Psalm 106–107

Footnotes

1. 52 Psalm 106. The psalmist recalls Israel’s long history of rebellion against God, despite his mighty saving deeds on their behalf.
2. 1 Heb “for forever [is] his loyal love.”
3. 2 Heb “[or] cause to be heard all his praise.”
4. 3 Heb “good.”
5. 4 Heb “in order that [I may] rejoice with the rejoicing of your nation.”
6. 5 Heb “with your inheritance.”
7. 6 Heb “with.”
8. 7 Heb “fathers” (also in v. 7).
9. 8 Heb “Reed Sea” (also in vv. 9, 22). “Reed Sea” (or “Sea of Reeds”) is a more accurate rendering of the Hebrew expression יָם סוּף (yam suf), traditionally translated “Red Sea.” See the note on the term “Red Sea” in . They rebelled. The psalmist recalls the people’s complaint recorded in Exod 14:12.
10. 9 Heb “his name,” which here stands metonymically for God’s reputation.
11. 10 Or “rebuked.”
12. 11 Heb “hand.”
13. 12 Or “redeemed.”
14. 13 Heb “hand.”
15. 14 Heb “remained.”
16. 15 Heb “his words.”
17. 16 Heb “his works.”
18. 17 Heb “his counsel.”
19. 18 They had an insatiable craving. This is described in Num 11:4–35.
20. 19 Heb “they craved [with] a craving.”
21. 20 Heb “they tested God.”
22. 21 Heb “and he sent leanness into their being.” Disease. See Num 11:33–34, where this plague is described.
23. 22 Or “envied.”
24. 23 Heb “the holy one of the Lord.”
25. 24 Or “covered.”
26. 25 Or “the assembly of Abiram.”
27. 26 Verses 16–18 describe the events of Num 16:1–40.
28. 27 Heb “their glory.” According to an ancient Hebrew scribal tradition, the text originally read “his glory” or “my glory.” In Jer 2:11 the Lord states that his people (Israel) exchanged “their glory” (a reference to the Lord) for worthless idols.
29. 28 Heb “forgot.”
30. 29 Or “awe-inspiring.”
31. 30 Heb “and he said.”
32. 31 Heb “if not,” that is, “[and would have] if [Moses] had not.”
33. 32 Heb “stood in the gap before him.”
34. 33 Heb “to turn back his anger from destroying.” Verses 19–23 describe the events of Exod 32:1–35.
35. 34 Heb “a land of delight” (see also Jer 3:19; Zech 7:14).
36. 35 Heb “his word.”
37. 36 They grumbled in their tents. See Deut 1:27.
38. 37 Heb “did not listen to the voice of.”
39. 38 Heb “and he lifted his hand to [or “concerning”] them.” The idiom “to lift a hand” here refers to swearing an oath. One would sometimes solemnly lift one’s hand when making such a vow (see Ezek 20:5–6, 15).
40. 39 Heb “to cause them to fall.”
41. 40 Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”
42. 41 Heb “and to cause their offspring to fall.” Some emend the verb to “scatter” to form tighter parallelism with the following line (cf. “disperse”).
43. 42 Heb “among the lands.” The word “foreign” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
44. 43 Heb “joined themselves to.” They worshiped Baal of Peor. See Num 25:3, 5. Baal of Peor was a local manifestation of the Canaanite deity Baal located at Peor.
45. 44 Here “the dead” may refer to deceased ancestors (see Deut 26:14). Another option is to understand the term as a derogatory reference to the various deities which the Israelites worshiped at Peor along with Baal (see Num 25:2 and L. C. Allen, Psalms 101–150 [], ).
46. 45 Heb “They made angry [him].” The pronominal suffix is omitted here, but does appear in a few medieval Hebrew . Perhaps it was accidentally left off, an original וַיַּכְעִיסוּהוּ (vayyakh’isuhu) being misread as וַיַּכְעִיסוּ (vayyakh’isu). In the translation the referent of the pronominal suffix (the Lord) has been specified for clarity to avoid confusion with Baal of Peor (mentioned in the previous verse).
47. 46 The intervention of Phinehas is recounted in Num 25:7–8.
48. 47 Heb “and it was reckoned to him for righteousness, to a generation and a generation forever.” The verb חָשַׁב (khashav, “to reckon”) is collocated with צְדָקָה (tsédaqah, “righteousness”) only in Ps 106:31 and Gen 15:6, where God rewards Abram’s faith with a land grant. Brought him a reward. See Num 25:12–13.
49. 48 Heb “there was harm to Moses.”
50. 49 The Hebrew text vocalizes the form as הִמְרוּ (himru), a Hiphil from מָרָה (marah, “to behave rebelliously”), but the verb fits better with the object (“his spirit”) if it is revocalized as הֵמֵרוּ (hemeru), a Hiphil from מָרַר (marar, “to be bitter”). The Israelites “embittered” Moses’ “spirit” in the sense that they aroused his temper with their complaints.
51. 50 Heb “his spirit.”
