Mazmur 8:1-9
KonteksFor the music director, according to the gittith style; 2 a psalm of David.
how magnificent 4 is your reputation 5 throughout the earth!
You reveal your majesty in the heavens above! 6
8:2 From the mouths of children and nursing babies
you have ordained praise on account of your adversaries, 7
so that you might put an end to the vindictive enemy. 8
8:3 When I look up at the heavens, which your fingers made,
and see the moon and the stars, which you set in place, 9
8:4 Of what importance is the human race, 10 that you should notice 11 them?
Of what importance is mankind, 12 that you should pay attention to them, 13
8:5 and make them a little less than the heavenly beings? 14
You grant mankind 15 honor and majesty; 16
8:6 you appoint them to rule over your creation; 17
you have placed 18 everything under their authority, 19
8:7 including all the sheep and cattle,
as well as the wild animals, 20
8:8 the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea
and everything that moves through the currents 21 of the seas.
how magnificent 23 is your reputation 24 throughout the earth! 25
Mazmur 19:1-14
KonteksFor the music director; a psalm of David.
19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; 27
the sky displays his handiwork. 28
19:2 Day after day it speaks out; 29
night after night it reveals his greatness. 30
19:3 There is no actual speech or word,
nor is its 31 voice literally heard.
19:4 Yet its voice 32 echoes 33 throughout the earth;
its 34 words carry 35 to the distant horizon. 36
In the sky 37 he has pitched a tent for the sun. 38
19:5 Like a bridegroom it emerges 39 from its chamber; 40
like a strong man it enjoys 41 running its course. 42
19:6 It emerges from the distant horizon, 43
and goes from one end of the sky to the other; 44
nothing can escape 45 its heat.
19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect
and preserves one’s life. 46
The rules set down by the Lord 47 are reliable 48
and impart wisdom to the inexperienced. 49
19:8 The Lord’s precepts are fair 50
and make one joyful. 51
The Lord’s commands 52 are pure 53
and give insight for life. 54
19:9 The commands to fear the Lord are right 55
and endure forever. 56
The judgments given by the Lord are trustworthy
and absolutely just. 57
19:10 They are of greater value 58 than gold,
than even a great amount of pure gold;
they bring greater delight 59 than honey,
than even the sweetest honey from a honeycomb.
19:11 Yes, your servant finds moral guidance there; 60
those who obey them receive a rich reward. 61
19:12 Who can know all his errors? 62
Please do not punish me for sins I am unaware of. 63
19:13 Moreover, keep me from committing flagrant 64 sins;
do not allow such sins to control me. 65
Then I will be blameless,
and innocent of blatant 66 rebellion.
19:14 May my words and my thoughts
be acceptable in your sight, 67
O Lord, my sheltering rock 68 and my redeemer. 69
Mazmur 29:1-11
KonteksA psalm of David.
29:1 Acknowledge the Lord, you heavenly beings, 71
acknowledge the Lord’s majesty and power! 72
29:2 Acknowledge the majesty of the Lord’s reputation! 73
Worship the Lord in holy attire! 74
29:3 The Lord’s shout is heard over the water; 75
the majestic God thunders, 76
the Lord appears over the surging water. 77
29:4 The Lord’s shout is powerful, 78
the Lord’s shout is majestic. 79
29:5 The Lord’s shout breaks 80 the cedars,
the Lord shatters 81 the cedars of Lebanon. 82
29:6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf
and Sirion 83 like a young ox. 84
29:7 The Lord’s shout strikes 85 with flaming fire. 86
29:8 The Lord’s shout shakes 87 the wilderness,
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. 88
29:9 The Lord’s shout bends 89 the large trees 90
and strips 91 the leaves from the forests. 92
Everyone in his temple says, “Majestic!” 93
29:10 The Lord sits enthroned over the engulfing waters, 94
the Lord sits enthroned 95 as the eternal king.
29:11 The Lord gives 96 his people strength; 97
the Lord grants his people security. 98
Mazmur 33:1-22
Konteks33:1 You godly ones, shout for joy because of the Lord!
It is appropriate for the morally upright to offer him praise.
33:2 Give thanks to the Lord with the harp!
Sing to him to the accompaniment of a ten-stringed instrument!
33:3 Sing to him a new song! 100
Play skillfully as you shout out your praises to him! 101
33:4 For 102 the Lord’s decrees 103 are just, 104
and everything he does is fair. 105
33:5 The Lord promotes 106 equity and justice;
the Lord’s faithfulness extends throughout the earth. 107
33:6 By the Lord’s decree 108 the heavens were made;
by a mere word from his mouth all the stars in the sky were created. 109
33:7 He piles up the water of the sea; 110
he puts the oceans 111 in storehouses.
33:8 Let the whole earth fear 112 the Lord!
Let all who live in the world stand in awe of him!
33:9 For he spoke, and it 113 came into existence,
he issued the decree, 114 and it stood firm.
33:10 The Lord frustrates 115 the decisions of the nations;
he nullifies the plans 116 of the peoples.
33:11 The Lord’s decisions stand forever;
his plans abide throughout the ages. 117
33:12 How blessed 118 is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people whom he has chosen to be his special possession. 119
33:13 The Lord watches 120 from heaven;
he sees all people. 121
33:14 From the place where he lives he looks carefully
at all the earth’s inhabitants.
33:15 He is the one who forms every human heart, 122
and takes note of all their actions.
33:16 No king is delivered by his vast army;
a warrior is not saved by his great might.
33:17 A horse disappoints those who trust in it for victory; 123
despite its great strength, it cannot deliver.
33:18 Look, the Lord takes notice of his loyal followers, 124
those who wait for him to demonstrate his faithfulness 125
33:19 by saving their lives from death 126
and sustaining them during times of famine. 127
33:20 We 128 wait for the Lord;
he is our deliverer 129 and shield. 130
33:21 For our hearts rejoice in him,
for we trust in his holy name.
33:22 May we experience your faithfulness, O Lord, 131
for 132 we wait for you.
Mazmur 46:1--48:14
KonteksFor the music director; by the Korahites; according to the alamoth style; 134 a song.
46:1 God is our strong refuge; 135
he is truly our helper in times of trouble. 136
46:2 For this reason we do not fear 137 when the earth shakes, 138
and the mountains tumble into the depths of the sea, 139
46:3 when its waves 140 crash 141 and foam,
and the mountains shake 142 before the surging sea. 143 (Selah)
46:4 The river’s channels bring joy to the city of God, 144
the special, holy dwelling place of 145 the sovereign One. 146
46:5 God lives within it, 147 it cannot be moved. 148
God rescues it 149 at the break of dawn. 150
46:6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms are overthrown. 151
God 152 gives a shout, 153 the earth dissolves. 154
46:7 The Lord who commands armies is on our side! 155
The God of Jacob 156 is our protector! 157 (Selah)
46:8 Come! Witness the exploits 158 of the Lord,
who brings devastation to the earth! 159
46:9 He brings an end to wars throughout the earth; 160
he shatters 161 the bow and breaks 162 the spear;
he burns 163 the shields with fire. 164
46:10 He says, 165 “Stop your striving and recognize 166 that I am God!
I will be exalted 167 over 168 the nations! I will be exalted over 169 the earth!”
46:11 The Lord who commands armies is on our side! 170
The God of Jacob 171 is our protector! 172 (Selah)
For the music director; by the Korahites; a psalm.
47:1 All you nations, clap your hands!
Shout out to God in celebration! 174
47:2 For the sovereign Lord 175 is awe-inspiring; 176
he is the great king who rules the whole earth! 177
47:3 He subdued nations beneath us 178
and countries 179 under our feet.
47:4 He picked out for us a special land 180
to be a source of pride for 181 Jacob, 182 whom he loves. 183 (Selah)
47:5 God has ascended his throne 184 amid loud shouts; 185
the Lord has ascended his throne amid the blaring of ram’s horns. 186
47:6 Sing to God! Sing!
Sing to our king! Sing!
47:7 For God is king of the whole earth!
Sing a well-written song! 187
47:8 God reigns 188 over the nations!
God sits on his holy throne!
47:9 The nobles of the nations assemble,
along with the people of the God of Abraham, 189
for God has authority over the rulers 190 of the earth.
He is highly exalted! 191
A song, a psalm by the Korahites.
48:1 The Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise
in the city of our God, 193 his holy hill.
48:2 It is lofty and pleasing to look at, 194
a source of joy to the whole earth. 195
Mount Zion resembles the peaks of Zaphon; 196
it is the city of the great king.
48:3 God is in its fortresses;
he reveals himself as its defender. 197
48:4 For 198 look, the kings assemble; 199
they advance together.
48:5 As soon as they see, 200 they are shocked; 201
they are terrified, they quickly retreat. 202
48:6 Look at them shake uncontrollably, 203
like a woman writhing in childbirth. 204
48:7 With an east wind
you shatter 205 the large ships. 206
48:8 We heard about God’s mighty deeds, now we have seen them, 207
in the city of the Lord, the invincible Warrior, 208
in the city of our God.
God makes it permanently secure. 209 (Selah)
48:9 We reflect on your loyal love, O God,
within your temple.
48:10 The praise you receive as far away as the ends of the earth
is worthy of your reputation, O God. 210
You execute justice! 211
48:11 Mount Zion rejoices;
the towns 212 of Judah are happy, 213
because of your acts of judgment. 214
48:12 Walk around 215 Zion! Encircle it!
Count its towers!
48:13 Consider its defenses! 216
Walk through 217 its fortresses,
so you can tell the next generation about it! 218
48:14 For God, our God, is our defender forever! 219
Mazmur 76:1-12
KonteksFor the music director; to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a psalm of Asaph, a song.
76:1 God has revealed himself in Judah; 223
in Israel his reputation 224 is great.
he dwells in Zion. 226
76:3 There he shattered the arrows, 227
the shield, the sword, and the rest of the weapons of war. 228 (Selah)
76:4 You shine brightly and reveal your majesty,
as you descend from the hills where you killed your prey. 229
76:5 The bravehearted 230 were plundered; 231
they “fell asleep.” 232
All the warriors were helpless. 233
76:6 At the sound of your battle cry, 234 O God of Jacob,
both rider 235 and horse “fell asleep.” 236
76:7 You are awesome! Yes, you!
Who can withstand your intense anger? 237
76:8 From heaven you announced what their punishment would be. 238
The earth 239 was afraid and silent
76:9 when God arose to execute judgment,
and to deliver all the oppressed of the earth. (Selah)
76:10 Certainly 240 your angry judgment upon men will bring you praise; 241
you reveal your anger in full measure. 242
76:11 Make vows to the Lord your God and repay them!
Let all those who surround him 243 bring tribute to the awesome one!
the kings of the earth regard him as awesome. 245
Mazmur 84:1-12
KonteksFor the music director; according to the gittith style; 247 written by the Korahites, a psalm.
84:1 How lovely is the place where you live, 248
O Lord who rules over all! 249
84:2 I desperately want to be 250
in the courts of the Lord’s temple. 251
My heart and my entire being 252 shout for joy
to the living God.
84:3 Even the birds find a home there,
and the swallow 253 builds a nest,
where she can protect her young 254
near your altars, O Lord who rules over all,
my king and my God.
84:4 How blessed 255 are those who live in your temple
and praise you continually! (Selah)
84:5 How blessed are those who 256 find their strength in you,
and long to travel the roads that lead to your temple! 257
84:6 As they pass through the Baca Valley, 258
he provides a spring for them. 259
The rain 260 even covers it with pools of water. 261
84:7 They are sustained as they travel along; 262
each one appears 263 before God in Zion.
84:8 O Lord, sovereign God, 264
hear my prayer!
Listen, O God of Jacob! (Selah)
84:9 O God, take notice of our shield! 265
Show concern for your chosen king! 266
84:10 Certainly 267 spending just one day in your temple courts is better
than spending a thousand elsewhere. 268
I would rather stand at the entrance 269 to the temple of my God
than live 270 in the tents of the wicked.
84:11 For the Lord God is our sovereign protector. 271
The Lord bestows favor 272 and honor;
he withholds no good thing from those who have integrity. 273
84:12 O Lord who rules over all, 274
how blessed are those who trust in you! 275
Mazmur 87:1-7
KonteksWritten by the Korahites; a psalm, a song.
87:1 The Lord’s city is in the holy hills. 277
87:2 The Lord loves the gates of Zion
more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.
87:3 People say wonderful things about you, 278
O city of God. (Selah)
87:4 I mention Rahab 279 and Babylon to my followers. 280
Here are 281 Philistia and Tyre, 282 along with Ethiopia. 283
It is said of them, “This one was born there.” 284
87:5 But it is said of Zion’s residents, 285
“Each one of these 286 was born in her,
and the sovereign One 287 makes her secure.” 288
87:6 The Lord writes in the census book of the nations, 289
“This one was born there.” 290 (Selah)
87:7 As for the singers, as well as the pipers –
all of them sing within your walls. 291
Mazmur 96:1--100:5
Konteks96:1 Sing to the Lord a new song! 293
Sing to the Lord, all the earth!
96:2 Sing to the Lord! Praise his name!
Announce every day how he delivers! 294
96:3 Tell the nations about his splendor!
Tell 295 all the nations about his amazing deeds!
96:4 For the Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise;
he is more awesome than all gods. 296
96:5 For all the gods of the nations are worthless, 297
but the Lord made the sky.
96:6 Majestic splendor emanates from him; 298
his sanctuary is firmly established and beautiful. 299
96:7 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the nations,
ascribe to the Lord splendor and strength!
96:8 Ascribe to the Lord the splendor he deserves! 300
Bring an offering and enter his courts!
96:9 Worship the Lord in holy attire! 301
Tremble before him, all the earth!
96:10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!
The world is established, it cannot be moved.
He judges the nations fairly.”
96:11 Let the sky rejoice, and the earth be happy!
Let the sea and everything in it shout!
96:12 Let the fields and everything in them celebrate!
Then let the trees of the forest shout with joy
96:13 before the Lord, for he comes!
For he comes to judge the earth!
He judges the world fairly, 302
and the nations in accordance with his justice. 303
97:1 The Lord reigns!
Let the earth be happy!
Let the many coastlands rejoice!
97:2 Dark clouds surround him;
equity and justice are the foundation of his throne. 305
97:3 Fire goes before him;
on every side 306 it burns up his enemies.
97:4 His lightning bolts light up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
97:5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
before the Lord of the whole earth.
97:6 The sky declares his justice,
and all the nations see his splendor.
97:7 All who worship idols are ashamed,
those who boast about worthless idols.
All the gods bow down before him. 307
97:8 Zion hears and rejoices,
the towns 308 of Judah are happy,
because of your judgments, O Lord.
97:9 For you, O Lord, are the sovereign king 309 over the whole earth;
you are elevated high above all gods.
97:10 You who love the Lord, hate evil!
He protects 310 the lives of his faithful followers;
he delivers them from the power 311 of the wicked.
97:11 The godly bask in the light;
the morally upright experience joy. 312
97:12 You godly ones, rejoice in the Lord!
Give thanks to his holy name. 313
A psalm.
98:1 Sing to the Lord a new song, 315
for he performs 316 amazing deeds!
His right hand and his mighty arm
accomplish deliverance. 317
98:2 The Lord demonstrates his power to deliver; 318
in the sight of the nations he reveals his justice.
98:3 He remains loyal and faithful to the family of Israel. 319
All the ends of the earth see our God deliver us. 320
98:4 Shout out praises to the Lord, all the earth!
Break out in a joyful shout and sing!
98:5 Sing to the Lord accompanied by a harp,
accompanied by a harp and the sound of music!
98:6 With trumpets and the blaring of the ram’s horn,
shout out praises before the king, the Lord!
98:7 Let the sea and everything in it shout,
along with the world and those who live in it!
98:8 Let the rivers clap their hands!
Let the mountains sing in unison
98:9 before the Lord!
For he comes to judge the earth!
He judges the world fairly, 321
and the nations in a just manner.
99:1 The Lord reigns!
The nations tremble. 323
He sits enthroned above the winged angels; 324
the earth shakes. 325
99:2 The Lord is elevated 326 in Zion;
he is exalted over all the nations.
99:3 Let them praise your great and awesome name!
He 327 is holy!
99:4 The king is strong;
he loves justice. 328
You ensure that legal decisions will be made fairly; 329
you promote justice and equity in Jacob.
99:5 Praise 330 the Lord our God!
Worship 331 before his footstool!
He is holy!
99:6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests;
Samuel was one of those who prayed to him. 332
They 333 prayed to the Lord and he answered them.
99:7 He spoke to them from a pillar of cloud; 334
they obeyed his regulations and the ordinance he gave them.
99:8 O Lord our God, you answered them.
They found you to be a forgiving God,
but also one who punished their sinful deeds. 335
99:9 Praise 336 the Lord our God!
Worship on his holy hill,
for the Lord our God is holy!
A thanksgiving psalm.
100:1 Shout out praises to the Lord, all the earth!
100:2 Worship 338 the Lord with joy!
Enter his presence with joyful singing!
