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Psalm 68[a]

For the music director, by David, a psalm, a song.

68 God springs into action.[b]
His enemies scatter;
his adversaries[c] run from him.[d]
As smoke is driven away by the wind, so you drive them away.[e]
As wax melts before fire,
so the wicked are destroyed before God.
But the godly[f] are happy;
they rejoice before God
and are overcome with joy.[g]
Sing to God! Sing praises to his name.
Exalt the one who rides on the clouds.[h]
For the Lord is his name.[i]
Rejoice before him.
He is a father to the fatherless
and an advocate for widows.[j]
God rules from his holy dwelling place.[k]
God settles in their own homes those who have been deserted;[l]
he frees prisoners and grants them prosperity.[m]
But sinful rebels live in the desert.[n]
O God, when you lead your people into battle,[o]
when you march through the wastelands,[p] (Selah)
the earth shakes.
Yes, the heavens pour down rain
before God, the God of Sinai,[q]
before God, the God of Israel.[r]
O God, you cause abundant showers to fall[s] on your chosen people.[t]
When they[u] are tired, you sustain them,[v]
10 for you live among them.[w]
You sustain the oppressed with your good blessings, O God.
11 The Lord speaks;[x]
many, many women spread the good news.[y]
12 Kings leading armies run away—they run away![z]
The lovely lady[aa] of the house divides up the loot.
13 When[ab] you lie down among the sheepfolds,[ac]
the wings of the dove are covered with silver
and with glittering gold.[ad]
14 When the Sovereign One[ae] scatters kings,[af]
let it snow[ag] on Zalmon.
15 The mountain of Bashan[ah] is a towering mountain;[ai]
the mountain of Bashan is a mountain with many peaks.[aj]
16 Why do you look with envy,[ak] O mountains[al] with many peaks,
at the mountain where God has decided to live?[am]
Indeed[an] the Lord will live there[ao] permanently.
17 God has countless chariots;
they number in the thousands.[ap]
The Lord comes from Sinai in holy splendor.[aq]
18 You ascend on high;[ar]
you have taken many captives.[as]
You receive tribute[at] from[au] men,
including even sinful rebels.
Indeed, the Lord God lives there.[av]
19 The Lord deserves praise.[aw]
Day after day[ax] he carries our burden,
the God who delivers us. (Selah)
20 Our God is a God who delivers;
the Lord, the Sovereign Lord, can rescue from death.[ay]
21 Indeed, God strikes the heads of his enemies,
the hairy foreheads of those who persist in rebellion.[az]
22 The Lord says,
“I will retrieve them[ba] from Bashan.
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
23 so that your feet may stomp[bb] in their blood,
and your dogs may eat their portion of the enemies’ corpses.”[bc]
24 They[bd] see your processions, O God—
the processions of my God, my king, who marches along in holy splendor.[be]
25 Singers walk in front;
musicians follow playing their stringed instruments,[bf]
in the midst of young women playing tambourines.[bg]
26 In your large assemblies praise God,
the Lord, in the assemblies of Israel.[bh]
27 There is little Benjamin, their ruler,[bi]
and the princes of Judah in their robes,[bj]
along with the princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali.
28 God has decreed that you will be powerful.[bk]
O God, you who have acted on our behalf, demonstrate your power.
29 Because of your temple in Jerusalem,[bl]
kings bring tribute to you.
30 Sound your battle cry against[bm] the wild beast of the reeds,[bn]
and the nations that assemble like a herd of calves led by bulls.[bo]
They humble themselves[bp] and offer gold and silver as tribute.[bq]
God[br] scatters[bs] the nations that like to do battle.
31 They come with red cloth[bt] from Egypt.
Ethiopia[bu] voluntarily offers tribute[bv] to God.
32 O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God.
Sing praises to the Lord, (Selah)
33 to the one who rides through the sky from ancient times.[bw]
Look! He thunders loudly.[bx]
34 Acknowledge God’s power,[by]
his sovereignty over Israel,
and the power he reveals in the skies.[bz]
35 You are awe-inspiring, O God, as you emerge from your holy temple.[ca]
It is the God of Israel[cb] who gives the people power and strength.
God deserves praise![cc]

Psalm 69[cd]

For the music director, according to the tune of “Lilies”;[ce] by David.

69 Deliver me, O God,
for the water has reached my neck.[cf]
I sink into the deep mire
where there is no solid ground;[cg]
I am in[ch] deep water,
and the current overpowers me.
I am exhausted from shouting for help.
My throat is sore;[ci]
my eyes grow tired from looking for my God.[cj]
Those who hate me without cause
are more numerous than the hairs of my head.
Those who want to destroy me,
my enemies for no reason,[ck]
outnumber me.[cl]
They make me repay what I did not steal.[cm]
O God, you are aware of my foolish sins;[cn]
my guilt is not hidden from you.[co]
Let none who rely on you be disgraced because of me,
O Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies.[cp]
Let none who seek you be ashamed because of me,
O God of Israel.
For I suffer[cq] humiliation for your sake[cr]
and am thoroughly disgraced.[cs]
My own brothers treat me like a stranger;
they act as if I were a foreigner.[ct]
Certainly[cu] zeal for[cv] your house[cw] consumes me;
I endure the insults of those who insult you.[cx]
10 I weep and refrain from eating food,[cy]
which causes others to insult me.[cz]
11 I wear sackcloth
and they ridicule me.[da]
12 Those who sit at the city gate gossip about me;
drunkards mock me in their songs.[db]
13 O Lord, may you hear my prayer and be favorably disposed to me.[dc]
O God, because of your great loyal love,
answer me with your faithful deliverance.[dd]
14 Rescue me from the mud. Don’t let me sink.
Deliver me[de] from those who hate me,
from the deep water.
15 Don’t let the current overpower me.
Don’t let the deep swallow me up.
Don’t let the Pit[df] devour me.[dg]
16 Answer me, O Lord, for your loyal love is good.[dh]
Because of your great compassion, turn toward me.
17 Do not ignore[di] your servant,
for I am in trouble. Answer me right away.[dj]
18 Come near me and redeem me.[dk]
Because of my enemies, rescue me.
19 You know how I am insulted, humiliated, and disgraced;
you can see all my enemies.[dl]
20 Their insults are painful[dm] and make me lose heart;[dn]
I look[do] for sympathy, but receive none,[dp]
for comforters, but find none.
21 They put bitter poison[dq] into my food,
and to quench my thirst they give me vinegar to drink.[dr]
22 May their dining table become a trap before them.
May it be a snare for that group of friends.[ds]
23 May their eyes be blinded.[dt]
Make them shake violently.[du]
24 Pour out your judgment[dv] on them.
May your raging anger[dw] overtake them.
25 May their camp become desolate,
their tents uninhabited.[dx]
26 For they harass[dy] the one whom you discipline;[dz]
they spread the news about the suffering of those whom you punish.[ea]
27 Hold them accountable for all their sins.[eb]
Do not vindicate them.[ec]
28 May their names be deleted from the scroll of the living.[ed]
Do not let their names be listed with the godly.[ee]
29 I am oppressed and suffering.
O God, deliver and protect me.[ef]
30 I will sing praises to God’s name.[eg]
I will magnify him as I give him thanks.[eh]
31 That will please the Lord more than an ox or a bull
with horns and hooves.
32 The oppressed look on—let them rejoice.
You who seek God,[ei] may you be encouraged.[ej]
33 For the Lord listens to the needy;
he does not despise his captive people.[ek]
34 Let the heavens and the earth praise him,
along with the seas and everything that swims in them.
35 For God will deliver Zion
and rebuild the cities of Judah,
and his people[el] will again live in them and possess Zion.[em]
36 The descendants of his servants will inherit it,
and those who are loyal to him[en] will live in it.[eo]

Psalm 70[ep]

For the music director, by David; written to get God’s attention.[eq]

70 O God, please be willing to rescue me.[er]
O Lord, hurry and help me.[es]
May those who are trying to take my life
be embarrassed and ashamed.[et]
May those who want to harm me
be turned back and ashamed.[eu]
May those who say, “Aha! Aha!”
be driven back[ev] and disgraced.[ew]
May all those who seek you be happy and rejoice in you.
