PSALM 1
1. Blessed is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the wicked.
Nor has he stood in the way of sinners,
nor has he sat in the seat of scoffers.
2. Rather, what he takes delight in is the Torah of YHWH,
and on His Torah he meditates day and night.
3. Thus he will become like a tree planted over rivulets of water,
which provides its fruit in its season.
Nor will his foliage wither [and drop off],
but all that he does will bring prosperity.
Compare Yirmeyahu 17:8.
4. The wicked are not like this,
but rather are like the chaff that the wind drives away.
5. Therefore the wicked will not endure during the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous [ones],
Endure: or stand, be confirmed.
6. because YHWH is mindful of the way of righteous [ones],
while the way of the wicked will be lost.
PSALM 2
This psalm was written by David for the Coronation of King Shlomoh and used for every descendant of his who sat on what was called “the throne of the Kingdom of YHWH” (1 Chron. 28:5); it is also used in the Day of Atonement liturgy.
1.
Why are nations in a commotion, and peoples devising [a plan that is] in vain?
Why are nations in a commotion, and peoples devising [a plan that is] in vain?2.The kings of the earth take their stations, and the heavily-honored ones sit together in conclave in regard to YHWH and in regard to His Anointed one:
The kings of the earth take their stations, and the heavily-honored ones sit together in conclave in regard to YHWH and in regard to His Anointed one:Anointed one: Heb., mashiakh (“Messiah”).
3.“Let us tear their bands [of chastening] and fling their chains away from us!”
“Let us tear their bands [of chastening] and fling their chains away from us!”4.The One who sits in the heavens will laugh; Adonai will mock them.
The One who sits in the heavens will laugh; Adonai will mock them.5.At such a time He will threaten them in His anger, and terrify them when His anger burns:
At such a time He will threaten them in His anger, and terrify them when His anger burns:6.“Rather, I have installed My king atop Tziyon, My one-of-a-kind mountain!”
“Rather, I have installed My king atop Tziyon, My one-of-a-kind mountain!”No one else’s opinion matters. They have no authority to overrule His choice of who is to be king.
7. I will declare the decree: YHWH has said unto me, “You are My son; today I have begotten you.
This was originally spoken of King Shlomoh, and from then on the term “son of Elohim” took on a special connotation of meaning the rightful heir to David’s throne. So when Y’shua is called the “Son of Elohim”, it means no more and no less than this. YHWH gave him somewhat of a coronation when Yochanan witnessed his miqveh, saying, “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased”, echoing this psalm. “Beloved” was probably the Hebrew term yakhid, which YHWH used of Yitzhaq in Gen. 22, referring to “one and only” but not in a literal way, because Avraham had many other sons, but this one was the heir to the covenant in a way accorded to no other. (See verse 6 above.) Y’shua is also meant to be the “firstborn among many brothers” (Romans 8:29), and not as unique as many would make him out to be, though having pre-eminence over them all as seen in verses 10-12 below.
8. “Ask of me, and I shall give you the nations [as] your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
9. “You will break them with a rod of iron; you will dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
10. Be wise now, therefore, O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth.
11. Serve YHWH with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
Do not hold His gifts too tightly; be ready to give them back to Him as tribute when He asks.
12. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled even just a little. All those who are fleeing to Him for refuge are blessed!
I.e., pay him homage and maintain your proper position in comparison to him. He is the “king of kings”—the emperor over the whole world, to whom you must defer at all times. Don’t try to get out from under the Torah that will emanate from Yerushalayim to every under-ruler. (v. 3) But stay on his right side, and you will have tremendous benefits. This verse correlates very well with what YHWH told Moshe: "I will raise up a prophet for them from among their brothers like yourself, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them all that we will command. And what will take place is that the man who does not obey the words that he will speak in My name, I myself will require it from him.” (Deut. 18:18-19) This applied initially to Y’hoshua. These two streams converged again in Y’shua, who, like his ancestors David and Shlomoh, was both prophet and king, as well as “priest after the order of Melkhitzedeq”, meaning simply that he reigned in Yerushalayim, made certain offerings on behalf of the whole nation, and had some say over what went on in the place YHWH was worshipped, though not infringing at all on the privileges and responsibilities assigned to the Levitical priests. But since he is “like Moshe”, his being called “Son of Elohim” should in no way be misconstrued to mean he was some sort of hybrid god-man (Yoch. 1:18), and not an outsider, but a fellow Israelite—our “Kinsman-Redeemer”.
PSALM 3
A Psalm of David when fleeing from Avshalom his son
[Used in the Day of Atonement liturgy]
1. O YHWH, how my oppressors have multiplied! How many are those who rise up against me!
2. So many are saying to my soul, “There is no deliverance for him in Elohim!”
Ponder [this].
3. But You, O YHWH, are a shield on my behalf; my dignity, and the One who lifts up my head.
Shield: or simply, defense. Lifts my head: enabling him to “save face” during such a disgracing time.
4. [With] my voice, I was calling out to YHWH; He answered me from His holy mountain.
Ponder [this].
5. I lay down and slept; I awoke [again], because YHWH sustained me.
6. I will not be afraid of tens of thousands—of a people who have set themselves against me on all sides.
7. Rise up, O YHWH! Rescue me, my Elohim! Because You have struck all of my enemies on the jaw; You have shattered the teeth of the ones guilty [of this crime]!
8. To YHWH belongs the deliverance! Upon Your people is Your blessing.
This verse is also used in the New Moon liturgy.
Ponder [this].
PSALM 4
To the chief musician,
for stringed instruments;
A Psalm of David
[In the Day of Atonement liturgy]
1. Answer me when I call, O Elohim of my righteousness!
When I was in a tight spot, You brought me into a wide-open place.
Show me favor, and listen to my prayer!
2. Sons of a man, how long [will you turn] my honor into disgrace,
Love what is empty, and seek what is deceptive?
Think about this.
3. But know [this]: that YHWH has marked out the merciful as distinct for Himself;
YHWH will hear when I call out to Him.
4. Be agitated, but do not veer into error;
speak within your hearts on your beds, and keep silent.
Think about this.
5. Slaughter the right kind of offerings,
and trust in YHWH.
6. There are many who ar saying, “Who will show us [anything] good?”
Lift up the light of Your face upon us, O YHWH!
The latter phrase is idiomatic for “Smile upon us…!”
7. You have put gladness in my heart,
more than the time when their grain and freshly-pressed wine have increased!
8. In peace I can both lie down and sleep,
Because You, O YHWH, [are the] only [one] who can make me dwell securely.
PSALM 5
To the chief musician, for flutes;
A Psalm of David
1. Incline Your ear to the things I say, O YHWH!
Discern my barely-audible thoughts!
2. Pay attention to the sound of my cry for help, my King and my Elohim,
because to You I will pray!
3. O YHWH, [in the] morning You will hear my voice;
[in the] morning I will direct it to You and will watch expectantly [for Your answer],
4. because You are not an Elohim who takes pleasure in wickedness;
You cannot abide evil.
Unlike some of the gods of the pagan myths, which revel in sin even more than human beings do.
5. The boastful cannot remain standing in front of Your eyes,
You hate all those who cause trouble!
6. You will make those who speak falsehood disappear,
YHWH will be repulsed by a man of blood and betrayal.
7. But through the abundance of Your lovingkindness I will come into Your house;
I will prostrate myself toward the temple of Your holiness in [proper] fear of You.
8. O YHWH, lead me into the right [way] because of the hostile who oppose me;
9. because there is nothing reliable in their mouths;
their innermost desire is an engulfing chasm!
Their throats are an open grave;
they are slippery with their tongues.
10. Hold them guilty, O Elohim!
Let them fall due to the very things they themselves devised!
