CXXI. This simple but exquisite little hymn of four fourline verses, dwells almost exclusively on the sleepless guardianship of His people by the (God who made the world. An implied contrast with the idols of the heathen, “peradventure sleeping,” while their votaries pray (1 Kings 18:27), is felt in... [ Continue Reading ]
WHENCE. — Our version is certainly incorrect in following the LXX. and Vulg. in making _whence_ a relative. The Hebrew word is always interrogative; even in Joshua 2:4 it is indirectly interrogative. But the margin is hardly right in making the whole verse interrogative. Render, _I will lift up mine... [ Continue Reading ]
MY HELP COMETH... — Not as the superstition of the Canaanite said, from the sacred summits themselves, but from their Creator’s Lord. It is noticeable that the style, “maker of heaven and earth,” is a peculiarity of psalms which are certainly post-exile, and show how strongly the contrast with heath... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WILL NOT. — The LXX. and Vulg. rightly, “may He not suffer,” &c. The Hebrew cannot be a simple negative. That it is Israel which is addressed the next verse seems to prove.... [ Continue Reading ]
SLUMBER NOR SLEEP. — This repetition, with the addition of a synonym, offers a very good instance of the _step-like_ style supposed by many critics to give their name to these psalms. But it must be carefully noticed that there is no climax in the force of the two words, the first, if anything, bein... [ Continue Reading ]
THY KEEPER. — Notice again how the prominent word is caught up from the preceding verse and amplified, and then again repeated, and again amplified in Psalms 121:7, where _preserve_ is an unfortunate substitution by the Authorised Version. SHADE. — An image of protection, and one peculiarly attract... [ Continue Reading ]
SMITE THEE. — The mention of shade leads to the amplification of the figure. The evil effects of _sunstroke_ are too well known to need comment. They are often mentioned in the Bible (2 Kings 4:18; 2 Kings 4:20; Jonah 4; Jdt. 8:3). NOR THE MOON BY NIGHT. — Possibly there is allusion to the belief, s... [ Continue Reading ]
(7-8) Instead of _preserve,_ read _keep,_ the persistent dwelling on this one word making one of the chief beauties of this hymn.... [ Continue Reading ]
THY GOING OUT AND THY COMING IN. — A common Hebrew expression to denote the whole of life. (See Deuteronomy 28:6, &c; comp. St. Paul’s prayer, 1 Thessalonians 5:23.)... [ Continue Reading ]