Bishop Horne, however, very justly remarks, that “if the apostle's argument turned on the word ca, such an emendation might seem necessary. But that word is not essential to the argument, which seems to stand clear and full, whatever be the meaning of σῶμα κατηρτίσω μει. He might have added, that the apostle's argument would be complete, if these words were expunged, or if they had been omitted in the citation. Archbishop Secker was clearly of the same opinion. "It is not certain, says the Archbishop, that the apostle argues from the word cõμe at all. He quotes the translation of the LXX as he found it in his copy; lays a stress on what is in the Hebrew, but none on the rest; either knowing it not to be there, or being restrained, by the Spirit of God, from making use of it." See SECKER in Merrick's Appendix.

[C] Ver. 8, to execute thy gracious will;" literally, as Houbigant thinks, "to make an appeasement of thee,” i. e. to appease thee, or to make the expiation in which thou delightest. St Paul may seem to have perceived a particular allusion to the reconciliation made by Christ's sacrifice in the word, although the LXX perceived it not. At the same time, as Houbigant well observes, the particular interpretation of is not necessary to the apostle's argument; and the expression occurs in other places, where its sense is simply," to do thy will."

Q 3

[D] Ver. 12. mine iniquities." Aerumnae meae, says Houbigant; piously thinking that the person who speaks throughout this Psalm had no sins with which to charge himself. But since "God laid upon him the iniquities of us all," therefore the Messiah, when he is personated in the Psalms, perpetually calls those iniquities his own, of which he bore the punishment. The word, however, in the singular is used, as is observed by Pierce, for punishment. Gen. iv, 13, and xix, 15, and 2 Kings VII, 9.

[E] Ver. 15. They shall go off immediately with their due disgrace."-" Let them be desolate, for a reward of their shame." E. T.

66

By comparing this with the parallel place in Psalm LXX, and considering the version of the LXX, in both places, I have little doubt that the true reading for is 1, and that the phrase apy by, signifies, immediately. Statim reportabunt dedecus suum, 66 they shall immediately go off with shame;" or more literally, " carry off their shame." Bishop Lowth thinks the copies of the LXX gave N, which would render the same sense. Archbishop Secker is unwilling to admit that the phrase py by may signify statim. But upon that point the LXX, in my opinion, may be allowed to decide.

In this, and the preceding verse, the shame, confusion, and desolation to be brought upon the Jewish nation, in the first

instance, and ultimately upon the antichristian faction in the latter ages, is foretold. See BISHOP HORNE upon this Verse.

[F] Ver. 17. But I am poor," &c.-"Truly I am poor."E. T. The humanity of the Messiah speaks. And yet it seems hardly to suit the character of the Messiah, raised from the dead, (and in that character he appears in this Psalm), to say of himself that he was then "helpless and poor." We may apply, therefore, to this verse the remark which Bishop Horne, with less propriety, makes upon the 12th. "These words are uttered by our Lord, considering himself (for the primitive writers suppose him, in the Psalms, frequently to consider himself) as still suffering in his body mystical, the Church. After his ascension, when the members of that body were persecuted on earth, the head complained from Heaven, as sensible of the pain: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou ME?" Under the sense of these sufferings, he comforts himself with the reflection that Jehovah is not unmindful of him, and prays that he would not delay to complete the deliverance and triumph of the Church.

[G] This reading is found in eighteen MSS. and eight printed editions of Kennicott's Collation,

PSALM XLI.

[A] Ver. 1. the poor."-E. T.; rather, "him that is re

duced to poverty." The Hebrew

is literally," one exhaust

ed" of all he had, and so made poor.

Compare Phil. 11, 7.

[B] Ver. 2.

thou wilt not deliver him."-E. T

The LXX have the third person, un ragade. Their copies, therefore, gaven. But the present reading is as good, if the passage is to be taken, as the LXX render it, namely, as a prayer on behalf of the lowly one's friend.

[C] Ver. 3. the couch of langour."

The LXX

have iduns aus.

Their copies, therefore, gave

T with the

suffix 1,

[D] Ver. 4. for I have sinned against thee."-E. T. In this Psalm, the Messiah is the speaker, who, in his own person, was sinless. But the words may be rendered, “Surely Į bear blame before thee." Personam peccatoris apud te gero, So the word NU is used, Gen. XLIII, 9. Kennicott renders the sentence as a question: "Have I sinned against thee." But I much doubt the use of the particle

gative.

as an interro

[E] Ver. 8. Some cursed thing," &c. The copies of the LXX certainly gave p for p, and 12 for 2. But the reading of the modern text gives a good sense, so that any alteration of it seems unnecessary.

[F] Ver. 9. has practised the greatest treachery against me."-hath lifted up his heel against me." E. T. —Eμɛyáλv

ver in' que regioμóv. LXX. "Magnificavit super me supplanνεν ἐμε πτερνισμόν. tationem." Vulg. And to the same effect, Chaldee and Syriac. "Levavit contra me plantam." Hieronym. But I do not believe that the Hebrew verb ever signifies "to lift up.” The quotation of the text in St John, in these words, i tęwywv μετ ̓ ἐμᾶ τὸν ἄρτον ἐπῇρεν ἐπ ̓ ἐμὲ τὴν πτέρναν αὐτῶ, (John XIII, 18.) is no confirmation of St Jerom's rendering. For the Greek noun Tigva, like the Hebrew py, though literally it signifies the "heel,” signifies also, by a figure taken from racers or wrestlers, "a 6. a tripping up," dóλos, bλù. See STEPHAN. This, and St John's words, should be rendered, "He that eateth bread with me hath raised up a great plot against me." The verb izge, applied to regvav in this figurative sense, expressesthe raising of the plot to size and magnitude, numbers being engaged, and these, persons of power.

[G] Ver. 13. This thirteenth verse, having no particular connection with the subject of this Psalm, is thought, by Bishop Hare and Bishop Lowth, to have been added to it, at the time when the Psalter was divided into books, by him