Mazmur 78:1-72
KonteksA well-written song 2 by Asaph.
78:1 Pay attention, my people, to my instruction!
Listen to the words I speak! 3
78:2 I will sing a song that imparts wisdom;
I will make insightful observations about the past. 4
78:3 What we have heard and learned 5 –
that which our ancestors 6 have told us –
78:4 we will not hide from their 7 descendants.
We will tell the next generation
about the Lord’s praiseworthy acts, 8
about his strength and the amazing things he has done.
78:5 He established a rule 9 in Jacob;
he set up a law in Israel.
He commanded our ancestors
to make his deeds known to their descendants, 10
78:6 so that the next generation, children yet to be born,
might know about them.
They will grow up and tell their descendants about them. 11
78:7 Then they will place their confidence in God.
They will not forget the works of God,
and they will obey 12 his commands.
78:8 Then they will not be like their ancestors,
who were a stubborn and rebellious generation,
a generation that was not committed
and faithful to God. 13
78:9 The Ephraimites 14 were armed with bows, 15
but they retreated in the day of battle. 16
78:10 They did not keep their covenant with God, 17
and they refused to obey 18 his law.
78:11 They forgot what he had done, 19
the amazing things he had shown them.
78:12 He did amazing things in the sight of their ancestors,
in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan. 20
78:13 He divided the sea and led them across it;
he made the water stand in a heap.
78:14 He led them with a cloud by day,
and with the light of a fire all night long.
78:15 He broke open rocks in the wilderness,
and gave them enough water to fill the depths of the sea. 21
78:16 He caused streams to flow from the rock,
and made the water flow like rivers.
78:17 Yet they continued to sin against him,
and rebelled against the sovereign One 22 in the desert.
78:18 They willfully challenged God 23
by asking for food to satisfy their appetite.
78:19 They insulted God, saying, 24
“Is God really able to give us food 25 in the wilderness?
78:20 Yes, 26 he struck a rock and water flowed out,
streams gushed forth.
But can he also give us food?
Will he provide meat for his people?”
78:21 When 27 the Lord heard this, he was furious.
A fire broke out against Jacob,
and his anger flared up 28 against Israel,
78:22 because they did not have faith in God,
and did not trust his ability to deliver them. 29
78:23 He gave a command to the clouds above,
and opened the doors in the sky.
78:24 He rained down manna for them to eat;
he gave them the grain of heaven. 30
78:25 Man ate the food of the mighty ones. 31
He sent them more than enough to eat. 32
78:26 He brought the east wind through the sky,
and by his strength led forth the south wind.
78:27 He rained down meat on them like dust,
birds as numerous as the sand on the seashores. 33
78:28 He caused them to fall right in the middle of their camp,
all around their homes.
78:29 They ate until they were stuffed; 34
he gave them what they desired.
78:30 They were not yet filled up, 35
their food was still in their mouths,
78:31 when the anger of God flared up against them.
He killed some of the strongest of them;
he brought the young men of Israel to their knees.
78:32 Despite all this, they continued to sin,
and did not trust him to do amazing things. 36
78:33 So he caused them to die unsatisfied 37
and filled with terror. 38
78:34 When he struck them down, 39 they sought his favor; 40
they turned back and longed for God.
78:35 They remembered that God was their protector, 41
and that the sovereign God was their deliverer. 42
78:36 But they deceived him with their words, 43
and lied to him. 44
78:37 They were not really committed to him, 45
and they were unfaithful to his covenant.
78:38 Yet he is compassionate.
He forgives sin and does not destroy.
He often holds back his anger,
and does not stir up his fury. 46
78:39 He remembered 47 that they were made of flesh,
and were like a wind that blows past and does not return. 48
78:40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness,
and insulted him 49 in the desert!
78:41 They again challenged God, 50
and offended 51 the Holy One of Israel. 52
78:42 They did not remember what he had done, 53
how he delivered them from the enemy, 54
78:43 when he performed his awesome deeds 55 in Egypt,
and his acts of judgment 56 in the region of Zoan.
78:44 He turned their rivers into blood,
and they could not drink from their streams.
78:45 He sent swarms of biting insects against them, 57
as well as frogs that overran their land. 58
78:46 He gave their crops to the grasshopper,
the fruit of their labor to the locust.
78:47 He destroyed their vines with hail,
and their sycamore-fig trees with driving rain.
78:48 He rained hail down on their cattle, 59
and hurled lightning bolts down on their livestock. 60
78:49 His raging anger lashed out against them, 61
He sent fury, rage, and trouble
as messengers who bring disaster. 62
78:50 He sent his anger in full force; 63
he did not spare them from death;
he handed their lives over to destruction. 64
78:51 He struck down all the firstborn in Egypt,
the firstfruits of their reproductive power 65 in the tents of Ham.
78:52 Yet he brought out his people like sheep;
he led them through the wilderness like a flock.
78:53 He guided them safely along,
while the sea covered their enemies.
78:54 He brought them to the border of his holy land,
to this mountainous land 66 which his right hand 67 acquired.
78:55 He drove the nations out from before them;
he assigned them their tribal allotments 68
and allowed the tribes of Israel to settle down. 69
78:56 Yet they challenged and defied 70 the sovereign God, 71
and did not obey 72 his commands. 73
78:57 They were unfaithful 74 and acted as treacherously as 75 their ancestors;
they were as unreliable as a malfunctioning bow. 76
78:58 They made him angry with their pagan shrines, 77
and made him jealous with their idols.
