Bible Commentaries

Exodus 30:18 — to Anchises, when about to bear him out of Troy: "Tu, genitor, cape sacra manu, patriosque Penates. Me, bello e tanto digressum et caede recenti, Adtrectare nefas; donec me flumine vivo Abluero." (157) Doering’s note on Hor. Carm. 3:1. 1. — “Odi profanum vulgus et arceo,” contains the following words: “He uses these formulas which the priests were accustomed to use at the commencement of their ceremonies, in order to drive away the profane, ἑκάς,

Psalms 10:3 — 3.For the ungodly praiseth himself. This verse is variously explained. Literally the reading is, For praiseth the wicked or ungodly; and it is therefore necessary to supply some word, but what word is disputed. (196) Some translate the words, ungodly

Psalms 111:5 — God, in general, but only of that which he peculiarly displays towards his own people. Hence he adds, that God’s care of his people is such as to lead him to make ample provision for the supply of all their wants. The word טרף, tereph, which we have translated portion, is frequently taken for a prey: (339) others render it meat; but I rather choose to render it portion, in which sense it is taken in Proverbs 30:8, and Proverbs 31:15; as if he should say, that God had given

Psalms 119:148 — hours; and when the Jews fell under the dominion of the latter people, they adopted from them this division of the night. Hence we read of “the fourth watch of the night” in Matthew 14:25. And the four watches are mentioned together in Mark 13:35: “Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at cock-crowing, or in the morning.” The time at which each of these four watches began and ended is thus determined by Dr. Hales,

Psalms 122:3 — 3.Jerusalem is built as a city. Here David begins to celebrate the praises of Jerusalem; and he does this with the design of encouraging the people to persevere with uniform steadfastness in their obedience. It was of great importance for the minds of

Psalms 139:17 — of God, exhibited in man’s creation, and the whole superintendence and government of his life. Some read —How rare are thy thoughts; but this only darkens the meaning. I grant we find that word made use of in the Sacred History, (1 Samuel 3:1,) where the oracles of the Lord are said to have been rare, in the time of Eli. But it also means precious, and it is enough that we retain the sense which is free from all ambiguity. He applies the term to God’s thoughts, as not lying within

Psalms 145:8 — of the word חנון, channun,) and that he helps us willingly, as one sympathizing with our miseries. It is to be noticed that David has borrowed the terms which he here applies to God from that celebrated passage in Exodus 34:6; and as the inspired writers drew their doctrine from the fountain of the law, we need not wonder that they set a high value upon the vision which is there recorded, and in which as clear and satisfactory a description of the nature of God is given

Psalms 17:3 — 3.Thou hast proved my heart. Some are of opinion that in the three first verbs the past tense is put for the future. Others more correctly and more clearly resolve the words thus: If thou provest my heart, and visitest it by night, and examinest it thoroughly,

Psalms 18:10 — flaming fire proceeding from his mouths — he now introduces him as riding upon the winds and tempests, to take a survey of the whole world with rapid speed, or rather with the swiftness of flying. We meet with a similar description in Psalms 104:3, where God is said to “walk upon the wings of the winds,” and to send them forth in every direction as his swift messengers. David does not, however, simply represent God as the governor of the winds, who drives them by his power whithersoever

Psalms 34:15 — destruction. (699) And yet, however much things may appear to be mingled and confused in the world, good men will find that God has not promised them help in vain against the violence and injuries of the wicked. (698) In his First Epistle, (1 Peter 3:10,) he quotes the 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 verses of this psalm. He quotes from the Septuagint. (699) “Lesquels il espargne pour un temps, afin de les ruiner eternellement.” — “Whom he spares for a time, to destroy them eternally.”

Psalms 44:13 — 13Thou hast made us a reproach to our neighbors Here the Psalmist speaks of their neighbors, who were all actuated either by some secret ill-will, or avowed enmity to the people of God. And certainly it often happens, that neighborhood, which ought to

Psalms 74:19 — for a multitude. Understood in either of these ways, this form of expression will contain a very apposite comparison between the life of a weak and timorous bird, and a powerful army of men, or a cruel beast. The Church is compared to a turtle dove (243) for, although the faithful consisted of a considerable number, yet so far were they from matching their enemies, that, on the contrary, they were exposed to them as a prey. It is next added, Forget not the soul or congregation of thy poor ones The

Psalms 78:3 — 3.What we have heard and known. There seems to be some discrepancy between what the Psalmist had stated in the commencement, when he said that he would speak of great and hidden matters, and what he now adds, that his subject is a common one, and such

Psalms 78:39 — 39.And he remembered that they were flesh. Another reason is now brought forward why God had compassion on the people, which is, his unwillingness to try his strength against men who are so constituted as to live only for a short period in this world,

Psalms 87:1 — “The Highest himself shall establish her.” He is indeed the founder of other cities also; yet we do not read of him saying with respect to any other city, “This is my rest for ever; here will I dwell; for I have desired it,” (Psalms 132:14.) There is this difference, which is always to be remembered, that while other cities were founded and built by the guidance and power of God, merely for the sake of civil government, Jerusalem was his peculiar sanctuary, and his royal seat. Isaiah

Psalms 9:3 — 3.While my enemies are turned back. In these words he assigns the reason why he undertakes to sing the praises of God, namely, because he acknowledges that his frequent victories had been achieved, not by his own power, nor by the power of his soldiers,

Numbers 14:26 — 26.And the Lord spoke unto Moses. (63) I have translated the copula by the word itaque (therefore,) to indicate the connection with what precedes: for Moses does not here recount anything new, but, by way of explanation, repeats a point of great importance, viz., that they, who had refused

Numbers 27:18 — such as intelligence. judgment, magnanimity, and skill in war: and the word “spirit” is used, in a different sense from that which it has just above, for that eminent and rare grace, which manifested itself in Joshua. For this metonymy (234) is a tolerably common figure in Scripture. The solemn rite of his consecration by the imposition of hands follows, respecting which I have treated so fully elsewhere, (235) that it is now superfluous to say much upon it. It was in use before the

Numbers 31:3 — 3.And Moses spake unto the people. There is no doubt but that Moses delivered the commands which he had received from God; although, therefore, it is stated (205) that only ten thousand went forth to the war, yet the facts themselves demonstrate that

Deuteronomy 29:19 — and if any one indulges in such intemperance, he adds the drunken to the thirsty, i e. , the madness of his own folly to unrestrained desire. רויה, ravah, however, is, in my opinion, used actively, as elsewhere. In Psalms 23:5, it is said, “My cup רויה, revayah, runneth over;” and, in like manner, in Psalms 66:12, a well-watered land (272) is expressed by the same word, because it abundantly moistens the corn and grass. It is very