May those who love to experience[ex] your deliverance say continually,[ey]
“May God[ez] be praised!”[fa]
I am oppressed and needy.[fb]
O God, hurry to me.[fc]
You are my helper and my deliverer.
O Lord,[fd] do not delay.

Psalm 71[fe]

71 In you, O Lord, I have taken shelter.
Never let me be humiliated.
Vindicate me by rescuing me.[ff]
Listen to me.[fg] Deliver me.[fh]
Be my protector and refuge,[fi]
a stronghold where I can be safe.[fj]
For you are my high ridge[fk] and my stronghold.
My God, rescue me from the power[fl] of the wicked,
from the hand of the cruel oppressor.
For you are my hope;
O Sovereign Lord, I have trusted in you since I was young.[fm]
I have leaned on you since birth;[fn]
you pulled me[fo] from my mother’s womb.
I praise you continually.[fp]
Many are appalled when they see me,[fq]
but you are my secure shelter.
I praise you constantly
and speak of your splendor all day long.[fr]
Do not reject me in my old age.[fs]
When my strength fails, do not abandon me.
10 For my enemies talk about me;
those waiting for a chance to kill me plot my demise.[ft]
11 They say,[fu] “God has abandoned him.
Run and seize him, for there is no one who will rescue him.”
12 O God, do not remain far away from me.
My God, hurry and help me.[fv]
13 May my accusers be humiliated and defeated.
May those who want to harm me[fw] be covered with scorn and disgrace.
14 As for me, I will wait continually,
and will continue to praise you.[fx]
15 I will tell about your justice,
and all day long proclaim your salvation,[fy]
though I cannot fathom its full extent.[fz]
16 I will come and tell about[ga] the mighty acts of the Sovereign Lord.
I will proclaim your justice—yours alone.
17 O God, you have taught me since I was young,
and I am still declaring[gb] your amazing deeds.
18 Even when I am old and gray,[gc]
O God, do not abandon me,
until I tell the next generation about your strength,
and those coming after me about your power.[gd]
19 Your justice, O God, extends to the skies above;[ge]
you have done great things.[gf]
O God, who can compare to you?[gg]
20 Though you have allowed me to experience much trouble and distress,[gh]
revive me once again.[gi]
Bring me up once again[gj] from the depths of the earth.
21 Raise me to a position of great honor.[gk]
Turn and comfort me.[gl]
22 I will express my thanks to you with a stringed instrument,
praising[gm] your faithfulness, O my God.
I will sing praises to you accompanied by a harp,
O Holy One of Israel.[gn]
23 My lips will shout for joy. Yes,[go] I will sing your praises.
I will praise you when you rescue me.[gp]
24 All day long my tongue will also tell about your justice,
for those who want to harm me[gq] will be embarrassed and ashamed.[gr]

Psalm 72[gs]

For[gt] Solomon.

72 O God, grant the king the ability to make just decisions.[gu]
Grant the king’s son[gv] the ability to make fair decisions.[gw]
Then he will judge[gx] your people fairly,
and your oppressed ones[gy] equitably.
The mountains will bring news of peace to the people,
and the hills will announce justice.[gz]
He will defend[ha] the oppressed among the people;
he will deliver[hb] the children[hc] of the poor
and crush the oppressor.
People will fear[hd] you[he] as long as the sun and moon remain in the sky,
for generation after generation.[hf]
He[hg] will descend like rain on the mown grass,[hh]
like showers that drench[hi] the earth.[hj]
During his days the godly will flourish;[hk]
peace will prevail as long as the moon remains in the sky.[hl]
May he rule[hm] from sea to sea,[hn]
and from the Euphrates River[ho] to the ends of the earth.
Before him the coastlands[hp] will bow down,
and his enemies will lick the dust.[hq]
10 The kings of Tarshish[hr] and the coastlands will offer gifts;
the kings of Sheba[hs] and Seba[ht] will bring tribute.
11 All kings will bow down to him;
all nations will serve him.
12 For he will rescue the needy[hu] when they cry out for help,
and the oppressed[hv] who have no defender.
13 He will take pity[hw] on the poor and needy;
the lives of the needy he will save.
14 From harm and violence he will defend them;[hx]
he will value their lives.[hy]
15 May he live![hz] May they offer him gold from Sheba.[ia]
May they continually pray for him.
May they pronounce blessings on him all day long.[ib]
16 May there be[ic] an abundance[id] of grain in the earth;
on the tops[ie] of the mountains may it[if] sway.[ig]
May its[ih] fruit trees[ii] flourish[ij] like the forests of Lebanon.[ik]
May its crops[il] be as abundant[im] as the grass of the earth.[in]
17 May his fame endure.[io]
May his dynasty last as long as the sun remains in the sky.[ip]
May they use his name when they formulate their blessings.[iq]
May all nations consider him to be favored by God.[ir]
18 The Lord God, the God of Israel, deserves praise.[is]
He alone accomplishes amazing things.[it]
19 His glorious name deserves praise[iu] forevermore.
May his majestic splendor[iv] fill the whole earth.
We agree! We agree![iw]
20 This collection of the prayers of David son of Jesse ends here.[ix]

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 68:1 sn Psalm 68. The psalmist depicts God as a mighty warrior and celebrates the fact that God exerts his power on behalf of his people.
  2. Psalm 68:1 tn Or “rises up.” The verb form is an imperfect, not a jussive. The psalmist is describing God’s appearance in battle in a dramatic fashion.
  3. Psalm 68:1 tn Heb “those who hate him.”
  4. Psalm 68:1 sn The wording of v. 1 echoes the prayer in Num 10:35: “Spring into action, Lord. Then your enemies will be scattered and your adversaries will run from you.”
  5. Psalm 68:2 tn Heb “as smoke is scattered, you scatter [them].”
  6. Psalm 68:3 tn By placing the subject first the psalmist highlights the contrast between God’s ecstatic people and his defeated enemies (vv. 1-2).
  7. Psalm 68:3 tn Heb “and they are happy with joy” (cf. NEB). Some translate the prefixed verbal forms of v. 3 as jussives, “Let the godly be happy, let them rejoice before God, and let them be happy with joy!” (Cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV; note the call to praise in v. 4.)
  8. Psalm 68:4 tn Traditionally the Hebrew term עֲרָבוֹת (ʿaravot) is taken as “steppe-lands” (often rendered “deserts”), but here the form is probably a homonym meaning “clouds.” Verse 33, which depicts God as the one who “rides on the sky” strongly favors this (see as well Deut 33:26), as does the reference in v. 9 to God as the source of rain. The term עֲרָבָה (ʿaravah, “cloud”) is cognate with Akkadian urpatu/erpetu and with Ugaritic ʿrpt. The phrase rkb ʿrpt (“one who rides on the clouds”) appears in Ugaritic mythological texts as an epithet of the storm god Baal. The nonphonemic interchange of the bilabial consonants b and p is attested elsewhere in roots common to Hebrew and Ugaritic, though the phenomenon is relatively rare.
  9. Psalm 68:4 tc Heb “in the Lord his name.” If the MT is retained, the preposition ב (bet) is introducing the predicate (the so-called bet of identity), “the Lord is his name.” However, some prefer to emend the text to כִּי יָהּ שְׁמוֹ (ki yah shemo, “for Yah is his name”). This emendation, reflected in the present translation, assumes a confusion of ב (bet) and כ (kaf) and haplography of י (yod).
  10. Psalm 68:5 sn God is depicted here as a just ruler. In the ancient Near Eastern world a king was responsible for promoting justice, including caring for the weak and vulnerable, epitomized by the fatherless and widows.
  11. Psalm 68:5 tn Heb “God [is] in his holy dwelling place.” He occupies his throne and carries out his royal responsibilities.
