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Psalms 27:6 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

6 And now shall mine head H7218 be lifted up H7311 above mine enemies H341 round about H5439 me: therefore will I offer H2076 in his tabernacle H168 sacrifices H2077 of joy; H8643 I will sing, H7891 yea, I will sing praises H2167 unto the LORD. H3068

Cross Reference

Psalms 3:3 STRONG

But thou, O LORD, H3068 art a shield H4043 for me; my glory, H3519 and the lifter up H7311 of mine head. H7218

Psalms 107:22 STRONG

And let them sacrifice H2076 the sacrifices H2077 of thanksgiving, H8426 and declare H5608 his works H4639 with rejoicing. H7440

Hebrews 13:15 STRONG

By G1223 him G846 therefore G3767 let us offer G399 the sacrifice G2378 of praise G133 to God G2316 continually, G1275 that is, G5123 the fruit G2590 of our lips G5491 giving thanks G3670 to his G846 name. G3686

Isaiah 12:6 STRONG

Cry out H6670 and shout, H7442 thou inhabitant H3427 of Zion: H6726 for great H1419 is the Holy One H6918 of Israel H3478 in the midst H7130 of thee.

Psalms 100:1-2 STRONG

[[A Psalm H4210 of praise.]] H8426 Make a joyful noise H7321 unto the LORD, H3068 all ye lands. H776 Serve H5647 the LORD H3068 with gladness: H8057 come H935 before his presence H6440 with singing. H7445

Psalms 95:1 STRONG

O come, H3212 let us sing H7442 unto the LORD: H3068 let us make a joyful noise H7321 to the rock H6697 of our salvation. H3468

Psalms 110:7 STRONG

He shall drink H8354 of the brook H5158 in the way: H1870 therefore shall he lift up H7311 the head. H7218

Psalms 116:17-19 STRONG

I will offer H2076 to thee the sacrifice H2077 of thanksgiving, H8426 and will call H7121 upon the name H8034 of the LORD. H3068 I will pay H7999 my vows H5088 unto the LORD H3068 now in the presence of all his people, H5971 In the courts H2691 of the LORD'S H3068 house, H1004 in the midst H8432 of thee, O Jerusalem. H3389 Praise H1984 ye the LORD. H3050

Psalms 138:5 STRONG

Yea, they shall sing H7891 in the ways H1870 of the LORD: H3068 for great H1419 is the glory H3519 of the LORD. H3068

Jeremiah 31:7 STRONG

For thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 Sing H7442 with gladness H8057 for Jacob, H3290 and shout H6670 among the chief H7218 of the nations: H1471 publish H8085 ye, praise H1984 ye, and say, H559 O LORD, H3068 save H3467 thy people, H5971 the remnant H7611 of Israel. H3478

Jeremiah 33:11 STRONG

The voice H6963 of joy, H8342 and the voice H6963 of gladness, H8057 the voice H6963 of the bridegroom, H2860 and the voice H6963 of the bride, H3618 the voice H6963 of them that shall say, H559 Praise H3034 the LORD H3068 of hosts: H6635 for the LORD H3068 is good; H2896 for his mercy H2617 endureth for ever: H5769 and of them that shall bring H935 the sacrifice of praise H8426 into the house H1004 of the LORD. H3068 For I will cause to return H7725 the captivity H7622 of the land, H776 as at the first, H7223 saith H559 the LORD. H3068

Zephaniah 3:14-15 STRONG

Sing, H7442 O daughter H1323 of Zion; H6726 shout, H7321 O Israel; H3478 be glad H8055 and rejoice H5937 with all the heart, H3820 O daughter H1323 of Jerusalem. H3389 The LORD H3068 hath taken away H5493 thy judgments, H4941 he hath cast out H6437 thine enemy: H341 the king H4428 of Israel, H3478 even the LORD, H3068 is in the midst H7130 of thee: thou shalt not see H7200 evil H7451 any more.

