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^prospectus of i\n
THEOLOGICAL TRANSLATION FUND.
As it is important that the best results of recent theological investigations on the Continent, conducted without reference to doctrinal considerations, and with the sole purpose of arriving at truth, should be placed within the reach of English readers, it is proposed to collect, by Subscriptions and Donations, a Fund wliich shall be employed for the pr9motion of this object. A good deal has been already effected in the way of translating foreign theological literature, a series of works from the pens of Hengstenberg, Haevernick, Delitzsch, Keil, and others of the same school, having of late years been published in English; but — as the names of the authors just mentioned will at once suggest to those who are conversant with the subject — the tendency of these works is for the most part conservative. It is a theological literature of a more independent character, less biassed by dogmatical prepossessions, a literature which is repre- sented by such works as those of Ewald, Hupfeld, F. 0. Baur, Zeller, Eothe, Keim, Schrader, Hausrath, Noldeke, Pfleiderer, &c., in Germany, and by those of Kuenen, Scholten, and others, in Holland, that it is desirable to render accessible to English readers who are not familiar with the languages of the Continent. The demand for works of this description is not as yet so widely extended among either the clergy or the laity of Great Britain as to render it practicable for publishers to bring them out in any considerable numbers at their own risk. And for this reason
the publication of treatises of this description can only be secured by obtaining the co-operation of the friends of free and unbiassed theological inquiry.
It is hoped that at least such a number of Subscribers of One Guinea Annually may be obtained as may render it practicable for the Publishers, as soon as the scheme is fairly set on foot, to bring out every year three 8vo volumes, which each Subscriber of the above amount would l^e entitled to receive gratis. But as it will be necessary to obtain, and to remunerate, the services of a responsible Editor, and in general, if not invariably, to pay the translators, it would conduce materially to the speedy suc- cess of the design, if free donations were also made to the Fund ; or if contributors were to subscribe for more than one copy of the works to be published.
If you apj)rove of this scheme, you are requested to commu- nicate with Messrs. Williams and Norgate, 14, Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, London, and to state whether you are willing to subscribe ; and if you are disposed to assist further, what would be the amount of your donation, or the number of additional copies of the publications which you would take.
We are, your obedient servants,
JOHN TULLOCH, H. J. S. SMITH,
H. B. WILSON, H. SIDGWICK,
B. JOWETT, JAMES HEYWOOD,
A. P. STANLEY, C. KEGAN PAUL,
W. G. CLARK, J. ALLANSON PICTON,
S. DAVIDSON, ROBT. WALLACE,
JAMES MARTINEAU, LEWIS CAMPBELL,
JOHN CAIRD, RUSSELL MARTINEAU,
EDWARD CAIRD, T. K. CHEYNE,
JAMES DONALDSON, J. MUIR.
The number of Sul)scribers is as yet far from that required to cover the cost of the undertaking. But it is hoped that a con- siderable accession will accrue as soon as the progress of the scheme is further advanced.
A Committee selected from the signataries of the original Prospectus agreed upon the works to commence the aeriefe. Of these, the .following were published in
The First Year (1873) :
1. Keim (Th.), History of Jesus op Nazara. Considered in its
connection with the National Life of Israel, and related in detail. Second Edition, re-translated by Arthur Eansom. Vol. I. Introduction ; Survey of Sources ; Sacred and Political Grovmdwork ; Eeligious Groundwork.
2. Baur (F. C), Paul, the Apostle of Jesus Christ, his Life
and Work, his Epistles and Doctriue. A Contribution to a Critical History of Primitive Christianity. Second Edition, by Eev. Allan INIenzies. Vol. I.
3. KuEXEN (A.), The Religion op Israel to the Eall of the
Jewish State. Translated by A. H. May. Vol. I.
The Second Year (1874) :
4. Kuenen's Eeligion of Israel. Vol. II. Translated by A. H.
May.
5. Bleek's Lectures on the Apocalypse. Edited by the Eev. Dr.
S. Davidson.
6. Baur's Paul ; the second and concluding volume. Translated by
the Eev. Allan Menzies.
The Tliird Year (1875) :
7. Kuenen's Eeligion of Israel ; the third and concluding volume.
8. Zeller, The Acts of the Apostles critically exajiined. To
which is prefixed, Oveibeck's Introduction from De Wette's Handbook, translated by Joseph Dare, B.A. Vol. I.
9. Ewald's Commentary on the Prophets of the Old Testament.
Translated by the Eev. J. Frederick Smith. Vol. I. General Introduction; Yoel, Amos, Hosea, and Zakharya 9 — 11.
The Fourth Year (1876) :
10. Zeller's Acts op the Apostles. Vol. II. and la.st.
11. Keim's History op Jesus op Nazara. Vol. II. Translated by
the Eev. E. M. Geldart. The Sacred Youth; Self-Eecognition ; Decision.
12. Ewald's Prophets of the Old Testament. A^ol. II. Yesaya,
Obadya, Mikha.
2
the publication of treatises of this description can only be secured by obtaining the co-operation of the friends of free and unbiassed theological inquiry.
It is hoped that at least such a number of Subscribers of One Guinea Annually may be obtained as may render it practicable for the Publishers, as soon as the scheme is fairly set on foot, to bring out every year three Svo volumes, which each Subscriber of the above amount woidd be entitled to receive gratis. But as it will be necessary to obtain, and to remunerate, the services of a responsible Editor, and in general, if not invariably, to pay the translators, it would conduce materially to the speedy suc- cess of the design, if free donations were also made to the Fund ; or if contributors were to subscribe for more than one copy of the works to be published.
If you approve of this scheme, you are requested to commu- nicate with Messrs. Williams and Norgate, 14, Henrietta Street, Coveut Garden, London, and to state whether you are willing to suljscribe ; and if you are disposed to assist further, what would be the amount of your donation, or the number of additional copies of the publications which you would take.
We are, your obedient servants,
JOHN TULLOCH, H. J. S. SMITH,
H. B. WILSON, H. SIDGWICK,
B. JOWETT, JAMES HEY^VOOD,
A. P. STANLEY, C. KEGAN PAUL,
W. G. CLARK, J. ALLANSON PICTON,
S. DAVIDSON, PvOBT. WALLACE,
JAMES MAllTINEAU, LEWIS CAMPBELL,
JOHN CAIRD, RUSSELL MARTINEAU,
EDWARD CAIRD, _ T. K. CHEYNE,
JAMES DONALDSON, J. MUIR.
The number of Subscribers is as yet far from that required to cover the cost of the undertaking. But it is hoped that a con- siderable accession will accrue as soon as the progress of the scheme is further advanced.
A Committee selected from the signataries of the original Prospectus agreed upon the works to commence the series. Of these, the .following were published in
The First Year (1873) :
1. Keim (Til), History of Jesus of ISTazara. Considered in its
counection with the National Life of Israel, and related in detail. Second. Edition, re-translated by Artliur Ransom. Vol. I. Introduction ; Survey of Sources ; Sacred and Political Groiuidwork; Eeligious Groimdwork.
2. Baur (F. C), Paul, the Apostle of Jesus Christ, his Life
and Work, liis Epistles and Doctrine. A Contribution to a Critical History of Primitive Christianity. Second EiUtion, by Eev. Allan Menzies. Vol. I.
3. KuENEN (A.), The Religion op Israel to the Fall of the
Jewish State. Translated by A. H. May. Vol. I.
The Second Year (1874) :
4. Kuexen's Religion of Israel. Vol. II. Translated by A. H.
J\lay.
5. Bleek's Lectures on the Apocalypse. Edited by the Rev. Dr.
S. Davidson.
6. Baur's Paul ; the second and concluding volume. Translated by
the Rev. Allan Menzies.
The niird Year (1875) :
7. Kuenen's Religion of Israel ; the tliird and concluding volume.
8. Zeller, The Acts of the Apostles critically examined. To
which is pretixed, Overbeck's Introduction from De Wette's Handbook, translated by Joseph Dare, B.A. Vol. I.
9. Ewald's Commentary on the Prophets of the Old Testament.
Translated by the Rev. J. Frederick Smith. Vol. I. General Introduction; Yoel, Amos, Hosea, and Zakharya 9 — 11.
The FoiLTth Year (1876) :
10. Zeller's Acts of the Apostles. Vol. II. and la.st.
11. Keim's History of Jesus of Nazara. Vol. II. Translated by
the Rev. E. M. Geldart. The Sacred Youth; Self -Recognition ; Decision.
12. Ewald's Prophets of the Old Testament. Vol. II. Yesaya,
Obadya, Mikha.
The Fifth Year (1877) :
13. Paulinism : a Contribution to the History of Primitive Christian
15. Theology. By Professor 0. Pfleiderer, of Jena. Translated by E. Peters. 2 vols.
14. Keim's History of Jesus of ISTazara. Translated by A. Eansom.
Vol. III. The First Preacliing ; the Works of Jesus; the Disciples ; and the Apostolic Mission.
The Sixth Year (1878) :
16. Baur's (F. C), Church History of the First Three Centuries.
Translated from the thu-d German Edition. Edited by the Ptev. Allan Menzies (in 2 vols.). Vol. I.
17. Hausrath's History of the I!^ew Testament Times. The
Time of Jesus. Translated by the Eevds. C. T. Poyntmg and P. Quenzer (in 2 vols.). Vol. I.
18. Ewald's Commentary on the Prophets of the Old Testament.
Translated by the Rev. J. Frederick Smith. Vol. III. JSTahum, Ssephanya, Habaqquq, Zakliarya 12 — 14, Yeremya.
The Seventh Year (1879) :
19. Keim's History of Jesus of IS'azara. Vol. IV. The Galilean
Storms ; Signs of the approaching Fall ; Recognition of the Messiah.
20. Baur's Church History. Vol. II. and last,
21. Ewald's Commentary on the Prophets. Vol. JV. Hezeqiel,
Yesaya xl. — Ixvi.
The Eighth Year (1880) :
22. Hausrath's ISTew Testament Times. The Time of Jesus. Vol.
II. and last.
23. Ewald's Commentary on the Psalms. Translated by the Rev.
24. E. Johnson, M.A. 2 vols.
Beyond these, the following Works are in the hands of Trans- lators, and wiU be included in the next years' Subscriptions :
Short Protestant Commentary on the New Testament ; in- cluding Introtluctions by Lipsius, Lang, Pfleiderer, llilgcnfeld, and otiicrs. Translated by the Rev. F. H. Jones, of Oldham • (in 2 vols).
Tlu! Fiftli VolumQ^of Keim's History of Jesus, translated by A. Ransom ; and
The Fifth Volume of Ewald's Prophets, translated by the Rev. J. Frederick Smith.
WILLIAMS & NOEGATE.
\i, Henrietta Rtrekt, Covent Garden, London, W.C.
THEOLOGICAL TRANSLATION FUND LIBRARY.
VOL. XXIV.
E WALD'S COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS.
VOL. K.
COMMENTARY
rr
THE PSALMS,
BY THE LATE
/
DR. G. HErNRICH A. V. EWALB,
Professor of Oriental Languages in the Universitt of Gottingen.
TRANSLATED BY THE REV. E. JOHNSON, M.A.
COMMENTARY ON THE POETICAL BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. DIVISION I.
VOL. 11.
WILLIAMS AND NORGATE,
H, HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN, LONDON AND 20, SOUTH FUEDEUICK STREET, EDINBURGH.
LON-UON :
O. N01!M\N AND SON, PRINTERS. 29. SIAIDRN LANK,
COVENT GAUDKN.
pki:;ol:toii ^\ RECJUinsai ^
THEOLOG
vvvVv***'*'
TRANSLATOR'S NOTE.
The present volume contains the expos-ition of the remainder of the Psalms, together with that of the alphabetic songs, called the Lamentations. At the suggestion of an csteenied corre- spondent, the section on Singing and Music from the first part of Ewald's Poets of the Old Testament has been translated and given in an Appendix at the end of the volume. Here will be found further elucidations of the section in Vol. I. on the inscriptions of the Psalms ; and other references in the body of the work to pp. 209-233, Dichfer des A. B., L, point to matter contained in this Appendix.
In the correction of the proofs, as well as in the translation, the translator has striven to secure accuracy ; and trusts that but few and unimportant errata will be discovered.
A complete Index of the Psalms, with the order in which they occur in the Commentary, is given at the end of this volume.
Jaiuuini. l^bi.
CONTENTS OF VOL. TI.
PAGB SONGS OF THE DISPERSION 1
THE BOOK OP LAMENTATIONS . . ' , . .99
SONGS OP RESTORED JERUSALEM 155
1. THE FIRST TIMES OF THE DELIVERANCE :
A. IN THE VOICES OF INDIVIDUALS . . .158
B. IN VOICES OP THE COMMUNITY AND INDI-
VIDUALS . . , > . .176
2. ENDORING SENTIMENT 214
3. NEW DANGERS AND COMPLAINTS ; NEW LIGHTS , 224
LAST SONGS 267
APPENDIX : ON SINGING AND MUSIC 328
INDEX 354
The Psalms explained iu tli( as follows : —
Psalr
present volume will be found
xiv. |
p. 143 |
Psalm c. |
p. 198 |
xvi. |
, 10 |
cii. |
„ 95 |
xvii. |
„ 4 |
ciii. |
,. 281 |
xxii. |
„ 38 |
,, civ. |
., 284 |
XXV. |
„ 90 |
„ cv. |
„ 310 |
xxxiii. |
„ 322 |
,, cvi. |
„ 290 |
xxxiv. |
, 93 |
,, cvii. |
„ 295 |
XXXV. |
„ 50 |
,, cviii. |
„ 309 |
xxxviii. |
„ 56 |
„ cix. |
„ 72 |
xl. |
„ 60 |
,, cxi. |
„ 299 |
xlii. |
„ 23 |
,, cxii. |
„ 299 |
xliii. |
„ 23 |
,, cxiii. |
„ 301 |
xliv. |
„ 227 |
,, cxiv. |
„ 301 |
xlvii. |
„ 212 |
cxv. |
„ 181 |
xlix. |
„ 17 |
cxvi. |
„ 183 |
li. |
„ 77 |
,, cxviii. |
„ 177 |
liii. |
„ 143 |
,, cxix. |
„ 267 |
Ixvi. 1-12. |
„ 213 |
cxx. |
„ 148 |
Ixvii. |
„ 199 |
,, cxxi. |
„ 150 |
Ixviii. |
„ 200 |
,, cxxii. |
„ 169 |
Ixix, |
„ 6Q |
,, cxxiii. |
„ 151 |
Ixx. |
„ 65 |
,, cxxiv. |
„ 15.9 |
Ixxi. |
„ 85 |
,, cxxv. |
,,161 |
Ixxiii. |
„ 126 |
„ cxxvi. |
„ 163 |
Ixxiv. |
„ 230 |
• „ cxxvii. |
„ 164 |
Ixxvii. |
„ 133 |
,, cxxviii. |
„ 166 |
■Ixxviii. |
„ 255 |
„ cxxix. |
„ 160 |
Ixxix. |
„ 233 |
,, cxxx. |
„ 152 |
Ixxx. |
„ 235 |
„ cxxxi. |
„ 153 |
Ixxxi. |
„ 264 |
„ cxxxii. |
„ 239 |
Ixxxii. |
„ 141 |
,, cxxxiii. |
„ 167 |
Ixxxiii. |
„ 252 |
,, cxxxi V. |
„ 168 |
Ixxxiv. |
„ 30 |
,, cxxxv. |
„ 314 |
Ixxxv. |
„ 250 |
,, exxxvi. |
„ 315 |
Ixxxvi. |
„ 303 |
„ exxxvii. |
„ 173 |
Ixxxvii. |
„ 170 |
„ cxxxviii. |
„ 186 |
Ixxxix. |
„ 242 |
,, cxxxix. |
„ 218 |
xci. |
„ 215 |
,, cxliii. |
„ 305 |
xcii. |
' „ 188 |
„ cxiiv. 1-11. |
„ 307 |
xciii. |
., 190 |
„ cxlv. |
„ 317 |
xciv. xcv. |
., 138 Z 196 |
cxlvi. cxivii. |
., 319 „ 320 |
xcvi. |
„ 194 |
„ cxiviii. |
„ 325 |
xcvii. |
,. 191 |
cxiix. |
., 324 |
xcviii. |
., 196 |
t'l- |
„ 327 |
xcix. |
„ 193 |
"* |
T K iii U -1^ U u A V,' ^-■. - ' ^^'
COMMENTARY ON THE PS.VLMS.
III.
SONGS OUT OF THE DISPERSION OF THE PEOPLE AND THE DESTRUCTION OF THE KINGDOM.
But iu spite of all this later urgency and endeavour on the part of the better spirits among the people, the dissolu- tion of the ji-lngdom and destruction of the holy city could not be averted. Too gi^eat were the internal defects and corruptions, as these songs plainly show. Thus the exile was brought about, which had partly begun long before the destruction of Jerusalem ; and with the exile first began that great turn in affairs which could alone entirely remove those profound deficiencies of the whole period.
For first of all there came, along with the exile, the deepest suff'ering of every kind, and the most manifold causes united to form a whirlpool of misery whence no deliverance seemed possible. Already the forced separation from the dearest associations of the fatherland, and the holiest associations of life, — from the Temple, — oppressed many with the sorest un- appeasable longing. Earlier antiquity ever clave to its holy places with the most childlike love and devotion, because nothing could generally furnish such inner rest and serenity as the familiar participation in the sheltering delight and security of a sanctuary. (Pss. xxiv., xv., v., xxvi.) And the pious of Israel must have clung the more intensely to the Temple at Jerusalem the more purely they were there conscious of the nearness of the supremely Righteous and Gracious One, and the more closely that Israel by degrees attached itself ever
VOL. II. 1
2 SOXGS OF THE DISPEBSIOX. ■
more universally to this one sanctuary alone, and had assembled its spiritual possessions around this enclosure alone. The most grievous longing for the distant Temple, inaccessible only because of such oppression, and the most sorrowful complaint, is found, under these circumstances, amongst many of those first carried into exile. And this longing is all the greater the more, amidst the manifold distress of their circumstances, the solace of the sanctuary is missed, Pss. xlii., Ixxxiv., Ixi., Ixiii. ; and scarcely can we conceive an elegy nobler in mood, deeper in feeling than either of the two Psalms, xlii. and Ixxxiv. — Besides, there was a mass of other suflFerings and grievances, which in part are quite peculiar to the exile, as the rude contempt of the persecuted and suffering because of their very sufferings, scorn of Jahve as the impotent God who helps not his most faithful worshippers, biting scoffs at prophetic truth and influence, — injuries in which frequently Gentiles concurred with the light-minded portion of the Israelites. Evidently the few in exile had the chief share of the suffering who maintained most firmly by word and deed the genuine old religion against every one. Gentiles and Israelites, amidst these extreme perplexities.
And in fact the troubles rush at times with such over- whelming force upon the faithful, that their song, incapable of maintaining a pure calm, passes at least transiently into impre- cation and cursiug (ix. 23, 29 ; cix. 6-20) ; as the like was noticed in several of the songs of the preceding cycle (Vol. I., p. 251).
But of what avail imprecation, glowing longings, urgent complaining and despondency ? Either naught, or in this very chasm, this close of the ancient time, there must begin an entirely new elevation and the possibility of a new and better time ; and the ancient religion of Israel had still enough of undeveloped truth and power- in itself, to give to the few truly faithful ones endurance and victory. If all external resources which had been hitherto trusted in pass
SONOS OF THE DISPERSION. 3
away, the pure and good temper is but the more brightened and strengthened, and so is it with genuine hope and joyous Sub- mission, Pss. Ivi., Ivii., xxii. If in extreme need all the great- ness and dreadfulness of the old perversities is recognized with a certaiuty which it is vain to seek to shake off, — the sense of one's own and others' sins : then the new spiritual life will awake with the greater power, irresistibly. That which earlier seemed impossible, life amidst the heathen and a thousand corruptions of mankind, thus becomes even to the faithful gradually possible and easy. Indeed, the very remoteness of the Temple, and finally its destruction, now furthers the truth which earlier came to light (Ps. 1.) that the true spiritual life and Divine blessedness still consists in quite other things than Temple sacrifices, Pss. xvi., xL, h., Ixix. But hereby the ancient Israel is already born anew, and oat of the midst of its fall and humiliation it gradually rises, ever stronger and more victorious, with prophetic intimations against the heathendom by whose means it had falleu, and looks with the greater con- fidence towards its new and certain salvation, Pss. Ixxxii., xiv. cxx. sqq.
Thus there arise in exile most important songs. Many indeed bear most obvious traces of the great oppressive sufferings in the sorest time, their language and thought is in places more cramped, tedious and spiritless, Pss. xvii., xxxviii., li., Ixix., cix. ; but often the deepest thoughts and most eternal intimations flash forth with surprise, and towards the end even the language is evidently strengthened and rounded into greater poetical dignity, Pss. Ixxxii., cxx. sqq.
We intended to place together here all songs from the disper- sion of the people, including those which originated a longer or shorter time before the destruction of Jerusalem in b.c. 58G. But the fine songs, Pss. Ixi., Ixiii., Ivi.— Iviii., which would, according to time, belong immediately to this place, have been already explained above in another connexion. The rest are as far as possible arranged in order of time, tlic following:
] *
4 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION. .
A. G1-G3. Psalms xvii., xvi., xlix.
We may easily convince ourselves that these songs are of the same poet, and of one who does not indeed speak of the Temple, but yet (xvi. 3) looks from a strange land very wistfully upon the Israelites dwelling in Kanaan. So great is their mutual resem- blance, and their common difference from others. In the lan- guage, comp. "T^n u-orhl, xvii. 14, xlix. 2 ; rintz; nS"J xvi. 10, xlix. 10, 11, comp. ver. 20 (repeated Ixxxix. 49) ; ^P surrovnd, of the wickedness of many persecutors, xvii. 11, xlix. 6; ^1? thus alone and directly for God, Jahve, xvi. 1, xvii. 6, which in genei'al is rare and only proper to certain poets, Pss. Hi. 3, 7, Iv. 20, the Book of Job, which has generally re-intro- duced this poetic usage, and a few still later Psalms; ^?, xvi. 2, 3, xvii. 3, 5, xlix. 13 : ■? "in what concerns," along with a proleptic noun, xvi. 3, xvii. 4, comp. § 310 a, and other instances of the kind. Still more salient is the resemblance of the stamp of the language, softly flowing, but in certain places rising to a clear fire. How similar is the fundamental tone is shown very clearly by the sharpness of the opposition, — well conscious of the inner difference, — of the worldly and Divine, of the aims of the great mass or of the world and of those peculiar to the poet, xvii. 2-5, xvi. 2-5, xlix. 7 sqq., the great inner anxiety and watchfulness for his soul's health, along with which ho docs not shun the stricter trial, xvii. 2, xvi. 7, 8 ; and the very singular joy (in this kind) with which he calmly looks into the future, xvii. 15, xvi. 9-11, xlix. IG. But they lie in |)oint of time plainly somewhat far asunder ; and if they are, as it seems we cannot doubt, of the same poet, Ps. xvii. nuist be the earliest.
Ps. xvii. is spoken from the midst of the first vivid fivir of the tyrants who persecuted the poet without cause. The song announces itself as the first attempt to fly from the sudden danger to .I.'ihve aiul I'cst in Iliiiu The ])ersecutors belong
SONQS OF THE DISPERSION. 5
according to the clear description, vv. 9-1-1, to the party of the heathen and light-minded Israelites frequently elsewhere men- tioned in writings of this time. They, merely pursuing plea- sure and external power, made no scruple of falling on a peaceful, quiet fellow-citizen, because he would not pay homage to their principles and customs. In the confusion of later relations, such rakes could often long carry on their practices undisturbed ; in opposition to the faith of the pious, accustomed to the rule of righteousness, they seemed to him in fullest comfort and prosperity ever to die surrounded by the highest human conditions of well-being, and thus to evade the Divine justice. How greatly the more conscientious took offence at such an experience is plain from several passages of the Book of Job. Our poet has also to contend with this new enigma of the time. Horribly beset by these impious ones, and seeing his life in danger, he cries with animation and energy to Jahve for help against wrong, and this the more, as he cannot comprehend how such tyrants can be prosperous (ver. 14, comp. Job. xxi. 8, 11, and frequently elsewhei'e). And although he will not, cannot doubt of God, — but conscious of innocence, finally calms and strengthens himself in hope by Jahve^s help and hght, — yet it first costs him some struggle to put away the contrary picture of the prosperous bad man ; and the whole song shows an uncommon surging- up and straining of the noble mind, conscious of Divine leading, and yet so unusually suffering and experiencing such troubles, yea, transports of grief. The poet presses back the enigma as long as possible, as if he would not suffer himself to be thereby troubled. Only, his first wish is, may God hear the unvarnished right that is put forward, — He who alone is true Judge and known of men, and of the poet in particular, who, as he ever watches carefully over his thinking and doing, does not fear Divine trial, vv. 1-6, comp. xxvi. 1, 2. With confidence, there- fore, he may cry to Jahve, in the new and sore time which amidst the increasing frivolity and barbarity of men the more
6 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION. '
demands the miglity working of great Divine forces^ — to deliver him from his insolent and raging persecutors (who are here for the first time further described)^ vv. 7-12 ; yea, — the address, after this long description of the wicked, is once more finally renewed with the greater energy — yea, may God save him from enemies whose worldly life was so bitterly opposed to the Divine working (and here only the sense of strangeness is entirely relieved) ; that the calm, never-failing hope of the poet may be soon fulfilled in the revelation of Divine salvatiou, vv. 13-15. Thus three strophes, but so that the discourse in its development and extension returns twice to its begin- ning, the address and the cry for help being twice inter- rupted by lengthy descriptions. Each of the two first strophes has twelve members, the last, seven ; but the long formation of the members greatly predominates.
1.
1 O hear, Jahve, right, bend to my supplication. Observe my prayer — without deceitful lips J From Thy throne goes forth my judgment.
Thine eyes behold rectitude ; Proved hast Thou my heart, searched me by night, tho- roughly purified me. Thou findest me not thinking ill, my mouth not
offending ; worldly deeds — no ! through the word of Thy lips I have avoided the paths of a madman ; 5 firmly my steps held to Thy tracks, my walk became not wavering. I cry to Thee, for Thou hcarest me, God ! bend to me Thine ear, hear my speech !
2. Show Thy wonder-grace. Thou who helpest faithful ones before the rebels against Thy right hand !
SONGS OF THE DISPERSION. 7
Preserve me as the little man of the eye,
in Thy wings' shadow concealing me, from wicked men who have fallen upon me,
the deadly enemies, who encompass me, have closed their fat heart, 10
with their mouth speak haughtily, whither we go, now surround us,
direct their eyes through the land to strike ; like a lion which longs to rob,
and like a young lion sitting lurking.
3.
Up, Jahve ! prevent him, strike him down,
my life deliver from wicked men by Thy sword, from men, 0 Jahve^ by Thy hand, from men of the world, who have their pleasure in life and whose paunch Thou fillest with Thy good things, who have sons in abundance and leave their substance to
their children ! — I — may Thy face appear in salvation, 15
awaking refresh me at Thy image !
1. Ver. 2 opens the reasons for the prayer, ver. 1, which were even begun, properly speaking, with the last words of ver. 1. By night, ver. 3, because the night is the time of stiller, deeper contemplations and counsels, comp. xvi. 7, iv. 5. Yet at the same time we learn from this that the poet composed in the evening, and to note this in connexion with ver. 15 is very important. At the end of ver. 3 T*^! is, in opposition to the Massor. division, drawn to the preceding member, whereby the sense becomes most clear, and the arrangement of members proportionate. Ver. 4 runs literally thus : in what concerns the actions of the world (^7^? acquires later the peculiar signification of men as they usually ai'o, the world, the present corrupted, merely earthly-minded ones, in
8 SONGS OP THE DISPERSION.-
opposition to the Divine life, comp. Job xxxi. 33, Hos. vi. 7 ; o /c6cr/xo9, just so "^(.^f ver. 14) — I have, strengthened through Thy revelation, avoided the tyrants' paths, not pursued such worldly endeavours as the tyrants ; rather my steps held fast . . . — Because of this sharp opposition "H^^ for ^^^i? (§ 328 c) ; for that ver. 5 speaks out of experience is shown by the entire connexion and by the 2)erf. -I^I^J 72. "ip^, however, must as ''guard" be here plainly an "avoid- ing,'' LXX correctly icpvXa^dfiTjv.
2. They who rise against the Divine right hand, ver. 7, are precisely the men of violence, who out of self-seeking ever disturb the Divine order where they, on reflection, might see this directed against themselves, the same whom the suppli- cator, ver. 9, must call his death-foes (comp. Ez. xxv. 6, 15). ^I?i!7, ver. 10, "fat'' for a hard and unfeeling heart, is here for the first time so used, afterwards repeated, Ixxiii. 7, cxix. 70. Whilst they from hardness have shut their unfeeling heart against compassion, their haughty mouth is the more loudly opened for abuse. The frequent short use of the accu- sative '"l^'Q^ ver. 10, h3nij;s:, ver. 11, ^ann ^TT; vv. 13, 14 (§ 281 (•); is, further, in this style, peculiar to the somewhat more artificial and elegant expression of this and some other songs of the time. Ver. 11 describes then plainly how jealously they spy through the whole land to get at defenceless saints, the poet and others of his kind, and everywhere to dog their heels.
3. In ver. 13 the figure is at first plainly retained of the lion, ver. 12, so that on this account it is unnecessary to refer ver. 12 to a single foe, possibly the leader, for i?^"^, ver. 13, stffnds undefined, and therefore generally. "l3''Xp"^ is thus : the likeness thereof, of thisHhing, this appearance, the suftix taken as neut. The figure is only not carried out so far here as in the manifestly later song, x. 8-10. Come in front of his coun- tenance, already the enemy comes funning up like a raging lion ; the strong hero and victor must throw himself upon his
SONOS OF THE DISPERSION. 9
face. ^1^ fH, ver. 1 i, is : their portion is in life, tliey have in life their share, their lot, in the good that has fallen to them, and hence also their pleasure ; but in what the faithful ought to have his part and his pleasure is stated in xvi. 5 sqq. The whole description of these people bears the greatest resem- blance to that in the Book of Job xxi. 7-14 : only the idea of the world already in the sense of the New Testament is new in our poet. — But with the last words, ver. 15, the poet mani- festly tears himself free from the troublous recollections of these prosperous wicked, bringing to his mind his hope in God. But this hope is the last and highest : that the full clear light may finally shine on the faithful, or that the faithful may yet behold the face of God in salvation, may in the behold- ing of the pure light enjoy the highest pleasure, as xi. 7, iv. 7 ; comp. with the higher historic representation of Moses, Num. xii. 8, The image of the pure, bright, clear, the ever- striven and longed-for, shall finally become once for all firm, and intense to the mind of the faithful, he shall once for all seize it, so as from that moment onwards eternally to hold it, and eternally refresh himself by it. The countenance, or rather the image of God, therefore, shall he behold (so far and in the way in which a human being can do this). This funda- mental view of Hebrew antiquity seeks in this later time, because the unsettlement of all external possessions and of the sensuous life itself was ever more certainly recognized, a still higher or clearer expression. The spirit, becoming conscious of its inward force and stability, strives to raise itself above the appreciation of all earthly possessions, even of the sensuous life, and the purest intimation of true immortality which man cannot lose, powerfully emerges, as we see still more plainly in our poet in the following song, xvi. 9-11. It might, indeed, now appear as though at least in the present song, so strong on the whole, and particularly in the short final word, this wondrous new thing does not yet appear, but as if the poet here hopes still simply for the highest in the earthly life, and the more zca-
10 SONGS OF THE DISFEESION. '
lously, tlie sooner and the more certainly. In the evening (for it is an evening song, ver. 3)_, lying down amidst a thousand dangers, he yet hopes on awaking to refresh himself with the Divine image, then already so to have received the Divine salvation and light, that he may feel himself entirely irradiated and seized by the sublime picture as of the countenance of God. Comp. what is feebler but similar, iv. 9. Of an awakening after death, which at the first glance by no means suits in this connexion the order and clearness of the thoughts, the poet cannot apparently here be thinking. But it must be borne in mind that our poet, considering his age, may very well have read the Book of Job, and have accepted its true meaning. In that case, such higher, bright hopes, were not so strange to him that he could not even here, after the outbreak of stormy passions at the view of the present world, have been able to quell the storm of his bosom. And precisely in proportion to the sharp distinction in his contem- plation of the world as possibly entirely separate from God and opposed to Him, does he consequ:ontly flee at the ^end to the Divine eternity alone. Moreover, it is the same poet whom we retrace, as already become fully familiar with such higher thoughts, in Ps. xvi.
For how far from fruitless the urgency of the preceding Psalm had been, is shown by nothing more clearly than by Ps. xvi. Hardly can true resignation, conscious of itself, to the will of Jahve, be more complete; quiet, soft contentment, and inner serenity in spite of all life dangers and of the evil example from without, more noble, true hope, clearer and more sublime than we here see, all this as at a single stroke appear. Here is from the first iio revolt, no fear, no sore struggle any longer. The serene splendour of a higher peace and the hearty intensity of a completed life-experience rises above everything. And if one would learii upon what ground the dependence of the true saint of those times in Jahve rests, let
SONGS OF THE DISPERSION. 11
this Psalm be pondered, and let it bo seen liow tho poet becomes conscious of his trust in Jahve, because he in Jathve alone — in His revelations and in remembrance of Him — finds an invincible spring of clearness, joy, hope, and consolation. For if the religion of Jalive is distinguished from all others by clearness and truth, if God is known and felt in it in His spirituality as nowhere else, — then he who wholly devotes himself to it and is ever anew stimulated by it, must become ever clearer in himself, ever more related to spiritual blessings. Thus we here see the poet already at that high stage when he feels alone in Jahve and the possession of Him His highest good and his true delight and hope, overcoming in this blessed state with equal calmness the evil example of those hastening to idolatry, as in this hope under all sufferings (probably he suffered at that time frojn severe illness,' w. 1, 9) unwearied and undistressed, — in Divine joy experiencing that if his spirit be ever with God, as he feels that it is, God will send him no true sorrow, but will preserve and save him among all dangers, even in the midst of death. Therefore, as there is in the poet's soul but one great passion, the song also is but one gentle flowing gush, without storm, or harsh ti'ansitions, whilst the inner fire gradually glows and kindles. After a brief very subdued cry for protection, ver. 1, there is developed as the most important theme, the consciousness of the suppliant, — to possess Jahve is the highest good, vv. 2-8, whence also the true hope in Jahve, glancing tranquilly over all times and fortunes — because He is infinitely rich in grace and salvation, vv. 9-11. The cry for help therefore scarcely gains strength in the presence of the predominant blessed consciousness and serene hope.
Again, the structure of the strophes reveals the blessed rest and evenness of mood out of which the short and yet inwardly full song flows j three strophes, each of eight lines, the last only shorter by one. The long formation of the lines prevails hero as in the preceding song.
12 SONQS OF THE DISPERSION.
L
1 Preserve me, God^ for I trust in Thee. —
I say of Jalive : my Lord art Thou,
Thou art my highest good ! The saints who are in the land,
and nobles who have all my love — many are their idols, they exchange strange ones
— they, whose bloody libation I will not sacrifice,
nor take their names upon my lips.
2.
5 Jahve is the portion of my substance and cup ;
Thou art the possession of my lot ! lines fell to me in the fairest spot,
and my heritage also pleased me well, I bless Jahve for the way He hath counselled me,
through nights also my reins warned me ; I have set Jahve before niQ continually ;
when He is at my right hand, I waver noi.
3.
10 Therefore my heart rejoices and my spirit exults !
my body also will dwell in quiet ! For Thou will not leave my soul to hell,
nor suffer Thy pious ones to see the grave ; wilt- teach me the way of life ;
fulness of joy is before Thee, pleasures in Th^A right hand ever !
1. Yer. 2. Many ancients, Symm., Targ., llieron., translate my substance is not without Thee or outside of Thee. It might be supposed they read ^''jT.? : ^ ''^> I'^ut there is no ground for this. "^^ must therefore here denote " over and beyond something,^' therefore not touching it, remaining without it, as Gen. xlviii. 22, § 21 7 /. and ely, Gr. ar. ii., p. 81, Sur. xvi., 109,
SONGS OF THE DISPERSION. 13
clearer in a somewhat diflferent way, "^22 7V before a person, so not touching him, but rather obscuring him and thrusting him back, i.e., outside of him, beyond of him, Ex. xx. 2, Trapa with the accusative.
I'o other Israelites, indeed, proceeds the poet witli grief, ver. 3, other gods are endeared, and they of horrible, bloody religions {e.g. of Moloch, as is well known from history). But he finds alone in Jahve his joy and delight and feels the possession of Him or confidential relation with Him his highest good. This is plainly the connexion in the main. As the poet cannot avoid touching on this opposition of the time — this seems most pi'ofouudly to distress him, that the very Israelites, who ought to be the saints and pass for such (Ex. xix. 6, Deut. xxxiii. 3, Ps. xxxiv. 10, Dan. viii. 24, xii. 7), the noble, princely men, whom he especially so intensely loves (comp. 1. 5 ; Jer. i:i. 15) that even these begin to betake themselves increasingly to heathenism. Hence the names of honour with which he comes, ver. 3, to their mention, and which so far are not utterly unsuitable since the corruption is beginning, not yet completed. So : in what concerns the saints {i.e., Israelites) u'ho are in the land (whence it obviously follows that the poet at that time lived outside Kanaan, and therefore in exile) and the nobles (perhaps precisely the princes for the most part) on tvhom all my j^leasnre depends (on "^l^"?^ ^ 332 c) : their idol- images mnltiphj, strange gods they exchange instead of Jahve, a wretched barter ! as it is expressed further, vv. o sqq. Thus the figure of the jjossession is retained from v. 2 to 0. "^HS signifies readily of itself when religion is spoken of, idols (Ex. XX. 3, Isa. xlii. 8), and the indefinite sing, of this word appears also elsewhere for our indefinite ylur. § 310 a. The last two clauses, ver. 4, appear most readily to be understood as relating to the gods just named, so that the full opposition only follows in ver. 5, these subordinate propositions merely incidentally prepare for it ; for the poet loves such longer evolutions, xvii. M.. Tli:it the suflix of Cn^rp3 is to be referred
14: S0NQ8 OF THE DISPERSION. .
to the idols is clearly shown by the corresponding ^f^"^^^, because the poet can only mean he would not pollute himself by the solemn utterance and laudation of the names of the idols at their sacrificial feasts. mn!i2? must therefore = 2"*^^??? , perhaps the former plays with the signification, " griefs, delusions/^ as the false gods are elsewhere frequently named in many applications. Am. ii, 4. The attempt to explain " they must ever increasingly suffer sorrows (sufferings) and therefore they hasten (from "in?a hasten) to the idol-worship/' — whereby the name " saint/' ver. 3, would be yet more readily intelligible, — breaks down under too great difficulties, for the transition would be too harsh and short even for this poet,
2. The opposition of the poet to that last said is so thoroughly understood of itself and is from his first word onwards, vv. 1,2, so clearly indicated, that he, in the beginning of the second strophe, ver. 5, even without any word of an opposition, immediately continues to make further plain the good which to him is the only highest good. But also the figure itself of the highest good lies, from that very first word, ver. 1, so near to him, and governed already the whole first strophe so strongly, that it cannot but recur here, and be ever more widely extended in its entire significance. On the division of the conquered land, the property, according to the number of the conquerors, is divided into like parts, measured with lines and distributed by lot, — so that to the one a less, to the other a more fruitful and pleasant heritage falls. But in the overflowing fulness of blessed thoughts and words of the .poet, there mingles with this predominant figure, vv. 5, 6, of the property in land, in the beginning the similar one of the cup, the'contents of which the house-father holds out to every guest according to his proportion, xi. G. Yet the first figure only, as that alone predominating from the beginning of the song onwards, is here also further maintained, /a/iyt' is the portion of my substance and cupj i.e., the good and the enjoyment which fell to my share as in the heritoge wliich fell to me, or in the
SONGS OF THE DISPERSIOX. 15
cup held out to me. The ^7 r'^ forces its way in from the maia ' figure. The 'H'''?"!^ cannot bo part. act. Qal. To punctuate ■q^'Xiin is (§ 151 a) impossible. But to the connexion and to the completion of the figure it suits rather to take it as an abstract substantive, § 156 e. The sense is then simple : Thou art to me a possession or heritage, as if fallen to me by a fortunate lot, on account of which figure of the lot, it runs in ver. 6 : lines, meaning cords, fell to me, as the lot by chance falls, and actually also oni/ heritage pleased me well ; for the ron2 may be regarded most aptly according to the connexion of the language as abbreviated from "^O^na just as this poet dialectically says ^1''?^, ver. 2, for "O" (§ .190 d). But the whole figure of the property fallen to him is the more appropriate because the Divine grace is ever the first to arouse and awaken man, thus anticipating him ; especially in the community, where higher truths as already given and known meet the individual. But the poet is willingly followed, he feels also in himself the Divine operation, to him Jahve remains no dead property, but has become something beloved and dear ; because he feels Jahve's voice working in him to his own salvation, — continually ui-ging and exhorting him, and thus he blesses, as it is further expressed, vv. 7, 8, Jahve, as his oracle, ever living in him, with whose clearness and desired continuance he cannot waver. On V^^, comp. Isa. viii. 11, the "'?''! only expresses the same thing more strongly,' — namely, how powerfully the oracle awoke in him, ever urging him through the night. But how this is possible is then explained with brevity and aptness by the first member, ver. 8. But the golden words, ver. 7, arc only fully understood when we reflect that "^^^ here (§ 333 a) denotes how and governs all the following words : I hlcss Him for the way in which He has counselled me, — how even nights through my reins, as awoke and led by Him, warned me not to do the seductive evil, 3, 4. Comp. also similarly Ps. xl. 7.
3. The hope, or rather in the first instance only its exprcs-
16 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
sion, vv. 9-11, now surpasses by so much more that wherewith the preceding Psalm closed, as this whole later Psalm stands higher. 'J'he truth has here unfolded out of thai small germ wherein it there lay closed, and come to its full blossom ; and there is hardly to be found a more beautiful or clearer decla- ration concerning the whole future of the individual man than the present. For the calm glow of the highest inner expansion and serenity here lifts the poet far above all the future and its menaces, and it stands clearly before his soul that in such continued life of the spirit in God there is nothing to be feared, neither pains of the flesh (body) nor death ; but where the true life is there also the body must finally come to its rest ; because deliverance also of the soul from the grave is possible through him who wills only life, with whom infinite joy and delight stand ever ready that He may lavish them on whom He will. When such hints and ideas of the true life come forth, — then in fact the veil of the whole future of the individual becomes so far lifted, and true hope is as clearly dispensed as is possible without using new figures. There is far from being dogma as yet here, and of the immortality of the spirit there appears here certainly the true anticipation and necessity, but not yet so ready and firm a conception with such enthusiastic, rapturous pictures as later. But this is precisely the noble feature : that we thus see in some songs, the higher intimation in its self- necessitated formation and rise, spring forth for the first time. For when it is most recent, when it is obtained in struggle and strain as the prize of the sorest conflicts, there it is freshest, there its essence is most necessarily formed, there the germi- nating revelation is purpst and clearest, still without disguise and .without exaggeration, without gloom and superstition. Comp. xlix. IG, Job xix.^6, 27, and in its beginning already above, xxxvi. 10, as well as Prov. xii. 28. — The plur. *7'»TDn in the K'tib, ver. 10, is not incorrect,— probably the original reading: for the language may hero at,the end very well pass over into gtMiorality, l)ccause the truth does not hold "-ood
. , SOXaS OF THE DISPERSION. 17
merely of the individual poet, and likewise passes in tlio latter half, ver. 11, into generality.
And finally, the poet in Ps. xlix. becomes even the inspired teacher of this (at that time) still unusual higher view of life. This extremely important song forms a certain contrast to the above explained Ps. i. For the simple teaching of that Psalm did not always suffice. Experience seemed, in the confusion of things during the seventh and sixth centuries, soon to show, on the contrary, even more certainly and univer- sally, that might and good fortune stood at the command of godless and oppressive men. Divine justice and equity in human affairs seemed ever to tarry or utterly to pass awav. The firmer the hope among the faithful of a great and speedy Divine judgment had become, the greater the despondency even of the more conscientious at its delay. Here was a hard riddle imposed by the time, and no true rest was possible until a new light had dispersed this thick darkness. But as the solution of the enigma could only come to pass by means of a penetration into the inner nature of dark things, the severity of the time now forced several spirits to pierce through, in this sphere, the external show, by deeper insight into the true and necessary, in order that in the midst of the dread view of the enduring power of vain men they might draw from a closer consideration of its nature comfort both near and safe. One of these is the author of this Psalm. While he sharply contrasts the outwardly splendid life and proud pomp of the mighty and rich, but corrupt ungodly, with their inward state and their hopelessness in death, and reflects that they with all earthly treasures and joys can purchase no serenity in God, and no deliverance from dreaded death, their fate must justly present itself to him as the more mournful and the less deserving of envy, the more horrid and painful this contrariety between the inner and outer in them may by themselves be felt; and the more certainly the pious man feels that he, even
VOL. II. 2
18 SONGS OF THE D18PEBSI0K.
if lie is bare and empty of all these external goods, has yet an inward imperishable and eternal good, consoling and strengthening him in all times and circumstances, even in the approach of death not forsaking him (ver. 16, comp. p. 16). Thereby the ancient hope, e.g., that the just shall at last ever rule again, is not removed (see on the contrary, ver. 15), but loses the trouble and disquiet readily attaching to it, whilst thus attention is drawn before all to the inward life. The poet having thrown this deep glance into the true principle of nobiHty, and the glory, outlasting all external changes, of the human spirit that rests in God, and having so clearly recognized the difference of external and internal goods, feels himself not merely free from all earlier fear and unrest in a sore time, but also so full and inspired with the truth breaking forth in him afresh with power and light, that giving way to an inner impulse, he stands forth as its bold teacher and interpreter, and here, even to the great mass, yea, to all without distinction, resolved to impart his insight, — he begins, with art and selection, a didactic song, serious where the matter demands it, castigating folly with fine scorn. But the proper feeling of the poet, newly enlightened by this truth, is still so fresh and living, that the language proceeds with genuine lyric power from him, and he makes himself so far in thought the type of all faithful ones. Thus the didactic song, after a dignified preparation for the well-con- sidered object, in a preliminary strophe, vv. 2-5, — is executed in two nearly uniform strophes ; whilst the description in the midst, along with a main kernel-saying expressing the whole in brevity with shar*^ and sufficient force, — only rests, to begin again with new energy and, after complete exhaustion of the thought, to return to^the above leading proposition, vv. 6-13 ; 14-21. The verse-structure is, as becomes so subtle a didactic song, very pleasing and light. Each strophe of sixteen members, the first as a mere prehide of only half the extent, but all the lines so arranged, that the long structure seems
SONOS OF THE DlSPEn^WN. 1 9
intentionally avoided. But to tliis elegant (as is best in a didactic song) and throughout uniform structure corresponds finally also the didactic verse with its two members ; and almost in all these particulars this song yields fairly the direct contrast to Pss. xlii,, xliii.
1. Hear this^ all ye peoples, " 2
hearken all world-inhabitants, sons of men as well as heroes' sons,
rich and poor together ! wisdom shall my mouth speak,
my heart's sense is insight ; will bend my ear to the proverb-song, 5
open with the either my didactic word :
Why should I fear because the evil one rules,
because sin of the lurkers surrounds me, of them who build upon their substance,
boast of the fulness of their riches ? but safely none will buy himself free,
nor give to God his ransom
— for so dear is the ransom of the soul that it fails for ever — that he may live yet further, 1 0
not to see the grave : no, he will see it ! wise men die,
together, fool and simpleton perish,
leave to others their substance, no, their grave their eternal houses are,
their seats for generation, generation,
— they who were everywhere extolled ! And man in ^om2'> hut xoithout innight
is like to cattle, so they iicrish !
2 *
20 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.'
3.
This is their way who have folly,
and after them of those who love to say the like. 15 like to the flock, destined to the pit, deatk shall pasture
on them,
and just men lord it over them ; soon — so must their beauty rot, ■
hell becomes their abode. But God will redeem my soul
from the hand of bell, when it seizes me. — Fear not when any becomes rich,
when his house's might increases : for all that he takes not with bim, dying,
not after him does bis power go down ; though then in bfe he bless his soul,
and men praise thee that thou doest good to thyself : 20 it will come to the race of his fathers
till the light is seen no more ! And man in pomp but without insujht
is like to cattle, so they perish !
1. On ver 3 comp. above Ixii. 10 ; the doubled C? must here plainly put contrasts on one level, and cannot here be simply repeated in a merely rhetorical way as Judg. v. 4 ; Job xv. 10. The poet does not shun then to call even those to his song whom his bitter censm-e must strike, the potentates. But also the poet would turn his whole attention to the beautiful production and presentation of the deeply meditated material, turn his ear to proverbial poesy, in order to watch for the most suitable form, ver. 6, similarly to the former poet, Ps. xlv. 2.
2. The connexion of thoughts of the first greater strophe is simple : why fear before the power of the evil man, vv. 6-7, since he with all treasures and all pride tlierein cannot redeem himself from death, because he has not the incorruptible God, exalted over all, for his friend, w. 8-12. Therefore it must be
SONOS OF THE DISPERSION. 21
said : men who glitter in the highest splendour^ but with thi3 are devoid of (higher) insight, therefore know not how to protect and preserve themselves, because surrendered to blind chance and death, are in fact like to stupid cattle, e.g., well- fattened young bullocks, which, in spite of their fine form and great strength, are strangled by wiser hands, and merit no better fate,-— and this becomes the kernel-saying of the song, ver. 13. The clause— Vl?f, ver. 6— depends on 'a'2 (^ 333 h). Ver. 8, nw in this connexion cannot possibly be ''brother;" for it comes to this, that no one can redeem himself ,hecsi\ise every proud man stands nearest to himself alone, and seeks only to save himself, which all the following presupposes ; also it is always elsewhere expressed 1"*nw with tt?"'S in the signification brother-, for the words Ezek. xviii. 18 are of another kind. Nothing appears here so clear as that ns is but another form (as Ezek. xviii, 10, xxi. 20) or rather false rendering for "n^, comp. ver. 16, according to which it then becomes necessary to read "^If \ The second member explains it : God can be corrupted by the treasures of no man, — none can give Him, if in danger, ransom-money for his life. But if — in an inter- mediate clause it is almost ironically explained — God stands generally so high above men, that these, even if it were allowed, could not with all their treasures give a ransom sufficient for Him, — so that it must necessarily for ever cease, fail because of the too great cost (the C" in nW'.2 as iv. 6); ver. 10 is then the true continuation to ver. 8, comp. § 347 a, and above, Ixxii. 13-15.* Sharper contrast, ver. 11 : if wise men even die (but how in the spiritual sense otherwise than fools, is very beautifully explained presently, ver. 16), how much more fools ! But were ^^'^P, ver. 12, "their inward part,'^ the sense must be : " their heart, their mind, their opinion is, their houses would be everlasting," to which then ver. 13 suited, in the sense:
* How far the language may be here used of au atonement-fine or weregelt, even in reference to God, is well explained from the Gentile customs, as tlie Kgyptinii iu Ilerodot. ii., 65, comp. Diod. Sic. Hist., i.. 83.
22 SONQS OF TEE DISPERSION.
but man remains not in pomp. But to begin witb the last, this sense would be here plainly false ; for thus the comparison with dumb cattle is not apprehensible ; the kernel-saying must stand for itself and essentially run as in ver. 21_, so that a '"! more or less may be found, but the sense must not sub- stantially be changed. In short, ver, 13 is, after ver. 21, unquestionably amended by 1"*:n\ This granted, then the above explanation of ver. 12 is not appropriate, and moreover would be in itself very strange and false. For ^"^Ip or CttJ^3 does not thus appear, there is no question of the duration of the houses, i.e, of the dwellings, and the last member would be super- fluous. According to the old translation, cn~ip is unquestionably = D"i2p, whether it be exchanged by the poet, or rather by copyists ; for the whole Psalm has an unusually corrupt text ; comp. Koh. xii. 5. More might be said for this, but this may suflHce.
3. The last strophe proceeds from this equally dreadful and instructive end of the fools, and all who in the future follow their words and habits of tliought, w. 14, 15, but only the more briefly to set over against this the blessed end of the faithful, ver. 16; and thus concludes with energy, recurring to the beginning and end of the first strophe, vv. 17-21. Ver. 15 is divided quite against the Massor. accentuation, and v'*i2Tp or ,^2^a read as =^^2T. But as the shepherd drives the unwilling flock, which is already destined to the pit, = to death (n'^tZ?), xliv. 12, 23, death rules over them, without their being able at all to resist his power, comp. on the other hand Hos. xiii. 14, and here immediately ver. 16; in addition to this ver. 16, above,* xvi. 9-11, and as a more ancient con- tinuation, Hos. xiii. 14, and legend. Gen. v. 24. On ver. 19 comp. the further description of such a scene, Luke xii. 19, 20. On this "^S see § 362 &.* But it is quite to the purpose that
* 1 will not now further speak of this Psalm, — in our days much tormented and quite unucccsbarily, since till that is above set forth iw refuted by uobody. Comp. the Jahrbb. dcr Bibl. nim., v., p. 255; xi., p.. 308.
SONQS OF THE DISPERSION. 23
the poet towards the end of his didactic word, v. 19 h, for once-- interrupting the ordinary calm of didactic speech,, addresses the listener himself. This once occurs to him as in the zeal of his discourse^ but immediately and properly he returns, ver. 20, back to the more tranquil language, and completes what he had begun, v. 19 a, to say concerning the soul of such men. Ver. 15 &. The Messianic hope flashes through.
64, 65. Psalms xlii. — xliii. and Psalm lxxxiv.
evince themselves, by the stamp of the language, by arrangement and art, by the ebullient fulness of strange figures, finally by higher softness and tenderness of thought, to be so similar, and yet of the two songs each is so thoroughly original, and neither has proceeded from imitation of the other, that we are brought to the view that both belong to the same poet. And on comparison it is readily deduced that Pss. xlii. — xliii. inust be the earlier by a wide space of time. But that the poet is a king driven into exile, is clear from lxxxiv. 10 (comp. xxviii. 8) ; and from xlii. 5 it follows at least, not in contradiction with this, that he was once a very conspicuous man in Jerusalem who led the festal train that yearly journeyed to the Temple. But we know of no king who before the destruction of Jerusalem was led over the Northern Jordan (xlii. 7) into exile, except Jechonja, a not inconsiderable man, according to Jer. xxiii. 28, 29, who after long sojourn in exile finally again comes to honour, 2 Kings XXV. 27. If these songs are from him, they teach us to recognize him more plainly than all historical information.
In Pss. xlii. — xliii. we see the poet violently detained by insolent foes on the other side of Jordan on the. north-eastern boundary of Palestine, xlii. 7, 10, xliii. 2 ; and since the journey to Babylon has this direction, nothing prevents us from supposing that he at that time was detained there only tempo- rarily,— perhaps, according to xlii. 9, only a night, — to bo dragged further into exile. The circumstances are the most mournful and oppressive; all waves and floods of suffering arc felt by the puct to be incessantly streaming in upon him.
24 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION..
He is most grievously wounded by the rash contempt of his foes against his God^ who seems to have forsaken him, xlii. 4, 11, and whose lingering help he has long sadly missed, xlii. 10, xliii. 2 ; so that in the night he (ver. 9 comp. ver. 4) through this reflection sinks into the deepest melancholy, distressed by the stormy, scarce-to-be-soothed wish that he may finally escape from this flood of suffering to rest in the distant sanctuary. But if despondency thus moves most dangerously the surface of his soul, there lies on the other side in the depths of this soul another truth concealed, which strives not less to break forth and to dominate : the consciousness that there must be no doubt of God, becoming clear as the voice of the higher reflection and encouragement. The two opposite feelings here come into conflict with all violence and highest strain. But as in the divided soul grief and longing under the profound suff'erings of the present is the most violent and prevailing of itself, against which the higher reflection main- tains itself with difiiculty, — despondency and revolt burst forth first, and longest, and with the greatest languor. But when this has had its way, and has become clear and manifest to itself in its outburst, — the more emphatically and earnestly then does the voice of the higher contemplation and reflection rise, as if chiding the too soft, too weak and distressed soul, encouraging and reviving, clothing itself in a brief, mighty kernel-saying of consolation, as the Divine voice rising against the human. But with the one rapid course of this excited struggle, the bosom of the poet is not yet fully calmed; still the nearest feeling of the uncommon griefs and sufferings is too strong, and the revolt and despondency, with difficulty repressed, recurs, by its outburst however calling foi'th also the counter-voice of reflection and encouragement. Thus the voice of despondency is repeated and alternately that of reflection three times, before reflection and encouragement alone remain dominant as the fixed -disposition. Hence three quite equal strophes result, vv. 2-6; 7-12; xliii. 1-5. In this threefold removal of despondency there is at the same time an
SONGS OF THE DISPERSION. 2o
inner process, whilst by the influence of the ever-recurrintj deeper voice of reserve, despondency itself is gradually relieved and soothed. First the most grievous, bitterest out- burst of despondency, ending in complete exhaustion and darkness, vv. 2-5 ; then, because grief, though repressed, nevertheless troublously recurs, it is lessened and softened by recollection of the Divine giver, so that he seeks to lose himself in a sad prayer for help, w. 7-11 (despondency thus begins in itself to subside, and to clear away) ; finally, complete passing away of revolt in a prayer, even more restful, soft and joyous, xliii. ] -4. But while thus in three stages the rage of grief is more and more self-dissolved, and the troubled voice continues to change, the voice of solace, thrice resounding with mighty power, remains ever like to itself, because it contains the un- changeable Divine truth, to which the sufferer needs but to strive, to retain it finally as the permanent. And actually the two voices — which at first appear in complete disharmony and suggest opposition to one another, vv. 2-G, are at last resolved into a lovely harmony, feeling and under- standing, excitement and reflection being entirely reconciled and inwardly coinciding, xliii. 1-5. All this without artifi- ciality and violence : the faithful impression of the struggle of two principles waged in a mind of tender feeling no less than of balanced strength after reflection. The art is, at the same time, of the highest naturalness and purest inspiration. The particular points of description are also highly elegant and poetical.
In a poetic point of view this Psalm is perhaps the finest of all ; but also the structure of its strophe is distinct. The long structure of the verse-members is indeed found not altogether rarely elsewhere in such songs as give rather severe contem- plation than sudden movement of thoughts. But here it is carried through almost with complete uniformity, so that each strophe consists of ten such members, whilst the recurreut verse continually repeats its three so constructed verses.
26 SONOS OF THE DISrEESION.
1.
2 As a hart longs after water-brooks,
so longs for Thee my soul, God ! m}'- soul pants for God, the living God ;
when shall I come and appear before God ? tears were my food day and night,
as they daily say to me, '' where is Thy God V 5 When I think of it, my heart must overflow,
as I marched through thick throngs, led them away to the house of God, with clear jubilation, the festive-joyous multitude ! — Why dost thou how down, soul, and ragest in me greatly ? wait for God! for yet shall I praise Kim, my head's salvation and my God ! 2. My God ! my soul bows down so greatly ;
therefore I think of Thee from Jordan and the Hermon land, from the mount Miss^ar, Flood calls to flood at the thunder of thy waterspouts ;
all Thy waves, billows streamed over me. — In the day Jahve appoints His grace,
but by night the song abides with me, prayer to the God of my life ; 10 I say to the God of my rock : ''why hast Thou forgotten
me ? why go I mourning in foe's oppression ? as it were shattering in my bones, my oppressors
rovire me, as they daily say to me, where is Thy God V — Why dost tJtoii boiv dow^t, soul, and ragest in me greatly ? wait for God ! for yet shall I praise Him, my head's salvation and my God !
3.
1 Judge mo, God !
and lead my cause before tlie impious pct)plc, "
SONOS OF THE DISPERSION. 27
from meu of deceit and wickedness deliveiing me ! Thou art God of my defence ; wliy hast Thou rejected me ?
why go I mourning along in foe's oppression ? Send Thy light and Thy truth ! let them lead me, bring me to the sacred mount and Thy seat ! that I may come to the altar of God^ to the God of my highest joy, and with the cither praise thee, 0 God, my God ! 5 Why dost thou how down, soul, and ragest in me greatly ? xvait for God ! for yet shall I 'praise Him, my head's salvation and my God.
Ver. 3 living God, comp. ver. 9, Ixxxiv. 3, at the same time as a contrast to the idol-images, by which the poet as given into the power of the heathen sees himself surrounded. On "i^.^S? ver. 4, comp. § 304a; on v^ ^er. 5, § 217 i : I must gush forth my soul over me, i.e., allow its free course over me, that it may bring me to despondency, comp. Job x. 1, xxx. 16. The present scorning of his God, ver. 4, which he must ever unwillingly listen to, drives the poet rather to flee to tho recollection, — however mournful under present circumstances, and provocative of violent longing — of the proud pleasure he earlier enjoyed in the festal trains to the Temple of this very God, — which he now so grievously misses. The "^v?^ placed forward with emphasis, — tin's, is explained by the following "^3, as, since with its clause (wherein '^^^^., &c. is imperf. pra;tcriti, § 13Gc) and "^"^^Iv forms by the power of the cohortative a kind of protasis, and ^ \y . .f. an apodosis § 357 b, comp. Ixxvii. 4. The D" in C^'ifS^ whereby in passing allusion is made to the Israelites, the whole people, whom tho poet as king led in the slowly solemn train (nn) is in the following member more closely explained by ^.^in pen. But whilst with this sad recollection the speech of despair breaks off abruptly in the highest tension and excitement, there is gathered frcjui this very recollection a hope in his deepest aonl.
28 SONQS OF TEE DISPERSION.
For if the poet could earlier praise God so joyously and sei'enely in the Temple^ why should he not, when' delivered, again be able to do so ? So that the higher voice, after a moment of reflection, turning the thought to the future, breaks in upon the same ground, encouraging and con- soling, ver. 6 : whence it is clear that the kernel-word of consolation, precisely in this form is only here most appro- priate, and afterwards is merely repeated. My heacVs, properly face's salvation, because it is a matter of life and death. Between ver. 6 and 7 Tlbs has certainly fallen out, and the text at the end, ver. 6, is to be restored as ver. 12, xliii. 5 j for also in the beginning of the following strophe the anxious "^nbs would be ill missed.
2. In the impassioned half of the second strophe the strife between grief and endeavour after consolation is to be noticed, where the latter breaks through up to the framing of the prayer, but not yet restfully and permanently. First ver. 7, in reference to ver. 6 : nevertheless the heart will not become tranquil ; therefore I think on, Thee, seeking consolation with Thee, ver. 5. The designation of localities, ver. 7, is involun- tarily made with such exactness because they the more sadly awaken in him the recollection of the distant sanctuary. Because the Jordan in the north rises out of a confluence of many waters, between high mountains, the high north- east of the land may readily be called the land of Jordan and of the Hermmis, for l^lTl originally denotes simply a high mountain summit. Such a plural was formerly found in the B. Henokh vi. 6 {'Kpfjuoviiv in G. Synkellos), comp. also the Jahrhb. der Bill. WSss., iv., p. 170. (The accents separate the C'^^tt'nm incorrectly.) When the poet here names the mountain Miss'ar not elsewheraiound, this must be the more definite place where he at that time sojourned.
Indeed (ver. 8) sufferings incessantly stream over mo, sent by Thee, or from heaven streaming down upon me, so that, like as a storm following the repeated thunder- voice, streams
SON OS OF THE DISPERSION. 29
down in increasing waterspouts and cataracts (^"'1?.'=5V LXX Tcov Karapp uktoov aov) so at the command of thy crashing thunder-storm, as Thou sendest it from heaven, infinite floods of sufferings come over me, one calling on the other, in cease- less competitive sequence (the figure xviii. 5, 1 7, xxxii. 6) is thus heightened by the fact that to the poet the flood-mass wherein he seems to be perishing, seems as if sprung from a Divine storm rolling over him and discharging jtself ; how the thunder was conceived with the storm, comp. above (Ps. xxix.) : but (ver. 9) not now, namely in the night time, does Jahve send His gracious help, for the day is the time of action, of saving and of being saved, in the night I 'would rather sing and pray in meditation to God ; therefore I say (ver. 10) even now in this night to the God of my rock, my firmness and security (so distinctively God was not pre- viously named, except in ver. 6) praying, pouring forth my trouble in confidence. But the prayer begun passes over once more, ver. 11, in the recollection of the keenly- wound- ing speeches of the foes into sadness, so that no full relief and calm follows, and after a fresh exhortation the pi'ayer must begin anew.
3. xliii. 1-4. — For n^j^Sl perhaps better because of the following n according to Symm. and a few Codd., n?^3 (' as if there were a shattering,'^ as if I felt shattering in my bones, so keenly striking through marrow and bones, wounding the innermost man, are the slanders. Further, there are present to the mind of our poet in xliii. 3, Ps. xxvii. 1, in xlii. 8 the still simpler words of Jona ii. 4 (I., p. 155, Bichter des A. B.) ; but it does not follow from this that he lived later than was above indicated. — The T^"^"^^ xlii. 9, would necessarily accord- ing to this expression denote Ids (God's) soiig ; but more readily does '^'^''?^, found elsewhere, agree with the written form of this piece and with the progress of the thoughts,^so?j^ is with me, stands freely tvith me, namely prayer to God, as the song here exactly conforms to this.
30 SONG^ OF THE DISPEUSION.
In Ps. Ixxxiv. we see tlie poet on the otlier liand already a longer time in exile, settled, as vv. 5-8 makes clear, witli many otlier banished ones, in the strauge land. In him too here the glowing fire of the first passion and revolt is already quelled into gentler confidence and higher calm. But in quiet and in composure the hidden fire gleams forth the more intensely, unquenchably and powerfully, sparging up in the king familiar with song and lyric strain, and incessantly breaking forth, however quelled by higher reflection. Such a warm outbreak fi-om sadly -joyous recollection of the (still standing) Temple and from the need to moderate anew the oppressed grief, and ever anew to kindle the torch of hope — is this short, highly pregnant and suggestive song, which permits us to cast a refreshing glance into the depth of the tenderest and at the same time strongest soul. Here indeed no longer prevails the violent struggle of two opposite principles, as in the preceding song; but in this the present is like the preceding song, that the poet only by the outburst of sad and more widely deviating feelings and views opens the way to. prayer, in the rest and composure of which the song blessedly and loftily ceases. First, then, the sadly -joyous, enthusiastically-yearning recollection of the Temple and of the true God ; the banished one might almost envy the birds that nest in the Temple, vv. 2-4. Then, because the poet cannot now reach the goal of his longing, at least a congratulation of those who dwell at the place of the sanctuary (now unhappy, yet certainly once more happy) or those who have the Divine confidence, nobly self- rewarding, to journey thither, though under sore distress, vv. 5-8. Thus finally the thought falls back into the first joyous personal prayer, vv. 9-12, from which the singer, already strengthened, finally rises, ver. 13.
The first two strophes contain each eight verse-members. But justly the third is distinguished from them as that of pure prayer : it comprises ten members. Comp. for other particulars, I.,]iA70,n'ichter des A. B.
SONQS OF THE DISPERSION. 31
1.
How lovely are Thy scats,
Jahv^ of Hosts ! 2
my soul longs, yea faints for Jalive's courts ;
my heart and body — cry out to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a house, and the swallow a nest
for herself,
where she sets her young, at Thy altars, 0 Jahve of Hosts,
my king and my God !
2. Hail to those inhabiting Thy house : 6
still will they praise Thee ! *
Hail to men rich in strength in Thee,
who gladly think on pilgrimages ; who passing through the balsam-vale make it a spring :
yet a first rain covers it with blessings ! they go on from strength to strength,
appear thus before God in Sion.
Jahve, God of Hosts, hear my prayer,
observe, O Jakob's God ! our shield, O behold, God, 10
look upon Thine anointed's countenance ! For better is a day in Thy courts than a thousand ;
to lie on the threshold in the house of Tny God
is to me dearer than in impiety's tents to sojourn. Sun indeed and shield is Jahve God !
grace, glory will Jahve give,
happiness not refuse to those walking in innocence.
4. 0 Jahve of Hosts,
hail to the men who trust in Thee !
32 SONQS OF THE DISPEBSION.
1. n32ti7tt, ver. 2, correspoiuls to the rare expression, xliii. 3. The mere mention of the courts, ver. 3, shows that a layman is speaking. He, wholly with heart and body, his heart and body, therefore, cries out of sad longing to the beloved object. That birds, especially swallows, doves, or storks were freely allowed to nest in the Temple, is plain from passages of the classics in Bochart, Hieroz., ii., pp. 592 sq., Lps. and of the Asiatics, comp. Hdt. i., 159 ; Porph. de abstin. iii., 16; Sacy's Chrest. arahe, tom. iii., pp. 76 sq., I. A., Journal Asiafique, 1838, Aout, pp. 206, 214 ; it is still the case at the Ka'aba, see Burckhardt^s Travels in Arabia, i., p. 277, and in Stambul (Lynch's Narrative, p. 88). The "i")"!"? is merely, according to the now usual meaning, so translated ; for "iISS mio-ht very well signify the swallow ; LXX, Pesch. Targ. have turtle-dove, as if -n-nr=-)h, but Aq. arpov66<i, as all ancient translations of Prov. xxvi. 2.
2. Both the objects of congratulation, vv. 5-8, have indeed now to struggle with many sufferings, yet for both the poet antici- pates final blessing. Those dwelling in the holy city, ver. 5, were at that time, in the last years of Juda, not happy ; but the poet thinks and hopes they would yet again be able to rejoice in the Divine victory, quite as xvii. 6. Those who, dispersed in the strange land, think of pilgrim -journeys to the Temple, on whom the poet, because they are nearest to him, longest dwells, have indeed also infinite sufferings and griefs in the recollection of the separation, hindrances, and restraints in the foreign land, and the dangers by the way ; but he who is rich in strength and trust in God overcomes thera all. The poet accompanies With his full longing and love these pilgrims, 'whom he himself may not follow, — at least in his eager fancy, — through the dangers of the way up to the final arrival at the place of highest delight. Passing through the driest valley (the Baka-vale, i.e., the dry ground wherein the balsam-plant grows, comp. Burckhardt's Syr., pp. 977, 1081, — at the same time the name alludes to ^^^, " weeping," as will immediately
SO^'CfS OF THE DISl'EliSION. 33
follow), they wash the waterless vale by the ceaseless stream of then- tears, as at a spring, flowing ; but this stream of tears in Divine sorrow becomes at the same time a fructifying )'ain, yet a first rain covers with blessings the dry vale (in the begin- ning of winter) so that they, instead of wearying on the way, when out of their tears finally blessings spring forth, ever more strongly and boldly advance, finally attaining the wushed- for good. Comp. the figure more simply,' Hos. ii. 17, Isa. XXXV. 7, and the observations in the Gesch. des V. Isr., iii., p. 385, of the third edition. The entrance to Palestine is actually dry and desert. On C2^ yer. 7, see § 354 a.
3. Ver. 10 : behold the countenance, turned in humble sup- plication to Thee, of Thine anointed, who, therefore, can be none but the speaker: this lies unmistakably in the whole connexion; comp. below cxxxii. 10. The.1?'i^C>rT^ LXX cor- rectly TrapappcTrreiaOai, is properly to cast oneself on the threshold, into the dust, like the humblest servant (comp. an example in Burckhardt's Travels in Arabia, ii., p. 270) : he who according to his royal dignity would have the highest honour in the Temple, will rather appear there as the humblest servant than dwell among sinful heathen {"^^l, door, Syr., here only, a rare word). Also the figure of the sun, ver. 12, nowhere further appears ; elsewhere earlier the more general light stands for it ; comp., however, Ixxii. 5, 17.
