Psalm 140

STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NASB	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
Prayer for Protection Against the Wicked MT Intro For the choir director. A Psalm of David.	Prayer for Deliverance from Evil Men	Prayer for Deliverance from Personal Enemies (A Lament)	A Prayer for Protection	Against the Wicked
140:1-3	140:1-3	140:1-3	140:1-3	140:1-3
140:4-5	140:4-5	140:4-5	140:4-5	140:4-5
140:6-8	140:6-8	140:6-8	140:6-8	140:6-8b
				140:8c-11
140:9-11	140:9-11	140:9-11	140:9-11
140:12-13	140:12-13	140:12-13	140:12-13	140:12-13

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

A. Several names for God are used in this Psalm.

1. YHWH, Ps. 140:1,4,6 (twice),7,8,12

2. God (i.e., El), Ps. 140:6

3. Adon, Ps. 140:7

B. Notice how different persons are characterized.

1. the unfaithful

a. evil men, Ps. 140:1a

b. violent men, Ps. 140:1b,4b

c. devise evil things in their hearts, Ps. 140:2a

d. stir up wars, Ps. 140:2b

e. sharpen their tongues as a serpent, Ps. 140:3a

f. poison of a viper is under their lips, Ps. 140:3b

g. wicked men, Ps. 140:4a

h. purposed to trip, Ps. 140:4c

i. the proud have a hidden trap, Ps. 140:5a

j. spread a net, Ps. 140:5b

k. set snares, Ps. 140:5c

2. Israel's Deity

a. rescues, Ps. 140:1a

b. perseveres, Ps. 140:1b,4b

c. keep, Ps. 140:4a

d. He is El, Ps. 140:6a

e. gives ear, Ps. 140:6b

f. He is the strength of salvation, Ps. 140:7a (only here in the OT)

g. protector in battle, Ps. 140:7b

h. maintain the cause of the afflicted, Ps. 140:12a

i. justice for the poor, Ps. 140:12b

3. faithful followers

a. the afflicted, Ps. 140:12a

b. the poor, Ps. 140:12b

c. the righteous give thanks, Ps. 140:13a

d. the upright dwell with God, Ps. 140:13b

C. This Psalm clearly illustrates "the two ways" (cf. Deut. 30:15,19; Psalm 1).

D. This Psalm, like Psalm 139, has a large number of hapax legomena and rare words.

E. The Masoretic scholars suggested three changes (Qere) to the MT, one in Ps. 140:10,11,13, which show confusion in the text.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 140:1-3
¹Rescue me, O Lord, from evil men;
Preserve me from violent men
²Who devise evil things in their hearts;
They continually stir up wars.
³They sharpen their tongues as a serpent;
Poison of a viper is under their lips. Selah.

140:1-3,4-5 These two strophes are parallel in several ways, especially Ps.140:1 and 4 are prayers to God. The second line of both are imperfects used as jussives or even possibly an imperative of request. So the first verb of Ps. 140:1, "rescue" (BDB 322, KB 321, Piel imperative), is parallel to "keep" (BDB 1036, KB 1581, Qal imperative) of Ps. 140:4.

The second lines of both Ps. 140:1 and 4 are the same.

The wicked are thus characterized in Ps. 140:2-3 and 4c-5.

140:2 "devise evil things" This is characteristic of those who do not follow God (cf. Ps. 7:14; 36:4; 52:2; Pro. 3:29; 6:14; Isa. 59:4; Hos. 7:15; Mic. 2:1; Nah. 1:9). By their actions you know who their father is (cf. John 8:39-44)! By their fruit you will know them (cf. Matt. 7:15-23)!

The same verb, "devise" (BDB 362, KB 359, Qal perfect) is repeated in Ps. 140:4c.

▣ "Hearts" This is a Hebrew idiom for the whole person. See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE HEART.

▣ "continually stir up wars" In context this would refer to interpersonal strife, not armed conflict between nations (see NET Bible, #21, p. 1005). It is possible that as Psalm 139 may have been written against the judicial backdrop of the charge of idolatry, so too, Psalm 140 (esp. Ps. 140:12).

140:3 Notice the number of words with שׁ in them (i.e., sound play).

1. verb, "make sharp" (BDB 1041)

2. noun, "tongues" (BDB 546)

3. noun, "serpent" (BDB 638)

4. noun, "vipers" (BDB 747)

5. their lips (BDB 973)

All are meant to play on the hissing sound of a snake. Paul quotes this verse in Rom. 3:13 as one of many examples from the OT of mankind's sin (cf. Rom. 3:9-18,23). See note at Ps. 130:3-4.

▣ "viper" This noun (BDB 747, עכשׁוב) is found only here in the OT. Most translations have "asp" or "viper" or "cobra" but some (REB) have "spider" (BDB 747, עכבישׁ).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 140:4-5
⁴Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
Preserve me from violent men
Who have purposed to trip up my feet.
⁵The proud have hidden a trap for me, and cords;
They have spread a net by the wayside;
They have set snares for me. Selah.

140:4-5 Notice the string of hunting metaphors (cf. Ps. 9:15; 31:4; 35:7; 64:5; 119:110; 141:9-10; 142:3).

1. trip up my feet, Ps. 140:4c

2. set a hidden trap, Ps. 140:5a

3. set hidden cords, Ps. 140:5a

4. spread a net by the road, Ps. 140:5b

5. set snares

140:5,8 "Selah" See full note at Ps. 3:2.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 140:6-8
⁶I said to the Lord, "You are my God;
Give ear, O Lord, to the voice of my supplications.
⁷O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation,
You have covered my head in the day of battle.
⁸Do not grant, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;
Do not promote his evil device, that they not be exalted." Selah.

140:6-7 This is covenant language. The faithful follower calls on his faithful God for help and deliverance.

Notice the prayer requests.

1. rescue me, Ps. 140:1a

2. preserve me, Ps. 140:1b

3. keep me, Ps. 140:4a

4. preserve me, Ps. 140:4b

5. give ear, Ps. 140:6b

6. do not grant the desires of the wicked, Ps. 140:8a

7. do not promote their evil device, Ps. 140:8b

8. may the mischief of their lips cover them, Ps. 140:9b

9. may burning coals fall upon them, Ps. 140:10a

10. may they be cast into the fire, Ps. 140:10b

11. may they be cast into deep pits they cannot get out of, Ps. 140:10c

12. may the slander not be established, Ps. 140:11a

13. may evil hunt the violent man speedily, Ps. 140:11b

These are a combination of imperatives, imperfects used as imperatives, imperfects used as jussives, and jussives. This Psalm is a prayer for justice to be done to evil, violent, wicked, proud, lying people!

140:8 "desires" This term (BDB 16) is found only here in the OT. The psalmist prays that the "desires" of the wicked go unfulfilled. God gives the "desires" of the heart of faithful followers because He places them there. Our "desires" (and our words) clearly reveal our hearts!

▣ "device" This term (BDB 273) is found only here in the OT.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 140:9-11
⁹"As for the head of those who surround me,
May the mischief of their lips cover them.
¹⁰May burning coals fall upon them;
May they be cast into the fire,
Into deep pits from which they cannot rise.
¹¹May a slanderer not be established in the earth;
May evil hunt the violent man speedily."

140:9 "the head" This Hebrew word (BDB 910) refers to (1) the leader or organizer of the wicked, violent, lying, proud men who have plotted against the psalmist or (2) an idiom for being victorious. Number 2 fits the context best. There are several "collective singulars" in this Psalm.

140:10 "fire" This is a symbol of judgment. See SPECIAL TOPIC: FIRE.

NASB, NKJV"deep pits"
NRSV, TEV,
JPSOA"pits"
NJB"mire"
REB"miry depths"

This term (BDB 243) occurs only here. BDB has the meaning of "watery pit" or "flood." For water as an ancient symbol of chaos, see Special Topic: Waters.

It is also possible that the imagery of this verse refers to a fiery Sheol (cf. Deut. 32:22). See Special Topic: Sheol.

140:11 "speedily" This term (BDB 191) occurs only here in the OT. It seems to mean "blow upon blow," therefore, it denotes violence. The NIDOTTE, vol. 1, p. 934, suggests that "speedily" implies that "the slanderer is to be destroyed before he can become established in the country" (i.e., Promised Land).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 140:12-13
¹²I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted
And justice for the poor.
¹³Surely the righteous will give thanks to Your name;
The upright will dwell in Your presence.

140:12 "the afflicted. . .the poor" These are often used in the Psalter for faithful followers (cf. Ps. 9:18; 34:6; 40:17; 70:5; 86:1; 109:22). This may be the origin of Jesus' imagery in Matt. 5:3-4.

140:13 "Your name" See Special Topic: "The Name" of YHWH.

▣ "will dwell in Your presence" This could refer to

1. worshiping in the temple

2. an afterlife with God

Only context can tell; see Ps. 11:7; 16:11; 17:15; 23:6; 31:20.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk n the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. How is this Psalm possibly related to Psalm 139?

2. List the ways the wicked are described.

3. Why are Psalm 140:6 and 7 considered the psalmist's confession of faith?

4. To what group does the term "afflicted" and "poor" refer?

5. Does Ps. 140:13b refer to temple worship or eternity with God?

Psalm 142

STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NASB	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
Prayer for Help in Trouble MT Intro Maskil of David, when he was in the cave. A Prayer.	A Plea for Relief from Persecutors	Prayer for Deliverance from Personal Enemies (A Lament)	A Prayer for Help	Prayer in Persecution
142:1-4	142:1-2	142:1-3b	142:1-4	142:1-3b
	142:3-4
		142:3c-4		142:3c-4
142:5-7	142:5-7	142:5-6b	142:5-7	142:5-6b
		142:6c-7		142:6c-7

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 142:1-4
¹I cry aloud with my voice to the Lord;
I make supplication with my voice to the Lord.
²I pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare my trouble before Him.
³When my spirit was overwhelmed within me,
You knew my path.
In the way where I walk
They have hidden a trap for me.
⁴Look to the right and see;
For there is no one who regards me;
There is no escape for me;
No one cares for my soul.

