Mazmur 6:6

6:6 I am exhausted as I groan;

all night long I drench my bed in tears; ¹ 

my tears saturate the cushion beneath me. ² 

Mazmur 9:4

9:4 For you defended my just cause; ³ 

from your throne you pronounced a just decision. ⁴ 

Mazmur 10:3

10:3 Yes, ⁵  the wicked man ⁶  boasts because he gets what he wants; ⁷ 

the one who robs others ⁸  curses ⁹  and ¹⁰  rejects the Lord. ¹¹ 

Mazmur 10:8

10:8 He waits in ambush near the villages; ¹² 

in hidden places he kills the innocent.

His eyes look for some unfortunate victim. ¹³ 

Mazmur 12:4

12:4 They say, ¹⁴  “We speak persuasively; ¹⁵ 

we know how to flatter and boast. ¹⁶ 

Who is our master?” ¹⁷ 

Mazmur 13:2

13:2 How long must I worry, ¹⁸ 

and suffer in broad daylight? ¹⁹ 

How long will my enemy gloat over me? ²⁰ 

Mazmur 13:4-5

13:4 Then ²¹  my enemy will say, “I have defeated him!”

Then ²²  my foes will rejoice because I am upended.

13:5 But I ²³  trust in your faithfulness.

May I rejoice because of your deliverance! ²⁴ 

Mazmur 18:19

18:19 He brought me out into a wide open place;

he delivered me because he was pleased with me. ²⁵ 

Mazmur 18:25

18:25 You prove to be loyal ²⁶  to one who is faithful; ²⁷ 

you prove to be trustworthy ²⁸  to one who is innocent. ²⁹ 

Mazmur 18:42

18:42 I grind them as fine windblown dust; ³⁰ 

I beat them underfoot ³¹  like clay ³²  in the streets.

Mazmur 20:1

Psalm 20 ³³ 

For the music director; a psalm of David.

20:1 May the Lord answer ³⁴  you ³⁵  when you are in trouble; ³⁶ 

may the God of Jacob ³⁷  make you secure!

Mazmur 21:7

21:7 For the king trusts ³⁸  in the Lord,

and because of the sovereign Lord’s ³⁹  faithfulness he is not upended. ⁴⁰ 

Mazmur 29:3

29:3 The Lord’s shout is heard over the water; ⁴¹ 

the majestic God thunders, ⁴² 

the Lord appears over the surging water. ⁴³ 

Mazmur 31:3

31:3 For you are my high ridge ⁴⁴  and my stronghold;

for the sake of your own reputation ⁴⁵  you lead me and guide me. ⁴⁶ 

Mazmur 31:14

31:14 But I trust in you, O Lord!

I declare, “You are my God!”

Mazmur 33:18

33:18 Look, the Lord takes notice of his loyal followers, ⁴⁷ 

those who wait for him to demonstrate his faithfulness ⁴⁸ 

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 34:22

34:22 The Lord rescues his servants; ⁴⁹ 

all who take shelter in him escape punishment. ⁵⁰ 

Mazmur 35:3

35:3 Use your spear and lance ⁵¹  against ⁵²  those who chase me!

Assure me with these words: ⁵³  “I am your deliverer!”

Mazmur 35:8

35:8 Let destruction take them by surprise! ⁵⁴ 

Let the net they hid catch them!

Let them fall into destruction! ⁵⁵ 

Mazmur 36:4

36:4 He plans ways to sin while he lies in bed;

he is committed to a sinful lifestyle; ⁵⁶ 

he does not reject what is evil. ⁵⁷ 

Mazmur 36:9

36:9 For you are the one who gives

and sustains life. ⁵⁸ 

Mazmur 37:22

37:22 Surely ⁵⁹  those favored by the Lord ⁶⁰  will possess the land,

but those rejected ⁶¹  by him will be wiped out. ⁶² 

Mazmur 39:9

39:9 I am silent and cannot open my mouth

because of what you have done. ⁶³ 

Mazmur 41:1

Psalm 41 ⁶⁴ 

For the music director; a psalm of David.

41:1 How blessed ⁶⁵  is the one who treats the poor properly! ⁶⁶ 

When trouble comes, ⁶⁷  the Lord delivers him. ⁶⁸ 

Mazmur 41:3

41:3 The Lord supports ⁶⁹  him on his sickbed;

you completely heal him from his illness. ⁷⁰ 

Mazmur 41:8-9

41:8 They say, ⁷¹ 

‘An awful disease ⁷²  overwhelms him, ⁷³ 

and now that he is bed-ridden he will never recover.’ ⁷⁴ 

41:9 Even my close friend ⁷⁵  whom I trusted,

he who shared meals with me, has turned against me. ⁷⁶ 

Mazmur 42:7

42:7 One deep stream calls out to another ⁷⁷  at the sound of your waterfalls; ⁷⁸ 

all your billows and waves overwhelm me. ⁷⁹ 

Mazmur 43:2

43:2 For you are the God who shelters me. ⁸⁰ 

Why do you reject me? ⁸¹ 

Why must I walk around ⁸²  mourning ⁸³ 

because my enemies oppress me?

