¹ tn The prefixed verbal form could be an imperfect, yielding the translation “I cry out,” but the verb form in the next line (a vav [ו] consecutive with the preterite) suggests this is a brief narrative of what has already happened. Consequently the verb form in v. 4a is better understood as a preterite, “I cried out.” (For another example of the preterite of this same verb form, see Ps 30:8.) Sometime after the crisis arose, the psalmist prayed to the Lord and received an assuring answer. Now he confidently awaits the fulfillment of the divine promise.

² sn His holy hill. That is, Zion (see Pss 2:6; 48:1-2). The psalmist recognizes that the Lord dwells in his sanctuary on Mount Zion.

³ tn The three verbal forms that appear in succession here (perfect + vav [ו] consecutive with preterite + perfect) are most naturally taken as narrational. When the psalmist received an assuring word from the Lord, he was able to sleep calmly. Because the Lord was protecting him, he awoke safely from his sleep.

⁴ tn Or “supports”; “sustains.” In this explanatory causal clause the imperfect verbal form probably has a habitual or present progressive nuance, for the psalmist is confident of God’s continual protection (see v. 3). Another option is to take the verb as a preterite, “for the Lord protected me.” In this case, the psalmist focuses specifically on the protection God provided while he slept.

⁵ tn The imperfect verbal form here expresses the psalmist’s continuing attitude as he faces the crisis at hand.

⁶ tn Or perhaps “troops.” The Hebrew noun עָם (’am) sometimes refers to a military contingent or army.

⁷ tn Heb “who all around take a stand against me.”

⁸ sn Psalm 4. The psalmist asks God to hear his prayer, expresses his confidence that the Lord will intervene, and urges his enemies to change their ways and place their trust in God. He concludes with another prayer for divine intervention and again affirms his absolute confidence in God’s protection.

⁹ tn Heb “God of my righteousness.”

¹⁰ tn Heb “in distress (or “a narrow place”) you make (a place) large for me.” The function of the Hebrew perfect verbal form here is uncertain. The translation above assumes that the psalmist is expressing his 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 as if it had already happened. Such confidence is consistent with the mood of the psalm (vv. 3, 8). Another option is to take the perfects as precative, expressing a wish or request (“lead me”). See IBHS 494-95 §30.5.4c, d. However, not all grammarians are convinced that the perfect is used as a precative in biblical Hebrew.

¹¹ tn Or “show me favor.”

¹² tn Heb “hear.”

¹³ tn Heb “you place joy in my heart.” Another option is to understand the perfect verbal form as indicating certitude, “you will make me happier.”

¹⁴ tn Heb “from (i.e., more than) the time (when) their grain and their wine are abundant.”

¹⁵ tn Heb “in peace at the same time I will lie down and sleep.”

¹⁶ tn Heb “for you, Lord, solitarily, securely make me dwell.” The translation understands לְבָדָד (lÿvadad) as modifying the verb; the Lord keeps enemies away from the psalmist so that he is safe and secure. Another option is to take לְבָדָד with what precedes and translate, “you alone, Lord, make me secure.”

¹⁷ tn The verb form is cohortative, indicating the psalmist’s resolve (or vow) to praise the Lord when deliverance arrives.

¹⁸ tn Or “for he will have vindicated me.” The verb form indicates a future perfect here. The idiom גָמַל עַל (gamal ’al) means “to repay,” here in a positive sense.

¹⁹ sn Psalm 16. The psalmist seeks divine protection because he has remained loyal to God. He praises God for his rich blessings, and is confident God will vindicate him and deliver him from death.

²⁰ tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew term מִכְתָּם (mikhtam) is uncertain. HALOT 582-83 s.v. defines it as “inscription.”

²¹ tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form probably refers here to a completed action with continuing results (see 7:1; 11:1).

sn Taken shelter. “Taking shelter” in the Lord is an idiom for seeking his protection. Seeking his protection presupposes and even demonstrates the subject’s loyalty to the Lord. In the psalms those who “take shelter” in the Lord are contrasted with the wicked and equated with those who love, fear and serve the Lord (Pss 5:11-12; 31:17-20; 34:21-22).

²² tn Heb “O Lord, the portion of my possession and my cup”; or “the Lord [is] the portion of my possession and my cup.” The psalmist compares the Lord to landed property, which was foundational to economic stability in ancient Israel, and to a cup of wine, which may symbolize a reward (in Ps 11:6 it symbolizes the judgment one deserves) or divine blessing (see Ps 23:5). The metaphor highlights the fact that God is the psalmist’s source of security and prosperity.

