1sn Psalm 135. The psalmist urges God’s people to praise him because he is the incomparable God and ruler of the world who has accomplished great things for Israel. 2tn Heb “stand.” 3tn Heb “for [it is] pleasant.” The translation assumes that it is the Lord’s “name” that is pleasant. Another option is to understand the referent of “it” as the act of praising (see Ps 147:1). 4tn Or “for.” 5sn His special possession. The language echoes Exod 19:5; Deut 7:6; 14:2; 26:18. See also Mal 3:17. 6tn Or “for.” 7tn Or “signs” (see Ps 65:8). 8tn Or “portents”; “omens” (see Ps 71:7). The Egyptian plagues are alluded to here. 9tn Or “is forever.” 10tn Heb “O Lord, your remembrance [is] for a generation and a generation.” See Ps 102:12. 11tn Heb “judges,” but here the idea is that the Lord “judges on behalf of” his people. The imperfect verbal forms here and in the next line draw attention to the Lord’s characteristic actions. 12sn Verse 14 echoes Deut 32:36, where Moses affirms that God mercifully relents from fully judging his wayward people. 13tn Heb “the work of the hands of man.” 14tn Heb “indeed, there is not breath in their mouth.” For the collocation אַף אֵין (’af ’en, “indeed, there is not”) see Isa 41:26. Another option is to take אַף as “nose” (see Ps 115:6), in which case one might translate, “a nose, [but] they have no breath in their mouths.” 15tn Heb “will be.” Another option is to take the prefixed verbal form as a prayer, “may those who make them end up like them.” sn Because the idols are lifeless, they cannot help their worshipers in times of crisis. Consequently the worshipers end up as dead as the gods in which they trust. 16tn Heb “house” (here and in the next two lines). 17tn Heb “fearers.” 18tn Heb “praised be the Lord from Zion.” 19map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
1sn Psalm 135. The psalmist urges God’s people to praise him because he is the incomparable God and ruler of the world who has accomplished great things for Israel.
2tn Heb “stand.”
3tn Heb “for [it is] pleasant.” The translation assumes that it is the Lord’s “name” that is pleasant. Another option is to understand the referent of “it” as the act of praising (see Ps 147:1).
4tn Or “for.”
5sn His special possession. The language echoes Exod 19:5; Deut 7:6; 14:2; 26:18. See also Mal 3:17.
6tn Or “for.”
7tn Or “signs” (see Ps 65:8).
8tn Or “portents”; “omens” (see Ps 71:7). The Egyptian plagues are alluded to here.
9tn Or “is forever.”
10tn Heb “O Lord, your remembrance [is] for a generation and a generation.” See Ps 102:12.
11tn Heb “judges,” but here the idea is that the Lord “judges on behalf of” his people. The imperfect verbal forms here and in the next line draw attention to the Lord’s characteristic actions.
12sn Verse 14 echoes Deut 32:36, where Moses affirms that God mercifully relents from fully judging his wayward people.
13tn Heb “the work of the hands of man.”
14tn Heb “indeed, there is not breath in their mouth.” For the collocation אַף אֵין (’af ’en, “indeed, there is not”) see Isa 41:26. Another option is to take אַף as “nose” (see Ps 115:6), in which case one might translate, “a nose, [but] they have no breath in their mouths.”
15tn Heb “will be.” Another option is to take the prefixed verbal form as a prayer, “may those who make them end up like them.”
sn Because the idols are lifeless, they cannot help their worshipers in times of crisis. Consequently the worshipers end up as dead as the gods in which they trust.
16tn Heb “house” (here and in the next two lines).
17tn Heb “fearers.”
18tn Heb “praised be the Lord from Zion.”
19map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.