100:3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us and we belong to him; 339
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
100:4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give him thanks!
Praise his name!
100:5 For the Lord is good.
His loyal love endures, 340
and he is faithful through all generations. 341
Mazmur 103:1--106:48
KonteksBy David.
103:1 Praise the Lord, O my soul!
With all that is within me, praise 343 his holy name!
103:2 Praise the Lord, O my soul!
Do not forget all his kind deeds! 344
103:3 He is the one who forgives all your sins,
who heals all your diseases, 345
103:4 who delivers 346 your life from the Pit, 347
who crowns you with his loyal love and compassion,
103:5 who satisfies your life with good things, 348
so your youth is renewed like an eagle’s. 349
103:6 The Lord does what is fair,
and executes justice for all the oppressed. 350
103:7 The Lord revealed his faithful acts 351 to Moses,
his deeds to the Israelites.
103:8 The Lord is compassionate and merciful;
he is patient 352 and demonstrates great loyal love. 353
103:9 He does not always accuse,
and does not stay angry. 354
103:10 He does not deal with us as our sins deserve; 355
he does not repay us as our misdeeds deserve. 356
103:11 For as the skies are high above the earth,
so his loyal love towers 357 over his faithful followers. 358
103:12 As far as the eastern horizon 359 is from the west, 360
so he removes the guilt of our rebellious actions 361 from us.
103:13 As a father has compassion on his children, 362
so the Lord has compassion on his faithful followers. 363
103:14 For he knows what we are made of; 364
he realizes 365 we are made of clay. 366
103:15 A person’s life is like grass. 367
Like a flower in the field it flourishes,
103:16 but when the hot wind 368 blows by, it disappears,
and one can no longer even spot the place where it once grew.
103:17 But the Lord continually shows loyal love to his faithful followers, 369
and is faithful to their descendants, 370
103:18 to those who keep his covenant,
who are careful to obey his commands. 371
103:19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven;
his kingdom extends over everything. 372
103:20 Praise the Lord, you angels of his,
you powerful warriors who carry out his decrees
and obey his orders! 373
103:21 Praise the Lord, all you warriors of his, 374
you servants of his who carry out his desires! 375
103:22 Praise the Lord, all that he has made, 376
in all the regions 377 of his kingdom!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
104:1 Praise the Lord, O my soul!
O Lord my God, you are magnificent. 379
You are robed in splendor and majesty.
104:2 He covers himself with light as if it were a garment.
He stretches out the skies like a tent curtain,
104:3 and lays the beams of the upper rooms of his palace on the rain clouds. 380
He makes the clouds his chariot,
and travels along on the wings of the wind. 381
104:4 He makes the winds his messengers,
and the flaming fire his attendant. 382
104:5 He established the earth on its foundations;
it will never be upended.
104:6 The watery deep covered it 383 like a garment;
the waters reached 384 above the mountains. 385
104:7 Your shout made the waters retreat;
at the sound of your thunderous voice they hurried off –
104:8 as the mountains rose up,
and the valleys went down –
to the place you appointed for them. 386
104:9 You set up a boundary for them that they could not cross,
so that they would not cover the earth again. 387
104:10 He turns springs into streams; 388
they flow between the mountains.
104:11 They provide water for all the animals in the field;
the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
104:12 The birds of the sky live beside them;
they chirp among the bushes. 389
104:13 He waters the mountains from the upper rooms of his palace; 390
the earth is full of the fruit you cause to grow. 391
104:14 He provides grass 392 for the cattle,
and crops for people to cultivate, 393
so they can produce food from the ground, 394
104:15 as well as wine that makes people feel so good, 395
and so they can have oil to make their faces shine, 396
as well as food that sustains people’s lives. 397
104:16 The trees of the Lord 398 receive all the rain they need, 399
the cedars of Lebanon which he planted,
104:17 where the birds make nests,
near the evergreens in which the herons live. 400
104:18 The wild goats live in the high mountains; 401
the rock badgers find safety in the cliffs.
104:19 He made the moon to mark the months, 402
and the sun sets according to a regular schedule. 403
104:20 You make it dark and night comes, 404
during which all the beasts of the forest prowl around.
104:21 The lions roar for prey,
seeking their food from God. 405
104:22 When the sun rises, they withdraw
and sleep 406 in their dens.
104:23 Men then go out to do their work,
and labor away until evening. 407
104:24 How many living things you have made, O Lord! 408
You have exhibited great skill in making all of them; 409
the earth is full of the living things you have made.
104:25 Over here is the deep, wide sea, 410
which teems with innumerable swimming creatures, 411
living things both small and large.
104:26 The ships travel there,
and over here swims the whale 412 you made to play in it.
104:27 All of your creatures 413 wait for you
to provide them with food on a regular basis. 414
104:28 You give food to them and they receive it;
you open your hand and they are filled with food. 415
104:29 When you ignore them, they panic. 416
When you take away their life’s breath, they die
and return to dust.
104:30 When you send your life-giving breath, they are created,
and you replenish the surface of the ground.
104:31 May the splendor of the Lord endure! 417
May the Lord find pleasure in the living things he has made! 418
104:32 He looks down on the earth and it shakes;
he touches the mountains and they start to smolder.
104:33 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I exist! 419
104:34 May my thoughts 420 be pleasing to him!
I will rejoice in the Lord.
104:35 May sinners disappear 421 from the earth,
and the wicked vanish!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
Praise the Lord!
105:1 Give thanks to the Lord!
Call on his name!
Make known his accomplishments among the nations!
105:2 Sing to him!
Make music to him!
Tell about all his miraculous deeds!
105:3 Boast about his holy name!
Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
105:4 Seek the Lord and the strength he gives!
Seek his presence continually!
105:5 Recall the miraculous deeds he performed,
his mighty acts and the judgments he decreed, 423
105:6 O children 424 of Abraham, 425 God’s 426 servant,
you descendants 427 of Jacob, God’s 428 chosen ones!
105:7 He is the Lord our God;
he carries out judgment throughout the earth. 429
105:8 He always remembers his covenantal decree,
the promise he made 430 to a thousand generations –
105:9 the promise 431 he made to Abraham,
the promise he made by oath to Isaac!
105:10 He gave it to Jacob as a decree,
to Israel as a lasting promise, 432
105:11 saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan
as the portion of your inheritance.”
105:12 When they were few in number,
just a very few, and resident aliens within it,
105:13 they wandered from nation to nation,
and from one kingdom to another. 433
105:14 He let no one oppress them;
he disciplined kings for their sake,
105:15 saying, 434 “Don’t touch my chosen 435 ones!
Don’t harm my prophets!”
105:16 He called down a famine upon the earth;
he cut off all the food supply. 436
105:17 He sent a man ahead of them 437 –
Joseph was sold as a servant.
105:18 The shackles hurt his feet; 438
his neck was placed in an iron collar, 439
105:19 until the time when his prediction 440 came true.
The Lord’s word 441 proved him right. 442
105:20 The king authorized his release; 443
the ruler of nations set him free.
105:21 He put him in charge of his palace, 444
and made him manager of all his property,
105:22 giving him authority to imprison his officials 445
and to teach his advisers. 446
105:23 Israel moved to 447 Egypt;
Jacob lived for a time 448 in the land of Ham.
105:24 The Lord 449 made his people very fruitful,
and made them 450 more numerous than their 451 enemies.
105:25 He caused them 452 to hate his people,
and to mistreat 453 his servants.
105:26 He sent his servant Moses,
and Aaron, whom he had chosen.
105:27 They executed his miraculous signs among them, 454
and his amazing deeds in the land of Ham.
they did not disobey his orders. 456
105:29 He turned their water into blood,
and killed their fish.
105:30 Their land was overrun by frogs,
which even got into the rooms of their kings.
105:31 He ordered flies to come; 457
gnats invaded their whole territory.
105:32 He sent hail along with the rain; 458
there was lightning in their land. 459
105:33 He destroyed their vines and fig trees,
and broke the trees throughout their territory.
105:34 He ordered locusts to come, 460
innumerable grasshoppers.
105:35 They ate all the vegetation in their land,
and devoured the crops of their fields. 461
105:36 He struck down all the firstborn in their land,
the firstfruits of their reproductive power. 462
105:37 He brought his people 463 out enriched 464 with silver and gold;
none of his tribes stumbled.
105:38 Egypt was happy when they left,
for they were afraid of them. 465
105:39 He spread out a cloud for a cover, 466
and provided a fire to light up the night.
105:40 They asked for food, 467 and he sent quails;
he satisfied them with food from the sky. 468
105:41 He opened up a rock and water flowed out;
a river ran through dry regions.
105:42 Yes, 469 he remembered the sacred promise 470
he made to Abraham his servant.
105:43 When he led his people out, they rejoiced;
his chosen ones shouted with joy. 471
105:44 He handed the territory of nations over to them,
and they took possession of what other peoples had produced, 472
105:45 so that they might keep his commands
and obey 473 his laws.
Praise the Lord!
106:1 Praise the Lord!
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
and his loyal love endures! 475
106:2 Who can adequately recount the Lord’s mighty acts,
or relate all his praiseworthy deeds? 476
106:3 How blessed are those who promote justice,
and do what is right all the time!
106:4 Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people!
Pay attention to me, when you deliver,
106:5 so I may see the prosperity 477 of your chosen ones,
rejoice along with your nation, 478
and boast along with the people who belong to you. 479
106:6 We have sinned like 480 our ancestors; 481
we have done wrong, we have done evil.
106:7 Our ancestors in Egypt failed to appreciate your miraculous deeds,
they failed to remember your many acts of loyal love,
and they rebelled at the sea, by the Red Sea. 482
106:8 Yet he delivered them for the sake of his reputation, 483
that he might reveal his power.
106:9 He shouted at 484 the Red Sea and it dried up;
he led them through the deep water as if it were a desert.
106:10 He delivered them from the power 485 of the one who hated them,
and rescued 486 them from the power 487 of the enemy.
106:11 The water covered their enemies;
not even one of them survived. 488
106:12 They believed his promises; 489
they sang praises to him.
106:13 They quickly forgot what he had done; 490
they did not wait for his instructions. 491
106:14 In the wilderness they had an insatiable craving 492 for meat; 493
they challenged God 494 in the desert.
106:15 He granted their request,
then struck them with a disease. 495
106:16 In the camp they resented 496 Moses,
and Aaron, the Lord’s holy priest. 497
106:17 The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan;
it engulfed 498 the group led by Abiram. 499
106:18 Fire burned their group;
the flames scorched the wicked. 500
106:19 They made an image of a calf at Horeb,
and worshiped a metal idol.
106:20 They traded their majestic God 501
for the image of an ox that eats grass.
106:21 They rejected 502 the God who delivered them,
the one who performed great deeds in Egypt,
106:22 amazing feats in the land of Ham,
mighty 503 acts by the Red Sea.
106:23 He threatened 504 to destroy them,
but 505 Moses, his chosen one, interceded with him 506
and turned back his destructive anger. 507
106:24 They rejected the fruitful land; 508
they did not believe his promise. 509
106:25 They grumbled in their tents; 510
they did not obey 511 the Lord.
106:26 So he made a solemn vow 512
that he would make them die 513 in the desert,
106:27 make their descendants 514 die 515 among the nations,
and scatter them among foreign lands. 516
106:28 They worshiped 517 Baal of Peor,
and ate sacrifices offered to the dead. 518
106:29 They made the Lord angry 519 by their actions,
and a plague broke out among them.
106:30 Phinehas took a stand and intervened, 520
and the plague subsided.
106:31 This brought him a reward,
an eternal gift. 521
106:32 They made him angry by the waters of Meribah,
and Moses suffered 522 because of them,
106:33 for they aroused 523 his temper, 524
and he spoke rashly. 525
106:34 They did not destroy the nations, 526
as the Lord had commanded them to do.
106:35 They mixed in with the nations
and learned their ways. 527
106:36 They worshiped 528 their idols,
which became a snare to them. 529
106:37 They sacrificed their sons and daughters to demons. 530
106:38 They shed innocent blood –
the blood of their sons and daughters,
whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan.
The land was polluted by bloodshed. 531
106:39 They were defiled by their deeds,
and unfaithful in their actions. 532
106:40 So the Lord was angry with his people 533
and despised the people who belong to him. 534
106:41 He handed them over to 535 the nations,
and those who hated them ruled over them.
106:42 Their enemies oppressed them;
they were subject to their authority. 536
106:43 Many times he delivered 537 them,
but they had a rebellious attitude, 538
and degraded themselves 539 by their sin.
106:44 Yet he took notice of their distress,
when he heard their cry for help.
106:45 He remembered his covenant with them,
and relented 540 because of his great loyal love.
106:46 He caused all their conquerors 541
to have pity on them.
106:47 Deliver us, O Lord, our God!
Gather us from among the nations!
Then we will give thanks 542 to your holy name,
and boast about your praiseworthy deeds. 543
106:48 The Lord God of Israel deserves praise, 544
in the future and forevermore. 545
Let all the people say, “We agree! 546 Praise the Lord!” 547
Mazmur 113:1--114:8
Konteks113:1 Praise the Lord!
Praise, you servants of the Lord,
praise the name of the Lord!
113:2 May the Lord’s name be praised
now and forevermore!
the Lord’s name is deserving of praise.
113:4 The Lord is exalted over all the nations;
his splendor reaches beyond the sky. 550
113:5 Who can compare to the Lord our God,
who sits on a high throne? 551
113:6 He bends down to look 552
at the sky and the earth.
113:7 He raises the poor from the dirt,
and lifts up the needy from the garbage pile, 553
113:8 that he might seat him with princes,
with the princes of his people.
113:9 He makes the barren woman of the family 554
a happy mother of children. 555
Praise the Lord!
114:1 When Israel left Egypt,
when the family of Jacob left a foreign nation behind, 557
114:2 Judah became his sanctuary,
Israel his kingdom.
114:3 The sea looked and fled; 558
the Jordan River 559 turned back. 560
114:4 The mountains skipped like rams,
the hills like lambs. 561
114:5 Why do you flee, O sea?
Why do you turn back, O Jordan River?
114:6 Why do you skip like rams, O mountains,
like lambs, O hills?
114:7 Tremble, O earth, before the Lord –
before the God of Jacob,
114:8 who turned a rock into a pool of water,
a hard rock into springs of water! 562
Mazmur 117:1-2
Konteks117:1 Praise the Lord, all you nations!
Applaud him, all you foreigners! 564
117:2 For his loyal love towers 565 over us,
and the Lord’s faithfulness endures.
Praise the Lord!
Mazmur 122:1-9
KonteksA song of ascents, 567 by David.
122:1 I was glad because 568 they said to me,
“We will go to the Lord’s temple.”
122:2 Our feet are 569 standing
inside your gates, O Jerusalem.
122:3 Jerusalem 570 is a city designed
to accommodate an assembly. 571
122:4 The tribes go up 572 there, 573
the tribes of the Lord,
where it is required that Israel
give thanks to the name of the Lord. 574
122:5 Indeed, 575 the leaders sit 576 there on thrones and make legal decisions,
on the thrones of the house of David. 577
122:6 Pray 578 for the peace of Jerusalem!
May those who love her prosper! 579
122:7 May there be peace inside your defenses,
and prosperity 580 inside your fortresses! 581
122:8 For the sake of my brothers and my neighbors
I will say, “May there be peace in you!”
122:9 For the sake of the temple of the Lord our God
I will pray for you to prosper. 582
Mazmur 135:1--136:26
Konteks135:1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord!
Offer praise, you servants of the Lord,
135:2 who serve 584 in the Lord’s temple,
in the courts of the temple of our God.
135:3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good!
Sing praises to his name, for it is pleasant! 585
135:4 Indeed, 586 the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself,
Israel to be his special possession. 587
135:5 Yes, 588 I know the Lord is great,
and our Lord is superior to all gods.
135:6 He does whatever he pleases
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and all the ocean depths.
135:7 He causes the clouds to arise from the end of the earth,
makes lightning bolts accompany the rain,
and brings the wind out of his storehouses.
135:8 He struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
including both men and animals.
135:9 He performed awesome deeds 589 and acts of judgment 590
in your midst, O Egypt,
against Pharaoh and all his servants.
135:10 He defeated many nations,
and killed mighty kings –
135:11 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
and Og, king of Bashan,
and all the kingdoms of Canaan.
135:12 He gave their land as an inheritance,
as an inheritance to Israel his people.
135:13 O Lord, your name endures, 591
your reputation, O Lord, lasts. 592
135:14 For the Lord vindicates 593 his people,
and has compassion on his servants. 594
135:15 The nations’ idols are made of silver and gold,
they are man-made. 595
135:16 They have mouths, but cannot speak,
eyes, but cannot see,
135:17 and ears, but cannot hear.
Indeed, they cannot breathe. 596
135:18 Those who make them will end up 597 like them,
as will everyone who trusts in them.
135:19 O family 598 of Israel, praise the Lord!
O family of Aaron, praise the Lord!
135:20 O family of Levi, praise the Lord!
You loyal followers 599 of the Lord, praise the Lord!
