A psalm of David, written when he fled from his son Absalom. 2
3:1 Lord, how 3 numerous are my enemies!
Many attack me. 4
10:8 He waits in ambush near the villages; 5
in hidden places he kills the innocent.
His eyes look for some unfortunate victim. 6
10:14 You have taken notice, 7
for 8 you always see 9 one who inflicts pain and suffering. 10
The unfortunate victim entrusts his cause to you; 11
you deliver 12 the fatherless. 13
10:15 Break the arm 14 of the wicked and evil man!
Hold him accountable for his wicked deeds, 15
which he thought you would not discover. 16
14:7 I wish the deliverance 17 of Israel would come from Zion!
When the Lord restores the well-being of his people, 18
may Jacob rejoice, 19
may Israel be happy! 20
15:4 He despises a reprobate, 21
but honors the Lord’s loyal followers. 22
He makes firm commitments and does not renege on his promise. 23
27:5 He will surely 24 give me shelter 25 in the day of danger; 26
he will hide me in his home; 27
he will place me 28 on an inaccessible rocky summit. 29
29:9 The Lord’s shout bends 30 the large trees 31
and strips 32 the leaves from the forests. 33
Everyone in his temple says, “Majestic!” 34
31:23 Love the Lord, all you faithful followers 35 of his!
The Lord protects those who have integrity,
but he pays back in full the one who acts arrogantly. 36
33:6 By the Lord’s decree 37 the heavens were made;
by a mere word from his mouth all the stars in the sky were created. 38
33:12 How blessed 39 is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people whom he has chosen to be his special possession. 40
35:27 May those who desire my vindication shout for joy and rejoice!
May they continually say, 41 “May the Lord be praised, 42 for he wants his servant to be secure.” 43
37:25 I was once young, now I am old.
I have never seen a godly man abandoned,
or his children 44 forced to search for food. 45
37:28 For the Lord promotes 46 justice,
and never abandons 47 his faithful followers.
They are permanently secure, 48
but the children 49 of evil men are wiped out. 50
37:34 Rely 51 on the Lord! Obey his commands! 52
Then he will permit you 53 to possess the land;
you will see the demise of evil men. 54
37:40 The Lord helps them and rescues them;
he rescues them from evil men and delivers them, 55
for they seek his protection.
42:5 Why are you depressed, 56 O my soul? 57
Why are you upset? 58
Wait for God!
For I will again give thanks
to my God for his saving intervention. 59
42:8 By day the Lord decrees his loyal love, 60
and by night he gives me a song, 61
a prayer 62 to the living God.
42:11 Why are you depressed, 63 O my soul? 64
Why are you upset? 65
Wait for God!
For I will again give thanks
to my God for his saving intervention. 66
43:5 Why are you depressed, 67 O my soul? 68
Why are you upset? 69
Wait for God!
For I will again give thanks
to my God for his saving intervention. 70
A song, a psalm by the Korahites.
48:1 The Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise
in the city of our God, 72 his holy hill.
53:6 I wish the deliverance 73 of Israel would come from Zion!
When God restores the well-being of his people, 74
may Jacob rejoice, 75
may Israel be happy! 76
56:4 In God – I boast in his promise 77 –
in God I trust, I am not afraid.
What can mere men 78 do to me? 79
57:3 May he send help from heaven and deliver me 80
from my enemies who hurl insults! 81 (Selah)
May God send his loyal love and faithfulness!
60:6 God has spoken in his sanctuary: 82
“I will triumph! I will parcel out Shechem;
the Valley of Succoth I will measure off. 83
63:11 But the king 84 will rejoice in God;
everyone who takes oaths in his name 85 will boast,
for the mouths of those who speak lies will be shut up. 86
69:35 For God will deliver Zion
and rebuild the cities of Judah,
and his people 87 will again live in them and possess Zion. 88
For the music director; to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a psalm of Asaph, a song.
76:1 God has revealed himself in Judah; 90
in Israel his reputation 91 is great.
78:5 He established a rule 92 in Jacob;
he set up a law in Israel.
He commanded our ancestors
to make his deeds known to their descendants, 93
78:7 Then they will place their confidence in God.
They will not forget the works of God,
and they will obey 94 his commands.
78:20 Yes, 95 he struck a rock and water flowed out,
streams gushed forth.
