LX. This psalm is composite; certainly two (Psalms 60:1), probably three, independent pieces (Psalms 60:1) compose it. Psalms 60:5 appear again at Psalms 108. The fact that the compiler of that psalm began his adaptation with Psalms 60:5, and not where the ancient original piece begins (Psalms 60:6... [ Continue Reading ]
HAST SCATTERED US. — Literally, _hast broken us._ A word used of a wall or fence, Psalms 80:12, but in 2 Samuel 5:20 applied to the rout of an army, an event which gave its name to the locality, “plain of breaches.” So in English: “And seeing me, with a great voice he cried, They are broken, they a... [ Continue Reading ]
EARTH. — Rather, _land;_ since, though the image is drawn from an earthquake, in which the solid ground trembles and buildings totter and fall (comp. Isaiah 30:13), the convulsion described is _political,_ not _physical. _... [ Continue Reading ]
HARD THINGS — _i.e._, a hard fate. WINE OF ASTONISHMENT. — Literally, either _wine of reeling_ — _i.e.,_ an intoxicating draught — or _wine as reeling_ — _i.e._, bewilderment like wine, or wine, which is not wine, but bewilderment, according as we take the construction. In any case the figure is t... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU HAST GIVEN. — Amid the uncertainty attaching to this verse, one thing is certain, that the Authorised Version rendering of its second clause must be abandoned. Instead of _koshet_ (truth), we must read with the LXX. and Symmachus _kesheth_ (a bow). It is more than doubtful if the preposition re... [ Continue Reading ]
From this verse onward the psalm appears again, with some variations noticed there, in Psalms 108:6. (6, 7, 8) These three verses, forming the centre of the poem, are, plainly by their style, of different age and authorship from the beginning. Possibly, indeed, they formed an original poem by themse... [ Continue Reading ]
IN HIS HOLINESS... — The LXX. and Vulg. have “in his sanctuary” which suits the utterance of an oracle. I WILL REJOICE... — Rather, _I will raise a shout of triumph._ I WILL DIVIDE SHECHEM... — Rather, _I may divide,_ &c, implying unquestioned right of ownership. Shechem and Succoth appear to be n... [ Continue Reading ]
Gilead and Manasseh on the east of Jordan, and Ephraim and Judah on the west, are employed to denote the whole dominion. STRENGTH OF MINE HEAD... — _i.e., the helmet,_ or possibly with reminiscence of the patriarchal blessing on Joseph, Deuteronomy 33:17. LAWGIVER. — In Hebrew a participle of verb... [ Continue Reading ]
MOAB IS MY WASHPOT — _i.e.,_ probably the _footbath,_ a figure expressing great contempt, which receives illustration from the story told of Amasis (Herod. ii. 172) and the golden footpan, which he had broken to pieces and made into an image of one of the gods — from base use made divine — as allego... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO WILL... — _i.e.,_ how can this ancient Divine oracle be fulfilled now in present circumstances? This is the poet’s question. He may be a king himself eager for triumph, or more probably Israel personified. (See the plural in Psalms 60:10.) Edom is the particular foe in view, and as the difficult... [ Continue Reading ]