Psalm 22–32

Footnotes

1. 33 Psalm 22. The psalmist cries out to the Lord for deliverance from his dangerous enemies, who have surrounded him and threaten his life. Confident that the Lord will intervene, he then vows to thank the Lord publicly for his help and anticipates a time when all people will recognize the Lord’s greatness and worship him.
2. 34 Heb “according to the doe of the dawn.” Apparently this refers to a particular musical tune or style.
3. 1 From the psalmist’s perspective it seems that God has abandoned him, for he fails to answer his cry for help (vv. 1b–2).
4. 2 Heb “far from my deliverance [are] the words of my groaning.” The Hebrew noun שְׁאָגָה (shé’agah) and its related verb שָׁאַג (sha’ag) are sometimes used of a lion’s roar, but they can also describe human groaning (see Job 3:24 and Pss 32:3 and 38:8.
5. 3 Heb “there is no silence to me.”
6. 4 Heb “[O] one who sits [on] the praises of Israel.” The verb “receiving” is supplied in the translation for clarity. The metaphorical language pictures the Lord as sitting enthroned as king in his temple, receiving the praises that his people Israel offer up to him.
7. 5 Heb “fathers.”
8. 6 The words “in you” are supplied in the translation. They are understood by ellipsis (see the preceding line).
9. 7 Or “were not ashamed.”
10. 8 The grammatical construction (conjunction + pronoun) highlights the contrast between the psalmist’s experience and that of his ancestors. When he considers God’s past reliability, it only heightens his despair and confusion, for God’s present silence stands in stark contrast to his past saving acts.
11. 9 The metaphor expresses the psalmist’s self-perception, which is based on how others treat him (see the following line).
12. 10 Or “not a human being.” The psalmist perceives himself as less than human.
13. 11 Heb “a reproach of man and despised by people.”
14. 12 Or “scoff at, deride, mock.”
15. 13 Heb “they separate with a lip.” Apparently this refers to their verbal taunting.
16. 14 Shake their heads. Apparently this refers to a taunting gesture. See also Job 16:4; Ps 109:25; Lam 2:15.
17. 15 The words “they say” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons. The psalmist here quotes the sarcastic taunts of his enemies.
18. 16 Heb “roll [yourself].” The Hebrew verb גלל here has the sense of “commit” (see Prov 16:3). The imperatival form in the Hebrew text indicates the enemies here address the psalmist. Since they refer to him in the third person in the rest of the verse, some prefer to emend the verb to a perfect, “he commits himself to the Lord.”
19. 17 Heb “Let him”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
20. 18 Heb “Let him”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
21. 19 That is, “for he [the Lord] delights in him [the psalmist].” For other cases where the expression “delight in” refers to God’s delight in a person, see Num 14:8; 1 Kgs 10:9; Pss 18:19; 40:8. This statement does not necessarily reflect the enemies’ actual belief, but it does reflect the psalmist’s confession. The psalmist’s enemies sarcastically appeal to God to help him, because he claims to be an object of divine favor. However, they probably doubted the reality of his claim.
22. 20 Or “the one who pulled me.” The verb is derived from either גָחָה (gakhah; see גחה) or גִּיחַ (giyakh; see 161 גִּיחַ) and seems to carry the nuance “burst forth” or “pull out.”
23. 21 Heb “upon you I was cast from [the] womb.”
24. 22 Heb “from the womb of my mother you [have been] my God.” Despite the enemies’ taunts, the psalmist is certain of his relationship with God, which began from the time of his birth (from the time I came out of my mother’s womb).
25. 23 Heb “and there is no helper.”
26. 24 The psalmist figuratively compares his enemies to dangerous bulls.
27. 25 Bashan, located east of the Jordan River, was well-known for its cattle. See Ezek 39:18; Amos 4:1.
28. 26 “They” refers to the psalmist’s enemies, who in the previous verse are described as “powerful bulls.”
29. 27 Heb “they open against me their mouth[s].” To “open the mouth against” is a Hebrew idiom associated with eating and swallowing (see Ezek 2:8; Lam 2:16).
30. 28 Heb “a lion ripping and roaring.”
31. 29 Heb “like water I am poured out.”
32. 30 The heart is viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s strength and courage.
33. 31 Heb “my strength” (כֹּחִי, kokhiy), but many prefer to emend the text to חִכִּי (khikiy, “my palate”; cf. , “my mouth”) assuming that an error of transposition has occurred in the traditional Hebrew text.
