Mazmur 9:20

9:20 Terrify them, Lord! ¹ 

Let the nations know they are mere mortals! ²  (Selah)

Mazmur 10:3-4

10:3 Yes, ³  the wicked man ⁴  boasts because he gets what he wants; ⁵ 

the one who robs others ⁶  curses ⁷  and ⁸  rejects the Lord. ⁹ 

10:4 The wicked man is so arrogant he always thinks,

“God won’t hold me accountable; he doesn’t care.” ¹⁰ 

Mazmur 12:7

12:7 You, Lord, will protect them; ¹¹ 

you will continually shelter each one from these evil people, ¹² 

Mazmur 16:7

16:7 I will praise ¹³  the Lord who ¹⁴  guides ¹⁵  me;

yes, during the night I reflect and learn. ¹⁶ 

Mazmur 17:4

17:4 As for the actions of people ¹⁷  –

just as you have commanded,

I have not followed in the footsteps of violent men. ¹⁸ 

Mazmur 17:13

17:13 Rise up, Lord!

Confront him! ¹⁹  Knock him down! ²⁰ 

Use your sword to rescue me from the wicked man! ²¹ 

Mazmur 18:12

18:12 From the brightness in front of him came

hail and fiery coals. ²² 

Mazmur 21:5-7

21:5 Your deliverance brings him great honor; ²³ 

you give him majestic splendor. ²⁴ 

21:6 For you grant him lasting blessings;

you give him great joy by allowing him into your presence. ²⁵ 

21:7 For the king trusts ²⁶  in the Lord,

and because of the sovereign Lord’s ²⁷  faithfulness he is not upended. ²⁸ 

Mazmur 31:10

31:10 For my life nears its end in pain;

my years draw to a close as I groan. ²⁹ 

My strength fails me because of ³⁰  my sin,

and my bones become brittle. ³¹ 

Mazmur 32:11

32:11 Rejoice in the Lord and be happy, you who are godly!

Shout for joy, all you who are morally upright! ³² 

Mazmur 33:12

33:12 How blessed ³³  is the nation whose God is the Lord,

the people whom he has chosen to be his special possession. ³⁴ 

Mazmur 34:9

34:9 Remain loyal to ³⁵  the Lord, you chosen people of his, ³⁶ 

for his loyal followers ³⁷  lack nothing!

Mazmur 34:21

34:21 Evil people self-destruct; ³⁸ 

those who hate the godly are punished. ³⁹ 

Mazmur 37:22

37:22 Surely ⁴⁰  those favored by the Lord ⁴¹  will possess the land,

but those rejected ⁴²  by him will be wiped out. ⁴³ 

Mazmur 42:3

42:3 I cannot eat, I weep day and night; ⁴⁴ 

all day long they say to me, ⁴⁵  “Where is your God?”

Mazmur 42:10

42:10 My enemies’ taunts cut into me to the bone, ⁴⁶ 

as they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” ⁴⁷ 

Mazmur 45:10

45:10 Listen, O princess! ⁴⁸ 

Observe and pay attention! ⁴⁹ 

Forget your homeland ⁵⁰  and your family! ⁵¹ 

Mazmur 45:16

45:16 Your ⁵²  sons will carry ⁵³  on the dynasty of your ancestors; ⁵⁴ 

you will make them princes throughout the land.

Mazmur 46:4

46:4 The river’s channels bring joy to the city of God, ⁵⁵ 

the special, holy dwelling place of ⁵⁶  the sovereign One. ⁵⁷ 

Mazmur 49:8

49:8 (the ransom price for a human life ⁵⁸  is too high,

and people go to their final destiny), ⁵⁹ 

Mazmur 50:7

50:7 He says: ⁶⁰ 

“Listen my people! I am speaking!

Listen Israel! I am accusing you! ⁶¹ 

I am God, your God!

Mazmur 55:22

55:22 Throw your burden ⁶²  upon the Lord,

and he will sustain you. ⁶³ 

He will never allow the godly to be upended. ⁶⁴ 

Mazmur 56:4

56:4 In God – I boast in his promise ⁶⁵  –

in God I trust, I am not afraid.

What can mere men ⁶⁶  do to me? ⁶⁷ 

Mazmur 62:1

Psalm 62 ⁶⁸ 

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

62:1 For God alone I patiently wait; ⁶⁹ 

he is the one who delivers me. ⁷⁰ 

Mazmur 62:7

62:7 God delivers me and exalts me;

God is my strong protector and my shelter. ⁷¹ 

Mazmur 66:6

66:6 He turned the sea into dry land; ⁷² 

they passed through the river on foot. ⁷³ 

Let us rejoice in him there! ⁷⁴ 

Mazmur 68:10

68:10 for you live among them. ⁷⁵ 

You sustain the oppressed with your good blessings, O God.

