Mazmur 23:1

Psalm 23 ¹ 

A psalm of David.

23:1 The Lord is my shepherd, ² 

I lack nothing. ³ 

Mazmur 107:38

107:38 He blessed ⁴  them so that they became very numerous.

He would not allow their cattle to decrease in number. ⁵ 

Mazmur 34:10

34:10 Even young lions sometimes lack food and are hungry,

but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

Mazmur 107:39

107:39 As for their enemies, ⁶  they decreased in number and were beaten down,

because of painful distress ⁷  and suffering.

Mazmur 34:9

34:9 Remain loyal to ⁸  the Lord, you chosen people of his, ⁹ 

for his loyal followers ¹⁰  lack nothing!

Mazmur 109:24

109:24 I am so starved my knees shake; ¹¹ 

I have turned into skin and bones. ¹² 

Mazmur 69:33

69:33 For the Lord listens to the needy;

he does not despise his captive people. ¹³ 

Mazmur 82:3

82:3 Defend the cause of the poor and the fatherless! ¹⁴ 

Vindicate the oppressed and suffering!

Mazmur 94:4

94:4 They spew out threats ¹⁵  and speak defiantly;

all the evildoers boast. ¹⁶ 

Mazmur 8:5

8:5 and make them a little less than the heavenly beings? ¹⁷ 

You grant mankind ¹⁸  honor and majesty; ¹⁹ 

Mazmur 89:33

89:33 But I will not remove ²⁰  my loyal love from him,

nor be unfaithful to my promise. ²¹ 

Mazmur 73:21

73:21 Yes, ²²  my spirit was bitter, ²³ 

and my insides felt sharp pain. ²⁴ 

Mazmur 106:33

106:33 for they aroused ²⁵  his temper, ²⁶ 

and he spoke rashly. ²⁷ 

Mazmur 109:8

109:8 May his days be few! ²⁸ 

May another take his job! ²⁹ 

Mazmur 145:16

145:16 You open your hand,

and fill every living thing with the food they desire. ³⁰ 

Mazmur 12:1

Psalm 12 ³¹ 

For the music director; according to the sheminith style; ³²  a psalm of David.

12:1 Deliver, Lord!

For the godly ³³  have disappeared; ³⁴ 

people of integrity ³⁵  have vanished. ³⁶ 

Mazmur 10:12

10:12 Rise up, Lord! ³⁷ 

O God, strike him down! ³⁸ 

Do not forget the oppressed!

Mazmur 72:13

72:13 He will take pity ³⁹  on the poor and needy;

the lives of the needy he will save.

Mazmur 102:23

102:23 He has taken away my strength in the middle of life; ⁴⁰ 

he has cut short my days.

Mazmur 119:21

119:21 You reprimand arrogant people.

Those who stray from your commands are doomed. ⁴¹ 

Mazmur 119:51

119:51 Arrogant people do nothing but scoff at me. ⁴² 

Yet I do not turn aside from your law.

Mazmur 119:122

119:122 Guarantee the welfare of your servant! ⁴³ 

Do not let the arrogant oppress me!

Mazmur 9:18

9:18 for the needy are not permanently ignored, ⁴⁴ 

the hopes of the oppressed are not forever dashed. ⁴⁵ 

Mazmur 31:10

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

my years draw to a close as I groan. ⁴⁶ 

My strength fails me because of ⁴⁷  my sin,

and my bones become brittle. ⁴⁸ 

Mazmur 72:4

72:4 He will defend ⁴⁹  the oppressed among the people;

he will deliver ⁵⁰  the children ⁵¹  of the poor

and crush the oppressor.

Mazmur 75:4

75:4 ⁵² I say to the proud, “Do not be proud,”

and to the wicked, “Do not be so confident of victory! ⁵³ 

Mazmur 86:1

Psalm 86 ⁵⁴ 

A prayer of David.

86:1 Listen ⁵⁵  O Lord! Answer me!

For I am oppressed and needy.

Mazmur 86:14

86:14 O God, arrogant men attack me; ⁵⁶ 

a gang ⁵⁷  of ruthless men, who do not respect you, seek my life. ⁵⁸ 

Mazmur 102:17

102:17 when he responds to the prayer of the destitute, ⁵⁹ 

and does not reject ⁶⁰  their request. ⁶¹ 

Mazmur 112:9

112:9 He generously gives ⁶²  to the needy;

his integrity endures. ⁶³ 

He will be vindicated and honored. ⁶⁴ 

Mazmur 119:69

119:69 Arrogant people smear my reputation with lies, ⁶⁵ 

but I observe your precepts with all my heart.

