Mazmur 130:1
KonteksA song of ascents. 2
130:1 From the deep water 3 I cry out to you, O Lord.
Mazmur 33:3
Konteks33:3 Sing to him a new song! 4
Play skillfully as you shout out your praises to him! 5
Mazmur 66:1
KonteksFor the music director; a song, a psalm.
66:1 Shout out praise to God, all the earth!
Mazmur 87:1
KonteksWritten by the Korahites; a psalm, a song.
87:1 The Lord’s city is in the holy hills. 8
Mazmur 96:1
Konteks96:1 Sing to the Lord a new song! 10
Sing to the Lord, all the earth!
Mazmur 120:1
KonteksA song of ascents. 12
120:1 In my distress I cried out
to the Lord and he answered me.
Mazmur 123:1
KonteksA song of ascents. 14
123:1 I look up 15 toward you,
the one enthroned 16 in heaven.
Mazmur 128:1
KonteksA song of ascents. 18
128:1 How blessed is every one of the Lord’s loyal followers, 19
each one who keeps his commands! 20
Mazmur 129:1
KonteksA song of ascents. 22
129:1 “Since my youth they have often attacked me,”
let Israel say.
Mazmur 132:1
KonteksA song of ascents. 24
132:1 O Lord, for David’s sake remember
all his strenuous effort, 25
Mazmur 137:4
Konteks137:4 How can we sing a song to the Lord
in a foreign land?
Mazmur 40:3
Konteks40:3 He gave me reason to sing a new song, 26
praising our God. 27
May many see what God has done,
so that they might swear allegiance to him and trust in the Lord! 28
Mazmur 48:1
KonteksA song, a psalm by the Korahites.
48:1 The Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise
in the city of our God, 30 his holy hill.
Mazmur 65:1
KonteksFor the music director; a psalm of David, a song.
65:1 Praise awaits you, 32 O God, in Zion.
Vows made to you are fulfilled.
Mazmur 67:1
KonteksFor the music director; to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a psalm, a song.
67:1 May God show us his favor 34 and bless us! 35
May he smile on us! 36 (Selah)
Mazmur 68:1
KonteksFor the music director; by David, a psalm, a song.
68:1 God springs into action! 38
His enemies scatter;
his adversaries 39 run from him. 40
Mazmur 76:1
KonteksFor the music director; to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a psalm of Asaph, a song.
76:1 God has revealed himself in Judah; 42
in Israel his reputation 43 is great.
Mazmur 83:1
KonteksA song, a psalm of Asaph.
83:1 O God, do not be silent!
Do not ignore us! 45 Do not be inactive, O God!
Mazmur 92:1
KonteksA psalm; a song for the Sabbath day.
92:1 It is fitting 47 to thank the Lord,
and to sing praises to your name, O sovereign One! 48
Mazmur 108:1
KonteksA song, a psalm of David.
108:1 I am determined, 50 O God!
I will sing and praise you with my whole heart. 51
Mazmur 121:1
KonteksA song of ascents. 53
121:1 I look up 54 toward the hills.
From where 55 does my help come?
Mazmur 122:1
KonteksA song of ascents, 57 by David.
122:1 I was glad because 58 they said to me,
“We will go to the Lord’s temple.”
Mazmur 124:1
KonteksA song of ascents, 60 by David.
124:1 “If the Lord had not been on our side” –
let Israel say this! –
Mazmur 125:1
KonteksA song of ascents. 62
125:1 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion;
it cannot be upended and will endure forever.
Mazmur 126:1
KonteksA song of ascents. 64
126:1 When the Lord restored the well-being of Zion, 65
we thought we were dreaming. 66
Mazmur 133:1
KonteksA song of ascents, 68 by David.
133:1 Look! How good and how pleasant it is
when brothers live together! 69
Mazmur 137:3
Konteks137:3 for there our captors ask us to compose songs; 70
those who mock us demand that we be happy, saying: 71
“Sing for us a song about Zion!” 72
Mazmur 144:9
Konteks144:9 O God, I will sing a new song to you!
