THE SAD CONTRAST 33 But my lovingkindness will I not remove from thee, I will not beliek my faithfulness. 34I will not profane my covenant, Nor alter that which hath issued from my lips. 35 Once have I sworn by my holiness, Verily, I will not lie unto David. 36His seed shall endure forever, And his throne as the sun before me, 37As the moon shall it be established forever, 38 But thou hast cast off and rejected, Thou hast been exceedingly wroth with thine anointed. 39Thou hast spurned the covenant of thy servant, Thou hast profaned his crown to the ground. 40 Thou hast broken down his fences, Thou hast made his fortresses a ruin. 41All the passersby rob him, He hath become an object of reproach to his neighbors. 43 Yea, thou hast turned back his sword, 44Thou hast made his lustre to cease," And flung down his throne to the ground. 45 Thou hast shortened the days of his youth, Yea, thou hast covered him with shame. 46 How long, O Jehovah, wilt thou hide thyself? Shall thy wrath forever burn like fire? 47 Remember, O Lord, the duration of life;" For what vanity hast thou created all the sons of men! 48 What man is there who shall live and not see death, Who can deliver his life from the power of Sheol? 490 Lord, where are thy former acts of kindness, Which thou didst swear to David in thy faithfulness? 50 Remember, O Lord, the reproach of thy servants, My bearing in my bosom all the sins of the peoples, 51 With which thine enemies reproach thee, O Jehovah, With which they reproach the footsteps of thine anointed. 18933 So certain Heb. MSS., Lat., and Syr. supported by the parallel in II Sam. 715. k8933 So Briggs felicitously renders the Heb. verb. 18937 Slightly revising the corrupt and unintelligible Heb. m 8943 So a revised Heb. text. Or, edge. n8944 Or, revising to bring this line into close parallelism with the next, his scepter from his hand, or, with Briggs, Thou hast taken away the scepter of majesty. 8947 Correcting an obvious scribal error. P8947 Lit., what duration, i. e., of man's life. a8950 Correcting the Heb. by the aid of Aquila and Lat. 8951 This ps. concludes with the doxology that closes the third division of the Psalter, Bless Jehovah forever. Amen and amen. The present fate of the Davidic house When will Jehovah redeem his promises and deliver his people Conspiracy of the nations against Jehovah's Messiah Jehovah's con tempt for the con spirators His promise of dominion to his anointed king § 39. Jehovah's Care for His King, Ps. 2 Ps. 2 1Why do the heathen throng together," Let us cast from us their cords.' 4One throned in heaven laugheth, "Then he saith to them in his wrath, "Let me declare Jehovah's decree! "I will give the heathen as thy heritage, And the ends of the earth for thy possession, § 39 This ps., like 1, has no superscription. It was clearly given its present position as an introduction to the collection of Davidic pss. which follows in 3-41. Its basis is the covenant and promise made to David according to II Sam. 711-16. In the psalmist puts in the mouth of the king the promise of II Sam. 714, I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. The poet assumes as his historical background the period after David had established his dynasty at Jerusalem and had subjugated the surrounding nations. It is apparently in David's mouth, as the representative of Israel's reigning house, that the poet puts the words in 7-9, which embody his messianic hopes. These contemplate the world-wide rule of the messianic king. The great kingdoms of Assyria, Babylonia, and Persia, and the repeated rebellions of the subject peoples, are evidently before the psalmist's mind. To him the splendors and glory, which the Chronicler projected back into the days of David and Solomon, lie in the future. Not the sword but Jehovah's might is to bring about this consummation. The ps. apparently reflects the broadened vision that came with the experiences of the exile; but it is difficult to date it with assurance. Except for the presence of several Aram. words, the language is free from indications of late influence. Israel's outlook is hopeful. On the distant horizon are great national rebellions. The opening days of the reign of Darius, when every messenger brought reports of a new rebellion and when, as we learn from the sermons of Haggai and Zechariah, cf. Hag. 220-23, Zech. 2, the Jews hoped that a Davidic king would speedily arise in their midst and set up a world-wide kingdom, furnish the most satisfactory setting. This is also in harmony with its position at the head of the earliest Davidic collection of pss. Cf. Introd., p. 45. The ps. is remarkably symmetrical and falls into four stanzas of approximately seven lines each. The strophic parallelism is most marked: the first and fourth are synonymous and stand in the antithetic relation to the second and third, which are synonymous. The hopes of the ps. never found their complete realization in Israel's history; but the absolute trust in Jehovah and in the ultimate victory of the right that pervades it lifts it above all local conditions and gives it a universal significance which finds its true realization in the kingdom of God established by Jesus. 