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Luke 20:1-26
New English Translation

The Authority of Jesus

20 Now one[a] day, as Jesus[b] was teaching the people in the temple courts[c] and proclaiming[d] the gospel, the chief priests and the experts in the law[e] with the elders came up[f] 2 and said to him,[g] “Tell us: By what authority[h] are you doing these things?[i] Or who is it who gave you this authority?” 3 He answered them,[j] “I will also ask you a question, and you tell me: 4 John’s baptism[k]—was it from heaven or from people?”[l] 5 So[m] they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘From people,’ all the people will stone us, because they are convinced that John was a prophet.” 7 So[n] they replied that they did not know[o] where it came from. 8 Then[p] Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you[q] by whose authority[r] I do these things.”

The Parable of the Tenants

9 Then[s] he began to tell the people this parable: “A man[t] planted a vineyard,[u] leased it to tenant farmers,[v] and went on a journey for a long time. 10 When harvest time came, he sent a slave[w] to the tenants so that they would give[x] him his portion of the crop.[y] However, the tenants beat his slave[z] and sent him away empty-handed. 11 So[aa] he sent another slave. They beat this one too, treated him outrageously, and sent him away empty-handed.[ab] 12 So[ac] he sent still a third. They even wounded this one, and threw him out. 13 Then[ad] the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What should I do? I will send my one dear son;[ae] perhaps they will respect him.’ 14 But when the tenants saw him, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir; let’s kill him so the inheritance will be ours!’ 15 So[af] they threw him out of the vineyard and killed[ag] him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and destroy[ah] those tenants and give the vineyard to others.”[ai] When the people[aj] heard this, they said, “May this never happen!”[ak] 17 But Jesus[al] looked straight at them and said, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’?[am] 18 Everyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces,[an] and the one on whom it falls will be crushed.”[ao] 19 Then[ap] the experts in the law[aq] and the chief priests wanted to arrest[ar] him that very hour, because they realized he had told this parable against them. But[as] they were afraid of the people.

Paying Taxes to Caesar

20 Then[at] they watched him carefully and sent spies who pretended to be sincere.[au] They wanted to take advantage of what he might say[av] so that they could deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction[aw] of the governor. 21 Thus[ax] they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach correctly,[ay] and show no partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.[az] 22 Is it right[ba] for us to pay the tribute tax[bb] to Caesar[bc] or not?” 23 But Jesus[bd] perceived their deceit[be] and said to them, 24 “Show me a denarius.[bf] Whose image[bg] and inscription are on it?”[bh] They said, “Caesar’s.” 25 So[bi] he said to them, “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”[bj] 26 Thus[bk] they were unable in the presence of the people to trap[bl] him with his own words.[bm] And stunned[bn] by his answer, they fell silent.

