The Book of Psalms (2020 Edition) E-Book

Brian Simmons

• Herausgeber: BroadStreet Publishing Group, LLC
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Serie: The Passion Translation
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Seitenzahl: 392

Beschreibung

The book of Psalms expresses every emotion of our hearts with words that convey our deepest and strongest feelings. Sighing becomes singing; trouble becomes triumph. Artfully placed inside poetry, the Psalms spill out a fiery, passionate heart but also offer comfort and joy, leading us to the place where worship flows.   Whether discouraged or downcast, we can read the Psalms and renew our strength. Dark rain clouds of grief turn to bright rainbows of hope as we meditate on David's soul-subduing songs. They become a mirror to the heart of God's people in our quest to experience his presence. With the masterpiece of the book of Psalms, we become emotional, devoted worshipers. Its glorious expression of faith and worship touches our hearts. Lord, you know all my desires and deepest longings. My tears are liquid words, and you can read them all. Psalm 38:9  

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cover

Title Page

Copyright Information

A Note to Readers

Psalms

Your Personal Invitation to Follow Jesus

About the Translator

A NOTE TO READERS

It would be impossible to calculate how many lives have been changed forever by the power of the Bible, the living Word of God! My own life was transformed because I believed the message contained in Scripture about Jesus, the Savior.

To hold the Bible dear to your heart is the sacred obsession of every true follower of Jesus. Yet to go even further and truly understand the Bible is how we gain light and truth to live by. Did you catch the word understand? People everywhere say the same thing: “I want to understand God’s Word, not just read it.”

Thankfully, as English speakers, we have a plethora of Bible translations, commentaries, study guides, devotionals, churches, and Bible teachers to assist us. Our hearts crave to know God—to not just know about him, but to know him as intimately as we possibly can in this life. This is what makes Bible translations so valuable, because each one will hopefully lead us into new discoveries of God’s character. I believe God is committed to giving us truth in a package we can understand and apply, so I thank God for every translation of God’s Word that we have.

God’s Word does not change, but over time languages definitely do, thus the need for updated and revised translations of the Bible. Translations give us the words God spoke through his servants, but words can be poor containers for revelation because they leak! Meaning is influenced by culture, background, and many other details. Just imagine how differently the Hebrew authors of the Old Testament saw the world three thousand years ago from the way we see it today!

Even within one language and culture, meanings of words change from one generation to the next. For example, many contemporary Bible readers would be quite surprised to find unicorns are mentioned nine times in the King James Version (KJV). Here’s one instance in Isaiah 34:7: “And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness.” This isn’t a result of poor translation, but rather an example of how our culture, language, and understanding of the world has shifted over the past few centuries. So, it is important that we have a modern English text of the Bible that releases revelation and truth into our hearts. The Passion Translation (TPT) is committed to bringing forth the potency of God’s Word in relevant, contemporary vocabulary that doesn’t distract from its meaning or distort it in any way. So many people have told us that they are falling in love with the Bible again as they read TPT.

We often hear the statement, “I just want a word-for-word translation that doesn’t mess it up or insert a bias.” That’s a noble desire. But a word-for-word translation would be nearly unreadable. It is simply impossible to translate one Hebrew word for one English word. Hebrew is built from triliteral consonant roots. Biblical Hebrew had no vowels or punctuation. And Koine Greek, although wonderfully articulate, cannot always be conveyed in English by a word-for-word translation. For example, a literal word-for-word translation of the Greek in Matthew 1:18 would be something like this: “Of the but Jesus Christ the birth thus was. Being betrothed the mother of him, Mary, to Joseph, before or to come together them she was found in belly having from Spirit Holy.”

Even the KJV, which many believe to be a very literal translation, renders this verse: “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.”

This comparison makes the KJV look like a paraphrase next to a strictly literal translation! To some degree, every Bible translator is forced to move words around in a sentence to convey with meaning the thought of the verse. There is no such thing as a truly literal translation of the Bible, for there is not an equivalent language that perfectly conveys the meaning of the biblical text. Is it really possible to have a highly accurate and highly readable English Bible? We certainly hope so! It is so important that God’s Word is living in our hearts, ringing in our ears, and burning in our souls. Transferring God’s revelation from Hebrew and Greek into English is an art, not merely a linguistic science. Thus, we need all the accurate translations we can find. If a verse or passage in one translation seems confusing, it is good to do a side-by-side comparison with another version.

It is difficult to say which translation is the “best.” “Best” is often in the eyes of the reader and is determined by how important differing factors are to different people. However, the “best” translation, in my thinking, is the one that makes the Word of God clear and accurate, no matter how many words it takes to express it.

That’s the aim of The Passion Translation: to bring God’s eternal truth into a highly readable heart-level expression that causes truth and love to jump out of the text and lodge inside our hearts. A desire to remain accurate to the text and a desire to communicate God’s heart of passion for his people are the two driving forces behind TPT. So for those new to Bible reading, we hope TPT will excite and illuminate. For scholars and Bible students, we hope TPT will bring the joys of new discoveries from the text and prompt deeper consideration of what God has spoken to his people. We all have so much more to learn and discover about God in his holy Word!

