7. Some trust in chariots. This (see iutrod. to the psalm) seems to be a general chorus of the king and the people, expressing the fullest confidence in God, and showing the true ground of their reliance. The general meaning is, that their entire trust was in God. This is put in strong contrast with others, who relied, some on their chariots, and some on their horses, while they relied alone on God. They who trusted in horses and in chariots would be overcome; they who trusted in God alone would triumph. The word rendered chariots — n?"l, raichaih — means properly ridiny, and then a vehicle for riding, a wagon, a chariot. Here it refers to the war-chariot.
or the vehicle for carrying armed men into battle. These furnished great advantages in war, by the speed with which they could be driven against an enemy, and oy the facilities in fighting i'rom them. They were usually very simple. They consisted of "a light pole suspended between and on the withers of a pair of horses, the after end resting on a light axletree, with two low wheels. Upon the axle stood a light frame, open behind, and floored for the warrior and his charioteer, who both stood within. On the sides of the frame hung the war-bow, in its case; a large quiver with arrows and darts had commonly a particular sheath. In Persia, the chariots, elevated upon wheels of considerable diameter, had four horses abreast; and in early ages, there were occasionally hooks or scythes attached to the axles." — Kitto, Cyclo. In early ages these constituted a main reliance in determining the result of a battle. ^ And some in Jiorses. Some in cavalry, commonly a very material reliance in war. The use of horses in war was early known in the world, for we find mention of them in the earliest periods of history. ^ But we ivill rememher the name of the Lord our God. That is, we will remember God — the name, as before remarked, often being used to denote the person. The meaning is, We will not forget that our reliance is not on armies, but on God, the living God. Whatever instrumentality we may employ, we will remember always that our hope is in God, and that he only can give success to our arms.
8. They are brought down and fallen. That is, those who trust in chariots and horses. The reference here is undoubtedly to the enemies against whom the king was about to wage war, and the language here is indicative of his certain conviction that they would he vanquished. So certain was he now of this that he could speak of it as if it were already done. " They are brought down." He sees them in anticipation prostrate and subdued; he goes forth to war with the certainty on his mind that this would occur. The word rendered brought doion — ^^3, chdra — means to lend, to boio (as the knees); and then it refers to one who bows down before an enemy, that is, one who is subdued, Isa. x. 4; Ixv. 12; Ps. Ixxii. 9; Ixxviii. 31. ^ £ut we are risen, and stand upright. That is, he sees this in anticipation. He is certain of success and triumph. Depressed though we may now be, yet we are certain of victory.
9. Save, Lord. " Jehovah, save." This is still an earnest prayer. Confident as they are of success and triumph, yet they do not forget their dependence on God; they do not forget that victory must come from his hand. There was, indeed, exultation, but it was exultation in the belief that God would grant success — an exultation connected with, and springing from prayer. Prayer is not inconsistent with the most confident anticipation of success in any undertaking; and confidence of success can only spring from prayer. ^ Let the King. That is, let Ood, spoken of here as the Great King. The connexion and the parallelism demand this interpretation, for to God only is this prayer addressed. He is here invoked as the supreme monarch. A king going forth to war implores the protection of a greater king than himself — the King of all nations; and who, therefore, had the disposal of the whole result of the conflict in which he was about to engage. ^ Hear us tvhen ice call. As we now call on him; as we shall call on him in the day of battle. Thus the close of the psalm corresponds with the beginning. In the beginning (vers. 1-4) there is an earnest desire that God would hear the suppliant in the day of trouble; in the close there is an earnest prayer to him from all the people that lie tvoiild thus hear. The desire of the blessing goes forth in the form of prayer, for God only can grant the objects of our desire. The whole psalm, therefore, is an expression of a strong confidence in God; of a sense of the most complete dependence on him; and of that assurance of success w^hicli often comes into the soul, in an important and difficult undertnkiiig, when we have committed the whole cause to God. The psalm, too, is a model for us to imitate when we embark in any great and arduous enterprise. The desire for success should be accompanied with earnest prayer and supplication on our part; and when our friends express the desire that we may be successful, there should have been on our part such acts of devotion — such manifest reliance on God — such religious trust — that they can simply pniy for our success to be in accordance with our own prayer. Never should we look for success unless our undertaking has been preceded by prayer; and when our best preparations have been made, our hope of success is not primarily and mainly in them, but only in God.
This psalm likewise purports to be "A Psalm of David," and there is no cause to doubt the correctness of the superscription wliic-h ascribes it to him. There is, however, no certain intimation at what time of his life, or on what occasion, it was composed, and it is impossible to detennine these points.
The most probable supposition in regard to its composition seems to me to be, that it is a song of thanksgiving for the victory secured in answer to the prayer of himself and the people in the previous psalm. Nothing can be argued, indeed, on this point, from the mere fact that it stands in close connexion Avith the previous psalm; but there are, it seems to me, internal marks that this was its design, and that it is the expression of a heart overtlowing with gratitude, and,
n^HE king shall joy in thy -^ strength, O Lord; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!
2 Thou hast given him his
3 For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head.
Thus understood in regard to its origin, the psalm may be regarded as divided into the following parts: —
I. Thanksgiving for success, or for granting the object which had been so earnestly sought, vers. 1-7. In this thanksgiving the psalmist says that God had not only granted what had been asked (vers. 1-3), but that he had greatly exceeded this: — he had granted far more than had been the literal request. He had addi'd blessings which had not been specifically sought; he had made those blessings permanent and eternal, vers.
II. The general truth that all the foes of God would thus be overcome, and that the cause of truth would be finally triumphant, vers. 8-12. This was suggested by the victory which had been achieved". As God had granted that victory, — as he had so easily subdued the enemies of himself and of his people, — as he had gone so far beyond the expectations and the hopes of those who had gone forth to the conflict, the idea is naturally suggested that it would be thus with nil his foes, and that thei-e would be ultimately a complete victory over them.
III. The expression of an earnest desire that God might be thus exalted, and might thus achieve a complete and iinal victory, ver. 13.
For the meaning of the phrase, " To the chief ^Musician," in the title to the psalm, see Notes on Ps. iv.
1. The Tcing ft hall joy hi thy strength. King David, who had achieved the victory which he had desired and prayed for, Ps. xx. This is in the third person, but the reference is doubtless to David himself, and is to be understood as his own lanrruage. If it be understood, however, as the language of the people, it is still an ascription of praise to
God for his favour to their king. It seems better, however, to regard it as the language of David himself. The word ''strength" here implies that all the success referred to was to be traced to God. It was not by the prowess of a human arm; it was not by the valour or skill of the king himself; it was by the power of God, alone. ^ And in thy salvation. In the salvation or deliverance from foes which thou hast granted, and in all that thou doest to save. The language would embrace all that God does to save his people. *][ Hoio greatly shall he rejoice? Kot only does he rejoice now, but he ever will rejoice. It: will be to him a constant joy. Salvation, now to us a source of comfort, will always be such; and when we once have evidence that God has interposed to save us, it is accompanied with the confident anticipation that this will continue to be the source of our highest joy for
2. Thou hast given him his heart's desire. See Notes on Ps. xx. 4. This had been the prayer of the people that God would " grant him according to his own heart, and fulfil all his counsel," and this desire had now been granted. All that had been wished; all that had been prayed for by himself or by the people, had been granted. ^ And hast not ivithholden. Hast not denied or refused. ^ The request of his lips. The request, or the desire which his lips had uttered. The meaning is, that his petitions had been fully granted. % Selah. See Notes on Ps. iii. 2.
3. For thou prevenlest him. Thou goest before him; thou dost anticipate him. See Ps. xvii. 13, margin. Our word prevent is now most commonly used in the sense of hinder, stop, or
4 He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it liim, even length of
intercept. This is not the original meaning of the English word; and the word is never used in this sense in the Bible. The English word, when our translation was made, meant to ffo before, to anticipate, and this is the uniform meaning of it in our English version, as it is the meaning of the original. See Kotes on Job iii. 12. Comp. Ps, lix. 10; Ixxix. 8; Ixxxviii. 13; xcv. 2; cxix. 147,148; Amos ix. 10; Notes on 1 Thess. iv. 15. The meaning here is, that God had anticipated him, or his desires. He had gone before him. He had de-» signed the blessing even before it was asked. ^ IVitli the hlessings of goodness. Blessings indicating goodness on his part; blessings adapted to ])romote the "good" or the welfare of him on whom they were bestowed. Perhaps the meaning here is, not only that they icere good, but they seemed to be good; they were not " blessings in disguise," or blessings as the result of previous calamity and trial, but blessings where there was no trial — no shadow — no appearance of disappointment. ^ Thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head. This does not refer to the time of his coronation, or the period when he was crowned a king, but it refers to the victory which he had achieved, and by which he had been made truly a king. He was crowned with triumph; he was shown to be a king; the victory was like making him a king, or setting a crown of pure gold upon his head. He was now a conqueror, and was indeed a king.
4. Jle asked life of thee. An expression similar to this occurs in Ps. Ixi. 5, 6, " For thou, O God, hast heard my vows;... Thou wilt prolong the king's life, and his years to many generations." The expression in both cases implies that there had been a prayer for life, as if life were in danger. The expression itself would be applicable to a time of sickness, or to danger of any kind, and here it is used doubtless in reference to the exposure of life in going into battle, or in going forth to war. In this apprehended peril he prayed that God would defend him. He earnestly sought protection as he went forth to the perils of war. Tf And thou gavest it him. Thou didst hefu* and answer his prayer. He was saved from danger. ^ Even length of dags for ever and ever. Thou didst grant him more than he asked. He sought life for himself; thou hast not only granted that, but hast granted to him the assurance that he should live in his posterity to all generations. The idea is, that there would be an indefinite continuation of his race. His posterity would occupy his throne, and there would be no end to his reign thus prolonged. Beyond all his petitions and his hopes, God had given the assurance that his reign would be permanent and enduring. We cannot suppose that he understood this as if it were a promise made to him personally, that he would live and would occupy the throne for ever; but the natural interpretation is that which would refer it to his posterity, and to the perpetuity of the reign of his family or descendants. A similar promise occurs elsewhere: 2 Sam. vii, 13, 16; comp. Notes on Ps. xviii. 50. It is by no means an uncommon thing that God gives us more than w^e asked in our prayers. The offering of prayer is not only the means of securing the blessing which we asked, but also often of securing much more important blessings which we did not ask. If the expression were allowable it might be said that the prayer suggested to the Divine mind the conferring of aU needed blessings, or it indicates such a state of mind on the part of him who prays that God takes occasion to confer blessings which were not asked; — as a request made by a child to a parent for a specific favour is followed not only by granting that favour, but by
5 His gloiy is great in tliy salvation: honour and majesty liast tliou laid upon him.
6 For thou hast ^ made him
most blessed for ever: thou hast 2 made him exceeding glad" with thy countenance.
bestowiiio: others of which the child did not think. The state of mind on the part of the child was such as to dispose the parent to grant much larger blessings.