B. 60. Psalm xxii
is in this period one of the most important songs. So vividly does it set forth the struggle with the cxtrcmest sufferings, and how, nevertheless, in them the faithful does not lose all hope, that nothing greater in this kind can be expected. That the Temple still stood, follows from the mention of the sacrifices (then) to be brought, and vows to be paid, ver. 27, comp. with ver. 4. But the poet seems to be quite peculiarly persecuted by the heathen ; he was therefore already in exile. The whole song bears such a stniup and .st}^' as if the poet sharply VOL. II. 3
34 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION,
separated the two, the heathen and Israelitish nature, and suffered from the former, by the latter lived and hoped, as he also, vv. 28-30, expects the final victory of the latter over the former. More closely to get upon the poet's traces is not now possible. Thus much is clear from ver. 9, that the very boldness of his confidence in Jahve's religion, and his open confession of it, together with the honesty and virtue therewith connected, of his behaviour, have drawn upon him the keenest scorn and the sorest sufferings ; he is already surrounded by sanguinary men, takeii prisoner, ver. 19, and, according to unequivocal signs, threatened with death, vv. 14, 19, 21. 22. And although he, in his prolonged distress, has already often cried to the faithfully honoured Jahve, he has remained without deliverance, and thus weaker and more worn down, the more exposed to the scorn of his foes, vv. 3-9, 15, 18. There actually gleams from the whole an amount of suffering such as can hardly be surpassed in severity, along with a state of mind in the hour of crisis, most free from guilt, and from ill-will to his foes; and there is no cursing even in the bitterest agony. So prays here the noble suff'erer on the approach of death, carefully preserving himself from the last despair and urgently desiring to become conscious of all grounds of hope in Jahve, without, indeed, a definite prospect of obtaining an escape from those great sufferings,— only sadly languishing and com- plaining, but at last, — at least in the taking of a sincere vow of true thanks after deliverance, and in the joyous picture of the fair consequence of his release, — obtaining some tran- quillity and repose, and intenser hopes for the more remote future. Thus the long languishing song falls into three similar strophes, — at first the outbreak of despair in troublous urgency is gradually somewhai^ softened and so far driven away, that it is resolved into the burst of supplication to God, vv. 2-12; then, after the prevailing disquiet has come, at least as far as this beginning of prayer, more caknly the setting forth of the most horribly threatening dangers and gigantic sufferings
SOXGS OF THE DISPERSION. 3o
begins, — causing the cry for help to be the more urgently repeated, vv. 13-22 ; fiually, though no nearer hope and means of rest appears, yet at least some self-calming and strengthening in the taking of a sincere vow of true thanksgiving after deliverance follows, — until the picture of the bitter present is softened in reflection on the high thanksgiving then to be brought, and the other. glorious consequences of deliverance. The spirit of the poet becomes as it were glowing in feeling and hope, dwells more fondly and longer, — more enthusias- tically,— on the pictures of the fair and grand future, and therewith concludes ; and the mightier thereby the calm con- solation becomes, vv. 23-32. And here at least the intimation breaks in, clearly and unrestrainedly, that the very party, now so extremely unhappy, represented by the poet, will one day certainly prevail. In the general progress, the language is often meantime violently moved in the midst of its flow by extreme sadness and passionately strained or broken, w. 9, 14, 16, 27.
No previous Psalm has such long extended strophes : but this is explained readily by its contents and nature, and the most important point under this head is only that in so wide a compass, so uniform a structure recurs. Of the three strophes the second and the third have each ten verses, but with twenty-four members each ; if the first has eleven verses but twenty-two members, a two-membered verse ha« probably been lost from it.
1. My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me, 2
far my deliverance, words of my groaning ! — my God ! I cry by day — Thou hearest not,
and by night — and have no rest. And Thou art nevertheless the Holy One,
throned in the praise of Israel : on Thee trusted our fathers, 5
trusted — and Thou becamest their saviour,
3 *
36 SONOS OF THE DISPERSION. '
complaining to Thee they were freed,
trusting in Thee they were not ashamed. But I — a worm, no man,
scorn of the people, despised by the folk ; all who see me, scoff at me,
cleaving the lips, shaking the head : " he trusted in God ; let Him save him,
set him free, because He loves him !" 10 For Thou art He who drew me out of the womb,
who caused me to rest on my mother's breast ; on Thee was I cast since my birth,
from my mother's womb Thou art my God ;
0 be not far from me, for distress is near, for help is none !
2. Many beasts have surrounded me,
Basan's mighty ones encompassed me, with gaping mouth against me ;
— a lion tearing in pieces and roaring !-t- 15. Like water am I poured out, all my bones stand out ; my heart is become like wax ; melted deep in my bosom ; like dry potsherds my skin in my mouth, and my tongue cleaves to my palate : - — and to death's dust will Thou bring me ? For dogs have surrounded me,
the band of evil-doers environs me, have bound my hands and feet ;
1 count all my bones :
they — look, feed upon me, they divide among them my garments and cast the lot over my clothing. 20 But Thou, Jahve, be not far,
Thou my strength, hasten to my help^
SONOS OF THE DISPERSION. 37
free from the sword my soul,
from the power of the dog my only one !
help me from the lion's mouth,
and from the buffalo's horns hear me !
3. I will tell Thy name to brethren,
in the midst of the congregation praise Thee ! " ye fearers of Jahve, praise Him, ye Jakob's children all, honour him,
and bow before Him, all children of Israel ! for He hath not despised, shunned the suffei-er's 25
sufferings, hath not hidden His face from him, and when he cried to Him, He hath heard." From Thee my. praise shall proceed — in the great people's assembly, vows will I pay before His fearers ; that such sufferers shall enjoy and be refreshed, that they shall praise Jahve who seek Him : — may your heart live for ever ! — that mindful of this to Jahve may turn — all ends of the
earth, and do homage before Thee all heathen-tribes : for Jahve's is the kingdom,
and He will rule over heathen. In enjoyment all earth's mourners do homage, 30
— before Him bend all that are sinking into the dust,
and he who prolonged not his life. The children shall serve Him,
the after-world is told of the Lord : they come and announce His salvation, to the young people, that He wrought it !
1. The first strophe, beginning with the outburst of comfortless despondency, vcr. 2, reaches its end with the
38 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.-
confident prayer, ver. 12. These opposites are connected by the agonized complaint concerning the endless vain cry for help, ver. 3, because Jahve is nevertheless the Holy One (not enduring wrong), and as such rules in praise in the com- munity, ver. 4, — as moreover. He on the testimony of ancient history, saved their forefathers, when they cried in confidence, vv. 5, 6 ; while the poet on the other hand is the most down- trodden and generally despised man, scarcely still man, most deeply scorned because of his very confidence in Jahve, vv. 7-9; and in fact the senseless cruel scoffers must have a bitter justification in their demand that Jahve shall help him ; for certainly the poet from the first moment of his life as one born and grown up in the community of Jahve was directed to Jahve as his tutelary God : let Him then save him ! vv. 10-12. So through deep grief and the most manifold and urgent thoughts preparing himself for confident prayer, the poet yet has not been able to describe more clearly the immediate dangers, or the foes that threaten his life : therefore, before the prayer is completed, the description of the foes stands apart, in a new, calm strophe, at the end of which then vv. 20-22, the more urgently the same prayer recurs. The name "\W'^ ri']\>'nn I'O^V is formed anew from the older more frequent D'^Il"i2n 3tt7V lie who sits upon the Keruhim, i.e., dwells in the place of the ark of the covenant, throned above the K. (1 Sam. iv. 4, 2 Sam. vi. 2 ; later repeated, Ps. xcix. 1, Ixxx. L), so- that it describes still more spiritually the relation of Jahve to the Temple; "^ He who is seated on Israel's praises,'' or throned where these resound. The LXX : iv ayLM KaToiKei<;, o> eTraiva rov 'lo-p., less correct and easy. i"«tDtn '' cleave," can, the more it metaphorically in such con- nexion, denotes scofficg (by indecent opening of the mouth), the more readily be connected immediately with "? : scoff with the lip, comp. Job xvi. 10. The {<hakiiig of the head is that passing over from astonishment into scorn, — hard, unbecoming, xliv. 15, cix. 25; Lam. ii. 15. The ba, ver. P, is in this con-
. ^ SONGS OF THE DISPERSION. 39
nexion certainly best taken as perfect, LXX ifKiria-e, whether ' V2 be taken as perfect, with intransitive force for the sake of the meaning " forsake oneself/^ properly wallow, cast upon any one his care, or whether ^2 be read on the supposition that the Massoretes had taken the word here erroneously for an infinitive ; but the first assumption is sufficient. In the second member, " because he loves'' is, in conformity to the first, and because of the sharper scorn, to be referred back to the man.
2. In the second strophe, as far as the renewed cry for help, ver. 20, the description of the cruel and violent man, before whose death-threatening attack the poet sees no help, is the main matter; but with the feeling of this suffering 'coming from without there mingles soon that of the inward life, of the entire dissolution and wasting of all forces of the body and of the thereby threatening approach of death. Harassed by this twofold dianger, the soul of the poet wanders in the description from one to the other, beginning in a subdued manner the description of each of the two sufferings, but soon becoming too agitated and concluding abruptly, vv. 13-14; 15-lG. Only the third time does a new description running a somewhat calmer course, succeed, whilst now the two suff'erings are taken in their reciprocal connexion, — namely, how the persecutors, through whose cruelty the poet has chiefly come into this Bad bodily condition, again so bitterly mock at him, and because of the weakness of the wretched man, persecute him the more heartlessly, vv. 17-19, so that Jahve alone can help, vv. 20-22. Yet as along with this current of thought the glance at the persecutors is here the principal thing, and firmly as the poet holds together again that which falls asundcz', it is further clear that, as he from the first, ver. 13, had named the persecutors strong raging beasts (those of Basan) which rushed upon him like a bloodthirsty lion, then in the new addition, ver. 15, in respect of their shameless temper, — dogs, — so at the conclusion, rightly, in inverted reference, first pro- tection from shameless dogs, ver. 21, then at last from the lion
40 SOKGS OF THE DISPERSION. ■
and bufFiiloes is desired, so that the last words of the strophe, V. 22, recur to the figure of the beginning, ver. 13. Horrible is the picture here sketched in a few features of the inner dissolution : like water is he gushed out, without any inward firmness more, — his bones on the fainting, emaciated body, standing far out, so that they can be numbered (comp. above on cxli. 7). and the innermost life-force at the same time seems as if consumed by most burning fire. Hence also in conse- quence of the inner glow kindled by intense anguish, one dried of all life-forces, especially in the mouth, ever in vain com- plaining, xxxii. 3, 4 (but in the transition of the language from ver. 15 to ver. 16 it is necessary here to read for 'HS, my strength, not ^^7, my sap, after xxxii. 3, but ''r'n^ my palate, after the following member, as Saadia in the Beitrdgen zur gesch. der A. Tlichen Auslegung , i,, p. 24, thought. The more general word strength is here unsuitable to the figure). Must not then the poet for a moment at least be imposed upon by the fear that God will turn him into the dust of death, cause his already all but perished body entirely to crumble into death and dust (ver. 30) ('"l?^, bring, make "? to something, as else- where t.'^h). But far worse than this is the view of those who scorn the miserable one because of his unutterable sufferings, who have bound him in narrow bonds, and because they have already condemned him to death, now cast the lot upon his upper garments, in order to divide them amongst themselves — as the custom was in the case of the condemned. In this connexion "^"IWD, ver. 17, is quite plainly to be understood of the fettering of the hands and feet ; anything else is not here suitable. The root*~nD, ns^, -in2 denotes a compressiug, enveloping, encompassing, therefore fettering; but related is also hahar, Arab., to td^ie, force. It is easiest to read in the perf, '^"'y^, for which many historical proofs ofi'er themselves. Were ''~iM3 correct, in the part. "^1^^ must be expressed, but less appropriately. The LXX have wpv^av/ds, if it were = ''"'3 from mD ; but it is by no means clear what the digging or
SONGS OF THE DISPERSION. 41
piercing tlirougli of the hands and feet can here denote ; for that the poet would say he is already in the last toi'ture inflicted by his foes, perhaps on the cross, is against the rest of the connexion of the song, particularly against the just given description, vv. 15 sq. The vehemence of Christian- Jewish polemics, which were connected with this word, seems to have introduced into the existing impression of the text the reading ^1^^, which can alone be explained, " as the lion" (they surround) my hands and feet : but neither does the figure of the surrounding suit, nor does the figure of the lion generally in this place j for here the unabashed behaviour is to be marked.
3. Thus there seems in all the present to be no prospect of help at all remaining for him already as one hunted to death. It appears that he can but be dumb in despair, because that glorious hope does not immediately appear which we perceived in the case of the poet of Pss. xvi., xlix. But now he raises, after a short terrible pause, his eyes to the only spot at least of the more remote future to which his glance still is unfettered, — first gently, scarce taking breath, then ever more strongly ; and wondrous is it to note in the last strophe the gradual glimmering and kindling of the fire of hope, under all the external hopelessness. A near prospect to which the sufferer ventures to lilt his eyes, leads him on to the more remote, this again by itself to the still more remote and loftier; until, out of the first timid expression of a sincere vow, the fire of most glowing hope and presentiment is kindled, he revels in the secure hope of the final victory of the religion of Jahve, and in this picture of the end of all confusions and sufferings upon earth, the long languishing song finds its rest and its end. In fact, the presentiments of the poet are not too enthusiastic. For if generally an endless chain of great consequences may be connected with an event, the poet had the justest cause to hope the most important consequences for his deliverance. For not only, it is evident, had it come with
42 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
the poet to that extreme that his example and fate must be a crisis and turning-point for the whole Jahve-i'eligion of that time_, as it may be readily supposed that he was a very impor- tant person of that time ; but the deliverance from the deepest suifering-s must most powerfully impel him to become the most eloquent, boldest, and most active consoler and saviour of the many like suflferers. Already this design and this impulse breaks forth in a strong current, so soon as he, at present without any help and solace, turns to vows, and therewith to thoughts of the future ; and the noble fire, — become through suffering still brighter and more intense — of the sufferer thus at last finds an issue for itself. Then soon there breaks forth ever more glowingly, the representation of the pure pleasure wherewith he then shall eloquently praise Jahve, exhort and console all ; refresh the mass of the sufferers in every way — yea, for ever, according to his wish ! vv. 23-27. But once let there be so strong and general an exaltation in Israel, its power must break outward, and awaken the heathen to share in the salvation of Israel. If the poet's fancy has thus been warmed by the picture of that internal prosperity, it advances consequently further, and feeds itself still more on the picture of the conversion of the Gentiles, only possible after Israel's exaltation, — the heathen who now so cruelly persecute the poet; and of the fulfilment of the kingdom of Jahve, all- embracing, poor and rich, heathen and Israelites, — Messianic presentiments, which awakened long before the poet, appear to him here in a strangely new connexion and with new truth, vv. 28-30; and concludes with tJie presentiment, that this exaltation, because' of its very light and its strength, will have eternal issues, and will never pass away from memory, w. 31, 32. The deepest, most comfortless sufferings, require the most exalted hopes or at least presentiments ; and those here arising are truly the noblest and most modest, taking hold of the poet by a peculiar Divine power, and calming him in the most intractable grief. . The •"'^P'^ , vcr. 27, refers
SON OS OF THE DISPERSION. 43
indeed in the first instance to the rich thank-offerings, but the outward eating and drinking is not the most important thing, and the object in thank-offerings at least should not be so. But with this sacred food and the physical enjoyment which the poet can by no means exclude in the case of the needy, the spiritual is to be united ; the true satisfaction and refreshment is here also not described as merely bodily ; and it cannot be doubtful in what the poet places true happiness (although he is also greatly concerned to remove bodily distress). 'Mindful of this, ver. 28, of the true salvation that they see in Israel, and of which also they have a repressed obscure presentiment, and for which a longing. On ^^"1^, ver. 29, comp. § 200, on l^r.^l, ver. 30, comp. on the relative clause, § 350 b. With the -Tinnipn -ibss the poet, going back to ver. 27 (hence the perf. of that seen in fancy as already .taken place), com- prises the two figures hitherto separated ; both all the rich of the earth, to whom, according to the conditions of that time espe- cially powerful Gentiles belonged, and the lauguishing ones, then become blessed in the enjoyment of the holy peace and the truths of the Temple. But to take '^?.^1, as fat, i.e., rich ones, is harsh, and since the poet — although he hopes for the ultimate conversion of all — has immediately before his eyes the many deeply bowed down and persecuted generally — the word will be better explained as ""i?^"^, covered with dust, i.e., mourning ones. What a grand spectacle, — to see all men of the earth, and pre-eminently the many, now utterly comfort- less, united in such delight! "iT^f, ver. 31, ''to the genera- tion/' i.e., when older or riper men speak, to the forming generation, to the young contemporary world, or shortly (as we say) to the world, Ixxi. 18; but more exactly, ver. 32; they will come, those not in existence, and announce, = future men wuU announce to the born people, i.e., to those just born, there- fore to the young, Ps. cii. 19, that He ivrought, as in hi. 11.*
* On the gross mistakes which a later expositor commits in reference to this Psalm, see the Jahrhh. der Bibl. Wiss., ix., pp. 165-168.
44 SONOS OF THE DISPERSION.
67-76. Psalms xxv., xxxiv., xxxv., xxxviii., xl., li.,
LXIX — LXXI., cix., CII.
This considerable series of Psalms belongs again^ according to all discoverable traces, to the same poet ; in the case of Ps. cii. there might be a doubt whether it belongs certainly to this place ; although with regard to it the probability- predominates. — If we, — which is always the first point, — look at the particular personality of the poet, from all these songs there clearly appear the most peculiar traits of the same personality.
Nowhere do we behold the poet in the vicinity of the sanctuary, or even only of the Temple, full of wistful recollec- tion ; he vows to give public praise to God for deliverance and grace, xxxv. 9, 10, 28 ; xl. 4 sqq., 17 3 li. 15 sqq. ; Ixix. 31 sqq.; Ixxi. 14 sqq. ; cix. 30, comp. Ixxxviii. 11-13, but nowhere does he take this vow in the way of the previously explained, songs of the second period, that is, as if he would bring sacrifices in the Temple, and then siag thanksgiving and didactic songs. He had therefore from the first his situation far from Jeru- salem, which he scarcely knows, probably among the Gentiles in exile, but survived the destruction of Jerusalem and of the Temple ; for in his later songs he is jealous (as if the misfor- tune of Israel had been completed) for the honour of the destroyed Temple and of religion, and prays for the prosperity of Jerusalem and of Juda, and the redemption of Israel, li. 20; Ixix. 10, 36, 37 ; Ixxi. 20 ; xxv. 22 ; cii. 14 sqq. According to his position in the people, he is indeed from the first a very considerable and influential man, to whom many look with 'expectation, and who later, through the troubles of the time and the pcrsecutioiv of men, fell from his external dignity, Ixxi. 21, comp. ver. 11 ; Ixix. 7 ; and only from such a powerful, almost princely, position, is the peculiar Ps. li. completely explained. But nowhere is it clear that he has anything prophetic in himself or struggles against prophets.
S02JGS OF THE DISPERSION. 4.5
He is manifestly a layman, probably a warrioi' from the royal house ;* his song starts only from personal dangers or expe- riences, and although he vows as the best thanksgiving the loud public praise of Jahve, and the instruction therewith related of the inexperienced, and not only so, but also con- firms this (comp. the places before named), he nevertheless remains generally far removed from the peculiar prophetic height and position.
If the mind of the poet be examined, this m"ighty man shows an extreme softness, indeed tenderness of feeling, which leads him to take the most loving part in the weal or woe of others, and claims on this behalf also the compassion of others, XXXV. 12-14, xxxviii. 21, Ixix. 10-12, 21, 22, cix. 4 sqq., and sorrowfully misses the friends who tarry, xxxv. 15, xxxviii, 12, Ixix. 9, 21, cii. 7-9 : in addition to this,, the most hearty openness and honesty, xxxviii, 10, 18, 19, xl. 10, 11, li. 8 sqq., Ixix. 6, 20 ; but partly also a very ready revolt and excitement of feeling, yea of passion and sinful haste, — to recall Ps. li. only. And certainly a warm open heart, such as the poet shows, precisely in these last extremely confused and immoral times could be very readily carried away to momentary revolt and passion. But sore was the conflict and the misery into which he thus fell; not merely with the world, with his acquaintances and friends he even falls out, and sees himself everywhere accused, despised and persecuted ; not merely has he to struggle with weakness and sickness, the consequences of such a passionately disturbed and harassed life; but he
* Or perhaps even a king's heir, although not the Joachaz led away to iEg}-pt (^Gesch. des V. Isr., iii., p. 720, of the 2nd edition). The words, Ixxi. 21, actually sound too lofty to allow us to think of a poet of a common rank. But if the poet was a man of such high standing, it is explained how his songs — although some of them are not precisely of the highest value — might have been nevertheless so carefully preserved. — The LXX have with Ps. Ixxi. the superscription, as if it was composed " by the .^ons of Jonadah, and the first who were led away." The inventor of this notion was not then deceived as to the age of the song, and sought for the poet only too limitedly among the Rekliabites, Jer. xxxv., as if these alone could at that time have been so pious.
46 SONOS OF THE DISPERSION.
has also soon to undergo the still sorer struggle with expe- riences of his own mind, and painfully to urge that he may not lose the holy spirit. In fact the poet stands in his long and thousand-fold oppressed life, often approaching to despair, the type of all sufferings of Israel in that severe transitional time. And as a nameless grief at that time befell the whole people, the poet often knows hardly aught but fasting and mourning garments, xxxy. 13, Ixix. 11, 12, cix. 24. But again, the true God forsakes him not, to whom he in each trying situation directs the never long silent, never utterly troubled cravings and utterances of his spirit. He who has most deeply experienced in himself the nature of sin and guilt, obtains even in those most unhappy of times the victory still in God, advances from one wondrous deliverance and inner exaltation to another, and reaches finally, ripe in Divine strength and solace, to that higher blessed age, when he can be to the younger generation still an eloquent and happy preacher of the true Divine life, Ps. Ixxi. Pre-eminently in the life and song of the poet the idea of guilt and sin is developed to an acute- ness and clearness which is nowhere earlier or elsewhere found in the Old Testament. Nothing more is wanting here than what some time later, at the end of the exile, experience was to teach on a great scale, — namely that innocence may also be for other sufferings. And along with this the truth comes to full validity that true penitence and the genuine Divine life must show themselves quite otherwise than in the Temple- sacrifices, quite impossible to the poet, especially at that time, xl. 7-11, li. 15, 21, Ixix. 31-83. Certainly one cannot wonder enough that by the side of such dull and gloomy pictures as 'Pss. XXXV., xxxviii., Ixix., cix,, the genuine pictures of that whole dreary time, '"■such extraordinary noble elevations of feeling are found as in Pss. xl., li., Ixxi., xxxiv. Thus this whole personality stands forth as unique in the Psalter, not indeed as one of the greatest, but'as one of the most remark- able and most instructive ; although hitherto we have not
SONGS OF THE DISPERSION. 47
succeeded in tracing it to its place in the rest of known liistory.
The style too of the song is throughout the same, melting and diffuse, with difficulty collecting and rounding itself off, sometimes spasmodically broken off, xxxviii. 10-15, Ixix. 6, 20, generally quite as the impress of the times was bound to form it in so soft an elegiac poet. Pre-eminently certain songs suffer from these long measures, Pss. cii., Ixix., and still more, Ps. cix. The language is entirely artless, while many poets, whoso songs have been explained, are found of a certain intentional art. In details, the language has especially the following peculiarities : the poet is in the habit of terming his foes '?'> C3n ppt^) (and the word £30 is generally a favourite expression with him) xxxv. 19, xxxviii. 20, Ixix. 5; XXXV. 7, cix. 8, or such as requite him evil instead of good, hate instead of love, xxxv.' 12, xxxviii. 21, cix. 4, 5, who seek or meditate his ill, or rejoice in it, xxxv. 4, 26, xxxviii. 13, xl. 15, 16, Ixxi. 10, 13, 24, who secretly persecute him, ]ta2T (a verb found nowhere else) xxxviii. 21. Ixxi. 1, 13, cix. 4, 20, 29 ; they shall therefore blush and incur shame, comp. xxxv. 4, 26, xl. 15, Ixix. 7, Ixxi. 1, 13, 24, cix. 29, xxv. 2, 3, 20, xxxiv. 6. He, on the other hand, feels his mishaps to be divine blows, as heat and wrath from above, xxxviii. 3 sqq., Ixix. 25, 27, cii. 4, 5, 11, or as a flood, a fountain wherein he is on the point of sinking, of swooning away, xl. 3, Ixix. 2, 3, 15, 16 (Ixxxviii. 7, 8, 18), figures which perhaps no poet else- where so marks with such preference and in such detail, and in which many rare words, almost peculiar to this poet, recur, nVvJD Ixix. 3, 16 (Ixxxviii. 7) ^'^ and 1); xl. 3, Ixix. 3, 15; he fears lest his foot may stagger, and feels it again at other times firm, xxxviii. 17, xl. 3 (xxxv. 7, 8, xxv. 15), comp. xxvi. 1, 12, lest his strength, the light of his eyes forsake him, xxxviii. 11, xl. 13, Ixix. 4 (comp. vv. 24, Ixxxviii. 10), Jahve ho loves everywhere to term Jiis God, xxxv. 23, 24, xxxviii. IG, 22, xl. 'J, 18, Ixix. 4, Ixxi. 4, 12, 22, cix. 26, xxv. 2, or
48 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
mn"* ^31S, an expression whicli at least is not frequent witli every poet, Ixix. 7, cix. 21, Ixxi. 16, and knows most vividly that he has sinned against Him alone and Him alone must praise, li. 6, Ixxi. 16. Besides this there are found many words, partly of peculiar usage, partly rai-e, as ^^p^ in this connexion, xxxv. 28, Ixxi. 6, 8. 14, cix. 1, xxxiv. 2 and n^n XXXV. 28, xxxviii. 13, Ixxi. 2i, ^?^ xxxv. 15, xxxviii. 18; nbpi^i xxxviii. 6, 19, Ixix. 6; ni»3 xl. 16, cix. 29, comp. Ixix. 20, xxxv. 26 ^1"^ persecute that mhich is good, xxxiv. 15, xxxviii. 21 ; and all previous songs "'33? is not yet so frequent as here, xxxv. 10, xl, 18, Ixix. 30, Ixxviii. 16, cix. IQ, 22, XXV. 16, 18, xxxiv. 7; — "f^P^ is a favourite expression, xxv. 15, xxxiv. 2, xxxv. 27, xl. 12, 17, Ixxi. 3, 6. cix. 15, as well as f33 xxxviii. 10, 12, 18, li. 5, Ixix. 20, Ixxxviii. 2, cix. 15, also it is continually before me, i.e., I know it very well, xxxviii. 18, li. 5, cix. 15, where such more ancient passages as ]. 8, Jer. vi. 7 (comp. B. Jes. xlix. 16, lix. 12) may have passed before the poet's mind. Many others will be mentioned below. Conversely, there are wanting in this poet thoughts and words which elsewhere are the most customary, as e.g., the phrase ''hear my prayer!" which according to the Davidic iv. 2, is so frequent in the beginning of the songs of these times, scarcely ever appears here, comp. cii. 2, xxxv. 13, Ixix. 14; or as VWn which in the Davidic and in other songs, especially Ps. xxxvii., is so endlessly frequent, appears here but very sparingly, and in the earlier songs of this series not at all, cix. 2, 6, 7, Ixxi. 4, xxxiv. 22, on and iw^ only in the didactic poem, xxv. 8, 21. — In what concerns the position of these songs in the Psalter, at least xxxiv., xxxv., xxxviii., xl., and then Ixix., Ixx., Ixxi. stund so together, that in this fact may be found a confirmation of this view "of their common origin. Even Ps. Ixx. is but the separated better half of Ps. xl., comp. Vol. I., p. S. '-
One might be tempted to bring Ps. xxii. also into this scries, because it too shows a groat resemblance- in many ways, both
SONOS OF THE DISPERSION. 49
in contents and in the style of the song (the structure of the strophes in Pss. xxii. and xxxv. is peculiarly similar) and as the- languao-Gj e.g., Tiy^"^ niy only one, i.e., my dearest, irreparable good, my soul, xxii. 21 ; xxxv. 17 : the vow to praise God n~i ^Hi^^ xxii. 23, 26 ; xxxv. 17 ; xl. 10 ; cix. 30 ; the cry he not far ! xxii. 12, 20 (comp. ver. 2) ; xxxv. 22 ; xxxviii. 22; Ixxi. 12 ; comp. cix. 17 and the related haste to my help ! xxii. 20 ; xxxviii. 23 ; xl. 11, 18 (Ixx. 6) ; Ixxi. 12 ; further 3St2? of strong ■ complaint xxii. 2, xxxviii. 9, ^^^^^ xxiii. 20, and X\*:j Ixxxviii. 5, and some other instances of the kind. But an unforced and thoroughgoing similarity is nevertheless not found. More original force, more intensity and concealed glow, more boldly poetical and striking elements are majuifcstly found in Ps. xxii. ; and the mood is perhaps of a somewhat different kind. The historical pre-supposition of the Temple with its vows and sacrifices, xxii. 23-27, is entirely wanting in this poet. Just so, neither in Ps. xxii. nor Ps. xxxv. is it pre- supposed that the poet has already experienced a great deliverance from such sufferings, and yet these two songs manifestly belong to the same circumstances. Finally, it is decisive that Ixxi. 6 is an unmistakable imitation and trans- formation of xxii. 10. The partial similarity appears rather explicable fi'om the fact, that the fruitful poet of these songs had already heard that somewhat earlier and much more dis- tinguished song, and had it deeply impressed on his mind. The great impression that Ps. xxii. early made, is also obvious from quite another soui'ce ; much of it is re-echoed verbally in Isa. xl. sqq., as ^''^'^\l, xxii. 4, so shortly for ^^";^^ ^^"'i?, n2?V^n, xxii. 7, Isa. xli. 14, 02? ^na Isa. xlix. 7, liii. 3; this prophet must also have found patterns for his lofty pictures of the servant of Jahve, and whore did he find them so clearly as in Pss. xxii., Ixix. ?
To Ps. xxxi. also these songs have a certain resemblance, and they would then be derived from Jeremja, in favour of which theory something may be said. But this is not a
VOL. II. 4
50 SOKGS OF THE DISPEBSION.
thorough resemblance, as e.g., Jeremja does not use the word nVW^. of which our poet is fond along with TlVWr^^ xxxv. 3, 9 ; bcsxYiii. 2; xxxviii. 23; xl. 11, 17; Ixxi. 15. And further it is decisive that the beginning of Ps. Ixxi. is manifestly a transformation of Ps. xxxi.— On Ps. Ixxxviii. which also bears great resemblance, comp. Vol. L, pp. 307 sqq.
The situation which comes to light in Pss. xxxv. and xxxviii. is this : the poet, probably according to the figures xxxv. 2, 3, pursued by mighty warriors, has fallen into dangerous sickness, xxxv. 15, xxxviii. 2-9, 17, 18. Over this not merely do many of the particular friends and acquaintances of the poet scornfully rejoice, especially because he plainly belonged to the stricter adherents of the Jahve religion (xxxv. 20), but seek also cunning pretexts for the complete destruction of him in his feebleness, partly beset by the superstition that the mis- fortunes of the poet show the guilt of his party and his own, partly from the wanton love of destruction. Incessantly they accuse him of crimes of which he knows himself to be entirely free ; he is to confess that of which he is ignorant, and his innocence and quiet only invite their rash scorn and their rage, xxxv. 7, 11, 12, 15, 16, 21, xxxviii. 13. This cruelty vexes the poet, who feels himself entirely free from such culpability ; and the more deeply, because he had ever shown the very men who now torment him because of his sickness, at an earlier date the sincerest compassion and the most hearty affection ; when they were ill, he had deeply mourned and prayed on their behalf, xxxv. 12, 13, 14, xxxviii. 21. But nowhere else does he see help save in the eternal, righteous Jahve !
Ps. xxxv. is from the. first period of these relations. The poet still feels less the pains, fears less the consequences of the sickness, than the cruel persecution of the scornful friends, who have changed into open foes, especially of a leader of them.
SONGS OF THE DISPERSION. ol
vcr. .8; find in violent cmbitterment at tlio unjust persecution, the rude slander, the wild, scoffing, shameful joy of the tyrants; he cries here — meekly and speedily overcoming despair — for help to Jahve, promising for deliverance the warmest thanks. As the lament here for the first time gushes forth, it seeks entirely to exhaust itself in the long well-ordered song. Wishing for a forcible deliverance and a stormy repulse of the violent foe, the plaint to Jahve opens in violent excitement, vv. 1-10, then more calmly and at the same time sadly the situation of the suppliant, according to its origin, and the" cruelty of the thankless friends is described, till gradually the dejection again increases, and the cry for help powerfully recurs, vv. 11-19. Finally, there is yet a glance more into the general subject — how in truth those who now persecute the poet with such shameful delight, persecute in general all peaceful men, and so the most urgent, explicit prayer for deliverance of him with whose security that of many gcod men is connected, w. 20, 28. Each of these three strophes unites at the end the vow of thanks- giving with the prayer for help, first most violently, vv. 9, 10, then recumbently, vv. 18, 28.
The song has, quite like Ps. xxii., three very long strophes, but somewhat differently, so that each embraces only nine verses with twenty members. To this measure the first only would not fully conform : but ver, 4 is probably only' transposed to this place by an ancient hand from the words of the same poet, xl. 15; there it stands quite correctly, here it is better left out, considering the connexion of the words and figures of the strophe.
].
Dispute^ Jahve, with them who dispute with me, 1 fight those who fight me ;
seize shield and target and rise to help me,
bare spear and battle-axe against the persecutors, say to my soul : thy help am I!
4 *
52 SOmS OF THE DISPERSION.
[let them blush, shame befall them who seek my life, ashamed let them fall back— who thus meditate my
unhappiness !] 5 like chaff before the wind be they,
thrust forth by Jahve's angels ; their way be darkness and slipperiness, by Jahve's angels pursued !
—because they without cause hid for me the hole
of their net, without cause dug for my life. Let a storm fall upon him unawares, his net, that he concealed, take him, into the gulf let him fall ! and my soul will be glad in Jahve, leap because of His deliverance ; 10 all my bones shall say : '' Jahve, who is like Thco,
who savest sufferers from the stronger one ; sufferers and needy ones from their spoiler?"
Cruel witnesses rise up
what I know not is demanded of me, ill is requited me instead of good ;
— orphaned is my soul ! I indeed, in their sickness, put on mourning, I tormented fasting my soul,
and my prayer fell into my bosom ; as if it were a friend, a brother to me, I went forth, as sorrowing for my mother I stole on my way
mournfully. 15 but glad of my fall they assemble,
scourges assemble against me — I know of nothing ; they revile never keeping silence, with most impudent scoffs of slander
gnashing their teeth against me ! —
SONQS OF THE DISPERSION. 53
^ O Lord ! how long wilt Thou see it ?
snatch my soul from their throats ,
from the lions, Thou my only one ! I will thank Thee in the great assembly of the people,
in the full multitude praise Thee ; let not my lying foes rejoice over me,
those who causelessly hate me, let them not wink
with the eye. 3. For never speak they peace, " 20
and against peaceful men of the land they meditate
treachery ; and gape with their mouth against me,
saying, *' haha, haha !
our eye has seen it !" Thou hast seen it, Jahve ! be not silent.
Lord, be not far from me ! O rouse Thyself, awake to my judgment,
my God and Lord, to my cause ! judge me according to Thy right, Jahve my God,
and let them not rejoice over me, say not in their heart ; '' ha, our pleasure !" 25
say not : " we have destroyed him V blushing and shame together fall on those that rejoice
in my ill ;
may disgrace and shame light on them who boast
against me ! let them jubilate and rejoice who love my salvation,
ever say : '"' exalted be Jahve,
who loves the weal of His servant \" and my tongue shall utter thy salvation,
every day Thy praise !
1. That the "^sp, ver. 3, is a metal weapon, is clear from the " baring,^' whether it be compared with (rdyapi<;, a Scythian
54 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
battle-axe (Lat. secnn's), or in the Sanskr. iCahra (Discus) : it appears to Lave been well known as a new arm in the many wars of the seventh century in Palestine ; comp. Xen. Anah. iv., 4, 10; v., 4, G, and Bahrdt on the Kappadocian monument in the Berl Alaul. Navhrichten, 1859, Febr. ; on the Persic- Armenian, comp. Whiston, Pref. ad Mos. Chor., p. v., and on the schagur among the Beduins west of Egypt, Fresnel in the Nouvclles Annales des Voyages, 1848-9.— With this first cry of distress for help and defence, w. 1-3, with its highly warlike pictures, are then connected others not less lively, with the wish that they who without cause seek to bring him to naught, — who would take him as in a deep lion-pit, below hidden with a net, above covered over — might themselves, pursued by the power of Divine punishment, fall into a gulf or deep precipice, — fall into their own net, that goodness may conquer ! Jer. xxiii. 12. The propositions of state (§ 341 a) of the angel of Jahve, vv. 5, 6, describe the power that is invisible, but incessant and fearful in its effects ; as if irresistibly driven by an angel from heaven, sent for the purpose, the wicked rush into destruction, are hunted into the precipice, which they desired to prepare for others. And while the figure of the net finally appears once more, vv. 8-10, with peculiar force, in order now for the first time to touch the main enemy, the language, ever growing more tumid, is now first completed with the glance at the joyous issue. But it is clear enough that the words, ver. 4, which would too early express the most extreme feeling, do not suit this connexion, — on the contrary would only aptly stand in ver. 26. The ns"ltZ7^ ver. 8 c, corresponds plainly to the nna?, ver, 7, and is properly the cnirhing, then the deep gulf (of which the ^;/(W. S'"|£i7 ver. 17, according to § 1 76 a), the precipice into which one falls crashing, xl. 3, more generally, as'Sll words of the kind, ruin, Ixiii. 10. But it would be a very poor kind of language if the poet in the first member, ver. 8, only employed the. same word as in the third; also to the striking is muclT more suitable the word-
SONGS OF THE DISPERSION. 55
play with HlSl^ the storm (Prov. i. 27 ; Ez. xxxviii. 9) wlicre- with the first figure from ver. 5 a. is once more here repeated, and alone suitably.
2. The last words, ver. 12 : there is orjyhanage of my sdul ! my heart feels deserted of all friends, — are very abrupt, spoken with great sadness ; for already the poet here reflects how all friends forsake him in the life-danger, whilst he was farthest from forsaking men in their misfortune. But sickness is 'selected, ver. 13, because the poet now suffers from it, ver. 15. My 'prayer also for them fell hack into my bosom, as I in distress could not lift up my head, but must let it fall in deep grief upon my bosom, comp. 1 Kings xviii.42. The fall, ver 15, is the fall into dangerous sickness, the danger which hinders the poet from rising and from free action. Q**??. is understood by derivation (comp. 1"l23 Job xii. 5) and signification by the LXX most certainly as fxaartye^, which denote scourges, but in such a connexion, where-the poet recurs to ver. 11, — blows of the tongue (Job v. 21) slanders, or men wounding, slandering with merciless words. Ver. 16 describes the rude style of these men further: with most unlioly scqfs (§ 313 c) of distortion {i.e., intentional perversion, lying, slander) which therefore are entirely without foundation as petulance and scorn, gnashing {inf. abs. according to § 280 a) against me their teeth, showing their wrath against me. 313?;2 from y\V, udj Arab, be bent. Of the better known ^127^^ " cake," 1 Kings xvii. 12, the old translators have, with good grounds, not thought ; the above word is here meanwhile selected also because of the similar sound with the y^h of like meaning. Wink with the eye, or distort the eyes, ver. 19, expressive of contemptuous scorn and of base joy.
3. Ver. 21 : our eye has seen it, we ourselves have seen it, — namely, that the poet, who was ever so bold and strong, is now himself struck by the blow ; he cannot deny that he repents and must further repent. But suddenly turning round the thought of shameful joy in remembrance of Jahve, the poet exclaims, ver. 22 : Thou hast seen it rather, namely, how deeply
56 SONOS OF THE DISPEESION.
they vex the feeble one. Comp. similar inversion of the thought in transition to God, x. 13, 14. Ver. 25, further an abrupt exclamation of shameful joy : ha ! our 'pleasure ! because all is attained that we wished, the inevitable fall of the constant man.
But in vain ! deliverance did not immediately follow this first stormy supplication. Eather does the very sickness appear to have been aggravated by the- violence of the com- plaint. At least in the following song, Ps. xxxviii., this appears so painfully enhanced, that the poet, because of the very excess, anew supplicates Jahve. And already he is inwardly more serious and clear, he has become more collected in his mind. There is no longer the violent indignation about the external enemy, his slanders and his crafty designs, but a patient endurance. He has also become attentive to his own deficiencies, and prepared to remove them ; and thus there strikes through the threatening despondency in raging grief over his sickness and external danger, a higher reflectiveness and calmness of mood, while the poet before everything feels himself impelled again to seek rest and hope in God— repressing the recollection of his foes, and only hoping at the very end, humbly and in confession of his own defects, for help from Jahve, because otherwise with the victory of his prevailing foes, the party of frivolity represented by them would conquer. And thus three strophes : first the irrestrainable outburst of saddest prayer for at least milder, endurable punishment, vv. 2-9. Yet wherefore unending complaint, that still does not exhaust everything ? Jahve knows how the poet must mourn, he the deadly sick, forsaken by all his acquaintances, violently threatened by the enemy, himself opposing to all slanders and provocations the most silent calm ; thus follows the higher reflection and calmness in opposition to all that is wrathful and excited, vv. 10-lG; and because the poet places all hope alone in Jahve, at last, with a repeated cry for help, a look is cast on all sides upon the whole situation and peculiarly upon
SOxYGS OF THE DISPEESlOX. 57
his £pes_j who desire, though impotently, according to the Divine plan, to content their shameful joy ! rv, 17-23. While in this way the glance back at the foes, which in the previous song was the main thing, is here much subdued and softened by deeper thoughts, this becomes one of the finer songs of this poet, as we at the same time recognize an important advance in the mind of the poet. Farther, the poet has here less Ps. xxxix. than Pss. vi. and xiii. in recollection, see Vol. I., pp. 183 sqq.
The three strophes are here manifestly somewhat shorter than in the preceding song ; and although the Tsecond and the third, according to the present arrangement of words, are somewhat too short, yet each, according to all indications, should have eight verses with sixteen members.
1.
Jahve ! punish me not in Thy zeal,
and in wrath chastise me not ! for thy arrows have sunk into me,
and on me Thy hand has fallen ; there is nothing sound in my flesh before thine auger,
no peace in my bones from my guilt. Yea, my punishments go over my head, 5
like a heavy burden too heavy for me ; my stripes rot, they moulder
for the consequences of my folly ; I am bent, bowed greatly.
daily I go mour
nmsr
o^
because my loins are full of sores, and nothing is sound in my body ;
benumbed and worn out too greatly I groan forth my heart's raging.—
0 Lord, before Thee is all my longing, 10
my sighing not concealed from Thee !
58 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
my heart beats, beats, strength has forsaken me,
my very eye-light is not with me. afar stand my friends and acquaintances from my wound,
and my relatives place themselves at a distance ; and they who seek my life lay snares,
and those who wish my hurt bespeak destruction, and meditate only deceit daily. But I like a dove hear not,
and like a dumb man who open's not his mouth, 15 and became like a man who hears not,
in whose mouth are no accusations, because I bope on Thee, 0 Jahve :
Thoio wilt hear, my Lord and God !
3.
I think indeed that they may only not rejoice over me,
if my foot staggers, greatly-boasting against me, because I stand near to falling, * *
and always grief passes before my eyes, then I confess my sin,
am troubled because of my guilt. 20 But my causeless enemies are numerous,
and many are my lying-haters, who requite only evil for good,
persecute me for following after the good ; forsake me not, Jahve,
• my God, be not far from me ! O hasten to my help,
Thou Lord, my salvation !
r. In the very first strophe the feeling of grief and that of guilt penetrates most cWsely, while the poet concludes the latter from the greatness of the former, and the more pro- foundly and seriously he thinks over his entire condition of soul, the more he feels himself harivsscd by grief. The same
SON OS OF THE DISPERSION. 50
confcssign of sin tlierefore begins from the first which recurs more briefly and plainly, vv. 18, 19. On this account, however,' the feeling of the Divine punishments is predominant, which the poet only wishes may be softened to endurableness, because the weight of punishment and gi'ief bows him down too deeply, as in two clauses, vv. 3-4, 5-7 is expressed, and because the sickness is so severe and oppressive, vv. 8-9. The mere word '^ stripes," ver. G, may be figurative, so far as it docs not more closely designate the nature of this evil as sickness, but merely the deeply-rooted consequences of Divine chastisement : but ver. 8 speaks finally, plainly enough of the kind of sickness, without any figure, ^/i?? is that which is burnt, a brand, burning ulcer, Jcali/, Arab. ; correctly so the Targ.
2. Ver. 11. On Qrj comp. § 311a and above Ps. vi. 8. Ver. 12 runs j^roperly : my friends and neighbours place themselves out of the neighbourhood of my torment, and my acquaintances stand already afar off, which again infers leprosy. Job xviii. 13-20. Because the mood of mind which the poet describes, ver. 14, lasts longer with him, his language, ver. 15, passes with "^r^^l^^ correctly into the past.
3. The thrice used ""? wherewith the last strophe, according to its present arrangement of words — irrespective of the ver. IG, better to be attached to the preceding strophe — begins, must be so taken that the following ever explained something of the preceding; ver. 17, how the poet first of all hopes in Jahve because he thinks or hopes deliverance will come, that the enemies may not have a godless, shameful joy in the fall of a good man; but he has this fear, ver. 18, because he feels himself near to death, or ready for the final falling; while he from the other side, ver. 19, also hopes, because he sincerely confesses his guilt, Ps. li. But we must not fail to recognize that between the two members of ver. 18 there gapes a chasm, because the first explains, correctly and more closely the stagrjering of the foot just mentioned, ver. 17; but the second touches on something quite different
60 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
wliicli is then fui-tlier elucidated, ver. 19. It is evident that here two members are lost, the first of which, completing the sense of ver. 18 a, still further mai'ked the danger of death, the second with a new beginning introduced the confession of sin in the way that may be safely enough inferred from ver. 18 &, comp. with vv. 3, 4. Somewhat as follows : because I stand near to falling
at the gates of death my foot tarries, But blows of Thy wrath I bear,
and ever does grief pass before my eyes. But, on the other hand, all this refers to foes such as requite, without repentance and remorse, proud in their numbers, the good deeds shown them with evil ; therefore humble prayer for help, in the belief that such perversities cannot ever continue ! w. 20-23. — On the jperf. ^^"^"^^n in the second clause, ver. 17, see § 346 b. For tZl'^Tf, ver. 20, C33n is, as others supposed, to be regarded as more original, both because of the connexion of this passage and of the usage of this poet.
The thank-songs which the poet might have sung after his deliverance from such sufferings, as he had vowed, are now indeed lost to us ; but the substantial contents of one such have been marvellously preserved in Ps. xl. For Ps. xl. is, from the second half onwards, vv. 12 sq., a purely suppliant song; but the more unusual is the first half, which places a thank-song at the head. The mode of union can only bo the following : the poet had lately been delivered from a great danger, and as he was only conscious of being saved through great constancy of spirit in confidence^ in Jahve, he had then loudly before the great multitude praised Jahve as the mig'hty safe deliverer of His Servants. This thank-song had been probably according to the pattern of such giv»ii above, Ps. xxx. ; but with some alterations. In the first place it had more surely and clearly flowed from the principle that the true and best sacrifice was not the sacrifice anciently offered, the external one, the more
SONGS OF THE DISPERSION. Gl
ancient meaning of which had now lost its inner force, but the new and spiritual, or the new life in the spirit ; at that time" a new truth, passing into the light, which had appeared in the poet with new force and peculiar Divine impulse — and therefore so overpoweringly taking possession of him, that he had not desired to appear in the Temple with sacrificial beasts and external splendour, but rather with the roll of the law or Divine revelation to be stamped on the heart, as it was now publicly acknowledged and generally accessible (the song is sung after the reformation of Josia) ; and had appeared before the congregation with the purer and freer praise of the spii'itual deliverer. Secondly, the parties had separated more from one another, and the poet sung for a more restrict^d circle the more cordially and didactically. As now the memory of this deliverance through hope and of the fair inspiration of those times still lives quite freshly in the poet, he hopes to conquer by the like inner constancy; and as he, in the elevation which sprang up in that time, had most sincerely praised Jahve, and offering the sacrifices of the spirit without fear and terror had sought to further His kingdom, he hopes that now con- versely (according to the mutual relations of Jahve and His own) Jahve will help and save him. Hence he begins with the description of the earlier deliverance and of the hearty faithful thanksgiving of that time, the joyous recollection of which lives in him ; and passes thence to prayer.
The first, second and fourth strophes have here manifestly each thirteen members; the last strophe appears besides in Ps. Ixx. as a special song ; and this is explained most readily as above in Ps. xliii., if it formerly — as easily recognizable — stood separate as a particular strophe. The third has thus manifestly lost at the beginning the first half; and hence we can understand how the transition to it may now sound so abruptly.
1. I hoped firmly on Jahve : 2
and bending to me, he heard my complaint ;
62 SONGS OF THE DISPERSIOX.
And drew me from the pit of ruin, from deepest mire,
and placed on a rock my feet, made firm my steps, and put into my mouth a new song, " thanks to our
God," that many, seeing this, might stand in fear — and trust
in Jahve. 5 *' Blessed the man who m.'ide Jahve his confidence, not turning to the haughty and friends of lies ! in numbers didst Thou show, Jahve' my God,
thy wondei's and purposes towards us, O thou utterly incomparable One ! if I would praise and announce them, too many are they to relate."
Sacrifice and gift Thou didst not prefer,
— hadst opened my ears — guilt — sin-offerings Thou didst not demand ;
then spake I, " lo ! I bring
the roll of the book prescribe(i to me ; to do Thy will I love, 0 my God, ■ and Thy law is deep in my inward part !" 10 joyously I praised salvation in the great people's assembly.
yea, my lips I restrained not, 0 Jahve, Thou that knowest it !
thy righteousness I hid not in my own heart, of Thy truth, of Thy deliverance I spake,
concealed not Thy mercy and truth from many people.
3. * * * * .t
Thou, Jahve, wilt not Restrain Thy compassion from me,
ever will Thy mercy and truth protect me ! for evils have surrounded me — innumerable, punishments have reached ine-^I cannot see
SONGS OF THE DISPERSION. G3
more numerous tlian the hairs of my head, and my heart has forsaken me.
4. Be pleased, Jahve, to set me free,
Jahve, hasten to my help ! blushing and confusion together fall upon 15
those who seek my soul to destroy, back let them fall, feeling shame who delight in my misfortune ! let those be amazed at the consequence of their shame
who cry to me : " haha, haha !" let them leap and rejoice in Thee, all who seek Thee,
ever say ''high be Jahve V who love Thy deliverance ! — But I the poor helpless one — 0 Lord, haste to mo ! my consolation art Thou and my deliverer : my God, 0 tarry, not !
1. The first figure, ver. 3, is that of a deep pit dug for the wild beasts, vii. 16, xxx. 2, xxxvi. 7 ; with this is readily connected that of the deep mire, wherein it is possible easily to be submerged, Ixix. 3 ; that all is figurative is shown by the counter-pictui'e of the rock. From the words " new song" onwards, ver. 4, the poet manifestly begins to repeat briefly the main thoughts out of the same (comp. above on Ps. xli., Vol. I., p. 187), up to ver. G, in the first instance ; already in the change of the expression " o^lr God" lies the transition to this recollec- tion, since the poet began the thank-song somewhat as follows : "Thank our God;" the following -"l^ll to the end of ver. 1, is somewhat more clearly connected by indirect quotation ; since the poet formerly sung : see ye this in the multitude and fear ; but from ver. 5 onwards, the power of joyous recollection carries him away to the repetition in the same form wherein he had ever spoken. In the ^"'?'^"1 and ^^3 ^'^^, ver. 5, the direct opposition to Jahve, the idols, cannot be found : it must then be proud, violent men, and frivolous, inclined to lies
64 SONOS OF THE DISPERSION.
(falseness, also idolatry), -whose fellowship, according to the nature of that time, of itself leads further to idolatry. The words, ver. 6 c, may very well stand in the exclamation, and this last suits the connexion of the much complicated lan- guage ; and on d, e, comp. § 357 ?>.
2. Ver. 7. In the beginning of the strophe the poet breaks in with a present consideration, but only, as vv. 8-9, again to take up the leading of the moods and words of that time. Wherewith could I have better thanked Thee ? not with sacri- fices of the old kind, for them Thou didst not love nor demand, as Thou hadst bored through my ears, i.e., made me, who was earlier deaf to this, by Thy power, of clear hearing and understanding, — or had revealed to me (2 Sam. vii. 27; Isa. 1. 5) : \l"^"?.?, in the intermediate clause, is by the con- nexion _2;'?i(2>e?/. § 346 c. Two extremely important things at once : not merely the true insight in sacrifices, but also how such a new and higher insight arises in the poet by Divine revelation, which example one needs only to follow out in order to be certain about Biblical revelation. The insight itself is indeed already earlier indicated by prophecy ; but also in our poet it came out with thorough independence and freedom, laying hold of him as an immediate certainty from God, and in his own affairs first of all powerfully leading him, as it in that time generally, although germinating here and there, was not throughout generally recognized nor heard. Ver. 8. Opposition. On "^ "0^?^ comp. Ixvi. 13, Ixxi. IG, xc. 12, Hos. xiv. 3 : it is plainly, since here for once the language is of sacrifices, " I bring not these sacrifices, but — -," that the poet went with a Pentateuch into the Temple, or rather into the people's assembly, mentioned, vv. JO, 11, is not to be believed : that time was the first golden age of the written law, still without misunderstandi^s and abuses such as later, had been connected with it ; and that the poet means it in an inward sense, he explains himself, ver. 9. On ""^i? i^lDS Ichutah hh-a ely, Arab. " fore-read,' ' '^prescribe/' is to be com-
aoxas OF the dispersion. gg
pared,, as^ Job xiii. 26 ; any hoolc cannot indeed well be termed prescribed, but by a sacred book, as here, is understood as , such its contents, somewhat as immediately after in ver. 9. So freely and willingly did I then announce, vv. 10, 11, the Divine leading, without fear, before the great multitude.*
3. Ver. 13 only becomes plain when we reflect that " I cannot see," according to xiii. 4, xxxviii. 11, fully corres- ponds to ''^my heart has forsaken me," as ^'^^|V ^^ ^"^'^ "^V; and finally, m27"i to Ti^^V ; three ideas are thus merged in one another : (1) that evil and punishment have befallen the poet, and they (2) are countless; and besides (3) overpowering even to the weakness of death. — Ver. 18. Personal reflection, finally once more, according to the general thought, ver. 17. For 2U7n^ '' the Lord will think on me," here according to Ixx. 6, as according to the other similar places, nt^-in is to be read, which also best suits the membering of this verse and the whole con nexion (for here is merely prayer).
The two halves are certainly somewhat loosely connected, and it might readily be supposed they did not originally hang together; vv. 14-18 appear as a proper song, Ps. Ixx. Mean- while this part may have been later separated, in order to form
* The above explanation of the words, vv. 7, 8, is to me, under all circumstances, that alone probable. Apparently ver. 7 might thus be taken : —
Sacrifices and gifts Thou dost not prefer ; Thou hast jpierced, my ears,
guilt and sin-offerings Thou demandest not, as if these words bore the sense, external sacrifices " Thou demandest not as better, but open ears, i.e., obedience dost Thou demand as the best sacrifice." But such a sense would be here in itself not nearly so clearly expressed as 1 Sam. XV. 22 ; and although it is quite correct that God has bored man's ears, i.e., made and given them that he may use them, yet here plainly the language is of a quite peculiar revelation. Since here now, ver. 7 stands especially pure in the series of narration, vv. 2 sq., and this narration is continued vv. 8-11, it is self-intelligible how the perfects, vv. 7 a and c, are to be taken, and that the pcrf. in h ought to give a mere intermediate clause. But the words, ver. 8, might at the most, accord- ing to the Jahrhb. rier Bibl. Wiss., v , p. 170, be thus understood, " I bring that prescribed to me in the book-roll," as the true sacrifice, but then the roll would be here uscles^s, and itwould rather be : "I bring that prescribed to me in Thy book." VOL. IT. 5
CO SOXGS OF TEE DISPERSION.
of itself a suppliant song ; and this is even singularly probable, because here between vv. 13-18 is the best connexion, the n-^"ij ver. 14, is badly wanting in Ps. Ixx., and generally such a small suppliant song, wherein there is no inner completeness, may be more readily thought of as torn away from its context, than as an original whole. There is no want of easy transi- tions in sense and words from the first to the second half; coinp. ^7"^> "^6^- ^^> finely echoing from ^7?^^ "^^i'- ^^j nir~ij vcr. M-, from "I")!?"!, ver, 9. Thus this song appears actually in its present form to be original, and to form a readily explainable exception to the ordinary form of songs, because the poet certainly repeated to himself with pleasure the recollection of the thank-song, in order the more calmly at the end to speak anew words of an earlier prayer-song ; for the whole conclusion of Ps. xxxv. again rings through this.
Further, the words, Ixx. 2 a, yield, even after the removal of the first word, the at least tolerable sense, " God is here to save me" {dens est qui me servet), as in Hizqia, Isa. xxxviii. 28.
Ps. Ixix. shows once more the poet sunk into extreme misery and into most fearful despondency. At a time when he for his very, fidelity in the pure Jahve-religion, and his zeal for it (ver. 10), suffers extreme trouble, painfully encountering with the softness and tenderness of his heart unfeeling rudeness, sick and helpless, despised and scoffed at, paying the debt of unheard-of sufferings for all time, — he is anew most keenly hurt as a countless host of rude slanderers press in upon him and accuse him of crimes, e.cj., of robbery, from which he is altogether free, vv. 5, 20-22, 27. But while thus a new violent distress, arisen through the mere blindness of arbitrary men, streams upon the poet, already deeply sunk into other distresses, as if it was not yet enough to endure in innocence the severest gloomy blows of fate and punishment : his soft and wounded heart is quite dissolved and scarcely capable of self-possession. In nameless grief he has (ver. 4)
SOKOS OF THE mSPKRSION. G7
long iu, vain prayed for help to Jalive; a new comprehensive attempt in the outburst of the most grievous and manifoM feelings to become clear in his mind and obtain solace in Jahve, — is this long languishing song. First the short, urgent cry for help in extreme distress and persecution breaks forth, vv. 2-5 ; since the language has come to the mention of the base accusation of the foes, sudden interruption from grief, fresh turn in woeful address to God, as He knows how severe and dark are the suffei-ings of the poet, and can help him, who for His sake alone and from zeal for His religion endures extreme distress and scoffing ; yet patiently he will anew pray to Him, vv. 6-19 (6, 7; 8-13; 14-19). But as yet all is not cleared up in the mind of the poet ; new and sad beginning, as the Jahve, just appealed to so urgently, best knows all the bitter scorn, which the poet cannot possibly describe suffi- ciently, and will not (vv. 21, 22) ; and here, reflecting on the frightful bitterness of the scorn, the poet can no longer restrain himself, the strength of cursing breaks out (vv. 23-29), until at last complete rest returns, and hope for a better future of the poet and of all Israel (vv. 30-37). — The song falls, according to ver. 36, in the time after Jerusalem's destruction, and we hear the increased troubles of the time, through the echo of the language. But if we must pardon the long impre- cation which finally breaks out, w. 23-29, on account of the complete bewilderment of that period and the too gentle heai't of the poet ; it is on the other side plain that hardly can sufferings be greater and bitterer, and that the poet never- theless still finally finds rest amidst them.
According to its structure, this long languishing song falls no longer merely into three simple long strophes, as above, Ps. xxii., XXXV., but, because it is extended into much greater length, into three different small songs, — the first socking to exhaust the cry for help, and unable to do so ; hence the second returns from historical relations, and the third from the curse, to prayer and hope. Since now six verses or twelve members
5 *
68 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
form the grouud-moasure, each of the three great sections in the sorely-strained language ends with a short strophe^ while the main strophe is doubled in the second and third song. But eleven to fourteen members alternate in the full strophe. 1 a. Help mo, 0 God ! 2 for already the water presses on my life,
I sink in deepest mire, without firm footing, come into abysses of waters,
the flood has streamed over me ; weary am I crying, dry my throat, wasting my eyes in waiting on my God ; 5 more than my head's hairs are those who causelessly
hate me, more numerous than my bones my lying foes ; what I robbed not, I am yet to make good ! h.
0 God ! Thou knowest my punishment,
and my sufferings are not hidden from Thee ! let not those who wait for Thee blush for me,
0 Lord, Jahve of hosts ; let not those who seek Thee be ashamed of me,
0 Thou God of Israel !
2 a. For Thy sake I endure scoffing,
ignominy has covered my face ;
1 have become estranged from my brothers, a stranger to my mother's sons,
1 0 because zeal for Thy house devoured me,
the scorn of those scorning Thee fell on me :
I wept deeply, fastin*=—
that became for a scoff to me ;
I made sackcloth my garment — and l)ecamc a proverb to them.
SONOS OF THE DISPERSION. 69
they that sit at the gate sing of me aud songs they who there drink wine.
6. But — my prayer is to Thee, Jahve !
at a favourable time, 0 God, through Thy fulness of
power
grant me the faithfulness of Thy help ! free me from the mire, let me not sink, 1 5
let me be free from haters and from wator-depths ; let not the flood of waters stream over me,
shallows not devour me,
a well not close over my mouth ! hear me, Jahve, for fair is Thy grace,
according to Thy fulness of compassion look on mo and hide not Thy glance from TLy servant,
because distress -is near to me, hear me speedily; come near to my soul, redeem it,
because of my foes deliver me !
Thou knowest my scorn, the ignominy, the shame,
before Thee are all my oppressors ! scoffing broke my heart, that I became sick
and hoped for pity, it was nowhere,
for consolers, — found them not ; poison was put into my food,
for my thirst they give me vinegar to drink.
3 a. May their table before them become itself a snare,
as a trap to the secure ! may their eyes be blinded, not to see,
and their loins, let them ever tremble ; pour out upon them Thy wrath,
aud the glow of Thy anger, may it fail on them :
70 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
may tlicir precinct become desert,
in their tent be no dweller ! because tliey persecute tliose whom Thou hast so smitten,
and increase the trouble of Thy sick ones : give guilt according to their guilt,
let them not come into Thy gracious righteousness, be they blotted from the book of life,
and not written with just men ! —
6.
30 But I, wretched and full of grief —
Thy salvation, God, will protect me ! I will praise God's name singing,
exalt him in thanks, which is dearer to Jahve than bullocks, than young bull
which has horns and hoofs ! Seeing this, sufferers will rejoice ;
Ye who seek God, may your heart revive ! for to the helpless Jahve hearkens,
his prisoners He has not despised. 35 Praise Him, heaven and earth,
seas and all that moves in them !
c. For God will help Sion, build up Juda's cities .
There will they settle, possessing them ! and Thy servants* seed will inherit them,
who love Thy name, dwell in it !
The descriptions of the sinking vv. 2, 3, 15, 16 are, though very strong and dense, yet only figurative, as xl. 2, 3; Prov. xxiii. 27. For had the poet wished to express in no mere general terms the great distress into which he imagines himself to be falling, he must have spoken moi'e plainly; but the plain language is forthcoming vv. 5, 15. But it seems as if the poet is so well acquainted with this picture and paints it, because ho
SONGS OF THE DISPERSIOX. 71
himself- like Jercmja xxxvii., bad ])ccn in sucli distress^ m fhc cistern-prison, about to perish. But it does not follow that he was himself Jeremja. — Ver. 4. The short connexion of the part. ^rilP is noteworthy, § 341 h. — Ver. 6 as xl. 13, the end as XXXV. 11. '^ nevertheless, § 354 a. But manifestly ''O^'P^P my destroyers is not in jjlace here, both as too strong in itself, and also because a word of comparison is wanting. Most readily T|^^P tlian my lodes, may be read, comp, n?21J HL. iv. 1, 3, vi. 7 (something quite different is meant by riD^ Isa. xlvii. 2) to which zeamta or zeapta (Syr.) zahah (Arab.) corresponds, and with which also "^^^ wool and ri"i^!J foliage are more remotely related. Otherwise the reading of the Pcshito "^O^^^VP more numerous than my 6o?iecf, would very well suit, precisely in this poet, comp. xxxiv. 21, xxxv. 10, li. 10, comp. with Isa. xxxviii. 13 ; Jer. xxiii. 9, since certainly it was very well known at that time how difficult it is to count the human bones. This reading gives at the same time a word-play ; but our poet does not altogether despise this, comp. ver. 28, xl. 4. Further, it is self-intelligible that the mode of expression, ver. 5 c, does not exactly express in figure the same thing that the two preceding members express by the baseless or lying haters. — Ver. 6. On y see § 277 c. nb\S comp. xxxviii. 6, must here now immediately signify the con- sequence of folly and sin, punishment, comp. ver. 20, and foolish indeed it of course appeared to the world that this godly man was so greatly zealous.
2. Ver. 10 gives the explanation, begun ver. 8, of the reason in a more definite way. The zeal for the Temple, at that time destroyed and desecrated, or — since the Temple was regarded as the central spot and the firm support of religion, — the zeal for saving and defending the inviolable honour of religion and its holy usages, — despite the destroyed Temple — has con- sumed me, worn me out by its glow and the consequences of it, while the scorn of Jahve and His Temple was turned against me ; the mourning over this became again a
72 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
scoff for tlic unhappy one, who seemed so fruitlessly and mournfully to protect the betrayed thing. Ver. 11. ^2?!:3 is subordinated to tho verb nD3 (§ 281c). Ver. 14. nD37 is con- nected at the end like Ixv. 6. — Ver. 20, are before Thee, Thou knowcst very well, how infinitely many oppressors surround me; just as xxxviii. 18. — Ver. 22 suits the figurative mode of expression very well, if we reflect how grievously bitter is scorn to the man i-equiring and longing for the opposite, compassion.
3. Since now the oppressors were men gormandizing in light-minded security and loving the lower comforts, the first words of the imprecation, ver. 2b, lie all the nearer at hand after the figure with which the previous strophe closed ; for in this very frivolous luxury their destruction, perhaps suddenly coming, must lie, whilst then, e.g., a mighty foe or robber, somewhat as in B. Jes. xxi. 5 sqq., falls the more suddenly and crushingly upon them. Ver. 27. For Tni:D'' plainly (also according to the LXX 7rpo(Te6i]Kav) ^)^P) is to be read, — the poetic form of n2D=P]D''; for that they tell of the Divine punishment is not nearly so punishable, as their increasing — as the connexion here requires — by their own actual attacks and blows in the most sensible way that punishment. There- lure, ver. 28 : give guilt, punish according to their guilt, as much as the guilt deserves, a play of words and thoughts. Ver. 30 as xl. 18, vv. 31-32 as xl. 7, 8j an apt opposition of intelligent thanks by praise and of the dead sacrifice with horns and hoofs of unintelligent' beasts. The words, vv. 33, 34, are plainly transformed according to xxii. 27; on ''n''T see § 348 a and 347 a. — But the final words, vv. 36, 37, bear great resem- blance to those in ' Ohadja, vv. 20, 2-l,*as they proceed from the same time.
Precisely in the gloomy aud dangerous portion of the last song, Ps. cix. now proceeds much fm-ther, presumably because under such a sad state of things a "fresh severe persecution
SOXGS OF THE DISPERSION. 73
and caluciny had been added. The bitter calumny proceeded probably in exile from the part of a religious associate ; and the more highly piety in the religion of Jahve was esteemed at that time among many of those later ones^ the more deeply did the false charges of the opposite party work injury ; for the firmer and more rigid the sacredness of an individual religion becomes, the greater this danger. So does the poet who is deeply trustful in God feel here ; because of outward misery he is bitterly slandered and persecuted in his innocence by his own beloved religious associates, and feels so violently wronged that he, — scarcely depicting the guilt of his foes with sufficient plainness, — feels himself urged from the very first to thrust forth the strongest and longest imprecation, vv. 1-20. Only in a supplement does his language gradually become calmer and more collected in God, yea, at last joyously confident, vv. 21-31. The particular figures of the imprecation appear borrowed from "his own experience, — for it may be readily wished that the frivolous persecutors might — in order to come to understanding — first pass through the same sufferings which they are preparing for innocence. And thus the song shows in this perilous point of view the extreme of that which in the case of the godly of that period might ever readily lurk in the background ; all that is troubled is here discharged first of all without restraint; and hardly then comes, and only at the end, collectedness and hope !
The strophes appear here manifestly to bear the greatest resemblance to those of Ps. xxxv. : three on the whole, each in ten verses, or more exactly twenty verse-members, — the short member at the very beginning would be a surplus. The first two were then quite filled out by bitter lament, and only with the third would the language rise and return to intense recollection of God. But because in it, too, at last the power of the curse would again become mighty, the language returned at last as if spasmodically with the more decision, iu a quite short strophe, vv. 30, 31, to the pure praise of God.
71 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
But the whole long contents of the song are divided still more fitly into six strophes of five verses each, of which two always stand nearer together. The rest as just stated.
1.
1 God of my praise,, be not silent !
because they opened wide against me the mouth of wickedness and deceit, the deceitful tongue spoke with me, with words of hate surrounded me,
and assailed me without cause ; for my love seeks to overthrow me, while I am altogether only prayer, 5 and lays on me evil for the good
and hate for my love.
Set a wicked man over him,
and let an adversary stand at his right hand ; if he is judged, let him go forth as guilty,
and let his prayer become sin ! few be his days,
his office let another take ; let his sons become orphans
and let his wife become widow, 1 0 yea, let his children rove begging
and seek bread from their fragments afar !
2.
Lot the usurer lay snares for all*his possessions, and strangers plunder what he has gained !
Let him have none'^who observe mercy, be there no gracious one to his orphans,
be his posterity for destruction,
ill another generation thcir^nanie be extiuct ;
SONQS OF THE DISPERSION. 7o
hi^ fatliei-'s guilt be meutioned before Jalive, and liis mother's sin not be extinguished,
be they continually before Jahve, 15
that He destroy their memory from the earth !
Because he took not thought to exercise mercy,
persecuted the sufierer and helpless man,
and the heart-broken, to slay him utterly, and even loved the curse — (and it smites him),
and loved not blessing — (and it flees hiiji) ; and drew the curse on like his cloak —
(it comes then also like water into his bosom
and like oil into his bones) : so be it to him as a garment that he puts on,
for a girdle which he ever binds around him ! this my adversaries' reward from Jahve, 20
of them who speak evil against my soul !
3.
But Thou, 0 Jahve Lord — deal with me for Thy name's
sake;
because good is Thy mercy, set me free ! For sufiering and helpless am I,
my heart overwhelmed in my bosom ; as a shadow, when it passes, am I passed away,
am scared away, like locusts ; my knees stagger from fasting,
my body is wasted away, without fat, while I became to them for a scoff, 25
they, seeing me, straightway shake their head. ►Stand by me, Jahve my God,
help me according to Thy mercy, that they may know this is Thy hand,
that Thou, Jahve, hast done it ! Though tJu'.ij curse — 3^et Thou wilt bless,
stand they up — yet they blush for shame.
7G SONGS OF THE DISrEliSION.
but Thy servant; will rejoice ; my adversaries must incur disgrace^
as in a garment,, clothe themselves in their shame !
4. Praise I Jahve greatly with my mouthy
and laud Him in the midst of Many, that He stands at the right hand of the helpless,
to help him before his life's judges !
Ver. 1 as xxxv. 22, ver. 4 6 as xxxv. 13, comp. cxx. 7 and § 296 h. Ver. 2 properly : the mouth of a wiclced man, as a wicked man speaks, since they would still be Israelites ; ^59^ ver. 3, connected according to § 283 b. From the beginning of the imprecation, vv. 6, 7, comp. with ver. 31, one would infer that the poet was innocently condemned under a heathen prince through the influence of an opponent and accuser, whose motive was mere hatred (to whom the place of honour belongs, Zakh. iii. 1). Comp. xxxvii. 33 and Zakh. iii., iv. Also that he had been deprived of his office (ver. 8). That an individual was his most violent foe, is clear also from the sing., into which the plur. passes over in the most violent passages ; and this individual was certainly himself an Israelite, as the very first word, ver. 2, brings out. Vv. 14, 15 : that is, all sufferings now rush upon the poet, as if he must atone for his father's sins; comp. Isa. Ixii. 2. Vv. 17-19 : the curse, which he hurled against innocent ones, in which, he completely covered himself, so that he only acted in it, in which alone as in refreshing strengthening food he had enjoyment and delight, may it ever return upon him, completely cover hi^n'ovcr, and hold him fast like' a poisoned cloak and girdle, penetrate his bosom, like greedily devoured food. MDn ver. 215, comp. Ixix. 17; on ver. 22 b, comp. Ixix. 21 ; on ver. 23 a, comp. cii. 12 ; b is from Nah. iii. 17, and ver. 25 from xxii. 8;, on "|12V, ver. 28, comp. Ixix. 18, xxxv. 27. Most noteworthy here vv. 17, 18,
SONOS OF THE DISPERSION. 77
28 h, is,, tlie fact that the per/, is taken also as precative (§223 a), comp. Ivii. 7, through the power of the Vav. conseq. : * but this is not impossible according to the general spirit of usage, and is elsewhere found. But because such unusual modes of expression are not willingly long continued in Hebrew, the ^rec. ver. 19, passes over into the common volunt. — Further, the first words, ver. 1, immediately impress us with the fact that the poet had often before praised God.
