Heb “in their tents may there not be one who dwells.” sn In Acts 1:2 0 Peter applies the language of this verse to Judas’ experience. By changing the pronouns from plural to singular, he is able to apply the ancient curse, pronounced against the psalmist’s enemies, to Judas in particular.


Or “persecute”; Heb “chase.”


Heb “for you, the one whom you strike, they chase.”


Heb “they announce the pain of your wounded ones” (i.e., “the ones whom you wounded,” as the parallel line makes clear). 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.


Heb “place sin upon their sin.”


Heb “let them not come into your vindication.”


Heb “let them be wiped out of the scroll of the living.” sn The phrase the scroll of the living occurs only here in the OT. It pictures a scroll or census list containing the names of the citizens of a community. When an individual died, that person’s name was removed from the list. So this curse is a very vivid way of asking that the enemies die.


Heb “and with the godly let them not be written.” sn Do not let their names be listed with the godly . This curse pictures a scroll in which God records the names of his loyal followers. The psalmist makes the point that his enemies have no right to be included in this list of the godly.


Heb “your deliverance, O God, may it protect me.”


Heb “I will praise the name of God with a song.”


Heb “I will magnify him with thanks.”


Heb “may your heart[s] live.” See Ps 22:26 .


Heb “his prisoners he does not despise.”


Heb “they”; the referent (God’s people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Heb “it.” The third feminine singular pronominal suffix probably refers to “Zion” (see Pss 48:12; 102:14 ); thus the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Heb “the lovers of his name.” The phrase refers to those who are loyal to God (cf. v. 35 ). See Pss 5:11; 119:132 ; Isa 56:6 .


Heb “to cause to remember.” The same form, a Hiphil infinitive of זָכַר ( zakhar , “remember”), also appears in the superscription of . Some understand this in the sense of “for the memorial offering,” but it may carry the idea of bringing one’s plight to God’s attention (see P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 [WBC], 303).


Heb “O God, to rescue me.” A main verb is obviously missing. The verb רָצָה ( ratsah , “be willing”) should be supplied (see Ps 40:13 ). Ps 40:13 uses the divine name “ Lord ” rather than “God.”


Heb “may they be embarrassed and ashamed, the ones seeking my life.” Ps 40:14 has “together” after “ashamed,” and “to snatch it away” after “my life.”


The four prefixed verbal forms in this verse are understood as jussives. The psalmist is calling judgment down on his enemies. sn See Ps 35:4 for a similar prayer.


The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive in this imprecation.


Heb “May they be turned back according to their shame, those who say, ‘Aha! Aha!’” Ps 40:15 has the verb “humiliated” instead of “turned back” and adds “to me” after “say.”


Heb “those who love,” which stands metonymically for its cause, the experience of being delivered by God.


The three prefixed verbal forms prior to the quotation are understood as jussives. The psalmist balances out his imprecation against his enemies with a prayer of blessing on the godly.


Ps 40:16 uses the divine name “ Lord ” here instead of “God.”


The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive, “may the Lord be magnified [in praise].” Another option is to take the verb as an imperfect, “the Lord is great.” See Ps 35:27 .


Ps 40:17 has “may the Lord pay attention to me.”


Ps 40:17 has “my God” instead of “ Lord .”


Heb “in your vindication rescue me and deliver me.” Ps 31:1 omits “and deliver me.”


Heb “turn toward me your ear.”


Ps 31:2 adds “quickly” before “deliver.”


Heb “become for me a rocky summit of a dwelling place.” The Hebrew term מָעוֹן ( ma ’ on , “dwelling place”) should probably be emended to מָעוֹז ( ma ’ oz , “refuge”; see Ps 31:2 ).


Heb “to enter continually, you commanded to deliver me.” The Hebrew phrase לָבוֹא תָּמִיד צִוִּיתָ ( lavo ’ tamid tsivvita , “to enter continually, you commanded”) should be emended to לְבֵית מְצוּדוֹת ( lÿvet mÿtsudot , “a house of strongholds”; see Ps 31:2 ).


Heb “hand.”


Heb “for you [are] my hope.”


Heb “from the womb.”


The form in the MT is derived from גָזָה ( gazah , “to cut off”), perhaps picturing God as the one who severed the psalmist’s umbilical cord. Many interpreters and translators prefer to emend the text to גֹחִי ( gokhiy ), from גוּח ( gukh ) or גִיח , ( gikh , “pull out”; see Ps 22:9 ; cf. the present translation) or to עוּזִּי (’ uzziy , “my strength”; cf. NEB “my protector since I left my mother’s womb”).


Heb “in you [is] my praise continually.”


Heb “like a sign [i.e., portent or bad omen] I am to many.”


Heb “my mouth is filled [with] your praise, all the day [with] your splendor.”


Heb “do not cast me away at the time of old age.”


Heb “those who watch for my life consult together.”


Heb “saying.”


Heb “hurry to my help.”


Heb “those who seek my harm.”


Heb “and I add to all your praise.”


Heb “my mouth declares your vindication, all the day your deliverance.”


Heb “though I do not know [the] numbers,” that is, the tally of God’s just and saving acts. HALOT 768 s.v. סְפֹרוֹת understands the plural noun to mean “the art of writing.”


Heb “I will come with.”


Heb “and until now I am declaring.”


Heb “and even unto old age and gray hair.”


Heb “until I declare your arm to a generation, to everyone who comes your power.” God’s “arm” here is an anthropomorphism that symbolizes his great strength.


Heb “your justice, O God, [is] unto the height.” The Hebrew term מָרוֹם ( marom , “height”) is here a title for the sky/heavens. sn Extends to the skies above . Similar statements are made in Pss 36:5 and 57:10 .


Heb “you who have done great things.”


Or “Who is like you?”


Heb “you who have caused me to see many harmful distresses.”


Heb “you return, you give me life.” The Hebrew term שׁוּב ( shuv , “return”) is used here in an adverbial sense, indicating repetition of the action described by the following verb. The imperfects are understood here as expressing the psalmist’s prayer or wish. (Note the use of a distinctly jussive form at the beginning of v. 21 .) Another option is to understand this as a statement of confidence, “you will revive me once again” (cf. NIV, NRSV).


Heb “you return, you bring me up.” The Hebrew term שׁוּב ( shuv , “return”) is used here in an adverbial sense, indicating repetition of the action described by the following verb. The imperfects are understood here as expressing the psalmist’s prayer or wish. (Note the use of a distinctly jussive form at the beginning of v. 21 .) Another option is to understand this as a statement of confidence, “you will bring me up once again” (cf. NIV, NRSV).


Heb “increase my greatness.” The prefixed verbal form is distinctly jussive, indicating this is a prayer or wish. The psalmist’s request for “greatness” (or “honor”) is not a boastful, self-serving prayer for prominence, but, rather, a request that God would vindicate by elevating him over those who are trying to humiliate him.


The imperfects are understood here as expressing the psalmist’s prayer or wish. (Note the use of a distinctly jussive form at the beginning of v. 21 .)


The word “praising” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.


Or “when.” The translation assumes that כִּי ( ki ) has an emphasizing (asseverative) function here.


Heb “and my life [or “soul”] which you will have redeemed.” The perfect verbal form functions here as a future perfect. The psalmist anticipates praising God, for God will have rescued him by that time.


Heb “those who seek my harm.”


Heb “will have become embarrassed and ashamed.” The perfect verbal forms function here as future perfects, indicating future actions which will precede chronologically the action expressed by the main verb in the preceding line.


The preposition could be understood as indicating authorship (“Of Solomon”), but since the psalm is a prayer for a king, it may be that the superscription reflects a tradition that understood this as a prayer for Solomon.


Heb “O God, your judgments to [the] king give.”


The prefixed verbal form appears to be an imperfect, not a jussive.


Heb “[the] mountains will bear peace to the people, and [the] hills with justice.” The personified mountains and hills probably represent messengers who will sweep over the land announcing the king’s just decrees and policies. See Isa 52:7 and C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms (ICC), 2:133.


Heb “judge [for].”


Heb “sons.”


In this context “fear” probably means “to demonstrate respect for the Lord ’s power and authority by worshiping him and obeying his commandments.” See Ps 33:8 . Some interpreters, with the support of the LXX, prefer to read וְיַאֲרִיךְ ( vÿ ’ a ’ arikh , “and he [the king in this case] will prolong [days]”), that is, “will live a long time” (cf. NIV, NRSV).


God is the addressee (see vv. 1-2 ).


Heb “with [the] sun, and before [the] moon [for] a generation, generations.” The rare expression דּוֹר דּוֹרִים ( dor dorim , “generation, generations”) occurs only here, in Ps 102:24 , and in Isa 51:8 .


That is, the king (see vv. 2, 4 ).


The rare term zg refers to a sheep’s fleece in Deut 18:4 and Job 31:20 , but to “mown” grass or crops here and in Amos 7:1 .


The form in the Hebrew text appears to be an otherwise unattested noun. Many prefer to emend the form to a verb from the root זָרַף ( zaraf ). BHS in textual note b on this verse suggests a Hiphil imperfect, third masculine plural יַזְרִיפוּ ( yazrifu ), while HALOT 283 s.v. * זרף prefers a Pilpel perfect, third masculine plural זִרְזְפוּ ( zirzÿfu ). The translation assumes the latter.


Heb “sprout up,” like crops. This verse continues the metaphor of rain utilized in v. 6 .


Heb “and [there will be an] abundance of peace until there is no more moon.”


The prefixed verbal form is a (shortened) jussive form, indicating this is a prayer of blessing.


Heb “the river,” a reference to the Euphrates.


Or “islands.” The term here refers metonymically to those people who dwell in these regions.


The singular is representative. The typical needy individual here represents the entire group.


The singular is representative. The typical oppressed individual here represents the entire group.


The prefixed verb form is best understood as a defectively written imperfect (see Deut 7:16 ).


Or “redeem their lives.” The verb “redeem” casts the Lord in the role of a leader who protects members of his extended family in times of need and crisis (see Pss 19:14; 69:18 ).


Heb “their blood will be precious in his eyes.”


The prefixed verbal form is jussive, not imperfect. Because the form has the prefixed vav ( ו ), some subordinate it to what precedes as a purpose/result clause. In this case the representative poor individual might be the subject of this and the following verb, “so that he may live and give to him gold of Sheba.” But the idea of the poor offering gold is incongruous. It is better to take the jussive as a prayer with the king as subject of the verb. (Perhaps the initial vav is dittographic; note the vav at the end of the last form in v. 14 .) The statement is probably an abbreviated version of the formula יְחִי הַמֶּלֶךְ ( yÿkhiy hammelekh , “may the king live”; see 1 Sam 10:24 ; 2 Sam 16:16 ; 1 Kgs 1:25, 34, 39 ; 2 Kgs 11:12 ).


Heb “and he will give to him some gold of Sheba.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive with a grammatically indefinite subject (“and may one give”). Of course, the king’s subjects, mentioned in the preceding context, are the tribute bearers in view here.


As in the preceding line, the prefixed verbal forms are understood as jussives with a grammatically indefinite subject (“and may one pray…and may one bless”). Of course, the king’s subjects, mentioned in the preceding context, are in view here.