5. His glory is great in thy salvation. Not in himself; not in anything that he has done, but in what thou hast done. The fact that thou hast saved him, and the manner in which it has been done, has put upon him great honour. He felt indeed that ins condition as king, and as to the prospects before him, was one of great " glory " or honour; but he felt at the same time that it was not in himself, or for anything that he had done: it was only in the ^'salvation" which God had conferred uj^on him. Every child of God, in like manner, has great "glory" conferred upon him, and his " glory " will be great for ever; but it is not in himself, or in virtue of anything that he has done. It is "great" in the "salvation" of God, (a) in the fact that God has interposed to save him; and (h) in the manner in which it has been done. The highest honour that can be put upon man is in the fact that God will save him. •([ Honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him. {a) In making him a king; (h) in the victories and triumphs which thou hast now given him, placing on his head, as it were, a brighter crown; (e) in the promised perpetuity of his reign. So we may say of the ransomed sinner — the child of God — now. Honour and majesty have been laid on him, («) in the fact that God has redeemed him; {h) in the manner in which this has been accomplished; (c) in his adoption into the family of God; {d) in the rank and dignity which he occupies as a child of God; {e) in the hope of immortal blessedness beyond the grave.
6. For thou hast made him most blessed for ever. Marg., as in Heb., set him to be blessings. The expression in our translation, as it is now commonly understood, would mean that God had made him happy or prosperous. This does not seem to be the sense of the original. The idea is, that he had made him a blessing to mankind or to the world; or, that he had made him to be a source of blessing to others. Blessings would descend through him;'and though in the consciousness of this fact he would be happy, and in that sense be " blessed," yet the idea is rather that blessings would be imparted or scattered through him. Blessings would abound to others through his own reign; blessings through the reigns of those who should succeed him in the throne; blessings would be imparted to men as far as the import of the promise extended, that is, for ever, ver. 4. The word "for ever" here undoubtedly, as it was used by the Spirit of inspiration, was designed to refer to the eternal blessings which would descend on mankind through the Messiah, the illustrious descendant of David. How far David himself understood this, is not a material inquiry. He was undoubtedly directed by the Spirit of inspiration to use such language as would fairly and properly express this. It is right, therefore, for us so to regard it, and so to interpret and apply it. ^ Thou hast made him exceeding glad. Marg., as in Heb., gladded him ivith joy. The Hebrew phrase means, as it is expressed- in our translation, that he had been made very glad, or very happy. The favours of God to him, alike in his protection and in the promises which had been made in reference to the future, were such as to make him happy in the highest de-
7 For i the king trustetli in tlie Lord, and, througli the mercy of the Most High, he shall not be moved.
8 Thine hand shall find c out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate
gree. ^ With thy countenance. "With thy favour. By lifting the light of thy countenance upon him; or, as we should express it, by smiling upon him. See Notes on Ps. iv. 6.
7. For the king. David, the author of the psalm. ^ Trusteth in the Lord. All these blessings have resulted from his confiding in God, and looking to him for his favour and protection. ^ And through the mercy of the Most ffigh. TIfe favour of Him who is exalted above all; — the most exalted Being in the universe. The word mercy here is equivalent to favour. He had already experienced God's favour; he looked for a continuance of it; and through that favour he was confident that he would never be shaken in his purposes, and that he would never be disappointed. % He shall not he moved. He shall be firmly established. That is, his throne would be firni; he himself would live a life of integrity, purity, and prosperity; and the promises which had been so graciously made to him, and which extended so far into the future, would all be acomplished. The truth taught here is, that however firm or prosperous our way seems to be, the continuance of our prosperity, and the completion of our hopes and our designs, depend wholly on the " mercy" or the favour of the Most High. Confiding in that, we may feel assured that whatever changes and reverses we may experience in our temporal matters, our ultimate welfare will be secure. Nothing can shake a hope of heaven that is founded on his gracious promises as made through a Saviour.
8. Thine hand shall find out. That is, Thou wilt find out, — the hand being that by which we execute our purposes. Tliis verse commences a new division of the psalm (see the introd.), — in which the psalmist looks forward to the complete and final triumph of God over all his enemies. He looks to this in connexion with what God had done for him. He infers that he who had enabled him to achieve such signal conquests over his own foes and the foes of God would not withdraw his interposition until he had secured a complete victory for the cause of truth and holiness. In connexion with the promise made to him respecting his permanent reign and the i*eign of his successors on the throne (ver. 4), he infers that God would ultimately subdue the enemies of truth, and would set up his kingdom over all. ^ All thine enemies. However they may attempt to conceal themselves, — however they may evade the efforts to subdue them, — yet they shall all be found out and overcome. As this was intended by the Spirit of inspiration, it undoubtedly refers to the final triumph of truth on the earth, or to the fact that the kingdom of God will be set up over all the world. All that are properly ranked among the enemies of God, — all that are in any way opposed to him and to his reign, — will be found out and conquered. All the worshippers of idols, — all the enemies of truth, — all the rejecters of revelation, — all the workers of iniquity, — all that are infidels or scoffers, — shall be found out and subdued. Either by being made to yield to the claims of truth, and thus becoming the friends of God, — or by being cut off and punished for their sins, — they will be all so overcome that God shall reign over all the earth. An important truth is further taught here, to wit, that no enemy of God can escape him. There is no place to which he can flee where God will not find him. " There is
9 Thou shalt make them as a fiery <' oven in the time of thine anger: the Lord shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire * shall devour them.
no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves," Job xxxiv. 22. ^ T//1/ right hand. See Notes on Ps. xvii. 7. H Those that hate thee. All thine enemies.
9. Thou shalt maJce them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger. Thou shalt consume or destroy them, as if they were burned in a heated oven. Or, they shall burn, as if they were a flaming oven; that is, they would be wholly consumed. The word rendered oven — "11 2 n, tannoor — means either an oven or a furnace. It is YG\\'\Qvei\. furnace ^wAfurnaces in Gen. XV. 17; Neh. iii. 11; xii. 38; Isa. xxxi. 9; and, as here, oven or ovens, in Exod. viii. 3; Lev. ii. 4; vii. 9; xi. 35; xxvi. 26; Lam. v. 10; Hos. vii. 4, 6, 7; Mai. iv. 1. It does not occur elsewhere. The oven among the Hebrews was in the ibrm of a large 'pot, and was heated from within by placing the wood inside of it. Of course, while being heated, it had the appearance of a furnace. The meaning here is that the wicked would be consumed or destroyed as if they were such a burning oven; as if they were set on fire, and burned up. ^ The LoED shall swalloio them up in his wrath. The same idea of the utter destruction of the wicked is here presented under another form — that they would be destroyed as if the earth should open and swallow them up. Perhaps the allusion in the language is to the case of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, Num. xvi. 32; comp. Ps. cvi. 17. % And the fire shall devour them. The same idea under another form. The wrath of God would utterly destroy them. That wrath is often represented under the image of fire. See Deut. iv. 24; xxxii. 22; Ps. xviii. 8; Matt.
10 Their / fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth, and their seed from among the children of men.
xiii. 42; xviii. 8; xxv. 41; Mark ix. 44; 2 Thess. i. 8. Fire is the emblem by which the future punishmeut of the wicked is most frequently denoted.
10. Their fruit. Their offspring; their children; their posterity; tor so the pai'allelism demands. The fruit is that which the tree produces; and hence the word comes to be applied to children as the production of the parent. See this use of the word in Gen. XXX. 2; Exod. xxi. 22; Deut. xxviii. 4, 11, 18; Ps. cxxvii. 3; Hos. ix. 16; Micah vi. 7. H Shalt thou destroy from the earth. Thou shalt utterly destroy them. This is in accordance with the statement so often made in the Scriptures, and with what so often occurs in fact, that the consequences of the sins of parents pass over to their posterity, and that they suffer in consequence of those sins. Comp. Exod. xx. 5; xxxiv. 7; Lev. XX. 5; xxvi. 39; comp. Notes on Romans v. 12-19. If And their seed. Their posterity. "^ From among the children of men. From among men, or the human family. That is, they would be entirely cut off from the earth. The truth taught here is, that the wicked will ultimately be destroyed, and that God will obtain a complete triumph over them, or that the kingdom of righteousness shall be at length completely established. A time will come when truth and justice shall be triumphant, when all the wicked shall be removed out of the way; when all that oppose God and his cause shall be destroyed, and when God shall show, by thus removing and punishing the wicked, that he is the Friend of all that is true, and good, and right. The idea of the psalmist probably was that this would yet occur on the earth; the language is
11 For they intended evil against tliee; they imagined a mischievous device which 'J they are not able to j^erfoy-m:
12 Therefore shalt thou i make
them turn their 2 back, when thou shalt make ready thine arroivs upon thy strings against the face of them.
such, also, as may be applied to that ultimate state, in the future world, when all the wicked shall be destroyed, and the righteous shall be no more troubled with them.
