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Old/New Testament

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New English Translation (NET)
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Psalm 89-90

Psalm 89[a]

A well-written song[b] by Ethan the Ezrahite.

89 I will sing continually[c] about the Lord’s faithful deeds;
to future generations I will proclaim your faithfulness.[d]
2 For I say, “Loyal love is permanently established;[e]
in the skies you set up your faithfulness.”[f]
3 The Lord said,[g]
“I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
I have made a promise on oath to David, my servant:
4 ‘I will give you an eternal dynasty[h]
and establish your throne throughout future generations.’”[i] (Selah)
5 O Lord, the heavens[j] praise your amazing deeds,
as well as your faithfulness in the angelic assembly.[k]
6 For who in the skies can compare to the Lord?
Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings,[l]
7 a God who is honored[m] in the great angelic assembly,[n]
and more awesome than[o] all who surround him?
8 O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies![p]
Who is strong like you, O Lord?
Your faithfulness surrounds you.
9 You rule over the proud sea.[q]
When its waves surge,[r] you calm them.
10 You crushed the Proud One[s] and killed it;[t]
with your strong arm you scattered your enemies.
11 The heavens belong to you, as does the earth.
You made the world and all it contains.[u]
12 You created the north and the south.
Tabor and Hermon[v] rejoice in your name.
13 Your arm is powerful,
your hand strong,
your right hand[w] victorious.[x]
14 Equity and justice are the foundation of your throne.[y]
Loyal love and faithfulness characterize your rule.[z]
15 How blessed are the people who worship you![aa]
O Lord, they experience your favor.[ab]
16 They rejoice in your name all day long,
and are vindicated[ac] by your justice.
17 For you give them splendor and strength.[ad]
By your favor we are victorious.[ae]
18 For our shield[af] belongs to the Lord,
our king to the Holy One of Israel.[ag]
19 Then you[ah] spoke through a vision to your faithful followers[ai] and said:
“I have placed a young hero[aj] over a warrior;
I have raised up a young man[ak] from the people.
20 I have discovered David, my servant.
With my holy oil I have anointed him as king.[al]
21 My hand will support him,[am]
and my arm will strengthen him.
22 No enemy will be able to exact tribute[an] from him;[ao]
a violent oppressor will not be able to humiliate him.[ap]
23 I will crush his enemies before him;
I will strike down those who hate him.
24 He will experience my faithfulness and loyal love,[aq]
and by my name he will win victories.[ar]
25 I will place his hand over the sea,
his right hand over the rivers.[as]
26 He will call out to me,
‘You are my father,[at] my God, and the protector who delivers me.’[au]
27 I will appoint him to be my firstborn son,[av]
the most exalted of the earth’s kings.
28 I will always extend my loyal love to him,
and my covenant with him is secure.[aw]
29 I will give him an eternal dynasty,[ax]
and make his throne as enduring as the skies above.[ay]
30 If his sons reject my law
and disobey my regulations,
31 if they break[az] my rules
and do not keep my commandments,
32 I will punish their rebellion by beating them with a club,[ba]
their sin by inflicting them with bruises.[bb]
33 But I will not remove[bc] my loyal love from him,
nor be unfaithful to my promise.[bd]
34 I will not break[be] my covenant
or go back on what I promised.[bf]
35 Once and for all I have vowed by my own holiness,
I will never deceive[bg] David.
36 His dynasty will last forever.[bh]
His throne will endure before me, like the sun;[bi]
37 it will remain stable, like the moon.[bj]
His throne will endure like the skies.”[bk] (Selah)
38 But you have spurned[bl] and rejected him;
you are angry with your chosen king.[bm]
39 You have repudiated[bn] your covenant with your servant;[bo]
you have thrown his crown to the ground.[bp]
40 You have broken down all his[bq] walls;
you have made his strongholds a heap of ruins.
41 All who pass by[br] have robbed him;
he has become an object of disdain to his neighbors.
42 You have allowed his adversaries to be victorious,[bs]
and all his enemies to rejoice.
43 You turn back[bt] his sword from the adversary,[bu]
and have not sustained him in battle.[bv]
44 You have brought to an end his splendor,[bw]
and have knocked[bx] his throne to the ground.
45 You have cut short his youth,[by]
and have covered him with shame. (Selah)
46 How long, O Lord, will this last?
Will you remain hidden forever?[bz]
Will your anger continue to burn like fire?
47 Take note of my brief lifespan.[ca]
Why do you make all people so mortal?[cb]
48 No man can live on without experiencing death,
or deliver his life from the power of Sheol.[cc] (Selah)
49 Where are your earlier faithful deeds,[cd] O Lord,[ce]
the ones performed in accordance with your reliable oath to David?[cf]
50 Take note, O Lord,[cg] of the way your servants are taunted,[ch]
and of how I must bear so many insults from people.[ci]
51 Your enemies, O Lord, hurl insults;
they insult your chosen king as they dog his footsteps.[cj]
52 [ck] The Lord deserves praise[cl] forevermore!
We agree! We agree![cm]

Book 4 (Psalms 90-106)

Psalm 90[cn]

A prayer of Moses, the man of God.

