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Book of Common Prayer

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

Duration: 861 days

Psalm 5-6

Psalm 5^[a]

For the music director, to be accompanied by wind instruments;^[b] a psalm of David.

5 Listen to what I say,^[c] Lord!
Carefully consider my complaint!^[d]
²Pay attention to my cry for help,
my King and my God,
for I am praying to you!
³Lord, in the morning^[e] you will hear^[f] me;^[g]
in the morning I will present my case to you^[h] and then wait expectantly for an answer.^[i]
⁴Certainly^[j] you are not a God who approves of evil;^[k]
evil people^[l] cannot dwell with you.^[m]
⁵Arrogant people cannot stand in your presence;^[n]
you hate^[o] all who behave wickedly.^[p]
⁶You destroy^[q] liars;^[r]
the Lord despises^[s] violent and deceitful people.^[t]
⁷But as for me,^[u] because of your great faithfulness I will enter your house;^[v]
I will bow down toward your holy temple as I worship you.^[w]
⁸Lord, lead me in your righteousness^[x]
because of those who wait to ambush me,^[y]
remove the obstacles in the way in which you are guiding me.^[z]
⁹For^[aa] they do not speak the truth;^[ab]
their stomachs are like the place of destruction,^[ac]
their throats like an open grave,^[ad]
their tongues like a steep slope leading into it.^[ae]
¹⁰Condemn them,^[af] O God!
May their own schemes be their downfall.^[ag]
Drive them away^[ah] because of their many acts of insurrection,^[ai]
for they have rebelled against you.
¹¹But may all who take shelter^[aj] in you be happy.^[ak]
May they continually^[al] shout for joy.^[am]
Shelter them^[an] so that those who are loyal to you^[ao] may rejoice.^[ap]
¹²Certainly^[aq] you reward^[ar] the godly,^[as] Lord.
Like a shield you protect^[at] them^[au] in your good favor.^[av]

Psalm 6^[aw]

For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments, according to the sheminith style;^[ax] a psalm of David.

6 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger.
Do not discipline me in your raging fury.^[ay]
²Have mercy on me,^[az] Lord, for I am frail.
Heal me, Lord, for my bones are shaking.^[ba]
³I am absolutely terrified,^[bb]
and you, Lord—how long will this continue?^[bc]
⁴Relent, Lord, rescue me!^[bd]
Deliver me because of your faithfulness.^[be]
⁵For no one remembers you in the realm of death.^[bf]
In Sheol who gives you thanks?^[bg]
⁶I am exhausted as I groan.
All night long I drench my bed in tears;^[bh]
my tears saturate the cushion beneath me.^[bi]
⁷My eyes^[bj] grow dim^[bk] from suffering;
they grow weak^[bl] because of all my enemies.^[bm]
⁸Turn back from me, all you who behave wickedly,^[bn]
for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.^[bo]
⁹The Lord has heard my appeal for mercy;
the Lord has accepted^[bp] my prayer.
¹⁰They will be humiliated^[bq] and absolutely terrified.^[br]
All my enemies will turn back and be suddenly humiliated.