The prefixed verbal form is jussive, not imperfect. The translation assumes the subject is impersonal (rather than the king).


The Hebrew noun פִסַּה ( pissah ; which appears here in the construct form) occurs only here in the OT. Perhaps the noun is related to the verbal root פָּשָׂה ( pasah , “to spread,” see BDB 832 s.v.; the root appears as פָּסָה [ pasah ] in postbiblical Hebrew), which is used in postbiblical Hebrew of the rising sun’s rays spreading over the horizon and a tree’s branches spreading out (see Jastrow 1194 s.v. פסי , פָּסָה , פָּשָׂה ). In Ps 72:16 a “spreading of grain” would refer to grain fields extending out over the land. C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs ( Psalms [ICC], 2:139) emend the form to סְפִיחַ ( sÿfiakh , “second growth”).


Heb “top” (singular).


That is, the grain.


According to the traditional accentuation of the MT, this verb belongs with what follows. See the translator’s note at the end of the verse for a discussion of the poetic parallelism and interpretation of the verse.


The antecedent of the third masculine singular pronominal suffix is unclear. It is unlikely that the antecedent is אֶרֶץ (’ erets , “earth”) because this noun is normally grammatically feminine. Perhaps רֹאשׁ ( ro ’ sh , “top [of the mountains]”) is the antecedent. Another option is to understand the pronoun as referring to the king, who would then be viewed as an instrument of divine agricultural blessing (see v. 6 ).


Heb “fruit.”


According to the traditional accentuation of the MT, this verb belongs with what follows. See the note on the word “earth” at the end of the verse for a discussion of the poetic parallelism and interpretation of the verse. The present translation takes it with the preceding words, “like Lebanon its fruit” and emends the verb form from וְיָצִיצוּ ( vÿyatsitsu ; Qal imperfect third masculine plural with prefixed vav , [ ו ]) to יָצִיץ ( yatsits ; Qal imperfect third masculine singular). The initial vav is eliminated as dittographic (note the vav on the ending of the preceding form פִּרְיוֹ , piryo , “its/his fruit”) and the vav at the end of the form is placed on the following emended form (see the note on the word “crops”), yielding וַעֲמִיר ( va ’ amir , “and [its] crops”).


Heb “like Lebanon.”


The MT has “from the city.” The translation assumes an emendation to עֲמִיר (’ amir , “crops”).


The translation assumes that the verb צוץ (“flourish”) goes with the preceding line. The words “be as abundant” are supplied in the translation for clarification.


The traditional accentuation and vocalization of the MT differ from the text assumed by the present translation. The MT reads as follows: “May there be an abundance of grain in the earth, / and on the tops of the mountains! / May its [or “his”?] fruit [trees?] rustle like [the trees of] Lebanon! / May they flourish from the city, like the grass of the earth!” If one follows the MT, then it would appear that the “fruit” of the third line is a metaphorical reference to the king’s people, who flow out from the cities to populate the land (see line 4). Elsewhere in the OT people are sometimes compared to grass that sprouts up from the land (see v. 7 , as well as Isa 27:6 ; Pss 92:7; 103:15 ). The translation understands a different poetic structural arrangement and, assuming the emendations mentioned in earlier notes, interprets each line of the verse to be a prayer for agricultural abundance.


Heb “may his name [be] permanent.” The prefixed verbal form is jussive, not imperfect.


Heb “before the sun may his name increase.” The Kethib (consonantal text) assumes יָנִין ( yanin ; a Hiphil of the verbal root נִין , nin ) or יְנַיֵן ( yÿnayen ; a Piel form), while the Qere (marginal reading) assumes יִנּוֹן ( yinnon ; a Niphal form). The verb נִין occurs only here, though a derived noun, meaning “offspring,” appears elsewhere (see Isa 14:22 ). The verb appears to mean “propagate, increase” (BDB 630 s.v. נוּן , נִין ) or “produce shoots, get descendants” ( HALOT 696 s.v. נין ). In this context this appears to be a prayer for a lasting dynasty that will keep the king’s name and memory alive.


Heb “may they bless one another by him,” that is, use the king’s name in their blessing formulae because he is a prime example of one blessed by God (for examples of such blessing formulae, see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11 ). There is some debate on whether the Hitpael form of בָּרַךְ ( barakh , “bless”) is reflexive-reciprocal (as assumed in the present translation) or passive. The Hitpael of בָּרַךְ occurs in five other passages, including the hotly debated Gen 22:18 and 26:4 . In these two texts one could understand the verb form as passive and translate, “all the nations of the earth will be blessed through your offspring,” or one could take the Hitpael as reflexive or reciprocal and translate, “all the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings [i.e., on themselves or one another] by your offspring.” In the first instance Abraham’s (or Isaac’s) offspring are viewed as a channel of divine blessing. In the second instance they are viewed as a prime example of blessing that will appear as part of the nations’ blessing formulae, but not necessarily as a channel of blessing to the nations. In Deut 29:18 one reads: “When one hears the words of this covenant [or “oath”] and invokes a blessing on himself (Hitpael of בָּרַךְ ) in his heart, saying: ‘I will have peace, even though I walk with a rebellious heart.’” In this case the Hitpael is clearly reflexive, as the phrases “in his heart” and “I will have peace” indicate. The Hitpael of בָּרַךְ appears twice in Isaiah 65:16 : “The one who invokes a blessing on himself (see Deut 9:18 ) in the land will invoke that blessing by the God of truth; and the one who makes an oath in the land will make that oath by the God of truth.” A passive nuance does not fit here. The parallel line, which mentions making an oath, suggests that the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ refers here to invoking a blessing. Both pronouncements of blessing and oaths will appeal to God as the one who rewards and judges, respectively. Jer 4:2 states: “If you swear, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’ with truth, integrity, and honesty, then the nations will pronounce blessings by him and boast in him.” A passive nuance might work (“the nations will be blessed”), but the context refers to verbal pronouncements (swearing an oath, boasting), suggesting that the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ refers here to invoking a blessing. The logic of the verse seems to be as follows: If Israel conducts its affairs with integrity, the nation will be favored by the Lord, which will in turn attract the surrounding nations to Israel’s God. To summarize, while the evidence might leave the door open for a passive interpretation, there is no clear cut passive use. Usage favors a reflexive or reciprocal understanding of the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ . In Ps 72:17 the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ is followed by the prepositional phrase בוֹ ( vo , “by him”). The verb could theoretically be taken as passive, “may all the nations be blessed through him” (cf. NIV, NRSV), because the preceding context describes the positive effects of this king’s rule on the inhabitants of the earth. But the parallel line, which employs the Piel of אָשַׁר (’ ashar ) in a factitive/declarative sense, “regard as happy, fortunate,” suggests a reflexive or reciprocal nuance for the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ here. If the nations regard the ideal king as a prime example of one who is fortunate or blessed, it is understandable that they would use his name in their pronouncements of blessing.


Heb “all the nations, may they regard him as happy.” The Piel is used here in a delocutive sense (“regard as”).


Heb “[be] blessed.” See Pss 18:46; 28:6; 31:21; 41:13 .


Heb “[the] one who does amazing things by himself.”


Heb “[be] blessed.”


Or “glory.”


Heb “surely and surely” ( אָמֵן וְאָמֵן [’ amen vÿ ’ amen ], i.e., “Amen and amen”). This is probably a congregational response of agreement to the immediately preceding statement about the propriety of praising God.


Heb “the prayers of David, son of Jesse, are concluded.” As noted earlier, v. 20 appears to be a remnant of an earlier collection of psalms or an earlier edition of the Psalter. In the present arrangement of the Book of Psalms, not all psalms prior to this are attributed to David (see Pss 1-2, 10, 33, 42-50, 66-67, 71-72 ) and several psalms attributed to David appear after this (see Pss 86, 101, 103, 108-110, 122, 124, 131, 138-145 ).


Since the psalm appears to focus on an individual’s concerns, not the situation of Israel, this introduction may be a later addition designed to apply the psalm’s message to the entire community. To provide a better parallel with the next line, some emend the Hebrew phrase לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֱלֹהִים ( lÿyisra ’ el ’ elohim , “to Israel, God”) to אֱלֹהִים [or אֵל ] לָיָּשָׁר (’ elohim [or ’ el ] lÿyyashar , “God [is good] to the upright one”).


The Hebrew verb normally means “to pour out,” but here it must have the nuance “to slide.” sn My feet almost slid out from under me . The language is metaphorical. As the following context makes clear, the psalmist almost “slipped” in a spiritual sense. As he began to question God’s justice, the psalmist came close to abandoning his faith.


The imperfect verbal form here depicts the action as continuing in a past time frame.


Heb “peace” ( שָׁלוֹם , shalom ).


In Isa 58:6 , the only other occurrence of this word in the OT, the term refers to “bonds” or “ropes.” In Ps 73:4 it is used metaphorically of pain and suffering that restricts one’s enjoyment of life.


Or “bellies.”


Or “fat.” The MT of v. 4 reads as follows: “for there are no pains at their death, and fat [is] their body.” Since a reference to the death of the wicked seems incongruous in the immediate context (note v. 5 ) and premature in the argument of the psalm (see vv. 18-20, 27 ), some prefer to emend the text by redividing it. The term לְמוֹתָם ( lÿmotam ,“at their death”) is changed to לָמוֹ תָּם ( lamo tam , “[there are no pains] to them, strong [and fat are their bodies]”). The term תָּם ( tam , “complete; sound”) is used of physical beauty in Song 5:2; 6:9 . This emendation is the basis for the present translation. However, in defense of the MT (the traditional Hebrew text), one may point to an Aramaic inscription from Nerab which views a painful death as a curse and a nonpainful death in one’s old age as a sign of divine favor. See ANET 661.


Heb “in the trouble of man they are not, and with mankind they are not afflicted.”


Heb “a garment of violence covers them.” The metaphor suggests that violence is habitual for the wicked. They “wear” it like clothing; when one looks at them, violence is what one sees.


The MT reads “it goes out from fatness their eye,” which might be paraphrased, “their eye protrudes [or “bulges”] because of fatness.” This in turn might refer to their greed; their eyes “bug out” when they see rich food or produce (the noun חֵלֶב [ khelev , “fatness”] sometimes refers to such food or produce). However, when used with the verb יָצָא ( yatsa ’, “go out”) the preposition מִן (“from”) more naturally indicates source. For this reason it is preferable to emend עֵינֵמוֹ (’ enemo , “their eye”) to עֲוֹנָמוֹ , (’ avonamo , “their sin”) and read, “and their sin proceeds forth from fatness,” that is, their prosperity gives rise to their sinful attitudes. If one follows this textual reading, another interpretive option is to take חֵלֶב (“fatness”) in the sense of “unreceptive, insensitive” (see its use in Ps 17:10 ). In this case, the sin of the wicked proceeds forth from their spiritual insensitivity.


Heb “the thoughts of [their] heart [i.e., mind] cross over” (i.e., violate God’s moral boundary, see Ps 17:3 ).


The verb מוּק ( muq , “mock”) occurs only here in the OT.


Heb “and speak with evil.”


Heb “oppression from an elevated place they speak.” The traditional accentuation of the MT places “oppression” with the preceding line. In this case, one might translate, “they mock and speak with evil [of] oppression, from an elevated place [i.e., “proudly”] they speak.” By placing “oppression” with what follows, one achieves better poetic balance in the parallelism.