90 O Lord, you have been our protector[co] through all generations.
2 Even before the mountains came into existence,[cp]
or you brought the world into being,[cq]
you were the eternal God.[cr]
3 You make mankind return[cs] to the dust,[ct]
and say, “Return, O people.”
4 Yes,[cu] in your eyes a thousand years
are like yesterday that quickly passes,
or like one of the divisions of the nighttime.[cv]
5 You bring their lives to an end and they “fall asleep.”[cw]
In the morning they are like the grass that sprouts up:
6 In the morning it glistens[cx] and sprouts up;
at evening time it withers[cy] and dries up.
7 Yes,[cz] we are consumed by your anger;
we are terrified by your wrath.
8 You are aware of our sins;[da]
you even know about our hidden sins.[db]
9 Yes,[dc] throughout all our days we experience your raging fury;[dd]
the years of our lives pass quickly, like a sigh.[de]
10 The days of our lives add up to seventy years,[df]
or eighty, if one is especially strong.[dg]
But even one’s best years are marred by trouble and oppression.[dh]
Yes,[di] they pass quickly[dj] and we fly away.[dk]
11 Who can really fathom the intensity of your anger?[dl]
Your raging fury causes people to fear you.[dm]
12 So teach us to consider our mortality,[dn]
so that we might live wisely.[do]
13 Turn back toward us, O Lord.
How long must this suffering last?[dp]
Have pity on your servants.[dq]
14 Satisfy us in the morning[dr] with your loyal love.
Then we will shout for joy and be happy[ds] all our days.
15 Make us happy in proportion to the days you have afflicted us,
in proportion to the years we have experienced[dt] trouble.
16 May your servants see your work.[du]
May their sons see your majesty.[dv]
17 May our Sovereign God extend his favor to us.[dw]
Make our endeavors successful.
Yes, make them successful.[dx]

