¹ tc The MT reads, “their measuring line” (קוּם, qum). The noun קַו (qav, “measuring line”) makes no sense in this context. The reading קוֹלָם (qolam, “their voice”) which is supported by the LXX, is preferable.

² tn Heb “goes out,” or “proceeds forth.”

³ tn Heb “their” (see the note on the word “its” in v. 3).

⁴ tn The verb is supplied in the translation. The Hebrew text has no verb; יָצָא (yatsa’, “goes out”) is understood by ellipsis.

⁵ tn Heb “to the end of the world.”

⁶ tn Heb “in them” (i.e., the heavens).

⁷ sn He has pitched a tent for the sun. The personified sun emerges from this “tent” in order to make its daytime journey across the sky. So the “tent” must refer metaphorically to the place where the sun goes to rest during the night.

⁸ tn A “faithful follower” (חָסִיד, khasid) is one who does what is right in God’s eyes and remains faithful to God (see Pss 4:3; 12:1; 16:10; 31:23; 37:28; 86:2; 97:10).

⁹ tn The participial forms in the second and third lines characterize the Lord as one who typically protects the faithful and judges the proud.

¹⁰ tn Heb “loves.” The verb “loves” is here metonymic; the Lord’s commitment to principles of justice causes him to actively promote these principles as he governs the world. The active participle describes characteristic behavior.

¹¹ tn The imperfect verbal form draws attention to this generalizing statement.

¹² tn Or “protected forever.”

¹³ tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”

¹⁴ tn Or “cut off”; or “removed.” The perfect verbal forms in v. 28b state general truths.

¹⁵ 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.

¹⁶ 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).

¹⁷ 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.

¹⁸ tn Or, hyperbolically, “forever.”

¹⁹ tn Or “for.”

²⁰ tn Heb “you have acted.” The perfect verbal form (1) probably indicates a future perfect here. The psalmist promises to give thanks when the expected vindication has been accomplished. Other options include (2) a generalizing (“for you act”) or (3) rhetorical (“for you will act”) use.

²¹ tn Or “wait.”

²² tn Heb “your name.” God’s “name” refers here to his reputation and revealed character.

²³ tn Heb “for it is good in front of your loyal followers.”

²⁴ tn The Hebrew noun occurs only here.

²⁵ tn The pronoun is singular; the psalmist addresses each member of his audience individually.

²⁶ tn Heb “he will never allow swaying for the righteous.”

²⁷ tn Heb “our signs we do not see.” Because of the reference to a prophet in the next line, it is likely that the “signs” in view here include the evidence of God’s presence as typically revealed through the prophets. These could include miraculous acts performed by the prophets (see, for example, Isa 38:7-8) or object lessons which they acted out (see, for example, Isa 20:3).

²⁸ tn Heb “there is not still a prophet.”

²⁹ tn Heb “and [there is] not with us one who knows how long.”

³⁰ tn Heb “all his works,” which includes mankind.

³¹ tn Heb “places.”