Accompanied by a ten-stringed instrument, I will sing praises to you,
Mazmur 149:1
Konteks149:1 Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song!
Praise him in the assembly of the godly! 74
Mazmur 30:1
KonteksA psalm – a song used at the dedication of the temple; 76 by David.
30:1 I will praise you, O Lord, for you lifted me up, 77
and did not allow my enemies to gloat 78 over me.
Mazmur 46:1
KonteksFor the music director; by the Korahites; according to the alamoth style; 80 a song.
46:1 God is our strong refuge; 81
he is truly our helper in times of trouble. 82
Mazmur 75:1
KonteksFor the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; 84 a psalm of Asaph; a song.
75:1 We give thanks to you, O God! We give thanks!
You reveal your presence; 85
people tell about your amazing deeds.
Mazmur 88:1
KonteksA song, a psalm written by the Korahites; for the music director; according to the machalath-leannoth style; 87 a well-written song 88 by Heman the Ezrachite.
88:1 O Lord God who delivers me! 89
By day I cry out
and at night I pray before you. 90
Mazmur 98:1
KonteksA psalm.
98:1 Sing to the Lord a new song, 92
for he performs 93 amazing deeds!
His right hand and his mighty arm
accomplish deliverance. 94
Mazmur 131:1
KonteksA song of ascents, 96 by David.
131:1 O Lord, my heart is not proud,
nor do I have a haughty look. 97
I do not have great aspirations,
or concern myself with things that are beyond me. 98
Mazmur 134:1
KonteksA song of ascents. 100
134:1 Attention! 101 Praise the Lord,
all you servants of the Lord,
who serve 102 in the Lord’s temple during the night.
Mazmur 45:1
KonteksFor the music director; according to the tune of “Lilies;” 104 by the Korahites, a well-written poem, 105 a love song.
45:1 My heart is stirred by a beautiful song. 106
I say, “I have composed this special song 107 for the king;
my tongue is as skilled as the stylus of an experienced scribe.” 108
Mazmur 127:1
KonteksA song of ascents, 110 by Solomon.
127:1 If the Lord does not build a house, 111
then those who build it work in vain.
If the Lord does not guard a city, 112
then the watchman stands guard in vain.
[130:1] 1 sn Psalm 130. The psalmist, confident of the Lord’s forgiveness, cries out to the Lord for help in the midst of his suffering and urges Israel to do the same.
[130:1] 2 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.
[130:1] 3 tn Heb “depths,” that is, deep waters (see Ps 69:2, 14; Isa 51:10), a metaphor for the life-threatening danger faced by the psalmist.
[33:3] 4 sn A new song is appropriate because the Lord is constantly intervening in the lives of his people in fresh and exciting ways.
[33:3] 5 tn Heb “play skillfully with a loud shout.”
[66:1] 6 sn Psalm 66. The psalmist praises God because he has delivered his people from a crisis.
[87:1] 7 sn Psalm 87. The psalmist celebrates the Lord’s presence in Zion and the special status of its citizens.
[87:1] 8 tn Heb “his foundation [is] in the hills of holiness.” The expression “his foundation” refers here by metonymy to the
[96:1] 9 sn Psalm 96. The psalmist summons everyone to praise the Lord, the sovereign creator of the world who preserves and promotes justice in the earth.
[96:1] 10 sn A new song is appropriate because the
[120:1] 11 sn Psalm 120. The genre and structure of this psalm are uncertain. It begins like a thanksgiving psalm, with a brief notice that God has heard the psalmist’s prayer for help and has intervened. But v. 2 is a petition for help, followed by a taunt directed toward enemies (vv. 3-4) and a lament (vv. 5-7). Perhaps vv. 2-7 recall the psalmist’s prayer when he cried out to the Lord.
[120:1] 12 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.
