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caperent. Vix fatis credere fe quifque audiffe; alii alios intueri mirabundi veluti fomni vanam fpeciem, &c. Le Clerc.

V.4. Turn again our Captivity, O Lord, as &c.

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את is not here the Imperative, but a Noun ; and שובה [שביתנו וגו'

is to be confidered as a Sign of the Genitive Cafe, thus

THE

TURNING OF OUR CAPTIVITY, O LORD, is AS STREAMS IN THE SOUTH, i. e. as delightful. See Taylor's Conc. Befides the Grammatical Exigence of this Conftruction, the Context requires this Sense. For the Pfalmift must otherwise be fuppofed to be entreating God to do what he acknowledges had already been done.

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V. 2. for fo he giveth his beloved Sleep. 5 10+ 19] The old Verfion is more appofite, and lefs equivocal, viz. BUT HE GIVETH REST TO HIS BELOVED.

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V. 2. For thou shalt eat the Labour of thine Hands: happy fhalt

Rather, I think [ יגיע כפיך כי תאכל - אשריך וגו" .thou be &c

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WHEN THOU EATEST THE LABOUR OF THINE HANDS, HAPPY fhalt THOU be &c. For the Particle does not feem to be caufal in this Place.

V. 4. Behold, that thus fhall the Man be bleffed &c.

Rather [גבר וגו"

ས.

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5. The Lord fhall bless thee out of Zion, and thou shalt fee &c.

As the laft Verb and the Verb in the [ יברכך יהוה מציון וראה וגו"

next Verse are in the Imperative, it would I think be more accurate to render thus --- MAY THE LORD BLESS THEE OUT OF ZION, AND MAYEST THOU &c.

V. 17.

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ערכתי נר

I have ordained a Lamp for mine anointed.
That is, a Succeffor, as is evident from I Kings XI. 36. and

2 Sam. XXI. 17. The Metaphor is taken from the Light being conti

A a 2

nually

nually kept in by fresh Supplies fucceffively. Theocritus uses the fame Expreffion, Idyl. XXVII. νέον φαιος οψει μας.

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V. 3. As the Dew of Hermon, and as the Dew that defcended upon

Critics [ כטל חרמון שירד - על הררי ציון - : the Mountains of Zion

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have been much embarraffed in accounting how the Dew of Hermon could fall upon the Mountains of Zion, in Jerufalem, at the Distance of upwards of fixty Miles. Our Tranflators indeed overcome that Difficulty by the Addition of a few Words: but by fuch Expedients moft Difficulties may easily be mastered. The Sense of this Place feems however very obvious, and the Conftruction is easy, thus AS THE DEW OF HERMON THAT DESCENDETH UPON THE DRY HILLS: for fo is 1 ufed, Ifa. XXV.5. and XXXII.2. The Pfalmift having mentioned the Satisfaction which the Community feels on contemplating the Affection and Harmony fubfifting between Brothers living under the fame Roof, (for that I apprehend is the Meaning of the Words

, V. 1.) makes use of two Comparisons to illustrate his Idea; the one is the precious Oil used in confecrating the High Prieft, which diffused it's odoriferous Effluvia far and wide; and the other, the Dew falling upon and invigorating the parched Ground; and then adds in the Conclufion--- THERE (in that House) HATH THE LORD FOR EVERMORE COMMANDED A BLESSING, even LIFE. For it is well known that one of the Sanctions of the Mofaic Difpenfation was Long Life and it is particularly promised to those who obferved the fifth Commandment of the Decalogue, or the firft with Promife, Eph.VI.2. But as to LIFE ETERNAL, it made no part of that Temporary Institution.

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V. 3. Praise ye the Lord, for the Lord is good: fing Praifes unto

הללו יה כי טוב יהוה - זמרו לשמו כי נעים: .bim, for it is pleafant

The latter Hemiftic does not quadrate in our Verfion with the preceding one, though it does fo in the Text. If it be rendered thus, SING PRAISES UNTO HIM, FOR he is FAVOURABLE; both the Clauses. will correspond exactly. That □'y has the Sense here proposed is clear from Pf. XC.

17.

V. 19. Sibon, King of the Amorites,

,Rather [לסיחון מלך האמרי

NAMELY SIHON, &c. for the has here that Force, as 1 Chron. V.

26.2.

- XXV. 10.

PSALM

CXXXVII.

V. 3.

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ותוללינו

THEY THAT

and they that wafted us required of us Mirth, no], I cannot find from what Verb our Tranflators derive the Word in, fo as to give it the Sense of wasting. It must I think be deduced, either from, and then it may fignify LAID HEAPS UPON US; (which Senfe is countenanced by the Arabic Verb, proftravit, conjecit in collum &c.) or from ; ejulavit, in which Cafe we might render it Lamentation, thus AND instead of OUR LAMENTATIONS they required MIRTH. But all the ancient Verfions read, they that brought us, viz. into Captivity: if this Reading were admitted, it would be proper to render ww, (in the preceding Claufe) they that kept us Captives.

V.

5. If I forget thee, Ọ Jerufalem, let my right Hand forget her Cunning.nown

There is nothing in [אם אשכחך ירושלם תשכח ימיני: Cunning

the Text expreffive of Cunning or Skill; neither is any Word wanting to complete the Sense: thus --- IF I FORGET THEE, O JERUSALEM, LET MY RIGHT HAND BE FORGOTTEN, q. d. let it ever be rejected as useless: an Imprecation fimilar to thofe which immediately follow.