  12. Psalm 68:6 tn Heb “God causes the solitary ones to dwell in a house.” The participle suggests this is what God typically does.
  13. Psalm 68:6 tn Heb “he brings out prisoners into prosperity.” Another option is to translate, “he brings out prisoners with singing” (cf. NIV). The participle suggests this is what God typically does.
  14. Psalm 68:6 tn Or “in a parched [land].”sn God delivers the downtrodden and oppressed, but sinful rebels who oppose his reign are treated appropriately.
  15. Psalm 68:7 tn Heb “when you go out before your people.” The Hebrew idiom “go out before” is used here in a militaristic sense of leading troops into battle (see Judg 4:14; 9:39; 2 Sam 5:24).
  16. Psalm 68:7 sn When you march through the wastelands. Some interpreters think that v. 7 alludes to Israel’s exodus from Egypt and its subsequent travels in the wilderness. Another option is that v. 7, like v. 8, echoes Judg 5:4, which describes how the God of Sinai marched across the plains of Edom to do battle with Sisera and his Canaanite army.
  17. Psalm 68:8 tn Heb “this one of Sinai.” The phrase is a divine title, perhaps indicating that the Lord rules from Sinai.
  18. Psalm 68:8 sn The language of vv. 7-8 is reminiscent of Judg 5:4-5, which tells how the God of Sinai came in the storm and annihilated the Canaanite forces led by Sisera. The presence of allusion does not mean, however, that this is a purely historical reference. The psalmist is describing God’s typical appearance as a warrior in terms of his prior self-revelation as ancient events are reactualized in the psalmist’s experience. (For a similar literary technique, see Hab 3.)
  19. Psalm 68:9 tn The verb נוּף (nuf, “cause rain to fall”) is a homonym of the more common נוּף (“brandish”).
  20. Psalm 68:9 tn Heb “[on] your inheritance.” This refers to Israel as God’s specially chosen people (see Pss 28:9; 33:12; 74:2; 78:62, 71; 79:1; 94:5, 14; 106:40). Some take “your inheritance” with what follows, but the vav (ו) prefixed to the following word (note וְנִלְאָה, venilʾah) makes this syntactically unlikely.
  21. Psalm 68:9 tn Heb “it [is],” referring to God’s “inheritance.”
  22. Psalm 68:9 tn Heb “it,” referring to God’s “inheritance.”
  23. Psalm 68:10 tn The meaning of the Hebrew text is unclear; it appears to read, “your animals, they live in it,” but this makes little, if any, sense in this context. Some suggest that חָיָּה (khayah) is a rare homonym here, meaning “community” (BDB 312 s.v.) or “dwelling place” (HALOT 310 s.v. III *הַיָּה). In this case one may take “your community/dwelling place” as appositional to the third feminine singular pronominal suffix at the end of v. 9, the antecedent of which is “your inheritance.” The phrase יָשְׁבוּ־בָהּ (yashevu vah, “they live in it”) may then be understood as an asyndetic relative clause modifying “your community/dwelling place.” A literal translation of vv. 9b-10a would be, “when it [your inheritance] is tired, you sustain it, your community/dwelling place in [which] they live.”
  24. Psalm 68:11 tn Heb “gives a word.” Perhaps this refers to a divine royal decree or battle cry.
  25. Psalm 68:11 tn Heb “the ones spreading the good news [are] a large army.” The participle translated “the ones spreading the good news” is a feminine plural form. Apparently the good news here is the announcement that enemy kings have been defeated (see v. 12).
  26. Psalm 68:12 tn The verbal repetition draws attention to the statement.
  27. Psalm 68:12 tn The Hebrew form appears to be the construct of נוּה (nuh, “pasture”) but the phrase “pasture of the house” makes no sense here. The translation assumes that the form is an alternative or textual variation of נאוה (“beautiful woman”). A reference to a woman would be appropriate in light of v. 11b.
  28. Psalm 68:13 tn Or “if.”
  29. Psalm 68:13 tn The meaning of the Hebrew word translated “sheepfolds” is uncertain. There may be an echo of Judg 5:16 here.
  30. Psalm 68:13 tn Heb “and her pinions with the yellow of gold.”sn The point of the imagery of v. 13 is not certain, though the reference to silver and gold appears to be positive. Both would be part of the loot carried away from battle (see v. 12b).
  31. Psalm 68:14 tn The divine name used here is שַׁדַּי (“Shaddai”). Shaddai/El Shaddai is the sovereign king/judge of the world who grants life, blesses and kills, and judges. In Genesis he blesses the patriarchs with fertility and promises numerous descendants. Outside Genesis he both blesses (protects) and takes away life and/or happiness.
  32. Psalm 68:14 tn The Hebrew text adds “in it.” The third feminine singular pronominal suffix may refer back to God’s community/dwelling place (v. 10).
  33. Psalm 68:14 tn The verb form appears to be a Hiphil jussive from שָׁלַג (shalag), which is usually understood as a denominative verb from שֶׁלֶג (sheleg, “snow”) with an indefinite subject. The form could be taken as a preterite, in which case one might translate, “when the sovereign judge scattered kings, it snowed on Zalmon” (cf. NIV, NRSV). The point of the image is unclear. Perhaps “snow” suggests fertility and blessing (see v. 9 and Isa 55:10), or the image of a snow-capped mountain suggests grandeur.sn Zalmon was apparently a mountain in the region, perhaps the one mentioned in Judg 9:46 as being in the vicinity of Shechem.
  34. Psalm 68:15 sn The mountain of Bashan probably refers to Mount Hermon.
  35. Psalm 68:15 tn Heb “a mountain of God.” The divine name is probably used here in a superlative sense to depict a very high mountain (“a mountain fit for God,” as it were). Cf. NIV “are majestic mountains”; NRSV “O mighty mountain.”
  36. Psalm 68:15 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term, which appears only here in the OT, is uncertain. HALOT 174 s.v. גַּבְנוֹן suggests “many-peaked,” while BDB 148 s.v. גַּבְנִן suggests “rounded summit.”
  37. Psalm 68:16 tn The meaning of the Hebrew verb רָצַד (ratsad), translated here “look with envy,” is uncertain; it occurs only here in the OT. See BDB 952-53. A cognate verb occurs in later Aramaic with the meaning “to lie in wait; to watch” (Jastrow 1492 s.v. רְצַד).
  38. Psalm 68:16 tn Perhaps the apparent plural form should be read as a singular with enclitic mem (ם; later misinterpreted as a plural ending). The preceding verse has the singular form.
  39. Psalm 68:16 tn Heb “[at] the mountain God desires for his dwelling place.” The reference is to Mount Zion/Jerusalem.
  40. Psalm 68:16 tn The Hebrew particle אַף (ʾaf) has an emphasizing function here.
  41. Psalm 68:16 tn The word “there” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
  42. Psalm 68:17 tn Heb “thousands of [?].” The meaning of the word שִׁנְאָן (shinʾan), which occurs only here in the OT, is uncertain. Perhaps the form should be emended to שַׁאֲנָן (shaʾanan, “at ease”) and be translated here “held in reserve.”
  43. Psalm 68:17 tc The MT reads, “the Lord [is] among them, Sinai, in holiness,” which is syntactically difficult. The present translation assumes an emendation to אֲדֹנָי בָּא מִסִּינַי (ʾadonay baʾ missinay; see BHS note b-b and Deut 33:2).
  44. Psalm 68:18 tn Heb “to the elevated place”; or “on high.” This probably refers to the Lord’s throne on Mount Zion.
  45. Psalm 68:18 tn Heb “you have taken captives captive.”
  46. Psalm 68:18 tn Or “gifts.”
  47. Psalm 68:18 tn Or “among.”
  48. Psalm 68:18 tn Heb “so that the Lord God might live [there].” Many take the infinitive construct with ל (lamed) as indicating purpose here, but it is unclear how the offering of tribute enables the Lord to live in Zion. This may be an occurrence of the relatively rare emphatic lamed (see HALOT 510-11 s.v. II לְ, though this text is not listed as an example there). If so, the statement corresponds nicely to the final line of v. 16, which also affirms emphatically that the Lord lives in Zion.