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 20:1 tn Grk “Now it happened that one.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
  2. Luke 20:1 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  3. Luke 20:1 tn Grk “the temple.”
  4. Luke 20:1 tn Or “preaching.”
  5. Luke 20:1 tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.
  6. Luke 20:1 sn The chief priests and the experts in the law with the elders came up. The description is similar to Luke 19:47. The leaders are really watching Jesus at this point.
  7. Luke 20:2 tn Grk “and said, saying to him.” This is redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.
  8. Luke 20:2 tn On this phrase, see BDAG 844 s.v. ποῖος 2.a.γ.
  9. Luke 20:2 sn The leadership is looking back to acts like the temple cleansing (19:45-48). How could a Galilean preacher do these things?
  10. Luke 20:3 tn Grk “answering, he said to them.” This is redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.
  11. Luke 20:4 sn John, like Jesus, was not a part of the official rabbinic order. So the question “John’s baptism—was it from heaven or from men?” draws an analogy between John the Baptist and Jesus. See Luke 3:1-20; 7:24-27. The phrase John’s baptism refers to the baptism practiced by John.
  12. Luke 20:4 tn The plural Greek term ἀνθρώπων (anthrōpōn) is used here (and in v. 6) in a generic sense, referring to both men and women (cf. NAB, NRSV, “of human origin”; TEV, “from human beings”; NLT, “merely human”).sn The question is whether John’s ministry was of divine or human origin.
  13. Luke 20:5 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Jesus’ question.
  14. Luke 20:7 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the dilemma Jesus’ opponents faced.
  15. Luke 20:7 sn Very few questions could have so completely revealed the wicked intentions of the religious leaders. Jesus’ question revealed the motivation of the religious leaders and exposed them for what they really were—hypocrites. They indicted themselves when they cited only two options and chose neither of them. The point of Luke 20:1-8 is that no matter what Jesus said in response to their question they were not going to believe it and would in the end use it against him.
  16. Luke 20:8 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
  17. Luke 20:8 sn Neither will I tell you. Though Jesus gave no answer, the analogy he used to their own question makes his view clear. His authority came from heaven.
  18. Luke 20:8 tn On this phrase, see BDAG 844 s.v. ποῖος 2.a.γ. This is exactly the same phrase as in v. 2.
  19. Luke 20:9 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative. The parable Jesus tells here actually addresses the question put to him by the leaders.
  20. Luke 20:9 tc ‡ There are several variants here, most of which involve variations in word order that do not affect translation. However, the presence or absence of τις (tis) after ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos), which would be translated “a certain man,” does affect translation. The witnesses that have τις include A W Θ ƒ13 1241 2542 al sy. Those that lack it include א B C D L Ψ ƒ1 33 M it. Externally, the evidence is significantly stronger for the omission. Internally, however, there is some pause. A feature unique to Luke-Acts in the NT is to use the construction ἄνθρωπος τις (cf. 10:30; 12:16; 14:2, 16; 15:11; 16:1; 19:12; Acts 9:33). However, scribes who were familiar with this idiom may have inserted it here. In light of the overwhelming external support for the omission of τις, the shorter reading is preferred. NA28 places τις in brackets, indicating some doubts as to its authenticity.
  21. Luke 20:9 sn The vineyard is a figure for Israel in the OT (Isa 5:1-7). The nation and its leaders are the tenants, so the vineyard here may well refer to the promise that resides within the nation. The imagery is like that in Rom 11:11-24.
  22. Luke 20:9 sn The leasing of land to tenant farmers was common in this period.
  23. Luke 20:10 sn This slave (along with the next two) represent the prophets God sent to the nation, who were mistreated and rejected.
  24. Luke 20:10 tc Instead of the future indicative δώσουσιν (dōsousin, “they will give”), most witnesses (C D W Θ Ψ ƒ1 M) have the aorist subjunctive δῶσιν (dōsin, “they might give”). The aorist subjunctive is expected following ἵνα (hina, “so that”), so it is almost surely a motivated reading. Further, early and excellent witnesses, as well as a few others (א A B ƒ13 33 579 1241 2542 al), have δώσουσιν. It is thus more likely that the future indicative is authentic. For a discussion of this construction, see BDF §369.2.
  25. Luke 20:10 tn Grk “from the fruit of the vineyard.”
  26. Luke 20:10 tn Grk “him”; the referent (the slave sent by the owner) has been specified in the translation for clarity.sn The image of the tenants beating up the owner’s slave pictures the nation’s rejection of the prophets and their message.
  27. Luke 20:11 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the tenants’ mistreatment of the first slave.
  28. Luke 20:11 sn The slaves being sent empty-handed suggests that the vineyard was not producing any fruit—and thus neither was the nation of Israel.
  29. Luke 20:12 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the tenants’ mistreatment of the first two slaves.
  30. Luke 20:13 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
  31. Luke 20:13 tn Grk “my beloved son.” See comment at Luke 3:22. sn The owner’s decision to send his one dear son represents God sending Jesus.
  32. Luke 20:15 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the tenants’ decision to kill the son.
  33. Luke 20:15 sn Throwing the heir out of the vineyard pictures Jesus’ death outside of Jerusalem.
  34. Luke 20:16 sn The statement that the owner will come and destroy those tenants is a promise of judgment; see Luke 13:34-35; 19:41-44.
  35. Luke 20:16 sn The warning that the owner would give the vineyard to others suggests that the care of the promise and the nation’s hope would be passed to others. This eventually looks to Gentile inclusion; see Eph 2:11-22.
  36. Luke 20:16 tn Grk “they”; the referent (the people addressed in v. 9) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  37. Luke 20:16 sn May this never happen! Jesus’ audience got the point and did not want to consider a story where the nation would suffer judgment.
  38. Luke 20:17 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  39. Luke 20:17 tn Or “capstone,” “keystone.” Although these meanings are lexically possible, the imagery in Eph 2:20-22 and 1 Cor 3:11 indicates that the term κεφαλὴ γωνίας (kephalē gōnias) refers to a cornerstone, not a capstone.sn The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. The use of Ps 118:22-23 and the “stone imagery” as a reference to Christ and his suffering and exaltation is common in the NT (see also Matt 21:42; Mark 12:10; Acts 4:11; 1 Pet 2:6-8; cf. also Eph 2:20). The irony in the use of Ps 118:22-23 here is that in the OT, Israel was the one rejected (or perhaps her king) by the Gentiles, but in the NT it is Jesus who is rejected by Israel.
  40. Luke 20:18 tn On this term, see BDAG 972 s.v. συνθλάω.
  41. Luke 20:18 tn Grk “on whomever it falls, it will crush him.”sn This proverb basically means that the stone crushes, without regard to whether it falls on someone or someone falls on it. On the stone as a messianic image, see Isa 28:16 and Dan 2:44-45.
  42. Luke 20:19 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
  43. Luke 20:19 tn Or “The scribes” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.
  44. Luke 20:19 tn Grk “tried to lay hands on him.”
  45. Luke 20:19 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
  46. Luke 20:20 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
  47. Luke 20:20 tn Grk “righteous,” but in this context the point is their false sincerity.
  48. Luke 20:20 tn Grk “so that they might catch him in some word.”
  49. Luke 20:20 tn This word is often translated “authority” in other contexts, but here, in combination with ἀρχή (archē), it refers to the domain or sphere of the governor’s rule (L&N 37.36).
  50. Luke 20:21 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “thus” to indicate the implied result of the plans by the spies.
  51. Luke 20:21 tn Or “precisely”; Grk “rightly.” Jesus teaches exactly, the straight and narrow.
  52. Luke 20:21 sn Teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Very few comments are as deceitful as this one; they did not really believe this at all. The question was specifically designed to trap Jesus.
  53. Luke 20:22 tn Or “lawful,” that is, in accordance with God’s divine law. On the syntax of ἔξεστιν (exestin) with an infinitive and accusative, see BDF §409.3.
  54. Luke 20:22 tn This was a “poll tax.” L&N 57.182 states this was “a payment made by the people of one nation to another, with the implication that this is a symbol of submission and dependence—‘tribute tax.’”
  55. Luke 20:22 tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
  56. Luke 20:23 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  57. Luke 20:23 tn Or “craftiness.” The term always has negative connotations in the NT (1 Cor 3:19; 2 Cor 4:2; 11:3; Eph 4:14).
  58. Luke 20:24 tn Here the specific name of the coin was retained in the translation, because not all coins in circulation in Palestine at the time carried the image of Caesar. In other places δηνάριον (dēnarion) has been translated simply as “silver coin” with an explanatory note.sn A denarius was a silver coin worth approximately one day’s wage for a laborer. The fact that the leaders had such a coin showed that they already operated in the economic world of Rome. The denarius would have had a picture of Tiberius Caesar, the Roman emperor, on it.
  59. Luke 20:24 tn Or “whose likeness.”sn In this passage Jesus points to the image (Grk εἰκών, eikōn) of Caesar on the coin. This same Greek word is used in Gen 1:26 (LXX) to state that humanity is made in the “image” of God. Jesus is making a subtle yet powerful contrast: Caesar’s image is on the denarius, so he can lay claim to money through taxation, but God’s image is on humanity, so he can lay claim to each individual life.
  60. Luke 20:24 tn Grk “whose likeness and inscription does it have?”
  61. Luke 20:25 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate that Jesus’ pronouncement results from the opponents’ answer to his question.
  62. Luke 20:25 sn Jesus’ answer to give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s was a both/and, not the questioners’ either/or. So he slipped out of their trap.
  63. Luke 20:26 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “thus” to indicate the implied result of Jesus’ unexpected answer.
  64. Luke 20:26 tn On this term, see BDAG 374 s.v. ἐπιλαμβάνομαι 3.
  65. Luke 20:26 tn Grk “to trap him in a saying.”
  66. Luke 20:26 tn Or “amazed.”
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Psalm 107-109
New English Translation

