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Psalm 88[a]

A song, a psalm written by the Korahites, for the music director, according to the machalath-leannoth style;[b] a well-written song[c] by Heman the Ezrahite.

88 O Lord God who delivers me,[d]
by day I cry out
and at night I pray before you.[e]
Listen to my prayer.[f]
Pay attention[g] to my cry for help.
For my life[h] is filled with troubles,
and I am ready to enter Sheol.[i]
They treat me like[j] those who descend into the grave.[k]
I am like a helpless man,[l]
adrift[m] among the dead,
like corpses lying in the grave,
whom you remember no more,
and who are cut off from your power.[n]
You place me in the lowest regions of the Pit,[o]
in the dark places, in the watery depths.
Your anger bears down on me,
and you overwhelm me with all your waves. (Selah)
You cause those who know me to keep their distance;
you make me an appalling sight to them.
I am trapped and cannot get free.[p]
My eyes grow weak because of oppression.
I call out to you, O Lord, all day long;
I spread out my hands in prayer to you.[q]
10 Do you accomplish amazing things for the dead?
Do the departed spirits[r] rise up and give you thanks? (Selah)
11 Is your loyal love proclaimed in the grave,
or your faithfulness in the place of the dead?[s]
12 Are your amazing deeds experienced[t] in the dark region,[u]
or your deliverance in the land of oblivion?[v]
13 As for me, I cry out to you, O Lord;
in the morning my prayer confronts you.
14 O Lord, why do you reject me,
and pay no attention to me?[w]
15 I am oppressed and have been on the verge of death since my youth.[x]
I have been subjected to your horrors and am numb with pain.[y]
16 Your anger overwhelms me;[z]
your terrors destroy me.
17 They surround me like water all day long;
they join forces and encircle me.[aa]
18 You cause my friends and neighbors to keep their distance;[ab]
those who know me leave me alone in the darkness.[ac]

Psalm 89[ad]

A well-written song[ae] by Ethan the Ezrahite.

89 I will sing continually[af] about the Lord’s faithful deeds;
to future generations I will proclaim your faithfulness.[ag]
For I say, “Loyal love is permanently established;[ah]
in the skies you set up your faithfulness.”[ai]
The Lord said,[aj]
“I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
I have made a promise on oath to David, my servant:
‘I will give you an eternal dynasty[ak]
and establish your throne throughout future generations.’”[al] (Selah)
O Lord, the heavens[am] praise your amazing deeds,
as well as your faithfulness in the angelic assembly.[an]
For who in the skies can compare to the Lord?
Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings,[ao]
a God who is honored[ap] in the great angelic assembly,[aq]
and more awesome than[ar] all who surround him?
O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies![as]
Who is strong like you, O Lord?
Your faithfulness surrounds you.
You rule over the proud sea.[at]
When its waves surge,[au] you calm them.
10 You crushed the Proud One[av] and killed it;[aw]
with your strong arm you scattered your enemies.
11 The heavens belong to you, as does the earth.
You made the world and all it contains.[ax]
12 You created the north and the south.
Tabor and Hermon[ay] rejoice in your name.
13 Your arm is powerful,
your hand strong,
your right hand[az] victorious.[ba]
14 Equity and justice are the foundation of your throne.[bb]
Loyal love and faithfulness characterize your rule.[bc]
15 How blessed are the people who worship you![bd]
O Lord, they experience your favor.[be]
16 They rejoice in your name all day long,
and are vindicated[bf] by your justice.
17 For you give them splendor and strength.[bg]
By your favor we are victorious.[bh]
18 For our shield[bi] belongs to the Lord,
our king to the Holy One of Israel.[bj]
19 Then you[bk] spoke through a vision to your faithful followers[bl] and said:
“I have placed a young hero[bm] over a warrior;
I have raised up a young man[bn] from the people.
20 I have discovered David, my servant.
With my holy oil I have anointed him as king.[bo]
21 My hand will support him,[bp]
and my arm will strengthen him.
22 No enemy will be able to exact tribute[bq] from him;[br]
a violent oppressor will not be able to humiliate him.[bs]
23 I will crush his enemies before him;
I will strike down those who hate him.
24 He will experience my faithfulness and loyal love,[bt]
and by my name he will win victories.[bu]
25 I will place his hand over the sea,
his right hand over the rivers.[bv]
26 He will call out to me,
‘You are my father,[bw] my God, and the protector who delivers me.’[bx]
27 I will appoint him to be my firstborn son,[by]
the most exalted of the earth’s kings.
28 I will always extend my loyal love to him,
and my covenant with him is secure.[bz]
29 I will give him an eternal dynasty,[ca]
and make his throne as enduring as the skies above.[cb]
30 If his sons reject my law
and disobey my regulations,
31 if they break[cc] my rules
and do not keep my commandments,
32 I will punish their rebellion by beating them with a club,[cd]
their sin by inflicting them with bruises.[ce]
33 But I will not remove[cf] my loyal love from him,
nor be unfaithful to my promise.[cg]
34 I will not break[ch] my covenant
or go back on what I promised.[ci]
35 Once and for all I have vowed by my own holiness,
I will never deceive[cj] David.
36 His dynasty will last forever.[ck]
His throne will endure before me, like the sun;[cl]
37 it will remain stable, like the moon.[cm]
His throne will endure like the skies.”[cn] (Selah)
38 But you have spurned[co] and rejected him;
you are angry with your chosen king.[cp]
39 You have repudiated[cq] your covenant with your servant;[cr]
you have thrown his crown to the ground.[cs]
40 You have broken down all his[ct] walls;
you have made his strongholds a heap of ruins.
41 All who pass by[cu] have robbed him;
he has become an object of disdain to his neighbors.
42 You have allowed his adversaries to be victorious,[cv]
and all his enemies to rejoice.
43 You turn back[cw] his sword from the adversary,[cx]
and have not sustained him in battle.[cy]
44 You have brought to an end his splendor,[cz]
and have knocked[da] his throne to the ground.
45 You have cut short his youth,[db]
and have covered him with shame. (Selah)
46 How long, O Lord, will this last?
Will you remain hidden forever?[dc]
Will your anger continue to burn like fire?
47 Take note of my brief lifespan.[dd]
Why do you make all people so mortal?[de]
48 No man can live on without experiencing death,
or deliver his life from the power of Sheol.[df] (Selah)
49 Where are your earlier faithful deeds,[dg] O Lord,[dh]
the ones performed in accordance with your reliable oath to David?[di]
50 Take note, O Lord,[dj] of the way your servants are taunted,[dk]
and of how I must bear so many insults from people.[dl]
51 Your enemies, O Lord, hurl insults;
they insult your chosen king as they dog his footsteps.[dm]
52 [dn] The Lord deserves praise[do] forevermore!
We agree! We agree![dp]

