Mazmur 3:3

3:3 But you, Lord, are a shield that protects me; ¹ 

you are my glory ²  and the one who restores me. ³ 

Mazmur 5:1

Psalm 5 ⁴ 

For the music director, to be accompanied by wind instruments; ⁵  a psalm of David.

5:1 Listen to what I say, ⁶  Lord!

Carefully consider my complaint! ⁷ 

Mazmur 11:1

Psalm 11 ⁸ 

For the music director; by David.

11:1 In the Lord I have taken shelter. ⁹ 

How can you say to me, ¹⁰ 

“Flee to a mountain like a bird! ¹¹ 

Mazmur 14:1

Psalm 14 ¹² 

For the music director; by David.

14:1 Fools say to themselves, ¹³  “There is no God.” ¹⁴ 

They sin and commit evil deeds; ¹⁵ 

none of them does what is right. ¹⁶ 

Mazmur 18:25

18:25 You prove to be loyal ¹⁷  to one who is faithful; ¹⁸ 

you prove to be trustworthy ¹⁹  to one who is innocent. ²⁰ 

Mazmur 19:1

Psalm 19 ²¹ 

For the music director; a psalm of David.

19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; ²² 

the sky displays his handiwork. ²³ 

Mazmur 20:1

Psalm 20 ²⁴ 

For the music director; a psalm of David.

20:1 May the Lord answer ²⁵  you ²⁶  when you are in trouble; ²⁷ 

may the God of Jacob ²⁸  make you secure!

Mazmur 21:13

21:13 Rise up, O Lord, in strength! ²⁹ 

We will sing and praise ³⁰  your power!

Mazmur 27:3

27:3 Even when an army is deployed against me,

I do not fear. ³¹ 

Even when war is imminent, ³² 

I remain confident. ³³ 

Mazmur 31:3

31:3 For you are my high ridge ³⁴  and my stronghold;

for the sake of your own reputation ³⁵  you lead me and guide me. ³⁶ 

Mazmur 34:2

34:2 I will boast ³⁷  in the Lord;

let the oppressed hear and rejoice! ³⁸ 

Mazmur 36:1

Psalm 36 ³⁹ 

For the music director; written by the Lord’s servant, David; an oracle. ⁴⁰ 

36:1 An evil man is rebellious to the core. ⁴¹ 

He does not fear God, ⁴² 

Mazmur 37:35

37:35 I have seen ruthless evil men ⁴³ 

growing in influence, like a green tree grows in its native soil. ⁴⁴ 

Mazmur 37:37

37:37 Take note of the one who has integrity! Observe the godly! ⁴⁵ 

For the one who promotes peace has a future. ⁴⁶ 

Mazmur 40:1

Psalm 40 ⁴⁷ 

For the music director; By David, a psalm.

40:1 I relied completely ⁴⁸  on the Lord,

and he turned toward me

and heard my cry for help.

Mazmur 41:1

Psalm 41 ⁴⁹ 

For the music director; a psalm of David.

41:1 How blessed ⁵⁰  is the one who treats the poor properly! ⁵¹ 

When trouble comes, ⁵²  the Lord delivers him. ⁵³ 

Mazmur 42:1

Book 2
(Psalms 42-72)

Psalm 42 ⁵⁴ 

For the music director; a well-written song ⁵⁵  by the Korahites.

42:1 As a deer ⁵⁶  longs ⁵⁷  for streams of water,

so I long ⁵⁸  for you, O God!

Mazmur 45:16

45:16 Your ⁵⁹  sons will carry ⁶⁰  on the dynasty of your ancestors; ⁶¹ 

you will make them princes throughout the land.

Mazmur 47:1

Psalm 47 ⁶² 

For the music director; by the Korahites; a psalm.

47:1 All you nations, clap your hands!

Shout out to God in celebration! ⁶³ 

Mazmur 48:14--49:1

48:14 For God, our God, is our defender forever! ⁶⁴ 

He guides ⁶⁵  us! ⁶⁶ 

Psalm 49 ⁶⁷ 

For the music director, a psalm by the Korahites.

49:1 Listen to this, all you nations!

Pay attention, all you inhabitants of the world! ⁶⁸ 

Mazmur 49:8

49:8 (the ransom price for a human life ⁶⁹  is too high,

and people go to their final destiny), ⁷⁰ 

Mazmur 50:3

50:3 Our God approaches and is not silent; ⁷¹ 

consuming fire goes ahead of him

and all around him a storm rages. ⁷² 

Mazmur 62:1

Psalm 62 ⁷³ 

For the music director, Jeduthun; a psalm of David.

62:1 For God alone I patiently wait; ⁷⁴ 

he is the one who delivers me. ⁷⁵ 

Mazmur 62:4

62:4 They ⁷⁶  spend all their time planning how to bring him ⁷⁷  down. ⁷⁸ 

They love to use deceit; ⁷⁹ 

they pronounce blessings with their mouths,

but inwardly they utter curses. ⁸⁰  (Selah)

Mazmur 63:5

63:5 As if with choice meat ⁸¹  you satisfy my soul. ⁸² 

My mouth joyfully praises you, ⁸³ 

Mazmur 64:1

Psalm 64 ⁸⁴ 

For the music director; a psalm of David.

64:1 Listen to me, ⁸⁵  O God, as I offer my lament!

Protect ⁸⁶  my life from the enemy’s terrifying attacks. ⁸⁷ 

Mazmur 64:9

64:9 and all people will fear. ⁸⁸ 

They will proclaim ⁸⁹  what God has done,

and reflect on his deeds.