Mazmur 49:17

49:17 For he will take nothing with him when he dies;

his wealth will not follow him down into the grave. ⁸⁴ 

Mazmur 55:10

55:10 Day and night they walk around on its walls, ⁸⁵ 

while wickedness and destruction ⁸⁶  are within it.

Mazmur 56:7

56:7 Because they are bent on violence, do not let them escape! ⁸⁷ 

In your anger ⁸⁸  bring down the nations, ⁸⁹  O God!

Mazmur 61:8

61:8 Then I will sing praises to your name continually, ⁹⁰ 

as I fulfill ⁹¹  my vows day after day.

Mazmur 62:7

62:7 God delivers me and exalts me;

God is my strong protector and my shelter. ⁹² 

Mazmur 62:12

62:12 and you, O Lord, demonstrate loyal love. ⁹³ 

For you repay men for what they do. ⁹⁴ 

Mazmur 64:5

64:5 They encourage one another to carry out their evil deed. ⁹⁵ 

They plan how to hide ⁹⁶  snares,

and boast, ⁹⁷  “Who will see them?” ⁹⁸ 

Mazmur 64:8

64:8 Their slander will bring about their demise. ⁹⁹ 

All who see them will shudder, ¹⁰⁰ 

Mazmur 65:11

65:11 You crown the year with your good blessings, ¹⁰¹ 

and you leave abundance in your wake. ¹⁰² 

Mazmur 68:3

68:3 But the godly ¹⁰³  are happy;

they rejoice before God

and are overcome with joy. ¹⁰⁴ 

Mazmur 68:9

68:9 O God, you cause abundant showers to fall ¹⁰⁵  on your chosen people. ¹⁰⁶ 

When they ¹⁰⁷  are tired, you sustain them, ¹⁰⁸ 

Mazmur 68:14

68:14 When the sovereign judge ¹⁰⁹  scatters kings, ¹¹⁰ 

let it snow ¹¹¹  on Zalmon!

Mazmur 68:21

68:21 Indeed God strikes the heads of his enemies,

the hairy foreheads of those who persist in rebellion. ¹¹² 

Mazmur 68:24-25

68:24 They ¹¹³  see your processions, O God –

the processions of my God, my king, who marches along in holy splendor. ¹¹⁴ 

68:25 Singers walk in front;

musicians follow playing their stringed instruments, ¹¹⁵ 

in the midst of young women playing tambourines. ¹¹⁶ 

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 ¹¹⁷  devour me! ¹¹⁸ 

Mazmur 69:26

69:26 For they harass ¹¹⁹  the one whom you discipline; ¹²⁰ 

they spread the news about the suffering of those whom you punish. ¹²¹ 

Mazmur 69:33

69:33 For the Lord listens to the needy;

he does not despise his captive people. ¹²² 

Mazmur 72:4

72:4 He will defend ¹²³  the oppressed among the people;

he will deliver ¹²⁴  the children ¹²⁵  of the poor

and crush the oppressor.

Mazmur 74:19

74:19 Do not hand the life of your dove ¹²⁶  over to a wild animal!

Do not continue to disregard ¹²⁷  the lives of your oppressed people!

Mazmur 76:5

76:5 The bravehearted ¹²⁸  were plundered; ¹²⁹ 

they “fell asleep.” ¹³⁰ 

All the warriors were helpless. ¹³¹ 

Mazmur 78:31

78:31 when the anger of God flared up against them.

He killed some of the strongest of them;

he brought the young men of Israel to their knees.

Mazmur 79:9

79:9 Help us, O God, our deliverer!

For the sake of your glorious reputation, ¹³²  rescue us!

Forgive our sins for the sake of your reputation! ¹³³ 

Mazmur 80:5

80:5 You have given them tears as food; ¹³⁴ 

you have made them drink tears by the measure. ¹³⁵ 

Mazmur 85:7

85:7 O Lord, show us your loyal love!

Bestow on us your deliverance!

Mazmur 85:9

85:9 Certainly his loyal followers will soon experience his deliverance; ¹³⁶ 

then his splendor will again appear in our land. ¹³⁷ 

Mazmur 87:5

87:5 But it is said of Zion’s residents, ¹³⁸ 

“Each one of these ¹³⁹  was born in her,

and the sovereign One ¹⁴⁰  makes her secure.” ¹⁴¹ 

Mazmur 88:16

88:16 Your anger overwhelms me; ¹⁴² 

your terrors destroy me.

Mazmur 89:1

Psalm 89 ¹⁴³ 

A well-written song ¹⁴⁴  by Ethan the Ezrachite.

89:1 I will sing continually ¹⁴⁵  about the Lord’s faithful deeds;

to future generations I will proclaim your faithfulness. ¹⁴⁶ 

Mazmur 89:27

89:27 I will appoint him to be my firstborn son, ¹⁴⁷ 

the most exalted of the earth’s kings.

Mazmur 94:16

94:16 Who will rise up to defend me ¹⁴⁸  against the wicked?

Who will stand up for me against the evildoers? ¹⁴⁹ 

Mazmur 95:4

95:4 The depths of the earth are in his hand, ¹⁵⁰ 

and the mountain peaks belong to him.

Mazmur 96:12

96:12 Let the fields and everything in them celebrate!

