Bible Commentaries

Psalms 107:10 — 10-16. Their sufferings were for their rebellion against ( :-) the words, or purposes, or promises, of God for their benefit. When humbled they cry to God, who delivers them from bondage, described as a dark dungeon with doors and bars of metal, in which they are bound in iron—that is, chains and fetters. shadow of death—darkness with danger (Psalms 23:4).

Psalms 110:4 — 4. The perpetuity of the priesthood, here asserted on God's oath, corresponds with that of the kingly office just explained. after the order— ( :-) after the similitude of Melchisedek, is fully expounded by Paul, to denote not only perpetuity, appointment of God, and a royal priesthood, but also the absence of priestly descent and succession, and superiority to the Aaronic order.

Psalms 114:4 — 4. skipped . . . rams— ( :-), describes the waving of mountain forests, poetically representing the motion of the mountains. The poetical description of the effect of God's presence on the sea and Jordan alludes to the history (Exodus 14:21; Joshua 3:14-17). Judah is put as a parallel to Israel, because of the destined, as well as real, prominence of that tribe.

Psalms 126:4 — 4. All did not return at once; hence the prayer for repeated favors. as the streams in the south—or, the torrents in the desert south of Judea, dependent on rain (Joshua 15:9), reappearing after dry seasons (compare Job 6:15; Psalms 68:9). The point of comparison is joy at the reappearing of what has been so painfully missed.

Psalms 4 overview — PSALM 4 :-. On Neginoth, that is, stringed instruments, as the kind of musical accompaniment. On other parts of title, see :-, The historical occasion was probably the same as that of the foregoing [see on :-]. The writer, praying for further relief, admonishes his enemies of the vanity of attacking God's servant, exhorts them to repentance, and avows his confidence and peace in God's favor.

Ecclesiastes 5:9 — 9. "The profit (produce) of the earth is (ordained) for (the common good of) all: even the king himself is served by (the fruits of) the field" ( :-). Therefore the common Lord of all, high and low, will punish at last those who rob the "poor" of their share in it (Proverbs 22:22; Proverbs 22:23; Amos 8:4-7).

Song of Solomon 2:2 — 2. Jesus Christ to the Bride (Matthew 10:16; John 15:19; 1 John 5:19). Thorns, equivalent to the wicked (2 Samuel 23:6; Psalms 57:4). daughters—of men, not of God; not "the virgins." "If thou art the lily of Jesus Christ, take heed lest by impatience, rash judgments, and pride, thou thyself become a thorn" [LUTHER].

Song of Solomon 7:6 — 6. Nearer advance of the daughters to the Church (Acts 2:47; Acts 5:13, end). Love to her is the first token of love to Him (Acts 5:13- :, end). delights—fascinating charms to them and to the King (Song of Solomon 7:5; Isaiah 62:4, Hephzi-bah). Hereafter, too (Zephaniah 3:17; Malachi 3:12; Revelation 21:9).

Isaiah 27:11 — 11. boughs . . . broken off—so the Jews are called (Romans 11:17; Romans 11:19; Romans 11:20). set . . . on fire—burn them as fuel; "women" are specified, as probably it was their office to collect fuel and kindle the fire for cooking. no understanding—as to the ways of God (Deuteronomy 32:28; Deuteronomy 32:29; Jeremiah 5:21; Hosea 4:6).

Isaiah 40:21 — 21. ye—who worship idols. The question emphatically implies, they had known. from the beginning— (Isaiah 41:4; Isaiah 41:26; Isaiah 48:16). God is the beginning (Revelation 1:8). The tradition handed down from the very first, of the creation of all things by God at the beginning, ought to convince you of His omnipotence and of the folly of idolatry.

Isaiah 41:18 — 18. Alluding to the waters with which Israel was miraculously supplied in the desert after having come out of Egypt. high places—bare of trees, barren, and unwatered (Jeremiah 4:11; Jeremiah 14:6). "High places . . . valleys" spiritually express that in all circumstances, whether elevated or depressed, God's people will have refreshment for their souls, however little to be expected it might seem.

Isaiah 41:4 — 4. Who—else but God? calling . . . generations from . . . beginning—The origin and position of all nations are from God (Deuteronomy 32:8; Acts 17:26); what is true of Cyrus and his conquests is true of all the movements of history from the first; all are from God. with the last—that is, the last (Isaiah 44:6; Isaiah 48:12).

Isaiah 5:3 — 3. And now, c.—appeal of God to themselves, as in Isaiah 1:18 Micah 6:3. So Jesus Christ, in Matthew 21:40; Matthew 21:41, alluding in the very form of expression to this, makes them pass sentence on themselves. God condemns sinners "out of their own mouth" (Deuteronomy 32:6; Job 15:6; Luke 19:22; Romans 3:4).

Isaiah 54:4 — 4. (Isaiah 41:10; Isaiah 41:14). shame of thy youth—Israel's unfaithfulness as wife of Jehovah, almost from her earliest history. reproach of widowhood—Israel's punishment in her consequent dismissal from God and barrenness of spiritual children in Babylon and her present dispersion (Isaiah 54:1; Isaiah 49:21; Jeremiah 3:24; Jeremiah 3:25; Jeremiah 31:19; Hosea 2:2-5).

Jeremiah 18:20 — 20. In the particulars here specified, Jeremiah was a type of Jesus Christ (Psalms 109:4; Psalms 109:5; John 15:25). my soul—my life; me (John 15:25- :). I stood before thee . . . to turn away thy wrath—so Moses (John 15:25- :; compare Ezekiel 22:30). So Jesus Christ, the antitype of previous partial intercessors (Ezekiel 22:30- :).

Jeremiah 19:4 — 4. ( :-). estranged this place—devoted it to the worship of strange gods: alienating a portion of the sacred city from God, the rightful Lord of the temple, city, and whole land. nor their fathers—namely, the godly among them; their ungodly fathers God makes no account of. blood of innocents—slain in honor of Molech (Jeremiah 7:31; Psalms 106:37).

Jeremiah 22:3 — 3. Jehoiakim is meant here especially: he, by oppression, levied the tribute imposed on him by Pharaoh-necho, king of Egypt ( :-), and taxed his people, and took their labor without pay, to build gorgeous palaces for himself ( :-), and shed innocent blood, for example, that of Urijah the prophet (Jeremiah 26:20-24; 2 Kings 23:35; 2 Kings 24:4).

Jeremiah 50:8 — 8. (Jeremiah 51:6; Jeremiah 51:45; Isaiah 48:20; Zechariah 2:6; Zechariah 2:7; Revelation 18:4). Immediately avail yourselves of the opportunity of escape. be as . . . he-goats before . . . flocks—Let each try to be foremost in returning, animating the weak, as he-goats lead the flock; such were the companions of Ezra (Ezra 1:5; Ezra 1:6).

Lamentations 1:11 — 11. (Jeremiah 37:21; Jeremiah 38:9; Jeremiah 52:6). given . . . pleasant things for meat— (2 Kings 6:25; Job 2:4). relieve . . . soul—literally, "to cause the soul or life to return." for I am become vile—Her sins and consequent sorrows are made the plea in craving God's mercy. Compare the like plea in Psalms 25:11. Lamed.

Ezekiel 10:12 — 12. body—literally, "flesh," because a body consists of flesh. wheels . . . full of eyes—The description (Ezekiel 1:18) attributes eyes to the "wheels" alone; here there is added, on closer observation, that the cherubim themselves had them. The "eyes" imply that God, by His wisdom, beautifully reconciles seeming contrarieties (compare 2 Chronicles 16:9; Proverbs 15:3; Zechariah 4:10).