Str. IV. Two syn. couplets.-21. Yahweh, work Thou with me || deliver me]. The deliverance implied is a work which Yahweh alone can work in dealing with His people and on their behalf. A glossator emphasizes the divine name by adding “Adonay" and a plea "for Thy name's sake," and a seam to make it antithetical to the inserted imprecation, "But Thou"; each and all of which additions impair the measure and the simple poetic conception,According to the goodness of Thy kindness], so 6, which is greatly to be preferred to, followed by EV, "for Thy kindness is good," conceived as an additional plea, assimilated to the previous gloss.-22. For I am afflicted and poor], resuming v.10. - And my heart writhes within me], in throes of anguish, as G, H, S, to be preferred to H, Aq., J, "is wounded," followed by EVa.

Str. V. Two syn. couplets.—23. As a shadow when it is stretched out], cf. 10212, as the day declines toward sunset, when the light grows stronger], the advancing light of dawn. By this easy emendation the line harmonizes with the previous one, and we avoid the abrupt introduction of the "locust," which does not seem appropriate in this connection. The locust is indeed shaken up and down by a strong wind, and so might be an appropriate simile of helplessness. But there is no suggestion of a storm in the context, and the vb. properly means I am shaken out, that is of life, || I depart from life. The conception is, that as the day declines his life departs, and that at the dawn of another day he is shaken out of life as by a spasm. -24. My knees totter from fasting]. He has fasted so long and so strictly in his humiliation before God and in the anxiety of long-continued pleading that he no longer has strength to walk, || and my flesh without oil is as one hasting away]. He has abstained from oil so long that his flesh has become hard, coarse, and shrunken, and resembles that of a man hasting away out of life. A glossator adds 25. And I am become a reproach to them: when they see me, they shake their head], the first line based on 3112, cf. 791 892, the second on 228.

Str. VI. Two syn. couplets. — 26. Help me || Save me], renewal of the plea v.1.21.-27. And they, the adversaries, will know that this is Thy hand || Thou hast done it], namely, the work of deliverance of v.21.

The glossator appends to the original Ps. 28-29. Let them curse, but mayest Thou bless], taking up the term of v.7; it matters little whether they bless as they ought, or curse as they ought not, so long as the people have the blessing of their God. These vbs. are jussives, as EV., because they come from the same hand as v. 19-20 Let them that rise up against me be shamed], so ,, PBV., to be preferred to , followed by AV., which gives a rendering impossible to either text, and RV. which has protasis and apodosis of a temporal clause, possible but awkward. - but let Thy servant be glad], in antithesis with their shame, - Let mine adversaries be clothed with confusion, and let them put on their shame as a robe], using the same simile as v.19 in slightly varying terms.

PSALM CIX. B.

Str. I. Syn. couplets.-6. Appoint a wicked one over him]. Yahweh is invoked to put on trial the wicked ruler, and in exact retribution to make his judge as wicked as himself, || And let an adversary stand at his right hand]. The adversary stands in order to make a charge against him and press it home before the wicked judge. While the word for adversary is the same as that for Satan, the context does not suggest a trial in the court of heaven, as Zc. 3', where a wicked judge would be impossible, but on earth, where supreme judges are not unfrequently supreme in wickedness.-7. When he is judged, let him come forth || And let the decision of his case be]. The syn. term suggested by Is. 287 instead of the "prayer" of and ancient Vrss., followed by EV'.; which does not suit the context, whether we think of a prayer to God, the only usage of the word, or a prayer to the wicked judge, which has no support in Hebrew usage. — condemned], as wicked, || guilt, of sin. Even a righteous judge would make such a decision in this case; but that a wicked judge should so decide greatly aggravates the situation to the wicked man, who is in the habit of depending on bribery and wickedness rather than on righteousness.