11. For they intended evil against thee. Literally, "They stretched out evil." The idea seems to be derived from stretching out or laying snares, nets, or gins, for the purpose of taking wild beasts. That is, they formed a plan or purpose to bring evil upon God and his cause: as the hunter or fowler forms a purpose or plan to take wild beasts or fowls. It is not merely a purpose in the head, as our word " intended " would seem to imply; it supposes that arrangements had been entered into, or that a scheme had been formed to injure the cause of God, — that is, through the person referred to in the psalm. The purposes of wicked men against religion ai-e usually much more than a mere intention. The intention is accompanied with a scheme or plan in their own mind by which the act may be accomplished. The evil here referred to was that of resisting or overpowering him who was engaged in the cause of God, or whom God had appointed to administer his laws. ^ They imagined a mischievous device. They thought, or they purposed. The word rendered " mischievous device" — n?2]7p, mezimmah — means properly counsel, purpose; then prudence, sagacity; then, in a bad sense, machination, device, triolc. Gesenius, Lex. Prov. xii. 2; xiv. 17; xxiv. 8. ^ Which they are not able to perform. Literally, "they could not;" that is, they had not the power to accomplish it, or to carry out their purpose. Their purpose was plain; their guilt was therefore clear; but they were prevented from executing their design. Many such designs are kept from being carried into execution for the want of power. If all the devices and the desires of the wicked were accomplished, righteousness would soon cease in the earth, religion and virtue would come to an end, and even God would cease to occupy the throne.
12. Therefore shalt thou maJce them turn their hacTc. Marg., Thou shalt set them as a butt. The word back also is rendered in the margin shoulder. The word translated therefore means in this place /or, and the rendering " therefore" obscures the sense. The statement in this verse in connexion with the previous verse, is, that they would not be able to " perform " or carry out their well-laid schemes, jTor or because God would make them turn the back; that is, he had vanquished them. They were going forward in the execution of their purposes, but God would interpose and turn them back, or compel them to retreat. The word rendered back in this place — 0?"P> shechem — means properly shoulder, or, more strictly, the shoulder-blades, — that is, the part where these approach each other behind; and then the upper part of the back. It is not, therefore, incorrectly rendered by the phrase " thou shalt make them turn the back." The expression is equivalent to saying that they would be defeated or foiled in their plans and purposes. ^ When thou shalt make ready thine arrows iipon thy strings. Comp. Notes on Ps. xi. 2. That is, when God should go forth against them, armed as a warrior. ^ Against the face of them. Against them; or, in their very front. He would meet them as they seemed to be marching on to certain conquest, and would discomfit them. It would not be by a side-blow, or by skilful
13 Be thou exalted, Lord, in tliine own '' strength: so will we manoeuvre, or by turning their flank and attacking them in the rear. Truth meets error boldly, face to fiice, and is not afraid of a fair fight. In every such conflict errorwill ultimately yield; and whenever the wicked come openly into conflict with God, they must be compelled to turn and flee.
13. Be thou exalted, Lord, in thine own strength. This is the concluding part of the psalm (see the introd.), expressing a desire that God might be exalted over all his foes; or that his own strength might be so manifestly put forth that he would be exalted as he ought to be. This is the ultiiuate and chief desire of all holy created beings, that God might be exalted in the estimation of the universe above all other beings, — or that he might so triumph over all his enemies as to reign supreme. ^ So ^vill toe sing and praise thi/ power. That is, as the result of thy being thus exalted to pi'oper honour, we will unite in celebrating thy glory and thy power. Comp. Rev. vii. 10 — 12; xii. 10; xix. 1—3. This will be the result of all the triumphs which God will achieve in the world, that the holy beings of all worlds will gather around his throne and " sing and praise his power." The thought in the psalm is that God will ultimately triumph over all his foes, and that this triumph will be followed by universal rejoicing and praise. Come that blessed day!
I. The author of the psalm.— This, psalm is said to have been composed by David:— "A Psalm of David;" comp. Notes on the title of Psalm iii. It cannot be absolutely demonstrated that these titles to the psalms are all of them correct, as it cannot be supposed that they were affixed to them by the authors of.the psalms themselves; and it is not absolutely known by whom they were prefixed. Of course there is no certain evidence that they were attached to the psalnis by an inspii-ed writer. Still they sing and praise thy power.
are to be presumed to be correct unless there is some clear evidence to the contrar}'. In this case there seems to be none. Thei-e is nothing in the psalm itself that is inconsistent with the supposition, and there are no historical evidences in the case which woidd make it necessary for us to set the title aside. The affixing of this title to the psahn undovibtedly implies that it was the prevailing opinion, at the time when the collection of Psalms was made, that tlus was a psalm of David. Rosenmuller indeed doubts this; but he assigns no historical reasons for the doubt, llitzig supposes that the author was Jeremiah, on the ground, as he says, that it is " in the broad and flowing style" of Jeremiah, but this is mere conjecture.
It is not necessary, however, to suppose that David, though he was the author of the psalm, refers to himself. If it be admitted that he was inspired, or even if this should be doubted, it would still be an open question to whom the psalm refers, —whether to himself as an individual; — whether to an imaginary sufferer, designing to illustrate the feelings of piety in a time of sorrow; — Avhether to the people of God, considered collectively;— or whether to the Messiah. The mere fact of the authorship of the psalm determines none of these questions.
It is not known, and it cannot now be detemiined, on what occasion the psalm was written. It is expressive of the feelings of a pious sufferer,— of one who appears to be forsaken by God and by man. Perhaps there nia)^ have been occasions in the life of David to which the expressions in the psalm may have been applicable; but if so, it is impossible now to determine on which one of these trials of his life the psalm Avas composed. There is no one period in which, from the historical records of his life, we could be able to make out all the circumstances which are mentioned hi the psalm. There are, however, expressions in it which in their intensity, as expressing wretchedness and woe, seem to go beyond anything that occurred in his experience, and which lead naturally to the question whether he did not refer to some other than himself.
II. The contents of the psalm.— Various divisions of the psalm have been proposed, but there are no marked and prominefit divisions in the psalm itself. Hengstenberg, and after him Prof. Alexander, divide it into three parts, or strophes, (1) vers. 1 10; (2) vers. 12-21; (3) vers. 22-31. According to this, each strophe, as Hengstenberg remarks, would consist of ten verses, — with an intermediate verse between the 10th and the 12th (ver. 11) connecting the first and second parts. Professor Alexander supposes that ver. 21 is a connecting link also between the second and third parts. This division, however, seems fanciful and arbitrar}-; and it will present a more simple and clear view of tne psalm to regard it as embracing two main things: —
I. The condition of the sufferer; and
II. His consolations or supports in his trials.
I. The condition of the sufferer. This consists of two parts: — (1) His sufferings as derived from God, or as they spring from God; (2) as they are derived from men, or as the}- spring from the treatment which he receives from men.
(1.) As they are derived from God,
(a) He is forsaken of God, ver. 1.
(b) He cries to him day and night (or continually), and receives no answer, ver. 2. His prayer seems not to be heard, and he is left to suffer apparently unpitied
(2) His sufferings as derived from men, as produced by the treatment which he received from men.
Here there are^^w specifications; Jive sources of his afHiction and sorrow. First. He was despised, reproached, derided by them in the midst of his other sufferings, vers. 6, 7, 8; —especially his piet j', or confidence in God was ridiculed, for it now seemed as if God had abandoned him. Second. His enemies were fierce and ravenous as strong bulls of Bashan, or as a ravening and roaring lion, vers. 12, 13. Third. His sufferings wei-e intense, so that his whole frame was relaxed and prostrated and crushed; he seemed to be poured out like water, and all his bones were out of joint; his heart was melted like wax; his strength was dried up like a potsherd; his tongue clave to his jaws, and he was brought into the dust of death, vers. 14, lo.
Fifth. They stripped him of his raiment, and parted his garments among themselves, ver. 18.
II. His consolations or supports in his trials. These ai'e scattered through the psalm, and consist of the followingthings: —
(1) His unshaken confidence in God as
(3) The fact that he had been himself
(4) The anticipated effect or result of
Avhat he Avas then suffering, or the things to be accomplished by his sufferings, vers. 19-31. There are mainly txco things implied here as to" the anticipated result of his sufferings: — ((7.) The establishment of a great principle that would encourage the friends of God, or those whom the sufferer calls his " brethren,"
{b) The world Avould be converted as the result of his sufferings, and the kingdom of God Avould be set up everywhere among men, vers.
These views of the psalm are apparent on its face, or are such as are suggested by the analysis without reference to the inquiry who was the author, or to whom it refers. The analysis of the psalm, however, necessarily leads —
III. To the inquirj' to whom the psalm refers: —
(1.) It refers to a sufferer, and it is designed to describe his condition and his feelings, when apparently forsaken by God and man. At the same time, he is a 2^ious sufferer, or one Avho has real trust in God, though God appears to have forsaken him.
(2.) There seems to be no reason to suppose that the psalm refers to David himself, or that he means to describe his own feelings and condition. He was indeed a sufferer; and he often refers to his own sufferings in the Psalms. It is true, also, that there are expressions in this psalm which would be applicable to him, or which might refer to his condition. But there ai'e mne which can be re2:ardcd as exclusively applicable to him, and there are some which could not be applied to him. Of the latter class are the cxpi-essions, " They pierced my hands and my feet," vcr. 16; "They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture," ver. 18. We know of no circumstances in the life of David to which these expressions would be applicable; Ave have no reason to suppose that there were any in which what is here said would have been literally true of him. On the other hand, this language cannot with propriety be regarded as figurative, for we cannot conceive of any circumstances which would be described by such figures of speech. The whole cast of the psalm, moreover, is difterent from those in which David refers to his own sufterings.
(3.) The psalm refers to a case not then actuall}^ before the psalmist, but to some case that might or would occur, as an individual or as a representative case. So far as the mere lanqunge of the psalm is concerned, this might have been a case purely imaginary, and the design might have been to describe a pious sufferer who seemed to be forsaken both by God and man, or to illusti-ate the nature of true submission to God in such trials. In other words, it might have been a supposed case intended to show the nature of real religion under the se^'erest forms of suftering; and, as a poet, the author of the psalm may have pictured to himself such an instance in order to show what the feelings of true piety would suggest in such circumstances, or what would be the effect of true religion then. It IS true that this interpretation would not be quite obvious and natural, for we usually tind such descriptions connected Avith real cases; but I am merely saying that so far as the language of the psalm is concerned, if Ave had no other way to ascertain its meaning, tliis interpretation Avould be allowable, — and if Ave could not attach the psalm properly to any real person, this explanation would be admissible. But in this case such an interpretation is unnecessary, for there is a real person to Avhom the language is applicable, and one to Avhom we may properly suppose an inspired writer Avould refer in the language Avhich is here used.
