J. A. Alexander

The Psalms Translated and Explained Vol. 3 J. A. Alexander

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1852 Excerpt: ... kind of exclamation after his eyes have been uncovered. This figure is often used to denote inspiration or a special divine communication. Out of thy law, i. e. brought out to view, as if from a place of concealment. 19. A stranger (am) I in the earth; hide not from me thy commandments. A stranger, an exile, one without friends or home, a poetical description of calamity in general, not without allusion to the captivity both in Babylon and Egypt, and to the consequent mention of strangers in the Law as objects of compassion. The prayer in the last clause is, that God will not withhold fi;om him the knowledge of his will. 20. My soul breaketh with longing for thy judgments at every time. The Hebrew verb occurs only here, but its meaning is determined by the cognate dialects. The word translated longing belongs also to the later Hebrew. Its verbal root occurs below in vs. 40, 174. Judgments includes God's precepts mentioned in %. 19 and his penal inflictions on the wicked mentioned in v. 21. 21. Thou hast rebuked the proud, the accursed, those wandering from thy commandments. Compare Ps. ix. 6 (5.) Rebuked, not merely by word but by deed, i. e. punished. 22. Roll from off me reproach and contempt, for thy testimonies I have kept. The first verse coincides in form with that at the beginning of v. 18, but is from a different root. There is an Obvious allusion to the rolling off of the reproach of Egypt, Josh. v. 9. 23. Also princes sat and at me talked together, and thy servant muses of thy statutes. This is one of the expressions in the psalm not literally applicable to the individual believer, and regarded therefore as a proof of its national design and import. The princes are then the chiefs of the surrounding nations. The also (aa) seem to be inserted mere...