78:59 God heard and was angry;
he completely rejected Israel.
78:60 He abandoned 78 the sanctuary at Shiloh,
the tent where he lived among men.
78:61 He allowed the symbol of his strong presence to be captured; 79
he gave the symbol of his splendor 80 into the hand of the enemy. 81
78:62 He delivered his people over to the sword,
and was angry with his chosen nation. 82
78:63 Fire consumed their 83 young men,
and their 84 virgins remained unmarried. 85
78:64 Their 86 priests fell by the sword,
but their 87 widows did not weep. 88
78:65 But then the Lord awoke from his sleep; 89
he was like a warrior in a drunken rage. 90
78:66 He drove his enemies back;
he made them a permanent target for insults. 91
78:67 He rejected the tent of Joseph;
he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim.
78:68 He chose the tribe of Judah,
and Mount Zion, which he loves.
78:69 He made his sanctuary as enduring as the heavens above; 92
as secure as the earth, which he established permanently. 93
78:70 He chose David, his servant,
and took him from the sheepfolds.
78:71 He took him away from following the mother sheep, 94
and made him the shepherd of Jacob, his people,
and of Israel, his chosen nation. 95
78:72 David 96 cared for them with pure motives; 97
he led them with skill. 98
Mazmur 105:1--106:48
Konteks105:1 Give thanks to the Lord!
Call on his name!
Make known his accomplishments among the nations!
105:2 Sing to him!
Make music to him!
Tell about all his miraculous deeds!
105:3 Boast about his holy name!
Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
105:4 Seek the Lord and the strength he gives!
Seek his presence continually!
105:5 Recall the miraculous deeds he performed,
his mighty acts and the judgments he decreed, 100
105:6 O children 101 of Abraham, 102 God’s 103 servant,
you descendants 104 of Jacob, God’s 105 chosen ones!
105:7 He is the Lord our God;
he carries out judgment throughout the earth. 106
105:8 He always remembers his covenantal decree,
the promise he made 107 to a thousand generations –
105:9 the promise 108 he made to Abraham,
the promise he made by oath to Isaac!
105:10 He gave it to Jacob as a decree,
to Israel as a lasting promise, 109
105:11 saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan
as the portion of your inheritance.”
105:12 When they were few in number,
just a very few, and resident aliens within it,
105:13 they wandered from nation to nation,
and from one kingdom to another. 110
105:14 He let no one oppress them;
he disciplined kings for their sake,
105:15 saying, 111 “Don’t touch my chosen 112 ones!
Don’t harm my prophets!”
105:16 He called down a famine upon the earth;
he cut off all the food supply. 113
105:17 He sent a man ahead of them 114 –
Joseph was sold as a servant.
105:18 The shackles hurt his feet; 115
his neck was placed in an iron collar, 116
105:19 until the time when his prediction 117 came true.
The Lord’s word 118 proved him right. 119
105:20 The king authorized his release; 120
the ruler of nations set him free.
105:21 He put him in charge of his palace, 121
and made him manager of all his property,
105:22 giving him authority to imprison his officials 122
and to teach his advisers. 123
105:23 Israel moved to 124 Egypt;
Jacob lived for a time 125 in the land of Ham.
105:24 The Lord 126 made his people very fruitful,
and made them 127 more numerous than their 128 enemies.
105:25 He caused them 129 to hate his people,
and to mistreat 130 his servants.
105:26 He sent his servant Moses,
and Aaron, whom he had chosen.
105:27 They executed his miraculous signs among them, 131
and his amazing deeds in the land of Ham.
they did not disobey his orders. 133
105:29 He turned their water into blood,
and killed their fish.
105:30 Their land was overrun by frogs,
which even got into the rooms of their kings.
105:31 He ordered flies to come; 134
gnats invaded their whole territory.
105:32 He sent hail along with the rain; 135
there was lightning in their land. 136
105:33 He destroyed their vines and fig trees,
and broke the trees throughout their territory.
105:34 He ordered locusts to come, 137
innumerable grasshoppers.
105:35 They ate all the vegetation in their land,
and devoured the crops of their fields. 138
105:36 He struck down all the firstborn in their land,
the firstfruits of their reproductive power. 139
105:37 He brought his people 140 out enriched 141 with silver and gold;
none of his tribes stumbled.
105:38 Egypt was happy when they left,
for they were afraid of them. 142
105:39 He spread out a cloud for a cover, 143
and provided a fire to light up the night.
105:40 They asked for food, 144 and he sent quails;
he satisfied them with food from the sky. 145
105:41 He opened up a rock and water flowed out;
a river ran through dry regions.
105:42 Yes, 146 he remembered the sacred promise 147
he made to Abraham his servant.
105:43 When he led his people out, they rejoiced;
his chosen ones shouted with joy. 148
105:44 He handed the territory of nations over to them,
and they took possession of what other peoples had produced, 149
105:45 so that they might keep his commands
and obey 150 his laws.
Praise the Lord!
106:1 Praise the Lord!
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
and his loyal love endures! 152
106:2 Who can adequately recount the Lord’s mighty acts,
or relate all his praiseworthy deeds? 153
106:3 How blessed are those who promote justice,
and do what is right all the time!
106:4 Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people!
Pay attention to me, when you deliver,
106:5 so I may see the prosperity 154 of your chosen ones,
rejoice along with your nation, 155
and boast along with the people who belong to you. 156
106:6 We have sinned like 157 our ancestors; 158
we have done wrong, we have done evil.
