Mazmur 3:4

3:4 To the Lord I cried out, ¹ 

and he answered me from his holy hill. ²  (Selah)

Mazmur 20:7

20:7 Some trust in chariots and others in horses, ³ 

but we ⁴  depend on ⁵  the Lord our God.

Mazmur 34:22

34:22 The Lord rescues his servants; ⁶ 

all who take shelter in him escape punishment. ⁷ 

Mazmur 40:11

40:11 O Lord, you do not withhold ⁸  your compassion from me.

May your loyal love and faithfulness continually protect me! ⁹ 

Mazmur 41:6

41:6 When someone comes to visit, ¹⁰  he pretends to be friendly; ¹¹ 

he thinks of ways to defame me, ¹² 

and when he leaves he slanders me. ¹³ 

Mazmur 46:9

46:9 He brings an end to wars throughout the earth; ¹⁴ 

he shatters ¹⁵  the bow and breaks ¹⁶  the spear;

he burns ¹⁷  the shields with fire. ¹⁸ 

Mazmur 53:2

53:2 God looks down from heaven ¹⁹  at the human race, ²⁰ 

to see if there is anyone who is wise ²¹  and seeks God. ²² 

Mazmur 55:21

55:21 His words are as smooth as butter, ²³ 

but he harbors animosity in his heart. ²⁴ 

His words seem softer than oil,

but they are really like sharp swords. ²⁵ 

Mazmur 64:10

64:10 The godly will rejoice in the Lord

and take shelter in him.

All the morally upright ²⁶  will boast. ²⁷ 

Mazmur 42:5

42:5 Why are you depressed, ²⁸  O my soul? ²⁹ 

Why are you upset? ³⁰ 

Wait for God!

For I will again give thanks

to my God for his saving intervention. ³¹ 

[3:4]  ¹ tn The prefixed verbal form could be an imperfect, yielding the translation “I cry out,” but the verb form in the next line (a vav [ו] consecutive with the preterite) suggests this is a brief narrative of what has already happened. Consequently the verb form in v. 4a is better understood as a preterite, “I cried out.” (For another example of the preterite of this same verb form, see Ps 30:8.) Sometime after the crisis arose, the psalmist prayed to the Lord and received an assuring answer. Now he confidently awaits the fulfillment of the divine promise.

[3:4]  ² sn His holy hill. That is, Zion (see Pss 2:6; 48:1-2). The psalmist recognizes that the Lord dwells in his sanctuary on Mount Zion.

[20:7]  ³ tn Heb “these in chariots and these in horses.” No verb appears; perhaps the verb “invoke” is to be supplied from the following line. In this case the idea would be that some “invoke” (i.e., trust in) their military might for victory (cf. NEB “boast”; NIV “trust”; NRSV “take pride”). Verse 8 suggests that the “some/others” mentioned here are the nation’s enemies.

[20:7]  ⁴ tn The grammatical construction (conjunction + pronominal subject) highlights the contrast between God’s faithful people and the others mentioned in the previous line.

[20:7]  ⁵ tn Heb “we invoke the name of.” The Hiphil of זָכַר (zakhar), when combined with the phrase “in the name,” means “to invoke” (see Josh 23:7; Isa 48:1; Amos 6:10). By invoking the Lord’s name in prayer, the people demonstrate their trust in him.

[34:22]  ⁶ tn Heb “redeems the life of his servants.” The Hebrew participial form suggests such deliverance is characteristic.

[34:22]  ⁷ tn “Taking shelter” in the Lord is an idiom for seeking his protection. Seeking his protection presupposes and even demonstrates the subject’s loyalty to the Lord. In the psalms those who “take shelter” in the Lord are contrasted with the wicked and equated with those who love, fear, and serve the Lord (Pss 2:12; 5:11-12; 31:19).

