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Book of Common Prayer

Daily Old and New Testament readings based on the Book of Common Prayer.

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Psalm 40

Psalm 40^[a]

For the music director, a psalm of David.

40 I relied completely^[b] on the Lord,
and he turned toward me
and heard my cry for help.
²He lifted me out of the watery pit,^[c]
out of the slimy mud.^[d]
He placed my feet on a rock
and gave me secure footing.^[e]
³He gave me reason to sing a new song,^[f]
praising our God.^[g]
May many see what God has done,
so that they might swear allegiance to him and trust in the Lord.^[h]
⁴How blessed^[i] is the one^[j] who trusts in the Lord^[k]
and does not seek help from^[l] the proud or from liars.^[m]
⁵O Lord, my God, you have accomplished many things;
you have done amazing things and carried out your purposes for us.^[n]
No one can thwart you.^[o]
I want to declare your deeds and talk about them,
but they are too numerous to recount.^[p]
⁶Receiving sacrifices and offerings are not your primary concern.^[q]
You make that quite clear to me.^[r]
You do not ask for burnt sacrifices and sin offerings.
⁷Then I say,
“Look, I come!
What is written in the scroll pertains to me.^[s]
⁸I want to do what pleases you,^[t] my God.
Your law dominates my thoughts.”^[u]
⁹I have told the great assembly^[v] about your justice.^[w]
Look, I spare no words.^[x]
O Lord, you know this is true.
¹⁰I have not failed to tell about your justice;^[y]
I spoke about your reliability and deliverance.
I have not neglected to tell the great assembly about your loyal love and faithfulness.^[z]
¹¹O Lord, you do not withhold^[aa] your compassion from me.
May your loyal love and faithfulness continually protect me!^[ab]
¹²For innumerable dangers^[ac] surround me.
My sins overtake me
so I am unable to see;
they outnumber the hairs of my head
so my strength fails me.^[ad]
¹³Please be willing, O Lord, to rescue me!
O Lord, hurry and help me!^[ae]
¹⁴May those who are trying to snatch away my life
be totally embarrassed and ashamed.^[af]
May those who want to harm me
be turned back and ashamed.^[ag]
¹⁵May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”
be humiliated^[ah] and disgraced.^[ai]
¹⁶May all those who seek you be happy and rejoice in you.
May those who love to experience^[aj] your deliverance say continually,^[ak]
“May the Lord be praised!”^[al]
¹⁷I am oppressed and needy.^[am]
May the Lord pay attention to me.^[an]
You are my helper and my deliverer.
O my God, do not delay.

