V. 17. I will praise the Lord according to his Righteousness: BECAUSE OF HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS: or,

Rather [ יהוה כצדקו

ON ACCOUNT OF. See Pf. XII. 8. XXV. 7. &c.

PSALM VIII.

[ ארחות ימים

V. 8. and whatsoever paffeth through the Paths of the Seas. :''m] Rather, I think - AND THE PASSAGE THROUGH THE PATHS OF THE SEAS, i. e. 66 Navigation." For y cannot agree with '; and if it could, this Sentence would then be a mere Pleonafm. Whereas nothing appears more natural than to fuppofe the Pfalmift meant, (after he had mentioned in general and in Detail the whole of the Creation, whether animate or inanimate) to fum up all by touching on the amazing Power God had given Man over the boifterous Element.

V. 18.

the Expectation of the poor fhall not perish for ever.

As this Hemiftic plainly requires fome [תקות עניים תאבד לער :

negative Particle, which we find in all the ancient Verfions, it is moft probable that the original Reading was p; in which Cafe the 1 would have a negative Force, as it is preceded by a Negative: Or the Hemiftic may be thus rendered interrogatively

SHALL THE

EXPECTATION OF THE POOR FAIL FOR EVER? See Pf. I.6. II.12.

PSALM X.

- Rather [רשע ידלק עני

בנאות

---- :

Our Tranflators thought,

V. 2. The wicked in his Pride doth perfecute the poor :-JA THROUGH PRIDE THE WICKED PERSECUTETH THE POOR; or, DOTH PROUDLY PERSECUTE as the Word is rendered, Pf. XVII. 10. either that the Affix had dropped out of 12, or that it was in regimine; but neither is the Cafe: the Word is in the Plural, to denote Abundance, or merely to ferve as an Adverb, as it frequently happens.

V. 4. The wicked, through the Pride of his Countenance, will not seek

- Rather [רשע בגבה אפו בל ידרש : after God

THE WICKED

THROUGH

THROUGH PRIDE WILL NOT SEEK HIS FACE, viz. the Lord's; mentioned immediately before.

God is not in all his Thoughts.__: "Misio bo obx px] Rather (with the Margin) ALL HIS THOUGHTS are, There is No GOD: agreeably to Pf. XIV. 1. and LIII. 1.

יוחלו דרכיו

The [יחילו דרכו בכל עת

V. 5. His Ways are always grievous ; Text is doubtless here corrupt. According to our Verfion, it ought to be 17: but the Lection of the Arabic Verfion feems preferable, as it approaches nearer to the Text, viz. 1977 57 — HE HATH POLLUTED HIS WAY. See in.

—as for all his Enemies, he puffeth at them. On n'o' 17718 bɔ] Simply thus HE ENSNARETH ALL HIS ENEMIES. A common Hebraifm. The fame Idiom is properly rendered, Pf. XI. 4.

V. 6. He hath faid in his Heart, I shall not be moved: for I fhall

לדר ודר אשר לא ברע: .never be in aduerity אמר בלבו בל אמוט

is here אשר

Rather

101

HE HATH SAID IN HIS HEART, I SHALL NOT BE MOVED; NEITHER SHALL I SEE ADVERSITY. confidered as contractedly written for ", the future of, which fignifies to fee, Job. XXXV. 5.

תחת לשונו עמל .under bis Tongue is Michief and Vanity

Rather [ואון:

HIS TONGUE STICKETH UPON MISCHIEF AND INIQUITY, as Pf. XXXVIII. 2. or SETTLETH UPON as LXV. 10. i. e. "is continually uttering." is of the common Gender ; but more frequently feminine. nn is here defective, as Prov. XVII. 10. (where it fignifies entreth into) for

.