You will notice at times we’ve italicized certain words or phrases. These portions are not in the original Hebrew, Greek, or Aramaic manuscripts but are implied from the context. We’ve made these implications explicit for the sake of narrative clarity and to better convey the meaning of God’s Word. This is a common practice by mainstream translations.

We’ve also chosen to translate certain names in their original Hebrew or Greek forms to better convey their cultural meaning and significance. For instance, some translations of the Bible have substituted James for Jacob and Jude for Judah. Both Greek and Aramaic manuscripts leave these Hebrew names in their original forms. Therefore, this translation uses those cultural names.

The purpose of The Passion Translation is to reintroduce the passion and fire of the Bible to the English reader. It doesn’t merely convey the literal meaning of words. It expresses God’s passion for people and his world by translating the original, life-changing message of God’s Word for modern readers.

We pray this version of God’s Word will kindle in you a burning desire to know the heart of God, while impacting the church for years to come.

Please visit ThePassionTranslation.com for more information.

Brian Simmons and the translation team

PSALMS

(return to table of contents)

Introduction • One • Two • Three • Four • Five • Six • Seven • Eight • Nine • Ten • Eleven • Twelve • Thirteen • Fourteen • Fifteen • Sixteen • Seventeen • Eighteen • Nineteen • Twenty • Twenty-One • Twenty-Two • Twenty-Three • Twenty-Four • Twenty-Five • Twenty-Six • Twenty-Seven • Twenty-Eight • Twenty-Nine • Thirty • Thirty-One • Thirty-Two • Thirty-Three • Thirty-Four • Thirty-Five • Thirty-Six • Thirty-Seven • Thirty-Eight • Thirty-Nine • Forty • Forty-One • Forty-Two • Forty-Three • Forty-Four • Forty-Five • Forty-Six • Forty-Seven • Forty-Eight • Forty-Nine • Fifty • Fifty-One • Fifty-Two • Fifty-Three • Fifty-Four • Fifty-Five • Fifty-Six • Fifty-Seven • Fifty-Eight • Fifty-Nine • Sixty • Sixty-One • Sixty-Two • Sixty-Three • Sixty-Four • Sixty-Five • Sixty-Six • Sixty-Seven • Sixty-Eight • Sixty-Nine • Seventy • Seventy-One • Seventy-Two • Seventy-Three • Seventy-Four • Seventy-Five • Seventy-Six • Seventy-Seven • Seventy-Eight • Seventy-Nine • Eighty • Eighty-One • Eighty-Two • Eighty-Three • Eighty-Four • Eighty-Five • Eighty-Six • Eighty-Seven • Eighty-Eight • Eighty-Nine • Ninety • Ninety-One • Ninety-Two • Ninety-Three • Ninety-Four • Ninety-Five • Ninety-Six • Ninety-Seven • Ninety-Eight • Ninety-Nine • Hundred • Hundred-And-One • Hundred-And-Two • Hundred-And-Three • Hundred-And-Four • Hundred-And-Five • Hundred-And-Six • Hundred-And-Seven • Hundred-And-Eight • Hundred-And-Nine • Hundred-And-Ten • Hundred-And-Eleven • Hundred-And-Twelve • Hundred-And-Thirteen • Hundred-And-Fourteen • Hundred-And-Fifteen • Hundred-And-Sixteen • Hundred-And-Seventeen • Hundred-And-Eighteen • Hundred-And-Nineteen • Hundred-And-Twenty • Hundred-And-Twenty-One • Hundred-And-Twenty-Two • Hundred-And-Twenty-Three • Hundred-And-Twenty-Four • Hundred-And-Twenty-Five • Hundred-And-Twenty-Six • Hundred-And-Twenty-Seven • Hundred-And-Twenty-Eight • Hundred-And-Twenty-Nine • Hundred-And-Thirty • Hundred-And-Thirty-One • Hundred-And-Thirty-Two • Hundred-And-Thirty-Three • Hundred-And-Thirty-Four • Hundred-And-Thirty-Five • Hundred-And-Thirty-Six • Hundred-And-Thirty-Seven • Hundred-And-Thirty-Eight • Hundred-And-Thirty-Nine • Hundred-And-Forty • Hundred-And-Forty-One • Hundred-And-Forty-Two • Hundred-And-Forty-Three • Hundred-And-Forty-Four • Hundred-And-Forty-Five • Hundred-And-Forty-Six • Hundred-And-Forty-Seven • Hundred-And-Forty-Eight • Hundred-And-Forty-Nine • Hundred-And-Fifty

PSALMS

Introduction

AT A GLANCE

Author: Multiple authors, including David, Solomon, Asaph, the prophetic singers of Korah’s clan, and Moses

Audience: Originally Israel, but the Psalms speak to humanity in general

Date: From the monarchy to the postexilic era

Type of Literature: Poems, which reflect several types: wisdom, lament, prayer, praise, blessings, liturgy, and prophetic oracles

Major Themes: Praise, prayer, wisdom, prophecy, and Jesus Christ

Outline: The book of Psalms is really five books in one. Moses gave us the five books of the Law called the Pentateuch; David gave us the five books of the Psalms. Each division ends with a doxology that includes the word “Amen!” The last division ends with Psalm 150 as the doxology, forming an appropriate conclusion to this “Pentateuch of David.” These five divisions have been compared to the first five books of the Bible:

Psalms 1–41 (Genesis) — Psalms of man and creation

Psalms 42–72 (Exodus) — Psalms of suffering and redemption

Psalms 73–89 (Leviticus) — Psalms of worship and God’s house

Psalms 90–106 (Numbers) — Psalms of our pilgrimage on earth

Psalms 107–150 (Deuteronomy) — Psalms of praise and the Word

ABOUT PSALMS

I have loved the Psalms for over forty years. They have been my comfort and joy, leading me to the place where worship flows. When discouraged or downcast, I have never failed to take new strength from reading the Psalms. They charge my batteries and fill my sails. In fact, they seem to grow even more powerful as I grow older. Their thunder stirs me; their sweet melodies move me into the sacred emotions of a heart on fire. The dark rain clouds of grief turn to bright rainbows of hope just from meditating on David’s soul-subduing songs.

The Psalms find the words that express our deepest and strongest emotions, no matter what the circumstances. Every emotion of our hearts is reflected in the Psalms. Reading the Psalms will turn sighing into singing and trouble into triumph. The word praise is found 189 times in this book. There is simply nothing that touches my heart like the Psalms. Thousands of years ago my deepest feelings were put to music—this is what we all delightfully discover when reading the Psalms!

A contemporary name for the book of Psalms could be Poetry on Fire. These 150 poetic masterpieces give us an expression of faith and worship. They become a mirror to the heart of God’s people in our quest to experience God’s presence. Much of Christianity has become so intellectualized that our emotions and artistic creativity are often set aside as unimportant in the worship of God. The Psalms free us to become emotional, passionate, sincere worshipers. It is time to sing the Psalms!

PURPOSE

The Psalms are clearly poetic. They are praises placed inside of poetry. Everyone who reads the Psalms realizes how filled with emotion they are! You will never be bored in reading the poetry that spills out of a fiery, passionate heart. These verses contain both poetry and music that touch the heart deeply, enabling you to encounter the heart of God through your emotional and creative senses.

AUTHOR AND AUDIENCE

Most of these poetic masterpieces come to us from David, King of Israel. He wrote them during specific periods of his life: when he was on the run from Saul, grateful for the Lord’s protection and provision, scared for his future, mournful over his sin, and praising God with uplifted hands. Other authors include David’s son Solomon, Moses, Asaph, and the prophetic singers of Korah’s clan.

While they were written during specific periods in the history of Israel—from the monarchy to the postexilic eras—they connect to our own time as much as they reflect their time. So in many ways these poems are written to you and me. The original audience was the children of Israel, but the Psalms reflect the hopes and dreams, fears and failures of humanity in general.

MAJOR THEMES

Poetry of Praise. The Psalms are pure praise, inspired by the breath of God. Praise is a matter of life and breath. As long as we have breath we are told to praise the Lord. The Psalms release a flood of God-inspired insights that will lift heaviness off the human heart. The Psalms are meant to do for you what they did for David: they will bring you from your cave of despair into the glad presence of the King who likes and enjoys you.

Poetry of Prayer. Mixed with intercession, the Psalms become the fuel for our devotional life. Each psalm is a prayer. The early church recited and sang the Psalms regularly. Many contemporary worship songs have been inspired by this book of prayer-poetry!

Poetry of Wisdom. The Psalms unlock mysteries and parables, for within the purest praise is the cryptic language of a wise messenger. The wisdom of God is contained in these 150 keys; you have a key chain with master keys to unlock God’s storehouse of wisdom and revelation. It is the “harp” (anointed worship) that releases divine secrets. Read carefully Psalm 49:4: “I will break open mysteries with my music, and my song will release riddles solved.”

Poetry of Prophecy. Prophetic insights rest upon the Psalms. David’s harp brings revelation and understanding to the people. Singers who tap into the insights of the Psalms will bring forth truths in their songs, which will break the hearts of people and release divine understanding to the church. Prophets must become musicians and musicians must become prophets for the key of David to be given to the church.

Poetry of Jesus Christ. As with every part of the Old Testament, we are called to read the Psalms in two ways: (1) as the original audience heard them in their ancient Hebrew world; and (2) as the fulfillment of messianic prophesies, submitting by faith that these poems point to Jesus Christ. Therefore, at one level, these poems are all about him. There are 150 Psalms, and each of them reveals a special and unique aspect of the God-man, Christ Jesus. We could say every Psalm is messianic in that each finds its fulfillment in Christ. Looking backward in light of Christ’s revelation, we see they all point to our Lord Jesus, whom God has chosen as King over all.

Since these songs are all about Jesus, one of the keys to understanding the Psalms is to look for Jesus within its pages. Luke 24:44 says: “I told you that everything written about me would be fulfilled, including all the prophecies from the law of Moses through the Psalms and the writings of the prophets—that they would all find their fulfillment.” There are many secrets about Jesus waiting to be discovered here!

