4:4 Tremble with fear and do not sin! 1
Meditate as you lie in bed, and repent of your ways! 2 (Selah)
9:5 You terrified the nations with your battle cry; 3
you destroyed the wicked; 4
you permanently wiped out all memory of them. 5
9:19 Rise up, Lord! 6
Don’t let men be defiant! 7
May the nations be judged in your presence!
10:5 He is secure at all times. 8
He has no regard for your commands; 9
he disdains all his enemies. 10
16:10 You will not abandon me 11 to Sheol; 12
you will not allow your faithful follower 13 to see 14 the Pit. 15
17:13 Rise up, Lord!
Confront him! 16 Knock him down! 17
Use your sword to rescue me from the wicked man! 18
19:14 May my words and my thoughts
be acceptable in your sight, 19
O Lord, my sheltering rock 20 and my redeemer. 21
21:6 For you grant him lasting blessings;
you give him great joy by allowing him into your presence. 22
22:22 I will declare your name to my countrymen! 23
In the middle of the assembly I will praise you!
30:7 O Lord, in your good favor you made me secure. 24
Then you rejected me 25 and I was terrified.
37:3 Trust in the Lord and do what is right!
Settle in the land and maintain your integrity! 26
38:3 My whole body is sick because of your judgment; 27
I am deprived of health because of my sin. 28
41:12 As for me, you uphold 29 me because of my integrity; 30
you allow 31 me permanent access to your presence. 32
42:3 I cannot eat, I weep day and night; 33
all day long they say to me, 34 “Where is your God?”
44:8 In God I boast all day long,
and we will continually give thanks to your name. (Selah)
44:17 All this has happened to us, even though we have not rejected you 35
or violated your covenant with us. 36
50:7 He says: 37
“Listen my people! I am speaking!
Listen Israel! I am accusing you! 38
I am God, your God!
51:12 Let me again experience the joy of your deliverance!
Sustain me by giving me the desire to obey! 39
51:19 Then you will accept 40 the proper sacrifices, burnt sacrifices and whole offerings;
then bulls will be sacrificed 41 on your altar. 42
54:5 May those who wait to ambush me 43 be repaid for their evil! 44
As a demonstration of your faithfulness, 45 destroy them!
55:22 Throw your burden 46 upon the Lord,
and he will sustain you. 47
He will never allow the godly to be upended. 48
56:7 Because they are bent on violence, do not let them escape! 49
In your anger 50 bring down the nations, 51 O God!
60:4 You have given your loyal followers 52 a rallying flag,
so that they might seek safety from the bow. 53 (Selah)
61:5 For you, O God, hear my vows;
you grant me the reward that belongs to your loyal followers. 54
61:8 Then I will sing praises to your name continually, 55
as I fulfill 56 my vows day after day.
62:8 Trust in him at all times, you people!
Pour out your hearts before him! 57
God is our shelter! (Selah)
63:4 For this reason 58 I will praise you while I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands. 59
66:4 All the earth worships 60 you
and sings praises to you!
They sing praises to your name!” (Selah)
67:2 Then those living on earth will know what you are like;
all nations will know how you deliver your people. 61
68:9 O God, you cause abundant showers to fall 62 on your chosen people. 63
When they 64 are tired, you sustain them, 65
68:24 They 66 see your processions, O God –
the processions of my God, my king, who marches along in holy splendor. 67
68:28 God has decreed that you will be powerful. 68
O God, you who have acted on our behalf, demonstrate your power,
71:16 I will come and tell about 69 the mighty acts of the sovereign Lord.
I will proclaim your justice – yours alone.
71:17 O God, you have taught me since I was young,
and I am still declaring 70 your amazing deeds.
71:23 My lips will shout for joy! Yes, 71 I will sing your praises!
I will praise you when you rescue me! 72
73:24 You guide 73 me by your wise advice,
and then you will lead me to a position of honor. 74
74:13 You destroyed 75 the sea by your strength;
you shattered the heads of the sea monster 76 in the water.