106:7 Our ancestors in Egypt failed to appreciate your miraculous deeds,
they failed to remember your many acts of loyal love,
and they rebelled at the sea, by the Red Sea. 159
106:8 Yet he delivered them for the sake of his reputation, 160
that he might reveal his power.
106:9 He shouted at 161 the Red Sea and it dried up;
he led them through the deep water as if it were a desert.
106:10 He delivered them from the power 162 of the one who hated them,
and rescued 163 them from the power 164 of the enemy.
106:11 The water covered their enemies;
not even one of them survived. 165
106:12 They believed his promises; 166
they sang praises to him.
106:13 They quickly forgot what he had done; 167
they did not wait for his instructions. 168
106:14 In the wilderness they had an insatiable craving 169 for meat; 170
they challenged God 171 in the desert.
106:15 He granted their request,
then struck them with a disease. 172
106:16 In the camp they resented 173 Moses,
and Aaron, the Lord’s holy priest. 174
106:17 The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan;
it engulfed 175 the group led by Abiram. 176
106:18 Fire burned their group;
the flames scorched the wicked. 177
106:19 They made an image of a calf at Horeb,
and worshiped a metal idol.
106:20 They traded their majestic God 178
for the image of an ox that eats grass.
106:21 They rejected 179 the God who delivered them,
the one who performed great deeds in Egypt,
106:22 amazing feats in the land of Ham,
mighty 180 acts by the Red Sea.
106:23 He threatened 181 to destroy them,
but 182 Moses, his chosen one, interceded with him 183
and turned back his destructive anger. 184
106:24 They rejected the fruitful land; 185
they did not believe his promise. 186
106:25 They grumbled in their tents; 187
they did not obey 188 the Lord.
106:26 So he made a solemn vow 189
that he would make them die 190 in the desert,
106:27 make their descendants 191 die 192 among the nations,
and scatter them among foreign lands. 193
106:28 They worshiped 194 Baal of Peor,
and ate sacrifices offered to the dead. 195
106:29 They made the Lord angry 196 by their actions,
and a plague broke out among them.
106:30 Phinehas took a stand and intervened, 197
and the plague subsided.
106:31 This brought him a reward,
an eternal gift. 198
106:32 They made him angry by the waters of Meribah,
and Moses suffered 199 because of them,
106:33 for they aroused 200 his temper, 201
and he spoke rashly. 202
106:34 They did not destroy the nations, 203
as the Lord had commanded them to do.
106:35 They mixed in with the nations
and learned their ways. 204
106:36 They worshiped 205 their idols,
which became a snare to them. 206
106:37 They sacrificed their sons and daughters to demons. 207
106:38 They shed innocent blood –
the blood of their sons and daughters,
whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan.
The land was polluted by bloodshed. 208
106:39 They were defiled by their deeds,
and unfaithful in their actions. 209
106:40 So the Lord was angry with his people 210
and despised the people who belong to him. 211
106:41 He handed them over to 212 the nations,
and those who hated them ruled over them.
106:42 Their enemies oppressed them;
they were subject to their authority. 213
106:43 Many times he delivered 214 them,
but they had a rebellious attitude, 215
and degraded themselves 216 by their sin.
106:44 Yet he took notice of their distress,
when he heard their cry for help.
106:45 He remembered his covenant with them,
and relented 217 because of his great loyal love.
106:46 He caused all their conquerors 218
to have pity on them.
106:47 Deliver us, O Lord, our God!
Gather us from among the nations!
Then we will give thanks 219 to your holy name,
and boast about your praiseworthy deeds. 220
106:48 The Lord God of Israel deserves praise, 221
in the future and forevermore. 222
Let all the people say, “We agree! 223 Praise the Lord!” 224
Mazmur 135:1--136:26
Konteks135:1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord!
Offer praise, you servants of the Lord,
135:2 who serve 226 in the Lord’s temple,
in the courts of the temple of our God.
135:3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good!
Sing praises to his name, for it is pleasant! 227
135:4 Indeed, 228 the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself,
Israel to be his special possession. 229
135:5 Yes, 230 I know the Lord is great,
and our Lord is superior to all gods.
135:6 He does whatever he pleases
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and all the ocean depths.
135:7 He causes the clouds to arise from the end of the earth,
makes lightning bolts accompany the rain,
and brings the wind out of his storehouses.
135:8 He struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
including both men and animals.
135:9 He performed awesome deeds 231 and acts of judgment 232
in your midst, O Egypt,
against Pharaoh and all his servants.
135:10 He defeated many nations,
and killed mighty kings –
135:11 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
and Og, king of Bashan,
and all the kingdoms of Canaan.
135:12 He gave their land as an inheritance,
as an inheritance to Israel his people.
135:13 O Lord, your name endures, 233
your reputation, O Lord, lasts. 234
135:14 For the Lord vindicates 235 his people,
and has compassion on his servants. 236
135:15 The nations’ idols are made of silver and gold,
they are man-made. 237
135:16 They have mouths, but cannot speak,
eyes, but cannot see,
135:17 and ears, but cannot hear.
Indeed, they cannot breathe. 238
135:18 Those who make them will end up 239 like them,
as will everyone who trusts in them.
135:19 O family 240 of Israel, praise the Lord!
O family of Aaron, praise the Lord!
135:20 O family of Levi, praise the Lord!
You loyal followers 241 of the Lord, praise the Lord!
135:21 The Lord deserves praise in Zion 242 –
he who dwells in Jerusalem. 243
Praise the Lord!