²³ tc Heb “you take hold of my lot.” The form תּוֹמִיךְ (tomikh) should be emended to a participle, תוֹמֵךְ (tomekh). The psalmist pictures the Lord as casting his lot (a method used to allot landed property) for him, thus assuring that he will receive a fertile piece of land (see v. 6). As in the previous line, land represents security and economic stability, thus “you make my future secure.”

²⁴ tn Heb “bless,” that is, “proclaim as worthy of praise.”

²⁵ tn Or “because.”

²⁶ tn Or “counsels, advises.”

²⁷ tn Heb “yes, [during] nights my kidneys instruct [or “correct”] me.” The “kidneys” are viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s moral character (see Ps 26:2). In the quiet darkness the Lord speaks to his inner being, as it were, and enables him to grow in moral understanding.

²⁸ tn In this poetic narrative context the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite indicating past tense, not imperfect.

²⁹ tn Heb “according to my righteousness.” As vv. 22-24 make clear, the psalmist refers here to his unwavering obedience to God’s commands. In these verses the psalmist explains that the Lord was pleased with him and willing to deliver him because he had been loyal to God and obedient to his commandments. Ancient Near Eastern literature contains numerous parallels. A superior (a god or king) would typically reward a subject (a king or the servant of a king, respectively) for loyalty and obedience. See R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 211-13.

³⁰ tn The unreduced Hiphil prefixed verbal form appears to be an imperfect, in which case the psalmist would be generalizing. However, both the preceding and following contexts (see especially v. 24) suggest he is narrating his experience. Despite its unreduced form, the verb is better taken as a preterite. For other examples of unreduced Hiphil preterites, see Pss 55:14a; 68:9a, 10b; 80:8a; 89:43a; 107:38b; 116:6b.

³¹ tn Heb “according to the purity of my hands he repaid to me.” “Hands” suggest activity and behavior.

³² tn Heb “according to my righteousness.”

³³ tn Heb “according to the purity of my hands before his eyes.” 2 Sam 22:25 reads “according to my purity before his eyes.” The verbal repetition (compare vv. 20 and 24) sets off vv. 20-24 as a distinct sub-unit within the psalm.

³⁴ tn Or “for.” The translation assumes that כִּי (ki)is asseverative here.

³⁵ tn Ps 18:28 reads literally, “you light my lamp, Lord.” 2 Sam 22:29 has, “you are my lamp, Lord.” The Ps 18 reading may preserve two variants, נֵרִי (neriy, “my lamp”) and אוֹרִי (’oriy, “my light”), cf. Ps 27:1. The verb תָּאִיר (ta’ir, “you light”) in Ps 18:28 would, in this case, be a corruption of the latter. See F. M. Cross and D. N. Freedman, Studies in Ancient Yahwistic Poetry (SBLDS), 150, n. 64. The metaphor, which likens the Lord to a lamp or light, pictures him as the psalmist’s source of life. For other examples of “lamp” used in this way, see Job 18:6; 21:17; Prov 13:9; 20:20; 24:20. For other examples of “light” as a symbol for life, see Job 3:20; 33:30; Ps 56:13.

³⁶ tn 2 Sam 22:29 repeats the name “Lord.”

³⁷ tn Heb “my darkness.”

³⁸ tn Heb “the God.” The prefixed article emphasizes the Lord’s distinctiveness as the one true God (cf. Deut 33:26). See v. 30.

³⁹ tn Heb “is the one who clothes.” For similar language see 1 Sam 2:4; Pss 65:6; 93:1. The psalmist employs a generalizing hymnic style in vv. 32-34; he uses participles in vv. 32a, 33a, and 34a to describe what God characteristically does on his behalf.

⁴⁰ tn 2 Sam 22:33 reads, “the God is my strong refuge.”

sn Gives me strength. As the following context makes clear, this refers to physical and emotional strength for battle (see especially v. 39).

⁴¹ tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries along the generalizing force of the preceding participle.

⁴² tn Heb “he made my path smooth.” The Hebrew term תָּמִים (tamim, “smooth”) usually carries a moral or ethical connotation, “blameless, innocent.” However, in Ps 18:33 it refers to a pathway free of obstacles. The reality underlying the metaphor is the psalmist’s ability to charge into battle without tripping (see vv. 33, 36).

