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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 83

Psalm 83^[a]

A song, a psalm of Asaph.

83 O God, do not be silent.
Do not ignore us.^[b] Do not be inactive, O God.
²For look, your enemies are making a commotion;
those who hate you are hostile.^[c]
³They carefully plot^[d] against your people,
and make plans to harm^[e] the ones you cherish.^[f]
⁴They say, “Come on, let’s annihilate them so they are no longer a nation.^[g]
Then the name of Israel will be remembered no more.”
⁵Yes,^[h] they devise a unified strategy;^[i]
they form an alliance^[j] against you.
⁶It includes^[k] the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
Moab and the Hagrites,^[l]
⁷Gebal,^[m] Ammon, and Amalek,
Philistia and the inhabitants of Tyre.
⁸Even Assyria has allied with them,
lending its strength to the descendants of Lot.^[n] (Selah)
⁹Do to them as you did to Midian^[o]—
as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River.^[p]
¹⁰They were destroyed at Endor;^[q]
their corpses were like manure^[r] on the ground.
¹¹Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,^[s]
and all their rulers like Zebah and Zalmunna,^[t]
¹²who said,^[u] “Let’s take over^[v] the pastures of God.”
¹³O my God, make them like dead thistles,^[w]
like dead weeds blown away by^[x] the wind.
¹⁴Like the fire that burns down the forest,
or the flames that consume the mountainsides,^[y]
¹⁵chase them with your gale winds,
and terrify^[z] them with your windstorm.
¹⁶Cover^[aa] their faces with shame,
so they might seek^[ab] you,^[ac] O Lord.
¹⁷May they be humiliated and continually terrified.^[ad]
May they die in shame.^[ae]
¹⁸Then they will know^[af] that you alone are the Lord,^[ag]
the Most High^[ah] over all the earth.

Footnotes

Psalm 83:1 sn Psalm 83. The psalmist asks God to deliver Israel from the attacks of foreign nations. Recalling how God defeated Israel’s enemies in the days of Deborah and Gideon, he prays that the hostile nations would be humiliated.
Psalm 83:1 tn Heb “do not be deaf.”
Psalm 83:2 tn Heb “lift up [their] head[s].” The phrase “lift up [the] head” here means “to threaten; to be hostile,” as in Judg 8:28.
Psalm 83:3 tn Heb “they make crafty a plot.”
Psalm 83:3 tn Heb “and consult together against.”
Psalm 83:3 tn The passive participle of the Hebrew verb צָפַן (tsafan, “to hide”) is used here in the sense of “treasured; cherished.”
Psalm 83:4 tn Heb “we will cause them to disappear from [being] a nation.”
Psalm 83:5 tn Or “for.”
Psalm 83:5 tn Heb “they consult [with] a heart together.”
Psalm 83:5 tn Heb “cut a covenant.”
Psalm 83:6 tn The words “it includes” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
Psalm 83:6 sn The Hagrites are also mentioned in 1 Chr 5:10, 19-20.
Psalm 83:7 sn Some identify Gebal with the Phoenician coastal city of Byblos (see Ezek 27:9, where the name is spelled differently), though others locate this site south of the Dead Sea (see BDB 148 s.v. גְּבַל; HALOT 174 s.v. גְּבַל).
Psalm 83:8 tn Heb “they are an arm for the sons of Lot.” The “arm” is here a symbol of military might.sn The descendants of Lot were the Moabites and Ammonites.
Psalm 83:9 tn Heb “do to them like Midian.”
Psalm 83:9 sn The psalmist alludes here to Gideon’s victory over the Midianites (see Judg 7-8) and to Barak’s victory over Jabin’s army, which was led by his general Sisera (Judg 4-5).
Psalm 83:10 sn Endor is not mentioned in the accounts of Gideon’s or Barak’s victories, but both battles took place in the general vicinity of the town. (See Y. Aharoni and M. Avi-Yonah, The Macmillan Bible Atlas, 46, 54.) Because Sisera and Jabin are mentioned in v. 9b, many understand them to be the subject of the verbs in v. 10, though they relate v. 10 to Gideon’s victory, which is referred to in v. 9a, 11. (See, for example, Y. Aharoni, The Land of the Bible, 263.)
Psalm 83:10 tn Heb “they were manure.” In addition to this passage, corpses are compared to manure in 2 Kgs 9:37; Jer 8:2; 9:21; 16:4; 25:33.
Psalm 83:11 sn Oreb and Zeeb were the generals of the Midianite army that was defeated by Gideon. The Ephraimites captured and executed both of them and sent their heads to Gideon (Judg 7:24-25).
Psalm 83:11 sn Zebah and Zalmunna were the Midianite kings. Gideon captured them and executed them (Judg 8:1-21).
Psalm 83:12 tn The translation assumes that “Zebah and Zalmunna” are the antecedents of the relative pronoun (“who [said]”). Another option is to take “their nobles…all their rulers” as the antecedent and to translate, “those who say.”
Psalm 83:12 tn Heb “let’s take possession for ourselves.”
Psalm 83:13 tn Or “tumbleweed.” The Hebrew noun גַּלְגַּל (galgal) refers to a “wheel” or, metaphorically, to a whirling wind (see Ps 77:18). If taken in the latter sense here, one could understand the term as a metonymical reference to dust blown by a whirlwind (cf. NRSV “like whirling dust”). However, HALOT 190 s.v. II גַּלְגַּל understands the noun as a homonym referring to a “dead thistle” here and in Isa 17:13. The parallel line, which refers to קַשׁ (qash, “chaff”), favors this interpretation.
Psalm 83:13 tn Heb “before.”
Psalm 83:14 sn The imagery of fire and flames suggests unrelenting, destructive judgment.
Psalm 83:15 tn The two imperfect verbal forms in v. 15 express the psalmist’s wish or prayer.
Psalm 83:16 tn Heb “fill.”
Psalm 83:16 tn After the preceding imperative, the prefixed verbal form with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose or result (“then they will seek”).
Psalm 83:16 tn Heb “your name,” which stands here for God’s person.
Psalm 83:17 tn Heb “and may they be terrified to perpetuity.” The Hebrew expression עֲדֵי־עַד (ʿade ʿad, “to perpetuity”) can mean “forevermore” (see Pss 92:7; 132:12, 14), but here it may be used hyperbolically, for the psalmist asks that the experience of judgment might lead the nations to recognize (v. 18) and even to seek (v. 16) God.
Psalm 83:17 tn Heb “may they be ashamed and perish.” The four prefixed verbal forms in this verse are understood as jussives. The psalmist concludes his prayer with an imprecation, calling severe judgment down on his enemies. The strong language of the imprecation seems to run contrary to the positive outcome of divine judgment envisioned in v. 16b. Perhaps the language of v. 17 is overstated for effect. Another option is that v. 16b expresses an ideal, while the strong imprecation of vv. 17-18 anticipates reality. It would be nice if the defeated nations actually pursued a relationship with God, but if judgment does not bring them to that point, the psalmist asks that they be annihilated so that they might at least be forced to acknowledge God’s power.
Psalm 83:18 tn After the preceding jussives (v. 17), the prefixed verbal form with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose (“so that they may know”) or result.
Psalm 83:18 tn Heb “that you, your name [is] the Lord, you alone.”
Psalm 83:18 sn The divine title “Most High” (עֶלְיוֹן ʿelyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Pss 7:17; 9:2; 18:13; 21:7; 47:2.