In the multitude of their transgressions, banish them,
because they have rebelled against You!
11. But let all of those who seek their refuge in You be made glad;
forever let them shout for joy,
because You put a covering of protection over them.
Let those who love Your name rejoice in Your triumph,
12. because You, O YHWH, will bless the one who does right;
You will surround him with favor like a shield.
Favor: or goodwill, acceptance. Shield: in particular the curved type that defends form several sides at once.
PSALM 6
To the chief musician,
accompanied on eight-stringed instruments;
A Psalm of David
1. O YHWH, do not rebuke me with Your anger,
or discipline me during Your hot displeasure!
Yes, correct me, but do not decide what my penalty will be at such times as those!
2. Show me consideration, O YHWH, because I am enfeebled;
heal me, O YHWH, because the parts of my body are disturbed,
3. and my soul is very anxious.
And You, O YHWH—how long?
4. Come back, O YHWH; save me!
Let me be rescued for the sake of Your [reputation for] pity,
5. because in death there is no [one who makes] mention of You;
in She’ol, who thanks You?
6. I have grown exhausted from my groaning.
All night I make my bed swim with my tears; I’m about to make my couch dissolve!
7. My eye has been wasting away from vexation;
it has grown old [already] due to all who are putting pressure on me!
8. Turn away from me, all you troublemakers,
because YHWH has heard the tone of my weeping.
9. YHWH has heard my pleading for favor;
YHWH will accept my prayer.
10. Let all my enemies be disconcerted and alarmed [into running away];
all at once let them turn back and be put to shame!
PSALM 7
A passionate song of Dawid,
Which he sang to YHWH in regard to the words of Kush, [the] Binyamite.
Passionate: wild, with rapid changes of rhythm; apparently from a word meaning “crazy”.
1. O YHWH, my Elohim, in You I seek refuge!
Deliver me from all who persecute me, and let me recover,
2. lest they tear me in pieces like a lion,
With no one to rescue [me]!
3. YHWH, my Elohim, if I have caused this—
if there is injustice on my hands,
We should always consider this possibility, as we are all flawed.
4. if I have repaid with evil one who is at peace with me,
if I have provoked the one who is causing me distress for no reason,
Provoked: literally, drawn out or armed for war—i.e., upset him enough that he wants to attack me.
5. [then] let [the] enemy pursue and overtake me
and trample my life into the earth,
and let my honor settle into the dust. Think about this!
He is willing to take the consequences of any wrong he truly has perpetrated, but he is confident that he has not, that he is in the right, so he asks YHWH to consider the gravity of what his pursuer is doing:
6. Show up, O YHWH, in Your anger;
raise Yourself up because of the excessiveness of those who are pressing in on me,
awaken toward me the justice [that] You have commanded!
7. When a gathering of nations surrounds You,
On account of them, return to Your highly-elevated place.
8. YHWH will execute judgment on [the] peoples;
O YHWH, vindicate me insofar as I am in the right
and [bring] upon me according to my integrity!
9. Please bring the adverse [actions] of the wicked to an end,
and [firmly] establish those who do right,
when the righteous Elohim scrutinizes hearts and minds.
Minds: or, inner workings; literally, kidneys, vessels, or organs.
10. My defense is [based] on Elohim,
who delivers [those who are] upright [in] heart.
11. Elohim is a just judge,
and El becomes enraged every day.
Now he turns back to describe those YHWH is enraged at (since they are attacking His child):
12. If He does not turn [him] back, he will sharpen his sword;
he has bent his bow [with his feet] and is getting it ready.
13. And [as] for himself, he is preparing implements of death;
he fashions his arrows into [the kind] that are lit ablaze.
14. Look! He brings forth sorrow!
He conceives trouble and gives birth to what is deceitful!
15. He has bored a pit and dug it out,
but he will fall into the trap he has made.
16. The trouble he has worked so hard for will come back on his own head,
and his violence will descend upon his own scalp!
17. I will thank YHWH according to [how] He has done rightly;
I will sing praises to the reputation of YHWH Most High!
PSALM 8
1. To the chief musician, on the Gittith.
A Psalm of David.
On the Gittith: possibly, about the Gathite woman, about the wine-press, or possibly a particular type of musical instrument from Gath.
2. O YHWH, our Master, how majestic is Your Name in all the earth!
[You] who have set Your splendor over the skies!
3. From the mouth of infants and nursing [babies] You have caused the foundation of strength to be laid on account of those who show hostility toward You.
4. When I look at Your skies, the workmanship of Your fingers—the moon and the stars that You have set in order,
5. what is mortal man, that You [even] remember him, or the son of Adam, that You attend to him?
6. Yet You have made him fall short of Elohim [only] slightly, and with dignity and splendor You crown him.
7. You have given him dominion over the workmanship of Your hands; You have put everything under his feet--
Put: legally and officially appointed that this be the order.
8. flocks [of sheep] and oxen; the beasts of the field too,
9. the bird over the skies, and the fish of the sea, as well as what crosses the paths of the seas.
10. O YHWH, our Master, how majestic is Your Name in all the earth!
PSALM 9
To the chief musician, upon the death of the son.
A Psalm of David.
1. I will thank YHWH with all my heart!
I will recount all Your extraordinary deeds!
2. I will be glad in You and jump for joy!
I will make music to Your Name, O Most High!
3. When my enemies come back later,
they will stumble and vanish from Your presence,
4. because You have accomplished justice for me and [maintained] my cause;
You have taken Your seat on a throne, dispensing judgment [in] righteousness.
5. You have rebuked the Gentiles; You have made the wicked vanish!
You have obliterated their name into the Age and continuing [beyond that].
Rebuked: or restrained, contained. Into the Age and beyond: an idiom for forever.
6. The enemy are finished off—laid waste to the point of permanent victory!
You have eradicated their cities; even their memory of them has perished.
It seems the enemies themselves survive but are transformed so that they no longer remember “the former things”. (Compare Rev. 21:4.)
7. But YHWH will remain forever;
His throne has become stable for [the purpose of] justice
Become stable: or been firmly established.
8. and He has begun to govern the [whole] civilized world in righteousness.
He judges the nations with equity!
9. YHWH will also become a secure retreat for those [crushed and] afflicted,
a refuge in times of pressure.
10. And those who know Your name will put their trust in You,
because You have not abandoned those who seek You, O YHWH.
11. Make music to YHWH, who dwells in Tzion;
declare His doings among the peoples!
12. Because He searches out those [guilty of] blood; He remembers them.
He does not forget the outcry of the afflicted.
13. Show me favor, O YHWH; consider my affliction from those who hate me,
lifting me up from the gates of death,
14. so that I can tell of all of Your praiseworthy [act]s within the gates of the daughter of Tzion;
I will celebrate Your deliverance!
15. The Gentiles have sunk down into the pit that they [themselves] made;
Their own foot is caught in the net which they had concealed.
16. YHWH is made known [by the] justice that He accomplishes;
The wicked is trapped by the very thing his own hands have made.
Trapped: or knocked down.
(Musical interlude.)
Think about this!
17. The wicked will be sent back into the underworld—
all the Gentiles who forget Elohim,
18. because the needy will not always be forgotten;
The hope of the afflicted will not be lost forever.
Not always: literally, not all the way until the end of the course.
19. Rise up, O YHWH! Do not let mortal man prevail!
Let the wicked be brought to judgment on account of Your presence.
20. Set them in terror, O YHWH;
let the Gentiles recognize that they are mere men!
Think about this.
PSALM 10
1. Why do you stand far off, O YHWH?
[Why do] You hide in times of distress?
2. With swelling pride, the wicked sets the afflicted on fire!
Let them be caught in the plots they themselves have devised!