Mazmur 119:78

119:78 May the arrogant be humiliated, for they have slandered me! ⁶⁶ 

But I meditate on your precepts.

Mazmur 119:85

119:85 The arrogant dig pits to trap me, ⁶⁷ 

which violates your law. ⁶⁸ 

Mazmur 19:13

19:13 Moreover, keep me from committing flagrant ⁶⁹  sins;

do not allow such sins to control me. ⁷⁰ 

Then I will be blameless,

and innocent of blatant ⁷¹  rebellion.

[23:1]  ¹ sn Psalm 23. In vv. 1-4 the psalmist pictures the Lord as a shepherd who provides for his needs and protects him from danger. The psalmist declares, “The Lord is my shepherd,” and then extends and develops that metaphor, speaking as if he were a sheep. In vv. 5-6 the metaphor changes as the psalmist depicts a great royal banquet hosted by the Lord. The psalmist is a guest of honor and recipient of divine favor, who enjoys unlimited access to the divine palace and the divine presence.

[23:1]  ² sn The LORD is my shepherd. The opening metaphor suggests the psalmist is assuming the role of a sheep. In vv. 1b-4 the psalmist extends the metaphor and explains exactly how the LORD is like a shepherd to him. At the surface level the language can be understood in terms of a shepherd’s relationship to his sheep. The translation of vv. 1-4 reflects this level. But, of course, each statement also points to an underlying reality.

[23:1]  ³ tn The imperfect verbal form is best understood as generalizing; the psalmist highlights his typical or ongoing experience as a result of having the LORD as his shepherd (habitual present use). The next verse explains more specifically what he means by this statement.

[107:38]  ⁴ tn “Bless” here carries the nuance “endue with sexual potency, make fertile.” See Gen 1:28, where the statement “he blessed them” directly precedes the command “be fruitful and populate the earth” (see also 1:22). The verb “bless” carries this same nuance in Gen 17:16 (where God’s blessing of Sarai imparts to her the capacity to bear a child); 48:16 (where God’s blessing of Joseph’s sons is closely associated with their having numerous descendants); and Deut 7:13 (where God’s blessing is associated with fertility in general, including numerous descendants). See also Gen 49:25 (where Jacob uses the noun derivative in referring to “blessings of the breast and womb,” an obvious reference to fertility) and Gen 27:27 (where the verb is used of a field to which God has given the capacity to produce vegetation).

[107:38]  ⁵ tn The verbal form in this line appears to be an imperfect, which may be taken as customary (drawing attention to typical action in a past time frame) or as generalizing (in which case one should use the English present tense, understanding a move from narrative to present reality).

[107:39]  ⁶ tn The words “As for their enemies” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity. Without such clarification, one might think that v. 39 refers to those just mentioned in v. 38 as objects of divine blessing, which would contradict the point just emphasized by the psalmist. The structure of vv. 33-42 is paneled (A-B-A-B). In vv. 33-34 the psalmist describes God’s judgment upon his enemies (perhaps those who had enslaved his people). In vv. 35-38 he contrasts this judgment with the divine blessing poured out on God’s people. (See the note on the word “people” in v. 35.) In vv. 39-40 he contrasts this blessing with the judgment experienced by enemies, before returning in vv. 41-42 to the blessing experienced by God’s people.

[107:39]  ⁷ tn Heb “from the oppression of calamity.”

[34:9]  ⁸ tn Heb “fear.”

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

[34:9]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “those who fear him.”

[109:24]  ¹¹ tn Heb “my knees stagger from fasting.”

[109:24]  ¹² tn Heb “and my flesh is lean away from fatness [i.e., “lean so as not to be fat”].”

[69:33]  ¹³ tn Heb “his prisoners he does not despise.”

[82:3]  ¹⁴ tn The Hebrew noun יָתוֹם (yatom) refers to one who has lost his father (not necessarily his mother, see Ps 109:9). Because they were so vulnerable and were frequently exploited, fatherless children are often mentioned as epitomizing the oppressed (see Pss 10:14; 68:5; 94:6; 146:9; as well as Job 6:27; 22:9; 24:3, 9; 29:12; 31:17, 21).