135:21 The Lord deserves praise in Zion 600 –
he who dwells in Jerusalem. 601
Praise the Lord!
136:1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his loyal love endures. 603
136:2 Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his loyal love endures.
136:3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his loyal love endures,
136:4 to the one who performs magnificent, amazing deeds all by himself,
for his loyal love endures,
136:5 to the one who used wisdom to make the heavens,
for his loyal love endures,
136:6 to the one who spread out the earth over the water,
for his loyal love endures,
136:7 to the one who made the great lights,
for his loyal love endures,
136:8 the sun to rule by day,
for his loyal love endures,
136:9 the moon and stars to rule by night,
for his loyal love endures,
136:10 to the one who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
for his loyal love endures,
136:11 and led Israel out from their midst,
for his loyal love endures,
136:12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
for his loyal love endures,
136:13 to the one who divided 604 the Red Sea 605 in two, 606
for his loyal love endures,
136:14 and led Israel through its midst,
for his loyal love endures,
136:15 and tossed 607 Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea,
for his loyal love endures,
136:16 to the one who led his people through the wilderness,
for his loyal love endures,
136:17 to the one who struck down great kings,
for his loyal love endures,
136:18 and killed powerful kings,
for his loyal love endures,
136:19 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
for his loyal love endures,
136:20 Og, king of Bashan,
for his loyal love endures,
136:21 and gave their land as an inheritance,
for his loyal love endures,
136:22 as an inheritance to Israel his servant,
for his loyal love endures,
136:23 to the one who remembered us when we were down, 608
for his loyal love endures,
136:24 and snatched us away from our enemies,
for his loyal love endures,
136:25 to the one who gives food to all living things, 609
for his loyal love endures.
136:26 Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his loyal love endures!
Mazmur 145:1--150:6
KonteksA psalm of praise, by David.
145:1 I will extol you, my God, O king!
I will praise your name continually! 611
145:2 Every day I will praise you!
I will praise your name continually! 612
145:3 The Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise!
No one can fathom his greatness! 613
145:4 One generation will praise your deeds to another,
and tell about your mighty acts! 614
145:5 I will focus on your honor and majestic splendor,
and your amazing deeds! 615
145:6 They will proclaim 616 the power of your awesome acts!
I will declare your great deeds!
145:7 They will talk about the fame of your great kindness, 617
and sing about your justice. 618
145:8 The Lord is merciful and compassionate;
he is patient 619 and demonstrates great loyal love. 620
145:9 The Lord is good to all,
and has compassion on all he has made. 621
145:10 All he has made will give thanks to the Lord.
Your loyal followers will praise you.
145:11 They will proclaim the splendor of your kingdom;
they will tell about your power,
145:12 so that mankind 622 might acknowledge your mighty acts,
and the majestic splendor of your kingdom.
145:13 Your kingdom is an eternal kingdom, 623
and your dominion endures through all generations.
145:14 624 The Lord supports all who fall,
and lifts up all who are bent over. 625
145:15 Everything looks to you in anticipation, 626
and you provide them with food on a regular basis. 627
145:16 You open your hand,
and fill every living thing with the food they desire. 628
145:17 The Lord is just in all his actions, 629
and exhibits love in all he does. 630
145:18 The Lord is near all who cry out to him,
all who cry out to him sincerely. 631
145:19 He satisfies the desire 632 of his loyal followers; 633
he hears their cry for help and delivers them.
145:20 The Lord protects those who love him,
but he destroys all the wicked.
145:21 My mouth will praise the Lord. 634
Let all who live 635 praise his holy name forever!
146:1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
146:2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live!
I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist!
146:3 Do not trust in princes,
or in human beings, who cannot deliver! 637
146:4 Their life’s breath departs, they return to the ground;
on that day their plans die. 638
146:5 How blessed is the one whose helper is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
146:6 the one who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
who remains forever faithful, 639
146:7 vindicates the oppressed, 640
and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord releases the imprisoned.
146:8 The Lord gives sight to the blind.
The Lord lifts up all who are bent over. 641
The Lord loves the godly.
146:9 The Lord protects those residing outside their native land;
he lifts up the fatherless and the widow, 642
but he opposes the wicked. 643
146:10 The Lord rules forever,
your God, O Zion, throughout the generations to come! 644
Praise the Lord!
147:1 Praise the Lord,
for it is good to sing praises to our God!
Yes, 646 praise is pleasant and appropriate!
147:2 The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem, 647
and gathers the exiles of Israel.
147:3 He heals 648 the brokenhearted,
and bandages their wounds.
147:4 He counts the number of the stars;
he names all of them.
147:5 Our Lord is great and has awesome power; 649
there is no limit to his wisdom. 650
147:6 The Lord lifts up the oppressed,
but knocks 651 the wicked to the ground.
147:7 Offer to the Lord a song of thanks! 652
Sing praises to our God to the accompaniment of a harp!
147:8 He covers 653 the sky with clouds,
provides the earth with rain,
and causes grass to grow on the hillsides. 654
147:9 He gives food to the animals,
and to the young ravens when they chirp. 655
147:10 He is not enamored with the strength of a horse,
nor is he impressed by the warrior’s strong legs. 656
147:11 The Lord takes delight in his faithful followers, 657
and in those who wait for his loyal love.
147:12 Extol the Lord, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
147:13 For he makes the bars of your gates strong.
He blesses your children 658 within you.
147:14 He 659 brings peace to your territory. 660
He abundantly provides for you 661 the best grain.
147:15 He 662 sends his command through the earth; 663
swiftly his order reaches its destination. 664
147:16 He sends the snow that is white like wool;
he spreads the frost that is white like ashes. 665
147:17 He throws his hailstones 666 like crumbs.
Who can withstand the cold wind he sends? 667
147:18 He then orders it all to melt; 668
he breathes on it, 669 and the water flows.
147:19 He proclaims his word to Jacob,
his statutes and regulations to Israel.
147:20 He has not done so with any other nation;
they are not aware of his regulations.
Praise the Lord!
148:1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the sky!
Praise him in the heavens!
148:2 Praise him, all his angels! 671
Praise him, all his heavenly assembly! 672
148:3 Praise him, O sun and moon!
Praise him, all you shiny stars! 673
148:4 Praise him, O highest heaven,
and you waters above the sky! 674
148:5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for he gave the command and they came into existence.
148:6 He established them so they would endure; 675
he issued a decree that will not be revoked. 676
148:7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
you sea creatures and all you ocean depths,
148:8 O fire and hail, snow and clouds, 677
O stormy wind that carries out his orders, 678
148:9 you mountains and all you hills,
you fruit trees and all you cedars,
148:10 you animals and all you cattle,
you creeping things and birds,
148:11 you kings of the earth and all you nations,
you princes and all you leaders 679 on the earth,
148:12 you young men and young women,
you elderly, along with you children!
148:13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
his majesty extends over the earth and sky.
148:14 He has made his people victorious, 680
and given all his loyal followers reason to praise –
the Israelites, the people who are close to him. 681
Praise the Lord!
149:1 Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song!
Praise him in the assembly of the godly! 683
149:2 Let Israel rejoice in their Creator!
Let the people 684 of Zion delight in their king! 685
149:3 Let them praise his name with dancing!
Let them sing praises to him to the accompaniment of the tambourine and harp!
149:4 For the Lord takes delight in his people;
he exalts the oppressed by delivering them. 686
149:5 Let the godly rejoice because of their vindication! 687
Let them shout for joy upon their beds! 688
149:6 May they praise God
while they hold a two-edged sword in their hand, 689
149:7 in order to take 690 revenge on the nations,
and punish foreigners.
149:8 They bind 691 their kings in chains,
and their nobles in iron shackles,
149:9 and execute the judgment to which their enemies 692 have been sentenced. 693
All his loyal followers will be vindicated. 694
Praise the Lord!
150:1 Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary!
Praise him in the sky, which testifies to his strength! 696
150:2 Praise him for his mighty acts!
Praise him for his surpassing greatness!
150:3 Praise him with the blast of the horn!
Praise him with the lyre and the harp!
150:4 Praise him with the tambourine and with dancing!
Praise him with stringed instruments and the flute!
150:5 Praise him with loud cymbals!
Praise him with clanging cymbals!
150:6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
[8:1] 1 sn Psalm 8. In this hymn to the sovereign creator, the psalmist praises God’s majesty and marvels that God has given mankind dominion over the created order.
[8:1] 2 tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew term הגתית is uncertain; it probably refers to a musical style or type of instrument.
[8:1] 3 tn The plural form of the title emphasizes the
[8:1] 4 tn Or “awesome”; or “majestic.”
[8:1] 5 tn Heb “name,” which here stands metonymically for God’s reputation.
[8:1] 6 tc Heb “which, give, your majesty on the heavens.” The verb form תְּנָה (tÿnah; an imperative?) is corrupt. The form should be emended to a second masculine singular perfect (נָתַתָּה, natatah) or imperfect (תִתֵן, titen) form. The introductory אֲשֶׁר (’asher, “which”) can be taken as a relative pronoun (“you who”) or as a causal conjunction (“because”). One may literally translate, “you who [or “because you”] place your majesty upon the heavens.” For other uses of the phrase “place majesty upon” see Num 27:20 and 1 Chr 29:25.
[8:2] 7 tn Heb “you establish strength because of your foes.” The meaning of the statement is unclear. The present translation follows the reading of the LXX which has “praise” (αἶνος, ainos) in place of “strength” (עֹז, ’oz); cf. NIV, NCV, NLT.
[8:2] 8 tn Heb “to cause to cease an enemy and an avenger.” The singular forms are collective. The Hitpael participle of נָקַם (naqam) also occurs in Ps 44:16.
[8:3] 9 tn Heb “when I see your heavens, the works of your fingers, the moon and stars which you established.” The verb “[and] see” is understood by ellipsis in the second half of the verse.
[8:4] 10 tn Heb “What is man[kind]?” The singular noun אֱנוֹשׁ (’enosh, “man”) is used here in a collective sense and refers to the human race.
[8:4] 11 tn Heb “remember him.”
[8:4] 12 tn Heb “and the son of man.” The phrase “son of man” is used here in a collective sense and refers to human beings. For other uses of the phrase in a collective or representative manner, see Num 23:19; Ps 146:3; Isa 51:12.
[8:4] 13 tn The two imperfect verbal forms in v. 4 describe God’s characteristic activity.
[8:5] 14 tn Heb “and you make him lack a little from [the] gods [or “God”].” The Piel form of חָסַר (khasar, “to decrease, to be devoid”) is used only here and in Eccl 4:8, where it means “to deprive, to cause to be lacking.” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive either carries on the characteristic nuance of the imperfect in v. 5b or indicates a consequence (“so that you make him…”) of the preceding statement (see GKC 328 §111.m). Some prefer to make this an independent clause and translate it as a new sentence, “You made him….” In this case the statement might refer specifically to the creation of the first human couple, Adam and Eve (cf. Gen 1:26-27). The psalmist does appear to allude to Gen 1:26-27, where mankind is created in the image of God and his angelic assembly (note “let us make man in our image” in Gen 1:26). However, the psalmist’s statement need not be limited in its focus to that historical event, for all mankind shares the image imparted to the first human couple. Consequently the psalmist can speak in general terms of the exalted nature of mankind. The referent of אֱלֹהִים (’elohim, “God” or “the heavenly beings”) is unclear. Some understand this as a reference to God alone, but the allusion to Gen 1:26-27 suggests a broader referent, including God and the other heavenly beings (known in other texts as “angels”). The term אֱלֹהִים is also used in this way in Gen 3:5, where the serpent says to the woman, “you will be like the heavenly beings who know good and evil.” (Note Gen 3:22, where God says, “the man has become like one of us.”) Also אֱלֹהִים may refer to the members of the heavenly assembly in Ps 82:1, 6. The LXX (the ancient Greek translation of the OT) reads “angels” in Ps 8:5 (this is the source of the quotation of Ps 8:5 in Heb 2:7).
[8:5] 15 tn Heb “you crown him [with].” The imperfect verbal forms in this and the next line describe God’s characteristic activity.
[8:5] 16 sn Honor and majesty. These terms allude to mankind’s royal status as God’s vice-regents (cf. v. 6 and Gen 1:26-30).
[8:6] 17 tn Heb “you cause [i.e., “permit, allow”] him to rule over the works of your hands.”
[8:6] 18 tn The perfect verbal form probably has a present perfect nuance here. It refers to the continuing effects of God’s original mandate (see Gen 1:26-30).
[8:6] 19 tn Heb “under his feet.”
[8:6] sn Placed everything under their authority. This verse affirms that mankind rules over God’s creation as his vice-regent. See Gen 1:26-30.
[8:7] 20 tn Heb “and also the beasts of the field.”
[8:9] 22 tn The plural form of the title emphasizes the
[8:9] 23 tn Or “awesome, majestic.”
[8:9] 24 tn Heb “name,” which here stands metonymically for God’s reputation.
[8:9] 25 sn Using the poetic device of inclusio, the psalmist ends the psalm the way he began it. The concluding refrain is identical to v. 1.
[19:1] 26 sn Psalm 19. The psalmist praises God for his self-revelation in the heavens and in the Mosaic law. The psalmist concludes with a prayer, asking the Lord to keep him from sinning and to approve of his thoughts and words.
[19:1] 27 sn God’s glory refers here to his royal majesty and power.
[19:1] 28 tn Heb “and the work of his hands the sky declares.” The participles emphasize the ongoing testimony of the heavens/sky.
[19:2] 29 tn Heb “it gushes forth a word.” The “sky” (see v. 1b) is the subject of the verb. Though not literally speaking (see v. 3), it clearly reveals God’s royal majesty. The sun’s splendor and its movement across the sky is in view (see vv. 4-6).
[19:2] 30 tn Heb “it [i.e., the sky] declares knowledge,” i.e., knowledge about God’s royal majesty and power (see v. 1). This apparently refers to the splendor and movements of the stars. The imperfect verbal forms in v. 2, like the participles in the preceding verse, combine with the temporal phrases (“day after day” and “night after night”) to emphasize the ongoing testimony of the sky.
[19:3] 31 tn Heb “their.” The antecedent of the plural pronoun is “heavens” (v. 1).
[19:4] 32 tc The MT reads, “their measuring line” (קוּם, qum). The noun קַו (qav, “measuring line”) makes no sense in this context. The reading קוֹלָם (qolam, “their voice”) which is supported by the LXX, is preferable.
[19:4] 33 tn Heb “goes out,” or “proceeds forth.”
[19:4] 34 tn Heb “their” (see the note on the word “its” in v. 3).
[19:4] 35 tn The verb is supplied in the translation. The Hebrew text has no verb; יָצָא (yatsa’, “goes out”) is understood by ellipsis.
[19:4] 36 tn Heb “to the end of the world.”
[19:4] 37 tn Heb “in them” (i.e., the heavens).
[19:4] 38 sn He has pitched a tent for the sun. The personified sun emerges from this “tent” in order to make its daytime journey across the sky. So the “tent” must refer metaphorically to the place where the sun goes to rest during the night.
[19:5] 39 tn The participle expresses the repeated or regular nature of the action.
[19:5] 40 tn The Hebrew noun חֻפָּה (khufah, “chamber”) occurs elsewhere only in Isa 4:5 and Joel 2:16 (where it refers to the bedroom of a bride and groom).
[19:5] sn Like a bridegroom. The metaphor likens the sun to a bridegroom who rejoices on his wedding night.
[19:5] 41 tn The imperfect verbal form draws attention to the regularity of the action.
[19:5] 42 tn Heb “[on] a path.”
[19:5] sn Like a strong man. The metaphorical language reflects the brilliance of the sunrise, which attests to the sun’s vigor.
[19:6] 43 tn Heb “from the end of the heavens [is] its going forth.”
[19:6] 44 tn Heb “and its circuit [is] to their ends.”
[19:6] 45 tn Heb “is hidden from.”
[19:7] 46 tn Heb “[it] restores life.” Elsewhere the Hiphil of שׁוּב (shuv, “return”) when used with נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “life”) as object, means to “rescue or preserve one’s life” (Job 33:30; Ps 35:17) or to “revive one’s strength” (emotionally or physically; cf. Ruth 4:15; Lam 1:11, 16, 19). Here the point seems to be that the law preserves the life of the one who studies it by making known God’s will. Those who know God’s will know how to please him and can avoid offending him. See v. 11a.
[19:7] 47 tn Traditionally, “the testimony of the
[19:7] 48 tn God’s covenant contains a clear, reliable witness to his moral character and demands.
[19:7] 49 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.
[19:8] 50 tn Or “just.” Perhaps the idea is that they impart a knowledge of what is just and right.
[19:8] 51 tn Heb “[they] make happy [the] heart.” Perhaps the point is that they bring a sense of joyful satisfaction to the one who knows and keeps them, for those who obey God’s law are richly rewarded. See v. 11b.
[19:8] 52 tn Heb “command.” The singular here refers to the law as a whole.
[19:8] 53 tn Because they reflect God’s character, his commands provide a code of moral and ethical purity.
[19:8] 54 tn Heb [they] enlighten [the] eyes.