Footnotes

Psalm 5:1 sn Psalm 5. Appealing to God’s justice and commitment to the godly, the psalmist asks the Lord to intervene and deliver him from evildoers.
Psalm 5:1 tn The meaning of the Hebrew word נְחִילוֹת (n^ekhilot), which occurs only here, is uncertain. Many relate the form to חָלִיל (khalil, “flute”).
Psalm 5:1 tn Heb “my words.”
Psalm 5:1 tn Or “sighing.” The word occurs only here and in Ps 39:3.
Psalm 5:3 sn In the morning is here viewed as the time of prayer (Pss 59:16; 88:13) and/or of deliverance (Ps 30:5).
Psalm 5:3 tn The imperfect is here understood in a specific future sense; the psalmist is expressing his confidence that God will be willing to hear his request. Another option is to understand the imperfect as expressing the psalmist’s wish or request. In this case one could translate, “Lord, in the morning hear me.”
Psalm 5:3 tn Heb “my voice.”
Psalm 5:3 tn Heb “I will arrange for you.” Some understand a sacrifice or offering as the implied object (cf. NEB “I set out my morning sacrifice”). The present translation assumes that the implied object is the psalmist’s case/request. See Isa 44:7.
Psalm 5:3 tn Heb “and I will watch.”
Psalm 5:4 tn Or “for.”
Psalm 5:4 tn Heb “not a God [who] delights [in] wickedness [are] you.”
Psalm 5:4 tn The Hebrew text has simply the singular form רָע (raʿ),which may be taken as an abstract noun “evil” (the reference to “wickedness” in the preceding line favors this; cf. NEB, NASB, NRSV) or as a substantival adjective “evil one” (the references to evil people in the next two verses favor this; cf. NIV “with you the wicked cannot dwell”).
Psalm 5:4 tn Heb “cannot dwell as a resident foreigner [with] you.” The negated imperfect verbal form here indicates incapability or lack of permission. These people are morally incapable of dwelling in God’s presence and are not permitted to do so.sn Only the godly are allowed to dwell with the Lord. Evil people are excluded. See Ps 15.
Psalm 5:5 tn Heb “before your eyes.”
Psalm 5:5 sn You hate. The Lord “hates” the wicked in the sense that he despises their wicked character and deeds and actively opposes and judges them for their wickedness. See Ps 11:5.
Psalm 5:5 tn Heb “all the workers of wickedness.”
Psalm 5:6 tn The imperfect verbal form indicates God’s typical response to such individuals. Another option is to translate the verb as future (“You will destroy”); the psalmist may be envisioning a time of judgment when God will remove the wicked from the scene.
Psalm 5:6 tn Heb “those who speak a lie.” In the OT a “lie” does not refer in a general philosophical sense to any statement that fails to correspond to reality. Instead it refers more specifically to a slanderous and/or deceitful statement that promotes one’s own selfish, sinful interests and/or exploits or harms those who are innocent. Note the emphasis on violence and deceit in the following line.
Psalm 5:6 tn The imperfect verbal form highlights the Lord’s characteristic attitude toward such individuals.
Psalm 5:6 tn Heb “a man of bloodshed and deceit.” The singular אִישׁ (ʾish, “man”) is used here in a collective or representative sense; thus the translation “people” is appropriate here. Note the plural forms in vv. 5-6a.
Psalm 5:7 sn But as for me. By placing the first person pronoun at the beginning of the verse, the psalmist highlights the contrast between the evildoers’ actions and destiny, outlined in the preceding verses, with his own.
Psalm 5:7 sn I will enter your house. The psalmist is confident that God will accept him into his presence, in contrast to the evildoers (see v. 5).
Psalm 5:7 tn Heb “in fear [of] you.” The Hebrew noun יִרְאָה (yirʾah, “fear”), when used of fearing God, is sometimes used metonymically for what it ideally produces: “worship, reverence, piety.”
Psalm 5:8 tn God’s providential leading is in view. His צְדָקָה (ts^edaqah, “righteousness”) includes here the deliverance that originates in his righteousness; he protects and vindicates the one whose cause is just. For other examples of this use of the word, see BDB 842 s.v.
Psalm 5:8 tn Heb “because of those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 27:11; 56:2.
Psalm 5:8 tn Heb “make level before me your way.” The imperative “make level” is Hiphil in the Kethib (consonantal text); Piel in the Qere (marginal reading). God’s “way” is here the way in which he leads the psalmist providentially (see the preceding line, where the psalmist asks the Lord to lead him).
Psalm 5:9 tn Or “certainly.”
Psalm 5:9 tn Heb “for there is not in his mouth truthfulness.” The singular pronoun (“his”) probably refers back to the “man of bloodshed and deceit” mentioned in v. 6. The singular is collective or representative, as the plural in the next line indicates, and so has been translated “they.”
Psalm 5:9 tn Heb “their inward part[s] [is] destruction.” For a discussion of the extended metaphor in v. 9b, see the note on the word “it” at the end of the verse.
Psalm 5:9 tn Heb “their throat is an open grave.” For a discussion of the extended metaphor in v. 9b, see the note on the word “it” at the end of the verse. The metaphor is suggested by the physical resemblance of the human throat to a deeply dug grave; both are dark chasms.
Psalm 5:9 tn Heb “they make smooth their tongue.” Flattering, deceitful words are in view. See Ps 12:2. The psalmist’s deceitful enemies are compared to the realm of death/Sheol in v. 9b. Sheol was envisioned as a dark region within the earth, the entrance to which was the grave with its steep slopes (cf. Ps 88:4-6). The enemies’ victims are pictured here as slipping down a steep slope (the enemies’ tongues) and falling into an open grave (their throat) that terminates in destruction in the inner recesses of Sheol (their stomach). The enemies’ קֶרֶב (qerev, “inward part”) refers here to their thoughts and motives, which are destructive in their intent. The throat is where these destructive thoughts are transformed into words, and their tongue is what they use to speak the deceitful words that lead their innocent victims to their demise.sn As the psalmist walks down the path in which God leads him, he asks the Lord to guide his steps and remove danger from the path (v. 8), because he knows his enemies have “dug a grave” for him and are ready to use their deceitful words to “swallow him up” like the realm of death (i.e., Sheol) and bring him to ruin.
Psalm 5:10 tn Heb “declare/regard them as guilty.” Declaring the psalmist’s adversaries guilty is here metonymic for judging them or paying them back for their wrongdoing.
Psalm 5:10 tn Heb “may they fall from their plans.” The prefixed verbal form is a jussive, expressing an imprecation. The psalmist calls judgment down on the evildoers. Their plans will be their downfall in that God will judge them for their evil schemes.
Psalm 5:10 tn Or “banish them.”
Psalm 5:10 tn The Hebrew noun used here, פֶּשַׁע (peshaʿ), refers to rebellious actions. The psalmist pictures his enemies as rebels against God (see the next line).
Psalm 5:11 sn Take shelter. “Taking shelter” in the Lord is an idiom for seeking his protection. Seeking his protection presupposes and even demonstrates the subject’s loyalty to the Lord. In the psalms those who “take shelter” in the Lord are contrasted with the wicked and equated with those who love, fear and serve the Lord (Pss 5:11-12; 31:17-20; 34:21-22).
Psalm 5:11 tn The prefixed verbal form is a jussive of wish or prayer. The psalmist calls on God to reward his faithful followers.
Psalm 5:11 tn Or perhaps more hyperbolically, “forever.”
Psalm 5:11 tn As in the preceding line, the prefixed verbal form is a jussive of wish or prayer.
Psalm 5:11 tn Heb “put a cover over them.” The verb form is a Hiphil imperfect from סָכַךְ (sakhakh, “cover, shut off”). The imperfect expresses the psalmist’s wish or request.
Psalm 5:11 tn Heb “the lovers of your name.” The phrase refers to those who are loyal to the Lord. See Pss 69:36; 119:132; Isa 56:6.
Psalm 5:11 tn The vav (ו) with prefixed verbal form following the volitional “shelter them” indicates purpose or result (“so that those…may rejoice).
Psalm 5:12 tn Or “For.”
Psalm 5:12 tn Or “bless.” The imperfect verbal forms here and in the next line highlight how God characteristically rewards and protects the godly.
Psalm 5:12 tn Or “innocent.” The singular form is used here in a collective or representative sense.
Psalm 5:12 tn Heb “surround.” In 1 Sam 23:26 the verb describes how Saul and his men hemmed David in as they chased him.
Psalm 5:12 tn Heb “him.” The singular form is used here in a collective or representative sense and is thus translated “them.”
Psalm 5:12 tn Or “with favor” (cf. NRSV). There is no preposition before the noun in the Hebrew text, nor is there a pronoun attached. “Favor” here stands by metonymy for God’s defensive actions on behalf of the one whom he finds acceptable.
Psalm 6:1 sn Psalm 6. The psalmist begs the Lord to withdraw his anger and spare his life. Having received a positive response to his prayer, the psalmist then confronts his enemies and describes how they retreat.
Psalm 6:1 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term שְׁמִינִית (sh^eminit, “sheminith”) is uncertain; perhaps it refers to a particular style of music. See 1 Chr 15:21.
Psalm 6:1 sn The implication is that the psalmist has sinned, causing God to discipline him by bringing a life-threatening illness upon him (see vv. 2-7).
Psalm 6:2 tn Or “show me favor.”
Psalm 6:2 tn Normally the verb בָּהַל (bahal) refers to an emotional response and means “tremble with fear, be terrified” (see vv. 3, 10). Perhaps here the “bones” are viewed as the seat of the psalmist’s emotions. However, the verb may describe one of the effects of his physical ailment, perhaps a fever. In Ezek 7:27 the verb describes how the hands of the people will shake with fear when they experience the horrors of divine judgment.
Psalm 6:3 tn Heb “my being is very terrified.” The suffixed form of נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being”) is often equivalent to a pronoun in poetic texts.
Psalm 6:3 tn Heb “and you, Lord, how long?” The suffering psalmist speaks in broken syntax. He addresses God, but then simply cries out with a brief, but poignant, question: How long will this (= his suffering) continue?
Psalm 6:4 tn Heb “my being,” or “my life.” The suffixed form of נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being”) is often equivalent to a pronoun in poetic texts.
Psalm 6:4 sn Deliver me because of your faithfulness. Though the psalmist is experiencing divine discipline, he realizes that God has made a commitment to him in the past, so he appeals to God’s faithfulness in his request for help.
Psalm 6:5 tn Heb “for there is not in death your remembrance.” The Hebrew noun זֵכֶר (zekher, “remembrance”) here refers to the name of the Lord as invoked in liturgy and praise. Cf. Pss 30:4; 97:12. “Death” here refers to the realm of death where the dead reside. See the reference to Sheol in the next line.
Psalm 6:5 tn The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “no one.”sn In Sheol who gives you thanks? According to the OT, those who descend into the realm of death/Sheol are cut off from God’s mighty deeds and from the worshiping covenant community that experiences divine intervention (Pss 30:9; 88:10-12; Isa 38:18). In his effort to elicit a positive divine response, the psalmist reminds God that he will receive no praise or glory if he allows the psalmist to die. Dead men do not praise God!
Psalm 6:6 tn Heb “I cause to swim through all the night my bed.”
Psalm 6:6 tn Heb “with my tears my bed I flood/melt.”
Psalm 6:7 tn The Hebrew text has the singular “eye” here.
Psalm 6:7 tn Or perhaps, “are swollen.”
Psalm 6:7 tn Or perhaps, “grow old.”
Psalm 6:7 sn In his weakened condition the psalmist is vulnerable to the taunts and threats of his enemies.
Psalm 6:8 tn Heb “all [you] workers of wickedness.” See Ps 5:5.
Psalm 6:8 sn The Lord has heard. The psalmist’s mood abruptly changes because the Lord responded positively to the lament and petition of vv. 1-7 and promised him deliverance.
Psalm 6:9 tn The prefixed verbal form is probably a preterite here; it is parallel to a perfect and refers to the fact that the Lord has responded favorably to the psalmist’s request.
Psalm 6:10 tn In the structure of the Psalm, this verse is either another petition or a statement of confidence. If a petition, the four prefixed verbal forms in this verse should be understood as jussives. By form, many prefixed verbs can be either imperfect or jussive. But the third verb in the series, יָשֻׁבוּ (yashuvu), can be distinguished as an imperfect by its qibbuts theme vowel, and is not a jussive (which would have had a qamets hatuph or holem). Expecting all four verbs to be the same due to parallelism leads to the conclusion that this section is a statement of confidence, in which the imperfect verbs should be treated as future.
Psalm 6:10 sn The psalmist uses the same expression in v. 3 to describe the terror he was experiencing. He is confident that the tables will be turned and his enemies will know what absolute terror feels like.

