Mazmur 120:1-4

Psalm 120 ¹ 

A song of ascents. ² 

120:1 In my distress I cried out

to the Lord and he answered me.

120:2 I said, ³  “O Lord, rescue me ⁴ 

from those who lie with their lips ⁵ 

and those who deceive with their tongue. ⁶ 

120:3 How will he severely punish you,

you deceptive talker? ⁷ 

120:4 Here’s how! ⁸  With the sharp arrows of warriors,

with arrowheads forged over the hot coals. ⁹ 

[120:1]  ¹ sn Psalm 120. The genre and structure of this psalm are uncertain. It begins like a thanksgiving psalm, with a brief notice that God has heard the psalmist’s prayer for help and has intervened. But v. 2 is a petition for help, followed by a taunt directed toward enemies (vv. 3-4) and a lament (vv. 5-7). Perhaps vv. 2-7 recall the psalmist’s prayer when he cried out to the Lord.

[120:1]  ² 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.

[120:2]  ³ tn The words “I said” are supplied in the translation for clarification. See the introductory note for this psalm.

[120:2]  ⁴ tn Or “my life.”

[120:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “from a lip of falsehood.”

[120:2]  ⁶ tn Heb “from a tongue of deception.”

[120:3]  ⁷ tn Heb “What will he give to you, and what will he add to you, O tongue of deception?” The psalmist addresses his deceptive enemies. The Lord is the understood subject of the verbs “give” and “add.” The second part of the question echoes a standard curse formula, “thus the Lord/God will do … and thus he will add” (see Ruth 1:17; 1 Sam 3:17; 14:44; 20:13; 25:22; 2 Sam 3:9, 35; 19:13; 1 Kgs 2:23; 2 Kgs 6:31).

[120:4]  ⁸ tn The words “here’s how” are supplied in the translation as a clarification. In v. 4 the psalmist answers the question he raises in v. 3.

[120:4]  ⁹ tn Heb “with coals of the wood of the broom plant.” The wood of the broom plant was used to make charcoal, which in turn was used to fuel the fire used to forge the arrowheads.