The ESV Study Bible

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 1. The first psalm serves as the gateway into the entire book of Psalms, stressing that those who would worship God genuinely must embrace his Law (or Torah), i.e., his covenant instruction. This psalm takes topics found in wisdom literature such as Proverbs and makes them the subject of song; the purpose is that those who sing the psalm will own its values—namely, they will want more and more to be people who love the Torah, who believe it, who see themselves as the heirs and stewards of its story of redemption and hope, and who seek to carry out its moral requirements. They can delight in the idea of being among the “righteous,” feeling that nothing can compare with such blessedness. By its sustained contrast, the psalm reminds readers that in the end there are really only two ways to live.

PSALM—NOTE ON 1:1–2 Contrasting Sources of Values. The truly happy person guides his life by God’s instruction rather than by the advice of those who reject that instruction.

PSALM—NOTE ON 1:1 Blessed. The truly happy person is happy because God showers him with favor. Jesus uses the Greek equivalent in Matt. 5:3–11; cf. also James 1:12. The Latin translation, beatus, is the source of the word beatitude. the man. A specific, godly individual (Hb. ha’ish, “the man”) is held up as an example for others to imitate. Such teaching by use of a concrete example is common in OT wisdom literature. wicked … sinners … scoffers. These are people, even within Israel, who refuse to live by the covenant; the godly person refuses to follow the moral orientation of such people’s lifestyle. Some have seen an increasing level of sinfulness in the terms “wicked-sinners-scoffers,” together with an increasing loyalty in the metaphors “walk-stand-sit”; however, it is likely that the terms “wicked” and “sinner” here are equivalent, while a “scoffer” is certainly more committed to evil (see note on Prov. 19:25–20:1).

PSALM—NOTE ON 1:2 the law of the LORD. As the esv footnote indicates, this could be taken as God’s instruction (Hb. Torah, which often designates the Law of Moses), particularly as he speaks in his covenant. For this reason no one should ever think that such a person receives his blessedness by deserving it, since the covenant is founded on God’s grace. Meditates describes an active pondering, perhaps even muttering to oneself in pursuit of insight. Some suppose day and night speaks of the work of professional scholars who spend all their time pondering the words of the law, but in view of the similar instruction in Josh. 1:8, readers should see this as setting the ideal of facing every situation, be it ever so mundane, with a view to pleasing the Lord by knowing and following his Word.

PSALM—NOTE ON 1:3–4 Contrasting Fruitfulness. Here are two similes, based on agriculture in ancient Palestine, describing the effects of the two kinds of people.

PSALM—NOTE ON 1:3 The first image is that of a tree in a dry climate, which nevertheless thrives because of its constant supply of water. A tree bears fruit, not for itself, but for others; thus, when the faithful prospers, it is not for himself, nor is the prospering even necessarily material, but he succeeds in bringing benefit to others. See Jer. 17:8 for the same image.

PSALM—NOTE ON 1:4 wicked. See v. 1. chaff. This is the husks and straw removed by threshing, and it is lighter than the edible kernels; when a farmer tosses threshed wheat into the air, the wind drives away the chaff. Those who reject God’s covenant are like chaff in that they bring no benefit to anyone (cf. 35:5).

PSALM—NOTE ON 1:5–6 Contrasting Outcomes of Their Lives. These two verses lead readers to reflect on where these two kinds of life are headed, showing that God will make the contrast last forever.

PSALM—NOTE ON 1:5 Therefore indicates that these verses are the conclusion of the psalm. judgment. This could be any particular judgment that falls on the wicked in this life, but it is more likely the final judgment, which allows some to enter the congregation of the righteous, while excluding others (Eccles. 12:14).

PSALM—NOTE ON 1:6 Knows must be something stronger than simply “knows about,” since God knows about the wicked and their deepest secrets (cf. 94:8–11). Some have argued that the word means “cares for,” but it is better to take this as “knows with affection and approval, i.e., prefers” (cf. Gen. 18:19; Amos 3:2). will perish. That is, end in destruction.

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 2. When the people of God sing Psalm 2, they remind themselves of how God made David and his descendants to be kings in order to enable them to fulfill the very purpose for which Abraham was called (to bring blessing to all nations, Gen. 12:1–3). Thus it can be called a royal psalm. The pious Israelite realizes that his hope of blessing is now irrevocably tied to the house of David (cf. 2 Sam. 7:12–16), and so he prays that God will keep the king pure. At a time when the Gentile kingdoms that are part of the Davidic empire seek to throw off Israelite rule, this psalm recalls the promises made to the Davidic king at his coronation and notes that the Gentiles will find lasting joy only as subjects of this king. With its prospect of a worldwide rule for the house of David, the psalm also looks to the future, when the Davidic Messiah will indeed accomplish this; in fact, the scope of such an accomplishment calls for a ruler who is more than a mere man.

PSALM—NOTE ON 2:1–3 The Gentile Kings in Revolt. In vv. 1–2 several kings of Gentile peoples who are vassals of the Davidic king propose a revolt to throw off Israelite rule; in v. 3 they speak their goal.

PSALM—NOTE ON 2:2 Anointed. Samuel anointed both Saul (1 Sam. 10:1) and David (1 Sam. 16:13), setting them apart as king, whose task was to rule Israel and to embody covenant faithfulness. The word Messiah comes from transliterating the Hebrew word for “Anointed,” and the word Christ comes from translating “Anointed” into Greek. For the Gentiles to rebel against the heir of David is to rebel against the Lord who installed him; it is also to cut themselves off from their only hope of knowing the one true God. In Acts 4:25–26, the early Christians saw the persecution they faced as the same kind of foolish rebellion.

PSALM—NOTE ON 2:4–6 Heaven’s Perspective on the Revolt. Since the Lord is not dismayed, neither do his people need to be. In fact, God laughs at the rebels and declares his firm purpose to establish the throne of David as he has promised.

PSALM—NOTE ON 2:7–9 The Davidic King Speaks. The king recalls what God had said at his coronation. Lying behind this is the promise that the line of David will be sure forever before the Lord (2 Sam. 7:16) and that the obedience of the peoples will come to the ruler from the tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:10), together with the very purpose for choosing Abraham and his offspring.

PSALM—NOTE ON 2:7 decree. That is, the divine oracle spoken when the king took his throne. The LORD said. Although many suppose that this psalm is for the crowning of a king, the past tense indicates that the king recalls the oracle at a later time of trouble. You are my Son. In 2 Sam. 7:14, God says that he will take the heir of David as a “son.” The people as a whole are called the “son of God” (see Ex. 4:22–23; Ps. 80:15; Hos. 11:1), and the king is called the “son of God” because he represents and embodies the people (see also Ps. 89:27). Hebrews 1:5 brings Ps. 2:7 together with 2 Sam. 7:14: this shows that the argument of that book assumes that Jesus is the messianic heir of David (the Son of God), into whom God has also folded the priestly office. In Acts 13:33 (a speech of Paul) and Rom. 1:4, Paul portrays the resurrection of Jesus as his coronation, his entry into his Davidic rule.

PSALM—NOTE ON 2:8 nations. That is, the Gentiles, including those in revolt (v. 1). The primary messianic picture of the OT is of the heir of David who will lead his people in bringing the light to the nations, by making them his subjects; this is how the nations of the earth will find blessing for themselves in him (see Gen. 22:18; see also Ps. 72:8–11, 17); thus Paul looks forward to the obedience of faith among all the nations (Rom. 1:5).

PSALM—NOTE ON 2:9 break (Hb. tero‘em). As the esv footnote says, the Septuagint (used in Rev. 2:27; 12:5; 19:15) renders this as “rule”; this comes from using the same Hebrew consonants with different vowels (tir‘em).

PSALM—NOTE ON 2:10–12 Advice to the Gentile Kings. The kings must understand that the ruler whom they reject is not just another human ruler but is God’s own appointed king for the sake of the whole world. Therefore they serve their best interest by submitting to David’s heir.

PSALM—NOTE ON 2:12 Kiss the Son. “Son” (bar) is Aramaic in form, leading some to offer other translations (such as “purely”), or even to suggest large-scale repairs to the Hebrew text (e.g., to make it say “his feet”). But the Aramaic-sounding term is well-suited to a Gentile audience (the kings in revolt). The Son is the heir of David (v. 7). The kiss denotes religious homage, and the Davidic king deserves it (v. 2). It is possible that the he and him of this verse refer to the Lord (from v. 11), though it is more natural to find a reference to the Son, who acts in God’s name. He is therefore the one in whom the faithful take refuge.

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 3. This is the first psalm with a title. The title names David as the author and ties the psalm to the occasion of Absalom’s rebellion (2 Samuel 15–16), although this need not mean that David actually composed it then. As explained in the Introduction: Authorship, Occasion, and Date, David as author is the representative of God’s people. Readers must discern whether the emphasis is on his role as the ruler of God’s people, in which case the congregation joins in offering his prayer, or else on David as the ideal member of the people of God, with the song being well-adapted for the use of Israelites in their various kinds of distress. The second option seems more likely, and thus the psalm can be considered an individual lament. The purpose, then, of the information in the title is to add concreteness: here is how David models genuine faith in his dire straits, and readers can learn to do the same in theirs.

PSALM—NOTE ON 3:1–2 What He Sees. The opening of the psalm lays out the desperate situation, with its repetition of many. The description here ties in well with 2 Sam. 15:12–13 (“many”) and 16:8 (“no salvation for him”).

PSALM—NOTE ON 3:2 Salvation here, as generally in the OT, refers to both physical and spiritual deliverance from danger. The fact that they are saying this of his soul indicates that the enemies are taunting him: his sins are so bad, they imply, that God cannot save him.

PSALM—NOTE ON 3:3–6 What He Believes. The singer calls to mind the variety of ways in which God has cared for him in the past, and how he was able in faith to sleep peacefully in the face of danger. These past experiences build his confidence for the present, enabling him to walk by faith and not by sight.

PSALM—NOTE ON 3:7–8 What He Prays For. The singer calls on the Lord to save him now as he has in the past. “Save” (v. 7) and “salvation” (v. 8) look back to the taunt in v. 2: this rescue is the Lord’s to give or withhold as he sees fit, and not under the control of the enemies. The prayer does not replace work; instead it is what makes the work effective.

PSALM—NOTE ON 3:7 Arise. Cf. Num. 10:35; a request for God to show his favor by scattering the enemies. For you strike … you break. The singer is emboldened to ask God for help because God has regularly protected him from enemies, by shaming them and rendering them powerless.

PSALM—NOTE ON 3:8 Salvation belongs to the LORD. By looking back to v. 2, the singer remembers that it is the decision of the Lord, and not of the enemies, that makes the difference (for the same exclamation, cf. Jonah 2:9; Rev. 7:10; 19:1). your blessing be on your people. A merciful word indeed, wishing well even for the people who oppose him; but the blessing will require their defeat.

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 4. This psalm expresses quiet trust amid troubling circumstances, combining the categories of individual lament and confidence. Many take this as a companion to Psalm 3, because 4:8 seems to echo 3:5. If there is a connection, the past tense of 3:5 sets it in the morning, while the future tense of 4:8 sets it in the evening; any further connection is speculative.

PSALM—NOTE ON 4:1 Confident Prayer. The recollection of past experience (You have given me relief) between two urgent requests is similar to the rhetoric of 3:7: past experience emboldens the faithful to confident prayer.

PSALM—NOTE ON 4:2–3 Words to the Faithless. The singer turns from his prayer to address those who slander the pious; such people should know that the Lord has set his favor upon the faithful and will listen to their prayers.

PSALM—NOTE ON 4:3 set apart. The same Hebrew word is rendered “set apart” in Ex. 8:22, and “make a distinction” in Ex. 9:4; 11:7; 33:16; the idea is that God sets his special attention and affection on a person or a people in order to distinguish them. the godly. The Hebrew word (hasid) is the adjective form of “steadfast love” (Hb. hesed). This term, variously rendered “godly,” “saint,” “faithful one,” and “holy one” in the Psalms, refers to those who have genuinely laid hold of God’s steadfast love; here it is singular, to stress that each faithful member of the people may have this confidence.

PSALM—NOTE ON 4:4–5 Words to the Godly. The singer tells the godly not to give in to the anger that would lead them to take revenge; instead they must remain steadfast in their worship and trust.

PSALM—NOTE ON 4:4 Be angry, and do not sin. This should perhaps be taken as a conditional sentence: “If you feel anger at those who slander you (which you may well do), nevertheless do not sin by seeking revenge against them.” The way to prevent sin is to ponder and be silent: that is, reflect on how the Lord has shown himself trustworthy. This does not discourage the faithful from using legal recourse when necessary; instead it speaks against personal revenge that circumvents the law and consumes the lives of the vengeful. Cf. Eph. 4:26.

PSALM—NOTE ON 4:6–8 Words to the Lord. The singer finishes by offering a plea to the Lord. Each godly person is to see himself giving the plaintive cry of v. 6, and is to find the answer in remembering all that the Lord has done for him (vv. 7–8).

PSALM—NOTE ON 4:7 Joy in the OT is not focused on materialistic prosperity in itself; cf. 37:16; 73:28; Prov. 15:16; 16:8.

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 5. This is another individual lament, and the first instance of a psalm with prayers for the personal downfall of the enemies. As indicated in Introduction: Literary Features, such Psalms have in view a situation where one is faced with bloodthirsty and deceitful persecutors. David is the attributed author, but there is no information on whether a particular experience of his was the occasion for the psalm.

PSALM—NOTE ON 5:1–3 Asking for God’s Attention. As is common in the laments, the psalm opens by calling out to God. The tone is one of urgency and expectation.

PSALM—NOTE ON 5:2 my King and my God. Some psalms that speak of the Lord as “king” have in mind his rule over all his creation. Others, such as this one, refer to him as king over his people. The Davidic kingship, when it functioned properly, did not usurp either kind of divine kingship, though a faithless king could lead to God punishing the people (cf. 1 Sam. 8:7; 12:12–15).

PSALM—NOTE ON 5:3 I prepare a sacrifice for you is difficult in the Hebrew, which could also be rendered as in the esv footnote, “I direct my prayer to you.” The mention of the morning here, and the Lord’s house in v. 7, favors “sacrifice”; the idea here is that the prayer comes in the context of a faithful worshiper who receives assurance and expresses personal consecration by way of these ordinances; it is small wonder that such a person will watch, looking around and ahead in expectant faith.