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 89:1 sn Psalm 89. The psalmist praises God as the sovereign creator of the world. He recalls God’s covenant with David, but then laments that the promises of the covenant remain unrealized. The covenant promised the Davidic king military victories, but the king has now been subjected to humiliating defeat.
  2. Psalm 89:1 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 88.
  3. Psalm 89:1 tn Or “forever.”
  4. Psalm 89:1 tn Heb “to a generation and a generation I will make known your faithfulness with my mouth.”
  5. Psalm 89:2 tn Heb “built.”
  6. Psalm 89:2 sn You set up your faithfulness. This may allude to the Lord’s heavenly throne, which symbolizes his just rule and from which the Lord decrees his unconditional promises (see vv. 8, 14).
  7. Psalm 89:3 tn The words “the Lord said” are supplied in the translation for clarification. It is clear that the words of vv. 3-4 are spoken by the Lord, in contrast to vv. 1-2, which are spoken by the psalmist.
  8. Psalm 89:4 tn Heb “forever I will establish your offspring.”
  9. Psalm 89:4 tn Heb “and I will build to a generation and a generation your throne.”
  10. Psalm 89:5 tn As the following context makes clear, the personified “heavens” here stand by metonymy for the angelic beings that surround God’s heavenly throne.
  11. Psalm 89:5 tn Heb “in the assembly of the holy ones.” The phrase “holy ones” sometimes refers to God’s people (Ps 34:9) or to their priestly leaders (2 Chr 35:3), but here it refers to God’s heavenly assembly and the angels that surround his throne (see vv. 6-7).
  12. Psalm 89:6 tn Heb “sons of gods”; or “sons of God.” Though אֵלִים (ʾelim) is vocalized as a plural form (“gods”) in the Hebrew text, it is likely that the final mem (ם) is actually enclitic rather than a plural marker. In this case one may read “God.” Some, following a Qumran text and the LXX, also propose the phrase occurred in the original text of Deut 32:8. The phrase בְנֵי אֵלִים (vene ʾelim, “sons of gods” or “sons of God”) occurs only here and in Ps 29:1. Since the “sons of gods/God” are here associated with “the assembly of the holy ones” and “council of the holy ones,” the heavenly assembly (comprised of so-called “angels” and other supernatural beings) appears to be in view. See Job 5:1; 15:15 and Zech 14:5, where these supernatural beings are referred to as “holy ones.” In Canaanite mythological texts the divine council of the high god El is called “the sons of El.” The OT apparently uses the Canaanite phrase, applying it to the supernatural beings that surround the Lord’s heavenly throne.
  13. Psalm 89:7 tn Heb “feared.”
  14. Psalm 89:7 tn Heb “in the great assembly of the holy ones.”
  15. Psalm 89:7 tn Or perhaps “feared by.”
  16. Psalm 89:8 tn Traditionally “God of hosts.” The title here pictures the Lord as enthroned in the midst of the angelic hosts of heaven.
  17. Psalm 89:9 tn Heb “the majesty of the sea.”
  18. Psalm 89:9 tn Heb “rise up.”
  19. Psalm 89:10 tn Heb “Rahab.” The name “Rahab” means “proud one.” Since it is sometimes used of Egypt (see Ps 87:4; Isa 30:7), the passage may allude to the exodus. However, the name is also used of the sea (or the mythological sea creature) which symbolizes the disruptive forces of the world that seek to replace order with chaos (see Job 9:13; 26:12). Isa 51:9 appears to combine the mythological and historical referents. The association of Rahab with the sea in Ps 89 (see v. 9) suggests that the name carries symbolic force in this context. In this case the passage may allude to creation (see vv. 11-12), when God overcame the great deep and brought order out of chaos.
  20. Psalm 89:10 tn Heb “like one fatally wounded.”
  21. Psalm 89:11 tn Heb “the world and its fullness, you established them.”
  22. Psalm 89:12 sn Tabor and Hermon were two of the most prominent mountains in Palestine.
  23. Psalm 89:13 sn The Lord’s arm, hand, and right hand all symbolize his activities, especially his exploits in war.
  24. Psalm 89:13 tn Heb “is lifted up.” The idiom “the right hand is lifted up” refers to victorious military deeds (see Pss 89:42; 118:16).
  25. Psalm 89:14 sn The Lord’s throne symbolizes his kingship.
  26. Psalm 89:14 tn Heb “are in front of your face.” The idiom can mean “confront” (Ps 17:13) or “meet, enter the presence of” (Ps 95:2).
  27. Psalm 89:15 tn Heb “who know the shout.” “Shout” here refers to the shouts of the Lord’s worshipers (see Pss 27:6; 33:3; 47:5).
  28. Psalm 89:15 tn Heb “in the light of your face they walk.” The idiom “light of your face” probably refers to a smile (see Eccl 8:1), which in turn suggests favor and blessing (see Num 6:25; Pss 4:6; 31:16; 44:3; 67:1; 80:3, 7, 19; Dan 9:17).
  29. Psalm 89:16 tn Heb “are lifted up.”
  30. Psalm 89:17 tn Heb “for the splendor of their strength [is] you.”
