Lectionary Year B
March 9, 2003
Psalm 25:1-10

Initial Acquaintance/Rough Translation

A. Comparing Translations

(JFC) The New Living Translation and the New Revised Standard Version differ some, as these notes indicate:

2 I trust in you, my God! . . . be disgraced, or let my enemies rejoice in my defeat. - NLT
O my God, in you I trust; do not let me be put to shame; do not let my enemies exult over me. - NRSV

3 No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those who try to disgrace others. - NLT
Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame; let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous. - NRSV

4 Show me the path where I should walk, O LORD; point out the right road for me to follow. - NLT
Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. - NRSV

5 Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. - NLT
Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; - NRSV

All day long I put my hope in you. - NLT
For you I wait all day long. - NRSV

6 Remember, O LORD, your unfailing love and compassion, - NLT
Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love, - NRSV

which you have shown for long ages. - NLT
for they have been from of old. - NRSV

7 Forgive the sins of my youth; - NLT
Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; - NRSV

look instead through the eyes of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O LORD. - NLT
according to your steadfast love remember me, for your goodness' sake, O Lord! - NRSV

8 The LORD is good and does what is right; - NLT
Good and upright is the Lord; - NRSV

he shows the proper path to those who go astray. - NLT
therefore he instructs sinners in the way. - NRSV

10 The LORD leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all those who keep his covenant and obey his decrees. - NLT
All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and decrees. - NRSV

B. Textural Criticism

(JFC) 3 For WvboyE, qal, imperfect, 3rd person plural of, bwv, "to be ashamed", the editors of BH3 suggest we read, Wbvuy", hiphil, imperfect of the same word. The more emphatically passive/acted upon might have been original, but no external evidence is given. So, perhaps it is wiser to retain the text as received and printed. 5 With 4 Manuscripts, the Septuagint and the Syriac Version, the editors would read .Aaw., for .Aa, adding an indication of an emphasis to be the object of hope. The redaction makes the line read longer but by only one minor letter, so, if additional emphasis is needed it could supposedly be considered original. 7 The editors propose to delete, with the Syriac, y[;v'p.W, and let twaJox;, stand alone in this line to refer to the Psalmist's/pray-er's sinfulness. However, in a poetic lament, words can heap upon words to get a proper understanding of the grief with which the prayer is admitting sins of the one recalling/admitting/confessing them. So, inasmuch as it is received included, suppose we retain it as well. 8 The editors question whether to delete, !Ke-l[;, yet without any supportive evidence, so, it could be retained as original, surely, since it might add to the figure being conveyed by this part of this sentence. 9 Then too, the editors suggest we read, perhaps, wjPi'iv.miB., for jP'v.MiB;, to read, "in his justice/judgment" instead of reading simply, "in justice/judgment", without the pronoun indicating whose justice/judgment to whom the line refers. It seems clear enough without the alternative addition. Let's leave it as received and printed. The same might be the case with the first word in the next verse (10), as well, where a pronoun seems unnecessary to make it clear as to whose way is referred. It is obviously God's.

C. Rough Translation

(JFC) 1 Unto You Yahweh my soul/whole being I shall lift up [qal, imperfect]. 2 My Elohim, in You I am trusting [qal, perfect] not shall I be ashamed [qal, imperfect] nor shall rejoice/exult the one being hostile over/against me. 3 Also all waiting on You not shall they be ashamed are (to be) ashamed the ones acting treacherously/deceitfully vainly. 4 Your ways Yahweh be made known to me [hiphil, imperative] Your paths teach [piel, imperative] me. 5 Lead me [hiphil, imperative] in Your faithfulness/truth/firmness and teach [piel, imperative] me for You are indeed Elohim of my salvation/security/welfare/deliverance for You I am waiting [piel, perfect] all the day. 6 And remember Your compassion Yahweh and Your goodness/kindness/faithfulness for from everlasting (are) they. 7 The sins of my youth and my transgressions not do remember according to Your steadfast love/goodness/kindness/faithfulness remember me do You for the sake of Your goodness/kindness/faithfulness/loving kindness Yahweh. 8 Good and upright (is) Yahweh upon the heights therefore He will show/direct/teach [hiphil, imperfect] sinners in His way. 9 He will lead [hiphil, imperfect] the meek/poor/afflicted/humble ones in His judgment/justice and teaches [piel, imperfect with a waw consecutive] the meek/humble ones in His way. 10 All the ways/paths/roads of Yahweh (are) loving kindness and faithfulness/true for those keeping His covenant and testimonies.



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