the Week of Proper 13 / Ordinary 18
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Easy-to-Read Version
Psalms 49:4
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
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- InternationalParallel Translations
I turn my ear to a proverb;I explain my riddle with a lyre.
I will incline my ear to a proverb. I will open my riddle on the harp.
I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.
I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.
I will pay attention to a wise saying; I will explain my riddle on the harp.
I will learn a song that imparts wisdom; I will then sing my insightful song to the accompaniment of a harp.
I will incline my ear and consent to a proverb; On the lyre I will unfold my riddle.
I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will express my riddle on the harp.
I will incline my ear to a proverb. I will open my riddle on the harp.
I will incline mine eare to a parable, and vtter my graue matter vpon the harpe.
I will incline my ear to a proverb;I will express my riddle on the harp.
I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will express my riddle with the harp:
I have in mind a mystery that I will explain while playing my harp.
My mouth is about to speak wisdom; my heart's deepest thoughts will give understanding.
I will incline mine ear to a parable, I will open my riddle upon the harp.
I will incline my ear to parables; I will chant my proverbs upon the harp.
I will turn my attention to proverbs and explain their meaning as I play the harp.
I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will propound my riddle on a lyre.
I will bow down my ear to a parable; I will open my dark saying on the harp.
I wil encline myne eare to the parable, & shewe my darcke speach vpon the harpe.
I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.
I will put my teaching into a story; I will make my dark sayings clear with music.
My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
I will incline mine eare to a parable; I will open my darke saying vpon the harpe.
I wyll encline myne eare to a parable: I wyll open my darke sentence vpon a harpe.
I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my riddle on the harp.
I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.
I schal bouwe doun myn eere in to a parable; Y schal opene my resoun set forth in a sautree.
I will incline my ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying on the harp.
I will incline my ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.
I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will disclose my dark saying on the harp.
I listen carefully to many proverbs and solve riddles with inspiration from a harp.
I will turn my ear to a wise saying. With a harp, I will tell what is hard to understand.
I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the harp.
I will bend, to a by-word, mine ear, I will open, on the lyre, mine enigma.
(48-5) I will incline my ear to a parable; I will open my proposition on the psaltery.
I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.
I incline to a simile mine ear, I open with a harp my riddle:
I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will express my riddle on the harp.
Contextual Overview
To the director: A song from the Korah family.
Listen to this, all you nations. Pay attention, all you people on earth. 2 Everyone, rich and poor, listen to me. 3 I have some very wise words for you. My thoughts will give you understanding. 4 I listened to these sayings. And now, with my harp, I will sing and make the hidden meaning clear. 5 Why should I be afraid when trouble comes? There is no need to fear when evil enemies surround me.Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
incline: Psalms 78:2, Matthew 13:35
parable: Numbers 23:7, Ezekiel 20:49, Matthew 13:11-15
dark: Proverbs 1:6, Daniel 8:23, Luke 12:3, 2 Corinthians 3:12
Reciprocal: Numbers 12:8 - dark speeches Judges 14:12 - a riddle 1 Samuel 10:5 - a psaltery 1 Kings 10:1 - prove him 2 Chronicles 9:1 - questions Job 27:1 - Job Job 28:21 - hid Mark 3:23 - in parables Mark 4:2 - by parables John 16:25 - proverbs 1 Corinthians 14:2 - howbeit
Cross-References
Israel stayed there for a short time. While he was there, Reuben slept with Israel's slave woman Bilhah. Israel heard about this, and he was very angry. These are the names of Jacob's twelve sons:
These are the names of Israel's sons and family who went to Egypt with him: Reuben was Jacob's first son.
Then Jacob called all his sons to him. He said, "My sons, come here to me. I will tell you what will happen in the future.
I will not join their secret meetings. I will not take part in their evil plans. They have killed people out of anger and crippled animals for fun.
"Judah, your brothers will praise you. You will defeat your enemies. Your brothers will bow down to you.
‘You must not want another man's wife. You must not want his house, his fields, his men and women servants, his cattle, or his donkeys. You must not want to take anything that belongs to another person.'"
"The Levites will say, ‘Cursed is the one who shames his father by having sexual relations with his father's wife.' "Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!'
"Let Reuben live, and not die! But let there be only a few people in his tribe!"