Zechariah 9:9 STRONG

Rejoice H1523 greatly, H3966 O daughter H1323 of Zion; H6726 shout, H7321 O daughter H1323 of Jerusalem: H3389 behold, thy King H4428 cometh H935 unto thee: he is just, H6662 and having salvation; H3467 lowly, H6041 and riding H7392 upon an ass, H2543 and upon a colt H5895 the foal H1121 of an ass. H860

Luke 19:37-38 STRONG

And when he G846 was come nigh, G1448 even G1161 now G2235 at G4314 the descent G2600 of the mount G3735 of Olives, G1636 the whole G537 multitude G4128 of the disciples G3101 began G756 to rejoice G5463 and praise G134 God G2316 with a loud G3173 voice G5456 for G4012 all G3956 the mighty works G1411 that G3739 they had seen; G1492 Saying, G3004 Blessed G2127 be the King G935 that cometh G2064 in G1722 the name G3686 of the Lord: G2962 peace G1515 in G1722 heaven, G3772 and G2532 glory G1391 in G1722 the highest. G5310

Ephesians 5:19-20 STRONG

Speaking G2980 to yourselves G1438 in psalms G5568 and G2532 hymns G5215 and G2532 spiritual G4152 songs, G5603 singing G103 and G2532 making melody G5567 in G1722 your G5216 heart G2588 to the Lord; G2962 Giving thanks G2168 always G3842 for G5228 all things G3956 unto God G2316 and G2532 the Father G3962 in G1722 the name G3686 of our G2257 Lord G2962 Jesus G2424 Christ; G5547

1 Peter 2:5 STRONG

Ye G846 also, G2532 as G5613 lively G2198 stones, G3037 are built up G3618 a spiritual G4152 house, G3624 an holy G40 priesthood, G2406 to offer up G399 spiritual G4152 sacrifices, G2378 acceptable G2144 to God G2316 by G1223 Jesus G2424 Christ. G5547

Revelation 5:9 STRONG

And G2532 they sung G103 a new G2537 song, G5603 saying, G3004 Thou art G1488 worthy G514 to take G2983 the book, G975 and G2532 to open G455 the seals G4973 thereof: G846 for G3754 thou wast slain, G4969 and G2532 hast redeemed G59 us G2248 to God G2316 by G1722 thy G4675 blood G129 out of G1537 every G3956 kindred, G5443 and G2532 tongue, G1100 and G2532 people, G2992 and G2532 nation; G1484

Revelation 15:3 STRONG

And G2532 they sing G103 the song G5603 of Moses G3475 the servant G1401 of God, G2316 and G2532 the song G5603 of the Lamb, G721 saying, G3004 Great G3173 and G2532 marvellous G2298 are thy G4675 works, G2041 Lord G2962 God G2316 Almighty; G3841 just G1342 and G2532 true G228 are thy G4675 ways, G3598 thou King G935 of saints. G40

Psalms 21:1 STRONG

[[To the chief Musician, H5329 A Psalm H4210 of David.]] H1732 The king H4428 shall joy H8055 in thy strength, H5797 O LORD; H3068 and in thy salvation H3444 how greatly H3966 shall he rejoice! H1523

Genesis 40:13 STRONG

Yet H5750 within three H7969 days H3117 shall Pharaoh H6547 lift up H5375 thine head, H7218 and restore H7725 thee unto thy place: H3653 and thou shalt deliver H5414 Pharaoh's H6547 cup H3563 into his hand, H3027 after the former H7223 manner H4941 when thou wast his butler. H8248

2 Samuel 7:9 STRONG

And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, H1980 and have cut off H3772 all thine enemies H341 out of thy sight, H6440 and have made H6213 thee a great H1419 name, H8034 like unto the name H8034 of the great H1419 men that are in the earth. H776

2 Samuel 22:1 STRONG

And David H1732 spake H1696 unto the LORD H3068 the words H1697 of this song H7892 in the day H3117 that the LORD H3068 had delivered H5337 him out of the hand H3709 of all his enemies, H341 and out of the hand H3709 of Saul: H7586

2 Samuel 22:49 STRONG

And that bringeth me forth H3318 from mine enemies: H341 thou also hast lifted me up on high H7311 above them that rose up H6965 against me: thou hast delivered H5337 me from the violent H2555 man. H376

2 Kings 25:27 STRONG

And it came to pass in the seven H7651 and thirtieth H7970 year H8141 of the captivity H1546 of Jehoiachin H3078 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 in the twelfth H8147 H6240 month, H2320 on the seven H7651 and twentieth H6242 day of the month, H2320 that Evilmerodach H192 king H4428 of Babylon H894 in the year H8141 that he began to reign H4427 did lift up H5375 the head H7218 of Jehoiachin H3078 king H4428 of Judah H3063 out of prison; H1004 H3608