[19:9] 55 tn Heb “the fear of the
[19:9] 56 tn Heb “[it] stands permanently.”
[19:9] 57 sn Trustworthy and absolutely just. The Lord’s commands accurately reflect God’s moral will for his people and are an expression of his just character.
[19:10] 58 tn Heb “more desirable.”
[19:10] 59 tn Heb “are sweeter.” God’s law is “sweet’ in the sense that, when obeyed, it brings a great reward (see v. 11b).
[19:11] 60 tn Heb “moreover your servant is warned by them.”
[19:11] 61 tn Heb “in the keeping of them [there is] a great reward.”
[19:12] 62 tn Heb “Errors who can discern?” This rhetorical question makes the point that perfect moral discernment is impossible to achieve. Consequently it is inevitable that even those with good intentions will sin on occasion.
[19:12] 63 tn Heb “declare me innocent from hidden [things],” i.e., sins. In this context (see the preceding line) “hidden” sins are not sins committed in secret, but sins which are not recognized as such by the psalmist.
[19:13] 64 tn Or “presumptuous.”
[19:13] 65 tn Heb “let them not rule over me.”
[19:14] 67 tn Heb “may the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart be acceptable before you.” The prefixed verbal form at the beginning of the verse is understood as a jussive of prayer. Another option is to translate the form as an imperfect continuing the thought of v. 14b: “[Then] the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart will be acceptable before you.”
[19:14] 68 tn Heb “my rocky cliff,” which is a metaphor for protection; thus the translation “sheltering rock.”
[19:14] 69 tn Heb “and the one who redeems me.” The metaphor casts the Lord in the role of a leader who protects members of his extended family in times of need and crisis.
[29:1] 70 sn Psalm 29. In this hymn of praise the psalmist calls upon the heavenly assembly to acknowledge the royal splendor of the Lord. He describes the Lord’s devastating power as revealed in the thunderstorm and affirms that the Lord exerts this awesome might on behalf of his people. In its original context the psalm was a bold polemic against the Canaanite storm god Baal, for it affirms that the Lord is the real king who controls the elements of the storm, contrary to pagan belief. See R. B. Chisholm, Jr., “The Polemic against Baalism in Israel’s Early History and Literature,” BSac 150 (1994): 280-82.
[29:1] 71 tc Heb “sons of gods,” or “sons of God.” Though אֵלִים (’elim) is vocalized as a plural form (“gods”) in the MT, it is likely that the final mem is actually enclitic, rather than a plural marker. In this case one may read “God.” Some, following a Qumran text and the LXX, also propose the phrase occurred in the original text of Deut 32:8.
[29:1] tn The phrase בְּנֵי אֵלִים (bÿney ’elim, “sons of gods” or “sons of God”) occurs only here and in Ps 89:6 (89:7 HT). In Ps 89 the “sons of gods/God” are also called “the assembly of the holy ones” and “council of the holy ones.” The heavenly assembly, comprised of so-called “angels” and other supernatural beings, appears to be in view. See Job 5:1; 15:15 and Zech 14:5, where these supernatural beings are referred to as “holy ones.” In Canaanite mythological texts the divine council of the high god El is referred to as “the sons of El.” The OT apparently borrows the Canaanite phrase and applies it to the supernatural beings that surround the heavenly throne.
[29:1] 72 tn Or “ascribe to the
[29:2] 73 tn Heb “ascribe to the
[29:2] 74 tn That is, properly dressed for the occasion.
[29:3] 75 tn Heb “the voice of the
[29:3] 76 tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form is probably descriptive. In dramatic fashion the psalmist portrays the
[29:3] 77 tn Traditionally “many waters.” The geographical references in the psalm (Lebanon, Sirion, Kadesh) suggest this is a reference to the Mediterranean Sea (see Ezek 26:19; 27:26). The psalmist describes a powerful storm moving in from the sea and sweeping over the mountainous areas north of Israel. The “surging waters” may symbolize the hostile enemies of God who seek to destroy his people (see Pss 18:17; 32:6; 77:20; 93:4; 144:7; Isa 17:13; Jer 51:55; Ezek 26:19; Hab 3:15). In this case the
[29:4] 78 tn Heb “the voice of the
[29:4] 79 tn Heb “the voice of the
[29:5] 80 tn The Hebrew participial form draws attention to the durative nature of the action being described.
[29:5] 81 tn The prefixed verbal forms with vav (ו) consecutive here and in v. 6a carry on the descriptive function of the preceding participle (see GKC 329 §111.u). The verb שָׁבַר (shavar) appears in the Qal in the first line of the verse, and in the Piel in the second line. The verb, which means “break” in the Qal, appears thirty-six times in the Piel, always with multiple objects (the object is either a collective singular or grammatically plural or dual form). The Piel may highlight the repetition of the pluralative action, or it may suggest an intensification of action, indicating repeated action comprising a whole, perhaps with the nuance “break again and again, break in pieces.” Another option is to understand the form as resultative: “make broken” (see IBHS 404-7 §24.3).
[29:5] 82 sn The cedars of the Lebanon forest were well-known in ancient Israel for their immense size. Here they may symbolize the arrogant enemies of God (see Isa 2:12-13).
[29:6] 83 sn Sirion is another name for Mount Hermon (Deut 3:9).
[29:6] 84 sn Lebanon and Sirion are compared to frisky young animals (a calf…a young ox) who skip and jump. The thunderous shout of the Lord is so powerful, one can see the very mountains shake on the horizon.
[29:7] 85 tn The verb normally means “to hew [stone or wood],” or “to hew out.” In Hos 6:5 it seems to mean “cut in pieces,” “knock down,” or perhaps “hack” (see F. I. Andersen and D. N. Freedman, Hosea [AB], 428). The Ugaritic cognate can mean “assault.” In v. 7 the verb seems to have a similar meaning, perhaps “attack, strike.” The phrase “flames of fire” is an adverbial accusative; the
[29:7] 86 sn The
[29:8] 87 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal forms are descriptive in function; the psalmist depicts the action as underway.
[29:8] 88 sn Kadesh. The references to Lebanon and Sirion in v. 6 suggest this is a reference to the northern Kadesh, located north of Damascus, not the southern Kadesh mentioned so often in the OT. See M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 1:178.
[29:9] 89 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form is descriptive in function; the psalmist depicts the action as underway.
[29:9] 90 tc Heb “the deer.” Preserving this reading, some translate the preceding verb, “causes [the deer] to give premature birth” (cf. NEB, NASB). But the Polel of חוּל/חִיל (khul/khil) means “give birth,” not “cause to give birth,” and the statement “the
[29:9] 91 tn The verb is used in Joel 1:7 of locusts stripping the leaves from a tree. The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries the descriptive function of the preceding imperfect. See GKC 329 §111.t.
[29:9] 92 tn The usual form of the plural of יַעַר (ya’ar, “forest”) is יְעָרִים (yÿ’arim). For this reason some propose an emendation to יְעָלוֹת (yÿ’alot, “female mountain goats”) which would fit nicely in the parallelism with “deer” (cf. NEB “brings kids early to birth”). In this case one would have to understand the verb חָשַׂף (khasaf) to mean “cause premature birth,” an otherwise unattested homonym of the more common חָשַׂף (“strip bare”).
[29:9] sn The Lord’s thunderous shout is accompanied by high winds which damage the trees of the forest.
[29:9] 93 tn Heb “In his temple, all of it says, ‘Glory.’”
[29:10] 94 tn The noun מַּבּוּל (mabbul, “flood”) appears only here and in Gen 6-11, where it refers to the Noahic flood. Some see a reference to that event here. The presence of the article (perhaps indicating uniqueness) and the switch to the perfect verbal form (which could be taken as describing a past situation) might support this. However, the immediate context indicates that the referent of מַּבּוּל is the “surging waters” mentioned in v. 3. The article indicates waters that are definite in the mind of the speaker and the perfect is probably descriptive in function, like “thunders” in v. 3. However, even though the historical flood is not the primary referent here, there may be a literary allusion involved. The psalmist views the threatening chaotic sea as a contemporary manifestation of the destructive waters of old.
[29:10] 95 tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries the descriptive function of the preceding perfect.
[29:11] 96 tn The imperfect verbal forms in v. 11 are either descriptive or generalizing.
[29:11] 97 sn Strength. This probably refers to military power; see the use of the noun in 1 Sam 2:10 and Ps 86:16.
[29:11] 98 tn Heb “blesses his people with peace.” The Hebrew term שָׁלוֹם (shalom, “peace”) probably refers here to the protection and prosperity experienced by God’s people after the
[33:1] 99 sn Psalm 33. In this hymn the psalmist praises the Lord as the sovereign creator and just ruler of the world who protects and vindicates those who fear him.
[33:3] 100 sn A new song is appropriate because the Lord is constantly intervening in the lives of his people in fresh and exciting ways.
[33:3] 101 tn Heb “play skillfully with a loud shout.”
[33:4] 102 sn For the
[33:4] 103 tn Heb “word.” In this context, which depicts the
[33:4] 105 tn Heb “and all his work [is] in faithfulness.”
[33:5] 106 tn Heb “loves.” The verb “loves” is here metonymic; the
[33:5] 107 tn Heb “fills the earth.”
[33:6] 109 tn Heb “and by the breath of his mouth all their host.” The words “were created” are added in the translation for stylistic reasons; they are understood by ellipsis (note “were made” in the preceding line). The description is consistent with Gen 1:16, which indicates that God spoke the heavenly luminaries into existence.
[33:7] 110 tn Heb “[he] gathers like a pile the waters of the sea.” Some prefer to emend נֵד (ged, “heap, pile”; cf. NASB) to נֹד (nod, “bottle”; cf. NRSV; NIV “into jars”), but “pile” is used elsewhere to describe water that the
[33:7] 111 tn Or “watery depths.” The form תְּהוֹמוֹת (tÿhomot, “watery depths”) is the plural form of תְּהוֹם (tÿhom, “great deep”; see Gen 1:2).
[33:8] 112 tn In this context “fear” probably means “to demonstrate respect for the
[33:9] 113 tn That is, “all the earth” in the first line of v. 8. The apparent antecedent of the masculine subject of the verbs in v. 9 (note וַיֶּהִי [vayyehiy] and וַיַּעֲמֹד [vayya’amod]) is “earth” or “world,” both of which are feminine nouns. However, כָּל (kol, “all”) may be the antecedent, or the apparent lack of agreement may be explained by the collective nature of the nouns involved here (see GKC 463 §145.e).
[33:9] 114 tn Heb “he commanded.”
[33:10] 115 tn Heb “breaks” or “destroys.” The Hebrew perfect verbal forms here and in the next line generalize about the
[33:10] 116 tn Heb “thoughts.”
[33:11] 117 tn Heb “the thoughts of his heart for generation to generation.” The verb “abides” is supplied in the translation. The
[33:12] 118 tn The Hebrew noun is an abstract plural. The word often refers metonymically to the happiness that God-given security and prosperity produce (see Pss 1:1; 2:12; 34:9; 41:1; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).
[33:12] 119 tn Heb “inheritance.”
[33:13] 120 tn The Hebrew perfect verbal forms in v. 13 state general facts.
[33:13] 121 tn Heb “all the sons of men.”
[33:15] 122 tn Heb “the one who forms together their heart[s].” “Heart” here refers to human nature, composed of intellect, emotions and will. The precise force of יָחַד (yakhad, “together”) is unclear here. The point seems to be that the
[33:17] 123 tn Heb “a lie [is] the horse for victory.”
[33:18] 124 tn Heb “look, the eye of the
[33:18] 125 tn Heb “for the ones who wait for his faithfulness.”
[33:19] 126 tn Heb “to save from death their live[s].”
[33:19] 127 tn Heb “and to keep them alive in famine.”
[33:20] 128 tn Or “our lives.” The suffixed form of נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being, life”) is often equivalent to a pronoun in poetic texts.
[33:20] 129 tn Or “[source of] help.”
[33:20] 130 tn Or “protector.”
[33:22] 131 tn Heb “let your faithfulness, O
[46:1] 133 sn Psalm 46. In this so-called “Song Of Zion” God’s people confidently affirm that they are secure because the great warrior-king dwells within Jerusalem and protects it from the nations that cause such chaos in the earth. A refrain (vv. 7, 11) concludes the song’s two major sections.
[46:1] 134 sn The meaning of the Hebrew term עֲלָמוֹת (alamoth, which means “young women”) is uncertain; perhaps it refers to a particular style of music. Cf. 1 Chr 15:20.
[46:1] 135 tn Heb “our refuge and strength,” which is probably a hendiadys meaning “our strong refuge” (see Ps 71:7). Another option is to translate, “our refuge and source of strength.”
[46:1] 136 tn Heb “a helper in times of trouble he is found [to be] greatly.” The perfect verbal form has a generalizing function here. The adverb מְאֹד (mÿ’od, “greatly”) has an emphasizing function.
[46:2] 137 tn The imperfect is taken in a generalizing sense (cf. NEB) because the situation described in vv. 2-3 is understood as symbolizing typical world conditions. In this case the imperfect draws attention to the typical nature of the response. The covenant community characteristically responds with confidence, not fear. Another option is to take the situation described as purely hypothetical. In this case one might translate, “We will not fear, even though the earth should shake” (cf. NIV, NRSV).
[46:2] 138 tn The Hiphil infinitival form is normally taken to mean “when [the earth] is altered,” being derived from מוּר (mur, “to change”). In this case the Hiphil would be intransitive, as in Ps 15:4. HALOT 560 s.v. II מור emends the form to a Niphal and derives it from a homonymic root מוּר attested in Arabic with the meaning “shake.”
[46:2] 139 tn Heb “heart of the seas.” The plural may be used for emphasis, pointing to the deepest sea. Note that the next verse uses a singular pronoun (“its waters,” “its swelling”) in referring back to the plural noun.
[46:3] 140 tn Heb “its waters.”
[46:3] 142 tn The three imperfect verbal forms in v. 3 draw attention to the characteristic nature of the activity described.
[46:3] 143 tn Heb “at its swelling.” The Hebrew word often means “pride.” If the sea is symbolic of hostile nations, then this may be a case of double entendre. The surging, swelling sea symbolizes the proud, hostile nations. On the surface the psalmist appears to be depicting a major natural catastrophe, perhaps a tidal wave. If so, then the situation would be hypothetical. However, the repetition of the verbs הָמָה (hamah, “crash; roar,” v. 3) and מוֹט (mot, “shake,” v. 2) in v. 6, where nations/kingdoms “roar” and “shake,” suggests that the language of vv. 2-3 is symbolic and depicts the upheaval that characterizes relationships between the nations of the earth. As some nations (symbolized by the surging, chaotic waters) show hostility, others (symbolized by the mountains) come crashing down to destruction. The surging waters are symbolic of chaotic forces in other poetic texts (see, for example, Isa 17:12; Jer 51:42) and mountains can symbolize strong kingdoms (see, for example, Jer 51:25).
[46:4] 144 tn Heb “A river, its channels cause the city of God to be glad.”
[46:4] sn The city of God is Jerusalem (see Pss 48:1-2; 87:2-3). The river’s “channels” are probably irrigation ditches vital to growing crops. Some relate the imagery to the “waters of Shiloah” (see Isa 8:6), which flowed from the Gihon spring to the pool of Siloam. In Isa 8:6-8 these waters are contrasted with the flood waters symbolizing Assyria. Even if this is the reality behind the imagery, the picture of a river flowing through Jerusalem is idealized and exaggerated. The river and irrigation ditches symbolize the peace and prosperity that the Lord provides for Jerusalem, in contrast to the havoc produced by the turbulent waters (symbolic of the nations) outside the city. Some see here an adaptation of Canaanite (or, more specifically, Jebusite) mythical traditions of rivers/springs flowing from the high god El’s dwelling place. The Songs of Zion do utilize such imagery at times (see Ps 48:2). The image of a river flowing through Zion may have inspired prophetic visions of an eschatological river flowing from the temple (see Ezek 47:1-12; Joel 3:18).
[46:4] 145 tn Heb “the holy [place] of the dwelling places of.” The adjective “holy” is used here in a substantival manner and placed in construct with the following noun (see GKC 428 §132.c). Origen’s transliterated text assumes the reading קֹדֶשׁ (qodesh, “holiness; holy place”), while the LXX assumes a Piel verbal form קִדֵּשׁ (qidesh, “makes holy”) and takes the following form as “his dwelling place.” The plural form מִשְׁכְּנֵי (mishkÿney, “dwelling places of”) is probably a plural of degree, emphasizing the special character of this dwelling place. See GKC 397 §124.b. The form stands as an appositional genitive in relation to the preceding construct noun.
[46:4] 146 tn Heb “Most High.” This divine title (עֶלְיוֹן, ’elyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Pss 7:17; 9:2; 18:13; 21:7; 47:2.
[46:5] 147 tn Heb “God [is] within her.” The feminine singular pronoun refers to the city mentioned in v. 4.