Psalm 10-11

Psalm 10^[a]

10 Why, Lord, do you stand far off?
Why do you pay no attention during times of trouble?^[b]
²The wicked arrogantly chase the oppressed;^[c]
the oppressed are trapped^[d] by the schemes the wicked have dreamed up.^[e]
³Yes,^[f] the wicked man^[g] boasts because he gets what he wants;^[h]
the one who robs others^[i] curses^[j] and^[k] rejects the Lord.^[l]
⁴The wicked man is so arrogant he always thinks,
“God won’t hold me accountable; he doesn’t care.”^[m]
⁵He is secure at all times.^[n]
He has no regard for your commands;^[o]
he disdains all his enemies.^[p]
⁶He says to himself,^[q]
“I will never^[r] be shaken,
because I experience no calamity.”^[s]
⁷His mouth is full of curses and deceptive, harmful words;^[t]
his tongue injures and destroys.^[u]
⁸He waits in ambush near the villages;^[v]
in hidden places he kills the innocent.
His eyes look for some unfortunate victim.^[w]
⁹He lies in ambush in a hidden place, like a lion in a thicket.^[x]
He lies in ambush, waiting to catch^[y] the oppressed;
he catches the oppressed^[z] by pulling in his net.^[aa]
¹⁰His victims are crushed and beaten down;
they are trapped in his sturdy nets.^[ab]
¹¹He says to himself,^[ac]
“God overlooks it;
he does not pay attention;
he never notices.”^[ad]
¹²Rise up, Lord!^[ae]
O God, strike him down.^[af]
Do not forget the oppressed.
¹³Why does the wicked man reject God?^[ag]
He says to himself,^[ah] “You^[ai] will not hold me accountable.”^[aj]
¹⁴You have taken notice,^[ak]
for^[al] you always see^[am] one who inflicts pain and suffering.^[an]
The unfortunate victim entrusts his cause to you;^[ao]
you deliver^[ap] the fatherless.^[aq]
¹⁵Break the arm^[ar] of the wicked and evil man.
Hold him accountable for his wicked deeds,^[as]
which he thought you would not discover.^[at]
¹⁶The Lord rules forever!^[au]
The nations are driven out of his land.^[av]
¹⁷Lord, you have heard^[aw] the request^[ax] of the oppressed;
you make them feel secure because you listen to their prayer.^[ay]
¹⁸You defend^[az] the fatherless and oppressed,^[ba]
so that mere mortals may no longer terrorize them.^[bb]

Psalm 11^[bc]

For the music director, by David.

11 In the Lord I have taken shelter.^[bd]
How can you say to me,^[be]
“Flee to a mountain like a bird.^[bf]
²For look, the wicked^[bg] prepare^[bh] their bows,^[bi]
they put their arrows on the strings,
to shoot in the darkness^[bj] at the morally upright.^[bk]
³When the foundations^[bl] are destroyed,
what can the godly^[bm] accomplish?”^[bn]
⁴The Lord is in his holy temple;^[bo]
the Lord’s throne is in heaven.^[bp]
His eyes^[bq] watch;^[br]
his eyes^[bs] examine^[bt] all people.^[bu]
⁵The Lord approves of^[bv] the godly,^[bw]
but he^[bx] hates^[by] the wicked and those who love to do violence.^[bz]
⁶May he rain down^[ca] burning coals^[cb] and brimstone^[cc] on the wicked!
A whirlwind is what they deserve.^[cd]
⁷Certainly^[ce] the Lord is just;^[cf]
he rewards godly deeds.^[cg]
The upright will experience his favor.^[ch]