1 Chronicles 22:18 STRONG

Is not the LORD H3068 your God H430 with you? and hath he not given you rest H5117 on every side? H5439 for he hath given H5414 the inhabitants H3427 of the land H776 into mine hand; H3027 and the land H776 is subdued H3533 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 and before H6440 his people. H5971

2 Chronicles 30:21-26 STRONG

And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 that were present H4672 at Jerusalem H3389 kept H6213 the feast H2282 of unleavened bread H4682 seven H7651 days H3117 with great H1419 gladness: H8057 and the Levites H3881 and the priests H3548 praised H1984 the LORD H3068 day H3117 by day, H3117 singing with loud H5797 instruments H3627 unto the LORD. H3068 And Hezekiah H3169 spake H1696 comfortably H3820 unto all the Levites H3881 that taught H7919 the good H2896 knowledge H7922 of the LORD: H3068 and they did eat H398 throughout the feast H4150 seven H7651 days, H3117 offering H2076 peace H8002 offerings, H2077 and making confession H3034 to the LORD H3068 God H430 of their fathers. H1 And the whole assembly H6951 took counsel H3289 to keep H6213 other H312 seven H7651 days: H3117 and they kept H6213 other seven H7651 days H3117 with gladness. H8057 For Hezekiah H2396 king H4428 of Judah H3063 did give H7311 to the congregation H6951 a thousand H505 bullocks H6499 and seven H7651 thousand H505 sheep; H6629 and the princes H8269 gave H7311 to the congregation H6951 a thousand H505 bullocks H6499 and ten H6235 thousand H505 sheep: H6629 and a great number H7230 of priests H3548 sanctified H6942 themselves. And all the congregation H6951 of Judah, H3063 with the priests H3548 and the Levites, H3881 and all the congregation H6951 that came out H935 of Israel, H3478 and the strangers H1616 that came out H935 of the land H776 of Israel, H3478 and that dwelt H3427 in Judah, H3063 rejoiced. H8055 So there was great H1419 joy H8057 in Jerusalem: H3389 for since the time H3117 of Solomon H8010 the son H1121 of David H1732 king H4428 of Israel H3478 there was not the like in Jerusalem. H3389

Ezra 3:11-13 STRONG

And they sang together by course H6030 in praising H1984 and giving thanks H3034 unto the LORD; H3068 because he is good, H2896 for his mercy H2617 endureth for ever H5769 toward Israel. H3478 And all the people H5971 shouted H7321 with a great H1419 shout, H8643 when they praised H1984 the LORD, H3068 because the foundation H3245 of the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 was laid. H3245 But many H7227 of the priests H3548 and Levites H3881 and chief H7218 of the fathers, H1 who were ancient men, H2205 that had seen H7200 the first H7223 house, H1004 when the foundation H3245 of this house H1004 was laid H3245 before their eyes, H5869 wept H1058 with a loud H1419 voice; H6963 and many H7227 shouted H8643 aloud H7311 for joy: H8057 So that the people H5971 could not discern H5234 the noise H6963 of the shout H8643 of joy H8057 from the noise H6963 of the weeping H1065 of the people: H5971 for the people H5971 shouted H7321 with a loud H1419 shout, H8643 and the noise H6963 was heard H8085 afar off. H7350

Psalms 21:13 STRONG

Be thou exalted, H7311 LORD, H3068 in thine own strength: H5797 so will we sing H7891 and praise H2167 thy power. H1369

Psalms 22:22-25 STRONG

I will declare H5608 thy name H8034 unto my brethren: H251 in the midst H8432 of the congregation H6951 will I praise H1984 thee. Ye that fear H3373 the LORD, H3068 praise H1984 him; all ye the seed H2233 of Jacob, H3290 glorify H3513 him; and fear H1481 him, all ye the seed H2233 of Israel. H3478 For he hath not despised H959 nor abhorred H8262 the affliction H6039 of the afflicted; H6041 neither hath he hid H5641 his face H6440 from him; but when he cried H7768 unto him, he heard. H8085 My praise H8416 shall be of thee in the great H7227 congregation: H6951 I will pay H7999 my vows H5088 before them that fear H3373 him.

