¹ tn Heb “so that”; or “in order that.”

² tn Heb “glory.” Some view כָבוֹד (khavod, “glory”) here as a metonymy for man’s inner being (see BDB 459 s.v. II כָּבוֹד 5), but it is preferable to emend the form to כְּבֵדִי (kÿvediy, “my liver”). Like the heart, the liver is viewed as the seat of one’s emotions. See also Pss 16:9; 57:9; 108:1, as well as H. W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament, 64, and M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 1:90. For an Ugaritic example of the heart/liver as the source of joy, see G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 47-48: “her [Anat’s] liver swelled with laughter, her heart was filled with joy, the liver of Anat with triumph.” “Heart” is used in the translation above for the sake of English idiom; the expression “my liver sings” would seem odd indeed to the modern reader.

³ tn Or “forever.”

⁴ tn Heb “Why do you bow down?”

⁵ sn For poetic effect the psalmist addresses his soul, or inner self.

⁶ tn Heb “and [why] are you in turmoil upon me?” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries on the descriptive present nuance of the preceding imperfect. See GKC 329 §111.t.

⁷ tc Heb “for again I will give him thanks, the saving acts of his face.” The verse division in the Hebrew text is incorrect. אֱלֹהַי (’elohay, “my God”) at the beginning of v. 7 belongs with the end of v. 6 (see the corresponding refrains in 42:11 and 43:5, both of which end with “my God” after “saving acts of my face”). The Hebrew term פָּנָיו (panayv, “his face”) should be emended to פְּנֵי (pÿney, “face of”). The emended text reads, “[for] the saving acts of the face of my God,” that is, the saving acts associated with God’s presence/intervention.

⁸ tn Heb “Why do you bow down?”

⁹ sn For poetic effect the psalmist addresses his soul, or inner self.

¹⁰ tn Heb “and why are you in turmoil upon me?”

¹¹ tc Heb “for again I will give him thanks, the saving acts of my face and my God.” The last line should be emended to read יְשׁוּעֹת פְנֵי אֱלֹהָי (yÿshu’ot fÿney ’elohay, “[for] the saving acts of the face of my God”), that is, the saving acts associated with God’s presence/intervention. This refrain is almost identical to the one in v. 5. See also Ps 43:5.

¹² tn Heb “Why do you bow down?”

¹³ sn For poetic effect the psalmist addresses his soul, or inner self.

¹⁴ tn Heb “and why are you in turmoil upon me?”

¹⁵ tc Heb “for again I will give him thanks, the saving acts of my face and my God.” The last line should be emended to read יְשׁוּעֹת פְנֵי אֱלֹהָי (yÿshu’ot fÿney ’elohay, “[for] the saving acts of the face of my God,” that is, the saving acts associated with God’s presence/intervention. This refrain is identical to the one in Ps 42:11. See also 42:5, which differs only slightly.

¹⁶ tn The cohortative verbal form expresses the psalmist’s resolve/vow to praise.

¹⁷ tn Heb “to give thanks.” The infinitive construct indicates result after the imperative.

¹⁸ tn Heb “to boast in your praise.”

¹⁹ tn Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.”

²⁰ tn Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.” See v. 8.

²¹ tn Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.” See v. 8.

²² tn Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.” See v. 8.

²³ sn Psalm 111. The psalmist praises God for his marvelous deeds, especially the way in which he provides for and delivers his people. The psalm is an acrostic. After the introductory call to praise, every poetic line (twenty-two in all) begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

²⁴ tn Heb “the gates of justice.” The gates of the Lord’s temple are referred to here, as v. 20 makes clear. They are called “gates of justice” because they are the entrance to the just king’s palace. This has been specified in the translation for clarity.

²⁵ tn Or “went up.”

²⁶ tn Heb “which is where the tribes go up.”

²⁷ tn Heb “[it is] a statute for Israel to give thanks to the name of the Lord.”

²⁸ sn Psalm 138. The psalmist vows to thank the Lord for his deliverance and protection.

²⁹ tn The referent of the Hebrew term אֱלֹהִים (’elohim) is unclear. It refers either to the angelic assembly (see Gen 3:5; Ps 8:5) or to the pagan gods (see Pss 82:1, 6; 86:8; 97:7), in which case the psalmist’s praise takes on a polemical tone.

³⁰ tn Heb “bring out my life.”

³¹ tn Or “gather around.”

³² tn The Hebrew idiom גָּמַל עַל (gamal ’al) means “to repay,” here in a positive sense.