142:1-2 This Psalm starts out with four imperfects which denote ongoing prayer.

1. I cry aloud - BDB 277, KB 277, Qal imperfect

2. I make supplication - BDB 335, KB 334, Hithpael imperfect

3. I pour out my complaint - BDB 1049, KB 1629, Qal imperfect, cf. 1 Sam. 1:15; Ps. 62:8; Lam. 2:19

4. I declare my trouble - BDB 616, KB 665, Hiphil imperfect

142:3 "my spirit" This is the Hebrew term ruah (BDB 924), which denotes "wind," "breath," or "spirit." It is used of the God-given life force in humanity. See Special Topic: Spirit in the Bible.

The psalmist is confused by the attacks of his accusers (i.e., those who hid a trap for him, Ps. 142:3d, cf. Ps. 140:4-5; 141:9-10; they are also called "persecutors" in Ps. 142:6c).

The psalmist asserts that YHWH knows him (i.e., his path, where he walks, Ps. 142:3b,c and Psalm 139) but it does not feel that way (i.e., Ps. 142:4).

NASB, NKJV"overwhelmed"
NRSV, NJB,
REB"faint"
LXX"failing me"
JPSOA"fails within me"

This Hithpael infinitive construct (BDB 742 III) basically means "to be feeble" or "to faint."

1. feeble - Hiphil, Gen. 30:42

2. faint - Qal, Ps. 61:3; Isa. 57:16

3. faint - Hithpael, Ps. 77:4; 107:5; 143:4; Lam. 2:12; Jonah 2:7

It is an idiom of discouragement and hopelessness.

▣ Lines b and c express the truth that God is well acquainted with the lives of His faithful followers. Why problems, sickness, rejection, and attacks come is a mystery (i.e., Job), but the Bible teaches YHWH is for us, with us, and will never leave us. We can face circumstances with faith in Him!

142:4 The psalmist is surprised that no one comes to his aid (cf. Psalm 142:4), not even YHWH. Note the imperatives.

1. look - BDB 613, KB 661, Hiphil imperative

2. see - BDB 906, KB 1157, Qal imperative

Line d is so sad! He felt all alone, all alone! He felt his situation was hopeless (i.e., Job)!

The LXX, apparently following the DSS understanding, made the imperatives into simple statements, "I look. . .I see," referring not to YHWH, but to the psalmist. This is followed by the Aramaic Targums and the Vulgate. I think the imperatives fit the context best (i.e., the psalmist is addressing God, Ps. 142:1-3).

▣ "soul" This is the Hebrew term nephesh; see note at Gen. 35:18.

▣ "No one cares for my soul" The participle (BDB 205, KB 233, Qal participle) is literally "seek" and the phrase may be translated "no one seeks my life," but this is easily misunderstood in English. So the NASB caught the meaning well.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 142:5-7
⁵I cried out to You, O Lord;
I said, "You are my refuge,
My portion in the land of the living.
⁶Give heed to my cry,
For I am brought very low;
Deliver me from my persecutors,
For they are too strong for me.
⁷Bring my soul out of prison,
So that I may give thanks to Your name;
The righteous will surround me,
For You will deal bountifully with me."

142:5 This is the psalmist's affirmation of faith.

1. You are my refuge

2. You are my portion in the land of the living (i.e., note, not the afterlife, cf. Job 28:13; Ps. 27:13; 52:5; 116:9; Isa. 38:11; Jer. 11:19)

▣ "refuge" See Special Topic: Refuge (OT).

▣ "my portion" See note at Ps. 16:5 online.

142:6-7 There is a series of prayer requests (Hiphil imperatives).

1. give heed - BDB 904, KB 1151, Hiphil imperative

2. deliver me - BDB 664, KB 717, Hiphil imperative

3. bring out - BDB 422, KB 425, Hiphil imperative

142:7 "out of prison" This must be

1. metaphorical for his confusion and low state (cf. Ps. 142:3-4,6-7)

2. a reference to one taken forcibly into exile

3. an idiom for Sheol

The term "prison" (BDB 689) can mean

1. "locksmith" or "smith" - 2 Kgs. 24:14; Jer. 24:1; 29:2

2. dungeon (only three times in the OT)

a. literal of eschatological underground prison (cf. I Enoch 10.4,12)

b. figurative - Isa. 42:7

▣ "So that I may give thanks to Your name" This would be a request to visit the temple in Jerusalem. This is reinforced by the next line, "the righteous will surround me" (i.e., in corporate worship).

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. The psalmist asserts YHWH's knowledge of him (cf. Psalm 142:3b, c), but questions his circumstances! Sound familiar? Does knowledge of God's presence and care remove problems, sickness, and evil people from our lives?

2. Is Ps. 142:4 about being abandoned by friends and family or by God?

3. To what does "prison" of Ps. 142:7 refer?

4. Is Ps. 142:7 referring to temple worship?

Psalm 143

STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NASB	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
Prayer for Deliverance and Guidance MT Intro A Psalm of David.	An Earnest Appeal for Guidance and Deliverance	Prayer for Deliverance from Personal Enemies (A Lament)	A Prayer for Help	A Humble Entreaty
143:1-4	143:1-2	143:1-2	143:1-2	143:1-2
	143:3-4	143:3-4	143:3-4	143:3-4
143:5-6	143:5-6	143:5-6	143:5-6	143:5-6
143:7-9	143:7-8	143:7-8	143:7-8	143:7
				143:8
	143:9-10	143:9-10	143:9-10	143:9-10
143:10-12
	143:11-12	143:11-12	143:11-12	143:11-12

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

A. There are several imperatives and jussives of request.

1. hear, Ps. 143:1a

2. give ear, Ps. 143:1b

3. do not exile into judgment, Ps. 143:2a

4. answer me quickly, Ps. 143:7a

5. do not hide Your face, Ps. 143:7b

6. let me hear, Ps. 143:8a

7. teach me, Ps. 143:8c

8. deliver me, Ps. 143:9a

9. teach me, Ps. 143:10a

10. let Your good Spirit lead me, Ps. 143:10c

B. There are three people characterized in this Psalm.

1. YHWH

a. faithful, Ps. 143 1c

b. righteous, Ps. 143:1c,11b

c. lovingkindness, Ps. 143:8a,12a

d. in Ps. 143:10c and 11a the parallel phrases (i.e., "Your good Spirit" and "Your Name") also characterize YHWH

2. the psalmist

a. his spirit is overwhelmed, Ps. 143:4a

b. his spirit is appalled, Ps. 143:4b

c. he remembers God's past acts, Ps. 143:5

d. he longs for God, Ps. 143:6

e. his spirit fails, Ps. 143:7a

f. he trusts in God, Ps. 143:8b

g. he lifts his soul to God, Ps. 143:8d

h. he takes refuge in God, Ps. 143:9b

i. YHWH is his God, Ps. 143:10b

3. the enemy

a. persecutes the psalmist, Ps. 143:3a

b. crushed his life, Ps. 143:3b

c. made him dwell in dark places, Ps. 143:3c

d. afflicted the psalmist, Ps. 143:12b

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 143:1-4
¹Hear my prayer, O Lord,
Give ear to my supplications!
Answer me in Your faithfulness, in Your righteousness!
²And do not enter into judgment with Your servant,
For in Your sight no man living is righteous.
³For the enemy has persecuted my soul;
He has crushed my life to the ground;
He has made me dwell in dark places, like those who have long been dead.
⁴Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me;
My heart is appalled within me.

143:1 "faithfulness" This noun (BDB 53) comes from the verb (BDB 52) which denotes "believe," "faith," "trust," and "faithfulness." See Special Topic: Believe, Trust, Faith and Faithfulness in the OT.

A different word (BDB 105, KB 120) in Ps. 143:8b also means "trust."

▣ "righteousness" See Special Topic: Righteousness.

Notice how YHWH is characterized, see Contextual Insights, B. 1.

143:2 If YHWH counts sin(s), who can stand? All humans are affected by the Fall of Genesis 3 (see Special Topic: The Fall and the notes at Ps. 130:3-4).

Some rabbis assert that sin begins in Genesis 3 but most in Genesis 6. The rabbis assert the choices of humans as the source of evil (i.e., the two yetzers). Paul affirms Genesis 3 as the source (cf. Rom. 1:18-3:20; 3:23; 11:32; Gal. 3:22). The result is the same, as humans are rebels and need to be forgiven (cf. 1 Kgs. 8:46; Job 4:17; 9:2; 25:4; Ps. 130:3-4; Pro. 20:9; Eccl. 7:20; Isa. 53:6; Rom. 5:12-21)!

143:2b The UBS Handbook (p. 1151) mentions that this line of poetry, as translated by the LXX, may be alluded to by Paul in Rom. 3:20 and Gal. 2:16.

143:3-4 These verses describe in poetic language the feelings of the persecuted psalmist. The imagery is related to the Hebrew concept of Sheol (cf. Job 10:21; Ps. 88:5-6; Lam. 3:6).

But notice the drastic change that comes in Ps. 143:5, when the psalmist reflects on YHWH's wonderful, gracious acts in the past (i.e., creation, call of the Patriarchs, Israel becoming a nation and occupying the land of promise, etc.).

143:3 "the enemy" Note this (Qal participle) is linked to singular verbs. There are two good options.

1. a collective term (plural in Ps. 143:9,12)

2. one main enemy

3. a reference to "death," "the pit," "Sheol"

143:4 "spirit. . .heart" Both of these refer to the person. The first phrase is a repeat of Ps. 142:39, see note there.

The same thought is repeated in Ps. 143:7a.

For "spirit" see SPECIAL TOPIC: SPIRIT IN THE BIBLE.

For "heart" see SPECIAL TOPIC: THE HEART.

▣ "overwhelmed" This is literally "faint" (BDB 742, KB 814, Hithpael imperfect with waw, cf. Ps. 142:3a). This verb is used with

1. spirit (ruah) - Ps. 77:3; 142:3; 143:4

2. heart (leb) - Ps. 61:2; 143:4

3. soul (nephesh) - Ps. 107:5

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 143:5-6
⁵I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all Your doings;
I muse on the work of Your hands.
⁶I stretch out my hands to You;
My soul longs for You, as a parched land. Selah.