PSALM—NOTE ON 5:4–6 The God Who Loves Justice. The singer praises God for loving what is right. The argument of the psalm is that the success of these persecutors would contradict the biblical view of God’s commitment to righteousness. The terms describing evil and evildoers are status words; that is, they describe people who reject God’s kingship, as well as denoting the behavior that stems from such rejection (as vv. 7–8 will make clear).

PSALM—NOTE ON 5:4 dwell with you. For this theme, cf. 15:1; 61:4; Isa. 33:14.

PSALM—NOTE ON 5:7–8 Confidence of the Pious. The genuinely godly recognize that they come before God only through “the abundance of your steadfast love” (v. 7); and thus they pray that God will lead them to walk in the way that is morally straight (v. 8). There is nothing self-righteous about the confidence and prayers here.

PSALM—NOTE ON 5:7 abundance of your steadfast love. The phrase comes from Ex. 34:6, the basic confession of OT faith, describing the Lord’s benevolence.

PSALM—NOTE ON 5:9–10 Prayer against the Evildoers. After a further description of the deceitful means and destructive schemes of these people (v. 9) comes a prayer that God would thwart the schemes and judge the schemers. It is actually a mercy to potential “evildoers” that this occurs in a hymn sung in public worship: it warns them of what awaits any who pursue such evil.

PSALM—NOTE ON 5:9 Paul uses this verse in Rom. 3:13 as part of his argument that both Jews and Gentiles are under the power of sin.

PSALM—NOTE ON 5:10 These prayers describe the judgment that must eventually fall on those members of God’s people who harden themselves to persecute the godly, because to harm the godly is to attack God. The request, then, is for God to vindicate his commitment to his people, here in this life for all to see. Prayers of this sort generally carry the unstated assumption that the evildoers will not repent and seek forgiveness.

PSALM—NOTE ON 5:11–12 Confidence for All the Godly. The psalm closes by expressing the assurance enjoyed by the faithful. The song prays that the truly faithful, in contrast to the evildoers, will always rejoice in the Lord and be assured of his care and protection.

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 6. This is an individual lament, also from David. It is especially suited to one whose hard circumstances have led him to see his sins and to repent of them. For this reason Psalm 6 is often included in the “Penitential Psalms” (cf. Psalms 32; 38 [and note]; 51; 130; 143).

PSALM—NOTE ON 6:1–5 Plea for Mercy. These verses arise from some life-threatening situation; a sickness would fit the description, as would a number of other desperate crises. The song interprets the situation as coming from God’s displeasure at some particular sins. This does not mean that all desperate situations are evidence of God’s displeasure, only that some may be; the psalm provides a vehicle for singing to God properly in such cases.

PSALM—NOTE ON 6:4 for the sake of your steadfast love. Those who are penitent appeal to God’s love and mercy, and not to their own well-doing.

PSALM—NOTE ON 6:5 Sheol is a proper name in Hebrew; sometimes it serves as a poetic name for the grave, to which all go (e.g., 141:7), and other times it names the dim destination to which the wicked go but not the faithful (e.g., 49:14–15). If it refers to the grave here, the idea is that the dead do not have the privilege of recounting God’s praise in public worship. The verse expresses the fear that the psalmist’s sins, if not forgiven, would separate him from God’s presence.

PSALM—NOTE ON 6:6–7 Weariness and Weeping. Now the psalmist describes the effects of realizing that his circumstances stem from his sins; he moans and cries and loses sleep from sorrow over his sins.

PSALM—NOTE ON 6:8–10 The Lord Has Heard. Those who are truly sorry for their sins can be assured that God hears their cries for mercy and will not give them over to the schemes of their enemies.

PSALM—NOTE ON 6:8 Depart from me, all you workers of evil. This seems to be spoken to those who would take advantage of the singer’s distress, slandering him and perhaps even trying to hasten his death. But if the LORD has heard, then these enemies are “all bark and no bite.” Jesus uses these words in Luke 13:27, likening any Jews of his day who resist his message to the enemies in this psalm; they will discover in the end that Jesus really does have God’s favor.

PSALM—NOTE ON 6:9 The particular plea and prayer is that of vv. 1–5; the Lord, in hearing it, forgives.

PSALM—NOTE ON 6:10 There is a reversal here: the singer’s bones and soul were troubled (vv. 2–3), but now the enemies will be greatly troubled.

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 7. This is another individual lament from David. The title refers to an otherwise unknown incident in his life when a man of Benjamin (the tribe of Saul) slandered David. The psalm provides a vehicle by which those unfairly criticized and persecuted may call to God for help.

PSALM—NOTE ON 7:1–2 Cry for Safety. In the face of desperate circumstances, the first words express trust (my God, refuge), leading to the specific request.

PSALM—NOTE ON 7:3–5 Claim of Innocence. These verses make it clear that this psalm is for those cases in which the danger stems from the malice of the persecutors, and not from the wrongdoing of the person in trouble. There is an implicit warning to those who commit the evils listed here—that they may not use this psalm to ask for God’s help in their troubles.

PSALM—NOTE ON 7:6–11 Call to God to Arise as Judge. The singers see their requests as part of the larger picture: God is a righteous judge (v. 11), to whom all the peoples of mankind, and not just Israel, are accountable (vv. 7, 8); thus his anger (v. 6) and indignation (v. 11) are directed against those who threaten his faithful ones (the righteous, v. 9; and the upright in heart, v. 10). In the Psalms, judging is more often than not a saving action, God intervening on behalf of the innocent and oppressed. (In English the word “judge” tends to focus more on condemning than on rescuing.) The particular deliverance, then, is part of God’s larger project of putting the whole world back to its right order (v. 9).

PSALM—NOTE ON 7:12–16 Evil Returns upon the Evildoers. God’s anger toward the persecutors shows itself by turning their own schemes against them.

PSALM—NOTE ON 7:12 If a man does not repent. There is a way out for the persecutors: namely, they can seek the Lord. This phrase warns the wicked and invites them to repentance; it also helps the faithful to prefer and wish that their oppressors would turn to God rather than suffer punishment.

PSALM—NOTE ON 7:17 Closing Confidence. For the faithful, the Lord’s righteousness and his status as the Most High (expounded in vv. 6–11) lead to giving thanks and singing praise, because God’s purpose of justice will prevail.

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 8. This is a hymn of praise, enabling the Lord’s people to celebrate their privileged place in the created order, which speaks of the glorious Creator. Genesis 1–2 lies behind the words here, especially in presenting mankind as the pinnacle of the creation week, as the rulers over the animal world, and as the object of God’s special attention. At the same time, the mention of “foes,” “enemy,” and “avenger” (Ps. 8:2), as well as the covenantal name “LORD” (vv. 1, 9), show that readers cannot ignore Genesis 3 and God’s plan for fallen mankind. Although the psalm is covenantal, and thus specifically for Israelite voices to sing, it nevertheless speaks of “man” in general terms, including all humanity. Israel’s calling was to be the firstfruits of restored humanity; thus the Israelite worshiper could embrace his dignity and seek to live worthily of it. This points the way to understanding how Heb. 2:6–8 uses Ps. 8:4–6: Jesus, as Davidic king, is the ideal Israelite, and thus the ideal human being, in this case by being crowned with glory and honor after his suffering on behalf of mankind.

PSALM—NOTE ON 8:1–2 God’s Majestic Name. The opening words (v. 1) set the theme of the psalm, which v. 9 then repeats. The majesty of God’s name (his revealed character) is seen in the dignity he gives to mankind.

PSALM—NOTE ON 8:1 The covenant name (Lord) was given specifically to Israel, but it is majestic … in all the earth, even if not all people acknowledge it.

PSALM—NOTE ON 8:2 Perhaps the babies and infants are the people of Israel, seen as weak in comparison with the mighty unbelieving Gentiles, the foes, the enemy, the avenger. It is through these insignificant mouths that God reveals his majesty. The Greek translation of the Septuagint (see Matt. 21:16) rightly interprets strength as “strength attributed to God in song,” or “praise.”

PSALM—NOTE ON 8:3–8 Man’s Place in the Created Order. This section falls into two parts: first, the psalmist beholds the countless stars and the bright moon, and marvels at God’s interest in mankind (vv. 3–4); second, he marvels at the dominion God has given to mankind (vv. 5–8).

PSALM—NOTE ON 8:3–4 It is astonishing that the God who is great enough to have made the heavens can take notice of mere man; but he goes beyond taking notice: he is mindful of man, he cares for him. God’s greatness does not mean remoteness but rather an eye for detail, no matter how small.

PSALM—NOTE ON 8:5 the heavenly beings. The Hebrew could mean “the gods,” that is, the angels in the heavenly court, or it could mean God himself. The esv text takes the first option, agreeing with the Greek of the Septuagint (quoted in Heb. 2:7). Crowned him with glory and honor describes mankind as God’s kingly representative.

PSALM—NOTE ON 8:6 This echoes Gen. 1:26. put all things under his feet. Paul combines this with the explicitly messianic Ps. 110:1 (1 Cor. 15:25–27; cf. Eph. 1:22), reflecting an approach similar to that of Hebrews (Heb. 2:6–9).

PSALM—NOTE ON 8:9 God’s Majestic Name. Serving as an envelope, the closing lines repeat v. 1 and link it with 7:17 and 9:2.

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 9. As the esv footnote indicates, Psalms 9–10 together follow a basically acrostic pattern, with Psalm 10 beginning where Psalm 9 leaves off. The acrostic is not perfect, however: several letters of the alphabet are missing or are out of order. Further, Psalm 10 lacks a title, which is unusual for this section of the Psalter. Both psalms refer to God’s interest in “the oppressed” (9:9; 10:18), both mention “times of trouble” (9:9; 10:1), both call on God to “arise” (9:19; 10:12), and both are sure that God will not “forget the afflicted” (9:12; 10:12). Thus it is not surprising that the Greek and Latin versions have these combined as a single psalm. On the other hand, there are enough differences to justify finding two songs here: the tone of Psalm 9 is predominantly praise and thanks, while that of Psalm 10 is largely lament. Further, whereas in Psalm 9 the enemies are clearly Gentiles (vv. 5–8, 15–16, 19–20), in Psalm 10 they may be faithless Israelites (see esp. 10:4, 13), with the “nations” being mentioned (10:16) to show that the faithless are imitating the wicked Canaanites. Thus these two psalms are probably best taken as companions placed together in light of their similarities. Psalm 9 praises God for the success of the Davidic king in defending Israel from its Gentile foes. The “I” in this psalm is either David as the representative of the people, or each member of Israel, who celebrates the blessings that come to him by way of the whole nation’s success.

PSALM—NOTE ON 9:1–2 The Worshiper’s Intent to Give Thanks. The psalm opens with the singer’s desire to thank God for his wonderful deeds.

PSALM—NOTE ON 9:1 with my whole heart. The biblical ideal is for the whole inner self to be engaged in loving and praising God (cf. Deut. 6:5), whether in private or in public (as here).

PSALM—NOTE ON 9:3–6 The Enemies Have Fallen. The psalm begins to recount the particular wonderful deeds in view, envisioning a successful campaign to protect God’s people and their king from some evil scheme of Gentile powers; the victory is decisive (vv. 5–6). When an Israelite sings of his just cause (v. 4), he should think beyond the simple right to live unmolested by foreigners, to the very purpose of the call of Israel, namely, to be a light to the Gentiles through living faithfully in the covenant (cf. v. 11).

PSALM—NOTE ON 9:7–10 The Lord’s Just Rule Is His People’s Security. The singer celebrates the security of God’s righteous rule. To speak of God’s throne (v. 7) is to remember his awesome might; to speak of justice, righteousness, and uprightness (vv. 7–8) is to remember the good and holy ends for which God wields his might, namely, to protect those who know his name (v. 10) and to achieve his purpose of bringing light to the benighted world.

PSALM—NOTE ON 9:7 The terms sits and throne continue the idea of v. 4, as does the concern with justice and righteousness (v. 8).

PSALM—NOTE ON 9:8 That Israel’s God judges the world and all its peoples would be a bold claim if he was not the same God who made heaven and earth and all that is in them. In this particular case the judging is punitive, but this need not be true in every case and at all times (cf. Isa. 2:4).

PSALM—NOTE ON 9:9 God’s judgment involves vindicating the oppressed, the people of Israel seen as weak and needy. This psalm grew out of an occasion in which the Gentile rulers sought to oppress them.

PSALM—NOTE ON 9:10 To know God’s name, to put trust in him, and to seek him are all ideals of OT piety, of which the people of Israel often fell short. Here the people are viewed in terms of their ideal.

PSALM—NOTE ON 9:11–12 A Call for God’s Faithful to Sing His Praises. The singer urges the people of God to make his praises known to the world.

PSALM—NOTE ON 9:11 Tell among the peoples his deeds. See 105:1 and Isa. 12:4 (cf. 1 Chron. 16:8) for a similar expression; and Ps. 18:49 and 96:3 for the idea. God called Abram and Israel for the sake of the whole world, and one function of passages like these is to cultivate in Israel a yearning for the time when the Gentiles would receive the blessing; Paul cites a number of texts to this effect in Rom. 15:8–12 in order that the Roman Christians might see that such a time has now come.

PSALM—NOTE ON 9:12 Mindful of them, namely, of the oppressed people of Israel (v. 9), whose blood God avenges when the Gentiles would spill it unjustly.

PSALM—NOTE ON 9:13–14 A Prayer for Relief. In these verses the song moves to a prayer for deliverance from affliction. The previous threat (vv. 3–6) makes it clear that others are yet to come, while the decisive victory has displayed God’s commitment to protect and preserve his people. The result of God’s answer to the prayer will be further praise in worship (v. 14; cf. vv. 1–2).

PSALM—NOTE ON 9:15–18 God Protects the Needy by Defeating the Wicked. The song again celebrates how God defends the poor by defeating their oppressors. Here the wicked (vv. 16, 17) are expressly those Gentiles who oppose God’s purposes (vv. 15, 17), while the needy and poor are the people of Israel under threat (v. 18).

PSALM—NOTE ON 9:18 forgotten. As in v. 12, and in contrast to those who forget God in v. 17.

PSALM—NOTE ON 9:19–20 Prayer for God to Judge the Nations. By referring to these Gentiles as man (v. 19) and men (v. 20), the song contrasts their schemes with the just and good plan of God himself.

