8:4 Of what importance is the human race, 1 that you should notice 2 them?
Of what importance is mankind, 3 that you should pay attention to them, 4
For the music director; a psalm of David.
13:1 How long, Lord, will you continue to ignore me? 6
How long will you pay no attention to me? 7
A prayer of David.
17:1 Lord, consider my just cause! 9
Pay attention to my cry for help!
Listen to the prayer
I sincerely offer! 10
40:17 I am oppressed and needy! 11
May the Lord pay attention to me! 12
You are my helper and my deliverer!
O my God, do not delay!
For the music director, a psalm by the Korahites.
49:1 Listen to this, all you nations!
Pay attention, all you inhabitants of the world! 14
For the music director; to be played on a stringed instrument; written by David.
61:1 O God, hear my cry for help!
Pay attention to my prayer!
For the music director; by David; written to get God’s attention. 17
70:1 O God, please be willing to rescue me! 18
O Lord, hurry and help me! 19
A song of ascents. 21
134:1 Attention! 22 Praise the Lord,
all you servants of the Lord,
who serve 23 in the Lord’s temple during the night.
A psalm of David.
141:1 O Lord, I cry out to you. Come quickly to me!
Pay attention to me when I cry out to you!
A psalm of David.
143:1 O Lord, hear my prayer!
Pay attention to my plea for help!
Because of your faithfulness and justice, answer me!
1 tn Heb “What is man[kind]?” The singular noun אֱנוֹשׁ (’enosh, “man”) is used here in a collective sense and refers to the human race.
2 tn Heb “remember him.”
3 tn Heb “and the son of man.” The phrase “son of man” is used here in a collective sense and refers to human beings. For other uses of the phrase in a collective or representative manner, see Num 23:19; Ps 146:3; Isa 51:12.
4 tn The two imperfect verbal forms in v. 4 describe God’s characteristic activity.
5 sn Psalm 13. The psalmist, who is close to death, desperately pleads for God’s deliverance and affirms his trust in God’s faithfulness.
6 tn Heb “will you forget me continually.”
7 tn Heb “will you hide your face from me.”
8 sn Psalm 17. The psalmist asks God to intervene on his behalf because his life is threatened by dangerous enemies. He appeals to divine justice, for he is certain of his own innocence. Because he is innocent, he expects to encounter God and receive an assuring word.
9 tn Heb “hear,
10 tn Heb “Listen to my prayer, [made] without lips of deceit.”
11 sn See Pss 35:10; 37:14.
12 tn The prefixed verbal form may be taken as a jussive of prayer (as in the present translation; cf. NIV) or as an imperfect, “The
13 sn Psalm 49. In this so-called wisdom psalm (see v. 3) the psalmist states that he will not fear the rich enemies who threaten him, for despite their wealth, they are mere men who will die like everyone else. The psalmist is confident the Lord will vindicate the godly and protect them from the attacks of their oppressors.
14 tn The rare noun חָלֶד (kheled, “world”) occurs in Ps 17:14 and perhaps also in Isa 38:11 (see the note on “world” there).
15 sn Psalm 61. The psalmist cries out for help and expresses his confidence that God will protect him.
16 sn Psalm 70. This psalm is almost identical to Ps 40:13-17. The psalmist asks for God’s help and for divine retribution against his enemies.
17 tn Heb “to cause to remember.” The same form, a Hiphil infinitive of זָכַר (zakhar, “remember”), also appears in the superscription of Ps 38. 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).
18 tn Heb “O God, to rescue me.” A main verb is obviously missing. The verb רָצָה (ratsah, “be willing”) should be supplied (see Ps 40:13). Ps 40:13 uses the divine name “
19 tn Heb “hurry to my help.” See Pss 22:19; 38:22.
20 sn Psalm 134. The psalmist calls on the temple servants to praise God (vv. 1-2). They in turn pronounce a blessing on the psalmist (v. 3).
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 tn Heb “Look!”
23 tn Heb “stand.”
24 sn Psalm 141. The psalmist asks God to protect him from sin and from sinful men.
25 sn Psalm 143. As in the previous psalm, the psalmist laments his persecuted state and asks the Lord to deliver him from his enemies.