74:20 Remember your covenant promises, 77
for the dark regions of the earth are full of places where violence rules. 78
74:21 Do not let the afflicted be turned back in shame!
Let the oppressed and poor praise your name! 79
75:5 Do not be so certain you have won! 80
Do not speak with your head held so high! 81
76:6 At the sound of your battle cry, 82 O God of Jacob,
both rider 83 and horse “fell asleep.” 84
77:18 Your thunderous voice was heard in the wind;
the lightning bolts lit up the world;
the earth trembled and shook. 85
79:11 Listen to the painful cries of the prisoners! 86
Use your great strength to set free those condemned to die! 87
80:4 O Lord God, invincible warrior! 88
How long will you remain angry at your people while they pray to you? 89
81:16 “I would feed Israel the best wheat, 90
and would satisfy your appetite 91 with honey from the rocky cliffs.” 92
86:9 All the nations, whom you created,
will come and worship you, 93 O Lord.
They will honor your name.
86:12 O Lord, my God, I will give you thanks with my whole heart!
I will honor your name continually! 94
86:13 For you will extend your great loyal love to me, 95
and will deliver my life 96 from the depths of Sheol. 97
89:46 How long, O Lord, will this last?
Will you remain hidden forever? 98
Will your anger continue to burn like fire?
90:9 Yes, 99 throughout all our days we experience your raging fury; 100
the years of our lives pass quickly, like a sigh. 101
90:13 Turn back toward us, O Lord!
How long must this suffering last? 102
Have pity on your servants! 103
91:7 Though a thousand may fall beside you,
and a multitude on your right side,
it 104 will not reach you.
91:8 Certainly you will see it with your very own eyes –
you will see the wicked paid back. 105
94:12 How blessed is the one 106 whom you instruct, O Lord,
the one whom you teach from your law,
95:9 where your ancestors challenged my authority, 107
and tried my patience, even though they had seen my work.
102:14 Indeed, 108 your servants take delight in her stones,
and feel compassion for 109 the dust of her ruins. 110
104:28 You give food to them and they receive it;
you open your hand and they are filled with food. 111
104:30 When you send your life-giving breath, they are created,
and you replenish the surface of the ground.
106:4 Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people!
Pay attention to me, when you deliver,
109:28 They curse, but you will bless. 112
When they attack, they will be humiliated, 113
but your servant will rejoice.
110:5 O sovereign Lord, 114 at your right hand
he strikes down 115 kings in the day he unleashes his anger. 116
116:19 in the courts of the Lord’s temple,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord!
ב (Bet)
119:9 How can a young person 117 maintain a pure life? 118
By guarding it according to your instructions! 119
119:14 I rejoice in the lifestyle prescribed by your rules 120
as if 121 they were riches of all kinds. 122
ה (He)
119:33 Teach me, O Lord, the lifestyle prescribed by your statutes, 123
so that I might observe it continually. 124
119:34 Give me understanding so that I might observe your law,
and keep it with all my heart. 125
119:42 Then I will have a reply for the one who insults me, 126
for I trust in your word.
119:51 Arrogant people do nothing but scoff at me. 127
Yet I do not turn aside from your law.
119:82 My eyes grow tired as I wait for your promise to be fulfilled. 128
I say, 129 “When will you comfort me?”
נ (Nun)
119:105 Your word 130 is a lamp to walk by,
and a light to illumine my path. 131
ק (Qof)
119:145 I cried out with all my heart, “Answer me, O Lord!
I will observe your statutes.”
128:5 May the Lord bless you 132 from Zion,
that you might see 133 Jerusalem 134 prosper
all the days of your life,
135:9 He performed awesome deeds 135 and acts of judgment 136
in your midst, O Egypt,
against Pharaoh and all his servants.
138:8 The Lord avenges me. 137
O Lord, your loyal love endures.