[46:5] 148 tn Another option is to translate the imperfect verbal form as future, “it will not be upended.” Even if one chooses this option, the future tense must be understood in a generalizing sense. The verb מוֹט (mot), translated “upended” here, is used in v. 2 of the mountains “tumbling” into the seas and in v. 6 of nations being “upended.” By way of contrast, Jerusalem, God’s dwelling place, is secure and immune from such turmoil and destruction.
[46:5] 149 tn Or “helps her.” The imperfect draws attention to the generalizing character of the statement.
[46:5] 150 tn Heb “at the turning of morning.” (For other uses of the expression see Exod 14:27 and Judg 19:26).
[46:5] sn At the break of dawn. The “morning” is viewed metaphorically as a time of deliverance and vindication after the dark “night” of trouble (see Ps 30:5; Isa 17:14). There may be an allusion here to Exod 14:27 (where the Lord destroyed the Egyptians at the “break of dawn”) or, more likely, to the miraculous deliverance of Jerusalem from the Assyrian siege, when the people discovered the dead bodies of the Assyrian army in the morning (Isa 37:36).
[46:6] 151 tn Heb “nations roar, kingdoms shake.” The Hebrew verb הָמָה (hamah, “roar, be in uproar”) is used in v. 3 of the waves crashing, while the verb מוֹט (mot, “overthrown”) is used in v. 2 of mountains tumbling into the sea (see also v. 5, where the psalm affirms that Jerusalem “cannot be moved”). The repetition of the verbs suggests that the language of vv. 2-3 is symbolic and depicts the upheaval that characterizes relationships between the nations of the earth. As some nations (symbolized by the surging, chaotic waters) show hostility, others (symbolized by the mountains) come crashing down to destruction. The surging waters are symbolic of chaotic forces in other poetic texts (see, for example, Isa 17:12; Jer 51:42) and mountains can symbolize strong kingdoms (see, for example, Jer 51:25).
[46:6] 152 tn Heb “He.” God is the obvious referent here (see v. 5), and has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[46:6] 153 tn Heb “offers his voice.” In theophanic texts the phrase refers to God’s thunderous shout which functions as a battle cry (see Pss 18:13; 68:33).
[46:6] 154 tn Or “melts.” See Amos 9:5. The image depicts the nation’s helplessness before Jerusalem’s defender, who annihilates their armies (see vv. 8-9). The imperfect verbal form emphasizes the characteristic nature of the action described.
[46:7] 155 tn Heb “the
[46:7] 156 tn That is, Israel, or Judah (see Ps 20:1).
[46:7] 157 tn Heb “our elevated place” (see Pss 9:9; 18:2).
[46:8] 158 sn In this context the Lord’s exploits are military in nature (see vv. 8b-9).
[46:8] 159 tn Heb “who sets desolations in the earth” (see Isa 13:9). The active participle describes God’s characteristic activity as a warrior.
[46:9] 160 tn Heb “[the] one who causes wars to cease unto the end of the earth.” The participle continues the description begun in v. 8b and indicates that this is the
[46:9] 161 tn The verb שָׁבַר (shavar, “break”) appears in the Piel here (see Ps 29:5). In the OT it occurs thirty-six times in the Piel, always with multiple objects (the object is either a collective singular or grammatically plural or dual form). The Piel may highlight the repetition of the pluralative action, or it may suggest an intensification of action, indicating repeated action comprising a whole, perhaps with the nuance “break again and again, break in pieces.” Another option is to understand the form as resultative: “make broken” (see IBHS 404-7 §24.3). The imperfect verbal form carries on and emphasizes the generalizing nature of the description.
[46:9] 162 tn The perfect verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive carries along the generalizing emphasis of the preceding imperfect.
[46:9] 163 tn The imperfect verbal form carries on and emphasizes the generalizing nature of the description.
[46:9] 164 tn Heb “wagons he burns with fire.” Some read “chariots” here (cf. NASB), but the Hebrew word refers to wagons or carts, not chariots, elsewhere in the OT. In this context, where military weapons are mentioned, it is better to revocalize the form as עֲגִלוֹת (’agilot, “round shields”), a word which occurs only here in the OT, but is attested in later Hebrew and Aramaic.
[46:10] 165 tn The words “he says” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[46:10] 166 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.
[46:10] 167 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).
[46:11] 170 tn Heb “the
[46:11] 171 tn That is, Israel, or Judah (see Ps 20:1).
[46:11] 172 tn Heb “our elevated place” (see Pss 9:9; 18:2).
[47:1] 173 sn Psalm 47. In this hymn the covenant community praises the Lord as the exalted king of the earth who has given them victory over the nations and a land in which to live.
[47:1] 174 tn Heb “Shout to God with [the] sound of a ringing cry!”
[47:2] 175 tn Heb “the
[47:2] 176 tn Or “awesome.” The Niphal participle נוֹרָא (nora’), when used of God in the psalms, focuses on the effect that his royal splendor and powerful deeds have on those witnessing his acts (Pss 66:3, 5; 68:35; 76:7, 12; 89:7; 96:4; 99:3; 111:9). Here it refers to his capacity to fill his defeated foes with terror and his people with fearful respect.
[47:2] 177 tn Heb “a great king over all the earth.”
[47:3] 178 tn On the meaning of the verb דָּבַר (davar, “subdue”), a homonym of דָּבַר (“speak”), see HALOT 209-10 s.v. I דבר. See also Ps 18:47 and 2 Chr 22:10. The preterite form of the verb suggests this is an historical reference and the next verse, which mentions the gift of the land, indicates that the conquest under Joshua is in view.
[47:3] 179 tn Or “peoples” (see Pss 2:1; 7:7; 9:8; 44:2).
[47:4] 180 tn Heb “he chose for us our inheritance.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a preterite (see “subdued” in v. 3).
[47:4] 181 tn Heb “the pride of.” The phrase is appositional to “our inheritance,” indicating that the land is here described as a source of pride to God’s people.
[47:4] 182 tn That is, Israel.
[47:4] 183 sn Jacob whom he loves. The Lord’s covenantal devotion to his people is in view.
[47:5] 184 sn God ascended his throne. In the context of vv. 3-4, which refer to the conquest of the land under Joshua, v. 5 is best understood as referring to an historical event. When the Lord conquered the land and placed his people in it, he assumed a position of kingship, as predicted by Moses (see Exod 15:17-18, as well as Ps 114:1-2). That event is here described metaphorically in terms of a typical coronation ceremony for an earthly king (see 2 Sam 15:10; 2 Kgs 9:13). Verses 1-2, 8-9 focus on God’s continuing kingship, which extends over all nations.
[47:5] 185 tn Heb “God ascended amid a shout.” The words “his throne” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The
[47:5] 186 tn Heb “the
[47:7] 187 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. The word is derived from a verb meaning “to be prudent; to be wise.” Various options are: “a contemplative song,” “a song imparting moral wisdom,” or “a skillful [i.e., well-written] song.” The term also occurs in the superscriptions of Pss 32, 42, 44, 45, 52-55, 74, 78, 88, 89, and 142. Here, in a context of celebration, the meaning “skillful, well-written” would fit particularly well.
[47:8] 188 tn When a new king was enthroned, his followers would acclaim him king using this enthronement formula (Qal perfect 3ms מָלַךְ, malakh, “to reign,” followed by the name of the king). See 2 Sam 15:10; 1 Kgs 1:11, 13, 18; 2 Kgs 9:13, as well as Isa 52:7. In this context the perfect verbal form is generalizing, but the declaration logically follows the historical reference in v. 5 to the
[47:9] 189 tc The words “along with” do not appear in the MT. However, the LXX has “with,” suggesting that the original text may have read עִם עַם (’im ’am, “along with the people”). In this case the MT is haplographic (the consonantal sequence ayin-mem [עם] being written once instead of twice). Another option is that the LXX is simply and correctly interpreting “people” as an adverbial accusative and supplying the appropriate preposition.
[47:9] 190 tn Heb “for to God [belong] the shields of the earth.” Perhaps the rulers are called “shields” because they are responsible for protecting their people. See Ps 84:9, where the Davidic king is called “our shield,” and perhaps also Hos 4:18.
[47:9] 191 tn The verb עָלָה (’alah, “ascend”) appears once more (see v. 5), though now in the Niphal stem.
[48:1] 192 sn Psalm 48. This so-called “Song of Zion” celebrates the greatness and glory of the Lord’s dwelling place, Jerusalem. His presence in the city elevates it above all others and assures its security.
[48:1] 193 sn The city of our God is Jerusalem, which is also referred to here as “his holy hill,” that is, Zion (see v. 2, as well as Isa 66:20; Joel 2:1; 3:17; Zech 8:3; Pss 2:6; 15:1; 43:3; 87:1; Dan 9:16).
[48:2] 194 tn Heb “beautiful of height.” The Hebrew term נוֹף (nof, “height”) is a genitive of specification after the qualitative noun “beautiful.” The idea seems to be that Mount Zion, because of its lofty appearance, is pleasing to the sight.
[48:2] 195 sn A source of joy to the whole earth. The language is hyperbolic. Zion, as the dwelling place of the universal king, is pictured as the world’s capital. The prophets anticipated this idealized picture becoming a reality in the eschaton (see Isa 2:1-4).
[48:2] 196 tn Heb “Mount Zion, the peaks of Zaphon.” Like all the preceding phrases in v. 2, both phrases are appositional to “city of our God, his holy hill” in v. 1, suggesting an identification in the poet’s mind between Mount Zion and Zaphon. “Zaphon” usually refers to the “north” in a general sense (see Pss 89:12; 107:3), but here, where it is collocated with “peaks,” it refers specifically to Mount Zaphon, located in the vicinity of ancient Ugarit and viewed as the mountain where the gods assembled (see Isa 14:13). By alluding to West Semitic mythology in this way, the psalm affirms that Mount Zion is the real divine mountain, for it is here that the
[48:3] 197 tn Heb “he is known for an elevated place.”
[48:4] 198 tn The logical connection between vv. 3-4 seems to be this: God is the protector of Zion and reveals himself as the city’s defender – this is necessary because hostile armies threaten the city.
[48:4] 199 tn The perfect verbal forms in vv. 4-6 are understood as descriptive. In dramatic style (note הִנֵּה, hinneh, “look”) the psalm describes an enemy attack against the city as if it were occurring at this very moment. Another option is to take the perfects as narrational (“the kings assembled, they advanced”), referring to a particular historical event, such as Sennacherib’s siege of the city in 701
[48:5] 200 tn The object of “see” is omitted, but v. 3b suggests that the
[48:5] 201 tn Heb “they look, so they are shocked.” Here כֵּן (ken, “so”) has the force of “in the same measure.”
[48:5] 202 tn The translation attempts to reflect the staccato style of the Hebrew text, where the main clauses of vv. 4-6 are simply juxtaposed without connectives.
[48:6] 203 tn Heb “trembling seizes them there.” The adverb שָׁם (sham, “there”) is used here, as often in poetic texts, to point “to a spot in which a scene is localized vividly in the imagination” (BDB 1027 s.v.).
[48:6] 204 tn Heb “[with] writhing like one giving birth.”
[48:6] sn The language of vv. 5-6 is reminiscent of Exod 15:15.
[48:7] 205 tn The switch to the imperfect, as well as the introduction of the ship metaphor, perhaps signals a change to a generalizing tone; the
[48:7] 206 tn Heb “the ships of Tarshish.” This probably refers to large ships either made in or capable of traveling to and from the distant western port of Tarshish. These ships, which were the best of their class, here symbolize the mere human strength of hostile armies, which are incapable of withstanding the
[48:8] 207 tn Heb “As we have heard, so we have seen.” The community had heard about God’s mighty deeds in the nation’s history. Having personally witnessed his saving power with their own eyes, they could now affirm that the tradition was not exaggerated or inaccurate.
[48:8] 208 tn Heb “the
[48:8] 209 tn Or “God makes it secure forever.” The imperfect highlights the characteristic nature of the generalizing statement.
[48:10] 210 tn Heb “like your name, O God, so [is] your praise to the ends of the earth.” Here “name” refers to God’s reputation and revealed character.
[48:10] 211 tn Heb “your right hand is full of justice.” The “right hand” suggests activity and power.
[48:11] 212 tn Heb “daughters.” The reference is to the cities of Judah surrounding Zion (see Ps 97:8 and H. Haag, TDOT 2:336).
[48:11] 213 tn The prefixed verbal forms are understood as generalizing imperfects. (For other examples of an imperfect followed by causal לְמַעַן [lÿma’an], see Ps 23:3; Isa 49:7; 55:5.) Another option is to interpret the forms as jussives, “Let Mount Zion rejoice! Let the towns of Judah be happy!” (cf. NASB, NRSV; note the imperatives in vv. 12-13.)
[48:11] 214 sn These acts of judgment are described in vv. 4-7.
[48:12] 215 tn The verb forms in vv. 12-13 are plural; the entire Judahite community is addressed.
[48:13] 216 tn Heb “set your heart to its rampart.”
[48:13] 217 tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew word translated “walk through,” which occurs only here in the OT, is uncertain. Cf. NEB “pass…in review”; NIV “view.”
[48:13] 218 sn The city’s towers, defenses, and fortresses are outward reminders and tangible symbols of the divine protection the city enjoys.
[48:14] 219 tn Heb “for this is God, our God, forever and ever.” “This” might be paraphrased, “this protector described and praised in the preceding verses.”
[48:14] 220 tn The imperfect highlights the characteristic nature of the generalizing statement.
[48:14] 221 tn In the Hebrew text the psalm ends with the words עַל־מוּת (’al-mut, “upon [unto?] dying”), which make little, if any, sense. M. Dahood (Psalms [AB], 1:293) proposes an otherwise unattested plural form עֹלָמוֹת (’olamot; from עוֹלָם, ’olam, “eternity”). This would provide a nice parallel to עוֹלָם וָעֶד (’olam va’ed, “forever”) in the preceding line, but elsewhere the plural of עוֹלָם appears as עֹלָמִים (’olamim). It is preferable to understand the phrase as a musical direction of some sort (see עַל־מוּת [’al-mut] in the superscription of Ps 9) or to emend the text to עַל־עֲלָמוֹת (’al-’alamot, “according to the alamoth style”; see the heading of Ps 46). In either case it should be understood as belonging with the superscription of the following psalm.
[76:1] 222 sn Psalm 76. The psalmist depicts God as a mighty warrior who destroys Israel’s enemies.
[76:1] 223 tn Or “God is known in Judah.”
[76:1] 224 tn Heb “name,” which here stands metonymically for God’s reputation.
[76:2] 225 sn Salem is a shorter name for Jerusalem (see Gen 14:18).
[76:2] 226 tn Heb “and his place of refuge is in Salem, and his lair in Zion.” God may be likened here to a lion (see v. 4).
[76:3] 227 tn Heb “flames of the bow,” i.e., arrows.
[76:3] 228 tn Heb “shield and sword and battle.” “Battle” probably here stands by metonymy for the weapons of war in general.
[76:3] sn This verse may allude to the miraculous defeat of the Assyrians in 701
[76:4] 229 tn Heb “radiant [are] you, majestic from the hills of prey.” God is depicted as a victorious king and as a lion that has killed its victims.
[76:5] 230 tn Heb “strong of heart.” In Isa 46:12, the only other text where this phrase appears, it refers to those who are stubborn, but here it seems to describe brave warriors (see the next line).
[76:5] 231 tn The verb is a rare Aramaized form of the Hitpolel (see GKC 149 §54.a, n. 2); the root is שָׁלַל (shalal, “to plunder”).
[76:5] 232 tn Heb “they slept [in] their sleep.” “Sleep” here refers to the “sleep” of death. A number of modern translations take the phrase to refer to something less than death, however: NASB “cast into a deep sleep”; NEB “fall senseless”; NIV “lie still”; NRSV “lay stunned.”
[76:5] 233 tn Heb “and all the men of strength did not find their hands.”
[76:6] 234 tn Heb “from your shout.” The noun is derived from the Hebrew verb גָּעַר (ga’ar), which is often understood to mean “rebuke.” In some cases it is apparent that scolding or threatening is in view (see Gen 37:10; Ruth 2:16; Zech 3:2). However, in militaristic contexts this translation is inadequate, for the verb refers in this setting to the warrior’s battle cry, which terrifies and paralyzes the enemy. See A. Caquot, TDOT 3:53, and note the use of the verb in Pss 68:30; 106:9; Nah 1:4, as well as the related noun in Job 26:11; Pss 9:5; 18:15; 104:7; Isa 50:2; 51:20; 66:15.
[76:6] 235 tn Or “chariot,” but even so the term is metonymic for the charioteer.
[76:6] 236 tn Heb “he fell asleep, and [the] chariot and [the] horse.” Once again (see v. 5) “sleep” refers here to the “sleep” of death.
[76:7] 237 tc Heb “and who can stand before you from the time of your anger?” The Hebrew expression מֵאָז (me’az, “from the time of”) is better emended to מֵאֹז (me’oz, “from [i.e., “because of”] the strength of your anger”; see Ps 90:11).
[76:8] 238 tn Heb “a [legal] decision,” or “sentence.”
