CVI. The motive of this historical psalm differs from that of the last as it does from that of Psalms 78. Its survey of the past is neither hymnic nor didactic, but penitential. Though the first of the series of “Hallelujah” psalms, it is closely related to these long liturgical confessions of nati... [ Continue Reading ]
This formula of praise in the Jewish Church occupied, as a choral refrain, a similar position to the _Gloria Patri_ in Christian worship. The precise date of its first appearance cannot be ascertained. The chronicler includes it in the compilation from different psalms, which he introduces as sung w... [ Continue Reading ]
(1-5) These verses form an introduction to the psalm, and make it evident that while the writer spoke as one of a community, and for the community, he still felt his _personal_ relation to Jehovah.... [ Continue Reading ]
PRAISE. — _Tehillah,_ a term that has become technical for a liturgic hymn. (_Tehillîm_ is the general Hebrew word for the psalter. See Gen. Introduction.) The psalmist asks in this verse who is worthy or privileged to sing a _tehillah,_ and replies himself that loyalty to the covenant confers this... [ Continue Reading ]
The tone of this verse indicates a prospect of a speedy advent of good.; and serves itself to give a probable date to the psalm.... [ Continue Reading ]
WE. — Regard must be paid to the fact that the confession includes the speaker and his generation, as well as the ancestors of the race. The psalm proceeds from the period of the Captivity, when the national conscience, or at all events that of the nobler part of the nation, was thoroughly alive to... [ Continue Reading ]
AT THE SEA. — LXX., “going up to the sea.” (12) An epitome of Exodus 14:31; Exodus 14:15... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY WAITED NOT... — They could not _wait_ for the natural and orderly outcome of the counsel of God.... [ Continue Reading ]
(13-33) These twenty verses cover the desert wanderings, beginning with _the_ discontented spirit mentioned in Exodus 15:23.... [ Continue Reading ]
LUSTED. — See margin.... [ Continue Reading ]
LEANNESS. — The LXX., Vulg., and Syriac read _“_satiety.” As Mr. Burgess points out, by accepting this reading, and giving _nephesh_ its very usual signification of “lust” (comp. Psalms 78:18, where also the word rendered “request” occurs) we get two exact synthetical clauses: — _“_And he gave them... [ Continue Reading ]
SAINT. — The holy one. The complaint of the disaffected party was that Moses and Aaron usurped this title, which belonged to all the congregation (Numbers 16:3).... [ Continue Reading ]
(16-18) The poet has Numbers 16:17 in his mind.... [ Continue Reading ]
The omission of Korah is in keeping with the historical accounts, which indicate a difference both in the attitude of Korah and his family from that of Dathan and Abiram, and also a difference of fate. (Comp. Numbers 16:23, _seqq.;_ Deuteronomy 11:6; Numbers 26:10.)... [ Continue Reading ]
IN HOREB. — This expression, which is Deuteronomic (see Deuteronomy 4:15; Deuteronomy 5:2, &c), shows that Deuteronomy 9:8, as well as Exodus 32, was before the poet.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR GLORY — _i.e.,_ Jehovah, as shown by Jeremiah 2:11. SIMILITUDE. — This is also a Deuteronomic word (Deuteronomy 4:16; Deuteronomy 4:18), meaning originally “structure,” from a root meaning “to build,” and so “form,” “model.”... [ Continue Reading ]
FORGOT GOD THEIR SAVIOUR. — With evident allusion to Deuteronomy 6:12.... [ Continue Reading ]
LAND OF HAM. — A synonym for Egypt, peculiar to the historic psalms (Psalms 78:51; Psalms 105:23; Psalms 105:27).... [ Continue Reading ]
STOOD BEFORE HIM IN THE BREACH... — This is generally explained after Ezekiel 22:30, where undoubtedly it is an image taken from the defence of a besieged town. (Comp. Ezekiel 13:5.) But it is possible that we should render, “Had not Moses stood before him (_i.e.,_ submissively; see Genesis 41:46; D... [ Continue Reading ]
(24-27) The rebellion that followed the report of the spies.... [ Continue Reading ]
LIFTED UP HIS HAND. — Not to strike, but to give emphasis to the oath pronounced against the sinners. (See Exodus 6:8, margin; Deuteronomy 32:40; comp. Psalms 144:8.) The substance of the oath here referred to is given in Numbers 14:28.... [ Continue Reading ]
OVERTHROW. — This verse is evidently copied from Ezekiel 20:23, but the psalmist has either intentionally or accidentally changed the prophet’s verb “scatter” into “overthrow,” just used in Psalms 106:26. The error, if an error, is as old as the LXX. version.... [ Continue Reading ]
ATE THE SACRIFICES OF THE DEAD — _i.e._, the sacrifices of a _dead_ divinity. Numbers 25:2, “and they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods,” shows that here we must not see any allusion to necromantic rites, such as are referred to in Deuteronomy 18:11; Isaiah 8:19, and the parallelis... [ Continue Reading ]
(28-31) The licentious character of the cult of Baal-peor in Numbers 25 is expressed in the word “joined,” better, _yoked._ LXX. and Vulg., “were initiated,” _i.e.,_ by prostitution.... [ Continue Reading ]
EXECUTED JUDGMENT. — The Prayer Book has “prayed,” following the Chaldee and Syriac. The LXX. and Vulg. have “appeased.”... [ Continue Reading ]
The insurrection against Moses and Aaron at Meribah Kadesh, entailing on the Lawgiver the forfeiture for himself of entering into Canaan. (See references in the margin.)... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY PROVOKED HIS SPIRIT. — The natural interpretation is to take this of Moses’ spirit. So LXX. and Vulg., “they embittered his spirit.” The usage of the phrase is, however, in favour of referring the words to the temper of the people towards God,” they rebelled against His spirit.” SPAKE UNADVISE... [ Continue Reading ]
(34-39) The national sin after the settlement in Canaan.... [ Continue Reading ]
DEVILS. — Literally, _lords,_ meaning, of course, the false deities. The word is, no doubt, chosen to represent the meaning of the heathen gods’ names _Ba’alîm, Adonîm._ For the same Hebrew word, see Deuteronomy 32:17 (Judges 2:11, Baalim). The Arabic equivalent of the Hebrew word became in Spain _... [ Continue Reading ]
INNOCENT BLOOD. — Human sacrifice, and especially that of _children,_ was a Canaanite practice. It seems to have been inherent in Phoenician custom, for Carthage was, two centuries after Christ, notorious for it. (See Sil. Ital., iv. 767.)... [ Continue Reading ]
(40-43) Having made review of the sinful past, the poet briefly but impressively describes the punishment which once and again had fallen on the nation. But as his purpose is to make his generation look on the Captivity as a supreme instance of this punishment, and to seek for deliverance by repenta... [ Continue Reading ]
MADE THEM ALSO TO BE PITIED. — Literally, _gave them for companions,_ a phrase found in Solomon’s prayer (1 Kings 8:50, and also in Daniel 1:9, Heb.).... [ Continue Reading ]
SAVE US. — For this prayer the whole psalm has prepared the way.... [ Continue Reading ]
BLESSED... — The doxology, which is only slightly altered from that at the end of the second book, is quoted as part of the psalm in 1 Chronicles 16:36 — an indication that by that time this book was complete, if not the whole collection.... [ Continue Reading ]