Book 4 (Psalms 90-106)

Psalm 90[dq]

A prayer of Moses, the man of God.

90 O Lord, you have been our protector[dr] through all generations.
Even before the mountains came into existence,[ds]
or you brought the world into being,[dt]
you were the eternal God.[du]
You make mankind return[dv] to the dust,[dw]
and say, “Return, O people.”
Yes,[dx] in your eyes a thousand years
are like yesterday that quickly passes,
or like one of the divisions of the nighttime.[dy]
You bring their lives to an end and they “fall asleep.”[dz]
In the morning they are like the grass that sprouts up:
In the morning it glistens[ea] and sprouts up;
at evening time it withers[eb] and dries up.
Yes,[ec] we are consumed by your anger;
we are terrified by your wrath.
You are aware of our sins;[ed]
you even know about our hidden sins.[ee]
Yes,[ef] throughout all our days we experience your raging fury;[eg]
the years of our lives pass quickly, like a sigh.[eh]
10 The days of our lives add up to seventy years,[ei]
or eighty, if one is especially strong.[ej]
But even one’s best years are marred by trouble and oppression.[ek]
Yes,[el] they pass quickly[em] and we fly away.[en]
11 Who can really fathom the intensity of your anger?[eo]
Your raging fury causes people to fear you.[ep]
12 So teach us to consider our mortality,[eq]
so that we might live wisely.[er]
13 Turn back toward us, O Lord.
How long must this suffering last?[es]
Have pity on your servants.[et]
14 Satisfy us in the morning[eu] with your loyal love.
Then we will shout for joy and be happy[ev] all our days.
15 Make us happy in proportion to the days you have afflicted us,
in proportion to the years we have experienced[ew] trouble.
16 May your servants see your work.[ex]
May their sons see your majesty.[ey]
17 May our Sovereign God extend his favor to us.[ez]
Make our endeavors successful.
Yes, make them successful.[fa]

Psalm 91[fb]

91 As for you, the one who lives[fc] in the shelter of the Most High,[fd]
and resides in the protective shadow[fe] of the Sovereign One[ff]
I say this about the Lord, my shelter and my stronghold,
my God in whom I trust—
he will certainly rescue you from the snare of the hunter[fg]
and from the destructive plague.
He will shelter you[fh] with his wings;[fi]
you will find safety under his wings.
His faithfulness is like a shield or a protective wall.[fj]
You need not fear the terrors of the night,[fk]
the arrow that flies by day,
the plague that stalks in the darkness,
or the disease that ravages at noon.[fl]
Though a thousand may fall beside you,
and a multitude on your right side,
it[fm] will not reach you.
Certainly you will see it with your very own eyes—
you will see the wicked paid back.[fn]
For you have taken refuge in the Lord,
my shelter, the Most High.
10 No harm will overtake[fo] you;
no illness[fp] will come near your home.[fq]
11 For he will order his angels[fr]
to protect you in all you do.[fs]
12 They will lift you up in their hands,
so you will not slip and fall on a stone.[ft]
13 You will subdue[fu] a lion and a snake;[fv]
you will trample underfoot a young lion and a serpent.
14 The Lord says,[fw]
“Because he is devoted to me, I will deliver him;
I will protect him[fx] because he is loyal to me.[fy]
15 When he calls out to me, I will answer him.
I will be with him when he is in trouble;
I will rescue him and bring him honor.
16 I will satisfy him with long life,[fz]
and will let him see my salvation.”

