Psalms 138:1--145:21
David <01732> [A.M. 3485. B.C. 519. (Title.) A Psalm of David.]
Five MSS. omit {ledawid;} and the LXX. and Arabic prefix also the names of Haggai and Zechariah; and it is probable that it was composed to be sung at the dedication of the second temple.
give you thanks <03034> [I will praise.]
heart <03820> [with my whole.]
The versions and several MSS. add Jehovah.
heavenly assembly <0430> [before.]
heavenly assembly <0430> [the gods. Or, God. Elohim.]
holy <06944> [toward.]
give thanks <03034> [and praise.]
exalted <01431> [for thou hast.]
When <03117> [In the day.]
made ... bold <07292> [strengthenedst.]
kings <04428> [All the kings.]
hear <08085> [when they hear.]
sing <07891> [they shall.]
deeds ....... magnificent <01419> [for great.]
Lord <03068> [Though.]
recognizes ... proud <01364> [but the proud.]
from far away <04801> [afar off.]
<03212> [Though I walk.]
revive <02421> [thou wilt.]
oppose <07971> [thou shalt stretch.]
right <03225> [and thy right.]
avenges <01584> [perfect.]
loyal love <02617> [thy mercy.]
abandon <07503> [forsake.]
psalm <04210> [A.M. 2956. B.C. 1048. (Title.) A Psalm.]
This Psalm is supposed to have been composed by David when made king of Israel; though some think it was written by him when accused of traitorous designs against Saul. It is a most sublime ode on the wisdom, knowledge, presence, and justice of God: the sentiments are grand, the style highly elevated, and the images various, beautiful, and impressive.
examine <02713> [thou hast.]
know <03045> [knowest.]
understand <0995> [understandest.]
far <07350> [afar off.]
carefully observe <02219> [compassest. or, winnowest.]
travel <0734> [my path.]
aware <05532> [and art acquainted.]
word <04405> [there is not.]
aware <03045> [thou knowest.]
squeeze ..... behind .... front <06696 0268> [beset me.]
place <07896> [and laid.]
knowledge <01847> [knowledge.]
ascend <05266> [I ascend.]
Sheol <07585> [in hell.]
fly <05375> [If I take.]
Light has been proved, by many experiments, to travel at the astonishing rate of 194,188 miles in one second of time; and comes from the sun to the earth, a distance of 95,513,794 miles in 8 minutes and nearly 12 seconds! But, could I even fly upon the wings or rays of the morning light, which diffuses itself with such velocity over the globe from east to west, instead of being beyond Thy reach, or by this sudden transition be able to escape Thy notice, Thy arm could still at pleasure prevent or arrest my progress, and I should still be encircled with the immensity of Thy essence. The sentiment in this noble passage is remarkably striking and the description truly sublime.
wings <03671> [the wings.]
settle <07931> [dwell.]
darkness <02822> [Surely.]
night <03915> [even the night.]
darkness .................. darkness <02822 02825> [the darkness.]
dark ........ night <02821 03915> [hideth not. Heb. darkeneth not. the darkness, etc. Heb. as is the darkness, so is the light.]
made <07069> [For thou.]
wove ...... mother's <05526 0517> [covered me.]
<03372> [for I am fearfully.]
amazing <06381> [marvellous.]
thoroughly <03966> [right well. Heb. greatly.]
hidden <06108> [substance. or, strength, or body. when I.]
depths <08482> [in the lowest.]
scroll <05612> [in thy book.]
recorded <03789> [all my members. Heb. all of them. which in continuance were fashioned. or, what days they should be fashioned.]
fathom <03365> [precious.]
vast <06105> [how great.]
grains <07235> [they are more.]
counting <06974> [when I awake.]
kill <06991> [Surely.]
Get away ..... violent <05493 01818> [depart from.]
rebel <0559> [for they speak.]
enemies <06145> [thine.]
hate .... hate <08130> [Do not I.]
despise <06962> [and am not.]
absolutely hate <08130 08503> [hate them.]
Examine <02713 0410> [Search me.]
probe ....... know <03045> [know.]
See <07200> [And see.]
tendency ........... path <01870 06090> [wicked way. Heb. way of pain, or grief.]
lead <05148> [and lead.]
path <01870> [the way.]
rescue <02502> [A.M. 2942. B.C. 1062. Deliver.]
men ..... violent men <0120 0376 02555> [violent man. Heb. man of violences.]
plan <02803> [imagine.]
day <03117> [continually.]
<08150> [sharpened.]
serpent <05175> [like a serpent.]
viper's <05919> [adders.]