Mazmur 68:12

68:12 Kings leading armies run away – they run away! ⁷⁶ 

The lovely lady ⁷⁷  of the house divides up the loot.

Mazmur 68:14

68:14 When the sovereign judge ⁷⁸  scatters kings, ⁷⁹ 

let it snow ⁸⁰  on Zalmon!

Mazmur 68:26

68:26 In your large assemblies praise God,

the Lord, in the assemblies of Israel! ⁸¹ 

Mazmur 68:28

68:28 God has decreed that you will be powerful. ⁸² 

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

Mazmur 68:34

68:34 Acknowledge God’s power, ⁸³ 

his sovereignty over Israel,

and the power he reveals in the skies! ⁸⁴ 

Mazmur 69:2

69:2 I sink into the deep mire

where there is no solid ground; ⁸⁵ 

I am in ⁸⁶  deep water,

and the current overpowers me.

Mazmur 69:9

69:9 Certainly ⁸⁷  zeal for ⁸⁸  your house ⁸⁹  consumes me;

I endure the insults of those who insult you. ⁹⁰ 

Mazmur 69:15

69:15 Don’t let the current overpower me!

Don’t let the deep swallow me up!

Don’t let the pit ⁹¹  devour me! ⁹² 

Mazmur 69:19

69:19 You know how I am insulted, humiliated and disgraced;

you can see all my enemies. ⁹³ 

Mazmur 69:36

69:36 The descendants of his servants will inherit it,

and those who are loyal to him ⁹⁴  will live in it. ⁹⁵ 

Mazmur 74:20

74:20 Remember your covenant promises, ⁹⁶ 

for the dark regions of the earth are full of places where violence rules. ⁹⁷ 

Mazmur 76:10

76:10 Certainly ⁹⁸  your angry judgment upon men will bring you praise; ⁹⁹ 

you reveal your anger in full measure. ¹⁰⁰ 

Mazmur 77:9

77:9 Has God forgotten to be merciful?

Has his anger stifled his compassion?”

Mazmur 78:70

78:70 He chose David, his servant,

and took him from the sheepfolds.

Mazmur 80:14

80:14 O God, invincible warrior, ¹⁰¹  come back!

Look down from heaven and take notice!

Take care of this vine,

Mazmur 83:2

83:2 For look, your enemies are making a commotion;

those who hate you are hostile. ¹⁰² 

Mazmur 85:13

85:13 Deliverance goes ¹⁰³  before him,

and prepares ¹⁰⁴  a pathway for him. ¹⁰⁵ 

Mazmur 89:7

89:7 a God who is honored ¹⁰⁶  in the great angelic assembly, ¹⁰⁷ 

and more awesome than ¹⁰⁸  all who surround him?

Mazmur 89:16

89:16 They rejoice in your name all day long,

and are vindicated ¹⁰⁹  by your justice.

Mazmur 89:51

89:51 Your enemies, O Lord, hurl insults;

they insult your chosen king as they dog his footsteps. ¹¹⁰ 

Mazmur 90:8

90:8 You are aware of our sins; ¹¹¹ 

you even know about our hidden sins. ¹¹² 

Mazmur 92:4

92:4 For you, O Lord, have made me happy by your work.

I will sing for joy because of what you have done. ¹¹³ 

Mazmur 102:10

102:10 because of your anger and raging fury.

Indeed, ¹¹⁴  you pick me up and throw me away.

Mazmur 104:14

104:14 He provides grass ¹¹⁵  for the cattle,

and crops for people to cultivate, ¹¹⁶ 

so they can produce food from the ground, ¹¹⁷ 

Mazmur 104:28

104:28 You give food to them and they receive it;

you open your hand and they are filled with food. ¹¹⁸ 

Mazmur 104:35

104:35 May sinners disappear ¹¹⁹  from the earth,

and the wicked vanish!

Praise the Lord, O my soul!

Praise the Lord!

Mazmur 105:40

105:40 They asked for food, ¹²⁰  and he sent quails;

he satisfied them with food from the sky. ¹²¹ 

Mazmur 106:43

106:43 Many times he delivered ¹²²  them,

but they had a rebellious attitude, ¹²³ 

and degraded themselves ¹²⁴  by their sin.

Mazmur 106:48

106:48 The Lord God of Israel deserves praise, ¹²⁵ 

in the future and forevermore. ¹²⁶ 

Let all the people say, “We agree! ¹²⁷  Praise the Lord!” ¹²⁸ 

Mazmur 111:1

Psalm 111 ¹²⁹ 

111:1 Praise the Lord!

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,

in the assembly of the godly and the congregation.

Mazmur 111:10--112:1

111:10 To obey the Lord is the fundamental principle for wise living; ¹³⁰ 

all who carry out his precepts acquire good moral insight. ¹³¹ 

He will receive praise forever. ¹³² 

Psalm 112 ¹³³ 

112:1 Praise the Lord!