Psalm 92[ga]

A psalm; a song for the Sabbath day.

92 It is fitting[gb] to thank the Lord,
and to sing praises to your name, O Most High.[gc]
It is fitting[gd] to proclaim your loyal love in the morning,
and your faithfulness during the night,
to the accompaniment of a ten-stringed instrument and a lyre,
to the accompaniment of the meditative tone of the harp.
For you, O Lord, have made me happy by your work.
I will sing for joy because of what you have done.[ge]
How great are your works, O Lord!
Your plans are very intricate![gf]
The spiritually insensitive do not recognize this;
the fool does not understand this.[gg]
When the wicked sprout up like grass,
and all the evildoers glisten,[gh]
it is so that they may be annihilated.[gi]
But you, O Lord, reign[gj] forever.
Indeed,[gk] look at your enemies, O Lord.
Indeed,[gl] look at how your enemies perish.
All the evildoers are scattered.
10 You exalt my horn like that of a wild ox.[gm]
I am covered[gn] with fresh oil.
11 I gloat in triumph over those who tried to ambush me;[go]
I hear the defeated cries of the evil foes who attacked me.[gp]
12 The godly[gq] grow like a palm tree;
they grow high like a cedar in Lebanon.[gr]
13 Planted in the Lord’s house,
they grow in the courts of our God.
14 They bear fruit even when they are old;
they are filled with vitality and have many leaves.[gs]
15 So they proclaim that the Lord, my Protector,
is just and never unfair.[gt]