[123:1] 13 sn Psalm 123. The psalmist, speaking for God’s people, acknowledges his dependence on God in the midst of a crisis.
[123:1] 14 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.
[123:1] 15 tn Heb “I lift my eyes.”
[123:1] 16 tn Heb “sitting.” The Hebrew verb יָשַׁב (yashav) is here used metonymically of “sitting enthroned” (see Pss 9:7; 29:10; 55:19; 102:12).
[128:1] 17 sn Psalm 128. The psalmist observes that the godly individual has genuine happiness because the Lord rewards such a person with prosperity and numerous children.
[128:1] 18 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.
[128:1] 19 tn Heb “every fearer of the
[128:1] 20 tn Heb “the one who walks in his ways.”
[129:1] 21 sn Psalm 129. Israel affirms God’s justice and asks him to destroy the enemies of Zion.
[129:1] 22 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.
[132:1] 23 sn Psalm 132. The psalmist reminds God of David’s devotion and of his promises concerning David’s dynasty and Zion.
[132:1] 24 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.
[132:1] 25 tn Heb “all his affliction.” This may refer to David’s strenuous and tireless efforts to make provision for the building of the temple (see 1 Chr 22:14). Some prefer to revocalize the text as עַנַוָתוֹ (’anavato, “his humility”).
[40:3] 26 sn A new song was appropriate because the Lord had intervened in the psalmist’s experience in a fresh and exciting way.
[40:3] 27 tn Heb “and he placed in my mouth a new song, praise to our God.”
[40:3] 28 tn Heb “may many see and fear and trust in the
[48:1] 29 sn Psalm 48. This so-called “Song of Zion” celebrates the greatness and glory of the Lord’s dwelling place, Jerusalem. His presence in the city elevates it above all others and assures its security.
[48:1] 30 sn The city of our God is Jerusalem, which is also referred to here as “his holy hill,” that is, Zion (see v. 2, as well as Isa 66:20; Joel 2:1; 3:17; Zech 8:3; Pss 2:6; 15:1; 43:3; 87:1; Dan 9:16).
[65:1] 31 sn Psalm 65. The psalmist praises God because he forgives sin and blesses his people with an abundant harvest.
[65:1] 32 tn Heb “for you, silence, praise.” Many prefer to emend the noun דֻּמִיָּה (dumiyyah, “silence”) to a participle דּוֹמִיָּה (domiyyah), from the root דָּמָה (damah, “be silent”), understood here in the sense of “wait.”
[67:1] 33 sn Psalm 67. The psalmist prays for God’s blessing upon his people and urges the nations to praise him for he is the just ruler of the world.
[67:1] 34 tn Or “have mercy on us.”
[67:1] 35 tn The prefixed verbal forms are understood as jussives expressing the psalmist’s prayer. Note the jussive form יָאֵר (ya’er) in the next line.
[67:1] 36 tn Heb “may he cause his face to shine with us.”
[68:1] 37 sn Psalm 68. The psalmist depicts God as a mighty warrior and celebrates the fact that God exerts his power on behalf of his people.
[68:1] 38 tn Or “rises up.” The verb form is an imperfect, not a jussive. The psalmist is describing God’s appearance in battle in a dramatic fashion.
[68:1] 39 tn Heb “those who hate him.”
[68:1] 40 sn The wording of v. 1 echoes the prayer in Num 10:35: “Spring into action,
[76:1] 41 sn Psalm 76. The psalmist depicts God as a mighty warrior who destroys Israel’s enemies.
[76:1] 42 tn Or “God is known in Judah.”
[76:1] 43 tn Heb “name,” which here stands metonymically for God’s reputation.
[83:1] 44 sn Psalm 83. The psalmist asks God to deliver Israel from the attacks of foreign nations. Recalling how God defeated Israel’s enemies in the days of Deborah and Gideon, he prays that the hostile nations would be humiliated.
[83:1] 45 tn Heb “do not be deaf.”
