XXXII. No other Old Testament saint that we know of could have written this psalm except David. And yet at the outset we are met by the fact that the history makes David’s repentance after each of his great sins turn on the reproof of a prophet. Before this voice from without reached him he appears,... [ Continue Reading ]
TRANSGRESSION — SIN — INIQUITY. — The same terms used here to express the compass and heinousness of sin are found, though in different order, in Exodus 34:7. For St. Paul’s reading of this passage, see Romans 4:6.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN I KEPT. — He describes his state of mind before he could bring himself to confess his sin (the rendering of the particle _ki_ by _when,_ comp. Hosea 11:1, is quite correct). Like that knight of story, in whom “His mood was often like a fiend, and rose And drove him into wastes and solitudes Fo... [ Continue Reading ]
THY HAND WAS HEAVY. — The verb, as in “kept silence” in Psalms 32:3, is properly present — the agony is still vividly present. MY MOISTURE. — The Hebrew word is found only once besides (Numbers 11:8), where the Authorised Version has “fresh oil;” the LXX. and Vulg., “an oily cake.” Aquila has “of th... [ Continue Reading ]
I ACKNOWLEDGED. — The fact that this verb is future, as also “I will confess” in the next clause, as well as the requirements of the passage, uphold Hupfeld’s suggestion that “I said” has changed its place, and should be replaced at the beginning of the verse. (Comp. Psalms 73:15, and Note.) The sen... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THIS — _i.e.,_ for this cause. SHALL EVERY ONE. — Better, _let every one._ IN A TIME... — See margin. The expression, “time of finding,”’ is, of course, elliptical. The Authorised Version explains by Isa. Iv. 6; but Isaiah 45:8 would suggest that “forgiveness” or “acceptance” is the word to be... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL GUIDE THEE WITH MINE EYE. — The Hebrew may be rendered either “I will advise — with mine eye upon thee,” or “I will fix mine eye upon thee,” which is the translation by the LXX., and to be preferred. This verse changes so abruptly to the first person that it is better, with most of the old in... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSE MOUTH. — Here the text has evidently suffered, and the exact meaning is lost. There are also verbal difficulties. The word translated “mouth” elsewhere (except Psalms 103:5, where see Note) means “ornament,” and the literal rendering of the text as it stands is, _with bit and bridle his orname... [ Continue Reading ]