136:1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his loyal love endures. 245
136:2 Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his loyal love endures.
136:3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his loyal love endures,
136:4 to the one who performs magnificent, amazing deeds all by himself,
for his loyal love endures,
136:5 to the one who used wisdom to make the heavens,
for his loyal love endures,
136:6 to the one who spread out the earth over the water,
for his loyal love endures,
136:7 to the one who made the great lights,
for his loyal love endures,
136:8 the sun to rule by day,
for his loyal love endures,
136:9 the moon and stars to rule by night,
for his loyal love endures,
136:10 to the one who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
for his loyal love endures,
136:11 and led Israel out from their midst,
for his loyal love endures,
136:12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
for his loyal love endures,
136:13 to the one who divided 246 the Red Sea 247 in two, 248
for his loyal love endures,
136:14 and led Israel through its midst,
for his loyal love endures,
136:15 and tossed 249 Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea,
for his loyal love endures,
136:16 to the one who led his people through the wilderness,
for his loyal love endures,
136:17 to the one who struck down great kings,
for his loyal love endures,
136:18 and killed powerful kings,
for his loyal love endures,
136:19 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
for his loyal love endures,
136:20 Og, king of Bashan,
for his loyal love endures,
136:21 and gave their land as an inheritance,
for his loyal love endures,
136:22 as an inheritance to Israel his servant,
for his loyal love endures,
136:23 to the one who remembered us when we were down, 250
for his loyal love endures,
136:24 and snatched us away from our enemies,
for his loyal love endures,
136:25 to the one who gives food to all living things, 251
for his loyal love endures.
136:26 Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his loyal love endures!
[78:1] 1 sn Psalm 78. The author of this lengthy didactic psalm rehearses Israel’s history. He praises God for his power, goodness and patience, but also reminds his audience that sin angers God and prompts his judgment. In the conclusion to the psalm the author elevates Jerusalem as God’s chosen city and David as his chosen king.
[78:1] 2 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 74.
[78:1] 3 tn Heb “Turn your ear to the words of my mouth.”
[78:2] 4 tn Heb “I will open with a wise saying my mouth, I will utter insightful sayings from long ago.” Elsewhere the Hebrew word pair חִידָה+מָשָׁל (mashal + khidah) refers to a taunt song (Hab 2:6), a parable (Ezek 17:2), proverbial sayings (Prov 1:6), and an insightful song that reflects on the mortality of humankind and the ultimate inability of riches to prevent death (Ps 49:4).
[78:3] 6 tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 5, 8, 12, 57).
[78:4] 7 tn The pronominal suffix refers back to the “fathers” (“our ancestors,” v. 3).
[78:4] 8 tn Heb “to a following generation telling the praises of the
[78:5] 9 tn The Hebrew noun עֵדוּת (’edut) refers here to God’s command that the older generation teach their children about God’s mighty deeds in the nation’s history (see Exod 10:2; Deut 4:9; 6:20-25).
[78:5] 10 tn Heb “which he commanded our fathers to make them known to their sons.” The plural suffix “them” probably refers back to the
[78:6] 11 tn Heb “in order that they might know, a following generation, sons [who] will be born, they will arise and will tell to their sons.”
[78:8] 13 tn Heb “a generation that did not make firm its heart and whose spirit was not faithful with God.” The expression “make firm the heart” means “to be committed, devoted” (see 1 Sam 7:3).
[78:9] 14 tn Heb “the sons of Ephraim.” Ephraim probably stands here by synecdoche (part for whole) for the northern kingdom of Israel.
[78:9] 15 tn Heb “ones armed, shooters of bow.” It is possible that the term נוֹשְׁקֵי (noshÿqey, “ones armed [with]”) is an interpretive gloss for the rare רוֹמֵי (romey, “shooters of”; on the latter see BDB 941 s.v. I רָמָה). The phrase נוֹשְׁקֵי קֶשֶׁת (noshÿqey qeshet, “ones armed with a bow”) appears in 1 Chr 12:2; 2 Chr 17:17.
[78:9] 16 sn They retreated. This could refer to the northern tribes’ failure to conquer completely their allotted territory (see Judg 1), or it could refer generally to the typical consequence (military defeat) of their sin (see vv. 10-11).
[78:10] 17 tn Heb “the covenant of God.”
[78:11] 19 tn Heb “his deeds.”
[78:12] 20 sn The region of Zoan was located in the Egyptian delta, where the enslaved Israelites lived (see Num 13:22; Isa 19:11, 13; 30:4; Ezek 30:14).
[78:15] 21 tn Heb “and caused them to drink, like the depths, abundantly.”
[78:17] 22 tn Heb “rebelling [against] the Most High.”
[78:18] 23 tn Heb “and they tested God in their heart.” The “heart” is viewed here as the center of their volition.
[78:19] 24 tn Heb “they spoke against God, they said.”
[78:19] 25 tn Heb “to arrange a table [for food].”
[78:21] 27 tn Heb “therefore.”
[78:21] 28 tn Heb “and also anger went up.”
[78:22] 29 tn Heb “and they did not trust his deliverance.”
[78:24] 30 sn Manna was apparently shaped like a seed (Exod 16:31), perhaps explaining why it is here compared to grain.
[78:25] 31 sn Because of the reference to “heaven” in the preceding verse, it is likely that mighty ones refers here to the angels of heaven. The LXX translates “angels” here, as do a number of modern translations (NEB, NIV, NRSV).