⁴³ tn Heb “and [as for] my enemies, you give to me [the] back [or “neck”].” The idiom “give [the] back” means “to cause [one] to turn the back and run away.” Cf. Exod 23:27.

⁴⁴ sn Those who hate me. See v. 17, where it is the Lord who delivered the psalmist from those who hated him.

⁴⁵ tn “They” refers to the psalmist’s enemies, who in the previous verse are described as “powerful bulls.”

⁴⁶ tn Heb “they open against me their mouth[s].” To “open the mouth against” is a Hebrew idiom associated with eating and swallowing (see Ezek 2:8; Lam 2:16).

⁴⁷ tn Heb “a lion ripping and roaring.”

⁴⁸ tn The imperfect verbal forms in vv. 17-18 draw attention to the progressive nature of the action.

⁴⁹ 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.

⁵⁰ tn Heb “they gaze, they look upon me.”

⁵¹ tn Or “my life.”

⁵² tn The verb “save” is supplied in the translation; it is understood by ellipsis (see “deliver” in the preceding line).

⁵³ tn Heb “my only one.” The psalmist may mean that his life is precious, or that he feels isolated and alone.

⁵⁴ tn Heb “from the hand.” Here “hand” is understood by metonymy as a reference to the “paw” and thus the “claws” of the wild dogs.

⁵⁵ tn Heb “for your faithfulness [is] before my eyes.”

⁵⁶ tn Heb “and I walk about in your loyalty.”

sn The psalmist’s awareness of the Lord’s faithfulness and…loyalty toward him motivates him to remain loyal to the Lord and to maintain his moral purity.

⁵⁷ tc Heb “concerning you my heart says, ‘Seek my face.’” The verb form “seek” is plural, but this makes no sense here, for the psalmist is addressed. The verb should be emended to a singular form. The first person pronominal suffix on “face” also makes little sense, unless it is the voice of the Lord he hears. His “heart” is viewed as speaking, however, so it is better to emend the form to פָּנָיו (panayv, “his face”).

⁵⁸ tn Heb “your face, O Lord, I seek.” To “seek the Lord’s face” means to seek his favor through prayer (see 2 Sam 21:1; Pss 24:6; 105:4).

⁵⁹ sn You healed me. Apparently the psalmist was plagued by a serious illness that threatened his life. See Ps 41.

⁶⁰ sn Covered me with joy. “Joy” probably stands metonymically for festive attire here.

⁶¹ tn Heb “my spirit.” The noun רוּחַ (ruakh, “spirit”) here refers to the animating spirit that gives the psalmist life.

⁶² tn Or “redeem.” The perfect verbal form is understood here as anticipatory, indicating rhetorically the psalmist’s certitude and confidence that God will intervene. The psalmist is so confident of God’s positive response to his prayer that he can describe his deliverance as if it had already happened. Another option is to take the perfect as precative, expressing a wish or request (“rescue me”; cf. NIV). See IBHS 494-95 §30.5.4c, d. However, not all grammarians are convinced that the perfect is used as a precative in biblical Hebrew.

⁶³ tn Or “exalt.”

⁶⁴ tn Heb “the fear of the Lord I will teach you.” In vv. 13-14 the psalmist explains to his audience what it means to “fear” the Lord.

⁶⁵ tn Two different types of shields are mentioned here. See also Ezek 38:4. Many modern translations render the first term (translated here “small shield”) as “buckler” (cf. NASB “buckler and shield”; the order is often reversed in the translation, apparently for stylistic reasons: cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV “shield and buckler”). The English term “buckler,” referring to a small round shield held on the arm to protect the upper body, is unfamiliar to many modern readers, so the term “small shield” was used in the present translation for clarity.

⁶⁶ tn Heb “they repay me evil instead of good.”

⁶⁷ tn Heb “[there is] bereavement to my soul.”

⁶⁸ tn Heb “and they cause their mouth to be wide against me.” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries on the generalizing mood of the previous verse. For other examples of this use of the prefixed verbal form with vav consecutive, see GKC 329 §111.t.

⁶⁹ tn Heb “our eye sees.” Apparently this is an idiom meaning to “look in triumph” or “gloat over” (see Ps 54:7).

⁷⁰ tn Heb “you see, O Lord.” There is a deliberate play on words. In v. 21 the enemies say, “our eye sees,” but the psalmist is confident that the Lord “sees” as well, so he appeals to him for help (see also v. 17).