Then let the trees of the forest shout with joy

Mazmur 97:8

97:8 Zion hears and rejoices,

the towns ¹⁵¹  of Judah are happy,

because of your judgments, O Lord.

Mazmur 102:21

102:21 so they may proclaim the name of the Lord in Zion,

and praise him ¹⁵²  in Jerusalem, ¹⁵³ 

Mazmur 102:24

102:24 I say, “O my God, please do not take me away in the middle of my life! ¹⁵⁴ 

You endure through all generations. ¹⁵⁵ 

Mazmur 104:7

104:7 Your shout made the waters retreat;

at the sound of your thunderous voice they hurried off –

Mazmur 104:29

104:29 When you ignore them, they panic. ¹⁵⁶ 

When you take away their life’s breath, they die

and return to dust.

Mazmur 105:37

105:37 He brought his people ¹⁵⁷  out enriched ¹⁵⁸  with silver and gold;

none of his tribes stumbled.

Mazmur 106:4

106:4 Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people!

Pay attention to me, when you deliver,

Mazmur 106:43

106:43 Many times he delivered ¹⁵⁹  them,

but they had a rebellious attitude, ¹⁶⁰ 

and degraded themselves ¹⁶¹  by their sin.

Mazmur 108:4

108:4 For your loyal love extends beyond the sky, ¹⁶² 

and your faithfulness reaches the clouds.

Mazmur 119:128

119:128 For this reason I carefully follow all your precepts. ¹⁶³ 

I hate all deceitful actions. ¹⁶⁴ 

Mazmur 119:176

119:176 I have wandered off like a lost sheep. ¹⁶⁵ 

Come looking for your servant,

for I do not forget your commands.

Mazmur 129:6

129:6 May they be like the grass on the rooftops

which withers before one can even pull it up, ¹⁶⁶ 

Mazmur 132:2

132:2 and how he made a vow to the Lord,

and swore an oath to the powerful ruler of Jacob. ¹⁶⁷ 

Mazmur 133:3

133:3 It is like the dew of Hermon, ¹⁶⁸ 

which flows down upon the hills of Zion. ¹⁶⁹ 

Indeed ¹⁷⁰  that is where the Lord has decreed

a blessing will be available – eternal life. ¹⁷¹ 

Mazmur 141:8

141:8 Surely I am looking to you, ¹⁷²  O sovereign Lord.

In you I take shelter.

Do not expose me to danger! ¹⁷³ 

Mazmur 145:7

145:7 They will talk about the fame of your great kindness, ¹⁷⁴ 

and sing about your justice. ¹⁷⁵ 

Mazmur 146:8

146:8 The Lord gives sight to the blind.

The Lord lifts up all who are bent over. ¹⁷⁶ 

The Lord loves the godly.

Mazmur 148:13

148:13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,

for his name alone is exalted;

his majesty extends over the earth and sky.

[6:6]  ¹ tn Heb “I cause to swim through all the night my bed.”

[6:6]  ² tn Heb “with my tears my bed I flood/melt.”

[9:4]  ³ tn Heb “for you accomplished my justice and my legal claim.”

[9:4]  ⁴ tn Heb “you sat on a throne [as] one who judges [with] righteousness.” The perfect verbal forms in v. 4 probably allude to a recent victory (see vv. 5-7). Another option is to understand the verbs as describing what is typical (“you defend…you sit on a throne”).

[10:3]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ 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]  ⁷ 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]  ⁸ 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]  ⁹ 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]  ¹⁰ tn The conjunction “and” is supplied in the translation; it does not appear in the Hebrew text.

[10:3]  ¹¹ 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.”

[10:8]  ¹² tn Heb “he sits in the ambush of the villages.”

[10:8]  ¹³ tn Heb “his eyes for an unfortunate person lie hidden.” The language may picture a lion (see v. 9) peering out from its hiding place in anticipation that an unsuspecting victim will soon come strolling along.

[12:4]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “which say.” The plural verb after the relative pronoun indicates a plural antecedent for the pronoun, probably “lips” in v. 3.

[12:4]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “to our tongue we make strong.” The Hiphil of גָבַר (gavar) occurs only here and in Dan 9:27, where it refers to making strong, or confirming, a covenant. Here in Ps 12 the evildoers “make their tongue strong” in the sense that they use their tongue to produce flattering and arrogant words to accomplish their purposes. The preposition -לְ (l) prefixed to “our tongue” may be dittographic.

[12:4]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “our lips [are] with us.” This odd expression probably means, “our lips are in our power,” in the sense that they say what they want, whether it be flattery or boasting. For other cases where אֵת (’et, “with”) has the sense “in the power of,” see Ps 38:10 and other texts listed by BDB 86 s.v. 3.a.

[12:4]  ¹⁷ sn The rhetorical question expresses the arrogant attitude of these people. As far as they are concerned, they are answerable to no one for how they speak.

[13:2]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “How long will I put counsel in my being?”

[13:2]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “[with] grief in my heart by day.”

[13:2]  ²⁰ tn Heb “be exalted over me.” Perhaps one could translate, “How long will my enemy defeat me?”

[13:4]  ²¹ tn Heb “or else.”

[13:4]  ²² tn Heb “or else.”

