is our knowing them individually, assigning each a name and a place in the heavens. This conception is based on Is. 40%, and also upon the naming of the created objects, organized as an army under the supreme commander Gn. 1.-5. Great || abundant in power], having so great and powerful a control over these stars. sovereign Lord], pl. abstr. emphatic and not simply "our Lord" of EVs. The sovereignty is of His people as well as of the stars. -His understanding], as expressed in numbering and naming the stars. - has no number], it extends beyond the numbers of the stars, in numbers that cannot be numbered; so that virtually the "infinite" of EV". is practically correct. This is a variation of the "unsearchable" of the original passage Is. 402.6. Yahweh, restorer], as 1469.- the afflicted], the people who had been oppressed by the Syrians, as v.3.- In antithesis Who casteth down the wicked unto the earth], especially the Syrian oppressors, in the humiliation of utter defeat. PSALM CXLVII. B. Str. I. Three syn. couplets.—7. Sing to Yahweh || Make melody to our God], resuming the call to public worship of v.. - with a song of thanks || with the lyre], vocal and instrumental music combine in the temple worship.-8. Who covereth the heavens with clouds], the clouds are under His sovereign control, and they move to their place in the heavens by His direction. | Who prepareth rain, the clouds are full of rain, for the earth], they have a beneficent purpose. maketh the mountains to put forth verdure]. The rain, coming upon the earth, causes it to produce vegetation of all kinds, especially fresh grass and herbage. - A line is missing in , and so in AV., RV.; but is given in G, V, followed by PBV.: And green herbs for the service of man]. Both lines of this couplet are from 1041. Str. II. Three syn. couplets.-9. Who giveth to cattle their bread To young ravens], providing for the nourishment of the animals, represented by the domestic cattle and the wild. - when they cry], in the expression of their need. The relative is temporal and not pronominal as EV.-10. Not in the strength of a horse || not in the legs of a man], cf. 3316-17, as the chief means of gaining a victory over enemies. This couplet is ravens. enlarged by glosses inserting at the expense of the measure the vbs. "He delighteth" || "hath pleasure": whereas the original reserves the vb. for the antithetical line: 11. But Yahweh delighteth in them that fear Him || Them that wait for His kindness], depending upon Him alone to give the victory as 3318. PSALM CXLVII. C. Str. I. A syn. couplet and a syn. tetrastich. 12. Laud Yahweh, Praise thy God], resuming the call of v.17; but with an especial appeal to―Jerusalem || Zion], in place of the general summons to the congregation in v.7.-13. For He hath strengthened the bars of thy gates], making the city more defensible against the enemy, cf. Ne. 3.- Hath blessed thy children in thy midst]. Zion as in the exilic Isaiah is the mother of her inhabitants. The blessing, as the context suggests, is safety from enemies.-14. He who maketh thy border, Peace], cf. Is. 60". Peace with neighbours is a boundary of protection. - Satisfying thee with the fat of wheat], as Dt. 324 Ps. 81: providing richly for the wants of the people. Str. II. A syn. couplet, a syn. triplet, and a synth. line. 15. Who sendeth forth to the earth]. Yahweh as sovereign of the earth issues His commands, which are here conceived as the primitive prophetic laws, as His saying || His word (v. Br. Hex. pp. 242 sq.), cf. Ps. 119, p. 415. This goes very swiftly running], as a faithful, expeditious messenger. -16-17. Who giveth snow || scattering hoar frost || casteth down His hail]. These various forms of cold, especially connected with a storm, and compared respectively to wool for whiteness, to dust for quantity, and to morsels for a comparatively large size, are not given here merely as specimens of the divine sovereignty over nature; but because they were unusual in Palestine, and only connected with extraordinary storms, which were greatly feared, and which were also associated with theophanic manifestations of Yahweh for the deliverance of His people and the destruction of their enemies, cf. Jos. 10" Jb. 3822-23And accordingly the Str. ends with propriety in the challenge: Before His cold who can stand?]. No enemy can resist Him when, in accordance with His command, snow, hail, and frost descend in the face of His enemies. Str. III. Three syn. couplets. 18. He sendeth forth His word], resuming v.15, and giving the object to whom it was sent in the He causeth His wind to blow]. The wind of Yahweh is also not unfrequently used in theophanies, cf. 18.- and He causeth them to melt away || and they flow away]. and Vrss. connect with the previous lines, and think of the snow, frost, and hail, which are melted by a warm wind and flow away as water. This interpretation indeed was put into the text by the insertion of "waters" before the last vb. But the fact that this couplet begins a new Str. in which Israel is contrasted with other nations, and that the previous Str. refers to the theophanic use of hail, urges that we should here think of a theophanic use of wind to cause the enemies to melt and flow away. -19. Who declareth His word], the original prophetic type of Law as contained in the Ten Words, and so in the || His statutes and His judgments], other primitive types of Law as contained in the Book of the Covenant (Br.Hex. pp. 248 sq.). These were made known to His people, Jacob || Israel], in ancient times, and are here in antithesis with the words of command to the forces and powers of nature used in theophanies—and also with the ignorance of such laws by other nations: 20. Not so hath He done to any nation || And His judgments they know not. CXLVII. A. 1. as Hare, is then acc. to and belongs to the text. -77] Pi. inf. in H, a.