Book 5 (Psalms 107-150)

Psalm 107[a]

107 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
and his loyal love endures.[b]
2 Let those delivered by the Lord speak out,[c]
those whom he delivered[d] from the power[e] of the enemy,
3 and gathered from foreign lands,[f]
from east and west,
from north and south.
4 They wandered through the wilderness, in a wasteland;[g]
they found no road to a city in which to live.
5 They were hungry and thirsty;
they fainted from exhaustion.[h]
6 They cried out to the Lord in their distress;
he delivered them from their troubles.
7 He led them on a level road,[i]
that they might find a city in which to live.
8 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love,
and for the amazing things he has done for people.[j]
9 For he has satisfied those who thirst,[k]
and those who hunger he has filled with food.[l]
10 They sat in utter darkness,[m]
bound in painful iron chains,[n]
11 because they had rebelled against God’s commands,[o]
and rejected the instructions of the Most High.[p]
12 So he used suffering to humble them;[q]
they stumbled and no one helped them up.
13 They cried out to the Lord in their distress;
he delivered them from their troubles.
14 He brought them out of the utter darkness,[r]
and tore off their shackles.
15 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love,
and for the amazing things he has done for people.[s]
16 For he shattered the bronze gates,
and hacked through the iron bars.[t]
17 They acted like fools in their rebellious ways,[u]
and suffered because of their sins.
18 They lost their appetite for all food,[v]
and they drew near the gates of death.
19 They cried out to the Lord in their distress;
he delivered them from their troubles.
20 He sent them an assuring word[w] and healed them;
he rescued them from the pits where they were trapped.[x]
21 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love,
and for the amazing things he has done for people.[y]
22 Let them present thank offerings,
and loudly proclaim what he has done.[z]
23 [aa] Some traveled on[ab] the sea in ships,
and carried cargo over the vast waters.[ac]
24 They witnessed the acts of the Lord,
his amazing feats on the deep water.
25 He gave the order for a windstorm,[ad]
and it stirred up the waves of the sea.[ae]
26 They[af] reached up to the sky,
then dropped into the depths.
The sailors’ strength[ag] left them[ah] because the danger was so great.[ai]
27 They swayed[aj] and staggered like drunks,
and all their skill proved ineffective.[ak]
28 They cried out to the Lord in their distress;
he delivered them from their troubles.
29 He calmed the storm,[al]
and the waves[am] grew silent.
30 The sailors[an] rejoiced because the waves[ao] grew quiet,
and he led them to the harbor[ap] they desired.
31 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love,
and for the amazing things he has done for people.[aq]
32 Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people.
Let them praise him in the place where the leaders preside.[ar]
33 He turned[as] streams into a desert,
springs of water into arid land,
34 and a fruitful land into a barren place,[at]
because of the sin of its inhabitants.
35 As for his people,[au] he turned[av] a desert into a pool of water,
and a dry land into springs of water.
36 He allowed the hungry to settle there,
and they established a city in which to live.
37 They cultivated[aw] fields,
and planted vineyards,
which yielded a harvest of fruit.[ax]
38 He blessed[ay] them so that they became very numerous.
He would not allow their cattle to decrease in number.[az]
39 As for their enemies,[ba] they decreased in number and were beaten down,
because of painful distress[bb] and suffering.
40 He would pour[bc] contempt upon princes,
and he made them wander in a wasteland with no road.
41 Yet he protected[bd] the needy from oppression,
and cared for his families like a flock of sheep.
42 When the godly see this, they rejoice,
and every sinner[be] shuts his mouth.
43 Whoever is wise, let him take note of these things.
Let them consider the Lord’s acts of loyal love.

Psalm 108[bf]

A song, a psalm of David.