[13:5]  ²³ tn The grammatical construction used here (conjunction with independent pronoun) highlights the contrast between the psalmist’s defeated condition envisioned in v. 4 and confident attitude he displays in v. 5.

[13:5]  ²⁴ tn Heb “may my heart rejoice in your deliverance.” The verb form is jussive. Having expressed his trust in God’s faithful character and promises, the psalmist prays that his confidence will prove to be well-placed. “Heart” is used here of the seat of the emotions.

[18:19]  ²⁵ tn Or “delighted in me.”

[18:25]  ²⁶ tn The imperfect verbal forms in vv. 25-29 draw attention to God’s characteristic actions. Based on his experience, the psalmist generalizes about God’s just dealings with people (vv. 25-27) and about the way in which God typically empowers him on the battlefield (vv. 28-29). The Hitpael stem is used in vv. 26-27 in a reflexive resultative (or causative) sense. God makes himself loyal, etc. in the sense that he conducts or reveals himself as such. On this use of the Hitpael stem, see GKC 149-50 §54.e.

[18:25]  ²⁷ tn Or “to a faithful follower.” A “faithful follower” (חָסִיד, khasid) is one who does what is right in God’s eyes and remains faithful to God (see Pss 4:3; 12:1; 16:10; 31:23; 37:28; 86:2; 97:10).

[18:25]  ²⁸ tn Or “innocent.”

[18:25]  ²⁹ tn Heb “a man of innocence.”

[18:42]  ³⁰ tn Heb “I pulverize them like dust upon the face of the wind.” The phrase “upon the face of” here means “before.” 2 Sam 22:43 reads, “like dust of the earth.”

[18:42]  ³¹ tc Ps 18:42 reads, “I empty them out” (Hiphil of ריק), while 2 Sam 22:43 reads, “I crush them, I stomp on them” (juxtaposing the synonyms דקק and רקע). It is likely that the latter is a conflation of variants. One, but not both, of the verbs in 2 Sam 22:43 is probably original; “empty out” does not form as good a parallel with “grind, pulverize” in the parallel line.

[18:42]  ³² tn Or “mud.”

[20:1]  ³³ sn Psalm 20. The people pray for the king’s success in battle. When the king declares his assurance that the Lord will answer the people’s prayer, they affirm their confidence in God’s enablement.

[20:1]  ³⁴ tn The prefixed verbal forms here and in vv. 1b-5 are interpreted as jussives of prayer (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV). Another option is to understand them as imperfects, “the Lord will answer,” etc. In this case the people declare their confidence that the Lord will intervene on behalf of the king and extend to him his favor.

[20:1]  ³⁵ sn May the Lord answer you. The people address the king as they pray to the Lord.

[20:1]  ³⁶ tn Heb “in a day of trouble.”

[20:1]  ³⁷ tn Heb “the name of the God of Jacob.” God’s “name” refers metonymically to his very person and to the divine characteristics suggested by his name, in this case “God of Jacob,” which highlights his relationship to Israel.

[21:7]  ³⁸ tn The active participle draws attention to the ongoing nature of the action.

[21:7]  ³⁹ 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]  ⁴⁰ 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.

[29:3]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “the voice of the Lord [is] over the water.” As the next line makes clear, the “voice of the Lord” is here the thunder that accompanies a violent storm. The psalm depicts the Lord in the role of a warrior-king, so the thunder is his battle cry, as it were.

[29:3]  ⁴² tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form is probably descriptive. In dramatic fashion the psalmist portrays the Lord coming in the storm to do battle with his enemies and to vindicate his people.

[29:3]  ⁴³ tn Traditionally “many waters.” The geographical references in the psalm (Lebanon, Sirion, Kadesh) suggest this is a reference to the Mediterranean Sea (see Ezek 26:19; 27:26). The psalmist describes a powerful storm moving in from the sea and sweeping over the mountainous areas north of Israel. The “surging waters” may symbolize the hostile enemies of God who seek to destroy his people (see Pss 18:17; 32:6; 77:20; 93:4; 144:7; Isa 17:13; Jer 51:55; Ezek 26:19; Hab 3:15). In this case the Lord is depicted as elevated above and sovereign over the raging waters.

[31:3]  ⁴⁴ sn The metaphor of the high ridge pictures God as a rocky, relatively inaccessible summit, where one would be able to find protection from enemies. See 1 Sam 23:25, 28.

[31:3]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “name.” The Hebrew term שֵׁם (shem, “name”) refers here to the Lord’s reputation. (The English term “name” is often used the same way.)

[31:3]  ⁴⁶ tn The present translation assumes that the imperfect verbal forms are generalizing, “you lead me and guide me.” Other options are to take them as an expression of confidence about the future, “you will lead me and guide me” (cf. NASB), or as expressing a prayer, “lead me and guide me” (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV).

[33:18]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “look, the eye of the Lord [is] toward the ones who fear him.” The expression “the eye…[is] toward” here indicates recognition and the bestowing of favor. See Ps 34:15. The one who fears the Lord respects his sovereignty and obeys his commandments. See Ps 128:1; Prov 14:2.

[33:18]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “for the ones who wait for his faithfulness.”