Lord shelter <08104 03068> [Keep me.]
Protect <05341> [preserve.]
knock ... over <01760> [overthrow.]
Proud <01343> [The proud.]
say .... Lord ....... Lord <0559 03068> [I said unto.]
pay attention <0238> [hear.]
strong <05797> [the strength.]
shield <05526> [thou hast covered.]
Lord .... let <05414 03068> [Grant not.]
succeed ..... Selah <07311 05542> [lest they exalt themselves. or, let them not be exalted.]
harm done <05999> [let the mischief.]
coals <01513> [burning coals.]
throw <05307> [let them.]
bottomless pits <04113> [into deep.]
Let not, etc. or, Let not an evil speaker a wicked man of violence be established in the earth: let him be hunted to his overthrow.
slanderer .............. man <0376> [an evil speaker. Heb. a man of tongue.]
slanderer ........ calamity ....... man <0376 07451> [evil.]
Lord <03068> [the Lord.]
godly <06662> [Surely.]
upright <03477> [the upright.]
quickly <02363> [A.M. 2946. B.C. 1058. make haste.]
prayer <08605> [Let my prayer.]
David, who was now driven from Judea, and far from the sanctuary, here prays that the devotion of his heart, and the elevation of his hands, might be accepted; that the one might ascend to heaven fragrant and well pleasing as the cloud of incense, and the other, in conjunction with it, be prevalent as the {minchah,} or evening oblation.
accept <03559> [set forth. Heb. directed.]
incense <07004> [as incense.]
uplifted <04864> [the lifting.]
evening <06153> [the evening.]
guard <07896 08108> [Set a watch.]
participate <05186 03820> [Incline not.]
let me ...... participate <05953> [to practise.]
eat <03898> [and let me.]
godly <06662> [the righteous.]
strike <01986> [smite, etc. or, smite me kindly and reprove me; let not their precious oil break my head, etc. for yet my.]
judges <08199> [When their judges.]
listen <08085> [they shall hear.]
pleasant <05276> [for they.]
bones <06106> [bones.]
looking <05869> [mine eyes.]
expose .... danger <06168 05315> [leave not my soul destitute. Heb. make not my soul bare.]
<03027> [from the snares.]
wicked <07563> [the wicked.]
<05674> [escape. Heb. pass over.]
well-written song ... David <04905 01732> [A.M. 2942. B.C. 1062. (Title.) Maschil of David. or, A]
Psalm of David giving instruction.
prayer <08605> [A Prayer.]
David was twice in great peril in caves: on one occasion, in the cave of Adullam, when he fled from Achish king of Gath; and on another, in the cave of Engedi, where he had taken refuge from the pursuit of Saul. It is not certain to which of these events this Psalm refers; though probably to the former.
cave <04631> [when he was.]
cry out ...... plead <06963> [with my voice.]
pour out <08210> [poured out.]
tell <05046> [I shewed.]
strength <07307> [my spirit.]
watch <03045> [then thou.]
path <0734> [In the way.]
Look <05027> [I looked, etc. or, Look on the right hand and see. but there was.]
run <04498> [refuge.]
nowhere ....... concerned about <06 01875> [failed me. no man cared for my soul. Heb. perished from me; no man sought after my soul.]
shelter <04268> [Thou art.]
security <02506> [my portion.]
land <0776> [in the land.]
trouble <01809> [for I am.]
stronger <0553> [for they.]
I <05315> [my soul.]
godly <06662> [the righteous.]
vindicate <01580> [thou shalt.]
psalm <04210> [(Title.) A Psalm.]
The LXX., Vulgate, Ethiopic, and Arabic state that this Psalm was composed by David on the rebellion of his son Absalom; and there are several passages in it which agree remarkably well with that period; for then he had most reason to fear lest God should deal with him according to his sins; which he deprecates with such a deep sense of his unworthiness, that it has hence been numbered among the penitential Psalms, of which it is the last. In it he prays to God for pardon, ver. 1; acknowledges the impossibility of being saved but by grace, ver. 2; deplores the lamentable effects of sin, ver. 3, 4; comforts himself with a retrospect of God's mercies of old, ver. 5; and prays, in a variety of expressions, for remission of sin, sanctification, and redemption, ver. 6-12.
faithfulness <0530> [thy faithfulness.]
sit ... judgment <0935 04941> [enter not.]
before <06440> [in thy sight.]
enemies <0341> [the enemy.]
smash <01792> [smitten.]
live <03427> [made me.]
me <07307> [is my spirit.]
shocked <03820> [my heart.]
recall <02142> [remember.]
spread <06566> [stretch forth.]
soul <05315> [my soul.]