But can he also give us food?
Will he provide meat for his people?”
78:21 When 96 the Lord heard this, he was furious.
A fire broke out against Jacob,
and his anger flared up 97 against Israel,
78:50 He sent his anger in full force; 98
he did not spare them from death;
he handed their lives over to destruction. 99
93:1 The Lord reigns!
He is robed in majesty,
the Lord is robed,
he wears strength around his waist. 101
Indeed, the world is established, it cannot be moved.
95:7 For he is our God;
we are the people of his pasture,
the sheep he owns. 102
Today, if only you would obey him! 103
96:13 before the Lord, for he comes!
For he comes to judge the earth!
He judges the world fairly, 104
and the nations in accordance with his justice. 105
97:10 You who love the Lord, hate evil!
He protects 106 the lives of his faithful followers;
he delivers them from the power 107 of the wicked.
99:6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests;
Samuel was one of those who prayed to him. 108
They 109 prayed to the Lord and he answered them.
101:5 I will destroy anyone who slanders his neighbor in secret.
I will not tolerate anyone who has a cocky demeanor and an arrogant attitude. 110
103:22 Praise the Lord, all that he has made, 111
in all the regions 112 of his kingdom!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
104:13 He waters the mountains from the upper rooms of his palace; 113
the earth is full of the fruit you cause to grow. 114
107:8 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love,
and for the amazing things he has done for people! 115
107:15 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love,
and for the amazing things he has done for people! 116
107:21 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love,
and for the amazing things he has done for people! 117
107:31 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love,
and for the amazing things he has done for people! 118
107:35 As for his people, 119 he turned 120 a desert into a pool of water,
and a dry land into springs of water.
108:7 God has spoken in his sanctuary: 121
“I will triumph! I will parcel out Shechem,
the valley of Succoth I will measure off. 122
109:13 May his descendants 123 be cut off! 124
May the memory of them be wiped out by the time the next generation arrives! 125
111:10 To obey the Lord is the fundamental principle for wise living; 126
all who carry out his precepts acquire good moral insight. 127
He will receive praise forever. 128
127:5 How blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!
They will not be put to shame 129 when they confront 130 enemies at the city gate.
A song of ascents. 132
128:1 How blessed is every one of the Lord’s loyal followers, 133
each one who keeps his commands! 134
132:11 The Lord made a reliable promise to David; 135
he will not go back on his word. 136
He said, 137 “I will place one of your descendants 138 on your throne.
133:2 It is like fine oil poured on the head
which flows down the beard 139 –
Aaron’s beard,
and then flows down his garments. 140
135:7 He causes the clouds to arise from the end of the earth,
makes lightning bolts accompany the rain,
and brings the wind out of his storehouses.
149:3 Let them praise his name with dancing!
Let them sing praises to him to the accompaniment of the tambourine and harp!
149:9 and execute the judgment to which their enemies 141 have been sentenced. 142
All his loyal followers will be vindicated. 143
Praise the Lord!
1 sn Psalm 3. The psalmist acknowledges that he is confronted by many enemies (vv. 1-2). But, alluding to a divine oracle he has received (vv. 4-5), he affirms his confidence in God’s ability to protect him (vv. 3, 6) and requests that God make his promise a reality (vv. 7-8).
2 sn According to Jewish tradition, David offered this prayer when he was forced to flee from Jerusalem during his son Absalom’s attempted coup (see 2 Sam 15:13-17).
3 tn The Hebrew term מָה (mah, “how”) is used here as an adverbial exclamation (see BDB 553 s.v.).
4 tn Heb “many rise up against me.”
5 tn Heb “he sits in the ambush of the villages.”
6 tn Heb “his eyes for an unfortunate person lie hidden.” The language may picture a lion (see v. 9) peering out from its hiding place in anticipation that an unsuspecting victim will soon come strolling along.
7 tn Heb “you see.” One could translate the perfect as generalizing, “you do take notice.”
8 tn If the preceding perfect is taken as generalizing, then one might understand כִּי (ki) as asseverative: “indeed, certainly.”
9 tn Here the imperfect emphasizes God’s typical behavior.
10 tn Heb “destruction and suffering,” which here refers metonymically to the wicked, who dish out pain and suffering to their victims.
