Mazmur 1:2

1:2 Instead ¹  he finds pleasure in obeying the Lord’s commands; ² 

he meditates on ³  his commands ⁴  day and night.

Mazmur 1:5

1:5 For this reason ⁵  the wicked cannot withstand ⁶  judgment, ⁷ 

nor can sinners join the assembly of the godly. ⁸ 

Mazmur 3:6

3:6 I am not afraid ⁹  of the multitude of people ¹⁰ 

who attack me from all directions. ¹¹ 

Mazmur 9:3

9:3 When my enemies turn back,

they trip and are defeated ¹²  before you.

Mazmur 9:8

9:8 He judges the world fairly;

he makes just legal decisions for the nations. ¹³ 

Mazmur 9:19

9:19 Rise up, Lord! ¹⁴ 

Don’t let men be defiant! ¹⁵ 

May the nations be judged in your presence!

Mazmur 10:7

10:7 His mouth is full of curses and deceptive, harmful words; ¹⁶ 

his tongue injures and destroys. ¹⁷ 

Mazmur 10:11-13

10:11 He says to himself, ¹⁸ 

“God overlooks it;

he does not pay attention;

he never notices.” ¹⁹ 

10:12 Rise up, Lord! ²⁰ 

O God, strike him down! ²¹ 

Do not forget the oppressed!

10:13 Why does the wicked man reject God? ²² 

He says to himself, ²³  “You ²⁴  will not hold me accountable.” ²⁵ 

Mazmur 18:27

18:27 For you deliver oppressed ²⁶  people,

but you bring down those who have a proud look. ²⁷ 

Mazmur 18:40

18:40 You make my enemies retreat; ²⁸ 

I destroy those who hate me. ²⁹ 

Mazmur 19:3

19:3 There is no actual speech or word,

nor is its ³⁰  voice literally heard.

Mazmur 22:12

22:12 Many bulls ³¹  surround me;

powerful bulls of Bashan ³²  hem me in.

Mazmur 25:12

25:12 The Lord shows his faithful followers

the way they should live. ³³ 

Mazmur 26:4

26:4 I do not associate ³⁴  with deceitful men,

or consort ³⁵  with those who are dishonest. ³⁶ 

Mazmur 36:2

36:2 for he is too proud

to recognize and give up his sin. ³⁷ 

Mazmur 37:10

37:10 Evil men will soon disappear; ³⁸ 

you will stare at the spot where they once were, but they will be gone. ³⁹ 

Mazmur 37:26

37:26 All day long he shows compassion and lends to others, ⁴⁰ 

and his children ⁴¹  are blessed.

Mazmur 41:5

41:5 My enemies ask this cruel question about me, ⁴² 

‘When will he finally die and be forgotten?’ ⁴³ 

Mazmur 44:14

44:14 You made us ⁴⁴  an object of ridicule ⁴⁵  among the nations;

foreigners treat us with contempt. ⁴⁶ 

Mazmur 50:6

50:6 The heavens declare his fairness, ⁴⁷ 

for God is judge. ⁴⁸  (Selah)

Mazmur 55:20

55:20 He ⁴⁹  attacks ⁵⁰  his friends; ⁵¹ 

he breaks his solemn promises to them. ⁵² 

Mazmur 65:2

65:2 You hear prayers; ⁵³ 

all people approach you. ⁵⁴ 

Mazmur 66:4

66:4 All the earth worships ⁵⁵  you

and sings praises to you!

They sing praises to your name!” (Selah)

Mazmur 72:5

72:5 People will fear ⁵⁶  you ⁵⁷  as long as the sun and moon remain in the sky,

for generation after generation. ⁵⁸ 

Mazmur 72:13

72:13 He will take pity ⁵⁹  on the poor and needy;

the lives of the needy he will save.

Mazmur 74:10

74:10 How long, O God, will the adversary hurl insults?

Will the enemy blaspheme your name forever?