⁷¹ sn Though he is confident that the Lord is aware of his situation (see v. 22a), the psalmist compares the Lord’s inactivity to sleep and urges him to wake up.

⁷² tn Heb “for my justice.”

⁷³ tn Heb “for my cause.”

⁷⁴ tn Heb “and the light of my eyes, even they, there is not with me.” The “light of the eyes” may refer to physical energy (see 1 Sam 14:27, 29), life itself (Ps 13:3), or the ability to see (Prov 29:23).

⁷⁵ tn Heb “Gaze away from me and I will smile before I go and am not.” The precise identification of the initial verb form (הָשַׁע, hasha’) is uncertain. It could be from the root שָׁעָע (sha’a’, “smear”), but “your eyes” would be the expected object in this case (see Isa 6:10). The verb may be an otherwise unattested Hiphil form of שָׁעָה (sha’ah, “to gaze”) meaning “cause your gaze to be.” Some prefer to emend the form to the Qal שְׁעֵה (shÿ’eh, “gaze”; see Job 14:6). If one does read a form of the verb “to gaze,” the angry divine “gaze” of discipline would seem to be in view (see vv. 10-11). For a similar expression of this sentiment see Job 10:20-21.

⁷⁶ tn Heb “in the roll of the scroll it is written concerning me.” Apparently the psalmist refers to the law of God (see v. 8), which contains the commandments God desires him to obey. If this is a distinctly royal psalm, then the psalmist/king may be referring specifically to the regulations of kingship prescribed in Deut 17:14-20. See P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 (WBC), 315.

⁷⁷ tn The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive in this imprecation.

⁷⁸ tn Heb “May they be humiliated according to their shame, those who say to me, ‘Aha! Aha!’”

⁷⁹ tn Heb “my enemies speak evil concerning me.”

⁸⁰ tn Heb “and his name perish.”

⁸¹ tn Heb “Look, in wrongdoing I was brought forth, and in sin my mother conceived me.” The prefixed verbal form in the second line is probably a preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive), stating a simple historical fact. The psalmist is not suggesting that he was conceived through an inappropriate sexual relationship (although the verse has sometimes been understood to mean that, or even that all sexual relationships are sinful). The psalmist’s point is that he has been a sinner from the very moment his personal existence began. By going back beyond the time of birth to the moment of conception, the psalmist makes his point more emphatically in the second line than in the first.

⁸² sn The juxtaposition of two occurrences of “look” in vv. 5-6 draws attention to the sharp contrast between the sinful reality of the psalmist’s condition and the lofty ideal God has for him.

⁸³ tn The perfect is used in a generalizing sense here.

⁸⁴ tn Heb “in the covered [places],” i.e., in the inner man.

⁸⁵ tn Heb “in the secret [place] wisdom you cause me to know.” The Hiphil verbal form is causative, while the imperfect is used in a modal sense to indicate God’s desire (note the parallel verb “desire”).

sn You want me to possess wisdom. Here “wisdom” does not mean “intelligence” or “learning,” but refers to moral insight and skill.

⁸⁶ tn Heb “cause me to hear happiness and joy.” The language is metonymic: the effect of forgiveness (joy) has been substituted for its cause. The psalmist probably alludes here to an assuring word from God announcing that his sins are forgiven (a so-called oracle of forgiveness). The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request. The synonyms “happiness” and “joy” are joined together as a hendiadys to emphasize the degree of joy he anticipates.

⁸⁷ sn May the bones you crushed rejoice. The psalmist compares his sinful condition to that of a person who has been physically battered and crushed. Within this metaphorical framework, his “bones” are the seat of his emotional strength.

⁸⁸ tn In this context of petitionary prayer, the prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive, expressing the psalmist’s wish or request.

⁸⁹ tn Heb “open my lips.” The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request.

⁹⁰ tn Heb “and my mouth will declare your praise.”

⁹¹ tc Many medieval Hebrew mss read זֵדִים (zedim, “proud ones”) rather than זָרִים (zarim, “foreigners”). (No matter which reading one chooses as original, dalet-resh confusion accounts for the existence of the variant.) The term זֵדִים (“proud ones”) occurs in parallelism with עָרִיצִים (’aritsim, “violent ones”) in Ps 86:14 and Isa 13:11. However, זָרִים (zarim, “foreigners”) is parallel to עָרִיצִים (’aritsim, “violent ones”) in Isa 25:5; 29:5; Ezek 28:7; 31:12.