Answer ... quickly <06030 04118> [Hear me.]
strength <07307> [my spirit.]
reject <05641 06440> [hide not.]
join <04911> [lest I be like, etc. or, for I am become like, etc. unto them.]
hear <08085> [to hear.]
hear .............. Show <08085 03045> [cause me.]
long for you <05375> [for I lift.]
protection <03680> [flee unto thee. Heb. hide me with thee.]
Teach <03925> [Teach.]
<0430> [for thou art.]
presence <07307> [thy spirit.]
land <0776> [the land.]
revive <02421> [Quicken.]
justice <06666> [for thy righteousness.]
<03318> [bring.]
loyal love <02617> [of thy mercy.]
servant <05650> [for I am thy.]
David <01732> [(Title.) A Psalm of David.]
Calmet and others think that this Psalm was composed by David after the death of Absalom; and from a collation of it with Ps 18, in which the same ideas and form of expression occur, there can be no doubt of both having proceeded from the same pen, and that David was the author.
protector <06697> [my strength. Heb. my rock.]
trains <03925> [teacheth.]
battle <07128> [to war. or, to the war, etc.]
loves <02617> [My goodness. or, mercy. my fortress.]
submit <07286> [who subdueth.]
human <0120> [what is man.]
mankind <01121> [or the son.]
People <0120> [Man.]
days <03117> [his days.]
sink <05186> [Bow.]
Touch <05060> [touch.]
Hurl <01299> [Cast forth.]
Shoot <07971> [shoot out.]
Reach <07971> [Send.]
from .............. power <03027> [hand. Heb. hands. deliver me.]
from .............. power <03027> [the hand.]
<06310> [mouth.]
<03225> [their right hand.]
sing ... new <02319 07891> [sing a new.]
instrument <05035> [upon.]
<05414> [that giveth.]
delivers <08668> [salvation. or, victory.]
<06475> [who delivereth.]
rescue ..... power <05337 03027> [and deliver me.]
plants <05195> [as plants.]
corner pillars <02106> [as corner stones.]
carved <02404> [polished. Heb. cut. the similitude.]
storehouses <04200> [our garners.]
all kinds <02177> [all manner of store. Heb. from kind to kind. our sheep.]
weighted down <05445> [strong to labour. Heb. able to bear burdens, or loaden with flesh. no breaking in.]
[yea, happy.]
David <01732> [A.M. 2989. B.C. 1015. (Title.) David's.]
This incomparable song of praise, which is the last of the acrostic or alphabetical Psalms, each verse beginning with a consecutive letter of the Hebrew alphabet, is supposed to have been composed by David towards the close of his life.
praise <08416> [Psalm of praise.]
I ... extol <07311 0430> [extol thee.]
<0430> [my God.]
praise <01288> [I will bless.]
day <03117> [Every day.]
great <01419> [Great.]
fathom ... greatness <01420 02714> [and his greatness is unsearchable. Heb. and of his greatness there is no search.]
One generation <01755> [generation.]
focus on <07878> [will speak.]
deeds <01697> [works. Heb. things, or, words.]
proclaim <0559> [And men.]
declare ... great deeds <01420 05608> [I will declare thy greatness. Heb. thy greatness I will declare it.]
kindness <05042> [abundantly.]
sing <07442> [sing.]
Lord ... merciful <02587 03068> [Lord is gracious.]
great loyal love <02617 01419> [of great mercy. Heb. great in mercy.]
good <02896> [good.]
he has made <04639> [All thy.]
loyal followers <02623> [and thy saints.]
splendor <03519> [the glory.]
so that .... acknowledge <03045> [make known.]
kingdom ..... kingdom <04438> [kingdom.]
kingdom .... eternal kingdom <04438 05769> [everlasting kingdom. Heb. kingdom of all ages.]
supports <05564> [upholdeth.]
lifts <02210> [raiseth up.]
looks <05869> [The eyes.]
anticipation .... provide <07663 05414> [wait upon thee. or, look unto thee.]
open <06605> [openest.]
just <06662> [righteous.]
exhibits love <02623> [holy. or, merciful, or bountiful.]
near .... cry ....... cry <07138 07121> [nigh unto.]
cry ....... cry ..... sincerely <07121 0571> [call upon.]
<06213> [fulfil.]
hears <08085> [he also will.]
protects <08104> [preserveth.]
wicked <07563> [all the wicked.]
mouth <06310> [My mouth.]
live <01320> [let all flesh.]
