence in the sanctuary. In this case one can translate, “I will see you.”
110 tn Heb “seeing.” The preposition with the infinitive construct here indicates an accompanying circumstance.
111 tn The Hebrew term אִם (’im) is used here in the sense of “when; whenever,” as in Ps 78:34.
112 tn Heb “to him [with] my mouth I called.”
113 tn Heb “and he was extolled under my tongue.” The form רוֹמַם (romam) appears to be a polal (passive) participle from רוּם (rum, “be exalted”), but many prefer to read רוֹמָם, “high praise [was under my tongue]” (cf. NEB). See BDB 928 s.v. רוֹמָם.
114 tn Heb “sin if I had seen in my heart.”
115 tn Heb “carry, bear.”
116 tn Heb “on account of you.”
117 tn Heb “and shame covers my face.”
118 tn Heb “and I am estranged to my brothers, and a foreigner to the sons of my mother.”
119 tn Or “for.” This verse explains that the psalmist’s suffering is due to his allegiance to God.
120 tn Or “devotion to.”
121 sn God’s house, the temple, here represents by metonymy God himself.
122 tn Heb “the insults of those who insult you fall upon me.”
sn Jn 2:17 applies the first half of this verse to Jesus’ ministry in the context of John’s account of Jesus cleansing the temple.
123 sn Fasting was a practice of mourners. By refraining from normal activities such as eating food, the mourner demonstrated the sincerity of his sorrow.
124 tn Heb “and it becomes insults to me.”
125 tn Heb “do not hide your face from.” The Hebrew idiom “hide the face” can (1) mean “ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or (2) carry the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 30:7; 88:14).
126 tn Or “quickly.”
127 tn Heb “before you [are] all my enemies.”
128 tn Heb “your deliverance, O God, may it protect me.”
129 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.
130 tn Heb “my mouth is filled [with] your praise, all the day [with] your splendor.”
131 tn Heb “and I add to all your praise.”
132 tn Heb “and [when] I pondered to understand this, troubling it [was] in my eyes.”
133 tn Heb “melt.”
134 tn The statement is understood in a generalizing sense; God typically prevents the world from being overrun by chaos. One could take this as referring to an anticipated event, “I will make its pillars secure.”
135 tn Heb “you held fast the guards of my eyes.” The “guards of the eyes” apparently refers to his eyelids. The psalmist seems to be saying that God would not bring him relief, which would have allowed him to shut his eyes and get some sleep (see v. 2).
136 tn The imperfect is used in the second clause to emphasize that this was an ongoing condition in the past.
137 tn As in vv. 4 and 6a, the words of vv. 7-9 are understood as a quotation of what the psalmist said earlier. Therefore the words “I asked” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
138 tn Heb “and I sent him away in the stubbornness of their heart.”
139 tn Heb “they walked in their counsel.” The prefixed verbal form is either preterite (“walked”) or a customary imperfect (“were walking”).
140 tn Heb “turn my hand against.” The idiom “turn the hand against” has the nuance of “strike with the hand, attack” (see Isa 1:25; Ezek 38:12; Amos 1:8; Zech 13:7).
141 tn Heb “said.”
142 sn Normally in the OT the title Most High belongs to the God of Israel, but in this context, where the mythological overtones are so strong, it probably refers to the Canaanite high god El (see v. 1, as well as Isa 14:13).
143 sn Psalm 86. The psalmist appeals to God’s mercy as he asks for deliverance from his enemies.
144 tn Heb “turn your ear.”
145 tn Heb “my life.”
146 tn Or “show me favor.”
147 tn Heb “the soul of your servant.”
148 tn Heb “I lift up my soul.”
149 tn Or “my soul.”
150 tn Heb “and my life approaches Sheol.”
151 tn Heb “I am considered with.”
152 tn Heb “the pit.” The noun בּוֹר (bor, “pit,” “cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead.
153 tn Heb “I am like a man [for whom] there is no help.”
154 tn Heb “built.”
