3:6 I am not afraid 1 of the multitude of people 2
who attack me from all directions. 3
5:4 Certainly 4 you are not a God who approves of evil; 5
evil people 6 cannot dwell with you. 7
5:5 Arrogant people cannot stand in your presence; 8
you hate 9 all who behave wickedly. 10
12:7 You, Lord, will protect them; 11
you will continually shelter each one from these evil people, 12
12:8 for the wicked seem to be everywhere, 13
when people promote evil. 14
18:27 For you deliver oppressed 15 people,
but you bring down those who have a proud look. 16
22:6 But I 17 am a worm, 18 not a man; 19
people insult me and despise me. 20
24:5 Such godly people are rewarded by the Lord, 21
and vindicated by the God who delivers them. 22
26:9 Do not sweep me away 23 with sinners,
or execute me along with violent people, 24
28:8 The Lord strengthens his people; 25
he protects and delivers his chosen king. 26
34:9 Remain loyal to 27 the Lord, you chosen people of his, 28
for his loyal followers 29 lack nothing!
34:21 Evil people self-destruct; 30
those who hate the godly are punished. 31
44:12 You sold 32 your people for a pittance; 33
you did not ask a high price for them. 34
45:12 Rich people from Tyre 35
will seek your favor by bringing a gift. 36
49:12 but, despite their wealth, people do not last, 37
they are like animals 38 that perish. 39
49:20 Wealthy people do not understand; 40
they are like animals 41 that perish. 42
60:3 You have made your people experience hard times; 43
you have made us drink intoxicating wine. 44
66:5 Come and witness 45 God’s exploits! 46
His acts on behalf of people are awesome! 47
68:7 O God, when you lead your people into battle, 48
when you march through the desert, 49 (Selah)
69:33 For the Lord listens to the needy;
he does not despise his captive people. 50
72:2 Then he will judge 51 your people fairly,
and your oppressed ones 52 equitably.
72:3 The mountains will bring news of peace to the people,
and the hills will announce justice. 53
77:15 You delivered 54 your people by your strength 55 –
the children of Jacob and Joseph. (Selah)
77:20 You led your people like a flock of sheep,
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
78:62 He delivered his people over to the sword,
and was angry with his chosen nation. 56
81:11 But my people did not obey me; 57
Israel did not submit to me. 58
81:13 If only my people would obey me! 59
If only Israel would keep my commands! 60
83:3 They carefully plot 61 against your people,
and make plans to harm 62 the ones you cherish. 63
85:2 You pardoned 64 the wrongdoing of your people;
you forgave 65 all their sin. (Selah)
85:6 Will you not revive us once more?
Then your people will rejoice in you!
87:3 People say wonderful things about you, 66
O city of God. (Selah)
89:15 How blessed are the people who worship you! 67
O Lord, they experience your favor. 68
89:47 Take note of my brief lifespan! 69
Why do you make all people so mortal? 70
90:3 You make mankind return 71 to the dust, 72
and say, “Return, O people!”
94:5 O Lord, they crush your people;
they oppress the nation that belongs to you. 73
94:8 Take notice of this, 74 you ignorant people! 75
You fools, when will you ever understand?
101:7 Deceitful people will not live in my palace. 76
Liars will not be welcome in my presence. 77
105:24 The Lord 78 made his people very fruitful,
and made them 79 more numerous than their 80 enemies.
105:25 He caused them 81 to hate his people,
and to mistreat 82 his servants.
105:37 He brought his people 83 out enriched 84 with silver and gold;
none of his tribes stumbled.
105:43 When he led his people out, they rejoiced;
his chosen ones shouted with joy. 85
113:8 that he might seat him with princes,
with the princes of his people.
118:6 The Lord is on my side, 86 I am not afraid!
What can people do to me? 87
118:8 It is better to take shelter 88 in the Lord
than to trust in people.
119:21 You reprimand arrogant people.
Those who stray from your commands are doomed. 89
119:69 Arrogant people smear my reputation with lies, 90
but I observe your precepts with all my heart.
ס (Samek)
119:113 I hate people with divided loyalties, 91
but I love your law.
119:136 Tears stream down from my eyes, 92
because people 93 do not keep your law.
125:2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, 94
so the Lord surrounds his people,
now and forevermore.
132:16 I will protect her priests, 95
and her godly people will shout exuberantly. 96
135:12 He gave their land as an inheritance,
as an inheritance to Israel his people.
135:14 For the Lord vindicates 97 his people,
and has compassion on his servants. 98
136:16 to the one who led his people through the wilderness,
for his loyal love endures,
144:4 People 99 are like a vapor,
their days like a shadow that disappears. 100
149:2 Let Israel rejoice in their Creator!