Footnotes

Psalm 10:1 sn Psalm 10. Many Hebrew mss and the ancient Greek version (LXX) combine Psalms 9 and 10 into a single psalm. Taken in isolation, Psalm 10 is a petition for help in which the psalmist urges the Lord to deliver him from his dangerous enemies, whom he describes in vivid and terrifying detail. The psalmist concludes with confidence; he is certain that God’s justice will prevail.
Psalm 10:1 tn Heb “you hide for times in trouble.” The interrogative “why” is understood by ellipsis; note the preceding line. The Hiphil verbal form “hide” has no expressed object. Some supply “your eyes” by ellipsis (see BDB 761 s.v. I עָלַם Hiph and HALOT 835 s.v. I עלם hif) or emend the form to a Niphal (“you hide yourself,” see BHS, note c; cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV).
Psalm 10:2 tn Heb “because of the pride of [the] wicked he burns [i.e., hotly pursues] [the] oppressed.” The singular forms רָשָׁע (rashaʿ, “wicked”) and עָנִי (ʿani, “oppressed”) are collective and representative, as indicated in the next line, which uses plural verb forms to describe the actions of both.
Psalm 10:2 tn The two imperfect verbal forms in v. 2 describe either what typically happens (from the psalmist’s perspective) or what the psalmist was experiencing at the time he offered this prayer.
Psalm 10:2 tn Heb “they are trapped in the schemes which they have thought up.” The referents of the two pronominal suffixes on the verbs have been specified in the translation for clarity. The referent of the first suffix (“they”) is taken as the oppressed, while the referent of the second (“they”) is taken to be the wicked (cf. NIV, which renders “wicked” in the previous line as a collective singular). Others take the referent of both occurrences of “they” in the line to be the wicked (cf. NRSV, “let them be caught in the schemes they have devised”).
Psalm 10:3 tn The translation assumes כִּי (ki) is asseverative: “indeed, certainly.” Another option is to translate “for,” understanding v. 3 as giving the reason why the wicked so arrogantly seek to destroy the helpless (so NASB, NRSV).
Psalm 10:3 tn The representative or typical evildoer is described in vv. 3-11, 13, 15. Since the singular form predominates in these verses, it has been retained in the translation.
Psalm 10:3 tn Heb “the wicked [one] boasts on account of the desire of his appetite.” The translation assumes that the preposition עַל (ʿal) introduces the reason why the wicked boasts (cf. this use of עַל with הָלַל (halal) in Ps 119:164 and Ezra 3:11). In this case, the “desire of his appetite” refers by metonymy to the object desired and acquired.
Psalm 10:3 tn The translation assumes the active participle is substantival, referring to the wicked man mentioned in the preceding line. The substantival participle is then understood as the subject of the following verbs. For other examples of the participle of בָּצַע (batsaʿ) used of those who desire and/or acquire wealth through dishonest and/or violent means, see Prov 1:19; 15:27; Jer 6:13; 8:10; Hab 2:9.
Psalm 10:3 tn The verb בָּרַךְ (barakh) normally means “to bless,” but in a few cases it exhibits the polarized meaning “to curse” (1 Kgs 21:10, 13; Job 1:5-11; 2:5-9). (Some regard this use of בָּרַךְ as a mere euphemism.) The verb refers to the act of pronouncing or calling down a formal curse upon the object of one’s anger.
Psalm 10:3 tn The conjunction “and” is supplied in the translation; it does not appear in the Hebrew text.
Psalm 10:3 tn Another option is to translate, “he blesses one who robs others, [but] he curses the Lord.” In this case the subject of the verbs is “the wicked man” mentioned in the previous line, and “the one who robs others” is the object of the verb בָּרַךְ (barakh), which is understood in its usual sense of “bless.”
Psalm 10:4 tn Heb “the wicked [one], according to the height of his nose, he does not seek, there is no God, all his thoughts.” The phrase “height of his nose” probably refers to an arrogant or snooty attitude; it likely pictures one with his nose turned upward toward the sky in pride. One could take the “wicked” as the subject of the negated verb “seek,” in which case the point is that the wicked do not “seek” God. The translation assumes that this statement, along with “there is no God,” is what the wicked man thinks to himself. In this case God is the subject of the verb “seek,” and the point is that God will not hold the wicked man accountable for his actions. Verse 13 strongly favors this interpretation. The statement “there is no God” is not a philosophical assertion that God does not exist, but rather a confident affirmation that he is unconcerned about how men live morally and ethically (see v. 11).
Psalm 10:5 tn Heb “they are firm, his ways, at every time.” The verb חַיִל (khayil, “be firm, be strong”) occurs only here and in Job 20:21, where it has the sense “endure.”
Psalm 10:5 tc Heb “[on a] height, your judgments from before him.” If the MT is retained, then the idea may be that God’s “judgments” are high above (i.e., not recognized) by the wicked man. However, the syntax is awkward. The translation assumes an emendation of מָרוֹם (marom, “height”) to סָרוּ (saru, “[your judgments] are turned aside”), the final mem (ם) being dittographic (note the initial mem on the immediately following word [מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ, mishpatekha, “your judgments”). “Judgments” probably refers here to God’s laws or commands, rather than his judicial decisions or acts of judgment.
Psalm 10:5 tn Heb “all his enemies, he snorts against them.” This may picture the wicked man defiantly challenging his enemies because he is confident of success. Another option is to take יָפִיחַ (yafiakh) from the root יָפַח (yafakh, “to testify”) and translate “he testifies against all his enemies,” implying that he gets the upper hand over them in legal battles. The noun יָפֵחַ (yafeakh, “witness”) is attested in biblical Hebrew (see Prov 6:19; 12:17; 14:5, 25; 19:5, 9, and Hab 2:3). The verb, however, is not clearly attested.
Psalm 10:6 tn Heb “he says in his heart/mind.”
Psalm 10:6 tn Heb “not . . . for a generation and a generation.” The traditional accentuation of the MT understands the words “for a generation and a generation” with the following line.
Psalm 10:6 tn Heb “who, not in calamity.” If אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) is taken as a relative pronoun here, then one could translate, “[I] who [am] not in calamity.” Some emend אֲשֶׁר to אֹשֶׁר (ʾosher, “happiness”; see HALOT 99 s.v. אֹשֶׁר); one might then translate, “[I live in] happiness, not in calamity.” The present translation assumes that אֲשֶׁר functions here as a causal conjunction, “because, for.” For this use of אֲשֶׁר, see BDB 83 s.v. אֲשֶׁר 8.c (where the present text is not cited).
Psalm 10:7 tn Heb “[with] a curse his mouth is full, and lies and injury.”
Psalm 10:7 tn Heb “under his tongue are destruction and wickedness.” The words translated “destruction and wickedness” are also paired in Ps 90:10. They also appear in proximity in Pss 7:14 and 55:10.
Psalm 10:8 tn Heb “he sits in the ambush of the villages.”
Psalm 10:8 tn Heb “his eyes for an unfortunate person lie hidden.” The language may picture a lion (see v. 9) peering out from its hiding place in anticipation that an unsuspecting victim will soon come strolling along.
Psalm 10:9 tn Or “in its den.”
Psalm 10:9 tn The verb, which also appears in the next line, occurs only here and in Judg 21:21.
Psalm 10:9 tn The singular form is collective (see v. 10) or refers to the typical or representative oppressed individual.
Psalm 10:9 tn Or “when he [i.e., the wicked man] pulls in his net.”sn The background of the imagery is hunting, where the hunter uses a net to entrap an unsuspecting bird or wild animal.
Psalm 10:10 tn Heb “he crushes, he is bowed down, and he falls into his strong [ones], [the] unfortunate [ones].” This verse presents several lexical and syntactical difficulties. The first word (יִדְכֶּה, yidkeh) is an otherwise unattested Qal form of the verb דָּכָה (dakhah, “crush”). (The Qere [marginal] form is imperfect; the consonantal text [Kethib] has the perfect with a prefixed conjunction vav [ו].) If the wicked man’s victim is the subject, which seems to be the case (note the two verbs which follow), then the form should be emended to a Niphal (יִדָּכֶה, yiddakheh). The phrase בַּעֲצוּמָיו (baʿatsumayv, “into his strong [ones]”), poses interpretive problems. The preposition ב (bet) follows the verb נָפַל (nafal, “fall”), so it may very well carry the nuance “into” here, with “his strong [ones]” then referring to something into which the oppressed individual falls. Since a net is mentioned in the preceding verse as the instrument used to entrap the victim, it is possible that “strong [ones]” here refers metonymically to the wicked man’s nets or traps. Ps 35:8 refers to a man falling into a net (רֶשֶׁת, reshet), as does Ps 141:10 (where the plural of מִכְמָר [mikhmar, “net”] is used). A hunter’s net (רֶשֶׁת), is associated with snares (פַּח [pakh], מֹקְשִׁים, [moq^eshim]) and ropes (חֲבָלִים, khavalim) in Ps 140:5. The final word in the verse (חֶלְכָּאִים (khelkaʾim, “unfortunate [ones]”) may be an alternate form of חֵלְכָח (khel^ekhakh, “unfortunate [one]”; see vv. 8, 14). The Qere (marginal reading) divides the form into two words, חֵיל כָּאִים (khel kaʾim, “army/host of disheartened [ones]”). The three verb forms in v. 10 are singular because the representative “oppressed” individual is the grammatical subject (see the singular עָנִי [ʿani] in v. 9).
Psalm 10:11 tn Heb “he says in his heart.” See v. 6.
Psalm 10:11 tn Heb “God forgets, he hides his face, he never sees.”
Psalm 10:12 sn Rise up, O Lord! The psalmist’s mood changes from lament to petition and confidence.
Psalm 10:12 tn Heb “lift up your hand.” Usually the expression “lifting the hand” refers to praying (Pss 28:2; 134:2) or making an oath (Ps 106:26), but here it probably refers to “striking a blow” (see 2 Sam 18:28; 20:21). Note v. 15, where the psalmist asks the Lord to “break the arm of the wicked.” A less likely option is that the psalmist is requesting that the Lord declare by oath his intention to intervene.
Psalm 10:13 tn The rhetorical question expresses the psalmist’s outrage that the wicked would have the audacity to disdain God.
Psalm 10:13 tn Heb “he says in his heart” (see vv. 6, 11). Another option is to understand an ellipsis of the interrogative particle here (cf. the preceding line), “Why does he say in his heart?”
Psalm 10:13 tn Here the wicked man addresses God directly.
Psalm 10:13 tn Heb “you will not seek.” The verb דָרַשׁ (darash, “seek”) is used here in the sense of “seek an accounting.” One could understand the imperfect as generalizing about what is typical and translate, “you do not hold [people] accountable.”
Psalm 10:14 tn Heb “you see.” One could translate the perfect as generalizing, “you do take notice.”
Psalm 10:14 tn If the preceding perfect is taken as generalizing, then one might understand כִּי (ki) as asseverative: “indeed, certainly.”