155 sn You set up your faithfulness. This may allude to the Lord’s heavenly throne, which symbolizes his just rule and from which the Lord decrees his unconditional promises (see vv. 8, 14).
156 tn Heb “forever I will establish your offspring.”
157 tn Heb “and I will build to a generation and a generation your throne.”
158 tn Some identify “the sea” as the Mediterranean and “the rivers” as the Euphrates and its tributaries. However, it is more likely that “the sea” and “the rivers” are symbols for hostile powers that oppose God and the king (see v. 9, as well as Ps 93:3-4).
159 tn Heb “forever I will keep for him my loyal love and will make my covenant secure for him.”
160 tn Heb “break”; “make ineffectual.” Some prefer to emend אָפִיר (’afir; the Hiphil of פָּרַר, parar, “to break”) to אָסִיר (’asir; the Hiphil of סוּר, sur, “to turn aside”), a verb that appears in 2 Sam 7:15.
161 tn Heb “and I will not deal falsely with my faithfulness.”
162 tn Heb “length of days.”
163 sn The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “to exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 75:10; 89:24; Lam 2:17).
164 tn The Hebrew verb בָּלַל (balal) usually has the nuance “to mix.” Here it seems to mean “to smear” or “to anoint.” Some emend the form to בַּלֹּתַנִי (ballotaniy; a second person form of the verb with a first person suffix) and read, “you anoint me.”
165 tn Heb “struck, attacked.”
166 tn Heb “I forget.”
167 sn I am unable to eat food. During his time of mourning, the psalmist refrained from eating. In the following verse he describes metaphorically the physical effects of fasting.
168 sn Mourners would sometimes put ashes on their head or roll in ashes as a sign of mourning (see 2 Sam 13:19; Job 2:8; Isa 58:5).
169 tn Heb “weeping.”
170 tn Heb “my days [are] like an extended [or “lengthening”] shadow,” that is, like a late afternoon shadow made by the descending sun that will soon be swallowed up by complete darkness.
171 tn That is, the psalmist’s thoughts as expressed in his songs of praise.
172 tn BDB 1007 s.v. שַׁחַר takes “dawn” as an adverbial accusative, though others understand it as a personified direct object. “Dawn” is used metaphorically for the time of deliverance and vindication the psalmist anticipates. When salvation “dawns,” the psalmist will “wake up” in praise.
173 tn Heb “in place of my love they oppose me.”
174 tn Heb “and I, prayer.”
175 tc The verb in the Hebrew text (חָלַל, khalal) appears to be a Qal form from the root חלל meaning “pierced; wounded.” However, the Qal of this root is otherwise unattested. The translation assumes an emendation to יָחִיל (yakhil), a Qal imperfect from חוּל (khul, “tremble”) or to חֹלַל (kholal), a polal perfect from חוּל (khul). See Ps 55:4, which reads לִבִּי יָחִיל בְּקִרְבִּי (libbiy yakhil bÿqirbbiy, “my heart trembles [i.e., “beats violently”] within me”).
176 tn Heb “as for me, I am a reproach to them.”
177 sn They shake their heads. Apparently shaking the head was a taunting gesture. See also Job 16:4; Ps 22:7; Lam 2:15.
178 sn Psalm 116. The psalmist thanks the Lord for delivering him from a life threatening crisis and promises to tell the entire covenant community what God has done for him.
179 tn Heb “I love because the
180 tn Heb “guards.” The active participle indicates this is a characteristic of the
181 tn Or “the [morally] naive,” that is, the one who is young and still in the process of learning right from wrong and distinguishing wisdom from folly. See Ps 19:7.
182 tn Heb “I was low.”
183 tn Heb “walk before” (see Ps 56:13). On the meaning of the Hebrew idiom, see the notes at 2 Kgs 20:3/Isa 38:3.
184 tn Heb “lands, regions.”
185 tn Heb “a cup of deliverance I will lift up.” Perhaps this alludes to a drink offering the psalmist will present as he thanks the
186 tn Heb “for me.”
