Psalms 94:11

94:11 The Lord knows that

peoples’ thoughts are morally bankrupt. 1 

Psalms 7:10

7:10 The Exalted God is my shield, 2 

the one who delivers the morally upright. 3 

Psalms 36:10

36:10 Extend 4  your loyal love to your faithful followers, 5 

and vindicate 6  the morally upright! 7 

Psalms 94:15

94:15 For justice will prevail, 8 

and all the morally upright 9  will be vindicated. 10 

Psalms 97:11

97:11 The godly bask in the light;

the morally upright experience joy. 11 

Psalms 125:4

125:4 Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,

to the morally upright! 12 

1 tn Heb “the Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are emptiness.” The psalmist thinks specifically of the “thoughts” expressed in v. 7.

2 tn Traditionally, “my shield is upon God” (cf. NASB). As in v. 8, עַל (’al) should be understood as a divine title, here compounded with “God” (cf. NIV, “God Most High”). See M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 1:45-46. The shield metaphor pictures God as a protector against deadly attacks.

3 tn Heb “pure of heart.” The “heart” is here viewed as the seat of one’s moral character and motives. The “pure of heart” are God’s faithful followers who trust in and love the Lord and, as a result, experience his deliverance (see Pss 11:2; 32:11; 36:10; 64:10; 94:15; 97:11).

4 tn Heb “draw out to full length.”

5 tn Heb “to those who know you.” The Hebrew verb יָדַע (yada’, “know”) is used here of those who “know” the Lord in the sense that they recognize his royal authority and obey his will (see Jer 22:16).

6 tn Heb “and your justice to.” The verb “extend” is understood by ellipsis in the second line (see the previous line).

7 tn Heb “the pure of heart.” The “heart” is here viewed as the seat of one’s moral character and motives. The “pure of heart” are God’s faithful followers who trust in and love the Lord and, as a result, experience his deliverance (see Pss 7:10; 11:2; 32:11; 64:10; 94:15; 97:11).

8 tn Heb “for judgment will return to justice.”

9 tn Heb “all the pure of heart.” The “heart” is here viewed as the seat of one’s moral character and motives. The “pure of heart” are God’s faithful followers who trust in and love the Lord and, as a result, experience his deliverance (see Pss 7:10; 11:2; 32:11; 36:10; 64:10; 97:11).

10 tn Heb “and after it [are] the pure of heart.”

11 tn Heb “Light is planted for the godly, and for the upright of heart joy.” The translation assumes an emendation of זָרַע (zara’, “planted”) to זָרַח (zara’, “shines”) which collocates more naturally with “light.” “Light” here symbolizes the joy (note the following line) that accompanies deliverance and the outpouring of divine favor.

12 tn Heb “pure of heart.” The “heart” is here viewed as the seat of one’s moral character and motives. The “pure of heart” are God’s faithful followers who trust in and love the Lord and, as a result, experience his deliverance (see Pss 7:10; 11:2; 32:11; 36:10; 64:10; 94:15; 97:11).