Mazmur 66:6

66:6 He turned the sea into dry land; ⁹⁰ 

they passed through the river on foot. ⁹¹ 

Let us rejoice in him there! ⁹² 

Mazmur 68:3

68:3 But the godly ⁹³  are happy;

they rejoice before God

and are overcome with joy. ⁹⁴ 

Mazmur 68:15

68:15 The mountain of Bashan ⁹⁵  is a towering mountain; ⁹⁶ 

the mountain of Bashan is a mountain with many peaks. ⁹⁷ 

Mazmur 68:28

68:28 God has decreed that you will be powerful. ⁹⁸ 

O God, you who have acted on our behalf, demonstrate your power,

Mazmur 69:17

69:17 Do not ignore ⁹⁹  your servant,

for I am in trouble! Answer me right away! ¹⁰⁰ 

Mazmur 69:31-32

69:31 That will please the Lord more than an ox or a bull

with horns and hooves.

69:32 The oppressed look on – let them rejoice!

You who seek God, ¹⁰¹  may you be encouraged! ¹⁰² 

Mazmur 70:1

Psalm 70 ¹⁰³ 

For the music director; by David; written to get God’s attention. ¹⁰⁴ 

70:1 O God, please be willing to rescue me! ¹⁰⁵ 

O Lord, hurry and help me! ¹⁰⁶ 

Mazmur 71:16

71:16 I will come and tell about ¹⁰⁷  the mighty acts of the sovereign Lord.

I will proclaim your justice – yours alone.

Mazmur 71:20

71:20 Though you have allowed me to experience much trouble and distress, ¹⁰⁸ 

revive me once again! ¹⁰⁹ 

Bring me up once again ¹¹⁰  from the depths of the earth!

Mazmur 72:8

72:8 May he rule ¹¹¹  from sea to sea, ¹¹² 

and from the Euphrates River ¹¹³  to the ends of the earth!

Mazmur 77:16

77:16 The waters ¹¹⁴  saw you, O God,

the waters saw you and trembled. ¹¹⁵ 

Yes, the depths of the sea ¹¹⁶  shook with fear. ¹¹⁷ 

Mazmur 80:2

80:2 In the sight of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh reveal ¹¹⁸  your power!

Come and deliver us! ¹¹⁹ 

Mazmur 80:15

80:15 the root ¹²⁰  your right hand planted,

the shoot you made to grow! ¹²¹ 

Mazmur 81:1

Psalm 81 ¹²² 

For the music director; according to the gittith style; ¹²³  by Asaph.

81:1 Shout for joy to God, our source of strength!

Shout out to the God of Jacob!

Mazmur 83:15

83:15 chase them with your gale winds,

and terrify ¹²⁴  them with your windstorm.

Mazmur 84:1

Psalm 84 ¹²⁵ 

For the music director; according to the gittith style; ¹²⁶  written by the Korahites, a psalm.

84:1 How lovely is the place where you live, ¹²⁷ 

O Lord who rules over all! ¹²⁸ 

Mazmur 86:1

Psalm 86 ¹²⁹ 

A prayer of David.

86:1 Listen ¹³⁰  O Lord! Answer me!

For I am oppressed and needy.

Mazmur 86:5

86:5 Certainly ¹³¹  O Lord, you are kind ¹³²  and forgiving,

and show great faithfulness to all who cry out to you.

Mazmur 86:9

86:9 All the nations, whom you created,

will come and worship you, ¹³³  O Lord.

They will honor your name.

Mazmur 86:12

86:12 O Lord, my God, I will give you thanks with my whole heart!

I will honor your name continually! ¹³⁴ 

Mazmur 87:5

87:5 But it is said of Zion’s residents, ¹³⁵ 

“Each one of these ¹³⁶  was born in her,

and the sovereign One ¹³⁷  makes her secure.” ¹³⁸ 

Mazmur 88:8

88:8 You cause those who know me to keep their distance;

you make me an appalling sight to them.

I am trapped and cannot get free. ¹³⁹ 

Mazmur 89:13

89:13 Your arm is powerful,

your hand strong,

your right hand ¹⁴⁰  victorious. ¹⁴¹ 

Mazmur 89:24

89:24 He will experience my faithfulness and loyal love, ¹⁴² 

and by my name he will win victories. ¹⁴³ 

Mazmur 91:14

91:14 The Lord says, ¹⁴⁴ 

“Because he is devoted to me, I will deliver him;

I will protect him ¹⁴⁵  because he is loyal to me. ¹⁴⁶ 

Mazmur 96:12

96:12 Let the fields and everything in them celebrate!

Then let the trees of the forest shout with joy

Mazmur 99:4

99:4 The king is strong;

he loves justice. ¹⁴⁷ 

You ensure that legal decisions will be made fairly; ¹⁴⁸ 

you promote justice and equity in Jacob.

Mazmur 104:24

104:24 How many living things you have made, O Lord! ¹⁴⁹ 

You have exhibited great skill in making all of them; ¹⁵⁰ 

the earth is full of the living things you have made.

Mazmur 104:35

104:35 May sinners disappear ¹⁵¹  from the earth,

and the wicked vanish!

Praise the Lord, O my soul!

Praise the Lord!

Mazmur 106:48

106:48 The Lord God of Israel deserves praise, ¹⁵² 

in the future and forevermore. ¹⁵³ 

Let all the people say, “We agree! ¹⁵⁴  Praise the Lord!” ¹⁵⁵ 

Mazmur 107:38

107:38 He blessed ¹⁵⁶  them so that they became very numerous.