52. 51 The Hebrew text adds “with his lips,” but this has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons. Verses 32–33 allude to the events of Num 20:1–13.
53. 52 That is, the nations of Canaan.
54. 53 Heb “their deeds.”
55. 54 Or “served.”
56. 55 Became a snare. See Exod 23:33; Judg 2:3.
57. 56 The Hebrew term שֵׁדִים (shedim, “demons”) occurs only here and in Deut 32:17. Some type of lesser deity is probably in view.
58. 57 Num 35:33–34 explains that bloodshed defiles a land.
59. 58 Heb “and they committed adultery in their actions.” This means that they were unfaithful to the Lord (see Ps 73:27).
60. 59 Heb “the anger of the Lord burned against his people.”
61. 60 Heb “his inheritance.”
62. 61 Heb “gave them into the hand of.”
63. 62 Heb “they were subdued under their hand.”
64. 63 The prefixed verbal form is either preterite or imperfect, in which case it is customary, describing repeated action in past time (“he would deliver”).
65. 64 Heb “but they rebelled in their counsel.” The prefixed verbal form is either preterite or imperfect, in which case it is customary, describing repeated action in past time (“they would have a rebellious attitude”).
66. 65 Heb “they sank down.” The Hebrew verb מָכַךְ (makhakh, “to lower; to sink”) occurs only here in the Qal.
67. 66 The Niphal of נָחַם (nakham) refers here to God relenting from a punishment already underway.
68. 67 Or “captors.”
69. 68 Heb “to give thanks.” The infinitive construct indicates result after the imperative.
70. 69 Heb “to boast in your praise.”
71. 70 Heb “[be] blessed.” See Pss 18:46; 28:6; 31:21.
72. 71 Heb “from everlasting to everlasting.”
73. 72 Heb “surely” (אָמֵן, ’amen), traditionally transliterated “amen.”
74. 73 The final verse (v. 48) is a conclusion to this fourth “book” (or major editorial division) of the Psalter. Similar statements appear at or near the end of each of the first, second and third “books” of the Psalter (see Pss 41:13; 72:18–19; 89:52, respectively).
75. 74 Psalm 107. The psalmist praises God for his kindness to his exiled people.
76. 1 Heb “for forever [is] his loyal love.”
77. 2 Or “let the redeemed of the Lord say [so].”
78. 3 Or “redeemed.”
79. 4 Heb “hand.”
80. 5 Heb “from lands.” The word “foreign” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
81. 6 Heb “and their soul in them fainted.”
82. 7 A level road. See Jer 31:9.
83. 8 Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.”
84. 9 Heb “[the] longing throat.” The noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh), which frequently refers to one’s very being or soul, here probably refers to one’s parched “throat” (note the parallelism with נֶפֱשׁ רְעֵבָה, nefesh ré’evah, “hungry throat”).
85. 10 Heb “and [the] hungry throat he has filled [with] good.”
86. 11 Heb “those who sat in darkness and deep darkness.” Synonyms are joined here to emphasize the degree of “darkness” experienced by the exiles. The Hebrew term צַלְמָוֶת (tsalmavet, “deep darkness”) has traditionally been understood as a compound noun, meaning “shadow of death” (צֵל + מָוֶת [tsel + mavet]; see 853 צַלְמָוֶת; cf. ). Other authorities prefer to vocalize the form צַלְמוּת (tsalmut) and understand it as an abstract noun (from the root צלם) meaning “darkness.” An examination of the word’s usage favors the latter derivation. It is frequently associated with darkness/night and contrasted with light/morning (see Job 3:5; 10:21–22; 12:22; 24:17; 28:3; 34:22; Ps 107:10, 14; Isa 9:1; Jer 13:16; Amos 5:8). In some cases the darkness described is associated with the realm of death (Job 10:21–22; 38:17), but this is a metaphorical application of the word and does not reflect its inherent meaning. In Ps 107:10 the word refers metonymically to a dungeon, which in turn metaphorically depicts the place of Israel’s exile (see vv. 2–3).
87. 12 Heb “those bound in suffering and iron.” “Suffering and iron” is a hendiadys (like English “good and angry”), where both words contribute to one idea. In this case the first word characterizes the second; the iron (chains) contribute to the prisoners’ pain and suffering.
88. 13 Heb “the words of God.”
89. 14 Heb “the counsel of the Most High.”
90. 15 Heb “and he subdued with suffering their heart.”
91. 16 Heb “darkness and deep darkness.” See the note on the word “darkness” in v. .
92. 17 Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.” See v. 8.
93. 18 The language of v. 16 recalls Isa 45:2.
94. 19 Heb “fools [they were] because of the way of their rebellion.”
95. 20 Heb “all food their appetite loathed.”
96. 21 Heb “he sent his word.” This probably refers to an oracle of assurance which announced his intention to intervene (see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101–150 [], ).