Do not abandon those whom you have made! 138
139:6 Your knowledge is beyond my comprehension;
it is so far beyond me, I am unable to fathom it. 139
139:17 How difficult it is for me to fathom your thoughts about me, O God! 140
How vast is their sum total! 141
143:5 I recall the old days; 142
I meditate on all you have done;
I reflect on your accomplishments. 143
A psalm of praise, by David.
145:1 I will extol you, my God, O king!
I will praise your name continually! 145
1 sn The psalmist warns his enemies that they need to tremble with fear before God and repudiate their sinful ways.
2 tn Heb “say in your heart(s) on your bed(s) and wail/lament.” The verb דֹמּוּ (dommu) is understood as a form of דָמָם (“wail, lament”) in sorrow and repentance. Another option is to take the verb from II דָמָם (damam, “be quiet”); cf. NIV, NRSV “be silent.”
3 tn The verb גָּעַר (ga’ar) is often understood to mean “rebuke” and in this context taken to refer to the
4 tn The singular form is collective (note “nations” and “their name”). In the psalms the “wicked” (רְשָׁעִים, rÿsha’im) are typically proud, practical atheists (Ps 10:2, 4, 11) who hate God’s commands, commit sinful deeds, speak lies and slander (Ps 50:16-20), and cheat others (Ps 37:21). In this context the hostile nations who threaten Israel/Judah are in view.
5 tn Heb “their name you wiped out forever and ever.” The three perfect verbal forms in v. 5 probably refer to a recent victory (definite past or present perfect use), although they might express what is typical (characteristic use).
6 sn Rise up,
7 tn Or “prevail.”
8 tn Heb “they are firm, his ways, at every time.” The verb חַיִל (khayil, “be firm, be strong”) occurs only here and in Job 20:21, where it has the sense “endure.”
9 tc Heb “[on a] height, your judgments from before him.” If the MT is retained, then the idea may be that God’s “judgments” are high above (i.e., not recognized) by the wicked man. However, the syntax is awkward. The translation assumes an emendation of מָרוֹם (marom, “height”) to סָרוּ (saru, “[your judgments] are turned aside”), the final mem (ם) being dittographic (note the initial mem on the immediately following word [מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ, mishÿfatekha, “your judgments”). “Judgments” probably refers here to God’s laws or commands, rather than his judicial decisions or acts of judgment.
10 tn Heb “all his enemies, he snorts against them.” This may picture the wicked man defiantly challenging his enemies because he is confident of success. Another option is to take יָפִיחַ (yafiakh) from the root יָפַח (yafakh, “to testify”) and translate “he testifies against all his enemies,” implying that he gets the upper hand over them in legal battles. The noun יָפֵחַ (yafeakh, “witness”) is attested in biblical Hebrew (see Prov 6:19; 12:17; 14:5, 25; 19:5, 9, and Hab 2:3). The verb, however, is not clearly attested.
11 tn Or “my life.” The suffixed form of נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being”) is often equivalent to a pronoun in poetic texts.
12 sn In ancient Israelite cosmology Sheol is the realm of the dead, viewed as being under the earth’s surface. See L. I. J. Stadelmann, The Hebrew Conception of the World, 165-76.
13 tn A “faithful follower” (חָסִיד [khasid], traditionally rendered “holy one”) is one who does what is right in God’s eyes and remains faithful to God (see Pss 4:3; 12:1; 18:25; 31:23; 37:28; 86:2; 97:10). The psalmist here refers to himself, as the parallel line (“You will not abandon me to Sheol”) indicates.
14 tn That is, “experience.” The psalmist is confident that the Lord will protect him in his present crisis (see v. 1) and prevent him from dying.
sn According to Peter, the words of Ps 16:8-11 are applicable to Jesus (Acts 2:25-29). Peter goes on to argue that David, being a prophet, foresaw future events and spoke of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead (Acts 2:30-33). Paul seems to concur with Peter in this understanding (see Acts 13:35-37). For a discussion of the NT application of these verses to Jesus’ resurrection, see R. B. Chisholm, Jr., “A Theology of the Psalms,” A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament, 292-95.