The above is certainly not yet the mood in which the root of possibility for passionate rebellion and rashness could be cut away; and if this gloomier mood remains dominant, there comes in from without the power and opportunity of. readily satisfying the indulgences of such a mood, perhaps for the moment evil. It might be in the case of a prince, a potentate ; what offence is not here possible ? — And thus we see the poet actually in Ps. li. fallen fnto heavy guilt, as it is not doubtful (ver. 16*) that he has now a blood-guilt (a murder) on his conscience. But if he had committed the dread deed which unquestionably was connected with other sins (ver. 11) in a moment of thoughtlessness, its consequences now oppress him, especially the pains of the conscience, so powerfully and dread- fully alarmed out of deepest security. These are now so intolerably severe, so utterly does he feel, himself forsaken by Divine joyousness, serenity and strength, — so monstrously and singularly unhappy is his inner condition, that he here out of the deepest misery cries for deliverance and alleviation to God. This is precisely the most important point in which this Psalm is distinguished from the otherwise very similar Ps. xxxii., that we here still view the sin in the midst of its despondency
• W^T^I may indeed, according to Ezck. xviii., signify generally and peculiarly, according \o ver. 13, in the wider sense, any deadly sin ; but our poet supplicates in the whole song manifestly, not because he feels himself affected so severely only in general, but because he is affected thus immediately by the sin named, ver. IG, and its consequences.
78 S0N08 OF THE DISPEBSION.
and its misery, struggling most sorely with, all pains and sufferings. But the sore agony and conflict is here not vain, nnilluminated and obscure ; the sorrow is not dull and godless, the prayer for help is no blind prayer; but when once the boldness is felt to behold the pure truth, and therewith the first ray of true perception has begun again to uplift and brighten the poet's heart, he becomes fit and capable for pouring forth this prayer. And exactly here is plainly shown the most beautiful and unique feature in this song. Nothing can be clearer and stronger than the inner light here arising, here beaming forth. For the poet has brought himself into such a state of mind that he, giving up all that is perverse and false, has desired only to see the pure truth, and with this sincerity and boldness appears before God (vv. 5, G, 8). But having become inwardly so bold, and, in the midst of woe and sorrow, so clear and strong, he must equally feel the deepest and most grievous remorse for the recognized sin, and the most urgent, intensest longing for the new life in God, or for new strength and willingness in the Divine spirit. Thus the poet is filled by that one great feeling, and produces this siucerest and purest song, supplicating for new strength and purification, and- revealing the deepest truths. And in this account it forms as the outburst of an unique, pure sensibihty, an insepa- rable whole from vv. 3-10.
It follows from the poet's beginning his song in this highest truth and purest endeavour, that there necessarily occur to him in the midst of his agonizing sorrow, reasons for hope and claims upon the Divine grace and forgiveness, — reasons which cannot and ought not to excuse the sin, but which, — for him who in deepest repentance again stri\:cs after God — lighten this 'endeavour, and give him the support of the Divine audience. For once for all the individual man partakes of universal human weakness, of the germ and the possibility of sin, so that the sinner may, — not indeed defend himself for turning the ]i()ssil)ility into actuality ,v— but yet, if he seeking
SONQS OF THE DISPERSIOX. 70
again to conquer the actual, strives after God, ho may hope for pardon from Him who knows human weakness and is exalted- above it, ver. 7. And secondly, what is still nearer and more important, the poet places himself through the very truth of his bosom and the banishment of all deception again in a Divine disposition and in the genuine beginning of deliverance, so that he feels that God, who loves truth in the most secret part, will again brightly illuminate and encourage the man who strives after him, destroying the guilt of sin (so far as this is possible), vv. 8 sqq. Therefore in the very state of godly contemplation and sorrow, hope, confidence, and serenity ever come forth with greater power; at the close, vv. 15-19, the poet promises, already full of joyous anticipation, that after his deliverance he will instruct sinners with the greater force from the high experience of his life, and the light-minded ones who know not the Divine giver, and thus render the best thanks. Indeed, so free does his mind become at the end, that he adds a few words for the welfare of the kingdom, looking away from himself, vv. 20, 21.
This after-word casts the clearest historical light; it is thence clear that the song may belong to the time after the destruction of the Temple, and therefoi-e be later than Ps. Ixix., which, since according to this song, the discordance of the two preceding is hardly conceivable, might in itself be readily assumed. The song is first imitated, Ps. cxliii ; much from it as from Ps. xxii. resounds, however, in the great Unnamed, B. Jes. xl. sqq. while that which Hezeqiel xi. 19, xviii. 31, xxxvi. 25-28, teaches in the sense of our poet, sounds entirely as from the mouth of a perhaps somewhat younger contemporary.
Although the song, as above stated, streams on until the after- word, vv. 20, 21, which strictly taken, might altogether be wanting, yet, more closely considered, it breaks up into four quite uniform moderate strophes, each of four verses, whose xnombers bubble forth more fi'cely in the highest degree at the
80 SONQS OF THE DISPERSION.
end, while the last sounds out for a verse longer. And while thus in the midst of the overflowing stream of sensibility from which the song flows, firm measure is nevertheless preserved, it becomes all the clearer what higher rest from the first again prevailed in the poet's spirit, before he ventured thus to compose. Further, then stand, quite as in the preceding song, two of these strophes, according to the sense nearer together, so that the deepest reason of all the experiences of the song quite freslily gushes forth with the third strophe if as once more from the beginning ; while the brief word of most urgent and glowing prayer breaks out in the last strophe, ver. 1 6, as if at the end it could not, in its entire force, be kept back.
1. 3 Be gracious to me, 0 God, according to Thy mercy,
according to the fulness of Thy compassion quench
my faults ; wash me thoroughly from my misdeed, and purify me from my sin ! 5 For my faults I know,
and my sin is before me continually; only against Thee alone have I sinned, and done what appears evil to Thee, that Thou mayest bo just in punishing, pure Thou
as Judge. 2. In sin was I indeed born,
in guilt my mother conceived me. Thou indeed lovest truth in the heart's chambers, and wilt teach me in secret wisdom, ' cleanse me with hyssop, that I may be clean, wash me, that I l^e whiter than snow, 1 0 cause me to hear pleasure and joy,
that my bones may rejoice, which wore crushed b}-
Thee!
SONOS OF THE DISPERSION. 81
3.
0 hide Thy face from my sins, and all my transgression blot out,
a pure heart create in me, God,
and a firm spirit renew in my bosom !
cast me not away from Thy countenance, and Thy holy spirit take not from me,
give me the delight of Thy help,
and support me with a willing spirit !
4.
1 will teach the perverse Thy ways, 15
and sinners shall return to Thee : free mo from blood-guilt, God, Thou God of my
salvation, that my tongue may rejoice in Thy gracious ■ righteousness ; 0 Lord, wilt Thou loose my lips,
my mouth will then announce Thy praise : for sacrifice Thou lovest not, that I should give it,
burut-off'ering Thou dost not desire ; the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
a broken and crushed heart — 0 God, Thou despisest
not! 5. Do good through Thy favour to Sion, 20
building the walls of Jerusalem ! Then wilt Thou love due sacrifices, burnt-offerings,
full offerings ; Then come young bullocks to Thine altar!
1. In the great main division of the song, vv. 3-14, there follows upon the first outburst of prayer, w. 3, 4, the ground for it, in which clearness and hope are calmly prepared, w. 5-10, until by this very means the prayer is again resumed with the greater force and intensity, vv. 11-14. The nearest
vol-. IT. 0
82 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
and most necessary reason is the confession of sin^ which is expressed, vv. 5, 6, with the greatest clearness, comp. with ver. 5, xxxviii, 18, 19 above, repeated B. Jes. lix. 12. The true consciousness of sin and its confession before God is this — that man, quite apart from all that is external, apprehending in the strictest and sharpest manner his relation to God, admits to himself before everything that the pure clear state and re- lation in which every man ought to stand towards God is in him now destroyed, and salvation is only possible in the res- toration of this, and in the renewed rule of the purer and sacred impulse that lies in friendship with God. All other endeavours to make the consequences of sin harmless, and to soothe the conscience are vain and naught, so long as that fundamental mood is still injured and remains troubled. Separation and disease are only removed by the entire surrender of the spirit again to the Divine, and to His friend- ship and intimacy ; and if the poet desired, e.g., to give the most splendid satisfaction for the blood-guilt (which he could do as prince, and with which the mighty readily believe they do enough) it would be to him without the other vain, yea, hurtful. For tlie earthly substance which suffers through sin, e.g., whether this or that one is put to death, is accidental and unessential; and the sin is not properly against matter, but every sin is in the strict and true sense a sin against the spirit or against God, a disturbance of the spirit, both of the individual human being in the body of the sinner and of the universal and the Divine. Therefore the poet here recognizes in the most serious and strenuous prayer to God, where the language cannot be of sin and punishment in the human sense, that he only against God alone has sinned, from whom he also conversely alone may expect to attain reconciliation and rcst*'fjust as in another connexion, Ixxi. 16,
* I leave this passage just as it stands in the first edition, because I have sufficiently expressed inyf>clf before about the dreacKul misunderstanding whicli De Wettc imported into my words ; comp., howevei', the Jahrhh., viii., p. 165.
SONGS OF THE DISPERSION. 83
he will aver praise Ilim alone). For this is necessarily the closely connected second truth, that because real sin, namely ' that of the spirit, is against God alone, only by the resto- ration of the disturbed relation to God, or by true inner intelligence and sincere repentance can pardon and peace be obtained from God. Yea, every sin leads and properly compels the man by the wretched consequences developed from it to the recognition of the Divine truth, which in every instance thus solemnizes its triumph ; and because the poet has come to this recognition as fruit and gain (sadly indeed obtained), and by it is enlightened, he adds : That Thou mayest be just and pure and as such mayest be recognized by men, whilst Thou ever anew punishest actual sin as Judge;* therefore not that I may appear just in my own eyes, but that Thou again and afresh mayest be known as the only just one in punish- ment, who punishes that man may again turn to salvation.
2. The poet having thus purely known himself and God, there is in this very knowledge of the relation of God and of man a first ground for hope of grace on his behalf who is striving after God. Man is by birth {i.e., by nature) exposed to the possibility of sin, but not God^ who exalted above man can have pity and save ; thus there lies in ver. 7, comp. Job xiv. 4, that which is true of the idea of hereditary sin, — namely, that sin as a germ and possibility comes not from without into man, but lies in him from the beginning, — as propagated from parents and so in endless succession to children. As the desires became later increasingly corrupt, while attentiveness to evil in them became increasingly awake and the horror of it became even stronger, — in ver. 7 there appears the first slight view of the essential sinfulness of
* If T^SIS ver. 6, means m Thy speech, regard would here be given to God in so far as lie in His revelation especially for Israel, has long spoken concerning the mischief of sin, and that He would necessarily punish it. But that this explana- tion of the word is both unsuitable here and incorrect in itself, has been already shown in the Jahrhb. der Bibl. Wins., v.. p. 171.
6 *
84 SONGS OF THE DISVERSION.
desire, wliichj here still mcroly poetic and tender, is far from appearing so one-sided as it does later, and suffers the thought, in itself certain, — that sin does not come from without into man (Job v. 6, 7) — still purely to glimmer through. The second ground of hope, ver. 8, touches the matter still more nearly, and therefore leads the more readily, awakening hope, back to prayer. Sincerity feels itself pleasing to God, and while the poet thus seizes and holds fast the purest truth of the present matter in the most secret working of his mind, he feels himself by this very means nearer to the Divine enlightenment, purification and serenity, and expects that soon again (ver. 10) the joyous serene Divine call will resound in Him (as Ps. xxxii.), and that thus a man crushed in all his members and bones may again loudly rejoice, comp. XXXV. 10, xxxiv. 21; '^?^?.'^ shorter, more abrupt for n37:irii^ as ver. 16, comp. § 847 h.
3. In the intensely renewed prayer, vv. 11-14, there then spring forth many new, very clear and exact, altogether apt denominations of the restoration or new birth; conceal not, as Ixxxviii. 15, Ixix. 18; reject not, as Ixxi. 9. — In the closing portion, vv. 15-19, when (according to the custom of many songs of this period) vows are added, but here other than the ordinary and inferior, the language, already calmed, leaps hither and thither with more emotion from the new and joyous experiences. According to the ancient sacrificial usages, the hyssop was named, ver. 9, as a means of purification, but quite figuratively, for the language is of God. Ver. 16 h and ver. 17 as Ixxi. 23, 24, ver. 18 as xl. 7. Brolxm heart, ver. 19, opposite of the hard, insensible, self-closing heart, — therefore one delicate, susceptible, become open to the Divine observation, because it has experienced the evils of its obstinacy and hardcniiTg in grief and mourning, xxxiv. 19, cix. 10, and aflcr this passage frequently, Isa. Ivii. sqq., just as ver. 20 /< is To-(T']u)cd in Isa. Ixii. 0, but in a strengthened form.
SONQS OF Tilt: DlSPintSION. 85
5. The sense, vv. 20, 21, is not that only now can the poet bring no thank-offerings, because Jerusalem and the Temple are destroyed, but that he would make it good, should they again be built up. For this connexion of thought is in nowise made clear, and to be proved from the poet himself ; and our poet does not show himself so sensuous, as to say that he could bring no sacrifices, solely because the Temple was destroyed, which would be scarcely worth the trouble of saying; because ' the poet, like others of tliis time, may very well have the higher conception of the dispensableness of the outward sacrifices, and has this, according to his words, just as in Pss. xl. and Ixix. But he thinks, if the weal of all Israel appears, he may then probably at the general feasts and sacrifices joyously sacrifice on his own behalf, and supplementally render the external thanks which it is unbefitting in present sufferings so splendidly to render ; especially as it is better to offer spiritual sacrifices to God, if these according to inner and outer need, were more necessary and reasonable ; for the outward sacrifice is not evil in itself, he thinks (as it is not), only quite unneces- sary, even hurtful, without the inward spiritual sacrifices, and offered instead of them. In ver. 21 the poet glances, as is self- intelligible, to vv. 18, 19, but not conversely in vv. 18, 19, to ver. 21.
And in fact, as a movement, so extraordinary in its depth in the innermost of the spirit, cannot remain without an entire transformation of the man, Ps. Ixxi. now shows historically what noble consequences spring from it in the case of this poet. Here he has become very old and weak, vv. 9, 1 7, and has survived the strangest fortunes, ver. 7 ; in the weakness of old age he is now anew threatened by vain men with death, vv. 11, 12. But he is so accustomed to clear reflection, serene resignation, and perpetual praise of the Divine deeds, so abun- dantly does his mouth overflow with perpetual thanks and praise, that in the prayer for deliverance, even the recollection of the nearest danger rather recedes, and scarcely here and
86 SONGS OF TEE DISPERSION.
there gleams tlirough. After the first brief cry, vv. 1-3, a fresh and more definite cry for deliverance, but also already founding his hope on Jahve, who from his youth up won- drously led him, is ever truly honoured and sung by him, w. 4-9 ; then a somewhat nearer indication of the danger with renewed cry, but only the more strongly again to return to encouragement and self-exhortation, to everlasting celebration and praise of Jahve the infinitely just one, vv. 10-18; till the long languishing song finally, as with an invocation of the Divine righteousness for all Israel and especially for the poet under all his sufferings most serenely closes, vv. 19-24. A fine monument of the serene and vigorous mood, looking out with joy on all, even troubled times, and habituated to the noblest comfort, — of one already far advanced in years. It follows from w. 20, 21, that the song falls in the midst of the exile.
We have here plainly larger strophes of nine verses each, only that the third closes more briefly. But in the first, the growth of such a longer strophe of nine verses out of three smaller with three verses each, may still be clearly recognized ; and in the second there is still at least a still stronger trace of this, vv. 15-18. The first two are alike especially^in this, that each closes with the mention of the advanced age of the poet ; just as the third still more permits the purely personal dignity of the poet to be seen.
1.
1 To Thee, 0 Jahve, I flee,
let me not be ashamed for ever ! through the right of Thy grace freeing me and deliveriug
bend to me Thine ear and help ! become a rock of refuge to me, ever to be entered, for a strong battleiJ&nt to help me, since Thou my rock art and safe retreat !
]\ly God, deliver me from the hand of the wicked, out oF the jiowcr of the sinner and devastator
soyas OF the Di^rEimioN. 87
for Thou art my hope, 5
Lord Jahve ! my confidence from my youth ;
have stayed myself on Thee from my birth, from my mother's womb Thou doest me good, Thee ever celebrates my praise.
A wonder I appear to many ;
but Thou art my strong refuge : my mouth overflows with Thy praise,
every day with Th}^ glory : cast me not away in the time of age,
for my strength passes away, forsake me not.
2.
Truly my foes said of me, 10
they who lurk for ray life, took counsel together, thus thinking, " Grod has forsaken him :
pursue and take him, for there is no deliverer \" (0 God ! be not far from me,
my God, haste to my help ! cause to be ashamed, to pass away, those who hate my soul,
to put on ignominy and shame, who seek my hurc !) : But I will always tarry,
and all Thy praise yet increase ; my mouth will tell of Thy righteousness, 15
every day Thy deliverance :
I know no bounds, truly !
I will bring the Lord Jahve's great deeds,
will boast Thy grace alone. 0 God, Thou hast taught it me fi-om youth,
and hitherto I announce Thy wonders : also even unto grey old age, God forsake me not,
till I make known Thine arm to the generation, to all those to come Thy power !
88 SONQS OF THE DISPERSION.
3.
In Thy righteousness, O God, which is heaven-high, by that which Thou hast done, — it is great, (0 God, who is as Thou ? 20 Thou who causedst us to see many and sore distresses. Thou wilt again revive us, and out of the earth^s depths again exalt us !) wilt Thou increase my greatness
and again comfort me : so will I also praise Thee with the harp, 0 my God, Thy faithfulness ; will play with the cither — to Thee, Thou Holy One of
Israel ! (O let my lips rejoice, yea play I to Thee,
with my soul redeemed by Thee !) so will my tongue also sing Thy righteousness daily, that shame, that ignominy fell upon those who thus
seek my hurt !
1. Vv. 1-3 plainly borrowed freely from xxxi. 2-3; the same poet would not thus repeat himself, and Ps. xxxi has more original connexion, in the particulars of description. "f'^'S'Q ver. 5. might now possibly be a happy innovation for '^'^^p, after Ps. xc. 1 ; but possibly too be occasioned by incorrect reading, and this in time occasioned the addition " ever to flee into •/' and the rT'lti must then be explained just as the ^^ev/. above in vii. 7. Moreover, our poet is very fond of the T''?-'^ ver. 3, according to vv. 6, 14, and other places. But the words " be to me for a rock of refuge, that I ever flee in, having com- manded to help mc,"are too unpoetical to admit of being ascribed to our poet; and as theLXX read the words entirely as xxxi. 3, an old reader seems only to^have mistaken n^*i2 T^an Sirib for rm!;r3 r>"^nb. The sense is then harmonious with the whole contents of the song ; because Thou in general art my refuge, help me also now ! But it may be rightly supposed that the poet
SOI^OS OF THE DisrmisiON. 89
added T»n Slab to the following ''23?27inb to correspond, and that ni^^ab must merely be read for H''"!!^. In regard to ver. 6, the figure is equally clear in xxii. 1 0, 11; for "^n^ the poet here gives — possibly in the first instance induced to do so by an obscure copy — "'Tia (tT from n) from nT2=c(/'aza, Arab. " requite benefit" (LXX o-AreTracrr?/?, Vulg. i^rotector) , the more readily because he here would say not so much that he is directed to no other god from his birth, as, more practically, that he has ever stayed himself on no other, and has felt none but Ilim to be his benefactor, and thus \i2i^ praised Him; there is thus a somewhat different turn to the sense from that in xxii. 10, 11. Yv. 7, 8, express the same thing in another way. A wonder, or jportentum, he appears to many because of the incredible sufferings and fortunes he has known ; but he knows Whom he has to thank for his wondrous preservation (on *27 — ^pn^ comp. § 291Z;), and therefore on this account the more unweariedly praises Jahve, justly expecting and begging for further deliverance. Ver. 8 is thus as little to be taken jussively as the last member of ver. 6.
2. The words, ver. 11 run like iii. 3 ; but the whole stream of this strophe is only understood when we firmly grasp the fact that the words, vv. 10, 11 (§ 362 h) form a mere protasis to those in 14, 15; while those in vv. 12, 13 form a parenthesis where the designations — elsewhere so novel with the poet — of his foes, may once again more freely burst forth. For, repress- ing his anguish, the poet would ever anew sing and praise, vv. 14, 15, as God indeed has taught him from early times, and may also further permit, that he according to his wish may first teach and rouse the later world, vv. 16-18, m"ibp w. 16, are bounds, ends, comp. sj^ur, Syr., edge, prop, that which is ground off, separated ; from the meaning of boundary is derived that of number. Ver. 16 as xl. 8 ; ver. 18 at the end after xxii. 31.
3. A strange and rare conclusion. The justice and the omnipotence of Glod the poet will ever extol, he has just so
90 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
strongly said ; but hastening to bis close, it is as if be cannot deny that much of tbe proof of tbem in tbe present condition of himself and of the whole people is still in arrears ; and so he closes as with a conjunction of these two Divine powers, making his vows anew ; for thus, in this firm expectation of deliverance, he on his side will never weary in song, for the next deliverance and for all, vv. 22-24, so that the contents return upon themselves and the song is fully concluded. The "1 ver. 19, is clear from § 340 c ; and all from c to the close of ver. 20 is again an intermediate proposition, comp. xl. 6. The clause of prayer, ver. 21, has the two dependent sentences, beginning with D? vv. 22 and 24, and the last, ver. 24, returns entirely to the sense of the beginning of the sti'ophe, ver. 19; but ver. 23 is again a mere intermediate sentence, as the poet is greatly addicted to them, particularly in this song. Ver. 12 strongly recalls xxxvi. 6, comp. vii. 8 ; ver. 22 — Ivii. 8-1 1 ; the connexion of the ""S quite as Ixxvii. 12. Ver. 20. The K'tib is alone correct, because in these later times, when the individual increasingly passes away, very frequently our poet thinks at the same time of the sufferings of Israel, under which he more or less suffers.
And finally, we can happily still prove, how nobly the new- born poet kept his oft uttered vow, — to teach the inexperienced and sinners the true praise of Jahve : according to all traces we have such songs from him in the alphabetic Pss. xxv. and xxxiv. For, in the first place, it is certain that these two didactic songs are from one poet. This follows from their quite peculiar alpha,betic arrangement, by which they place — instead of the 1, which could merely appear as a copula — at the end of the alphabet ^ again, in pronunciation now /; comp. Lehrh. p. 4G, seve«tli edition. And in both each letter comprises a two-membered verse. But also in contents both stand in a close reciprocal relation : Ps. xxv. contains the prayer of one striving after salvation and for holiness,
SONOS OF THE DISPERSION. 91
for tke relief of the outward life^ with clear consciousness of the true inner happiness of the faithful. Ps. xxxiv. is then the corresponding thank-song for deliverance, passing from the beginning onwards, into the didactic and hortatory. The description has for alphabetic songs great coherence, the thoughts are noble and select. And in what concerns the poet, words and thoughts so completely agree with those of the preceding songs, especially of the later ones, that the sameness of origin may in many ways be proved in every verse. Pre-eminently the poet is occupied, here also, with the equally intense and serious thought of guilt and sin, and the songs tend entirely to the higher view of life and serene joyousness, which the poet according to the last' songs has obtained.
The individual lines, however, do not stand side by side in such a way that the poet expresses, for the sake of the alphabet, by each a thought not standing in connexion with its surroundings; rather does the same higher thought frequently pass over from one to the other, and the art demands only that each line by itself alone should readily give a sense included within itself. But as we saw on page 320, Vol. I., that even in such songs there may be laro-er strophes, so there stand here manifestly eleven lines exactly against eleven.
1
Aloft, to Thee, Jahve, 1
lift I my soul, 0 my God ! Believing in Thee : let me not be ashamed,
my foes not rejoice over me ! Do not let all that hope in Thee be ashamed :
ashamed must be the vainly faithless ! Enlighten me in Thy ways, Jahve,
0 teach me Thy paths ! 5 Further me in Thy truth, for Thuu art God of my salvation,
in Thee daily I hoped !
[)2 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
Give heed, Jahve, to Thy mildness and grace,
that they are ever of old ; Have no regard to the sins of my youth,
remember Thou me according to Thy grace, for Thy goodness^ sake, Jahve ! Is Jahve good and upright,
therefore He directs sinners, how to go ; Jahve leads the meek in the right,
and teaches the meek His way ; 10 Known as grace and truth are all His ways
to those keeping His covenant and exhortation : Lord, for Tby name's sake, Jahve,
pardon my guilt, for it is great !
2
Men that fear Jahve
are directed by Him in the best w;vy : No good is wanting to their soul,
and heirs of the land their seed become. Open to Jahve's fearers is His secret :
his covenant is, to teach them. 1 5 Plighted in faith towards Jahve I look,
for He will free my foot from the net Return Thy glance and favour to me,
forsaken am I, suffering ! Sore is my heart ; relieve it,
and lead me out of- my distresses. Turn to me wretched and troubled,
forgive all my sins ! Unnumbered, sec, arc my foes,
and hate terrible hatred against me. Undertake my defence, rq^^eem my soul,
let me not be ashamed, because I trust in Thee ! With innocence and honesty let me be preserved,
for in Thee I hope, O Jahve ! — .
SONOS OF THE DISPEIISION. 03
■ Zealous to release Israel from ;ill his distresses, O hasten, God !
From ver. 2 Trbs must be taken with yer. 1 : but owing to the peculiar alphabetic art and the similarity of xxxiv. 2, it is doubtful whether the possibility mentioned (I., pp. 115, sqq., Dichter dcs A. B.) has place here, and whether a few words sufficing for the fulness of the second member have not dropped out, just as, according tot he LXX, after the last word of ver. 21 a word mn"^ was wanting; at least the excessive shortness of this member is more harsh in the case of ver. 21 than in that of ver. 22. Ver, 5. '^2152^1 is probably only repeated from ver. 4. Yer. 19. Eead '^^ ^^nnn-j yer. 18, probably ^-ip or D'jT)? come toioards ! for ns~i, for the alpha- betic order must not be so greatly interfered with. — Ver. 10 6 from Ex. xx. 6; ver. 15, corap. Prov.iii. 32; ver. 21, comp. xl. 12, ver. 22 an after- word like that at the end of Pss. cxxv., cxxviii., which cannot be accidental, but points back to a standing liturgical phrase.
Psalm xxxiv.
Awake ! let mo bless Jahve at all times,
ever bo His praise in my mouth ! 2
Blest let my soul call herself through Jahve,
that sufferers, hearing this, may rejoice ! Do honour with me to Jahve,
let us exalt His name together ! Enquiring of Jahve, I was heard, 5
from all fears Ho freed me. For joy be radiant, ye who look up to Him ;
your countenance shall not blush ; Given ear hath Jahve to this sulTorer's cry,
out of all distresses helped him.
94 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
Helpfully en<;amps Jalive's angel
round about His fearers. In j-ourselves experience, bow good is Jabve,
blessed the man who trust in Him ! 10 Jabve do ye fear. His saints,
for to his fearers there is no want ! Known is hunger and want to the lions :
they who seek Jahve, want no good. Let it be called to your minds, ye sons,
the fear of Jahve will I teach you.
2.
Mirth wouldst Thou have in life,
would'st enjoy good for many days ? Notify thy tongue against evil,
and lips, not to speak craft ; 15 Omit ever the ill, do the good,
seek peace and pursue it ! Present is Jahve's eye with the righteous
and His ears at their cry : Returneth never Jahve from evil-doers,
not to destroy their glory from the land. Sounded the cry of the just : Jahve helped,
freed them from all distresses ; True is Jahve to the heart-broken
and helps the bowed in spirit. 20 Unnumbered are the good man's ills :
but out of all Jahve frees him. Upholds all his bones,
not one of them is crushed, ,Wickedness itself slays the wicked,
the haters of the just man suffer for it ; Zealously Jahve delivers the soul of His servants,
they who trust in Him suffer no hurt.
Even the infrequent figui'C, vcr. 8-, strongly recalls tli
SONQS OF THE DISrmSlON. 95
same poet, xxxv. 6 ; just so tlie ver. 21, comp. on the above, p. 71. The tenor of the language is in the first half hortatory to all the faithful to thank and to fear alway along with ham who licrc thanks God, but it changes in the second. Accordingly, the words, ver. G, •1^''2rT and ^"'|7^^ are to be expressed, and then C25^32T must be read. It seems striking that the mention of the unjust, ver. 17, interrupts the discourse concerning the just man, vv. 16 and 18; the LXX, however, correctly insert ::^p^n!J after ipi?!!.
Ps. cii. is probably also of the same poet, even if according to vv. 24, 25, from a somewhat earlier period than Ps. Ixxi. He sings here a deep song of suffering and lamentation, with which so many of the dispersed and grievously crushed godly ones of those days could agree ; and would according to his first words, ver. 1 (Vol. I., p. 57) really speak more in the sense and as out of the heart of all the similarly unhappy ones, than merely out of his own experience and sensibility ; but can lor this very reason, — in reflection on the sorrows of the Holy City — the more purely and freely draw his hope as that of all suffering in like manner from the Messianic expectation, — so that he pre-eminently in this song calories out further for the first time in this song what he had more briefly uttered in Ixix. 36, 37. And so he sketches at the outset, vv. 2-9, a dread picture of all the sore sufferings of those days. But already the mere thought that they all proceed from the now heavily angered true God, — binds him to the thought of the eternity of God, who as ever, may in the future again send new salvation, and leads him over to the Messianic hope so quickly that he may abide alone by its entire consolatory content, vv. 10-16; 17-23. First in an after-song he is impelled to speak somewhat more closely of himself, but only to return from his own most grievous life-experiences and his own prayer for the Divine grace in virtue of the same fundamental thought of the eternity of God, — to the same Messianic hope, vv. 21-20.
96 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
The structure of the strophes is that of seven verses, and the second and the third both conclude with high Messianic pictures. If the first has eight, and the redundant fourth has six verses, they are only slight changes of the fundamental measure. That the poet, further, selects so general a tenor of his lament, and says this himself in an introductory verse, ver. 1 — is all the less striking if he, as the two preceding songs show, were wont to occupy himself on other occasions as a didactic poet.
1 Prayer of a sufferer, when he is weak
and pours forth his sighs before Jahve :
1.
Jahve, 0 hear my prayer,
and let my plaint force its way to Thee ! hide not Thy glance from me for I am in distress,
lend to me Thine ear for I now cry ; in haste listen to me ! For my days are passed away in smoke,
burnt through are my bones like glowing hearth, 5 withered like grass, dried up is my heart,
because I forget to eat my bread ! because of my loud sighing
my bones cleave fast to ray flesh, I am like the pelican of the desert,
am. become like the owl of the waste am sleepless and become as
a bird solitary upon the roof, /ilways my foes revile me,
they that are mad against mc — swear by me.
2.
1 0 For ashes have I eaten like breaji
and mixed my drink wiih weeping
SONGS OF THE DISPERSIOX. 07
before Tbine anger and Thy dread ;
because Tliou removedst, castedst me away, my life's days are a shadow wliich bends,
while I wither as the herb. But Thou, Jahve, art enthroned for ever,
Thy glory is eternal to all generations : Thou wilt, rising up, have pity on Sion,
— for it is time to be gracious to her,
yea the hour has' come — (Thy servants love her very stones, ' 15
and are devoted to her dust) that the heathen may fear Jahvc's name,
and all earth's kings Thy majesty !
3.
For " again hath Jahve built Sion,
hath shown Himself in His majesty ; hath turned to the prayer of the poorest,
and not despised their prayer," be this written of the future generation !
and let the young people then praise Jali that He looked out of His holy height, 20
Jahve looked from heaven upon the earth, to hear the prisoner's sighs
to redeem the children of death, that Jahve's name may be glorified in Sion
and His praise in Jerusalem, when people assemble together
and kingdoms to serve Jahve !
4. Rowed hath He in life my strength,
shortened my days : I say : my God take me not away in the midst of life, 25
Thou whose years are to generation and generation !
II. 7
98 80NGS OF THE DISPERSION.
Of old Thou liast founded the earth,
and Thy handiwork are the heavens : they disappear — and Thou wilt continue :
they all grow old like the garment,
as raiment Thou changest them and they also change : but Thou art the same,
and Thy years have no end. The sons of Thy servants shall have rest,
and Their seed continue before Thee !
On ver. 4, comp. xxxvii. 20; ver. G, according to Job xix. 20, also above Ps. cxli. 7, xxii. 15, 18. But the connexion of the thought is here : because I fur got to eat, horn suffering and weeping could not eat at all (as with other figures is said also in the beginning of the following strophe, ver. 10) ; I am become so utterly weak and frail, vv. 4, 5 ; and because I always do nothing but loudly sigh, I have become so emaciated, so restless, and so forsaken and isolated from all men, vv. 6-8. Quite similarly the doubled series of thought is related in the beginning of the second strophe, vv. 10-11 a, 11 b-12. The forsakenness of all friends of which this poet complains so much in Ps. Ixix., leads him then at the end of the strophe ver. 9, suddenly to a short word concerning the foes of whom he complains in a similar manner in his other songs, — espe- cially Pss, Ixix., Ixxi. j but here comp. on b, Isa. Ixv. 15, Jer. xxix. 22. So great is already his suffering and so famous, that those who rage against him (see on cxxxvii. 3), use proverbially his name in curses. Ver. 10 as Ixxx. 6 ; the ashes on the head of the mourner. Job. ii. 8. According to ver. 11 it seems to the poet as if God had slung him forth with over- powering hand to a distance (Isa. xxii. 17), and crushed him so that he must soon pass away, comp. ver. 25. Ver. 12 as cix. 23. The Messianic figures vv. IG, 22, 23, are not loftier than as they had been announced by prophets of that time long before, comp. B. Zakh. xiv. 9, 10, 17 : but ver. IG is closely
80N0S OF THE DISPERSION. 99
connected iu sense with ver. 14 a, and two mediate tliouglits find their way between; and from ver. 15 it may bo concUidecl that the poet himself at that time mostly sojourned jn the ruins of Jerusalem. It must be meant that the moving love of the fjiithful even to the stones of these ruins must call forth the Divine pity. Since now this says plainly enough that Jerusalem was at that time completely destroyed, the words w. 17, 18 can only be introduced so as to point to ver. 19a.; may it be that God thus hearing the deepest prayers, shall soon have gloriously restored Jerusalem for everlasting praise and thanksgiving from the young generation, and may it be written down as for an everlasting monument ! With this thought the poet would move the Divine compassion, vv. 17- 19 a, and then further carries this out in its Messianic signifi- cation, w. 19 6-23.* Ver. 18. nn sb as Ixix. 34, li. 19; ver. 19 b as Ixxi. 18, according to xxii. 31 ; ver. 21, later applied, Ixxix. 11.— Yer. 25 as Ixxi. 9, 18. Vv. 26-28, as B. Jes. li. 6. Ver. 29 as Ps. Ixix. 36, 37.
C. 77. The Book of Lamentations.
As the last songs carried us into the midst of the period of the destruction of Jerusalem, we may best place here the small Book of Lamentations, which might have been incorporated with the Psalter, had it not long been connected with the books of Jereraja.
That these songs were not composed till after the destruc- tion is shown by their entire contents. But they cannot have been composed immediately after this, and — as is usually thought — on the ruins of Jerusalem themselves. The grief at this destruction, and all the thousandfold sorest sufferings
* The connexion of clauses, vv. 17-19 a and 19 b-23, is therefore quite as ai)Ove, in two instances in this song : and true it is that a later generation wliich sings such songs of pi-aise, has the best pleasure in writing down also that which is worthy of pnii>c.
7 =ic
100 . SONOS OF THE DISPERSION.
connected with it was still fresh and unstilled when they were composed. Again, they are provoked by the most vivid and truest touches of recollection of the dread days of the siege and conquest. They stream in upon the poet, so that we can recog- nize many features of the history of those days much more closely and completely from these songs, than from other writings that have come down ; and the poet was evidently enough one of those who himself had lived close at hand through those days of horror, and had tasted the highest sufferings of the time. But those days with their first dreadful consequences and with their first wildest grief were neverthe- less at that time manifestly somewhat further removed ; and according to the clear sense of the words, i. -3, iv. 18, 19, V. 5, 9, and of the similar v. 6, it admits no doubt that the poet at that time lived among the fugitives who partly before and still more after the destruction of the city, had fled in such great numbers to Egypt. They had fled thither under a thousand sore dangers and privations, and had thought to find there an eff"ective protection against the Chaldeans ; but found themselves soon greatly deceived in, this, because the Egyptian rulers in their fear of a Chaldean irruption treated them very severely and almost let them starve (iv. 17, 18, v. 4, 8-10).
Meanwhile there was a greater mass of the people of the true religion in Egypt again brought together ; and this host could move somewhat more freely than the dispersed at that time in the Chaldean empire ; at least they could mourn and lament more openly, and none hindered them from holding a solemn feast of mourning and penitence. Thus we here see the poet taking up the art of plaintive song for a mourning feast of this kind, as it had never yet fceen applied in Israel ; and the fact that this garland of song which he wove was designed from the first -to have this higher meaning and to serve publicly for a congregation,— gives to these songs their true value, while it determines their tenor and their peculiar art. To lend words to righteous and prufoundest grief, to
SO}^GS OF THE DISPERSION. 101
glorify^ the trembling heavy sighs on the lips of individuals into the true prayer of the whole congregation, even to draw into the light thoughts of the deepest despondency, in, order to relieve the too deeply oppressed bosom by their expression : all this the poet might attempt, as it befitted such a festival. Yea, in this direction the loud public lamentation cannot sound strongly enough, must ever begin anew and gush forth in a roar ; but it is good that it should once for all become perfectly clear to itself, and once for all entirely exhaust itself. But if the poet desired by his art at the same time to introduce a mourning celebration which should be worthy of the people and of this congregation there assembled — although small and far-dispersed, yet representing the whole great people of that time — he was bound, in the midst of the streaming outburst of lamentation, to direct above all the heart so grievously afflicted to the quarter where it alone could now immediately find true solace. And that he now understands how to lead the deeply mourning ones, unobserved, to true self-acquaintance with their own great guilt, and thereby only to turn lamentation to sighing, and the wildly raging grief, ever more purely and fully, into true prayer, so that the Divine recompense and new strength may be resolved into the joy of the everlasting Messianic hope, and the most touching prayer for Divine compassion, — this is the best feature in this poet, and it is only by this means that his songs correspond to the object which they manifestly ought to serve. The poet attains this once for all by the fulness of genuine pi'ophetic truths and impulses which lives in him. But he attains it also equally by means of his able employment of everything that could lie in the art of the plaintive song, and in the arrangement of a public solemnity of the kind.
The song of mourning admits (I., pp. 1 18-152, Bichter des A. B.) of a violent and somewhat raging outburst, — an end- less flow ; but also a reiterated beginning and an ever moro complete exhaustion of the complaint, until it can be perfectly
102 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
calmed and stilled. Buttlie art of worthy celebration and good fulfilment of a public solemnity in tbe assembled congregation admitted (I., Dichter des A. B., pp. 46 sqq., 82 sqq.) also of a manifold, clianging representation by the prophetic poet and of a bringing-near of that which he had to offer ; and a species of changing treatment (Drama) might very well consist with the public solemnity. And thus there are five lamentatory fragments in which the vast grief, as if it were too sore and to dense to be exhausted in one, repeatedly rises, — in whicli as if distributed and diffused, it thrice in ever higher floods gushes forth, — until they are gradually relieved with the grief itself, are shortened, and come to an end. But thus there are five particular treatments which here follow step by step upon one another, and with the changing series of which the first great treatment of true complaint and Divine mourning is completed. We look upon Jerusalem first herself (represented as a woman), as if condemned to deepest mourning, we look upon her actual present condition,* and we hear how she agonizes and complains :t but of what use is her incessant lament and her sincerest supplication for Divine grace to individuals ? Thus the jjrop/ie^ secondly rises, — only the more deeply to begin his lament over Sion, to bewail, namely, the fact that none other than God his Lord Himself has so sorely afflicted, and implacably punished her; but of what avail his most burning complaints, J his pointing to the fall of Jerusalem as the true and last cause of its present unutterable sorrow, § finally his despondent demand of the half- fallen, deserted walls that they themselves should bewail their sorrow before God ?|| Nowhere as yet will lament and despair pass
* Op. i. l-C, 7-11. t i. 12-17, 18-22.
t ii. 1-6, 7-11. § ii. 12^7.
II ii. 18-22. All that is grand and noble is only prized at its highest as it passes away ; and such was the case with these walls, grey with age which seemed still more objects for protection than a common city, and'which now iu the midst of their ruins seemed to have become a mysterious pdwcr, comp. B. Jes. Ixii. G.
SONGS OF THE DISPERSION. 103
away. -But now appears suddenly, — in the third place, — an mdividual man ; the individual may, according to liis most personal experiences, properly be the first in deepest lament, so that here despondency for the third time begins, still more sorely :* but the individual may also most readily come by his own deepest reflection on the eternal relation of God to raan,t to the true knowledge of his own sins, and the necessity of repentance, J and therewith to believing prayer,§ Who is this individual who thus laments, and thus supplicates ? whose /passes unobserved but quite in the right place into the wg ?\\ O man, he is thy own picture ! every one ought now to speak and think as he ! and thus, imperceptibly by this very speech, beginning most grievously, for the first time grief is. resolved into true prayer. Thus this fragment shows how even in such wildest turmoil the Divine altitude may be gained ; any one may gain this by the steeping of himself, in the full and serious truth, and where one has not yet found it, there is generally as yet no true beginning of better things ; therefore an individual is here put forward as carrying through the whole of this necessary action in himself. Now indeed with true penitence on the part of the individual little is as yet gained ; and again there rises fourthly the lament of man over this unutter- able suffering, proceeding rather from the nearest present, especially over the degradation of the highest and noblest men of Israel :^ but the consideration that even the prophets and priests themselves are under the deepest guilt, and that the false confidence of the people would never be thoroughly removed,** here quells and shortens all his words into obscure complaint, so that the righteous complaints the more readily are converted into the Messianic hope, and for the first time again a beam of hope tends to brighten everything-ff Hence, fifthly, it rises once more as the lament of the ivholo community,
* iii. 1-18. t iii- 19-33. J iii. .31-51. § iii. 52-66. || iii. 40 siiq. «[ iv. 1-6,7-11. ** iv. 12-17. tt iv. 18-22.
104: SONQS OF THE DISPERSION.
to pass entirely into believing penitential prayer, and all glowing, becoming still shorter, to resound in the most moving sighs.*
But the poet desired to clothe the song-garland of the words of this mournful solemnity according to the fresh art of that time, in alphabetic attire : this required short, sharp- cut verse-members, streaming and gushing forth in long series ; and nowhere are these so suitable as where the mournful feeling is poured forth in loose sobbing clauses. Thus he carries the long members through his songs, places each abruptly apart, and so forms in the two first of these five songs, out of every three members a set, or small strophe, at the head of which the alphabet takes it course. In the third song, — which as it breaks forth in the midst, introduces the most fluctuating but also deepest and most decisive language, and where all the sensibilities flow together into an extreme turbidity, in order finally to be the more readily relieved, — the art rises to its height, all three verse-members of the twenty- two sets beginning with the same letter. In the fourth song, where the high flood of complaint begins to fall, • each set embraces only two, in the last only one long member. But with this last ceuses also the external alphabetic chasing, as if suited no longer for this congregational song, quite otherwise occasioned ; but the twenty-two members still remain, only in such a way that each two form a higher unity, and therefore the whole is rapidly unfolded in eleven double long members. But the one great stro|)he which thus fills this whole last song is the harsher for this and thus finishes the whole grave treatment of the solemnity with the greater weight.f Each of the first four songs is divided on the -other hand into four great strophes, each of six and five verses, just as in the above- mentioned songs, pp. 320 sqq.
* Chap. V.
t All this solves the earlipr suggested doubt as to whcllicr the poet did nut intend also in chap. v. the alj^habetic scries.
SONGS OF THE DISPERSION. 105
That tlic five songs are of the same poet,* is clear enough from the following foots : the whole five-parted poem is only one great song of lamentation, according to ancient genuine Hebrew arrangement and execution, which has here a grandeur found nowhere else. The same conclusion is yielded as certainly from the similainty of the style, the stamp of the language, and of the figin-es, thoughts and feelings. If the poet in the speech of the individual man, chap, iii., repeats many older poetic words, ho does so only because this speech must be as it were more many-sided and reflective, and the poet did not allow the flight of his own thoughts to unfold so freely in it as in chapters i., ii., and especially in chap. iv. Wc have nothing further from this poet; he has as in several portions of the language, so also in the alphabetic arrangement, that which is peculiar, placing the P\ before the V. In chap. i. where this is not now seen, the V may have been brought by later hands into its ordinary place in the series. t That the poet thus composed in Egypt is clear from the above ; and equally, that he was a man of prophetic vein. But that he was Jci-emja can in nowise be proved ; on the contrary, according to all indications of the style, it is impossible to think so. He might however be a pupil of Jercmja, Barukh or another. But if this small song-book originated in Egypt, and was destined in the first instance for the community there, it is very clear that it might be early more closely united with Jeremja's writings, and at the same time bo preserved by their means.
* As I always maintained ; it is sad to sec how often and how obstinately it has always been sought to deny this.
t Probably because a later reader thought the speech of Jerusalem, vv. 12-15, must continue with ver. IG ; but the language might be interrupted cursorily by ver. 17, and it will be found that the sequence of the thoughts is rendered better if ver. 17 stands before ver. 16.
106 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
Chapter I.
1.
All ! liow slio sits tlicre desolate — the city so ricli in
people, is become as a widow — tlie great one among tlic
peoples, tlie princess among the cities — become subject ! Bitterly weeping in the night, the tears on her cheek, she has not one comforter — of all who loved her, all her friends betrayed her — and became her foes, Departed into the lands is Judah — from misery and
much servitude; she sat among the peoples — finding no place of rest, all her persecutors overtook — her in the midst of
distresses. Empty, Sion^s ways mourn — without any festive visitors, all her gates desolate, her priests sighing,
her maidens led forth — she herself deeply troubled. 5 Foes became lords over her, too prosperous her
enemies, because Jahve left her in grief — for her many trans- gressions, her tender children went — in captivity before the
oppressor.
Ver. 1. Here as elsewhere through- yet unhappy multitude of fugi'avcs who
out where it is necessary, the rliythm partly before and partly after the
of the three-niembered verse is neglected destruction of Jer. sought to withdraw
because of the Massor. accentuation. themselves from the Chaldean rule ;
Ver. 2. On the betrayal here intended comp. the Gesch. des V. Isr., iii., p. 750,
and in ver. 19, through the peoples iv., pp. 5, sqq. The same circumstance
allied at tiuit time with Jerusalem, is treated" of more fully below, iv. 19,
comp. the Gesch. des V. Isr., iii., pp. v. 5, C.
741, sqq. of the 2nd edition. ^ Ver. 4. The LXX read for n'in-13
Ver. .3. The word n vS roam the which here expresses too little, m2^n3 land, or wander forth among tlie stran- led away captive, whicii in itself is gers, which here well fitted into the correct, and is perfectly safe and suit- alphabetic succession, leads the poet able, to the mention of the numerous and
SONGS OF THE DISPERSION. 107
•Gone from the daughter of Sion — is all her glory :
her princes become like harts — which found no pasture, so that they went powerless — from before tho
pursuer.
2. Hard are the thoughts of Jerusalem — the day of misery, of
expulsion, when through oppressors her people fell, she was
without helpers, the foes seeing her, laughed at her ruin. In sin sank Jerusalem : therefore she became a horror, all her honourers despised her, after they saw her bare- ness, she herself also sighs, and turned backwards ; Jerusalem soiled her steps, thoughtless of her future ! so she sank wondrously, has no comforter,
"see, Jahve, my misery! how proudly doth the foe
behave \" Kings stretched out the hand — after all her ancient
treasures, 10 the heathen even she saw — come into the sanctuary, whom Thou didst command that they should never come into Thy congregation; Ver. 7. The words Dip '»tt''D Ver. 9. For nnStt^^ must he hero
vn nrrs nm^na bD which rea<i nnsn^ bUb), because the
belong quite well to ver. 10, appear to verb better suits here both the mode of
stand here incorrecctly, althouj^h they expression and the whole connexion.
are found in the LXX. They are For the figures which predominate vv.
brought with difficulty into the verse- 8, 9, are the same which find applica-
rhythmjbut what is still more important, tion in Isa. xxx., 22, and which arc
they give no genuine sense in this explained if we bear in mind that the
verse. For they would have to be under- city is likened unto a maiden, scorned
stood as follows : Jerusalem thinks iu by all — therefore to one scorned for her
the days of misery, i.e., now, of all her impurity : and in this comparison the
old treasures. But this thought is in vilcness is in the fact that this maiden
nowise suggested here by anything else- became thus unclean only tlirough her
where ; still less carried out ; the follow- own sin and light-mindedness. ing members lead to other thoughts.
108
SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
15
Long- hiith her whole people sig'hcel — seeking brcutl, gave up for food its dearest — to di-aw breath, " see, Jahve, and behold, how I am despised !" " Men call to ye, all ye wanderers of the way, behold and see : is there a sorrow like mine which was done to me,
whom Jahve afflicted — in the day of His fiery anger ? Nay, He sent fire into my bones, glowed through them, spread a net for my feet, turned me round, made me quite waste, sick always ; O how by His hand — is the yoke of my sufferings fastened! the withes have come upon my neck, my strength was
bent ; the Lord gave me into hands — which are irresistible ; Put away hath the Lord all my mighty ones whom I
had, called out a feast hither, to break in pieces my warriors, the Lord trod the wine-press — of the maiden, daughter of Juda,
Ver. 10. The addition ancient adopted here from vcr. 7.
Ver. 12, n^ibW stands here only more shortly as in Frov. viii. 4 ; and S"|7 must stand here iii. 38 interroga- tively, as is said in I., p. 144, Dichter des A. B., on 2 Sam. xxiii. 5.
Ver. 13, m"l might here appear related to n!i-1=V^"l, n^'l shatter to pieces ; but this (although Tanchum compares raddadd, Arab.) would not suit the figure of the fire ; the word is better understood as related to HHI glow. Then it is not necessary here to read with the LXX nSinV or rather still 'better for the context nin'in " from tiie heaven he sent fire, into my bones he cast it down." ""
Vcr. 14, *Tptt? seems related to the Aramasan "13D and to ddaghat, ddaghad, ddaghaih, Arab., and to mean " press," but also " twine, weave," which best
suits in the connexion of the two first members. Tlie figure i? then borrowed from a yoke harnessed with many cords, and the rare "fpti? was certainly the technical expression for it. Tanchum explains it only according to the deri- vation by flah, attached. On the literal sense of "^T^i, see ^ 333 h.
Ver. 15, rivp (afce up or take away, cast away, here iu the bad sense of our give up, be unwilling to protect, accord- ing to the Aramaean signification which the word has, Ps. cxix. 1ft. A feast, as ii. 7, 22 ; and as the wine-press tread- iyig ppiiits to the blood-bath prepared for the city and for its warriors (as B. Jes. Ixiii. 2, 3) the figures of all these members, just as that of the last of the. preceding verse borrowed from the wild festival of the autumn feast (the Dionysia). It is not then necessary to reSid with the LXX ''2~P'D.
SONQS OF THE DISPERSION. 109
Running with water is my eye, over tins I weep, weep, that far from me is a comforter, a reviver,
forsaken are my sons, because the enemy hath gained
the day !" Sion stretcheth out her hands, yet she hatli no comforter : Jahve hath round about Jakob — ordered his oppressors, Jerusalem became — a horror among them.
4. " Truly, righteous alone is Jahve, because 1 followed not
His word ! hear then ye peoples all — and see my grief:
my maidens and young men — went in captivit}' ! Upon my lovers I called : they betrayed me
my priests and elders — fainted away in the city, as they sought food for themselves, to draw breath. View, Jahve, my distress ; my inward part seethes, 20 my heart turns round in me, because I followed not ; without the sword desolated, within as the pest ! Well heard they me sigh, " I have no comforter,^^
all my foes heard my trouble, glad that TJiou hast done
it: Thou bringst the day, thou call'st the time — that they
become like me !
Vcr. 19 a is explained from ver. 2 ; sigh lies here at the same time in these
b and c as above, ver. 1 1 . The addition two words ! — Were the correct reading
of the LXX !1S!iX3 ^^b") i-s "inecessary in c, and were nS~)p actually the
if >2 is rightly understood. second person, — as the Massor. punctua-
Ver. '20 like as the pest, for the real tion would make it — nSDH must he
pest did not at that time exist, but only taken,— as Tanchum proposed (§ 223 h)
something similar; thus 3 stands like — as precative: "wouldst Thou but
the Sanskr. iva, lessening, mitigating, bring the day when Thou cricst, that
through comparison. they should become as I !" Or the
^Ter. 21 h that Thou hath done it, so word might be uttered in shortened
said according to that old belief of the form as the first person (§ 190 d) qarat,
inseijaratilcncss of a people ami its God, and the whole clause c be thus connected
— expressed similarly in Num. xxi. 29 : with b : " glad that Thoii hast done it,
but what veiled and as if suppressed hast brought the day when I cry ' my
no SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
To (Zu) Thy tin-one may all tlieir evil come do to tliem as Thou hast done to me — for all my faults ! for many are my sighs and my heart sick/^
Chapter II.
1.
1 Ah, how He over-clouds with anger — the Lord the daughter
of Sion, has from heaven to earth — cast Israel's splendour,
and of His footstool — has not thought on the day of
wrath ! Blasted hath the Lord without sparing— all the pastures of
Jakob, in His anger the strongholds — of the daughter of Juda
destroyed, cast to the earth, desecrated — the kingdom v^^ith its
princes ; Destroyed in fiery anger — every horn of Israel,
turned back His right hand — before the enemy's face, and burned Jakob, as fire-flame which devours around, •Enemy-like, horrible, bent the bow,
as an adversary, aimed with his right hand — and slew that which feeds the eyes, in the daughter of Sion's teut — as fire poured forth
His glow.
fate be theirs.' " But the jprec, which is most readily i)laced here, if according manifestly best suits the connexion, — to the reading of the LXX, HV is particularly in transition to ver. 22, — supplied after ns~lp.
Ver. 1. JJis/ooisfool, the Temple, the king, for.n^vSiQ- But because the
same likewise called in ancient phrasco- language was of kingdom and princes,
logy vv. 4, 6, the tent. every horn, i.e., every power, is men-
Ver. 2. If \^"lNb V'^'^n is taken tioned in ver. 3 a.
•with the last member, it fits more Ver. 4. If 3?J3 is thus read correctly,
readily into the verse-structure, and it it must have been taken in the first
is then the less necessary to read with member with "1^3 13'^X2"' standing
the LXX after ver. 9, n25b^ their there vAth hostile right hand (prop, so
SONGS OF THE DISPERSION. Ill
. FQO-Hke was the Lord, annihilated Israel, 5
annihilated all its castles, broke the strong hold ix>
pieces, and heaped np in the daughter of Juda — sighing and
groaning. Grimly, like the vine, he destroyed His tabernacle, his
strong place; forgotten in Sion the Lord left — feast and sabbath, rejected in his anger's rage — king and priest and
prince.
2.
Harsh toward His altar, the Lord rejected His sanctuary, gave over to the hand of the enemy — the walls of her
castles ; in Jahve's house they clamoured — as if it were a feast ! In Jahve's mind itwas to destroy — the daughter of Sion's
wall he drew the line, kept not His hand from destroying, left wall and rampart together — to sink into ruins
and rue,
that his right hand is as an enemy's). the garden; and the figure is the more
But to the connexion better suits the suitable, as the vine is the sensuous
perf. 3-"23 which is then best understood picture as of all Palestine, so especially
as direct, i.e., aim (comp. Ps. xi. 2), of its sanctuary, which is here named
and with which 13^Q^ is to be taken the Tabernacle, and is more closely
according to § 281 c. But at the same designated by the festive solemnity. On
time after 3'^1N3 in the first member, **|3Ji? from a possible n22?=n3ti? see
"ITDSI must probably be inserted, comp. § 257 cZ. The addition "1ti?T at the end
iii. 4, to which the addition {nrivavriog according to the LXX. LXX points. Thus the right hand of 7. A j east, comp. above i. 15.
God forms here, ver. 4 b, the true Ver. 8. He dreiv the line, as one docs
opposition to ver. 3 b. What feeds the in cold blood to measure off the terri-
eyes, i.e., the dearest children, spouses, tory to be destroyed. — Mourning and
and other human beings of the kind. ruins, c (ruin and rue) — only to render
Ver. 6. The reading ]223 suits as far as possible the play on words. —
according to Isa. v. 1 sqq., Ps. Ixxx. 9, (Gcr. : trauer und triimmer.) and other passages better than 133 as
112 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
Jerusalem's gates sank into the earth, He tore, broke
asunder her bars ; her king, her princes are among Gentiles, there is no
more law, also her prophets found — no more a vision from
Jahve ; 10 Keeping silence there sit on the ground — the eldest of
Sion's daughters, with dust cast on their head, girded with sackcloth ; hold their head sunk to the earth — Jerusalem's
maidens. Languishing in tears is my eye, my inward part seethes, my liver poured to the ground — for the wound of the daughter of my people, because child and suckling fainted away — in the streets
of the city.
3. Mothers were addressed : " where is corn and wine ? " because they as wounded ones swooned in the streets of
the city, because their soul was poured out — in their mother's
bosom. —
V^r. 9. There is no more laiv, because history of Jerenija and other sources
the public power under which the Law agrees with this : but the per/. ^M!ip
of Israel had hitherto ruled, is now must be taken as strictly narratory.
ruined. If in this way the two clauses Ver. 11. Daughter of my people
h refer to the enduring present, c returns like daughter of Juda, daughter of
to a and to the whole previous history Sion, i.e., poetic name of the mother-
of the destruction to complete the city and so of the land. — Also the
picture of this history by that which, words, vcr. lie and vcr. 12 are only
according to the feeling of antiquity is narratory. of how it was in the last
the gbomiest feature of all, — that at most fearful months and days. And
the end, during the last days of the manifestly this extremcst horror is only
siege and then during the destruction, touched on here at the end.
prophets were no longer heard. In Ver. 12. b. they languished, the
point of fact, what we know from the children, as is clear from ver. 11.
SONOS OF THE DISPERSION. 113
Notv wherewith conjure I thee ? compare I thee — thou daughter of Jerusalem ? what compare I to thee, to console thee, — maiden
daughter of Sion ? yet great as the sea is thy wound ! — who will heal
thee? Of false and insipid things — prophesied to thee thy
prophets, uncovered not thy guilt — to make thee sound again, prophesied to thee high sayings — of deceit and
seduction. Riding by, men clapped their hands at thee — all, 15
hissed, shook their head, — at the daughter of Jei'usalemj " is that the city called — the crown of beauty, the delight of all the earth V Spreading open their mouth at thee— all thy foes
hissed, gnashed with the teeth — said, " we have
destroyed ! that is truly the day that we hoped for — found —
saw !" Thus Jahve carried out in deeds — what He had determined, fulfilled His word, long commanded — destroyed without
pity,
let the enemy rejoice over thee — raised thy oppressor's
horn. 4 Unwcariedly cry to Jahve, 0 wall of the daughter of Sion !
Ver. 13. Conjure, i.e., by serious now along time ago, further explained,
words.tlie poet would instruct or comfort conip. on B. Job, p. 309.
Sion by comparison of similar calamities Ver. 15 c, from Ps. 1. 2, and xlviii.
with her present condition; but im- 3, comp. above, Vol. I., 313, 222 ; but
mediately finds that there is nothing to changed for vbpQ Db'^bs prop, the
compare with this condition of guilt cily crowned luith beaxUy, according to
and punishment ; comp. iv. 6. Ez. xxvii. 3, comp. with xxviii. 12.
Ver. 14. The reading DVW y^WH Ver. 1 7 c, according to 1 Sam. ii. 1.
has the same sense which rightly under- Ver. 18. As the two first words in
stood it has everywhere, aud whicii I, ihc connexion give uo .sense, TI3b
VOL. II. y '
114 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
let streams like to the brook — run tears clay and night ! be not numb, — let not the dang-htcr of Thine eye
rest ! Up, — cry by night at the beginning of the watches,
pour forth like water thy heart — before the face of the
Lord, lift to Him thy hands — for thy children's soul ! [who fainted in hunger at all street-corners] .
20 " View, Jahve, and behold — whom dost Thou so deal
with ? shall women consume their body's fruit, the children of
their care ? shall in the Lord's sanctuary — priest and prophet be
destroyed ? Weltered on the ground without — boy and old man, my maidens and youths — fallen by sword,
slain by Thee on the day of Thy wrath, slaughtered
without pity ! To (Zu) me callest Thou as if it were a feast — my sojourners round about : but none escaped, survived — on the day of Jahve's
wrath ; those I tended and brought up — my foe annihilated !"
■^pl^^J must be read for it, " cry with untsuitably to the mere sense. But if
thy 'heart" (as above, ver. 4 b), i.e., let this solitary violation of the law of
the heart-cry resound, comp. Ps.lxxvii. these verses can hardly be thought
2, 3, where the 31D is found again, original, then accidentally the poet
just as in ver. 4 the much -used \vould here for once neglect his own
Plt2l7nn. Perhaps that song is of '<iw.
the same poet. Daughter of the eye, i.e., Ver. UO, according to the LXX,
apple'of the eye. The whole ver. 18 ^^"^^ "^''.^ *"•" ''"^ ^'^i'*^ too sliort
corresponds fully to ver. 19. ^t"??-
Ver. 19. The bracketed word.s would, Ver. 22. The very ficqnent phrase
if they proceed from the poet, form a l\:iT2 3''2Dp in Jeremja, horrors
fourth vcrse-mcniber. Actually they arouvd ! (comp. above Ps. xxxi. 14)
))()iiit to related images of the poet, cannot t)e compared, becau.«e "^~n2Z2
•v II, 12, iv. 1, and stand here, not points" to something else, and nuist be
SON OS OP THE DISPERSION. UT,
ClIArTER III, 1.
All, I am tlio man who saw misery — through the rod of
His wi-ath ! 1 All, He led and brought mo^into gloom, not into light ! Against me He returns repeatedly — every day His hand.
Blighted my flesh and skin — broke my bones, Built round about me — poison and trouble^ 5
Brought me into darkness — like the dead of old, Drove me within thick rails, made heavy my chains. Depressed my pi-ayer — although I lament and cry. Drew hewn stones about my ways, destroyed my paths. Even as a lurking bear is He to me, a lion in ambush, 10 Even as a leader astray, tearing in pieces and leaving
desolate. Even an archer, setting me as a mark for the arrow.
Fixed He in my reins — His quiver's sons ;
For all peoples I became a derision, their mocking-song
every day ; Full of bitterness He made me, drunk with worm- wood; 15
Gave to my teeth gravel to crush, rolled me in ashes ;
rather referred to the men named there was to be held iu it as, on other
in b and c. The word means my occasions, a great feast : hut al;ts ! it
sojourners round about, and by this are became in the end for her the great
certainly intended the inhabitants of feast of slaughter in the final conquest,
the defenceless country towns and Thus the question is renewed whether
villages which are related to the "112X3 docs not signify the same in
protecting chief city as suburbs, Ps. Iv. 16, com p. above, p. 257, Vol. I.
C"*"]!! (Metcekes, the LXX correctly Vv. 6 sqq. much from the B. Job ; ver. G
■TT CI () OIK id i). Thus the whole verse literally as Ps. cxliii. 3 ; ver. 7 at the
plainly alludes to a great occurrence in end, as from Ps. Ixxxviii. 9. Sons of the
those days of the siege : from the quiver, ver. l.'J, arrows. On "*X3^ ver.
country almost all fled into the capital 14, see § 177 a. (the like took place under Titus) as if
Ver. 16. The "3, of '^!Jn3 belongs like many verl)s of the kind, e.g., Itn^, to the simple vert. D"1H, crits/i. which i. 17, is connocted cither ininiediMtely.
8 *
116 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
Good I forgot utterly, prosperity was against me, Gathering that my victory was at an end, my hope from
Jahve. 2. Hold before Thee my misery and sufferings, the worm- wood, the venom ! 20 Holds them before her_, is bowed down — my soul. Hold I rather this before me, therefore hope : In Jahve mercies endure, his compassion is never ex- hausted. In the morning they are ever new, great is Thy
faithfulness ; In Jahve my soul finds her portion ! therefore I wait for
Him.
25 Jahve is good to the waiter for Him, to the soul that
seeks Him.
Jahve's salvation quietly to await, that is good.
Just and good is it for a man in his youth to bear a yoke ;
Keeping silence, let him sit alone, if He has bowed him
with burdens.
Kiss rather the dust — perhaps there is yet hope.
30 Knocks let him receive on his cheeks, take fully the
reproach.
i.e., with the accusative, or more loosely however, plainly Ps. xlii. 5 , 6 before his with "2 • it is properly He caused eyes. The this and therefore, ver. 21, my teeth to crush stones. tt?DD is point to vv. 22, 23, hence ^D, ver. 22. like Ichafas, bend, Hiph., cause one to Ver. 22. T3I2n must, cither as a bend, cast down, or rather roll him- reading, or rather as a possible ex- self, pression, be corrupted from -IX^Jil,
Ver. 17. Here '"li7i:3 must be sub- §84 v. — Ver. 24 a after Ps. xvi. 5.
ject, to, which ilDTI as third pers. Ver. 26* The bTl"*! is here
fem. sing, belongs. n3T is, therefore, (§ 235 a) to be so taken, that b'^IT',
here intransitive. That in ver. \2, although with i remaining, is jussive,
not God, but the first best hearer is Good is it that one should wait, and that
addressed, is self - intelligible ; the quietly, for Jahve's salvation,
sharjjer is then the opposition of self- Ver. 28. He, Jahvo, according to
recollection, ver. 20. For here ^Wt^ vv. 25, ^6.— Ver. 30 later, still further
is subject for the whole verse. In this carried out as a picture, B. Jcs. 1. 6. and the following ver^e, tlic poet has.
SONQS OF THE DISPERSION. 117
Look ! not for ever does the Lord cast away !
Let Him cause grief, — so also pity according to His
fuluess of grace, Lctteth mortals suffer, grieve, — not according to His
heart.
3.
Maiming, crushing under foot of all earth's prisoners. Miscarriage of the man's right — before the face of the
Highest, 35 Misrepresentation of any man's cause — the Lord approves
not. Never spake any, and that came to pass — which' the Lord
had not commanded ; Not evil like good should — proceed from the mouth of the
Highest ? Nor should the living man sigh — only over his punish- ments ! O try, search we our ways, return to Jahve, 40
0 lift we heart with hands — to the God in heaven ! 0 we transgressed, followed not — Thou pardonest not; Kound about Thou didst draw in anger, pursuing, slaying
without pity, Round about Thee clouds, that no prayer pierces through ; Round about amongst peoples Thou makest us — refuse
and shame. 45 See ! they open the mouth against us — all our enemies. Snares and terror have we — deceit, wounds ;
Vv. 34-36 prop, to tread, that one strictly taken he sighs more over his
should tread under foot all prisoners, own transgressions, instead of doing
i.e., that all prisoners be trodden down ; away with these). the Lord has not seen, i.e., determined Ver. 43. After PlSD nniDD, this
and approved. sentence is broken oif, only to be coni-
Ver. 39 prop, for what sighs the living pleted in ver. 44. Prop., Thou madest
man? (who therefore, as long as he lives, a covering in anger — madest ihem a.s if
can better himself and do better than intercepted by clouds from Tliee. sigh) the man for his punishments? (for
lis SONGS OP THE DISPERSION.
Streams of water run from my eyes — for the wound of my
people^s daughter !
Tears without rest^ without ceasing drips mine eye, 50 Tears — till Jahve behold and see from heaven.
Tears storm my soul — for all the daughters of my city.
Urge mo in chase like birds — my causeless foes,
Underueath, in the pit^ bound my life, rolled stones on me;
Upon ray head waters flowed, I thought, " I am lost.^' 55 Unto Thee, Jahve, I cry from the deepest pit ;
Unheard be not my complaint ! Thine ear is open to my cry ;
Unto my call Thou art near ; — sayest : fear not !
Verily Thou def endest my soul. Lord, redeemest my life ;
Viewest, Jahve, ray oppression ; 0 judge ray cause !
Viewest all their vengeance, what they only think GO of me;
Well hearest Thou their scorn, Jahve, what they alone
think against me.
What my adversaries speak, counsel — against me every day.
Where they stand and sit, behold ! I am but their
sing-song.
(Zealously) wilt Thou punish them, Jahve, according to
their handiwork !
Ver. 48 as ii. 11, iv. 10. be understood as a ventilation, i.e.,
Ver. 51. nbvli? comj). i. 12, 22, loud complaining; it is certain that it
ii. 20, is here quite as the Lat. aflcit must signify as much as the immediately
meant in the bad sense ; and "7 as following more frequent word ni^lti?
iv. 5 (§ 277 e). The daugJiters of my which looks like a gloss. — On the many
citi/ are the country towns {Vs. xlviii. iwecatweSj^w. 5G-6G conip. above, i. 21;
12), and what is here so briefly .said is they pass desultorily, up to ver. 63, into
explained from ii. 22. the more restless imper., till finally,
Ver. 53. nD!J must here ^-be vv. 64-66, restful expectation follows.
identical with 7D^, bind ; comp. Just so, with them concludes the
^D!J, cleave, iv. 8. The words here following prayer, iv. 21, 22. and vv. 54, 55, from Pss. xl. 3, Ixix. Ver. 63. Sit and stand, i.e., live, act.
2 sqq., with xlii. 8, xxxi. 23. — Sing-^ong, a word in Hebrew also
Ver. 56. If TinilJ niay not be intentionally thus lengthened, to de-
rcad for Tim"), then nmi must signate mocking songs.
SO:^Gis 01'' Tin: Disi'EiiSioN. ll;)
(Zealously) bliutl their heai'b, on them Thy curse ! ()5
Zealously pursue, destroy them — under Jahve's heaven ! ^
Chai^ter IV.
1.
Ahj how common becomes gold, the best ore is changed, 1 sacred stones are cast away — at all corners of the
streets ! Burghers of Sion, the dearest and most esteemed for gold, ah, how do they pass for earthen pitchers, work of
potter's hand ! Drawing out the breast, the she-wolves suckle their
young : my people's daughter bccomes^ — cruel like the ostriches
in the desert. Even the suckling'-s tongue — clave for thirst to the palate,
children demanded bread ; none brought it to them ; Forlorn sat in the streets — they who ate dainty bits, 5
those brought up in purple — embraced the dung. Greater became the punishment of the daughter of my people — than that of Sodom, that as in a twinkling was overturned, whereon hands
did not rage.
Ver. 1. Apparently ihc lament begins moment of rude horse-play broken in
with something I'oreij^n to this con- pieces I But the language passes thence,
nexion; how common and base becomes vv. 3, 4, 5, immediately to the sign of
everything in the world 1 Gold, best quite another picture from those and
ore, sacred stones themselves (e g., those from still later days of liorror,— of the
of the high-priestly attire) came to be staring obtuseness with which the be-
regarded as in a world turned mad and sieged, under the prevalence of hunger,
raging, the commonest things ! But looked even upon the whimpering of
how near this complaint lies neverthe- children ! So that it may be finally
less, is shown forthwith in ver. 2 ; ah, said, ver. 6, that Jerusalem is .still more
the noblest of Juda, who in the begin- grievously fallen than Sodom,
ning of the second strophe, ver. 7, are Vv. 3-6. My iieojile's daughter, the
further designated, - how were they mother-city, as ii. 11, iii. 48, iv. 6, 10.
treated as the commonest wares, as in a The oalrichcs after Job xxxix. 13-16.
120 SONQS OF THE DISPERSION.
2. Higher than snow beamed her princes, purer than milk glittered in their body with pearls, with sapphire in
their shape ; Inkier than blackness is now their form, they are not
recognized without ; their skin clave to the bones, become dry as wood. Judge them happier who by the sword — than those who by hunger have fallen, who melt away, pierced through — as by the dryness of
the field. 10 Know, they cooked their very children — the pitiful hands
of the women, they became to them for food, because of the wound of the daughter of my people. Launched not forth Jahve all His terror, poured out His
fiery anger, and kindled in Sion a fire that consumes her foundations ?
3.