97. 22 Heb “he rescued from their traps.” The Hebrew word שְׁחִית (shekhit, “trap”) occurs only here and in Lam 4:20, where it refers to a trap or pit in which one is captured. Because of the rarity of the term and the absence of an object with the verb “rescued,” some prefer to emend the text of Ps 107:20, reading מִשַׁחַת חַיָּתָם (mishakhat khayyatam, “[he rescued] their lives from the pit”). Note also “from the grave,” which interprets the “pit” as Sheol or the grave.
98. 23 Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.” See v. 8.
99. 24 Heb “and let them proclaim his works with a ringing cry.”
100. 25 Verses 23–30, which depict the Lord rescuing sailors from a storm at sea, do not seem to describe the exiles’ situation, unless the word picture is metaphorical. Perhaps the psalmist here broadens his scope and offers an example of God’s kindness to the needy beyond the covenant community.
101. 26 Heb “those going down [into].”
102. 27 Heb “doers of work on the mighty waters.”
103. 28 Heb “he spoke and caused to stand a stormy wind.”
104. 29 Heb “and it stirred up its [i.e., the sea’s, see v. 23] waves.”
105. 30 That is, the waves (see v. 25).
106. 31 Heb “their being”; traditionally “their soul” (referring to that of the sailors). This is sometimes translated “courage” (cf. , ).
107. 32 Or “melted.”
108. 33 Heb “from danger.”
109. 34 Only here does the Hebrew verb חָגַג (khagag; normally meaning “to celebrate”) carry the nuance “to sway.”
110. 35 The Hitpael of בָלַע (vala’) occurs only here in the OT. Traditionally the form is derived from the verbal root בלע (“to swallow”), but III בלע understands a homonym here with the meaning “to be confused.”
111. 36 Heb “he raised [the] storm to calm.”
112. 37 Heb “their waves.” The antecedent of the third masculine plural pronominal suffix is not readily apparent, unless it refers back to “waters” in v. 23.
113. 38 Heb “they”; the referent (the sailors) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
114. 39 Heb “they”; the referent (the waves) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
115. 40 The Hebrew noun occurs only here in the OT.
116. 41 Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.” See v. 8.
117. 42 Heb “in the seat of the elders.”
118. 43 The verbal form appears to be a preterite, which is most naturally taken as narrational. (The use of prefixed forms with vav [ו] consecutive in vv. 36–37 favor this.) The psalmist may return to the theme of God’s intervention for the exiles (see vv. 4–22, especially vv. 4–9). However, many regard vv. 33–41 as a hymnic description which generalizes about God’s activities among men. In this case it would be preferable to use the English present tense throughout (cf. , ).
119. 44 Heb “a salty land.”
120. 45 The words “As for his people” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity. The psalmist contrasts God’s judgment on his enemies with his blessing of his people. See the note on the word “enemies” in v. for further discussion.
121. 46 The verbal form appears to be a preterite, which is most naturally taken as narrational. See the note on the word “turned” in v. .
122. 47 Heb “sowed seed in.”
123. 48 Heb “fruit [as] produce.”
124. 49 “Bless” here carries the nuance “endue with sexual potency, make fertile.” See Gen 1:28, where the statement “he blessed them” directly precedes the command “be fruitful and populate the earth” (see also 1:22). The verb “bless” carries this same nuance in Gen 17:16 (where God’s blessing of Sarai imparts to her the capacity to bear a child); 48:16 (where God’s blessing of Joseph’s sons is closely associated with their having numerous descendants); and Deut 7:13 (where God’s blessing is associated with fertility in general, including numerous descendants). See also Gen 49:25 (where Jacob uses the noun derivative in referring to “blessings of the breast and womb,” an obvious reference to fertility) and Gen 27:27 (where the verb is used of a field to which God has given the capacity to produce vegetation).
125. 50 The verbal form in this line appears to be an imperfect, which may be taken as customary (drawing attention to typical action in a past time frame) or as generalizing (in which case one should use the English present tense, understanding a move from narrative to present reality).
126. 51 The words “As for their enemies” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity. Without such clarification, one might think that v. 39 refers to those just mentioned in v. 38 as objects of divine blessing, which would contradict the point just emphasized by the psalmist. The structure of vv. 33–42 is paneled (A-B-A-B). In vv. 33–34 the psalmist describes God’s judgment upon his enemies (perhaps those who had enslaved his people). In vv. 35–38 he contrasts this judgment with the divine blessing poured out on God’s people. (See the note on the word “people” in v. .) In vv. 39–40 he contrasts this blessing with the judgment experienced by enemies, before returning in vv. 41–42 to the blessing experienced by God’s people.
127. 52 Heb “from the oppression of calamity.”
128. 53 The active participle is understood as past durative here, drawing attention to typical action in a past time frame. However, it could be taken as generalizing (in which case one should translate using the English present tense), in which case the psalmist moves from narrative to present reality. Perhaps the participial form appears because the statement is lifted from Job 12:21.
129. 54 Heb “set on high.”
130. 55 Heb “all evil,” which stands metonymically for those who do evil.