For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments, according to the sheminith style; 2 a psalm of David.
6:1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger!
Do not discipline me in your raging fury! 3
15:5 He does not charge interest when he lends his money. 4
He does not take bribes to testify against the innocent. 5
The one who lives like this 6 will never be upended.
A psalm of David, written to get God’s attention. 8
38:1 O Lord, do not continue to rebuke me in your anger!
Do not continue to punish me in your raging fury! 9
40:10 I have not failed to tell about your justice; 10
I spoke about your reliability and deliverance;
I have not neglected to tell the great assembly about your loyal love and faithfulness. 11
44:3 For they did not conquer 12 the land by their swords,
and they did not prevail by their strength, 13
but rather by your power, 14 strength 15 and good favor, 16
for you were partial to 17 them.
55:12 Indeed, 18 it is not an enemy who insults me,
or else I could bear it;
it is not one who hates me who arrogantly taunts me, 19
or else I could hide from him.
A song of ascents, 21 by Solomon.
127:1 If the Lord does not build a house, 22
then those who build it work in vain.
If the Lord does not guard a city, 23
then the watchman stands guard in vain.
A song of ascents, 25 by David.
131:1 O Lord, my heart is not proud,
nor do I have a haughty look. 26
I do not have great aspirations,
or concern myself with things that are beyond me. 27
137:6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth,
if I do not remember you,
and do not give Jerusalem priority
over whatever gives me the most joy. 28
1 sn Psalm 6. The psalmist begs the Lord to withdraw his anger and spare his life. Having received a positive response to his prayer, the psalmist then confronts his enemies and describes how they retreat.
2 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term שְׁמִינִית (shÿminit, “sheminith”) is uncertain; perhaps it refers to a particular style of music. See 1 Chr 15:21.
3 sn The implication is that the psalmist has sinned, causing God to discipline him by bringing a life-threatening illness upon him (see vv. 2-7).
4 sn He does not charge interest. Such an individual is truly generous, and not simply concerned with making a profit.
5 tn Heb “a bribe against the innocent he does not take.” For other texts condemning the practice of a judge or witness taking a bribe, see Exod 23:8; Deut 16:19; 27:25; 1 Sam 8:3; Ezek 22:12; Prov 17:23.
6 tn Heb “does these things.”
7 sn Psalm 38. The author asks the Lord to deliver him from his enemies. He confesses his sin and recognizes that the crisis he faces is the result of divine discipline. Yet he begs the Lord not to reject him.
8 tn The Hebrew text reads simply, “to cause to remember.” The same form, the Hiphil infinitive of זָכַר (zakhar, “remember”), also appears in the heading of Ps 70. Some understand this in the sense of “for the memorial offering,” but it may carry the idea of bringing one’s plight to God’s attention (see P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 [WBC], 303).
9 tn The words “continue to” are supplied in the translation of both lines. The following verses make it clear that the psalmist is already experiencing divine rebuke/punishment. He asks that it might cease.
sn Compare Ps 38:1 with Ps 6:1, which has similar wording.
10 tn Heb “your justice I have not hidden in the midst of my heart.”
11 tn Heb “I have not hidden your loyal love and reliability.”
12 tn Or “take possession of.”
13 tn Heb “and their arm did not save them.” The “arm” here symbolizes military strength.
14 tn Heb “your right hand.” The
15 tn Heb “your arm.”
16 tn Heb “light of your face.” 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; 67:1; 80:3, 7, 19; 89:15; Dan 9:17).
17 tn Or “favorable toward.”
18 tn Or “for.”
19 tn Heb “[who] magnifies against me.” See Pss 35:26; 38:16.
20 sn Psalm 127. In this wisdom psalm the psalmist teaches that one does not find security by one’s own efforts, for God alone gives stability and security.
21 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.
22 sn The expression build a house may have a double meaning here. It may refer on the surface level to a literal physical structure in which a family lives, but at a deeper, metaphorical level it refers to building, perpetuating, and maintaining a family line. See Deut 25:9; Ruth 4:11; 1 Sam 2:35; 2 Sam 7:27; 1 Kgs 11:38; 1 Chr 17:10, 25. Having a family line provided security in ancient Israel.
23 sn The city symbolizes community security, which is the necessary framework for family security.
24 sn Psalm 131. The psalmist affirms his humble dependence on the Lord and urges Israel to place its trust in God.
25 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.
26 tn Heb “and my eyes are not lifted up.”
27 tn Heb “I do not walk in great things, and in things too marvelous for me.”
28 tn Heb “if I do not lift up Jerusalem over the top of my joy.”