21 The usual conjectural rendering of this rare verb, rage, is not supported by the present context or the obvious meaning of the noun derived from the same root in 5514 and 642, where the parallelism requires throng or conspiracy. Cf. Dan. 66, 11, assemble together. +22 Some commentators would revise the text to read, contrive plots, on the strength of the parallelism, but the accepted reading expresses hostile action. u 26 The Gk. reads, I was set by him. 27 Possibly the first two lines should be emended to read, I have said, Thou art my son. Cf. the gospel use of this passage in Mk. 111, 92-8, also Rom. 14, Acts 1338. This vs. contains an echo of the old Semitic formula of adoption. Cf. Code of Hammurabi, § 170. w28 The Heb. adds ask of me; but this introduces two extra beats into the line and interrupts the thought. It seems to be a later toning down of the strong messianic promise. JEHOVAH'S CARE FOR HIS KING "With an iron rod shalt thou break them in pieces,* 10 Therefore, act wisely, O kings, And rejoice in him with trembling." Happy are all seeking refuge in him!" § 40. Jehovah's Promises to the Ruler of His People, Ps. 110 'Sit thou at my right hand,d Ps. 110 1Jehovah's oracle to my lord: Until I make thine enemies a stool for thy feet.' 2Jehovah will extend the rod of thy strength; From Zion rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. "The people will volunteere in the day of thy battle array; From the womb of the morning thou shalt have the dew of thy youth." 4Jehovah hath sworn and will not regret it, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek;h "The Lord is at thy right hand; He doth smite in the day of his wrath. "He judgeth, he filleth the valleysi with the nations. He doth smite the chiefsi over the wide earth. x29 Or, rule as shepherd; but the parallelism favors the above reading. y 210 Lit., judges, but the term is evidently used as in Judges for rulers. 2211 Or, revising the text, submit yourselves to him. The Gk. retains the in him required by the metre. a 212 So Sym. and Old Lat. The rendering, kiss the son, makes no sense and arose through the influence of the Aramaic. The Heb. means, lit., kiss purely, as in Job 3127. Cf. also I Kgs. 1918 and Hos. 132, the reference is to adoration and worship. A plausible emendation reads, kiss him, i. e., worship him. b212 So Gk. The Heb. omits right but the metre requires it. 212 This line is possibly a later liturgical addition, since it has no real connection with the rest of the ps., and especially the preceding lines, which refer not to the afflicted who need a refuge but to the rulers of the earth. § 40 This vigorous, stately, highly poetic ps. breathes the warlike spirit of the Maccabean era. Evidently the tide of battle has turned in favor of the Jews, and they are already rejoicing in the attainment of political independence. Although brief, it is full of allusions to Israel's earlier hopes and conditions. The figure in 4 is based on the late Jewish tradition in Gen. 14. According to I Mac. 1441, Simon and his descendants were assured the high-priesthood forever. Like the ancient priest-king of Gen. 14, he combined both civil and religious authority. The initial letters of 1b, 2, 3, and 4 spell the name Simon, the last of the sons of Mattathias, whose achievements and reign, as suggested in this ps., correspond closely to the detailed record of I Mac. There is little doubt, therefore, that this is a Maccabean ps. It may be dated with assurance in the year 141 B.C., when Simon was proclaimed high priest, general, and governor of the Jews and the priests, and protector of all. I Mac. 1447. d1102 Dividing the vs. as the metre and parallelism demand. e1103 I. e., come forward and join the ranks readily when the army is mustered. f1103 So Lat. and Aquila. The Heb. adds in holy array; but this destroys the metre and is clearly a later gloss. 1103 I. e., the fresh, vigorous warriors who, like sparkling dewdrops upon the vegetation, gleam in the morning light. h1104 Melchizedek may be a later addition. At any rate the reference is to the late Jewish story in Gen. 1418-21 i1106 So Aquila, Sym., and Jerome. i110 So Gk. Heb., chief, or head. Jehovah's "An inheritance by the way he maketh it: Therefore he lifteth up his head. § 41. Jehovah's Promises to David and to Zion, Ps. 132 Ps. 132 1Jehovah, remember for David all his affliction;1 "Until I find a place for Jehovah, a habitation for the Mighty One of Jacob.' Lo, we heard of it in Ephrathah; we found it in the field of Jearim. Arise, O Jehovah, to thy resting place; with the ark of thy strength. 10 For thy servant David's sake, turn not away the face of thine anointed.t Their children also shall be forever, they shall sit upon thy throne.' 13 For Jehovah hath chosen Zion, he desired it for his habitation; 14[Saying]: "This is my resting place forever; here will I dwell, for I desire it. and pro- 15 will bless her provision; I will satisfy her poor with bread; choice visions for Jerusalem 16 And her priests will I clothe with salvation, and her pious ones will shout for joy. 1107 An exceedingly difficult vs. Heb. reads, He drinks of the brook on the way; therefore he lifts up his head. The above translation follows a reconstruction suggested by Briggs (Pss., II, 379). $41 Like Ps. 89, this ps. is based on the covenant with David recorded in II Sam. 711-16. The psalmist is, however, familiar with the writings of the Chronicler, II Chr. 640-42, and with a late Jewish tradition regarding the removal of the ark to Jerusalem in the days of David. He also uses the terms and is imbued with the ideas of the late priestly school. Cf. 9, 12. The pious ones mentioned in 9, 16 are probably the Hasideans who rallied about Judas Maccabeus. The literary style of the ps. is awkward and repetitious and lacks the vigor of the earlier periods. It probably comes from the Maccabean period and voices the hope that Jehovah will redeem his promises to Jerusalem and the house of David through the achievements of the Hasmonean rulers. The lamp for Jehovah's anointed (David), "7, was probably Simon, who revived the traditions and glories of the Davidic dynasty. It is significant that in the closing stanza the psalmist puts the chief emphasis on the restoration of Jerusalem. 