\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ ^ V \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ V ^ • - \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ ^ \ ^ \ • I, K. f K. N^^ 2ljS^ '^'ll '"Jtl; % PRINCETON, N. J. \ ^/UJL^nJ ci^ l.-i^VV't^ BS 1A30 .H67 1815 v. 2 Bible. The book of Psalms -^ Sh,-/f. THE BOOK OF PSALMS; TRANSLATED FROM THE HEBREW : WITH NOTES, EXPLANATORY AND CRITICAL. VOL. 11. THE BOOK OF PSALMS; TRANSLATED FROM THE HEBREW : WITH NOTES, EXPLANATORY AND CRITICAL. By SAMUEL HORSLEY, L.L.D. F.R.S. F.A.tS. LATE LORD BISHOP OF ST. ASAPH. VOL. II. LONDON: SOLD BY F. C. & J. RIVINGTON, ST. PACL's CHURCHYABJJ ; AND LONGMAN, HUBST, REES, OEME, & BROWN, PATERNOSTER-ROW. 1815, C. Stewarty printer, Edinburgh. PROPERTY , V: EOLOGIC&L • PSALMS. PSALM LIX. A PRAYER OF THE MESSIAH, COMPLAINING OF HIS ENEMIES AND PREDICTING THEIR PUNISHMENT. This Psalm hath no particular relation to the fact mentioned in 'the title ; namely, Saul's attempt to cut off David by assassination. From expressions in the 5th, Uth, and 13th verses, I should guess that it was composed after David was king, when the public safety was intimately connected with his own ; and that the danger to the author and the state was not from private assassins, but from a foreign enemy openly in arms ; nor from a single enemy, but from a powerful confederacy, (2, 3.) The principal ene- my is described as a perfidious enemy, wlio had bro- ken faith with the Psalmist without provocation, VOL. II. A 2 PSALMS. Lix. V. 3, 4, 12. From all these circumstances I should guess, that the particular occasion upon which this psalm was composed, was the news of the confeder- acy between the Ammonites and the Syrians of Zoba, Beth-rehob, Ishtob, and Maacah, after the aftront put upon David, in the person of his ambassadors, by Hanun the king of the Ammonites, see 2 Sam. X. But yet when I consider that the enemies, against whom the Psalmist invokes the divine aid, are de- scribed in the second verse under the general cha- racters of the "dealers in iniquity, and men of blood," that is, of idolaters and persecutors, I have no doubt that the poem is entirely mystic ; that the Psalmist personates the Messiah or the persecuted church, and prays for deliverance from the atheistical con- spiracy of apostate angels and impious men ; and, in particular, predicts God*s judgement on the Jewish nation. This psalm is one of the Michtams. * 1 Rescue me from mine enemies, O God; Set me high above them-that-rise-against me. * kludge thinks this psalm resembles the Xth, and that the oc- casion of both was the same. I see little of this similitude. The X.th psalm, I am persuaded, hath no relation to Sennacherib's in- vasion, or any particular calamity of the Jewish state. Lix. PSALMS. S 2 Rescue me from the workers of iniquity. And save me from the men of blood*. 3 For behold they lie in wait for my life ; The mighty make a stir t against me, For no disobedience, no sin of mine, O Jeho- vah. 4 Without my fault they hurry and make ready ; Awake at-my-invocation t, and have-thine-eye upon me. || 3 For thou, O Jehovah, God of hosts. Art the God of Israel. Awake to visit all the heathen ; Take-thou-no-pity upon any who revolt to ido- latry. * « Workers of iniquity," and " men of blood." Idolaters and persecutors. f Or, « are stirred up." See LVI, 7. :j: « At my invocation." Vid. Numb. XXIII, 3. and XXIV, 1. II i. e. Take care of me. See verse 10, and Dr Durell upon verses 2, 3, 1. A 2 4 PSALMS. Lix. 6 They return every evening,* They rage like dogs. And surround the city. 7 Behold they foam at the mouth ; Swords are in their lips j For who heareth ? 8 But thou, O Jehovah, shalt make sport of them j Thou shalt have all the heathen in derision. 9 O my Strength, I will keep-upon-tlie watch for thee ; Truly God is my defence, the God of my mercy .t 10 God shall give me ready help, He shall-watch-my-safety among mine ene- mies. [A] i 1 Slay th6m not. Lest my people forget. [E] Scatter them in thy strength. * The image is that of a mischievous beast, returning at a stated season for a sly purpose, •j- See verse 17. T.IX. psalms: 5 For the sin of their mouth ; [C] O Lord, my protector, bring them down. For that their lips have uttered. [D] 12 Let them be ensnared in their pride ; And for cursing, and for lies, let them become a common talk. 13 Consume, in wrath [E] consume them, that they may be brought to nothing ; And let them know that God ruleth In Jacob, unto the extremities of the earth. 14 Yet, every-evening they will return. Rage like dogs. And surround the city, 15 They will prowl about for food. And growl if they be not satisfied. 1 6 But I will sing of thy might, And in the morning, I will sing cheerfully of thy tender love j Because thou hast been a defence to me, A refuge in the day of my distress. a2 « PSALMS. Lx.— Lxii. 17 O my Strength, unto thee I will-chaunt-the-lay ; Truly God is my defence, the God of my mercy.* PSALMS LX. AND LXL [See Notes.] PSALM LXIL MESSIAH TRUSTS IN GOD. HIS ENEMIES WARNED OF THEIR IMPENDING FATE. 1 Only upon God, my soul reposeth ; From him is my salvation. 2 He only is my rock, and my deliverance ; My fortress. I shall not be shaken. [A] $ How long will ye raise-a-clamour against one ; Ye shall all be slain ; Ye are like an inclining wall, and shaken fence, t * Or, *' the God who bears me tender love." f Literally, " a fence that-has-had-a-shove," i. e. you are your- Lxn. r S A L M S, 7 4 Even from his exaltation they consult to cast him down ; They delight in falsehood ; * With their mouths [B] they bless, but inwardly they curse. 5 Upon God only my soul reposeth, Por in him is my expectation. 6 He only is my rock, and my salvation ; My fortress. I shall not be shaken. 7 In God is my salvation, and my glory; The rock of my strength; my shelter is with God. 8 Put-trust in him, in all seasons, O people j Pour out your hearts before him,-^ God is for us a shelter. selves upon the verge of ruin while ye are busied in these wicked plots. This was remarkably the case with the Jewish people, at the time when our Lord was the object of their malice. * " In falsehood," i. e. in false doctrines in religion. A 4 PSALMS. Lxii. 9 Nought but vanity are the sons of men j Falsehood are the sons of the great : In the balance, they are readier to mount All together, than vanity itself. 10 Put no-trust in peculation. Be not proud of rapine ; If substance thrive, set not your heart upon it. 11 Once God hath spoken ; Twice I have heard the same j That power is for God j * 12 And that kindness t, O Lord, is thine, Because thou requitest unto every one according to his deeds. * i. e. That all power is exclusively his ; " his own thing ;'' *' his property." f " Benignity, benevolence." LxiiK PSALMS. PSALM LXIIL A BELIEVER TRUSTS IN GOD, AND PREDICTS THE EXTIRPATION OF THE PERSijCUTlNG FACTION. 1 O God, thou art, my God, I-will-rise-early-lbr- thy-service j My soul thirsteth for thee, My flesh longeth after thee. In a land dry and inhospitable [A], without water. 2 Steadily in holiness have I looked after thee. To see thy power and thy glory. 3 Truly thy kindness is better than lifej My lips shall praise thee. - 4 Constantly I will bless thee, while I live ; In thy name I will lift up my hands. * [B] * i. e. " This shall be the avowed and sole object of vay worship.'* 10 PSALMS. ixiir. 5 As with marrow and fat, my soul shall be full-fed ; And with quivering lips my mouth shall praise [thee.] 6 Truly I remember tliee upon my bed. In the night-watches, I meditate on thee ; 7 For thou hast been a help for me. And under the shadow of thy wings I shall re- joice. 8 My soul adhereth close to thee, Thy right-hand sustaineth me. 7 But they are-doomed-to-confusion who seek my life, They shall go into the-parts-below * the earth. 10 They would shed [C] it by the edge of the sword ; — They shall be a portion for foxes. 1 1 But the King shall rejoice in God ; * " The-parts-below," i. e. the infernal regions. Lxiv. PSALMS. 11 Every one that sweareth by him shall glory, For the mouth of the speakers of falsehood * shall be stopped. PSALM LXIV. A PRAYER OF THE MESSIAH, WITH PARTICULAR ALLUSION TO HIS ILL-TREATMENT FROM THE JEWS, AND THEIR DESTINED PUNISHMENT. 1 Hear my voice, O God, in my-secret-prayer jt Preserve my life from fear of the enemy. 2 Hide me from the plot of the wicked. From the tmnult of the promoters of idolatry. 3 Who brandish t their tongue like a sword ; They aim their arrow, even a bitter word, 4 To shoot secretly at the blameless man ; * The advocates of the false religions, and the opposers of the true. f " My-secret-prayer'* I think the word fT'lf, when it signifies prayer, denotes private prayer, as distinct from public. X See CXL, 2. 12 PSALMS. Lxiv. Unexpectedly they hit him, while they are not seen. [A] 5 They encourage themselves to tell the evil tale ; While they spread their snares privily. They say. Who sees ? [BJ 6 * They set themselves to study for new inven- tions in iniquity ; They have carried those inventions to the utmost height J * Each one is close, and deep of heart. 7 But God shall shoot an arrow at them ; Sudden shall their wounds be. S For they shall cause their ow^n tongue to blunder [E] upon themselves j All who see them shall be struck with dismay.t * Literally, according to the reading which I follow, They search [C] out iniquities for themselves; They have finished searching a search. [D] f " Be thrown into a fluttering flight." Lxv. PSALMS. IS 9 And all mankind shall fear. And shall declare the work of God ; For they shall understand that it is his doing. 10 The Just One shall rejoice in Jehovah, and take shelter with him ; And all the upright in heart shall glory. PSALM LXV. THANKSGIVING FOR GETTING IN THE FRUITS OF THE YEAR. A HYMN FOR THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES. In this psalm God is praised for his providential go- vernment of the material world. It seems to have been a thanksgiving for the getting in of the fruits of tlie earth, and miglit be composed for the feast of Tabernacles. But considering the manifest allusion to redemption, and the conversion of the gentiles, in the former part of the Psalm, I cannot but think that the blessings of the gospel are adumbrated i* PSALMS. Lxv. under the image of genial showers, and luxuriant crops.* 1 Upon thee, O God, praise resteth t in Sion ; Unto thee shall the vow be performed in Jerusa- lem. [A] 2 Unto thee, O thou hearer of prayer. All flesh shall come. 3 The account of iniquities is too great for me j[B] Thou shalt expiate our crimes. 4 Blessed he whom thou wilt choose and take close [to thyself] ; He shall inhabit thy courts, full-fed [C] With the good-things of thy house, with the ho- ly-provender of thy temple. 5 Adorable art thou ! * See Bishop Hor'ne's argument of this psalm, and his comment upon it. f Literally, " Upon thee, O God, is the repose of praise." LXv. PSALMS. 15 In righteousness thou wilt answer us ; O God of our salvation [D], The confidence of all the extremities of the earth, And of them-that-are-far-beyond the sea j 6 Who by thy strength [E] hast set fast the moun- tains. Girt with power. 7 Who stillest the raging of the waters. The raging of the waves, and the tumult of the nations. 8 They that dwell in the utmost-parts regard-with' awe thy tokens ; Thou makest the outgoing of the morning and the evening to rejoice. " 9 Thou hast the earth under-thy-care [F] and waterest it j Greatly thou enri chest it j God is he who filleth the rivulets with M'a- terj [G] I« PSALMS. i,xvi. Thou makest-sure their crops-of-corn, for well thou hast provided for it. 10 Upon her furrowed-fields the soaking rain des- cendeth ; Her surface [H], with showers thou softenest it j Her vegetation thou dost bless. 1 1 Thou crownest the year with thy goodness, And thy chariot wheels * drop fatness. 12 They drop upon the pleasant-places of the wil- derness ; And the hills are begirt with joy. 16 The pastures [I] are cloathed with flocks. And the vallies are covered with corn. They even shout and sing. * " Thy chariot wheels," The orbs of heaven on which Jehovah, according to the imagery of the PsiUraist, rideth. Lxvi. PSALMS. 17 PSALM LXVI. A KING OF JUDAH RETURNS PUBLIC THANKS, FOR A PROVIDEN- TIAL DELIVERANCE OF THE NATION, AND OF HIS OWN PER- SON ; AND EXPECTS THE PEOPLE TO JOIN IN THE THANKS- GIVING. THE KING, THE MESSIAH : THE DELIVERANCE, — THE FINAL ONE OF THE JEWISH NATION. 1 Shout unto God, all the earth ; 2 Chaunt the glory of his name ; Give him the glory of his praise. 3 Say unto God, How adorable is thy doing ! Through the greatness of thy power, thy enemies shall become thy fawning-vassals. 4 All the earth shall worship thee. They shall chaunt unto thee, they shall chaunt thy name. 3 Come, and see the operations of God ; Adorable is his doing for the children of men. VOL. II. B 18 PSALMS. Lxvi. 6 He turned the sea into dry land ; They crossed the flood a-foot ; Then * did we rejoice in him. 7 He ruleth by his omnipotence for ever ; His eyes observe the heathen. Let not the refractory exalt themselves. 8 Bless our God, O ye peoples, Make the sound of his praise to be heard : 9 Who appointeth our soul to immortality. And suffereth not our foot to slip. 10 Truly, O God, thou hast proved us ; Thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. 1 1 Thou broughtest us into a net ; Thou laidest affliction upon our loins. 12 Thou hast caused men [A] to ride over our heads : * Literally, " Tliere," i. e. upon that occasion. LXVI. PSALMS. 19 We passed through fire and water ; But thou hast brought us out into a place of ease. 1 3 I will go to thy house with burnt-offerings, I will pay thee my vows ; 14 Which my lips uttered. And my mouth spake, when I was in distress. 15 Offerings of fatlings I will offer unto thee. With incense ; [BJ I will sacrifice rams, bullocks. And full-grown goats. 16 All ye that fear God, Come and listen, and I will relate What he hath done for my soul. 1 7 I called upon him with my mouth. And his praise was underneath my tongue. 18 If in my heart I had regarded iniquity, The Lord would not have heard me. B 2 20 PSALMS. Lxvn. 19 Verily God hath heard, He hath hearkened to the voice of my prayer. 20 Blessed be God ! Who hath not turned away my prayer. Nor [withheld*] his kindness fromrae. PSALM LXVIL A HYMN FOR THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES, PROPHETIC OF A GENERAL CONVERSION OF THE WORLD TO THE WORSHIP OF GOD. FIRST VOICE. 1 God be merciful to us, and bless us ; Cast the brightness of his countenance upon us ; SECOND VOICE. 2 That thy way may be made known in the earth, Thy salvation among all the heathen. * I suspect that some word equivalent to " mthheld" is lost in the original. Lxvir. PSALMS. 21 CHORUS. 3 Let the peoples praise thee, O God ; Let the peoples praise thee universally. FIRST VOICE. 4 Let the nations rejoice and sing, For thou shalt sentence the peoples uprightly, And comfort the nations in the earth. CHORUS. 5 Let the peoples praise thee, O God ; Let the peoples praise thee, universally. SECOND VOICE. 6 The land hath given its increase j God, our own God blesseth us. FIRST VOICE. 7 God shall bless us, And all the extremities of the earth shall fear him, B 3 PSALMS. juxviii. PSALM LXVIIL PROPHETIC OF DELIVERANCE FROM THE CAPTIVITY, AND OF THE CONVERSION OF THE NATIONS. The imagination of the Psalmist, entering upon this subject, naturally conceives the ark, as of old, borne before the army. The song therefore opens with that solemn invocation, which was used by the Is- raelites in the wilderness, in the time of Moses, whenever the tabernacle was struck, and the Levites set forward with the sacred burden upon their shoul- ders. In the 5th and 6th verses, the Psalmist declares the occasion of the present invocation ; namely, God's merciful design of restoring liberty to the cap- tives, and settling the solitary in families. This na- turally brings to his mind the great deliverance from the Egyptian bondage, the providential support of the army upon the long and toilsome march through the wilderness, the settlement of the people in Ca- naan, the choice of a place for the temple, and the display of the divine glory in the sanctuary. Lxviii. PSALMS. 23 In the 22d verse, he returns to his immediate sub- ject ; he promises the returning captives a miracu- lous protection, similar to that which their forefa- thers had experienced; and in the sequel of the song, he prophecies of the establishment of the worship of the Lord [the God-man] of the race of Israel, and of the conversion of all nations to the faith and ser- vice of the true God. 1 Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered ; Let them that hate him, flee from his presence. 2 As smoke is driven away, thou shalt drive them away ; [A] As wax is molten at the approach of fire. The impious shall perish at the presence of God. 3 But the just shall rejoice and exult before God, They shall exceedingly rejoice. 4 Sing unto God, chaunt his name : Cast-up-a-way for him that is riding through the wilderness ; In Jah is his name, [B] Therefore exult before him. B 4 21. PSALM S. xLviir. 5 The orphan's father, and the widow's advocate. Is God in his holy habitation. 6 God is bringing home his chosen ones ; * [C] By-upright-governmentt he is releasing the pri- soners, [D] Even the refractory who dwell on the bare rock. 7 O God, when thou wen test forth before thy peo- ple, When thou marchedst through the wilderness, 8 The earth shook, even Sinai itself. At the presence of God ; The heavens also dropped-down [water]. At the presence of God, the God of Israel. [E] 9 A shower of unmerited kindnesses t thou didst scatter, O God, upon thine inheritance ; When it was weary thou didst support it. * 'f His cliosen ones," literally, " unicos," " his only ones" ; the race which dwelt alone, and was not reckoned among the nations, — the peculiar objects of his favour. •|- " By upright governient," as an instrument. :j: Literally, " a plentiful rain," rain being used here metaphori* cally. Lxviir. PSALMS. 25 10 Thy flocks dwelt in the mansion which thou pre- paredst, Of thy goodness, O God, for the poor. [F] 1 1 The Lord gave the order for the joyful proQia- mation j A numerous host ! [G] 1 2 Kings of armies fled, — they fled ; > And she who staid-peaceably at home shared the spoil, [H] While the Almighty scattered the kings. 13 * When ye dwell between the ridges of hills, [Ij Then shall-ye-be-bright like snow upon Salmon : 14 [Ye shall be like] the dove covered with silver upon the wings, And upon her pinions, with the verdancy of na- tive-gold. £K] * The connection and rendering, of the 12th, 13th, and 14th verses, are very doubtful. 26 PSALMS. Lxvni. 15 A hill for God is the hill of Bashan, A hill of lofty-brows is the hill of Bashan. 36 For what would-ye-contend [L], ye hills of lofty- brows? This hill God desires for himself to dwell in ; Yes, Jehovah shall fix-his-dwelling [in it] for ever. 17 Twenty thousand, thousands of thousands is the cavalry of God ! The Lord is among them ! Sinai is in the sanctuary. [M] 1 8 Thou hast ascended on high ; [N] Thou hast captivated innumerable captives ; Thou hast received gifts For mankind, even the refractory ; Here Jah [OJ God, fixes his dwelling. 19 Blessed be the Lord, Who daily layeth this task * upon us. The God of our salvation. * Literally, *' burthen," the daily fast of blessing and thanks- giving. Lxviir. PSALMS. 27 20 He that is our God is a God of salvation. And for death are the goings-forth of the Lord Jehovah. * 21 Surely God shall wound the head of his enemies, And the hairy scalp [PJ of every one who perse- vereth in his trespasses. 22 The Lord hath saidt, I will again-take-my-march from Bashan, I will march again from the depths of the sea. 23 So that thy foot shall be imbrued [Q] in the blood of enemies, The tongue of thy dogs in the same. * i. e. When Jehovah takes the field, deadly is the battle to his enemies. See Bp. Hare and Houbigant. ■j- In this verse, the Psalmist returns to his original subject, the return of the dispersed Jews. Having described the march through the wilderness under Moses, and the first settlement in Canaan ; having set forth, in lofty strains, the irresistible power of Jehovah, he now introduces Jehovah, promising to take the re- turning Jews under his protection. This promise is conveyed in the most animating manner, by Jehovah's declaration, that, as of old, he is setting forward in person at the head of his choseR people. 28 PSALMS. Lxviii. 24 Thy manner * is seen [K], O God, Thy manner, my God and King, in the sanc- tuary. 25 Foremost, go the singers ; In the rear, the players on the psaltery j In the middle, the virgins with timbrels. « 26 They bless God in the congregation, The Lord, of the stock of Israel. [S] 27 There is Benjamin, the younger son, their ruler j The princes of Judah, their bulwark ; TheprincesofZabulon,theprincesofNapthali.[T] 28 Give commission, O God, to thy power ; [U] Hasten that thou doest for us, 29 For thy temple's sake at Jerusalem : Kings shall bring presents unto thee. * " Thy manner/' literally, " thy goings." But the Psalnaist, I think, rather alludes to the established ceremony of the temple-ser- vice than to any particular procession. Lxviii. PSALMS. 29 30 Rebuke the wild beast of the rushes, [V] The assembly of those who place-their-strength in the calves ; [W] The peoples who-excite-themselves-to-the-dance with rattles of silver ; [X] Scatter the peoples who delight in war, 31 They shall come in haste from Egypt,* [Y] Ethiopia shall-be-eager-to-stretch out her hands to God. 32 Sing unto God, O ye kingdoms of the earth j Chaunt-the-lay unto-the-Lord j 33 Unto him that rideth upon the heaven of heavens from the beginning, Lo with his voice, he sendeth forth a mighty sound. 34 Ascribe power unto God, His majesty is [displayed] in Israel, And his power in the clouds. * Or, <' The Chasmonim shall come out of Egypt." so PSALMS. Lxix. 35 Adorable, O God, art thou in thy sanctuary. The God of Israel, he giveth Power and strength to the people : Blessed be God. PSALM LXIX. t^iessiah's complaint of the impenitent jews, his ENEMIES. 1 Save me, O God, For the waters reach to my [very] soul. 2 I sink in deep mud, Where there is no standing ; I am come into deep waters. Where the torrents overwhelm me. 3 I am spent with crying ; My throat is inflamed ; Mine eyes are worn out with looking-out for God. 4 More than the hairs of my head are they that hate me without cause j 1 Lxix. PSALMS. 31 More numerous than my locks [A] are they that without provocation are my enemies ; At the time that I am restoring what I took not away. * II. 5 O God thou knowest my plan of recovery. And my ofFerings-for-sin [Bj from thee are not hidden. 6 Let them not be put to shame through me, who wait for thee, O Lord Jehovah of hosts ; Let them not be confounded through me, wh© seek thee, O God of Israel. III. 7 Truly for thy sake I have born reproach ; Confusion hath covered my face. * A proverbial expression. *' I have been accountable for the crimes of others." 32 PSALMS. Lxix. 8 I am become an out- cast from my brethren, An alien from tlie sons of my mother. 9 Because jealousy for thy house hath eaten mc up, Therefore the reproaches of tliem that reproach thee are fallen upon me. 10 When I wept away my soul, with fasting, * [C] Then it was turned to my reproach. 1 1 When I make sackcloth my garment, I serve them for a proverb. 1 2 I am the talk of them that sit in the gate. And I am made the song of the drunkard. [DJ IV. 13 But for me, my prayer is unto thee, O Jeliovah O God, it is the season of reconciliation ; In the abundance of thy mercy answer me. In the truth of thy salvation. * i. c. When I wept and fasted% Lxix. PSALMS. 33 14 Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink; Let me be delivered from them that hate me, and from the deep waters. 1 5 Let not the torrents of waters overwhelm me ; And let not the deep swallow me ; Nor let the pit shut her mouth upon me. 16 Answer me, O Jehovah, for good is thy tender love ; According to the abundance of thy compassion turn unto me. 17 And hide not thy face from thy servant ; Truly trouble is upon me ; hasten to answer me. IS Draw near to the rescue of my soul ; Deliver me, because of mine enemies. 19 Thou hast known my reproach, my shame, and my dishonour: All my tormentors are before thee. 20 Reproach hath broken my heart, and I am ill j VOL. II. c 3* PSALMS. Lxix. I look for some one to have compassion, but there is none ; For comforters, but such I find not. 21 And they give me gall for my meat, And in my thirst they give me vinegar to drink. V. 22 Let their table, [spread] before them, become a snare. And for retribution, for a trap. 23 Let their eyes be darkened that they see notp And ever make their loins to shake. 24 Pour out thine indignation upon them j Let the heat of thine anger overtake them. 25 Let their castle become desolate; In their tents let there be no inhabitant : 26 Because they have persecuted him whom thou hast smitten. Lxix. PSALMS. 35 And have added [E] to the anguish of those who are wounded of thee. 27 Give them punishment upon punishment, And admit them not to thy justification. 28 Let them be blotted out of the register of the Hving, And with the just let them not be written. 29 But for me, poor [as I am] and sorrowful, Thy salvation, O God, shall set me high. VI. 30 I will praise the name of God in song, And magnify him with thanksgiving. 31 And this shall please Jehovah more than an ox, [More than] the horned bullock with cloven hoof. 32 Behold, ye humble, and be glad, [F] Seek God, and let your heart be joyous. * * Literally, " and let your heart live." C 2 36 PSALM S. Lxx. Lxxi. 33 For Jehovah heareth the poor. And his prisoners he despiseth not. 34 Let the heavens and the earth praise him, The waters and all that moveth therein. 35 For God will save Sion, And build the cities of Jiidah ; And they shall dwell there, and possess the land.* 36 Even the seed of his servants shall inherit it. And the lovers of his name shall be settled there. PSALM LXX. [See Notes.] PSALM LXXI. [A] 1 O Jehovah, with thee I have-taken-shelter ; Let me not be-brought-to shame for ever. * « The land," literaUy, «v>," /. e. Sion, or Jiulah. Lxxi. PSALMS. 37 2 In thy righteousness deliver ine, and efFect-my- escape ; Incline thine ear unto me, and save me. 3 Be thou my rock of strength, My castle of defence to save me. [B] Truly my rock and my castle art thou ! 4 O God, effect-my-escape from the hand of the impious, From the hand of the wicked and cruel man *. 3 For thou art my hope, O Lord ; Jehovah is my confidence from-my-youth. 