108 I am determined,[bg] O God.
I will sing and praise you with my whole heart.[bh]
2 Awake, O stringed instrument and harp.
I will wake up at dawn.[bi]
3 I will give you thanks before the nations, O Lord.
I will sing praises to you before foreigners.[bj]
4 For your loyal love extends beyond the sky,[bk]
and your faithfulness reaches the clouds.
5 Rise up[bl] above the sky, O God.
May your splendor cover the whole earth.[bm]
6 Deliver by your power[bn] and answer me,
so that the ones you love may be safe.[bo]
7 God has spoken in his sanctuary:[bp]
“I will triumph! I will parcel out Shechem;
the Valley of Sukkoth I will measure off.[bq]
8 Gilead belongs to me,
as does Manasseh.[br]
Ephraim is my helmet,[bs]
Judah my royal scepter.[bt]
9 Moab is my washbasin.[bu]
I will make Edom serve me.[bv]
I will shout in triumph over Philistia.”
10 Who will lead me into the fortified city?
Who will bring me to Edom?[bw]
11 Have you not rejected us, O God?
O God, you do not go into battle with our armies.
12 Give us help against the enemy,
for any help men might offer is futile.[bx]
13 By God’s power we will conquer;[by]
he will trample down[bz] our enemies.

Psalm 109[ca]

For the music director, a psalm of David.