Let the people 101 of Zion delight in their king! 102
149:4 For the Lord takes delight in his people;
he exalts the oppressed by delivering them. 103
1 tn The imperfect verbal form here expresses the psalmist’s continuing attitude as he faces the crisis at hand.
2 tn Or perhaps “troops.” The Hebrew noun עָם (’am) sometimes refers to a military contingent or army.
3 tn Heb “who all around take a stand against me.”
4 tn Or “for.”
5 tn Heb “not a God [who] delights [in] wickedness [are] you.”
6 tn The Hebrew text has simply the singular form רע, which may be taken as an abstract noun “evil” (the reference to “wickedness” in the preceding line favors this; cf. NEB, NASB, NRSV) or as a substantival adjective “evil one” (the references to evil people in the next two verses favor this; cf. NIV “with you the wicked cannot dwell”).
7 tn Heb “cannot dwell as a resident alien [with] you.” The negated imperfect verbal form here indicates incapability or lack of permission. These people are morally incapable of dwelling in God’s presence and are not permitted to do so.
sn Only the godly are allowed to dwell with the Lord. Evil people are excluded. See Ps 15.
8 tn Heb “before your eyes.”
9 sn You hate. The
10 tn Heb “all the workers of wickedness.”
11 tn The third person plural pronominal suffix on the verb is masculine, referring back to the “oppressed” and “needy” in v. 5 (both of those nouns are plural in form), suggesting that the verb means “protect” here. The suffix does not refer to אִמֲרוֹת (’imarot, “words”) in v. 6, because that term is feminine gender.
12 tn Heb “you will protect him from this generation permanently.” The third masculine singular suffix on the verb “protect” is probably used in a distributive sense, referring to each one within the group mentioned previously (the oppressed/needy, referred to as “them” in the preceding line). On this grammatical point see GKC 396 §123.f (where the present text is not cited). (Some Hebrew
13 tn Heb “the wicked walk all around.” One could translate v. 8a as an independent clause, in which case it would be a concluding observation in proverbial style. The present translation assumes that v. 8a is a subordinate explanatory clause, or perhaps a subordinate temporal clause (“while the wicked walk all around”). The adverb סָבִיב (saviv, “around”), in combination with the Hitpael form of the verb “walk” (which indicates repeated action), pictures the wicked as ubiquitous. They have seemingly overrun society.
14 tn Heb “when evil is lifted up by the sons of man.” The abstract noun זֻלּוּת (zulut, “evil”) occurs only here. On the basis of evidence from the cognate languages (see HALOT 272 s.v.), one might propose the meaning “base character,” or “morally foolish behavior.”
15 tn Or perhaps, “humble” (note the contrast with those who are proud).
16 tn Heb “but proud eyes you bring low.” 2 Sam 22:28 reads, “your eyes [are] upon the proud, [whom] you bring low.”
17 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.
18 tn The metaphor expresses the psalmist’s self-perception, which is based on how others treat him (see the following line).
19 tn Or “not a human being.” The psalmist perceives himself as less than human.
20 tn Heb “a reproach of man and despised by people.”
21 tn Heb “he (the righteous individual described in v. 4) lifts up a blessing from the
22 tn “and vindication from the God of his deliverance.”
23 tn Heb “do not gather up my life with.”
24 tn Heb “or with men of bloodshed my life.” The verb is supplied; it is understood by ellipsis (see the preceding line).
25 tn Heb “the
26 tn Heb “he [is] a refuge of help for his anointed one.” The noun מָשִׁיחַ (mashiakh, “anointed one”) refers to the Davidic king, who perhaps speaks as representative of the nation in this psalm. See Pss 2:2; 18:50; 20:6; 84:9; 89:38, 51; 132:10, 17.
27 tn Heb “fear.”
28 tn Heb “O holy ones of his.”
29 tn Heb “those who fear him.”
30 tn Heb “evil kills the wicked [one].” The singular form is representative; the typical evil person is envisioned. The Hebrew imperfect verbal form draws attention to the typical nature of the action.
31 tn Heb “are guilty,” but the verb is sometimes used metonymically with the meaning “to suffer the consequences of guilt,” the effect being substituted for the cause.
32 tn The prefixed verbal form is a preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive).
33 tn Heb “for what is not wealth.”
34 tn Heb “you did not multiply their purchase prices.”
35 map For location see Map1-A2; Map2-G2; Map4-A1; JP3-F3; JP4-F3.