(4.) The psalm refers, therefore, I apprehend, originally and exclusively, to the Messiah. The proof of this is to be found in such ciicumstances as the following: —
(«) Portions of it ai'e expressly applied to him in the Ncav Testament. The ciy in ver. 1, " JNIy God, my God, Avhy has't thou forsaken me?" is the very one used by the lledeenier Avhen on the cross, Matt, xxvii. 46. The language (A'er. 8), " He trusted in the Lord that he Avould deliver him; let him deliver him, seeuig he delighted in him," is the taunt Avhicli his enemies used as they passed by the cross. Matt, xxvii. 43. The language (ver. 18), " They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture," is more than once expressly applied to him; and, in one instance, with the unequivocal statement that it Avas done " that the Scripture might be fulfilled," John xix. 24. Comp. Luke xxiii. 34.
{U) We have evidence derived from the early Jewish interpreters. The modern Jcavs, indeed, affirm that it has no reference to the ^Messiah, for they reject the idea of a suftering ]\Iessiah altogether. Some of them suppose that it. refers to David, and endeavour to find a fulfilment of it in his persecutions and trials. Others, as Kimchi and Jarchi, suppose that the psalm is applicable to the suffering JcAvish people, and apply it to them m their trials and dispersions, as if they Avere forsaken of God. Some have supposed that it i-efers to the condition of the JeAvs in Babylon. But this Avas not the prcA'ailing interpretation among the ancient Jewish interpreters. See Jo. H. Michaelis, Com. in Ps., p. 138; and Schottgen de ]\Iessia, p. 232, seq. It is true that the opinion of the ancient JeAvs does not demonstrate that the psalm refers to the Messiah; but the fact that they held that opinion is an important circumstance in showing Avhat is its fair and obA-ious interpretation, for there Avas everything to induce them to reject this explanation. In general, the JcAvs Avho lived in the times referred to here Avere opposed to the idea of a suffermg ]\Iessiah; and the fact that they admitted the applicability of the psalm to the Messiah must have embarrassed them not a little in their early contro- A'ersies Avith Chiistians; for the early Christians with one voice maintained that it referred to the IMessiah, and that it Avas fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth, The correspondence between the psahii and his sufterings was one of the arguments on Avhich they relied, in proving that he Avas the Christ; and if the Jews admitted that the psalm had reference to the Messiah, they Avould find it hard to meet the force of this argument. Their admission, theveforo, under these circumstances, that it referred to the INIessiah, could have arisen only from the fau" and obvious interpretation of the psalm Avhich it was not easy to set aside.
(f) The internal character of the psalm shows that it refers to the Messiah. This will appear more conclusively in the course of the exposition, in the entire correspondence as will be seen there between the psalm and the sufferings of the Redeemer. It will be found that many of the expressions in the psalm are as applicable to him as they would be if they were history instead of ^;/-ophecy; if they had been penned ofter^ instead of having been penned before his sufferings occurred. It is sufficient here to refer to the expressions in vers. 1, 7, 8, 16, 18, and to the Notes on those passa<''es.
{d) There is no improbability in supposing that David here refers to the Messiah. It cannot be denied that there is, in the Old Testament, from some cause, a frequent reference to a personage who was expected to appear in future time, and who was called the Messiah. And it cannot be denied that he is often represented as a sufferei*, and that his hujniliation and sufferings are often described. Somehow, beyond all question, the Jewish writers had formed the conception of such a personage, and they exnaust the powers of their native tongue in their description of his person and his werk. He was, in fact, their ^'■hero;" — he to whom they always looked, and on whom their descriptions usually terminatediWhere-s'er they began. Comp. Xotea on Isa. liii. and Dan. ix. Xow, if it be admitted that the Jewish writers were inspired, and that this view of the ]Messiah had been furnished by the Spirit of inspiration, nothing is more natural than to expect to find such descriptions of the Messiah as occur in this psalm; and if it should be said that they were not inspired, and that this anticipation was wholly a poetic fiction, — a matter of national vanity, — a mere favourite idea of the nation,^notliing would even then be more natural than that there should be a frequent reference to this imaginaiy person in their writings; and nothing would be more probable than that we should find frequent reference to him in the writings of one who was so deeply imbued with the national spirit, and who occupied so high a position among the poets of the nation, as David. Inspired or uninspired, then, there is the strongest probability that there would be in their poetic writings such allusions to the ilessiah as we have in this psalm.
An examination of the objections to the intei-pretation which refers the psalm to the ]\Iessiah, may be found in Hengstenberg's Christology, vol. i, pp. 145- 147.
The title of the psalm is, "To the chief ^lusician upon Aijeleth Shahar." On the meaning of the expression chief Musician, see Notes on the title to Psalm iv. The expression Aijeleth Shahar is rendered in the margin, the hind of the morning. The word Aijeleth— Jl^'^ii — means a hind, and is used as a term of endearment towards a female, Prov. v. 19. It is found in Gen. xlix. 21, " NaphtaU is a hind let loose." Also in 2 Sam. xxii. 34; Job xxxix. 1; Ps. x^iii. 33; Cant. ii. 7; iii. 5; Hab. iii. 19; — in each of which places it is rendered in the singular huid, and in the plural hinds. The word Shahar — inTJ) — means the aurora, the daicn, the onorning. "The phi-ase ' hind of the dawn ' probably stands for the monihig sun scattering his first rays upon the earth, as the Ai-abian poets call the rising sun the gazelle, comparing his rays with the honis of that animal." Gesenius, Lex. — The image is one of gladness, as if the rays of the sun leaped and bounded over the hills with joyousness as the hart or hind does. But why such a title is given to this psalm can be only a matter of conjecture. It would seem most probable that these words were the beginning of some other psalm or hymn that was sung to a set piece of music, and that the design was, as indicated by this title, that this psalm was to be sung to the same tune. A tune might not improbably be known then, as it is in fact sometimes now, by the first or opening words of the piece Avhich was commonly sung m that measure. Thus we have hpnns so constantly sung to certain tunes that the mention of the first line would be a sufficient suggestion of the strain of music in which it was to be sung. It would be, for example, sufficient to say that it was to be sung to the same tune as " From Greenland's icy mountains;" or, "All hail the power of Jesus' name;" or, "I would not live alway." Other views of the meaning of the phrase may be seen in Rosenmiiller, Com. in loc. ' Rosenmiiller himself adopts the views here expressed, and sustains his opinion by the authority of BothuA-i.
To lliecliicf Musician upon i Aijclcth Sliahar. A rsalm of David.
1 Or, tke hbulof Ihe mombiif.
1. Ml/ God, my God. Tliese are the very Avords uttered by tlie Saviour when on the cross (Mutt, xxvii. 46); and he evidently used them as best adapted of all the words that could have been chosen to express the extremity of his sorrow. The fact that he employed them may be referred to as some evidence that the psalm was designed to refer to him; though it must be admitted that this circumstance is no conclusive proof of such a design, since he might have used words having originally another reference, as best fitted to express his own sufferings. The language is abrupt, and is uttered without any previous intimation of what would produce or cause it. It comes fi'om the midst of sutVering — fi-om one enduring intense agony — as if a new foi-m of sorrow suddenly came upon him which he was unable to endure. That new form of suflering was the feeling that now he was forsaken by the last friend of the wretched, — God himself. We may suppose that he liad patiently borne all the other forms of trial, but the moment the thought strikes him that he is forsaken of God, he cries out in the bitterness of his soul, under the pressure of anguish which is no longer to be borric. All other forms of suffering he could bear. All others he had borne. But this crushes him; overpowers him; is beyond all that the soul can sustain, — for the soul may bear all else but this. It is to be observed, however, that the sufferer himself still has confidence in God. He addresses him as Ms God, though he seems to have forsaken him: — "Mi/ God; MY God." ^[ Why hast thou forsaken me / Why hast thou abandoned me, or left me to myself, to suffer unaided and alone? As applicable to the Saviour, this refers to those dreadful moments on thoti forsaken me? wliy art tJiou so far from ^ helping me, and from the v^ords of my " roaring?
the cross when, forsaken by men, he seemed also to be forsaken of God himself. God did not interpose to rescue him, but left him to bear those dreadful agonies alone. He bore the burden of the world's atonement by himself. He was overwhelmed with grief, and crushed with pain; for the sins of the world, as well as the agonies of the cross, had come upon him. But there was evidently more than this; — idiat more we are unable fully to understand! There was a higher sense in which he was forsaken of God; lor no mere physical sufierings, no pains of dying even ou the cross, would have extorted this cry. If he had enjoyed the light of his Father's countenance; if these had been merely physical sufl'erings; if there was nothing else than what is apparent to our view in the record of those sufierings, we cannot suppose that this cry would have been heard even on the cross. There is evidently some sense in which it was true that the dying Saviour was given up to darkness — to ujcntal trouble, to despair, as if He who is the last hope of the suflering and the dying — the Father of mercies — had withdrawn from him; as if he were personally a sinner; as if he were himself gnilty or blameworthy on account of the sins for which he was making an expiation. In some sense he experienced what the sinner will himself experience when, for his own sins, he will be at last forsaken of God, and abandoned to despair. Every word in this wonderful exclamation may be supposed to be emphatic. " Why." What is the cause? How is it to be accounted for? What end is to be answered by it? '■^ Hast thou." Thuu, my Father; thou, the comforter of those in trouble; thou, to whom the suHering and the dying may look when all else fails. '■'■ Forsaken.'''' Ijcft me to suller alone; \i
2 O my God, I cry in tlie daytime, but thou hearest not: and in the night- season, and ^ am not silent.
3 But thou art holy, 0 thou that inhabitest the praises ' of Israel.
withdrawn the light of thy countenance— the comfort of thy presence — the joy of thy manifested favour. •' lie." Thy well-beloved Son; me, whom thou hast sent into the world to accomplish thine own work in redeeming man; me, against whom no sin can be charged, whose life has been perfectly pure and holy; — why, now, in the extremity of these sufferings, hast thou forsaken me, and added to the agony of the cross the deeper agony of being abandoned by the God wliom I love, the Father who loved me before the foundation of the world, John xvii. 24. There is a reason why God should forsake the wicked; but why should he forsake his own pure and holy Son in the agonies of death? % Why art thou so far from helping me 1 Marg., from my saloation. So the Hebrew. The idea is that of one who stood so far off that he could not hear the cry, or that he could not reach out the hand to deliver. Com p. Ps. x. 1. ^ And from the tvords of my roaring. The word here used properly denotes the roaring of a lion. Job iv. 10; Isa. V. 29; Ztjch. xi. 3; and then the outcry or the groaning of a person in great pain. Job iii. 21; Ps. xxxii. 3. It refers here to a loud cry for help or deliverance, and is descriptive of the intense suffering of the Redeemer on the cross, Corap. Matt, xxvii. 50; Luke xxiii. 46.
