In Peace I Will Lie Down: Trusting the Lord amid Distress and False Security

Psa 4:6-7 (Hebrew_Bible_4:7-8) Looking into his own small camp David is conscious of a disheartened feeling which is gaining power over him. The words: who will make us see, i. e. , (as in Psa 34:13) experience any good? can be taken as expressive of a wish according to 2Sa 23:15; Isa 42:23; but the situation gives it the character of a despondent question arising from a disheartened view of the future.

The gloom has now, lasted so long with David’s companions in tribulation that their faith is turned to fear, their hope to despair. David therefore prays as he looks upon them: Oh lift upon us (נסה־עלינוּ) the light of Thy countenance. The form of the petition reminds one of the priestly benediction in Num 6. There it is: פּניו יאר ה in the second portion, in the third פּניו ישּׂא ה, here these two wishes are blended into one prayer; and moreover in נסה there is an allusion to neec a banner, for the imper .

of נשׂא, the regular form of which is שׂא, will also admit of the form נשׂא (Psa 10:12), but the mode of writing נסה (without example elsewhere, for נסּה Job 4:2 signifies “to be attempted”) is only explained by the mingling of the verbs נשׂא and נסס, Arab. nṣṣ , extollere (Psa 60:6); נסּי ה (cf. Psa 60:6) is, moreover, a primeval word of the Tôra (Exo 17:15).

If we may suppose that this mingling is not merely a mingling of forms in writing, but also a mingling of the ideas in those forms, then we have three thoughts in this prayer which are brought before the eye and ear in the briefest possible expression: may Jahve cause His face to shine upon them; may He lift upon them the light of His countenance so that they may have it above them like the sun in the sky, and may that light be a banner promising them the victory, around which they shall rally. David, however, despite the hopelessness of the present, is even now at peace in His God.

The joy which Jahve has put into his heart in the midst of outward trial and adversity is מעת דּגנם ותירושׁם רבּוּ. The expression is as concise as possible: (1) gaudium prae equivalent to gaudium magnum prae -majus quam; then (2) מעת after the analogy of the comparatio decurtata (e. g. , Psa 18:34 my feet are like hinds, i. e. , like the feet of hinds) is equivalent to משּׂמחת עת; (3) אשׁר is omitted after עת according to Ges.

§123, 3, for עת is the construct state, and what follows is the second member of the genitival relation, dependent upon it (cf. Psa 90:15; Isa 29:1); the plurality of things: corn and new wine, inasmuch as it is the stores of both that are specially meant, is exceptionally joined with the plur . instead of the sing . , and the chief word raabbu stands at the end by way of emphasis.

The suff . does not refer to the people of the land in general (as in Psa 65:10), but, in accordance with the contrast, to the Absolomites, to those of the nation who have fallen away from David. When David came to Mahanaim, while the rebels were encamped in Gilead, the country round about him was hostile, so that he had to receive provisions by stealth, 2Sa 17:26-29.

Perhaps it was at the time of the feast of tabernacles. The harvest and the vintage were over. A rich harvest of corn and new wine was garnered. The followers of Absolom had, in these rich stores which were at their disposal, a powerful reserve upon which to fall back. David and his host were like a band of beggars or marauders. But the king brought down from the sceptre of the beggar’s staff is nevertheless happier than they, the rebels against him.

What he possesses in his heart is a richer treasure than all that they have in their barns and cellars.

Psa 4:6-7 (Hebrew_Bible_4:7-8) Looking into his own small camp David is conscious of a disheartened feeling which is gaining power over him. The words: who will make us see, i. e. , (as in Psa 34:13) experience any good? can be taken as expressive of a wish according to 2Sa 23:15; Isa 42:23; but the situation gives it the character of a despondent question arising from a disheartened view of the future.

The gloom has now, lasted so long with David’s companions in tribulation that their faith is turned to fear, their hope to despair. David therefore prays as he looks upon them: Oh lift upon us (נסה־עלינוּ) the light of Thy countenance. The form of the petition reminds one of the priestly benediction in Num 6. There it is: פּניו יאר ה in the second portion, in the third פּניו ישּׂא ה, here these two wishes are blended into one prayer; and moreover in נסה there is an allusion to neec a banner, for the imper .

of נשׂא, the regular form of which is שׂא, will also admit of the form נשׂא (Psa 10:12), but the mode of writing נסה (without example elsewhere, for נסּה Job 4:2 signifies “to be attempted”) is only explained by the mingling of the verbs נשׂא and נסס, Arab. nṣṣ , extollere (Psa 60:6); נסּי ה (cf. Psa 60:6) is, moreover, a primeval word of the Tôra (Exo 17:15).