[94:4]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “they gush forth [words].”

[94:4]  ¹⁶ tn The Hitpael of אָמַר (’amar) occurs only here (and perhaps in Isa 61:6).

[8:5]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “and you make him lack a little from [the] gods [or “God”].” The Piel form of חָסַר (khasar, “to decrease, to be devoid”) is used only here and in Eccl 4:8, where it means “to deprive, to cause to be lacking.” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive either carries on the characteristic nuance of the imperfect in v. 5b or indicates a consequence (“so that you make him…”) of the preceding statement (see GKC 328 §111.m). Some prefer to make this an independent clause and translate it as a new sentence, “You made him….” In this case the statement might refer specifically to the creation of the first human couple, Adam and Eve (cf. Gen 1:26-27). The psalmist does appear to allude to Gen 1:26-27, where mankind is created in the image of God and his angelic assembly (note “let us make man in our image” in Gen 1:26). However, the psalmist’s statement need not be limited in its focus to that historical event, for all mankind shares the image imparted to the first human couple. Consequently the psalmist can speak in general terms of the exalted nature of mankind. The referent of אֱלֹהִים (’elohim, “God” or “the heavenly beings”) is unclear. Some understand this as a reference to God alone, but the allusion to Gen 1:26-27 suggests a broader referent, including God and the other heavenly beings (known in other texts as “angels”). The term אֱלֹהִים is also used in this way in Gen 3:5, where the serpent says to the woman, “you will be like the heavenly beings who know good and evil.” (Note Gen 3:22, where God says, “the man has become like one of us.”) Also אֱלֹהִים may refer to the members of the heavenly assembly in Ps 82:1, 6. The LXX (the ancient Greek translation of the OT) reads “angels” in Ps 8:5 (this is the source of the quotation of Ps 8:5 in Heb 2:7).

[8:5]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “you crown him [with].” The imperfect verbal forms in this and the next line describe God’s characteristic activity.

[8:5]  ¹⁹ sn Honor and majesty. These terms allude to mankind’s royal status as God’s vice-regents (cf. v. 6 and Gen 1:26-30).

[89:33]  ²⁰ tn Heb “break”; “make ineffectual.” Some prefer to emend אָפִיר (’afir; the Hiphil of פָּרַר, parar, “to break”) to אָסִיר (’asir; the Hiphil of סוּר, sur, “to turn aside”), a verb that appears in 2 Sam 7:15.

[89:33]  ²¹ tn Heb “and I will not deal falsely with my faithfulness.”

[73:21]  ²² tn Or perhaps “when.”

[73:21]  ²³ tn The imperfect verbal form here describes a continuing attitude in a past time frame.

[73:21]  ²⁴ tn Heb “and [in] my kidneys I was pierced.” The imperfect verbal form here describes a continuing condition in a past time frame.

[106:33]  ²⁵ 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]  ²⁶ tn Heb “his spirit.”

[106:33]  ²⁷ 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.

[109:8]  ²⁸ tn The prefixed verbal forms (except those with vav [ו] consecutive) in vv. 8-20 are taken as jussives of prayer. Note the distinct jussive forms used in vv. 12-13, 15, 19.

[109:8]  ²⁹ tn The Hebrew noun פְּקֻדָּה (pÿquddah) can mean “charge” or “office,” though BDB 824 s.v. suggests that here it refers to his possessions.

[145:16]  ³⁰ tn Heb “[with what they] desire.”

[12:1]  ³¹ sn Psalm 12. The psalmist asks the Lord to intervene, for society is overrun by deceitful, arrogant oppressors and godly individuals are a dying breed. When the Lord announces his intention to defend the oppressed, the psalmist affirms his confidence in the divine promise.

[12:1]  ³² tn The meaning of the Hebrew term שְׁמִינִית (shÿminit) is uncertain; perhaps it refers to a particular style of music. See 1 Chr 15:21.

[12:1]  ³³ tn The singular form is collective or representative. Note the plural form “faithful [ones]” in the following line. A “godly [one]” (חָסִיד, khasid) is one who does what is right in God’s eyes and remains faithful to God (see Pss 4:3; 18:25; 31:23; 37:28; 86:2; 97:10).

