Heb “and a witness in the sky, secure.” Scholars have offered a variety of opinions as to the identity of the “witness” referred to here, none of which is very convincing. It is preferable to join וְעֵד ( vÿ ’ ed ) to עוֹלָם (’ olam ) in the preceding line and translate the commonly attested phrase עוֹלָם וְעֵד (“forever”). In this case one may translate the second line, “[it] will be secure like the skies.” Another option (the one reflected in the present translation) is to take עד as a rare noun meaning “throne” or “dais.” This noun is attested in Ugaritic; see, for example, CTA 16 vi 22-23, where ksi (= כִּסֵּא , kisse ’, “throne”) and ’ d (= עד , “dais”) appear as synonyms in the poetic parallelism (see G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends , 91). Emending בַּשַּׁחַק ( bashakhaq , “in the heavens”) to כַּשַׁחַק ( kashakhaq , “like the heavens”) – bet/kaf ( כ / ב ) confusion is widely attested – one can then read “[his] throne like the heavens [is] firm/stable.” Verse 29 refers to the enduring nature of the heavens, while Job 37:18 speaks of God spreading out the heavens ( שְׁחָקִים , shÿkhaqim ) and compares their strength to a bronze mirror. Ps 89:29 uses the term שָׁמַיִם ( shamayim , “skies”) which frequently appears in parallelism to שְׁחָקִים .


The Hebrew construction (conjunction + pronoun, followed by the verb) draws attention to the contrast between what follows and what precedes.


Heb “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; 84:9; 132:10, 17 ).


The Hebrew verb appears only here and in Lam 2:7 .


Heb “the covenant of your servant.”


Heb “you dishonor [or “desecrate”] on the ground his crown.”


The king here represents the land and cities over which he rules.


Heb “all the passersby on the road.”


Heb “you have lifted up the right hand of his adversaries.” The idiom “the right hand is lifted up” refers to victorious military deeds (see Pss 89:13; 118:16 ).


The perfect verbal form predominates in vv. 38-45 . The use of the imperfect in this one instance may be for rhetorical effect. The psalmist briefly lapses into dramatic mode, describing the king’s military defeat as if it were happening before his very eyes.


Heb “you turn back, rocky summit, his sword.” The Hebrew term צוּר ( tsur , “rocky summit”) makes no sense here, unless it is a divine title understood as vocative, “you turn back, O Rocky Summit, his sword.” Some emend the form to צֹר ( tsor , “flint”) on the basis of Josh 5:2 , which uses the phrase חַרְבוֹת צֻרִים ( kharvot tsurim , “flint knives”). The noun צֹר ( tsor , “flint”) can then be taken as “flint-like edge,” indicating the sharpness of the sword. Others emend the form to אָחוֹר (’ akhor , “backward”) or to מִצַּר ( mitsar , “from the adversary”). The present translation reflects the latter, assuming an original reading תָּשִׁיב מִצָּר חַרְבּוֹ ( tashiv mitsar kharbo ), which was corrupted to תָּשִׁיב צָר חַרְבּוֹ ( tashiv tsar kharbo ) by virtual haplography (confusion of bet/mem is well-attested) with צָר ( tsar , “adversary”) then being misinterpreted as צוּר in the later tradition.


Heb “and you have not caused him to stand in the battle.”


The Hebrew text appears to read, “you have brought to an end from his splendor,” but the form מִטְּהָרוֹ ( mittÿharo ) should be slightly emended (the daghesh should be removed from the tet [ ת ]) and read simply “his splendor” (the initial mem [ מ ] is not the preposition, but a nominal prefix).


The Hebrew verb מָגַר ( magar ) occurs only here and perhaps in Ezek 21:17 .


Heb “the days of his youth” (see as well Job 33:25 ).


Heb “How long, O Lord , will hide yourself forever?”


Heb “remember me, what is [my] lifespan.” The Hebrew term חֶלֶד ( kheled ) is also used of one’s lifespan in Ps 39:5 . Because the Hebrew text is so awkward here, some prefer to emend it to read מֶה חָדֵל אָנִי ( meh khadel ’ aniy , “[remember] how transient [that is, “short-lived”] I am”; see Ps 39:4 ).


Heb “For what emptiness do you create all the sons of mankind?” In this context the term שָׁוְא ( shavah ) refers to mankind’s mortal nature and the brevity of life (see vv. 45, 48 ).


Heb “Who [is] the man [who] can live and not see death, [who] can deliver his life from the hand of Sheol?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “No one!”


Many medieval Hebrew mss read here יְהוָה ( yehvah , “the Lord ”).


Heb “[which] you swore on oath to David by your faithfulness.”


Heb “remember, O Lord, the taunt against your servants.” Many medieval Hebrew mss read the singular here, “your servant” (that is, the psalmist).


Heb “my lifting up in my arms [or “against my chest”] all of the many, peoples.” The term רַבִּים ( rabbim , “many”) makes no apparent sense here. For this reason some emend the text to רִבֵי ( rivey , “attacks by”), a defectively written plural construct form of רִיב ( riv , “dispute; quarrel”).


Heb “[by] which your enemies, O Lord , taunt, [by] which they taunt [at] the heels of your anointed one.”


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


Heb “surely and surely” ( אָמֵן וְאָמֵן [’ amen vÿ ’ amen ], i.e., “Amen and amen”). This is probably a congregational response to the immediately preceding statement about the propriety of praising God; thus it has been translated “We agree! We agree!”


Heb “were born.”


Heb “and you gave birth to the earth and world.” The Polel verbal form in the Hebrew text pictures God giving birth to the world. The LXX and some other ancient textual witnesses assume a polal (passive) verbal form here. In this case the earth becomes the subject of the verb and the verb is understood as third feminine singular rather than second masculine singular.


Heb “and from everlasting to everlasting you [are] God.” Instead of אֵל (’ el , “God”) the LXX reads אַל (’ al , “not”) and joins the negative particle to the following verse, making the verb תָּשֵׁב ( tashev ) a jussive. In this case v. 3 a reads as a prayer, “do not turn man back to a low place.” However, taking תָּשֵׁב as a jussive is problematic in light of the following following wayyiqtol form וַתֹּאמֶר ( vato ’ mer , “and you said/say”).


In this context the shortened prefix form does not function as a preterite, but indicates what is typical of the world.


The Hebrew term דַּכָּא ( daka ’) carries the basic sense of “crushed.” Elsewhere it refers to those who are “crushed” in spirit or contrite of heart (see Ps 34:18 ; Isa 57:15 ). If one understands this nuance here, then v. 3 is observing that God leads mankind to repentance (the term שׁוּב , shuv , “return,” which appears twice in this verse, is sometimes used of repentance.) However, the following context laments mankind’s mortality and the brevity of life, so it is doubtful if v. 3 should be understood so positively. It is more likely that דַּכָּא here refers to “crushed matter,” that is, the dust that fills the grave (see HALOT 221 s.v. s.v. I דַּכָּא ; BDB 194 s.v. דַּכָּא ). In this case one may hear an echo of Gen 3:19 .


Or “for.”


Heb “you bring them to an end [with] sleep.” The Hebrew verb זָרַם ( zaram ) has traditionally been taken to mean “flood” or “overwhelm” (note the Polel form of a root זרם in Ps 77:17 , where the verb is used of the clouds pouring down rain). However, the verb form here is Qal, not Polel, and is better understood as a homonym meaning “to make an end [of life].” The term שֵׁנָה ( shenah , “sleep”) can be taken as an adverbial accusative; it is a euphemism here for death (see Ps 76:5-6 ).


Or “flourishes.” The verb is used of a crown shining in Ps 132:18 . Perhaps here in Ps 90:6 it refers to the glistening of the grass in the morning dew.


The Polel form of this verb occurs only here. Perhaps the form should be emended to a Qal (which necessitates eliminating the final lamed [ ל ] as dittographic). See Ps 37:2 .


Heb “you set our sins in front of you.”


Heb “what we have hidden to the light of your face.” God’s face is compared to a light or lamp that exposes the darkness around it.


Heb “all our days pass by in your anger.”


Heb “we finish our years like a sigh.” In Ezek 2:10 the word הֶגֶה ( hegeh ) elsewhere refers to a grumbling or moaning sound. Here a brief sigh or moan is probably in view. If so, the simile pictures one’s lifetime as transient. Another option is that the simile alludes to the weakness that characteristically overtakes a person at the end of one’s lifetime. In this case the phrase could be translated, “we end our lives with a painful moan.”


Heb “the days of our years, in them [are] seventy years.”


Heb “or if [there is] strength, eighty years.”


Heb “and their pride [is] destruction and wickedness.” The Hebrew noun רֹהַב ( rohav ) occurs only here. BDB 923 s.v. assigns the meaning “pride,” deriving the noun from the verbal root רהב (“to act stormily [boisterously, arrogantly]”). Here the “pride” of one’s days (see v. 9 ) probably refers to one’s most productive years in the prime of life. The words translated “destruction and wickedness” are also paired in Ps 10:7 . They also appear in proximity in Pss 7:14 and 55:10 . The oppressive and abusive actions of evil men are probably in view (see Job 4:8; 5:6; 15:35 ; Isa 10:1; 59:4 ).


or “for.”


Heb “it passes quickly.” The subject of the verb is probably “their pride” (see the preceding line). The verb גּוּז ( guz ) means “to pass” here; it occurs only here and in Num 11:31 .


Heb “Who knows the strength of your anger?”


Heb “and like your fear [is] your raging fury.” Perhaps one should emend וּכְיִרְאָתְךְ ( ukhyir ’ otekh , “and like your fear”) to יִרְאָתְךְ ( yir ’ otkh , “your fear”), understanding a virtual dittography ( אַפֶּךָ וּכְיִרְאָתְךְ , ’ apekha ukhyir ’ otekh ) to have occurred. In this case the psalmist asserts “your fear [is] your raging fury,” that is, your raging fury is what causes others to fear you. The suffix on “fear” is understood as objective.


Heb “to number our days,” that is, to be aware of how few they really are.


Heb “and we will bring a heart of wisdom.” After the imperative of the preceding line, the prefixed verbal form with the conjunction indicates purpose/result. The Hebrew term “heart” here refers to the center of one’s thoughts, volition, and moral character.


Heb “Return, O Lord ! How long?”


Elsewhere the Niphal of נָחַם ( nakham ) + the preposition עַל (’ al ) + a personal object has the nuance “be comforted concerning [the personal object’s death]” (see 2 Sam 13:39 ; Jer 31:15 ). However, here the context seems to demand “feel sorrow for,” “have pity on.” In Deut 32:36 and Ps 135:14 , where “servants” is also the object of the preposition, this idea is expressed with the Hitpael form of the verb.


After the imperative (see the preceding line) the cohortatives with the prefixed conjunction indicate purpose/result.


Heb “have seen.”


Heb “may your work be revealed to your servants.” In this context (note v. 17 ) the verb form יֵרָאֶה ( yera ’ eh ) is best understood as an unshortened jussive (see Gen 1:9 ; Isa 47:3 ).


Heb “and your majesty to their sons.” The verb “be revealed” is understood by ellipsis in the second line.


Heb “and may the delight of the Master, our God, be on us.” The Hebrew term נֹעַם ( no ’ am , “delight”) is used in Ps 27:4 of the Lord ’s “beauty,” but here it seems to refer to his favor (see BDB 653 s.v.) or kindness ( HALOT 706 s.v.).


Heb “and the work of our hands establish over us, and the work of our hands, establish it.”


Heb “[O] one who lives.”


Traditionally “the Most High.”


The word refers specifically to a fowler (or hunter of birds).