Heb “they set in heaven their mouth, and their tongue walks through the earth.” The meaning of the text is uncertain. Perhaps the idea is that they lay claim to heaven (i.e., speak as if they were ruling in heaven) and move through the earth declaring their superiority and exerting their influence. Some take the preposition - בְּ ( bet ) the first line as adversative and translate, “they set their mouth against heaven,” that is, they defy God.


Heb “therefore his people return [so Qere (marginal reading); Kethib (consonantal text) has “he brings back”] to here, and waters of abundance are sucked up by them.” The traditional Hebrew text (MT) defies explanation. The present translation reflects M. Dahood’s proposed emendations ( Psalms [AB], 2:190) and reads the Hebrew text as follows: לָכֵן יִשְׂבְעוּם לֶחֶם וּמֵי מָלֵא יָמֹצּוּ לָמוֹ (“therefore they are filled with food, and waters of abundance they suck up for themselves”). The reading יִשְׂבְעוּם לֶחֶם ( yisvÿ ’ um lekhem , “they are filled with food”) assumes (1) an emendation of יָשׁיּב עַמּוֹ ( yashyyv , “he will bring back his people”) to יִשְׂבְעוּם ( yisvÿ ’ um , “they will be filled”; a Qal imperfect third masculine plural form from שָׂבַע [ sava ’] with enclitic mem [ ם ]), and (2) an emendation of הֲלֹם ( halom , “to here”) to לֶחֶם (“food”). The expression “be filled/fill with food” appears elsewhere at least ten times (see Ps 132:15 , for example). In the second line the Niphal form יִמָּצוּ ( yimmatsu , derived from מָצָה , matsah , “drain”) is emended to a Qal form יָמֹצּוּ ( yamotsu ), derived from מָצַץ ( matsats , “to suck”). In Isa 66:11 the verbs שָׂבַע ( sava ’; proposed in Ps 73:10 a) and מָצַץ (proposed in Ps 73:10 b) are parallel. The point of the emended text is this: Because they are seemingly sovereign (v. 9 ), they become greedy and grab up everything they need and more.


Heb “How does God know? Is there knowledge with the Most High?” They appear to be practical atheists, who acknowledge God’s existence and sovereignty in theory, but deny his involvement in the world (see Pss 10:4, 11; 14:1 ).


Heb “Look, these [are] the wicked.”


Heb “the ones who are always at ease [who] increase wealth.”


The words “I concluded” are supplied in the translation. It is apparent that vv. 13-14 reflect the psalmist’s thoughts at an earlier time (see vv. 2-3 ), prior to the spiritual awakening he describes in vv. 17-28 .


Heb “heart,” viewed here as the seat of one’s thoughts and motives.


Heb “and washed my hands in innocence.” The psalmist uses an image from cultic ritual to picture his moral lifestyle. The reference to “hands” suggests actions.


Heb “If I had said, ‘I will speak out like this.’”


Heb “look, the generation of your sons I would have betrayed.” The phrase “generation of your [i.e., God’s] sons” occurs only here in the OT. Some equate the phrase with “generation of the godly” ( Ps 14:5 ), “generation of the ones seeking him” ( Ps 24:6 ), and “generation of the upright” ( Ps 112:2 ). In Deut 14:1 the Israelites are referred to as God’s “sons.” Perhaps the psalmist refers here to those who are “Israelites” in the true sense because of their loyalty to God (note the juxtaposition of “Israel” with “the pure in heart” in v. 1 ).


Heb “and [when] I pondered to understand this, troubling it [was] in my eyes.”


The plural of the term מִקְדָּשׁ ( miqdash ) probably refers to the temple precincts (see Ps 68:35 ; Jer 51:51 ).


Heb “I discerned their end.” At the temple the psalmist perhaps received an oracle of deliverance announcing his vindication and the demise of the wicked (see ) or heard songs of confidence (for example, ), wisdom psalms (for example, Pss 1, 37 ), and hymns (for example, ) that describe the eventual downfall of the proud and wealthy.


The use of the Hebrew term אַךְ (’ akh , “surely”) here literarily counteracts its use in v. 13 . The repetition draws attention to the contrast between the two statements, the first of which expresses the psalmist’s earlier despair and the second his newly discovered confidence.


Heb “cause them to fall.”


Heb “they come to an end, they are finished, from terrors.”


Heb “like a dream from awakening.” They lack any real substance; their prosperity will last for only a brief time.


Heb “you will despise their form.” The Hebrew term צֶלֶם ( tselem , “form; image”) also suggests their short-lived nature. Rather than having real substance, they are like the mere images that populate one’s dreams. Note the similar use of the term in Ps 39:6 .


Or perhaps “when.”


The imperfect verbal form here describes a continuing attitude in a past time frame.


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


Or “brutish, stupid.”


Heb “and I was not knowing.”


Heb “an animal I was with you.”


The imperfect verbal form here suggests this is the psalmist’s ongoing experience.


Heb “and afterward [to] glory you will take me.” Some interpreters view this as the psalmist’s confidence in an afterlife in God’s presence and understand כָּבוֹד ( cavod ) as a metonymic reference to God’s presence in heaven. But this seems unlikely in the present context. The psalmist anticipates a time of vindication, when the wicked are destroyed and he is honored by God for his godly life style. The verb לָקַח ( laqakh , “take”) here carries the nuance “lead, guide, conduct,” as in Num 23:14, 27-28 ; Josh 24:3 and Prov 24:11 .


Heb “Who [is there] for me in heaven? And besides you I do not desire [anyone] in the earth.” The psalmist uses a merism (heaven/earth) to emphasize that God is the sole object of his desire and worship in the entire universe.


The Hebrew verb כָלָה ( khalah , “to fail; to grow weak”) does not refer here to physical death per se, but to the physical weakness that sometimes precedes death (see Job 33:21 ; Pss 71:9; 143:7 ; Prov 5:11 ).


Or “forever.”


Heb “is the rocky summit of my heart and my portion.” The psalmist compares the Lord to a rocky summit where one could go for protection and to landed property, which was foundational to economic stability in ancient Israel.


Or “for.”


Heb “everyone who commits adultery from you.”


Heb “but as for me, the nearness of God for me [is] good.”


The infinitive construct with - לְ ( lÿ ) is understood here as indicating an attendant circumstance. Another option is to take it as indicating purpose (“so that I might declare”) or result (“with the result that I declare”).


The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל ( maskil ) is uncertain. The word is derived from a verb meaning “to be prudent; to be wise.” Various options are: “a contemplative song,” “a song imparting moral wisdom,” or “a skillful [i.e., well-written] song.” The term occurs in the superscriptions of Pss 32, 42, 44, 45, 52-55, 74, 78, 88, 89, and 142 , as well as in Ps 47:7 .


Heb “your assembly,” which pictures God’s people as an assembled community.


Heb “redeemed.” The verb “redeem” casts God in the role of a leader who protects members of his extended family in times of need and crisis (see Ps 19:14 ).


Heb “the tribe of your inheritance” (see Jer 10:16; 51:19 ).


Heb “lift up your steps to,” which may mean “run, hurry.”


Heb “everything [the] enemy has damaged in the holy place.”


This verb is often used of a lion’s roar, so the psalmist may be comparing the enemy to a raging, devouring lion.


Heb “your meeting place.”


Heb “they set up their banners [as] banners.” The Hebrew noun אוֹת (’ ot , “sign”) here refers to the enemy army’s battle flags and banners (see Num 2:12 ).


Heb “it is known like one bringing upwards, in a thicket of wood, axes.” The Babylonian invaders destroyed the woodwork in the temple.


This is the reading of the Qere (marginal reading). The Kethib (consonantal text) has “and a time.”


The imperfect verbal form vividly describes the act as underway.


Heb “its engravings together.”


This Hebrew noun occurs only here in the OT (see H. R. Cohen, Biblical Hapax Legomena [SBLDS], 49-50).


This Hebrew noun occurs only here in the OT. An Akkadian cognate refers to a “pickaxe” (cf. NEB “hatchet and pick”; NIV “axes and hatchets”; NRSV “hatchets and hammers”).


Heb “to the ground they desecrate the dwelling place of your name.”


Heb “in their heart.”


Heb “[?] altogether.” The Hebrew form נִינָם ( ninam ) is problematic. It could be understood as the noun נִין ( nin , “offspring”) but the statement “their offspring altogether” would make no sense here. C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs ( Psalms [ICC], 2:159) emends יָחַד ( yakhad , “altogether”) to יָחִיד ( yakhid , “alone”) and translate “let their offspring be solitary” (i.e., exiled). Another option is to understand the form as a Qal imperfect first common plural from יָנָה ( yanah , “to oppress”) with a third masculine plural pronominal suffix, “we will oppress them.” However, this verb, when used in the finite form, always appears in the Hiphil. Therefore, it is preferable to emend the form to the Hiphil נוֹנֵם ( nonem , “we will oppress them”).


Heb “they burn down all the meeting places of God in the land.”


Heb “our signs we do not see.” Because of the reference to a prophet in the next line, it is likely that the “signs” in view here include the evidence of God’s presence as typically revealed through the prophets. These could include miraculous acts performed by the prophets (see, for example, Isa 38:7-8 ) or object lessons which they acted out (see, for example, Isa 20:3 ).


Heb “there is not still a prophet.”


Heb “and [there is] not with us one who knows how long.”


Heb “Why do you draw back your hand, even your right hand? From the midst of your chest, destroy!” The psalmist pictures God as having placed his right hand (symbolic of activity and strength) inside his robe against his chest. He prays that God would pull his hand out from under his robe and use it to destroy the enemy.


The psalmist speaks as Israel’s representative here.


Heb “in the midst of the earth.”


The derivation and meaning of the Polel verb form פּוֹרַרְתָּ ( porarta ) are uncertain. The form may be related to an Akkadian cognate meaning “break, shatter,” though the biblical Hebrew cognate of this verb always appears in the Hiphil or Hophal stem. BDB 830 s.v. II פָּרַר suggests a homonym here, meaning “to split; to divide.” A Hitpolel form of a root פָּרַר ( parar ) appears in Isa 24:19 with the meaning “to shake violently.”


The Hebrew text has the plural form, “sea monsters” (cf. NRSV “dragons”), but it is likely that an original enclitic mem has been misunderstood as a plural ending. The imagery of the mythological sea monster is utilized here. See the note on “Leviathan” in v. 14 .


The prefixed verbal form is understood as a preterite in this narrational context.


Heb “To you [is] day, also to you [is] night.”


Heb “[the] light.” Following the reference to “day and night” and in combination with “sun,” it is likely that the Hebrew term מָאוֹר ( ma ’ or , “light”) refers here to the moon.


Heb “you established [the] light and [the] sun.”


This would appear to refer to geographical boundaries, such as mountains, rivers, and seacoasts. However, since the day-night cycle has just been mentioned (v. 16 ) and the next line speaks of the seasons, it is possible that “boundaries” here refers to the divisions of the seasons. See C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms (ICC), 2:156.


Heb “summer and winter, you, you formed them.”


Heb “remember this.”


Or “[how] the enemy insults the Lord .”