Mazmur 74:15

74:15 You broke open the spring and the stream; ⁶⁰ 

you dried up perpetually flowing rivers. ⁶¹ 

Mazmur 76:8

76:8 From heaven you announced what their punishment would be. ⁶² 

The earth ⁶³  was afraid and silent

Mazmur 78:43

78:43 when he performed his awesome deeds ⁶⁴  in Egypt,

and his acts of judgment ⁶⁵  in the region of Zoan.

Mazmur 78:61-62

78:61 He allowed the symbol of his strong presence to be captured; ⁶⁶ 

he gave the symbol of his splendor ⁶⁷  into the hand of the enemy. ⁶⁸ 

78:62 He delivered his people over to the sword,

and was angry with his chosen nation. ⁶⁹ 

Mazmur 87:6

87:6 The Lord writes in the census book of the nations, ⁷⁰ 

“This one was born there.” ⁷¹  (Selah)

Mazmur 89:42

89:42 You have allowed his adversaries to be victorious, ⁷² 

and all his enemies to rejoice.

Mazmur 92:5

92:5 How great are your works, O Lord!

Your plans are very intricate! ⁷³ 

Mazmur 94:12

94:12 How blessed is the one ⁷⁴  whom you instruct, O Lord,

the one whom you teach from your law,

Mazmur 95:8

95:8 He says, ⁷⁵  “Do not be stubborn like they were at Meribah, ⁷⁶ 

like they were that day at Massah ⁷⁷  in the wilderness, ⁷⁸ 

Mazmur 102:8

102:8 All day long my enemies taunt me;

those who mock me use my name in their curses. ⁷⁹ 

Mazmur 104:11

104:11 They provide water for all the animals in the field;

the wild donkeys quench their thirst.

Mazmur 105:16

105:16 He called down a famine upon the earth;

he cut off all the food supply. ⁸⁰ 

Mazmur 109:2

109:2 For they say cruel and deceptive things to me;

they lie to me. ⁸¹ 

Mazmur 115:5

115:5 They have mouths, but cannot speak,

eyes, but cannot see,

Mazmur 118:7

118:7 The Lord is on my side ⁸²  as my helper. ⁸³ 

I look in triumph on those who hate me.

Mazmur 119:2

119:2 How blessed are those who observe his rules,

and seek him with all their heart,

Mazmur 119:44

119:44 Then I will keep ⁸⁴  your law continually

now and for all time. ⁸⁵ 

Mazmur 119:53

119:53 Rage takes hold of me because of the wicked,

those who reject your law.

Mazmur 119:113

ס (Samek)

119:113 I hate people with divided loyalties, ⁸⁶ 

but I love your law.

Mazmur 119:157

119:157 The enemies who chase me are numerous. ⁸⁷ 

Yet I do not turn aside from your rules.

Mazmur 124:2

124:2 if the Lord had not been on our side,

when men attacked us, ⁸⁸ 

Mazmur 129:1

Psalm 129 ⁸⁹ 

A song of ascents. ⁹⁰ 

129:1 “Since my youth they have often attacked me,”

let Israel say.

Mazmur 136:13-14

136:13 to the one who divided ⁹¹  the Red Sea ⁹²  in two, ⁹³ 

for his loyal love endures,

136:14 and led Israel through its midst,

for his loyal love endures,

Mazmur 136:18

136:18 and killed powerful kings,

for his loyal love endures,

Mazmur 141:7

141:7 As when one plows and breaks up the soil, ⁹⁴ 

so our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.

Mazmur 145:4-5

145:4 One generation will praise your deeds to another,

and tell about your mighty acts! ⁹⁵ 

145:5 I will focus on your honor and majestic splendor,

and your amazing deeds! ⁹⁶ 

Mazmur 145:14

145:14 ⁹⁷ The Lord supports all who fall,

and lifts up all who are bent over. ⁹⁸ 

[1:2]  ¹ tn Here the Hebrew expression כִּי־אִם (ki-’im, “instead”) introduces a contrast between the sinful behavior depicted in v. 1 and the godly lifestyle described in v. 2.

