The soul stands for the entire personality, || all that is within me], the entire being, "with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might," Dt. 65. The object of blessing is Yahweh Himself, especially as manifested in His holy name], majestically sacred and so to be hallowed, cf. 332 105 1067 145.-forget not] a Deuteronomic warning, Dt. 612 811, taken by Israel to himself, lest he should neglect grateful recognition of His benefits], literally dealings, which in their enumeration as the theme of the Ps. are all benefits. Str. II. Synth. tetrastich. -3-5. The ptcs. express the continuous characteristic activities of Yahweh in dealing with His people. All through their past history He has been pardoning all their iniquity, cf. Ex. 347, healing all their diseases, cf. Ex. 156, redeeming the life of the nation from the Pit of Sheol into which they had gone, in exile, and to which they had been so often exposed through their cruel and all-powerful enemies, cf. Ho. 1314 Ps. 94. The whole is summed up in: Who satisfieth thee with good things so long as thou livest], for thus this difficult sentence may be translated. Yahweh had not only preserved His people alive, but had bestowed upon them good things continuously during the entire life of the nation. The translation of EV., "who satisfieth thy mouth with good things," is based on the interpretation of some ancient Jewish scholars; and, though followed by many, is now generally abandoned. "Thy desire" of G, H, whether based on a different Heb. word or a different interpretation of the same word, has its advocates. T," days of thine old age," followed by JPSV., is nearer to the true interpretation. The previous line, who crowneth thee with kindness and compassion] is a gloss of interpretation, cf. 85, for the figure of speech. Kindness and compassion are the characteristic attributes of the Ps. An additional gloss is taken from Is. 401: so that thy youth reneweth itself like an eagle]. It is doubtful whether there is an allusion to the fable of the eagle's renewing its youth in old age; but at all events it is the fulness of life and vigour of the eagle that is thought of. Str. III. Two syn. couplets. — 6–7. A doer of acts of righteousness || acts of judgment for all the oppressed]. These were His ways His deeds, which He used to make known to Moses || to the sons of Israel, when He delivered His oppressed people from Egypt, and subsequently from all their enemies. Str. IV. Two syn. couplets. — 8-9. He strives not alway || He maintains not forever] not always expressing His anger, as Is. 5716; not forever maintaining it, as Je. 312. This double statement of the divine long-suffering suggests the fundamental revelation of it to Moses Ex. 34°, which was then prefixed by a glossator: compassionate and gracious is Yahweh, slow to anger and abundant in mercy. -10. Not according to our sins || our iniquities], those of the nation in its history, past as well as present, doth He do to us || deal to us], taking up the theme stated in v.2, the divine dealings or benefits. He doth not give us our deserts, in letting loose His anger against us for sins. Str. V. Two similes.-11. As high as heaven is above the earth], cf. Is. 5589, the greatest height conceivable. — mighty], in reach from the height of heaven, is His kindness], in the pardon of sin, upon us], descending and resting upon us. A glossator, thinking that the statement was too sweeping, substitutes for "upon us" of the original, the more limited statement, upon those that fear Him"; so also in v. 136. 176, against the measure.-12. As far as the East is removed from the West], the utmost conceivable distance in breadth,- He doth remove our transgressions from us]. The removal of sin to the utmost possible distance away from the sinner and away from the divine presence is a syn. idea to pardon and forgiveness, which in Hebrew is properly the taking it up and bearing it away as a burden from the sacred places where God and His people meet in communion, cf. Is. 3817 Mi. 719. Str. VI. A couplet of simile, and a syn. couplet, giving its reason.-13. As a father hath compassion upon sons]. Compassion is the paternal form of mercy, implying a sympathetic fellow feeling with the sufferer. Yahweh is here compared to a father in His attitude toward Israel, cf. Ex. 422-23 Ho. 11.-14. For He knoweth our frame]. He knoweth it because He framed it, referring to Gn. 27, the forming of the frame of Adam out of the dust of the ground, as is evident from the || Remembereth that we are dust, made of dust and doomed to return to dust, Gn. 319. Str. VII. A syn. couplet of simile, with an antithetical syn. couplet. 15. Man], emphatic in position, because a charac : teristic of humanity is to be mentioned, -as grass are his days], so brief, so transient, cf. 905-6 || as a blossom of the field, so he blossometh], cf. Jb. 142. This statement is enlarged upon by a glossator, who introduces from Is. 4067:-16. When the wind passeth over it, then it is no more], the scorching, withering south wind; and from Jb. 710 and the place thereof knoweth it no more. 17. In antithesis, from everlasting and unto everlasting, and so through the entire interval are existing and acting the kindness of Yahweh His righteousness, which latter, here, as usual, must be His vindicatory, redemptive righteousness. The glossator who limited v." 116-136 by adding, "them that fear Him," did the same here; and to this a still further limitation in a legalistic direction based on Ex. 206, and using the late legal term of Pss. 19o 1117 1191+2 18. To them that keep His covenant, and to them that remember His precepts to do them]. The Maccabean editor made the following addition to the Ps. to make it more suitable for public worship: t. : IN heaven He hath established His throne; And His kingdom ruleth over all. Bless ye Yahweh, His angels, His mighty ones that do His word. His ministers that do His pleasure. This liturgical addition has two Strs. of the same measure and formation as the Ps. itself, all synth. couplets, but the last three syn. with each other.