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 10. Cf. note on Psalm 9. Psalm 10 is a lament, designed for cases in which “the wicked hotly pursue the poor” (v. 2). These wicked could be faithless, wealthy Israelites (vv. 4, 13), and the poor are the defenseless pious. While it was the task of the Davidic king to ensure justice (by force if necessary), it was the task of the general public to pray, and thus to use a psalm like this.

PSALM—NOTE ON 10:1–11 Why Do You Let the Wicked Get Away with It? Beginning with a blunt question to the Lord, the song details the ways in which the wicked make the helpless poor suffer, while they themselves prosper. These wicked are boastful and greedy; they renounce the Lord (v. 3) and feel secure from divine judgment (vv. 4–6, 11). They look for opportunities to destroy the innocent in order to advance their own interests (vv. 8–10). The question of why God “stands far away” (v. 1) does not stem from doubting God but from believing that he is reliable and just. It is this faith that leads to perplexity over how God can tolerate such conditions among his people.

PSALM—NOTE ON 10:3 curses. Literally, “blesses,” used euphemistically for cursing God (as in Job 1:5). renounces the LORD. Cf. Ps. 10:13. See also Num. 14:11 and Isa. 1:4, where God’s own people faithlessly “despise” him (same Hb. word).

PSALM—NOTE ON 10:6 I shall not be moved. See 15:5 and 55:22 (where it is the assurance of the godly); cf. 30:6 (the false confidence of the complacent). It is galling to the pious when the impious feel safe in their impiety.

PSALM—NOTE ON 10:7 Paul uses the Greek (lxx) wording of this verse in Rom. 3:14 as part of his proof that “all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin” (Rom. 3:9); this text supports his case about the Jews.

PSALM—NOTE ON 10:11 God has forgotten. In the mouth of the wicked, this would attribute a weak memory to God, or perhaps indifference to human suffering. Either way it is blasphemy, and the faithful mention it to God in order to stir him to action that would prove the wicked to be in the wrong (see vv. 12–14).

PSALM—NOTE ON 10:12–15 A Prayer for God to Protect the Helpless. In view of the dreadful situation, the song asks God to defend the defenseless and afflicted. These verses repeat many words from the first section (such as “mischief,” vv. 7, 14; “forget,” vv. 11, 12; “see,” vv. 11, 14; “renounce,” vv. 3, 13; “helpless,” vv. 8, 10, 14; and “wicked,” vv. 2–4, 13, 15) in order to show that God’s action is a direct answer to the injustice described.

PSALM—NOTE ON 10:14 the fatherless. The OT law is full of warnings about oppressing such people (see Ex. 22:22; Deut. 10:18); the true Israelite will care for them.

PSALM—NOTE ON 10:15 Break the arm. That is, make them powerless, so that they can no longer torment the godly. call his wickedness to account. That is, do precisely what the wicked deny you will do (v. 13). till you find none. That is, until there is no more wickedness to account for.

PSALM—NOTE ON 10:16–18 Confidence in God’s Justice and Power. The psalm concludes with confidence that God will powerfully bring justice to the oppressed.

PSALM—NOTE ON 10:16 The LORD is king forever and ever. Cf. the very similar Ex. 15:18, where God’s reign is for the sake of his people, to promote their peace and purity. Just as he removes unbelieving nations from his land, he can be trusted to purge unbelieving Israelites from it as well.

PSALM—NOTE ON 10:17 Contrary to appearances (as in v. 1), God does in fact attend to these cries for justice.

PSALM—NOTE ON 10:18 man who is of the earth. Similar to 9:19–20.

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 11. This psalm expresses the confidence that the faithful may have, even in a time of severe crisis—and crisis seems to be its proper setting (vv. 1–3). This may or may not be tied to a particular event in David’s life, but that really does not matter, as the psalm is adaptable to a variety of desperate situations, showing how to face them in faith.

PSALM—NOTE ON 11:1–3 The Crisis Described. The psalm first recounts the crisis. The wicked threaten to kill the upright (v. 2), and their obvious response is to flee like a bird (v. 1).

PSALM—NOTE ON 11:1 how can you say? The words do not require that someone has actually made the suggestion; the idea is that this would be the natural reaction.

PSALM—NOTE ON 11:3 the foundations. These would be either the people who ensure that Israel is managed justly (cf. “the pillars” of Isa. 19:10) or the principles of justice upon which Israel was founded. When these are destroyed, giving the unfaithful in Israel free rein, what can the righteous do—what security does he have?

PSALM—NOTE ON 11:4–7 The Righteous Lord Gives Us Confidence. The second part of the song reveals the answer to the psalmist’s question. Thus the song looks beyond the immediate danger to the God who so rules all things as to vindicate his righteousness and his love for the righteous (that is, for those who keep his covenant).

PSALM—NOTE ON 11:4 his holy temple. This is more likely God’s heavenly palace (his throne is in heaven) than his earthly temple, although one must not press the distinction too far: in the OT, the earthly sanctuary is the doorway into the heavenly (as in Isa. 6:1), and thus, in worship, God’s people join the heavenly choir.

PSALM—NOTE ON 11:5 Just as God carefully assesses the inner condition of all mankind (11:4; cf. 7:9; 17:3), he especially assesses (tests) the righteous; thus the faithful should see their danger as an opportunity to prove that their faith is genuine. In contrast, the Lord hates the wicked—i.e., those among God’s people who would exploit and harm others, and thereby foil the very purpose of the covenant, arouse God’s anger, and render themselves liable to severe judgment (v. 6).

PSALM—NOTE ON 11:6 fire and sulfur. As upon Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:24). portion of their cup. That is, what God has assigned for them, whether in this life or the next (Jer. 13:25; cf. Ps. 16:5 for the pious). The judgment may be visible in history, or it may be ultimate: that is God’s business.

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 12. This is a community lament, suited to occasions when the people of God are dominated by liars in positions of authority. It is not clear whether these liars are unfaithful Israelites or Gentile oppressors; the psalm works for either situation.

PSALM—NOTE ON 12:1–2 The Liars Prevail. As usual in laments, the psalm describes the situation: the particular kinds of lies are flattering lips and insincere speech (a double heart), both of which manipulate others for the sake of gain (v. 2). In such an environment the godly and the faithful become so rare that it seems as if they have disappeared (v. 1), either because they have been suppressed or because they have been seduced into lying themselves.

PSALM—NOTE ON 12:3–4 May the Lord Cut Off the Liars. The psalm moves on to prayer. The mention of flattering lips takes up a term from v. 2, showing the flow of thought. Note how the lips and tongue of v. 3 appear in reverse order in v. 4.

PSALM—NOTE ON 12:3 cut off. By removing them from his people, as in Lev. 20:3.

PSALM—NOTE ON 12:5–6 The Reliable Promises of God Are Refreshing. In such a climate of insincerity (cf. vv. 3–4), God’s promises give hope.

PSALM—NOTE ON 12:5 The poor and needy are familiar groups whom the true Israelites will not oppress but care for (as in Deut. 15:11; 24:14); to oppress them arouses God to action (as in Ps. 9:18).

PSALM—NOTE ON 12:6 To say that God’s words are pure, refined, and purified is to insist that they have no “dross” of lies, flattery, or insincerity: God means what he says; his words are completely pure. This general truth gives bite to his specific promise of v. 7 (cf. Prov. 30:5).

PSALM—NOTE ON 12:7–8 God Will Guard His Faithful. The psalm closes with assurance: God will protect his faithful followers.

PSALM—NOTE ON 12:7 It seems best to take them as the poor and needy (v. 5) and the godly (v. 1). Their disappearance (v. 1) was not absolute (see note on vv. 1–2).

PSALM—NOTE ON 12:8 This final verse returns to describe the prevailing conditions (cf. vv. 1–2); though this is a somber note on which to close, it keeps the faithful mindful of their constant dependence on God to guard them. The psalm has also shown that this trust is well placed.

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 13. This is an individual lament for circumstances where the worshiper is on the verge of despair, his powers of endurance spent.

PSALM—NOTE ON 13:1–2 How Long? The psalm begins with the question, “How long?” (repeated four times). The question is not asking for information but expressing the feeling of being unable to endure any longer. The questions move from God’s apparent indifference (v. 1) to the singer’s circumstances of anguish.

PSALM—NOTE ON 13:1 For God to forget and to hide his face from someone is to deliberately abandon that person, to withhold his loving care; it is not a description of God’s own mental state. If psalms were theological treatises, they would affirm that God will not forget his people (cf. 9:12) and that the abandonment described here is only apparent. But a song, whose goal is to describe feelings, does not need the same level of precision and detachment as a treatise.

PSALM—NOTE ON 13:2 The enemy is typically one who hates. Often in the Psalter, the hatred leads the enemy to want to do violence to the singer; in other places, as here, it leads the enemy to gloat over the singer’s misfortunes. Since the Psalms presuppose that their singers are faithful to the covenant, readers may safely assume that the enemy hates the singer’s faithfulness.

PSALM—NOTE ON 13:3–4 Prayer for Help. The singer calls upon God to intervene.

PSALM—NOTE ON 13:3 For God to consider and answer would be for him to relieve the singer’s circumstances. Some take the request, light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, to imply that the psalm originated during a severe illness; but while the words could apply to such a case, they are general enough to apply to a wider variety of situations.

PSALM—NOTE ON 13:5–6 Reaffirming His Trust in the Lord. Confidence in the steadfast love of God (v. 5), as revealed in the covenant (Ex. 34:6), leads to a trusting expectation of salvation (Ps. 13:5) and God’s bountiful dealing.

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 14. This is a community lament in which the people of God mourn the fact that humans in general do not seek after God and thus they treat God’s people cruelly. It is almost identical to Psalm 53, which was probably an alternate version of the hymn prior to both of them being collected into the Psalter.

PSALM—NOTE ON 14:1–4 The Godless Devour God’s People. These godless would be Gentiles (“the children of man,” v. 2, as opposed to “my people,” v. 4) who have not been given the light and “do not call upon the LORD” (v. 4). Some, however, suppose that v. 3 narrows the focus to those in Israel who have “turned aside,” but the words themselves do not require this.

PSALM—NOTE ON 14:1 fool. There are three Hebrew words for fool, and all speak of moral orientation rather than intellectual ability. The term here denotes someone who stubbornly rejects wisdom; the word lies behind the name Nabal (see 1 Sam. 25:25). As in Ps. 10:4, there is no God expresses not philosophical atheism but the idea that God, if he exists, takes no interest in human affairs and will not call people to account for their deeds. The result of this denial is that they are corrupt and do abominable deeds, and thus none of them does good.

PSALM—NOTE ON 14:3 The word all in this verse refers to the Gentiles described in v. 2, and v. 4 reveals that they oppose God’s people. Paul adapts the Greek of the Septuagint of vv. 1–3 in Rom. 3:10–12 as part of his argument that “all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin” (Rom. 3:9).

PSALM—NOTE ON 14:4 The person speaking here may be God, or it may simply be the pious Israelite; either could talk about “my people.” To eat up my people is to consume their wealth and freedom, and possibly even their lives (cf. Mic. 3:1–3, where it is Israelite rulers who do this). call upon the LORD. That is, to rely on the God of the covenant for life and well-being (see Ps. 18:3, 6; 118:5).

PSALM—NOTE ON 14:5–6 The Lord Is the Refuge for the Poor. In the face of such threats (v. 4) the faithful must remember that God is their refuge and that he will protect them and defeat the evildoers.

PSALM—NOTE ON 14:7 Prayer for Community Salvation. In light of both the situation and the assurance, the singing community prays that God would rescue them and promote their well-being; their prayer concludes with firm hope (when, not if). out of Zion. Because the Lord dwells in a special way in Zion, namely, in his sanctuary.

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 15. This is a hymn celebrating the ideal worshiper of the Lord. Some call it an entrance liturgy, prescribing questions and answers by which the priests examine would-be worshipers for their qualifications for entering holy space. This is unlikely, however, since the qualities described in this hymn are matters of the heart, and thus no priest could know whether or not they were present. Similar passages appear in 24:3–6 and Isa. 33:14–16. The singing congregation does not claim to have achieved these character qualities; instead, in describing them the members yearn to have them more and more.

PSALM—NOTE ON 15:1 Question: Who Shall Dwell with God? The tent (cf. 27:4–6) and holy hill speak of the sanctuary where God is especially present with his people; to sojourn or dwell there is to be a divinely welcomed guest in God’s house (cf. 61:4; 65:4), the end for which humans were made.

PSALM—NOTE ON 15:2–5b Answer: He Who Walks Blamelessly. The terms walks blamelessly and does what is right (v. 2) are general, and the rest of the answer spells out some specific examples. One striking feature of these specifics is that they are matters of character and go beyond what the laws of the Pentateuch require. Another interesting feature is the social orientation of these specifics: i.e., they are aimed at promoting the well-being of other members of God’s people—by speaking honestly (v. 2), by protecting their welfare and reputation (v. 3), by promoting their holiness (v. 4), and by seeking justice above personal gain (vv. 4c–5b).

PSALM—NOTE ON 15:4 vile person. This is the member of God’s people who rejects covenant life (cf. Jer. 6:30, “rejected”). Such a person is despised because he brings disgrace on the God whose people they are. Those who fear the LORD are those who embrace the covenant, and the ideal person honors them. He does not change when he swears to his own hurt, i.e., he keeps his promises and does not seek to get out of them, even if that ends up being costly to him—because when he swears he has taken God as his witness.

PSALM—NOTE ON 15:5 put out his money at interest. When the Pentateuch laws regulate loans, they are generally envisioning private loans to a neighbor (say, when his crops fail and he needs help buying seed for planting) rather than commercial transactions. In such cases Israelites are forbidden to charge interest to their fellow Israelites (see Deut. 23:19–20, “your brother”); they may charge interest to a foreigner. The psalm does not mention “his brother,” which seems to suggest that the ideal person deals generously and fairly with all people; he goes beyond what the law requires. To take a bribe against the innocent is an outrage against the justice that should characterize God’s people (Deut. 16:19; 27:25); it also scorns the very character of God (Deut. 10:17).

PSALM—NOTE ON 15:5c Assurance: Such a Person Shall Never Be Moved. The person who has embraced the covenant promises may be confident that God will ensure his stability (21:7; 55:22).