34. 32 Cf. “my jaw”; , “my jaws”; “the roof of my mouth.”
35. 33 Here the psalmist addresses God and suggests that God is ultimately responsible for what is happening because of his failure to intervene (see vv. 1–2, 11).
36. 34 The imperfect verbal form draws attention to the progressive nature of the action. The psalmist is in the process of dying.
37. 35 Or “for.”
38. 36 Heb “like a lion, my hands and my feet.” This reading is often emended because it is grammatically awkward, but perhaps its awkwardness is by rhetorical design. Its broken syntax may be intended to convey the panic and terror felt by the psalmist. The psalmist may envision a lion pinning the hands and feet of its victim to the ground with its paws (a scene depicted in ancient Near Eastern art), or a lion biting the hands and feet. The line has been traditionally translated, “they pierce my hands and feet,” and then taken as foreshadowing the crucifixion of Christ. Though Jesus does appropriate the language of this psalm while on the cross (compare v. 1 with Matt 27:46 and Mark 15:34), the NT does not cite this verse in describing the death of Jesus. (It does refer to vv. 7–8 and 18, however. See Matt 27:35, 39, 43; Mark 15:24, 29; Luke 23:34; John 19:23–24.) If one were to insist on an emendation of כָּאֲרִי (ka’ariy, “like a lion”) to a verb, the most likely verbal root would be כָּרָה (karah, “dig”; see the ). In this context this verb could refer to the gnawing and tearing of wild dogs (cf. , , ). The ancient Greek version produced by Symmachus reads “bind” here, perhaps understanding a verbal root כרך, which is attested in later Hebrew and Aramaic and means “to encircle, entwine, embrace” (see כרך and 668 כָּרַךְ). Neither one of these proposed verbs can yield a meaning “bore, pierce.”
39. 37 The imperfect verbal forms in vv. 17–18 draw attention to the progressive nature of the action.
40. 38 Heb “they.” The masculine form indicates the enemies are in view. The referent (the psalmist’s enemies) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
41. 39 Heb “they gaze, they look upon me.”
42. 40 Heb “casting lots.” The precise way in which this would have been done is not certain.
43. 41 Heb “O my strength.”
44. 42 Heb “hurry to my help.”
45. 43 Or “my life.”
46. 44 The verb “save” is supplied in the translation; it is understood by ellipsis (see “deliver” in the preceding line).
47. 45 Heb “my only one.” The psalmist may mean that his life is precious, or that he feels isolated and alone.
48. 46 Heb “from the hand.” Here “hand” is understood by metonymy as a reference to the “paw” and thus the “claws” of the wild dogs.
49. 47 The psalmist again compares his enemies to vicious dogs and ferocious lions (see vv. 13, 16).
50. 48 The Hebrew term רֵמִים (remim) appears to be an alternate spelling of רְאֵמִים (ré’emim, “wild oxen”; see 910 רְאֵם).
51. 49 Heb “and from the horns of the wild oxen you answer me.” Most take the final verb with the preceding prepositional phrase. Some understand the verb form as a relatively rare precative perfect, expressing a wish or request (see §30.5.4c, d). However, not all grammarians are convinced that the perfect is used as a precative in biblical Hebrew. (See the discussion at Ps 3:7.) Others prefer to take the perfect in its usual indicative sense. The psalmist, perhaps in response to an oracle of salvation, affirms confidently that God has answered him, assuring him that deliverance is on the way. The present translation takes the prepositional phrase as parallel to the preceding “from the mouth of the lion” and as collocated with the verb “rescue” at the beginning of the verse. “You have answered me” is understood as a triumphant shout which marks a sudden shift in tone and introduces the next major section of the psalm. By isolating the statement syntactically, the psalmist highlights the declaration.
52. 50 Or “brothers,” but here the term does not carry a literal familial sense. It refers to the psalmist’s fellow members of the Israelite covenant community (see v. 23).
53. 51 Heb “[you] fearers of the Lord.” See Ps 15:4.
54. 52 Heb “fear him.”
55. 53 Or “affliction”; or “need.”
56. 54 In this verse the psalmist refers to himself in the third person and characterizes himself as oppressed.
57. 55 Heb “he did not hide his face from him.” For other uses of the idiom “hide the face” meaning “ignore,” see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9. Sometimes the idiom carries the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 27:9; 88:14).