Psalms 26:6-7 STRONG

I will wash H7364 mine hands H3709 in innocency: H5356 so will I compass H5437 thine altar, H4196 O LORD: H3068 That I may publish H8085 with the voice H6963 of thanksgiving, H8426 and tell H5608 of all thy wondrous works. H6381

Psalms 43:3-4 STRONG

O send out H7971 thy light H216 and thy truth: H571 let them lead H5148 me; let them bring H935 me unto thy holy H6944 hill, H2022 and to thy tabernacles. H4908 Then will I go H935 unto the altar H4196 of God, H430 unto God H410 my exceeding H8057 joy: H1524 yea, upon the harp H3658 will I praise H3034 thee, O God H430 my God. H430

Psalms 47:1 STRONG

[[To the chief Musician, H5329 A Psalm H4210 for the sons H1121 of Korah.]] H7141 O clap H8628 your hands, H3709 all ye people; H5971 shout H7321 unto God H430 with the voice H6963 of triumph. H7440

Psalms 66:13-16 STRONG

I will go H935 into thy house H1004 with burnt offerings: H5930 I will pay H7999 thee my vows, H5088 Which my lips H8193 have uttered, H6475 and my mouth H6310 hath spoken, H1696 when I was in trouble. H6862 I will offer H5927 unto thee burnt sacrifices H5930 of fatlings, H4220 with the incense H7004 of rams; H352 I will offer H6213 bullocks H1241 with goats. H6260 Selah. H5542 Come H3212 and hear, H8085 all ye that fear H3373 God, H430 and I will declare H5608 what he hath done H6213 for my soul. H5315

Psalms 81:1 STRONG

[[To the chief Musician H5329 upon Gittith, H1665 A Psalm of Asaph.]] H623 Sing aloud H7442 unto God H430 our strength: H5797 make a joyful noise H7321 unto the God H430 of Jacob. H3290

Genesis 40:20 STRONG

And it came to pass the third H7992 day, H3117 which was Pharaoh's H6547 birthday, H3117 H3205 that he made H6213 a feast H4960 unto all his servants: H5650 and he lifted up H5375 the head H7218 of the chief H8269 butler H8248 and of the chief H8269 baker H644 among H8432 his servants. H5650

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 27

Commentary on Psalms 27 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary


Introduction

Taking Heart in God, the All-Recompensing One

The same longing after Zion meets us sounding forth from this as from the preceding Psalm. To remain his whole life long in the vicinity of the house of God, is here his only prayer; and that, rescued from his enemies, he shall there offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, is his confident expectation. The היכל of God, the King, is at present only a אהל which, however, on account of Him who sits enthroned therein, may just as much be called היכל as the היכל which Ezekiel beheld in remembrance of the Mosaic tabernacle, אהל , Ezekiel 41:1. Cut off from the sanctuary, the poet is himself threatened on all sides by the dangers of war; but he is just as courageous in God as in Psalms 3:7, where the battle is already going on: “ I do not fear the myriads of people, who are encamped against me. ” The situation, therefore, resembles that of David during the time of Absolom. But this holds good only of the first half, Psalms 27:1. In the second half, Psalms 27:10 is not in favour of its being composed by David. In fact the two halves are very unlike one another. They form a hysteron-proteron , inasmuch as the fides triumphans of the first part changes into fides supplex in the second, and with the beginning of the δέησις in Psalms 27:7, the style becomes heavy and awkward, the strophic arrangement obscure, and even the boundaries of the lines of the verses uncertain; so that one is tempted to regard Psalms 27:7 as the appendage of another writer. The compiler, however, must have had the Psalm before him exactly as we now have it; for the grounds for his placing it to follow Psalms 26:1-12 are to be found in both portions, cf. Psalms 27:7 with Psalms 26:11; Psalms 27:11 with Psalms 26:12.