PSALMS

Poetry on Fire

BOOK 1

THE GENESIS PSALMS

Psalms of man and creation

1a THE TREE OF LIFE

1What delight comes to the one who follows God’s ways!b

He won’t walk in step with the wicked,

nor share the sinner’s way,

nor be found sitting in the scorner’s seat.

2His passion is to remain true to the Word of “I AM,”

meditating day and nightc on the true revelation of light.d

3He will be standing firm like a flourishing tree

plantede by God’s design,

deeply rooted by the brooks of bliss,

bearing fruit in every season of life.

He is never dry, never fainting,

ever blessed, ever prosperous.f

4But how different are the wicked.

They are like chaffg blown away by the wind.

5The wicked will not endure the day of judgment,

for God will not defend them.

Nothing they do will succeed or endure for long,

for they have no part with those who walk in truth.

6But how different it is for the righteous!

The Lord embraces their paths as they move forward

while the way of the wicked leads only to doom.

a1 Although we cannot be sure, it is possible that Ezra compiled the Psalms and wrote Ps. 1 as an “introduction” to the Psalter. Others believe Ps. 1 was written by David or Jeremiah.

b1:1 Psalm 1 is the contrast of those who follow God’s ways with those who choose their own path. Read through this psalm with the purpose of learning how to live with God in the first place.

c1:2 To meditate on the revelation of light day and night means to meditate 24/7 on what is good and delightful. However, day signifies a period of enlightenment (Eph. 1:18) and night signifies a period of obscurity. Both when we have the light of insight and when we seem to be in the dark, meditation is the key to unlock the revelation of God.

d1:2 Or “Torah.” From Ps. 1 we learn that the righteous and the wicked are distinguished by what they delight in.

e1:3 Or “transplanted.” That is, God planted our lives from where we were into a place of blessing. See Ps. 92:13–14.

f1:3 The metaphors found in this verse can be paraphrased as “No matter what he sets out to do, he brings it to a successful conclusion.”

g1:4 Chaff is lifeless, only a shell without the kernel. Chaff depicts a life without the truth of Christ. See Ps. 35:5–6.

2 THE CORONATION OF THE KING

Act I – The Nations Speak

1How dare the nations plan a rebellion.

Their foolish plots are futile!a

2Look at how the power brokers of the world

rise up to hold their summit

as the rulers scheme and confer together

against Yahweh and his Anointed King, saying:

3“Let’s come together and break away from the Creator.

Once and for all let’s cast off these controlling chains of God and his Christ!”b

Act II – God Speaks

4God-Enthronedc merely laughs at them;

the Sovereign One mocks their madness!

5Then with the fierceness of his fiery anger,

he settles the issued and terrifies them to deathe with these words:

6“I myself have poured outf my King on Zion,g my holy mountain.”h

Act III – The Son Speaks

7“I will reveal the eternal purpose of God.

For he has decreed over me, ‘You are my favored Son.

And as your Father I have crowned you as my King Eternal.

Today I became your Father.

8Ask me to give you the nationsi and I will do it,

and they shall become your legacy.

Your domain will stretch to the ends of the earth.

9And you will shepherd themj with unlimited authority,

crushing their rebellion as an iron rodk smashes jars of clay!’ ”

Act IV – The Holy Spirit Speaks

10“Listen to me, all you rebel kings

and all you upstart judges of the earth.

Learn your lessonlwhile there’s still time.

11Serve and worship the awe-inspiring God.

Recognize his greatness and bow before him,

trembling with reverence in his presence.m

12Fall facedown before him and kiss the Sonn

before his anger is roused against you.

Remember that his wrath can be quickly kindled!

But many blessings are waiting for all

who turn aside to hide themselves in him!”

a2:1 Or “Why are they devising emptiness?” Some Jewish scholars believe that Ps. 1 and Ps. 2 form one psalm, for the theme of both is the way of the godly versus the way of the ungodly.

b2:3 The word found here for “Christ” is the Hebrew word for “Messiah” or “Anointed One.”

c2:4 The Aramaic is Maryah, the Aramaic form of YHWH or Lord Yahweh.

d2:5 Or “In good time he drives them away.”

e2:5 Or “snorts with anger.” The Hebrew word ‘aph (“fiery anger”) has a homonym that means “nose.”

f2:6 The Hebrew word (nacak) is frequently used for pouring out a drink offering to God. See Num. 28:7. Jesus was “poured out” as a consecrated offering.

g2:6 The word Zion is found 157 times in the Bible and 38 times in the Psalms.

h2:6 For the believer today, Zion is not only a place but also a realm where Christ is enthroned.

i2:8 Or in the Masoretic Text “Ask wealth of me.”

j2:9 As translated from the Septuagint.

k2:9 God’s “iron rod” can be a metaphor for the power of spiritual truth. See Pss. 23:4; 45:6.

l2:10 Or “Do what is wise.”

m2:11 Or “rejoice with trembling.” The Hebrew word for “rejoice” means “to spin around with excited emotions” or “to twirl.”

n2:12 Or “be ruled by the Son.” The Hebrew word for “kiss” is nashaq and can also mean “to be ruled by” or “be in subjection to” the Son. Yet another possible translation of this difficult verse is “be armed with purity.”