Psalm 23

Psalm 23^[a]

A psalm of David.

23 The Lord is my shepherd,^[b]
I lack nothing.^[c]
²He takes me to lush pastures,^[d]
he leads me to refreshing water.^[e]
³He restores my strength.^[f]
He leads me down^[g] the right paths^[h]
for the sake of his reputation.^[i]
⁴Even when I must walk through the darkest valley,^[j]
I fear^[k] no danger,^[l]
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff reassure me.^[m]
⁵You prepare a feast before me^[n]
in plain sight of my enemies.
You refresh^[o] my head with oil;
my cup is completely full.^[p]
⁶Surely your goodness and faithfulness^[q] will pursue^[r] me all my days,^[s]
and I will live in^[t] the Lord’s house^[u] for the rest of my life.^[v]

Footnotes

Psalm 23:1 sn Psalm 23. In vv. 1-4 the psalmist pictures the Lord as a shepherd who provides for his needs and protects him from danger. The psalmist declares, “The Lord is my shepherd,” and then extends and develops that metaphor, speaking as if he were a sheep. In vv. 5-6 the metaphor changes as the psalmist depicts a great royal banquet hosted by the Lord. The psalmist is a guest of honor and recipient of divine favor, who enjoys unlimited access to the divine palace and the divine presence.
Psalm 23:1 sn The Lord is my shepherd. The opening metaphor suggests the psalmist is assuming the role of a sheep. In vv. 1b-4 the psalmist extends the metaphor and explains exactly how the Lord is like a shepherd to him. At the surface level the language can be understood in terms of a shepherd’s relationship to his sheep. The translation of vv. 1-4 reflects this level. But, of course, each statement also points to an underlying reality.
Psalm 23:1 tn The imperfect verbal form is best understood as generalizing; the psalmist highlights his typical or ongoing experience as a result of having the Lord as his shepherd (habitual present use). The next verse explains more specifically what he means by this statement.
Psalm 23:2 tn Heb “he makes me lie down in lush pastures.” The Hiphil verb יַרְבִּיצֵנִי (yarbitseni) has a causative-modal nuance here (see IBHS 445-46 §27.5 on this use of the Hiphil), meaning “allows me to lie down” (see also Jer 33:12). The point is that the shepherd takes the sheep to lush pastures and lets them eat and rest there. Both imperfect verbal forms in v. 2 are generalizing and highlight the psalmist’s typical experience.
Psalm 23:2 tn Both genitives in v. 2 indicate an attribute of the noun they modify: דֶּשֶׁא (desheʾ) characterizes the pastures as “lush” (i.e., rich with vegetation), while מְנֻחוֹת (m^enukhot) probably characterizes the water as refreshing. In this case the plural indicates an abstract quality. Some take מְנֻחוֹת in the sense of “still, calm” (i.e., as describing calm pools in contrast to dangerous torrents), but it is unlikely that such a pastoral scene is in view. Shepherds usually watered their sheep at wells (see Gen 29:2-3; Exod 2:16-19). Another option is to take מְנֻחוֹת as “resting places” and to translate, “water of/at the resting places” (i.e., a genitive of location; see IBHS 147-48 §9.5.2e).sn Within the framework of the metaphor, the psalmist/sheep is declaring in v. 2 that his shepherd provides the essentials for physical life. At a deeper level the psalmist may be referring to more than just physical provision, though that would certainly be included.
Psalm 23:3 tn The appearance of the Hebrew term נַפְשִׁי (nafshi), traditionally translated “my soul,” might suggest a spiritualized interpretation for the first line of v. 3. However, at the surface level of the shepherd/sheep metaphor, this is unlikely. When it occurs with a pronominal suffix נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v.נֶפֶשׁ 4.a). In this context, where the statement most naturally refers to the physical provision just described, the form is best translated simply “me.” The accompanying verb (a Polel form [factitive use] of שׁוּב [shuv]), if referring to the physical provision just described, carries the nuance “refresh, restore strength.”
Psalm 23:3 tn The imperfect verbal forms in v. 3 (יְשׁוֹבֵב [y^eshovev] and יַנְחֵנִי [yankheni]), like those in vv. 1-2, highlight what is typical of the shepherd/sheep relationship.
Psalm 23:3 tn The attributive genitive צֶדֶק (tsedeq) is traditionally translated “righteousness” here, as if designating a moral or ethical quality. But this seems unlikely, for it modifies מַעְגְּלֵי (maʿg^ele, “paths”). Within the shepherd/sheep metaphor, the phrase likely refers to “right” or “correct” paths, i.e., ones that lead to pastures, wells, or the fold. While צֶדֶק usually does carry a moral or ethical nuance, it can occasionally refer to less abstract things, such as weights and offerings. In this context, which emphasizes divine provision and protection, the underlying reality is probably God’s providential guidance. The psalmist is confident that God takes him down paths that will ultimately lead to something beneficial, not destructive.
Psalm 23:3 tn The Hebrew term שֵׁם (shem, “name”) refers here to the shepherd’s reputation. (The English term “name” is often used the same way.) The statement לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ (l^emaʿan sh^emo, “for the sake of his name”) makes excellent sense within the framework of the shepherd/sheep metaphor. Shepherds, who sometimes hired out their services, were undoubtedly concerned about their vocational reputation. To maintain their reputation as competent shepherds, they had to know the “lay of the land” and make sure they led the sheep down the right paths to the proper destinations. The underlying reality is a profound theological truth: God must look out for the best interests of the one he has promised to protect, because if he fails to do so, his faithfulness could legitimately be called into question and his reputation damaged.
Psalm 23:4 tn The Hebrew term צַלְמָוֶת (tsalmavet) has traditionally been understood as a compound noun meaning “shadow of death” (צֵל [tsel] + מָוֶת [mavet]; see BDB 853 s.v. צַלְמָוֶת). Other scholars prefer to vocalize the form צָלְמוּת (tsalmut) and understand it as an abstract noun (from the root צָלַם, tsalam) meaning “darkness.” An examination of the word’s usage favors the latter derivation. It is frequently associated with darkness/night and contrasted with light/morning (see Job 3:5; 10:21-22; 12:22; 24:17; 28:3; 34:22; Ps 107:10, 14; Isa 9:1; Jer 13:16; Amos 5:8). In some cases the darkness described is associated with the realm of death (Job 10:21-22; 38:17), but this is a metaphorical application of the word and does not reflect its inherent meaning. If the word does indeed mean “darkness,” it modifies גַיְא (gayʾ, “valley, ravine”) quite naturally. At the metaphorical level, v. 4 pictures the shepherd taking his sheep through a dark ravine where predators might lurk. The life-threatening situations faced by the psalmist are the underlying reality behind the imagery.