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 16. When the faithful sing Psalm 16, they entrust themselves to the Lord and foster their confidence and contentment in his care. The psalm uses imagery from Israel’s allocation of the land (vv. 5–6) to express contentment in this life, and goes on to look forward to everlasting life in God’s presence (vv. 9–11).

PSALM—NOTE ON 16:1–2 The Lord Is My Refuge. The Lord is the only one on whom the psalmist relies for well-being (no good apart from you, v. 2).

PSALM—NOTE ON 16:3–4 My Preferred Company: The Godly. There is a contrast between “the saints,” in whom is all my delight (v. 3), and those who run after another god (v. 4; idolaters, among whom would be unfaithful Israelites), whose practices the faithful will shun.

PSALM—NOTE ON 16:3 the saints. That is, the holy ones. All Israel is holy in the sense of being consecrated to the God who is himself holy; this does not guarantee, however, that every member of Israel will actually live out his holy status, and thus the command to “be holy” (Lev. 20:7–8). Here, the saints are those who have actually embraced their privilege; these are the ones whom the faithful singers should esteem, and whose company they should prefer.

PSALM—NOTE ON 16:4 The psalmist utterly refuses to participate in idolatrous practices (probably carried out by unfaithful Israelites). Their names probably refers to the names of the false gods being worshiped rather than the names of the idolaters.

PSALM—NOTE ON 16:5–6 Contentment with My Chosen Portion. The psalm now describes the psalmist’s satisfaction with the Lord and his provision. The terms portion, lot, lines, and inheritance evoke the allocation of the land into family plots (perhaps with an allusion to the Lord as the Levites’ portion and inheritance; Num. 18:20); the song promotes contentment with the arrangements of one’s life, seeing them as providentially ordered.

PSALM—NOTE ON 16:7–8 Delight in God’s Constant Presence. God’s presence, in which the psalmist delights, is seen in the moral instruction he receives (v. 7), and it results in his assurance of stability (v. 8). The psalmist’s heart instructs him during the night (v. 7), a result of deliberate reflection (cf. 1:2); likewise to set the LORD always before me expresses intention.

PSALM—NOTE ON 16:9–11 Hope of Everlasting Joy. As in 49:15 and 73:24–26, here there is a clear affirmation that the human yearning to be near to God and to know the pleasure of his welcome forever, beyond the death of the body, finds its answer in the covenant. Peter cites 16:8–11 in his Pentecost speech (Acts 2:25–28), applying the verses to the resurrection of Jesus; Paul used Ps. 16:10 in his similar speech (Acts 13:35). If the apostles meant that David’s words were a straight prediction of the death and resurrection of Jesus, it is difficult to know what function the psalm could have played in ancient Israel: the congregation would have scratched their heads in puzzlement every time they sang it. This puzzlement goes away if the psalm is seen as cultivating the hope of everlasting glory for the faithful, with the resurrection of Jesus (the holy one par excellence) as the first step in bringing this hope to fruition (cf. Rom. 8:23; 1 Cor. 15:23).

PSALM—NOTE ON 16:9 my whole being. The Greek in the Septuagint (cited in Acts 2:26) renders this as “my tongue.”

PSALM—NOTE ON 16:10 Sheol. See note on 6:5. Here it is likely the abode of the wicked. Likewise, corruption probably describes the experience of being far from God forever. These are not likely terms for the grave, since everyone singing these words would know that his body would one day die and rot.

PSALM—NOTE ON 16:11 path of life. A master metaphor of the Bible: the covenant provides a “path” by which one walks to life in all its fullness (Prov. 5:6; 6:23; 10:17; 12:28; 15:24; Matt. 7:14); this is what the Lord makes known to his followers. To enjoy God’s presence, or his face, is the fruition of the covenant (cf. Ex. 33:14–15; Num. 6:24–26). The word pleasures is related to “pleasant places” (Ps. 16:6); the pleasure that he has begun in this life will continue into its fullness in the world to come.

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 17. This is an individual lament, especially geared toward cases in which the person suffering considers himself unjustly accused of wrong (thus resembling Psalm 7) by a worldly enemy. The psalm is a prayer for vindication, ending by expressing confidence in the true portion of the faithful (thus resembling Psalm 16).

PSALM—NOTE ON 17:1–2 Request for Vindication. The words suggest someone under attack or accusation, asking God to bring the singer’s innocence to light.

PSALM—NOTE ON 17:3–5 Claim of Innocence. These verses amplify the assertion of innocence (the claim begins in v. 1, “lips free of deceit”). The singer has opened himself to the Lord’s examination (tried, visited, tested), and he recounts his efforts to stay pure (purposed, avoided, steps have held fast, feet have not slipped). For the proper use of such claims, see note on 7:3–5.

PSALM—NOTE ON 17:6–9 Request for Protection. The song makes a general request for an answer to the prayer (v. 6) and then specifies the request, namely, for protection from violent adversaries (vv. 7–9).

PSALM—NOTE ON 17:8 apple of your eye. For this colorful biblical term for the pupil, see Deut. 32:10 and Prov. 7:2. Shadow of your wings always refers to a place of safety (see Ps. 36:7; 57:1; 63:7).

PSALM—NOTE ON 17:10–12 The Pitiless Enemies. No appeal to the attackers’ pity or remorse is possible, since they close their hearts to such feelings, preferring instead to speak arrogantly (v. 10). They eagerly watch for the opportunity to trip up the innocent singer and then to destroy him (vv. 11–12).

PSALM—NOTE ON 17:13–14 May God Defeat Them! In such an environment of threat and faith, the proper recourse is prayer for the enemy’s defeat. Though their repentance may be preferred, that avenue seems closed (v. 10), and thus deliverance for the pious requires defeat for the attacker. The specific kind of defeat is left up to God.

PSALM—NOTE ON 17:14 As indicated by the esv footnotes, the Hebrew presents some challenges; the text describes these attackers as people whose only reward is in this life (their treasure and their children); they leave all their wealth behind when they die. This contrasts with the expectation that the pious have in v. 15.

PSALM—NOTE ON 17:15 Confidence for Everlasting Satisfaction. The psalm finishes in triumph, anticipating eternal fellowship in God’s presence. behold your face. Cf. 11:7 and Rev. 22:4. When I awake is generally taken as implying “from the sleep of death”; thus the beholding and the satisfaction of this verse refer to the everlasting bliss that the godly look for (one may even go as far as seeing the general resurrection here).

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 18. This is a royal psalm, i.e., it celebrates the way that God has shown his love to his people by giving them the Davidic monarchy and by preserving David through many dangers (see the title and v. 50). The text of the psalm is almost identical to 2 Samuel 22. The two songs differ, however, in their context: Second Samuel 22 is David’s personal expression of gratitude to the Lord, while Psalm 18 is the adaptation of that song for the whole people to sing, because their well-being is now tied to the offspring of David (2 Sam. 7:4–17). When God’s people sang this, then, they were to give thanks for the Davidic line and to pray that its heirs would be faithful to the Lord and would be valiant military leaders, so that Israel might carry out its God-given purpose of bringing light to the Gentiles.

PSALM—NOTE ON 18:1–3 The Lord Is My Strength. The opening verses summarize the theme of the psalm, namely, that David has found the Lord to be a reliable defender against his enemies.

PSALM—NOTE ON 18:4–6 In My Distress I Prayed. These verses amplify v. 3, as David describes a particular danger that threatened to kill him.

PSALM—NOTE ON 18:6 his temple. Likely his heavenly palace (cf. 11:4).

PSALM—NOTE ON 18:7–19 The Lord’s Marvelous Rescue. This vivid picture allows readers to imagine God in his heavenly fortress suddenly taking notice of David’s need and hastening to bring aid. The images shift quickly: v. 8 speaks of God responding to David’s danger as if he were an angry dragon, while vv. 10–15 picture his coming as if it were by way of a raging thunderstorm. David portrays his rescue (vv. 16–19) as if his enemies were swirling waters about to drown him, from which God plucked him and set him on a broad place, ground that is high and dry (v. 19).

PSALM—NOTE ON 18:20–30 David’s Claim of Faithfulness. In these verses David claims that he has faithfully kept the ways of the LORD (v. 21), and thus God has rewarded him (vv. 20, 24). This could be taken as absurdly self-righteous if it were not for two obvious facts: first, this song comes from 2 Samuel, which is plain about David’s sins; and second, the ways, rules, and statutes of the Lord (Ps. 18:22) include provisions for receiving forgiveness of sins. Thus the claim of v. 21, I … have not wickedly departed from my God, clarifies it all by saying that he has held fast to the life of faith.

PSALM—NOTE ON 18:30 his way is perfect. The esv footnote (“blameless”) indicates that following the Lord’s blameless way (cf. v. 21) is what enables a man to become blameless (vv. 23, 25).

PSALM—NOTE ON 18:31–45 The Lord Has Given Me Victory. David’s rescue (vv. 16–19) came by way of his military prowess, which was itself God’s gift. In the books of Samuel those enemies included both Israelites and Gentiles, and both are in view here, especially in v. 43: the people, namely, Israel (see also v. 41, they cried to the LORD), and the nations, people whom I had not known (cf. vv. 44–45, foreigners).

PSALM—NOTE ON 18:46–50 God Is Faithful to His Anointed King. This section stresses that David’s place of prominence has come from the Lord and is therefore not the product of his own greed and lust for power. Indeed, the expectation that he will praise the Lord among the nations (v. 49) returns readers to the call of Abram, in whom the nations were to find blessing (Gen. 12:1–3).

PSALM—NOTE ON 18:49 Paul employs this verse in Rom. 15:9 as a part of his proof that it was always God’s plan that the Gentiles should receive the light, especially through the Davidic line (of which Jesus is the ultimate heir).

PSALM—NOTE ON 18:50 salvation. See note on 3:2. The psalm puts the victories and escapes into perspective, as part of God’s commitment to his people and the whole world. Steadfast love to … David and his offspring forever echoes 2 Sam. 7:12–16.

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 19. In singing this psalm, God’s people celebrate his law, the Torah, as his supreme revelation of himself. The psalm recounts the way the creation speaks of its Maker (vv. 1–6), and then the way in which the Mosaic law addresses the soul (vv. 7–11), followed by the humble response that this calls for (vv. 12–14). As Moses does in Genesis 1–2, the psalm identifies the transcendent Creator (“God,” v. 1) with the covenant God of Israel (“the LORD,” vv. 7–9).

PSALM—NOTE ON 19:1–6 The Eloquent Heavens. These verses describe how features of the sky bear witness to their Maker; in so doing, the song directs attention to divine speech that goes out to all humanity. The ode to the sun (vv. 4c–6) follows from the opening, giving a very specific way in which the voice of the heavens is revealed to all mankind; the thought of its scorching heat leads to the next section, the searching and pure law of the Lord.

PSALM—NOTE ON 19:1 The heavens and the sky above (see esv footnote) recall Genesis 1. The glory of God, i.e., his power, wisdom, and worthiness of honor and worship.

PSALM—NOTE ON 19:3 The speech here is that mentioned in v. 2a; its voice is not heard, i.e., all people receive it (although not all attend to it).

PSALM—NOTE ON 19:4 Paul uses these words in Rom. 10:18–19 (see note) to show that all the world has received some kind of message.

PSALM—NOTE ON 19:7–11 The Perfect Torah. These verses describe some characteristics and effects of God’s revelation to Moses. The terms law, testimony, precepts, commandment, and rules all come from the Pentateuch and are ways of referring to the Mosaic covenant. The whole section builds up to the delight expressed in vv. 10–11.

PSALM—NOTE ON 19:8 pure. Unmixed with evil (cf. 24:4). enlightening the eyes. For the eyes to have light or to be bright is for the person to be alert and active (cf. 1 Sam. 14:27; Ezra 9:8; Ps. 13:3; 38:10; Prov. 29:13).

PSALM—NOTE ON 19:9 The fear of the LORD often means revering God, but here it is the revealed way by which one properly reveres God, i.e., the precepts of the covenant (similarly 34:11). true. A reliable transcript of God’s will.

PSALM—NOTE ON 19:10 The fundamental attitude here is one of delight: God’s instructions are more desirable than the best riches (cf. 119:127; Prov. 8:19) and more pleasurable than the finest tastes (cf. Prov. 24:13–14).

PSALM—NOTE ON 19:11 reward. The proper outcome, in this case assurance and character growth (see notes on vv. 12 and 13).

PSALM—NOTE ON 19:12–14 The Humble Response. Although some may use the law of God as a means of self-promotion, that is not what this psalm instills. Instead it leads the singers to reflect on their own moral failures, known and unknown; to rely on God’s forgiveness; and to seek protection from sin’s domination.

PSALM—NOTE ON 19:12 The word hidden shows the flow of thought in the psalm: just as the sun’s heat searches every nook and cranny so that “there is nothing hidden from its heat” (v. 6), so too the law searches all the hiding places of the soul; the honest faithful can only ask God to declare them innocent. This prayer includes a request for forgiveness even from “hidden” sins which one does not remember, or which were committed in ignorance.

PSALM—NOTE ON 19:13 Presumptuous sins are sins committed in arrogant disregard of divine commands (Deut. 17:12). These, when repeated, come to have dominion, and thus to enslave. Instead the desire is to become blameless (which is what the law is; see esv footnote on Ps. 19:7; see also note on 18:30). The term innocent points back to 19:12; there the singer asked to be declared innocent, while here he desires innocence in his own practice as well.

PSALM—NOTE ON 19:14 Be acceptable comes from the language of sacrifice (as in Lev. 22:20); thus the request is that this song be a suitable act of worship before God, like a sacrifice.

PSALM—NOTE ON 20–21. These two psalms form a pair of royal psalms. Psalm 20 is a prayer that God will give success to the Davidic king, particularly in battle. Psalm 21 gives thanks to God for answering the request of Psalm 20.

PSALM—NOTE ON 20:1–5 Prayer for the King’s Success. In these verses the congregation addresses the Davidic king (“you”) with a prayer that God will answer his prayers, protect him from enemies, send him help, and support him. To call all of this “salvation” (v. 5) is to recognize that it comes from God as a gift and that it must further the ends for which God called his people to begin with. In other words, it is not a blank check for greed and land-grabbing.

PSALM—NOTE ON 20:2 The sanctuary in Zion is the place where God especially makes himself present among his people.