V. 6. — if I prefer not Ferufalem above my chief Joy. by NS DN

2u. ought not this Hemiftic to be [את ירושלם - על ראש שמחתי:

thus rendered --- IF I DO NOT ESTEEM JERUSALEM, LET ME REJOICE IN BITTERNESS? i. e. "may an oppreffive Captivity be my "Doom and only Comfort." Each of the Words will I believe be found to admit of this Senfe, and that without Violence ; and the Antithefis of the preceding Verfe, as well as of the former Part of this Verfe, will hereby be exactly preserved.

V.7. - Rafe it, rafe it, even to the Foundation thereof. y 197 198 :10] The Tranflation would be more exact, were it to run literally thus --- RASE, RASE, TO THE VERY FOUNDATION OF IT.. For it does not seem improbable that the original Lection might have: been the however appears to be demonstrative..

: היסודנה ה

P'S ALM

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V. 2. for thou haft magnified thy Word above all thy Name. :70728 720 be by Neither the LXX, Syriac, Arabic, Ethiopic, or Vulgate Verfions, acknowledge this laft Word, 728. It moreover greatly perplexes the Senfe; and ought therefore I think to be rejected as a Glofs. In this Cafe the Sentence would run thusFOR THOU HAST MAGNIFIED THY NAME ABOVE EVERY THING.

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Yea, they shall fing in the Ways of the Lord:

וישירו

V. 5. Our Tranflators and most of the ancient Interpreters derive from cecinit, because of the Word Praife, I imagine, in the preceding Verfe. But the Verb, rectum, planum fuit, was certainly as obvious, and is infinitely better adapted to the Text. It is ufed in Hiphil, (Prov. IV.25.) and, befides it's tranfitive Senfe of directing, fignifies alfo TO PROCEED FORWARD; which is doubtless the true Meaning of it in this Place.

ממרחק יידע

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V.6. Though the Lord be high, yet bath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off] This latter Clause, viz. yp, ought I think to be rendered — BUT THE PROUD HE REGARDETH WITH AVERSION; which is clearly the Meaning of the Phrase, he beholdeth afar off the literal Version might better fuit the Margin.

יהוה יגמר

V. 8. The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: ' y] There can be no Doubt that all the ancient Versions read here inftead of : which makes a better Senfe; thus-THE LORD WILL DEAL BOUNTIFULLY WITH ME. See Pf. LVII. 2.

PSALM

CXXXIX.

V. 5. Thou haft befet me behind and before,

18] All

the ancient Interpreters ready, THOU HAST FORMED ME &c. which does not fuit the Context fo well as the other Verb.

Here feems to לא אוכל, לה:

V. 6. -I cannot attain unto it. have been a Tranfpofition of Letters, viz.

for

nifies only To be able, whereas the Signification of is here wanted, viz. To cOMPREHEND.

; for

fig

is that which

V.7. Whither fhall I go from thy Spirit? &c.] In a fimilar Manner does Xenophon express the same Sentiment, viz. Tov yag θεων πολεμού εκ ειδα στ' από ποις αν ταχὸς φάγων τις αποφυγει, ὅτ' εις ποιον αν σκοτος αποδραση, εθ' όπως αν εις έχυρον χωρίον αποςαίη. Παντη γαρ παντα τοις θεοις υποχα, και πανταχη παντων ίσον οι θεοι κρατεσι. Anab. Lib. II. P.153. Hut.

V. 14. I will praise thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made:

,נפלית All the ancient Verfions read here [ אודך על כי נוראות נפליתי

which feems to be the true Senfe of this Place, viz. I WILL PRAISE THEE, FOR THOU HAST WONDERFULLY DONE TERRIBLE THINGS.

V. 16. Thine Eyes did fee my Subftance yet being imperfect; and in thy Book all my Members were written, which in Continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

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גלמי ראו עיניך Each Hemiftic in [ספרך כלם - יכתבו ימים יצרו - ולא אחד בהם: –

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this Verse contains a diftinct Sentence, which I think ought to be thus tranflated THINE EYES SAW MINE IMPERFECT PARTS, AND THEY were ALL IN THY BOOK; MY MEMBERS WERE REGISTERED FOR A WHILE, WHEN there was NOT ONE OF THEM. I ready (instead of 1) which is the flightest Alteration poffible, as Job XVII. 7. and this Lection feems to remove every Difficulty from the Construction of the Pronouns. is not found elsewhere in SS. in this Senfe but 1, in Chaldee, is an Embryo, a rude and unformed Mafs of Matter; alfo fignifies a Body mangled and torn in Pieces; and is used to exprefs a Seafon, or a long undetermined Space of Time, Gen. XL. 4.

V. 17. How precious also are thy Thoughts unto me, O God; ht

Rather [יקרו רעיך אל

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אספרם מחול ירבון

V.18. If I fhould count, them they are more in Number than the Sand: when I wake, I am ftill with thee.pn :] I cannot fee the Connection between these two Claufes as they ftand in our Verfion: but if we give to the Verb p the fame Signification in Hiphil which it has in Kal, as Ifa.VII. 6. that Objection will be removed: thus --- If I COUNT THEM, THEY ARE MORE IN. NUMBER THAN THE SAND: I GROW WEARY; (or, AM VEXED;) AND AM STILL WITH THEE: that is, "I find it an impracticable At"tempt; for in the End I am where I began, and loft in the Contemplation of thy glorious Perfections."

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