58. 56 Heb “heard.”
59. 57 Heb “from with you [is] my praise.”
60. 58 Heb “my vows I will fulfill before those who fear him.” When asking the Lord for help, the psalmists would typically promise to praise the Lord publicly if he intervened and delivered them.
61. 59 Eat and be filled. In addition to praising the Lord, the psalmist also offers a thank offering to the Lord and invites others to share in a communal meal.
62. 60 Heb “may your heart[s].”
63. 61 Heb “may all the ends of the earth remember and turn to the Lord.” The prefixed verbal forms in v. 27 are understood as jussives (cf. ). Another option (cf. , ) is to take the forms as imperfects and translate, “all the people of the earth will acknowledge and turn … and worship.” See vv. 29–32.
64. 62 Heb “families of the nations.”
65. 63 Heb “before you.”
66. 64 Heb “for to the Lord [is] dominion.”
67. 65 Heb “fat [ones].” This apparently refers to those who are healthy and robust, i.e., thriving. In light of the parallelism, some prefer to emend the form to יְשֵׁנֵי (yésheney, “those who sleep [in the earth]”; cf. , ), but דִּשְׁנֵי (dishney, “fat [ones]”) seems to form a merism with “all who descend into the grave” in the following line. The psalmist envisions all people, whether healthy or dying, joining in worship of the Lord.
68. 66 Heb “eat and worship.” The verb forms (a perfect followed by a prefixed form with vav [ו] consecutive) are normally used in narrative to relate completed actions. Here the psalmist uses the forms rhetorically as he envisions a time when the Lord will receive universal worship. The mood is one of wishful thinking and anticipation; this is not prophecy in the strict sense.
69. 67 Heb “all of the ones going down [into] the dust.” This group stands in contrast to those mentioned in the previous line. Together the two form a merism encompassing all human beings—the healthy, the dying, and everyone in between.
70. 68 Heb “and his life he does not revive.”
71. 69 Heb “offspring.”
72. 70 Heb “it will be told concerning the Lord to the generation.” The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (̒adonay).
73. 71 Heb “his righteousness.” Here the noun צִדָקָה (tsidaqah) refers to the Lord’s saving deeds whereby he vindicates the oppressed.
74. 72 Heb “to a people [to be] born that he has acted.” The words “they will tell” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
75. 1 The Piel of נָחַם (nakham), when used with a human object, means “comfort, console.” But here, within the metaphorical framework, it refers to the way in which a shepherd uses his implements to assure the sheep of his presence and calm their nerves. The underlying reality is the emotional stability God provides the psalmist during life threatening situations.
76. 2 In v. 5 the metaphor switches. (It would be very odd for a sheep to have its head anointed and be served wine.) The background for the imagery is probably the royal banquet. Ancient Near Eastern texts describe such banquets in similar terms to those employed by the psalmist. (See M. L. Barre and J. S. Kselman, “New Exodus, Covenant, and Restoration in Psalm 23,” The Word of the Lord Shall Go Forth, 97–127.) The reality behind the imagery is the Lord’s favor. Through his blessings and protection he demonstrates to everyone, including dangerous enemies, that the psalmist has a special relationship with him.
77. 3 The imperfect verbal form in v. 5a carries on the generalizing mood of vv. 1–4. However, in v. 5b the psalmist switches to a perfect (דִּשַּׁנְתָּ, dishanta), which may have a generalizing force as well. But then again the perfect is conspicuous here and may be present perfect in sense, indicating that the divine host typically pours oil on his head prior to seating him at the banquet table. The verb דָשַׁן (dashan; the Piel is factitive) is often translated “anoint,” but this is misleading, for it might suggest a symbolic act of initiation into royal status. One would expect the verb מָשָׁח (mashan) in this case; דָשַׁן here describes an act of hospitality extended to guests and carries the nuance “refresh.” In Prov 15:30 it stands parallel to “make happy” and refers to the effect that good news has on the inner being of its recipient.
78. 4 The rare noun רְַָויָה (révayah) is derived from the well-attested verb רָוָה (ravah, “be saturated, drink one’s fill”). In this context, where it describes a cup, it must mean “filled up,” but not necessarily to overflowing.