2. O my God, I cry in the daytime. This, in connexion with what is said at the close of the verse, " and in the night-season," means that his cry was incessant or constant. See Notes on Ps. i. 2. The v/hole expression denotes that his prayer or cry was continuous, but that it was not heard. As applicable to the Redeemer it refers not merely to the moment when he uttered the cry as stated in ver. 1, but to the continuous sufferings which | he endured as if forsaken by God and men. His life in general was of that description. The whole series of sorrows and trials through which he passed was as if he were forsaken by God; as if he uttered a long continuous cry, day and night, and was not heard. ^ But thou hearest not. Thou dost not answer me. It is as if my prayers were not heard. God hears every cry; but the answer to a prayer is sometimes withheld or delayed, as if he did not hear the voice of the suppliant. Comp. Notes on Dan. X. 12, 13. So it was with the Redeemer. He was permitted to suffer without being rescued by Divine power, as if liis prayers had not been heard. God seemed to disregard his supplications. ^ And in the night-season. As explained above, this means constantly. It was literally true, however, that the Redeemer's most intense and earnest prayer was uttered in the night-season, in the garden of Gethsemane. T[ And am not silent. Marg., there is no silence to me. Heb., "There is not silence to me." The idea is, that he prayed or cried incessantly. He was never silent. All this denotes intense and continuous supplication, supplication that came from the deepest anguish of the soul, but which was unheard and unanswered. If Christ experienced this, who may not?
3. But thou art holy. Thou art righteous and blameless. This indicates that the sufferer had still unwavering confidence in God. Though his prayer seemed not to be heard, and though he was not delivered, he was not disposed to blame God. He believed that God was righteous? though he received no answer; he doubted not that there was some sufficient reason why he was not answered. This is applicable, not only to the Redeemer, in whom it
4 Our fathers trusted in tliee: tliey trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
was most fully illustrated, but also to the people. of God everywhere. It expresses a state of n>ind such as all true believers in God have — confidence in him, whatever may be their trials; confidence in him, though the answer to their prayers may be long delayed; confidence in him, though their prayers should seem to be 2<«answered. Comp. Notes on Job xiii. 15. ^ 0 thou that inhahitest the praises of Israel. That dwellest where praise is celebrated; that seemest to dwell in the midst of praises. The language here refers to the praises oftered in the tabernacle or temple. God was supposed to dwell there, and he was surrounded by those who praised him. The sufferer looks upon him as worshipped by the multitude of his people; and the feeling of his heart is, that thoagh he was himself a suflerer — a great and apparently unpitied sufferer — thougli he, by his aftlictions, was not permitted to unite in those lofty praises, yet he could own that God was worthy of all those songs, and that it was proper that they should be addressed to him.
4. Our fathers trusted in thee. This is a plea of the sufferer as drawn from the character which God had manifested in former times. The argument is, that he had interposed in those times when his people in trouble had called upon him; and he now pleads with God that he would manifest himself to him in the same way. The argument derives additional force also from the idea that he who now pleads was descended from them, or was of the same nation and people, and that he might call them his ancestors. As applicable to the Itedeemer, the argument is that he was descended from those holy and suflering men who had trusted in God, and in whose behalf God had so often interposed. He identifies himself wiih that people; he regards himself
5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
as one of their number; and he makes mention of God's merciful interposition in their behalf, and of the fact that he had not forsaken them in their troubles, as a reason why he should now interpose in his behalf and save him. As applicable to others, it is an argument which the people of God may always use in their trials — that God has thus interposed in behalf of his people of former times who trusted in him, and who called ui)on him. God is always tlie same. We may strengthen our faith in our trials by the assurance that he never changes; and, in pleading with him, we may urge it as an argument that he has often interposed when the tried and the afilicted of his people have called upon him. ^ They trusted, and thou didst deliver them. They confided in thee; they called on thee; thou didst not spurn their prayer; thou didst not forsake them.
5. They cried unto thee. They offered earnest prayer and- supplication. T[ And were delivered. From dangers and trials. •[[ They trusted in thee, and tvere not confounded. Were not disappointed. Literally, " they were not ashamed." That is, they had not the confusion which those have who are disappointed. The idea in the word is, that when men put their trust in anything and are disappointed, they are conscious of a species of shame as if they had been foolish in relying on that which proved to be insufficient to help them; as if they had manifested a want of wisdom in not being more cautious, or in supposing that they could derive help from that which has proved to be fallacious. So in Jer. xiv. 3, " Their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters; they came to the pits, and found no water; they returned with their vessels empty; they were ashamed and confounded, and covered their heads." That is, they
6 But I am a worm, ' and no man; a reproach of men, and despised '" of the people.
7 All » they that see me laugh
felt as if they had acted foolishly or ummsely in expecting to find water there. Comp, Notes on Job vi. 20. In the expression here, " they trusted in thee, and were not confounded," it is meant that men who confide in God are never disappointed, or never have occasion for shame as if herein they Jiad acted foolishly. They are never left to feel that they had put their trust where no help was to be found; that they had confided in one who had deceived them, or that they had reason to be ashamed of their act as an act of foolishness.
6. But I am a tvorm, and no man. In contrast with the fathers who trusted in thee. They prayed, and were heard; they confided in God, and were treated as men. I am left and forsaken, as if I were not worth regarding; as if I were a grovelling worm beneath the notice of the great God. In other words, I am treated as if I were the most insignificant, the most despicable, of all objects,' — alike unworthy the attention of God or man. By the one my prayers are imheard; by the other I am cast out and despised. Comp. Job xxv. 6. As applicable to the Redeemer, this means that he was forsaken alike by God and men, as if he had no claims to the treatment due to a man. ^ A reproach of men. Reproached by men. Comp. Isa. liii. 3, and the Notes on that verse. % Despised of the people. That is, of the people who witnessed his suff'erings. It is not necessary to say how completely this had a fulfilment in the sufferings of the Saviour.
7. All they that see me laugh me to scorn. They deride or mock me. On the word used here — 3^^, laag — see Notes on Ps. ii. 4. The meaning here is to mock, to deride, to treat with scorn. The idea of lauyhivy is me to scorn: they i shoot out the
8 He " trusted on the Lord
not properly in the word, nor would that necessarily occur in the treatment here referred to. How completely this was fulfilled in the case of the Saviour, it is not necessary to say. Comp. j\Iatt. xxvii. 39, "And they that passed by, reviled him.** There is no evidence that this literally occurred in the life of David. % They shoot out the lij). Marg., open. The Hebrew word — nj33, patar — means properly to sp)Ut, to hurst open; then, as in this place, it means to open wide the mouth; to stretch the mouth in derision and scorn. See Ps. xxxv. 21, " They opened their mouth wide against me." Job xvi. 10, " They have gaped upon me with their mouth." ^ They shake the head. In contempt and derision. See Matt, xxvii. 39, " Wagging their heads."
8. He trusted on the LoED that he toould deliver him. Marg., He rolled himself on the LoED. The margin expresses the true sense of the Hebrew word. The idea is that of being under the pressure of a heavy burden, and of rolling it off", or casting it on another. Hence the word is often used in the sense of committing to another; entrusting anything to another; confiding in another. Ps. xxxvii. 5, "Commit thy way unto the Lord;" Marg., as in Heb., " Roll thy way upon the Lord." Prov. xvi. 3, " Commit thy tvorks unto the Lord,'' Marg., as in Heb,, " Boll." The language here is the taunting language of his enemies, and the meaning is that he had professed to commit himself to the Lord as if he were his friend; he had expressed confidence in God, and he believed that his cause was safe in His hand. This, too, was actually fulfilled in the case of the Saviour. Matt, xxvii. 43: " He trusted in God: let him deliver him
9 But thou art he that took
me out of the womb; thou 2 didst malce me hope when I icas upon my mother's breasts.
now, if he will have him." It is one of tlie most remarkable instances of blindness and infatuation tliat has ever occurred in the world, that the Jews should have used this language in taunting the dying Redeemer, without even suspecting that they were fulfilling the prophecies, and demonstrating at the very time when they were reviling him that he was the true Messiah. \ Let him deliver him. Let him come and save him. Since he professes to belong to Godj ^ince he claims that God loves him and regards him as his friend, let him come now and rescue one so dear to him. He is hopelessly abandoned by men. If God chooses to have one so abject, so despised, so forsaken, so lielpless, let him coma now and take liim as his own. JVe will not rescue him; we will do nothing to save him, for we do not need him. If God wants him, let him come and save him. What blasphemy! What an exhibition of the dreadful depravity of the human heart was manifested in the crucifixion of the Redeemer! *ff Seeing he delighted in him. Marg., if he delight in him. The correct rendering is, " for he delighted in him." That is, it was claimed by the suflerer that God delighted in him. If this is so, say they, let him come and rescue one so dear to himself. Let him show his friendship for this vngraut, this impostor, this despised and worthless man! 9. But thou art he that took me out of the loomh. I owe my life to thee. This is urged by the suflerer as a reason why God should now interpose and protect him. God had brought him into the world, guarding him in the perils of the earliest moments of his being, and he now ])leads that in the day of trouble God will interpose and save him. There is nothing improper in applying this to the Messiah. He was a man, with all the innocent propensities and feelings of a man; and no one can say but that when on the cross, — and perhaps with peculiar fitness we may say when he saw his mother standing near him (John xix. 25), — these thoughts may have passed through his mind. In the remembrance of the care bestowed on his early years, he may now have looked with an eye of earnest pleading to God, that, if it were possible, he might deliver him. ^ Thou didst make me hope. Marg., Keptest me in safety. The phrase in the Hebrew means. Thou didst cause me to trust or to hope. It may mean here eitlier that he was made to cherish a hope of the Divine favour in very early life, as it were when an infant at the breast; or it may mean that he had cause then to hope, or to trust in God. The former, it seems to me, is probably the meaning; and the idea is, that from his eailiest years he had been led to trust in God; and he now pleads this fact as a reason why he should, interpose to save him. Applied to the Redeemer as a man, it means that in his eai'liest childhood he had trusted in God. His first breathings were those of piety. His first aspirations were for the Divine favour. His first love was the love of God. This he now calls to remembrance; this he now urges as a reason why God should not withdraw the light of his countenance, and leave him to sutler alone. No one can prove that these thoughts did not pass through the mind of the Redeemer when he was enduring the agonies of desertion on the cross; no one can show that they would have been improper. ^ Upon my mother's hreast. In my earliest infancy. This does not mean that he literally cherished hope then, but that he had done it in tne earliest period of his life, as the first act of his conscious being.