  49. Psalm 68:19 tn Heb “blessed [be] the Lord.”
  50. Psalm 68:19 tn It is possible to take this phrase with what precedes (“The Lord deserves praise day after day”) rather than with what follows.
  51. Psalm 68:20 tn Heb “and to the Lord, the Lord, to death, goings out.”
  52. Psalm 68:21 tn Heb “the hairy forehead of the one who walks about in his guilt.” The singular is representative.
  53. Psalm 68:22 tn That is, the enemies mentioned in v. 21. Even if they retreat to distant regions, God will retrieve them and make them taste his judgment.
  54. Psalm 68:23 tc Some (e.g. NRSV) prefer to emend מָחַץ (makhats, “smash; stomp”; see v. 21) to רָחַץ (rakhats, “bathe”; see Ps 58:10).
  55. Psalm 68:23 tn Heb “[and] the tongue of your dogs from [the] enemies [may eat] its portion.”
  56. Psalm 68:24 tn The subject is probably indefinite, referring to bystanders in general who witness the procession.
  57. Psalm 68:24 tn The Hebrew text has simply “in holiness.” The words “who marches along” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  58. Psalm 68:25 tn Heb “after [are] the stringed instrument players.”
  59. Psalm 68:25 sn To celebrate a military victory, women would play tambourines (see Exod 15:20; Judg 11:34; 1 Sam 18:6).
  60. Psalm 68:26 tn Heb “from the fountain of Israel,” which makes little, if any, sense here. The translation assumes an emendation to בְּמִקְרָאֵי (bemiqraʾe, “in the assemblies of [Israel]”).
  61. Psalm 68:27 sn Little Benjamin, their ruler. This may allude to the fact that Israel’s first king, Saul, was from the tribe of Benjamin.
  62. Psalm 68:27 tc The MT reads רִגְמָתָם (rigmatam), which many derive from רָגַם (ragam, “to kill by stoning”) and translates, “[in] their heaps,” that is, in large numbers. One Hebrew ms and Jerome’s iuxta Hebraeos (“in purpura sua”) support “robes.”
  63. Psalm 68:28 tn Heb “God has commanded your strength.” The statement is apparently addressed to Israel (see v. 26).
  64. Psalm 68:29 tn Heb “Be strong, O God, [you] who have acted for us, from your temple in Jerusalem.”
  65. Psalm 68:30 tn The Hebrew verb גָּעַר (gaʿar) is often understood to mean “rebuke.” In some cases it is apparent that scolding or threatening is in view (see Gen 37:10; Ruth 2:16; Zech 3:2). However, in militaristic contexts such as Ps 68 this translation is inadequate, for the verb refers in this setting to the warrior’s battle cry, which terrifies and paralyzes the enemy. See A. Caquot, TDOT 3:53, and note the use of the verb in Ps 106:9 and Nah 1:4, as well as the related noun in Job 26:11; Pss 18:15; 76:6; 104:7; Isa 50:2; 51:20; 66:15.
  66. Psalm 68:30 sn The wild beast of the reeds probably refers to a hippopotamus, which in turn symbolizes the nation of Egypt.
  67. Psalm 68:30 tn Heb “an assembly of bulls, with calves of the nations.”
  68. Psalm 68:30 tn Heb “humbling himself.” The verb form is a Hitpael participle from the root רָפַס (rafas, “to trample”). The Hitpael of this verb appears only here and in Prov 6:3, where it seems to mean, “humble oneself,” a nuance that fits nicely in this context. The apparent subject is “wild beast” or “assembly,” though both of these nouns are grammatically feminine, while the participle is a masculine form. Perhaps one should emend the participial form to a masculine plural (מִתְרַפִּם, mitrappim) and understand “bulls” or “calves” as the subject.
  69. Psalm 68:30 tc Heb “with pieces [?] of silver.” The meaning of the Hebrew term רַצֵּי (ratse) is unclear. It is probably best to emend the text to בֶּצֶר וְכָסֶף (betser vekhasef, “[with] gold and silver”).
  70. Psalm 68:30 tn Heb “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  71. Psalm 68:30 tn The verb בָּזַר (bazar) is an alternative form of פָּזַר (pazar, “scatter”).
  72. Psalm 68:31 tn This noun, which occurs only here in the OT, apparently means “red cloth” or “bronze articles” (see HALOT 362 s.v. חַשְׁמַן; cf. NEB “tribute”). Traditionally the word has been taken to refer to “nobles” (see BDB 365 s.v. חַשְׁמַן; cf. NIV “envoys”). Another option would be to emend the text to הַשְׁמַנִּים (hashmannim, “the robust ones,” i.e., leaders).
  73. Psalm 68:31 tn Heb “Cush.”
  74. Psalm 68:31 tn Heb “causes its hands to run,” which must mean “quickly stretches out its hands” (to present tribute).
  75. Psalm 68:33 tc Heb “to the one who rides through the skies of skies of ancient times.” If the MT is retained, one might translate, “to the one who rides through the ancient skies.” (שְׁמֵי [sheme, “skies of”] may be accidentally repeated.) The present translation assumes an emendation to בַּשָּׁמַיִם מִקֶּדֶם (bashamayim miqqedem, “[to the one who rides] through the sky from ancient times”), that is, God has been revealing his power through the storm since ancient times.
  76. Psalm 68:33 tn Heb “he gives his voice, a strong voice.” In this context God’s “voice” is the thunder that accompanies the rain (see vv. 8-9, as well as Deut 33:26).
  77. Psalm 68:34 tn Heb “give strength to God.”
  78. Psalm 68:34 sn The language of v. 34 echoes that of Deut 33:26.
  79. Psalm 68:35 tn Heb “awesome [is] God from his holy places.” The plural of מִקְדָּשׁ (miqdash, “holy places”) perhaps refers to the temple precincts (see Ps 73:17; Jer 51:51).
  80. Psalm 68:35 tn Heb “the God of Israel, he.”
  81. Psalm 68:35 tn Heb “blessed [be] God.”
  82. Psalm 69:1 sn Psalm 69. The psalmist laments his oppressed condition and asks the Lord to deliver him by severely judging his enemies.
  83. Psalm 69:1 tn Heb “according to lilies.” See the superscription to Ps 45.
  84. Psalm 69:1 tn The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) here refers to the psalmist’s throat or neck. The psalmist compares himself to a helpless, drowning man.
  85. Psalm 69:2 tn Heb “and there is no place to stand.”
  86. Psalm 69:2 tn Heb “have entered.”
  87. Psalm 69:3 tn Or perhaps “raw”; Heb “burned; inflamed.”
  88. Psalm 69:3 tn Heb “my eyes fail from waiting for my God.” The psalmist has intently kept his eyes open, looking for God to intervene, but now his eyes are watery and bloodshot, impairing his vision.
  89. Psalm 69:4 tn Heb “[with] a lie.” The Hebrew noun שֶׁקֶר (sheqer, “lie”) is used here as an adverb, “falsely, wrongfully” (see Pss 35:19; 38:19).
  90. Psalm 69:4 tn The Hebrew verb עָצַם (ʿatsam) can sometimes mean “are strong,” but here it probably focuses on numerical superiority; note the parallel verb רָבַב (ravav, “be many”).
  91. Psalm 69:4 tn Heb “that which I did not steal, then I restore.” Apparently אָז (ʾaz, “then”) is used here to emphasize the verb that follows.sn They make me repay what I did not steal. The psalmist’s enemies falsely accuse him and hold him accountable for alleged crimes he did not even commit.
  92. Psalm 69:5 tn Heb “you know my foolishness.”
  93. Psalm 69:5 sn The psalmist is the first to admit that he is not perfect. But even so, he is innocent of the allegations which his enemies bring against him (v. 5b). God, who is aware of his foolish sins and guilt, can testify to the truth of his claim.