Psalm 10:14 tn Here the imperfect emphasizes God’s typical behavior.
Psalm 10:14 tn Heb “destruction and suffering,” which here refers metonymically to the wicked, who dish out pain and suffering to their victims.
Psalm 10:14 tn Heb “to give into your hand, upon you, he abandons, [the] unfortunate [one].” The syntax is awkward and the meaning unclear. It is uncertain who or what is being given into God’s hand. Elsewhere the idiom “give into the hand” means to deliver into one’s possession. If “to give” goes with what precedes (as the accentuation of the Hebrew text suggests), then this may refer to the wicked man being delivered over to God for judgment. The present translation assumes that “to give” goes with what follows (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV). The verb יַעֲזֹב (yaʿazov) here has the nuance “entrust” (see Gen 39:6; Job 39:11); the direct object (“[his] cause”) is implied.
Psalm 10:14 tn Or “help.”
Psalm 10:14 tn Heb “[for] one who is fatherless, you are a deliverer.” The noun יָתוֹם (yatom) refers to one who has lost his father (not necessarily his mother, see Ps 109:9).sn The fatherless. Because they were so vulnerable and were frequently exploited, fatherless children are often mentioned as epitomizing the oppressed (see Pss 68:5; 82:3; 94:6; 146:9; as well as Job 6:27; 22:9; 24:3, 9; 29:12; 31:17, 21).
Psalm 10:15 sn The arm symbolizes the strength of the wicked, which they use to oppress and exploit the weak.
Psalm 10:15 tn Heb “you seek his wickedness.” As in v. 13, the verb דָּרַשׁ (darash, “seek”) is used here in the sense of “seek an accounting.” One could understand the imperfect as describing a fact, “you hold him accountable,” or as anticipating divine judgment, “you will hold him accountable.” However, since the verb is in apparent parallelism with the preceding imperative (“break”), it is better to understand the imperfect as expressing the psalmist’s desire or request.
Psalm 10:15 tn Heb “you will not find.” It is uncertain how this statement relates to what precedes. Some take בַּל (bal), which is used as a negative particle in vv. 10:4, 6, 11, 18, as asseverative here, “Indeed find (i.e., judge his wickedness).” The translation assumes that the final words are an asyndetic relative clause which refers back to what the wicked man boasted in God’s face (“you will not find [i.e., my wickedness]”). See v. 13.
Psalm 10:16 tn Heb “the Lord is king forever and ever.”
Psalm 10:16 tn Or “the nations perish from his land.” The perfect verb form may express what is typical or it may express rhetorically the psalmist’s certitude that God’s deliverance is “as good as done.”sn The nations may be the underlying reality behind the psalmist’s references to the “wicked” in the earlier verses. This reference to the nations may have motivated the combining of Ps 10 with Ps 9 (see Ps 9:5, 15, 19).
Psalm 10:17 sn You have heard. The psalmist is confident that God has responded positively to his earlier petitions for divine intervention. The psalmist apparently prayed the words of vv. 16-18 after the reception of an oracle of deliverance (given in response to the confident petition of vv. 12-15) or after the Lord actually delivered him from his enemies.
Psalm 10:17 tn Heb “desire.”
Psalm 10:17 tn Heb “you make firm their heart, you cause your ear to listen.”
Psalm 10:18 tn Heb “to judge (on behalf of),” or “by judging (on behalf of).”
Psalm 10:18 tn Heb “crushed.” See v. 10.
Psalm 10:18 tn Heb “he will not add again [i.e., “he will no longer”] to terrify, man from the earth.” The Hebrew term אֱנוֹשׁ (ʾenosh, “man”) refers here to the wicked nations (v. 16). By describing them as “from the earth,” the psalmist emphasizes their weakness before the sovereign, eternal king.
Psalm 11:1 sn Psalm 11. The psalmist rejects the advice to flee from his dangerous enemies. Instead he affirms his confidence in God’s just character and calls down judgment on evildoers.
Psalm 11:1 tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form probably refers here to a completed action with continuing results.
Psalm 11:1 tn The pronominal suffix attached to נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) is equivalent to a personal pronoun. See Ps 6:3.
Psalm 11:1 tc The MT is uncertain here. The Kethib (consonantal text) reads: “flee [masculine plural!] to your [masculine plural!] mountain, bird.” The Qere (marginal reading) has “flee” in a feminine singular form, agreeing grammatically with the addressee, the feminine noun “bird.” Rather than being a second masculine plural pronominal suffix, the ending כֶם- (-khem) attached to “mountain” is better interpreted as a second feminine singular pronominal suffix followed by an enclitic mem (ם). “Bird” may be taken as vocative (“O bird”) or as an adverbial accusative of manner (“like a bird”). Either way, the psalmist’s advisers compare him to a helpless bird whose only option in the face of danger is to fly away to an inaccessible place.
Psalm 11:2 tn In the psalms the “wicked” (רְשָׁעִים, r^eshaʿim) are typically proud, practical atheists (Ps 10:2, 4, 11) who hate God’s commands, commit sinful deeds, speak lies and slander (Ps 50:16-20), and cheat others (Ps 37:21). They oppose God and threaten his people (Ps 3:8).
Psalm 11:2 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form depicts the enemies’ hostile action as underway.
Psalm 11:2 tn Heb “a bow.”
Psalm 11:2 sn In the darkness. The enemies’ attack, the precise form of which is not indicated, is compared here to a night ambush by archers; the psalmist is defenseless against this deadly attack.
Psalm 11:2 tn Heb “pure of heart.” The “heart” is here viewed as the seat of one’s moral character and motives. The “pure of heart” are God’s faithful followers who trust in and love the Lord and, as a result, experience his deliverance (see Pss 7:10; 32:11; 36:10; 64:10; 94:15; 97:11).
Psalm 11:3 tn The precise meaning of this rare word is uncertain. An Ugaritic cognate is used of the “bottom” or “base” of a cliff or mountain (see G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 47, 159). The noun appears in postbiblical Hebrew with the meaning “foundation” (see Jastrow 1636 s.v. שָׁת).
Psalm 11:3 tn The singular form is used here in a collective or representative sense. Note the plural form “pure [of heart]” in the previous verse.
Psalm 11:3 sn The quotation of the advisers’ words (which begins in 11:1c) ends at this point. They advise the psalmist to flee because the enemy is poised to launch a deadly attack. In such a lawless and chaotic situation godly people like the psalmist can accomplish nothing, so they might as well retreat to a safe place.
Psalm 11:4 tn Because of the royal imagery involved here, one could translate “lofty palace.” The Lord’s heavenly temple is in view here (see Mic 1:2-4).
Psalm 11:4 sn The Lord’s throne is in heaven. The psalmist is confident that the Lord reigns as sovereign king, “keeps an eye on” all people, and responds in a just manner to the godly and wicked.
Psalm 11:4 sn His eyes. The anthropomorphic language draws attention to God’s awareness of and interest in the situation on earth. Though the enemies are hidden by the darkness (v. 2), the Lord sees all.
Psalm 11:4 tn The two Hebrew imperfect verbal forms in this verse describe the Lord’s characteristic activity.
Psalm 11:4 tn Heb “eyelids.”
Psalm 11:4 tn For other uses of the verb in this sense, see Job 7:18; Pss 7:9; 26:2; 139:23.
Psalm 11:4 tn Heb “test the sons of men.”
Psalm 11:5 tn Heb “examines,” the same verb used in v. 4b. But here it is used in a metonymic sense of “examine and approve” (see Jer 20:12).
Psalm 11:5 tn The singular form is used here in a collective or representative sense. Note the plural form “pure (of heart)” in v. 2.
Psalm 11:5 tn Heb “his [very] being.” A נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being, soul”) is also attributed to the Lord in Isa 1:14, where a suffixed form of the noun appears as the subject of the verb “hate.” Both there and here the term is used of the seat of one’s emotions and passions.
Psalm 11:5 sn He hates the wicked. The Lord “hates” the wicked in the sense that he despises their wicked character and deeds, and actively opposes and judges them for their wickedness. See Ps 5:5.
Psalm 11:5 tn Heb “the wicked [one] and the lover of violence.” The singular form is used here in a collective or representative sense. Note the plural form רְשָׁעִים (r^eshaʿim, “wicked [ones]”) in vv. 2 and 6.
Psalm 11:6 tn The verb form is a jussive, indicating that the statement is imprecatory (“May the Lord rain down”), not indicative (“The Lord rains down”; see also Job 20:23). The psalmist appeals to God to destroy the wicked, rather than simply stating his confidence that God will do so. In this way the psalmist seeks to activate divine judgment by appealing to God’s just character. For an example of the power of such a curse, see Judg 9:7-57.
Psalm 11:6 tc The MT reads “traps, fire, and brimstone,” but the image of God raining traps, or snares, down from the sky is bizarre and does not fit the fire and storm imagery of this verse. The noun פַּחִים (pakhim, “traps, snares”) should be emended to פַּחֲמֵי (pakhame, “coals of [fire]”). The rare noun פֶּחָם (pekham, “coal”) occurs in Prov 26:21 and Isa 44:12; 54:16.
Psalm 11:6 sn The image of God “raining down” brimstone on the objects of his judgment also appears in Gen 19:24 and Ezek 38:22.
Psalm 11:6 tn Heb “[may] a wind of rage [be] the portion of their cup.” The precise meaning of the rare noun זִלְעָפוֹת (zilʿafot) is uncertain. It may mean “raging heat” (BDB 273 s.v. זַלְעָפָה) or simply “rage” (HALOT 272 s.v. זַלְעָפָה). If one understands the former sense, then one might translate “hot wind” (cf. NEB, NRSV). The present translation assumes the latter nuance, “a wind of rage” (the genitive is attributive) referring to a “whirlwind” symbolic of destructive judgment. In this mixed metaphor, judgment is also compared to an allotted portion of a beverage poured into one’s drinking cup (see Hab 2:15-16).
Psalm 11:7 tn Or “for.”
Psalm 11:7 tn Or “righteous.”
Psalm 11:7 tn Heb “he loves righteous deeds.” The “righteous deeds” are probably those done by godly people (see v. 5). The Lord “loves” such deeds in the sense that he rewards them. Another option is to take צְדָקוֹת (ts^edaqot) as referring to God’s acts of justice (see Ps 103:6). In this case one could translate, “he loves to do just deeds.”
Psalm 11:7 tn Heb “the upright will see his face.” The singular subject (“upright”) does not agree with the plural verb. However, collective singular nouns can be construed with a plural predicate (see GKC 462 §145.b). Another possibility is that the plural verb יֶחֱזוּ (yekhezu) should be emended to an original singular form. To “see” God’s “face” means to have access to his presence and to experience his favor (see Ps 17:15 and Job 33:26 [where רָאָה (raʾah), not חָזָה (khazah), is used]). On the form פָנֵימוֹ (fanemo, “his face”) see GKC 300-301 §103.b, n. 3.