⁹² tn Heb “rise against me.”

⁹³ tn Heb “and ruthless ones seek my life, they do not set God in front of them.”

⁹⁴ tn Or “my helper.”

⁹⁵ tn Or “sustain my life.”

⁹⁶ tn Or “for,” indicating a more specific reason why he will praise the Lord’s name (cf. v. 6).

⁹⁷ 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.

⁹⁸ tn Heb “and on my enemies my eyes look.”

⁹⁹ sn It is you. The psalmist addresses the apparent ringleader of the opposition, an individual who was once his friend.

¹⁰⁰ tn Heb “a man according to my value,” i.e., “a person such as I.”

¹⁰¹ tn Heb “my close friend, one known by me.”

¹⁰² tn The first verb is clearly a cohortative form, expressing the psalmist’s resolve. The second verb, while formally ambiguous, should also be understood as cohortative here.

¹⁰³ tn The prefixed verb with vav (ו) consecutive normally appears in narrational contexts to indicate past action, but here it continues the anticipatory (future) perspective of the preceding line. In Ps 77:6 one finds the same sequence of cohortative + prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive. In this case as well, both forms refer to future actions.

¹⁰⁴ tn Heb “my voice.”

¹⁰⁵ tn Heb “my affairs they disturb.” For other instances of דָּבָר (davar) meaning “affairs, business,” see BDB 183 s.v.. The Piel of עָצַב (’atsav, “to hurt”) occurs only here and in Isa 63:10, where it is used of “grieving” (or “offending”) the Lord’s holy Spirit. Here in Ps 56:5, the verb seems to carry the nuance “disturb, upset,” in the sense of “cause trouble.”

¹⁰⁶ tn Heb “against me [are] all their thoughts for harm.”

¹⁰⁷ tn The statement is similar to that of v. 4, except “flesh” is used there instead of “man.”

¹⁰⁸ tn The rhetorical question assumes the answer, “Nothing!” The imperfect is used in a modal sense here, indicating capability or potential.

¹⁰⁹ tn Heb “to God Most High.” The divine title “Most High” (עֶלְיוֹן, ’elyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Ps 47:2.

¹¹⁰ tn Or “avenges in favor of.”

¹¹¹ tn Heb “right hand.”

¹¹² tn The Qere (marginal reading) has “me,” while the Kethib (consonantal text) has “us.”

¹¹³ tn Or “may be rescued.” The lines are actually reversed in the Hebrew text, “So that the ones you love may be rescued, deliver by your power and answer me.”

¹¹⁴ sn Gilead was located east of the Jordan. Half of the tribe of Manasseh lived east of the Jordan in the region of Bashan.

¹¹⁵ tn Heb “the protection of my head.”

sn Ephraim, named after one of Joseph’s sons, was one of two major tribes located west of the Jordan. By comparing Ephraim to a helmet, the Lord suggests that the Ephraimites played a primary role in the defense of his land.

¹¹⁶ sn Judah, like Ephraim, was the other major tribe west of the Jordan. The Davidic king, symbolized here by the royal scepter, came from this tribe.

¹¹⁷ tn Or “for.”

¹¹⁸ tn Or “have been.”

¹¹⁹ tn Heb “a strong tower from the face of an enemy.”

¹²⁰ tn Heb “only for God be silent, my soul.” The wording is similar to that of v. 1a. Here an imperatival form, דּוֹמִּי (dommiy, “be silent”), appears instead of the noun דּוּמִיָּה (dumiyyah, “silence”). The psalmist is encouraging himself to maintain his trust in God.

¹²¹ tn Heb “for from him [is] my hope.”

¹²² tn Heb “workers of wickedness.”

¹²³ tn Heb “the records of sins are too strong for me.”

¹²⁴ tn Or “make atonement for.”

¹²⁵ tn Heb “blessed [be] God.”

¹²⁶ tn Or “who.” In a blessing formula after בָּרוּךְ (barukh, “blessed be”) the form אֲשֶׁר (’asher), whether taken as a relative pronoun or causal particle, introduces the basis for the blessing/praise.

¹²⁷ tn Heb “did not turn aside my prayer and his loyal love with me.”

¹²⁸ tn Heb “and I am estranged to my brothers, and a foreigner to the sons of my mother.”