6 Upon thee, from the birth, I have-leaned-for sup- port ; From the womb of my mother, thou art my pro- tector ; [C] Thou art the continual subject of my praise. * Literally, " leavened man." " Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees." Leaven s^ems to be an image for habitual depravity of any kind. C 3 38 PSALMS. Lxxi. 7 I am become a-prodigious-sight * to tlie many ; But thou art my shelter [and] strength. 8 My mouth shall be full of thy praise, Thy glory, all the day. 9 Cast me not away in the season of old age ; At-the-time-when my strength is decayed, for- sake me not. 10 Truly mine enemies hold-conferences about me ; And they that watch for my life take council to- gether, 1 L Saying, God forsakes him. Pursue him and seize him, for there is no de- liverer. 12 O God, withdraw not far from me ; O God, hasten to my help. * " A prodigious sight," — " a sign which shall be spoken a- gainst." Luke II, 34. Lxxi. PSALMS. 39 13 Let the adversaries of my soul, be brought to-con- fusion, and consumed ; Let them, who seek my harm, be covered with reproach, and shame. 14 But I will continually hope. And I shall be added * to the sum of thy praise. 15 My mouth shall recount thy righteous-acts, Thy deliverances all the day. 16 Although I am no proficient in learning, f [D] I will enter upon [the subject of] the Lord Je- hovah's great might ; I will commemorate thy righteousness. [E] 17 Thou alone, O God, hast taught me. * " Be added," or " made an addition," literally, "be-made-to- be-added." The sense is, that the mercies to the Psalmist, would furnish the servants of God, with a new topic of praise and thanks- giving. f « No proficient in learning.' *' How knoweth this man letters, having never learned ?" Johp VII, 1 5. See also Matt. XIII, 5i — 56. C 4 4,0 PSALMS. Lxxi. From my Infancy even until now : I will shew * thy wondrous works. 18 Even unto hoary old age, O God, forsake me not. Until I shall have shewn * thy strength unto [the present] generation. Thy might to every one that is to come ; 19 And thy righteousness, O God, unto the height, How thou hast done great things. 20 O God, who is like unto thee, "Who hast shewn me troubles, great and sore ; [But] again thou wilt give me life ; And from the depths of the eartli again thou wilt raise me. [Fj * " shew,- have shewn," The Hehrew word signifies, "to " manifest, to make apparent, by w^ords, or in any other way.'* I choose, therefore, to render it by an English word no less gene- ral in its signification. If the Psalmist speaks in the person of the Messiah, these passages allude to the manifestation of God's power in our Lord's miracles. Lxxi. Lxxii. PSALMS. 41 21 Thou wilt multiply on me thy mighty-works; Again thou wilt comfort me. [G] 22 I also will praise thee, Thy truth, O my God, on the instruments of psaltery ; I will sing unto thee to the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel. 23 My lips shall rejoice [H] when I sing unto thee, And my soul which thou hast redeemed. 24 My tongue also shall dwell-upon thy righteous- ness all the day ; For they are brought to shame, they are sunk in infamy, who sought my hurt. PSALM LXXII. [See Notes.] 42 PSALMS. Lxxiii. PSALM LXXIIL THE believer's SCRUPLES, ARISING FROM THE PROSPERITY OF THE WICKED, REMOVED BY REVEALED RELIGION, AND THE CONSIDERATION OF THEIR LATTER END. This Psalm respects some signal judgements over- taking powerful persecutors who had long tyranni- sed over the people of God. I. 1 Surely *, God is good to Israel, To the pure in heart ! 2 But for me, within a little my feet had slipt, My steps were all but overthrown j * "Ji^. This particle here expresses the state of mind of a person meditating a difficult question, in which he is much interested, and is hardly come to a conclusion ; — A state, in the Psalmist's case, be- tncen hope and despair, though strongly inclining to> the former. Lxxiii. PSALMS. 4i; 3 For I was indignant at the foolish, When I saw the prosperity of the impious ; 4 For there is no fatahty in their death, [A] Their folly is thriving. [B] II. 5 In the troubles of mortality they are not invol- ved ; Tliey have no share in the plagues of man. 6 Hence pride is their chain ; The robe of violence invests them. 7 Their eyes are starting out for fatness, [C] They have surpassed the heart's conceptions. 8 They are in the last stage of degeneracy, [DJ and they talk for evil ; They pronounce oppression from on high. 9 They set their mouth in the heavens. And their tongue traverseth the earth. 44 PSALMS. Lxxiii. 10 Therefore his * people sit woe-begone, [E] And waters are abundantly wrung from them. 1 1 And they say, How should God know ? And is there knowledge in the Most High ? III. 12 Behold, such are the impious, and they whoever prosper; They increase in opulence. 13 [F] Surely in vain have I cleansed my heart, And washed my hands in innocency. 14 Whereas I have been plagued all the day. And chastened every morning. IV. 15 If I resolve to argue thus, [G] I should be a traitor to the generation of thy chil dren. t * /. e. God's people. f i. e. Instrumental to their fatal delusion. Lxxiii- PSALMS. 45 16 But I studied to understand this ; It seemed perplexing to me ; 17 Until I entered into the sanctuary of God, * And considered their latter end. 1 8 Surely thou settest them in slippery places, And in their elevation [H] thou castest them down. V. 19 How are they brought into desolation ! In a moment they are swept away ! [I] They are brought to nothing, even more than the things that are not ! 20 Like the dream of a man beginning to awake publicly, O Lord, thou rcnderest their vain-shew contemp- tible. [K] * i. e. <' Till I entered into the secret grounds of God's dealings with mankind." N. B. It is remarkable that the original word for " sanctuary," in this place, is plural, which is unexampled when the sanctuary is literally meant. 46 PSALMS. Lxxiii. VI. 21 My heart indeed [L] was in a ferment, And I was pricked in the reins. 22 (For I was stupid, without knowledge, I was as a brute before thee.) 23 But I was all the while with thee j Thou hadst hold of me by the right hand. 24 By thy council thou guidest me, And at last wilt take me to thy glory. [M] VII. 25 Whom have I in heaven ? And equally with thee I delight in no one upon earth. 26 My flesh faileth, and my heart ; But God is the strength of my heart, and my por- tion for ever. 27 Truly, behold, they that withdraw themselves from thee, perish j Lxxiv. Lxxv. PSALMS. 47 Thou hast cut off all who play the wanton, for- saking thee. 28 But for me, it is good for me to adhere to God ; In the Lord Jehovah I have fixed my refuge, AVhile I recount all thy works, " In the gates of the daughter of Sion." * PSALM LXXIV. [See Notes.] PSALM LXXV. PROPHETIC OF THE FINAL OVERTHROW OF THE APOSTATE FACTION. CHORUS. "T. We worship thee, O God, we worship thee, For thy wondrous works proclaim that thy name- is near. [A] * This is added from the LXX. i8 PSALMS. Lxxv. HIGH PRIEST PERSONATING THE MESSIAH. 2 When I shall get the ap})ointed time, * I will execute righteous judgement. 3 The earth t, and all her inhabitants had melted away. But that I sustain her pillars. 4 I have said unto the fools, deal not foolishly ; And to the impious, set not up the horn. 5 Set not up your horn on high. Nor speak with a retorted neck. 6 For neither from the east, nor from the west, Nor yet from the south, cometh exaltation, t * i. e. ''When the appointed season arrives." But the expres- sion, " when I get it/' denotes a strong desire, in the speaker, of its arrival. f The Messiah declares himself the supporter of the universe. <* The earth and its inhabitants had long since sunk into nothing but for my support." \ i. e. The fortunes of men are not governed by planetary in- fluences, but by God's over-ruling providence. 1 Lxxv. Lxxvi. PSALMS. * 4:9 7 For God JLidgeth ; He bringeth low, and he raiseth up, 8 Truly a cup is in the hand of Jehovah, And the wine is thickened : The mixture is full [C], and outof this he pourethj Even the dregs shall be drained out. All the impious of the earth shall drink. 9 And I will be the chief for ever, [D] I will sing to the God of Jacob. 10 And I will break all the horns of the impious* ORACULAR VOICE. The horns of the Just One shall be exalted. PSALM LXXVI. [See Notes. 3 VOL. ir. 50 PSALMS. Lxxvii. PSALM LXXVII. LAMENTATION OF ONE OF THE CAPTIVES. 1 My voice is directed unto God, and perpetually I cry ; My voice is directed unto God, that he may hear me. 2 In the day of my distress, I have ever sought the Lord; In the night, my hand hath been stretched out without intermission ; [A] My soul hath refused consolation. * 3 I remember God, yet I am troubled ; I meditate, and my spirit sinks in despondency. * The Psalmist means not. to charge himself with the guilt of an impious despair or impatience ; but he describes the assiduity of his religious exercises. His soul was never in such sort comforted, that he lost sight of his situation, and for a moment intermitted his devotions. LXXVII. PSALMS. 51 4 Watchfulness seizes fast upon my eyes, fB] I make repeated efforts, but I cannot speak. 5 I have turned my thoughts to the days of old, 1 he years of antiquity I call to remembrance. . 6 [C] I meditate in the night within my heart, I reason w ith myself, and my spirit makes deep search. [D} 7 Will God cast off for ever ? And will he never more be propitious ? 8 Is his tender mercy finally exhausted ? Is his promise £o all generations come to an end? 9 Hath God forgotten to be merciful ? Hath he in wrath shut up his compassion ? 10 Then I say, this affliction of mine Is the change of the right hand of the Highest. 1 1 I will call to remembrance the works of Jehovah, Yes, I will remember thy wonders of old. S2 PSALMS. Lxxvii. 12 I will contemplate thy wliole operation, I will meditate upon the various-things thou hast brought to pass. 13 O God, in holiness is thy way. What God is great like our God ? 14 Thou art a God doing wondrously ; Among the peoples thou hast displayed thy strength. 15 By force thou rescuedst thy people, The sons of Jacob and Joseph. 16 The waters saw thee, O God ! The waters saw thee and were afraid ; The depths even trembled. 17 The clouds poured down waters ; Sound bursts aloft in the sky ; * Thy arrows also are shot abroad in all directions. * « Sounds burst aloft in tlie sky," literally, " the uppermost 8kies gave sound.'* LXXVII. LXXXI. PSALMS. 53 18 Thy thunder bellows in the whirlwind ; The flashes of lightning give the world its light;' The earth trembles and shakes. 1 9 In the sea was thy way, And thy path in the great waters ; And thy stratagems were not known. 20 Like a flock thou leddest thy people. By the hand of Moses and Aaron. PSALMS LXXVIII, LXXIX, LXXX and LXXXI. [See Notes,] * " The flashes, &c." literally, « the flashes give light to the world." Tlie Psalmist describes a storm, which so perfectly darken* the natural light, that the only illumination M'hich the world re« ceives is from the lightning. D 3 54 PSALMS. Lxxxii PSALM LXXXII. god's just judgement foretold upon the unjust judges OF our lord. (see PS. LXIII.) This Psalm seems addressed to the court which con- demned our Lord ; who, in his state of humihation, is here described under the names of the Poor, the Fatherless, the Afflicted, tlie Needy. They are re- proached with the folly and injustice of their sen- tence ; they are threatened with punishment ; and in the last verse our Lord's exaltation is predicted. 1 God standeth in ♦:he assembly ;* God, in tlic midst of the Gods, giveth sen- tence. [A] * In what assembly ? — The assembly of his lioly angels. The Psalmist, I think, poetically imagines the celestial court, assembled lor the business of this review of the proceedings of the earth's judges, and God, in the midst of his angels, taxing their iniquity, and awarding their punishment. Lxxxii. PSALMS. 5:5 2 How long will ye patronise the oppressor. And respect the person of the impious ? 3 Patronise the helpless one, and the fatherless ; Do justice to the afflicted one, and the poor. 4 Deliver the helpless one and indigent ; Rescue him from the power of the impious. 5 They take no notice ! they will not understand ! They go on in darkness ! All the foundations of the earth are disorder- ed ! 6 I had said, ye are Gods, All of you, sons of the Highest. 7 Surely, like mortals as ye are, ye shall die ; And together, O ye princes, ye shall fall. * 8 Arise, O God, judge the earth ; Surely thou hast-a-right-of-inheritance over all the heathen. * See Archbishop Seeker, in Merrick's Notes. D 4 56 P S A L M S. Lxxxiii. — Lxxxvii. PSALMS LXXXIII, LXXXIV, LXXXV, LXXXVI. [See Notes.] PSALM LXXXVIL SALVATION IS OF THE JEM'S. Nothing is wanting to give perspicuity to this won- derful composition, but to distinguish its parts. It opens with four lines, sung, perhaps, by the whole choir, celebrating Mount-Sion, as the chosen place of God's residence, distinguished by the manifesta- tion of his glory. The Messiah interrupts these na- tional boastings of the chorus, by declaring his in- tention of turning his regard upon the idolatrous na- tions, wliich had been the most estranged from the true God. This changes the topic of praise, from God*s visible residence in the temple, to the circum- stance that Judca was the destined place of the great Deliverer's nativity. Lxxxvn. PSALMS. 57 CHORUS GF PRIESTS. 1 His building * is on the holy hills ; 2 Jehovah loveth the gates of Sion Above all dwellings of Jacob j 3 The glories of the wilderness [Aj are in thee^ O city of God. MESSIAH. 4 I will remember [B] Egypt, and Babylon, They [shall be] among them that shall acknow- ledge me, [C] Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia. CHORUS. This man [D] shall be born there. * Literally, " his foundation," i. e. the building of which he hath laid the foundations, lu English, we say, in the same sense, *' his erections." 58 ,P S A L M S. Lxxxviii. A PRIEST. 5 And every one shall say of Sion, [E] He was born there. And he, the Highest, shall establish her. 6 Jehovah shall record in the scrii^tures of the peo- pies, [F] CHORUS. " [That] This man was born there." CHORUS. 7 And all that were afflicted [G] in thee Shall sing, like those that keep a festival. PSALM LXXXVIH. THE LAMENTATION OF MESSIAH.* 1 Jehovah, God of my salvation, by day, And by night, I cry before thee. ♦ Compare Ps. XXXVIII nnd XXXIX. Lxxxviii. P S A L M S. 59 2 Let my prayer come into thy presence ; Incline thine car to my incessant supphcation,* 5 For my soul is overcharged with affliction, And my life hath been brought near to the man- sions of the dead. 4 I have been counted among them that were gone down to tlie pit ; I have been as a man without strength. 5 Cast out among the dead [A], like the wounded on the field of battle ; [B] Like them that lie in the grave, . Whom thou rememberest no more, Inasmuch as they are cut off by thy hand. 6 Thou hast placed me in the pit of the regions beneath. In darkness, in the abyss. * The original v.ord denotes nothing more than the quick and perpetual motion o;" the lips ; and expresses, as I conceive, indiscri- minately, cither the articulate or inarticulate sounds of joy, grief, er any oilier vehement perturbation. 60 PSALMS. Lxxxvni. 7 On me thy wrath resteth, And all thy breakers thou hast tumbled [C] over me. 8 Thou hast removed mine acquaintance to a dis- tance from me, Thou hast made me their abhorrence ; I am shut-up apart [D], and am not permitted to come out. 9 Mine eye is wasted with grief; I invoke thee, O Jehovah, every day ; I spread my hands before thee. 10 [E] Wilt thou perform a wonder among the dead? Shall they, who lie in dissolution, arise and praise thee ? 1 1 Shall thy tender love be published in the grave. Thy faithfulness in the seats of destruction ? 12 In the regions of darkness shall the wonders of thy Godhead be displayed ? And thy righteousness in the land of obhvion ? Lxxxviii. PSALMS. ei 13 But I, unto thee, O Jehovah, have opened my complamt ; Early in the morning my prayer comes before thee. 14 Wherefore, O Jehovah, discardest thou me ? Wherefore hidest thou thy face from me ? 15 I am afflicted and ready to expire ; From my youth I have borne thy terrors with an anxious mind. 16 Thy burning anger vents its fury upon me ; Thy terrors cut me off. 17 They come round me like water ; Every day they beset me all together. 18 Lover and friend thou hast removed to a distance from me ; Keeping mine acquaintance [F] away. 62 PSALMS. Lxxxix. PSALM LXXXIX. OCCASIONED PROBABLY BY THE DEATH OF JOSIAH. It seems not improbable, that this Psahn might be composed after the defeat and death of Josiah, upon which event the kings of Judah became the vassals of a foreign power, — first of the Egyptians, then of the Babylonians.* I. 1 I will sing the perpetnal mercies [A] of Jehovah ; With my mouth, I will declare thy faithfulness to all generations. 2 Truly I have concluded [B] that mercy will be built up for ever j Thou establishedst the heavens j like them is thy faithfulness. * Many of the Jewisli Expositors, Rab!)a and Kctanna, Valle Semoth Rabba, Midrasch Cantici Canticoruui, Solomon and Aben Ezra, refer this Psalm to the Messiah. 5 Lxxxix. PSALMS. 63 * * [C] 5 And the heavens shall praise the wonders [Dj of thy Godhead ; Thy faithfidness also in the gathering together of the saints [E], O Jehovah. II. 6 For who, in the sky, can be set in comparison with Jehovah ? Who, likened unto Jehovah, among the sons of the mighty ? 7 God is to be feared in the assembly of the saints, [He is] great and tremendous unto all them that are about him. III. 8 Jehovah, God of Hosts, who is like thee ? Mighty Jehovah ! and thy faithfulness encircles thee. [F] 9 Thou governest the pride of the swelling sea. When its waves arise thou stillest them. Gi PSALMS. . Lxxxix. 10 Thou hast crushed Rahab, that she lies gasping with her wounds ; [G] With thy powerful arm thou hast scattered thine enemies. iv. 1 1 Thine are the heavens, thine also is the earth, The universe and its full contents. Their foun- dations were laid by thee. 12 The north and the south, thou createdst them ; Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name. 13 Thine is an arm endued with force ; Strong is thy hand, high is thy right hand. 14 Righteousness and judgement are the platform of thy throne. Tender-mercy and truth attend in thy presence. V. 15 Blessed is the people acquainted with the sound of the trumpet of Jeliovah, [HJ Who lead their lives in the hght of thy presence. Lxxxix. PSALMS. 65 16 In thy name they rejoice all the day, And in thy righteousness they are exalted. 1 7 Truly the glory of their strength art thou» And in thy good will our horn is exalted. VI. FULL CHORUS. 1 8 Yes, it is for Jehovah to be our protector, It is for the Holy One of Israel to be our king. VIT. 1 9 Once [I] thou spakest in vision to thy holy oneSjf K] And saidst, I have s^ssigned due succour to a mighty man, [L] I have exalted one chosen out of the people. 20 I have found David my sei'vant, With my holy oil I have anointed him ; 21 Him with whom my hand steadily shall be, Him whom my arm shall strengthen. * * Tl)is is expositive of the David meant. VOL. II. K 66 P S A L INI S. LXxxix. 22 The enemy shall not exact upon him, And the son of wickedness shall not afflict him. 23 But I will beat down his enemies before his face, And them that hate him I will plague. 24 And my faithfulness, and tender-kindness shall be with liim. And in my name his horn shall be exalted. 25 And I will put his hand over the sea, And his right hand over the rivers. 26 He shall cry unto me, My Father art thou. My God, and the rock of my salvation. 27 Also I [on my part] will appoint him [the] first- born. High above the kings of the earth. 28 My tender love I will keep for him for ever, And my covenant with him shall be stedfast. 29 And I will appoint his seed for eternity. And make his throne like the days of heaven. Lxxxix. PSALMS. 67 SO If his sons shall abandon my law. And walk not in my judgements ; 31 If they shall profane ray statutes, And observe not my commandments; 32 Then, will I visit their apostacy with a rod, And their iniquity with stripes. 33 But my tender love for him I never will annul. Nor be false to my own veracity. 34 I will not violate my covenant. Nor alter the thing that has passed my lips. 35 Once I have sworn, by my own holiness. That I will not disappoint David. [JVI] 3 I have struck a covenant with my chosen one ; 1 have bound-myself-by-an-oath unto David my servant. 4 I will establish thy seed for ever. And build up thy throne from generation to ge- neration. E 2 GS PSALMS. ixxxxx. VIII. ORACULAR VaiCE. S6 His seed shall endure for ever. And his throne like the sun, before me. 37 As the moon, he shall be established for ever, As the faithful witness in the sky. IX. 38 But thou hast cast off and abhorred. Thou nast been transported with anger against thine anointed. 39 Thou hast abolished the covenant [N] with thy servant ; Thou hast cast his crown with contempt upon the ground. 40 Thou hast broken down all his fences, Thou hast made his fortified places a ruin. 41 All that pass by the way plunder him. He is become a reproach unto his neighbours. XXXXIX. PSALMS. 69 42 Thou hast exalted the right hand of his adver- saries. Thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice. 43 Thou hast taken away the temper of his sword. Thou hast not supported him in the battle. 44 Thou hast taken away his unsullied glory. And his throne thou hast cast down to the ground. 45 Thou hast cut short his youthful days. Thou hast overwhelmed him with disgrace. 46 How long, O Jehovah, wilt thou hide thyself ?-— for ever ? Shall thy w^rath burn like fire ? 47 Remember what a reptile * I am ; Wherefore hast thou made all the sons of men mere vanity ? * Literally, « 3- weazle." E 3 TO PSALMS. LXXXIX. X. ORACULAll VOICE. 48 Who is the man tliat shall live, and not see death, That shall rescue his soul from the power of the ffrave ? XI. 49 Where are thy tender mercies of the former times, O Lord ? Thou didst bind thyself, by an oath to David, in thy truth. 50 [O] Remember, O Lord, all the contention of the peoples ; How I have borne in my bosom the reproaches [cast upon] thy servants. 51 How the enemies of Jehovah reproach. How they reproach the recompense [PJ of thine anointed one. Blessed be Jehovah for ever more. Amen and amen. 5 xc. PSALMS, 71 PSALM XC. THE PRAYER OF MOSES THE MAN OF GOD, OCCASIONED PRO- BABLY BY god's SENTENCE AGAINST THE MURMURING ISRAELITES, Notwithstanding the long lives of Moses and Joshua, it appears, by the sentence pronounced upon tiie murmuring Israelites (Numb. XIV, 27, &c.), that, in that age, human life was reduced to the standard mentioned in the lOtli verse of this Psalm. The brevity, therefore, of that measure of man's days, is no sufficient reason to suspect that the Psalm was of a later age, and is to be ascribed to some other Author. 1 O Lord, through eacli succeeding generation, Thou hast been our home. [Aj 2 Or ever the mountains were brought forth. Before the birth of the earth, and the universal frame. From eternity to eternity [art] Thou. [B] E 4 72 PSALMS. xc. 3 Reduce not the weak race of mortals to the dust, [C] But say, Return ye sons of men. 4 Truly a thousand years are in thy sight as yester- day j Truly it is passed as a watch of the night. 5 Thou sheddest over them the dew of sleep, [D] In tlie morning * they shall be like the springing grass; [E] 6 In the morning, it flourisheth, and is growing ; In the evening, it is cut down, and withereth. 7 Truly we are consumed in thy anger. And in the heat-of-thy- wrath we are confounded. 8 Thou settest our iniquities before thee, C \r secret sin in the light of thy presence. 9 When all our days are passed away t * i. e. Tlie morning of the future life ; — the resurrection, f Literally, " turned off." xt. PSALMS. 73 We are consumed in thine anger; our years [are] as it were a tale. * 10 As for the days of our years, they amount to seventy years. Or perhaps in great strength [F] to fourscore ; But the greater part of them is vexation and sor- row, For the mower [G] is coming in haste, and we fiiint t. 11 AVho understandeth the power of thy wrath, [H] And to reckon thine anger in proportion to thy fear ? [I] 12 Make known, in such sort, thy right hand,|: That we may apply the heart to wisdom. 13 The returning, [K] O Jehovah, when will it be. And the consolation for thy servants ? * i. e. Few and evil are the days of our pilgrimage. Our lives pass away in the vanity of sin, and the miseries of this evil world ; and at last we sink in death, oppressed with the sense of thy wrath. f i. e. Under the constant forethought and apprehension of death. \ Give us that sense of discernment of thy providential govern- ment of the world, that we may apply our hearts to that wisdom vhich is so greatly neglected. 71. PSALMS. xc. xci. 14 Feast us in the morning with thy mercy. That we may sing and rejoice all our days. 15 Give us joy, in proportion to the days that thoii liast afflicted us, The years which we have seen evil. 16 Let thy operation be displayed unto thy servants. And thy glory upon their children. 17 Let the sweet savour of Jehovah our God bfi- upon us, And the work we take in hand direct for us. The work we take in hand do thou direct. [L], PSALM XCL god's love for the MESSIAH, A SONG FOR THREE VOICES. CHIEF LEVITEj MESSIAH IN HIS HUMAN NATURE, — AND JEHOVAH. The Psalm opens in a highly animated strain, the chief Levite singing the 1st vg.'se, of which the Mes- xci. PSALMS. 75 sicili is understood to be the subject. In the 2d verse, Messiah himself speaks. In the 3d verse, the chief Levite, or first singer, takes up the song again, ad- dressing himself to the Messiah. At the 9th verse, the Messiah interrupts the chief Levite's song with a single line in his own person. In the second line of the same verse, the chief Levite resumes the sub- ject. The chief Levite's part ends with the 13th verse. In the three fbilowing verses, God is the speaker. CHIEF LEVITE. 1 He shall dwell in the secret place of the Highest, He shall lodge-himself under the shadow of tlie Almighty. MESSIAH, 2 I say unto Jehovah, he is my place of shelter and defence. My God, in whom I-place-my-trust. 7ff PSALMS. xci. CHlfiF LEVITE. 5 Truly he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, From the noxious pestilence. 4 Under his pinions he shall cover thee, Thou shalt find shelter beneath his wings ; His truth shall be thy shield and buckler. '5 Thou shalt have no cause to fear any terror of the night, Nor the arrow that flieth by day ; 6 The pestilence that maketh its progress in dark- ness. Nor the destruction that wasteth at noon-day. 7 A thousand shall fall at thy side. Ten thousand at thy right hand. But it shall not approach thee. 8 Only with thine eyes thou shalt look on, And see the recompence of the impious. xcr. PSALMS. '11 MESSIAH. 