143:5-6 This describes the actions of the psalmist.

1. he remembers God's gracious acts of deliverance in the past, Ps. 143:5a

2. he continues to meditate on God's actions, Ps. 143:5b, cf. 105:2

3. he reflects/muses (cf. Ps. 77:12; 145:5) on God's creation, Ps. 143:5c, cf. Ps. 8:6; 102:25

4. he prays to God, Ps. 143:6a

5. his soul longs for God, Ps. 143:6b, cf. Ps. 42:2; 63:1

These are the focus of faithful followers' thoughts. We are what we think about. Our prayers and our acts reveal the true nature of each person.

143:5 "days of old" This noun (BDB 869) can mean "ancient" or "before time" (cf. Deut. 33:27; Pro. 8:22-23; Micah 5:2). Usually the root denotes "east" or "before" (NIDOTTE, vol. 3, pp. 869-871).

143:6 "I stretch out my hands to You" See note at Ps. 141:2b.

▣ "soul" This is the Hebrew term nephesh. See note at Gen. 35:18 online.

▣ "My soul longs for You, as a parched land" The psalmist longs/thirsts for personal fellowship with YHWH (i.e., Ps. 143:7b; Ps. 42:2; 63:1; 84:2). This is the goal of Gen. 1:26-27. It was "the" purpose of creation!

Notice that remembering YHWH's acts and worship gives hope in current circumstances!

▣ "Selah" See note at Ps. 3:2 online.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 143:7-9
⁷Answer me quickly, O Lord, my spirit fails;
Do not hide Your face from me,
Or I will become like those who go down to the pit.
⁸Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning;
For I trust in You;
Teach me the way in which I should walk;
For to You I lift up my soul.
⁹Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies;
I take refuge in You.

143:7 "my spirit fails" The verb (BDB 477, KB 476, Qal perfect) means "to be complete" or "to be finished." It is used of a person in

1. Job 33:21, flesh fails

2. Ps. 71:9, strength fails

3. Ps. 73:26, flesh and heart fail

4. Pro. 5:11, flesh and body fail

The psalmist feels he is about to die and go to Sheol (i.e., the pit, Ps. 143:7c).

▣ "hide Your face from me" This is idiomatic, anthropomorphic language of (1) God being silent and not responding to the psalmist's prayers or (2) God rejecting the psalmist; only context or parallelism can determine (cf. Ps. 10:11; 13:1; 27:9; 30:7; 51:9; 69:17; 88:14; 102:2). It expresses a sense of hopeless helplessness (cf. Ps. 142:4).

143:8c "Teach me the way in which I should walk" This verb (BDB 393, KB 390, Hiphil imperative) basically means "to know." The NASB translates it as

1. make known - 1 Chr. 17:19; Job 26:3; Ps. 89:1; 98:2; 106:8; 145:12; Isa. 64:1; Hab. 3:2

2. teach - Exod. 18:20; Jer. 31:19; and here

"Walk" is often used as a metaphor for daily living (i.e., Ps. 1:1; Pro. 1:15; 4:14; Isa. 48:17; Jer. 42:3; in the NT also, i.e., Rom. 14:15; Eph. 4:1,17; 5:2,15).

143:8d "to You I lift up my soul" This could be imagery, used only three times with YHWH as the object (cf. Ps. 25:1; 86:4) related to

1. praying (i.e., lift up my hands/palms)

2. sacrifice (i.e., wave offering or the imagery of the horns of the sacrificial altar)

143:9

NASB"I take refuge in You"
NKJV"In You I take shelter"
NJB"since in you I find protection"
JPSOA"to You I look for cover"
REB"with you I seek refuge"
LXX, Vulgate"to You I flee"

The participle (BDB 491, KB 487, Piel participle) basically means "to cover" or "to hide." It is a very common root in the OT.

The AB (p. 325) translates this line of poetry as "my God (El), truly am I being submerged." Dahood connects it to a reference to Sheol by using Job 22:11.

The UBS Handbook (p. 1153) mentions two Hebrew MSS which translate the MT differently.

1. "I seek refuge in You"

2. "to You I flee"

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 143:10-12
¹⁰Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
¹¹For the sake of Your name, O Lord, revive me.
In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble.
¹²And in Your lovingkindness, cut off my enemies
And destroy all those who afflict my soul,
For I am Your servant.

143:10 "Teach me to do Your will" This is a different word (BDB 540, KB 531, cf. Deut. 4:1; 6:1; 20:18; Jer. 12:16) from the "teach" of Ps. 143:8c. YHWH wants to teach us His will so that His faithful followers can model it for the lost world!

Also note the sovereign God must reveal His will but humans must choose to act (and continue to act) on this revelation. The covenant involves both God and humans!

NASB"Your good Spirit"
NKJV"Your Spirit is good"
NRSV, LXX"Your good spirit"
NJB"your generous spirit"
JPSOA, REB"Your gracious spirit"
Peshitta"Your gentle spirit"

As is obvious from the English translations there are two theological issues.

1. how to view "spirit"

a. imagery of God's agency (i.e., Gen. 1:2; Num. 11:17,25,29; Ps. 139:7; Hag. 2:5)

b. as a characterization of God Himself (cf. Ps. 51:11; Isa. 63:10-11)

2. the definition of "good" (BDB 373 III), which is a common verb with a wide semantic field; the general sense is

a. "pleasing," "good" (verb)

b. "pleasant," "agreeable," "good" (adjective)

c. "good thing," "goodness" (masculine noun)

d. "welfare," "benefit," "good thing" (feminine noun)

For #1 please look at Special Topic: The Personhood of the Spirit and SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TRINITY.

▣ "level ground" The OT uses the imagery of a path/road/way to describe one's life (cf. Ps. 5:8; 26:12; 27:11).

1. the good/godly life is

a. smooth

b. level

c. unobstructed

d. straight

2. the wicked life is

a. crooked

b. unlevel

c. obstructed

d. slippery

143:11-12 The psalmist bases his request, not on his own merit (cf. Ps. 143:2), but on

1. God's good name, Ps. 143:11a

2. God's righteousness, Ps. 143:11b

3. God's lovingkindness, Ps. 143:12a

143:11 "For the sake of Your Name" See Special Topic: "The Name" of YHWH.

NASB, NKJV,
TEV, REB"revive me"
NRSV, JPSOA"preserve my life"
NJB"give me life"
LXX"quicken me"

The verb (BDB 310, KB 309, Piel imperfect) is the common term "life" (noun), "live" (verb), "alive," or "living" (adjective). This Piel stem is used often in the Psalter (cf. Ps. 80:18; 85:6; 119:25,37, 40,50,88,93,107,149,154,156, 159). It is often parallel to BDB 996, KB 1427, cf. Ps. 80:3,17,19. It can refer to

1. physical life

2. spiritual life

143:12 "Your servant" This can mean

1. a faithful follower

2. an honorific title for leaders

a. Moses

b. Joshua

c. David (i.e., Kings of Judah)

d. Messiah/Israel (i.e., Servant Songs of Isaiah 41-53)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. Since all humans are sinful, on what basis does the psalmist ask for God to hear and help him?

2. Who is "the enemy"?

3. Define "dark places" in Ps. 143:3.

4. What is the implication of YHWH "hiding His face"?

5. Does Ps. 143:10 refer to the Holy Spirit?

6. Define "servant."

Psalm 144

STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NASB	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
Prayer for Rescue and Prosperity MT Intro A Psalm of David.	A Song To the Lord Who Preserves and Prospers His People	A King Prays for Deliverance	A King Thanks God for Victory	Hymn for War and Victory
144:1-4	144:1-2	144:1-2	144:1-2	144:1-2
	144:3-4	144:3-4	144:3-4	144:3-4
144:5-8	144:5-8	144:5-8	144:5-8	144:5-6
				144:7-8
144:9-11	144:9-10	144:9-11	144:9-11	144:9-10b
				144:10c-11
	144:11-15
144:12-15		144:12-14	144:12-14	144:12
				144:13
				144:14
		144:15	144:15	144:15

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 144:1-4
¹Blessed be the Lord, my rock,
Who trains my hands for war,
And my fingers for battle;
²My lovingkindness and my fortress,
My stronghold and my deliverer,
My shield and He in whom I take refuge,
Who subdues my people under me.
³O Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him?
Or the son of man, that You think of him?
⁴Man is like a mere breath;
His days are like a passing shadow.

144:1-4 This strophe uses numerous military allusions. This is obviously a royal Psalm. YHWH acts on behalf of His people to assure their survival because He has a universal redemptive plan involving national Israel (the descendants of Abraham). See Special Topic: YHWH's Eternal Redemptive Plan.

Psalm 144:3-4 is surprising in that the focus moves from Israel to all humans.

1. they are the object of YHWH's special care (cf. Ps. 8:4) because they are made in His image and likeness (cf. Gen. 1:26-27)

2. however, because of Genesis 3 they are frail and finite (cf. Ps. 90:5; 103:15; 104:14; Isa. 40:6-8; 1 Pet. 1:24)

144:1 "Blessed" See Special Topic: Blessing (OT).

▣ "my rock" This (BDB 849) is a recurrent title for Israel's God. See notes online at Deut. 32:4 and Ps. 18:1-3. Everything changes but God does not. He is the anchor that does not fail, the fortress that cannot fall. Note the powerful, emotional string of descriptive nouns in Ps. 18:2!

▣ "trains my hands for war" There is obviously a literary relationship between Psalm 18 and Psalm 144. Note the parallels.

1. Ps. 144:1 - Ps. 18:2,34,46

2. Ps. 144:2 - Ps. 18:2,47

3. Ps. 144:3 - Ps. 18:4

4. Ps. 144:5 - Ps. 18:9

5. Ps. 144:6 - Ps. 18:14

6. Ps. 144:7 - Ps. 18:16-17,44

7. Ps. 144:10 - Ps. 18:50

8. Ps. 144:11 - Ps. 18:44

144:2 My lovingkindness" YHWH is faithful in His covenant commitments. See SPECIAL TOPIC: LOVINGKINDNESS (HESED).