3. Because the wicked boasts about the appetite of his passion;
He kneels to the one who becomes wealthy by violence, and treats YHWH with contempt.
Wealthy by violence: a picturesque term of breaking something off in order to steal it.
4. The wicked, in turning up his nose, hardly ever resorts [to Him];
Elohim is in none of his plans.
5. His paths are twisting around at all times.
Your lofty [principles of] justice are out of his sight[s].
[As for] all those who pressure him, he sneers at them.
6. He has said in his heart, “I will never be dislodged,
for generation upon generation which is not in adversity!”
7. [Any] oath in his mouth is full of both treachery and deceit;
beneath his tongue [there are] mischief and trouble.
8. He sits, lurking in the blind [corners] of courtyards;
in secret hiding places he murders the innocent.
His eyes, undetected, are on the unsuspecting [and vulnerable].
9. He waits in ambush in a hidden place like a lion in a thicket;
he lies in wait to catch the weak.
He seizes an afflicted person by drawing him into his net.
10. He crouches down and lies low
so the helpless may fall by the sheer strength of his numbers.
11. He has said in his heart, “El has forgotten; He has hidden His face.
He will never even notice!”
12. Rise up, O YHWH! Lift Your hand, O El!
Don’t forget the [weak and] afflicted!
Don’t forget: or (since He sees all), don’t ignore.
13. For what purpose has the wicked [one] despised Elohim?
He has said in his heart, “He will never require [accountability]!”
14. But You have noticed!
You do pay attention to mischief and provocation, to pay [it] back by Your hand.
The helpless can abandon himself to You; You have become the Helper of the orphaned.
Orphaned: the fatherless or anyone bereaved and left with no one else to help.
15. Break the arm of the wicked one, and require of the evil one [an accounting] for his wickedness [until] it can no longer be found!
16. YHWH is King forever and ever; Gentiles have vanished from His Land.
17. O YHWH, You have heard the longing of the afflicted.
You will make their heart ready; You will make Your ear attentive
18. to bring justice to the orphaned and oppressed
[so that] the mortal man from the earth may never again terrify [them].
Man from the earth: one who thinks only of his present advantage and without the heavenly perspective that YHWH’s people have.
PSALM 11
1. For the overseer [of music]; belonging to David.
In YHWH I seek refuge; how can you say to my soul, “Fly to your mountain, little bird!”?
Overseer: or possibly, accomplisher—one who makes it all the way to his goal successfully, so we might render it “overcomer” as in Revelation 2-3. The “your” here is plural.
2. Because, look! The wicked are bending their bow [with their feet], affixing their arrows securely to the remaining part, to shoot in the [dark] gloominess at the upright of heart.
Those who follow YHWH are always the targets of those who hate Him.
3. When the supporting-pillars are broken down, what are the righteous to do?
Pillars: possibly here, the respect for law and order. Without such shared values, no one is safe. But the reassuring answer comes immediately:
4. YHWH is in a temple of His holiness--YHWH, whose throne is in the heaven. His eyes watch, His eyelids examine the sons of Adam.
5. YHWH does scrutinize the righteous, but the wicked—the one who loves violence—His soul detests.
Everyone needs to be judged, tested, and corrected, but those who deliberately cross His lines are the ones the Torah treats most harshly, sometimes allowing no recourse for making amends as with accidental sins.
6. On the wicked He will rain coals of fire and sulfur; a burning wind [is] the share of their cup,
Cup: often an idiom for the “medicine” or punishment one needs to take because of the wrongs they have done.
7. because YHWH is righteous. He loves righteousness; the upright [one] experiences His presence.
His presence is more than adequate compensation for the bad things we experience. (v. 2)
PSALM 12
For the chief musician, accompanied on eight-stringed instruments;
A Psalm of David
1. Save [us], O YHWH, because there has ceased to be a devout one;
because faithful [people] have disappeared from [among] the children of Adam!
Ceased: literally, has come to an end, failed, been completed.
2. Each one is making empty promises to his fellow;
They speak with flattering lip and a divided heart.
Empty: worthless or deceitful, never intending to keep the promise. Divided heart: literally, a heart and [another] heart—saying one thing and meaning another, or unable to decide which they really want. This is the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil—going back and forth between the two.
3. May YHWH cut off all flattering lips
and the tongue that promises oversized things,
4. [those] who have said, “Out tongue will prove to prevail!
Our lips are our own; who is lord over us?”
5. “Because of the destruction of the oppressed and the outcry of the needy, I will now rise up,”
says YHWH. “I will set him in the safe [place] for which he yearns.”
Yearns: literally, makes himself pant to the point of exhaustion.
6. The things YHWH says are clean sayings,
[like] silver tested in earth’s crucible, purified seven times!
7. You, O YHWH, will keep watch over them;
You will perpetually guard them from this generation!
This generation: a phrase Yeshua often used, and Yochanan the Immerser called “a generation of vipers” (Mat. 3:7), possibly an allusion to the “seed of the serpent” in Genesis 3:15 because they act just like it.
8. The wicked prowl around on every side
when vileness is promoted among the children of Adam.
PSALM 13
For the chief musician;
A Psalm of David
1. Until when, O YHWH? Will You forget me until the very end?
How long will You conceal Your face from me?
2. How long must I have these negotiations within myself, with anguish in my heart [day] by day?
How long will my enemy be elevated high above me?
Negotiations: or discussions, plans, schemes.
3. Pay attention and answer me, O YHWH my Elohim!
Give light to my eyes lest I fall asleep [in] death!
4. Lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him!”
[and] those who oppress me are glad because I am dislodged!
5. But I have put my trust in Your kindness;
My heart will rejoice in Your deliverance.
6. I will sing to YHWH because He has finished [all that is needed] in regard to me!
PSALM 14
For the chief musician;
A Psalm of David
1. The fool has said in his heart, “There is no Elohim.”
They have become corrupt; they have adopted despicable practices.
There is none who does good.
2. YHWH looks down from the heavens upon the children of Adam
to see if there are any with insight, who are seeking out Elohim.
3. They have all turned aside; together they have become morally tainted.
There is none who does good, not even one.
4. Haven’t they realized [this]—all the troublemakers
who devour my people like they eat bread [and] do not call [on] YHWH?
5. There they tremble with great dread
because Elohim is with the generation of the righteous.
6. They frustrate the purpose of the afflicted
because YHWH is his refuge.
7. Who will make it possible
that the deliverance of Israel may come out from Tzion?
When YHWH brings back the exiles of His people,
Yaaqov will rejoice and Israel will be glad!
PSALM 15
A Psalm of Dawid.
1. YHWH, who may stay as a guest in Your tent?
Who may settle on the mountain of Your holiness?
2. One who walks in integrity and practices righteousness,
Who speaks truth in his heart.
Speaks…in his heart: a Hebrew idiom for one’s inner thoughts; i.e., he not only tells others the truth, but does not deceive himself, for “from the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks”. (Mat. 12:34) That is why Yeshua warns us not to let our thoughts go where we do not want our actions to follow. (Mat. 5:22, 28)
3. There is no gossip on his tongue, nor does he do evil to his neighbor,
and he does not take up a reproach against one who is closest to him--
Take up a reproach: join in with others who are already taunting him.
4. in whose eyes a reprobate person is contemptible, but who honors those who revere YHWH;
who, even if what he has sworn to do will [end up] bringing him trouble, does not change.
I.e., he does not renege on a promise, default on a loan, or go back on his word.
5. He does not provide his money at interest or take a bribe against [one who is] innocent.
Whoever does these things will never, ever be dislodged.
PSALM 16
A mikhtam of Dawid.
Mikhtam: a poem; the word seems based on “engraving” or “stain”.
1. Protect me, O El,
because in You I seek my refuge!
