Bible Commentaries

Psalms 102:17 — Zion that he does regard prayer; that he hears the supplications of his people. There is no higher proof that prayer is heard than that which is often furnished in a revival of pure religion. All such revivals, like that on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1 ff), are usually preceded, as that was Acts 1:13-14, by special prayer; in those revivals there are often most manifest and clear answers to prayer for the conversion of individuals; to prayer for a blessing on a preached gospel; to prayer for particular

Psalms 119:3 — They also do no iniquity - See the notes at 1 John 3:9. The meaning is, that they are righteous; their character is that they do that which is right. It cannot mean that all persons who are religious are actually and absolutely perfect - for no man would hold this opinion; no one does hold it.

Psalms 127:5 — Happy is the man - Hebrew, The happiness of the man. See the notes at Psalms 1:1.That hath his quiver full of them - The quiver is a case in which arrows are carried; and as a man - a hunter or warrior - feels secure when he has his quiver full of arrows, so a man is blessed in proportion to the number of his sons. This is in

Psalms 5:1-12 — :TitleUpon Nehiloth - The title of Psalms 4:1-8 is, “upon Neginoth.” As that refers to a musical instrument, so it is probable that this does, and that the idea here is that this psalm was intended particularly for the music-master that had special charge of this instrument, or who presided over

Psalms 51:19 — it would not be presented as a mere form, but would be so offered, that it might be called a “sacrifice of righteousness” - a sacrifice offered with a right spirit; in a manner which God would deem right.With burnt-offering - See the notes at Isaiah 1:11.And whole burnt-offering - The word here means that which is wholly consumed, no part of which was reserved to be eaten by the priests, as was the case in many of the sacrifices. See Deuteronomy 33:10. Compare Leviticus 6:9; Leviticus 1:3-17.Then

Psalms 52:8 — the informer, to secure my destruction. I have been kept unharmed, like a green and flourishing tree - a tree protected in the very courts of the sanctuary - safe under the care and the eye of God. A green tree is the emblem of prosperity. See Psalms 1:3, note; Psalms 37:35, note; compare Psalms 92:12. The “house of God” here referred to is the tabernacle, considered as the place where God was supposed to reside. See Psalms 15:1, note; Psalms 23:6, note; Psalms 27:4-5, notes. The particular allusion

Psalms 81:6 — reference is undoubtedly to their burdens in making bricks, and conveying them to the place where they were to be used; and perhaps also to the fact that they were required to carry stone in building houses and towns for the Egyptians. Compare Exodus 1:11-14; Exodus 5:4-17. The meaning is, that he had saved them from these burdens, to wit, by delivering them from their hard bondage. The speaker here evidently is God. In the previous verse it is the people. Such a change of person is not uncommon in

Psalms 91:16 — With long life will I satisfy him - The margin here, is “length of days;” that is, days lengthened out or multiplied. The meaning is, I will give him length of days as he desires, or until he is satisfied with life; implying(1) that it is natural to desire long life;(2) that long life is to be regarded as a blessing (compare Proverbs 3:2, Proverbs 3:16; Exodus 20:12);(3) that the tendency of religion is to lengthen out life; since virtue, temperance, regular industry, calmness

Isaiah 14:27 — For the Lord of hosts - (see the note at Isaiah 1:9).Who shall disannul it? - Who has power to defeat his purposes? Difficult as they may be in appearance, and incredible as their fulfillment may seem, yet his purposes are formed in full view of all the circumstances; and there is no power to resist

Isaiah 16:13 — predictions declaring in general that Moab should be destroyed, and the prophet says here that he had expressed their general sense; or that “his” predictions accorded with them all - for they all predicted the complete overthrow of Moab. He now says Isaiah 16:14 that these general prophecies respecting Moab which had been of so long standing were now to be speedily accomplished. The prophecies respecting Moab, foretelling its future ruin, may be seen in Exodus 15:15; Numbers 21:29; Numbers 24:17; Psalms

Isaiah 27:2 — Sing ye unto her - That is, sing unto, or respecting the vineyard. The word rendered ‘sing’ (ענוּ ‛anû) signifies properly, “answer, respond to;” and then, sing a responsive song, where one portion of the choir responds to another (see Exodus 15:21). This has been well expressed here by Lowth in his translation: ‘To the beloved Vineyard, sing ye a responsive song.’It is the commencement of a song, or hymn respecting Judea, represented under the image of a vineyard, and which is probably confirmed