Heb “put a cover over you” (see Ps 5:11 ).


The Hebrew text has the singular, but the plural should be read. The final yod ( י ) of the suffix, which indicates the plural, has dropped off by haplography (note the yod [ י ] at the beginning of the next word).


Traditionally the Hebrew term סֹחֵרָה ( sokherah ), which occurs only here in the OT, has been understood to refer to a buckler or small shield (see BDB 695 s.v.). But HALOT 750 s.v., on the basis of evidence from the cognate languages, proposes the meaning “wall.”


This probably alludes to a sneak attack by enemies in the darkness of night (see Song 3:8 ).


Apparently the deadly disease mentioned in v. 6 b is the understood subject here.


Heb “retribution on the wicked.”


Or “confront.”


For this sense of the Hebrew term נגע see Ps 38:11 .


Heb “your tent.”


Heb “for his angels he will command concerning you.”


Heb “in all your ways.”


Heb “so your foot will not strike a stone.”


Heb “walk upon.”


Or perhaps “cobra” (see Ps 58:4 ).


The words “the Lord says” are supplied in the translation to clarify that the words which follow are the Lord ’s oracle of assurance.


Or “make him secure” ( Heb “set him on high”).


Heb “because he knows my name” (see Ps 9:10 ).


Heb “length of days.”


Or “good.”


The words “it is fitting” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. Verses 1-3 are actually one long sentence in the Hebrew text, but this has been divided up into two shorter sentences in the translation in keeping with contemporary English style.


Heb “the works of your hands.”


Heb “very deep [are] your thoughts.” God’s “thoughts” refer here to his moral design of the world, as outlined in vv. 6-15 .


Heb “the brutish man does not know, and the fool does not understand this.” The adjective בַּעַר ( ba ’ ar , “brutish”) refers to spiritual insensitivity, not mere lack of intelligence or reasoning ability (see Pss 49:10; 73:22 ; Prov 12:1; 30:2 , as well as the use of the related verb in Ps 94:8 ).


Or “flourish.”


Heb “in order that they might be destroyed permanently.” sn God allows the wicked to prosper temporarily so that he might reveal his justice. When the wicked are annihilated , God demonstrates that wickedness does not pay off.


Heb “[are elevated] on high.”


Or “for.”


The Hebrew verb בָּלַל ( balal ) usually has the nuance “to mix.” Here it seems to mean “to smear” or “to anoint.” Some emend the form to בַּלֹּתַנִי ( ballotaniy ; a second person form of the verb with a first person suffix) and read, “you anoint me.”


Heb “my eye gazes upon those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 5:8; 27:11; 56:2 . The form שׁוּרָי ( shuray ) should be emended to שׁוֹרְרָי ( shorÿray ).


Heb “those who rise up against me, evil [foes], my ears hear.”


The singular is used in a representative sense, with the typical godly person being in view.


Heb “they are juicy and fresh.”


Heb “so that [they] proclaim that upright [is] the Lord , my rocky summit, and there is no injustice in him.”


Heb “from antiquity [are] you.” As the context suggests, this refers specifically to God’s royal position, not his personal existence.


The Hebrew noun translated “waves” often refers to rivers or streams, but here it appears to refer to the surging waves of the sea (see v. 4 , Ps 24:2 ).


Heb “the waves lift up, O Lord , the waves lift up their voice, the waves lift up their crashing.”


Heb “mighty waters.” sn The surging waters here symbolizes the hostile enemies of God who seek to destroy the order he has established in the world (see Pss 18:17; 29:3; 32:6; 77:20; 144:7 ; Isa 17:13 ; Jer 51:55 ; Ezek 26:19 ; Hab 3:15 ). But the Lord is depicted as elevated above and sovereign over these raging waters.


Heb “mighty on high [is] the Lord .”


Traditionally “your testimonies.” The Hebrew noun עֵדוּת (’ edut ) refers here to the demands of God’s covenant law. See Ps 19:7 .


Heb “for your house holiness is fitting, O Lord , for length of days.”


Or “exult.”


Heb “they gush forth [words].”


The Hitpael of אָמַר (’ amar ) occurs only here (and perhaps in Isa 61:6 ).


Or “your inheritance.”


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; 82:3; 146:9 ; as well as Job 6:27; 22:9; 24:3, 9; 29:12; 31:17, 21 ).


Heb “does not understand.”


Heb “understand.” The verb used in v. 7 is repeated here for rhetorical effect. The people referred to here claim God is ignorant of their actions, but the psalmist corrects their faulty viewpoint.


Heb “[you] brutish among the people.”


Heb “The one who plants an ear, does he not hear? The one who forms an eye, does he not see?”


Heb “the Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are emptiness.” The psalmist thinks specifically of the “thoughts” expressed in v. 7 .


Heb “[Oh] the happiness [of] the man.” Hebrew wisdom literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The principle of the psalm 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 more neutral “one.” The generic masculine pronoun is used in v. 2 .


Heb “to give him rest from the days of trouble.”


Heb “until a pit is dug for the wicked.”


Or “for.”


Or “his inheritance.”


Heb “for judgment will return to justice.”


Heb “all the pure of heart.” The “heart” is here viewed as the seat of one’s moral character and motives. The “pure of heart” are God’s faithful followers who trust in and love the Lord and, as a result, experience his deliverance (see Pss 7:10; 11:2; 32:11; 36:10; 64:10; 97:11 ).


Heb “and after it [are] the pure of heart.”


Heb “for me.”


Heb “If the Lord [were] not my help, quickly my life would have lain down in silence.” The psalmist, perhaps speaking as the nation’s representative, recalls God’s past intervention. For other examples of conditional sentences with the term לוּלֵי ( luley , “if not”) in the protasis and a perfect verbal form in the apodosis, see Pss 119:92 and 124:2-5 .


Heb “when my worries are many within me.”


Heb “your comforts cause my soul to delight.”


Heb “a throne of destruction.” “Throne” stands here by metonymy for rulers who occupy thrones.


Heb “Is a throne of destruction united to you, one that forms trouble upon a statute?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “Of course not!” The translation, while not preserving the interrogative form of the statement, reflects its rhetorical force.


Or “attack.”


Heb “the life of the blameless.”


Heb “and the blood of the innocent they declare guilty.”


Heb “and the Lord has become my elevated place.” The prefixed verbal form with vav ( ו ) consecutive is used in a rhetorical sense, describing an anticipated development as if it were already reality.


Heb “and my God [has become] a rocky summit of my safety.”


The prefixed verbal form with vav ( ו ) consecutive is used in a rhetorical sense, describing an anticipated development as if it were already reality.


Or “in.”


Heb “meet his face.”


Heb “with songs of joy.”


Heb “above.”


The phrase “in his hand” means within the sphere of his authority.


Heb “kneel down.”


Heb “of his hand.”


Heb “if only you would listen to his voice.” The Hebrew particle אִם (’ im , “if”) and following prefixed verbal form here express a wish (cf. Ps 81:8 ). Note that the apodosis (the “then” clause of the conditional sentence) is suppressed.


The words “he says” are supplied in the translation to clarify that the following words are spoken by the Lord (see vv. 9-11 ).


Heb “do not harden your heart[s] as [at] Meribah, as [in] the day of Massah in the wilderness.”


Heb “where your fathers tested me.”


The prefixed verbal form is either a preterite or an imperfect. If the latter, it emphasizes the ongoing nature of the condition in the past. The translation reflects this interpretation of the verbal form.


Heb “a people, wanderers of heart [are] they.”


Heb “and they do not know my ways.” In this context the Lord ’s “ways” are his commands, viewed as a pathway from which his people, likened to wayward sheep (see v. 7 ), wander.


Heb “my resting place.” The promised land of Canaan is here viewed metaphorically as a place of rest for God’s people, who are compared to sheep (see v. 7 ).


Heb “announce from day to day his deliverance.”


The verb “tell” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).


Or perhaps “and feared by all gods.” See Ps 89:7 .


The Hebrew term אֱלִילִים (’ elilim , “worthless”) sounds like אֱלֹהִים (’ elohim , “gods”). The sound play draws attention to the statement.


Heb “majesty and splendor [are] before him.”


Heb “strength and beauty [are] in his sanctuary.”


Heb “the splendor of [i.e., “due”] his name.”


Or “in holy splendor.”


The verbal forms in v. 13 probably describe God’s typical, characteristic behavior, though they may depict in dramatic fashion the outworking of divine judgment or anticipate a future judgment of worldwide proportions, in which case they could be translated “will judge the world.”


Heb “and the nations with his integrity.”


Heb “all around.”


The translation assumes that the prefixed verbal form in the first line is an imperfect (“are ashamed”) and that the ambiguous form in the third line is a perfect (“bow down”) because the psalmist appears to be describing the effect of the Lord ’s mighty theophany on those who witness it (see vv. 5, 8 ). Another option is to take the prefixed form in the first line as a jussive (“let all who worship idols be ashamed”) and the ambiguous form in the third line as an imperative (“All you gods, bow down before him!”; cf. NIV).


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


Traditionally “Most High.”


The participle may be verbal, though it might also be understood as substantival and appositional to “the Lord .” In this case one could translate, “Hate evil, you who love the Lord , the one who protects the lives…and delivers them.”


Heb “hand.”


Heb “Light is planted for the godly, and for the upright of heart joy.” The translation assumes an emendation of זָרַע ( zara ’, “planted”) to זָרַח ( zara ’, “shines”) which collocates more naturally with “light.” “Light” here symbolizes the joy (note the following line) that accompanies deliverance and the outpouring of divine favor.


Heb “to his holy remembrance.” The Hebrew noun זָכַר ( zakhar , “remembrance”) here refers to the name of the Lord as invoked in liturgy and praise. Cf. Pss 6:5; 30:4 . The Lord ’s “name” is “holy” in the sense that it is a reminder of his uniqueness and greatness.


The perfect verbal forms in vv. 1-3 are understood here as describing characteristic divine activities. Another option is to translate them as present perfects, “has performed…has accomplished deliverance, etc.” referring to completed actions that have continuing results.


Heb “makes known his deliverance.”


Heb “he remembers his loyal love and his faithfulness to the house of Israel.”


Heb “the deliverance of our God,” with “God” being a subjective genitive (= God delivers).


The verbal forms in v. 9 probably describe God’s typical, characteristic behavior, though they may depict in dramatic fashion the outworking of divine judgment or anticipate a future judgment of worldwide proportions (“will judge…”).


The prefixed verbal forms in v. 1 are understood here as indicating the nations’ characteristic response to the reality of the Lord ’s kingship. Another option is to take them as jussives: “let the nations tremble…let the earth shake!”


Heb “great.”


The pronoun refers to the Lord himself (see vv. 5, 9 ).


Heb “and strength, a king, justice he loves.” The syntax of the Hebrew text is difficult here. The translation assumes that two affirmations are made about the king, the Lord (see v. 1 , and Ps 98:6 ). The noun עֹז (’ oz , “strength”) should probably be revocalized as the adjective עַז (’ az , “strong”).


Heb “you establish fairness.”


Or “exalt.”


Or “bow down.”


Heb “among those who called on his name.”


Heb “those who.” The participle is in apposition to the phrase “those who called on his name” in the preceding line.


Heb “a God of lifting up [i.e., forgiveness] you were to them, and an avenger concerning their deeds.” The present translation reflects the traditional interpretation, which understands the last line as qualifying the preceding one. God forgave Moses and Aaron, but he also disciplined them when they sinned (cf. NIV, NRSV). Another option is to take “their deeds” as referring to harmful deeds directed against Moses and Aaron. In this case the verse may be translated, “and one who avenged attacks against them.” Still another option is to emend the participial form נֹקֵם ( noqem , “an avenger”) to נֹקָם ( noqam ), a rare Qal participial form of נָקַה ( naqah , “purify”) with a suffixed pronoun. In this case one could translate, “and one who purified them from their [sinful] deeds” (cf. NEB “and held them innocent”).


