XII. The tradition of the Davidic authorship must be discarded here. The psalm is an elegy, but not for personal suffering. It is a lament over the demoralisation of men and the corruption of social life. Neither faith nor law are left; falsehood, duplicity, and hypocrisy succeed everywhere, and the... [ Continue Reading ]
CEASETH. — Intransitive, as in Psalms 7:9. THE FAITHFUL. — The Vulg. and Syriac treat this word as abstract: “truth,” “faithfulness.” So Ewald; but the parallelism here, as in Psalms 31:23, requires it in the concrete. (Comp. 2 Samuel 20:19.) The Hebrew is cognate with “amen,” and Luther has “amen’... [ Continue Reading ]
VANITY. — So in Psalms 41:6 and Job 35:13. Literally, _evil._ “Falsehood” would be better. This verse may have been in St Paul’s mind (Ephesians 4:25). FLATTERING LIPS. — Literally, _lips of smoothness,_ (Comp. Note, Psalms 5:9.) WITH A DOUBLE HEART. — Literally, _with a heart and a heart._ (Comp.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD SHALL. — Translate, _May Jehovah cut off._ PROUD THINGS. — Literally, _great things._ Vulg., _linguam magniloquam. _... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH OUR TONGUE. — This is the proud saying just mentioned, and is plainly a boast of the power possessed by those who have the ear of persons in authority, and can adroitly “make the worse appear the better cause”; or being themselves in high places, can, like Angelo in _Measure for Measure,_ defy... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE OPPRESSION — _i.e._, on account of the oppression. Here, as in so many psalms and prophecies, we have an ancient oracle of God introduced. The poet first quotes it, and then in Psalms 12:6 contrasts its truth and genuineness with the false speeches of hypocrites. I WILL SET. — Literally, _I... [ Continue Reading ]
AS SILVER. — This solemn promise of Jehovah may be relied on, for His words are not like those of deceitful men — alloyed with self and falsehood — but are pure as silver seven times smelted. IN A FURNACE. — Either a “workshop” or a “crucible,” according as derived. OF EARTH. — These words are dif... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WICKED. — Gesenius translates this verse, “The wicked walk on every side like the rising of a tempest upon the sons of men.” There seems no reason to question his rendering of the word _zullûth_ (Authorised Version, “vilest”), which is peculiar to this passage; but by comparison with Psalms 39:6... [ Continue Reading ]