2. You have said to YHWH, “My Master,
You are my Goodness; there is nothing above You!”
You: a feminine term, possibly, “My soul…”
3. [As] for the holy ones on the earth, they are the ones who excel;
They are all I take delight in.
4. Those who hasten after a different one will have their sorrows multiplied.
I will not pour out their libations of blood, nor take up their names upon my lips at all.
Libations: drink offerings—but blood is not acceptable as a drink in YHWH’s eyes as it may be for pagan gods.
5. YHWH is the best part of my allotted share and my cup;
You control the casting of my lot.
My lot: the roll of “dice” that determines the division of territory between several individuals.
6. The property-boundaries have fallen in pleasant places for me;
In fact, the inheritance adjoining mine is a brightly beautiful one!
The view from his own land is good too; he may be speaking of the tent housing the ark of the covenant on the hill above and visible from his palace!
7. I will bend the knee to YHWH, Who has given me [good] counsel;
at night he even corrects my inner organs!
Corrects: or instructs, admonishes. Inner organs: or possibly mind; i.e., through dreams or meditating on His word, He suggests solutions to what we have been mulling over.
8. I have set YHWH constantly before me;
since [He is not far] from my right hand, I will not be overthrown.
9. For this reason my heart is glad, and my reputation rejoices;
my flesh will also settle down in trustworthy security,
10. because you will not abandon my soul to the grave,
nor will you permit Your pious one to gaze on the pit [of destruction],
In the ultimate sense, this was applied to Dawid’s messianic descendant, who was not left in the grave for more than three nights. (This verse is quotes in Acts 2:27 in regard to Yeshua.)
11. You will make me to know the pathway of life; abundance of joys [come] with Your presence.
At Your right hand are pleasant things perpetually!
PSALM 17
A prayer of Dawid.
1. O YHWH, give a hearing to a just cause!
Be attentive to my loud pleading!
Turn Your ear to my prayer, which is not from deceitful lips!
2. Let a just verdict come forth from Your presence;
Let Your eyes look perceptively into the things that are equitable.
Equitable: straight, upright, on the level--not bent or twisted in any direction.
3. You have examined my heart; You have reviewed me by night.
You have tested me and found nothing; I have resolved not to let my mouth transgress.
4. Concerning the actions of men, through the word of Your lips
I have been careful to keep my travels away from the one who violently breaks through.
5. Uphold my steps; [keep them] on Your [right] track,
so that my footsteps will not lose their grip [in a slippery place].
6. I have called out to You because [I know] You will answer me.
O El, extend Your ear to me and listen to what I say!
7. Show how distinguished Your lovingkindness is; by Your right hand
You can save those who seek refuge in You from those who rise up [against them]
8. Guard me like the pupil [within] Your iris;
hide me under the shadow of Your wings
Iris: literally, daughter of the eye, a Hebrew idiom for what we defend with highest priority.
9. from these wicked ones who have assaulted me,
from the threateners of my life who are surrounding me!
10. Their fat has closed around [their hearts, thus closing them off];
their mouths speak with swelled-up [pride].
11. They have surrounded us, [stopping us in] our tracks;
crouching down on the earth, they have fixed their eyes [on us],
12. looking like a lion [ready and] eager to tear [its prey]
and like a young lion lurking in hidden places.
13. Rise up, O YHWH! Confront him face [to face]! Bring him to his knees!
With Your sword, let my life slip away from the wicked one--
14. from men, [by] Your hand, YHWH—
from men of the world, [who have] their portion [only] in [this] life,
whose belly You fill from Your hidden treasure; they have plenty of children.
They are blessed, but only in this present life, not the life to come, because they have prioritized the present world at the expense of integrity toward others, using them only for their ends. (Compare 2 Timotheos 4:10.)
15. [As for] me, let me behold Your face [as one who is] in the right;
[then] when I awake, I will be satisfied with Your likeness!
Behold Your face: being vindicated when brought before You as my judge, able to look him in the eye without being ashamed. Likeness: a representation of Him, the kind which is forbidden for us to make especially in regard to a deity (Deut. 5:8), so he may be speaking of regaining within himself the lost image of YHWH (as a human, the only legitimate image of Elohim) upon his death and awakening into the next life, in which the wicked have no portion. (v. 14)
PSALM 18
1. (To the superintendent of musicians, belonging to the servant of YHWH, David, who sang to YHWH the words of this song on the day YHWH snatched him out of the palm of [the hand of] all his enemies, and out of the hand of Sha’ul.) Now he said, “I will have tender affection for you, O YHWH, who makes my grip firm!
This seems to be a revision of 2 Shmu’el 22, as David adds this short preamble in verse 1 as an introduction that sums it all up before he submits it to the Levitical choirs to be sung in the Tabernacle courts.
2. ““YHWH is my cliff, my stronghold, and [the] one who brings me to safety--
Cliff: or crag, with the sense of being a secure place.
3. “the Elohim of my rock, to whom I can flee, my shield, and the horn of my deliverance, my inaccessibly high retreat, my refuge, my deliverer! You save me from violence!
Rock: somewhat interchangeable with the “cliff” in verse 2, because the rock that Moshe struck and was told to speak to the second time was called by both terms. (Ex. 17:6; Num. 20:8-11) But here he is comparing YHWH to an isolated mesa like Matzada, where he is out of his enemies’ reach. Horn: as in an animal horn, a symbol of strength.
4. “‘The One who is to be praised’ I will call YHWH, and I will be rescued from my enemies.
5. “When the breaking waves of death had encompassed me, the torrents of the worthless were suddenly overwhelming me,
The worthless: unprofitable,literally, those who do not ascend.
6. “the cords of the underworld were surrounding me, and the snares laid by death had forestalled me--
He paints a picture of tentacles trying to grab him and pull him down under the ground. Forestalled: anticipated my arrival and gotten in my way beforehand, preventing me from going any further.
7. “in what was dire straits for me I started calling out to YHWH, and cried out to my Elohim, and He heard my voice from His sanctuary; my cry for help [came] into His ears!
David was a great warrior, but he knew his limits and was well aware of the danger he faced at every turn. He recognizes YHWH’s hand in each circumstance that has turned out to his advantage. He does not allow anyone to believe that this was mere coincidence or even just his own prowess that has preserved his life. He gives credit where credit is due.
8. “Then the earth convulsed to and fro and trembled; the foundations of the sky were agitated and shook, because He was furious!
9. “Smoke rose up in His nostrils, and fire came out from His mouth to consume, and coals were kindled thereby!
He seems to be described a fire-breathing dragon that was suddenly aroused from slumber, shaking the rubble off itself! Such a sight was probably still occasionally seen in David’s day.
10. “He began to bend the sky, and came down, and there was thick darkness under His feet!
Bend the sky: as if forming a bridge from heaven to earth down which He could slide quickly to rescue David. There is also imagery here reminiscent of when YHWH gave the Torah at Mt. Sinai. He is aligning himself with who his fathers were, to bring his people clarity about who they were to be, and he goes all the way back to the source. He is identifying with his ancestors who were there, and seeing himself as having been there, as we must do as well, for they also obligated us to obey His commands at that time. (Deut. 29:10-15)
11. “He mounted a kh’ruv and flew, and was seen on the wings of the wind.
Kh’ruv: a six-winged class of angelic beings that guard YHWH’s throne. They were depicted on some of the curtains in the Tabernacle and Temple.
12. “While He was appointing darkness all around Him [as] sukkoth--accumulations of water and thick clouds of fine dust--
Sukkoth: booths or temporary dwellings, such as used at the feast by the same name. It obscured His face, upon which no one can look and remain alive. But David also knew that if we look for Him even in the darkest of places, we can find Him if we do not give up. He was sure YHWH heard him and was there to deliver him, and this kept him going.