Heb “do not forget forever.”


Heb “look at the covenant.” The LXX reads “your covenant,” which seems to assume a second person pronominal suffix. The suffix may have been accidentally omitted by haplography. Note that the following word ( כִּי ) begins with kaf ( כ ).


Heb “for the dark places of the earth are full of dwelling places of violence.” The “dark regions” are probably the lands where the people have been exiled (see C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms [ICC], 2:157). In some contexts “dark regions” refers to Sheol ( Ps 88:6 ) or to hiding places likened to Sheol ( Ps 143:3 ; Lam 3:6 ).


Or “defend your cause.”


Heb “remember your reproach from a fool all the day.”


Or “forget.”


Heb “the voice of your enemies.”


Heb “the roar of those who rise up against you, which ascends continually.”


Heb “do not destroy.” Perhaps this refers to a particular style of music, a tune title, or a musical instrument. These words also appear in the superscription to Pss 57-59 .


The words “God says” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation to clarify that God speaks in vv. 2-3 .


Heb “when I take an appointed time.”


Heb “I, [in] fairness, I judge.” The statement is understood in a generalizing sense; God typically executes fair judgment as he governs the world. One could take this as referring to an anticipated (future) judgment, “I will judge.”


Heb “melt.”


The statement is understood in a generalizing sense; God typically prevents the world from being overrun by chaos. One could take this as referring to an anticipated event, “I will make its pillars secure.”


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”).


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.


Heb “do not lift up on high your horn.”


Heb “[do not] speak with unrestrained neck.” The negative particle is understood in this line by ellipsis (note the preceding line). sn The image behind the language of vv. 4-5 is that of a powerful wild ox that confidently raises its head before its enemies.


Heb “for not from the east or from the west, and not from the wilderness of the mountains.” If one follows this reading the sentence is elliptical. One must supply “does help come,” or some comparable statement. However, it is possible to take הָרִים ( harim ) as a Hiphil infinitive from רוּם ( rum ), the same verb used in vv. 4-5 of “lifting up” a horn. In this case one may translate the form as “victory.” In this case the point is that victory does not come from alliances with other nations.


Or “judges.”


The imperfects here emphasize the generalizing nature of the statement.


Heb “for a cup [is] in the hand of the Lord , and wine foams, it is full of a spiced drink.” The noun מֶסֶךְ ( mesekh ) refers to a “mixture” of wine and spices.


Heb “and he pours out from this.”


Heb “surely its dregs they slurp up and drink, all the wicked of the earth.” sn The psalmist pictures God as forcing the wicked to gulp down an intoxicating drink that will leave them stunned and vulnerable. Divine judgment is also depicted this way in Ps 60:3 ; Isa 51:17-23 ; and Hab 2:16 .


Heb “I will declare forever.” The object needs to be supplied; God’s just judgment is in view.


The words “God says” are not in the Hebrew text. They are supplied in the translation to clarify that God speaks in v. 10 .


Heb “and all the horns of the wicked I will cut off, the horns of the godly will be lifted up.” The imagery of the wild ox’s horn is once more utilized (see vv. 4-5 ).


Or “God is known in Judah.”


Heb “and his place of refuge is in Salem, and his lair in Zion.” God may be likened here to a lion (see v. 4 ).


Heb “flames of the bow,” i.e., arrows.


Heb “shield and sword and battle.” “Battle” probably here stands by metonymy for the weapons of war in general. sn This verse may allude to the miraculous defeat of the Assyrians in 701 b.c. (see Isa 36-37 ).


Heb “radiant [are] you, majestic from the hills of prey.” God is depicted as a victorious king and as a lion that has killed its victims.


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).


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


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.”


Heb “and all the men of strength did not find their hands.”


Heb “from your shout.” The noun is derived from the Hebrew verb גָּעַר ( ga ’ ar ), which is often understood to mean “rebuke.” 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 ; Nah 1:4 , as well as the related noun in Job 26:11 ; Pss 9:5; 18:15; 104:7 ; Isa 50:2; 51:20; 66:15 .


Or “chariot,” but even so the term is metonymic for the charioteer.


Heb “he fell asleep, and [the] chariot and [the] horse.” Once again (see v. 5 ) “sleep” refers here to the “sleep” of death.


Heb “and who can stand before you from the time of your anger?” The Hebrew expression מֵאָז ( me ’ az , “from the time of”) is better emended to מֵאֹז ( me ’ oz , “from [i.e., “because of”] the strength of your anger”; see Ps 90:11 ).


Heb “a [legal] decision,” or “sentence.”


“The earth” stands here by metonymy for its inhabitants.


Or “for.”


Heb “the anger of men will praise you.” This could mean that men’s anger (subjective genitive), when punished by God, will bring him praise, but this interpretation does not harmonize well with the next line. The translation assumes that God’s anger is in view here (see v. 7 ) and that “men” is an objective genitive. God’s angry judgment against men brings him praise because it reveals his power and majesty (see vv. 1-4 ).


Heb “the rest of anger you put on.” The meaning of the statement is not entirely clear. Perhaps the idea is that God, as he prepares for battle, girds himself with every last ounce of his anger, as if it were a weapon.


The phrase “all those who surround him” may refer to the surrounding nations (v. 12 may favor this), but in Ps 89:7 the phrase refers to God’s heavenly assembly.


Heb “he reduces the spirit of princes.” According to HALOT 148 s.v. II בצר , the Hebrew verb בָּצַר ( batsar ) is here a hapax legomenon meaning “reduce, humble.” The statement is generalizing, with the imperfect tense highlighting God’s typical behavior.


Heb “[he is] awesome to the kings of the earth.”


Heb “my voice to God.” The Hebrew verb קָרָא ( qara ’, “to call out; to cry out”) should probably be understood by ellipsis (see Ps 3:4 ) both here and in the following (parallel) line.


Here the psalmist refers back to the very recent past, when he began to pray for divine help.


Heb “my hand [at] night was extended and was not growing numb.” The verb נָגַר ( nagar ), which can mean “flow” in certain contexts, here has the nuance “be extended.” The imperfect form ( תָפוּג , tafug , “to be numb”) is used here to describe continuous action in the past.


Or “my soul.” The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ ( nefesh ) with a pronominal suffix is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 4.a).


Heb “I will remember God and I will groan, I will reflect and my spirit will grow faint.” The first three verbs are cohortatives, the last a perfect with vav ( ו ) consecutive. The psalmist’s statement in v. 4 could be understood as concurrent with v. 1 , or, more likely, as a quotation of what he had said earlier as he prayed to God (see v. 2 ). The words “I said” are supplied in the translation at the beginning of the verse to reflect this interpretation (see v. 10 ).


Heb “you held fast the guards of my eyes.” The “guards of the eyes” apparently refers to his eyelids. The psalmist seems to be saying that God would not bring him relief, which would have allowed him to shut his eyes and get some sleep (see v. 2 ).


The imperfect is used in the second clause to emphasize that this was an ongoing condition in the past.


Heb “the years of antiquity.”


Heb “I will remember my song in the night, with my heart I will reflect. And my spirit searched.” As in v. 4 , the words of v. 6 a are understood as what the psalmist said earlier. Consequently the words “I said” are supplied in the translation for clarification (see v. 10 ). The prefixed verbal form with vav ( ו ) consecutive at the beginning of the final line is taken as sequential to the perfect “I thought” in v. 6 .


As in vv. 4 and 6 a, the words of vv. 7-9 are understood as a quotation of what the psalmist said earlier. Therefore the words “I asked” are supplied in the translation for clarification.


Heb “word,” which may refer here to God’s word of promise (note the reference to “loyal love” in the preceding line).


Heb “Most High.” This divine title ( עֶלְיוֹן , ’ elyon ) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Pss 7:17; 9:2; 18:13; 21:7; 47:2 .


Heb “And I said, ‘This is my wounding, the changing of the right hand of the Most High.’” The form חַלּוֹתִי ( khallotiy ) appears to be a Qal infinitive construct (with a first person singular pronominal suffix) from the verbal root חָלַל ( khalal , “to pierce; to wound”). The present translation assumes an emendation to חֲלוֹתִי ( khalotiy ), a Qal infinitive construct (with a first person singular pronominal suffix) from the verbal root חָלָה ( khalah , “be sick, weak”). The form שְׁנוֹת ( shÿnot ) is understood as a Qal infinitive construct from שָׁנָה ( shanah , “to change”) rather than a plural noun form, “years” (see v. 5 ). “Right hand” here symbolizes by metonymy God’s power and activity. The psalmist observes that his real problem is theological in nature. His experience suggests that the sovereign Lord has abandoned him and become inactive. However, this goes against the grain of his most cherished beliefs.


Heb “yes, I will remember from old your wonders.” sn The psalmist refuses to allow skepticism to win out. God has revealed himself to his people in tangible, incontrovertible ways in the past and the psalmist vows to remember the historical record as a source of hope for the future.


Heb “O God, in holiness [is] your way.” God’s “way” here refers to his actions. “Holiness” is used here in the sense of “set apart, unique,” rather than in a moral/ethical sense. As the next line and the next verse emphasize, God’s deeds are incomparable and set him apart as the one true God.


Heb “Who [is] a great god like God?” The rhetorical question assumes the answer, “No one!”


Or “redeemed.”


Heb “with [your] arm.”


The waters of the Red Sea are here personified; they are portrayed as seeing God and fearing him.


The prefixed verbal form may be taken as a preterite or as an imperfect with past progressive force.


The words “of the sea” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.


Heb “water.”


Heb “a sound the clouds gave.”


The lightning accompanying the storm is portrayed as the Lord ’s “arrows” (see v. 18 ).


The prefixed verbal form may be taken as a preterite or as an imperfect with past progressive force. sn Verses 16-18 depict the Lord coming in the storm to battle his enemies and subdue the sea. There is no record of such a storm in the historical account of the Red Sea crossing. The language the psalmist uses here is stereotypical and originates in Canaanite myth, where the storm god Baal subdues the sea in his quest for kingship. The psalmist has employed the stereotypical imagery to portray the exodus vividly and at the same time affirm that it is not Baal who subdues the sea, but Yahweh.


Heb “in the sea [was] your way.”


Heb “and your paths [were] in the mighty waters.”


Heb “and your footprints were not known.”


The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל ( maskil ) is uncertain. See the note on the phrase “well-written song” in the superscription of .


Heb “I will open with a wise saying my mouth, I will utter insightful sayings from long ago.” Elsewhere the Hebrew word pair חִידָה + מָשָׁל ( mashal + khidah ) refers to a taunt song ( Hab 2:6 ), a parable ( Ezek 17:2 ), proverbial sayings ( Prov 1:6 ), and an insightful song that reflects on the mortality of humankind and the ultimate inability of riches to prevent death ( Ps 49:4 ).


Or “known.”


Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 5, 8, 12, 57 ).


The pronominal suffix refers back to the “fathers” (“our ancestors,” v. 3 ).


Heb “to a following generation telling the praises of the Lord .” “Praises” stand by metonymy for the mighty acts that prompt worship. Cf. Ps 9:14 .


The Hebrew noun עֵדוּת (’ edut ) refers here to God’s command that the older generation teach their children about God’s mighty deeds in the nation’s history (see Exod 10:2 ; Deut 4:9; 6:20-25 ).


