Bible Commentaries

Psalms 111:1 — PSALM CXI The psalmist praises the Lord, and extols his works as great, honourable, glorious, and magnificent, 1-4; his providence and kindness to his followers, 5-8; the redemption he has granted to his people, 9. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, 10. NOTES ON PSALM CXIThis is one of the alphabetical or acrostic Psalms: but it is rather different from those we have already seen, as the first eight verses contain each two members; and each member

Psalms 145:1 — PSALM CXLV God is praised for his unsearchable greatness, 1, 2; for his majesty and terrible acts, 3, 6; for his goodness and tender mercies to all, 7-9; for his power and kingdom, 10-13; for his kindness to the distressed, 14; for his providence, 15-17. He hears and answers prayer, 18-20. All should praise him, 21. NOTES ON PSALM CXLV.This Psalm is attributed to David by the Hebrew and all the Versions.

Psalms 83:1 — PSALM LXXXIII The psalmist calls upon God for immediate help against a multitude of confederate enemies who had risen up against Judah, 1-5. He mentions them by name, 6-8; shows how they were to be punished, 9-17; and that this was to be done for the glory of God, 18. NOTES ON PSALM LXXXIIIThe title, A Song or Psalm of Asaph, contains nothing particular. Among a multitude of conjectures relative to the time and occasion of this Psalm, that which refers it

Psalms 99:1 — The empire of God in the world and the Church, 1, 2. He ought to be praised, 3. Justice and judgment are his chief glory, 4. He should be worshipped as among the saints of old, whom he graciously answered and saved, 5-8. Exalt him because he is holy, 9. NOTES ON PSALM XCIXThe Hebrew and Chaldee have no title; all the versions but the Chaldee attribute it to David. The Syriac says it concerns "the slaughter of the Midianites which Moses and the children of Israel had taken captive; and is a prophecy

Ecclesiastes 1:1 — ECCLESIASTES OR, THE PREACHER -Year from the Creation, according to Archbishop Usher, 3027. -Year from the Flood of Noah, according to the common Hebrew text, 1371. -Year before the birth of Christ, 973. -Year before the vulgar era of Christ's nativity, 977. -N. B. The time when this book was written is very uncertain: the above chronology is agreeable to that contained in the present authorized version. CHAPTER I The prophet shows that all human

Ecclesiastes 8:1 — CHAPTER VIII A man's wisdom makes his face shine, 1. Kings are to be greatly respected, 2-4. Of him who keeps the commandment; of the misery of man; of the certainty of death, 5-8. Of him that rules another to his own hurt, 9. The end of the wicked, 10. God's longsuffering, 11, 12. It shall be ill with wicked men, 13. Strange events in the course of Providence, 14, 15. God's works cannot be found out, 16, 17. NOTES ON CHAP. VIIIVerse Ecclesiastes 8:1. Who knoweth the interpretation

Isaiah 43:3 — entering Judea, was providentially diverted from that design, and turned his arms against the Egyptians, and their allies the Cushean Arabians, with their neighbours the Sabeans, probably joined with them under Tirhakah. See Isaiah 20:1-6 and Isaiah 37:9. Or as there are some reasonable objections to this opinion, perhaps it may mean more generally that God has often saved his people at the expense of other nations, whom he had, as it were in their stead, given up to destruction. Vitringa explains this

Isaiah 5:11 — abundance and excellence of its palm trees; and consequently had plenty of this wine. "Fiunt (vina) et e pomis; primumque e palmis, quo Parthi et Indi utun tur, et oriens totus: maturarum modio in aquae congiis tribus macerato expressoque." Plin. lib. xiv. 19. "Ab his cariotae [palmae] maxime celebrantur; et cibo quidem, sed et succo, uberrimae. Ex quibus praecipua vina orienti; iniqua capiti, unde porno nomen." Id. xiii. 9. Καρος signifies stupefaction: and in Hebrew likewise the wine has its name from

Isaiah 51:1 — notwithstanding all the machinations of their enemies, 7, 8. The faithful, then, with exultation and joy, lift their voices, reminding God of his wondrous works of old, which encourage them to look now for the like glorious accomplishment of these promises, 9-11. In answer to this the Divinity is introduced comforting them under their trials, and telling them that the deliverer was already on his way to save and to establish them, 12-16. On this the prophet turns to Jerusalem to comfort and congratulate