¹²⁹ tn Or “for.” This verse explains that the psalmist’s suffering is due to his allegiance to God.

¹³⁰ tn Or “devotion to.”

¹³¹ sn God’s house, the temple, here represents by metonymy God himself.

¹³² tn Heb “the insults of those who insult you fall upon me.”

sn Jn 2:17 applies the first half of this verse to Jesus’ ministry in the context of John’s account of Jesus cleansing the temple.

¹³³ sn Fasting was a practice of mourners. By refraining from normal activities such as eating food, the mourner demonstrated the sincerity of his sorrow.

¹³⁴ tn Heb “and it becomes insults to me.”

¹³⁵ tn Heb “do not hide your face from.” The Hebrew idiom “hide the face” can (1) mean “ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or (2) carry the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 30:7; 88:14).

¹³⁶ tn Or “quickly.”

¹³⁷ tn Heb “your deliverance, O God, may it protect me.”

¹³⁸ sn Psalm 71. The psalmist prays for divine intervention and expresses his confidence that God will protect and vindicate him. The first three verses are very similar to Ps 31:1-3a.

¹³⁹ tn Heb “like a sign [i.e., portent or bad omen] I am to many.”

¹⁴⁰ tn Heb “and I add to all your praise.”

¹⁴¹ tn Heb “and [when] I pondered to understand this, troubling it [was] in my eyes.”

¹⁴² tn Heb “if only my people were listening to me.” The Hebrew particle לוּ (lu, “if not”) introduces a purely hypothetical or contrary to fact condition (see 2 Sam 18:12).

¹⁴³ tn Heb “[and if only] Israel would walk in my ways.”

¹⁴⁴ sn Psalm 86. The psalmist appeals to God’s mercy as he asks for deliverance from his enemies.

¹⁴⁵ tn Heb “turn your ear.”

¹⁴⁶ tn Heb “my life.”

¹⁴⁷ tn Or “show me favor.”

¹⁴⁸ tn Heb “I am considered with.”

¹⁴⁹ tn Heb “the pit.” The noun בּוֹר (bor, “pit,” “cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead.

¹⁵⁰ tn Heb “I am like a man [for whom] there is no help.”

¹⁵¹ tn Heb “his offspring forever will be.”

¹⁵² tn Heb “and his throne like the sun before me.”

¹⁵³ tn Heb “from the sound of my groaning my bone[s] stick to my flesh.” The preposition at the beginning of the verse is causal; the phrase “sound of my groaning” is metonymic for the anxiety that causes the groaning. The point seems to be this: Anxiety (which causes the psalmist to groan) keeps him from eating (v. 4). This physical deprivation in turn makes him emaciated – he is turned to “skin and bones,” so to speak.

¹⁵⁴ tn Heb “right hand.”

¹⁵⁵ tn Or “may be rescued.” The lines are actually reversed in the Hebrew text: “So that the ones you love may be rescued, deliver by your power and answer me.”

¹⁵⁶ tn Gilead was located east of the Jordan River. Half of the tribe of Manasseh lived east of the Jordan in the region of Bashan.

¹⁵⁷ tn Heb “the protection of my head.”

sn Ephraim, one of Joseph’s sons, was one of two major tribes located west of the Jordan River. By comparing Ephraim to a helmet, the Lord suggests that the Ephraimites played a primary role in the defense of his land.

¹⁵⁸ sn Judah, like Ephraim, was the other major tribe west of the Jordan River. The Davidic king, symbolized here by the royal scepter, came from this tribe.

¹⁵⁹ tn Heb “[may] this [be] the repayment to my accusers from the Lord.”

¹⁶⁰ tn Or “against.”

¹⁶¹ tn The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being; soul”) with a pronominal suffix is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 4.a).

¹⁶² tc The verb in the Hebrew text (חָלַל, khalal) appears to be a Qal form from the root חלל meaning “pierced; wounded.” However, the Qal of this root is otherwise unattested. The translation assumes an emendation to יָחִיל (yakhil), a Qal imperfect from חוּל (khul, “tremble”) or to חֹלַל (kholal), a polal perfect from חוּל (khul). See Ps 55:4, which reads לִבִּי יָחִיל בְּקִרְבִּי (libbiy yakhil bÿqirbbiy, “my heart trembles [i.e., “beats violently”] within me”).

¹⁶³ tn Heb “as for me, I am a reproach to them.”