9 Truly thou, Jehovah, art my place of shelter. CHIEF LEVITE. Thou hast made the Highest thy home. * 10 Evil shall not befal thee. And the plague shall not come near thy tent. 1 1 For he has given his angels charge of thee, To keep thee in all thy ways. 12 They shall bear thee up in their hands. That thou hit not thy foot against a stone. * " The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but tlie Son of Man hath not where to lay his head.'* In his wander- ing state, God's protection was to him instead of house and home. There is the same force and beauty in this image, as in the appli- cation of it to the Israelites in the first verse of the. preceding Psalm. 78 PSALMS. xci. 13 Thou shalt walk over the asp and basilisk, * Thou shalt trample on the young lion, and the dragon. JEHOVAH. 14 Yes. He is united to me, and I will deliver him ; I will set him high, because he hath known my name. 15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him. — I am with him ; In distress I will deliver him, and raise him to glory. 16 I will feast him to the full with length of days, And shew him my complete salvation, t * In the names of animals I think it safest to follow the anlicnt interpreters. f The word in the original is phii-al, to denote the utmost ex- tent of the thing. I have therefore added the word " complete.'* xciii. PSALMS. 79 PSALM XCIL [See Notes.] PSALM XCIIL A HYMN FOR THE SABBATH DAY. 1 Jehovah is King, Jehovah is gorgeously arrayed, [A] He hath girt himself with strength j He hath also nicely poised the universe, That it may never move, 2 Thenceforward hath thy throne been establishedv From eternity art thou. 3 The floods, O Jehovah, raised. The floods raised their voice ; The floods lifted up their waves. With the sound of many waters. *" * This is the first line of tlie -tth, but should be joined to the 'kl verse. — And are not the floods here mentioned, the fluids of tho so PSALMS. xciv. 4 Mighty are tlie breakers of the sea * ! Miglity on high is Jehovah. 5 Thy oracles are very certain ; HoUness is the beauty of thy house. For length of days. PSALM XCIV. MESSIAH COMFORTS HIS AFFLICTED PEOFLE, WITH A PK-GMISE OF THE FINAL EXCISION OF THE APOSTATE FACTION. The whole Psalm naturallv divides itself into five stanzas. The first stanza, consisting of the first seven verses, describes tire afflicted state of God's people, and implores the divine aid. The second stanza, consisting of the 8th, 9tli, lOtli, and lltli verses, as- serts God's omniscience and omnipresence. The third stanza, consisting of the 12th, 13th, 14tb, and 15tli verses, touches on the general consolation to indigested chaos, in wild irregular agitation, before the Creator had reduced it to form and order ? Or rather, may tX\Qy not be mysti- <;alj — jtbe tumults of tlje rcbdUovis people ? XCIVi PSALMS. 81 be derived from religion in adversity, and, in parti- cular, holds out the hope of the Messiali. In the fifth and last stanza, consisting of the eight remain- ing verses, the Messiah himself speaks, except in the last line which is the full chorus. I. FIRST SEMICHORUS. 1 Thou God to whom vengeance belongeth, Je- hovah, Thou God to whom vengeance belongeth, dis- play thy glory. 2 Set up thy authority, O thou Judge of the earth, Render due recompence unto the haughty. . 3 How long shall the impious, O Jehovah, How long shall the impious triumph ? 4 Devise and utter perversity, And boast themselves, all the workers of ini- quity ? VOL. II. p 82 PSALMS. xciv. 5 They crush thy people, O Jehovah, And afflict thine heritage. 6 The widow and the stranger they kill. And the orphans they murder. 7 And they say, Jehovah seeth not. And there is no intelligence in the God of Israel. II. SECOND SEMICHORUS. 8 Understand, ye stupid among the people. Ye fools, when will ye become wise ? 9 He that planted the ear, shall he not hear ? He that formed the eye, shall he not see ? 10 He who tutoreth the heathen, shall he not re- prove ? He that teacheth man knowledge, [A] 1 1 Jehovah knoweth the devices of man, [B3 That they are vanity. xciv. PSALMS. 83 III. FIRST SEMICHORUS. 12 Blessed is the man, whom thou tutorest, Jeho- vah, And teachest out of thy law, 13 To produce ease for him out of the days of ad- versity, * While the pit is digging for the impious. IV. SECOND SEMICHORUS. 14 Truly, Jehovah will not leave his people, And his heritage he will not abandon. * i. e. To set his mind at rest upon the subject of his own suffer- ings in the present world, and those of good men in general. On this verse, See my Letter to Dr Blayney. F 2 84. PSALMS. xciv. 15 Surely the Just Witness * shall restore judge- ment, And all the upright in heart shall follow him. V. MESSIAH. 16 Who will rise to take my part against evil doers? Who will set himself on my side [C] against the abettors of iniquity ? 1 7 Had not Jehovah given me help, My soul had soon taken up its abode in the re- gions of inaction. 1 8 When I thought my foot was slipping, Thy tender mercy, O Jehovah, supported me. 1 9 In the multitude of my anxieties within me, - Thy comforts cheered [DJ my soul. * i. c. The Messiah. See Malachi III, 5. xciv.— c. PSALMS. 85 20 Shall the throne of iniquity be associated with thee. Framing oppression under the pretence of law ?[Ej 21 They attack the life of the Just One, And they condemn the blood of the guiltless. 22 But Jehovah shall be to me in the stead of an in- accessible retreat, And my God, in the stead of a rock of shelter. 23 He shall bring back upon them their own iniquity. He shall cut them off in their own ill-deeds ; — FULL CHORUS. Jehovah, our God, shall cut them off. THE INTRODUCTION OF THE FIRST-BEGOTTEN INTO THE WORLD. A PROPHETIC SONG CONSISTING OF SIX PARTS ; NAMELY, PSALMS XCV, XCVI, XCVII, XCVIII, XCIX, C. These six Psalms form, if I mistake not, one en- tire prophetic poem, cited by St Paul in the Epistle F 3 8G PSALMS. xcv.— c. to the Hebrews, under the title of the Introduction of the First-Born into the World. Each Psalm has its proper subject, which is some particular branch of the general argument, the establishment of the Messiah's kingdom. The XCVth Psalm asserts Je- hovah's Godhead and his power over all nature, and exhorts his people to serve him. In Psalm XCVIth, all nations are exhorted to join in his service, be- cause he Cometh to judge all mankind, Jew and Gen- tile. In the XCVHth Psalm, Jehovah reigns over all the world, the idols are deserted, the Just One is glorified. In the XCVIIIth Psalm, Jehovah hath done wonders, and wrought deliverance for himself: He hath remembered his mercy toward the house of Israel : he comes to judge the whole world. This, I think, clearly alludes to a restoration of the Jewish nation. In the XCIXth, Jehovah, seated between the cherubim in Zion [the visible church], reigns over all the world, to be praised for the justice of his government. This Psalm alludes, I think, to a reign of Jehovah in Zion, subsequent to the restoration of the Jewish nation, when Moses, Aaron, and Samuel are to bear a part in the general worship. In the Cth Psalm, all the world is called upon to praise Jehovah the Creator, whose mercy and truth are everlasting. xcv. PSALMS. 87 PART I.— PSALM XCV. [A] I. FIRST SEMICHORUS. 1 Come on, let us sing unto Jehovah ; Let us raise the loud peal of melody [B] to the rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before his presence with thanks- giving. Let us chaunt aloud to him the measured lay.[C] 3 For a great God is Jehovah, And a great King, above all gods : 4 [D] The God, in whose hand are the nethermost recesses of the earth, Whose also are the inaccessible summits of the mountains : p 4 18 PSALMS. xcv. 5 The God to whom the sea belongs, for he made it; The dry land also, his liands formed it. II. SECOND SEMICHORUS, 6 Come, let us fall prostrate, and bow the head, and bend the knee. In the presence of Jehovah our Maker; For he is our God ; and we 7 Are the people of his pasture, and the flock of his hand. To day, if ye will hear his voice, III. ORACULAR VOICE. 8 Harden not your hearts as in the contention, In the day of provocation in the wilderness ; xcv. xcvi, PSALMS. 89 9 When your fathers provoked me; They put me to the trial, although they had seen my work. 10 Forty years I was disgusted with that generation, And said, ** A people unsettled in heart are these, They know not my ways.'* 1 1 To whom I sware in my wrath, That they should not enter into my rest. PART II.— PSALM XCVI, FIRST SEMICHORUS. 1 Sing ye to Jehovah a new song, * Sing to Jehovah, all the earth, 2 Sing unto Jehovah, bless his name, Proclaim his salvation from day to day. * The exhortation to sing «< a new song," alludes to the intended institution of a new worship. «0 PSALMS. xcvf. 3 Declare his glory among the nations, And his wonders among all peoples. 4 Truly great is Jeliovah, and exceedingly to be praised ; He is to be feared above all gods. 5 Truly all the gods of the peoples are contemptible ; But Jehovah made the heavens. 6 Glory and majesty are in his presence. Strength and beauty in his sanctuary. II. SECOND SEMICHORUS. 7 Ascribe unto Jehovah, ye families of the peoples, Ascribe unto Jehovah, glory and strength. 8 Ascribe unto Jehovah the glory of his name ; Take a bread-offering * and come into his courts. * "A raincha ;" an offering of bread and flour, not of flesh. xcvi. PSALMS. 91 9 Worship Jehovah in the beauties of holiness, * Stand in awe before him, all the earth. III. FIRST SEMICHORUS. 10 Proclaim among the nations, that Jehovah is king ; He hath also duly poised the world that it may not move ; He shall judge the peoples with equity. 1 1 Let the heavens rejoice, and the earth leap for joy; Let the sea roar, and its contents. 12 Let the field rejoice, and all that is in it ; Even let all the trees of the forest give sign of Joy,t * See Psalm CX, 3. t See Psalm XCVIII, 8. 92 PSALMS. xcvii. FULL CHORUS. 13 Before Jehovah, for he cometh, Yes, he cometh to judge the earth ; He shall judge the universe with justice, And the peoples according to his truth. PART HI.— PSALM XCVIL FULL CHORUS. 1 Jehovah reigneth. Let the earth dance for joy. Let the various settlements of man rejoice. [A] FIRST SEMICHORUS. 2 Clouds and misty darkness are round about, •Justice and judgement are the platform of his throne. ^ A lire runs before him, And consumes his enemies on every side. xcvii, PSALMS. 9."^ SECOND SEMICHORUS. 4 His lightnings gave the world its light, The earth saw it, and was dismayed. 6 The mountains melted like wax at the presence of Jehovah, At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. FIRST SEMICHORUS. 6 The heavens have made known his righteousness. And all the peoples have seen his glory. 7 All they shall be ashamed that serve the graven image, That place a vain confidence in their contempti- ble idols. FULL CHORUS. Worship Him * all ye gods. * Or more literally, " make prostration unto him," &c. 94 PSALMS. xcvii. SECOND SEMICHORUS. 8 Zion hearetli and rejoiceth. And the daughters of Judah dance for joy. Because of thy judgements, O Jehovah. 9 Truly thou, O Jehovah, art high over all the earth, Thou art exceedingly exalted above all gods. FIRST SEMICHORUS. 10 O ye that love Jehovah, abhor evil j He hath in safe-keeping the souls of his saints. He will deliver them from the hand of the im- pious. 1 1 Light is scattered over the Just One, * And there is joy for the upright in heart. * See my Sermon on, " Worship Him all y& gods." xcviir. PSALMS. 95 FULL CHORUS. 12 Rejoice, ye righteous, in Jehovah, And thankfully commemorate his holiness. PART IV.—PSALM XCVIII. FULL CHORUS. 1 Sing unto Jehovah a new song, For he hath done wonderful things. By himself, his right hand and his holy arm have accomplished deliverance. * * Literally, " have wrought deHverance for him,'* i. e. not de- liverance of him, as if God had been himself in danger or distress ; but that is donejbr any one, which is done agreeably to his wishes and intentions, and at his instigation. The original, therefore, ex- presses, that the deliverance wrought was originally designed and decreed by God, and that his immediate power effected the thing intended without any other aid. 96 PSALMS. xcviii. FIRST SEMICHORUS. 2 Jehovah hath displayed his power of deliverance; In the sight of the nations, he hath openly shewn his righteousness. SECOND SEMICHORUS. 3 He hath called to remembrance his tenderness, and firm affection for the house of Israel ; All the extremities of the earth have seen the salvation of oui' God. FULL CHORUS. 4 Raise the loud peal to Jehovah, Strike up, sing, and chaunt the measured lay *. FIRST SEMICHORUS. 5 Chaunt unto Jehovah to the harp, To the harp, and the sound of the zimrah. [A] * See Psalm XCV, 1 & 2, xcvin. PSALMS. 07 6 With cornets, and the sound of the trumpet, liaise the loud peal before Jehovah, the King. SECOND SEMICHORUS. 7 Let the sea roar, and its contents ; The universe, and its inliabitants. 8 Let the floods sound applause, * Let the mountains join to give signs of joy [B] FULL CHORUS. 9 Before Jehovah : For he cometh to judge the earth ; He shall judge the universe with justice. And the peoples with equity. PART v.— PSALM XCLX. [A] FULL CHORUS. 1 Jehovah reigneth, let the peoples tremble ; He is seated between the cherubim, let the earth bow down. * Literally, " clap their hands.** VOL. II. G 38 PSA L M S, xcix. J .k'liovah is in Sioii ; He is great and Jiigh over all the peoples. PIllST SEMICHORUS. 3 They sliall praise thy Name ; Great and terrible, Holy it is and powerful. [B] 4 A king loving judgement art thou. Thou hast established equity, Thou hast executed judgement, and righteous- ness in Jacob. SECOND SEMICHORUS. J Exalt ye Jehovah our Gotl, And make prostration before his footstool ; It is holy. G Moses and Aaron, among his priests. And Samuel, among the invokers of his Name j xcix. c. PSALMS. 99 FIRST SEMICHORUS. 7 They were invokers of his name, and lie answered them; He talked with them in tlie pillar of cloud ; They kept his testimonies, and the law wliich he gave them. $ Jehovah our God, thou didst perform thy part for them ; A foster-father God thou wast unto them j [A God] avenger of their wrongs. [C] rULL CHORUS. 9 Exalt ye Jehovah our God, And make prostration at his holy hill j For holy is Jehovah our God. PART VI.— PSALM C. rULL CHORUS. i Raise the loud peal to Jehovah, all the earth. 6 2 100 PSALMS. c. 2 Serve the Jehovah with gladness. And come into his presence with signs of joy. SINGLE VOICE. 3 Know ye that Jehovah he is God, He made us, and his are we ; [A] His people and the flock of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with confession, * His courts with praise. Confess him ; bless his name. FULL CH0RU&, 3 For 2fOod is Jehovah, * " Confession." The original word is very ill rendered here, and in many other places in the public translation, by thanhsgiving. It denotes generally those public acts of homage and devotion, whether of prayer, praise or thanksgiving, by Mhich God is acknow- Icdijed and confessed. ciu PSALMS. 101 To eternity is his tender kindness, And from generation to generation is his sted- fast love.* PSALM CII. TEAYER AND LAMENTATION OF A BELIEVER, IN THE TIME OF THE LAST ANTICHRISTIAN PERSECUTION. I divide the whole Psalm into three parts. In the first part, consisting of the first fifteen verses, the be- liever complains and prays. In the second part, con- sisting of the seven verses next following the fifteenth, another speaker comforts the complainants with the assurance of speedy deliverance. In the third part, consisting of the last six verses of the Psahii, the first speaker resumes his supplication. * " His stedfast love," literally, " truth ;" but, I think, the thing particularly intended is, the constancy and stedfastness of God's at- tachment to the objects of his free love. G 3 102 PSALMS. cii. I. THE SUPPLIANT. 1 O Jehovah, hear my prayer, And let my cry come unto thee, 2 Hide not thy face from me, in the day of my dis« tress ; Incline thine ear to me, in the day when I call j Speedily answer me. 3 For my days are consumed like smoke, And my bones are burnt like a fire-brand. 4 My heart is blighted like grass, and withered ; Truly, I have forgotten to eat my bread. 5 For the voice of my bewailing My bone cleaveth to my flesh.* 6 I am become like the pelican of the wilderness ; I am like the owl of the ruins. * Or " skin." See Ps. CXIX, 120. .5 €11. PSALMS. 103 7 I am ever watcliful, and am like The solitary bird on the house-top. [A] 8 Mine enemies reproach me all the day, And [B] the profligate make me their standard of execration. [C] 9 Truly, I have eaten ashes Hke bread. And my drink with tears, 10 On account of thy wrath and indignation ; For thou liast raised me up, and cast me down [again]. 1 1 My days are like the lengthened shadow ,* And I am withering like grass, 12 Bat thou, O Jehovah, art immoveable for ever. And thy remembrance is to all successive gene- rations, 13 Arise thou, take compassion upon Sion, For it is the season to shew her kindness, for the appointed time is come. *SeePs. CIX, 23. 104. PSALMS. cTi. 14 For tliy servants have a fondness for her stones. And bear affectionate regard to her very rubbish. 15 So shall the heathenf fear the name of Jehovah, And all the kings of the earth, thy glory. II. ANOTHER PERSON COMFORTING THE SUPPLIANT, 16 Truly Jehovah is buildincj Sion ; He appeareth in his glory. 17 He regardeth the prayer of the destitute. And their prayer he despiseth not. [D] 1 8 Let this be written for a future generation. That a people to be created may praise Jehovah. 19 Surely* the Holy One looks out from his high place ; [Ej Jehovah from the heavens surveys the earth ; * " Surely," S:c. This is what tlie Psalmist orders to be record- ed for the information.of future generations, \\ho seeing the exact en. PSALMS. 105 20 To hear tlie groans of the prisoner. To set at large the appointed victims of death ;* 21 That the name of Jehovah may be declared in Zion, And his praise in Jerusalem ; 22 What time the peoples shall be assembled all to- gether. And the kingdoms, to serve the Jehovah. III. THE SUPPLIANT. 23 He hath abated my strength upon the journey ;t He hatli cut short my days. completion of the propliecy in the event of things, shall perceive in that a proof of the thing asserted, — the pei-petual interposition of God's providence conducting human affairs. * Literally, " sons of death." f A proverbial expression, as I conceive. 106 PSALMS. en. 24 I say, O my God, carry me not off' in the midst of my days. Thy years are for all generations. 25 Of old time, thou laidst the foundations of the earth. And the heavens are a work of thy hands. 26 They shall perish, but thou standest immutable j They all shall wear with age like a garment. As raiment thou shalt change them, and they shall be changed. 27 But thou [still art] he [that was before]. And thy years shall never reach their total sum. 28 The posterity of thy servants shall have a settle- ment, And their seed shall be established in thy pre- sence. cm. CIV, PSALMS. 107 PSALM cm. PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING TO GOD FOR HIS MERCIES TO REPENTANT SINNERS. PSALxM CIV. AN HYMN FOR THE SABBATH-DAY. This Hymn celebrates the power of Jehovah dis- played in the creation of the universe, the destruc- tion of the earth by the deluge, and the restoration of beauty and order after that calamity ; and de- scribes the dependence of all Nature, animated and vegetable, upon his providence, for sustenance and preservation. For regularity of composition, rich- ness of imagery, sublimity of sentiment, and ele- gance and perspicuity of diction, it is perhaps the principal poem in the whole collection of these in- spired songs. As there is no allusion in it to the Mosaic ritual, nor any mention of the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt, it should seem that it 108 PSALMS. -CIV. was of an earlier age than tlie Exodus. It consists of parts sung alternately by two companies. The parts are easily distinguished, inasmuch as one Se- michorus always speaks of God in the tliird person, the other addresses him in the second. [AJ FIRST SEMICIIORUS. 1 Bless the Jehovah, O my Soul — SECOND SEMICHORUS. Jehovah, ray God, thou art exceeding great, Thou art arrayed in glory and majesty. FIRST SEMICHORUS. •2 Investing with light like a garment. Extending the heavens like a canopy. 3 Laying the floor of his chambers upon the waters. Constituting clouds his chariot. Travelling upon the wings of wind : * * Or, « the Spirit." CIV. PSALMS. 109 4 Making Iiis angels blasts. His attendants a blazing fire : * 5 Setting the earth firm on its foundation, To eternity it never shall be moved. SECOND SEMICHORUS. 6 With the deep, as a garment, thou coveredst it ; The waters stood above the hills. 7 At thy rebuke they retire. At the voice of thy thunder they hurry away, 8 Up the mountains, down the vallies,t Unto the place which thou hast established for them. * The first seven lines of tlils strophe allude, as I conceive, to circumstances which usually accompanied the appearance of the Shechinah in the patriarchal ages. f The waters of the deluge, retiring to the bed of the sea, In their way are driven up mountains, and fall down vallies. Mudge, 110 TPSALM?5. CIT. 9 Thou hast appointed a boundary which they must not pass ; They never again may cover the earth : FIRST SEMICHORUS. 10 Sending the springs into the valleys. Which run amons; the hills. o 1 1 They afford drink to all the beasts of the field. The wild asses quench their thirst. 12 Beside them the birds of the air have their dwelling. Among the leafy branches they give their song. 13 Watering the mountains from his chambers. The earth is replenished with fruits by his opera- tion. * [Bj 14 Making grass to grow for the cattle. And herbage for the service of man j * Dr Durell. CIV. PSALMS. Ill To bring fortli bread from the ground, For bread supports the heart of mortals ; 15 And wine which gladdens the heart of mortals. And to brighten the countenance with oil. [C] 1 6 The trees of Jehovah are plenteously supplied, The cedars of Lebanon which he hath planted. 1 7 There the birds build their nests, The fir-trees are the house of the stork. 18 The high mountains for the wild goats. The rocks are a refuge for the jerboas. 19 Making the moon for seasons. The Sun [which] knoweth his setting point. SECOND SEMICHORUS. 20 Thou appointest darkness, and it is night. Then all the beasts of the forests creep abroad. 21 The young lions roaring for the prey. And seeking their food of God. 112 PSALMS. ciT 22 Tlie sun ariseth, — they retire. And couch in their lairs. 23 Man gocth abroad to his work. And to his labour until the evening. 24 O Jehovali, how great and various are thy works.. In wisdom thou hast made them all : The whole contents of the earth is thy property. 23 This sea, so vast and wide on every side ! There, are moving things without number, Animals, the small with the great ! 26 There the ships make their voyages. There is leviathan, whom thou hast formed to take his pastime there ; 27 All these look anxiously to thee, To appoint them their food in its season. 28 Thou appointest them [their food], they receive it; Thou openest thy hand j they are feasted to the full with good. cv. PSALMS. 113 29 Thou liidest thy face ; they are in perplexity : Thou recallest their breath ; they expire, And return unto their dust. SO Thou sendcst forth thy breath ; they are created. And the face of the earth is renovated. FIRST SEMICHORUS. SI The glory of Jehovah shall endiu'e for ever, Jehovah shall rejoice in his own works. 32 If he but look upon the earth, it trembles ; If he but touch the mountains, they smoke. 23 I will sing unto Jehovah while I live, I will chaunt unto my God through the whole of my existence. [D] 34 Let my meditation be pleasing unto him ; [E] I will rejoice in Jehovah. GRAND CHORUS. 35 Sinners shall be brought to an end upon the earth, VOL. II. H 114. P S A L ]M S. cv. cvT. cvii. And the impious shall be no more. Bless the Jehovah, O my soul ! Praise ye Jehovah, PSALM CV. CVI. [See- Notes.] PSALM CVII. THANKSGIVING FOR THE FINAL RESTOKATION FROM TfiE DISrERSION. PART I. [A] AIR FOR ONE VOICE. 1 Make confession unto Jehovah ; for he is good, For his tender love is everlasting. 2 So say the redeemed of Jehovah, Whom he hath redeemed from the power of the enemy : And hath gathered them from all countries. cvir. PSALMS. 115 3 From the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. [B] 4 They wandered in the wiklerness, in the dry de- sart, And fomid no road to the city, [their] dweUing. 5 Hungry and thirsty, Their soul fainted within them. PIRST SEMICHORUS. 6 But they cry unto Jehovah in their distress. From their difficulties he delivereth them. SECOND SEMICHORUS. 7 And he conducteth them by the direct road, To go to the city, their dwelling. FULL CHORUS. 8 Let them make confession to Jehovah of his goodness, And his wonderful doings for the sons of men, H 2 116 PSALMS. cvii. 9 For he hath fed to the full the longing soul, The soul famished with hunger he hath filled with good. PART II. AIR FOR ONE VOICE. 10 They are sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, Bound in misery and iron. 11 Because they have rebelled against the word of God, And have contemned the counsel of the Highest. 12 Therefore their heart is humbled with trouble, They stumble, and there is no helper. FIRST SEMICIIORUS. 13 But they cry unto Jehovah in their distress. From their difficulties he saveth them. evil. PSALMS. 117 SECOND SEMICIIORUS. 1 4 He bringeth them forth out of darkness and the shadow of death. And their fetters he breaketh. FULL CHORUS. 15 Let them make confession to Jehovah of his goodness, And his wonderful doings for the sons of men. 16 For he hath shivered the gates of brass. And the bars of iron he hath cut asunder. PART in. AIR FOR ONE VOICE. 17 They are fooHsh, they wilfully deviate from the way, [C] And for their iniquities they are humbled. II 3 118 PSALMS. cvii. 18 Their soul abhorreth all manner of food ; They arc come near to tlic gates of death. FIRST SEMICIIORUS. 19 But they cry unto Jehovah in their distress, From their difficulties he saveth tliem. SECOND SEMICHORUS. 20 He sendeth forth his word and healeth them, And rescueth them from their own destructions. FULL CHORUS. 21 Let them make confession to Jehovah of his goodness, And his wonderful doings for the sons of men. 22 Let them sacrifice sacrifices of acknowledgement. And declare his works with demonstrations of joy. cm. PSALMS. 119 PART IV. AIR FOR ONE VOICE. 23 They that embark on the sea in ships, And exercise their business in the great waters 5 24 These men see the works of Jehovah, And his wonderful doings in the deep. 2.5 For he speaketh, and the turbulent blast ariseth, Which liftetli high its waves. 26 They mount to the skies, they sink to the abyss. In their evil plight their soul is melted. 