[78:25] 32 tn Heb “provision he sent to them to satisfaction.”
[78:27] 33 tn Heb “and like the sand of the seas winged birds.”
[78:29] 34 tn Heb “and they ate and were very satisfied.”
[78:30] 35 tn Heb “they were not separated from their desire.”
[78:32] 36 tn Heb “and did not believe in his amazing deeds.”
[78:33] 37 tn Heb “and he ended in vanity their days.”
[78:33] 38 tn Heb “and their years in terror.”
[78:34] 39 tn Or “killed them,” that is, killed large numbers of them.
[78:34] 40 tn Heb “they sought him.”
[78:35] 41 tn Heb “my high rocky summit.”
[78:35] 42 tn Heb “and [that] God Most High [was] their redeemer.”
[78:36] 43 tn Heb “with their mouth.”
[78:36] 44 tn Heb “and with their tongue they lied to him.”
[78:37] 45 tn Heb “and their heart was not firm with him.”
[78:38] 46 tn One could translate v. 38 in the past tense (“he was compassionate…forgave sin and did not destroy…held back his anger, and did not stir up his fury”), but the imperfect verbal forms are probably best understood as generalizing. Verse 38 steps back briefly from the narrational summary of Israel’s history and lays the theological basis for v. 39, which focuses on God’s mercy toward sinful Israel.
[78:39] 47 tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive signals a return to the narrative.
[78:39] 48 tn Heb “and he remembered that they [were] flesh, a wind [that] goes and does not return.”
[78:40] 49 tn Or “caused him pain.”
[78:41] 50 tn Heb “and they returned and tested God.” The Hebrew verb שׁוּב (shuv, “to return”) is used here in an adverbial sense to indicate that an earlier action was repeated.
[78:41] 51 tn Or “wounded, hurt.” The verb occurs only here in the OT.
[78:41] 52 sn The basic sense of the word “holy” is “set apart from that which is commonplace, special, unique.” The Lord’s holiness is first and foremost his transcendent sovereignty as the ruler of the world. He is “set apart” from the world over which he rules. At the same time his holiness encompasses his moral authority, which derives from his royal position. As king he has the right to dictate to his subjects how they are to live; indeed his very own character sets the standard for proper behavior. This expression is a common title for the
[78:42] 53 tn Heb “his hand,” symbolizing his saving activity and strength, as the next line makes clear.
[78:42] 54 tn Heb “[the] day [in] which he ransomed them from [the] enemy.”
[78:43] 55 tn Or “signs” (see Ps 65:8).
[78:43] 56 tn Or “portents, omens” (see Ps 71:7). The Egyptian plagues are referred to here (see vv. 44-51).
[78:45] 57 tn Heb “and he sent an insect swarm against them and it devoured them.”
[78:45] 58 tn Heb “and a swarm of frogs and it destroyed them.”
[78:48] 59 tn Heb “and he turned over to the hail their cattle.”
[78:48] 60 tn Heb “and their livestock to the flames.” “Flames” here refer to the lightning bolts that accompanied the storm.
[78:49] 61 tn Heb “he sent against them the rage of his anger.” The phrase “rage of his anger” employs an appositional genitive. Synonyms are joined in a construct relationship to emphasize the single idea. For a detailed discussion of the grammatical point with numerous examples, see Y. Avishur, “Pairs of Synonymous Words in the Construct State (and in Appositional Hendiadys) in Biblical Hebrew,” Semitics 2 (1971): 17-81.
[78:49] 62 tn Heb “fury and indignation and trouble, a sending of messengers of disaster.”
[78:50] 63 tn Heb “he leveled a path for his anger.” There were no obstacles to impede its progress; it moved swiftly and destructively.
[78:50] 64 tn Or perhaps “[the] plague.”
[78:51] 65 tn Heb “the beginning of strength.” If retained, the plural form אוֹנִים (’onim, “strength”) probably indicates degree (“great strength”), but many ancient witnesses read “their strength,” which presupposes an emendation to אֹנָם (’onam; singular form of the noun with third masculine plural pronominal suffix).
[78:54] 66 tn Heb “this mountain.” The whole land of Canaan seems to be referred to here. In Exod 15:17 the promised land is called the “mountain of your [i.e., God’s] inheritance.”
[78:54] 67 tn The “right hand” here symbolizes God’s military strength (see v. 55).
[78:55] 68 tn Heb “he caused to fall [to] them with a measuring line an inheritance.”
[78:55] 69 tn Heb “and caused the tribes of Israel to settle down in their tents.”
[78:56] 70 tn Or “tested and rebelled against.”
[78:56] 71 tn Heb “God, the Most High.”
[78:56] 73 tn Heb “his testimonies” (see Ps 25:10).
[78:57] 74 tn Heb “they turned back.”
[78:57] 75 tn Or “acted treacherously like.”
[78:57] 76 tn Heb “they turned aside like a deceitful bow.”
[78:58] 77 tn Traditionally, “high places.”
[78:61] 79 tn Heb “and he gave to captivity his strength.” The expression “his strength” refers metonymically to the ark of the covenant, which was housed in the tabernacle at Shiloh.
[78:61] 80 tn Heb “and his splendor into the hand of an enemy.” The expression “his splendor” also refers metonymically to the ark of the covenant.
[78:61] 81 sn Verses 60-61 refer to the Philistines’ capture of the ark in the days of Eli (1 Sam 4:1-11).
[78:62] 82 tn Heb “his inheritance.”
