PSALM XX.

,TO THE GIVER OF VICTORY למנצח מזמור לדוד.

AN ODE OF DAVID.

THE CHURCH'S TRUST IN GOD'S PROTECTION OF THE MESSIAH.

Ver. 5. We will rejoice in thy salvation;" rather, "Let us rejoice," or, "We shall rejoice for the deliverance of thee." -set up our banners." μeyaλuvoncóuela. LXX. It should seem that, for 272, they read ; which Houbigant and Bishop Lowth approve. But I see no sufficient reason for altering the text. The sense is, 66 we will take the field against our enemies, in full reliance upon God's assistance."

Ver. 6.with the saving strength of his right hand;" literally, "In powers [or in strengths], salvation of his right hand.” Ἐν δυνασείαις σωτηρία τῆς δεξιᾶς αὐτῇ. LXX.that is, "In all situations of power and strength, whatever a man's natural means of deliverance may be, his preservation must be the work of God's right hand." This seems to be the best exposition of this line, which is a clause by itself, not a part of the preceding sentence. is a noun substantive, the subject of the verb substantive understood. The chariots and horses mentioned in the next verse are expositive of 2)

in this line; and all that follows of the Psalm is an amplifi

cation of this general sentiment.

Ver. 8.

-remember the name."

But " we, in the name of Jehovah, of our God, will acquire reputation;" or, "make ourselves remembered." If the verb may bear this sense, as it should seem it naturally may, there is no necessity to change it for 2, which Bishop Lowth proposes upon the authority of the LXX.

Ver. 9. Save Lord, let the king," &c.; rather, "Jehovah hath saved the king, and will," &c.

PSALM XXI.

למנצח מזמור לדוד.

[A] Ver. 4. Or, "the extent of days."

tion.

"the extent of days." I suspect that TN is a phrase for the whole extent of infinite dura

[B] Ver. 6. "Thou hast gladdened him with the joy [that is] with thy presence;" i. e. "with thyself," according to the frequent import of ". See Exodus xxxiii, 14, 15.

[C] Ver. 8.

-thy right hand," &c. Dr Kennicott

found in one MS. which he esteemed of high authority,

This reading makes a similarity of .ימינך תמצא לכל שנאיך

construction in the two parallel lines.

2

[D] Ver. 9. Thou shalt make them like a furnace of fire," &c. Dr. Kennicott, in three MSS. if not in four, for 2, found. But the common reading seems preferable.

describes the smoke of the Messiah's enemies perishing by

fire, ascending like the smoke of a furnace.

their torment shall ascend for ever and ever."

"The smoke of

—————in the time of thine anger;" E. T. more literally, "in the time of thine appearance;" that is, referring the promise to the Messiah, "in the time of thy manifestation." The promise is, that, when the Messiah, after his humiliation, should be exalted, and his glory displayed to the world, then his enemies should be destroyed.

[E] Ver. 12. Therefore thou shalt make them turn their backs," &c. In defence of this sense of DDV, see Merrick's Annotations,

-a steady aim." I take to be a technical term of archery, to express the act of taking aim at a particular object. See Psalm vii, 13.

[A] Ver. 1.burden of my loud complaint;"-the words of my roaring," E. T. From the version of the LXX,

*

שנואותי their copies had שאגתי it should seem, that for

The text, as it now stands, may be thus rendered as in my translation: b

My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken. me?

Withdrawing thyself from helping me, is the burthen of my loud complaint.

i. e. This expostulation is my constant complaint; "77 INW. So 77 the burthen of the song, i. e. the universal cry. Judges v, 12.

[B] Ver. 2. - -no relief is given me;" " and am not silent," E. T. Rather, "and am not silenced;" literally, "there is no silencing for me;" nothing is done to give me ease. Sensus est, nihil solatii eum sentire, quod ejus animum tranquillet. Cocceius.

[C] Ver. 3." But thou, inhabiting holiness, the praise of

Israel."-" Inhabitest holiness," a phrase not unlike that of the Platonists, by which they describe the immutability of the Father, ο μένων ἐν ἑαυτό ἤθει.

-the praise of Israel;" i. e. the theme of Israel's praise. Σὺ δὲ ἐν ἁγίῳ κατοικεῖς, ὁ ἔπαινος τῇ Ισραήλ. LXX.

[D] Ver. 13. ——like the ravening, roaring lion." Bishop Hare's emendation, for is confirmed by the LXX, Jerome, Vulgate, and the MS. 530, collated by Bruns at Bononia.

[E] Ver. 14. The verb, 5, I apprehend, describes the state of fluidity, which is an image for that state of extreme debility, in which the frame has no power to support itself.

[F] Ver. 16. "Truly many dogs surround me." 'Ori ixúxpwarœv pè, xúves moddo. LXX. Bishop Hare would read,

.רבים

[G] Ver. 17. "I may tell;" ngilunoav. LXX. —“and stare.” xai śmiïdov. LXX; they read therefore,

[H] Ver. 20. My UNITED ONE;". This seems to denote the humanity of Christ in union with the divinity. "Quod animam unicam pro charâ et pretiosâ quidam accipiunt, non convenit: quia potius significat inter tot mortes nihil sibi opis in toto mundo offerri. Sicut eodem sensu,