[92:1] 46 sn Psalm 92. The psalmist praises God because he defeats the wicked and vindicates his loyal followers.
[92:1] 48 tn Traditionally “O Most High.”
[108:1] 49 sn Psalm 108. With some minor variations, this psalm is a composite of Ps 57:7-11 (see vv. 1-5) and Ps 60:5-12 (see vv. 6-13).
[108:1] 50 tn Or perhaps “confident”; Heb “my heart is steadfast.” The “heart” is viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s volition and/or emotions.
[108:1] 51 tn Heb “also my glory,” but this makes little sense in the context. Some view the term כָּבוֹד (“glory”) here as a metonymy for man’s inner being (see BDB 459 s.v. II כָּבוֹד 5), but it is preferable to emend the form to כְּבֵדִי (kÿvodiy, “my liver”). Like the heart, the liver is viewed as the seat of one’s emotions. See also Pss 16:9; 30:12; 57:9; as well as H. W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament, 64, and M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 3:93. For an Ugaritic example of the heart/liver as the source of joy, see G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 47-48: “her [Anat’s] liver swelled with laughter, her heart was filled with joy, the liver of Anat with triumph.”
[121:1] 52 sn Psalm 121. The psalm affirms that the Lord protects his people Israel. Unless the psalmist addresses an observer (note the second person singular forms in vv. 3-8), it appears there are two or three speakers represented in the psalm, depending on how one takes v. 3. The translation assumes that speaker one talks in vv. 1-2, that speaker two responds to him with a prayer in v. 3 (this assumes the verbs are true jussives of prayer), and that speaker three responds with words of assurance in vv. 4-8. If the verbs in v. 3 are taken as a rhetorical use of the jussive, then there are two speakers. Verses 3-8 are speaker two’s response to the words of speaker one. See the note on the word “sleep” at the end of v. 3.
[121:1] 53 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.
[121:1] 54 tn Heb “I lift my eyes.”
[121:1] 55 tn The Hebrew term מֵאַיִן (me’ayin) is interrogative, not relative, in function. Rather than directly stating that his source of help descends from the hills, the psalmist is asking, “From where does my help come?” Nevertheless, the first line does indicate that he is looking toward the hills for help, probably indicating that he is looking up toward the sky in anticipation of supernatural intervention. The psalmist assumes the dramatic role of one needing help. He answers his own question in v. 2.
[122:1] 56 sn Psalm 122. The psalmist expresses his love for Jerusalem and promises to pray for the city’s security.
[122:1] 57 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.
[122:1] 58 tn Heb “in the ones saying to me.” After the verb שָׂמַח (samakh), the preposition בְּ (bet) usually introduces the reason for joy.
[124:1] 59 sn Psalm 124. Israel acknowledges that the Lord delivered them from certain disaster.
[124:1] 60 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.
[125:1] 61 sn Psalm 125. The psalmist affirms his confidence in the Lord’s protection and justice.
[125:1] 62 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.
[126:1] 63 sn Psalm 126. Recalling the joy of past deliverance, God’s covenant community asks for a fresh display of God’s power and confidently anticipate their sorrow being transformed into joy.
[126:1] 64 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.
[126:1] 65 tn Heb “turns with a turning [toward] his people.” The Hebrew noun שִׁיבַת (shivat) occurs only here in the OT. For this reason many prefer to emend the form to the more common שְׁבִית (shevit) or שְׁבוּת (shÿvut), both of which are used as a cognate accusative of שׁוּב (shuv; see Ps 14:7). However an Aramaic cognate of שְׁבִית appears in an eighth century
[126:1] 66 tn Heb “we were like dreamers.” This could mean the speakers were so overcome with ecstatic joy (see v. 3b) that they were like those who fantasize about pleasurable experiences in their sleep (see Isa 29:7-8). Since dreams are more commonly associated in the OT with prophetic visions, the community may be comparing their experience of God’s renewed favor to a prophet’s receiving divine visions. Just as a prophetic dream sweeps the individual into a different dimension and sometimes brings one face-to-face with God himself (see Gen 28:11-15; 1 Kgs 3:5-15), so the community was aware of God’s presence in a special way in the day of Zion’s restoration. Though the MT as it stands makes good sense, some choose to understand a homonymic root here meaning “to be healthy; to be strong” (see BDB 321 s.v. I חָלַם) and translate, “we were like those restored to health.” This reading appears to have the support of several ancient translations as well as 11QPsa. See L. C. Allen (Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 170-71) for a discussion of the viewpoints.