[78:63] 83 tn Heb “his.” The singular pronominal suffix is collective, referring back to God’s “people” (v. 62).
[78:63] 84 tn Heb “his.” The singular pronominal suffix is collective, referring back to God’s “people” (v. 62).
[78:63] 85 tn Heb “were not praised,” that is, in wedding songs. The young men died in masses, leaving no husbands for the young women.
[78:64] 86 tn Heb “his.” The singular pronominal suffix is collective, referring back to God’s “people” (v. 62).
[78:64] 87 tn Heb “his.” The singular pronominal suffix is collective, referring back to God’s “people” (v. 62).
[78:64] 88 sn Because of the invading army and the ensuing panic, the priests’ widows had no time to carry out the normal mourning rites.
[78:65] 89 tn Heb “and the master awoke like one sleeping.” The
[78:65] 90 tn Heb “like a warrior overcome with wine.” The Hebrew verb רוּן (run, “overcome”) occurs only here in the OT. The phrase “overcome with wine” could picture a drunken warrior controlled by his emotions and passions (as in the present translation), or it could refer to a warrior who awakes from a drunken stupor.
[78:66] 91 tn Heb “a permanent reproach he made them.”
[78:69] 92 tc Heb “and he built like the exalting [ones] his sanctuary.” The phrase כְּמוֹ־רָמִים (kÿmo-ramim, “like the exalting [ones]”) is a poetic form of the comparative preposition followed by a participial form of the verb רוּם (rum, “be exalted”). The text should be emended to כִּמְרֹמִים (kimromim, “like the [heavenly] heights”). See Ps 148:1, where “heights” refers to the heavens above.
[78:69] 93 tn Heb “like the earth, [which] he established permanently.” The feminine singular suffix on the Hebrew verb יָסַד (yasad, “to establish”) refers to the grammatically feminine noun “earth.”
[78:71] 94 tn Heb “from after the ewes he brought him.”
[78:71] 95 tn Heb “to shepherd Jacob, his people, and Israel, his inheritance.”
[78:72] 96 tn Heb “He”; the referent (David, God’s chosen king, mentioned in v. 70) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[78:72] 97 tn Heb “and he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart.”
[78:72] 98 tn Heb “and with the understanding of his hands he led them.”
[105:1] 99 sn Psalm 105. The psalmist summons Israel to praise God because he delivered his people from Egypt in fulfillment of his covenantal promises to Abraham. A parallel version of vv. 1-15 appears in 1 Chr 16:8-22.
[105:5] 100 tn Heb “and the judgments of his mouth.”
[105:6] 101 tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”
[105:6] 102 tc Some
[105:6] 103 tn Heb “his”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[105:6] 105 tn Heb “his”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[105:7] 106 tn Heb “in all the earth [are] his judgments.”
[105:8] 107 tn Heb “[the] word he commanded.” The text refers here to God’s unconditional covenantal promise to Abraham and the patriarchs, as vv. 10-12 make clear.
[105:10] 109 tn Or “eternal covenant.”
[105:13] 110 tn Heb “and from a kingdom to another nation.”
[105:15] 111 tn The word “saying” is supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
[105:15] 112 tn Heb “anointed.”
[105:16] 113 tn Heb “and every staff of food he broke.” The psalmist refers to the famine that occurred in Joseph’s time (see v. 17 and Gen 41:53-57).
[105:17] 114 tn After the reference to the famine in v. 16, v. 17 flashes back to events that preceded the famine (see Gen 37).
[105:18] 115 tn Heb “they afflicted his feet with shackles.”
[105:18] 116 tn Heb “his neck came [into] iron.” The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) with the suffix could mean simply “he” or “his life.” But the nuance “neck” makes good sense here (note the reference to his “feet” in the preceding line). See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 38.
[105:19] 117 tn Heb “word,” probably referring to Joseph’s prediction about the fate of Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker (see Gen 41:9-14).
[105:19] 118 tn This line may refer to Joseph’s prediction of the famine in response to Pharaoh’s dream. Joseph emphasized to Pharaoh that the interpretation of the dream came from God (see Gen 41:16, 25, 28, 32, 39).
[105:19] 119 tn Heb “refined him.”
[105:20] 120 tn Heb “[the] king sent and set him free.”
[105:21] 121 tn Heb “he made him master of his house.”
[105:22] 122 tn Heb “to bind his officials by his will.”
[105:22] 123 tn Heb “and his elders he taught wisdom.”
[105:23] 124 tn Heb “entered.”
[105:23] 125 tn Heb “lived as a resident alien.”
[105:24] 126 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the
[105:24] 127 tn Heb “him,” referring to “his people.”
[105:24] 128 tn Heb “his,” referring to “his people.”
[105:25] 129 tn Heb “their heart.”
[105:25] 130 tn Or “to deal deceptively.” The Hitpael of נָכַל (nakhal) occurs only here and in Gen 37:18, where it is used of Joseph’s brothers “plotting” to kill him.
[105:27] 131 tn Apparently the pronoun refers to “his servants” (i.e., the Israelites, see v. 25).
[105:28] 132 tn Heb “he sent darkness and made it dark.”
[105:28] sn He made it dark. The psalmist begins with the ninth plague (see Exod 10:21-29).
[105:28] 133 tn Heb “they did not rebel against his words.” Apparently this refers to Moses and Aaron, who obediently carried out God’s orders.
[105:31] 134 tn Heb “he spoke and flies came.”
[105:32] 135 tn Heb “he gave their rains hail.”
