from one Person to another in the poetical Books: but here there appears to be no Occafion to fuppofe any Tranfition, if we only confider this Verse as a Part of one of the Songs of Deliverance juft mentioned. See Job. XXXV. 10. In this Cafe God may be the Speaker with Propriety; and we need only prefix to this Verfe, as in innumerable other Places, the Word - ・Saying

V. 5. and their Faces] Some Critics confider the which begins this Hemiftic as preferving the regular Alphabetical Series of the Letters: but the fecond Hemiftic of feveral other Verfes in this Pfalm also begins with that Letter; besides that the and 1, upon that Suppofition, would have only each a Line, whereas all the other Letters have each two Lines, except the D, which, befides its due Number in its proper Place, has alfo two other Lines at the Close of the Pfalm. Bishop Hare thought that another Line beginning with immediately preceding this Hemiftic was wanting, and another alfo fubfequent to this beginning with 1: but does it not appear more probable that both these Lines belonged to, and that the whole Verse beginning with has by fome Accident been dropped out of the Text? because those are well connected; but immediately after there seems to be an Hiatus.

· V.6. This poor Man cried

Rather - A PooR [זה עני קרא

-

MAN CRIETH. is not always demonftrative; but is fometimes used indefinitely, as 1 Sam. XVII. 12. it seems used here particularly on ac.count of the Alphabetical Order.

[צעקו ויהוה שמע

.V. 17. The righteous cry, and the Lord beareth ;Though this Verfe begins with the proper Letter, yet as there is a Nominative wanting to the Verb, and every one of the ancient Verfions read, there can be no doubt that it ought to be restored to the Text. The Similarity of Letters in pyy might occafion the Lofs of

צדיקים

V. 1. Plead my Caufe, O Lord, with them that ftrive with me :

This Hemiftic would be rendered with more [ריבה יהוה את יריבי

Precifion thus CONTEND, O LORD, WITH THEM THAT CON

133

TEND

TEND WITH ME. The Context fhews besides that there is here no Reference to Judicial Proceedings; but only to War.

Rather [והרק חנית וסנר לקראת רדפי

DRAW

V. 3. Draw out also the Spear, and stop the Way against them that perfecute me: OUT ALSO THE SPEAR, AND STOP THE WAY OF MY PERSECUTORS. For ph feems not to be an Adverb in this Place, but a Noun, as Exod. V. 20. 1 Sam. XVI. 4. or may have the Chaldee Senfe, viz. DAGGER; thus DRAW OUT THE SWORD AND THE DAGGER AGAINST MY PERSECUTORS.

V.7. For without Caufe have they hid for me their Net in a Pit, which without Caufe they have digged for my Soul. 100'>

- רשתם חנם חפרו לנפשי : רשתם and שחת The Words [ שחת

cannot I think have been placed originally in the Order in which they now stand; for it is impoffible to make Sense of them thus placed by the plain Rules of Conftruction: whereas if we transpose them, the Syntax is plain, and the Senfe excellent: thus — FOR WITHOUT CAUSE HAVE THEY HID FOR ME THEIR NET; WITHOUT CAUSE HAVE THEY DIGGED A PIT FOR MY LIFE. Whereas as we now read them they must be conftrued thus →→→→ For without Caufe have they hid for me a Pit; without Caufe have they digged for me their Net.

V. 12. They rewarded me evil for good, to the Spoiling of my Soul.

-as com שכול I confider ישלמוני רעה תחת טובה שכול לנפשי :

pounded of the Affix Particle and the Verb to take, and render the latter Hemiftic thus IN ORDER TO TAKE AWAY MY LIFE. See the Particle thus ufed, Ecc. II. 24. III. 14. and the fame Construction in regard to, Gen. I. 10. This latter Clause seems to refer to the Charges brought against the Pfalmift by the falfe Witneffes, mentioned immediately before the first of these Hemiftics, which I confider as a Parentbefis.