He would not allow their cattle to decrease in number. ¹⁵⁷ 

Mazmur 108:6

108:6 Deliver by your power ¹⁵⁸  and answer me,

so that the ones you love may be safe. ¹⁵⁹ 

Mazmur 108:13

108:13 By God’s power we will conquer; ¹⁶⁰ 

he will trample down ¹⁶¹  our enemies.

Mazmur 109:21

109:21 O sovereign Lord,

intervene on my behalf for the sake of your reputation! ¹⁶² 

Because your loyal love is good, deliver me!

Mazmur 110:6

110:6 He executes judgment ¹⁶³  against ¹⁶⁴  the nations;

he fills the valleys with corpses; ¹⁶⁵ 

he shatters their heads over the vast battlefield. ¹⁶⁶ 

Mazmur 111:6

111:6 He announced that he would do mighty deeds for his people,

giving them a land that belonged to other nations. ¹⁶⁷ 

Mazmur 112:1

Psalm 112 ¹⁶⁸ 

112:1 Praise the Lord!

How blessed is the one ¹⁶⁹  who obeys ¹⁷⁰  the Lord,

who takes great delight in keeping his commands. ¹⁷¹ 

Mazmur 119:149

119:149 Listen to me ¹⁷²  because of ¹⁷³  your loyal love!

O Lord, revive me, as you typically do! ¹⁷⁴ 

Mazmur 136:11

136:11 and led Israel out from their midst,

for his loyal love endures,

Mazmur 137:5-6

137:5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,

may my right hand be crippled! ¹⁷⁵ 

137:6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth,

if I do not remember you,

and do not give Jerusalem priority

over whatever gives me the most joy. ¹⁷⁶ 

Mazmur 138:6

138:6 Though the Lord is exalted, he takes note of the lowly,

and recognizes the proud from far away.

Mazmur 140:1

Psalm 140 ¹⁷⁷ 

For the music director; a psalm of David.

140:1 O Lord, rescue me from wicked men! ¹⁷⁸ 

Protect me from violent men, ¹⁷⁹ 

Mazmur 147:1

Psalm 147 ¹⁸⁰ 

147:1 Praise the Lord,

for it is good to sing praises to our God!

Yes, ¹⁸¹  praise is pleasant and appropriate!

Mazmur 147:20

147:20 He has not done so with any other nation;

they are not aware of his regulations.

Praise the Lord!

Mazmur 149:9

149:9 and execute the judgment to which their enemies ¹⁸²  have been sentenced. ¹⁸³ 

All his loyal followers will be vindicated. ¹⁸⁴ 

Praise the Lord!

[3:3]  ¹ tn Heb “a shield round about me.”

[3:3]  ² tn Heb “my glory,” or “my honor.” The psalmist affirms that the Lord is his source of honor, i.e., the one who gives him honor in the sight of others. According to BDB 459 s.v. II כָּבוֹד 7, the phrase refers to God as the one to whom the psalmist gives honor. But the immediate context focuses on what God does for the psalmist, not vice-versa.

[3:3]  ³ tn Heb “[the one who] lifts my head.” This phrase could be understood to refer to a general strengthening of the psalmist by God during difficult circumstances. However, if one takes the suggestion of the superscription that this is a Davidic psalm written during the revolt of Absalom, the phrase “lift the head” could refer to the psalmist’s desire for restoration to his former position (cf. Gen 40:13 where the same phrase is used). Like the Hebrew text, the present translation (“who restores me”) can be understood in either sense.

[5:1]  ⁴ sn Psalm 5. Appealing to God’s justice and commitment to the godly, the psalmist asks the Lord to intervene and deliver him from evildoers.

[5:1]  ⁵ tn The meaning of the Hebrew word נְחִילוֹת (nÿkhilot), which occurs only here, is uncertain. Many relate the form to חָלִיל (khalil, “flute”).

[5:1]  ⁶ tn Heb “my words.”

[5:1]  ⁷ tn Or “sighing.” The word occurs only here and in Ps 39:3.

[11:1]  ⁸ sn Psalm 11. The psalmist rejects the advice to flee from his dangerous enemies. Instead he affirms his confidence in God’s just character and calls down judgment on evildoers.

[11:1]  ⁹ tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form probably refers here to a completed action with continuing results.

[11:1]  ¹⁰ tn The pronominal suffix attached to נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) is equivalent to a personal pronoun. See Ps 6:3.

[11:1]  ¹¹ tc The MT is corrupt here. The Kethib (consonantal text) reads: “flee [masculine plural!] to your [masculine plural!] mountain, bird.” The Qere (marginal reading) has “flee” in a feminine singular form, agreeing grammatically with the addressee, the feminine noun “bird.” Rather than being a second masculine plural pronominal suffix, the ending כֶם- (-khem) attached to “mountain” is better interpreted as a second feminine singular pronominal suffix followed by an enclitic mem (ם). “Bird” may be taken as vocative (“O bird”) or as an adverbial accusative of manner (“like a bird”). Either way, the psalmist’s advisers compare him to a helpless bird whose only option in the face of danger is to fly away to an inaccessible place.

[14:1]  ¹² sn Psalm 14. The psalmist observes that the human race is morally corrupt. Evildoers oppress God’s people, but the psalmist is confident of God’s protection and anticipates a day when God will vindicate Israel.

[14:1]  ¹³ tn Heb “a fool says in his heart.” The singular is used here in a collective or representative sense; the typical fool is envisioned.

[14:1]  ¹⁴ sn “There is no God.” The statement is probably not a philosophical assertion that God does not exist, but rather a confident affirmation that God is unconcerned about how men live morally and ethically (see Ps 10:4, 11).