How blessed is the one ¹³⁴  who obeys ¹³⁵  the Lord,

who takes great delight in keeping his commands. ¹³⁶ 

Mazmur 112:10

112:10 When the wicked ¹³⁷  see this, they will worry;

they will grind their teeth in frustration ¹³⁸  and melt away;

the desire of the wicked will perish. ¹³⁹ 

Mazmur 119:49

ז (Zayin)

119:49 Remember your word to your servant,

for you have given me hope.

Mazmur 119:116

119:116 Sustain me as you promised, ¹⁴⁰  so that I will live. ¹⁴¹ 

Do not disappoint me! ¹⁴² 

Mazmur 129:8

129:8 Those who pass by will not say, ¹⁴³ 

“May you experience the Lord’s blessing!

We pronounce a blessing on you in the name of the Lord.”

Mazmur 139:14

139:14 I will give you thanks because your deeds are awesome and amazing. ¹⁴⁴ 

You knew me thoroughly; ¹⁴⁵ 

Mazmur 146:8

146:8 The Lord gives sight to the blind.

The Lord lifts up all who are bent over. ¹⁴⁶ 

The Lord loves the godly.

Mazmur 147:1

Psalm 147 ¹⁴⁷ 

147:1 Praise the Lord,

for it is good to sing praises to our God!

Yes, ¹⁴⁸  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--150:1

149:9 and execute the judgment to which their enemies ¹⁴⁹  have been sentenced. ¹⁵⁰ 

All his loyal followers will be vindicated. ¹⁵¹ 

Praise the Lord!

Psalm 150 ¹⁵² 

150:1 Praise the Lord!

Praise God in his sanctuary!

Praise him in the sky, which testifies to his strength! ¹⁵³ 

[9:20]  ¹ tn Heb “place, Lord, terror with regard to them.” The Hebrew term מוֹרָה (morah, “terror”) is an alternative form of מוֹרָא (mora’; a reading that appears in some mss and finds support in several ancient textual witnesses).

[9:20]  ² tn Heb “let the nations know they [are] man[kind]”; i.e., mere human beings (as opposed to God).

[10:3]  ³ tn The translation assumes כִּי (ki) is asseverative: “indeed, certainly.” Another option is to translate “for,” understanding v. 3 as giving the reason why the wicked so arrogantly seek to destroy the helpless (so NASB, NRSV).

[10:3]  ⁴ tn The representative or typical evildoer is described in vv. 3-11, 13, 15. Since the singular form predominates in these verses, it has been retained in the translation.

[10:3]  ⁵ tn Heb “the wicked [one] boasts on account of the desire of his appetite.” The translation assumes that the preposition עַל (’al) introduces the reason why the wicked boasts (cf. this use of עַל with הָלַל (halal) in Ps 119:164 and Ezra 3:11). In this case, the “desire of his appetite” refers by metonymy to the object desired and acquired.

[10:3]  ⁶ tn The translation assumes the active participle is substantival, referring to the wicked man mentioned in the preceding line. The substantival participle is then understood as the subject of the following verbs. For other examples of the participle of בָּצַע (batsar) used of those who desire and/or acquire wealth through dishonest and/or violent means, see Prov 1:19; 15:27; Jer 6:13; 8:10; Hab 2:9.

[10:3]  ⁷ tn The verb בָּרַךְ (barakh) normally means “to bless,” but in a few cases it exhibits the polarized meaning “to curse” (1 Kgs 21:10, 13; Job 1:5-11; 2:5-9). (Some regard this use of בָּרַךְ as a mere euphemism.) The verb refers to the act of pronouncing or calling down a formal curse upon the object of one’s anger.

[10:3]  ⁸ tn The conjunction “and” is supplied in the translation; it does not appear in the Hebrew text.

[10:3]  ⁹ tn Another option is to translate, “he blesses one who robs others, [but] he curses the Lord.” In this case the subject of the verbs is “the wicked man” mentioned in the previous line, and “the one who robs others” is the object of the verb בָּרַךְ (barakh), which is understood in its usual sense of “bless.”

[10:4]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “the wicked [one], according to the height of his nose, he does not seek, there is no God, all his thoughts.” The phrase “height of his nose” probably refers to an arrogant or snooty attitude; it likely pictures one with his nose turned upward toward the sky in pride. One could take the “wicked” as the subject of the negated verb “seek,” in which case the point is that the wicked do not “seek” God. The translation assumes that this statement, along with “there is no God,” is what the wicked man thinks to himself. In this case God is the subject of the verb “seek,” and the point is that God will not hold the wicked man accountable for his actions. Verse 13 strongly favors this interpretation. The statement “there is no God” is not a philosophical assertion that God does not exist, but rather a confident affirmation that he is unconcerned about how men live morally and ethically (see v. 11).

