Bible Commentaries

Psalms 116:11 — all failed. No one came to help him. No one shed a tear over his sorrows. No one showed himself true to friendship, to sympathy, to gratitude. All people seemed to be false; and he was shut up to God alone. A similar thing is referred to in Psalms 41:5-9; Psalms 88:18; compare also Job 19:13-17. This is not an unnatural feeling in affliction. The mind is then sensitive. We need friends then. We expect our friends to show their friendship then. If they do not do this, it seems to us that the entire

Psalms 133:2 — the consecration of the high priest, and the holy things of the sanctuary, see Exodus 30:22-30. Compare the notes at Isaiah 61:3, on the phrase “oil of joy.” Anointing with oil was common on festivals and joyous occasions (see the notes at Psalms 23:5), and hence, it became an emblem of anything joyous, happy, beautiful; and the idea seemed to be carried to the highest degree when it was connected with the anointing of a high priest to the sacred duties of his office. There is no other resemblance

Psalms 31:19 — for the needs of His people - a treasure always accessible; a treasure that can never be exhausted.For them that fear thee - Or “reverence” thee - fear or reverence being often used to denote friendship with God, or religion. See the notes at Psalms 5:7.Which thou hast wrought for them - Which thou hast “made” for them (Hebrew); or, which thou hast secured as if by labor; that is, by plan and arrangement. It was not by chance that that goodness had been provided; God had done it in a manner resembling

Psalms 38:16 — cause of virtue and religion - that that cause may not suffer by our misconduct; compare Psalms 69:6.When my foot slippeth - (a) When my foot really has slipped, or when I have committed sin (as the psalmist did not deny that he had done, Psalms 38:3-5, Psalms 38:18); or(b) when it “might” occur “again” (as he felt was possible); or(c) if I deviate in the slightest degree from perfect virtue; if I inadvertently do anything wrong.The slipping of the foot is an indication of the want of firmness, and

Psalms 46:4 — ultimately removed to Mount Zion by David, as the divine abode on earth. It is sometimes, also, applied to the temple; and if this psalm was written, as I have supposed, in the time of Hezekiah, it would be applicable to that. Compare Psalms 84:2; Psalms 132:5. The tabernacle and the temple were alike divided into two parts - the holy and the most holy place - and hence the “plural” term is sometimes applied to them. Compare the notes at Hebrews 9:2-3.

Psalms 51:10 — constant spirit.” The Hebrew word - נכון nākûn - means properly, that which is “erect,” or that which is made to stand up, or which is firm or established. It is used to denote(a) that which is upright, right, proper: Exodus 8:26; Job 42:8; Psalms 5:9;(b) that which is right, true, sincere, Psalms 78:37;(c) that which is firm, constant, fixed.This would seem to be the meaning here. He prays for a heart that would be firm in the purposes of virtue; that would not yield to temptation; that would

Isaiah 14:1 — Acts 17:4, Acts 17:17). Tacitus, speaking of his time, says, that every abandoned man, despising the religion of his country, bears tribute and revenue to Jerusalem, whence it happens that the number of the Jews is greatly increased.’ - (“Hist.” v. 5.) That the Jews, therefore, who were in Babylon should induce many of the Chaldeans during their long captivity to become proselytes, is in accordance with all their history.

Isaiah 38:15 — from dangerous sickness, and brought from the borders of the grave.He hath both spoken unto me - That is, he has promised. So the word is often used Deuteronomy 26:17; Jeremiah 3:19. He had made the promise by the instrumentality of Isaiah Isaiah 38:5-6. The promise related to his recovery, to the length of his days, and to his entire deliverance from the hands of the Assyrians.And himself hath done it - He himself has restored me according to his promise, when no one else could have done it.I shall

Isaiah 43:23 — offering - ‘I have not made a slave of thee; I have not exacted such a service as would be oppressive and intolerable - such as is imposed on a slave.’ The word used here (עבד ‛âbad), is often used in such a sense, and with such a reference Leviticus 25:39; ‘Thou shalt not compel him to serve the service of a bondman’ Exodus 1:14; Jeremiah 22:13; Jeremiah 25:14; Jeremiah 30:8. The sense is, that the laws of God on the subject, were not grievous and oppressive.With an offering - The word used here (מנחה

Isaiah 5:14 — signification, among the Hebrews, was “the lower world, the region of departed spirits.” It corresponded to the Greek ἅδης Hadēs, “hades,” or place of the dead. This word occurs eleven times in the New Testament Matthew 11:23; Matthew 16:18; Luke 10:15; Luke 16:23; Acts 2:27, Acts 2:31; 1 Corinthians 15:55; Revelation 1:18; Revelation 6:8; Revelation 20:13-14, in all of which places, except 1 Corinthians 15:55, it is rendered “hell,” though denoting, in most of those places, as it does in the Old