27 They spin round and round *, they stagger like a drunken man. And all their skill is drowned.t * The motion of a ship in a vortex. •f i. e. Their skill in the art of navigation is drowned ; a rneta* phor taken from the particular danger which threatens thcra. II 4 120 PSALMS. cvii. FIRST SEMICIIORUS. 28 But they cry unto Jehovah in their distress ; From their difficulties he brings them out. SECOND SEMICHORUS. 29 He makes the storm a cahn, And the waves of the sea[D]] are hushed. 30 Then they rejoice because they are at ease. He conducts tliem to the haven of their destina- tion.* FULL CHORUS. 31 Let them make confession to Jehovah of his goodness, And his wonderful doings for the sons of men. * Literally, " the haven of their good pleasure.'* cvn. PSALMS. 121 SB Let them exalt him in the congregation of the people, And in the assembly of the elders let them praise him. PART V. ATR FOR ONE VOICE, 33 He tm-neth rivers into a wilderness. And springs of water into a dry soil j 34 A fruitful land into barrenness. For the wickedness of them that inhabit it. 35 He turneth the wilderness into a lake of water. And the land of drought into springs of waters. 36 And there he settleth the fiunished, And they build a city [for theirj dwelling. 37 And they sow the fields, and plant the vineyards. And they gather the fruits of the produce. 122 PSALMS. cvii. cviii. 38 And he blesseth them, and tliey tlirive exceed- And then' cattle he suffbretli not to decrease. 39 Bnt they sin* : then they are reduced and bowed down, Through oppression, affliction, and sorrow. 40 He poureth out contempt upon leaders. And maketh them to wander in the waste where there is no road. rmST SEMICHORUS. 41 Yet he raiseth high the poor one out of misery, And maketh him families like a flock of sheep, SECOND SEMICHORUS. 42 The upright shall see and rejoice, And all iniquity shall stop her mouth. * Literally, " They become vile," or, « good for nothing.'* cviii. cix, PSALMS. 123 FULL CHORUS. 43 Whosoever is wise will mark well these things. And he shall understand the goodness of Jeho- vah. PSALM CVIII. [Sec Notes.] PSALM CIX. Messiah's prophetic malediction of the Jewish nation. The first five verses of this Psalm clearly describe the treatment which our Lord met with from the Jews. The curses that follow, as clearly describe the judgements which have fallen upon that miser- able people. So that the whole is a prediction of his sufferings, and of their punishment, delivered in the 124. PSALM S. cix. form of complaint and imprecation. Nor is there any thing in it, rightly understood, more offensive than in the prophetic curses of the patriarchs. 1 O God, the theme of my praise, be not averse to hear, 2 For tlie mouth of impiety, and the mouth of de- ceit, are opened against me, Tliey speak against me with a lying tongue. 3 And words of hatred have surrounded me ; And they fight against me without provocation, 4 In requital of my love they are my adversaries. But I am all prayer.* 5 They do me premeditated harm in return for good. And hatred in requital of my love. * See Mudge. cix- PSALMS. 125 6 Give thou the Evil One charge over him,* And let Satan stand at his right hand. V Upon his trial, let him turn out guilty, And let his prayer become sin.t 8 Let his days be few, His office let another take.t 9 Let his children be orphans, And his wife a widow. 10 Let his children be mere vagabonds, and beg ; § Let them be driven out [ AJ from the-very-ruins- of-their-dwellings ; * i. e. Give this people up to the devil's persecution. Let him have the direction of their fortunes. -|- The Jewish worship is now become sin, as it contains a stand- ing denial of our Lord. :}: Accordingly, the days of the Jewish church were very few af- er our Lord's ascension. " And another hath taken his office." TJie Christian church is become the depositary of revelation, which was the particular charge of the Jewish race. § The 10th and 11th verses allude to the state of the Jews in their dispersion, having nowhere any settled home. 12a PSALMS. cix. 1 1 Let the extortioner draw-his-net over all that he hath ; And let strangers plunder the produce of his la- bour.* 12 Let there be no one to extend kindness to him. And let there be no one to shew favour to his orphans. 13 Let his posterity be destined to excision. In a single generation [B] let his name be wiped out. 1 4 Let the iniquity of his father be held in remem- brance with Jehovah, And the sin of his mother not be wiped out. 15 Let them be perpetually before Jehovah, That he may cut off their memory from the earth. * The Jews, when they have acquired wealth, have been, from time to time, in all countries, the prey of tyrannical exactions : Al- though for some time they have lived unmolested in Great Britain and Holland. cix. PSALMS. 127 16 Inasmuch as lie remembered not to shew com- passion, But persecuted the helpless man, and the poor one. And the broken hearted, till he had quite killed him. 17 Since he loved a curse, therefore let it come upon him,* Since he set-not his-heart upon a blessing*, there- fore let it be far from him. 18 Since he clothed himself with a curse as with a- garment-fitted to him, [CJ Let it penetrate his entrails like water, And like oil, his bones. 19 Let it be as the close-garment which wraps him. And as the girdle with which he is continually girt. * This curse alludes to the imprecation, by which they ventured to take upon themselves the guilt of our Lord's death, when Pilate pronounced him innocent. The blessing, *' on which they set not their heart,'' was that which they might have obtained from our Lord. 128 PSALMS. cix. 20 Let this be the wages of my adversaries from Je- hovah, And of them that speak evil against me. 21 But thou [D], O Lord Jehovah, bring my busi- ness to an end. For thy name's sake : Surely rich is thy tender mercy, deliver thou me. 22 Truly" helpless and poor am I, And wounded is my heart within me. 23 I am just gone, like the shadow stretched-to-its utmost-length ;* I am shaken off like a locust. 24 My knees sink under me through fasting. And my flesh hath lost its fatness. * The state of tlie shadows of terrestrial objects at sun-set, lengthening every instant and growing faint as they lengthen, and in the instant that they shoot to an immeasurable length, disappear- CIX. PSALMS. 129 25 And I am become their reproach ; When they see me, they shake their heads. 26 Help me, O Jehovah, my God j In thy tender love save me. 27 That they may perceive that this is thy hand Thou Jehovah hast achieved it. 28 They may cm'se, but thou wilt bless ; When they stand up they shall be put to shame, but thy servant shall rejoice. 29 My adversaries shall be clothed with shame. Their disgrace shall wrap them like an upper- garment. 30 I will make great confession to Jehovah with my mouth. In the midst of multitudes I will praise him. 31 Because he standeth at the right hand of the Poor One, To save him from those that would pass sentence upon him. VOL, II. I 130 PSALMS. ex. PSALM ex. Messiah's exaltation. [A] 1 [Thus] spake Jehovah to my Lord, *' Sit thou on my right hand, till I make *' Thine enemies thy footstool." 2 The sceptre of thy power Jehovah shall send abroad from Zion ; Have thou dominion in the very midst of thine enemies. 3 With thee shall be offerings of free-will, In the day of thy power, in the beauties of ho- liness. The dew of thy progeny is more than of the womb of the morning. [B] 4 Jehovah hath bound himself by an oath, and will not repent j cxi^cxiv. PSALMS. 131 Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Mel- chizedeck. [C] 3 The Lord, at thy right hand [D], O Jehovah, Woundeth kings in the day of his wrath ! ORACULAR VOICE. 6 He shall strive with the heathen, filling all with slaughter [E], Wounding the head of mighty ones upon the earth [F]. * 7 He shall drink of the brook beside the way. Therefore shall he lift high his head. [G] PSALMS CXI, CXII, CXIII, CXIV. [See Notes,] * Or, according to the modern reading, " Wounding the head of a great country." 132 PSALMS. cxv. PSALM CXV. A SONG OF THANKSGIVING FOR SOME GREAT NATIONAL DELIVERANCE. Interpreters have imagined various occasions of this Psahn. To me, none seems more probable, than the flight of Sennacherib from Palestine, after the mortality in his army. FULL CHORUS. 1 Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, But to thy name only be glory ascribed. FIRST SEMICHORUS. 2 Wherefore should the heathen say. Where is now their God ? SECOND SEMICHORUS. 3 As for our God he is in heaven. He doeth whatever he will. cxv. PSALMS. 133 4 Their images of silver and gold Are the workmanship of the hands of men. FIRST SEMICHORUS. 5 *A mouth they have, but they cannot speak j Eyes they have, but they cannot see ; 6 Ears they have, but they cannot hear ; A nose they have, but they cannot smell. SECOND SEMICHORUS. 7 With their hands they cannot feel. With their feet they cannot go, They cannot [so much as] grumble in the throat, S Such as they, such are their makers, And [such is] every one that trusteth in them. * Or thus. There is a mouth for them, but they cannot speak ; There are eyes for them, but they cannot see ; There are ears for them, but they cannot hear; There is a nose for them, but they cannot smelL i3 134. PSALMS. cxv. ^ FIRST SEMICHORUS. 9 Israel trusteth in Jehovah, Their helper and their shield is He. SECOND SEMICHORUS. 10 The house of Aaron trusteth in Jehovah, Their helper and their shield is He. FULL CHORUS. 11 The worshippers of Jehovah put their trust in Jehovah, Their helper and their shield is He. 12 Jehovah hath remembered us : He will bless — riRST SEMICHORUS. He will bless the house of Israel. SECOND SEMICHORUS. He mil bleSs the house of Aaron. cxv. PSALMS. 135 PULL CHORUS. ] 3 He will bless the worshippers of Jehovah, The small with the great. HIGH TRIEST. 1 4 Jehovah will do yet more for you, For you and for your children. 15 Blessed are ye of Jehovah, The Maker of heaven and earth. FIRST SEMICHORUS. 1 6 The heavens of heavens are ibr Jehovah, But the earth he hath given to the sons of men. SECOND SEMICHORUS. 17 Wliat though the dead cannot praise Jehovah, Nor any that descend into the regions of inac- tion, 1 8 Yet we will bless Jehovah, From this season, even for evermore. I 4 1 36 PSALM S. cxvi.— cxvin. FULL CHORUS. Praise Jehovah. PSALM CXVI. [See Notes.] PSALM CXVII & CXVIII. [A] Messiah's ehinikion, a triumphal procession. SCENE^-THE FRONT-GATE OF THE TEMPLE. [B] CXVII. chorus of the conqueror's train. 1 Praise the Jehovah, all ye heathen, Praise him, all ye tribes, [of men.] [CJ * Literally, races. T\ty^ is a name for a nation or people, as the increased offspring of a common stock, and more properly the descendants of the same mother. cxvn. cxviii. PSALMS. 137 2 For mighty is his tender love towards us. And the truth * of Jehovah is for everlasting. Praise ye Jehovah. CXVIII. A SINGLE VOICE. 1 Confess unto Jehovah that he is good. That his tender love is for everlasting. SECOND SINGLE VOICE. 2 O [D] let Israel say. That his tender love is for everlasting. THIRD SINGLE VOICE. 3 O let the house of Aaron say. That his tender love is for everlasting. * Truth here, as in other places, is the constancy of God's fa- vour and affection. 138 PSALMS. cxvii. cxviir. CHORUS OF THE WHOLE PROCESSION. 4 O let them that fear Jehovah say, That his tender love is for everlasting. THE CONQUEROR ALONE. 5 In a situation of distress I called upon Jah, Jail answered me by enlargement. 6 Jehovah is on my side ; I fear not What man can do unto me. 7 Jehovah is on my side, for my helper ; So I shall be able to face my enemy, CHORUS OF THE WHOLE PROCESSION. 8 It is better to seek shelter with Jehovah, Than to put confidence in man j 9 It is better to seek shelter with Jehovah, Than to put confidence in princes. cxvii. cxviii. rSALMS. 139 THE CONQUEROR ALONE. 10 All the heathen surrounded me, But in the name of Jehovah I cut [E] them to pieces. 11 They surrounded me, in swarms they surround- ed me. But in the name of Jehovah I cut them[E] to pieces : 12 They surrounded me like bees, They are burnt out as a fire of brambles ; For in the name of Jehovah I have cut them in pieces. 13 I received a strong push [F] to make me fall. But Jehovah was my helper. 14 Jah i3 my strength and [the theme of] my song, For he is become my salvation. 14-0 PSALMS. cxvii. cxviii." CHORUS OF THE WHOLE PROCESSION. 15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the just ones ;* The right hand of Jehovah hatli done a mighty deed : 16 The right hand of Jehovah is exalted. The right hand of Jehovah hath done a mighty deed, THE CONQUEROR ALONE, 17 I shall not die, but I shall live. And relate the doings of Jah. 18 Jah sorely chastened me, But unto death he gave me not up. 19 Open unto me the gates of righteousness, * See Kennicott's translation. cxvii. cxviir. PSALMS. 141 I will enter at them, and make thankful confes- sion of Jail. / PRIESTS AND LEVITES, WITHIN, THROWING OPEN THE GATES. 20 This is Jehovah's gate. The just ones shall enter thereat. THE CONQUEROR ALONE, ENTERING. 21 I will confess thee, for thou hast answered my prayer. And art become my salvation. PRIESTS AND LEVITES WITHIN THE GATESr 22 The stone which the builders rejected* Is become the head-stone of the corner. 23 From Jehovah this proceeds j It is a wonder in our eyes. * Solomon Jarchi understands this passage as a prophecy of tlie Messiah. Huet. Dem. Evang. Prop. VII. 142 PSALMS. cxviii. 24 This is the day which Jehovah hath made. Let us rejoice in it and be glad. THE CONQUEROR WITHIN THE GATES. 25 Save now, I beseech thee, O Jehovah ; I beseech thee, O Jehovah, give now prospe- rity. CHORUS OF PRIESTS AND LEVITES. 26 Blessed be He that cometh in the name of Je- hovah, We of the house* of Jehovah give you benedic- tion. THE conqueror's TRAIN, AS THEY MARCH IN. 27 Jehovah is God, and hath shone forth [G] upon US ; Bind the victim with cords to the horns of the altar. * i. e. of the family. See Keniiicott's translation. cxix.— cxxxvii. PSALMS. 14.3 THE CONQUEROR ALONE. 28 Thou art my God, and I will confess thee ; My God, I will exalt thee. GRAND CHORUS OF PRIESTS AND LEVITES, AND THE conqueror's TRAIN, ALL WITHIN THE GATES. 29 Confess unto Jehovah that he is good j That his tender love is for everlasting. PSALMS CXIX,— CXXXVI. [See Notes.] PSALM CXXXVIL LAMENTATION OF THE CAPTIVES. 1 By the rivers of Babylon there we sat, We even wept when we called our Sion [A] to remembrance. IM PSALMS. cxxxvii. 2 On the willows of the spot [B] We hanged up our harps. 3 For there they that held us in captivity asked of us to repeat a song, Our spoilers [C] asked a hymn of joy ; [D] Sing us one of the songs of Sion. 4 How can we sing Jehovah's song. In a foreign land ? 5 If I forget thee, Jerusalem, Be my right hand forgotten. 6 Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth. If I remember thee not ; If I carry not up our * Jerusalem To the sum total [E] of my joy. 7 Remember [F], O Jehovah, upon the children of Edom, The day of Jerusalem, when they said, Demolish, demolish her to the very foundations. * " Our Jerusalem." See Note [A] on verse 1. exxxviii. PSALMS. 145 •8 O daughter of Babylon, that deh'ghtest in de- struction, [G] Blessed shall he be that requiteth unto thee. The turn thou hast served us. 9 Blessed shall he be who catcheth up thy little ones, And dasheth them against the craggy rock. PSALM CXXXVIIL PROPHETIC OF THE GENERAL DELIVERANCE. — MESSIAH SPEAKS IN HIS HUMAN CHARACTER. 1 I will confess thee, Jehovah [A], with my whole heart, In the presence of the Gods [B] I will chaunt unto thee. 2 I will worship towards the mansion of thy sanc- tity. And I will confess thy name : VOL. II. K 146 PSALMS. cxxxviii. Because of thy tender love, and because of thy truth. Truly thou hast magnified thy name above all, according to thy promise. [C] 3 In the day that I call, thou wilt answer me ; Thou wilt give me courage j strength [is] in my soul. [D] 4 All the kings of the earth shall confess thee, O Jehovah ; For they shall hear the words of thy mouth, 3 And they shall be made-to- walk-straight in the ways of Jehovah. Truly great is the glory of Jehovah. 6 Truly liigh is Jehovah : But he hath respect unto the lowly ; And the haughty, from afar, he maketli to feel.* ♦ See my Hosea. 1 cxxxix. PSALMS. 147 7 Although I walk in the midst of distress, thou wilt give me life * ; Against the fury of my enemies, thou wilt stretch forth thy hand. And thy right hand shall save me. S Jehovah shall bring things to a conclusion for me ; t Jehovah, thy tender love is for everlasting. Remit not the work of thine own hands. PSALM CXXXIX. In tlie first twelve verses of this Psalm, the author celebrates God's perfect knowledge of man's thoughts and actions ; and the reason of this wonderful know- ledge, viz. that God is the Maker of man. Thence the Psalmist proceeds, in the four following verses, the * Or, " preserve me alive." t Compare Ps. LVII, 2. K 2 us PSALMS. cxxxix. 13th, 14tli, 15th, and 16th, to magnify God, as or- daining and superintending the first formation of his body in the womb. In the 17th and 18th, he ac- knowledges God*s providential care of him in every moment of his life ; and, in the remainder of the Psalm, implores God's aid against impious and cruel enemies, professing his own attachment to God's service, that is, to the true religion, and appealing, to the Searcher of hearts himself, for the truth of his professions. The composition, for the purity and justness of religious sentiment, and for the force and beauty of the images, is certainly in the veiy first and best style. And yet the frequent Chaldaisms of the diction argue no very high antiquity. 1 O Jehovah, thou hast explored me, and thoa knowest me ; 2 Thou knowest my down-sitting and my up-rising, Thou understandest my inward thoughts afar off. * * i. e. My distant thought6,<— the thoughts not yet come into my mind. cxxxix. PSALMS. 149 3 My path and my bed thou narrowly examinest. Thou treasurest up * [A] all my ways. 4 [B] Although there is no word in my tongue. Behold thou, O Jehovah, knowest the whole, 3 The hereafter and the past. Thou hast formed me, and laid thine hand upon me. 6 Tliis knowledge is too wonderful [C] for me. It is high, I am not sufficient for it. 7 Whither can I go from thy Spirit ? And whither can I flee from thy presence ? 8 Shall I climb the heavens ? Thou art there ; Or shall I throw myself down [D] into hell ? Be- hold [I meet] thee. 9 Shall I take the wings of the morning ? Shall I seek a dwelling beyond the utmost sea ? * « Treasures! up ;" thou layest them up by thee, to be one day brought into judgement. K S 150 PSALMS. cxxxix. 10 There also tliy hand shall lead me, Thy right hand shall hold me fast. 11 But I say darkness, at least, shall completely cover me : Immediately — the night is clear light [E] around me. 1 2 Even darkness maketh not dark with thee j But night is as light as day. Darkness and light are just the same. II. 13 Truly thou laidst the foundation of my reins, [Fj Thou coveredst me in my mother's womb. 14 I will confess thee, for wonderfully am I com- posed J * [GJ * See note [G]. Perhaps tlie idea of the original miglit be more exactly conveyed in these words : " Wonderful is my or- ganisation." cxxxjx. PSALMS. 151 Marvellous are thy works, And my soul knoweth it well. 15 My skeleton [H] was not concealed from thee, Nor my fine-woven-covering, what time I was fashioned In secret, in the nether-regions of earth. 1 6 Thine eyes beheld my shapeless lump, [I] And in thy book all of them [Kj were written ; All the while they were forming, while as yet they were not united. [L] III. 17 How extraoi'dinary to me are thy thoughts, O God! How multiplied the particulars of them ; 18 I would enumerate them, but they are more in number than the sand. [I sleep,] [M] T awake, and perpetually I am with thee. K 4 152 PSALMS. cxxxix. IV. 1 9 [NJ Wilt thou not slay the impious, O God, and the men of blood ? 20 They have deserted me who are disobedient unt® thee ; They who are sworn to a rash purpose, — thy re- fractory adversaries. 21 Hate I not them, O Jehovah, who hate thee ? Loath I not them who rise up against thee ? 22 With the perfection of hatred I hate them, They are set down among my own enemies, 23 Explore me, O God, and know my heart ; Prove me, and know my secret thoughts : 24 And see whether there be in me any grievous way. And lead me in the way of old times. [O] GXL PSALMS. I5ii PSALM CXL. PRAYER OF A BELIEVER FOR PROTECTION FROM THE ATHEIS- TICAL CONSPIRACY. 1 Deliver me, O Jehovah, from the evil man, From the man of violence preserve me ; 2 Who contrive mischief in their heart : Daily they stir up hostilities. 3 They vibrate their tongue * like a serpent. The venom of the asp is under their lips. 4 Keep me, O Jehovah, from the hands of the im- pious. From the man of violence preserve me, Who have laid their account upon my downfal. t * See Psalm LXIV, 3. •\ Literally, " who have thought to shove down my steps." 1 54. PSALMS. cxL. 5 The proud have slily laid a trap for me. And they have stretched abroad their cords j A net beside the highways, Have snarers set for me. [A] 6 I have said unto Jehovah, Thou art my God : Give ear, O Jehovah, to the voice of my entreaty. 7 Jehovah, my Lord, the strength of my salvation, Thou coveredst my head, what time the armour rattled. * § [BJ Grant not, O Jehovah, the desires of the im- pious, His wicked device bring thou not to effect ; 9 As for those who lift up the head round about me, Let the mischief of their own lips overwhelm them. 10 Let glowing coals fall unexpectedly upon them j * Literally, " in the day of a clashing.'* GXLi.— CL. PSALMS. 155 Let him cast them into the fire, into the chasms [of the yawning earth,] [C] That they rise no more, ORACULAR VOICE. 1 1 Tlie braggart [D] shall not be established in the earth ; The man of violence, evil shall hunt him to the precipice. [Ej PSALMIST. 1 2 I know that Jehovah would bring to an issue [F] the cause of the afflicted, And execute judgement for the poor. 13 Verily the justified shall confess thy name, The upright shall have their dwelling in thy pre- sence. * PSALMS CXLI, TO CL. [See Notes.] * Literally, " shall inhabit thy presence. CRITICAL NOTES UPON THE PSALMS. CRITICAL NOTES UPON THE PSALMS. PSALM LIX. TITLE. r)ii nDii^'^i bM^uf rht^2, d/idd ivh Dnwn bi^ mia"? [A] Ver. 9, 10. Because of his strength" — enemies." 7v. T. Read, The change of ITi^ and nDH into ''T^ and nDn, is confirmed by MSS. and the former by the versions. 160 CRITICAL NOTES. psalm lix. O my strength, I will watch for thee, For God is my defender, the God of my mercy. God shall give me ready help, * He shall watch my safety among iny enemies. watch my safety." So I understand ^iNn\ " He shall keep me in sight ; he shall look io me^^ i. e. he shall take care of me. We say, in common speech, to look after that which we take care of. [B] Ver. 11. Slay them not — scatter them." Jerome rightly conceives that this passage alludes to the punishment of the Jewish nation, dispersed but not extinguished. [C] Scatter them — bring them down — lips." Hou- bigant reforms the text thus, The preposition 3, before the nouns JINQH and 121, is ex- pressed in Jerome's Hebraica Veritas. The transposition gives both perspicuity and elegance to the passage. The change of the plural 13, suffixed to PD for the singular ^^, is not made by Houbigant, but it seems necessary, as the Psal- * Literally, '' he shall prevent me." PSALM Lix. CRITICAL NOTES. 161 mist, throughout this Psalm, speaks singly in his own person, and it is supported by the version of the LXX, -jTri^yc-Tni-ni f-vv, the Syriac, and some MSS. If Houbigant's transjiosi- tion be not allowed, the plainest translation of the former part of the 12th verse, as it stands in the modern Hebrew text, seem«, as Archbishop Seeker hath observed, to be that of the Syriac. " The discourse of their lips is th6 sin of their mouth." But in Jerome's copies, the words " sin" and *' discourse" had certainly the preposition 2 prefixed, and with this prefix the transposition seems necessary. [U] sin of their mouth — that their lips have utter- ed." That dreadful word, " His blood be on us and on our children." [E] Ver. 13. Consume in wrath, consume," &c. This pas- sage, in the version of the LXX, is connected with the pre- ceding verse ; and in their copies the whole seems to httvtt stood thus : And for cursing and for lies, let them be talked of in the end ; In the wrath of the end, let them be brought to nothing. If this be the genuine reading, " the end," or " the final wratli,'* VOL. II. li 162 CRITICAL NOTES. tsalm lx. must be the final dispersion of the Jews; and the passage predicts the general contempt and hatred which they would incur in the latter ages. Upon the whole, however, I think the received reading is preferable, and it is equally consistent with Jerome's exposition of the preceding verses. Of the latter part of this Psalm, as predictive of the judge- ments that have fallen upon the Jewish nation, see the ex- cellent exposition of Bishop Home. PSALM LX. Bishop Hare has a conjectm-e, which, though bold, is esteemed, by Archbishop Seeker, not improbable; viz. that the first three verses of this Psalm (/. e, the first six lines in the Hebrew) have changed places with the first three verses (in the Plebrew the first six lines) of the lxxxv. The first three verses of the lxxxv Psalm are evidently the exordium of an Ode, composed after a return from some captivity. This lx Psalm contains, indeed, nothing which necessarily relates to any occurrence in the life of David ; but I should guess it to have been written in the reign of Jehoshaphat, when that prince was preparing for an expedition against the Edomites, who rebelled in his reign, but were soon reduced {\k\. Ad- PSALM Lx. CRITICAL NOTES. 163 vcrsar. Edom.) The first three verses may allude to the unsuccessful war, in which Jehoshaphat was allied with Ahab against the Syrians. The whole Psalm consists of five parts. The first five verses make the first part. The 6th, 7th, and 8th make the second. The 9th verse is the third part. The 10th and 1 1th make the fourth : And the 12th verse is the fifth. Part I. Sung by the High Priest. Part II. A voice from the Sanctuary. Part III. The King's prayer. Part IV. Semichorus takes up the intercession. Part V. Grand chorus. ^^er. 2, 3. These two verses seem to allude to an earth- iiuake. Ver. 4. that it may be displayed because of the truth.'