[12:7]  ¹¹ tn The third person plural pronominal suffix on the verb is masculine, referring back to the “oppressed” and “needy” in v. 5 (both of those nouns are plural in form), suggesting that the verb means “protect” here. The suffix does not refer to אִמֲרוֹת (’imarot, “words”) in v. 6, because that term is feminine gender.

[12:7]  ¹² tn Heb “you will protect him from this generation permanently.” The third masculine singular suffix on the verb “protect” is probably used in a distributive sense, referring to each one within the group mentioned previously (the oppressed/needy, referred to as “them” in the preceding line). On this grammatical point see GKC 396 §123.f (where the present text is not cited). (Some Hebrew mss and ancient textual witnesses read “us,” both here and in the preceding line.) The noun דוֹר (dor, “generation”) refers here to the psalmist’s contemporaries, who were characterized by deceit and arrogance (see vv. 1-2). See BDB 189-90 s.v. for other examples where “generation” refers to a class of people.

[16:7]  ¹³ tn Heb “bless,” that is, “proclaim as worthy of praise.”

[16:7]  ¹⁴ tn Or “because.”

[16:7]  ¹⁵ tn Or “counsels, advises.”

[16:7]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “yes, [during] nights my kidneys instruct [or “correct”] me.” The “kidneys” are viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s moral character (see Ps 26:2). In the quiet darkness the Lord speaks to his inner being, as it were, and enables him to grow in moral understanding.

[17:4]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “with regard to the deeds of man[kind].”

[17:4]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “by the word of your lips, I, I have watched the paths of the violent” (i.e., “watched” in the sense of “watched for the purpose of avoiding”).

[17:13]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “Be in front of his face.”

[17:13]  ²⁰ tn Or “bring him to his knees.”

[17:13]  ²¹ tn Heb “rescue my life from the wicked [one] [by] your sword.”

[18:12]  ²² tc Heb “from the brightness in front of him his clouds came, hail and coals of fire.” 2 Sam 22:13 reads, “from the brightness in front of him burned coals of fire.” The Lucianic family of texts within the Greek tradition of 2 Sam 22:13 seems to assume the underlying Hebrew text: מנגה נגדו עברו ברד וגחלי אשׁ, “from the brightness in front of him came hail and coals of fire” (the basis for the present translation). The textual situation is perplexing and the identity of the original text uncertain. The verbs עָבָרוּ (’avaru; Ps 18:12) and בָּעֲרוּ (ba’aru; 2 Sam 22:13) appear to be variants involving a transposition of the first two letters. The noun עָבָיו (’avayv, “his clouds,” Ps 18:12) may be virtually dittographic (note the following עָבְרוּ, ’avru), or it could have accidentally dropped out from the text of 2 Sam 22:13 by virtual haplography (note the preceding בָּעֲרוּ, which might have originally read עָבְרוּ). The noun בָּרָד (barad, “hail,” Ps 18:12) may be virtually dittographic (note the preceding עָבְרוּ), or it could have dropped out from 2 Sam 22:13 by virtual haplography (note the preceding בָּעֲרוּ, which might have originally read עָבְרוּ). For a fuller discussion of the text and its problems, see R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 74-76.

[21:5]  ²³ tn Or “great glory.”

[21:5]  ²⁴ tn Heb “majesty and splendor you place upon him.” For other uses of the phrase הוֹד וְהָדָר (hod vÿhadar, “majesty and splendor”) see 1 Chr 16:27; Job 40:10; Pss 96:6; 104:1; 111:3.

[21:6]  ²⁵ tn Heb “you make him happy with joy with [i.e., “close by” or “in”] your face.” On the idiom “with your face” (i.e., “in your presence”) see Ps 16:11 and BDB 816 s.v. פָּנֻה II.2.a.

[21:7]  ²⁶ tn The active participle draws attention to the ongoing nature of the action.

[21:7]  ²⁷ tn Traditionally “the Most High’s.” The divine title “Most High” (עֶלְיוֹן, ’elyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. Note the focus of vv. 8-12 and see Ps 47:2.

[21:7]  ²⁸ tn Another option is to translate the imperfect verbal form as future, “he will not be upended” (cf. NRSV “he shall not be moved”). Even if one chooses this option, the future tense must be understood in a generalizing sense.

[31:10]  ²⁹ tn Heb “and my years in groaning.”

[31:10]  ³⁰ tn Heb “stumbles in.”

[31:10]  ³¹ tn Heb “grow weak.”

[32:11]  ³² tn Heb “all [you] pure of heart.” The “heart” is here viewed as the seat of one’s moral character and motives. The “pure of heart” are God’s faithful followers who trust in and love the Lord and, as a result, experience his deliverance (see Pss 7:10; 11:2; 36:10; 64:10; 94:15; 97:11).

