¹ tn The prefixed verbal form is probably a preterite here; it is parallel to a perfect and refers to the fact that the Lord has responded favorably to the psalmist’s request.

² tn Heb “I set the Lord before me continually.” This may mean that the psalmist is aware of the Lord’s presence and sensitive to his moral guidance (see v. 7), or that he trusts in the Lord’s protection (see the following line).

³ tn 2 Sam 22:38 reads “destroy.”

⁴ tn Or “bless.”

⁵ tn Heb “your inheritance.” The parallelism (note “your people”) indicates that Israel is in view.

⁶ tn Heb “shepherd them and lift them up.”

sn The shepherd metaphor is sometimes associated with royal responsibility. See 2 Sam 5:2; 7:7; Mic 5:2-4).

⁷ tn Or “forever.”

⁸ tn Or “do good.”

⁹ tn Heb “seek peace and pursue it.”

¹⁰ tn The prefixed verbal form is a preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive).

¹¹ tn Heb “for what is not wealth.”

¹² tn Heb “you did not multiply their purchase prices.”

¹³ tn The words “he says” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

¹⁴ tn Heb “do nothing/be quiet (see 1 Sam 15:16) and know.” This statement may be addressed to the hostile nations, indicating they should cease their efforts to destroy God’s people, or to Judah, indicating they should rest secure in God’s protection. Since the psalm is an expression of Judah’s trust and confidence, it is more likely that the words are directed to the nations, who are actively promoting chaos and are in need of a rebuke.

¹⁵ tn Elsewhere in the psalms the verb רוּם (rum, “be exalted”) when used of God, refers to his exalted position as king (Pss 18:46; 99:2; 113:4; 138:6) and/or his self-revelation as king through his mighty deeds of deliverance (Pss 21:13; 57:5, 11).

¹⁶ tn Or “among.”

¹⁷ tn Or “in.”

¹⁸ tn Heb “sprout up,” like crops. This verse continues the metaphor of rain utilized in v. 6.

¹⁹ tn Heb “and [there will be an] abundance of peace until there is no more moon.”

²⁰ tn Heb “you held fast the guards of my eyes.” The “guards of the eyes” apparently refers to his eyelids. The psalmist seems to be saying that God would not bring him relief, which would have allowed him to shut his eyes and get some sleep (see v. 2).

²¹ tn The imperfect is used in the second clause to emphasize that this was an ongoing condition in the past.

²² tn Heb “because he turned his ear to me.”

²³ tn Heb “and in my days I will cry out.”

²⁴ 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.

²⁵ tn Heb “according to custom toward the lovers of your name.” The “lovers of” God’s “name” are the Lord’s loyal followers. See Pss 5:11; 69:36; Isa 56:6.

²⁶ tn Heb “cause your face to shine.”

²⁷ tn The Hebrew verb שׁוּף (shuf), which means “to crush; to wound,” in Gen 3:15 and Job 9:17, is problematic here. For a discussion of attempts to relate the verb to Arabic roots, see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 251. Many emend the form to יְשׂוּכֵּנִי (yesukkeniy), from the root שׂכך (“to cover,” an alternate form of סכך), a reading assumed in the present translation.

²⁸ tn Heb “and night, light, around me.”