11 tn Heb “to give into your hand, upon you, he abandons, [the] unfortunate [one].” The syntax is awkward and the meaning unclear. It is uncertain who or what is being given into God’s hand. Elsewhere the idiom “give into the hand” means to deliver into one’s possession. If “to give” goes with what precedes (as the accentuation of the Hebrew text suggests), then this may refer to the wicked man being delivered over to God for judgment. The present translation assumes that “to give” goes with what follows (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV). The verb יַעֲזֹב (ya’azov) here has the nuance “entrust” (see Gen 39:6; Job 39:11); the direct object (“[his] cause”) is implied.
12 tn Or “help.”
13 tn Heb “[for] one who is fatherless, you are a deliverer.” The noun יָתוֹם (yatom) refers to one who has lost his father (not necessarily his mother, see Ps 109:9).
sn The fatherless. Because they were so vulnerable and were frequently exploited, fatherless children are often mentioned as epitomizing the oppressed (see Pss 68:5; 82:3; 94:6; 146:9; as well as Job 6:27; 22:9; 24:3, 9; 29:12; 31:17, 21).
14 sn The arm symbolizes the strength of the wicked, which they use to oppress and exploit the weak.
15 tn Heb “you seek his wickedness.” As in v. 13, the verb דָרַשׁ (darash, “seek”) is used here in the sense of “seek an accounting.” One could understand the imperfect as describing a fact, “you hold him accountable,” or as anticipating divine judgment, “you will hold him accountable.” However, since the verb is in apparent parallelism with the preceding imperative (“break”), it is better to understand the imperfect as expressing the psalmist’s desire or request.
16 tn Heb “you will not find.” It is uncertain how this statement relates to what precedes. Some take בַל (bal), which is used as a negative particle in vv. 4, 6, 11, 18, as asseverative here, “Indeed find (i.e., judge his wickedness).” The translation assumes that the final words are an asyndetic relative clause which refers back to what the wicked man boasted in God’s face (“you will not find [i.e., my wickedness]”). See v. 13.
17 sn The deliverance of Israel. This refers metonymically to God, the one who lives in Zion and provides deliverance for Israel.
18 tn Heb “turns with a turning [toward] his people.” The Hebrew term שְׁבוּת (shÿvut) is apparently a cognate accusative of שׁוּב (shuv).
19 tn The verb form is jussive.
20 tn Because the parallel verb is jussive, this verb, which is ambiguous in form, should be taken as a jussive as well.
21 tn Heb “despised in his eyes [is] a rejected [one].” The Hebrew term נִמְאָס (nim’as, “rejected [one]”) apparently refers here to one who has been rejected by God because of his godless behavior. It stands in contrast to “those who fear God” in the following line.
22 tn Heb “those who fear the
23 tn Heb “he takes an oath to do harm and does not change.” The phrase “to do harm” cannot mean “do harm to others,” for the preceding verse clearly characterizes this individual as one who does not harm others. In this context the phrase must refer to an oath to which a self-imprecation is attached. The godly individual takes his commitments to others so seriously he is willing to “swear to his own hurt.” For an example of such an oath, see Ruth 1:16-17.
24 tn Or “for he will.” The translation assumes the כִּי (ki) is asseverative here, rather than causal.
25 tn Heb “he will hide me in his hut.”
26 tn Or “trouble.”
27 tn Heb “tent.”
28 tn The three imperfect verb forms in v. 5 anticipate a positive response to the prayer offered in vv. 7-12.
29 tn Heb “on a rocky summit he lifts me up.” The
30 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form is descriptive in function; the psalmist depicts the action as underway.
31 tc Heb “the deer.” Preserving this reading, some translate the preceding verb, “causes [the deer] to give premature birth” (cf. NEB, NASB). But the Polel of חוּל/חִיל (khul/khil) means “give birth,” not “cause to give birth,” and the statement “the
32 tn The verb is used in Joel 1:7 of locusts stripping the leaves from a tree. The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries the descriptive function of the preceding imperfect. See GKC 329 §111.t.