[14:1]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “they act corruptly, they make a deed evil.” 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.

[14:1]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “there is none that does good.”

[18:25]  ¹⁷ tn The imperfect verbal forms in vv. 25-29 draw attention to God’s characteristic actions. Based on his experience, the psalmist generalizes about God’s just dealings with people (vv. 25-27) and about the way in which God typically empowers him on the battlefield (vv. 28-29). The Hitpael stem is used in vv. 26-27 in a reflexive resultative (or causative) sense. God makes himself loyal, etc. in the sense that he conducts or reveals himself as such. On this use of the Hitpael stem, see GKC 149-50 §54.e.

[18:25]  ¹⁸ tn Or “to a faithful follower.” A “faithful follower” (חָסִיד, khasid) is one who does what is right in God’s eyes and remains faithful to God (see Pss 4:3; 12:1; 16:10; 31:23; 37:28; 86:2; 97:10).

[18:25]  ¹⁹ tn Or “innocent.”

[18:25]  ²⁰ tn Heb “a man of innocence.”

[19:1]  ²¹ 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]  ²² sn God’s glory refers here to his royal majesty and power.

[19:1]  ²³ tn Heb “and the work of his hands the sky declares.” The participles emphasize the ongoing testimony of the heavens/sky.

[20:1]  ²⁴ sn Psalm 20. The people pray for the king’s success in battle. When the king declares his assurance that the Lord will answer the people’s prayer, they affirm their confidence in God’s enablement.

[20:1]  ²⁵ tn The prefixed verbal forms here and in vv. 1b-5 are interpreted as jussives of prayer (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV). Another option is to understand them as imperfects, “the Lord will answer,” etc. In this case the people declare their confidence that the Lord will intervene on behalf of the king and extend to him his favor.

[20:1]  ²⁶ sn May the Lord answer you. The people address the king as they pray to the Lord.

[20:1]  ²⁷ tn Heb “in a day of trouble.”

[20:1]  ²⁸ tn Heb “the name of the God of Jacob.” God’s “name” refers metonymically to his very person and to the divine characteristics suggested by his name, in this case “God of Jacob,” which highlights his relationship to Israel.

[21:13]  ²⁹ tn Heb “in your strength,” but English idiom does not require the pronoun.

[21:13]  sn The psalm concludes with a petition to the Lord, asking him to continue to intervene in strength for the king and nation.

[21:13]  ³⁰ tn Heb “sing praise.”

[27:3]  ³¹ tn Heb “my heart does not fear.”

[27:3]  ³² tn Heb “if war rises up against me.”

[27:3]  ³³ tn Heb “in this [i.e., “during this situation”] I am trusting.”

[31:3]  ³⁴ sn The metaphor of the high ridge pictures God as a rocky, relatively inaccessible summit, where one would be able to find protection from enemies. See 1 Sam 23:25, 28.

[31:3]  ³⁵ tn Heb “name.” The Hebrew term שֵׁם (shem, “name”) refers here to the Lord’s reputation. (The English term “name” is often used the same way.)

[31:3]  ³⁶ tn The present translation assumes that the imperfect verbal forms are generalizing, “you lead me and guide me.” Other options are to take them as an expression of confidence about the future, “you will lead me and guide me” (cf. NASB), or as expressing a prayer, “lead me and guide me” (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV).

[34:2]  ³⁷ tn Heb “my soul will boast”; or better, “let my soul boast.” Following the cohortative form in v. 1, it is likely that the prefixed verbal form here is jussive.

[34:2]  ³⁸ tn The two prefixed verbal forms in this verse are best taken as jussives, for the psalmist is calling his audience to worship (see v. 3).

[36:1]  ³⁹ sn Psalm 36. Though evil men plan to harm others, the psalmist is confident that the Lord is the just ruler of the earth who gives and sustains all life. He prays for divine blessing and protection and anticipates God’s judgment of the wicked.

[36:1]  ⁴⁰ tn In the Hebrew text the word נאם (“oracle”) appears at the beginning of the next verse (v. 2 in the Hebrew text because the superscription is considered v. 1). The resulting reading, “an oracle of rebellion for the wicked [is] in the midst of my heart” (cf. NIV) apparently means that the psalm, which foresees the downfall of the wicked, is a prophetic oracle about the rebellion of the wicked which emerges from the soul of the psalmist. One could translate, “Here is a poem written as I reflected on the rebellious character of evil men.” Another option, followed in the translation above, is to attach נאם (nÿ’um, “oracle”) with the superscription. For another example of a Davidic poem being labeled an “oracle,” see 2 Sam 23:1.

[36:1]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “[the] rebellion of an evil man [is] in the midst of my heart.” The translation assumes a reading “in the midst of his heart” (i.e., “to the core”) instead of “in the midst of my heart,” a change which finds support in a a few medieval Hebrew mss, the Hebrew text of Origen’s Hexapla, and the Syriac.

[36:1]  ⁴² tn Heb “there is no dread of God before his eyes.” The phrase “dread of God” refers here to a healthy respect for God which recognizes that he will punish evil behavior.

[37:35]  ⁴³ tn The Hebrew uses the representative singular again here.

[37:35]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “being exposed [?] like a native, luxuriant.” The Hebrew form מִתְעָרֶה (mit’areh) appears to be a Hitpael participle from עָרָה (’arah, “be exposed”), but this makes no sense in this context. Perhaps the form is a dialectal variant of מִתְעָלָה (“giving oneself an air of importance”; see Jer 51:3), from עָלָה (’alah, “go up”; see P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 [WBC], 296). The noun אֶזְרָח (’ezrakh, “native, full citizen”) refers elsewhere to people, but here, where it is collocated with “luxuriant, green,” it probably refers to a tree growing in native soil.