Str. II. Syn. couplets.-8. Let his days be few], not of life, but of position, as || His office let another take]. The whole context shows that a wicked ruler is in mind. -9. Let his children

become fatherless, And his wife become a widow], by his speedy death, the implication being that he has been condemned to capital punishment for the wicked administration of his office.

Str. III. Syn. couplets.-10. Let his children wander about and beg Let them be banished from their desolate homes]. The last line is after G, V, which is more suited to the context than, followed by EV., "seek (their bread) out of their desolate places"; for the former represents that they have been driven forth from their desolate homes by creditors in accordance with the subsequent context, and gives the reason why they are homeless wanderers and altogether destitute. The latter simply represents them as seeking a home and food in desolate parts; strange places in which to beg for food. Several moderns seek a better sense from by rendering "far from their ruined home," which is quite possible, and certainly an improvement on EV'.-11. Let a creditor || strangers]. The creditors, especially as foreigners, not subject to the restrictions of Hebrew law, take advantage of his condemnation to death and appear upon the scene; whether with just claims or not, it matters little, for they will be sustained by the wicked judge, to whom they will give a share in their spoil; and their victim is helpless in their hands. strike him for what he hath || take his labour as spoil]. They seize upon his possessions, and take to themselves all that he has laid up by his labour, by his wicked and unscrupulous dealings with others.

Str. IV. Syn. couplets.-12. Let him have none that extendeth kindness]. Ordinarily in such a case a man has some friends or neighbours who sympathize with him and are kind to him; especially if he has been a man of rank and position, his sudden fall from so great a height of wealth and power excites the pity even of strangers. But this man was so wicked that even this would be withheld from him; and still further his children would share in his reprobation; And let there be no favour to his orphans], after he had suffered capital punishment for his crimes.-13. Let his posterity be for cutting off]. His orphaned children are not only to be reprobates, banished from home; but their doom is also a speedy death, as the context indicates, because of destitution from exposure and hunger. | In a generation let his name be blotted out]. His posterity are not to extend beyond the genera

tion then living; with their death the name of their father would no longer be on the earth. G, V, have "one" before generation, H, Aq., Σ, J, "another" or "next," both of which are probably interpretations; although they may have been variant readings, for in Heb. the words differ only by a single letter, which is easily mistaken. There can be little doubt that the text of G, I, "his name," the name of the guilty father, is to be preferred to "their name" of H, that of the children who had not yet made themselves

a name.

Str. V. A syn. and a synth. couplet.-14. The iniquity of his fathers the sin of his mother]. It is here assumed that the wicked ruler had wicked parents, both on the male and on the female side. The guilt of these parents, not yet adequately atoned for, is imprecated upon him.- Let (it) be remembered || not be blotted out], from memory, and so estimated in the amount of retribution. 15. Let them, these sins, be in the sight of Yahweh continually], so that He will never lose sight of them or overlook them, with the purpose That He may cut off his memory from the earth], exterminate him, the wicked man and his name, as v.1 and not "their memory," that of his ancestors, as and Vrss. by an easy copyist's mistake.

136

A liturgical addition was ultimately made to the Ps. to make it more suitable for public worship. -30-31. I will give thanks to Yahweh, exceedingly with my mouth. In the midst of the multitude will I praise Him. For He standeth at the right hand of the poor, To save from the adversaries of his life]. Public praise in the congregation of Israel will be given to Yahweh for His salvation of His people from the wicked oppressor. He stands at their right hand as advocate, in antithesis with the adversary at the right hand of the wicked. The wicked judge would in his unrighteousness condemn Israel, were it not for their divine advocate, because the adversaries of his life are also there. The term "adversaries " of the Ps. is more probable than "judges" of H and Vrss.