10 I was cast upon fhee from the womb; thou ^ art my God from my mother's belly.
11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near; for there is ^ none to help.
10. I tvas cast upon thee from the toomb. Upon thy protection aiid care. This, too, is an argument for the Divine interposition. He had been, as it were, thrown early in life upon the protecting care of God. In some peculiar sense he had been more unprotected and defenceless than is common at that period of life, and he owed his preservation then entirely to God. This, too, may have passed through the mind of the Redeemer on the cross. In those sad and desolate moments he may have recalled the scenes of his early life — the events which had occurred in regard to him in his early years; the poverty of his mother, the manger, the persecution by Herod, the flight into Egypt, the return, the safety which he then enjoyed from persecution in*a distant part of the land of Palestine, in the obscure and unknown village of Nazai-eth. This too may have occurred to his mind as a reason why God should interpose and deliver him from the dreadful darkness which had come over him now. •[[ Thou art my God from my mother's helly. Thou hast been my God from my very childhood. He had loved God as such; he had obeyed him as such; he had trusted him as such; and he now pleads this as a reason why God should interpose for him.
11. Be not far from me. Do not withdraw from me; do not leave or forsake me. 1[ For trouhle is near. Near, in the sense that deep sorrow has come upon me; near, in the sense that I am approaching a dreadful death. ^ For there is none to help. Marg., as in Heb., not a helper. There were those who xoould have helped, but the}"- could not; there were those v/ho could have helped, but they
12 Many bulls have compassed me: strong hulls of Bashau have beset me round.
13 They 2 gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
would not. His friends that stood around the cross were unable to aid him; his foes were unwilling to do it; and he was left to sufter unhelped.
12. Many hulls have compassed me. Men with the fierceness and fury of bulls. Comp. Isa. li. 20; Ps. Ixviii. 30. ^ Strong bulls of Bashan. The country of Bashan embraced the territory which was on the east of the Jordan, north of Gilead, which was given to the half tribe of Manasseh: comp. Gen. xiv. 5 with Joshua xii. 4-6. Ifc was distinguished as pasture land for its richness. Its trees and its breed of cattle are frequently referred to in the Scriptures. Thus in Dent, \xxii. 14, " rams of the breed of Bashan " are mentioned; in Isa. ii. 13, Zech. xi. 2, "oaks of Bashan" are mentioned in connexion with the cedars of Lebanon; in Amos iv. 1, " the kine of Bashan " are meritioned. The bulls of Bashan are here alluded to as remarkable for their size, their strength, and their fierceness; and are designed to represent men that were fierce, savage, and violent. As applied to the Kedeemer, the allusion is to the fierce and cruel men that persecuted him and sought his life. No one can doubt that the allusion is applicable to his persecutors and murderers; and no one can show that the thought indicated by this phrase also may not have passed through the mind of the Kedeemer when on the cross.
13. They gaped upon me with their mouths. Marg., as in Heb., opened their mouths against me. That is, they opened their mouths wide as if they would devour me, as a lion does when he seizes upon his prey. In ver. 7 they are represented as " opening " the mouth for another purposethat of derision or scorn; here they
14 I cam poured out like water, and all my bones are ^ out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
15 My strength is dried up
arc described as if they were fierce and wild beasts ready to fall upou their prey. ^ As a ravenhig and roaring lion. The word ravening means voraciously devouring, and the allusion in the Hebrew word is to the lion as he tears his prey — wlHtD, toreph — rending it in pieces to devour it. All this is designed to denote the greediness with which the enemies of the Redeemer sought his life.
14. / am pou7'ed out like tvater. The sufferer now turns from his enemies, and describes the eflect of all these outward persecutions and trials on himself. The meaning in this expression is, that all his strength was gone. It is remarkable that we have a shnilar expression, which is not easily accounted for, when we say of ourselves that " we are as weak as water." An expression similar to this occurs in Joshua vii. 5: " The hearts of the people melted, and became as water." Comp. Lam. ii. 19; Ps. Iviii. 7. ^ My bones are out of joint. Rlarg., sundered. The Hebrew word — ITD, parad — means to hreak off, to break in pieces, to separate by breaking; and then, to be separated, or divided. It is not necessary to suppose here that his bones were literally dislocated or "put out of joint," any more than it is necessary to suppose that he was literally " poured out like water," or that his heart was literally "melted like wax" within him. The meaning is that he was utterly prostrated and powerless; he was as if his bones had been dislocated, and he was unable to use his limbs. ^ My heart is like wax. The idea here also is that of debility. His strength seemed all to be gone. His heart was no longer firm; his vigour was exhausted. ^ It is melted in the
like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
It) For dogs '■ have compassed me; the assembly of the wicked
midst of my bowels. Or, within me. The word bowels in the Scriptures is not restricted in its signitication as it is with us. It embraoes the upj)er parts of the viscera as well as the lower, and consequently would include that part in which the heart is situated. See Notes on Isa. xvi. 11. The meaning here is that his heart was no longer firm and strong. As applied to the Redeemer, this would refer to the prostration of his strength in liis last struggle; and no one can prove that t/iese thoughts did not pass through his mind when on the cross. 15. My strength is dried up like a potsherd. A potsherd is a fragment of a broken pot, or a piece of earthenware. See Notes on Isa. xlv. 9; Job ii. 8. The meaning here is, that his strength was not vigorous like a green tree that was growing, and that was full of sap, but it was like a brittle piece of earthenware, so dry and fragile that it could be easily crumbled to pieces. \ And my tongue cleaveth to my jaics. See Notes on Job xxix. 10, The meaning here is, that his mouth was dry, and he could not speak. His tongue adhered to the roof of his mouth so that he could not use it, — another description of the effects of intense thirst. Comp. John xix. 28. ^ And thou hast brought me into the dust of death. Or, as wo should sa}', to dust — to the grave — to the dust where death reigns. See is, that he was near death; or, was just ready to die. Who can show that the Redeemer when on the cross may not in his own meditations have gone over these very expressions in the psalm as applicable to himself?
have inclosed me: they ^ pierced snarling, fierce, ferocious. See Notes on Phil. iii. 2; liev. xxii. 15. No one can doiabt tliat this is applicable to the Redeemer. ^ The assembly of the ivicked have inclosed me. That is, they have surrounded me; they have come around me on all sides so that I might not escape. So they surrounded the Redeemer in the garden of Gethsemane when they arrested him and bound him; so they surrounded him when on his trial before the Sanhedrim and before Pilate; and so they surrounded him on the cross. % They inerced my hands and my feet. This passage is attended with more difficulty than perhaps any other part of the psalm. It is remarkable that it is nowhere quoted or referred to in the New Testament as applicable to the Saviour; and it is no less remarkable that there is no express statement in the actual history of the crucifixion that either the hands or the feet of the Saviour were pierced, or that he was nailed to the cross at all. This was not necessarily implied in the idea of crucifixion, for the hands and the feet were sometimes merely hound to the cross by cords, and the sufterer was allowed to linger on the cross thus suspended until he died from mere exhaustion. There can be no doubt, however, that the common mode of crucifixion was to nail the hands to the transverse beam of the cross, and the feet to the upright part of it. See the description of the crucifixion in the Notes on Matt, xxvii. 31, 32. Thus Tertullian, speaking of the sufferings of Christ, and applying this passage to his death, says that " this was the peculiar or proper — propi'ia —severity of the cross." — Adv. Marcionem, iii. 19, ed. Wiirtz, I. p. 403. See Hengstenberg's Christology, 1,139. The great difficulty in this passage is in the word rendered in our version, they pierced— "^*1S!I1, Icaai^i. It occurs only in one other place, Isa. xxxviii. 13, where it means as a lion.
This would undoubtedly be the most natural interpi-etation of the tvord here, unless there were good reasons for setting it aside; and not a few have endeavoured to show that this is the true rendering. According to this interpretation, the passage would mean, " As lions, they [that is, my enemies] surround (gape upon) my hands and my feet; that is, they threaten to tear my limbs to pieces.^' Gesenius, Lex. This interpretation is also that of Abeu Ezra, Ewald, Paulus, and others. But, whatever may be the true explanation, there are very serious objections to this one. {a) It is difficult to make sense of the passage if this is adopted. The preceding word, rendered in our version " inclosed," can mean only surrounded or encompassed, and it is difficult to see how it could be said that a lion could " surroimd" or "encompass" the hands and the feet. At all events, such an int<?rpretation would be harsh and unusual, (h) According to this interpretation the word " me " — " inclosed me " — would be supeifiuous; since the idea would be, " they enclose or surround my Jiands and my feet." (c) All the ancient interpreters have taken the word here to be a verb, and in all the ancient versions it is rendered as if it were a verb. Even in the Masora parva (Jewish) it is said that the word here is to be taken in a different sense from what it has in Isa. xxxviii. 13, where it plainly means a lion. Gesenius admits that all the ancient interpreters have taken this as a verb, and says that it is " certainly possible " that it may be so. He says that it may be regarded as a participle formed in the Chaldee manner (from -1^3, kur), and in the plural number for Q^^KS, kadi'im, and says that in this way it would be properly rendered, piercing my hands and my feet; that is, as he says, "my enemies, who are understood in the dogs." From such high authority.
