CV. The motive of this historical psalm is plainly declared in Psalms 105:44, and the scope which the author allowed himself in the survey of the past appears in Psalms 105:11. He wishes this generation to remember that the continued possession of the Promised Land is contingent on obedience to the... [ Continue Reading ]
CALL UPON HIS NAME. — Literally, _on_ (or, _with_) _his name_ (comp. Psalms 105:3, “glory in”), with idea of _proclamation_ as well as _invocation._ Symmachus has “proclaim his name.” This verse, which is found word for word in Isaiah 12:4, is apparently one of the recognised doxologies of the Hebre... [ Continue Reading ]
SING PSALMS. — Rather, _play, sing unto Him, play unto Him;_ the usual choral direction.... [ Continue Reading ]
SEEK THE LORD. — Better, _Enquire after Jehovah and his power._ The congregation is directed to the historical survey which follows. This sense seems settled by Psalms 111:2 : “The works of Jehovah are great, enquired into by all those who take delight in them.” And hence the word “strength” must be... [ Continue Reading ]
(7-11) First cause of praise; the ancient covenant.... [ Continue Reading ]
COMMANDED. — Better, _appointed,_ or _conferred. _... [ Continue Reading ]
MADE. — Literally, _cut;_ the usual word for making a covenant (_icere fœdus_). The word is therefore here a synonym for “league,” as in Haggai 2:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
LAW... COVENANT. — In Hebrew, _chok_ and _herîth,_ which here seem to be used as synonyms. (Comp. the use of the former word in Psalms 2:7.)... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse marks the scope of the psalm, to show how the promise made to Abraham was fulfilled.... [ Continue Reading ]
WRONG. — The allusion is doubtless to the incidents connected with Sarah and Rebekah at the courts of Egypt and Philistia. (See Genesis 26:11.)... [ Continue Reading ]
ANOINTED. — In the plural, “my anointed ones.” As referring to the patriarchs, the expression is not technical, since they were never, like priests, prophets, and kings in later times, actually _anointed._ But the terms being sometimes applied to the covenant people as a whole (see Psalms 89:38; Psa... [ Continue Reading ]
CALLED FOR A FAMINE. — Comp. 2 Kings 8:1; and in Ezekiel 14 we see how famine, with war and pestilence and noisome beasts, were regarded as Divine emissaries to be summoned and sent on His missions. STAFF OF BREAD. — Leviticus 26:26. (See, too, Note on Psalms 104:15.)... [ Continue Reading ]
Repeats Joseph’s own explanation, twice given, of the ways of Providence in his life (Genesis 45:5; Genesis 1:20).... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WAS LAID IN IRON. — The Prayer Book Version, “the iron entered into his soul,” has established itself so firmly among expressive proverbial sayings, that the mind almost resents the Authorised Version. The grammar of the clause does not decide its sense with certainty; for its syntax is rather in... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTIL THE TIME THAT HIS WORD CAME — _i.e._, until his (Joseph’s) interpretation of the dreams was fulfilled (Genesis 41:12). (For the expression “his word came,” equal to “came to pass,” comp. Judges 13:12.) WORD OF THE LORD. — As a different Hebrew word from that in the previous clause is used, be... [ Continue Reading ]
TURNED THEIR HEART. — So the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart is throughout the historical narrative ascribed to Jehovah. (Comp. Isaiah 6:9; Mark 4:12, &c.) DEAL SUBTILLY. — The reference is to the murdering of the male children (Exodus 1:10 : “Come and let us deal wisely with them”).... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SHEWED. — Literally, _They placed, i.e.,_ did. HIS SIGNS. — Literally (as in margin), _the words of his tokens;_ but it may also be rendered, “the details of his signs.”(Comp. Psalms 65:3 : “matters of iniquity,” or, “details of sin.”) So here, “details of signs,” _i.e.,_ signs in detail or se... [ Continue Reading ]
DARKNESS. — The enumeration of the plagues omits the fifth and sixth, and begins with the ninth, and appends a clause which, from the first, has troubled translators. Of whom is it said, “They rebelled not against his words”? Of the Egyptians it is not true; and to refer the words to Moses and Aaron... [ Continue Reading ]
For the various terms used in describing the plagues, see Notes to the historical account in Exodus.... [ Continue Reading ]
CATERPILLARS. — To the locust, _‘aarbeh,_ alone mentioned in Exodus, the psalmist adds, as a poetical synonym to suit his parallelism, caterpillar (_yelek_)_,_ a word occurring in Joel 1:4; Joel 2:25; Nahum 3:15; Jeremiah 51:14; Jeremiah 51:27. By derivation the word means “licker” (comp. Numbers 22... [ Continue Reading ]
See Psalms 78:51.... [ Continue Reading ]
FEEBLE PERSON. — Literally, _stumbling._ (Comp. Isaiah 5:27 : “None shall be weary or _stumble_ among them,” _i.e.,_ none unfit for the march and military duty.)... [ Continue Reading ]
CLOUD. — As in Isaiah 4:5. The reason assigned for the cloud in the historical books is lost sight of. Instead of a pillar marking the line of march, or as a protection against the pursuing foe, it is a canopy for protection from the sun. Sir Walter Scott expresses the same idea in Rebecca’s hymn.... [ Continue Reading ]
ROCK. — The Hebrew _tsûr_ refers us to the miracle at Horeb.... [ Continue Reading ]
GLADNESS. — Better, _singing._ Alluding, possibly, to Miriam’s song on the shore of the Red Sea.... [ Continue Reading ]