Might they believe, kings of the earth — and all inhabitants
of the world,
Ver. 7. It seems that the poet is from want of them), the necessary
thinking of the royal and high-priestly elucidation to pierced through, melt
stock. Unrecognized, so that they might away, would be wanting. Who pierced
be the more readily utterly despised, as through, i.e., slain, died, as melting
here from the beginning onwards, vv. away from the field's dryness, emaciated
1, 2, was described. For the whole by the sun's heat; but, alas! here
second strophe is also filled, vv. 7-11, hunger withers them up ! This strong
with the heartrending i)ictures of figure (conip. v. lo) thus expresses but
hunger ; so that ver. 1 1 at the end the same as the above, ver. 8 h, and is
forms only an equally general conclusion drawn out by this. If "3 could stand
to that in the first strophe, ver. 6. so readily before another proposition, it
Ver. 0. m213n api)ear.s to have would so stand here,
arisen through change of sound from Vv. 12, 13. None among tlie Gen-
msibn or nh2S7j;n, dryness. tiles, neither king nor others, had
For if one would explain, with that supposed that the sins of the prophets
reading, "jp as without fruits of the and tlic priesh; would bring the be-
curth (which however docs not mean sieging Gentiles into the city, as came
SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
121
tliat foe and oppressor would come — into Jerusalem's
gates. Now for lier prophet's sins, her priest's iniquities,
who forgot the blood of the just — in her midst ?
0 how they staggered blindly in the streets, spotted with
blood, so that their clothes — could not be touched !
Retire, unclean one! they cried; depart, depart, touch 15 not ! — yet they brawled, yet they staggered; said, '^^ among the heathen — they shail sojourn no
more !" Scattered are they by Jahve's glance, no more beheld : the priests were not respected, old men not favoured. Truly, our eyes languish — for our vain help,
in our waiting wait we — for the people that helps not ?
4. Upon our steps they spy — we must not go to our markets ;
to pass. This is an important testimony on the opinion of the Gentiles of the prophets and priests of that time in Jerusalem.
Vv. H-16 explain, ver. 13, further by bringing forward a striking fragment of the history of the last siege, which indeed we now find nowhere so defi- nitely touched upon as here. We know from Ilezeqiel's book the internal con- troversies of those years ; a schism, brought on by the most considerable priests and prophets, must at that time have induced a blind confidence that the banished would soon return, not longer sojourn among the Gentiles (ver. 15 b), and would render the insurrection in Jerusalem victorious by their own rising and return. But the prophets and priests themselves so raged, — when they should have been collected and pure, — filled with delirious passion against their own fellow-citizens who would not believe in this, caused their
adversaries to be slain, and were stained with blood, so that men must avoid and shun them as unclean ; nevertheless, they go on in this way ; and therefore, in Jahve's angry glance at such priests, the heathen were victoi-ious, determined on destruction, and carried it out both on these madmen and on all other citizens. ^'2 is here, and ii. 1.3, just as C2 yet, although no negative propo- sition precedes, § 354 a; ^112^ stands often thus shortly, without copula, and as it elsewhere stands so alone ; there- fore here too Dl'lUa must not be con- nected with it. But the more emphati- cally ver. 17 now concludes with the glance at the foolish confidence of Egyptian help prevailing amongst those who had fled to Egypt ; for certainly here by the people that helps not are meant, after Isa. xxx. 1-7, xxxi. 1-3, the Egyptians.
Ver. 18. In the beginning of the last strophe the glance at Egypt as it
122 SONOS OF TEE DISPERSION.
near is our eud, full our days— yea^ oar end comes. Untiring, swifter tliau tlie eagles of heaven — were our
pursuers, followed us up on tlie mountains, lurked for us in the
desert. Verily, our own breath, Jahve^s Anointed, was snared in 20 their pits,
he in whose shadow we thought — to live among the
peoples. — • Well ! rejoice only in joy, daughter of Edom dwelling in
the land of Uss ! to thee too will the cup come, wilt intoxicate, strip
. thyself ! To (Zu) its end is thy punishment come, daughter of Sion ! not again He leads thee forth; He visits thy punishment, daughter of Edom ! discovers
thy sins. Chapter V.
1 Remember, Jahve, what was done to us, — behold and see
our shame ! Our inheritance is fallen to strangers, our ^houses to
foreigners. Orphaned were we without fathers, our mothers are as
widows ;
then was, continues : from mere fear of All seems lost ; yet, with the rising
the Chaldicaiis, it had manifestly for- recollection of the present victory of
bidden the fugitives at that time from the Idunieaus (comp. the Qesch. iv.
trade and intercourse with Palestine ; p. 105 sq.) iu conclusion, vv. 21, 22,
this appeared with justice the extremest the Messianic hope again springs up.
prohibition that could be placed upon Elated as they at present are owing to
them. — But, ver. 19, the language the allotment to them by Nabukodrossor
returns suddenly thence to the pictures of a wide -territory, so that they now
of the many unhappy attempts at flight dwell far to the north cast in the land
before and after the siege, and finally of Uss, nevertheless the Messianic hope
casts, ver. 20, a glance at the king kffpt remains secure. The figure of the cup,
at that time captive in Babel, probably after Ilab. ii. 15, 16. Jojakhin {Gesch. des V. Isr., iv., p. 9).
Ver. 3. Fatherless orj)/ians because without^ our legitimate king, ii. 9, iv. 20,
SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
121
Our Welter we drank for money, our wood is on sale for
silver. On the necks were we pursued ; became weary, restlpss : 5 To Egypt we gave the hand, to Assyria, to cat our fill. Our fathers sinned, arc no more; we bear their iniquities; slaves became lords over us: none frees us from their
hand, ^^'ith our soul we fetch our bread — before the sword of
the desert : our skin is as the oven heated through — before the glowing
breath of hunger. 10 Women did they put to shame in Sion, maidens in the
cities of Jada ; princes were hanged up among them, the elders' coun- tenance not respected ; ble want of all and the incessant hunger:
and without the Theocracy ; and as father cannot here hold gocTd in the nearest sense, so further our mothers, i.e., communities and towns are as widows, as i. 1 ; the words immediately connected, ver. 4, allude to the dear ^vater and wood in Egypt, necessaries which they had for nothing in Kanaan.
Vv. 5 sqq. By all those attempts at flight touched upon, iv. 19, of so many during and after the siege of Jerusalem, we have attained nothing but that we, p^nsiied on the necks (so pursued that the pursuers were ever as it were on our necks) and deadly weary, must at the end be content to subject ourselves partly to the Egyptians, partly to the Assyrians, only in order to eat our fill, not utterly to faint (comp. the same otherwise expressed, i. 11, 19).
Vv. 7 sqq. What an ignominy, that we, atoning for our father's sins, must have for our lords only slaves, i.e., Egyptian and Chaldtean eunuchs (court officers)! Comp. the same in Qoh. x. 7, 16. — And nevertheless hear how in vv. 9 sqq. is further depicted — the horri-
we must wrest our bread from the desert and its robbers. A noteworthy indication that most of the fugitives in Egypt dwelt on the north-east frontier close to the desert, probably were even bound to dwell there. The I'^V con- nected with the plur. (§ 176 6).
Vv. 1 1 sqq. and vv. 12 sqq. now depict the way in which misery seizes on all conditions, ages, sexes ; public dis- honouring of the best women and public crucifixion of the noblest men ; the strongest young men, like Samson, Judg. xvi. 21, forced like slaves to the mill-service, the younger as bearers subjected to the burden ; neither po- pular assembly nor music more ! (The T2 ver. 12 is best taken locally).— With this the language turns, vv. 15, 16, and vv. 17, 18, again more to general matters and back to its beginning ; for the fallen croivn can only figuratively signify the whole honourable status of the people, now lost. The connexion between vv. 17, 18 is quite as iv. 21, 22.
124 SONQS OF THE DISPERSION.
Young men they took for the mill, boys tottered under
wood; Elders keep holiday from the market, young men from
their singing, Our heart's joy ceases, into mourning is turned our 15 dancing;
Our head's crown is fallen : woe to us that we sinned ! For this our heart became sick, for this our eyes darkened : for the mount of Sion, that it is desolate, that in it the
foxes stray. Thou, Jahve, art throned for ever: Thy seat is from
generation to generation ; why wilt Thou forget us for ever, forsake for so long a 20 time ?
Turn us to Thee, Jahve, that we return ! renew our days
like those of old ! Or wilt Thou utterly cast us away ? be excessively wrath
against us ?
Ver. 22. On CS "^3 and the inf. responds entirely to ver. 20. But the
abs. see § 356 b. Here again, vv. 19-22, deep prayer for help to genuine repent-
is seen very plainly that two verses are ance corresponds only to the sincere
always connected, and each twice two confession of sin made in ver, 16. form a higher similarity : ver. 22 cor-
D. 71-80, Psalms lxxiii., lxxvii,, xciv.
The longer the sufferings and the whole perplexity of the time of the Exile lasted, the higher might rise the feelings of gloom and despondency of many even of the uncorrupted members of the people of God. But *the more too might genuine fidelity and the wondrous power of the Messianic hope be brightened and strengthened during this long trial. And the three songs here placed together, — which, according to all signs, are from 07ie poet — show to what extent both of those things came to pass, how greatly even among the best men
SON as OF THE DISPERSION. 125
despondency threatened to prevail, and how sore was their struggle against it. For this poet was most deeply affected in this way, by those sufferings, griefs and doubts; but the results and fruits were great in his experience in the end, after he had happily fought his way out of them. He found no rest until he had penetrated the very heart of those Divine secrets, and recognized with piercing glance that if only a true spiritual Israel — to which he himself will cleave with full heart — be distinguished in the Israel of the time : the old truths of the eternal deliverance of good men and the mere deceptive pros- perity of the wicked retain their validity. Indeed, history itself ever teaches in the main that the end of unjust men is never to be envied. Having won this higher truth, feeling blessed joy in Jahve, he can never again utterly despond, he fortifies himself repeatedly by prayer, and by recollection of the light of the old history, and becomes finally for the whole community the never-wearied, inspired singer of praise to Jahve. Thus he is in this time, when the old power of song threatens more and more to become dormant, one of the last great and fine singers, still full of independent power and beneficent intensity, — like a softly refreshing evening glow after the bright beams of ancient Hebrew poetry.
From this same poet are also, according to all writers, the remaining songs from Pss. xcii. — c, which, however, as only falling in the following period, are not yet brought forward here. Throughout is exhibited in these twelve songs the same intensity and strength of joyous spirit, the same serenity, not admitting of disturbance under painful occur- rences. The verse-structure is alike, the construction of the song throughout, short and poetically slight, especially for these times. The poet loves reminiscences of the more ancient history of the splendid times of Israel ; but even here he is a genuine lyric poet, Ixxvii. 14-21, xcv. 8-11, xcix. 6, 7. He is one of the first poets who again in these late times introduces the ancient abbreviated name of God, Jnh, Ixxvii. 12, xciv. 7,
126 SONGS OP THE DISPERSION.
12, comp. cxxii, 4, cxxx. 3, Ixviii. 5, B. Jes. xxvi. 5 (without regard to places like cii. 18, when it is forthcoming only along with the ^^U). It is peculiar to him to call Jahve our Creator, our Shepherd, xcv. 6, 7, c. 3, Ixxvii. 21, and to boast that He is now King, Ruler, xciii. 1, xcv. 3, xcvi. 10, xcviii. G, xcix. I, 4, comp. xlvii. 3, 7 sqq. (that is, because at that time the new community had again collected itself in greater power, and — its religion being more honoured — began to look upon Jahve as sensibly ruling from its midst). Further, the strong figure is peculiar to him of the irrational cattle, Ixxiii. 27, xcii. 7, xciv. 8, and the similarity in the use of the "iHW is to be noted, Ixxiii. 24, xciv. 15, of the ^^H, Ixxiii. 16, Ixxvii. 6, of the D'l"i?, Ixxiii. 8, xcii. 9, xciii. 4, of the '"1^^, Ixxiii. 26, xcii. 9, xciv. 22, xcv. 1, n^P^n, Ixxiii. 27, xciv. 23, nSlV^ xciii. 5, xcix. 7, &c. With Ps. xlvii., Ixvi., the here forthcoming songs of prai?e have much in common, as the frequent ?31, ^''"1'7 (where we hear, as in so many elsewhere, the echo of the mighty voice, Isa. xl. — Ixvi. vibrate), while the similar ^vH is most favoured only in still later songs : yet the above songs certainly fall in about the same times.
Ps". Ixxiii. is entirely characterized by the outburst of the first violent reaction from those doubts, and fresh elevation to the pure truth. In. the long and severe sufferings of the people the poet would have almost abandoned himself to the general despair had he not — after long tormenting himself in vain to solve the riddle of the time — finally (instructed pro- bably by some unexpected occurrence, vv. 19, 27) penetrated to the truth ; perceiving that according to the eternal mystery of the Divine government, all happiness of the wicked is but apparent, deceptive, quickly passing away, while for innocence and for Israel, so far as it i« innocent, there cei'tainly remains even in suffering and in death eternal comfort and inward blessedness. In like manner this enigmapf the inequality of outward good is earlier* solved by particular great poets, as, e.g., in Ps. xlix. : but in this poet the truth under quite other times
SONOS OF THE DISPERSION. 127
and coHtlitions was bound to come to light in a new way and with peculiar force. And now, having- endured the conflict, he feels himself, looking back on the sad time of doubt and of danger, — so singularly blessed and enlightened, that he feels urged to express his whole inner experience in the song, and thus this instructive song originates, in which in the godly Israel of that time a nobler and freer self- manifestation begins. Having placed in the very beginning, ver. 1, the supreme truth at which he had arrived, and this quite briefly, he describes in detail the long danger and distress in which he had been under the enigma of the time, until ho made his way into the innermost seat of God, and firmly resolved never again so foolishly to doubt, vv. 2-22 ; and concludes, glancing into the future, with a few beautiful words of immovable fidelity to Him thus known, of most joyous con- fidence and enlightened hope, vv. 23-28.'
The tnembering of this long song is only doubtful at first sight, on closer investigation is seen to be fixed and certain. For plainly four verses, with eight members of elegant struc- ture in each case form a strophe, while ver. 1 sounds as a happy prelude, and the last strophe, with its five members, in like manner once more comprises the whole contents of the song, closing the whole with brevity and sharpness. Among the six strophes which make up the long body of the song between this prelude and epilogue, the third is extended to five verses and ten members; and this is plainly done only because it ought to give a longer rest in the very middle of the song. For as the first three strophes depict most vividly in long and difficult representation the despondency of that time from which the poet has scarcely as yet freed himself, with equal vividness the last thi'ee mark the picture that finally rose out of that despondency. And here only two great strophes might be distinguished, if the smaller measure out of which only the larger ones are developed were not plainly to be recognized.
128 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
1 Good and only good is God to Israel, to those of jpure heart !
1. a. But I — almost staggered my feet,
my steps had all but slipped, because I cast envy on tbe haughty,
saw the prosperity of the wicked, " they have no torments,
well and fat is their body, in folks' sufferings have no share ; 5 are not punished with mankind.
h. Therefore pride attires their neck,
cruelty clothes them as an ornament, their sin came forth from their fat inside,
they swelled over with heart-images, they scoff and speak wickedly of oppression,
speak proudly down, laying their mouth to heaven,
while their tongue rages upon earth, c. 10 Therefore He brings His people so far
(and in full draughts it sups the water), that it says : ' how knows it God,
and is knowledge in the All- Highest ? Lo ! these are the wicked,
very long have the careless had the greatest power ! All in vain have I purified my heart,
and in innocence washed my hands^ and yet remained chastised every day,
my punishment come§_every morning '/ "
2. a.
15 When I thought to speak the like,
I betrayed the manner of Thy sons ;
SONOS OF THE DISPERSION. 12*J
fiud I purposed to know this, —
vain was it in my eyes : till I went into God^s holy places,
observed their end : Upon slippery places Thou sottest their lot,
hast caused them to fall into deceptions !
h.
0 how have they become desolate in a moment, ground up, consumed in terror !
like as a dream after awakening, 20
Lord, Thou despisest their image, rousing Thyself! —
When my heart is embittered, I feel my reins as cut through :
1 am stupid, without understanding j like a beast was I before Thee !
c. Yet I am truly ever with Thee !
hast seized my right hand, wilt by Thy counsel guide me,
to receive honour lead me. Whom have I in heaven ? 25
and on earth I love naught beside Thee ! though my body and heart fade away :
my heart's rock, my good is ever God !
3. For lo ! they who hate Thee perish.
Thou destroyest every one who is unfaithful to Thee : but — God's friendship is a good to me,
on the Lord Jahve I place my trust, to praise all Thy doings !
1. From vv. 4-14, the considerations which had tempted the poet to depression and to envy are plainly and fully set forth : the sight of the many sufferings of the faithful in the midst
VOL. IT, 9
130 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
of the wicked who remain in power aad far from grief, w. 4-5 ; and how thereby their own haughtiness in deeds and thoughts is raised to an extreme pitch, w. 6-9, — as conversely, the despondency of Israel is increased, vv. 10-14. But it is very conceivable that the poet, according to the custom, often remarked above, of many poets of these centuries, here only repeats expressly what he had said still more explicitly in an earlier song. — Ver. 4. cn'ltt^ is very suspicious; the sense cannot be : they have no torments ^^ntil their death, because in that case a ''^'"2 ^^ wanting ; but the sense which would lie iu the words, " their death has no torments/' is un- suitable, because this can neither be said generally (in Job. xxi. 13 the connexion of the language is quite different), nor is death here spoken of, for this is to be spoken of in vv. 19 sqq. It seems therefore better to read cn inb separately ; en may well, as seldom n^'an and chl. Job. xxi. 23 stand in the lower sense. Ver. 7. According to the Massora the first member would mean : theh' eye sta7'es out of fatness (fat countenance), in arrogance, comp. Job. xv. 27 ; but according to the second member the breaking out of arrogant thoughts and ill designs from the fat, loose, and stupid heart is spoken of; better therefore according to the LXX "l^-?"*??, comp. xvii. 10. But in that case the "i?^ h is best taken, as in Hab. i. 11, of the swelling-over and passing into evil thoughts, so that it is connected accord- ing to § 281 h. What presumptuous thoughts and plans which proceeded from them and still proceed — are here meant, can bo more closely ascertained (were it not clear of itself) from Ps. xiv. 1-6. But the poet hastens here, — having hinted in the second strophe at the presumptuous thoughts of the heathen who put themselves in the place' of the gods, — to sub- join to them in the third, those of Israel, as if thereby called forth, and totally opposite,'-vv. 10-14 : and hero is depicted from the first in the words therefore He hrings (according to the K'tib ^*^!)) — that is, God Himself (who however as in rlub. xiii. 20 itnd other passages is in reverence net nnnied),
SOXaS OF THE DISFERSION. 131
His own jfcople back thither, turning them aside from the direct way, so that it thinJcs what is further expressed in vv. 11-14. But in the middle — by the words and water in fulness is sucked up by them, v. 10 b — the ever increasing greed with which Israel absorbs words and thoughts of cowardice and despair, is compared to the eagerness with which one gulps down water in full draught. Comp. the like in Job. xv. 16, Prov. xxvi. 6; also other representations from the same source, Ps. Ixxv. 9 ; especially similar is Arabs-. Fdkih. p. 12, 6 V. and 24, 17 sqq. 46, 22 and tshrab, p. 118, 2. This second member, ver. 1 0, is merely expressive of a state, and Q' vry ig explained by 1-iDSI, ver. 11 ; so far comes (according to the Q'ri) or falls the people ever more greedily swallowing the poison of despair, that it says.
2. With ver. 15 the transition plainly comes; but great difficulty lies in 1^?. This only appears elsewhere as a pre- position ; and it is difficult to say what it should signify without complement, because the case stated in § 360 a is not relevant here. Assuming that the word was used here for the broken-off How — ? the verse would bear the sense : I thought to enumerate or to explain the how — ? that is, how it is possible that God acts so unrighteously, lo, thus I should betray the race of Thy sons, in not speaking as is to be expected from the truly faithful and pious in Israel, — placing myself out of their society, consequently becoming unfaithful to them, — and this at the bottom of my soul I did not desire, therefore fruit- lessly seeking after the causes, as ver. 16 further explains. But in this case we should rather expect that the poet would here explain his peculiar thoughts, if he had them, and this he does not do. Again this sense of 1X32 would be in point of usage very doubtful, because the cases in § 299 a cannot bo adduced here. Therefore •^^H'^^? might so then be united into one word : if I thoiirjht to speak like that — as is ex- plained in vv. 10-14, — or if I thought to make speeches in like manner utterly despondent and injurious against God, I .should
[) *
132 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
hdray the manner of Thy sons, not acting as a true Israelite or son of God (Deut. xiv. 1) should do, becoming faith- less to God, '^thy sons'^ must be much more significant than '« His people," (ver. 10) ; therefore I desired to guard myself against such wicked speeches ; but the attempt to find the causes by personal reflection miscarried (ver. 16), — until I finally looking at the end of the wicked, — consequently at the same time following the Divine conduct, 'penetrated into the sanctities or secrets (mysteries, comp. on ti^^pp the Alterth. p. ] 23) of God, was initiated into the Divine meaning, nsn may be again supplied as n3»7 before the apodosis, as thougb the hiatus in the present text had arisen only through the omission of the letters n:iH before this n3n. — Not without reason does the poet place the secrets in the plur. : for more closely considered the three deeper points of knowledge belong here : (1) that a Divine punishment of all heathen wickedness is generally certain ; (2) that it will come in a season known to God ; and (3) that it will come, — making the wicked previously secure, as by a Divine mockery, and the more harshly tearing away all delusions — pulling down those who from the beginning are placed only on slippery ground, as that assigned to them by the Divine allotment. This is indicated as briefly as possible at the end of the strophe, ver. 18 : only in slipperinesscs TJiou settest for them, determinest for them their portion, that they ever oscillate in danger; liast caused them to fall into deceptions, to become as a booty ; msittJtt are self-deceptions, hence also haughtiness, transgression, Ixxiv. 3, when the LXX gives correctly vireprj^aviat. The same image of deception leads, ver. 20, to one related ; as one on awakening, reluc- tantly dismisses a dream -picture as a deception, by which one has been troubled, — so God, — when He at the right time rises for judgment ("^*^? for "^'^n? "'/• JJip^-),- — will dismiss the horrid, but vain and empty wicked; comp. Isa. xxix. 8. But as the poet in the strophe, vv. 19-22, would further develop generally the whole thought otily sketched in ver. 18, he inime-
SONGS OF THE DISI'ERSION. 133
diately points here at the beginning of ver. 19, to a great event in the most recent time, which might substantiate those truths. We do not know indeed sufficiently from these very brief words what event he means : probably it was the fall of the house of Nabukodrossor during the continuance of the Chaldtean dominion. The words, ver. 19, cannot, according to their sense, be regarded as an anticipation like xxxvi. 13. — Ver. 24. The second member quite as Zech. ii. 12, like as ver. 13 is after xxvi. 6. Ver, 25 gives a fine description of how the poet has but one genuine eternal friend in' heaven and on earth, who remains to him even if all his earthly good passes away, as xlix, 16 ; comp. the Jnlirhh., x., pp. 195 sqq.
3. At the last, w. 27, 28, the same with renewed glance at the above instruction of the present, vv. 18-20; and the language bounds anew with higher joy in the feeling that there is no higher good for man than that of being near to God and experiencing His friendship. Businesses or doings for works, is an expression peculiar to this poet.
Ps. Ixxvii. A fresh and sore trouble of the poet. Before he felt himself strong for the present composition, his spirit had in a night (vv. 3, 7) traversed all manner of diverse thoughts — those that cramped and those that exalted him ; and their play and alternation strongly beset him, until he came to tranquil, com- posed prayer. The mere thought of God and the present had only awoke sighing, vv. 2-4 ; the mere comparison too of the unhappy present with the past, w. 4-7, led, in the first instance, only to all kinds of complaining questions, vv. 8-10 : only the thought that the same Jahve who formerly wrought marvellous deliverance under Moses, still in like manner operates, resolved doubt and grief into solace and thanks- giving, vv. 11-13. Therefore while he now, after the recovery of blessed repose, would — praying and hoping in full confidence — indite a song, he again nms in thought in the most vivid manner over the whole course of those inconsolable and heavy
134 S0N08 OF THE DISPERSION.
thouglits, in the midst of which he desired to pray to God (vv. 2-5), from reflections and questionings (vv. 6-18) until the beginning of the true consolatory thoughts (w. 11-13). It is as though he would suffer those gloomy thoughts once more to pass in all their vividness and in all their horror before his spirit, — that he may, because of their very disconsolateness, for ever renounce them, and only hold with the greater firmness to the thought at which in the end he arrived, and in which he now tunes, with the more purity, a hymn of praise to God and His wondrous deliverance according to the sacred history of Israel under Moses, — and finishes it in blessed calm, vv. 14-21. In this hymn, begun out of a full heart, all doubt and all unrest is removed, which held in fetters- the sensitive spirit ; and the inspired true recollection of the immortal history of older days is here for the first time a means of serenest consolation.
This song, therefore, mirrors, on a small scale, the same alterna- tion of considerations and of moods from which the B. Habaqquq (I., pp. 83, 84, Dichter des A. B.) is developed on a large scale. It falls of itself into two very diverse halves, because the loud resonance of the historical hymn of praise forms a quite peculiar song. In it there break forth only sparkling beams of reminiscence of the highest points of ancient history, similarly to Pss. cxiii., cxiv. ; but it is plainly broken up into three small strophes, the middle one of which rises to the highest flight in contents and strain. Elsewhere the short verse- structure prevails in it ] while in the main song the ordinary verse-structure carries on the movement first by seven lines (twice), then by six lines (twice), as befits (I,, p. 152) a song beginning with lament. In the hymn of praise there are, on the otjier hand, six members (twice) and then five.
^ lo. 2 " Loud to God, so will I cry,
yea loud to God ; and He will hear me !"
SONOti OF 'iUE DlSl'EltSlON. l:io
111 uiy day of oppression 1 sought the Lord,
by night my hand was out-stretched, not weary, my soul wouhl not be comforted : " if I think of God, 1 must groan,
I meditate — and feeble becomes my spirit I"
b.
Thou heldest my eyelids,
I was perplexed, speaking nothing. I bethought me of the days of old, 5
the years of the eternities : " I call to mind my song in the night,
musing in my heart !"
and therefore my spirit inquired in quiet :
Will then the' Lord only cast away for ever,
and never more find favour ? is then for ever His mercy lost,
gone His promise for all times ? hath God forgotten to be gracious, 1 0
or in anger shut up His compassion ?"
d. Then I thought : " it is my suffering
but meanwhile the right hand of the Highest rules ! 1 will call to mind the histories of Jah ;
yea, I will think of Thy wonders from the early
time ! will indite concerning all ^Fhy work, and on Thy deeds let me meditate."
2 a. God ! in sanctity is Thy way ; who is a great God as God?
136 SONOS OF THE DISPERSION.
Thou art that God who doeth wonders,
madest known Thy might among-'peoples ; 1 5 Thou didst redeem with the arm Thy people,
Jakob's sons and Josefs.
h. Waters saw Thee, 0 God, Waters saw Thee — they
circle ; yea, sea's depths tremble ; clouds streamed over with water, loudly sounded the
bright heights ; yea, Thine arrows went round ; loud Thy thunder becomes in the whirl, lightnings enlightened the world ; earth trembled and shook.
20 Forth through the sea Thy way,
Thy track through many waters. Thy steps were not known — Thou leddest Thy people like a flock by Moses and Ahron !
1. The LXX take here throughout the usual cohortative form as imperf. prceteriti (see on Ixxxviii. 16) according to which from vv. 2-1 3, all without distinction would be spoken in the simple style of narration. But the poet himself dis- tinguishes between this cohortative form and the form of narration, so that his narrative is only carried on in the latter, but the former may very well pass as ^an immediately vivid word„ Indeed, the poet begins, ver. 2, forthwith with the words wherewith he also in quiet meditation began the night at that time, and leads only with ver. 3 all into narrative, as upon that first beginning, ver. 1, soon more strong words followed, ver. 4, comp, xlii. 5. — lie could not, then, in that
SONGS OF THE DISPERSION. 137
stormj: uight come to rest, ver. 5 ; and even when" he after- wards plucked up heart, and thought he would — rather than remain in dull silence— sing and play, in recollection of the old days, vv. 6, 7, his word became at first a lament over the apparently eternal loss of the height and the promises of the ancient days, vv. 8-10. Nevertheless this historical recollection led at last readily to true consolation through the recollection that this wondrously-delivering' God is still and ever the same, ver. 11 sqq. nivTI must be an inf. like ^"^"l-H^ ver. 10 (comp. §238 e) from bbn, be wounded, suffer ; m3tt?, as accusative of time : the year long, — therefore while not an earthly king rules, but the right hand of Jahve, ver. 6.
2. The hymn itself praises the w^ondrons power of Jahve according to the history of Moses,— not to exhaust all that might be said of this, but bringing out the most important and most Divine features in higher flight, -whence also concluding appropriately with abruptness wdth the mention of Moses and Ahron. But the acme of that Mosaic time and its wonders is the passage through the Ked Sea, on the picture of which the poet therefore here lingers, describing how in this moment of most vivid commotion of heaven and earth, from below the mass of the flood trembled, ver, 17; while fi'om above over the whole earth, the Divine majesty commanding, terrifying, and protecting, appeared in the storm, vv. 18, 19, till the earth trembling, yielded to the Divine Will, ver. 19 b. Thus He woudrously led His people, making a way for himself, which, so soon as the Divine majesty had passed by, immediately disappeared and became untraceable, — for Jahve, indeed, as invisible and spiritual, cannot leave such outward traces behind as an earthly king may ; in this the spiritual, the wonderful is shown, — that it invariably seizes on the spirit, and as it comes freely and in a moment, passes away without trace like the wind, only to be recognized in its effects and consequences. In vv. 17, 19, Hab. iii. 10, 11 is echoed. In the middle strophe, vv. 17-19 — wlierewith the matter, language.
138 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
and song rise to their highest, — the first member of each verse is expanded into a double member, and the whole movement becomes trochaic. The more finely does this disquiet fall sud- denly in the last strophe again to rest, vv. 20, 21 ; but it must not be overlooked that all the words, ver. 20, only give propositions expressive of state, to the concluding proposition, ver. 21.
Ps. xciv. New occasion for complaint, new agitation. The heart of the poet, troubled by the sight of the wicked, first turns — complaining with great bitterness and praying to Jahve as Avenger, vv. 1-7, but afterwards directs itself with serious denunciation and instruction against the wicked them- selves and their false opinion, vv. 8-15; and finally returns with renewed serene consciousness and glorious hope, within itself, vv. 1 6-23. So clear is the abiding influence of the pre- ceding songs in the bosom of the poet ; and the most various interchange of thoughts takes with him the most symmetrical and restful form. As the second and third strophe are each constructed of eight verses, in the first one must have fallen away.
1 O God of vengeance, Jahve,
O God of vengeances, brighten ! Rise, Judge of the earth,
give back recompense to the arrogant ! How long shall wicked men, Jahve,
how long shall the wicked exult, shall they spout forth, speak pride,
plume themselves — all evil-doers ? 5 Thy people, Jahve ! they tread, down,
and deeply oppress Thine heritage, widow and stranger -tlioy murder
and orphans they kill and yet say : " Jah sees it not,
Jakob's God marks it not V-
SONQS OF THE DISVEKSION. 139
2.
O observe nevertheless, ye most senseless among folk,
and ye fools, when will ye have understanding,? how ? He who plants the ear, should not He hear,
or the former of the eye, should He not see ? He who chastises peoples, should he not punish, 10
He who teaches knowledge to men ? Jahve knows human thoughts,
that they are but vain. — O blessed the man whom Thou chastiscst. Jab,
and teachest him out of Thy direction ; to give him rest from the worst days,
until a pit is dug for the wicked ! For Jahve will not cast off His people,
nor forsake His heritage : but to the right shall judgment Z'eturn, 15
and Him all the upright in heart follow after !
3.
Who will hold ground for me against evil-doers,
who will stand for me against malefactors ? Were Jahve no help to me,
perhaps my soul htsd already lain in the land of quiet ! When I think : " trembling is my foot,"
Thy grace, Jahve, supports me ; If my troublous musings increase in my bosom,
Thy consolations sooth my soul ; is the throne of wilfulness allied to Thee, 20
that invents mischief against right ? — They throng together against the soul of the righteous,
innocent blood they condemn ; then Jahve becomes my defence,
my God the rock of my refuge, and He requites to them their own misdeeds,
for their evil He destroys them, destroys them Jahve our God
140 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
Ver. 1. ^""S'ln according to the connexion can be neither perf. nor irif., but only imperat. : § 224 h, 1. L. 2 is present to the mind of the poet. The description, vv. 2-7, agrees almost verbally with Ixxiii. 6-9. Yer. 10 : He who, through the spirit and through history, ever chastises and teaches men, shall He not hold just judgment ? The nature of God and of man themselves refute the careless fools. Ver. 11 thus concludes: such foolish thoughts Jahve, well knowing them, may long leave unpunished, because they ai^e self-injurious and destructive. He is rather to be felicitated (vv. 12, 13) who is strengthened and encouraged in sore times by learning to know all the greatness of God, that he may at the right time see the greater salvation ; for if, according to the ancient certainty that the true community is not forsaken (ver. 14 from 1 Sam. xii. 22, comp. Jer. xii. 7) there finally comes a more mighty revelation of salvation, — all the faithful follow after Him, the Redeemer, to enjoy His salvation, comp. Ixxiii. 24. On ver. 16. comp. Ixxiii. 25. Vv. 16-20 and 21-23 are to be connected.
E. 81, 82. Psalms lxxxii., xiv. (liii.) ,
If in the dispersed and deeply depressed Israel such energies and truths were still stirring, she was bound in the course of the exile itself gradually to rise again to higher courage and to a freer prospect. And these two small but very noteworthy songs show how this new life, — towards the end of the exile, when Babel soon became degraded by internal corruption, and hastened to its fall — rises with wonderful powei-, and is directed outwards as a prophetic voice against Babel, and the kingdoms of the world at that time. They have indeed, like Pss. xci., cxxxvlii., and several other late songs, a style elevated far above that of the last preceding songs. Pss. lxxxii., xiv., cxxxviii. have even one that is very concise, compressed and pregnant ; but this is explained from the new elevation of the best spirits of these years, and short,-^ winged expressions of
SONGS OF THE DISPERSION. 141
new ifispiration, pointed and bitter, small songs of the kinjl become henceforth for a time more frequent. For according to their contents these two songs certainly belong' most correctly to the present place.
Ps. Ixxxii. gives the irony which comes to the surface in Ps. Iviii., in its finished form and executed in the cleverest style of representation, so that it produces and supports the whole song. While the poet sees the great satraps and governors of the earth to be entirely unworthy of the supreme dignity which they have enjoyed as gods and sons of gods, — that they discharge their sacred office in the most godless and wicked manner, and in incorrigible bhndness and perversity fail to maintain the rest and order of the earth, but destroy it, — his spirit foresees clearly their certain and sudden fall by the agency of the true ^.nd supreme God'. Yea, it is a peculiar delight to his acute spirit to contemplate for once the true God as Judge of these earthly gods and judges, and to follow out in thought how these are silent before the strict Judge of the world ; and because they cannot defend themselves and approve themselves as gods, — must be given over to punish- ment like ordinary men. This is the bitterness and serious- ness of the irony — that they who will to be and might be gods upon earth, are finally once for all judged by the supreme God, and then fall like ordinary men. Full of this truthful view, the poet introduces the supreme God on a solemn day dis- pensing justice in the midst of the gods, — denouncing indeed at the same time and reproving, but not immediately con- demning, but freely allowing the defence, vv. 1-4. None however can defend himself, all are without understanding and blinded, confessing everything, ver. 5 ; therefore the punish- ment follows, determined in the above ironical turn of expres- sion, vv. 6-7. But as this judgment and this punishment, — however truly and finely conceived and described, — are so far only in the imagination of the poet, not actual ; at the end the
14:2 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
poet is forced by calmer reflection, in a short after-address, to summon that God to judgment over the earth who rules all peoples without distinction, ver. 8. This supplement shows most i^lainly that the poet understands heathen greatness, and doubtless he lived in the midst of Gentiles, seeing close at hand the perversity of a great kingdom, Ez. xxviii. prophe- tically further develops the same thought in his manner.
According to the structure of the strophes, the whole con- tents, in this sharp and pointed discourse, are compressed as into one great strophe, starting from the smaller with eight elegant members, but this is shortened on the repetition to seven, and in the echoing address at the end to only two.
1 God stands in Divine assembly,
judging in the midst of gods ; " How long will ye to judge— unrighteousness,
and with the wicked — to be pleased ? " Judge the bowed down, orphans,
give justice to the sufferers and the poor, " deliver the bowed down and helpless,
from the hand of the wicked free them \" —
5 They have no understanding and no sense,
in the darkness they walk ; all the earth's foundations tremble. " I thought, ye were gods,
- sons of the Highest, all of ye : " but as men shall ye die,
and at once, ye princes, fallj" —
Up, God ! judge the earth !
for Thou art ofall peoples supremo Lord !
vW ver. 1, indicates merely the way and manner, in our mode of expression the adjective- (§ 287/.) Ver. 2. Note
SONOS OF THE DISPEBSION. 143
the sharp opposition ; judge — injustice, instead of right, as \\\ Iviii. 2. Vv. 3-4, after Isa. i. 17, reproving, supplying the forgotten principle of right. — Ver. 5. The disorder and con- fusion, the trembling of all foundations of the earth, is justly deduced from want of understanding, but for this very reason judgment and punishment is now necessary; comp, xi, 3, Ixxv. 4. Vv. 6-7 must be the words of the highest judge, although the peculiar irony in the sense of the poet strongly comes out. The Q^i;? ver. 7 a leads readily of itself to the bye-sense which it has in xlix. 3, comp. Job xxxi. 33. The words C"'1lf n ins^ h would on the other hand, according to this punctuation and accentuation, signify like one of the princes, i.e., like an ordinary prince, a true Hebrew idiom, 2 Sam. ix. 11, Judg, xvi. 7, 11, 1 Kings xix. 2. But the oppo- sition requires here not princes and gods, but mortal common men and gods. Therefore "^r^^^ must be expressed, a word which, in the signification without distinction all at once, is just now much in use, Isa. Ixv. 25, Ezr. ii. 64, iii. 9, vi. 20, Eccles. xi. 16; earlier in a more complete form THS tt;''S3 Num. xiv. 15, which also reads in Ezr. iii. 1, Neh. viii. ] ; quite correspondent is the Syr. expression. So is also cnn quite as B. Jes. xxi. 5 in a prophetic piece of about the time. — At once shall they fall because this is the Messianic judgment.
Ps. xiv. (Ps. liii.) shows in style and sense the greatest resemblance to the preceding song, — so that probably the poet is the same. But if in the preceding only irony could predict the certain although possibly distant fall of the rulers of the kingdom of sin, — here a purely serious spirit expresses the equally near and certain overthrow of the whole corrupt world by the agency of Jahve as highest Judge. And as everything is here more concrete, nearer, more strained and decided, — the poet must have written somewhat late, possibly a few years beibrc BabeFs fall. Babel, — not conquered, but utterly dege-
144 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
nerate, and, according to inner truth, already coiidemned by God, rapidly advancing to its overthrow — is plainly before the eyes of the poet, as the centre of the world-dominion of that time; while he looks upon Israel as finally to be redeemed, comp. the same in a more strictly prophetic strain in Isa. xxi. 1-10. The poet then makes the drama pass before the imagi- nation, as he has in spirit already beheld it brought on and complete, — in fugitive but grand pictures with most vivid truthfulness, vv. 1-6. Finally follows, as in the preceding song, upon the view thus pressed forward, — more calmly the wish for a speedy execution of that which is in itself certain, ver. 7. In the painting of the vision or the main part of the song, all is very select, the materials are artistically fitted together, and the end of the grand drama is set forth in its necessity in the most striking manner : scarcely can anything great and true be sketched with shorter, more telling touches. Exactly at the time when folly and sin through denial of God have reached their highest measure on earth, God comes to the assembl}^, w. 1, 2. But a cry of indignation — when He finds everything corrupt, and nowhere salvation and soundness — over the incorrigible blindness of the tyrants who recklessly oppress Israel, escapes from the supreme Judge, vv. 3-4. He cannot suffer Israel, i.e., the true community to perish; and immediately the just punishment falls, striking the cowardly- without chance of escape.
The mode of structure of the strophes is similar to that of the preceding song, only still more fugitive and rapid. The strophe consists of only three verses, but each has three elegant members, and a half strophe after the second concludes the unique part of the song :
1 The fool said in his heart : " There is no God \" corruptly, horribly did they act, none was there who did good.
SONGS OF THE DISPERSION. 145
Jabve from heaven looked upon the sons of men, to see whether there was a man of understanding, one who sought God ? —
All was astray, all together turned sour, none who did good, nay, not even one ! " are then all evil-doers without understanding, who consumed my people, consumed like bread, called not on Jahve V —
There they quaked a quaking which was no quaking : 5 for God scattered their bones. They missed their blow against the sufferer, because God despised them !* 0 that from Sion the deliverance of Israel might come ! when Jahve turns His people's turning, let Jakob be merry, Israel rejoice !
For n^'^br^ ver. 1 in Ps. liii., ^.)27 less suitably ; it arose from a cursory reading. Soured, ver. 3, corrupt, after Job xv. 16. How thoughtless they are is clear enough from the fact that they do naught but carouse and squander, even dissipating and bringing to naught whole peoples, even the spiritual people, Israel, simply for their own increase and sensuous com- fort (as very similarly we read in B. Jer. 1. 17, li. 34), without thinking of the true God or calling upon Him. To eat bread, i.e., feast, comp. Loqman, Fab. 5 and 29, with Rodiger's voca- bulary thereto ; the transition of the particip. into the verb fin. : § 350 b. It is further stated in the Theol Stud. u. Krit., 1829, pp. 774-5, why, ver. 5, the readings of Ps. liii., are better, and
* Or, according to Ps. xiv. :
There they quaked a quaking
because God is in the generation of the just ! Yc will see the blow against the suftVicr to be vaiu, bocausc Jahve is llis rcfa;:« !
VOL. II. 10
146 SONOS OF THE DlSrERSWN.
how they may have arisen ; but in Ps. xiv. some original ones have been retained. According to Ps. liii. the sense must be : so suddenly and in a moment bringing to naught, did the Divine punishment fall on them, they no sooner quaked than they were dashed to pieces, while the bones of the foe who attacked and besieged thee (Israel ! comp. § 252 a), — now slain, — were scattered, as on the battle-field the bones of the vanquished, about which none takes further trouble. (In this case we must assume that the image is borrowed from the siege of Jerusalem by Sanherib's army). Thou, Israel! mightest justly show scorn because the God whom they despised, ver. 1 , has much more despised them» Much weaker and tamer is everything in Ps. xiv., in which they only quake because they feel that in Israel, as they had not believed, there is a mighty avenging God. But it must not fail to be recognized that '^^'^ here gives an image of besieging which is not prepared by the preceding, and in itself is difficult to understand, but the thou didst despise would stand here very abruptly. But if the arrangement of words was originally
we can readily see how (1) on the concurrent writing of tlie two members ri!S27 might have been dropped after n:n!i27, and (2) -[Dn may liave arisen from ^35^. But in that case, for urs IZ^'^Iin we must read ^^''r'^^ which also better suits 1tt?^Dn, and the whole is thus consistently brought into its original state : their attack upon the sufferer, i.e., on Israel was, according to ver. 4, entirely to consume hiiu. j"^^'?. is an accusative (§ 281 r) to bu taken witji ^''?l', blush, Avhich, accorVling to the other reading, must give to this the active signification put to shame^ scoff, which, indeed, would be still more easily intelligible if, with a slight alteration, cntt?^3n with the .^-jff'. might be read.
From Siou, ver. 7, because in exile, especially towards the
SONGS OF THE DISPERSION. U7
end,' uiider the generally rising hope, the high regard for the ancient sacred place, as the seat of Divine influence on Israel's behalf, remaiued in force, Isa, xl. — xlii. The poet did not however himself live there, but probably in Babylonia.
But how far then from fruitless inwardly, for the disposition and state of the heart, the exile had bean, is shown by nothing more plainly than by. the songs which in the great turning period of all affairs of the time arose from pjirely personal excitations. For they show already the germ of new life, as if Israel had again become worthy through an inward change and invigoration of external redemption and deliverance. The heart once so faint, almost prostrate beneath sufferings and grief, has learnt to overcome the sorrows of the world, — amidst the constant pressure of dangers, scoffs and persecutions, readily finding and ever anew, rest and solace' in Jahve. Distorted proud thoughts and claims, such as, e.g., might readily arise out of the Messianic expectations, are recognized in their erring character, and are incessantly repressed, every passion is subdued ; pure hope and energy, the new re-born man appears in new glory ; and while thus a spirit become restful and clear, prepared on all sides, meets the external world and its changes, it gazes towards the unfolding of the nearest future, and the manifestation of the salvation inwardly now again apprehended, and confident in God. And this, although with the glow of longing desire, yet with collectedness and composure. Not only so : but the limits of time are enlarged, and of the hope of salvation in it— even into infinity. For he who actually beholds and hopes for the pure object out of his own strength, becomes sure of it for all eternity. Hardly can the hope and the attention be more fiery and full of longing, yet at the same titne more resigned through higher cousidei'a- tions than here, indeed more humble ; and where the inner salvation is now so clear and firm, there — it is observed — the external can no longer be distant. But as this is a hope ever
JO *
148 SOXGH OF THE DISPERSION.
on the stretch, ever wniting, observant of all signs and readily- excitable, the feeling gushes forth most freely and beautifully in a number of small fugitive songs, as each rude or gentle fluctuation of the time touches a new side of the easily agitated mind, while they all in harmony permit only the governing mood of the poet^s soul to be perfectly audible and distinct. They are the few strong pulse-beats of a moment of great expectations; and with each, the decision, the victory moves nearer. Thus a series of five songs are
88-87. Pss. cxx., cxxi., cxxiii., cxxx., cxxxi.,
which are derived without difficulty from the same poet (although Ps. cxx. does not present itself as the first song of a poet), and express the deepest thoughts in winged words ; each complete and noble by itself, and yet only perfectly clear in connexion wuth its sisters. In Ps. cxx. we see the poet forced to tarry in the midst of unpeaceable rude men, who vex and torment him keenly with deceitful and malicious speeches, with quarrels and slanders, so that he, who in his inspiration feels the necessity to speak loudly and openly, though injuriously to none, can never find rest and peace. And thus fallen into distress and oppression, he calls here, according to wonted custom, on Jahve as Deliverer, w. 1-2; proceeding with threats, when he calls to mind how sharply the Just One would punish malicious slander, vv. 3-4; but again forthwith sinking to gentle repose and contemplation, vv. 5-7.
On the style of the short-songs which from this point occur in greater number, and consistently spring from the high excitement and haste of these times, com'p. I. Dichtcr des A.B., pp. 38-4. Each song bursts forth as in one strophe alone, being constructed chiefly out of !he four-membercd double-verse of elegant style, mostly breaking in the middle into two halves, often with a short echo. But none of the short- songs of our poet is without anv division, nor even the very sliort Ps. cxxxiii.
soyas OF the dispersion. Ud
To Jalive ill my distress 'I
I call and He hears nie. 0 Jahve, deliver ray soul from lying lips,
from the treacherous tongue ! —
How will He punish thee and how chastise thee,
Thou deceitful tongue, ye sharp murdering ari'ows
together with broom-coals ! —
0 woe to me that I am a guest of Meshek, o
sojourn among Qedar's tents ! enough has my soul already dwelt
among haters of peace ; I — even when I speik peace,
they are for war !
Ver. 1 spoken out of experience, as introduction to the prayer, ver. 2. But that the language then turns immediately, vv. 3, 4 — with sharp menace of Divine judgment — boldly against the persecutors, is clear from the phrase ^"'P"'! ]^''., which is most readily understood as a slight change from the ■well-known threatening oath, 1 Sam. iii, 17. But in such strong passages we must not overlook the fact that even verbally punishment is not wished against men as such, bub only against sin. But if the treacherous tongue embraces a multitude of sharply hitting, deeply wounding and stinging- words, it is plain of itself how, ver. 4, sharp arrows of a murderer ("112? in the bad sense as tyrant, cruel man) and coals of broom {i.e., the most glowing, burning longest and deepest, because the broom-coals algadda Hamdsa, p. 443, 9, retain fire very long, Burckhardt's Syr., p. 1073, Petermann's Beiseii, ii. 89, 134) may be compared to the deceitful tongue ; comp. lix. 8, Ivii. 5 ; Prov. xxv. 22. Much is taken word for word from Iii. 2-0. — Since the mountains and peoples of
150 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
Meshek lie in the extreme North (Gen. x, 2), but the seats of the Qedarenes in Arabia, it is easy to see that the two peoples, ver. 6, are named only by way of example for the rudest foreign peoples ; where the poet actually dwelt we do not learn from this, though such miiy not be his intention. My soul, ver. 6, because here the innermost feeling, pleasure, or pain of the soul, is concerned. mvC; might (§ 296 h) be taken : I am peace, nothing but peace : yet if I speak, etc. But the whole series of words a, is better taken as an individual pro- position so constructed in deeper excitement, § 362 h.
Ps. cxxi. Heflections, in a new moment, of- disquiet and disturbance. As the longing and the need to look around for help becomes heard, ver. 1, the consciousness is again imme- diately clear as to whence the true help comes, ver. 2 ; again the former arises, more mildly, on the consideration : Jahvc will not weary of helping ? ver. 3, and immediately the higher consciousness is anew invigorated, conquering even the lightest doubt, and is unfolded, assuring the soul of rest and solace for all time, vv. 4-8. Comp. Ps. xci., only that we here see still the violent fluctuation and agitation of the mind, which again seeks and finds rest.
1 1 lift my eyes to the mountains,
whence will my help come ? My help comes from Jahve,
the Creator of heaven and of earth. — He will not suffer Thy foot to stagger,
Thy warder surely slumbers not ? — 0 no, he slumbers not and sleeps not.
The warder of Israel !
5 Jahve is Thy warder,
Jahve Thy shadow on the right hand ! by day the sun will not scorch thee, and not the moon in the night :
SONGS OF 11 IK DlStKllSlON. 151
- Jalive will protect thee from all evil, will protect thy soul ; Jalive will protect thy coniiug and thy goin<>; henceforth and even to eternity !
To the mountains, ver. 1, is not so much merely round about in the distance, to see wliLther from the distance in any direction help may come, but points away to Palestine, and is thus most appropriate in the mouth of distant ones speaking of it, as Nah. ii. 1, and often m Hezeqiel. How greatly the view and the hope are widened, is cleai* from the mighty names and ideas of Jahve, vv. 2, 4 : the world- Creator is ; Iso the Warder of Israel, who can never suti'er the true community 'to perish, comp. Isa. xl. — xlvi. ^^, ver. 3, is a question about what in personal opinion is impossible : doch nicht ? as I hope and think, that it will not and cannot be ; as also fxrj is used. At the right, at the same time, withal, ver. 5, comp. xvi. 8, ex. 5 ; thij going and thy coming, i.e., thy activity, influence upon earth. That even the moon on a bright night may injure him who sleeps without proper protection, is a general opinion in the East (also in Central America), and quite possible, owing to the cool nights, comp. Sur. 118, 3 ; Carne, Leben u, Sitten im Morgenl., translated by Liiidau, Th. I., p. 73 (1827); Aiisland, 1834, 18 Oct., p. 1161, 1840 June, p. G30 ; Sellberg's Reise nach Java (1846), pp. 85 sq., Wellsted^s Reisen nach der Stadt der Chalifen (translated by Pforzheim, 1844), p. 64.
Ps. cxxiii. Still continues sore vexation and manifold suffering, as severe chastisement from Jahve ; He must be supplicated anew. But as the slave fixedly looks to the hand of his lord as communicating hints and commands, so the faithful long, with jealous watchfulness and tension wait for Jahve's hint ; and what can this hint, if given be now, except the sign tliat finally the hour of salvation comes, that grace finally takes its course ? ft)r the spring of compassion in Him
152 SONOS OF THE DISPERSION.
is inexhaustible. — That this image gives too slavish a sense, cannot be said ; but it is new and probably first struck the Hebrews in the exile. But as the poet feels strength and hght only in the community, and neither wishes nor can wish to be redeemed for himself alone, the sing, gradually passes over, and rightly, into the j^?;t?-.
1 To Thee I raise my eyes,
who art throned in the heavens ! yea as to their lord^s hand slaves look,
as a female slave looks to her mistress' hand, so look we to Jahve our God,
till that He be gracious to us ! Be gracious, Jahve, to us, be gracious to us,
for we are sated enough with contempt : enough has our soul been sated
with the scoff of the careless, with the contempt of
the proud !
Only between ver. 2 and 3 a small pause, while vv. 3, 4 first explain with the prayer also the cause of the longing waiting. On the article in ^^'^U, comp. § 290 d, and how because of this article added with emphasis to tha first nomen, 7 stands in preference, in lighter style, the second time before Q''3't^2 (K'tib) § 292 a.
Ps. cxxx. Because anew grief must call to Jahve out of deepest sufferings, the consciousness only indicated in the preceding song comes clearly out, that the Divine forgiveness for the old transgressions and aberrations* of Israel must at last come, for the furtherance of Divine fear (religion) upon earth ; because genuine fear of GOd is demanded not only by the revelation of His power, but at times still more by that of His goodness and compassion; and the time was incontestably one of those. In the second half, vv.^o-8, calm hope returns
SONGS OF THE DISPERSION. 153
on Sudi considerations, and to this the poet exhorts not merely himself but also, w. 7, 8, all Israel. For always more plainly appears how the poet finds his whole weal and woe in the community alone.
Out of the deep chasm I call on Thee, Jahve ! 1
Lord, hear my crying, be Thine ears attentive
to my loud supplication ! If Thou keepest sins, Jah,
0 Lord, who will stand ? leather Thou hast indeed forgiveness,
that Thou mayest be feared !^ —
I wait on Jahve, my soul waits, 5
and on His word I hope ; my soul upon Jahve, more
than watchers for the morning, watchers fur the
morning.
0 wait, Israel, on Jahve !
for Jahve has grace, and much redemption hath He ; and He will redeem Israel
from all his sins !
Yer. 3 : Keejyest sins, lettest them not out of sight, over- lookest, forgivest not; Jah, later frequent abbreviation of Jahve, comp. p. 125. His word, ver. 5, the eternal word of God through all time, that of salvation, of redemption, almost entirely as Ivi. 5, 11 ; the soul tvaits, ver. 5, as is completed in ver. 6, on Thee and Thy salvation still more longingly and watchfully than watchers for the morning that releases them from their hard position.
Ps. cxxxi. — spoken a short time after the preceding — finally makes known the completest and most collected resignation, as
154 SONGS OF THE DISPERSION.
tlie poet, subduing the storm of all passions, renouncing all excessively proud and great expectations, — now like a contented child, resting in the bosom of God, freely and jo3^ously looks toward the future ; quiet and modest, but with infinitely joyous certainty, expecting not so much his salvation only as that of Israel, and exhorting Israel to be trustful, waiting with, such a mind and disposition. Nothing can be finer and more striking than the description here sketched with most child- like feeling of the new birth to a fresh life ; nothing more noble and decisive than this new birth itself, — certain and bear- ing within itself the pledge of a better future, as it here appears with full power and certainty; nothing more compensatory than this utter renunciation of one^s own external welfare, this utter resolution of one's own wishes into the wish for the weal of the community. He who was found thus disposed on the external redemption from exile, was certainly prepared for and capable of enjoying the salvation. — The members are here formed involuntarily otherwise, — longer, more extended, calmer. Only in the echo again the ordinary measure.
1 Jahve ! not proud is my heart, not high my eyes,
nor do I walk in a way too high and too wonderful, certainly, I have smoothed and quieted my soul ;
like a child weaned from his mother, So lies in me my soul weaned. —
O wait, Israel, on Jahve, henceforth and to eternity
/ ivalk not in that too high and wonderful for me, namely, too proud thoughts and deeds corresponding to them, e.g., if the poet had desired to bring about the Messianic salvation by force, deceived by fanaticism ; comp. what Jer. xlv. 5 proposed. Smoothed the soul^ which earlier was like a strong sea; and quieted as the weaned child lies quite quietly and still on the same bosom which earlier roused most violently all its im-
SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 155
petuoTis desire ; so the soul of the poet now calmly rests wit^h his wishes in God, without being further irritated and too violently carried away by these.
lY.
SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
According to all above said, the final deliverance came to those who were truly the noblest and most capable portion of Israel, when the}' had been inwardly prepared and fitted, born anew to the new life, and worthy of the great salvation. But although the deliverance itself did not come unexpectedly, yet the peculiar historical mode of the deliverance might create surprise, and carry away and influence the multitude. "With the actual deliverance, the return from the forced banishment, the new building of Jerusalem and the temple, the new establishment of the community and some kind of state, the loudest joy resounds ; the merriest jubilation, long silenced, breaks out most impetuously, partly from the feeling of individuals, partly from the sensibilities of the whole com- munity, both in winged delicate songs of the moment, and iu more artistic and longer pictures. After long errors and sufferings, finally with the deliverance, a crisis, a turning had come, in which Israel had become conscious, as the basis and beginning of the true community, of its indestructible duration, its peculiar position on earth, its destiny to bring all Gentiles to Jahve, — and all this with a most vivid power and certainty earlier unknown. And thus, next to the prophetic words of that time, the songs breathe peculiar lofty power and in- spiration, infinite confidence and hope, bold views of all times, relations and kingdoms of the world, and the certainty of final victory over all Gentiles. There are also many keen glances and subtle observations in regard to the depths of the human
156 SONQS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
spirit and of morality. With this turn of thought Israel obtains a powerful advance, and makes a strong movement, soaring towards Christianity. And therefore these' songs are full of new spii'it and impetus, pervaded by the certainty of high truths, obtained through the fire of trial, and not to be lost. The firmness and higher confidence at this time gained never ceases ; a fresh circle of understanding and steadfastness was seen by Israel to be placed around its old rock-firm stock, which could defy all future storms.
For certainly there soon again came sufferings, trials, and sore dangers, fresh disasters and perplexity. For had all possible profit been drawn from that moment of first fresh inspiration and elevation : there must have proceeded from it in Israel a new shape of everything, a new law adapted to the altered times and necessities. But the time for rising above Moses was not yet come, because the precisely opposite danger, that of the over-estimation and confused reverence for the old and popular, was not yet recognized, on the contrary had grown up anew, was far therefore from being overcome. The complete conquest of the heathen effects then in the first instance only a closer cohesion in the nationality, now become victorious and glorified, though earlier often despised, rejected and misunderstood. Sion and the Temple are again to rise in greater glory, the old sanctuary is again to become the place of union of the fearers of Jahve, the ancient written law is to serve as the basis o£ living. But thereby the principle of nationality is too highly prized, the heathen, whom it was desired to attract, are repelled, jealousy and discords, yea, schism and war between the new Israel and the Gentiles are the more called forth, because the anei^t popular enmities again revived, and the heathen rulers became embittered against a people which boastS" of a world-dominion. Through the consequences of this narrow troubled adhesi ^n to the popular principle, Israel, vvhicli had advanced by so mighty a step, I'etreatcd with one foot. lu the c5nfusiou beginning and
SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 157
incteasing, a mass of new plaintive songs and lament strcaT:(js from tlie bosom of many poets. The long duration of these heavy uncertainties and sufferings, the ever-increasing 'limita- tion and narrowness, and gradually also the too anxious reverence for the written law so depress the spirit, that after the first noble songs, there are many feeble and nerveless ones amongst those that follow, and the ancient power of the song is lost in softness and diffuseness. The poets in part them- selves feel this, and content themselves with imitation and repetition of older songs.
Yet this period possesses again a peculiar advantage in the fact that in it joy and sorrow, contemplation and hope are so general and equal, that the individual ever passes away in the general, and we now see the community more than the poet. Already in the songs of the second age this closer fellowship of the like-minded and this turning to the multitude began : now air is still more definitive, because the exile has produced so sharp a separation, and especially because only the faithful assembled themselves into a new community under the still remaining restrictions of these times.
The light which earlier shone in a few great spirits, is now divided among the multitude, and enlightens and consoles many ; the poetic power which at first is cumulative in David, is only now distributed a thousandfold among many, and more in the most numerous band of poets and friends of songs. This is fine, and nothing better can be desired, the very number of the songs is valuable. And as now the more firmly constituted community prevails over the individual, and he only feels himself strong in the former, only seeks to operate upon it, and as moreover no great blessing soon remained to the people but its Temple and its religion : the Temple-poesy only now comes into full bloom, and there arises a number of festive songs for the needs of the community. Again, didactic poetry now greatly improves upon the beginnings of an earliei- time; tliat which is too peculiar and
158 SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
personal more and more passes away in most of the songs. Finally^ there prevails in very many songs the high regard for antiquity, the advantages of which were only now generally prized, and in the memory of which the later [writers] found their pride, indeed the best elements of their own life. In this way Antiquity comes to a close.
1. The First Times of the Deliyeeance.
A. In the voices of Individuals.
88-97. Pss. cxxiT., cxxiv. — cxxix., cxxxiii sq., lxxxvii.
These ten songs belong, according to all traces, to one poet, — the same who sang the five last explained. We see every- where the same highly inspired, yet collected and acquiescent soul, which had longed for the newly germinating salvation of Israel before the deliverance, and now follows after it with most intense love and sympathy ; and now again seized and filled by every noble thought, which is awakened by this higher time, expresses it in a short original song. He appears after the return from exile to have dwelt not in Jerusalem itself, but rather as an agriculturalist in a country-town of Galilee, and to have gone at times thence to the capital and the temple in course of re-erecti6n ; this plainly follows from Ps. cxxii., comp. the (with the expeption of Amos) unusually frequent and singular images (^f Jigriculture, cxxvi. 4-6, cxxix. 3-8. But only his external salvation is altered by the deliver- ance ; inwardly he is in ^hea©>jten songs quite the same as in those five. Throughout we find an extraordinary breadth and elevation of the thoughts, partly in words which are echoed in many late songs, as the fienceforth and for ever, cxxi. 8, cxxv. 2, cxxxi. 3 (cxxxiii. 3, cxxviii. ^), the name Creator of heaven and of earth, cxxi. 2, cxxiv. 8j-^xXxiv. 3, which later so often recurs. In thought and in word he is full oipeace, cxx. 6, 7, cxxii. 6-9, cxxv. 5, cxxviii. 6, of blessing, cxxviii. 5, cxxix. 8,
SO^'GS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. lo9
cxxxiii» 3, cxxxiv., of waking, cxxi. 3-5, cxxx. 6, cxxvii. 1 (cxxxiv. 1). In expression again there are several noteworthy features, as ^'^1, enough, cxx. 6, cxxiii. 4, cxxix. 1, 2 (exxiii. 3), tlie shortened ^^ for Jahve, cxxii. 4, cxxx. 3, comp. above, p. 125; and the colour of the language departs with him as with many writers of the time of the exile and immediately after him, strongly from the genuine old Hebrew ; but takes a form in his case in this direction quite peculiar, comp. the constant ^^, § 181 ' b, ni^l,"?, cxxix. 6, ^^n^, Ixxxvii. 6, modes of writing like ^^^, cxxvii. 2 (§ 173 h). — The result is that the whole collection of the pih/rim-songs, Pss. cxx. — cxxxiv., with exception of the entirely different Ps. cxxxii., presents itself as proceeding from the like source, comjj. further Vol. I., p. 15.
Ps. cxxiv. and Ps. cxxix. express with fine intensity the fresh feeling of that time — how that the community, not by its outward power, but only through the spiritual blessings living and ever operating in her, or through her fellowship with Jahve, could be saved. Both are arranged as songs to be sung by the community (probably according to the type of Ps. cxviii.) ; and Ps. cxxiv. casts simply a glance upon the just fled past, vv. 1-5, with short thanksgiving and hope, vv. G-9.
Had not Jahve been with us, 1
let Israel say, had not Jahve been with us
when men rose up against us ; yea, then had they swallowed us up liv'ing,
when their wrath was kindled against us ; yea, then had the water streamed over us,
the brook had gone over our life ; 5
tlicy had gone over our life
tliose over-boiling floods ! —
160 SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
Blessed be Jahve,
that He gave us not for a spoil to tlieir teetli ! our life — like a bird it escaped from the hunter^s toils,
the net brake, — and we escaped ! Our help is in Jahve^s Name,
Creator of heaven and of earth !
I27";'blb, prop., if it had not been Jahve whom we had ; on w. 4, 5, comp. above Ps. xl. and Ps. Ixix.
Ps. cxxix. brings out — after the experience that Israel although of old and deeply bowed down, is nevertheless invin- cible by Jahve's help — more plainly the hope thence arising for all the future ; with rare images borrowed from agriculture. Invincible is Israel, vv. 1-2, through the righteous Jahve, that is, who suddenly destroyed the base oppression of the tyi^ants, vv. 3-4 ; therefore the cruel tyrants will never attain their purpose against Him, but themselves wither away like the most transient, useless and most wretched grass, vv. 5-8.
1 . Much have I been oppressed since my youth
let Israel say, much have I been oppressed since my youth,
— nevertheless they have not prevailed against me ! On my back ploughers ploughed me,
drew their furrows long : Jahve is righteous ;
cut away tie cord of the wicked !
6 , Full of shame shall they retreat 'backwards,
all who hate Sion, become like to the "grass of the roofs,
that before it blooms withers away, wherewith his hand a reaper never-fills
nor his arm a binder of sheaves.
SONGS OP RRSTORRD JERUSALEM. Hi I
-where they who pass by never said :
" Jahve's blessing upon you ! we bless you in Jahve's name \"
On ver. 3, comp. Isa. li. 23 ; they cut through my l)ack not slightly, but drawing as it were long furrows upon it; V is accordingly to be understood, if j"n327Q after the K'tib is taken as j>/;t/-., — as Aram, sign of the accusative (see on Ixix. 6) But as the ploughman, so soon as the cord which binds the oxen to the plough is cut through, cannot proceed cruelly to tear up the earth : even so God suddenly cut off from the tyrants the means of their cruelty, lao"'') 1l!:?2% after xl. 15. The second picture of agriculture, elicited by the first, gives the meaning of the most transient, and at the same time useless, unpleasant thing, — while the faithful bloom and profit, blessed by all, like a rich and joyous cornfield .; for the greeting of passers-by, see Ruth ii.'4. r]bw, draw out, push blossoms and fruit, where plants are spoken of; correctly the Targ.
Pss. cxxv., cxxvi. — The just founded and still very weak structure of the new Jerusalem had soon to contend again (about 530-520) with many evils, enmities, and seductions from without at the hands of heathendom, as the power in the world at that time, — besides internal division, scarcity, etc., so that the building of the temple came to a stand, and the whole state of the city became doubtful. Comp. Haggai and Zacharja. Yet the poet is too full of pure hope and high confidence in Jahve and the true Israel, to admit of des- pondency in his repeated supplication, even under the increasing danger. Ps. cxxv breathes the boldest confidence, so that the poet feels himself urged first to express this in its height for all times and for the present, vv. 1-3, whereupon prayer then obtains free course, vv. 4, 5.
They who trust in Jahve, — 1
are like the Sion's mount that never wavers, VOL. H. 11
162 80N0S OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
for ever remains inhabited : Jerusalem — round about liatb it mountains^ and Jabve is round about His people, henceforth and unto eternity. For the rod of the wicked will not rest on the lot of the
righteous, that the righteous may not stretch their hands in unrighteousness ! — 0 Jahve, do good to the good
and to those who are honest in their heart ! 5 But they who turn aside to their crookedness,
may Jahve cause them to depart with evil-doers ! Salvation upon Israel !
As Sion, in itself very strong and protected by its sur- roundings, also according to history ever again inhabited, gives the eternal image of constancy, so also are those surrounded and guarded by Jahve and His sanctuary (in the same Sion) firm and unshaken, for all times as in the present danger. For the rod, the rule of the wicked, which now sorely weighs upon the lot, the Divine portion, the property (Ps. xvi.) of the just, i.e., on the promised land (Ixi. 6), will not ever rest upon it. And for this reason, the poet thinks, that the excessive distress and the fear of the oppressions of mighty men {e.g., of the Samaritans at that time powei^ful in Palestine and the Persian magnates supporting these) may not seduce the new builders to anything inconsistent with the stricter religion, comp. xix. 14 above, Vol. I., p. 103. Only nothing half-hearted, nothing dis- honest and incompatible with strict conscience ! no yielding in matters of religion from human fear and human complaisance ! This was the feeling of those first founders of the new Jerusalem, and the conclusion, vv. 4, S^ agrees well with the sharp opposi- tion between the honest in their own heart, and those secretly meditating departures and concessions, of whom there must at that time have been a considerable number in Jerusalem, who.
SONGS OF KESTORED JERUSALEM. 103
the poet justly so far desires may be panished, even as evU- doers= ignorant heathen.
Ps. exxvi. first leads memory, amidst enduring sufferings, to the surprisingly joyous and beautiful time of the first deliverance, vv. 1-3 ; in order then the more urgently, yet in full hope, to pray for the mitigation of the present sufferings, vv. 5-G ; as if the poet desired to conjure up again the joyous time of the beginning of tlie present conditions.
When Jahve restored again Sion, 1
we were like dreamers ; then our mouth, was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with jubilation ; then said they among the heathen :
'' great things hath Jahve done to these \" Jahve had done" great things among us,
we were full of joy. —
0 restore us again, Jahve,
like water-beds in the South land ! They thus sow in tears, — 5
in rejoicing they reap ; he goes forth indeed and weeps who bears the seed- cast ; but come, come home in rejoicing will he who bears his sheaves !
Ver. 4. The expression, n^W may be intended to say only the same as ver. 1, comp. above, p. 113: thus only is under- stood the image of the water-hedf^ in the South land. The forest-brooks in the South land, i.e., in Southern Juda are at times utterly dried up and desert ; but just as an extraordinary rich rain from above may restore them to general refreshment and joy, so mayest Thou restore us who languish in misery ! — And in vv. 6, G a corresponding hope comes in : if it is a
11 ^
164 SONGS OF RESTOBED JERVSALEM.
general expectation and experience that out of sorrow and humility joy and exaltation germinate, that the countryman sowing in bitterest distress reaps in joy (certainly the new building had known this experience at that time, comp. Ixvii. 7, Ixxxv. 13 with Hagg. i. 10, ii. 19) so will also Sion, now founded in trouble and tears, as if sown abroad, have yet a fair future. For not that tvhich is sown and reaped, is here set forth as different, which would be incorrect ; but only the manner and feelings at the sowing and reaping. The two sentences with inf. ahsol. form thereby a very strong opposition, § 280 1, only that in the first proposition the iiif. ahsol. is carried on by a new verb, § 312 c.
Pss. cxxvii., cxxviii., cxxxiii. — As at that time community and house were founded anew, yea were restored with new love and high zeal, there stream over these relations from time to time short winged songs from the poet^s mouth, while each small song skilfully marks a fine self-included picture, full of speaking truth;^/?^. cxxvii, : human haste and industry by themselves, — :especially such as would force everything in its anxiety and onesidedness — succeeds neither in the great nor the small human societies, nor by any means furthers the prosperity and building up of the house (the family) ; but all blessings come to the man who toils in hope and believes, as free gifts from God ; and this is peculiarly manifest from the fairest of these gifts and the best oi-nament of the house, — a band of strong sons, serving as a guard to the house. — This and the following song may well be conceived and designated as Table-songs, y^
The twcK^lves of the song have here the finest symmetry ; each lias seven members.
1 If Jahve builds not the house
the builders have had vain toil therein ; if Jahve guards not the city, the guard has watched in vain.
SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. V]5
Vain is it for you to rise early,
to sit late, eating the bread of sorrow : thus giveth He it sleeping to His beloved ! — '
See, Jahve's heritage are sons,
His reward the fruit di the body; as arrows in the hero's hand,
so are the sons of youth. Hail to the man who hath his quiver f uU of them : 6
never will they be ashamed when they speak with enemies at the gate !