11321 The reference is probably to the misfortunes attendant upon David's first attempt to remove the ark to Jerusalem. Cf. II Sam. 61-11. m1323 No such oath is recorded elsewhere in the O.T. It is either an inference from the historical situation or an element taken from later Jewish tradition. n 1324 Cf. for the same idiom, Pr. 64. 1325 The Heb. plural probably emphasizes the size and dignity of the dwelling place in which Jehovah's ark was to abide. P1326 Ephrathah, in Ruth 411 and Mic. 52, is the designation of the region about Bethlehem. From this context it appears that it included the region southwest of Jerusalem in which Kirjathjearim, where the ark has been left, according to I Sam. 71, was situated. 1327 The historical narrative is here condensed. This vs. describes the resolve of the people. 1328 An echo of the ancient song that, according to Nu. 1035, was sung in the wilderness whenever the people took up the ark and began the march. It is probably quoted from II Chr. 641, 1329 So II Chr. 641 and repeated in 16. 13210 Possibly this vs. is simply an addition from II Chr. 642. JEHOVAH'S PROMISES TO DAVID AND TO ZION 17There will I make the horn of David bud;" I have arranged a lamp for mine anointed. 18 His enemies will I clothe with shame; but upon him his crown will bloom.' III THE IDEALS OF AN UPRIGHT RULER Ps. 101 § 42. A Maccabean Ruler's Oath of Office, Ps. 101 Ps. 101 1Of mercy and justice will I sing to thee, O Jehovah." 2I will behave myself wisely and blamelessly. O when wilt thou come to me? The principles which shall I will walk in uprightness of mind in the midst of my house." guide 3I will set before mine eyes nothing that is base, him I hate an act of apostasy; it shall not cleave to me. "A perverse purposes I will banish from me; I will know no evil. His atti "Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him will I cut off; Whoever has a high look and a proud heart, him will I not tolerate. "Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with toward tude me; right and wrong u13217 This figure is derived from Ezek. 2921. v13217 Cf. I Kgs. 154, where Rehoboam is described as the lamp of David. $42 This ps. is an important historical document. In I Mac. 1414 it is recorded of Simon, the Maccabean ruler, that doers There is every reason to believe that this ps. voices the ideals of Simon, who out of gratitude was made by his Jewish subjects their governor, military commander, and high priest. Of all the Maccabean rulers he was the most famous for the justice and faith which he showed to his nation, and because he sought by all means to exalt his people so that the heathen were taken away from their country, as well as those who were in the city of David (I Mac. 1435, 36). It expresses well the spirit that actuated the early Maccabean rulers. The reference in 3 to, lit., the work of them that turn aside is clearly an allusion to the apostate Jews whose leanings toward Hellenism had precipitated the Maccabean struggle. The reference in the second line of 5 is probably to the Sadducean nobles with which the Maccabeans as yet had made no alliances. The ps. gives an exceedingly vivid picture not only of the noble motives which actuated Simon but also of the difficult conditions with which he had to deal. Its five-beat metre emphasizes the deep feeling which inspired him. a1011 The Heb. adds, echoing the main verb, I would sing praises; but this destroys the metre and is apparently the work of a later scribe. Duhm and other commentators would reconstruct the original verb so as to read, I will keep mercy and justice. While this reconstruction is possibly original, it is only a conjecture. b1012 Lit., in the way of uprightness. Cf. 6, in an upright way. 1012 Certain scholars would reconstruct the Heb. so that this vs. would read, I will give heed to the way of the upright when he comes before me. While it is probable that the latter part of this line is corrupt, this reconstruction is not in harmony with its context. The first stanza of the ps. deals with the ruler's personal motives and actions. It is not until the second stanza that he describes his treatment of the wicked and the upright. d1013 This verb and those throughout the ps. may be translated in the present, describing habitual action, but interpreted in the future tense they bring out more clearly the idea of the vow which underlies the ps. It corresponds in many ways to our modern oath of office. e 1013 Lit., thing of belial. 1013 Or, the work of those who turn aside. 1014 Lit., a perverse mind. Either a reference to the current tendency toward Hellenism or to falsehood in general. |