Footnotes

Psalm 40:1 sn Psalm 40. The psalmist combines a song of thanksgiving for a recent act of divine deliverance (vv. 1-11) with a confident petition for renewed divine intervention (vv. 12-17).
Psalm 40:1 tn Heb “relying, I relied.” The infinitive absolute precedes the finite verbal form to emphasize the verbal idea. The emphasis is reflected in the translation through the adverb “completely.” Another option is to translate, “I waited patiently” (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV).
Psalm 40:2 tn Heb “cistern of roaring.” The Hebrew noun בּוֹר (bor, “cistern, pit”) is used metaphorically here of Sheol, the place of death, which is sometimes depicted as a raging sea (see Ps 18:4, 15-16). The noun שָׁאוֹן (shaʾon, “roaring”) refers elsewhere to the crashing sound of the sea’s waves (see Ps 65:7).
Psalm 40:2 tn Heb “from the mud of mud.” The Hebrew phrase translated “slimy mud” employs an appositional genitive. Two synonyms are joined in a construct relationship to emphasize the single idea. For a detailed discussion of the grammatical point with numerous examples, see Y. Avishur, “Pairs of Synonymous Words in the Construct State (and in Appositional Hendiadys) in Biblical Hebrew,” Semitics 2 (1971): 17-81.
Psalm 40:2 tn Heb “he established my footsteps.”
Psalm 40:3 sn A new song was appropriate because the Lord had intervened in the psalmist’s experience in a fresh and exciting way.
Psalm 40:3 tn Heb “and he placed in my mouth a new song, praise to our God.”
Psalm 40:3 tn Heb “may many see and fear and trust in the Lord.” The translation assumes that the initial prefixed verbal form is a jussive (“may many see”), rather than an imperfect (“many will see”). The following prefixed verbal forms with vav (ו) conjunctive are taken as indicating purpose or result (“so that they might swear allegiance…and trust”) after the introductory jussive.
Psalm 40:4 tn The Hebrew noun is an abstract plural. The word often refers metonymically to the happiness that God-given security and prosperity produce (see Pss 1:1, 3; 2:12; 34:9; 41:1; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).
Psalm 40:4 tn Heb “man.” See the note on the word “one” in Ps 1:1.
Psalm 40:4 tn Heb “who has made the Lord his [object of] trust.”
Psalm 40:4 tn Heb “and does not turn toward.”
Psalm 40:4 tn Heb “those falling away toward a lie.”
Psalm 40:5 tn Heb “many things you have done, you, O Lord my God, your amazing deeds and your thoughts toward us.” The precise meaning of the text is not clear, but the psalmist seems to be recalling the Lord’s miraculous deeds on Israel’s behalf (see Pss 9:1; 26:7), as well as his covenantal decrees and promises (see Ps 33:11).
Psalm 40:5 tn Heb “there is none arrayed against you.” The precise meaning of the text is unclear, but the collocation עָרַךְ אֶל (ʿarakh ʾel, “array against”) is used elsewhere of military (Judg 20:30; 1 Chr 19:17) or verbal opposition (Job 32:14).
Psalm 40:5 tn Heb “I will declare and I will speak, they are too numerous to recount.” The present translation assumes that the cohortatives are used in a hypothetical manner in a formally unmarked conditional sentence, “Should I try to declare [them] and speak [of them]…” (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV). For other examples of cohortatives in the protasis (“if” clause) of a conditional sentence, see GKC 320 §108.e. (It should be noted, however, that GKC understands this particular verse in a different manner. See GKC 320 §108.f, where it is suggested that the cohortatives are part of an apodosis with the protasis being suppressed.) Another option is to take the cohortatives as a declaration of the psalmist’s resolve to announce the truth expressed in the next line. In this case one might translate: “I will declare and speak [the truth]: They are too numerous to recount.”
Psalm 40:6 tn Heb “sacrifice and offering you do not desire.” The statement is exaggerated for the sake of emphasis (see Ps 51:16 as well). God is pleased with sacrifices, but his first priority is obedience and loyalty (see 1 Sam 15:22). Sacrifices and offerings apart from genuine allegiance are meaningless (see Isa 1:11-20).
Psalm 40:6 tn Heb “ears you hollowed out for me.” The meaning of this odd expression is debated (this is the only collocation of “hollowed out” and “ears” in the OT). It may have been an idiomatic expression referring to making a point clear to a listener. The LXX has “but a body you have prepared for me,” a reading which is followed in Heb 10:5.
Psalm 40:7 tn Heb “in the roll of the scroll it is written concerning me.” Apparently the psalmist refers to the law of God (see v. 8), which contains the commandments God desires him to obey. If this is a distinctly royal psalm, then the psalmist/king may be referring specifically to the regulations of kingship prescribed in Deut 17:14-20. See P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 (WBC), 315.
Psalm 40:8 tn Or “your will.”
Psalm 40:8 tn Heb “your law [is] in the midst of my inner parts.” The “inner parts” are viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s thought life and moral decision making.
Psalm 40:9 sn The great assembly is also mentioned in Pss 22:25 and 35:18.
Psalm 40:9 tn Heb “I proclaim justice in the great assembly.” Though “justice” appears without a pronoun here, the Lord’s just acts are in view (see v. 10). His “justice” (צֶדֶק, tsedeq) is here the deliverance that originates in his justice; he protects and vindicates the one whose cause is just.
Psalm 40:9 tn Heb “Look! My lips I do not restrain.”
Psalm 40:10 tn Heb “your justice I have not hidden in the midst of my heart.”
Psalm 40:10 tn Heb “I have not hidden your loyal love and reliability.”
Psalm 40:11 tn Some (cf. NIV, NRSV) translate the verb as a request (“do not withhold”), but elsewhere in the psalms the second masculine singular prefixed form, when addressed to God and preceded by לֹא (loʾ), is always indicative in mood and never has the force of a prayer (see Pss 16:10; 22:2; 44:9 51:16-17; 60:10; 108:11; cf. NEB, NASB).
Psalm 40:11 tn In this line the psalmist makes the transition from confidence to petition (see v. 13). Since the prefixed verbal form in the preceding line is imperfect/indicative, one could take the verb in this line as imperfect as well and translate, “your loyal love and faithfulness continually protect me” (cf. NEB). However, the כִּי (ki) at the beginning of the next verse, if causal (“because”), is best understood as introducing a motivating argument in support of a petition. For this reason v. 11b is best taken as a prayer with the prefixed form being understood as jussive (cf. NIV, NRSV). For parallels to the proposed construction (jussive followed by כִּי + perfect introducing motivating argument), see Ps 25:21, as well as Pss 10:2-3; 22:8.
Psalm 40:12 tn Or “sinful deeds.” The Hebrew term used here can have a nonmoral nuance (“dangers”) or a moral one (“sinful deeds”) depending on the context. The next line (see “my sins”) seems to favor the moral sense, but the psalmist also speaks of enemies shortly after this (v. 14).
Psalm 40:12 tn Heb “and my heart abandons me.” The “heart” is here viewed as the seat of emotional strength and courage. For a similar idea see Ps 38:10.
Psalm 40:13 tn Heb “hurry to my help.” See Pss 22:19; 38:22.
Psalm 40:14 tn Heb “may they be embarrassed and ashamed together, the ones seeking my life to snatch it away.”
Psalm 40:14 tn The four prefixed verbal forms in this verse (“may those…be…embarrassed and ashamed…may those…be turned back and ashamed”) are understood as jussives. The psalmist is calling judgment down on his enemies.sn See Ps 35:4 for a similar prayer.
Psalm 40:15 tn The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive in this imprecation.
Psalm 40:15 tn Heb “May they be humiliated according to their shame, those who say to me, ‘Aha! Aha!’”
Psalm 40:16 tn Heb “those who love,” which stands metonymically for its cause, the experience of being delivered by the Lord.
Psalm 40:16 tn The three prefixed verbal forms prior to the quotation are understood as jussives. The psalmist balances out his imprecation against his enemies with a prayer of blessing upon the godly.
Psalm 40:16 tn The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive, “may the Lord be magnified [in praise].” Another option is to take the verb as an imperfect, “the Lord is great” (cf. NRSV). See Ps 35:27.
Psalm 40:17 sn See Pss 35:10; 37:14.
Psalm 40:17 tn The prefixed verbal form may be taken as a jussive of prayer (as in the present translation; cf. NIV) or as an imperfect, “The Lord will pay attention to me” (cf. NRSV). The parallel in Ps 70:5 has, “O God, hurry to me!” For this reason some prefer to emend יַחֲשָׁב (yakhashav, “may he pay attention”) to חוּשָׁה (khushah, “hurry!”). The syntax of the Hebrew text is awkward; elsewhere when the Qal of חָשַׁב (khashav, “reckon; consider”) is collocated with the preposition ל (lamed) and a pronominal suffix there is an accompanying direct object or additional prepositional phrase/adverbial accusative (see Gen 15:6; 2 Sam 19:19; Job 13:24; 19:11; 33:10; Pss 32:2; 41:7; Amos 6:5).