Notice the number of personal pronouns in the NASB of Ps. 144:1-2 (six). The psalmist knows and trusts YHWH.

NASB, NKJV,
LXX"Who subdues my people under me"
NRSV, TEV,
Targums,
Peshitta,
Vulgate"who subdues the peoples under me"
NJB"He makes the peoples submit to me"

The difference is only a final mem. The UBS Text Project (p. 436) gives "my people" a "B" rating (some doubt). This line of poetry either

1. asserts the king's authority over the covenant people (i.e., he is YHWH's under shepherd)

2. asserts Israel's victory by YHWH's power over the pagan nations

The UBS Text Project (p. 437) gives "under me" an "A" rating (very high probability). If this is the correct text, then option #1 above is the correct phrase.

144:3 Notice the synonymous parallelism.

1. "man" - Adam (BDB 9)

2. "son of man" - "ben enosh" (BDB 60)

In the parallel in Psalm 8 the Hebrew words for "man" are reversed, but the intent is the same. These terms are speaking of a human person. See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE SON OF MAN (from Dan. 7:13).

▣ "take knowledge" This is the Hebrew verb "know" (BDB 393, KB 390, Qal imperfect with waw). See Special Topic: Know.

144:4 This verse highlights the finitude of mankind (cf. Job 8:9; 14:2; Ps. 39:5-6; 102:11; 109:23; Eccl. 6:12; 8:12) and although not specifically stated, the eternality of YHWH is highlighted.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 144:5-8
⁵Bow Your heavens, O Lord, and come down;
Touch the mountains, that they may smoke.
⁶Flash forth lightning and scatter them;
Send out Your arrows and confuse them.
⁷Stretch forth Your hand from on high;
Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters,
Out of the hand of aliens
⁸Whose mouths speak deceit,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

144:5-8 This strophe is a series of prayer requests. It is surprising in light of Ps. 144:1-4. The psalmist asserts YHWH's power and presence in the first strophe but pleads for His deliverance in this one.

Note the imperatives and imperfects used in an imperatival sense.

1. bow, Ps. 144:5 (lit. "bend") - BDB 639, KB 692, Hiphil imperative

2. come down, Ps. 144:5 - BDB 432, KB 434, Qal imperfect but used as imperatival prayer request

3. touch, Ps. 144:5 - BDB 619, KB 668, Qal imperative, cf. Ps. 104:32

4. flash forth, Ps. 144:6 - BDB 140, KB 162, Qal imperative

5. scatter (i.e., arrows on alien invaders), Ps. 144:6 - BDB 806, KB 918, Hiphil imperfect used as imperatival prayer request

6. send out, Ps. 144:6 - BDB 1018, KB 1511, Qal imperative

7. confuse, Ps. 144:6 - BDB 243, KB 251, Qal imperfect used as imperatival prayer request

8. stretch forth, Ps. 144:7 - same as #6

9. rescue (lit. "open," cf. Ps. 144:11), Ps. 144:7 - BDB 822, KB 953, Qal imperative

10. deliver me, Ps. 144:7 - BDB 664, KB 717, Hiphil imperative

144:5-7 These verses use "Holy War" imagery to request YHWH' presence and power in battle. He will either

1. train and empower the Israeli soldiers (Ps. 144:1)

2. fight on Israel's behalf as in the conquest of Canaan under Joshua (Ps. 144:6)

144:6

NASB"confuse them"
NKJV"destroy them"
NRSV, NJB"rout them"
TEV"send them running"
LXX"throw them into disarray"

There are two possible Hebrew roots.

1. המם, BDB 243, KB 251, "rout," cf. 2 Sam. 22:15; Ps. 18:14

2. הום, KB 242, confuse," this one has "Holy War" connotation, cf. Jos. 10:10; Jdgs. 4:15; 1 Sam. 7:10; 2 Chr. 15:6

144:7 Notice "great waters" is parallel to "the hand of aliens." The imagery is from

1. chaos of creation, cf. Job 41:1-11; Ps. 74:12-17; Isa. 51:9-10; see Special Topic: Waters

2. invasion, cf. Ps. 18:16-17; Isa. 17:12-14; 28:2; Jer. 51:34

3. death, cf. Ps. 18:4-6

144:8 The aliens (BDB 648) are characterized as those who lie. One's words reveal one's heart. This seems to refer to international treaties or possibly court testimony under oath (cf. Gen. 14:22; Deut. 32:40; Ps. 106:26; Isa. 44:20). YHWH is true to His word (cf. Ps. 144:2a), but pagans and some Israelites are not! See Special Topic: Human Speech.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 144:9-11
⁹I will sing a new song to You, O God;
Upon a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,
¹⁰Who gives salvation to kings,
Who rescues David His servant from the evil sword.
¹¹Rescue me and deliver me out of the hand of aliens,
Whose mouth speaks deceit
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

144:9-11 This strophe has three emphases.

1. what the psalmist promises to do

a. I will sing a new song to God, Ps. 144:9a - BDB 1010, KB 1479, Qal cohortative

b. I will sing praises to God, Ps. 144:9b - BDB 274, KB 273, Piel cohortative

2. YHWH ‘s past acts of deliverance

a. He delivered Israel's Kings, Ps. 144:10a

b. He delivered David, Ps. 144:10b (probably kings of David's line)

3. the psalmist's prayer is based on YHWH's previous acts

a. rescue me, Ps. 144:11a - BDB 822, KB 963, Qal imperative

b. deliver me, Ps. 144:11a - BDB 664, KB 717, Hiphil imperative

Notice the parallel between Ps. 144:7-8 and 144:11.

144:10 "from the evil sword" This is an unusual characterization. Several translations put the phrase in the next line of poetry (i.e., NRSV, TEV, NJB). Other translations have

1. REB - "the cruel sword"

2. JPSOA - "the deadly sword"

3. KJV, Peshitta - "the hurtful sword"

4. AB - "the sword of the Evil One"

5. NAB - "the menacing sword"

In context it seems to relate to the "aliens" (Ps. 144:7c, 11a). The Aramaic Targums (translation with comments) interpreted it as "from the evil sword of Goliath" (UBS Handbook, p. 1159).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 144:12-15
¹²Let our sons in their youth be as grown-up plants,
And our daughters as corner pillars fashioned as for a palace;
¹³Let our garners be full, furnishing every kind of produce,
And our flocks bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;
¹⁴Let our cattle bear
Without mishap and without loss,
Let there be no outcry in our streets!
¹⁵How blessed are the people who are so situated;
How blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!

144:12-14 This strophe is characterized by seven participles (1) used as jussives (2) statements of fact.

1. young sons as grown up plants, Ps. 144:12a - BDB 152, KB 178, Pual

2. young daughters as fashioned (lit. "hewn") pillars, Ps. 144:12b - BDB 310, KB 306, Pual

3. garners producing, Ps. 144:13a - BDB 807, KB 920, Hiphil

4. flocks bringing forth thousands, Ps. 144:13b - BDB 48 II, KB 59, Hiphil (found only here)

5. flocks bringing forth ten thousands, Ps. 144:13b - BDB 912, KB 1174, Pual

6. cattle bear (lit. be heavy with young), Ps. 144:14a - BDB 687, KB 741, Pual

7. going out (i.e., "bearing" ) with no problems, Ps. 144:14b - BDB 422, KB 425, Qal

8. there is an implied participle in Ps. 144:14c - NASB has "let," which matches Ps. 144:12-14b, "let there be no outcry in our streets"

These are all blessings of covenant obedience (cf. Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 27-30). Notice the covenant blessing of Ps. 144:15. NASB translates both Ps. 144:1 and 15 as "blessed," but they are different Hebrew words.

1. Ps. 144:1 - BDB 138

2. Ps. 144:15 - BDB 80

The term "happy" or "blessed" (BDB 80, cf. Ps. 1:1) is recurrent and describes why they are blessed (cf. Ps. 32:1-2; 34:8; 40:4; 84:5,12; 94:12; 127:5; Pro. 3:13; 8:34; 28:14). It is also used of corporate blessings (cf. Ps. 33:12; 89:15; 144:15).

144:12 The term "plants" (BDB 642) occurs only here but it is very close to the normal root for "plant."

1. plant (here) - נטיע

2. plant - נטע, used often

▣ "corner pillars" This is also a rare term, found only here and in Zech. 9:15.

144:13 "garner" This term (BDB 265, KB 565) is also found only here in the OT (cf. NIDOTTE, vol. 2, p. 909). Most translations have "barns."

144:14 There are two ways to view this verse.

1. It goes with Ps. 144:13b and relates to healthy, fruitful livestock (NIDOTTE, vol. 2, p. 498).

2. It goes with Ps. 144:14b,c and relates to a prayer for no breach in the city wall, which would allow an invader entrance.

The UBS Handbook (p. 1161) asserts there is no way from the text or context to know which option is best.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. How is this Psalm related to Psalm 18?

2. How do Ps. 144:3 and 4 relate to Ps. 144:1 and 2?

3. How does Ps. 144:5-7 relate to "Holy War"?

4. To what or whom does "great waters" in Ps. 144:7 refer?

5. Why does the MT introduction not fit Ps. 144:10?

6. Are Ps. 144:12-14 prayers or statements?

Psalm 145

STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NASB	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
The Lord Extolled for His Goodness MT Intro A Psalm of praise, of David.	A Song of God's Majesty and Love	Hymn Epitomizing the Character of the God of Israel (an acrostic)	A Hymn of Praise	Praise to Yahweh the King (acrostic)
145:1-7	145:1-3	145:1-3	145:1-3	145:1-3
	145:4-7	145:4-7	145:4-9	145:4-5
				145:6-7
145:8-13	145:8-9	145:8-9		145:8-9
	145:10-13	145:10-13b	145:10-13b	145:10-11
				145:12-13b
		145:13c-20	145:13c-16	145:13c-14
145:14-16	145:14-16
				145:15-16
145:17-21	145:17-21		145:17-20	145:17-18
				145:19-20
		145:21	145:21	145:21

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

A. This is an acrostic Psalm. There are other examples in the Psalter.

1. Psalm 9 and 10

2. Psalm 25

3. Psalm 34

4. Psalm 37

5. Psalm 111

6. Psalm 112

7. Psalm 119

8. Psalm 145

Acrostics can also be seen in Pro. 31:16-31 and Lamentations 1; 2; 3; and 4. There are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet. There are only 21 verses in this Psalm, so obviously one letter is omitted. The Hebrew "N" has somehow been misplaced in the Masoretic text (see SPECIAL TOPIC: TEXTUAL CRITICISM). It is included in all of the ancient versions—the Septuagint, the Vulgate, and the Peshitta. We find it in one Hebrew manuscript in the Dead Sea Scrolls, 11QPs^a.