Jeremiah 14:1 — chapter begins with foretelling a drought that should greatly distress the land of Judea, the effects of which are described in a most pathetic manner, 1-6. The prophet then, in the people's name, makes a confession of sins, and supplication for pardon, 7-9. But God declares his purpose to punish, forbidding Jeremiah to pray for the people, 10-12. False prophets are then complained of, and threatened with destruction, as are also those who attend to them, 13-16. The prophet, therefore, bewails their misery,

Jeremiah 23:1 — ninth verse a new discourse commences. Jeremiah expresses his horror at the great wickedness of the priests and prophets of Judah, and declares that the Divine vengeance is hanging over them. He exhorts the people not to listen to their false promises, 9-22; and predicts the utter ruin that shall fall upon all pretenders to inspiration, 23-32, as well as upon all scoffers at true prophecy, 33-40. NOTES ON CHAP. XXIIIVerse Jeremiah 23:1. Wo be unto the pastors — There shall a curse fall on the

Jeremiah 7:29 — Verse Jeremiah 7:29. Cut off thine hair — גזי נזרך gozzi nizrech, shear thy nazarite. The Nazarite was one who took upon him a particular vow, and separated himself from all worldly connexions for a certain time, that he might devote himself without interruption

Ezekiel 33:1 — on a former occasion, the duty of a watchman, the salvation or ruin of whose soul depends on the manner in which he discharges it. An awful passage indeed; full of important instruction both to such as speak, and to such as hear, the word of God, 1-9. The prophet is then directed what answer to make to the cavils of infidelity and impiety; and to vindicate the equity of the Divine government by declaring the general terms of acceptance with God to be (as told before, Ezekiel 18:3; Ezekiel 18:4 c.,)

Ezekiel 39:9 — Verse Ezekiel 39:9. And shall set on fire - the weapons — The Israelites shall make bonfires and fuel of the weapons, tents, c., which the defeated Syrians shall leave behind them, as expressive of the joy which they shall feel for the destruction of their enemies

Hosea 13:1 — 5; which they had shamefully abused, 6; and which now expose them to dreadful punishments, 7, 8. He, however, tempers these awful threatenings with gracious promises; and, on their repentance, engages to save them, when no other could protect them, 9-11. But, alas! instead of repenting, Ephraim is filling up the measure of his iniquity, 12, 13. Notwithstanding this, God promises to put forth has almighty power in behalf of his people, and, as it were, raise them from the dead, 14; although, in the

Hosea 3:5 — Messiah, the Son of David, their King;" and thus look believingly upon him whom they have pierced, and mourn. And then shall their long spiritual darkness and dismal captivity have an end; but not before. The Messiah, as David, is promised in Jeremiah 30:9; Ezekiel 24:23; Ezekiel 37:22; Ezekiel 37:24-25, (where see the notes,) and in this place of Hosea. Some think that the family of David is intended; but if we go to the rigour of the letter, the house of Israel was scarcely ever perfectly submissive

Zechariah 2:1 — that they might not be involved in the fate of their enemies, who were destined to fall a prey to the nations which they had formerly subdued; God's great love anti zeal for his people moving him to glorify them by humbling all their adversaries, 6-9. The most gracious promises of God's presence with his Church, and her consequent increase and prosperity, set forth in the remaining verses, 10-13, were to a certain extent fulfilled in the great number of proselytes made to Judaism after the return

Zechariah 3:9 — Verse Zechariah 3:9. For behold the stone that I have laid — Alluding no doubt to the foundation stone of the temple: but this represented Christ Jesus: "Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a STONE, a tried stone, a precious CORNER STONE, a SURE FOUNDATION," Isaiah

Malachi 3:1 — prepare the way — Be as a pioneer before me; a corrector of civil abuses, and a preacher of righteousness.And the Lord, whom ye seek — The Messiah, whom ye expect, from the account given by the prophet Daniel, in his seventy weeks, Daniel 9:24.Shall suddenly come to his temple — Shall soon be presented before the Lord in his temple; cleanse it from its defilement, and fill it with his teaching and his glory.The Messenger of the covenant — He that comes to fulfil the great design,

Matthew 4:16 — Verse Matthew 4:16. The people which sat in darkness — This is quoted from Isaiah 9:2, where, instead of sitting, the prophet used the word walked. The evangelist might on purpose change the term, to point out the increased misery of the state of these persons. Sitting in darkness expresses a greater degree of intellectual blindness,