[37:37]  ⁴⁵ tn Or “upright.”

[37:37]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “for [there is] an end for a man of peace.” Some interpret אַחֲרִית (’akharit, “end”) as referring to offspring (see the next verse and Ps 109:13; cf. NEB, NRSV).

[40:1]  ⁴⁷ sn Psalm 40. The psalmist combines a song of thanksgiving for a recent act of divine deliverance (vv. 1-11) with a confident petition for renewed divine intervention (vv. 12-17).

[40:1]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “relying, I relied.” The infinitive absolute precedes the finite verbal form to emphasize the verbal idea. The emphasis is reflected in the translation through the adverb “completely.” Another option is to translate, “I waited patiently” (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV).

[41:1]  ⁴⁹ sn Psalm 41. The psalmist is confident (vv. 11-12) that the Lord has heard his request to be healed (vv. 4-10), and he anticipates the joy he will experience when the Lord intervenes (vv. 1-3). One must assume that the psalmist is responding to a divine oracle of assurance (see P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 [WBC], 319-20). The final verse is a fitting conclusion to this psalm, but it is also serves as a fitting conclusion to the first “book” (or major editorial division) of the Psalter. Similar statements appear at or near the end of each of the second, third, and fourth “books” of the Psalter (see Pss 72:19, 89:52, and 106:48 respectively).

[41:1]  ⁵⁰ 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, 3; 2:12; 34:9; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).

[41:1]  ⁵¹ sn One who treats the poor properly. The psalmist is characterizing himself as such an individual and supplying a reason why God has responded favorably to his prayer. The Lord’s attitude toward the merciful mirrors their treatment of the poor.

[41:1]  ⁵² tn Heb “in the day of trouble” (see Ps 27:5).

[41:1]  ⁵³ tn That is, the one who has been kind to the poor. The prefixed verbal form could be taken as jussive of prayer (“may the Lord deliver,” see v. 2), but the preceding parallel line is a declaration of fact, not a prayer per se. The imperfect can be taken here as future (“will deliver,” cf. NEB, NASB) or as generalizing (“delivers,” cf. NIV, NRSV). The parallel line, which has a generalizing tone, favors the latter. At the same time, though the psalmist uses a generalizing style here, he clearly has himself primarily in view.

[42:1]  ⁵⁴ sn Psalm 42. The psalmist recalls how he once worshiped in the Lord’s temple, but laments that he is now oppressed by enemies in a foreign land. Some medieval Hebrew mss combine Psalms 42 and 43 into a single psalm.

[42:1]  ⁵⁵ 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.

[42:1]  ⁵⁶ tn Since the accompanying verb is feminine in form, the noun אָיִּל (’ayyil, “male deer”) should be emended to אַיֶּלֶת (’ayyelet, “female deer”). Haplography of the letter tav has occurred; note that the following verb begins with tav.

[42:1]  ⁵⁷ tn Or “pants [with thirst].”

[42:1]  ⁵⁸ tn Or “my soul pants [with thirst].” The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) with a pronominal suffix is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 4.a).

[45:16]  ⁵⁹ tn The pronoun is second masculine singular, indicating the king is being addressed from this point to the end of the psalm.

[45:16]  ⁶⁰ tn The prefixed verbal form could be taken as jussive and the statement interpreted as a prayer, “May your sons carry on the dynasty of your ancestors!” The next line could then be taken as a relative clause, “[your sons] whom you will make princes throughout the land.”

[45:16]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “in place of your fathers will be your sons.”

[47:1]  ⁶² 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]  ⁶³ tn Heb “Shout to God with [the] sound of a ringing cry!”

[48:14]  ⁶⁴ 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]  ⁶⁵ tn The imperfect highlights the characteristic nature of the generalizing statement.

[48:14]  ⁶⁶ 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.

[49:1]  ⁶⁷ sn Psalm 49. In this so-called wisdom psalm (see v. 3) the psalmist states that he will not fear the rich enemies who threaten him, for despite their wealth, they are mere men who will die like everyone else. The psalmist is confident the Lord will vindicate the godly and protect them from the attacks of their oppressors.

[49:1]  ⁶⁸ tn The rare noun חָלֶד (kheled, “world”) occurs in Ps 17:14 and perhaps also in Isa 38:11 (see the note on “world” there).

[49:8]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “their life.” Some emend the text to “his life,” understanding the antecedent of the pronoun as “brother” in v. 7. However, the man and brother of v. 7 are representative of the human race in general, perhaps explaining why a plural pronoun appears in v. 8. Of course, the plural pronoun could refer back to “the rich” mentioned in v. 6. Another option (the one assumed in the translation) is that the suffixed mem is enclitic. In this case the “ransom price for human life” is referred to an abstract, general way.

[49:8]  ⁷⁰ tn Heb “and one ceases forever.” The translation assumes an indefinite subject which in turn is representative of the entire human race (“one,” that refers to human beings without exception). The verb חָדַל (khadal, “cease”) is understood in the sense of “come to an end; fail” (i.e., die). Another option is to translate, “and one ceases/refrains forever.” In this case the idea is that the living, convinced of the reality of human mortality, give up all hope of “buying off” God and refrain from trying to do so.

[50:3]  ⁷¹ tn According to GKC 322 §109.e, the jussive (note the negative particle אַל, ’al) is used rhetorically here “to express the conviction that something cannot or should not happen.”