[76:8] 239 tn “The earth” stands here by metonymy for its inhabitants.
[76:10] 241 tn Heb “the anger of men will praise you.” This could mean that men’s anger (subjective genitive), when punished by God, will bring him praise, but this interpretation does not harmonize well with the next line. The translation assumes that God’s anger is in view here (see v. 7) and that “men” is an objective genitive. God’s angry judgment against men brings him praise because it reveals his power and majesty (see vv. 1-4).
[76:10] 242 tn Heb “the rest of anger you put on.” The meaning of the statement is not entirely clear. Perhaps the idea is that God, as he prepares for battle, girds himself with every last ounce of his anger, as if it were a weapon.
[76:11] 243 tn The phrase “all those who surround him” may refer to the surrounding nations (v. 12 may favor this), but in Ps 89:7 the phrase refers to God’s heavenly assembly.
[76:12] 244 tn Heb “he reduces the spirit of princes.” According to HALOT 148 s.v. II בצר, the Hebrew verb בָּצַר (batsar) is here a hapax legomenon meaning “reduce, humble.” The statement is generalizing, with the imperfect tense highlighting God’s typical behavior.
[76:12] 245 tn Heb “[he is] awesome to the kings of the earth.”
[84:1] 246 sn Psalm 84. The psalmist expresses his desire to be in God’s presence in the Jerusalem temple, for the Lord is the protector of his people.
[84:1] 247 tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew term הַגִּתִּית (haggittit) is uncertain; it probably refers to a musical style or instrument.
[84:1] 248 tn Or “your dwelling place[s].” The plural form of the noun may indicate degree or quality; this is the
[84:1] 249 tn Traditionally, “
[84:2] 250 tn Heb “my soul longs, it even pines for.”
[84:2] 251 tn Heb “the courts of the
[84:2] 252 tn Heb “my flesh,” which stands for his whole person and being.
[84:3] 253 tn The word translated “swallow” occurs only here and in Prov 26:2.
[84:3] 254 tn Heb “even a bird finds a home, and a swallow a nest for herself, [in] which she places her young.”
[84:3] sn The psalmist here romanticizes the temple as a place of refuge and safety. As he thinks of the birds nesting near its roof, he envisions them finding protection in God’s presence.
[84:4] 255 tn The Hebrew noun is an abstract plural. The word often refers metonymically to the happiness that God-given security and prosperity produce (see v. 12 and Pss 1:1; 2:12; 34:9; 41:1; 65:4; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).
[84:5] 256 tn Heb “[Oh] the happiness [of] the man.” Hebrew literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The principle stated here was certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, we translate the gender and age specific “man” with the plural “those.” The individual referred to in v. 5a is representative of followers of God, as the use of plural forms in vv. 5b-7 indicates.
[84:5] 257 tn Heb “roads [are] in their heart[s].” The roads are here those that lead to Zion (see v. 7).
[84:6] 258 tn The translation assumes that the Hebrew phrase עֵמֶק הַבָּכָא (’emeq habbakha’) is the name of an otherwise unknown arid valley through which pilgrims to Jerusalem passed. The term בָּכָא (bakha’) may be the name of a particular type of plant or shrub that grew in this valley. O. Borowski (Agriculture in Iron Age Israel, 130) suggests it is the black mulberry. Some take the phrase as purely metaphorical and relate בָּכָא to the root בָּכָה (bakhah, “to weep”). In this case one might translate, “the valley of weeping” or “the valley of affliction.”
[84:6] 259 tc The MT reads “a spring they make it,” but this makes little sense. Many medieval Hebrew
[84:6] 260 tn This rare word may refer to the early (or autumn) rains (see Joel 2:23).
[84:6] 261 tc The MT reads בְּרָכוֹת (bÿrakhot, “blessings”) but the preceding reference to a “spring” favors an emendation to בְּרֵכוֹת (bÿrekhot, “pools”).
[84:6] sn Pools of water. Because water is so necessary for life, it makes an apt symbol for divine favor and blessing. As the pilgrims traveled to Jerusalem, God provided for their physical needs and gave them a token of his favor and of the blessings awaiting them at the temple.
[84:7] 262 tn Heb “they go from strength to strength.” The phrase “from strength to strength” occurs only here in the OT. With a verb of motion, the expression “from [common noun] to [same common noun]” normally suggests movement from one point to another or through successive points (see Num 36:7; 1 Chr 16:20; 17:5; Ps 105:13; Jer 25:32). Ps 84:7 may be emphasizing that the pilgrims move successively from one “place of strength” to another as they travel toward Jerusalem. All along the way they find adequate provisions and renewed energy for the trip.
[84:7] 263 tn The psalmist returns to the singular (see v. 5a), which he uses in either a representative or distributive (“each one” ) sense.
[84:8] 264 tn Heb “
[84:9] 265 tn The phrase “our shield” refers metaphorically to the Davidic king, who, as God’s vice-regent, was the human protector of the people. Note the parallelism with “your anointed one” here and with “our king” in Ps 89:18.
[84:9] 266 tn Heb “look [on] the face of your anointed one.” The Hebrew phrase מְשִׁיחֶךָ (mÿshikhekha, “your anointed one”) refers here to the Davidic king (see Pss 2:2; 18:50; 20:6; 28:8; 89:38, 51; 132:10, 17).
[84:10] 268 tn Heb “better is a day in your courts than a thousand [spent elsewhere].”
[84:10] 269 tn Heb “I choose being at the entrance of the house of my God over living in the tents of the wicked.” The verb סָפַף (safaf) appears only here in the OT; it is derived from the noun סַף (saf, “threshold”). Traditionally some have interpreted this as a reference to being a doorkeeper at the temple, though some understand it to mean “lie as a beggar at the entrance to the temple” (see HALOT 765 s.v. ספף).
[84:10] 270 tn The verb דּוּר (dur, “to live”) occurs only here in the OT.
[84:11] 271 tn Heb “[is] a sun and a shield.” The epithet “sun,” though rarely used of Israel’s God in the OT, was a well-attested royal title in the ancient Near East. For several examples from Ugaritic texts, the Amarna letters, and Assyrian royal inscriptions, see R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 131, n. 2.
[84:11] 273 tn Heb “he does not withhold good to those walking in integrity.”
[84:12] 274 tn Traditionally “
[84:12] 275 tn Heb “[Oh] the happiness [of] the man [who] trusts in you.” Hebrew literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The principle stated here is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, we translate the gender and age specific “man” with the plural “those.” The individual referred to here is representative of all followers of God, as the use of the plural form in v. 12b indicates.
[87:1] 276 sn Psalm 87. The psalmist celebrates the Lord’s presence in Zion and the special status of its citizens.
[87:1] 277 tn Heb “his foundation [is] in the hills of holiness.” The expression “his foundation” refers here by metonymy to the
[87:3] 278 tn Heb “glorious things are spoken about you.” The translation assumes this is a general reference to compliments paid to Zion by those who live within her walls and by those who live in the surrounding areas and lands. Another option is that this refers to a prophetic oracle about the city’s glorious future. In this case one could translate, “wonderful things are announced concerning you.”
[87:4] 279 sn “Rahab,” which means “proud one,” is used here as a title for Egypt (see Isa 30:7).
[87:4] 280 tn Heb “to those who know me” (see Ps 36:10). Apparently the
[87:4] 282 map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
[87:4] 284 tn Heb “and this one was born there.” The words “It is said of them” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied for clarification and stylistic purposes (see v. 5). Those advocating the universalistic interpretation understand “there” as referring to Zion, but it seems more likely that the adverb refers to the nations just mentioned. The foreigners are identified by their native lands.
[87:5] 285 tn Heb “and of Zion it is said.” Another option is to translate, “and to Zion it is said.” In collocation with the Niphal of אָמַר (’amar), the preposition lamed (-לְ) can introduce the recipient of the statement (see Josh 2:2; Jer 4:11; Hos 1:10; Zeph 3:16), carry the nuance “concerning, of” (see Num 23:23), or mean “be named” (see Isa 4:3; 62:4).
[87:5] 286 tn Heb “a man and a man.” The idiom also appears in Esth 1:8. The translation assumes that the phrase refers to each of Zion’s residents, in contrast to the foreigners mentioned in v. 4. Those advocating the universalistic interpretation understand this as a reference to each of the nations, including those mentioned in v. 4.
[87:5] 287 tn Traditionally “Most High.”
[87:5] 288 tn Heb “and he makes her secure, the Most High.”
[87:6] 289 tn Heb “the
[87:6] 290 tn As noted in v. 4, the translation assumes a contrast between “there” (the various foreign lands) and “in her” (Zion). In contrast to foreigners, the citizens of Zion have special status because of their birthplace (v. 5). In this case vv. 4 and 6 form a structural frame around v. 5.
[87:7] 291 tc Heb “and singers, like pipers, all my springs [are] in you.” The participial form חֹלְלִים (kholÿlim) appears to be from a denominative verb meaning “play the pipe,” though some derive the form from חוּל (khul, “dance”). In this case the duplicated lamed (ל) requires an emendation to מְחֹלְלִים (mÿkholÿlim, “a Polel form). The words are addressed to Zion. As it stands, the Hebrew text makes little, if any, sense. “Springs” are often taken here as a symbol of divine blessing and life”), but this reading does not relate to the preceding line in any apparent way. The present translation assumes an emendation of כָּל־מַעְיָנַי (kol-ma’yanay, “all my springs”) to כֻּלָּם עָנוּ (kullam ’anu, “all of them sing,” with the form עָנוּ being derived from עָנָה, ’anah, “sing”).
[96:1] 292 sn Psalm 96. The psalmist summons everyone to praise the Lord, the sovereign creator of the world who preserves and promotes justice in the earth.
[96:1] 293 sn A new song is appropriate because the
[96:2] 294 tn Heb “announce from day to day his deliverance.”
[96:3] 295 tn The verb “tell” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
[96:4] 296 tn Or perhaps “and feared by all gods.” See Ps 89:7.
[96:5] 297 tn The Hebrew term אֱלִילִים (’elilim, “worthless”) sounds like אֱלֹהִים (’elohim, “gods”). The sound play draws attention to the statement.
[96:6] 298 tn Heb “majesty and splendor [are] before him.”
[96:6] 299 tn Heb “strength and beauty [are] in his sanctuary.”
[96:8] 300 tn Heb “the splendor of [i.e., “due”] his name.”
[96:9] 301 tn Or “in holy splendor.”
[96:13] 302 tn The verbal forms in v. 13 probably describe God’s typical, characteristic behavior, though they may depict in dramatic fashion the outworking of divine judgment or anticipate a future judgment of worldwide proportions, in which case they could be translated “will judge the world.”
[96:13] 303 tn Heb “and the nations with his integrity.”
[97:1] 304 sn Psalm 97. The psalmist depicts the Lord as the sovereign, just king of the world who comes in power to vindicate his people.
[97:2] 305 sn The Lord’s throne symbolizes his kingship.
[97:3] 306 tn Heb “all around.”
[97:7] 307 tn The translation assumes that the prefixed verbal form in the first line is an imperfect (“are ashamed”) and that the ambiguous form in the third line is a perfect (“bow down”) because the psalmist appears to be describing the effect of the
[97:8] 308 tn Heb “daughters.” The term “daughters” refers to the cities of Judah surrounding Zion (see Ps 48:11 and H. Haag, TDOT 2:336).
[97:9] 309 tn Traditionally “Most High.”
[97:10] 310 tn The participle may be verbal, though it might also be understood as substantival and appositional to “the
[97:11] 312 tn Heb “Light is planted for the godly, and for the upright of heart joy.” The translation assumes an emendation of זָרַע (zara’, “planted”) to זָרַח (zara’, “shines”) which collocates more naturally with “light.” “Light” here symbolizes the joy (note the following line) that accompanies deliverance and the outpouring of divine favor.
[97:12] 313 tn Heb “to his holy remembrance.” The Hebrew noun זָכַר (zakhar, “remembrance”) here refers to the name of the
[98:1] 314 sn Psalm 98. The psalmist summons the whole earth to praise God because he reveals his justice and delivers Israel.
[98:1] 315 sn A new song is appropriate because the Lord is constantly intervening in the world as its just king. See Ps 96:1.
[98:1] 316 tn The perfect verbal forms in vv. 1-3 are understood here as describing characteristic divine activities. Another option is to translate them as present perfects, “has performed…has accomplished deliverance, etc.” referring to completed actions that have continuing results.
[98:1] 317 tn Heb “his right hand delivers for him and his holy arm.” The right hand and arm symbolize his power as a warrior-king (see Isa 52:10). His arm is “holy” in the sense that it is in a category of its own; God’s power is incomparable.
[98:2] 318 tn Heb “makes known his deliverance.”
[98:3] 319 tn Heb “he remembers his loyal love and his faithfulness to the house of Israel.”
[98:3] 320 tn Heb “the deliverance of our God,” with “God” being a subjective genitive (= God delivers).
[98:9] 321 tn The verbal forms in v. 9 probably describe God’s typical, characteristic behavior, though they may depict in dramatic fashion the outworking of divine judgment or anticipate a future judgment of worldwide proportions (“will judge…”).
[99:1] 322 sn Psalm 99. The psalmist celebrates the Lord’s just rule and recalls how he revealed himself to Israel’s leaders.
[99:1] 323 tn The prefixed verbal forms in v. 1 are understood here as indicating the nations’ characteristic response to the reality of the
[99:1] 324 sn Winged angels (Heb “cherubs”). Cherubs, as depicted in the OT, possess both human and animal (lion, ox, and eagle) characteristics (see Ezek 1:10; 10:14, 21; 41:18). They are pictured as winged creatures (Exod 25:20; 37:9; 1 Kgs 6:24-27; Ezek 10:8, 19) and serve as the very throne of God when the ark of the covenant is in view (Ps 99:1; see Num 7:89; 1 Sam 4:4; 2 Sam 6:2; 2 Kgs 19:15). The picture of the Lord seated on the cherubs suggests they might be used by him as a vehicle, a function they carry out in Ezek 1:22-28 (the “living creatures” mentioned here are identified as cherubs in Ezek 10:20). In Ps 18:10 the image of a cherub serves to personify the wind.
[99:1] 325 tn The Hebrew verb נוּט (nut) occurs only here in the OT, but the meaning can be determined on the basis of the parallelism with רָגַז (ragaz, “tremble”) and evidence from the cognate languages (see H. R. Cohen, Biblical Hapax Legomena [SBLDS], 121).
[99:3] 327 tn The pronoun refers to the
[99:4] 328 tn Heb “and strength, a king, justice he loves.” The syntax of the Hebrew text is difficult here. The translation assumes that two affirmations are made about the king, the
[99:4] 329 tn Heb “you establish fairness.”
[99:6] 332 tn Heb “among those who called on his name.”
[99:6] 333 tn Heb “those who.” The participle is in apposition to the phrase “those who called on his name” in the preceding line.
[99:7] 334 sn A pillar of cloud. The psalmist refers to the reality described in Exod 33:9-10; Num 12:5; and Deut 31:15.
[99:8] 335 tn Heb “a God of lifting up [i.e., forgiveness] you were to them, and an avenger concerning their deeds.” The present translation reflects the traditional interpretation, which understands the last line as qualifying the preceding one. God forgave Moses and Aaron, but he also disciplined them when they sinned (cf. NIV, NRSV). Another option is to take “their deeds” as referring to harmful deeds directed against Moses and Aaron. In this case the verse may be translated, “and one who avenged attacks against them.” Still another option is to emend the participial form נֹקֵם (noqem, “an avenger”) to נֹקָם (noqam), a rare Qal participial form of נָקַה (naqah, “purify”) with a suffixed pronoun. In this case one could translate, “and one who purified them from their [sinful] deeds” (cf. NEB “and held them innocent”).
[100:1] 337 sn Psalm 100. The psalmist celebrates the fact that Israel has a special relationship to God and summons worshipers to praise the Lord for his faithfulness.
[100:3] 339 tn The present translation (like most modern translations) follows the Qere (marginal reading), which reads literally, “and to him [are] we.” The Kethib (consonantal text) has “and not we.” The suffixed preposition לו (“to him”) was confused aurally with the negative particle לא because the two sound identical.
[100:5] 340 tn Or “is forever.”
[100:5] 341 tn Heb “and to a generation and a generation [is] his faithfulness.”
[103:1] 342 sn Psalm 103. The psalmist praises God for his mercy and willingness to forgive his people.
[103:1] 343 tn The verb “praise” is understood by ellipsis in the second line (see the preceding line).
[103:2] 344 tn Or “his benefits” (see 2 Chr 32:25, where the noun is also used of kind deeds performed by the
[103:3] 345 tn This relatively rare noun refers to deadly diseases (see Deut 29:22; Jer 14:18; 16:4; 2 Chr 21:19).
[103:4] 347 tn The Hebrew term שַׁחַת (shakhat, “pit”) is often used as a title for Sheol (see Pss 16:10; 30:9; 49:9; 55:24.