Psalm 54

Psalm 54^[a]

For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a well-written song^[b] by David. It was written when the Ziphites came and informed Saul: “David is hiding with us.”^[c]

54 O God, deliver me by your name.^[d]
Vindicate me^[e] by your power.
²O God, listen to my prayer.
Pay attention to what I say.^[f]
³For foreigners^[g] attack me;^[h]
ruthless men, who do not respect God, seek my life.^[i] (Selah)
⁴Look, God is my deliverer.^[j]
The Lord is among those who support me.^[k]
⁵May those who wait to ambush me^[l] be repaid for their evil.^[m]
As a demonstration of your faithfulness,^[n] destroy them.
⁶With a freewill offering I will sacrifice^[o] to you.
I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good.
⁷Surely^[p] he rescues me from all trouble,^[q]
and I triumph over my enemies.^[r]

Footnotes

Psalm 54:1 sn Psalm 54. The psalmist asks God for protection against his enemies, confidently affirms that God will vindicate him, and promises to give thanks to God for his saving intervention.
Psalm 54:1 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. See the note on the phrase “well-written song” in the superscription of Ps 52.
Psalm 54:1 tn Heb “Is not David hiding with us?”sn According to the superscription, David wrote this psalm during the period when Saul was seeking his life. On one occasion the Ziphites informed Saul that David was hiding in their territory (see 1 Sam 23:19-20).
Psalm 54:1 tn God’s “name” refers here to his reputation and revealed character, which would instill fear in the psalmist’s enemies (see C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms [ICC], 2:17).
Psalm 54:1 tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request.
Psalm 54:2 tn Heb “to the words of my mouth.”
Psalm 54:3 tc Many medieval Hebrew mss read זֵדִים (zedim, “proud ones”) rather than זָרִים (zarim, “foreigners”). This is a case of confusing ד (dalet) and ר (resh). The term זֵדִים (zedim) occurs in parallelism with עָרִיצִים (ʿaritsim, “violent ones”) in Ps 86:14 and Isa 13:11. However, זָרִים (zarim) is parallel to עָרִיצִים in Isa 25:5; 29:5; Ezek 28:7; 31:12.
Psalm 54:3 tn Heb “rise against me.”
Psalm 54:3 tn Heb “and ruthless ones seek my life, they do not set God in front of them.”
Psalm 54:4 tn Or “my helper.”
Psalm 54:4 tn Or “sustain my life.”
Psalm 54:5 tn Heb “to those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 5:8; 27:11; 56:2.
Psalm 54:5 tn The Kethib (consonantal text) reads a Qal imperfect, “the evil will return,” while the Qere (marginal reading) has a Hiphil imperfect, “he will repay.” The parallel line has an imperative (indicating a prayer/request), so it is best to read a jussive form יָשֹׁב (yashov, “let it [the evil] return”) here.
Psalm 54:5 tn Heb “in [or “by”] your faithfulness.”
Psalm 54:6 tn The cohortative verbal form expresses the psalmist’s resolve/vow to praise.
Psalm 54:7 tn Or “for,” indicating a more specific reason why he will praise the Lord’s name (cf. v. 6).
Psalm 54:7 tn The perfects in v. 7 are probably rhetorical, indicating the psalmist’s certitude and confidence that God will intervene. The psalmist is so confident of God’s positive response to his prayer, he can describe God’s deliverance and his own vindication as if they were occurring or had already occurred.
Psalm 54:7 tn Heb “and on my enemies my eyes look.”

Psalm 51

Psalm 51^[a]

For the music director, a psalm of David, written when Nathan the prophet confronted him after David’s affair with Bathsheba.^[b]

51 Have mercy on me, O God, because of^[c] your loyal love.
Because of^[d] your great compassion, wipe away my rebellious acts.^[e]
²Wash away my wrongdoing.^[f]
Cleanse me of my sin.^[g]
³For I am aware of^[h] my rebellious acts;
I am forever conscious of my sin.^[i]
⁴Against you—you above all^[j]—I have sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
So^[k] you are just when you confront me;^[l]
you are right when you condemn me.^[m]
⁵Look, I was guilty of sin from birth,
a sinner the moment my mother conceived me.^[n]
⁶Look,^[o] you desire^[p] integrity in the inner man;^[q]
you want me to possess wisdom.^[r]
⁷Cleanse me^[s] with hyssop^[t] and I will be pure;^[u]
wash me^[v] and I will be whiter than snow.^[w]
⁸Grant me the ultimate joy of being forgiven.^[x]
May the bones^[y] you crushed rejoice.^[z]
⁹Hide your face^[aa] from my sins.
Wipe away^[ab] all my guilt.
¹⁰Create for me a pure heart, O God.^[ac]
Renew a resolute spirit within me.^[ad]
¹¹Do not reject me.^[ae]
Do not take your holy Spirit^[af] away from me.^[ag]
¹²Let me again experience the joy of your deliverance.
Sustain me by giving me the desire to obey.^[ah]
¹³Then I will teach^[ai] rebels your merciful ways,^[aj]
and sinners will turn^[ak] to you.
¹⁴Rescue me from the guilt of murder,^[al] O God, the God who delivers me.
Then my tongue will shout for joy because of your righteousness.^[am]
¹⁵O Lord, give me the words.^[an]
Then my mouth will praise you.^[ao]
¹⁶Certainly^[ap] you do not want a sacrifice, or else I would offer it;^[aq]
you do not desire a burnt sacrifice.^[ar]
¹⁷The sacrifice God desires is a humble spirit^[as]—
O God, a humble and repentant heart^[at] you will not reject.^[au]
¹⁸Because you favor Zion, do what is good for her.^[av]
Fortify^[aw] the walls of Jerusalem.
¹⁹Then you will accept^[ax] the proper sacrifices, burnt sacrifices and whole offerings;
then bulls will be sacrificed^[ay] on your altar.^[az]

