HarperCollins Study Bible
Page 207
10.14 Grief, possibly “provocation” or “vexation.”
10.15–16 Association of the wicked and the nations here and elsewhere in Pss 9 and 10 (e.g., 9.5–6, 15–17) suggests the possibility that the one who speaks in the psalm is the king.
10.16 Victory over oppressors is a demonstration of God’s sovereign rule (24.8, 10; 29.10; 47.2; Ex 15.18).
PSALM 11
Song of Trust in God
To the leader. Of David.
1In the LORD I take refuge; how can you say to me,
“Flee like a bird to the mountains;b
2for look, the wicked bend the bow,
they have fitted their arrow to the string,
to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart.
3If the foundations are destroyed,
what can the righteous do?”
4The LORD is in his holy temple;
the LORD’s throne is in heaven.
His eyes behold, his gaze examines humankind.
5The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked,
and his soul hates the lover of violence.
6On the wicked he will rain coals of fire and sulfur;
a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.
7For the LORD is righteous;
he loves righteous deeds;
the upright shall behold his face.
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a Meaning of Heb uncertain
b Gk Syr Jerome Tg: Heb flee to your mountain, O bird
11.1–7 A psalm of confidence and trust in God by someone who knows God’s protection against the wicked. It is related to the expressions of confidence in the prayers for help (3.3–6, 8; 4.6–8; 6.8–10; 7.12–16). To the leader. See note on 4.1–8. Refuge. See note on 2.10–12.
11.1–3 Against the advice of friends or counselors who have recommended that the psalmist in trouble flee…to the mountains, the psalmist claims a sufficient protection in trusting in the Lord.
11.3 See note on 82.5. The advisers recognize the innocence or righteousness of the one who prays.
11.4–7 Confidence in God’s righteous rule.
11.4 The imagery of God’s throne of judgment is found also in 7.6–8; 9.4, 7; cf. 122.5; Prov 20.8.
11.5 The righteous one trusts in God’s determination of who is righteous or innocent and who is wicked.
PSALM 12
Plea for Help in Evil Times
To the leader: according to The Sheminith. A Psalm of David.
1Help, O LORD, for there is no longer anyone who is godly;
the faithful have disappeared from humankind.
2They utter lies to each other;
with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.
3May the LORD cut off all flattering lips,
the tongue that makes great boasts,
4those who say, “With our tongues we will prevail;
our lips are our own—who is our master?”
5“Because the poor are despoiled, because the needy groan,
I will now rise up,” says the LORD;
“I will place them in the safety for which they long.”
6The promises of the LORD are promises that are pure,
silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
purified seven times.
7You, O LORD, will protect us;
you will guard us from this generation forever.
8On every side the wicked prowl,
as vileness is exalted among humankind.
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12.1–8 A general prayer for help that incorporates a divine word of deliverance. A representative figure, possibly priest or prophet, seems to speak on behalf of the community as well as on behalf of God. To the leader. See note on 4.1–8. According to The Sheminith. See note on 6.1–10.
12.1–4 Pleas to God against those who oppress others by what they say—lies, flattery, arrogance, hypocrisy, and slander.
12.1 Godly, often translated as “faithful,” those who live a life faithful to the covenant and the instruction of the Lord. The sense of widespread wickedness and the absence of goodness is similar to that expressed even more sharply in 14.1–3.
12.4 “Who is our master?” has the same force as the quotations in 10.4, 6; 14.1. The wicked assume that God has no effective power over them.
12.5 The response of God, possibly spoken by a representative figure. Rise up. Cf. the petitions asking this of God in, e.g., 3.7; 7.6; 9.19; 10.12; 74.22; 82.8; 132.8. I will place…they long, possibly to be translated, “I will place in safety the witness on their behalf.”
12.6–8 The confidence of the people in God even though wickedness presently prevails.
12.6 The promises of the LORD, or “the utterances of the LORD,” given in v. 5, have the integrity and truthfulness that are not present on the lips and tongues of the wicked (vv. 2–4).
PSALM 13
Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies
To the leader. A Psalm of David.
1How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2How long must I bear paina in my soul,
and have sorrow in my heart all day long?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
3Consider and answer me, O LORD my God!
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,
4and my enemy will say, “I have prevailed”
my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.
5But I trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6I will sing to the LORD,
because he has dealt bountifully with me.