If we may suppose that this mingling is not merely a mingling of forms in writing, but also a mingling of the ideas in those forms, then we have three thoughts in this prayer which are brought before the eye and ear in the briefest possible expression: may Jahve cause His face to shine upon them; may He lift upon them the light of His countenance so that they may have it above them like the sun in the sky, and may that light be a banner promising them the victory, around which they shall rally. David, however, despite the hopelessness of the present, is even now at peace in His God.

The joy which Jahve has put into his heart in the midst of outward trial and adversity is מעת דּגנם ותירושׁם רבּוּ. The expression is as concise as possible: (1) gaudium prae equivalent to gaudium magnum prae -majus quam; then (2) מעת after the analogy of the comparatio decurtata (e. g. , Psa 18:34 my feet are like hinds, i. e. , like the feet of hinds) is equivalent to משּׂמחת עת; (3) אשׁר is omitted after עת according to Ges.

§123, 3, for עת is the construct state, and what follows is the second member of the genitival relation, dependent upon it (cf. Psa 90:15; Isa 29:1); the plurality of things: corn and new wine, inasmuch as it is the stores of both that are specially meant, is exceptionally joined with the plur . instead of the sing . , and the chief word raabbu stands at the end by way of emphasis.

The suff . does not refer to the people of the land in general (as in Psa 65:10), but, in accordance with the contrast, to the Absolomites, to those of the nation who have fallen away from David. When David came to Mahanaim, while the rebels were encamped in Gilead, the country round about him was hostile, so that he had to receive provisions by stealth, 2Sa 17:26-29.

Perhaps it was at the time of the feast of tabernacles. The harvest and the vintage were over. A rich harvest of corn and new wine was garnered. The followers of Absolom had, in these rich stores which were at their disposal, a powerful reserve upon which to fall back. David and his host were like a band of beggars or marauders. But the king brought down from the sceptre of the beggar’s staff is nevertheless happier than they, the rebels against him.

What he possesses in his heart is a richer treasure than all that they have in their barns and cellars.

Psa 4:8 (Hebrew_Bible_4:9) Thus then he lies down to sleep, cheerfully and peacefully. The hymn closes as it began with a three line verse. יחדּוּ (lit. , in its unions = collectively, Olshausen, §135, c, like כּלּו altogether, בּעתּו at the right time) is by no means unemphatic; nor is it so in Psa 19:10 where it means “all together, without exception. ” With synonymous verbs it denotes the combination of that which they imply, as Isa 42:14.

It is similar in Psa 141:10 where it expresses the coincidence of the fall of his enemies and the escape of the persecuted one. So here: he wishes to go to sleep and also at once he falls asleep (ואישׁן in a likewise cohortative sense = ואישׁנה). His God makes him to dwell in seclusion free of care. לברד is a first definition of condition, and לבטח a second.

The former is not, after Deu 32:12, equivalent to לבדּך, an addition which would be without any implied antithesis and consequently meaningless. One must therefore, as is indeed required by the situation, understand לבדד according to Num 23:9; Mic 7:14; Deu 33:28; Jer 49:31. He needs no guards for he is guarded round about by Jahve and kept in safety. The seclusion, בּדד, in which he is, is security, בּטח, because Jahve is near him.

Under what a many phases and how sweetly the nature of faith is expressed in this and the foregoing Psalm: his righteousness, exaltation, joy, peace, contentment in God! And how delicately conceived is the rhythm! In the last line the evening hymn itself sinks to rest. The iambics with which it closes are like the last strains of a lullaby which die away softly and as though falling asleep themselves.

Dante is right when he says in his Convito , that the sweetness of the music had harmony of the Hebrew Psalter is lost in the Greek and Latin translations.

The evening prayer is now followed by a second morning prayer, which like the former draws to a close with כּי־אתּה (Psa 4:8; Psa 5:12). The situation is different from that in Psa 3:1-8. In that Psalm David is fleeing, here he is in Jerusalem and anticipates going up to the Temple service. If this Psalm also belongs to the time of the rebellion of Absolom, it must have been written when the fire which afterwards broke forth was already smouldering in secret.