3 COVERED BY THE GLORY

King David’s song when he was forced to flee fromAbsalom, his own son

The Humbling of a King

1Lord, I have so many enemies, so many who are against me.

2Listen to how they whisper their slander against me, saying:

“Look! He’s hopeless! Even God can’t save him from this!”

Pause in his presencea

The Help of God

3But in the depths of my heart I truly know

that you, Yahweh, have become my Shield;

You take me and surround me with yourself.b

Your gloryc covers me continually.

You lift high my head.d

4I have cried out to you,e Yahweh, from your holy presence.f

You send me a Father’s help.

Pause in his presence

The Song of Safety

5So now I’ll lie down and sleep like a baby—

then I’ll awake in safety, for you surround me with your glory.

6Even though ten thousand dark powersg prowl around me,

I won’t be afraid.

The Secret of Strength

7Rise up and help me, Yahweh! Come and save me, God!

For you will slap them in the face,

breaking the power of their words to harm me.h

8For the Lord alone is my Savior.i

What a feast of favor and bliss he gives his people!

Pause in his presence

a3:2 This is the Hebrew word Selah, a puzzling word to translate. Most scholars believe it is a musical term for pause or rest. It is used seventy-one times in the Psalms as an instruction to the music leader to pause and ponder in God’s presence. An almost identical word, Sela, means “a massive rock cliff.” It is said that when Selah is spoken, the words are carved in stone in the throne room of the heavens.

b3:3 Many translations render this “You are a shield around me.” The ancient Hebrew can be translated “You, O Lord, are my taker” (Augustine). The implication is that God shields us by taking us into himself. Jesus Christ is the taker of humanity, the one who was made flesh. He not only took our nature, he also took our sins that he might take us into glory.

c3:3 Or “my glory.”

d3:3 In the time of David, to lift up the head signified acquittal when judged, being freed from the prison of shame. See 2 Kings 25:27–28; Jer. 52:31.

e3:4 The Hebrew reads “I have cried out to you with my voice.” How else do we cry out to God—isn’t it always with our voice? But the word for “voice” has many different Hebrew meanings. It can also mean “the bleating of a lamb.” David was God’s lamb bleating out to his Shepherd for help.

f3:4 Or “from your holy hill.”

g3:6 Or “military troops.”

h3:7 Or “You broke the teeth [lies] of the wicked.”

i3:8 The Hebrew word used sixty times in the Psalms for deliverance is Yeshuah, a variant form of the name for Jesus. This is pointing us to where our salvation is found.

4 AN EVENING PRAYER FOR HELP

For the Pure and Shining OneaFor the end,b a melody by King David

1God, you are my righteousness, my Champion Defender.

Answer me when I cry for help!

Whenever I was in distress, you enlarged me.c

I’m being squeezed again—I need your kindness right away!

Grant me your grace, hear my prayer, and set me free!

2Listen to me, you elite among men:

How long will you defame my honord

and drag it down into shame?

Will you ever stop insulting me?

How long will you set your heart on shadows,

chasing your lies and delusions?

Pause in his presence

3May we never forget that Yahweh works wonderse

for every one of his devoted lovers.

And this is how I know that he will answer my every prayer.

4Tremble in awe before the Lord, and do not sin against him.

Be still upon your bed and search your heart before him.f

Pause in his presence

5Bring to Yahweh the sacrifice of righteousness and put your trust in him.

6Lord, prove them wrong when they say, “God can’t help you!”

Let the light of your radiant face

break through and shine upon us!

7The intense pleasure you give me

surpasses the gladness of harvest time,

even more than when the harvesters

gaze upon their ripened grain

and when their new wine overflows.

8Now, because of you, Lord, I will lie down in peace and sleep comes at once,

for no matter what happens, I will live unafraid!

a4 The Hebrew word used here, found in the inscription of fifty-four Psalms, is usually rendered as “choirmaster” or “chief director of music.” It is taken from the root word for “shining” or “brilliant” (i.e., purity, holiness). Another way to translate “choirmaster” is “the shining one” or “the one who glitters from afar.” Jesus Christ is the chief musician of all eternity who sings in the midst of his people (Heb. 2:12).

b4 As translated from the Septuagint. The Hebrew is “stringed instruments” or “smiting.”

c4:1 Or “you created room for me.”

d4:2 Or “my glorious one.”

e4:3 There is considerable variation in possible translations from different manuscripts. Some manuscripts read “Yahweh sets apart a faithful one for himself.” Another possible translation is “Yahweh has revealed to me his marvelous love.”

f4:4 Or “Meditate on your bed and repent [lament].” It is always wise at the end of every day to cleanse our hearts in God’s grace and mercy.

5 SONG OF THE CLOUDED DAWN

For the Pure and Shining OneFor her who receives the inheritance,a by King David

Morning Watch

1Listen, Yahweh, to my passionate prayer!b

Can’t you hear my groaning?

2Don’t you hear how I’m crying out to you?

My King and my God, consider my every word,

for I am calling out to you.

3At each and every sunrise you will hear my voice

as I preparec my sacrifice of prayer to you.

Every morning I lay out the pieces of my life on the altar

and wait for your fire to fall upon my heart.d

Making It Right

4I know that you, God, are never pleased with lawlessness,

and evil ones will never be invited into your house.