Footnotes

Psalm 51:1 sn Psalm 51. The psalmist confesses his sinfulness to God and begs for forgiveness and a transformation of his inner character. According to the psalm superscription, David offered this prayer when Nathan confronted him with his sin following the king’s affair with Bathsheba (see 2 Sam 11-12). However, the final two verses of the psalm hardly fit this situation, for they assume the walls of Jerusalem have been destroyed and that the sacrificial system has been temporarily suspended. These verses are probably an addition to the psalm made during the period of exile following the fall of Jerusalem in 586 b.c. The exiles could relate to David’s experience, for they, like him, and had been forced to confront their sin. They appropriated David’s ancient prayer and applied it to their own circumstances.
Psalm 51:1 tn Heb “a psalm by David, when Nathan the prophet came to him when he had gone to Bathsheba.”
Psalm 51:1 tn Or “according to.”
Psalm 51:1 tn Or “according to.”
Psalm 51:1 tn Traditionally “blot out my transgressions.” Because of the reference to washing and cleansing in the following verse, it is likely that the psalmist is comparing forgiveness to wiping an object clean (note the use of the verb מָחָה (makhah) in the sense of “wipe clean; dry” in 2 Kgs 21:13; Prov 30:20; Isa 25:8). Another option is that the psalmist is comparing forgiveness to erasing or blotting out names from a register (see Exod 32:32-33). In this case one might translate, “erase all record of my rebellious acts.”
Psalm 51:2 tn Heb “Thoroughly wash me from my wrongdoing.”
Psalm 51:2 sn In vv. 1b-2 the psalmist uses three different words to emphasize the multifaceted character and degree of his sin. Whatever one wants to call it (“rebellious acts,” “wrongdoing,” “sin”), he has done it and stands morally polluted in God’s sight. The same three words appear in Exod 34:7, which emphasizes that God is willing to forgive sin in all of its many dimensions. In v. 2 the psalmist compares forgiveness and restoration to physical cleansing. Perhaps he likens spiritual cleansing to the purification rites of priestly law.
Psalm 51:3 tn Heb “know.”
Psalm 51:3 tn Heb “and my sin [is] in front of me continually.”
Psalm 51:4 tn Heb “only you,” as if the psalmist had sinned exclusively against God and no other. Since the Hebrew verb חָטָא (hataʾ, “to sin”) is used elsewhere of sinful acts against people (see BDB 306 s.v. 2.a) and David (the presumed author) certainly sinned when he murdered Uriah (2 Sam 12:9), it is likely that the psalmist is overstating the case to suggest that the attack on Uriah was ultimately an attack on God himself. To clarify the point of the hyperbole, the translation uses “above all,” rather than the potentially confusing “only.”
Psalm 51:4 tn The Hebrew term לְמַעַן (l^emaʿan) normally indicates purpose (“in order that”), but here it introduces a logical consequence of the preceding statement. (Taking the clause as indicating purpose here would yield a theologically preposterous idea—the psalmist purposely sinned so that God’s justice might be vindicated!) For other examples of לְמַעַן indicating result, see 2 Kgs 22:17; Jer 27:15; Amos 2:7, as well as IBHS 638-40 §38.3.
Psalm 51:4 tn Heb “when you speak.” In this context the psalmist refers to God’s word of condemnation against his sin delivered through Nathan (cf. 2 Sam 12:7-12).
Psalm 51:4 tn Heb “when you judge.”
Psalm 51:5 tn Heb “Look, in wrongdoing I was brought forth, and in sin my mother conceived me.” The prefixed verbal form in the second line is probably a preterite (without vav [ו] consecutive), stating a simple historical fact. The psalmist is not suggesting that he was conceived through an inappropriate sexual relationship (although the verse has sometimes been understood to mean that, or even that all sexual relationships are sinful). The psalmist’s point is that he has been a sinner from the very moment his personal existence began. By going back beyond the time of birth to the moment of conception, the psalmist makes his point more emphatically in the second line than in the first.
Psalm 51:6 sn The juxtaposition of two occurrences of “look” in vv. 5-6 draws attention to the sharp contrast between the sinful reality of the psalmist’s condition and the lofty ideal God has for him.
Psalm 51:6 tn The perfect is used in a generalizing sense here.
Psalm 51:6 tn Heb “in the covered [places],” i.e., in the inner man.
Psalm 51:6 tn Heb “in the secret [place] wisdom you cause me to know.” The Hiphil verbal form is causative, while the imperfect is used in a modal sense to indicate God’s desire (note the parallel verb “desire”).sn You want me to possess wisdom. Here “wisdom” does not mean “intelligence” or “learning,” but refers to moral insight and skill.
Psalm 51:7 tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request.
Psalm 51:7 sn “Hyssop” was a small plant (see 1 Kgs 4:33) used to apply water or blood in purification rites (see Exod 12:22; Lev 14:4-6, 49-52; Num 19:6-18). The psalmist uses the language and imagery of such rites to describe spiritual cleansing through forgiveness.
Psalm 51:7 tn After the preceding imperfect, the imperfect with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates result.
Psalm 51:7 tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request.
Psalm 51:7 sn I will be whiter than snow. Whiteness here symbolizes the moral purity resulting from forgiveness (see Isa 1:18).
Psalm 51:8 tn Heb “cause me to hear happiness and joy.” The language is metonymic: the effect of forgiveness (joy) has been substituted for its cause. The psalmist probably alludes here to an assuring word from God announcing that his sins are forgiven (a so-called oracle of forgiveness). The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request. The synonyms “happiness” and “joy” are joined together as a hendiadys to emphasize the degree of joy he anticipates.
Psalm 51:8 sn May the bones you crushed rejoice. The psalmist compares his sinful condition to that of a person who has been physically battered and crushed. Within this metaphorical framework, his “bones” are the seat of his emotional strength.
Psalm 51:8 tn In this context of petitionary prayer, the prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive, expressing the psalmist’s wish or request.
Psalm 51:9 sn In this context Hide your face from my sins means “Do not hold me accountable for my sins.”
Psalm 51:9 tn See the note on the similar expression “wipe away my rebellious acts” in v. 1.
Psalm 51:10 sn The heart is viewed here as the seat of the psalmist’s motives and moral character.
Psalm 51:10 tn Heb “and a reliable spirit renew in my inner being.”
Psalm 51:11 tn Heb “do not cast me away from before you.”
Psalm 51:11 sn Your holy Spirit. The personal Spirit of God is mentioned frequently in the OT, but only here and in Isa 63:10-11 is he called “your/his holy Spirit.”
Psalm 51:11 sn Do not take…away. The psalmist expresses his fear that, due to his sin, God will take away the Holy Spirit from him. NT believers enjoy the permanent gift of the Holy Spirit and need not make such a request nor fear such a consequence. However, in the OT God’s Spirit empowered certain individuals for special tasks and only temporarily resided in them. For example, when God rejected Saul as king and chose David to replace him, the divine Spirit left Saul and came upon David (1 Sam 16:13-14). An alternative understanding of this verse is that the term Holy Spirit is simply metaphorical for the Lord’s presence, but this is unlikely given the other use of the term in Isa 63:10, where the Holy Spirit is personal and distinct from God himself.
Psalm 51:12 tn Heb “and [with] a willing spirit sustain me.” The psalmist asks that God make him the kind of person who willingly obeys the divine commandments. The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request.
Psalm 51:13 tn The cohortative expresses the psalmist’s resolve. This may be a vow or promise. If forgiven, the psalmist will “repay” the Lord by declaring God’s mercy and motivating other sinners to repent.
Psalm 51:13 tn Heb “your ways.” The word “merciful” is added for clarification. God’s “ways” are sometimes his commands, but in this context, where the teaching of God’s ways motivates repentance (see the next line), it is more likely that God’s merciful and compassionate way of dealing with sinners is in view. Thanksgiving songs praising God for his deliverance typically focus on these divine attributes (see Pss 34, 41, 116, 138).
Psalm 51:13 tn Or “return,” i.e., in repentance.
Psalm 51:14 tn Heb “from bloodshed.” “Bloodshed” here stands by metonymy for the guilt which it produces.
Psalm 51:14 tn Heb “my tongue will shout for joy your righteousness.” Another option is to take the prefixed verbal form as a jussive, “may my tongue shout for joy.” However, the pattern in vv. 12-15 appears to be prayer/request (see vv. 12, 14a, 15a) followed by promise/vow (see vv. 13, 14b, 15b).
Psalm 51:15 tn Heb “open my lips.” The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request.
Psalm 51:15 tn Heb “and my mouth will declare your praise.”
Psalm 51:16 tn Or “For.” The translation assumes the particle is asseverative (i.e., emphasizing: “certainly”). (Some translations that consider the particle asseverative leave it untranslated.) If taken as causal or explanatory (“for”, cf. NRSV), the verse would explain why the psalmist is pleading for forgiveness, rather than merely offering a sacrifice.
Psalm 51:16 tn The translation assumes that the cohortative is used in a hypothetical manner in a formally unmarked conditional sentence, “You do not want a sacrifice, should I offer [it]” (cf. NEB). For other examples of cohortatives in the protasis (“if” clause) of a conditional sentence, see GKC 320 §108.e. (It should be noted, however, that GKC understands this particular verse in a different manner. See GKC 320 §108.f, where it is suggested that the cohortative is part of an apodosis with the protasis being suppressed.)
Psalm 51:16 sn You do not desire a burnt sacrifice. The terminology used in v. 16 does not refer to expiatory sacrifices, but to dedication and communion offerings. This is not a categorical denial of the sacrificial system in general or of the importance of such offerings. The psalmist is talking about his specific situation. Dedication and communion offerings have their proper place in worship (see v. 19), but God requires something more fundamental, a repentant and humble attitude (see v. 17), before these offerings can have real meaning.
Psalm 51:17 tn Heb “a broken spirit.”
Psalm 51:17 tn Heb “a broken and crushed heart.”
Psalm 51:17 tn Or “despise.”
Psalm 51:18 tn Heb “do what is good for Zion in your favor.”
Psalm 51:18 tn Or “Build.” The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request.
Psalm 51:19 tn Or “desire, take delight in.”
Psalm 51:19 tn Heb “then they will offer up bulls.” The third plural subject is indefinite.
Psalm 51:19 sn Verses 18-19 appear to reflect the exilic period, when the city’s walls lay in ruins and the sacrificial system had been disrupted.