79. 5 The noun חֶסֶד (khesed; v. 6) has been the subject of several monographs. G. R. Clark concludes that חֶסֶד “is not merely an attitude or an emotion; it is an emotion that leads to an activity beneficial to the recipient.” He explains that an act of חֶסֶד is “a beneficent action performed, in the context of a deep and enduring commitment between two persons or parties, by one who is able to render assistance to the needy party who in the circumstances is unable to help him- or herself.” (See G. R. Clark, The Word Hesed in the Hebrew Bible [], .) defines the word as “loyalty,” or “faithfulness.” Other appropriate meanings might be “commitment” and “devotion.”
80. 6 The use of רָדַף (radaf, “pursue, chase”) with טוֹב וָחֶסֶד (tov vakhesed, “goodness and faithfulness”) as subject is ironic. This is the only place in the entire OT where either of these nouns appears as the subject of this verb רָדַף (radaf, “pursue”). This verb is often used to describe the hostile actions of enemies. One might expect the psalmist’s enemies (see v. 5) to chase him, but ironically God’s “goodness and faithfulness” (which are personified and stand by metonymy for God himself) pursue him instead. The word “pursue” is used outside of its normal context in an ironic manner and creates a unique, but pleasant word picture of God’s favor (or a kind God) “chasing down” the one whom he loves.
81. 7 Heb “all the days of my life.”
82. 8 The verb form וְשַׁבְתִּי (véshavtiy) is a Qal perfect (with vav [ו] consecutive), first common singular, from שׁוּב (shuv, “return”) and should be translated, “and I will return.” But this makes no sense when construed with the following phrase, “in the house of the Lord.” The term שׁוּב (shuv) appears only here with the following phrase בְּבֵית (bévet). The form should be emended to וְשִׁבְתִּי (véshivtiy; an infinitive construct from יָשַׁב, yashav, “live”) with pronominal suffix) or to וְיָשַׁבְתִּי (véyashavtiy; a Qal perfect with vav [ו] consecutive, first common singular, from ישׁב [see , note c]). In either case one could then translate, “and I will live [in the house of the Lord].” The phrase “in the house” frequently follows the verb יָשַׁב in the OT.
83. 9 Heb “the house of the Lord.” The phrase may be purely metaphorical here, referring to the royal palace where the royal host of v. 5 holds his banquet and lives. If one takes the phrase more literally, it would refer to the earthly tabernacle (if one accepts Davidic authorship) or the later temple (see Judg 19:18; 1 Sam 1:7, 24; 2 Sam 12:20; 1 Kgs 7:12, 40, 45, 51).
84. 10 The phrase אֹרֶךְ יָמִים (’orekh yamim, “length of days”) is traditionally translated “forever.” However, this phrase, when used elsewhere of people, usually refers to a lengthy period of time, such as one’s lifetime, and does not mean “forever” in the sense of eternity. (Cf. Deut 30:20; Job 12:12; Ps 91:16; Prov 3:2, 16; Lam 5:20.) Furthermore, the parallel phrase “all the days of my life” suggests this more limited meaning. Psalm 21:4, where the phrase is followed by “forever and ever,” may be an exception, though the juxtaposition of the phrases may be an example of intensification, where the second phrase goes beyond the limits of the first, rather than synonymity. Even if one takes both expressions as referring to eternal life, the language is part of the king’s hyperbolic description of the Lord’s blessings and should not be taken literally.
85. 11 Psalm 24. The psalmist affirms the universal kingship of the sovereign creator, reminds his people that only the morally pure are qualified to worship him, and celebrates his splendor as a mighty warrior king.
86. 1 The prefixed verbal form is understood as a preterite, referring to the creation of the world.
87. 2 He … established it upon the ocean currents. The description reflects ancient Israelite prescientific cosmology, which is based on outward appearances. The language also suggests that God’s creative work involved the subjugation of chaos, symbolized by the sea.
88. 3 The imperfects in v. 3 are modal, expressing potential or permission.
89. 4 In this context the Lord’s mountain probably refers to Zion/Jerusalem (see Isa 2:2–3).
90. 5 Heb “the innocent of hands and the pure of heart.” The “hands” allude to one’s actions, the “heart” to one’s thought life and motives.
91. 6 Heb “who does not lift up for emptiness my life.” The first person pronoun on נַפְשִׁי (nafshiy, “my life”) makes little sense here; many medieval Hebrew support the ancient versions in reading a third person pronoun “his.” The idiom “lift the life” here means to “long for” or “desire strongly.” In this context (note the reference to an oath in the following line) “emptiness” probably refers to speech (see Ps 12:2).