33 tn The usual form of the plural of יַעַר (ya’ar, “forest”) is יְעָרִים (yÿ’arim). For this reason some propose an emendation to יְעָלוֹת (yÿ’alot, “female mountain goats”) which would fit nicely in the parallelism with “deer” (cf. NEB “brings kids early to birth”). In this case one would have to understand the verb חָשַׂף (khasaf) to mean “cause premature birth,” an otherwise unattested homonym of the more common חָשַׂף (“strip bare”).
sn The Lord’s thunderous shout is accompanied by high winds which damage the trees of the forest.
34 tn Heb “In his temple, all of it says, ‘Glory.’”
35 tn A “faithful follower” (חָסִיד, khasid) is one who does what is right in God’s eyes and remains faithful to God (see Pss 4:3; 12:1; 16:10; 31:23; 37:28; 86:2; 97:10).
36 tn The participial forms in the second and third lines characterize the Lord as one who typically protects the faithful and judges the proud.
37 tn Heb “word.”
38 tn Heb “and by the breath of his mouth all their host.” The words “were created” are added in the translation for stylistic reasons; they are understood by ellipsis (note “were made” in the preceding line). The description is consistent with Gen 1:16, which indicates that God spoke the heavenly luminaries into existence.
39 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; 2:12; 34:9; 41:1; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).
40 tn Heb “inheritance.”
41 tn The prefixed verbal forms in v. 27a are understood as jussives (see vv. 24b-26).
42 tn The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive, “may the
43 tn Heb “the one who desires the peace of his servant.”
44 tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”
45 tn Heb “or his offspring searching for food.” The expression “search for food” also appears in Lam 1:11, where Jerusalem’s refugees are forced to search for food and to trade their valuable possessions for something to eat.
46 tn Heb “loves.” The verb “loves” is here metonymic; the
47 tn The imperfect verbal form draws attention to this generalizing statement.
48 tn Or “protected forever.”
49 tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”
50 tn Or “cut off”; or “removed.” The perfect verbal forms in v. 28b state general truths.
51 tn Or “wait.”
52 tn Heb “keep his way.” The
53 tn Heb “and he will lift you up.” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) is best taken here as a result clause following the imperatives in the preceding lines.
54 tn Heb “when evil men are cut off you will see.”
55 tn The prefixed verbal forms with vav (ו) consecutive carry on the generalizing tone of the preceding verse.
56 tn Heb “Why do you bow down?”
57 sn For poetic effect the psalmist addresses his soul, or inner self.
58 tn Heb “and [why] are you in turmoil upon me?” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries on the descriptive present nuance of the preceding imperfect. See GKC 329 §111.t.
59 tc Heb “for again I will give him thanks, the saving acts of his face.” The verse division in the Hebrew text is incorrect. אֱלֹהַי (’elohay, “my God”) at the beginning of v. 7 belongs with the end of v. 6 (see the corresponding refrains in 42:11 and 43:5, both of which end with “my God” after “saving acts of my face”). The Hebrew term פָּנָיו (panayv, “his face”) should be emended to פְּנֵי (pÿney, “face of”). The emended text reads, “[for] the saving acts of the face of my God,” that is, the saving acts associated with God’s presence/intervention.
60 sn The psalmist believes that the Lord has not abandoned him, but continues to extend his loyal love. To this point in the psalm, the author has used the name “God,” but now, as he mentions the divine characteristic of loyal love, he switches to the more personal divine name Yahweh (rendered in the translation as “the
61 tn Heb “his song [is] with me.”
62 tc A few medieval Hebrew
63 tn Heb “Why do you bow down?”
64 sn For poetic effect the psalmist addresses his soul, or inner self.
65 tn Heb “and why are you in turmoil upon me?”
66 tc Heb “for again I will give him thanks, the saving acts of my face and my God.” The last line should be emended to read יְשׁוּעֹת פְנֵי אֱלֹהָי (yÿshu’ot fÿney ’elohay, “[for] the saving acts of the face of my God”), that is, the saving acts associated with God’s presence/intervention. This refrain is almost identical to the one in v. 5. See also Ps 43:5.
67 tn Heb “Why do you bow down?”
68 sn For poetic effect the psalmist addresses his soul, or inner self.
69 tn Heb “and why are you in turmoil upon me?”