Psalm 23:4 tn The imperfect verbal forms in v. 4, as in vv. 1-3, highlight what is typical in the psalmist’s experience.
Psalm 23:4 tn The Hebrew term רָע (raʿ) is traditionally translated “evil” here, perhaps suggesting a moral or ethical nuance. But at the level of the metaphor, the word means “danger, injury, harm,” as a sheep might experience from a predator. The life-threatening dangers faced by the psalmist, especially the enemies mentioned in v. 5, are the underlying reality.
Psalm 23:4 tn The Piel of נָחַם (nakham), when used with a human object, means “comfort, console.” But here, within the metaphorical framework, it refers to the way in which a shepherd uses his implements to assure the sheep of his presence and calm their nerves. The underlying reality is the emotional stability God provides the psalmist during life threatening situations.
Psalm 23:5 sn In v. 5 the metaphor switches. (It would be very odd for a sheep to have its head anointed and be served wine.) The background for the imagery is probably the royal banquet. Ancient Near Eastern texts describe such banquets in similar terms to those employed by the psalmist. (See M. L. Barre and J. S. Kselman, “New Exodus, Covenant, and Restoration in Psalm 23, ” The Word of the Lord Shall Go Forth, 97-127.) The reality behind the imagery is the Lord’s favor. Through his blessings and protection he demonstrates to everyone, including dangerous enemies, that the psalmist has a special relationship with him.
Psalm 23:5 tn The imperfect verbal form in v. 5a carries on the generalizing mood of vv. 1-4. However, in v. 5b the psalmist switches to a perfect (דִּשַּׁנְתָּ, dishanta), which may have a generalizing force as well. But then again the perfect is conspicuous here and may be present perfect in sense, indicating that the divine host typically pours oil on his head prior to seating him at the banquet table. The verb דָשַׁן (dashan; the Piel is factitive) is often translated “anoint,” but this is misleading, for it might suggest a symbolic act of initiation into royal status. One would expect the verb מָשָׁח (mashan) in this case; דָשַׁן here describes an act of hospitality extended to guests and carries the nuance “refresh.” In Prov 15:30 it stands parallel to “make happy” and refers to the effect that good news has on the inner being of its recipient.
Psalm 23:5 tn The rare noun רְוָיָה (r^evayah) is derived from the well-attested verb רָוָה (ravah, “be saturated, drink one’s fill”). In this context, where it describes a cup, it must mean “filled up,” but not necessarily to overflowing.
Psalm 23:6 tn The noun חֶסֶד (khesed; v. 6) has been the subject of several monographs. G. R. Clark concludes that חֶסֶד “is not merely an attitude or an emotion; it is an emotion that leads to an activity beneficial to the recipient.” He explains that an act of חֶסֶד is “a beneficent action performed, in the context of a deep and enduring commitment between two persons or parties, by one who is able to render assistance to the needy party who in the circumstances is unable to help him- or herself.” (See G. R. Clark, The Word Hesed in the Hebrew Bible [JSOTSup], 267.) HALOT 336-37 s.v. defines the word as “loyalty,” or “faithfulness.” Other appropriate meanings might be “commitment” and “devotion.”
Psalm 23:6 tn The use of רָדַף (radaf, “pursue, chase”) with טוֹב וָחֶסֶד (tov vakhesed, “goodness and faithfulness”) as subject is ironic. This is the only place in the entire OT where either of these nouns appears as the subject of this verb רָדַף (radaf, “pursue”). This verb is often used to describe the hostile actions of enemies. One might expect the psalmist’s enemies (see v. 5) to chase him, but ironically God’s “goodness and faithfulness” (which are personified and stand by metonymy for God himself) pursue him instead. The word “pursue” is used outside of its normal context in an ironic manner and creates a unique, but pleasant word picture of God’s favor (or a kind God) “chasing down” the one whom he loves.
Psalm 23:6 tn Heb “all the days of my life.”
Psalm 23:6 tn The verb form וְשַׁבְתִּי (v^eshavti) is a Qal perfect (with vav [ו] consecutive), first common singular, from שׁוּב (shuv, “return”) and should be translated, “and I will return.” But this makes no sense when construed with the following phrase, “in the house of the Lord.” The term שׁוּב (shuv) appears only here with the following phrase בְּבֵית (b^evet). The form should be emended to וְשִׁבְתִּי (v^eshivti; an infinitive construct from יָשַׁב [yashav, “live”] with pronominal suffix) or to וְיָשַׁבְתִּי (v^eyashavti; a Qal perfect with vav [ו] consecutive, first common singular, from ישׁב [see BHS, note c]). In either case one could then translate, “and I will live [in the house of the Lord].” The phrase “in the house” frequently follows the verb יָשַׁב in the OT.
Psalm 23:6 tn Heb “the house of the Lord.” The phrase may be purely metaphorical here, referring to the royal palace where the royal host of v. 5 holds his banquet and lives. If one takes the phrase more literally, it would refer to the earthly tabernacle (if one accepts Davidic authorship) or the later temple (see Judg 19:18; 1 Sam 1:7, 24; 2 Sam 12:20; 1 Kgs 7:12, 40, 45, 51).
Psalm 23:6 tn The phrase אֹרֶךְ יָמִים (ʾorekh yamim, “length of days”) is traditionally translated “forever.” However, this phrase, when used elsewhere of people, usually refers to a lengthy period of time, such as one’s lifetime, and does not mean “forever” in the sense of eternity. (Cf. Deut 30:20; Job 12:12; Ps 91:16; Prov 3:2, 16; Lam 5:20.) Furthermore, the parallel phrase “all the days of my life” suggests this more limited meaning. Psalm 21:4, where the phrase is followed by “forever and ever,” may be an exception, though the juxtaposition of the phrases may be an example of intensification, where the second phrase goes beyond the limits of the first, rather than synonymity. Even if one takes both expressions as referring to eternal life, the language is part of the king’s hyperbolic description of the Lord’s blessings and should not be taken literally.

Psalm 27

Psalm 27^[a]

By David.

