Mazmur 39:1
KonteksFor the music director, Jeduthun; a psalm of David.
39:1 I decided, 2 “I will watch what I say
and make sure I do not sin with my tongue. 3
I will put a muzzle over my mouth
while in the presence of an evil man.” 4
Mazmur 53:1
KonteksFor the music director; according to the machalath style; 6 a well-written song 7 by David.
53:1 Fools say to themselves, 8 “There is no God.” 9
They sin and commit evil deeds; 10
none of them does what is right. 11
Mazmur 67:1
KonteksFor the music director; to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a psalm, a song.
67:1 May God show us his favor 13 and bless us! 14
May he smile on us! 15 (Selah)
Mazmur 88:1
KonteksA song, a psalm written by the Korahites; for the music director; according to the machalath-leannoth style; 17 a well-written song 18 by Heman the Ezrachite.
88:1 O Lord God who delivers me! 19
By day I cry out
and at night I pray before you. 20
[39:1] 1 sn Psalm 39. The psalmist laments his frailty and mortality as he begs the Lord to take pity on him and remove his disciplinary hand.
[39:1] 3 tn Heb “I will watch my ways, from sinning with my tongue.”
[39:1] 4 sn The psalmist wanted to voice a lament to the
[53:1] 5 sn Psalm 53. This psalm is very similar to Ps 14. The major difference comes in v. 5, which corresponds to, but differs quite a bit from, Ps 14:5-6, and in the use of the divine name. Ps 14 uses “the
[53:1] 6 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מָחֲלַת (makhalat, “machalath”) is uncertain; perhaps it refers to a particular style of music, a tune title, or a musical instrument. The term also appears in the heading of Ps 88.
[53:1] 7 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. See the note on the phrase “well-written song” in the superscription of Ps 52.
[53:1] 8 tn Heb “a fool says in his heart.” The singular is used here in a collective or representative sense; the typical fool is envisioned.
[53:1] 9 sn There is no God. This statement is probably not a philosophical assertion that God does not exist, but rather a confident affirmation that he is unconcerned about how men live morally and ethically (see Ps 10:4, 11).
[53:1] 10 tn Heb “they act corruptly, they do evil [with] injustice.” Ps 14:1 has עֲלִילָה (’alilah, “a deed”) instead of עָוֶל (’aval, “injustice”). The verbs describe the typical behavior of the wicked. The subject of the plural verbs is “sons of man” (v. 2). The entire human race is characterized by sinful behavior. This practical atheism – living as if there is no God who will hold them accountable for their actions – makes them fools, for one of the earmarks of folly is to fail to anticipate the long range consequences of one’s behavior.
[53:1] 11 tn Heb “there is none that does good.”
[67:1] 12 sn Psalm 67. The psalmist prays for God’s blessing upon his people and urges the nations to praise him for he is the just ruler of the world.
[67:1] 13 tn Or “have mercy on us.”
[67:1] 14 tn The prefixed verbal forms are understood as jussives expressing the psalmist’s prayer. Note the jussive form יָאֵר (ya’er) in the next line.
[67:1] 15 tn Heb “may he cause his face to shine with us.”
[88:1] 16 sn Psalm 88. The psalmist cries out in pain to the Lord, begging him for relief from his intense and constant suffering. The psalmist regards God as the ultimate cause of his distress, but nevertheless clings to God in hope.
[88:1] 17 tn The Hebrew phrase מָחֲלַת לְעַנּוֹת (makhalat lÿ’annot) may mean “illness to afflict.” Perhaps it refers to a particular style of music, a tune title, or a musical instrument. The term מָחֲלַת also appears in the superscription of Ps 53.
[88:1] 18 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 occurs in the superscriptions of Pss 32, 42, 44, 45, 52-55, 74, 78, 88, 89, and 142, as well as in Ps 47:7.
[88:1] 19 tn Heb “O
[88:1] 20 tn Heb “[by] day I cry out, in the night before you.”