51:6 Look, 1 you desire 2 integrity in the inner man; 3
you want me to possess wisdom. 4
78:2 I will sing a song that imparts wisdom;
I will make insightful observations about the past. 5
136:5 to the one who used wisdom to make the heavens,
for his loyal love endures,
147:5 Our Lord is great and has awesome power; 6
there is no limit to his wisdom. 7
1 sn The juxtaposition of two occurrences of “look” in vv. 5-6 draws attention to the sharp contrast between the sinful reality of the psalmist’s condition and the lofty ideal God has for him.
2 tn The perfect is used in a generalizing sense here.
3 tn Heb “in the covered [places],” i.e., in the inner man.
4 tn Heb “in the secret [place] wisdom you cause me to know.” The Hiphil verbal form is causative, while the imperfect is used in a modal sense to indicate God’s desire (note the parallel verb “desire”).
sn You want me to possess wisdom. Here “wisdom” does not mean “intelligence” or “learning,” but refers to moral insight and skill.
5 tn Heb “I will open with a wise saying my mouth, I will utter insightful sayings from long ago.” Elsewhere the Hebrew word pair חִידָה+מָשָׁל (mashal + khidah) refers to a taunt song (Hab 2:6), a parable (Ezek 17:2), proverbial sayings (Prov 1:6), and an insightful song that reflects on the mortality of humankind and the ultimate inability of riches to prevent death (Ps 49:4).
6 tn Heb “and great of strength.”
7 tn Heb “to his wisdom there is no counting.”