  94. Psalm 69:6 tn Heb “O Lord Yahweh of hosts.” Both titles draw attention to God’s sovereign position.
  95. Psalm 69:7 tn Heb “carry, bear.”
  96. Psalm 69:7 tn Heb “on account of you.”
  97. Psalm 69:7 tn Heb “and shame covers my face.”
  98. Psalm 69:8 tn Heb “and I am estranged to my brothers, and a foreigner to the sons of my mother.”
  99. Psalm 69:9 tn Or “for.” This verse explains that the psalmist’s suffering is due to his allegiance to God.
  100. Psalm 69:9 tn Or “devotion to.”
  101. Psalm 69:9 sn God’s house, the temple, here represents by metonymy God himself.
  102. Psalm 69:9 tn Heb “the insults of those who insult you fall upon me.”sn Jn 2:17 applies the first half of this verse to Jesus’ ministry in the context of John’s account of Jesus cleansing the temple.
  103. Psalm 69:10 sn Fasting was a practice of mourners. By refraining from normal activities such as eating food, the mourner demonstrated the sincerity of his sorrow.
  104. Psalm 69:10 tn Heb “and it becomes insults to me.”
  105. Psalm 69:11 tn Heb “and I am an object of ridicule to them.”
  106. Psalm 69:12 tn Heb “the mocking songs of the drinkers of beer.”
  107. Psalm 69:13 tn Heb “as for me, [may] my prayer be to you, O Lord, [in] a time of favor.”
  108. Psalm 69:13 tn Heb “O God, in the abundance of your loyal love, answer me in the faithfulness of your deliverance.”
  109. Psalm 69:14 tn Heb “let me be delivered.”
  110. Psalm 69:15 tn Heb “well,” which here symbolizes the place of the dead (cf. Ps 55:23).
  111. Psalm 69:15 tn Heb “do not let the well close its mouth upon me.”
  112. Psalm 69:16 tn Or “pleasant”; or “desirable.”
  113. Psalm 69:17 tn Heb “do not hide your face from.” The Hebrew idiom “hide the face” can (1) mean “ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or (2) carry the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 30:7; 88:14).
  114. Psalm 69:17 tn Or “quickly.”
  115. Psalm 69:18 tn Heb “come near my life and redeem it.” The verb “redeem” casts the Lord in the role of a leader who protects members of his extended family in times of need and crisis (see Ps 19:14).
  116. Psalm 69:19 tn Heb “before you [are] all my enemies.”
  117. Psalm 69:20 tn Heb “break my heart.” The “heart” is viewed here as the origin of the psalmist’s emotions.
  118. Psalm 69:20 tn The verb form appears to be a Qal preterite from an otherwise unattested root נוּשׁ (nush), which some consider an alternate form of אָנַשׁ (ʾanash, “be weak; be sick”; see BDB 60 s.v. I אָנַשׁ). Perhaps the form should be emended to a Niphal, וָאֵאָנְשָׁה (vaʾeʾaneshah, “and I am sick”). The Niphal of אָנַשׁ occurs in 2 Sam 12:15, where it is used to describe David’s sick child.
  119. Psalm 69:20 tn Heb “wait.”
  120. Psalm 69:20 tn Heb “and I wait for sympathy, but there is none.” The form נוּד (nud) is an infinitive functioning as a verbal noun:, “sympathizing.” Some suggest emending the form to a participle נָד (nad, “one who shows sympathy”). The verb נוּד (nud) also has the nuance “show sympathy” in Job 2:11; 42:11 and Isa 51:19.
  121. Psalm 69:21 tn According to BDB 912 s.v. II רֹאשׁ the term can mean “a bitter and poisonous plant.”
  122. Psalm 69:21 sn John 19:28-30 appears to understand Jesus’ experience on the cross as a fulfillment of this passage (or Ps 22:15). See the study note on the word “thirsty” in John 19:28.
  123. Psalm 69:22 tc Heb “and to the friends for a snare.” The plural of שָׁלוֹם (shalom, “peace”) is used in Ps 55:20 of one’s “friends.” If the reading of the MT is retained here, the term depicts the psalmist’s enemies as a close-knit group of friends who are bound together by their hatred for the psalmist. Some prefer to revocalize the text as וּלְשִׁלּוּמִים (uleshillumim, “and for retribution”). In this case the noun stands parallel to פַּח (pakh, “trap”) and מוֹקֵשׁ (moqesh, “snare”), and one might translate, “may their dining table become a trap before them, [a means of] retribution and a snare” (cf. NIV).
  124. Psalm 69:23 tn Heb “may their eyes be darkened from seeing.”
  125. Psalm 69:23 tn Heb “make their hips shake continually.”
  126. Psalm 69:24 tn Heb “anger.” “Anger” here refers metonymically to divine judgment, which is the practical effect of God’s anger.
  127. Psalm 69:24 tn Heb “the rage of your anger.” The phrase “rage of your anger” employs an appositional genitive. Synonyms are joined in a construct relationship to emphasize the single idea. For a detailed discussion of the grammatical point with numerous examples, see Y. Avishur, “Pairs of Synonymous Words in the Construct State (and in Appositional Hendiadys) in Biblical Hebrew,” Semitics 2 (1971), 17-81.
  128. Psalm 69:25 tn Heb “in their tents may there not be one who dwells.”sn In Acts 1:20 Peter applies the language of this verse to Judas’ experience. By changing the pronouns from plural to singular, he is able to apply the ancient curse, pronounced against the psalmist’s enemies, to Judas in particular.
  129. Psalm 69:26 tn Or “persecute”; Heb “chase.”
  130. Psalm 69:26 tn Heb “for you, the one whom you strike, they chase.”
  131. Psalm 69:26 tn Heb “they announce the pain of your wounded ones” (i.e., “the ones whom you wounded,” as the parallel line makes clear).sn The psalmist is innocent of the false charges made by his enemies (v. 4), but he is also aware of his sinfulness (v. 5) and admits that he experiences divine discipline (v. 26) despite his devotion to God (v. 9). Here he laments that his enemies take advantage of such divine discipline by harassing and slandering him. They “kick him while he’s down,” as the expression goes.
  132. Psalm 69:27 tn Heb “place sin upon their sin.”
  133. Psalm 69:27 tn Heb “let them not come into your vindication.”
  134. Psalm 69:28 tn Heb “let them be wiped out of the scroll of the living.”sn The phrase the scroll of the living occurs only here in the OT. It pictures a scroll or census list containing the names of the citizens of a community. When an individual died, that person’s name was removed from the list. So this curse is a very vivid way of asking that the enemies die.
  135. Psalm 69:28 tn Heb “and with the godly let them not be written.”sn Do not let their names be listed with the godly. This curse pictures a scroll in which God records the names of his loyal followers. The psalmist makes the point that his enemies have no right to be included in this list of the godly.
  136. Psalm 69:29 tn Heb “your deliverance, O God, may it protect me.”
  137. Psalm 69:30 tn Heb “I will praise the name of God with a song.”
  138. Psalm 69:30 tn Heb “I will magnify him with thanks.”
  139. Psalm 69:32 sn You who seek God refers to those who seek to have a relationship with God by obeying and worshiping him (see Ps 53:2).
  140. Psalm 69:32 tn Heb “may your heart[s] live.” See Ps 22:26.
  141. Psalm 69:33 tn Heb “his prisoners he does not despise.”
  142. Psalm 69:35 tn Heb “they”; the referent (God’s people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  143. Psalm 69:35 tn Heb “it.” The third feminine singular pronominal suffix probably refers to “Zion” (see Pss 48:12; 102:14); thus the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  144. Psalm 69:36 tn Heb “the lovers of his name.” The phrase refers to those who are loyal to God (cf. v. 35). See Pss 5:11; 119:132; Isa 56:6.
  145. Psalm 69:36 sn Verses 35-36 appear to be an addition to the psalm from the time of the exile. The earlier lament reflects an individual’s situation, while these verses seem to reflect a communal application of it.