* For \^Vp, the LXX and Jerome, the Syriac and Symma- chus, had IWp, which may seem to give an easy sense, — " to which they may repair from the danger of the bow." But I suspect some more mysterious meaning in this banner, to be unfurled before truth, or purity, for the deliverance of God's beloved, though I cannot explain the passage to my own satisfaction. Ver. 7. my lawgiver." See Bishop Hare's Note. L 2 iGlt CRITICAL NOTES. psalm txi. Vcr. 8. Philistia, triumph thou because of inc." The Syriac reads here, as in Psahn cviii, 9, i^yilDN. " Over Phi- listia I will triumph." The first printed edition of the Ha- giographa gives this reading. But authorities seem to pre- ponderate against it. '' Over Philistia give a shout of triumph." — Bp. Hobne. Rather, " Over PhiHstia is my shout of triumph." I take •'^i^linil for a noun substantive, with the pronoun of the first person suffixed. PSALM LXL This Psahn consists of three parts. The first five veises make the first part, sung by a single voice, in the character of a King. The 6th and 7th verses make the second part, sung by a chorus of the Priests. The 8th verse is the last part, sung by the single voice again. The I'sahn is of the mystic class.; the King is evidently the Messiah. Ver. 7. O prepare mercy and truth," &c. For p, Haiibigant and Bishop Lowth would read nitT'D. " Mercy and truth from Jehovah shall preserve him.'^ The Clialdee FSAtM Lxii. CRITICAL NOTES. 165 supports this conjecture. Certainly ]D, without somctliing to follow it, has no meaning. For, though Noldius says it is sometimes a mere expletive, the instances he produces are far from satisfactorj'. In this passage, it is not rendered at all by Aquila or Symmachus. I have sometimes thought that God may be the speaker in this 7th verse, and that the true reading may have been IHIiiJ'' ''^2. JEHOVAH. 7 He shall abide before God for ever ; Mercy and truth from me sliall preserve him. MESSIAH. S Tlierefore will I chaunt thy name for ever. While daily I perform my vows. PSALM LXII. [A] Ver. 2. — greatly moved." E. T. Houbigant's con- jecture is plausible, that n]21 has been, written by mistake at the end of this verse for H^D. " I shall not be moved," or " shaken," is more animated, and more in the Psalmist's style, than " I shall not be greatly moved." ; [B] Ver. 4. —their mouths. " For VS)3, two MSS. of Kennicott's give DTT'S^. Perhaps ^^''^2 may have been the original reachng. L 3 166 CRITICAL NOTES. ps. lxiii, lxiv. PSALM LXIII. QA] Ver. 1. — inhospitable;" ^y; ^oasry, LXX; iiwiay Jerome. Literally, iveart/ ,- i. e. a land that creates weari- ness, by the roughness of the ways, the steepness of the hills, and the want of all accommodations. [B] Ver. 4. See Memck's Annotations, in justification of the sense which J give both here, and in the second verse, to p. CC] Ver. 10. They shall fall"— E. T.; rather, " they would shed it " it, i. c. my life: for ItfSJ, which is of the doubtful gender, is the antecedent of the mascuhne suffix IH. PSALM LXIV. [A] Ver. 4. and fear not," E. T. ; or, " while they are not seen." For II*")'''', many MSS. give Wl**, the future Niphal from Ty)X^. — Syriac, and Kennicott's Posth. [B, C] Ver. 5, 6. — who shall see them? They search." E. r. Read, PSALM Lxiv. CRITICAL NOTES. 167 TM^y 'tn rh'))^ w::n^ r^b who shall see ? They search out iniquities for themselves. [D] Ver. 6. They accomplish a diligent search." E. T. Read with the LXX, They fini^h'd searching a search. Or, with the printed tpxt, ^^pri for 'iSr}, the epenthetic 3 supplying the place of Dagesh. See Bythnee. 'ID'^tk Q^pl pDi' 27% a character of close reserve and deep dissimula- tion. [E] Ver. S. So shall they make thdfe- own tongue to fall upon themselves." E. T. More literally, " they shall cause it, their own tongue, to stumble upon themselves." I take the pronoun 111, suffixed to the verb 1T^O% to belong to the noun ]1U?7, which follows. This anticipated pleonasm, if we may so call it, of the pro- noun, is no unusual idiom of the Psalms. Danicourt has re- marked many instances of it. The persons meant are the blaspheming Jews, whose tongue, their bitter word, " His blood be upon us, {ind upon our children," hath fallen upon themselves. L 4 168 CRITICAL NOTES. tsalm lx^. PSALM LXV. [A.] Ver. 1. — be performed." E. T. The Vulgate adds, -^in Jerusalem." [B] Ver. 3. Iniquities prevail against me." E. T. " Iniquities," P^TIi} m"7. ''131 is a technical term of mercantile arithmetic, signifying the items of an account. See my Translation, and Mudge. [C]Ver.4.— full-fed." 7\:^im may be the participle Niphal, which, as Kennicott observes, makes the construction easy. [D] Ver. 5. Or, "by placing the stops difFerently, Adorable art Thou in righteousness : Hear us, O God of our salvation. This agrees with the LXX. Houbigant, upon the authority of the Syi'iac, as he says, reads lpl2i mMIUJ, which he joins to the last verse, and renders i^rodigiis beneficentiae tuae. By the version of the LXX, it should seem that they found the pai'ticiple N"l'»i (one MS. of Ken- nicott's has ^i^*)J) in their copies. For JTlNIi;}, therefore, PSALM Lxv. CRITICAL NOTES. 1^9 I would read, by an easy alteration, HnK it M 4 1S4. CRITICAL NOTES. psalm Lxviir. described under the image of the Hippopotamos, the wild beast that lodges in the rushes on the banks of the Nile. [W] who place their strength in the calves;" the people of EgNq")! who worship calves, and trusted in them a'^ their gods. [X] rattles of silver;" literally', "fragments of silver."' The little bits of silver hvmg round the sistrum. The Jews suffered much under some of the Ptolemies. The Psalmist prays to God to check the fury of their persecutors, and pro- phesies of times when all persecution shall cease, and all nations unite in the worship of the God of Israel. [Y] Ver 31. They shall come in haste from Eg}^t ;" or, " The Chasmonim shall come out of Egypt.'' Dn'JD ^:i?^ D'JDt:'!! V/li<\ " Offerant w/ocZ/cr ex Aegypto." Jerome. Michaelis (Supplem. ad Lex. Heb. p. 972, &c. ) after pro- ducing and rejecting the other interpretations which have been given of the word □''JDiyn, takes it for a proper name. He remarks, that, in Gen. x, 1 4-, among the descendants of Mizraim, the father of the Egj'ptians, are reckoned QTTT'DZ) ; or, as twelve of Dr Kemiicoli's Codices read, DTFvDD, and that for these, the LXX have in their version Xx* also in its common sense of " guiltiness," or " faultiness ;" thus ac- quiescing in the public translation. The Messiah here, as in many places, may speak of the follies and crimes of men, for PSALM Lxix. CRITICAL NOTES. 187 which he had made himself answerable as his own. Or per- haps, He, who although he was without sin, " was yet tempted in all things hke unto us' ;" might, in his hiunility, speak of his feeling of the incitements of the passions in his own mind, as weakness and fault, making confession of it before the Father* And this seems best to connect with the following verse, in which he prays to be fortified against these motions of the fi'ail human nature, that they may not defeat his merciful scheme of expiation. [C] Ver. 1 0. When I wept away my soul with fasting." — When I wept and chastened my soul." E. T. For ^D-l^i, Houbigant, \^\^o\\ the authority of the Syriac, would read n3DJ<. " When I mortified my soul with fast- ing." Bishop Lowth approves the emendation. Kennicott would read HDli^, " when I brought down or humbled." But no alteration seems necessary. [D] Ver. 12. — and I am made the song of the drunkards." For iTlJ''J^1, Houbigant, upon the authority of the Sy- riac, would read ''JI^JIJ'). "lAnd the drunkards made sonira upon me." Archbishop Seeker observes, that the verb pJ is not found elsewhere with an accusative of the person. He would read, therefore, /TlT-lJ "'I'). " And upon me are the songs." But no emendation is necessary. The order of con- struction is this, '^2V mJ""Ji ^!y\m; '^nW for '^nn'W, from iy\^ const i tut us sum , "and I was made the song of the drunkard." 18S CRITICAL NOTES. psalm lxxi. [E] A^er. 26. and they have added," &c. — and they talk to the grief." E. T. For T13DT read with LXX, Vulgate, Bishop Hare, Hou- bigant, Archbishop Seeker, and Bishop Lowth, IDD'', or 13DV, or 13^DV. [F] Ver. 32. Behold, ye humble, and be glad." For '\nr2Z^\ read with Houbigant and LXX, "inDi:^!. And for ^U;TT, read with the LXX, li:;-)!. PSALM LXX. [see PS. XL.] PSALM LXXI. [A] I am entirely at a loss for the particular subject of tliis Psalm. It suits not Da\ id, who, in his old age, had no troubles : it suits not Christ who had no old age. Is not tli€ suppliant, the Church in these latter ages, when faith, to all appearance, is wearing out ? [B] Ver. 3. my castle of defence." — my strong ha- bitation — to save me." E, 7'» rsALMLxxr. CRITICAL NOTES. 189 Bishop Hare, Houbigant, and Bishop Lowth would cor- rect this passage by the place, Psalm xxxi, 3, putting tTJ^Q for p;?D, and changing JT^IS TDj"! i^lib into HMV^D Jl^l^. Th^ version of the LXX, in some degree, supports the alteration; and I venture to follow it in the translation. [C] Ver. 6. — my protector." — thou art he that took me." E. T. For Ml^, the copies, used by the LXX and by Jerome, seem to have had ^JJJD. " From the bowels of my mother thou hast been my protector." s^sTrar/i?, LXX; protector, Je- rome. This reading I am inclined to adopt. [D] Ver. 15, l(i. for I know not the numbers there- of. I will go in the strength of the Lord God, I will make mention of thy righteousness." E. T. A stop should be placed at l^TS^WD^ and another at lynSD. See my Translation. It is strange that Houbigant should treat an interpretation with contempt, which is supported by the versions of the LXX, Jerome, and the Vulgate ; which the Hebrew words will naturally bear ; and which gives great spirit to the sentiment. [E] even of thine only.'* E, T. I^dh connects ill with the preceding words. I would place a full stop at ■JJlpliJ, and carry "[127 into the next period. Archbish(^ 190 CRITICAL NOTES. tsalm lxxi. Seeker doubts whether this word ever stands at the beginning of a sentence. [F} Ver. 20. slicwed nie — (juicken me — bring me." E. T. In the original, read the verbs with the suffix of the first person singular, upon the authority of the LXX, the Vul- gate, and the Masora. [G] Ver. 21. ForiDm ^^h'^:^ mn, read ^D^i:) ''bv :iin 21lt'm. See LXX, Jero3IE, Vulgate, and Bishop Lowth apud Merrick. |[H] Ver. 23. The original word P"1 expresses a brisk, vibra- tory motion, like that of the lips in singing a lively air, or of the feet in dancing. Hence, figui'atively, it signifies to rejoice or exult. In this passage it maybe understood literally of the lips, and figuratively of the soul. And the English language having no corresponding verb, which may be taken literally in reference to one subject, and figuratively in reference to another, it might be better to express its sense in connection with each, by two different verbs, thus, My lips shall move briskly when I sing unto thee, And my soul shall rejoice, which thou, &c. I'SALM Lxxii. CRITICAL NOTES. 191 PSALM LXXII. THE REIGN OF THE RIGHTEOUS KING.* Ver. 1 . Give" — rather, Thou shalt give, or shalt commit." A prediction, not a prayer. King, and King's son, as Mudge well observes, are the same person. Ver. 3. Render, The mountains shall bring peace unto the people. And the little hills by righteousness. In the second line of this distich, some verb, I am per- suaded, is iniderstood, of which Jll^^-T may be the nomina- tive. An ellipsis of a verb is no unusual thing with the mas- ters of the Hebrew lyre. Those who apply this Psalm to Solomon, expound the distich thus: " That the steep moun- tains on the frontier, strongly garrisoned, shall secure the land from hostile invasion ; and the hills, cleared of the ban- * The Jewish Expositors, namely, the Chaldee Paraphrast, Mi- drasch Tehillim, the book Siphre, Solomon Jarchi, Aben Ezra, David Kimchi, and Saadias Gaon, all refer this Psalm to the Messiah, — Huct. D. E. Prop. vji. li>2 CRITICAL NOTES. psalm lxxii. ditti, which in the rude ages were accustomed to inhabit thcni, under the government of the King intended in this Psahn, should be the peaceful seats of a useful, civilized pea- santry'." This sense is not ill expressed in Mr. Merrick's translation. Peace, from the fort-clad mountains brow Descending, bless the plains below ; And Justice, from each rocky cell, Shall violence and fraud expel. But so little of the Psahn is at all applicable to Solomon, and the greater part of it so exclusively belongs to the Messiah, that I think these mountams and hills allude to the nature of the land of Judea ; and the general sense is, that, in the limes of the great King, the inhabitants of that mountainous region shall live in a state of peace and tranquillity. The thing intended is the happy condition of the natural Israel, in the latter day restored to God's favoui', and to the peace- ful possession of their own land. It is a great confirmation of this sense, that " righteousness" is mentioned as the means of the peace which shall be enjoyed. Ver. 5. They shall fear thee." K«< c-v^-xcc^ct^im t* «>.(», x«* -TT^n TD? (TiM^ftc, yinct% yiuuv. LXX. Houbigant conjectures that, for TINT'S their copies had Tl^^'^''- Of this verb, in the sense of tarrying, without an acciisq,tive, we have an in- PSALM Lxxii. CRITICAL NOTES. 193 stance, Numbers ix, 22 ; and I can find no other. Accord- ing to this reading, the verse shoiJd be rendered thus ; He shall endure along with the Sun, And in presence of the Moon, throughout all generations. In this sense, the passage would unquestionably respect the Messiali. But I cannot agree with Father Houbigant, that the sense of the text, as it stands in our modern copies, is impertinent. After the mention of security from foreign enemies, the suppression of savage violence, and the equal administration of justice, the maintenance of the true religion very properly finishes the encomiums of this great King's government. I am inclined, therefore, to think that our mo- dern text gives the truer reading. Ver. 6. This verse expresses the generality of the bless- ings which should result from the King's government, ex- tencUng to the individuals of every rank and condition, and felt in the perpetual comfort of ordinary life. Ver. 7. — the righteous." For IHiJ, Bishop Hare would read "plf, " righteousness." This answers better to " peace," and the emendation is supported by the LXX and Vulgate. Ver. 10. — the kings of Sheba and Seba." 'A^aoav y.ctt iLxtxy LXX. See 1 Kings x, 15 and 25. VOL. ir. N lot CllITICxiL NOTES. psalm lxxii. Ver. 1 3. He shall spare" — rather, " He shall sj-mpathize xnth"— Vcr. 15. — to him shall be given." See 1 Kings x, 14 and 21. Ver. 16. — an handful of com." This verse describes the plentiful produce of the land, and the thriving state of popu- lation, under the government of the Prince, who is the sub- ject of the Psalm. I see no necessity for the change, propos- ed by Bishop Hare and Father Houbigant, of J1DD into DWii, from the root U^13, or \L% although the emendation be approved by Bishop Lowth. The Psalmist would express the fertility of the land and the improved state of agriculture, by describing the hills clothed with corn to the very sunmiit. Kow that which grows on the pointed top of a conical hill will be a single sheaf or armful. But, upon mature consideration, I am persuaded that the proper sense of the word D3, or HDS, is " a patch" or *' piece ;" and that it is used here just as we use the same words in English, in such expressions as these, — " a patch of wheat, a patch of barley, a piece of coi'n." There shall be a piece of corn hi the land, upon the summit of the hills, Its growing crop [iruit] shall shake lii^e Lebanon ; And they shall flourish in the city [_i. e. their population shall flourish], like the green herbage of the field. PSALM Lxxii. CRITICAL NOTES. 195 Ver. 17. — and men shall be blessed in him." Bishop Hare, with the LXX, reads, But why may not the verb IDlin^ in this passage, like ^'^^ in the preceding verse, be referred to the indefinite nomina- tive plural understood ? This verse clearly extends the sense of the Psalm beyond Solomon, or any of the kings of this world. Ver. 20. The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended, or finished." This I take to be the close of this particular Psalm, not a division of the book, as if these first seventy-two Psalms were all the Psalms of David's composition. The sense is, that David, the son of Jesse, had nothing to pray for or to wish beyond the great things described in this Psalm. Nothing can be more animated than this conclusion. Having describ- ed the blessings of Messiah's reign, he closes the whole with this magnificent doxology ; Blessed be Jehovah God, God of Israel, alone performing wonders ; And blessed be his name of glory. And let his glory fill the whole of the earth. ; Amen, and amen. Finished are the prayers of David, the son of Jesse, n2 196 CRITICAL NOTES. psalm lxxiii. PSALM LXXIII. [A] Vei*. 4. — there is no fatality in their death." — there are no bands," &c. E. T. Bajids, mQlkin. This word occurs but in one other place in the whole bible, Isaiah lviii, 6, where the LXX have rendered it by c-w'^ia-y.oy, and the Vulgate by colligationes. From its sense there, and from its seeming affinity with thp roots '^in and H^If, I should guess that, in a secondary and figurative sense, the word may denote the strongest of all bands or knots, physical necessity, or fate ; and in that sense it may be taken here. The complaint is, that the ordinary constitution of the world is supposed to contain no certain provision for the extermination of the impious : that there is no necessary and immediate connection between moral evil and physical, wickedness and death. " There is no fatality of their death." Mr. Bates takes the word m31i*in, for knots, perplexing difficulties in life : and dividing the word D/llQ? into two, D/1 ID?, he renders the passage thus ; " They have no knots in their way ; their strength is perfect and firm." (See Parkhurst's Lexicon, 3iiin). The conjecture is in- genious, and may, perhaps, give the true sense of this difficult passage. It should seem that the MSS., used by the LXX, and by Jerome, had some different reading. PSALM Lxxiir. CRITICAL NOTES. 197 [B] — Their folly is thiivlDg." — but their strengtli in firm." E. T. Jerome renders as if, for D'?^^i, his MSS. had Dn^D^i*, " et firma sunt vestibula eorum ;" " their stately mansions are firm." The stability of a dwelUng is a significant image of general prosperity. The version of the LXX must have been formed from a reading of the whole passage very different from the present text. Ot* i?K 5'r;v a,vxvivs-i<; iv rm ^xvsira) avTcov, [C] Ver. 7. Their eyes are starting out for fatness." For I'^^J^iT, " their eyes," the LXX render iD^iy, " their iniquity." [D] Ver. 8. They are in the last stage of degeneracy." 1p''D\ Irriserunt, Jerome; ^nvoyi$n<. But something more mysterious seems to lie under the word T2l^<, in the mouth of the Messiah, the TDJ of God's people. PSALM LXXVI. This Psalm seems to have been composed in the reign of Hezekiah, upon the miraculous deliverance of the country from Sennacherib's invasion. The 5th and 6th verses allude to the mortality in Sennacherib's army. Ver. 3. — the arrows of the bow." D^p '^B'\D1 ; jacida igni- ta ; ySsAi) TTiTTv^ufiiys:. See Parkhurst's Lexicon, under S)Kn. Ver. 4. Thou art more glorious," &c. Bishop Hare con- ceives, that this is addressed to Mount Sion, and after ")1W ^J^^< he would insert the words P'^ii "in. But the version of the LXX, and Mr Mudge's note, deserve attention. — mountains of prey." 'o^uv munu^, LXX. Houbigant, for ^nJO, would read 1110. But I cannot find that TitO is any where rendered by u.\u)iio; in the LXX, or that it bears that sense. Ver. 6. — both the chariot and horse." Rather, " both the I PSALM Lxxvii. CRITICAL NOTES. 205 rider and the horse.'' Houbiffant would read DID "'^^'l IDTID. The alteration is, in some measure, supported by the version of the LXX ; but it seems unnecessary. For it is not im- probable that the pestilence, in Sennacherib's army, might seize the horses as well as the men, although the death of the beasts is not mentioned by the sacred historian. Ver. 1 0. The wrath of man shall praise thee." For TTIJl, Houbigant would read IIIJI, " the wrath of man thou break- est." But the alteration is unnecessary. — thou dost restrain." — the remainder of wrath." Ken- nicott reads D')")i>Jii?, which, from the Arabic sense of the word, he renders " counsels," " purposes." But why may not mil^li^ signify the ebullition, the fermentings ? from the Hebrew "IKli', " to ferment." PSALM LXXVII. [A] Ver. 2. — my sore ran in the night. E. T. For ^, the Chaldee read ''J'^V, which Archbishop Seeker thinks likely to be the true reading. But no alteration is necessary. My hand is stretched forth all the night. *' So Symmachus, >? x^'^ i«« ■■'VKroi urirxro ^inny.ucf my hand was 206 CRITICAL NOTES. psalm lxxvii. stretched out hj night continually ; and thus Jerome^ Manus mea nocte extcnditur^ et non quiescit. This was an usual gesture in prayer." Parkhurst under '^y^. [B] Ver. 4. Watchfulness seizetli fast upon mine eyes.'* — Tliou holdest mine eyes waking." E. T. For J^T^^5, Jerome had the first person "'/l?ni<, and the LXX had the same, or some other verb, in the third person plural. The second person is inadmissible. The Psalmist is describing his own distressed state of mind ; and from the beginning of the Psalm, his speech is not addressed to God, till the 13th verse. After all, " I hold fast the watchings of my eyes," seems a hai'sh figure. [C] Ver. 6. I meditate in the night with my heart." — I call to remembrance my song." E. T. The verb mD?K belongs to the preceding distich. — " My sonff." *'/1i\'lJ. That this word has no meaning is most evi- dent. Bishop Hare, therefore, would expunge it from the text, conjecturing that it related to the music of the Psalm. Bishop Lowth thinks, that it is a corruption of *nMm, which seems to have been the reading of the LXX, Vulgate, and Syiiac. [D] — make deep search." For ''U'^TV, Bishop Hare would read U^S3nn% that the gender of rm, which he takes for the nominative of the verb, may PSALM Lxxviii. CRITICAL NOTES. 507 not be varied ; for, in the fourth verse, rVH is feminine. But Houbigant would read If ^^^<% in the first person, making rrn the accusative after the verb ; and in this he is supported by the LXX, Vulgate, and Jerome. But the change is un- necessary ; for rm is sometimes masculine. rSALM LXXVIII. A HYMN OF PUBLIC THANKSGIVING FOR THE FEAST OF THE PASSOVER. Ver. 8. And might not be as their fathers." Does this allude to the idolatry of the ancestors of the Jews, before the call of Abraham ? So it may seem, if this verse be considered in connection only with what precedes. But the se- quel of the Psalm describes the successive rebellions of the Israe- lites against God, from the Exodus to the time of Samuel. The fathers, therefore, denote those early generations of the Jewish nation, after the deliverance from the Egyj)tian bondage. Observe that, in the 6th verse, " the generation to come," is not the generation which was to come, " when God establish- ed a testimony in Jacob," but the generation now to come in the days of the Psalmist. The generation, future with re- spect to the speaker. The 5th verse is a parenthesis, between the -ith and 6th, and the three should be thus rendered : 208 CRITICAL NOTES. psalm lxxviii. 4 We will not hide [them] from their children. Recounting to the generation to come, The praises of Jehovah, and his might, And his wonderful works which he hath done ; 5 (How he hath established an oracle in Jacob, And deposited a revelation with Israel, Which he gave it in charge to our fothers. That they should make known to their children), G That the generation, which is to come, may know — The children which shall be born, That they may arise and relate to their children. \'er. 9. — being armed." The expression seems merely proverbial, without allusion to any instance of cowardice in the Ephraimites. It is applicable to any one, who breaks fair promises, when he is put to the triah Ver. 26. — by his power he brought in the south wind ;" rather, " he brought in the south wind in its strength." Concerning the east wind, mentioned in tlie preceding hne, see BocHART. Hieroz, Part ii, Lib. i. c. 15. ~yer. 30. They were not estranged from their lust." They were not come to nauseate their desire." Mudgi:. "-Come to nauseate ;" Hi from KIT ; see Numb, xi, 20. rsALM Lxxviii. CRITICAL NOTES* 209 Ver. 31. — slew the fattest of them :" rather, "slew them amidst theu' fatnesses," i. e. amidst their gluttonies. Mudge, and Bishop Lowth. Ver. 41. Yea they turned back and tempted;" rather, " Again and again they tempted." — and Umited ;" rather, " and challenged;" Ver. 45. — divers sorts of flies." That the y^V was a fly of .some determinate species, whatever that might be, see proved by Park HURST in his Lexicon. Ver. 47. — with frost;" rather, "with rime." h tii -Trx^vri. LXX. Ver. 49 — wrath, indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them." The word Dn7iyD, in the original, 1 take to be a substantive, in apposition with the three pre- ceding, " wrath, indignation, and trouble," describing the calamities specified under those names, as things sent upon men by evil spirits ; " the immissions or inflictions of evil angels.'' And so the word is understood by all the ancient hiterpreters. As for the three nouns, " wrath, indignation, and trouble,'* the last mik is properly descriptive of mental distress, — anx- ietv. The first Hl^i^ is often used for the transport of im- moderate anger ; once, for an excess of pride. But, by its VOL. II, o 210 CllITICAL NOTES. psalm lxxviii. etymology, it may equally denote any other vehement per- turbation of the mmd. If, in this place, it may signify dis- traction of mind, arising from insurmountable distress, which its connection with Hlit makes in some degree probable; then, D^T, the middle word of the three, in apposition with DrOZ't^, must, as well as the first and the last, relate to the state of mind of the persons suffering. It may denote that impious resentment, which the hardened may sometimes feel under God s judgments, which seems something analogous to the disposition of persons maliciously mad. If these expositions of these three nouns may be admitted, which certainly suit the passage, and make a just connection of the two first with the last ; (for the last unquestionably re- lates to the sufferer's state of mind, not to the punishers;) — if these expositions may be admitted, the entire passage may be thus rendered : " He sent upon them the heat of his anger, distraction, rage, and despair, the inflictions of evil angels." Ver. 52. — made his own people to go forth;" rather, "led about his own people." Ver. 66. And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts," &c. See 1 Sam. v, 6, and vi, 1 — 5. Ver. 69. — like liigh palaces." — like the earth." For rs. Lxxix. Lxxx. CRITICAL NOTES. 