[34:22]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “redeems the life of his servants.” The Hebrew participial form suggests such deliverance is characteristic.

[34:22]  ⁵⁰ tn “Taking shelter” in the Lord is an idiom for seeking his protection. Seeking his protection presupposes and even demonstrates the subject’s loyalty to the Lord. In the psalms those who “take shelter” in the Lord are contrasted with the wicked and equated with those who love, fear, and serve the Lord (Pss 2:12; 5:11-12; 31:19).

[35:3]  ⁵¹ tn Or “javelin.” On the meaning of this word, which occurs only here in the Hebrew Bible, see M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 1:210-11.

[35:3]  ⁵² tn Heb “draw out spear and lance to meet.”

[35:3]  ⁵³ tn Heb “say to me,” or “say to my soul.”

[35:8]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “let destruction [which] he does not know come to him.” The singular is used of the enemy in v. 8, probably in a representative or collective sense. The psalmist has more than one enemy, as vv. 1-7 make clear.

[35:8]  ⁵⁵ tn The psalmist’s prayer for his enemies’ demise continues. See vv. 4-6.

[36:4]  ⁵⁶ tn Heb “he takes a stand in a way [that is] not good.” The word “way” here refers metaphorically to behavior or life style.

[36:4]  ⁵⁷ tn The three imperfect verbal forms in v. 4 highlight the characteristic behavior of the typical evildoer.

[36:9]  ⁵⁸ tn Heb “for with you is the fountain of life, in your light we see light.” Water (note “fountain”) and light are here metaphors for life.

[37:22]  ⁵⁹ tn The particle כִּי is best understood as asseverative or emphatic here.

[37:22]  ⁶⁰ 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]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “cursed.”

[37:22]  ⁶² tn Or “cut off”; or “removed” (see v. 9).

[39:9]  ⁶³ tn Heb “because you acted.” The psalmist has in mind God’s disciplinary measures (see vv. 10-13).

[41:1]  ⁶⁴ sn Psalm 41. The psalmist is confident (vv. 11-12) that the Lord has heard his request to be healed (vv. 4-10), and he anticipates the joy he will experience when the Lord intervenes (vv. 1-3). One must assume that the psalmist is responding to a divine oracle of assurance (see P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 [WBC], 319-20). The final verse is a fitting conclusion to this psalm, but it is also serves as a fitting conclusion to the first “book” (or major editorial division) of the Psalter. Similar statements appear at or near the end of each of the second, third, and fourth “books” of the Psalter (see Pss 72:19, 89:52, and 106:48 respectively).

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

[41:1]  ⁶⁶ sn One who treats the poor properly. The psalmist is characterizing himself as such an individual and supplying a reason why God has responded favorably to his prayer. The Lord’s attitude toward the merciful mirrors their treatment of the poor.

[41:1]  ⁶⁷ tn Heb “in the day of trouble” (see Ps 27:5).

[41:1]  ⁶⁸ tn That is, the one who has been kind to the poor. The prefixed verbal form could be taken as jussive of prayer (“may the Lord deliver,” see v. 2), but the preceding parallel line is a declaration of fact, not a prayer per se. The imperfect can be taken here as future (“will deliver,” cf. NEB, NASB) or as generalizing (“delivers,” cf. NIV, NRSV). The parallel line, which has a generalizing tone, favors the latter. At the same time, though the psalmist uses a generalizing style here, he clearly has himself primarily in view.

[41:3]  ⁶⁹ tn The prefixed verbal form could be taken as jussive, continuing the prayer of v. 2, but the parallel line in v. 3b employs the perfect, suggesting that the psalmist is again speaking in the indicative mood (see v. 1b). The imperfect can be understood as future or as generalizing (see v. 1).

[41:3]  ⁷⁰ tn Heb “all his bed you turn in his illness.” The perfect is used here in a generalizing sense (see v. 1) or in a rhetorical manner to emphasize that the healing is as good as done.

[41:8]  ⁷¹ tn The words “they say” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation to make it clear that v. 8 contains a quotation of what the psalmist’s enemies say about him (see v. 7a).

[41:8]  ⁷² tn Heb “thing of worthlessness.” In Ps 101:3 the phrase refers to evil deeds in general, but here it appears to refer more specifically to the illness that plagues the psalmist.

[41:8]  ⁷³ tn Heb “is poured out on him.” The passive participle of יָצַק (yatsaq) is used.

[41:8]  ⁷⁴ tn Heb “and he who lies down will not again arise.”

[41:9]  ⁷⁵ tn Heb “man of my peace.” The phrase here refers to one’s trusted friend (see Jer 38:22; Obad 7).

[41:9]  ⁷⁶ tn Heb “has made a heel great against me.” The precise meaning of this phrase, which appears only here, is uncertain.

[41:9]  sn The language of this verse is applied to Judas Iscariot in John 13:18.

[42:7]  ⁷⁷ tn Heb “deep calls to deep.” The Hebrew noun תְּהוֹם (tÿhom) often refers to the deep sea, but here, where it is associated with Hermon, it probably refers to mountain streams. The word can be used of streams and rivers (see Deut 8:7; Ezek 31:4).