27 The Lord is my light^[b] and my salvation.
I fear no one.^[c]
The Lord protects my life.
I am afraid of no one.^[d]
²When evil men attack me^[e]
to devour my flesh,^[f]
when my adversaries and enemies attack me,^[g]
they stumble and fall.^[h]
³Even when an army is deployed against me,
I do not fear.^[i]
Even when war is imminent,^[j]
I remain confident.^[k]
⁴I have asked the Lord for one thing—
this is what I desire!
I want to live^[l] in the Lord’s house^[m] all the days of my life,
so I can gaze at the splendor^[n] of the Lord
and contemplate in his temple.
⁵He will surely^[o] give me shelter^[p] in the day of danger;^[q]
he will hide me in his home.^[r]
He will place me^[s] on an inaccessible rocky summit.^[t]
⁶Now I will triumph
over my enemies who surround me.^[u]
I will offer sacrifices in his dwelling place and shout for joy.^[v]
I will sing praises to the Lord.
⁷Hear me,^[w] O Lord, when I cry out.
Have mercy on me and answer me.
⁸My heart tells me to pray to you,^[x]
and I do pray to you, O Lord.^[y]
⁹Do not reject me.^[z]
Do not push your servant away in anger.
You are my deliverer.^[aa]
Do not forsake or abandon me,
O God who vindicates me.
¹⁰Even if my father and mother abandoned me,^[ab]
the Lord would take me in.^[ac]
¹¹Teach me how you want me to live,^[ad] Lord;
lead me along a level path^[ae] because of those who wait to ambush me.^[af]
¹²Do not turn me over to my enemies,^[ag]
for false witnesses who want to destroy me testify against me.^[ah]
¹³Where would I be if I did not believe I would experience
the Lord’s favor in the land of the living?^[ai]
¹⁴Rely^[aj] on the Lord!
Be strong and confident!^[ak]
Rely on the Lord!

Footnotes

Psalm 27:1 sn Psalm 27. The author is confident of the Lord’s protection and asks the Lord to vindicate him.
Psalm 27:1 sn “Light” is often used as a metaphor for deliverance and the life/blessings it brings. See Pss 37:6; 97:11; 112:4; Isa 49:6; 51:4; Mic 7:8. Another option is that “light” refers here to divine guidance (see Ps 43:3).
Psalm 27:1 tn Heb “Whom shall I fear?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “No one.”
Psalm 27:1 tn Heb “Of whom shall I be afraid?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “No one!”
Psalm 27:2 tn Heb “draw near to me.”
Psalm 27:2 sn To devour my flesh. The psalmist compares his enemies to dangerous, hungry predators (see 2 Kgs 9:36; Ezek 39:17).
Psalm 27:2 tn Heb “my adversaries and my enemies against me.” The verb “draw near” (that is, “attack”) is understood by ellipsis; see the previous line.
Psalm 27:2 tn The Hebrew verbal forms are perfects. The translation assumes the psalmist is generalizing here, but another option is to take this as a report of past experience, “when evil men attacked me…they stumbled and fell.”
Psalm 27:3 tn Heb “my heart does not fear.”
Psalm 27:3 tn Heb “if war rises up against me.”
Psalm 27:3 tn Heb “in this [i.e., “during this situation”] I am trusting.”
Psalm 27:4 tn Heb “for me to live.”
Psalm 27:4 sn The Lord’s house. This probably refers to the tabernacle (if one accepts Davidic authorship) or the temple (see Judg 19:18; 1 Sam 1:7, 24; 2 Sam 12:20; 1 Kgs 7:12, 40, 45, 51).
Psalm 27:4 tn Or “beauty.”
Psalm 27:5 tn Or “for he will.” The translation assumes the כִּי (ki) is asseverative here, rather than causal.
Psalm 27:5 tn Heb “he will hide me in his hut.”
Psalm 27:5 tn Or “trouble.”
Psalm 27:5 tn Heb “tent.”
Psalm 27:5 tn The three imperfect verb forms in v. 5 anticipate a positive response to the prayer offered in vv. 7-12.
Psalm 27:5 tn Heb “on a rocky summit he lifts me up.” The Lord places the psalmist in an inaccessible place where his enemies cannot reach him. See Ps 18:2.
Psalm 27:6 tn Heb “and now my head will be lifted up over my enemies all around me.”sn In vv. 1-3 the psalmist generalizes, but here we discover that he is facing a crisis and is under attack from enemies (see vv. 11-12).
Psalm 27:6 tn Heb “I will sacrifice in his tent sacrifices of a shout for joy” (that is, “sacrifices accompanied by a joyful shout”).
Psalm 27:7 tn Heb “my voice.”
Psalm 27:8 tc Heb “concerning you my heart says, ‘Seek my face.’” The verb form “seek” is plural, but this makes no sense here, for the psalmist is addressed. The verb should be emended to a singular form. The first person pronominal suffix on “face” also makes little sense, unless it is the voice of the Lord he hears. His “heart” is viewed as speaking, however, so it is better to emend the form to פָּנָיו (panayv, “his face”).
Psalm 27:8 tn Heb “your face, O Lord, I seek.” To “seek the Lord’s face” means to seek his favor through prayer (see 2 Sam 21:1; Pss 24:6; 105:4).
Psalm 27:9 tn Heb “do not hide your face from me.” The idiom “hide the face” can mean “ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or carry the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 30:7; 88:14).
Psalm 27:9 tn Or “[source of] help.”
Psalm 27:10 tn Or “though my father and mother have abandoned me.”
Psalm 27:10 tn Heb “gather me in”; or “receive me.”
Psalm 27:11 tn Heb “teach me your way.” The Lord’s “way” refers here to the moral principles which he expects the psalmist to follow. See Ps 25:4.
Psalm 27:11 sn The level path refers to God’s moral principles (see the parallel line), which, if followed, will keep the psalmist blameless before his accusers (see v. 12).
Psalm 27:11 tn Heb “because of those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 5:8; 54:5; 56:2.
Psalm 27:12 tn Heb “do not give me over to the desire of my enemies.”
Psalm 27:12 tn Heb “for they have risen up against me, lying witnesses and a testifier of violence.” The form יָפֵחַ (yafeakh) is traditionally understood as a verb meaning “snort, breathe out”: “for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty” (KJV; cf. BDB 422 s.v.). A better option is to take the form as a noun meaning “a witness” (or “testifier”). See Prov 6:19; 12:17; 14:5, 25; 19:5, 9, and Hab 2:3.
Psalm 27:13 tn In the Hebrew text the sentence is incomplete: “If I had not believed [I would] see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” The words “Where would I be” are supplied in the translation to clarify the intent of the statement.
Psalm 27:14 tn Or “wait.”
Psalm 27:14 tn Heb “be strong and let your heart be confident.”

Psalm 85-86

Psalm 85^[a]

For the music director, written by the Korahites, a psalm.