36 tn Heb “and a daughter of Tyre with a gift, your face they will appease, the rich of people.” The phrase “daughter of Tyre” occurs only here in the OT. It could be understood as addressed to the bride, indicating she was a Phoenician (cf. NEB). However, often in the OT the word “daughter,” when collocated with the name of a city or country, is used to personify the referent (see, for example, “Daughter Zion” in Ps 9:14, and “Daughter Babylon” in Ps 137:8). If that is the case here, then “Daughter Tyre” identifies the city-state of Tyre as the place from which the rich people come (cf. NRSV). The idiom “appease the face” refers to seeking one’s favor (see Exod 32:11; 1 Sam 13:12; 1 Kgs 13:6; 2 Kgs 13:4; 2 Chr 33:12; Job 11:19; Ps 119:58; Prov 19:6; Jer 26:19; Dan 9:13; Zech 7:2; 8:21-22; Mal 1:9).
37 tn Heb “but mankind in honor does not remain.” The construction vav (ו) + noun at the beginning of the verse can be taken as contrastive in relation to what precedes. The Hebrew term יְקָר (yÿqar, “honor”) probably refers here to the wealth mentioned in the preceding context. The imperfect verbal form draws attention to what is characteristically true. Some scholars emend יָלִין (yalin, “remains”) to יָבִין (yavin, “understands”) but this is an unnecessary accommodation to the wording of v. 20.
38 tn Or “cattle.”
39 tn The verb is derived from דָּמָה (damah, “cease; destroy”; BDB 198 s.v.). Another option is to derive the verb from דָּמָה (“be silent”; see HALOT 225 s.v. II דמה, which sees two homonymic roots [דָּמָה, “be silent,” and דָּמָה, “destroy”] rather than a single root) and translate, “they are like dumb beasts.” This makes particularly good sense in v. 20, where the preceding line focuses on mankind’s lack of understanding.
40 tn Heb “mankind in honor does not understand.” The Hebrew term יְקָר (yÿqar, “honor”) probably refers here to the wealth mentioned in the preceding context. The imperfect verbal form draws attention to what is characteristically true. Some emend יָבִין (yavin, “understands”) to יָלִין (yalin, “remains”), but this is an unnecessary accommodation to the wording of v. 12.
41 tn Or “cattle.”
42 tn The Hebrew verb is derived from דָּמָה (damah, “cease, destroy”; BDB 198 s.v.). Another option is to derive the verb from דָּמָה (damah, “be silent”; see HALOT 225 s.v. II דמה, which sees two homonymic roots [I דָּמַה, “be silent,” and II דָּמַה, “destroy”] rather than a single root) and translate, “they are like dumb beasts.” This makes particularly good sense here, where the preceding line focuses on mankind’s lack of understanding.
43 tn Heb “you have caused your people to see [what is] hard.”
44 tn Heb “wine of staggering,” that is, intoxicating wine that makes one stagger in drunkenness. Intoxicating wine is here an image of divine judgment that makes its victims stagger like drunkards. See Isa 51:17-23.
45 tn Or “see.”
46 tn Or “acts” (see Ps 46:8).
47 tn Heb “awesome [is] an act toward the sons of man.” It is unclear how the prepositional phrase relates to what precedes. If collocated with “act,” it may mean “on behalf of” or “toward.” If taken with “awesome” (see 1 Chr 16:25; Pss 89:7; 96:4; Zeph 2:11), one might translate “his awesome acts are beyond human comprehension” or “his awesome acts are superior to anything men can do.”
48 tn Heb “when you go out before your people.” The Hebrew idiom “go out before” is used here in a militaristic sense of leading troops into battle (see Judg 4:14; 9:39; 2 Sam 5:24).
49 sn When you march through the desert. Some interpreters think that v. 7 alludes to Israel’s exodus from Egypt and its subsequent travels in the desert. Another option is that v. 7, like v. 8, echoes Judg 5:4, which describes how the God of Sinai marched across the desert regions to do battle with Sisera and his Canaanite army.
50 tn Heb “his prisoners he does not despise.”
51 tn The prefixed verbal form appears to be an imperfect, not a jussive.
52 sn These people are called God’s oppressed ones because he is their defender (see Pss 9:12, 18; 10:12; 12:5).
53 tn Heb “[the] mountains will bear peace to the people, and [the] hills with justice.” The personified mountains and hills probably represent messengers who will sweep over the land announcing the king’s just decrees and policies. See Isa 52:7 and C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms (ICC), 2:133.
54 tn Or “redeemed.”
55 tn Heb “with [your] arm.”
56 tn Heb “his inheritance.”
57 tn Heb “did not listen to my voice.”
58 tn The Hebrew expression אָבָה לִי (’avah liy) means “submit to me” (see Deut 13:8).
59 tn Heb “if only my people were listening to me.” The Hebrew particle לוּ (lu, “if not”) introduces a purely hypothetical or contrary to fact condition (see 2 Sam 18:12).
60 tn Heb “[and if only] Israel would walk in my ways.”
61 tn Heb “they make crafty a plot.”