109 O God whom I praise, do not ignore me.[cb]
2 For they say cruel and deceptive things to me;
they lie to me.[cc]
3 They surround me and say hateful things;[cd]
they attack me for no reason.
4 They repay my love with accusations,[ce]
but I continue to pray.[cf]
5 They repay me evil for good,[cg]
and hate for love.
6 [ch] Appoint an evil man to testify against him.[ci]
May an accuser stand[cj] at his right side.
7 When he is judged, he will be found[ck] guilty.[cl]
Then his prayer will be regarded as sinful.
8 May his days be few.[cm]
May another take his job.[cn]
9 May his children[co] be fatherless,
and his wife a widow.
10 May his children[cp] roam around begging,
asking for handouts as they leave their ruined home.[cq]
11 May the creditor seize[cr] all he owns.
May strangers loot his property.[cs]
12 May no one show him kindness.[ct]
May no one have compassion[cu] on his fatherless children.
13 May his descendants[cv] be cut off.[cw]
May the memory of them be wiped out by the time the next generation arrives.[cx]
14 May his ancestors’[cy] sins be remembered by the Lord.
May his mother’s sin not be forgotten.[cz]
15 May the Lord be constantly aware of them,[da]
and cut off the memory of his children[db] from the earth.
16 For he never bothered to show kindness;[dc]
he harassed the oppressed and needy,
and killed the disheartened.[dd]
17 He loved to curse[de] others, so those curses have come upon him.[df]
He had no desire to bless anyone, so he has experienced no blessings.[dg]
18 He made cursing a way of life,[dh]
so curses poured into his stomach like water
and seeped into his bones like oil.[di]
19 May a curse attach itself to him, like a garment one puts on,[dj]
or a belt[dk] one wears continually.
20 May the Lord repay my accusers in this way,[dl]
those who say evil things about[dm] me.[dn]
21 O Sovereign Lord,
intervene on my behalf for the sake of your reputation.[do]
Because your loyal love is good, deliver me.
22 For I am oppressed and needy,
and my heart beats violently within me.[dp]
23 I am fading away like a shadow at the end of the day;[dq]
I am shaken off like a locust.
24 I am so starved my knees shake;[dr]
I have turned into skin and bones.[ds]
25 I am disdained by them.[dt]
When they see me, they shake their heads.[du]
26 Help me, O Lord my God.
Because you are faithful to me, deliver me.[dv]
27 Then they will realize[dw] this is your work,[dx]
and that you, Lord, have accomplished it.
28 They curse, but you will bless.[dy]
When they attack, they will be humiliated,[dz]
but your servant will rejoice.
29 My accusers will be covered[ea] with shame,
and draped in humiliation as if it were a robe.
30 I will thank the Lord profusely.[eb]
In the middle of a crowd[ec] I will praise him,
31 because he stands at the right hand of the needy,
to deliver him from those who threaten[ed] his life.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 107:1 sn Psalm 107. The psalmist praises God for his kindness to his exiled people.
  2. Psalm 107:1 tn Heb “for forever [is] his loyal love.”
  3. Psalm 107:2 tn Or “let the redeemed of the Lord say [so].”
  4. Psalm 107:2 tn Or “redeemed.”
  5. Psalm 107:2 tn Heb “hand.”
  6. Psalm 107:3 tn Heb “from lands.” The word “foreign” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
  7. Psalm 107:4 tc The MT divides the verse so the line ends “on a wasteland of a road.” The LXX divides the line before “road” as in the translation.
  8. Psalm 107:5 tn Heb “and their soul in them fainted.”
  9. Psalm 107:7 sn A level road. See Jer 31:9.
  10. Psalm 107:8 tn Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.”
  11. Psalm 107:9 tn Heb “[the] longing throat.” The noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh), which frequently refers to one’s very being or soul, here probably refers to one’s parched “throat” (note the parallelism with נֶפֶשׁ רְעֵבָה, nefesh reʿevah, “hungry throat”).
  12. Psalm 107:9 tn Heb “and [the] hungry throat he has filled [with] good.”
  13. Psalm 107:10 tn Heb “those who sat in darkness and deep darkness.” Synonyms are joined here to emphasize the degree of “darkness” experienced by the exiles. The Hebrew term צַלְמָוֶת (tsalmavet, “deep darkness”) has traditionally been understood as a compound noun, meaning “shadow of death” (צֵל + מָוֶת [tsel + mavet]; see BDB 853 s.v. צַלְמָוֶת; cf. NASB). Other authorities prefer to vocalize the form צַלְמוּת (tsalmut) and understand it as an abstract noun (from the root צלם) meaning “darkness.” An examination of the word’s usage favors the latter derivation. It is frequently associated with darkness/night and contrasted with light/morning (see Job 3:5; 10:21-22; 12:22; 24:17; 28:3; 34:22; Ps 107:10, 14; Isa 9:1; Jer 13:16; Amos 5:8). In some cases the darkness described is associated with the realm of death (Job 10:21-22; 38:17), but this is a metaphorical application of the word and does not reflect its inherent meaning. In Ps 107:10 the word refers metonymically to a dungeon, which in turn metaphorically depicts the place of Israel’s exile (see vv. 2-3).
  14. Psalm 107:10 tn Heb “those bound in suffering and iron.” “Suffering and iron” is a hendiadys (like English “good and angry”), where both words contribute to one idea. In this case the first word characterizes the second; the iron (chains) contribute to the prisoners’ pain and suffering.
  15. Psalm 107:11 tn Heb “the words of God.”
  16. Psalm 107:11 sn The divine title “Most High” (עֶלְיוֹן ʿelyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Pss 7:17; 9:2; 18:13; 21:7; 47:2.
  17. Psalm 107:12 tn Heb “and he subdued with suffering their heart.”
  18. Psalm 107:14 tn Heb “darkness and deep darkness.” See the note on the word “darkness” in v. 10.
  19. Psalm 107:15 tn Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.” See v. 8.
  20. Psalm 107:16 sn The language of v. 16 recalls Isa 45:2.
  21. Psalm 107:17 tn Heb “fools [they were] because of the way of their rebellion.”
  22. Psalm 107:18 tn Heb “all food their appetite loathed.”
  23. Psalm 107:20 tn Heb “he sent his word.” This probably refers to an oracle of assurance which announced his intention to intervene (see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 59).
  24. Psalm 107:20 tn Heb “he rescued from their traps.” The Hebrew word שְׁחִית (shekhit, “trap”) occurs only here and in Lam 4:20, where it refers to a trap or pit in which one is captured. Because of the rarity of the term and the absence of an object with the verb “rescued,” some prefer to emend the text of Ps 107:20, reading מִשַּׁחַת חַיָּתָם (mishakhat khayyatam, “[he rescued] their lives from the pit”). Note also NIV “from the grave,” which interprets the “pit” as Sheol or the grave.