  146. Psalm 70:1 sn Psalm 70. This psalm is almost identical to Ps 40:13-17. The psalmist asks for God’s help and for divine retribution against his enemies.
  147. Psalm 70:1 tn Heb “to cause to remember.” The same form, a Hiphil infinitive of זָכַר (zakhar, “remember”), also appears in the superscription of Ps 38. Some understand this in the sense of “for the memorial offering,” but it may carry the idea of bringing one’s plight to God’s attention (see P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 [WBC], 303).
  148. Psalm 70:1 tn Heb “O God, to rescue me.” A main verb is obviously missing. The verb רָצָה (ratsah, “be willing”) should be supplied (see Ps 40:13). Ps 40:13 uses the divine name “Lord” rather than “God.”
  149. Psalm 70:1 tn Heb “hurry to my help.” See Pss 22:19; 38:22.
  150. Psalm 70:2 tn Heb “may they be embarrassed and ashamed, the ones seeking my life.” Ps 40:14 has “together” after “ashamed,” and “to snatch it away” after “my life.”
  151. Psalm 70:2 tn The four prefixed verbal forms in this verse are understood as jussives. The psalmist is calling judgment down on his enemies.sn See Ps 35:4 for a similar prayer.
  152. Psalm 70:3 tn The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive in this imprecation.
  153. Psalm 70:3 tn Heb “May they be turned back according to their shame, those who say, ‘Aha! Aha!’” Ps 40:15 has the verb “humiliated” instead of “turned back” and adds “to me” after “say.”
  154. Psalm 70:4 tn Heb “those who love,” which stands metonymically for its cause, the experience of being delivered by God.
  155. Psalm 70:4 tn The three prefixed verbal forms prior to the quotation are understood as jussives. The psalmist balances out his imprecation against his enemies with a prayer of blessing on the godly.
  156. Psalm 70:4 tn Ps 40:16 uses the divine name “Lord” here instead of “God.”
  157. Psalm 70:4 tn The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive, “may the Lord be magnified [in praise].” Another option is to take the verb as an imperfect, “the Lord is great.” See Ps 35:27.
  158. Psalm 70:5 sn See Pss 35:10; 37:14.
  159. Psalm 70:5 tn Ps 40:17 has “may the Lord pay attention to me.”
  160. Psalm 70:5 tn Ps 40:17 has “my God” instead of “Lord.”
  161. Psalm 71:1 sn Psalm 71. The psalmist prays for divine intervention and expresses his confidence that God will protect and vindicate him. The first three verses are very similar to Ps 31:1-3a.
  162. Psalm 71:2 tn Heb “in your vindication rescue me and deliver me.” Ps 31:1 omits “and deliver me.”
  163. Psalm 71:2 tn Heb “turn toward me your ear.”
  164. Psalm 71:2 tn Ps 31:2 adds “quickly” before “deliver.”
  165. Psalm 71:3 tc Heb “become for me a rocky summit of a dwelling place.” The Hebrew term מָעוֹן (maʿon, “dwelling place”) should probably be emended to מָעוֹז (maʿoz, “refuge”; see Ps 31:2).
  166. Psalm 71:3 tc Heb “to enter, continually you commanded to deliver me.” The Hebrew phrase לָבוֹא תָּמִיד צִוִּיתָ (lavoʾ tamid tsivvita) should be emended to לְבֵית מְצוּדוֹת (levet metsudot, “a house of strongholds”; see Ps 31:2).
  167. Psalm 71:3 sn You are my high ridge. This metaphor pictures God as a rocky, relatively inaccessible summit, where one would be able to find protection from enemies. See 1 Sam 23:25, 28.
  168. Psalm 71:4 tn Heb “hand.”
  169. Psalm 71:5 tn Heb “O Lord Yahweh, my source of confidence from my youth.”
  170. Psalm 71:6 tn Heb “from the womb.”
  171. Psalm 71:6 tc The form in the MT is derived from גָּזָה (gazah, “to cut off”), perhaps picturing God as the one who severed the psalmist’s umbilical cord. Many interpreters and translators prefer to emend the text to גֹחִי (gokhi), from גוּח (gukh) or גִּיח, (gikh, “pull out”; see Ps 22:9; cf. the present translation) or to עוּזִּי (ʿuzzi, “my strength”; cf. NEB “my protector since I left my mother’s womb”).
  172. Psalm 71:6 tn Heb “in you [is] my praise continually.”
  173. Psalm 71:7 tn Heb “like a sign [i.e., portent or bad omen] I am to many.”
  174. Psalm 71:8 tn Heb “my mouth is filled [with] your praise, all the day [with] your splendor.”
  175. Psalm 71:9 tn Heb “do not cast me away at the time of old age.”
  176. Psalm 71:10 tn Heb “those who watch for my life consult together.”
  177. Psalm 71:11 tn Heb “saying.”
  178. Psalm 71:12 tn Heb “hurry to my help.”
  179. Psalm 71:13 tn Heb “those who seek my harm.”
  180. Psalm 71:14 tn Heb “and I add to all your praise.”
  181. Psalm 71:15 tn Heb “my mouth declares your vindication, all the day your deliverance.”
  182. Psalm 71:15 tn Heb “though I do not know [the] numbers,” that is, the tally of God’s just and saving acts. HALOT 768 s.v. סְפֹרוֹת understands the plural noun to mean “the art of writing.”
  183. Psalm 71:16 tn Heb “I will come with.”
  184. Psalm 71:17 tn Heb “and until now I am declaring.”
  185. Psalm 71:18 tn Heb “and even unto old age and gray hair.”
  186. Psalm 71:18 tn Heb “until I declare your arm to a generation, to everyone who comes your power.” God’s “arm” here is an anthropomorphism that symbolizes his great strength.
  187. Psalm 71:19 tn Heb “your justice, O God, [is] unto the height.” The Hebrew term מָרוֹם (marom, “height”) is here a title for the sky/heavens.sn Extends to the skies above. Similar statements are made in Pss 36:5 and 57:10.
  188. Psalm 71:19 tn Heb “you who have done great things.”
  189. Psalm 71:19 tn Or “Who is like you?”
  190. Psalm 71:20 tn Heb “you who have caused me to see many harmful distresses.”
  191. Psalm 71:20 tn Heb “you return, you give me life.” The Hebrew term שׁוּב (shuv, “return”) is used here in an adverbial sense, indicating repetition of the action described by the following verb. The imperfects are understood here as expressing the psalmist’s prayer or wish. (Note the use of a distinctly jussive form at the beginning of v. 21.) Another option is to understand this as a statement of confidence, “you will revive me once again” (cf. NIV, NRSV).
  192. Psalm 71:20 tn Heb “you return, you bring me up.” The Hebrew term שׁוּב (shuv, “return”) is used adverbially to indicate repetition of the action in the next verb. See previous note. If understood as a statement of confidence, it would say, “you will bring me up once again” (cf. NIV, NRSV).
  193. Psalm 71:21 tn Heb “increase my greatness.” The prefixed verbal form is distinctly jussive, indicating this is a prayer or wish. The psalmist’s request for “greatness” (or “honor”) is not a boastful, self-serving prayer for prominence, but, rather, a request that God would vindicate by elevating him over those who are trying to humiliate him.
  194. Psalm 71:21 tn The imperfects are understood here as expressing the psalmist’s prayer or wish. (Note the use of a distinctly jussive form at the beginning of v. 21.)
  195. Psalm 71:22 tn The word “praising” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  196. Psalm 71:22 sn The basic sense of the word “holy” is “set apart from that which is commonplace, special, unique.” The Lord’s holiness is first and foremost his transcendent sovereignty as the ruler of the world. He is “set apart” from the world over which he rules. At the same time his holiness encompasses his moral authority, which derives from his royal position. As king he has the right to dictate to his subjects how they are to live; indeed his very own character sets the standard for proper behavior.
