Mazmur 9:5

9:5 You terrified the nations with your battle cry; ¹ 

you destroyed the wicked; ² 

you permanently wiped out all memory of them. ³ 

Mazmur 37:14

37:14 Evil men draw their swords

and prepare their bows,

to bring down ⁴  the oppressed and needy,

and to slaughter those who are godly. ⁵ 

Mazmur 42:10

42:10 My enemies’ taunts cut into me to the bone, ⁶ 

as they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” ⁷ 

Mazmur 78:6

78:6 so that the next generation, children yet to be born,

might know about them.

They will grow up and tell their descendants about them. ⁸ 

Mazmur 83:18

83:18 Then they will know ⁹  that you alone are the Lord, ¹⁰ 

the sovereign king ¹¹  over all the earth.

Mazmur 86:14

86:14 O God, arrogant men attack me; ¹² 

a gang ¹³  of ruthless men, who do not respect you, seek my life. ¹⁴ 

Mazmur 137:7

137:7 Remember, O Lord, what the Edomites did

on the day Jerusalem fell. ¹⁵ 

They said, “Tear it down, tear it down, ¹⁶ 

right to its very foundation!”

[9:5]  ¹ tn The verb גָּעַר (ga’ar) is often understood to mean “rebuke” and in this context taken to refer to the Lord’s “rebuke” of the nations. In some cases it is apparent that scolding or threatening is in view (see Gen 37:10; Ruth 2:16; Zech 3:2). However, in militaristic contexts this translation is inadequate, for the verb refers in this setting to the warrior’s battle cry, which terrifies and paralyzes the enemy. See A. Caquot, TDOT 3:53, and note the use of the verb in Pss 68:30; 106:9; and Nah 1:4, as well as the related noun in Job 26:11; Pss 18:15; 76:6; 104:7; Isa 50:2; 51:20; 66:15.

[9:5]  ² tn The singular form is collective (note “nations” and “their name”). In the psalms the “wicked” (רְשָׁעִים, rÿsha’im) are typically proud, practical atheists (Ps 10:2, 4, 11) who hate God’s commands, commit sinful deeds, speak lies and slander (Ps 50:16-20), and cheat others (Ps 37:21). In this context the hostile nations who threaten Israel/Judah are in view.

[9:5]  ³ tn Heb “their name you wiped out forever and ever.” The three perfect verbal forms in v. 5 probably refer to a recent victory (definite past or present perfect use), although they might express what is typical (characteristic use).

[37:14]  ⁴ tn Heb “to cause to fall.”

[37:14]  ⁵ tn Heb “the upright in way,” i.e., those who lead godly lives.

[42:10]  ⁶ tc Heb “with a shattering in my bones my enemies taunt me.” A few medieval Hebrew mss and Symmachus’ Greek version read “like” instead of “with.”

[42:10]  ⁷ sn “Where is your God?” The enemies ask this same question in v. 3.

[78:6]  ⁸ tn Heb “in order that they might know, a following generation, sons [who] will be born, they will arise and will tell to their sons.”

[83:18]  ⁹ tn After the preceding jussives (v. 17), the prefixed verbal form with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose (“so that they may know”) or result.

[83:18]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “that you, your name [is] the Lord, you alone.”

[83:18]  ¹¹ tn Traditionally “the Most High.”

[86:14]  ¹² tn Heb “rise up against me.”

[86:14]  ¹³ tn Or “assembly.”

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

[137:7]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “remember, O Lord, against the sons of Edom, the day of Jerusalem.”

[137:7]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “lay [it] bare, lay [it] bare.”