The particij). ver. 2 a and b standing in a dependent half- proposition, which in itself might pass for a static proposition, according to Hebrew and Aramseic usage, is possible also in Greek. ---W3l^, sleejo, ver. 2 c is subordinated (§ 299 d) ; but the use of the "I? seems here to be harsh. It lies at hand to sup- pose that the different, apparently irreconcilable elements, are thereby stated as alike, in respect to something higher; as by the German gleichwohl, ofiw^, tamen, comp. tarn, as Hos. xi. 2 and "T!,-, ver. 7 : ye may trouble yourselves never so much ; never- theless God gives (what He gives) to His beloved in sleep, therefore unexpectedly and surprisingly, as to a di'eamer, but yet only to His beloved. Meanwhile it is sufficient to hold to the nearest signification : thus, namely, as was expressed in ver. 1, and is immediately further proved in vv. 3 sqq.. Himself caring, Himself watching, comp. cxxviii. 4, whereby the sense is substantiated, comp. also on Ps. Ixi. 9, Ixiii. 3, 5, above Vol. I., p. 273. But this thus becomes most plain, if the head of the house, who sings this song sitting at table with his family, indicates by the word the children sitting by him. That from ver. 3 onwards simply a weighty example and a proof of this general truth follows, is evident also from the indicatory "see \" Retcrird, namely, Jahve's again, even as His heritage.
.166 SON OS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
the good to be given only by Him. Tliat ou the dis- memberment of families, strong sons availed as the strongest protection of the house and the ageing parents, is clear from Gen. iv. 1, and many other passages; the whole phraseology also of ver. 5 c is derived from Gen. xxii. 1 7, xxiv. 60 ; only that instead of the older, harsher words, softer and milder ones are selected; comp. also the Beduin phraseology, DMGZ, 1851, p. 7.— The image of the arrows in the same application. Ham. p. 384 ult.
Ps. cxxviii. congratulates, quite in the sense and the examples of the preceding song, but in new pleasing pictures, the actual honourer of Jahve as in manifold ways blessed, and also as happy in his domestic life, not living in vain ; a fine com- pletion of the preceding song. Finally, vv. 5-6, the language, passing over into generalities, finishes with a manifold word of blessing.
1 Blessed every fearer of Jahve,.
who goes in His ways ! ■ The toil of thy hands — yea, Thou shalt enjoy it : blessed thou and prosperous ! Thou spouse like a fruitful vine
in the inner rooms of the house ! thy sons like young olive-trees
round about thy table ; see, that thus is the man blessed who fears Jahve.
May Jahve bless thee out of Siou,
and look on the'prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of thy life !
And behold sons of thy sons ! Peace be upon Israel !
SONQS OF RESTORED JERUSAJ.EM. Ifj7
"*? vcr. 2, in exclamation, § 330 />, just so cxviii. 10-12. V(e feel with what dread the poet looks back in thought upon the previous perplexed and insecui*e times, when in manifold moral confusion every possession had become insecure. The inner rooms, ver. 3, as the worthy scene of the wife's activity Ver. 6 ^ as cxxv. 5 c.
Ps. cxxxiii. signalizes a fine laudation of brotherly concord with the rich blessing attached to it. Although the praise holds good of every house : yet the poet certainly pro- ceeded from a higher point of view. The fresh settlement of several tribes in Canaan, the image of those united in love to Jahve and Sion, and through such concord blessed, is plainly present to his mind, as also the recollection of the sorrows which finally arose through disunion ; and the conclusion, when the poet hastens to Sion, further confirms this. The song then proceeds, similarly to the two preceding, from the domestic relation, but conducts the thought immediately into the related but much higher sphere of the national.
Behold, how pleasant and how fair 1
is it that brothers should live well together ! As the best oil, that upon the head,
running upon the beard, Ahron's beard, that runs upon the seam of his garments. As Hermon's dew, running on Sion's mountains !
Jahve appointed thither the blessing, life for evermore !
On ca ver. 1, see § 352 h, it merely strengthens further the notion of the "Tni. The blessing of unity, because it descends upon all, even the more insignificant in the mass, softly and refreshingly, is compared by the poet very aptly first to the most costly oil of anointing which runs down from the head, over the lower parts, over the long beard even to the seam of
168 SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
the garmeutSj pervading all with a sweet perfume ; and tbeu still more effectively to the dew which descends from the highest and most snowy mountains of Canaan in the North on the lower and dry ones, e.a., Sion. But because the poet has, in the application of the whole truth, peculiarly Jerusalem and the Temple in his eye, the thought compels him to connect the two pictures with something more closely related to these ; therefore, ver. 2, Ahron, i.e., the High-p,riest, is mentioned, and ver. 3, Sion, which is moistened and refreshed not merely by earthly, but (in correspondence with the image) also by heavenly dew, and refreshed for ever (the conclusion, ver. 3 e, like cxxxi. 3.). Thus with h the thought is expanded: how unobtrusively is Sion named, and yet is it not here the last goal of all discourse, for a dew quite other than the common is, according to the Divine Will, to flow down upon her !*
Ps. cxxxiv. is a small Temple-song, which exhorts the priests and Levites to be alert and faithful in the nightly temple- service, vv. 1-2 ; and so, in the unceasing service of the sanctuary, the poet hopes for himself some blessing from the rich spring of blessing, ver. 3. Since the poet in ver. 3 seems to speak to himself in opposition to the Levites, and to think from his own stand-point of all of his kind (somewhat as cxxviii. 2-6), it follows, — as can be readily observed in other respects — that he was a Iiyman. Further, we see that at that time the priestly service at the holy place had scarcely been again appointed, Ezra iii. 8, 9.
Now then, bless Jahvc, all ye servants of Jahve, who stand in the house of Jahve by night ;
,lift your hand to the sanctuary, bless Jahve !—
* It is therefore equally incorrect to place the Ilennon of this song nearer in the direction of Jerusalen-,, or even by Jericho (Hitter's E. B., xv. 403), and to compare "jV!i with V"!^"^) ^^eut. iv. 48, as John Wilt^ou (Lauds of the Bible, 11., p. Ib7) docs.
SONOS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 1G9
" Jalive will bless tlieo out of Sion,
the Creator of heaven and of earth !
Ps, cxxii. is probably later than those just explained, at least it appears entirely like a recollection of earlier times. An Israelite in the country, probably aged and unable to join in pilgrimages, but still of cheerful strong spirit, rejoices con- cerning those who take pleasure in the journey to Jerusalem, ver. 1, recalls fondly his own sojourn in the gradually restored city of ancient sanctity and dignity, vv. 2-5, and wishes for her a comprehensive well-being resting on a manifold basis, vv. 6-9.
I rejoice at those who say to me : ]
" we journey home to Jahve^s house \" Yea, our feet stood . in thy gates," Jerusalem. 0 Jerusalem, renewed like
a city firmly shut within itseK ; whither tribes went, tribes of Jahve after the law for
Israel,
to praise Jahve^s name ; for there were set thrones for judgment, 5
thrones of David's house !
Wish the weal of Jerusalem ;
happy be thy tents ! Peace be in thy defences,
prosperity in thy palaces ! because of my friends and brothers
will I wish thee well ; because of the house of Jahve our God
will I entreat prosperity for thee !
Gates, ver. 2, as cxxvii. 5. Vv. 4, 5 must refer to the old and glorious time when (as the PentSteuch prescribes in certain
IS
170 SON OS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
places) all tribes journeyed to Sion as the place of the sanc- tuary, of the supreme judgment and oracle, of the kingdom. Solely because of these sacred recollections Sion stands so high among later worshippers, ^-"n?? subordinated, to describe the measure, the mode and the circumstances, § 229 d. bTT, ver, 7, probably as xlviii. 14, because here merely the city is spoken of. Wish thee well, ver. 8, properly sj)eak peace of thee, even so speak of thee that I wish thee peace and say "Tjb D'lbt^ ! But because in the whole song only the city and its restored external weal is spoken of, for "f^nns loho love thee, ver. 6, "JT^V-*?^^ ^% tents, is a better reading, comp. cxviii. 15, and on the idiom. Job xii, G.*
Ps. Ixxxvii., probably also by the same poet, is an utterance of all the grand views and expectations of that time concerning the higher dignity and destiny of Sion in the whole world- history ; the sight of the new temple-building might readily prompt the poet to so inspired a song. For at that time there appeared along with the immortal religion of Jahve, its ancient seat Sion, in the splendour of eternally, firm, immovable founda- tion ; and the reflection of all splendour and glory of the former fell upon this wondrously restored holy city. As the hope of a general conversion of the heathen was at that time so powerfully aroused, it appeared that Sion must become the spiritual metropolis of all peoples, — so that everywhere on earth, even amongst the peoples at present most hostilely disposed, persons would be found who, as the worshippers of Jahve, had in Sion their higher fatherland. And since with this worship yearly journeys and longer sojourn of the many pilgrims coming from all distant lands was connected, — how gr^at, it seemed, must the confluence of all outward splendour and glory and joy to -Sion become ! Such expeetations, as they had often been announced by prophets of the time, appear also for once here
* That copy 1 actually so reads, I did not know when I made the remark in the Ja/irbb., v., pp. 176 sq.
SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 171
poetically, in the moment of a most joyous mood — sketchsd with equal brevity and rapidity, power and beauty. But the poet does not conceal the fact, ver. 3, that his words in great part were only called forth by preceding lofty prophetic ones, comp. Ps. xii., Vol. I., p. 197. That the song only takes its start from the new Sion, is also clear from the omission of Assyria with Babel, ver. 4.
The short song best gives the type of a strophe remains simply, for the section after ver. 2 makes little-incision.
(Jahve's is for ever Sion, 1
of His) foundation the city on holy mountains : Jahve loves the gates of Sion
more than all the seats of Jakob. Most glorious things are spoken of thee,
0 thou city of God ! * *' Rahab, Babel I boast as my confessors,
see Peleschet, Tyrus with Kiisch
" ' He was born there !' "
And of Sion men will say : 6
" ' man for man was born in her, and He will hold her fast, the Highest !' "
Jahve will reckon in the book of tke peoples : " ' he was born there !^ " *
Singers also and Temple-dancers, all my arts are in Thee V
The present beginning, ver. 1, is too short and obscure even for this winged song : neither as exclamation are the words clear, nor can they in this song of very small verse- members be attached to the following verse, so that here the second member should begin with ''')'SW ; I conjecture that ")>37 has fallen out, because of the similar T^ti; in the superscription, and also a whole verse-member before it, possibly ^VlJ cbiyb >^b. On 12"TP, ver. 3, comp. § 295 6 ; that the
172 SONOS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
poet has the material for vv. 4-7 from prophets, he himself says, ver. 3 ; from prophetic phraseology, too, the " 1" of God, vv. 4, 7, is retained. Itahah is a poetic niirae, unknown in the Pentateuch, for Egypt, which is derived from an Egyptian name [Rif, see Burckhardt's Niihia, p. 457, Arahic Proverbs, No. 139), but only received its full meaning through the mythology therewith connected, of Rahah, as a monster (see on Job ix. 13) = crocodile ; as 11-^ (place of oppression), is a Hebrew poetic transformation of ^'*'!??P. Among Philis- tines, Tyrians, Kushites, will ever be found this and that man of whom it is said, " he was born there,^^ i.e., is enrolled in the birth-lists there, or is there, in Sion, citizen, member of the second mother-city; while it is said of Sion, in her are man for man, all these immensely numerous foreigners and Israelites, born for the second time ; yea, finally, if Jahve, at the day of the last judgment makes up the roll of all peoples of the earth (comp. Ixix. 29), He will miss among no people citizens of Sion. The Greeks would here speak of the Delphic . Proxenia, comp. the Gdtt. Nachrichten, 186 i, p. 169. From these customs at the great sanctuaries of antiquity at least the figures are here borrowed, although the last sense of the song, as Messianic, goes far beyond it. Further, an addition like CS^ mother-city, before ^a^iJ, ver. 5, would well suit the sense ; but it probably came into the LXX only through correct explanation. Yer. 5 b from Ps. xlviii. 9, xlvi. 5. — With great brevity, it is observed, ver. 7, as if incidentally, quite at the end, tha-t there is no longer a want of the necessary living attire of the sanctuary, so to speak, — tliat there already are singers, dancers, and other artists of the kind who, according to ancient custom, belong to a sanctuary! By C'^bbh is most correctly understood not ^ute-players, from ^"^ .-r^, Jiate, because these (I., p. 217) were not used in the Temple-service, but dancers {Alterth, p. 327). Only the word ''?^^'? is here obscure : this must mean (as in Aq. Syr.) my springs, as if the sense were : the springs of my fatness, of well-being are inex-
SONQS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. lT,i
haustitly iu Thee ; but this spiritual sense does not lie in the connexion. The LXX ( KaTotKta) read "^^I^P^ which would be in the sacred sense (1 Sam. ii. 29, 32) : all my sacred Imts, e.g., the hut of singers, flute-players, and so many other artists employed at the sanctuary (as with us the bau-hiitte (building-boai-d), i.e., the guild of architects is spoken of) ; for the arts served at that time specially sacred purposes alone, and at the sanctuary- there was the only confluence of them ; but probably each kind of artists had a special-dwelling at the Temple. The word still remains in this connexion too obscure, if the translation crafts is not given. The following hypo- thesis seems best : ]127, 'aiji, ehn, Arab, and Syr. is help and profit, P27D^ either refuge, place of help, or something useful, fit for use, hence an art. How wide a signification this word once had, is still shown by the Arabic m'ineh, and ma' nan, Sur. 107, 7. -
The Song of another Poet.
98. Psalm cxxxvii.
pours forth likewise, but in quite another manner, the first fresh sensations after the deliverance and return : on the one side new inspiration for Jahve and His community, the highest feeling of delight in again possessing the fatherland, and the free exercise of precious worship and joyous praise of Jahve, tenderest love to the finally again acquired Jerusalem ; but on the other side still the most grievous and indignant recollec- tion of the scorn and cruelty experienced shortly before and during the exile. In the presence of these violences, the released faithful, still contending with so much hardship, and not seeing, as had been expected. Babel and the rest of the most vicious heathen fully subdued, — can scarcely as yet come to rest and full content, especially at the first melancholy sight of the ruins of the holy city. It is this bitter recollection which particularly distinguishes this poet. Meanwhile, amidst
174 SONOS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
these mingled feelings which move his l)reast_, the most mighty feeling is that of infinite joy and pleasure in Jerusalem (and its spiritual blessings) which now may again be freely expressed in song. In Babylonia, indeed^ this pleasure was in many ways affected and chilled^ especially by the scornful demands of such conquerors to hear the sacred songs in praise of Jahve and Sion from the mouth of the conquered (and to make merry over them), vv. 1-3. But how should they desecrate the holy songs before the ears of the scorners ? for Jerusalem was and is to them ever the dearest good, vv. 4-6 : 0 that those who destroyed Jerusalem, still lying in melancholy ruins, . and scoffed at Jahve, might suffer the merited punishment. Edom, which had enticed the Chaldaeans to the destruction and had helped it on (comp. B. Obadja, Jer. xlix. 7, Lam. iv. 21, Ez. XXV. and xxxv.) ; and still more Babel ! vv. 7-9. Since Babel was under Darius 516 B.C. in quite another condition than under Cyrus, we see thence clearly that this song must fall between 536-516.
The fluctuating feelings of the song are gathered into the highest uniformity in their expression : each of -the three strophes of the song has three verses with seven members.
J.
1 By BabeFs streams, there we sat, yea wept
when we thought of Sion ; on the willows in the land
we hung up our harps : for there our conquerors demanded hymn and song,
our taskmasters' joy : - -
''sing us of Sion's songs !"
2.
0 how should we sing the song of Jahve in the strange land ? —
SONOS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 17A
0, -if I forget thee, Jerusalem, 5
let my right hand forget herself ; let my tongue cleave to my palate, if I remember thee not, if I set not Jerusalem — above the crown of my joy !
3.
Remember, Jahve, Edom^s sons on that day of Jei'usalcm ! they who said : " make bare, make bare - to the ground in her !" — Daughter of Babel thou devastator !
hail to him who requites thee — thy deed done to us
by thee; hail to him who takes and dashes thy children against the rock-wall !
Babylonia has many streams (comp. Tuch, De Nino urhe, p. 33) ; but because here the times of recollection of Sion, and harps brought with them, and left silent in their despoil- ment, are mentioned, we must think of gatherings held in the open air ; as e.g., at the memorial feast of the destruction of Jerusalem, Zach. vii. 1, 2, comp. the Oesch. des V. Isr., vi., pp. 375 sqq., 448. Here, too, the ivillows, ver. 2 (comp. arah in the Journ. As., 1853, I., pp. 495 f.), lead us to think of such shady places by the streams. — ''7*'^^ ver. 3, is either short- ened from ^7"^ni^^ prop., ho who has become raging, then as substantive, the madman, as ''/"^'^P, cii. 9, or since this on many grounds is difficult, comes from ^^ = '^ , prop, draio, hence also draw out, pillage; the ancients mostly here trans- late "robbers," which according to Isa. xvii. 14, xlii. 22, 2i, would not be unsuitable ; yet with '^^''^l^ a, the significa- tion slave -leadens would still better agree, if ital, Arah.=a1iad, Qam., may be compared. — Vv. 5, 6 ; if I ever forget Sion and that- which befits her, I will rather forget myself, let my right hand in the point of acting forget her duty and renounce the
176 SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
service^ tlie tongue especially if it would speak^ let it stick fast. As n2l^ is prop, intransitive : be forgetful, in the moment of need be confused and too weak, it might be said quite shortly : my right hand be oblivious, forget and confuse itself, as quite in this way B. Jes. xlix. 15 ; comp. the like, Hamdsa, p. 69, ver. 1, and above, Ps. Ixxvi. 6. — '^7^"'^^ vfer. 8 might be passive : those (now) to be laid waste, the devastation of which is sincerely to be hoped (§ 168 ?>) ; mean- while it suits the whole much better that thereby the whole condition of the punishable city should be shortly designated, in accordance with which nilltt? is to be read, or at least as shortened from this rfTTTli? according to the formation, § 152 b. Dash in pieces, ver. 9, according to ancient war- customs among rude Northern peoples, Hos. x. 14, xiv. 1, Jer. xiii. 16.
B. In voices of tJie Community and Individuals.
99-102. Pss. cxv., cxvi., cxviii., cxxxviii.
These four distinguished songs, again, present themselves in style, verse-structure, contents and spirit, as proceeding from one poet. In the language there is much that is similar and rare, as the extraordinary preference for ^3^ — cxv. 2, cxvi. 4, 14, 16, 18, cxviii. 2, 25, the continuation of a thought in each second member, cxv. 9-11, cxviii. 1-4, 10-12, cxxxviii. 4, 5, the mention of the IDH and n!2S from the very beginning cxv. 1, cxxxviii. 2, &c. In Ps. cxvi. there are indeed strong Aramaisms impressed on the style ; but in this merely personal song they are more tolerable than in the three others which were manifestly from the first designed for public use. The verse is in the three first songs throughout of elegant brevity, the language fugitive, butnne and rich in thought. The whole tone is sublime and powerful as we expect from that great time. Perhaps according to Ps. cxxxviii., Zerubabel is the poet.
SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 177
Ps. cxviii., whicli finely sots forth the freshest sensations of the time in brief and powerful language, is, it is highly pro- bable, that memorable song which the just-returned commupity carolled at the first feast of tabernacles in Jerusalem, when first a simple altar was erected at the holy place, Ezr. iii. 4 (not at the feast meant in Neh. viii. 17). That it was origi- nally composed for this particular feast and no other, e.g., the Pascha, is clear from the fact that it is mainly a thanksgiving and sacrificial song, without alluding to the peculiar occur- rences of antiquity which we should expect in a pascha-song ; and the mention of the tents, ver. 15, leads to the time when the people dwelt as in huts or tents. It is a noble thank-song for the last great deliverance of Israel, drawn from the boldest and clearest consciousness of the dignity and destiny of Israel, afresh so grandly preserved, with the prayer for further peace, which was so necessary to the new settlement, ver. 25, And since the song was destined for the full temple-service of praise, it is divided into alternate hymns ; but in the hymn of the congregation, as the longest and most important part, the longer execution is suitably assigned to a choir-leader, who with joyous hymn of praise explains the high sense of the great deliverance through Jahve, vv. 15-18, and the wish presently to render the thanksgiving by sacrifice in the name of the whole people, vv. 19-23. That which follows after the words of the high -priest receiving the prayer and the sacrifice with blessings, the choir-leader and choir are to sing at the end of the sacrificial function. The clear alternation of the language leads to all these assumptions ; com p. Ps. ex v. and the remarks, I., p. 194, Dichter des A. B.
The main song, vv. 5-23, is manifestly broken up into four strophes, each uniformly of five verses and ten members. If the second has a member more, and the third only four verses but nine members, this cannot do away with the obvious law of the structure. Ccrtaiidy the three first of these strophes form according to the thouglits a higher unity, — the first witli
vol.. ir. Il'
178 SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
loud jubilations starting with the glance at Jahve, the second with that at the heathen, the third with that at Israel. With the close of this proper song of praise the train arrives at the gate, and the praise passes over into wishes, ver. 19-23. Thus the third strophe as the provisionally concluding one, might be somewhat shorter.
(Choir.) 1 Thank Jahve, because He is good/
because His grace is for ever ! therefore let Israel speak :
because His grace is for ever • therefore let Ahron^s house speak :
because His grace is for ever ;
therefore let all fearers of Jahve speak :
because His grace is for ever !
(Choir- leader.) 1.
5 Out of distress I cried to Jah :
with deliverance Jah heard me ; Jahve is mine, I fear not ;
what shall men do to me ? I have Jahve among my helpers ;
so shall I calmly behold my haters ! but better is it to hope in Jahve
than to trust in men j but better is it to hope in Jahve
tban to trust in mighty ones.
2. 10 The heathen all surrounded mc :
ilirough JahvS's name yea ! I ward them of! surrounded, yea encircled me :
through Jahve' s name yea\' I ivard them of!
SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 17'J
surrouiuled mc like bees,
are quenched like fire of thorns ; through Jahve's name yea ! I ward them off. — Thou indeed didst thrust me that I might fall ;
but Jahve helped me up ; my praise and song is Jah !
for He became salvation to me !
3. Hark ! jubilation and victory 15
in the tents of the righteous : the right hand of Jahve puts forth pov?er ! the right hand of Jahve is highly exalted,
the right hand of Jahve puts forth power. I shall not die, but live,
ever tell the Heeds of Jah ; Jah has indeed sorely chastised me ;
but? not given me up to death.
4.
Open to me the gates of gracious-right,
that I may go in and thank Jah ! Jahve's is this gate : 20
Righteous men go in ; 1 will thank Thee that Thou hearest me,
and hast become to me salvation ! The stone, rejected by the master-builders,
has now become the corner-stone, by Jahve's power this came to pass ;
that appears to us wonderful,
(The Congregation.)
This is the day which God has made : exult we and rejoici> in Iliui !
12 *
180 SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
25 O give us, Jalive ! give us help !
0 Jahve ! give us, we pray, prosperity !
(High-Priest.) Blessed be he who comes in Jahve's name !
we then bless you out of Jahve's house ! God is Jahve ; and He gave us light : bind then the feast with cords, to the altar's horns !
(Choir-leader.) My God art Thou : I thank Thee, my God, I exalt Thee !
(Choir.) Thank Jahve, because He is good, because His grace is for ever.
Ver, 1. — A saying of older date, here and in many still later songs, just as in Jer. xxxiii. 11, taken from a standing temple- Avord ; its beginnings, see in lii. 11. This saying all in the congregation are now to repeat, so that it three times resounds, vv. 2-4. The fearers of Jahve must, because the}^ are dis- tinguished from Israel and the priests, be necessarily the proselytes of that time who attached themselves more closely to Israel (Isa. xiv. 1, 2); so in cxv. 9-13, cxxxv. 19-20, and the ae/36fMevoi rov %e6v in the New Testament ; otherwise when they stand alone and in general, Ps. xxii. 24 sqq. — Ver. 10. ''S appears here in a position like cxxviii. 2; Db"'DS, / make tliat they (jive way, Ixx. correctly rjixvvdfji7}v avTov<i. — Ver. 12: like hecs, i.e., wild ones, Ex. xxiii. 28; but the sting of their persecuting wrath was destroyed as quickly ns tliorn-stnlks burn in the fire, Eccles. vii. G. Ver. 14 and 28 from Ex. xv. 2, 1. — The sense of ver. 19 is quit(> as that in the hymn, B. -les. xxvi. 2. Ver. 22, the proverbial phrase is clear enough from vv. 10-18, 21 : the smnll, contem])tib]e Israel
SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 181
which the heathen hud ah-eady utterly rejected aud desired ty destroy as useless, has become nevertheless the foundation and coruer-stoue of the building of the true kingdom of God, yea, is now recognized and prized as such. The poet may have Isa. xxviii. 1(3 before his mind. — This is the day, etc., ver, 24 can only be said of a feast-day, fixed aud constant by ancient sanctity. Ver. 29 : bind the feast, i.e., the festive sacriiice (Ex. xxiii. 18, Mai. ii 3) with cords, that it may not escape during the saci'ed function, and so lift it up till- it comes to the horns of the altar, above on the altar. Comp. the like in the Vishnu-Far., p. 31, 9 ; 60, 11.
Ps. cxv. is a new Temple-song, to bo sung alternately by congregation and priest. Its cnitciits are properly only a further development of the short prayer for help, cxviii. 25. We know that the new community had from the very beginning a hard situation, due to the envy of neighbours. Thus the congregation here prays for Divine help ; but not for their own sake, a human frail community, but for the sake of Divine truth and religion they px'ay for victory and honour ; because heathenism, as it is here depicted in all its folly in strong- colours, cannot subsist upon the earth ; and only in so far can the priest promise blessing from Jahve to the suppliants.
The main-song, vv. 1-11, breaks up into three strophes each of four verses, also quite similarly to Ps. cxviii., so that the first glances at Jahve, the second at the idols, the third at Israel. If the first has only seven members, that can only be accidental here.
(The Congregation.)
1. Not to us, O Jahve, not tu us, 1
but to Thy name give hunuiir for Thy grace and truth's sake ! why should Gentiles say:
" where then is their God i"
182 SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
for our God is in the heaven,
all that He wills, Ho executes.
Their images — are silver and gold,
work of men's hands ; 5 have mouth — and speak not,
have eyes — and see not ; ' have ears — and hear not,
have noses — and smell not ; their hands — nevertheless they feel not,
their feet — nevertheless they walk not, and they sound not with their throat.
3.
Like them be their makers,
every one who trusts in them ! Israel, trust in Jahve !
their help and their shield is He ; 10 Ahron's house, trust in Jahve !
their help and their shield is He ! Ye fearers of Jahve trust in Jahve !
their help and their shield is He.
(High Priest.)
Jahve has been mindful of us ; will bless, bless will He Israel's house, bless Ahron's house, bless will He Jahve's fearers,
both the small and the great. Jahve will increase you, you and your sons ; 15 be blessed of Jahve,
the Creator of heaven and of earth !
SUNOS OF RESTOlLI'W JERUSALEM. l83
(The Congregation.) The heaven is for Jahve heaven,
but the earth He gave to the children of men ; the dead praise not Jah,
none who go into stiUness : but we — we bless Jah,
henceforth even unto eternity !
Ver. 3 is a proposition of state § 341 a. The counterpart of the heavenly = spiritual, living God follows, vv. 4-7, in a long description which, because of its sharpness, serves always as a pattern to later writers. In other respects, the sense was already given in Isa. xl. — xlviii. Ver. 15 after cxxxiv. 3, vcr. 18 after cxxi. 8. The earth he has given to men, ver. 16, that they may know and praise him upon it ; and this will we do, so long as it is day ; ver. 17 after vi. G, xciv. 17.
A peculiar phenomenon in these two songs is the recurrence three or four times of the same second verse-member as a half returu-verse,cxviii. 1-4, 10-12, cxv. 9-11. Accordmgto what has been explained concerning this (I., pp. 199 sqq., Dichter desA. B), it cannot be doubted that it was always only a pithy saying, to be intoned by the whole congregation or by stronger voices, which formed this refrain. Hence also is explained how in cxv. 9-1 i the whole tenor of the language in the half recurrent verse may be quite different, even though the subject is the same. — Still further is this extended through the whole song, Ps. cxxxvi.
In conjunction with this elevation of the time in public matters, the purely personal feelings of expository songs also breathe a perfectly peculiar lofty, joyous spirit, as if at that time every man among the people had felt lifted above himself. Pss. cxvi. and cxxxviii. show this; they belong to the finest monuments of this period. — \n Ps, cxvi. we see a poet in
184 SONOS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
misfortune and confinement (vv. 10, 16) far from Jeiusalem and the already renewed temple, vv. 17-19. But praying for grace and deliverance he is in such wise impressed by the feeling of great Divine benefits in the past, that his suppliant song becomes more like a thank-song, full of high faith and noble spirit. According to custom, the poet prays to Him whose help he knows, w. 1-6; may even now rest return iu faith on Him, who has delivered out of greater dangers I Vv. 7-10; He, who alone is to be trusted, whose inexhaustible grace is only worthily praised by serene acceptance of His benefits and loud praise, — He is indeed willingly the Redeemer of His godly ones, vv, 11-15. In this sense, therefore, with this hope and these promises, the now necessary prayer at last pours forth, vv. 16-19. — Rarely do prayer and thanks to God meet with such wonderful intensity as in this noble song; Ps. xl. remains, precisely in respect of this intensity and this glorious interfusion of all feelings, even the most opposite, far behind this song. In this sacred glow simply a clear stream of thanksgiving might be found, were not other reasons adverse to this.
The structure of this song appears not thoroughly clear. But as vv. 7-10 and vv. 16-19 manifestly form two self-included and mutually correspondent strophes, each of nine verse- members, we expect also in the two others a similar relation. After ver. 11 the language manifestly sounds very abrupt and incomplete, so that we may conjecture that three members have fallen away, and the first strophe in the two groat halves of the song probably consisted of 13 members. The relation then of the two double strophes is similar to that, e.g., in Hizqia's song,' I. pp. 161 sqq. Dichter des A. B. — The division of the song into two in the LXX (feefore ver. 10) is groundless.
1 a.
1 1 am glad that Jahve hears
the loud words of my supplication ;
SONQS OF RESTORED JERUSAilEil. 165
Ho verily bent to me His e;ir,
and as long as I live, I will call. Death-nets have surrounded me, pains of hell seized me,
distress I meet and trouble : I call on Jahve's name,
" 0 deliver, I pray, Jahve, my soul !" " gracious is Jahve and righteous,
pitiful our God ; Jahve protects the inexperienced;" 5
wretched was I — and lie helps me !
16.
0 soul, return to Thy rest,
for Jahve hath done well to thee ! Verily thou hast freed my soul from death, my eyes from tears,
from stumbling my foot :
1 will walk before God
in the lands of the living. I have faith, when I say : 10
" unhappy was I, greatly."
2 a. Indeed in my distress I have bethought myself that all men lie.
* * *
How shall I thank Jahve
for all the good that He has done me ? — The cup of salvation I take
and call on Jahve's name, my vows I pay to Jahve,
yea, before all His people ! In Jahve's eyes is dear 15
death tor His saints.
ISG SONOS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
2 h.
O Jalive ! truly tliy slave am I,
I am thy slave^ son of Thy maid : Thou loosest my fetters ! To Thee will I ofiFer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
calling upon Jahve's name ; pay my vows to Jahve
O truly ! before all His people — in the courts of the house of Jahve,
in the midst of thee, Jerusalem !
Ver. 3 is a protasis to ver. 4, not according to its tenor, but to that of the second proposition (§ 357 b) ; the images from xviii. 5. But the apodosis thus begun in ver. 4 is — according to its most powerful sense — first completed ver, 6 h, — the words vv. b, 6 a only repeating something which in such cases the poet spoke before God. — Vv. 8, 9, 14. Plainly recollections from Ivi. 12 ; like cxviii. 6, from Ivi. 12. In the probation of the exile he has learned to believe on Jahve, experiencing how vain it is to trust in men and not in Jahve, even if all men stood on the one side, on the other Jahve alone, ver. 10. — Ver. 1 1 from xxxi. 23. The best thanks are according to ver. 13, — serenely taking the cup of manifold salvation (xvi. 5) to praise the dispenser. On ver. 15 comp. Ixxii. 14. — ■'^nfDr', ver. 16, can only as prccative express certain hope, §223 a. The ^^'^ m!J~iS^ yer. 9, is (§ 270 c) formed from n V^'-
Ps. cxxxviii. now presents itself as the thank-song promised in the preceding song, and is perfectly similar to it in thought, only the style is more elaborate. After the first outburst of thanks, w. 1-3, follows a demand upon all kings of the earth along with the poet himself to know and praise God, as if one spake thus out of their midst, vv. 4-6 ; ^finally confidence and prayer for the future, vv. 7, 8.
SONOS OF RKSTOHED JERUSALEM. 187
l^he verse-structure is manifestly governed by the pre- dominance of long lines, such being peculiarly adapted for a thank-song. The three strophes into which the song is thus divided, have each G to 7 members. But the poet of Pss. cxviii., cxv., is disclosed by the fact also that in the first strophe he begins with Jahve, but in the second proceeds to think of the heathen, only that he as prince here immediately speaks of their princes. Looking at the lofty character of the thoughts, and the proud tenor of the whole song, we might possibly think if not of David, yet of one of the earlier kings of Juda as the poet, did not the glance at the actual conversion of the heathen princes and other traces in the stylQ and stamp of the language lead us only to think of Zerubabel. Then the historical matter which lies at the basis of these two songs, may very well be found in the relations touched on in the B. Zakh. iii., iv.
1. Thank I Thee with my whole heart, 1
in the sight of God I play to Thee ! worship at Thy holy Temple and thank Thy name because of Thy grace and faithfulness, that Thou over all Thy name hast glorified Thy word. When I cried. Thou didst hear me,
makest me proud in my strong soul.
2. Let all earth's kings thank Thee, 0 Jahve,
that they heard thy mouth's words ! let them sing of Jahve's ways, 5
that very great is Jahve's power ! for exalted is Jahve, beholding the lowly,
but the proud He knows from afar.
3.
If 1 go amidst distress. Thou wilt revive me,
against the wi-ath of foes lift up Thine hand,
1S8 80N0S OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
and help me witli Thy rig-lit hand ! Jahve will work for me ;
Jahve, Thy grace is eternal ! Thy handiwork — 0 leave it not !
Li the siijlit of God, ver. 1, i.e., immediately at the Temple, as the similar phrase. Gen. iv. 14, 16. The words ^2 """ittS 73 ^V^^ "^5 that Thou didst hear all the ivords of my month, which the LXX have at the end of ver. 1, would in themselves well suit the connexion, because they only prepare for the last number of ver. 2. Ver. 2 : over all Thy name, over all that was hitherto known and promised of Jahve; for the name expresses the known attributes. The words ^2? "^12?232, ver. 3, are best connected as a subordinate proposition of state, so that in my soul is strength, spirit! (otherwise than Ixxi. 7.) The "^3 must (w. 4 and 5) introduce the contents of the song- of praise to be sung by the king : for (ver. 6) through Jahve's doctrine they learn to know and repent their perverse pride. Here plainly Isa. Ivii. 15 sounds through; and the regard to the heathen kingdom and kings to be converted pervades many oracles of the time, comp. also xlvii. 10, Ixviii. 33, but nowhere in such a way as here. Yer. 7 c as xvii. 13, 14, Ix. 7. — Ver. 8 again after Ivii. 3. The ''WV'D may (§ 213 e) be the singular number, and this better suits according to Ps. xc. 1 7.
We place here the eight songs
(103-111) Pss. xcii., xciii., xcv. — c, which we ascribe to the poet more closely described above, pp. 124 sqq., and which manifestly all belong, to the first years after the' new foundation of Jerusalem; but we expect already from Pbs. Ixxvii., xciv., the noUle way in which this poet, freed from his earlier doubts, will thank God.
Ps. xcii. is spoken by the poet, after full triumph over the nearest dangers of that time, in ])ure joy and gratitude,
SONOS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 189
sliarnig the new prosperity of the whole people and in Uic sound of the temple-poetry, — yet simply from his own heart. It has three progressive strophes : the first merely introduces the song, vv. 2-4, the second gives the praise of Jahve's operation in the present, clear only to the faithful, vv. 5-9, the third still more eloquently depicts the victory of the just on the overthrow of the wicked, — growing high like the palm, because he stands founded in the sanctuary, and increases by holiness, ever serene, mighty, and prepared for the praise of Jahve, vv. 10-16.
According to I. p. 194, Dichfer des A. B., the ancient style of a song of joy once more here recurs, with strophes of increasing length.
1. Beautiful is it to thank Jahve, 2
and to play to Thy name, Highest ! early to tell of Thy grace,
and by night Thy faithfulness ; to the ten-stringed, to the harp,
to the artistic play with the cither !
2. For glad in Thy work, Jahve, Thou madest me, 5
over Thy handiworks I rejoice. How great are, 0 Jahve, Thy deeds,
unfathomable Thy plans ! unreason understands not,
and the fool comprehends this not. If the wicked were green as the grass, and all evil-doers blossomed — it was to be destroyed uttei-ly. P)ut Tliou art exulted for evt-r, Jahve !
3. For see. Thine enemies, Jahve, 10
for see. Thine eneniics perish ;
100 SONGS OP RESTORED JERUSALEM.
all evil-doers are scattered : and like buffixloes Thou didst raise high my horn,
fresh oil I drop ; calmly looked mine eye upon my lyers-in-wait,
mine ear heard of wicked adversaries. 15 The righteous like the palm-tree is verdaiit_,
grows like cedars on Lebanon ; well planted in Jahve's house,
in the courts of our God flourishing, they will still sprout in age,
be fresh and full of sap : to praise Jahve that he is upright,
He my rock in whom there is no unrighteousness !
Ver. 2 is as cxlvii. 1, cxxxv. 3, a transformation of the saying, cxviii. 1. Ver. 8 quite as Ixxiii. 19, xciv. 13. Vv. 13-16 after lii. 10, 11, comp. with Klausen^s ^neas und die Pena'en, II. p. 644. The conclusion, ver, 16, strong as the conclusion Ps. Ixx. iii.
But higher does the poet's thank-song rise in the following seven pieces in praise of Jahve in the whole community and on its behalf ; and the words of jubilation which sounded first in the mouth of the Great Unknown, B. Jes. xl. — Ixvi. here now find their nearest and loudest echo in the mouth of the great new community. It .now appeared as if Jahve for the first time, sublime and manifested as was desired, again ruled from out of Sion for the spread of the true religion ; and the new community could, after the old jubilee songs, sing truly nciv songs o£ thanksgiving, xcvi. 1, xcviii. 1, comp. xl. 4, Isa. xlii. 10, Pss. ciii. 5, cxliv. 9, cxlix. 1, xxxiii. 3. — We see here in the first instance three songs of praise on the thus founded, thus ever enduring rule of Jahve ; the two first turn in the last strophe to exultation. P&. xciii. is the shortest and finest : it breaks like most of these songs into three winged strophes,
SONQS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 101
but nowhere are they so winged as here. Each contains only, two verses but each with three members, the last only one verse. In the first are now found only five members, but probably one has here fallen out, just as the LXX omit ver. 3
' c.
1. Jahve rules, adorned with majesty, 1
might-adorned, — girded, Jahve : and the world without trembling stands fast. Of old Thy throne is firm : Thou art from eternity.
2.
High raised floods, Jahve !
high the floods their voices ; high their reaping raise the floods : more than many waters' voices,
more magnificent than sea-breakers, in the height is Jahve magnificent.
3. Right faithful are Thy testimonies ; 5
thy house holiness becometh, Jahve, for endless time !
Ver. 4 c alludes to the thunder, which in the height still more sublimely sounds than the most stormy roaring upon earth : so does God quell the unrest here below. So after xlvi. 4, Ixxvi. 9. — Ver. 5. Testimonies are sacred assurances, oracles and laws, like those in the Pentateuch.
In Ps. xcvii. the primary thought falls into four similar strophes, each of three ordinary verses, while the lano-uao-e becomes only somewhat more excited in the beginning of the third and fourth, vv. 7, 8, 10. For the historical reason of the
192 SONOS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
joy comes out more strongly with each of the three first strophes ; but while the third at the beginning turns vivaciously towards the heathen, the language in the last collects itself the more into simple exhortation to Israel.
1. 1 Jahve rules ! the earth exults,
many coasts rejoice ! clouds are about him and rain-darkess,
right and truth his throne's foundation. Before him goes fire,
scorching His oppressors round about.
2. His flashes lightened through the land : seeing it the earth trembled ; 5 mountains melted like wax before Jahve,
before the Lord of the whole earth ; the heaven makes known His right,
That all peoples see his splendour !
3. " " Let all image-worshippers blush, who boasted of idols ! do homage to Him, all ye gods \" Hearing this Sion rejoices, Jordan's daughters exult,
— because of Thy judgments, Jahve ! For Thou, Jahve, art higher than all the earth, greatly exalted above all gods.
4.
10 Jahvc's friends, hate evil !
He keeps the souls of Hislaeioved, will snatch them from the wicked's hand. Light is scattered f^r the pious, joy for the heart-upright ; rejoice, ye righteous, in Jahve, thank His holy fame !
SONOS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 193
Ver. I from Isa. xlii. 10, 12, li. 5. Vv. 2, 3, 0 from 1. 3-G., Ver. 8 from xlviii. 12. Ver. 9 as xlvii. 10. Ver. 4 as Ixxvii. 19. Particularly noteworthy in ver. 7 is the connexion of the thought, B. Jes. xliv. 9-11 and Ps. xxix. 1, 2, as if the time had now come when both the idol- worshippers are ashamed and the highest angels themselves must most deeply do homage to God; because He at once on both sides preserved in the highest degree His tnith. Such heavenly words sounded long ago : the more intensely does the congregation now rejoice, ver. 8.
Ps. xcix. praises the power before which again all must bow, — the justice and the revelation of Jahve — in three strophes, in such a way that at the end of each the exhortation to praise recurs, and each ends with a holy ! Each contains with this conclusion six, but the last twice as many members. Comp. I., p. 199, Bichter des A. B., and above, p. 18. Pre-eminently important is here only the glance at the exalted ancient foun- dations of the community, — which fills the last large doubled strophe.
1. Jahve rules : peoples tremble ; 1
He who is thi'oned on Cherubs : the earth trembles. Jahve is great in Sion,
lofty He over all the peoples. — Praise be to Thy name, great and sublime : hohj i.s He !
2.
And to the fame of the king who loveth right ! Thou hast founded equity ; right and truth in Jakob Thoxi protectest ! — Highly exalt Jahve our God, 5
do homage at the footstool of His feet : holy is He ! VOT.. II. 13
194 SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEBI.
3.
Moses, Ahron were priests to Him, Samuel, callers upon His name : they cried to Jahve and He heard ; spake in pillar of cloud to them. His testimonies they kept, and the ordinance which He gave them ; Jahve, our God, Thou heardest them, wert to them a pardoning God, and an avenger of their deeds ! — Highly exalt Jahve, our God,
do homage to His holy mountain : holy in truth is Jahve our God !
The beginning of ver. 4 is, in spite of the new strophe, — for the strophes are very small in their structure — interwoven with the end of the preceding, comp. Ixxx. 15, 16, Eev. xix. 3. Ver. 2 after Ixxvi. 2. Ver. 5 h after Isa. Ixvi. 1.
Pss. xcvi. and xcviii. are most general songs of praise to Jahve, the wondrous Saviour in the past, the mighty Ruler in the present, the great universal Judge in the future, to whose pi-aise Israel, the heathen, the whole world are summoned. Thus in a twofold point of view three strophes, since the wondrous past must refer peculiarly to Israel, the present also to the other peoples, the future to the whole world. — The build of the strophes is plainly founded uniformly on four verses, for ver. 13 is better broken up into two. The words, vv. 5, 6 are however probably inserted here from another similar song.
1.
1 Sing to Jahve a new" song !
sing to Jahve all the earth ! sing to Jahve, bless His name !
gladly tell day by day His salv\'ition !
SONGS OP llESTOHKD JERUSALEM. H)5
iunong tlie heathen relate His splendour,
among all the peoples His wonders ! For very great and sublime is Jahve,
fearful above all gods He. [For the peoples' gods are all idols ! 5
but Jahv6 the heaven's Creator ; splendour and pomp is before Him,
power and- beauty in His sanctuary] .
Give to Jahve, ye hosts of the heathen,
give to Jahve honour and praise ! give to Jahve His name's honour,
take sacrifices, come to His courts ! do homage to Jahve in holy attire,
tremble before Him, all the earth ! say among the heathen : Jahve rules, 10
and the world stands without trembling ; He will judge peoples equitably !
3.
Let the heaven rejoice and the earth exult,
sea roar and its fulness ! field makes merry and all that is in it,
all forest trees then jubilate before Jahve, that He comes,
that He comes to judge the earth, to judge according to right the world,
peoples according to His truth !
The ^1;? is, ver. 1:^, explained of the future world-judgmont. At the foundation of the whole song lie very strongly Ps. xxix. and Isa. xl. sqq. Ver. 10 as xciii. 1 ; the strong figures ver. 12, as also xcviii. 8 from B. Jos. Iv. 12.
13 *
196 SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
Ps. xcviii. presents itself merely as a shorter alternative of the former ; the strophes are here simplified to three verses.
1.
1 Sing to Jahve a new song, because he did wonders.
His right hand and His holy arm helped Him ! Jahve has made known His salvation,
clearly before the Gentiles revealed His right ; thought of His grace and truth for Israel ;
all earth's bounds saw our God's salvation.
2.
Exult before Jahve, all the earth !
break out into jubilation and play, 5 play to Jahve, with the cither,
with the cither and loud play ! with trumpets, with sound of horns,
exult before the King Jahve !
3.
Roar sea and its fulness,
land and they that dwell therein, clap streams with the hand,
mountains rejoice together before Jahve, that He comes to judge the earth, to judge according to right the world,
peoples according to equity !
On vv. 3, 4 comp. above on Ps. xcvi. 12, 13.
To , exhortation which in Pss. xcvii.' and xcix. was only briefly united with the thanks, Ps. xcv. now turns with peculiar preference. The scmg calls for thanks to Jahve as the only Creator of all in the world, vv. 1-6, as the Trainer and Preserver of Israel, vv. 7-11 ; this last however only if Israel itself is willing and inclined, not again falling into the old
SONGS OP RESTORED JELUSALEil. 197
errors,^— but in that case immediately and instantaneously ; hence with ver. 7 quick turn to exhortation from the old sacred history. — The song has manifestly only two strophes, each constructed of six verses ; precisely where the language leads to the Ancient History, it is frequently suddenly broken, because its fulness is too great, and the history is known as a whole (comp. Ixxvii. 21, Ixxxi. 17, cxiv. 8). But in ver. 7 c a verse-member is plainly wanting.
1.
Let us jubilate to Jahve, 1
exult to the rock of our salvation ; offer thanks before His countenance,
exult with hymns to Him ! A great God is Jahve indeed,
a great King over all gods ! He, in whose hand are the earth's foundations,
whose are the mountains' sunny summits ; His is the sea, by Him created, 5
His hands formed the dry land. Come, do we homage in humility,
bow we before Jahve, our Creator !
2.
For He alone is our God,
we people of His pasture, flock of His hands, — to-day, if ye hearken to His voice ; " have not a hard heart, as at Meriba, as on the day of Massa in the desert, there where your fathers tempted me,
proved me, saw also my deeds ! Forty years was the race adverse t3 mo, 10
I thought : " people of erring heart are they, and they know not my ways." When I swore in my anger :
" they shall not come to my rest !"
198 SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
Ver. 4, msyin prop, shining point, sunny height, from ?]37''=37D\ glitter, Job xxii. 26, Num. xxiii. 22 (where it signifies beams, i.e., horns) ; LXX according to the sense correctly v^{rr). Vv. 8-11 according to Ex. xvii.. Num. xi., xii., XX. 8aiv also my doing, that is how He gave to them — to show His power and the folly of their doubt — what they prayed for, but at the same time also the punishment deserved, comp, Ixxviii. 18-31.
Ps. c. is finally a sort of brief, pithy abstract from the mass of these noble, thank and victory songs of that time, the more serviceable for the ordinary Temple-song. — But here too are separated two small strophes, — the first praising God as the Creator of the community, the second as the ever gracious One.
1.
1 Shout aloud to Jahve, all the earth !
serve in joy Jahve,
come before Him with jubilation ! Know, that Jahve alone is God, He has made us. His we are,
we His people and flock of His pasture !
2.
Come with thanks to His gates,
hence with praise to his courts ! thank Him ! bless His Name ! 5 for the Lord is good, eternal His grace.
His faithfulness to all ages !
Verse 3. sb other mode of writing for 'lb, although IjXX; Syr., have thereby been led astray ; the sense as xcv. 7 in the same poet. ^
112-115. Psalms Lxvi. — lxviii., xlvji. arc Tcmple-songs which we brinjj- together hero since they
SONQS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 199
stand ■somewhat closely together in the secoud Psalm-book, and belouof to these times.
Ps. Ixvii. is the carrying-out of the prima3val priestly bless- ing, Num. vi. 24 sqq., in the form which now seemed the most suitable. It becomes the blessing which the congregation in the Temple speaks concerning itself, or rather which a priest, including himself, speaks concerning it. But the retouching bears the traces of the exalted time in which it arose : as in many of the songs and oracles (Isa. xl.-lxvi.) 6f this time, the look and the wish passes from Israel to all peoples, that all through the Divine judgment may come to knowledge, as though that were the first consequence of the blessing upon Israel. From the close, ver. 7, it is further clear that such high wishes were formed precisely in a time when the new settlement was snatched from imminent distress by an unex- pectedly rich harvest, "(therefore plainly enough at the time of Haggai, see above on Ps. cxxvi.) and this first blessing might serve as pledge for the further greater ones.
Two strophes may be distinguished in the song, although the second, just as in Ps. c, is shorter. As the first concludes with the summons to the peoples, the second begins therewith, but only through the glance at the immediate condition of Israel to return to the beginning.
1.
God be gracious to us, 2
cause His countenance to shine among us ! . * that men upon earth may know Thy way,
among all peoples thy deliverance ! — Let peoples thank Thee, 0 God !
Let all the peoples thank Thee, nations rejoice and jubilate, 5
that Thou judgest peoples cquita})ly, nations — on earth doet lead them ! *
200 SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
2.
Let peoples thank Thee, 0 God,
all the peoples thank Thee ! — Earth gives already her fruit :
God, our God, bless us ! yea, let God bless us,
that all earth's bounds may fear him !
Ver. 5 sounds quite as xcvi. 11-13, xcviii. 9, and yet in the stamp of the speech somewhat differently.
Through all Temple-songs of the time a threefold feeling in reciprocal union runs, that of deliverance and power alone through Jahve who glorifies Sion, that of the dominion of Jahve from out of Sion over all lands and peoples, and that of the necessity that finally all must come to the pure knowledge and reverence of Him ; they are joyous outbursts of the serene, far forth-looking mood in those days of the temple in the renewal of its youth, — a manifold and loud echo of the great prophetic voice, Jes. xl.-lxvi. But the greatest, most splendid and artistic song among them is Ps. Ixviii., ascending to all indi- cations composed for the consecration of the new temple, and probably at that time publicly sung. It is entirely in the style of a song not flowing from a momentary mood and inspi- ration, but with design and much art composed for a certain object. This object is the praise of Jahve, as the only mighty, eternal leader and redeemer of Israel as well as of all just kingdoms of the earth that fear Him, — Who now in splendour has journeyed to Sion through the (Babylonian) desert, and takes His seat in His Temple, His firm eeat as Ruler of the whole dearth, to whom all kingdoms of the earth shall do homage to tlieir own salvation. While the poet would sing this praise not alone for himself and in his own name, but would cause all priests and laymen present at the joyous feast of the dedication of the Temple according to their diil'erent
SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 201
orders to take part in it, the entire large song is divided into, suitable sections and alternate hymns. As middle place appears the hymn of the Israelites going up to the Temple, of the people or the laymen in four strophes, probably in the progress of the train from the four lay-tribes, Benjamin, Juda, Zebulon and Naftali, present according to v6r. 28, — to be sung in order, w. 8-24; introduction and conclusion form five other strophes, two somewhat shorter at the beginning, vv. 2-7, and three at the end, vv. 25-36, which therefore the divisions.of the priests sojourning at the temple and introducing and concluding the feast, were to sing. The external uniformity of this division into strophes is clear from the fact that a series of four verses here appears as the ground-measure of a strophe ; but this is represented in so manifold a way that ( 1 ) the number of the members in the four strophes of the main song as of a song of joy is extended from ^ to 10 ; (2) each' of the three strophes of the more prophetic concluding song is built up on the other hand of 9 members, but (3) the two of the introductory priests' song limit the measure to three verses from a false division of the verse. That the laity sing vv, 8-24, which give a complete and rounded whole in themselves, is clear from the ''us'' vv. 20, 21, while the priests address Israel as a people, ver. 36 ; the words ver. 2, are (Num. x. 35) priestly.
But most plainly this division is deduced from the contents of the whole song and its parts. For the opening, proceeding from the Divine destruction of the wicked (Babylonians) just experienced, especially summons to the praise of Jahvc as the gracious Redeemer of the forsaken and captive, as if now, as formerly in Moses' time, Jahve had become the Redeemer of the people and was advancing once more through the desert to Palestine as His seat with noblest victory, vv. 2-7. Now follows as the main part the praise of Jahve as of the only mighty and helpful one, who has finally taken his seat in Sion, protecting for eternal times from this centre His people, vv. 8-24; and thus in the first three strophes the three — in
202 SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
this sense — greatest and most noteworthy incidents of the ancient history are brought out. In the first the march of Israel from Egypt to Palestine and the training of the people under Aloses and Josua^ in the second the time of the long struggles for the permanent possession of Kanaan under the Judges, in the third — and this is the outcome of all — the choice of Sion to be the holy seat under David is sung. To this the fourth and last subjoins the recent features of that period, — how Jahve, thus mightily ruling from out of Sion, and even saving from death, abides also for all the future. The three closing strophes again to be sung by the priests, give partly retrospective, partly prospective glances : the first looking back on the splendid march accomplished, and appropriately celebrating it ; the second supplicatory to Jahve, and antici- pating that also among the Gentiles the Temple and the religion of Jahve will be highly esteemed, the third finally summoning all kingdoms of the earth to praise Jahve who rules from out of Israel. Introduction and conclusion therefore contain peculiarly prophetic demands and anticipations, the middle piece the proper hymn of praise.
But it is as if the poet felt himself incapable of produciug so high a song out of his own strength ; for the finest and most powei'ful passages in it are like a garland from older songs, which we find partly elsewhere in the Old Testament, and partly must assume to have once existed. The whole is rather finely composed of a series of older brilliant passages than a new work and a firmly-jointed structure ; and as many older passages are very abrupt (probably as known to the singers), the explanation is often difficult. Where however the, co-operation of the poet — easily recognizable — is found, then we see everywhere this later time shine forth plainly in the thoughts (vv. 5, 7, 21, 33) and in the language. Therefore whoever considers this twofold content and then the whole style of the song, will not probably comfe to the opinion that the song springs from the time of the first dedication of the
SONOS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 203
Temple under Solomon, or was earlier composed than thy building of the second Temple. It is also historically note- worthy that in ver. 28 only four lay-tribes are named as going to the Temple, — and this has no sense for Solomon's time ; and we learn thence that already about the year 5IG B.C., not merely Benjamin and Juda, but also Zebulon and Naftali, i.e., inhabitants of Northern Palestine or of Galilee betook them- selves to the Temple on Sion.*
I. 1. When God arises, His enemies vanish, 2
His haters flee before Him, Like as smoke is blown away, blown away, like as wax melts before the fire, wicked men perish before God ; and just men joyously exult before God, leap in fulness of joy.
Sing to God, play to His name,
make way for Him journeying through the desert, named Jah; and exult before Him ! Him, the Father of the orphans and Judge of widows,
God in His holy home ; God brings again the dispersed to their home, sets prisoners free for happiness and weal, causes the perverse to dwell only in dryness.
II. 1.
God, when Thou didst go before Thy people, when Thou didst march through the desert,
* Comp. on the true sense and the period of this song the Jahrbb. der Wiss., iv., pp. 52 sqq., v., pp. 172 sqq.
204 SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
earth rose;, heavens dripped before God, this Sinai before God, Israelis God. — 10 With rain of blessing, God, Thou besprinklest their
heritage, and the wearied — Thou hast refreshed it ; Thy stock settled firmly in it,
prepared for the sufferer, God, through Thy goodness !
2.
The Lord gives a hymn of victory,
there is a great host of messengers of victory ; the kings of the host flee, flee,
and the housewife divides booty : " If ye rest thus between hurdles,
doves' wings are covered with silver,
and their pinions with green gold-shimmer : 15 Yet when the Highest scatters kings.
It snows therein on Ssalmon ! "
^• " A mountain of God is Basan^s mountain,
a high mountain is Basan's mountain ;" why then leer ye high mountains
at that mountain, by God desired as a seat : yet Jahve will for ever inhabit it ! — " See, chariots of God, twenty thousand, but thousand,
the Lord therein, Sinai in holiness ! Thou wentest to the height, leddest captives, receivedst gifts at men's hands ; perverse ones also must rest with Jah God I"
4.
20 Blessed be the Lord : irom day to day
He helps us to bear, — the God of our deliverance, the God Who is our God to show help j
and Jahve the Lord — has for death ways of escape. —
SON as OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 205
Yea^ God will dash in pieces the head of his foes, the crown of him who walks in his sins :
the Lord spake : " from Basan I fetch again, I fetch him again from the sea's depths,
that thy foot may shine in blood,
thy dogs' tongues be refreshed on the foes !"
III. 1.
Men have seen thy trains, God, 25
my God's and King's trains of holy kind. In front went singers, after players on stringed instru-
meiits,
between maidens with the drums : in full choirs blessed God
the Lord, they_fi'om Israel's spring ; There was Benjamin the little as their leader, Juda's princes, their strong band,
Zebulon^s princes, Naftali's princes.
2.
0 ordain Thy splendour, 0 God !
make splendid, God, what Thou hast prepared for
us ! because of Thy Temple at Jerusalem
may kings bring homage to Thee ! 30
Chide the wildness of the reed, the herd of bulls, with the
calf-peoples, that they may haste with silver bars ! scatter the people that do love war ! that nobles may come out of Egypt,
Kush in haste lift his hand to God !
3.
Ye, kingdoms of the earth, sing to God, play to the Lord, *
206 SONOS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
to Him who passes through heaven, heaven of old,
— see, He sounds with His voice, a mighty voice ! — 35 give God praise, whose glory rules over Israel, and whose power is in the bright height ! —
Sublimely rules God from out Thy sanct
uaries
Israel's God — He lends power and strength to the
people ; blessed be God !
I. Vv. 2-4. Further development of the old, certainly genuine Mosaic song. Num. x. 35, so that then in a second strophe, vv. 5-7, the proper summons to singing follows, comp. I., p. 192, Dlchter des A. B. On ver. 2 a comp. § 357 h ; on the image ^'^?r' see § 240 c; the following ^'^p^' cannot well be taken as the second person : Thou scatterest (them) ; since the address to God is nowhere found in the whole of the first strophe, and the supply of the object is here harsh ; but then there remains nothing but to take '{WV here (174f) as fern, (against the general usage), and ^13 as blow away, put to flight. Ver. 5 : to Him advancing victoriously through the wastes, as He did in Moses' time, and now again marching from Babel (Isa. XXXV., xl. 3) opens the way, receives him on the victorious march to Sion with triumph, — Him who both protects from out of Sion all the forsaken (orphans and widows, ver. 6, comp. x. 14), and as has been just shown, redeems the crushed and the prisoners from exile. n~m?13 seems to be only a later word, comp. Qoh. '^^7'!^= ^^ causes to dwell individuals, isolated ones, who are therefore without house, bringing them again Jiome.
11., 1. O how grand is the sacred past of this home of Jahv6 ! Its beginning, vv. 8-11, was due to nothing less than that wondrous time of the formation of the community under Moses himself ! But that violent storm, in which Jahve appearing on Sinai and ready to lead Israel further, shook the. earth (vv. 8, 9, from Judg. v. 4-G, comp. Ex. xix.), became at
SONOS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. L'(l7
the same time a refresliiug rain and blessing for Kanaan, the^ land wherein Israel was to dwell. It is as if Kan6iin, only- after it became the seat of Jahve, became also the fully Tich, blessed land, appropriategl to Israel as Jahve's people. For the beneficial influence of higher insight passes over to that which is external, and a land, so soon as that influence appears, becomes a truly flourishing and blessed one. ^nbna, ver. 10, is, against the accents, most readily taken with the first member, so that f]'^^n, " besprinkle," as words .of refreshing, stands with a double object, § 283 h. p!i3, set up, enliven, forms a word-play with ^"^sn, ^^repare, as Ixv. 10; but this stands here relatively, ivhich land Thou prep ar est, closing with the review of all that has beeo said.
2. But what a new view is given, vv. 12-15, on the glance at the many changing conflicts in the time of the Judges ; for the permanent settlement ' of Kanaan was only brought about by repeated victories over the enemy down to David^s time. But the first thing heard is : " The Lord gives "'5^, victory !" (this Avord here in the same signification as in Hab. iii. 9, comp. vcr. 8) : and this joyous message is heard from women who in great number like an army meet with singing the heroes returned from the battle, 1 Sam. xviii. 6, xxi. 12, xxix. 5, Ex. xv. 20, 21 ; and divide the booty at the feasts of victory, Judg. v. 11. Vv. 14, 15, must noAV by way of example, select such words out of the old songs of victory : unquestionably they are from old songs. The words are indeed because broken from their context, very harsh ; yet there appears to be plainly an opposition of sense between vv. 14 and 15; if ye (Israelitish men, for the women are singing) rest hetiveen the folds, i.e., carelessly stretched out on grassy pleasant places by the water (Judg. v. 16, Gen. xlix. 14), therefore if yo have peace as at this very time after the close of a war, — the ivings of the doves are covered over (^^H^, fetn. of the part, for •'DDD may be connected with the fcm. siug., §317a), ivlfJi silver, and their pinions with the most green-
208 SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
shimmering gold, — but they are only this through the sun- shine,— therefore so appears most delightfully tlie sun; but if God scatters Icings, in the sore battle, it snows in it (the same land) darJcness, the same God sends dark snow (and hail) for the destruction of the foes who assail that which is sacred. Job xxxviii. 22, 23, as has been seen shortly before. There- fore the same wondrous land now shows the scene of the sweetest rest and of the serenest heaven, now, if the destruc- tion of the wicked is in hand, that of the most gloomy and wrathful. lhX3^^2 only is difficult; this, Judg. ix. 48, appears as the name of a mountain in Efraim, and according to this passage it might appear to be the snowiest mountain in Kanaan. But the word might perhaps also signify ''in the darkness,^^ talmon, Arab., comp. ri!lD7^ • and in any case that mountain takes its name from the darkness. But if we reflect that the word most safely denotes that mountain, and further that this need not be precisely the snowiest if it only lay in a position to serve readily as an example of all, we do best to keep to this, and the more because we are thus brought into the very heart of the places where the great feasts of victory were chiefly held in the time of the Judges ; comp. the G'utt. Gel. Anz., 1865, pp. 1671 sqq. And thus we have here a provei-bial phrase from the midst of the time of the Judges.
3. Thus there naturally follows that sublime period under David when Sion, this in itself far from lofty mountain became, nevertheless, the most sacred and thereby the highest of all ; and this is unquestionably depicted in words from songs out of that time — and therefore in all probability actual songs of David — in unusually lofty style. The high, snowy- topped Basan has by nature great advantages, and a right to be called God's mountain. Also [Gesch. dcs V. Isr., i., pp. 497 sqq., ii., pp. 555 sqq.) it unquestionably was once held by the people Israel to be a holy mountain : but God can highly exalt that which in itself appears small and contemptible, through
SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 20 tf
the spirit, and the spiritual. So Sion is now exalted above all^ other mountains, comp. above Ps. xlviii., and still further wrought out below, Ixxviii. G9. Thus follows, vv. 18, 19; the description of the splendid train of the Holy One to Sion from out the old Sinai; while with the Highest and Holiest all the inferior spirits, the hosts of angels, marched to Sion (for where the highest good is, are also the particular inferior ones. Gen. xxviii. 10), Deut.xxxiii. 2, and at the same time casting down all that is hostile (as this was eminently seen in David's time), like a great king on his victorious march, and liigh in the battle-chariot (htab. iii. 8), making captive among those that resist, receiving homage among the submissive (comp. in like manner vv. 30, 31). How this is to be historically under- stood, is explained in the AUerth., pp. 328 sqq. That the hciijht to which Jahve in warlike train ascended is Sion (as similarly e.g., xvii. 23) js understood of' itself from the con- nexion. But if this was the issue of the great movement of that time, the general proposition finally is only thereby con- firmed, that also reheUious ones nevertheless finally dwell ivUh God in peace, must be reconciled to Him, and as it were dwell together with Him (Ixxvi. 11) comp. § 237 c, 282 a, as tho Kanaanites now peacefully dwelling as servants of the sanctuary at Sion testify.
4. That now in the beginning of the last strophe, vv. 20-21, the destruction and rebuilding of the Temple was to bo announced in bald words, cannot be asserted ; but the poet indicates all clearly enough when he says that God foreucr (not merely in the olden time) bears Israel (^ C)a37 is bear /or one, lighten his burden, the opposite of ^37 '3?), ver. 20, as He even has ways of escape from death, gives Israel the means to fleo from death, in which only the deliverance from exile can lie, ver. 21 ; and that He will finally fatally strike the still jiower- ful tyrants, vv, 22-24. Instead of mourning over the troubled and intermediate time it is therefore rather befitting la hlc.f.'i God as that wondrously helping God ; for ^^'7 is, ver. 20 and
VOL. II. 11
210 SONQS OF ItESTORED JERUSALEM.
ver. 21 to be taken according to Lehrh., p. 680^ note. The words^ vv. 23j 24, are probably from an older song : should the mighty wicked ones conceal themselves in flight on all sides before the punishment, — and that as deeply as possible, in the East on the heights of Basan, in the West in the depths of the sea, — nevertheless Jabve will bring them back to punishment, as in Am. ix. 2, 3; to bloody punishment, according to the experience of that time (as especially in later times when Israel had suffered such bloody retribution, the like is very sharply and pointedly taken, Isa. Ixiii. 1-6). yna, ver. 24 is here lighten, flash (term from a violent shock, comp. makhadd and Y't:P} '^^'^ • t^6 tongue even of thy dogs (comp. 1 Kings xxi. 23 ; 2 Kings ix. 36) gleams /ro»^ the foes, more definitely /ro/Ji him, his blood. That the last is somewhat awkward is easily to be felt ; but the pi-esent text admits of nothing else. For Vn!3n which is not found elsewhere in this sense, and which stands just before, ver. 22, in its ordinary significations, yn"in might readily be conjectured from passages like Iviii. 1 1, if the second member were not opposed to this, where however it is better to read Hn^3 : the tongue of moist .'iplendour, Isa. Ixiii. 3.
III. 1. The first strophe of the after-song_, vv. 25-28, aptly throws a glance back upon the solemn march of the represen- tatives of the four tribes : before these went the singers and musicians, and led by these they sounded the preceding hymn in full chorus (xxvi. 12). Thus ^-"l?, theij blessed Qod, those from Israel's spring, those of the stock of Israel who are then forthwith more definitely named, ver. 28. The figure of the spring as the remote last issue of the widely diffused descend- ants only further in Isa. xlviii. 1; li. 1. Benjamin, tho smallest, goes here, as similarly in Deurt. xxxiii. 12, merely for honour's sake in front, because Jerusalem lay in its district. But Juda remains the strong band, yielding the most and bravest men. On the Northern tribes, comp. the Gesch. des V. Isr., Vols. iii. and iv. of the third edition.
2. How small indeed is the present beginning of the now
SONGS OF liKSTOLED JEUVSALKM. 21 I
again dedicated Temple ; this view leads to the wish, vv, 29-32 : for the connexion of the whole requires all this to bo taken as a wish to God, that Ho will show His glory also from this Temple, to glorify the new-made state (t^ as active verb) that He will receive homage from the Gentiles, partly slowly, partly in haste arriving, that He will scatter the rude delighters in war. Hence we must read for ~j*nbs according to LXX, Syr., and several Codd., DTrbs, and ver. 29 n-V^ xliv. 5, ver. 31 "il? in the imperative. ^?, ver. 30, -of the Temple which stands out above Jerusalem, as Syr. correctly. The wild reed-beast — (the lion or tiger, i.e., the great king) which with the drove of bulls (mighty ones, princes) and the calves i.e., weaker powers of the people is to hasten forward to offer his homage in silver bars, but because it is so slow in doing this must first be serioubly censured and taught, — is certainly a circumlocution for -the Persian kiiigdom at that time delighting in war, whose symbol is the Euphrates and the Tigris, rivers whose reedy banks lions love to haunt. So earlier the crocodile is a figure for Egypt and the Egyptian king. Ez. xxix. 3; Ps. Ixxiv. 13, 14, and so now Assyria (Persia) might readily be termed a lion, with which then in descending relation, bulls (princes, magnates) and calves (peoples) are connected, and to all of which then according to old custom, ver. 32, Egypt and Kusch are placed in opposition. Thus Syria and Egypt are mentioned together about the same time and in a like sense, B. Jes. xxvii. 1, figuratively, and ver. 13 literally. But for DS-inia necessarily '"lO^ must be read, both because of the generation and of the summons. On ^P,^ "'^l as silver bars, comp. Dickinson in the Namisinatir, Chronicle, 1862, p. 130.
3. But still more purely, vv. 33-35, does the Messianic hope and exhortation to all kingdoms of the world without excep- tion break through, as if the glance must finally without respect to the distress of the present embrace the whole future with full courage ; ver. 35 from Deut. xxxiii. 28, 29. For ncu)
14 *
212 SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
— as finally in ver. 36 is added after the glance back at Israel, — the full theocracy is restored ; and with this the end of the threefold song recurs to its first beginning. But Messianic hopes of the final punishment of all Gentiles lay already in vv. 23, 24.
More simply, independently and finally do the same contents lie in the short bounding song, Ps. xlvii. In rejoicing over the advance of Jahve to the (new) Temple, and His rule from thence for the conversion of the heathen, it calls upon all the peoples to praise the God of Israel, vv. 2-5, who is now again universally honoured in Sion, w. 6-9 ; and about whose sanc- tuary princes of the people assembled at its dedication, ver. ]0. In other respects the song stands between Pss. xlvi. and xlviii., because these songs were again at that time studied for the sake of their similar contents.
1.
2 All ye peoples, clap the hand,
exult to God in loud jubilation ! Jahve is truly a sublime Potentate, a great king over all the earth ; subjects the peoples to us, 5 nations to our feet ;
chooses our heritage for us,
Jacob's pride, beloved by Him. *
God went up in a noise of jubilation,
Jahve with sound of horns : play to God, play,
play to our king, play ! king of the whole earth is God :
play a fine song ! Ruler was God over the Heathen,
God now is throned upon His hol}^ scat.
SONOS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 21.J
3.
Princes of the peoples have assembled 10
before the God of Abraham ; God's truly are the shields of the earth :
greatly is He exalted !
On such figures as "^r^'V, ver. 4, comp. § 343 h. Our heritage, the pride of Jakob is the holy laud, as Ixi. G. — The going up, ver. 6, quite as iu Ixviii. IG. — Ver. 10. Comp. Isa. xiv. 1 ; certainly there might assemble in Jerusalem, parti- cularly at the dedication of the Temple some princes, like Zerubabel, emissaries of the Persian empire; only we know the history of the time too little. Read C!? with LXX, Syr. For away to tlie people ^'? cannot well signify, § 281 d ; and elsewhere nothing more suitable is to-be fouud. Skidds = defenders, princes, Hos. iv. 18.
More like a mere echo of the high thoughts of that time sounds finally, Ps. Ixvi. 1-12, a similar Temple-song, which calls upon all peoples to honour Jahve, vv. 1-4, to consider His works and power, who iu the Egyptian times wondrously delivered Israel, vv. 5-7, to praise Him who had just again taken Israel out of the sorest life-danger, vv. 8-12. Peculiarly is it clear from the last strophe that the exilu was at that time not yet very remote.
1.
Shout to God, all the earth ! 1
sing the honour of His name,
do honour to His praise ! say to God : " how sublime Thy deeds !
to Thee, Almighty, Thy foes oiler achilatidii ; "all peoples do homage to Thee, play to Tiice,
play to Thy name ! " *
214 SONGS OF RESrORED JERVSALEH.
2.
5 Come and see the works of God,
His doing is fearful to the sons of men ! the sea has He changed into dry land,
through the flood they went on foot : there we rejoiced in Him ! He rules by His own power for ever ; upon the peoples His eyes look the rebellious — shall not pride themselves ! *
3.
Bless^ peoples, our God,
cause loud praise to sound to Him ! to Him Avho set our soul in life
let not our foot stagger ! 10 For Thou, God, hast proved us,
like silver hast sharply purified us ; hast led us into captivity,
laid a heavy burden on our hips ; didst cause men to go over our head,
into the fire, the water we came : and yet didst lead us forth to freedom !
