Another alphabetical psalm of precisely the same character, coinciding with the one before it, even in the number of verses, and the number of clauses in each verse. This formal agreement shews the intimate connection of the two compositions, and makes it highly probable that they belong not only to the same age but to the same author, and were meant to form parts of one continued series or system. This psalm begins precisely where the one before it ends, i. e. with the happiness arising from the fear of God, ver. 1, the blessed effects of which are then recounted under several particulars, ver. 2-9, and finally contrasted with the fate of the ungodly, ver. 10.
1. Sappy the man fearing Jehovah, in his commandments delighting greatly. There is here not only an obvious connection with the close of the preceding psalm, but an obvious advance upon it or progression of ideas. As the fear of the Lord is there declared to be the principle of all true wisdom, so here it is declared to be the source of all true happiness. The second clause defines the meaning of the first, by shewing that the fear there mentioned is a fear consistent with, or rather necessarily involving, a complacent acquiescence in God’s will, thus entirely excluding a mere slavish dread, which is incompatible with such a disposition. • 2. Mighty in the earth shall he his seed; the race of the upright shall be blessed. The first phrase is borrowed from Gen. x. 8, and would at once suggest to every Hebrew reader the idea of a mighty man like Nimrod and the other ancient heroes. Now a promise of personal heroism is perhaps without analogy, especially as given to the son, to the exclusion of the father. This anomaly can be avoided only by assuming, what is probable enough in itself, that the ideal person here described represents the chosen people, the upright of the other clause, each successive generation of whont might be expected to excel its predecessors in heroic eminence.
3. Wealth and riches (are) in his house, and his righteousness endu/reth fot ever. Not only in his dwelling but in his family, so that his wealth or prosperity might have been said to endure for ever as well as his righteous^ ness, i. e. his recognition and reception as a righteous person, his justification, Endureth, literally (is) standing, the same expression that is used in Ps. cxi. 3 of God himself. There is also an analogy, at least in form, between the majesty and honour of the righteous God and the wealth and riches of the righteous man.
4. There arises in the darkness light to the upright—Jcind, and compassionate, and righteous. The figure in the first clause is a natural and common one, denoting relief from deep distress. See above, on Ps. xcvii. 11. In the last clause we have another instance of the singular way in which terms applied to God in the preceding psalm are copied and applied to man in this. The first two epithets in this clause are employed above in Ps. cxi. 4. The principle involved may be the same as in Luke vi. 36. “ Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.” Compare Matt. v. 48. To these two epithets is added that of righteous, in the wide sense including both the others. The construction of the sentence is unusual and doubtful; but most probably the second clause sustains the same relation to the other, as in ver. 1; that is to say, it limits and defines the general description upright, by confining it to such as have the qualities expressed by the three adjectives that follow. The alternation of the numbers is familiar where the singular denotes an ideal individual including many real ones.
5. Happy the man shewing favour and lending; he shall sustain his affairs hy justice. The first word in Hebrew, which means good, is here descriptive not of character but of condition, and denotes good fortune. It is used in the same sense by Isaiah (iii. 10) and Jeremiah (xliv. 17). The common version (a good man) is forbidden by the Hebrew collocation. Lending, not as a financial or commercial operation, but as an act of charity, lending to the poor. The verb in the last clause strictly means to provide for or sustain, especially with food. See above, on Ps. lv. 23 (22). It is here applied to the control and management of all one’s interests. Affairs, literally words, but in the wider sense of that which words denote, namely things, affairs, in which sense it is sometimes applied to causes or suits at law. The last word is commonly translated judgment, not in the sense of discretion, given in the English versions, but in that of practical justice, righteous conduct. He shall best secure his own interests by treating those of others justly and generously.
6. For to eternity he shall not he moved; to the memory of eternity he shall he righteous. The/or assigns the reason for his being pronounced happy. Moved, i. e. from his prosperous condition, or from his position as a righteous man. The construction of the last clause in the English versions (the righteous shall he in everlasting rememl/rance) is grammatical, and yields a good sense; but the latest interpreters prefer another, which makes to everlasting remembrance mean the same as to eternity. As long as he shall be remembered, he shall be remembered as a righteous man. This construction has the advantage of making the parallelism more exact.
7. From evil tidings he shall not fear; fixed is his heart, trusting in Jehovah. The first Hebrew noun is in the singular number, and is properly a participle passive meaning heard, used absolutely as a noun denoting what is heard, a rumour or report, news or tidings. The common version (he shall not he afraid of evil tidings) seems to confine the negation to the mere apprehension or anticipation of bad news, whereas the original expression comprehends, and indeed more properly denotes, being frightened when the evil tidings are heard. A fixed heart is the negation both of fickleness and cowardice. See above, on Ps. li. 12 (10), lvii. 8 (7), cviii. 1. Instead of the active participle trusting, the Hebrew has the passive trusted, analogous to that in Ps. ciii. 14. *Psalm] 13:1-3 *473
8. Settled (is) his heart, he shall not fear, until he look upon his foes (with triumph). The first word is another expression borrowed from the foregoing psalm, but applied in a manner altogether different. See Ps. cxi. 8, where the plural of the same participle is applied to God’s commandments. The construction in the last clause is the idiomatic one of the verb see with the preposition in, which usually means to see with strong emotion, and especially with joy or triumph. See above, on Ps. 1. 23, liv. 9 (7). Until does not imply that he shall then fear, but that there will then be no occasion so to do. See above, on Ps. ex. 1.
9. He has scattered, he has given to the poor, his righteousness endureth for ever, his horn shall he high with honour. The first verb denotes profuse munificence, as in Prov. xi. 34. This is alleged not as the cause but the effect, and therefore as the evidence of his being righteous. The next clause is the same as the last of ver. 3. With the last clause compare Ps. lxxv. 5 (4), lxxxix. 18 (17).
10. The wicked shall see and fret; his teeth he shall gnash, and shall melt axcay; the desire of the wicked shall perish. He shall see, but not with triumph or delight, like the righteous in ver. 8. The word translated fret means both to grieve and be angry, and has no exact equivalent in English. See above, on Ps. vi. 8 (7), x. 14, xxxi. 10 (9). Gnash with his teeth, a strong expression of impotent malignity. See above, on Ps. xxxv. 16, xxxvii. 12. Melt away, literally be melted, i.e. waste or decay. See above, on Ps. xxii. 15 (14), lxviii. 3 (2). The desire of the wicked is his wish to see the righteous perish. Compare Prov. x. 24, 28, Job viii. 13, and the contrary promise to the humble, Ps. ix. 19 (18).