V. 8. Rather - HIS EYES PRIVILY LURK FOR THE POOR: as Prov.I.11.

his Eyes are privily fet against the poor. 10v, nabnh vv]

V. 9. He lieth in wait fecretly, as a Lion in his Den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor when he draweth him into his

יארב במסתר כאריה בסכה - יארב לחטוף עני - יחטף עני במשכו .Net

] The Repetitions are here very ftriking: in them are united the Anaphora, and Anadiplofis.

V. 10. He croucheth and bumbleth himself, that the poor may fall by

-Rather per [ודכה ישח - ונפל בעצומיו חלכאים: .bis trong ones

haps thus --- THE OPPRESSED IS CAST DOWN; AND THE WHOLE

BAND

BAND OF THE AFFLICTED FALLETH, WHEN HE PREVAILETH OVER THEM. The Maffora reads : but there feems to be no Occafion for an Alteration. I confider with Aquila, as having the paragogic, as non, V.8. n as the Future Niphal, from nn, as Ifa. II. 11,17. I read y, with the LXX, Arabic, Æthiopic, and Vulgate, making it the Infinitive and laftly, I conftrue that strange Word, D', as compounded of an Army, and to make fad.

V. 11. he bideth his Face; he will never fee it.
Rather—HE HIDETH HIS FACE; HE
ALWAYS LOOK ON; or, HE WILL NOT FOR EVER BEHOLD.

[ראה לנצח:

V. 12. Arife, O Lord; O God, lift up thine Hand:

WILL NOT

קומה יהוה אל

ARISE, O LORD GOD, LIFT UP

- Perhaps better thus [נשא ידך

THINE HAND.

V. 14. Thou haft feen it, for thou beholdeft Mifchief and Spite to requite it with thy Hand:

ראתה כי אתה עמל - וכעס תביט לתת בידך

Each Hemiftic ought to be confidered separately thus — BUT THOU HAST SEEN MISCHIEF, AND BEHOLDEST PROVOCATION TO REQUITE &c.

V. 1. Flee as a Bird to your Mountain. 1031919] The Maffora reads here ; which, as it agrees with D, is preferable. That Lection is befides countenanced by all the ancient Verfions. It is also probable that the other two Words are wrongly divided; for the Affix Pronoun seems here unneceffary, and a Particle of Similitude is wanting; thus — FLY THOU AS A BIRD TO THE MOUNTAIN. The Particle being not unfrequently prefixed to the Nominative, and all other Cafes: fee Noldius 44.

V. 3. If the Foundations be deftroyed, n' minn >] The Word n occurs only in another Place, (viz. Ifa. XIX. 10.) and there it has a different Senfe. The Signification here given to it, either in the Proper or Figurative Senfe, feems arbitrary, and not very fuitable to this Place. The LXX, Syriac, Arabic, and Vulgate read nnen 2. m. fing. Pret. Kal with ♬ relative prefixed: which Lection is doubtlefs preferable, viz. WHEN THEY DESTROY WHAT THOU HAST

ESTABLISHED &C.

Rather [עפעפיו - יבחנו בני אדם:

V.4. his Eyes behold, his Eyelids try the Children of Men. yoyoy] Rather—HIS EYES BEHOLD, HIS EYELIDS INSPECT. Hence comes in, a Tower, or Place of Inspection. V. 6. Upon the wicked he fhall rain Snares, Fire and Brimstone,

Rather [ימטר אל רשעים פחים אש

UPON THE WICKED HE WILL POUR DOWN QUICK BURNING COALS: as in the Margin. — and an horrible Tempeft: this shall be the Portion of their Cup.

Rather - AND BRIMSTONE AND [ וגפרית ורוח זלעפות מנת כוסם:

A SCORCHING TEMPEST fhall be THE PORTION OF THEIR CUP: in order to avoid the Repetition of burning twice in the fame Verse.

V.5.

PSALM XII.

I will fet him in Safety from him that puffeth at him. nes mya] Rather-from him that ENSNARETH HIM. See Pf.X.5.