Isaiah 3:7 — shall he swear - Hebrew, ישׁא yı̂shā' ‘Shall he lift up’ - that is, the voice, or the hand. To lift up the hand was one of the modes of taking an oath. Perhaps it means only that he should lift up “the voice” - that is, “should answer;” compare Numbers 14:1. The Vulgate, the Septuagint, and the Chaldee, read it simply ‘he shall answer.’I will not be an healer - Hebrew, ‘a binder up,’ Isaiah 1:6. The Vulgate renders it, ‘I am not a physician.’ The Septuagint and the Chaldee, ‘I am not sufficient to be

Isaiah 3:8 — “Jerome.”Is ruined - It would be so ruined, and the prospect of preserving it would be so completely taken away, that no one could be induced to undertake to defend and protect it.Judah - The kingdom of Judah, of which Jerusalem was the capital; Note Isaiah 1:1.Is fallen - Hebrew, “falls;” that is, is about to fall - as a tower or a tree falls to ruin. If the “capital” fell and was ruined, the kingdom would also fall as a matter of course.Because their tongue ... - This is the “reason” why Judah was ruined.

Isaiah 30:11 — Get ye out of the way - Or, rather, ‘Recede from the way;’ or ‘Turn aside from the way.’ The words “way” and “path” are used to denote the true religion, or the true doctrines of God Matthew 7:14; Matthew 22:16; John 14:4; Acts 18:26; Acts 19:9, Acts 19:23; 2 Peter 2:15. The request here was that the true prophets would recede from the stern and true precepts of religion, and turn to the ways of falsehood and deceit.Cause the Holy One of Israel

Isaiah 51:3 — For the Lord shall comfort Zion - On the word ‘Zion,’ see the notes at Isaiah 1:8. The meaning here is, that he would again restore it from its ruins. The argument is drawn from the statement in the previous verses. If God had raised up so great a nation from so humble all origin, he had power to restore the waste places of Judea

Isaiah 62:4 — is taken from a female who had been divorced, and whose appropriate name was Forsaken.’ God says here that the appropriate name henceforward would not be the Forsaken, but the married one - the one favored and blessed of God (see the notes at Isaiah 1:1). Language like this is common in the East. ‘A sovereign is spoken of as married to his dominions; they mutually depend on each other. When a king takes possessions from another, he is said to be married to them’ - (Roberts).Thy land shall be married

Ezekiel 33:23-33 — flesh with the blood was forbidden (see the marginal references). It seems to have been connected with the idolatries of Canaan. The prohibition was, on account of its connection with idolatry, continued in the enactment of the Council of Jerusalem Acts 15:29.Ezekiel 33:26Ye stand upon your sword - Ye put your trust in your swords.Ezekiel 33:30-33God warns the prophet against being misled by the compliance of the people.Ezekiel 33:30Against thee - Rather, about “thee.” “by the walls” Rather, within “the

Daniel 10:16 — respectful address, but without indicating the rank of him to whom it is applied.By the vision my sorrows are turned upon me - The word rendered “sorrows” (צירים tsı̂yrı̂ym) means, properly, “writhings, throes, pains,” as of a woman in travail, Isaiah 13:8; Isa 21:3; 1 Samuel 4:19; and then any deep pain or anguish. Here it refers to “terror or fright,” as so great as to prostrate the strength of Daniel. The word rendered “are turned” (נהפכוּ nehepekû - from הפך hâphak) means, in Niphal. to turn

Daniel 5:12 — one who could do it was inspired by the gods.And showing of hard sentences - The meaning of enigmatical or obscure sentences. To be able to do this was supposed to indicate great attainments, and was a knowledge that was much coveted. Compare Proverbs 1:6 : “To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.”And dissolving of doubts - Margin, “or, a dissolver of knots.” So the Chaldee. This language is still common in the East, to denote one who has skill

Joel 1:1 — of his father only, and then is silent about his extraction, his tribe, his family. He leaves even the time when he lived, to be guessed at. He would be known only, as the instrument of God. “The word of the Lord came to” him (see the note at Hosea 1:1), and he willed simply to be the voice which uttered it. He was “content to live under the eyes of God, and, as to people, to be known only in what concerned their salvation.” But this he declares absolutely, that the Word of God came to him; in order