92. 7 Heb “and does not swear an oath deceitfully.”
93. 8 Heb “he (the righteous individual described in v. 4) lifts up a blessing from the Lord.” The singular subject is representative here, as v. 6 makes clear. The referent (godly people like the individual in v. 4) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The imperfect verbal form is generalizing; such people are typically rewarded for their deeds.
94. 9 “and vindication from the God of his deliverance.”
95. 10 Heb “this [is the] generation of the ones seeking him, the ones seeking your face, Jacob.” To “seek the Lord’s face” means to seek his favor through prayer (see 2 Sam 21:1; Pss 27:8; 105:4). This verse presents a somewhat idealized view of Jacob’s descendants as devoted worshipers of the Lord.
96. 11 Heb “lift up your heads.” The gates of the Lord’s dwelling place are here personified. The idiom “lift up the head” often means “be confident, bold” (see Judg 8:28; Job 10:15; Ps 83:2; Zech 1:21).
97. 12 Heb “lift yourselves up.”
98. 13 Or “king of glory.”
99. 14 Following the imperatives of the preceding lines, the prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose or result.
100. 15 Who is this majestic king? Perhaps the personified gates/doors ask this question, in response to the command given in v. 7.
101. 16 Traditionally, “the Lord of hosts,” a title which here pictures the Lord as a mighty warrior-king who leads armies into battle.
102. 17 Psalm 25. The psalmist asks for divine protection, guidance and forgiveness as he affirms his loyalty to and trust in the Lord. This psalm is an acrostic; every verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet, except for v. 18, which, like v. 19, begins with ר (resh) instead of the expected ק (qof). The final verse, which begins with פ (pe), stands outside the acrostic scheme.
103. 1 Heb “to you, O Lord, my life I lift up.” To “lift up” one’s “life” to the Lord means to express one’s trust in him through prayer. See Pss 86:4; 143:8.
104. 2 Heb “those who deal in treachery in vain.” The adverb רֵיקָם (reqam, “in vain”) probably refers to the failure (or futility) of their efforts. Another option is to understand it as meaning “without cause” (cf. “without excuse”; “wantonly treacherous”).
105. 3 Teach me your paths. In this context the Lord’s “ways” and “paths” refer to the moral principles which the Lord prescribes for his followers. See vv. 8–10.
106. 4 The Lord’s commandments are referred to as truth here because they are a trustworthy and accurate expression of the divine will.
107. 5 That is, “remember” with the intention of repeating.
108. 6 Heb “for from antiquity [are] they.”
109. 7 Heb “do not remember,” with the intention of punishing.
110. 8 That is, the sins characteristic of youths, who lack moral discretion and wisdom.
111. 9 Heb “according to your faithfulness, remember me, you, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord.”
112. 10 Heb “good and just.”
113. 11 Heb “teaches sinners in the way.”
114. 12 The prefixed verbal form is jussive; the psalmist expresses his prayer.
115. 13 Heb “may he guide the humble into justice.” The Hebrew term עֲנָוִים (’anavim, “humble”) usually refers to the oppressed, but in this context, where the psalmist confesses his sin and asks for moral guidance, it apparently refers to sinners who humble themselves before God and seek deliverance from their sinful condition.
116. 14 The prefixed verbal form is interpreted as a jussive (it stands parallel to the jussive form, “may he guide”).
117. 15 Heb “all the paths of the Lord are faithful and trustworthy.” The Lord’s “paths” refer here to his characteristic actions.
118. 16 Heb “to the ones who keep his covenant and his testimonies.”
119. 17 Heb “name.” By forgiving the sinful psalmist, the Lord’s reputation as a merciful God will be enhanced.
120. 18 Forgive my sin, because it is great. The psalmist readily admits his desperate need for forgiveness.
121. 19 Heb “Who is this man, the one who fears the Lord? He will instruct him in the way he should choose.” The singular (note “man”) is representative here (see v. 14, where the plural is used), and has thus been translated as a plural (“followers … they”).
122. 20 Heb “his life in goodness dwells.” The singular is representative (see v. 14).
123. 21 Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”
124. 22 Or “earth.”
125. 23 Heb “the advice of the Lord belongs to those who fear him.”
126. 24 Heb “and his covenant, to make them know.”
127. 25 Heb “my eyes continually [are] toward the Lord.”
128. 26 Heb “for he will bring out from a net my feet.” The hostility of the psalmist’s enemies is probably in view (see v. 19).