[12:1]  ³⁴ tn Or “have come to an end.”

[12:1]  ³⁵ tn Heb “the faithful [ones] from the sons of man.”

[12:1]  ³⁶ tn The Hebrew verb פָּסַס (pasas) occurs only here. An Akkadian cognate means “efface, blot out.”

[10:12]  ³⁷ sn Rise up, O Lord! The psalmist’s mood changes from lament to petition and confidence.

[10:12]  ³⁸ 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.

[72:13]  ³⁹ tn The prefixed verb form is best understood as a defectively written imperfect (see Deut 7:16).

[102:23]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “he has afflicted my strength in the way.” The term “way” refers here to the course of the psalmist’s life, which appears to be ending prematurely (vv. 23b-24).

[119:21]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “accursed.” The traditional punctuation of the Hebrew text takes “accursed” with the previous line (“arrogant, accursed ones”), but it is preferable to take it with the second line as the predicate of the statement.

[119:51]  ⁴² tn Heb “scoff at me to excess.”

[119:122]  ⁴³ tn Heb “be surety for your servant for good.”

[9:18]  ⁴⁴ tn Or “forgotten.”

[9:18]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “the hope of the afflicted does [not] perish forever.” The negative particle is understood by ellipsis; note the preceding line. The imperfect verbal forms express what typically happens.

[31:10]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “and my years in groaning.”

[31:10]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “stumbles in.”

[31:10]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “grow weak.”

[72:4]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “judge [for].”

[72:4]  ⁵⁰ tn The prefixed verbal form appears to be an imperfect, not a jussive.

[72:4]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “sons.”

[75:4]  ⁵² tn The identity of the speaker in vv. 4-6 is unclear. The present translation assumes that the psalmist, who also speaks in vv. 7-9 (where God/the Lord is spoken of in the third person) here addresses the proud and warns them of God’s judgment. The presence of כִּי (ki, “for”) at the beginning of both vv. 6-7 seems to indicate that vv. 4-9 are a unit. However, there is no formal indication of a new speaker in v. 4 (or in v. 10, where God appears to speak). Another option is to see God speaking in vv. 2-6 and v. 10 and to take only vv. 7-9 as the words of the psalmist. In this case one must interpret כִּי at the beginning of v. 7 in an asseverative or emphatic sense (“surely; indeed”).

[75:4]  ⁵³ tn Heb “do not lift up a horn.” The horn of an ox underlies the metaphor (see Deut 33:17; 1 Kgs 22:11; Ps 92:10). The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 89:17, 24; 92:10; Lam 2:17). Here the idiom seems to refer to an arrogant attitude that assumes victory has been achieved.

[86:1]  ⁵⁴ sn Psalm 86. The psalmist appeals to God’s mercy as he asks for deliverance from his enemies.

[86:1]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “turn your ear.”

[86:14]  ⁵⁶ tn Heb “rise up against me.”

[86:14]  ⁵⁷ tn Or “assembly.”

[86:14]  ⁵⁸ tn Heb “seek my life and do not set you before them.” See Ps 54:3.

[102:17]  ⁵⁹ tn The Hebrew adjective עַרְעָר (’arar, “destitute”) occurs only here in the OT. It is derived from the verbal root ערר (“to strip oneself”).

[102:17]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “despise.”

[102:17]  ⁶¹ tn The perfect verbal forms in vv. 16-17 are functioning as future perfects, indicating future actions that will precede the future developments described in v. 15.

[112:9]  ⁶² tn Heb “he scatters, he gives.”

[112:9]  ⁶³ tn Heb “stands forever.”

[112:9]  ⁶⁴ tn Heb “his horn will be lifted up in honor.” The horn of an ox underlies the metaphor (see Deut 33:17; 1 Kgs 22:11; Ps 92:10). The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 89:17, 24; 92:10; Lam 2:17).

[119:69]  ⁶⁵ tn Heb “smear over me a lie.”

[119:78]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “for [with] falsehood they have denied me justice.”

[119:85]  ⁶⁷ tn Heb “for me.”

[119:85]  ⁶⁸ tn Heb “which [is] not according to your law.”

[19:13]  ⁶⁹ tn Or “presumptuous.”

[19:13]  ⁷⁰ tn Heb “let them not rule over me.”

[19:13]  ⁷¹ tn Heb “great.”