[105:32] 136 tn Heb “fire of flames [was] in their land.”
[105:34] 137 tn Heb “he spoke and locusts came.”
[105:35] 138 tn Heb “the fruit of their ground.”
[105:36] 139 tn Heb “the beginning of all their strength,” that is, reproductive power (see Ps 78:51).
[105:36] sn Verses 28-36 recall the plagues in a different order than the one presented in Exodus: v. 28 (plague 9), v. 29 (plague 1), v. 30 (plague 2), v. 31a (plague 4), v. 31b (plague 3), vv. 32-33 (plague 7), vv. 34-35 (plague 8), v. 36 (plague 10). No reference is made in Ps 105 to plagues 5 and 6.
[105:37] 140 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the
[105:37] 141 tn The word “enriched” is supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
[105:38] 142 tn Heb “for fear of them had fallen upon them.”
[105:40] 144 tn Heb “he [i.e., his people] asked.” The singular form should probably be emended to a plural שָׁאֲלוּ (sha’alu, “they asked”), the vav (ו) having fallen off by haplography (note the vav at the beginning of the following form).
[105:40] 145 tn Or “bread of heaven.” The reference is to manna (see Exod 16:4, 13-15).
[105:42] 147 tn Heb “his holy word.”
[105:43] 148 tn Heb “and he led his people out with joy, with a ringing cry, his chosen ones.”
[105:44] 149 tn Heb “and the [product of the] work of peoples they possessed.”
[106:1] 151 sn Psalm 106. The psalmist recalls Israel’s long history of rebellion against God, despite his mighty saving deeds on their behalf.
[106:1] 152 tn Heb “for forever [is] his loyal love.”
[106:2] 153 tn Heb “[or] cause to be heard all his praise.”
[106:5] 155 tn Heb “in order that [I may] rejoice with the rejoicing of your nation.”
[106:5] 156 tn Heb “with your inheritance.”
[106:6] 158 tn Heb “fathers” (also in v. 7).
[106:7] 159 tn Heb “Reed Sea” (also in vv. 9, 22). “Reed Sea” (or “Sea of Reeds”) is a more accurate rendering of the Hebrew expression יָם סוּף (yam suf), traditionally translated “Red Sea.” See the note on the term “Red Sea” in Exod 13:18.
[106:7] sn They rebelled. The psalmist recalls the people’s complaint recorded in Exod 14:12.
[106:8] 160 tn Heb “his name,” which here stands metonymically for God’s reputation.
[106:10] 163 tn Or “redeemed.”
[106:11] 165 tn Heb “remained.”
[106:12] 166 tn Heb “his words.”
[106:13] 167 tn Heb “his works.”
[106:13] 168 tn Heb “his counsel.”
[106:14] 169 sn They had an insatiable craving. This is described in Num 11:4-35.
[106:14] 170 tn Heb “they craved [with] a craving.”
[106:14] 171 tn Heb “they tested God.”
[106:15] 172 tn Heb “and he sent leanness into their being.”
[106:15] sn Disease. See Num 11:33-34, where this plague is described.
[106:16] 174 tn Heb “the holy one of the
[106:17] 176 tn Or “the assembly of Abiram.”
[106:18] 177 sn Verses 16-18 describe the events of Num 16:1-40.
[106:20] 178 tn Heb “their glory.” According to an ancient Hebrew scribal tradition, the text originally read “his glory” or “my glory.” In Jer 2:11 the
[106:22] 180 tn Or “awe-inspiring.”
[106:23] 181 tn Heb “and he said.”
[106:23] 182 tn Heb “if not,” that is, “[and would have] if [Moses] had not.”
[106:23] 183 tn Heb “stood in the gap before him.”
[106:23] 184 tn Heb “to turn back his anger from destroying.”
[106:23] sn Verses 19-23 describe the events of Exod 32:1-35.
[106:24] 185 tn Heb “a land of delight” (see also Jer 3:19; Zech 7:14).
[106:24] 186 tn Heb “his word.”
[106:25] 187 sn They grumbled in their tents. See Deut 1:27.
[106:25] 188 tn Heb “did not listen to the voice of.”
[106:26] 189 tn Heb “and he lifted his hand to [or “concerning”] them.” The idiom “to lift a hand” here refers to swearing an oath. One would sometimes solemnly lift one’s hand when making such a vow (see Ezek 20:5-6, 15).
[106:26] 190 tn Heb “to cause them to fall.”
[106:27] 191 tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”
[106:27] 192 tn Heb “and to cause their offspring to fall.” Some emend the verb to “scatter” to form tighter parallelism with the following line (cf. NRSV “disperse”).
[106:27] 193 tn Heb “among the lands.” The word “foreign” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
[106:28] 194 tn Heb “joined themselves to.”
[106:28] sn They worshiped Baal of Peor. See Num 25:3, 5. Baal of Peor was a local manifestation of the Canaanite deity Baal located at Peor.
[106:28] 195 tn Here “the dead” may refer to deceased ancestors (see Deut 26:14). Another option is to understand the term as a derogatory reference to the various deities which the Israelites worshiped at Peor along with Baal (see Num 25:2 and L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 49).
[106:29] 196 tn Heb “They made angry [him].” The pronominal suffix is omitted here, but does appear in a few medieval Hebrew
[106:30] 197 sn The intervention of Phinehas is recounted in Num 25:7-8.