  31. Psalm 89:17 tn Heb “you lift up our horn,” or if one follows the marginal reading (Qere), “our horn is lifted up.” The horn of an ox underlies the metaphor (see Deut 33:17; 1 Kgs 22:11; Ps 92:10). The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 75:10; 89:24; 92:10; Lam 2:17).
  32. Psalm 89:18 tn The phrase “our shield” refers metaphorically to the Davidic king, who, as God’s vice-regent, was the human protector of the people. Note the parallelism with “our king” here and with “your anointed one” in Ps 84:9.
  33. Psalm 89:18 sn The basic sense of the word “holy” is “set apart from that which is commonplace, special, unique.” The Lord’s holiness is first and foremost his transcendent sovereignty as the ruler of the world. He is “set apart” from the world over which he rules. At the same time his holiness encompasses his moral authority, which derives from his royal position. As king he has the right to dictate to his subjects how they are to live; indeed his very own character sets the standard for proper behavior. This expression is a common title for the Lord in the book of Isaiah.
  34. Psalm 89:19 tn The pronoun “you” refers to the Lord, who is addressed here. The quotation that follows further develops the announcement of vv. 3-4.
  35. Psalm 89:19 tc Many medieval mss read the singular here, “your faithful follower.” In this case the statement refers directly to Nathan’s oracle to David (see 2 Sam 7:17).
  36. Psalm 89:19 tc The MT reads עֵזֶר (ʿezer, “help, strength”), thus “I have placed help on a warrior,” which might effectively mean “I have strengthened a warrior.” The BHS note suggests reading נֵזֶר (nezer, “crown”), similar to the sentiment of anointing in the next verse. HALOT suggests reading עֹזֶר (ʿozer, “hero”) based on an Ugaritic cognate which means “young man, hero, warrior” (HALOT 811 s.v. II עזר). Craigie treats it similarly, taking עזר as “lad/boy/stripling,” parallel to “young man” in the next line, and seeing either David and Saul or David and Goliath as the historical referent (P. C. Craigie, Psalms [WBC], 19:410).
  37. Psalm 89:19 tn Or perhaps “a chosen one.”
  38. Psalm 89:20 tn The words “as king” are supplied in the translation for clarification, indicating that a royal anointing is in view.
  39. Psalm 89:21 tn Heb “with whom my hand will be firm.”
  40. Psalm 89:22 tn Heb “an enemy will not exact tribute.” The imperfect is understood in a modal sense, indicating capability or potential.
  41. Psalm 89:22 tn The translation understands the Hiphil of נָשַׁא (nashaʾ) in the sense of “act as a creditor.” This may allude to the practice of a conqueror forcing his subjects to pay tribute in exchange for “protection.” Another option is to take the verb from a homonymic verbal root meaning “to deceive,” “to trick.” Still another option is to emend the form to יִשָּׂא (yissaʾ), a Qal imperfect from נָאַשׂ (naʾas, “rise up”) and to translate “an enemy will not rise up against him” (see M. Dahood, Psalms [AB], 2:317).
  42. Psalm 89:22 tn Heb “and a son of violence will not oppress him.” The imperfect is understood in a modal sense, indicating capability or potential. The reference to a “son of violence” echoes the language of God’s promise to David in 2 Sam 7:10 (see also 1 Chr 17:9).
  43. Psalm 89:24 tn Heb “and my faithfulness and my loyal love [will be] with him.”
  44. Psalm 89:24 tn Heb “and by my name his horn will be lifted up.” The horn of an ox underlies the metaphor (see Deut 33:17; 1 Kgs 22:11; Ps 92:10). The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 75:10; 92:10; Lam 2:17).
  45. Psalm 89:25 tn Some identify “the sea” as the Mediterranean and “the rivers” as the Euphrates and its tributaries. However, it is more likely that “the sea” and “the rivers” are symbols for hostile powers that oppose God and the king (see v. 9, as well as Ps 93:3-4).
  46. Psalm 89:26 sn You are my father. The Davidic king was viewed as God’s “son” (see 2 Sam 7:14; Ps 2:7). The idiom reflects ancient Near Eastern adoption language associated with covenants of grant, by which a lord would reward a faithful subject by elevating him to special status, referred to as “sonship.” Like a son, the faithful subject received an “inheritance,” viewed as an unconditional, eternal gift. Such gifts usually took the form of land and/or an enduring dynasty. See M. Weinfeld, “The Covenant of Grant in the Old Testament and in the Ancient Near East,” JAOS 90 (1970): 184-203, for general discussion and some striking extra-biblical parallels.
  47. Psalm 89:26 tn Heb “the rocky summit of my deliverance.”
  48. Psalm 89:27 sn The firstborn son typically had special status and received special privileges.
  49. Psalm 89:28 tn Heb “forever I will keep for him my loyal love and will make my covenant secure for him.”
  50. Psalm 89:29 tn Heb “and I will set in place forever his offspring.”
  51. Psalm 89:29 tn Heb “and his throne like the days of the heavens.”
  52. Psalm 89:31 tn Or “desecrate.”
