Psa 5:11-12 | NETfull | STEP | But may all who take shelter in you be happy! May they continually shout for joy! Shelter them so that those who are loyal to you may rejoice!

Psalms 5:11-12

11 But may all who take shelter ^{▼▼ Take shelter. “Taking shelter” in the Lord is an idiom for seeking his protection. Seeking his protection presupposes and even demonstrates the subject’s loyalty to the Lord. In the psalms those who “take shelter” in the Lord are contrasted with the wicked and equated with those who love, fear and serve the Lord (Pss 5:11–12; 31:17–20; 34:21–22).} in you be happy! ^{▼▼ The prefixed verbal form is a jussive of wish or prayer. The psalmist calls on God to reward his faithful followers.}
May they continually ^{▼▼ Or perhaps more hyperbolically, “forever.”} shout for joy! ^{▼▼ As in the preceding line, the prefixed verbal form is a jussive of wish or prayer.}
Shelter them ^{▼▼ Heb “put a cover over them.” The verb form is a Hiphil imperfect from סָכַךְ (sakhakh, “cover, shut off”). The imperfect expresses the psalmist’s wish or request.} so that those who are loyal to you ^{▼▼ Heb “the lovers of your name.” The phrase refers to those who are loyal to the Lord. See Pss 69:36; 119:132; Isa 56:6.} may rejoice! ^{▼▼ The vav (ו) with prefixed verbal form following the volitional “shelter them” indicates purpose or result (“so that those…may rejoice).}
Certainly ^{▼▼ Or “For.”} you reward ^{▼▼ Or “bless.” The imperfect verbal forms here and in the next line highlight how God characteristically rewards and protects the godly.} the godly, ^{▼▼ Or “innocent.” The singular form is used here in a collective or representative sense.} Lord.
Like a shield you protect ^{▼▼ Heb “surround.” In 1 Sam 23:26 the verb describes how Saul and his men hemmed David in as they chased him.} them ^{▼▼ Heb “him.” The singular form is used here in a collective or representative sense and is thus translated “them.”} in your good favor. ^{▼▼ Or “with favor” (cf. NRSV). There is no preposition before the noun in the Hebrew text, nor is there a pronoun attached. “Favor” here stands by metonymy for God’s defensive actions on behalf of the one whom he finds acceptable.}

Psalm 6

^{▼▼ Psalm 6. The psalmist begs the Lord to withdraw his anger and spare his life. Having received a positive response to his prayer, the psalmist then confronts his enemies and describes how they retreat.}

For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments, according to the sheminith style; a psalm of David.

12 ^{▼▼ The meaning of the Hebrew term שְׁמִינִית (sh^eminit, “sheminith”) is uncertain; perhaps it refers to a particular style of music. See 1 Chr 15:21.}