NOTES ON PSALMS 66-150

Psalm 76:11 From the ancient Ebla tablets, one can deduce that hmt means women, not wrath. Thus, 

“Indeed women, men will praise you. The offspring of women will surround you." (Dahood)

Psalm 78 The shepherd metaphor starts out being applied to God, but is transferred to David by the 

end of the Psalm.

Ps. 78:19 see note to Ps. 23:5

Psalm 83:14 Galgal is variously translated as whirling dust, stubble or thistledown. The last possibility 

is best.

Psalm 84:6 Baca = weeping, as in balsam trees. Do times of weeping become times when springs are 

filled for us and others?

Psalm 85:9 “Glory” is a proper name for God according to the Ebla tablets.

Psalm 88:13-14 The psalmist expresses anger at God not because of a lack of faith but because of a 

deep faith in God's promises.” (J. Todd Billings, CT, Jan/Feb 2019, p. 58)

Psalm 90 See Gen. 1:5.

Ps. 90:10 See Gen. 47:9.

Psalm 95:1 Our joy is related to our praise of God.

Psalm 105 The start and finish have the dual emphasis of all the psalms--praise and obedience. Verse 

41: see I Cor. 10:4.

Psalm 107 See parallels with Jesus' stilling the storm in Matt. 8.

Psalm 110 It is commonly assumed that Ps. 110 is associated with the Hasmonean rise to supremacy 

since the first letters of the first four verses form an acrostic "Simeon" (141-140 BC reign as priest and 

king). Others judge this to be weak evidence.

Psalm 113 is often thought to be the Hallel psalm referred to in Matthew 26:30. It contains quotes from 

Hannah's psalm in I Samuel 2:8.

Psalms 114:4-5 The flow of the Jordan has been stopped a number of times in recorded history by 

earthquakes breaking off slabs of earth from banks, damming the river.

Psalm 119:10 contrasts the concepts of sojourning and wandering in this verse and v. 19.

Psalm 127:3 heritage = assignment (H. Hendricks)

Psalm 136 Twenty-six times the phrase “for his steadfast love endures forever” in this psalm. 

According to the ancient system of gematria, where numbers are turned into letters, 26 is the number of 

Yahweh.

Psalm 145:14-15 This psalm is an alphabetic acrostic. The samech line begins with the word somekh 

(“supports”), and the ayin line with the word aynet (“eyes”). Also, the m-l-k verses extol the divine 

kingship (king = mlk).

Psalm 150:1 Praise must not be general, but must be connected with a how, why, etc. (Ken Poure)