85 O Lord, you showed favor to your land;
you restored the well-being of Jacob.^[b]
²You pardoned^[c] the wrongdoing of your people;
you forgave^[d] all their sin. (Selah)
³You withdrew all your fury;
you turned back from your raging anger.^[e]
⁴Restore us, O God our deliverer.
Do not be displeased with us.^[f]
⁵Will you stay mad at us forever?
Will you remain angry throughout future generations?^[g]
⁶Will you not revive us once more?
Then your people will rejoice in you.
⁷O Lord, show us your loyal love.
Bestow on us your deliverance.
⁸I will listen to what God the Lord says.^[h]
For he will make^[i] peace with his people, his faithful followers.^[j]
Yet they must not^[k] return to their foolish ways.
⁹Certainly his loyal followers will soon experience his deliverance;^[l]
then his splendor will again appear in our land.^[m]
¹⁰Loyal love and faithfulness meet;^[n]
deliverance and peace greet each other with a kiss.^[o]
¹¹Faithfulness grows from the ground,
and deliverance looks down from the sky.^[p]
¹²Yes, the Lord will bestow his good blessings,^[q]
and our land will yield^[r] its crops.
¹³Deliverance goes^[s] before him,
and prepares^[t] a pathway for him.^[u]

Psalm 86^[v]

A prayer of David.

86 Listen,^[w] O Lord. Answer me.
For I am oppressed and needy.
²Protect me,^[x] for I am loyal.
You are my God; deliver your servant who trusts in you.
³Have mercy on me,^[y] O Lord,
for I cry out to you all day long.
⁴Make your servant^[z] glad,
for to you, O Lord, I pray.^[aa]
⁵Certainly,^[ab] O Lord, you are kind^[ac] and forgiving,
and show great faithfulness to all who cry out to you.
⁶O Lord, hear my prayer.
Pay attention to my plea for mercy.
⁷In my time of trouble I cry out to you,
for you will answer me.
⁸None can compare to you among the gods, O Lord.
Your exploits are incomparable.^[ad]
⁹All the nations, whom you created,
will come and worship you,^[ae] O Lord.
They will honor your name.
¹⁰For you are great and do amazing things.
You alone are God.
¹¹O Lord, teach me how you want me to live.^[af]
Then I will obey your commands.^[ag]
Make me wholeheartedly committed to you.^[ah]
¹²O Lord, my God, I will give you thanks with my whole heart.
I will honor your name continually.^[ai]
¹³For you will extend your great loyal love to me,^[aj]
and will deliver my life^[ak] from the depths of Sheol.^[al]
¹⁴O God, arrogant men attack me;^[am]
a gang^[an] of ruthless men, who do not respect you, seek my life.^[ao]
¹⁵But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and merciful God.
You are patient^[ap] and demonstrate great loyal love and faithfulness.^[aq]
¹⁶Turn toward me and have mercy on me.
Give your servant your strength.
Deliver this son of your female servant.^[ar]
¹⁷Show me evidence of your favor.^[as]
Then those who hate me will see it and be ashamed,^[at]
for you, O Lord, will help me and comfort me.^[au]

Footnotes

Psalm 85:1 sn Psalm 85. God’s people recall how he forgave their sins in the past, pray that he might now restore them to his favor, and anticipate renewed blessings.
Psalm 85:1 tn Heb “you turned with a turning [toward] Jacob.” The Hebrew term שְׁבוּת (sh^evut) is apparently a cognate accusative of שׁוּב (shuv). See Pss 14:7; 53:6.
Psalm 85:2 tn Heb “lifted up.”
Psalm 85:2 tn Heb “covered over.”
Psalm 85:3 tn Heb “the rage of your anger.” The phrase “rage of your anger” employs an appositional genitive. Synonyms are joined in a construct relationship to emphasize the single idea. For a detailed discussion of the grammatical point with numerous examples, see Y. Avishur, “Pairs of Synonymous Words in the Construct State (and in Appositional Hendiadys) in Biblical Hebrew,” Semitics 2 (1971): 17-81. See Pss 69:24; 78:49.
Psalm 85:4 tn Heb “break your displeasure with us.” Some prefer to emend הָפֵר (hafer, “break”) to הָסֵר (haser, “turn aside”).
Psalm 85:5 tn Heb “Will your anger stretch to a generation and a generation?”
Psalm 85:8 sn I will listen. Having asked for the Lord’s favor, the psalmist (who here represents the nation) anticipates a divine word of assurance.
Psalm 85:8 tn Heb “speak.” The idiom “speak peace” refers to establishing or maintaining peaceful relations with someone (see Gen 37:4; Zech 9:10; cf. Ps 122:8).
Psalm 85:8 tn Heb “to his people and to his faithful followers.” The translation assumes that “his people” and “his faithful followers” are viewed as identical here.
Psalm 85:8 tn Or “yet let them not.” After the negative particle אֵל (ʾel), the prefixed verbal form is jussive, indicating the speaker’s desire or wish.
Psalm 85:9 tn Heb “certainly his deliverance [is] near to those who fear him.”
Psalm 85:9 tn Heb “to dwell, glory, in our land.” “Glory” is the subject of the infinitive. The infinitive with ל (lamed), “to dwell,” probably indicates result here (“then”). When God delivers his people and renews his relationship with them, he will once more reveal his royal splendor in the land.
Psalm 85:10 tn The psalmist probably uses the perfect verbal forms in v. 10 in a dramatic or rhetorical manner, describing what he anticipates as if it were already occurring or had already occurred.
Psalm 85:10 sn Deliverance and peace greet each other with a kiss. The psalmist personifies these abstract qualities to emphasize that God’s loyal love and faithfulness will yield deliverance and peace for his people.
Psalm 85:11 sn The psalmist already sees undeniable signs of God’s faithfulness and expects deliverance to arrive soon.
Psalm 85:12 tn Heb “what is good.”
Psalm 85:12 tn Both “bestow” and “yield” translate the same Hebrew verb (נָתַן, natan). The repetition of the word emphasizes that agricultural prosperity is the direct result of divine blessing.
Psalm 85:13 tn Or “will go.”
Psalm 85:13 tn Or “will prepare.”
Psalm 85:13 tn Heb “and it prepares for a way his footsteps.” Some suggest emending וְיָשֵׂם (v^eyasem, “and prepares”) to וְשָׁלוֹם (v^eshalom, “and peace”) since “deliverance” and “peace” are closely related earlier in v. 13. This could be translated, “and peace [goes ahead, making] a pathway for his footsteps” (cf. NEB).
Psalm 86:1 sn Psalm 86. The psalmist appeals to God’s mercy as he asks for deliverance from his enemies.
Psalm 86:1 tn Heb “turn your ear.”
Psalm 86:2 tn Heb “my life.”
Psalm 86:3 tn Or “show me favor.”
Psalm 86:4 tn Heb “the soul of your servant.”
Psalm 86:4 tn Heb “I lift up my soul.”
Psalm 86:5 tn Or “for.”
Psalm 86:5 tn Heb “good.”
Psalm 86:8 tn Heb “and there are none like your acts.”
Psalm 86:9 tn Or “bow down before you.”
Psalm 86:11 tn Heb “teach me your way.” The Lord’s “way” refers here to the moral principles he expects the psalmist to follow. See Pss 25:4; 27:11.
Psalm 86:11 tn Heb “I will walk in your truth.” The Lord’s commandments are referred to as “truth” here because they are a trustworthy and accurate expression of the divine will. See Ps 25:5.
Psalm 86:11 tn Heb “Bind my heart to the fearing of your name.” The verb translated “bind” occurs only here in the Piel stem. It appears twice in the Qal, meaning “be joined” in both cases (Gen 49:6; Isa 14:20). To “fear” God’s name means to have a healthy respect for him which in turn motivates one to obey his commands (see Pss 61:5; 102:15).
Psalm 86:12 tn Or “forever.”
Psalm 86:13 tn Heb “for your loyal love [is] great over me.”
Psalm 86:13 tn Or “for he will have delivered my life.” The verb form indicates a future perfect here.
Psalm 86:13 tn Or “lower Sheol.”
Psalm 86:14 tn Heb “rise up against me.”
Psalm 86:14 tn Or “assembly.”
Psalm 86:14 tn Heb “seek my life and do not set you before them.” See Ps 54:3.
Psalm 86:15 tn Heb “slow to anger.”
Psalm 86:15 tn Heb “and great of loyal love and faithfulness.”sn The psalmist’s confession of faith in this verse echoes Exod 34:6.
Psalm 86:16 tn Heb “the son of your female servant.” The phrase “son of a female servant” (see also Ps 116:16) is used of a son born to a secondary wife or concubine (Exod 23:12). In some cases the child’s father is the master of the house (see Gen 21:10, 13; Judg 9:18). The phrase may be used metaphorically and idiomatically to emphasize the psalmist’s humility before the Lord and his status as the Lord’s servant. Or it may be a reference to the psalmist’s own mother who also was a servant of the Lord.
Psalm 86:17 tn Heb “Work with me a sign for good.” The expression “work a sign” also occurs in Judg 6:17.
Psalm 86:17 tn After the imperative in the preceding line (“work”), the prefixed verb forms with prefixed vav (ו) conjunctive indicate purpose or result.
Psalm 86:17 tn The perfect verbal forms are understood here as dramatic/rhetorical, expressing the psalmist’s certitude that such a sign from the Lord will be followed by his intervention. Another option is to understand the forms as future perfects (“for you, O Lord, will have helped me and comforted me”).