1 Kings 1:38-2:4

³⁸So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites^[a] went down, put Solomon on King David’s mule, and led him to Gihon. ³⁹Zadok the priest took a horn filled with olive oil^[b] from the tent and poured it on^[c] Solomon; the trumpet was blown and all the people declared, “Long live King Solomon!” ⁴⁰All the people followed him up, playing flutes and celebrating so loudly they made the ground shake.^[d]

⁴¹Now Adonijah and all his guests heard the commotion just as they had finished eating.^[e] When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he asked, “Why is there such a noisy commotion in the city?”^[f] ⁴²As he was still speaking, Jonathan^[g] son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, “Come in, for^[h] an important man like you must be bringing good news.”^[i] ⁴³Jonathan replied^[j] to Adonijah: “No!^[k] Our master^[l] King David has made Solomon king. ⁴⁴The king sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites and they put him on the king’s mule. ⁴⁵Then Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed^[m] him king in Gihon. They went up from there rejoicing, and the city is in an uproar. That is the sound you hear. ⁴⁶Furthermore, Solomon has assumed the royal throne.^[n] ⁴⁷The king’s servants have even come to congratulate^[o] our master^[p] King David, saying, ‘May your God^[q] make Solomon more famous than you and make him an even greater king than you!’^[r] Then the king leaned^[s] on the bed ⁴⁸and said^[t] this: ‘The Lord God of Israel is worthy of praise because^[u] today he has placed a successor on my throne and allowed me to see it.’”^[v]

⁴⁹All of Adonijah’s guests panicked;^[w] they jumped up and rushed off their separate ways. ⁵⁰Adonijah feared Solomon, so he got up and went and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar.^[x] ⁵¹Solomon was told, “Look, Adonijah fears you;^[y] see, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘May King Solomon solemnly promise^[z] me today that he will not kill his servant with the sword.’” ⁵²Solomon said, “If he is a loyal subject,^[aa] not a hair of his head will be harmed, but if he is found to be a traitor,^[ab] he will die.” ⁵³King Solomon sent men to bring him down^[ac] from the altar. He came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon told him, “Go home.”^[ad]

David’s Final Words to Solomon

2 When David was close to death,^[ae] he told^[af] Solomon his son: ²“I am about to die.^[ag] Be strong and become a man! ³Do the job the Lord your God has assigned you^[ah] by following his instructions^[ai] and obeying^[aj] his rules, commandments, regulations, and laws as written in the law of Moses. Then you will succeed in all you do and seek to accomplish,^[ak] ⁴and the Lord will fulfill his promise to me,^[al] ‘If your descendants watch their step^[am] and live faithfully in my presence^[an] with all their heart and being,^[ao] then,’ he promised,^[ap] ‘you will not fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’^[aq]

Footnotes

1 Kings 1:38 sn The Kerethites and Pelethites were members of David’s royal guard (see 2 Sam 8:18). The Kerethites may have been descendants of an ethnic group originating in Crete.
1 Kings 1:39 tn Heb “the horn of oil.” This has been specified as olive oil in the translation for clarity.sn A horn filled with oil. An animal’s horn was used as an oil flask in the anointing ceremony.
1 Kings 1:39 tn Or “anointed.”
1 Kings 1:40 tn Heb “and all the people went up after him, and the people were playing flutes and rejoicing with great joy and the ground split open at the sound of them.” The verb בָּקַע (baqaʿ, “to split open”), which elsewhere describes the effects of an earthquake, is obviously here an exaggeration for the sake of emphasis.
1 Kings 1:41 tn Heb “And Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard, now they had finished eating.”
1 Kings 1:41 tn Heb “Why is the city’s sound noisy?”
1 Kings 1:42 tn The Hebrew text has “look” at this point. The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh), “look” draws attention to Jonathan’s arrival and invites the audience to view the scene through the eyes of the participants.
1 Kings 1:42 tn Or “surely.”
1 Kings 1:42 tn Heb “you are a man of strength [or “ability”] and you bring a message [that is] good.” Another option is to understand the phrase אִישׁ חַיִל (ʾish khayil) in the sense of “a worthy man,” that is “loyal.” See also 1 Kgs 1:52 and HALOT 311 s.v. חַיִל.
1 Kings 1:43 tn Heb “answered and said.”
1 Kings 1:43 tn For a similar use of אֲבָל (ʾaval), see Gen 17:19, where God rejects Abraham’s proposal and offers an alternative.
1 Kings 1:43 tn The plural form is used in the Hebrew text to indicate honor and authority.
1 Kings 1:45 tn I.e., designated by anointing with oil.
1 Kings 1:46 tn Heb “And also Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom.”
1 Kings 1:47 tn Heb “to bless.”
1 Kings 1:47 tn The plural form is used in the Hebrew text to indicate honor and authority.
1 Kings 1:47 tc Many Hebrew mss agree with the Qere in reading simply “God.”
1 Kings 1:47 tn Heb “make the name of Solomon better than your name, and make his throne greater than your throne.” The term שֵׁם (shem, “name”) is used here of one’s fame and reputation.
1 Kings 1:47 tn Or “bowed down; worshiped.”
1 Kings 1:48 tn The Hebrew text reads, “and the king said.”
1 Kings 1:48 tn Or “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who….” In this blessing formula אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher, “who; because”) introduces the reason why the one being blessed deserves the honor.
1 Kings 1:48 tn Heb “and my eyes are seeing.”
1 Kings 1:49 tn Or “were afraid, trembled.”
1 Kings 1:50 sn Grabbed hold of the horns of the altar. The “horns” of the altar were the horn-shaped projections on the four corners of the altar (see Exod 27:2). By going to the holy place and grabbing hold of the horns of the altar, Adonijah was seeking asylum from Solomon.
1 Kings 1:51 tn Heb “King Solomon.” The name and title have been replaced by the pronoun (“you”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
1 Kings 1:51 tn Or “swear an oath to.”
1 Kings 1:52 tn Heb “if he is a man of strength [or ability].” In this context, where Adonijah calls himself a “servant,” implying allegiance to the new king, the phrase אִישׁ חַיִל (ʾish khayil) probably carries the sense of “a worthy man,” that is, “loyal” (see HALOT 311 s.v. חַיִל).
1 Kings 1:52 tn Heb “but if evil is found in him.”
1 Kings 1:53 tn Heb “sent and they brought him down.”
1 Kings 1:53 tn Heb “Go to your house.”
1 Kings 2:1 tn Heb “and the days of David approached to die.”
1 Kings 2:1 tn Or “commanded.”
1 Kings 2:2 tn Heb “going the way of all the earth.”
1 Kings 2:3 tn Heb “keep the charge of the Lord your God.”
1 Kings 2:3 tn Heb “by walking in his ways.”
1 Kings 2:3 tn Or “keeping.”
1 Kings 2:3 tn Heb “then you will cause to succeed all which you do and all which you turn there.”
1 Kings 2:4 tn Heb “then the Lord will establish his word which he spoke to me, saying.”
1 Kings 2:4 tn Heb “guard their way.”
1 Kings 2:4 tn Heb “by walking before me in faithfulness.”
1 Kings 2:4 tn Or “soul.”
1 Kings 2:4 tn Heb “saying.”
1 Kings 2:4 tn Heb “there will not be cut off from you a man from upon the throne of Israel.”