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 88:1 sn Psalm 88. The psalmist cries out in pain to the Lord, begging him for relief from his intense and constant suffering. The psalmist regards God as the ultimate cause of his distress, but nevertheless clings to God in hope.
  2. Psalm 88:1 tn The Hebrew phrase מָחֲלַת לְעַנּוֹת (makhalat leʿannot) may mean “illness to afflict.” Perhaps it refers to a particular style of music, a tune title, or a musical instrument. The term מָחֲלַת also appears in the superscription of Ps 53.
  3. Psalm 88:1 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. The word is derived from a verb meaning “to be prudent; to be wise.” Various options are: “a contemplative song,” “a song imparting moral wisdom,” or “a skillful [i.e., well-written] song.” The term occurs in the superscriptions of Pss 32, 42, 44, 45, 52-55, 74, 78, 88, 89, and 142, as well as in Ps 47:7.
  4. Psalm 88:1 tn Heb “O Lord God of my deliverance.” In light of the content of the psalm, this reference to God as the one who delivers seems overly positive. For this reason some assume dittography of the י (yod) and emend the text from אֱלֹהֵי יְשׁוּעָתִי (ʾelohe yeshuʿati) to אֱלֹהַי שִׁוַּעְתִּי (ʾelohay shivvaʿtiy, “[O Lord] my God, I cry out”). See v. 13.
  5. Psalm 88:1 tn Heb “[by] day I cry out, in the night before you.”
  6. Psalm 88:2 tn Heb “may my prayer come before you.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive, indicating the psalmist’s desire or prayer.
  7. Psalm 88:2 tn Heb “turn your ear.”
  8. Psalm 88:3 tn Or “my soul.”
  9. Psalm 88:3 tn Heb “and my life approaches Sheol.”
  10. Psalm 88:4 tn Heb “I am considered with.”
  11. Psalm 88:4 tn Heb “the pit.” The noun בּוֹר (bor, “pit,” “cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead.
  12. Psalm 88:4 tn Heb “I am like a man [for whom] there is no help.”
  13. Psalm 88:5 tn Heb “set free.”
  14. Psalm 88:5 tn Heb “from your hand.”
  15. Psalm 88:6 tn The noun בּוֹר (bor, “pit,” “cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead. See v. 4.
  16. Psalm 88:8 tn Heb “[I am] confined and I cannot go out.”
  17. Psalm 88:9 tn Heb “I spread out my hands to you.” Spreading out the hands toward God was a prayer gesture (see Exod 9:29, 33; 1 Kgs 8:22, 38; 2 Chr 6:12-13, 29; Ezra 9:15; Job 11:13; Isa 1:15). The words “in prayer” have been supplied in the translation to clarify this.
  18. Psalm 88:10 tn Heb “Rephaim,” a term that refers to those who occupy the land of the dead (see Isa 14:9; 26:14, 19).
  19. Psalm 88:11 tn Heb “in Abaddon,” a name for Sheol. The noun is derived from a verbal root meaning “to perish,” “to die.”
  20. Psalm 88:12 tn Heb “known.”
  21. Psalm 88:12 tn Heb “darkness,” here a title for Sheol.
  22. Psalm 88:12 tn Heb “forgetfulness.” The noun, which occurs only here in the OT, is derived from a verbal root meaning “to forget.”sn The rhetorical questions in vv. 10-12 expect the answer, “Of course not!”
  23. Psalm 88:14 tn Heb “[why] do you hide your face from me?”
  24. Psalm 88:15 tn Heb “and am dying from youth.”
  25. Psalm 88:15 tn Heb “I carry your horrors [?].” The meaning of the Hebrew form אָפוּנָה (ʾafunah), which occurs only here in the OT, is unclear. It may be an adverb meaning “very much” (BDB 67 s.v.), though some prefer to emend the text to אָפוּגָה (ʾafugah, “I am numb”) from the verb פוּג (pug; see Pss 38:8; 77:2).
  26. Psalm 88:16 tn Heb “passes over me.”
  27. Psalm 88:17 tn Heb “they encircle me together.”
  28. Psalm 88:18 tn Heb “you cause to be far from me friend and neighbor.”
  29. Psalm 88:18 tn Heb “those known by me, darkness.”
  30. Psalm 89:1 sn Psalm 89. The psalmist praises God as the sovereign creator of the world. He recalls God’s covenant with David, but then laments that the promises of the covenant remain unrealized. The covenant promised the Davidic king military victories, but the king has now been subjected to humiliating defeat.
  31. Psalm 89:1 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. See the note on the phrase “well-written song” in the superscription of Ps 88.
  32. Psalm 89:1 tn Or “forever.”
  33. Psalm 89:1 tn Heb “to a generation and a generation I will make known your faithfulness with my mouth.”
  34. Psalm 89:2 tn Heb “built.”
  35. Psalm 89:2 sn You set up your faithfulness. This may allude to the Lord’s heavenly throne, which symbolizes his just rule and from which the Lord decrees his unconditional promises (see vv. 8, 14).
  36. Psalm 89:3 tn The words “the Lord said” are supplied in the translation for clarification. It is clear that the words of vv. 3-4 are spoken by the Lord, in contrast to vv. 1-2, which are spoken by the psalmist.
  37. Psalm 89:4 tn Heb “forever I will establish your offspring.”
  38. Psalm 89:4 tn Heb “and I will build to a generation and a generation your throne.”
  39. Psalm 89:5 tn As the following context makes clear, the personified “heavens” here stand by metonymy for the angelic beings that surround God’s heavenly throne.
  40. Psalm 89:5 tn Heb “in the assembly of the holy ones.” The phrase “holy ones” sometimes refers to God’s people (Ps 34:9) or to their priestly leaders (2 Chr 35:3), but here it refers to God’s heavenly assembly and the angels that surround his throne (see vv. 6-7).