Joel 2:21-27

²¹Do not fear, my land.

Rejoice and be glad,
because the Lord has accomplished great things!
²²Do not fear, wild animals.^[a]
For the pastures of the wilderness are again green with grass.
Indeed, the trees bear their fruit;
the fig tree and the vine yield to their fullest.^[b]
²³Citizens of Zion,^[c] rejoice!
Be glad because of what the Lord your God has done!^[d]
For he has given to you the early rains^[e] as vindication.
He has sent^[f] to you the rains—
both the early and the late rains^[g] as formerly.
²⁴The threshing floors are full of grain;
the vats overflow with fresh wine and olive oil.
²⁵I will make up for the years^[h]
that the ‘arbeh-locust^[i] consumed your crops^[j]—
the yeleq-locust, the hasil-locust, and the gazam-locust—
my great army^[k] that I sent against you.
²⁶You will have plenty to eat,
and your hunger will be fully satisfied;^[l]
you will praise the name of the Lord your God,
who has acted wondrously in your behalf.
My people will never again be put to shame.
²⁷You will be convinced that I am in the midst of Israel.
I am the Lord your God; there is no other.
My people will never again be put to shame.

Footnotes

Joel 2:22 tn Heb “beasts of the field.”
Joel 2:22 tn Heb “their strength.” The trees and vines will produce a maximum harvest, in contrast to the failed agricultural conditions previously described.
Joel 2:23 tn Heb “sons of Zion.”
Joel 2:23 tn Heb “be glad in the Lord your God.”
Joel 2:23 tn Normally the Hebrew word הַמּוֹרֶה (hammoreh) means “the teacher,” but here and in Ps 84:7 it refers to “early rains.” Elsewhere the word for “early rains” is יוֹרֶה (yoreh). The phrase here הַמּוֹרֶה לִצְדָקָה (hammoreh litsdaqah) is similar to the expression “teacher of righteousness” (Heb., מוֹרֶה הַצֶּדֶק, moreh hatsedeq) found in the Dead Sea Scrolls referring to a particular charismatic leader, although the Qumran community seems not to have invoked this text in support of that notion.
Joel 2:23 tn Heb “caused to come down.”
Joel 2:23 sn For half the year Palestine is generally dry. The rainy season begins with the early rains usually in late October to early December, followed by the latter rains in March and April. Without these rains productive farming would not be possible, as Joel’s original readers knew only too well.
Joel 2:25 tn Heb “I will restore to you the years.”sn The plural years suggests that the plague to which Joel refers was not limited to a single season. Apparently the locusts were a major problem over several successive years. One season of drought and locust invasion would have been bad enough. Several such years would have been devastating.
Joel 2:25 sn The same four terms for locust are used here as in 1:4, but in a different order. This fact creates some difficulty for the notion that the four words refer to four distinct stages of locust development.
Joel 2:25 tn The term “your crops” does not appear in the Hebrew but has been supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity and smoothness.
Joel 2:25 sn Here Joel employs military language to describe the locusts. In the prophet’s thinking this invasion was far from being a freak accident. Rather, the Lord is pictured here as a divine warrior who leads his army into the land as a punishment for past sin and as a means of bringing about spiritual renewal on the part of the people.
Joel 2:26 tn Heb “you will surely eat and be satisfied.”

James 1:1-15

Salutation

1 From James,^[a] a slave^[b] of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes dispersed abroad.^[c] Greetings!

Joy in Trials

²My brothers and sisters,^[d] consider it nothing but joy^[e] when you fall into all sorts of trials, ³because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. ⁴And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything. ⁵But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him. ⁶But he must ask in faith without doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed around by the wind. ⁷For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, ⁸since he is a double-minded individual,^[f] unstable in all his ways.

⁹Now the believer^[g] of humble means^[h] should take pride^[i] in his high position.^[j] ¹⁰But the rich person’s pride should be in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a wildflower in the meadow.^[k] ¹¹For the sun rises with its heat and dries up the meadow; the petal of the flower falls off and its beauty is lost forever.^[l] So also the rich person in the midst of his pursuits will wither away. ¹²Happy is the one^[m] who endures testing, because when he has proven to be genuine, he will receive the crown of life that God^[n] promised to those who love him. ¹³Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil,^[o] and he himself tempts no one. ¹⁴But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires. ¹⁵Then when desire conceives, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is full grown, it gives birth to death.