Heb “which he commanded our fathers to make them known to their sons.” The plural suffix “them” probably refers back to the Lord ’s mighty deeds (see vv. 3-4 ).


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


Heb “keep.”


Heb “a generation that did not make firm its heart and whose spirit was not faithful with God.” The expression “make firm the heart” means “to be committed, devoted” (see 1 Sam 7:3 ).


Heb “the sons of Ephraim.” Ephraim probably stands here by synecdoche (part for whole) for the northern kingdom of Israel.


Heb “ones armed, shooters of bow.” It is possible that the term נוֹשְׁקֵי ( noshÿqey , “ones armed [with]”) is an interpretive gloss for the rare רוֹמֵי ( romey , “shooters of”; on the latter see BDB 941 s.v. I רָמָה ). The phrase נוֹשְׁקֵי קֶשֶׁת ( noshÿqey qeshet , “ones armed with a bow”) appears in 1 Chr 12:2 ; 2 Chr 17:17 .


Heb “the covenant of God.”


Heb “walk in.”


Heb “his deeds.”


Heb “and caused them to drink, like the depths, abundantly.”


Heb “rebelling [against] the Most High.”


Heb “and they tested God in their heart.” The “heart” is viewed here as the center of their volition.


Heb “they spoke against God, they said.”


Heb “to arrange a table [for food].”


Heb “look.”


Heb “therefore.”


Heb “and also anger went up.”


Heb “and they did not trust his deliverance.”


Heb “provision he sent to them to satisfaction.”


Heb “and like the sand of the seas winged birds.”


Heb “and they ate and were very satisfied.”


Heb “they were not separated from their desire.”


Heb “and did not believe in his amazing deeds.”


Heb “and he ended in vanity their days.”


Heb “and their years in terror.”


Or “killed them,” that is, killed large numbers of them.


Heb “they sought him.”


Heb “my high rocky summit.”


Heb “and [that] God Most High [was] their redeemer.”


Heb “with their mouth.”


Heb “and with their tongue they lied to him.”


Heb “and their heart was not firm with him.”


One could translate v. 38 in the past tense (“he was compassionate…forgave sin and did not destroy…held back his anger, and did not stir up his fury”), but the imperfect verbal forms are probably best understood as generalizing. Verse 38 steps back briefly from the narrational summary of Israel’s history and lays the theological basis for v. 39 , which focuses on God’s mercy toward sinful Israel.


The prefixed verbal form with vav ( ו ) consecutive signals a return to the narrative.


Heb “and he remembered that they [were] flesh, a wind [that] goes and does not return.”


Or “caused him pain.”


Heb “and they returned and tested God.” The Hebrew verb שׁוּב ( shuv , “to return”) is used here in an adverbial sense to indicate that an earlier action was repeated.


Or “wounded, hurt.” The verb occurs only here in the OT.


Heb “his hand,” symbolizing his saving activity and strength, as the next line makes clear.


Heb “[the] day [in] which he ransomed them from [the] enemy.”


Or “signs” (see Ps 65:8 ).


Or “portents, omens” (see Ps 71:7 ). The Egyptian plagues are referred to here (see vv. 44-51 ).


Heb “and he sent an insect swarm against them and it devoured them.”


Heb “and a swarm of frogs and it destroyed them.”


Heb “and he turned over to the hail their cattle.”


Heb “and their livestock to the flames.” “Flames” here refer to the lightning bolts that accompanied the storm.


Heb “he sent against them the rage of his anger.” The phrase “rage of his anger” employs an appositional genitive. Synonyms are joined in a construct relationship to emphasize the single idea. For a detailed discussion of the grammatical point with numerous examples, see Y. Avishur, “Pairs of Synonymous Words in the Construct State (and in Appositional Hendiadys) in Biblical Hebrew,” Semitics 2 (1971): 17-81.


Heb “fury and indignation and trouble, a sending of messengers of disaster.”


Heb “he leveled a path for his anger.” There were no obstacles to impede its progress; it moved swiftly and destructively.


Or perhaps “[the] plague.”


Heb “the beginning of strength.” If retained, the plural form אוֹנִים (’ onim , “strength”) probably indicates degree (“great strength”), but many ancient witnesses read “their strength,” which presupposes an emendation to אֹנָם (’ onam ; singular form of the noun with third masculine plural pronominal suffix).


Heb “this mountain.” The whole land of Canaan seems to be referred to here. In Exod 15:17 the promised land is called the “mountain of your [i.e., God’s] inheritance.”


The “right hand” here symbolizes God’s military strength (see v. 55 ).


Heb “he caused to fall [to] them with a measuring line an inheritance.”


Heb “and caused the tribes of Israel to settle down in their tents.”


Or “tested and rebelled against.”


Heb “God, the Most High.”


Or “keep.”


Heb “his testimonies” (see Ps 25:10 ).


Heb “they turned back.”


Or “acted treacherously like.”


Heb “they turned aside like a deceitful bow.”


Traditionally, “high places.”


Or “rejected.”


Heb “and he gave to captivity his strength.” The expression “his strength” refers metonymically to the ark of the covenant, which was housed in the tabernacle at Shiloh.


Heb “and his splendor into the hand of an enemy.” The expression “his splendor” also refers metonymically to the ark of the covenant.


Heb “his inheritance.”


Heb “his.” The singular pronominal suffix is collective, referring back to God’s “people” (v. 62 ).


Heb “were not praised,” that is, in wedding songs. The young men died in masses, leaving no husbands for the young women.


Heb “and the master awoke like one sleeping.” The Lord ’s apparent inactivity during the time of judgment is compared to sleep.


Heb “like a warrior overcome with wine.” The Hebrew verb רוּן ( run , “overcome”) occurs only here in the OT. The phrase “overcome with wine” could picture a drunken warrior controlled by his emotions and passions (as in the present translation), or it could refer to a warrior who awakes from a drunken stupor.


Heb “a permanent reproach he made them.”


Heb “and he built like the exalting [ones] his sanctuary.” The phrase כְּמוֹ־רָמִים ( kÿmo-ramim , “like the exalting [ones]”) is a poetic form of the comparative preposition followed by a participial form of the verb רוּם ( rum , “be exalted”). The text should be emended to כִּמְרֹמִים ( kimromim , “like the [heavenly] heights”). See Ps 148:1 , where “heights” refers to the heavens above.


Heb “like the earth, [which] he established permanently.” The feminine singular suffix on the Hebrew verb יָסַד ( yasad , “to establish”) refers to the grammatically feminine noun “earth.”


Heb “from after the ewes he brought him.”


Heb “to shepherd Jacob, his people, and Israel, his inheritance.”


Heb “He”; the referent (David, God’s chosen king, mentioned in v. 70 ) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Heb “and he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart.”


Heb “and with the understanding of his hands he led them.”


Or “nations.”


Heb “have come into your inheritance.”


Heb “[as] food for the birds of the sky.”


Heb “they have poured out their blood like water, all around Jerusalem, and there is no one burying.”


Heb “an [object of] taunting and [of] mockery to those around us.” See Ps 44:13 .


Heb “How long, O Lord ?”


Or “jealous anger.”


Heb “which do not know you.” Here the Hebrew term “know” means “acknowledge the authority of.”


Heb “do not remember against us sins, former.” Some understand “former” as an attributive adjective modifying sins, “former [i.e., chronologically prior] sins” (see BDB 911 s.v. רִאשׁוֹן ). The present translation assumes that ראשׁנים (“former”) here refers to those who lived formerly, that is, the people’s ancestors (see Lam 5:7 ). The word is used in this way in Lev 26:45 ; Deut 19:14 and Eccl 1:11 .


Heb “may your compassion quickly confront us.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive, indicating a tone of prayer.


Heb “for we are very low.”


Heb “the glory of your name.” Here and in the following line “name” stands metonymically for God’s reputation.


Heb “your name.”


Heb “may it be known among the nations, to our eyes, the vengeance of the shed blood of your servants.”


Heb “may the painful cry of the prisoner come before you.”


Heb “according to the greatness of your arm leave the sons of death.” God’s “arm” here symbolizes his strength to deliver. The verbal form הוֹתֵר ( hoter ) is a Hiphil imperative from יָתַר ( yatar , “to remain; to be left over”). Here it must mean “to leave over; to preserve.” However, it is preferable to emend the form to הַתֵּר ( hatter ), a Hiphil imperative from נָתַר ( natar , “be free”). The Hiphil form is used in Ps 105:20 of Pharaoh freeing Joseph from prison. The phrase “sons of death” (see also Ps 102:21 ) is idiomatic for those condemned to die.


Heb “Return to our neighbors sevenfold into their lap.” The number seven is used rhetorically to express the thorough nature of the action. For other rhetorical/figurative uses of the Hebrew phrase שִׁבְעָתַיִם ( shiv ’ atayim , “seven times”) see Gen 4:15, 24 ; Ps 12:6 ; Prov 6:31 ; Isa 30:26 .


Heb “their reproach with which they reproached you, O Lord.”


Or (hyperbolically) “will thank you forever.”


Heb “to a generation and a generation we will report your praise.” Here “praise” stands by metonymy for the mighty acts that prompt worship. Cf. Ps 9:14 .


The Hebrew expression shushan-eduth means “lily of the testimony.” It may refer to a particular music style or to a tune title. See the superscription to .


Heb “stir up”; “arouse.”


Heb “come for our deliverance.”


The idiom “cause your face to shine” probably refers to a smile (see Eccl 8:1 ), which in turn suggests favor and blessing (see Num 6:25 ; Pss 4:6; 31:16; 44:3; 67:1; 89:15 ; Dan 9:17 ).


Heb “cause your face to shine in order that we may be delivered.” After the imperative, the cohortative with prefixed vav ( ו ) indicates purpose/result.


Heb “ Lord , God, hosts.” One expects the construct form אֱלֹהֵי (’ elohey ) before צְבָאוֹת ( tsÿva ’ ot ; “hosts”; see Ps 89:9 ), but יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים ( yehvah ’ elohim ) precedes צְבָאוֹת ( tsÿva ’ ot ) in Pss 59:5 and 84:8 as well. In this context the term “hosts” (meaning “armies”) has been rendered “invincible warrior.”


Heb “How long will you remain angry during the prayer of your people.” Some take the preposition - בְּ ( bet ) in an adversative sense here (“at/against the prayer of your people”), but the temporal sense is preferable. The psalmist expects persistent prayer to pacify God.


Heb “you have fed them the food of tears.”


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 .


Heb “you have made us an object of contention to our neighbors.”


Heb “O God, hosts.” One expects the construct form אֱלֹהֵי before צְבָאוֹת ( tsÿva ’ ot , “hosts”; see Ps 89:9 ), but יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים ( yehvah ’ elohim ) precedes צְבָאוֹת ( tsÿva ’ ot ) in Pss 59:5 and 84:8 as well. See also v. 4 for a similar construction.


Heb “you cleared away before it.”


Heb “and it took root [with] its roots.”


Heb “cedars of God.” The divine name אֵל (’ al , “God”) is here used in an idiomatic manner to indicate the superlative.


Heb “to [the] sea.” The “sea” refers here to the Mediterranean Sea.