Reuben was Israel's first son. Reuben should have received the special privileges of the oldest son. But he had sexual relations with his father's wife. So those privileges were given to Joseph's sons. In the family history, Reuben's name is not listed as the first son. Judah became stronger than his brothers, so the leaders came from his family. But Joseph's family got the other privileges that belong to the oldest son. Reuben's sons were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
I don't want to believe what I am hearing—that there is sexual sin among you. And it is such a bad kind of sexual sin that even those who have never known God don't allow it. People say that a man there has his father's wife.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
I will incline mine ear to a parable,.... In which way of speaking the doctrines of the Gospel were delivered out by Christ,
Matthew 13:3. Wherefore the prophet, representing his apostles and disciples, signifies that he would listen thereunto, that he might attain to the knowledge thereof, and communicate it to others;
I will open my dark saying upon the harp; the enigmas, riddles, and mysteries of the Gospel, being understood by the ministers of it, are opened and explained in a very pleasant and delightful manner; they are made clear and evident, and are as a lovely song upon a harp; see
Ezekiel 33:32.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
I will incline mine ear to a parable - The phrase “I will incline mine ear” means that he would listen or attend to - as we incline our ear toward those whom we are anxious to hear, or in the direction from which a sound seems to come. Compare Psalms 5:1; Psalms 17:1; Psalms 39:12; Isaiah 1:2. On the word rendered “parable” here משׁל mâshâl - see the notes at Isaiah 14:4. Compare Job 13:12, note; Job 27:1, note. The word properly means similitude; then, a sentence, sententious saying, apophthegm; then, a proverb; then, a song or poem. There is usually found in the word some idea of “comparison,” and hence, usually something that is to be illustrated “by” a comparison or a story. The reference here would seem to be to some dark or obscure subject which needed to be illustrated; which it was not easy to understand; which had given the writer, as well as others, perplexity and difficulty. He proposed now, with a view to understand and explain it, to place his ear, as it were, “close to the matter,” that he might clearly comprehend it. The matter was difficult, but he felt assured he could explain it - as when one unfolds the meaning of an enigma. The “problem” - the “parable” - the difficult point - related to the right use, or the proper value, of wealth, or the estimate in which it should be held by those who possessed it, and by those who did not. It was very evident to the author of the psalm that the views of people were not right on the subject; he therefore proposed to examine the matter carefully, and to state the exact truth.
I will open - I will explain; I will communicate the result of my careful inquiries.
My dark saying - The word used here - חידה chı̂ydâh - is rendered “dark speeches” in Numbers 12:8; “riddle,” in Judges 14:12-19; Ezekiel 17:2; “hard questions” in 1 Kings 10:1; 2 Chronicles 9:1; “dark saying” (as here) in Psalms 78:2; Proverbs 1:6; “dark sentences,” in Daniel 8:23; and “proverb” in Habakkuk 2:6. It does not elsewhere occur. It means properly “something entangled, intricate;” then, a trick or stratagem; then art intricate speech, a riddle; then, a sententious saying, a maxim; then a parable, a poem, a song, a proverb. The idea here is, that the point was intricate or obscure; it was not well understood, and he purposed “to lay it open,” and to make it plain.
Upon the harp - On the meaning of the word used here, see the notes at Isaiah 5:12. The idea here is, that he would accompany the explanation with music, or would so express it that it might be accompanied with music; that is, he would give it a poetic form - a form such that the sentiment might be used in public worship, and might be impressed upon the mind by all the force and power which music would impart. Sentiments of purity and truth, and sentiments of pollution and falsehood also, are always most deeply imbedded in the minds of people, and are made most enduring and effective, when they are connected with music. Thus the sentiments of patriotism are perpetuated and impressed in song; and thus sentiments of sensuality and pollution owe much of their permanence and power to the fact that they are expressed in corrupt verse, and that they are perpetuated in exquisite poetry, and are accompanied with song. Scenes of revelry, as well as acts of devotion, are kept up by song. Religion proposes to take advantage of this principle in our nature by connecting the sentiments of piety with the sweetness of verse, and by impressing and perpetuating those sentiments through associating them with all that is tender, pure, and inspiriting in music. Hence, music, both vocal and that which is produced by instruments, has always been found to be an invaluable auxiliary in securing the proper impression of truth on the minds of people, as well as in giving utterance to the sentiments of piety in devotion.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Psalms 49:4. I will incline mine ear to a parable — This was the general method of conveying instruction among the Asiatics. They used much figure and metaphor to induce the reader to study deeply in order to find out the meaning. This had its use; it obliged men to think and reflect deeply; and thus in some measure taught them the use, government, and management of their minds.
My dark saying upon the harp. — Music was sometimes used to soothe the animal spirits, and thus prepare the mind for the prophetic influx.