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a Syr: Heb hold counsels
13.1–6 The prayer of an individual for help in the face of unspecified trouble. To the leader. See note on 4.1–8.
13.1–2 The complaint to God.
13.1 How long? See note on 6.3. Will you forget me forever? For the frequency of this complaint, see 42.9; 44.24; 74.19; 77.9 (cf. 9.12, 18; 10.11–12). Hide your face. See notes on 10.1; 27.9.
13.3–4 The plea for God to respond.
13.3 Give light to my eyes, i.e., restore the power to live.
13.5 An expression of confidence in God’s help.
13.6 A vow of praise (see note on 7.17).
PSALM 14
Denunciation of Godlessness
To the leader. Of David.
1Fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds;
there is no one who does good.
2The LORD looks down from heaven on humankind
to see if there are any who are wise,
who seek after God.
3They have all gone astray, they are all alike perverse;
there is no one who does good,
no, not one.
4Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers
who eat up my people as they eat bread,
and do not call upon the LORD?
5There they shall be in great terror,
for God is with the company of the righteous.
6You would confound the plans of the poor,
but the LORD is their refuge.
7O that deliverance for Israel would come from Zion!
When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people,
Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be glad.
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14.1–7 A psalm expressing confidence in God’s protecting help for the poor and innocent even in the face of rampant and unrelenting wickedness and evil. The psalm is repeated in almost the same words as Ps 53. To the leader. See note on 4.1–8.
14.1–3 The absence of God is experienced in the absence of good. Quoted in Rom 3.10–12.
14.1 Fools are the same as the wicked in the wisdom traditions of Israel (cf. evildoers in v. 4). The statement of the f
ools in this psalm is placed on the lips of the wicked in 10.4 (cf. Isa 32.6). There is no God, i.e., God is not present in the world in any effective way. Cf. 10.4, 6, 13; 12.4. There is no one who does good echoes “there is no God.”
14.2 Who seek after God. For the moral character of seeking after God, see Am 5.4–6, 7, 10–11, 14–15, where seeking after God is found in hating evil, loving good, and establishing justice.
14.4–6 The refuge of the poor and righteous is the downfall of the evildoers. These verses counter the empirical claim of vv. 1–3 that God is not present because evil is rampant.
14.4 Who eat…eat bread. The translation is uncertain. For a similar image, see Mic 3.1–3.
14.5 God is with…the righteous reflects the primary word of assurance from God to those in distress, “I am with you” (e.g., Gen 26.24; 35.3; Ex 3.12; Isa 41.10; cf. Isa 7.14 for Immanuel, a Hebrew term that means “God is with us”).
14.6 Refuge. See note on 2.10–12.
14.7 A prayer of hope and anticipation that God will deliver the people. When that happens, there will be great joy.
PSALM 15
Who Shall Abide in God’s Sanctuary?
A Psalm of David.
1O LORD, who may abide in your tent?
Who may dwell on your holy hill?
2Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right,
and speak the truth from their heart;
3who do not slander with their tongue,
and do no evil to their friends,
nor take up a reproach against their neighbors;
4in whose eyes the wicked are despised,
but who honor those who fear the LORD;
who stand by their oath even to their hurt;
5who do not lend money at interest,
and do not take a bribe against the innocent.
Those who do these things shall never be moved.
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15.1–5 A liturgy for entrance into the sanctuary. See Ps 24 (cf. Isa 33.14–16; Ezek 18.5–9; Mic 6.6–8).
15.1 The question, perhaps by a priest, asks what the qualifications are for admission into the worshiping congregation and the presence of God.
15.2–5 The requirements for entry are now listed in response to the question. The general qualifications in v. 2 are specified in v. 3. They involve the morality of speech and conduct toward neighbor (vv. 2–3), association (v. 4ab), integrity of oaths sworn (v. 4c), and ill-gotten gains (v. 5).
15.4 Fear the LORD. See note on 34.7.
15.5 For the prohibition of interest, see Ex 22.25; Lev 25.36; Deut 23.19. Money was lent in order to help those in need, and profit from the distress of a neighbor was wrong. For the prohibition of bribes, see Ex 23.8; Deut 16.19; Isa 1.23; Mic 3.11.
PSALM 16
Song of Trust and Security in God
A Miktam of David.
1Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
2I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”a
3As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble,
in whom is all my delight.
4Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows;b
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names upon my lips.