¹⁶⁴ sn They shake their heads. Apparently shaking the head was a taunting gesture. See also Job 16:4; Ps 22:7; Lam 2:15.

¹⁶⁵ tn Heb “guards.” The active participle indicates this is a characteristic of the Lord.

¹⁶⁶ tn Or “the [morally] naive,” that is, the one who is young and still in the process of learning right from wrong and distinguishing wisdom from folly. See Ps 19:7.

¹⁶⁷ tn Heb “I was low.”

¹⁶⁸ tn Heb “for me.”

¹⁶⁹ tn The rhetorical question assumes the answer, “Nothing!” The imperfect is used in a modal sense here, indicating capability or potential. See Ps 56:11.

¹⁷⁰ sn The reference to an attack by the nations suggests the psalmist may have been a military leader.

¹⁷¹ tn In this context the phrase “in the name of the Lord” means “by the Lord’s power.”

¹⁷² tn Traditionally the verb has been derived from מוּל (mul, “to circumcise”) and translated “[I] cut [them] off” (see BDB 557-58 s.v. II מוּל). However, it is likely that this is a homonym meaning “to fend off” (see HALOT 556 s.v. II מול) or “to push away.” In this context, where the psalmist is reporting his past experience, the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite. The phrase also occurs in vv. 11, 12.

¹⁷³ tn Heb “I am a resident alien in the land.” Resident aliens were especially vulnerable and in need of help. They needed to know the social and legal customs of the land to avoid getting into trouble. The translation (note the addition of “like”) assumes the psalmist is speaking metaphorically, not literally.

¹⁷⁴ tn Heb “though rulers sit, about me they talk together.” (For another example of the Niphal of דָּבַר (davar) used with a suffixed form of the preposition ב, see Ezek 33:30.)

¹⁷⁵ tn Heb “men of my counsel.” That is, God’s rules are like advisers to the psalmist, for they teach him how to live in a godly manner that refutes the accusations of his enemies.

¹⁷⁶ tn Heb “my soul clings to the dirt.” The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being; soul”) with a pronominal suffix is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 4.a).

¹⁷⁷ tn Heb “according to your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss read the plural “your words.”

¹⁷⁸ tn Heb “the way of your precepts make me understand.”

¹⁷⁹ tn The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.

¹⁸⁰ tn Heb “your amazing things,” which refers here to the teachings of the law (see v. 18).

¹⁸¹ tn Or “cling to.”

¹⁸² tn Heb “for you make wide my heart.” The “heart” is viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s volition and understanding. The Lord gives the psalmist the desire and moral understanding that are foundational to the willing obedience depicted metaphorically in the preceding line. In Isa 60:5 the expression “your heart will be wide” means “your heart will swell with pride,” but here the nuance appears to be different.

¹⁸³ tn Or “make me walk.”

¹⁸⁴ tn Heb “for in it I delight.”

¹⁸⁵ tn Heb “turn my heart to your rules.”

¹⁸⁶ tn Heb “and not unjust gain.”

¹⁸⁷ tn Heb “Make my eyes pass by from looking at what is worthless.”

¹⁸⁸ tn Heb “by your word.”

¹⁸⁹ tn Or “righteousness.”

¹⁹⁰ tn Heb “do not snatch from my mouth a word of truth to excess.” The psalmist wants to be able to give a reliable testimony about the Lord’s loyal love (vv. 41-42), but if God does not intervene, the psalmist will be deprived of doing so, for the evidence of such love (i.e., deliverance) will be lacking.

¹⁹¹ tn Heb “I appease your face.”

¹⁹² tn Heb “according to your word.”

¹⁹³ tn Heb “surround.”

¹⁹⁴ tn Heb “goodness of taste.” Here “taste” refers to moral and ethical discernment.

¹⁹⁵ tn Heb “for I believe in your commands.”

¹⁹⁶ tn Heb “according to your word to your servant.”

¹⁹⁷ tn Heb “for [with] falsehood they have denied me justice.”

¹⁹⁸ tn Heb “those who fear you.”

¹⁹⁹ tn Heb “How long are the days of your servant?”

²⁰⁰ tn Heb “for me.”

²⁰¹ tn Heb “which [is] not according to your law.”

²⁰² sn God’s commands are a reliable guide to right and wrong. By keeping them the psalmist is doing what is right, yet he is still persecuted.

²⁰³ tn Heb “according to.”

²⁰⁴ tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.