[33:12]  ³³ 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; 2:12; 34:9; 41:1; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).

[33:12]  ³⁴ tn Heb “inheritance.”

[34:9]  ³⁵ tn Heb “fear.”

[34:9]  ³⁶ tn Heb “O holy ones of his.”

[34:9]  ³⁷ tn Heb “those who fear him.”

[34:21]  ³⁸ tn Heb “evil kills the wicked [one].” The singular form is representative; the typical evil person is envisioned. The Hebrew imperfect verbal form draws attention to the typical nature of the action.

[34:21]  ³⁹ tn Heb “are guilty,” but the verb is sometimes used metonymically with the meaning “to suffer the consequences of guilt,” the effect being substituted for the cause.

[37:22]  ⁴⁰ tn The particle כִּי is best understood as asseverative or emphatic here.

[37:22]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “those blessed by him.” The pronoun “him” must refer to the Lord (see vv. 20, 23), so the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[37:22]  ⁴² tn Heb “cursed.”

[37:22]  ⁴³ tn Or “cut off”; or “removed” (see v. 9).

[42:3]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “My tears have become my food day and night.”

[42:3]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “when [they] say to me all the day.” The suffixed third masculine plural pronoun may have been accidentally omitted from the infinitive בֶּאֱמֹר (be’ÿmor, “when [they] say”). Note the term בְּאָמְרָם (bÿ’omram, “when they say”) in v. 10.

[42:10]  ⁴⁶ tc Heb “with a shattering in my bones my enemies taunt me.” A few medieval Hebrew mss and Symmachus’ Greek version read “like” instead of “with.”

[42:10]  ⁴⁷ sn “Where is your God?” The enemies ask this same question in v. 3.

[45:10]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “daughter.” The Hebrew noun בת (“daughter”) can sometimes refer to a young woman in a general sense (see H. Haag, TDOT 2:334).

[45:10]  sn Listen, O princess. The poet now addresses the bride.

[45:10]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “see and turn your ear.” The verb רָאָה (ra’ah, “see”) is used here of mental observation.

[45:10]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “your people.” This reference to the “people” of the princess suggests she was a foreigner. Perhaps the marriage was arranged as part of a political alliance between Israel (or Judah) and a neighboring state. The translation “your homeland” reflects such a situation.

[45:10]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “and the house of your father.”

[45:16]  ⁵² tn The pronoun is second masculine singular, indicating the king is being addressed from this point to the end of the psalm.

[45:16]  ⁵³ 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]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “in place of your fathers will be your sons.”

[46:4]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “A river, its channels cause the city of God to be glad.”

[46:4]  sn The city of God is Jerusalem (see Pss 48:1-2; 87:2-3). The river’s “channels” are probably irrigation ditches vital to growing crops. Some relate the imagery to the “waters of Shiloah” (see Isa 8:6), which flowed from the Gihon spring to the pool of Siloam. In Isa 8:6-8 these waters are contrasted with the flood waters symbolizing Assyria. Even if this is the reality behind the imagery, the picture of a river flowing through Jerusalem is idealized and exaggerated. The river and irrigation ditches symbolize the peace and prosperity that the Lord provides for Jerusalem, in contrast to the havoc produced by the turbulent waters (symbolic of the nations) outside the city. Some see here an adaptation of Canaanite (or, more specifically, Jebusite) mythical traditions of rivers/springs flowing from the high god El’s dwelling place. The Songs of Zion do utilize such imagery at times (see Ps 48:2). The image of a river flowing through Zion may have inspired prophetic visions of an eschatological river flowing from the temple (see Ezek 47:1-12; Joel 3:18).

[46:4]  ⁵⁶ tn Heb “the holy [place] of the dwelling places of.” The adjective “holy” is used here in a substantival manner and placed in construct with the following noun (see GKC 428 §132.c). Origen’s transliterated text assumes the reading קֹדֶשׁ (qodesh, “holiness; holy place”), while the LXX assumes a Piel verbal form קִדֵּשׁ (qidesh, “makes holy”) and takes the following form as “his dwelling place.” The plural form מִשְׁכְּנֵי (mishkÿney, “dwelling places of”) is probably a plural of degree, emphasizing the special character of this dwelling place. See GKC 397 §124.b. The form stands as an appositional genitive in relation to the preceding construct noun.

[46:4]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “Most High.” This divine title (עֶלְיוֹן, ’elyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Pss 7:17; 9:2; 18:13; 21:7; 47:2.

[49:8]  ⁵⁸ 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]  ⁵⁹ 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.

[50:7]  ⁶⁰ tn The words “he says” are supplied in the translation for clarification. God’s charges against his people follow.