  53. Psalm 89:32 tn Heb “I will punish with a club their rebellion.”sn Despite the harsh image of beating…with a club, the language reflects a father-son relationship (see v. 30; 2 Sam 7:14). According to Proverbs, a שֵׁבֶט (shevet, “club”) was sometimes utilized to administer corporal punishment to rebellious children (see Prov 13:24; 22:15; 23:13-14; 29:15).
  54. Psalm 89:32 tn Heb “with blows their sin.”
  55. Psalm 89:33 tn Heb “break”; “make ineffectual.” Some prefer to emend אָפִיר (ʾafir; the Hiphil of פָּרַר, parar, “to break”) to אָסִיר (ʾasir; the Hiphil of סוּר, sur, “to turn aside”), a verb that appears in 2 Sam 7:15.
  56. Psalm 89:33 tn Heb “and I will not deal falsely with my faithfulness.”
  57. Psalm 89:34 tn Or “desecrate.”
  58. Psalm 89:34 tn Heb “and what proceeds out of my lips I will not alter.”
  59. Psalm 89:35 tn Or “lie to.”
  60. Psalm 89:36 tn Heb “his offspring forever will be.”
  61. Psalm 89:36 tn Heb “and his throne like the sun before me.”
  62. Psalm 89:37 tn Heb “like the moon it will be established forever.”
  63. Psalm 89:37 tn Heb “and a witness in the sky, secure.” Scholars have offered a variety of opinions as to the identity of the “witness” referred to here, none of which is very convincing. It is preferable to join וְעֵד (veʿed) to עוֹלָם (ʿolam) in the preceding line and translate the commonly attested phrase עוֹלָם וְעֵד (“forever”). In this case one may translate the second line, “[it] will be secure like the skies.” Another option (the one reflected in the present translation) is to take עד as a rare noun meaning “throne” or “dais.” This noun is attested in Ugaritic; see, for example, CTA 16 vi 22-23, where ksi (= כִּסֵּא, kisseʾ, “throne”) and ʿd (= עד, “dais”) appear as synonyms in the poetic parallelism (see G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 91). Emending בַּשַּׁחַק (bashakhaq, “in the heavens”) to כַּשַׁחַק (kashakhaq, “like the heavens”)—bet/kaf (כ/ב) confusion is widely attested—one can then read “[his] throne like the heavens [is] firm/stable.” Verse 29 refers to the enduring nature of the heavens, while Job 37:18 speaks of God spreading out the heavens (שְׁחָקִים, shekhaqim) and compares their strength to a bronze mirror. Ps 89:29 uses the term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim, “skies”) which frequently appears in parallelism to שְׁחָקִים.
  64. Psalm 89:38 tn The Hebrew construction (conjunction + pronoun, followed by the verb) draws attention to the contrast between what follows and what precedes.
  65. Psalm 89:38 tn Heb “your anointed one.” The Hebrew phrase מְשִׁיחֶךָ (meshikhekha, “your anointed one”) refers here to the Davidic king (see Pss 2:2; 18:50; 20:6; 28:8; 84:9; 132:10, 17).
  66. Psalm 89:39 tn The Hebrew verb appears only here and in Lam 2:7.
  67. Psalm 89:39 tn Heb “the covenant of your servant.”
  68. Psalm 89:39 tn Heb “you dishonor [or “desecrate”] on the ground his crown.”
  69. Psalm 89:40 tn The king here represents the land and cities over which he rules.
  70. Psalm 89:41 tn Heb “all the passersby on the road.”
  71. Psalm 89:42 tn Heb “you have lifted up the right hand of his adversaries.” The idiom “the right hand is lifted up” refers to victorious military deeds (see Pss 89:13; 118:16).
  72. Psalm 89:43 tn The perfect verbal form predominates in vv. 38-45. The use of the imperfect in this one instance may be for rhetorical effect. The psalmist briefly lapses into dramatic mode, describing the king’s military defeat as if it were happening before his very eyes.
  73. Psalm 89:43 tc Heb “you turn back, rocky summit, his sword.” The Hebrew term צוּר (tsur, “rocky summit”) makes no sense here, unless it is a divine title understood as vocative, “you turn back, O Rocky Summit, his sword.” Some emend the form to צֹר (tsor, “flint”) on the basis of Josh 5:2, which uses the phrase חַרְבוֹת צֻרִים (kharvot tsurim, “flint knives”). The noun צֹר (tsor, “flint”) can then be taken as “flint-like edge,” indicating the sharpness of the sword. Others emend the form to אָחוֹר (ʾakhor, “backward”) or to מִצַּר (mitsar, “from the adversary”). The present translation reflects the latter, assuming an original reading תָּשִׁיב מִצָּר חַרְבּוֹ (tashiv mitsar kharbo), which was changed to תָּשִׁיב צָר חַרְבּוֹ (tashiv tsar kharbo) by virtual haplography (confusion of bet/mem is well-attested) with צָר (tsar, “adversary”) then being misinterpreted as צוּר in the later tradition.
  74. Psalm 89:43 tn Heb “and you have not caused him to stand in the battle.”
  75. Psalm 89:44 tc Rather than the MT’s מִטְּהָרוֹ (mitteharo, “from his splendor”), the text should be read without the dagesh as מִטְהָרוֹ (mitharo, “his splendor”) or possibly as מַטֵּה טְהָרוֹ (matteh teharo, “the staff of his splendor”).
  76. Psalm 89:44 tn The Hebrew verb מָגַר (magar) occurs only here and perhaps in Ezek 21:17.
  77. Psalm 89:45 tn Heb “the days of his youth” (see as well Job 33:25).
  78. Psalm 89:46 tn Heb “How long, O Lord, will hide yourself forever?”
