Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
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)
Footnotes
- 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.
- 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.
- Psalm 89:1 tn Or “forever.”
- Psalm 89:1 tn Heb “to a generation and a generation I will make known your faithfulness with my mouth.”
- Psalm 89:2 tn Heb “built.”
- 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).
- 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.
- Psalm 89:4 tn Heb “forever I will establish your offspring.”
- Psalm 89:4 tn Heb “and I will build to a generation and a generation your throne.”
15 How blessed are the people who worship you![a]
O Lord, they experience your favor.[b]
16 They rejoice in your name all day long,
and are vindicated[c] by your justice.
17 For you give them splendor and strength.[d]
By your favor we are victorious.[e]
18 For our shield[f] belongs to the Lord,
our king to the Holy One of Israel.[g]
Footnotes
- 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).
- 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).
- Psalm 89:16 tn Heb “are lifted up.”
- Psalm 89:17 tn Heb “for the splendor of their strength [is] you.”
- 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).
- 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.
- 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.
Seventy Years of Servitude for Failure to Give Heed
25 In the fourth year that Jehoiakim son of Josiah was king of Judah, the Lord spoke to Jeremiah[a] concerning all the people of Judah. (That was the same as the first year that Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon.)[b] 2 So the prophet Jeremiah spoke to all the people of Judah and to all the people who were living in Jerusalem. 3 “For the last twenty-three years, from the thirteenth year that Josiah son of Amon was ruling in Judah[c] until now, the Lord’s messages have come to me and I have told them to you over and over again.[d] But you would not listen. 4 Over and over again[e] the Lord has sent[f] his servants the prophets to you. But you have not listened or paid attention.[g] 5 He said through them,[h] ‘Each of you must turn from your wicked ways and stop doing the evil things you are doing.[i] If you do, I will allow you to continue to live here in the land that I gave to you and your ancestors as a lasting possession.[j] 6 Do not pay allegiance to[k] other gods and worship and serve them. Do not make me angry by the things that you do.[l] Then I will not cause you any harm.’ 7 So, now the Lord says,[m] ‘You have not listened to me. But[n] you have made me angry by the things that you have done.[o] Thus you have brought harm on yourselves.’
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 25:1 tn Heb “The word was to Jeremiah.” It is implicit from the context that it was the Lord’s word. The verbal expression is more in keeping with contemporary English style.
- Jeremiah 25:1 sn The year referred to would be 605 b.c. Jehoiakim had been placed on the throne of Judah as a puppet king by Pharaoh Necho after the defeat of Josiah at Megiddo in 609 b.c. (2 Kgs 23:34-35). According to Jer 46:2 Nebuchadnezzar defeated Necho at Carchemish in that same year. After defeating Necho, Nebuchadnezzar had hurried back to Babylon, where he was made king. After being made king, he then returned to Judah and attacked Jerusalem (Dan 1:1. The date given there is the third year of Jehoiakim but scholars are generally agreed that the dating there is based on a different system than the one here. It did not count the part of the year before New Year’s day as an official part of the king’s official rule. Hence, the third year there is the fourth year here.) The identity of the foe from the north referred to in general terms (4:6; 6:1; 15:12) now becomes clear.
- Jeremiah 25:3 sn The year referred to would be 627 b.c. The same year is referred to in 1:2 in reference to his call to be a prophet.
- Jeremiah 25:3 tn For the idiom involved here see the notes at 7:13 and 11:7.
- Jeremiah 25:4 tn For the idiom involved here see the notes at 7:13 and 11:7.
- Jeremiah 25:4 tn The vav consecutive with the perfect in a past narrative is a little unusual. Here it is probably indicating repeated action in past time in keeping with the idiom that precedes and follows it. See GKC 332 §112.f for other possible examples.
- Jeremiah 25:4 tn Heb “inclined your ear to hear.” This is idiomatic for “paying attention.” It is often parallel with “listen,” as here, or with “pay attention” (see, e.g., Prov 4:20; 5:1).
- Jeremiah 25:5 tn Heb “saying.” The infinitive goes back to “he sent”; i.e., “he sent, saying.”
- Jeremiah 25:5 tn Heb “Turn [masc. pl.] each person from his wicked way and from the evil of your [masc. pl.] doings.” See the same demand in 23:22.
- Jeremiah 25:5 tn Heb “gave to you and your fathers with reference to from ancient times even unto forever.” See the same idiom in 7:7.
- Jeremiah 25:6 tn Heb “follow after.” See the translator’s note on 2:5 for this idiom.
- Jeremiah 25:6 tn Heb “make me angry with the work of your hands.” The phrase “work of your hands” is often interpreted as a reference to idolatry, as is clearly the case in Isa 2:8 and 37:19. However, the parallelism in 25:14 and the context in 32:30 show that it is more general and refers to what they have done. That is likely the meaning here as well.
- Jeremiah 25:7 tn Heb “Oracle of the Lord.”
- Jeremiah 25:7 tn This is a rather clear case where the Hebrew particle לְמַעַן (lemaʿan) introduces a consequence and not a purpose, contrary to the dictum of BDB 775 s.v. מַעַן note 1. They have failed to listen to him not in order to make him angry but with the result that they have made him angry by going their own way. Jeremiah appears to use this particle for result rather than purpose on several other occasions (see, e.g., 7:18, 19; 27:10, 15; 32:29).
- Jeremiah 25:7 tn Heb “make me angry with the work of your hands.” The phrase “work of your own hands” is often interpreted as a reference to idolatry, as is clearly the case in Isa 2:8 and 37:19. However, the parallelism in 25:14 and the context in 32:30 show that it is more general and refers to what they have done. That is likely the meaning here as well.
2 Listen! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you at all! 3 And I testify again to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey[a] the whole law. 4 You who are trying to be declared righteous[b] by the law have been alienated[c] from Christ; you have fallen away from grace! 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait expectantly for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision carries any weight—the only thing that matters is faith working through love.[d]
Footnotes
- Galatians 5:3 tn Or “keep”; or “carry out”; Grk “do.”
- Galatians 5:4 tn Or “trying to be justified.” The verb δικαιοῦσθε (dikaiousthe) has been translated as a conative present (see ExSyn 534).
- Galatians 5:4 tn Or “estranged”; BDAG 526 s.v. καταργέω 4 states, “Of those who aspire to righteousness through the law κ. ἀπὸ Χριστοῦ be estranged from Christ Gal 5:4.”
- Galatians 5:6 tn Grk “but faith working through love.”
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