5Boasters collapse, unable to survive your scrutiny,

for your hatred of evildoers is clear.

6You will make an end of all those who lie.

How you hate their hypocrisy and despise all who love violence!

Multitude of Mercy

7But I know that you will welcome me into your house,

for I am covered by your covenant of mercy and love.

So I come to your sanctuarye with deepest awe

to bow in worship and adore you.

8Yahweh, lead me in the pathways of your pleasure

just like you promised me you would,

or else my enemies will conquer me.

Smooth out your road in front of me,

straight and level, so that I will know where to walk.

Multitude of Sins

9Their words are unreliable.

Destruction is in their hearts,

drawing people into their darkness with their speeches.f

They are smooth-tongued deceivers, flattering with their words.

10Declare them guilty, O God!

Let their own schemes be their downfall!

Let the guilt of their sins collapse on top of them,

for they rebel against you.

Multitude of Blessings

11But let them all be glad,

those who turn aside to hide themselves in you.

May they keep shouting for joy forever!

Overshadow them in your presence as they sing and rejoice.

Then every lover of your name will burst forth with endless joy.

12Lord, how wonderfully you bless the righteous.

Your favor wraps around each one and covers them

under your canopy of kindness and joy.

a5 The Hebrew word used here is neliloth or “flutes.” It can also be translated “inheritances.” The early church father Augustine translated this as “For her who receives the inheritance,” meaning the church of Jesus Christ. The Father told the Son in Ps. 2 to ask for his inheritance; here we see it is the church that receives what Jesus asks for. We receive our inheritance of eternal life through the death and resurrection of the Son of God. The Septuagint reads “For the end,” also found in numerous inscriptions of the Psalms.

b5:1 Or “My words—give them a hearing, Lord!”

c5:3 The Hebrew word for “prepare” is ‘arak, a priestly term for lighting the altar fire, preparing a sacrifice, and laying it out in order upon the altar to be consumed.

d5:3 Implied in the concept of preparing the morning sacrifice. The Aramaic text states, “At dawn I shall be ready and shall appear before you.” The Hebrew can also be translated “I’ll be on the watchtower [for the answer to come].” See Pss. 59:16; 88:13; Hab. 2:1.

e5:7 Or “I come to the temple of your holiness.”

f5:9 Or “their throat is an open grave.”

6a A CRY FOR HEALING

For the Pure and Shining OneA song for stringed instruments, for the new dayb by King David

How Long?

1Yahweh, don’t condemn me.

Don’t punish me in your fiery anger.c

2Please deal gently with me, Yahweh;

show me mercy, for I’m sick and frail and weak.

Heal me, Yahweh, for I’m falling apart.d

3My soul is so troubled; but you,

Yahweh—how long?e

Return to Me

4Yahweh, turn to me and rescue my life

because I know your faithful love will never fail me.

5In the darkness of death who remembers your name in worship?

How could I bring you praise if I’m buried in a tomb?f

Extreme Anguish

6I’m worn out with my weeping and groaning.

Night after night I soak my pillow with tears,g

and flood my bed with weeping.

7My eyes of faithh won’t focus anymore, for sorrow fills my heart.

There are so many enemies who come against me!

He Heard My Cry

8Turn from me, all you troublemakers!i

For Yahweh has turned to hear the sound of my weeping.

9Yes! Yahweh my healer has heard all my pleading

and has taken hold of my prayersj and answered them all.

10Now it’s my enemies who have been shamed.

Terror-stricken, they will turn back again,k

knowing the bitterness of sudden disgrace!

a6 Psalm 6 is a part of the daily prayer ritual of religious Jews.

b6 This is the Hebrew word sheminith. Although we cannot be certain, many scholars believe it to mean “eighth.” It could represent a harp with eight strings, an octave, the eighth division of singers, the eighth day, or the eighth month. Eight is the biblical number of a new beginning, a new day. Jewish rabbis have taught that the number eight is the number of the future messianic age when Messiah comes and makes all things new.

c6:1 David implied that he had sinned and needed forgiveness. This is the first of seven penitential psalms (32; 38; 51; 102; 130; 143).

d6:2 Or “my bones are shaking.” Bones are often used metaphorically for our inner being.

e6:3 The Hebrew ends abruptly, with sudden silence and broken syntax. Words failed David, too broken to finish his sentence. This sudden silence is a figure of speech called aposiopesis.

f6:5 Or “Sheol,” the realm of the dead. This is the first psalm to mention the grave (or Sheol). It is depicted in the poetic literature of the Hebrews as a vast wasteland, a stronghold of darkness, and a beast of prey.

g6:6 Or “I cause my bed to swim with tears.” Our beds are frequently the washing place where the sheep are sheared (Song. 4:2). The bed was the place of David’s sin; it became the place of his weeping. Even as Adam sinned in a garden, Jesus wept in a garden over Adam’s sin.

h6:7 The Hebrew is singular, “My eye;” a likely metaphor for the eye of his heart. David’s faith was growing weak.

i6:8 See Ps. 5:5; Matt. 7:23.

j6:9 Or “accepted my prayers.” The Hebrew word can mean “to grasp,” “to lay hold of,” “to marry,” or, figuratively, “to accept.”

k6:10 See Pss. 9:18; 31:8.