The inscription אל־הנּחילות is certainly not a motto indicative of its contents (lxx, Vulg. , Luther, Hengstenberg). As such it would stand after מזמור. Whatever is connected with למנצח, always has reference to the music. If נחילות came from נחל it might according to the biblical use of this verb signify “inheritances,” or according to its use in the Talmud “swarms,” and in fact swarms of bees (Arab.

naḥl ); and נחילות ought then to be the beginning of a popular melody to which the Psalm is adapted. Hai Gaon understands it to denote a melody resembling the hum of bees; Reggio a song that sings of bees. Or is נחילות equivalent to נחלּות ( excavatae ) and this a special name for the flutes (חלילים)? The use of the flute in the service of the sanctuary is attested by Isa 30:29, cf.

1Sa 10:5; 1Ki 1:40. The praep . אל was, then, more appropriate than על; because, as Redslob has observed, the singer cannot play the flute at the same time, but can only sing to the playing of another. The Psalm consists of four six line strophes. The lines of the strophes here and there approximate to the caesura-schema. They consist of a rising and a sudden lowering.

The German language, which uses so many more words, is not adapted to this caesura-schema [and the same may be said of the English].

Psa 5:1-3 (Hebrew_Bible_5:2-4) The introit : Prayer to be heard. The thoughts are simple but the language is carefully chosen. אמרים is the plur . of אמר (אמר), one of the words peculiar to the poetic prophetical style. The denominative האזין (like audire = aus , οὖς dare ) belongs more to poetry than prose. הגיג (like אביב) or מחיר (like מחיר) occurs only in two Psalms לדוד, viz.

, here and Psa 34:4. It is derived from הגג = הגה (vid. , Psa 1:2) and signifies that which is spoken meditatively, here praying in rapt devotion. Beginning thus the prayer gradually rises to a vox clamoris . שׁועי from שׁוע, to be distinguished from שׁוּעי (inf. Pi.) Psa 28:2; Psa 31:23, is one word with the Aram. צוח, Aethiop. צוּע (to call). On הקשׁיב used of intent listening, vid.

, Psa 10:17. The invocation מלכּי ואלהי, when it is a king who utters it, is all the more significant. David, and in general the theocratic king, is only the representative of the Invisible One, whom he with all Israel adores as his King. Prayer to Him is his first work as he begins the day. In the morning, בּקר (as in Psa 65:8 for בּבּקר, Psa 88:13), shalt Thou hear my cry, is equivalent to my cry which goes forth with the early morn.

Hupfeld considers the mention of the morning as only a “poetical expression” and when getting rid of the meaning prima luce , he also gets rid of the beautiful and obvious reference to the daily sacrifice. The verb ערך is the word used of laying the wood in order for the sacrifice, Lev 1:7, and the pieces of the sacrifice, Lev 1:8, Lev 1:12; Lev 6:5, of putting the sacred lamps in order, Exo 27:21; Lev 24:3.

, and of setting the shew-bread in order, Exo 40:23; Lev 24:8. The laying of the wood in order for the morning offering of a lamb (Lev 6:5 [Lev 6:12], cf. Num 28:4) was one of the first duties of the priest, as soon as the day began to dawn; the lamb was slain before sun-rise and when the sun appeared above the horizon laid piece by piece upon the altar. The morning prayer is compared to this morning sacrifice.

This is in its way also a sacrifice. The object which David has in his mind in connection with אערך is תּפלּתי. As the priests, with the early morning, lay the wood and pieces of the sacrifices of the Tamı̂d upon the altar, so he brings his prayer before God as a spiritual sacrifice and looks out for an answer (צפּה speculari as in Hab 2:1), perhaps as the priest looks out for fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice, or looks to the smoke to see that it rises up straight towards heaven.

Psa 5:1-3 (Hebrew_Bible_5:2-4) The introit : Prayer to be heard. The thoughts are simple but the language is carefully chosen. אמרים is the plur . of אמר (אמר), one of the words peculiar to the poetic prophetical style. The denominative האזין (like audire = aus , οὖς dare ) belongs more to poetry than prose. הגיג (like אביב) or מחיר (like מחיר) occurs only in two Psalms לדוד, viz.