13. “from the glowing that preceded Him, coals of fire were kindled!
That preceded: literally, across from, opposite, or in front of.
14. “YHWH started thundering from the heavens; that is, the Most High delivered His voice.
15. “He sent out arrows and caused them to scatter, flashes of lightning that confused them.
16. “The enclosures that restrain the sea became visible; the foundations of the habitable world were uncovered at YHWH’s rebuke, from the exhaling of breath from His nostrils!
It seems that the continental shelf or the local equivalent in smaller bodies of water was exposed by something that caused the water to retreat a considerable distance. This sounds like a description of one of the world-scale catastrophes that used to affect the land when Me’adim (Mars) used to cross earth’s orbit periodically prior to 701 B.C.E., causing massive tides not just in the waters but also in the very crust of the earth. He is also reiterating Israel’s history again, likening this to its “birth” through the waters at the Reed Sea as the “ancient spirit” blew them apart as well so all Israel could be delivered. Again he identifies with his ancestors’ experience, for he has gone through something similar.
17. “He sent [it] out from an elevated place; He snatched me up and drew me out of abundant waters.
18. “He let me be rescued from my fierce enemy, from those who hated me, because they were stronger than I!
Stronger: or more solid, stout, or firm—i.e., the giants spoken of in the previous chapter.
19. “They had pre-empted me on the day of my calamity, but YHWH was my support.
20. “He brought me out into a roomy place; He pulled me out because He was pleased with me.
Roomy: as opposed to the dire straits (tight spots, narrow places) he had been in just beforehand. (v. 7) From such a wide-open place he would have ample warning if his enemy was approaching.
21. “YHWH repaid me fully according to my righteous [acts]; He gave back to me to the extent that my hands were purified,
This is why YHWH paid such close attention to him. Like Cornelius, he had earned it. (Acts 10:1-4; compare Yochanan 10:17; 14:21.)
22. “since I have treasured up the ways of YHWH, and not wickedly [gone away] from my Elohim
This is exactly what the Torah told him to do, so he quotes in the perfect tense as a completed fact since he indeed did what it said.
23. “because all of His legal procedures [had been right] in front of me; I did not turn aside from them.
As king he was required to keep a copy of the Torah with him every day. (Deut. 17:18-19) He learned it well and kept it his focus, so he would not stray from it. (Compare Psalm 119.)
24. “So I will completely belong to Him, and will keep myself from my perversion.
We owe Him this, if only out of gratefulness.
25. “And YHWH will bring back to me according to my righteous [acts]—according to my cleanness in front of His eyes.
In all his years as a warrior, only once had he shed innocent blood. (Chapter 11)
26. “With the kind, You prove Yourself kind; with those of integrity, You prove Yourself to have integrity.
27. “With those who have purified themselves, You show Yourself as pure, but with the crooked, You prove Yourself [able to] tie them in knots.
Does this sound contradictory? No, it just means YHWH can outdo anyone’s trickery by forestalling them just as David’s enemies had tried to do to him. He can “tie them in knots” if they think they can elude His eyes by their fancy footwork. People tend to try to force YHWH into their own image, and if they seek to “pull one over on Him”, He will show that He can outdo them in twisting (rather than untying them, since the choices they have made render it too dangerous to set them free), sending them a strong delusion that they might believe they have evidence for the lie that they prefer. (2 Thessalonians 2:11) He is open in His dealings with those who will not abuse the knowledge He provides, but keeps others in the dark about His plans
.
28. While You will let the afflicted people be liberated, Your eyes are on the ‘high [and mighty]’; You will bring them to a lower place,
29. “because You are my lamp, O YHWH! And YHWH will illuminate what is obscure for me,
Obscure: or simply, dark. Those closest to David thought he was the lamp (21:17), but through this song he corrected their focus, as Y'shua also did. (Yochanan 5:30; 8:28)
30. “since through You I can [out]run a [whole] army division; through my Elohim I can leap over a wall!
Outrun an army division: or, run up against a band.
31. “[As for] the Elohim, His way is sound. The [spoken] word of YHWH is [tested and] proven; He is a shield to all who seek refuge in Him.
Sound: having integrity, unimpaired, completely in accord with the facts.
32. “Because who is an El other than YHWH? And who is a rock except our Elohim?
33. “The [one and only] Elohim is my capable protection, and He unties [those who are] blameless [in] His way,
Or, He causes those who are blameless [in] His way to spring up.
34. “making my feet like [the feet of] does, and He will make me stand on my high ridges,
Like the feet of does: sure-footed, and always climbing higher. A cloven hoof does not get stuck in the mud. High ridges: The most advantageous places militarily, and sadly the very strongholds modern Yehudah has allowed the Palestinians to control.
35. “training my hands for the battle, so that my arms can stretch a bow of bronze.
Training: includes the elements of exercise and prodding, not just instruction. A bronze bow is harder to stretch than a wooden one.
36. “You will also provide me with the shield of Your deliverance, and Your condescension will make me become great.
Condescension: literally, stooping low. I.e., when YHWH stoops to our level to pay us attention and help us, we can be raised higher.
37. “You enlarge my steps beneath me, so that my ankles have not slipped [out of joint].
Steps: or pace, stride. If the place we need to run on is not amply wide, the ankle may be dislodged more easily if one maintains the same pace of running. David is very specific in his thanks to YHWH, seeing His hand in every detail!
38. “I can pursue my enemies and devastate them, and not return until I finish them off.
39. “I can bring them to an end and wound them [so] severely that they cannot get up, but will fall beneath my feet.
40. “Indeed, You will equip me with ability to do battle; those who [persistently] rise up against me You will cause to crouch beneath me.
This does not sound like a “religious” motive, but it is part of being able to guard the Torah, which YHWH tells us over and over to do. David spent much of the time while he was waiting to be made king finishing the job Y’hoshua and his successors had been unable to or failed to do, in ridding the Land of the peoples that YHWH had said to utterly destroy. (1 Shmu’el 27:8-11) As his passion for YHWH increased, so did his desire to rid his people of these threats that still remained, and now he had finished the job.
41. “You have also given me the back of my enemies’ necks, so that I could put an end to those who hate me.
42. “They were looking around, but there was no deliverer—toward YHWH, but He did not respond to them.
If there is “personal salvation” anywhere in Scripture it is here, because YHWH chose between two different groups who were calling on Him, and recognized some as rightly-motivated and other not. So He was selective in whom He responded to, sometimes even having to sacrifice one for the sake of the other. (Yeshayahu/Isa. 43:3-4)
43. “So I will pulverize them like the dust of the earth; I will crush them like the muck [in] a street, and spread them out thinly.
Since YHWH gave them no reprieve or consideration, David knew he did not need to either. This is very “politically incorrect” today, but David is not ashamed of it, because He knows it does not offend YHWH, who calls Himself “YHWH [Master of] Armies” (i.e., the General) more than by any other title.
44. “You will also let me safely slip away from the disputes of my people. You will retain me as head of nations; a people I have not known will serve me.
Not only foreigners have oppressed him; many fools in his own nation had put him at a disadvantage also (Shim’i in 16:9 and Sheva in chapter 20, not to mention all who opposed him during Sha’ul’s reign), but YHWH did not let this remain the case. Head of nations: This is also a Messianic prophecy, for David is living out many of the experiences of his chosen descendant. Because he loves YHWH and is so faithful to carry out His orders, YHWH gives him a bonus gift of the rulership of the whole world as well. (Yeshayahu 49:6)
45. “The children of a foreigner will [cringe and] feign obedience to me; upon the hearing of the ear, they will have yielded to me.
I.e., no sooner will they be spoken to than they will at least pretend to obey, for they know that he has a rod of iron, and if they are caught, they, not the standard, will be broken.