λ. and improb. valuós also improb. requires Street, Ols., Dys., Gr.; cf. 1358 on which the v. is based. an expl. gl. from 331.-2. ] ptc. without rel., but art. with No; the original was uniform. -D] Pi. (337) gather together for restoration, as Ez. 3928, for yap Is. 568. —3. ab may] ptc. av from Is. 611, cf. Ps. 6921. -van] Pi. ptc. ‡ văn vb. (1) bind, bind on, bind up, Qal, not in 4. Pi. here and Jb. 2811. Pu. Ez. 3021 Is. 16. — 5. ¬bon 1] There is no number, cf. Is. 4018 Ps. 1458 pm 18.-6. ] ptc. Polel as 1469. CXLVII. B. 7.] Imv. Qal sing, as 119172, cf. 881.-8. B. N. R. T add from 10414 καὶ χλόην τῇ δουλείᾳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, which is indeed needed to complete the Str. It is omitted by 6.-9. ] rel. gl.-10. yon] || 787, prosaic gls., making ll. too long. CXLVII. C. 12 begins a new Ps. with 6.-14. oon an] as Ps. 8117, cf. Dt. 3214 Is. 34o. — wav] G, S, wawn.—15. nap ] n.f. as adv., v. 313. — 18. g:] Hiph. † [w:] blow; Qal Is. 407. Hiph. elsw. Gn. 1511.—] Qal bu, as 7816. 44 Ex. 158 flow. — D'] is a gl. of interp., not needed for measure. PSALM CXLVIII., 4 STR. 63. Ps. 148 is a summons to praise Yahweh: (1) to all in the heavens, especially angels and heavenly lights (v.13), also the heavenly waters, to praise the name of their creator and sovereign (v.); (2) to all in the earth, especially the great deep, the storm, the trees (v.7-9), also the animals, to praise the glorious name, which is also the praise of all the pious (v.10. 13. 14). A glossator adds men of all classes (v.11-12), and adds to the ground of praise the exaltation of His people (v.14ac). PRAISE ye Yah from the heavens; Praise Him in the heights; Praise Him all His angels; Praise Him all His hosts; Praise Him all ye stars of light. And ye waters above the heavens. Let them praise the name of Yahweh, For He commanded and they were created; And He made them stand firm forever and ever; A decree He gave not to be transgressed. PRAISE ye Yah from the earth, Ye dragons, and all ye deeps; Storm, doing His word; Ye mountains and all hills, Fruit tree and all cedars. YE wild animals and all cattle, Creeping things and winged bird. For His name alone is exalted, His majesty is above earth and heaven, The praise of all His favoured ones. Ps. 148 is a Hallel, having ¬¬ at the beginning in as well as at the end. & has also as in previous Pss. ἁλληλονιά· ̔Αγγαίου καὶ Ζαχαρίου. This Ps. has five trimeter hexastichs; but inasmuch as there are two parts balanced 11-12. 14ac are glosses, and the first part has but two Strs., it is probable that v. and that the second part had originally two Strs. also, v.7-9. 10. 13. 146, the other verses being liturgical ones. This Ps. is dependent on Gn. 17 in v.4, Gn. 124-25 in v. 10, upon Dt. 1014 in v.4, upon Ps. 3396 in v. 5c. 6a, upon 1041 in v.8. The origin and date of the Ps. were doubtless the same as those of the others of the group. Str. I. A syn. hexastich.-13. Praise ye Yah], so probably in the original as the measure demands: resumed in all the subsequent lines as Praise Him.—from the heavens || in the heights], the praise sounding forth from all the inhabitants of heaven to the earth beneath. The other four lines give the subjects: all His angels || all His hosts], the heavenly intelligences - and then sun and moon all ye stars of light], the heavenly luminaries. Str. II. A syn. couplet and a synth. tetrastich.-4. Praise Him], is resumed to connect this Str. with the previous one, and then abandoned. The subject is given: heaven of heavens], the highest heavens, conceived as in an indefinite ascending series || And ye waters above the heavens], the source of the rains, above the lower heavens and in the higher heavens, in accordance with the Heb. conception, cf. 1043 Gn. 16.7. — 5. Let them praise the name of Yahweh]. The jussive takes the place of the imv. in order to emphasize the name of Yahweh as the object of praise. So in the || v.13.—The reason is now given for the praise of the heavenly beings. They were creatures of Yahweh: For He commanded and they were created]. The creation is here conceived as by command of the speaking God, as in Gn. 1 Ps. 33o.-6. And He made them stand firm forever and ever]. He established them at their creation in such a firm, abiding position, that they will remain stable and immovable forever. A decree He gave]. He established His law in the heavens, and these heavenly beings, angels and the great luminaries, the ascents of heaven and the rain clouds, all have to submit to it. not to be transgressed]. The decree given to the heaven is immutable. This is the nearest approach to immutable laws of nature that is known to Heb. Literature. Str. III. Synth. lines.-7. Praise ye Yah from the earth], in antithesis to v.: the praise from the earth ascending to meet the praise coming down from heaven. The imv. is not repeated, |