-19-22. In heaven], emphatic in position, - He hath established His throne], set it up, and made it firm and permanent, and therefore, - His kingdom ruleth over all], beneath the heavens and within the heavens. Accordingly the summons goes forth to all to unite in adoration, - His angels || His mighty ones that do His word], enlarged by a glossator who inserted, "in power," and by an additional line, "hearkening to the voice of His word," the one at the expense of the measure, the other a duplicate making the Str. too long, His host], the angels, conceived as an organised army, cf. 1482 Is. 242,- His ministers that do His pleasure], the angels, conceived as faithful ministerial servants, prompt to do the sovereign will. To these are added: All His works], the entire creation here personified, || in all places of His dominion], throughout the entire heavens and earth, everywhere. The whole Ps. concludes with a liturgical addition most suitable for public worship, however much it disturbs the poetical construction: Bless Yahweh, O my soul. σου, .125 .24 .15.prosaic addition ; so v אֶת [את יהוה .1 ·2. ap] 6 wáoas Tàs alvéσeis avтoû interp. as praise rendered to God; as benefits, the usual translation, is an interp. of what God renders to His creatures. The more general mng. is dealings (284). 45 is an intensive gl. — 3. '>(`)] Aramaic sf. in assonance at the close of each 1. of Str., also with vbs. — † o‘xbnn] diseases, elsw. Dt. 2921 2 Ch. 2119 Je. 1418 164. Aramaism for . -4b without the assonance is a gl., interpreting 5 a.—5.7] is dub. Tǹv émiovulav desiderium tuum, Tpr days of thine old age, so JPSV. 3 bonis ornamentum tuum, S. It is usual to interpret y ornament as syn. 1 and referring to the D; but as there is no other such usage, it is improbable. The parall. suggests so long as thou livest, as 10433 1462. The of these passages may have been omitted by haplog.-] Hithp. a.λ. G ȧvakaivio@hσeral; the change of form from ptc. indicates that the 1. is gl. from Is. 4031.-] n.m. eagle or griffon, vulture, as Dt. 3211+.. 7. vabby] cf. 912, § тà Beλýμata avτoû prob. paraphrase. — 8 is gl. from Ex. 346.-9.] Qal impf. †[] vb. (1) maintain anger, Lv. 1918 Na. 12 Am. 111 Je. 35.12; (2) keep safely, vineyard Ct. 16.6 811. 12. — 10. wbp bp] makes 1. too long; late style for sf. wha, cf. 75 1821, which latter was doubtless original. — 11. ] is dittog of prep. The 1. is better in all respects without it, as v.12.2] so and all Vrss. It is tempting to substitute a with Hu., Gr., Du., Che., al.; but improb. as unnecessary.-] is a gl. of limitation; so v. 136. 176; here and v. 135 for y.-14. purpose framed in mind, Gn. 65 (J), form of image made by potter Hb. 218, cf. Is. 2916; only here of the form of man, based on the use of Gn. 27-8, as suggested also by the p of Gn. 319. — ] ptc. pass. I recordatus est. μVÝσONTI = ; prob. is reminded; but the || suggests pf., which is more prob. 16 is gl. from Is. 407 and Jb. 71o. —7] Hiph. impf. with strong sf. vb. in only Hiph. (1) recognise 1425, as Dt. 2117 339 Is. 6316, cf. 619; (2) be acquainted with, here as Jb. 710 2417.-17. hy] is gl. as above, and n.m. thought, ועד עולס and belongs to חסר || which is ,צדקתי also ) before .gl [לבני בנים from Ex. 347. —18 is a gl. of limitation from a legalistic point of view. PSALM CIV., 7 STR. 83. Ps. 104 is a praise of Yahweh, who created the light by wrapping Himself in it (v.1-2); who built up stories in the upper waters, making the clouds His chariot, and His angels into winds and lightnings (v.3ab. 4); who set the earth on immutable foundations, and with His thunder frightened the sea to the boundaries He had assigned it (v.5-7.9); who made streams to flow to give water to animals, birds, and the vegetation of earth (v.10-13); who made the vegetation to give food to man and beast (v.14-156), the trees for the birds (v.16a. 176), and mountains and crags for animals (v.18); who made sun and moon to mark the seasons (v.19); and especially to distinguish night from day, the night for the wild animals seeking their prey, the day for man's labour (v.21-23); who made the water animals in all their variety (v.25. 266), and the land animals, all dependent upon His bounty (v.24c. 27a. 28). Upon the presence of His Spirit and favour depend the life and death of the creatures (v.29ab. 30). His glory endures forever, and He rejoices in His works (v.1). His people also praise Him with song and music perpetually (v.4). Numerous glosses emphasize various features of the Ps. (v.3 2.33). Moreover v. 24ab is an exclamation of wonder at the number of the works of Yahweh. 35ab is an imprecation in the Maccabean tone. gical glosses. V.35 3c. 8. 15ac. 165. 17a. 20. 26a, 27b. 29c. 32. My God, Thou art very great; V.la. 35c are litur With majesty and splendor Thou art clothed! Who put on light as a garment; Who stretched out the heavens as a tent curtain; Who laid in the waters the beams of His upper chambers; Who made the clouds His chariot; Who made His angels winds, His ministers fire and flame. WHO founded the earth upon its bases, That it should not be moved forever and ever. The deep like a garment was (its covering). Above the mountains the waters stood. At Thy rebuke they flee: At the sound of Thy thunder they haste away; That they may not pass the boundary Thou didst set. |