15 tn The Hebrew word שָׁחַת (shakhat, “pit”) is often used as a title for Sheol (see Pss 30:9; 49:9; 55:24; 103:4). Note the parallelism with the previous line.
16 tn Heb “Be in front of his face.”
17 tn Or “bring him to his knees.”
18 tn Heb “rescue my life from the wicked [one] [by] your sword.”
19 tn Heb “may the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart be acceptable before you.” The prefixed verbal form at the beginning of the verse is understood as a jussive of prayer. Another option is to translate the form as an imperfect continuing the thought of v. 14b: “[Then] the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart will be acceptable before you.”
20 tn Heb “my rocky cliff,” which is a metaphor for protection; thus the translation “sheltering rock.”
21 tn Heb “and the one who redeems me.” The metaphor casts the Lord in the role of a leader who protects members of his extended family in times of need and crisis.
22 tn Heb “you make him happy with joy with [i.e., “close by” or “in”] your face.” On the idiom “with your face” (i.e., “in your presence”) see Ps 16:11 and BDB 816 s.v. פָּנֻה II.2.a.
23 tn Or “brothers,” but here the term does not carry a literal familial sense. It refers to the psalmist’s fellow members of the Israelite covenant community (see v. 23).
24 tn Heb “in your good favor you caused to stand for my mountain strength.” Apparently this means “you established strength for my mountain” (“mountain” in this case representing his rule, which would be centered on Mt. Zion) or “you established strength as my mountain” (“mountain” in this case being a metaphor for security).
25 tn Heb “you hid your face.” The idiom “hide the face” can mean “ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or, as here, carry the stronger idea of “reject” (see Ps 88:14).
26 tn Heb “tend integrity.” The verb רָעָה (ra’ah, “tend, shepherd”) is probably used here in the sense of “watch over, guard.” The noun אֱמוּנָה (’emunah, “faithfulness, honesty, integrity”) is understood as the direct object of the verb, though it could be taken as an adverbial accusative, “[feed] securely,” if the audience is likened to a flock of sheep.
27 tn Heb “there is no soundness in my flesh from before your anger.” “Anger” here refers metonymically to divine judgment, which is the practical effect of God’s anger at the psalmist’s sin.
28 tn Heb “there is no health in my bones from before my sin.”
29 tn Or “have upheld.” The perfect verbal form can be taken as generalizing/descriptive (present) or as a present perfect.
30 sn Because of my integrity. See Pss 7:8; 25:21; 26:1, 11.
31 tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive has the same aspectual function as the preceding perfect. It is either generalizing/descriptive (present) or has a present perfect nuance (“you have allowed”).
32 tn Heb “and you cause me to stand before you permanently.”
33 tn Heb “My tears have become my food day and night.”
34 tn Heb “when [they] say to me all the day.” The suffixed third masculine plural pronoun may have been accidentally omitted from the infinitive בֶּאֱמֹר (be’ÿmor, “when [they] say”). Note the term בְּאָמְרָם (bÿ’omram, “when they say”) in v. 10.
35 tn Heb “we have not forgotten you.” To “forget” God refers here to worshiping false gods and thereby refusing to recognize his sovereignty (see v. 20, as well as Deut 8:19; Judg 3:7; 1 Sam 12:9; Isa 17:10; Jer 3:21; Ps 9:17).Thus the translation “we have not rejected you” has been used.
36 tn Heb “and we did not deal falsely with your covenant.”
37 tn The words “he says” are supplied in the translation for clarification. God’s charges against his people follow.
38 tn Heb “Israel, and I will testify against you.” The imperative “listen” is understood in the second line by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
39 tn Heb “and [with] a willing spirit sustain me.” The psalmist asks that God make him the kind of person who willingly obeys the divine commandments. The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request.
40 tn Or “desire, take delight in.”