Heb “to [the] river.” The “river” is the Euphrates River in Mesopotamia. Israel expanded both to the west and to the east.


Heb “pluck it.”


The Hebrew verb כִּרְסֵם ( kirsem , “to eat away; to ruin”) occurs only here in the OT.


The precise referent of the Hebrew word translated “insects,” which occurs only here and in Ps 50:11 , is uncertain. Aramaic, Arabic, and Akkadian cognates refer to insects, such as locusts or crickets.


Heb “O God, hosts.” One expects the construct form אֱלֹהֵי before צְבָאוֹת ( tsÿva ’ ot , “hosts”; see Ps 89:9 ), but יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים ( yehvah ’ elohim ) precedes צְבָאוֹת ( tsÿva ’ ot ) in Pss 59:5 and 84:8 as well. See also vv. 4, 7 for a similar construction.


The Hebrew noun occurs only here in the OT. HALOT 483 s.v. III כֵּן emends the form to כַּנָּהּ ( kannah , “its shoot”).


Heb “and upon a son you strengthened for yourself.” In this context, where the extended metaphor of the vine dominates, בֵּן ( ben , “son”) probably refers to the shoots that grow from the vine. Cf. Gen 49:22 .


Heb “burned with fire.”


Heb “because of the rebuke of your face they perish.”


Heb “may your hand be upon the man of your right hand.” The referent of the otherwise unattested phrase “man of your right hand,” is unclear. It may refer to the nation collectively as a man. (See the note on the word “yourself” in v. 17 b.)


Heb “upon the son of man you strengthened for yourself.” In its only other use in the Book of Psalms, the phrase “son of man” refers to the human race in general (see Ps 8:4 ). Here the phrase may refer to the nation collectively as a man. Note the use of the statement “you strengthened for yourself” both here and in v. 15 , where the “son” (i.e., the branch of the vine) refers to Israel.


Heb “and in your name we will call.”


Heb “O Lord , God, hosts.” One expects the construct form אֱלֹהֵי before צְבָאוֹת ( tsÿva ’ ot , “hosts”; see Ps 89:9 ), but יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים ( yehvah ’ elohim ) precedes צְבָאוֹת ( tsÿva ’ ot ) in Pss 59:5 and 84:8 as well. See also vv. 4, 7, 14 for a similar construction.


The idiom “cause your face to shine” probably refers to a smile (see Eccl 8:1 ), which in turn suggests favor and blessing (see Num 6:25 ; Pss 4:6; 31:16; 44:3; 67:1; 89:15 ; Dan 9:17 ).


Heb “cause your face to shine in order that we may be delivered.” After the imperative, the cohortative with prefixed vav ( ו ) indicates purpose/result.


Heb “lift up.”


Heb “at the new moon.” sn New moon festivals were a monthly ritual in Israel (see R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel , 469-70). In this context the New Moon festival of the seventh month, when the Feast of Tabernacles was celebrated (note the reference to a “festival” in the next line), may be in view.


Heb “at the full moon on the day of our festival.” The Hebrew word כֶּסֶה ( keseh ) is an alternate spelling of כֶּסֶא ( kese ’, “full moon”). sn The festival in view is probably the Feast of Tabernacles (Booths), which began on the fifteenth day of the seventh month when the moon was full. See Lev 23:34 ; Num 29:12 .


Heb “because a statute for Israel [is] it.”


Heb “in his going out against the land of Egypt.” This apparently refers to the general time period of Israel’s exodus from Egypt. The LXX reads, “from Egypt,” in which case “Joseph” (see the preceding line) would be the subject of the verb, “when he [Joseph = Israel] left Egypt.”


Heb “a lip I did not know, I heard.” Here the term “lip” probably stands for speech or a voice. Apparently the psalmist speaks here and refers to God’s voice, whose speech is recorded in the following verses.


The words “It said” are not included in the Hebrew text. They are supplied in the translation for clarification.


Heb “I answered you in the hidden place of thunder.” This may allude to God’s self-revelation at Mount Sinai, where he appeared in a dark cloud accompanied by thunder (see Exod 19:16 ).


The words “I said” are supplied in the translation for clarification. Verses 8-10 appear to recall what the Lord commanded the generation of Israelites that experienced the events described in v. 7 . Note the statement in v. 11 , “my people did not listen to me.”


Or perhaps “command.”


The Hebrew particle אִם (“if”) and following prefixed verbal form here express a wish (GKC 321 §109. b ). Note that the apodosis (the “then” clause of the conditional sentence) is suppressed.


The imperfect verbal forms in v. 9 have a modal function, expressing what is obligatory.


Heb “different”; “illicit.”


Heb “did not listen to my voice.”


The Hebrew expression אָבָה לִי (’ avah liy ) means “submit to me” (see Deut 13:8 ).


Heb “and I sent him away in the stubbornness of their heart.”


Heb “they walked in their counsel.” The prefixed verbal form is either preterite (“walked”) or a customary imperfect (“were walking”).


Heb “if only my people were listening to me.” The Hebrew particle לוּ ( lu , “if not”) introduces a purely hypothetical or contrary to fact condition (see 2 Sam 18:12 ).


Heb “[and if only] Israel would walk in my ways.”


Heb “turn my hand against.” The idiom “turn the hand against” has the nuance of “strike with the hand, attack” (see Isa 1:25 ; Ezek 38:12 ; Amos 1:8 ; Zech 13:7 ).


“Those who hate the Lord ” are also mentioned in 2 Chr 19:2 and Ps 139:21 .


See Deut 33:29 ; Ps 66:3 for other uses of the verb כָּחַשׁ ( kakhash ) in the sense “cower in fear.” In Ps 18:44 the verb seems to carry the nuance “to be weak; to be powerless” (see also Ps 109:24 ). The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive, parallel to the jussive form in the next line.


Heb “and may their time be forever.” The Hebrew term עִתָּם (’ ittam , “their time”) must refer here to the “time” of the demise and humiliation of those who hate the Lord . Some propose an emendation to בַּעֲתָתָם ( ba ’ atatam ) or בִּעֻתָם ( bi ’ utam ; “their terror”; i.e., “may their terror last forever”), but the omission of bet ( ב ) in the present Hebrew text is difficult to explain, making the proposed emendation unlikely. tn The verb form at the beginning of the line is jussive, indicating that this is a prayer. The translation assumes that v. 15 is a parenthetical “curse” offered by the psalmist. Having heard the reference to Israel’s enemies (v. 14 ), the psalmist inserts this prayer, reminding the Lord that they are God’s enemies as well.


Heb “and he fed him from the best of the wheat.” The Hebrew text has a third person form of the preterite with a vav ( ו ) consecutive attached. However, it is preferable, in light of the use of the first person in v. 14 and in the next line, to emend the verb to a first person form and understand the vav as conjunctive, continuing the apodosis of the conditional sentence of vv. 13-14 . The third masculine singular pronominal suffix refers to Israel, as in v. 6 . sn I would feed . After the parenthetical “curse” in v. 15 , the Lord’s speech continues here.


Heb “you.” The second person singular pronominal suffix refers to Israel, as in vv. 7-10 .


Or “presides over.”


The phrase עֲדַת אֵל (’ adat ’ el , “assembly of El”) appears only here in the OT. (1) Some understand “El” to refer to God himself. In this case he is pictured presiding over his own heavenly assembly. (2) Others take אֵל as a superlative here (“God stands in the great assembly”), as in Pss 36:6 and 80:10 . (3) The present translation assumes this is a reference to the Canaanite high god El, who presided over the Canaanite divine assembly. (See Isa 14:13 , where El’s assembly is called “the stars of El.”) In the Ugaritic myths the phrase ’ dt ’ ilm refers to the “assembly of the gods,” who congregate in King Kirtu’s house, where Baal asks El to bless Kirtu’s house (see G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends , 91). If the Canaanite divine assembly is referred to here in Ps 82:1 , then the psalm must be understood as a bold polemic against Canaanite religion. Israel’s God invades El’s assembly, denounces its gods as failing to uphold justice, and announces their coming demise. For an interpretation of the psalm along these lines, see W. VanGemeren, “Psalms,” EBC 5:533-36.


The words “he says” are supplied in the translation to indicate that the following speech is God’s judicial decision (see v. 1 ).


Heb “and the face of the wicked lift up.”


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 ).


Heb “hand.”


Heb “walk.” The Hitpael stem indicates iterative action, picturing these ignorant “judges” as stumbling around in the darkness.


Heb “said.”


Heb “men.” The point in the context is mortality, however, not maleness. sn You will die like mortals . For the concept of a god losing immortality and dying, see Isa 14:12-15 , which alludes to a pagan myth in which the petty god “Shining One, son of the Dawn,” is hurled into Sheol for his hubris.


Heb “like one of the rulers.” The comparison does not necessarily imply that they are not rulers. The expression “like one of” can sometimes mean “as one of” ( Gen 49:16 ; Obad 11 ) or “as any other of” ( Judg 16:7, 11 ).


The translation assumes that the Qal of נָחַל ( nakhal ) here means “to own; to possess,” and that the imperfect emphasizes a general truth. Another option is to translate the verb as future, “for you will take possession of all the nations” (cf. NIV “all the nations are your inheritance”).


Heb “lift up [their] head[s].” The phrase “lift up [the] head” here means “to threaten; to be hostile,” as in Judg 8:28 .


Heb “they make crafty a plot.”


Heb “and consult together against.”


The passive participle of the Hebrew verb צָפַן ( tsafan , “to hide”) is used here in the sense of “treasured; cherished.”


Heb “we will cause them to disappear from [being] a nation.”


Or “for.”


Heb “they consult [with] a heart together.”


Heb “cut a covenant.”


The words “it includes” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.


For location see Map1-A2 ; Map2-G2 ; Map4-A1 ; JP3-F3 ; JP4-F3 .


Heb “they are an arm for the sons of Lot.” The “arm” is here a symbol of military might. sn The descendants of Lot were the Moabites and Ammonites.


Heb “do to them like Midian.”


Heb “they were manure.” In addition to this passage, corpses are compared to manure in 2 Kgs 9:37 ; Jer 8:2; 9:21; 16:4; 25:33 .


The translation assumes that “Zebah and Zalmunna” are the antecedents of the relative pronoun (“who [said]”). Another option is to take “their nobles…all their rulers” as the antecedent and to translate, “those who say.”


Heb “let’s take possession for ourselves.”


Or “tumbleweed.” The Hebrew noun גַּלְגַּל ( galgal ) refers to a “wheel” or, metaphorically, to a whirling wind (see Ps 77:18 ). If taken in the latter sense here, one could understand the term as a metonymical reference to dust blown by a whirlwind (cf. NRSV “like whirling dust”). However, HALOT 190 s.v. II גַּלְגַּל understands the noun as a homonym referring to a “dead thistle” here and in Isa 17:13 . The parallel line, which refers to קַשׁ ( qash , “chaff”), favors this interpretation.


Heb “before.”


The two imperfect verbal forms in v. 15 express the psalmist’s wish or prayer.


Heb “fill.”


After the preceding imperative, the prefixed verbal form with prefixed vav ( ו ) indicates purpose or result (“then they will seek”).


Heb “your name,” which stands here for God’s person.