[50:3]  ⁷² tn Heb “fire before him devours, and around him it is very stormy.”

[62:1]  ⁷³ sn Psalm 62. The psalmist expresses his unwavering confidence in God’s justice and in his ability to protect his people.

[62:1]  ⁷⁴ tn Heb “only for God [is] there silence [to] my soul.”

[62:1]  ⁷⁵ tn Heb “from him [is] my deliverance.”

[62:4]  ⁷⁶ tn That is, the psalmist’s enemies addressed in the previous verse.

[62:4]  ⁷⁷ tn That is, the generic “man” referred to in the previous verse.

[62:4]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “only from his lofty place [or perhaps, “dignity”] they plan to drive [him] away.”

[62:4]  ⁷⁹ tn Heb “they delight [in] a lie.”

[62:4]  ⁸⁰ sn The enemies use deceit to bring down their victim. They make him think they are his friends by pronouncing blessings upon him, but inwardly they desire his demise.

[63:5]  ⁸¹ tn Heb “like fat and fatness.”

[63:5]  ⁸² tn Or “me.”

[63:5]  ⁸³ tn Heb “and [with] lips of joy my mouth praises.”

[64:1]  ⁸⁴ sn Psalm 64. The psalmist asks God to protect him from his dangerous enemies and then confidently affirms that God will destroy his enemies and demonstrate his justice in the sight of all observers.

[64:1]  ⁸⁵ tn Heb “my voice.”

[64:1]  ⁸⁶ tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s request.

[64:1]  ⁸⁷ tn Heb “from the terror of [the] enemy.” “Terror” is used here metonymically for the enemy’s attacks that produce fear because they threaten the psalmist’s life.

[64:9]  ⁸⁸ tc Many medieval Hebrew mss read וַיִּרְאוּ (vayyir’u, “and they will see”) instead of וַיִּירְאוּ (vayyirÿ’u, “and they will proclaim”).

[64:9]  ⁸⁹ tn Heb “the work of God,” referring to the judgment described in v. 7.

[66:6]  ⁹⁰ sn He turned the sea into dry land. The psalmist alludes to Israel’s crossing the Red Sea (Exod 14:21).

[66:6]  ⁹¹ tn Because of the reference to “the river,” some understand this as an allusion to Israel’s crossing the Jordan River. However, the Hebrew term נָהָר (nahad) does not always refer to a “river” in the technical sense; it can be used of sea currents (see Jonah 2:4). So this line may also refer to the Red Sea crossing (cf. NEB).

[66:6]  ⁹² tn 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.).

[68:3]  ⁹³ tn By placing the subject first the psalmist highlights the contrast between God’s ecstatic people and his defeated enemies (vv. 1-2).

[68:3]  ⁹⁴ tn Heb “and they are happy with joy” (cf. NEB). Some translate the prefixed verbal forms of v. 3 as jussives, “Let the godly be happy, let them rejoice before God, and let them be happy with joy!” (Cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV; note the call to praise in v. 4.)

[68:15]  ⁹⁵ sn The mountain of Bashan probably refers to Mount Hermon.

[68:15]  ⁹⁶ tn Heb “a mountain of God.” The divine name is probably used here in a superlative sense to depict a very high mountain (“a mountain fit for God,” as it were). Cf. NIV “are majestic mountains”; NRSV “O mighty mountain.”

[68:15]  ⁹⁷ tn The meaning of the Hebrew term, which appears only here in the OT, is uncertain. HALOT 174 s.v. גַּבְנוֹן suggests “many-peaked,” while BDB 148 s.v. גַּבְנִן suggests “rounded summit.”

[68:28]  ⁹⁸ tn Heb “God has commanded your strength.” The statement is apparently addressed to Israel (see v. 26).

[69:17]  ⁹⁹ tn Heb “do not hide your face from.” The Hebrew idiom “hide the face” can (1) mean “ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or (2) carry the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 30:7; 88:14).

[69:17]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Or “quickly.”

[69:32]  ¹⁰¹ sn You who seek God refers to those who seek to have a relationship with God by obeying and worshiping him (see Ps 53:2).

[69:32]  ¹⁰² tn Heb “may your heart[s] live.” See Ps 22:26.

[70:1]  ¹⁰³ sn Psalm 70. This psalm is almost identical to Ps 40:13-17. The psalmist asks for God’s help and for divine retribution against his enemies.

[70:1]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Heb “to cause to remember.” The same form, a Hiphil infinitive of זָכַר (zakhar, “remember”), also appears in the superscription of Ps 38. Some understand this in the sense of “for the memorial offering,” but it may carry the idea of bringing one’s plight to God’s attention (see P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 [WBC], 303).

[70:1]  ¹⁰⁵ tn Heb “O God, to rescue me.” A main verb is obviously missing. The verb רָצָה (ratsah, “be willing”) should be supplied (see Ps 40:13). Ps 40:13 uses the divine name “Lord” rather than “God.”

[70:1]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Heb “hurry to my help.” See Pss 22:19; 38:22.

[71:16]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Heb “I will come with.”

[71:20]  ¹⁰⁸ tn Heb “you who have caused me to see many harmful distresses.”

[71:20]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Heb “you return, you give me life.” The Hebrew term שׁוּב (shuv, “return”) is used here in an adverbial sense, indicating repetition of the action described by the following verb. The imperfects are understood here as expressing the psalmist’s prayer or wish. (Note the use of a distinctly jussive form at the beginning of v. 21.) Another option is to understand this as a statement of confidence, “you will revive me once again” (cf. NIV, NRSV).