  41. Psalm 89:6 tn Heb “sons of gods”; or “sons of God.” Though אֵלִים (ʾelim) is vocalized as a plural form (“gods”) in the Hebrew text, it is likely that the final mem (ם) is actually enclitic rather than a plural marker. In this case one may read “God.” Some, following a Qumran text and the LXX, also propose the phrase occurred in the original text of Deut 32:8. The phrase בְנֵי אֵלִים (vene ʾelim, “sons of gods” or “sons of God”) occurs only here and in Ps 29:1. Since the “sons of gods/God” are here associated with “the assembly of the holy ones” and “council of the holy ones,” the heavenly assembly (comprised of so-called “angels” and other supernatural beings) appears to be in view. See Job 5:1; 15:15 and Zech 14:5, where these supernatural beings are referred to as “holy ones.” In Canaanite mythological texts the divine council of the high god El is called “the sons of El.” The OT apparently uses the Canaanite phrase, applying it to the supernatural beings that surround the Lord’s heavenly throne.
  42. Psalm 89:7 tn Heb “feared.”
  43. Psalm 89:7 tn Heb “in the great assembly of the holy ones.”
  44. Psalm 89:7 tn Or perhaps “feared by.”
  45. Psalm 89:8 tn Traditionally “God of hosts.” The title here pictures the Lord as enthroned in the midst of the angelic hosts of heaven.
  46. Psalm 89:9 tn Heb “the majesty of the sea.”
  47. Psalm 89:9 tn Heb “rise up.”
  48. Psalm 89:10 tn Heb “Rahab.” The name “Rahab” means “proud one.” Since it is sometimes used of Egypt (see Ps 87:4; Isa 30:7), the passage may allude to the exodus. However, the name is also used of the sea (or the mythological sea creature) which symbolizes the disruptive forces of the world that seek to replace order with chaos (see Job 9:13; 26:12). Isa 51:9 appears to combine the mythological and historical referents. The association of Rahab with the sea in Ps 89 (see v. 9) suggests that the name carries symbolic force in this context. In this case the passage may allude to creation (see vv. 11-12), when God overcame the great deep and brought order out of chaos.
  49. Psalm 89:10 tn Heb “like one fatally wounded.”
  50. Psalm 89:11 tn Heb “the world and its fullness, you established them.”
  51. Psalm 89:12 sn Tabor and Hermon were two of the most prominent mountains in Palestine.
  52. Psalm 89:13 sn The Lord’s arm, hand, and right hand all symbolize his activities, especially his exploits in war.
  53. Psalm 89:13 tn Heb “is lifted up.” The idiom “the right hand is lifted up” refers to victorious military deeds (see Pss 89:42; 118:16).
  54. Psalm 89:14 sn The Lord’s throne symbolizes his kingship.
  55. Psalm 89:14 tn Heb “are in front of your face.” The idiom can mean “confront” (Ps 17:13) or “meet, enter the presence of” (Ps 95:2).
  56. Psalm 89:15 tn Heb “who know the shout.” “Shout” here refers to the shouts of the Lord’s worshipers (see Pss 27:6; 33:3; 47:5).
  57. Psalm 89:15 tn Heb “in the light of your face they walk.” The idiom “light of your face” probably refers to a smile (see Eccl 8:1), which in turn suggests favor and blessing (see Num 6:25; Pss 4:6; 31:16; 44:3; 67:1; 80:3, 7, 19; Dan 9:17).
  58. Psalm 89:16 tn Heb “are lifted up.”
  59. Psalm 89:17 tn Heb “for the splendor of their strength [is] you.”
  60. Psalm 89:17 tn Heb “you lift up our horn,” or if one follows the marginal reading (Qere), “our horn is lifted up.” The horn of an ox underlies the metaphor (see Deut 33:17; 1 Kgs 22:11; Ps 92:10). The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 75:10; 89:24; 92:10; Lam 2:17).
  61. Psalm 89:18 tn The phrase “our shield” refers metaphorically to the Davidic king, who, as God’s vice-regent, was the human protector of the people. Note the parallelism with “our king” here and with “your anointed one” in Ps 84:9.
  62. Psalm 89:18 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. This expression is a common title for the Lord in the book of Isaiah.
  63. Psalm 89:19 tn The pronoun “you” refers to the Lord, who is addressed here. The quotation that follows further develops the announcement of vv. 3-4.
  64. Psalm 89:19 tc Many medieval mss read the singular here, “your faithful follower.” In this case the statement refers directly to Nathan’s oracle to David (see 2 Sam 7:17).
  65. Psalm 89:19 tc The MT reads עֵזֶר (ʿezer, “help, strength”), thus “I have placed help on a warrior,” which might effectively mean “I have strengthened a warrior.” The BHS note suggests reading נֵזֶר (nezer, “crown”), similar to the sentiment of anointing in the next verse. HALOT suggests reading עֹזֶר (ʿozer, “hero”) based on an Ugaritic cognate which means “young man, hero, warrior” (HALOT 811 s.v. II עזר). Craigie treats it similarly, taking עזר as “lad/boy/stripling,” parallel to “young man” in the next line, and seeing either David and Saul or David and Goliath as the historical referent (P. C. Craigie, Psalms [WBC], 19:410).
  66. Psalm 89:19 tn Or perhaps “a chosen one.”
  67. Psalm 89:20 tn The words “as king” are supplied in the translation for clarification, indicating that a royal anointing is in view.
  68. Psalm 89:21 tn Heb “with whom my hand will be firm.”
  69. Psalm 89:22 tn Heb “an enemy will not exact tribute.” The imperfect is understood in a modal sense, indicating capability or potential.
  70. Psalm 89:22 tn The translation understands the Hiphil of נָשַׁא (nashaʾ) in the sense of “act as a creditor.” This may allude to the practice of a conqueror forcing his subjects to pay tribute in exchange for “protection.” Another option is to take the verb from a homonymic verbal root meaning “to deceive,” “to trick.” Still another option is to emend the form to יִשָּׂא (yissaʾ), a Qal imperfect from נָאַשׂ (naʾas, “rise up”) and to translate “an enemy will not rise up against him” (see M. Dahood, Psalms [AB], 2:317).
