translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: PSA

label: NET study note

text: . The psalmist cries out to the Lord for deliverance from his dangerous enemies, who have surrounded him and threaten his life. Confident that the Lord will intervene, he then vows to thank the Lord publicly for his help and anticipates a time when all people will recognize the Lord’s greatness and worship him.


text: From the psalmist’s perspective it seems that God has abandoned him, for he fails to answer his cry for help (vv. 1 b-2).


text: Shake their heads . Apparently this refers to a taunting gesture. See also Job 16:4 ; Ps 109:25 ; Lam 2:15 .


text: The psalmist figuratively compares his enemies to dangerous bulls .


text: Bashan , located east of the Jordan River, was well-known for its cattle. See Ezek 39:18 ; Amos 4:1 .


text: The heart is viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s strength and courage.


text: Here the psalmist addresses God and suggests that God is ultimately responsible for what is happening because of his failure to intervene (see vv. 1-2, 11 ).


text: The imperfect verbal form draws attention to the progressive nature of the action. The psalmist is in the process of dying.


text: The psalmist again compares his enemies to vicious dogs and ferocious lions (see vv. 13, 16 ).


text: In this verse the psalmist refers to himself in the third person and characterizes himself as oppressed.


text: Eat and be filled . In addition to praising the Lord, the psalmist also offers a thank offering to the Lord and invites others to share in a communal meal.