7 SONG FOR THE SLANDERED SOUL

David’s passionate songa to YahwehTo the tune of “Breaking the Curse of Cush, the Benjamite”b

Rescue Me

1Yahweh, my God, I turn to hide my soul in you.

Save me from all those who pursue and persecute me.

2There is none to deliver me but you!

Don’t let my foes fall upon me like fierce lions with teeth bared.

Can’t you see how they want to rip my soul to shreds?

3Yahweh, my God, if I have done evil like they say I have,

and my hands are guilty,

4if I have wronged someone at peace with me,

if I have betrayed a friend, repaying evil for good,

or if I have unjustly harmed my enemy,

5Then let my enemy pursue and overtake me.

Let them grind me into the ground.

Let them take my life from me and drag my dignity through the dust!

Pause in his presence

Vindicate Me

6Yahweh, arise in your anger against the angerc of my enemies.

Awaken your fury and stand up for me!

Execute the judgmentd you have decreed against them.

7All the people gather around you.

Return to your place on high to preside over them.e

8You are Yahweh who judges the people.

Vindicate me publicly, Yahweh, and restore my honor and integrity.f

Declare me innocent.

9Once and for all, bring to an end the evil tactics of the wicked!

Establish the cause of the righteous,

for you are the righteous God, the soul searcher,

who tests every heart

to examine the thoughts and motives.g

10God, your wraparound presence is my shield.

You bring victory to all who are pure in heart.

11God, your righteousness is revealed when you judge.

Because of the strength of your forgiveness,

your anger does not break out every day.h

God’s Lethal Weapons

12–13Yet if one does not repent,

you will not relent to sharpeni your shining sword.

You have an arsenal of lethal weapons

that you’ve prepared for them.

You have bent and strung your bow,

making your judgment-arrows shafts of burning fire.

14Look how the wicked conceive their evil schemes.

They go into labor with their lies and give birth to trouble.

15They dig a pit for others to fall into,

not knowing that they will be the very ones

who will fall into it.

16Every pit-digger who works to trap and harm others

will be trapped by his own treachery.

Thankful Praise

17But I will give my thanks to you, Yahweh,

for you make everything right in the end.

I will sing my highest praise to the God of the Highest Place!

a7 The inscription reads “shiggaion,” which means “a loud cry” and is taken from a Hebrew word that means “roar.” It is a wild and passionate song. Have you ever been under such pressure that you felt like roaring? That is a “shiggaion.” Some scholars believe the central thought of the word is that of wandering. It may also indicate the style of music to which the song was written.

b7 The name Cush means “firelike,” “burned,” or “blackened.” This person’s identity is not definite, but some believe this is an oblique reference to Saul, whose heart was burned and blackened by his sin and whose character was “firelike.” Saul was a Benjamite.

c7:6 Or “outrages (plural).”

d7:6 Or “Command justice!” It is in God’s hands alone to bring true justice to the earth, for he is the Righteous Judge.

e7:7 There is at least a hint here of the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, who had all authority to judge given to him and now rules from on high.

f7:8 Augustine, an early church father, translates this word as “harmlessness.” David saw himself as harmless to his enemies. This is what integrity is all about. We maintain our character even when misunderstood or persecuted. Are you like this?

g7:9 Or “hearts and kidneys,” which is a Hebraic way of saying all of human nature, including our thoughts, motives, and feelings.

h7:11 As translated from the Septuagint. Although the Hebrew is “God is angry during all the day,” this verse has other possible translations. The Latin Vulgate: “God is a judge, righteous, strong, and patient. Will he be angry every day?” The Septuagint: “not bringing forth his anger every day.” The Syriac: “he is not angry every day.” In other words, even though God judges righteously, his anger does not break out every day. There are over ten words in Hebrew that can be translated “anger.” The word used in this verse is za’am and comes from a word that means the “roar” or “groan” of a camel.

i7:12–13 The Hebrew word for “sharpen” can also be translated “brighten.” God will make bright his sword of truth for the righteous and to the ungodly. God’s Word is a sword to bring light and judgment to the heart.

8 GOD’S SPLENDOR

For the Pure and Shining OneSet to the melody of “For the Feast of Harvest”aby King David

God’s Majesty

1Yahweh, our Sovereign God,

your glory streams from the heavens above,

filling the earth with the majesty of your name!

People everywhere see your splendor.

2You have built a stronghold by the songs of children.

Strength rises up with the chorus of infants.

This kind of praise has power to shut Satan’s mouth.

Childlike worship will silenceb

the madness of those who oppose you.

Human Dignity

3Look at the splendor of your skies,

your creative genius glowing in the heavens.

When I gaze at your moon and your stars,

mounted like jewels in their settings,

I know you are the fascinating artist who fashioned it all!

But I have to ask this question:

4Why would you bother with puny, mortal man

or care about human beings?c

5Yet what honor you have given to men,

created only a little lower than Elohim,d

crownede with glory and magnificence.