[1:2]  ² tn Heb “his delight [is] in the law of the Lord.” In light of the following line, which focuses on studying the Lord’s law, one might translate, “he finds pleasure in studying the Lord’s commands.” However, even if one translates the line this way, it is important to recognize that mere study and intellectual awareness are not ultimately what bring divine favor. Study of the law is metonymic here for the correct attitudes and behavior that should result from an awareness of and commitment to God’s moral will; thus “obeying” has been used in the translation rather than “studying.”

[1:2]  ³ tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form draws attention to the characteristic behavior described here and lends support to the hyperbolic adverbial phrase “day and night.” The verb הָגָה (hagag) means “to recite quietly; to meditate” and refers metonymically to intense study and reflection.

[1:2]  ⁴ tn Or “his law.”

[1:5]  ⁵ tn Or “Therefore.”

[1:5]  ⁶ tn Heb “arise in,” but the verb is used metonymically here in the sense of “stand”; “endure,” as in 1 Sam 13:14 and Job 8:15. The negated Hebrew imperfect verbal form is here taken as indicating incapability or lack of potential, though one could understand the verb form as indicating what is typical (“do not withstand”) or what will happen (“will not withstand”).

[1:5]  ⁷ tn Heb “the judgment.” The article indicates a judgment that is definite in the mind of the speaker. In the immediate context this probably does not refer to the “final judgment” described in later biblical revelation, but to a temporal/historical judgment which the author anticipates. Periodically during the OT period, God would come in judgment, removing the wicked from the scene, while preserving a godly remnant (see Gen 6-9; Ps 37; Hab 3).

[1:5]  ⁸ tn Heb “and sinners in the assembly (or “circle”) of [the] godly.” The negative particle and verb from the preceding line are assumed by ellipsis here (“will not arise/stand”).

[1:5]  sn The assembly of the godly is insulated from divine judgment (Ps 37:12-17, 28-29).

[3:6]  ⁹ tn The imperfect verbal form here expresses the psalmist’s continuing attitude as he faces the crisis at hand.

[3:6]  ¹⁰ tn Or perhaps “troops.” The Hebrew noun עָם (’am) sometimes refers to a military contingent or army.

[3:6]  ¹¹ tn Heb “who all around take a stand against me.”

[9:3]  ¹² tn Or “perish”; or “die.” The imperfect verbal forms in this line either emphasize what typically happens or describe vividly the aftermath of a recent battle in which the Lord defeated the psalmist’s enemies.

[9:8]  ¹³ tn Heb “the peoples.” The imperfect verbal forms in v. 8 either describe God’s typical, characteristic behavior, or anticipate a future judgment of worldwide proportions (“will judge…”).

[9:19]  ¹⁴ sn Rise up, Lord! …May the nations be judged. The psalm concludes with a petition that the Lord would continue to exercise his justice as he has done in the recent crisis.

[9:19]  ¹⁵ tn Or “prevail.”

[10:7]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “[with] a curse his mouth is full, and lies and injury.”

[10:7]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “under his tongue are destruction and wickedness.” The words translated “destruction and wickedness” are also paired in Ps 90:10. They also appear in proximity in Pss 7:14 and 55:10.

[10:11]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “he says in his heart.” See v. 6.

[10:11]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “God forgets, he hides his face, he never sees.”

[10:12]  ²⁰ sn Rise up, O Lord! The psalmist’s mood changes from lament to petition and confidence.

[10:12]  ²¹ tn Heb “lift up your hand.” Usually the expression “lifting the hand” refers to praying (Pss 28:2; 134:2) or making an oath (Ps 106:26), but here it probably refers to “striking a blow” (see 2 Sam 18:28; 20:21). Note v. 15, where the psalmist asks the Lord to “break the arm of the wicked.” A less likely option is that the psalmist is requesting that the Lord declare by oath his intention to intervene.