, here and Psa 34:4. It is derived from הגג = הגה (vid. , Psa 1:2) and signifies that which is spoken meditatively, here praying in rapt devotion. Beginning thus the prayer gradually rises to a vox clamoris . שׁועי from שׁוע, to be distinguished from שׁוּעי (inf. Pi.) Psa 28:2; Psa 31:23, is one word with the Aram. צוח, Aethiop. צוּע (to call). On הקשׁיב used of intent listening, vid.

, Psa 10:17. The invocation מלכּי ואלהי, when it is a king who utters it, is all the more significant. David, and in general the theocratic king, is only the representative of the Invisible One, whom he with all Israel adores as his King. Prayer to Him is his first work as he begins the day. In the morning, בּקר (as in Psa 65:8 for בּבּקר, Psa 88:13), shalt Thou hear my cry, is equivalent to my cry which goes forth with the early morn.

Hupfeld considers the mention of the morning as only a “poetical expression” and when getting rid of the meaning prima luce , he also gets rid of the beautiful and obvious reference to the daily sacrifice. The verb ערך is the word used of laying the wood in order for the sacrifice, Lev 1:7, and the pieces of the sacrifice, Lev 1:8, Lev 1:12; Lev 6:5, of putting the sacred lamps in order, Exo 27:21; Lev 24:3.

, and of setting the shew-bread in order, Exo 40:23; Lev 24:8. The laying of the wood in order for the morning offering of a lamb (Lev 6:5 [Lev 6:12], cf. Num 28:4) was one of the first duties of the priest, as soon as the day began to dawn; the lamb was slain before sun-rise and when the sun appeared above the horizon laid piece by piece upon the altar. The morning prayer is compared to this morning sacrifice.

This is in its way also a sacrifice. The object which David has in his mind in connection with אערך is תּפלּתי. As the priests, with the early morning, lay the wood and pieces of the sacrifices of the Tamı̂d upon the altar, so he brings his prayer before God as a spiritual sacrifice and looks out for an answer (צפּה speculari as in Hab 2:1), perhaps as the priest looks out for fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice, or looks to the smoke to see that it rises up straight towards heaven.

Psa 5:4-6 (Hebrew_Bible_5:5-7) The basing of the prayer on God’s holiness. The verbal adjective חפץ (coming from the primitive signification of adhering firmly which is still preserved in Arab. chfd, fut. i .) is in the sing . always (Psa 34:13; Psa 35:27) joined with the accusative. רע is conceived as a person, for although גּוּר may have a material object, it cannot well have a material subject.

יגרך is used for brevity of expression instead of יגוּר עמּך (Ges. §121, 4). The verb גּוּר (to turn in, to take up one’s abode with or near any one) frequently has an accusative object, Psa 120:5, Jdg 5:17, and Isa 33:14 according to which the light of the divine holiness is to sinners a consuming fire, which they cannot endure. Now there follow specific designations of the wicked.

הוללים part . Kal = hōlalim , or even Poal = hôlalim (= מהוללים), are the foolish, and more especially foolish boasters; the primary notion of the verb is not that of being hollow, but that of sounding, then of loud boisterous, non-sensical behaviour. Of such it is said, that they are not able to maintain their position when they become manifest before the eye of God (לנגד as in Psa 101:7 manifest before any one, from נגד to come forward, be visible far off, be distinctly visible).

פעלי און are those who work (οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι Mat 7:23) iniquity; און breath (ἄνεμος) is sometimes trouble, in connection with which one pants, sometimes wickedness, in which there is not even a trace of any thing noble, true, or pure. Such men Jahve hates; for if He did not hate evil (Psa 11:5), His love would not be a holy love. In דּברי כזב, דּברי is the usual form in combination when the plur .

is used, instead of מדבּרי. It is the same in Psa 58:4. The style of expression is also Davidic in other respects, viz. , אישׁ דּמים וּמרמה as in Ps 55:24, and אבּד as in Psa 9:6, cf. Psa 21:11. תּעב (in Amos, Amo 6:8 תּאב) appears to be a secondary formation from עוּב, like תּאב to desire, from אבה, and therefore to be of a cognate root with the Aram. עיּב to despise, treat with indignity, and the Arabic ‛aib a stain (cf.

on Lam 2:1). The fact that, as Hengstenberg has observed, wickedness and the wicked are described in a sevenfold manner is perhaps merely accidental.