CX. At the first sight the authorship and purpose of this psalm are, for a Christian expositor, not only placed beyond the necessity of conjecture, but even removed from the region of criticism, by the use made of its first verse by our Lord, and the emphatic manner in which He quotes it as the Div... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD SAID... — The usual prophetic phrase, generally translated, “Thus saith,” &c. (See Note, Psalms 36:1.) The psalmist may possibly be quoting an old prophetic saying, but, according to the usual way in which the expression is used, it marks an immediate inspiration. MY LORD. — Heb., _adonî,_... [ Continue Reading ]
SEND. — The verb should be here rendered _stretch,_ as in Genesis 22:10; Genesis 48:14, and frequently of stretching out the hand, often with hostile intent. The poet here speaks in his own person, addressing the King, to whom the oracle has just been announced. ROD OF THY STRENGTH — _i.e.,_ the sce... [ Continue Reading ]
This difficult verse runs, literally, _Thy people willingnesses_ (or_, willing offerings_)_ in the day of thy force in holy attire, from the womb of morning dew of thy youth._ The first clause is tolerably clear. The word rendered _force_ means either “strength” or “an army;” and the noun _willingn... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK. — This follows the LXX. and Vulg. Better, _after the manner of_ since there could have been with the psalmist no intention of contrasting this priesthood with that of Aaron, as there naturally was when the Aaronic order had come to an end or was visibly doomed to exti... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD AT THY RIGHT HAND. — We are naturally tempted to understand this as still of the king whom the first verse placed at Jehovah’s right hand. But the word for Lord here is _Adonai,_ which is nowhere else used except of God. Moreover, God throughout has as yet appeared as the active agent. It i... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SHALL JUDGE. — Comp. Psalms 9:8, &c. HE SHALL FILL. — The construction is peculiar, and in the Hebrew for _heathen_ and _corpses_ there is a play on words. A slight change in the vowel pointing gives a better construction than is obtained by understanding any word as the Authorised Version does,... [ Continue Reading ]
DRINK... LIFT UP. — The victorious leader, “faint yet pursuing” (Judges 8:4), pauses at the stream that crosses his path, and then refreshed, with head once more erect, continues his pursuit of the foe. Such is undoubtedly the meaning of this verse, and we need not suppose a sudden change of subject... [ Continue Reading ]