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Error: 'Sirach 34:18-22' not found for the version: New English Translation

Revelation 13:1-10

The Two Beasts

13 Then^[a] I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. It^[b] had ten horns and seven heads, and on its horns were ten diadem crowns,^[c] and on its heads a blasphemous name.^[d] ²Now^[e] the beast that I saw was like a leopard, but its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. The^[f] dragon gave the beast^[g] his power, his throne, and great authority to rule.^[h] ³One of the beast’s^[i] heads appeared to have been killed,^[j] but the lethal wound had been healed.^[k] And the whole world followed^[l] the beast in amazement; ⁴they worshiped the dragon because he had given ruling authority^[m] to the beast, and they worshiped the beast too, saying: “Who is like the beast?” and “Who is able to make war against him?”^[n] ⁵The beast^[o] was given a mouth speaking proud words^[p] and blasphemies, and he was permitted^[q] to exercise ruling authority^[r] for forty-two months. ⁶So^[s] the beast^[t] opened his mouth to blaspheme against God—to blaspheme both his name and his dwelling place,^[u] that is, those who dwell in heaven. ⁷The beast^[v] was permitted to go to war against the saints and conquer them.^[w] He was given ruling authority^[x] over every tribe, people,^[y] language, and nation, ⁸and all those who live on the earth will worship the beast,^[z] everyone whose name has not been written since the foundation of the world^[aa] in the book of life belonging to the Lamb who was killed.^[ab] ⁹If anyone has an ear, he had better listen!

¹⁰If anyone is meant for captivity,
into captivity he will go.
If anyone is to be killed by the sword,^[ac]
then by the sword he must be killed.

This^[ad] requires steadfast endurance^[ae] and faith from the saints.

