Bible Commentaries

Psalms 118:23 — world; that it influences mankind as it does; and that he himself is exalted to a rank “far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.” Ephesians 1:21.

Psalms 119:141 — I am small and despised - The word here rendered “small” may mean “small” in respect to number - that is, “few,” Micah 5:2; Isaiah 60:22; or in respect to age - “young,” Genesis 19:31; or in respect to dignity - “low;” least in rank or esteem. The language here may be applied to the church as comparatively few; to one who is young; or to one in humble life. Either of these may be a reason why one is regarded as of little consequence,

Psalms 119:53 — with distress. Luther, “I am burnt up.” The Hebrew word - זלעפה zal‛âphâh - is from a verb meaning “to be hot; to glow”; and the idea in the word is that of violent heat; then, a glow or burning, as of a wind - the “simoom” of the desert. See Psalms 11:6, where the word is translated “horrible tempest,” in the margin, “burning.” The word occurs only in that passage, in the one before us, and in Lamentations 5:10, where it is rendered “terrible (famine),” in the margin, “terrors,” or “storms.” The

Psalms 139:23 — Search me, O God - The word “search” here is the same as in Psalms 139:1. See the notes at that verse. The psalmist had stated the fact that it is a characteristic of God that he “does” search the heart; and he here prays that God “would” exercise that power in relation to himself; that as God could know all that there

Psalms 92:1 — It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord - literally, “Good is it to give thanks unto Jehovah.” That is, the act is appropriate; the effect is good.(1) The thing itself is appropriate, for there is much, under all circumstances, to be thankful for: life, health, food, raiment, air, water, friends, recollections, hopes - and, above all, the blessings of redemption, and the assurance that we may be

Psalms 97:2 — Clouds and darkness are round about him - This is a description of the majesty of God, derived probably from the manner in which he manifested himself at Mount Sinai. Exodus 19:16-19. God is often thus represented as encompassed with clouds. Psalms 104:3; Daniel 7:13; Matthew 24:30; Revelation 1:7. See the notes at Psalms 18:7-15. The word rendered “clouds” is the common word to denote a cloud; the word translated “darkness”

Proverbs 3:27-35 — trust.Proverbs 3:28Procrastination is especially fatal to the giving impulse. The Septuagint adds the caution: “for thou knowest not what the morrow will bring forth.”Proverbs 3:29Securely - i. e., “With full trust,” without care or suspicion. Compare Judges 18:7, Judges 18:27.Proverbs 3:31A protest against the tendency to worship success, to think the lot of the “man of violence” enviable, and therefore to be chosen.Proverbs 3:32The true nature of such success. That which people admire is an abomination

Isaiah 10:16 — Lord - Hebrew, אדון 'ādôn.The Lord of hosts - In the present Hebrew text, the original word is also אדני 'ădonāy, but fifty-two manuscripts and six editions read Jehovah. On the meaning of the phrase, “the Lord of hosts,” see the note at Isaiah 1:9. This verse contains a threatening of the punishment that would come upon the Assyrian for his insolence and pride, and the remainder of the chapter is mainly occupied with the details of that punishment. The punishment here threatened is, that while

Isaiah 24:6 — Hence, the word here used (חרה chârâh, “to burn, to be kindled”) is often used in connection with wrath, to denote burning or raging anger. Exodus 22:23 : ‘His anger burns.’ Genesis 30:2 : ‘And the anger of Jacob was kindled against Rachel; Genesis 44:18; Job 27:2-3; Job 42:7; Genesis 31:6 : ‘His anger was kindled.’ Psalms 37:1, Psalms 37:7-8; Proverbs 24:19 Compare Job 30:30 : My skin is black upon me, And my bones are burnt with heat.The sense is, that the inhabitants of the land were wasted away

Isaiah 32:20 — places near running streams as being most fertile; or it may refer, as Lowth supposes, to the manner of sowing grain, and particularly rice, in eastern countries. This is done by casting the seed upon the water. This custom is referred to in Ecclesiastes 11:1 : ‘Cast thy bread,’ that is, thy seed, ‘upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days;’ that is, cast thy seed upon the waters when the river overflows the banks, and the seed will sink into the slime and mud, and will spring up when the

