XVIII.
This magnificent ode is David’s, if anything at all of David’s has
come down to us. Its recurrence in 2 Samuel 22, the mention of the
monarch by name in the last verse (see, however, Note), and the
general contents, in the eyes of all but one or two critics[14], bear
out the tradition of the... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL LOVE THEE. — Better, _Dearly do I love thee._ The line is
wanting in Samuel.
MY STRENGTH. — This strikes the keynote of the whole poem. The
strong, mighty God is the object in David’s thought throughout. It
is a warrior’s song, and his conception of Jehovah is a warrior’s
conception.... [ Continue Reading ]
ROCK. — Better here, _cliff,_ keeping “rock” for the next
clause. In the first figure the ideas of height and shelter, in the
second of broad-based and enduring strength, are predominant.
FORTRESS. — Properly, _mountain castle._ We have the joint figure of
the lofty and precipitous cliff with the c... [ Continue Reading ]
Presents a trifling verbal variation from Samuel.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SORROWS OF DEATH. — The Hebrew word may mean either _birth
pangs_ (LXX. and Acts 2:24, where see Note, _New Testament
Commentary_)_,_ or _cords._ The figure of the hunter in the next
verse, “the snares of death,” determines its meaning there to be
_cords_ (see margin). It is best, therefore, to... [ Continue Reading ]
HELL. — Heb., _sheôl._ (See Note on Psalms 6:5.)
PREVENTED — _i.e.,_ suddenly seized upon. The poet seems to feel the
cords already tightening on his limbe. He is not dead yet, but like to
them who go down to _sheôl._ This verse has one verbal difference
from Samuel.... [ Continue Reading ]
OUT OF HIS TEMPLE. — Rather, Place — plainly, as in Psalms 11:4;
Psalms 29:9, the heavenly abode of Jehovah.
MY CRY. — In Samuel only, “my cry in his ears.”... [ Continue Reading ]
THE EARTH SHOOK. — The sudden burst of the storm is the Divine
answer to the sufferer’s prayer. For similar manifestations comp.
Psalms 68:7; Psalms 77:14; Amos 9:5; Micah 1:3; Habakkuk 3:4; but here
the colours are more vivid, and the language more intense. In fact,
the whole realm of poetry cannot... [ Continue Reading ]
A SMOKE. — Now the thunder-cloud forms — smoke, as it were, from
the nostrils of God (comp. Psalms 74:1; Deuteronomy 29:20 : the
literal rendering is, “there ascended smoke in his nostrils”) —
and intermittent flashes of lightning dart forth and play about the
distant summits, seeming to devour ever... [ Continue Reading ]
_(_9_)_ DARKNESS. — Better, _black cloud._ The dark masses of
rain-cloud are now gathered, and bend to the earth under the majestic
tread of God. (Comp. Nahum 1:3, “and the clouds are the dust of his
feet.” (Comp. Psalms 144:5.)... [ Continue Reading ]
CHERUB. — See Exodus 25:19. This passage alone would show how
naturally the idea of winged attendants on the Divine Being grew out
of the phenomena of cloud and storm. No doubt many features of the
developed conception were derived from contact with Assyrian art, but
for the poetry of this passage w... [ Continue Reading ]
_(_11_)_ SECRET PLACE. — Better, _veil._ Comp. Job 22:14;
Lamentations 3:44. A better arrangement of the members of this verse
is, _He made darkness His veil round about Him; His tent He made of
dark waters and black clouds._ Literally, _darkness of waters and
blacknesses of clouds._ (Comp. Psalms 9... [ Continue Reading ]
AT THE BRIGHTNESS. — This is obscure. Literally, _From the
brightness before him his clouds passed through_ (Heb., _avar_ —
LXX., διῆλθον; Vulg., _transierunt_)_ hail and fiery coals._
In Samuel it is “From the brightness before him flamed fiery
coals,” which is the description we should expect, and... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE HEAVENS. — The version in Samuel is from the heavens,”
which is better. For the thunder as God’s voice see Psalms 29:3, and
Note.... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SENT OUT. — In the majesty of the storm we have almost forgotten
its cause, the Divine wrath against the enemies of the poet. They are
abruptly recalled to our remembrance in the suffix (“them”) of the
verbs in this verse. So the LXX. and Vulg. Many ancient interpreters,
however, understood by _t... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CHANNELS. — The description of the storm ends with the fury of
the wind and the effects of the tempest on the earth’s surface.
Comp. Psalms 29, and Milton: —
“Either tropic now
‘Gan thunder and both ends of heaven the clouds,
From many a horrid rift abortive pour’d
Fierce rain with lightning m... [ Continue Reading ]
HE DREW ME. — By an exquisite transition from the real to the
figurative the poet conceives of these parted waters as the “floods
of affliction” (Psalms 18:5), from which Jehovah has rescued him by
means of the very storm which was sent, in answer to his prayer, to
overwhelm his enemies. Render at o... [ Continue Reading ]
PREVENTED. — Better, _fell upon me unawares._ See this use of the
verb, generally however used in a good sense, in Psalms 18:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
A LARGE PLACE. — Comp. Psalms 4:1. But there is direct historical
allusion to the settlement of Israel in Canaan, as will be seen by a
comparison of the Hebrew with Exodus 3:8, and Numbers 14:8.... [ Continue Reading ]
(20-23) for this protestation of innocence comp. Psalms 7:17 and Job,
_passim._ Self-righteous pride and vindication of one’s character
under calumny are very different things. If taken of the nation at
large, comp. Numbers 23:21. Here, also, the text in Samuel offers one
or two trifling variations... [ Continue Reading ]
(25-27) It is better to change all the futures into our present. We
cannot explain this description of God’s attitude to man, as if the
poet were merely dealing with the conception of the Divine formed in
the breast. No doubt his words are amply true in this sense. The human
heart makes its God like... [ Continue Reading ]
MAN. — The text of Samuel has “hero” (_gebôr_ instead of
_gebar_)_.