  71. Psalm 89:22 tn Heb “and a son of violence will not oppress him.” The imperfect is understood in a modal sense, indicating capability or potential. The reference to a “son of violence” echoes the language of God’s promise to David in 2 Sam 7:10 (see also 1 Chr 17:9).
  72. Psalm 89:24 tn Heb “and my faithfulness and my loyal love [will be] with him.”
  73. Psalm 89:24 tn Heb “and by my name his horn will be lifted up.” The horn of an ox underlies the metaphor (see Deut 33:17; 1 Kgs 22:11; Ps 92:10). The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 75:10; 92:10; Lam 2:17).
  74. Psalm 89:25 tn Some identify “the sea” as the Mediterranean and “the rivers” as the Euphrates and its tributaries. However, it is more likely that “the sea” and “the rivers” are symbols for hostile powers that oppose God and the king (see v. 9, as well as Ps 93:3-4).
  75. Psalm 89:26 sn You are my father. The Davidic king was viewed as God’s “son” (see 2 Sam 7:14; Ps 2:7). The idiom reflects ancient Near Eastern adoption language associated with covenants of grant, by which a lord would reward a faithful subject by elevating him to special status, referred to as “sonship.” Like a son, the faithful subject received an “inheritance,” viewed as an unconditional, eternal gift. Such gifts usually took the form of land and/or an enduring dynasty. See M. Weinfeld, “The Covenant of Grant in the Old Testament and in the Ancient Near East,” JAOS 90 (1970): 184-203, for general discussion and some striking extra-biblical parallels.
  76. Psalm 89:26 tn Heb “the rocky summit of my deliverance.”
  77. Psalm 89:27 sn The firstborn son typically had special status and received special privileges.
  78. Psalm 89:28 tn Heb “forever I will keep for him my loyal love and will make my covenant secure for him.”
  79. Psalm 89:29 tn Heb “and I will set in place forever his offspring.”
  80. Psalm 89:29 tn Heb “and his throne like the days of the heavens.”
  81. Psalm 89:31 tn Or “desecrate.”
  82. Psalm 89:32 tn Heb “I will punish with a club their rebellion.”sn Despite the harsh image of beating…with a club, the language reflects a father-son relationship (see v. 30; 2 Sam 7:14). According to Proverbs, a שֵׁבֶט (shevet, “club”) was sometimes utilized to administer corporal punishment to rebellious children (see Prov 13:24; 22:15; 23:13-14; 29:15).
  83. Psalm 89:32 tn Heb “with blows their sin.”
  84. Psalm 89:33 tn Heb “break”; “make ineffectual.” Some prefer to emend אָפִיר (ʾafir; the Hiphil of פָּרַר, parar, “to break”) to אָסִיר (ʾasir; the Hiphil of סוּר, sur, “to turn aside”), a verb that appears in 2 Sam 7:15.
  85. Psalm 89:33 tn Heb “and I will not deal falsely with my faithfulness.”
  86. Psalm 89:34 tn Or “desecrate.”
  87. Psalm 89:34 tn Heb “and what proceeds out of my lips I will not alter.”
  88. Psalm 89:35 tn Or “lie to.”
  89. Psalm 89:36 tn Heb “his offspring forever will be.”
  90. Psalm 89:36 tn Heb “and his throne like the sun before me.”
  91. Psalm 89:37 tn Heb “like the moon it will be established forever.”
  92. Psalm 89:37 tn 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 (veʿed) to עוֹלָם (ʿolam) 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, kisseʾ, “throne”) and ʿd (= 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, shekhaqim) and compares their strength to a bronze mirror. Ps 89:29 uses the term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim, “skies”) which frequently appears in parallelism to שְׁחָקִים.
  93. Psalm 89:38 tn The Hebrew construction (conjunction + pronoun, followed by the verb) draws attention to the contrast between what follows and what precedes.
  94. Psalm 89:38 tn Heb “your anointed one.” The Hebrew phrase מְשִׁיחֶךָ (meshikhekha, “your anointed one”) refers here to the Davidic king (see Pss 2:2; 18:50; 20:6; 28:8; 84:9; 132:10, 17).
  95. Psalm 89:39 tn The Hebrew verb appears only here and in Lam 2:7.
  96. Psalm 89:39 tn Heb “the covenant of your servant.”
  97. Psalm 89:39 tn Heb “you dishonor [or “desecrate”] on the ground his crown.”
  98. Psalm 89:40 tn The king here represents the land and cities over which he rules.
  99. Psalm 89:41 tn Heb “all the passersby on the road.”
  100. Psalm 89:42 tn 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).
  101. Psalm 89:43 tn 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.
  102. Psalm 89:43 tc 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 (ʾakhor, “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 changed 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.
  103. Psalm 89:43 tn Heb “and you have not caused him to stand in the battle.”
  104. Psalm 89:44 tc Rather than the MT’s מִטְּהָרוֹ (mitteharo, “from his splendor”), the text should be read without the dagesh as מִטְהָרוֹ (mitharo, “his splendor”) or possibly as מַטֵּה טְהָרוֹ (matteh teharo, “the staff of his splendor”).
  105. Psalm 89:44 tn The Hebrew verb מָגַר (magar) occurs only here and perhaps in Ezek 21:17.
  106. Psalm 89:45 tn Heb “the days of his youth” (see as well Job 33:25).
  107. Psalm 89:46 tn Heb “How long, O Lord, will hide yourself forever?”
  108. Psalm 89:47 tn 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 ʾani, “[remember] how transient [that is, “short-lived”] I am”; see Ps 39:4).