41 tn Heb “then they will offer up bulls.” The third plural subject is indefinite.
42 sn Verses 18-19 appear to reflect the exilic period, when the city’s walls lay in ruins and the sacrificial system had been disrupted.
43 tn Heb “to those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 5:8; 27:11; 56:2.
44 tn The Kethib (consonantal text) reads a Qal imperfect, “the evil will return,” while the Qere (marginal reading) has a Hiphil imperfect, “he will repay.” The parallel line has an imperative (indicating a prayer/request), so it is best to read a jussive form יָשֹׁב (yashov, “let it [the evil] return”) here.
45 tn Heb “in [or “by”] your faithfulness.”
46 tn The Hebrew noun occurs only here.
47 tn The pronoun is singular; the psalmist addresses each member of his audience individually.
48 tn Heb “he will never allow swaying for the righteous.”
49 tc Heb “because of wickedness, deliverance to them.” As it stands, the MT makes no sense. The negative particle אַיִן (’ayin, “there is not,” which is due to dittography of the immediately preceding אָוֶן, ’aven, “wickedness”), should probably be added before “deliverance” (see BHS, note a). The presence of an imperative in the next line (note “bring down”) suggests that this line should be translated as a prayer as well, “may there not be deliverance to them.”
50 tn Heb “in anger.” The pronoun “your” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
51 tn Or perhaps “people” in a general sense.
52 tn Heb “those who fear you.”
53 tn There is a ray of hope in that God has allowed his loyal followers to rally under a battle flag. The translation assumes the verb is from the root נוּס (nus, “flee”) used here in the Hitpolel in the sense of “find safety for oneself” (HALOT 681 s.v. נוס) or “take flight for oneself” (BDB 630-31 s.v. נוּס). Another option is to take the verb as a denominative from נֵס (nes, “flag”) and translate “that it may be displayed” (BDB 651 s.v. II נסס) or “that they may assemble under the banner” (HALOT 704 s.v. II נסס). Here קֹשֶׁט (qoshet) is taken as an Aramaized form of קֶשֶׁת (qeshet, “bow”; BDB 905-6 s.v. קֶשֶׁת), though some understand the homonymic קֹשְׁטְ (qosht, “truth”) here (see Prov 22:21; cf. NASB). If one follows the latter interpretation, the line may be translated, “so that they might assemble under the banner for the sake of truth.”
54 tn Heb “you grant the inheritance of those who fear your name.” “Inheritance” is normally used of land which is granted as an inheritance; here it refers metaphorically to the blessings granted God’s loyal followers. To “fear” God’s name means to have a healthy respect for his revealed reputation which in turn motivates one to obey God’s commands (see Ps 86:11).
55 tn Or “forever.”
56 tn Or perhaps, “and thereby fulfill.” The preposition with the infinitive construct here indicates an accompanying circumstance.
57 tn To “pour out one’s heart” means to offer up to God intense, emotional lamentation and petitionary prayers (see Lam 2:19).
58 tn Or perhaps “then.”
59 sn I will lift up my hands. Lifting up one’s hands toward God was a gesture of prayer (see Ps 28:2; Lam 2:19) or respect (Ps 119:48).
60 tn Or “bows down to.” The prefixed verbal forms in v. 4 are taken (1) as imperfects expressing what is typical. Another option (2) is to interpret them as anticipatory (“all the earth will worship you”) or (3) take them as jussives, expressing a prayer or wish (“may all the earth worship you”).
61 tn Heb “to know in the earth your way, among all nations your deliverance.” The infinitive with -לְ (lamed) expresses purpose/result. When God demonstrates his favor to his people, all nations will recognize his character as a God who delivers. The Hebrew term דֶּרֶךְ (derekh, “way”) refers here to God’s characteristic behavior, more specifically, to the way he typically saves his people.
62 tn The verb נוּף (nuf, “cause rain to fall”) is a homonym of the more common נוּף (“brandish”).