Heb “and may they be terrified to perpetuity.” The Hebrew expression עֲדֵי־עַד (’ adey- ’ ad , “to perpetuity”) can mean “forevermore” (see Pss 92:7; 132:12, 14 ), but here it may be used hyperbolically, for the psalmist asks that the experience of judgment might lead the nations to recognize (v. 18 ) and even to seek (v. 16 ) God.


Heb “may they be ashamed and perish.” The four prefixed verbal forms in this verse are understood as jussives. The psalmist concludes his prayer with an imprecation, calling severe judgment down on his enemies. The strong language of the imprecation seems to run contrary to the positive outcome of divine judgment envisioned in v. 16 b. Perhaps the language of v. 17 is overstated for effect. Another option is that v. 16 b expresses an ideal, while the strong imprecation of vv. 17-18 anticipates reality. It would be nice if the defeated nations actually pursued a relationship with God, but if judgment does not bring them to that point, the psalmist asks that they be annihilated so that they might at least be forced to acknowledge God’s power.


After the preceding jussives (v. 17 ), the prefixed verbal form with prefixed vav ( ו ) indicates purpose (“so that they may know”) or result.


Heb “that you, your name [is] the Lord , you alone.”


Traditionally “the Most High.”


The precise meaning of the Hebrew term הַגִּתִּית ( haggittit ) is uncertain; it probably refers to a musical style or instrument.


Or “your dwelling place[s].” The plural form of the noun may indicate degree or quality; this is the Lord ’s special dwelling place (see Pss 43:3; 46:4; 132:5, 7 ).


Heb “my soul longs, it even pines for.”


Heb “the courts of the Lord ” (see Ps 65:4 ).


Heb “my flesh,” which stands for his whole person and being.


The word translated “swallow” occurs only here and in Prov 26:2 .


Heb “even a bird finds a home, and a swallow a nest for herself, [in] which she places her young.” sn The psalmist here romanticizes the temple as a place of refuge and safety. As he thinks of the birds nesting near its roof, he envisions them finding protection in God’s presence.


The Hebrew noun is an abstract plural. The word often refers metonymically to the happiness that God-given security and prosperity produce (see v. 12 and Pss 1:1; 2:12; 34:9; 41:1; 65:4; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15 ).


Heb “[Oh] the happiness [of] the man.” Hebrew literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The principle stated here was certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, we translate the gender and age specific “man” with the plural “those.” The individual referred to in v. 5 a is representative of followers of God, as the use of plural forms in vv. 5 b-7 indicates.


Heb “roads [are] in their heart[s].” The roads are here those that lead to Zion (see v. 7 ).


The translation assumes that the Hebrew phrase עֵמֶק הַבָּכָא (’ emeq habbakha ’) is the name of an otherwise unknown arid valley through which pilgrims to Jerusalem passed. The term בָּכָא ( bakha ’) may be the name of a particular type of plant or shrub that grew in this valley. O. Borowski ( Agriculture in Iron Age Israel , 130) suggests it is the black mulberry. Some take the phrase as purely metaphorical and relate בָּכָא to the root בָּכָה ( bakhah , “to weep”). In this case one might translate, “the valley of weeping” or “the valley of affliction.”


The MT reads “a spring they make it,” but this makes little sense. Many medieval Hebrew mss , as well as the LXX, understand God to be the subject and the valley to be the object, “he [God] makes it [the valley] [into] a spring.”


This rare word may refer to the early (or autumn) rains (see Joel 2:23 ).


The MT reads בְּרָכוֹת ( bÿrakhot , “blessings”) but the preceding reference to a “spring” favors an emendation to בְּרֵכוֹת ( bÿrekhot , “pools”). sn Pools of water . Because water is so necessary for life, it makes an apt symbol for divine favor and blessing. As the pilgrims traveled to Jerusalem, God provided for their physical needs and gave them a token of his favor and of the blessings awaiting them at the temple.


Heb “they go from strength to strength.” The phrase “from strength to strength” occurs only here in the OT. With a verb of motion, the expression “from [common noun] to [same common noun]” normally suggests movement from one point to another or through successive points (see Num 36:7 ; 1 Chr 16:20; 17:5 ; Ps 105:13 ; Jer 25:32 ). Ps 84:7 may be emphasizing that the pilgrims move successively from one “place of strength” to another as they travel toward Jerusalem. All along the way they find adequate provisions and renewed energy for the trip.


The psalmist returns to the singular (see v. 5 a), which he uses in either a representative or distributive (“each one” ) sense.


Heb “ Lord , God, hosts.” One expects the construct form אֱלֹהֵי before צְבָאוֹת ( tsÿva ’ ot , “hosts”; see Ps 89:9 ) but יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים ( yehvah ’ elohim ) precedes צְבָאוֹת in Pss 59:5 and 80:4, 19 as well.


The phrase “our shield” refers metaphorically to the Davidic king, who, as God’s vice-regent, was the human protector of the people. Note the parallelism with “your anointed one” here and with “our king” in Ps 89:18 .


Heb “look [on] the face of your anointed one.” The Hebrew phrase מְשִׁיחֶךָ ( mÿshikhekha , “your anointed one”) refers here to the Davidic king (see Pss 2:2; 18:50; 20:6; 28:8; 89:38, 51; 132:10, 17 ).


Or “for.”


Heb “better is a day in your courts than a thousand [spent elsewhere].”


Heb “I choose being at the entrance of the house of my God over living in the tents of the wicked.” The verb סָפַף ( safaf ) appears only here in the OT; it is derived from the noun סַף ( saf , “threshold”). Traditionally some have interpreted this as a reference to being a doorkeeper at the temple, though some understand it to mean “lie as a beggar at the entrance to the temple” (see HALOT 765 s.v. ספף ).


The verb דּוּר ( dur , “to live”) occurs only here in the OT.


Heb “[is] a sun and a shield.” The epithet “sun,” though rarely used of Israel’s God in the OT, was a well-attested royal title in the ancient Near East. For several examples from Ugaritic texts, the Amarna letters, and Assyrian royal inscriptions, see R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of /” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 131, n. 2.


Or “grace.”


Heb “he does not withhold good to those walking in integrity.”


Traditionally “ Lord of hosts.”


Heb “[Oh] the happiness [of] the man [who] trusts in you.” Hebrew literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The principle stated here is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, we translate the gender and age specific “man” with the plural “those.” The individual referred to here is representative of all followers of God, as the use of the plural form in v. 12 b indicates.


Heb “lifted up.”


Heb “covered over.”


Heb “the rage of your anger.” The phrase “rage of your anger” employs an appositional genitive. Synonyms are joined in a construct relationship to emphasize the single idea. For a detailed discussion of the grammatical point with numerous examples, see Y. Avishur, “Pairs of Synonymous Words in the Construct State (and in Appositional Hendiadys) in Biblical Hebrew,” Semitics 2 (1971): 17-81. See Pss 69:24; 78:49 .


Heb “break your displeasure with us.” Some prefer to emend הָפֵר ( hafer , “break”) to הָסֵר ( haser , “turn aside”).


Heb “Will your anger stretch to a generation and a generation?”


Heb “speak.” The idiom “speak peace” refers to establishing or maintaining peaceful relations with someone (see Gen 37:4 ; Zech 9:10 ; cf. Ps 122:8 ).


Heb “to his people and to his faithful followers.” The translation assumes that “his people” and “his faithful followers” are viewed as identical here.


Or “yet let them not.” After the negative particle אֵל (’ el ), the prefixed verbal form is jussive, indicating the speaker’s desire or wish.


Heb “certainly his deliverance [is] near to those who fear him.”


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.


The psalmist probably uses the perfect verbal forms in v. 10 in a dramatic or rhetorical manner, describing what he anticipates as if it were already occurring or had already occurred.


Heb “what is good.”


Both “bestow” and “yield” translate the same Hebrew verb ( נָתַן , natan ). The repetition of the word emphasizes that agricultural prosperity is the direct result of divine blessing.


Or “will go.”


Or “will prepare.”


Heb “and it prepares for a way his footsteps.” Some suggest emending וְיָשֵׂם ( vÿyasem , “and prepares”) to וְשָׁלוֹם ( vÿshalom , “and peace”) since “deliverance” and “peace” are closely related earlier in v. 13 . This could be translated, “and peace [goes ahead, making] a pathway for his footsteps” (cf. NEB).


Heb “my life.”


Or “show me favor.”


Heb “the soul of your servant.”


Heb “I lift up my soul.”


Or “for.”


Heb “good.”


Heb “and there are none like your acts.”


Or “bow down before you.”


Heb “teach me your way.” The Lord ’s “way” refers here to the moral principles he expects the psalmist to follow. See Pss 25:4; 27:11 .


Heb “I will walk in your truth.” The Lord ’s commandments are referred to as “truth” here because they are a trustworthy and accurate expression of the divine will. See Ps 25:5 .


Heb “Bind my heart to the fearing of your name.” The verb translated “bind” occurs only here in the Piel stem. It appears twice in the Qal, meaning “be joined” in both cases ( Gen 49:6 ; Isa 14:20 ). To “fear” God’s name means to have a healthy respect for him which in turn motivates one to obey his commands (see Pss 61:5; 102:15 ).


Or “forever.”


Heb “for your loyal love [is] great over me.”


Or “for he will have delivered my life.” The verb form indicates a future perfect here.


Or “lower Sheol.”


Heb “rise up against me.”


Or “assembly.”


Heb “seek my life and do not set you before them.” See Ps 54:3 .


Heb “slow to anger.”


Heb “and great of loyal love and faithfulness.” sn The psalmist’s confession of faith in this verse echoes Exod 34:6 .


Heb “the son of your female servant.” The phrase “son of a female servant” (see also Ps 116:16 ) is used of a son born to a secondary wife or concubine ( Exod 23:12 ). In some cases the child’s father is the master of the house (see Gen 21:10, 13 ; Judg 9:18 ). The use of the expression here certainly does not imply that the Lord has such a secondary wife or concubine! It is used metaphorically and idiomatically to emphasize the psalmist’s humility before the Lord and his status as the Lord ’s servant.


Heb “Work with me a sign for good.” The expression “work a sign” also occurs in Judg 6:17 .


After the imperative in the preceding line (“work”), the prefixed verb forms with prefixed vav ( ו ) conjunctive indicate purpose or result.


The perfect verbal forms are understood here as dramatic/rhetorical, expressing the psalmist’s certitude that such a sign from the Lord will be followed by his intervention. Another option is to understand the forms as future perfects (“for you, O Lord , will have helped me and comforted me”).


Heb “glorious things are spoken about you.” The translation assumes this is a general reference to compliments paid to Zion by those who live within her walls and by those who live in the surrounding areas and lands. Another option is that this refers to a prophetic oracle about the city’s glorious future. In this case one could translate, “wonderful things are announced concerning you.”


Heb “to those who know me” (see Ps 36:10 ). Apparently the Lord speaks here. The verbal construction (the Hiphil of זָכַר , zakhar , “remember” followed by the preposition - לְ [ le ] with a substantive) is rare, but the prepositional phrase is best understood as indicating the recipient of the announcement (see Jer 4:16 ). Some take the preposition in the sense of “among” and translate, “among those who know me” (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV). In this case these foreigners are viewed as the Lord ’s people and the psalm is interpreted as anticipating a time when all nations will worship the Lord (see Ps 86:9 ) and be considered citizens of Zion.