  79. Psalm 89:47 tn Heb “remember me, what is [my] lifespan.” The Hebrew term חֶלֶד (kheled) is also used of one’s lifespan in Ps 39:5. Because the Hebrew text is so awkward here, some prefer to emend it to read מֶה חָדֵל אָנִי (meh khadel ʾani, “[remember] how transient [that is, “short-lived”] I am”; see Ps 39:4).
  80. Psalm 89:47 tn Heb “For what emptiness do you create all the sons of mankind?” In this context the term שָׁוְא (shavʾ) refers to mankind’s mortal nature and the brevity of life (see vv. 45, 48).
  81. Psalm 89:48 tn Heb “Who [is] the man [who] can live and not see death, [who] can deliver his life from the hand of Sheol?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “No one!”
  82. Psalm 89:49 sn The Lord’s faithful deeds are also mentioned in Pss 17:7 and 25:6.
  83. Psalm 89:49 tc Many medieval Hebrew mss read here יְהוָה (yehvah, “the Lord”).
  84. Psalm 89:49 tn Heb “[which] you swore on oath to David by your faithfulness.”
  85. Psalm 89:50 tc Many medieval Hebrew mss read here יְהוָה (yehvah, “the Lord”).
  86. Psalm 89:50 tn Heb “remember, O Lord, the taunt against your servants.” Many medieval Hebrew mss read the singular here, “your servant” (that is, the psalmist).
  87. Psalm 89:50 tn Heb “my lifting up in my arms [or “against my chest”] all of the many, peoples.” The term רַבִּים (rabbim, “many”) makes no apparent sense here. For this reason some emend the text to רִבֵי (rive, “attacks by”), a defectively written plural construct form of רִיב (riv, “dispute; quarrel”).
  88. Psalm 89:51 tn Heb “[by] which your enemies, O Lord, taunt, [by] which they taunt [at] the heels of your anointed one.”
  89. Psalm 89:52 sn The final verse of Ps 89, v. 52, is a conclusion to this third “book” (or major editorial division) of the Psalter. Similar statements appear at or near the end of each of the first, second and fourth “books” of the Psalter (see Pss 41:13; 72:18-19; 106:48, respectively).
  90. Psalm 89:52 tn Heb “[be] blessed.” See Pss 18:46; 28:6; 31:21.
  91. Psalm 89:52 tn Heb “surely and surely” (אָמֵן וְאָמֵן [ʾamen veʾamen], i.e., “Amen and amen”). This is probably a congregational response to the immediately preceding statement about the propriety of praising God; thus it has been translated “We agree! We agree!”
  92. Psalm 90:1 sn Psalm 90. In this communal lament the worship leader affirms that the eternal God and creator of the world has always been Israel’s protector. But God also causes men, who are as transient as grass, to die, and in his fierce anger he decimates his covenant community, whose brief lives are filled with suffering and end in weakness. The community asks for wisdom, the restoration of God’s favor, a fresh revelation of his power, and his blessing upon their labors.
  93. Psalm 90:1 tn Or “place of safety.” See Ps 71:3.
  94. Psalm 90:2 tn Heb “were born.”
  95. Psalm 90:2 tn Heb “and you gave birth to the earth and world.” The Polel verbal form in the Hebrew text pictures God giving birth to the world. The LXX and some other ancient textual witnesses assume a Polal (passive) verbal form here. In this case the earth becomes the subject of the verb and the verb is understood as third feminine singular rather than second masculine singular.
  96. Psalm 90:2 tn Heb “and from everlasting to everlasting you [are] God.” Instead of אֵל (ʾel, “God”) the LXX reads אַל (ʾal, “not”) and joins the negative particle to the following verse, making the verb תָּשֵׁב (tashev) a jussive. In this case v. 3a reads as a prayer, “do not turn man back to a low place.” However, taking תָּשֵׁב as a jussive is problematic in light of the following wayyiqtol form וַתֹּאמֶר (vatoʾmer, “and you said/say”), unless one reads the form as a simple vav plus imperfect as indicated by Aquila and Jerome.
  97. Psalm 90:3 tn In this context the shortened prefix form does not function as a preterite, but indicates what is typical of the world.
  98. Psalm 90:3 tn The Hebrew term דַּכָּא (dakaʾ) carries the basic sense of “crushed.” Elsewhere it refers to those who are “crushed” in spirit or contrite of heart (see Ps 34:18; Isa 57:15). If one understands this nuance here, then v. 3 is observing that God leads mankind to repentance (the term שׁוּב, shuv, “return,” which appears twice in this verse, is sometimes used of repentance.) However, the following context laments mankind’s mortality and the brevity of life, so it is doubtful if v. 3 should be understood so positively. It is more likely that דַּכָּא here refers to “crushed matter,” that is, the dust that fills the grave (see HALOT 221 s.v. s.v. I דַּכָּא; BDB 194 s.v. דַּכָּא). In this case one may hear an echo of Gen 3:19.
  99. Psalm 90:4 tn Or “for.”
  100. Psalm 90:4 sn The divisions of the nighttime. The ancient Israelites divided the night into distinct periods, or “watches.”