B. This Psalm is about the character of Israel's God and His acts which reveal that character. See Special Topic: Characteristics of Israel's God.

C. This Psalm has a unique universal element which can be seen in Ps. 145:8-21. This is one of the unique glimpses into the heart of God which shows His love for all peoples of the earth and of His desire for all people to know Him by faith (cf. Ezek. 18:23,32; John 3:16; 4:42; 1 Tim. 2:4; 4:10; Titus 2:11; 2 Pet. 3:9; 1 John 2:1; 4:14; see Special Topic: YHWH's Eternal Redemptive Plan).

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 145:1-7
¹¹I will extol You, my God, O King,
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
²Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
³Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised,
And His greatness is unsearchable.
⁴One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
⁵On the glorious splendor of Your majesty
And on Your wonderful works, I will meditate.
⁶Men shall speak of the power of Your awesome acts,
And I will tell of Your greatness.
⁷They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness
And will shout joyfully of Your righteousness.

145:1 "I will extol You" Notice the personal element expressed so often in Ps. 145:1-7. This is clearly seen by the phrase, "my God." It is obvious that personal faith is the beginning point in understanding the God of creation and in history.

This opening strophe (i.e., Ps. 145:1-7) has several cohortatives.

1. I will extol You, Ps. 145:1 - BDB 926, KB 1202, Polel imperfect used in a cohortative sense

2. I will bless Your name, Ps. 145:1 - BDB 138, KB 159, Piel cohortative

3. I will bless You, Ps. 145:2 - BDB 138, KB 159, Piel imperfect used in a cohortative sense

4. I will praise Your name, Ps. 145:3 - BDB 237, KB 248, Piel cohortative

5. I will meditate on Your wonderful works, Ps. 145:5 - BDB 967, KB 1319, Qal cohortative

6. I will tell of Your greatness, Ps. 145:6 - BDB 707, KB 765, Piel imperfect used in a cohortative sense

True faithful followers must express their faith and praise of YHWH.

▣ "O King" YHWH was the true King of Israel (cf. 1 Sam. 8:7). The earthly king was only a mere representative of the heavenly King (cf. Ps. 10:16; 29:10; 98:6).

▣ "I will bless Your name" The concept of "blessing" (BDB 138-verb, 139-noun) is part of the Hebrew theology related to the power of the spoken word. See SPECIAL TOPIC: BLESSING.

The term "name" (BDB 1027) is a Hebraic way of referring to the person. See Special Topic: "The Name" of YHWH.

Israel's Deity is called Eloah in Ps. 145:1 but YHWH nine times in the rest of the Psalm. See SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY.

▣ "forever and ever" The phrase is used in Ps. 145:1b and 2b and seems to be used in the same sense in Ps. 34:1, which is explicitly expressed in Ps. 145:2a. It is not really an affirmation of the afterlife but a Hebrew idiom of daily praise. See Special Topic: Forever ('olam).

145:3 "His greatness is unsearchable" The noun "greatness" (BDB 153) is used of both

1. God Himself - 1 Chr. 29:11; Ps. 48:1; 86:10; 147:5

2. His acts - 2 Sam. 7:21; 1 Chr. 17:19-21

"Unsearchable" (lit. "there is no searching," i.e., noun construct) is used in Job 5:9; 9:10; 11:7. The same concept of God's ways being far above our understanding is expressed in Ps. 40:5,28; 139:6; Isa. 40:28; 55:8,9; Rom. 11:33.

145:4 "One generation shall praise Your works to another" This is an emphasis of passing on their faith to their children (cf. Deut. 4:9,10; 6:7,20-25; 11:19; 32:7,46; Ps. 22:30,31).

The verbs of Ps. 145:4 are imperfects but they may be jussive in meaning, describing the psalmist's wishes/prayers. The same is true of Ps. 145:6 and 7 (NET Bible, p. 1009).

▣ "Your mighty acts" This emphasis is on the God who acts in fidelity to His covenant promises, cf. Ps. 145:4,5,6,7,12. Usually this term refers to God's past redemptive acts, such as the Exodus.

145:5 "On the glorious splendor of Your majesty" Human vocabulary is quite inadequate to express the glory of God (see SPECIAL TOPIC: GLORY (DOXA) [OT]). Here is a series of words which are linked together in order to catch the glorious nature of God.

1. splendor - BDB 214, cf. 1 Chr. 16:27; Ps. 29:4; 90:16; 96:6; 104:1; 111:3; Isa. 2:10,19,21

2. majesty - BDB 217, cf. 1 Chr. 16:27; 29:11; Ps. 96:6; 111:3; 148:13

3. wondrous - BDB 810, see Special Topic: Wonderful Things

▣ "I will meditate" Faithful followers will remember YHWH's great acts, cf. Ps. 145:7. It is amazing how many times in the Bible faithful followers are admonished to remember what God has done!

145:6 "Men shall speak of the power of Your awesome acts" This is the first allusion to "all men," which is the common refrain of Ps. 145:8-21. This has contextual potential of including all Gentiles, as well as Jews. However, it may be a literary necessity which is produced by the acrostic form of writing.

Notice the number of ways the psalmist refers to YHWH's works.

1. Your works, Ps. 145:4a, 9b, 10a

2. Your mighty acts, Ps. 145:4b, 12

3. Your wonderful works, Ps. 145:5b

4. Your awesome acts, Ps. 145:6a

This refers to

1. the creation and/or the flood

2. acts of forgiveness and restoration

3. call of Abraham and the Patriarchs

4. the Exodus

5. the Conquest

6. victories in battle

7. etc.

145:7 "eagerly utter" The verb (BDB 615, KB 665, Hiphil imperfect) means "to bubble up." It is used often in a metaphorical sense (cf. Psalm 19:2; 78:2; 119:171, 145:7). It denotes a constant, excited proclamation.

▣ "Your righteousness" The term "righteousness" (BDB 842) comes from the Hebrew root, "a measuring reed." It can be used in two ways in the OT:

1. God's transcendent holiness and eternality

2. His acts of redeeming Israel

See SPECIAL TOPIC: RIGHTEOUSNESS.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 145:8-13
⁸The Lord is gracious and merciful;
Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.
⁹The Lord is good to all,
And His mercies are over all His works.
¹⁰All Your works shall give thanks to You, O Lord,
And Your godly ones shall bless You.
¹¹They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom
And talk of Your power;
¹²To make known to the sons of men Your mighty acts
And the glory of the majesty of Your kingdom.
¹³Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

145:8 "The Lord is gracious and merciful;
Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness" This is a direct quote from Exod. 34:6,7 and is repeated in Ps. 103:8. It not only gives us the characteristics of God's nature, but again shows one of His mighty acts in history initiated by grace, not by human merit (i.e., the Exodus). See SPECIAL TOPIC: CHARACTERISTICS OF ISRAEL'S GOD.

145:9 "The Lord is good to all,
And His mercies are over all His works" God has an everlasting love for humans created in His image (cf. Gen. 1:26,27; 3:8). See Special Topic: YHWH's Eternal Redemptive Plan.

145:10 "All Your works shall give thanks to You, O Lord" Compare this with Ps. 103:19-22.

NASB"godly ones"
NKJV, Peshitta"saints"
NRSV, NJB"faithful"
TEV"people"
JPSOA"faithful ones"
REB"loyal servants"
LXX"devout"

This Hebrew adjective (BDB 339) is based on the root חסד ("hesed," BDB 338, see Special Topic: Lovingkindness [hesed]). It is predominately used for faithful covenant followers (cf. 1 Sam. 2:9; Ps. 4:3; 12:1; 30:4; 31:24; 37:28; 50:5; 79:2; 85:8; 86:2; 89:19; 97:10; 116:15; 145:10; 148:14; 149:9), but could also refer to

1. priests - Deut. 33:8; 2 Chr. 6:4; Ps. 132:16

2. the Messiah - Ps. 16:10

3. angels of the heavenly council - Ps. 29:1; 103:19-22; 148:2; and this strophe

145:11-12 These verses can refer to

1. angelic praise - see #3 in Ps. 145:10

2. faithful followers' task of making YHWH known to all humans (i.e., "sons of men")

It is hard to decide which is to be preferred. Number 1 represents all creation glorifying its Creator (cf. Ps. 103:19-22; 148:2) and number 2 is the purpose of the call of Abraham (see Special Topic: YHWH's Eternal Redemptive Plan).

145:13 "Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom" This concept of an eternal kingdom is found in Ps. 10:16; 29:10; Isa. 9:6-7; Dan. 2:44; 4:3,34; 6:26; 7:14,26; 2 Pet. 1:11. See Special Topic: The Kingdom of God.

▣ "deed" This is where most modern translations insert the missing nun phrase from the LXX, Peshitta and Vulgate, and one Hebrew manuscript of the Dead Sea Scrolls (i.e., 11QPs^a), "God is faithful in all His words and gracious in all His deeds." This is very similar to Ps. 145:17.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 145:14-16
¹⁴The Lord sustains all who fall
And raises up all who are bowed down.
¹⁵The eyes of all look to You,
And You give them their food in due time.
¹⁶You open Your hand
And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

145:14 "The Lord sustains all who fall" Psalm 145:14-16 speaks of God providing faithful followers' physical needs, while Ps. 145:17-21 speaks of God providing for their spiritual needs. Notice the repetitive use of the term "all."

145:15 "The eyes of all look to You" These verses state that God provides food for all of His creatures, cf. Ps. 104:27,28; 136:25.