Ver. 3 a from Ps. xviii. 45. On ver. 6 c comp. cxxxii. 6. Ver. 7 c sounds strongly like the conclusion of Ixviii. 7 and 19. — Ver. 9 6 comp. cxxi. 3. Ver. 10 after B. Jes. xlviii. 10, ver. 12 a after B. Jes. li. 23 b, after B. Jes. xliii. 2 ; in c nnT."i is to be read. On vv. 13-20, see above Vol. I., pp. 195 sq.
2. Enduring Sentiments.
But if the question is further (and this ever remains the main matter) what influence every unexpected revolution and every high joy of that time exercised upon the permanent sentiments of men, in this new pei-iod, we come upon
fONOS OF Rh:SToRFD JKIlUSALRU. 215
llG-117. Psalms xci, cxxxix. two extremely noteworthy songs, wliicli plainly show the abiding effect of that great time upon the inward life, on the state of mind. Ps. xci., whose penetrating, lofty style and mood likewise leads to this time, is simply a very serene inspired utterance of confidence in Jahve ; without special external occasion and impulse it is the free outburst of a lofty mood (somewhat as Ps. ci.). The whole heart of the poet is 60 deeply suffused with the consciousness that nothing in the world can harm him beneath Jahve's care, and that he remain- ing true to Him ever finds in Him the loving Protector, that his own spirit becomes to Him the surest and most eloquent oracle of these truths. He may well have earlier heard similar words of Jahve. uplifting and comforting from prophets. But the personal feeling and thought then only becomes full truth, if it sounds back as from without with proper force, and has been formed in the thinker who starts from his own personality, into Divine words and commands to Him; in short if his own spirit becomes his genuine and clear oracle. On this restful and blessed height we behold the poet ; the Divine conscious- ness, ripened by inner and outer experiences, bursts forth in the moment of consecration in a firm form; and one of the finest songs arises from this human feeling and thought entirely glorified into the Divine. Having scarcely begun to speak out of his own experience, vv. 1, 2, the higher certainty and the oracular tone forthwith overpowers him, vv. 3-8; and while, collecting himself during a short pause, he has scarcely returned to the beginning and his own style (ver. 9 in the middle) immediately the same oracular tone breaks in again, giving utterance most decisively towards the end. Further there is no division in the song except in ver. 9, where the same thought, after a short time, rises anew in other figures; the whole song expresses only one experience, without stronger forward movement in strophes. But all is rounded off in the
216 SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
highest repose to two strophes, each with eight verses and seventeen members, all with the exception of ver. 7 a of common length.
The historical situation cannot be more exactly inferred from the song, — so general is the tenor of the thought, because the song plainly proceeds from restful contemplation after a great deliverance, while the poet glances over the eternal foundation of the Divine grace, — past and future alike. From ver. 1 it only follows that the poet thus sang at the Temple ; perhaps we have here again the poet of Pss. cxvi., cxxxviii.
1.
1 He who sits in the protection of the Highest,
sojourns in the shadow of the Mightiest : I name Jahve my refuge, firm fortress, my God whom I trust. " For He will deliver thee from hunters^ nets, from the plague of affliction; will with his pinions lend thee protection, beneatht his wings wilt Thou flee : shield and harness His faithfulness is. Wilt not tremble before the horror of night,
before the arrow wliich flies by day, from the plague which glides in darkness,
from the blow which rages at noon ; though a thousand fall at thy side and ten thousand at
Thy right hand : to thee it will not reach ; only with Thine eyes Thou wilt behold it, and see the recompense of- tiro wicked !
2.
For Tho}t. art, 0 Jahv^, my refuge :
" hast chosen the Highest for Thy protection ; 10 evil will not befall thee,
misfortune will not approach Tliy tent ;
SONGS OF ref;tored jervsalem. 217
but His angels He will appoint tbeo,
to protect thee on every way, on tbeir hands they will bear thee,
that thy foot stumble not at the stone ; wilt tread on lion and adder,
tread down young lion and dragon. For on me ho hangs ; therefore I deliver him,
protect him because Ho knows my name ; If he calls me, I hear him, , 15
with him am I in distress
will set him free and honour him, refresh him with long life,
and cause him to behold my salvation/'
The person at first described more remotely as a ward of Jahve, dwelling at the sanctuary in Sion- happily and safely, is, as ver. 2 immediately explains, the poet himself; and thus in the relative clause the third person may stand by the first (or second) as Job xii. 4. It might indeed be supposed that for "1^*? it is better to read "ipw so that the words run, *' He who sits, says to Jahve,'' etc. But from this song presents itself as by no means a word designed from the first for every one. It is too plainly an outburst of the most personal experience of a man high placed in the world, such as we may suppose Zerubabel to have been. Elsewhere there is present to the poet's mind in vv. 1, 3, 4, plainly Ivii. 2, in ver. 9 perhaps xc. 1. — Ver. 3. The hunter's nets (properly bird-catcher's) is plainly a figure for death, according to xviii. 6 ; but the arrow and the blow, vv. 5, 6, designate in this connexion certainly dark modes of death, invisibly hsstening on, by contagion, or lightning or the simoon, xi. 6. At no time and from no deadliest danger shall thou be bound to tremble. — Ver. 8 : only see with eyes ; not with pain oneself expei'ience ; and indeed gee the punish- ment of the wicked. — Ver. 11. Coinp. Gen. xxiv. 7. — Ver. 10 shows by the conclusion that the poet lived in a time when tho
218 SO^GS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
ancient salvation, as David more nearly saw it, was entirely lost, and a new and great one must be hoped for, namely the Messianic, as according to all traces the noblest men of the time longed for it.
Ps. cxxxix. in like manner carries us into a movement when a poet feels himself entirely in God and God in him. But in quite another way. For while he has turned his attention to one of the greatest and most infinite but most mysterious of wonders, — that of the inner spiritual connexion of man with God, and his mind has become open and free for this side ; he is struck to the depths of his soul by the truth that the human ^spirit (in all its remaining dignity and greatness) still as derived, proceeding from God, is ever held and upborne in the Divine, that God can never escape nor in any way withdraw from it, but God everywhere, in knowledge, in space, in time anticipates and accompanies him. With the clearness of this thought there opens an infinite self-contemplation in God, a serious trial and justification of the mind and the whole life. It is, e.g., actually thus — that man cannot escape God and His probation; and how should he who has learned this, actually dare to desire to escape Him, and not rather entirely suffuse himself and his spirit in Him, so holding himself ready every moment for the strictest kind of examination ? — As now the poet has thus found himself consciously in God, indulges in such thoughts about Him with endless refreshment and con- tent (vv. 17, 18), and the further he reflects on the wonder, the greater and more divine he finds ic : he here pours forth in the song the deepest contemplations and most noble inward experiences, as well as the purest love to the God he knows, revelling in soft tender description of the inexhaustible con- tents, only becoming at the end somewhat more excited and stormy. For as restful contemplation must predominate in him who in himself has found the infinite treasure, there comes out in the main portion of the song, vv. 1-18, only the inner
SOyGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 219
side of the thought, — how the poet feels himself entirely^ seized and held by God inwardly and outwardly, vv. 1-6, because he even if he desired, cannot escape Him, vv. 7-12, because indeed God from the first anticipates man, vv. 13-18 : three uniform strophes according to the three movements of the thought heve possible from the personal deepest experience far away in the first instance, into the whole sphere of space, then into the temporal infinitude of the world. Only at the end, w. 19-24, a further more brief glance outward, where the poet so greatly misses such height and purity of senti- ment that he, carried away by the force of momentary noble agitation, desires the overthrow of all the wicked, but not otherwise than by God himself; he himself will at least keep his mind free from their vanity and wickedness, even purifying himself and longing for Divine probation, with which words, vv. 23, 24 the thought -again returns in' restful composure to its beginning. So deeply feels the poet the infinite nobleness of the sentiment to which he has risen, and which he will not have torn from him at any cost, that his heart, overflowing with this and revelling in it, can in such a moment turn to the resistance from without with nothing but horror ; and he does not at once, — as many others in the Old Testament sing and mean, — advancing further, take up the thought more with a view to influence didactically the wicked and thus conquer the external foes.
Precisely the deepest intensity of the mightiest feeling of the immediate — the new thought seizing upon the heart with such power that occupied with it, it can scarcely look beyond, and. the entirely free and unlbrced, sincere, pene- trating, genuinely creative description along with novelty of thought, of this ebullient blessed inward state : constitutes the peculiarity and the beauty of this song, — unique in its kind. From this poet, — ^judging also by the style of the language, — we probably possess nothing further in the Psalter ; according to time it appears less recent than the preceding.
220 SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEBL
Each of the four strophes is rounded off in six verses, with members of the ordinary character, but hero and there surging up to a greater height and rising to a threefold sound. Nothing is more gentle than ver. 1.
1.
1 Jahve, Thou hast searched and known me !
Yea Thou knowest my sitting and rising,
notest my thought already afar, hast already viewed my going and lying down,
art entrusted with all my ways. Yea, the word is not upon my tongue —
lo, Jahve, already Thou knowest it altogether, 5 before and behind hast Thou beset me
and on me laid Thine hand. All too wonderful is the knowledge for me,
too exalted, am no match for it !
2.
Whither shall I go from Thy spirit:
whither flee from Thy glance ? If I go up to heaven — there art Thou,
if I should take hell for my bed — there art Thou ! Were I to raise wings of the dawn, settle at the sea's end : 10 there also would Thy hand lead mo, and Thy right hand hold me ! Were I to think : " but darkness will cover me,
night be the light round about me ; "' darkness even would be to Thee pot too dark, night like day would shine, dark, bright, Wf)uld be alike !
3.
For Thou hast made my veins,
didst weave mc in my mother's botly :
SOXOS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 22l
praise to Thee that amazingly wonderful I became ; wonderful are Thy works, — my soul knows it well ! My bones were not concealed from Thee, 15
as I was wrought in secret, in the earth's depths was embroidered : my mass Thine eyes saw,
and in TJnj book they were all written — already formed those days when there was none
among them. — But how heavy lie on me Thy thoughts, God ;
how numberless their multitude ! If I counted, them — they would be more than sand, I awake — and am still with Thee ! —
4. Would'st Thou but slay the wicked, 0 God !
and ye bloody men — depart fi*om me ! who speak of Thee only for shame, 20
sinfully repeat Thy testimonies ! Should I not hate Thy haters, Jahve,
and loathe Thy adversaries ? — With fullest hate I hate them,
have become my enemies ! — '■ God ! search me, and know my heart,
prove me and know my dreams ! and see whether there be a vain way in me,
and lead me in the eternal way !
1. The words, vv. 2-5, give the proof of what is said in vcr. 1, even more closely, but with an advance in the proof. Not only all conceivable deeds, vv. 2-3, — the very words of men are known to God beforehand, ver. 4. In this ver. 4 the last member is very shortly added, as generally in this song the most figurative and lightest language predominates : but the sense is plainly iJn; word is not upon imj fmujin , it is, although
222 soyas of restored Jerusalem.
in the tliouglit, not yet upon my tongue, Thoii already knowest it altogether ; hence tlie "lo !" pointing to a state, and the perf. For he who feels God near on all sides, behind and before, as above and below, and by Him in every moment held andb eset, as was described in ver. 5, — he must also know that he can think and do nothing without God. The K'tib i^*^'.?, ver. 6, is explanatoi-y and correct.
2. The figure, ver. 9, is apt when we reflect that the light of the dawn from the east in a moment hastens to the extremest sea=the west. In ver. 8 all conceivable space being com- prised in its four possibilities, — the last named west and the hell touched upon ver. 8, lead finally to tbe last thought, ver. 11, the possibility which appears easier than the former, hut at least i^]^) shut oneself into outermost darkness, so that eternal night surrounds man instead of light ; to which figure, however, ''3-:itt?'^ (LXX, KaTairaTrjaet, Vulg. conciilcahit after the Aramaic ^P) so little suits that the correct reading rather appears to be '^S^J:?^ from ^J?7=^p, cover, as "T^tZ?;, for "Itr'>^ xci. 6.
3. The wondrous formation of man before birth is, vv. 13-15, described somewhat as in Job x. 9-1 1. But the poet must here from the first in conformity with the connexion of the thoughts bring out the thought that God has also made his reins or feel- ings, so that He can never be strange to them ; and then that he was formed in the most secret concealed corner in such a way, so concealed as in the depths of the earth (as generally the earth's and the mother's womb bear much resemblance, Job i. 21, comp. Sur. xl. 69, and the cljanyan 'Amr's Moall. v. 14. 20), but yet clear and plain before God. And since the foresight of God does not begin with His defined boundary, but ever embraces all things, in ver. 16 finally appears the last that the human spirit can here in poetic boldness grandly conceive, from the standpoint of the personal consciousness, — that before birth all days were written in the divine book (Ivi. 9, Ixix. 29) as if they were already there and. ready when as yet none of them existed. The t^^") (K'tib) introduces a proposi-
SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 223
tion of state, § 341 a : the days luhich were creatively predeter- mined, while not 3'efc one among them existed. The language is here strained quite unusually by the thought of that which is most wonderful ; and the unusual brevity of the expression is connected with this. That the article before D'T?^ and the relative word before ^"',^.']' may be wanting is self-intelligible; on the "'?p^^, how, comp. § 33-J a. The conclusion, vv. 17, 18, almost like that in the Gospel of John. With such endless flow do these divine thoughts come in upon the poet, as in strongest currents, that he must now hasten to break them off in the song, as he would never get out of them, and their number is so infinite that he would seek in vain to count them, and sum them up as it were in firm masses. The ^12^ must be taken in its first signification as he heavy : so overpowering is to the godly man the stream of these divine thoughts that they present themselves to him as to our poet, ver. 18 6 and ver. 23 h, as sweet dreams, similarly as in the 4 B. Ezra every longer interview with God and Uriel becomes a dream. But even if he would as now get free from such infinite sweet dreams, and actually feels as if awoke from them, as even now, he feels himself ever still xoith Him, a last and highest wonder ! The words as the thought itself resemble that in Ps. Ixxiii. 24 h, despite all difference in the first beginning of the contemplation. Further, comp. the Jahrhh. des Bill. W., v., p. 177. But the first strophe, ver. 6, the poet had also closed in a similar way, only that he speaks here more strongly because more creatively. Of the four members of these two verses, 2 and 3 correspond to one another, 1 and 4 ; but it is not necessary to assume after the fourth member where the awakening is spoken of, that this must be an early morning song. 4. by "f-iy as " Thy cities,'' the oath by holy cities must be thought of; but we know only Sion, and such an oath is too unworthy to suit here, where Ex. xx. 7, is alluded to. It might then stand for T^i-f, " Thy foes" (for precisely in this song y is preferred instead of y, vv. 2, 17, in V^., CDnip. '^^'^,
224 SONOS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
ver. 3 in VDTi), so that tlio reference might be completed from the foregoiug verse ; falsely express (Thee) as '' Thy foes;'' if with many copies ^'j7.?? (or ^"'jp^r?, as in many later songs ?) were not easiest to read, comp. B. (Roman 50) 16. But plainly hypocrites and seeming holy ones form the opposition in the poet's hearty accordingly ^^^, ver. 24, as =^^^, "l.'^f;^ is to be understood, as also here the opposition of the eternal = divine way teaches.
3. New Dangers and Complaints. — New Light.
If the Psalter closed here, we might readily suppose that that fair elevation of the first times after the deliverance had been of long untroubled duration ; the close of the Psalter, one of the most instructive books for history of the Old Testament, would in that case appear entirely satisfying, and we should hardly expect anything higher. — In fact, the enduring effect of that elevation for the community is UTimistakable ; it looks more freely and widely upon the kingdoms of the world, and connects itself closely and inseparably with the ancient religion. The new settlement in Jerusalem becomes gradually firmer, more developed, the popular element again becomes collected and strengthened ; even the language becomes again predominantly purer and more antique than it had been in many of the pre- ceding songs. Butnn this repose there germinate unobserved new dangerous doubts, which supply proof that the ancient community had not yet learnt all its concealed errors and dangers, and therefore could not endure on this position. That very idea on which now, in the new foundation of the people all turns, — that of the community, — of Israel, has still much that is obscure, for few as yet comprehend what the poet of Ps. Ixxiii. 1 had already said. Shall the old Israel again arise with all its promises,v.with Palestine as axis ? Partly in victory, partly in the pressure of the time it seems so; becomes even in part necessary, because the old tiationality is on the one side again too keenly disputed, uti the other has not yet
SONGS OP RESTORED JERl'SALEil. 22o
found its full goal. For the Messianic expectations were still unfulfilled, the ancient law Lad not yet been again fully restored, the old literature not collected. The national element then is for a time again fixed in the new community, so far as possible ; the old promises remain and increase. But while Israel was to wait for this happiness, there come, in spite of its fidelity to the old religion, the times, ever becoming more oppressive, of the satrap-rule. The heathen, the wicked rule and destroy, Israel sees for herself no happiness, no hope ! Here a new and hard enigma was presented ; for in earlier times the unhappiness of the people never co-existed with such strict adherence to the ancient religion. But as the songs
118-125 Psalms xliv., lxxiv., lxxix., lxxx. ; cxxxii.,
LXXXIX. j LX., LXXXV.,
show, the greater dangers and more serious trials which were called forth by the development of the new state, did not long endure. Precisely when the new state was restored by the zeal of Zerubabel and of the High-pi*iest Josua, and in a manner established, when its citizens had attached themselves with one mind and with strictness to the ancient religion as it was understood at that time ; in brief, when the time had finally come when the true Israel dwelling in Sion seemed bound to expect all Divine blessings : tno new community seems to experience the most visible signs of the Divine dis- pleasure. All Gentiles rise against her for a war of destruction, conquer Jerusalem and the Temple, treat the people and the religion with equal severity and baseness. Had indeed the higher spiritual idea of Israel which germinates in Ps. Ixxiii. sqq., already penetrated more deeply and universally, such external misfortune would not have been received with such despair. But the conception of a spiritual Israel passes away again under the tendency of these times more and more, while the national, the tenacious a<lhcrcnco to the old and the more VOL. II. lo
226 SONOS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
external faith is maintained ; and as the people in this point of view is conscious of no guilt against Jahve its God, the unexpected trouble is so severe, the humiliation and sorrow so deep. The elevation and inspiration from the first times after the exile, — yea, almost the recollection threatens to pass away (although according to Ps. Ixxxv. men still thought of it) : and pre-eminently the recollections introduced with glowing features into the sacred books of the old lofty times under Moses and David still warm and strengthen the people. But the present state corresponds so little to these j hence the almost bound- less dejection of the spirit, the oppressed prayer and lament, the great difficulty — never before so universally felt by the whole people — of finding solace and rest. In short, we see here on a small scale the same conflict of opposing thoughts and endeavours, from which the second Jerusalem — precisely as its development became more fixed — can never be free, and which carried to their height in the times lying beyond the Old Testament, bring about its overthrow.
Meanwhile it is more difficult to state the precise time in which these songs fall. For on the one hand. the historical information concerning the new Jerusalem, especially from this to the previous period, flows in a very scant and troubled stream. And again, in all these songs the foes are notably not named exactly and in particular, perhaps because they, unlike the later Ps. Ixxxiii., were not written under merely threatened, but actual subjugation, when it was neither advisable nor necessary to give the names. If we ask, following all possible traces and evidence, when the Temple in Jerusalem was thus treated by heathen ? it is certain on the onQ side that we may not think of an * earlier conquest, of the Chaldean therefore, because at that time the community was not so united and incorruptibly true to the ancient religion as it here throughout appears. Comp. only the Lamentations above, pp. 99 sq., and the books of Jeremja, from which further, these songs borrow. That here already Jerenija's writings.
SONQS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 227
tho series of songs named, pp -11 and 124, and similar 8uc4i late writings are made use of, is a further reason against tho origin of these songs in the time of the first Temple. But on the other side there as little lies a tenable reason for going down to the Makkabean times, — times which nowhere here clearly and certainly appear, which on the contrary are depicted in the B. of Daniel as times of internal religious division and strong defection, while these songs throughout presuppose tho most unanimous, flourishing condition of religion in Jerusalem; not to speak of tho insurmountable difficulties which in that case the whole history of the literature and the Canon would present, and which this is not the place further to set forth, comp. e.g., Vol. I., pp. 4 sqq. Hence I was of opinion thirty years ago that the songs belonged to the times of the later Persian dominion, of which and its public discords because of tho Temple we know something, comp. the Gesch. des V. Isr., iv., pp. 263 sqq. of the third edition. But in 1851 I showed that we come here rather to the times towards the end of the sixth and the beginning of the fifth century, and this is anew eluci- dated in the last edition of that vol. of the History, pp. 155 sqq. Only thus do these songs fit iuto the series of all the preceding and following.
Further. Strictly considered, only the seven songs besides Ps. cxxxii., belong entirely to the above-desci'ibed state of things in Jerusalem. But these seven songs show so complete a likeness in the language and colour of the style, that one might feel tempted to derive them from the same poet, were not the conclusion to be drawn from particular traces that at least Ps. Ixxxix. must be from another poet than the others.
The four first songs are according to all tokens designed for congregational songs, but along with all likeness of their object are very different in art and tenor. Ps. xli. is the clearest and completest song of these. As those sufferings were inexplicable to the people according to the old faith, at first the vivid recollection of the eternal relation between God
15 *
228 SONOS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
and Israel appears^ according to wliicli Israel praises Him as the ancient and eternal giver of victory to the people, who can only be strong and mighty through Him, vv. 2-9 ; then the present weakness and degradation of the people — incomprehen- sible after such antecedents — is depicted with deep lamentation, vv. 10-17 ; and finally with the sincerest assurance and, as it were, conjuration that the community feels itself guiltless and faithful only to the true God, prayer for final pity, vv. 18-27. Scarcely in the first part, ver, 5, does prayer once break through.
Of the three strophes each is arranged with eight verses, but the last is extended by two more.
1.
2 O God ! with our ears have we heard,
our fathers have told us the work wrought by thee in their days days of the olden time : Thou, thine own hand, didst drive peoples out and didst
plant them, didst injure tribes and spreadest them out ; for not through their sword did they inherit the land, and not their arm helped them, no. Thy right hand. Thy arm and the light of Thy
glance, because thou lovedst them.
5 Thou art my king, God ?
appoint all deliverance of Jakob ! through Thee we thrust down our oppressors,
through Thy name we tread on adversaries ; for not in my bow do I trust,
my sword nevej; helps me, no, Thou didst help us before our oppressors
and our haters Thou didst put to shame, of God we sang praise every day,
and glorify Thy name for ever !
SONOS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 229
And yet Thou Last rejected and put us to shame, 10
and goest not forth in our armies, makest us to yield before oppressors,
and our haters drove their spoil, givest us up like the flock to destruction,
and hast scattered us among peoples, sellest Thy people for a mock-price,
and went not high with their pi'ices ; makest us the scorn of our neighbours,
a scoff and disgrace to those round about us, makest us a bye- word among peoples 15
and a shaking of the head among nations ; daily my shame is before me,
disgrace has covered my face before the loud scorner and slanderer,
before foe and thirster for revenge !
All this fell upon us though we forget not Thee
and have not denied Thy covenant, for our heart is not turned back
nor did our step decline from Thy path, that Thou didst crush us in the desert, 20
and didst cover us with death's night ! Never, never did we forget the name of our God,
spread out our hands to a strange God (would not God search this out,
for He knows the heart's secresies ?) : but for Thee we are continually put to death,
esteemed as a flock for slaughter ! Awake ! why sleepest Thou, Lord,
wake up, reject not for ever !
230 SONOS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
Why liidest Thou Thy countenance,
forgettest our sufferings, our oppression ?
for into the dust sinks our soul, to earth our body cleaves :
rise to help us,
redeem us for the sake of Thy grace.
On nbc?^ ver. 3, comp. Ixxx. 12. Ver. 13 properly : for a trifling price {iinpreis) so low and contemptible, not sparing blood as dear, Ixxii. 14, but giving it up very cheaply, yea for nothing j because no use and gain at all is seen from the many sacrifices which the enemy so readily overpowers. The figure from Jer. xv. 13 : but an ancient poet would not have carried out this figure so far. Ver. 20. CDIp'?^ instead (Hos. ii. 1) might signify : thou didst strike us instead of wild beasts, as if we deserved as beasts of prey the highest punishment ; or Thou — as beasts of prey, fearfully as beasts of prey crush. Both, — especially the last — are harsh ; rather does the poet take the 'place of vnld beasts for = desert, desolation, so that the following member may speak of darkness ; for manifestly the figure is borrowed from Jer. ix. 10, x. 22, as ver. 15 from Jer. xviii. 16, and much else of the kind in these four songs. Ver. 21 must contain an oath; because ver. 22 most solemnly appeals to the Divine knowledge. For Thee, i.e., for Thy sake, ver. 23, quite as Ixix. 8 ; but in other respects ver. 16 is from Ixix. 8, li. 5, xxxviii. 18, but somewhat otherwise applied.
Ps. Ixxiv. most deeply and unhappily laments, because the unhappincss has reached its furthest point. From the veiy first there gushes forth most mournfully the prayer for remem- brance of the community now in the innermost sanctuary destroyed, vv. 1-9, and after that, upon new complaint, the whole greatness of God has been sung with praise and invoca- tion, vv. 10-17, most urgently does the prayer as it were calling
SONQS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 231
forth tlie feeling of God's honouFj for the aversion of scorn ant^ misery, recur, vv. 18-23. The language too is bent and with difficulty collects itself, like the whole state of that time. ' But the build of the three strophes still contains something of the old manner of a song of lament -, they become always shorter, from 20 to 16 and further to 12 members.
1-
Why, 0 God, hast Thou cast off for over, 1
and smokes Thy anger against Thy pasture-flock ? think of the community which Thou hast long obtained,
hast redeemed for the stock of Thy heritage, the mount Sion on which Thou didst take Thy
dwelling ! lift Thy steps against eternal evil-doers :
all in the Temple the enemy' injured ! Thy oppressors roared in the midst of the festive house,
set for signs their ensigns ; It seems as if men raised 5
in the forest's thicket axes, and now with hatchet and hammers
broke down together its carved work ; into fire cast they Thy sanctuary,
desecrated to the earth Thy name's seat, thought in themselves : '^dislodge we them together !"
burned all the houses of God i:i the land ; we see no longer our signs,
prophets are no more, and have none who knew " how lonjr V
How long, God, shall the oppressor scoff, 10
the enemy for ever proscribe Thy name ?
why then withdrawest Thou Thy hand and right hand ? out from Thy bosom, destroy !
232 SONGS OF RESTORED JERVSALE3I.
for God is nevertlieless my King from olden times,
who gives help in the midst of the laud. Tho2i hast by Thy might divided the sea,
broken dragons^ heads upon the waters, Thou has dashed in pieces the heads of the monster,
didst give it for food to a people of savages, 15 Thou hast divided spring and brook,
TJioit hast dried streams of eternal flood ; Thine is the day— and Thine the night,
Thoii hast appointed light and sun, Thoii didst place firmly all earth's bounds,
summer and wintei" — Thou hast formed them !
3.
Remember this : the enemy scorns Jahve, and foolish people despise Thy name ; give not to the wild life the soul of Thy turtle-dove, the life of Thy poor forget not for ever ! 20 0 look upon the Covenant :
how full the earth's asylums are — of dwellings of
cruelty ! let not the bowed-down return ashamed,
let the poor and helpless praise Thy name ! Up, God, 0 conduct Thy cause,
think of Thy scorn by fools continually ! forget not the voice of Thy oppressors, ■ the adversaries' noise ever arising !
Pasture-floclc plainly here and Ixxix, 13, after xcv. 6, 7, c. 3. On ver. 3 comp. Ixxiii. 18. Ver. 4, comp. ver. 9, shews that the enemy, after seizing the Temple, set up instead of the genuine Israelitish signs, e.g., Cherubim, their heathen ones; the former they struck down and burnt ; but further, despite all the bitter complaints of these songs, their rage did not go. The i>t[f. fern, iu nTnnD, ver. 6, must refer to the readily
SONQS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 233
recognizable '^Sion." The words, vv. 13, 14, yield instead in, tlie first place only a decorated form of Ex. xiv. sqq,, and B, Jes. li. 9, 10, for Egypt or Pharao and his princes in this time aro readily compared with crocodiles (see above on Ixviii. 31) : but (1) allusion is made to the old legends of these monsters of the early world which appeared to have returned in Pharao (comp. on Job, p. 62) ; and (2) by the side of the legend of the mere sea-monster, ver. 13, is further added, ver. 14, with distinct purpose, the quite other legend of the. half sea, half land monster, which once in the fore-time subdued by God, still always serves as food in its monstrous remains to a people of savages (that is ^""^f? QV, § 292 a, and Ps. Ixxii. 9) i.e., of half-men, who dwell at the earth's ends. Such legends, the reflection of which appears in the translation of the LXX, in the peoples of J^iliiopia, as well as in B. Henokh, Ix. 24, 4 Ezr. yi. 51, and elsewhere, must at that time have been widely diffused. But then this other monster along with Egypt of itself here as elsewhere points to Assyria, i.e., Persia, as is meant more exactly here ; and ver. 15 is now no mere repetition of ver. 13 a, but points to the deliverance from exile, and is borrowed from passages like B. Jes. xlii. 15, xliv. 27. — Ver. \Q)h from Gen. i. 16; ver. 17a from Job, xxxviii. 8. Turtle ver. 19, the innocent community, ver. 2; but manifestly from the RL ; the first ^IT^ merely for the sake of the word-play with the second for n>n (^ 173 tZ). Covenant ver. 20, and therefore also the people of the covenant, comp. xliv. 18, Mai. iii. 1 ; but for "<2tt7nD, which as darh corner gives no sense, ""rbna is to be expressed in the sense of ver. 8Z>.
Much more collected and composed in the njidst of misery are the two following songs, Pss. Ixxix., Ixxx. ; although Ps. Ixxx. far excels Ps. Ixxix. in tenderness, mildness, and repose as well as in art. For Ps. Ixxix. mingles with the mournful description of the sufferings, and with the prayer that instead
234 SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
of permitting the community to be destroyed by cruelty^ the foes who scoff at all true religion and Jahve may be punished, — the recollection of the guilt of Israel, vv. 8_, 9 ; and the wish to see Israel only for the sake of religion (the name of Jahve) preserved. For this purpose all is more briefly composed, so that the strophe is extended only to five verses, the third and last becomes still shorter. The second turns from the first very strongly against the heathen ; and this in particular is the new feature in the song.
1.
1 God ! heathen have come into Thy heritage,
have stained Thy holy Temple, turned Jerusalem into ruins ; given Thy servants' corpses
as food to the birds of heaven, to the wild beasts of the earth Thy saints' bodies ; their blood forgotten like water
round about Jerusalem, without buriers ; we have become a scoff to our neighbours,
a scorn and disg^race for all round about us. —
will Thy jealousy burn like fire ?
2. Pour out Thy wrath on peoples which know Thee not,
on kingdoms which call not on Thy name, because they destroyed Jakob,
and made His pastures desolate ! — Remember not against us the sins of former ones ! in haste let Thy compassion anticipate us, because we are very miserable ; help us. Thou God oi'^our salvation, for Thy sublime name's sake, and save us and atone our sins for Thy name's sake !
SONQS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 236
wliy should heathen say : " where is their God V 10 let there be known to the heathen clearly before us the vengeance of the forgotten blood of Thy
servants !
Let the sighs of the fettered come before Thee,
according to the greatness of Thy arm — let children of death remain,
and sevenfold requite our neighbours into their bosom, the scorn wherewith they scorn Thee, 0 Lord !
and we Thy people and Thy pasture-flock, we will sing praises to Thee ever,
to all ages ever tell Thy praise !
Yer. 6, 7 almost verbally from Jer. x. 25 ; one does not clearly see why the 2)hir. ^^^^ is here changed into the sing., and the sing, seems to be a mere oversight. Ver. 10 a as so much in these songs from Joel ii. 17. Fettered, ver. 11, Israel might generally in those circumstances of complete subjection appear ; but before the poet's mind there passed, in both members so plainly, the verse cii. 21, that the colour of the language is thence explained.
Ps. Ixxx. A modest, tender prayer for the restoration of the utterly ruined state, but so arranged as to be sung in the assembled congregation with alternate voices. While thus the main prayer to be sung by the whole community recurs at the end of the three strophes, the first in general appeals to the Divine help ; the second recalls the loug duration and severity of the sufferings ; and the third and fourth point to the ancient history according to which the community was once so care- fully led out of Egypt by Jahve, and firmly planted in Pales- tine (verdant like a fruitful vine), and brought to maturity. Shall this pleasant plant of Jahve pass away through rude
236 SONOS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
hands ? Hence the figure admits of the longest and most touching elaboration; comp. earlier Isa. v., Ezek, xv. and xvii. ; and hence the language is here doubled^ nay quadrupled^ for the prayer cannot be urgent enough, as if in the midst of the last despondency. Apart from the two-membered return- verse, the six members of each of the two first strophes are enlarged in the third to twelve : but the recurrent verse is extended, according to its pure sense, .now likewise to twelve members. Comp. above the structure of Pss. xcix. sq.
1.
2 Thou Shepherd of Israel 0 hearken !
Thou who didst lead Josef like sheep, inhabitest the Cherub^s, O shine forth ! before Efraim and Benjamin, Manasse,
arouse Thy heroic strength and come to our deliverance ! 0 God, restore us again,
cause Thy glance to shine, that ive may be saved!
2.
5 0 Jahve, God of Hosts,
how long dost Thou still fume at Thy people's
prayers ? hast caused them to eat bread of tears,
made them drink tears to the full measure ; makest us the object of strife to our neighbours, and our foes scoff at us : 0 God of Hosts, restore us again, -
cause Thy glance to shine, that we may he saved !
3.
A vine Thou didst take from Egypt's earth, didst drive away peoples, didst plant it ;
SONOS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 2:^7
Thou madest space before it, 10
it struck its roots and filled the earth, mountains were covered with its shadow,
with its branches cedars of God ; it stretched its tendrils to the sea,
unto the Flood its sprouts. Why hast Thou broken through its hedges,
that all wayfarers pluck it, the boar out of the forest rends it,
the brood of the field browses on it ?
O God of Hosts, return, we pray, 15
looking from heaven behold,
and visit this vine ! For the plant which Thy right hand planted,
[the son whom Thou didst bring up for Tliyself], scorched in fire is cut down,
(before Thy glance's menace they perish !) — so be over the man of Thy right hand Thy hand, the son of man whom Thou didst bring up for
Thyself ! — We too will not depart from Thee,
let us live, we will call on Thy name !
0 Jahve, God of Hosts, restore us again, 20
cause Thy glance to shine, that we may he saved !
Somewhat striking is the statement of the particular tribes, vv. 2, 3. That the poet was a Samaritan (Efraimito) must not be assumed; and just as little, that Samaria was at that time allied with Jerusalem. But Josef and Benjamin appear to stand merely in a general way instead of some old renowned names, because the actual tribe-division has already ceased in these times, but Sion boasts of continuing all Israel, comp. Ixxvii. 16, Ixxxi, 5, G, and on llov. vii. 4-8. tt;''btt?, ver. 6, properly a defined measure, the third part of a very great whole, is here more freely translated. Ver. 12 : to the Medi-
238 SONQS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
terranean Sea and the Euphi-ates, here and Ixxxix. 26, from Ps. Ixxii. 8, as ver. 14 is framed from 1. 11. But the relation of the individual clauses and members of vv. 15-20 is peculiarly difficult. Were the readings here correct, it must be assumed that the figure of the vine is gradually dropped from ver. 15; with ver. 15 the language bends towards the conclusion, but it is still further spun out in the following words, and the figure first fully explained; sow ver. 16, would be still in the sense of the figure a young tree, shoot (pL mD3, Gen. xlix. 22), but ver. 18 6 explains by son of man ; as also ^33 is explained by ver. 18 a; in ver. 16 the connexion of the TPP with the accus. or with bv being interchangeable. But in fact much that is improbable lies here ; if ver. IQh is struck out as inserted here from ver. 18 Z>, the connexion of all the words becomes much easier, and above all in this way the even structure of the whole song, according to its plainly great unifoi-mity of strophes, is restored. Then the vine, described vv. 9-14 (which is given here merely because of the /ew. gender for the vine-stock) is in ver. 16 also more generally named a plant which God's hand had set and planted, but merely in order to describe the devastators of this vine, i.e., of this sappy blooming community, ver. 17ft, — after the figures Ps. Ixxiv. 3-7, — from another side than was done in vv. 13, 14. And the present condition of this community, vv. 16«, 17 a, being once more adduced with the most striking figui*e, so that here as in a sudden parenthesis ver. 17 b the figure is rent through by the expression of the coarsest reality : the prayer is renewed, ver. 18, for the protection of the husbandman, so that about Israel itself this full compassion-deserving man appears as the object of this prayer without further disguise ; and the voice of this man finally falls back into the we, ver. 19, but the key-note of the prayer may recur for the third time on the whole, and also for the third time in this strophe, — and that with the greater power. The spinning-out of the earlier strophe in the following one we saw already in Pa. xcix.
SOXaS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 239
Ps. cxxxii. and Ps. Ixxxix. are so similar in style and con- tents, that the same composer might be conjectured, who must then be different from the author of the four preceding songs. From cxxxii. 10, and Ixxxix. 52 comp. Ixxxiv. 10, it is however clear enough who the composer was ; for if the two passages be closely considered, we find that the poet himself must have been an Anointed one, a prince, — and therefore a Davidide, if not ruling, yet called to rule by his descent from the old Davidic kings. A passage like Hab.,iii. 13 — where the word Messias in the second member is interchanged ^ath the word peojjJe in the first, may not remotely be compared with those of this song. Every living and careful consideration of them anew confirms the hypothesis that here an individual poet with quite peculiar personality is speaking, with the most unique feelings and experiences, peculiar to his life. Indeed it must be said that in the whole composition, nay, almost in every word of these songs, we feel the quite peculiar colouring in which a Davidide was bound to seize the relations and sufferings of those times. Who this Davidide was, it is certainly somewhat diflficult to make out from other sources : but we know that Zerubabel remained a dweller in Jerusalem ; or we might think of a descendant of his. If now both were of the same poet, certainly Ps. cxxxii. is significantly earlier ; it is fresher, more powerful, and it has no allusion at all to the great desolation of Jerusalem, and pollution of tho Temple.
But in fact notwithstanding all resemblance, in poetic tenor and art and in the stamp of the language there is much diversity between the two ; and Ps. cxxxii. plainly stands higher in flight and spirit. Since now we learned to recognize Zerubabel in certain songs of similar flight and of the like time, we esteem Ps. cxxxii. as a somewhat later poem of his, and derive Ps. Ixxxix. from his son. For this mutual relation of the two songs their present position also speaks, Ps. cxxxii. as adopted into tho above described collection, Pss. cxx. —
2i0 SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
cxxxiv.j and Ps. Ixxxix. along witli Ixxxv.^ Ixxx., Ixxix.^ Ixxiv., xliv.
The poet of Ps. cxxxii., full of the oracle 2 Sam. vii., and several other more ancient in praise of David, and of Sion, unable to conceive and endure that the once flourishing Sion for whose weal David sacrificed himself, should for ever more deeply fall, prays to Jahve full of hope, — that for David's sake, and the promises given to him. He will be gracious to Sion, the once chosen city, and David's race. Thus, reviewing the ancient history and the present, he prays Jahve at first to recollect the sacrifice of David, by which Sion became the joyous seat of religion, vv. 1-17. But now it is as if desolate and forsaken of Jahve, therefore will Jahve again show Himself in it in His splendour, and hear the Anointed one, according to His promise, vv. 8-12 ; for Sion is once for all, according to ancient oracles the seat of Jahve, where also David's race shall never cease to shine, vv. 13-18. The first of the three strophes has 14 members, the second closely con- sidered, an equal number, while the last (as frequently) concludes somewhat more shortly. '
1. 1 Eemember, 0 Jahve, David
all the trouble he endured ; he, who swore to Jahve,
vowed to Jakob's Strong One : " I will not enter my house's tent,
. nor ascend the bed of my couch, '^nor give my eyes sleep
and my eyelids slumber, 5 , " till that I find a place for JahvL%
I, an abode for the Strong One of Jahve ! " and lo, we heard it in Efrata,
so found we it in the fields of the Forest : " let us come to His seat,
do homaofe at His footstool ! "
SONOS OF RESTORED JEllV^ALKM.
L'4I
2.
O raise, Jahve, Thyself to Tliy restiug-plaoe,
Thyself and Thy sublime ark ! let Thy priests put on gracious righteousness,
and Thy saints jubilation ! For David, Thy servant's sake 10
thrust not back the countenance of Thy Anointed ! Sworn hath Jahve truth to David,
whence He will never swerve : "of Thy body's fruit
will I place on Thy throne ! " if Thy sons keep thy covenant
and my exhortations which I teach them : so shall their sons for ever and ever sit upon Thy .throne."
For Jahve has chosen out Sion,
desired it for His own abode : " this is my resting-place for ever and ever,
here will I dwell, because I love her ; her food will bless, bless, 15
will satisfy her poor with bread, and cause her priests to put on salvation,
and her saints— they shall shout for joy ; there will I cause a horn to sprout for David,
prepare a light for mine Anointed, will cause His foes to put on shame,
but on Him shall His crown shine ! "
The very difficult verses, 6, 7, may— if they are compared with the whole connexion— simply describe the splendid way in which the execution and the result have corresponded t.; these toils of David: If Efrita, the older, solemn name of
VOL. u. J.
242 SONOS OF RESTOIiED JERUSALEM.
Bethlehem, — here named for David's sake, — denotes by its situation Southern Kanaan, and the fields of the forest, {i.e., Libanon's, the finest and mightiest forest in Kanaan, Isa. xxii. 8, xxix. 1 7, Ps. Ixxv. 7, Hagg. i. 8) denote the Northern, the sense is : " and actually the oath, vv. 2-5, was not in vain ; me {i.e., the Israelites, as an ancient surviving people generally, in the speech of this time, Ixvi. G) heard through the whole land the joyous words of reciprocal summons to go to the Temple on Sion'' (ver. 7 after xcix. 5) ; and if this is very brief, it is yet entirely suitable. From ver. 8 it does not follow that the poet was at that time in exile and wished that Jahve and the ark of the covenant might return to Sion. Kather does the poet pray only that Jahve will with His (at that time lost) ark of the covenant, and in the splendour of earlier times, manifestly show Himself on Sion, and on the whole earth, — or make His presence felt ; for in unhappy times He appears to have departed from the holy place. The praise of Sion, vv. 13-18, sufiiciently shows that Sion generally was again inhabited, but very scantily and wretchedly ; and the historic circumstances here are entirely the same that we- find indicated about the same time in the words, B. Jes. xxiii. 18, comp. with xlix. 22, 23, Ix. 4, 9-12, Zakh. vi. 10-15. A light to David,— his race not only remaining in Sion, but there ever shining in inextinguishable splendour (1 Kings xi. 36, xv. 4sqq., comp. with 2 Sam. xxi. 17.)
Ps. Ixxxix. supplicates in a much unhappier and more woeful tone, quite as in that troubled time we looked upon above ; for this song certainly falls with Ps. Ixxx. in about the same period ; but a somewhat later writer has this song as his pattern in lamentation, for the figures, w. 41, 42, plainly stand in Ixxx. 13 as their original position, and likewise the words vv. 10-14 are not necessarily from the poet of Ixxiv. 13-17. The greater must be our adrnii'ation of the high spirit and steadfast boldness, which will not willingly despond even in
SONOS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 2i'i
these most unhappy tiroes. As if the poet would witli firm resolve, from the midst of all anguish which has long befallen him, cast himself all the more purely and with the greater comfort on the recollection of the Divine grace, he begins a song of thanks and praise to Jahve, the ever gracious, who promises eternal weal to David and his race ; and develops, thus brought under the soothing power of song, in the first instance more assiduously and fully this praise of the greatness of Jahve and of the happiness of Israel to be His people, vv. 7-19. But since to this happiness, according to the ancient view, this also belongs, — that Jahve ever preserves and protects the (Davidic) prince, who with his people is true to Him : the language then most widely broadens out in the praise of the choice of David long ago, and of the Divine promise therewith given for His posterity, .vv. 20-38. And now only at the end, as if drawn forth by this recollection of the glorious past, and its promises, the contemplation of the mournful present so far different from that oracle concerning David, and the most dejected lamentation makes way, w. 39-52, almost with exhaustion and despondency, — a sobbing discourse, violently constrained and oppressed, scarce finding words to express the injuries of the time and the personal mal-treatment. Thus the end does not answer to the beginning, but while from the first and in the main part rest prevails, with repression of excitement, finally the latter also asserts itself. The main part is almost verbally founded on 2 Sam. vii., only in a few parti- culars in accordance with the demand of later times and their experience, more fully worked out. — A structure in strophes cannot here be discovered ; the poet certainly did not design his song for public singing. On the whole, there appear here as three constituent parts of the long song, (1) Praise, (2) Historical recollection, (3) Lament, and this according to the Massora iu 18, 19 and 14 verses. But the formation in smaller strophes is wanting.
16 *
2H SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
1.
2 The mercies of Jalive will I ever sing,
for all times loudly publish Thy faithfulness, the while I think : eternally is grace built up,
with the heaven itself Thou foundest Thy faith- fulness ! " Concluded have I a covenant with the Chosen one, sworn to David my servant : 5 " for ever will I found thy seed,
for all times build thy throne !^' * And heaven praise highly Thy wonder, Jahve, and Thy faithfulness in the Saints' assembly.
For who in the bright height is like Jahve,
is like to Jahve among the sons of God ? to God most sublime in the council of the Saints,
and fearful over all round about Him ? O Jahve, God of Hosts, who is mighty as Thou, Jah,
and like to Thy faithfulness, round about Thee ? 10 Thou rulest over the sea's haughtiness, ■
when its waves are proud, TJiou soothest them ; Thou didst strike, like one smitten, the Monster,
didst scatter by the arm of power the foes ; Thine are the heavens. Thine also is the earth,
the world and its fulness — Thou hast formed them; North and South — Thou hast made them.
Tabor and Hermon rejoice in Thy name ; Thine is the arm with strength,
strong Thy hand, high Thy right hand. 15 Right and judgment are Thy throne's foundation,
grace and truth Thy glance's fore-runners. — 0 blessed the people that knows feasts of jubilation,
Jahve, walks in the light of Thy glance, for Thy name every day makes merry,
and of Thy gracious righteousness is proud ;
SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 246
for the oriuinient of their glory art Thou,
through Thy favour our ht ra is exulted ;
for Jahve's own self is our shield,
the Holy One of Israel our King.
Once spakest Thou in vision to Thy Saint 20
and saidst : " I have laid help on a hero, raised a youth out of the people, found David my servant,
with holy oil anointed him, with whom my hand shall remain firm,
and v.liom my arm will strengthen ; a foe shall not be his creditor,
no son of wickedness oppress him, dash in pieces will I before him his oppressors
and smite his haters, and my truth and grace will be with him, 25
in my name his horn be raised ; on the sea I lay his hand,
and on the streams his right hand ; He will cry to me ; ' Thou art my father,
my God, and my salvation^s rock !' — and I also will make him my first-born,
the highest of the kings of the earth, for ever keep my grace for him,
while my covenant remains true to him ; and will make his seed ever-during, 30
and his throne like heaven's days : if his sons forsake my law
and walk not in my judgments, if they desecrate my privileges
and keep not my command, then will I chastising punish their transgression,
with blows their misdeed.
246 SONGS OF RESTOBED JERUSALEM.
yet my grace to him will not break
and not deny my truth ; 35 not profane my covenant
nor alter the declaration of my lips; once have I sworn by my holiness,
surely to David I lie not ! His seed shall be for ever
His throne like the sun before me, hke the moon subsist for ever,
with faithful witness in the bright height !"
3.
And yet Thou hast despised and scorned, become wrath with Thine Anointed, 40 rejected Thy servant's covenant,
profaned low in the dust his crown ; broken through all his walls,
turned his fortresses into ruins ; all who pass by plunder him,
become a scoff for his neighbours ; hast raised his oppressor's hand, caused all his foes to rejoice, yea, didst cause his sword's edge to give way and hast not made him stand in battle ; 45 hast taken from his glory,
and cast his throne to the ground, shortened his youth's days,
covered him with shame ! * — How long, Jahve, wilt ever hide Thyself,
will Thy wrath bum like fire ? Remember, Lord, what is life,
how vainly Thou didst make all children of men ? who is the man that" lives not seeing death,
who saves his soul from the hand of hell ! * 50 Where are Thy earlier mercies, Lord, in Thy truth sworn to Duvid ?
Soi^GS uF hkstohkd jkuisallm. 247
Kemt'iuber, Lord, the scoru for Tby servants,
wbat I bear in my bosom, of all the many peoples,
wherewith Thy foes scorn, Jahve,
wherewith they scoff at Thiue Anuiuted's steps 1
1. Vv. 2-6 : Ever will the poet praise Jahve, because ever, firm as the heavens and founded in like manner with the heavens themselves (ver. 3, comp. ver. 80, 37, ,xxxvi. 6) is His faithfulness, the same wherein He once promised the eternal rule of David and his race (vv. 4-5), highly praised by the Angels, the witnesses and nearest in knowledge of Jahve (ver. 6, comp. Ps. xix.. Rev. iv., v., xix. 4). Fot if the erection of the eternal throne of David was one of the most weighty and gladdening counsels of God, highly furthering the weal of the earth, — so in the solemn moment when this promise was given, this destiny was fixed, the whole heaven must resound with the praise of God, praising His truth whereby He strangely brings about the promise amidst all hindrances. — But the praise which the highest inhabitants of heaven pour forth to Jahve, leads to the further description and laudation of Jahve, the incomparable one in heaven itself, vv. 7-9, the only mighty and exalted one in nature and in man, vv. 10-14, ever just and true, ver. 15; so that Israel is to be congratulated which immediately knows and rejoices in Him, as He is the eternal support of the true king of Israel, vv. 16-19. Ver. 9. The last member is very short, but according to the preceding member and to ver. 3, is plain : and whose faithfulness among all round about Thee is like Thy faithfulness? comp. § 351 a. SW, ver. 10, becomes substantive from the inf. : self-eleva- tion, pride, as ^"^^f Job xx. 6, comp. § 153 b. On lidhab, see on Ixxxvii. 4; but the mythological sense is transparent. Mercij and truth are (ver. 15) forerunners of Jahve's arrival, since He whither soever He turns, prepares grace already from afar, quite as Ixxxv. 11, 14. nnin, ver. 15, is the joyous festive juljilatioii genenilly ; and we see that Israel at tli;it time again
248 SO^'GS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
iij peace solemnized feasts, again had long dwelt in Jerusalem. With the words, ver. 19, the poet makes with obvious inten- tion a rapid close to this laudation, in order, according to the preliminary words, vv. 4, 5, to return to the king, the promised genuine descendant, who nevertheless seems necessarily to belong to the Theocracy, and in the following strophe to abide alone by the pronjise which concerns him. To say, ver. 19, our king and shield (xlvii, 10) as if th.ere were such besides him, is not incorrect ; because the sentence on the ti'ue never- failing king is a general one, which even a Davidide might thus generally utter, — especially such an one as did not actually rule, but only held fast the inner truth (that termed nowadays the " idea.")
2. With ?^, at that time, ver. 20 (therefore not now, comp, "^^P, once OIL a time, also of the remoter future, xcvi. 12), plainly enough the old glorious time is indicated, which was touched upon in vv. 4-6. ]Vn, taken from 1 Chron, xvii. 15, comp. 2 Sam. vii. 17, is the vision which Nathan' saw, who is here named " the Saint of Jahve.'' David is, according to the general description, vv. 20-22, set forth as he who is invincible by outward foes (in the time of the poet a vital point, comp. vv. 39 sqq.), vv. 23-25 ; on the other hand, as Son of Jahve ruling all, vv. 26-29, finally, as eternally ruling on in his descendant, so that on these severe chastisement might come indeed, but never entire loss of dominion. This is purposely developed to the furthest extent, vv. 30-38. But throughout and especially at the conclusion, the etenuU faithfulness is brought into relief, vv. 25, 29, 34-38, thus thrice, as if accord- ing to the old sacred custom (comp. the Alferthumer, p. 151j, and even more emphatically. Ver. 23 If, almost literally from 2 Sam. vii. 10, where however it is expressed of the whole people; the striking allusion to indebtedness in a is explained fnjm the remarks above on cxxxii. 15, 16. Ver. 26 from Ixxii. 8, but otherwise than Ixxx. 12 ; the fine image, ver. 27, still more suitably and forcibly from Solomon, 2 Sam. vii. It. A'er. 30, from 2 Sam. vii. 12. 16 ; eLciiial as the licacoi, comp.
SOXGS OB IIESIUIIKD JFAWSALEM. 240
vv. 37, "38 after Ps. Ixxii. :>, 7, 17. Juh xiv. \1. Vv. -.W-;]-),^ from 2 Sam. vii. 14, where it is merely of Solomon ; only there it runs more definitely; God will punish him as a sinner'with chastisement of men, i.e., even as God punishes all men, even the humble, without respect of person; but thereby the inner eternal destination or the right to rule is not to cease. Ver. 34, from 2 Sam. vii. 15. Once, ver. 36, because all truly Divine things, once done, endure for ever, not to be improved nor altered, wliile man may be deceived and hence alter, 1 Pet. iii. 18, Judg. V. 3. On the oath, ver. 38 h, comp. § 340 c.
3. Vv. 39- to are very noteworthy in respect of the conception of the misery of the Anointed, mingled imperceptibly with that of the misery of the state and Jerusalem, the two being'blended together, as indeed the weal and honour of the two are insepa- rable. But as in the beginning the personality of the anointed poet comes out, vv. 39,. 40, so the discourse returns to this, vv. 45-40; hence too the shortening of the days of youth, ver. 46, to which anew allusion is made, w. 48, 49, cannot be figuratively understood of the kingdom of Juda. The rest is explained from the fact that the poet w^onld take up the words of that somewhat earlier song, Ixxx. 13, — plainly wath design, into his own song. IP n'^ati'n (for in "nni^XS, D according to this pointing is a preposition) : cause to cease, take from the thing, thus lessen, weaken it. Vv. 48, 49, as vi. 6, Job vii. 6, 7. That instead of the senseless "DS, ""^is must be read, as earlier some scholars (Houbigant, Olshausen) supposed, is shown by the similar beginning, ver. 51. From ver. 47 onwards, the obvious curtness and abruptness in general of the discourse profoundly moved by grief, — rises, vv. 51, 52, to its climax, as if the whole language resounded with sighs. -IK>W, ver. 52, goes back to the main word n^nn, ver. 51. Tlie steps, wherever he goes, they pursue him with scorn.
Some light is thrown upon the distresses ofth.it time by (he two following songs, (piite peculiarly of pro|)hetie-i»riestly kind.
250 SO^'GS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
somewhat as Pss. ex., xx. They show that even in those most mournful times hope at last anew germinates. Of these Ps. Ixxxv. is the simpler and finer; in it again for the first time a recollection of the great deliverance from exile is found ; without question Ps. cxxvi. is present to the poet's mind as a sort of pattern for such prayers. As the poet feels himself called to show the people both genuine prayer and comfort, he puts into their mouth in the first half, vv. 2-8, the most suit.ible supplication, beginning with thankfully joyous recollection of the great salvation experienced on the return from exile, praying for its renewal and continuance, and causes in the second the Divine answer thereto to be heard, promising consolation and the revelation of near and certain salvation to the faithful, in some of the most florid pictures of the Messianic hopes at that time again powerfully excited. The whole is thus designed for a Temple song, the first half to be sung by the congregation, the second by the priest who after prayer seeks aud finds oracles; comp. I,, pp. 193 sqq., {Dichter des A.B.).
(The Congregation). 2 Thou had'st, Jahve, favoured Thy land,
Thou had'st restored Jakob ; had'st forgiven Thy people^s guilt,
pardoned all their sin* ; had'st put away all Thy terror,
ceased from Thy glowing wrath. — o 0 restore us again, God of our salvation,
and cease Thy indignation with us ! wilt Thou then ever be angry with' us,
return Thy wrath to every age ? wilt Thou not again revive us,
that Thy people may rejoice in Thee ? Let Tliy grace, Jahve, behold us,
aud Thy salvation niiiy'st Thou give us !
soyas OF restoued Jerusalem. lyu
(The Priest). Let me bear what God Jahve will speak ;
yea, peace will He speak to His people aiut Ilia
saiuts ; but let them not return to folly ! — " Surely, near to His fearers is His salvation, li)
that glory may dwell in our Liud ! " grace and trutli meet,
gracious- right and peace kiss one ai«)thcr: " truth will spring from the earth,
gracious-right looks down from heaven ; " both Jahve will give the best,
and our laud will give its fruits j "gracious-right will walk before Hitn, and follows His steps' ways."
Ver. 5. ^3?^ti^ short mode of expression from i:m:iti^ 21^7 exxvi. 4; comp. Ixxx. 4. Vv. 5-9 bear the plainest resem- blance to words in Pss. xliv. sqq., and Ps. Ix. The transition to the oracle, ver. 9, is truly prophetic, similarly Hab. ii. 1 sqq. Ready to hear oracles, the prophet may indeed expect that Jahve will, — for He ever intends salvation — also this time renew salvation and comfort ; but the first condition for this is that those saved return not again to former despondency and folly. The oracle is then actually favourable and related as only given by Jahve, so that between vv. 9 and 10 a short pause must be supplied, vv. 10-14. The Messianic glory is briefly but finely described as a perfected harmony between earth and heaven in the renewed race of man ; faithfulness, power, fruitfulness from the earth meet the grace of sanctiti- cation (Plr?), happiness from heaven, as disposition, state, fruit of the Divine life (Hos. ii. 23-25), in such a way that infinite salvation proceeds from Jahve, salvation goes before and follows Him. ^^^^, ver. 14, is like *^"'^^, take a direction, position (encamp), iii. 7, Ez. xxi. 21 j on ZVZ i-nb— b^ib,
252 SONOS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
comp. Hab. iii. 5, Isa. xli. 2. — If the resource suggested in I. p. 194 {Dlchter des A. B.) is not acceptable, it maybe assumed that the short answer of the congregation fell away at the end.
Ps. Ix. shows on the other hand that poetry in these troubled times calls to its aid the strength and the impulse of ancient poetic art; for on closer investigation it admits no doubt that the words from ver. 7 to lann^T, ver. 12, are borrowed from an older and a Davidic song. While all the rest of the words carry us entirely into the style and situation of this late time, the former are in style and stamp, in contents and meaning entirely different; the unlikeness is obvious enough on the face of it. How well our later poet might apply the weightiest words of the old song to the distress and depression of his time, is clear; although at tliat time the Philistines were not the foes to be feared, yet Grentiles were ; and Philistines readily served as an example of all Gentiles. But while the later poet repeated the oracle as the heart and life of the whole, — intact and entirely unchanged, and retains something of the after- word (ver. n and the three first words of ver. 12), he gives a quite new introduction, and adds the conclusion for the most part in his own style, — unquestionably because the beginning and remaining end of the old soug were hardly suitable for this later time. For other particulars see above. Vol. I., pp. 112 sqq.
We connect immediately with these songs that standing in its neighbourhood, and very similar in contents,
126. Psalm lxxxiii., although it may be later by some centuries and in fact shows again a significant loss of poetic force compared with those just commented upon. It falls, accoi'ding to all signs, in Nehemja's time. Under him there came a new danger upon Jerusalem, when tlie circuinjacent peoples, supported by the Persian governor Saiiballatj desired from envy to destrov the
SONOS OF liKSTORED JERU'SAU■:^[. 2^1)
new Jerusalem as it was rising up with greater power, Neh. iv. 1 sqq., vi. 1 sqq. ; but owing to tlio watchfulness and activity of Nehemja it endured these menaces. In the time of the first menace of this new evil falls this song. It prays,— since danger from hostile alliances and concerts draws near from a distance to the people of Jahve, yea, even to the sanctuary, — for powerful uplifting and help from Jahve, after the examples of the old history. And this without higher flight : only where the horrid godless plans of the foes appear, the prayer rises with new strength, vv. 6, 14. But it plainly breaks up into four strophes each of four level verses, only the last being further extended by a half.
1.
God ! have no rest, 2
O be not silent, and rest not, Thou Lord ! for see. Thy foes rage
and Thy haters have raised the head ; against Thy people they form a cunning plan,
take counsel concerning Thy clients, thinking: "go to ! destroy we them as a people, 5
that no more be mentioned Israel's name \" —
For with like heart have taken counsel,
conclude against Thee the covenant the tents of Edom and of the Ismaelites,
Moab and the Hagrenos, Gebal and Ammon, Amalek,
Peleschet with dwellers of Tyre ; Assyrians also are allied with them,
become an arm to the sons of Lot.
8.
Do to them as to MidiaTi, 10
as to Sisera, as to Jabin at the Kisliun-bruuk,
254: SONOS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
who were smitten at En dor,
who became dung for the ploughed land; make them — princes like Oreb and like Zeeb,
like Zebach and like Ssalmuna all the anointed
onts, them who thought : " possess we for ourselves
the pastures of God I" —
My God ! make them as whirling dust,
as stubble before the wind ; 15 as fire burns forest,
as flame kindles mountains, so may'st Thou pursue them with Thy storm,
with Thy tempest amaze them ! fill their face with shame,
that they may seek Thy name, Jahve ! blush they and be amazed for ever,
blench they and disappear, know that Thou — Thy name, Jahve ! — -art alone
the Highest over all the earth !
^^S^j ver. 4, after xxvii. 5. Ismaelites or Arabs, ver. 7, are (Neh. iv. 7, vi. 1, but not 1 Mace, v.) named as most important enemies. The flagrenes are Arabs from the North- west, not far from Gebal below the Dead Sea; thereabout dwelt earlier Amalek, who here stands mei-ely as an old renowned name beside those at the time better known. Assyrians, ver. 9, old name for the rulers in the North, also Persians, Ezra vi. 22, as conversely in 2 Bar. Apocr. (in Dillmann's Chrest. JEth., pp. 6, 12) Persia stands for Assyria; arm, help. That the Persian governor was of hostile disposition, is clear from Neh. iv. — Vv. 10-12 after Judges iv., v., vii., viii., where meanwhile Endor is not named ; perhaps the poet had yet other historical books. Ver. 11 after Isa. xvii. 1:3; on b^b^, couip.
SO.VO.S OF RESTORED JERUSALEM. 2r.o
the Syr. and Arab., dry stalk, prop, what the wind turns over.
127, 128. Psalms lxxviii., lxxxi.
Amidst all these freshly returning distresses it was mean- while peculiarly the ancient history of the people, now become holy, which could now bestow on the community an ever rithtT and fuller light; and this in many ways penetrated the songs. We saw the beginnings of this in a few cases above ; but while the spirit of the whole community in these anew sinking times plunged ever more zealously into the memories of the ancient high times of Israel, — the poets, in whom ancient words and truths may with reason resound most deeply, do but' meet an impulse and a strong tendency of these times, if they inten- tionally employ the old history as a means of instructing and exhorting their contemporaries. Of this the first great example is given in Ps. lxxviii., a didactic song arranged with design and art, in which the poet seeks in general to warn the Israelites of his later time by the light of the ancient story, and to guard them against the great dangers of their pre- decessors,— rebellion and unbelief. But along with this he has also the particular object — to deduce the unfaithfulness and the unhappiness of the ancient time from the tribe of Efraim especially, and in opposition to exalt Juda and Sion. This object is too singular to be conceived without a peculiar historical occasion. The song, according to its whole style, carries us into the times before P]zra and Nchemja, when the long-prepared separation between Samaria and Juda had increased to a point past reconciliation ; and Juda so little thought to be able to come to terms and unite with the idolatrous Efraim (Samaria) who was of old wantonly ready for revolt, — that it refused her the Temple at Sion, and forced her with a peculiar worship to separate entirely. In this spirit the poet here warns from revolt, ;d)ovc all citing tlie example of the old (and new) Efiaini ; tlie whole anrient history assumes
256 SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
for him a peculiar form and truth^ as lie reviews it from tliin point. What would take place if in Efi-aim were the central point of the ancient Theocracy, he anticipates from the sad period between Josua and Saul, when the ark of the covenant stood (for the most part) in the Efraimic Shilo. And since the genuine, undisturbed worship of Jahve first found its firm seat in Sion under David, he traces the ancient history from Moses to the very point where Sion was glorified as the city of the sanctuary, and by the force of circumstances it was shown that in Efraim the seat of rest and of faith could not be. After the solemn introduction, vv. 1-8, — though the old sins of Israel must generally be mentioned according to the Pentateuch, — yet for the above reasons the Efrairaites are named, as pre- eminently unfaithful, vv. 9-11. Then the first great unfaithful- ness in the exalted time of Moses is described, vv. 12-31, and how they, even after the severe punishment not permanently amended, continued to sin, desei'ving entire destruction had not God's grace prevailed, vv. 32-39 ; how they from the time of the desert onwards so utterly unmindful of the Divine deeds that were done down to the giving of Kanaan, continued also in Kanaan to sin, vv. 40-58, — so that Jahve, wrath against Shilo and Efraim, was bound to send severe punishments upon Israel, vv. 59-64 ; but then again soon, from SamueFs time again gave a salvation to the people which was for ever firmly founded in Juda and Sion by David, vv. 65-72. Comp. below Ps. cvi. and Ps. cv.
This song was not only in its time quite new and creative in kind, but it is as an epic-didactic song composed of two artistic characters, not without a higher vivacify aud bounding wit, notwithstanding all the straitness and oppressiveness of the times. Nor is it without artistic completeness, both in the whole arrangement and in detail. It manifestly consists of nine great strophes, each of eight verses ; the slight deviations from this in the present verse-division are unimportant. The
SOi^OS OF RKSTOiiEU JERUSALEM. 257
wide dilation and restful uarratiou into which it fulls, is ui>t without pleasing effect.
1.
Hearken, 0 my people to my doctrine, 1
bend the ear to my mouth's words ; open will I my mouth in the proverb-song,
reveal enigmas out of the fore-time ! What we heard and knew,
our fathers told us, will we not conceal from their sons,
to a later generation telling Jahve's praise, His power and wonders, which He did. For He established a law in Jakob, 5
a doctrine He gave in Israel, which He laid apon our fathers to announce to their sons, that a later generation should know it, sons who should be born, who standing up should tell them to their sons ; that on God they should place their confidence forget not God's deeds, regard His commandment, and become not as their fathers,
a generation disloyal, refractory, a generation without constancy of heart,
and whose spirit was not faithful towards God !
2. Efraim's sons it was who slackly stretched the bow,
turned about on the day of battle, kept not the covenant of God, 10
would not go in His doctrine, and forgot His deeds
and the wonders which He bad shown tiieni. VOL. II. 17
'"^-^S SONGS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
Clearly before their fathers He did wonders
in Egypt's land, Ssoan's field; dividing the sea He led them over,
and caused water to stand like a mole, led them by day with the cloud,
and the whole night with fire-glow ; 15 divided rocks in the desert,
watered them as with great sea-flood, drew gushing water out of the rock,
caused water to run like streams.
3.
And yet they sinned still further against Him,
provoked the Highest in the dry land. And tempted God in their heart,
demanding food according to their pleasure, blasphemed against God, thinking : " will God be able
to furnish a table in the desert ? 20 " lo. He struck the rock and waters swelled,
brooks stream over : will He also be able to give bread,
or procure flesh for His people ?" Therefore, hearing that, Jahve was provoked, kindled fire in Jakob,
yea, anger rose against Israel, because they believed not on God,
trusted not in His salvation. So commanded He bright clouds above,
opened heaven's gates, rained upon them Manna to eat;
corn of heaven He gave to them.
25 Bread of the Mighty each one ate,
difit Ho sent to them to the fuU^
SOyOS OF RKSTOREU JKi:VSALK)l. 269
causes in heaven the East to break up,
brought on by His power the South, rained upon them flesh like dust,
like the sea-sand feathered winged birds, caused them to fall into the midst of the camp,
round about His seats : and they ate, satisfied themselves greatly,
their desire He brings to them ! They let not their lust go, . 30
still the food was in their month- then God's wrath rose against them, — and He slays in their fat ranks,
Israel's youths He struck down ! —
Through all this they sinned on,
believed not in His wonders : therefore He let their days pass in a breath,
their years in sudden death. He destroyed — and they asked after Him,
turned round and sought God, and thought that their rock was God, 35
God the Highest their Redeemer : but deceived Him with their mouth,
with the tongue lying to Him, for their hearts remained not firm with Him.
they clave not to the covenant. Yet He is pitiful, sin-covering, not destrining
oft withdrawing His anger,
not uprousing His whole wrath ;
so bethought He that flesh they were,
fleeting breath, never coming again. —
6. How often ]n-ovoked tliey Him in tlie desert, 40
veX(>d Him in tlio st(>ppi',
17 *
260 SO}; OS OF BESTORED JERUSALEM.
and tempted God ever anew,
perplexed the Holy One of Israel, thouglit not on His hand,
on the day when He redeemed them from th(
oppressor, when He did His signs in Egypt, His wonders in Ssoan^s field, turned their rivers into blood, .
that their running water they drank not ; 45 gadflies sent among them, which devoured them, frogs, which destroyed them ; gave up their fruit to the gnawing beast,
their toil to the locusts ; their vine destroyed by hail,
their swelling figs by the hoar-frost ; • their cattle gave over to the pest
and to the contagious their flocks ;
7. Looses upon them His wrath's glow, teri'or and rage and distress, a sending of angels of ill 50 makes for his anger a way,
snatched not from death their soul, and their life gave over to the pest, and slew in Egypt all the first-born,
firstlings of strength in Ham's tents ; caused His people to bi-eak up, like sheep,
led them, like the flock, through the desert, led them safely, without trembling,
after the sea had covered their foes, brought them to His holy bound,
to the mount His right hand had inherited, 55 and drove before them peoples,
allotted these with the line^^of inheritance, placed the tribes of Israel in their tents. —
soyas Of restored Jerusalem. 26I
But they tempted, provoked God the Highei^t,
regarded not His warnings, fell faithlessly away like their fathers,
turned round, like a lax bow, and angered Him by their high places,
provoking Him by their images. — Hearing this God was enraged
and vehemently despised Israel, and rejected the place of Shilo, 60
the tent which He had placed among men, gave captive His glory,
His pomp into the oppressor's hand, gave up to the sword His people,
against His heritage highly enraged ; His youths fire consumed
His maidens were not sung, His priests fell through the sword,
His widows wept not.
But the Lord awoke, like a sleeping man, 65
like a hero overcome by wine struck back His oppressors
allotting to them eternal reproach, and despised JosePs tent,
chose not out the tribe of Efraim but chose Juda's tribe,
Sion's mount loved by Him, and built up like heaven's height His sanctuary,
like the earth which He had founded forever ; and chose out David His servant, 70
tf)(>k him from the sheep-pens.
262 soy OS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
from the milk-ewes He brought him, to be shepherd in Jakob, His people, and in Israel, His heritage ; He fed them after His heart's innocence
and with His hands' understanding He led them.