62 tn Heb “and consult together against.”
63 tn The passive participle of the Hebrew verb צָפַן (tsafan, “to hide”) is used here in the sense of “treasured; cherished.”
64 tn Heb “lifted up.”
65 tn Heb “covered over.”
66 tn Heb “glorious things are spoken about you.” The translation assumes this is a general reference to compliments paid to Zion by those who live within her walls and by those who live in the surrounding areas and lands. Another option is that this refers to a prophetic oracle about the city’s glorious future. In this case one could translate, “wonderful things are announced concerning you.”
67 tn Heb “who know the shout.” “Shout” here refers to the shouts of the
68 tn Heb “in the light of your face they walk.” The idiom “light of your face” probably refers to a smile (see Eccl 8:1), which in turn suggests favor and blessing (see Num 6:25; Pss 4:6; 31:16; 44:3; 67:1; 80:3, 7, 19; Dan 9:17).
69 tn Heb “remember me, what is [my] lifespan.” The Hebrew term חֶלֶד (kheled) is also used of one’s lifespan in Ps 39:5. Because the Hebrew text is so awkward here, some prefer to emend it to read מֶה חָדֵל אָנִי (meh khadel ’aniy, “[remember] how transient [that is, “short-lived”] I am”; see Ps 39:4).
70 tn Heb “For what emptiness do you create all the sons of mankind?” In this context the term שָׁוְא (shavah) refers to mankind’s mortal nature and the brevity of life (see vv. 45, 48).
71 tn In this context the shortened prefix form does not function as a preterite, but indicates what is typical of the world.
72 tn The Hebrew term דַּכָּא (daka’) carries the basic sense of “crushed.” Elsewhere it refers to those who are “crushed” in spirit or contrite of heart (see Ps 34:18; Isa 57:15). If one understands this nuance here, then v. 3 is observing that God leads mankind to repentance (the term שׁוּב, shuv, “return,” which appears twice in this verse, is sometimes used of repentance.) However, the following context laments mankind’s mortality and the brevity of life, so it is doubtful if v. 3 should be understood so positively. It is more likely that דַּכָּא here refers to “crushed matter,” that is, the dust that fills the grave (see HALOT 221 s.v. s.v. I דַּכָּא; BDB 194 s.v. דַּכָּא). In this case one may hear an echo of Gen 3:19.
73 tn Or “your inheritance.”
74 tn Heb “understand.” The verb used in v. 7 is repeated here for rhetorical effect. The people referred to here claim God is ignorant of their actions, but the psalmist corrects their faulty viewpoint.
75 tn Heb “[you] brutish among the people.”
76 tn Heb “he will not live in the midst of my house, one who does deceit.”
77 tn Heb “one who speaks lies will not be established before my eyes.”
78 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the
79 tn Heb “him,” referring to “his people.”
80 tn Heb “his,” referring to “his people.”
81 tn Heb “their heart.”
82 tn Or “to deal deceptively.” The Hitpael of נָכַל (nakhal) occurs only here and in Gen 37:18, where it is used of Joseph’s brothers “plotting” to kill him.
83 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the
84 tn The word “enriched” is supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
85 tn Heb “and he led his people out with joy, with a ringing cry, his chosen ones.”
86 tn Heb “for me.”
87 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.
88 tn “Taking shelter” in the
89 tn Heb “accursed.” The traditional punctuation of the Hebrew text takes “accursed” with the previous line (“arrogant, accursed ones”), but it is preferable to take it with the second line as the predicate of the statement.
90 tn Heb “smear over me a lie.”
91 tn Heb “divided ones.” The word occurs only here; it appears to be derived from a verbal root, attested in Arabic, meaning “to split” (see HALOT 762 s.v. *סֵעֵף). Since the psalmist is emphasizing his unswerving allegiance to God and his law, the term probably refers to those who lack such loyalty. The translation is similar to that suggested by L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 131.
92 tn Heb “[with] flowing streams my eyes go down.”
93 tn Heb “they”; even though somewhat generic, the referent (people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
94 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
95 tn Heb “and her priests I will clothe [with] deliverance.”
96 tn Heb “[with] shouting they will shout.” The infinitive absolute is used to emphasize the verb.
97 tn Heb “judges,” but here the idea is that the
98 sn Verse 14 echoes Deut 32:36, where Moses affirms that God mercifully relents from fully judging his wayward people.
99 tn Heb “man,” or “mankind.”
100 tn Heb “his days [are] like a shadow that passes away,” that is, like a late afternoon shadow made by the descending sun that will soon be swallowed up by complete darkness. See Ps 102:11.
101 tn Heb “sons.”
102 sn The
103 tn Heb “he honors the oppressed [with] deliverance.”