[42:7]  ⁷⁸ tn The noun צִנּוֹר (tsinnor, “waterfall”) occurs only here and in 2 Sam 5:8, where it apparently refers to a water shaft. The psalmist alludes to the loud rushing sound of mountain streams and cascading waterfalls. Using the poetic device of personification, he imagines the streams calling out to each other as they hear the sound of the waterfalls.

[42:7]  ⁷⁹ tn Heb “pass over me” (see Jonah 2:3). As he hears the sound of the rushing water, the psalmist imagines himself engulfed in the current. By implication he likens his emotional distress to such an experience.

[43:2]  ⁸⁰ tn Heb “God of my place of refuge,” that is, “God who is my place of refuge.” See Ps 31:4.

[43:2]  ⁸¹ tn The question is similar to that of Ps 42:9, but זָנַח (zanakh, “reject”) is a stronger verb than שָׁכַח (shakhakh, “forget”).

[43:2]  ⁸² tn The language is similar to that of Ps 42:9, but the Hitpael form of the verb הָלַךְ (halakh; as opposed to the Qal form in 42:9) expresses more forcefully the continuing nature of the psalmist’s distress.

[43:2]  ⁸³ sn Walk around mourning. See Ps 38:6 for a similar statement.

[49:17]  ⁸⁴ tn Heb “his glory will not go down after him.”

[55:10]  ⁸⁵ tn Heb “day and night they surround it, upon its walls.” Personified “violence and conflict” are the likely subjects. They are compared to watchmen on the city’s walls.

[55:10]  ⁸⁶ sn Wickedness and destruction. These terms are also closely associated in Ps 7:14.

[56:7]  ⁸⁷ tc Heb “because of wickedness, deliverance to them.” As it stands, the MT makes no sense. The negative particle אַיִן (’ayin, “there is not,” which is due to dittography of the immediately preceding אָוֶן, ’aven, “wickedness”), should probably be added before “deliverance” (see BHS, note a). The presence of an imperative in the next line (note “bring down”) suggests that this line should be translated as a prayer as well, “may there not be deliverance to them.”

[56:7]  ⁸⁸ tn Heb “in anger.” The pronoun “your” is supplied in the translation for clarification.

[56:7]  ⁸⁹ tn Or perhaps “people” in a general sense.

[61:8]  ⁹⁰ tn Or “forever.”

[61:8]  ⁹¹ tn Or perhaps, “and thereby fulfill.” The preposition with the infinitive construct here indicates an accompanying circumstance.

[62:7]  ⁹² tn Heb “upon God [is] my deliverance and my glory, the high rocky summit of my strength, my shelter [is] in God.”

[62:12]  ⁹³ tn Heb “and to you, O Master, [is] loyal love.”

[62:12]  ⁹⁴ tn Heb “for you pay back to a man according to his deed.” Another option is to understand vv. 11b and 12a as the first principle and v. 12b as the second. In this case one might translate, “God has declared one principle, two principles I have heard, namely, that God is strong, and you, O Lord, demonstrate loyal love, and that you repay men for what they do.”

[62:12]  sn You repay men for what they do. The psalmist views God’s justice as a demonstration of both his power (see v. 11c) and his loyal love (see v. 12a). When God judges evildoers, he demonstrates loyal love to his people.

[64:5]  ⁹⁵ tn Heb “they give strength to themselves, an evil matter [or “word”].”

[64:5]  ⁹⁶ tn Heb “they report about hiding.”

[64:5]  ⁹⁷ tn Heb “they say.”

[64:5]  ⁹⁸ tn If this is a direct quotation (cf. NASB, NIV), the pronoun “them” refers to the snares mentioned in the previous line. If it is an indirect quotation, then the pronoun may refer to the enemies themselves (cf. NEB, which is ambiguous). Some translations retain the direct quotation but alter the pronoun to “us,” referring clearly to the enemies (cf. NRSV).

[64:8]  ⁹⁹ tc The MT reads literally, “and they caused him to stumble, upon them, their tongue.” Perhaps the third plural subject of the verb is indefinite with the third singular pronominal suffix on the verb being distributive (see Ps 63:10). In this case one may translate, “each one will be made to stumble.” The preposition עַל (’al) might then be taken as adversative, “against them [is] their tongue.” Many prefer to emend the text to וַיַּכְשִׁילֵמוֹ עֲלֵי לְשׁוֹנָם (vayyakhshilemo ’aley lÿshonam, “and he caused them to stumble over their tongue”). However, if this reading is original, it is difficult to see how the present reading of the MT arose. Furthermore, the preposition is not collocated with the verb כָּשַׁל (kashal) elsewhere. It is likely that the MT is corrupt, but a satisfying emendation has not yet been proposed.

[64:8]  ¹⁰⁰ tn The Hitpolel verbal form is probably from the root נוּד (nud; see HALOT 678 s.v. נוד), which is attested elsewhere in the Hitpolel stem, not the root נָדַד (nadad, as proposed by BDB 622 s.v. I נָדַד), which does not occur elsewhere in this stem.

[65:11]  ¹⁰¹ tn Heb “your good,” which refers here to agricultural blessings.

[65:11]  ¹⁰² tn Heb “and your paths drip with abundance.”