70 tc Heb “for again I will give him thanks, the saving acts of my face and my God.” The last line should be emended to read יְשׁוּעֹת פְנֵי אֱלֹהָי (yÿshu’ot fÿney ’elohay, “[for] the saving acts of the face of my God,” that is, the saving acts associated with God’s presence/intervention. This refrain is identical to the one in Ps 42:11. See also 42:5, which differs only slightly.
71 sn Psalm 48. This so-called “Song of Zion” celebrates the greatness and glory of the Lord’s dwelling place, Jerusalem. His presence in the city elevates it above all others and assures its security.
72 sn The city of our God is Jerusalem, which is also referred to here as “his holy hill,” that is, Zion (see v. 2, as well as Isa 66:20; Joel 2:1; 3:17; Zech 8:3; Pss 2:6; 15:1; 43:3; 87:1; Dan 9:16).
73 tn This refers metonymically to God, the one who lives in Zion and provides deliverance for Israel.
74 tn Heb “turns with a turning [toward] his people.” The Hebrew term שְׁבוּת (shÿvut) is apparently a cognate accusative of שׁוּב (shuv).
75 tn The verb form is jussive.
76 tn Because the parallel verb is jussive, this verb, which is ambiguous in form, should be taken as a jussive as well.
77 tn Heb “in God I boast, his word.” The syntax in the Hebrew text is difficult. (1) The line could be translated, “in God I boast, [in] his word.” Such a translation assumes that the prepositional phrase “in God” goes with the following verb “I boast” (see Ps 44:8) and that “his word” is appositional to “in God” and more specifically identifies the basis for the psalmist’s confidence. God’s “word” is here understood as an assuring promise of protection. Another option (2) is to translate, “in God I will boast [with] a word.” In this case, the “word” is a song of praise. (In this view the pronominal suffix “his” must be omitted as in v. 10.) The present translation reflects yet another option (3): In this case “I praise his word” is a parenthetical statement, with “his word” being the object of the verb. The sentence begun with the prepositional phrase “in God” is then completed in the next line, with the prepositional phrase being repeated after the parenthesis.
78 tn Heb “flesh,” which refers by metonymy to human beings (see v. 11, where “man” is used in this same question), envisioned here as mortal and powerless before God.
79 tn The rhetorical question assumes the answer, “Nothing!” The imperfect is used in a modal sense here, indicating capability or potential.
80 tn Heb “may he send from heaven and deliver me.” The prefixed verbal forms are understood as jussives expressing the psalmist’s prayer. The second verb, which has a vav (ו) conjunctive prefixed to it, probably indicates purpose. Another option is to take the forms as imperfects expressing confidence, “he will send from heaven and deliver me” (cf. NRSV).
81 tn Heb “he hurls insults, one who crushes me.” The translation assumes that this line identifies those from whom the psalmist seeks deliverance. (The singular is representative; the psalmist is surrounded by enemies, see v. 4.) Another option is to understand God as the subject of the verb חָרַף (kharaf), which could then be taken as a homonym of the more common root חָרַף (“insult”) meaning “confuse.” In this case “one who crushes me” is the object of the verb. One might translate, “he [God] confuses my enemies.”
82 tn Heb “in his holy place.”
83 sn Shechem stands for the territory west of the Jordan, the Valley of Succoth for the region east of the Jordan.
84 sn The psalmist probably refers to himself in the third person here.
85 tn Heb “who swears [an oath] by him.”
86 tn The Niphal of this verb occurs only here and in Gen 8:2, where it is used of God “stopping” or “damming up” the great deep as he brought the flood to an end.
87 tn Heb “they”; the referent (God’s people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
88 tn Heb “it.” The third feminine singular pronominal suffix probably refers to “Zion” (see Pss 48:12; 102:14); thus the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
89 sn Psalm 76. The psalmist depicts God as a mighty warrior who destroys Israel’s enemies.
90 tn Or “God is known in Judah.”
91 tn Heb “name,” which here stands metonymically for God’s reputation.
92 tn The Hebrew noun עֵדוּת (’edut) refers here to God’s command that the older generation teach their children about God’s mighty deeds in the nation’s history (see Exod 10:2; Deut 4:9; 6:20-25).
93 tn Heb “which he commanded our fathers to make them known to their sons.” The plural suffix “them” probably refers back to the
94 tn Heb “keep.”
95 tn Heb “look.”
96 tn Heb “therefore.”