145:16 This is the concept of "Providence." God creates and sustains this planet and all its life forms. This action in the OT is attributed to Elohim (see Special Topic: Names for Deity).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 145:17-21
¹⁷The Lord is righteous in all His ways
And kind in all His deeds.
¹⁸The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
¹⁹He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He will also hear their cry and will save them.
²⁰The Lord keeps all who love Him,
But all the wicked He will destroy.
²¹My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
And all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever.

145:17 "And kind in all His deeds" This is the Hebrew word hesed, which speaks of God's covenant loyalty. It was used earlier in Ps. 145:8 to describe God's character and here to describe God's acts.

145:18 "The Lord is near" This is an emphasis on the eminence of God, while Ps. 145:5 is denoting His transcendence, cf. Ps. 34:18; 119:151; and especially Deut. 4:7.

▣ "To all who call upon Him" There is a series of conditions (i.e., Ps. 145:18-20). It must be remembered that all of God's covenants are unconditional on His part but conditional on human response. These four conditions speak of repentance and faith, both initial and ongoing, on the part of the people of God. See notes at Rom. 10:9-13 online.

145:19 "those who fear Him" See Special Topic: Fear (OT).

145:20 "But all the wicked He will destroy" This does not speak of annihilation in death but of physical judgment, cf. Ezek. 14:9; Amos 9:8; Hab. 2:2 (see Robert Girdlestone, Synonyms of the Old Testament, p. 178).

145:21 "And all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever" Again, this is like Ps. 145:1 and 3. It is not an affirmation of an afterlife, but that certainly is implied, as in Phil. 2:6-11.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. List the praise-worthy attributes of God.

2. This Psalm refers to YHWH's acts in several verses and in several ways. What acts is it referring to?

3. How does Ps. 145:8-16 (and 145:21) communicate YHWH's universal love?

4. Who are "the godly ones" of Ps. 145:10?

5. Who are "the sons of men" of Ps. 145:12?

6. Does the OT focus on an eternal kingdom or a millennium?

7. How does the "transcendence" of Ps. 145:5 relate to the "eminence" of Ps. 145:18?

8. List the four conditions of Ps. 145:18-20 which relate to faithful followers.

Psalm 146

STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NASB	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
The Lord An Abundant Helper No MT Intro	The Happiness of Those Whose Help Is In the Lord	Hymn Praising God for His Help	In Praise of God the Savior	Hymn to the God of Help
146:1-7	146:1a	146:1-2	146:1-2	146:1-2
	146:1b-2
	146:3-4	146:3-4	146:3-4	146:3-4
	146:5-7	146:5-7b	146:5-7b	146:5-6b
				146:6c-7
		146:7c-9	146:7c-9
146:8-10	146:8-9			146:8-9
				146:8c
				146:9c
	146:10	146:10	146:10	146:10

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 146:1-7
¹Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
²I will praise the Lord while I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
³Do not trust in princes,
In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation.
⁴His spirit departs, he returns to the earth;
In that very day his thoughts perish.
⁵How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
Whose hope is in the Lord his God,
⁶Who made heaven and earth,
The sea and all that is in them;
Who keeps faith forever;
⁷Who executes justice for the oppressed;
Who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free.

146:1-2 This strophe (Ps. 146:1-7) starts with a double "hallelujah" (BDB 237, KB 248, Piel imperatives). This is followed by two personal commitments of the psalmist.

1. I will praise - BDB 237, KB 248, Piel cohortative

2. I will sing praises - BDB 274, KB 273, Piel cohortative)

Praise of YHWH characterizes Psalms 146-150. The Psalter closes on this affirmation.

146:1 "soul" This is the term nephesh (BDB 659), which denoted the entire person (cf. Ps. 103:1). See notes online at Gen. 35:18.

146:2 Notice the parallel between

1. while I live - BDB 313

2. while I have my being - BDB 728

These reflect the Hebrew concept that there is no praise of God after death (cf. Job 10:21-22; 38:17; Ps. 63:4; 104:33; Isa. 38:18). The OT has a rudimentary theology of life after death. New Testament progressive revelation supplements this theology. See Special Topic: Sheol.

146:3 YHWH is praised because with Him, and Him alone, is salvation/deliverance (BDB 448), certainly not in frail, fallen mankind (MT, "a son of man"; LXX, "sons of men"; cf. Psalm 60:11; 108:12). The singular stands for all humans, as in Ps. 118:8.

146:4 This verse picks up the thought of Ps. 146:2. At death the body returns to dust (cf. Gen. 3:19; Job 34:15; Ps. 104:29; Eccl. 12:7). The spirit (ruah, BDB 924) or life force goes to Sheol.

▣ "his thoughts" This word (BDB 799) occurs only here in the OT and is translated by most modern translations as "plans/designs."

146:5 The Psalm praises YHWH but also notes how "blessed" (BDB 80) are the faithful followers. Psalm 146:6-7 and 8-9 list the power and mercy of the God of Jacob.

▣ "help" This noun (BDB 740 I) is often associated with deliverance and protection (cf. Exod. 18:4; Deut. 33:7,26; Ps. 33:20; 70:5; 115:9,10,11).

▣ "hope" The noun (BDB 960 II) can be translated

1. wait - Ps. 104:27; 145:15

2. hope - Ps. 119:166, Isa. 38:18

146:6-7 There is a series of Qal participles that describe YHWH

1. as Creator (i.e., Elohim)

a. made heaven, earth, sea, cf. Ps. 115:15; 121:2; 124:8; 134:3; Isa. 37:16; Jer. 32:17

b. created all that is in them

c. this is a summary statement related to this planet

2. as covenant God (i.e., YHWH)

a. keeps faith/trust (see Special Topic: Believe, Trust, Faith and Faithfulness in the OT)

b. executes justice for the oppressed (the NEB and REB see "forever," לעולם, of Ps. 146:6c as "the oppressed," לעולים, UBS Text Project, p. 440)

c. gives food to the hungry, cf. Ps. 145:15

d. sets the prisoners free, cf. Ps. 68:6; 102:20; 107:10,14; Isa. 61:1

(1) metaphor of problems

(2) slavery for debts

(3) exiles

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 146:8-10
⁸The Lord opens the eyes of the blind;
The Lord raises up those who are bowed down;
The Lord loves the righteous;
⁹The Lord protects the strangers;
He supports the fatherless and the widow,
But He thwarts the way of the wicked.
¹⁰The Lord will reign forever,
Your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the Lord!

146:8-9 Like Ps. 146:6-7, these verses describe the God who acts, so different from the lifeless idols (see Special Topic: Characteristics of Israel's God).

1. opens blind eyes - BDB 824, KB 959, Qal participle

2. raises the bowed down - BDB 279, KB 279, Qal participle, cf. Ps. 145:14 (these are the only usages of the verb in the OT)

3. loves the righteous - BDB 12, KB 17, Qal participle, cf. Ps. 11:7; 33:5

4. protects the stranger - BDB 1036, KB 1581, Qal participle (for a good brief article see Roland de Vaux, Ancient Israel, pp. 74-76)

5. supports the orphan and the widow - BDB 728, KB 795, Piel imperfect

6. thwarts the way of the wicked - BDB 736, KB 804, Piel imperfect

This list is a composite of God's acts from Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and the Prophets.

Number 6 is literally "to be bent" (BDB 736) or "to be crooked." This may be a play on the word "righteous" of Ps. 146:8c, which means "to be straight" (see SPECIAL TOPIC: RIGHTEOUSNESS). All words for sin are a play on this metaphor for God's character, in light of which all humans are crooked.

146:10 This speaks of the sovereignty of the God of Israel and His plans (cf. Exod. 15:18; Ps. 10:16; 29:10).

Just a theological note, how will YHWH reign and where and over who? Please look at Special Topic: Why Do OT Covenant Promises Seem So Different from NT Covenant Promises.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. What did the Israelites expect after death (Ps. 146:2,4)?

2. Does Ps. 146:6 speak of the universe or this planet?

3. How is the depiction of the character and acts of God related to ANE thought about how a king should act?

4. Will YHWH reign in/from Zion or is His reign universal? How has the NT changed this OT concept?

Psalm 147

STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NASB	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
Praise for Jerusalem's Restoration and Prosperity No MT Intro	Praise to God for His Word and Providence	Hymn Praising God for His Universal Power and Providential Care	In Praise of God the Almighty	Hymn to the All-Powerful
147:1-6	147:1	147:1-6	147:1-3	147:1-4
	147:2-6
			147:4-6
				147:5-6
147:7-11	147:7-9	147:7-11	147:7-9	147:7-9
	147:10-11		147:10-11	147:10-11
147:12-20	147:12-14	147:12-20	147:12-14	147:12
				147:13-14
	147:15-18		147:15-18	147:15-16
				147:17-18
	147:19-20c		147:19-20b	147:19-20b
	147:20d		147:20c

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 147:1-6
¹Praise the Lord!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
For it is pleasant and praise is becoming.
²The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
He gathers the outcasts of Israel.
³He heals the brokenhearted
And binds up their wounds.
⁴He counts the number of the stars;
He gives names to all of them.
⁵Great is our Lord and abundant in strength;
His understanding is infinite.
⁶The Lord supports the afflicted;
He brings down the wicked to the ground.

147:1-6 This first strophe (Ps. 147:1-6), like Psalm 146, lists several characteristics of God which can be ascertained by His acts (this Psalm is post-exilic).

1. for Israel

a. builds up Jerusalem

b. gathers her outcasts (i.e., exiles, cf. Isa. 11:12; Ezek. 39:28)

2. for the needy

a. heals the broken hearted (possibly refers to repentant Israel in exile, cf. Ps. 51:17,18)

b. supports the afflicted (i.e., often used of faithful followers)

c. brings down the wicked

(1) foreign nations

(2) unfaithful covenant partners

3. against paganism (i.e., astral idolatry)

a. counts the number of stars (Gen. 1:16; Isa. 40:26, i.e., not gods, cf. Ps. 8:3)

b. calls them by name (i.e., controls them)

c. YHWH is abundant in strength (cf. Isa. 40 26e)

d. YHWH has infinite understanding (BDB 108, cf. Isa. 40:28)

147:1

NASB"becoming"
NKJV"beautiful"
TEV, REB"fitting"
JPSOA"glorious"

This adjective (BDB 610) can mean

1. beautiful - Sol. 1:5; 2:14; 4:3; 6:4

2. fitting, appropriate when used of praise to God - Ps. 33:1; 93:5; Pro. 17:7

147:4b "He gives names to all of them" The naming of something demonstrates authority over it (cf. Gen. 2:18-20).