[40:11]  ⁸ tn Some (cf. NIV, NRSV) translate the verb as a request (“do not withhold”), but elsewhere in the psalms the second masculine singular prefixed form, when addressed to God and preceded by לֹא (lo’), is always indicative in mood and never has the force of a prayer (see Pss 16:10; 22:2; 44:9 51:16-17; 60:10; 108:11; cf. NEB, NASB).

[40:11]  ⁹ tn In this line the psalmist makes the transition from confidence to petition (see v. 13). Since the prefixed verbal form in the preceding line is imperfect/indicative, one could take the verb in this line as imperfect as well and translate, “your loyal love and faithfulness continually protect me” (cf. NEB). However, the כִּי (ki) at the beginning of the next verse, if causal (“because”), is best understood as introducing a motivating argument in support of a petition. For this reason v. 11b is best taken as a prayer with the prefixed form being understood as jussive (cf. NIV, NRSV). For parallels to the proposed construction (jussive followed by כִּי + perfect introducing motivating argument), see Ps 25:21, as well as Pss 10:2-3; 22:8.

[41:6]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “to see.”

[41:6]  ¹¹ tn Heb “he speaks deceitfully.”

[41:6]  ¹² tn Heb “his heart gathers sin to itself.”

[41:6]  ¹³ tn Heb “he goes outside and speaks.”

[46:9]  ¹⁴ 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 Lord’s characteristic activity. Ironically, he brings peace to the earth by devastating the warlike, hostile nations (vv. 8, 9b).

[46:9]  ¹⁵ 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]  ¹⁶ tn The perfect verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive carries along the generalizing emphasis of the preceding imperfect.

[46:9]  ¹⁷ tn The imperfect verbal form carries on and emphasizes the generalizing nature of the description.

[46:9]  ¹⁸ 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.

[53:2]  ¹⁹ sn The picture of the Lord looking down from heaven draws attention to his sovereignty over the world.

[53:2]  ²⁰ tn Heb “upon the sons of man.”

[53:2]  ²¹ tn Or “acts wisely.” The Hiphil is exhibitive.

[53:2]  ²² tn That is, who seeks to have a relationship with God by obeying and worshiping him.

[55:21]  ²³ tn Heb “the butter-like [words] of his mouth are smooth.” The noun מַחְמָאֹת (makhma’ot, “butter-like [words]”) occurs only here. Many prefer to emend the form to מֵחֶמְאָה (mekhem’ah, from [i.e., “than”] butter”), cf. NEB, NRSV “smoother than butter.” However, in this case “his mouth” does not agree in number with the plural verb חָלְקוּ (kholqu, “they are smooth”). Therefore some further propose an emendation of פִּיו (piv, “his mouth”) to פָּנָיו (panayv, “his face”). In any case, the point seems to that the psalmist’s former friend spoke kindly to him and gave the outward indications of friendship.

[55:21]  ²⁴ tn Heb “and war [is in] his heart.”

[55:21]  ²⁵ tn Heb “his words are softer than oil, but they are drawn swords.”

[64:10]  ²⁶ tn Heb “upright in heart.”

[64:10]  ²⁷ tn That is, about the Lord’s accomplishments on their behalf.

[42:5]  ²⁸ tn Heb “Why do you bow down?”

[42:5]  ²⁹ sn For poetic effect the psalmist addresses his soul, or inner self.

[42:5]  ³⁰ tn Heb “and [why] are you in turmoil upon me?” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries on the descriptive present nuance of the preceding imperfect. See GKC 329 §111.t.

[42:5]  ³¹ tc Heb “for again I will give him thanks, the saving acts of his face.” The verse division in the Hebrew text is incorrect. אֱלֹהַי (’elohay, “my God”) at the beginning of v. 7 belongs with the end of v. 6 (see the corresponding refrains in 42:11 and 43:5, both of which end with “my God” after “saving acts of my face”). The Hebrew term פָּנָיו (panayv, “his face”) should be emended to פְּנֵי (pÿney, “face of”). The emended text reads, “[for] the saving acts of the face of my God,” that is, the saving acts associated with God’s presence/intervention.