129. 27 That is, helpless and vulnerable.
130. 28 Heb “the distresses of my heart, they make wide.” The text makes little if any sense as it stands, unless this is an otherwise unattested intransitive use of the Hiphil of רָחַב (rakhav, “be wide”). It is preferable to emend the form הִרְחִיבוּ (hirkhivu; Hiphil perfect third plural “they make wide”) to הַרְחֵיב (harkhev; Hiphil imperative masculine singular “make wide”). (The final vav [ו] can be joined to the following word and taken as a conjunction.) In this case one can translate, “[in/from] the distresses of my heart, make wide [a place for me],” that is, “deliver me from the distress I am experiencing.” For the expression “make wide [a place for me],” see Ps 4:1.
131. 29 Heb “from my distresses lead me out.”
132. 30 Heb “lift up all my sins.”
133. 31 Heb “see my enemies for they are numerous, and [with] violent hatred they hate me.”
134. 32 Or “my life.”
135. 33 Or “redeem.”
136. 34 Heb “his distresses.” O God, rescue Israel from all their distress. It is possible that the psalmist speaks on behalf of the nation throughout this entire psalm. Another option is that v. 22 is a later addition to the psalm which applies an original individual lament to the covenant community. If so, it may reflect an exilic setting.
137. 35 Psalm 26. The author invites the Lord to test his integrity, asserts his innocence and declares his loyalty to God.
138. 1 Heb “for I in my integrity walk.”
139. 2 Heb “evaluate my kidneys and my heart.” The kidneys and heart were viewed as the seat of one’s volition, conscience, and moral character.
140. 3 Heb “for your faithfulness [is] before my eyes.”
141. 4 Heb “and I walk about in your loyalty.” The psalmist’s awareness of the Lord’s faithfulness and … loyalty toward him motivates him to remain loyal to the Lord and to maintain his moral purity.
142. 5 Heb “sit.”
143. 6 Heb “go.” The psalmist uses the imperfect form of the verb to emphasize that he does not make a practice of associating with such people.
144. 7 Heb “[those who] conceal themselves.”
145. 8 Heb “assembly, company.”
146. 9 Heb “sit.” The psalmist uses the imperfect form of the verb to emphasize that he does not make a practice of associating with such people.
147. 10 Heb “I wash my hands in innocence.” The psalmist uses an image from cultic ritual to picture his moral lifestyle. The imperfect verbal emphasizes that this is his habit.
148. 11 Heb “so I can go around your altar” (probably in ritual procession). Following the imperfect of the preceding line, the cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose or result.
149. 12 Heb “to cause to be heard the sound of thanksgiving.”
150. 13 The two infinitival forms (both with prefixed preposition -לְ, lamed) give the purpose for his appearance at the altar.
151. 14 Heb “the dwelling of your house.”
152. 15 Heb “the place of the abode of your splendor.”
153. 16 Heb “do not gather up my life with.”
154. 17 Heb “or with men of bloodshed my life.” The verb is supplied; it is understood by ellipsis (see the preceding line).
155. 18 Heb “who [have] in their hands evil.”
156. 19 Heb “and their right hand is full of a bribe.”
157. 20 Heb “and I in my integrity walk.” The psalmist uses the imperfect verbal form to emphasize this is his practice. The construction at the beginning of the verse (conjunction + pronoun) highlights the contrast between the psalmist and the sinners mentioned in vv. 9–10.
158. 21 Or “redeem me.”
159. 22 Heb “my foot stands in a level place.”
160. 23 Psalm 27. The author is confident of the Lord’s protection and asks the Lord to vindicate him.
161. 1 Heb “the Lord [is] my light and my deliverance.” “Light” is often used as a metaphor for deliverance and the life/blessings it brings. See Pss 37:6; 97:11; 112:4; Isa 49:6; 51:4; Mic 7:8. Another option is that “light” refers here to divine guidance (see Ps 43:3).
162. 2 Heb “Whom shall I fear?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “No one!”
163. 3 Heb “Of whom shall I be afraid?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “No one!”
164. 4 Heb “draw near to me.”
165. 5 To devour my flesh. The psalmist compares his enemies to dangerous, hungry predators (see 2 Kgs 9:36; Ezek 39:17).
166. 6 Heb “my adversaries and my enemies against me.” The verb “draw near” (that is, “attack”) is understood by ellipsis; see the previous line.