[50:7]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “Israel, and I will testify against you.” The imperative “listen” is understood in the second line by ellipsis (note the preceding line).

[55:22]  ⁶² tn The Hebrew noun occurs only here.

[55:22]  ⁶³ tn The pronoun is singular; the psalmist addresses each member of his audience individually.

[55:22]  ⁶⁴ tn Heb “he will never allow swaying for the righteous.”

[56:4]  ⁶⁵ tn Heb “in God I boast, his word.” The syntax in the Hebrew text is difficult. (1) The line could be translated, “in God I boast, [in] his word.” Such a translation assumes that the prepositional phrase “in God” goes with the following verb “I boast” (see Ps 44:8) and that “his word” is appositional to “in God” and more specifically identifies the basis for the psalmist’s confidence. God’s “word” is here understood as an assuring promise of protection. Another option (2) is to translate, “in God I will boast [with] a word.” In this case, the “word” is a song of praise. (In this view the pronominal suffix “his” must be omitted as in v. 10.) The present translation reflects yet another option (3): In this case “I praise his word” is a parenthetical statement, with “his word” being the object of the verb. The sentence begun with the prepositional phrase “in God” is then completed in the next line, with the prepositional phrase being repeated after the parenthesis.

[56:4]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “flesh,” which refers by metonymy to human beings (see v. 11, where “man” is used in this same question), envisioned here as mortal and powerless before God.

[56:4]  ⁶⁷ tn The rhetorical question assumes the answer, “Nothing!” The imperfect is used in a modal sense here, indicating capability or potential.

[62:1]  ⁶⁸ sn Psalm 62. The psalmist expresses his unwavering confidence in God’s justice and in his ability to protect his people.

[62:1]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “only for God [is] there silence [to] my soul.”

[62:1]  ⁷⁰ tn Heb “from him [is] my deliverance.”

[62:7]  ⁷¹ tn Heb “upon God [is] my deliverance and my glory, the high rocky summit of my strength, my shelter [is] in God.”

[66:6]  ⁷² sn He turned the sea into dry land. The psalmist alludes to Israel’s crossing the Red Sea (Exod 14:21).

[66:6]  ⁷³ 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]  ⁷⁴ 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.).

[68:10]  ⁷⁵ tn The meaning of the Hebrew text is unclear; it appears to read, “your animals, they live in it,” but this makes little, if any, sense in this context. Some suggest that חָיָּה (khayah) is a rare homonym here, meaning “community” (BDB 312 s.v.) or “dwelling place” (HALOT 310 s.v. III *הַיָּה). In this case one may take “your community/dwelling place” as appositional to the third feminine singular pronominal suffix at the end of v. 9, the antecedent of which is “your inheritance.” The phrase יָשְׁבוּ־בָהּ (yashvu-vah, “they live in it”) may then be understood as an asyndetic relative clause modifying “your community/dwelling place.” A literal translation of vv. 9b-10a would be, “when it [your inheritance] is tired, you sustain it, your community/dwelling place in [which] they live.”

[68:12]  ⁷⁶ tn The verbal repetition draws attention to the statement.

[68:12]  ⁷⁷ tn The Hebrew form appears to be the construct of נוּה (nuh, “pasture”) but the phrase “pasture of the house” makes no sense here. The translation assumes that the form is an alternative or corruption of נצוה (“beautiful woman”). A reference to a woman would be appropriate in light of v. 11b.

[68:14]  ⁷⁸ tn The divine name used here is שַׁדַּי (“Shaddai”). Shaddai/El Shaddai is the sovereign king/judge of the world who grants life, blesses and kills, and judges. In Genesis he blesses the patriarchs with fertility and promises numerous descendants. Outside Genesis he both blesses (protects) and takes away life and/or happiness.

[68:14]  ⁷⁹ tn The Hebrew text adds “in it.” The third feminine singular pronominal suffix may refer back to God’s community/dwelling place (v. 10).

[68:14]  ⁸⁰ tn The verb form appears to be a Hiphil jussive from שָׁלַג (shalag), which is usually understood as a denominative verb from שֶׁלֶג (sheleg, “snow”) with an indefinite subject. The form could be taken as a preterite, in which case one might translate, “when the sovereign judge scattered kings, it snowed on Zalmon” (cf. NIV, NRSV). The point of the image is unclear. Perhaps “snow” suggests fertility and blessing (see v. 9 and Isa 55:10), or the image of a snow-capped mountain suggests grandeur.

[68:14]  sn Zalmon was apparently a mountain in the region, perhaps the one mentioned in Judg 9:46 as being in the vicinity of Shechem.

[68:26]  ⁸¹ tn Heb “from the fountain of Israel,” which makes little, if any, sense here. The translation assumes an emendation to בְּמִקְרָאֵי (bÿmiqra’ey, “in the assemblies of [Israel]”).