Footnotes

James 1:1 tn Grk “James.” The word “From” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.
James 1:1 tn Traditionally, “servant” or “bondservant.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). One good translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος) in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force. Also, many slaves in the Roman world became slaves through Rome’s subjugation of conquered nations, kidnapping, or by being born into slave households. sn Undoubtedly the background for the concept of being the Lord’s slave or servant is to be found in the Old Testament scriptures. For a Jew this concept did not connote drudgery, but honor and privilege. It was used of national Israel at times (Isa 43:10), but was especially associated with famous OT personalities, including such great men as Moses (Josh 14:7), David (Ps 89:3; cf. 2 Sam 7:5, 8) and Elijah (2 Kgs 10:10); all these men were “servants (or slaves) of the Lord.”
James 1:1 tn Grk “to the twelve tribes in the Diaspora.” The Greek term διασπορά (diaspora, “dispersion”) refers to Jews not living in Palestine but “dispersed” or scattered among the Gentiles.
James 1:2 tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelphoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited). Where the plural term is used in direct address, as here, “brothers and sisters” is used; where the term is singular and not direct address (as in v. 9), “believer” is preferred.
James 1:2 tn Grk “all joy,” “full joy,” or “greatest joy.”
James 1:8 tn Grk “a man of two minds,” continuing the description of the person in v. 7, giving the reason that he cannot expect to receive anything. The word for “man” or “individual” is ἀνήρ (anēr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” But it sometimes is used generically to mean “anyone,” “a person,” as here (cf. BDAG 79 s.v. 2).sn A double-minded man is one whose devotion to God is less than total. His attention is divided between God and other things, and as a consequence he is unstable and therefore unable to receive from God.
James 1:9 tn Grk “brother.” Here the term “brother” means “fellow believer” or “fellow Christian” (cf. TEV, NLT “Christians”; CEV “God’s people”). The term broadly connotes familial relationships within the family of God (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.a).
James 1:9 tn Grk “the lowly brother,” but “lowly/humble” is clarified in context by the contrast with “wealthy” in v. 10.
James 1:9 tn Grk “let him boast.”
James 1:9 tn Grk “his height,” “his exaltation.”
James 1:10 tn Grk “a flower of grass.”
James 1:11 tn Or “perishes,” “is destroyed.”
James 1:12 tn The word for “man” or “individual” here is ἀνήρ (anēr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” However, as BDAG 79 s.v. 2 says, here it is “equivalent to τὶς someone, a person.”
James 1:12 tc Most mss ([C] P 0246 5 436 442 1611 M) al read ὁ κύριος (ho kurios, “the Lord”) here, while others have ὁ θεός (ho theos, “God”; 4 33^vid 323 945 1175 1243 1735 1739 1852 2492 al). However, several significant and early witnesses (P⁷⁴ א A B Ψ 81 2344 co) have no explicit subject. In light of the scribal tendency toward clarification, and the fact that both κύριος and θεός are well represented, there can be little doubt that the original text had no explicit subject. The referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity, not because of textual basis.
James 1:13 tn Or “God must not be tested by evil people.”

Luke 15:1-2

The Parable of the Lost Sheep and Coin

15 Now all the tax collectors^[a] and sinners were coming^[b] to hear him. ²But^[c] the Pharisees^[d] and the experts in the law^[e] were complaining,^[f] “This man welcomes^[g] sinners and eats with them.”

Luke 15:11-32

The Parable of the Compassionate Father

¹¹Then^[a] Jesus^[b] said, “A man had two sons. ¹²The^[c] younger of them said to his^[d] father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate^[e] that will belong^[f] to me.’ So^[g] he divided his^[h] assets between them.^[i] ¹³After^[j] a few days,^[k] the younger son gathered together all he had and left on a journey to a distant country, and there he squandered^[l] his wealth^[m] with a wild lifestyle. ¹⁴Then^[n] after he had spent everything, a severe famine took place in that country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵So he went and worked for^[o] one of the citizens of that country, who^[p] sent him to his fields to feed pigs.^[q] ¹⁶He^[r] was longing to eat^[s] the carob pods^[t] the pigs were eating, but^[u] no one gave him anything. ¹⁷But when he came to his senses^[v] he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have food^[w] enough to spare, but here I am dying from hunger! ¹⁸I will get up and go to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned^[x] against heaven^[y] and against^[z] you. ¹⁹I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me^[aa] like one of your hired workers.”’ ²⁰So^[ab] he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way from home^[ac] his father saw him, and his heart went out to him;^[ad] he ran and hugged^[ae] his son^[af] and kissed him. ²¹Then^[ag] his son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven^[ah] and against you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’^[ai] ²²But the father said to his slaves,^[aj] ‘Hurry! Bring the best robe,^[ak] and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger^[al] and sandals^[am] on his feet! ²³Bring^[an] the fattened calf^[ao] and kill it! Let us eat^[ap] and celebrate, ²⁴because this son of mine was dead, and is alive again—he was lost and is found!’^[aq] So^[ar] they began to celebrate.

²⁵“Now his older son was in the field. As^[as] he came and approached the house, he heard music^[at] and dancing. ²⁶So^[au] he called one of the slaves^[av] and asked what was happening. ²⁷The slave replied,^[aw] ‘Your brother has returned, and your father has killed the fattened calf^[ax] because he got his son^[ay] back safe and sound.’ ²⁸But the older son^[az] became angry^[ba] and refused^[bb] to go in. His father came out and appealed to him, ²⁹but he answered^[bc] his father, ‘Look! These many years I have worked like a slave^[bd] for you, and I never disobeyed your commands. Yet^[be] you never gave me even a goat^[bf] so that I could celebrate with my friends! ³⁰But when this son of yours^[bg] came back, who has devoured^[bh] your assets with prostitutes,^[bi] you killed the fattened calf^[bj] for him!’ ³¹Then^[bk] the father^[bl] said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and everything that belongs to me is yours. ³²It was appropriate^[bm] to celebrate and be glad, for your brother^[bn] was dead, and is alive; he was lost and is found.’”^[bo]