[10:13]  ²² tn The rhetorical question expresses the psalmist’s outrage that the wicked would have the audacity to disdain God.

[10:13]  ²³ tn Heb “he says in his heart” (see vv. 6, 11). Another option is to understand an ellipsis of the interrogative particle here (cf. the preceding line), “Why does he say in his heart?”

[10:13]  ²⁴ tn Here the wicked man addresses God directly.

[10:13]  ²⁵ tn Heb “you will not seek.” The verb דָרַשׁ (darash, “seek”) is used here in the sense of “seek an accounting.” One could understand the imperfect as generalizing about what is typical and translate, “you do not hold [people] accountable.”

[18:27]  ²⁶ tn Or perhaps, “humble” (note the contrast with those who are proud).

[18:27]  ²⁷ tn Heb “but proud eyes you bring low.” 2 Sam 22:28 reads, “your eyes [are] upon the proud, [whom] you bring low.”

[18:40]  ²⁸ tn Heb “and [as for] my enemies, you give to me [the] back [or “neck”].” The idiom “give [the] back” means “to cause [one] to turn the back and run away.” Cf. Exod 23:27.

[18:40]  ²⁹ sn Those who hate me. See v. 17, where it is the Lord who delivered the psalmist from those who hated him.

[19:3]  ³⁰ tn Heb “their.” The antecedent of the plural pronoun is “heavens” (v. 1).

[22:12]  ³¹ sn The psalmist figuratively compares his enemies to dangerous bulls.

[22:12]  ³² sn Bashan, located east of the Jordan River, was well-known for its cattle. See Ezek 39:18; Amos 4:1.

[25:12]  ³³ tn Heb “Who is this man, the one who fears the Lord? He will instruct him in the way he should choose.” The singular (note “man”) is representative here (see v. 14, where the plural is used), and has thus been translated as a plural (“followers…they”).

[26:4]  ³⁴ tn Heb “sit.”

[26:4]  ³⁵ tn Heb “go.” The psalmist uses the imperfect form of the verb to emphasize that he does not make a practice of associating with such people.

[26:4]  ³⁶ tn Heb “[those who] conceal themselves.”

[36:2]  ³⁷ tn Heb “for it causes to be smooth to him in his eyes to find his sin to hate.” The meaning of the Hebrew text is unclear. Perhaps the point is this: His rebellious attitude makes him reject any notion that God will hold him accountable. His attitude also prevents him from recognizing and repudiating his sinful ways.

[37:10]  ³⁸ tn Heb “and yet, a little, there will be no wicked [one].”

[37:10]  ³⁹ tn Heb “and you will carefully look upon his place, but he will not be [there].” The singular is used here in a representative sense; the typical evildoer is in view.

[37:26]  ⁴⁰ tn The active participles describe characteristic behavior.

[37:26]  ⁴¹ tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”

[41:5]  ⁴² tn Heb “my enemies speak evil concerning me.”

[41:5]  ⁴³ tn Heb “and his name perish.”

[44:14]  ⁴⁴ tn The prefixed verbal form is a preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive).

[44:14]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “a proverb,” or “[the subject of] a mocking song.”

[44:14]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “a shaking of the head among the peoples.” Shaking the head was a derisive gesture (see Jer 18:16; Lam 2:15).

[50:6]  ⁴⁷ tn Or “justice.”

[50:6]  ⁴⁸ tn Or “for God, he is about to judge.” The participle may be taken as substantival (as in the translation above) or as a predicate (indicating imminent future action in this context).

[55:20]  ⁴⁹ sn He. This must refer to the psalmist’s former friend, who was addressed previously in vv. 12-14.

[55:20]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “stretches out his hand against.”

[55:20]  ⁵¹ tc The form should probably be emended to an active participle (שֹׁלְמָיו, sholÿmayv) from the verbal root שָׁלַם (shalam, “be in a covenant of peace with”). Perhaps the translation “his friends” suggests too intimate a relationship. Another option is to translate, “he attacks those who made agreements with him.”