Isaiah 5:26 — And he will lift up an ensign ... - The idea here is, that the nations of the earth are under his control, and that he can call whom he pleases to execute his purposes. This power over the nations he often claims; compare Isaiah 44:28; Isaiah 45:1-7; Isaiah 10:5-7; Isaiah 9:11; Isaiah 8:18. An “ensign” is the “standard,” or “flag” used in an army. The elevation of the standard was a signal for assembling for war. God represents himself here as simply raising the standard, expecting that the

Isaiah 55:2 — verse. They were invited to partake of that which would nourish the soul, and which would fill it with joy.And let your soul delight itself in fatness - ‘Fatness in the Scriptures is used to denote the richest food Genesis 27:28-39; Job 36:16; Psalms 65:11, and hence, is an emblem of the rich and abundant blessings resulting from the favor of God Psalms 36:9; Psalms 63:5.

Isaiah 57:8 — were expressly directed to write the laws of God on the posts of the house and on the gates Deuteronomy 6:9; Deuteronomy 11:20; and a curse was denounced against the man who made a graven or molten image and put it in a secret place Deuteronomy 27:15.For thou hast discovered thyself - This language is taken from adulterous intercourse, and is designed to show the love which they had for idolatrous worship, and the extent of their unfaithfulness to God.And made thee a covenant with them - Margin,

Isaiah 60:19 — the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof’ Revelation 21:23. ‘And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun, for the Lord God giveth them light’ Revelation 22:5. The idea is, the light and beauty of truth would be so great; the divine perfections shine forth so illustriously under the gospel, that the eye would be attracted to that light as superior to all the natural splendor of the sun and moon. All the wonders

Jeremiah 17:19-27 — respects independent of one another. Its tone is mild, and dissuasive rather of future neglect than condemnatory of past misconduct; and it may be assigned to the commencement of Jehoiakim’s reign. Its similarity to the prophecy contained in Jeremiah 22:1-5 makes it probable that they were contemporaneous.Jeremiah 17:19The gate of the children of the people - Perhaps the principal entrance of the outer court of the temple. Very probably there was traffic there, as in our Lord’s time, in doves and other

Ezekiel 44:17-31 — intended to mark the holiness of the office of a priest, imposing on him additional (compare the marginal reference) obligations to purity, and communicating it in some degree to his wife. In the Christian Church all the members are “priests” 1 Peter 2:5; Revelation 1:6; Revelation 20:6. Hence, the directions for maintaining the holiness of the “priesthood” in the new order, represent the necessity for holiness in all Christians, and the exclusion of the “uncircumcised in heart and in flesh” is equivalent

Daniel 2:8 — attempting to show how unreasonable was the demand of the king in the case, and their arguments would give a fair pretext for what he here charges on them.Because ye see the thing is gone from me - According to the interpretation proposed in Daniel 2:5, the “dream.” The meaning is, “You see that I have forgotten it. I have made a positive statement on that point. There can be no hope, therefore, that it can be recalled, and it is clear that your only object must be to gain time. Nothing can be gained

Daniel 5:10 — Now the queen - “Probably the queen-mother, the Nitocris of Herodotus, as the king’s wives were at the entertainment.” - Wintle. Compare Daniel 5:2-3. So Prof. Stuart. The editor of the “Pictorial Bible” also supposes that this was the queen-mother, and thinks that this circumstance will explain her familiarity with the occurrences in the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. He says, “We are informed above,

Daniel 5:17 — dignified. Yet he says he would read the writing, implying that he was ready to do anything that would be gratifying to the monarch. It may seem somewhat strange that Daniel, who here disclaimed all desire of office or reward, should so soon Daniel 5:29 have submitted to be clothed in this manner, and to receive the insignia of office. But, it may be remarked, that when the offer was proposed to him he stated his wishes, and declared that he did not desire to be honored in that way; when he had

Daniel 5:23 — whole of his reign, and now by a crowning act of impiety he had evinced special disregard of him, and contempt for him, by profaning the sacred vessels of his temple.And they have brought the vessels of his house before thee ... - See the note at Daniel 5:2.And the God in whose hand thy breath is - Under whose power, and at whose disposal, is thy life. While you have been celebrating the praises of idol gods, who can do you neither good nor evil, you have been showing special contempt for that great