211 Dr^-| 1DD, the Syriac had DlllDa. And for Y'^^i^, not only the Syriac, but the LXX and ^^llgate, had \li^2. Where he hath built his sanctuary on high, He hath settled it in the land for ever. PSALM LXXIX. I should guess that this 79th Psalm was composed during the distresses of Manasseh's reign. Jerusalem had been de- populated, but the Temple was only defiled, not demolished. Ver. 7. — they have devoured." Read, with LXX, Vul- gate, Bishop Hare and Houbigant, "b^i^, in the plural. Ver. 10. — let him be known — by the revenging;" rather, " let the vengeance be openly shewn," as in the Old transla- tion. See Archbishop Secker on the place. Ver. 11. — the prisoner," viz. Manasseli. PSALM LXXX. Tliis 80th Psalm may be of the same age with the preced- ing, or rather the more ancient of the two. The mention of o 2 212 CRITICAL NOTES. psalm lxxx. Ephraim seems to mark a time antecedent to the final extir- pation of the ten tribes. It might be composed soon after Shalmanezer's conquest, or perhaps during the siege of Sa- mai'ia. Ver. 6. — among themselves." ID? may be pleonastic here. But LXX, Vulgate, and Jerome render the pronoun, of the first person plural, )!?. Ver. 9. Thou preparedst room for it." " Thou preparedst the ground for it." Kennicott. Ver. 10. The hills," &c. For 103, read, with LXX, Vul- gate, Bishop Hare, Houbigant, and Bishop Lowth, HDD; unless the two nominatives, nb'H and rP3J^, may justify the plural form of the verb. At any rate, the verb should not be rendered as a passive. Its shadow covered the lulls, And its shoots (uvxhv^^xhi) the loftiest cedars. Ver. 15. And the vineyard ;" rather, "Even the plant." See Archbishop Secker. — the branch." Wliere does p signify a branch ? Bishop Hare seems to liave judged right in rejecting this line, as a misplaced anticipation of the latter clause of the 1 7th verse. PSALM Lxxxi. CRITICAL NOTES. 213 Ver. 16. It is burnt with fire, it is cut down." The word nniDD, which our translators render as a verb, is probably the noun iiniD, with the comparative D prefixed. " It is con- sumed in the fire like refuse." See Parkhurst's Lexicon, under the roots PIDD and nilD. This verse, with the two pre- ceding, should be thus rendered : Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts, Look down from heaven and behokl, And visit this vine ; Even the plant, which diine own right hand planted. Burnt with fire like refuse. At the rebuke of thy countenance they shall perish. — they shall perish." T/iei/, the spoilers of the vineyard described under the image of the wild boar, and beast in the 13th verse. PSALM LXXXL This Psalm appears to be of the highest antiquity. It is certainly older than to be of David's time. For the use of Joseph's name, in the Sth verse, as the name of the whole nation, shews that it was composed before Judah became the principal tribe, while the place of worship was in the tribe of o 3 2U CRITICAL NOTES. psalm lxxxi. Ephralm, that is, among Joseph's descendants. The Feast of Trumpets seems to have been the occasion for whicli it it was composed. Ver. 2. — a Psahn." The word HllDt must, in this place, denote some musical instrument. Compare Psahn xcviii, 5. Ver. 3. — in the new moon ;" rather, " on the first of the new month." That the months of the Jewish year were lunar is by no means certain. See Parkhurst's Lexicon, under li'^tn. — in the time appointed." nDD3. If tliis word come from the root HDD, " to cover," it may naturally signify the last day of the lunar month, mv xai ymv, the interlunium, when the moon is too near the sun to be visible. And thus Joseph Scaliger understood it. But if the word come from the root D3, " to compute," it may signify either the day of the new moon, or the day of the full moon, or any other time found by computation, or settled by any artificial civil reckoning. Mr Parkhurst observes, that had the word HD^, in this place, been, as Scaliger supposed, the participle feminine from the root HDJ, it must have been written thus, iTlDD, from the masculine WD. See his Lexicon, under DD, Ver. 4. —a law of the God of Israel." m'?n'? IDii'i^D. This I take to be a very unusual expression, to signify a law ap- pointed by God's authority. Besides that, in the preceding PSALM Lxxxi. CRITICAL NOTES. 215 verse, '?i<"lli^^'7 pH is a statute prescribed to Israel, not a sta- tute framed by Israel's authority. Bishop Hare, to remedy this dissimilarity of construction in the parallel lines of the same distich, would read, in the first line, bi^lUf^ 7^i7. That is, to make the construction similar, he would introduce the same impropriety in both clauses. For 7 is rather the sign of the dative, than of the genitive. But without any altera- tion, I think the true rendering is, "a rite for the God of Jacob." That is, "a rite in the instituted worship of Jacob." For the appointment of this religious rite, see Numb, x, 1 0. Ver. 5. I heard a language.'' The sudden change of the person here is highly animated. Upon the mention of the Exodus, Jehovah, excited as it were by the subject, suddenly takes the discourse into his own mouth. Michaelis's notion, that the strange language was the voice of God speaking to Moses, seems to me highly extravagant and absurd. Ver. 6. — the pots." T"T was a large vessel, says Kenni- cott, in which the earth was mixed and worked up for making the bricks. Ver. 7. — in the secret place of thunder." " Abscondita tonitruum sedes;" /. e. Sinai. Bishop Lowth, Praclect. xxvi. Ver. 8. — I wiU testify unto thee." I Mill, upon all occa- sions, give thee oracular direction, so that thou shalt have o 4 216 CRITICAL NOTES. psalm lxxxii. no occasion to resort to other gods, nor shall any pretended god have power to harm thee. Ver. 1 2. — unto their own hearts' lusts ;" rather, " to the government of their own hearts." He would have fed him with the finest wheat ; Yea with honey, from the rock, I would have full fed thee. PSALM LXXXIL [A] Ver. 1. I would divide the lines thus: Mr Parkhui'st explains this 1st verse in another manner: namely thus, God standeth in the congregation of God, [_i. e. in the as- sembly of Israel.] In the midst [[of this congregation, namely] God judgeth*^ — ^ — __ — , .f * See his Lexicon, under H^K, ii, 3. PSALM. Lxxxiv. CRITICAL NOTES. 217 PSALM LXXXIIL PRAYER FOR PROTECTION AGAINST CONFEDERATE ENEMIES. Ver. 3. — thy hidden ones." — thy treasured ones." Mudge. Ver. 13. — like a wheel;" rather, "like chaff, or thistle down." See Bishop Hare, Bishop Lowth, and Archbishop Secker in Merrick's Annotations. PSALM LXXXIV. THE PLEASURES OF DEVOTION. Ver. 5. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee ; They are bent upon climbing the steep ascents. Heb. " Steep ascents are in their hearts," /. c. the steep ascents of the hills on which the city and temple stood. f?18 CKITICAL NOTES. psalm lxxxiv. Ver. 6. Passing through the valley of Baca, they made it a foun- tain, The pools which the rain hath filled. 7. c. They quench their thirst witli the rain water of the stagnant pools, and are as well satisfied with it as with tlie pure water of a spring. Ver. 7. They proceed from wall to wall, And appear before God in Sion. However inadmissible Houbigant's alterations of the text may be, the general sense of the passage is certainly what is given in his notes. " Describit Psaltes eum hominem, qui ex illo loco ubi castra habct, ad tabernaculum in Sion po- situm proficiscens, transit recto tramite per vallem Pyro- rum ; et qui in fonte ac cisterna, quae praeter viam erant, se- cure sitim restinguit. Turn properans ex muro Jerusalem, ad alterum murum monti Sion proximum penetrat, taberna- culum denique intraturus. Ver. 9. — our shield." I think 1J3:i'^ has originally be- rsALM LxxxT. CRITICAL NOTES. 219 longed to the preceding verse, and has been thrust into this by a transposition of the final H^D, I would read, therefore, : n^D : i2::iD 2^^^ '•n^i^ ^i"'T^^n Give ear, O God of Jacob, our shield. Sclah, Behold, &c. PSALM LXXXV. Bishop Hare has a notion, that the first six lines of this Psalm have changed place with the first six of the 60th. I see no necessity for the supposition. The 60th Psalm opens with complaint, and allusions to some great national judg- ments ; exults in the hope of successes and prosperity, found- ed on the divine promise ; and ends with prayer. This Psalm opens with thanksgiving for the return of captives, and im- plores God's grace to perfect the reformation of the nation, that their reconciliation to God may be complete, and his displeasure for ever done away, and it ends in a prophecy of the final redemption. It was perhaps composed after Ma- nasseh's I'estoration. It may be divided into four parts. The first three verses make the f;s^ part ; the Ith, 5th, Cth, 7th, \^\q second ; the 220 CRITICAL NOTES. psalm lxxxv. Sth, 9th, 10th, and 11th the third ; the 12th and 13th the Jburth, The Jirst part sung by a semichorus of priests ; the second by a second semichorus ; the third, by the high priest alone; the Jburth, by the whole choir. Ver. 8. for he will speak." For '•3, Kennicott seems to read "^2. But the change is unnecessary and rather for the worse. The passage, as it stands, should be thus ren- dered : I will hearken what the God, Jehovah, will speak. — Truly he speakcth, &c. The LXX seem to have read, I will hearken what the God, Jehovah, will speak by me. — Truly he speaketh, &c. PSALM Lxxxvi. CRITICAL NOTES. 221 PSALM LXXXVI. A PRAYER OF MESSIAH IN HIS HUMILIATION. Ver. 11. — unite my heart to fear thy name." Rather, — my heart is united to the fear of thy name." Or, — " my heart will rejoice in fearing thy name." So Dr. Durell ren- ders the passage, referring the verb Tn*' to the root TMH ; foi' wliich he has the authority of the LXX and the Syriac. But I prefer the former interpretation. Ver. 1 6. — the son of thine handmaid." Rather, — the son of thy truth;" /. e. thy true son. Compare cxvi, 16. PSALM LXXXVIL [A] Ver. 3. The glories of the wilderness." — Glorious things are spoken." JE. T. The Schechinah, which appeared upon Sinai, and mar- slialled the army of the Israelites upon their journey through the wilderness, has now fixed its residence in thee, O city of God. Compare lxviii, IT. [B] Ver. 4. I will remember Egypt and Babylon." 222 CRITICAL NOTES, psalm lxxxvii. The verb "^OtJ^, in this place, may be either, " I will re- member," i, €. I will make myself remember Egj'pt and Babylon; or, I will make Egypt and Babylon remember me: and either way, the general sense of the passage is the same. [C] —to them that know me; behold"— E, T. TT'*? 7^'^'n. The word, H^n, I take for the pronoun feminine, rehearsing the nations, Egypt and Babylon. The verb substantive is understood. ^J^lv, " inter cognoscentes me ; " " They (shall be) among them that shall acknowledge me." [D] — this Man." This great public Benefactor shall be born among the Jews. [E] Ver. 5. And every one shall say of Sion, He" — . — And of Zion it shall be said. This and that" — E. T. Unusqiiisque, every one. Every one shall confess, to the honour of the Israelites, that the Saviour was a native Jew ; and God shall provide that this circumstance shall be parti- cularly recorded in the Scrij^ture of the peoples ; the histori- cal books of the New Testament, caUed " the Scripture of the peoples," as intended for the instruction of the whole world ; not like the scriptures of the Old Testament, peculiar to the Jews. [E] Vcr. 6. — shall count when he writeth up the people." See my Translation, and the preceding note. rsALM Lxxxviii. CRITICAL NOTES. 223 [F] Vcr. 7. And all that were afflicted in thee," &c. I read with the Syriac, ""Ji^D. Q vbnD, sicut choreas (lucent es ,- or, more simply, like pipers. *' Merry as pipers," is a proverbial, but a low, expression in our language. PSALM LXXXVIIL [A] Vcr. 5. Cast out among the dead." " Cut off," says Bishop Lowth, " from all intercourse with the living," referring to 2 Kings, xv, 5 ; where IT'ti^Bn IT2 signifies the house of the leprous king's retirement. The import of the word here is by no means obvious. [B] —like the slain." E. T. a'bbvf. Vide Ps. Lxxxix, 1 0. The D^'?^n, and the lip ''23;:^, arc different persons. The former, just at the last gasp; the latter, dead and buried. See Psalm lxxxix, 10. [C] Ver. 7. — tliou hast tumbled over me." — thou hast afflicted me with." E. T. Archbishop Seeker observes, that the Syriac read /l"'^i^rT, for D^2y. And v^, he says, may be understood here from the beginning of the verse, that the sense may be, " thou hast brought upon me," which the Greek version also ren- ders. 224 CRITICAL NOTES, psalm lxxxviii, [D] Ver. 8. Shut-up-apart." This I take to be the pro^ per sense of ^i73. When it denotes confinement, it always implies solitary confinement. [E] Ver. 10—12. Wilt thou," &c. The Syriac renders all this affirmatively. It should seem that, for DTl!:^'?."!, the copies used by this interpreter had C'Dt2h 7127]; that he took DM for a particle of asseveration (ccrte), as a contrac- tion of phi, or nahJ, and understood the H prefixed to the verbs "IBD* and i^lV, as the interrogative nonne. See NoL- Dius, in DJ<, sign. 5, and H interrog. The Psalmist, in these questions, expresses not any doubt or disbelief, or ignorance, of a fiiture state, but, on the con- trary, a firm belief in it. He asks, how it comes to pass, that God's power, which goes so far as to raise the dead, should not exert itself for his deliverance. . Or rather, he expostu- lates, " Since thou canst do so much, and rccal even the dead from the grave, why art thou so slow to hear my cries, and deliver me from my present distress?" The expostula-* tion is of that humble, pious cast, which would be naturally suggested to the sufferer by a firm belief of God's power, and a reliance on his favour to himself. But, taking the Messiah as the speaker, these verses seem to be a pathetic claim of the Messiah upon the Divine Power for deliverance I'rom the grave. The argument is, that by his continuing in the power of death, the whole scheme of mercy would be defeated. rsALM Lxxxix. CRITICAL NOTES. 225 [F] Ver. 18. — and mine acquaintance into darkness." E. T. Rather, " Keeping away from me mine acquaintance;" and to tliis effect the Syriac. PSALM LXXXIX. [A] Ver. 1 . — the perpetual mercies of Jehovah." For non, Bishop Hare and Houbigant would read ']nDrf. This appears to have been the reading of the LXX, and it makes the paralleUsm more complete. [B] Ver. 2. Truly I have concluded," &c. — For I have said," &c. E. T. The LXX, Vulgate, Syriac, and Jerome, have the verb in the second person, which might seem the better reading; but that the interruption of God's speech, by the Psalmist speaking in his own person in the next line, is very strange. Have the two lines of this distich changed places ? Thou didst establish the heavens ; like them is thy faithfulness. Truly thou hast said, &c. Houbigant proposes another remedy: viz. to begin this verse with d'pI^'? O, and to place the words niD>< O at the beginning of verse 3d. VOL. ir. t» 226 CRITICAL NOTES. psalm lxxxix. After all, I believe that any change is unnecessary. The word "'/T1DK, " I have said," is used, in the book of Psalms, to express two things; either a fixed purpose, or a settled opinion, of the person speaking. The Psalmist, therefore, delivers the whole of this second verse in his own person, and introduces not God speaking till the next verse. Truly I have concluded that mercy will be built up for ever. Thou establishedst the heavens ; like them is thy faithfulness. The sentiment of this last line seems to be, that the con- stancy of the celestial motions is an emblem of God's own immutability. [C] Ver. 3, 4. These two verses are certainly spoken by God, or are related as something spoken by hun. But they come in so improperly where they now stand, that I cannot but think that they are misplaced, and that their true place is between what now stand as the 35th and 36th verses. [D] Ver. 5. — the wonders of thy Godhead." The original nomi is singular here, and in Ps. lxxxviii, 12. I think it denotes, generally, whatever in the Divine Nature is an object of wonder to the intelligent creation, ta B-xvi^cxTr^ ■ r»'i .TeoTjjToj. PSALM Lxxxix. CRITICAL NOTES. 327 [E] — thy faithfulness also in the gathering together of the saints." Dr. Durell would render this clause thus ; " Thy saints also thy faithfulness in the congregation." The other I think the better rendering. But it should be observed, that the words D*'ttnp bnp2 may be rendered, " tijJ07i the gathering together of the saints." Upon occasion of that event, the gathering of God's elect into the Church of Christ, foretold in the most antient prophecies, when those projihecies are seen to take effect, the heavens shall celebrate thy faithfulness. The heavens here must be understood of the inhabitants of heaven, " the sons of the Mighty," mentioned in the next verse ; not of the external fabric, as in the nineteenth Psalm, where the verbs are different from any used here. [F] Ver. 8. O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord," Sec. E. T. See my Translation, in which I am supported by the LXX, and the Vulgate, and by Castalio. Jova praepo- tcns, cpi tua fide stiparis. [G] Ver. 10. — gasping with her wounds.'* 77nD. The word 77(1, as it is used here, and in Ps. lxxxviii, 5, signifies, not a dead carcass, but a person left for dead, under his wounds, upon the field of battle; a person so wounded, as to be fallen, and incapable of rising to defend himself, or annoy the enemy. It answers exactly to the Greek word p 2 228 CRITICAL NOTES. psalm lxxxix. r^etvu-xTist',, by whicli the LXX render it. We have no cor- responding word in the Enghsh language. [H] Ver. 15. — acquainted with the sound of the trumpet of Jehovah.'* Compare Numbers xxiii, 21. " Beatus populus, qui tc Jova cantare norunt." Castalio. Perhaps, for H^lin, we should read DimD, in i-cgbninc. [I] Ver. 19. Then".- E. T. Rather, "Once," ^cn. [K] — to thy holy ones." The LXX and Jerome express the plural 1^''^''^? " to thy saints ;" which seems the better reading. [L] I have assigned due* succours to a Mighty Man;" 2*. c. I have appointed a mighty One, to afford the succour's to which his power is adequate. "T)2J, " Mighty Man," is one of the titles of Christ. [M] Ver. 35. To this 35th verse subjoin the 3d and 4th. Thus far the Psalmist relates what God had said in former times. Then, in the 36th verse, God speaks in his own per- son, perhaps b}-^ a voice from the Sanctuary. Li the 38th, * Literally, " I have proportioned.'* PSALM Lxxxix. CRITICAL NOTES. 229 the Psalmist expostulates, and the discourse goes on, in his person, without interruption, to the end of the 47th. The 48th is spoken by God replying to the complainer, and re- minding him, that he who complains of death, as the Psalm- ist seems to do in the 47th, complains of the common lot of human nature. In the 49th, the Psalmist rephes, that how- ever unreasonable his complaints might be as a man, he has to plead the terms of a special promise. [N] Ver. 39. For /ini ^m^i^n (if there be any such word) or D^!^Ii/ understood, is the subject of the verb ')1D. Mr Merrick observes, that by an idiom of the oriental languages, the sense of a passive verb is often expressed in Hebrew by a verb active, in the third person plural, without any proper nominative, and ha- ving for its object what should be the subject of the passive verb. He refers to Job xix, 26 ; where 13pJ H");; "inN, *' after they shall have perforated my skin," is equivalent to this, " after my skin shall have been perforated ;" and to Luke Xll, 20, rxvTYi rr VVX.TI riiv ■cn(pic, ; and we can hardly suppose but that these translators, who dwelt in Egypt, knew, in general, what was intended by the Hebrew name ; especially as this interpretation is confirmed by PJiilo himself, also an Alex- andrian Jew, and by Origeyi, a Christian father, who like- wise lived at Alexandria. Both PJiilo and Origan represent them as being very small but very troublesome. The latter describes them as winged insects, but so small as to escape any but the acutest sight ; and says, that when settled on the body, they wound it with a most sharp or painful piercei*. So these insects seem to have had ihcir Hebrew name from their firm settling or fixing on the bodies of men or animals. And in this view D''3D may include several species of noisome in- sects." Parkijurst's Lexicon under p, vii. S3 2iG CRITICAL NOTES. fsalm cvi» PSALM CVL A PENITENTIAL HYxMN, COMPOSED AFTER THE CAPTIVITY OF THE TEN TRIBES, Ver. 3. — tliat keep judgment, and he that doeth" — Read with the Syiiac VcOBti^D, and with all the versions "^^2^. " Bless- ed are they that keep his judgments, and do righteousness at nil seasons." Ver. 7. — at the sea, even at the Red Sea." For D*^ b^*, Houbigant would read DTiVk, — " but provoked God at the Red Sea." The alteration is unnecessary. Ver. 15. — leanness." pn I take here for pNt"), " loath- ing." See Numbers xi, 20. Ver. 19. — the molten image;'' more properly, — "the overlaid image," or more literally still, — " the metalhne sheU." Ver. 27. To overthrow their seed." Nothinj; was said about overthrowing the seed, at the time when the adults, yhich came out of Egypt, were sentenced to perish in the PSALM cvi. CRITICAL NOTES. 24-7 wilderness. On the contrary, it was promised that their little ones, /. c. those who were under the age of twenty years at the time of the general mustei-, should be settled in the land of Canaan. See Numbers xiv. Mudge endeavours to re- concile the Psalm with the historj', by taking the verb TSH, in the sense of " overthrowing," in the 26th verse, and in that of " assigning a lot or portion" in the 27th. But it is so very im- probable that the same verb should be used in such diiferent senses in the very same sentence, that I would rather change the second TBH into ^TF^n, if the remedy were sufficient. But it is added, — " and to scatter them through the lands.'* To scatter whom ? Nothing was said, at the tune alluded to, about scattering the seed, which should be settled in Canaan, in some future period, through the lands. Mudge would get over this difficulty by the pronoun ^ suffixed to Jint^, them-^ pelves, as if it rehearsed the adult race, exclusive of their seed. But this adult race were scattered through no lands. Their ;sentence was to perish in the wilderness ; that is, they were to die in that one country, which rendered a scattering of tlicm through many countries impossible. " A scattering," in the scriptural sense of the word, implies the existence of the people in a state of dispersion : and " a scattering throuo-h the lands or countries," describes a wide dispersion through all the different countries of the world. Upon the whole, I cannot explain this 27th verse to my own satisfaction. Ver. 29. — their inventions ;" rather, — " their fi'olics." o 4- 218 CRITICAL NOTES. psalm cvii. Ver. 35. But were mingled among ;'' rather, " But formed alliances with." Ver. 39. — and went a whoring with their own inventions •/* rather, — and play the wanton in their perverse habits." PSALM CVII. A THANKSGIVING FOR THE FINAL RESTORATION FROM THE DISPERSION. [A] This Psalm consists of five principal parts ; and each part seems composed of an air for a single voice, an anti^ phony for the semichoruses, and a full chorus. Part I. Air, verses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Antiphony. — First Semichorus, verse 6. — Second Semichorus, verse 7. — FuU Chorus, verses 8, 9. Part II. Air, verses 10, 11, 12. Antiphony. — First Se- michorus, verse 13. — Second Semichorus, verse I*. — Full Chorus, verses 15, 16. Part III. Air, verses 17, 18. Antiphony. — First Semi- chorus, verse 1 9. — Second Semichorus, verse 20. — Full Cho- rus, verses 21, 22. Part IV. Air, verses 23, 2't, 25, 26, 27. Antiphony. fSALM cvii. CRITICAL NOTES. 249 — First Semichorus, verse 28. — Second Semichorus, verses 29, 30. — Full Chorus, verses 31, 32. Part V. Air, verses, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40. An- tiphony. — First Semichorus, verse 41. — Second Semichorus, verse 42. — Full Chorus, verse 43. [B] Ver. 3. —from the south," Q^DI. Read, with Bishop Hare and Z)r Kennicott, ]'♦(^^'D. [C] Ver. 17. Fools because of their transgression. E. T. Bishop Hare observes, that ^ti'S T)1D is a phrase which occurs no where else. For Di^lt^S), he would read "S^W^. 1 loubigant would change D vli* into Lyb'\'ik ; which Dr Ken- nicott, in his Remarks, approves. But it should seem, that when he made his translation of this Psalm he had adopt- ed some other reading, suggested to him by the version of the LXX. In my judgement, Bishop Hare's is the better emendation. But the true reading, I am persuaded, would be D''i?Ii'3, which would make the form of the sentence ex- actly the same as at the beginning of the former part. "They are foohsh, they wilfully deviate from the way." [D] Ver. 29. He maketh— waves thereof." E. T. For Dp'', Archbishop Seeker would read Diy\ For DH"*'?.!, read with the Syriac, Bishop Hare, and Houbigant, D'TT 'b:\y " the waves of the sea." 250 CRITICAL NOTES, fsalm cviii. ci>:* PSALM CVIII. This Psalm is made up of five verses of the lvii, (7 — 11), and eight of the lx, (5 — 12.) PSALM CIX, [A] Ver. 10. — let them be driven out." — let tl^em seek also." E. T. For ^W\T, the LXX had "W^T ; " let them be driven out." This reading Houbigant and Archbishop Seeker approve. The image is vagabonds seeking a miserable shelter among the ruins of decayed or demolished buildings, and not suffer- ed to remam even in such places undisturbed. [B] Ver. 13. — in a single generation," &c. For "ini^, the LXX had "irii^, which Houbigant would restore; " — in a single generation." Again, for DDti^, their 7iame, the LXX had M2^, his name, which is certainly tlie better reading. Ver. 17. — loved cursing. — " as he delighted not in bless- ing." See my Translation. I'SALM ex. CRITICAL NOTES. 251 [C] Ver. 18. — a garment-fitted-to-liim." This I take to be the precise sense of nJ3. [D] Ver. 21. —do thou for me." E. T. ^n.