97 tn Heb “and also anger went up.”
98 tn Heb “he leveled a path for his anger.” There were no obstacles to impede its progress; it moved swiftly and destructively.
99 tn Or perhaps “[the] plague.”
100 sn Psalm 93. The psalmist affirms that the
101 sn Strength is compared here to a belt that one wears for support. The Lord’s power undergirds his rule.
102 tn Heb “of his hand.”
103 tn Heb “if only you would listen to his voice.” The Hebrew particle אִם (’im, “if”) and following prefixed verbal form here express a wish (cf. Ps 81:8). Note that the apodosis (the “then” clause of the conditional sentence) is suppressed.
104 tn The verbal forms in v. 13 probably describe God’s typical, characteristic behavior, though they may depict in dramatic fashion the outworking of divine judgment or anticipate a future judgment of worldwide proportions, in which case they could be translated “will judge the world.”
105 tn Heb “and the nations with his integrity.”
106 tn The participle may be verbal, though it might also be understood as substantival and appositional to “the
107 tn Heb “hand.”
108 tn Heb “among those who called on his name.”
109 tn Heb “those who.” The participle is in apposition to the phrase “those who called on his name” in the preceding line.
110 tn Heb “[one who has] pride of eyes and wideness [i.e., arrogance] of heart, him I will not endure.”
111 tn Heb “all his works,” which includes mankind.
112 tn Heb “places.”
113 tn Heb “from his upper rooms.”
114 tn Heb “from the fruit of your works the earth is full.” The translation assumes that “fruit” is literal here. If “fruit” is understood more abstractly as “product; result,” then one could translate, “the earth flourishes as a result of your deeds” (cf. NIV, NRSV, REB).
115 tn Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.”
116 tn Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.” See v. 8.
117 tn Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.” See v. 8.
118 tn Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.” See v. 8.
119 tn The words “As for his people” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity. The psalmist contrasts God’s judgment on his enemies with his blessing of his people. See the note on the word “enemies” in v. 39 for further discussion.
120 tn The verbal form appears to be a preterite, which is most naturally taken as narrational. See the note on the word “turned” in v. 33.
121 tn Heb “in his holy place.”
122 sn Shechem stands for the territory west of the Jordan River; the valley of Succoth represents the region east of the Jordan.
123 tn Or “offspring.”
124 sn On the expression cut off see Ps 37:28.
125 tn Heb “in another generation may their name be wiped out.”
126 tn Heb “the beginning of wisdom [is] the fear of the
127 tn Heb “good sense [is] to all who do them.” The third masculine plural pronominal suffix must refer back to the “precepts” mentioned in v. 7. In the translation the referent has been specified for clarity. The phrase שֵׂכֶל טוֹב (shekhel tov) also occurs in Prov 3:4; 13:15 and 2 Chr 30:22.
128 tn Heb “his praise stands forever.”
129 tn Being “put to shame” is here metonymic for being defeated, probably in a legal context, as the reference to the city gate suggests. One could be humiliated (Ps 69:12) or deprived of justice (Amos 5:12) at the gate, but with strong sons to defend the family interests this was less likely to happen.
130 tn Heb “speak with.”
131 sn Psalm 128. The psalmist observes that the godly individual has genuine happiness because the Lord rewards such a person with prosperity and numerous children.
132 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.
133 tn Heb “every fearer of the
134 tn Heb “the one who walks in his ways.”
135 tn Heb “the
136 tn Heb “he will not turn back from it.”
137 tn The words “he said” are supplied in the translation to clarify that what follows are the
138 tn Heb “the fruit of your body.”
139 tn Heb “[it is] like the good oil on the head, going down on the beard.”
140 tn Heb “which goes down in accordance with his measured things.” The Hebrew phrase מִדּוֹתָיו (middotayv, “his measured things”) refers here to the robes worn by Aaron. HALOT 546 s.v. *מַד derives the form from מַד (midah, “robe”) rather than מִדָּה (middah, “measured thing”). Ugaritic md means “robe” and is pluralized mdt.
141 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the enemies of the people of God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
142 tn Heb “to do against them judgment [that] is written.”
143 tn Heb “it is honor for all his godly ones.” The judgment of the oppressive kings will bring vindication and honor to God’s people (see vv. 4-5).