Verses 1-3

In this first strophe is expressed the bold confidence of faith. It is a hexastich in the caesural schema. Let darkness break in upon him, the darkness of night, of trouble, and of spiritual conflict, yet Jahve is his Light, and if he is in Him, he is in the light and there shines upon him a sun, that sets not and knows no eclipse. This sublime, infinitely profound name for God, אורי , is found only in this passage; and there is only one other expression that can be compared with it. viz., בּא אורך in Isaiah 60:1; cf. φῶς ἐλήλυθα , John 12:46. ישׁעי does not stand beside אורי as an unfigurative, side by side with a figurative expression; for the statement that God is light, is not a metaphor. David calls Him his “salvation” in regard to everything that oppresses him, and the “stronghold ( מעוז from עזז , with an unchangeable å ) of his life” in regard to everything that exposes him to peril. In Jahve he conquers far and wide; in Him his life is hidden as it were behind a fortress built upon a rock (Psalms 31:3). When to the wicked who come upon him in a hostile way ( קרב על differing from קרב אל ), he attributes the intention of devouring his flesh, they are conceived of as wild beasts. To eat up any one's flesh signifies, even in Job 19:22, the same as to pursue any one by evil speaking (in Aramaic by slander, back-biting) to his destruction. In בּקרב (the Shebâ of the only faintly closed syllable is raised to a Chateph , as in ולשׁכני , Psalms 31:12, לשׁאול , and the like. The לי of איבי לּי may, as also in Psalms 25:2 (cf. Psalms 144:2), be regarded as giving intensity to the notion of special, personal enmity; but a mere repetition of the subject (the enemy) without the repetition of their hostile purpose would be tame in the parallel member of the verse : לי is a variation of the preceding עלי , as in Lamentations 3:60. In the apodosis המּה כּשׁלוּ ונפלוּ , the overthrow of the enemy is regarded beforehand as an accomplished fact. The holy boldness and imperturbable repose are expressed in Psalms 27:3 in the very rhythm. The thesis or downward movement in Psalms 27:3 is spondaic: he does not allow himself to be disturbed; the thesis in Psalms 27:3 is iambic: he can be bold. The rendering of Hitzig (as of Rashi): “in this do I trust, viz., that Jahve is my light, etc.,” is erroneous. Such might be the interpretation, if בזאת אני בוטח closed Psalms 27:2; but it cannot refer back over Psalms 27:2 to Psalms 27:1; and why should the poet have expressed himself thus materially, instead of saying ביהוה ? The fact of the case is this, בוטח signifies even by itself “of good courage,” e.g., Proverbs 11:15; and בזאת “in spite of this” (Coccejus: hoc non obstante ), Leviticus 26:27, cf. Psalms 78:32, begins the apodosis, at the head of which we expect to find an adversative conjunction.


Verse 4-5

There is only one thing, that he desires, although he also has besides full satisfaction in Jahve in the midst of strangers and in trouble. The future is used side by side with the perfect in Psalms 27:4 , in order to express an ardent longing which extends out of the past into the future, and therefore runs through his whole life. The one thing sought is unfolded in שׁבתּי וגו . A life-long dwelling in the house of Jahve, that is to say intimate spiritual intercourse with the God, who has His dwelling ( בית ), His palace ( היכל ) in the holy tent, is the one desire of David's heart, in order that he may behold and feast upon ( חזה בּ of a clinging, lingering, chained gaze, and consequently a more significant form of expression than חזה with an accusative, Psalms 63:3) נעם ה (Psalms 90:17), the pleasantness (or gracefulness) of Jahve, i.e., His revelation, full of grace, which is there visible to the eye of the spirit. The interpretation which regards amaenitas as being equivalent to amaenus cultus takes hold of the idea from the wrong side. The assertion that בּקּר בּ is intended as a synonym of חזה בּ , of a pleased and lingering contemplation (Hupf., Hitz.), is contrary to the meaning of the verb, which signifies “to examine (with ל to seek or spie about after anything, Leviticus 13:36), to reflect on, or consider;” even the post-biblical signification to visit, more especially the sick (whence בּקּוּר הלים ), comes from the primary meaning investigare . An appropriate sense may be obtained in the present instance by regarding it as a denominative from בּקשׁ and rendering it as Dunash and Rashi have done, “and to appear early in His temple;” but it is unnecessary to depart from the general usage of the language. Hengstenberg rightly retains the signification “to meditate on.” בּהיכלו is a designation of the place consecrated to devotion, and לבקּר is meant to refer to contemplative meditation that loses itself in God who is there manifest. In Psalms 27:5 David bases the justification of his desire upon that which the sanctuary of God is to him; the futures affirm what Jahve will provide for him in His sanctuary. It is a refuge in which he may hide himself, where Jahve takes good care of him who takes refuge therein from the storms of trouble that rage outside: there he is far removed from all dangers, he is lifted high above them and his feet are upon rocky ground. The Chethîb may be read בּסכּה , as in Psalms 31:21 and with Ewald §257, d ; but, in this passage, with אהל alternates סך , which takes the place of סכּה in the poetic style (Psalms 76:3; Lamentations 2:6), though it does not do so by itself, but always with a suffix.