Footnotes

Revelation 13:1 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
Revelation 13:1 tn Grk “having” (a continuation of the previous sentence). All of the pronouns referring to this beast (along with the second beast appearing in 13:11) could be translated as “it” because the word for beast (θηρίον, thērion) is neuter gender in Greek and all the pronouns related to it are parsed as neuter in the Gramcord/Accordance database. Nevertheless, most interpreters would agree that the beast ultimately represents a human ruler, so beginning at the end of v. 4 the masculine pronouns (“he,” “him,” etc.) are used to refer to the first beast as well as the second beast appearing in 13:11.
Revelation 13:1 tn For the translation of διάδημα (diadēma) as “diadem crown” see L&N 6.196.sn Diadem crowns were a type of crown used as a symbol of the highest ruling authority in a given area, and thus often associated with kingship.
Revelation 13:1 tc ‡ Several mss (A 051 1611 1854 2053 2344 2351 M^K) read the plural ὀνόματα (onomata, “[blasphemous] names”), while the singular ὄνομα (onoma, “name”) has somewhat better support (P⁴⁷ א C 1006 1841 2329 M^A). The plural reading seems motivated by the fact that what is written is written “on its heads.” In the least, it is a clarifying reading. NA²⁸ puts the plural in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.sn Whether this means a single name on all seven heads or seven names, one on each head, is not clear.
Revelation 13:2 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the parenthetical nature of the following description of the beast.
Revelation 13:2 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
Revelation 13:2 tn Grk “gave it”; the referent (the beast) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Revelation 13:2 tn For the translation “authority to rule” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.
Revelation 13:3 tn Grk “one of its heads”; the referent (the beast) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
Revelation 13:3 tn Grk “killed to death,” an expression emphatic in its redundancy. The phrase behind this translation is ὡς ἐσφαγμένον (hōs esphagmenon). The particle ὡς is used in Greek generally for comparison, and in Revelation it is used often to describe the appearance of what the author saw. In this instance, the appearance of the beast’s head did not match reality, because the next phrase shows that in fact it did not die. This text does not affirm that the beast died and was resurrected, but some draw this conclusion because of the only other use of the phrase, which refers to Jesus in 5:6.
Revelation 13:3 tn The phrase τοῦ θανάτου (tou thanatou) can be translated as an attributive genitive (“deathly wound”) or an objective genitive (the wound which caused death) and the final αὐτοῦ (autou) is either possessive or reference/respect.
Revelation 13:3 tn On the phrase “the whole world followed the beast in amazement,” BDAG 445 s.v. θαυμάζω 2 states, “wonder, be amazed…Rv 17:8. In pregnant constr. ἐθαυμάσθη ὅλη ἡ γῆ ὀπίσω τ. θηρίου the whole world followed the beast, full of wonder 13:3 (here wonder becomes worship: cp. Ael. Aristid. 13 p. 290 D.; 39 p. 747 of Dionysus and Heracles, οἳ ὑφ᾿ ἡμῶν ἐθαυμάσθησαν. Sir 7:29; Jos., Ant. 3, 65.—The act. is also found in this sense: Cebes 2, 3 θ. τινά = ‘admire’ or ‘venerate’ someone; Epict. 1, 17, 19 θ. τὸν θεόν).”
Revelation 13:4 tn For the translation “ruling authority” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.
Revelation 13:4 tn On the use of the masculine pronoun to refer to the beast, see the note on the word “It” in 13:1.
Revelation 13:5 tn Grk “and there was given to him.” Here the passive construction has been simplified, the referent (the beast) has been specified for clarity, and καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
Revelation 13:5 tn For the translation “proud words” (Grk “great things” or “important things”) see BDAG 624 s.v. μέγας 4.b.
Revelation 13:5 tn Grk “to it was granted.”
Revelation 13:5 tn For the translation “ruling authority” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.
Revelation 13:6 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the permission granted to the beast.
Revelation 13:6 tn Grk “he” (or “it”); the referent (the beast) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Revelation 13:6 tc The reading “and his dwelling place” does not occur in codex C, but its omission is probably due to scribal oversight since the phrase has the same ending as the phrase before it, i.e., they both end in “his” (αὐτοῦ, autou). This is similar to the mistake this scribe made in 12:14 with the omission of the reading “and half a time” (καὶ ἥμισυ καιροῦ, kai hēmisu kairou).
Revelation 13:7 tn Grk “and it was given to him to go to war.” Here the passive construction has been simplified, the referent (the beast) has been specified for clarity, and καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
Revelation 13:7 tc Many mss omit the phrase “it was given to make war with the saints and to overcome them” (P⁴⁷ A C 2053 M^A sa). It is, however, found in P^115vid א 051 1006 (1611) 1841 (1854) 2329 2344 2351 (M^K) lat sy^ph,(h) bo. Although the ms evidence is somewhat in favor of the shorter reading, the support of P¹¹⁵ (a recently-discovered ms) for the longer reading balances things out. Normally, the shorter reading should be given preference. However, in an instance in which homoioteleuton could play a role, caution must be exercised. In this passage, accidental omission is quite likely. That this could have happened seems apparent from the two occurrences of the identical phrase “and it was given to him” (καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ, kai edothē autō) in v. 7. The scribe’s eye skipped over the first καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ and went to the second, hence creating an accidental omission of eleven words.
Revelation 13:7 tn For the translation “ruling authority” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.
Revelation 13:7 tn Grk “and people,” but καί (kai) has not been translated here or before the following term since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
Revelation 13:8 tn Grk “it”; the referent (the beast) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Revelation 13:8 tn The prepositional phrase “since the foundation of the world” is traditionally translated as a modifier of the immediately preceding phrase in the Greek text, “the Lamb who was killed” (so also G. B. Caird, Revelation [HNTC], 168), but it is more likely that the phrase “since the foundation of the world” modifies the verb “written” (as translated above). Confirmation of this can be found in Rev 17:8 where the phrase “written in the book of life since the foundation of the world” occurs with no ambiguity.
Revelation 13:8 tn Or “slaughtered”; traditionally, “slain.”
Revelation 13:10 tc Many mss (C 051* 2351 M^A) read “if anyone will kill with the sword, it is necessary for him to be killed with the sword” (εἴ τις ἐν μαχαίρῃ ἀποκτενεῖ, δεῖ αὐτὸν ἐν μαχαίρῃ ἀποκτανθῆναι). Other mss (א 1006 1611* 1854 al) are similar except that they read a present tense “kills” (ἀποκτείνει, apokteinei) in this sentence. Both of these variants may be regarded as essentially saying the same thing. On the other hand, codex A reads “if anyone is to be killed by the sword, he is to be killed by the sword” (εἴ τις ἐν μαχαίρῃ ἀποκτανθῆναι αὐτὸν ἐν μαχαίρῃ ἀποκτανθῆναι). Thus the first two variants convey the idea of retribution, while the last variant, supported by codex A, does not. (There are actually a dozen variants here, evidence that scribes found the original text quite difficult. Only the most important variants are discussed in this note.) The first two variants seem to be in line with Jesus’ comments in Matt 26:52: “everyone who takes up the sword will die by the sword.” The last variant, however, seems to be taking up an idea found in Jer 15:2: “Those destined for death, to death; those for the sword, to the sword; those for starvation, to starvation; those for captivity, to captivity.” Though G. B. Caird, Revelation (HNTC), 169-70, gives four arguments in favor of the first reading (i.e., “whoever kills with the sword must with the sword be killed”), the arguments he puts forward can be read equally as well to support the latter alternative. In the end, the reading in codex A seems to be that of the initial text. The fact that this sentence seems to be in parallel with 10a (which simply focuses on God’s will and suffering passively and is therefore akin to the reading in codex A), and that it most likely gave rise to the others as the most difficult reading, argues for its authenticity.
Revelation 13:10 tn On ὧδε (hōde) here, BDAG 1101 s.v. 2 states: “a ref. to a present event, object, or circumstance, in this case, at this point, on this occasion, under these circumstances…in this case moreover 1 Cor 4:2. ὧδε ἡ σοφία ἐστίν…Rv 13:18; cf. 17:9. ὧδέ ἐστιν ἡ ὑπομονή…13:10; 14:12.”
Revelation 13:10 tn Or “perseverance.”