---

חיקי תשוב :

ותפלתי על

V. 13. and my Prayer returned into mine own Bofom. by nam p] This Hebraifm is hardly intelligible to an English Reader. Would it not be best therefore to place it in the Margin, and render the Text thus ---AND I PRAYED OFTEN FROM MY HEART? víz. in their Behalf; which is clearly the Meaning of the Expreffion.

V. 14. I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his Mother. : 7 ON 8] Rather, with the old Verfion - I BOWED DOWN MOURNING, AS ONE BEWAILING A MOTHER.

--

[כאבל אם קדר שחותי

V. 15. they did tear me, and ceased not. : ab 17p] Rather THEY USED SLANDER, AND WOULD NOT BE SILENT. For though y properly fignifies to tear a Thing to Pieces, yet it is applicable figuratively to the tearing of another's Reputation.

V. 23. Stir up thyself, and awake to my Judgment, even unto my Caufe, my God and my Lord.

אלהי ואדני

העירה והקיצה למשפטי

Thefe Words could not poffibly, I think, have stood originally in the Order in which they now ftand, on account of the Hyperbaton. It is probable that and have changed Places: in which Cafe the Sense would be clear, and the Conftruction easy, thus - STIR UP THYSELF, O GOD, TO MY JUDGMENT; AND AWAKE INDEED, O MY LORD, TO MY CAUSE.

V. 25. Let them not fay in their Hearts, Ab, fo would we have it :

In the Margin we read, db, ab, our [אל יאמרו בלבם האח נפשנו

Ah, Soul! which is the literal Signification of the Words: but, I think, they would be more properly rendered thus, АH, this is OUR HEART'S DESIRE, 9. d. "Let them not exult as having gotten their Will 66 upon me." For is fometimes used to fignify the Defire of the Soul, as Exod. XV. 9. Pf. XXVII. 12. Hab. II. 5. But. notwithstanding this it seems to me more probable that the true Reading of was, the 1 Perfon plural of the Future Kal, from the Verb nus, with the affix Pronoun, and ought to be rendered АH! LET US TEAR HIM IN PIECES; which Senfe would well correfpond with , we HAVE SWALLOWED HIM UP, in the next Hemistic. See this Word thus ufed, Lam. III. 11.

V. 1. The Tranfgreffion of the wicked faith within my Heart;

All the ancient Verfions, except the [נאם פשע לרשע בקרב לבי

Targum, read : with them I would therefore render →→→ THE
TRANSGRESSOR SAITH IN HIS HEART (literally, in the Bofom of
his Heart) THAT HE WILL DO EVIL. YD is here confidered as the
Participle, and y as the Infinitive. Or perhaps it might be better

to

to render y adverbially, thus - THE TRANSGRESSOR SPEAKETH WICKEDLY IN THE BOTTOM OF HIS HEART; by which is meant that the Thoughts and Imaginations of his Heart are evil.” This agrees well with what follows in the next Hemiftic; as if he had faid" and no wonder, he is not actuated by the Fear of God," the only Principle of right Conduct.

V. 2. For be flattereth himself in his own Eyes, until his Iniquity be

-Ra כי החליק אליו בעיניו - למצא עונו לשנא : .found to be bateful

ther YET HE FLATTERETH HIMSELF IN HIS OWN EYES both WITH DISCERNING INIQUITY, AND WITH ABHORRING it: i. e. «he imposes upon himself with a falfe Notion of the Rectitude "both of his Understanding and Will." I read . The Sentence, which immediately follows, feems to confirm the Senfe here given, viz. The Words of his Mouth are Iniquity and Deceit; which is a fure Sign of a depraved Heart, and Want of right Principle. For our Saviour obferves, that out of the Abundance of the Heart the Mouth Speaketh. Matth. XII. 34.