6You have delegated to them

rulership over all you have made,

with everything under their authority,

placing earth itself under the feet of your image-bearers.f

7–8All the created order and every living thing

of the earth, sky, and sea—

the wildest beasts and all that move in the paths of the seag—

everythingh is in submission toAdam’s sons.

9Yahweh, our Sovereign God,

your glory streams from the heavens above,

filling the earth with the majesty of your name!

People everywhere see your splendor!

a8 Or “For the director of music, according to gittith.” Gittith could mean “winepress,” or refer to a musical instrument common to the Gittites, making it a Philistine lute (2 Sam. 6:10–11; 15:18). The Moffat translation reads “Set to a vintage melody.” This inscription in the Septuagint is “To the director over the wine vats.”

b8:2 Or “muzzle.” There may be a vast difference between the glory of the heavens and the little mouths of children and babies, yet by both the majestic name of the Lord is revealed. It is amazing that perfected praises do not rise to God from the cherubim or seraphim, but from children and babies, the weakest of humanity.

c8:4 See Job 7:17–21; 25:2–6; Ps. 144:3.

d8:5 This is the same Hebrew word used for the Creator-God in Gen. 1:1.

e8:5 Or “surrounded.”

f8:6 The Septuagint translation of Ps. 8:5–7 is quoted in Heb. 2:6–8. Today, all things are not yet under our feet. Even mosquitoes still come to defeat us. But there will be a time of restoration because of Christ’s redemption, when everything will rest beneath our authority. See Isa. 11:6–9; 65:25; Matt. 19:28; Rev. 20:4–6.

g8:7–8 The “paths of the sea” speaks of God’s way of deliverance (Isa.11:15–16), for Jesus was the One who walked on the water (Job 9:8; Ps.77:19).

h8:7–8 Or “sheep and oxen, beasts of the field, birds of the air, fish of the sea, and everything that moves in the paths of the sea.”

9 TRIUMPHANT THANKS

For the Pure and Shining OneTo the tune of “The Secrets of the Son”a

A Psalm of David

Delighting in God

1I will worship you, Yahweh, with extended hands

as my whole heart erupts with praise!b

I will tell everyone everywhere about your wonderful works!

2I will be glad and shout in triumph.

I will sing praise to your exalted name, O Most High.

Deliverance

3For when you appear, I worship

you while my enemies run in retreat.

They stumble and perish before your presence.

4For you have stood up for my cause

and vindicated me when I needed you the most.

From your righteous throne you have given me justice.

Divine Judgment

5With a blast of your rebuke, nations are destroyed.

You obliterated their names forever and ever.

6The Lord thundered and our enemies have been cut off,

vanished in everlasting ruins.

All their cities have been destroyed—

even the memory of them has been erased.

7But Yahweh, our mighty God, reigns forever!

He sits enthroned as King ready to render his verdicts

and judge all with righteousness.

8He will issue his decrees of judgment,

deciding what is right for the entire world,

dispensing justice to all.

9All who are oppressed may come to Yahweh as a high

shelter in the time of trouble, a perfect hiding place.

10For everyone who knows your wonderful name

keeps putting their trust in you.

They can count on you for help no matter what.

O Lord, you will never, no never, neglect those

who come to you.

11Listen, everyone! Sing out your praises to the God

who rules in Zion!

Tell the world about all the miracles he has done!

12He tracks down killers and avenges bloodshed,

but he will never forget the ones forgotten by others,

hearing every one of their cries for justice.

Daughter of Zion

13So now, O Lord, don’t forget me.

Have mercy on me.

Take note of how I’ve been humiliated

at the hands of those who hate me.

You are the one who can snatch me away from the gates of death.

14Then I will sing your praises as I pass through the gates

of the Daughter of Zion, rejoicing in your deliverance!

15For the nations get trapped

in the very snares they set for others.

The hidden trap they set for the weak

has snapped shut upon themselves!

16Yahweh is famous for his justice.

While the wicked are digging a pit for others,

they are actually setting the terms for their own judgment.

They will fall into their own pit.

Consider the truth of thiscand pause in his presence

Destruction of the Wicked

17Don’t forget this: all the wicked will one day

fall into the darkness of death’s domain,d

including the nations that forget God and reject his ways.

18He will not forget the needs of the poor.

One day the needy will be remembered,

and their hopes will not be forever dashed in disappointment.

19Yahweh, it’s time to arise and judge

the nations who defy you.

Don’t let rebellious men triumph.

20Make them tremble in fear before your presence.

Place a lawgiver over them.

Make them know that they are only puny, frail humans

who must give account to you!

Pause in his presence

a9 As translated by Augustine, an early church father. The Hebrew is “to the death of the son.” Because of David’s sin with Bathsheba, the son born to them had to die, not as a judgment upon the child, but as a sacrifice to cleanse David of his sin. This was God’s way of restoring David. A sinless son bore the guilt. This is a picture of Jesus!

b9:1 The Hebrew word for “praise” is yadah, which can mean “to shoot [an arrow]” or “to worship with extended hands.” It implies an ecstatic burst of praise that is thrown into the heavens like a shout. It is the praise that breaks strongholds. A fresh determination arose in David’s spirit to praise his way into victory.

c