46. “The sons of the foreigner will wither away, and [come] bound from their prisons.
Wither away: or fade, droop, sink down. Bound: or, belted; alt., trembling. Prisons: or, fastnesses, tightly-closed places, probably places they had hidden from David but were discovered and now have no choice but to surrender. Ithai the Githite (15:9) and many other foreigners had joined his army and now had much better lives than before.
47. “YHWH is alive! And may my Rock be blessed, and may the Elohim of the rock of my safety be raised up high--
48. “the El who provides vengeance for me, and who brings peoples down beneath me!
49. “Who brings me out from [among] my enemies, and You will lift me above those who rise up against me; You will snatch me away from the man of cruel injustices.
50. “Therefore I will thank you, O YHWH, among the nations, and I will sing [praises and play music] to Your Name!
51. “He is a tower of salvation [to] His king, who brings about kindness toward the one He anointed—to David and his seed until [and including] the age!”
Tower: In ancient Israel, they usually had a door on the first level that could be locked, and either an interior or exterior second floor from which one could watch his flocks, herds, or vineyards, to be on the lookout for enemies, robbers, or predators. In a way this is David’s “swan song” as he is approaching the last years of his life, so he summarizes his life in this song for all Israel to preserve, and includes YHWH’s promise of the continuance of his dynasty, which will be given its ultimate permanence through Y'shua.
PSALM 19
To the chief musician;
A psalm of David.
1. The skies recount YHWH's glory;
The atmosphere sets forth the work of His hands.
2. Day after day speech pours forth;
Night after night knowledge is revealed.
3. There is no [articulate] speech Nor are there words;
Inaudible is their voice.
4. Their measuring line has gone forth throughout all the earth,
And their testimony to the remotest parts of the inhabited world.
5. For the sun He has set up a dwelling place in them
and it is like a bridegroom leaving his wedding canopy;
like a strong athlete, it is enthusiastic to run its course.
6. The far reaches of the heavens are its starting block; and
his circuit comes around all the way to their other end.
and nothing is hidden from its heat.
7. The instruction of YHWH is complete, bringing the soul back again.
The scroll of YHWH's prophecies is trustworthy, making the open-minded wise.
Its precision of fulfillment shatters the notion that nothing
is certain and one should therefore tolerate all beliefs. He learns instead
to be wise and choose the one Word that is "firmly established in the
heavens" (119:89).
8. The rules by which He cares for us fit us properly, making our hearts rejoice!
Yahweh's [individual] orders are clearcut, enlightening [one's] eyes.
9. The reverential fear of YHWH is undefiled; it stands forever.
His decisions are true and just [when they are] all [considered] together.
10. [They are] more desirable than gold, even tons of pure, refined gold!
[They are] also sweeter than honey and the drippings of a honeycomb.
11. Moreover, your servant is forewarned by them;
in observing them [there lies] a great reward.
12. Who is able to perceive [it] whenever he makes an error?
[Please] don't punish me for the faults I can't recognize!
13. But also restrain Your servant from acting presumptuously on sudden urges—
don't let them take control of me;
then I'll be wholehearted, and emptied of great transgressions.
14. Let the words of my mouth as well as [all] the musings of my heart
be well-pleasing before You, O Yahweh, My Rock and My Redeemer!
Bullinger [Witness of the Stars] points out how this second stanza (vv. 7-14) parallels the first (vv. 1-6) in describing two forms of YHWH's revelation. "He has not left Himself without witness" (Envoys 14:17) anywhere in the world. The stars, created in order to be signs (Gen. 1:14) have communicated YHWH's glory—His crowning work, the promise redemption through the Messiah—since the beginning of time. The matzaroth (Iyov 38:32), of which the modern signs of the zodiac are a corruption, gave many details about what He would accomplish, through the names of the individual stars (147:4; Yeshay. 40:26) and the ordering of the constellations' positions. But now David says, YHWH's Torah (instruction) completes the revelation, "restoring one's soul", i.e., reviving it again with the assurance that YHWH has not left us to our fallen state, but along with the promise of redemption He has given us a manner of life through which we can keep the effects of sin at bay until the visible restoration is complete.
PSALM 20
(For the chief musician; a psalm of Dawid.)
1. May YHWH answer you in the day of distress;
may the reputation of the Elohim of Yaaqov set you in an inaccessibly-high place.
2. May He send your help from [the] sanctuary,
and [send] your support out from Tzion.
Support: sustenance or refreshment.
3. May He remember all of your tribute offerings
and [accept] the fat our your ascending offerings.
Think about this.
4. May He grant to you according to [what is in] your heart,
and fulfill your every goal.
5. We will shout for joy when You deliver [us]
and [rave] conspicuously in the name of our Elohim!
May YHWH fulfill all of your requests.
6. Now I have come to be sure that YHWH delivers the one He has anointed;
He will answer him from His holy heaven with the saving power of His right hand.
7. These [trust] in chariots and those in horses,
But we will remember the reputation of YHWH our Elohim.
8. They have sunk low and fallen down,
But we have risen up and been restored.
9. O YHWH, deliver!
May the King answer us on the day we call.
PSALM 21
(For the chief musician; a psalm of Dawid.)
1. O YHWH, by Your strong protection the king will be glad
and in Your deliverance he will forcefully rejoice!
2. You have given him what his heart longed for
And have not withheld the request of his lips.
Think about this!
3. Because You go on ahead of him with the blessings of good;
You set upon his head a crown of the finest gold.
Go on ahead: or anticipate, confront, meet, go before him to lead.
4. He asked for life from You
and you gave him length of days—an age and more!
Though Dawid only lived 70 years in this life, he is promised a place of prominence in the Kingdom of his descendant, which will last 1,000 years and on into another world thereafter. (Ezek. 34:23-24; 37:25)
5. Through Your deliverance he carries great weight;
honor and splendor You have placed upon him.
6. You have applied perpetual blessings to him;
by Your presence You have made him rejoice with gladness!
7. Because the king puts his trust in YHWH,
and through the kindness of the Most High he will not be toppled.
Trust: the term implies that he has a reliable security, because YHWH is trustworthy.
8. Your hand will find all of Your enemies;
Your right hand will find those who hate You.
Find: detect, discover, catch up to, encounter, and take possession of—as in “finding His target”.
9. You will make them like an oven of fire at the time [when] You come forward;
YHWH will swallow them up with His nostrils, and the fire will devour them.
10. You will make their fruit vanish from the earth,
and their seed and descendants from among humanity,
11. because they stretched out evil over you,
and devised a plot that they were unable [to carry out].
12. When You cause them to turn their backs,
You put Your arrows on the string [trained] on their faces.
13. Be lifted [to prominence], O YHWH, by Your own might!
We will sing and make music [about] Your heroic [deeds].
PSALM 22
[1. For the chief musician: on the “deer of the dawn”.]
This appears to be a melody known commonly at that time.
2. My El, My El, why have You forsaken me, distancing Yourself from delivering me and the words of my cry of distress?
Yeshua quoted the first phrase while being crucified, partly due to how he actually felt at the time, but partly to call attention to how what he was experiencing matched the rest of the chapter so well.
3. My Elohim, I call by day, but You do not answer! By night, but there is no relief for me!
4. Yet You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel!
Despite his discomfort, the speaker keeps everything in perspective. He knows that whatever YHWH decides is best.
5. In You our ancestors trusted; they felt secure, and You delivered them.
6. To You they cried, and they escaped; in You they trusted, and were not put to shame.
7. But I am a worm, and not a man; a reproach of humanity, which the people despise!
Worm: the particular kind from which crimson dye was made, so he may be emphasizing that he is all bloody and not recognizable as a man. (Compare Yeshayahu 52:14.) Reproach: or abused.