  109. Psalm 89:47 tn Heb “For what emptiness do you create all the sons of mankind?” In this context the term שָׁוְא (shavʾ) refers to mankind’s mortal nature and the brevity of life (see vv. 45, 48).
  110. Psalm 89:48 tn 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!”
  111. Psalm 89:49 sn The Lord’s faithful deeds are also mentioned in Pss 17:7 and 25:6.
  112. Psalm 89:49 tc Many medieval Hebrew mss read here יְהוָה (yehvah, “the Lord”).
  113. Psalm 89:49 tn Heb “[which] you swore on oath to David by your faithfulness.”
  114. Psalm 89:50 tc Many medieval Hebrew mss read here יְהוָה (yehvah, “the Lord”).
  115. Psalm 89:50 tn Heb “remember, O Lord, the taunt against your servants.” Many medieval Hebrew mss read the singular here, “your servant” (that is, the psalmist).
  116. Psalm 89:50 tn 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 (rive, “attacks by”), a defectively written plural construct form of רִיב (riv, “dispute; quarrel”).
  117. Psalm 89:51 tn Heb “[by] which your enemies, O Lord, taunt, [by] which they taunt [at] the heels of your anointed one.”
  118. Psalm 89:52 sn The final verse of Ps 89, v. 52, is a conclusion to this third “book” (or major editorial division) of the Psalter. Similar statements appear at or near the end of each of the first, second and fourth “books” of the Psalter (see Pss 41:13; 72:18-19; 106:48, respectively).
  119. Psalm 89:52 tn Heb “[be] blessed.” See Pss 18:46; 28:6; 31:21.
  120. Psalm 89:52 tn Heb “surely and surely” (אָמֵן וְאָמֵן [ʾamen veʾamen], 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!”
  121. Psalm 90:1 sn Psalm 90. In this communal lament the worship leader affirms that the eternal God and creator of the world has always been Israel’s protector. But God also causes men, who are as transient as grass, to die, and in his fierce anger he decimates his covenant community, whose brief lives are filled with suffering and end in weakness. The community asks for wisdom, the restoration of God’s favor, a fresh revelation of his power, and his blessing upon their labors.
  122. Psalm 90:1 tn Or “place of safety.” See Ps 71:3.
  123. Psalm 90:2 tn Heb “were born.”
  124. Psalm 90:2 tn 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.
  125. Psalm 90:2 tn Heb “and from everlasting to everlasting you [are] God.” Instead of אֵל (ʾel, “God”) the LXX reads אַל (ʾal, “not”) and joins the negative particle to the following verse, making the verb תָּשֵׁב (tashev) a jussive. In this case v. 3a 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 wayyiqtol form וַתֹּאמֶר (vatoʾmer, “and you said/say”), unless one reads the form as a simple vav plus imperfect as indicated by Aquila and Jerome.
  126. Psalm 90:3 tn In this context the shortened prefix form does not function as a preterite, but indicates what is typical of the world.
  127. Psalm 90:3 tn The Hebrew term דַּכָּא (dakaʾ) 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.
  128. Psalm 90:4 tn Or “for.”
  129. Psalm 90:4 sn The divisions of the nighttime. The ancient Israelites divided the night into distinct periods, or “watches.”
  130. Psalm 90:5 tn 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).
  131. Psalm 90:6 tn 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.
  132. Psalm 90:6 tn The Polel form of this verb occurs only here. Perhaps the form should be emended to a Qal (which necessitates eliminating the final ל [lamed] as dittographic). See Ps 37:2.
  133. Psalm 90:7 tn Or “for.”
  134. Psalm 90:8 tn Heb “you set our sins in front of you.”
  135. Psalm 90:8 tn 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.
  136. Psalm 90:9 tn Or “for.”
  137. Psalm 90:9 tn Heb “all our days pass by in your anger.”
  138. Psalm 90:9 tn 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.”
  139. Psalm 90:10 tn Heb “the days of our years, in them [are] seventy years.”
  140. Psalm 90:10 tn Heb “or if [there is] strength, eighty years.”
  141. Psalm 90:10 tn 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 רָהַב (rahav, “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).
  142. Psalm 90:10 tn or “for.”
  143. Psalm 90:10 tn 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.
  144. Psalm 90:10 sn We fly away. The psalmist compares life to a bird that quickly flies off (see Job 20:8).
  145. Psalm 90:11 tn Heb “Who knows the strength of your anger?”
  146. Psalm 90:11 tc Heb “and like your fear [is] your raging fury.” Perhaps one should emend וּכְיִרְאָתְךָ (ukheyirʾatekha, “and like your fear”) to יִרְאָתְךְ (yirʾatekha, “your fear”), removing the כ (kaf) as dittography of the kaf ending the previous word. 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.
  147. Psalm 90:12 tn Heb “to number our days,” that is, to be aware of how few they really are.
  148. Psalm 90:12 tn 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.
  149. Psalm 90:13 tn Heb “Return, O Lord. How long?”
  150. Psalm 90:13 tn Elsewhere the Niphal of נָחַם (nakham) + the preposition עַל (ʿal) + 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.
  151. Psalm 90:14 sn Morning is used metaphorically for a time of renewed joy after affliction (see Pss 30:5; 46:5; 49:14; 59:16; 143:8).
  152. Psalm 90:14 tn After the imperative (see the preceding line) the cohortatives with the prefixed conjunction indicate purpose/result.
  153. Psalm 90:15 tn Heb “have seen.”