187 tn The rhetorical question assumes the answer, “Nothing!” The imperfect is used in a modal sense here, indicating capability or potential. See Ps 56:11.
188 sn The reference to an attack by the nations suggests the psalmist may have been a military leader.
189 tn In this context the phrase “in the name of the
190 tn Traditionally the verb has been derived from מוּל (mul, “to circumcise”) and translated “[I] cut [them] off” (see BDB 557-58 s.v. II מוּל). However, it is likely that this is a homonym meaning “to fend off” (see HALOT 556 s.v. II מול) or “to push away.” In this context, where the psalmist is reporting his past experience, the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite. The phrase also occurs in vv. 11, 12.
191 tn Heb “of your mouth.”
192 tn The cohortative verbal forms in this verse express the psalmist’s resolve.
193 tn Heb “gaze [at].”
194 tn Heb “ways” (referring figuratively to God’s behavior here).
195 tn The prefixed verbal form is probably a cohortative indicating purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
196 tn The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the imperative that begins the verse.
197 tn Heb “your word.” Many medieval Hebrew
198 tn Heb “uncover.” The verb form גַּל (gal) is an apocopated Piel imperative from גָּלָה (galah, see GKC 214 §75.cc).
199 tn The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
200 tn Heb “I am a resident alien in the land.” Resident aliens were especially vulnerable and in need of help. They needed to know the social and legal customs of the land to avoid getting into trouble. The translation (note the addition of “like”) assumes the psalmist is speaking metaphorically, not literally.
201 tn Heb “men of my counsel.” That is, God’s rules are like advisers to the psalmist, for they teach him how to live in a godly manner that refutes the accusations of his enemies.
202 tn Heb “my soul clings to the dirt.” The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being; soul”) with a pronominal suffix is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 4.a).
203 tn Heb “according to your word.” Many medieval Hebrew
204 tn Heb “my ways I proclaimed.”
205 tn Heb “the way of your precepts make me understand.”
206 tn The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
207 tn Heb “your amazing things,” which refers here to the teachings of the law (see v. 18).
208 tn Or “cling to.”
209 tn Heb “for you make wide my heart.” The “heart” is viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s volition and understanding. The
210 tn Or “make me walk.”
211 tn Heb “for in it I delight.”
212 tn Heb “my reproach that I fear.”
213 tn Or “for.”
214 tn Or “righteousness.”
215 tn Heb “and may your loyal love come to me.”
216 tn Or “salvation” (so many English versions).
217 tn Heb “according to your word.”
218 tn Heb “do not snatch from my mouth a word of truth to excess.” The psalmist wants to be able to give a reliable testimony about the
219 tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the negated jussive (see v. 43).
220 tn Or “forever and ever.”
221 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.
222 tn Heb “songs were your statutes to me.”
223 tn Heb “in the house of my dwelling place.” Some take the Hebrew noun מָגוֹר (magor) in the sense of “temporary abode,” and see this as a reference to the psalmist’s status as a resident alien (see v. 19). But the noun can refer to a dwelling place in general (see Ps 55:15).
224 tn Heb “my portion [is] the
225 tn Heb “I said.”
226 tn Heb “to keep your words” (see v. 9).
227 tn Heb “I appease your face.”
228 tn Heb “according to your word.”
229 tn Heb “surround.”
230 tn The psalmist uses an imperfect verbal form to emphasize that this is his continuing practice.
231 tn Heb “to all who fear you.”
232 tn Heb “goodness of taste.” Here “taste” refers to moral and ethical discernment.
233 tn Heb “for I believe in your commands.”
234 tn Heb “smear over me a lie.”
235 tn Heb “their heart is insensitive like fat.”
236 tn Heb “for [with] falsehood they have denied me justice.”
237 sn God’s commands are a reliable guide to right and wrong. By keeping them the psalmist is doing what is right, yet he is still persecuted.
238 tn Heb “according to.”
239 tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
240 tn Heb “of your mouth.”
