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

Psalms 124:1 — PSALM CXXIV A thanksgiving of the godly for extraordinary deliverances, 1-4. The great danger they were in, 7. Their confidence in God, 8. NOTES ON PSALM CXXIVIn our present Hebrew copies this Psalm is attributed to David, לדוד ledavid; but this inscription is wanting in three of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS., as also in

Psalms 134:3 — Verse Psalms 134:3. The Lord that made heaven and earth — Who governs and possesses all things; and who can give you every spiritual and earthly blessing.Bless thee out of Zion. — As if they had said, "We will attend to your orders; go in peace, and may

Psalms 20:1 — PSALM XX A prayer for the king in his enterprises, that his prayers may be heard, his offerings accepted, and his wishes fulfilled, 1-4. Confidence of victory expressed, 5, 6. Vain hopes exposed; and supplication made for the king. 7-9. NOTES ON PSALM XXIt is most likely that this Psalm was penned on the occasion of David's going to war, and most probably with the Ammonites and Syrians,

Psalms 26:1 — PSALM XXVI The psalmist appeals to God for his integrity, and desires to be brought to the Divine test in order to have his innocence proved, 1-3; shows that he had avoided all fellowship with the wicked, and associated with the upright, 4-8; prays that he may not have his final lot with the workers of iniquity, 9, 10; purposes to walk uprightly before God, 11, 12. NOTES ON PSALM XXVIThis Psalm, and the two following, are supposed by Calmet to be all parts of one ode, and to relate to

Psalms 40:1 — PSALM XL The benefit of confidence in God, 1-3. The blessedness of those who trust in God, 4, 5. The termination of the Jewish sacrifices in that of Christ, 6-8. The psalmist's resolution to publish God's goodness, 9, 10: he prays to be delivered from evils, 11-13; against his enemies, 14, 15; and in behalf of those who are destitute, 16, 17.

Psalms 41:1 — PSALM XLI The blessedness of the man who is merciful to the poor, 1-3. The psalmist complains of his enemies, and prays for support, 4-10; and blesses God for having heard his prayer, and preserved him from his adversaries, 11, 12. A fine doxology closes the Psalm, 13. NOTES ON PSALM XLIThe title as before. The Syriac says it was "A Psalm of David, when he appointed overseers to take

Psalms 46:1 — PSALM XLVI The confidence of believers in God, 1-3. The privileges of the Church, 4, 5; her enemies, and her helper, 6, 7. God's judgments in the earth, 8, 9. He will be exalted among the heathen, and throughout the earth, 10, 11. NOTES ON PSALM XLVIThe title in the Hebrew is, "To the chief musician for the sons of Korah; an ode upon

Psalms 54:1 — PSALM LIV The psalmist complains that strangers were risen up against him to take away his life, 1-3; expresses his confidence in God that he will uphold him, and punish his enemies, 4, 5; on which he promises to sacrifice to God, 6; he speaks of his deliverance, 7. NOTES ON PSALM LIVThe title is, "To the chief Musician upon Neginoth, an instructive Psalm of David, when the Ziphites came to Saul, and said, Doth not David conceal

Psalms 78:60 — afterwards sent to Kirjath-jearim. From Shiloh it was transported to Nob; afterwards to Gibeon, apparently under the reign of Saul; and it was there at the commencement of Solomon's reign, for this prince went thither to offer sacrifices, 1 Kings 3:4. From the time in which the temple was built, we know not what became of the tabernacle of Moses: it was probably laid up in some of the chambers of the temple. See Calmet.

Psalms 80:1 — PSALM LXXX A prayer for the captives, 1-3. A description of their miseries, 4-7. Israel compared to a vineyard, 8-14. Its desolate state, and a prayer for its restoration, 15-19. NOTES ON PSALM LXXXThe title: see Psalms 45:1; Psalms 60:1; Psalms 69:1, where every thing material is explained. This Psalm seems to have been written

Psalms 83:1 — 83:8, and in 2 Chronicles 20:1.3. There were also in this confederacy many strangers of Syria, and from beyond the sea, most likely the Dead Sea, which seems to indicate the Assyrians, Hagaranes, and Ishmaelites, designed expressly here, Psalms 83:7-8.4. In that transaction there was a prophet of the race of Asaph, named Jahaziel, who foretold to Jehoshaphat their total overthrow, 2 Chronicles 20:14, &c., and probably this Jahaziel is the same with Asaph, the author of this Psalm.In the course

Psalms 88:5 — the dead, but those also who appear to be mortally wounded, and cannot recover, and are so feeble as not to be able to resist. Hence the psalmist says, "I am counted with them that go down into the pit; I am as a man that hath no strength," Psalms 88:4. And I am stripped among the dead, like the mortally wounded (חללים chalalim) that lie in the grave. "Free among the dead," inter mortuos liber, has been applied by the fathers to our Lord's voluntary death: all others were obliged to die, he alone

Psalms 99:1 — PSALM XCIX 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

Ecclesiastes 1:1 — 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 courses are vain, 1-4. The creatures are continually changing, 5-8. There is nothing new under the sun, 9-11. Who the prophet was, his estate and his studies, 12-18. NOTES ON CHAP. IVerse Ecclesiastes 1:1. The words of the Preacher — Literally, "The words of Choheleth,

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

Song of Solomon 1:1 — THE SONG OF SOLOMON -Year from the Creation of the World, according to Archbishop Usher, 2990. -Year from the Flood of Noah, according to the common Hebrew text, 1334. -Year before the birth of Christ, 1010. -Year before the vulgar era of Christ's nativity, 1014. CHAPTER I The bride's love to her spouse, 1-5. She confesses her unworthiness; desires to be directed to the flock, 6, 7; and she is directed to the shepherds'

Song of Solomon 6:4 — Verse Song of Solomon 6:4. Beautiful - as Tirzah — This is supposed to be the address of Solomon to the bride. Tirzah was a city in the tribe of Ephraim, (Joshua 12:24,) and the capital of that district. It appears to have been beautiful in itself, and beautifully situated,

Isaiah 10:1 — CHAPTER X God's judgments against oppressive rulers, 1-4. The prophet foretells the invasion of Sennacherib, and the destruction of his army. That mighty monarch is represented as a rod in the hand of God to correct his people for their sins; and his ambitious purposes, contrary to his own intentions, are

Isaiah 23:7 — Joshua 19:29. Interpreters raise difficulties in regard to this passage, and will not allow it to have been so ancient; with what good reason I do not see, for it is called by the same name, "the fortress of Sor," in the history of David, 2 Samuel 24:7, and the circumstances of the history determine the place to be the very same. See on Isaiah 23:1.Whose antiquity is of ancient days, may refer to Palaetyrus, or Old Tyre.Her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn. — This may belong to