[133:1] 67 sn Psalm 133. The psalmist affirms the benefits of family unity.
[133:1] 68 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.
[133:1] 69 sn This statement refers to the extended family structure of ancient Israel, where brothers would often live in proximity to one another (Deut 25:5), giving the family greater social prominence and security. However, in its later application in the Israelite cult it probably envisions unity within the covenant community. See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 212-15.
[137:3] 70 tn Heb “ask us [for] the words of a song.”
[137:3] 71 tn Heb “our [?] joy.” The derivation and meaning of the Hebrew phrase תוֹלָלֵינוּ (tolalenu, “our [?]”) are uncertain. A derivation from תָּלַל (talal, “to mock”) fits contextually, but this root occurs only in the Hiphil stem. For a discussion of various proposals, see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 236.
[137:3] 72 tn Heb “from a song of Zion.” Most modern translations read, “one of the songs of Zion,” taking the preposition מִן (min, “from”) as partitive and “song” as collective. The present translation assumes the mem (ם) is enclitic, being misunderstood later as the prefixed preposition.
[149:1] 73 sn Psalm 149. The psalmist calls upon God’s people to praise him because he is just and avenges them.
[149:1] 74 tn Heb “his praise in the assembly of the godly ones.”
[30:1] 75 sn Psalm 30. The author thanks the Lord for delivering him from death and urges others to join him in praise. The psalmist experienced divine discipline for a brief time, but when he cried out for help the Lord intervened and restored his favor.
[30:1] 76 tn Heb “a song of the dedication of the house.” The referent of “house” is unclear. It is possible that David wrote this psalm for the dedication ceremony of Solomon’s temple. Another possibility is that the psalm was used on the occasion of the dedication of the second temple following the return from exile, or on the occasion of the rededication of the temple in Maccabean times.
[30:1] 77 tn Elsewhere the verb דָּלָה (dalah) is used of drawing water from a well (Exod 2:16, 19; Prov 20:5). The psalmist was trapped in the pit leading to Sheol (see v. 3), but the
[46:1] 79 sn Psalm 46. In this so-called “Song Of Zion” God’s people confidently affirm that they are secure because the great warrior-king dwells within Jerusalem and protects it from the nations that cause such chaos in the earth. A refrain (vv. 7, 11) concludes the song’s two major sections.
[46:1] 80 sn The meaning of the Hebrew term עֲלָמוֹת (alamoth, which means “young women”) is uncertain; perhaps it refers to a particular style of music. Cf. 1 Chr 15:20.
[46:1] 81 tn Heb “our refuge and strength,” which is probably a hendiadys meaning “our strong refuge” (see Ps 71:7). Another option is to translate, “our refuge and source of strength.”
[46:1] 82 tn Heb “a helper in times of trouble he is found [to be] greatly.” The perfect verbal form has a generalizing function here. The adverb מְאֹד (mÿ’od, “greatly”) has an emphasizing function.
[75:1] 83 sn Psalm 75. The psalmist celebrates God’s just rule, which guarantees that the godly will be vindicated and the wicked destroyed.
[75:1] 84 tn Heb “do not destroy.” Perhaps this refers to a particular style of music, a tune title, or a musical instrument. These words also appear in the superscription to Pss 57-59.
[75:1] 85 tn Heb “and near [is] your name.”