Or “serve.”


The present translation (like most modern translations) follows the Qere (marginal reading), which reads literally, “and to him [are] we.” The Kethib (consonantal text) has “and not we.” The suffixed preposition לו (“to him”) was confused aurally with the negative particle לא because the two sound identical.


Or “is forever.”


Heb “and to a generation and a generation [is] his faithfulness.”


Heb “take notice of.”


Heb “I will walk about in the integrity of my heart in the midst of my house.”


Heb “I will not set before my eyes a thing of worthlessness.”


Heb “the doing of swerving [deeds] I hate.” The Hebrew term סֵטִים ( setim ) is probably an alternate spelling of שֵׂטִים ( setim ), which appears in many medieval Hebrew mss . The form appears to be derived from a verbal root שׂוּט ( sut , “to fall away; to swerve”; see Ps 40:4 ).


Heb “it [i.e., the doing of evil deeds] does not cling to me.”


Heb “a perverse heart will turn aside from me.” The adjective עִקֵּשׁ (’ iqqesh ) has the basic nuance “twisted; crooked” and by extension refers to someone or something that is morally perverse (see Ps 18:26 ). It appears frequently in the Book of Proverbs, where it is used of evil people ( 22:5 ), speech ( 8:8; 19:1 ), thoughts (11:20; 17:20), and life styles (2:15; 28:6).


Heb “know.” The king will not willingly allow perverse individuals to remain in his royal court.


Heb “[one who has] pride of eyes and wideness [i.e., arrogance] of heart, him I will not endure.”


Heb “my eyes [are] on the faithful of the land.”


The Hebrew text simply reads, “in order to live with me.”


Heb “one who walks in the way of integrity, he will minister to me.”


Heb “he will not live in the midst of my house, one who does deceit.”


Heb “one who speaks lies will not be established before my eyes.”


Heb “do not hide your face from me in the day of my trouble.” The idiom “to hide the face” can mean “to ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9 ) or carry the stronger idea of “to reject” (see Pss 29:7; 30:7; 88:14 ).


Heb “turn toward me your ear.”


Heb “for my days come to an end in smoke.”


The Hebrew noun מוֹ־קֵד ( mo-qed , “fireplace”) occurs only here, in Isa 33:14 (where it refers to the fire itself), and perhaps in Lev 6:2 .


Heb “struck, attacked.”


Heb “I forget.”


Heb “from the sound of my groaning my bone[s] stick to my flesh.” The preposition at the beginning of the verse is causal; the phrase “sound of my groaning” is metonymic for the anxiety that causes the groaning. The point seems to be this: Anxiety (which causes the psalmist to groan) keeps him from eating (v. 4 ). This physical deprivation in turn makes him emaciated – he is turned to “skin and bones,” so to speak.


The Hebrew term קָאַת ( qa ’ at ) refers to some type of bird (see Lev 11:18 ; Deut 14:17 ) that was typically found near ruins (see Zeph 2:14 ). Modern translations have frequently rendered this as some type of owl (NIV, REB “desert owl”; NRSV “owl”).


The Hebrew term כוֹס ( khos ) refers to a bird (see Lev 11:17 ; Deut 14:16 ), probably a type of owl (cf. NIV, REB “owl”; NRSV “little owl”).


This probably refers to the psalmist’s inability to sleep. Another option is to translate, “I keep watch,” in which case it might refer to watching for a response from the Lord (see vv. 1-2 ).


Heb “by me they swear.” When the psalmist’s enemies call judgment down on others, they hold the psalmist up as a prime example of what they desire their enemies to become.


Heb “weeping.”


Or “for.”


Heb “my days [are] like an extended [or “lengthening”] shadow,” that is, like a late afternoon shadow made by the descending sun that will soon be swallowed up by complete darkness.


Heb “sit” (i.e., sit enthroned, see Ps 9:7 ). The imperfect verbal form highlights the generalization.


Heb “and your remembrance [is] for a generation and a generation.”


The imperfect verbal forms are understood as expressing the psalmist’s confidence in God’s intervention. Another option is to take them as expressing the psalmist’s request or wish, “You, rise up and have compassion!”


The Poel of חָנַן ( khanan ) occurs only here and in Prov 14:21 , where it refers to having compassion on the poor.


Heb “her dust,” probably referring to the dust of the city’s rubble.


Heb “will fear the name of the Lord .” To “fear” God’s name means to have a healthy respect for his revealed reputation which in turn motivates one to obey God’s commands (see Ps 86:11 ).


The verb “will fear” is understood by ellipsis in the second line (see the preceding line).


The Hebrew adjective עַרְעָר (’ arar , “destitute”) occurs only here in the OT. It is derived from the verbal root ערר (“to strip oneself”).


Heb “despise.”


The perfect verbal forms in vv. 16-17 are functioning as future perfects, indicating future actions that will precede the future developments described in v. 15 .


The Hebrew text has simply “this,” referring to the anticipated divine intervention on behalf of Zion (vv. 13, 16-17 ). The referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Heb “from the height of his sanctuary.”


The perfect verbal forms in v. 19 are functioning as future perfects, indicating future actions that will precede the future developments described in v. 18 .


Heb “the sons of death.” The phrase “sons of death” (see also Ps 79:11 ) is idiomatic for those condemned to die.


Heb “his praise.”


For location see Map5-B1 ; Map6-F3 ; Map7-E2 ; Map8-F2 ; Map10-B3 ; JP1-F4 ; JP2-F4 ; JP3-F4 ; JP4-F4 .


“and the kingdoms to serve the Lord .”


Heb “he has afflicted my strength in the way.” The term “way” refers here to the course of the psalmist’s life, which appears to be ending prematurely (vv. 23 b-24).


Heb “do not lift me up in the middle of my days.”


Heb “in a generation of generations [are] your years.”


Heb “stand.”


The Hebrew verb חָלַף ( khalaf ) occurs twice in this line, once in the Hiphil (“you will remove them”) and once in the Qal (“they will disappear”). The repetition draws attention to the statement.


Heb “you [are] he,” or “you [are] the one.” The statement may echo the Lord ’s affirmation “I am he” in Isa 41:4; 43:10, 13; 46:10; 48:12 . In each of these passages the affirmation emphasizes the fact that the Lord transcends time limitations, the very point being made in Ps 102:27 .


Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”


Heb “before you will be established.”


Or “his benefits” (see 2 Chr 32:25 , where the noun is also used of kind deeds performed by the Lord ).


This relatively rare noun refers to deadly diseases (see Deut 29:22 ; Jer 14:18; 16:4 ; 2 Chr 21:19 ).


Or “redeems.”


The Hebrew term שַׁחַת ( shakhat , “pit”) is often used as a title for Sheol (see Pss 16:10; 30:9; 49:9; 55:24 .


Heb “who satisfies with the good of your ornaments.” The text as it stands makes little, if any, sense. The translation assumes an emendation of עֶדְיֵךְ (’ ed ’ ekh , “your ornaments”) to עֹדֵכִי (’ odekhiy , “your duration; your continuance”) that is, “your life” (see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 18).


Heb “the Lord does fairness, and [acts of] justice for all the oppressed.”


Heb “made known his ways.” God’s “ways” in this context are his protective and salvific acts in fulfillment of his promise (see also Deut 32:4 ; Pss 18:30; 67:2; 77:13 [note vv. 11-12, 14 ]; 138:5; 145:17 ).


Heb “slow to anger” (see Ps 86:15 ).


Heb “and great of loyal love” (see Ps 86:15 ).


The Hebrew verb נָטַר ( natar ) is usually taken to mean “to keep; to guard,” with “anger” being understood by ellipsis. The idiom “to guard anger” is then understood to mean “to remain angry” (see Lev 19:18 ; Jer 3:5, 12 ; Nah 1:2 ). However, it is possible that this is a homonymic root meaning “to be angry” (see HALOT 695 s.v. נטר ).


Heb “not according to our sins does he do to us.”


Heb “and not according to our misdeeds does he repay us.”


For this sense of the verb גָבַר ( gavar ), see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 17, 19.


Heb “those who fear him.”


Heb “sunrise.”


Or “sunset.”


The Hebrew term פֶּשַׁע ( pesha ’, rebellious act”) is here used metonymically for the guilt such actions produce.


Or “sons,” but the Hebrew term sometimes refers to children in general.


Heb “our form.”


Heb “remembers.”


Heb “we [are] clay.”


Heb “[as for] mankind, like grass [are] his days.” The Hebrew noun אֱנוֹשׁ (’ enosh ) is used here generically of human beings. What is said is true of all mankind.


Heb “[the] wind.” The word “hot” is supplied in the translation for clarification.


Heb “but the loyal love of the Lord [is] from everlasting to everlasting over those who fear him.”


Heb “and his righteousness to sons of sons.”


Heb “to those who remember his precepts to do them.”


Heb “his kingdom rules over all.”


Heb “[you] mighty ones of strength, doers of his word, by listening to the voice of his word.”


Heb “all his hosts.”


Heb “his attendants, doers of his desire.”


Heb “all his works,” which includes mankind.


Heb “places.”


Heb “one who lays the beams on water [in] his upper rooms.” The “water” mentioned here corresponds to the “waters above” mentioned in Gen 1:7 . For a discussion of the picture envisioned by the psalmist, see L. I. J. Stadelmann, The Hebrew Conception of the World , 44-45.


Heb “and his attendants a flaming fire.” The lack of agreement between the singular “fire” and plural “attendants” has prompted various emendations. Some read “fire and flame.” The present translation assumes an emendation to “his attendant” ( יו in the Hebrew text being virtually dittographic). sn In Ugaritic mythology Yam’s messengers appear as flaming fire before the assembly of the gods. See G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends , 42.


Heb “you covered it.” The masculine suffix is problematic if the grammatically feminine noun “earth” is the antecedent. For this reason some emend the form to a feminine verb with feminine suffix, כִּסַּתָּה ( kisattah , “[the watery deep] covered it [i.e., the earth]”), a reading assumed by the present translation.


Heb “stood.”


Heb “from your shout they fled, from the sound of your thunder they hurried off.” sn Verses 7-8 poetically depict Gen 1:9-10 .


Heb “a boundary you set up, they will not cross, they will not return to cover the earth.”


Heb “[the] one who sends springs into streams.” Another option is to translate, “he sends streams [i.e., streams that originate from springs] into the valleys” (cf. NIV).


Heb “among the thick foliage they give a sound.”


Heb “from his upper rooms.”


Heb “from the fruit of your works the earth is full.” The translation assumes that “fruit” is literal here. If “fruit” is understood more abstractly as “product; result,” then one could translate, “the earth flourishes as a result of your deeds” (cf. NIV, NRSV, REB).


Heb “causes the grass to sprout up.”


Heb “for the service of man” (see Gen 2:5 ).


Heb “to cause food to come out from the earth.”


Heb “and wine [that] makes the heart of man happy.”


Heb “to make [the] face shine from oil.” The Hebrew verb צָהַל ( tsahal , “to shine”) occurs only here in the OT. It appears to be an alternate form of צָהַר ( tsahar ), a derivative from צָהָרִים ( tsaharim , “noon”).


Heb “and food [that] sustains the heart of man.”


Heb “are satisfied,” which means here that they receive abundant rain (see v. 13 ).