[68:3]  ¹⁰³ tn By placing the subject first the psalmist highlights the contrast between God’s ecstatic people and his defeated enemies (vv. 1-2).

[68:3]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Heb “and they are happy with joy” (cf. NEB). Some translate the prefixed verbal forms of v. 3 as jussives, “Let the godly be happy, let them rejoice before God, and let them be happy with joy!” (Cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV; note the call to praise in v. 4.)

[68:9]  ¹⁰⁵ tn The verb נוּף (nuf, “cause rain to fall”) is a homonym of the more common נוּף (“brandish”).

[68:9]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Heb “[on] your inheritance.” This refers to Israel as God’s specially chosen people (see Pss 28:9; 33:12; 74:2; 78:62, 71; 79:1; 94:5, 14; 106:40). Some take “your inheritance” with what follows, but the vav (ו) prefixed to the following word (note וְנִלְאָה, vÿnil’ah) makes this syntactically unlikely.

[68:9]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Heb “it [is],” referring to God’s “inheritance.”

[68:9]  ¹⁰⁸ tn Heb “it,” referring to God’s “inheritance.”

[68:14]  ¹⁰⁹ 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]  ¹¹⁰ 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]  ¹¹¹ 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.

[68:21]  ¹¹² tn Heb “the hairy forehead of the one who walks about in his guilt.” The singular is representative.

[68:24]  ¹¹³ tn The subject is probably indefinite, referring to bystanders in general who witness the procession.

[68:24]  ¹¹⁴ tn The Hebrew text has simply “in holiness.” The words “who marches along” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[68:25]  ¹¹⁵ tn Heb “after [are] the stringed instrument players.”

[68:25]  ¹¹⁶ sn To celebrate a military victory, women would play tambourines (see Exod 15:20; Judg 11:34; 1 Sam 18:6).

[69:15]  ¹¹⁷ tn Heb “well,” which here symbolizes the place of the dead (cf. Ps 55:23).

[69:15]  ¹¹⁸ tn Heb “do not let the well close its mouth upon me.”

[69:26]  ¹¹⁹ tn Or “persecute”; Heb “chase.”

[69:26]  ¹²⁰ tn Heb “for you, the one whom you strike, they chase.”

[69:26]  ¹²¹ tn Heb “they announce the pain of your wounded ones” (i.e., “the ones whom you wounded,” as the parallel line makes clear).

[69:26]  sn The psalmist is innocent of the false charges made by his enemies (v. 4), but he is also aware of his sinfulness (v. 5) and admits that he experiences divine discipline (v. 26) despite his devotion to God (v. 9). Here he laments that his enemies take advantage of such divine discipline by harassing and slandering him. They “kick him while he’s down,” as the expression goes.

[69:33]  ¹²² tn Heb “his prisoners he does not despise.”

[72:4]  ¹²³ tn Heb “judge [for].”

[72:4]  ¹²⁴ tn The prefixed verbal form appears to be an imperfect, not a jussive.

[72:4]  ¹²⁵ tn Heb “sons.”

[74:19]  ¹²⁶ sn Your dove. The psalmist compares weak and vulnerable Israel to a helpless dove.

[74:19]  ¹²⁷ tn Heb “do not forget forever.”

[76:5]  ¹²⁸ tn Heb “strong of heart.” In Isa 46:12, the only other text where this phrase appears, it refers to those who are stubborn, but here it seems to describe brave warriors (see the next line).

[76:5]  ¹²⁹ tn The verb is a rare Aramaized form of the Hitpolel (see GKC 149 §54.a, n. 2); the root is שָׁלַל (shalal, “to plunder”).

[76:5]  ¹³⁰ tn Heb “they slept [in] their sleep.” “Sleep” here refers to the “sleep” of death. A number of modern translations take the phrase to refer to something less than death, however: NASB “cast into a deep sleep”; NEB “fall senseless”; NIV “lie still”; NRSV “lay stunned.”

[76:5]  ¹³¹ tn Heb “and all the men of strength did not find their hands.”

[79:9]  ¹³² tn Heb “the glory of your name.” Here and in the following line “name” stands metonymically for God’s reputation.

[79:9]  ¹³³ tn Heb “your name.”

[80:5]  ¹³⁴ tn Heb “you have fed them the food of tears.”

[80:5]  ¹³⁵ tn Heb “[by] the third part [of a measure].” The Hebrew term שָׁלִישׁ (shalish, “third part [of a measure]”) occurs only here and in Isa 40:12.

[85:9]  ¹³⁶ tn Heb “certainly his deliverance [is] near to those who fear him.”

[85:9]  ¹³⁷ tn Heb “to dwell, glory, in our land.” “Glory” is the subject of the infinitive. The infinitive with -לְ (lÿ), “to dwell,” probably indicates result here (“then”). When God delivers his people and renews his relationship with them, he will once more reveal his royal splendor in the land.

[87:5]  ¹³⁸ tn Heb “and of Zion it is said.” Another option is to translate, “and to Zion it is said.” In collocation with the Niphal of אָמַר (’amar), the preposition lamed (-לְ) can introduce the recipient of the statement (see Josh 2:2; Jer 4:11; Hos 1:10; Zeph 3:16), carry the nuance “concerning, of” (see Num 23:23), or mean “be named” (see Isa 4:3; 62:4).

