LXIII. The figure of the first verse misunderstood (see Note) led to the inscription referring this psalm to the wandering period of David’s life, a reference entirely out of keeping with the contents of the poem, even if it were Davidic. The conjecture is far more probable which makes it the sigh o... [ Continue Reading ]
EARLY WILL I SEEK THEE. — LXX. and Vulgate, “to thee I wake early,” _i.e.,_ my _waking_ thoughts are toward thee, and this was certainly in the Hebrew, since the verb here used has for its cognate noun the _dawn._ The _expectancy_ which even in inanimate nature seems to await the first streak of mor... [ Continue Reading ]
TO SEE THY POWER... — The transposition of the clauses in the Authorised Version weakens the sense. Render, _So_ (_i.e., in this state of religious fervour_)_ in the sanctuary have I had vision of thee in seeing thy might and glory._ The psalmist means, that while he saw with his eyes the outward si... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE. — Such a sense of the blessedness of Divine favour — here in its peculiar sense of covenant favour — that it is better than life itself, calls for gratitude displayed all through life. “Love is the ever-springing fountain” from which all goodness proceeds, and a sense of it is even more tha... [ Continue Reading ]
SATISFIED. — This image of a banquet, which repeats itself so frequently in Scripture, need not be connected with the sacrificial feasts.... [ Continue Reading ]
REMEMBER. — Better, _remembered._ BED. — Literally, _beds._ NIGHT WATCHES. — According to the Jewish reckoning, the night was divided into three watches: the “beginning,” or head (_rôsh_)_;_ the “middle” (_tikhôn,_ Judges 7:19); and the “morning” (_boker,_ Exodus 14:24).... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE... — Better, _For thou hast been my helper; and under the shadow,_ &c. (For the image see Psalms 17:8; Psalms 36:7; Psalms 57:1; Psalms 61:4.)... [ Continue Reading ]
MY SOUL... — Literally, _my soul cleaved after thee,_ combining two ideas. (Comp. Jeremiah 42:16.) The English phrase, “hung upon thee” (comp. Prayer-Book version), exactly expresses it. For “depths,” or “abysses of the earth,” comp. Psalms 139:15; Ephesians 4:9. It means the under world of the dea... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL FALL. — See margin. But more literally, _they shall pour him on to the hands of the sword,_ where the suffix _him_ is collective of the enemy, and the meaning is, “they shall be given over to the power of the sword.” (Comp. Jeremiah 18:21; Ezekiel 35:5.) FOXES ... — Rather, _jackals._ Heb., _... [ Continue Reading ]
SWEARETH BY HIM. — This is explained as meaning, “swear allegiance to him as the king,” on the analogy of Zephaniah 1:5. And this suits the context. On the other hand, the natural way to understand the phrase, “swear by” or “in him,” is to refer it to the only oath allowed to the Israelite,” by the... [ Continue Reading ]