Footnotes

Luke 15:11 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
Luke 15:11 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Luke 15:12 tn Grk “And the.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
Luke 15:12 tn Grk “the”; in context the article is used as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
Luke 15:12 tn L&N 57.19 notes that in nonbiblical contexts in which the word οὐσία (ousia) occurs, it refers to considerable possessions or wealth, thus “estate.”
Luke 15:12 tn L&N 57.3, “to belong to or come to belong to, with the possible implication of by right or by inheritance.”
Luke 15:12 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the father’s response to the younger son’s request.
Luke 15:12 tn Grk “the”; in context the article is used as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
Luke 15:12 sn He divided his assets between them. There was advice against doing this in the OT Apocrypha (Sir 33:20). The younger son would get half of what the older son received (Deut 21:17).
Luke 15:13 tn Grk “And after.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
Luke 15:13 tn Grk “after not many days.”
Luke 15:13 tn Or “wasted.” This verb is graphic; it means to scatter (L&N 57.151).
Luke 15:13 tn Or “estate” (the same word has been translated “estate” in v. 12).
Luke 15:14 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the sequence of events in the parable. Greek style often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” but English style generally does not.
Luke 15:15 tn Grk “joined himself to” (in this case an idiom for beginning to work for someone).
Luke 15:15 tn Grk “and he.” Here the conjunction καί (kai) and the personal pronoun have been translated by a relative pronoun to improve the English style.
Luke 15:15 sn To a Jew, being sent to the field to feed pigs would be an insult, since pigs were considered unclean animals (Lev 11:7).
Luke 15:16 tn Grk “And he.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
Luke 15:16 tn Or “would gladly have eaten”; Grk “was longing to be filled with.”
Luke 15:16 tn This term refers to the edible pods from a carob tree (BDAG 540 s.v. κεράτιον). They were bean-like in nature and were commonly used for fattening pigs, although they were also used for food by poor people (L&N 3.46).
Luke 15:16 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
Luke 15:17 tn Grk “came to himself” (an idiom).
Luke 15:17 tn Grk “bread,” but used figuratively for food of any kind (L&N 5.1).
Luke 15:18 sn In the confession “I have sinned” there is a recognition of wrong that pictures the penitent coming home and “being found.”
Luke 15:18 sn The phrase against heaven is a circumlocution for God.
Luke 15:18 tn According to BDAG 342 s.v. ἐνωπιον 4.a, “in relation to ἁμαρτάνειν ἐ. τινος sin against someone Lk 15:18, 21 (cp. Jdth 5:17; 1 Km 7:6; 20:1).”
Luke 15:19 tn Or “make me.” Here is a sign of total humility.
Luke 15:20 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of the son’s decision to return home. Greek style often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” but English style generally does not.
Luke 15:20 tn Grk “a long way off from [home].” The word “home” is implied (L&N 85.16).
Luke 15:20 tn Or “felt great affection for him,” “felt great pity for him.”sn The major figure of the parable, the forgiving father, represents God the Father and his compassionate response. God is ready with open arms to welcome the sinner who comes back to him.
Luke 15:20 tn Grk “he fell on his neck,” an idiom for showing special affection for someone by throwing one’s arms around them. The picture is of the father hanging on the son’s neck in welcome.
Luke 15:20 tn Grk “him”; the referent (the son) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Luke 15:21 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
Luke 15:21 sn The phrase against heaven is a circumlocution for God. 1st century Judaism tended to minimize use of the divine name out of reverence.
Luke 15:21 sn The younger son launches into his confession just as he had planned. See vv. 18-19.
Luke 15:22 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 7:2.
Luke 15:22 sn With the instructions Hurry! Bring the best robe, there is a total acceptance of the younger son back into the home.
Luke 15:22 tn Grk “hand,” but χείρ (cheir) can refer to either the whole hand or any relevant part of it (L&N 8.30).
Luke 15:22 sn The need for sandals underlines the younger son’s previous destitution, because he was barefoot.
Luke 15:23 tn Grk “And bring.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
Luke 15:23 tn Or “the prize calf” (L&N 65.8). See also L&N 44.2, “grain-fattened.” Such a calf was usually reserved for religious celebrations.
Luke 15:23 tn The participle φαγόντες (phagontes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
Luke 15:24 sn This statement links the parable to the theme of 15:6, 9.
Luke 15:24 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of the father’s remarks in the preceding verses.
Luke 15:25 tn Grk “And as.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
Luke 15:25 sn This would have been primarily instrumental music, but might include singing as well.
Luke 15:26 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of the older son hearing the noise of the celebration in progress.
Luke 15:26 tn The Greek term here, παῖς (pais), describes a slave, possibly a household servant regarded with some affection (L&N 87.77).
Luke 15:27 tn Grk “And he said to him.” Here δέ (de) has not been translated. The rest of the phrase has been simplified to “the slave replied,” with the referent (the slave) specified in the translation for clarity.
Luke 15:27 tn See note on the phrase “fattened calf” in v. 23.
Luke 15:27 tn Grk “him”; the referent (the younger son) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Luke 15:28 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the older son, v. 25) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Luke 15:28 tn The aorist verb ὠργίσθη (ōrgisthē) has been translated as an ingressive aorist, reflecting entry into a state or condition.
Luke 15:28 sn Ironically the attitude of the older son has left him outside and without joy.
Luke 15:29 tn Grk “but answering, he said.” This is somewhat redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified to “but he answered.”
Luke 15:29 tn Or simply, “have served,” but in the emotional context of the older son’s outburst the translation given is closer to the point.
Luke 15:29 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to bring out the contrast indicated by the context.
Luke 15:29 sn You never gave me even a goat. The older son’s complaint was that the generous treatment of the younger son was not fair: “I can’t get even a little celebration with a basic food staple like a goat!”
Luke 15:30 sn Note the younger son is not “my brother” but this son of yours (an expression with a distinctly pejorative nuance).
Luke 15:30 sn This is another graphic description. The younger son’s consumption had been like a glutton. He had both figuratively and literally devoured the assets which were given to him.
Luke 15:30 sn The charge concerning the prostitutes is unproven, but essentially the older brother accuses the father of committing an injustice by rewarding his younger son’s unrighteous behavior.
Luke 15:30 sn See note on the phrase “fattened calf” in v. 23.
Luke 15:31 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events in the parable.
Luke 15:31 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the father) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Luke 15:32 tn Or “necessary.”
Luke 15:32 sn By referring to him as your brother, the father reminded the older brother that the younger brother was part of the family.
Luke 15:32 sn The theme he was lost and is found is repeated from v. 24. The conclusion is open-ended. The reader is left to ponder with the older son (who pictures the scribes and Pharisees) what the response will be. The parable does not reveal the ultimate response of the older brother. Jesus argued that sinners should be pursued and received back warmly when they returned.

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Book of Common Prayer

Psalm 83[a]

A song, a psalm of Asaph.

Footnotes

Psalm 23[a]

A psalm of David.

Footnotes

Psalm 27[a]

By David.

Footnotes

Psalm 85[a]

For the music director, written by the Korahites, a psalm.

Psalm 86[v]

A prayer of David.

Footnotes

Footnotes

Salutation

Joy in Trials

Footnotes

The Parable of the Lost Sheep and Coin

Footnotes

The Parable of the Compassionate Father

Footnotes

Psalm 83^[a]

Psalm 23^[a]

Psalm 27^[a]

Psalm 85^[a]

Psalm 86^[v]