5The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
6The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
I have a goodly heritage.
7I bless the LORD who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
8I keep the LORD always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
9Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;
my body also rests secure.
10For you do not give me up to Sheol,
or let your faithful one see the Pit.
11You show me the path of life.
In your presence there is fullness of joy;
in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
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a Jerome Tg: Meaning of Heb uncertain
b Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain
16.1–11 A prayer of an individual for divine help in which emphasis is placed on the confident trust in God of the one who prays. The psalm seems to be more a prayer for continual protection rather than a cry of distress arising out of a particular occasion of suffering, though the latter may have elicited the confidence expressed herein. Miktam. Meaning uncertain, but possibly indicating that the psalm was inscribed on a stone or wall.
16.2–11 An elaborate expression of the psalmist’s experience of God’s guidance and protection and the blessings God has bestowed.
16.2–4 The translation is for the most part very uncertain.
16.5–6 The terms portion, cup, lot, boundary lines, and heritage express the fact that the one who prays has received much good from the Lord. All the terms except cup have to do with the distribution of the promised land. They may be metaphorical for the richness of life received from God, or they may reflect the actual receipt of a rich and valuable allotment of land. It has also been suggested that these words are spoken by a Levite because the tribe of Levi received no portion of land but lived off the offerings of the people. Several texts speak of the Lord as the portion or heritage of the Levites (Num 18.20; Deut 10.9; Josh 13.14).
16.7 Bless the Lord, i.e., give thanks.
16.8–10 Cited in Peter’s speech in Acts 2.25–28.
16.10 Either in present distress or out of a past rescue, the psalmist expresses confidence in God’s power to deliver from terrible death and keep the psalmist alive. Sheol. See note on 6.5. Pit, a synonym for Sheol and the grave. Cf. Acts 2.31; 13.35.
PSALM 17
Prayer for Deliverance from Persecutors
A Prayer of David.
1Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry;
give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit.
2From you let my vindication come;
let your eyes see the right.
3If you try my heart, if you visit me by night,
if you test me, you will find no wickedness in me;
my mouth does not transgress.
4As for what others do, by the word of your lips
I have avoided the ways of the violent.
5My steps have held fast to your paths;
my feet have not slipped.
6I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me, hear my words.
7Wondrously show your steadfast love,
O savior of those who seek refuge
from their adversaries at your right hand.
8Guard me as the apple of the eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings,
9from the wicked who despoil me,
my deadly enemies who surround me.
10They close their hearts to pity;
with their mouths they speak arrogantly.
11They track me down;a now they surround me;
they set their eyes to cast me to the ground.
12They are like a lion eager to tear,
like a young lion lurking in ambush.
13Rise up, O LORD, confront them, overthrow them!
By your sword deliver my life from the wicked,
14from mortals—by your hand, O LORD—
from mortals whose portion in life is in this world.
May their bellies be filled with what you have stored up for them;
may their children have more than enough;
may they leave something over to their little ones.
15As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;
when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness.
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a One Ms Compare Syr: MT Our steps
17.1–15 A cry for help of a person b
eset by persecutors and seeking God’s judgment and deliverance. See Ps 7 for a similar setting. Vv. 3, 15 suggest the petitioner may have spent the night in prayer in the sanctuary awaiting God’s help, i.e., vindication in the morning.
17.1–2 The basic petition to be heard and judged. The one praying may have been falsely accused (vv. 9–12) and seeks vindication, hoping perhaps for a divine decision through a priest.
17.3–5 The persecuted one protests that he or she is innocent and righteous and offers to be tested in this regard.
17.6–9 The petition for God’s response and protection goes up again.
17.7 Refuge. See note on 2.10–12.
17.8 Shadow of your wings. See notes on 91.1; 91.4.
17.10–12 The destructive character and actions of the persecutors are set forth.
17.12 Lion, young lion. See note on 7.2.
17.13–14 A final strong plea to God to thwart and punish the wicked who threaten the innocent petitioner.
17.13 Rise up, O LORD. See note on 12.5.
17.15 The psalmist is confident of God’s righteous judgment when the night is over.
PSALM 18
Royal Thanksgiving for Victory
To the leader. A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD, who addressed the words of this song to the LORD on the day when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said:
1I love you, O LORD, my strength.
2The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer,
my God, my rock in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised,
so I shall be saved from my enemies.
4The cords of death encompassed me;