²⁰⁵ tn Heb “of your mouth.”

²⁰⁶ tn Heb “the wicked wait for me to kill me.”

²⁰⁷ tn The plural form needs to be revocalized as a singular in order to agree with the preceding singular verb and the singular pronoun in the next line. The Lord’s “command” refers here to the law (see Ps 19:8).

²⁰⁸ tn Heb “every false path.”

²⁰⁹ tn Heb “according to your word.”

²¹⁰ tn Heb “of my mouth.”

²¹¹ tn Heb “for the joy of my heart [are] they.”

²¹² tn Or “and that I might focus.” The two cohortatives with vav (ו) conjunctive indicate purpose/result after the imperative at the beginning of the verse.

²¹³ tn Heb “do justice and righteousness.”

²¹⁴ tn Heb “be surety for your servant for good.”

²¹⁵ tn or “know.” The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.

²¹⁶ tn God’s “word” refers here to his law (see v. 11).

²¹⁷ tn Or “redeem me.”

²¹⁸ tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.

²¹⁹ tn Heb “find.”

²²⁰ tn Heb “just are your rules forever.”

²²¹ tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.

²²² tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.

²²³ tn Heb “according to your customs.”

²²⁴ tn Heb “many [are] those who chase me and my enemies.”

²²⁵ tn Heb “may my cry approach before you.”

²²⁶ tn Heb “may my appeal for mercy come before you.”

²²⁷ tn Heb “according to your speech.”

²²⁸ tn The words “to obey” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons and for clarity.

²²⁹ tn Heb “my life.”

²³⁰ tn God’s regulations will “help” the psalmist by giving him moral and ethical guidance.

²³¹ sn Psalm 129. Israel affirms God’s justice and asks him to destroy the enemies of Zion.

²³² 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.

²³³ tn Heb “my voice.”

²³⁴ tn Heb “may your ears be attentive to the voice of.”

²³⁵ sn Psalm 139. The psalmist acknowledges that God, who created him, is aware of his every action and thought. He invites God to examine his motives, for he is confident they are pure.

²³⁶ tn The statement is understood as generalizing – the psalmist describes what God typically does.

²³⁷ tc Heb “because awesome things, I am distinct, amazing [are] your works.” The text as it stands is syntactically problematic and makes little, if any, sense. The Niphal of פָּלָה (pala’) occurs elsewhere only in Exod 33:16. Many take the form from פָלָא (pala’; see GKC 216 §75.qq), which in the Niphal perfect means “to be amazing” (see 2 Sam 1:26; Ps 118:23; Prov 30:18). Some, following the LXX and some other ancient witnesses, also prefer to emend the verb from first to second person, “you are amazing” (see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 249, 251). The present translation assumes the text conflates two variants: נפלאים, the otherwise unattested masculine plural participle of פָלָא, and נִפְלָאוֹת (nifla’ot), the usual (feminine) plural form of the Niphal participle. The latter has been changed to a verb by later scribes in an attempt to accommodate it syntactically. The original text likely read, נוראות נפלאותים מעשׂיך (“your works [are] awesome [and] amazing”).

²³⁸ tc Heb “and my being knows very much.” Better parallelism is achieved (see v. 15a) if one emends יֹדַעַת (yoda’at), a Qal active participle, feminine singular form, to יָדַעְתָּ (yada’ta), a Qal perfect second masculine singular perfect. See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 252.

²³⁹ tn The Hebrew particle אִם (’im, “if”) and following prefixed verbal form here express a wish (see Pss 81:8; 95:7, as well as GKC 321 §109.b).

²⁴⁰ tn Heb “men of bloodshed.”

²⁴¹ tn Heb “they devise wicked [plans] in [their] mind.”

²⁴² tc Heb “they attack [for] war.” Some revocalize the verb (which is a Qal imperfect from גּוּר, gur, “to attack”) as יְגָרוּ (yÿgaru), a Piel imperfect from גָרָה (garah, “stir up strife”). This is followed in the present translation.

²⁴³ tn Heb “to you I cover,” which makes no sense. The translation assumes an emendation to נַסְתִּי (nastiy, “I flee,” a Qal perfect, first singular form from נוּס, nos). Confusion of kaf (כ) and nun (נ) is attested elsewhere (see P. K. McCarter, Textual Criticism [GBS], 48). The collocation of נוּס (“flee”) with אֶל (’el, “to”) is well-attested.