¹ tn The imperfect verbal forms in vv. 17-18 draw attention to the progressive nature of the action.

² tn Heb “they.” The masculine form indicates the enemies are in view. The referent (the psalmist’s enemies) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

³ tn Heb “they gaze, they look upon me.”

⁴ tn Or “for,” indicating a more specific reason why he will praise the Lord’s name (cf. v. 6).

⁵ tn The perfects in v. 7 are probably rhetorical, indicating the psalmist’s certitude and confidence that God will intervene. The psalmist is so confident of God’s positive response to his prayer, he can describe God’s deliverance and his own vindication as if they were occurring or had already occurred.

⁶ tn Heb “and on my enemies my eyes look.”

⁷ sn By this. Having recalled his former lament and petition, the psalmist returns to the confident mood of vv. 1-3. The basis for his confidence may be a divine oracle of deliverance, assuring him that God would intervene and vindicate him. The demonstrative pronoun “this” may refer to such an oracle, which is assumed here, though its contents are not included. See P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 (WBC), 319, 321.

⁸ tn Or “will.” One may translate the imperfect verbal form as descriptive (present, cf. NIV) or as anticipatory (future, cf. NEB).

⁹ tn Heb “shout.”

¹⁰ tn Heb “the God of my [Qere (marginal reading); the Kethib (consonantal text) has “his”] loyal love will meet me.”

¹¹ tn Heb “will cause me to look upon.”

¹² tn Heb “those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 5:8; 27:11; 54:5; 56:2.

¹³ sn The metaphor of the washbasin, used to rinse one’s hands and feet, suggests that Moab, in contrast to Israel’s elevated position (vv. 6-7), would be reduced to the status of a servant.

¹⁴ tn Heb “over Edom I will throw my sandal.” The point of the metaphor is not entirely clear. Some interpret this as idiomatic for “taking possession of,” i.e., “I will take possession of Edom.” Others translate עַל (’al) as “to” and understand this as referring to a master throwing his dirty sandal to a servant so that the latter might dust it off.

¹⁵ tc Heb “over me, O Philistia, shout in triumph.” The translation follows the text of Ps 108:9. When the initial עֲלֵיוֹ (’aleyo, “over”) was misread as עָלַי (’alay, “over me”), the first person verb form was probably altered to an imperative to provide better sense to the line.

¹⁶ sn The metaphor of the wash basin, used to rinse one’s hands and feet, suggests that Moab, in contrast to Israel’s elevated position (vv. 7-8), would be reduced to the status of a servant.

¹⁷ tn Heb “over Edom I will throw my sandal.” The point of the metaphor is not entirely clear. Some interpret this as idiomatic for “taking possession of.” Others translate עַל (’al) as “to” and understand this as referring to a master throwing his dirty sandal to a servant so that the latter might dust it off.

¹⁸ tn Heb “his heart,” viewed here as the seat of the volition.

¹⁹ tn Heb “for me.”

²⁰ tn Heb “among my helpers.” The preposition may indicate identity here, while the plural may be one of majesty or respect.

²¹ tn Heb “in his holy place.”

²² sn Shechem stands for the territory west of the Jordan, the Valley of Succoth for the region east of the Jordan.

²³ tn Heb “my eye gazes upon those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 5:8; 27:11; 56:2. The form שׁוּרָי (shuray) should be emended to שׁוֹרְרָי (shorÿray).

²⁴ tn Heb “those who rise up against me, evil [foes], my ears hear.”

²⁵ tn Heb “in his holy place.”

²⁶ sn Shechem stands for the territory west of the Jordan River; the valley of Succoth represents the region east of the Jordan.