Isaiah 38:21 — sun-dial, and before the account of his recovery 2 Kings 20:7-8. The order in which it is introduced, however, is not material.Let them take a lump of figs - The word used here (דבלה debēlâh) denotes “a round cake” of dried figs pressed together in a mass 1 Samuel 25:18. Figs were thus pressed together for preservation, and for convenience of conveyance.And lay it for a plaster - The word used here (מרח mârach) denotes properly to rub, bruise, crush by rubbing; then to rub, in, to anoint, to soften. Here

Isaiah 39:6 — commenced about one hundred and twenty years after this prediction (compare Jeremiah 20:5).That all that is in thine house - That is, all the treasures that are in the treasure-house Isaiah 39:2.And that which thy fathers have laid up in store - In 2 Kings 18:15-16, we are told that Hezekiah, in order to meet the demands of the king of Assyria, had cut off even the ornaments of the temple, and taken all the treasures which were in ‘the king’s house.’ It is possible, however, that there might have been other

Isaiah 45:20 — Assemble yourselves, and come - This, like the passage in Isaiah 41:1 ff, is a solemn appeal to the worshippers of idols, to come and produce the evidences of their being endowed with omniscience, and with almighty power, and of their having claims to the homage of their worshippers.Ye that are escaped of the nations

Isaiah 57:3 — the oracles of the pagan rather than the only true God. On the meaning of the word used here, see the notes at Isaiah 2:6. The Hebrews, like other inhabitants of the East, were much addicted to this, and particularly in the time of Manasseh 2 Kings 21:6 : ‘And he made his sons pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits, and wizards.’ So much were they devoted to this in his time, that they might be called, by way of eminence, ‘the sons of the

Isaiah 58:8 — Then shall thy light - (See the notes at Isaiah 44:7). The idea here is, that if they were faithful in the discharge of their duty to God, he would bless them with abundant prosperity (compare Job 11:17). The image is, that such prosperity would come on the people like the spreading light of the morning.And thine health - Lowth and Noyes render this, ‘And thy wounds shall be speedily healed over.’ The authority on which Lowth relies, is the version

Isaiah 64:10 — ‘lower city.’ But I think it more probable that the prophet refers to the cities throughout the land that were laid waste.Are a wilderness - They were uninhabited, and were lying in ruins.Zion is a wilderness - On the name ‘Zion,’ see the notes at Isaiah 1:8. The idea here is, that Jerusalem was laid waste. Its temple was burned; its palaces destroyed; its houses uninhabited. This is to be regarded as being uttered at the close of the exile, after Jerusalem had been lying in ruins for seventy years -

Isaiah 7:13 — prevent their sayings and messages; try their spirits, etc.Men - prophets; the men who are sent to instruct, and admonish.Will ye weary my God also? - Will you refuse to keep his commands; try his patience; and exhaust his long-suffering? compare Isaiah 1:14. The sense of this passage seems to be this: When Ahaz refused to believe the bare prediction of the prophet, his transgression was the more excusable. He had wearied and provoked him, but Isaiah had as yet given to Ahaz no direct demonstration that

Isaiah 7:25 — And on all hills ... - All the fertile places in the mountains that used to be cultivated with the spade. Vineyards were often planted on the sides of hills; and those places were among the most productive and fertile in the land; see Isaiah 5:1.The mattock - The spade; the garden hoe; or the weeding-hook. An instrument chiefly used, probably, in vineyards.There shall not come thither - There shall not be.The fear of briers and thorns - This does not make sense; or if it does, it is not a sense

Isaiah 7:9 — And the head of Ephraim - The capital city of Ephraim, or of Israel.Is Samaria - This was long the capital of the kingdom of Israel. For a description of this city, see the notes at Isaiah 28:1. The meaning of the prophet is, that Samaria should continue to be the head of Ephraim; that is, Jerusalem should not be made its capital.If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established - There is considerable variety in the interpretation

Isaiah 9:17 — nation, that on which the chief reliance would be placed, would be cut off.Neither shall have mercy ... - Judgment would sweep through the nation, even over those who were the usual objects of the divine protection - widows and orphans; compare Psalms 10:14, Psalms 10:18; Psalms 48:5; Deuteronomy 10:18; Jeremiah 49:11; Hosea 14:3. These passages show that the fatherless and the widow are the special objects of the divine favor; and when, therefore, it is said that the Lord would not have mercy been