[87:5]  ¹³⁹ tn Heb “a man and a man.” The idiom also appears in Esth 1:8. The translation assumes that the phrase refers to each of Zion’s residents, in contrast to the foreigners mentioned in v. 4. Those advocating the universalistic interpretation understand this as a reference to each of the nations, including those mentioned in v. 4.

[87:5]  ¹⁴⁰ tn Traditionally “Most High.”

[87:5]  ¹⁴¹ tn Heb “and he makes her secure, the Most High.”

[88:16]  ¹⁴² tn Heb “passes over me.”

[89:1]  ¹⁴³ sn Psalm 89. The psalmist praises God as the sovereign creator of the world. He recalls God’s covenant with David, but then laments that the promises of the covenant remain unrealized. The covenant promised the Davidic king military victories, but the king has now been subjected to humiliating defeat.

[89:1]  ¹⁴⁴ 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 88.

[89:1]  ¹⁴⁵ tn Or “forever.”

[89:1]  ¹⁴⁶ tn Heb “to a generation and a generation I will make known your faithfulness with my mouth.”

[89:27]  ¹⁴⁷ sn The firstborn son typically had special status and received special privileges.

[94:16]  ¹⁴⁸ tn Heb “for me.”

[94:16]  ¹⁴⁹ sn Who will stand up for me…? The questions anticipate the answer, “No one except God” (see v. 17).

[95:4]  ¹⁵⁰ tn The phrase “in his hand” means within the sphere of his authority.

[97:8]  ¹⁵¹ tn Heb “daughters.” The term “daughters” refers to the cities of Judah surrounding Zion (see Ps 48:11 and H. Haag, TDOT 2:336).

[102:21]  ¹⁵² tn Heb “his praise.”

[102:21]  ¹⁵³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[102:24]  ¹⁵⁴ tn Heb “do not lift me up in the middle of my days.”

[102:24]  ¹⁵⁵ tn Heb “in a generation of generations [are] your years.”

[104:29]  ¹⁵⁶ tn Heb “you hide your face, they are terrified.”

[105:37]  ¹⁵⁷ tn Heb “them”; the referent (the Lord’s people) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[105:37]  ¹⁵⁸ tn The word “enriched” is supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

[106:43]  ¹⁵⁹ 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]  ¹⁶⁰ 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]  ¹⁶¹ tn Heb “they sank down.” The Hebrew verb מָכַךְ (makhakh, “to lower; to sink”) occurs only here in the Qal.

[108:4]  ¹⁶² tn Heb “for great upon the sky [or “heavens”] [is] your loyal love.”

[119:128]  ¹⁶³ tn Heb “for this reason all the precepts of everything I regard as right.” The phrase “precepts of everything” is odd. It is preferable to take the kaf (כ) on כֹּל (kol, “everything) with the preceding form as a pronominal suffix, “your precepts,” and the lamed (ל) with the following verb as an emphatic particle. See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 138.

[119:128]  ¹⁶⁴ tn Heb “every false path.”

[119:176]  ¹⁶⁵ tn Heb “I stray like a lost sheep.” It is possible that the point of the metaphor is vulnerability: The psalmist, who is threatened by his enemies, feels as vulnerable as a straying, lost sheep. This would not suggest, however, that he has wandered from God’s path (see the second half of the verse, as well as v. 110).

[129:6]  ¹⁶⁶ tn The Hebrew verb שָׁלַף (shalaf) normally means “to draw [a sword]” or “to pull.” BDB 1025 s.v. suggests the meaning “to shoot up” here, but it is more likely that the verb here means “to pluck; to pull up,” a nuance attested for this word in later Hebrew and Aramaic (see Jastrow 1587 s.v. שָׁלַף).

[132:2]  ¹⁶⁷ tn Heb “the powerful [one] of Jacob.”

[133:3]  ¹⁶⁸ sn Hermon refers to Mount Hermon, located north of Israel.

[133:3]  ¹⁶⁹ sn The hills of Zion are those surrounding Zion (see Pss 87:1; 125:2). The psalmist does not intend to suggest that the dew from Mt. Hermon in the distant north actually flows down upon Zion. His point is that the same kind of heavy dew that replenishes Hermon may also be seen on Zion’s hills. See A. Cohen, Psalms (SoBB), 439. “Dew” here symbolizes divine blessing, as the next line suggests.

[133:3]  ¹⁷⁰ tn Or “for.”

[133:3]  ¹⁷¹ tn Heb “there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forever.”

[141:8]  ¹⁷² tn Heb “my eyes [are] toward you.”

[141:8]  ¹⁷³ tn Heb “do not lay bare my life.” Only here is the Piel form of the verb collocated with the term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “life”). In Isa 53:12 the Lord’s servant “lays bare (the Hiphil form of the verb is used) his life to death.”

[145:7]  ¹⁷⁴ tn Heb “the fame of the greatness of your goodness.”

[145:7]  ¹⁷⁵ tn The prefixed verbal forms in v. 7 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 they talk…and sing.”

[146:8]  ¹⁷⁶ tn Perhaps “discouraged” (see Ps 57:6).