Ver. 3. — hath set apart him that is godly for himself.” Him that is godly, rather, a godly one. -for himself. Bishop Hare for reads ; and renders the passage thus" mirificavit Jah misericordiam suam mihi." Bishop Lowth thinks the emendation probable. It seems to me, however, that no emendation is necessary, and that Bishop Hare's is for the worse, according to the present reading of the preceding verse, which Bishop Hare retains; but if the Septuagint-reading of that verse, which Bishop Lowth approves, be adopted, then the pronoun of the third person is preferable here. Bishop Hare's alteration is justified by none of the ancient versions. The two verses, according to the Septuagint reading, are to this effect: Ye sons of men, why are ye slow of understanding? Why love ye vanity, and seek-after untruth? But know, that Jehovah hath set-apart for himself a-godly-oneJehovah will hear me when I call unto him: which is very good sense, but certainly not preferable to that which the Hebrew text gives as it stands. --"Jehovah hath set apart for himself a godly one," &c. Know, there is a certain godly person who has a particular interest with Jehovah, and through this interest I am heard.-" Setapart." The Hebrew verb signifies to distinguish and mark one or more out of a multitude, by particular privileges and prerogatives. Ver. 4. "Stand in awe," rather, "Be ye angry;" or, if a low word might be used, "grumble." The Hebrew verb expresses the angry murmurings of the factious and discontented. This and the following verse are addressed to the idolatrous faction, supposed to be vexed and enraged at the prerogatives of the Godly One, and to murmur at the interest of his prayers to the exclusion of all others. However you may dislike this arrangement, says the Psalmist, it is my advice to you to smother your resentment, and if secretly you murmur, sin not; let not your dissatisfaction carry you to any acts of open rebellion. Consider the matter coolly in your own minds, in private, and be still. And when, by sober reflection, you have brought yourselves to this temper of submission, then come and offer the sacrifices of righteousness, unite with the righteous in that worship which God requires, and refractory and impious as hitherto you have been, yet thus changed, put your trust in Jehovah. Ver. 6. and 7.-lift up the light.". -Thou hast put gladness." I, from a firm trust in the final deliverance, feel a secret joy, beyond any satisfaction that the worldly-minded can receive, from the annual increase of his perishable store. O Jehovah, show some public signal of thy favour, that the adverse faction may no longer insult our depressed condition, as though we were abandoned of thee, and given up without help or hope to their persecution. Compare Ps. III, 2, 3. Ver. 8. I will both"- rather, at once." I am asleep the moment I am laid down. Bp. Lowth. PSALM V. [TITLE-TO THE GIVER OF VICTORY. A PSALM OF DAVID.] UPON THE FLUTES. [A] Ver. 1. my sighing." I am in doubt whether the Hebrew word be used, in this place, to denote the internal desire of the mind, in opposition to ", the words uttered in the former branch of the verse, or for a prayer, uttered sotto voce, like the private prayer usually said by every person before he take his seat in church, or for the internal motion of the mind toward God, uttered only in sighs and groans sevayμois åræλntois, Rom. VIII, 26. Jerome renders it by the Latin word murmur, the LXX. by the Greek word guys; but the root describes indeed a rumination of the mind, but properly as accompanied with some external sound. It rather, I think, denotes the signification of some strong affection of the mind, in inarticulate sounds, than in words. Perhaps, therefore, the best rendering of this line would be thus: Give ear, O Jehovah, to my words, [B] Ver. 3. direct my prayer unto thee," Eng. Trans. rather, set-every-thing-in-order before thee,” i. e. upon the altar, as was the duty of his office. See Mudge. and will look up," E. T. rather, and will look out for thee," or "watch for thee," i. e. watch for some usual signal of God's favour; some appearance in the flame of the sacrifice, or a ray of the Sheckinah issuing from the sanctuary. I apprehend that the dative serves for both the verbs TN and EN. Nothing is more frequent in the Psalms, than that two verbs should have a common casual noun. The passage cannot be rendered intelligibly in our language without a repetition of the pronoun, because the preposition before will not give the true sense after the verb watch, nor the preposition for after the verb set-in-order. [C] Ver. 4. the nouns wickedness evil" E. T. I think and in this place rather render, "a wicked person," and an "evil person," than wickedness and evil. Truly thou art not a God that delighteth in a wicked person, The priest admitted to lodge within the precincts of the temple, was, as it were, God's guest, entertained in God's own house. From this privilege of being lodged in God's true house, typified by the Mosaic temple, every evil person is excluded. [D] Ver. 7. -—come —— worship." The verbs in the original are in the future form. But I think a translator's rule should be to express the Hebrew future, by the future or the present, as may best suit the sense. The force of the future here is to express, not the man's design but his privilege, and his constant practice." I shall come," that is, I may come, or am permitted to come.-I enjoy the privilege from which the persons described in the two preceding verses are excluded. [E] Ver. 9.- no constancy.". Bishop Hare imagines that the word no faithfulness." E. T. has been lost between for a passive verb, which, as the נכונה taking נכונה and בפיהו text stands, hath no subject. But why may not be a noun substantive signifying sincerity, uprightness, veracity, and the verb substantive be understood? It is thus that Cocceius explains the passage, and the version of the LXX. seems to countenance his exposition. The English word constancy, which was used in the old translation, is far preferable to faithfulness. · [F]- - they flatter with their tongue." E. T. The word to smooth, is used in our language, in a manner exactly expressive of the Hebrew metaphor, as our translators, at least, understood it. We say, to smooth a man over with the tongue. This is, indeed, the Hebrew phrase in English words. But |