(Note: Just in like manner they say in poetic style צידהּ , Psalms 132:15; פּנּהּ , Proverbs 7:8; מדּה , Job 11:9; גּלּהּ , Zechariah 4:2; and perhaps even נצּהּ , Genesis 40:10; for צידתהּ , פּנּתהּ , מדּתהּ , גּלּתהּ , and נצּתהּ ; as, in general, shorter forms are sometimes found in the inflexion, which do not occur in the corresponding principal form, e.g., צוּרם , Psalms 49:15, for צוּרתם ; מגוּרם , Psalms 55:16, for מגוּרתם ; בּערמם , Job 5:13, for בּערמתם ; בּתבוּנם , Hosea 13:2, for בּתבוּנתם ; פּחם ; Nehemiah 5:14, for פּחתם ; cf. Hitzig on Hosea 13:2, and Böttcher's Neue Aehrenlese, No. 693.)


Verse 6

With ועתּה the poet predicts inferentially (cf. Psalms 2:10) the fulfilment of what he fervently desires, the guarantee of which lies in his very longing itself. זבחי תּרוּעה do not mean sacrifices in connection with which the trumpets are blown by the priests; for this was only the case in connection with the sacrifices of the whole congregation (Numbers 10:10), not with those of individuals. תּרוּעה is a synonym of תּודה , Psalms 26:7; and זבחי תּרוּעה is a stronger form of expression for זבחי תודה (Psalms 107:22), i.e., (cf. זבחי צדק , Psalms 4:6; 51:21) sacrifices of jubilant thanksgiving: he will offer sacrifices in which his gratitude plays a prominent part, and will sing songs of thanksgiving, accompanied by the playing of stringed instruments, to his Deliverer, who has again and so gloriously verified His promises.


Verse 7-8

Vows of thanksgiving on the assumption of the answering of the prayer and the fulfilment of the thing supplicated, are very common at the close of Psalms. But in this Psalm the prayer is only just beginning at this stage. The transition is brought about by the preceding conception of the danger that threatens him from the side of his foes who are round about him. The reality, which, in the first part, is overcome and surmounted by his faith, makes itself consciously felt here. It is not to be rendered, as has been done by the Vulgate, Exaudi Domine vocem qua clamavi (rather, clamo ) ad te (the introit of the Dominica exspectationis in the interval of preparation between Ascension and Pentecost). שׁמע has Dechî , and accordingly קולי אקרא , voce mea (as in Psalms 3:5) clamo , is an adverbial clause equivalent to voce mea clamante me . In Psalms 27:8 לך cannot possibly be so rendered that ל is treated as Lamed auctoris (Dathe, Olshausen): Thine, saith my heart, is (the utterance:) seek ye may face. The declaration is opposed to this sense, thus artificially put upon it. לך אמר are undoubtedly to be construed together; and what the heart says to Jahve is not: Seek ye my face, but by reason of this, and as its echo (Calvin: velut Deo succinens ): I will therefore seek Thy face. Just as in Job 42:3, a personal inference is drawn from a directly quoted saying of God. In the periodic style it would be necessary to transpose בּקּשׁוּ פּני thus: since Thou hast permitted and exhorted us, or in accordance with Thy persuasive invitation, that we should seek Thy face, I do seek Thy face (Hupfeld). There is no retrospective reference to any particular passage in the Tôra, such as Deuteronomy 4:29. The prayer is not based upon any single passage of Scripture, but upon God's commands and promises in general.


Verse 9-10

The requests are now poured forth with all the greater freedom and importunity, that God may be willing to be entreated and invoked. The Hiph . הטּה signifies in this passage standing by itself (cf. Job 24:4): to push aside. The clause עזרתי היית does not say: be Thou my help (which is impossible on syntactical grounds), nor is it to be taken relatively: Thou who wast my help (for which there is no ground in what precedes); but on the contrary the praet . gives the ground of the request that follows “Thou art my help (lit., Thou has become, or hast ever been) - cast me, then, not away,” and it is, moreover, accented accordingly. Psalms 27:10, as we have already observed, does not sound as though it came from the lips of David, of whom it is only said during the time of his persecution by Saul, that at that time he was obliged to part from his parents, 1 Samuel 22:3. The words certainly might be David's, if Psalms 27:10 would admit of being taken hypothetically, as is done by Ewald, §362, b : should my father and my mother forsake me, yet Jahve will etc. But the entreaty “forsake me not” is naturally followed by the reason: for my father and my mother have forsaken me; and just as naturally does the consolation: but Jahve will take me up, prepare the way for the entreaties which begin anew in Psalms 27:11. Whereas, if כי is taken hypothetically, Psalms 27:11 stands disconnectedly in the midst of the surrounding requests. On יאספני cf. Joshua 20:4.