[55:20]  ⁵² tn Heb “he violates his covenant.”

[65:2]  ⁵³ tn Heb “O one who hears prayer.”

[65:2]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “to you all flesh comes.”

[66:4]  ⁵⁵ tn Or “bows down to.” The prefixed verbal forms in v. 4 are taken (1) as imperfects expressing what is typical. Another option (2) is to interpret them as anticipatory (“all the earth will worship you”) or (3) take them as jussives, expressing a prayer or wish (“may all the earth worship you”).

[72:5]  ⁵⁶ tn In this context “fear” probably means “to demonstrate respect for the Lord’s power and authority by worshiping him and obeying his commandments.” See Ps 33:8. Some interpreters, with the support of the LXX, prefer to read וְיַאֲרִיךְ (vÿ’a’arikh, “and he [the king in this case] will prolong [days]”), that is, “will live a long time” (cf. NIV, NRSV).

[72:5]  ⁵⁷ tn God is the addressee (see vv. 1-2).

[72:5]  ⁵⁸ tn Heb “with [the] sun, and before [the] moon [for] a generation, generations.” The rare expression דּוֹר דּוֹרִים (dor dorim, “generation, generations”) occurs only here, in Ps 102:24, and in Isa 51:8.

[72:13]  ⁵⁹ tn The prefixed verb form is best understood as a defectively written imperfect (see Deut 7:16).

[74:15]  ⁶⁰ sn You broke open the spring and the stream. Perhaps this alludes to the way in which God provided water for the Israelites as they traveled in the wilderness following the exodus (see Ps 78:15-16, 20; 105:41).

[74:15]  ⁶¹ sn Perpetually flowing rivers are rivers that contain water year round, unlike the seasonal streams that flow only during the rainy season. Perhaps the psalmist here alludes to the drying up of the Jordan River when the Israelites entered the land of Canaan under Joshua (see Josh 3-4).

[76:8]  ⁶² tn Heb “a [legal] decision,” or “sentence.”

[76:8]  ⁶³ tn “The earth” stands here by metonymy for its inhabitants.

[78:43]  ⁶⁴ tn Or “signs” (see Ps 65:8).

[78:43]  ⁶⁵ tn Or “portents, omens” (see Ps 71:7). The Egyptian plagues are referred to here (see vv. 44-51).

[78:61]  ⁶⁶ 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]  ⁶⁷ 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]  ⁶⁸ sn Verses 60-61 refer to the Philistines’ capture of the ark in the days of Eli (1 Sam 4:1-11).

[78:62]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “his inheritance.”

[87:6]  ⁷⁰ tn Heb “the Lord records in the writing of the nations.”

[87:6]  ⁷¹ tn As noted in v. 4, the translation assumes a contrast between “there” (the various foreign lands) and “in her” (Zion). In contrast to foreigners, the citizens of Zion have special status because of their birthplace (v. 5). In this case vv. 4 and 6 form a structural frame around v. 5.

[89:42]  ⁷² tn Heb “you have lifted up the right hand of his adversaries.” The idiom “the right hand is lifted up” refers to victorious military deeds (see Pss 89:13; 118:16).

[92:5]  ⁷³ tn Heb “very deep [are] your thoughts.” God’s “thoughts” refer here to his moral design of the world, as outlined in vv. 6-15.

[94:12]  ⁷⁴ tn Heb “[Oh] the happiness [of] the man.” Hebrew wisdom literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The principle of the psalm is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, we translate the gender and age specific “man” with the more neutral “one.” The generic masculine pronoun is used in v. 2.

[95:8]  ⁷⁵ tn The words “he says” are supplied in the translation to clarify that the following words are spoken by the Lord (see vv. 9-11).

