Mazmur 15:4

15:4 He despises a reprobate, ¹ 

but honors the Lord’s loyal followers. ² 

He makes firm commitments and does not renege on his promise. ³ 

Mazmur 103:11

103:11 For as the skies are high above the earth,

so his loyal love towers ⁴  over his faithful followers. ⁵ 

Mazmur 103:13

103:13 As a father has compassion on his children, ⁶ 

so the Lord has compassion on his faithful followers. ⁷ 

Mazmur 115:11

115:11 You loyal followers of the Lord, ⁸  trust in the Lord!

He is their deliverer ⁹  and protector. ¹⁰ 

Mazmur 118:4

118:4 Let the loyal followers of the Lord ¹¹  say,

“Yes, his loyal love endures!”

[15:4]  ¹ tn Heb “despised in his eyes [is] a rejected [one].” The Hebrew term נִמְאָס (nim’as, “rejected [one]”) apparently refers here to one who has been rejected by God because of his godless behavior. It stands in contrast to “those who fear God” in the following line.

[15:4]  ² tn Heb “those who fear the Lord.” The one who fears the Lord respects his sovereignty and obeys his commandments. See Ps 128:1; Prov 14:2.

[15:4]  ³ tn Heb “he takes an oath to do harm and does not change.” The phrase “to do harm” cannot mean “do harm to others,” for the preceding verse clearly characterizes this individual as one who does not harm others. In this context the phrase must refer to an oath to which a self-imprecation is attached. The godly individual takes his commitments to others so seriously he is willing to “swear to his own hurt.” For an example of such an oath, see Ruth 1:16-17.

[103:11]  ⁴ tn For this sense of the verb גָבַר (gavar), see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 17, 19.

[103:11]  ⁵ tn Heb “those who fear him.”

[103:13]  ⁶ tn Or “sons,” but the Hebrew term sometimes refers to children in general.

[103:13]  ⁷ tn Heb “those who fear him.”

[115:11]  ⁸ tn Heb “[you] fearers of the Lord.” See Ps 15:4.

[115:11]  ⁹ tn Or “[source of] help.”

[115:11]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “and their shield.”

[118:4]  ¹¹ tn Heb “fearers of the Lord.” See Ps 15:4.