⁶ sn Nourishing, fine food here represents the blessings God freely offers. These include forgiveness, a new covenantal relationship with God, and national prominence (see vv. 3-6).

¹ sn To live here refers to covenantal blessing, primarily material prosperity and national security (see vv. 4-5, 13, and Deut 30:6, 15, 19-20).

³ tn Here “life” is probably a metonymy of subject for “blessings and prosperity in life.” The plural form often covers a person’s “lifetime.”

¹ tn Although the word אַשְׁרֵי (ʾashre, “blessed”) is frequently translated “happy” here (so KJV, ASV, NAB, NCV, NRSV, TEV, NLT), such a translation can be somewhat misleading. The core meaning of the word conveys “benefit” or “advantage,” sometimes meaning security. Though feeling glad about the benefit is often in view, “happy” is too narrow a translation. For example, Job 5:17 says the one whom God corrects is אַשְׁרֵי. Clearly the correction is a benefit; less clearly does it prompt inner happiness. On the other hand “blessed” should not be confused with בָּרַךְ (barakh) “to bless,” used in pronouncing blessings.

² sn The phrase “reach the paths of life” is a figurative expression for experiencing joy and fullness of blessing (BDB 673 s.v. נָשַׂג 2.a).

⁴ sn A level land (where one can walk free of obstacles) here symbolizes divine blessing and protection. See Pss 26:12 and 27:11 for similar imagery.

¹ sn Psalm 134. The psalmist calls on the temple servants to praise God (vv. 1-2). They in turn pronounce a blessing on the psalmist (v. 3).

² tn Both “bestow” and “yield” translate the same Hebrew verb (נָתַן, natan). The repetition of the word emphasizes that agricultural prosperity is the direct result of divine blessing.

⁴ tc The MT reads בְּרָכוֹת (b^erakhot, “blessings”) but the preceding reference to a “spring” favors an emendation to בְּרֵכוֹת (b^erekhot, “pools”).

⁴ sn Reveal your splendor. The psalmist may allude to Deut 33:2, where God “shines forth” from Sinai and comes to superintend Moses’ blessing of the tribes.

⁴ sn The imagery of this verse compares the blessings produced by the king’s reign to fructifying rains that cause the crops to grow.

¹ tn Heb “bless,” in the sense of declaring “God to be the source of…special power” (see HALOT 160 s.v. II ברך pi).

⁵ sn The enemies use deceit to bring down their victim. They make him think they are his friends by pronouncing blessings upon him, but inwardly they desire his demise.

² tn Heb “those blessed by him.” The pronoun “him” must refer to the Lord (see vv. 20, 23), so the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.

² tn Or “bless.” The imperfect verbal forms here and in the next line highlight how God characteristically rewards and protects the godly.

³ sn Lamp and light are symbols of God’s blessings of life and all the prosperous and good things it includes.

³ tn Heb “and to bless him because he fought with Hadadezer and defeated him, for Hadadezer was a man of battles with Tou.”

⁴ tn Heb “and to bless him because he fought with Hadadezer and defeated him, for Hadadezer was a man of battles with Toi.”

³ tc The LXX begins the verse differently, “granting the prayer to the one who prays; he blessed the years of the righteous.”

¹ tn Heb “and the word was good in the eyes of the sons of Israel and the sons of Israel blessed God.”