[103:5] 348 tc Heb “who satisfies with the good of your ornaments.” The text as it stands makes little, if any, sense. The translation assumes an emendation of עֶדְיֵךְ (’ed’ekh, “your ornaments”) to עֹדֵכִי (’odekhiy, “your duration; your continuance”) that is, “your life” (see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 18).
[103:5] 349 sn The expression your youth is renewed like an eagle’s may allude to the phenomenon of molting, whereby the eagle grows new feathers.
[103:6] 350 tn Heb “the
[103:7] 351 tn Heb “made known his ways.” God’s “ways” in this context are his protective and salvific acts in fulfillment of his promise (see also Deut 32:4; Pss 18:30; 67:2; 77:13 [note vv. 11-12, 14]; 138:5; 145:17).
[103:8] 352 tn Heb “slow to anger” (see Ps 86:15).
[103:8] 353 tn Heb “and great of loyal love” (see Ps 86:15).
[103:9] 354 tn The Hebrew verb נָטַר (natar) is usually taken to mean “to keep; to guard,” with “anger” being understood by ellipsis. The idiom “to guard anger” is then understood to mean “to remain angry” (see Lev 19:18; Jer 3:5, 12; Nah 1:2). However, it is possible that this is a homonymic root meaning “to be angry” (see HALOT 695 s.v. נטר).
[103:10] 355 tn Heb “not according to our sins does he do to us.”
[103:10] 356 tn Heb “and not according to our misdeeds does he repay us.”
[103:11] 357 tn For this sense of the verb גָבַר (gavar), see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 17, 19.
[103:11] 358 tn Heb “those who fear him.”
[103:12] 359 tn Heb “sunrise.”
[103:12] 361 tn The Hebrew term פֶּשַׁע (pesha’, rebellious act”) is here used metonymically for the guilt such actions produce.
[103:13] 362 tn Or “sons,” but the Hebrew term sometimes refers to children in general.
[103:13] 363 tn Heb “those who fear him.”
[103:14] 364 tn Heb “our form.”
[103:14] 365 tn Heb “remembers.”
[103:14] 366 tn Heb “we [are] clay.”
[103:15] 367 tn Heb “[as for] mankind, like grass [are] his days.” The Hebrew noun אֱנוֹשׁ (’enosh) is used here generically of human beings. What is said is true of all mankind.
[103:16] 368 tn Heb “[the] wind.” The word “hot” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
[103:17] 369 tn Heb “but the loyal love of the
[103:17] 370 tn Heb “and his righteousness to sons of sons.”
[103:18] 371 tn Heb “to those who remember his precepts to do them.”
[103:19] 372 tn Heb “his kingdom rules over all.”
[103:20] 373 tn Heb “[you] mighty ones of strength, doers of his word, by listening to the voice of his word.”
[103:21] 374 tn Heb “all his hosts.”
[103:21] 375 tn Heb “his attendants, doers of his desire.”
[103:22] 376 tn Heb “all his works,” which includes mankind.
[104:1] 378 sn Psalm 104. The psalmist praises God as the ruler of the world who sustains all life.
[104:1] 379 tn Heb “very great.”
[104:3] 380 tn Heb “one who lays the beams on water [in] his upper rooms.” The “water” mentioned here corresponds to the “waters above” mentioned in Gen 1:7. For a discussion of the picture envisioned by the psalmist, see L. I. J. Stadelmann, The Hebrew Conception of the World, 44-45.
[104:3] 381 sn Verse 3 may depict the Lord riding a cherub, which is in turn propelled by the wind current. Another option is that the wind is personified as a cherub. See Ps 18:10 and the discussion of ancient Near Eastern parallels to the imagery in M. Weinfeld, “‘Rider of the Clouds’ and ‘Gatherer of the Clouds’,” JANESCU 5 (1973): 422-24.
[104:4] 382 tc Heb “and his attendants a flaming fire.” The lack of agreement between the singular “fire” and plural “attendants” has prompted various emendations. Some read “fire and flame.” The present translation assumes an emendation to “his attendant” (יו in the Hebrew text being virtually dittographic).
[104:4] sn In Ugaritic mythology Yam’s messengers appear as flaming fire before the assembly of the gods. See G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 42.
[104:6] 383 tc Heb “you covered it.” The masculine suffix is problematic if the grammatically feminine noun “earth” is the antecedent. For this reason some emend the form to a feminine verb with feminine suffix, כִּסַּתָּה (kisattah, “[the watery deep] covered it [i.e., the earth]”), a reading assumed by the present translation.
[104:6] 385 sn Verse 6 refers to the condition described in Gen 1:2 (note the use of the Hebrew term תְּהוֹם [tÿhom, “watery deep”] in both texts).
[104:8] 386 tn Heb “from your shout they fled, from the sound of your thunder they hurried off.”
[104:8] sn Verses 7-8 poetically depict Gen 1:9-10.
[104:9] 387 tn Heb “a boundary you set up, they will not cross, they will not return to cover the earth.”
[104:10] 388 tn Heb “[the] one who sends springs into streams.” Another option is to translate, “he sends streams [i.e., streams that originate from springs] into the valleys” (cf. NIV).
[104:12] 389 tn Heb “among the thick foliage they give a sound.”
[104:13] 390 tn Heb “from his upper rooms.”
[104:13] 391 tn Heb “from the fruit of your works the earth is full.” The translation assumes that “fruit” is literal here. If “fruit” is understood more abstractly as “product; result,” then one could translate, “the earth flourishes as a result of your deeds” (cf. NIV, NRSV, REB).
[104:14] 392 tn Heb “causes the grass to sprout up.”
[104:14] 393 tn Heb “for the service of man” (see Gen 2:5).
[104:14] 394 tn Heb “to cause food to come out from the earth.”
[104:15] 395 tn Heb “and wine [that] makes the heart of man happy.”
[104:15] 396 tn Heb “to make [the] face shine from oil.” The Hebrew verb צָהַל (tsahal, “to shine”) occurs only here in the OT. It appears to be an alternate form of צָהַר (tsahar), a derivative from צָהָרִים (tsaharim, “noon”).
[104:15] 397 tn Heb “and food [that] sustains the heart of man.”
[104:16] 398 sn The trees of the
[104:16] 399 tn Heb “are satisfied,” which means here that they receive abundant rain (see v. 13).
[104:17] 400 tn Heb “[the] heron [in the] evergreens [is] its home.”
[104:17] sn The cedars and evergreens of the Lebanon forest are frequently associated (see, for example, 2 Chr 2:8; Isa 14:8; 37:24; Ezek 31:8).
[104:18] 401 tn Heb “the high mountains [are] for the goats.”
[104:19] 402 tn Heb “he made [the] moon for appointed times.” The phrase “appointed times” probably refers to the months of the Hebrew lunar calendar.
[104:19] 403 tn Heb more metaphorically, “knows its setting.”
[104:20] 404 tn Heb “you make darkness, so that it might be night.”
[104:21] 405 sn The lions’ roaring is viewed as a request for food from God.
[104:22] 406 tn Heb “lie down.”
[104:23] 407 tn Heb “man goes out to his work, and to his labor until evening.”
[104:24] 408 tn Heb “How many [are] your works, O
[104:24] 409 tn Heb “all of them with wisdom you have made.”
[104:25] 410 tn Heb “this [is] the sea, great and broad of hands [i.e., “sides” or “shores”].”
[104:25] 411 tn Heb “where [there are] swimming things, and without number.”
[104:26] 412 tn Heb “[and] this Leviathan, [which] you formed to play in it.” Elsewhere Leviathan is a multiheaded sea monster that symbolizes forces hostile to God (see Ps 74:14; Isa 27:1), but here it appears to be an actual marine creature created by God, probably some type of whale.
[104:27] 413 tn Heb “All of them.” The pronoun “them” refers not just to the sea creatures mentioned in vv. 25-26, but to all living things (see v. 24). This has been specified in the translation as “all of your creatures” for clarity.
[104:27] 414 tn Heb “to give their food in its time.”
[104:28] 415 tn Heb “they are satisfied [with] good.”
[104:29] 416 tn Heb “you hide your face, they are terrified.”
[104:31] 417 tn Heb “be forever.”
[104:31] 418 tn Or “rejoice in his works.”
[104:33] 419 tn Heb “in my duration.”
[104:34] 420 tn That is, the psalmist’s thoughts as expressed in his songs of praise.
[104:35] 421 tn Or “be destroyed.”
[105:1] 422 sn Psalm 105. The psalmist summons Israel to praise God because he delivered his people from Egypt in fulfillment of his covenantal promises to Abraham. A parallel version of vv. 1-15 appears in 1 Chr 16:8-22.
[105:5] 423 tn Heb “and the judgments of his mouth.”
[105:6] 424 tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”
[105:6] 425 tc Some
[105:6] 426 tn Heb “his”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[105:6] 428 tn Heb “his”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[105:7] 429 tn Heb “in all the earth [are] his judgments.”
[105:8] 430 tn Heb “[the] word he commanded.” The text refers here to God’s unconditional covenantal promise to Abraham and the patriarchs, as vv. 10-12 make clear.
[105:10] 432 tn Or “eternal covenant.”
[105:13] 433 tn Heb “and from a kingdom to another nation.”
[105:15] 434 tn The word “saying” is supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
[105:15] 435 tn Heb “anointed.”
[105:16] 436 tn Heb “and every staff of food he broke.” The psalmist refers to the famine that occurred in Joseph’s time (see v. 17 and Gen 41:53-57).
[105:17] 437 tn After the reference to the famine in v. 16, v. 17 flashes back to events that preceded the famine (see Gen 37).
[105:18] 438 tn Heb “they afflicted his feet with shackles.”
[105:18] 439 tn Heb “his neck came [into] iron.” The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) with the suffix could mean simply “he” or “his life.” But the nuance “neck” makes good sense here (note the reference to his “feet” in the preceding line). See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 38.
[105:19] 440 tn Heb “word,” probably referring to Joseph’s prediction about the fate of Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker (see Gen 41:9-14).
[105:19] 441 tn This line may refer to Joseph’s prediction of the famine in response to Pharaoh’s dream. Joseph emphasized to Pharaoh that the interpretation of the dream came from God (see Gen 41:16, 25, 28, 32, 39).
[105:19] 442 tn Heb “refined him.”
[105:20] 443 tn Heb “[the] king sent and set him free.”
[105:21] 444 tn Heb “he made him master of his house.”
[105:22] 445 tn Heb “to bind his officials by his will.”
[105:22] 446 tn Heb “and his elders he taught wisdom.”
[105:23] 447 tn Heb “entered.”
[105:23] 448 tn Heb “lived as a resident alien.”
[105:24] 449 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the
[105:24] 450 tn Heb “him,” referring to “his people.”
[105:24] 451 tn Heb “his,” referring to “his people.”
[105:25] 452 tn Heb “their heart.”
[105:25] 453 tn Or “to deal deceptively.” The Hitpael of נָכַל (nakhal) occurs only here and in Gen 37:18, where it is used of Joseph’s brothers “plotting” to kill him.
[105:27] 454 tn Apparently the pronoun refers to “his servants” (i.e., the Israelites, see v. 25).
[105:28] 455 tn Heb “he sent darkness and made it dark.”
[105:28] sn He made it dark. The psalmist begins with the ninth plague (see Exod 10:21-29).
[105:28] 456 tn Heb “they did not rebel against his words.” Apparently this refers to Moses and Aaron, who obediently carried out God’s orders.
[105:31] 457 tn Heb “he spoke and flies came.”
[105:32] 458 tn Heb “he gave their rains hail.”
[105:32] 459 tn Heb “fire of flames [was] in their land.”
[105:34] 460 tn Heb “he spoke and locusts came.”
[105:35] 461 tn Heb “the fruit of their ground.”
[105:36] 462 tn Heb “the beginning of all their strength,” that is, reproductive power (see Ps 78:51).
[105:36] sn Verses 28-36 recall the plagues in a different order than the one presented in Exodus: v. 28 (plague 9), v. 29 (plague 1), v. 30 (plague 2), v. 31a (plague 4), v. 31b (plague 3), vv. 32-33 (plague 7), vv. 34-35 (plague 8), v. 36 (plague 10). No reference is made in Ps 105 to plagues 5 and 6.
[105:37] 463 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the
[105:37] 464 tn The word “enriched” is supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
[105:38] 465 tn Heb “for fear of them had fallen upon them.”
[105:40] 467 tn Heb “he [i.e., his people] asked.” The singular form should probably be emended to a plural שָׁאֲלוּ (sha’alu, “they asked”), the vav (ו) having fallen off by haplography (note the vav at the beginning of the following form).
[105:40] 468 tn Or “bread of heaven.” The reference is to manna (see Exod 16:4, 13-15).
[105:42] 470 tn Heb “his holy word.”
[105:43] 471 tn Heb “and he led his people out with joy, with a ringing cry, his chosen ones.”
[105:44] 472 tn Heb “and the [product of the] work of peoples they possessed.”
[106:1] 474 sn Psalm 106. The psalmist recalls Israel’s long history of rebellion against God, despite his mighty saving deeds on their behalf.
[106:1] 475 tn Heb “for forever [is] his loyal love.”
[106:2] 476 tn Heb “[or] cause to be heard all his praise.”
[106:5] 478 tn Heb “in order that [I may] rejoice with the rejoicing of your nation.”
[106:5] 479 tn Heb “with your inheritance.”
[106:6] 481 tn Heb “fathers” (also in v. 7).
[106:7] 482 tn Heb “Reed Sea” (also in vv. 9, 22). “Reed Sea” (or “Sea of Reeds”) is a more accurate rendering of the Hebrew expression יָם סוּף (yam suf), traditionally translated “Red Sea.” See the note on the term “Red Sea” in Exod 13:18.
[106:7] sn They rebelled. The psalmist recalls the people’s complaint recorded in Exod 14:12.
[106:8] 483 tn Heb “his name,” which here stands metonymically for God’s reputation.
[106:10] 486 tn Or “redeemed.”
[106:11] 488 tn Heb “remained.”
[106:12] 489 tn Heb “his words.”
[106:13] 490 tn Heb “his works.”
[106:13] 491 tn Heb “his counsel.”
[106:14] 492 sn They had an insatiable craving. This is described in Num 11:4-35.
[106:14] 493 tn Heb “they craved [with] a craving.”
[106:14] 494 tn Heb “they tested God.”
[106:15] 495 tn Heb “and he sent leanness into their being.”
[106:15] sn Disease. See Num 11:33-34, where this plague is described.
[106:16] 497 tn Heb “the holy one of the
[106:17] 499 tn Or “the assembly of Abiram.”
[106:18] 500 sn Verses 16-18 describe the events of Num 16:1-40.
[106:20] 501 tn Heb “their glory.” According to an ancient Hebrew scribal tradition, the text originally read “his glory” or “my glory.” In Jer 2:11 the
[106:22] 503 tn Or “awe-inspiring.”
[106:23] 504 tn Heb “and he said.”
[106:23] 505 tn Heb “if not,” that is, “[and would have] if [Moses] had not.”
[106:23] 506 tn Heb “stood in the gap before him.”
[106:23] 507 tn Heb “to turn back his anger from destroying.”
[106:23] sn Verses 19-23 describe the events of Exod 32:1-35.
[106:24] 508 tn Heb “a land of delight” (see also Jer 3:19; Zech 7:14).
[106:24] 509 tn Heb “his word.”
[106:25] 510 sn They grumbled in their tents. See Deut 1:27.
[106:25] 511 tn Heb “did not listen to the voice of.”
[106:26] 512 tn Heb “and he lifted his hand to [or “concerning”] them.” The idiom “to lift a hand” here refers to swearing an oath. One would sometimes solemnly lift one’s hand when making such a vow (see Ezek 20:5-6, 15).
[106:26] 513 tn Heb “to cause them to fall.”
[106:27] 514 tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”
[106:27] 515 tn Heb “and to cause their offspring to fall.” Some emend the verb to “scatter” to form tighter parallelism with the following line (cf. NRSV “disperse”).
[106:27] 516 tn Heb “among the lands.” The word “foreign” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
[106:28] 517 tn Heb “joined themselves to.”
[106:28] sn They worshiped Baal of Peor. See Num 25:3, 5. Baal of Peor was a local manifestation of the Canaanite deity Baal located at Peor.
[106:28] 518 tn Here “the dead” may refer to deceased ancestors (see Deut 26:14). Another option is to understand the term as a derogatory reference to the various deities which the Israelites worshiped at Peor along with Baal (see Num 25:2 and L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 49).
[106:29] 519 tn Heb “They made angry [him].” The pronominal suffix is omitted here, but does appear in a few medieval Hebrew
[106:30] 520 sn The intervention of Phinehas is recounted in Num 25:7-8.
[106:31] 521 tn Heb “and it was reckoned to him for righteousness, to a generation and a generation forever.” The verb חָשַׁב (khashav, “to reckon”) is collocated with צְדָקָה (tsÿdaqah, “righteousness”) only in Ps 106:31 and Gen 15:6, where God rewards Abram’s faith with a land grant.
[106:31] sn Brought him a reward. See Num 25:12-13.
[106:32] 522 tn Heb “there was harm to Moses.”