Acts 26:24-27:8

²⁴As Paul^[a] was saying these things in his defense, Festus^[b] exclaimed loudly, “You have lost your mind,^[c] Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane!” ²⁵But Paul replied,^[d] “I have not lost my mind, most excellent Festus,^[e] but am speaking^[f] true and rational^[g] words. ²⁶For the king knows about these things, and I am speaking freely^[h] to him,^[i] because I cannot believe^[j] that any of these things has escaped his notice,^[k] for this was not done in a corner.^[l] ²⁷Do you believe the prophets,^[m] King Agrippa?^[n] I know that you believe.” ²⁸Agrippa^[o] said to Paul, “In such a short time are you persuading me to become a Christian?”^[p] ²⁹Paul replied, “I pray to God that whether in a short or a long time^[q] not only you but also all those who are listening to me today could become such as I am, except for these chains.”^[r]

³⁰So the king got up, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them, ³¹and as they were leaving they said to one another,^[s] “This man is not doing anything deserving^[t] death or imprisonment.” ³²Agrippa^[u] said to Festus,^[v] “This man could have been released^[w] if he had not appealed to Caesar.”^[x]

Paul and Company Sail for Rome

27 When it was decided we^[y] would sail to Italy,^[z] they handed over Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion^[aa] of the Augustan Cohort^[ab] named Julius. ²We went on board^[ac] a ship from Adramyttium^[ad] that was about to sail to various ports^[ae] along the coast of the province of Asia^[af] and put out to sea,^[ag] accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian^[ah] from Thessalonica. ³The next day we put in^[ai] at Sidon,^[aj] and Julius, treating Paul kindly,^[ak] allowed him to go to his friends so they could provide him with what he needed.^[al] ⁴From there we put out to sea^[am] and sailed under the lee^[an] of Cyprus because the winds were against us. ⁵After we had sailed across the open sea^[ao] off Cilicia and Pamphylia,^[ap] we put in^[aq] at Myra^[ar] in Lycia.^[as] ⁶There the centurion^[at] found^[au] a ship from Alexandria^[av] sailing for Italy, and he put us aboard it. ⁷We sailed slowly^[aw] for many days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus.^[ax] Because the wind prevented us from going any farther,^[ay] we sailed under the lee^[az] of Crete off Salmone.^[ba] ⁸With difficulty we sailed along the coast^[bb] of Crete^[bc] and came to a place called Fair Havens that was near the town of Lasea.^[bd]

Footnotes

Acts 26:24 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Acts 26:24 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
Acts 26:24 tn On the term translated “lost your mind” see BDAG 610 s.v. μαίνομαι, which has “you’re out of your mind, you’re raving, said to one whose enthusiasm seems to have outrun better judgment 26:24.”sn The expression “You have lost your mind” would be said to someone who speaks incredible things, in the opinion of the hearer. Paul’s mention of the resurrection (v. 23) was probably what prompted Festus to say this.
Acts 26:25 tn Grk “said.”
Acts 26:25 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
Acts 26:25 tn Or “declaring.” BDAG 125 s.v. ἀποφθέγγομαι states, “speak out, declare boldly or loudly…τὶ: σωφροσύνης ῥήματα Ac 26:25.”
Acts 26:25 tn BDAG 987 s.v. σωφροσύνη 1 has “gener. soundness of mind, reasonableness, rationality…ἀληθείας καὶ σωφροσύνης ῥήματα true and rational words (opp. μαίνομαι) Ac 26:25.”
Acts 26:26 tn BDAG 782 s.v. παρρησιάζομαι 1 states, “speak freely, openly, fearlessly…likew. in the ptc. w. a verb of saying foll.…παρρησιασάμενοι εἶπαν 13:46.—26:26.” This could refer to boldness in speaking here.
Acts 26:26 tn Grk “to whom I am speaking freely.” The relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced by the personal pronoun (“him”) to simplify the translation.
Acts 26:26 tn Grk “I cannot convince myself.” BDAG 792 s.v. πείθω 3.a states, “οὐ πείθομαι w. acc. and inf. I cannot believe Ac 26:26” (see also BDAG 586 s.v. λανθάνω).
Acts 26:26 tn BDAG 586 s.v. λανθάνω states, “λανθάνειν αὐτὸν τούτων οὐ πείθομαι οὐθέν I cannot bring myself to believe that any of these things has escaped his notice Ac 26:26.”
Acts 26:26 tn This term refers to a hidden corner (BDAG 209 s.v. γωνία). Paul’s point is that these events to which he refers were not done in a secret, hidden place, tucked away outside of view. They were done in public for all the world to see.
Acts 26:27 sn “Do you believe the prophets?” Note how Paul made the issue believing the OT prophets and God’s promise which God fulfilled in Christ. He was pushing King Agrippa toward a decision not for or against Paul’s guilt of any crime, but concerning Paul’s message.
Acts 26:27 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
Acts 26:28 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
Acts 26:28 tn Or “In a short time you will make me a Christian.” On the difficulty of the precise nuances of Agrippa’s reply in this passage, see BDAG 791 s.v. πείθω 1.b. The point is that Paul was trying to persuade Agrippa to accept his message. If Agrippa had let Paul persuade him, he would have converted to Christianity.sn The question “In such a short time are you persuading me to become a Christian?” was probably a ploy on Agrippa’s part to deflect Paul from his call for a decision. Note also how the tables have turned: Agrippa was brought in to hear Paul’s defense, and now ends up defending himself. The questioner is now being questioned.
Acts 26:29 tn BDAG 703 s.v. ὀλίγος 2.b.β has “καὶ ἐν ὀλ. καὶ ἐν μεγάλῳ whether in a short or a long time vs. 29 (cf. B-D-F §195; GWhitaker, The Words of Agrippa to St. Paul: JTS 15, 1914, 82f; AFridrichsen, SymbOsl 14, ’35, 50; Field, Notes 141-43; s. Rob. 653).”
Acts 26:29 sn Except for these chains. The chains represented Paul’s unjust suffering for the sake of the message. His point was, in effect, “I do not care how long it takes. I only hope you and everyone else hearing this would become believers in Christ, but without my unjust suffering.”
Acts 26:31 tn Grk “they spoke to one another saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
Acts 26:31 tn BDAG 93 s.v. ἄξιος 1.b has “θανάτου ἢ δεσμῶν ἄ. nothing deserving death or imprisonment 23:29; 26:31.”sn Not doing anything deserving death… Here is yet another declaration of Paul’s innocence, but still no release. The portrayal shows how unjust Paul’s confinement was.
Acts 26:32 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
Acts 26:32 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
Acts 26:32 tn Or “set free.”
Acts 26:32 tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).sn If he had not appealed to Caesar. Ultimately Agrippa and Festus blamed what Paul himself had done in appealing to Caesar for his own continued custody. In terms of Luke’s narrative, this still appears unjust and a denial of responsibility.
Acts 27:1 sn This marks the beginning of one of the “we” sections in Acts (16:10-17; 20:5-15; 21:1-18; 27:1-28:16). These have been traditionally understood to mean that the author was in the company of Paul for this part of the journey.
Acts 27:1 sn Sail to Italy. This voyage with its difficulty serves to show how God protected Paul on his long journey to Rome. From the perspective of someone in Palestine, this may well picture “the end of the earth” quite literally (cf. Acts 1:8).
Acts 27:1 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
Acts 27:1 tn According to BDAG 917 s.v. σεβαστός, “In σπεῖρα Σεβαστή 27:1 (cp. OGI 421) Σεβαστή is likew. an exact transl. of Lat. Augusta, an honorary title freq. given to auxiliary troops (Ptolem. renders it Σεβαστή in connection w. three legions that bore it: 2, 3, 30; 2, 9, 18; 4, 3, 30) imperial cohort.” According to W. Foerster (TDNT 7:175), “In Ac. 27:1 the σπεῖρα Σεβαστή is an expression also found elsewhere for ‘auxiliary troops.’” In no case would this refer to a special imperial bodyguard, and to translate “imperial regiment” or “imperial cohort” might give this impression. There is some archaeological evidence for a Cohors Augusta I stationed in Syria during the time of Augustus, but whether this is the same unit is very debatable.sn The Augustan Cohort. A cohort was a Roman military unit of about 600 soldiers, one-tenth of a legion. There is considerable debate over the identification of this particular cohort and the meaning of the title Augustan mentioned here. These may well have been auxiliary (provincial) troops given the honorary title.
Acts 27:2 tn Grk “Going on board.” The participle ἐπιβάντες (epibantes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
Acts 27:2 sn Adramyttium was a seaport in Mysia on the western coast of Asia Minor.
Acts 27:2 tn Grk “places.”
Acts 27:2 tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia. The Roman province of Asia made up about one-third of modern Asia Minor and was on the western side of it. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.
Acts 27:2 tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4 states, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”sn Although not explicitly stated, the ship put out to sea from the port of Caesarea (where the previous events had taken place (cf. 25:13) and then sailed along the Asiatic coast (the first stop was Sidon, v. 3).
Acts 27:2 sn A Macedonian. The city of Thessalonica (modern Salonica) was in the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.
Acts 27:3 tn BDAG 516 s.v. κατάγω states, “Hence the pass., in act. sense, of ships and seafarers put in εἴς τι at a harbor…εἰς Σιδῶνα Ac 27:3.”
Acts 27:3 sn Sidon is another seaport 75 mi (120 km) north of Caesarea.
Acts 27:3 tn BDAG 1056 s.v. φιλανθρώπως states, “benevolently, kindly φιλανθρώπως χρῆσθαί (τινι) treat someone in kindly fashion…Ac 27:3.”sn Treating Paul kindly. Paul’s treatment followed the pattern of the earlier imprisonment (cf. Acts 24:23).
Acts 27:3 tn Grk “to go to his friends to be cared for.” The scene is an indication of Christian hospitality.
Acts 27:4 tn Grk “putting out to sea.” The participle ἀναχθέντες (anachthentes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4 states, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”
Acts 27:4 tn BDAG 1040 s.v. ὑποπλέω states, “sail under the lee of an island, i.e. in such a way that the island protects the ship fr. the wind Ac 27:4, 7.” Thus they were east and north of the island.
Acts 27:5 tn Grk “the depths,” the deep area of a sea far enough from land that it is not protected by the coast (L&N 1.73).
Acts 27:5 sn Pamphylia was a province in the southern part of Asia Minor; it was west of Cilicia (see BDAG 753 s.v. Παμφυλία).
Acts 27:5 tn BDAG 531 s.v. κατέρχομαι 2 states, “Of ships and those who sail in them, who ‘come down’ fr. the ‘high seas’: arrive, put in…ἔις τι at someth. a harbor 18:22; 21:3; 27:5.”
Acts 27:5 sn Myra was a city on the southern coast of Lycia in Asia Minor. This journey from Sidon (v. 3) was 440 mi (700 km) and took about 15 days.
Acts 27:5 sn Lycia was the name of a peninsula on the southern coast of Asia Minor between Caria and Pamphylia.
Acts 27:6 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
Acts 27:6 tn Grk “finding.” The participle εὑρών (heurōn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
Acts 27:6 sn Alexandria (modern Alexandria) was a great city of northern Egypt which was a center for grain trade to Rome. Therefore this type of travel connection was common at the time. For a winter journey (considered hazardous) there were special bonuses and insurance provided (Suetonius, Life of Claudius 18.1-2).
Acts 27:7 tn The participle βραδυπλοοῦντες (braduploountes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
Acts 27:7 sn Cnidus was the name of a peninsula on the southwestern coast of Asia Minor. This was about 130 mi (210 km) from Myra.
Acts 27:7 tn This genitive absolute construction with προσεῶντος (proseōntos) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle. L&N 13.139 translates the phrase μὴ προσεῶντος ἡμᾶς τοῦ ἀνέμου (mē proseōntos hēmas tou anemou) as “the wind would not let us go any farther.”
Acts 27:7 tn BDAG 1040 s.v. ὑποπλέω states, “sail under the lee of an island, i.e. in such a way that the island protects the ship fr. the wind Ac 27:4, 7.”
Acts 27:7 sn Salmone was the name of a promontory on the northeastern corner of the island of Crete. This was about 100 mi (160 km) farther along.
Acts 27:8 tn Grk “sailing along the coast…we came.” The participle παραλεγόμενοι (paralegomenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. L&N 54.8, “παραλέγομαι: (a technical, nautical term) to sail along beside some object—‘to sail along the coast, to sail along the shore.’…‘they sailed along the coast of Crete’ Ac 27:13.”
Acts 27:8 tn Grk “it”; the referent (Crete) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
Acts 27:8 sn Lasea was a city on the southern coast of the island of Crete. This was about 60 mi (96 km) farther.