Heb “[the] heron [in the] evergreens [is] its home.” sn The cedars and evergreens of the Lebanon forest are frequently associated (see, for example, 2 Chr 2:8 ; Isa 14:8; 37:24 ; Ezek 31:8 ).


Heb “the high mountains [are] for the goats.”


Heb “he made [the] moon for appointed times.” The phrase “appointed times” probably refers to the months of the Hebrew lunar calendar.


Heb more metaphorically, “knows its setting.”


Heb “you make darkness, so that it might be night.”


Heb “lie down.”


Heb “man goes out to his work, and to his labor until evening.”


Heb “How many [are] your works, O Lord .” In this case the Lord ’s “works” are the creatures he has made, as the preceding and following contexts make clear.


Heb “all of them with wisdom you have made.”


Heb “this [is] the sea, great and broad of hands [i.e., “sides” or “shores”].”


Heb “where [there are] swimming things, and without number.”


Heb “[and] this Leviathan, [which] you formed to play in it.” Elsewhere Leviathan is a multiheaded sea monster that symbolizes forces hostile to God (see Ps 74:14 ; Isa 27:1 ), but here it appears to be an actual marine creature created by God, probably some type of whale.


Heb “All of them.” The pronoun “them” refers not just to the sea creatures mentioned in vv. 25-26 , but to all living things (see v. 24 ). This has been specified in the translation as “all of your creatures” for clarity.


Heb “to give their food in its time.”


Heb “they are satisfied [with] good.”


Heb “you hide your face, they are terrified.”


Heb “be forever.”


Or “rejoice in his works.”


Heb “in my duration.”


That is, the psalmist’s thoughts as expressed in his songs of praise.


Or “be destroyed.”


Heb “and the judgments of his mouth.”


Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”


Some mss have “Israel,” which appears in the parallel version of this psalm in 1 Chr 16:13 .


Heb “his”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Heb “sons.”


Heb “in all the earth [are] his judgments.”


Heb “[the] word he commanded.” The text refers here to God’s unconditional covenantal promise to Abraham and the patriarchs, as vv. 10-12 make clear.


Heb “which.”


Or “eternal covenant.”


Heb “and from a kingdom to another nation.”


The word “saying” is supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.


Heb “anointed.”


Heb “and every staff of food he broke.” The psalmist refers to the famine that occurred in Joseph’s time (see v. 17 and Gen 41:53-57 ).


After the reference to the famine in v. 16 , v. 17 flashes back to events that preceded the famine (see ).


Heb “they afflicted his feet with shackles.”


Heb “his neck came [into] iron.” The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ ( nefesh ) with the suffix could mean simply “he” or “his life.” But the nuance “neck” makes good sense here (note the reference to his “feet” in the preceding line). See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 38.


Heb “word,” probably referring to Joseph’s prediction about the fate of Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker (see Gen 41:9-14 ).


This line may refer to Joseph’s prediction of the famine in response to Pharaoh’s dream. Joseph emphasized to Pharaoh that the interpretation of the dream came from God (see Gen 41:16, 25, 28, 32, 39 ).


Heb “refined him.”


Heb “[the] king sent and set him free.”


Heb “he made him master of his house.”


Heb “to bind his officials by his will.”


Heb “and his elders he taught wisdom.”


Heb “entered.”


Heb “lived as a resident alien.”


Heb “and he”; the referent (the Lord ) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Heb “him,” referring to “his people.”


Heb “his,” referring to “his people.”


Heb “their heart.”


Or “to deal deceptively.” The Hitpael of נָכַל ( nakhal ) occurs only here and in Gen 37:18 , where it is used of Joseph’s brothers “plotting” to kill him.


Apparently the pronoun refers to “his servants” (i.e., the Israelites, see v. 25 ).


Heb “he sent darkness and made it dark.” sn He made it dark . The psalmist begins with the ninth plague (see Exod 10:21-29 ).


Heb “they did not rebel against his words.” Apparently this refers to Moses and Aaron, who obediently carried out God’s orders.


Heb “he spoke and flies came.”


Heb “he gave their rains hail.”


Heb “fire of flames [was] in their land.”


Heb “he spoke and locusts came.”


Heb “the fruit of their ground.”


Heb “the beginning of all their strength,” that is, reproductive power (see Ps 78:51 ). sn Verses 28-36 recall the plagues in a different order than the one presented in Exodus: v. 28 (plague 9), v. 29 (plague 1), v. 30 (plague 2), v. 31 a (plague 4), v. 31 b (plague 3), vv. 32-33 (plague 7), vv. 34-35 (plague 8), v. 36 (plague 10). No reference is made in to plagues 5 and 6.


Heb “them”; the referent (the Lord ’s people) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.


The word “enriched” is supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.


Heb “for fear of them had fallen upon them.”


Or “curtain.”


Heb “he [i.e., his people] asked.” The singular form should probably be emended to a plural שָׁאֲלוּ ( sha ’ alu , “they asked”), the vav ( ו ) having fallen off by haplography (note the vav at the beginning of the following form).


Or “bread of heaven.” The reference is to manna (see Exod 16:4, 13-15 ).


Or “for.”


Heb “his holy word.”


Heb “and he led his people out with joy, with a ringing cry, his chosen ones.”


Heb “and the [product of the] work of peoples they possessed.”


Heb “guard.”


Heb “[or] cause to be heard all his praise.”


Heb “good.”


Heb “in order that [I may] rejoice with the rejoicing of your nation.”


Heb “with your inheritance.”


Heb “with.”


Heb “fathers” (also in v. 7 ).


Heb “Reed Sea” (also in vv. 9, 22 ). “Reed Sea” (or “Sea of Reeds”) is a more accurate rendering of the Hebrew expression יָם סוּף ( yam suf ), traditionally translated “Red Sea.” See the note on the term “Red Sea” in Exod 13:18 . sn They rebelled . The psalmist recalls the people’s complaint recorded in Exod 14:12 .


Heb “his name,” which here stands metonymically for God’s reputation.


Or “rebuked.”


Heb “hand.”


Or “redeemed.”


Heb “remained.”


Heb “his words.”


Heb “his works.”


Heb “his counsel.”


Heb “they craved [with] a craving.”


Heb “they tested God.”


Heb “and he sent leanness into their being.” sn Disease . See Num 11:33-34 , where this plague is described.


Or “envied.”


Heb “the holy one of the Lord .”


Or “covered.”


Or “the assembly of Abiram.”


Heb “their glory.” According to an ancient Hebrew scribal tradition, the text originally read “his glory” or “my glory.” In Jer 2:11 the Lord states that his people (Israel) exchanged “their glory” (a reference to the Lord ) for worthless idols.


Heb “forgot.”


Or “awe-inspiring.”


Heb “and he said.”


Heb “if not,” that is, “[and would have] if [Moses] had not.”


Heb “stood in the gap before him.”


Heb “to turn back his anger from destroying.” sn Verses 19-23 describe the events of Exod 32:1-35 .


Heb “a land of delight” (see also Jer 3:19 ; Zech 7:14 ).


Heb “his word.”


Heb “did not listen to the voice of.”


Heb “and he lifted his hand to [or “concerning”] them.” The idiom “to lift a hand” here refers to swearing an oath. One would sometimes solemnly lift one’s hand when making such a vow (see Ezek 20:5-6, 15 ).


Heb “to cause them to fall.”


Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”


Heb “and to cause their offspring to fall.” Some emend the verb to “scatter” to form tighter parallelism with the following line (cf. NRSV “disperse”).


Heb “among the lands.” The word “foreign” is supplied in the translation for clarification.


Heb “joined themselves to.” sn They worshiped Baal of Peor . See Num 25:3, 5 . Baal of Peor was a local manifestation of the Canaanite deity Baal located at Peor.


Here “the dead” may refer to deceased ancestors (see Deut 26:14 ). Another option is to understand the term as a derogatory reference to the various deities which the Israelites worshiped at Peor along with Baal (see Num 25:2 and L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 49).


Heb “They made angry [him].” The pronominal suffix is omitted here, but does appear in a few medieval Hebrew mss . Perhaps it was accidentally left off, an original וַיַּכְעִיסוּהוּ ( vayyakh ’ isuhu ) being misread as וַיַּכְעִיסוּ ( vayyakh ’ isu ). In the translation the referent of the pronominal suffix (the Lord ) has been specified for clarity to avoid confusion with Baal of Peor (mentioned in the previous verse).


Heb “and it was reckoned to him for righteousness, to a generation and a generation forever.” The verb חָשַׁב ( khashav , “to reckon”) is collocated with צְדָקָה ( tsÿdaqah , “righteousness”) only in Ps 106:31 and Gen 15:6 , where God rewards Abram’s faith with a land grant. sn Brought him a reward . See Num 25:12-13 .


Heb “there was harm to Moses.”


The Hebrew text vocalizes the form as הִמְרוּ ( himru ), a Hiphil from מָרָה ( marah , “to behave rebelliously”), but the verb fits better with the object (“his spirit”) if it is revocalized as הֵמֵרוּ ( hemeru ), a Hiphil from מָרַר ( marar , “to be bitter”). The Israelites “embittered” Moses’ “spirit” in the sense that they aroused his temper with their complaints.


Heb “his spirit.”


The Hebrew text adds “with his lips,” but this has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons. sn Verses 32-33 allude to the events of Num 20:1-13 .


That is, the nations of Canaan.


Heb “their deeds.”


Or “served.”


The Hebrew term שֵׁדִים ( shedim , “demons”) occurs only here and in Deut 32:17 . Some type of lesser deity is probably in view.


Heb “and they committed adultery in their actions.” This means that they were unfaithful to the Lord (see Ps 73:27 ).


Heb “the anger of the Lord burned against his people.”


Heb “his inheritance.”


Heb “gave them into the hand of.”


Heb “they were subdued under their hand.”


The prefixed verbal form is either preterite or imperfect, in which case it is customary, describing repeated action in past time (“he would deliver”).


Heb “but they rebelled in their counsel.” The prefixed verbal form is either preterite or imperfect, in which case it is customary, describing repeated action in past time (“they would have a rebellious attitude”).


Heb “they sank down.” The Hebrew verb מָכַךְ ( makhakh , “to lower; to sink”) occurs only here in the Qal.


The Niphal of נָחַם ( nakham ) refers here to God relenting from a punishment already underway.


Or “captors.”


Heb “to give thanks.” The infinitive construct indicates result after the imperative.


Heb “to boast in your praise.”


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


Heb “from everlasting to everlasting.”


Heb “surely” ( אָמֵן , ’ amen ), traditionally transliterated “amen.”


Or “let the redeemed of the Lord say [so].”


Or “redeemed.”


Heb “hand.”


Heb “from lands.” The word “foreign” is supplied in the translation for clarification.


Heb “and their soul in them fainted.”


Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.”


Heb “[the] longing throat.” The noun נֶפֶשׁ ( nefesh ), which frequently refers to one’s very being or soul, here probably refers to one’s parched “throat” (note the parallelism with נֶפֱשׁ רְעֵבָה , nefesh rÿ ’ evah , “hungry throat”).


Heb “and [the] hungry throat he has filled [with] good.”