  101. Psalm 90:5 tn Heb “you bring them to an end [with] sleep.” The Hebrew verb זָרַם (zaram) has traditionally been taken to mean “flood” or “overwhelm” (note the Polel form of a root זרם in Ps 77:17, where the verb is used of the clouds pouring down rain). However, the verb form here is Qal, not Polel, and is better understood as a homonym meaning “to make an end [of life].” The term שֵׁנָה (shenah, “sleep”) can be taken as an adverbial accusative; it is a euphemism here for death (see Ps 76:5-6).
  102. Psalm 90:6 tn Or “flourishes.” The verb is used of a crown shining in Ps 132:18. Perhaps here in Ps 90:6 it refers to the glistening of the grass in the morning dew.
  103. Psalm 90:6 tn The Polel form of this verb occurs only here. Perhaps the form should be emended to a Qal (which necessitates eliminating the final ל [lamed] as dittographic). See Ps 37:2.
  104. Psalm 90:7 tn Or “for.”
  105. Psalm 90:8 tn Heb “you set our sins in front of you.”
  106. Psalm 90:8 tn Heb “what we have hidden to the light of your face.” God’s face is compared to a light or lamp that exposes the darkness around it.
  107. Psalm 90:9 tn Or “for.”
  108. Psalm 90:9 tn Heb “all our days pass by in your anger.”
  109. Psalm 90:9 tn Heb “we finish our years like a sigh.” In Ezek 2:10 the word הֶגֶה (hegeh) elsewhere refers to a grumbling or moaning sound. Here a brief sigh or moan is probably in view. If so, the simile pictures one’s lifetime as transient. Another option is that the simile alludes to the weakness that characteristically overtakes a person at the end of one’s lifetime. In this case the phrase could be translated, “we end our lives with a painful moan.”
  110. Psalm 90:10 tn Heb “the days of our years, in them [are] seventy years.”
  111. Psalm 90:10 tn Heb “or if [there is] strength, eighty years.”
  112. Psalm 90:10 tn Heb “and their pride [is] destruction and wickedness.” The Hebrew noun רֹהַב (rohav) occurs only here. BDB 923 s.v. assigns the meaning “pride,” deriving the noun from the verbal root רָהַב (rahav, “to act stormily [boisterously, arrogantly]”). Here the “pride” of one’s days (see v. 9) probably refers to one’s most productive years in the prime of life. The words translated “destruction and wickedness” are also paired in Ps 10:7. They also appear in proximity in Pss 7:14 and 55:10. The oppressive and abusive actions of evil men are probably in view (see Job 4:8; 5:6; 15:35; Isa 10:1; 59:4).
  113. Psalm 90:10 tn or “for.”
  114. Psalm 90:10 tn Heb “it passes quickly.” The subject of the verb is probably “their pride” (see the preceding line). The verb גּוּז (guz) means “to pass” here; it occurs only here and in Num 11:31.
  115. Psalm 90:10 sn We fly away. The psalmist compares life to a bird that quickly flies off (see Job 20:8).
  116. Psalm 90:11 tn Heb “Who knows the strength of your anger?”
  117. Psalm 90:11 tc Heb “and like your fear [is] your raging fury.” Perhaps one should emend וּכְיִרְאָתְךָ (ukheyirʾatekha, “and like your fear”) to יִרְאָתְךְ (yirʾatekha, “your fear”), removing the כ (kaf) as dittography of the kaf ending the previous word. In this case the psalmist asserts “your fear [is] your raging fury,” that is, your raging fury is what causes others to fear you. The suffix on “fear” is understood as objective.
  118. Psalm 90:12 tn Heb “to number our days,” that is, to be aware of how few they really are.
  119. Psalm 90:12 tn Heb “and we will bring a heart of wisdom.” After the imperative of the preceding line, the prefixed verbal form with the conjunction indicates purpose/result. The Hebrew term “heart” here refers to the center of one’s thoughts, volition, and moral character.
  120. Psalm 90:13 tn Heb “Return, O Lord. How long?”
  121. Psalm 90:13 tn Elsewhere the Niphal of נָחַם (nakham) + the preposition עַל (ʿal) + a personal object has the nuance “be comforted concerning [the personal object’s death]” (see 2 Sam 13:39; Jer 31:15). However, here the context seems to demand “feel sorrow for,” “have pity on.” In Deut 32:36 and Ps 135:14, where “servants” is also the object of the preposition, this idea is expressed with the Hitpael form of the verb.
  122. Psalm 90:14 sn Morning is used metaphorically for a time of renewed joy after affliction (see Pss 30:5; 46:5; 49:14; 59:16; 143:8).
  123. Psalm 90:14 tn After the imperative (see the preceding line) the cohortatives with the prefixed conjunction indicate purpose/result.
  124. Psalm 90:15 tn Heb “have seen.”
  125. Psalm 90:16 tn Heb “may your work be revealed to your servants.” In this context (note v. 17) the verb form יֵרָאֶה (yeraʾeh) is best understood as an unshortened jussive (see Gen 1:9; Isa 47:3).
  126. Psalm 90:16 tn Heb “and your majesty to their sons.” The verb “be revealed” is understood by ellipsis in the second line.
  127. Psalm 90:17 tn Heb “and may the delight of the Master, our God, be on us.” The Hebrew term נֹעַם (noʿam, “delight”) is used in Ps 27:4 of the Lord’s “beauty,” but here it seems to refer to his favor (see BDB 653 s.v.) or kindness (HALOT 706 s.v.).
  128. Psalm 90:17 tn Heb “and the work of our hands establish over us, and the work of our hands, establish it.”
Romans 14