[71:20]  ¹¹⁰ tn Heb “you return, you bring me up.” The Hebrew term שׁוּב (shuv, “return”) is used here in an adverbial sense, indicating repetition of the action described by the following verb. The imperfects are understood here as expressing the psalmist’s prayer or wish. (Note the use of a distinctly jussive form at the beginning of v. 21.) Another option is to understand this as a statement of confidence, “you will bring me up once again” (cf. NIV, NRSV).

[72:8]  ¹¹¹ tn The prefixed verbal form is a (shortened) jussive form, indicating this is a prayer of blessing.

[72:8]  ¹¹² sn From sea to sea. This may mean from the Mediterranean Sea in the west to the Dead Sea in the east. See Amos 8:12. The language of this and the following line also appears in Zech 9:10.

[72:8]  ¹¹³ tn Heb “the river,” a reference to the Euphrates.

[77:16]  ¹¹⁴ tn The waters of the Red Sea are here personified; they are portrayed as seeing God and fearing him.

[77:16]  ¹¹⁵ tn The prefixed verbal form may be taken as a preterite or as an imperfect with past progressive force.

[77:16]  ¹¹⁶ tn The words “of the sea” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[77:16]  ¹¹⁷ tn The prefixed verbal form may be taken as a preterite or as an imperfect with past progressive force.

[80:2]  ¹¹⁸ tn Heb “stir up”; “arouse.”

[80:2]  ¹¹⁹ tn Heb “come for our deliverance.”

[80:15]  ¹²⁰ tn The Hebrew noun occurs only here in the OT. HALOT 483 s.v. III כֵּן emends the form to כַּנָּהּ (kannah, “its shoot”).

[80:15]  ¹²¹ tn Heb “and upon a son you strengthened for yourself.” In this context, where the extended metaphor of the vine dominates, בֵּן (ben, “son”) probably refers to the shoots that grow from the vine. Cf. Gen 49:22.

[81:1]  ¹²² sn Psalm 81. The psalmist calls God’s people to assemble for a festival and then proclaims God’s message to them. The divine speech (vv. 6-16) recalls how God delivered the people from Egypt, reminds Israel of their rebellious past, expresses God’s desire for his people to obey him, and promises divine protection in exchange for obedience.

[81:1]  ¹²³ tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew term הַגִּתִּית (haggittit) is uncertain; it probably refers to a musical style or instrument. See the superscription to Ps 8.

[83:15]  ¹²⁴ tn The two imperfect verbal forms in v. 15 express the psalmist’s wish or prayer.

[84:1]  ¹²⁵ 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]  ¹²⁶ tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew term הַגִּתִּית (haggittit) is uncertain; it probably refers to a musical style or instrument.

[84:1]  ¹²⁷ tn Or “your dwelling place[s].” The plural form of the noun may indicate degree or quality; this is the Lord’s special dwelling place (see Pss 43:3; 46:4; 132:5, 7).

[84:1]  ¹²⁸ tn Traditionally, “Lord of hosts.” The title draws attention to God’s sovereign position (see Ps 69:6).

[86:1]  ¹²⁹ sn Psalm 86. The psalmist appeals to God’s mercy as he asks for deliverance from his enemies.

[86:1]  ¹³⁰ tn Heb “turn your ear.”

[86:5]  ¹³¹ tn Or “for.”

[86:5]  ¹³² tn Heb “good.”

[86:9]  ¹³³ tn Or “bow down before you.”

[86:12]  ¹³⁴ tn Or “forever.”

[87:5]  ¹³⁵ 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]  ¹³⁶ 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]  ¹³⁷ tn Traditionally “Most High.”

[87:5]  ¹³⁸ tn Heb “and he makes her secure, the Most High.”

[88:8]  ¹³⁹ tn Heb “[I am] confined and I cannot go out.”

[89:13]  ¹⁴⁰ sn The Lord’s arm, hand, and right hand all symbolize his activities, especially his exploits in war.

[89:13]  ¹⁴¹ tn Heb “is lifted up.” The idiom “the right hand is lifted up” refers to victorious military deeds (see Pss 89:42; 118:16).

[89:24]  ¹⁴² tn Heb “and my faithfulness and my loyal love [will be] with him.”

[89:24]  ¹⁴³ tn Heb “and by my name his horn will be lifted up.” 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; 92:10; Lam 2:17).

[91:14]  ¹⁴⁴ tn The words “the Lord says” are supplied in the translation to clarify that the words which follow are the Lord’s oracle of assurance.

[91:14]  ¹⁴⁵ tn Or “make him secure” (Heb “set him on high”).

[91:14]  ¹⁴⁶ tn Heb “because he knows my name” (see Ps 9:10).

[99:4]  ¹⁴⁷ 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 Lord (see v. 1, and Ps 98:6). The noun עֹז (’oz, “strength”) should probably be revocalized as the adjective עַז (’az, “strong”).

[99:4]  ¹⁴⁸ tn Heb “you establish fairness.”

[104:24]  ¹⁴⁹ tn Heb “How many [are] your works, O Lord.” In this case the Lord’s “works” are the creatures he has made, as the preceding and following contexts make clear.

[104:24]  ¹⁵⁰ tn Heb “all of them with wisdom you have made.”

[104:35]  ¹⁵¹ tn Or “be destroyed.”

[106:48]  ¹⁵² tn Heb “[be] blessed.” See Pss 18:46; 28:6; 31:21.

[106:48]  ¹⁵³ tn Heb “from everlasting to everlasting.”

[106:48]  ¹⁵⁴ tn Heb “surely” (אָמֵן, ’amen), traditionally transliterated “amen.”