8. All who see me laugh me to scorn; they shoot out the lip, they shake their head:
9. “He committed himself to YHWH; let Him deliver him! Let Him rescue him, since he delights in him!”
Compare Luke 23:35.
10. Because You [are the One who] made me burst forth from the womb; You made me feel secure on my mother’s breasts.
11. Upon You I was cast since the womb; from my mother’s belly You [have been] my Elohim!
12. Don’t be far from me, because the oppressor is near! Because there is no one to help!
Oppressor: or trouble, pressure, stress.
13. Many bulls have surrounded me—obstinate [bulls] of Bashan have encircled me!
Bashan: the best pastureland in Israel, thus producing the strongest cattle.
14. They opened their mouths wide over me, roaring [like] a lion that tears apart.
15. I am poured out like water, and all my bones have separated themselves.
My heart has become like wax, melting away among my internal organs!
Separated themselves: come out of joint—a very common effect of crucifixion, when one is hanging in such a way that puts strain on the shoulders and wrists.
16. My strength has dried up like a shard of earthenware, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you have placed me in the dust of death,
Strength: the term includes both ability and vigor.
17. because dogs have surrounded me. A congregation of evildoers have closed me in; they have pierced my hands and my feet.
They have pierced: bored holes in; the Masoretic text reads “like a lion my hands and feet”, leading some to say that the alternate reading (differing only by the length of an upright stroke) is a later corruption designed to prove Yeshua’s crucifixion was prophesied. However, the “lion” phrase does not make grammatical sense, and both the Dead Sea Scrolls and LXX, which predate Christianity by one to two centuries, have the “pierced” reading, as do the oldest Syriac, Vulgate, Ethiopic, and Arabic versions.
18. I can count all my bones; they pay attention and stare at me.
Count: A person undergoing crucifixion would have many bones out of joint, and would thus be more aware of them than usual. Pay attention: or regard me.
19. They divided my garments for themselves, and in regard to my clothing they cast lots.
See Matithyahu 27:35.
20. But You, O YHWH, don’t be far [from me]! O, My Protector, hurry to help me!
21. Snatch my life away from the sword; from the power of the dog, my One and Only!
22. Save me from the mouth of the lion; respond [and deliver] me from the horns of the wild oxen.
Lion, wild ox: metaphors for the types of people he had to deal with.
23. I will declare Your Name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will make my boast in Your Name.
He promises to do this after he is brought back to a more normal situation.
24. Fear YHWH, and rave about Him, all [you] descendants of Yaaqov; give Him honor, and stand in awe of Him, all [you] descendants of Israel!
The turning point may have come in his mind before he began to see these things he knew about YHWH to be true, but that he purposed in his heart to give YHWH honor once He did rescue him contributed to its coming to pass, because YHWH saw that his trust was genuine:
25. For He has not held in contempt or disdained the suffering of the afflicted, nor has He hidden His face from him; when he cried out to Him [for help], He listened.
He has not mocked the pain of those who are truly humiliated. He did not forsake him after all!
26. From with You [comes] my [song of] praise in the great assembly; I will fulfill my vows in the sight of all those who fear Him.
In the sight of: or, in the presence of, but their awareness is implied.
27. The humble shall eat and be satisfied; they will praise YHWH. The heart of you who seek Him will live forever.
Eat and be satisfied: Yeshua echoed this in Mat. 5:3-12. Live forever: or be revived for a long, long time.
28. All the ends of the earth will remember and return to YHWH; all the families of the nations will prostrate themselves before Him,
This is the outcome of Yeshua’s suffering when the message about it is carried “into all the world”.
29. because the kingship belongs to YHWH; [He is] the one ruling among the nations.
30. All the prosperous of the earth will eat and prostrate themselves [in homage]; all who go down [into the] dust will bow before Him, and [for the one who] cannot keep his own soul alive,
Their wealth cannot extend their lives at all if He decides their time has come.
31. a descendant will serve Him. This will count for my Master for the [coming] generation.
One meaning of this may be that if one cannot keep himself alive long enough to see the Kingdom, one of his descendants will represent him. But if there is a resurrection of all of the just, this would not need to be the case. Count: or be recounted to the next generation:
32. They will come and declare his righteousness to a people [yet to be] born, because he has accomplished [it]!
Yeshua attained the righteousness that Adam did not, when given the test, and therefore his reign will span many generations, though he had been brought low and cut off. (Compare Yeshayahu 53:3-12.)
PSALM 23
[A Psalm of David]
1. YHWH is my shepherd; there is nothing that I will lack.
David, who was a shepherd, knew all the ways a shepherd could best provide for his sheep.
2. He lets me lie down in grassy meadows; He leads me to rest around quiet waters.
Sheep are afraid to drink from fast-moving streams.
3. He lets me catch my breath; He guides me into trench-like paths [where I can keep my] balance for the sake of His name.
4. Even though I may walk in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I will not be afraid of trouble, because You are with me.
Your rod and staff are what console me.
Valley of the Shadow of Death: a name for the Qidron Valley, east of Yerushalayim, which was so deep that none of the lights from the city penetrated it. King David had to cross this valley when fleeing from Avshalom, and he wept as he did. (2 Shmuel 15:23) With a rod the shepherd can beat off would-be predators; the word for “staff” means “a support” in Hebrew.
5. You set a table for me opposite those who oppress me. You smear my head with oil; my feeding-trough overflows.
Smear my head: to soothe it when overdried from the sun.
6. Indeed, benefit and lovingkindness will chase me down all the days of my life,
and I will remain in the House of YHWH for the length of days.
PSALM 24
A Psalm of David
[Liturgy for the Sabbath and Yom haKippurim]
1. The earth belongs to YHWH, along with all that fills it—the habitable world, and all who dwell in it,
2. because He has founded it above the seas, and stablished it above the rivers.
3. Who may go up onto the Mountain of YHWH? Or who may stand in the place dedicated to Him?
The place: His holy Temple.
4. [The one with] innocent hands and a clean heart, who has not lifted up his soul to [worthless] nonentities, nor sworn treacherously--
Nonentities: i.e., idols or pursuits which really get nowhere, having no basis in reality.
5. he will carry away the blessing from YHWH, and vindication from the Elohim who has rescued him.
6. This is the generation of those who search Him out, who seek Your face—Yaaqov, [that is]. Stop and ponder this.
7. Lift up your heads, you gates! And be lifted up, you ancient entrances, so the heavily-honored King may enter!
Lift your heads: i.e., raise the portcullis, unbar the doors. Honored: or weighty, i.e., most important, authoritative, the One who really counts and outranks all the rest.
8. Who is this heavily-honored King? YHWH, the powerful! YHWH, the war hero!
War hero: Compare Moshe’s song at the Reed Sea. (Ex. 15)
9. Lift up your heads, you gates! Lift [them] up, you ancient entrances, so the heavily-honored King may enter!
10. Who is this heavily-honored King?
YHWH [Commander] of Armies—He is the King!
Stop and ponder this.
Ponder: i.e., get this into your head and get it straight!
PSALM 25
(A psalm of Dawid.)
1. Unto You, O YHWH, I lift up my soul.
2. My Elohim, I have come to trust in You;
don’t let me be put to shame!
Don’t let my enemies be triumphant toward me.
3. Don’t let anyone [else] who waits expectantly for You be put to shame, either!
Let the ones who deal treacherously for no reason be [the ones who are] put to shame!
4. Let me know Your ways, O YHWH;
teach me Your paths!
5. Lead me into Your truth, and teach me,
because You are the Elohim of my deliverance;
I am waiting expectantly for You all day [long].
Lead me: literally, make/have me tread. Into Your truth: or, in Your faithfulness.