PSALM—NOTE ON 20:3 The offerings and burnt sacrifices were the means by which the worshiper received assurance of God’s love and devoted himself to God.

PSALM—NOTE ON 20:6–8 Sound Confidence in the Lord Alone. Now the worshipers shift from speaking to the king to speaking about the king. They place their confidence in God alone as the one who saves his anointed, and thus the chariots and horses that they must use are not the final cause of success, only the means that God may be pleased to prosper (as they hope for themselves) or thwart (as they hope for the enemy).

PSALM—NOTE ON 20:9 God Save the King! The terms save and “salvation” are repeated in this psalm (vv. 5, 6, 9); see notes on vv. 1–5 (and cf. note on 3:2).

PSALM—NOTE ON 21:1–7 Thanksgiving. These verses are addressed to the Lord (you) about the king (he), celebrating the military success prayed for in Psalm 20. It is clear from such terms as salvation (21:1, 5), your presence (v. 6), and trusts (v. 7) that the psalm assumes a pious and faithful king and is not intended to offer endorsement to sinful plans.

PSALM—NOTE ON 21:8–12 Confidence for the Future. The person addressed (you) may still be God, as above, but it seems better to take it as the king, who will continue his military exploits on behalf of the people. As above, it is necessary to see that these enemies are those who hate the king (who is the Lord’s anointed, 20:6) and plan evil against him (21:11). When the king lives by the Davidic ideal, God takes hostility against the king as hostility against his own purposes and thus as against himself; thus the godly king is the tool of God’s wrath (v. 9).

PSALM—NOTE ON 21:10 This probably assumes that the descendants and offspring of these hostile Gentiles carry on the hostility of their parents.

PSALM—NOTE ON 21:13 Be Exalted! As in 18:46, the Lord is exalted when he shows his power in making the faithful king successful.

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 22. This psalm has the appearance of an especially anguished individual lament, where the suffering comes from the attacks of unscrupulous people and is intensified by the mockery of those who should feel sympathy; this person, nevertheless, looks forward to vindication and joyful worship with the rest of God’s people. However, in view of its prominent place in the crucifixion story, Christian readers have found in it a description of the sufferings of Jesus. Many Christians have taken it as a straight prediction of Jesus’ sufferings, as if the primary function of the psalm was to foretell the work of the Savior; others have read it as a lament in its OT context, with a “fuller meaning” revealed by Jesus’ use of it. It is better to see the psalm as providing a lament for the innocent sufferer, and then to see how all the Gospels use this to portray Jesus as the innocent sufferer par excellence. Consider how Matthew 27 uses the psalm. Matthew 27:35 echoes Ps. 22:18 (dividing the garments by lot); Matt. 27:39 echoes Ps. 22:7 (wagging heads); Matt. 27:43 echoes Ps. 22:8 (the derisive challenge for God to rescue him); and Matt. 27:46 cites Ps. 22:1 (Jesus crying out). See chart. Matthew presents Jesus as a thoroughly good and faithful person who is brutally and unjustly executed, and mocked by those who should have supported him. But this portrayal of Jesus in light of Psalm 22 allows Christ’s followers as well to expect some kind of vindication, as vv. 22–31 describe; and they are not disappointed as they read the resurrection account. Hebrews 2:12 cites Ps. 22:22, from the vindication section, to show that Jesus shares the humanity of his followers, since he calls them “brothers.” To make this argument, the author of Hebrews must also see Jesus as the ideal human being, which means he is using the psalm much as the Gospels do.

PSALM—NOTE ON 22:1–2 Why Have You Forsaken Me? This anguished question expresses just what a person in the circumstances described in the psalm feels: distress at receiving no relief to his pain or answer to his prayers (v. 2).

PSALM—NOTE ON 22:3–5 Yet the Lord Has Been Our Trust. The singer knows himself to be a member of God’s own people, who is therefore the object of God’s special attention. God is especially present in Israel’s worship (v. 3), and has rescued our fathers when they called for help (vv. 4–5).

PSALM—NOTE ON 22:6–8 Yet I Am Derided. In contrast to the history of vv. 3–5, the singer describes the mockery he encounters from his fellow members of the people (v. 6). They even deride his faith (v. 8), perhaps implying that they consider him a hypocrite.

PSALM—NOTE ON 22:9–11 But the Lord Has Cared for Me All My Life. The singer again recalls the past, as in vv. 3–5, but this time it is more personal. In effect he tells God, “Not only did you show yourself faithful to our ancestors in Israel, you have been faithful to me from the very beginning of my existence.” In this light he can pray confidently, be not far from me (v. 11).

The Use of Psalm 22 in Matthew 27

View this chart online at http://kindle.esvsb.org/c96

Ps. 22:18	They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.	And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots.	Matt. 27:35
Ps. 22:7	All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads.	And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads.	Matt. 27:39
Ps. 22:8	“He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”	He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, “I am the Son of God.”	Matt. 27:43
Ps. 22:1	My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?	And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”	Matt. 27:46

PSALM—NOTE ON 22:12–18 I Am Surrounded by Enemies. The song returns to describing the situation: enemies who are bent on evil like bulls (v. 12), a lion (v. 13), and dogs (v. 16) leave the singer without energy (v. 14) or strength (v. 15). Peter borrows the image of a “roaring lion” (v. 13) for the devil (1 Pet. 5:8), the evil enemy behind all evil enemies of the faithful.

PSALM—NOTE ON 22:17 I can count all my bones, that is, “My flesh is so wasted away that my bones poke through my skin.” They stare, that is, the enemies (see v. 18).

PSALM—NOTE ON 22:19–21 Save Me as You Have Done Before! Picking up from v. 11 (v. 19, do not be far off and help), the singer lays out his request. In recalling God’s past answers to his prayers, he asks for relief in his present distress. Note how dog, lion, and wild oxen (vv. 20–21) reverse the order of the threats in vv. 12–18.

PSALM—NOTE ON 22:22–31 Praise Will Result: From Me, From Israel, From All Nations. The song closes with confidence that when God answers the prayer, the singer will be vindicated and will again be able to join with God’s people in worship. The song helps readers to see the outcome of this personal trial in its relation to the whole of God’s people: the vindicated singer looks forward to telling forth God’s praise among the assembled congregation (vv. 22, 25), and thus all the offspring of Israel will take encouragement and join in giving thanks (vv. 23–24, 26). Indeed, the praising company will extend to the whole world (v. 27, all the families of the nations, echoing Gen. 12:3; 22:18; etc.); that is, the singer’s personal story of trouble and vindication is part of the larger story of God’s redemptive work in the world.

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 23. This hymn is usually classified as a psalm of confidence in the Lord’s care. It uses two images: the Lord as Shepherd who cares for the sheep (vv. 1–4), and the Lord as Host who cares for his guest (vv. 5–6). These images would be familiar from everyday experience (for David’s own, cf. 1 Sam. 17:34); but they also evoke other ideas common in the ancient Near East (including the OT), with the deity as shepherd of his people and the deity as host of the meal. In worship, the faithful celebrate God’s greatness and majesty; and when they sing this psalm, they see his majesty in the way he personally attends to each of his covenant lambs. He is the shepherd for Israel as a whole; and in being such, he is the shepherd for each faithful Israelite as well.

PSALM—NOTE ON 23:1–4 The Lord as Shepherd. Just as a shepherd cares for his sheep, so the Lord cares for his people, providing for their needs, guiding them, and protecting them.

PSALM—NOTE ON 23:1 shepherd. The deity-as-shepherd motif is common in the Bible (e.g., Gen. 48:15; 49:24; Ps. 28:9; 80:1; 95:7; 100:3; Rev. 7:17; cf. Ps. 49:14). The Lord is the Shepherd of the people as a whole, as well as individual members; and in this psalm the particular member is in view. want. That is, to lack what one needs.

PSALM—NOTE ON 23:2 Green pastures and still waters are peaceful places for rest and feeding.

PSALM—NOTE ON 23:3 The restoration, refreshment, or revival of the soul (or life) indicates the returning of life or vitality (cf. 19:7; Ruth 4:15; Prov. 25:13; Lam. 1:19). The paths in which God leads his faithful are the basic moral direction of their lives, toward righteousness (seen here as a blessing, not a burden). for his name’s sake. That is, in order to preserve his reputation for being true to his revealed character (cf. 1 Kings 8:41; Ps. 25:11; 31:3).

PSALM—NOTE ON 23:4 The shadow of death may be the shadow that death casts, or it may be, as the esv footnote has it, “deep darkness.” Perhaps the idea is that in a valley in the desert (or wadi) in Judah one can encounter deep shadows, and cannot know for sure who (bandits) or what (animals, flash floods) lurks in them; even in such periods of suspense and danger, the faithful find assurance that God is with them, and thus they need not fear.

PSALM—NOTE ON 23:5–6 The Lord as Host. Some have argued that the image of shepherd and sheep is still present here; but the mention of a table, of putting oil on the head, the cup, and the Lord’s “house,” all show that the psalm now describes the faithful person as God’s guest at a meal (“prepare a table”). The enemies are powerless to prevent the enjoyment of God’s generous hospitality (perhaps they are there as captives at a victory celebration). Goodness and mercy (esv footnote, “steadfast love”) are the assurance for the faithful that God has showered his grace upon them. For a non-Levite to dwell in the house of the LORD is to have ready access to the sanctuary for worship (cf. 27:4). As the esv footnote explains, forever is literally, “for length of days”; this may simply be another way of saying all the days of my life, but is more likely to be meant as “for days without end” (cf. 21:4; 93:5, “forevermore”).

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 24. This psalm seems fitted for some liturgical occasion, perhaps one that celebrates the way that David brought the ark of the Lord into Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6); this would explain the interest in God’s presence in Ps. 24:3–6, and the address to the gates in vv. 7–10. The psalm asserts the astounding idea that the God who created and owns everything is the very same God into whose presence the faithful worshiper enters because of the covenant with Israel. Such is the privilege of being Israel, and such too defines their mission, namely, to bring God’s fame to all his creation, and especially to all mankind.

PSALM—NOTE ON 24:1–2 The Lord Is Creator and Owner of All. The Lord, the covenant God of Israel, is the one who founded the world (cf. Gen. 1:1–2:3, where he is called God, the transcendent Creator). The focus here is on the earth as the dry land, where human beings dwell, as distinguished from the waters (cf. Gen. 1:9–10). Paul quotes Ps. 24:1 in 1 Cor. 10:26 to explain that since God owns everything, foods are included, and thus may be enjoyed without qualms.

PSALM—NOTE ON 24:3–6 Who Receives Blessing from Him? This section reminds the worshipers of a recurring theme in the OT: although every Israelite may attend worship at the sanctuary (the hill of the LORD, his holy place), not everyone will really receive blessing (v. 5) or will genuinely enjoy the status of righteousness (v. 5). God expects his people to embrace their privileges from their hearts, and to show that in their behavior (vv. 4, 6). This theme appears elsewhere in the Psalms (e.g., Ps. 15:1–5; 51:16–19) as well as in Proverbs (e.g., Prov. 15:8) and the Prophets (e.g., Isa. 1:11–17). The Hebrew for clean (Ps. 24:4) can also be translated “innocent”; clean hands are those that have acted innocently toward others (Gen. 20:5; Ps. 26:6; 73:13). Likewise the pure heart is the one cleansed of all unworthy motives toward other people. (The lxx [Gk.] for “pure heart” lies behind the sixth beatitude, Matt. 5:8.) Thus true piety is shown both in hunger for God (Ps. 24:6) and in fair and generous dealing with one another (v. 4). to what is false. I.e., to idols.

PSALM—NOTE ON 24:7–10 Lift Up Your Heads, O Gates! Readers may imagine this as the call and response before the gates of Jerusalem: in v. 7 the procession bearing the ark announces God’s presence in the ark, seeking entry into his sanctuary; Who is this King of glory? (v. 8a) is the reply, asking for further identification. The procession then says who the Lord is (The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle!), and then repeats the request for entry (v. 9). Again the doorkeepers reply, asking for identification (v. 10a), and again the procession identifies the Lord (v. 10b).

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 25. This is a lament in which individual members of the worshiping assembly ask God for help in their various troubles. While it expresses faith in God’s kindness toward the faithful, it does not end in the confident way of most laments (vv. 16–22). The psalm also includes penitential elements, where the worshipers confess their sins and pray for forgiveness (vv. 6–7, 11, 18). As the notes will show, there are echoes of Pentateuch promises here, showing that the godly in Israel were to view the Sinai covenant as a gracious one. As the esv footnote explains, this psalm is acrostic, each verse beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This is the first psalm that is a consistent acrostic (cf. note on Psalm 9). Like other acrostics attributed to David (Psalms 9–10; 25; 34; 37; 145), this does not perfectly follow the acrostic pattern: the verse beginning with w is missing (it should be between 25:5–6); v. 18 begins with the letter r (as does v. 19), while q is expected; and v. 22 begins with p, as does v. 16. The acrostic pattern makes it harder for the poem to have a clear flow of thought, but the notes will show that the poet nevertheless provided one.

PSALM—NOTE ON 25:1–3 Expression of Trust. The psalm opens by expressing confidence in the Lord; the request of v. 2 is reaffirmed as assurance in v. 3.

PSALM—NOTE ON 25:1 lift up my soul. This Hebrew expression appears in Deut. 24:15; Prov. 19:18; Jer. 22:27; 44:14; and Hos. 4:8, where it is translated with terms such as “long,” “desire,” “set the heart on,” “be greedy,” “count on”; thus it is an idiom for “I direct my desire” (cf. Ps. 24:4; 86:4; 143:8).

PSALM—NOTE ON 25:2–3 To be put to shame (vv. 2, 3, 20) is to be publicly shown to have relied on a false basis for hope. The worshipers, who side with the genuinely faithful (I trust … wait for you), expect that their hope in the Lord has a worthy basis, while those who seek to harm them (enemies … wantonly treacherous, i.e., the unfaithful) have founded their hopes on lies.

PSALM—NOTE ON 25:4–5 Desire for Guidance. Those who trust in the Lord seek his guidance, i.e., they want to learn what manner of life (ways, paths) pleases him and how his commands apply to their specific circumstances. God’s guidance in the Bible is almost always concerned with the moral virtues he wants in his faithful people (cf. vv. 8–10, 12); in light of these virtues they make their choices in the various circumstances of life. I wait. Cf. v. 3.