[106:48]  ¹⁵⁵ 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).

[107:38]  ¹⁵⁶ tn “Bless” here carries the nuance “endue with sexual potency, make fertile.” See Gen 1:28, where the statement “he blessed them” directly precedes the command “be fruitful and populate the earth” (see also 1:22). The verb “bless” carries this same nuance in Gen 17:16 (where God’s blessing of Sarai imparts to her the capacity to bear a child); 48:16 (where God’s blessing of Joseph’s sons is closely associated with their having numerous descendants); and Deut 7:13 (where God’s blessing is associated with fertility in general, including numerous descendants). See also Gen 49:25 (where Jacob uses the noun derivative in referring to “blessings of the breast and womb,” an obvious reference to fertility) and Gen 27:27 (where the verb is used of a field to which God has given the capacity to produce vegetation).

[107:38]  ¹⁵⁷ tn The verbal form in this line appears to be an imperfect, which may be taken as customary (drawing attention to typical action in a past time frame) or as generalizing (in which case one should use the English present tense, understanding a move from narrative to present reality).

[108:6]  ¹⁵⁸ tn Heb “right hand.”

[108:6]  ¹⁵⁹ tn Or “may be rescued.” The lines are actually reversed in the Hebrew text: “So that the ones you love may be rescued, deliver by your power and answer me.”

[108:13]  ¹⁶⁰ tn Heb “in God we will accomplish strength.” The statement refers here to military success (see Num 24:18; 1 Sam 14:48; Pss 60:12; 118:16-16).

[108:13]  ¹⁶¹ sn On the expression trample down our enemies see Ps 44:5.

[109:21]  ¹⁶² tn Heb “but you, Lord, Master, do with me for the sake of your name.” Here “name” stands metonymically for God’s reputation.

[110:6]  ¹⁶³ tn The imperfect verbal forms in vv. 6-7 are understood here as descriptive-dramatic or as generalizing, though they could be taken as future.

[110:6]  ¹⁶⁴ tn Or “among.”

[110:6]  ¹⁶⁵ tn Heb “he fills [with] corpses,” but one expects a double accusative here. The translation assumes an emendation to גְוִיּוֹת גֵאָיוֹת(בִּ) מִלֵּא or מִלֵּא גֵאָיוֹת גְּוִיוֹת (for a similar construction see Ezek 32:5). In the former case גֵאָיוֹת(ge’ayot) has accidentally dropped from the text due to homoioteleuton; in the latter case it has dropped out due to homoioarcton.

[110:6]  ¹⁶⁶ tn Heb “he strikes [the verb is מָחַץ (makhats), translated “strikes down” in v. 5] head[s] over a great land.” The Hebrew term רַבָּה (rabbah, “great”) is here used of distance or spatial measurement (see 1 Sam 26:13).

[111:6]  ¹⁶⁷ tn Heb “the strength of his deeds he proclaimed to his people, to give to them an inheritance of nations.”

[112:1]  ¹⁶⁸ sn Psalm 112. This wisdom psalm lists some of the benefits of living a godly life. The psalm is an acrostic. After the introductory call to praise, every poetic line (twenty-two in all) begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

[112:1]  ¹⁶⁹ tn Heb “[Oh] the happiness [of] the man.” Hebrew wisdom literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The individual is representative of a larger group, called the “godly” in vv. 3-4. The principle of the psalm is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender. To facilitate modern application, we translate the gender specific “man” with the more neutral “one.” The generic masculine pronoun is used in the following verses.

[112:1]  ¹⁷⁰ tn Heb “fears.”

[112:1]  ¹⁷¹ tn Heb “in his commands he delights very much.” The words “in keeping” are supplied in the translation for clarification. Taking delight in the law is metonymic here for obeying God’s moral will. See Ps 1:2.

[119:149]  ¹⁷² tn Heb “my voice.”

[119:149]  ¹⁷³ tn Heb “according to.”

[119:149]  ¹⁷⁴ tn Heb “according to your custom.”

[137:5]  ¹⁷⁵ tn Heb “may my right hand forget.” In this case one must supply an object, such as “how to move.” The elliptical nature of the text has prompted emendations (see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 236). The translation assumes an emendation to תִּכְשַׁח (tikhshakh), from an otherwise unattested root כשׁח, meaning “to be crippled; to be lame.” See HALOT 502 s.v. כשׁח, which cites Arabic cognate evidence in support of the proposal. The corruption of the MT can be explained as an error of transposition facilitated by the use of שָׁכַח (shakhakh, “forget”) just before this.

[137:6]  ¹⁷⁶ tn Heb “if I do not lift up Jerusalem over the top of my joy.”

[140:1]  ¹⁷⁷ sn Psalm 140. The psalmist asks God to deliver him from his deadly enemies, calls judgment down upon them, and affirms his confidence in God’s justice.

[140:1]  ¹⁷⁸ tn Heb “from a wicked man.” The Hebrew uses the singular in a representative or collective sense (note the plural verbs in v. 2).

[140:1]  ¹⁷⁹ tn Heb “a man of violent acts.” The Hebrew uses the singular in a representative or collective sense (note the plural verbs in v. 2).

[147:1]  ¹⁸⁰ sn Psalm 147. The psalmist praises the Lord for he is the sovereign ruler of the world who cares for the needs of his covenant people.

[147:1]  ¹⁸¹ tn Or “for.”

[149:9]  ¹⁸² tn Heb “they”; the referent (the enemies of the people of God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[149:9]  ¹⁸³ tn Heb “to do against them judgment [that] is written.”

[149:9]  ¹⁸⁴ 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).