Heb “those who sat in darkness and deep darkness.” Synonyms are joined here to emphasize the degree of “darkness” experienced by the exiles. The Hebrew term צַלְמָוֶת ( tsalmavet , “deep darkness”) has traditionally been understood as a compound noun, meaning “shadow of death” ( צֵל + מָוֶת [ tsel + mavet ]; see BDB 853 s.v. צַלְמָוֶת ; cf. NASB). Other authorities prefer to vocalize the form צַלְמוּת ( tsalmut ) and understand it as an abstract noun (from the root צלם ) meaning “darkness.” An examination of the word’s usage favors the latter derivation. It is frequently associated with darkness/night and contrasted with light/morning (see Job 3:5; 10:21-22; 12:22; 24:17; 28:3; 34:22 ; Ps 107:10, 14 ; Isa 9:1 ; Jer 13:16 ; Amos 5:8 ). In some cases the darkness described is associated with the realm of death ( Job 10:21-22; 38:17 ), but this is a metaphorical application of the word and does not reflect its inherent meaning. In Ps 107:10 the word refers metonymically to a dungeon, which in turn metaphorically depicts the place of Israel’s exile (see vv. 2-3 ).


Heb “those bound in suffering and iron.” “Suffering and iron” is a hendiadys (like English “good and angry”), where both words contribute to one idea. In this case the first word characterizes the second; the iron (chains) contribute to the prisoners’ pain and suffering.


Heb “the words of God.”


Heb “the counsel of the Most High.”


Heb “and he subdued with suffering their heart.”


Heb “darkness and deep darkness.” See the note on the word “darkness” in v. 10 .


Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.” See v. 8 .


Heb “fools [they were] because of the way of their rebellion.”


Heb “all food their appetite loathed.”


Heb “he sent his word.” This probably refers to an oracle of assurance which announced his intention to intervene (see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 59).


Heb “he rescued from their traps.” The Hebrew word שְׁחִית ( shekhit , “trap”) occurs only here and in Lam 4:20 , where it refers to a trap or pit in which one is captured. Because of the rarity of the term and the absence of an object with the verb “rescued,” some prefer to emend the text of Ps 107:20 , reading מִשַׁחַת חַיָּתָם ( mishakhat khayyatam , “[he rescued] their lives from the pit”). Note also NIV “from the grave,” which interprets the “pit” as Sheol or the grave.


Heb “and let them proclaim his works with a ringing cry.”


Heb “those going down [into].”


Heb “doers of work on the mighty waters.”


Heb “he spoke and caused to stand a stormy wind.”


Heb “and it stirred up its [i.e., the sea’s, see v. 23 ] waves.”


That is, the waves (see v. 25 ).


Heb “their being”; traditionally “their soul” (referring to that of the sailors). This is sometimes translated “courage” (cf. NIV, NRSV).


Or “melted.”


Heb “from danger.”


Only here does the Hebrew verb חָגַג ( khagag ; normally meaning “to celebrate”) carry the nuance “to sway.”


The Hitpael of בָלַע ( vala ’) occurs only here in the OT. Traditionally the form is derived from the verbal root בלע (“to swallow”), but HALOT 135 s.v. III בלע understands a homonym here with the meaning “to be confused.”


Heb “he raised [the] storm to calm.”


Heb “their waves.” The antecedent of the third masculine plural pronominal suffix is not readily apparent, unless it refers back to “waters” in v. 23 .


Heb “they”; the referent (the sailors) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Heb “they”; the referent (the waves) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


The Hebrew noun occurs only here in the OT.


Heb “in the seat of the elders.”


The verbal form appears to be a preterite, which is most naturally taken as narrational. (The use of prefixed forms with vav [ ו ] consecutive in vv. 36-37 favor this.) The psalmist may return to the theme of God’s intervention for the exiles (see vv. 4-22 , especially vv. 4-9 ). However, many regard vv. 33-41 as a hymnic description which generalizes about God’s activities among men. In this case it would be preferable to use the English present tense throughout (cf. NEB, NRSV).


Heb “a salty land.”


The words “As for his people” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity. The psalmist contrasts God’s judgment on his enemies with his blessing of his people. See the note on the word “enemies” in v. 39 for further discussion.


The verbal form appears to be a preterite, which is most naturally taken as narrational. See the note on the word “turned” in v. 33 .


Heb “sowed seed in.”


Heb “fruit [as] produce.”


“Bless” here carries the nuance “endue with sexual potency, make fertile.” See Gen 1:28 , where the statement “he blessed them” directly precedes the command “be fruitful and populate the earth” (see also 1:22 ). The verb “bless” carries this same nuance in Gen 17:16 (where God’s blessing of Sarai imparts to her the capacity to bear a child); 48:16 (where God’s blessing of Joseph’s sons is closely associated with their having numerous descendants); and Deut 7:13 (where God’s blessing is associated with fertility in general, including numerous descendants). See also Gen 49:25 (where Jacob uses the noun derivative in referring to “blessings of the breast and womb,” an obvious reference to fertility) and Gen 27:27 (where the verb is used of a field to which God has given the capacity to produce vegetation).


The verbal form in this line appears to be an imperfect, which may be taken as customary (drawing attention to typical action in a past time frame) or as generalizing (in which case one should use the English present tense, understanding a move from narrative to present reality).


The words “As for their enemies” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity. Without such clarification, one might think that v. 39 refers to those just mentioned in v. 38 as objects of divine blessing, which would contradict the point just emphasized by the psalmist. The structure of vv. 33-42 is paneled (A-B-A-B). In vv. 33-34 the psalmist describes God’s judgment upon his enemies (perhaps those who had enslaved his people). In vv. 35-38 he contrasts this judgment with the divine blessing poured out on God’s people. (See the note on the word “people” in v. 35 .) In vv. 39-40 he contrasts this blessing with the judgment experienced by enemies, before returning in vv. 41-42 to the blessing experienced by God’s people.


Heb “from the oppression of calamity.”


The active participle is understood as past durative here, drawing attention to typical action in a past time frame. However, it could be taken as generalizing (in which case one should translate using the English present tense), in which case the psalmist moves from narrative to present reality. Perhaps the participial form appears because the statement is lifted from Job 12:21 .


Heb “set on high.”


Heb “all evil,” which stands metonymically for those who do evil.


Or perhaps “confident”; Heb “my heart is steadfast.” The “heart” is viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s volition and/or emotions.


BDB 1007 s.v. שַׁחַר takes “dawn” as an adverbial accusative, though others understand it as a personified direct object. “Dawn” is used metaphorically for the time of deliverance and vindication the psalmist anticipates. When salvation “dawns,” the psalmist will “wake up” in praise.


Or “the peoples.”


Heb “for great upon the sky [or “heavens”] [is] your loyal love.”


Or “be exalted.”


Heb “over all the earth [be] your splendor.” Though no verb appears, the tone of the statement is a prayer or wish. (Note the imperative form in the preceding line.)


Heb “right hand.”


Or “may be rescued.” The lines are actually reversed in the Hebrew text: “So that the ones you love may be rescued, deliver by your power and answer me.”


Heb “in his holy place.”


Gilead was located east of the Jordan River. Half of the tribe of Manasseh lived east of the Jordan in the region of Bashan.


Heb “the protection of my head.” sn Ephraim , one of Joseph’s sons, was one of two major tribes located west of the Jordan River. By comparing Ephraim to a helmet, the Lord suggests that the Ephraimites played a primary role in the defense of his land.


Heb “over Edom I will throw my sandal.” The point of the metaphor is not entirely clear. Some interpret this as idiomatic for “taking possession of.” Others translate עַל (’ al ) as “to” and understand this as referring to a master throwing his dirty sandal to a servant so that the latter might dust it off.


Heb “and futile [is] the deliverance of man.”


Heb “in God we will accomplish strength.” The statement refers here to military success (see Num 24:18 ; 1 Sam 14:48 ; Pss 60:12; 118:16-16 ).


Heb “for a mouth of evil and a mouth of deceit against me they open, they speak with me [with] a tongue of falsehood.”


Heb “and [with] words of hatred they surround me.”


Heb “in place of my love they oppose me.”


Heb “and I, prayer.”


Heb “and they set upon me evil in place of good.”


Heb “appoint against him an evil [man].”


The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive here (note the imperative in the preceding line).


The prefixed verbal form could be taken as a jussive, but the use of the imperfect form in the following line suggests that v. 7 anticipates the outcome of the accusation envisioned in v. 6 .


Heb “he will go out [as] a criminal” (that is, guilty).


The prefixed verbal forms (except those with vav [ ו ] consecutive) in vv. 8-20 are taken as jussives of prayer. Note the distinct jussive forms used in vv. 12-13, 15, 19 .


The Hebrew noun פְּקֻדָּה ( pÿquddah ) can mean “charge” or “office,” though BDB 824 s.v. suggests that here it refers to his possessions.


Or “sons.”


Heb “and roaming, may his children roam and beg, and seek from their ruins.” Some, following the LXX, emend the term וְדָרְשׁוּ ( vÿdoreshu , “and seek”) to יְגֹרְשׁוּ ( yÿgoreshu ; a Pual jussive, “may they be driven away” [see Job 30:5 ; cf. NIV, NRSV]), but דָּרַשׁ ( darash ) nicely parallels שִׁאֵלוּ ( shi ’ elu , “and beg”) in the preceding line.


Heb “lay snares for” (see Ps 38:12 ).


Heb “the product of his labor.”


Heb “may there not be for him one who extends loyal love.”


Perhaps this refers to being generous (see Ps 37:21 ).


Or “offspring.”


Heb “in another generation may their name be wiped out.”


Or “fathers’ sins.”


Heb “not be wiped out.” sn According to ancient Israelite theology and its doctrine of corporate solidarity and responsibility, children could be and often were punished for the sins of their parents. For a discussion of this issue see J. Kaminsky, Corporate Responsibility in the Hebrew Bible (JSOTSup). (Kaminsky, however, does not deal with .)


Heb “may they [that is, the sins mentioned in v. 14 ] be before the Lord continually.”


Heb “their memory.” The plural pronominal suffix probably refers back to the children mentioned in v. 13 , and for clarity this has been specified in the translation.


Heb “he did not remember to do loyal love.”


Heb “and he chased an oppressed and needy man, and one timid of heart to put [him] to death.”


Heb “and he loved a curse and it came [upon] him.” A reference to the evil man experiencing a curse seems premature here, for the psalmist is asking God to bring judgment on his enemies. For this reason some (cf. NIV, NRSV) prefer to repoint the vav ( ו ) on “it came” as conjunctive and translate the verb as a jussive of prayer (“may it come upon him!”). The prefixed form with vav consecutive in the next line is emended in the same way and translated, “may it be far from him.” However, the psalmist may be indicating that the evil man’s lifestyle has already begun to yield its destructive fruit.


Heb “and he did not delight in a blessing and it is far from him.”


Heb “he put on a curse as [if it were] his garment.”


Heb “and it came like water into his inner being, and like oil into his bones.” This may refer to this individual’s appetite for cursing. For him cursing was as refreshing as drinking water or massaging oneself with oil. Another option is that the destructive effects of a curse are in view. In this case a destructive curse invades his very being, like water or oil. Some who interpret the verse this way prefer to repoint the vav ( ו ) on “it came” to a conjunctive vav and interpret the prefixed verb as a jussive, “may it come!”


Heb “may it be for him like a garment one puts on.”


The Hebrew noun מֵזַח ( mezakh , “belt; waistband”) occurs only here in the OT. The form apparently occurs in Isa 23:10 as well, but an emendation is necessary there.


Heb “[may] this [be] the repayment to my accusers from the Lord .”


Or “against.”


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


Heb “but you, Lord , Master, do with me for the sake of your name.” Here “name” stands metonymically for God’s reputation.


The verb in the Hebrew text ( חָלַל , khalal ) appears to be a Qal form from the root חלל meaning “pierced; wounded.” However, the Qal of this root is otherwise unattested. The translation assumes an emendation to יָחִיל ( yakhil ), a Qal imperfect from חוּל ( khul , “tremble”) or to חֹלַל ( kholal ), a polal perfect from חוּל ( khul ). See Ps 55:4 , which reads לִבִּי יָחִיל בְּקִרְבִּי ( libbiy yakhil bÿqirbbiy , “my heart trembles [i.e., “beats violently”] within me”).


