Mazmur 23:5

23:5 You prepare a feast before me ¹ 

in plain sight of my enemies.

You refresh ²  my head with oil;

my cup is completely full. ³ 

Mazmur 72:12-14

72:12 For he will rescue the needy ⁴  when they cry out for help,

and the oppressed ⁵  who have no defender.

72:13 He will take pity ⁶  on the poor and needy;

the lives of the needy he will save.

72:14 From harm and violence he will defend them; ⁷ 

he will value their lives. ⁸ 

Mazmur 102:19-20

102:19 For he will look down from his sanctuary above; ⁹ 

from heaven the Lord will look toward earth, ¹⁰ 

102:20 in order to hear the painful cries of the prisoners,

and to set free those condemned to die, ¹¹ 

[23:5]  ¹ sn In v. 5 the metaphor switches. (It would be very odd for a sheep to have its head anointed and be served wine.) The background for the imagery is probably the royal banquet. Ancient Near Eastern texts describe such banquets in similar terms to those employed by the psalmist. (See M. L. Barre and J. S. Kselman, “New Exodus, Covenant, and Restoration in Psalm 23,” The Word of the Lord Shall Go Forth, 97-127.) The reality behind the imagery is the Lord’s favor. Through his blessings and protection he demonstrates to everyone, including dangerous enemies, that the psalmist has a special relationship with him.

[23:5]  ² tn The imperfect verbal form in v. 5a carries on the generalizing mood of vv. 1-4. However, in v. 5b the psalmist switches to a perfect (דִּשַּׁנְתָּ, dishanta), which may have a generalizing force as well. But then again the perfect is conspicuous here and may be present perfect in sense, indicating that the divine host typically pours oil on his head prior to seating him at the banquet table. The verb דָשַׁן (dashan; the Piel is factitive) is often translated “anoint,” but this is misleading, for it might suggest a symbolic act of initiation into royal status. One would expect the verb מָשָׁח (mashan) in this case; דָשַׁן here describes an act of hospitality extended to guests and carries the nuance “refresh.” In Prov 15:30 it stands parallel to “make happy” and refers to the effect that good news has on the inner being of its recipient.

[23:5]  ³ tn The rare noun רְַָויָה (rÿvayah) is derived from the well-attested verb רָוָה (ravah, “be saturated, drink one’s fill”). In this context, where it describes a cup, it must mean “filled up,” but not necessarily to overflowing.

[72:12]  ⁴ tn The singular is representative. The typical needy individual here represents the entire group.

[72:12]  ⁵ tn The singular is representative. The typical oppressed individual here represents the entire group.

[72:13]  ⁶ tn The prefixed verb form is best understood as a defectively written imperfect (see Deut 7:16).

[72:14]  ⁷ tn Or “redeem their lives.” The verb “redeem” casts the Lord in the role of a leader who protects members of his extended family in times of need and crisis (see Pss 19:14; 69:18).

[72:14]  ⁸ tn Heb “their blood will be precious in his eyes.”

[102:19]  ⁹ tn Heb “from the height of his sanctuary.”

[102:19]  ¹⁰ tn The perfect verbal forms in v. 19 are functioning as future perfects, indicating future actions that will precede the future developments described in v. 18.

[102:20]  ¹¹ tn Heb “the sons of death.” The phrase “sons of death” (see also Ps 79:11) is idiomatic for those condemned to die.