_... [ Continue Reading ]
_(_26_)_ FROWARD... FROWARD. — The use of this one word to render
two different Hebrew terms is so far correct, as they both come from
roots meaning primarily _to twist._ Both are combined in Proverbs 8:8,
“froward (margin, _twisted_) or perverse,” and both are contrasted
with “righteousness.” Plain... [ Continue Reading ]
HIGH LOOKS. — See variation in Samuel.
THE AFFLICTED PEOPLE. — Better, _afflicted folk,_ with no
distinctive reference to Israel, except, of course, I when the poem
became adapted for congregational use.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THOU WILT. — Better, _Thou makest bright my lamp._ In Samuel,
“It is thou Jehovah who art my lamp.” This obvious metaphor is
common in Hebrew, as in all literature. Light is an emblem of
prosperity, happiness, or life itself. (Comp. Job 18:6; Job 21:17;
Proverbs 13:9, &c). It happens to be used... [ Continue Reading ]
Better with the verbs in the present —
“For by thee I scatter a troop,
By thee I scale walls.”
A graphic reminiscence of warlike exploits. Some, however, read from
Samuel “break down,” instead of “leap over.”... [ Continue Reading ]
TRIED. — “Sterling gold,” not dross. (Comp. Psalms 12:6; and for
“shield,” Psalms 5:12.) Proverbs 30:5 seems to be taken from this
verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
Comp. Deuteronomy 32:31, where we see that “rock” was a common
term among the tribes of Canaan for their divinities. Notice some
trifling variations in Samuel.... [ Continue Reading ]
The verse should run on closely from the last. The italics spoil it.
GIRDETH. — The importance of the girdle in a country where the dress
was loose and flowing is shown by many passages of Scripture. It is
essential to the warrior as here (comp. Ephesians 6:14, and the Greek
expression, “to be girt... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse is borrowed in Habakkuk 3:19. For _swiftness_ as an
essential of a warrior in Oriental esteem comp. 2 Samuel 1:23, and the
invariable epithet in Homer’s _Iliad,_ “swift-footed Achilles.”
For “hind” comp. Genesis 49:21. Observe “his feet” in Samuel.
MY HIGH PLACES. — With allusion to the... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THAT A BOW. — Better, _and mine arms bend a bow of copper._ For
the _copper bow_ comp. Job 20:24. _Nechushah,_ χαλκὸς, is
certainly not _steel,_ whether the custom of hardening iron was known
to the Jews or not (see Jeremiah 15:12, and art. “Steel,” in
Smith’s _Biblical Dict._). The LXX. and Vulg... [ Continue Reading ]
THY GENTLENESS. — Or, _meekness,_ as in margin. We cannot afford to
sacrifice this striking foreshadowing of His saying of Himself, “I
am meek and lowly,” to the scare of a word like _anthropomorphism._
Why be afraid to speak of the Divine Being as _meek_ any more than as
_jealous._ The LXX. and Vul... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU HAST ENLARGED MY STEPS. — Comp. Psalms 31:8, which explains the
phrase; also Psalms 18:19 above.... [ Continue Reading ]
(37-40) Another retrospective glance of the poet over his past wars.
Notice slight variations in Samuel.... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU HAST ALSO GIVEN. — Literally, _and as to mine enemies, thou
gavest to me the back,_ which either means “turned to flight so that
only their backs were visible” (Jeremiah 18:17 and Psalms 21:12), or
alludes to the common symbolism of defeat — trampling on an
enemy’s neck.... [ Continue Reading ]
CRIED. — Sam. 22 has “looked.”... [ Continue Reading ]
BEFORE THE WIND. — In Samuel, the weaker “of the earth.”
CAST THEM OUT — _i.e.,_ sweep them before me. In Samuel “stamp and
tread them out.” So LXX. here “grind,” or “pound.”... [ Continue Reading ]
PEOPLE. — The parallelism favours the interpretation which takes
“people” as equivalent to _peoples_ — the Gentiles. But as in
Samuel it is “my people,” explain it of the early political
troubles of David. Notice also in Samuel “preserved,” instead of
“made.”... [ Continue Reading ]
AS SOON AS — _i.e._, at the bare mention of my victories. An actual
instance is recorded (2 Samuel 8:9, _seq._). For the expression, comp.
Job 42:5.
THE STRANGERS SHALL. — See margin. More literally, _come with
flattery._ In Samuel the two clauses are transposed and slightly
varied.... [ Continue Reading ]
FADE AWAY — _i.e._, wither like vegetation before a scorching blast.
BE AFRAID OUT OF THEIR CLOSE PLACES. — Better, _come trembling out
of their castles._ LXX. and Vulgate have “grow old and came limping
from their paths.”... [ Continue Reading ]
(46-50) The psalm concludes with a burst of joyous praise, in which
the previous figures are recalled in brief touches.... [ Continue Reading ]
In Romans 15:9, St. Paul quotes this verse, together with Deuteronomy
32:43 and Psalms 117:1, as proof that salvation was not in God’s
purpose confined to the Jews. It seems almost too magnificent a
thought in David, that he could draw the surrounding nations within
the circle of the religion as he... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse is by many treated as a late liturgical addition to the
hymn. The change to the third person is certainly somewhat suggestive
of this, but by no means conclusive.
The question of the relation of the two copies of this hymn to each
other is far too complicated and difficult for discussion... [ Continue Reading ]