Obey the Lord’s Precepts

Excerpt

It is to be noticed that in verse 4 the Hebrew word translated precepts appears only in the Psalms. The Hebrew verb “to keep” is used in verses 4b and 5b (see its use in verse 2a); again, it means to follow, to “obey.”

In verse 5 the wish represented by O that … may be expressed by “I hope that” or “I wish that.” njb has “May my ways be steady in doing your will.” More

Bratcher, Robert G., and William David Reyburn. A Translator’s Handbook on the Book of Psalms. New York: United Bible Societies, 1991. Print. UBS Handbook Series.