[95:8]  ⁷⁶ sn The name Meribah means “strife.” Two separate but similar incidents at Meribah are recorded in the Pentateuch (Exod 17:1-7; Num 20:1-13, see also Pss 81:7; 106:32). In both cases the Israelites complained about lack of water and the Lord miraculously provided for them.

[95:8]  ⁷⁷ sn The name Massah means “testing.” This was another name (along with Meribah) given to the place where Israel complained following the Red Sea Crossing (see Exod 17:1-7, as well as Deut 6:16; 9:22; 33:8).

[95:8]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “do not harden your heart[s] as [at] Meribah, as [in] the day of Massah in the wilderness.”

[102:8]  ⁷⁹ tn Heb “by me they swear.” When the psalmist’s enemies call judgment down on others, they hold the psalmist up as a prime example of what they desire their enemies to become.

[105:16]  ⁸⁰ 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).

[109:2]  ⁸¹ tn Heb “for a mouth of evil and a mouth of deceit against me they open, they speak with me [with] a tongue of falsehood.”

[118:7]  ⁸² tn Heb “for me.”

[118:7]  ⁸³ tn Heb “among my helpers.” The preposition may indicate identity here, while the plural may be one of majesty or respect.

[119:44]  ⁸⁴ tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the negated jussive (see v. 43).

[119:44]  ⁸⁵ tn Or “forever and ever.”

[119:113]  ⁸⁶ tn Heb “divided ones.” The word occurs only here; it appears to be derived from a verbal root, attested in Arabic, meaning “to split” (see HALOT 762 s.v. *סֵעֵף). Since the psalmist is emphasizing his unswerving allegiance to God and his law, the term probably refers to those who lack such loyalty. The translation is similar to that suggested by L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 131.

[119:157]  ⁸⁷ tn Heb “many [are] those who chase me and my enemies.”

[124:2]  ⁸⁸ tn Heb “rose up against us.”

[129:1]  ⁸⁹ sn Psalm 129. Israel affirms God’s justice and asks him to destroy the enemies of Zion.

[129:1]  ⁹⁰ sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.

[136:13]  ⁹¹ tn Or “cut.”

[136:13]  ⁹² 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]  ⁹³ tn Heb “into pieces.”

[141:7]  ⁹⁴ tn Heb “like splitting and breaking open in the earth.” The meaning of the statement and the point of the comparison are not entirely clear. Perhaps the psalmist is suggesting that he and other godly individuals are as good as dead; their bones are scattered about like dirt that is dug up and tossed aside.

[145:4]  ⁹⁵ tn The prefixed verbal forms in v. 4 are understood as imperfects, indicating how the psalmist expects his audience to respond to his praise. Another option is to take the forms as jussives, indicating the psalmist’s wish, “may one generation praise…and tell about.”

[145:5]  ⁹⁶ tn Heb “the splendor of the glory of your majesty, and the matters of your amazing deeds I will ponder.”

[145:14]  ⁹⁷ tc Psalm 145 is an acrostic psalm, with each successive verse beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. However, in the traditional Hebrew (Masoretic) text of Psalm 145 there is no verse beginning with the letter nun. One would expect such a verse to appear as the fourteenth verse, between the mem (מ) and samek (ס) verses. Several ancient witnesses, including one medieval Hebrew manuscript, the Qumran scroll from cave 11, the LXX, and the Syriac, supply the missing nun (נ) verse, which reads as follows: “The Lord is reliable in all his words, and faithful in all his deeds.” One might paraphrase this as follows: “The Lord’s words are always reliable; his actions are always faithful.” Scholars are divided as to the originality of this verse. L. C. Allen argues for its inclusion on the basis of structural considerations (Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 294-95), but there is no apparent explanation for why, if original, it would have been accidentally omitted. The psalm may be a partial acrostic, as in Pss 25 and 34 (see M. Dahood, Psalms [AB], 3:335). The glaring omission of the nun line would have invited a later redactor to add such a line.

[145:14]  ⁹⁸ tn Perhaps “discouraged” (see Ps 57:6).