241 tn Heb “the wicked wait for me to kill me.”
242 tn Heb “to every perfection I have seen an end, your command is very wide.” God’s law is beyond full comprehension, which is why the psalmist continually studies it (vv. 95, 97).
243 tn The plural form needs to be revocalized as a singular in order to agree with the preceding singular verb and the singular pronoun in the next line. The
244 tn Heb “every false path.”
245 tn Heb “according to your word.”
246 tn Heb “my life [is] in my hands continually.”
247 tn Heb “for the joy of my heart [are] they.”
248 tn Heb “I turn my heart to do.”
249 tn Heb “according to your word.”
250 tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
251 tn Heb “do not make me ashamed of my hope.” After the Hebrew verb בּוֹשׁ (bosh, “to be ashamed”) the preposition מִן (min, “from”) often introduces the reason for shame.
252 sn Traditionally “dross” (so KJV, ASV, NIV). The metaphor comes from metallurgy; “slag” is the substance left over after the metallic ore has been refined.
253 sn As he explains in the next verse, the psalmist’s fear of judgment motivates him to obey God’s rules.
254 tn Heb “do justice and righteousness.”
255 tn “For this reason” connects logically with the statement made in v. 126. Because the judgment the psalmist fears (see vv. 119-120) is imminent, he remains loyal to God’s law.
256 tn Or “redeem me.”
257 tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
258 tn Heb “find.”
259 tn Heb “just are your rules forever.”
260 tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
261 tn Heb “long ago I knew concerning your rules, that forever you established them.” See v. 89 for the same idea. The translation assumes that the preposition מִן (min) prefixed to “your rules” introduces the object of the verb יָדַע (yada’), as in 1 Sam 23:23. Another option is that the preposition indicates source, in which case one might translate, “Long ago I realized from your rules that forever you established them” (cf. NIV, NRSV).
262 tn Heb “many [are] those who chase me and my enemies.”
263 tn Heb “your word.”
264 tn Heb “like one who finds great plunder.” See Judg 5:30. The image is that of a victorious warrior who finds a large amount of plunder on the field of battle.
265 tn The number “seven” is use rhetorically to suggest thoroughness.
266 tn The words “to obey” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons and for clarity.
267 tn Heb “my life.”
268 tn God’s regulations will “help” the psalmist by giving him moral and ethical guidance.
269 tn The singular participial form probably has a representative function here. The psalmist envisions the typical hater of peace who represents the entire category of such individuals.
270 sn Psalm 121. The psalm affirms that the Lord protects his people Israel. Unless the psalmist addresses an observer (note the second person singular forms in vv. 3-8), it appears there are two or three speakers represented in the psalm, depending on how one takes v. 3. The translation assumes that speaker one talks in vv. 1-2, that speaker two responds to him with a prayer in v. 3 (this assumes the verbs are true jussives of prayer), and that speaker three responds with words of assurance in vv. 4-8. If the verbs in v. 3 are taken as a rhetorical use of the jussive, then there are two speakers. Verses 3-8 are speaker two’s response to the words of speaker one. See the note on the word “sleep” at the end of v. 3.
271 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
272 tn Heb “I lift my eyes.”
273 tn The Hebrew term מֵאַיִן (me’ayin) is interrogative, not relative, in function. Rather than directly stating that his source of help descends from the hills, the psalmist is asking, “From where does my help come?” Nevertheless, the first line does indicate that he is looking toward the hills for help, probably indicating that he is looking up toward the sky in anticipation of supernatural intervention. The psalmist assumes the dramatic role of one needing help. He answers his own question in v. 2.
274 sn Psalm 123. The psalmist, speaking for God’s people, acknowledges his dependence on God in the midst of a crisis.
275 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
276 tn Heb “I lift my eyes.”
277 tn Heb “sitting.” The Hebrew verb יָשַׁב (yashav) is here used metonymically of “sitting enthroned” (see Pss 9:7; 29:10; 55:19; 102:12).
