Praise to God for His Rescue of Israel

¹ For the music director, with stringed instruments. A psalm of Asaph. A song.¹ God is known in Judah. His name is great in Israel.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

² His den¹ has been in Salem, his lair² in Zion.

1. Or “shelter”; but the image of the lion appears in view
2. Or “refuge”

³ There he broke the flames of the bow, the shield and sword and battle. Selah

⁴ Radiant¹ you are, majestic, from² the mountains of prey.

1. A possible change in the Hebrew text yields, “You are feared, majestic …” a form found in vv. 8(7), 13(12). This is possibly reflected in the reading of Theodotian
2. Or “more than”

⁵ The stouthearted are plundered; they sleep their sleep, and all the able men cannot ⌞use⌟¹ their hands.

1. Literally “find”

⁶ At your rebuke, O God of Jacob, both rider¹ and horse slumber.

1. Hebrew “chariot,” that is, charioteer

⁷ ⌞You, indeed, are to be feared⌟,¹ and who can stand before you when you are angry?²

1. Literally “You, feared you are”
2. A slight change in the vocalization of the MT yields, “from the strength of your anger”

⁸ From heaven you proclaimed judgment. The earth feared and was still

⁹ when God rose for justice, to save all the afflicted of the land. Selah

¹⁰ For the anger of humankind will praise you. You will put on the remnant of anger.¹

1. Hebrew “angers”

¹¹ Make vows and fulfill them to Yahweh, your God; let all surrounding him bring tribute to the one to be feared.¹

1. Hebrew “to the fear”

¹² He cuts off the spirit of leaders. He is to be feared by the kings of the earth.