63 tn Heb “[on] your inheritance.” This refers to Israel as God’s specially chosen people (see Pss 28:9; 33:12; 74:2; 78:62, 71; 79:1; 94:5, 14; 106:40). Some take “your inheritance” with what follows, but the vav (ו) prefixed to the following word (note וְנִלְאָה, vÿnil’ah) makes this syntactically unlikely.
64 tn Heb “it [is],” referring to God’s “inheritance.”
65 tn Heb “it,” referring to God’s “inheritance.”
66 tn The subject is probably indefinite, referring to bystanders in general who witness the procession.
67 tn The Hebrew text has simply “in holiness.” The words “who marches along” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
68 tn Heb “God has commanded your strength.” The statement is apparently addressed to Israel (see v. 26).
69 tn Heb “I will come with.”
70 tn Heb “and until now I am declaring.”
71 tn Or “when.” The translation assumes that כִּי (ki) has an emphasizing (asseverative) function here.
72 tn Heb “and my life [or “soul”] which you will have redeemed.” The perfect verbal form functions here as a future perfect. The psalmist anticipates praising God, for God will have rescued him by that time.
73 tn The imperfect verbal form here suggests this is the psalmist’s ongoing experience.
74 tn Heb “and afterward [to] glory you will take me.” Some interpreters view this as the psalmist’s confidence in an afterlife in God’s presence and understand כָּבוֹד (cavod) as a metonymic reference to God’s presence in heaven. But this seems unlikely in the present context. The psalmist anticipates a time of vindication, when the wicked are destroyed and he is honored by God for his godly life style. The verb לָקַח (laqakh, “take”) here carries the nuance “lead, guide, conduct,” as in Num 23:14, 27-28; Josh 24:3 and Prov 24:11.
75 tn The derivation and meaning of the Polel verb form פּוֹרַרְתָּ (porarta) are uncertain. The form may be related to an Akkadian cognate meaning “break, shatter,” though the biblical Hebrew cognate of this verb always appears in the Hiphil or Hophal stem. BDB 830 s.v. II פָּרַר suggests a homonym here, meaning “to split; to divide.” A Hitpolel form of a root פָּרַר (parar) appears in Isa 24:19 with the meaning “to shake violently.”
76 tn The Hebrew text has the plural form, “sea monsters” (cf. NRSV “dragons”), but it is likely that an original enclitic mem has been misunderstood as a plural ending. The imagery of the mythological sea monster is utilized here. See the note on “Leviathan” in v. 14.
77 tc Heb “look at the covenant.” The LXX reads “your covenant,” which seems to assume a second person pronominal suffix. The suffix may have been accidentally omitted by haplography. Note that the following word (כִּי) begins with kaf (כ).
78 tn Heb “for the dark places of the earth are full of dwelling places of violence.” The “dark regions” are probably the lands where the people have been exiled (see C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms [ICC], 2:157). In some contexts “dark regions” refers to Sheol (Ps 88:6) or to hiding places likened to Sheol (Ps 143:3; Lam 3:6).
79 sn Let the oppressed and poor praise your name! The statement is metonymic. The point is this: May the oppressed be delivered from their enemies! Then they will have ample reason to praise God’s name.
80 tn Heb “do not lift up on high your horn.”
81 tn Heb “[do not] speak with unrestrained neck.” The negative particle is understood in this line by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
sn The image behind the language of vv. 4-5 is that of a powerful wild ox that confidently raises its head before its enemies.
82 tn Heb “from your shout.” The noun is derived from the Hebrew verb גָּעַר (ga’ar), which is often understood to mean “rebuke.” In some cases it is apparent that scolding or threatening is in view (see Gen 37:10; Ruth 2:16; Zech 3:2). However, in militaristic contexts this translation is inadequate, for the verb refers in this setting to the warrior’s battle cry, which terrifies and paralyzes the enemy. See A. Caquot, TDOT 3:53, and note the use of the verb in Pss 68:30; 106:9; Nah 1:4, as well as the related noun in Job 26:11; Pss 9:5; 18:15; 104:7; Isa 50:2; 51:20; 66:15.