[בישע יפיח לו:

כסף צרוף בעליל - ,as Silver tried in a Furnace of Earth is not for a in עליל לארץ

V. 6.

The Word hy is not used for a Furnace in any other Place; neither has it the leaft Connection with the Root. This Senfe has been given to it from the Targum and from the Exigentia loci. In the many other Places where this Simile occurs, a Furnace is always expreffed by ; whence I conclude that it has not this Signification; and would therefore either read, and render as SILVER PURIFIED FROM THE MIXTURE OF EARTH; Or, retaining the prefent Lection, conftrue it thus as SILVER PURIFIED FROM THE REMNANTS OF EARTH. See to mix Things together, and Shy to glean Grapes or Corn, after a Vintage or Harvest. This Verb is used figuratively for picking up Stragglers; and why may not its Derivative be used for any scattered Particle, or Remnant of any Thing?

V.8. The wicked walk on every Side, when the vileft Men are exalted.

ברום זלות לבני אדם:

I would render the [סביב רעשים יתהלכון

latter Hemiftic thus- THAT THEY MAY EXALT THE REFUSE OF THE SONS OF MEN: i. e. "the wicked spare no Pains in order to pro"mote fuch vile Wretches as will countenance their Designs." Or thus

114

WHEN THE REFUSE OF MANKIND ARE EXALTED, WICKED MEN GO ABOUT (viz. ABOUND) ON EVERY SIDE: grafantur impii undequaque. "Vice prevails when impious Men bear Sway." Perhaps the Pfalmift might allude to fome fuch Perfon as Doeg having Influence at the Court of Saul, to the Oppreffion of the Righteous.

PSALM

עד אנה

V. 1. How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord, for ever? - Y ny) "Inown min] Rather - HOW LONG WILT THOU TOTALLY FORGET ME? See Pf. LXXXIX. 46. Isa. XXV. 8.

יהוה תשכחני נצח

V. 2. How long fhall I take Counsel in my Soul?

Rather perhaps [ עצות בנפשי

FOR MY LIFE? i.e. "for prefer"ving it." The Prepofition is thus used, Gen. XVIII. 28. &c.

V.3. left I fleep the Sleep of Death. von je 1] The articular is here equivalent to the local, asyn, into the City; Jos. VIII. 19. &c. in into the Houfe; 2 Sam. XIX. 6. The old Verfion feems therefore more exact, viz. THAT I SLEEP NOT IN DEATH.

V. 4. Left mine Enemy Jay, I have prevailed against him; and those

that &c.

It is highly probable that [פן יאמר איבי יכלתיו צרי - וגו' יכלתי וצרי - the original Reading here was

thus LEST MINE ENEMY SAY, I HAVE PREVAILED: AND THOSE &c for the Verb, when used in the Senfe of prevailing againft, is always conftrued with a after it: See Gen. XXXII.25. Jer. XX. 10. &c. besides that the copulative Particle is here wanted.

when I am moved.

] Rather- WHEN I FALL; as Prov. XXV. 26; or, as in the old Verfion, WHEN I SLIDE.

V. 2.

-to fee if there were any that did understand, and feek God.

Rather [היש משכיל .

דרש את אלהים:

-

STAND, SEEKING GOD.

V.3. there is none that doeth good, no not one.] St. Paul quotes thefe three Verfes, (Rom. III. 10, 11, 12.) and immediately after adds fix more Verses, which at prefent do not appear in the Heb. Copies, nor in any of the old Verfions, except the LXX, Arabic, Æthiopic, and Vulgate. In the Vatican Copy of the LXX, F. Montfaucon informs us, That from thefe Words τάφος ανεωγμένος ο λάρυγξ αυτων τo απεναντι των οφJaλμav auTwv, the whole is inferted in the Margin, and that there is added this Note, εδαμε κεινται των ψαλμών, ποθεν δε ο απόστολος ειληφεν

αυτός