LXXII. At the first glance this psalm looks like one that would readily yield up not only its meaning, but its purpose and authorship. Odes in honour of royalty generally tell their own tale, and here we certainly have a prayer for a king, the son of a king, who is to be at once glorious and good, r... [ Continue Reading ]
THE KING... THE KING’S SON. — The article is wanting in the Hebrew.... [ Continue Reading ]
The order of the words should be noticed — “judgments,” “righteousness,” “righteousness,” “judgment” — as offering a good instance of introverted parallelism. With regard to the meaning of the words we are placed on _practical_ ground; they refer to the faculty of judging in affairs of government, o... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MOUNTAINS... — Better, literally, _Let the mountains and the hills bring forth to the people peace in_ (or _by_)_ righteousness._ This imperative sense, instead of the future, is by most modern commentators preserved throughout the psalm. The LXX. give it here and in Psalms 72:17, but else use t... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SHALL... — Literally, _may they fear Thee_ (coevally) _with the sun, and in the face of the moon, generation of generation._ For the preposition, “coevally with,” see Dan. 3:33; (Hebrew) and comp. the Latin use of _cum_ — “Cum sole et luna semper Aratus erit.” OVID: _Amor.,_ xv. 16. The phras... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SHALL COME DOWN. — The rule of the monarch is to be beneficent as the rain refreshing the earth, and covering it with blessings as with verdure. Under a similar image, David’s last words (2 Samuel 23:4) describe a good government. MOWN GRASS. — The Hebrew word means “a shearing,” and is used of... [ Continue Reading ]
FLOURISH — _i.e.,_ spring up and grow like vegetation after rain. ENDURETH. — See margin, and comp. Job 14:12, “till the heavens be no more.”... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SHALL HAVE.... — The original is more poetical, recalling the root idea of the verb, “may he tread down (the nations) from sea to sea.” That the river in the next clause is the Euphrates there can be no question, but are we, therefore, to see precise geographical limits in the expression “from se... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY THAT DWELL IN THE WILDERNESS.... — The Hebrew word in other places is used of “wild animals” (Psalms 74:14; Isaiah 23:13). Here apparently it refers to the nomad tribes wandering over the desert. The LXX. and ancient versions generally have “Æthiopians.” LICK THE DUST. — The allusion is to the... [ Continue Reading ]
TARSHISH. — The question of the identity of this place (or district) with the “Tartessus” of the Greeks is too long for a note. (See Jonah 1:3.) But plainly the mention here of “the isles,” _i.e.,_ islands and coasts of the Mediterranean (comp. Daniel 11:18; Isaiah 11:11), is in favour of the identi... [ Continue Reading ]
YEA, ALL KINGS SHALL... — Better, as before, _Let all kings. _... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HE SHALL DELIVER. — Here the verb must be present, “for he delivereth” giving the reason of the wide sway asked for this monarch. The prayer is based on the justice and beneficence of his reign (“to him that hath shall be given”), in which the weak and poor find their lives safe from violence, a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND PRECIOUS... — The parallelism shows the meaning. The life of his people is dear to the king, and he therefore protects them from violence.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SHALL... — Literally, _And he shall live, and shall give him of the gold of Sheba, and pray for him continually; every day shall he bless him._ This can only refer to the man whose protection from harm and redemption from fraud and violence is mentioned in the last verse. The subject under th... [ Continue Reading ]
AN HANDFUL. — Rather, _abundance,_ from a root meaning _spread._ The clauses, as arranged in the text, evidently miss the intention of the writer. Render, “Let there be abundance of corn on the earth; On the top of the mountains let it wave like Libanus,” _i.e.,_ like the cedars of Libanus. The wo... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL BE CONTINUED. — Rather, _have issue._ Literally, _send out new shoots._ AS LONG AS THE SUN. — See Note on Psalms 72:5. SHALL BE BLESSED IN HIM. — Or, _bless themselves in him._ The meaning is clear, though the Hebrew is rather vague. The monarch will himself be a source of blessing to his pe... [ Continue Reading ]