83 tn Or “chariot,” but even so the term is metonymic for the charioteer.
84 tn Heb “he fell asleep, and [the] chariot and [the] horse.” Once again (see v. 5) “sleep” refers here to the “sleep” of death.
85 tn The prefixed verbal form may be taken as a preterite or as an imperfect with past progressive force.
sn Verses 16-18 depict the
86 tn Heb “may the painful cry of the prisoner come before you.”
87 tn Heb “according to the greatness of your arm leave the sons of death.” God’s “arm” here symbolizes his strength to deliver. The verbal form הוֹתֵר (hoter) is a Hiphil imperative from יָתַר (yatar, “to remain; to be left over”). Here it must mean “to leave over; to preserve.” However, it is preferable to emend the form to הַתֵּר (hatter), a Hiphil imperative from נָתַר (natar, “be free”). The Hiphil form is used in Ps 105:20 of Pharaoh freeing Joseph from prison. The phrase “sons of death” (see also Ps 102:21) is idiomatic for those condemned to die.
88 tn Heb “
89 tn Heb “How long will you remain angry during the prayer of your people.” Some take the preposition -בְּ (bet) in an adversative sense here (“at/against the prayer of your people”), but the temporal sense is preferable. The psalmist expects persistent prayer to pacify God.
90 tn Heb “and he fed him from the best of the wheat.” The Hebrew text has a third person form of the preterite with a vav (ו) consecutive attached. However, it is preferable, in light of the use of the first person in v. 14 and in the next line, to emend the verb to a first person form and understand the vav as conjunctive, continuing the apodosis of the conditional sentence of vv. 13-14. The third masculine singular pronominal suffix refers to Israel, as in v. 6.
sn I would feed. After the parenthetical “curse” in v. 15, the Lord’s speech continues here.
91 tn Heb “you.” The second person singular pronominal suffix refers to Israel, as in vv. 7-10.
92 sn The language in this verse, particularly the references to wheat and honey, is reminiscent of Deut 32:13-14.
93 tn Or “bow down before you.”
94 tn Or “forever.”
95 tn Heb “for your loyal love [is] great over me.”
96 tn Or “for he will have delivered my life.” The verb form indicates a future perfect here.
97 tn Or “lower Sheol.”
98 tn Heb “How long, O
99 tn Or “for.”
100 tn Heb “all our days pass by in your anger.”
101 tn Heb “we finish our years like a sigh.” In Ezek 2:10 the word הֶגֶה (hegeh) elsewhere refers to a grumbling or moaning sound. Here a brief sigh or moan is probably in view. If so, the simile pictures one’s lifetime as transient. Another option is that the simile alludes to the weakness that characteristically overtakes a person at the end of one’s lifetime. In this case the phrase could be translated, “we end our lives with a painful moan.”
102 tn Heb “Return, O
103 tn Elsewhere the Niphal of נָחַם (nakham) + the preposition עַל (’al) + a personal object has the nuance “be comforted concerning [the personal object’s death]” (see 2 Sam 13:39; Jer 31:15). However, here the context seems to demand “feel sorrow for,” “have pity on.” In Deut 32:36 and Ps 135:14, where “servants” is also the object of the preposition, this idea is expressed with the Hitpael form of the verb.
104 tn Apparently the deadly disease mentioned in v. 6b is the understood subject here.
105 tn Heb “retribution on the wicked.”
106 tn Heb “[Oh] the happiness [of] the man.” Hebrew wisdom literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The principle of the psalm is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, we translate the gender and age specific “man” with the more neutral “one.” The generic masculine pronoun is used in v. 2.
107 tn Heb “where your fathers tested me.”
108 tn Or “for.”
109 tn The Poel of חָנַן (khanan) occurs only here and in Prov 14:21, where it refers to having compassion on the poor.
