7 O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou marchedst through the desert; 8 The earth shook, yea, the heavens dropped (rain) at the presence of God: yon Sinai (shook) at the presence of God, the God of Israel 1. 9 A bounteous rain thou didst shed abroad, O God; when thine inheritance was weary, thou didst confirm it. 2 10 Thy clan (?) dwelt therein 2; in thy goodness, O God, thou didst prepare for the poor. II The Lord gave the word: 4 the women that published the tidings were a great host: 12 'Kings of armies do flee, do flee : 'and she that tarrieth at home divideth the spoil. 13 'Will ye lie between the sheepfolds 5, '(as) the wings of a dove that is covered with silver, 'and her pinions with the green shimmering of gold?' 6 14 When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it snowed in Zalmon. 15 A' mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan ; a mountain of peaks is the mountain of Bashan. been supposed that the dove, with its plumage glittering in the sunshine, is a figure of the Israelites who remained heedlessly (Hos. vii. 11) basking in indolence and ease, while their brethren were fighting the battles of their country. 6 Heb. Shaddai. 1Vv. 15-18 allude to Jehovah's choice of Zion as His sanctuary, and His entry into it (2 Sam. vi. 17). 8 i. e. the Jebel Hauran, E. of Jordan, which contains numerous conical peaks, the craters of extinct volcanoes. 16 Why hop ye so, ye high hills? this is God's hill, in the which it pleaseth him to dwell: yea, the Lord will abide in it for ever. 17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels : and the Lord is among them, as in the holy place of Sinai. 18 Thou art gone up on high, thou hast led captivity captive, and received gifts for men: yea, even for thine enemies, that the Lord God might dwell among them. 19 Praised be the Lord daily even the God who helpeth us, and poureth his benefits upon us. 20 He is our God, even the God of whom cometh salvation God is the Lord, by whom we escape death. 21 God shall wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his wickedness. 22 The Lord hath said, I will bring my people again, as I did from Basan: mine own will I bring again, as I did sometime from the deep of the sea. 23 That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies: and that the tongue of thy dogs may be red through the same. 24 It is well seen, O God, how thou goest: how thou, my God and King, goest in the sanctuary. 1 So with a very slight change. The Heb. text has, the Lord is among them, Sinai is in the sanctuary (or, in holiness). 2 Cf. Jud. v. 12. Jehovah is figured as a victor taking pos session of the enemy's citadel, and with a train of captives following behind him. 3 i. e. tribute offered by the vanquished. Or, beareth us. 5 Viz, any of the foe who may escape; cf. Am. ix. 2, 3. 16 Why look ye askance, ye mountains of peaks, at the mountain which God hath desired for his abode ? yea, Jehovah will dwell (in it) for ever. 17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, (even) thousands redoubled: 1 the Lord is come from Sinai into the sanctuary 1. 18 Thou wentest up on high, thou leddest (thy) captivity captive 2, 3 thou receivedst gifts among men ; yea, (among) the refractory also, that Jah God might dwell (there). 19 Blessed be the Lord! day by day he beareth for us*, (even) the God (who is) our salvation. 20 God is unto us a God of deliverances ; and unto Jehovah the Lord belong ways of escape from death. 21 But God will shatter the head of his enemies, the hairy scalp (of him) that goeth about in his guiltinesses: 22 The Lord said, 'I will bring back from Bashan, 'I will bring (them) back 5 from the gulfs of the 23 sea: That thou mayest stir thy foot in blood, '(that) the tongue of thy dogs (may have) its portion from the enemies.' 24 They see thy goings, O God, (even) the goings of my God, my King, into the sanctuary 8. 6 So from the Arabic. Or, changing one letter, wash (lviii. 10). Or, transposing two letters, that thy foot may be red (Is.. lxiii. 1). i.e. thy progress, or festal procession. Vv. 24, 25 might also be rendered, have seen went before. , followed after; but it seems most probable that the Psalmist in vv. 24-27 is describing an ideal scene of triumph in the future. 8 Or, in holiness. 25 The singers go before, the minstrels follow after in the midst are the damsels playing with the timbrels. : 26 Give thanks, O Israel, unto God the Lord in the congregations from the ground of the heart. : 27 There is little Benjamin their ruler, and the princes of Judah their counsel : the princes of Zabulon, and the princes of Nephthali. 28 Thy God hath sent forth strength for thee : stablish the thing, O God, that thou hast wrought in us. 29 For thy temple's sake at Jerusalem so shall kings bring presents unto thee. 30 When the company of the spear-men, and multitude of the mighty are scattered abroad among the beasts of the people, so that they humbly bring pieces of silver and when he hath scattered the people that delight in war; 31 Then shall the princes come out of Egypt : the Morians' land1 shall soon stretch out her hands unto God. 32 Sing unto God, O ye kingdoms of the earth : O sing praises unto the Lord; 33 Who sitteth in the heavens over all from the beginning lo, he doth send out his voice, yea, and that a mighty voice. i. e. the land of the Moors, or Africans. 2 i. e. ye that are sprung from Israel. Cf. Is. xlviii. 1. 3 So, changing one letter (lxiv. 2). The Heb. text could hardly mean anything except heap of stones. Command, O God, Sept., Syr., Targ., Symm., Vulg., Jer., and many moderns. 5 Or, thou who hast wrought for us out of thy temple. (29) Unto Jerusalem kings, &c. 6 Viz. (as the word used implies) in a train or procession. 7 i.e. either the crocodile or (cf. Job xl. 21) the hippopotamus; in either case a symbolical designation of Egypt (cf. Ez. xxix. 3, Ps. lxxiv. 14). 25 The singers go before, the players on stringed instruments follow after, in the midst of damsels playing upon timbrels: 26 In full assemblies, bless ye God, '(even) the Lord, (ye that are) from the fountain of Israel 2.' 27 There is little Benjamin, ruling them, the princes of Judah, their throng3, the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali. 4 28 Thy God hath commanded thy strength : be strong, O God, thou who hast wrought for us. 29 Because of thy temple at Jerusalem 5 6 kings shall lead up presents unto thee. 30 Rebuke the wild beast of the reeds ', 8 the troop of bulls, with the calves of the peoples, trampling under foot the pieces of silver": he hath scattered 10 the peoples that delight in war! 31 Magnates (?) 11 shall come out of Egypt; 11 Ethiopia 12 shall make her hands run out unto 32 Sing unto God, O ye kingdoms of the earth; 33 To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which are of old ; lo, he uttereth his voice, (and that) a mighty voice. 8 Fig. for the leaders of foreign nations, and their peoples. Cf. Is. xxxiv. 7. Offered, viz. as tribute. Or, so that every one prostrateth himself (lit. letteth himself be trampled upon) with pieces of silver. The sense and text are both very doubtful. 10 Scatter thou, Sept., Syr., Vulg., Jer., and many moderns (with different vowels). The reading of the text, if correct, will describe what the poet hopes for from the future, as if he beheld it already accomplished. "The meaning of the Heb. word, thus rendered conjecturally, is unknown. 12 Heb. Cush. See Gen. x. 6; and cf. Is. xviii. 1, 7. |