Luke 12:13-31

The Parable of the Rich Landowner

¹³Then^[a] someone from the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell^[b] my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” ¹⁴But Jesus^[c] said to him, “Man,^[d] who made me a judge or arbitrator between you two?”^[e] ¹⁵Then^[f] he said to them, “Watch out and guard yourself from^[g] all types of greed,^[h] because one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” ¹⁶He then^[i] told them a parable:^[j] “The land of a certain rich man produced^[k] an abundant crop, ¹⁷so^[l] he thought to himself,^[m] ‘What should I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’^[n] ¹⁸Then^[o] he said, ‘I^[p] will do this: I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ¹⁹And I will say to myself,^[q] “You have plenty of goods stored up for many years; relax, eat, drink, celebrate!”’ ²⁰But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life^[r] will be demanded back from^[s] you, but who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’^[t] ²¹So it is with the one who stores up riches for himself,^[u] but is not rich toward God.”

Exhortation Not to Worry

²²Then^[v] Jesus^[w] said to his^[x] disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry^[y] about your^[z] life, what you will eat, or about your^[aa] body, what you will wear. ²³For there is more to life than food, and more to the body than clothing. ²⁴Consider the ravens:^[ab] They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn, yet God feeds^[ac] them. How much more valuable are you than the birds! ²⁵And which of you by worrying^[ad] can add an hour to his life?^[ae] ²⁶So if^[af] you cannot do such a very little thing as this, why do you worry about^[ag] the rest? ²⁷Consider how the flowers^[ah] grow; they do not work^[ai] or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these! ²⁸And if^[aj] this is how God clothes the wild grass,^[ak] which is here^[al] today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven,^[am] how much more^[an] will he clothe you, you people of little faith! ²⁹So^[ao] do not be overly concerned about^[ap] what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not worry about such things.^[aq] ³⁰For all the nations of the world pursue^[ar] these things, and your Father knows that you need them. ³¹Instead, pursue^[as] his^[at] kingdom,^[au] and these things will be given to you as well.