PSALM—NOTE ON 25:6–7 Desire for Forgiveness. For God’s covenant people to make progress in virtue, they must rely on God’s grace and kindness, and not on their own virtue (which comes from God’s guidance anyway). The terms mercy, steadfast love, sins, and transgressions evoke Ex. 34:6–7, which tells Israel of God’s gracious disposition to them (cf. Ps. 25:10, “faithfulness”). For God to remember something is for him to attend to it in order to act (cf. 8:4; 9:12; 20:3); the faithful ask God to attend to them in mercy rather than according to their sins (cf. 79:8).

PSALM—NOTE ON 25:8–11 Praise for the Lord’s Goodness and Mercy. This section picks up the ideas of God’s goodness, steadfast love, and faithfulness from vv. 6–7, and his guidance from vv. 4–5. It celebrates the character of God, by which he forgives his people and guides them in moral growth. The OT expects that the people will keep his covenant, i.e., lay hold of the forgiveness and guidance that it graciously offers.

PSALM—NOTE ON 25:12–15 Confidence in the Lord’s Friendship. The faithful have a close and intimate relationship with God. Verse 12 focuses on the particular person (the man, taken as an example for all the pious regardless of sex or age) who fears the LORD; such a person will know God’s guidance, blessing, and friendship (v. 14; i.e., welcome into his intimate company; cf. 55:14; Prov. 3:32). The well-being of Ps. 25:13 is the expression of God’s goodness (vv. 7, 8).

PSALM—NOTE ON 25:16–21 Request for Forgiveness and Protection. The psalm gathers all these confident thoughts and turns them into prayer for the particular circumstances of trouble, asking for deliverance from the affliction, trouble, and foes that threaten (vv. 17–19), on the basis of forgiven sins (v. 18b). The virtues of integrity and uprightness (v. 21), which are recognized as gifts (cf. God’s uprightness, v. 8), are God’s means of protection (cf. Prov. 2:11–12).

PSALM—NOTE ON 25:22 Prayer for the Whole People. Redeem generally conveys the idea of rescue and protection, especially when its object is Israel (e.g., 44:26; 111:9; 130:7–8) or a faithful worshiper (e.g., 34:22; 55:18; 71:23). In some places (though not here) it carries the idea of exchanging a substitute or ransom (e.g., Ex. 13:13; Lev. 27:29).

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 26. A variety of settings for Psalm 26 have been suggested, such as a prayer for public exoneration offered by someone seriously or falsely accused of wrongdoing; or perhaps part of an entrance liturgy by which pilgrims came into the sanctuary. There is scant evidence for any of these, though the latter is helpful because it links the theme with that of Psalms 15 and 24. That is, the psalm mirrors for those who attend worship what the ideal covenant participant should actually look like. Some have taken the claims of innocence here as a kind of self-righteous boasting, but this is a mistake. First, the mention of God’s steadfast love and faithfulness (26:3), a clear echo of Ex. 34:6, shows that divine grace is the foundation for holy living; similarly, the references to worship in God’s house (Ps. 26:6–8) indicate that the covenantal means of grace, with their focus on atonement and forgiveness, are in view; and third, singing this psalm serves to enable worshipers more and more to like and embrace the ideal of faithful covenant membership—but it does not make achieving that ideal a precondition for true worship.

PSALM—NOTE ON 26:1–3 Prayer for Vindication. For God to vindicate the worshiper is for God to distinguish between the faithful and the impious; perhaps there is the additional nuance of showing the distinction publicly (cf. 35:24; 43:1). The faithful are those who take the covenant to heart, and who as a general pattern of life have walked in their integrity and have trusted in the LORD without wavering. They also keep God’s steadfast love … before their eyes and walk in God’s faithfulness—i.e., they live by the grace revealed in Ex. 34:6.

PSALM—NOTE ON 26:4–8 Claim of Innocence. Here the psalm describes some of the features of the faithful covenant participant: he refuses to join with the unfaithful (hypocrites, evildoers, wicked) in their crooked schemes, because he renounces their values (cf. 1:1); and he aims to take part in public worship with moral innocence and with delight (love, 26:8). (On the glory as God’s special presence in the sanctuary, see Ex. 40:34–35.)

PSALM—NOTE ON 26:9–10 Separate from the Bloodthirsty. These verses amplify the prayer for vindication in v. 1, namely, the desire to be treated differently from the unfaithful.

PSALM—NOTE ON 26:11–12 Confidence and Commitment. The person who owns this ideal, who determines to walk in his integrity, may be sure of God’s continuing care. On redeem, see note on 25:22.

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 27. In singing Psalm 27, God’s people have a way of not simply expressing confidence in him but of cultivating that confidence for the widest range of challenging life situations. The psalm uses several synonyms for “enemies” (vv. 2, 6, 11, 12), giving it the concrete setting of a faithful person beset by those who would destroy him with bloodthirsty and deceitful means; one who can trust God in those circumstances can trust him in other situations as well.

PSALM—NOTE ON 27:1–3 Whom Shall I Fear? The terms fear (vv. 1, 3) and be afraid (v. 1) contrast with be confident (v. 3): the faithful must learn to base their confidence on God’s ever-present protection (light, salvation, stronghold, v. 1); this will be a confidence that grows through experiences of deliverance (as v. 2 recounts).

PSALM—NOTE ON 27:2 to eat up my flesh. The picture here is probably of evildoers as wild animals who would “devour” the faithful (cf. 14:4 and Mic. 3:3 for similar expressions; see Ps. 7:2; 10:9; 17:12; 22:13, 21 for the comparison).

PSALM—NOTE ON 27:4–6 Shelter in His Sanctuary. “House of the LORD,” “temple,” “tent,” and “sacrifices” show that these verses focus on public worship; they view unhindered access to God’s presence in worship as the best of all gifts. This is the place of true delight and true safety.

PSALM—NOTE ON 27:4 David, the author of this psalm, could have called the tabernacle a “house” (Josh. 6:24; 1 Sam. 1:7; 3:15) and a temple (1 Sam. 1:9; 3:3). On dwell in the house of the LORD, see Ps. 23:6. God’s beauty is what the faithful yearn to gaze upon (i.e., to behold with admiration and affection) as they seek him in worship.

PSALM—NOTE ON 27:7–12 Prayer for Continued Favor. These verses turn to address the Lord directly, making it clear that the deliverance asked for is for the purpose of continuing to seek God.

PSALM—NOTE ON 27:8 As the esv footnote points out, God addresses his words, Seek my face, to more than one person; the singer responds by acting personally on the invitation. The connection between this and v. 4 (“seek”) indicates that the seeking is done in the sanctuary.

PSALM—NOTE ON 27:11 Teach … lead. On guidance in the psalms, see note on 25:4–5.

PSALM—NOTE ON 27:13–14 Wait for the Lord. The singing worshiper addresses each of the other worshipers, with the admonition to live in continued confidence, returning to the trust expressed in vv. 1–3.

PSALM—NOTE ON 27:13 As the esv footnote explains, other Hebrew manuscripts start the verse with an extra word; either way, the import is that the singer has believed. Look upon is similar to “gaze upon” (v. 4) and carries the same nuance of admiration and affection. The goodness of the LORD is probably his gracious character (Ex. 33:19; 34:6–7), thus these verses carry the expectation that the prayer of Ps. 27:4–6, for ready access to worship, will be answered. On the land of the living as this life’s arena, cf. Isa. 38:11; 53:8; Jer. 11:19.

PSALM—NOTE ON 27:14 To wait for the LORD is to look to him with dependence and trust, not passivity; this is what enables one to be strong and courageous (cf. Deut. 31:6).

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 28. This is a lament, a cry for help amid the threat posed by evildoers. It is not clear whether the threat is to the individual or to the whole community; if the speaker is a representative figure like King David, he could be speaking both for himself and for the community. It is probably best to see the hostility as a threat to the whole community (vv. 8–9), which each of the faithful is personally involved in (the references to “I,” “me,” and “my” throughout).

PSALM—NOTE ON 28:1–2 Hear Me When I Call! This model prayer brings its requests before God with urgency. The situation is desperate; to be like those who go down to the pit is probably more than simply to die, but to be like those who suffer divine judgment (cf. 30:3, 9; 88:4; 143:7; Isa. 14:19; Ezek. 26:20); the godly do not want to be treated in the same way as the wicked (cf. Ps. 28:3).

PSALM—NOTE ON 28:2 most holy sanctuary. This is the “innermost sanctuary” (see esv footnote), the place mentioned in 1 Kings 6:16.

PSALM—NOTE ON 28:3–5 Do Not Drag Me Off with the Wicked. The psalms generally recognize that God will indeed hold the wicked (i.e., those who defy the Lord) accountable for their deeds. The pious wish to see God’s justice vindicated, when those who defy his rule receive their due, and they do not want to suffer when the judgment falls (cf. 2 Thess. 1:9–10). The wicked here are not simply people who commit sins (even the faithful do that, cf. Ps. 32:6), but those who oppose God and his people with deceit and treachery (evil is in their hearts). Note the contrast between their work (i.e., of the wicked) and the work of their hands (28:4), and God’s works and the work of his hands (v. 5).

PSALM—NOTE ON 28:6–9 The Lord Has Heard Me. The psalm ends with confidence that God will protect his people and his anointed (i.e., the Davidic king, who represents and embodies the whole people, cf. 2:8). This leads to prayer for God to save them and to bless his heritage (cf. Deut. 4:20; 9:26, 29; 32:9). On God as shepherd, see note on Ps. 23:1.

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 29. This is a hymn of praise to God for his awesome power, where a thunderstorm serves as a visible emblem of God’s majestic voice. It was once common to think that this psalm was based on a Canaanite or Phoenician original, but the evidence for this is poor. It seems reasonable, however, to suppose that the setting of the psalm in a thunderstorm deliberately sets Yahweh over Baal, the storm-god widely worshiped in Syria-Palestine. Biblical authors do not present the phenomena of nature in themselves as problems; they are God’s creation, serve his purposes, and demonstrate his power, wisdom, glory, faithfulness, and even love.

PSALM—NOTE ON 29:1–2 Call to Ascribe Glory to the Lord. The psalm begins by urging the heavenly beings or angels (cf. esv footnote, lit., “sons of God”; cf. 89:6) to ascribe to the LORD glory and strength, i.e., to acknowledge that these are true of God, and that he deserves admiration for them. in the splendor of holiness. As the esv footnote explains, the Hebrew expression can be taken in more than one way; but the esv text is more likely implying “for the splendor of God’s holiness” (cf. 96:9; 1 Chron. 16:29).

PSALM—NOTE ON 29:3–9 The Voice of the Lord in a Thunderstorm. In these verses there are six descriptions of the voice of the LORD, of which the thunderstorm is an emblem. The reader should imagine a magnificent storm coming eastward from the Mediterranean, making landfall to the north in the mountains of Lebanon, and heading south to sweep through Israel, from Sirion (i.e., Mount Hermon, Deut. 3:9) in the northern end to Kadesh at the southern end. The faithful, worshiping in the temple in Jerusalem, see the awesome power of the storm and from it know that the voice of the LORD is even more powerful, and even more full of majesty; hence their responsive cry, Glory!

PSALM—NOTE ON 29:10–11 The Lord Enthroned. The temple (v. 9) is the place where God sits enthroned (9:11; 22:3; 1 Sam. 4:4; 2 Sam. 6:2) as king forever, especially over his people; worship is coming into his majestic presence. The word for flood here (Hb. mabbul) is used elsewhere only of Noah’s flood (Gen. 6:17); this shows that God’s power (unlike that of the storm) makes distinctions between the faithful and the unfaithful; hence the prayer that God will give strength (cf. Ps. 29:1) to his people and bless his people with peace—which requires that they be true to him always.

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 30. According to the title, David composed Psalm 30 for the dedication of the temple (an event that took place after David died, 1 Kings 8:63). The temple does not figure much in the psalm itself, except for the address to fellow worshipers in Ps. 30:4. The theme of the whole psalm is one of personal thanksgiving for God’s repeated care and deliverance over the course of a life; the title makes the concrete situation of David’s experience the background, and the worshipers can liken their own experiences to his.

PSALM—NOTE ON 30:1–3 Reasons Why I Will Extol. The opening phrase, I will extol you, is followed by three experiences that lead the singer to extol God: deliverance from the attacks of the foes, answered prayer in desperate circumstances, and rescue from impending death. The mention of Sheol and the pit in v. 3 probably indicates that the threatened death would have been death under divine judgment (cf. 28:1).

PSALM—NOTE ON 30:4–5 Joy Comes with the Morning. After stating his own intention to extol the Lord, the singer turns to his fellow worshipers and urges them to join him, to sing praises and give thanks. Though there is indeed weeping in the lives of the faithful (sometimes because their misdeeds have incurred God’s anger, and sometimes just because of suffering that comes from living in a fallen world), it comes to an end. Morning stands for the time when God gives relief (cf. 90:14); it might not arrive until the last day (cf. 49:14), but it will surely come.

PSALM—NOTE ON 30:6–7 You Alone Are My Security. It is easy, in times of prosperity, for God’s people to trust in themselves for continued well-being; but they must always remember that it is God who makes one’s mountain stand strong (a figure for unshakable security), and if he should remove his care, the faithful are undone.

PSALM—NOTE ON 30:8–10 My Cry to the Lord. After recording one thing he had said (v. 6), David moves on to another recollection: he had been in desperate circumstances and prayed for continued life. It is clear from v. 9 that the mere prolonging of earthly days is not the goal of these deliverances, precious as that is: the faithful live to praise God, to tell of his faithfulness. The books of Samuel recount many instances of just this in the life of David; the psalm expects the worshipers to reflect on the events of their own lives, and to renew their own intention to live well.

PSALM—NOTE ON 30:11–12 I Will Give Thanks Forever. The experiences in which sorrow has turned to joy lead the psalmist, and all who worship with him, to expect to sing God’s praise and give him thanks (cf. v. 4) forever. My glory is a poetical term in the Psalms for one’s whole being (cf. 16:9; 108:1).

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 31. This is a lament that seeks help from God for a faithful person worn out with trouble and beset by enemies who want to do him harm (vv. 4, 8, 11, 13, 15, 18, 20). It is not hard to connect many of the particulars with the life of David, the author; but the wording is general enough for all kinds of people to find themselves in this prayer.