278 sn Psalm 130. The psalmist, confident of the Lord’s forgiveness, cries out to the Lord for help in the midst of his suffering and urges Israel to do the same.
279 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
280 tn Heb “depths,” that is, deep waters (see Ps 69:2, 14; Isa 51:10), a metaphor for the life-threatening danger faced by the psalmist.
281 tn The words “he said” are supplied in the translation to clarify that what follows is David’s vow.
282 tn Heb “the tent of my house.”
283 tn Heb “go up upon the bed of my couch.”
284 tn Heb “and her priests I will clothe [with] deliverance.”
285 tn Heb “[with] shouting they will shout.” The infinitive absolute is used to emphasize the verb.
286 tn Or “for.”
287 tn Heb “may my right hand forget.” In this case one must supply an object, such as “how to move.” The elliptical nature of the text has prompted emendations (see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 236). The translation assumes an emendation to תִּכְשַׁח (tikhshakh), from an otherwise unattested root כשׁח, meaning “to be crippled; to be lame.” See HALOT 502 s.v. כשׁח, which cites Arabic cognate evidence in support of the proposal. The corruption of the MT can be explained as an error of transposition facilitated by the use of שָׁכַח (shakhakh, “forget”) just before this.
288 tn Heb “in the day.”
289 tn Heb “you made me bold in my soul [with] strength.”
290 tc Heb “because awesome things, I am distinct, amazing [are] your works.” The text as it stands is syntactically problematic and makes little, if any, sense. The Niphal of פָּלָה (pala’) occurs elsewhere only in Exod 33:16. Many take the form from פָלָא (pala’; see GKC 216 §75.qq), which in the Niphal perfect means “to be amazing” (see 2 Sam 1:26; Ps 118:23; Prov 30:18). Some, following the LXX and some other ancient witnesses, also prefer to emend the verb from first to second person, “you are amazing” (see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 249, 251). The present translation assumes the text conflates two variants: נפלאים, the otherwise unattested masculine plural participle of פָלָא, and נִפְלָאוֹת (nifla’ot), the usual (feminine) plural form of the Niphal participle. The latter has been changed to a verb by later scribes in an attempt to accommodate it syntactically. The original text likely read, נוראות נפלאותים מעשׂיך (“your works [are] awesome [and] amazing”).
291 tc Heb “and my being knows very much.” Better parallelism is achieved (see v. 15a) if one emends יֹדַעַת (yoda’at), a Qal active participle, feminine singular form, to יָדַעְתָּ (yada’ta), a Qal perfect second masculine singular perfect. See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 252.
292 tc Heb “who raise themselves up against you.” The form וּבִתְקוֹמְמֶיךָ (uvitqomÿmekha) should be emended to וּבְמִתְקוֹמְמֶיךָ (uvÿmitqomÿmekha), a Hitpolel participle (the prefixed mem [מ] of the participle is accidentally omitted in the MT, though a few medieval Hebrew
293 tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew
294 tn Heb “and the just cause of the poor.”
295 tn The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive of prayer. Another option is to translate, “the wicked will fall.”
296 tn Heb “his.”
297 tn Heb “at the same [that] I, until I pass by.” Another option is to take יַחַד (yakhad) with the preceding line, “let the wicked fall together into their own nets.”
298 tn Heb “to you I cover,” which makes no sense. The translation assumes an emendation to נַסְתִּי (nastiy, “I flee,” a Qal perfect, first singular form from נוּס, nos). Confusion of kaf (כ) and nun (נ) is attested elsewhere (see P. K. McCarter, Textual Criticism [GBS], 48). The collocation of נוּס (“flee”) with אֶל (’el, “to”) is well-attested.
299 tn Heb “the splendor of the glory of your majesty, and the matters of your amazing deeds I will ponder.”
300 tn The prefixed verbal form is understood as an imperfect, indicating how the psalmist expects his audience to respond to his praise. Another option is to take the forms as a jussive, indicating the psalmist’s wish, “may they proclaim.”