167. 7 The Hebrew verbal forms are perfects. The translation assumes the psalmist is generalizing here, but another option is to take this as a report of past experience, “when evil men attacked me … they stumbled and fell.”
168. 8 Heb “my heart does not fear.”
169. 9 Heb “if war rises up against me.”
170. 10 Heb “in this [i.e., “during this situation”] I am trusting.”
171. 11 Heb “my living.”
172. 12 The Lord’s house. This probably refers to the tabernacle (if one accepts Davidic authorship) or the temple (see Judg 19:18; 1 Sam 1:7, 24; 2 Sam 12:20; 1 Kgs 7:12, 40, 45, 51).
173. 13 Or “beauty.”
174. 14 Or “for he will.” The translation assumes the כִּי (ki) is asseverative here, rather than causal.
175. 15 Heb “he will hide me in his hut.”
176. 16 Or “trouble.”
177. 17 Heb “tent.”
178. 18 The three imperfect verb forms in v. 5 anticipate a positive response to the prayer offered in vv. 7–12.
179. 19 Heb “on a rocky summit he lifts me up.” The Lord places the psalmist in an inaccessible place where his enemies cannot reach him. See Ps 18:2.
180. 20 Heb “and now my head will be lifted up over my enemies all around me.” In vv. 1–3 the psalmist generalizes, but here we discover that he is facing a crisis and is under attack from enemies (see vv. 11–12).
181. 21 Heb “I will sacrifice in his tent sacrifices of a shout for joy” (that is, “sacrifices accompanied by a joyful shout”).
182. 22 Heb “my voice.”
183. 23 Heb “concerning you my heart says, ‘Seek my face.’ ” The verb form “seek” is plural, but this makes no sense here, for the psalmist is addressed. The verb should be emended to a singular form. The first person pronominal suffix on “face” also makes little sense, unless it is the voice of the Lord he hears. His “heart” is viewed as speaking, however, so it is better to emend the form to פָּנָיו (panayv, “his face”).
184. 24 Heb “your face, O Lord, I seek.” To “seek the Lord’s face” means to seek his favor through prayer (see 2 Sam 21:1; Pss 24:6; 105:4).
185. 25 Heb “do not hide your face from me.” The idiom “hide the face” can mean “ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or carry the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 30:7; 88:14).
186. 26 Or “[source of] help.”
187. 27 Or “though my father and mother have abandoned me.”
188. 28 Heb “gather me in”; or “receive me.”
189. 29 Heb “teach me your way.” The Lord’s “way” refers here to the moral principles which he expects the psalmist to follow. See Ps 25:4.
190. 30 The level path refers to God’s moral principles (see the parallel line), which, if followed, will keep the psalmist blameless before his accusers (see v. 12).
191. 31 Heb “because of those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 5:8; 54:5; 56:2.
192. 32 Heb “do not give me over to the desire of my enemies.”
193. 33 Heb “for they have risen up against me, lying witnesses and a testifier of violence.” The form יָפֵחַ (yafeakh) is traditionally understood as a verb meaning “snort, breathe out”: “for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty” (; cf. 422 ). A better option is to take the form as a noun meaning “a witness” (or “testifier”). See Prov 6:19; 12:17; 14:5, 25; 19:5, 9, and Hab 2:3.
194. 34 In the Hebrew text the sentence is incomplete: “If I had not believed [I would] see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” The words “Where would I be” are supplied in the translation to clarify the intent of the statement.
195. 35 Or “wait.”
196. 36 Heb “be strong and let your heart be confident.”
197. 37 Psalm 28. The author looks to the Lord for vindication, asks that the wicked be repaid in full for their evil deeds, and affirms his confidence that the Lord will protect his own.
198. 1 Heb “my rocky summit.” The Lord is compared to a rocky summit where one can find protection from enemies. See Ps 18:2.
199. 2 Heb “do not be deaf from me.”
200. 3 Heb “lest [if] you are silent from me.”
201. 4 Heb “I will be equal with.”
202. 5 Heb “the pit.” The noun בּוֹר (bor, “pit, cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead.
203. 6 I lift my hands. Lifting one’s hands toward God was a gesture of prayer.
204. 7 The Hebrew term דְּבִיר (dévir, “temple”) actually refers to the most holy place within the sanctuary.
205. 8 Heb “workers of wickedness.”
206. 9 Heb “speakers of peace with their neighbors.”