Heb “like a shadow when it is extended I go.” He is like a late afternoon shadow made by the descending sun that will soon be swallowed up by complete darkness. See Ps 102:11 .


Heb “my knees stagger from fasting.”


Heb “and my flesh is lean away from fatness [i.e., “lean so as not to be fat”].”


Heb “as for me, I am a reproach to them.”


Heb “deliver me according to your faithfulness.”


After the preceding imperative, the prefixed verbal form with vav ( ו ) conjunctive indicates purpose or result.


Heb “that your hand [is] this.”


Another option is to translate the imperfect as a prayer/request (“may you bless”).


The verbal sequence is perfect + prefixed form with vav ( ו ) consecutive. Since the psalmist seems to be anticipating the demise of his enemies, he may be using these forms rhetorically to describe the enemies’ defeat as if it were already accomplished. Some emend the text to קָמוּ יֵבֹשׁוּ ( qamu yevoshu , “may those who attack me be humiliated”). See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 75.


Heb “clothed.” Another option is to translate the prefixed verbal forms in this line and the next as jussives (“may my accusers be covered with shame”).


Heb “I will thank the Lord very much with my mouth.”


Heb “many.”


Heb “judge.”


The word נְאֻם ( nÿ ’ um ) is used frequently in the OT of a formal divine announcement through a prophet.


To sit at the “right hand” of the king was an honor (see 1 Kgs 2:19 ). In Ugaritic myth ( CTA 4 v. 108-10) the artisan god Kothar-and Khasis is described as sitting at the right hand of the storm god Baal. See G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends , 61-62. sn The Lord’s invitation to the Davidic king to sit down at his right hand reflects the king’s position as the Lord’s vice-regent.


Since the Lord is mentioned in the third person (note the use of the first person in v. 1 ), it is likely that these are the psalmist’s words to the king, not a continuation of the oracle per se.


The prefixed verbal form is understood here as descriptive-dramatic or as generalizing, though it could be taken as future.


Heb “your strong scepter,” symbolic of the king’s royal authority and dominion.


Heb “your people, free will offerings.” Perhaps the people, in their willingness to volunteer, are compared metaphorically to freewill offerings. Following the LXX, some revocalize the text and read “with you is nobility.”


Heb “in the day of your power.”


Heb “in splendor of holiness.” The plural construct form הַדְרֵי ( hadrey , from הָדַר , hadar , “splendor”) occurs only here; it may indicate degree or perhaps refer by metonymy to garments (see Pss 29:2 and 96:9 , where the phrase הַדְרַת קֹדֶשׁ [ hadrat qodesh ] refers to “holy attire”). If one retains the reading of the MT, this phrase should probably be taken with the preceding line. However, because of the subsequent references to “dawn” and to “dew,” it is better to emend the text to הַרְרֵי קֹדֶשׁ ( harrey qodesh , “mountains of holiness”), a reading found in many medieval Hebrew mss and in some other ancient witnesses (see Joel 2:2 ; Ps 133:3 , as well as L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 80). The “mountains of holiness” are probably the hills surrounding Zion (see Ps 87:1; 125:2; 133:3 ).


Heb “from the womb of dawn.” The Hebrew noun רֶחֶם ( rekhem , “womb”) is probably used here metonymically for “birth.” The form מִשְׁחָר ( mishkhar ) occurs only here and should be emended to שַׁחַר ( shakhar , “dawn”) with the mem ( מ ) being understood as dittographic (note the final mem [ ם ] on the preceding word). The phrase “womb [i.e., “birth”] of dawn” refers to sunrise.


Heb “to you [is].”


Or “swears, vows.”


Or “will not change his mind.” The negated Niphal imperfect of נָחַם ( nakham ) is a way of marking an announcement as an irrevocable decree. See 1 Sam 15:29 ; Ezek 24:14 , as well as R. B. Chisholm, “Does God ‘Change His Mind’?” BSac 152 (1995): 387-99.


The phrase עַל־דִּבְרָתִי (’ al-divratiy ) is a variant of עַל־דִּבְרָת (’ al-divrat ; the final yod [ י ] being an archaic genitival ending), which in turn is a variant of עַל דָּבַר (’ al davar ). Both phrases can mean “concerning” or “because of,” but neither of these nuances fits the use of עַל־דִּבְרָתִי in Ps 110:4 . Here the phrase probably carries the sense “according to the manner of.” See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 81.


As pointed in the Hebrew text, this title refers to God (many medieval Hebrew mss read יְהוָה , yehveh , “ Lord ” here). The present translation assumes that the psalmist here addresses the Lord as he celebrates what the king is able to accomplish while positioned at God’s “right hand.” According to this view the king is the subject of the third person verb forms in vv. 5 b-7. (2) Another option is to understand the king as the addressee (as in vv. 2-3 ). In this case “the Lord ” is the subject of the third person verbs throughout vv. 5-7 and is depicted as a warrior in a very anthropomorphic manner. In this case the Lord is pictured as being at the psalmist’s right hand (just the opposite of v. 1 ). See Pss 16:8; 121:5 . (3) A third option is to revocalize אֲדֹנָי (’ adonay , “ Lord ”) as אֲדֹנִי (’ adoniy , “my lord”; see v. 1 ). In this case one may translate, “My lord, at his [God’s] right hand, strikes down.” In this case the king is the subject of the third person verbs in vv. 5 b-7.


The perfect verbal forms in vv. 5-6 are understood here as descriptive-dramatic or as generalizing. Another option is to take them as rhetorical. In this case the psalmist describes anticipated events as if they had already taken place.


Heb “in the day of his anger.”


The imperfect verbal forms in vv. 6-7 are understood here as descriptive-dramatic or as generalizing, though they could be taken as future.


Or “among.”


Heb “he fills [with] corpses,” but one expects a double accusative here. The translation assumes an emendation to גְוִיּוֹת גֵאָיוֹת ( בִּ ) מִלֵּא or מִלֵּא גֵאָיוֹת גְּוִיוֹת (for a similar construction see Ezek 32:5 ). In the former case גֵאָיוֹת ( ge ’ ayot ) has accidentally dropped from the text due to homoioteleuton; in the latter case it has dropped out due to homoioarcton.


Heb “he strikes [the verb is מָחַץ ( makhats ), translated “strikes down” in v. 5 ] head[s] over a great land.” The Hebrew term רַבָּה ( rabbah , “great”) is here used of distance or spatial measurement (see 1 Sam 26:13 ).


Here the expression “lifts up the head” refers to the renewed physical strength and emotional vigor (see Ps 3:3 ) provided by the refreshing water. For another example of a victorious warrior being energized by water in the aftermath of battle, see Judg 15:18-19 (see also 1 Sam 30:11-12 , where the setting is different, however).


Heb “sought out.”


For other uses of the Hebrew phrase וְהָדָר - הוֹד ( hod-vÿhadar , “majesty and splendor”) see 1 Chr 16:27 ; Job 40:10 ; Pss 21:5; 96:6; 104:1 .


Or “stands.”


Or “did,” if this refers primarily to the events of the exodus and conquest period (see vv. 6, 9 ).


Heb “a memorial he had made for his amazing deeds.”


Or “gave,” if the events of the exodus and conquest period (see v. 6, 9 ) are primarily in view.


Heb “those who fear him.”


Or “he remembers his covenant forever” (see Ps 105:8 ).


Heb “the strength of his deeds he proclaimed to his people, to give to them an inheritance of nations.”


Heb “the deeds of his hands [are].”


That is, fair and for man’s good.


Heb “done in faithfulness and uprightness.” The passive participle probably has the force of a gerund. See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 89.


Heb “redemption he sent for his people.”


Heb “he commanded forever his covenant.”


Heb “the beginning of wisdom [is] the fear of the Lord .”


Heb “good sense [is] to all who do them.” The third masculine plural pronominal suffix must refer back to the “precepts” mentioned in v. 7 . In the translation the referent has been specified for clarity. The phrase שֵׂכֶל טוֹב ( shekhel tov ) also occurs in Prov 3:4; 13:15 and 2 Chr 30:22 .


Heb “his praise stands forever.”


Heb “[Oh] the happiness [of] the man.” Hebrew wisdom literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The individual is representative of a larger group, called the “godly” in vv. 3-4 . The principle of the psalm is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender. To facilitate modern application, we translate the gender specific “man” with the more neutral “one.” The generic masculine pronoun is used in the following verses.


Heb “fears.”


Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”


Heb “His seed will be mighty on the earth, the generation of the godly.” The Hebrew term דוֹר ( dor , “generation”) could be taken as parallel to “offspring” and translated “posterity,” but the singular more likely refers to the godly as a class. See BDB 189-90 s.v. for other examples where “generation” refers to a class of people.


Heb “stands forever.”


In this context “light” symbolizes divine blessing in its various forms (see v. 2 ), including material prosperity and stability.


Heb “merciful and compassionate and just.” The Hebrew text has three singular adjectives, which are probably substantival and in apposition to the “godly” (which is plural, however). By switching to the singular, the psalmist focuses on each individual member of the group known as the “godly.” Note how vv. 5-9 , like vv. 1-2 a, use the singular to describe the representative godly individual who typifies the whole group.


Heb “man.”


Heb “he sustains his matters with justice.”


Heb “for an eternal memorial a just [one] will be.”


Heb “his heart,” viewed here as the seat of the volition and emotions (see Ps 108:1 ).


Heb “his heart,” viewed here as the seat of the volition.


Heb “he scatters, he gives.”


Heb “his horn will be lifted up in honor.” 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 ).


The Hebrew text uses the singular; the representative wicked individual is in view as typifying the group (note the use of the plural form in v. 10 ).


Heb “his teeth he will gnash.” In Pss 35:16 and 37:12 this action is associated with a vicious attack.


This could mean that the desires of the wicked will go unfulfilled. Another possibility is that “desire” refers by metonymy to the object desired and acquired. In this case the point is that the wicked will lose what they desired so badly and acquired by evil means (see Ps 10:3 ).


Heb “from the rising of the sun to its setting.” The extent is not temporal (“from sunrise to sunset”) but spatial (“from the place where the sun rises [the east] to the place where it sets [the west].” In the phenomenological language of OT cosmology, the sun was described as rising in the east and setting in the west.


Heb “above the sky [is] his splendor.”


Heb “the one who makes high to sit.”


Heb “the one who makes low to see.”


Heb “of the house.”


Heb “sons.”


Heb “the Jordan” (also in v. 5 ). The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.


Or “give glory.”


The referent of the pronominal suffix is “the nations” (v. 2 ).


Heb “the work of the hands of man.”


Heb “they cannot mutter in their throats.” Verse 5 a refers to speaking, v. 7 c to inarticulate sounds made in the throat (see M. Dahood, Psalms [AB], 3:140-41).


Heb “will be.” Another option is to take the prefixed verbal form as a prayer, “may those who make them end up like them.” sn Because the idols are lifeless, they cannot help their worshipers in times of crisis. Consequently the worshipers end up as dead as the gods in which they trust.


Or “[source of] help.”


Heb “and their shield.”


Heb “house.”


Heb “[you] fearers of the Lord .” See Ps 15:4 .


Or “remembers us.”


Another option is to translate the prefixed form of the verb “bless” in vv. 12-13 as a jussive, “may he bless” (see v. 14 ).


Heb “the fearers of the Lord .”