^ TWyi; Trans- ige meum ncgotium propter nomen tuum. Bishop Lowth doubts whether the Hebrew words will bear this sense ; and he thinks Houbigant's conjecture, vi»J npii', ingenious. But I abide by the common reading, and the sense given to it, PSALM ex. Messiah's exaltation, [A] This Psahn is expounded of the Messiah in the Tar- gum, by Moses Hadarsan, and Saadias Gaon ; by Isaac Ben Aramah, in Midrasch Tehilhm, and in the Gemara. Huet. Dem. Ev. Prop. vii. [B] Ver. 3. The people shall be willing," &c. E. T. See my Translation. The " offerings of free wiU" denote the spiritual worship of the Gospel, that perfect law of liberty, as distinguished from the slavish, burdensome impositions of the Mosaic in- stitutions. Archbishop Seeker thought that P!)'21^ "pV may 252 CRITICAL NOTES. tsalm ex. be an elliptical expression for ni21i D^ IDJ^, taking Dy, both expressed and understood for the noun, not for the pre- position. Dr Kennicott would insert the D^, which Arch- bishop Seeker conceives to be understood. The expression, *' beauties of holiness," if our modern text gives the true reading, is to be joined with " offerings of free will," as another phrase for the same thing, intimating that that spiritual devotion, which the gospel requires, is alone worthy of God, and is the per- fection of worship. But if the reading of the LXX be adopt- ed, a& it is represented in the Alexandrine MS., which seems to have been "f^Tp ''■nn^, " the splendours of thy saints," it is either a periphrasis for the saints and angels in heaven, who are thus described as joined with Christians upon earth in the offerings of free will ; or the clause " in the splendours of thy samts," is a farther description of the time for those free-will offerings intended, in the preceding clause, by " the day of thy power." That is, the times succeeding our Lord's exaltation, when the Christian religion acquired general esr teem and credit ; when our Lord's power was manifested and acknowledged, and his saints, as they were honoured in the world, in some sort glorified. In the 96th Psalm, the exhortation to the nations of the earth to worship Jehovah, " in the beauty of holiness," is con- nected with that of bringing a meat-offering, or, as it should rather be called, a bread-offering, which is an argument that the expression rather denotes a mode of worship than the tiine oy place ; and that the mode of worship, intended under PSALM ex. CIIITICAL NOTES. 253 this denomination in the 96th Psalm, was to be one of which animal sacrifices were to make no part. The expressions in that place and in this, as the text now stands, differ only in the gender of the noun IIH, which is masculine here, and feminine in the other place. In the 96th Psalm, the an- cient versions give no indication of any varieties in the read- ing. Again, that " the beauties of holiness" is not a peri- phrasis for the beautiful courts of the sanctuary, is evident from the use of the expression in the 96th Psalm, which was composed before the Temple and its beautiful courts were in being ; when the ark was deposited in its temporary mansion, the tent which David had pitched for it. It is very remark- able that, in the 8th verse of this 96th Psalm, where the courts of the temple are mentioned in that later edition of of this divine song, which we have in the book of Psalms, *' Come into his courts ;" the expression in the first edition, preserved in the 16th chapter of the first book of Chronicles, is more general, without any allusion to the temple ; " Come before him." And yet the precept of worshipping " in the beauties of holiness" occurs, in the first edition, in the very same terms as in the second, which clearly proves that these beauties of holiness have no necessaiy reference to the visible beauties of the temple. Another thing appears very remarkable upon the compa- rison of the two editions of this 96th Psalm ; that although, in the second edition, expressions were altered to adapt the style of the composition to the temple service, yet the pre- 25* CRITICAL NOTES. psalm ex. cept to the nations of the world in general, to bring a bread- offering, was allowed to stand. Now, the circumstance that gave occasion to the mention of a bread-offering exclusively, in the first composition of the Psalm, was this ; that the wor- ship, to which the nations were exhorted, consisted in rites to be performed before the ark, in the tent which David had pitched for it in Jerusalem, where no thing but bread-offer- ings could be offered, while the altar of burnt-offerings stood in another place : to which other place we accordingly find that the worshippers resorted, for the purpose of sacrificing animals, before the temple was built. See 1 Kings iii, 1 — 4, and 2 Chron. i, 3 — 6. But that this precept of bringing a mincha specifically, should be suffered to remain in the second edition of the Psalm, adjusted, as hath been observed, to the temple service, of which the sacrifice of animals made a stated part, evidently shews that whatever might be the sentiments of the composer of this Psalm, the Divine Spirit looked forward to the institution of that universal worship, in which the only offering should be a mincha, commemorative of the one efficacious bloody sacrifice offered once for all. And this is a further argument, that " the beauties of holi- ness," intended by the Divine Spirit, are to be looked for in that improved universal worship. At the same time, from the use of this phrase in 2 Chron. xx, 21, it appears, that its literal and immediate reference is to the visible pomp of the temple service. For in that passage the words D'*'?7n^31 vnp nTlTV should be rendered, " and performers accord- rsALM ex. CRITICAL NOTES. 855 ing to the pomp of holiness." D vSlD, Hterally, " glorifiers," i. e. persons who took part in the performance of hymns glorifying God. Instrumental performers are principally in- tended, the vocal performers having been mentioned before by another name, D''T)^D. These vocal and instrumental performers were to perform, according to the pomp of holi- ness, ?'. e. with all the state of the temple service. They were to perform the same hymns, to the same tunes, with the ac- companiment of the same instiniments in the same parts, and dressed in the same habiliments as were used in the sanc- tuary. This is certainly the literal import of the expression. But in this passage, and in Psalms xcvi and xxix, it has un- doubtedly a further reference to that pure and perfect wor- ship, of which the worship of the temple was but a type and shadow. The last line of this third verse, describes the numbers of those who should be begotten, through Christ, to the hope of immortality. See Bishop Lowth's Prlections. It was ^o understood by Queen Elizabeth's translators, who render the whole verse in these words : " The people shall come will- ingly at the time of assembling thine armie in holy beautie : the youth of thy womb shall be as the morning dew." Amono- the earliest Greek writers, dew seems to have been a figurative expression for the young of any animal. Thus ^goo-e? is used by ^schylus for an imfledged bird. Agamemn. 1 45. And j^c-/, by Homer, for a young lamb or kid. Od. i', 222. 256 CRITICAL NOTES. psalm ex. [C] Ver. 4. — Order of Melchisedeck." See Parkhurst's Lexicon, under 121, v. where the phrase is well explained- [D] Ver. 5. The. Lord, at thy right hand." In the first verse, " the Lord" is distinguished from Jeho- vah, and placed at his right hand. It is difficult to believe that at so small a distance in the same Psalm, both the titles and the situations should be interchanged, viz. Jehovah called the Lord, and placed at the Lord's right hand. I am, there- fore, much inclined to indulge in a conjecture, which Dr. Kennicott, too, seems to have entertained, that the word mrf, or CD''^7^J, hath been lost out of the text after the word irD**, and should be restored. [E] Ver. 6. He shall fill the places," &c. B. T. Dr. Kennicott would read, with Bishop Hare, nVi^!! i<7?D nVIJ. St. Jerome's version gives some little countenance to this emendation, which, however, I take to be unnecessary. JIT")!! J<7D, is " omnia complens caede;" " filling all with dead bodies," as Queen Elizabeth's translators render it. [F] — the heads over many countries." jE. T. All the antient interpreters, except St. Jerome, seem to have had DO") in the plural. See the Translation. [G] The composition of this Psalm is admirable in the extatic style. The Psalmist begins gravely, relating in the PSALM CXI, cxii. CRITICAL NOTES. 257 first verse, an oracular promise of Jehovah to his Lord. Then, in the 2d, 3d, and 4th verses, he addresses his dis- course to his Lord upon the subject of that promise. In the 5th verse, having before his imagination the scene of his Lord's achievements in his state of exaltation, his admira- tion breaks out in words addressed to Jehovah. The 7th and 8th, I am much inclined to consider as the reply of an ora- cular voice to the astonished Prophet. PSALM CXI. ALPHABETICAI,. A HYMN OF PRAISJE, PERHAPS FOR THE FEAST OF PENTECOST. PSALM CXII. ALPHABETICAL. THE BLESSEDNESS OP THE RIGHTEOUS, AND FINAL PERDITION OF THE UNGODLY. Ver. 4. Unto the upright," &c. An allusion to what hap- pened in Egypt, when the Israelites had light in all theiv dwellings, while the land was wrapt in darkness. VOL. II. K 0.5S Critical notes. psalm cxn. There ariseth liglit in the darkness unto upright men, To the gracious, the compassionate, and the just one. The adjectives, which form the second line, seem exposi- tive of the plural, upright men, in the first. Bishop Hare ex- punges the conjunction 1 prefixed to pHiJ, which makes tlie last line a sentence in itself. The Just One is gracious and compassionate. The LXX had the conjunction prefixed to pHii, but that word was followed in their copies by DTT/J^ miT', or per- haps by irn^i^ 'iV)TV, according to the Alexandrian text of the Greek version. But neither the Vulgate, nor Jerome's LXX, nor Jerome's Hebraica Veritas, acknowledge this ad- dition. Vcr. 5. A good man," &c. Rather, Happy is tlie man who is gracious, and lendeth^ He shall support liis matters in judgement. See Archbishop Secker, and Mudge. rs, cxiii, cxiv. CRITICAL NOTES. 259 PSALM CXIII. A TI^ANKSGIVJNG, PERHAPS, OF THE RETURNED CAPTIVES. Ver. 5, 6. — who chvelleth on high ; who humbleth him- self," &c. Rather, Who dwelleth high. Who looketh low. In heaven and in earth. i. e. who dwelleth high in heaven, and looketh low upon earth. See Bishop Lowth's Praeleetions. PSALM CXIV. A HYMN FOR THE FEAST OF THE PASSOVEft. Ver. 1. — a people of strange language." Rather, " a ty- rannical people." See Parkhurst's Lexicon, under \^^. Ver. 2. Juduh was" — . Houbigant would change the femi- nine ^J^^'T, into the masculine (TTl. Le Clerc proposed the same emendation. But Bishop Hare deems it unnecessary, .Tudah being put collectively for the Jewish nation. R 2 260 CRITICAL NOTES. tsalm cxvi. Ver. 8. — turned the rock." For D!l^*, read, with Bishop Hare and Houbigant, Q^W? ; and for *)J''i?D^, read, with the LXX, Vulgate, and Kennicott, ''2yr2b. N. B. The LXX, Vulgate, and Syriac, put the cxiv and cxv Psahiis into one. PSALM CXVI. This Psalm might be composed upon Hezckiah's miracul- ous recovery. Ver. 1. I love the Lord." Rather, " I am well pleased that Jehovah. " Houbigant, Archbishop Secker, and Bishop LowTH. — my voice and my supplications." Bishop Hare and Houbigant would expunge the ^ in vp ; in which, perhaps, they are too hasty. Instances of singular nouns, taking a paragogic ■• in regimine, or before the suffixes, abound in the Psalms, as Archbishop Secker hath observed. The ^ there- fore may stand; but it must be merely paragogic; and the true rendering is, — " the voice of my supplications." And so the LXX ; Tij? i. LXX. See verses 58, 40, 41, 38, 11. Ver. 75. — in faithfulness.'* Kennicott, ^^•ith the Chaldaic and Vulgate, reads rOlDKQI. Ver. 76. — thy word." To Aoytav c-a. LXX. See verses 67s S8, 50, 4-1, 38, 11. Ver. 78. — they dealt perversely with me," " they have afflicted me," or " oppressed me;" literally, " they have bow- ed me down," or " bent me." Root Jll^. Vcr. 79. — those that have known." Our translators have here properly followed the Keri. Ver. 82. — thy word." Ta xo-ziov cm. LXX. See verses 76, 67,58, 50, 41, 38, 11. V^er. 85. The proud have digged pits for me." Houbi- gant explains the word T1D by the Arabic ')1D, repetivit. " The proud pester me with vain subtleties." /lin"*!i^. ** Vain sxibtle reasonings, such as unbelievers have ever delighted in.'* To the same effect, the LXX, A;>iy;)(rflcyTo (ah vae/'-^OfAOi tiones." 268 CRITICAL NOTES. psalm cxrx. Ver. 91. They continue this day;" rather, " the clay con- tinueth.'* For T\DV, read with the LXX and Iloubigant T)Di^. Tvi ^ixToclii era ii Yif^ig^x dioc.y,ivu. " By thy Constitution the day continueth." " The day," i. e. the regular succes- sion of time, the vicissitudes of day and night. Ver. 98. Thou, through thy commandments, hast made me sviser than mine enemies ;" rather, " Thou hast given me understanding, in thy commandments, above mine enemies." As, in the two next verses, the Psalmist compares himself with teachers and elders, I have sometimes thought that the comparison here should be with " fathers." But the change of ''l^MD into ''j"n3>iD is too considerable to be made, without absolute necessity, upon mere conjecture. Ver. 103. — thy words." Tx y^oytx c-s. LXX. See verses S2, 76, 67, 58, 50, 41, 38, 11. Ver. 113. — vain thoughts." n^^avo^ss, LXX. Iniquos, Vulgate. Tumultuosos, Jerome. St Jerome's seems the true interpretation of the word. See Parkhurst's Lexicon, under s^i^D. Ver. 116. — thy word." To Aeyfov o-a. LXX. Sec verses 103, 82, 76, 67, 58, 50, 41, 38, 11. Ver. 118. — for their deceit is falsehood." Houbigant PSALM cxix. CRITICAL NOTES. 269 would refer the'word DntDnJI to the root Dll, and render it " their exaltation ;" their exaltation hath proved an il- lusion. Or rather, he says, he would change the word into DilDDII, an acknowledged derivative of Dl"!. But I see no necessity for any change, or any reference to D1"). The true sense of the passage is, "for their cunning hath been fal- lacious," that is, it hath deceived themselves and brought on their ruin. And to this effect Bishop Hare. Ver. 119. Thou puttest away." For nnit^il, Kennicott, with Bishop Hare and Houbigant, would read DQ^rr, " Thou esteemest." The LXX had ^Dlttrrr, " I esteem." Ver. 120. — tremblctli." The Hebrew word 1f2D ex- presses that state of the skin, which is vulgarly called goose- flesh. " Horripilavit caro mca." Jekoisie. The same thing cannot be poetically expressed in our language without peri- phrasis. " A thrilling horror curdles my skin." Note, that "yOl here signifies the skin. See Psalm cii, 5. Ver. 123. — the word." To Aoy/ov. LXX. See verses 116, 103, 82, 76, 67, 58, 50, 41, 38, 11. Ver. 127, 128. Therefore—, p '?;r, in the beginning of these two verses, seems antithetic : — " tliey have made void thy law, whereas I" — or, " I, on the contrary" — . 270 CRITICAL NOTES. psalm cxix. Ver. 128. I esteem all thy precepts." Read with the LXX, Jerome, HoubIj>-ant, and Kcnnicott, ''/Tlti;'' inpS b'lh, " I have walked strait according to all thy injunctions." Ver. 130. The entrance"— nrSD, h>^»T«». LXX; "cum his qui oderunt.'* Vulgate. ^72 CRITICAL NOTES. psalm cxxi. PSALM CXXI. Rex, ad beUum gerendum, ut videtur, egressurus, prius ad Aram Dei in monte Sione constitutuni accedit, et divinam openi, in qua se unice confidere profitetur, implorat. Lowth, Praelect. xxx. The Bishop thinks the two first verses contain the King's prayer, and the rest of the Psabn the High Priest's answer. I divide the Psahn into four parts. The 1st and 2d verses contain the King's prayer ; the 3d verse, sung by a semicho- rus of priests, on one side ; the 4th by a semichorus on the other ; the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th by the High Priest alone ; re- ceiving the King on the uppermost step. Vcr. 3. He will not suffer, he — will not slumber;" rather, " May he never suffer, may he — not slumber." This verse has the form of a prayer ; and all that follows of assertion or promise. PSALM exxxiv. CRITICAL NOTES. 273 PSALM CXXH. This Psalm consists of three parts. Part I, verses 1 and 2, sung by the worshippers. Part II, verses 3, 4, 5, 6, bj- the priests. Part III, verses 7, 8, 9, the worshippers. Ver. 4. — unto the tcstijnony of Israel ; rather, " the con- gregations of Israel. PSALM CXXIIL PRAYER FOR PROTECTION AGAINST THE ATHEISTICAL CON- SPIRACY. PSALM CXXIV. FOR SOME PUBLIC THANKSGIVING. The Psalm consist of four parts, alternately sung by two Seniichoruses, and a concluding full Chorus. VOL. II. s 274. CRITICAL NOTES. psalm cxxvii. First semichorus, verses 1, 2, 3. Second semichorus, verses 4, 5. First semichorus, verse 6. Second semichorus, verse 7. Full chorus, verse 8. PSALM CXXV. Ver. 5. — workers of iniquity," i. e. idolaters. PSALM CXXVI. THANKSGIVING OF THE RETURNED CAPTIVES. Ver. 6. — bearing precious seed." " He that goeth, and weeping beareth the seed to be drawn forth, shall surely come again with joy bearing his sheaves." PSALM CXXVIL A PSALM, TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE PRIESTS TO THE PARENTS PRESENTING THE FIRST-BORN. Ver. 2. —for so." For p, read with the LXX O. « You rsALM cxxix. CRITICAL NOTES. 275 take all this trouble for your security in vain, whilst he [Je- hovah] gives his beloved sleep." Ver. 5. — they shall speak." A forensic word says Ken- nicott. But are they not rather armed enemies, witli whom the father, with his numerous progeny, is supposed to con- tend. Mxy-xpioc o'Tt', xinoi; Iit^vmv Irt Tccciocii; Tcci^u-tnu^avrcic, u'Ky.iiji.v^ Ixu. PSALM CXXVIIL ADDRESSED BY THE PRIESTS TO THE HOUSEHOLDER, BRING- ING HIS FIRST FRUITS, OR HIS TITHES. PSALM CXXIX. A THANKSGIVING FOR DELIVERANCE FROM SOME GREAT PERSECUTION. First semichorus, verses 1, 2, 3. Second semichorus, verses Jv, 5. Full chorus, verses 6, 7, 8. s2 276 CRITICAL NOTES. fsalm cxxx. PSALM CXXX. UPON BRINGING A SIN OFFERING. The first six verses are sung by the offerer. The 7th and 8th by the priest. Ver. 6. My soul waiteth," &c. This verse is certainly corrupt, but the version of the LXX gives the emendation. : nb'h TV ip2b W'lr^vn " My soul is with the Lord, from the morning watch, " From the morning watch until night." PSALM CXXXL In the first two verses, a worshipper professes the humility of his faith and trust in God. In the last verse, a priest exr horts to trust in God. PSALM cxxxir. CRITICAL NOTES. 277 Ver. 2. — my soul is even as a weaned child." Houbi- ffant would read ni^DJ for ^1i^31 The sense of the whole vei'se, with this alteration, would be this: Surely I have brought down, and quieted my soul, Like a weaned child upon its mother, Like a weaned child upon her lap. * But I think any emendation unnecessary. " Like a weaned child is my soul upon me," /. c. within me. PSALM CXXXIL The occasion of this Psalm was probably the placing of the ark in Solomon's temple. It was sung by the priests and Levites as the ark was carried up the steps. I divide the Psalm into parts, thus ; part I, verses 1 — 5, High Priest alone. Part II, ver. 6, First semichorus. Part III, verse 7, Second semichorus. Part IV, verses 8, 9, 10, Full chorus. Part V, verses 11 — 18, High Priest alone. Ver. 1. Lord remember David and all" — rather, " Re- * Literally, " upon her person." S3 'J78 CRITICAL NOTES. tsalm cxxxir. member unto David" — /. e. reward, requite. See Psalm cixxxvii, 7, and Kennicott's Translation of this Psalm. Ver. 6. Houbigant would read imj^^JD::^ and •|mi^<2iD, " we heard of him, — we found him." Him, that is Jehovah, men- tioned in the preceding verse. I cannot think the alteration necessary. — at Ephratah — in the fields of the wood [or of Jear.]" Ephratah, Shilo ; fields of Jear, Kiriath-jearmi. " Senten- tia talis est. Olim dicebatur Deus et area ejus habitare nunc in Silo Ephratae, nunc in campis Silvae, seu Cariathiarim ; et ibatur nunc hue, nunc illuc, ad adorandum Deum. Nunc tandem requiesce, Domine, et una sit tua requies in hoc tem- plo a me aedificato." Houbigant, ad locum. Ver. 15. For TTDi, Houbigant would read nnt:^ " I will richly bless her princes." This would make the parallchsm more exact. But the change seems not absolutely necessary. PSALM CXXXIIL OF BROTHERLY LOVE AND UNITY. Ver. 3. — for there ;" i. e. where brethren live together in harmony. I have sometimes thought that Dl!^, by an ellip- sis or omission of llt'K, an ellipsis or omission the more like- FSALM cxxxiv. CRITICAL NOTES. 279 ly to happen when "Wi^ was contracted into ^, might signify Ubi ; then the sense would be, « Surely where Jehovah hath appointed a blessing, " Is life for ever more." " His blessing carries with it lives for ever more. Immor- taUty and bliss.'' It is no objection, that eternal hfe was not the sanction of the Mosaic law. The thing here blessed, is no branch of legal sanctity, but of real godliness; and the promises of eternal life to the righteous in the Psalms are in- numerable. PSALM CXXXIV. AT THE SHUTTING OF THE GATE OF THE TEMPLE FOR THE NIGHT. The first and second verses sung by the priests without, who are going away for the night, upon the steps of the great gate. The third verse by the priests remaining within. Ver. 2. — your hands." Read witli three MSS., Bishop Hare, and Houbigant □D'^T. s 4. 280 CRITICAL NOTES, psalm cxxxvii. —in the sanctuary." Read, with the LXX and Houbi- sant, ^inpb. PSALM CXXXV. FOR THE FEAST OF PENTECOST. PSALM CXXXVI. FOR THE FEAST OF PENTECOST, AFTER THE RETURN '/ROM THE CAPTIVITY. PSALM CXXXVII. [A] Ver. 1. — " our Sion." The word our is not in the Hebrew. But there is an emphasis in the article n^i prefix- ed to Sion, which a Greek or Roman poet would have so ex- pressed, and which I know not how to express otherwise. [B] Ver. 2. — of the spot." HDina, " in the midst there- of." Thereof can rehearse nothing but Babylon. This is an expression, therefore, describing the willow as the tree of the country. PSALM cxxxvii. CRITICAL NOTES. 281 [C] Ver. 3. — our spoilers." — they that wasted us." E. T. A ChaMaism for ^ybbw. Kennicott and Mudge. Some refer the word to the root 7\ But see the objects in Mr. Parkhurst's Lexicon, under the word 7\ [D] —a hymn of joy." —mirth." E. T. Kennicott, for HHDW, would read nr\2lD, which he renders a Iti/mn. Castell gives the word this sense in the Syriac and Ethiopic dialects ; but I find no instance of the like use of it in Hebrew : and if we reason from the etymology of the words, I see not why nHQ^ may not as well signify a hymn, as nnH^. Whichever be the true reading, the LXX under- stood a hymn to be the thing meant. [E] Ver. 6. — sum total." Among the various senses of the word ^J"}"), one is, a sum total of an account, which was antiently set at the top, not, as with us, at the bottom of the account. See Parkhurst's Lexicon, under tt^M"), x. The image here I take to be, that the prosperity of Jerusalem was the sum total, comprehending all the different items in his ac- count, of occasions of joy. [F] Ver. 7. Remember," &c. See the Translation. " Exe- cute vengeance upon the Edomites, for what they did to Je- rusalem in the day of her adversity." See Psalm cxxxii, 1. 282 CRITICAL NOTES, psalm cxxxviii. [GJ Ver. 8. — delightest in destruction." Vastatrix. PSALM CXXXVIII. [A] Ver. 1. I will confess thee, O Jehovah." I read, with the LXX, Jerome, Vulgate, Bishop Hate, Houbigant, and Kennicott, TV\7V^ "XVl^. [B] — in the presence of the Gods.'* Evxvtiov »[y%xuv. Compare Psalm xcvii, 7. [C] Ver. 2. — for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name." E. T. This passage is certainly corrupt. Bishop Hare proposes to insert Ql£^ before yw, and to expunge "]JT)DJ^. Kenni- cott understands the sentiment to be, that God delights to display his veracity more than any other attribute. V^hat if we read ^n■^D^i^ yyV ? as in my Translation. Truly thou hast magnified thy name above all, according to thy promise. [D] Ver. 3. — and strengthenedst me with strength in my sold." E. T. Put a stop at the verb '•32111/1, and under- stand the substantive verb in the next clause. See my Trans- lation, and CoccEius in 2111. PSALM cxxxix. CRITICAL NOTES. '2$3 PSALM CXXXIX. [A] Ver. 1. — Thou treasurest up." See Parkhurst's Lexicon, under ]DD. [B] Ver. 4, 5. Place, with Houbigant and the LXX, the full stop at Dip. See my Translation. The sense is, that God knows even his unuttered thoughts, his future intentions, as well as his past actions. [C] Ver. 6. Read, with Kennicott, nVlH ''i^b^. [D] Ver. 8. —if I make my bed." £.T. n;^^2JJ<. Houbi- gant would read ^[J?iJ^i, without the Jod, that the verb may be the future Kal of ^V^, which signifies, as he thinks, " to walk with hasty strides.'* So that the sense will be, " If I haste away to hell." But it is by no means certain that the idea of walking with hasty strides, or travelling, or moving from one place to another, at all belongs to this verb. The places in which Lexicographers give it this sense, are not at all deci- sive. See Mr. Blayney's Note on Jeremiah xlviii, 12; and Parkhurst's Lexicon, under Tiy^i. The proper senses of the word are, to spread, stretch out, strew, to make to stoop, to tilt; to fell, to lay one flat at his length, (Isaiah lxiii, 1). Whence, either in Kal, or in Hiphil, it may naturally sig- 284. CRITICAL NOTES. tsalm cxxxix. nify, to lay one's self at one's length; (Jeremiah ii, 20), to throw one's self down ; and may, perhaps, denote the action of a person throwing himself along upon the floor, in extreme despair or fright; (see Isaiah li, 14), " If I throw myself down into hell." Or the word may simply signify, to hide one's self, which is one sense of it in Arabic. See Castell's Lexicon. " If I would hide myself in hell." [E] Ver. 11. — even the night shall be light." For "lli*, Houbigant would read 1")}^, " the night shall make all blind ;" i. e. shall hide every thing. Dr. Kennicott approves the emendation. The conjecture must be allowed to be ingenious. But yet I want instances of this figurative use of the word 1U*? to denote blindness, without reference to a particular person blinded, or otherwise bhnded, than literally by de- priving the eye of sight. [F] Ver. 1 3. For thou hast possessed." E. T. Ey,r?,G-u. LXX. Probably a corruption for iKTi, but seems to borrow its sense from Pp. For "^r^h^^ read with forty-seven MSS. [G] Ver. 14. — for I am fearfully and wonderfully made." E.T. Houbigant and Kennicott found in several MSS. MN'PDi. And this seems to have been St. Jerome's reading. The LXX had DJ^^Si in the second person. Houbigant, upon 3PSALM cxxxix. CRITICAL NOTES. 285 the authority of the Arabic and Syriac, would read Tl/i^E)^. Archbishop Seeker thinks the conjecture ingenious. But to me, the text, as it stands, seems very intelligible. The word mi<"lJ includes not necessarily the idea of any thing terrible in the proper sense of the word. It expresses something striking, and exciting a curious interested attention, and se- rious consideration. " I am curiously distinguished," con- veys the very same idea as " I am curiously composed ;" the idea of a body consisting of a variety of distinct parts, won- derfully united in a whole, and adjusted to each other by the nicest symmetry and most perfect sympathy. See Park- hubst's Lexicon, under H/S). [H] Ver.l5. My substance," &c. E. T. See my Translation. ■•QiJi?, my skeleton ; "•jIDpl, my fine-woven covering. These two words describe the two principal parts of which the hu- man body is composed ; the bony skeleton, the foundation of the whole ; and the external covering of muscular flesh, ten- dons, veins, arteries, nerves, and skin ; a curious web of fibres. The LXX render both these words by substantives. [I] Ver. 16. — my substance yet being imperfect." E. T. "•D/^. To iKXTi^yxa-Tov /nov. LXX. " The tmwrought material, the shapeless lump," as Mudge well renders it. Dr. Durell makes "^D?:) plural, which, to me, seems contrary to the real import of the word. 28(5 CRITICAL NOTES, psalm cxxxix. [K] Ver. 16. — all of them;" i. c. all that had been men- tioned, the bones, the covering, the unformed materials. It is remarkable, that, in Ezekiel xxvii, 24, b^DD is set in opposition to D73. If, in this place, for n/lD* D?