6. Remember Your tender mercies, O YHWH, and Your kind acts,
because they have always been [there since antiquity immemorial].
7. Don’t remember the sins of my youth or my rebellings;
[instead,] remember me according to Your mercy—
You Yourself, O YHWH, for the sake of Your goodness.
8. YHWH is good and straight up;
therefore He instructs those who are missing [the path] in the [right] way [to go].
9. He brings the humble into justice,
And teaches the lowly His way.
Or, He guides the humble in the way of justice.
10. All the paths of YHWH are [full of] kindness and reliable
for those who [faithfully] guard His covenant and His testimonies.
11. O YHWH, for the sake of Your name,
forgive my crookedness, too, because it is extreme!
12. Who is this man who stands in reverential awe of YHWH?
He is the one He will instruct in the way He prefers.
Prefers: the way of His choice. Others who are less cooperative may receive His second-best just because they do not put enough value on being precisely where He wants them to be.
13. His soul will rest all night in an agreeable setting,
and his descendants will inherit the Land.
14. YHWH’s inner-circle counsel is with the ones who revere Him,
and He will let them experience alliance with Himself.
15. My eyes are always [turned] toward YHWH,
because He will get my feet out of the net [in which they are snared].
16. Turn to me and show me favor,
because I am lonely and afflicted!
17. The stresses [on] my heart have become bigger;
bring me out of my tight spots!
18. Look on my misery and my troublesome labor;
and forgive all of my errors!
Forgive: literally, carry away.
19. Consider my enemies, because they have become numerous,
and they hate me with violent hatred!
20. Guard my life and rescue me;
don’t let me be put to shame, because I have fled to You for protection!
21. Let integrity and even-handedness preserve me,
Because I wait for You with eager expectation.
22. O Elohim, ransom Israel
from all of their distresses!
PSALM 26
(A Psalm of Dawid)
1. Vindicate me, O YHWH, because I have walked in my integrity!
Since I have put my trust in YHWH, I will not slip.
Slip: or possibly, be shaken.
2. Examine me, O YHWH, and put me to the test;
refine my organs and my heart,
Examine: or scrutinize. Test: as in a trial by fire to prove a tool has been fully readied for use. Organs: or kidneys, vessels; seen as the seat of affections or emotions.
3. because Your lovingkindness is directly in my sights,
and I have made myself walk in Your truth.
4. I have neither settled in with worthless men
nor will I go in with secretive [people].
Go in: i.e., enter into agreements. Secretive: from the word for “hide”; possibly hypocrites or deceivers.
5. I have hated a gathering of evildoers,
and with wicked ones I will not sit.
6. I will wash my hands in innocence,
And [thus] I will circle Your altar
Circle: a common celebratory tradition at least at the feast of Sukkoth, where pilgrims brought long willow branches with swooshing motion to simulate the sound of the wind (also “spirit” in Hebrew):
7. to make [Your praise] heard with the voice of thanksgiving
and tell about all of Your extraordinary deeds!
8. O YHWH, I have loved the refuge of Your house
and the place where Your honor dwells.
Refuge: abode, lair, den, habitation, dwelling, and by analogy a retreat or place of asylum and sanctuary.
9. Don’t let my soul associate with sinners
Nor [let] my life [be spent in the company] of blood[thirsty] men
10. in whose hand is a mischievous scheme
And whose right hand is full of bribes!
11. I, on the other hand, will walk in my integrity;
ransom me and show me favor!
12. My foot has been made to stand on a level place;
Among those assembled, I will bless YHWH!
PSALM 27
[Day of Atonements liturgy; also read the 40 days leading up to it]
(Belonging to David)
1. YHWH is my light and my deliverance; whom should I fear?
YHWH is my refuge, [Who keeps] me alive; of whom should I be afraid?
Refuge: a stronghold, place of safety and defense. This chapter is traditionally considered a prophecy of YHWH’s special protection of Israel during the “time of Yaaqov’s trouble” (Yirmeyahu 30:7) when its enemies surround it, but YHWH hides us away in a special place.
2. When those with intent to harm approached me to devour my flesh—
My oppressors and my enemies—they stumbled and fell!
Oppressors: or those who wanted to put me in a tight spot, cramp me. Though this undoubtedly arose out of his own experience, as a prophet he put his sentiments into words all Israel could identify with and use to worship YHWH for His safe-keeping.
3. [Even] if an army should encamp against me, my heart will not be afraid;
[Even] though a war should arise against me, in this I have confidence.
4. One [thing] I have requested from YHWH; after it I will pursue:
That I may dwell in the House of YHWH all the days of my life,
To gaze upon the pleasantness of YHWH,
And to make inquiry in His Temple.
During the siege of Israel by all nations during the time of Yaaqov’s trouble, YHWH’s tabernacle may be among us in the wilderness:
5. Because He will hide me away in His sukkah.
In the day of trouble He will keep me, undetected, in the secrecy of His tent;
He will set me high upon a rock.
Hide me away: secretly, like a treasure. Sukkah: The festival of Sukkoth is a foreshadowing of the Kingdom that begins with this “day of trouble”, when YHWH’s wrath will fall on His enemies. Rock: where enemies cannot undermine or scale the heights.
6. So even now my head can [already] be lifted up above those who surround me in hostility,
And I will slaughter in His tent offerings with a shout [of joy];
I will sing and make music to YHWH!
He will not have to be quiet so his enemies cannot detect him, because he is confident in YHWH’s protection.
7. Oh, YHWH, hear my voice when I call,
And show me favor and answer me!
8. “Seek My face!” [You told] us;
Your face, O YHWH, I will seek!
9. Don’t conceal Your face from me! Don’t turn Your servant away in anger!
You have been my help; don’t neglect or abandon me, O Elohim of my deliverance!
Your face: i.e., Your favor, the sense of Your presence, Your “smiling” upon me (approval). This psalm is prayed during the days leading up to the judgment of Yom haKippurim.
10. Though my father and mother forsake me, YHWH will gather me up [into the company of others].
Because of this verse, some have surmised that David’s father did indeed leave him “high and dry” when he was being pursued by King Sha’ul, because it is clear that his father did not even consider him a candidate for anointing when Shmu’el visited his home to find out whom YHWH wanted to select as Sha’ul’s successor. (1 Shmu’el 16:11)
11. Teach me Your way, O YHWH, and guide me into a level path,
On account of those who spy on me [with treacherous intent]!
Level: or upright; one that is not crooked or “bumpy” in any way—one that is clear and straightforward, with no hiding place for anyone to lie in wait to pounce on him.
12. Don’t deliver me over to those whose passionate desire is to put me in dire straits, for false witnesses have risen up against me
—and they are breathing out violence!
Breathing out: i.e., “huffing and puffing”, panting and salivating after his downfall.
13. [And they would have defeated me] if I had not had faith that I would see the goodness of YHWH in the land of the living.
14. Place your expectation toward YHWH, hold on tightly, and He will make your heart courageous. Then [continue to] pin your hopes on YHWH!
Psalms or T'hillim
(Prayer-Songs)
INTRODUCTION: The psalms give us many examples of the way YHWH wants to be approached and worshipped, whether there is an official sanctuary in place or not. The psalms are a songbook specifically designed for use in the Temple. They call on all to participate in praise to YHWH using a melody and instruments. (e.g., Psalm 33) When they tell us to clap our hands, shout, or dance to YHWH, these are not requests but commands. They call for a vivid response to what He has done. When He delivers His people throughout Scripture, a new song usually comes forth. (Psalm 98) Shouting aloud brings great release when we have been afraid or angered. People do it for worthless events like a football match, and the teams feed off it; how much more do YHWH’s awesome deeds deserve an emphatic response?