Heb “the small along with the great.” The translation assumes that “small” and “great” here refer to age (see 2 Chr 15:13 ). Another option is to translate “both the insignificant and the prominent” (see Job 3:19 ; cf. NEB “high and low alike”).


Heb “may he add to you, to you and your sons.” The prefixed verbal form is jussive, indicating this is a prayer.


Or “maker.”


Heb “the heavens [are] heavens to the Lord .”


Heb “to the sons of man.”


Heb “silence,” a metonymy here for death (see Ps 94:17 ).


Heb “because he turned his ear to me.”


Heb “and in my days I will cry out.”


Heb “surrounded me.”


The Hebrew noun מצר (“straits; distress”) occurs only here, Ps 118:5 and Lam 1:3 . If retained, it refers to Sheol as a place where one is confined or severely restricted (cf. BDB 865 s.v. מֵצַר , “ the straits of Sheol”; NIV “the anguish of the grave”; NRSV “the pangs of Sheol”). However, HALOT 624 s.v. מֵצַר suggests an emendation to מְצָדֵי ( mÿtsadey , “snares of”), a rare noun attested in Job 19:6 and Eccl 7:26 . This proposal, which is reflected in the translation, produces better parallelism with “ropes” in the preceding line.


The translation assumes the prefixed verbal form is a preterite. The psalmist recalls the crisis from which the Lord delivered him.


Heb “guards.” The active participle indicates this is a characteristic of the Lord .


Or “the [morally] naive,” that is, the one who is young and still in the process of learning right from wrong and distinguishing wisdom from folly. See Ps 19:7 .


Heb “I was low.”


Heb “return, my soul, to your place of rest.”


The Hebrew idiom גָּמַל עַל ( gamal ’ al ) means “to repay,” here in a positive sense (cf. Ps 13:5 ).


Or “for.”


“ Lord ” is supplied here in the translation for clarification.


Heb “walk before” (see Ps 56:13 ). On the meaning of the Hebrew idiom, see the notes at 2 Kgs 20:3 / Isa 38:3 .


Heb “lands, regions.”


Heb “I said in my haste.”


Heb “a cup of deliverance I will lift up.” Perhaps this alludes to a drink offering the psalmist will present as he thanks the Lord for his deliverance. See v. 17 .


Heb “precious in the eyes of the Lord [is] the death of his godly ones.” The point is not that God delights in or finds satisfaction in the death of his followers! The psalmist, who has been delivered from death, affirms that the life-threatening experiences of God’s followers get God’s attention, just as a precious or rare object would attract someone’s eye. See Ps 72:14 for a similar expression of this belief.


Heb “I am your servant, the son of your female servant.” The phrase “son of a female servant” (see also Ps 86:16 ) 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 “you have loosed my bonds.” In this context the imagery refers to deliverance from death (see v. 3 ).


For this sense of the Hebrew verb גָּבַר ( gavar ), see Ps 103:11 and L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 17, 19.


Heb “house.”


Heb “fearers of the Lord .” See Ps 15:4 .


Heb “from the distress.” The noun מֵצַר ( metsar , “straits; distress”) occurs only here and in Lam 1:3 . In Ps 116:3 מצר should probably be emended to מְצָדֵי ( mÿtsadey , “snares of”).


Heb “the Lord answered me in a wide open place.”


Heb “for me.”


The rhetorical question assumes the answer, “Nothing!” The imperfect is used in a modal sense here, indicating capability or potential. See Ps 56:11 .


Heb “among my helpers.” The preposition may indicate identity here, while the plural may be one of majesty or respect.


“Taking shelter” in the Lord is an idiom for seeking his protection. Seeking his protection presupposes and even demonstrates the subject’s loyalty to the Lord . In the psalms those who “take shelter” in the Lord are contrasted with the wicked and equated with those who love, fear, and serve the Lord ( Pss 5:11-12; 31:17-20; 34:21-22 ).


In this context the phrase “in the name of the Lord ” means “by the Lord ’s power.”


Traditionally the verb has been derived from מוּל ( mul , “to circumcise”) and translated “[I] cut [them] off” (see BDB 557-58 s.v. II מוּל ). However, it is likely that this is a homonym meaning “to fend off” (see HALOT 556 s.v. II מול ) or “to push away.” In this context, where the psalmist is reporting his past experience, the prefixed verbal form is best understood as a preterite. The phrase also occurs in vv. 11, 12 .


Heb “were extinguished.”


The point seems to be that the hostility of the nations (v. 10 ) is short-lived, like a fire that quickly devours thorns and then burns out. Some, attempting to create a better parallel with the preceding line, emend דֹּעֲכוּ ( do ’ akhu , “they were extinguished”) to בָּעֲרוּ ( ba ’ aru , “they burned”). In this case the statement emphasizes their hostility.


Heb “pushing, you pushed me.” The infinitive absolute emphasizes the following verbal idea. The psalmist appears to address the nations as if they were an individual enemy. Some find this problematic and emend the verb form (which is a Qal perfect second masculine singular with a first person singular suffix) to נִדְחֵיתִי ( nidkheti ), a Niphal perfect first common singular, “I was pushed.”


Heb “to fall,” i.e., “that [I] might fall.”


Heb “my strength and protection [is] the Lord .” The Hebrew term זִמְרָת ( zimrat ) is traditionally understood as meaning “song” (“my strength and song [is] the Lord ”) in which case one might translate, “for the Lord gives me strength and joy” (i.e., a reason to sing). However, many recent commentators have argued that the noun זִמְרָת is here a homonym, meaning “protection” or “strength.” See HALOT 274 s.v.; cf. NEB “The Lord is my refuge and defence”; NRSV “my strength and my might.”


Or “salvation.”


Heb “the sound of a ringing shout and deliverance [is] in the tents of the godly.”


Heb “does valiantly.” The statement refers here to military success (see Num 24:18 ; 1 Sam 14:48 ; Pss 60:12; 108:13 ).


Heb “exalts.”


Heb “the works of the Lord .”


The infinitive absolute emphasizes the following verbal idea.


Heb “the gates of justice.” The gates of the Lord ’s temple are referred to here, as v. 20 makes clear. They are called “gates of justice” because they are the entrance to the just king’s palace. This has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Or “rejected.”


Heb “the head of the corner.” sn The metaphor of the stone…the builders discarded describes the way in which God’s deliverance reversed the psalmist’s circumstances. When he was in distress, he was like a stone which was discarded by builders as useless, but now that he has been vindicated by God, all can see that he is of special importance to God, like the cornerstone of the building.


Heb “it is amazing in our eyes.” The use of the plural pronoun here and in vv. 24-27 suggests that the psalmist may be speaking for the entire nation. However, it is more likely that vv. 22-27 are the people’s response to the psalmist’s thanksgiving song (see especially v. 26 ). They rejoice with him because his deliverance on the battlefield (see vv. 10-12 ) had national repercussions.


Heb “this is the day the Lord has made.” Though sometimes applied in a general way, this statement in its context refers to the day of deliverance which the psalmist and people celebrate.


The pronominal suffix is second masculine plural, but the final mem ( ם ) is probably dittographic (note the mem [ מ ] at the beginning of the following form) or enclitic, in which case the suffix may be taken as second masculine singular, referring to the psalmist.


Heb “from the house of the Lord .”


Heb “and he has given us light.” This may be an elliptical expression, with “his face” being implied as the object (see Num 6:25 ; Pss 31:16; 67:1; 80:3, 7, 19 ). In this case, “his face has given us light” = “he has smiled on us,” or “he has shown us his favor.” Another option (the one reflected in the translation) is that “light” here symbolizes divine blessing in the form of deliverance. “Light” is often used as a metaphor for deliverance and the life/blessings it brings. See Pss 37:6; 97:11; 112:4 ; Isa 49:6; 51:4 ; Mic 7:8 . Some prefer to repoint the form וְיָאֵר ( vÿya ’ er ; vav [ ו ] conjunctive + jussive) and translate the statement as a prayer, “may he give us light.”


The Hebrew noun חַג ( khag ) normally means “festival,” but here it apparently refers metonymically to an offering made at the festival. BDB 291 s.v. חַג 2 interprets the word in this way here, citing as comparable the use of later Hebrew חֲגִיגָה , which can refer to both a festival and a festival offering (see Jastrow 424 s.v. חֲגִיגָה ).


The second half of v. 27 has been translated and interpreted in a variety of ways. For a survey of major views, see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 122.


Or “is forever.”


Heb “[Oh] the happiness of those who are blameless of way.”


Heb “walk in.”


Heb “walk in his ways.”


Heb “you, you commanded your precepts, to keep, very much.”


Heb “if only my ways were established.”


Or “when.”


Heb “I gaze at.”


Heb “I will give you thanks with an upright heart.”


Heb “do not abandon me to excess.” For other uses of the phrase עַד מְאֹד (’ ad mÿ ’ od , “to excess”), see Ps 38:6, 8 .


Heb “young man.” Hebrew wisdom literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The principle of the psalm is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, the gender specific “young man” has been translated with the more neutral “young person.”


Heb “purify his path.”


Heb “by keeping according to your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss as well as the LXX read the plural, “your words.”


Or “hide.”


Heb “your word.” Some medieval Hebrew mss as well as the LXX read the plural, “your words.”


Heb “[are] blessed.”


Heb “of your mouth.”


Heb “in the way of your rules.”


Heb “as upon,” meaning “as if” (see 2 Chr 32:19 ).


Heb “all wealth.” The phrase refers to all kinds of wealth and riches. See Prov 1:13; 6:31; 24:4 ; Ezek 27:12, 18 .


The cohortative verbal forms in this verse express the psalmist’s resolve.


Heb “gaze [at].”


Heb “ways” (referring figuratively to God’s behavior here).


The imperfects in this verse emphasize the attitude the psalmist maintains toward God’s law. Another option is to translate with the future tense, “I will find delight…I will not forget.”


Heb “your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss as well as the LXX read the plural here.


The prefixed verbal form is probably a cohortative indicating purpose/result after the preceding imperative.


The cohortative with vav ( ו ) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the imperative that begins the verse.


Heb “your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss as well as several ancient versions read the plural here.


Heb “uncover.” The verb form גַּל ( gal ) is an apocopated Piel imperative from גָּלָה ( galah , see GKC 214 §75. cc ).


The cohortative with vav ( ו ) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.


Heb “I am a resident alien in the land.” Resident aliens were especially vulnerable and in need of help. They needed to know the social and legal customs of the land to avoid getting into trouble. The translation (note the addition of “like”) assumes the psalmist is speaking metaphorically, not literally.


Heb “my soul languishes for longing for.”


Heb “accursed.” The traditional punctuation of the Hebrew text takes “accursed” with the previous line (“arrogant, accursed ones”), but it is preferable to take it with the second line as the predicate of the statement.


), emend the form to גֹּל ( gol ).


Heb “though rulers sit, about me they talk together.” (For another example of the Niphal of דָּבַר ( davar ) used with a suffixed form of the preposition ב , see Ezek 33:30 .)


Heb “men of my counsel.” That is, God’s rules are like advisers to the psalmist, for they teach him how to live in a godly manner that refutes the accusations of his enemies.


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


Heb “according to your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss read the plural “your words.”


Heb “my ways I proclaimed.”


Heb “the way of your precepts make me understand.”


Heb “your amazing things,” which refers here to the teachings of the law (see v. 18 ).


Some translate “my soul weeps,” taking the verb דָלַף ( dalaf ) from a root meaning “to drip; to drop” (BDB 196 s.v. דֶּלַף ). On the basis of cognate evidence from Arabic and Akkadian, HALOT 223 s.v. II דלף proposes a homonymic root here, meaning “be sleepless.” Following L. C. Allen ( Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 127, 135) the translation assumes that the verb is cognate with Ugaritic dlp , “to collapse; to crumple” in CTA 2 iv. 17, 26. See G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends , 44, 144.