PSALM—NOTE ON 31:1–2 Hear My Prayer. The opening words, I take refuge, exhibit dependence and trust (cf. 5:11; 16:1; 25:20); this is the kind of person who may seek God’s help. On be put to shame, see note on 25:2–3. God’s righteousness here is his faithfulness to his promises; it is grounds for assurance, not for fear. The images of rock and fortress, using several different words, are common ways of describing God. Psalm 71:1–3 is very similar.

PSALM—NOTE ON 31:3–8 You Have Always Kept Me Safe in the Past. The psalm recounts previous experiences of calling for help in time of trouble. God has shown himself a reliable deliverer; thus the singer expects always to rejoice and be glad (v. 7).

PSALM—NOTE ON 31:5 Into your hand I commit my spirit. Jesus uses these words on the cross (Luke 23:46); he dies as the innocent sufferer, trusting in God for vindication (cf. note on Psalm 22). On redeemed, see note on 25:22.

PSALM—NOTE ON 31:6 I hate. A strong term, stressing the decisive way in which the faithful reject all sympathy with the wicked. It is possible for God to “hate” those who oppose him (5:5; 11:5), and at the same time to be “good” (or kind) to all (145:9); therefore, it must be desirable for the faithful to do the same.

PSALM—NOTE ON 31:9–13 I Am in Distress Again. After looking back over the past, the song turns to the present, a situation of distress. There is grief, sorrow, and sighing (vv. 9–10) because of the adversaries (v. 11) who plot to take my life (v. 13).

PSALM—NOTE ON 31:10 because of my iniquity. This interprets the distress as God’s chastisement; but if it is that, then the purposes of God (and not of the evildoers) will prevail.

PSALM—NOTE ON 31:14–18 My Times Are in Your Hand. This section expresses trust in the Lord amid the present distress. This trust is built not only on the experiences recounted in vv. 3–8 but also on the promises of the covenant: e.g., for make your face shine (v. 16), cf. Num. 6:25. On Sheol (Ps. 31:17), see note on 6:5. As usual in the Psalms, people are designated by their stance toward God: the righteous (31:18) are those who trust in God, believe his word, and seek to please him; the wicked (v. 17), who are commonly everyone else besides the “righteous,” are here those who seek to destroy the faithful.

PSALM—NOTE ON 31:19–24 Confidence that the Lord Will Again Keep Me Safe. The psalm closes with assurance: the God who has made promises and who has kept them in the past will continue to do so. On v. 24, cf. 27:14.

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 32. This is usually classified as a thanksgiving hymn, in which the worshipers give thanks to God for the joy of having their sins forgiven. Because of v. 3 (“when I kept silent”), it has been common to connect this psalm with Psalm 51; but as there is no clear indication of this from either the title of the psalm or its body, it is better to take this psalm as geared more generally to the experience of confession and forgiveness. Psalm 32 can be classified as a “penitential psalm” (cf. Psalms 6; 38 [and note]; 51; 130; 143).

PSALM—NOTE ON 32:1–5 The Doctrine: Only the Forgiven Are Truly Happy. Verses 1–2 state the theme, answering the question, “Who is truly happy (or blessed)?” Then vv. 3–5 recount a personal experience that supports this theme. The terms “transgression,” “forgiven,” “sin,” and “iniquity” all echo Ex. 34:6–7, the fundamental expression of God’s kindness and mercy toward those who receive his covenant. No one needs to compel God to show mercy; rather, the faithful confess their sins because they believe he is merciful. Note how several words here appear in a mirror pattern, which binds all five verses together: “forgiven … covered [Ps. 32:1] … cover … forgave [v. 5].” There is a contrast in the kind of covering: when God “covers” sin, he graciously blots it out (cf. 85:2); when man “covers” his sin, he is sinfully hiding it (cf. Prov. 28:13).

PSALM—NOTE ON 32:1–2 On blessed, see note on 1:1. Paul uses 32:1–2a in Rom. 4:7–8 to show that “not counting sin” (which he treats as another way of counting righteousness) has always been done “apart from works.” Deceit refers to deceiving man or God about one’s own sins. To mention the spirit reinforces in the worshipers that they must combine the right words with the right intentions.

PSALM—NOTE ON 32:3–5 For. These verses support the theme that only the forgiven are truly happy. They recount a time when I kept silent, i.e., when the singer refused to confess his sins in order to have God forgive them. The lost vitality of vv. 3–4 is really a mercy; it is God’s hand … heavy upon his faithful, to help them come to the point of confessing. Having come to that point, the singer acknowledged his sin, and God forgave the iniquity of his sin; this brings the psalm back to v. 1, with the implication that the singer has now learned more fully the blessedness of being forgiven.

PSALM—NOTE ON 32:6–11 Application: Confess Our Sins Freely. The opening word of this section, therefore, shows that it is drawing a lesson for everyone who is godly, namely, to offer prayer (of confession) … at a time when God may be found; i.e., do not be foolish and wait indefinitely (cf. v. 9). The godly are not expected to be sinless; rather, they are those who believe God’s promises and confess their sins (similarly the righteous, v. 11). Verses 6–7 are addressed to God, whom the faithful find to be a hiding place; vv. 8–11 are addressed to fellow worshipers, urging them to accept this instruction about ready confession and to be glad in the Lord, who shows such goodness to his people.

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 33. This is a hymn of praise to the God who made all things, who rules all things for his own purposes, and who has chosen a people to be his own for the sake of the whole world. The texts in Genesis that convey these notions underlie the psalm’s ideas. The thought flows from the call to praise God, to several reasons for praise, to a closing filled with glad and peaceful hope.

PSALM—NOTE ON 33:1–3 Call to Sing Praise. The opening words of the psalm, shout for joy and righteous, echo 32:11, which may be why this psalm is placed here. Here, the righteous and the upright are the people of God, who have received his covenant and his steadfast love. The stringed instruments named here accompany this exuberant song of praise. New song (cf. 40:3; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1; Isa. 42:10; Rev. 5:9; 14:3) need not imply a freshly composed song; instead it may mean singing this song as a response to a fresh experience of God’s grace.

PSALM—NOTE ON 33:4–9 Reason 1: God’s Word Is Upright. The first reason for this kind of praise is God’s word (vv. 4, 6, 9): it is upright, expressing the very best of motives on God’s part (vv. 4–5), and it is spoken by the same God who made everything (vv. 6–9). Verses 6–9 echo the creation account (Gen. 1:1–2:3), where each time God spoke, what he commanded produced its effect. The Septuagint Greek of Ps. 33:6, with the word (Gk. logos) as the means of creation, probably lies behind John 1:3; the Word came to be seen as a personal agent, whom John identifies as Christ himself (cf. John 1:14). Since the Lord is the Creator of everything, all the earth and all the inhabitants of the world, and not just Israel, should fear him (Ps. 33:8–9).

PSALM—NOTE ON 33:10–12 Reason 2: God’s Will Prevails. The God who made the world also rules it according to his own purposes. In the creation account God’s purposes always prevail; so it is after the creation: there is no power able to oppose God successfully, because all these powers derive their being and power from God. In view of such majesty, v. 12 stands out: God deserves the love of all mankind, and rules them, and yet there is one particular people whom he has chosen as his heritage, namely, Israel (see note on 28:6–9). It is clear from the call of Abram (Gen. 12:1–3) that Israel was called to be God’s means by which the whole world would come to know him.

PSALM—NOTE ON 33:13–19 Reason 3: God’s Gaze Discerns All. The Lord sits enthroned high over the earth, but that does not make him distant; rather, he is so great that he observes all the deeds of mankind. Further, his eye … is on those who fear him, to care for them as a people (v. 18) and as individuals (v. 19).

PSALM—NOTE ON 33:20–22 Therefore We Hope in God. Each member of the faithful who sings this, and takes to heart the greatness and wonder of God, is enabled more and more to rest his soul on the Lord, confident that God’s plans will succeed in the earth.

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 34. This psalm is an expression of thanksgiving for God’s protection and care for those who trust in him. There is also a “wisdom” section embedded in the thanksgiving (vv. 11–14); it is appropriate, because it is the “wise” (i.e., those who live out their trust in God) who have occasion to give such thanks. As the esv footnote explains, the psalm follows an acrostic pattern (see note on Psalm 25). Like other Davidic acrostics, Psalm 34 is imperfect: the w-verse is missing (between vv. 5–6), and the last verse begins with p (cf. 25:22). The title connects the psalm to 1 Sam. 21:10–15, where David is delivered from danger by feigning madness in the presence of King Achish of Gath (1 Sam. 21:13, “he changed his behavior”). Probably the name “Abimelech” in the psalm is a title or alternate name for the king of Gath. This was a narrow escape, and David does not take credit for it; nor does he deny the importance of the faithful using their wits in desperate situations.

PSALM—NOTE ON 34:1–3 Join Me in Blessing the Lord. After announcing his intention to bless the LORD at all times, the singer invites all the humble to join him in song. Behind this lies the idea that the ideal praise to God is his assembled people joining their voices in thanking him. The idea behind “bless” is to speak a good word about someone: when God blesses someone (e.g., 29:11), he speaks a good word over that person for his well-being; when a human blesses God (e.g., 26:12), he speaks a good word about God’s kindness and generosity (cf. Eph. 1:3). To magnify the LORD is to tell how great he is (cf. Luke 1:46).

PSALM—NOTE ON 34:4–7 He Answered My Prayers. The psalmist now moves to specific instances of God’s kindness: he sought the LORD for help and he cried in his distress, and God rescued him from the things he feared. ashamed (v. 5). That is, disappointed at not finding what was hoped for.

PSALM—NOTE ON 34:8–14 Therefore Fear the Lord with Me. Now that the song has mentioned the humble (v. 2) and those who fear the Lord (v. 7), it moves on to encourage all who sing it to fear the LORD (v. 9), i.e., to revere him; and it seeks to teach them what it means to fear him (vv. 11–14). The verb taste (v. 8), which in the OT is commonly used in the literal sense, is a metaphor for personal experience; the NT uses the metaphor widely (e.g., John 8:52; Heb. 2:9; 6:4). The saints (Ps. 34:9), or holy ones, are those whom God has consecrated to himself, namely, his people. They should live holy lives in response to his kindness (Lev. 20:7–8). Observe how the holy life is distinguished by dealing well with others (Ps. 34:13–14). First Peter uses texts from this section: 1 Pet. 2:3, “you have tasted that the Lord is good,” where “the Lord” is Jesus; 1 Pet. 3:10–12 uses Ps. 34:12–16 to summarize the ideal behavior and lifestyle for Christians.

PSALM—NOTE ON 34:15–22 The Lord Cares for Those Who Trust Him. The final section speaks generally about how the Lord cares for his faithful ones—i.e., it does not recount specific instances as vv. 4–7 do. There is also a stress here on the difference between the way God treats the faithful and the wicked. The Hebrew expressions brokenhearted and crushed in spirit (v. 18) refer to the pride and stubbornness in one’s heart being humbled (cf. 51:17; 69:20; 147:3). The psalm is clear that both the righteous and the wicked will have afflictions (see the repetition in 34:19, 21); the difference is in the outcomes (none … condemned, v. 22; and condemned, v. 21). It is possible that John 19:36 has combined Ps. 34:20 (he keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken) with Ex. 12:46 to emphasize that Jesus was not only the Passover Lamb but also a righteous sufferer whom God would vindicate. On redeems, see note on Ps. 25:22.

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 35. This psalm shows how the faithful should pray when they know that malicious people are seeking to harm them. The prayer recounts the evil schemes of the persecutors and asks God to fight on behalf of his faithful one.

PSALM—NOTE ON 35:1–3 Cry for Help against Pursuers. In the imagery of combat, the psalm opens by asking God to take up the cause of the singer.

PSALM—NOTE ON 35:4–8 Let Them Be Ashamed. The faithful pray that the schemes of the pursuers would fail, and that the pursuers themselves would suffer disappointment and humiliation, and finally destruction. There are many reasons that such a prayer is proper for God’s people to pray. First of all, it is realistic; God’s protection of the faithful means that he must thwart the schemes of those who would harm them. Second, it is just, since the pursuers devise evil (v. 4), and without cause they hid their net for me (v. 7). (Observe the repetition of “without cause,” in vv. 7, 19.) Third, it takes God at his word (cf. v. 5 with 1:4). Finally, from all of this it is plain that the prayer is not a vindictive response to personal injury but an appeal based on faith.

PSALM—NOTE ON 35:9–10 Then I Shall Rejoice. The song looks forward to joy and gratitude when its request is answered.

PSALM—NOTE ON 35:11–16 They Repay Me Evil for Good. The song returns to say more about the schemes of the pursuers: they rise as malicious witnesses (v. 11), and they repay me evil for good, especially in gloating over the misfortunes of those who have shown them kindness (vv. 12–16).

PSALM—NOTE ON 35:17–18 How Long Will It Take? The request is urgent, and waiting is hard.

PSALM—NOTE ON 35:19–21 They Are Gloating Deceivers. The song again tells more about the pursuers; they scheme (wink the eye), particularly against the hardworking pious (those who are quiet in the land). In John 15:25 Jesus uses Ps. 35:19, hate me without cause (cf. also 69:4), to portray himself as the quintessential innocent sufferer and to imply that his followers may expect the same treatment.

PSALM—NOTE ON 35:22–26 Vindicate Me! Now the song returns to pray for vindication and deliverance. Verses 22–23 use vivid imagery, asking God to be not silent (as if he were complacent toward evil) and awake and rouse yourself (as if he were asleep); this shows how urgent the singer feels the situation to be. On vindicate (v. 24), see note on 26:1–3. God’s righteousness, as often in the OT, is here his faithfulness in keeping his promises (also 35:28). Verse 26 is very similar to v. 4.

PSALM—NOTE ON 35:27–28 Then I and Those Who Love Me Shall Rejoice. The singer again looks forward to rejoicing, but this time not only his own but also that of all the faithful (those who delight in my righteousness). The high point is the prospect of telling all the faithful of God’s faithfulness (v. 28; cf. vv. 9–10, 18).

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 36. This is a lament that reflects on the wicked who oppose the faithful, and on the steadfast love of the Lord; it concludes with a prayer that God in his steadfast love will protect his people from the attacks of the wicked.