[106:33] 523 tn The Hebrew text vocalizes the form as הִמְרוּ (himru), a Hiphil from מָרָה (marah, “to behave rebelliously”), but the verb fits better with the object (“his spirit”) if it is revocalized as הֵמֵרוּ (hemeru), a Hiphil from מָרַר (marar, “to be bitter”). The Israelites “embittered” Moses’ “spirit” in the sense that they aroused his temper with their complaints.
[106:33] 524 tn Heb “his spirit.”
[106:33] 525 tn The Hebrew text adds “with his lips,” but this has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[106:33] sn Verses 32-33 allude to the events of Num 20:1-13.
[106:34] 526 tn That is, the nations of Canaan.
[106:35] 527 tn Heb “their deeds.”
[106:36] 529 sn Became a snare. See Exod 23:33; Judg 2:3.
[106:37] 530 tn The Hebrew term שֵׁדִים (shedim, “demons”) occurs only here and in Deut 32:17. Some type of lesser deity is probably in view.
[106:38] 531 sn Num 35:33-34 explains that bloodshed defiles a land.
[106:39] 532 tn Heb “and they committed adultery in their actions.” This means that they were unfaithful to the
[106:40] 533 tn Heb “the anger of the
[106:40] 534 tn Heb “his inheritance.”
[106:41] 535 tn Heb “gave them into the hand of.”
[106:42] 536 tn Heb “they were subdued under their hand.”
[106:43] 537 tn The prefixed verbal form is either preterite or imperfect, in which case it is customary, describing repeated action in past time (“he would deliver”).
[106:43] 538 tn Heb “but they rebelled in their counsel.” The prefixed verbal form is either preterite or imperfect, in which case it is customary, describing repeated action in past time (“they would have a rebellious attitude”).
[106:43] 539 tn Heb “they sank down.” The Hebrew verb מָכַךְ (makhakh, “to lower; to sink”) occurs only here in the Qal.
[106:45] 540 tn The Niphal of נָחַם (nakham) refers here to God relenting from a punishment already underway.
[106:47] 542 tn Heb “to give thanks.” The infinitive construct indicates result after the imperative.
[106:47] 543 tn Heb “to boast in your praise.”
[106:48] 544 tn Heb “[be] blessed.” See Pss 18:46; 28:6; 31:21.
[106:48] 545 tn Heb “from everlasting to everlasting.”
[106:48] 546 tn Heb “surely” (אָמֵן, ’amen), traditionally transliterated “amen.”
[106:48] 547 sn The final verse (v. 48) is a conclusion to this fourth “book” (or major editorial division) of the Psalter. Similar statements appear at or near the end of each of the first, second and third “books” of the Psalter (see Pss 41:13; 72:18-19; 89:52, respectively).
[113:1] 548 sn Psalm 113. The psalmist praises God as the sovereign king of the world who reaches down to help the needy.
[113:3] 549 tn Heb “from the rising of the sun to its setting.” The extent is not temporal (“from sunrise to sunset”) but spatial (“from the place where the sun rises [the east] to the place where it sets [the west].” In the phenomenological language of OT cosmology, the sun was described as rising in the east and setting in the west.
[113:4] 550 tn Heb “above the sky [is] his splendor.”
[113:5] 551 tn Heb “the one who makes high to sit.”
[113:6] 552 tn Heb “the one who makes low to see.”
[113:7] 553 sn The language of v. 7 is almost identical to that of 1 Sam 2:8.
[113:9] 554 tn Heb “of the house.”
[114:1] 556 sn Psalm 114. The psalmist recalls the events of the exodus and conquest and celebrates God’s kingship over his covenant people.
[114:1] 557 tn Heb “the house of Jacob from a nation speaking a foreign language.” The Hebrew verb לָעַז (la’at, “to speak a foreign language”) occurs only here in the OT.
[114:3] 558 sn The psalmist recalls the crossing of the Red Sea (Exod 14:21).
[114:3] 559 tn Heb “the Jordan” (also in v. 5). The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[114:3] 560 sn The psalmist recalls the crossing of the Jordan River (Josh 3:13, 16).
[114:4] 561 sn The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs. This may recall the theophany at Sinai when the mountain shook before God’s presence (Exod 19:18).
[114:8] 562 sn In v. 8 the psalmist recalls the event(s) recorded in Exod 17:6 and/or Num 20:11 (see also Deut 8:15 and Ps 78:15-16, 20).
[117:1] 563 sn Psalm 117. The psalmist tells the nations to praise the Lord for his loyal love and faithfulness.
[117:1] 564 tn Or “peoples” (see Ps 108:3).
[117:2] 565 tn For this sense of the Hebrew verb גָּבַר (gavar), see Ps 103:11 and L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 17, 19.
[122:1] 566 sn Psalm 122. The psalmist expresses his love for Jerusalem and promises to pray for the city’s security.
[122:1] 567 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.
[122:1] 568 tn Heb “in the ones saying to me.” After the verb שָׂמַח (samakh), the preposition בְּ (bet) usually introduces the reason for joy.
[122:3] 570 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[122:3] 571 tc Heb “Jerusalem, which is built like a city which is joined to her together.” The meaning of the Hebrew text is unclear. Many regard this as a description of the compact way in which the city was designed or constructed. The translation assumes an emendation of the verb חֻבְּרָה (khubbÿrah, “is joined”) to a noun חֶבְרָה (khevrah, “association; company”). The text then reads literally, “Jerusalem, which is built like a city which has a company together.” This in turn can be taken as a reference to Jerusalem’s role as a city where people congregated for religious festivals and other civic occasions (see vv. 4-5).
[122:4] 573 tn Heb “which is where the tribes go up.”
[122:4] 574 tn Heb “[it is] a statute for Israel to give thanks to the name of the
[122:5] 577 tn Heb “Indeed, there they sit [on] thrones for judgment, [on] thrones [belonging] to the house of David.”
[122:6] 578 tn Heb “ask [for].”
[122:6] 579 tn Or “be secure.”
[122:7] 581 tn The psalmist uses second feminine singular pronominal forms to address personified Jerusalem.
[122:9] 582 tn Heb “I will seek good for you.” The psalmist will seek Jerusalem’s “good” through prayer.
[135:1] 583 sn Psalm 135. The psalmist urges God’s people to praise him because he is the incomparable God and ruler of the world who has accomplished great things for Israel.
[135:3] 585 tn Heb “for [it is] pleasant.” The translation assumes that it is the
[135:4] 587 sn His special possession. The language echoes Exod 19:5; Deut 7:6; 14:2; 26:18. See also Mal 3:17.
[135:9] 589 tn Or “signs” (see Ps 65:8).
[135:9] 590 tn Or “portents”; “omens” (see Ps 71:7). The Egyptian plagues are alluded to here.
[135:13] 591 tn Or “is forever.”
[135:13] 592 tn Heb “O
[135:14] 593 tn Heb “judges,” but here the idea is that the
[135:14] 594 sn Verse 14 echoes Deut 32:36, where Moses affirms that God mercifully relents from fully judging his wayward people.
[135:15] 595 tn Heb “the work of the hands of man.”
[135:17] 596 tn Heb “indeed, there is not breath in their mouth.” For the collocation אַף אֵין (’af ’en, “indeed, there is not”) see Isa 41:26. Another option is to take אַף as “nose” (see Ps 115:6), in which case one might translate, “a nose, [but] they have no breath in their mouths.”
[135:18] 597 tn Heb “will be.” Another option is to take the prefixed verbal form as a prayer, “may those who make them end up like them.”
[135:18] sn Because the idols are lifeless, they cannot help their worshipers in times of crisis. Consequently the worshipers end up as dead as the gods in which they trust.
[135:19] 598 tn Heb “house” (here and in the next two lines).
[135:20] 599 tn Heb “fearers.”
[135:21] 600 tn Heb “praised be the
[135:21] 601 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[136:1] 602 sn Psalm 136. In this hymn the psalmist affirms that God is praiseworthy because of his enduring loyal love, sovereign authority, and compassion. Each verse of the psalm concludes with the refrain “for his loyal love endures.”
[136:1] 603 tn Or “is forever.”
[136:13] 605 tn Heb “Reed Sea” (also in v. 15). “Reed Sea” (or “Sea of Reeds”) is a more accurate rendering of the Hebrew expression יָם סוּף (yam suf), traditionally translated “Red Sea.” See the note on the term “Red Sea” in Exod 13:18.
[136:13] 606 tn Heb “into pieces.”
[136:15] 607 tn Or “shook off.”
[136:23] 608 tn Heb “who, in our low condition, remembered us.”
[136:25] 609 tn Heb “to all flesh,” which can refer to all people (see Pss 65:2; 145:21) or more broadly to mankind and animals. Elsewhere the psalms view God as the provider for all living things (see Pss 104:27-28; 145:15).
[145:1] 610 sn Psalm 145. The psalmist praises God because he is a just and merciful king who cares for his people.
[145:1] 611 tn Or, hyperbolically, “forever.”
[145:2] 612 tn Or, hyperbolically, “forever.”
[145:3] 613 tn Heb “and concerning his greatness there is no searching.”
[145:4] 614 tn The prefixed verbal forms in v. 4 are understood as imperfects, indicating how the psalmist expects his audience to respond to his praise. Another option is to take the forms as jussives, indicating the psalmist’s wish, “may one generation praise…and tell about.”
[145:5] 615 tn Heb “the splendor of the glory of your majesty, and the matters of your amazing deeds I will ponder.”
[145:6] 616 tn The prefixed verbal form is understood as an imperfect, indicating how the psalmist expects his audience to respond to his praise. Another option is to take the forms as a jussive, indicating the psalmist’s wish, “may they proclaim.”
[145:7] 617 tn Heb “the fame of the greatness of your goodness.”
[145:7] 618 tn The prefixed verbal forms in v. 7 are understood as imperfects, indicating how the psalmist expects his audience to respond to his praise. Another option is to take the forms as jussives, indicating the psalmist’s wish, “may they talk…and sing.”
[145:8] 619 tn Heb “slow to anger” (see Pss 86:15; 103:8).
[145:8] 620 tn Heb “and great of loyal love” (see Pss 86:15; 103:8).
[145:9] 621 tn Heb “and his compassion is over all his works.”
[145:12] 622 tn Heb “the sons of man.”
[145:13] 623 tn Heb “a kingdom of all ages.”
[145:14] 624 tc Psalm 145 is an acrostic psalm, with each successive verse beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. However, in the traditional Hebrew (Masoretic) text of Psalm 145 there is no verse beginning with the letter nun. One would expect such a verse to appear as the fourteenth verse, between the mem (מ) and samek (ס) verses. Several ancient witnesses, including one medieval Hebrew manuscript, the Qumran scroll from cave 11, the LXX, and the Syriac, supply the missing nun (נ) verse, which reads as follows: “The Lord is reliable in all his words, and faithful in all his deeds.” One might paraphrase this as follows: “The Lord’s words are always reliable; his actions are always faithful.” Scholars are divided as to the originality of this verse. L. C. Allen argues for its inclusion on the basis of structural considerations (Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 294-95), but there is no apparent explanation for why, if original, it would have been accidentally omitted. The psalm may be a partial acrostic, as in Pss 25 and 34 (see M. Dahood, Psalms [AB], 3:335). The glaring omission of the nun line would have invited a later redactor to add such a line.
[145:14] 625 tn Perhaps “discouraged” (see Ps 57:6).
[145:15] 626 tn Heb “the eyes of all wait for you.”
[145:15] 627 tn Heb “and you give to them their food in its season” (see Ps 104:27).
[145:16] 628 tn Heb “[with what they] desire.”
[145:17] 629 tn Heb “in all his ways.”
[145:17] 630 tn Heb “and [is] loving in all his deeds.”
[145:18] 631 tn Heb “in truth.”
[145:19] 632 tn In this context “desire” refers to the followers’ desire to be delivered from wicked enemies.
[145:19] 633 tn Heb “the desire of those who fear him, he does.”
[145:21] 634 tn Heb “the praise of the
[145:21] 635 tn Heb “all flesh.”
[146:1] 636 sn Psalm 146. The psalmist urges his audience not to trust in men, but in the
[146:3] 637 tn Heb “in a son of man, to whom there is no deliverance.”
[146:4] 638 tn Heb “his spirit goes out, it returns to his ground; in that day his plans die.” The singular refers to the representative man mentioned in v. 3b.
[146:6] 639 tn Heb “the one who guards faithfulness forever.”
[146:7] 640 tn Heb “executes justice for the oppressed.”
[146:8] 641 tn Perhaps “discouraged” (see Ps 57:6).
[146:9] 642 sn God is depicted here as a just ruler. In the ancient Near Eastern world a king was responsible for promoting justice, including caring for the weak and vulnerable, epitomized by resident aliens, the fatherless, and widows.
[146:9] 643 tn Heb “he makes the way of the wicked twisted.” The “way of the wicked” probably refers to their course of life (see Prov 4:19; Jer 12:1). God makes their path tortuous in the sense that he makes them pay the harmful consequences of their actions.
[146:10] 644 tn Heb “for a generation and a generation.”
[147:1] 645 sn Psalm 147. The psalmist praises the
[147:2] 647 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[147:3] 648 tn Heb “the one who heals.”
[147:5] 649 tn Heb “and great of strength.”
[147:5] 650 tn Heb “to his wisdom there is no counting.”
[147:6] 651 tn Heb “brings down.”
[147:7] 652 tn Heb “sing to the
[147:8] 653 tn Heb “the one who covers.”
[147:9] 655 tn Heb “which cry out.”
[147:10] 656 tn Heb “he does not desire the strength of the horse, he does not take delight in the legs of the man.” Here “the horse” refers to the war horse used by ancient Near Eastern chariot forces, and “the man” refers to the warrior whose muscular legs epitomize his strength.
[147:11] 657 tn Heb “those who fear him.”
[147:13] 658 tn Heb “your sons.”
[147:14] 659 tn Heb “the one who.”
[147:14] 660 tn Heb “he makes your boundary peace.”
[147:14] 661 tn Heb “satisfies you with.”
[147:15] 662 tn Heb “the one who.”
[147:15] 663 tn Heb “the one who sends his word, the earth.” The Hebrew term אֶרֶץ (’erets, “earth”) is an adverbial accusative; one must supply a preposition before it (such as “through” or “to”) in the English translation.
[147:15] 664 tn Heb “swiftly his word runs.”
[147:16] 665 tn Heb “the one who gives snow like wool, frost like ashes he scatters.”
[147:17] 666 tn Heb “his ice.”
[147:17] 667 tn Heb “Before his cold, who can stand?”
[147:18] 668 tn Heb “he sends his word and melts them.”
[147:18] 669 tn Heb “he blows his breath.”
[148:1] 670 sn Psalm 148. The psalmist calls upon all creation to praise the Lord, for he is the creator and sovereign king of the world.
[148:2] 671 tn Or “heavenly messengers.”
[148:2] 672 tn Heb “all his host.”
[148:3] 673 tn Heb “stars of light.”
[148:4] 674 sn The “water” mentioned here corresponds to the “waters above” mentioned in Gen 1:7. See also Ps 104:3. For a discussion of the picture envisioned by the psalmist, see L. I. J. Stadelmann, The Hebrew Conception of the World, 47.
[148:6] 675 tn Or “forever and ever.”
[148:6] 676 tn Heb “and it will not pass away.”
[148:8] 677 tn In Ps 119:83 the noun refers to “smoke,” but here, where the elements of nature are addressed, the clouds, which resemble smoke, are probably in view.
[148:8] 678 tn Heb “[that] does his word.”
[148:14] 680 tn Heb “and he lifted up a horn for his people.” The horn of an ox underlies the metaphor (see Deut 33:17; 1 Kgs 22:11; Ps 92:10). The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 75:10; 89:17, 24; 92:10; Lam 2:17). Another option is to take the “horn” as a symbol for the Davidic king, through whom the
[148:14] 681 tn “[there is] praise for all his loyal followers, to the sons of Israel, the people near him.” Here “praise” stands by metonymy for the victory that prompts it.
[149:1] 682 sn Psalm 149. The psalmist calls upon God’s people to praise him because he is just and avenges them.
[149:1] 683 tn Heb “his praise in the assembly of the godly ones.”
[149:2] 685 sn The
[149:4] 686 tn Heb “he honors the oppressed [with] deliverance.”
[149:5] 687 tn Heb “in glory.” Here “glory” probably refers to the “honor” that belongs to the
[149:5] 688 tn The significance of the reference to “beds” is unclear. Perhaps the point is that they should rejoice at all times, even when falling asleep or awaking.
[149:6] 689 tn Heb “[May] praises of God [be] in their throat, and a two-edged sword in their hand.”
[149:9] 692 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the enemies of the people of God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[149:9] 693 tn Heb “to do against them judgment [that] is written.”
[149:9] 694 tn Heb “it is honor for all his godly ones.” The judgment of the oppressive kings will bring vindication and honor to God’s people (see vv. 4-5).
[150:1] 695 sn Psalm 150. The Psalter concludes with a resounding call for praise from everything that has breath.