Heb “Look.”


For location see Map1-A2 ; Map2-G2 ; Map4-A1 ; JP3-F3 ; JP4-F3 .


Heb “Cush.”


Heb “and this one was born there.” The words “It is said of them” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied for clarification and stylistic purposes (see v. 5 ). Those advocating the universalistic interpretation understand “there” as referring to Zion, but it seems more likely that the adverb refers to the nations just mentioned. The foreigners are identified by their native lands.


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 ).


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 .


Traditionally “Most High.”


Heb “the Lord records in the writing of the nations.”


As noted in v. 4 , the translation assumes a contrast between “there” (the various foreign lands) and “in her” (Zion). In contrast to foreigners, the citizens of Zion have special status because of their birthplace (v. 5 ). In this case vv. 4 and 6 form a structural frame around v. 5 .


Heb “and singers, like pipers, all my springs [are] in you.” The participial form חֹלְלִים ( kholÿlim ) appears to be from a denominative verb meaning “play the pipe,” though some derive the form from חוּל ( khul , “dance”). In this case the duplicated lamed ( ל ) requires an emendation to מְחֹלְלִים ( mÿkholÿlim , “a Polel form). The words are addressed to Zion. As it stands, the Hebrew text makes little, if any, sense. “Springs” are often taken here as a symbol of divine blessing and life”), but this reading does not relate to the preceding line in any apparent way. The present translation assumes an emendation of כָּל־מַעְיָנַי ( kol-ma ’ yanay , “all my springs”) to כֻּלָּם עָנוּ ( kullam ’ anu , “all of them sing,” with the form עָנוּ being derived from עָנָה , ’ anah , “sing”).


The Hebrew phrase מָחֲלַת לְעַנּוֹת ( makhalat lÿ ’ annot ) may mean “illness to afflict.” Perhaps it refers to a particular style of music, a tune title, or a musical instrument. The term מָחֲלַת also appears in the superscription of .


The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל ( maskil ) is uncertain. The word is derived from a verb meaning “to be prudent; to be wise.” Various options are: “a contemplative song,” “a song imparting moral wisdom,” or “a skillful [i.e., well-written] song.” The term occurs in the superscriptions of Pss 32, 42, 44, 45, 52-55, 74, 78, 88, 89, and 142 , as well as in Ps 47:7 .


Heb “O Lord God of my deliverance.” In light of the content of the psalm, this reference to God as the one who delivers seems overly positive. For this reason some emend the text to אַלֹהַי שִׁוַּעְתִּי (’ alohay shivva ’ tiy , “[O Lord ] my God, I cry out”). See v. 13 .


Heb “may my prayer come before you.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive, indicating the psalmist’s desire or prayer.


Heb “turn your ear.”


Or “my soul.”


Heb “and my life approaches Sheol.”


Heb “I am considered with.”


Heb “the pit.” The noun בּוֹר ( bor , “pit,” “cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead.


Heb “I am like a man [for whom] there is no help.”


Heb “set free.”


Heb “from your hand.”


The noun בּוֹר ( bor , “pit,” “cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead. See v. 4 .


Heb “[I am] confined and I cannot go out.”


Heb “I spread out my hands to you.” Spreading out the hands toward God was a prayer gesture (see Exod 9:29, 33 ; 1 Kgs 8:22, 38 ; 2 Chr 6:12-13, 29 ; Ezra 9:15 ; Job 11:13 ; Isa 1:15 ). The words “in prayer” have been supplied in the translation to clarify this.


Heb “Rephaim,” a term that refers to those who occupy the land of the dead (see Isa 14:9; 26:14, 19 ).


Heb “in Abaddon,” a name for Sheol. The noun is derived from a verbal root meaning “to perish,” “to die.”


Heb “known.”


Heb “darkness,” here a title for Sheol.


Heb “forgetfulness.” The noun, which occurs only here in the OT, is derived from a verbal root meaning “to forget.” sn The rhetorical questions in vv. 10-12 expect the answer, “Of course not!”


Heb “[why] do you hide your face from me?”


Heb “and am dying from youth.”


Heb “I carry your horrors [?].” The meaning of the Hebrew form אָפוּנָה (’ afunah ), which occurs only here in the OT, is unclear. It may be an adverb meaning “very much” (BDB 67 s.v.), though some prefer to emend the text to אָפוּגָה (’ afugah , “I am numb”) from the verb פוּג ( pug ; see Pss 38:8; 77:2 ).


Heb “passes over me.”


Heb “they encircle me together.”


Heb “you cause to be far from me friend and neighbor.”


Heb “those known by me, darkness.”


The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל ( maskil ) is uncertain. See the note on the phrase “well-written song” in the superscription of .


Or “forever.”


Heb “built.”


The words “the Lord said” are supplied in the translation for clarification. It is clear that the words of vv. 3-4 are spoken by the Lord , in contrast to vv. 1-2 , which are spoken by the psalmist.


Heb “forever I will establish your offspring.”


Heb “and I will build to a generation and a generation your throne.”


As the following context makes clear, the personified “heavens” here stand by metonymy for the angelic beings that surround God’s heavenly throne.


Heb “in the assembly of the holy ones.” The phrase “holy ones” sometimes refers to God’s people ( Ps 34:9 ) or to their priestly leaders ( 2 Chr 35:3 ), but here it refers to God’s heavenly assembly and the angels that surround his throne (see vv. 6-7 ).


Heb “sons of gods”; or “sons of God.” Though אֵלִים (’ elim ) is vocalized as a plural form (“gods”) in the Hebrew text, it is likely that the final mem ( ם ) is actually enclitic rather than a plural marker. In this case one may read “God.” Some, following a Qumran text and the LXX, also propose the phrase occurred in the original text of Deut 32:8 . The phrase בְנֵי אֵלִים ( vÿney ’ elim , “sons of gods” or “sons of God”) occurs only here and in Ps 29:1 . Since the “sons of gods/God” are here associated with “the assembly of the holy ones” and “council of the holy ones,” the heavenly assembly (comprised of so-called “angels” and other supernatural beings) appears to be in view. See Job 5:1; 15:15 and Zech 14:5 , where these supernatural beings are referred to as “holy ones.” In Canaanite mythological texts the divine council of the high god El is called “the sons of El.” The OT apparently uses the Canaanite phrase, applying it to the supernatural beings that surround the Lord ’s heavenly throne.


Heb “feared.”


Heb “in the great assembly of the holy ones.”


Or perhaps “feared by.”


Traditionally “God of hosts.” The title here pictures the Lord as enthroned in the midst of the angelic hosts of heaven.


Heb “the majesty of the sea.”


Heb “rise up.”


Heb “Rahab.” The name “Rahab” means “proud one.” Since it is sometimes used of Egypt (see Ps 87:4 ; Isa 30:7 ), the passage may allude to the exodus. However, the name is also used of the sea (or the mythological sea creature) which symbolizes the disruptive forces of the world that seek to replace order with chaos (see Job 9:13; 26:12 ). Isa 51:9 appears to combine the mythological and historical referents. The association of Rahab with the sea in (see v. 9 ) suggests that the name carries symbolic force in this context. In this case the passage may allude to creation (see vv. 11-12 ), when God overcame the great deep and brought order out of chaos.


Heb “like one fatally wounded.”


Heb “the world and its fullness, you established them.”


Heb “is lifted up.” The idiom “the right hand is lifted up” refers to victorious military deeds (see Pss 89:42; 118:16 ).


Heb “are in front of your face.” The idiom can mean “confront” ( Ps 17:13 ) or “meet, enter the presence of” ( Ps 95:2 ).


Heb “who know the shout.” “Shout” here refers to the shouts of the Lord ’s worshipers (see Pss 27:6; 33:3; 47:5 ).


Heb “in the light of your face they walk.” The idiom “light of your face” probably refers to a smile (see Eccl 8:1 ), which in turn suggests favor and blessing (see Num 6:25 ; Pss 4:6; 31:16; 44:3; 67:1; 80:3, 7, 19 ; Dan 9:17 ).


Heb “are lifted up.”


Heb “for the splendor of their strength [is] you.”


Heb “you lift up our horn,” or if one follows the marginal reading ( Qere ), “our horn is lifted up.” 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 75:10; 89:24; 92:10 ; Lam 2:17 ).


The phrase “our shield” refers metaphorically to the Davidic king, who, as God’s vice-regent, was the human protector of the people. Note the parallelism with “our king" here and with “your anointed one” in Ps 84:9 .


The pronoun “you” refers to the Lord , who is addressed here. The quotation that follows further develops the announcement of vv. 3-4 .


Many medieval mss read the singular here, “your faithful follower.” In this case the statement refers directly to Nathan’s oracle to David (see 2 Sam 7:17 ).


Heb “I have placed help upon a warrior.”


Or perhaps “a chosen one.”


The words “as king” are supplied in the translation for clarification, indicating that a royal anointing is in view.


Heb “with whom my hand will be firm.”


Heb “an enemy will not exact tribute.” The imperfect is understood in a modal sense, indicating capability or potential.


The translation understands the Hiphil of נָשַׁא ( nasha ’) in the sense of “act as a creditor.” This may allude to the practice of a conqueror forcing his subjects to pay tribute in exchange for “protection.” Another option is to take the verb from a homonymic verbal root meaning “to deceive,” “to trick.” Still another option is to emend the form to יִשָּׂא ( yisa ’), a Qal imperfect from נָאַשׂ ( na ’ as , “rise up”) and to translate “an enemy will not rise up against him” (see M. Dahood, Psalms [AB], 2:317).


Heb “and a son of violence will not oppress him.” The imperfect is understood in a modal sense, indicating capability or potential. The reference to a “son of violence” echoes the language of God’s promise to David in 2 Sam 7:10 (see also 1 Chr 17:9 ).


Heb “and my faithfulness and my loyal love [will be] with him.”


Heb “and by my name his horn will be lifted up.” 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 75:10; 92:10 ; Lam 2:17 ).


Some identify “the sea” as the Mediterranean and “the rivers” as the Euphrates and its tributaries. However, it is more likely that “the sea” and “the rivers” are symbols for hostile powers that oppose God and the king (see v. 9 , as well as Ps 93:3-4 ).


Heb “the rocky summit of my deliverance.”


Heb “forever I will keep for him my loyal love and will make my covenant secure for him.”


Heb “and I will set in place forever his offspring.”


Heb “and his throne like the days of the heavens.”


Or “desecrate.”


Heb “I will punish with a club their rebellion.” sn Despite the harsh image of beating…with a club , the language reflects a father-son relationship (see v. 30 ; 2 Sam 7:14 ). According to Proverbs, a שֵׁבֶט ( shevet , “club”) was sometimes utilized to administer corporal punishment to rebellious children (see Prov 13:24; 22:15; 23:13-14; 29:15 ).


Heb “with blows their sin.”


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 .


Heb “and I will not deal falsely with my faithfulness.”


Heb “and what proceeds out of my lips I will not alter.”


Or “lie to.”


Heb “his offspring forever will be.”


Heb “and his throne like the sun before me.”


Heb “like the moon it will be established forever.”