CIX. A.

1. nan] so 3, Aq., E, S; phr. a.λ., but N. A. R. T å leds tǹv alveoly pov, Deus, laudem meam, Traw oɔmbs. —2. yu] interp. by suggests that we should rd. ; so Hare, Houb., De W., Hi., Now., Bä., Valeton. Buty prob. refers to an individual, whether Antiochus as Bar. Heb., or some

Ба

other tyrant. At all events, 1. is a prosaic gl.—ne] but . A. R. T, J, Du., more prob.; both interp. of an original n. — 177] phr. of E, P, Je., Ez.; with, not against.- 3. Dan ] is a gl. continuing through v.5a, entirely prosaic in character. Dan as 35.-4. as 3821, due to jʊʊ v.3. phr. a.λ., but cf. 1207.—5.] Bä., Valeton, after S

.improb וישלמוני ,.Bi., Che ;וַיָּשִׁיבוּ פרעוני .35123821 from [רעה תחת טובה.

6.

] Hiph. imv.

CIX. B.

Hiph. appoint, make overseer, 85 c. by as Gn. 394 Je. 110 Nu. 150+ 9 t. — 19] n.m. adversary; not Satan as Zc. 31. 2. 2 Jb. 16 + 13 t.; cf. v.t. — 7. yuq] as G. A. R. T, S, T, I, one condemned as wicked.pn] although sustained by Vrss., improb. Che. suggests 'noibo; but in as Is. 287 is better suited to context. -] guilt of sin, cf. 321 407. — 8. ] pl. elsw. Ec. 51.—pp] ‡ nipp n.f. office, charge, as Nu. 416 (P) 1 Ch. 2630 2 Ch. 2318. Thy πшкожν, Sо Acts 129; 3 episcopatum; but BDB., Du., store as Is. 157.-9. ] needs vb. to complete 1.; prob. an as Che.-10. y] inf. abs. is a gl. of intensification, making 1. too long. — N. ART ékßλnohtwσay, wi; is more suited to context, as Kenn., Street, Horsley, Houb., Bä., Ecker, Valeton.-] has two tones: prep. from with vb. 1; if with not out of but away from. man n.f. waste, ruin, of cities 97, here from context of dwellings, home.—11. ngờ vpr] vb. as 3818 strike at, GS. A. R. T, I, 2. Qal ptc. creditor, usurer, elsw. Ex. 2224 (E) 2 K. 41 Is. 242 501.-] coörd. with juss. vb. spoil a.λ. 4, but common elsw.-13. ] his posterity as 3787, but S, I, T, his end. 17] so Aq., 2, 3, 3; but 8 8. A. R. T, Y, Houb., Horsley, Du., Che; prob. both interpretations.-] but y 6, 3, Horsley, Che., more prob. — 14. 18] makes 1. too long and is a gl.—15. improb.; rd., cf. v.136.

CIX. A.

] pl. sf.

16.]a gl. as a seam, connecting the two Pss.-] Niph. † vb. be disheartened, BDB., as Dn. 113. Hiph. Ez. 1322 (?); but cf. Pr. 1513 1722 1814, Is. 662. (Ν. Α. Β. Τ κατανενυγμένον τῇ καρδίᾳ, 3 conpunctum corde, Aq., 2, πew\nyμévov tĥ kapdlą, Hi., Bä., rd. 27 g. 17. on ]. This makes a complete 1. || v. 16a, with which it originally formed introverted parall. It was transposed, and assimilated to its antith. by adding two words, a pan, at the expense of the measure.

n.f. curse, as Dt. 1126 + 10 t. D. It is repeated in v.18 because of its separation from v.17a. The original was prob. aṛs. —18. ‡ [12] n.m. garment, as Ju. 316+.—19. †] n.m. girdle BDB., Egyptian loan word, elsw. Is. 2310, but dub., cf. † Jb. 1221.-20.] is prob. a gl., although v.19-20 are a late addition to Ps. -21.] conflation, prob. of Kt. and Qr.; but with the omission of the 1. is still too long. Doubtless is a seam, and a gl. of pleading. 22.] phr. 3510 3714 4018 706 7421 861.-] so Aq., I, vulnera

- .is more prob כטוב,.Ba , [כי טוב