Proverbia 65:3

Nova Vulgata

[65:4] Etsi praevaluerunt super nos impietates nostrae, tu propitiaberis eis.

Parallel Translations

Clementine Latin Vulgate (1592)
Dicite Deo : Quam terribilia sunt opera tua, Domine ! in multitudine virtutis tu� mentientur tibi inimici tui.

Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405)
Dicite Deo: Quam terribilia sunt opera tua, Domine!
in multitudine virtutis tu� mentientur tibi inimici tui.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Iniquities: Heb. Words, or Matters, of Iniquities

prevail: Psalms 38:4, Psalms 40:12, 2 Samuel 12:7-13, Micah 7:8, Micah 7:9, Romans 7:23-25, Galatians 5:17

transgressions: Psalms 51:2, Psalms 51:3, Psalms 51:7, Psalms 79:9, Isaiah 1:18, Isaiah 1:19, Isaiah 6:7, Zechariah 13:1, John 1:29, Hebrews 9:14, 1 John 1:7-9, Revelation 1:5

Reciprocal: Psalms 19:12 - cleanse Psalms 39:8 - Deliver Jeremiah 33:8 - General Jeremiah 42:20 - For ye Micah 7:18 - that Romans 7:15 - what Romans 7:21 - evil Hebrews 8:12 - General

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Iniquities prevail against me,.... Or, "are mightier than I" h; this may be understood either of the iniquities of others, his enemies; their "words of iniquities" i or iniquitous words, as in the Hebrew text; their calumnies, reproaches, false charges, and accusations, which prevailed against David in Saul's court; or rather his own iniquities, inward lusts, indwelling sins, as well as open transgressions, which he considers as his enemies, as numerous and powerful, too mighty for him, which warred against him, and sometimes got the better of him, and threatened him with utter ruin and destruction; but amidst all this he spies atonement and pardon through the blood and sacrifice of Christ, as follows;

[as for] our transgressions, thou shall purge them away; not only his own, but others, which Christ has done by the sacrifice of himself; and when his blood is applied to the conscience of a sensible sinner, it purges it from all his sins, Hebrews 1:3; it may be rendered, "thou shall expiate them", or "make atonement for them" k; which Christ, our propitiation, has done: this was the work appointed him, which he undertook, came into the world to do, and has performed, Daniel 9:24 Hebrews 2:17; or "thou shalt cover them"; with the blood and righteousness of Christ; or forgive them for the sake of them,

Psalms 32:1.

h מני "prae me", Muis, Michaelis. i דברי עונת "verba iniquitatum", Montanus, Vatablus, Gejerus, Michaelis; so Ainsworth. k תכפרם "propitiaberis", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus; "expiabis", Vatablus, Gejerus, Michaelis.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Iniquities prevail against me - Margin, as in Hebrew, Words, or matters of iniquities. The literal meaning is words; and the idea may be that words spoken in iniquity, or slanderous words spoken by others, prevailed against him. The phrase, however, is susceptible of the interpretation which refers it to iniquity itself; meaning the matter of iniquity - the thing - iniquity itself - as if that overcame him, or got the mastery of him. The psalmist here, in his own name, seems to represent the people who thus approached God, for the psalm refers to the worship of an assembly or a congregation. The idea is, that when they thus came before God; when they had prepared all things for his praise Psalms 65:1; when they approached him in an attitude of prayer, they were so bowed down under a load of transgression - a weight of sin - as to hinder their easy access to his throne. They were so conscious of unworthiness; their sin had such an effect on their minds; it rendered them so dull, cold, and stupid, that they could not find access to the throne of God. How often do the people of God find this to be the case!

As for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away - That is, In reference to these very transgressions or iniquities that now press us down, thou wilt remove them. The language expresses the rising confidence and hope of the worshippers that God would not allow those transgressions so to prevail as to prevent their worshipping God acceptably. Heavy as was the burden of sin, and much as the consciousness of guilt tended to impede their worship, yet they felt assured that God would so remove their transgressions that they might have access to his mercy-seat. The word rendered “purge away” - כפר kâphar - is the word which is commonly rendered “to atone for,” or which is used to represent the idea of atonement. See the notes at Isaiah 43:3. The word has here the sense of cleansing or purifying, but it always carries with it, in the Scriptures, a reference to that through which the heart is cleansed - the atonement, or the expiatory offering made for sin. The language here expresses the feeling which all may have, and should have, and which very many do have, when they approach God, that, although they are deeply conscious of sin, God will so graciously remove the guilt of sin, and lift off the burden, cleansing the soul by his grace, as to make it not improper that we should approach him, and that he will enable us to do it with peace, and joy, and hope. Compare the notes at Psalms 51:2.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Psalms 65:3. Iniquities prevail against me — This is no just rendering of the original, דברי עונת גברו מני dibrey avonoth gaberu menni; "iniquitous words have prevailed against me," or, "The words of iniquity are strong against me." All kinds of calumnies, lies, and slanders have been propagated, to shake my confidence, and ruin my credit.

Our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away. — Whatsoever offences we have committed against thee, thou wilt pardon; תכפרם tecapperem, thou wilt make atonement for them, when with hearty repentance and true faith we turn unto thee. This verse has been abused to favour Antinomian licentiousness. The true and correct translation of the former clause will prevent this.

The old Scottish Version of this verse, in their singing Psalms, is most execrable: -

"Iniquities, I must confess,

Prevail against me do:

And as for our trans-gres-si-ons

Them purge away wilt thou."

O David, if thou art capable of hearing such abominable doggerel substituted for the nervous words thou didst compose by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, what must thou feel, if chagrin can affect the inhabitants of heaven!