147:6 "to the ground" This can be understood in several ways.

1. the defeated enemy bowing to the ground

2. a circumlocution for death/Sheol

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 147:7-11
⁷Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
Sing praises to our God on the lyre,
⁸Who covers the heavens with clouds,
Who provides rain for the earth,
Who makes grass to grow on the mountains.
⁹He gives to the beast its food,
And to the young ravens which cry.
¹⁰He does not delight in the strength of the horse;
He does not take pleasure in the legs of a man.
¹¹The Lord favors those who fear Him,
Those who wait for His lovingkindness.

147:7-11 As the first strophe began with "praise" (Piel imperative), this one (Ps. 147:7-11) begins with "singing."

1. sing - BDB 777, KB 854, Qal imperative

2. sing praises - BDB 274, KB 273, Piel imperative

The object of this singing is YHWH and His great acts.

1. as sustainer of creation and the normal cycles of nature (cf. Ps. 104:10-17)

a. clouds

b. rain

c. plant growth

d. food for animals (cf. Ps. 104:27b; 136:25)

2. who He does not trust and who He does

a. negative (cf. Ps. 33:16-17)

(1) military power (i.e., the horse)

(2) strength of men (lit. legs)

b. positive

(1) those who fear (see Special Topic: Fear [OT]) Him

(2) those who wait on His lovingkindness (see Special Topic: Lovingkindness [hesed])

147:9b The UBS Text Project (p. 1176) mentions a cultural proverb which asserted that ravens do not feed their young well (cf. Job 38:41), but here it is asserted that the compassionate provider God does!

It may also be significant that the raven (BDB 788) was considered an unclean bird (cf. Lev. 11:15) but God still cares for them!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 147:12-20
¹²Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
¹³For He has strengthened the bars of your gates;
He has blessed your sons within you.
¹⁴He makes peace in your borders;
He satisfies you with the finest of the wheat.
¹⁵He sends forth His command to the earth;
His word runs very swiftly.
¹⁶He gives snow like wool;
He scatters the frost like ashes.
¹⁷He casts forth His ice as fragments;
Who can stand before His cold?
¹⁸He sends forth His word and melts them;
He causes His wind to blow and the waters to flow.
¹⁹He declares His words to Jacob,
His statutes and His ordinances to Israel.
²⁰He has not dealt thus with any nation;
And as for His ordinances, they have not known them.
Praise the Lord!

147:12-20 This third strophe (Ps. 147:12-20) also starts off with imperatives of praise.

1. praise - BDB 986, KB 1387, Piel imperative

2. praise - BDB 237, KB 248, Piel imperative

He is worthy of praise because of His covenant fidelity (esp. Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 27-30) towards Israel (i.e., Jerusalem. . .Zion).

1. strengthens the fortifications of Jerusalem (i.e., gate bars)

2. blesses

a. the children of the city (i.e., health, their number)

b. the people inside the city (TEV)

3. brings peace to the land

4. provides a good crop

5. controls the weather (Ps. 147:16-18) so as to sustain agricultural abundance (i.e., covenant promises, cf. Ps. 147:19)

6. His special relationship (i.e., revelation) to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob

147:14b "the finest of wheat" This is a metaphor of agricultural abundance (cf. Ps. 81:16) because grain was such a staple of the ANE diet.

147:15 God's word is personified as running rapidly (i.e., going into all creation). In Hebrew thought God's word was a creative power (cf. Genesis 1). Once given, it would accomplish its purpose (cf. Isa. 45:23; 55:11).

147:19 "words. . .statutes. . .ordinances" See SPECIAL TOPIC: TERMS FOR GOD'S REVELATION.

147:20b "they have not known them" God's revelation was a special gift. It was meant to be lived out as a witness to the nations. Israel failed in this! See Special Topic: YHWH Eternal Redemptive Plan.

The UBS Text Project rates this phrase as "C" (considerable doubt). It recommends it as over against the NEB, "he does not let them know." This difference is

1. MT, NASB - ידעום - בל

2. NEB, REB - ידיעם - בל

147:20c The Psalm closes as it began—"Hallelujah"!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. How do you explain Ps. 145:6,8-13 focusing on "all men" and Psalm 147 focusing on Israel (esp. Ps. 147:19-20)?

2. Why is Ps. 147:4 so theologically significant in an ANE setting?

3. How is Ps. 147:7-9 related to Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 27-30?

4. God's sustaining providence described in Ps. 147:16-18 provides nature with consistent patterns. How did this affect the development of the "scientific method" in western culture?

5. Does Ps. 147:20 imply that God does not share Himself or His revelation with Gentiles?

Psalm 148

STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NASB	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
The Whole Creation Invoked to Praise the Lord No MT Intro	Praise to the Lord from Creation	Hymn Calling Upon All Created Things to praise the Lord	A Call for the Universe to Praise God	Cosmic Hymn of Praise
148:1-6	148:1a	148:1-2	148:1a	148:1-2
	148:1b-4		148:1b-2
		148:3-4	148:3-4	148:3-4
	148:5-6	148:5-6	148:5-6	148:5-6
148:7-12	148:7-12	148:7-8	148:7-8	148:7-8
		148:9-10	148:9-10	148:9-10
		148:11-12	148:11-12	148:11-12
148:13-14	148:13-14d	148:13-14	148:13-14c	148:13-14
	148:14e		148:14d

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

A. Remember the Bible is an earth-oriented book. This planet was the focus of God preparing a special place to fellowship with His highest creation (i.e., made in His image and likeness, cf. Gen. 1:26-27).

B. All of the different levels of creation

1. celestial (i.e., "from the heavens," Ps. 148:1b)

2. earthly (i.e., "from the earth," Ps. 148:7a)

3. covenant people

are called on to praise YHWH, the Creator and Sustainer of all life on this planet and related to this planet (i.e., angels).

C. This is the choir of heaven and earth, animate and inanimate!

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 148:1-6
¹Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
Praise Him in the heights!
²Praise Him, all His angels;
Praise Him, all His hosts!
³Praise Him, sun and moon;
Praise Him, all stars of light!
⁴Praise Him, highest heavens,
And the waters that are above the heavens!
⁵Let them praise the name of the Lord,
For He commanded and they were created.
⁶He has also established them forever and ever;
He has made a decree which will not pass away.

148:1-6 The verb "praise" (BDB 237, KB 248) dominates this Psalm. Each of the three strophes begins with it. Psalm 148:1-4 contains all Piel imperatives, as does Ps. 148:7,14.

This first strophe focuses on "above the earth" things (cf. Ps. 103:19-22).

1. "from the heavens" (BDB 1029) - this refers to the atmosphere above the earth; see SPECIAL TOPIC: HEAVEN, also note Ps. 69:34; 96:11; Isa. 44:23; 49:13

2. "in the heights" (BDB 928) - this is parallel to "heavens"

3. "all His angels" (BDB 521) - this refers to the conscious servants of God (cf. Ps. 103:20); they are not said to be created in any specific OT text, but their inclusion here strongly suggests that, Col. 1:16 also strongly assumes this truth

There are three Special Topics related to angels:

a. SPECIAL TOPIC: THE ANGEL OF THE LORD

b. Special Topic: Angels and Demons

c. Special Topic: Angelic Levels in Paul's Writings

4. "all His hosts (BDB 838) - this term is used in two senses

a. in military contexts it refers to a heavenly army of angels

b. in an astral worship context it refers to the lights in the sky (i.e., sun, moon, stars, comets) which were thought to be gods who affected human life; notice "a" could relate to Ps. 148:2a or "b" could relate to Ps. 148:3 (cf. Ps. 103:21)

5. "sun and moon" - these are the greater lights of Gen. 1:14-16; both were worshiped in the ANE; see SPECIAL TOPIC: MOON WORSHIP

6. "all stars of light" - see note at Ps. 147:4

7. "highest heaven" - see Special Topic: The Heavens and the Third Heaven

8. "the waters that are above the heavens" - this alludes to Gen. 1:6-8; God controls the ancient waters; see Special Topic: Waters

148:5a "Let them praise" This is a Piel imperfect used in a jussive sense. It would denote a call to prayer/praise to the Creator (cf. Ps. 148:5b-6).

The "name" stands for YHWH Himself. See Special Topic: "The Name" of YHWH.

148:5b This alludes to creation by the spoken word of Genesis 1 (cf. Ps. 33:6,9; Heb. 11:3).

148:6 This is a hyperbolic statement of the permanency of this planet and its seasons (cf. Jer. 31:35-36; 33:20,25). We know from 2 Pet. 3:7,10-12 that the polluted, fallen creation shall be cleansed. From science, moderns know that we live in a violent, unstable universe. This solar system is not eternal. These are faith statements of God's eternality (cf. Ps. 93:1; 96:10d) and His promises that those who know Him will be with Him!

▣ "forever and ever" See Special Topic: Forever ('olam).

NASB, NKJV"a decree which will not pass away"
NRSV"he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed"
NJB"by an unchanging decree"

This phrase can refer to

1. God's decree/plans (cf. Ps. 33:11)

2. God's fixed boundaries of the land/sea/rivers (cf. Job 38:8-11; Ps. 104:9; Jer. 5:22)

The verb "pass over," "pass through," "pass on," "pass away" (BDB 716, KB 778, Qal imperfect) obviously has a wide semantic field which can support #1 or #2.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 148:7-12
⁷Praise the Lord from the earth,
Sea monsters and all deeps;
⁸Fire and hail, snow and clouds;
Stormy wind, fulfilling His word;
⁹Mountains and all hills;
Fruit trees and all cedars;
¹⁰Beasts and all cattle;
Creeping things and winged fowl;
¹¹Kings of the earth and all peoples;
Princes and all judges of the earth;
¹²Both young men and virgins;
Old men and children.