[68:28]  ⁸² tn Heb “God has commanded your strength.” The statement is apparently addressed to Israel (see v. 26).

[68:34]  ⁸³ tn Heb “give strength to God.”

[68:34]  ⁸⁴ sn The language of v. 34 echoes that of Deut 33:26.

[69:2]  ⁸⁵ tn Heb “and there is no place to stand.”

[69:2]  ⁸⁶ tn Heb “have entered.”

[69:9]  ⁸⁷ tn Or “for.” This verse explains that the psalmist’s suffering is due to his allegiance to God.

[69:9]  ⁸⁸ tn Or “devotion to.”

[69:9]  ⁸⁹ sn God’s house, the temple, here represents by metonymy God himself.

[69:9]  ⁹⁰ tn Heb “the insults of those who insult you fall upon me.”

[69:9]  sn Jn 2:17 applies the first half of this verse to Jesus’ ministry in the context of John’s account of Jesus cleansing the temple.

[69:15]  ⁹¹ tn Heb “well,” which here symbolizes the place of the dead (cf. Ps 55:23).

[69:15]  ⁹² tn Heb “do not let the well close its mouth upon me.”

[69:19]  ⁹³ tn Heb “before you [are] all my enemies.”

[69:36]  ⁹⁴ tn Heb “the lovers of his name.” The phrase refers to those who are loyal to God (cf. v. 35). See Pss 5:11; 119:132; Isa 56:6.

[69:36]  ⁹⁵ sn Verses 35-36 appear to be an addition to the psalm from the time of the exile. The earlier lament reflects an individual’s situation, while these verses seem to reflect a communal application of it.

[74:20]  ⁹⁶ tc Heb “look at the covenant.” The LXX reads “your covenant,” which seems to assume a second person pronominal suffix. The suffix may have been accidentally omitted by haplography. Note that the following word (כִּי) begins with kaf (כ).

[74:20]  ⁹⁷ tn Heb “for the dark places of the earth are full of dwelling places of violence.” The “dark regions” are probably the lands where the people have been exiled (see C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms [ICC], 2:157). In some contexts “dark regions” refers to Sheol (Ps 88:6) or to hiding places likened to Sheol (Ps 143:3; Lam 3:6).

[76:10]  ⁹⁸ tn Or “for.”

[76:10]  ⁹⁹ tn Heb “the anger of men will praise you.” This could mean that men’s anger (subjective genitive), when punished by God, will bring him praise, but this interpretation does not harmonize well with the next line. The translation assumes that God’s anger is in view here (see v. 7) and that “men” is an objective genitive. God’s angry judgment against men brings him praise because it reveals his power and majesty (see vv. 1-4).

[76:10]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Heb “the rest of anger you put on.” The meaning of the statement is not entirely clear. Perhaps the idea is that God, as he prepares for battle, girds himself with every last ounce of his anger, as if it were a weapon.

[80:14]  ¹⁰¹ tn Heb “O God, hosts.” One expects the construct form אֱלֹהֵי before צְבָאוֹת (tsÿva’ot, “hosts”; see Ps 89:9), but יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים (yehvah ’elohim) precedes צְבָאוֹת (tsÿva’ot) in Pss 59:5 and 84:8 as well. See also vv. 4, 7 for a similar construction.

[83:2]  ¹⁰² tn Heb “lift up [their] head[s].” The phrase “lift up [the] head” here means “to threaten; to be hostile,” as in Judg 8:28.

[85:13]  ¹⁰³ tn Or “will go.”

[85:13]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Or “will prepare.”

[85:13]  ¹⁰⁵ tn Heb “and it prepares for a way his footsteps.” Some suggest emending וְיָשֵׂם (vÿyasem, “and prepares”) to וְשָׁלוֹם (vÿshalom, “and peace”) since “deliverance” and “peace” are closely related earlier in v. 13. This could be translated, “and peace [goes ahead, making] a pathway for his footsteps” (cf. NEB).

[89:7]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Heb “feared.”

[89:7]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Heb “in the great assembly of the holy ones.”

[89:7]  ¹⁰⁸ tn Or perhaps “feared by.”

[89:16]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Heb “are lifted up.”

[89:51]  ¹¹⁰ tn Heb “[by] which your enemies, O Lord, taunt, [by] which they taunt [at] the heels of your anointed one.”

[90:8]  ¹¹¹ tn Heb “you set our sins in front of you.”

[90:8]  ¹¹² tn Heb “what we have hidden to the light of your face.” God’s face is compared to a light or lamp that exposes the darkness around it.

[92:4]  ¹¹³ tn Heb “the works of your hands.”

[102:10]  ¹¹⁴ tn Or “for.”

[104:14]  ¹¹⁵ tn Heb “causes the grass to sprout up.”