find from the unlfoi'm mode of interpreting the word among the ancients, it may be regarded as morally certain that the word is a vevh, and that it is not to be rendered, as in Isa, xxxviii. 13, " as a lion." The material question is, What does the verb mean? The verb — "T13, Jcur — properly means to dig, to hore ih rough, to pierce. Thus used, according to Gesenius, it would mean piercing; and if the word used here is a verb, he supposes that it would refer to the enemies of David as wounding him, or piercing him, "with darts and weapons." He maintains that it is applicable to David literally, and he sees no reason to refer it to the Messiah. IJut, if so, it is natural to ask why the hands and the feet are mentioned. Certainly it is not usual for darts and spears thrown by an enemy to injure the hands or the feet particularly; nor is it customary to refer to the hands or the feet when describing the effects produced by the use of those weapons. If the reference were to the enemies of David as w^ounding him with darts and spears, it would be much more natural to refer to the body in general, without specifying any of the particular members of the body. De Wette renders it fesseln — " they litid my hands and my feet." He remarks, however, in a note, that according to the ancient versions, and the Codices of Kennicott and De Kossi, it means durchhohren — bore through. Aquila, Symmachus, and Jerome in five codices, says he, render it hind. The Septuagint renders it ijov^av — they pierced. The Latin Vulgate the ^^\\\e, foderunt. See the Syriac. For these reasons it seems to me that the common rendering is the true one, and that the meaning is, that, in some proper sense, the enemies here referred to " pierced or bored through " the hands and the feet of the sufferer. Evidently this could not be literally applied to David, for there is not the least authority for supposing that this ever happened to him; nor, as has been shown, was such a thing probable. A casual dart, or the stroke of a spear, might indeed strike tlie luind or the foot; but it would be unusual and remarkable if they should strike those members of the body and leave the other parts uninjured, so as to make this a matter ibr special notice; and even if they did strike those parts, it would be every way unlikely that they would pierce them, or hore them through. Such an event would be so im])robable that we may assume that it (lid not occur, unless there was the most decisive evidence of the fact. Nor is there the least probability that the enemies of David would pierce his hands and feet deliberately and of design. I say nothing in regard to the fact that they never had liim in their possession so that they could do it; it is sufficient to say that this was not a mode of punishing one who was taken captive in war. Conquerors slew their captives; they made them pass \inder yokes; they put them under saws and harrows of iron (comp. 2 Sam. xii. 31; 1 Chron. xx. 3); but there is not the slightest evidence that they ever tortured captives in war by piercing the hands and the feet. But, as has been remarked above, there is every reason to believe that this was the ordinary mode of crucifixion. I conclude, therefore, that this must have had original reference to the Messiah. It is no objection to the interpretation that this passage is not ex])ressly referred to as having been fulfilled in the Redeemer; for there are undoubtedly many passages in the prophets which refer to the Messiah, which are not formally applied to him in the New Testament. To make it certain that the prophecy referred to him, and was fulfilled in him, it is not necessary that we should find on record an actual a))plication of the passage to him. All that is necessary in the case is, that it should be a pro])hecy; that it should have been spoken before the event; aPxd that to him it should be fairly applicable. K 2
17 I ' may tell all my bones they look and stare upon me.
18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
17. / may tell all my hones. That is, I may coimt them. They are so ])romiuent, so bare, that I can see them and count their number. The idea here is that of emaciation from continued suffering or from some other cause. As applied to the Redeemer, it would denote the eftect of long protracted suffering and anxiety on his frame, as rendering it crushed, weakened, emaciated. Comp. Notes on Isa. Hi. 14; liii. 2, 3., No one can prove that an eflect such as is hei'e referred to may not have been produced by the sufferings of the Kedeemer. ^ Theif look and stare upon me. That is, either my bones, — or, my enemies that stand around me. The most obvious construction would refer it to the former, — to his bones, — as if they stood out prominently and stared him in the face. Rosenmiiller understands it in the latter sense, as meaning that his enemies gazed with wonder on such an object. Perhaps this, on the whole, furnishes the best interpretation, as there is something nnnatural in speaking of a man's own bones staring or gazing upon him, and as the image of his enemies standing and looking with wonder on one so wretched, so crushed, so broken, is a very striking one. This, too, will better agree with the state- 'ment in Isa. lii. 14, " Many were astonished at thee;" and Isa. liii. 2, 3, " He hath no form nor comeliness, and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him;" — "we hid, as it were, our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not." It accords also better with the statement in the following verse; " they," that is, the same persons referred to, " part my garments among them."
18. They part my garments among them. They divide; they apportion. This refers merely to the jfact that they made such a division or distribution of his garmenis; the manner in which it was done, is specified in the other part of the verse. The word garments is a general term, and would be applicable to any part. of the raiment. \ And cast lots upon my vesture. That is, upon the part here represented by the word vesture, they cast lots. There was a general division of his garments by agreement, or in some other mode not involving the use of the lot; on some particular portion, here indicated by the word vesture, the lot was cast to determine whose it should be. The word thus rendered vesture — Tl)^^??. lehush — does not necessarily denote any particular article of raiment, as distinguished from what is meant by the word rendered garments. Both are general terms denoting clothing, raiment, vestment; and either of the terms might be applied to any article of apparel. The original words used here would not necessarily designate one article of raiment as di^^posed of without the lot and another specified portion by the lot. But although it could not be argued beforehand from the mere use of the language that such would be the case, yet if that should occur, it would be natural and not improper to apply the language in that sense, and as therein completely fulfilled. As a matter of fact this was literally fulfilled in the crucifixion of the Saviour. By remarkable circumstances which no human sagacity could have foreseen or anticipated, there occurred a general division of a portion of his raiment, without an appeal to the lot, among the soldiers who were engaged in crucifying him, and a specific disposal of one article of his raiment by the lot, Matt, xxvii. 35; Luke xxiii. 34; John xix. 23, 24. It never occurred in the life of David, as far as we know, or have reason to believe, that his enemies stripped him, and divided his garments among themselves; and the description here, therefore, could be
19 But be not tlioii far from me, I sword; my ^ darling from the
O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
applicable only to some one else. It was completely fultilled in the Saviour; and this verse, therefore, furnishes the fullest proof that the psahn refers to him. At the same time it should he observed that these circumstances are such that an impostor could not have secured the correspondence of the events with the prediction. The events refeiTcd to were not under the control of him whose garments were thus divided. They depended wholly on others; and hy no art or plan could an impostor. have so arranged matters that all these things should have appeared to he fultilled in himself.
19. But he not thou far from me, O LoED. O Jehovah. Others— all others — have forsaken me, and left me to perish. Now, in the day of my desertion and my peril, be thou near to me. See ver. 11. This is the burden of the prayer in the whole psalm, that God would not leave him, but sustain and deliver him. Comp. ver. 1. % O nuf strength. Source of my strength; thou on whom I rely for support and deliverance. tT Haste thee to help me. Help me speedily. Come to support me; come to deliver me from these dreadful sorrows. This is not necessarily a prayer to be rescued from death, but it would be applicable to deliverance fi-om those deep mental sorrows that had come upon him — from this abandonment to unutterable woes.
20. Deliver my soul from the sivord. The word soul here means life, and denotes a living person. It is equivalent to "deliver me." The sivord is used to denote an instrument of death, or anything that pierces like a sword. Comp. 2 Sam. xi. 2i, 2.5. As applied to the Saviour here, it may mean those extreme mental suHerings that were like the piercing of a sword. •jf My darling. Marg., my only one.
2 power of the dog. 21 Save me from the lion's
Prof. Alexander, my lonely one. De Wetto, my life. The Hebrew word — l*'n\ yahhid — means one alone, only, as of an only child; — then one alone, as forsaken, solitary, wretched, Ps. XXV. 16; Ixviii. 6; — then it means one only, the only one, in the sense of most dear, darling. Here, according to Gesenius {Lex.), it is used poetically lor life, as being something most dear, or as denoting all that we have, and, therefore, most precious. Comp. Job ii. 4. This is the most probable interpretation here, as it would thus correspond with the expression in the first part of the verse, " deliver my soul." ^ From the poicer of the dog. Marg., as in Heb., from the hand. The enemy is represented, as in ver. 16, as a dog (see Notes on that verse); and then that enemy is spoken of as inflicting death by his hand. There is a little incongruity in speaking of a dog as having hands, but the image before the mind is that of the enemy with the character of a dog, and thus there is no impropriety in using in reference to him the language which is commonly applied to a man.
21. Save me from the lion's mouth. His enemies represented as fierce and ravening lions, comp. ver. 13. ^[ For thou hast heard me. The word heard in this place is equivalent to saved — or saved in answer to prayer. The fact of hearing the prayer, and ansivering it, is regarded as so identical, or the one as so certainly following from the other, that they may be spoken of as the same thing. ^ From the horns of the unicorns. The idea here is, that he cried to God when exposed to what is here called " the horns of the unicorns." That is, when surrounded by enemies as fierce and violent as wild beasts, — as if he were among "unicorns" seeking his life, — he h;ul called upon (Jod, and God had heai'd hiu). This would refer to some
" moutli: for thou liast heard me from the horns of the "^ unicorns.
22 I '" will dechire thy name
unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise
23 Ye ^ that fear the Lord, praise him: all ye the seed of
former period of his life, when surrounded by dangers, or exposed to the attacks of wicked men, and when he had called upon God, and had been heard. There were not u few occasions alike in the life of David and in the life of the Saviour, to which this would be applicable. The fact that he had thus been delivered from danger, is now urged as an argument why God was to be regarded as able to deliver him again, and why the prayer might be oflered that he would do it; comp. vers. 9-11. To see the force of this it is not necessary to be able to determine with accuracy what is meant here by the word rendered tinicorn, or whether the psalmist referred to the animal now denoted by that term. The existence of such an animal was long regarded as fabulous; but though it has been proved that there is such an animal, it is not necessary to suppose that the psalmist referred to it. Gesenius renders the word — ShJ"), reem ^JjKffaJo {Lex). So also De Wette. See Kotes on Job xxxix. 9, 10, w'here the meaning of the word is fully considered. The word occurs elsewhere only in Numb, xxiii. 22; xxiv. 8; Deut. xxxiii. 17; Ps. xxix. 6; xcii. 10; Isa. xxxiv. 7, in all which places it is rendered nnicorn, or unicorns.