  197. Psalm 71:23 tn Or “when.” The translation assumes that כִּי (ki) has an emphasizing (asseverative) function here.
  198. Psalm 71:23 tn Heb “and my life [or “soul”] which you will have redeemed.” The perfect verbal form functions here as a future perfect. The psalmist anticipates praising God, for God will have rescued him by that time.
  199. Psalm 71:24 tn Heb “those who seek my harm.”
  200. Psalm 71:24 tn Heb “will have become embarrassed and ashamed.” The perfect verbal forms function here as future perfects, indicating future actions which will precede chronologically the action expressed by the main verb in the preceding line.
  201. Psalm 72:1 sn Psalm 72. This royal psalm contains a prayer for the Davidic king (note the imperatival form in v. 1 and the jussive forms in vv. 16-17). It is not entirely clear if vv. 2-15 express a prayer or anticipate a future reign. The translation assumes a blend of petition and vision: (I) opening prayer (v. 1), followed by anticipated results if prayer is answered (vv. 2-7); (II) prayer (v. 8), followed by anticipated results if prayer is answered (vv. 9-14); (III) closing prayer (vv. 15-17). Whether a prayer, vision, or combination of the two, the psalm depicts the king’s universal rule of peace and prosperity. As such it is indirectly messianic, for the ideal it expresses will only be fully realized during the Messiah’s earthly reign. Verses 18-19 are a conclusion for Book 2 of the Psalter (Pss 42-72; cf. Ps 41:13, which contains a similar conclusion for Book 1), while v. 20 appears to be a remnant of an earlier collection of psalms or an earlier edition of the Psalter.
  202. Psalm 72:1 tn The preposition could be understood as indicating authorship (“Of Solomon”), but since the psalm is a prayer for a king, it may be that the superscription reflects a tradition that understood this as a prayer for Solomon.
  203. Psalm 72:1 tn Heb “O God, your judgments to [the] king give.”
  204. Psalm 72:1 sn Grant the king…Grant the king’s son. It is not entirely clear whether v. 1 envisions one individual or two. The phrase “the king’s son” in the second line may simply refer to “the king” of the first line, drawing attention to the fact that he has inherited his dynastic rule. Another option is that v. 1 envisions a co-regency between father and son (a common phenomenon in ancient Israel) or simply expresses a hope for a dynasty that champions justice.
  205. Psalm 72:1 tn Heb “and your justice to [the] son of [the] king.”
  206. Psalm 72:2 tn The prefixed verbal form appears to be an imperfect, not a jussive.
  207. Psalm 72:2 sn These people are called God’s oppressed ones because he is their defender (see Pss 9:12, 18; 10:12; 12:5).
  208. Psalm 72:3 tn Heb “[the] mountains will bear peace to the people, and [the] hills with justice.” The personified mountains and hills probably represent messengers who will sweep over the land announcing the king’s just decrees and policies. See Isa 52:7 and C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms (ICC), 2:133.
  209. Psalm 72:4 tn Heb “judge [for].”
  210. Psalm 72:4 tn The prefixed verbal form appears to be an imperfect, not a jussive.
  211. Psalm 72:4 tn Heb “sons.”
  212. Psalm 72:5 tn In this context “fear” probably means “to demonstrate respect for the Lord’s power and authority by worshiping him and obeying his commandments.” See Ps 33:8. Some interpreters, with the support of the LXX, prefer to read וְיַאֲרִיךְ (veyaʾarikh, “and he [the king in this case] will prolong [days]”), that is, “will live a long time” (cf. NIV, NRSV).
  213. Psalm 72:5 tn God is the addressee (see vv. 1-2).
  214. Psalm 72:5 tn Heb “with [the] sun, and before [the] moon [for] a generation, generations.” The rare expression דּוֹר דּוֹרִים (dor dorim, “generation, generations”) occurs only here, in Ps 102:24, and in Isa 51:8.
  215. Psalm 72:6 tn That is, the king (see vv. 2, 4).
  216. Psalm 72:6 tn The rare term גֵּז (gez) refers to a sheep’s fleece in Deut 18:4 and Job 31:20, but to “mown” grass or crops here and in Amos 7:1.
  217. Psalm 72:6 tc The form in the Hebrew text appears to be an otherwise unattested noun. Many prefer to emend the form to a verb from the root זָרַף (zaraf). BHS suggests a Hiphil imperfect, third masculine plural יַזְרִיפוּ (yazrifu), while HALOT 283 s.v. *זרף prefers a Pilpel perfect, third masculine plural זִרְזְפוּ (zirzefu). The translation assumes the latter.
  218. Psalm 72:6 sn The imagery of this verse compares the blessings produced by the king’s reign to fructifying rains that cause the crops to grow.
  219. Psalm 72:7 tn Heb “sprout up,” like crops. This verse continues the metaphor of rain utilized in v. 6.
  220. Psalm 72:7 tn Heb “and [there will be an] abundance of peace until there is no more moon.”
  221. Psalm 72:8 tn The prefixed verbal form is a (shortened) jussive form, indicating this is a prayer of blessing.
  222. Psalm 72:8 sn From sea to sea. This may mean from the Mediterranean Sea in the west to the Dead Sea in the east. See Amos 8:12. The language of this and the following line also appears in Zech 9:10.
  223. Psalm 72:8 tn Heb “the river,” a reference to the Euphrates.
  224. Psalm 72:9 tn Or “islands.” The term here refers metonymically to those people who dwell in these regions.
  225. Psalm 72:9 sn As they bow down before him, it will appear that his enemies are licking the dust.
  226. Psalm 72:10 sn Tarshish was a distant western port, the precise location of which is uncertain.
  227. Psalm 72:10 sn Sheba was located in Arabia.
  228. Psalm 72:10 sn Seba was located in Africa.
  229. Psalm 72:12 tn The singular is representative. The typical needy individual here represents the entire group.
  230. Psalm 72:12 tn The singular is representative. The typical oppressed individual here represents the entire group.
  231. Psalm 72:13 tn The prefixed verb form is best understood as a defectively written imperfect (see Deut 7:16).
  232. Psalm 72:14 tn Or “redeem their lives.” The verb “redeem” casts the Lord in the role of a leader who protects members of his extended family in times of need and crisis (see Pss 19:14; 69:18).
  233. Psalm 72:14 tn Heb “their blood will be precious in his eyes.”
  234. Psalm 72:15 tn The prefixed verbal form is jussive, not imperfect. Because the form has the prefixed vav (ו), some subordinate it to what precedes as a purpose/result clause. In this case the representative poor individual might be the subject of this and the following verb, “so that he may live and give to him gold of Sheba.” But the idea of the poor offering gold is incongruous. It is better to take the jussive as a prayer with the king as subject of the verb. (Perhaps the initial vav is dittographic; note the vav at the end of the last form in v. 14.) The statement is probably an abbreviated version of the formula יְחִי הַמֶּלֶךְ (yekhi hammelekh, “may the king live”; see 1 Sam 10:24; 2 Sam 16:16; 1 Kgs 1:25, 34, 39; 2 Kgs 11:12).
  235. Psalm 72:15 tn Heb “and he will give to him some gold of Sheba.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive with a grammatically indefinite subject (“and may one give”). Of course, the king’s subjects, mentioned in the preceding context, are the tribute bearers in view here.
  236. Psalm 72:15 tn As in the preceding line, the prefixed verbal forms are understood as jussives with a grammatically indefinite subject (“and may one pray…and may one bless”). Of course, the king’s subjects, mentioned in the preceding context, are in view here.
  237. Psalm 72:16 tn The prefixed verbal form is jussive, not imperfect. The translation assumes the subject is impersonal (rather than the king).