The beginning, vv. 1, 2 entirely from Ps. xlix. 4, 5 ; but the enigmas which the poet would solve, the ancient history itself yields, as he here presents it with his own explanation. — Instead of saying ver. 4, our sons, it here runs forthwith their sons, while the long series of later generations is reviewed as in one glance ; but in h follows immediately the more exact expression. Stand np, ver. 6, of new generations, Ex. i. 8; Judges ii. 10 comp. Ps. xxii. 31. — If the decisive words in the course of the whole song at the beginning of ver. 9 are compared with ver. 57 and Hos. vii. 16, one is tempted to take ^Pl"! hei-e not with the old translators simply as in Jer. iv. 29 in the signification of those throwing^ shooting, but to understand it as active to the passive '^*P~' ^^\}.. The slack bow is the image of the man useless, treacherous at the time when use is expected from him, even as when the warrior in the decisive moment turns before the foe. The connexion of two words referred to the same nomen and reciprocally limiting one another in the Stat, const, would thus express : those slackly stretching the bow, prop, stretching (and at once) letting loose, slack.. If ''a'n or merely ^pw^'2 were used, we should have to think according to 2 Chron. xvii. 17 (although there the connexion of words is not quite the same) simply of shooting with the bow. But the doubled word must manifestly into'oduce something new and gives by its ambiguity a wit, and the more so as "*ptt73 properly only signifies those who jprepare the how ; how ? says with torse wit the following word. For the rest, comp. 'Amr's MoalL, v. 58 sqq,, Jouvn. As., 1848, II., p. 215, 1850, I., p. 327 sqq. ; indeed, ono might be tempted to read '''^\}'^^ (comp. nakhas, and ijhyr anklias, Hamasa, p. 441, 9)
.S'O.VGS OF RESTORED JERiHALEAI. 2«'.3
if the above explanation is not sufficient. — Note how the later poets thus insert the name of a chief city of Egypt, Ssoan, or Tanis, vv. 12, 43, which is not found in the Pentateuch in such places: comp. the Gesch. des v. Isr. pp. 571 sqq., ii., p. 118 of the third edition. — "T?, ver. 13 and C'bTia, ver. 10, from Ex. xv. 8. Still further, ver. 17, is clear from Ex. xv. 2i, and other earlier examples. The (ver. 21) merely indicated punishment first follows actually ver. 31 ; for while God foresaw that they had begged for the food merely frohi desire (comp. cvi. 14) He gives it to them, indeed, to take away their un- belief, but punishes them also at the same time severely so soon as their desire actually was gratified, Num. xiv., comp. eh. xi., Ex. xvi. In this way, ver. 29, ^3^ is but a witty expression : their lust, the same that they from mere evil desire had coveted, brings He home to them as it were (on the mode of writing, see .§ 224 h) : now let them see what they will do with the fine things ! But they understand only how to employ them for their greed ! ver. 30. — Bread of the mighty, ver. 25, is, — as the manna appears also in cv. 40 heaven's bread, — here equivalent to angels' bread, with broader representation, bread of gods, comp. 1 Sam. iv. 8 ; but the expression is, vv. 25, 31, from Isa. x. 13, 16. — Ver. 33 after Num. xiv., xvi. Ver. 38 must throughout be taken as our present, describing the eternal in God. On ver. 47 comp. Tristram's Land of Israel, p. 34 sqq. ; and as here the hail is named, the poet, ver. 48 certainly originally meant, instead of 1-12, "'r?^, which better suits the structure of the members ; and thus some copies read. Ver. 50 after Ex. xv. 17, where as here, the mount near Shilo must be meant. The suffix in '2/"'?^, ver. 55, must refer to the Kanaanites. Ver. 61 after 1 Sam. iii. — v. Not sung, ver. 63, because they solemnized no wedding-day. Ver. 60 after 1 Sam. vii., also with regard to the following deeds of David. Ver. 69 ; firm as the heaven and as the earth below, comp. above Pss. xlviii.,. Ixviii., with Ps. cxxv. I ; Ixxxix. 3.
2G4 SONOS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
But no considerable imitators in this new style of narrative didactic poetry were found by tbis poet. The immediate Temple poetry was at that time too powerfully aroused ; and the echoes of the ancient sacred history sounded ever by preference in that poetry. An example of this from that same time is given by
Ps. Ixxxi., apparently a general festive song, but especially designed, as it seems (ver. 4) for the most important new and full moon in the year, i.e., the new moon of the seventh month and the feast of Tabernacles. With the autumn-feast agrees also well the mention of the rich fulness of the fair land, ver. 12 c and ver. 17; and at bottom the whole song points to this. As these feasts (Ex. xxiii. and other places of the Pentateuch) were derived from the time of the departure from Egypt : the poet repeats, in mentioning their Divine institu- tion, several hortatory and doctrinal particulars from the Pentateuch, quite in its style ; so that this song also serves for exhortation. One might be tempted to derive it from the poet of Pss. Ixxvii., xcv., were not several particulars, e.g., the notion and the spelling of the word Josef H^'li^"!, ver. 6 (comp. Ixxx. 2, 3,*) opposed to this. — The song presents itself in its actual arrangement, as breaking into three strophes with five verses each, with an epilogue, ver. 17. In verse 7 c we find, indeed, a certain stumbling-block, of which below ; and it remains possible that after ver. 7 a whole strophe has fallen
away.
1.
1 Jubilate to God, our strength,
shout to Jakob's God ; raise song, strike the kettle-drum,
pleasant cither with harp ; blow at the new mo'feu into trumpets,
at the full moon, day of our feast !
* Tims one might be tempted to ascribe Ps?. Ixxx sqq., to a Samaritan pref dill not I's. Ixxx. belong too closely to the remiiinin;;; alinvc-rncntii'neil Nniif;^.
soyas OF restored Jerusalem. 2«o
for a law is for Israel 5,
a due for Jakob^s God ; for an ordinance He made it in Josef,
when he went forth towards Egypt's land, I heard the unknown language. —
2. "I removed his shoulder from the burden, free from the basket were his hands ; " in distress thou didst cry, I freed thee, hear thee in thunder's covering,
prove thee at the Quarrel-water ! * " ' hear my people, suffer exhortation,
Ih^rael, 0 if thou would'st hear me ! '' ' a strange God should not be in thee, 10
thou should'st not do homage to the strangers'
God ; " ' I am thy God Jahve,
who led thee from the land of Egypt : " ' open wide thy mouth, I will fill it ! ' "
3.
" But my people heard not my voice ;
Israel was not willing to me ; " then I suffered her to go in hardness of heart,
'' ' let them follow then their voices ! " ' 0 that my people had listened to me,
Israel had gone in my ways ! " ' how soon would I bow their foes, 1 ')
upon their oppressors turn my hand ; " ' Jahve's foes would fawn upon them,
and tlu'ir happiness be for ever!'"
4. And ho fed them on fatness of wjic.'it,
and from the vork I rcfrcshfil them with honrv !
266 SOA'GS OF RESTORED JERUSALEM.
Ver. 4. np3 appears to designate prop, the hidden, i.e., hinder part, comp. the Arab, kossey, hence the second or waning half of the moon, or the time from the full moon onwards, like the Syr. But the full moon most gladly and longest observed is that of the feast of Tabernacles, so that as the new moon is that publicly observed, and therefore that of the seventh month, this song would be composed for the many feast-days of the seventh moon. The two last members of ver. 6 are very diflBcult. If ins!?:2 was to refer to Israel, hv is inexpli- cable ; it must then still refer to Jahve ; when He went against Egypt, to smite ii (Ex. xi. 4). But the third member must necessarily refer to Israel : when I (as ?re, cxxxii. 6) heard the unhnown langxiage, i.e., of the Egyptians, the hated^ barbarian tongue, cxiv. 1, comp. Isa. xxxiii. 19, Deut. xxviii. 49. On the other hand it might be said, as the song does not allude to the Pascha, Ex. xii., that here a somewhat later time must bo designated than when Israel still heard the strange language about her, — as also actually, ver. 7, the time after the passage through the Red Sea, Ex. xvi. sqq., is depicted. The unknown language would thus perhaps be the -voice of the invisible God, so that the words, vv. 7-11, would be thereby introduced. But lips and tongue point to human speech, not to oi'acles; and vv. 12 and 17 show that the poet speaks of God in the first person only after the pattern of the speeches in the Pentateuch, and continues in the narrative of His actions down to the conquest of Kanaan. The poet may thus in a wider sense glance at Ex. xii. It is so far difficult to assume a corruption of the text, as there are other quick transitions in this Ps. ; but the want of coherence is here too sensible. The hnsl-ef, ver. 7, is the heavy burden-basket on the shoulder, as it often appears on the Egyptian figures. Ver. 8 a from Ps. 1. 15; on Z> comp. Ixxvii. 17-19; c just as Deut. xxxiii. 8, so far gives the proof higher strength and cer- tainty, as means of education on the part of the living God. Yv. 9-11 after Deut. v. 1 sqq.; vv. r2, 18, after Deut. xxix. L^,
JA^T SONGS. 207
and elsewhere, vv. 13-17 generally, very strongly aftei* Deut. xxxii.
V.
LAST SONGS.
The yet remaining twenty-four songs stand—with the excep- tion of Pss. xxxiii. and Ixxxvi. (which, however, according to Vol. I., pp. 28 sqq., are not taken into account) — no longer in the two first of the three Psalm-collections; the second collec- tion might, according to the above (even without exception of Ps. Ixxxiii.) be closed about the middle of the fifth century, the first still earlier ; and the songs following from this point onwards, may very well be conceived as having arisen in the middle times of the fiffh century.
If we look to their contents, it is at once a striking circum- stance that we no longer find any song which solved the enigma proposed in the last songs of lament, and no thank- song plainly referring to the plaintive words of these songs. The enigma of nationality is transferred unsolved to further times; thereby the old, free, and serene sense of the people broken, without anything of a better kind being forth- with formed. The song too is ever nothing but the echo and imitation of the earlier mighty voices. Only when it withdraws into the sanctuary of personal reflection is it still great, Pss. ciii. sqq. elsewhere only the Temple-poetry continues to flourish, retaining all the grand conceptions of tne older time, as by a thousand-fold echo, permanently and firmly in the community.
4. Prayer of an IndidfJual. 129. Psalm cxix. We begin here justly with I's. cxix., properly a long, but in this uncommon length iO new and pceuli.ir a praver,
Zb8 LAST 80N0S.
in which an old experienced Saint pours forth all his truths, feelings, wishes, prayers, and hopes in the completest and clearest manner; but intentionally their tenor is so general, that here and there the didactic element very strongly appears. The psalm is perhaps one of the latest, from the time when Israel again more oppressed from without, adhered only the more firmly to the written law. Thus this song expresses at first the most vivid feeling of salvation by faithfulness to the given revelation ; and here the poet only prays for strength, that he may be able fully to understand the whole law, as he inwardly desires, and accordingly fulfil it. The song is note- worthy because of this constant] reference to the Pentateuch. But in particular it begs for speedy, great Divine help against the craft, the corruption, the power of the world, also of princes; and it is important to note the sharp and salient contrast here between worldly and Divine rule. But the more zealous is this supplication, for faithful perseverance in the excess of suffering seems finally to deserve confirmation. — The poet desiring entirely to exhaust these thoughts, places very artificially together series of eight verses, beginning with the same letter, according to the alphabetic succession. Each of these eight verses is on the other baud very short. Thus there are found twenty-two strophes, according to the twenty-two letters, in each case eight times repeated ; and each of these twenty-two parts has a close coherence, the thoughts also following suitably after one another ; frequently two verses stand together inseparable in sense. This great song is not devoid of particular flashes of light, although the poet is some- what fettered by his rule, requiring the filling of twenty-two versus eight times ; the spirit of the troubled time weighs heavily also on him.
Wlio the poet was, and from what peculiar condition of life he thus composed, wo may plainly enough recognize from the long words. From such indicatinns ;is vv. 51, 61, 69, 85, 95, 110, 150, 157, 158, it f.illows that he as an adhei-cnt of tho
LAST SONGS. L'OJ)
stricter party in tte new Jerusalem, led by Ezra, had fallen, into tlie sorest complexities with the party of the more high- minded. In the contest he was (vv, 53, 139) carried away by violence, and was the more readily accused before the heathen magistracy, and despite his fearless defence, imprisoned, vv. 23, 24, 46, 161. Now he feels himself forsaken by the faithful and isolated, w. 79, 176, and would be extremely unhappy did not his good conscience keep him upright. That he was still young is not to be inferred from ver. 9 ; rather was he (vv. 84-87) already advanced in years. More nearly we cannot pursue his history to this time, the less because this long song, according to its style, is the one writing that we now possess of his. But this long song itself would have been with difficulty preserved, if it had not been long known that the poet was a man of high merit.
All who walk purely are blessed, 1
who go in the law of Jahve : Attend ever to His precepts,
with their whole heart seek Him ; Also never do a wickedness,
walking in His way. Appoint didst Thou Thy commandments,
that they should be kept ; Ah, would that my ways stood firm, 5
to keep Thy laws ! And then I shall not blush,
if I look to all Thy commands. Aye, with sincere heart will I praise Thee,
learning Thy just sentences. As to Thy statutes, I cleave to them :
forsake me not utterly !
By what way walks purely the youth ?
by holding it according to Thy word !
270 LAST SONGS.
10 But I have followed Thee with my whole heart : let me not miss Thy command ;
Believe Thy words in my heai't^
that I should not sin against Thee.
Blessed to me^ Jahve, art Thou !
0 teach me Thy laws. Boldly have I told
all Thy mouth's judgments. . By Thy doctrines to abide I rejoice,
as over all treasures 15 Behold Thy commandments always,
and look to Thy paths ! Beloved are Thy statutes by me,
1 never forget Thy word !
Do well by Thy servant,, that I may live
and hold fast Thy word ! Disclose my eyes, that I may behold
much wonder from Thy doctrine. Dwell I as a stranger on earth ;
hide not from me Thy commands ! 20 Desire makes my soul to bleed
after Thy judgments, always. Denouncest Thou the accursed proud,
who wandered from Thy commands, Disgrace, shame, roll from me,
because I have observed Thy precepts ! Deliberated against me the princes, sitting :
but Thy servant thinks of Thy statutes ; ' Delightful are Thy precepts to me.
Thy judgments kdv counsellors.
25 Kver cleaves to the dust my soul :
i.|uick('ii mo iil'tcr Thy \\i>n\ !
LAUT SUNOS. 271
Explained have I my fate. Thou hast heard lue j
0 teach me Thy laws ! Enlighten me to go in Thy doctrines,
that I may think of Thy wonders. Exhausted is my soul with grief :
direct me according to Thy word ! Expel from me the way of lying,
with Thy teaching be gracious to me ! Elected have I the way of truth, . 30
bethought me of Thy judgments ; Ever cleaves my heart to Thy precepts ;
Jahve, let me not be ashamed ! Ever I traverse the way of Thy commands,
because Thou makest broad my heai't.
Further me, 0 Jahve, on the way of Thy statutes,
that I may finally keep it. Fit me to keep Thy law,
and observe it with my whole heart ! Further me in the path of Thy commands, So
because it delights me. For Thy precepts open my heart,
and not for gain of gold. From the view of vanity turn my eyes :
on Thy way quicken me ! Fix for Thy servant Thy word,
the word : to fear Thee ! Far remove my reproach, before which I am in dread :
for good are Thy judgments ; For truly I long after Thy commands : 40
thrf)HL,'h Thy righteousness quicken jik' !
(irace from Thee cause to come upon mo, () Jahve, Tliv sulvatinn, arcordiug tj Thy promise,
272 LAST SONOS.
Gifted with words against my contemner,
because I trust Thy word ! Get not utterly out of my mouth truth,
because I hope on Thy judgment, Given-up to keep Thy law
for ever at all times ! 45 Going the unfettered way,
because I strove for Thy commandments ! Grant me to confess Thy precepts,
without blushing before kings ! Grant me to delight in Thy doctrines,
so greatly beloved by me ! Gladly lift I my hand to Thy doctrines,
and think of Thy statutes !
Hold promises to Thy servant,
because Thou hast made me hope. 50 Here is my consolation in my sufferings :
Thy promise hath quickened me. Haughty ones scorned me very greatly :
nevertheless I swerved not from Thy doctrine Held Thy ancient judgments before me,
Jahve, and consoled myself. Horror hath seized me because of the wicked,
who forsake Thy law. Hymns have Thy statutes been to me
in the house of my pilgrimage. 55 Have thought by night, O Jahve, of Thy name,
and held fast Thy law, _ . " Have gained this,
that I regarded^Thy commands.
I thought, it is my possession, 0 Jahve, to keep Thy words.
LAST SoXaS. 273
I Begged for Thy mercy with all my heart :
be gracious to mo according to Thy word. I thought on my ways,
and turned my foot to Thy precepts. I hastened greatly, not tarrying, GO
to keep Thy commandments. I was encompassed around by wicked men :
but forgot not Thy doctrine. I lift at midnight my hand to Thy praise, -
because of Thy just judgments. I am companion of all who fear Thee
and who keep Thy commands. Is the earth full of Thy grace, Jahve ?
O teach me Thy laws !
Jahve ! according to Thy word 65
Thou hast shown good to Thy servant.
Judgment, true understanding teach me,
because I believe on Thy commandments.
Just now I keep Thy word ;
but I erred before I learned humility.
Jahve, good art Thou, showing good ;
0 teach me Thy laws. — Jealous ones patched lies against me ;
1 hold Thy commands with all my heart ;
Just as fat is their heart swollen ; 70
but my pleasure is Thy law. Joy for me that I was bound down,
that I might learn Thy commands ! Justly dearer to me is the doctrine of Thy moutli
than thousands of gold and silver.
Knit together by Thy hands :
give me understanding to learn Thy cominatuls. Know me with joy let them that fear Thee,
because I hoped on Thy word.
VOL. II. 1^
27i LAST SONQS.
75 Known to me Jahv6 is Thy just judgment,
and uprightly Thou didst cause me to suffer : Keep Thy grace for my comfort,
according to Thy word to Thy servant ! Known be Thy compassion, that I may live !
for Thy law is my pleasure. Keen shame upon the proud, who oppress me without
cause ! I think of Thy commands. Keep at my side all who fear Thee and know Thy precepts ! 80 Knit my heart into Thy doctrines, that I may not be ashamed !
Languishing for Thy salvation is my soul :
I hope on Thy word ; Languishing for Thy promise are my eyes,
thinking : when wilt Thou comfort me ? Light have I become like a skin in the smoke ;
but Thy laws I did not forget. Live I not too long already ?
when wilt Thou judge those that pursue me ? 85 Light-minded ones, not after Thy doctrine,
have dug pits for me. Lovely as truth are all Thy commands :
idly they persecute me ; help me ! Lightly they would have destroyed me on earth,
although I forsook not Thy commands. Let me live according to Thy grace,
that I may keep Thy mouth's exhortation !
Made firm in hedVen, Jahve, stands Thy word to everlasting times ; 00 Maintains at all times Thy faithfulness ; founded by Thoe stands the earth ;
LAST SONOS. lilo
Morning and night wait on Thy judgment ;
for they are all Thy servants. Me Thy law refreshes ; else were
I already lost in sufferings My life long I will not forget Thy commands ;
for Thou hast through them quickened me. Me deliver, I am Thine,
for Thy commands I sought. Me to destroy lay in wait wicked men ; . 95
to Thy precepts I ever give heed. Men see an end of all glory :
but unlimited is Thy command.
Not utterable is my love for Thy law ;
every day it is my thought. Not to the foe do' I yield in wisdom,
for Thy law remains ever with me ; Not all my teachers are too wise for me,
for Thy precepts are my teaching ; Not old men are too knowing for me, 100
for I regarded Thy commands. Never turned I to ill paths my foot,
that I may keep Thy command. Nay, I departed not from Thy judgments,
for TJwu hast instructed me. Not honey is to the mouth so sweet
as to my palate Thy promises ; Nay, I get prudence from Thy words ;
therefore I hate every ])ath of lies.
O what a lamp to my foot is Thy word, 1 05
and to my path light ! Or swore I not, and kept it,
to keep Thy just judgments ?
18 *
27C LAST SONGS.
Oppressed am I very greatly
Jahve, quicken me according to Thy word ! O God^ in grace take the sacrifices of my mouth
and teach me Thy judgments ! On my hand increasingly lies my soul :
but Thy law T forgot not. 110 Of Thy commands not forgetful
I was ensnared by wicked men ; Of Thy precepts I keep hold^
for they are my heart's delight ; On, increasingly to the end
I bend my heart to practise Thy law.
Palterers I hate
and love Thy law. Port and defence art Thou to me :
I hope on Thy word, ] 1 5 Profligates, depart from me_,
that I may keep my God's commands ! Provide for me according to Thy promise, that I may
live,
and let me not blush for my hope ! Prop me up, that I, delivered
may continually look to Thy commands ! Puttedst down all that err from Thy duties,
for vain is their disposition ; Profligates are, thought I, all dross :
therefore love I Thy precepts. Q20 Plighted to Thee fear shudders through me,
before Thy judgments I tremble.
Eight I practised and duty
give me not over to tormentors. Eight to execute, be Thou my surety :
let not hauo-htv oues torment uie !
LAST SONGS. 277
Right and promibeJ salvation from Theo
waiting for, my eyes fail ; Reprove according to Thy grace Thy servant,
and teach me Thy laws ! Reveal to me : I am Thy servant, 125
that I may know Thy precepts ! Roase Thyself, 0 Jahve ! it is time ;
they have broken Thy doctrine ; Really therefore love I Thy commands
before gold and fine treasures ; Regard as precious all Thy commands,
hate every path of lies.
So wonderful are Thy precepts
Therefore hath my soul kept them Streams of light are spread by Thy words^ revelation, loO
making intelligent those who are unintelligent : See, with wide open mouth I long,
because I yearned for Thy commands. Show Thy face, be gracious to me,
as befits to friends to Thy name Stepping firmly in Thy word.
Let not evil rule over me. Shelter me from the torment of men,
that I may keep Thy commands. Show the light of Thy countenance on Thy servant, 135
and teach me Thy laws ! Streams of water run from my eye
because Thy law is not regarded.
True art Tliou Jahve, and just,
straight Thy judgments ; True thoroughly and veritable are Thy doctrines;
so hast Thou Thyself appointed it.
^<b LAST SONOS.
Troubled was I extremely in my zeal,
because my oppressors forget Thy words. 140 True entirely is Thy promise found,
beloved by Thy servant. Though I be small, despised,
forget I not Thy commands. Truth, eternal truth is Thy law,
and verity Thy doctrine. Though distress and straitness came upon me,
yet my pleasure is Thy command. True are Thy precepts for ever ;
make me wise that I may live !
145 Uplift me, sincerely I call, Jahve,
I will keep Thy dues ; Uplift me, I cry to Thee,
that I may keep Thy precepts ! Unstably, before morning shimmer, I cry,
hoping on Thy word ; Unstably, I awake before night watches,
to think of Thy promises. Ungraciously O hear not my voice,
Jahve, according Thy judgment quicken me, 150 Unholy pursuers drew near,
far from Thy doctrine : Unto me, Jahve, Thou art near,
and true are all Thy commands ; Unfailing of old. Thy doctrines are founded :
that I knew long ago from them.
Visit me in my suffering, set me free,
for I forget not Thy doctrine. Vouchsafe for me, and redeem mo,
for Thy promise' sake quicken me !
LAST SONGS. 27U
Vicious men never gain salvation, 155 ,
because they sought not Thy statutes. Very pitiful art Thou, Jahvc :
quicken me according to Thy judgments ! Very many are my persecutorSj oppressors :
but I swerved not from Thy precepts. Vile men I saw with disgust,
who esteemed not Thy word. Verily, see, how I love Thy commands : -
Jahve, according to Thy grace quicken me ! Very full of truth is the number of Thy words,* ItJO
eternal is every utterance of Thy judgment.
While princes persecute me without cause
before Thy word only trembles my heart ; While some rejoice who have gained great spoil,
I make merry over Thy word. What hatred and horror have I for lies,
how I love Thy doctrine ! While I ofifer seven praises to Thee a day,
because of Thy just judgments. Who loves Thy doctrine, enjoys much good, 1G5
He stumbles not nor falls. Well hoped I, Jahve, on Thy salvation,
I practised Thy commands. Well kept my soul Thy precepts,
and loved them greatly. Well kept I Thy commands and precepts ;
before Thee are all my ways.
To {Zit) Thee, Jahve, let my sighing penetrate, according to Thy word make me wise ;
To {Zu) Thy seat let this my prayer come ; 1 70
according to Thy promise deliver me !
* Prop, the head (the sum) of Thy word is truth.
i^SO LAST SONGS.
To {Zu) Thee let the lips' praise stream !
for Thy statutes Thou teachest me. Zest of my song be Thy word !
for all Thy words are just. Zealous to help me, let Thy hand come,
for Thy commands have I chosen. To {Zu) Thy salvation, Jahve, I yearn.
And Thy law is my pleasure. 1 75 To {Zu) praise Thee, let my soul live,
let Thy judg-ment help me ! To (Zu) save a lost sheep, seek Thy servant; for I forgot not Thy commands.
Yer. 19 a and vv. 4, 5, from Ps. xxxix. 13. — Ver 20, C)"ia is he crushed, be about to pass away, languish, and so identical with nbs^ vv. 81, sq., 123, comp. also ver. 131.— Yer. 22. bh roll is to be read. Vv. 23, 24, belong closely together, so that in the fine sense the first C3 (^ 362 a) forms the opposition and the second still more plainly the apodosis ; etiam sederint tamen, &c., and at the end is wanting, after the LXX, ^"'i[)P7?. — Yer. 26 a is similar to ver. 59. — ^5^, ver. 30, as Isa. xxxviii. 13. — Yer. 38. maS, which in other places in this psalm signifies rather -promise, seems to designate merely word, just as vv. 11, 67, 133; on ^m, as namely, see § 338 6.— Yer. 47. According to the LXX, "I'^P is wanting at the end, while the words iSnS ~itZ?S, V. 48, are incorrectly repeated. The fine image as Job xxxi. 36. — Yer. 53, nD5?bT = nW2p, ver. 139. — Yer. 64. The mode oE expression as in xxxiii. 5, civ. 24. — Yer. 73 after Job x. 8. — Yer. 83. "^3 is used as in xxi. 12. — Yer. 91 a. '^^:^'71 also after Ixxiv. 16, must have fallen away at the end, for the words otherwise give no sense ; the standing in a corresponds (as elsewhere so often) to the serv- ing in h J and the whole strophd brings out at the beginning vv. 89-91, as at the end, ver. 96, the infinity of the Word of God (ihe Logos) so far a^ all must serve Him, i>o that a word
LAST SONGS. 281
from Him may unexpectedly bring every blcsaing. — Ver. 103^ from Job vi. 25, as ver. 109 from Job xiii. 14, and ver. 115 from Ps. vi. 9.— Vv. 118, 119. According to the LXX, n.7'3?-;n must be read for mn and ''^^^n for ^2tt7rT • elsewhere, comp. ver. 21. — Ver. 128. I consider -fmps after LXX and Vulg. to be necessary, whether f has fallen away because of the following b^, or this \)J first arose from -j. The latter is more probable, for the repeated b3 has here no significance (otherwise Ez. xliv. 30), and the suffix throughout cannot be wanting. But "^^r is interchanged with "^^^y or signifies here rather esteem right, like the Arabic sc^addak, esteem true, comp. ver. 137. — Ver. 140 from Ps. xii. 7.
How early the true sense of these words of the long song was lost, may be seen from M. Aboth iv. 1, Berakhoth ix. 5, at the end, comp. here vv. 99, 126.
B, 180-138. Psalms cm., civ., cvi., cvir., cxi. — cxiv., cxvii.
These are the finest and at the same time the most inde- pendent of the congregational songs of this last time. And here in every point of view the two fine songs, Pss. ciii., civ., stand at the head, — songs of thanksgiving and praise which indeed are put into the mouth of an individual, but which manifestly are intended to express the sense of the whole community, as a confession of faith that every one may utter in the sense of the communit}'. They stand in a reciprocal relation :
Ps. ciii. summons men to bless Jahve especially in so far as He is the Redeemer and Pardoner, as Israel had so gloriously known. That Jahve is such according to His nature, and on the other hand, according to the nature of the human creation, needing the Divine help and grace, is shown in the middle, vv. 6-18, very fully and beautifully. Hence in the beginning, the call to self to bless Jahve, as Eedeemer, vv. 1-5; at the end, — because Jahve only as world-ruler can show such eternal kindness and redemption, — a sunmions to all creatures to the act
282 LAST 80N0S.
of blessing, from the highest and heavenly down to the earthly and to the individual who here sings, w. 19-22.
The structure of this as of the following song plainly rests on strophes with four verses or eight short members ; the now visible departures from this have no significance. But in the following point both songs are (I., pp. 172 sq., Dichter des A. B.) formed quite after the old congregational songs, — that each begins with a short prelude and closes with a similar after- song ; and while both are here connected somewhat closely with the other words, the first and last strophe may thus be somewhat longer. How thoroughly the two songs form at the will of the poet but one higher whole, — designed to praise God, according to the two primary forces and effects of His existence as sensible to man (the historical and the eternal) — is clear also from this similar artistic arrangement. The fact that along with this the first is completed in five, the second in eight strophes, is accidental, occasioned by the special contents.
1. 1 Bless, my soul, Jahve,
all my inward i^arts His holy name ! Bless, my soul, Jahve,
and forget not all His benefits. Who forgave all Thy guilt,
healed all Thy weaknesses. Who loosed from the pit Thy life.
Who crowned Thee with grace and compassion, 5 Who satisfies Thy spirit with good,
that, like the eagles. Thy youth becomes new !
Gracious-right Jahve ever executes —
and judgment for all the oppressed ;
reveals His ways to Moses,
to Israel's sons His deeds :
LAST SONQS. 283
compassionate and gracious is Jahve,
and long-sufferingj rich in mercy, not chiding for ever,
not for ever bearing grudge.
3.
Not according to our sins did He to us, 10
not according to our debts did He take us, but as the heaven overtops the earth,
prevailed for His fearers His mercy ; as the sunrise far from the sunset.
He thrust our debts far from us ; as a father pities his children,
Jahve pities His fearers.
For He knoweth our frame,
is mindful that we are dust : mortal man — as grass are his days, 1 5
as the field^s flower — so he blooms ; for a wind has passed through him — he is gone,
no longer his place knows him. But Jahve's mercy is from ever to ever on His fearers,
and His gracious-right to childrens' children, to those that keep His covenant,
and think on His commands to do them.
5. Jahve has erected His throne in heaven,
and His kingdom rules over all. Bless Jahve, ye His messengers, 20
mighty heroes who execute His word. His loud word obeying ! bless Jahve, all ye His hosts,
His servants who execute His will ,
284: LAST SOI^OS.
bless Jalive, all ye His works,
in all places of His dominion ! Bless, my soul, Jalive !
Vv. 3-5 plainly contain truths wliicli the individual can only utter for himself so far as they hold good for the whole com- munity ; but they might peculiarly thus hold good for the new community. — >iy, ver 5, is understood' by the Targ. of age in opposition to youth, but "TS is ever merely duration, time, eternity ; it is better understood as a quite different word, LXX iTTiOvfiia, the spirit, the desire, named from up- rising, swelling, comp. the active ghatha, Arab., nourish, prop, cause to grow; comp. above on xxxii. 9. On the figure of the eagle, comp. Isa, xl. 31, Ter. Heaut., iii., 2, 11, Abulf, Hist. Anteisl., p. 20, 5-8. Ver. 8 from Ex. xxxiv. 6 ; the hyperbolical, ver. 1 8, with which similarly the fourth strophe closes, is likewise from Ex. xx. 6, but with respect to the usage in Deut. v. 1, vii. 11, xi. 22, xvii. 19, xix. 9. — Ver. 11 after xxxvi. 6 ; ver. 12 after Mikha yii. 19 ; 15, 16 after Job vii. 10, viii. 18, xiv. 2. Our frame, ver. 14, — our nature from the creation onwards. Yer. 19 an echo from Ps. xciii. sqq., but with the new word msbxs. But it is noteworthy that our poet vv. 20-22, distinguishes as three grades of animated beings from above downwards, (1) the highest angels about the Divine throne ; (2) the other angels, as those of the stars, of the winds, etc. ; (3) earthly creatures. But these last words on the spirits, from the highest heaven onwards, form a good transition to the following song, vv. 1-4.
Ps\ civ. calls men on the other hand to bless Jahve only iu so far as He is the Creator an^ Lord of the world. As now the whole creation here in all parts and colours freely stood before the later poet as the subject of his song : we have to admire that he, though borrowing from an ojder type, yet sketched a description, so well chosen, apt, often gcnuinel}' })oetical and
LAST SOXOS. 285
originair His pattern is the description. Gen. i. : but by its high spirit he is himself so inspired that he produces a new and splendid Whole, which recalls the former only in a 'few traits and indications. For first of all he knows how to inter- weave in the highest and most beautiful manner with the present as a permanent fact that which in Gen. i. appears as merely past ; and every poet most expressively praises God from the Creation as it ever abides and continues. Then he adorns the parts given in detail in Gen. ii. with peculiar touches, in such a way that throughout, the Creation still more stands forth in its infinite greatness, order, and life, and the praise of Jahvc becomes thereby more definite and more intense. Finally he follows the series of particular works of Creation defined in Gen. i., but with poetic freedom and sensuousness, without constraint and empty imitation, rather renewing and . altering much ' in the most happy manner. The six days' work subsides of itself, for the poet has no historical object. If he therefore, vv. 9-4, begins with the light and clouded heaven, as in Gen. i. 3-8, he does it only to praise the Creator from the highest and most invisible side of the Creation, thence to come down gradually to the lower and lesser earthly things. The description of the soa now firmly ordered and bounded from the previous chaos, vv. 5-9, according to Gen. i, 9, 10, is followed by the description of the firm land, w. 10-18, according to Gen. i. 11, 12, but beautifully transformed here, so that we glance over the firm land immediately in all its glory and animation ; also the figure of the heavenly bodies, vv. 19-23, after Gen. i. 14-18, is more nearly referred to the present order of the living; and the poet — having happily interwoven the birds, land animals, and men. Gen. i. 24 sqq., with the previous description, — approaches the end, as if accidentally recalling further the not less wondrous life of the sea (Gen. i. 21-23 in part), vv. 24-30; and , then returning to the beginning with blessed wonder, he concludes ; but before the la.st conclusioi:, suddenly, as if uwaktning and
286 LAST SONOS.
looking into the actual human world, he is seized by the wish that through such knowledge of Jahve finally sin may pass away, vv. 31-35.
We cannot fail to recognize how similar our poet is to that of Ps. cxxxix. Only the language sounds somewhat diffe- rently ; and here particularly when the poet with the greatest brevity would suggest so inconceivably much, it is pointed into unusual conciseness, frequently as by a bound passing over from one topic to another. And yet all down to the great pause at the end of the fifth strophe, ver. 23, is only like a single much-complicated proposition in the praise of Rhn who is so described; all the intermediate words, especially in the begin- ning of new strophes, vv. 10, 14, comp. vv. 2, 3, 13, continue the description of Him, and pass over, only where the past is to be brought into relief in the beginning of strophes, vv. 5, 19, into the perf.
1.
1 Bless, my soul, Jahve !
Jahve, Thou my God, very great art Thou,
adorned with pomp and glory ! Who in light clothes Himself as in a cloak,
stretches the heaven out like a carpet. Who with water supports His lofts, Who makes clouds His chariot.
Who on wind^s-wings walks ; Who makes winds His messengers.
His servants flaming fire !
2.
5 Who fixed the earth upon its foundations :
it will not tremble for ever, aye. Had'st covered it with flood as garments, on the mountains stand waters :
LAST SONOS. •■ 287
before Thy threatening they flee,
before Thy loud thunder they tremble away — — mountains rise, valleys sink^ —
at the place which Thou hast founded for them ; the bound Thou didst set they overstep not,
return not, to cover the earth !
3.
He sends forth springs into the brooks, , 10
between mountains they go, all field-beasts drink,
wild asses break their thirst ; above them dwell heaven's birds,
from the midst of the twigs loudly sounding. He waters the mountains from His lofts :
of Thy hands' fruit the earth' is full !
4.
He causes grass to sprout for the cattle,
herb for the service of men, drawing out of the earth food : wine, that rejoices man's heart 15
that his face shines more than with fat, bread, that sustains man's heart ; satisfied also are Jahve's trees,
cedars of Libanon, by Him planted, where little birds nest,
the stork has the figtrees for her house ; mountains, the highest, for wild goats, .
rocks a refuge for rock-mice. —
6.
He made the moon for feasts, the sun knows its setting :
28S l^AST SONGS.
20 makest darkness — and it is night,
therein stir all the forest beasts, young lions roar after spoil
and from God to demand their food ; the sun brightens up — they go home,
lie down in their dens, man goes forth to his business,
and to his work until the evening. —
6. How many are, O Jahve, Thy works !
all of them hast Thou wrought with wisdom ; full is the earth of Thy creations ! 25 Yonder sea, great, broad-sided —
there is swarming innumerable, beasts, little and great ; there go ships,
the Monster made by Thee to play with Him.
7. All wait upon Thee,
that Thou mayest give their food in season. Didst Thou give to them — they gather together,
didst open Thy hand — they fill themselves with
good ; Didst hide Thy countenance — they are amazed, drawest in Thy spirit — they expire, return to their dust ; dost send Thy spirit forth — they are created, and renewest the earth's countenance.
8. 30 Eternal be Jahve's honour,
let Jahve rejoice in His works ! He who looks to the earth — and it trembles, touches mountains — they smoke.
LAST SONGS. 28'J
Sing I to Jalive as long as I live,
play to my God as long as I exist ! well-pleasing to Him be my poesy,
I will rejoice in Juhve ! May sinners pass away from the earth, 35
wicked men be no more ! Bless, my soul, Jahcc .'
Ver. 2 h after Isa. xl. 22 ; ver. 3 a after Am» ix. 6: if the lower heaven appears the firm underpart of the heavenly build- ing, so must the bright watery clouds reaching into infinite heights correspond to the aii'y lofts or upper rooms of human dwellings. And from these very heights winds and lightnings as servants of Jahve appear to hasten into the lower world, as was said in ciii. 20, 21. On vv. 6-9, comp. the pattern. Job xxxviii. 8-11 ; how Joefure the stern threatening command of Jahve the watery chaos so divides that the water, which but now covered all, quickly collects itself into the depths assigned to it, while now first mountains and valleys become visible in the firm land. Hence ver, 8 a must be a parenthesis, for ver. 8 h and ver. 9 only complete the image of the sea- water, and admit no other reference. The laudatory fine description tbus involuntarily coincides with that in Ovid, Metain. i. 43 sq. We must be on our guard against explaining the words of the parentbesis, which thus gives a good sense, from the similar cvii. 26, placing the two in juxtaposition. The latter are not sufficiently alike, and stand in quite another connexion ; nor are they by the same poet. Ver. 7 after Ixxvii. 17-19. — Vv. 10-18. Very aptly along with man and his joy arising from the earth's fruitfulness, that of the wild beasts is thought of, which live without needing man, ver. 11 (after Job xxxviii. 26, xxxix. 5), and of the cedars in like manner not tended by man, ver. 16. Most charming is the picture which the poet associates with the change of day and night, vv. 20-23, as also the night is nut without fresh peculiar stirring ami lifo, but
VOL. II. 19
2r0 LAST SO^'GS.
the day calling man to toil, scares all rude and wild creatures. Ver. 26. hs must also according to Job xl. 29, stand in close connexion witli pnw ; with Him ; in itself it might signify in it (the sea), but then CtE' would stand more plainly as in the some connexion,, Job xl. 20 ; in the first instance the "^ with pH^, flay, must always signify with, and probably signifies this in Prov. viii. 30 sq. in a similar descrip- tion. If this is referred, as the context, demands, to God, the sense is : men should guard against playing with the crocodile and similar monsters as with tame domestic animals, but before Jahve even these monsters are tame and tractable, as imme- diately, vv. 27-30, is finely described; in like manner ver. 28 is from Job xxxiv. 15. But this vivid description is com- pletely understood only when we consider that according to p. 233 all these legends about such monsters were at that time told in Israel with new vividness ; comp. Philo de Jona, capp. xlii.-xlv. (II., pp. 604 &(\.,Aucher.) Bundehesh, cap. 18. — Ver. 35 is — for the poet so full of God is quickly carried away by indig- nation at the continuance of sin on earth, — a very similar conclu- sion to cxxxix. 19^: but as if in a prelude to this the spirit urges him in ver. 32 to throw into the midst of his happy reflection on the surpassing glory and goodness of God the serious counter picture thereof in the thought of the earthquake.
Ps. cvi. and cvii. stand again in reciprocal relation, so that the one receives its full meaning only from the other. Ps. cvi. is, according to vv. 4, 5, Al , the pi^ayer of the Israelites still far dispersed for a long time after the rebuilding of Jerusalem, for final reunion in the holy land and redemption, — under hope indeed of the inexhaustible goodness of Jahve, but at the same time with lively consciousness of guilt; and if the ancient history in many and painf&l ways calls the guilt of Israel to remembrance, it also shows the high examples of eternal and Divine grace. Hence there is here developed in recollection of the old history of Israel tlio consciousness of guilt and
LAST soyas. 291
consolation of the people of that time; and after the whul j community of the still unhappy and dispersed Israelites has introduced the song with prayer, and confession of sin, vv. l-'J, one as a choir-leader carries out further the sense of the com- munity from the ancient history, w. 4-4G, till finally the com- munity concludes briefly with the most weighty prayer, ver. 47, and the Priest with the blessing, ver. 48. The historic pre- sentation is here much less vigorous, and the verse-structure narrower than above, Ps. Ixxviii. Also the build of the strophes is less firm ; we observe only that the review of the ancient history is carried — (1) down to the wonder at the Red Sea, ver. 12, then down to the sojourn at Sinai, ver. 23, further down to the end of Moses' life, ver. 33, and finally over the time of the Judges, ver. 46. The strophe has thus on an average ten verses, the last a few more.
It is noteworthy in the case of this song that it must have been composed for Israelites outside the holy land, whether they sojourned in Babylon or elsewhere in the land of the stranger. But that here we must think of Babylonia, is cer- tainly evident from cvii. 3, where the sea signifies not as in Palestine the West, but as iji Babylonia (comp. also B. Jes. xxi. 1) the South. There is actually found in the two songs nothing peculiarly alluding to Jerusalem ; and also the style, especially in Ps. cvii., is unusual. The more remarkable are
both songs.
(The Chorus.)
Sing praise to Jahve, because He is good, 1
because His grace is for ever ! Who will tell of Jahve's great deeds,
will make known all His praise if Blessed they who keep the dues,
he who practises right at all times ! (Leader of the Chorus.) Think of me, Jahve, with Thy people's love,
visit me with Thy deliverance
ID *
2:)2 LAST SO^'GS.
5 that I may enjoy the happiness of Thy Beloved,
may rejoice with Thy people's joy,
boast with Thy heritage ! We have sinned like to our fathers,
have failed, done wickedly ! Onr fathers in Egypt esteemed not Thy wonders, thought not of the multitude of Thy graces,
rose up at the sea, at the reed-sea : yet He helped them for His name's sake,
to make known His power, and threatened the reed-sea, — it dried up,
and led them through floods as through pastures, 10 helped them from the hater's hand,
redeemed them from the foe's hand, and water covered their oppressors,
not one remained of them ; then they believed on His words,
celebrating His glory.
Soon had they forgotten His works,
not staying for His counsel, ■and conceived in the desert a lust,
tempted in the dry plains God : 15 then He gave them their wish
and sent contagion into their life. And they were jealous in the camp against Moses,
Ahron, the holy one of Jahve ; opening, the earth swallowed up Dathan,
and covered Abiram's band, and fire burned up their band,
the flame scorches wicked men. They make at Horeb a calf,
and do homage to the cast figure, 20 changed their majesty
for an ox-figure, eating grass, forgot God Who helped them.
LAST sosas. 203
who did great things in Egypt, many wonders in the land of Ham,
fearful things at the reed-sea; then had He bidden to destroy them, had not Moses
His chosen one placed himself in the rent before
Him,
to check His wrath, not to destroy.
And they despised the land of longing,
not believing on His word, and became stubborn in the tents, 25
not listening to the voice of Jahve : then He swore to them with high hand
to overthrow them in the desert, to overthrow their seed among heathen
and to scatter them in the lands. And they clave to Baal Peor,
and ate sacrifices from the dead, and vexed Him by their deeds ;
then the plague broke in among them ; and Piu'has stood and prayed ; 30
then was the plague checked, and it was reckoned to Him for righteousnc ss,
for all ages, even for ever. And provoked Him at the Meriba-water,
then evil befell Moses for their sfikes because they rose against his spirit
and he was hasty with his lips.
They destroyed not the peoples
given up to them l)y Jahve, and mixed with heathen 85
and learned their works, and served their images,
which became a snare to them ; and sacrificed their own sous,
their own daughters to phautoiiis,
294 LAST 80NQS.
shed tlieir inuoceut bloody their own sons' and daughters'
blood,
they sacrificed to Kanaan's images, so that the land was polluted by slaughter, and impure they became through their works,
and fornicators by their own deeds : 40 then was Jahve's anger glowing against His people,
and horror He cast on His heritage, and gave it over into heathens' hand
that their haters ruled them, and their foes oppressed them,
they themselves bowed under their hand. Many times did He save them :
but they resisted in their own counsels, and sank by their own sin deeper ; He saw when they were in straits,
listening to their complaint, remembered His covenant with them,
found repentance in the multitude of His graces ; and caused them to find compassion
before all their tyrants.
(Chorus.) 45 Help us, Jahve our God,
gather us out of the heathen, that we may thank Thy holy name, that we may boast of Thy praise !
(The Priest.)
Blessed be Jahve, Israel's God,
from everlasting and to everlasting ! and let all people say, " Assuredly !"
Ver. 1 after cxviii. 1-4. Ver. 7 after Ex. xiv. 1 J, 12 ; ver, 12, Ex. XV. J ver. lo after Ex. xvi., !Num. xi. ; on ver, 15 con)}).
LAST SO^iUS. 29.5
Ixxviii. 28-30. Ver. 10, Num. xvi. \v. l!.)-23, Ex. xxxii.
xxxiv. Vv. 2-i-27, Num. xiv. Levit. xx;vi. 31 sqq. \'v. 28-31, Num. xxy. Vv. 32, 33, Num. xx. 2-13. Vv. 34-46, Josua— Kings. — The dead, vcr. 28, arc the no-gods, the opposition to the living God.
Ps. cvii. gives on the other hand the great thank-song of those assembled about the holy place, after they had come thither from all distances and a thousand dangers. After the short introduction, vv. 1-3, follows, as in the roundelay, the same summons to thanksgiving to all kinds of the redeemed, those (1) from the desert, (2) imprisonment, (3) sickness, (4) saved from the sea, — in four strophes, vv. 4-28; until at last the thanksgiving again becomes general towards Jahve as the Friend and Former of mankind, but also the just Punisher of all the wicked, vv. 29-43. The alternation of the singers is as in the preceding Psalm, and the main feature consists here as there of four strophes ; but otherwise the arrangement is, because of the very different contents, a different one. In each of the four main strophes those summoned to give thanks are at the outset more closely desci-ibed in four verses, — a descrip- tion which becomes in the last, because of the peculiar dangers and wonders of sea-faring, still more vivid, and is doubled to eight verses ; that the second on the other hand has five is only a kind, of accident. But the summons to give thanks at every two verses, is here the ever similar echo, into which certaiuly the Chorus breaks. The higher after-song is extended how- ever into a longest strophe of ten verses, unbroken, before the closing word, apparently sung by a priest, ver. 43.
Sing lyraise to Jahve, because He is good, 1
because His grace is fur ever ! thus speak Jahve's free men,
from the foe's hand by Him redeemed.
296 LAST SOXGS.
and by Hitn gathered out of the lauds, out of the East and out of the West, out of the North and out of the sea !
1.
They who wandered in the desert, the dry way, finding no habitable city, 5 in hunger, also in thirst,
their soul fainting in them ! and sore oppressed crying to Jahve
by Him freed from their distresses, by Him were led in the right way, to travel to a habitable city : iJiey thank Jahve for His grace
and Bis wonders for the children of men, that He satisfied the languishing soul, the hungry filled with good !
2. 10 They who sat in gloom and darkness,
in suffering and iron sore fettered, because they resisted the words of God,
had despised the Highest's counsel, so that He by grief bowed their heart,
made them stumble without deliverer ; and sore oppressed crying to Jahve
by Him freed from their distresses, were brought out of gloom and darkness, free, their chains broken : 15 they thank Jahve for His goodness
and His wonders for the children of men, that He broke asunder iron doors, broke down iron bars !
a.
They who guilty because of their sins, grieving for their misdeeds.
LAST SOSGS. 297
loathing in themselves all food,
already reached to death's gates ; and sore oiDpressed to Jahve crying
by Him were freed from distresses, while He, sending His word, healed them, 20
saved them from their graves : they thank Jahve for His grace
and His wonders for the children of men, and sacrifice sacrifices of thankssriviny:, tell His deeds full of jubilation !
4. They that go into the sea with ships,
are busy on many waters, there have they seen Jahve's deeds
and His wonders in the flood : - how He commanded — and caused storm-wind to coine,25
which raised its waves ; — towards heaven rising, sinking to the floods,
their soul melts in ill, they whirl, stagger like the drunkard,
all their wisdom is exhausted ; — and sore oppressed to Jahve crying
by Him were freed from distresses ; — He brings the storm to a whistling,
that its waves rested, and, joyous that they are quiet, 30
He led them to the haven of their pleasure : — they thank Jahve for His grace,
and His wonders for the children of men, and praise Him in the people's assembly, lauding Him in the council of the Elders t
5. He turns streams into desert, water-springs into dryness.
2'JS LAST SUNOS.
fruit-laud iuto salt-waste,
for the wickeduess of the dwellers : 35 turus the desert into water-land,
dry land iuto water- springs, caused the hungry there to settle,
who founded habitable cities, sowed fields and planted vineyards,
obtained rich fruit, and by Him blessed greatly increased,
— also their cattle He diminishes not, — but lessened, sank deeper
because of misery and the pressure of trouble ; 40 He pours contempt on the mighty,
confuses them in the pathless waste, but protects the needy from misery,
leads as the flock the tribes, that seeing this upright men may rejoice,
all wickedness close the mouth : Who is wise, let him note this,
that Jahve's graces may be understood ! "
Ver. 4. The force of the relative clause continues, from vv. 2, 3, ver. 33 from vv. 31, 32 ; comp. the like above in civ. 5. — Most noteworthy are the images which the after-song, vv. 32-42, sketches : proceediug from the general grand Diviue changes of human fate ever according to their desert, and from places like B. Jes. xli. 18, it di^aws first, vv. 33, 34, the gloomy picture of a land laid waste by men's wickedness, opposes to it, vv. 35-39, that of a land blooming on .all sides by human toil (this is the people of Israel of that time !) and causes at the end, ver, 29, to be seen>^that still many a tear-pearl of grief and loss in human life falls even into this serene picture, but firmly rises, vv. 40-42, above this, with Messianic hopes which are held out by poetic words even of the Book of Job, ver. 40 from Job xii. 21, 24; ver. 41 h, Job xxi. 11 ; ver. 42, Job v. 10 ;
LAUT SONGS. • 2f)'>
ver. 43 from Hos. xiv. 10. — Most plaiuly correspond Ivi. t? - and cvii. 3; cvi. 2 and cvii. 43.
Pss. cxi., cxii. form in close mutual connexion, a pro- gressive comparison, carried out not without beauty, of the glory of Jahve, and that of the worshipper of Jahve, ■ — so that what is said in the first song of Jahvc's praise, greatness, deeds, recurs in the second applied to the praise, greatness, deeds of the saint. With similar verse-structure to Ps. cxix., yet not by the same poet, the alpliabet appears twice carried through, in each song proceeding with each member. Here too involuntarily the Messianic element presses in, cxi. 6, cxii. 2. The membering of the verses is here also maintained with such perfect correctness, that only the last two verses are three-membcred.
All my heart praises Jahve 1
Blesses Him in full assembly of the righteous ; Deeds of Jahve are exalted.
Eagerly desired by all their friends. For ever stands His righteousness :
Glory and pomp is His work. High is the fame of wonders which He founded,
In grace and mildness is Jahv6 rich. Jahve gave support to His fearers, 5
Knows eternal truth of His covenant ; Let the power of His deeds be known to His people.
Making over to them the heathens' heritage. Naught but truth and right are the deeds of His hands.
Orderly are all His commands. Pledged firm for ever, aye.
Righteously and truly done. Succour hath He sent to His people, True shall His covenant for ever be ;
Unutterably holy is His Name, Veneration of Jahve is wisdom's beginning; 10
300 LAST SOXGS.
Well have they miderstanding who live thereon To {Zur) eternity stands fast His praise.
1 A man that fears Jahve is blessed,
By His commands tarrying with joy : Doth not his seed become mighty in the land ?
Excellent men are blessed ; Fulness and riches is in his honse,
Goodness stands for ever. Heaven shines on the upright in darkness, In grace and mildness rich and right. 5 Joy to the man who wishes well and lends ;
Knows how to maintain his causes in judgment! Live doth he never troubling,
Maintains eternal fame the righteous ; Never doth he quake before evil lying-mouth, Over fear, trusting Jahve, his heart rises : Pledge-firm is his heart's rest,
Remains till he sees judgment on his oppressors. 10 Spending, he loves to distribute to the needy ; True stands his r^'ghteousness for ever, Upward ever proudly strives his horn. Vexed, the wicked shall see it. Will gnash teeth and pass away ;
To {Zu) the ground goes the pleasure of the wicked.
cxii. 4, 113n, etc. is a subordinate clause to D'*~m7'"b with reference to cxi. 4. One might suppose indeed that the two halves of ver. 4 formed only one clause in the sense : *^ as light' in the darkness, shined upon the upright man the Gracious one,'' i.e., God,^comp. B. Jes., Ix. 1 sqq. ; but according to the clear build of these two songs each member proceeding with the alphabet gives for itself a full sense. As for the rest, the poet employs as late songs as Ps. xxxvii. 12, 26: ver. 9 6 is from 1 Sam. ii. 1.
LAST soy OS. 801
Ps. cxiii. sq. is unquestiouably a Pascha-song. For tho , the piece, Ps. cxiv. sketches a short, but highly vivid j)icture, domiuatiug history with geuuine lyric power, of the grand timo of the going-forth from Egypt, and of the education of Israel to independence. The whole creation is in uproar, all trembling and shaking ; in the confusion all is at first full of alarm, so that the question resounds : whence your unrest, ye seas and mountains ? But so soon as it has become plaiu that Jahve is the author, the astonishment changes into calmness and reverence. This fine fragment which brings out with perfect propriety the fast which the Pascha solemnizes, has not much meaning in itself, if it has not the above particular object in view ; and is also by no means entirely self-defined, for iu ver. 2 the name of Jahve is wanting. The piece Ps. cxiii. contains therefore in addition to this historical praise of Jahve the main portion of tho Pascha-solemnity, the indispensable prelude in the general praise of Jahve as the infinitely exalted Eicdeemer, who for that very reason, as the second piece then announces, became in days gone by IsraePs Redeemer. The two fragments thus only compose the full song ; perhaps between the halves a sacrifice is to be presented. The style too infers the same poet. But this poet was also certainly the same who composed the previous delicate pair of songs ; this follows from the manner in which the use of 1 Sam. ii. 1 sqq., begun in cxii. 9 is here continued.
Praise Jahve's servants, 1
praise Jahve's name ! Jahvc's name be blessed
now and to eternity ! from the sun's uprise to His setting
be praised Jahve's name ! High is over all peoples Jahve,
over heaven His power !
302 LAST SONOS.
5 Who is like to Jahve our God,
to Him Who is throned sublimely on high to Him Who deeply casts His glances
on the heaven^ on the earth ; who out of the dust sets up the lowly,
raises from dung the needy, to rule along with the mighty,
with the mighty of His people ; who causes the unfaithful of the house to rule
as rejoicing mothers of children.
1 When Israel forsook Egypt,
Jakob's house the foreign people : Juda became His sanctuary,
Israel His dominion. The sea saw it — and fled,
Jordan fell back ; mountains danced like rams,
hills like the young sheep. — 5 Sea, what ails thee that thou fleest,
Jordan, fallest back ? mountains, that ye dance like rams,
hills, like young sheep ? — Before the Lord — yea tremble, earth,
before the God of Jakob ; who changes the rock into watery swamp,
flinty earth into a water-spring.
cxiii. 7-9 almost verbally from 1 Sam. ii. 5-8 ; but suddenly also Jiere ver. 9, the ancient historical picture turns to Messianic hope with a glance at B. Jes. liv., 1 sqq. — cxiv. 4 after xxix. G, comp. Hab. iii. 8; ver. 8 after Ex. xvii.. Num. XX. 2 sqq. The sea after Ex. xiv. sq., the mountains after Ex. xix.
LAST soxas. a03
The shortest congregational song is Ps. cxvii. :
Praise Jahve, all ye people, 1
praise Him, all yo races of earth ! over us truly His grace prevails,
and the faithfulness of Jahve is for ever. Praise Jah !
■ Q'he stamp of the style of this very short song refers it to this time ; n2ti7^ ver. I in this signification, recur-s, after the quite isolated use in Ps. Ixiii. 4 only in cxlv. 4, cxlvii. 12, and in B. Qohelet ; and the mode of expression, ver. 2 a, only in ciii. 11. The n^ iVbn at the end belongs (Vol. I., p. 10) at least only according to the latest use, to the song itself.
C. 139-142. — Psalms lxxxvt., cviii., cxliii., cxliv.,
are songs which were in manifold ways composed and renewed from earlier ones, and which we may best conceive as borrowed from a book in which a poet of this time published very many songs of this kind. It was pre-eminently the feeling of oppression both of the individual and of the whole com- munity by the heathen rulers in which in this poet both the urgent supplicatory and the courageously believing ring of the older songs were anew brought to life, and combined in his spirit in new forms.
Ps. Ixxxvi. thus contains the prayer of an individual for protection in a time of distress from without, almost solely composed from recollections of earlier related songs, not without delicate fecliug. But the situation of the praying one is here quite another than that in the long Ps. cxix. : he feels himself so sorely persecuted only by the tyranny of the heathen. • — The strophes are manifestly built on five verses with eleven members ; but we must not fail to recognize that the last words, vv. 14-17, might also form a small song of similar contents by itself.
304 LAST SONGS.
i.
1 Bend^ Jalive, tliine ear^ listen to me,
for suffering and helpless am I ! preserve my soul_, for I am a saint, help Thy servant, Thou, my God, him who trusts on Thee ! be gracious to me, 0 Lord,
for to Thee I cry at all times ! rejoice Thy servant's soul,
for to Thee, Lord, I raise my soul ! 5 because Thou, 0 Lord, art kind and pardoning
and rich in mercy for all who cry to Thee.
2.
Hearken, Thou Jahve, to my prayer,
observe the loud words of my supplication, on the day of my distress I cry to Thee,
because Thou wilt hear me ! Like Thee there is none among Gods, Lord,
and no works are like Thine ; the peoples all which Thou hast made,
they will come, do homage before Thee, 0 Lord, and give honour to Thy name, 10 because great Thou art and doing wonders.
Thou, God, alone art so.
3.
Teach me, 0 Jahve, Thy way, let me walk in Thy truth ;
my heart make one, to fear Thy name ! I will praise Thee, Lord, my -God, with all my heart,
I ever honour Thy name, that Thy mercy ruled on high over me,
TIiou didst snatch my soul from the deepest hell ! * * *
7:^4.57 S0\0.<. -MXi
God ! insolent ones stand against ine
and a band of madmen seek my soul, not holding Thee before their eyes : but Thou, Lord, art a God full of pity, grace, 15
long-suffering, rich in mercy and truth. Turn Thee to me, be gracious to me, give Thy servant Thy splendour, help Thou the son of Thy maid ! show me a sign for good,
let my haters see it and blush, that Thou, Jahve, didst stand by me and comfort me !
Prayer because of personal misery and great longing for salvation, above all supported on the grace, vv. 1-5, then first vv. 6-10, on the power of the supreme God, reaching over all the heathen. In His ways, the poet, strengthened and led by Him, desires to remain, vv. 11-13 [therefore he will not doubt, though sore oppressed, vv. 14-17]. Ver. 1 after xl. 18 ; ver. 2 after iv. 4 ; ver. 4 after xxv. 1 ; ver. 6 from cxvi. 1 ; ver. 8 from Ex. xv. 11 ; ver. 9 from xxii. 28, 29; ver. 11 from xxvii. 11, V. 9, xxv. 4, 5; ver. 14 almost verbally from liv. 5, only D">-iT for c^nt; ver. 15 from Ex. xxxiv. 6; ver. 1*3 c from cxvi. 10.
Still more finely selected from old songs and more pro- foundly striking is Ps. cxliii., which — simply because of its otherwise quite independent origin — cannot be derived from the poet of the songs Pss. cxl. — cxlii. The distress in which the poet thus prayed, came to him as to the poet of the pre- ceding song, from the side of the heathen, and generally the song has much that is related to the preceding. In it three strophes may bo distinguished, the second of which proceeds from recollection of the old history ; but the measure nf thcso strophes is not strict.
VOL. II. JU
30r. J ST SONOS.
1.
1 Jahve, hear my prayer, observe my supplication,
througli Thy faithfulness grant me Thy salvation ; and come not into judgment with Thy servant,
for no living one before Thee is just ! — For the enemy has pursued my soul, trodden down to earth my life
into darkness cast me like the old dead ; and fainting has my spirit become,
in my bosom my heart is affrighted.
2.
5 I think of days of old,
I meditate on all Thy doing,
I ruminate concerning Thy handiwork ; I spread forth my hands to Thee,
like a thirsty land my soul strives to Thee : * haste to hear me, Jahve ! my spirit passes away ! hide not Thy countenance from me, that I become like those sunk into the grave ! let me soon perceive Thy grace; for in Thee I trust ; show me the way I should go : for to Thee I lift my soul ! free me from my foes, Jahve ! in Thee have I confided ! —
3.
10 Teach me to do Thy pleasure; for Thou art my God ; Thy good spirit will lead me on the level earth ! for Thy name, Jahve, Thou wilt quicken me,
wilt through Thy salvation take my soul from *" distress,
and wilt through Thy grace destroy my foes, bring to naught all oppi'essors of my life, for I am Thy servant !
LAST .SO.V. '.<«•. 307
Ver. 1 comp. Ixv. 6; cxviii. 5. W-v. 2 from Job xiv. 3, 1, and seq. Ver. 3 from Ixxxviii. 6, or rather immediately from Lam. iii. 6. Ver. 4 from cxlii. 4, Ixi. 3, Ixxvii. 4. Ver. 5 from Ixxvii. 6. Ver. 6 from Ixiii. 2. Ver. 7 from xxviii. 1. Vv. 8 and 10, 11, from li. 10-13, v. 9, xxv. 1. ^ES, ver. 9, was treated by the Massoretes as if it were / Jiave concealed, i.e., secretly spoken to Thee. But this is harsh and unintelli- g'ible. Better the LXX Karecftvyov, as if it were mis-written for T'^9'7- non is indeed elsewhere connected with 2, yet it might for once stand as well with bs like n!D3, xxxi. 7, Ivi. 4.
Ps. cxliv. 1-11 gives, on the other hand, rather a recast composition of older pieces of warlike mood, with which the individual less from his own experience than in the spirit and temper of the whole ancient community may long for the help of Jahve against heathen. In other respects the character of the whole song shows so surprising a resemblance to the two preceding, that it must for this reason be ascribed to the same poet.
1. 0 Thou blessed Jahve, my rock, 1
who didst inure my hands to the fight, to the war my fingers. Who art my grace and my retreat, my defence and my deliverer, my shield and He whom I trusted, who subjected the peoples to me : Jahve, what is man that Thou dost recognize him,
the son of earth that Thou regardest him ? man — to breath is he like,
his life is like a shadow that passes away.
2. Jahve ! bow thy heavens, coming down, 5
touch the mountains, that t'loy smoke,
20 *
308 LAST soyas.
lighten a-flashj that Thou mayest scatter therUj send Thy arrows out, to scare them,
reach Thy hands out of the height,
draw me and save me from many w^aters, out of the power of the strangers,
of them whose mouth speaks only vanity and whose oath is a lying oath !
God ! a new song will I sing- to Thee,
with harp of ten strings play to Thee ! 10 Thou who givest victory to kings^
who saved David His servant from the evil sword : draw me and save me from strangers,
from them whose mouth speaks only vanity and whose oath is a lying oath !
As the first words proceed from the consciousness of tlie height already won, vv. 1, 2, to prayer for deliverance from the straugers, vv. 5-8^ they are connected by the -contemplation of. the Aveakness of human life, according to which, if help comes not at the right time to the wretched, it may generally come in vain, vv. 3, 4 But in the joyous recollection of the ancient high days of victory of Israel the poet now begs for the Divine help against heathen, vv. 9-11. The description of the strangers (heathen) as entirely faithless, vv. 8, 11, is here, according to the words, the one new element, where also V^l, the right hand, stands noteworthily for the right hand lifted to swear ; almost all the rest is from older passages. Vv. 1, 2, 5-7, from xviii. 35, 3, 48, 10, 15, 17; "the strangers,'^ vv. 7, 11, from xviii. 45, 46, only that hero throughout instead of David all Israel must be thought of. Ver. 3 from viii. 5 ; ver. 4 from Job xiv. 2 and else- where ; ver. 5 h from civ. 32 ; on vv. 9, 1 5, comp. xxxiii. 2, 3, 12.
LAST ,S0AV7S. 3(.»9
The words cxliv. 12-15, fall npart, according to what lias been said above, and they certainly formed at first a small song by itself, as this poet constructed it almost entirely from the fragment of an old song, and as it is explained above, Vol. I. pp. 154 sqq. A closer connexion of sense between vv. 12-15 and vv. 1-11 is also, according to the plain purpose and art of this later poet, inconceivable ; but we saw already in the case "of Ixxxvi. 14-17 (p. 30-S) that this poet probably formed also out of older fragments smaller songs of only 07ie- strophe with four verses.
Hence we may justly derive further from this poet Ps. cviii., which is simply a composition from Ivii. 8-18, and Ix. 7-14, — a few words of high hope and national prayer loosely joined to one another, but distributed into three small strophes as this poet preferred, vv. 2-6, 7-10, 11-14. This last poet found, according to all traces, the two songs Ivii. and Ix. already in this series and mutual nearness (comp. Vol. I., p. 28), and selected from both the finest pieces for a new song. But he had already cxliv. 2, the words Ps. lix. 11, Ixvii. sq., in his eye.
D. 143-152. Psalms xxxiir., cv., cxxxv., cxxxvi.,
CXLIV. CL.,
belong not merely to the latest songs, but also proceed probably from one poet. This is seen in several words and expressions peculiar to it, like the frequent CTDn, the oft- recurring "i::b, hope (after civ. 27), the now again more frequent '^? for "^^^, as well as ^P?, xxxiii. 7, cxlvii. 2, Tl'ir^ cxlvi. 0, cxlvii. G, F]pT, cxlv. 14, cxlvi. 8, etc. Peculiar to the poet further is the long enumeration of all similar things, the many short allusions to particular parts and pieces of the Creation and present world, along with the almost throughout simply artificial collocation of older fragments. — In other respects, there prevails once more a more joyous spirit through these songs which worthily close the l<»ng cycle, nnd this is readily understood fn>m the time fmrn which they
310 LAST SONQS.
plainly sprung. For in the case of Ps. cxlvii. we must obviously think of the first time of the full restoration of the walls of Jerusalem under Nehemja^s vigorous activity, Neh. xii. 27, in the case of Ps. cxlix. of the slight struggles under the same hero, Neh. vi. 1 sqq.; and this very time was the best which under the Persian dominion still cast the gleam of a purer elevation and joy into the heart of the people. — This poet has also once more much elegant smoothness and softness in the arrangement and execution of the songs, but the external completion is already almost predominant.
We begin here with Ps. cv., because in spite of the very different contents, its style infers the same poet, comp. especially vv. 18, 22, with cxlix, 8. But also the manner in which he employs the sacred history is quite in unison with the spirit prevailing in these last songs, and shows how powerfully at last the popular feeling of Israel revived, in opposition to the Gentiles. For it gives, like Ps. Ixxviii. and Ps. cvi., a song of praise to Jahve out of the history of Israel on all its sides ; but if that history served in the two above songs to humiliate Israel, and for castigatory instruction, we see here on the other hand the new feature that in recollection of the ancient history only IsraeFs glory and dignity are brought into relief, and in the peculiar distinction and grace of Jahve experienced in it towards the patriarchs of the ancient people, a further ex- hortation only to fidelity towards the Law is found. — Style and mode of presentation are here only slightly raised above that of Ps. cvi. ; but the arrangement of the strophes is firmer. After the prelude, vv. 1-6, follow four strophes of nine verses each, with a sudden close, vv. 43-45. Among those four the first leads the history to the time of the three Patriarchs, the second down to the settlement in Egypt, while the two last comprise more narrowly the Mosaic period.
J Sing praise to Jahve, call on His Name,
make knriwn among peoples llis deeds
LAST SONGS. Sll
eiug to Him, play to Him,
think upon all His wonders; boast of His holy Name,
let the heart rejoice of them that seek Jahve : inquire after Jahve and after His power,
seek ever His countenance ; think of His wonders which Ho did, 5
His signs and His mouth's judgments, seed of His servant Abraham,
ye sons of Jakob, by Him chosen !
He is Jahve our God,
through the whole earth are His judgments ; He thinks of His covenant for ever,
of the word that He appoints for a thousand yeara : which He made with Abraham,
and swore to His own with Isaak, and appointed it for a law for Jakob, 10
Israel for an everlasting covenant, saying, " to thee I give the land of Kanaan,
for the portion of your heritage \" when they were still easy to count,
small and only pilgrims therein, and so wandered from people to people,
from one kingdom to another land ; He let not men oppress them,
but chastised because of their kings : ' touch not my anointed, 16
do not ill to my seers \"
Thereupon He called hunger over the laud,
breaking every staff of bread ; had sent hither a man before them,
sold to be a slave was Josef : by fetters his feet were plagued,
into the iron came his soul.
312 LAST SO^'GS.
till the time that His word was accom-
phshed,
the promise of Jahve preserved him, 20 sending, a king released him,
a ruler of peoples set him free, appointed him as Lord for his house,
as commander through his whole kingdom, to bind his princes to himself,
and to master his elders ; so Israel came to Egypt,
Jakob journed in the land of Ham, and He made very fruitful His people
and more mighty than his oppressors.
25 He changed their heart, to hate His people
and to out-wit His servants : sent Moses His servant,
Ahron, chosen by Him ; they did among them His wondrous things,
signs in the land of Ham : He sent darkness and it was dark,
and — they resisted not His words ; changed into blood the waters
and caused their fishes to die ; 30 full of frogs their land swarmed
in the chambers of their king; spoke — and flies came,
gnats through all their borders ; gave as their rain-shower hail,
flames of fire through their land ; and smote their vine and the fig-tree,
and broke asunder the trees of their borders ; spoke — and forthwith locusts came,
hoppers without number, 35 devoured all herb in their land,
devoured the fruit of their field ;
LAST SONQS. 'MA
&nd smote all the first-born in their laud,
firstlings of all their strength, Ld them out with gold and silver,
while none trembled in His tribes ; joyful was Egypt for their exodus,
because their terror had fallen on them ; spread clouds out as a covering,
fire also, for light by night ; They asked — he brought quails, . K)
and with heaven^s bread He satislit-d them ; opened rocks — and waters sprung forth,
ran through the steppes like a strram ; because He thought on His holy word,
His servant Abraham,
Therefore He led His people forth in delight,
high in jubilation His chosen, and gave to them heathen-lands,
that they inherited the sweat of the i:ati mis, to keep His statutes^ 45
and maintain His law.
Ver. 8 like ver. 42, although this is strongly altered in 1 Chron. xvi. 12, AV. 8-15 after Gen. xii. — xxv. ; ver. 15, Gen. XX. 7. Vv. 16-24, Gen. xxxvii. — 1. ; ver. 16 6 after Isa. iii. 1 comp. Ps. civ. 15. Vv. 25-45 after Ex. — Josi'ia; ver. 28 h further explained by ver. 38, comp. Ex. x. 24 ; ver. 42 goes back to ver. 8 ; ver. 45 to ver. 1. — A somewhat more bounding language, w. 18 and 22, is introduced by the change of sense in the repeated "^^j-.^; the spul of Josef, yea, he him- self the hero came into iron with his noble soul; but as if in recompense for this he had later, at the king's behest, to bind the princes of Egypt to hi.t soul, that they must do what ho bade them out of His soul. The indication in ver. 19 presumes that the poet had read a later history of Josef, where this was
314 LAST SONQS.
represented in a still higher manner than in the present Pen- tateuch, and of whose existence traces may be found elsewhere.
Ps. cxxxv. : general praise to Jahve as the great God of Israel — equally in creation and in history, the only true one, in presence of Whom idols and their worshippers are nothing. Three strophes are arranged accordingly, each of seven verses with small members.
1. 1 Praise Jahve 's name,
praise ye servants of Jahve, who stand in the house of Jahv6,
in the courts of our house of God, praise Jah, because good is Jahve,
play to His name, because He is to be loved, because Jah chose out Jakob for Himself, Israel for his possession. 5 Now I know that great is Jahv6,
our lord before all gods ; all that He wills Jahve doeth in the heavens and the earth, in the seas and in all floods, who brings up vapours from the earth's end, turns lightnings to rain,
fetches the wind out of his chambers.
2.
He slew Egypt's first-born
from men to beasts, sent signs, wonders into Thy midst, 0 Egypt,
against Pharao and all his servants ; 10 He slew many peoples,
put to death numerous kings, Sihon, king of Amorites, Og the king of Basau
and all the kingdoms of Kaua'an,
LAST ISONQS. :Uo
and gave gave their land for a heritage,
a Jieritage to His people Israel : Jahve, eternal is Thy name,
Jahve, for all ages is Thy glory ! For His people will Jalive judgc^
concerning His servants have grief !
3.