  25. Psalm 107:21 tn Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.” See v. 8.
  26. Psalm 107:22 tn Heb “and let them proclaim his works with a ringing cry.”
  27. Psalm 107:23 sn Verses 23-30, which depict the Lord rescuing sailors from a storm at sea, do not seem to describe the exiles’ situation, unless the word picture is metaphorical. Perhaps the psalmist here broadens his scope and offers an example of God’s kindness to the needy beyond the covenant community.
  28. Psalm 107:23 tn Heb “those going down [into].”
  29. Psalm 107:23 tn Heb “doers of work on the mighty waters.”
  30. Psalm 107:25 tn Heb “he spoke and caused to stand a stormy wind.”
  31. Psalm 107:25 tn Heb “and it stirred up its [i.e., the sea’s, see v. 23] waves.”
  32. Psalm 107:26 tn That is, the waves (see v. 25).
  33. Psalm 107:26 tn Heb “their being”; traditionally “their soul” (referring to that of the sailors). This is sometimes translated “courage” (cf. NIV, NRSV).
  34. Psalm 107:26 tn Or “melted.”
  35. Psalm 107:26 tn Heb “from danger.”
  36. Psalm 107:27 tn Only here does the Hebrew verb חָגַג (khagag; normally meaning “to celebrate”) carry the nuance “to sway.”
  37. Psalm 107:27 tn The Hitpael of בָּלַע (balaʿ) occurs only here in the OT. Traditionally the form is derived from the verbal root בלע (“to swallow”), but HALOT 135 s.v. III בלע understands a homonym here with the meaning “to be confused.”
  38. Psalm 107:29 tn Heb “he raised [the] storm to calm.”
  39. Psalm 107:29 tn Heb “their waves.” The antecedent of the third masculine plural pronominal suffix is not readily apparent, unless it refers back to “waters” in v. 23.
  40. Psalm 107:30 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the sailors) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  41. Psalm 107:30 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the waves) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  42. Psalm 107:30 tn The Hebrew noun occurs only here in the OT.
  43. Psalm 107:31 tn Heb “and [for] his amazing deeds for the sons of man.” See v. 8.
  44. Psalm 107:32 tn Heb “in the seat of the elders.”
  45. Psalm 107:33 tn The verbal form appears to be a preterite, which is most naturally taken as narrational. (The use of prefixed forms with vav [ו] consecutive in vv. 36-37 favor this.) The psalmist may return to the theme of God’s intervention for the exiles (see vv. 4-22, especially vv. 4-9). However, many regard vv. 33-41 as a hymnic description which generalizes about God’s activities among men. In this case it would be preferable to use the English present tense throughout (cf. NEB, NRSV).
  46. Psalm 107:34 tn Heb “a salty land.”
  47. Psalm 107:35 tn The words “As for his people” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity. The psalmist contrasts God’s judgment on his enemies with his blessing of his people. See the note on the word “enemies” in v. 39 for further discussion.
  48. Psalm 107:35 tn The verbal form appears to be a preterite, which is most naturally taken as narrational. See the note on the word “turned” in v. 33.
  49. Psalm 107:37 tn Heb “sowed seed in.”
  50. Psalm 107:37 tn Heb “fruit [as] produce.”
  51. Psalm 107:38 tn “Bless” here carries the nuance “endue with sexual potency, make fertile.” See Gen 1:28, where the statement “he blessed them” directly precedes the command “be fruitful and populate the earth” (see also 1:22). The verb “bless” carries this same nuance in Gen 17:16 (where God’s blessing of Sarai imparts to her the capacity to bear a child); 48:16 (where God’s blessing of Joseph’s sons is closely associated with their having numerous descendants); and Deut 7:13 (where God’s blessing is associated with fertility in general, including numerous descendants). See also Gen 49:25 (where Jacob uses the noun derivative in referring to “blessings of the breast and womb,” an obvious reference to fertility) and Gen 27:27 (where the verb is used of a field to which God has given the capacity to produce vegetation).
  52. Psalm 107:38 tn The verbal form in this line appears to be an imperfect, which may be taken as customary (drawing attention to typical action in a past time frame) or as generalizing (in which case one should use the English present tense, understanding a move from narrative to present reality).
  53. Psalm 107:39 tn The words “As for their enemies” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity. Without such clarification, one might think that v. 39 refers to those just mentioned in v. 38 as objects of divine blessing, which would contradict the point just emphasized by the psalmist. The structure of vv. 33-42 is paneled (A-B-A-B). In vv. 33-34 the psalmist describes God’s judgment upon his enemies (perhaps those who had enslaved his people). In vv. 35-38 he contrasts this judgment with the divine blessing poured out on God’s people. (See the note on the word “people” in v. 35.) In vv. 39-40 he contrasts this blessing with the judgment experienced by enemies, before returning in vv. 41-42 to the blessing experienced by God’s people.
  54. Psalm 107:39 tn Heb “from the oppression of calamity.”
  55. Psalm 107:40 tn The active participle is understood as past durative here, drawing attention to typical action in a past time frame. However, it could be taken as generalizing (in which case one should translate using the English present tense), in which case the psalmist moves from narrative to present reality. Perhaps the participial form appears because the statement is lifted from Job 12:21.
  56. Psalm 107:41 tn Heb “set on high.”
  57. Psalm 107:42 tn Heb “all evil,” which stands metonymically for those who do evil.
  58. Psalm 108:1 sn Psalm 108. With some minor variations, this psalm is a composite of Ps 57:7-11 (see vv. 1-5) and Ps 60:5-12 (see vv. 6-13).
  59. Psalm 108:1 tn Or perhaps “confident”; Heb “my heart is steadfast.” The “heart” is viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s volition and/or emotions.
  60. Psalm 108:1 tn Heb “also my glory,” but this makes little sense in the context. Some view the term כָּבוֹד (kavod, “glory”) here as a metonymy for man’s inner being (see BDB 459 s.v. II כָּבוֹד 5), but it is preferable to emend the form to כְּבֵדִי (kevedi, “my liver”). Like the heart, the liver is viewed as the seat of one’s emotions. See also Pss 16:9; 30:12; 57:9; as well as H. W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament, 64, and M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 3:93. For an Ugaritic example of the heart/liver as the source of joy, see G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 47-48: “her [Anat’s] liver swelled with laughter, her heart was filled with joy, the liver of Anat with triumph.”