  154. Psalm 90:16 tn Heb “may your work be revealed to your servants.” In this context (note v. 17) the verb form יֵרָאֶה (yeraʾeh) is best understood as an unshortened jussive (see Gen 1:9; Isa 47:3).
  155. Psalm 90:16 tn Heb “and your majesty to their sons.” The verb “be revealed” is understood by ellipsis in the second line.
  156. Psalm 90:17 tn Heb “and may the delight of the Master, our God, be on us.” The Hebrew term נֹעַם (noʿam, “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.).
  157. Psalm 90:17 tn Heb “and the work of our hands establish over us, and the work of our hands, establish it.”
  158. Psalm 91:1 sn Psalm 91. In this psalm an individual (perhaps a priest) addresses one who has sought shelter in the Lord and assures him that God will protect him from danger (vv. 1-13). In vv. 14-16 God himself promises to keep his loyal follower safe.
  159. Psalm 91:1 tn Heb “[O] one who lives.”
  160. Psalm 91:1 sn The divine title “Most High” (עֶלְיוֹן ʿelyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Pss 7:17; 9:2; 18:13; 21:7; 47:2.
  161. Psalm 91:1 sn The Lord is compared here to a bird who protects its young under the shadow of its wings (see v. 4).
  162. Psalm 91:1 sn The divine name used here is “Shaddai” (שַׁדַּי, shadday; see also Ps 68:14). Shaddai (or El Shaddai) is the Sovereign God of the world who grants life/blesses and kills/judges. In Genesis he blesses the patriarchs with fertility and promises numerous descendants. Outside Genesis he both blesses/protects and takes away life/happiness.
  163. Psalm 91:3 tn The word refers specifically to a fowler (or hunter of birds).
  164. Psalm 91:4 tn Heb “put a cover over you” (see Ps 5:11).
  165. Psalm 91:4 tc The Hebrew text has the singular, but the plural should be read. The final י (yod) of the suffix, which indicates the plural, has dropped off by haplography (note the yod at the beginning of the next word).
  166. Psalm 91:4 tn 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.”
  167. Psalm 91:5 tn This probably alludes to a sneak attack by enemies in the darkness of night (see Song 3:8).
  168. Psalm 91:6 sn As in Deut 32:23-24, vv. 5-6 closely associate military attack and deadly disease. Perhaps the latter alludes to one of the effects of siege warfare on the population of an entrapped city, which was especially vulnerable to the outbreak of epidemics.
  169. Psalm 91:7 tn Apparently the deadly disease mentioned in v. 6b is the understood subject here.
  170. Psalm 91:8 tn Heb “retribution on the wicked.”
  171. Psalm 91:10 tn Or “confront.”
  172. Psalm 91:10 tn For this sense of the Hebrew term נגע see Ps 38:11.
  173. Psalm 91:10 tn Heb “your tent.”
  174. Psalm 91:11 tn Heb “for his angels he will command concerning you.”
  175. Psalm 91:11 tn Heb “in all your ways.”
  176. Psalm 91:12 tn Heb “so your foot will not strike a stone.”
  177. Psalm 91:13 tn Heb “walk upon.”
  178. Psalm 91:13 tn Or perhaps “cobra” (see Ps 58:4).
  179. Psalm 91:14 tn The words “the Lord says” are supplied in the translation to clarify that the words which follow are the Lord’s oracle of assurance.
  180. Psalm 91:14 tn Or “make him secure” (Heb “set him on high”).
  181. Psalm 91:14 tn Heb “because he knows my name” (see Ps 9:10).
  182. Psalm 91:16 tn Heb “length of days.”
  183. Psalm 92:1 sn Psalm 92. The psalmist praises God because he defeats the wicked and vindicates his loyal followers.
  184. Psalm 92:1 tn Or “good.”
  185. Psalm 92:1 sn The divine title “Most High” (עֶלְיוֹן ʿelyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Pss 7:17; 9:2; 18:13; 21:7; 47:2.
  186. Psalm 92:2 tn 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.
  187. Psalm 92:4 tn Heb “the works of your hands.”
  188. Psalm 92:5 tn Heb “very deep [are] your thoughts.” God’s “thoughts” refer here to his moral design of the world, as outlined in vv. 6-15.
  189. Psalm 92:6 tn Heb “the brutish man does not know, and the fool does not understand this.” The adjective בַּעַר (baʿar, “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).
  190. Psalm 92:7 tn Or “flourish.”
  191. Psalm 92:7 tn 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.
  192. Psalm 92:8 tn Heb “[are elevated] on high.”
  193. Psalm 92:9 tn Or “for.”
  194. Psalm 92:9 tn Or “for.”
  195. Psalm 92:10 sn The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “to exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 75:10; 89:24; Lam 2:17).
  196. Psalm 92:10 tn 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 (ballotani; a second person form of the verb with a first person suffix) and read, “you anoint me.”
  197. Psalm 92:11 tn Heb “my eye gazes upon my walls.” See also Pss 5:8; 27:11; 56:2. The form שׁוּרָי shuray, “my walls”) should be emended to שׁוֹרְרָי (shoreray, “my foes” or perhaps “those who rebel against me” or “those who malign me”). See HALOT 1454 s.v. שׁוֹרֵר and also Pss 5:8; 27:11; 56:2.
  198. Psalm 92:11 tn Heb “those who rise up against me, evil [foes], my ears hear.”
  199. Psalm 92:12 tn The singular is used in a representative sense, with the typical godly person being in view.
  200. Psalm 92:12 sn The cedars of the Lebanon forest were well-known in ancient Israel for their immense size.
  201. Psalm 92:14 tn Heb “they are juicy and fresh.”
  202. Psalm 92:15 tn Heb “so that [they] proclaim that upright [is] the Lord, my rocky summit, and there is no injustice in him.”