Heathen images are silver and gold, - 15
work of human hands^ have mouth — and speak not,
have eyes — see not, have ears — hearken not,
no breath at all is in their mouth : let their framers be like them,
every one who trusts in them ! — Israel's house, bless Jahve,
house of Ahron, bless Jahve, house of Levi, bless Jahve, 20
Jahve's fearers, bless Jahve ! Blessed be Jahve out of Sion,
He Who dwells in Jerusalem !
Vv. 1, 2 after cxxxiv. 1, only here said of all Israel; ver. 3 b after lii. 11, liv. 9 ; ver. 4 from Ex. xix. 5 ; ver. 6 from cxv. 3; ver. 7 from Jer. x. 13; ver. 9 in the middle after cxvi. 19; ver. 14 from Deut. xxxii. 36; vv. 15-20 from cxv. 4-11, only that here, ver. 20, Levi is distinguished from Ahron.
Ps. cxxxvi. is at bottom the same thank-song as the pre- ceding psalm, from which it borrows much in particular poiuts ; but it is elaborated in new style iu such a way that whik' in the first half of each verse the praise according to the parti- cular dignities and deeds of Jahve takes its course, in the second always with the sauio niainier the mention of the grnrr
316 LAST SO^'GS.
of Jahve as the conscious ground of His praise recurs ; pro- bably the constant echo was to be sung by the whole congre- gation. But thus appear in conjunction first six times three verses together^ then four times two verses together.
1 Thank Jahve because He is good, because His grace is
for
ever
Thank the God of Gods, because His grace is for ever.' Thank the Lord of Lords, because His grace is for
ever I To Him who alone did great wonders, because His grace
is for ever ! 5 To Him who made heaven with understanding, because
His grace is for ever ! To Him who spread out the earth upon waters, because His grace is for ever ! To Him who made the great lights, because His grace is
for ever ! Made the sun for the rule of the day, because His
grace is for ever ! Made the moon for the rule in the nights, because His grace is for ever! 10 To Him who slew Egypt's first-born, because His grace
is for ever ! And from its midst fetched Israel, because His grace
is for ever ! With strong hand and outstretched arm, because
His grace is fc
or ever
- /
To Him who cut the reed-sea in pieces, because His
grace is for ever ! let Israel pass through, because His grace is for ever ! 15 Pharao and his army overthrew in the reed-sea,
because His grace is for ever ! To Him who led His people through the desert, because His grace is for ever!
LAST Songs. :U7
To Him who slew groat kings, hecansa His grace in
fur ever ! Put to death mighty kings, because If is grace in f<)r evcr ! Sihon, king of Amorites, because His grace is for ever! Og, the king of Basari, because His grace is for
ever ! 20 And gave their laud for a heritage, because His nrace is
Jor ever ! A heritage to His people Israel ; because His grace
is for ever ! Who in our depth thought of us, because His grace is
for ei*er ! And from our oppressors freed us, because His grace is for ever ! Who gives bread to all flesh: because His grace is for
ever ! 25 Thank the God of heaven ! because His grace is for
Ps. cxlv. offers praise in light and beautiful st^de with triple sounding of the greatness, grace, and faithfulness of Jahve, as of the true eternal King of the community of the faithful, in twenty-two two-membered verses after the twenty-two letters. The further membering is that seven times three verses and at last three members stand together.
All Thy praise let me sing, my God and King, 1
and bless Thy name for ever and ever ! Bless I Thee continually,
and praise Thy name for ever and evir ! Deep, unsearchable is Jahve's greatness,
great is He and greatly praised. — Each generation praises to aiK)th('r Thy deeds,
telHiiu- of Thy powers.
31S LAST SONOS.
5 For the splendid glory of Thy power
and Thy wondrous deeds let me speak ! Greatly be celebrated Thy sublime works.
Thy great deeds — let me narrate them ! — ■ Highly men boast the greatness of Thy goodness,
and exult in Thy righteousness. In grace and mildness is Jahve rich,
long-suffering, of great love.- Jahve is good to all,
compassionate over all His works. — 10 Known is Thy praise by all Thy works, Jahve,
and Thy saints bless Thee ; Loudly they speak of Thy kingdom's pomp,
and announce Thy power. Men's sons telling of His mighty acts,
and His kingdom's sublime pomp. — Nay, an everlasting kingdom for all times is Thy
kingdom,
for all ages Thy rule. [Oh, faultless is Jahve in all His deeds,
loving in all His works.] Provide for all the sick doth Jahve,
and sets up all the bowed down. — 15 Kevert to Thee all eyes in hope,
and Thou givest them their food seasonably ; Spreadest open Thy hand,
and satisfiest the wish of all life. True is Jahve in all His ways
and loving in all His deeds. — Unto all calling on Him is Jahve near,
all who call on Him with truth ; Verifies the wishes of His fearers,
and their clamour he hears and helps. 20 Well doth Jahve preserve all that love Him,
aiul nil the wicked TTe destroys. —
LAST soxas. 319
To {Zu) Jahve's praise let my mouth spoak, and bless all flesh Ilis holy name for ever and aye !
After ver. 13 the verse with 3 is wanting, which the poet cannot have omitted. The LXX have a verse which very well fills out the place, comp. ver. ] 7 ; the first word is then 1^,^?. - — P!i"i, ver. 16, to be referred, after ver. 19, to the living; if it was intended to refer as grace to God, pl!i-i might be expected ; bzh is therefore dative.
1.
Praise, my soul, Jahve ! 1
praise I Jahve then, as long as I live,
play to my God, so long as I exist ! Trust not on princes,
on man's son, who has no deliverance, He, when his spirit goes forth, returns to His earth :
on that day his plans are lost 1
2.
Blessed he whose help is even Jakob's God. 5
whose hope is on Jahve his God ! Him who made heaven and earth,
sea and all that is therein, who keeps truth for ever : who does justice to the oppressed,
who gives the hungry bread.
3.
Jahve, who looses the fetters ! Jahve, who makes seeing the blind, Jahve, who sets up the bowed down, Jiiliv*'^, who l<.)vcs tiif^ righteous !
330 LAST SONGS.
Jahve, who preserves strangers, orphans, widows helps up again,
and turns aside the way of the wicked ! — • Rule Jahve for ever !
thy God, Sion, for all ages !
Vv. 7and 8 after Isa. Ixi. 1.
Ps. cxlvii. turns rather to the community and Sion, and alludes to the complete restoration of Jerusalem and its walls ; a fine song of praise to Jahve as the only Mighty One, in the creation and in the human world, especially in Israel, — so that this twofold praise recurs in each of the three, strophes, but in the beginning of the first and third the immediate circum- stances of that time are brought into relief. The song is constructed of strophes with twelve members ; but that the last is longer is a less striking fact than the omission of one in the second.
1. 1 Praise Jah,
because it is beautiful to play to our God, ,
because it is lovely, praise is seemly ! Him^ who builds Jerusalem, Jahve, collects the dispersed of Israel, who heals the heart-broken
and binds up their griefs ; who appoints to the stars a number, gives them all names : 5 great is our Lord and of great power,
His understanding unbounded. He helps up again the sufferer, Jahve,
He bows the wicked down to the ground !
2. Sing to Jahve liigli witli thanks,
pliiy witli the citluM- to oilr Clod !
LAST SONGS. 321
who covers the heaven with clouds, who prepares the earth's rain,
who causes the mountains to sprout grass ; who gives to the cattle their fodder,
young ravens that for which they cry ; hath not pleasure in strength of the horse, 10
nor joy in man's legs : joy hath Jahve in His fearers,
in them who wait for His grace !
3.
Praise, O Jerusalem, Jahve !
praise Thy God, Sion, that He fastened the bolts of Thy gates,
blessed thy sons in Thee ! He who makes thy borders salvation,
satisfies thee with fat of wheat ; — Who sends His word on earth, 1 5
in haste runs His command : Who gives snow like wool,
scatters rime like ashes. Who casts forth His ice like fragments ;
who will stand before His cold ? then sends His word and — melts them,
bloweth His breath — waters run !^ Who announces to Jakob His words,
His judgments and laws to Israel : to no people did He thus, ' 20
and laws — they know not thus.
r\^ ibbn is here, ver. 1, and similarly Ps. cxvii. 2, for the first time somewhat more closely connected with the song, and hence the mode of expression explained in connexion with lii. 1 I (Vol. I., p. 207) somewhat otherwise applied.
Ver. 3 after Tsa. Ixi. 1. Vor. 1 nfter Tsa. xl. 20; vor. 8r VOL. II. 21
322 LAST SONGS.
after Ps. civ. 13; ver. 9 after Job xxxyiii. 41; ver. 10 after Ps. XX. 8; ver. 14 c after Isa. liv. 12, h after Deut. xxxii. 14; also vv. 19_, 20 after Deut. — Ver. 15. The severe, raw cold wind is meant, which brings forth the things in vv. 16, 17, ver. 18 the mild, warm wind. On ver. 9 b comp. Plin. Nat. Hist., X., 15.
Ps. xxxiii. bears the greatest relationship to the last song, and only appears more as a proper festive song. After the introduction, vv. 1-3, it celebrates both Jahve the righteous, the Creator of all, of the heathen also, vv. 4-11, and His com- munity which through Him is stronger than through the greatest external protection, vv. 12-19, — which therefore ever believingly hopes on Him, vv. 20-22. The song is accordingly constructed of two great strophes, each of eight common verses, with fore and after-song of three verses each. But each of the two great strophes is halved in the middle.
a. I "Rejoice, ye righteous, in Jahv^,
praise becomes the upright ! thank Jahve with the cither,
with ten-stringed harp play to Him ! sing to Him a new song,
play well in sound of jubilation !
1.
For straight is Jahve's word,
all His doing with truth ; 5 He loves right and truth,
full of Jahve's grace is the earth ; the heavens are by^tTahve's word created,
and by His moutVs breath their whole host ; He gathered the sea's water as in a skin,
laid up floods in storehouses :
LAST aONQS. 328
all tho earth feared before Jahve,
all earth's dwellers quake before him ! for He spake — and it came to pass.
He commanded — and it existed. — Jahve hath broken the counsel of tho heathen, 10
hath made utterly void the people's plans ; Jahve's counsel for ever stands.
His heart's plans for all ages.
2.
Happy the people whose God is Jahve,
the community, chosen by Him for a heritage ! High from heaven looked Jahve,
saw all the sons of men ; looked far from His seat of rule
upon all the spns of earth : He who together forms their hearts, 15
who observes all their deeds. Never doth a king prevail by force,
a hero deliver himself by great strength ; vain is the horse for victory,
brings not deliverance although very mighty ; lo, Jahve looks on His fearers,
on those who wait for His grace, to save from death their soul,
to keep them alive in hunger.
b. Our soul hopes on Jahve, 20
our defence and shield is He. Because our heart rejoices in Him,
because we trust His holy name, let Thy grace come, Jahve, upon us,
as wo wait for Thee !
Ver. 1 as cxlvii. 1. Vcr. 7. id after the expression ^3,
2\ *
324 • LAST SONGS.
mole would lead to Ex. xv. 8 : but not the former wonder in tlie sea, but the damming-up or closing-in of the sea- water from Chaos onwards, must here, when the Creation is referred to, be spoken of. Comp. Job xxxviii. 8. Hence i!j = "fi^j sTcm must be read, also in correspondence with the following '' storehouses ;'' in like manner of the water of the clouds. Job xxxviii. 37, xxii. Yer. 9 after Gen. i. 3. Vv. 13, 14 allude, equally with ver. 10, to the last experienced Divine help (comp. cii. 20), so that ver. 10 and vv. 13, 14 reciprocally complete one another. Ver. 17 after Ps. xx. 8^ comp. cxlvii. 10; ver. 20 from cxv. 9-11.
Ps. cxlix. is a sougof victory, in which the wai-like- religious inspii-ation, as it was again aroused in the small struggles with neighbouring peoples (Neh. vi. 1 sqq.) appears still more strongly than in the preceding three songs ; an echo besides of Pss. xciii. sqq. The song plainly breaks up into three strophes of three verses each, of which the second points to the latest victory, the last on this side gives voice in decisive tones to the Messianic hopes.
1. 1 Sing to Jahve a new song,
in the throng of saints His praise ! in His Creator let Israel rejoice,
Sion's sons exult in their king, praise His -name with dances,
play to him with kettle-drum and cither !
For in His people Jahve hath joy, adorns with victory the poor. 5 Let saints exult with boasts,
highly rejoice upon their bods, sublime praise to God in their mouth,
and a two-edged sword in their hand.
LAST SONQS. 325
3. To take vengeance on the heathen,
punishment on the nations, to bind their kings with chains,
their chiefs with iron fetters ; to execute the written hxw on tliem ;
this is honour to all Ilis saints.
Here Ps. xxx. is strongly imitated, as ^'ina ver. 3, "'"^-3 ver. 5, etc. — nL'-i ver. 4 as cxlvii. 11. — Ver. 8. "Merely echo of Isa. Ix. 11; it is to be understood, according to the con- text, rather as possibility and goal ; and constantly the princes of even quite small peoples were termed kings. Ver. 9 according to the passages of the Pentateuch against the Kanaanites, which was frequently understood too literally in later times. This song shows in germ how with the inspiration of that time gradually much that is troubled mixes.
Pss. cxlviii. and cl. appear to form with design the close of collection of Psalms ; for they give the most general, exhaus- tive summons to the praise of Jahve, as if they desired finally to conclude the infinite thanks and praise of Him. And indeed Ps. cxlviii. calls upon all in the creation, from tho highest to the lowest, from the greatest to tho smallest, to praise Jahve the world-creator and God of Israel. The song falls — according to the subject, heaven and earth — into two strophes with six verses each, while an after-word again com- prises all the contents.
1.
Praise Jahve from the heavens, 1
praise Him in the heights ; praise Him, all His messengers,
praise Him, all His hosts; praise Him, sun and moon,
praise Him, all brightening stars ;
326 LAST SONGS.
praise 13.im, ye heaven of heavens,
waters, which are above the heavens ; 6 which praise Jahve's name,
because He bade — and they were made, caused them to stand for ever, aye,
gave a law that cannot be transgressed !
2. Praise Jahve from the earth,
sea-monsters and all floods ; fire and hail, snow and ice,
storm-wind, fulfilling His word ; ^ mountains also and all hills,
ye fruit-trees and ye cedars all, 10 wild beasts and all cattle,
small creeping things and feathered birds ! kings of earth, all nations,
princes and all judges of the earth ; Young men and maidens also,
old men with boys :
3.
"Who praise Jahve's name,
because His name is alone exalted. His majesty above earth and heaven, and He exalted His people's horn, , the praise of all His saints,
of IsraeFs sons, the people near to Him !
Ver. 2 after ciii. 20, 21. — Ver. 6'. The case in which p'n beside ~ay stands in the accusative, Jer. v. 22, can have no application ; we must "rather compare the same words, Esth. i. 19, ix. 27, whence it is clear that this is a short pro- verbial mode of expression : a law and 'man shall not trans- (jj-eas it, i.e., one not to be transgressed (§ 291 h). — •Tit:i>p,
LAST BONOS. 327
ver. 8, cannot in this connexion denote smoJce, unless the smoke of an army were thought of; but the old translations have mostly ice, here very suitable; comp. the Syr. hata^, bo bound, curdle, and therefore freeze.
Ps. cv. summons all living things to the worthy praise of Jah with all instruments of praise :
Praise God in His sanctuary, . 1
pi'aise Him in His sublime welkin ! praise Him for His sublime deeds,
praise Him according to His full greatness ! praise Him with trumpet-blast,
praise Him with harp and cither; praise him with kettle-drum and with dances,
praise Him -with strings and'shalms; praise Him with clcar-souuding cymbals 5
praise Him with dull-sounding cymbals ! All breath praise Jah !
Ver. 1 ; on earth, as in heaven, comp. xxix. 9 ; a conception of the harmony between the two, which, properly carried out in the whole preceding song, is here only briefly again taken up. For, not to speak merely of the instruments, this song suggests the three questions: (1) where? (2) why? ver. 2, (3) wherewith shall God be praised ? And because all con- ceivable human instruments are insufficient for this, the song rightly closes with the brief exclamation comprising all that lives, ver. 6. On ver. 5 comp. Appendix, p. 339.
APPENDIX.
On the Singing and Music op the Songs.
Frequent allusion lias been made (in the '' General Ob- servations on Hebrew Poetry'^) to the fact that certainly in the case of the poets who must historically be considered the most ancient, all the arts of the Muses — poesy, singiilg, and playing (music) — formed still an undivided whole. The genuine song is, from its primary origin onwards, not to be conceived as devoid of musical accompaniment ; and it has been shown above* that we still even now fancy that we can hear the style of the music sounding out of the dead members of many an old Hebrew verse. The epic singer too, accompanies readily the beginning and end of his verses with musical play.f A consequence of this original and hence ever anew-manifested connexion may, still later, be that Asaf, the sons of Qorach, and other men of the kind, who, according to the historical information, are only singers and players in the narrower sense, are named in the superscriptions of many Psalms as their poets (see VoL I., pp. 42 sqq.)
But early the separation of these arts of the Muses began, when those who had still greater capacity and pleasure in singing and playing, got hold of the songs once produced by the poet, and further pursued the musical element lying in them 'after their fashion. In point of fact, individuality is developed more readily and ^completely by such separation of
* Dichter des A. B., I., pp. 108 sqq.
f This may still be observed at the present day amongst the Egyptian public Btory-tellers, whose character, in a certain pwint of view, may be compared with that of the ancient Rhapsodes, comp. Lane's The Modern Egyptians, Vol. II , 116.
APPENDIX. 3:S9
the different powers aud capacities ; but these may again bo united with reference to one object; singing and playing, considered as a special art by itself and so practised, will thus only be capable of flourishing freely. That this separation had begun among the Hebrews as early as the pre-Davidic times, is shown by accounts like Ex. xv. 20, 21 ; also among the Arabs singing arose somewhat early as a special art ; the "melodies were often given by the singers, not by the poets, and several singers, female and others, were , particularly distinguished in this.*
The last separation is that between singing and music, so that the pure playing of the different instruments comes out with greater completeness. Public playing indeed, withotit any accompaniment of singing, appears to have been little known to the ancient Hebrews, although other peoples standing still nearer to original conditions were acquainted with it ; and only among the shepherds of the fields the pure performance on musical instruments* may have been by itself developed among the Hebrews at the earliest time ; and all the earlier among them inasmuch as they formerly belonged to the pastoral peoples.f But also later, singing was, according to all indications, not so fettei'cd and obscured by the accom- paniment of playing, as is often the case at the present day ; for, on the contrary, we find everywhere singing pre- dominant. But that playing was actually, at least from Solomon's time, very highly developed as a special art side by side with singing, and that it was freely employed, follows with great certainty from several phenomena. Let us note, in the first place, tbe great mass of very different instruments which are named in the Old Testament; and we shall not liiul
* We know this most clearly from the close and detailed descriptions in Kitdb aVaghani ; conip. e.j;., the article on the A/.zal el Miiila in Koscgarten. C/ireat., pp. 130sq(i.
t Comp. C-ny n"lp~l2? in Deborah, Judg. v. Ifi; the Greek avpiyi certainly pasi<ed fnrther westward from these pastoral peoplcsi.
330 APPENDIX.
the Hebrews in their knowledge and practice to have been behind the ancient Egyptians and later Arabs. All these instruments may have been derived by them from other still older peoples^ for we do not know that they invented or used any that were entirely peculiar ; and we see from Am. vi. 5, that in the ninth century artistic aptitude in the Davidic string- play passed for something rather novel among potentates ; and many, without capacity, still did not think it below their dignity; but it cannot be denied that in this they successfully emulated other neighbouring peoples. But that among such peoples playing was already separated . from singing, we know from certain sources.* In general we see this much from the slightly confused, but nevertheless in great part genuine, historical and extremely precious information of the Chronicles, especially from the long descriptions I., capp. vi., xv., xvi., and XXV., xxvi., that music and singing from ancient times flourished to the highest degree among the Hebrews, and accompanied the sublime worship with equal dignity and pomp.f To this may be added such definite testimonies as Vs. Ixviii. 26, where, in the description of a solemn procession, the players on strings and the maidens striking tambom's are distinguished from the singers; also Am. v. 23, comp. with vi. 5, leads to something similar. It might indeed appear according to 1 Chron. xv. 16 sqq., xxv. 1 sqq., as if the Levitic singers appointed at the Temple also played in David's time instruments ; indeed we cannot mistake that the solemn train of singers and players, 1 Chron. xv., is quite otherwise described than in Ps. Ixviii., which is most readily explained if
* The paintings of the Egyptian tombs show veiy plainly singers, beating at the same time the time with the hand, along with players ; both performing together, see Wilkinson's Slanners and Customs of the Ancieiit Egyptians, chap, vi., where will be found also a >ery rich number of drawings of the ancient instruments ; comp. with Champollion's Or. Egypt., p. :3G'.t. (Jn the Arabs in the present day, comp. Lane's above-named work, Vol. II., pp. 59-93. To explain the instruments mentioned in the Old Testament, is only partly relevant here.
f Comp. the discussion oti the three masters^-IIaeman, Asaf, Aethan, Vol. I., pp. 42 sqq.
APPENDIX. 331
the two descriptions have two very different times in view. Yet from the most literal explanation of these passages of Chronicles so much would ever be gathered, that in David's time this separation had not yet aj)peared in its completeness.
But however desirable it might be to form to oneself a more certain and exact notion of the manner in which the songs were sung and played in the actual life of the ancient people, we must here forthwith admit that we are greatly deficient in the means for giving a full and satisfactory answer to such questions. Matters like the mode of singing and playing, change greatly with the times ; and even a clear recollection of them passes gradually entirely away, if their form is not retained in the writing by exact indications like our notes; but antiquity was entirely unacquainted with such signs in the extensive and accurate way in which we use them. Hitherto no success has followed any of the modern attempts to call anew into life a trustworthy idea of ancient Greek music ; and this must still more be the case with the incomparably older Hebrew. In the case of the people Israel there are besides the great agitations and demolitions which its whole status so early endured, and which were bound to have a most prejudicial effect on such arts of life. Whether, on the restoration of the ancient Temple in the sixth century, the ancient Temple-music was also fully restored, we do not exactly know. Certainly it was attempted, and, according to all signs. Temple-singing flourished, the more in the new Jerusalem as now all such sacred externalities were preserved in Jerusalem. Tbe (so to speak) musical style of the books of Chronicles, which may give us a notion of it, however incomplete, is still purely Hebraic. Nevertheless, the high glory of the Temple-music, as it must have been in the times of the bloom and power of the old kingdom, may have sulicred much in those late and oppressed times. But then there occurred with the Greek age, munifi'stly enough for all the arts of the Muses, and especially for music a great revolution ; new, purely (Jrei-k musical instruments
332 APPENDIX.
were customary, as the Book of Daniel shows, and new modes of singing and playing might easily obscure the more exact knowledge of the more ancient. In fact, the helpless ignorance with which the LXX neglect and erroneously translate many of the musical artistic expressions and words of the Old Testa- ment, may sufficiently prove that in the Gi-eek period the old musical words and ideas passed away, and therewith also the music itself was entirely changed ; and the other ancient trans- lators hardly know how to deal with the subject. A certain and simply ancient mode of singing was retained indeed in the synagogues, and through those in the ancient church ; * but a closer investigation is first required as to whether actually more than a slight uniform remainder from the full real substance of that ancient music was retained by the early Christian Church, whether even of that great variety of ancient tunes which the scattered words retained in the Old Testament attest, and of the distinction of particular ones, any reminiscence or other trace has survived. That accentuation which the Massoretes made regular in the three great poetical books^ may have arisen from this tradition of the synagogues; but in the first place, it prescribes the same simple mode of singing, as if a proverb of Solomon^s were to be sung just as a psalm ; and, secondly, — and this is connected with the foregoing, — it has manifestly no further clear recollection of the different old melodies, the traces of which we shall soon see more closely ; without taking into account that it subjects also all prosaic sentences and words not originally belonging to the song within the three books of Psalms, Proverbs, and Job to the same law, and only excepts from this the long prose narratives at the beginning and end of the Book of Job.
Hence it might be conjectured that the comparison of the music of the other nearly related peoples, or those that had once come into contact with the Hebrews, must here be of
* Comp. Augusti's Handbuch der Christl. Arehdologie, Vol. II., PP- 58, 107 gqq.
APPENDIX. 333
mucli advantage. But on the side of the ancient Egyptians , and Assyrians the figured representations of musical matters on their monuments are our only sources of instruction." A description of the music of tho Phoenicians or of the ancient Syrians (and such would be hero the most instructive) has not been retained. Of the Muslim we possess indeed very many musical writings; but the Arabic music, as it existed from the time of the Caliphs, has no immediate connexion at all with the ancient Hebrew ; and for this reason all these, writings can only afford us a more remote advantage.* Such musical signs as are found in the psalters of the Ethiopic, Armenian, and other early Christians f is of very different character. And thus wo are bound to say that what we possess in the Old Testament, of relics of the Hebrew music, is but a slight fragment very hard to read, from an art which must once have highly flourished, but which already in' the Talinudic time X had become outirel}' unintelligible to posterity.
Nevertheless we need not hesitate to form for ourselves an approximately correct idea of the style of the ancient Hebrew
* AVhat is said in the book of Jones and von Dalberg, On the music of the Indians (Erfurt. 1802), respecting Arabian music, is very meagre, and entirely different from what is found in the Kitdb aV aghXni. The discussion of Viilotcau, De Vetat actuel de I'art rmisical de VEgypte in the Description de VEjyfte, — Et. mod. torn, xiv., gives indeed extracts from Arabian treatises on music, and an idea of the present musical art of Egypt ; but these extracts arc insuflicieiit, and the writer has no knowledge of the entirely dirferent musical observations in the Kit'ib aV aghdni. The work of Lane again on modern Egypt describes only the external features of the new Arabic music. Under these circumstances I expressed the urgent wish in the first edition of this work that the old Arabic masic of which in this day wo have no ideas, might be more closely investigated in original sources. The edition of the Kitab aV aghd,ni was then actually begun by Kosegarten, 1840, but not continned ; and as a connoisseur of music U. (1. Kicscnwetter wrote On the mxuic of the Arabs (Ixiipzig, 1842', but without ceriainly understanding tho Muslim works from which he gives extracts, relying only on Hammer.
t To the Ethiopic signs I myself was the tirst to call closer attention on tho D. M. G. Z. 1846, pp. 39 sqq.
t Where still are found some imlividu.al detached reminiscences of the Timjilc- music (as M. C'^bptt?, v. 1, Tan, iii. 8, G. 7'*D"I27, ii. .1 bl. 10 sq.) but none in any way sufficiently coherent and clear.
334 APPENDIX.
music, especially in so far as it was public Temple-music. Every more exact description of the music of those ancient times is indeed wanting ; but many individual words have been preserved which must have had a musical signification. These are the short abrupt words and phrases which were noted against many songs ; we find them now attached to very many psalms, but also to the above explained (pp. 161 sqq. Dlchter des A. B.), song of King Hizqia, Isa. xxxviii., and to the piece Hab. iii., which was designed (p. 84) for public occasions ; but further the so-called Psalms of Solomon show the traces of this. We perceive from these instances above all that at least since the eighth century before Christ there was among the ancient people a peculiar musical art for Temple-songs, according to which all such songs were to be produced, and with whose artistic expression such songs might be accompanied. But how highly this art was developed is sufficiently clear from the fact that it possessed its peculiar expressions which, reduced to quite brief verbal signs, yet plainly were held sufficient ; so that they may certainly be termed the omisical notes of those times. But again, quite independently of this, we know that in the Temple from David and Solomon's times there existed a highly developed school of Levitic musicians j * and we have every reason to derive from it also our musical signs. — For us, indeed, these word-signs, because of their unusual brevity and abruptness, are now certainly only as scattered Sibylline leaves from the lost book of ancient Hebrew music ; but we must start with the explanation of them so far as is possible in the present day, and then further seek to ascertain what infor- mation they yield. For this purpose the books of Chronicles afford, us at the present day the most help, because happily so occurs that their last writer, as certainly himself a Latin musician, pays very close attention in his K.arratives to this side of the status and history of the ancient people, and pursues it, with
• Conip. the Oesch des V. Isr., III., pp. 315-.317 of the 2nd edit.
APPENDIX. 335
personal and most lively sympathy.* If we now apply these and all other means open to us at the present day to the understanding of these artistic expressions, we can still glailt-o with a higher confidence over much that is of considerable importance. The expressions themselves are of three-fold kind, which we must here forthwith distinguish; but with reference to them the preliminary observation must be made, that even the position in which they are found inscribed on the songs, and which plainly is not arbitrary, may also assist, to wards the recovery of their correct sense.
1. The first word — before every other here pertinent — is the extremely obscure n???'p|?. It is found in the Book of Psalms always in the very first place in the superscriptiohs ; iu Hab. iii. it stands at the end, which, as has been made clear, makes no important difference ; altogether it appears fifty-four times. To understand tlijs singular word, we must note above all that it is tolerably often read with the addition ^13'*333j Pss. iv., vi., liv., Iv., Ixvii., Ixxvi. ; Hab. iii. 19. For an addi- tion of the same sense ^3"';i3 ^V^ Ps. Ixi., must in all probability be taken, since both prepositions are conceivable.f This word comes from n?3, which signifies properly pure, complete, then transferred to iixno, uninterrupted, continuous ; from the notion of completeness the meaning in Piel is derived : to put some- thing in a perfectly good condition, order something, have the oversight of something ; according to this meaning it is con- nected immediately with by, over, but may very well be also connected, still more briefly, like all verbs of ruling, leading, with "? {Lchrb. § 217/.) But according to historical usage this word is used in a remarkable manner only of that ordering and conduct which is entrusted to the LevitcsjJ in this sense
* Comp. the Oesch des V. Isr., I., pp. 254 sq.
f The Massorcles have indeed here pointed piy^^ in the sing. : l)iit tliis in merely one of the many proofs that they were no longer quite certain about these ancient words. But in fact many copies have the jilwr.
I Also in such cases as 2 Chron. ii. 1, 17 ; xxxiv. 12, 13, the words if more closely considered are used only of Levitic oversight of workmen.
?>X APPENDIX.
it is frequently read in the Chronicles and the Book of Ezra. Therefore '33 ^37 n^3^n or '33S '3nrr might signify him ivho leads the strings or the string-play, i.e., the imisic : but here we have at once many other points for consideration.
In order then first only to understand how the strings ^3^23 might here be specially named, we must more fully consider the usage of all the instruments among the ancient people. And here it is above all certain that such a concert of all possible instruments, as has become customary amongst ourselves, was strange to all antiquity.* As the art of each playing instrument proceeded originally from a peculiar local circle, and served for quite special objects, so among those peoples who earliest developed music, each instrument was kept always in its own limits, and found its special •use. Least of all, however, may the music resounding to the Temple-songs be conceived as a species of Janissaries^ music, and that for the reason that the singing must be heard through, intelligibly and loudly enough, with the individual words. Wind instruments, flutes and others, were certainly never employed for the purpose: they are too .powerful for singing ; and when we find them in the ancient people, they serve quite other objects. The trumpet, with all similar blow- ing instruments, served for summons, giving of signals, for making announcement and gathering men together ; and their use was moreover from the oldest times a privilege of the higher priests,t of which more is said in the body of the work. The flute on the other hand, with all such finer blowing instru- ments, was greatly preferred at entertainments J or for the accompaniment of trains, || but was never used to accompany
* t'rom passages only like 1 Sam. x. 5 ; Ps. cl., one must not draw erroneous inferences. ^
f Comp. the Alterthumer, p. 330. J Isa. v. 12.
II Even festive ones, Isa. xxx. 29 ; but not 1 Kings i. 40, comp. the Gescli. des V. Isr., III., p. 285. Even in Ps. cl. the flutes for good reasons are not mentioned. On their history among the Greeks see Bottijjer's Kl. schriften arch. u. Antiq^l. inhaltes, I., pp. 1-61.
the Teinple-song. Of sfri/ang i)istrumen{!f, the liand-.lruni* (tabret, tambour, timbrel), this most necessary accompaiiim(«nt of the dance, was used from the most ancient times quite cus- tomarily by female singers for beating the time, and appears in early times even in conjunction with sacred hymns which resounded in this antique fashion :f but for the more artistic Temple-song as the Levites from David's time termed it, it -was never adopted. Only in so far as dancing was practised at the sanctuary on certain occasions, it is also mentioned in connexion with the Teraple.J
The main portion of the playing accompaniment to the Temple-song was certainly formed from the days of David and Solomon by stringed iiiHtrunieuts as the most fit for this pur- pose. They were from all times the most apt with their delicate sound to accompany singing : upon the perfecting and diversifying of thera extraordinary pains and invention were early bestowed, and they must have been developed so highly and in so many forms among the Hebrews as among other Semites, at an early time, that their art along with the name was diffused over Asia Minor, and even among the Greeks. For the Temple-music there were then two diffe- rent kinds in use, which we recognize also in Greek and Latin terms : the "1133 Kivvpa and the vll3 vd^Xa [vavKa) or nahhia, only that we do not more exactly collect their signifi- cations from Greek and Latin sources at the present day. That the two were very different is certain ; and the distinction cannot have consisted merely in the external form or only in the number of the strings.^ We may much more safely assume that
* F)hl also historically an archaic word.
f Acconlinp: to Ex. xv. 20, comp. Judjics xi. .14 ; 1 Sum. xviii. 6.
i Such expres.'iions a.s Vs. Ixxxi. ."J mu^t inauif(\-tly 1)C estiinnt*J l>y the similar and about contcmporar)' I's. cxlix. 3, and c^i>ocia!ly tl. 4 ; we then Boe that ttio hand-tabret stands only in closest relation to danciiicr. to wliieh at tlie Temple all other indications point. Also in I's. Ixxxvii. 7 wc understand by the cb ,h most correctly dancers.
§ What Josephus, Arch., vii., 12, 3 says, th.at the Kinnor wm tcn-slrinped, tl o Isabel t«elvr-striiiped. ihe former )>lnyed with a hnnimc, the lattor with the VOL. II. --
338 APPENDIX.
they took tlieir name from the different materials of whicli origi- nally their strings were composed : thus the Kinnor was originally made from hemp-strings, the Nabel from gut-strings.* With this agrees the fact that the Kinnor of the two must have been relatively the older.f and certainly it was the inferior and com- moner instrument. In German we may at the present day best designate the Kinnor by a word originally quite correspondent, by Cither, and hence the Ndbel by harjy. How developed were these instruments may be estimated from the fact that the Nabel, which was the more delicate of the two, is always designated as the ten-stringed. J But not merely in the older
fingers, may be true for his times, but little suits the old times of David, when the nD"'H3 (1 Sam. xvi. 23; xviii. 10 ; xix. 9) always passed through the hands only, and when on the contraiy the Nabel (Ps. xxxiii. 2 ; cxlix. 9 and the better reading of Ps. xcii. 4) was ten-stringed. But still more it is a pure fancy of Jerome that the Nabel, as similar to a v, took its name from a pitcher.
* Since '^SD originally signifies not a pitcher but a sMn, it might very well also designate gut. Of ~)"l33 it is maintained in the Lehrh., § 19 d, 118 a, note, that, as derived from "1^33, it was originally identical with the word Kuvyaliie hemp, which is in Sanskrit bkangd, and Persian hand], and as an archaic word, with a change of sound elsewhere customary, runs through all these languages (Tcannaah is from the Greek) ; actually ke^^or (Syr.) according to a notice, denotes hemp, kinnoreh (Arab.) at least something similar ; and the Ki9dpa (comp. the ^t7).) would then be another form of the same word. The Kithara is not derived from the Greek, but it might possibly come from another part of Asia to the Greeks as the Kivvpa. — Hemp could only be equivalent to thread= string ; but it is known that there were and still are strings of flax, hemp, silk, and cocus ; therefore for the origin the first signification may be retained.
f The Nabel is indeed mentioned in 1 Sam. x. 5, but only the Kinnor and along with it the tambour were, according to such descriptions and modes of expression as Gen. iv, 21, xxxi. 27, 1 Sara. xvi. 16 sqq., the oldest and most favourite instru- ments ; the Kinnor is also later always much more frequently named than the Nabel. Only where 'T'CE' "^bs singing-instruments are spoken of, as Amos vi. 5, 1 Chron. xvi. 42, 2 Chron. v. 13, must both be understood. But in general it is lemarkable how widely the Kinnor was known. Not only the Syrians and (accord- ing to Krapf) the Ethioi)ians have it, it appears even in the ancient Indian legends of the Brahma-born Kinnaras, ajiji was transformed in the mouth of the Arabs before Muhamnied by a rudely explicable change of sound into cartne (Lebid's M., \. 60) and caran.
1 In Assyria too they had them, comp. Laynrd's Nineveh, IT., p. 412, and his Discoveries, pp. 454 scjq. But also the Egyptiajis had the t( n-stringed harp, comp. the fine figure in Wilkinson's Customs awl Manncrt. Vol. II., at the beginning.
APPENDIX. 339
narratives of how Solomou instituted tlio Teinple-siuging,* hijJ in the books of Chronicles, but also in Ps. Ivii. 9 (cviii. 3) and in many later Psalms, thej are so named together, that it cannot be doubted that they formed the basis of all Tuinjjlf- music.
But along with them and in playing certainly combined with them, metal basins (cymbals) were in use, always in a pair,t and struck together with the hands ; as we can perceive plainly enough from the indications in the books of* Chronicles. They were thus the only struck instruments which were to combine with the string-play : and we may conclude from this that their loud clinking sound was intended not so much con- stantly to accompany the string-play as to beat the time at the right places. But these bowls might well be of various strength, as is further remarked in the body of the work.
If we ask then how these different instruments were played together in the Temple-music, we cannot indeed ascertain all the particulars at the present day. But we see in the first place that, according to these three instruments, there must have been three kinds of Levitic musicians; J and this very number of three we meet with in many relations. And secondly, it is obvious that the whole, if it was desired briefly to designate it by one word, could only bo named after the predominant element, after the strings. If the Temple-music generally was spoken of, it was briefly termed the pluyiny- instruments ;^ but there was thence formed a still more defi-
* 1 Kings X. 12.
■j- Hence constantly in the dual C^'F) -1!'?. "lihou;,'h this form of the word is peculiar to Chronicles; the older is C^v!i^!I, 1 Sam. vi. 5, nn<l hence at least poetically, in later times, Ps. cl. 5 ; the word'signilics a tinkling sound, as when metals are struck against one another.
X The description most clear for us at the present day is given by the words,
1 Chron. xv. 16, 19-21, 28, comp. with the less-clear xvi. 5, 32, xiii. 8, xxv. 1, 6,
2 Chron. v. 12, xxix. 2.5, Kzr. iii. 10, Neh. xii. 27.
§ m3''23 : we say here more exactly j^laying-in-olruments but not flrinyt, because the strings themselves are in Hebrew C^SP : for this word «ignifio« (lomied from the Syr. menta, comp. Lehrh., § ITCoj hair, and is so far less exact
a40 APPENDIX.
nite word for the string -}jlay,'^ i.e., the Temple-music. The leaders of the music gave with the striking of the bowls the time ; next to them in dignity followed the players of the Nabel, and then only those on the Kinnor.f — And thus, according to all this, the name mentioned p. 335, nD^3^2 ni^*3an^ might mean him ivho leads the Temple- music; and as the verb D^? was manifestly very frequently used precisely in this musical sense, J the mere name n^f^pn must in a .y case be shortened from it ; and this could not occasion the slightest ambiguity in cases where songs and hymns only were spoken of, as in the annotations of the songs themselves. The difficult point here is only that the "? before the expression is not explained, and that neither is one single leader of the Temple-music as an all-significant man elsewhere spoken of, nor could we comprehend why he should be here bi'ought into prominence so entirely alone. Therefore the word is most safely regarded as a neuter formation ;§ to designate tlie conduct of the Temple-music in direct opposition to the non-Levitic musical performances. A song which is designated, — whether immediately at the beginning, at its
than .5(6p5at, i.e., guts.; but for this reason it was seldom used in the higher style, and is found only in the song Ps. xlv. 9, which has in general a peculiar language, and in the quite properly musical song Ps. el. 4. On the other hand, ]33 as strengthened and abl)reviated from DD23, and (p. 31 Dichter des A.B.) radically related to 2?.23, signifies quite originally the touching or playing of the strings, and is also so worthy consideration from the fact that it presents a purely Hebrew or even (so far as we hitherto know) Israelitish word.
* Tl''3''33 in the song of King Ilizeiia, B. Jes. xxxviii. 20, and in the sub- scription, Hiib. iii. 19 : this word is formed accoidiug to Lehrh., § 164c, and stands happily by the concurrence of these two very diverse passages so firmly tliat we need neither tliinli of a corrupt reading, nor of corrupt modes of explanation. That *>" does not permit us to think of my, ih« context in both instances shows ; but 'the LXX do not stumble at the first, — all the more at the second place.
t All this is gathered from a close comparison of the above passages of the books of Chronicles.
X So in 1 Chron. xv. 21, where only music is spoken of, and where the word n'--3b, tn lead the music, is intcichauged as S3njnymous with V^^^Tlh^ to make music, ver. 19, conip, ver. 16, xvi. 5 (xv. 23),
§ A>cconiing to Lehrh,, § 160 e.
Ai'PEyDix. 841
hend, or at the cud as for prodwflon with the Tin)j>Ic-7)iufir, is' thereby sufficiently distinguished from otliers. But why tliis designation now stands at the head only of particular tluiugh very numerous Psalms, can only be considered more closi-ly in connexion with all the inscriptions of the Psalms.*
2. Next to this phrase there are a few others wliicli, obscure as each is in itself, must yet have a common destination. We may perceive (1) that they always follow after, that HV^.^^ or nr;3n 'Db^ and that immediately.! If this jilirasc, indeed, according to p. 335, is found altogether in fifty-four songs, these further words appear only in twenty-three psalms : but whatever tlie cause of this smaller number (further discussion of this will be found in the body of the Commentary on the Psalms), it must in any case have a weighty significance tliat, ■where they appear, they are ever found in closest contact with the other phrases as if introductory to them. But further they are recognizable (2) by the fact that they are al^Mva introduced by the word 7? after . . . . ; if ^f^, Pss. v., Ixxx.,
♦ That the sense does not admit "for the supcrintciideut of the music,'* a.s if the poet destined by means of such notice his song for |iul)lic sin;;ing, is cerinin : no poet could express himself so foolishly ; and plainly enough all sucli inscrip- tions point rather to the fact that the songs furnished witb llicm were actually once set to music for the Templc-biugiug. — Still moie erroneous are other aucit-ut and modem conjectures on the word. Noteworthy only is the constant translation by t(C rti TtXog ; but this seems to be entirely as obscure and unsuitalile. But throu'i-hout it is inconceivable that the translator should have exchanged the word with the well-known 11^2*^: this wouhl lie a very clumsy exchnnge; and besides, it is not tic rsAof, as is so often given for tiiis, but n'f t6 rt.\<>c ; and the translator would not have been able to make anything o( a Jor ever. It the wonU mean in his sense as much as for consecraHon (like rtXin'/i, they |)erhaps contain further a leminiscencc of the original and correct tense of the expression, f»»r by the consecration can only be understood the sacnHcial coii.«ecration or the myKtt'ii.iu which might be sought also in the sacred 'rcmple-soiig. Where n3'"-3- oS '33 ^V (l^s- Ixi.) follows, the LXX render tl<: tv rtX..i- iv i'/ii'.Mc, which ugrcci with this sense; and that they do not otherwise understand the worils attactid to Fs. Ixi.. likewise well agrees with what was shown aljove, p. 3.35.
t The single exception in the case of I's. xlvi. ran signify nothing ; the word* must here be transposed by an old copyist: and the possibility of this h; pe:ii» m the course of the Commentary.
342 APPENDIX.
is interchangeable with this, this is readily explained ;* if once, Ps. xxxix., the "r' stands for this, it may be merely an abbre- viation ; and if the preposition is entirely wanting with one of these phrasesj this may be only from an accidental cause. But an essential feature in them is (3) the fact that they very strongly change without a cause of this being observable in their sense ; and this both among one another and individually in themselves. Each of the twenty- three psalms has only one such phrase in its superscription; but altogether there are only twelve, or rather, — as two of these probably ran only somewhat more briefly than other two, — only ten ; and of these two are found four times, two others three times, three others twice, three only once. That all these phrases in general have significance only for the playing, is indeed quite clear from the connexion in which they are found : and the same is confirmed not less by the fact that at least two of them recur in the narrative of the Chronicles, I. xv. 20, 21, in such a way that they can only be referred to musical directions. But their more exact meaning must have been very early lost, so that in ancient and modern times very different conjectures have been put forth with regard to them. Already the LXX were here in the translation of the Psalter devoid of any exactor know- ledge, and so give themselves up to the strangest conjectures, without even so much as assuming that the phrases must have a musical sense ; in the Chronicles they proceed at least so far more securely that they retain the words merely according to their Hebrew sound, either as unintelligible or as art-expres- sions.f We must here, however, above all maintain that only three of these ten phrases give a sense in anywise intelligible for jtself, the other seven may be abbreviated only from the beginning or otherwise noteworthy sound of songs.
As regards the first three which were here placed together.
* From Lehrh., § 217 t.
t In the Tsalter the LXX render at least the nbn^ merely bv ^laiXiB
Al'tE>iDlX. 343
it is immediately further remarkable, that twu of them are . feminine words of reference, aud therefore j)laiuly jxjint to something similar in sense ; n-nan bv^ according to ' the Gathceic, Pss. viii., Ixxxi., Ixxxiv., aud n^y^^'n bv^ uccvrding to the eight, Pss. vi., xii., 1 Chron. xv. 21. If wu now thiuk (as on all grounds is alone probable, see the Comm.) that tunes are meant, these expressions are clear; from the City of Gath, by wliich always the most renowued cf this name, the Philistine, is understood, a tune might travel to. the people of Israel, and it may very well have found a home in Israel by David^s means.* But by the eight we best conceive the eight in a definite number and series of tunes ; for of our musical octave one could only think in jest. — The third phase I'lri^"'!' bv^ Pss. Ixii., Ixxvii., or more shortly l'''"I^T'?, Ps. xxxix., after Jeduth{iii,-\ may then likewise designate a tune as at first intro- duced by Jediithiin and- much used, for we know that he was a very famous old music-master from the first times of the Temple.J
With reference to tlie remaining seven phrases, (1) It is somewhat doubtful only in the case of one of them whether it should be reckoned as bclouging to the style of the preceding tbree or not. This is the jihrase '"nsby ^37 as iu Ps. xlvi. and 1 Chron. xv. 20, it is punctuated as if it signified according to maidens : one might find therein desiguated a melody like
* Gesch. des V. Isr., III., p. 183. The LXX wilh their inrip ruv \tjvwv con- jectured rr^nSn. The bV ihey undtTstaiid in all (licsc i>hra.ses as v:rip, i.e., they explain it of the contents of the subjects of the songs.
t That "b in such cases may denote, more weakly than 7!?, nhout the same thing, is clear from Lehrb., § 217 ci.
J bee on this the discussion on the inscriptions of the Psalter. Since from this resulis that the name Jediiihiin may be interchanged wiih Aethan, it might bo suppoted, according to I's. Ixxxix. 1, that he intended in I's. xxxix. to indicate the poet or singer himself; the hXX suggest this meanwhile by their translation ry 'li'tGouv, while they, I'ss. Ixii., Ixxvii. give vTr^, 'Ic'iOotW' which i.-* certiiinly not clearer. But the baselessness of such an assumption is clear from the whole style of the superscription of these three psalms, as is sl.own in the cn>c of the Book of I'salms.
314
APPENDIX.
one in maiden-wise {nach jung.fern-wcise) , or as the Greek TrapOepia* and then the phrase would immediately belong to the style of the three preceding. But the phrase ^?^ ^^^ '•?> Ps. ix.,f is plainly only its proper longer expression, so that its literal meaning may be most securely defined by this, while it is readily explained how the ^3? might fall away before it, whether merely from an error in writing, or because some disliked saying "vS? bv where the first did not appear tho- roughly necessary. As now ]?? i"!-")^ ^27^ Ps. ix, is punctuated, the words do not give the slightest sense : but in many copies the two first words are blended into one. If now this i^^al'3 is expressed, this formed like j'^^"lV- (Lehrh. §,165 6) may very well, interchangably with C"')2^7^,^ signify youth or rather youthful strength; and the full expression the son has youthful strength would only, as an abrupt beginning possibly of an old popular song [v oiks -lied), yield sense. In this case it would therefore belong to the following series of these phrases ; but that a song or tune may be designated by the first words of famous old songs, possibly also popular songs, is self-intelli- gible. We have now
2. A quite similar case of abbreviation in D''?tt,''t:7^ Pgs. xlv.
Ixiv., with which nr^v :2^^ww bs Ps. ixxx. and nni? ]^^W \i Ps. Ix., interchange. Obscure as are all these words in them- selves, they become readily plain so soon as we assume as the full phrase out of which they may have originated a short sentence like ~^T?? tl"^2t27")ti72; this would signify as lilies, i.e., pure is the Reaelation, would thus express nearly the same that we
* Comp. ('. C). MuUer's Gcsch. der Oriech , Lit. I., p. 351.
t ri-1?D b^, Ps. xlviii. 15 might therefore be also brought to this place, as if this sfnoci only once (as in Hab. iii. 19) at the end of the psahn, instead of in the superscription. Actually many comes unite it in one word moVs?, according to which — especially considering the otherwise fixed and great resemblance of Ps. xlvi. and Ps. xlviii. -it might apppar to be quite identical with m^bl?. But nevertheless the vP before it might easily be wanting, but not the n!s2)12b ; and in liiat |)assagc, Ps. xlviii. 15, must rather^ a word necossarily staiul which c(aiiiilcl(.> ihc vcrse-mcuiber.
APPEND IX. 315
read in Ps. xix. 8, 0, Lut certainly would alliulo to an ancicnu holy song; we might assume a song from Moses' time, for to this leads the use of the word miV* not less than the' raro fresh image of the lilies and the childlike joy in the confidence of the true word of God. But if the words were once a designation of a tune, one can readily understand that after the ^5? the particle '? fell away. — To ancient sacred hymns the two following also- lead :
3. nnipijl /S^ Pss. lyii. — lix., Ixxv. : this can only signify : JDestroy not ! and may be borrowed from the beginning of an old penitential song of the community which began some- what as follows : JDestroy not, 0 God, Thy people ! Before this pure indicative expression the particle of protasis '? could in no way be used, and might fall away because its sense in such a connexion is readily understood of itself by the resemblance of the other phrases. — The phrase,
4. nb np bv, after sichiess . . . Pss. liii., Ixxxviii., is explained without difficulty if an ancient similar poniti-ntial song began with some such words as ^^lO ^^V '"'.jHO, the sickness of Thy people mayest Thou heal ! quite after the old belief, Ex. xv. 25. — On the other hand, the two following phrases may again be borrowed from old popular songs :
5. "^ni^n nSs by, after Uind of the' dawn, Ps. xxii. : an old popular song might possibly thus begin : Thou hind of the daun, thou so early wakeful hind, uhat scared thee vp ? It would tlnis be very similar to the following :
6. C'jTni cbs nav br, aftn- Dove of dumbness, i.e., dumb dove of the distant ones, Ps. Ivi. : a popular song might begin with such words as Tho^i dumb dove (f the distant ones [i.e., of the men dwelling afar, Ps. Ixv. (3), what tellcst thou us from the distance ? with allusion to the certainly ancient use of carrier-doves in those parts. Wo listen hero to archaic words
d living pictures somewhat of the .same kind as have bi
ai
)i'on
* Corap. the AUcrlh., i>. 1 la. -'nd edit.
34:6 APPENDIX.
retained in Ps. Ixviii. 14^ from such times; as indeed it is generally very remarkable that on this path such entirely abrupt fragments^ — but nevertheless readily to be referred again to their original life, — of early Hebrew songs, both of popular and sacred poetry, have been preserved. — Most obscure for us at the present day is
7, only ri"*)7^ n^n'Vi^^ Ps. v. : this word cannot in any way be explained from Hebrew as elsewhere known, because it nowhere else appears, and yet might have its mere sound by very different derivations. Meanwhile it must be admitted that it may belong to the great number of Hebrew words otherwise lost to us, and merely because it ha,s come down to us in so entirely abrupt a form remains hitherto difficult for us to understand. If it arose from an old copyist error, it might be supposed that it was corrupted from the above nbnX3, the fourth in the series ; and in any case the hitherto obscure sense of this solitary word does not affect the clearness of all the others here explained.
For to all the above must be added the fact that the fuller compass of all those phrases is preserved at least once in Ps. Ixxxviii. 1, for it here runs ri"l23?7 '^ 737^ to be sung after Machaldth. If, therefore, so far from the pure consideration of the words the result was obtained that all these nine or ten phrases are intended to define the mode of singing or tune of the particular song, this is entirely confirmed by this passage, where for once its original and fuller compass has been pre- served. Again, it can be no difficulty that in the place where manifestly enough abbreviation is ever further extended, the full phrase is now retained as if accidentally only in one place : in the case of the Sola a quite correspondent example will be found.
Again, it cannot be in the slightest degree doubtful that all those ten phrases are to be understood in like manner and thus form something like a whole. By this correct observation the greater number of entirely inapt explanations which have
APtE};Dix. :;47
been sought in ancient and modern times of them, falls to the , ground. Especially it is extremely incorrect to conjecture in any one of these expressions the designation of a milsicul instrument, as has often been done, and is still dune in later times.*
If we assume, on the other band, that these short phrases especially designate the melodies or tunes of each song, tlio eld Hebrew music stands in so far in the best connexion with that of the other ancient prophets. That a single tune or melody was first developed in a single place, and in a par- ticular school of soug, to its most perfect form, and then tlio best were collectively used, and along with one another, is shown most plainly by the history of Greek music. 'As then the Greeks counted five principal and fifteen subordinate modes,t as the Arab musicians distinguished twelve modes, J just so in the ancient, people of Israel ten to twelve might be in use.§ And as the Greeks added to their own ancient modes the Lydian and Phrygian, David might, according to p. 343, domesticate the Gathaeic in Israel ; and if at the same time they were performed in a definite number and series, the name of the eigJd (p. 3 i3) is explained. — But cer- tainly the more exact knowledge and free use of them was
* Nothing is, e.g., more erroneous than to sii]>po<;o the word ilV^HSn^ Ps. v., designates the _;?!t(es, elsewhere termed mbrn: tiiis u.s.-iumptic.n is idlo in itself because the two words are fonned dilTcrentlv, and searctly agree in the root, and further idle because flutes never accompanied the Temple-song. When the accompaniment of singing by an instrument is named, the particle "2 with is always used, both in poetic and in common style ; only in I's. xcii. 4, u jhh t once places in one of the two verse-members v3?, after, iicfore the name of the instrument, but merely in order (p. 112, Dichter des A. B.) to produce a 8li^;ht change in the dance of the members ; in non-poetieul language, therefore in the annotations of the songs, this bV would never have been used in auch sig- nification.
t See the leading passage in Plato's Rep., iii. 9, 10, comp.C. O. Miillcr's Grirch. JAteraturgesch., I., pp. 275 sqq.
X Comp. the above-named piece of Kiesewetter's, pp. 3.i fijq.
§ It is remarkable that also for church hymnology .seven to eij^lit tunes wire from ancient times counted ; comp, Tctri's Agcndc, pp. 'J5 kj'I-
348 APPENDIX.
early lost. The Chronicler (I., xv. 20, 21) names only two more as in actual use, as if the Nabel-players used specially only one, and the Kinn6r-players another by preference. And the LXX understand nothing less certainly than these frag- ments of old Hebrew instrumental art. The irruption of Greek art which (p. 331) ensued comparatively early after Alexander, had certainly here a very withering effect, and completed the overthrow of a far older art, already from other causes seized with decay.
3. Ouly behind these two first kinds of art-expressions is found the designation of each particular song as either (1) nbja^ or (2) b-'Spp, or (3) cri?^, or (4) 1 ^2P. That these four designations of a song stand in an opposed relation is undeniable : the same song is always designated only by one of the four names. That they were intended to distinguish more definitely the songs according to the severally possible modes of the mere delivery was shown in pp. 30-32 {Dichter des A. B., I.) ; but this distinction cannot lie in the mode or tune, because, as shown above, quite other designations serve for this purpose. If we may not then seek the distinction in the singing, we must look to the mere playing and the singing in some way dependent on this : and here is certainly shown a possibly very definite distinction. For we see from the musical song, Ps. cl. 5, that it alluded to double bowls ; clear, with more delicate light sound ; and dull, with duller and heavier sound ; a distinction which was certainly formed by the different metal or weight of these bowls. But if the bowls gave, according to the observations on p. 339, the time for playing and singing, then if either the clear only or only the dull were to be sounded, certainly an important distinction in the effect of the music must result; but perhaps also with the clear, bowls the Nabel as the finer stringed instrument was also intended to resound. Thus four possible distinctions resulted, coinciding with those four names: (I) "''QTP would be any accompanied song, l)ut in tlie first instance always such
A PI' ESDI I. nj'j
an one as would be accompauied by the collective Temple-, music, and this was the customary (it is found before fifty-six Psalms) ; (2) b'Zt^p, the clearer ; (i) Cn^P, the duller. With the latter name are now found designated only the six song.s, Pss. xvi., Ivi. — Ix., beside the royal son^', Isa. xxxviii. ; and as Pss. Ivi. — Ix. stand together, so do those designated by Vstt?^^ Pss. xlii. — xlv.. Hi. — Iv., Ixxxviii. sq., further small coherent series, while this is found sporadically elsewhere only in Ps. xxxii., Ixxiv., Ixxviii., cxlii. On what .principles the musicians thus distinguished these two-sided songs, wo do not now know: it may have been a distinction like that in the old comedy by tibiis paribus, or imjyaribus, dextiM, or ttinisfris ;* but if a poet once says sing a fine son<j, Ps. xlvii. 8, whih^ this psalm is designated in the superscription generally as ""^T^, the word is then applied only in a somewhat freer sense. In all these three cases th-e music should however remain uniform in character through the whole song with its beginning; but if it was to change with the great strophes, perhaps precisely with the high number of strophes, it was (we may correctly further assume) designated P''^'^. This word designates the wandering, i.e., deviating indirect course, if thought, feeling and music suddenly change with the new strophe; and actually this passionately excited, suddenly changing, and as it were wandering play suits also very well in sense the two cases where a song is so designated, Ps. vii., Ilab. iii. As it was customary, further, to designate each song also quite shortly according to this its fourfold distinction, these four names are found in superscriptions of songs also alone, without the two preceding definitions or the more n--*3nb preceding ; this is then just as if in Greek a song was to be distinguished as lambos or Dithyrambos.f
* Comp. Kheinisclic's Museum fiir Philohgie, 1842, pp. 29 .•^qq. V^SUja itnlHn, by its etunological signification, bright, clean, tlie exact opjiositc of a wi.nl CHD which expresses the obscuro. stained.
t I (I.J not use thfiM' rxHiiijilcs at lan.loiii ; Id/./S-c is f.rol.ubly iin^'ing with
350 APPENDIX.
This is the most probable view at the present day of these four designations ; and if they designate purely musical matters, it is explained also how the poetic piece, Hab. iii., might be designated, by ri'l2''2tt? ^V after Dithyranihs (that is, to be played). This expression runs only more definitely than if such a song, as in the Psalter, is immediately designated quite briefly with one of the four musical names. But like the preceding series of musical art-expressions, this also had become entirely obscure to the LXX. They translate only the *^'^!^ tolerably by -v/raX/^o?, but interchange the )V^W with it, and understand the v'^Sb^ quite with- out sense as avvecreco'i, i.e., a song of understanding or doctrine. It appears most strange that they render -^P'^, Ps.xvi., by crrrfK.o'y pap la, a.nd Pss.lvi. — Ix., by ek (TT7)Xoypa<pLav; but this misunderstanding too may be satisfactorily ex- plained.*
We may rather in conclusion justly conjecture that these three kinds of brief observations taken all together sufficed as a o"uide for the old musicians, and that fundamentally many further signs and hints, as have become customary in our artistic music, were not required. Thereby was indicated (1) that such a song was generally adapted for Temple-music, and was eai'lier used for this purpose; (2) after what mode of
one (t from ev one) set {afif^r}) i.e., the simplest, SiOvpajifioc, that rising as with two doors, Qpinfi^oQ {triumplius') that with three, words which certainly refer to a very ancient mode of Greek music. Also the M33p in the B. Daniel is as aapfivKT] (from rpia/i/Su/cjj), probably originally Greek, as the iafx^uKi] cor- responds to it.
* The translator of the Prophets indeed understood neither in Hab. iii. nor Isa. xxxviii. 9 the musical expressions ; the translator of the Psalter, however, thought certainly to explain CnSp from D^lSp, Isa. xxxviii. 9, and thus pitched upon aTrfKoypapia, which w^now recognize best from the great examples in C. J. Gr., no. 3569 c, 4310, 4379 o. Here we see didactic poems in the aljjha- betic order of the verses cut into pillars, which might be very aptly termed arriXoypapUt. But this suits neither the r lyal song in the B Jesaja nor the six so-called Psalms, and rests only on a false reading,, as is sufficiently showu above. — Comp. on the whole the Jahrhb. der B. W., X., pp. G5 aqq.
APPENDIX. HrA
singing, and (3) of instrumentation it was produced. Had wo, still the true key to the most important of these few signs, namely the knowledge of the kinds of the old Hebrew tiims, much would still become vital for us in this field; but unhappily this very knowledge had manifestly been entirely lost among the old translators, and we cannot now by any means discover conjecturally the origin of most of these short designations. For certainly all musical knowledge in the Levites' school had been propagated only by tradition, so that recollection might easily be weakened and lost under quite altered conditions and times.*
Yet there is found, in especial, one further word certainly of musical object but of other position and significance, the famous J^/D which stands, never at the beginning, but con- stantly in the course, sometimes at the end of a song. A musical sense it must surely enough have for the reason that it never belongs to the sense of the verse or song (although the Massoretic accentuation connects it closely with the number against whicb it is placed), and is ordinarily found only in such songs as bear the other previously explained musical signs. f The literal sense of this sign seems indeed to bo very obscure, for this word is not found in any other connexion ; but we have a further passage, Ps. ix. 1 7, where the phrase has been more fully preserved, and from which we must necessjxrily
* Here suitably the Kitlh aV aghdni may be compared, whicli I have deeply investigated in MS. It .states with every more important song the music very exactly and somewhat circumstantially ; but it scem.s nowhere further to define the mode of singing, except that it names tlie first who sang a song artistically, with some further art expressions, which only yield a solution to those ac<iiiainted with the matter.
j- We read nbo from once to four times on the following forty songs: Psalms iii., iv.. vii., ix., XX., xxi., xxiv., xxxii., xxxix., xliv., xlvi. — 1., Iii., iiv., Iv., Ivii., lix. — Ixii., Ixvi.— Ixviii., Ixxv.— Ixxvii., Ixxxi.— Ixxxv.. Ixxxvii.— Ixxxix., cxl., cxiiii., Hab. iii. Of these merely eight have no n-VSPv at the beginning or at fho end, viz., xlii., xlix., 1., Ixxxii., Ixxxiii., Ixxxvii , cxiiii. Meanwiiilc these bear at least the name "TIQTD p. 349. It is very noteworthy that with the translation cin\(/a\fin it is fouiiii also in the so-called Saloraonic Pialicr. xvii. 31. xviii. lo.
352 APPENDIX.
start. Here runs the musical intermediate observation,
The first of these two words signifies accoi'ding to the clear connexion of the sense in one verse, Ps. xcii. 4, as much as the artistic play, properly the meditation, musing and reflection, music, in the same way as the word Music is gradually used especially of Instrumental Music. ^ ^^. is regarded accord- ing to this punctuation most safely as derived from a substan- tive vD^ whence bbo ascend, whence cbp the scale, which word is likewise applied in the musical sense] "^/D [Lclirh. §216c) is thus equivalent to to the height! up! which in things of sound can only be equivalent to loud ! plainlj ! If then the full phrase runs Music, loud ! it is thereby expressed from the other side that the singing is to cease while the Music alone loudly breaks in. Here then we observe immediately the use, indeed the indispensableness of this sign. For usually music accompanied the singing to all appearance somewhat softly and low : but there might be cases where it was to break in more strongly during the silence of the singing, and this, according to all j^receding musical signs, must be marked by a peculiar sign in the course of the song. By what reasons indeed the artists were guided in particulars, has become to us with the whole ancient music an enigma, the solution of which can hardly be expected. Meanwhile we have thus a tolerable explanation why the word almost always stands only at the end of a verse,* indeed very often at the end of a strophe, for unquestionably in such passages the music may well strike in most strongly; hence it is certainly of some weight in seeking for the strophes. Yet from all this it is also clear how wrong it would be to regard the word in and for itself, as a sign of the pause or of the end of a strophe ; this would neither suit the literal sense of these two words nor to the passages collectively where they are found. — For the rest, pre-
• i\t. tlie end of a iniddle versr-imniibej' it, stHnds in I's. Iv. 20, Ivii. 4.
APPENDIX. rica
cisely.this word in later antiquity appears lu hnw longest remained clear, for the translation of tlic LXX 8id\lra\/j.a pro- bably contains a good reminiscence of the original sense.*
♦ If, that is, the Greek word is about equivalent to intermediate play of strings. where the string-play alone hreaks in ; coinp. on this rare word in the Greek writers elsewhere the old Lexica and the passages in Aupnsti : Ha7idb. der Chriitl. Archdologie, Th. 2, pp. 81, 124, who, for tlie rest, erroneously supposes the formula Hallelujah may be compared with Selah. — To critiLize other explaiiati<iii« of this word is at the present day scarcely wOrth the trouble.
2:J
Psalm
INDEX. |
|||||
i. |
Vol. 1. |
p. 318 |
Psalm ,xxix. |
Vol. I. |
p. 91 |
ii. |
., 147 |
,, XXX. |
,, |
,, 187 |
|
iii. |
., |
.,141 |
,, xxsi. |
,, |
„ 302 |
iv. |
,, |
,,144 |
,, xxxii. |
,, |
„ 136 |
V. |
„ |
.,259 |
„ xxxiii. |
Vol. II. |
,,322 |
vi. |
,, |
„ 183 |
,, xxxiv. |
,, |
„ 90 |
vii. |
,, |
„ 74 |
,, XXXV. |
5> |
„ 50 |
viii. |
,, |
„ 103 |
,, xxxvi. |
Vol. 1. |
,,267 |
ix. |
,, |
., 320 |
,, xxxvii. |
J) |
,,328 |
X. |
,, |
„ 320 |
„ xxxviii. |
Vol. II. |
„ 56 |
xi. |
5) |
„ 71 |
,, xxxix. |
Vol. I. |
,,204 |
xii. |
„ |
„ 197 |
xl. |
Vol. II. |
„ 60 |
xiii. |
,, |
„ 185 |
xli. |
Vol. I. |
,,191 |
xiv. |
Vol. II. |
„ 143 |
xlii. |
Vol. II. |
„ 23 |
XV. |
Vol: I. |
„ 84 |
,, xliii. |
,, |
„ 23 |
xvi. |
Vol. II. |
„ 10 |
xliv. |
,, |
„ 227 |
xvii. |
„ |
„ 4 |
xlv. |
Vol. I. |
„ 165 |
xviii. |
Vol. I. |
„ 117 |
,, xlvi. |
,, |
,,218 |
xix. |
„ |
„ 'd'^ |
,, xlvii. |
Vol. II. |
„ 212 |
XX. |
,, |
,,158 |
,, xlviii. |
Vol. I. |
„ 221 |
xxi. |
„ ■ |
„ 160 |
,, xlix. |
Vol. II. |
„ 17 |
xxii. |
Vol. II. |
„ 33 |
1. |
Vol. I. |
„ 310 |
xxiii. |
Vol. I. |
,,179 |
li. |
Vol. II. |
,, ' ' |
xxiv. |
7-10. „ |
„ 79 |
,v . Iii- |
Vol. I. |
„ 265 |
xxiv. |
1-6. „ |
„ 82 |
liii. |
Vol. II. |
„ 143 |
XXV. |
Vol. II. |
,,^-90 |
liv. |
Vol. I. |
„ 271 |
xxvi. |
Vol. I. |
„ 296' |
Iv. |
)j |
„ 252 |
xxvii. |
„ |
,,174 |
Ivi.- |
-Iviii. „ |
276-289 |
sxviii. |
J, |
,,300 |
■ „ H-x. |
,, |
„ 290 |
ilm, Ix. |
Vul. 1. |
p. 112 |
Psalm .Mvi. |
\ui. 11. J, |
Ixi. |
„ |
„ 272 |
xcvu. |
|
„ • Ixii. |
,, |
„ 20U |
.. . xcviii. |
|
Ixiii. |
,, |
„ 2M- |
XtlX. |
|
„ Ixiv. |
,, |
„2G2 |
>, c. |
|
Ixv. |
,, |
» 232 |
li. |
V„l. 1. .. |
,, Ixvi. |
1-12. Vol. II |
,,213 |
M tii. |
Vol. II |
Ixvi. |
13-20. Vol. I |
. „ 195 |
,, ciii. |
|
„ Lxvii. |
Vol. II. |
„ lO'J |
., civ. |
|
Ixviii. |
„ |
„ 20U |
„ cv. |
|
Ixix. |
,, |
„ QG |
„ cvi. |
|
Ixx. |
)> |
„ 65 |
„ cvii. |
|
Ixxi. |
,, |
„ «5 |
,, cviii. |
|
„ Ixxii. |
Vol. I. |
,,333 |
,, cix. |
|
,, Ixxiii. |
Vol. II. |
„12G |
ex. |
Vol. 1. ., |
Ixxiv. |
„ |
„ 230 |
cxi. |
Vol. 11. ,. |
Ixxv. |
Vol. I. |
,,216 |
cxii. |
., |
„ . Ixxvi. |
„ ■ |
„ 220 |
„ cxiii. |
., |
,, Ixxvii. |
Vol. II. |
,,133 |
,, cxiv. |
|
,, Ixxviii. |
,, |
„ 255 |
„ cxv. |
.. |
„ Ixxix. |
,, |
,,233 |
,, cxvi. |
|
„ Ixxx. |
,, |
,,235 |
,, cxvii. |
|
Ixxxi. |
„ |
,,264 |
„ cxviii. |
|
,, Ixxxii. |
,, |
,,141 |
cxix. |
., |
„ Ixxxiii. |
„ 252 |
., exx. |
||
„ Ixxxiv. |
„ 30 |
cxxi. |
.. |
|
„ Ixxxv. |
„ 250 |
cxxii. |
•• |
|
,, Ixxxvi. |
„ 303 |
cxxiii. |
M |
|
„ Ixxxvii. |
,, |
„ iru |
cxxiv. |
|
,, Ixxxviii. |
Vol. I. |
„ 307 |
,, cxxv. |
|
„ Ixxxix. |
Vol. II. |
„ 242 |
cxxvi. |
|
„ xc. |
Vol. I. |
,,208 |
., cxxvii. |
., |
„ xci. |
Vol. 11. |
,,215 |
„ cxxviii. |
,, |
,, xcii. |
,, |
,,188 |
cxxix. |
|
„ xciii. |
,, |
„ lyo |
cxxx. |
|
., xciv. |
„ 138 |
„ I'xxxi |
., |
|
,, xcv. |
,. I'M', |
cxxxii |
:156
5alm cxxxiii. |
Vol. II. |
p. 167 |
Psal |
n cxliii. |
Vol. II. |
p. 305 |
• ,, cxxxiv. |
,,168 |
,, |
cxliv. 1-11. „ |
„ 307 |
||
cxxxv. |
,. |
,,314 |
,, |
cxliv.12 |
-15. Vol. I |
,,154 |
., cxxxvi. |
„ 315 |
, |
cxlv. |
Vol. II. |
,,317 |
|
.. cxxxvii. |
„ 173 |
, |
cxlvi. |
„*319 |
||
,, cxxxviii. |
,, |
„ 186 |
, |
cxlvii. |
,,320 |
|
„ cxxxix. |
„ 218 |
cxlviii. |
,,325 |
|||
cxl.- |
-cxlii. Vol. I. |
cxlix. |
,,324 |
|||
p- |
240-250 |
' |
cl. |
,,327 |
||
* Before the |
translation of Ps. |
cxlvi. |
the following words should |
be supplied : —
" The three following songs give praise and thaiiks to Jahve as the true Helper, especially emphasizing the truth that external human power does not bestow victory. Ps. cxlvi. expresses this rather as the feeling of each individual, with strong imitation of Pss. ciii. sq. The short song unfolds in three small strophes, of seven members each. The verse-division is manifestly inapt, vv-
G. NORMAN AND SON, PRINTERS, 29, MAIDEN LANE, COVtNT GARPEN, LONDu.V.
Date Due |
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