[88:1] 86 sn Psalm 88. The psalmist cries out in pain to the Lord, begging him for relief from his intense and constant suffering. The psalmist regards God as the ultimate cause of his distress, but nevertheless clings to God in hope.
[88:1] 87 tn The Hebrew phrase מָחֲלַת לְעַנּוֹת (makhalat lÿ’annot) may mean “illness to afflict.” Perhaps it refers to a particular style of music, a tune title, or a musical instrument. The term מָחֲלַת also appears in the superscription of Ps 53.
[88:1] 88 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. The word is derived from a verb meaning “to be prudent; to be wise.” Various options are: “a contemplative song,” “a song imparting moral wisdom,” or “a skillful [i.e., well-written] song.” The term occurs in the superscriptions of Pss 32, 42, 44, 45, 52-55, 74, 78, 88, 89, and 142, as well as in Ps 47:7.
[88:1] 89 tn Heb “O
[88:1] 90 tn Heb “[by] day I cry out, in the night before you.”
[98:1] 91 sn Psalm 98. The psalmist summons the whole earth to praise God because he reveals his justice and delivers Israel.
[98:1] 92 sn A new song is appropriate because the Lord is constantly intervening in the world as its just king. See Ps 96:1.
[98:1] 93 tn The perfect verbal forms in vv. 1-3 are understood here as describing characteristic divine activities. Another option is to translate them as present perfects, “has performed…has accomplished deliverance, etc.” referring to completed actions that have continuing results.
[98:1] 94 tn Heb “his right hand delivers for him and his holy arm.” The right hand and arm symbolize his power as a warrior-king (see Isa 52:10). His arm is “holy” in the sense that it is in a category of its own; God’s power is incomparable.
[131:1] 95 sn Psalm 131. The psalmist affirms his humble dependence on the Lord and urges Israel to place its trust in God.
[131:1] 96 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.
[131:1] 97 tn Heb “and my eyes are not lifted up.”
[131:1] 98 tn Heb “I do not walk in great things, and in things too marvelous for me.”
[134:1] 99 sn Psalm 134. The psalmist calls on the temple servants to praise God (vv. 1-2). They in turn pronounce a blessing on the psalmist (v. 3).
[134:1] 100 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.
[45:1] 103 sn Psalm 45. This is a romantic poem celebrating the Davidic king’s marriage to a lovely princess. The psalmist praises the king for his military prowess and commitment to justice, urges the bride to be loyal to the king, and anticipates that the marriage will be blessed with royal offspring.
[45:1] 104 tn Heb “according to lilies.” “Lilies” may be a tune title or musical style, suggestive of romantic love. The imagery of a “lily” appears frequently in the Song of Solomon in a variety of contexts (see 2:1-2, 16; 4:5; 5:13; 6:2-3; 7:2).
[45:1] 105 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 42.
[45:1] 106 tn Heb “[with] a good word.” The “good word” probably refers here to the song that follows.
[45:1] 107 tn Heb “my works [are] for a king.” The plural “works” may here indicate degree, referring to the special musical composition that follows.
[45:1] 108 tn Heb “my tongue [is] a stylus of a skillful scribe.” Words flow from the psalmist’s tongue just as they do from a scribe’s stylus.
[127:1] 109 sn Psalm 127. In this wisdom psalm the psalmist teaches that one does not find security by one’s own efforts, for God alone gives stability and security.
[127:1] 110 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.
[127:1] 111 sn The expression build a house may have a double meaning here. It may refer on the surface level to a literal physical structure in which a family lives, but at a deeper, metaphorical level it refers to building, perpetuating, and maintaining a family line. See Deut 25:9; Ruth 4:11; 1 Sam 2:35; 2 Sam 7:27; 1 Kgs 11:38; 1 Chr 17:10, 25. Having a family line provided security in ancient Israel.
[127:1] 112 sn The city symbolizes community security, which is the necessary framework for family security.