PSALM—NOTE ON 36:1–4 The Wicked Act without Fear of God. This stanza describes the wicked person, who has no fear of God before his eyes and who pursues evil courses, as one who particularly schemes to bring trouble to others (esp. to the godly). “Wicked” here, as generally in the Psalms, does not describe faithful people who have moral flaws; it describes those given over to doing evil (even if they are nominally within the covenant people), as these verses make clear. Paul uses v. 1b in Rom. 3:18 as part of his charge that both Jews and Gentiles are under sin.

PSALM—NOTE ON 36:5–9 God’s Precious Steadfast Love. This stanza has two descriptions of God’s steadfast love: it extends to the heavens, so that God can save man and beast; and it is precious to those who know it from the children of mankind. The pairing of steadfast love and faithfulness evokes Ex. 34:6, describing God’s benevolence; this helps readers to see that the other terms, righteousness and judgments, also express God’s enduring commitment to act kindly toward his creatures and to save them. In view of this, people can take refuge under his wings and find themselves welcome guests at his table. Although the psalm is a hymn for Israel, it looks beyond Israel to the rest of mankind (Ps. 36:6, 7); Israel’s calling was to live in their land in a way that displayed the true image of God, with a view toward bringing its blessing to the whole world.

PSALM—NOTE ON 36:9 The fountain of life is a source for all that refreshes and sustains life; cf. Prov. 10:11; 13:14; 14:27; 16:22. To see light is an idiom for “experience life” (e.g., Job 33:28; Ps. 49:19; in Isa. 9:2 it is light that shines into darkness), and this depends on God’s light that illuminates the world for his people.

PSALM—NOTE ON 36:10–12 Show Your Steadfast Love by Protecting Us from the Wicked. The final stanza is a prayer in response to the reflections of the first two stanzas. It follows the topics in reverse order: God’s steadfast love (v. 10), and the wicked (v. 11). It is an appeal to God’s reliable love for his faithful ones (those who know you, i.e., the upright of heart, v. 10), in the face of the scheming of those who would harm them.

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 37. This can be called a wisdom psalm because it is a hymn that reflects on themes normally dealt with in the Wisdom Literature. In particular, it addresses the problem caused when godless people prosper; it helps the faithful to see that it really is better to stay loyal to the Lord—a loyalty expressed in contentment, honest dealing, generosity, and just speech. The Lord will make the distinction between the two groups clear in his own time, and the faithful must wait patiently. This psalm has many parallel texts in Proverbs. As the esv footnote explains, it follows an acrostic pattern, although it is slightly different from that of Psalms 25 and 34; here each grouping of (usually) two verses begins with the next successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. True to form for Davidic acrostics, this one is imperfect: the s grouping includes Ps. 37:27–29, and there is no ‘ayin grouping after it (v. 30 begins with p).

PSALM—NOTE ON 37:1–11 Do Not Be Envious of Evildoers. The opening stanza sets forth the overall theme: “fret not yourself because of evildoers” (esp. when it seems that they are prospering), “trust in the LORD, and do good.” The reason not to fret is the assurance that justice will come in the end: the evildoers “will soon fade like the grass” (v. 2) and “shall be cut off” (v. 9), while the faithful—those who “wait for the LORD”—“shall inherit the land” (v. 9; i.e., they will remain after the Lord purges the wicked from the land; cf. Prov. 2:21–22). Those who “befriend faithfulness” (Ps. 37:3) will “delight” themselves “in the LORD” (v. 4), “commit” their “way” to him (v. 5), “be still before” him (v. 7), and “wait patiently for him” (v. 7); thus they will be able to “refrain from anger” (v. 8; i.e., from the resentment they would naturally feel toward the godless who prosper).

PSALM—NOTE ON 37:4 the desires of your heart. Some take “the desires” as referring to the feeling of desire, i.e., “God will shape your heart so that it desires the right things”; but the sense is rather, “he will give you what your heart desires.” It is safe to say this to those who embrace the advice of this psalm, because as they delight themselves in the LORD, their hearts will desire the right things (cf. vv. 16, 31).

PSALM—NOTE ON 37:9 The contrast between the two outcomes, those who shall be cut off and those who shall inherit the land, recurs throughout the psalm: vv. 11, 22, 28–29, 34. “Cut off” generally refers to divine judgment, which removes a person from the people of God (e.g., Gen. 17:14; Lev. 7:20); in this psalm, it looks forward to the “future of the wicked” (Ps. 37:38), which likely refers to his afterlife (since it contrasts with one’s “hope” in Prov. 23:18; 24:14). Wisdom Literature recognizes that God may wait until the afterlife to fully display his distinction between the faithful and the godless (cf. notes on Psalms 49 and 73).

PSALM—NOTE ON 37:11 Jesus uses the first half of this verse in the third beatitude (Matt. 5:5). The benefits Jesus describes there are all revealed at the last day, and it is legitimate to see Ps. 37:11 referring to this in its original context. First, the psalm is concerned with ultimate outcomes, not simply the benefits of this present world; second, OT Wisdom Literature as a whole addresses the same concern (cf. note on v. 9).

PSALM—NOTE ON 37:12–20 The Lord Thwarts the Schemes of the Wicked. The wicked person may hatch all manner of schemes against the righteous person (v. 12), but God will see to it that they come to nothing and that the wicked will perish, unfulfilled (v. 20). The faithful who take this to heart can live in contentment, even with little (v. 16; cf. Prov. 15:16; 16:8), confident that the LORD knows the days of the blameless (Ps. 37:18) and thus can provide for them even in the days of famine (v. 19). Biblical wisdom does not have a simplistic “just trust God and you will be well off” mentality; it speaks to the very challenging life situations that God’s people often face.

PSALM—NOTE ON 37:21–31 Therefore Commit Yourself to Doing Good. The person who is content is free to do good, e.g., to give generously to those in need. Without such contentment one might be greedy and envious, or else be fearful over one’s own poverty. He is also free to do good (v. 27), because he will not resort to unjust means of acquiring wealth. He knows that the steps of such a man are established by the LORD (v. 23), and thus even though he fall (probably, “suffer material hardship”), he can recover, for the LORD upholds his hand (v. 24). A person like this, with the law of his God … in his heart (v. 31), is one whose words are worth listening to: he utters wisdom (v. 30). Verse 25 does not deny that there may be temporary setbacks for the righteous or his children; the focus is on the ultimate outcomes (cf. the mention of being young and then old, presenting a long-run perspective). Further, the observation took place within Israel, which was under God’s special care; as the people of God have spread over the world, there is more opportunity for them to suffer under the evil of those who oppose them.

PSALM—NOTE ON 37:32–40 The Lord Protects the Righteous from the Plots of the Wicked. A common theme in the Psalms is that the faithful are always under threat from the devices of the wicked, but that they may trust the Lord to preserve them. In this final section the assurance comes from the fact that the LORD will not abandon the faithful to the power of the wicked (vv. 32–33), but will ensure that both the righteous and the wicked receive their proper reward in due time (probably in the world to come, vv. 37–38; cf. note on v. 9).

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 38. This is a lament that lays a person’s troubles before God, when that person realizes that these troubles result from his own sin. The psalm describes anguish of body and mind, desertion by friends, and how the singer’s folly has made him vulnerable to enemies ready to pounce. Because the psalm acknowledges that the singer’s sins lie behind these troubles, it is often called a “penitential” psalm (along with Psalms 6; 32; 51; 130; 143). Of course, not all troubles result from one’s own sins; but this psalm is geared to those that do. The title associates the psalm with the “memorial offering” (cf. Lev. 2:2), the portion of the grain offering that the priest burns on the altar; its purpose was probably to “remind” God that the worshiper had consecrated these gifts of God’s own abundant providence.

PSALM—NOTE ON 38:1–8 The Tumult of My Heart. The singer describes the anguish of his body and mind, acknowledging that he deserves it because of his sin (anger, wrath, v. 1; because of, vv. 3, 5, 8), and that these troubles come from God (your arrows, v. 2). The physical and emotional distress is complete.

PSALM—NOTE ON 38:9–14 I Am a Lonely Victim. The description of anguish intensifies as the singer tells of his loneliness. He knows himself to be open to God’s inspection (v. 9), and yet his friends and companions stand aloof (v. 11), thus compounding the helplessness with loneliness (vv. 10–11). Further, his own humbled condition, together with the aloofness of his friends, leaves him vulnerable to those who seek his life (vv. 12–14). The psalms frequently describe the faithful as being in danger from unscrupulous and unfaithful people, who will seize any opportunity to exploit or even destroy them (by legal accusations if possible, or by illegal means if necessary); the present weakness offers them just such an opportunity.

PSALM—NOTE ON 38:15–22 You Alone Are My Hope. In such a hopeless situation, the faithful must look to God alone, and here he implores God to come to his aid. He shows true faith in confessing the iniquity for which he is being disciplined (v. 18) and in calling the Lord his salvation (v. 22).

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 39. This psalm allows those who are suffering to express their bewilderment to God. The circumstances of the suffering are left vague, although there is acknowledgment of sin (vv. 8, 11); the focus is on how suffering is a reminder of how fleeting a human life is.

PSALM—NOTE ON 39:1–3 My Silent Musing. The singer describes his experience of watching carefully over what he says in the presence of the wicked; after a while he could no longer contain himself. He is probably concerned with what he might say aloud in his suffering, perhaps blaming God. But the faithful know they need to say something, and worship is the way to do it.

PSALM—NOTE ON 39:4–6 My Fleeting Life. The singer prays to know his end, and how fleeting he is, i.e., the brevity of human life. To really know this would protect him from wasting his life in turmoil that results when one heaps up wealth; there truly is a wiser way to live.

PSALM—NOTE ON 39:7–13 Request for Forgiveness and Relief. Being sure that the circumstances come from God, the singer declares his hope in God, asks God to deliver him from all his transgressions, and furthermore to take away the discipline. The act of making such a request is a frank admission that he has sinned and deserves God’s rebukes for sin; it also takes to heart the lesson prayed for in vv. 4–6 (cf. v. 11b with v. 5b). Sojourner stresses his temporary residence in this life (cf. 1 Chron. 29:15). Look away (Ps. 39:13; cf. Job 7:19; 14:6) here does not mean that he wants God to cease caring for him; rather, he asks God to turn away his angry gaze (cf. Ps. 39:10).

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 40. This psalm combines two parts: first, it gives thanks for the many past mercies the singer has received from God, and then it presents a fresh instance of need for God’s help. Both parts recognize that an individual’s experiences of God’s mercy can lead to others rejoicing in God (vv. 3, 9–10, 16).

PSALM—NOTE ON 40:1–10 Many Past Mercies to Be Thankful For. The singer reflects on previous situations of need in which he called on God for help, and he inclined to me and heard my cry (v. 1). These situations have reinforced the lesson, blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not turn to the proud (so as to depend on them and to become like them, v. 4). The song also shapes its singers to share their experiences with the faithful in worship (vv. 3, 9–10): one’s reception of God’s help is not complete until he gives public thanks. These deliverances express God’s steadfast love and faithfulness (v. 10; cf. Ex. 34:6).

PSALM—NOTE ON 40:6–8 These verses are part of the OT corrective to any who think that the sacrificial system worked automatically, apart from expressing faith, repentance, and obedience (cf. 50:8–15; 51:16–19; Prov. 14:9; Isa. 1:11–17). This is probably why Heb. 10:5–7 uses these verses (from the lxx), because its audience was tempted to abandon their specifically Jewish Christianity and revert to “ordinary” Judaism, with its sacrifices, thinking they would still be pleasing to God. They must see the sacrifices as a means of furthering God’s larger purposes, not as producing effects on their own. An open ear (Ps. 40:6) is one ready to listen to and obey God’s words.

PSALM—NOTE ON 40:11–17 I Am Again in Need. Verse 11 continues the allusion to Ex. 34:6 from Ps. 40:10, saying that the previous experiences provide assurance that, in the current distress (evils … beyond number and my iniquities, v. 12), God will likewise make haste to help the singer (v. 13). As is often the case in the Psalms, the distress comes at the hands of people eager to hurt and to gloat over the faithful (vv. 14–15). To pray for deliverance from the schemes of such people (i.e., to ask that they be put to shame, disappointed, turned back, and brought to dishonor, v. 14) should not be considered vindictive. In contrast, the faithful (all who seek the Lord) will rejoice and be glad (v. 16) when the singer tells the “glad news” in the “great congregation” (v. 9).

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 41. This is a lament in which a person who fulfills his responsibilities to the poor, and yet is suffering severely, prays for God’s help and vindication. The psalm describes a serious illness but can be applied more generally if the illness is taken as simply one example of severe suffering.

PSALM—NOTE ON 41:1–3 The Lord Sustains Those Who Are Kind to the Poor. The opening section expresses true covenantal faith: the person who considers the poor is kind to them because they are fellow members of God’s own people (usually “the poor” in the OT refers specifically to the poor in Israel); presumably his kindness includes both financial help and energetic protection of them from exploitation. These “poor” are “weak” (esv footnote) in influence, and therefore this person’s kindness is also generous, extended in the knowledge that they cannot pay it back. God honors the person who shows such kindness in true covenant faith; he delivers him, protects him, and more specifically, sustains him on his sickbed.

PSALM—NOTE ON 41:4–10 My Enemies Hope for My Death. From the statement of faith the singer turns to his present situation of serious illness, compounded with the malice of those impatient for his death.

PSALM—NOTE ON 41:9 One expects enemies to be treacherous, but here the pain of betrayal comes from his close friend, who had received only kindness and who has now lifted his heel against the singer. In John 13:18 Jesus applies this to Judas, who has received only kindness (including footwashing) from Jesus; this enables the reader both to see the pain Jesus underwent for the sake of his own, and the callous treachery of Judas.

PSALM—NOTE ON 41:11–12 But I Am Sure You Will Uphold Me. The singer returns to the faith of vv. 1–3; given that faith, he can be confident that God will continue to honor his integrity (specifically, his dedicated kindness to the poor, v. 1).

PSALM—NOTE ON 41:13 Doxology Concluding Book 1. Each of the five books of the Psalter ends with a doxology (see also 72:18–19; 89:52; 106:48; 150:6); three do not seem to be part of their psalms (41:13; 72:18–19; 89:52). Psalm 150 as a whole concludes both Book 5 and the Psalter.

Study Notes for Psalms, Book One

The Use of Psalm 22 in Matthew 27