translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: PSA

label: NET translator note

text: Or “have mercy on us.”


text: The prefixed verbal forms are understood as jussives expressing the psalmist’s prayer. Note the jussive form יָאֵר ( ya ’ er ) in the next line.


text: Heb “to know in the earth your way, among all nations your deliverance.” The infinitive with - לְ ( lamed ) expresses purpose/result. When God demonstrates his favor to his people, all nations will recognize his character as a God who delivers. The Hebrew term דֶּרֶךְ ( derekh , “way”) refers here to God’s characteristic behavior, more specifically, to the way he typically saves his people.


text: Heb “let the nations, all of them, thank you.” The prefixed verbal forms in vv. 3-4 a are understood as jussives in this call to praise.


text: Or “peoples.”


text: Heb “for you judge nations fairly, and [as for the] peoples in the earth, you lead them.” The imperfects are translated with the present tense because the statement is understood as a generalization about God’s providential control of the world. Another option is to understand the statement as anticipating God’s future rule (“for you will rule…and govern”).


text: Heb “let the nations, all of them, thank you.” The prefixed verbal forms in v. 5 are understood as jussives in this call to praise.


text: The prefixed verb forms in vv. 6 b-7a are understood as jussives.


text: Heb “will fear him.” After the jussive of the preceding line, the prefixed verbal form with prefixed vav ( ו ) conjunctive is understood as indicating purpose/result. (Note how v. 3 anticipates the universal impact of God showing his people blessing.) Another option is to take the verb as a jussive and translate, “Let all the ends of the earth fear him.”