110 tn Heb “her dust,” probably referring to the dust of the city’s rubble.
111 tn Heb “they are satisfied [with] good.”
112 tn Another option is to translate the imperfect as a prayer/request (“may you bless”).
113 tn The verbal sequence is perfect + prefixed form with vav (ו) consecutive. Since the psalmist seems to be anticipating the demise of his enemies, he may be using these forms rhetorically to describe the enemies’ defeat as if it were already accomplished. Some emend the text to קָמוּ יֵבֹשׁוּ (qamu yevoshu, “may those who attack me be humiliated”). See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 75.
114 tn As pointed in the Hebrew text, this title refers to God (many medieval Hebrew
115 tn The perfect verbal forms in vv. 5-6 are understood here as descriptive-dramatic or as generalizing. Another option is to take them as rhetorical. In this case the psalmist describes anticipated events as if they had already taken place.
116 tn Heb “in the day of his anger.”
117 tn Heb “young man.” Hebrew wisdom literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The principle of the psalm is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, the gender specific “young man” has been translated with the more neutral “young person.”
118 tn Heb “purify his path.”
119 tn Heb “by keeping according to your word.” Many medieval Hebrew
120 tn Heb “in the way of your rules.”
121 tn Heb “as upon,” meaning “as if” (see 2 Chr 32:19).
122 tn Heb “all wealth.” The phrase refers to all kinds of wealth and riches. See Prov 1:13; 6:31; 24:4; Ezek 27:12, 18.
123 tn Heb “the way of your statutes.”
124 tn Heb “and I will keep it to the end.” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative. The Hebrew term עֵקֶב (’eqev) is understood to mean “end” here. Another option is to take עֵקֶב (’eqev) as meaning “reward” here (see Ps 19:11) and to translate, “so that I might observe it and be rewarded.”
125 tn The two prefixed verbal forms with vav (ו) conjunctive indicate purpose/result after the introductory imperative.
126 tn Heb “and I will answer [the] one who insults me a word.” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the jussive (see v. 41).
127 tn Heb “scoff at me to excess.”
128 tn Heb “my eyes fail for your word.” The psalmist has intently kept his eyes open, looking for God to intervene, but now his eyes are watery and bloodshot, impairing his vision. See Ps 69:3.
129 tn Heb “saying.”
130 tn Many medieval Hebrew
131 tn Heb “[is] a lamp for my foot and a light for my path.”
132 tn The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive of prayer (note the imperatives that are subordinated to this clause in vv. 5b-6a). Having described the blessings that typically come to the godly, the psalmist concludes by praying that this ideal may become reality for the representative godly man being addressed.
133 tn The imperative with prefixed vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding jussive.
134 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
135 tn Or “signs” (see Ps 65:8).
136 tn Or “portents”; “omens” (see Ps 71:7). The Egyptian plagues are alluded to here.
137 tn Heb “avenges on my behalf.” For the meaning “to avenge” for the verb גָּמַר (gamar), see HALOT 197-98 s.v. גמר.
138 tn Heb “the works of your hands.” Many medieval Hebrew
139 tn Heb “too amazing [is this] knowledge for me, it is elevated, I cannot attain to it.”
140 tn Heb “and to me how precious are your thoughts, O God.” The Hebrew verb יָקַר (yaqar) probably has the sense of “difficult [to comprehend]” here (see HALOT 432 s.v. יקר qal.1 and note the use of Aramaic יַקִּר in Dan 2:11). Elsewhere in the immediate context the psalmist expresses his amazement at the extent of God’s knowledge about him (see vv. 1-6, 17b-18).
141 tn Heb “how vast are their heads.” Here the Hebrew word “head” is used of the “sum total” of God’s knowledge of the psalmist.
142 tn Or “ancient times”; Heb “days from before.”
143 tn Heb “the work of your hands.”
144 sn Psalm 145. The psalmist praises God because he is a just and merciful king who cares for his people.
145 tn Or, hyperbolically, “forever.”