¹tn The cohortative forms in vv. 1-2 express the psalmist’s resolve to praise God publicly.
²tn Heb “[to] your name, O Most High.” God’s “name” refers metonymically to his divine characteristics as suggested by his name, in this case “Most High.” This divine title (/oyl=u#, u#l=yo/) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Ps 47:2.
³tn Or “perish”; or “die.” The imperfect verbal forms in this line either emphasize what typically happens or describe vividly the aftermath of a recent battle in which the Lord defeated the psalmist’s enemies.
⁴tn Heb “for you accomplished my justice and my legal claim.”
⁵tn Heb “you sat on a throne [as] one who judges [with] righteousness.” The perfect verbal forms in v. 4 probably allude to a recent victory (see vv. 5-7). Another option is to understand the verbs as describing what is typical (“you defend…you sit on a throne”).
⁶tn The verb rug is often understood to mean “rebuke” and in this context taken to refer to the Lord’s “rebuke” of the nations. In some cases it is apparent that scolding or threatening is in view (see Gen 37:10; Ruth 2:16; Zech 3:2). However, in militaristic contexts this translation is inadequate, for the verb refers in this setting to the warrior’s battle cry, which terrifies and paralyzes the enemy. See TDOT 3:53, and note the use of the verb in Pss 68:30; 106:9; and Nah 1:4, as well as the related noun in Job 26:11; Pss 18:15; 76:6; 104:7; Isa 50:2; 51:20; 66:15.
⁷tn The singular form is collective (note “nations” and “their name”). In the psalms the “wicked” (<yuvr) are typically proud, practical atheists (Ps 10:2, 4, 11) who hate God’s commands, commit sinful deeds, speak lies and slander (Ps 50:16-20), and cheat others (Ps 37:21). In this context the hostile nations who threaten Israel/Judah are in view.
⁸tn Heb “their name you wiped out forever and ever.” The three perfect verbal forms in v. 5 probably refer to a recent victory (definite past or present perfect use), although they might express what is typical (characteristic use).
⁹tn Heb “the enemy—they have come to an end [in] ruins permanently.” The singular form bywa (“enemy”) is collective. It is placed at the beginning of the verse to heighten the contrast with hwhy, “the Lord,” in v. 7.
¹⁰tn Heb “you uprooted cities.”
¹¹tn Heb “it has perished, their remembrance, they.” The independent pronoun at the end of the line is in apposition to the preceding pronominal suffix and lends emphasis (see IBHS 299). The referent of the masculine pronoun is the nations/enemies (cf. v. 5), not the cities (the Hebrew noun <yru [“cities”] is grammatically feminine). This has been specified in the present translation for clarity; many modern translations retain the pronoun “them,” resulting in ambiguity (cf. NRSV “their cities you have rooted out; the very memory of them has perished”).
¹²tn The construction vav + subject highlights the contrast between the exalted Lord and his defeated foes (see v. 6).
¹³tn Heb “sits” (i.e., enthroned, see v. 4). The imperfect verbal form highlights the generalization.
¹⁴tn Heb “he establishes for justice his throne.”
¹⁵tn Heb “the peoples.” The imperfect verbal forms in v. 8 either describe God’s typical, characteristic behavior, or anticipate a future judgment of worldwide proportions (“will judge…”).
¹⁶tn Following the imperfect in v. 9, the construction vav conjunctive + shortened form of the prefixed verb hyh indicates a consequence or result of the preceding statement. The construction functions this same way in Pss 81:15 and 104:20.
¹⁷tn Heb “and the Lord is an elevated place for the oppressed.” The singular form id (“oppressed”) is collective here.
¹⁸tn Heb “[he is] an elevated place for times in trouble.” Here an “elevated place” refers to a stronghold, a defensible, secure position that represents a safe haven in times of unrest or distress (cf. NEB “tower of strength”; NIV, NRSV “stronghold”).
¹⁹tn Heb “and the ones who know your name trust in you.” The construction vav conjunctive + imperfect at the beginning of the verse expresses another consequence of the statement made in v. 8. “To know” the Lord’s “name” means to recognize his authority and maintain loyalty to him. See Ps 91:14, where “knowing” the Lord’s “name” is associated with loving him.