  61. Psalm 108:2 tn BDB 1007 s.v. שַׁחַר takes “dawn” as an adverbial accusative, though others understand it as a personified direct object. “Dawn” is used metaphorically for the time of deliverance and vindication the psalmist anticipates. When salvation “dawns,” the psalmist will “wake up” in praise.
  62. Psalm 108:3 tn Or “the peoples.”
  63. Psalm 108:4 tn Heb “for great upon the sky [or “heavens”] [is] your loyal love.”
  64. Psalm 108:5 tn Or “be exalted.”
  65. Psalm 108:5 tn Heb “over all the earth [be] your splendor.” Though no verb appears, the tone of the statement is a prayer or wish. (Note the imperative form in the preceding line.)
  66. Psalm 108:6 tn Heb “right hand.”
  67. Psalm 108:6 tn Or “may be rescued.” The lines are actually reversed in the Hebrew text: “So that the ones you love may be rescued, deliver by your power and answer me.”
  68. Psalm 108:7 tn Heb “in his holy place.”
  69. Psalm 108:7 sn Shechem stands for the territory west of the Jordan River; the Valley of Sukkoth represents the region east of the Jordan.
  70. Psalm 108:8 tn Gilead was located east of the Jordan River. Half of the tribe of Manasseh lived east of the Jordan in the region of Bashan.
  71. Psalm 108:8 tn Heb “the protection of my head.”sn Ephraim, one of Joseph’s sons, was one of two major tribes located west of the Jordan River. By comparing Ephraim to a helmet, the Lord suggests that the Ephraimites played a primary role in the defense of his land.
  72. Psalm 108:8 sn Judah, like Ephraim, was the other major tribe west of the Jordan River. The Davidic king, symbolized here by the royal scepter, came from this tribe.
  73. Psalm 108:9 sn The metaphor of the washbasin, used to rinse one’s hands and feet, suggests that Moab, in contrast to Israel’s elevated position (vv. 7-8), would be reduced to the status of a servant.
  74. Psalm 108:9 tn Heb “over Edom I will throw my sandal.” The point of the metaphor is not entirely clear. Some interpret this as idiomatic for “taking possession of.” Others translate עַל (ʿal) as “to” and understand this as referring to a master throwing his dirty sandal to a servant so that the latter might dust it off.
  75. Psalm 108:10 sn The psalmist speaks again and acknowledges his need for help in battle. He hopes God will volunteer, based on the affirmation of sovereignty over Edom in v. 9, but he is also aware that God has seemingly rejected the nation of Israel (v. 11).
  76. Psalm 108:12 tn Heb “and futile [is] the deliverance of man.”
  77. Psalm 108:13 tn Heb “in God we will accomplish strength.” The statement refers here to military success (see Num 24:18; 1 Sam 14:48; Pss 60:12; 118:16).
  78. Psalm 108:13 sn On the expression trample down our enemies see Ps 44:5.
  79. Psalm 109:1 sn Psalm 109. Appealing to God’s justice, the psalmist asks God to vindicate him and to bring severe judgment down upon his enemies.
  80. Psalm 109:1 tn Heb “do not be deaf.”
  81. Psalm 109:2 tn Heb “for a mouth of evil and a mouth of deceit against me they open, they speak with me [with] a tongue of falsehood.”
  82. Psalm 109:3 tn Heb “and [with] words of hatred they surround me.”
  83. Psalm 109:4 tn Heb “in place of my love they oppose me.”
  84. Psalm 109:4 tn Heb “and I, prayer.”
  85. Psalm 109:5 tn Heb “and they set upon me evil in place of good.”
  86. Psalm 109:6 sn In vv. 6-19 the psalmist calls on God to judge his enemies severely. Some attribute this curse-list to the psalmist’s enemies rather than the psalmist. In this case one should paraphrase v. 6: “They say about me, ‘Appoint an evil man, etc.’” Those supporting this line of interpretation point out that vv. 2-5 and 20 refer to the enemies’ attack on the psalmist being a verbal one. Furthermore in vv. 1-5, 20 the psalmist speaks of his enemies in the plural, while vv. 6-19 refer to an individual. This use of the singular in vv. 6-19 could be readily explained if this is the psalmist’s enemies’ curse on him. However, it is much more natural to understand vv. 6-19 as the psalmist’s prayer against his enemies. There is no introductory quotation formula in v. 6 to indicate that the psalmist is quoting anyone, and the statement “may the Lord repay my accusers in this way” in v. 20 most naturally appears to be a fitting conclusion to the prayer in vv. 6-19. But what about the use of the singular in vv. 6-19? Often in the psalms the psalmist will describe his enemies as a group, but then speak of them as an individual as well, as if viewing his adversaries collectively as one powerful foe. See, for example, Ps 7, where the psalmist uses both the plural (vv. 1, 6) and the singular (vv. 2, 4-5) in referring to enemies. Perhaps by using the singular in such cases, the psalmist wants to single out each enemy for individual attention, or perhaps he has one especially hostile enemy in mind who epitomizes the opposition of the whole group. This may well be the case in Ps 109. Perhaps we should understand the singular throughout vv. 6-19 in the sense of “each and every one.” For a lengthy and well-reasoned defense of the opposite view—that vv. 6-19 are a quotation of what the enemies said about the psalmist—see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 72-73.
  87. Psalm 109:6 tn Heb “appoint against him an evil [man].”
  88. Psalm 109:6 tn The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive here (note the imperative in the preceding line).
  89. Psalm 109:7 tn The prefixed verbal form could be taken as a jussive, but the use of the imperfect form in the following line suggests that v. 7 anticipates the outcome of the accusation envisioned in v. 6.
  90. Psalm 109:7 tn Heb “he will go out [as] a criminal” (that is, guilty).
  91. Psalm 109:8 tn The prefixed verbal forms (except those with vav [ו] consecutive) in vv. 8-20 are taken as jussives of prayer. Note the distinct jussive forms used in vv. 12-13, 15, 19.
  92. Psalm 109:8 tn The Hebrew noun פְּקֻדָּה (pequddah) can mean “charge” or “office,” though BDB 824 s.v. suggests that here it refers to his possessions.
  93. Psalm 109:9 tn Or “sons.”
  94. Psalm 109:10 tn Or “sons.”
  95. Psalm 109:10 tn Heb “and roaming, may his children roam and beg, and seek from their ruins.” Some, following the LXX, emend the term וְדָרְשׁוּ (vedareshu, “and seek”) to יְגֹרְשׁוּ (yegoreshu; a Pual jussive, “may they be driven away” [see Job 30:5; cf. NIV, NRSV]), but דָּרַשׁ (darash) nicely parallels שִׁאֵלוּ (shiʾelu, “and beg”) in the preceding line.