Exhortation to Mutual Forbearance

14 Now receive the one who is weak in the faith, and do not have disputes over differing opinions.[a] 2 One person believes in eating everything, but the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 The one who eats everything must not despise the one who does not, and the one who abstains must not judge the one who eats everything, for God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on another’s servant? Before his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord[b] is able to make him stand.

5 One person regards one day holier than other days, and another regards them all alike.[c] Each must be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day does it for the Lord. The[d] one who eats, eats for the Lord because he gives thanks to God, and the one who abstains from eating abstains for the Lord, and he gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives for himself and none dies for himself. 8 If we live, we live for the Lord; if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For this reason Christ died and returned to life, so that he may be the Lord of both the dead and the living.

10 But you who eat vegetables only—why do you judge your brother or sister?[e] And you who eat everything—why do you despise your brother or sister?[f] For we will all stand before the judgment seat[g] of God. 11 For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God.”[h] 12 Therefore, each of us will give an account of himself to God.[i]

Exhortation for the Strong not to Destroy the Weak

13 Therefore we must not pass judgment on one another, but rather determine never to place an obstacle or a trap before a brother or sister.[j] 14 I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean in itself; still, it is unclean to the one who considers it unclean. 15 For if your brother or sister[k] is distressed because of what you eat,[l] you are no longer walking in love.[m] Do not destroy by your food someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what you consider good[n] be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God does not consist of food and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For the one who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by people.[o]

19 So then, let us pursue what makes for peace and for building up one another. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. For although all things are clean,[p] it is wrong to cause anyone to stumble by what you eat. 21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything that causes your brother to stumble.[q] 22 The faith[r] you have, keep to yourself before God. Blessed is the one who does not judge himself by what he approves. 23 But the man who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not do so from faith, and whatever is not from faith is sin.[s]

Footnotes

  1. Romans 14:1 tn Grk “over opinions.” The qualifier “differing” has been supplied to clarify the meaning.
  2. Romans 14:4 tc Most mss, especially Western and Byzantine (D F G L 048 33 1739 1175 1241 1505 1881 M latt), read θεός (theos, “God”) in place of κύριος (kurios, “Lord”) here. However, κύριος is found in many of the most significant mss (P46 א A B C P Ψ co), and θεός looks to be an assimilation to θεός in v. 3.
  3. Romans 14:5 tn Grk “For one judges day from day, and one judges all days.”
  4. Romans 14:6 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  5. Romans 14:10 tn Grk “But why do you judge your brother?” The introductory phrase has been supplied in the translation to clarify whom Paul is addressing, i.e., the “weak” Christian who eats only vegetables (see vv. 2-3). The author uses the singular pronoun here to rhetorically address one person, but the plural has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  6. Romans 14:10 tn Grk “Or again, why do you despise your brother?” The introductory phrase has been supplied in the translation to clarify whom Paul is addressing, i.e., the “strong” Christian who eats everything (see vv. 2-3). The author uses the singular pronoun here to rhetorically address one person, but the plural has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  7. Romans 14:10 sn The judgment seat (βῆμα, bēma) was a raised platform mounted by steps and sometimes furnished with a seat, used by officials in addressing an assembly or making pronouncements, often on judicial matters. The judgment seat was a familiar item in Greco-Roman culture, often located in the agora, the public square or marketplace in the center of a city.
  8. Romans 14:11 sn A quotation from Isa 45:23.
  9. Romans 14:12 tc ‡ The words “to God” are absent from some mss (B F G 6 630 1739 1881) but are found in א A C D Ψ 0209 33 1175 1241 1505 M lat sy co. External evidence somewhat favors their inclusion since Alexandrian, Western, and Byzantine mss are well represented. From an internal standpoint, however, it is easy to see the words as a scribal gloss intended to clarify the referent, especially as a reinforcement to the quotation of Isa 45:23 in v. 11. Not only that, but the abrupt ending of the verse without “to God” is harsh, both in Greek and in English. In this instance, the internal considerations seem overwhelming on the side of the omission. At the same time, English stylistic needs require the words and they have been put into the translation, even though they are most likely not original. NA28 places the words in brackets, indicating doubt as to their authenticity.tn Or “each of us is accountable to God.”
  10. Romans 14:13 tn Grk “brother.”
  11. Romans 14:15 tn Grk “brother.”
  12. Romans 14:15 tn Grk “on account of food.”
  13. Romans 14:15 tn Grk “according to love.”
  14. Romans 14:16 tn Grk “do not let your good.”
  15. Romans 14:18 tn Grk “by men,” but ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) is generic here (“people”) since the contrast in context is between God and humanity.
  16. Romans 14:20 sn Here clean refers to food being ceremonially clean.
  17. Romans 14:21 tc A large number of mss, some of them quite significant (P46vid א2 B D F G Ψ 0209 33 1881 M lat sa), read “or to be offended or to be made weak” after “to stumble.” The shorter reading “to stumble” is found only in Alexandrian mss (א* A C 048 81 945 1506 1739 bo). Although external evidence favors inclusion, internal evidence points to a scribal expansion, perhaps reminiscent of 1 Cor 8:11-13. The shorter reading is therefore preferred.
  18. Romans 14:22 tc ‡ Several significant Alexandrian witnesses (א A B C 048) have the relative pronoun ἥν (hēn, “the faith that you have”) at this juncture, but D F G Ψ 1175 1241 1505 1739 1881 M lat co lack it. Without the pronoun, the clause is more ambiguous (either “Keep the faith [that] you have between yourself and God” or “Do you have faith? Keep it between yourself and God”). The pronoun thus looks to be a motivated reading, created to clarify the meaning of the text. Even though it is found in the better witnesses, in this instance internal evidence should be given preference. NA28 places the word in brackets, indicating some doubt as to its authenticity.
  19. Romans 14:23 tc Some mss insert 16:25-27 at this point. See the tc note at 16:25 for more information.
New English Translation (NET)

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