[104:14]  ¹¹⁶ tn Heb “for the service of man” (see Gen 2:5).

[104:14]  ¹¹⁷ tn Heb “to cause food to come out from the earth.”

[104:28]  ¹¹⁸ tn Heb “they are satisfied [with] good.”

[104:35]  ¹¹⁹ tn Or “be destroyed.”

[105:40]  ¹²⁰ 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]  ¹²¹ tn Or “bread of heaven.” The reference is to manna (see Exod 16:4, 13-15).

[106:43]  ¹²² 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]  ¹²³ 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]  ¹²⁴ tn Heb “they sank down.” The Hebrew verb מָכַךְ (makhakh, “to lower; to sink”) occurs only here in the Qal.

[106:48]  ¹²⁵ tn Heb “[be] blessed.” See Pss 18:46; 28:6; 31:21.

[106:48]  ¹²⁶ tn Heb “from everlasting to everlasting.”

[106:48]  ¹²⁷ tn Heb “surely” (אָמֵן, ’amen), traditionally transliterated “amen.”

[106:48]  ¹²⁸ 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).

[111:1]  ¹²⁹ sn Psalm 111. The psalmist praises God for his marvelous deeds, especially the way in which he provides for and delivers his people. 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.

[111:10]  ¹³⁰ tn Heb “the beginning of wisdom [is] the fear of the Lord.”

[111:10]  ¹³¹ tn Heb “good sense [is] to all who do them.” The third masculine plural pronominal suffix must refer back to the “precepts” mentioned in v. 7. In the translation the referent has been specified for clarity. The phrase שֵׂכֶל טוֹב (shekhel tov) also occurs in Prov 3:4; 13:15 and 2 Chr 30:22.

[111:10]  ¹³² tn Heb “his praise stands forever.”

[112:1]  ¹³³ 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]  ¹³⁴ 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]  ¹³⁵ tn Heb “fears.”

[112:1]  ¹³⁶ 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.

[112:10]  ¹³⁷ tn The Hebrew text uses the singular; the representative wicked individual is in view as typifying the group (note the use of the plural form in v. 10).

[112:10]  ¹³⁸ tn Heb “his teeth he will gnash.” In Pss 35:16 and 37:12 this action is associated with a vicious attack.

[112:10]  ¹³⁹ tn This could mean that the desires of the wicked will go unfulfilled. Another possibility is that “desire” refers by metonymy to the object desired and acquired. In this case the point is that the wicked will lose what they desired so badly and acquired by evil means (see Ps 10:3).

[119:116]  ¹⁴⁰ tn Heb “according to your word.”

[119:116]  ¹⁴¹ tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.

[119:116]  ¹⁴² tn Heb “do not make me ashamed of my hope.” After the Hebrew verb בּוֹשׁ (bosh, “to be ashamed”) the preposition מִן (min, “from”) often introduces the reason for shame.

[129:8]  ¹⁴³ tn The perfect verbal form is used for rhetorical effect; it describes an anticipated development as if it were already reality.

[139:14]  ¹⁴⁴ tc Heb “because awesome things, I am distinct, amazing [are] your works.” The text as it stands is syntactically problematic and makes little, if any, sense. The Niphal of פָּלָה (pala’) occurs elsewhere only in Exod 33:16. Many take the form from פָלָא (pala’; see GKC 216 §75.qq), which in the Niphal perfect means “to be amazing” (see 2 Sam 1:26; Ps 118:23; Prov 30:18). Some, following the LXX and some other ancient witnesses, also prefer to emend the verb from first to second person, “you are amazing” (see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 249, 251). The present translation assumes the text conflates two variants: נפלאים, the otherwise unattested masculine plural participle of פָלָא, and נִפְלָאוֹת (nifla’ot), the usual (feminine) plural form of the Niphal participle. The latter has been changed to a verb by later scribes in an attempt to accommodate it syntactically. The original text likely read, נוראות נפלאותים מעשׂיך (“your works [are] awesome [and] amazing”).

[139:14]  ¹⁴⁵ tc Heb “and my being knows very much.” Better parallelism is achieved (see v. 15a) if one emends יֹדַעַת (yoda’at), a Qal active participle, feminine singular form, to יָדַעְתָּ (yada’ta), a Qal perfect second masculine singular perfect. See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 252.

[146:8]  ¹⁴⁶ tn Perhaps “discouraged” (see Ps 57:6).

[147:1]  ¹⁴⁷ 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]  ¹⁴⁸ tn Or “for.”

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

[149:9]  ¹⁵⁰ tn Heb “to do against them judgment [that] is written.”

[149:9]  ¹⁵¹ 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).

[150:1]  ¹⁵² sn Psalm 150. The Psalter concludes with a resounding call for praise from everything that has breath.

[150:1]  ¹⁵³ tn Heb “the sky of his strength.”