Rather, I think [להיטיב :

חדל להשכיל

V. 3; - he hath left off to be wife, and to do good. unb ban HE HATH CEASED TO JUDGE WISELY and TO DO WELL: by which the Sentiment of the fecond Verfe is confirmed, namely, that his Notions of himself were but Self Flattery.

V. 5. Thy Mercy, O Lord, is in the Heavens; and thy Faithfulness

יהוה בהשמים חסדך - אמונתך עד שחקים: .reacheth unto the Clouds

Rather THY MERCY, O LORD, is LIKE THE HEAVENS; and THY FAITHFULNESS AS THE CLOUDS. If the in 'n is not an Error for, fee a similar Construction of the fame Letter, Ifa. XLVIII. 10. Pf. XLII. 10. See also y thus used, Nah. I. 10. 1 Chron. IV. 27. The next Verfe confirms this Senfe.

V. 12. There are the workers of Iniquity fallen: they are caft down, — DV] Rather THEN SHALL THE WORKERS OF INIQUITY FALL:

שם נפלו פעלי און - דחו ולא יכלו קום: .and Jhall not be able to rife

THEY SHALL BE CAST DOWN, AND SHALL NOT BE ABLE TO RISE. As no Place is mentioned to which there can be referred, I make Da Particle of Inference, as Job. XXXV. 12. Pf. XIV. 5. or make it relate to Time, as Job. XXIII. 7. Ecc. III. 17. And though two of the Verbs be in the Preter, yet the Context feems to declare for the Future.

PSALM

V.3. — so shalt thou dwell in the Land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

Rather by the Imperative [שכן ארץ ורעה אמונה:

IN THE LAND, AND FEED ON TRUTH: that is, "enjoy prefent Bleffings, and rely for future on the God of Truth:" this Sense the next Verses indicate. See Pf. XXII. 29. A fimilar Phrafe occurs Jer. XV. 16. viz. I did eat thy Words. So Pf. XLII. 2. my Soul thirfteth for God: and Matt. V. 6.

V.

5. Commit thy Way unto the Lord: trust thou also in him, and he na1-1317

[ גול על יהוה דרכך - ובטח עליו והוא יעשה: .hall bring it to pafs

As it has no Antecedent in our Verfion, ought not the last Hemistic to be thus rendered TRUST THOU ALSO IN HIM, AND HE WILL PREPARE it; viz. thy Way? See V. 23. and my thus used, Ezek. XLV. 22. XLVI. 2.

V. 13. The Lord fhall laugh at him: — pr8] Here is manifeftly a Word wanted in the Text; for this is an Alphabetical Pfalm, and the Order of the Letters points out that it must have begun with a. Now I think no Word is fo probable as the Adverb t, NOW. See this Particle thus ufed, Numb. XIV.22. Judg. XVI.15. All the ancient Versions, excepting the Chaldee, render it by the Conjunction But yet I cannot find that it is ever fo ufed.

V. 17. For the Arms of the wicked shall be broken: ] This Verse begins in the Hebrew with a 5, and the next with a '; whence it may be concluded that they have by fome Accident changed Places. If the Verfes were tranfpofed accordingly, the Senfe would be equally good; particularly if were rendered TRULY, as Jer. XXII. 22. or SURELY, as Numb. XXII. 33.

V. 20.

cannot fignify Fat, or make יקר As [ואיבי יהוה כיקר כרים

and the Enemies of the Lord fhall be as the Fat of Lambs: any other convenient Senfe; Qu. ought not we to read p, and render—AND THE ENEMIES OF THE LORD fhall be AS THE BURNING OF LAMBS? i.e." as Lambs offered up for a Burnt Offering." Ifaiah ufes in the fame Senfe, X. 16.

- they shall confume; into Smoke fhall they confume away.

Rather [ בעשן כלו:

כלו

INTO SMOKE SHALL THEY ALL CONSUME AWAY. is here ufed as Exod. XIV. 7. Numb. XXIII. 13. &c.