^, we might read ID/ID v7DD, the sense would be. And in thy book were all my finished members written. The alteration consists only in a transposition of D, doubling !?, and bringing back the ^ from the beginning of the follow- ing, to the end of the preceding word. Yet it is too much to venture upon without authority. [L] — while as yet they were not united." " Dum non- dum esset unio inter eos." Kennicott. [M] Ver. 18. If I should count them." E. T. In this verse I cannot but suspect that a verb is lost, op- posed in sense to ^JT'ilprT, and which, taken with it, would describe the whole of a man's life, (his TIV), by the opposite states of sleeping and waking. That the man, in both these states, and, by consequence, in every moment of his Hfe, should be with God, under his immediate protection, is one striking proof of God's providential care of him, and his precious thoughts about him, which are celebrated in this and the preceding verse. This last word, I should suppose, stood at the end of the first hemistich of the 18th verse. PSALM cxxxix. CRITICAL NOTES. 2S1 ^nw^ om-f bmo 18 '>'Dy, " my pcrpetuality ;" /. c. the whole and every succes- sive moment of my hfe. See Psalm civ, 33 ; and cxLvi, 2. Compare also Psalm iii, 5, and my Translation. [N] Ver. 19, 20. These two verses are unintelligible as they stand. For iiW2, I would read, with the antient ver- sions, Houbigant, and Kennicott, INtC^J ; and I would divide and punctuate thus, : T"ii^ i^i^':' ii<^^ nDTD*? See my Translation. The transposition of the two words, ni7t^ and J^01, which is of no importance to the sense, but improves the elegance of the first distich, is authorised by the version of the LXX. Dr. Kennicott says, that ^iW^ may be understood as equi- valent to DiT'T' M^^2. Relying upon his authority, I render this word " are sworn ;" though I know no instance of ihat ellipsis of the noun T, which he supposes in this place. The verb, however, may be rendered, " they have lifted themselves up," which is one of its frequent senses, and the sense of the 288 CRITICAL NOTES. psalm cxxxix. whole passage will be the same. " 1 hey who hav^ lifted themselves up unto [?". e. have ventured upon] a rash pur- pose." — have lifted themselves up." tlDTD?, " to a wicked purpose;" )^'wb, " to temerity;" i. e. to a rash purpose of wickedness. [O] Ver. 24. — the way of old times." — the way ever- lasting." E. T. D/IP "j"n seems an unnatural phrase to express the way which leads to everlasting life. In Job xxii, 15, Qbiy ^"^^? is the old 'may. So here, I think, D7lJ^ relates to remote time, past, rather than to come. In that passage of Job, D^TV ^'^^♦ is the old way of the antediluvian transgressors. Here, "11*7 Q7li^, on the contrary, is the old way of the Patriarchs, before the corruptions of idolatry and wilful sin became general. The two words, "]1*7 and ^■)^i, differ in their figurative senses. "Jll is the right way in which man ought to go ; HIM is the way, right or wrong, in which a man actually goes by habit : not but that the proper sense of either word may be changed by the epithets joined to it. rsALM cxL. CRITICAL NOTES. 289 PSALM CXL. A believer's prayer for protection against the atheis- tical FACTION. [A] Ver. 5. The proud," &c. I would divide and punc- tuate the whole vei-se thus, [B] Ver. 8, 9. Bishop Hare expunges H^D, at the end of the eighth (Heb. 9.) verse, inserts the prohibitory b'i^ at the beginning of the 9th, and connects the verb ID")!, with the nouns following. The insertion of the prohibitory bii is unnecessary, as without it, the passage being thus punctuated, ;^ii^i ^>'i>iD nin"* ]nn bi^ tp^n bi^ iDDr ••2DD ^iil IDIT VOL. II. T 290 CRITICAL NOTES. psalm cxl. gives the sense expressed in my Translation, which supposes only an ellipsis of "lU^i^, which is frequent. [C] Ver. 10. — chasms of the yawning earth." I cannot, otherwise than by this periphrasis, express the idea of the word /mDHD. I believe, with Mr Parkhurst, that the Psal- mist, in this verse, alludes to the punishment of Corah, Da- than, and Abiram. See Parkhurst's Lexicon, under IQIl. [D] Ver. n. Let not an evil speaker." E. T. ywb ^'^Vi. An^ yXu.vx-ru, and of St Je- rome, impingiiet. And for this reason I reject Bishop Lowth's emendation, ^'^T for ''J\ t2 292 CRITICAL NOTES. psalm cxli. Let the Just One smite me, let the pious reprove me, Let not the ointment of the impious anoint my head ; But still I will intrude in their calamities. Ver. 6. — they shall hear ;" rather, " then they shall listen to." The sense seems to be, that certain great men, whose course of life the Psalmist reproves, when they find them- selves involved in the evil consequences of their own folly, will then listen to his advice, and be sensible of the propriety of it. The sense of this passage might perhaps be clearer if the particular occasion of the Psalm was known. Those who ascribe the Psalm to David, and think it was composed just before he fled to the court of Achish, imagine a particular allusion, in this 6th verse, to his generous treatment of Saul in the cave of Engedi, and a second time at the hiU of Hachi- lah. Others, who ascribe this Psalm to Jeremiah, apply the the former part of this verse to the murder of Gedaliah and his friends, by Ishmael. But the latter part, about the hear- ing of the Psalmist's sweet words, they are at some loss to explain. And it can only, I think, be explained of Messiah's offer of salvation to the penitent. Ver. 7. As a cutting and cleaving upon the earth. Our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol. PSALM cxLii. CRITICAL NOTES. 293 The image is that of so great a slaughter, that the bones of the unburied dead make a litter upon the surface of the earth (see my Hosea Appendix), like a carpenter's chips about a saw-pit. PSALM CXLIL A PRAYER OF THE MESSIAH TAKEN AND DESERTED. Ver. 3. ^\^len my spirit was overwhelmed within me." This seems to belong to the former verse. Ver. 4. Read, « I looked"— So the LXX ; and a little after, " I beheld" — . Their copies, therefore, had ZOUK and HKIK in the first person. This fourth verse alludes to the desertion of the Apostles, when our Lord was seized in the garden. Is there any thing more mystical in the phrase "^iDD DIJO IHK? May D13D signify a standard-bearer, or a shield-bearer ? Ver. 7. — out of prison." The prison of the grftve. — that I may praise thy name ; the righteous shall com- pass me about, for thou," &c. The Greek of the LXX stands thus: Tb t^of*o>i.oyY,i!-xc-6oti rm ovouxTt cm Kapn' £ut vjr«f.ct»na-i OixxtUj 'i6ii; v uirxTooui ifttit. T 3 29if CRITICAL NOTES. tsalm cxlii. Which may be thus pointed : Efii. ii7rof/.i]iii<7i oiaxtoi, lu^y &C. If this be the true punctuation of the Greek, the original, in the copies of the LXX, must have stood thus: ''Js^* nry^ i;t2V n^^ nrvsrh " That I, O Jehovah, may praise thy name ; The just expect [are longing for the time] when thou, shalt reward me." The sense will be much the same, if, instead of ^2, we read O before 1Tn3\ The emendation is authorised by one of Houbigant's MSS., and seems to have been approved by Bishop Lowth. But the received reading ^2 may stand, if, with St Jerome, we take the ITJID*^ in the passive sense which it bears in Hiphil. " In me coronabuntur justi, cum retri- bueris mihi.'' " In me shall the just be crowned, when thou hast given me my reward." Christ, exalted to God's right- hand, bestows upon the just a crown of glory. In eitlier sense, the passage expresses the great benefits to accrue to the justi- - fied from the Messiah's exaltation. And the common read- ing seems full as good as that of the LXX. PSALM cxLii. CRITICAL NOTES. 29/ Bring my soul out of the place of confinement^ * That I may praise thy name ; In me shall the justified be crowned, When thou hast given me my reward. PSALM CXLIII. PRAYER FOR THE PROMISED REDEMPTION* Ver. 2. — enter not" — . For K12J1, Houbigant would read i^'lD, " bring not thy servant into judgment." Ver. 9. — I flee unto thee to hide me." For ''IVDD Ken- nicott would read with LXX, "^PiVH. Ver. 10. Thy Spirit is good, lead," &c. " Let thy good spirit lead" — . Mudge. * i. e. Out of Hades. T 4f '296 CRITICAL NOTES. psalm cxliv. PSALM CXLIV. THANKSGIVING FOR SOME NATIONAL DELIVERANCE. Ver. 2. — who subdueth my people under me.'* Arch- bishop Seeker thinks, that for TTin, the true reading may be inn (as in Psahn xviii, 47, and xlvii, 4), or else that ''D>* is put for D''?2i^. The version of the LXX supports the first conjecture ; the version of Jerome, and the subject of the Psalm, the last. Ver. 4. — like to vanity ;" rather, " like a vapour." Ver. 8. — speaketh — ; and" — rather, — hath spoken ; but" — their right hand is a right hand of falsehood ;" i. e. their right hand hath been false to themselves ; it hath failed in the execution of their high threats. Ver. 9. I will sing a new song," &c. Kennicott thiiibs this the beginning of a new Psalm. Ver. 10. — unto kings." Perhaps ID^Q^, "unto his king." Archbishop Secker. I'SALM cxLiv. CRITICAL NOTES. 297 Ver. 12. *' That our sons, in their youthful days, may be as well- grown plants ; Our daughters as the carved corner-stones in the structure of the temple. Ver. 13. — in our streets';" — "in our outlands." Mudge. Ver. 14. *' That our kine may be fruitful in conception ; * That there be no abortion, or casting of the young, And no loud lamentation in our streets. See BocHART, Hierozoicon, lib. ii, cap. SO. Ver. 1 5. Bishop Hare, after Le Clerc, imagines that, from the end of the lltli to the middle of the 15tli verse, the Psal- mist rehearses the boastings of the strange children ; to which he replies in the last line of the Psalm. [Nay, but,] " Happy is the people whose God is Jehovah." I ratlier think, that the 12th, 13th, and 1 4tli verses Contain the Psalmist's prayer, that the happy effects of peace and prosperity may be visible in the blooming appearance of the youth of both sexes, and * D^'paOD, " gravida sint." 29^ CRITICAL NOTES. psalm cxlt. in the flourishing state of agriculture, and the arts of peace. In the 15th verse, he reflects on the great happmess of a people in such circumstances, and declares that that happi- ness must be an effect of God's special favour. PSALM CXLV. A THANKSGIVING. This Psalm has been alphabetical; but the 3 stanza is wanting. Ver. 1. O king." The LXX have o ,Sx one of the Hebrew idioms, II. 176 — of a verb, not unusual in Hebrew poetry, II. 191 Ephratah, II. 278 Exaltation of Messiah, II. 130, 294- Feast of trumpets, Psalm Ixxxi composed for, II. 2 14 First-begotten, the introduction of into the world, a Title of Psalms xcv — c, II. 85 God's love for the Messiah, II. 75 Hebrew Church personated, I. 260, 265 Hermon, mountains of, I. 257 Hezekiah's reign. Psalm Ixxvi written in the time of, II. 204 miraculous recovery. Psalm cxvi probably com- posed on occasion of, II. 260 Hills personified, II. 179 Hippopotamos, , .II. 184 Horsley's, Bishop, Sermon on Ps. ii, ver. 1, Extract from, - I. vi Human body, the principal parts of described, II. 285 Humanity of Christ in union with the Divinity, I. 202 INDEX OF THINGS. 305 Hutchinson's remarks on the typical application of the Psalms, 1.72,116 Ichthyopagi, II. 202 Idiom of the oriental languages, II. 244? Idols, distortions of the patriarchal emblems, I. 301 Image of God riding in a car, drawn by angels, not really found in Scripture, 11.181 Imputation of sin to Christ, I. 246—11. 186 Jews, destruction of, foretold, I. 247 — — present condition of, predicted, II. 201 restoration of, I. 276— II. 172 Josiah's death, Psalm Ixxxix composed after, II. 62 Judah put collectively for the Jewish nation, II. 259 Judgment on our Lord's unjust judges foretold, II. 54 Kings daughters, who, I. 271 KfifAti explained, I. 225 Lamentation of the Messiah, II. 58 Leaven, spiritual meaning of, II. 37 Light of the eyes explained, I, 242 Mahanaim, site of, ^ 1.263 Manasseh's reign, Psalm Ixxix, probably composed during, II. 211 Malediction of the Jewish nation, II. 123 Meaning of Psalm Ixxii, 20, II. 195 IMessiah personated by the Psalmist, I. 41, 56, 63, 72, 76, 95, 98, 103, 107, 128, 133, 136, 185, 209, 218, 234, et alibi freg, Michaelis*s notion of Psalm Ixxxi, 5, absurd, II. 215 Mower, a title of death, II. 232 p, without some word to follow it has no meanings, II, 165 Vol. ir. u i06 INDEX OF THINGS. " Name,"i n Heb. D^, used for a thing imperfectly understood,!!. 17^ D W» signification of, in the Prophets, I. 232 Offerings of free-will, 11.251 «' Old way," the meaning of, explained, II. 288 Parallelisms in Hebrew poetry, I. 164', 213, «< alibi. Perfect tense, reason of the use of in a future sense, in Pro- phetic poetry, 1.181,295 Pleonasm of the pronoun, an idiom of the Psalms, ....II. 167 ** Pots feeling the bramble," a proverbial expression, ex- plained, I. 3oa Priest, the character of, typical of a true member of the Christian Church, I. 6 Prophetic character of the Psalms, . I. viii Prophetic style, a characteristic of the, -. I. 13 Proverbial expressions, I. 89, 309—11. 3 1 , 223 Psalm xivand liii, only two different copies of the same song I. 177 xcvi, two editions of, II. 253 Psalms, the book of, general view of, . I. vii— xvi I classification of the subjects of, xvii I the supplicatory, remarks on, 1.157 River and streams, symbolical of regular government, II. 275 Sabbath-day, hymn for, 11.107 Salvation is of the Jews, II. 56 Sanctuary, the Hebrew word for, never plural, . .... II. 45 «' Scripture of the peoples," what, II. 222 Sea, the raging of, mystical, _ I. 258 Sennacherib's flight from Palestine, occasion of 117th Psalm, II. 133 INDEX OF THINGS. 307 Shadow, a beautiful Image of decay, II. 129 Shalmanezer*s conquest, Psalm Ixxx, composed soon after, II. 212 Sickness, typical, I. 93, 158, 215, c< alib. Signification of the particle Si, -- II. 264« Singular circumstance in the composition of Psalm civ. ..II. 241 Singular nouns frequently take a paragogic % in regiminey II. 260 Songs of degrees, the occasion and mode of singing the, -.II. 271 Sternhold and Hopkins' version of the Psalms, greatly com- mended, « I. ix. Storm, mystical, - - I. 60 Temple, Solomon's, the placing of the ark in, the occasion of Psalm cxxxii, ._ - ....... II. 277 Temple, a type of heaven, II. 263 Testimonies, the symbolic part of the Mosaic law, II. 265 Thanksgiving for the Harvest, II. 13 Thummim, I. 35 Transitions from triumph to complaint, in the Psalms not inconsistent but natural, I. 169 Triumphal procession of Messiah, - II. 136 yn and TDrr in the Psalms, constantly refer to Christ, I. 189 Uzziah, Psalm xlviii composed during the reign of, I. 279 « Vanity," the meaning of in the Book of Psalms, I. 165 Zimrah, an unknown musical instrument, II. 237 Zioa, the hill of, 1-257 u2 308 II. INDEX OF AUTHORS CITED. Aeschylus, II. 255 Apollinarius, I. 160, 164; Aquila, I. 188, 196, 255, 268, 270,285,298,303 II. 165, 179 Arabic Version, I. 204—11. 285 Arias Montanus, I. 233 Basil, St. I. 165 Bates, I. 280—11. 170, 196 Blayney, II. 83, 283 Bochart, II. 208, 297 Bythner, I. 252—11. 167 Calvin, I. 203 Castalio, 1. 1 96, 242 II. 198, 227, 228 Castell, II. 280, 284 Chaldee Paraphrase, I. 184, 216, 219, 225, 226, 239, 249, 255, 266,270,285,287 II. 171, 205", 267 Clerc, Le, I. 233—11. 259, 297 Cocceius, I. 154, 187, 201 II. 182, 282 Danicourt, II. 167 Durell, I. 124, 176, 253, 259, 291 11.3,110,168,221,227,233, 285 Geierus, 1.252 Grotius, I. 266 Hare, I. 146, 148, 150, 163, 174, 183, 189, 202, 203, 217, 225, 227, 228, 234, 237,240, 249, 253, 255, 267, 270, 275, 282, 289, 291, 296, 302, 306 II. 27, 172, 182, 185, 189, 193, 194, 1»9, 200, 204, 206, 212, 215,217, 225, 231, 233. 239, 242, 249, 256, 258, 260, 266, 279, 282, 289, 297, 298, 300 INDEX OF AUTHORS CITED. 309 Homer, II. 255 184, 189, 190, 197, 199,200, Home, I. 61, 95, 97, 117, 138, 206, 212, 225, 228, 231, 232, 161, 167, 188, 191, 216, 226, 239, 242, 243, 256, 258, 264, 259, 245, 247, 258, 270, 305 268, 269, 282, 285, 290, 294, II. 14, 162, 164 296, 301 Houbigant, I. 146, 162, 163, Jubb, II. 183 172, 182, 190, 195, 198, 203, 208, 217, 221, 223, 228, 230, Kennicott, I. 53, 107, 167, 174, 234, 237, 240, 244, 246, 251, 190, 193, 194, 199, 200, 203, 253, 255, 266, 270, 275, 282, 204, 208, 220, 225, 226, 236, 285, 287, 288, 300 242, 248, 256, 282, 285, 287, II. 27, 160, 164, 168, 170, 288 -- 175, 177, 187, 192, 194, 199, II. 140, 142, 167, 168, 174, 204, 211, 212, 218, 225,229, 186, 205, 212, 220, 235, 24S, 232, 23«, 241, 244, 246, 249, 249, 252, 256, 265, 275, 278, 250, 260, 265, 266, 268, 269, 281, 282, 284, 286, 287, 291, 271 , 278, 280, 282, 284, 287, 295, 296 294, 295, 300 Keri, I. 216—11. 267 Huet, II. 185, 191, 251 Hutchinson, I. 72, 116, 209, Lowth I. 27, 150, 152, 168, 184, 219, 277 198, 199, 204, 2] 1, 214, 220, 230, 233, 234, 238, 246, 249, Jerome, I. 147, 152, 173, 184, 253, 256, 273, 291, 297, 300 188, 194, 196, 202, 204,211, II. 164, 172, 185, 187, 189, 249, 252, 255, 266, 270, 289, 190, 194, 197, 204, 206, 209, 291, 299, 302, 303, 304, 305, 212, 215, 217, 223, 242, 251, 306, 308 255, 259, 260, 264, 272, 291, II. 160, 163, 166, 172, 179, 294 u 3 510 INDEX OF AUTHORS CITED. Luther, I. 269 Martial, 11. 181 Masclef, I. 253, 307—11. 239 Masora, I. 173, 301 Mede, I. 166 Merrick, I. 99, 168, 187, 191, Seeker, I. 99, 168, 172, 212, Pierce, I. 244, 246 Piscator, I. 252 Poole, ib. Prideaux, II. 299 Scaliger, II. 214- 200, 204, 228, 233, 234, 245, 260,277 II. 167, 170, 181, 192, 244 Michaelis, I. 297—11. 184, 215 Mudge, I. 156, 174, 180, 189, 190,194,217,244,291 II. 2, 109,124,168,191,204, 208, 217, 234, 235, 247, 258, Sophocles, I. 260 261, 281, 285, 295, 297 Stephani Thesaurus, I. 249 225, 232, 234, 245, 246, 270, 277,284,302 II. 55y 161, 170, 172, 185, 187, 190, 199, 201,205,211, 212, 217, 223, 240, 243, 249, 250, 252, 258, 260, 264, 285, 296 Muis, De, 1. 153 Noldius, I. 259—11. 165, 224 Pagninus, I. 301 Parkhurst, I. 166, 203, 229, 235, 239, 275, 280, 296 II. 170, 177, 178, 179, 181, 184, 186, 196, 198, 203, 204, 206, 209, 213, 214, 216, 284, 2*5, 256, 259, 268, 281, 290 Symmachus, I. SO, 173, 184, 188, 217, 255, 266, 268, 285, 296, 298, 299, 300, 302, 303 II. 163, 165, 171, 179, 205 Syriac Version, I. 17, 22, 65y 71, 104, 147, 184, 192, 204, 214, 216, 222, 223, 225, 228, 229, 231, 233, 236, 239, 244, 249, 255, 266, 268, 270, 280,. 285, 287, 300, 302, 304 II. 161, 163, 167, 168, 171, INDEX OF AUTHORS CITED. 311 175, 187, 199, 206, 211, 221, 18*, 187, 194, 195, 196, 202, 223, 224, 225, 246, 249, 260, 204, 212, 21 3, 216, 223, 225, 265, 266, 285 226, 229, 233, 236, 244, 255, 270, 287, 289, 291, 299, 806, Targum, I. 146, 291 308 ^ Theodotion, I. 188, 268, 298 II. 168, 171* l81, 190, 196, 203, 206, 211, 212, 225, 227, Vitringa, I. 253 242, 243, 258, 264, 26T, 271, Vulgate, I. 65, 104, 147, 164, 282, ^90 17 4i 31^ III. INDEX OF TEXTS REFERRED TO, AND OCCASIONALLY ILLUSTRATED. Gen. iii, 15 1. 133 iv, 13 1. 246 X, 14- II. 184 xiv, 14 1. 182 xix, 15 1. 246 xxii, 16 1. 203 xxvii, 36 1. 191 xxxiv, 21 1. 163 xliii, a I. 248 Exod. XV, 5, 8 1. 257 xxxiii, 14, 15 1. 199 Lev. XXV, 23 II. 186 Num. V, 21 II. 240 X, 10 II. 215 xi, 20 II. 208, 246 xii, 8 1. 192 xiv, 27 II. 71 xxiii, 3 II. 3 21 II. 228 xxiv, 1, II. 3 xxxi, 3 1. 162 Num. xxxii, 17, 20 1. 163 Deut. xxxiii, 8 -.1. 35 Judg. V, 12 1. 201 1 Sam. V, 6. II. 210 vi, 1 — 5 ib. xxi, 1— 10 1. 71 xxiii, 7— 13 1. 222 xxiv, 9 1. 10 2Sam. ii. 8 1. 263 iv, 5, 6 ib. X, 1—7 II. 2 XV, 2, 4 1. 128 — 5,9 ib. — 13, 18 1. 261 — 30 ib. xvi, 5— 8...I. 212,261 — 7 1. 128 — 11 1. 261 xvii,27— 2a I. 261 xviii, 2, &c. ib. XX, 19 1. 163 INDEX OF TEXTS. 313 2Satrt.xxii, 5 1. 193 Isaiah li, 14 II. 284 1 Kings iii. 1 — 4- II. 254 liii, 6 ..I. 96 X, 14, 15,21,24. II. 193 Iviii, 6. 11.196 2Kingsvi,16 1.297 Ix, 5 1.226 vii, 9 1.246 Ixiii, 1 11.283 XV, 5.... 11. 223 Ixv, 15 II. 240 1 Chron. xil, 23, 24 .1. 1 63 Jerem. ii, 20. II. 284 xvi, 29 II. 253 xiv, 3 1. 256 2 Chron. i, 3—6 II. 254 xlvi, 22. II. 201 — 4 II. 176 xlviii, 12 II. 284 xiv, 13 1.279 Lam.v,8 1.160 xvi,8., ib. Ezek. xxiii, 20 11.231 XX, 10 1.280 xxvii, 24. 11.286 — 21 11.254 xxxii, 18 1.256 xxvi I. 279 Hos. X, 10. II. 243 Job. iv, 19 11.244 Jonah ii, 8 1. 64 xix, 26 ib. Zech. xiii 1.275 xxii, 15 11.288 Malach. iii, 5 II. 84 xli, 24 1. 308 Matt, xiii, 54—56 II. 39 Prov.xv,30 1.241 37—39 1. 41 xxii, 29 11.202 38—42 1. 98 Eccles. xi, 6 11.175 53 1.135 Isaiah vi, 1 11.182 xxvi, 61 1.212 ix, 6 1.236 Mark xiv, 33— 36 1. 93 xxxiii, 7 1.302 Luke ii, 34 II. 33 xxxviii, 15 1. 252 xii, 20 II. 244 xl, 9 II. 176 xvi, 25 1. 122 xlix, 23 1.252 xxii, 43 1. 4,4, Ml INDEX OF TEXTS. Luke xxii, 4-0— 46 1. 98 1 Cor. iii, 20. 11.235 xxiii, 2 1. 212 Phil, ii, 7 1. 248 Johnvii,15 II. 39 Heb. i, 6 I. 8(5 xi, 25, 26 1. 287 ii, 6 1. 167 xiii,8 1. 249 xi. 38 1. 267 Actsiv,25 1. 1 2Pet.iii,3,4« I. 110 Rom. iii, 13—18. * 1. 180 1 John iv, 4 1. 297 viii, 26 1. 152 315 IV. AMENDMENTS IN THE HEBREW TEXT OF THE PSALMS, SCGG£ST£D OR APPROVED, A3 CONFIBMED BY THE ANCIENT VERSIONS, MSS. &C. 316 AMENDMENTS IN THE HEBREW TEXT Vs. xxxvii,20 235 Ps. xlix, 14 288 28, 29 238 — 19 ib. 36 239 I 19 289 37 ib. lii, 2 292 39 ib. liii, 5 182 xxxviii, 10, 11 24-1 Iv, 19 297 xxxix, 6 243 Ivi, 4 301 xl, 15 246 —6 ib. — 17 247 Ivii, 1 303 xlii, 5 256 — 3. 304 — 8 259 — 4 305 xlv, 17 273 Iviii, 8 308 xlvi, 4 275 — 9 ib. xlix, 12 287 Vol. II. Ps. Hx,9, 10 159 Ps. lxxi,3 ..189 »_ 11 160 — 6., ib. Ixii, 7. 165 — 20 , 190 Ixiv, 6 167 — 21 ib. ixv, 5 169 Ixxii, 7 193 __ 6 ib. Ixxiv, 3 200 Ixviii, 10 176 Ixxvi, 6 205 Ixix, 26 188 Ixxvii, 4 206 — 32 ib. — -6. ,.« ib. OF THE PSALMS. 317 Ps. Ixxix, 7 211 Ps. ex, 4 256 Ixxx, 10 212 ixxxviii, 7 223 Ixxxix, 15 , 228 — 19 ib. — 39 229 xc, 10 232 — 11, 12 , ib. c, 3 239 cii, 19 240 civ, 13 241 ~ 34 242 cvi, 3 246 — 27 247 cvii, 3 249 — 17 ib. — 29 ib. cix, 10 250 — 13 ...ib. cxiv, 8 260 cxviii, 13 265 cxix, 91 268 — 128 270 cxx, 6 271 cxxvii, 2 274 cxxx, 6 276 cxxxiv, 2 279, 280 cxxxviiij 1 282 — 2 ib. cxxxix, 13 284 — 18 286 — 20 ib. cxii, 5 291 cxlii, 4 293 cxliv, 10 296 cxlv, 5 298 —12.,.....,. 299 318 VARIATIONS OF THE LXX. V. PASSAGES IN WHICH THE LXX. DIFFERS FROM THE HEBREW TEXT. Vol. I. Ps. ii, 6 14.7 Ps. xxH, 28 204- iv, 2 , 14.9 — 29 ib. V, 8 8 xxiii, 5, 6 ,...205 vii, 1 160 XXV, 15 210 — 11 164^ xxvii, 8 211 X, 8 173 xxviii, 7 213 xi, 4 27 —8 214 xii, 8 176 XXX, 9 217 xiii, 2 ib. — 12 ib. xiv, 3 180 xxxi, 6 220 — 5 ib. xxxii, 7 223 xvi, 2 183 xxxiii, 7 225 xvii, 2 188 — 15 ib. — 13 191 xxxiv, 5 226 xviii, 35 194. — 10 227 XX, 5 198 — 17 ib. — 8 199 XXXV, 5 228 xxii, 1 201 — 8 ib. — 13 202 — 20 231 _ 17 ib. xxxvi, 1 ib. — 26 204- xxxvii, 20 235 FROM THE HEBREW TEXT. 319 Ps. xxxvii, 28,29 258 Ps. xlv, 17 273 — 35 ib. xlvi, 4- 275 — S6 239 xlix, 11 287 37 ib. — 12 ib. — 39 ib. — 19 288 xxxviii, 11 242 1, 19 289 xl, 5 104. lii, 2 293 — 7 244. liv 295 — 15 246 Ivi, 1, 2 299 xli, 2 248 — 5 301 — 3 ib. -- 8 302 — 8 249 Ivii, 2 303 xlii, S, 6 256 — 3 304 xliv, 4 ; 266 — 4 305 xlv, 4 269 — 6 ib. — 5. 270 Iviii, 8 308 Vol. II. Ps. lix, 11 161 Ps. Ixviii, 28 183 — 13 ib. Ixix, 26 188 Ix, 4 163 —.32. „.... ib. Ixiii, 6 167 Ixxi, 3 189 Ixv, 5 168 — 6 ib. — 6 169 —20 190 Ixvi, 12 171 — 21 ib. Ixviii, 2 172 Ixxii, 5 193 — 16 179 — 7 ib. 320 VARIATIONS OF Ps. Ixxii, 17 195 Ixxiii, 4 196, 197 — '28 47 Ixxiv, 9 202 Ixxv, 1 203 — 9 204. Ixxvi, 4< ib. — 6 ib. Ixxvii, 4 206 — 6 207 Ixxviii, 69 211 Ixxix, 7 ib. Ixxx, 6 212 — 10 ib. Ixxxv, 8 220 ixxxix, 1 225 — 2 ib. — 8 227 — 19 228 xc, 5. 231 — 10 232 — 11, 12 ib. — 17 233 civ, 34 242 cv, 22 243 THE LXX, &c. Ps. cvii, 17 249 cix, 10 250 — 13 ib. cxii, 4 258 cxiv, 8 260 cxvi, 5 261 cxviii, 13 , 263 cxix, 91 268 — 119 269 — 128 270 cxx, 6. 271 cxxvii, 2 274 cxxx, 6 276 cxxxiv, 2 280 cxxxviii, 1. ............. 282 cxxxix, 14 284 cxli, 5 291 cxlii, 4 293 — 7 ib. cxliii,9 295 cxliv,2 296 cxlv, 5 , 298 — 12 299 cxlvii, 8 300 321 INDEX OF HEBREW WORDS, THE MEANING OF WHICH IS ILLUSTRATED. DTT^* I. 252 b2 II. 234- a>^'li^ I. 256 :h2 I. 296 nMi< I. 290 ")pl I. 288 b)ii II. 186 1TV2 II. 269 ""iy ")ix 1.24.1 •})r\2 11.280 a^'ii 11.257 "f» II. 42 "Ta:i ... I. 236, 269— II. 228 nDM II. 136, 263 ai"):) I. 169 ny)J2H I. 234 TO II. 232 un^i^ I. 299 aV:i il. 285 '^D^* II. 243 Sl3i* II. 261 nm II. 168, 256 niu II. 288 ^/i:ii<^ nai i. 201 O'^lir n-)i* ib. Tiy ib. D^D^ 1-Ii* I. 199, 205 mi I. 252 ^^i^ I. 220—11. 290 r\ni II. 265 Di^ II. 280 Tl II. 215 NDl II. 231 2 I. 259, 297 bl I. 248 n32 1. 302 n"?*! I. 215 VOL. II. X 322 INDEX OF HEBREW WORDS. TTT..1. 146, 165,269—11. 288 "^^n II. 223, 227 ab^y 111 .■ 11.288 \bn 1. 162 pbn I. 192, 233 n^n II. 203 mn 1. 152 n:iTf i. 215 "Trrr 1.269— II. 253 Ton. ... 1. 175, i89, 26t "byn I. 271 inn i. 309 Vhn I. 302 ^irt I. 304 larr II. 290 2:iin II. i96 mrr 11. 222 nT:Di:^n 11. 184 ^"•Sn II. 247 iTTT II. 236 1113 II. 204 y^^Mnn 11. i64 'ti^s ib. 1 I. 272 ri'V I. 159 n** II. 182 ni»T II. 214, 237 in-' I. 202 av^ II. 210 ip-'D^ II. 197 »")T II. 208 2)i'> II. 235 jnD"IT II. 231 "Ip"* I. 271 K")'' II. 160, 193 KDn. . . . , I. 248 nKT I. 197 T»n I. 269 21^* I. 290 Tt I. 309 JW I. 198 r^Tn I. 283 D'^TT I. 191 n»0 I. 229 DDn I. 307 PD I. 165, 20fl INDEX OF HEBREW WORDS. 323 >i II. 199 nara II. 288 n'l^D — 174 JTOTD I. 171 aii^n bj — 262 j^a IL iss nVd — 224. a'^0 L 196 1DD L 307—11. 198 p II. 165 p II. 166, 170 TOD I. 187 D*JD II. 245 Di:a II. 293 nD3 II. 214 DJ^D I. 167 n'mboD -- 185 KitD i. 234 ID II. 170 nmi{D L 219 nD II. 267 nijfa 1. 196 i^iD I. 229 nnbti^a il. 209 ]3^0 I. 275 b I. 287 lOBtt'D I. 51 i*"? I. 170 D'D3t:ra I. 197 i6n I. 302 a'llVQ IJ. 255 3j6 I. 42, 230 lyb II. 259 M II. 264 mXJ — 203 -)^ 1. 159 a^ns^ — 178 DMiiV II. 205 VW^ — 236 rm2^ — 281 };2U} — 240 nnr^n i. 257 bw I. 272 nnin — 196 iiiW II. 288 an — 168 FINIS. C. Stewart, irrinler, Edinburgh. ERRATA. Vol. I. P. 1 4, line 4. for mind, read an end. 80, 14. f(yr [N], read [O]. 90, 12. after for ever, ms^r/ [G]. 109, 4. after some cursed thing, insert [E]. Ill, 15. a/J'^'r waterspouts, insert \yy\. 126, 4. >r [C], rm(/ [B]. 160, 11. for particle, read participle. 231, 2. from bottom, read as it should seem. Vol. II. i9, 4. «/?cr it is thickened, insert [B]. 1 36, last line in text, after tribes, insert *. 182, line 3. from bottom, for D'^n^hiZO, read D'^^^ND, 189, 10. for Castellio, read Castalio. 240, 7. for the of, read the use of. 263, 3. from bottom, for D^^. ?rar/ D^D.V.