[106:31] 198 tn Heb “and it was reckoned to him for righteousness, to a generation and a generation forever.” The verb חָשַׁב (khashav, “to reckon”) is collocated with צְדָקָה (tsÿdaqah, “righteousness”) only in Ps 106:31 and Gen 15:6, where God rewards Abram’s faith with a land grant.
[106:31] sn Brought him a reward. See Num 25:12-13.
[106:32] 199 tn Heb “there was harm to Moses.”
[106:33] 200 tn The Hebrew text vocalizes the form as הִמְרוּ (himru), a Hiphil from מָרָה (marah, “to behave rebelliously”), but the verb fits better with the object (“his spirit”) if it is revocalized as הֵמֵרוּ (hemeru), a Hiphil from מָרַר (marar, “to be bitter”). The Israelites “embittered” Moses’ “spirit” in the sense that they aroused his temper with their complaints.
[106:33] 201 tn Heb “his spirit.”
[106:33] 202 tn The Hebrew text adds “with his lips,” but this has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[106:33] sn Verses 32-33 allude to the events of Num 20:1-13.
[106:34] 203 tn That is, the nations of Canaan.
[106:35] 204 tn Heb “their deeds.”
[106:36] 206 sn Became a snare. See Exod 23:33; Judg 2:3.
[106:37] 207 tn The Hebrew term שֵׁדִים (shedim, “demons”) occurs only here and in Deut 32:17. Some type of lesser deity is probably in view.
[106:38] 208 sn Num 35:33-34 explains that bloodshed defiles a land.
[106:39] 209 tn Heb “and they committed adultery in their actions.” This means that they were unfaithful to the
[106:40] 210 tn Heb “the anger of the
[106:40] 211 tn Heb “his inheritance.”
[106:41] 212 tn Heb “gave them into the hand of.”
[106:42] 213 tn Heb “they were subdued under their hand.”
[106:43] 214 tn The prefixed verbal form is either preterite or imperfect, in which case it is customary, describing repeated action in past time (“he would deliver”).
[106:43] 215 tn Heb “but they rebelled in their counsel.” The prefixed verbal form is either preterite or imperfect, in which case it is customary, describing repeated action in past time (“they would have a rebellious attitude”).
[106:43] 216 tn Heb “they sank down.” The Hebrew verb מָכַךְ (makhakh, “to lower; to sink”) occurs only here in the Qal.
[106:45] 217 tn The Niphal of נָחַם (nakham) refers here to God relenting from a punishment already underway.
[106:47] 219 tn Heb “to give thanks.” The infinitive construct indicates result after the imperative.
[106:47] 220 tn Heb “to boast in your praise.”
[106:48] 221 tn Heb “[be] blessed.” See Pss 18:46; 28:6; 31:21.
[106:48] 222 tn Heb “from everlasting to everlasting.”
[106:48] 223 tn Heb “surely” (אָמֵן, ’amen), traditionally transliterated “amen.”
[106:48] 224 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).
[135:1] 225 sn Psalm 135. The psalmist urges God’s people to praise him because he is the incomparable God and ruler of the world who has accomplished great things for Israel.
[135:3] 227 tn Heb “for [it is] pleasant.” The translation assumes that it is the
[135:4] 229 sn His special possession. The language echoes Exod 19:5; Deut 7:6; 14:2; 26:18. See also Mal 3:17.
[135:9] 231 tn Or “signs” (see Ps 65:8).
[135:9] 232 tn Or “portents”; “omens” (see Ps 71:7). The Egyptian plagues are alluded to here.
[135:13] 233 tn Or “is forever.”
[135:13] 234 tn Heb “O
[135:14] 235 tn Heb “judges,” but here the idea is that the
[135:14] 236 sn Verse 14 echoes Deut 32:36, where Moses affirms that God mercifully relents from fully judging his wayward people.
[135:15] 237 tn Heb “the work of the hands of man.”
[135:17] 238 tn Heb “indeed, there is not breath in their mouth.” For the collocation אַף אֵין (’af ’en, “indeed, there is not”) see Isa 41:26. Another option is to take אַף as “nose” (see Ps 115:6), in which case one might translate, “a nose, [but] they have no breath in their mouths.”
[135:18] 239 tn Heb “will be.” Another option is to take the prefixed verbal form as a prayer, “may those who make them end up like them.”
[135:18] sn Because the idols are lifeless, they cannot help their worshipers in times of crisis. Consequently the worshipers end up as dead as the gods in which they trust.
[135:19] 240 tn Heb “house” (here and in the next two lines).
[135:20] 241 tn Heb “fearers.”
[135:21] 242 tn Heb “praised be the
[135:21] 243 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[136:1] 244 sn Psalm 136. In this hymn the psalmist affirms that God is praiseworthy because of his enduring loyal love, sovereign authority, and compassion. Each verse of the psalm concludes with the refrain “for his loyal love endures.”
[136:1] 245 tn Or “is forever.”
[136:13] 247 tn Heb “Reed Sea” (also in v. 15). “Reed Sea” (or “Sea of Reeds”) is a more accurate rendering of the Hebrew expression יָם סוּף (yam suf), traditionally translated “Red Sea.” See the note on the term “Red Sea” in Exod 13:18.
[136:13] 248 tn Heb “into pieces.”
[136:15] 249 tn Or “shook off.”
[136:23] 250 tn Heb “who, in our low condition, remembered us.”
[136:25] 251 tn Heb “to all flesh,” which can refer to all people (see Pss 65:2; 145:21) or more broadly to mankind and animals. Elsewhere the psalms view God as the provider for all living things (see Pss 104:27-28; 145:15).
