This psalm is one of the most remarkable in the whole collection. It is said, in the title, to be “A Prayer of Moses, the man of God;” or, as it is in the margin, “being a Psalm of Moses.” The original word - תפלה _t__e__phillâh_ - means properly (1) intercession, supplication for anyone; (2) pra... [ Continue Reading ]
LORD - Not יהוה _Yahweh_ here, but אדני _'Adonāy_. The word is properly rendered “Lord,” but it is a term which is often applied to God. It indicates, however, nothing in regard to his character or attributes except that he is a “Ruler or Governor.” THOU HAST BEEN OUR DWELLING-PLACE - The Septuagin... [ Continue Reading ]
BEFORE THE MOUNTAINS WERE BROUGHT FORTH - Before the earth brought forth or produced the mountains. In the description of the creation it would be natural to represent the mountains as the first objects that appeared, as emerging from the waters; and, therefore, as the “first” or “most ancient” of c... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU TURNEST MAN TO DESTRUCTION - In contradistinction from his own unchangeableness and eternity. Man passes away; God continues ever the same. The word rendered “destruction” - דכא _dakkâ'_ - means properly anything beaten or broken small or very fine, and hence, “dust.” The idea here is, that Go... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR A THOUSAND YEARS IN THY SIGHT - Hebrew, “In thy eyes;” that is, It so appears to thee - or, a thousand years so seem to thee, however long they may appear to man. The utmost length to which the life of man has reached - in the case of Methuselah - was nearly a thousand years Genesis 5:27; and th... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU CARRIEST THEM AWAY AS WITH A FLOOD - The original here is a single verb with the suffix - זרמתם _z__e__ram__e__tâm_. The verb - זרם _zâram_ - means, to flow, to pour; then, to pour upon, to overwhelm, to wash away. The idea is, that they were swept off as if a torrent bore them from the earth... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE MORNING IT FLOURISHETH - This does not mean that it grows with any special vigor or rapidity in the morning, as if that were illustrative of the rapid growth of the young; but merely that, in fact, in the morning it is green and vigorous, and is cut down in the short course of a day, or befor... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WE ARE CONSUMED BY THINE ANGER - That is, Death - the cutting off of the race of man - may be regarded as an expression of thy displeasure against mankind as a race of sinners. The death of man would not have occurred but for sin Genesis 3:3, Genesis 3:19; Romans 5:12; and all the circumstances... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU HAST SET OUR INIQUITIES BEFORE THEE - Thou hast arrayed them, or brought them forth to view, as a “reason” in thy mind for cutting us down. Death may be regarded as proof that God has brought before his mind the evidence of man’s guilt, and has passed sentence accordingly. The fact of death at... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR ALL OUR DAYS ARE PASSED AWAY IN THY WRATH - Margin, “turned.” The Hebrew word - פנה _pânâh_ - means to “turn;” then, to turn to or “from” anyone; and hence, to turn away as if to flee or depart. Here it means that our days seem to turn from us; to give the back to us; to be unwilling to remain... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DAYS OF OUR YEARS - Margin, “As for the days of our years, in them are seventy years.” Perhaps the language would better be translated: “The days of our years! In them are seventy years;” or, they amount to seventy years. Thus the psalmist is represented as reflecting on human life - on the days... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO KNOWETH THE POWER OF THINE ANGER? - Who can measure it, or take a correct estimate of it, as it is manifest in cutting down the race of people? If the removal of people by death is to be traced to thine anger - or is, in any proper sense, an expression of thy wrath - who can measure it, or under... [ Continue Reading ]
SO TEACH US TO NUMBER OUR DAYS - literally, “To number our days make us know, and we will bring a heart of wisdom.” The prayer is, that God would instruct us to estimate our days aright: their number; the rapidity with which they pass away; the liability to be cut down; the certainty that they must... [ Continue Reading ]
RETURN, O LORD - Come back to thy people; show mercy by sparing them. It would seem probable from this that the psalm was composed in a time of pestilence, or raging sickness, which threatened to sweep all the people away - a supposition by no means improbable, as such times occurred in the days of... [ Continue Reading ]
O SATISFY US EARLY WITH THY MERCY - literally, “In the morning;” as soon as the day dawns. Perhaps there is an allusion here to their affliction, represented as night; and the prayer is, that the morning - the morning of mercy and joy - might again dawn upon them. THAT WE MAY REJOICE AND BE GLAD AL... [ Continue Reading ]
MAKE US GLAD ACCORDING TO THE DAYS WHEREIN THOU HAST AFFLICTED US - Let the one correspond with the other. Let our occasions of joy be measured by the sorrows which have come upon us. As our sufferings have been great, so let our joys and triumphs be. AND THE YEARS WHEREIN WE HAVE SEEN EVIL - Affli... [ Continue Reading ]
LET THY WORK APPEAR UNTO THY SERVANTS - That is, thy gracious work of interposition. Let us see thy power displayed in removing these calamities, and in restoring to us the days of health and prosperity. AND THY GLORY UNTO THEIR CHILDREN - The manifestation of thy character; the display of thy good... [ Continue Reading ]
AND LET THE BEAUTY OF THE LORD OUR GOD BE UPON US - The word translated “beauty” - נעם _nô‛am_ - means properly “pleasantness;” then, beauty, splendor; then grace or layout. The Septuagint renders it here, λαμπρότης _lamprotēs_, “splendor;” and so the Latin Vulgate. The wish is clearly that all t... [ Continue Reading ]