²⁰tn Heb “the ones who seek you.”
²¹tn Heb “sits” (i.e., enthroned, and therefore ruling—see v. 4). Another option is to translate as “lives” or “dwells.”
²²tn Heb “declare among the nations his deeds.”
²³tn Heb “for the one who seeks shed blood remembered them.” The idiomatic expression “to seek shed blood” seems to carry the idea “to seek payment/restitution for one’s shed blood.” The plural form <ymd (“shed blood”) occurs only here as the object of vrd; the singular form <d (“blood”) appears with the verb in Gen 9:5; 42:22; Ezek 33:6. “Them,” the pronominal object of the verb “remembered,” refers to the oppressed, mentioned specifically in the next line, so the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
²⁴tn Heb “did not forget.”
²⁵tn Heb “the cry for help of the oppressed.” In this context the “oppressed” are the psalmist and those he represents, whom the hostile nations have threatened.
²⁶tn The words “when they prayed,” though not represented in the Hebrew text, are supplied in the translation for clarification. The petition in vv. 13-14 is best understood as the cry for help which the oppressed offered to God when the nations threatened. The Lord answered this request, prompting the present song of thanksgiving.
²⁷tn Or “show me favor.”
²⁸tn Heb “see my misery from the ones who hate me.”
²⁹tn Heb “one who lifts me up.”
³⁰tn Or “so that I might.”
³¹tn Heb “all your praise.” “Praise” stands by metonymy for the mighty acts that prompt it (see BDB 240).
³²sn Daughter Zion is an idiomatic title for Jerusalem. It appears frequently in the prophets, but only here in the psalms.
³³tn Heb “in your deliverance.”
³⁴tn Heb “sank down.”
³⁵sn The hostility of the nations against God’s people is their downfall, for it prompts God to intervene and destroy them. See also Ps 7:15-16.
³⁶tn Heb “by the work of his hands [the] wicked [one] was ensnared. The singular form uvr (“wicked”) is collective or representative here (see vv. 15, 17). The form vq@on appears to be an otherwise unattested Qal form (active participle) from vqn, but the form should be emended to vq^on, a Niphal perfect from vqy (see HALOT 432; 723).
³⁷tn This is probably a technical musical term (see HALOT 238).
³⁸tn Heb “the wicked turn back to Sheol.” The imperfect verbal form either emphasizes what typically happens or describes vividly the aftermath of the Lord’s victory over the psalmist’s enemies. See v. 3.
³⁹tn The words “this is the destiny of” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. The verb “are turned back” is understood by ellipsis (see the preceding line).
⁴⁰tn Heb “forget.” “Forgetting God” refers here to worshiping false gods and thereby refusing to recognize his sovereignty (see also Deut 8:19; Judg 3:7; 1 Sam 12:9; Isa 17:10; Jer 3:21; Ps 44:20). The nations’ refusal to acknowledge God’s sovereignty accounts for their brazen attempt to attack and destroy his people.
⁴¹tn Or “forgotten.”
⁴²tn Heb “the hope of the afflicted does [not] perish forever.” The negative particle is understood by ellipsis; note the preceding line. The imperfect verbal forms express what typically happens.
⁴³sn Rise up, Lord! …May the nations be judged. The psalm concludes with a petition that the Lord would continue to exercise his justice as he has done in the recent crisis.
⁴⁴tn Or “prevail.”
⁴⁵tn Heb “place, Lord, terror with regard to them.” The Hebrew term hrwm (“terror”) is an alternative form of arwm (a reading that appears in some mss and finds support in several ancient textual witnesses).
⁴⁶tn Heb “let the nations know they [are] man[kind]”; i.e., mere human beings (as opposed to God).
⁴⁷sn Psalm 10. Many Hebrew mss and the ancient Greek version (LXX) combine Psalms 9 and 10 into a single psalm. Taken in isolation, Psalm 10 is a petition for help in which the psalmist urges the Lord to deliver him from his dangerous enemies, whom he describes in vivid and terrifying detail. The psalmist concludes with confidence; he is certain that God’s justice will prevail.