Footnotes

Luke 12:13 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
Luke 12:13 sn Tell my brother. In 1st century Jewish culture, a figure like a rabbi was often asked to mediate disputes, except that here mediation was not requested, but representation.
Luke 12:14 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Luke 12:14 tn This term of address can be harsh or gentle depending on the context (BDAG 82 s.v. ἄνθρωπος 8). Here it is a rebuke.
Luke 12:14 tn The pronoun ὑμᾶς (humas) is plural, referring to both the man and his brother; thus the translation “you two.”
Luke 12:15 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
Luke 12:15 tn See L&N 13.154 for this use of the middle voice of φυλάσσω (phulassō) in this verse.
Luke 12:15 tn Or “avarice,” “covetousness.” Note the warning covers more than money and gets at the root attitude—the strong desire to acquire more and more possessions and experiences.
Luke 12:16 tn Grk “And he.” Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the connection to the preceding statement.
Luke 12:16 tn Grk “a parable, saying.” The participle λέγων (legōn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated here.
Luke 12:16 tn Or “yielded a plentiful harvest.”
Luke 12:17 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate that this is a result of the preceding statement.
Luke 12:17 tn Grk “to himself, saying.” The participle λέγων (legōn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated here.
Luke 12:17 sn I have nowhere to store my crops. The thinking here is prudent in terms of recognizing the problem. The issue in the parable will be the rich man’s solution, particularly the arrogance reflected in v. 19.
Luke 12:18 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
Luke 12:18 sn Note how often the first person pronoun is present in these verses. The farmer is totally self absorbed.
Luke 12:19 tn Grk “to my soul,” which is repeated as a vocative in the following statement, but is left untranslated as redundant.
Luke 12:20 tn Grk “your soul,” but ψυχή (psuchē) is frequently used of one’s physical life. It clearly has that meaning in this context.
Luke 12:20 tn Or “required back.” This term, ἀπαιτέω (apaiteō), has an economic feel to it and is often used of a debt being called in for repayment (BDAG 96 s.v. 1).
Luke 12:20 tn Grk “the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” The words “for yourself” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
Luke 12:21 sn It is selfishness that is rebuked here, in the accumulation of riches for himself. Recall the emphasis on the first person pronouns throughout the parable.
Luke 12:22 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative. Jesus’ remarks to the disciples are an application of the point made in the previous parable.
Luke 12:22 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Luke 12:22 tc αὐτοῦ (autou, “his”) is lacking in P^45vid,75 B 1241 c e. Although the addition of clarifying pronouns is a known scribal alteration, in this case it is probably better to view the dropping of the pronoun as the alteration in light of its minimal attestation.
Luke 12:22 tn Or “do not be anxious.”
Luke 12:22 tc Most mss (P⁴⁵ Ψ 070 ƒ¹³ 33 M) supply the pronoun ὑμῶν (humōn, “your”) here, although several significant and early witnesses omit it (P⁷⁵ א A B D L Q W Θ ƒ¹ 700 2542 al lat). Externally, the shorter reading is superior. Internally, the pronoun looks to be a scribal clarification. In context the article can be translated as a possessive pronoun anyway (ExSyn 215), as it has been done for this translation.
Luke 12:22 tc Some mss (B 070 ƒ¹³ 33 1424 al) supply the pronoun ὑμῶν (humōn, “your”) here, although the witnesses for the omission are early, significant, and varied (P^45vid,75 א A D L Q W Θ Ψ ƒ¹ M lat). See previous tc note for more discussion.
Luke 12:24 tn Or “crows.” Crows and ravens belong to the same family of birds. English uses “crow” as a general word for the family. Palestine has several indigenous members of the crow family.
Luke 12:24 tn Or “God gives them food to eat.” L&N 23.6 has both “to provide food for” and “to give food to someone to eat.”
Luke 12:25 tn Or “by being anxious.”
Luke 12:25 tn Or “a cubit to his height.” A cubit (πῆχυς, pēchus) can measure length (normally about 45 cm or 18 inches) or time (a small unit, “hour” is usually used [BDAG 812 s.v.] although “day” has been suggested [L&N 67.151]). The term ἡλικία (hēlikia) is ambiguous in the same way as πῆχυς. Most scholars take the term ἡλικία (hēlikia) to describe age or length of life here, although a few refer it to bodily stature (see BDAG 435-36 s.v. 1.a for discussion). Worry about length of life seems a more natural figure than worry about height. However, the point either way is clear: Worrying adds nothing to life span or height.
Luke 12:26 tn This is a first class condition in the Greek text.
Luke 12:26 tn Or “why are you anxious for.”
Luke 12:27 tn Traditionally, “lilies.” According to L&N 3.32, “Though traditionally κρίνον has been regarded as a type of lily, scholars have suggested several other possible types of flowers, including an anemone, a poppy, a gladiolus, and a rather inconspicuous type of daisy.” In view of the uncertainty, the more generic “flowers” has been used in the translation.
Luke 12:27 tn Traditionally, “toil.” Although it might be argued that “work hard” would be a more precise translation of κοπιάω (kopiaō) here, the line in English scans better in terms of cadence with a single syllable.
Luke 12:28 tn This is a first class condition in the Greek text.
Luke 12:28 tn Grk “grass in the field.”
Luke 12:28 tn Grk “which is in the field today.”
Luke 12:28 tn Grk “into the oven.” The expanded translation “into the fire to heat the oven” has been used to avoid misunderstanding; most items put into modern ovens are put there to be baked, not burned.sn The oven was most likely a rounded clay oven used for baking bread, which was heated by burning wood and dried grass.
Luke 12:28 sn The phrase how much more is a typical form of rabbinic argumentation, from the lesser to the greater. If God cares for the little things, surely he will care for the more important things.
Luke 12:29 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate a conclusion drawn from the previous illustrations.
Luke 12:29 tn Grk “do not seek,” but this could be misunderstood to mean that people should make no attempt to obtain their food. The translation “do not be overly concerned” attempts to reflect the force of the original.
Luke 12:29 tn The words “about such things” have been supplied to qualify the meaning; the phrase relates to obtaining food and drink mentioned in the previous clause.
Luke 12:30 tn Grk “seek.”
Luke 12:31 tn Grk “seek,” but in the sense of the previous verses.
Luke 12:31 tc Most mss (P⁴⁵ A D¹ Q W Θ 070 ƒ^1,13 33 M lat sy) read τοῦ θεοῦ (tou theou, “of God”) instead of αὐτοῦ (autou, “his”; found in א B D* L Ψ 579 892 co). But such a clarifying reading is suspect. αὐτοῦ is superior on both internal and external grounds. P⁷⁵ includes neither and as such would support the translation above since the article alone can often be translated as a possessive pronoun.
Luke 12:31 sn His (that is, God’s) kingdom is a major theme of Jesus’ teaching. The nature of the kingdom of God in the NT and in Jesus’ teaching has long been debated by interpreters and scholars, with discussion primarily centering around the nature of the kingdom (earthly, heavenly, or both) and the kingdom’s arrival (present, future, or both). An additional major issue concerns the relationship between the kingdom of God and the person and work of Jesus himself. See Luke 6:20; 11:20; 17:20-21.

New English Translation (NET)

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Book of Common Prayer

Psalm 40[a]

For the music director, a psalm of David.

Footnotes

Psalm 54[a]

For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a well-written song[b] by David. It was written when the Ziphites came and informed Saul: “David is hiding with us.”[c]

Footnotes

Psalm 51[a]

For the music director, a psalm of David, written when Nathan the prophet confronted him after David’s affair with Bathsheba.[b]

Footnotes

The Two Beasts

Footnotes

The Parable of the Rich Landowner

Exhortation Not to Worry

Footnotes

Psalm 40^[a]

Psalm 54^[a]

For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a well-written song^[b] by David. It was written when the Ziphites came and informed Saul: “David is hiding with us.”^[c]

Psalm 51^[a]

For the music director, a psalm of David, written when Nathan the prophet confronted him after David’s affair with Bathsheba.^[b]