  96. Psalm 109:11 tn Heb “lay snares for” (see Ps 38:12).
  97. Psalm 109:11 tn Heb “the product of his labor.”
  98. Psalm 109:12 tn Heb “may there not be for him one who extends loyal love.”
  99. Psalm 109:12 tn Perhaps this refers to being generous (see Ps 37:21).
  100. Psalm 109:13 tn Or “offspring.”
  101. Psalm 109:13 sn On the expression cut off see Ps 37:28.
  102. Psalm 109:13 tn Heb “in another generation may their name be wiped out.”
  103. Psalm 109:14 tn Or “fathers’ sins.”
  104. Psalm 109:14 tn Heb “not be wiped out.”sn According to ancient Israelite theology and its doctrine of corporate solidarity and responsibility, children could be and often were punished for the sins of their parents. For a discussion of this issue see J. Kaminsky, Corporate Responsibility in the Hebrew Bible (JSOTSup). (Kaminsky, however, does not deal with Ps 109.)
  105. Psalm 109:15 tn Heb “may they [that is, the sins mentioned in v. 14] be before the Lord continually.”
  106. Psalm 109:15 tn Heb “their memory.” The plural pronominal suffix probably refers back to the children mentioned in v. 13, and for clarity this has been specified in the translation.
  107. Psalm 109:16 tn Heb “he did not remember to do loyal love.”
  108. Psalm 109:16 tn Heb “and he chased an oppressed and needy man, and one timid of heart to put [him] to death.”
  109. Psalm 109:17 sn A curse in OT times consists of a formal appeal to God to bring judgment down upon another. Curses were sometimes justified (such as the one spoken by the psalmist here in vv. 6-19), but when they were not, the one pronouncing the curse was in danger of bringing the anticipated judgment down upon himself.
  110. Psalm 109:17 tn Heb “and he loved a curse and it came [upon] him.” A reference to the evil man experiencing a curse seems premature here, for the psalmist is asking God to bring judgment on his enemies. For this reason some (cf. NIV, NRSV) prefer to repoint the vav (ו) on “it came” as conjunctive and translate the verb as a jussive of prayer (“may it come upon him!”). The prefixed form with vav consecutive in the next line is emended in the same way and translated, “may it be far from him.” However, the psalmist may be indicating that the evil man’s lifestyle has already begun to yield its destructive fruit.
  111. Psalm 109:17 tn Heb “and he did not delight in a blessing and it is far from him.”
  112. Psalm 109:18 tn Heb “he put on a curse as [if it were] his garment.”
  113. Psalm 109:18 tn Heb “and it came like water into his inner being, and like oil into his bones.” This may refer to this individual’s appetite for cursing. For him cursing was as refreshing as drinking water or massaging oneself with oil. Another option is that the destructive effects of a curse are in view. In this case a destructive curse invades his very being, like water or oil. Some who interpret the verse this way prefer to repoint the verb from the preterite form וַתָּבֹא (vattavoʾ, “and it came”) to a jussive form וְתָבֹא (vetavoʾ, “and may it come!”).
  114. Psalm 109:19 tn Heb “may it be for him like a garment one puts on.”
  115. Psalm 109:19 tn The Hebrew noun מֵזַח (mezakh, “belt; waistband”) occurs only here in the OT. The form apparently occurs in Isa 23:10 as well, but an emendation is necessary there.
  116. Psalm 109:20 tn Heb “[may] this [be] the repayment to my accusers from the Lord.”
  117. Psalm 109:20 tn Or “against.”
  118. Psalm 109:20 tn The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being; soul”) with a pronominal suffix is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 4.a).
  119. Psalm 109:21 tn Heb “but you, Lord, Master, deal with me for the sake of your name” or “on account of your name.” Here “name” stands metonymically for God’s reputation. The Psalmist’s appeal is for God to act consistently with, and therefore maintain, his reputation (as a deliverer of the righteous and one who punishes evildoers). Note that “for your name’s sake” is paralleled by “because your loyal love is good.” The point is that the Psalmist is making an appeal not based on his own personal whim or vendetta but is calling for judicial penalties (or the fulfillment of prior prophetic indictment).
  120. Psalm 109:22 tc The verb in the Hebrew text (חָלַל, khalal) appears to be a Qal form from the root חלל meaning “pierced; wounded.” However, the Qal of this root is otherwise unattested. The translation assumes an emendation to יָחִיל (yakhil), a Qal imperfect from חוּל (khul, “tremble”) or to חֹלַל (kholal), a Polal perfect from חוּל (khul). See Ps 55:4, which reads לִבִּי יָחִיל בְּקִרְבִּי (libbi yakhil beqirbbi, “my heart trembles [i.e., “beats violently”] within me”).
  121. Psalm 109:23 tn Heb “like a shadow when it is extended I go.” He is like a late afternoon shadow made by the descending sun that will soon be swallowed up by complete darkness. See Ps 102:11.
  122. Psalm 109:24 tn Heb “my knees stagger from fasting.”
  123. Psalm 109:24 tn Heb “and my flesh is lean away from fatness [i.e., “lean so as not to be fat”].”
  124. Psalm 109:25 tn Heb “as for me, I am a reproach to them.”
  125. Psalm 109:25 sn They shake their heads. Apparently shaking the head was a taunting gesture. See also Job 16:4; Ps 22:7; Lam 2:15.
  126. Psalm 109:26 tn Heb “deliver me according to your faithfulness.”
  127. Psalm 109:27 tn After the preceding imperative, the prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose or result.
  128. Psalm 109:27 tn Heb “that your hand [is] this.”
  129. Psalm 109:28 tn Another option is to translate the imperfect as a prayer/request (“may you bless”).
  130. Psalm 109:28 tn The verbal sequence is perfect + prefixed form with vav (ו) consecutive. Since the psalmist seems to be anticipating the demise of his enemies, he may be using these forms rhetorically to describe the enemies’ defeat as if it were already accomplished. Some emend the text to קָמוּ יֵבֹשׁוּ (qamu yevoshu, “may those who attack me be humiliated”). See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 75.
  131. Psalm 109:29 tn Heb “clothed.” Another option is to translate the prefixed verbal forms in this line and the next as jussives (“may my accusers be covered with shame”).
  132. Psalm 109:30 tn Heb “I will thank the Lord very much with my mouth.”
  133. Psalm 109:30 tn Heb “many.”
  134. Psalm 109:31 tn Heb “judge.”
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