148:7-12 This strophe focuses on the praise (one verb covers Ps. 148:7-12, each line assumes "praise") of living things on this planet.

1. "sea monsters" (BDB 1072) - this is used in several senses

a. snake - Exod. 7:9,10,12; Deut. 32:33; Ps. 91:13

b. dragon - Jer. 51:34 (also note name of the gate in Neh. 2:13)

c. sea monsters - see online notes at Gen. 1:21; Isa. 27:1

2. "all deeps" (BDB 1062) - this is used in several senses

a. subterranean waters (salt), cf. Gen. 7:11; 8:2; Job 28:4; 38:16; Ps. 33:7; 107:23-26; 135:6; Isa. 51:10; Amos 7:4

b. fresh water - usually in reference to crossing of the Red Sea, cf. Exod. 15:5,8; Ps. 77:17; 78:15; 106:9; Isa. 63:13

c. primeval waters - Gen. 1:2; Ps. 104:6-7; Pr. 8:27, see Special Topic: Waters (water is never said to be spoken into existence in Genesis 1)

d. Sheol - Ps. 71:20 (see Special Topic: Sheol)

3. Psalm 148:7-8 lists weather and topological features of the earth

4. Psalm 148:10 covers all created animal life

5. Psalm 148:11-12 lists human beings of all social levels and ages

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 148:13-14
¹³Let them praise the name of the Lord,
For His name alone is exalted;
His glory is above earth and heaven.
¹⁴And He has lifted up a horn for His people,
Praise for all His godly ones;
Even for the sons of Israel, a people near to Him.
Praise the Lord!

148:13-14 The strophe starts like Ps. 148:5, with a Piel imperfect of "praise" used in a jussive sense. It focuses on the praise due YHWH from His covenant people.

148:13 "His name alone is exalted" This is

1. a literary expression of monotheism (see SPECIAL TOPIC: MONOTHEISM)

2. a way to contrast YHWH with mankind (cf. Isa. 2:11,17)

▣ "glory" See SPECIAL TOPIC: GLORY (kabod, OT).

148:14 "horn" The Hebrews viewed animal horns (esp. "ox," cf. Deut. 33:17; Ps. 92:10) as an expression of power (cf. Ps. 18:2).

1. the altars in the temple had horns

2. a person's life was characterized as a "horn" to be

a. lifted up (cf. 1 Sam. 2:1; Ps. 89:17,24; 92:10; 112:9)

b. put in dust (cf. Job 16:15)

c. cut off (cf. Ps. 75:10)

148:14 "all His godly ones" See notes at Ps. 16:10 and 145:10 online.

Here the phrase is parallel to "His people." They are further characterized as

1. sons of Israel

2. a people near to Him - this at first referred to priests/Levites who served in the temple but later came to be used of all covenant people who worship YHWH

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. How is Ps. 148:1-6 related to Ps. 148:7-12?

2. Define "hosts" of Ps. 148:2b. Does it relate to Ps. 148:2a or 149:3?

3. How does one reconcile Ps. 148:6 with 2 Pet. 3:7,10-12?

4. Define "sea monsters" of Ps. 148:7b.

5. Does Ps. 148:14 refer to "praise" to Israel or to YHWH?

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Psalm 149

STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NASB	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
Israel Invoked to Praise the Lord No MT Intro	Praise to the God for His Salvation and Judgment	Hymn to Accompany a Festival Dance	A Hymn of Praise	Songs of Triumph
149:1-4	149:1a	149:1-9	149:1a	149:1a
	149:1b-c		149:1b-9b	149:1b-3
	149:2-4
				149:4-6
149:5-9	149:5-9b
				149:7-9b
	149:9c		149:9c

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

A. This is a Psalm written to commemorate and rejoice over a military victory by Israel over a Gentile foe (cf. Ps. 149:6b-9a).

B. Israel is honored as YHWH's special people (Psalm 112).

1. the congregation of the godly ones (lit. "the assembly of the faithful") - BDB 874 construct BDB 339, Ps. 149:1

2. YHWH is their

a. Maker (BDB 793 I, KB 889, Qal participle), Ps. 149:2

b. King (BDB 572 I), Ps. 149:2

3. His people. . .the afflicted ones, Ps. 149:4

4. the godly ones (lit. "the faithful"), Ps. 149:5

5. "His godly ones" (lit. "faithful ones"), Ps. 149:9

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 149:1-4
¹Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song,
And His praise in the congregation of the godly ones.
²Let Israel be glad in his Maker;
Let the sons of Zion rejoice in their King.
³Let them praise His name with dancing;
Let them sing praises to Him with timbrel and lyre.
⁴For the Lord takes pleasure in His people;
He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation.

149:1-4 The strophe starts off with two parallel Piel imperatives.

1. praise

2. sing

These are followed by a series of four imperfects used as jussives.

1. let Israel be glad

2. let Zion rejoice

3. let them praise His name

4. let them sing praises to Him

The psalmist prays that Israel will respond appropriately to their military victory by recognizing it is from YHWH and not themselves.

149:1 "a new song" This would represent a cultural way to commemorate an event (compare Exod. 15:1-18,21; Jdgs. 5:1-13; 1 Sam. 18:6; Ps. 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 98:1; Isa. 42:10).

▣ "congregation" This is Qahal (BDB 874), which in the LXX, was translated ekklesia. See Special Topic: Church (ekklesia).

▣ "the godly ones" This is the same word used in Ps. 148:14, which comes from hesed (BDB 339). See note at Ps. 16:10 online.

149:2 "Maker" This (BDB 793 I) does not refer to creation but to the call of Abraham and the promise to his descendants, which was fully ratified on Mt. Sinai (cf. Exodus 19-20). It is also alluded to in Ps. 95:6; 100:3; Isa. 17:7). YHWH was uniquely their Maker, Savior, and Covenant Deity!

▣ "their King" This theological understanding goes back to 1 Sam. 8:7, cf. Ps. 47:6; 89:18. The King of God's people was meant to be His earthly representative, His Undershepherd.

▣ "Zion" See Special Topic: Zion.

149:3 "dancing" This implies a special worship event celebrating

1. a military victory (cf. Exod. 15:20; Jdgs. 11:34; 1 Sam. 18:6)

2. a worship event (cf. 2 Sam. 6:5; Ps. 150:4)

3. a restoration (cf. Ps. 30:11; in connection with this, "bed" [BDB 1012] may refer to a place sick people lie, cf. Exod. 21:18; Job 33:19)

149:4 "the afflicted ones" Although this root (BDB 776) can refer to the poor and needy, it often was used of God's persecuted people.

▣ "salvation" See Special Topic: Salvation (OT).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 149:5-9
⁵Let the godly ones exult in glory;
Let them sing for joy on their beds.
⁶Let the high praises of God be in their mouth,
And a two-edged sword in their hand,
⁷To execute vengeance on the nations
And punishment on the peoples,
⁸To bind their kings with chains
And their nobles with fetters of iron,
⁹To execute on them the judgment written;
This is an honor for all His godly ones.
Praise the Lord!

149:5-9 This strophe has three prayer requests using imperfects used in a jussive sense.

1. exult

2. sing for joy

3. an assumed "to be" verb in Ps. 149:6a

This strophe combines a prayer for

1. God's people to rejoice

2. God's enemies to be judged

149:5 "the godly ones" This is from the root hesed (BDB 339, see Special Topic: Lovingkindness [hesed]). It is used often and denotes someone faithful to the covenant.

The other term used for faithful followers is from the root kadosh (BDB 872, see SPECIAL TOPIC: HOLY), which denotes one separated for YHWH's service.

These "godly ones" are not sinless but have a faith, obedient, and repentant relationship with YHWH.

▣ "glory" This Hebrew root (BDB 458, see SPECIAL TOPIC: GLORY (DOXA) [kabod]) is difficult to define. It has a wide semantic field. AB (p. 357) thinks it is a title for YHWH, "their Glorious One."

▣ "sing for joy on their beds" This is a surprising place to "exult. . .sing." This must be figurative language of a person with a joyful, peaceful heart that sleeps well! This is the opposite of Ps. 6:7.

It is surely possible (Tyndale, OT Commentary Series, vol. 16, Psalm, p. 527) that "couch" refers to reclining at a meal and, therefore, singing and rejoicing at a victory banquet!

149:6 The peaceful attitude of Ps. 149:5 is matched with military preparedness. There is peace because YHWH has given His covenant people victory over the surrounding nations (cf. Ps. 149:7-8).

▣ "high praises" This construct (BDB 928, KB 1206 and BDB 42) occurs only here and possibly Ps. 66:17.

▣ "sword in their hand" This phrase could refer to

1. literary imagery of a past victory

2. a symbolic dance by priests

3. preparation for a coming battle

149:7 Some see this verse in an eschatological setting but it could fit any victory in Israel's history over the surrounding nations of the ANE.

▣ "vengeance" For a good brief discussion of this theological concept in the OT, see NIDOTTE, vol. 4, pp. 1140-1149. If YHWH does not bring justice in this life, there must be an afterlife.

149:9a "the judgment written" This must refer to

1. "Holy War" promises, as in the Exodus and Conquest

2. results of the "cursing and blessing" promises of Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 27-30

3. an allusion to the Prophetic sections on the judgment of the nations (i.e., Jeremiah 46-51)

4. a good example of this kind of "peace promise" is Ezek. 28:26; 34:25-28; 38:8

149:9b The victory brought by YHWH will bring honor to the covenant people (cf. Psalm 1121).

149:9c Psalms 146-150 all begin and end with "Hallelujah," a Piel imperative of "praise," or an abbreviation of YHWH.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. On what occasions were "a new song" sung?

2. Does Ps. 149:2a refer to Genesis 1 or Genesis 12?

3. Is the Psalm about a past military victory or a future one?

4. Does the Bible as a whole emphasize the judgment of the nations or the inclusion of the nations?

5. Who are the godly ones in Ps. 149:1,5,9?

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