Verse 11-12

He is now wandering about like a hunted deer; but God is able to guide him so that he may escape all dangers. And this is what he prays for. As in Psalms 143:10, מישׁור is used in an ethical sense; and differs in this respect from its use in Psalms 26:12. On שׁררים , see the primary passage Psalms 5:9, of which this is an echo. Wily spies dodge his every step and would gladly see what they have invented against him and wished for him, realised. Should he enter the way of sin leading to destruction, it would tend to the dishonour of God, just as on the contrary it is a matter of honour with God not to let His servant fall. Hence he prays to be led in the way of God, for a oneness of his own will with the divine renders a man inaccessible to evil. נפשׁ , Psalms 27:12, is used, as in Psalms 17:9, and in the similar passage, which is genuinely Davidic, Psalms 41:3, in the signification passion or strong desire; because the soul, in its natural state, is selfishness and inordinate desire. יפח is a collateral form of יפיח ; they are both adjectives formed from the future of the verb פּוּח (like ירב , יריב ): accustomed to breathe out (exhale), i.e., either to express, or to snort, breathe forth (cf. πνεῖν , or ἐμπνεῖν φόνον and θόνοῦ, θυμον , and the like, Acts 9:1). In both Hitzig sees participles of יפח (Jeremiah 4:31); but Psalms 10:5 and Habakkuk 2:3 lead back to פּוּח ( פּיח ) ; and Hupfeld rightly recognises such nouns formed from futures to be, according to their original source, circumlocutions of the participle after the manner of an elliptical relative clause (the ṣifat of the Arabic syntax), and explains יפיח כּזבים , together with יפח חמס , from the verbal construction which still continues in force.


Verse 13-14

Self-encouragement to firmer confidence of faith. Joined to Psalms 27:12 (Aben-Ezra, Kimchi), Psalms 27:13 trails badly after it. We must, with Geier, Dachselt, and others, suppose that the apodosis is wanting to the protasis with its לוּלא pointed with three points above,

(Note: The ו has not any point above it, because it might be easily mistaken for a Cholem , vid., Baer's Psalterium p. 130.)

and four below, according to the Masora (cf. B. Berachoth 4 a ), but a word which is indispensably necessary, and is even attested by the lxx ( ἑαυτῇ ) and the Targum (although not by any other of the ancient versions); cf. the protasis with לוּ , which has no apodosis, in Genesis 50:15, and the apodoses with כּי after לוּלי in Genesis 31:42; Genesis 43:10; 1 Sam. 35:34; 2 Samuel 2:27 (also Numbers 22:33, where אוּלי = אם לא = לוּלי ), which are likewise to be explained per aposiopesin . The perfect after לוּלא ( לוּלי ) has sometimes the sense of a plusquamperfectum (as in Genesis 43:10, nisi cunctati essemus ), and sometimes the sense of an imperfect , as in the present passage (cf. Deuteronomy 32:29 , si saperent ). The poet does not speak of a faith that he once had, a past faith, but, in regard to the danger that is even now abiding and present, of the faith he now has, a present faith. The apodosis ought to run something like this (Psalms 119:92; Psalms 94:17): did I not believe, were not confidence preserved to me...then ( אז( ne or כּי אז ) I should perish; or: then I had suddenly perished. But he has such faith, and he accordingly in Psalms 27:14 encourages himself to go on cheerfully waiting and hoping; he speaks to himself, it is, as it were, the believing half of his soul addressing the despondent and weaker half. Instead of ואמץ (Deuteronomy 31:7) the expression is, as in Ps 31:25, ויאמץ לבּך , let thy heart be strong, let it give proof of strength. The rendering “May He (Jahve) strengthen thy heart” would require יאמּץ ; but האמיץ , as e.g., הרחיב Psalms 25:17, belongs to the transitive denominatives applying to the mind or spirit, in which the Hebrew is by no means poor, and in which the Arabic is especially rich.