Mark 13:28-37

The Parable of the Fig Tree

²⁸“Learn this parable from the fig tree: Whenever its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. ²⁹So also you, when you see these things happening, know^[a] that he is near, right at the door. ³⁰I tell you the truth,^[b] this generation^[c] will not pass away until all these things take place. ³¹Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.^[d]

Be Ready!

³²“But as for that day or hour no one knows it—neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son^[e]—except the Father. ³³Watch out! Stay alert!^[f] For you do not know when the time will come. ³⁴It is like a man going on a journey. He left his house and put his slaves^[g] in charge, assigning^[h] to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to stay alert. ³⁵Stay alert, then, because you do not know when the owner of the house will return—whether during evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or at dawn— ³⁶or else he might find you asleep when he returns suddenly. ³⁷What I say to you I say to everyone: Stay alert!”

Footnotes

Mark 13:29 tn The verb γινώσκετε (ginōskete, “know”) can be parsed as either present indicative or present imperative. In this context the imperative fits better, since the movement is from analogy (trees and seasons) to the future (the signs of the coming of the kingdom) and since the emphasis is on preparation for this event.
Mark 13:30 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amēn), I say to you.”
Mark 13:30 sn This is one of the hardest verses in the gospels to interpret. Various views exist for what generation means. (1) Some take it as meaning “race” and thus as an assurance that the Jewish race (nation) will not pass away. But it is very questionable that the Greek term γενεά (genea) can have this meaning. Two other options are possible. (2) Generation might mean “this type of generation” and refer to the generation of wicked humanity. Then the point is that humanity will not perish, because God will redeem it. Or (3) generation may refer to “the generation that sees the signs of the end” (v. 26), who will also see the end itself. In other words, once the movement to the return of Christ starts, all the events connected with it happen very quickly, in rapid succession.
Mark 13:31 sn The words that Jesus predicts here will never pass away. They are more stable and lasting than creation itself! For this kind of image, see Isa 40:8; 55:10-11.
Mark 13:32 sn The phrase nor the Son has caused a great deal of theological debate because on the surface it appears to conflict with the concept of Jesus’ deity. The straightforward meaning of the text is that the Son does not know the time of his return. If Jesus were divine, though, wouldn’t he know this information? There are other passages which similarly indicate that Jesus did not know certain things. For example, Luke 2:52 indicates that Jesus grew in wisdom; this has to mean that Jesus did not know everything all the time but learned as he grew. So Mark 13:32 is not alone in implying that Jesus did not know certain things. The best option for understanding Mark 13:32 and similar passages is to hold the two concepts in tension: The Son in his earthly life and ministry had limited knowledge of certain things, yet he was still deity.
Mark 13:33 tc The vast majority of witnesses (א A C L W Θ Ψ ƒ^1,13 M lat sy co) have καὶ προσεύχεσθε after ἀγρυπνεῖτε (agrupneite kai proseuchesthe, “stay alert and pray”). This may be a motivated reading, influenced by the similar command in Mark 14:38 where προσεύχεσθε is solidly attested, and more generally from the parallel in Luke 21:36 (though δέομαι [deomai, “ask”] is used there). As B. M. Metzger notes, it is a predictable variant that scribes would have been likely to produce independently of each other (TCGNT 95). The words are not found in B D a c d k. Although the external evidence for the shorter reading is slender, it probably better accounts for the longer reading than vice versa.
Mark 13:34 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 10:44.
Mark 13:34 tn Grk “giving.”

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Book of Common Prayer

Psalm 5[a]

For the music director, to be accompanied by wind instruments;[b] a psalm of David.

Psalm 6[aw]

For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments, according to the sheminith style;[ax] a psalm of David.

Footnotes

Psalm 10[a]

Psalm 11[bc]

For the music director, by David.

Footnotes

David’s Final Words to Solomon

Footnotes

Paul and Company Sail for Rome

Footnotes

The Parable of the Fig Tree

Be Ready!

Footnotes

Psalm 5^[a]

For the music director, to be accompanied by wind instruments;^[b] a psalm of David.

Psalm 6^[aw]

For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments, according to the sheminith style;^[ax] a psalm of David.

Psalm 10^[a]

Psalm 11^[bc]