  238. Psalm 72:16 tn The Hebrew noun פִסַּה (pissah; which appears here in the construct form) occurs only here in the OT. Perhaps the noun is related to the verbal root פָּשָׂה (pasah, “to spread,” see BDB 832 s.v.; the root appears as פָּסָה [pasah] in postbiblical Hebrew), which is used in postbiblical Hebrew of the rising sun’s rays spreading over the horizon and a tree’s branches spreading out (see Jastrow 1194 s.v. פסי, פָּסָה, פָּשָׂה). In Ps 72:16 a “spreading of grain” would refer to grain fields extending out over the land. C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs (Psalms [ICC], 2:139) emend the form to סְפִיחַ (sefiakh, “second growth”).
  239. Psalm 72:16 tn Heb “top” (singular).
  240. Psalm 72:16 tn That is, the grain.
  241. Psalm 72:16 tn According to the traditional accentuation of the MT, this verb belongs with what follows. See the translator’s note at the end of the verse for a discussion of the poetic parallelism and interpretation of the verse.
  242. Psalm 72:16 tn The antecedent of the third masculine singular pronominal suffix is unclear. It is unlikely that the antecedent is אֶרֶץ (ʾerets, “earth”) because this noun is normally grammatically feminine. Perhaps רֹאשׁ (roʾsh, “top [of the mountains]”) is the antecedent. Another option is to understand the pronoun as referring to the king, who would then be viewed as an instrument of divine agricultural blessing (see v. 6).
  243. Psalm 72:16 tn Heb “fruit.”
  244. Psalm 72:16 tc According to the traditional accentuation of the MT, this verb belongs with what follows. See the note on the word “earth” at the end of the verse for a discussion of the poetic parallelism and interpretation of the verse. The present translation takes it with the preceding words, “like Lebanon its fruit” and emends the verb form from וְיָצִיצוּ (veyatsitsu; Qal imperfect third masculine plural with prefixed vav, [ו]) to יָצִיץ (yatsits; Qal imperfect third masculine singular). The initial vav is eliminated as dittographic (note the vav on the ending of the preceding form פִּרְיוֹ, piryo, “its/his fruit”) and the vav at the end of the form is placed on the following emended form (see the note on the word “crops”), yielding וַעֲמִיר (vaʿamir, “and [its] crops”).
  245. Psalm 72:16 tn Heb “like Lebanon.”
  246. Psalm 72:16 tc The MT has “from the city.” The translation assumes an emendation to עֲמִיר (ʿamir, “crops”).
  247. Psalm 72:16 tn The translation assumes that the verb צוּץ (tsuts, “flourish”) goes with the preceding line. The words “be as abundant” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
  248. Psalm 72:16 tc The traditional accentuation and vocalization of the MT differ from the text assumed by the present translation. The MT reads as follows: “May there be an abundance of grain in the earth, / and on the tops of the mountains! / May its [or “his”?] fruit [trees?] rustle like [the trees of] Lebanon! / May they flourish from the city, like the grass of the earth!” If one follows the MT, then it would appear that the “fruit” of the third line is a metaphorical reference to the king’s people, who flow out from the cities to populate the land (see line 4). Elsewhere in the OT people are sometimes compared to grass that sprouts up from the land (see v. 7, as well as Isa 27:6; Pss 92:7; 103:15). The translation understands a different poetic structural arrangement and, assuming the emendations mentioned in earlier notes, interprets each line of the verse to be a prayer for agricultural abundance.
  249. Psalm 72:17 tn Heb “may his name [be] permanent.” The prefixed verbal form is jussive, not imperfect.
  250. Psalm 72:17 tn Heb “before the sun may his name increase.” The Kethib (consonantal text) assumes יָנִין (yanin; a Hiphil of the verbal root נִין, nin) or יְנַיֵן (yenayen; a Piel form), while the Qere (marginal reading) assumes יִנּוֹן (yinnon; a Niphal form). The verb נִין occurs only here, though a derived noun, meaning “offspring,” appears elsewhere (see Isa 14:22). The verb appears to mean “propagate, increase” (BDB 630 s.v. נוּן, נִין) or “produce shoots, get descendants” (HALOT 696 s.v. נין). In this context this appears to be a prayer for a lasting dynasty that will keep the king’s name and memory alive.
  251. Psalm 72:17 tn Heb “may they bless one another by him,” that is, use the king’s name in their blessing formulae because he is a prime example of one blessed by God (for examples of such blessing formulae, see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11). There is some debate on whether the Hitpael form of בָּרַךְ (barakh, “bless”) is reflexive-reciprocal (as assumed in the present translation) or passive. The Hitpael of בָּרַךְ occurs in five other passages, including the hotly debated Gen 22:18 and 26:4. In these two texts one could understand the verb form as passive and translate, “all the nations of the earth will be blessed through your offspring,” or one could take the Hitpael as reflexive or reciprocal and translate, “all the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings [i.e., on themselves or one another] by your offspring.” In the first instance Abraham’s (or Isaac’s) offspring are viewed as a channel of divine blessing. In the second instance they are viewed as a prime example of blessing that will appear as part of the nations’ blessing formulae, but not necessarily as a channel of blessing to the nations. In Deut 29:18 one reads: “When one hears the words of this covenant [or “oath”] and invokes a blessing on himself (Hitpael of בָּרַךְ) in his heart, saying: ‘I will have peace, even though I walk with a rebellious heart.’” In this case the Hitpael is clearly reflexive, as the phrases “in his heart” and “I will have peace” indicate. The Hitpael of בָּרַךְ appears twice in Isaiah 65:16: “The one who invokes a blessing on himself (see Deut 9:18) in the land will invoke that blessing by the God of truth; and the one who makes an oath in the land will make that oath by the God of truth.” A passive nuance does not fit here. The parallel line, which mentions making an oath, suggests that the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ refers here to invoking a blessing. Both pronouncements of blessing and oaths will appeal to God as the one who rewards and judges, respectively. Jer 4:2 states: “If you swear, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’ with truth, integrity, and honesty, then the nations will pronounce blessings by him and boast in him.” A passive nuance might work (“the nations will be blessed”), but the context refers to verbal pronouncements (swearing an oath, boasting), suggesting that the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ refers here to invoking a blessing. The logic of the verse seems to be as follows: If Israel conducts its affairs with integrity, the nation will be favored by the Lord, which will in turn attract the surrounding nations to Israel’s God. To summarize, while the evidence might leave the door open for a passive interpretation, there is no clear cut passive use. Usage favors a reflexive or reciprocal understanding of the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ. In Ps 72:17 the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ is followed by the prepositional phrase בוֹ (vo, “by him”). The verb could theoretically be taken as passive, “may all the nations be blessed through him” (cf. NIV, NRSV), because the preceding context describes the positive effects of this king’s rule on the inhabitants of the earth. But the parallel line, which employs the Piel of אָשַׁר (ʾashar) in a factitive/declarative sense, “regard as happy, fortunate,” suggests a reflexive or reciprocal nuance for the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ here. If the nations regard the ideal king as a prime example of one who is fortunate or blessed, it is understandable that they would use his name in their pronouncements of blessing.
  252. Psalm 72:17 tn Heb “all the nations, may they regard him as happy.” The Piel is used here in a delocutive sense (“regard as”).
  253. Psalm 72:18 tn Heb “[be] blessed.” See Pss 18:46; 28:6; 31:21; 41:13.
  254. Psalm 72:18 tn Heb “[the] one who does amazing things by himself.”
  255. Psalm 72:19 tn Heb “[be] blessed.”
  256. Psalm 72:19 tn Or “glory.”
  257. Psalm 72:19 tn Heb “surely and surely” (אָמֵן וְאָמֵן [ʾamen veʾamen], i.e., “Amen and amen”). This is probably a congregational response of agreement to the immediately preceding statement about the propriety of praising God.
  258. Psalm 72:20 tn Heb “the prayers of David, son of Jesse, are concluded.” As noted earlier, v. 20 appears to be a remnant of an earlier collection of psalms or an earlier edition of the Psalter. In the present arrangement of the Book of Psalms, not all psalms prior to this are attributed to David (see Pss 1-2, 10, 33, 42-50, 66-67, 71-72) and several psalms attributed to David appear after this (see Pss 86, 101, 103, 108-110, 122, 124, 131, 138-145).