The “path of deceit” refers to a lifestyle characterized by deceit and disloyalty to God. It stands in contrast to the “way of faithfulness” in v. 30 .


Heb “be gracious to me.” The verb is used metonymically here for “graciously giving” the law. (See Gen 33:5 , where Jacob uses this verb in describing how God had graciously given him children.)


BDB 1000-1001 s.v. I שָׁוָה derives the verb from the first homonym listed, meaning “to agree with; to be like; to resemble.” It here means (in the Piel stem) “to be accounted suitable,” which in turn would mean by metonymy “to accept; to be committed to.” Some prefer to derive the verb from a homonym meaning “to place; to set,” but in this case an elliptical prepositional phrase must be understood, “I place your regulations [before me]” (see Ps 16:8 ).


Or “cling to.”


Heb “for you make wide my heart.” The “heart” is viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s volition and understanding. The Lord gives the psalmist the desire and moral understanding that are foundational to the willing obedience depicted metaphorically in the preceding line. In Isa 60:5 the expression “your heart will be wide” means “your heart will swell with pride,” but here the nuance appears to be different.


Heb “the way of your statutes.”


Heb “and I will keep it to the end.” The prefixed verbal form with vav ( ו ) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative. The Hebrew term עֵקֶב (’ eqev ) is understood to mean “end” here. Another option is to take עֵקֶב (’ eqev ) as meaning “reward” here (see Ps 19:11 ) and to translate, “so that I might observe it and be rewarded.”


The two prefixed verbal forms with vav ( ו ) conjunctive indicate purpose/result after the introductory imperative.


Or “make me walk.”


Heb “for in it I delight.”


Heb “turn my heart to your rules.”


Heb “and not unjust gain.”


Heb “Make my eyes pass by from looking at what is worthless.”


Heb “by your word.”


Heb “word.”


Heb “which [is] for your fear,” that is, the promise made to those who exhibit fear of God.


Heb “my reproach that I fear.”


Or “for.”


Or “righteousness.”


Heb “and may your loyal love come to me.”


Or “salvation” (so many English versions).


Heb “according to your word.”


Heb “and I will answer [the] one who insults me a word.” The prefixed verbal form with vav ( ו ) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the jussive (see v. 41 ).


Heb “do not snatch from my mouth a word of truth to excess.” The psalmist wants to be able to give a reliable testimony about the Lord ’s loyal love (vv. 41-42 ), but if God does not intervene, the psalmist will be deprived of doing so, for the evidence of such love (i.e., deliverance) will be lacking.


The cohortative verbal form with vav ( ו ) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the negated jussive (see v. 43 ).


Or “forever and ever.”


Heb “and I will walk about in a wide place.” The cohortative with prefixed vav ( ו ) conjunctive gives a further consequence of the anticipated positive divine response (see vv. 43-44 ). Another option is to take the cohortative as expressing the psalmist’s request. In this case one could translate, “and please give me security.”


The series of four cohortatives with prefixed vav ( ו ) conjunctive in vv. 46-48 list further consequences of the anticipated positive divine response to the request made in v. 43 .


Lifting the hands is often associated with prayer ( Pss 28:2; 63:4 ; Lam 2:19 ). (1) Because praying to God’s law borders on the extreme, some prefer to emend the text to “I lift up my hands to you,” eliminating “your commands, which I love” as dittographic. In this view these words were accidentally repeated from the previous verse. (2) However, it is possible that the psalmist closely associates the law with God himself because he views the law as the expression of the divine will. (3) Another option is that “lifting the hands” does not refer to prayer here, but to the psalmist’s desire to receive and appropriate the law. (4) Still others understand this to be an action praising God’s commands (so NCV; cf. TEV, CEV, NLT).


The demonstrative “this” refers back to the hope just mentioned or forward to the statement in the second line concerning the promise’s power to revive. See the note on the word “me” at the end of the verse for further discussion.


The hope generated by the promise (see v. 49 b) brings comfort because (note “for” at the beginning of the line) the promise revives the psalmist’s spirits. Another option is to take כִּי ( ki ) at the beginning of the second line in the sense of “that,” in which case “this” refers to the promise’s power to revive.


Heb “scoff at me to excess.”


Heb “I remember your regulations from of old.” The prepositional phrase “from of old” apparently modifies “your regulations,” alluding to the fact that God revealed them to Israel in the distant past. Another option is to understand the prepositional phrase as modifying the verb, in which case one might translate, “I have long remembered your regulations.”


Or “find comfort.”


Heb “songs were your statutes to me.”


Heb “in the house of my dwelling place.” Some take the Hebrew noun מָגוֹר ( magor ) in the sense of “temporary abode,” and see this as a reference to the psalmist’s status as a resident alien (see v. 19 ). But the noun can refer to a dwelling place in general (see Ps 55:15 ).


The cohortative verbal form expresses the psalmist’s resolve to obey the law.


Heb “this has been to me.” The demonstrative “this” (1) refers back to the practices mentioned in vv. 54-55 , or (2) looks forward to the statement in the second line, in which case the כִּי ( ki ) at the beginning of the second line should be translated “that.”


Heb “my portion [is] the Lord .” The psalmist compares the Lord to landed property, which was foundational to economic stability in ancient Israel (see Ps 16:5 ).


Heb “I said.”


Heb “to keep your words” (see v. 9 ).


Heb “I appease your face.”


Heb “according to your word.”


Heb “my ways.”


Heb “and I turn my feet toward.”


Heb “I hurry and I do not delay to keep your commands.”


Heb “surround.”


The psalmist uses an imperfect verbal form to emphasize that this is his continuing practice.


Heb “to all who fear you.”


Heb “do good.”


Heb “goodness of taste.” Here “taste” refers to moral and ethical discernment.


Heb “for I believe in your commands.”


Heb “before I suffered, I was straying off.”


Heb “your word.”


Heb “smear over me a lie.”


Heb “their heart is insensitive like fat.”


Heb “better to me [is] the law of your mouth than thousands of gold and silver.”


Heb “made me and established me.” The two verbs also appear together in Deut 32:6 , where God, compared to a father, is said to have “made and established” Israel.


The cohortative verbal form with vav ( ו ) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.


Heb “those who fear you will see me and rejoice.”


In this context (note the second line) the Hebrew term מִשְׁפָּטִים ( mishpatim ), which so often refers to the regulations of God’s law elsewhere in this psalm, may refer instead to his decisions or disciplinary judgment.


Heb “and [in] faithfulness you afflicted me.”


Heb “according to your word to your servant.”


Heb “and may your compassion come to me.”


Heb “for [with] falsehood they have denied me justice.”


Heb “those who fear you.”


Heb “may my heart be complete in your statutes.”


Heb “my soul pines for.” See Ps 84:2 .


Heb “my eyes fail for your word.” The psalmist has intently kept his eyes open, looking for God to intervene, but now his eyes are watery and bloodshot, impairing his vision. See Ps 69:3 .


Heb “saying.”


Or “even though.”


The Hebrew word נֹאד ( no ’ d , “leather container”) refers to a container made from animal skin which is used to hold wine or milk (see Josh 9:4, 13 ; Judg 4:19 ; 1 Sam 16:20 ).


Heb “in the smoke.”


Heb “How long are the days of your servant?”


Heb “for me.”


Heb “which [is] not according to your law.”


Heb “according to.”


Heb “of your mouth.”


Heb “Forever, O Lord , your word stands firm in heaven,” or “Forever, O Lord , [is] your word; it stands firm in heaven.” The translation assumes that “your word” refers here to the body of divine instructions contained in the law (note the frequent references to the law in vv. 92-96 ). See vv. 9, 16-17, 57, 101, 105, 130, 139 and 160-61 . The reference in v. 86 to God’s law being faithful favors this interpretation. Another option is that “your word” refers to God’s assuring word of promise, mentioned in vv. 25, 28, 42, 65, 74, 81, 107, 114, 147 and 169 . In this case one might translate, “O Lord , your promise is reliable, it stands firm in heaven.”


Heb “to a generation and a generation [is] your faithfulness.”


Heb “if your law had not been my delight.”


Or “my suffering.”


Heb “the wicked wait for me to kill me.”


Heb “to every perfection I have seen an end, your command is very wide.” God’s law is beyond full comprehension, which is why the psalmist continually studies it (vv. 95, 97 ).


The plural form needs to be revocalized as a singular in order to agree with the preceding singular verb and the singular pronoun in the next line. The Lord ’s “command” refers here to the law (see Ps 19:8 ).


Heb “I hold back my feet.”


Heb “your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss read the plural.


Heb “How smooth they are to my palate, your word, more than honey to my mouth.” A few medieval Hebrew mss , as well as several other ancient witnesses, read the plural “your words,” which can then be understood as the subject of the plural verb “they are smooth.”


Heb “every false path.”


Many medieval Hebrew mss read the plural (“words”).


Heb “[is] a lamp for my foot and a light for my path.”


Heb “according to your word.”


Heb “of my mouth.”


Heb “my life [is] in my hands continually.”


Heb “for the joy of my heart [are] they.”


Heb “I turn my heart to do.”


Heb “divided ones.” The word occurs only here; it appears to be derived from a verbal root, attested in Arabic, meaning “to split” (see HALOT 762 s.v. * סֵעֵף ). Since the psalmist is emphasizing his unswerving allegiance to God and his law, the term probably refers to those who lack such loyalty. The translation is similar to that suggested by L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 131.


The cohortative verbal form with vav ( ו ) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.


The psalmist has already declared that he observes God’s commands despite persecution, so here the idea must be “so that I might observe the commands of my God unhindered by threats .”


The prefixed verbal form with vav ( ו ) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.


Heb “do not make me ashamed of my hope.” After the Hebrew verb בּוֹשׁ ( bosh , “to be ashamed”) the preposition מִן ( min , “from”) often introduces the reason for shame.


Or “and that I might focus.” The two cohortatives with vav ( ו ) conjunctive indicate purpose/result after the imperative at the beginning of the verse.


The Hebrew verb סָלָה ( salah , “to disdain”) occurs only here and in Lam 1:15 . Cognate usage in Aramaic and Akkadian, as well as Lam 1:15 , suggest it may have a concrete nuance of “to throw away.”


Heb “for their deceit [is] falsehood.”


Heb “my flesh.”


The Hebrew verb סָמַר ( samar , “to tremble”) occurs only here and in Job 4:15 .


Heb “from fear of you.” The pronominal suffix on the noun is an objective genitive.


Heb “do justice and righteousness.”


Heb “be surety for your servant for good.”


Heb “my eyes fail for your deliverance.” The psalmist has intently kept his eyes open, looking for God to intervene, but now his eyes are watery and bloodshot, impairing his vision. See the similar phrase in v. 82 .


Heb “and for the word of your faithfulness.”


Heb “do with your servant according to your loyal love.”


or “know.” The cohortative verbal form with vav ( ו ) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.


“For this reason” connects logically with the statement made in v. 126 . Because the judgment the psalmist fears (see vv. 119-120 ) is imminent, he remains loyal to God’s law.


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


Heb “every false path.”


Heb “the doorway of your words gives light.” God’s “words” refer here to the instructions in his law (see vv. 9, 57 ).


Heb “it [i.e., the doorway] gives.”


Or “the [morally] naive,” that is, the one who is young and still in the process of learning right from wrong and distinguishing wisdom from folly. See Pss 19:7; 116:6 .


The verb occurs only here in the OT.