22. I will declare thj/ name. I will make thee known; that is, thine existence; thy perfections; thy law; thy method of salvation. As the result or effect of the interposition which he desired, and for which he prayed, he saj's that he would diffuse a knowledge of God. This is an expression of true piety, and is a statement of what in a pure mind will always be consequent on a gracious Divine interposition, — a purpose to make the character of the benefactor known. Comp. Ps. li. 12, 13; xviii. 48, 49. As applicable to the Kedeemer, it means that he would make the name of God known to men, or that t/irour/h him that name would be made known. ^ Unto my brethren. Comp. John xx. 17; llom. viii. 29. The word brethren would embrace literally brothers; kinsfolk; countrymen; then, those of the same opinion, profession, or religion; then, in a still larger sense, the human race as descended from a common parent. As having reference to the Redeemer, it would embrace here not only those who were his immediate followers and whom he called brethren, — not only those of his own nation, — but the human family in general, towards whom he consented to sustain this relation. Comp. Notes on Heb. ii, 10 — 12, where this passage is quoted and expressly applied to our Saviour. •[[ In the midst of the congregation. Among the people assembled to worship there. See Notes on Heb. ii. 12. This is the place where praise is commonly celebrated, and he says that there he would make known the goodness of God. Comp. Isa. xxxviii. 19, 20. It is not necessary to show that this was literally done by the Iledeemer. It is enough to observe that this is the usual language of piety, and that the effect of his work has been to cause the praises of God to be celebrated in tens of thousands of the congregations of his saints.
23. Ye that fear the Lord. A phrase denoting those who are pious. ^ Praise him. This is language which may be supposed to be addressed by the speaker in the great congregation. In the previous verse he had said that he tcoidd praise God " in the midst of the congregation;'* he here speaks as if he tcere in that congregation, and addressing them. He, therefore, calls on them to praise
Jacob, glorify Mm; and fear Lim, all yc the seed of Israel.
2i For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he y cried unto him, he heard.
25 My praise sliaU be of thee in the great congregation: - 1 " "will pay my vows before them that fear him.
2t> The meek '' shall eat and be satis ed: they shall praise the and honour God. % All ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him. The descendants of Jacob; that is, all who are true worshippers of God. ^ And fear him. Honour him, worship him. See Notes on Ps. v. 7. T[ All ye the seed of Israel. Another name lor Jacob (Gen. xxxii. 28), and designed to denote also all who are true worshippers of Jehovah.
2i. For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted. This expresses the belief that his prayer had been heard. The fact that he had been thus heard is here assigned to be the ground or reason for the exhortation in the previous verse, addressed to all the pious. The Lord had heard his prayer, and this was a reason why otliers should also confide in the Lord, and feel assured that he would likewise hear their prayers. ^ Neither hath he hid his face from him. Thutis, permanently, constantly, finally, completely. He has not wholly abandoned me, but though he seemed to forsake me, it was for a time only; and his friendship has not been ultimately and for ever withdrawn. It was indeed the foundation of all the petitions in this psalm that the Lord had hid his face from the suH'ercr (ver. 1); but, from this verse, it seems that it was only for a time. That which he passed through was a temporary darkness, succeeded by the clear manifestations of the Divine favour. The Lord heard his prayer; the Lord showed that he had not utterly forsaken him. ^ But tohen he cried unto him, he heard. Showing that now he had the evidence and the assurance that his })rayer had been lieard. As applicable to the Redeemer on the cross, this means that though the darkness seemed to continue till death, yet it was not an utter forsaking. His ])rayer was heard; his work was accepted; the great object for which he came into the world would be accomplished; he himself would rise triumphantly from his sufferings; and the cause which he came to establish, and for which he died, would finally prevail in the world. Comp. Heb. v. 7, 8; John xi. 42; Isa. liii. 11, 12.
25. My praise shall be of thee. Thi t is, I will praise thee. I will call to remembrance thy goodness, antl will unite with others in celebrating thy faithfulness and lovingkindness. ^ In the great congregation. See Notes on ver. 22. ^ I ivill pay my voios before them that fear him. In the pi'esence of his worshippers. That is, he would keep the vows which in his afflictions he had made, that he would praise and serve God. These vows or promises were of the nature of a debt which he says he would remember to pay. Of the lledeemer, this need not be understood personally, but it means that as the result of his prayer having been heard, the worship of God would be celebrated by those who feared him. The solemn worship of the people of God — the praises which they ofier to the Most High — may be regarded as worship paid by the lledeemer himself, for he does it in the persons and services of those whom he redeemed. All the praises which proceed from their hearts and lips are the fruit of his "vows," of his fidelity, and his prayers.
2G. The meeh shall eat and be satisfied. Tlie word meek—^^y}'^^ anavim — means here rather afflicted'.
Lord that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord; and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before
28 For the kingdom is the Lord's, and he is the governor among the nations.
29 All they that he fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none
distressed, miserable. This is its usual meaning. It is emplo^-ed sometimes in the sense of mild or meeJc (comp. Num. xii. 3); but it here mauitestly denotes the afflicted; the poor; the distressed. When it is said that they would "eat and be satisfied," the idea is that of prosperity or abundance; and the statement is, that, as the result of the Redeemer's work, blessings in abundance would be imparted to the poor and tlie distressed — those who had been destitute, forsaken, and friendless. ^ Thei/ shall praise the Loed that seek him. Those that worship God, or the pious, shall see abundant cause to praise God. They will not merely call upon him by earnest prayer, but they will render him thanks for his mercies. *^ Your heart shall live for ever. The hearts of those that worship God. Their hearts would not faint or be discouraged. They would exult and rejoice continually. In other words, their joy and their praise would never die awav.
27. All the ends of the loorld. All parts of the earth; all nations. The earth is frequently represented in the Scriptures as having limits or boundaries; as spread out; as having corners, etc. Comp. Isa. xi. 12; Jer. ix. 26; XXV. 23; xlix. 32; Rev. vii. 1. This language is in accordance with the prevailing modes of thinking, in the same way as we say, " the sun rises;" "the sun sets," etc. ^ Shall rememher. The nations are often represented as forgetting God; that is, they act as if they had once known him, and had then forgotten him. See Job viii. 13; Ps. ix. 17; 1. 22; Rom. i. 21; Here it is said that they would again cull God to remembrance;
that is, they would worship him as the true God. ^ And turn unto the Lord. Turn away from their idols to worship the living God. ^ And all the kindreds of the nations. All the families. The numerous families upon the earth that constitute the one great family of mankind. ^ Shall worship before thee. Shall worship in thy presence; that is, shall worship thee. The language is derived from the act of worshipping God in the tabei'nacle or the temple, before the visible symbol of his presence there. As applicable to the Redeemer, this language is in accordance with what is uniformly said of him and his work, that the world would be converted to the living and true God. Comp. Notes on Ps. ii. 8.
28. For the kingdom is the Loed's. The dominion belongs of right to Jehovah, the true God. See Matt, vi. 13; Ps. xlvii. 7, 8. % And he is the governor among the nations. Ke is the rightful governor or ruler among the nations. This is an assertion of the absolute right of Jehovah to reign over the nations of the earth, and the expression of an assurance on the part of the Messiah that, as the consequence of his work, this empire of Jehovah over the nations would be actually established. Comp. Notes on Dan. vii. 13, 14, 27; and on 1 Cor. xv. 21-28.
29. All they that be fat npon the earth. The general meaning of this verse is, that all classes of persons w ill come and worship the true God; — not the poor and needy only, the afflicted, and the oppressed, but the rich and the prosperous. There are three classes mentioned as representing all: — (1) the rich and prosperous; (2) thev who bow down to the dust, or can keep alive liis own soul.
30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness " unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.
the (Tushcd and the oppressed; (3) those who arc approaching the grave, and liave no power to keep themselves alive. The first class comprises those who are mentioned here as being /a^. This image is often used to denote prosperity: Jiulg. iii. 29; Job xv. 27; Ps. xvii. 10; Ixxiii. 4 (Ileb.); Dent, xxxi. 20; xxxii. 15. The meaning is, tliat the rich, tlie great, the prosperous would be among the multitudes who would be converted to the living Godf ^ S/iali eat and worship. This expression is derived from the custom of olFering sacrifices and of feasting upon portions of the animal that was slain. In accordance with this, the blessings of salvation are often represented as a feast to which all ai-e invited. See Notes on Isa. xxv. 6. Comp. Luke xiv. 16. ^ All they that go dozen to the dust. All those descending to the dust. Those who are bowed down to the dust; who are crushed, broken, and oppressed; — the poor, the sad, the sorrowful. Salvation is for them, as well as for the rich and the great. % Shall bow before him. Shall worship before the true God. 'jf Ayid none can keep alive his own soul. Or ratlier, and he who cannot keep his soul (that is, himself) alive. So the Hel)rew properly means, and this accords better with tlie connexion. The class here represented is composed of those who are ready to perish, who are about to die, — the aged — the infirm — the sick — the dying. These, thus heli)less, feeble, and sad, shall also become interested in the great plan of s ilvation, and shall turn unto the Lord. These classes would represent all the dwellers on the earth; and the affirmation is equivalent to a statement that men of all classes would be converted, and would partake of the blessings of salvation.
and rendered seed — ^i], zera — means properly a sowing; then, a planting, a plantation; then, seed sown — of plants, trees, or grain; and then, a generation of men, — children, offspring, posterity: Gen. iii. 15; xiii. 16; XV. 5, 13; et al. Hence it means a race, stock, or family. It is used here as denoting those who belong to the family of God; his children. Comp. Isa. vi. 13; Ixv. 9, 23. The meaning here is, that, as the result of the work performed by the suflerer, many would be brought to serve God. ^ It. To wit, the seed mentioned; the people referred to. ^ Shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. The word here rendered Lord is not Jehovah, but Adonai, — a word which is often used as a name of God, — and should not be printed here in small capitals. Prof. Alexander renders this, it seems to me improperly, " It shall be related of the Lord to the next generation." So De Wette and Hengstenberg. But the common rendering appears to me to furnish a better signification, and to be more in accordance with the meaning of the original. According to this the idea is, that the seed — the people referred to — would be reckoned to the Lord as a generation of his own people, a race, a tribe, a i'amily pertaining to him. They would be regarded as such by him; they would be so estimated by mankind. They would not be a generation of aliens and strangers, but a generation of his people and friends. Comp. Ps. Ixxxvii. 6.